NEWS RELEASE: Mosquito Spraying Planned for Readville

BOSTON – Friday, September 4, 2015 - The Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) would like to advise residents and community members in Readville of an upcoming spraying to help control the mosquito population in the residential neighborhood adjacent to Fowl Meadow.  The Suffolk County Mosquito Control Project is planning to spray for mosquitoes using a truck mounted aerosol sprayer in the vicinity of the Neponset Valley Parkway between Meadow Road and Prescott Street on Wednesday, September 9, 2015. If spraying is postponed on Wednesday night, it will be re-scheduled for Thursday night.  All spraying is done between dusk and 11:30 PM.

A map depicting areas to be sprayed has been posted on the Project website at http://scmcp.webs.com.

The Project uses a spray formulation containing the pesticide product Anvil to control mosquitoes. Anvil contains the pesticide, sumithrin, to control mosquitoes. Sumithrin is a pyrethroid that is classified as slightly toxic by the EPA. Mosquito control applications of sumithrin do not pose a significant risk to people or their pets due to the low toxicity of sumithrin and the small amount used to control mosquitoes. As with any pesticide, people should minimize exposure. If residents see a spray truck approaching, they are advised to go indoors for a couple of minutes while the spray dissipates. Residents are also advised to close windows facing the street. Beekeepers do not need to take any special precautions since spraying begins after dusk.

To help prevent mosquitoes from breeding, BPHC advises residents to limit places around the home where standing water can collect. People should turn over unused flower pots, buckets, wheelbarrows and garbage cans; remove leaves and other debris that can clog gutters and trap water; dispose of or cover old tires; and cover swimming pools when not in use.

To avoid mosquito bites, BPHC recommends using insect repellant when outdoors, especially from dusk to dawn when mosquitoes are most active and, when possible, wearing long-sleeved shirts and pants. Residents should also mosquito-proof their homes by making sure that their window and door screens are in good repair to prevent mosquitoes from getting inside.

If residents have any questions related to the spraying or any questions on mosquitoes, they may call the Suffolk County Mosquito Control Project at 781-899-5730.  For more information on sprayings, please visit bphc.org/mosquitocontrol.

For more information on mosquito-borne illness, call the Boston Public Health Commission at 617-534-5611 or visit www.bphc.org/mbi.

AG HEALEY SUES PROPERTY OWNER FOR DENYING HOUSING TO INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING RENTAL ASSISTANCE

AG HEALEY SUES PROPERTY OWNER FOR DENYING HOUSING TO INDIVIDUAL RECEIVING RENTAL ASSISTANCE

            BOSTON – A property owner and manager have been sued by Attorney General Maura Healey for violating state anti-discrimination and consumer protection laws when they denied an individual a rental unit on the basis of the source of his income.

            The complaint was filed in Suffolk Superior Court against Matteo Gallo, as trustee ofOcean View Nominee Trust (OVNT), and IPM Management, Inc. The AG’s Office alleges that the defendants refused to rent an apartment in Woburn to the individual based on his receipt of assistance through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Program and the requirements of the rental assistance program. 

            “Discrimination against prospective tenants who receive public or housing assistance is against the law,” AG Healey. “These programs help low-income families obtain affordable and safe housing, and landlords cannot use the requirements of these programs as an excuse to refuse to rent.”

Gallo is the sole trustee of OVNT, which owns and manages approximately 31 housing units in three buildings located in Woburn, where the tenant was looking to rent. In addition, OVNT owns and manages several other residential properties, including properties in Boston, Everett and Reading. IPM Management, Inc. is a real estate management, marketing, and consulting company for several residential properties, including the building in Woburn. 

According to the AG’s complaint, the tenant, who sought to find housing before a major surgery he was scheduled to undergo in October 2014, applied for an apartment and was told by OVNT that his rental application was approved. He then paid a key deposit. However, rather than going through with an inspection required by the Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership, which administers the voucher program, the defendants rented the unit to individuals who did not receive Section 8 housing assistance.

Because of the defendants’ actions, the complaint alleges, the tenant was unable to secure alternate housing before his surgery and spent his recovery living in shelters and staying with friends. He found more permanent housing four months later located in a community further from his medical appointments in Boston.

The AG’s Office seeks injunctive relief, compensatory damages, civil penalties, and attorneys’ fees and costs.

Under Massachusetts law, it is illegal to refuse to rent to a prospective tenant because the tenant is a participant in a housing subsidy program, or to avoid any of the requirements of such a program. It is also illegal to make a statement indicating a preference, limitation, or discrimination against a recipient of a Section 8 subsidy.

            The case is being handled by Assistant Attorneys General Kerry Tipper and Brittany Williams of Attorney General Maura Healey’s Civil Rights Division.

MassDOT, Partners Awarded Federal Public Transportation Workforce Development Grant

MassDOT, Partners Awarded Federal Public Transportation Workforce Development Grant

BOSTON- Thursday, September 3, 2015- The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) has been awarded a Federal Transit Administration (FTA) Workforce Development grant to support the Massachusetts Construction Career Development (MCCD) program preparing the next generation of skilled workers in construction trades.  MassDOT is one of 19 grant recipients from 13 states, as announced this month by the U.S. Department of Transportation.

The $750,000 grant will provide funding for the MCCD program and four Coalition for Equal Access to Jobs community partners across the Commonwealth to improve existing and successful pre-apprenticeship programs in the construction trades with a focus on under-represented groups including women and minorities.

“The Federal Transit Administration’s support for workforce development programs will allow us to prepare future generations for construction trades,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “This targeted investment in our Commonwealth’s talent pipeline will have a major impact on the future of our construction industry and help us to ensure we have the skilled workforce needed to maintain and repair our roads, bridges and public transit systems, and build new developments that spur economic growth.”

MassDOT worked in partnership with the Coalition for Equal Access to Jobs in pursuing this grant opportunity.

“This grant will enhance the successful efforts already in place to provide training and apprenticeships that will lead to outstanding careers in public transportation and the construction industry,” said MassDOT Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack. “It is also especially important that we continue to focus on attracting women and minority candidates to these opportunities.”

The Massachusetts Communities Action Network (MCAN) organized the Coalition for Equal Access to Jobs in 2009 to work on funding pre-apprentice construction training to especially enable more people of color and women to get these jobs.  The Coalition met with MassDOT for several years on this issue and MassDOT began initial funding to two pre-apprentice training programs this year. Coalition members met with MassDOT staff to help in writing this application that we are very pleased was funded by the US Department of Transportation.

Jack Livramento, the Massachusetts Communities Action Network Board President and a participant in the Coalition for Equal Access to Jobs, said, "Over the past decade or more, workers in the city of New Bedford, where I live, are continually searching for jobs that pay a living wage.  Our citizens are always looking for the proper training to find a good job.  This pre-apprentice training program will assist them in finding that position that leads to a stable job.  Finding the training that helps persons in their employment is an opportunity that our young men and women need. Hopefully this is just the beginning."

The Massachusetts Construction Career Development Program is a statewide partnership collaborating to enhance and augment existing registered pre-apprentice programs for minorities, women, and disadvantaged individuals in order to increase the targeted groups’ participation in the transportation industry.

The Coalition for Equal Access to Jobs includes a number of programs and initiatives, including the following:

·       Community Works- a multi-partner pre-apprenticeship program which provides low-income and low-skilled Springfield and Holyoke residents, particularly minorities, women and disadvantaged young adults, access to family-sustaining careers in construction. 

·       Building Pathways- a state registered pre-apprenticeship sponsored by the Building and Construction Trades Council of the Metropolitan District in partnership with the Boston Housing Authority and Action for Boston Community Development, Inc., providing training to low-income and minority participants with the skills and certifications necessary for successfully entering into post-secondary apprenticeships and employment in the construction industry.  .

·       Pre-Apprentice Construction Training (PACT)-a registered pre-apprenticeship program of the South Middlesex Opportunity Council, Inc., conducted through the Martin Luther King Jr. Business Empowerment Center.

·       Youth Build Boston- a registered pre-apprentice program that seeks to empower and assist underserved young people with essential social, vocational, academic and life skills necessary to navigate a positive pathway to self-sufficiency and neighborhood responsibility.

Federal Transit Administration workforce development projects develop or expand strategic partnerships with transit agencies, labor unions, nonprofits, and academic institutions, and some also support small businesses in the transit sector owned by women and minorities.

The FTA says reports show employers nationwide will need to hire and train a total of 4.6 million new workers – 1.2 times the current transportation workforce – due to expected growth, retirements, and turnover in the transportation industry from 2012 to 2022.

Governor Baker Urges Entergy to Address Concerns at Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station

Governor Baker Urges Entergy to Address Concerns at Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station

Corrective action needed to address NRC downgrade; ensure public safety

BOSTON – Today, Governor Charlie Baker wrote the leadership of Entergy Nuclear Operations, Inc.-owned Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station to urge facility operators to take corrective actions that addresses the recent downgrade by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to the Repetitive Degraded Cornerstone Column, or Column 4, due to failure to address the causes of several unplanned shutdowns dating back to 2013. 

In the letter, Governor Baker notes that while the NRC’s determination that Pilgrim Station continues to operate safely and the issues raised are of low to moderate significance, Entergy should “take all steps necessary to perform an appropriate root cause analysis of the shutdowns and to complete all necessary repairs and corrective actions.”

In recognizing Pilgrim Station’s significance in the Commonwealth’s economy and energy supply, Governor Baker also writes that, “the most important task at hand is for Entergy to ensure the safety of the plant’s operations and that of all of the residents of the Commonwealth that live within proximity to the plant.”

Further, Governor Baker asks “that Entergy work closely with my administration to make sure that we, and the residents of the Commonwealth, have access to the most up to date and accurate information about the corrective actions that will be taken to ensure the public’s safety.”

View the letter here: http://www.mass.gov/governor/docs/news/letter-to-entergy-nuclear-operations.pdf

STATEMENT OF MAYOR WALSH ON TODAY'S RULING ON TOM BRADY

STATEMENT OF MAYOR WALSH ON TODAY'S RULING ON TOM BRADY

BOSTON - Thursday, September 3, 2015 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today released the following statement: "Today is a great day in New England and Patriots fans across the country are celebrating.  Now, let's get back to football - I am looking forward to a great season and cheering on the Patriots one game at a time."

創業時光第五次留學生創業之夜 首度和麻州挑戰合作

“創業時光（Startup Time)”日前和“麻州挑戰（Mass Challenge）“ 合作，在波士頓舉辦第五場“留學生創業之夜”，邀來在不同領域各有所長的四名創業人，分享他們的創投，技術，投資等經驗。

由於這次的“留學生創業之夜“活動是和全球最大的加速器平台”麻州挑戰“合作，第一次免費向公眾開放，不過場地容量有限，只有一百人得以進場。

            四名講者，包括“SuperHealos“的聯合創辦人殷媛援，Procyon創投合夥人Millie Liu，“我的退出策略（My Exit Strategy)”執行長蘇琳（譯音，Suelin），燎原創業社交聯合創始人沈瞳等四人，都很年輕，其中三人是女性這情況，透露出如今社會，創業風氣越演越烈，連女生也紛紛踏上創業路。

            目前正在巴布森學院研究所維修的殷媛援是 “SuperHealos“的聯合創辦人暨執行長殷媛援，同時也是她的家族企業董事會董事，通過創造故事書，來減輕兒童及家長面對的醫院治療壓力及焦慮。

Procyon是早期風投，開發面向企業的軟件。執行長Millie Liu是MIT金融碩士，曾管理TechStars紐約孵化器，以及上市前私募股權投資等。她創辦的Procyon主要投資面向企業，應用算法，機器學習，大數據分析的軟體行業。

“我的退出策略”執行長Suelin本身是工程師，曾任哈佛大學支持學生創業平台“實驗室（The Lab）的前主任。“我的退出策略”教人訂遺囑，安排身後事，及早做規劃。

“燎原”聯合創始人暨技術長沈瞳是雲技術應用專家。“燎原”是以創業者為核心的“垂直創業社交平台”，為初創事業者建立人脈，匹配創業夥伴。

            “留學生創業之夜”同時為關心創業圈活動者，提供相關訊息，包括麻省理工學院中國創新創業大賽（MIT-CHIEF）9月將與黑馬大賽合作，為新材料/可再生能源團隊打造平台。進入這比賽的前六名隊伍，有機會獲得投資人的現場直接投資，大賽冠軍可參加MIT-CHIEG年度創業大賽總決賽。

  

圖片說明：

            “創業時光“創辦人李琛（左起），主持經驗分想會。Millie Liu，殷媛援，蘇琳，沈瞳。（圖由創業時光提供）

            會場。（圖由創業時光提供）

            “創業時光“創辦人李琛（右起），沈瞳（右三），蘇琳（右五起），殷媛媛，Millie Liu，李維岐等人。（圖由創業時光提供）

麻州國際貿易及投資辦公室獲聯邦政府撥款50萬元

麻州國際貿易及投資辦公室（MOITI）昨（二）日獲得聯邦政府小企業局頒給50萬元的“麻州貿易及推廣出口補助金。

麻州州長辦公室住宅及經濟發展卿Jay Ash，助理卿范文南，小企業局麻州主任尼爾遜（Robert Nelson）等人出席。

麻州國際貿易及投資辦公室和麻州出口中心，以及麻州小企業發展中心網合作，給符合資格的小企業出口宣傳費用，包括參加商展，監管市場行銷及本地化，同時向美國商務部申購服務。

MBTA維修，更新得花73億元

有關官員表示，麻州地鐵公司（MBTA）要讓巴士，火車，車站，以及其他資產運營順利，得花73億元。

            這數據比3月時公佈的67億元，多得多了。有官員表示，未來數個月，這數目可能再漲一次。

            地鐵系統及火車情況很糟。去年冬天地鐵停駛，促使人們大力推動建造第三條鐵路。

            監管地鐵的管理控制局成員 Steve Poftak 表示，趕進度修鐵路，恐怕比預備讓鐵路能夠應付冬季風雪還來得更緊急些。他說，給乘客他們應享有的地鐵服務品質，是很基本的事。

            麻州長查理貝克上任以來就把整修地鐵局當成首要之務。他的發言人稱讚董事會的工作，但並未承諾州政府會撥給更多經費。

            維修和擴建，是地鐵財政控制委員會開會的兩大主題。該委員會已採取第一步行動，從外聘請了顧問來檢查把地鐵綠線擴建進尚莫維爾市（Somerville）即麥德福市（Medford）的費用，從七億增加到十億了。

根據控制委員會所拿到的報告，在七月一日起的新會季年度內，地鐵預計將花六億一千萬元來維修和更新設備。

該報告還估計，以目前的開銷速度來看，到2040年時，地鐵延滯為做的維修將縮減為廿億到三十億元之間。這些開銷將在周及聯邦政府經費中，平均每年增加七億六千五百萬元，