State Leaders Announce Working Group for Review of Criminal Justice System

State Leaders Announce Working Group for Review

of Criminal Justice System

BOSTON – State leaders today serving as the Steering Committee for an independent review of Massachusetts criminal justice system, formally announced a 25-member bipartisan Working Group to partner with the Council of State Government’s (CSG) Justice Center to explore opportunities for policy consensus and reform.

The multi-branch task force’s Steering Committee, consisting of Governor Charlie Baker, Lt. Governor Karyn Polito, Senate President Stan Rosenberg, House Speaker Robert Deleo and Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Ralph Gants, will provide guidance, oversight and strategic direction in the development of policy options throughout the review process.

“This group of distinguished individuals with backgrounds in criminal justice and law enforcement will serve the Commonwealth well in our endeavor with the Council of State Governments to further reform and improve the judicial process, and reduce recidivism and incarceration rates,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Massachusetts strengths in these areas and wealth of ideas and experienced individuals, will ensure we continue to lead on criminal justice reform, public safety and reentry programming, while maintaining one of the lowest incarceration  rates in the nation.”

“The expertise and experience of the members of the justice reinvestment working group will provide valuable insight and knowledge to the Council on State Governments as they review the Massachusetts criminal justice system,” said Senate President Stan Rosenberg (D-Amherst).  “Through collaboration between the working group and CSG, we will identify policies for Massachusetts to make smart reforms to reduce recidivism rates, lower costs, and invest in re-entry programs.  We can be both tough on crime and smart on crime.”

“The working group represents diverse perspectives who will bring meaningful experience and insight to this process,” said House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo. “By using a data-driven analysis, with the input of the appointees, we will ensure that our policies help reduce recidivism and incarceration rates, are cost-effective and are structured in a way that best serves the citizens of the Commonwealth.”

"I welcome the Council of State Government's independent review of the data that will inform our collaborative efforts to reduce the rate of recidivism, promote individualized sentencing, and diminish over-incarceration," said Supreme Judicial Court Chief Justice Ralph D. Gants. "Trial Court Chief Justice Paula Carey, Probation Commissioner Ed Dolan, Superior Court Chief Justice Judith Fabricant, District Court Chief Justice Paul Dawley and Boston Municipal Court Judge John McDonald will work with our partners from other branches and agencies of government and CSG on a data-driven approach to criminal justice reform."

In an August letter to the Council of State Governments Justice Center, these leaders requested technical assistance from the Justice Reinvestment Initiative to “use a data-driven approach to continue to improve criminal justice outcomes,” while noting their desire to work with the Initiative to build on Massachusetts overall decline in incarceration dates over the last decade in order to further reduce recidivism rates, prison populations and taxpayer costs while enhancing public safety.

The Working Group members, consisting of Executive, Legislative and Judicial co-chairs, and executive, legislative, judicial, law enforcement, parole and probation and legal services representatives, will work directly with the Justice Center throughout the project on their findings.

Massachusetts Criminal Justice Review -- Steering Committee

Governor Charlie Baker

Lt. Governor Karyn Polito

Senate President Stan Rosenberg

House Speaker Robert Deleo

Chief Justice of the Supreme Judicial Court Ralph Gants

Working Group – Leadership and Members

Lon Povich, Governor’s Chief Legal Counsel

Executive Co-Chair

State Senator William Brownsberger

Legislative Co-Chair

State Representative John Fernandes

Legislative Co-Chair

Trial Court Chief Justice Paula Carey

Judiciary Co-Chair

Anthony Benedetti, Committee for Public Counsel Services Chief Counsel

Daniel Bennett, Secretary of Public Safety and Security (EOPSS)

Frank Cousins, Essex County Sheriff

Cynthia Creem, State Senator

Paul Dawley, District Court Chief Justice

Ed Dolan, Probation Commissioner

Judith Fabricant, Superior Court Chief Justice

James Hicks, Natick Chief of Police

Randy Hunt, State Representative

Peter Koutoujian, Middlesex County Sheriff

Christopher Markey, State Representative

John McDonald, East Boston Municipal Court First Justice

Joseph McDonald, Plymouth County Sheriff

Carol Mici, Assistant Deputy Commissioner of Classification, Programs and Reentry

Michael O’Keefe, Cape and Islands District Attorney

Colin Owyang, Deputy Attorney General

Debra Pinals, Associate Commissioner of Forensic Mental Health Services

Jennifer Queally, Undersecretary for Law Enforcement (EOPSS)

Daniel Racine, Fall River Chief of Police

Paul Treseler, Chairman of the Parole Board

Leslie Walker, Prisoners’ Legal Services Executive Director

The Council of State Governments (CSG) Justice Center has helped 21 states apply the Justice Reinvestment approach, in partnership with The Pew Charitable Trusts and the U.S. Department of Justice’s Bureau of Justice Assistance. Justice Reinvestment is an analysis-based process of identifying wasteful spending and ways to reduce incarceration rates, while applying those savings towards reducing recidivism and enhancing public safety.

紐英崙藝術學會12月辦“最美一年”攝影展2015

“最美一年”攝影展2015

秋去冬来，年末将至。回顾这一年，你是否忙里偷闲去记录身边的风景? 

这一年下来，总有一个场景、一个瞬间、一个画面让你按下快门，记录下最真实、最唯美、最感人的一刻。。。 

现在，是到我们分享这一刻的时候了，梅国治老师在这里邀请你一起参加"最美一年”攝影展，分享你这一年里的最美好，让我们一起用图片来给这一年划上完美的句号! 

摄影班的同学、学会摄影组会员和被邀请的摄影嘉宾们，将用展览的方式，以丰富的题材，多种的摄影技巧，高质素的摄影作品，展现我们纽英伦艺术学会和摄影这一领域里的爱好者在摄影这一范畴里的新面貌；通过图片的展览，以见证我们一年努力的成果；通过交流以提高我们的摄影水平，从而增强纽英崙艺术学会的知名度，扩大我们团体的影响力，吸引更多的摄影爱好者加入我们的团体，壮大我们的摄影团队。  

时间：11/28/2015 - 12/18/2015 （11/28，星期六，下午1PM-3PM为开幕式）

地点：纽英仑艺术学会（25 Edinboro St., 2/F, Boston 唐人街）

摄影展的要求：

1.       作品一定要是今年(2015)原创作品，黑白色彩不限，风景，人文，生态皆可。作品的装裱以16X20或 12X18的图片为标准（不一定是16X20，这个只是参考数据）。 

2.       参展作品要求如下：

·         梅老师所有的摄影班的同学们每人2-4张（装裱好的作品）；

·         学会摄影组会员每人2-4张（装裱好的作品）；

·         邀请嘉宾1-2张（装裱好的作品）；

·         无论有没有图片参加展览，请梅老师所有的摄影班的同学们，学会摄影组会员和邀请嘉宾回复e-mail告知参展与否(fenfangmei@msn.com)。凡参加展览者请回复e-mail并且明确参展的图片数量和上传展览的小图片以及图片名称，最好内附摄影参数，拍摄地点等资料；

·         所有的参展图片必须装祾好并在11月26日前（星期四）前交到学会。11月26日，11月27日图片上架。

·         展览其间，如有作品不幸损坏，皆与学会或发起人无关，并不予赔偿。

详细内容，请看附件。

MAYOR'S OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT RELEASES FIRST ANNUAL REPORT

MAYOR'S OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT RELEASES FIRST ANNUAL REPORT

Debuts New Website to Better Connect Partners and Participants with Resources

BOSTON - Wednesday, October 28, 2015 - The Mayor's Office of Workforce Development (OWD), formerly the Office of Jobs and Community Services, today released its first annual report, Building an Inclusive Economy.  Mayor Martin J. Walsh restructured and rebranded the office earlier this year after a thorough assessment of community resources, best practices, and efforts of workforce development programs around the country. OWD has since aligned its goals and strategies to leverage funding sources in order to address the Mayor's citywide economic opportunity agenda, focusing on tackling income inequality. "We have made it a priority to advocate for innovative policies and programs that provide career ladders for all of our residents," said Mayor Walsh. "From concerned residents and workforce development experts alike, I've often heard that existing programs could be more helpful in directly leading to good jobs. OWD's reorganization will create more opportunities for Boston's residents and employers." The new report reviews OWD's successes from July 2014 through June 2015. The office operates and funds a variety of initiatives to support upward financial mobility for individuals and families in Boston. Some of its signature offerings include the Office of Financial Empowerment, Boston's one stop career centers, employment programs for hard-to-reach youth, children's literacy programs, and the Boston Tax Help Coalition. OWD also helps manage the Neighborhood Jobs Trust, which is funded by fees associated with private development projects and provides grants to nonprofit collaboratives such as SkillWorks and English for New Bostonians. "This past fiscal year we were able to provide over $19.2 million in funding to more than 120 training programs, English for employment programs, bridge programs, youth employment programs and other educational services to help people find stable career paths," said OWD Director Trinh Nguyen. Highlights from the annual report include: SkillWorks, which received $350,000 in funding through the Neighborhood Jobs Trust, was able to leverage additional financial resources in order to serve over 1,000 limited English speakers to improve their language skills and employment opportunities. Youth Options Unlimited, an education and employment program that works with hard-to-reach youth, provided case management services to 377 young people and placed 88 youth in private employment positions. The children's literacy program ReadBoston gave away 60,000 new books to young readers across the city, and WriteBoston served 535 high school students with its deep learning through writing model. The Boston Tax Help Coalition was able to proved 12,291 residents with free tax preparation services that resulted in approximately $23 million in refunds for Boston families. The full Building an Inclusive Economy report can be found on OWD's new website, www.owd.boston.gov. The new site was designed to be more accessible to partners and program participants. It offers information about partnership opportunities, funding initiatives, and news and updates about OWD's programs. The Office is also on Twitter at @OWDBoston.

CONGRESSMAN TED LIEU STATEMENT ON HOUSE VOTE TO RE-OPEN U.S. EXPORT-IMPORT BANK

CONGRESSMAN TED LIEU STATEMENT ON HOUSE VOTE TO RE-OPEN U.S. EXPORT-IMPORT BANK

WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D | Los Angeles County)  issued the following statement on the House of Representatives voting to re-open the U.S. Export-Import Bank.

“The passage of re-authorization of the U.S. Export-Import Bank by the House of Representatives is welcome news.  Yet, this good news is tempered by the fact that Congress should have acted months ago.  Due to the most cynical and needless kind of partisan politics practiced by Tea Party Republicans, the expiration of the Export-Import Bank in June has had devastating impacts on communities from coast to coast.   The House vote today to re-open the Export-Import bank doesn’t help those workers laid off by Boeing at their El Segundo facility in the heart of California’s 33^rd district.  My hope is that the Republican Conference has learned something from this sad episode.  Hardworking Americans deserve bold economic solutions that protect and expand the backbone of the American economy – the middle class.  I hope Republicans – in the coming  weeks, months and years – will join with Democrats to deliver exactly that.”

###

Congressman Ted W. Lieu serves on the House Committees on the Budget and Oversight & Government Reform. 
He is also the Democratic Freshman Class President and a Lieutenant Colonel in the Air Force Reserves.

LIEU.HOUSE.GOV

BAKER, WALSH CALL ON STATE LEGISLATURE TO PASS GOVERNOR’S OPIOID LEGISLATION

BAKER, WALSH CALL ON STATE LEGISLATURE TO PASS GOVERNOR’S OPIOID LEGISLATION

Governor, Mayor Request Actions on Bill to Enact Measures to Combat the Opioid Epidemic

BOSTON – Today, Governor Charlie Baker and Mayor Martin J. Walsh sent a joint letter to members of the Massachusetts State Legislature asking for swift action on the Baker-Polito Administration’s recently filed legislation, “An Act Relative to Substance Use Treatment, Education and Prevention." 

“The epidemic of opioid addiction sweeping through our cities and towns shows no mercy and we consider the initiatives in this bill to be significant tools in combating this unprecedented crisis.  We need bold action to bend the trend in opioid deaths,” wrote Baker and Walsh.

Both administrations have made progress to combat opioid addiction, including numerous reforms implemented by the Governor’s Opioid Working Group to allocate more than $114 million in spending for substance use prevention, education and treatment, increased bulk purchasing of Narcan in municipalities. This year, Mayor Walsh announced the Mayor’s Office of Recovery Services, the first-ever municipal-based office to focus on this issue, and he was named Chair of a new national Task Force on Substance Abuse, Prevention and Recovery Services by the U.S. Conference of Mayors. The Task Force will focus on the impact of substance abuse and addiction on cities and work on effective recovery services strategies and approaches.

“We stand with you and appreciate your dedication to fighting this epidemic.  The effort demands aggressive and carefully considered actions,” the letter continues. “While the Baker-Polito Administration and the City of Boston have dedicated significant efforts and resources to fight the opioid epidemic, the critical reforms in this legislation are needed to prevent and treat addiction.”

Filed by Governor Baker on October 15, the bill would provide medical personnel with the power to intervene with patients suffering from addiction, control the spread of addictive prescription opioids and increase education about substance use disorder for providers and in the community. 

Click here to download the letter sent by Governor Baker and Mayor Walsh to members of the Massachusetts State Legislature. 

Full Text of Letter:

October 27, 2015

To Members of the Massachusetts State Legislature:

The evidence of the deadly opioid epidemic in Massachusetts is stark.  Nearly four people lose their lives each day in Massachusetts to addiction and opioid abuse. We write today to thank you for the Legislature’s efforts to date in fighting this public health crisis and to ask that you swiftly act on “An Act Relative to Substance Use Treatment, Education and Prevention.”  The epidemic of opioid addiction sweeping through our cities and towns shows no mercy and we consider the initiatives in this bill to be significant tools in combating this unprecedented crisis.  We need bold action to bend the trend in opioid deaths.

Over these past months, both of our administrations have worked closely with medical and addiction professionals on the front lines of this public health crisis to identify strategic reforms to existing practices in dealing with the risks of opioid use and misuse.  Some of these reforms will require changes to existing law that can be made only by the Legislature.  This bill includes measures to provide medical personnel with the power to intervene with patients in imminent harm as a result of addiction, to control the extraordinary spread of addictive prescription opioids, and to increase understanding and awareness of substance use disorder in our communities and by families.

In 2014, there were 4.4 million prescriptions and 240 million schedule II and III pills dispersed in the Commonwealth – far more than many other states. Those who become addicted to these powerful drugs are 40 times more likely to use heroin.  These factors have led the Baker-Polito Administration to propose bold new guidelines to responsibly limit prescriptions of these addictive drugs, which will also reduce the number of unused pills that remain in our communities.

Given the highly addictive nature of opioids, we strongly encourage you to support limiting first-time opioid prescriptions to a 72 hour supply.  The legislation provides an important safeguard against potential overuse or misuse of these drugs while allowing doctors to exercise their discretion to exceed this limit in cases of emergency and where patients are suffering from chronic pain. Prescriptions issued for patients receiving palliative care, hospice care, and cancer care would also be exempt from the 72-hour limitation.

We believe another critical component in the fight against opioids requires increasing access to emergency treatment options through our medical system.  With your support, we can give medical professionals the ability to save lives and intervene with people who are at the highest risk by establishing a new “front door” for clinical assessment that grants medical professionals the authority to hold a patient for 72 hours of emergency treatment, as a last alternative, if not doing so would create a likelihood of serious harm. This provision would parallel current law permitting a 72-hour period of emergency assessment for persons who present an imminent risk of harm due to mental illness. The bill includes strong provisions for due process and judicial oversight.  This bill will also amend the civil commitment statute, Chapter 123, section 35, and end the practice of sending women to MCI Framingham for treatment.      

We stand with you and appreciate your dedication to fighting this epidemic.  The effort demands aggressive and carefully considered actions.  While the Baker-Polito Administration and the City of Boston have dedicated significant efforts and resources to fight the opioid epidemic, the critical reforms in this legislation are needed to prevent and treat addiction. We also recognize that taking up this legislation is one step of many more that must follow to comprehensively address this public health crisis. Individuals from the recovery community, medical professionals, law enforcement officials and policymakers must continue to work together to ensure thoughtful implementation of any policy changes and to build a more robust and adequate continuum of care for those in need across the Commonwealth. 

As this year’s legislative session moves forward, we look forward to working with the Legislature on these provisions and related efforts to demonstrate our commitment to work together on critical reforms in substance abuse prevention and treatment.  Massachusetts is home to some of the most accomplished medical professionals in the nation, and with your support we have the opportunity to build new treatment pathways and pursue public awareness and education that can begin to break the cycle of deadly addiction.

We have no doubt that every member of the Legislature has heard the same stories of deadly addiction that we have.  These stories are a clear reminder that this epidemic knows no boundaries.  We look forward to working with you on this critical venture and thank you for your commitment to this important issue.

Sincerely,

Governor Charlie Baker and Mayor Martin J. Walsh

AARP Mentor Up Grant opportunity

There is still time to participate in the Mentor Up grant competition!

Through the Mentor Up program, AARP Foundation is looking to fund innovative, exciting and impactful intergenerational interventions that engage youth volunteers in "reverse mentoring" or service activities designed to foster positive intergenerational interactions that will help reduce the negative effects of social isolation faced by vulnerable individuals over 50. Specifically, we're seeking interventions that are evidence or outcomes based and operate at a local, regional or national level that focus on the following areas:

* Hunger

* Housing

* Health and wellness

* Transportation

* Income

* Social Connection

Mentor Up encourages organization's large and small to apply for funding that can range from $25,000 - $150,000. Funding amounts awarded to grantees will be relative to an organization's capacity and expected outcomes.

We're strongly encouraging eligible organizations to learn more and apply online by the November 13th 2015 deadline.

CITY OF BOSTON PREPARES FOR NOVEMBER 3RD CITYWIDE MUNICIPAL ELECTION

CITY OF BOSTON PREPARES FOR NOVEMBER 3RD CITYWIDE MUNICIPAL ELECTION

Boston - Tuesday, October 27, 2015 - The City of Boston Election Department announced today that in preparation for the Tuesday, November 3rd Election, voters should plan to visit the polls between 7:00 AM and 8:00 PM. "The City of Boston Election Department will work to ensure a timely, responsible and orderly Election Day operation," said Mayor Walsh. "Residents and organizations are encouraged to assist in boosting civic engagement for elections by sending reminders to fellow neighbors, family and friends. Civic engagement is critical to making effective change in our communities and one of the best ways for our residents to participate is to exercise the right to vote." November 2, 2015 at noon is the deadline for Absentee ballot applications and in person absentee voting. Ballots have been printed for more than Boston's 373,232 registered voters.  All polling places will be equipped with an Automark machine, which assists voters with sensory and physical limitations in marking their ballots; this device also provides translation assistance. The following languages will be available at the polls and through a central translator telephone bank: Chinese (both Mandarin and Cantonese dialects) Vietnamese Haitian Creole Cape Verdean Creole Russian The department has recruited and trained more than 1,500 poll workers to staff more than 170 polling locations, covering approximately 255 precincts. From answering calls from residents, to working the polling locations, to counting ballots, poll workers play a vital role in the success of Election Day. To help boost civic engagement, residents are encouraged to use hashtag#BostonVotes on social media platforms, such as Facebook and Twitter, with photos showing proof of voter participation.   Election Results will be posted online at www.boston.gov after the polls close at 8:00 P.M. Updates on turnout will be provided periodically via Twitter:@BostonElections, and the City of Boston Elections Department's Facebook account. Please use the Election Department's website to receive additional information regarding the election; registered voters are able to use the site to locate polling locations and to view sample (specimen) ballots. Members of the media are encouraged to adhere to the following guidelines: Interviews of voters are not allowed inside polling locations and must be carried out at least 150 feet away from the site Interviews with election officers at the polling locations are not allowed Interview requests for the Election Commissioner must be directed through the Press Office at (617) 635-4461 Photos and b-roll shots will be allowed under the supervision of each poll's warden Photographers are reminded that zooming in on voter ballots and shots over the shoulders of voters will not be allowed; please respect every voter's right to a private ballot The City of Boston Election Department will also be available for b-roll shots starting at 7:30 A.M. on November 3, 2015

AG HEALEY’S OFFICE URGES GREATER PROTECTION FOR CONSUMERS AGAINST ABUSIVE DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICES

AG HEALEY’S OFFICE URGES GREATER PROTECTION FOR CONSUMERS AGAINST ABUSIVE DEBT COLLECTION PRACTICESTestifies in Favor of The Family Financial Protection Act

            BOSTON – Attorney General Maura Healey’s Office offered support today for proposed legislation that would provide greater protections and relief for consumers in Massachusetts who are pursued by abusive debt collectors.

The AG’s Office testified before the Joint Committee on Financial Services today in favor of the Family Financial Protection Act (FFPA), filed by Senator James Eldridge and Representative Paul Brodeur. The bill addresses a number of problematic practices in the debt collection industry that have resulted in consumers being sued on the basis of inaccurate information for debts they do not owe. 

“The Act provides desperately needed relief to the poorest and most vulnerable Massachusetts citizens,” said Consumer Protection Division Chief Max Weinstein who offered today’s testimony before the committee.

When a borrower has not made a payment in months, or years, the original creditor declares the account a loss. Debt buyers purchase old debts for pennies on the dollar, and pursue payments of the entire amount supposedly due on the account.

“Debt buyers pursue consumers for debts they do not owe, or seek to collect more than a consumer actually owes. Debt buyers pursue consumers for debts that are beyond our statute of limitations. Perhaps most troubling of all, debt buyers target the most vulnerable of our fellow citizens, the elderly, the disabled, and the desperately poor,” according to the testimony.

The AG’s Office regularly receives complaints from Massachusetts residents about the debt collection industry, and since 2006, has averaged approximately 1,300 complaints annually. A recent analysis by the Urban Institute demonstrated that 23 percent of Massachusetts residents – more than one and a half million people – have a debt in the collection process on their credit report.

In just the past few years, collectors have sued hundreds of thousands of Massachusetts consumers, many of whom work minimum wage jobs, live on a fixed-income, are disabled, or are elderly. Some of them cannot appear in court to dispute the debt, and many cannot afford legal representation. 

Existing law provides a six-year statute of limitations on debts, allows consumer payments to “revive” the limitations period (leading collectors to pursue debts that are sometimes more than 10 years old), calls for the charging of 12 percent interest post-judgment, and enables judgments to be enforced for up to 20 years. 

The FFPA’s key protections would address these problems:

• Statute of limitations: The statute of limitations would be decreased to three years on consumer debt actions.
• Protecting consumer income: The amount of net earnings protected from wage garnishment would be increased to $720 per week. Presently, state law exempts wages of only $450 a week from garnishment by debt collectors.
• Expiration of right to collect: The right to collect on a debt after the statute of limitations has expired would be extinguished.  
• Period for collection on judgment: A collector would only have five years to execute and collect upon a judgment. 
• Post-Judgment Interest Rate: Instead of allowing current 12 percent post-judgment statutory interest rate for consumer debt collection cases, the FFPA would be fixed to reflect current interest rates, which are now at historic lows. Massachusetts currently has one of the highest post-judgment rates in the country.
• Arrest warrants: The Act would prohibit debt collectors from seeking civil arrest warrants.

DOMINICAN WOMAN PLEADS GUILTY TO DRUG SMUGGLING AT LOGAN AIRPORT

DOMINICAN WOMAN PLEADS GUILTY TO
DRUG SMUGGLING AT LOGAN AIRPORT

 

BOSTON – A Dominican woman pleaded guilty yesterday to smuggling nearly five kilograms of cocaine concealed in a wheelchair into the United States at Boston’s Logan International Airport.  The cocaine had a street value of more than $250,000.

 

Ireline Aponte Melende, 30, pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful importation of a controlled substance.  U.S. District Court Judge Denise L. Casper scheduled sentencing for March 2, 2016.

 

On May 10, 2015, Melende was stopped at Logan International Airport after she arrived on a flight from the Dominican Republic using a motorized wheelchair that was inoperable.  Customs and Border Protection officers x-rayed the wheelchair, and noticed abnormalities in the wheelchair batteries.  The batteries were opened, revealing four packages containing a white powdery substance.  Testing revealed that the packages contained 4.965 kilograms of cocaine. 

 

The charging statute provides a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $1 million.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.

 

United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz and Matthew Etre, Special Agent in Charge of Homeland Security Investigations in Boston, made the announcement today.  The case is being prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Seth B. Orkand of Ortiz’s Major Crimes Unit.

AARP Foundation RFP addressing Social Isolation - RFI due 11/2

The AARP Foundation is issuing a Request for Proposals (RFP) in connection with its work on Isolation and low-income adults age 50 and older. The goal of the RFP is seeking  innovative and evidence- or outcomes-based solutions at community or societal level that optimize meaningful connections and interventions to reduce negative health outcomes highly correlated or associated with social isolation in low-income or vulnerable individuals over 50.

I hope your organization maybe interested in submitting or you are able to pass on to other interested organizations!

http://www.aarp.org/aarp-foundation/grants/isolation-grants-combating-isolation/

Amended Timeline

·         November 2, 2015: Required letter of inquiry completed online

·         November 4, 2015: Applicants receive decision whether they are invited to submit a full proposal

·         November 19, 2015: Proposal deadline

·         November 24, 2015: Finalists contacted with request for clarification

·         December 2, 2015: Deadline for clarification

·         December 3, 2015: Sites contacts (primarily virtual) to finalists

·         December 7-10, 2015: Site visits

·         December 11, 2015: Final grantees selected

·         December 17, 2015:  Final subgrantee award terms and conditions sent to subgrantees

TREASURER GOLDBERG ANNOUNCES LATEST UNCLAIMED PROPERTY EBAY AUCTION

TREASURER GOLDBERG ANNOUNCES LATEST UNCLAIMED PROPERTY EBAY AUCTION

Properties To Be Showcased Across The State Starting Monday, October 26^th In Boston

BOSTON, MA – Treasurer Deborah Goldberg today announced that her office will be displaying select items from the Unclaimed Property Division that will soon be auctioned on eBay.com.  The items will first be displayed at the State House in Boston on Monday, October 26^th, and will subsequently be shown in South Yarmouth, New Bedford, Springfield and Worcester, all leading up to the online auction starting on Saturday, October 31^th.

“We are excited to showcase these items in different regions across the state,” said Treasurer Deb Goldberg. “The Unclaimed Property Division’s eBay offerings are a proven success for maximizing revenue for the Commonwealth. This year’s auction is gearing up to be another big hit.”

The traveling showcase, which represents only a portion of the lots up for bid, will include items such as gold, silver, jewelry, collectible currency and high-end wristwatches.  The vast majority come from abandoned safe deposit boxes with contents that have gone unclaimed for a period of at least nine years.

           

The times and locations for the display are as follows:

• Monday, October 26^th from noon to 5:00 p.m. – State House Great Hall, Massachusetts State House, Boston, MA.
• Tuesday, October 27^th from noon to 5:00 p.m. – Irish Village Cape Cod, 822 MA-28, South Yarmouth, MA.
• Wednesday, October 28^th from noon to 5:00 p.m. – Massachusetts State Lottery offices, 200 Theodore Rice Blvd, New Bedford, MA.
• Thursday, October 29^th from noon to 5:00 p.m. – Springfield State Building, 436 Dwight St., Springfield, MA.
• Friday, October 30^th from noon to 5:00 p.m. – Worcester State Lottery Office, 151 West Boylston Drive, Worcester
  
  
  This is the tenth time that the Commonwealth has used eBay to liquidate its unclaimed tangible property holdings.  Prior to that, the Treasury held a live auction for such items, a process that was far less profitable because of its limited reach to potential bidders. Since November 2005, the eBay auction has raised $2,138,834,40 for the state’s General Fund through the sale of 8,377 separate bid lots.
  
  
  On Saturday, October 31^st at noon, 100 lots will be posted on eBay for bid, followed by a gradual release of additional items over the course of two months.  In all, the Treasury expects to put between 1,200 and 1,500 lots out to bid, which can be viewed by using the eBay seller ID “mass.state.treasury.”
  
  
  Goldberg said that the Treasury needs to regularly liquidate older portions of its tangible property holdings due to storage constraints and logistical needs.  She noted that if an individual or their heirs later prove that a piece of sold property belonged to them, they will be fully compensated the sale price of the item. 
  
  
  The Treasury also maintains a comprehensive list of approximately $2 billion in unclaimed monetary property, such as stock, insurance payments, and unclaimed bank accounts.  Individuals can search to see if they own such property at www.findmassmoney.com or by calling 1-(888)-344-MASS.