AG HEALEY SECURES $2.4 MILLION, SIGNIFICANT POLICY REFORMS IN MAJOR SETTLEMENT WITH STUDENT LOAN SERVICER

AG HEALEY SECURES $2.4 MILLION, SIGNIFICANT POLICY REFORMS IN MAJOR SETTLEMENT WITH STUDENT LOAN SERVICER

ACS Failed to Implement Income-Based Repayment Plans, Violated Debt Collection Laws and Overcharged Student Borrowers; Payment Includes Restitution for Massachusetts Students 

BOSTON – A national loan servicer responsible for handling millions of student loan accounts across the country has agreed to pay $2.4 million over allegations that it failed to properly process struggling Massachusetts students’ applications for federal repayment plans intended to lower their monthly payments and engaged in harassing debt collection practices, amongst other violations of state and federal law, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today. 

The assurance of discontinuance, filed on Monday in Suffolk Superior Court, alleges that ACS Education Services (ACS), which services federal loans made under the Federal Family Education Loan (FFEL) program along with private loans, also charged some borrowers excessive late fees, failed to protect some active-duty servicemembers as required by federal law, and made excessive phone calls to borrowers.

“To address this student debt crisis, we need students to be on repayment plans that will help them succeed, not fall further into debt,” AG Healey said. “ACS failed to meet this standard and regularly undermined the opportunity for students to access appropriate repayment plans. This conduct increases the already high cost of education, damages credit, and prevents students and their families from achieving long-term economic security.”

In December 2015, the AG’s Office launched an investigation into certain student loan servicing practices by ACS, and found that the company allegedly failed to properly process student borrowers’ applications for federal loan relief associated with the Income-Based Repayment Plan established by the Higher Education Act.

ACS also allegedly violated the state’s debt collection regulations by contacting students more than twice a week and did not investigate credit reporting disputes, which led to inaccurate information about students being sent to credit reporting agencies.

ACS – now known as Xerox Education Services, LLC (XES) – cooperated fully with AG Healey’s investigation and is implementing the enhancements to its loan servicing practices.

Under the terms of the settlement, ACS will pay a total of $2.4 million, a portion of which will be paid as restitution to hundreds of Massachusetts borrowers who applied for but were unable to successfully enroll or remain on income-based repayment plans. ACS has also stopped abusive debt collection practices, has reformed the accounts of affected servicemembers, and has credited any late fee overcharges.

In addition, ACS will establish a designated “Borrower Advocacy Group” to provide direct assistance to student borrowers for income-based repayment plan applications and will administer a “Second Look Program” for applications that are rejected to ensure eligible students have every opportunity possible to qualify. The Borrower Advocacy group will also provide information on federal loan discharge applications to students with loans associated with predatory for-profit schools like American Career Institute, Corinthian Colleges, and ITT Tech.

According to the AG’s Office, many student loan servicers – who are operating at the direction of the federal government – often fail to do their jobs by helping students find and enter affordable repayment plans. AG Healey continues to investigate the conduct of other student loan servicers and encourages student loan borrowers who have experienced difficulty enrolling in income-driven repayment plans to file a complaint with the Attorney General’s Office.

Student loan borrowers who are interested in learning more about income-driven repayment plans, need help resolving defaulted loans, have questions about their options, or would like to know if they are eligible for relief under the ACS settlement, should call the Attorney General’s Student Loan Assistance Unit’s Hotline at 1-888-830-6277 or file a Student Lending Assistance Request atwww.mass.gov/ago/studentloans.

This matter was handled by Shennan Kavanagh, Deputy Division Chief, and Assistant Attorneys General Samantha Shusterman and Jared Rinehimer, all of AG Healey’s Consumer Protection Division, with assistance from Arwen Thoman, Investigations Supervisor in the Insurance and Financial Services Division.

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES IMAGINE BOSTON 2030 WEEK TO ENGAGE RESIDENTS ON DRAFT STRATEGIC PLAN

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES IMAGINE BOSTON 2030 WEEK TO ENGAGE RESIDENTS ON DRAFT STRATEGIC PLAN

Following recent launch of Expanding Opportunity, Imagine Boston will host place-based events to share information about the plan; engage residents

BOSTON - Monday, November 21, 2016 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced Imagine Boston 2030 week, a week-long series of events across the city that offer residents the opportunity to talk directly with city leaders and the Imagine Boston team about Expanding Opportunity, Imagine Boston 2030's draft plan of priority action areas and major initiatives. Last Thursday, Mayor Walsh released the draft plan, which highlights initiatives that will support a thriving Boston by expanding opportunity, supporting a dynamic economy, enhancing quality of life and preparing for climate change. Imagine Boston 2030 week begins on Wednesday, November 30. All events are free and open to the public, and registration is encouraged. "Imagine Boston 2030 week is a great opportunity for those who want to share their vision for our city to get involved in these community events," said Mayor Walsh. "Our draft plan, Expanding Opportunity, is a living document that will be shaped over the coming months by the feedback we hear from residents. I encourage all residents to attend these events that showcase different areas of the city full with potential for growth and opportunity, ask questions and let us know how we can strengthen our final plan to create a thriving city for all Bostonians." Over the last year, more than 12,000 people around the city have shared their vision for the future of Boston. That feedback, paired with the Mayor's priorities and research, has shaped "Expanding Opportunity," a draft strategic plan that identifies key actions and initiatives to create a healthy, thriving and innovative city in 2030. Wednesday, November 30 Enhancing Economic Mobility and Innovation Join us on a walking tour of Dudley Square, starting at Hibernian Hall, where we will discuss the area's evolution and opportunities for job growth and training in Roxbury and citywide. Dudley Route 3:30-5pm The Future of Boston's Education Join us at the Bolling Building for a panel and discussion about how we can prepare learners of all ages for quality careers and create multiple pathways to success. Bolling Building 2300 Washington Street 5:30-7pm Thursday, December 1 Generating Networks of Opportunity: Investing along the Fairmount Corridor Meet us at South Station for a round-trip excursion on the Fairmount line to discuss coordinated investments to expand opportunity for residents and strengthen connections between key neighborhoods and the city's economic centers. Fairmount Line 4:30-6:30pm Friday, December 2 A Mixed-Use Downtown Meet us at the Burnham Building at 10 Summer Street where we will tour Downtown Crossing, the Theater District, Chinatown, the Leather District and South Station, learning about how the downtown has evolved recently and sharing our vision for mixed-use job centers and public realm improvements in the commercial core. Mixed-Use Route Start: Burnham Buiding 10 Summer Street 4:00-5:30pm Saturday, December 3 Enhancing Our Neighborhoods and Completing the Emerald Necklace Starting at the Hubway Station at Blue Hill Ave. and Columbia Road, join City leaders for a tour from Franklin Park to Moakley Park and hear about the City's vision to connect Boston's neighborhoods and open spaces Franklin to Moakley Start: Hubway Station at Blue Hill Ave & Columbia Rd 10:00am- 12:00pm Enhancing and Expanding Neighborhoods Meet us at Brighton Music Hall and join us in a tour of Allston and Beacon Yards as we discuss our vision to enhance existing neighborhoods to improve neighborhood vitality, services, and affordability, as well as our complementary vision of expanding neighborhoods by creating new mixed-use neighborhoods at the edges of existing neighborhoods. Beacon Yards Tour Start: Brighton Music Hall 158 Brighton Ave 2-4pm Sunday, December 4 A Waterfront for Future Generations Join Imagine Boston on a round-trip ferry ride from East Boston's Piers Park and learn more about how we can encourage an active public realm and new open spaces, support existing and emerging job centers, and prepare for climate change along our waterfront. Piers Park 10:30-1pm Monday, December 5 Boston By The Numbers:  How do we plan, knowing the trends shaping Boston now and in the future? Come to the Mattapan Health Center and discover the data and trends around our city's growing workforce, jointly presented by Imagine Boston and the BPDA. Mattapan Health Center 1575 Blue Hill Ave 6:30-8pm

"消費者行動"芝加哥辦培訓助人保衛權益

已成立45周年的非牟利組織 消費者行動（Consumer Action) 近日於芝加哥舉辦第七屆提昇消費者生活條件全國非牟利組織培訓會議。今年大會培訓主題計有：聯邦法令所保障的消費者權益、學生貸款償還法規、金融投資詐騙預防教育 、如何避免不良房屋抵押貸款、低收入家庭寬頻網絡服務、以及網絡資訊個人隱私權等，由消費者行動特別邀請各界專家菁英出席講壇，並於現場解答問題及全程參與學員培訓。此次報名參加培訓的70位非牟利組織成員之中包括多位華裔人士在內。與會學員在完成培訓課程後，會將最新相關資訊帶至全美各大小社區，以強化所有消費者安居樂業之生存條件。

此次會議主題之一是“低收入家庭寬頻網絡服務計劃”，這是由各大電訊公司，如Comcast 網絡服務，將特別向低收入家庭提供高速寬頻網絡優惠服務。這是有鑑於現代家庭使用網絡服務已是生活基本條件之一，例如和親友聯絡，學生網上學習或做功課，加入社交網站，求職，查尋所需資訊，網上理財，購物，視屏影片，上下載文件檔案等等，但由於一般家庭網絡服務收費較高，目前全美家庭無法負擔網絡服務費用的比率竟然高達25%，這些家庭可以點擊以下網頁，查閱高速寬頻網絡優惠計劃之申請資格及折扣收費等相關詳情。

http://www.consumer-action.org/modules/low-income-broadband.plans

消費者行動是一個非牟利組織，於1971年在加州成立，目前辦公總部設於舊金山(San Francisco)，另外於華盛頓行政特區（Washington D. C.）及南加州洛杉磯 (Los Angeles)亦設有聯絡處。消費者行動的服務宗旨是為消費者代言及在全美各地舉辦免費社區理財教育培訓為主，同時也向各個社區組織免費派發以五種語言印製之教育手冊（中、英、西班牙、韓文，以及越南文），每年發行量高達百萬份以上，個人如想搜尋消費者權益相關訊息，歡迎上網：www.consumer-action.org, 也有內容豐富的中文網頁資訊可供瀏覽（www.consumer-action.org/chinese)。而一般消費群眾如有各種消費相關疑難或爭議，亦可在24小時諮詢熱線語音信箱留言：1-415-777-9635 ，會有講中文、英文及西班牙文的諮詢專員覆電。如以電郵投訴，請至www.consumer-action.org/hotline/complain_form

Boston Children’s Museum Announces 2016-2017 CURRENT Artist-in-Residence

Boston Children’s Museum Announces 2016-2017 CURRENT Artist-in-Residence 

Joanna Tam’s “Let’s Story” Draws out Children’s Voices using the Museum’s Collection 

Boston, MA – November 21, 2016 - Boston Children’s Museum is pleased to announce Joanna Tam as the 2016-2017 CURRENT Artist-in-Residence. Tam’s project, “Let’s Story”, uses conversation, questions, animation, audio, and objects from the Museum’s collection, to draw out and present stories from children and their families. Tam has been inspired by the potential teachability of objects as well as exploring methods for centering and amplifying children’s voices. 

CURRENT creates a direct channel between contemporary artists and children through a live studio, site-specific installation, artist-designed learning experiences and child-oriented video interviews. It also provides artists such as Tam with the opportunity to investigate and enhance their teaching skills. The program was created in partnership with Alter Projects, an initiative that fosters artistic infrastructure through custom arts programming and consultation for artists, organizations and the private sector.

“Working with Joanna Tam on this project has been a dream,” said Alter Projects’ head Maggie Cavallo. “This residency is designed to serve a variety of contemporary artists who have a penchant for teaching and learning.
 
Joanna Tam is a Boston-based artist originally from Hong Kong whose interdisciplinary practice examines the development of ethnic and national identities, experiences of displacement and the relationship between objects and storytelling. Her photography, video, performances, installation and drawings have been exhibited regionally, nationally and internationally. She is a dedicated Educator having taught classes in Time-Based Media at Massachusetts College of Art & Design where she also manages the Brant Gallery. 

“This residency has taught me to be patient and to recognize, respect, and honor the voices of kids,” explains Tam. “Their thought processes and the ways they speak are very different from adults; some of their stories are more like poems, creative writing in the form of stream of consciousness. There are so many ways of existence and so many ways to communicate.” 

Boston Children’s Museum is one of the few children’s museums in the world that maintains a collection. It began in 1913 with a donation of rocks and minerals and over the last 103 years has amassed over 50,000 objects. “This is a great opportunity for both the Museum and our CURRENT Artist-in-Residence” explains Boston Children’s Museum’s Arts Program Manager, Alice Vogler. “Our collection is able to be explored and utilized through an artist’s lens, and Joanna herself is able to expand on the use of historic objects she had already made a place for in her practice.” 

After selecting and photographing various objects from the collection, Tam designated open-ended prompts for each one, while on-site she used these prompts to collect stories from children, their families and Museum staff. These stories will be paired with original animations in the final installation, where visitors will also be able to engage in their own storytelling experiences using Tam’s image-based prompts. This project is an exciting exploration of object-based learning and storytelling from the lens of a contemporary artist and directed towards acknowledging and celebrating the voice of every Boston Children’s Museum visitor. 

Let’s Story – Opening Reception and Public Reflection:
Friday, January 20, 2017, 6:00-8:00pm
 
Artist Workshop for Children & Families: 
Wednesday, February 22, 2017, 10:30am-12:00pm

Artist Workshop for Children & Families: 
Friday, January 27, 2017, 6:00-7:30pm

Process Report & Film Screening: 
Sunday, March 5th, 2017, 11:00am-1:00pm

The installation is scheduled to run December 2, 2016 – March 12, 2017.

For additional information, please visit www.BostonChildrensMuseum.org

Baker-Polito Administration Awards $300,000 to Support Agricultural Buy Local Organizations

Baker-Polito Administration Awards $300,000 to Support Agricultural Buy Local Organizations

BOSTON – November 21, 2016 – The Baker-Polito Administration today announced $300,000 in grants to the Commonwealth’s regional Buy Localagricultural organizations for projects that will enhance efforts in western, central, northeastern and southeastern Massachusetts. Regional agricultural Buy Local organizations connect Bay State farmers with their surrounding communities. Started in the Pioneer Valley with Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA), Buy Local organizations are committed to the idea that knowing where your food comes from makes good health and economic sense. Their efforts have helped generate consumer awareness and demand for locally grown food products while at the same time improving logistical access to these important food sources.

“It is more important than ever that, given our current challenging drought conditions, all residents of the Commonwealth support our hardworking farmers by buying their agricultural products locally,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Buy Local supports Massachusetts’ food economies and agricultural industry by generating consumer awareness and increasing the demand for our fantastic locally grown food products.”

“The Commonwealth has a proud history of farmers growing and supporting their communities by providing food that is unparalleled in quality while creating jobs,”said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “By supporting Buy Local initiatives, Massachusetts consumers are not only growing their local economies but providing increased access to nutritious, locally-grown products for all.”

Massachusetts currently has nine regional Buy Local organizations that span the Commonwealth with the aim to connect food producers to their surrounding communities. Originally formed to identify and address marketing challenges in specific geographical communities across the Commonwealth, Buy Local groups have grown to be known as a sustainable business movement that includes innovative marketing and educational programs. Buy Local organizations offer hosts of regional opportunities and benefits from technical assistance information to marketing assistance so that consumers, farmers, and food producers alike can find resources to help them grow, buy, cook, and eat wholesome locally grown products

“Regional Buy Local groups provide opportunities to increase the visibility of locally grown farm products by promoting new and unique market venues throughout the Commonwealth,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton. “With these grants, the Baker-Polito Administration is committed to continuing to support and promote a viable local food economy with Massachusetts’ agricultural industry.”

“This grant funding will allow our regional Buy Local partners to continue to work with DAR to promote and support local agricultural businesses while also ensuring consumers will have access to nutritious Massachusetts grown products.” said DAR Commissioner John Lebeaux.

The following six projects have been funded through this year’s grants:

·         Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership (SEMAP) -$74,738

o   The funding will be used to enhance and strengthen the market position of local farmers and fishermen in Barnstable, Bristol, Dukes, Nantucket, Norfolk, and Plymouth counties through a collaborative project.  The project will include holding networking events for local food buyers and producers; distributing printed regional Local Food Guides; expanding the existing local food curriculum at 16 K-12 Martha’s Vineyard schools to include hydroponics, aquaponics, aquaculture, mycology, and urban farming; sponsoring a one-day regional training event focused on local food sourcing strategies and education for the Cape, Islands, and South Coast regions; and designing and implementing an effective grower-to-restaurant delivery service for Nantucket.

·         Community Involved in Sustaining Agriculture (CISA) - $60,000

o   The funding will be used to increase cash receipts for local farmers, CISA plans to expand and refine their “Be a Local Hero, Buy Locally Grown” marketing campaign.  CISA will distribute their Farm Products Guide, provide special promotions and educational opportunities, increase market research, and enhance their current advertising methods.

·         Central Mass Grown (CMG) - $60,000

o   The funding will be used to hire a full-time Director who will lead the organization towards goals determined by its Board of Directors.  Only in its third year of service, CMG will expand upon its marketing and print media campaign to increase visibility and awareness.

·         Northeast Harvest - $35,251

o   The funding will be used to promote agriculture, aquaculture, and farmers’ markets in Essex and Middlesex Counties; plan and execute an industry conference and two educational events for students at the Topsfield Fairgrounds; increase the recognition of Massachusetts agriculture and aquaculture via a monthly electronic newsletter and social media campaign; enhance the Northeast Harvest website to include a section on aquaculture and a search function; and collaborate with other Massachusetts regional “buy local” groups through the Massachusetts Coalition for Local Food and Farms.

·         Sustainable Business Network (SBN) - $40,010

o   The funding will be used to plan, execute, and manage the 8th annual Boston Local Food Festival in September 2017. SBN has also decided to expand with the “Massachusetts ‘Eat Local’ Week,” to be held in August of 2017. 

·         Berkshire Grown - $30,000

o   The funding will be used to develop a new, multifaceted media campaign that will increase the visibility of locally grown and produced products from primarily local ingredients grown or made in the Berkshires. A special focus on restaurants as buyers of locally produced food will be achieved through “Sourcing Local” workshops. Berkshire Grown will also provide business assistance for Berkshire County farmers and markets.

“Supporting local sustainable agriculture and our family farms is critical to the success of our local economy,” said Senate President Stan Rosenberg (D-Amherst).  “These grant funds will provide vital resources for our Buy Local organizations to continue raising awareness of local food and agriculture to support our farmers and their products.”   

“Congratulations to the organizations receiving Buy Local grant funding,” said State Senator Anne Gobi (D-Spencer).  “I was happy to work with my colleagues to secure budget funding that supports locally grown foods, encouraging sustainable, healthy food practices that boost the Massachusetts economy.”

“I congratulate all of the Buy Local organizations across the state, and thank the Baker-Polito Administration for its ongoing support of this important work,” said State Representative Stephen Kulik (D-Worthington).  “I especially thank CISA, which serves my district in western Massachusetts with innovative support for farmers and food producers, as well as marketing and education for consumers to improve access to healthier locally grown food.  For more than 20 years, CISA has set the standard for successful community based agricultural economic development, and I am pleased that we continue to support this work through this state grant.”

       

“The Buy Local program creates opportunities for area organizations to collaborate in ways that provide the freshest and best food options for consumers while at the same time keeping our agricultural resources in productive use to sustain the farm economy of our state,” said Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester).  “Cape Ann and Middlesex County communities know that the Buy Local program is a win-win for producers promoting growth in our agriculture and aquaculture as well as for consumers through greater access to educational information and farmers markets.”

“The ‘Buy Local’ grant program is such an important piece of the fabric of Essex County, and it goes a long way in ensuring that people understand just how beneficial it is to our communities when we support local farms and farm stands,” said State Representative Brad Hill (R-Ipswich). “Thank you very much to the Baker-Polito Administration for funding this invaluable program.”

“Through the continued leadership of the Baker-Polito Administration, Secretary Beaton and Commissioner Lebeaux, our statewide Buy Local movement continues to flourish,” said State Representative Christopher Markey (D-New Bedford).“Thanks to these grants, programs with wide regional influence like SEMAP will build on their successes of connecting citizens of the Commonwealth with locally-grown agricultural products, help lower the carbon footprint from farm to table, and promote a local economy that will keep more dollars in our own communities.”

“Our agricultural community in the Commonwealth is comprised of mainly family owned and operated farms that produce millions of dollars a year,” said State Representative Paul Schmid (D-Westport).  “I thank the Baker-Polito Administration for recognizing the importance of supporting locally grown and produced agriculture to benefit both our farmers and consumers.   I am especially proud that SEMAP is receiving significant funding to continue their great mission of expanding access to local food and sustainable farming on the South Coast.”

“We are grateful for the support from the Department of Agricultural Resources,”said Karen Schwalbe, Executive Director, Southeastern Massachusetts Agricultural Partnership (SEMAP). “These grants will provide the Buy Local organizations in the Commonwealth with many opportunities to strengthen our local food economies, increase awareness of Massachusetts grown produce, and educate consumers about nutritious locally-grown meat, fish and produce.”

Additional information on the Commonwealth’s nine regional Buy Localorganizations, their programs, and participating farms can be found here.

Baker-Polito Administration Launches Expanded STEM Internship Program for High School Students at Companies around the State

Baker-Polito Administration Launches Expanded STEM Internship Program for High School Students at Companies around the State

STEM internships will address skills gap, develop future workforce to fuel Commonwealth’s rapidly growing innovation economy

BOSTON – The Baker-Polito Administration today launched an expanded initiative to connect high school students to science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) internships across the Commonwealth. The announcement came during a MA STEM@Work event at Vertex headquarters in Boston, a company that’s developed a model high school internship program. 

One of the greatest challenges facing Massachusetts’ rapidly growing innovation economy is the gap between available jobs in STEM fields and qualified workers to perform them.

“Massachusetts is home to one of the fastest growing innovation economies in the nation, and we need to do more to ensure we have a strong pipeline of skilled workers to fill critical job openings,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “That’s why we are making a simple but powerful request of Massachusetts business leaders – consider hiring a high school student for a STEM internship.”

The Massachusetts STEM Advisory Council, which is co-chaired by U.S. Representative Joseph P. Kennedy III, Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito, and Jeffrey Leiden, M.D., Ph.D. Chairman, President and CEO of Vertex, recently identified four priority areas to advance STEM education in the Commonwealth. They include developing more early college career pathways, broadening access to high quality computer science and engineering education, strengthening regional STEM networks and expanding work-based learning opportunities in STEM fields. This can be achieved by building a stronger network of employers offering career exploration and career immersion experiences to high school students, including job shadowing and paid internships. 

“After traveling across the Commonwealth and meeting with companies leading the way in science, engineering, technology and math, it’s clear that a key challenge facing many businesses is finding enough qualified workers,” said Lieutenant Governor Polito. “STEM internships not only provide valuable career preparation for high school students, they enable companies to engage and develop future employees.”

The Council is working with Massachusetts’ School to Career Connecting Activities system to identify and develop STEM internship opportunities. The goal is to place more high school students in STEM internships by Spring and Summer 2017.

“Today's students are tomorrow's workforce and the key to a strong economy in Massachusetts. Our businesses have an important role to play in making sure our workers are the most talented anywhere in the world,” said Representative Kennedy. “This pioneering initiative will create an amazing opportunity for our students, our companies and our communities.”

More than 10,000 students worked with Commonwealth businesses last year, learning new skills and achieving greater career awareness and preparation. Several hundred of these placements were STEM-related, and the Council is looking to increase internship opportunities in these fields.

“As Boston’s innovation economy continues to grow and thrive, it’s important that our high school students gain exposure to the wide variety of STEM careers,” said Boston Mayor Martin J. Walsh. “I thank all of Boston businesses who have joined our local efforts through the Mayor’s Summer Jobs Program over the years, and look forward to building on this successful model as we increase youth summer jobs within STEM related fields."

During the next decade, the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology estimates that U.S. industries will need one million more STEM graduates than the system is expected to produce. Despite the need, the U.S. Department of Education estimates that just 1 in 6 high school seniors are proficient in math and interested in pursuing STEM higher education or careers. 

Given this challenge, Massachusetts is working to connect high school students to internships at companies of all sizes across the state. The Connecting Activities system, which features dedicated staff who work with companies and high schools, provides assistance and support to businesses throughout the internship process. Since 2014, more than 250 STEM businesses from every region have hosted close to 1,000 high school interns a year. Participating companies include Vertex, which has established a model high school internship program in close partnership with the Private Industry Council and Boston Public Schools and hosted 30 high school interns this year.

“As leaders in the Commonwealth’s innovation economy, we have a responsibility and a tremendous opportunity to train the next generation of leaders in STEM,” said Dr. Leiden. “Vertex is proud to give local students the hands-on learning and professional development experiences that prepare them to succeed in college and career and unlock economic opportunity for the future."

GE, which recently moved its company headquarters to Boston and joined leaders at the MA STEM@Work event, also announced it will host high school interns for the first time starting next spring. “Developing the talent pipeline for the future lies at the heart of our business strategy. To help us stay ahead of the curve, as company and as a country, we must continue to invest in educating our youth and particularly opening their eyes to future careers in STEM,” said Ann R. Klee, vice president of Boston Development and Operations for GE and president of the GE Foundation.

To learn more or to participate, please contact Blair Brown, staff director at the STEM Advisory Council, at Blair.Brown@state.ma.us

Baker-Polito Administration Awards $520,000 to Monroe for New Public Park

Baker-Polito Administration Awards $520,000 to Monroe for New Public Park

Grant Will Fund Demolition of Abandoned Mill and Parkland Conversion

BOSTON – November 21, 2016 – The Baker-Polito Administration today awarded $520,000 to the Town of Monroe to demolish part of the former Ramage Paper Mill and create a new public park in its place. As a condition of the grant, the Town of Monroe will place the future park property under the care of the Monroe Conservation Commission, permanently conserving the space under Article 97 of the Massachusetts Constitution.

“For over a century, Massachusetts has led the nation in providing its residents with exceptional access to the state’s environmental resources through various conservation efforts,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton. “The Baker-Polito Administration continues to prioritize outdoor recreational opportunities, and the creation of a new park within the Town of Monroe is a great example of many stakeholders working together to accomplish a common goal that will truly benefit the community and the region.”

The wood portion of the former Rampage Paper Mill has deteriorated significantly in recent years and is being demolished to avoid collapse into the Deerfield River. In addition to the funding provided by EEA through the Environmental Bond Bill, grants of $30,000 by TransCanada and $100,000 by the Franklin Regional Council of Governments will assist in the clean-up and abatement of onsite hazardous materials, demolition of the wood structure, securing of the site for the winter, and creation of a new public park. 

EEA has contracted the landscape architecture firm of Brown, Richardson, and Rowe and the engineering firm Stantec to design a public park for Monroe. The public process to create the design will begin as soon as the demolition of the mill is complete, with the intention of having construction of the park begin in the summer of 2017. 

“I am thankful to the Baker Administration for making the transformation of this site possible,” said State Senator Benjamin Downing (D-Pittsfield). “Turning a dilapidated mill into a public park is smart and effective use of taxpayer resources.”

“Monroe is one of the smallest towns in Massachusetts and it would be impossible for them to undertake this project without help from the state,” said State Representative Paul Mark (D-Peru).  “I am thankful to Secretary Beaton for recognizing the need of this very small town and the importance of completing this project in a timely manner.  Congratulations to the people of Monroe and FRCOG on this grant award.”

“The recreational tourism industry is an important economic driver in western Franklin County and a healthy and accessible Deerfield River is critical to support this business sector.  This effort to remediate the wood structure of hazardous materials and clear the parcel ensures the watershed is protected from potential building debris contamination and creates a new asset along the Deerfield River,”said Peggy Sloan, Director of Planning & Development for the Franklin Regional Council of Governments.  “Through EOEEA resources, the wood structure parcel will become a small public park and scenic overlook to enjoy the beautiful Deerfield River. The FRCOG appreciates the commitment of the Town of Monroe to forward this project, and the support of state and federal agencies including EOEEA, MassDEP, MassDevelopment, and the EPA.”    

“The Town of Monroe has been working for years to find funding to assist in the remediation of this structure as we know its collapse would have a devastating environmental and economic impact to the Deerfield River and our neighboring towns. We are grateful that the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs has stepped in to not only assist in funding the demolition project, but will also fund the construction of a park on the site,” said Monroe Town Clerk Marcella Stafford-Gore.  “We also greatly appreciate the tireless efforts of the Franklin Regional Council of Governments to help us address the site. We are looking forward to being rid of this blight in our community and giving townspeople and visitors a space they will enjoy for many years.”