ED SOX PLAYERS, OFFICIALS TO ENGAGE IN ELEVEN DAYS OF COMMUNITY EFFORTS

ED SOX PLAYERS, OFFICIALS

TO ENGAGE IN ELEVEN DAYS OF COMMUNITY EFFORTS

Family of Major General Harold Greene to Be Honored During Saturday’s Game;

Hall of Fame Luncheon, Jimmy Fund Radio-telethon, and Red Sox Scholars Back-to-School Shopping all Take Place this Homestand

BOSTON, MA – The Red Sox Foundation and the club’s Community Relations Department today begin 11 days ofcharitable events and programs. The Red Sox play the Houston Astros, Los Angeles Angels, and Seattle Mariners during a homestand that begins tonight and concludes August 24.

CVS Hitting Clinic, Thursday, August 14

Red Sox Assistant Hitting Coach Victor Rodriguez, in partnership with CVS, will host a hitting clinic for children at Fenway Park starting at 11:30 a.m.

Napoli’s Bearded Bunch, Thursday, August 14

Mike Napoli will host and meet with patients and families from Boston Children’s Hospital before the Red Sox-Astros game as part of his “Bearded Bunch” program for kids who are being treated at this facility.

  

Red Sox Hall of Fame Luncheon, Thursday, August 14

Roger Clemens, Nomar Garciaparra, Pedro Martinez, and Joe Castiglione will be inducted into the Red Sox Hall of Fame at a Fenway Park luncheon taking place from 11 a.m.-2 p.m. The inductees will also participate in a pre-game ceremony before tonight’s 7:10 p.m. Red Sox-Astros game.

CVS Hitting Clinic, Friday, August 15

Red Sox Assistant Hitting Coach Victor Rodriguez, in partnership with CVS, will host a hitting clinic for children at Fenway Park starting at 11:30 a.m.

Make-A-Wish, Friday, August 15

William Kwapil, a 19-year-old with heart disease from Greensboro, North Carolina, will be visiting Fenway Park fulfilling his wish to meet David Ortiz. The club routinely partners with the Make-A-Wish Foundation to make such dreams come true.

Brock Holt Appearance, Saturday, August 16

Brock Holt will make an appearance at the Sports Authority in Somerville from 11 a.m.-noon. 

John Farrell Attends SABR Seminar, Saturday, August 16

John Farrell will appear at the Sabermetrics, Scouting, and Science of Baseball Seminar at Boston University from 12-12:30 p.m. benefiting the Jimmy Fund.

Greene Family to be Honored, Saturday, August 16

The family of Major General Harold “Harry” J. Greene, who was killed by an Afghan soldier earlier this month, will be honored during Saturday’s Red Sox-Astros game. Present for the tribute will be Major General Greene’s wife, retired Army Colonel Susan Myers, daughter Amelia Greene, and son Army First Lieutenant Matthew Greene and his wife Kasandra. The family will be honored at the bottom of the 5^th inning in a special “Hats off to Hero’s” tribute.

Napoli’s Bearded Bunch, Monday, August 18

Mike Napoli will host and meet with patients and families from Boston Children’s Hospital before the Red Sox-Angels game as part of his “Bearded Bunch” program for kids who are being treated at this facility.

CVS Hitting Clinic, Tuesday, August 19

Red Sox Assistant Hitting Coach Victor Rodriguez, in partnership with CVS, will host a hitting clinic for children at Fenway Park starting at 11:30 a.m.

Sox Talk, Tuesday, August 19

Red Sox players and coaches will participate in a baseball clinic with children at Garvey Park in Dorchester fromnoon – 1:30 p.m. as part of the Boston Parks & Recreation Department’s “Sox Talk” program. 

Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon, August 19 and 20

The 13th annual WEEI/NESN Jimmy Fund Radio-Telethon will take place at Fenway Park on Tuesday, August 19, and Wednesday, August 20, in support of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

PLAY Campaign, Wednesday, August 20

As part of the Professional Baseball Athletic Trainers Society’s (PBATS) PLAY Campaign (Promoting a Lifetime of Activity for Youth), approximately 80 children will take part in a clinic that raises awareness for child health issues, including obesity. The children will take part in activity stations on the field starting at 10 a.m. and will be addressed by a Red Sox player at noon.  Since its creation in 2004, PLAY has traveled to all 30 Major League ballparks and held more than 150 events to reach thousands of kids nationwide.

Red Sox Scholars Back-to-School Shopping at Target and Uniqlo, Wednesday, August 20

Target and Uniqlo will be helping Red Sox Scholars with back-to-school shopping on Wednesday, August 20. From8:30-9:45 a.m., Scholars will pick up backpacks filled with school supplies at Target in the South Bay Plaza in Dorchester. The students will then have an opportunity to shop for clothing at Uniqlo’s Faneuil Hall Market Place pop-up store from 10 a.m.-5 p.m. Red Sox pitcher Craig Breslow will help the kids pick out clothes in Faneuil Hall from 11:15-11:45 a.m.  

Sox Talk, Wednesday, August 20

Red Sox players and coaches will participate in a baseball clinic with children at Ryan Park in Charlestown from noon – 1:30 p.m. as part of the Boston Parks & Recreation Department’s “Sox Talk” program. 

Papi’s Pals, Wednesday, August 20

A group of children from MassGeneral Hospital for Children will meet with David Ortiz and enjoy the game courtesy of the slugger’s program for kids who are being treated at the facility

Flyin’ Hawaiian All Stars, Wednesday, August 20

As part of Shane Victorino’s ticket program for kids, a group of children from the Red Sox Foundation’s RBI Program will be hosted at Fenway Park. 

Player/Fan Photo Day, Wednesday, August 20

On Wednesday, August 20, the club will host Player/Fan Photo Sessions at the Souvenir Store on Yawkey Way, where fans can meet and take photos with “a player to be named later” following batting practice.

Napoli’s Bearded Bunch, Thursday, August 21

Mike Napoli will host and meet with patients and families from Boston Children’s Hospital before the Red Sox-Angels game as part of his “Bearded Bunch” program for kids who are being treated at this facility.

CVS Hitting Clinic, Thursday, August 21 & Friday, August 22

On August 21 and 22, Red Sox Assistant Hitting Coach Victor Rodriguez, in partnership with CVS, will host a hitting clinic for children at Fenway Park starting at 11:30 a.m.

Make-A-Wish, Sunday, August 24

In conjunction with the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Quentin Rios, a 3-year-old with a brain tumor from San Francisco, California, will fulfill his wish of attend a Red Sox game on August 24.   

Picnic in the Park, Sunday, August 24

The homestand concludes with Picnic in the Park, the annual charitable fundraiser hosted by the Red Sox players and their wives benefitting two of the Red Sox Foundation’s charitable programs, the Red Sox Scholars and Red Sox RBI and Rookie League inner city youth baseball programs. The fan-friendly event, which will be held one hour after the conclusion of the Sunday, August 24, Red Sox-Seattle game, allows fans to enjoy a BBQ picnic on the field, a chance to get autographs from current Red Sox players, and the opportunity to bid on unique items and experiences during a live auction.

Mayor Walsh Creates Separate Zoning Board of Appeals Process for Small Businesses, 1-2 Family Owner-Occupied Residential Cases

Mayor Walsh Creates Separate Zoning Board of Appeals Process for Small Businesses, 1-2 Family Owner-Occupied Residential Cases

Move will cut wait times for relatively minor zoning variances needed to open a small business or perform home renovations

BOSTON – Fulfilling a commitment made in his 101 Days Report, Mayor Walsh announced the creation of streamlined Zoning Board of Appeals (ZBA) process for small businesses and 1-2 family owner-occupied residential applications.

A subcommittee of the Zoning Board of Appeals will meet bi-weekly on Thursday nights to hear zoning relief requests from small businesses and smaller residential projects. The move will aid small businesses and homeowners making renovations to their properties, by separating smaller projects from major developments.  

"Small businesses should not have to wait along major development to have their zoning relief requests heard," said Mayor Walsh. "This move will provide immediate relief, while we continue to pursue more fundamental regulatory reforms and zoning updates." 

"This change will allow one and two family homeowners and small business to request zoning relief without having to take time out of the weekday schedule to do so," said William 'Buddy' Christopher, Commissioner of Inspectional Services. "This is just one more promise that the mayor made that his delivering."

The first hearing of the ZBA Small Business and Owner-Occupied Residential Subcommittee will be September 11, 2014. Staff is currently examining ZBA cases scheduled for September, October and November, and contacting applicants eligible for the streamlined process. Applicants interested in having their appeal heard through the subcommittee should contact 617-635-5300.

This reform is the latest improvement to Boston’s permitting and licensing system, led by Mayor Walsh’s interagency permitting team, which has been meeting regularly since February to improve the process, technology and tracking of permit applications citywide.

RED SOX FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES AUCTION ITEMS FOR 9TH ANNUAL PICNIC IN THE PARK FUNDRAISER

RED SOX FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES AUCTION ITEMS FOR

9TH ANNUAL PICNIC IN THE PARK FUNDRAISER

August 24 Auction Includes Meeting David Ortiz, Batting Lessons with Mike Napoli,

Base Running with Brock Holt, and Fielding With Jackie Bradley, Jr.

BOSTON, MA – The Red Sox Foundation announced auction items for the 2014 Picnic in the Park fundraiser, presented by Ace Ticket, taking place on Sunday, August 24, at Fenway Park. The auction items include the opportunity to meet David Ortiz, fielding lessons with Jackie Bradley, Jr., batting lessons with Mike Napoli, and base running with Brock Holt. 

Fans attending the event will enjoy a BBQ picnic on the field at Fenway Park with picnic bags courtesy of Home Goods, a chance to get autographs from current Red Sox players, and the opportunity to bid on unique items and experiences during the live auction. For those unable to attend the fundraiser in person, a bid by proxy is possible.

Actor, producer, and writer Mike O’Malley will host the event, and singer/songwriter Andy Grammer will be on hand to perform.

Auction items for this year’s Picnic in the Park include:

§  A voicemail message for your phone recorded by Dustin Pedroia

§  Fielding lesson with Jackie Bradley, Jr.

§  The opportunity to shadow NESN’s Red Sox reporter Gary Striewski during a Red Sox home game

§  Batting lessons with Red Sox first basemen Mike Napoli

§  A meet-and-greet with David Ortiz that includes Green Monster seats

§  Walk-on role in the hit TV show GLEE

§  Batting practice and base running lessons with Brock Holt

§  A trip to Las Vegas including roundtrip airfare on JetBlue Airways, three nights in a luxury suite at the Venetian or Palazzo Hotel, and tickets to the Rock of Ages show

Picnic in the Park will be held one hour after the conclusion of the 1:35 p.m. Red Sox-Mariners game on Sunday, August 24. Tickets are available at redsox.com/picnic. Information on auction items and details on how to make a bid by proxy are available at redsox.com/picnicauctions.

The annual charitable fundraiser is hosted by the Red Sox players and their wives and benefits two of the Red Sox Foundation’s charitable programs – the Red Sox Scholars program and the Red Sox RBI and youth baseball program. Aramark, the Red Sox concessionaire, donates all the food for Picnic in the Park, and HP Hood, the official ice cream provider of the Boston Red Sox, donates the ice cream.

OWNER OF MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION COMPANY PLEADS GUILTY TO BILLING TAXPAYERS FOR RIDES UNDER DEAD PEOPLE’S NAMES

OWNER OF MEDICAL TRANSPORTATION COMPANY PLEADS GUILTY TO BILLING TAXPAYERS FOR RIDES UNDER DEAD PEOPLE’S NAMESCross Roads Trolley in Webster Received More than $470,000 in Payments for Medical Transportation Services Never Provided

WORCESTER – The owner of a medical transportation company in Webster has pleaded guilty to defrauding the state’s Medicaid program (MassHealth) of more than $470,000 by billing for services under the names of deceased individuals, and for other medical trips that were never provided, Attorney General Martha Coakley announced today.

Cynthia J. Keegan, 51, of Webster, and her company Keegan Enterprises, LLC, d/b/a Cross Roads Trolley pleaded guilty today in Worcester Superior Court before Judge Janet Kenton-Walker on charges of Larceny over $250 (7 counts each) and Medicaid False Claims (7 counts each).

“The owner of this company intentionally stole thousands of dollars from taxpayers by billing for rides that never occurred, or for people who were deceased,” AG Coakley said. “This coverage is meant to provide transportation services for residents who need outpatient medical care, and we cannot tolerate those who take advantage of MassHealth.”

A sentencing hearing for Keegan has been set for Aug. 21 in Worcester Superior Court.

The AG’s investigation into the matter, after being referred by MassHealth, revealed that Keegan falsely billed for rides provided to more than 40 individuals after their death, and under the names of a dozen residents at two different nursing homes who never actually received rides on the claimed dates of service.

Cross Roads Trolley is a privately held wheelchair van company that provides non-emergency medical transportation services when personal transportation is not suitable due to the MassHealth member’s physical condition.

According to the AG’s Office, Keegan, over a five-year period, submitted more than 8,300 fraudulent transportation claims for 12 residents at two nursing facilities in West Brookfield, and received payments totaling more than $400,000. The AG’s investigation found that the billed services were actually for individuals that rarely left the nursing facility for medical care, or didn’t reside there on the claimed dates of service.

Keegan also submitted more than 1,500 claims to MassHealth under the names of 47 deceased MassHealth members. In one case, Keegan repeatedly billed MassHealth for transportation services more than five months after a woman’s death. Of the 1,500 false claims that were submitted, only 152 claims were actually paid out for a total of $6,900.  The rest of the claims under those names were rejected by MassHealth.

In addition, Keegan billed for rides under the names of at least four other MassHealth members who were not transported to obtain covered medical services on the claimed dates of service. These additional 1,000 false claims resulted in payments totaling nearly $70,000. 

A Worcester Grand Jury returned indictments against Keegan and Cross Roads Trolley on Sept. 19, 2013. Keegan was arraigned on Oct. 8, 2013. Cross Roads Trolley was later arraigned on Nov. 21.

Assistant Attorney General Ian R. Marinoff prosecuted this case as part of the Attorney General’s Medicaid Fraud Division. This case was investigated by Dean Bates and Robert Ames also from the AG’s Medicaid Fraud Division.

RED SOX OFFER BIKE VALET TO FANS ATTENDING WEEKEND GAMES IN AUGUST AND SEPTEMBER

BOSTON, MA – In partnership with the Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition (MassBike), the Red Sox will offer “Fenway Park Bike Valet,” a bicycle valet parking service available to all Red Sox ticket holders. The new service allows those who bike to the ballpark to drop off their bike with a valet attendant, eliminating the need to find a bike rack and lock their bikes. The valet service is located outside Gate D on the corner of Yawkey Way and Van Ness Street.  .

“We are pleased to partner with MassBike to offer this convenient and secure service to our fans,” said Red Sox Executive Vice President of Business Operations Jonathan Gilula. “We encourage fans to bike to the ballpark during their next visit to Fenway Park and enjoy the health and environmental benefits of bicycling.”

The bike valet service will open two hours prior to the game and close one hour after the game. It is free for ticketed fans. MassBike will oversee the operation of the service providing a safe, fenced off area for bikes to be stored, and claim checks for fans dropping off and retrieving their bikes.  

“MassBike is thrilled to partner with the Boston Red Sox to encourage more people to ride bikes,” says MassBike Executive Director David Watson. “Biking is the fastest way to get in and out of Fenway at game time, and once people see how fun and easy it is, they are more likely to make bicycling a regular transportation choice.”

The bike valet service was successfully piloted at home games in July and is now being rolled out for the remainingSaturday and Sunday games in August and September when the Red Sox play the Houston Astros, Seattle Mariners, Toronto Blue Jays, and New York Yankees. The Red Sox join four other Major League teams currently provide bike valet service – the San Francisco Giants, Miami Marlines, Washington Nationals, and Chicago Cubs. 

GOVERNOR PATRICK SIGNS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BILL EXPANDING GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY IN THE COMMONWEALTH

GOVERNOR PATRICK SIGNS ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT BILL EXPANDING GROWTH AND OPPORTUNITY IN THE COMMONWEALTH

Re-files Legislation that Limits the Use of Non-Compete Agreements; Gives Communities Local Control of Liquor Licenses

BOSTON – Wednesday, August 13, 2014 – Governor Deval Patrick today signed H.4377 “An Act To Promote Economic Growth in the Commonwealth,” building on the Patrick Administration’s successful economic development strategy of investing in education, innovation and infrastructure. The economic development package provides new tools and training to ensure the Massachusetts workforce meets the needs of employers, invests in our Gateway Cities to promote development across the entire state and provides incentives to create jobs and stimulate the economy. 

Also on Wednesday, Governor Patrick re-filed legislation that limits the use of non-compete agreements and adopts the Uniform Trade Secrets Act to ensure that government acts to retain talented entrepreneurs, supports individual career growth and encourages the development of new, innovative businesses to drive future economic growth. The legislation also includes a provision to give local governments across Massachusetts control over the number of liquor licenses in their jurisdiction. Placing the authority to approve liquor licenses in the hands of municipal officials will allow local communities to make responsible decisions regarding their economic development and growth and free the Legislature from time-consuming local issues.

“In important ways, this legislation improves existing tools and provides a few new ones to continue our strong job growth, and I thank the Legislature for being so responsive,” said Governor Patrick. “At the same time, we have unfinished business, so I am filing further legislation today to give innovators and municipalities all the tools they need to grow jobs and opportunity.”

“An Act To Promote Economic Growth in the Commonwealth,” signed on Wednesday, bolsters the economic revitalization of the Commonwealth’s Gateway Cities with $15 million for the Gateway Cities Transformative Development Fund and encourages the reuse of brownfields in economically distressed areas of Massachusetts with $10 million in funding. 

“This legislation makes many targeted investments in our emerging industries, like Big Data and advanced manufacturing, that are necessary to create a competitive environment here in Massachusetts and grow our status as a leader in the world economy,” said Senate President Therese Murray. “By capitalizing on our state’s existing and developing industries, as well as investing in a strong, educated workforce, we are outlining a path to success for our residents and promoting economic development throughout the entire Commonwealth.”

“This comprehensive bill will help ensure that residents, businesses and communities are able to compete and excel in a dynamic economy,” said House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo. “We’ve made substantial gains in strengthening our economy and must now focus on broadening the circle of prosperity beyond Greater Boston to all regions of the Commonwealth. This bill does just that while preparing future leaders through provisions like MassCAN, a computer science education partnership and the Talent Pipeline Initiative.”

Building on a strong record of growth in the state’s world-class innovation economy, the economic development package also adopts Governor Patrick’s proposal to create a pilot Global Entrepreneur in Residence Program to retain and attract entrepreneurs who are growing companies and creating jobs in the state. The program will be piloted at the University of Massachusetts Boston and the University of Massachusetts Lowell and will allow qualified, highly skilled, international students currently in Massachusetts to stay here after graduation if they are starting or growing a business and contributing to the local economy.

“This bill provides significant new support for the Commonwealth’s economic development strategy,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Greg Bialecki. “Ensuring the long-term economic prosperity of the Commonwealth means extending growth and opportunity to every corner of the state.”

In the area of workforce development and training, the Act includes $12 million for the middle skills job training grant fund to support advanced manufacturing, mechanical and technical skills at vocational-technical schools and community colleges. Also, the Workforce Competitiveness Trust Fund will receive $1.5 million to prepare Massachusetts residents for new jobs in high-demand occupations, helping close the middle-skills gap and creating a seamless pathway to employment.

The economic development legislation also includes a number of initiatives to expand the Commonwealth’s world class innovation economy including $2 million for a Big Data Innovation and Workforce Fund to promote the use of big data, open data and analytics, and $2 million for the Innovation Institute Fund at the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MTC).

The legislation also creates a $1 million talent pipeline program that will provide matching grants aimed at increasing technology and innovation internships, and another $1 million for a start-up mentoring program to connect early-stage entrepreneurs, technology startups and small business with experienced business enterprises and capital financing.

A separate provision increases the Housing Development Incentive Program’s (HDIP) annual cap from $5 million to $10 million over the next four years, and allows larger developments to qualify by eliminating the 50-market-rate unit per project cap. The expansion of the HDIP will provide residents of Gateway Cities with increased access to market-rate as well as affordable housing. 

The legislation also:

·         Expands on the Commonwealth’s international tourism and marketing efforts, capitalizing on new connections overseas, helping to bring more businesses and jobs to Massachusetts and more tourists to our world class destinations;

·         Increases the total financing allowed under the Infrastructure Incentive (I-Cubed) program from $325 to $600 million, and raises the number of allowed I-Cubed projects within any community from three to eight. The program provides innovative financing for public infrastructure projects expected to leverage significant economic investment;

·         Dedicates $3 million to the Housing Preservation and Stabilization Fund, which provides a flexible method for funding affordable housing for low-income families and individuals;

·         Establishes a financial services advisory council to exchange ideas and develop strategies for business and government to work together to strengthen the Commonwealth’s financial services industry; and

·         Creates a job creation incentive under the Economic Development Incentive Program (EDIP), allowing business to receive a tax credit up to $1,000 per job created, or up to $5,000 per job created in a Gateway City, so long as the total credit per project does not exceed $1 million.

Along with signing the bill, Governor Patrick also included a number of vetoes and amendments including sections 52, 65 and 97, which propose a new “live theater” tax credit. This new tax credit does not satisfy the 2012 Tax Expenditure Commission’s requirement of a clear societal purpose that is most efficiently met by the proposed tax expenditure, and it is not needed to encourage these kind of investments. The Inspector General has criticized the lack of sufficient safeguards in this provision to ensure that the credits are properly directed.

Governor Patrick also vetoed Sections 101 and 115, which designate entire municipalities as an “eligible location” under Chapter 40R. A blanket designation of an entire town as an “eligible location” conflicts with the goal of Chapter 40R to encourage communities to create smart growth zoning districts near transit stations, in areas of concentrated development such as existing town centers and in other highlight suitable locations.

Governor Patrick also returned back for amendment two other provisions of the bill requiring a study of the “angel investor” tax credit and requiring telephone counseling rather than delaying for two years the requirement for counseling new mortgage holders. 

洪慧珠 8/15 赴華府履新 經文處歡迎僑胞加入送機行列

駐波士頓臺北經濟文化辦事處處長洪慧珠將於本週五(8月15日)下午2時搭乘UA517前往華府就任副代表新職，經文處歡迎僑胞前往送。有意出席者，可向僑教中心報名，並於週五中午12:30分在Logan Airport, Terminal B 集合。