Joan Samuelson, Lisa Rainsberger, Gelindo Bordin, Amby Burfoot among those to run Boston Marathon, while six Champions to race in B.A.A. 5K.

Joan Samuelson, Lisa Rainsberger, Gelindo Bordin, Amby Burfoot among those to run Boston Marathon, while six Champions to race in B.A.A. 5K.

FOR RELEASE: Tuesday, April 7, 2015

BOSTON – The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) announced today that several champions of the Boston Marathon® will return to participate in events surrounding the 119th Boston Marathon, to be held on Monday, April 20, 2015. Champions Lisa Rainsberger (USA, 1985), Gelindo Bordin (ITA, 1990), Joan Samuelson (USA, 1979 and 1983), and Amby Burfoot (USA, 1968) will join 30,000 entrants in this year’s running of the world’s oldest annual marathon.

In addition, Morio Shigematsu (JPN, 1965), Jaqueline Gareau (CAN, 1980), Geoff Smith (GBR, 1984 and 1985), Greg Meyer (USA, 1983), Lorraine Moller (NZL, 1984), and Rainsberger will all run the B.A.A. 5K on Saturday, April 18, to kick off Boston Marathon weekend with 10,000 other participants.

Each year, the B.A.A. invites several champions to celebrate the anniversary of significant victories. They will be feted at a Champions’ Breakfast held in their honor on Sunday, April 19.

Rainsberger, 53, is the last American woman to win the Boston Marathon’s open division, having claimed victory in 2:34:06 at the 1985 Boston Marathon. Rainsberger ran uncontested to win her first attempt at the Boston Marathon, defeating the field by more than 8 minutes. In 2015 she plans to celebrate the 30th anniversary of her win by racing both the Boston Marathon and B.A.A. 5K.

Bordin, 56, is the only male in history to win both the Olympic Games Marathon and the Boston Marathon. A resident of Biella, Italy, he won the 1988 Olympic Games Marathon in Seoul, South Korea, running 2:10:32. His 2:08:19 victory in Boston in 1990 made him the only champion in the men’s open division to represent Italy and the most recent champion in the men’s open division to represent a European nation.

Samuelson, 57, is a two-time Boston Marathon champion and winner of the inaugural women’s Olympic Marathon in 1984. Samuelson has run each of the past four Boston Marathons, winning her age division in 2014 (2:52:10), 2013 (2:50:29), and 2011 (2:51:29). The native of Maine completed the 2012 Boston Marathon with her daughter Abby in 3:28:08. Samuelson is also a John Hancock Elite Team Ambassador.

Burfoot, 68, returns to Boston a year after finishing the race in 4:42:48. In 2013, Burfoot commemorated the 45th anniversary of his 1968 victory, which made him the Boston Marathon’s first American champion in 11 years. A Mystic, Conn., resident, Burfoot was coached by the late John J. Kelley, the first, and currently lone, B.A.A. Running Club member to win the Boston Marathon (1957). He will once again race the Boston Marathon this year.

Shigematsu, 74, won the Boston Marathon in 1965 at the age of 24, and is celebrating the 50th anniversary of his victorious race from Hopkinton to Boston. With his win in 1965, Shigematsu ended a ten year draught since a Japanese runner had won the Boston Marathon, leading four athletes from his native country in the top five. Less than two months after winning the Boston Marathon, he set a then-world record of 2:12:00 at the Polytechnic Marathon in England. Shigematsu plans to celebrate his return to Boston by competing in the B.A.A. 5K on April 18.

Gareau, 62, will also run the B.A.A. 5K, celebrating the 35th anniversary of her Boston Marathon win. In 1980, Gareau became the first –and only— woman from Canada to win the Boston Marathon, setting a course record of 2:34:28. Ten years ago, in 2005, Gareau served as the race's Grand Marshal, and was given the opportunity to run across the finish line and break the finish tape in a special ceremony. Gareau was a 1984 Olympian, and also finished second at the Boston Marathon in both 1982 and 1983.

Smith, 61, of Great Britain, is a two-time winner of the Boston Marathon being honored for both his 1984 and 1985 triumphs. After winning the 1984 contest in 2:10:34 --while still a senior at Providence College-- Smith returned to defend his title in 2:14:05. A two-time Olympian, Smith is one of the few athletes to have run both a sub-four minute mile and a sub-2:10 marathon. Smith now resides in Massachusetts.

Celebrating the ten year anniversary of her 2005 victory is Cheri Blauwet, a two-time champion in the push rim wheelchair division. Blauwet won the 2004 Boston Marathon while still a medical student at Stanford University, breaking free in the Newton Hills and going on to win in 1:39:53. She successfully retained her title in 2005, claiming victory in 1:47:45. Blauwet is also a Paralympic medalist, and lives and works in the Boston area.

A longtime Boston resident, Bill Rodgers is a four-time Boston Marathon champion and is also a John Hancock Elite Team Ambassador. This year marks the 40th anniversary of his 1975 win, as well as the 35th anniversary of his 1980 victory. Throughout the year, Rodgers participates in many health and wellness initiatives, and makes appearances at numerous races. He was the grand marshal of the 2014 Boston Marathon, riding in a pace car ahead of the lead runners and heralding to spectators along the course that thousands of runners will soon be coming.

Also competing in the B.A.A. 5K will be Meyer, 59, the 1983 Boston Marathon winner who is also a coach for principal sponsor John Hancock Financial’s Employee Training Team for the Boston Marathon. He will serve as the Finish Line announcer for race day.

Lorraine Moller, 59, of New Zealand, will participate in the B.A.A. 5K as well. She won the 1984 Boston Marathon in 2:29:28, and is a four-time Olympian.

Sara Mae Berman, Jack Fultz, Roberta (Bobbi) Gibb, Nina Kuscsik, and Uta Pippig are among other Boston Marathon winners who will be in Boston for the 119th Boston Marathon.

A number of champions will try to earn another coveted olive wreath at this year’s Boston Marathon. Defending men’s open division champion Meb Keflezighi of California returns to Boston as a member of John Hancock’s Elite Athlete Team, looking to become the first repeat American winner since Bill Rodgers. Ernst van Dyk of South Africa, the defending men’s push rim wheelchair division winner, and Tatyana McFadden of Illinois, who is going for her third straight title in the women’s push rim wheelchair division, will also take the starting line in Hopkinton.

Men’s open division winners Wesley Korir (2012) and Lelisa Desisa (2013), as well as women’s open division champions Sharon Cherop (2012) and Caroline Kilel (2011) are also part of the John Hancock Elite Athlete Team seeking another Boston Marathon victory.

MassDOT Community Transit Grant Program Award Recipients Announced

MassDOT Community Transit Grant Program Award Recipients Announced

Tuesday, April 7, 2015 – The MassDOT Rail & Transit Division today announced the FY 2016 award recipients for the MassDOT Community Transit Grant Program.

A total of 44 applicants, including Regional Transit Authorities, are receiving approximately $10 million from the Federal Transit Administration’s (FTA) Transportation for Elderly Persons and Persons with Disabilities, Bus and Bus Facilities, and Rural Intercity Bus programs, in addition to the Commonwealth’s Mobility Assistance Program (MAP).

This award funding will be used toward the purchase of 140 fully accessible vans and minibuses for use by Councils on Aging, private non-profits and RTAs across the Commonwealth, in addition to other capital, mobility management, and operating projects. The majority of this funding is used to support mobility options for seniors and people with disabilities.

A list of the award recipients is now available on the Community Transit Grants websitehttp://www.massdot.state.ma.us/Portals/12/docs/communityTransit/awards2016.pdf.

The FTA and the Commonwealth provide financial assistance through a number of programs to develop new transit systems and improve, maintain, and operate existing systems. 

Boston Public Market Announces Initial Round of Vendors for Permanent, Year-Round Local Food Market

Boston Public Market Announces Initial Round of Vendors for Permanent, Year-Round Local Food Market

30+ Small Businesses to Sell Locally Produced Items Starting in July

BOSTON — The Boston Public Market today announced the first round of small businesses who will sell locally produced goods in the new permanent, year-round market on the Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy Greenway directly above the Haymarket MBTA station. Starting in July, the 28,000-square-foot Market will house over 30 permanent, year-round vendors selling locally produced items such as farm fresh produce; meat and poultry; milk and cheese; fish and shellfish; bread and baked goods; flowers; and an assortment of specialty and prepared foods.

“We are thrilled to be able to offer Bostonians some of the freshest cheese in New England, literally still in the cow in the form of milk hours before,” said Luca Mignogna, co-owner of Wolf Meadow Farm in Amesbury, MA. “We are committed to supporting local Massachusetts and New England dairies, using the oldest traditions of Southern Italian cheesemaking.”

“We've been farming in East Boston for two years now and can't wait to start sharing our fresh local greens and herbs with the people of Boston,” said Shawn Cooney, co-owner of Corner Stalk Farm, which grows standard and specialty leafy greens and herbs in recycled shipping containers. “The Boston Public Market is the perfect place for us to reach as many consumers as possible with the freshest produce in Boston.”

The initial vendors announced today include farmers, fisherman, and food producers from Massachusetts and throughout New England. The Boston Public Market will be the only locally-sourced market of its kind in the United States. Everything sold at the Market will be produced or originate in New England.

"The Boston Public Market will showcase the best of what Boston's local economy has to offer," said Mayor Martin J. Walsh. "These vendors represent the small businesses that fuel our economy, and will serve as a tremendous resource for our residents and visitors in downtown Boston."

“The Boston Public Market will provide individuals with year-round access to locally produced, fresh food,” said Secretary of the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Matthew Beaton. “It is the goal of the Baker-Polito administration and EEA to make fresh produce available to all Commonwealth residents. I am pleased the market will join the ranks of Massachusetts’ more than 290 farmers markets, 40 of which are winter farmers markets, and its Community Supported Agriculture farms, farm stands, and pick-your-own operations.”

“A year round public market, like BPM, that features farm fresh Massachusetts products will not only strengthen our growing agricultural economy, it will also garner additional consumer demand for nutritious, locally grown and produced food,” said Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) Commissioner John Lebeaux. “Massachusetts is already a leader in direct market sales, ranked 5th in the U.S. Our farmers and food producers not only provide us with the best possible products all year round, they also preserve over 523,000 acres of open space, employee 28,000 workers and generate $492 million dollars for the Massachusetts economy.”

Since 2007 Massachusetts’ participation in community supported agriculture (CSA) has nearly doubled and agri-tourism sales have grown 127%.  While nationally the U.S. witnessed a decline in agriculture from 2007 to 2012, Massachusetts was one of the few states that experienced growth in both number of farms and acres of farmland.

“Our goal is to connect all residents of Boston with the best New England has to offer, and our vendors are at the heart of what we do,” said Elizabeth Morningstar, CEO of the Boston Public Market. “These small businesses and food entrepreneurs have incredible experience growing and producing locally, and the multitude of flavors, colors, and stories they bring to the market is simply astounding.”

The Market will span the ground floor of 136 Blackstone Street, which also contains the Boston RMV branch, entrances to the Haymarket MBTA station, vent stacks for the Interstate-93 tunnel, and a parking garage. The Market is located in downtown Boston’s emerging Market District, next to the Haymarket pushcart vendors and the historic Blackstone Block.

“We’re incredibly excited about this first group of vendors,” said Tiffani Emig, the Boston Public Market’s Market Manager. “Some will be familiar to customers who have shopped at our seasonal markets on the Greenway, and some will be brand new faces. We can’t wait for the people of Boston to meet them all.”

The Boston Public Market has partnered with several organizations in Boston’s growing entrepreneurial food community to help prepare vendors to sell their goods at the market. Several vendors, along with other local small food businesses, participated over the past six months in Interise’s award-winning StreetWise ‘MBA’™ program aimed at growing jobs and creating more revenue. Vendors also received access to hands-on food production training and shared kitchen facilities at Crop Circle Kitchen’s Pearl Food Production Small Business Center.

“I’ve known for a while that I have to change my business model from wholesale grower to farmer-florist,” said Barbara Rietscha, owner of Stow Greenhouses in Stow, MA. "The StreetWise ‘MBA’™ program gave me the knowledge - and the courage - to make the change. Hearing about the real life experiences of both the mentors and my classmates has been invaluable.”

The Boston Public Market will feature a diverse offering of programs designed to highlight regional culinary traditions and local food production, as well as inspire healthy eating and creative cooking among families and individuals. The Trustees of Reservations is the lead programming partner and will manage and staff a teaching kitchen in the heart of the market, working with other non-profit organizations and for-profit partners to offer exciting classes, demonstrations, and other programs.

“After almost twenty years of planning, we are extremely excited to bring the vision of the Boston Public Market to life,” said Kate Stillman, owner of Stillman's Quality Meats in Hardwick, MA. “Our farm is eager to bring our fresh meats and poultry products direct to Boston consumers and we look forward to creating a dynamic and robust marketplace that champions local food and connects consumers direct to Massachusetts farms.”

“One of the oldest operating farms in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, Silverbrook Farm strives for quality produce, valued employees, and sustainable agriculture,” said Andrew Pollock, owner of Silverbrook Farm in Dartmouth, MA. “The practice of farming thrives in the beautiful and unique growing climate of Dartmouth and Westport, and we are thrilled to represent the South Coast of Massachusetts at the Boston Public Market.”

The initial round of vendors is listed below, and further information about each vendor can be found at www.bostonpublicmarket.org/vendors. Additional vendors will be announced over the coming months.

American Stonecraft (Lowell, MA)

Natural fieldstone tableware handmade from freshly-tilled stones from working New England farms.

Appleton Farms (Ipswich, MA)

Delicious dairy products from Appleton Farms and the Massachusetts Cheese Guild's 20+ farms and cheesemakers as well as some of New England's best artisanal specialty foods.

Boston Honey Company (Holliston, MA)

Raw unfiltered honey, bee pollen, comb honey, beeswax candles, and skin care products.

Cellars at Jasper Hill (Greensboro Bend, VT)

Single-herd sourced cheeses, cave-aged in our cellars, along with prepared items such as grilled cheeses, raclette, mac n’ cheese, custom cheese plates, and Vermont-made accoutrements.

Corner Stalk Farm (East Boston, MA)

Standard and specialty leafy greens and herbs grown in recycled shipping containers in East Boston.

Crescent Ridge (Sharon, MA)

Award-winning ice cream and fresh glass bottled milk.

Daniele (Pascoag, RI)

Crafted from hogs raised on New England family farms, our charcuterie is ready to enjoy in antipastos, soups, salads and panninis.

Inna's Kitchen (Newton Centre, MA)

Prepared foods featuring cuisines of the Middle-East, Eastern Europe, the Mediterranean, and American Jewish delis.

Lilac Hedge Farm (Berlin, MA)

Fresh and frozen cuts of our own beef, pork, lamb, and poultry as well as cured meats, prepared meals and rotisserie chicken.

Mangé (Somerville, MA)

Exotic and aromatic fresh fruit vinegars.

Massachusetts Farm Winery and Growers (Westport, MA)

A wide selection of local award-winning red, white, sparkling and fruit wines, as well as hard ciders.

Mother Juice (Cambridge, MA)

Cold pressed juices, smoothies and plant based foods. All organic and as local as possible.

Peterman's Boards & Bowls (Gill, MA)

Bowls, serving boards and trays, salad tossers, bottle stoppers, and napkin rings made from discarded or fallen trees from New England towns.

Q's Nuts (Somerville, MA)

Sweet, savory and spicy roasts in over six varieties of nuts. Vegan, gluten, soy and dairy free.

Red Apple Farm (Phillipston, MA)

Fresh-from-the-farm fruit, 100% natural cider and all your favorite apple farm treats.

Silverbrook Farm (Dartmouth, MA)

A wide range of farm-fresh products including vegetables, fruit, mushrooms, honey, herbs flowers, eggs, jams, mustards and pickles.

Stillman Quality Meats (Hardwick, MA)

Our farm is a full scale butcher shop- featuring a variety of fresh meat and poultry cuts, hand made sausages, smoked and charcuterie items, artisan sandwiches, pantry and ready to eat selections- direct from our farm.

Stillman's Farm (New Braintree, MA)

The freshest, most amazing, conscientiously grown produce and plants.

Stow Greenhouses (Stow, MA)

Over 50 varieties of beautiful artisan flowers, we cut the best of what is blooming each day and bring it from our farm to your vase.

Sweet Lydia's (Lowell, MA)

Handcrafted confections including gourmet marshmallows, chocolate salted caramels, toffee, candy bars and s'mores.

Taza Chocolate (Somerville, MA)

Stone ground organic chocolate.

The Boston Smoked Fish Company (Sudbury, MA)

Hand-selected smoked seafood produced using sustainably harvested fish, locally sourced ingredients, and all-natural preparation.

Wolf Meadow Farm (Amesbury, MA)

Traditional southern Italian cheese made by hand using the freshest milk available daily.

麻州交通新法今日起施行 用雨刷就得開車燈

麻州交通廳（ MassDOT )汽車監理處（Registry of Motor Vehicles）以及高速公路局和麻州警察聯袂提醒駕駛人，四月七日起，在天氣惡劣時，或者使用雨刷時，必須打開車頭及車尾燈的新規定。

            該一法令旨在增加麻州道路上的汽車能見度及安全性。

            麻州總法第八十五章，第十五節法令的改變，是今年一月時簽署成法的，規定在下列情況時，車輛的前及後登，都需打亮。

            這些情況包括，當使用雨刷時，當光度低，或天氣狀況使人看不清五百呎以外的人或車輛時，以及日落之後及日出以前的半個小時。 

            根據新法，在前述狀況中只仰賴日光是不足夠的。

            違反該法，將視為可提高保費的輕微觸犯交通法。

            查詢安全駕駛保險計劃，或保險附加費資訊，可上網 汽車考核評委會（ RMV’s Merit Rating Board ）。

            網址為https://www.massrmv.com/MeritRatingBoard/AbouttheMeritRatingBoard.aspx。

海外中國企業聲譽報告作者訪哈佛談中國企業軟實力

攜手撰寫“2014海外中國企業聲譽報告”一書的三名作者，四月五日下午，在哈佛大學校園內，向七，八十名出席者闡述中國企業也有軟實力，在環境，能源，金融，教育，旅遊，休閒等方面，中國境內未來仍有很多創業機會，關鍵在是否能找出特色。

零點研究諮詢集團高級副總裁，零點國際發展研究院院長馮晞，廈門姚明織帶飾品有限公司董事長，英國曼徹斯特大學商學院中國區總裁，中國中心主任傅瀟霄，是“2014海外中國企業聲譽報告”一書的共同作者。該書今年二月由浙江大學出版社發行，請有北京大學國家發展研究院名譽院長林毅夫寫了序言，“國際化企業的三步走“。

他們三人，邀“創業美國“主持人陳一佳做主持，四日在哥倫比亞大學，五日在哈佛大學分享該書內容。

馮晞在講談時，引用了林毅夫在序言中所提，中國打造國際化企業，全球品牌的新三步走戰略 ，“走出去，走進去，走上去“，以及該書第一章的”核心發現“，包括中國企業要成功走進國際市場，打造新形象，必須注重聲譽；了解，融入當地的文化，生態；建立在多方共贏，價值共享的基礎上；營運的溝通及制度透明；抱有全球化公民心態等。

馮晞透露，“零點“正在做許多事，包括建立一個與眾不同的企業管理學院，與義大利著名冰淇凌公司Gelato談合作等等。

姚明侃談他創辦的織帶飾品公司，面對美國商務部對華窄幅織帶“雙反“官司的挑戰，以及他個人真名和籃球名人姚明相同，因而在申請註冊公司名稱時遭遇困擾，一連爭取九年，才順利解決等過程。他強調，姚明織帶因為注重品質，服務，講求創新，信息一體化，做全球化佈局等等，才贏得“中國優秀企業家”，“廈門十大影響力人物”等聲譽。

傅瀟霄也以她的個人接下英國曼徹斯特大學商學院在中國開拓市場，學員人數從零做到一千經過。她勸有心回中國創業者，要關注刻正崛起的中產階級，以及電商，移動商務，微信等的發展應用。上海自貿區將是一個值得深入研究的起點。至於創業方向，她認為旅遊，房地產，教育，醫療等等，都將是機會很多的領域，目前是最好的時機，但回中國創業必須懂得接地氣。

創辦“美國創業“欄目的陳一佳，也把她自己走上創業路的經驗拿出來和出席者分享，指創業最重要的元素之一是能夠專注，知道自己想要做什麼。

該講座由哈佛大學中國學生學者聯合會會長單思聰，副會長孫陸做開場介紹，有大紐約地區清華校友會，天津大學（北洋大學）北美校友會，北美浙江大學校友會，廈門大學美洲校友會等贊助，協辦。波士頓浙大校友會會長倪繼紅還親自出席接待隨演講團，遠道從印第安納州趕來的校友，寰宇房車技術集團公司董事長丁滬生。

  

圖片說明：

        哈佛大學中國學生學者聯合會會長單思聰（後左四），副會長孫陸（後又四）和四名講者，主持人，前排左起，馮晞，傅瀟霄，陳一佳，姚明等人會後合影。（菊子攝）

            零點研究諮詢集團高級副總裁馮晞透露，他自己都沒想到，在如今這年紀還被機會推著創業。（菊子攝）