MAYOR WALSH HOSTS CITY OF BELFAST YOUTH ORCHESTRA FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT CONCERT SERIES

MAYOR WALSH HOSTS CITY OF BELFAST  YOUTH ORCHESTRA FOR WEDNESDAY NIGHT CONCERT SERIES

BOSTON - Tuesday, July 14, 2015 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh is proud to announce the City of Boston will launch the Dorothy Curran Wednesday Night Concert Series with an opening night performance by the City of Belfast Youth Orchestra (CBYO) on July 15 at 7 p.m. on City Hall Plaza. "We are continuing to strengthen our Sister-City relationship with the City of Belfast through positive and productive exchanges," said Mayor Walsh. "I am pleased to welcome these young people Boston as we make City Hall Plaza a welcoming and entertaining location for residents and visitors to enjoy." Originally formed in 1955, the CBYO is considered one of the top youth orchestras in the United Kingdom, Ireland, and Europe. As the first stop in its 60th Anniversary Concert Tour to the United States, Conductor Paul McBride and the 82 member orchestra will perform a mixture of light classical repertoire with some Irish favorites. "We are delighted to make Boston the first stop on our U.S. tour, and are looking forward to bringing classical and Celtic entertainment to concertgoers," said Paul McBride, conductor of the City of Belfast Youth Orchestra. All shows begin at 7 p.m. and are presented by Mayor Walsh, the Mayor's Office of Tourism, Sports, and Entertainment and the Boston Parks and Recreation Department in partnership with sponsor Eastern Bank. Now celebrating 43 years as Boston's longest-running free outdoor concert series to the heart of the city. For more information, call 617-635-3911, visit www.boston.gov/summer, or follow @VisitBoston on Twitter. City Hall Plaza is accessible by MBTA via Haymarket (Orange and Green), State Street (Orange and Blue), or Park Street (Green and Red) stations.

八仙樂園粉塵爆燃事件，陳士魁前往醫院探望僑生及家屬

八仙樂園粉塵爆燃事件，陳士魁前往醫院探望僑生及家屬

    新北市八仙樂園6月27日發生粉塵爆燃案，計有來自馬來西亞就讀臺北醫學大學林姓僑生、就讀萬能科技大學黃姓華裔外籍生，以及來自香港地區就讀元智大學的莫姓學生受到燒傷，僑務委員會委員長陳士魁至表關切，除與家屬聯繫慰問，並於7月6日親自前往臺北醫學大學附設醫院以視訊方式探視受傷僑生及慰問家屬，同時致贈慰問金。陳士魁表示對於受傷僑生，僑委會視為自己子弟盡全力給予妥善協助，並感謝院方醫療團隊及校方不眠不休照顧受傷僑生；陳士魁委員長亦指派僑生處處長及副處長分赴林口長庚醫院及汐止國泰醫院慰問受傷學生家屬，表達本會對於受傷同學的關切與協助之意。

    本次意外事件，陳士魁委員長已責成僑委會僑生處同仁採個別專案方式，持續與受傷僑生相關家屬、校方保持聯繫，務必給予同學受傷後續治療之關懷與必要協助。

Governor Baker Appoints Nonie Lesaux as Chair of Board of Early Education and Care

Governor Baker Appoints Nonie Lesaux as Chair of

Board of Early Education and Care

BOSTON – Governor Charlie Baker today announced the appointment of Nonie Lesaux, Ph.D., to the Board of Early Education and Care, and designated her as the new Chair.    “I’m pleased to welcome Nonie as chair of the Board of Early Education and Care,” said Governor Baker. “With years of experience in the education field, Nonie has risen as a leader for early education and literacy reforms in the Commonwealth and brings a unique skill set to the table that will strengthen programs and enrich education for young children.”    “Nonie’s expertise in language and literacy development, knowledge of early educator practice, and experience working with policymakers will be a significant asset to the Board of Early Education and Care,” said Early Education and Care Commissioner Tom Weber.  “I look forward to working with Nonie and the Board in advancing the system of early education and care in the Commonwealth, and supporting strong outcomes for all children.”  “It is an honor to serve as the Chair of the Board of Early Education and Care. I look forward to working with the board, Commissioner Tom Weber, and the EEC team to further the mission of providing children with the foundation for healthy development and educational accomplishment,” said Chair Lesaux. “I thank the Baker-Polito Administration for this opportunity to support our Commonwealth’s children, their families, and all those involved in setting the youngest members of our communities on a path toward lifelong success.”  “Nonie’s insight and analytical expertise will be an asset to the Board and Commissioner Weber as we strive to improve the quality, affordability, and availability of early education and care in Massachusetts,” said Secretary of Education Jim Peyser. “I also thank Jay Gonzalez for his service to the board and appreciate his support of early education in our state.”

SEAPORT AND FORT POINT THE FOCUS OF U.S. ATTORNEY REVIEW OF DISABILITY ACCESS

SEAPORT AND FORT POINT THE FOCUS OF U.S. ATTORNEY

REVIEW OF DISABILITY ACCESS

 

BOSTON – The U.S. Attorney’s Office announced today that it has launched a review of restaurants in Boston to determine whether they are being operated in compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA). 

 

The U.S. Attorney’s Office has selected for review restaurants in Boston’s Seaport and Fort Point neighborhoods.  With the ongoing construction and development in this area of the city, the review is intended to ensure that these neighborhoods are accessible to the increasing numbers of residents and tourists who will be visiting. 

 

“This year marks the 25th anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and reminds us that all individuals with disabilities deserve to have full access to public places,” said United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz.  “We look forward to partnering with restaurants to make sure that they are accessible to every resident and visitor to our City.” 

 

Federal law prohibits discrimination on the basis of disability by the owners and operators of places of public accommodation, which includes restaurants.  The ADA authorizes the U.S. Department of Justice to undertake periodic reviews of covered establishments.  This initiative is being conducted in accordance with the Department of Justice’s statutory responsibility to review compliance with federal law and not in response to any specific complaint against any of the restaurants. 

 

To facilitate its compliance review, the U.S. Attorney’s Office has been conducting site visits of the restaurants to assess accessibility and to evaluate compliance with federal ADA regulations.  If the site visits reveal that a particular restaurant is not in compliance with the law, the U.S. Attorney’s Office intends to notify the owners and operators to secure voluntary compliance.  The Department of Justice is also authorized to commence a civil lawsuit in federal court in any case that involves a pattern or practice of discrimination or raises issues of general public importance. 

 

In 2010, to coordinate the efforts of the U.S. Attorney’s Office in enforcing federal civil rights laws, U.S. Attorney Carmen Ortiz formed the Civil Rights Enforcement Team (CRET), which is composed of Assistant U.S. Attorneys and professional staff from the criminal and civil divisions of the office.  The primary goals of the CRET are to uphold the constitutional rights of all residents, particularly the most vulnerable members of society and to enforce federal statutes prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, disability, religion, familial status, and national origin. 

 

Additional information about the ADA is available at www.ADA.gov or through contacting the U.S. Attorney’s Office at (617) 748-3100. 

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES ARCHAEOLOGICAL DIG AT FORMER SITE OF INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL FOR GIRLS

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES ARCHAEOLOGICAL DIG AT FORMER SITE OF INDUSTRIAL SCHOOL FOR GIRLS

Young People From Mayor’s Department of Youth Engagement and Employment, Epiphany School to Participate in Dig 

BOSTON - Monday, July 13, 2015 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced an archaeological survey at the 1859 Industrial School for Girls property, located at 232 Centre Street in Dorchester. The property is currently owned by the Epiphany School, an independent, tuition-free middle school for Boston children from economically-disadvantaged backgrounds. The Industrial School for Girls is the oldest purpose-built school for girls

The archaeological dig will staffed by City Archaeology Program volunteers, who will be joined by a team of young people employed in the Community Dream Team program offered through the Mayor’s Department of Youth Engagement and Employment. The Team will participate in all aspects of scientific excavation and recording, community engagement, interpretation and artifact processing. 

“It's exciting to see so many young people getting involved in uncovering the history of their neighborhood,” said Mayor Walsh. "These projects not only bring our history to life, they provide valuable work and learning opportunities for our City's youth." 

“We’re excited to have so many interesting archaeological projects this summer in Boston that involve early schools, and applaud the young people who are assisting as dig team members,“ said Austin Blackmon, Chief of Energy, Environment and Open Space.​ 

Current students from the Epiphany School will also work on the dig, and will help in excavating and interpreting the artifacts recovered. The students will also create a display on the archaeology of the site for the new building.

“We are honored to have Joe Bagley and his team here for this exciting project. It’s not every day that a school gets to have a professional archaeological dig in its own backyard!” said John Finley, the Head of School.

“We are honored to have City Archaeologist Joe Bagley and his team here for this exciting project," said John Finley, Head of the Epiphany School. "It’s not every day that a school gets to have a professional archaeological dig in its own backyard!”

“This collaboration with the City Archaeology Program is a wonderful opportunity for young people to gain a meaningful work experience, where they can learn new skills as well as engage with members of the community through their work," said Yves Singletary, Youth and Career Coordinator for the City of Boston. "For a lot of them this is an experience that they probably never would have gotten without being a part of the cities summer employment program."

City of Boston Archaeologist Joseph Bagley will lead his volunteer team in the dig, which began on July 6. Crews are excavating a series of narrow trenches in the location of a former outbuilding in an attempt to re-locate the foundation of the outbuilding and any associated privy (outhouse) it may have contained. The dig is scheduled to last between two and four weeks depending on the results of the survey.

Extensive research prior to the excavations has revealed detailed insight into the lives of the property and the girls who attended the school. The building was purpose-built in 1859 to house approximately 15-30 girls, annually, between 6 and 15-years-old. The girls were predominantly daughters of recent immigrants living in Massachusetts, but others arrived from as far away as Ohio, Virginia and New Brunswick, Canada. Some were admitted for being runaways, fatherless, daughters of young mothers or sailors who were abroad. Applicants were only rejected if they were under 6 years of age or if their home life was not disruptive enough to warrant intervention.

The girls were responsible for taking care of the property and were actively trained by house matrons in Victorian domestic arts in an effort to transform them into “proper” Victorian ladies. While called a school, most of the girls attended the former Dorchester High School next door where the Dr. William W. Henderson Inclusion Elementary School is currently located, at the corner of Centre Street and Dorchester Avenue.

Between its opening in 1859 and the 1873-1874 school year, 171 girls attended the school. In 1941, the School merged with the New England Home for Little Wanderers and housed high school girls involved in the court system. It was closed and purchased in 2011 and is currently owned by the Epiphany School and used to house their teaching fellows. The Epiphany School has plans to restore the building and build a new building surrounding the western and northern yard of the existing school building. These plans will include the development of a portion of the yard that formerly held a wooden outbuilding, which was demolished in 1950. Archaeological investigation of the former outbuilding are part of efforts made between the Epiphany School and the Boston Landmarks Commission, which includes the City Archaeology Program, to mitigate impacts to the historic building and landscape with future development.

Archaeologists are hoping to find the foundations of the 19th century outbuilding and will test for the presence of privy deposits within or against the former structure. Artifacts within the outbuilding and a privy, if encountered, will reveal new information about the lives of the girls who lived within the building. These artifacts may include household items such as glassware and dishes, tea sets, food remains and personal items.

“It is extremely rare that we have a site with so few historic variables," said Bagley. "We know that the privy would have only been in use for about 20 years, it would have only been used by girls, the girls would have been aged 6-15 years old, and we know all of their names, ethnicity and social backgrounds, If we find a privy, we will be able to reveal so much more information about the lives of these girls than their basic statistics. We will know about their Victorian domestic training from sewing items, tea services and food, and we will even be able to see just how rebellious they were if they disposed of contraband goods in the outhouse where nobody would have looked for them.”

The archaeological team has already made progress in locating the foundation of the former carriage house. Artifacts uncovered include doll parts, marbles, large communal serving dishes, chamber pots and many white glass buttons.

Fieldwork will continue Monday-Friday from 9AM to 5PM rain or shine, except during thunderstorms, and visitors are welcome. Progress of the dig can be followed through live updates on the City Archaeology Program media pages including Facebook at facebook.com/bostonarchaeologyprogram and on twitter or Instagram at @bostonarchaeo.

在街上被人推倒撞地 72歲華裔婦女辭世

薩福克郡（Suffolk）檢察官康雷（Daniel F. Conley）昨（十）日表示，在波士頓華埠被人摔倒在地的老婦，已證實為72歲的雷玉珍（譯音，Yuzhen Lei）。

檢察官表示，1991年6月9日出生的24歲女子黨英（Tajanetta Downing），七月八日早上七點半左右，在彩絲街（Chauncy）和益士石街（Essex）交界處附近擦身而過，身體有過短暫接觸，之後，據說黨英把華埠居民雷玉珍撞倒在地，使她頭部嚴重受傷。七月九日傍晚，雷玉珍在塔芙茨醫療中心辭世。

由於有民眾目擊事件經過，波士頓警察當天早上就找到黨英，詢問事由，然後逮捕了她，控以激烈攻擊，毆打六十歲以上老人罪。她在應繳75,000元保釋金下被扣押。她在涉及其他兩宗與此無關罪案的保釋，也因而作廢。

黨英聲稱自己住在牙買加平原（Jamaica Plain）及羅倫斯（Lawrence）。她在2013年時因為毆打一名住在哥倫比亞路上的男子，以及趕到現場處理案件的警察而被控。檢察官要求200元的保釋金，釋放了她。當她一連兩次都未出庭後，檢察官要求把保釋金提高到1000元，她再次被釋放。他還被控以在JFK/麻州大學車站向制止她逃票的交通警察（Transit police）丟頻果，錢包，背包。檢察官在那宗案件中要求保釋金500元，一名法官只徵收150元。

黨英預定於八月五日再次出庭。

薩福克郡檢察官辦公室表示，雷玉珍的確切死因和方式，還待法醫確認。

雷玉珍身後遺有兩子一女，五名孫輩。

Victim Identified as Death Follows Chinatown Assault

BOSTON, July 10, 2015—The elderly woman who died after a physical assault in Chinatown has been identified as 72-year-old Yuzhen Lei, Suffolk County District Atrtorney Daniel F. Conley said.

Lei, a resident of Chinatown, passed away yesterday evening at Tufts Medical Center, where she had been hospitalized. Prosecutors say TAJANETTA DOWNING (D.O.B. 6/9/91) shoved her during an incident Wednesday morning, at which time she fell and hit her head on the pavement, causing a serious head injury.

Thanks to a civilian witness, Boston Police located and interviewed Downing later that morning, leading to her arrest and arraignment on charges of aggravated assault and battery and assault and battery on a person 60 or older. She was held on $75,000 cash bail and her open bail on two unrelated cases was revoked.

Downing, who claims addresses in Lawrence and Jamaica Plain, was charged in 2013 with assaulting a man at a Columbia Road residence and then assaulting the Boston Police officers who responded to the scene. Prosecutors requested $200 cash bail and she was released on her own recognizance. When she defaulted on two separate court dates, prosecutors requested $1000 bail. She was again released on her own recognizance. She was also charged with throwing an apple, purse, and backpack at a Transit Police officer who stopped her for fare evasion at JFK/UMass station. Prosecutors requested $500 bail in that case and a judge imposed $150.

In the most recent case, prosecutors say Downing and Lei crossed paths in the area of Essex and Chauncy streets at about 7:30 Wednesday morning. Investigators believe they had some fleeting physical contact, after which Downing allegedly shoved Lei. Lei fell to the ground and hit her head on the pavement.

Civilian witnesses in the area contacted Boston Police to report their observations of the encounter. Officers located Downing and spoke to her. Based on statements she made during the course of that interview, detectives placed her under arrest.

Lei was rushed to Tufts Medical Center with a serious, life-threatening head injury and died yesterday evening. The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner will determine the cause of her death, and prosecutors have not ruled out additional charges against Downing.

Downing was represented at arraignment by attorney Thomas Glynn. She will return to court on Aug. 5.

波士頓留學生創業之夜 五年輕人分享實戰經驗

中國總理李克強，中國國務院分別於今年三月，六月強調的“大眾創業，萬眾創新”，顯然在海外留學生圈延燒。“中國留學生創業之夜“日前在波士頓舉辦第三屆活動，儘管活動收費，仍有近百人出席。

合作承辦“中國留學生創業之夜”的李琛，連穎欣，陳舒等人，在各界迴響熱烈下，已組成“創業時光聯盟（Startup Time）”這非牟利組織，企圖為有心創業的留學生們，提供他山之石可以攻錯的交流平台。

這場“創業之夜”在波士頓新設的推動創業空間，“地區廳（district hall）“舉行，邀到會場分享經驗的創業者包括，”麻州創新實驗室（Mass Innovation Labs)”共同創辦人暨執行長朱鵬程，Modelo共同創辦人既開發總監鄧天，“替代選擇（Alt-Options）”創辦人暨執行長周楚豪，“腦公司（Brain Co）“創辦人暨執行長韓壁丞，麻省理工學院中國創新創業論壇副主席樊煊赫等人。

麻州創新實驗室是朱鵬程和兩名合夥人在劍橋市肯德（Kendall）廣場設立的生物醫藥創新工場，佔地124,000平方呎，企圖借資源共享模式，幫助生物醫藥新創公司降低門檻，更快達成有效研發。

朱鵬程很坦率地分享了他在創業路上遭遇的各種困難，包括現有的兩名合夥人之一，還曾經和他打官司，可是兩人逐漸建立起感情，居然還能在一起乘車去法院的路上談生意。他十分真誠地表示，想像，計畫和現實，永遠不一樣，與其不斷籌謀，計畫，不如起而行動，並認真應付遭遇的問題。

Modelo是從羅德島設計學院畢業的鄧天和建築系出身的蘇麒攜手創立的3D設計協作平台，讓設計師和參與設計者，都能藉由3D形象更瞭解立體設計構想，並提供修改意見。

鄧天建議有心創業者不要怕失敗，也建議走在創業路上的人融資時，要考慮投資者除了金錢外，能為初創公司的營運，提供什麼樣的幫助。

替代選擇（Alt-Options）是設在波士頓的比特幣（Bit Coin)衍生品交易所。周楚豪創辦的這公司，據說是比特幣這虛擬貨幣市場裏，唯一提供美金/比特幣期權的交易平台。

他勸創業者別一見投資者就興奮，最好先上領英（linkedin）查查有意投資者的背景，經歷，還要找和自己所做行業對口的人談，才不會浪費時間，力氣。他坦言自己曾經到Venture Café等創業人雲集的地方，和潛在投資者洽談，花了幾小時解釋，卻發現投資者幾乎根本聽不懂。

韩壁丞創辦的”腦公司“，正在利用哈佛腦科學中心和麻省理工學院麥戈文腦科學中心的人機交互技術，配合可穿載設備，做無線腦電波（EEG）檢測。

他根據自己的經驗指出，和投資者洽談時，要考慮是否大企業抱著收購的心來談。

樊煊赫在會中提醒創業小夥伴，麻省理工學院中國創業創新論壇今年的申請截止日期是七月十七日。

“創業時光聯盟”目前在波士頓，紐約等地區幾乎每月幾辦一次“留學生創業之夜”活動。查詢可洽chenli@startuptime.org。

圖片說明：

            陳舒（左起）主持第三屆“中國留學生創業之夜”，朱鵬程，鄧天，周楚豪，韓壁丞，樊煊赫分享經驗。（菊子攝）

            朱鵬程（左），鄧天（右）坦率分享經驗。（菊子攝）