Baker-Polito Administration Awards Over $1 Million in Climate Vulnerability Preparedness Funding to 71 Communities

Baker-Polito Administration Awards Over $1 Million in Climate Vulnerability Preparedness Funding to 71 Communities

Program Will Help Communities Prepare for Climate Change and Build Resilience

WAREHAM – June 8, 2017 – The Baker-Polito Administration today announced over $1 million in grant funding and designation status has been awarded to 71 towns and cities across the Commonwealth through the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Program. The new grant and designation program, which builds on Governor Baker’s Executive Order 569 as well as other administration-led state and local partnerships, will provide communities with technical support, climate change data and planning tools to identify hazards and develop strategies to improve resilience. The grant awardees, announced by Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton during a tour of the Wareham coastline, represent 20 percent of the state’s municipalities.

“Massachusetts is committed to combating and preparing for the impacts of climate change, and our Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program is designed to ensure our communities can work together on building resilience with the best planning tools, data and resources from the state,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “We are proud that so many of our cities and towns are involved and using their local knowledge and community strengths to partner with the Commonwealth.”

“By becoming a part of the Commonwealth’s new Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness Program these 71 cities and towns are committed to taking on the challenge of climate change at the local level,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito.  “Through this partnership our communities will build resilience and prepare for the impacts of climate change while helping our administration design better adaptation solutions across the Commonwealth.”

As part of the MVP Program, municipalities will work through a community-based workshop process to identify key climate-related hazards, vulnerabilities and strengths, develop adaptation actions, and prioritize next steps.  Results of the workshops and planning efforts will be used to inform existing local plans, grant applications, budgets, and policies.  One area of focus will be using the process to update or develop local hazard mitigation plans. 

“We are thrilled to be able to offer this program to so many communities in every corner of the state,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton. “The MVP Program is a critical component of implementing Governor Baker’s Executive Order 569 and by working with so many of our local communities we will be able to create a strong network of cities and towns taking leadership to address climate change.  We look forward to working together to better understand the local impacts of climate change and to plan and implement the best strategies to build community resilience.”

The program, funded through the Five-Year Capital Plan, will be led by an experienced Project Coordinator from the town with a core team of town staff and volunteers representing town planning departments, emergency managers, conservation commissioners, economic councils, the business community and other key stakeholders. Technical assistance will be delivered by state-certified MVP Program providers using a standardized toolkit for assessing vulnerability and developing strategies, and newly developed climate projections and data from the Northeast Climate Science Center at UMass-Amherst. Upon successful completion of the program, municipalities will be designated as a “Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) Program Community.”

The following communities will receive funding to complete the planning process and achieve designation status by June 2018:

Acton - $19,000	Grafton, Millbury and Northbridge - $32,000 (Regional Partnership)	Northampton - $20,000
Adams - $20,000	Holden - $16,000	Norwood - $20,000
Arlington - $23,000	Holyoke - $26,000	Peabody - $25,000
Ashfield and Conway - $20,000 (Regional Partnership)	Lanesborough - $15,000	Pelham - $15,000
Belchertown - $15,000	Lawrence - $34,000	Rehoboth - $15,000
Blackstone - $15,000	Littleton - $15,000	Rockport - $15,000
Buckland - $15,000	Manchester - $15,000	Sandwich - $17,000
Carver - $15,000	Marblehead - $17,000	Sherborne - $15,000
Charlemont - $15,000	Marion - $20,000	Shrewsbury - $22,000
Charlton - $15,000	Mattapoisett - $16,000	Spencer - $16,000
Chelsea - $25,000	Medford - $26,000	Springfield - $26,000
Chilmark - $15,000	Melrose - $19,000	Stow - $15,000
Cohasset - $15,000	Mendon - $15,000	Swansea - $16,000
Colrain - $15,000	Milford - $20,000	Ware - $17,000
Deerfield - $15,000	Montague - $17,000	Wareham - $24,000
Devens - $15,000	Monterey - $15,000	West Tisbury - $15,000
Essex - $15,000	Natick - $21,000	Westport - $16,000
Falmouth - $20,000	New Bedford - $36,000	Weymouth - $25,000
Freetown - $20,000	Newbury - $15,000	Williamstown - $17,000
Gloucester - $20,000	Newburyport - $16,000	Winthrop - $17,000
Gosnold - $15,000	North Reading - $16,000	Wrentham - $15,000

The communities of Boston, Cambridge, Salem, Somerville and Swampscott have achieved MVP Program designation based on work they have already completed within their communities. 

“Communities will need new tools and resources to prepare for, and recover from, more volatile and extreme weather patterns,” said Public Safety and Security Secretary Daniel Bennett. “While climate change will not affect all communities in the same way, our goal is to serve as a partner to cities and towns as they work to address their individual needs.”

In September 2016, Governor Baker signed an Executive Order which lays out a comprehensive approach to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions, safeguard residents, municipalities and businesses from the impacts of climate change, and build a more resilient Commonwealth.  The Order, Establishing an Integrated Climate Change Strategy for the Commonwealth, represents the collaboration between the Office of the Governor, the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs, the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security, and key state, local and environmental stakeholders. The Executive Order ensures that Massachusetts will continue to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and build resiliency within government operations. The Order also directs the development and implementation of a statewide comprehensive climate adaptation plan that will provide a blueprint for protecting the built and natural environment of the Commonwealth, based on the best available data on existing and projected climate change impacts. Recognizing the need to strengthen the resilience of communities throughout Massachusetts, a key commitment in this order is coordinating assistance to cities and towns as they prepare for the impacts of climate change.

“Our leadership on climate change is now more vital than ever to reduce the future threat of global warming and keep Massachusetts healthy, strong and sustainable,” said Senate President Stan Rosenberg (D-Amherst). “By working with our communities to address the future impacts of climate change, we are doing our part to conserve the Commonwealth for generations to come.”

“This grant will help the Commonwealth prepare for the effects of climate change in a more thorough way and will allow Winthrop to build a plan that is targeted to our coastal community while collaborating with other municipalities on best practices,”said House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo (D-Winthrop). “I thank the Baker Administration and look forward to hearing from officials in my hometown about the implementation of these funds.”

“Now more than ever, we must work on local, state and regional levels to make our communities more resilient to the harmful effects of climate change,” said Senate President Pro Tempore Marc R. Pacheco (D-Taunton), founding chair of the Senate Committee on Global Warming and Climate Change. “Vulnerability preparedness plans for our municipalities are great first steps in the protection of our economy, public health and built and natural infrastructures, and a complement to Governor Baker’s executive order last year. Wareham is a town in my district that has much to lose from climate change, both environmentally and economically, and these awards will help develop smart, protective strategies for this community and 70 others. As we go forward, we must commit to codifying such preparedness plans in statute for the entire state; the Massachusetts State Senate, recognizing the importance of such planning, passed a climate adaptation management plan three times in our last legislative session. I remain committed to seeing it through.”

“The MVP grants announced today will help communities identify the potential hazards associated with climate change so they can develop and implement an effective response plan at the local level,” said House Minority Leader Bradley H. Jones, Jr. (R-North Reading). “Thanks to the leadership of Secretary Beaton and the Baker-Polito Administration, cities and towns across the Commonwealth will now be better positioned to address the environmental challenges posed by climate change.”

“Addressing climate change requires a coordinated effort, and that effort must include actions at the municipal level,” said Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester).  “The MVP gives cities and towns a framework to take effective and timely actions in ways that make sense not only for one community, but also for the proactive statewide plan envisioned by Governor Baker's executive order.  There is no time to lose in moving forward to confront climate change."

“Cities and towns have always been on the forefront of innovation in taking on new challenges,” said State Representative Gailanne Cariddi (D-North Adams). “As the issue of climate change shifts to a local approach, this program will create a partnership between the Commonwealth and its cities and towns to foster new solutions.”

“I am very pleased that Wareham and Carver will be receiving MVP grants. This program emphasizes the importance of local control in the matter of climate change,” said State Representative Susan Williams Gifford (R-Wareham). “The Baker-Polito Administration is once again affirming their commitment to our cities and towns by giving our communities financial and technical assistance to analyze data and prepare for our future.”

“Extreme weather events have wreaked havoc in our area of the state before.  We have seen firsthand the damage done and how hard it can be to recover as a community,” said State Senator Anne Gobi (D-Spencer).  “Preparing cities and towns for anything and everything is a no-brainer and I am pleased to see the Baker-Polito Administration is taking the proper steps to equip municipalities with the resources necessary.”

“The Nature Conservancy applauds the Baker Administration’s leadership on the MVP program,” said Wayne Klockner, State Director of the Nature Conservancy. “We see MVP as a national model for climate resiliency and adaptation and are seeking to replicate MVP in other states.”

This round of funding ends in June 2018 and additional opportunities for communities to apply will be announced in early 2018

House Passes “An Act for Language Opportunity for Our Kids”

House Passes “An Act for Language Opportunity for Our Kids”

Provides school districts across the Commonwealth with flexibility regarding English learner programs

(BOSTON) – The House of Representatives today passed legislation that will enable districts to implement alternative English language learner (ELL) programs. Understanding that Massachusetts’ ELL population is incredibly diverse, the proposed change will allow for more flexibility so that districts can tailor programs to better meet the specific needs of their ELL population.

English learners are the fastest growing student population in Massachusetts. While academic achievement has improved for other minority populations, significant achievement gaps persist for ELL students. This legislation seeks to remedy that discrepancy.

“Every student has unique needs, and it is our obligation to foster an environment where they are afforded an education tailored to them,” said House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo (D-Winthrop). “Massachusetts education system is the best in the nation, and I believe that this legislation will enhance our standing while ensuring that education is indeed, the great equalizer.”

“This bill, at its core, is about allowing districts to exercise the flexibility in programming necessary to best serve their English learner populations – a student group that is not only increasing in numbers but is also very dynamic with a wide range of needs,” said Representative Peisch (D-Wellesley), Chair of the Joint Committee on Education. “I am grateful to Speaker DeLeo and Chairman Dempsey for their leadership on this critical issue and applaud the House for passing this bill.”

“Every student learns differently and it is impossible for the ELL students of the Commonwealth to succeed with a one-size-fits-all approach,” said Representative Jeffrey Sánchez (D-Jamaica Plain), sponsor of the bill. “Through flexibility and accountability measures, the LOOK bill creates a system where students are equipped with the tools necessary to not only learn English, but succeed academically and positively contribute to our growing economy.”

To ensure accountability and effectiveness, the legislation establishes a 17-person commission to review the collection and dissemination of ELL data and make recommendations on improvements. It also enhances existing reporting requirements to ensure ELL students are making academic progress as a result of classroom programming. 

In addition, this legislation further supports parental involvement for ELL families, requiring the establishment of English Learner Parent Advisory Councils in districts that serve more than 100 ELL students or in which English learners comprise more than five percent of the student population (whichever is fewer). It also expands the current waiver process to allow a school, on the recommendation of a teacher or guidance counselor, to obtain the waiver for the individual student.

The bill now goes to the Senate.

昆士市出售大麻披薩

            (Boston Orange)大麻披薩?一家麻州要用大麻藥房為那些不想抽大麻，或時用大麻田品的病人，推出大麻披薩。

            這家藥房座落在昆士市，名叫Ermont Inc.，出售大麻披薩已經有3星期左右了，大受好評。

            該公司營運主管Seth Yaffe表示，它們有各種可吃的大麻製品，但他們希望做一款可以吃，又沒有很多糖的大麻製品給病人當正餐。

            6 英寸的大麻披薩38元一份。番茄醬含有125毫克的四氢大麻酚，也是大麻裏的活化精神化合物。該公司迄今已賣出200個大麻披薩。

            只有持有州政府所發要用大麻身分證者有資格買這種披薩。

MIT獲匿名無用途限制捐款一億四千萬元

           (Boston Orange周菊子整理報導) 波士頓今(7)日又傳出一所名校獲得巨額捐款消息。這次是麻省理工學院，1億4000萬元，不限制用途。麻省理工學院校長L. Rafael Reif高興非常，聲稱不限制用途的捐款，對該校蓬勃發展助益最大。

           捐款消息傳出後，許多人都好奇是誰這麼大手筆，不過麻省理工學院表示，捐款者是校友，要求匿名。

           在麻省理工學院校史中，最大筆捐款是2000年時，國際數據集團(IDG)前主席麥戈文(Patrick McGovern)夫婦捐出的3億5000萬元。

           MIT在聲明中指出，捐贈者表示，他以前得到過MIT的慷慨財務資助，才能進MIT求學，也對MIT塑造他成為今日的各方面影響，極為感激。他也深受MIT要因應全球挑戰的遠見所啟發，相信MIT會在帶領使世界成為更好地方上，採取大膽行動。

           這是自地產鉅子李德義(Samuel Tak Lee)在2015年捐給MIT1億1800萬元之後，最大的一筆捐款。以往的巨額捐款人，包括1999年捐了1億元的科技創業家Kenan Sahin，以及2007年捐了1億元的David Koch。

           麻省理工學院去年宣佈了要籌資50億元的大膽計畫。稍早MIT透露，截至6月1日，該校已籌得34億元。

MAYOR WALSH EXPANDS POLICE REVIEW BOARD, ESTABLISHES NEUTRAL LOCATION FOR PUBLIC TO FILE COMPLAINTS

MAYOR WALSH EXPANDS POLICE REVIEW BOARD, ESTABLISHES NEUTRAL LOCATION FOR PUBLIC TO FILE COMPLAINTS

Reforms Will Increase Board Access, Transparency and Effectiveness

BOSTON- Wednesday, June 7, 2017 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced today improvements to the Community Ombudsman Oversight Panel (CO-OP) and Complaint Mediation Program that will provide a neutral location for the public to file complaints, increase the number of cases reviewed and automatically refer cases for immediate review that involve allegations of discrimination or use of force resulting in serious bodily injury.   In 2015, Mayor Walsh reconstituted the CO-OP, appointing Professor Natashia Tidwell, J. Larry Mayes and Judge Regina Quinlan to three year terms.   "In Boston, our goal to have complete trust with the community," Mayor Walsh said. "We are strengthening the relationship between our residents and the police, we are providing community-driven training to our officers before they hit the streets, and we are seeing results. The number of complaints are going down, crime is going down and, even more importantly, the number of arrests continue to go down. Creating more public accountability and bringing greater transparency to this process are key to reaching our goals and I look forward to the continued work of the CO-OP and its members."   Acting on recommendations from the CO-OP, the public will now be able to file complaints with the Civic Engagement Cabinet, located at City Hall, to offer a more neutral location than going to a police department. The Civic Engagement Cabinet, which includes the Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services, interacts daily with residents and neighborhood groups to hear their concerns and connect them to services.   In addition, allegations of bias in policing or discriminatory conduct will now be classified differently to increase transparency between BPD Internal Affairs Division and the community and to ensure that allegations of discrimination are properly tracked.   Any case involving allegations of discrimination or use of force resulting in serious bodily injury will automatically be referred to the CO-OP for review after Internal Affairs reaches its decision. The CO-OP is responsible for reviewing completed investigations and appealed investigations for thoroughness and fairness.   The number of cases reviewed by the CO-OP will be increased from 10 percent to 20 percent, and will continue to be chosen by random audit. In addition, all allegations of discrimination or use of force resulting in serious bodily injury will be automatically referred to the CO-OP. The CO-OP will be increased from three members to up to five members with staggered three year terms to accommodate the additional caseload.   From 2013 to 2016, total citizen complaints to Internal Affairs have declined from 361 to 199 complaints per year and total citizen complaints for excessive force have declined from 40 to 18. Further, BPD Recruit Classes are now trained in Unconscious Bias and De-escalation training prior to joining the police force.   The CO-OP was established in 2007 to serve as an outside, unbiased party provide external oversight and review of BPD internal investigations. Members have access to all investigation materials related to the case they are viewing. If a case requires clarification, the panel will send an inquiry to Internal Affairs to request additional investigation. If, after taking that step, the CO-OP disagrees with the decision of Internal Affairs, a recommendation will be made to the Police Commissioner. The panel also periodically reviews policies and procedures of the internal affairs process and its integrity, and produce an annual report to the Mayor and the Police Commissioner documenting cases reviewed and the outcome of the Panel's review for each case.   The Executive Order, signed by Mayor Walsh today, can be found here.

AG HEALEY CHALLENGES TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OVER FAILURE TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC FROM TOXIC PESTICIDE

AG HEALEY CHALLENGES TRUMP ADMINISTRATION OVER FAILURE TO PROTECT THE PUBLIC FROM TOXIC PESTICIDE

AG Coalition Charges EPA with Violating Federal Law by Allowing the Use of a Toxic Pesticide That Causes Harm to Children’s Neurological Development

BOSTON – Attorney General Maura Healey today announced that she has joined six other attorneys general in filing a challenge against the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s decision to abandon an important proposed ban on the use of a toxic pesticide which is widely used on food consumed by infants, young children, and pregnant women.

Joining in the filing are the attorneys general of Massachusetts, New York, California, Maine, Maryland, Washington, and Vermont. The filing says that the EPA failed to make a key safety finding needed to continue to allow levels of chlorpyrifos to remain on food.

             “This is yet another outrageous and wrongheaded decision by Administrator Pruitt that harms public health. By failing to take appropriate action to ensure that foods are not dangerously contaminated with this toxic pesticide, the EPA is putting the health of the public – particularly our most vulnerable infants, children and pregnant women – at risk,” said AG Healey. “We demand that EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt vacate this order immediately to ensure that our residents are not eating food that is tainted with this highly unsafe product.”

Chlorpyrifos is a very common insecticide in the United States and is used on numerous food crops, including apples, strawberries, bananas, pears, peaches, nectarines, and cherries. Residues of the pesticide have repeatedly been found in baby foods and juices. Chlorpyrifos acts by inhibiting an enzyme that is key to the proper development and functioning of the central nervous system and brain. Studies have shown that children born to mothers who were exposed to the toxic pesticide during their pregnancy exhibited cognitive and motor development delays in the first three years, and structural changes in the brain, lower working memory and IQ scores at age 7, and movement disorders (including arm tremors) at age 11.

EPA’s own scientists twice have been unable to identify a safe level for the pesticide on food. In November 2015 and again in November 2016, EPA issued notices of proposed rulemaking to revoke all tolerances and prohibit food from having chlorpyrifos pesticide residue food. However, EPA Administrator Scott Pruitt disregarded those proposed regulations and decades of accumulated scientific evidence and – citing “uncertainty” in chlorpyrifos’ toxicity – denied an administrative petition by the Natural Resources Defense Council and the Pesticide Action Network North America to revoke the current tolerances for chlorpyrifos on food. By its order, EPA effectively left the current tolerances in place indefinitely. 

In their challenge, the attorneys general argue that Administrator Pruitt’s order violates the federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act because it lacks the safety finding that would be required for EPA to be authorized to maintain the current tolerances. The AGs’ challenge requests that the EPA vacate its recent order and that EPA issue a final order within 60 days granting the request and establishing a final regulation revoking tolerances for chlorpyrifos on food.

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES GRAND OPENING OF CITY HALL COFFEE SHOP

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES GRAND OPENING OF CITY HALL COFFEE SHOP

New coffee shop, Recreo Coffee, to welcome visitors to City Hall

BOSTON - Wednesday, June 7, 2017 - As part of Boston's work to make City Hall more vibrant and welcoming to all who visit, Mayor Martin J. Walsh this week announced the grand opening of Recreo Coffee and Roasterie at Boston City Hall. Recreo Coffee is owned by Miriam and Hector Morales of West Roxbury, and sources its coffee beans directly from Miriam Morales' family farm in Nicaragua. "City Hall belongs to all Boston residents, and I'm pleased with the City's progress to make City Hall a welcoming spot for everyone," said Mayor Walsh. "Miriam and Hector are wonderful shop owners who make a great cup of coffee, and I welcome employees, residents and visitors to City Hall to visit Recreo Coffee." "We are thrilled to bring our shop to Boston City Hall to serve workers, residents and visitors who pass through each and every day," said owner Miriam Morales. "It's especially special to be able to bring my family's coffee beans from Nicaragua all the way to Boston, and we look forward to becoming part of Boston City Hall." Recreo Coffee was chosen after a vendor request for proposals (RFP) process, managed by Boston Property Management and the Mayor's Office of New Urban Mechanics. The City was impressed by Recreo Coffee's dedication to socially responsible partnerships with local organizations, including a program that promotes education and healthcare for the coffee bean farmers and their families, and their established location in the West Roxbury Main Street District. Located on the third floor mezzanine, Recreo Coffee will be open Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. - 4:30 p.m., and will offer a full coffee menu along with baked goods and lunch options. The opening of a coffee shop in Boston City Hall is part of the City's plan to make City Hall Plaza a more activated, inclusive space for all. Additional projects include "Boston Seasons" which features a summer picnic area on City Hall Plaza for the summer and established Boston Winter, a family-friendly winter holiday market and skating rink, on City Hall Plaza last winter. The coffee shop is part of the renovations underway in the City Hall lobby, included in the master plan to reenvision public spaces in City Hall, which is scheduled to be completed this summer.

HOSPITALS PROVIDED $644 MILLION IN COMMUNITY BENEFITS FOR MASSACHUSETTS RESIDENTS IN FISCAL YEAR 2016

HOSPITALS PROVIDED $644 MILLION IN COMMUNITY BENEFITS FOR MASSACHUSETTS RESIDENTS IN FISCAL YEAR 2016

            BOSTON – Massachusetts hospitals provided $644 million in community benefits for residents of Massachusetts in Fiscal Year 2016, according to reports published today by Attorney General Maura Healey’s Office.

            A total of 59 hospitals filed community benefits reports for Fiscal Year 2016. Of those, 49 non-profit acute care hospitals reported a total of $608 million in community benefit expenditures, of which $36 million was reported for free or discounted care provided directly to patients. In addition, 10 for-profit hospitals reported more than $36 million in community benefit expenditures, $6 million of which was reported as free or discounted care for patients. 

“The hundreds of millions of dollars in community benefits provided by Massachusetts hospitals are essential in addressing the health needs of our residents,” AG Healey said. “As we update our guidelines for next year, we recognize the ongoing work of our hospitals to promote community health not only by providing medical services to the underserved, but by coordinating efforts to improve health outcomes and reduce health disparities in our neighborhoods.”  

            AG Healey’s Community Benefits Program supports a key component of the mission of hospitals and health maintenance organizations (HMOs). The office’s Community Benefits Guidelines encourage hospitals and HMOs to build upon their commitment to address unmet community health needs each year by formalizing their approach to planning for annual benefits, collaborating with community representatives in developing programs, and filing annual reports with the Attorney General’s Office on their efforts. HMO community benefits reports will be published this summer.

In an effort to streamline reporting requirements, AG Healey convened health care experts in April for the first meeting of the Advisory Task Force on Community Benefits, which is examining potential updates to the AG’s Community Benefits Program. Task force members are discussing strategies for advancing statewide health priorities and exploring recommendations to better align resources and standards across common programs to build the long-term capacity of communities to improve health outcomes and reduce disparities.

The annual reports are available at www.mass.gov/ago/communitybenefits.

The Community Benefits Program is managed by Project Manager Elana Brochin, Legal Analyst Perusi Namulwa, and Assistant Attorney General Sandra Wolitzky, under the guidance of Senior Counsel Karen Tseng, of AG Healey’s Health Care and Fair Competition Bureau.

美國華裔退伍軍人會 6/12 就職典禮

American Legion Chinatown Post 328 Installation event will be held at Hei La Moon next Monday (6/12) @ 6pm.
This event also starts our fund raising drive to have a Chinese American Veterans Memorial in Chinatown in Philip Square.

The normal ticket price is $45 per person.

Vice Commander Man Ho Chan

Governor Baker, House Speaker DeLeo and Senate President Rosenberg Declare June as LGBT Pride Month

Governor Baker, House Speaker DeLeo and Senate President Rosenberg Declare June as LGBT Pride Month

BOSTON – Today, Governor Charlie Baker, House Speaker Robert DeLeo and Senate President Stan Rosenberg declared June as LGBT Pride Month in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. LGBT Pride Month celebrates the impact and contributions that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals and their allies have had on Massachusetts’ rich and diverse history and culture.

“Massachusetts is proud to be a welcoming state and a champion for supporting equal rights of all of our citizens across the Commonwealth,” said Governor Baker.“Along with our administration and our colleagues in the legislature, we are pleased to declare June as Pride Month to celebrate the LGBT community and its allies.”

“By commemorating June as LGBT Pride Month, Massachusetts is proud to celebrate the LGBT community who have fought for justice and equality,” said Lt. Governor Polito. “This proclamation represents a statement of unity from our administration and the Legislature as the Commonwealth reflects on the progress made on diversity and civil rights.”

“Pride Month is an invaluable opportunity to recognize the gains we’ve made in ensuring civil rights and to celebrate LGBTQ culture, while reflecting on the work ahead of us,” said House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo (D-Winthrop).  “I thank all involved in Massachusetts Pride Month for their tireless work in the pursuit of justice and solidarity.”

“As a member of the LGBT community I am grateful and proud to live in a state that recognizes and celebrates the diversity of the human family,” said Senate President Stan Rosenberg (D-Amherst). “Nothing is more precious than to live freely and without fear in an accepting community. Thank you to the people of Massachusetts for making that possible for me and countless others.

"From its earliest days as a courageous act of resistance to the revelry that will fill the streets this weekend, Pride honors how very far we've come -- while marking the work left undone,” said Senator Julian Cyr (D – Truro). “Too many LGBTQ people still face fear, isolation, and hardship. Yet many more LGBTQ people are affirmed and thrive thanks to the legacy of 'out' pioneers and allies, like those who led the way right here in Massachusetts. Let Pride Month remind all of us -- LGBTQ or otherwise -- to celebrate resilience, creativity, disruption, freedom, and love."

“It is important that we recognize the great strides we have made in the name of equality for all our citizens, especially among our LGBTQ community,” said Senator Richard Ross (R-Wrentham).

“Pride Month represents an opportunity to both recognize and celebrate the hard-fought rights achieved by LGBT individuals, as well as to remind us there is still more progress to be made in ensuring full equality,” said Representative Kate Hogan (D-Stow). “As our President wavers on recognizing this important tradition, I couldn’t be prouder that Massachusetts has been - and continues to be - a leader nationwide in welcoming and supporting our community.”

“I wish to thank Governor Baker and Lieutenant Governor Polito for this Proclamation declaring June as Pride Month,” said Representative Sarah K. Peake (D-Provincetown). “This reinforces what we know to be true, that Massachusetts celebrates diversity and is made stronger because of it. Now more than ever, this statement is an important affirmation of our shared values. As a member of the LGBT Community, I am personally grateful to the administration for speaking out in support of our community and for using this strong statement as we celebrate Pride Month in Massachusetts.”

"I am proud to join the Baker-Polito Administration and my colleagues in the legislature in declaring June as Pride Month to celebrate the LGBT community. Here in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, we respect and appreciate diversity and the civil rights of all our citizens," said Representative Susannah Whipps (R-Athol).

“We recognize Pride month as both a celebration of resiliency and a call to action, rooted in the legacy of the Stonewall riots and more,” said Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth Chair Michel Anteby. “As the Commission honors the long history of LGBTQ youth movements in Massachusetts, we are determined to push forward with the unfinished work of building a Commonwealth where all LGBTQ youth thrive.”

In 2004, Massachusetts became the first state in the nation to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples. Last year, Governor Charlie Baker signed into law, An Act relative to transgender anti-discrimination, to extend protections against discrimination for gender identity to any place of public accommodation, with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination (MCAD) adopting regulations or policies to enforce its provisions.

Governor Baker Nominates Attorney Diane Freniere and First Assistant District Attorney Sharon Donatelle to Superior Court

Governor Baker Nominates Attorney Diane Freniere and First Assistant District Attorney Sharon Donatelle to Superior Court

BOSTON – Governor Charlie Baker has nominated Diane C. Freniere and Sharon E. Donatelle to serve as Associate Justices of the Massachusetts Superior Court. Attorney Freniere has 26 years of experience and concentrates her practice in white collar criminal defense, regulatory compliance and complex civil litigation; Attorney Donatelle has served as the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office since 1992, where she currently serves as First Assistant.

“Attorneys Freniere and Donatelle have earned respected reputations in the Superior Court for their legal skills, commitment to serving the public and implementing justice,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “I am pleased to nominate them for the Governor’s Council’s advice and consent. If confirmed, the Superior Court will benefit greatly from their wisdom, judgment and common sense.”

“I am confident these talented women will use their experience and abilities to provide additional leadership to the Superior Court, if confirmed by the Governor’s Council,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “Their dedication and impressive careers of increasing levels or responsibility render them well-suited to continue their public service as judges in the Commonwealth.”

Judicial nominations are subject to the advice and consent of the Governor’s Council. Applicants for judicial openings are reviewed by the Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC) and recommended to the governor. Governor Baker established the JNC in February, 2015 pursuant to Executive Order 558, a non-partisan, non-political Commission composed of volunteers from a cross-section of the Commonwealth's diverse population to screen judicial applications. Twenty-one members were later appointed to the JNC in April, 2015.

The Superior Court is a statewide court of general jurisdiction - handling both criminal and civil actions.  The court’s 82 justices sit in 20 courthouses in all 14 counties of the Commonwealth.  The Superior Court has original jurisdiction in civil actions over $25,000, and in matters where equitable relief is sought.  It also has original jurisdiction in actions including labor disputes where injunctive relief is sought, has exclusive authority to convene medical malpractice tribunals, has appellate jurisdiction over certain administrative proceedings, and may hold sittings for naturalization in any city or town.  The court has exclusive original jurisdiction of first degree murder cases and original jurisdiction of all other crimes.

For more information about the Massachusetts Superior Court, visithttp://www.mass.gov/courts/court-info/trial-court/sc/

About Diane C. Freniere

Diane Freniere currently serves as Of Counsel for Markun Zusman Freniere Compton, LLP. Freniere began her legal career as an intellectual property and litigation associate at Hale and Dorr, LLP from 1991 until 1994. She then went on to serve in the public sector for more than 19 years as an Assistant United States Attorney for the United States Attorney’s Office (USAO), District of Massachusetts. While at the USAO, Freniere served as a line prosecutor in the Economic Crime, Health Care Fraud and Public Corruption units.  Additionally, she served in management at the USAO, supervising all of the white collar crime units and serving as the Executive Assistant United States Attorney. Attorney Freniere graduated cum laude from Boston College Law School in 1991 and received her Bachelor of Science in Manufacturing Engineering with honors from Boston University’s College of Engineering in 1985. Prior to her legal career, Freniere served as both an active duty and reserve officer in the United States Air Force. Attorney Freniere lives with her family in Wellesley.

About Sharon E. Donatelle

Sharon Donatelle currently serves as the First Assistant District Attorney for the Plymouth County District Attorney’s Office; she is responsible for daily operations of the office and maintains the Superior Court caseload of first degree murders while reviewing all indictment decisions. She started her career in the Plymouth County DA’s Office in 1992; as a District Court Prosecutor, Donatelle tried bench and jury of six cases involving misdemeanors and five-year felonies. She has also served as the Chief of the Family Protection Unit for the Plymouth County DA’s Office, a unit designed to investigate and prosecute all child and elder abuse cases and cases against the disabled. She is an adjunct instructor at Boston University School of Medicine, Division of Graduate Medical Sciences, serves as a Board of Bar of Overseers hearing committee member and serves as a member of the DPH S.A.N.E. Adolescent Task Force.  Donatelle earned her Juris Doctor from Suffolk University Law School in 1991 and her Bachelor of Arts in American Studies from Saint Michael’s College in 1982. She resides with her family in Sharon.

衛斯理中學學生為華埠籌款

Wellesley Middle School Students Raise funds for Chinatown

Chinese Mandarin and Around the World Students, Staff and Parents

From Wellesley Middle School

Boston, MA. – More than 40 students from Wellesley Middle School visited Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center (BCNC) on May 24^th during a Chinatown field trip. As part of the Chinese Mandarin and Around the World program, students visited Chinatown and toured the Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center. Wellesley students joined BCNC’s pre-school children in their classroom activities and presented a check of $400 to support children’s learning activities.  Students and parents raised funds in school, during a Chinese New Year fundraiser.

This is the 5th year for Wellesley Middle School to visit and raise funds for BCNC, organized by teacher Min Zhou.  “I am grateful for this learning experience for our Chinese classes. I hope they now realize Boston Chinatown is a living community with long history and rich culture; not only a place to go for food and grocery. It is especially meaningful to visit Chinatown in this month; Asian Pacific American Heritage Month”, said Min Zhou, Chinese Mandarin and Around the World Teacher.

40餘名衛斯理中學學生在5月24日時到波士頓華埠實地勘查，並參觀波士頓華埠社區中心。作為中文及環繞世界項目的一部分，學生們到波士頓華埠社區中心，踏進學前兒童班，和他們一起玩遊戲，還送出一張400元支票，以支持波士頓華埠社區中心的兒童學習活動。

該校學生和家長是在學校舉辦慶祝農曆新年活動時，籌募來這款項。

今年是衛斯理中學在該校中文及環繞世界項目老師周敏(譯音，Min Zhou)率領下，第五年到波士頓華埠社區中心參訪，並致贈善款。她說，我很感恩我們的中文班有這學習機會。我希望他們現在能夠了解波士頓華埠是一個活生生的社區，有悠久歷史，豐富文化，並不只是一個吃飯，買雜貨的地方。在五月這個亞美傳統月的月分來華埠參觀特別有意義，

About Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center:

Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center (BCNC) is the largest nonprofit social service provider dedicated to Asian families in the Greater Boston area, supporting over 2,600 children, youth, and adults each year at four locations in Boston and Quincy. The mission of BCNC is to ensure that the children, youth, and families we serve have the resources and supports they need to achieve greater economic success and social well-being. BCNC helps families access the resources and services available to them, provides opportunities for them to learn and acquire skills, and creates a community of mutual support and encouragement. (From BCNC)

AG HEALEY, 19 ATTORNEYS GENERAL REJECT FINANCIAL CHOICE ACT’S DISMANTLING OF CRITICAL CONSUMER PROTECTIONS

AG HEALEY, 19 ATTORNEYS GENERAL REJECT FINANCIAL CHOICE ACT’S DISMANTLING OF CRITICAL CONSUMER PROTECTIONSLetter to Congressional Leadership Supports the Work of the CFPB; Opposes Efforts of Anti-Consumer Legislation to Curtail Authority

BOSTON – Attorney General Maura Healey today joined a coalition of 20 state attorneys general in strongly opposing the Financial CHOICE Act of 2017 (H.R. 10), which would eviscerate the role of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) and eliminate other critical protections for consumers across the country.

In a letter to Speaker Paul Ryan, Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy, Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, and Minority Whip Steny Hoyer, the attorneys general objected to the proposed law and called attention, in particular, to portions of the Act that would undermine and dismantle the work of the CFPB – the only independent federal agency exclusively focused on consumer financial protection. The Act would eliminate consumer protections implemented as a result of the Dodd-Frank Wall Street Reform and Consumer Protection Act in response to the financial crisis. The U.S. House of Representatives intends to vote on the Act this week.

“Created in the aftermath of the worst financial crisis in 80 years, the CFPB has been a vital partner for states in our ongoing efforts to protect students, homeowners, the elderly, veterans, and all consumers from unfair and deceptive practices,” AG Healey said. “Strong consumer protections help create economic opportunity for everyone. I strongly oppose efforts by the Trump Administration and House leadership to dismantle this agency.”

“The Consumer Agency is good at its job. It’s the watchdog that has returned more than $12 billion directly to people who were cheated and run a hotline that’s handled over a million complaints, so it’s no surprise Wall Street wants to chain it up so it can’t do its work,” U.S. Senator Elizabeth Warren said. “State Attorneys General understand the importance of having a strong federal partner in standing up for consumers in their states. That’s why they’re fighting back against the reckless Financial CHOICE Act, which would tie up the CFPB and turn loose predatory financial institutions that want to scam working families.”

As of Jan. 1, 2017, the CFPB has handled over one million consumer complaints, and obtained $11.8 billion in relief for 29 million consumers. The CFPB has taken enforcement actions to stem abuses by student loan originators and servicers, for-profit schools, debt collectors, credit reporting agencies, payday lenders, and foreclosure rescue companies.

The attorneys general say the Act would have significant impacts on consumer protection:

• Unfair and deceptive practices: The Act would eliminate the CFPB’s authority to prohibit unfair, deceptive, and abusive acts and practices (UDAAP), which gives the CFPB the flexibility to respond swiftly to new technologies and practices that harm consumers without the need to wait for legislation. 
• Supervision of large banks: The Act would eliminate the CFPB’s supervision and enforcement authority over large banks and permit financial institutions that meet certain criteria to elect to be exempted from the CFPB’s supervisory authority. 
• Payday loans: The Act prohibits the CFPB from engaging in any rulemaking or enforcement with respect to payday and vehicle title loans. Payday lending has adversely affected the lives of financially vulnerable consumers across the country.
• Usurious interest rates: The Act would restrict states’ abilities to enforce interest rate caps. Currently, there are no federal interest rate caps that cover financial products and services offered by national banks. Rather, national banks are permitted to export the interest rate of their home state and disregard the more stringent interest rates. 
• Mandatory arbitration: The Act would repeal the provision of Dodd-Frank that granted the CFPB authority to study and issue rules regarding arbitration in financial services contracts that prohibit proceeding on a class basis and prevent consumers from seeking redress, particularly for small dollar claims. 
• Transparency: The Act would end the CFPB’s current practice of publicly posting information concerning individual consumer complaints in a searchable database, helping them make informed decisions about the companies with which they choose to do business, and increases transparency in the marketplace.

Joining AG Healey in today’s letter, led by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, are the attorneys general from California, Connecticut, Delaware, District of Columbia, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Maine, Maryland, Minnesota, Mississippi, North Carolina, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, Vermont, Virginia, and Washington, along with the Executive Director of Hawaii’s Office of Consumer Protection. 

波士頓華人投資協會邀王政談中國金融科技及科學的投資

波士頓華人投資協會金融科技組郭穎(左起)和講者通聯數據創辦人暨
執行長王政，波士頓華人投資協會會長易敏，以及高繼然。(周菊子攝) 

            (Boston Orange 周菊子劍橋市整理報導) 波士頓華人投資俱樂部(BCIC) 6月2日在麻省理工學院史隆管理學院舉辦”中國的金融科技及科學投資”講座。通聯數據執行長王政認為金融業已歷經3階段科技變革，未來將從線下走到線上，從獨立營運轉型為共享資訊操作，提供更智慧的個人化服務。

            王政的”金融科技”講談有兩個部分，第一部分是談資訊時代的金融業變革，第二部分是談中國境內的金融創新。

通聯數據執行長王政(左)和道富集團執行副總裁柯傑瑞
(Jerry Cristoforo)。(周菊子攝)

            他說在資訊時代中，金融科技的第一代變革是服務場景，一是為特定情景設計，製造產品，二把特定情景融入服務模式之中，例如眾安保險公司的線上保單，三是優化現有企業。他認為虛擬現實將來一定會被帶入金融服務的場景中。

            金融科技的第二代變革是科技，從原有的基礎上，向採用大數據，在雲端提供服務這方向發展，核心科技也將從以人為本轉向為有人工智能加上區塊鍊(block chain)的一套新標準。

會場。

            金融科技的第三代變革是商業模式。從網上要有門面，進展到去中心化的網路營運，在一定要有網際網路做後盾之際，形成一個包容性的金融系統，要變成”優步(Uber)”一樣，每一個人用起來都很方便。

            王政的第二部份講談是中國境內的金融科技。他指出，科技應用的進入金融界，已使政府感到必須推出相應政策的壓力，中國證券投資基金業協會等機構都在討論，中央銀行也成立了金融科技委員會，試圖規範區塊鍊。

郭穎(右)主持問答環節。王政(左)回答提問。(周菊子攝)

            他指出，要推動包容性金融服務，在p2p，產權眾籌，第三方支付，在線保險，在線資產管理等這五方面的營運法規，都還有待訂定或健全。

            王政指出，目前在中國境內掃描二維碼極為普遍，約40%的社交及遊戲支付使用維信，電子商務有50%用阿里付(Alipay)來支付。在中國信用卡不普遍，手機卻不只人手一個，還有許多人有好幾個的現狀中，使用掃描二維碼的無現金付款方式於是大為流行，支付寶，阿里付，微信錢包也大行其道。

            在科技跨入金融業改良服務模式的走向中，王正認為資產管理將走向一站式服務，甚至由機器人來提供理財顧問諮詢。

            這場講座，由波士頓華人投資俱樂部負責人郭穎主持，包括道富集團執行副總裁柯傑瑞(Jerry Cristoforo)，恆天軟件創新長(CIO)馬滿才(Albert M. C. Ma)等嘉賓，共約百人出席。(圖片已於6月3日發表)

主辦單位的主講者介紹:

Speaker Bio: Dr Jim Wang is the Founder and CEO of Datayes. Dr. Wang received a PhD in Physics at Princeton University and did his post-doc at Harvard University. He has about 20 years of industrial experience in asset management, financial data analytics and big data analysis at various premium institutes including Bloomberg, Barclays Global Investors and Bosera Asset Management Co.

Fintech has boomed in China with the demand for more customized financial services, advanced technology and matured financial environment. Dr. Jim Wang, the CEO of Datayes, a leading financial technology company in China, will give us an overview of the Fintech innovations in China. Whether you are a start-up entrepreneur, a professional or a student enthusiastic about China’s Fintech, do not miss this opportunity to chat with Jim and learn about China’s Fintech development.