計畫未來50年的"想像波士頓2030"最終版本出爐

MAYOR WALSH RELEASES FINAL VERSION OF IMAGINE BOSTON 2030, A GUIDE TO INCLUSIVE LONG-TERM GROWTH FOR BOSTON

Imagine Boston 2030 to guide long-term growth to boost quality of life, equity and resilience in every neighborhood across city

BOSTON - Tuesday, July 11, 2017 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced the release of the final version of Imagine Boston 2030 , the first citywide plan in over 50 years. Imagine Boston 2030 prioritizes inclusionary growth and puts forth a comprehensive vision to boost quality of life, equity and resilience in every neighborhood across the city. In Upham's Corner, alongside representatives from nearly every city department, residents, community partners and elected officials, Mayor Walsh celebrated this milestone in Boston's history, which has been underway since fall of 2015 and has been shaped by the input of over 15,000 residents of Boston. The plan outlines how Boston is experiencing an economic and population boom, and with that brings an opportunity to provide additional pathways for economic mobility and avenues to improve quality of life throughout the City, while boosting affordability and resiliency. Demonstrating to residents his commitment to making these visions a reality, Mayor Walsh announced that the Imagine Boston 2030 showcase event site on Columbia Road will be the future site of the $18 million Upham's Corner library branch. The Upham's Corner Branch opened at its current location at 500 Columbia Road in 1904.   Upham's Corner serves as an example of Imagine Boston 2030's concepts carried out to enhance the city's neighborhoods, with investments being made in the Upham's Corner library branch and Mary Hannon Park, which will receive a $896,000 investment through the $2.08 billion FY18-FY22 Imagine Boston Capital Plan. As part of the event, residents were able to participate in interactive exhibits that showcased various planning efforts underway and brought to life how this plan will continue to be implemented moving forward. "Welcoming thoughtful growth, keeping residents in their neighborhoods, and preserving our culture and identity will make Boston a thriving city for generations to come," said Mayor Walsh. "Imagine Boston 2030 provides a roadmap for just that. With the help of all the residents who offered their feedback, Imagine Boston sets a course for the future, guides our growth and builds on our existing strengths. I look forward to seeing our vision come to life in every neighborhood in our city." "Imagine Boston provides a framework to capitalize on the distinct identity of each neighborhood and take steps to enhance the quality of life in every corner of Boston," said Rebekah Emanuel, Executive Director of Imagine Boston 2030. "The focal points of the plan offer insight as to how we can build up our communities in ways that are forward-looking and chart a course for the city's long-term growth." Imagine Boston 2030 identifies five action areas to guide Boston's growth, enhancement and preservation and is paired with a set of metrics that will evaluate progress and evaluate successes. Enhance neighborhoods: Improve urban vitality and affirm each neighborhood's distinct identity by investing in the public realm, strengthening neighborhood services and connectivity, and encouraging opportunities for development. For example, in Upham's Corner, the City will strengthen the community's historic main street fabric, emphasizing economic mobility and local innovation, fostering local arts, preserving affordability, and preventing displacement. Encourage a mixed-use core: Encourage a dense, walkable core in our job centers where more people live, work and gather. For example, in the Shawmut Peninsula, historic preservation, strategic growth, and public realm investments can support an active mixed-use vision, including developing a Shawmut Peninsula 2100 Plan that considers major infrastructure projects, land use, and policies. Capital Plan investments include: $20 million for Commonwealth Avenue Phase 2A for improving walkability, bikeability, roadway realignment for transit. Expand neighborhoods: In six transit-accessible areas at the edges of existing neighborhoods, guide new housing and commercial growth, supported by public realm and climate investments. Plans for each of the expanded neighborhoods will integrate land use regulations and capital investments and will be guided by community planning processes: A walkable, mixed-use center for the innovation economy that builds on momentum of nearby economic activity and transit access.   Capital Investments include: Rutherford Ave Redesign ($14.8M) - Addressing climate, active transportation, congestion; North Washington St Bridge ($165M) - Connecting Charlestown more easily to the rest of the city, improving mobility; Climate Ready Charlestown study for climate protections in Sullivan Square.An area where critical industrial uses will be preserved and strengthened, while transit-oriented job and housing growth will enhance connections to neighboring areas. An active, urban waterfront where mixed-use development and a vibrant public realm transform how Downtown and the South Boston Waterfront meet and how Bostonians interact with the water.Capital investments include: South Bay Harbor Trail ($4.2M) - Allowing active transportation and recreation and connecting parts of our cityA lively, mixed use community, including quality transit and open space that responds to the surrounding marsh and river environment. A center for 21st century manufacturing that creates quality jobs, and encourages transit-oriented development.Capital Investments include: Wolcott Square traffic signal improvements ($1.4M) - proactively addressing safety and congesting, which are foundational to everything else in Readville.Beacon Yards:  Create a waterfront for future generations: Create a waterfront for all Bostonians by activating open spaces, connecting neighborhoods to the waterfront, creating sustainable funding models, and investing in proactive climate planning and infrastructure. Imagine Boston will do this by activating an urban waterfront in Fort Point Channel and South Boston waterfront, support large connected open spaces at Beacon Yards, foster signature open spaces such at Suffolk Downs, connect neighborhoods to the waterfront through the completion of the Emerald Necklace, encourage a modern, industrial innovation district at Raymond L. Flynn Marine Park, and develop climate resilience plans.   Capital investments include: Northern Ave Bridge to create safe, reliable, accessible transportation; Martin's Park ($7.0M) - Creating an accessible park along the waterfront to invest in new open spaces for kids and families. Generate networks of opportunity in the Fairmount Corridor: Expand access to opportunity and reduce disparities in the neighborhoods along the Fairmount Corridor through coordinated investments in transportation, neighborhood vibrancy and education. The plan identifies ways to invest in enhanced neighborhood Main Streets and transit station areas, improve transportation connections, frequency and experience for riders along the Fairmount/Indigo Line, support job growth and training in transit accessible areas, invest in quality pre-K and K-12 education for the growing school-aged populations in the corridor, invest in Franklin Park and Columbia Road, and implement anti-displacement policies to ensure that existing communities benefit from investments. Boston is prioritizing affordability and anti-displacement along the corridor. Of the units in the current development pipeline along key portions of the corridor, 65 percent are affordable. The Imagine Boston 2030 plan is supported by the Imagine Boston Capital Plan, the City's five-year spending plan that will move Boston residents' priorities from idea to action, and invest in creating the city Bostonians imagine for the future. An estimated 77 percent of the investments in the FY18-FY22 Capital Plan are aligned with the City's planning efforts. In addition to investing in initiatives to begin achieving priorities laid out in the plan, Imagine Boston 2030 also establishes a set of goals and core metrics that will allow the City to track progress and evaluate success. The metrics will be evaluated on a yearly basis, and will measure progress towards: job creation, reducing emissions, walkability, reducing the wealth gap and more. "Imagine Boston 2030 lays out important strategies for addressing the challenges facing our neighborhoods, including access to quality jobs, promoting development without displacement, and addressing the severe wealth gap in our City," said Juan Leyton, Executive Director of the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative. "DSNI will continue to work with the city to seek resources and investments necessary to implement these strategies and ensure that the residents who have fought so hard to improve their neighborhoods are able to live, work and play in Boston for many years to come." "It's no easy feat to develop a coherent vision for a city of almost 700,000 people, but that's what this plan is. It's a compelling blueprint for how Boston can grow, while preserving the things that make our city special," said Marc Draisen, executive director of the Metropolitan Area Planning Council.  "As a regional planner, I know that Boston's new master plan sets a high bar and a strong example for other cities and towns in the region, and as a lifelong resident of Boston, I'm eager to get to work with Mayor Walsh on implementing this strong new vision for our future." "The Fairmount Indigo Network wishes to thank the City of Boston and the Imagine Boston 2030 staff in recognizing many important community development and capital improvements necessary to improve the quality of life for residents of the Fairmount Line corridor neighborhoods of Roxbury, Dorchester, Mattapan and Hyde Park," said Allentza Michel, on behalf of the Fairmount/Indigo Network. The final Imagine Boston 2030 plan follows a two-year long process that engaged over 15,000 residents, who set the initial goals in Guiding Growth Toward an Inclusive City in March 2016  offered implementation ideas for Expanding Opportunity in November 2016, and helped refine these ideas through the release of the draft Imagine Boston 2030 plan in May. The final plan is supported by guiding principles and initiatives that bring together and build on the City's planning efforts, including Boston Creates, Go Boston 2030, Climate Ready Boston, Housing a Changing City: Boston 2030, BuildBPS, Economic Equity Agenda, Age Friendly Boston, Vision Zero, Boston's Resilience Strategy and more. The initiatives outline commitments around anti-displacement, immigrant advancement, climate planning and flood protection, universal pre-kindergarten, community planning and land use, and more. To read the final Imagine Boston 2030 plan, please visit here.

麻州長、波市長12日將攜手宣佈2017夏夜計畫

Baker-Polito Administration to Announce 2017 Summer Nights Initiative

BOSTON – Tomorrow, Governor Charlie Baker will join Boston Mayor Martin Walsh, Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton, Department of Conservation and Recreation Commissioner Leo Roy and local legislators to announce the 2017 Summer Nights Initiative to increase programming and extend the hours of operations at select pools and athletic complexes in urban areas across the state. The Baker-Polito Administration started the Summer Nights Initiative in 2015, benefitting youth within the cities of Boston, Chicopee, Everett, Fall River, Holyoke, Lawrence, Malden, Springfield, and Worcester during summer evenings.

OWNER OF HOME HEALTH AGENCY AND EMPLOYEE ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY STEALING NEARLY $2.7 MILLION FROM MASSHEALTH

OWNER OF HOME HEALTH AGENCY AND EMPLOYEE ARRESTED FOR ALLEGEDLY STEALING NEARLY $2.7 MILLION FROM MASSHEALTH

Defendants Charged with Routinely Overbilling MassHealth, Falsely Billing for Unauthorized Services that Were Never Provided 

BOSTON – The owner of a Boston-based home health agency and an employee have been arrested in connection with allegedly stealing nearly $2.7 million from the state’s Medicaid program (MassHealth) by routinely overbilling and falsely billing for services that were not authorized or provided to patients, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today.

Elena Kurbatzky, age 44, of Boston, and Natan Zalyapin, age 43, of Burlington, were arrested last night by Massachusetts State Police assigned to the AG’s Office. A Suffolk County Grand Jury returned indictments charging Kurbatzky, Zalyapin and the company, Harmony Home Health Care, LLC (Harmony), on Monday.

“We allege that these defendants stole millions of MassHealth funds meant to provide health care for those in need,” said AG Healey. “My office is committed to protecting Medicaid from fraud and abuse.”

Kurbatzky was indicted on charges of Medicaid False Claims (3 counts), Larceny over $250 by False Pretenses (3 counts), and Medicaid Member Eligibility Fraud (1 count). Zalyapin was indicted on charges of Medicaid False Claims (2 counts) and Larceny over $250 by False Pretenses (2 counts). Harmony was indicted on charges of Medicaid False Claims (3 counts) and Larceny over $250 by False Pretenses (3 counts).

Kurbatzky and Zalyapin were arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court today where they pleaded not guilty to the charges. Zalyapin was released on personal recognizance and Kurbatzky was transferred to Boston Municipal Court on an outstanding warrant.

As conditions of their release, they must surrender their passports, be monitored by GPS, not travel outside of the state, check in weekly with the Probation Department, stay away from witnesses in the case, and not provide or bill for MassHealth services. They are scheduled to appear in Suffolk Superior Court for a hearing on Aug. 8. 

The company will be arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court on Aug. 8.

Harmony is a home health agency located on Albany Street in Boston and Kurbatzky is the sole owner. The agency was established to provide home health services to individuals covered by the MassHealth program, including skilled nursing, home health aide visits and physical, occupational, and speech therapies. Kurbatzky and Zalyapin are both registered nurses and allegedly provided the majority of nursing services to Harmony’s patients.

The AG’s Office began an investigation after the matter was referred by MassHealth, which suspected misconduct and fraudulent billing practices.

The AG’s investigation revealed that between February 2015 and October 2016, Harmony billed MassHealth for home health services allegedly provided to 38 patients, but either provided no services to those patients or billed for more services than were actually provided.

Specifically, authorities allege that on numerous instances, Harmony billed MassHealth for nurses who allegedly provided services to several patients in different locations at the exact same time, so those services could not physically have been performed as claimed.

The defendants also billed MassHealth for services that were not authorized by physicians and, in many cases, forged physician signatures on the patient plans of care in an attempt to show the services were authorized.

The defendants allegedly billed for services never provided to MassHealth members, including instances where the company billed for home health services while members were at inpatient facilities. Kurbatzky and Zalyapin also billed MassHealth for services that were not provided while they were traveling or while Zalyapin was working at other jobs. 

The defendants billed for physical, occupational, and speech therapy for the majority of Harmony’s MassHealth patients even though the services were not authorized by the patients’ physicians and Harmony did not employ licensed therapists to perform the alleged services.

Kurbatzky also allegedly made false statements or failed to disclose material facts in order to make herself eligible for MassHealth. She then allegedly billed MassHealth for services she purportedly received from Harmony that were not authorized by a physician. 

Based on these various schemes, the AG’s Office alleges that the defendants defrauded MassHealth of nearly $2.7 million dollars.

MassHealth provides healthcare products and services to eligible low-income individuals, including people with disabilities, children and senior citizens.

All of these charges are allegations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

This matter was handled by Assistant Attorneys General Jennifer Goldstein and Kevin Lownds and Investigators Christine Baker and Megan Corrigan, all of AG Healey’s Medicaid Fraud Division, with assistance from the Massachusetts State Police assigned to the AG’s Office, Victim Witness Advocate Amber Anderson, of the AG’s Victim Services Division, and the Office of the Inspector General. MassHealth provided invaluable assistance during this investigation.   

波士頓公圖館總館翻修成果獲7項大獎

CENTRAL LIBRARY RENOVATION RECEIVES MULTIPLE DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION AWARDS

Accolades include the prestigious 2017 AIA/ALA Library Building Awards & Boston Preservation Alliance Awards

BOSTON – July 11, 2017 – Boston Public Library’s $78 million Central Library Renovation has recently been awarded seven national and local awards, celebrating the project’s design excellence, preservation, and outstanding collaboration. Among the honors are the prestigious 2017 AIA/ALA Library Building Awards from the joint American Institute of Architects (AIA) and American Library Association (ALA) program as well as the Boston Preservation Alliance Preservation Achievement Award. The East Boston Branch of the Boston Public Library, which opened in 2013, was also recognized with a 2017 AIA/ALA Library Building Award. Sunday, July 9 marked the one year anniversary of the Central Library Renovation grand reopening.

The Central Library Renovation was a City of Boston capital project approved and executed under the leadership of Mayor Martin J. Walsh and in conjunction with the City of Boston Public Facilities Department and Boston Public Library. The project team includes architecture and design services by William Rawn Associates, Architects, Inc., construction manager, Consigli Construction Co., Inc., and owner’s project manager, PMA Consultants LLC.

“Boston Public Library is a place for all who seek educational opportunities and personal advancement,” said Mayor Martin J. Walsh. “I am proud that the Central Library Renovation has been so well received by both the preservation, design, and construction communities, as well as library patrons and visitors who spend time in this grand civic space in increasing numbers.”

The Central Library project, completed in July 2016, features updates to the lower level, first and second floors, mezzanine, and the building exterior of the Johnson building. Goals of the renovation included reconnecting the building to the street and providing a welcoming and twenty first century urban library experience to patrons and visitors from around the world. Offerings include a state of the art lecture hall, business library and innovation center, a new Children’s Library and Teen Central, a WGBH satellite news bureau and studio, a café, a hi-tech community learning center, and more.

“The Central Library Renovation has reinvented our building, reconnected us to the city, and transformed our library services,” said David Leonard, President of the Boston Public Library. “These awards are a reflection of the thoughtful planning and engagement work we did with a multitude of stakeholders and partners as we developed a vision for an inviting, dynamic, and modern space, responsive to twenty first century urban civic life with a strong connection to the City.”

“We are grateful and excited that the Mayor and people from all parts of the City have responded so enthusiastically to the civic transformation which took place one year ago at the Boston Public Library,” said William Rawn, FAIA of William Rawn Associates, Architects, Inc.

“We are incredibly proud that the Central Library Renovation continues to be honored with such distinguished recognition,” said Matthew Consigli, President of Consigli Construction Co., Inc. “The Boston Public Library serves thousands of residents in our community every day, and the positive feedback we receive from library patrons is just as gratifying.”

AIA/ALA Library Building Award

The American Institute of Architects (AIA) and American Library Association (ALA) recognized the Central Library Renovation and the construction of the East Boston Branch of the Boston Public Library with 2017 AIA/ALA Library Building Awards. The AIA and the ALA developed this award program to encourage and recognize excellence in the architectural design of libraries. Both buildings were designed by William Rawn Associates, Architects, Inc. The awards were accepted at the ALA Annual Conference in Chicago in late June by Cliff Gayley, Principal, William Rawn Associates, Architects, Inc.  and David Leonard, President, and Michael Colford, Director of Library Services, of the Boston Public Library.

Boston Preservation Alliance Preservation Achievement Awards

The Boston Preservation Alliance (BPA) Preservation Achievement Awards are bestowed annually to honor outstanding achievements in historic preservation and compatible new construction in Boston.  These awards will be presented at the BPA annual event at Fenway Park on September 19.

Boston Society of Landscape Architects – 2017 Merit Award for Design

This spring, the Boston Society of Landscape Architects awarded Boston Public Library with the Merit Award for Design. The exterior landscape was designed by Reed Hilderbrand, under the guidance of William Rawn Associates, Architects, Inc.

Congress for the New Urbanism (CNU) Charter Award

Boston Public Library received the Grand Prize for the Congress for the New Urbanism Charter Award for the Central Library Renovation on May 5. Since 2002, CNU's annual Charter Awards have recognized outstanding achievements in architectural, landscape, and urban design and planning worldwide. Regarded as the preeminent award for excellence in urban design, the CNU Charter Awards honors a select number of winners and honorable mentions—including one grand professional prize and one grand academic prize for students. Winning projects represent major contributions to building more equitable, sustainable, connected, healthy, and prosperous communities.

Construction Management Association of America (CMAA) New England Chapter – CMAA Project Achievement Award

In early May, the CMAA New England Chapter awarded Boston Public Library, PMA Consultants LLC, and Consigli Construction Co., Inc. with the CMAA Project Achievement Award in the Renovation/Modernization category, recognizing the transformation of the Central Library.

Illuminating Engineering Society – Section Award

On May 25, the Boston/Rhode Island sections of the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America awarded Boston Public Library with their Section Award.  This award is in recognition of professionalism, ingenuity, and originality in lighting design based upon the individual merit of each entry against specific criteria.

Paul & Niki Tsongas Award for Biggest Impact in an Urban Preservation Project

On May 10, Preservation Massachusetts awarded Boston Public Library with the Paul & Niki Tsongas Award for Biggest Impact in an Urban Preservation Project. This year’s award program celebrated the projects and collaborative teams that embody the “Power of Preservation” by showcasing the importance, impact and invaluable nature of preservation across Massachusetts and nationwide.

波士頓人前年搶銀行昨判入獄四年餘

BOSTON MAN SENTENCED FOR ARMED BANK ROBBERY

            BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for armed bank robbery.

            Kenneth E. Denny, 61, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 51 months in prison and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty in April 2016. He is currently in custody in New York for armed bank robbery, and the sentence imposed today will run concurrent to his sentence in Buffalo.

            On July 24, 2015, Denny entered a branch of the Citizens Bank on Washington Street in Brighton and handed the teller a demand note. He removed what appeared to be a bomb from a newspaper he was carrying and placed it on the teller’s counter, demanding money.  The teller handed Denny $4,040. When Denny turned to exit the bank, he was confronted by the bank’s manager, at which time he dropped the bag of money, headed toward the exit door and removed a white cell phone from his pocket and stated: “I am going to blow it up.”  Denny then exited the bank and was observed heading down Washington Street.  The bomb was later determined by law enforcement to be a hoax. 

            The suspect had also left his wallet on the teller’s counter containing a Massachusetts Identification Card with the name Kenneth E. Denny and a headshot.  Law enforcement recalled that they had observed an individual resembling the man in the photo heading down Washington Street as they were approaching the bank just a few minutes earlier.  Denny was later located and asked his name, to which he replied, “Kenneth Denny.” When Denny was asked to produce some identification, he stated he must have lost his wallet. Bank employees subsequently picked Denny out of a line-up as the individual who had robbed them.

            Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner William B. Evans made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case. 

麻州長簽行政命令成立拉丁顧問委員會

Baker-Polito Administration Establishes Latino Advisory Commission

BOSTON – Governor Charlie Baker today signed an Executive Order establishing the Latino Advisory Commission and joined Lt. Governor Karyn Polito, Secretary Rosalin Acosta and members of the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus to swear-in members of the commission.  The commission will focus on addressing the concerns of the Massachusetts Latino community and promoting economic prosperity and well-being.

“The members of our Latino Advisory Commission each bring a depth of experience and diversity to the table, and I look forward to their recommendations,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Our administration is committed to creating opportunities all our citizens in every corner of the Commonwealth to drive economic growth and success, and I’m confident this commission will add meaningful value to our goal to make Massachusetts the best place to live, work and raise a family.”

Members of the Commission include gubernatorial appointees with varying expertise in business, community outreach, media, law, health care, education and represent a group diverse in gender, race, industry, region, age and education. The Commission will also include the involvement of the secretariats for Education, Health and Human Services, Housing and Economic Development, Public Safety and Security and Labor and Workforce Development. Appointees will serve for a term of four years. Josie Stamatos Martinez, Senior Partner and General Counsel of Employee Benefit Solutions will serve as Chair and Robert Harnais, owner of Mahoney & Harnais will serve as Vice-Chair.

“The unique cultures, traditions and perspectives of Massachusetts’ Latino community continue to shape and influence the development and success of our Commonwealth,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “Our administration is dedicated to providing equal opportunities to residents across Massachusetts and we look forward to working with the Latino community through this commission and its recommendations to further advance that commitment.”

The Commission will review and assess the priorities of the Latino community on a statewide basis and make recommendations to the Governor and Lt. Governor by identifying up to three priority areas to be addressed by the Commission over the course of the next two years. It will meet at least quarterly and will submit a formal written report on its work, findings, methodology and recommendations as well as metrics to measure the effects of implemented recommendations on the lives of members of the Latino community in Massachusetts to the Governor and Lt. Governor every two years.

“On behalf of the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus, I am excited to announce the Latino Advisory Commission. As the new MBLLC chair, I am thrilled that the Baker Administration has re-established the Black Advisory Commission and has now spearheaded the creation of the Latino Advisory Commission. The establishment of this Commission exemplifies the Administration’s commitment to strengthening the Latino voice and including us at the decision making table. I look forward to partnering both with the Black Advisory Commission and the Latino Advisory Commission to continue to advocate for the key issues currently affecting the Black and Latino communities in the Commonwealth.  ” said Representative Frank Moran (D-Lawrence).  

The Latino Advisory Commission recognizes Massachusetts’ rich diversity and the Latino community’s inclusion of those identifying with the cultures, customs and heritage originating in Spain or Latin America, including the Caribbean, Central America and South America.

Latino Advisory Commission

Josie Stamatos Martinez

Senior Partner and General Counsel, Employee Benefit Solutions

Chair

Robert Harnais

Owner, Mahoney & Harnais

Vice-Chair

Marcela Aldaz-Matos

Director of Diversity & Inclusion, Partners HealthCare

Carolina Avellaneda

General Counsel and Vice President of Operations, Fisher College

Aixa Beauchamp

President, Beauchamp & Associates

Vetto Casado

Executive Director, Small Can Be Big Inc.

Javier Cevallos

President, Framingham State University

Albie Alvarez Cote

Director, Financial Education Institute

Patti Diaz-Andrade

Founding Executive Director, One Goal Massachusetts

Amanda Fernandez

Co-Founder and CEO, Latinos for Education

Yvonne Garcia

Senior Vice President, Investment Manager Services, State Street Corporation

Regla Gonzalez

Vice President, League of United Latin American Citizens

Samalid M. Hogan

Director, Western Regional Office of the MA Small Business Development Center

Rene Jarquin

Partner & Chief Investment Officer, Single Point Partners

Enna Jimenez

Vice President, Quality Engineering, Eastern Bank

Juan Lopera

Vice President of Business Diversity, Tufts Health Plan

Lazaro Lopez

Area Manager of Wireline Network Operations & Engineering, Verizon

Rachel Lopez

Vice President, Resource Management Inc.

Monica Lowell

Vice President of Community Relations, UMass Memorial Hospital

Juan Carlos Morales

Founder, Surfside Capital Advisors LLC

Vanessa Otero

Chief Operating Officer, Partners for Community

Sonia Pope

Principal, Holyoke Community Charter School

Dan Rivera

Mayor of Lawrence

Mary Skelton Roberts

Senior Program Officer for the Environment, Barr Foundation

Carol Sanchez

Founder and Partner, Sanchez & Santiago CPAs

Nahir Torres

Program Officer, Teen Development, Hyams Foundation

Alberto Vasallo

President and CEO, El Mundo Newspaper

For Gubernatorial Appointee Bios, Please Click Here.

公路村居民和三一金融纏訟進法庭

            (Boston Orange) 4200萬元，還是6100萬元? 享有優先購買權的公路村(Mass Pike Towers)居民們和業主三一金融公司(Trinity Financial)爭持不下，纏訟進法庭。

            公路村是波士頓華埠最大的公共屋村，有200個單位。村內居民眼見四周推倒舊樓重建或翻修面市的豪華住宅大樓櫛比鱗次浮現，原租戶遭遇逼遷壓力，流離失所的消息不時傳出，深感憂慮，早於去年就決定行使優先購買權，要從發展商，三一金融的手中買下這樓齡已44年的住宅大樓，以保持樓宇的可負擔性。

            但是，三一金融認為他們和一全國性非牟利團體合作提出的買價，4200萬元太低了。聲稱市府指派的獨立估價師認為，公平的市場價格為6100萬元。

            從那以後，兩造就打起了法律戰。公路村居民協會指控三一金融貪婪，發展商三一金融聲稱2000年時訂定，給予居民優先購買權的條件就是以公平市價為準。

            公路村居民協會去年向薩福克高等法院遞案，控告三一金融，要求法院勒令三一金融把大樓以4200萬元賣給居民。該會聲稱市府的估價，錯誤的把住宅優惠券相關的新收入資訊也算進去了，以致高估了樓宇價格。

“It’s a critical resource for the city of Boston and the Chinatown neighborhood, which is rapidly disappearing,” said Margaret Turner, one of the nonprofit

大波士頓法律事務原住處(Greater Boston Legal Services)律師Margaret Turner和其夥伴，保護可負擔住宅協會(Preservation of Affordable Housing)表示，可負擔住宅以前全都蓋在委靡不振地區，但這些地區現在全成了火熱市場，不可能再在那兒蓋可負擔住宅。對波士頓市政府以及正快速消失中的華埠社區來說，公路村都是很重要的資源。

            三一金融表示，這一訟訴，很諷刺的拖延了大約700萬元，居民們要求的原訂樓宇改善維修計畫。因為居民們不希望一旦擁有這物業時，要揹負那麼大的還款債務。

            2000年時，支持可負擔住宅者和市府官員在三一金融以610萬元買下包括13個商業鋪位，緊鄰天滿街(Tremont)及所物道(Shawmut Ave.)，以及馬津尼路(Marginal)的公路村時，都大表讚揚。那時候該大樓的低收入租住津貼即將到期，前業主想要把這大樓變成市價大樓。

            在獲得包括低收入住宅抵稅優惠的1500萬元公共援助後，三一金融保證公路村大樓直到2070年都會保持為可負擔住宅大樓。當時的協議還包括訂立5年後可提議購買的潛在買家順序。

            之前在波士頓華埠的中華頤養院基金享有第一優先權，其次為居民協會，最後是波士頓市政府。

            不過這購買優先權有時間限制，去年居民決定購買時，該優先權已失效。只有市府的優先權還有效。市府同意行使優先權來買下公路村，再把物業權轉讓給要承擔財務責任的居民協會。波市府鄰里局於是做了一份獨立估價，麻煩也接踵而來。

            公路村居民協會會長Bill Oranczak表示，村內大部分租戶是華人，而且大都仰賴某種形式的低收入租金補助，來支付三分之一的租金。以一睡房單位來說，大約是幾百元到1000多元，視單位尺寸大小而定。

            儘管公路村居民還不會面對被逼遷的壓力，但他們希望買下大樓以盡量久的保護其可負擔性。他說，居民們從2004年三一金融提議在公路村停車場蓋市價公寓大樓時，就開始擔心該公司終將在華埠居民的反對聲中移平整座大樓。

"渴望著火"把華埠一餐廳和顧客纏進法庭

            (Boston Orange)位於波士頓華埠的”為雞瘋狂(Crave Mad for Chicken)”餐廳7日上了英文報，餐廳與顧客各執一詞。顧客說那高聳著燃燒的飲品爆炸了，燒傷她。餐廳說，那顧客的傷看來像曝曬過度。

警方表示，這名女子和她的朋友5月20日那天，叫了”渴望著火(Crave on Fire)”，但是當店經理Cassidy Lu用燒烤打火機點燃飲品時，這女子的臉及胸部著火了，逼使她滾到地上來撲滅火。後來她被送到麻省總醫院(MGH)去了。

            根據薩福克高等法院上個月的訟案資料，這名當時參加婚前單身派對的女伴娘聲稱，飲品的儀器爆炸，把玻璃炸到了她身上。她的頭部，頸部，臉，耳垂，肩膀和胸都嚴重燒傷，頭髮，眉毛都燒起來了。她要求至少74,000元的損害賠償。

            Cassidy Lu表示，在那名女子被送往醫院後，警察打電話給她，說醫生把那燒傷比做”很糟糕的曬傷”。她還說，這綜合飲料沒有像那女子聲稱的炸開來。完全沒有玻璃爆炸的情況。

            該女子的律師Ryan Paine表示，醫院的醫療紀錄會顯示她的客戶受傷嚴重程度，爆炸情景也被拍在錄影帶上。做生意的不應該為了要調高酒品價格而耍把戲，就不顧客戶生命安全。

波士頓消防局發言人Steve MacDonald 表示，州法並未禁止餐廳點燃飲品，不過餐廳點蠟燭，或點燃其他火燭，就需要申請許可。該局會調查該法令適不適用於飲品上。

由於“為雞瘋狂”收到提供不安全酒品，在無許可情況下公開點火的通知，將於週二(11日)出席牌照委員會的聆訊。

該餐廳以前提供名叫”渴望著火”的雞尾酒，一種像藍色夏威夷的飲料，顧客會在點燃的乾威士忌，澆到一疊玻璃上時，用吸管從大碗中喝。