昆士市將增添一所新小學

            (Boston Orange昆士市報導) 麻州學校樓宇管理局(Massachusetts School Building Authority Board，簡稱MSBA)投票通過了，昆士市將可建造一所新的史昆頓(Squantum)小學。

這將是昆士市的第4個大型建校計畫，之前有昆士高中，中央中學，以及最近的西南中學(South-West Middle School)。

昆士市還將和MSBA合作一系列的翻修全市學校門窗計畫，並藉由麻州政府的60%到80%施工費用補助，為昆士市納稅人節省數以百萬元，千萬元計的費用。

昆士市第6區市議員William Harris表示，學校士史昆頓社區的基石，他為昆士市年輕人將有一座現代化的教育場所，感到很激動。

              昆士市長柯奇(Tom Koch)也感謝麻州財政廳廳長高柏珂(Deb Goldberg)，代表昆士市的麻州參議員約翰基南(John Keenan)，麻州眾議員Bruce Ayers，昆士市公校總監Kevin Mulvey，昆士學校委員會等人促成此事，直言新學校將容許昆士市更好的推廣藝術，數理，科技等科目。

 

Plans For New Squantum Elementary School Qualifies for State’s Building Program

QUINCY, MA April 14, 2021 – Plans for a new Squantum Elementary School today officially qualified for

the state’s school building program following a critical vote by the board that oversees school

construction across Massachusetts.

The Massachusetts School Building Authority Board of Directors voted unanimously at its regular

meeting on Wednesday to accept the City’s request, proposed by Mayor Thomas Koch and supported

by both the City Council and School Committee, to enroll in the program that provides millions of

dollars in state reimbursement for new school construction and major renovation projects.

The Squantum School is Quincy’s fourth major school project to qualify for the program, including most

recently the new South-West Middle School. That project followed the new Quincy High School and

Central Middle School projects. In addition, the City has partnered with MSBA on a series of door and

window projects at schools citywide. State reimbursements for those projects have ranged from 60 to

80 percent, saving local taxpayers tens of millions of dollars.

“This project is vital to the future of Squantum and our City. We have an incredibly well-proven track

record in delivering transformational school projects together with the MSBA, and I think that gives the

Board of Directors a good deal of confidence in welcoming us once again into the program,” said

Mayor Koch. “I’m grateful for the ongoing partnership with Treasurer Goldberg, all of our colleagues at

the MSBA, and the tremendous efforts by Superintendent Mulvey and his team, the state delegation,

our City Councilors and the School Committee for getting us to this point. We have plenty of work

ahead, and I’m looking forward to it.”

Added Ward 6 City Councilor William Harris:

“This school is the cornerstone of the Squantum community, and I am thrilled we are now on our way

to providing the state-of-the-art educational facility that our young people very much deserve. I can

think of few higher priorities for myself as Ward Councilor than seeing this project through, and I look

forward to working directly with so many of our neighbors in Squantum as this process moves

forward.”

In its proposal, the City and the Quincy Public Schools team noted that while the school has served the

community remarkably well since it opened in 1919 but a building of that age is extremely limited in

providing a 21st Century learning environment. Officials cited the need for technology-driven

curriculum, science laboratories, computer labs, and a library media center as components to be

included in any new building.

“I’m looking forward to working with the MSBA on the Eligibility Phase of the Squantum Elementary

School project,” said Superintendent Kevin Mulvey. “Thanks to the support of Quincy’s state legislative

delegation, Mayor Koch, the City Council, and School Committee, we have an opportunity to build a

state-of-the art facility to benefit all of the students who attend the school, both from the

neighborhood and the citywide Special Education program students. A new building will enhance the

outstanding educational opportunities provided by the dedicated staff and administrators at Squantum

Elementary School and will also be an important resource for the local community.”

The project now enters an elaborate process guided by the MSBA, which starts with meeting eligibility

requirements showing the City can finance and manage a project of this magnitude. Officials expressed

a high degree of confidence on moving through that phase based on the City’s history of successful

school projects. From there, the project moves onto a feasibility study that determines the full scope of

needs before a final project agreement, reimbursement rate, and schedule is voted on the MSBA

Board.

Said State Senator John Keenan:

"I wish to thank the School Building Authority, its Board and team, and Treasurer Goldberg for

advancing the Squantum School project through the process, and congratulate my colleagues in

government - Representative Ayers, Mayor Koch, the City Council, Superintendent Mulvey and his

team, and the School Committee - for their hard work in laying the groundwork for what will be a

modern school in another of Quincy’s great neighborhoods. Generations of students will benefit,

proving that government works best when it works together.”

Added State Representative Bruce Ayers

“The city designated rebuilding the Squantum School as a priority a few years ago, and this morning

our advocacy paid off,” said State Representative Bruce Ayers. “I was proud to testify in support of the

city's proposal at the MSBA's board meeting. With this partnership, we can finally begin to replace a

facility that is over 100 years old and hasn’t been renovated in decades. A new building will help the

great educators at Squantum School bring their programs into the 21st century of education. This

project will allow for technology integration, greater investment in the arts, and more emphasis on

STEM learning, all thanks to a facility equipped with the tools necessary for students to reach their

maximum potential. The residents of Squantum take a lot of pride in their community, and now they

are one big step closer to having an elementary school facility they can be proud of as well.”

波士頓移民進步辦公室邀Kim Kaney市長和族裔社區媒體晤談

Yusufi Vali, Director of MOIA

 

Boston Mayor Kim Janey

Celina Barrios-Millner, Chief, Equity and Inclusion

Marty Matinez，Chief of Health and Human Services

Kate Forde, Acting Deputy Director,
Office of Housing Stability

Baker-Polito Administration Files Legislation to Improve Public Safety and Data Reporting Requirements for Transportation Network Companies

 Baker-Polito Administration Files Legislation to Improve Public Safety and Data Reporting Requirements for Transportation Network Companies

Legislation Builds on Most Stringent Background Check System for Rideshare Companies in the Country

 

BOSTON — The Baker-Polito Administration today filed legislation to build on the Commonwealth’s comprehensive oversight of Transportation Network Companies (TNC) by improving public safety requirements and obtaining additional ride data to assist with transportation planning, congestion management, and vehicle emissions tracking. Additionally, An Act Relative to Transportation Network Companies would provide needed flexibility for the ban on surge pricing during a State of Emergency, and expand the types of companies subject to state TNC laws and regulations.

 

“The safety of Massachusetts residents and visitors is our top priority and this legislation will institute additional public safety measures for passengers and law enforcement, provide important information to transportation planners and reduce administrative burdens for cities and towns,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “The Commonwealth was a national leader in providing background checks and a regulatory framework for the rideshare industry, and as the industry evolves into an important element of our transportation system, we are pleased to file this bill ensuring that the Commonwealth’s transportation network can continue to grow in a safe and responsible manner.”

 

“This legislation continues our Administration’s efforts to promote economic growth and modernize our transportation system, and we look forward to working with our partners in the Legislature to move this bill forward and ensure safe, reliable transportation options for all Commonwealth residents,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “Critically, this legislation will make sure communities are provided the information they need to make local infrastructure and environmental planning decisions.”

  

“Transportation emissions account for over 40 percent of climate-changing emissions in Massachusetts, so the Baker-Polito Administration is working hard to reduce these emissions and protect Commonwealth residents,” said Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Kathleen Theoharides. “As the rideshare industry continues to grow in the Commonwealth, this legislation would ensure we have the data we need to combat climate change and achieve net zero emissions by 2050.”

 

“From a public safety perspective, this bill will greatly enhance our efforts to protect TNC users,” said Secretary of Public Safety and Security Thomas Turco. “By strengthening the laws against ‘account renting,’ creating a criminal penalty for misusing riders’ personal information, and adding additional regulatory safeguards, it will help ensure that riders know whose car they’re entering and that they can do so safely.”

 

The Administration previously filed An Act Relative to Public Safety and Transparency by Transportation Network Companies in 2019, but today’s legislation includes a newly filed provision that gives the Department of Public Utilities (DPU) exclusive authority to regulate large livery companies operating throughout the state on a digital network. This provision will ensure that livery companies operating on a digital network with over 100 drivers will be subject to the statewide TNC laws and regulations. Smaller livery companies will remain regulated at the municipal level, regardless of whether they operate on a digital network.      

 

The proposal would build on Massachusetts’s TNC safety and enforcement laws, some of the most stringent and comprehensive in the country, by:

 

·  Increasing fines and penalties, up to two and half years in a House of Correction, for the practice of “account renting,” or allowing another individual to utilize a TNC driver’s account or identity, to provide TNC services.  

 

·  Making it a criminal offense for a driver to exploit the personal information of a rider to stalk, harass or defraud a rider.

 

·  Implementing tougher penalties for drivers who:

 

o Fail to maintain a driver certificate or a background check clearance certificate

 

o Fail to display TNC vehicle decals

 

o Fail to maintain adequate insurance, or carry proof of a TNC vehicle inspection

 

This legislation also allows for new transportation data to be collected from TNCs and eases the administrative burden on small towns. Specifically, the bill will:

 

·  Authorize the DPU to obtain more detailed trip data from TNCs on a monthly basis that can then be shared in an anonymous and confidential manner with state agencies, municipalities and local organizations for planning purposes.  

 

o The more detailed data called for in this legislation includes total miles and minutes when drivers are en route to pick up riders and when they are providing rides; whether riders were successfully matched for shared rides; and additional data on accidents and reasonable accommodations.

 

·  Allow better emissions data to be collected by requiring TNCs to report the total miles and minutes that each vehicle is on the road, together with vehicle make, model and year information.

 

·  Reduce the reporting requirements for communities that receive $25,000 or less annually from TNCs and allow those communities to make spending decisions on those relatively small funds without going through their local appropriation process.

 

The additional data will help transportation planners analyze how rides impact transportation infrastructure and the environment, and allow them to make more informed decisions about the location of dedicated bus lanes, specific investments in infrastructure, and overall impacts from vehicle emissions.

 

The legislation also gives the DPU the authority to determine whether it is appropriate to permit transportation network companies to utilize surge pricing during a State of Emergency. Enabling surge pricing under certain circumstances and with appropriate limitations could increase the supply of drivers, which reduces wait times and ensures reliable transportation options.

 

Since January 2017, the Department of Public Utilities’ Transportation Network Company Division has implemented the most comprehensive state background checks for TNC drivers in the country, and has approved over 240,000 individuals to operate as TNC drivers, though not all are currently active drivers. Drivers engaged in providing transportation services on behalf of Transportation Network Companies undergo a full state driving record and Criminal Offender Record Information (CORI) background check. Additionally, drivers are subjected to a bi-annual national commercial background check conducted by the TNC companies. TNC rides that started in the Commonwealth increased from 64.8 million in 2017 to 91.1 million in 2019.

政府如何運作 一次免費課程

             (Boston Orange)麻州亞美局(AAC)和麻州論壇(Commonwealth Seminar)合作，將於4月24日(週六)中午12點至下午3點半，在臉書及Zoom上舉辦一次免費課程，解說麻州政府如何運作，立法流程，期以協助亞裔社區領袖更有效的為社區服務，或參選公職。

Description 

Join the Asian American Commission and the Commonwealth Seminar for a 1-day session on April 24 from 12-3:30!  It will be an intensive training session focused on teaching Asian American leaders how the legislative process really works. By giving an insiders' view of the process, our goal is to encourage diverse leaders to become effective advocates and to pursue careers in public service.

Zoom Registration

https://us02web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZYpdu2vqz0vGdGOyZCisplGoqZObHPogF2T

Facebook Event Page

https://fb.me/e/2bYPo0kXq

華裔社區組織合作中文新冠疫苗說明講座 (圖片)

華人前進會主任陳玉珍。

波士頓市移民進步辦公室主任Yusufi Vali強調所有族裔移民都是
波士頓的一部分。

波士頓市移民進步辦公室幕僚長暨資源經理Agnes Chang。

波士頓市長亞裔聯絡員許麗莎(Lisa Hy)。

伍劉寶敏醫生。

亞美社區發展協會主任劉安琪(Angie Liu)用普通話做說明。

Sabrina Chau說明大同藥房和BCNC合作，在包氏文藝中心
為居民施打新冠疫苗。

百人會發聲明 支持國會通過"無恨法"

Committee of 100 Announces Support for Legislations to Monitor and Curb Hate Crimes, Help Victims

New York, NY (April 14, 2021) – As the U.S. Senate begins consideration of the COVID Hate Crimes Act this week, Committee of 100 is announcing its support of the legislation and the related NO HATE Act. Committee of 100’s endorsement recognizes the horrific recent increase in violent attacks against the Chinese American and AAPI community, but also the opportunity for a broad coalition to move forward on long-overdue policy solutions to curb the discrimination millions of Americans face every day. 
 
In collaboration with leading organizations in the AAPI, African American, Latino, and Jewish American communities, Committee of 100 offers support for these two pieces of legislation. For more than 30 years, Committee of 100 has promoted the full inclusion of Chinese Americans in all aspects of American life. The COVID Hate Crimes Act and the NO HATE Act will give law enforcement agencies better tools to monitor, prevent, and respond to hate crimes and improve resources available for victims.
 
The following statement was issued by Zheng Yu Huang, President of Committee of 100:   
 
"Committee of 100 has called on lawmakers and law enforcement to combat the rise in violence, hate, and racism against Chinese Americans and the Asian American and Pacific Islanders (AAPI) community. Now is the time for action. Committee of 100 is proud to support the COVID Hate Crimes Act and the NO HATE Act, both of which give law enforcement agencies better tools to monitor, prevent, and respond to hate crimes. We urge lawmakers to quickly enact these legislations to combat the hate, violence, and negative stereotypes facing the AAPI community.”

波士頓公圖館借書遲還不再罰款

 

MAYOR JANEY, BOSTON PUBLIC LIBRARY ANNOUNCE PERMANENT ELIMINATION OF LATE FINES

 

Pending approval from the BPL’s Board of Trustees, the library will recommit to equitable collections access – free to all

 

 

 

BOSTON – April 14, 2021 – Mayor Kim Janey today announced that, once approved by its Board of Trustees, the Boston Public Library (BPL) will permanently eliminate late fines for patrons of all ages. This removal of late fines is supported by $125,000 of ‘revenue relief’ in Mayor Janey’s 2021 budget and will go into effect on July 1, 2021. The policy change will remove barriers and increase access to BPL resources for patrons across the City of Boston.   “With the BPL Board of Trustees’ approval, we look forward to eliminating library late fines and the equity imbalance they can create,” said Mayor Janey. “The Boston Public Library provides important resources, programs, and services to our communities. By removing this barrier to access, we are ensuring that these resources are actually accessible to everyone.”  In the wake of COVID-19, with mayoral approval, the BPL implemented a moratorium on assessing late fines in March 2020. To cover the span of time until fines can permanently be eliminated, the BPL announced today that this moratorium will be extended through June 30, as the Mayor and the library’s permanent elimination of fines goes into effect on July 1. BPL had already eliminated late fines for patrons under 18, a policy implemented in October 2019.  Under this policy change, BPL will also remove all pending overdue fines from patrons’ accounts. Moving forward, patrons will not face monetary penalties for returning books late, although they will still be required to return any overdue books in order to check out additional materials. While card holders will no longer incur fines for late returns, they will still be responsible for replacement costs if a book is lost or not returned.  “The BPL is proud to join the growing number of public libraries who are abolishing late fines and ensuring maximum accessibility, especially at this time of greatest need among those who rely on our resources most,” said BPL president David Leonard. “With this announcement, patrons can continue to access our collections, as well as our physical and digital resources, without the financial barrier of late fines. We have always believed that as a public library, our services should be ‘Free to All,’ and as the current global health crisis continues and we move into recovery, policy changes such as this are more important than ever. Thank you to Mayor Janey for authorizing the removal of late fines. Patrons who have the means to further support our work will also be invited to make a donation in lieu of fines.”  In FY19 the Library collected a total of $176,512 in overdue fines from BPL cardholders, representing a fraction of the total overdue fine balance on record. Currently, about 42,000 BPL cardholders are facing fines, and therefore barriers to continued use of the Library. A scan of our system indicates that a large portion of those Boston residents live in neighborhoods which map to the most economically challenged parts of the city. With approval from the Trustees, these fines will be removed from their accounts on July 1, 2021.  The Library has more than 391,300 card holders, and even more Massachusetts residents benefit from the BPL’s offerings. During the pandemic, the library has provided free programming, resources, and services, with a focus on civic discourse, COVID recovery, economic recovery, racial equity, workforce development, and youth engagement through the Repairing America initiative. The BPL also rolled out the BPL To Go program in June, 2020, allowing patrons across the city to place holds, check out, and return books, CDs, and DVDs, despite the pandemic. Additionally, the library has been dedicated to advancing digital equity for its patrons, and the Boston community. This is being achieved through its Connectivity Kits, which allow patrons to check out a Chromebook and a hotspot; its Public Computer Access program, which provides safe computer access at the Central Library in Copley Square; and its Outdoor Wi-Fi program, which extends Wi-Fi to the areas surrounding 14 BPL branches.  To learn more about the BPL’s current initiatives, visit bpl.org/news, and bpl.org/RepairingAmerica.

打疫苗得搭車? 全美亞裔耆英中心和Lyft合作提供費用協助

Lyft and National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA) Partner to Help Provide Access to Free or Discounted Rides to Vaccine Appointments

 [Seattle/Los Angeles/Chicago/Washington DC] (April 14, 2021) – The National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA) today announced that in partnership with Lyft, they will provide access to free or discounted rides for Asian American Pacific Islander older adults throughout the country to get to and from vaccination sites. This is made possible in part through support from fellow Lyft partner, Chase. The collaboration is part of Lyft’s Universal Vaccine Access campaign, which is mobilizing a coalition of partners to provide access to rides to and from vaccination sites across the country. 

“Our partnership with Lyft allows for a collaborative solution to support our most vulnerable community members,” said Joon Bang, President & CEO, NAPCA. “COVID-19 has amplified transportation insecurity and with the continued increase in hate crimes targeting Asian Americans, our initiative seeks to prioritize safety and transportation access for Asian American and Pacific Islander older adults. We’re thankful for all of the teams at Lyft and Chase for standing with our community and working with us to help put our elders first.”

“Access to reliable transportation represents a major barrier to care for millions of Americans across the country, especially for vulnerable communities” said Heather Foster, Head of National Policy Engagement, Lyft. “The strength of all of our partners, including the National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA), combined with our ability to address transportation barriers enables us to support equitable vaccine access to those who need it most.” 

Individuals in need of transportation access from the National Asian Pacific Center on Aging (NAPCA) can email admin@napca.org or call 1-800-336-2722 (English), 1-800-582-4218 (廣東話/Cantonese), 1-800-683-7427 (普通话/Mandarin), 1-800-582-4259 (한국어/Korean), and 1-800-582-4336 (Tiếng Việt/Vietnamese) or visit www.napca.org for more support. To learn more about how Lyft is helping people book vaccine rides for themselves or a loved one, or to fund a ride for someone in need, please visit the Lyft website