波士頓社區三輪清潔空氣補助款 今日起受理申請

MAYOR JANEY ANNOUNCES COMMUNITY CLEAN AIR GRANT APPLICATIONS AVAILABLE MONDAY, APRIL 26   The City encourages proposals from residents, nonprofits, and businesses to reduce air pollution and carbon emissions   BOSTON - Monday, April 26, 2021 - Mayor Kim Janey and the Environment, Energy, and Open Space department today announced that applications for the new Community Clean Air Grant program will open Monday, April 26. Funded through the Air Pollution Control Commission, the City is seeking to support locally-driven proposals from residents, nonprofit organizations, and businesses for projects that will produce meaningful, measurable steps to reduce the emissions that contribute to climate change and air pollution. There will be three rounds of funding throughout the year for projects that will contribute to the City of Boston’s 2019 Climate Action Plan Update, which details specific actions the City is taking over five years to significantly cut emissions across all sectors in order to reach our goal of achieving carbon neutrality by 2050. “Climate change affects all Boston residents, but we know that it disproportionately impacts some of our communities more than others. By taking actionable steps to improve the air quality throughout our city we not only improve our public health, but also reduce our contribution to the greenhouse gases that cause climate change,” said Mayor Janey. “With the new Community Clean Air Grant program, we hope to empower community members, especially socially vulnerable groups, to take meaningful actions that contribute to our long-term goals and directly benefit their neighbors and communities.”  The Community Clean Air Grant is open to any individual or entity who would like to respond, and the City encourages participation from small, local, minority-owned, women-owned, and other disadvantaged business enterprises (DBEs) and entities. In order to be eligible for funding, proposals must do at least one of the following: ·     Eliminate or otherwise address specific sources of air pollution within Boston; ·     Reduce the negative health impacts of air pollution emissions within Boston; ·     Enhance the ability of local communities in Boston to improve local air quality; ·     Have a measurable impact on air quality or carbon emissions within Boston. The City strongly encourages partnerships with and among local community groups and partners, and has provided a directory on the web page to encourage collaboration and joint proposals. To ensure the program is accessible and all interested applicants have as much information as possible, the applications and materials are available in English, Español (Spanish), Kreyòl ayisyen (Haitian Creole), 繁體中文 (Traditional Chinese), 简体中文 (Simplified Chinese), Tiếng Việt (Vietnamese), and kriolu (Cape Verdean Creole). For anyone interested in applying, the Environment, Energy, and Open Space staff is offering two informational webinars and is hosting office hours to provide more information, answer questions, and assist with completing applications. Applications are due by Friday, June 4.    Webinar #1 Tuesday, May 4, 2021 9:00 am Register   Webinar #2 Thursday, May 6, 2021 5:30 pm Register   Office Hours Wednesdays through June 4 3-5pm Register   Air pollution contributes to higher rates of cardiovascular and respiratory disease, and has been linked to higher COVID-19 mortality rates. Some air pollutants, like methane and carbon dioxide, are also greenhouse gases, which warm the atmosphere and lead to higher temperatures and rising seas. Communities located near highways and other major transportation infrastructure, and socially vulnerable populations, such as people of color, older residents, children, and people with chronic illnesses, are negatively impacted at a higher rate than others. Mayor Janey’s Administration is taking steps to recognize and address the risks of climate change, and to protect Boston’s urban ecosystem. This month, Mayor Janey proposed the following investments for environmental resilience and climate justice in the Fiscal Year 2022-2026 Capital Plan proposal: ·     $48 million for Phase 2 and 3 of Renew Boston Trust, which is designed to identify energy retrofit project opportunities in City-owned buildings to create future energy savings.  ·     $5 million for a Climate Ready Boston Harbor study to support the development of a study that will examine the feasibility of measures along and within the Boston Harbor to reduce vulnerability of coastal flooding due to sea level rise caused by climate change. ·     $20 million to design and implement a signature, climate resilient waterfront park along the Fort Point Channel. ·     $1.7 million per year for the ongoing program of street tree planting throughout the city ·     $1.8 million to repave pathways at Dorchester Park  ·     $7.5 million to repave pathways at the Back Bay Fens to improve accessibility and site conditions ·     $15.5 million to complete the park redesign at Copley Square to optimize resilience to high-traffic events and storm-water ·     $9.4 million to redesign and construct a new Malcolm X Park through the City’s first Equitable Procurement Pilot program As indicated in the 2019 Climate Action Plan update, the City of Boston is taking action to stop our contribution to climate change. Between 2005 and 2016, the amount of carbon pollution emitted by city operations was reduced by 18 percent. Last month, the City announced the completion of $11 million in energy efficiency and renewable energy upgrades to 14 municipal buildings, representing $680,000 in savings and a one percent reduction in municipal greenhouse gas emissions. In February, Community Choice Electricity began supplying over 200,000 residences and commercial customers with more affordable and renewable electricity. In order to provide high quality, safe, and cleaner affordable housing to our most vulnerable residents, the City of Boston recently awarded $34 million to support the creation of 608 new units that will be built to zero emissions standards. Climate Ready Boston is simultaneously strengthening Boston’s climate change resilience and adaptation with near- and long-term planning through neighborhood-level engagement and solutions.  Last week, Mayor Janey announced Reverend Mariama White-Hammond as Chief of Environment, Energy, and Open Space for the City of Boston. In this role, Rev. White-Hammond, who started today, will be responsible for leading the Cabinet in achieving its mission of enhancing environmental justice and quality of life in Boston by protecting air, water, climate, and land resources, as well as preserving and improving the integrity of Boston's architectural and historic resources. For more information on how Boston is actively preparing for the impacts of climate change and advancing the vision of a resilient city, visit boston.gov/environment. To learn more about the grants and application process, please visit boston.gov/clean-air-grant. To learn more about the work of the Environment, Energy, and Open Space department, please visit boston.gov/environment.

GE FOUNDATION COMMIT ADDITIONAL $600,000 TO YOUTH PREVENTION EDUCATION PROGRAM

AG HEALEY, GE FOUNDATION COMMIT ADDITIONAL $600,000 TO YOUTH PREVENTION EDUCATION PROGRAM, MAKE RESOURCES MORE ACCESSIBLE AND INCLUSIVE
Project Here’s Programming for Social Emotional Learning and Healthy Decision-Making Increasingly Important for Young People Amid Ongoing COVID-19 Pandemic

BOSTON – Attorney General Maura Healey and the GE Foundation today announced an additional $600,000 has been committed to Project Here, a public-private collaboration to make substance use prevention education available to all public middle schools in Massachusetts. The AG’s Office and the GE Foundation, in collaboration with FableVision Studios, have also launched new updates to make the program’s educational app, Project Here Games, more accessible and inclusive, including translating the app into Spanish and adding more content focused on cultural responsiveness.

“Project Here’s resources on social emotional learning and skill-building, including healthy ways to cope with stress, are increasingly important and relevant as young people are dealing with social isolation, stress and anxiety during COVID-19,” said AG Healey. “We are grateful to the GE Foundation for their continued support of this program and are excited to unveil updates to Project Here Games that will make them more relevant, effective, and accessible for students.”

“We’re proud to continue this important and impactful partnership with AG Healey on Project Here and help our youth navigate the new and unique challenges they face today,” said David Barash, Executive Director, GE Foundation. “By making this new investment together, we are helping middle schoolers practice healthy decision-making, create positive interpersonal relationships, develop social-emotional skills, and prevent substance use before it starts.”

 

Designed to tackle a significant unmet need for prevention education in the state’s battle against the ongoing opioid crisis, Project Here was announced in May 2017 by the AG’s Office and the GE Foundation to promote social emotional learning and empower students to make healthy decisions through an innovative combination of curricula, digital content, and support for educators and students.

 

The additional $600,000 commitment announced today brings the total investment to $2.6 million and will help fund the program over the next few years. To date, more than 361 schools have registered for Project Here and are accessing its resources. More than 500 educators have received training and technical assistance on how to use Project Here’s resources and best practices in substance use prevention. Project Here has also provided nearly $450,000 in grant funding to schools and districts to implement evidence-based curricula.

 

Project Here Games, a first-of-its-kind web-based education app announced in September 2018 and developed for Project Here by FableVision Studios, provides an innovative and engaging digital experience to teach students about healthy choices, peer pressure, substance use and coping with stress. Through games, quizzes, and scenarios, students gain practical skills to navigate challenging situations and make healthy decisions now and for the future.

 

Today, the AG’s Office is unveiling important updates to the app to make it more accessible and inclusive, with a focus on cultural responsiveness. Those updates include translating the entire app into Spanish and adding a “read aloud” feature, in English and Spanish, for students who read below grade level and/or who are English-language learners. The updated version also includes new scenarios developed with an equity lens, which include content on racial and socioeconomic microaggressions.

 

The new updates also allow teachers and students to log in and play Project Here Games using their Google Classrooms accounts. Project Here Games is available for free on computers, tablets, and smart phones and has the flexibility to be used by teachers as an in-classroom activity or by students outside of school. In February 2019, Project Here Games was selected as a 2019 Parents’ Choice Gold Award winner for its “skillfully designed” content and thought-provoking hypothetical scenarios for allowing children to consider how different actions can have different outcomes. 

 

Young people are particularly vulnerable to the risks of substance use. Ninety percent of all adults struggling with addiction started using when they were under the age of 18, and 50 percent were under the age of 15. Studies have shown that effective substance use education and prevention programming can significantly decrease the risk of substance use among young people.

 

People can learn more information and schools can register for Project Here, which provides access to the Online Toolkit and support for Project Here Games, at www.projectherema.org. Project Here Games is available at www.projectheregames.org.

麻州長提案增訂道路安全法 建議安裝紅燈拍照機

 

Baker-Polito Administration Files Legislation to Improve Road Safety 

BOSTON – The Baker-Polito Administration today filed legislation to improve road safety, entitled, “An Act Relative to Improving Safety on the Roads of the Commonwealth.” The legislation includes provisions previously filed by the Administration in 2019 and several new proposals, including increasing penalties for individuals who cause personal injury while driving on a non-administratively suspended license.

“These proposals will make Massachusetts

roadways and streets safer for all travelers and will help reduce roadway fatalities across the state,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “This legislative package builds upon laws enacted in 2019 to prevent and enforce distracted driving, and we look forward to working with our partners in the Legislature to take additional steps to improve road safety.”

“This legislation will make a difference for all travelers in the Commonwealth including pedestrians, bicyclists, and drivers," said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. "We are grateful for the input from municipal leaders, advocacy groups and non-profit organizations, which allow us to take steps that will save lives and prevent injuries in communities throughout the Commonwealth.”

“The new laws are first and foremost in keeping with our goal to reduce the number of deaths on our roads,” said Acting Secretary of Transportation Jamey Tesler. “Crashes due to distracted driving, speeding, and other unsafe driving behaviors, continue to occur on Massachusetts roadways despite reduced driving levels during the pandemic, and these proposals will help refocus and change current driving habits and behaviors to ensure that individuals remain safe.”  

“Preventing roadway injuries and fatalities is a priority for all of us at EOPSS,” said Public Safety Secretary Thomas Turco. “These common-sense proposals are important to make sure that drivers, passengers, and vulnerable road users like pedestrians and bicyclists can all get home safely.”

An Act Relative to Improving Safety on the Roads of the Commonwealth, includes proposals on the following new and previously filed topics:

• Primary Seatbelt: allows law enforcement to stop motorists for not wearing a seatbelt.

• Haley’s Law: increases penalties for individuals who cause personal injury while driving on a non-administratively suspended license. New provisions would create three levels of new “aggravating factors” to driving while suspended: 1) Driving negligently/recklessly: fine up to $1,000 and up to 5 years in prison; 2) Causing “serious bodily injury:” fine up $3,000 and house of correction up to 2.5 years; and 3) Causing death: fine up to $5,000 and mandatory 2 years to a maximum of 10 years in prison. Current statute simply penalizes for driving while suspended.

• Traffic Camera Enforcement Local Option: allows localities to place red light cameras at intersections (and the Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR)/MassDOT-owned roads that serve as local roads with DCR/MassDOT permission). Cameras would be restricted to collecting photographs only upon a violation and only of the vehicle license plates. Violations would include running a red light and making an illegal turn on a red light.

• Bicycle Safe Passing: requires a driver to maintain a 3 foot “safe passing distance” and to travel at a speed that is reasonable and proper when passing a bicyclist or pedestrian when there isn’t any physical separation (such as a protected bike lane or curb). Thirty-six other states have “safe distance” requirements.

• Commercial Driver’s License (CDL) Changes: a refile of previously filed changes to the state’s CDL laws, which include updates to conform to federal law. 

• Crash Data Reporting: proposes adding to reporting requirements crash information involving “a vulnerable user,” a term which would include pedestrians, bicyclists, public works or public safety personnel working in the right of way, individuals on farm tractors, and users of other mobility devices such as scooters and in-line skates. Current statute requires drivers to report any crashes resulting in serious bodily injury, death, or property damage in excess of $1000. This reporting on crashes involving vulnerable users will assist municipalities and state transportation entities to identify problem areas or emerging trends.

• Side Guards and Additional Mirrors: requires all Commonwealth-owned and operated vehicles over 10,000 pounds to have side guards, convex mirrors and cross-over mirrors. Additionally, all Commonwealth and municipal contractors would be required to have these devices by January 1, 2024. Side guards protect bicyclists and pedestrians from being swept under large vehicles, which can happen, for example, when vehicles are making tight turns at intersections. The convex mirrors complement the side guards.

Low-Speed Mobility Device Advisory Working Group: given the growth in use and acceptance of micro-mobility solutions like electric scooters and bicycles, and their unclear status in state law and local regulation, this bill calls for MassDOT to convene an advisory group to recommend a new statutory framework to ensure safe use while encouraging these low-carbon transportation alternatives

陸逸軒(Eric Lu)及Brannon Cho音樂會 專家讚奏法清新配合無暇

陸逸軒(Eric Lu)及Brannon Cho謝幕。(中華表演藝術基金會提供)

           (Boston Orange)中華表演藝術基金會主辦的陸逸軒(Eric Lu)及Brannon Cho音樂會，4月17日在64名獲准進入現場欣賞的觀眾報以熱烈掌聲中，圓滿落幕。經華納古典唱片(Warner Classic)授權，音樂會錄影將於一週後上載到該會官網，供音樂愛好者欣賞30天。

陸逸軒是2021年艾利費舍爾職業獎(Avery Fisher Career Award)得主，也是里茲(Leeds)國際鋼琴大賽第一名鋼琴家。這場音樂會由他和保羅(Paulo)國際大提琴大賽第一名韓裔大提琴家Brannon Cho在波士頓伊莎貝拉博物館(Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum)新建，可容300人的方形四層樓高Calderwood廳攜手演出，曲目包括舒曼，貝多芬，拉赫瑪尼諾夫（Rachmoninoff)為大提琴及鋼琴寫的經典作品。

礙於新冠病毒(COVID-19)疫情，麻州的表演場所已關門近一年，近來疫情呈緩降趨緩，麻州也放寬限制，開放舉辦現場表演活動，出席人數自3月准許10人後，4月中再提高至64人。

新英格蘭地區多名音樂界重量級人物，包括紐英倫音樂學院的知名教授，大提琴老師，樂團指揮等多人，當天都還是自去年三月以來，首次參加實體音樂會。

            波士頓音樂雜誌(The Boston Musical Intelligencer)的樂評兼大提琴及指揮家Nicolas Sterner以”用強勢並且高超的清新手法駕馭戰馬“為標題，盛讚兩位演出者的水平。他說“上週六是我一年來首次參加實體音樂會。里茲國際鋼琴大賽金牌得主Eric Lu和已獲紐英倫音樂學院最高學位藝術家文憑的Brannon Cho，雖然是第一次合作，但彈奏這些具高度挑戰性的曲子，卻融洽無間，輕鬆自如，明確清晰。他還指出，舒曼，貝多芬，拉赫瑪尼諾夫這三人既是作曲家，也是鋼琴家，他們寫的曲目原本就對鋼琴演奏要求特別高，這場音樂會還得在演奏九英尺大鋼琴時，顧及和大提琴的協調程度，明顯很不容易，但這兩位演出者彼此配合得好像一點困難都沒有，音量平衡得恰到好處。Brannon Cho用的這把1668年Casini名琴，還把曲目演奏得如歌似韻，令人陶醉。最後的安可曲拉赫瑪尼諾夫的Vocalise更是顯出大提琴如男高音般的華麗。

陸逸軒的全球唱片總代理是全世界最大的古典音樂唱片公司華納（Warner Classic)。中華表演藝術基金會會長譚嘉陵表示，該會很幸運，獲得華納授權，錄下了整場音樂會，將於一週後上載到該會官網，供各界欣賞30天。

            譚嘉陵強調，實體音樂會很重要，雖然礙於疫情，各種限制仍多，該會將繼續在伊莎貝拉博物館舉辦音樂會，也希望各界慷愾解囊，以支持該會承擔出場費及場地使用費，為社區繼續提供免費入場優惠。

            中華表演藝術基金會的下一場音樂會，預定5月14日(週五)晚8點由由鋼琴家徐小培在同一地點演出。預訂入場券或查詳情: http://www.chineseperformingarts.net/contents/season/20210514/index.html。

麻州研討會教你認識政府運作 新學期5月3日截止報名

麻州研討會主任李超榮(Leverett Wing)。

           (Boston Orange)政府怎麼制定法令?推動法案怎麼做最好?麻州研討會(Commonwealth Seminar)和麻州亞美局(Asian American Commission)在4月24日以3小時講座簡介該會課程，期盼幫助有心人了解政府運作，甚至直接競選，參政，修訂法令，改善民眾生活。

             這場”一日研討會(One Day Seminar)”，請有麻州研討會創辦人之一，現任麻州港務局(Massport)策略及企業計畫主任的Joel Barrera闡述”立法流程”，以及麻州選民桌(Massachusetts Voter Tabel)主任Beth Huang談如何推動立法，怎麼做最好。

麻州研討會講座主持人，講者及部分出席者。

            麻州研討會主任李超榮(Leverett Wing)，麻州亞美局接替蔣如婷的新主任Yasmin Padamsee Forbes分別表示，兩機構使命相似，都在為民眾和政府搭橋，從不同角度鼓勵公民參與。

             Joel Barrera說明，州政府議會分參眾兩會，各有約10個委員會，以及30多個聯席委員會。其中財稅委員會(Ways and Means Committee)規劃麻州政府每年約400億元預算的分配，使用，可說是最重要的委員會。曾任眾議會議長的Sam Raybum就說過，”所有的政治都在預算中，其他的都是詩歌”。任何牽涉財務的法案，都必須經過這有如守門人的委員會。

麻州研討會創辦人Joel Barrera。

          Joel Barrera很直白地指出，麻州政府議會仰賴薪資不高，工作過度的議會員工來運轉，分別承擔著守門人，預算分析者，律師，排日程，訂政策，聯繫媒體，以及服務選民的工作。許多議員提報，制定的政策、法令提案，其實都來自這些工作人員，和政府打交道的人，千萬不應小視和這些人建立關係的重要性。

             一項法案要成為法令，首先要在12月，議會開議前提出，接著指派給委員會審議，聆訊，再由委員會決定支持，反對或再研議，然後交付財稅委員會，流程委員會，再進入下一階段的討論，修訂或表決。參議會或眾議會通過後交給另一個議會，進行一次同樣流程。如果兩會討論出不同版本法案，就得召集會議委員會，或非正式協商來解決分歧意見。最後投票，通過的議案交給州長審議，州長同意就簽署成法，州長反對就否決，或是提議修訂，否決案須要有三分之二議員投票，才能推翻。

Beth Huang說明，打電話給議員及助理很重要。

             Joel Barrera說明，立法過程如此設計，就是要讓法案不會很隨便的就可以通過。每2年都有大約7000項法案提交給議會，僅約100到150條新法得以通過。其中還包括許多只適用於某一地方的”家規請願(Home Rule Petitions)”。

             Joel Barrera也從他的當年經驗，為有心推動法案者提示了很多注意事項。

             Beth Huang當天娓娓敘述了推動社會改變的許多途徑，包括直接服務，互助，教育，擁護，直接行動等等。通常要先為想要推動的改變找出一個故事，以及能把這故事說得很好的人，這包括做社區需要評估，確認誰受到某個問題影響，有甚麼衝擊，有沒有其他人或社區有同樣遭遇，如果其他人和你一起合作，能得到甚麼。然後要設計出解決方案，做調研，找數據來支持自己提倡的政策，查察那些議員對自己想要推動的法案有決策權或影響力，釐清議程運作，然後研擬遊說策略。

             2015年接掌「麻州研討會」的李超榮指出，該會從2003年創立至今，已有1500多名畢業生，其中20%為亞裔。這1年舉辦3次，每次為期6週，每週上課1次的麻州研討會，下一期將於5月12日至6月16日舉行，5月3日截止報名。查詢詳情或報名，可上網https://www.commonwealthseminar.org/，或洽李超榮leverett.wing@gmail.com。

波士頓市長聯絡員團隊再添2名新人

DONTE PEEPLES APPOINTED AS MATTAPAN LIAISON; ROUDNIE CELESTIN AS LIAISON TO THE HAITIAN COMMUNITY FOR THE MAYOR’S OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES    Donte Peeples  Roudnie Célestin   BOSTON - Friday, April 23, 2021 - Mayor Kim Janey today announced the appointment of Donte Peeples as the Mattapan liaison and Roudnie Célestin as the liaison to the Haitian community for the Mayor’s Office of Neighborhood Services (ONS). They will work to encourage, facilitate and maximize citizen input and participation through service requests, neighborhood meetings, mailings, and emergency responses.  "I am excited to have Donte as our new Mattapan liaison,” said Mayor Kim Janey. “He brings a passion for civic engagement that is so necessary in being a successful neighborhood liaison. I have no doubt that he will be an excellent addition to the Office of Neighborhood Services and serve the Mattapan community well.” As the Mattapan liaison, Donte will distribute information and facilitate the delivery of services to the neighborhood in collaboration with City departments. Donte discovered his passion for public service early on while attending the St. Stephen's Episcopal Church afterschool and summer camp programs. He was later employed as a mentor and worked to provide safe and fun activities for the City’s youth.  “I am honored to be a part of the Office of Neighborhood Services working as the Mattapan liaison,” said Donte. “My family has been longtime residents of Mattapan and it is exciting to be able to collaborate with residents and business owners along with the City to address the needs of the community.” Former Mattapan liaison, Roudnie Célestin, has transitioned to the role of liaison to the Hatian community. In this role, Roudnie will aim to improve the engagement of Haitian residents with the City and ensure the delivery of services to this population.  “I am beyond pleased that Roudnie will serve as the liaison dedicated to the Haitian community. It is so important that we support our underserved and underrepresented communities and connect them with City resources and services,” said Mayor Janey. “Roudnie has extensive experience serving this community and I expect that she will continue to do an excellent job expanding on this work.” Roudnie has been with the Office of Neighborhood Services for three and a half years and previously served as the Mattapan liaison. She brings to her new role experience in community outreach and resolving resident issues. Roudnie was born and raised in Pétion-Ville, Haiti. She moved to the United States in 2003 due to political unrest. She went on to earn a Bachelor of Arts in Ethics, Social, and Political Philosophy and Philosophy of Law from the University of Massachusetts Boston. ”What a great time to fully dedicate myself to the Haitian community! I am very excited,” said Roudnie. “In the dawn of immigration policy change after a historic win for the Biden-Harris administration, I cannot wait to see a weight lifted for many of the constituents I serve. My most immediate focus is ensuring vaccination equity in the Haitian community and keeping them connected to resources. Mwen la pou ou!” ABOUT THE MAYOR’S OFFICE OF NEIGHBORHOOD SERVICES The Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services (ONS) encourages, facilitates and maximizes citizen input and participation through service requests, neighborhood meetings, mailings, and emergency responses. To report non-emergency issues to the City, residents are encouraged to connect with BOS:311 by dialing 3-1-1 or by downloading the free BOS:311 app on iOS or Android platforms.