星期一, 5月 03, 2021

麻州預計六月410萬人打完疫苗 將關閉四大疫苗注射站

麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie Baker)強調麻州防疫做得很好。
                       (Boston Orange 編譯) 踏入六月,麻州就會達標,有410萬人完全注射新冠疫苗(COVID-19)了。麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie Baker)等人今(3)日一早10點,在州政府大樓說明,下一步將推廣社區化選擇,更有針對性的鼓勵麻州居民接種疫苗。

                 查理貝克和副州長白莉朵(Karyn Polito),健康及人民服務卿Marylou Sudders,以及麻州總醫院(MGH)傳染病中心主任Paul Biddinger一起,就麻州疫苗施打及分配情況,做進一步說明。

                   麻州政府指出,截至今日,麻州已有390萬人至少已注射一劑新冠疫苗,未來七天,還會有18萬人要接種第一劑疫苗,估計到六月時,全麻州就會有410萬人完整的接種了一劑或二劑新冠疫苗。

麻州副州長白莉朵(Karyn Polito)。
                  查理貝克強調,麻州在施打及分發疫苗的速度及比率上,在全美位居前茅,新確診個案數和住院人數和今年一月初相比,都已下降80%有多,下一步,麻州將更有針對性的鼓勵州內20個受新冠病毒影響最嚴重社區內居民,克服對疫苗的觀望與恐懼,加入接種行列。

               麻州政府的推廣疫苗接種安排將包括提供疫苗給22個區域合作機構;加倍撥發疫苗給20個不成比例受影響的社區;和麻州醫藥協會合作,從五月中開始讓更多一般醫療機構取得疫苗,這部分將涉及確認複雜的儲存設備,以及運送安排,以確保所有疫苗得到最好的應用。此外,麻州將在20個受影響最大區域的耆英中心,崇拜會所,以及社區組織,擴大疫苗注設流動站服務。

麻州健康及人民服務卿Marylou Sudders。
              麻州政府指出,迄今共有21000劑疫苗是流動疫苗注射站施打的,其中61%的接種者為有色人種。

             許多地方已經開始提供新的注射疫苗機會,包括都會北區域合作機構,有三個新的疫苗注射站,包括艾佛瑞特(Everett)市的Encore賭場,麥特福(Medord)的塔芙茨(Tufts)校園,以及尚莫維爾市(Somerville)的劍橋健康聯盟(Cambridge Health Alliance)

             波士頓醫療中心設在南灣購物中心的疫苗站,也可預約登記新的疫苗接種。

             流動疫苗診所將分佈在Lynn, New Bedford, Worcester這三個城市,以及使用不同語言的秋河(Fall River)市地方教堂,寺廟。

麻州總醫院(MGH)傳染病中心主任Paul Biddinger。

             布洛克頓(Brockton)市的西門商場(Westgate Mall),以及不同的市府住宅大樓也都有疫苗門診。

             大型疫苗站即預先登記部分,麻州政府運作的七個大型疫苗注射站,將逐漸收縮規模或轉型。預定六月底時,關閉其中的四個,吉列體育館,海恩斯(Hynes) 會展中心,丹佛市(Danvers)內的雙樹(Double Tree)酒店,以及納堤克(Natick)商場。從第一個大型疫苗注射站於118日在吉列體育館(Gillette Stadium)開張運作以來,已施打了120萬劑疫苗,為47萬人完整的注射了二劑疫苗。麻州估計在五月分內將施打25萬劑第二劑疫苗,並在未來七天內施打18萬劑第一劑疫苗。

             麻州政府將在特定的大型疫苗注射站接受隨到隨辦服務,相關資訊屆時會在登記注射疫苗網站上出現,VaxFinder.mass.gov。某些疫苗注設站的登記預約,仍可在該網站上辦理,或者撥打211電話。

             未來數週,麻州政府估計聯邦疾病防治中心將授權為1215歲青少年注射疫苗。麻州政府將容許願意帶小孩到大型疫苗注射站注射疫苗的家長們登記預約。


Baker-Polito Administration on Track to Hit Goal of 4.1 Million People Vaccinated, Announces Next Phase of Vaccination Efforts

Massachusetts set to vaccinate 4.1 million people by the beginning of June

BOSTON – Today, Governor Charlie Baker and Lt. Governor Karyn Polito were joined by Secretary of Health & Human Services Marylou Sudders and Massachusetts General Hospital Center for Disaster Medicine Director Dr. Paul Biddinger to discuss the Commonwealth’s vaccine progress and outline the next phase of vaccine distribution.

 

In December, the Baker-Polito Administration set a goal of vaccinating approximately four million people in the Commonwealth. According to the CDC’s vaccine data, 3.9 million people in Massachusetts have been fully or partially vaccinated as of today. Another 180,000 people are scheduled to get their first dose in the next 7 days.

 

Altogether, 4.1 million are set to be fully vaccinated by the beginning of June —reaching the administration’s initial goal and representing a significant achievement for the Commonwealth.

 

Next Phase of the Commonwealth’s Vaccination Efforts: More Targeted, Community-Based Options

 

Massachusetts is a national leader for vaccine distribution across every national metric. As a result of the state’s efforts, hospitalizations and new positive cases decreased — particularly among our most vulnerable residents.

 

While reaching 4.1 million residents vaccinated represents progress, the administration will continue to adapt vaccine efforts to be more targeted and will shift vaccines to smaller scale operations focusing on certain populations and specific communities—such as the Commonwealth’s 20 most disproportionately impacted communities.

 

This next phase of the Commonwealth’s vaccine efforts will include:

 

  • Providing all 22 regional collaboratives with doses to fully operate their programs.

 

  • Doubling the state vaccine allocation for our 20 most disproportionately impacted communities.

 

  • Working with the Mass Medical Society to increase access of vaccines with additional primary care providers by mid-May. This effort will require affirming complex storage and scheduling logistics to ensure all doses are put to good use.

 

  • Expanding mobile vaccine clinics in our 20 most disproportionately impacted communities at senior centers, houses of worship and other community-based organizations.

 

  • Working with current providers and community partners to offer new vaccine clinic opportunities.

 

Over 21,000 doses have been administered through mobile vaccination clinics in Boston, Chelsea, Brockton, Fall River, Springfield and New Bedford. Mobile clinics have been particularly effective in our equity communities and to reach people of color. So far, 61% of vaccine recipients at these clinics have been people of color.

 

New vaccine clinic opportunities have already started to be stood up. Some examples include:

 

  • The Metro North Regional Collaborative’s three new clinics at the Encore Casino in Everett, Tufts Campus in Medford and at the Cambridge Health Alliance location in Somerville.

 

  • Boston Medical Center’s new vaccine scheduling location at the South Bay Shopping Center.

 

  • Mobile clinics in Lynn, New Bedford, Worcester and Fall River at local churches and temples in different languages.

 

  • The City of Brockton’s clinic at the Westgate Mall and at different municipal housing complexes.

 

Mass Vaccination Sites & Pre-Registration

 

The Baker-Polito Administration will also begin to transition or ramp down the state’s seven mass vaccination sites. Mass vaccination sites have played a critical role in the Commonwealth’s vaccination process in a very short period of time.

 

At the mass vaccination sites, the Commonwealth has administered 1.2 million doses and fully vaccinated 470,000 people since the first site opened at Gillette Stadium on January 18th. The state expects to administer around 250,000 second doses in May and another 180,000 first doses across all providers over the next seven days.

 

With millions of people vaccinated, the demand for high throughput mass vaccination sites will gradually decline, and more vaccines will be dispersed more widely across communities.

 

The administration will gradually close four out of the state’s seven mass vaccination sites by the end of June (Gillette Stadium, Hynes Convention Center, Double Tree in Danvers & the Natick Mall).

 

We will soon begin to accept walk-ins at select mass vaccination sites. Information about availability for walk-ups will be reflected on VaxFinder.mass.gov soon.

 

Appointments for some sites will also be available at VaxFinder.mass.gov or by calling 211.

 

Since the pre-registration system was launched, over 1.8 million people registered and have been offered an appointment at least twice.

 

In the coming weeks, the state is anticipating that the CDC may authorize vaccines for children ages 12-15, and we will keep pre-registration available for parents who may want to bring kids to a mass vaccination site.

 

More details to come when the CDC determines the next steps on this.

警察局問題是燙手山竽 Kim Janey面對三挑戰

                (Boston Orange編譯)波士頓代理市長Kim Janey面對著強敵環伺的今秋波士頓市長選舉,如何處理波士頓警察局的一連串醜聞,議題,陡然成為可能動輒得咎的一大挑戰。

全美最老警察局之一的波士頓市警察局,面對的爭議有三項。首先是波士頓市警察局局長Dennis White目前留薪停職,獨立調查人員正翻查他的1999年家庭暴力控罪。

接著是Patrick M. Rose Sr.的性騷擾兒童案。波士頓環球報稱,調查顯示波士頓警察局在1995年已決定,Rose比可能更確定的性騷擾了一名12歲兒童。但波士頓警察局不斷拒絕公佈檔案,或討論,為什麼Rose繼續擔任巡警,還可以接近兒童,以致後來發生另外5宗性虐待兒童案。Rose甚至還一度擔任波士頓市最有權勢的巡警工會會長。

Kim Janey在本月早前,從Rose案的105頁內部調查報告中,公佈了13頁內容。有關人員說,波士頓市府扣下其他92頁,是為保護受害者的身分。

第三宗則是3月份時,聯邦當局逮捕,並控告了一名退休波士頓警長虛報加班,袋得12,395元。這促使有關單位已進行了一年的警察局證據庫裏薪資冊浮濫調查,行動升級。

這三個問題都發生在Kim Janey接任代理市長之前,但如何在政治湍流中為波士頓警察局探索未來方向,卻成了她上任後最立即的挑戰,也強調著她當代理市長,同時競選市長,既有市長職位可帶來的所有優勢,也同時帶有政治危險。

麻州大學政治教授Erin O’Brien說,在競爭激烈初選中,當大多數參選人都爭著要以最激進的名聲競選時,警察問題處理得不好肯定會成為議題。大部分的候選人計算著,在警察議題上強硬是好政策,也是好的政治手腕。

波士頓市長參選人Andrea CampbellJohn Barros就都要求Kim Janey完整的公佈警察局內部調查檔案。

Kim Janey在四月初時說,警察局局長White的調查,在月底會有結果。該調查結果已於週日送抵市長室。Kim Janey的發言人說,White的未來,在五月初會有個決定。

波士頓市內一些政治評論人士,包括一名地方電台主持人Paul Parara認為Kim Janey只是代理市長,無權就永久性的職位做決定,應該讓目前的代理警察局長繼續工作至下一任新市長選出來以後再說。

另一名麻州大學政治教授Kevin Wozniak表示,警察問題在今秋的選舉中,會很重要。不論Kim Janey如何決定,一定會有些選民高興,有些不高興。有些人永遠都要求有更激進的改革,警察工會卻可能會對實質性變化發怒。

在波士頓的犯罪與司法研究所(Crime and Justice Institute)主任Christine Cole表示,在全國各地的警察與社區關係惡化之際,波士頓的領導們和警察局必須以行動取信於民,以顯示他們不容忍警察局內警員有不洽當行為。遮掩以前的壞行為,不符合人們的期望。

               在擔任市議員期間,Kim Janey一直要求波士頓警察局有實質的徹底改變。她最近公佈的375000萬元市府預算,就包括刪減警察局經費,她也公佈100萬元預算,撥給新成立的獨立市府觀察機構,調查警員的不當行為。

               她提的預算案還另外有100萬元要為警察辦理族裔平等訓練,200萬元給更多醫護,來幫助警察因應涉及精神有病者,或者其他的困難情況。

星期日, 5月 02, 2021

波士頓雜誌選出100名最有影響力波士頓人 陳玉珍、Candice Wu上榜

               (Boston Orange 周菊子整理報導)波士頓環球報(Boston Globe)的波士頓雜誌,今日發表「最有影響力的100名波士頓人」,其中有2名華人,1人為波士頓華埠社區熟悉的華人錢進會主任陳玉珍,另1人為時裝店店東Candice Wu。                                                                     在這100人中,影響力排名第1的波士頓的疫苗製造者。撰文的David S. Bernstein指出,那是因為疫苗對去年情況有著比任何一個人都更大的影響,莫德納(Moderna)的執行長Stéphane Bancel和主席Noubar Afeyan的成就,也因此無人能及。                                                                                                                                                                                                                     在這100人中,包括排名第3的聯邦眾議員普莉斯來(Ayanna Pressley),排名第4的麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie Baker),排名第5的東方銀行主席暨執行長Bob Rivers,第8位起的聯邦參議員沃倫(Elizabeth Warren),薩福克建築公司主席暨執行長John Fish,卡夫特集團董事長Jonathan Kraft,前愛默生學院校長,即將為波士頓基金會董事長的Lee Pelton,大波士頓商會董事長暨執行長Jim Rooney,麻州總檢察長奚莉(Maura Healey),排名第16的麻州眾議會議長Ron Mariano等知名人物。                                                                                                                                                                                            名列最有影響力波士頓人榜的這2名華人,波士頓雜誌各有簡短介紹。  

               該文稱,很不幸的,陳玉珍最近的大部分工作,都是在倡議保護本地亞裔社區,對抗日益增加的反亞裔仇恨,以及新冠病毒危機的破壞性影響。單只是過去一年,華人前進會為家庭籌集了緊急資金,倡議住宅穩定,防止驅逐,爭取保護打工人,以免他們流離失所。之所以可能做到這一點,很大程度上是因為陳玉珍在過去這些時日中和市政府領導,勞工組織,慈善基金建立了密切關係。                                                                                        關於Candice Wu,該文稱2020年證明絕對沒有什麼事能夠讓Candice Wu的新娘禮服王國走岔路。儘管新冠病毒對新娘領域行業有著毀滅性影響,她那位於南端的店舖還遇上一次水災,作品經常登上全國性主要時尚雜誌的這位設計家,卻能夠推出一系列新作品,還奪得2020波士頓時尚獎的最佳時裝/正式設計師。至於店鋪嘛,去年秋天,她又開了嶄新的一家。

波士頓代市長Kim Janey錄影恭賀亞美傳統月 稱攜手制止反亞裔仇恨

波士頓代市長Kim Janey於5月1日下午4點06分,在推特上發佈長1分19秒視頻,稱5月是亞裔傳統月。

    視頻中,Kim Janey第二句話就直指重點,讓我們攜手制止反亞裔仇恨。
接下來,Kim Janey才說慶祝亞裔傳統月,誌記波士頓及全美亞裔在
文化及歷史上的貢獻,說明波士頓華埠(Chinatown)是全美第三大。

Kim Janey稱波士頓市內有許多亞裔社區,包括多徹斯特有越南裔,
其他地方有印度
,柬埔寨,菲律賓,日本,韓國,台灣,巴基斯坦
等不同的亞裔社區。相信受到角逐市長大位競爭對手之一的吳弭
是台灣人後代的影響,Kim Janey在細數族裔時,竟然沒有提華裔,
反而點出台灣。她既而強調想要扶持在醫護領域工作者,感謝他們
在新冠疫情期間為大眾服務。今日和每一天,大家都要一起來慶祝
亞美傳統。

(以前所有圖片均為視頻截圖,https://twitter.com/i/status/1388585656604037127)

星期五, 4月 30, 2021

大學沙龍今晚(4/30)談針對亞裔的仇恨犯罪:美國聯邦調查局23年的數據告訴我們什麼


 

波士頓市府請公眾提意見 減輕自然災害

BOSTON - Friday, April 30, 2021 -The City of Boston’s Office of Emergency Management (OEM) is updating Boston’s 2014 Natural Hazard Mitigation Plan (NHMP). The NHMP will identify projects to reduce the potential impacts from natural hazards like severe winter weather, flooding, and extreme heat. The planning process will focus on severity, probability, location, historical occurrences, climate change, and risk, with the goal of documenting past successes and challenges to better develop solutions for tomorrow. Equity and environmental justice considerations are key parts of this process. The City is being diligent and intentional about the makeup of this plan so that it reflects the diverse communities within our neighborhoods. The City recognizes overlaps between the NHMP update and related planning processes and is coordinating with projects and initiatives including Climate Ready Boston and the ongoing Heat Resilience Planning Study.

“As Mayor of a coastal city, ensuring our communities are resilient from major threats is a key priority for my administration,” said Mayor Janey. “From flooding to extreme temperatures, we are committed to working with our residents to create innovative solutions to keep our city strong and resilient in the future.” 

The City is seeking input from residents, which is vital to ensure the planning process is representative. Given COVID-19 restrictions, the City will be sharing resources to connect online, and will conduct two virtual public meetings in May and June to keep the community informed. You can take the following steps today to help the City plan for a more resilient future:

  • Take an online survey to share your experiences of extreme events and ideas to increase resilience, available in English, Español, 简体中文, Kreyòl ayisyen, Tiếng Việt, Kriolu di Kabu Verdi. 
  • Visit the project webpage for the latest information and a fact sheet, available in English, Español, 简体中文, Kreyòl ayisyen, Tiếng Việt, Kriolu di Kabu Verdi
  • RSVP at tinyurl.com/BostonNHMPrsvp for our virtual public meeting on May 5th at 6:00 PM. Translation and interpretation are available at no cost in Español, 简体中文, Kreyòl ayisyen, Tiếng Việt, Kriolu di Kabu Verdi, but please contact us one week before the event to make arrangements in your preferred language (EngageOEM@boston.gov, LCA@boston.gov).
  • For emergency alerts, including cold-weather alerts, residents are encouraged to sign up for Alert Boston. 
Follow OEM on Twitter (@AlertBoston) and Facebook (City of Boston Office of Emergency Management), and the hashtags #ResilientBoston #BostonNHMP

The NHMP update is funded by the Federal Emergency Agency’s Hazard Mitigation Grant Program (HMGP), which provides technical and financial support for state, tribal, and local governments to reduce risk and the potential impact of future disasters. The NHMP update will maintain the City’s eligibility for FEMA grant funding to continue protecting Boston against natural hazards.
If you have any questions or would like to receive updates on this project, please contact EngageOEM@boston.gov.

波士頓市社區保存委員會撥款500萬元幫助首次購屋者

Mayor Kim Janey Announces the Community Preservation Committee Awarded $5 million to the ONE+Boston First Time Homebuyer Program

The new funding will increase homeownership rates in Boston’s neighborhoods

 

BOSTON - Friday, April 30, 2021 - Building on her commitment to equity and stable housing in Boston, Mayor Kim Janey today announced that the City's Community Preservation Committee (CPC) awarded $5 million, for inclusion in the FY’21 funding round of the Community Preservation Act (CPA) to the Boston Home Center’s ONE+Boston First-Time Homebuyer Program. The ONE+Boston program gives income-qualified, first-time Boston homebuyers a greater ability to purchase a home in Boston by combining a discount on a low-interest rate mortgage product with down payment/closing assistance. The ONE+Boston program includes the City’s first affordable mortgage product to be created specifically for low- and moderate-income first-time homebuyers who currently live in Boston. 

The vote on the Mayor's recommended slate of projects for Community Preservation Funding was approved by the Boston City Council on Wednesday, March 31st. This additional funding will create more homeownership opportunities for low- and middle-income families and families of color. The ONE+Boston program was created by a partnership between the City of Boston, the Massachusetts Housing Partnership (MHP), the Massachusetts Affordable Housing Alliance (MAHA), and several participating banks. 

“The ONE+Boston program creates opportunities to make the dream of owning a home a reality for many Boston residents,” said Mayor Janey. “I want to thank the Community Preservation Committee for their support to expand the ONE+Boston Homebuying Program for qualified first-time homebuyers. The ability for families to purchase a home for a lower rate will increase generational wealth and help address income disparity, thus creating pathways for equity and wealth building in our communities.”

The City of Boston funds generated from the Community Preservation Act will finance a permanent reduction in the interest rate of a 30-year fixed-rate mortgage and offer downpayment/closing cost assistance for income-eligible residents buying their first home within Boston. The interest-rate reduction means new homebuyers can afford a larger mortgage at a lower monthly payment that is still affordable to them, and ultimately, translates into more buying power for the new homebuyer. Five of the Boston Home Center’s Participating Lenders currently offer the Boston ONE+ Program: Boston Private Bank, Santander, Cambridge Trust, Citizens Bank, and the City of Boston Credit Union. 

“Thousands of Boston families, including mine, have benefited from the then Soft Second, now the ONE+ program, which was originally developed 30 years ago to address racial disparities in lending,” said Symone Crawford, Director of Homeownership Education for MAHA. “Today, we are excited to build on that program with Mayor Janey, MHP, and participating banks which will help Boston residents buy in Boston and will help us make progress in closing the racial homeownership gap." 

ONE+Boston was created to enhance the purchasing power of first-time homebuyers earning less than 100% of Area Median Income (AMI), or $95,200 for a two-person household. Homes purchased through this program may be market-rate, or income-restricted. 

“Thanks to the commitment of CPA funds, ONE+Boston will expand our ability to help moderate-income households and people of color,” said Elliot Schmiedl, MHP’s homeownership director. “We’re thrilled to partner with Mayor Janey and the Boston Home Center to help more people build wealth through homeownership in Boston.”

Since ONE+Boston was rolled out in June 2020, the Boston Home Center has received and processed more than 240 applications, and more than 70 Boston residents have successfully purchased new homes. Of these new homebuyers, more than 70% of those helped by the ONE+Mortgage Program are households of color, and 60% of the new homebuyers earned at or below 80% of AMI or $76,200 for a two-person household.

"As a first time home buyer nothing is more stressful than navigating the home buying process." said Gisell Bello, a resident of Roxbury buying a home in Hyde Park. "The ONE+ Program and the Boston Home Center gave me the support, knowledge, and funding to help me purchase a beautiful new home for my family in a neighborhood I love. I would not have been able to buy this home without this program and the help of Urban Edge throughout the buying process. My children and I are so happy with the outcome. I can't thank the Boston Home Center and Mayor Janey enough for their commitment to the ONE+ Program." 

The ONE+Boston program is one of several city resources available to first-time homebuyers in Boston. Through the Boston Home Center, the City’s one-stop-shop for homebuyers and homeowners, residents can receive assistance in purchasing, improving, and keeping their home through a suite of resources including training, financial help and counseling to first-time homebuyers, guidance, and funding for homeowners for home improvements, and counseling to help families avoid foreclosure. The Home Center also markets homes developed for income-eligible, first-time homebuyers. 

For more information about how to apply for the ONE+Boston program, go here.

About the Department of Neighborhood Development (DND)

The Department of Neighborhood Development is responsible for housing people experiencing homelessness, developing affordable housing, and ensuring that renters and homeowners can find, maintain, and stay in their homes. As part of the ongoing coronavirus response, the Office of Housing Stability is also conducting tenant’s rights workshops to educate residents about the eviction moratorium and their rights. The Boston Home Center continues to provide down payment assistance to first-time home buyers and home repairs for seniors and low-income residents. The Supportive Housing Division works with various partners around the city to rapidly house individuals who are experiencing homelessness. For more information, please visit the DND website.

About the Community Preservation Act (CPA)

After Boston voters adopted the CPA in November 2016, the City created a Community Preservation Fund. This fund is capitalized primarily by a one percent property tax-based surcharge on residential and business property tax bills that began in July 2017. The City uses this revenue to fund initiatives consistent with statewide CPA guidelines: affordable housing, historic preservation, and open space and public recreation. The funding of any project requires a recommendation from the Community Preservation Committee and appropriation by the City. For more information, please visit the Community Preservation webpage.