波士頓市要打造城市森林 廣邀非牟利組織加入「樹聯盟」

              (Boston Orange 編譯) 波士頓市和波士頓自然中心的麻州奧杜邦( Mass Audubon)12日聯袂宣佈，成立樹聯盟(Tree Alliance)，擴辦在私人土地上的植樹計畫。

波士頓市長吳弭 (Michelle Wu)是在麥特潘 (Mattapan) 佔地67英畝的麻州奧杜邦協會野生動物庇護所，出席微型森林植樹活動時宣佈，根據波士頓市第一份「城市森林計畫 (UFP)」所作建議，波市府將和非牟利機構合作，每年種樹，以在波士頓各社區增加樹蔭，改善宜居程度，促進公共健康。並將以環境正義社區為優先種植區域。

波士頓市的青年綠色工作項目將在波士頓自然中心種植200棵樹木及灌木，180株多年生植物。

目前波士頓的樹蔭，有60%來自私人控制的土地，波士頓市的新「城市森林組」將把重心放在公有土地上植樹。

波士頓市是在2022年公佈「城市森林計畫」，著手處理氣候變遷所帶來極端炎熱天氣的影響，去年9月，吳弭市長在波士頓公園及娛樂局 (BPRD) 內推出了新的「城市森林小組」，以擴大波士頓市維護現有樹木並重植新樹的能力，新聘了「城市森林」主任，3名樹藝師，1名行政助理，還正在招聘新的戶外勞務人員。市府和樹相關的工作人員數目也從5個增加到16個。

波士頓市的成立「樹聯盟」是參考其他城市的相類似項目，例如蒙特婁 (Montreal)的 L’Alliance Forêt Urbaine。

                              有意參加波士頓樹連謀的組織，可發電郵到BostonTreeAlliance@massaudubon.org，索取更多資訊。麻州奧杜邦也將在今年的夏末秋初舉辦資訊會，聘請一名聯盟協調員。查詢可上網massaudubon.org/jobs/community-engagement-coordinator-boston。

MAYOR WU ANNOUNCES NEW PROGRAM TO SUPPORT TREE CANOPY GROWTH AND MAINTENANCE ON PRIVATE LAND  The Tree Alliance will increase Boston’s urban tree canopy while advancing a long term investment in heat and climate resilience

 

BOSTON - Friday, May 12, 2023 - Today, Mayor Michelle Wu joined Mass Audubon at the Boston Nature Center to announce a new City program to expand tree planting and maintenance on private land. The City has selected Mass Audubon to design and operate a program to support tree canopy growth on private property in Boston. Mass Audubon will serve as the convener of the Tree Alliance, which will include a larger group of non-profits who will collaborate on an annual plan for tree planting, maintenance, and public education activities for  participating groups such as community centers, houses of worship, and non-profit organizations. The Tree Alliance will bolster Boston’s tree canopy to enhance livability and public health throughout Boston’s neighborhoods, with a particular focus on Environmental Justice communities. This program follows the recommendations of Boston’s first Urban Forest Plan (UFP), an assessment of Boston’s urban forest with suggestions to improve the way trees are cared for and ensure the urban forest is available to the entire community.   Mayor Wu made the announcement during a microforest planting event at the Boston Nature Center, a 67-acre wildlife refuge owned by the Massachusetts Audubon Society in Mattapan. The microforest will transform an unused parking area with a high-density planting to mitigate the urban heat island effect, support biodiversity, and buffer against flooding and erosion. Mass Audubon staff and volunteers, as well as a team of PowerCorpsBOS members, the City’s youth green jobs program, will plant 200 native trees and shrubs and an additional 180 perennial plants at the Boston Nature Center.  “Increasing the number of trees in Boston will enhance our neighborhoods’ livability, health and resilience benefiting both our climate and our residents,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “I’m grateful to our partners at Mass Audubon and Speak for the Trees for their support in bringing and maintaining trees on private land to complement the city’s efforts to have a robust density of trees on our streets, in our parks and across our city-owned properties.”   Boston’s urban forest includes all of the trees within City boundaries, a portion of which is located on public land, particularly on sidewalks and in public parks. Over 60% of the tree canopy in Boston is privately owned and controlled. The efforts through the City’s new Urban Forestry Division are designed to support trees on public land. In order to make an impact on the whole urban forest, the City’s efforts on public land must be matched by work on private land, requiring collaboration with landowners and other stakeholders. The Tree Alliance partnership will oversee the development and administration of a tree planting and maintenance program for trees on privately-owned land. Mass Audubon is charged with distributing resources to the program participants while developing a long-term tree planting and maintenance program. This collaboration will help to support growth of the urban forest in partnership with landowners and provide public education opportunities to build awareness around tree care and other topics.   “Having a healthy urban tree canopy is critically important to our environment and quality of life, as trees not only beautify our surroundings, but they also provide many environmental benefits,” said City Council President Ed Flynn. “I applaud the work that the City of Boston and the Tree Alliance will be doing to expand and protect our urban canopies, and I look forward to working with them.”  “I applaud the Administration for their deep commitment to growing and maintaining our City’s tree canopy,” said Councilor Kendra Lara, Chair of the Committee on Environmental Justice, Resiliency, and Parks. “The unified private, nonprofit, and government efforts show that all sectors are critical partners in our efforts toward a more resilient Boston.”  “Trees play a vital role in our communities and are necessary in combating the impacts of climate change,” said Councilor Ricardo Arroyo. “I applaud Mayor Michelle Wu for her leadership and all the stakeholders whose participation in the Tree Alliance will ensure Boston is a leader in access to, and protection of, trees.”  In 2022, the City released the Urban Forest Plan (UFP), to equitably chart the growth of Boston’s urban forest and the Heat Plan to address the impacts of extreme heat driven by climate change. Together, these plans provide an approach to build a safe, healthy, and resilient city for all residents. Maintaining and planting trees in alignment with the UFP is one strategy to support the long-term health and safety of residents, particularly in Boston's Environmental Justice neighborhoods. The data produced by the Heat Plan and the UFP provide a foundation for where tree planting and maintenance efforts are needed to equitably expand tree canopy and address the long-term impacts of extreme heat. To grow a strong urban forest, partnership and coordination across the public agencies, community groups, and private organizations who steward urban trees is critical.  “Boston’s history of disinvestment and redlining has led to inequitable access to trees,” said Reverend Mariama White-Hammond, Chief of Environment, Energy and Open Space. “Trees are a crucial component of Boston’s work to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change. I am thrilled that the Tree Alliance will support our goals of creating healthy, resilient and beautiful communities.”   Last September, Mayor Wu launched a new Urban Forestry Division within the Boston Parks and Recreation Department (BPRD) to expand Boston’s ability to maintain existing and plant new trees. The Forestry Division has since hired a Director of Urban Forestry, three new Arborists, an Administrative Assistant, and is still in the process of hiring new field labor crews. The City of Boston’s tree related workforce has expanded from five to 16 positions.   The concept for a tree planting and maintenance program was inspired by similar programs in other cities, namely L’Alliance Forêt Urbaine in Montreal. In this model, the municipality developed an official contractual relationship with one organization, which serves as the central convener for the L’Alliance and Fiscal Agent to distribute public funding for planting and maintenance projects. Together, the Alliance created a governance structure to allow organizations of all capacities to participate in decision-making and access public funding resources for projects. The L’Alliance works together to create and coordinate tree planting and maintenance efforts. Public funds, issued as grants, are provided to collaborating partners within the L’Alliance for projects, working in coordination with private property owners. The Tree Alliance in Boston will have a strong focus on the needs of Boston’s communities that are most vulnerable to the impacts of climate change.  “We applaud Mayor Wu’s Tree Alliance initiative to enhance Boston’s tree canopy so that City residents—particularly those living in environmental justice communities—can experience more of the health and climate benefits trees provide,” said David O’Neill, President of Mass Audubon. “Mass Audubon is honored to support the alliance of nonprofits that will work collaboratively with private landowners willing to plant trees on their properties to provide more equitable access to nature, improve human health and wildlife diversity, and battle climate change.”  Organizations that are interested in participating in Boston’s Tree Alliance should contact BostonTreeAlliance@massaudubon.org for more information. Additionally, Mass Audubon will be hosting an informational kick-off meeting in late summer/early fall. Mass Audubon will be hiring an Alliance Coordinator to support programming and implementation. To learn more about this position, visit massaudubon.org/jobs/community-engagement-coordinator-boston.   The Tree Alliance is a key strategy to expand and preserve Boston’s tree canopy. Boston’s Healthy Places Initiative focused on increasing open space, cooling our neighborhoods, and protecting Bostonians from the impacts of climate change. Healthy Places is a collaboration of three City plans including the Urban Forest Plan, Heat Resilience Solutions for Boston, and the seven year update to the City’s Open Space and Recreation Plan.

華埠男子涉嫌未報備就當中國政府代理人 2萬5千元交保

梁利堂與朋友在華府中領館門前。 (起訴書中圖片)

            (Boston Orange 綜合編譯) 波士頓華埠男子梁利堂 (Li Tang Liang) 涉嫌未通報美國政府，充當中國政府代理人一案，週四 (11日) 庭訊後，交出護照，以2萬5000元保釋。預定7月6日再次出庭。

              法院判他須戴電子監視器，不得離開麻州，不得和任何中國政府人員或任何大波士頓中國和平統一促進會(New England Alliance for the Peaceful Unification of China) 成員接觸。

              起訴書稱梁利堂從2018年起至2022年間，為中國政府蒐集資料，組織遊行來對抗美國境內異議份子的支持民主活動，還給了中國公安部一份可招募人員名單。

              期間他和不同層級的中國政府官員，以及中共中央統一戰線工作部 ( United Front Work Department) 用電話，短信，以及微信等多種方式聯繫。

              起訴書稱梁利堂在2018年開始作為中國政府代理人，但依法，從事這樣的工作必須向美國總檢察官辦公室報備。

              2019年1月，梁利堂與人聯合創辦了大波士頓中國和平統一促進會，支持中國，並反對台灣獨立。起訴書稱他至少在直到2021年之前，都擔任該組織的副會長。在麻州州務卿辦公室的組織年報中，並沒有梁利堂的名字。但在該組織於2019年創辦時呈報的組織章程，梁利堂列名副主席。

              根據麻州州務卿辦公室2022年更新的社團組織登記資料，大波士頓中國和平統一促進會的會長是Wan Chu Wu，財政是Rick Wong，資深顧問有 Michael Wong，Robert Timkwong Leung，書記是 Hong Liu，顧問有 Wingkay Leung，Gilbert Ho。Gilbert Ho還同時具有董事身分。

              5月9日時，梁利堂以作為外國政府代理人，卻未向美國總檢察長報備的罪名被逮捕。他對2項控罪都辯稱無罪，法院判他以2萬5000元交保。

              美國聯邦地方法院法官Jennifer C. Boal還裁定，梁利堂必須交出護照，戴上電子監視器，不准離開麻州，也不准和中國政府，或者大波士頓中國和平統一促進會的任何人接觸，7月6日再次出庭。

                根據司法部門資訊，若梁利堂罪名確鑿，他可能面對的刑罰包括最高入獄10年，釋放中監管 3 年，罰款25萬元等。 (更新版)

 (更新版)

麻州教育廳廳長 Tutwlier 到訪昆士中學 送上咖啡甜圈感謝教師

昆士中學校長張可仁(左起) 接待到訪的波士頓公校總監Mary Skipper，
麻州教育廳廳長Patrick Tutwiler。 (周菊子攝)

               (Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓綜合報導) 麻州新任教育廳廳長Patrick Tutwiler 上任以來陸續拜訪麻州各地公校，5月10日第一次踏進波士頓，選擇了拜訪昆士高中 (JQUS)，帶去咖啡、甜甜圈，向老師們表達感謝之意。

              麻州有114所大專院校，約481,945名大專院校學生，另有5537所幼稚園到12年級的學校，其中小學2344所，中學1163所，高中786所，共約910,725名學生。

麻州教育廳廳長Patrick Tutwiler (右) 說要聽湯美華的看法。 (周菊子攝)

              麻州教育廳表示，5月2日的「感謝教師日 (Teacher Appreciation Day)」雖然已經過去，但今年的「感謝教師週 (Teacher Appreciation Week)」落在5月8日至12日，所以教育廳廳長Patrick Tutwiler繼5月8日到Northampton的Bridge 街小學參訪，聽當地政客爭取教育經費的聲音後，5月10日參訪城區學校，來到波士頓市125所中小學中的昆士中學，和波士頓公校總監Mary Skipper，昆士中學校長張可仁 (Richard Chang) ，以及昆士高中的一些老師、學生見面晤談，還聽學生即席朗誦了一首為感謝教師週作的詩。

              Patrick Tutwiler聽到校內老師稱讚已退休，最近每週回校一日的湯美華是該校最受歡迎的行政人員後，笑說那一定要聽聽她有些什麼看法。

昆士中學護士藤蓉蓉 (中) 在家長們力挺下，得以留任。 (周菊子攝)

              有博士學位，之前擔任Lynn學區公校總監的Patrick Tutwiler，今年4月自己獲頒

刻正施工中的昆士中學。 (周菊子攝)

LEAP 教育機構頒給傑出領袖獎，5月4日時，則是他在麻州STEM週中，把STEM年度老師獎頒給Monomoy 區域中學老師Nancy Gifford。

              對昆士中學師生來說，據稱將在麻州所有中學高度排名第一的新校舍即將於2024年夏天竣工，固然令人期待，但該校最近經歷的一次「護士風暴」，卻讓學校行政人員驚呼，人民聲音的力量的確大。該校行政人員透露，麻州政府教育單位做學校架構調整時，把該校原有2名護士的配置，減為1名，學校方面反應多次，都如石沉大海，但召開家長會，有90多名家長出席，齊聲要求保留，終於讓該校維持了有1名會講西班牙文，1名會講中文的護士。

              根據維基百科，世界各國幾乎都有感謝教師的節日，但各國日期不同。美國是5月2日，另外還有5月第一個完整星期的感謝週。在台灣，教師節是9月28日，在中國，則是9月10日。不過，2013年時，中國已經有人提議把教師節改到孔子誕辰紀念日，和台灣一樣的9月28日，2021年，也有中國政協委員再次提案。

美國總統拜登競選連任 找麻州長Healey、聯邦參議員 Warren 當助選大將

麻州州長Maura Healey (右)和聯邦參議員Elizabeth Warren。
(檔案照片，周菊子攝)

          (Boston Orange 編譯) 美國總統拜登 (Joe Biden) 已正式宣佈將競選2024連任，並邀50名民選官員或民代加入全國顧問委員會，做他在美國各地競選活動的超級替身。麻州州長奚莉 (Maura Healey)和聯邦參議員沃倫 (Elizabeth Warren)側身其中。

                         儘管聯邦參議員沃倫 (Elizabeth Warren)在2020年時，是拜登選總統時的競爭對手，但顯然拜登不記前嫌。

          這50人的全國顧問委員會將由聯邦眾議院前議長Nancy Pelosi擔任主席，其餘諸人，全是美國各地的市長，參議員、州長或國會議員。他們將承擔募款，接受媒體訪問，動用個人的人際關係來召集選民支持拜登的任務。

          奚莉州長在一份聲明中表示，她很榮幸，被選入這個委員會。

                 “我承諾將竭盡可能的幫助拜登總統和哈里斯副總統當選連任，以期我們能夠繼續捍衛民主，保護生育自由，以及在麻州和全美促進經濟成長的基本工作” 。

          在民主黨內部，有些人對拜登總統跨入八十歲的年紀和健康，以及競選連任的前景，都有擔憂。

          競選發言人Kevin Munoz在聲明中說，民主黨很幸運，有一群充滿熱情，逼人注目，令人難以置信的領袖，都團結進了拜登-哈里斯2024競選團隊，要幫助這場選舉戰勝「讓美國再次偉大 (MAGA)」的那些極端分子，幫助拜登總統完成他為美國人做的事。

                      將為拜登總統助選的這50人全國顧問委員會，在麻州州長奚莉和2024年自己也將競選第3度連任的聯邦參議員沃倫 (Elizabeth Warren)之外，還有2人是當年拜登總統參選總統時的初選對手，包括新澤西州參議員Cory Brooker，明尼蘇達州參議員Amy Klobuchar，還有很成功的募款者如喬治亞參議員Raphael Warnock ，新澤西州州長Phil Murphy，正在崛起的馬里蘭州州長 Wes Moore，賓州州長Josh Shapiro，佛羅里達州眾議員Maxwell Frost等人。

                 根據拜登競選團隊的說法，這全國顧問委員會的名單將繼續擴大。

波士頓市議會議長Ed Flynn 要認可五月為亞裔及猶太人傳統月

 Council President Flynn Files Resolution Recognizing May As Asian American Pacific Islander (AAPI) Heritage Month

BOSTON - Boston City Council President Flynn has filed a resolution to recognize May as Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month. This will be presented at the Boston City Council Meeting on Wednesday, May 10th and will be co-sponsored by Councilor At-Large Erin Murphy and Councilor At-Large Ruthzee Louijeune. 

“I wish to celebrate our AAPI community during Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage month. The history of our country has not always treated the AAPI community kindly despite their hard work and contributions,” said Council President Flynn. “Chinese immigrants were essential in the building of the transcontinental railroad and an important voice in our community today, and Japanese, Korean, Vietnam and Filipino immigrants were and remain an important workforce in States such as Hawaii and California.”

The Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community has made great contributions to the City of Boston and the United States. According to the 2021 Census, 9.8% of Boston’s population and 7.2 % of the Massachusetts population identify as Asian American. Unfortunately, due to the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a significant increase of racist incidents and hate crimes against AAPI residents, including reports of physical and verbal assaults against our AAPI neighbors and elders. 

“We must come together to support our AAPI residents, especially during this time when our AAPI residents are maliciously targeted because of COVID-19. They are part of our society and help move our city forward as our neighbors, nurses, teachers, business owners, policymakers, military members, and many more. We celebrate and recognize our AAPI and immigrant communities for their achievements and contributions that enrich our city and nation’s cultural heritage.”

For more information, please contact Council President Flynn’s office at 617-635-3203 and Ed.Flynn@Boston.gov.  

Council President Flynn Files Resolution Recognizing May As Jewish American Heritage Month

BOSTON - Boston City Council President Flynn has filed a resolution to recognize May as Jewish American Heritage Month. This will be presented at the Boston City Council Meeting on Wednesday, May 10th, and will be co-sponsored by Councilor Gabriela Coletta. In Massachusetts, Jewish American residents make up 4.3% of the population, and in the Boston and the Greater Boston area, they comprise 8% of the population.

“Jewish Americans have had a long history in the United States and they continue to be an integral and indispensable part of our city and country,” said Council president Flynn. “For over three and a half centuries, they have made enormous contributions to our country and are our teachers, small businesses owners, healthcare and medical professionals, policy makers, among others. Their culture and heritage make our country’s multi-cultural fabric stronger, and I am proud to recognize and celebrate them for their sacrifices and hard work,” said Council President Flynn. 

In spite of their contributions to our nation, there has been an alarming rise in antisemitism, neo-nazism, white nationalism and hate crimes across our city and country. In recent years, neo-nazi and white nationalist groups have marched in Downtown Boston and demonstrated outside of LGBTQ+ events in Jamaica Plain and the South Boston Waterfront. A Rabbi was also stabbed in 2021 by an antisemitic individual in Brighton. Nationally, there have been high profile figures, including celebrities, professional athletes, and elected officials who have made antisemitic remarks on social media platforms and attended events with neonazis. 

“It is critical that we continue to stand with our Jewish neighbors now, and always, and condemn the acts of antisemitism that we see in our city and country. We must continue to recognize the contributions of our Jewish community, lend our support, and show up for them,” said Council President Flynn. 

For more information, please contact Council President Flynn’s office at 617-635-3203 and Ed.Flynn@Boston.gov. 

麻州民主黨發聲明 指控共和黨挾持美國經濟

             (Boston Orange 編譯) 麻州民主黨今 (9) 日發出聲明，稱支持川普的共和黨議員把美國經濟當成人質，威脅要刪減支持美國持續運轉的那些重要工作及系統的開銷經費，還要推動為億萬富翁及企業利益減稅。

刪減經費對象包括麻州教師、退伍軍人和執法人員。

該聲明稱共和黨的極端議程與拜登總統的計劃形成鮮明對比，拜登計劃將促進經濟增長，10年內減少近3萬億美元的赤字，並為麻州居民創造機會，同時在大型製藥和大型石油方面削減浪費性支出。

麻州民主黨主席Steve Kerrigan表示：“當拜登總統和麻州民主黨人正在努力加強經濟，幫助全州的勞動人民向前邁進時，那些呼籲「讓美國再次偉大 (MAGA)」的共和黨議員正挾持我們的經濟，照顧億萬富翁和企業利益。正如總統所說，美國從未拖欠過債務 – 麻州共和黨人應該撇開他們的黨派政治遊戲，加入拜登總統行動的行列，迅速採取行動以避免違约。”

「讓美國再次偉大 (MAGA)」的共和黨極端分子不尋找共識，卻提出了以下計畫:

削減6萬名教師，傷害高達2,500萬名兒童；

削減3000萬名退伍軍人的健康訪問次數，並將殘疾索賠積壓增加到13萬；

廢除2,000名邊境特工，可能允許多900磅芬太尼進入美國；

威脅近2100萬美國人的醫保；

讓億萬富翁更容易在稅收方面做弊。

MAGA Republicans’ Default on America Plan Would Devastate Massachusetts

BOSTON - MAGA House Republicans are threatening to hold the American economy hostage to cut spending for vital jobs and systems that keep America moving, including funding for Massachusetts teachers, veterans, and law enforcement – while also pushing tax cuts for billionaires and corporate interests. The GOP’s extreme agenda stands in stark contrast to President Biden’s plan that would grow the economy, cut the deficit by nearly $3 trillion over 10 years, and create opportunities for Massachusetts residents while cutting wasteful spending on big pharma and big oil.

“While President Biden and Massachusetts Democrats are fighting to strengthen the economy and help working people across the Commonwealth get ahead, MAGA Republicans are holding our economy hostage to look out for billionaires and corporate interests. As the president has said, America has never failed to pay our bills – Massachusetts Republicans should put their partisan gamesmanship aside and join President Biden in acting quickly to avoid a default,” said Steve Kerrigan, Chair of the Massachusetts Democratic Party.

Instead of finding common ground, MAGA extremists are proposing a plan that could:

• Cut 60,000 teachers, hurting up to 25 million kids;

• Cut 30 million veterans health visits and increases the disability claims backlog by 130,000; 

• Eliminate 2,000 border agents which could allow 900 more pounds of fentanyl into the country;

• Threaten health care for nearly 21 million Americans;

• Make it easier for billionaires to cheat on their taxes