麻州長Healey簽署補充預算 撥款2000萬元濟助農民

Governor Healey Signs Supplemental Budget Delivering $20 Million in Farm Relief 

BOSTON – Governor Maura T. Healey signed a supplemental budget that makes $20 million available to support Massachusetts farms that have been impacted by severe weather in 2023. The fund will be administered by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources and the Executive Office of Administration and Finance. The administration is working to stand up a grant program to get relief out as soon as possible. 

“In the days following the heavy rainfall and severe flooding the devastated so many Massachusetts farms, the Lieutenant Governor and I went directly to the farmers and promised them that we would get them relief,” said Governor Healey. “Just weeks later, we are proud to have delivered on that promise on multiple fronts – securing $20 million in state aid, supporting a philanthropic relief fund and receiving a federal natural disaster designation. I am grateful to the Senate President, Speaker and legislative leadership for prioritizing and providing this relief. Team Massachusetts has come together in a big way to support our farmers, and I am deeply grateful for the partnership of agencies across our administration, the State Legislature, the federal delegation, the Biden Administration and the philanthropic community.” 

“We are so inspired by the resilience of our farming community, and we’re proud to be able to support them just as they support Massachusetts families and our economy,” said Lieutenant Governor Driscoll. “This relief will be critical for helping farmers get back on their feet and make up for the losses they’ve endured during this tough season.” 

“I’ve spent the past several weeks out in the field, connecting with farmers and identifying ways we can support them,” said MDAR Commissioner Ashley Randle. “As a fifth-generation dairy farmer myself, I understand how devastating this year has been for our famers, but I also know that they are strong in the face of adversity. Our farmers should know that our administration and the Legislature have their backs. I’m incredibly grateful to the Legislature for delivering such fast relief and empowering the Department of Agricultural Resources to assist the farming community.” 

“This year’s weather has been nothing short of catastrophic for our Commonwealth’s farmers, wiping away a season’s worth of labor and revenue in a matter of days. Regardless of the district we represent or the community we live in, in the Senate we pride ourselves in coming together when a community needs it most, and we were proud to do so in this case by proposing $20 million in relief funding,” said Senate President Karen E. Spilka (D-Ashland). “My sincere thanks to the Healey-Driscoll Administration for signing this initiative into law, to Senator Comerford for her unwavering advocacy, and to Senate members, Speaker Mariano, and our colleagues in the House for coming together to deliver this relief.” 

“The funding that this supplemental budget provides for farms in the wake of severe, devastating weather not only ensures that they can endure, it also protects the services that farmers provide for Massachusetts families, along with the vital role that they play in the Commonwealth’s economy,” said House Speaker Ronald J. Mariano (D-Quincy). “I want to thank the Healey Administration, Chairman Michlewitz and my colleagues in the House, as well as Senate President Spilka and our partners in the Senate, for prioritizing this critical support.” 

"I am tremendously grateful that the Legislature is coming to the aid of our farmers in strong partnership with the Healey-Driscoll Administration,” said Senator Jo Comerford (D-Northampton), Assistant Vice Chair of the Senate Committee on Ways and Means and Acting Chair of the Joint Committee on Agriculture. “The $20 million in the fiscal year 2023 supplemental budget will support farmers who have experienced massive hardships and losses, from extreme flooding earlier this month to the frosts and freezes earlier this year. Thank you to Senate President Karen Spilka and Chair Michael Rodrigues for their unwavering commitment to farms and farmers, both in the short and long term. Thank you to Representative Natalie Blais for your lasting partnership on behalf of our region. This unprecedented funding, coupled with the Farm Resiliency Fund stood up by the Administration, will be out the door in record time thanks to the Legislature's quick work and the leadership of the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources." 

“In recent weeks, we have stood alongside farmers in their fields to better understand their losses and to identify what assistance would be most helpful. I am proud to serve in a legislative body that is committed to supporting our Commonwealth’s farmers when they need us most,” said Natalie M. Blais (D-Deerfield), Vice Chair of the Joint Committee on Agriculture. “The swift response of the Healey-Driscoll Administration, Speaker Ronald Mariano and Chair Aaron Michlewitz has been nothing short of extraordinary and I am grateful for the partnership of Senator Jo Comerford in supporting our constituents.”  

“This is amazing! We were literally trying to figure out how to deal with this. We thank the Governor and the Legislature and appreciate that they are thinking of the farmers—all farmers,” said Maria Moreira of World Farmers. “This is going to affect people’s lives for a long time. It’s about agriculture. We really need the support. This shows that we are not invisible. We are here.” 

Earlier this month, the Healey-Driscoll Administration and the United Way of Central Massachusetts (UWCM) announced the Massachusetts Farm Resiliency Fund. The fund is a partnership between philanthropic organizations and private foundations intended to support Western and Central Mass farms impacted by recent flooding and strengthen farm resiliency in the long term. More information about the fund can be found here and at unitedwaycm.org/farmfund. 

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) has designated seven Massachusetts counties as primary natural disaster areas due to losses caused by excessive rain and flooding from July 9 through July 16, 2023. The disaster declaration allows farms to apply for low-interest loans and refinance existing loans, effective immediately. In addition, farms can utilize the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP), which is a cost-sharing program for debris and clean-up costs as they relate to natural disasters such as the flood and recent rain events. The seven counties are Berkshire, Bristol, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Norfolk and Worcester. Contiguous counties are also eligible. More information for farmers can be found here. 

The supplemental budget signed by Governor Healey also included $180 million for financially-strained hospitals and extends authorization for racing and simulcasting until December 15, 2025. 

 

高地街基金會贊助 八月每天一家博物館免費參觀

 (Boston Orange) 高地街基金會 (Highland Street Foundation) 的”八月冒險 (August Adventures)”項目，將讓人們在8月份中，每天一家的免費參觀博物館或教育組織。

這”八月冒險”項目的亮點包括， 8 月 7 日(週一) 免費進入 PEM (琵琶地博物館)； 8 月 8 日(週二)，伊普斯威奇(Ipswich)城堡山 (Castle Hill)； 8 月 23 日(週三)，大西洋白鯊保護協會 (Atlantic White Shark Conservancy)； 8 月 26 日(週六)，波士頓交響樂團(BSO) 的 探戈塢(Tanglewood)； 以及 8 月 31 日(週四)愛國者隊(Patriots)名人堂。

高地街基金會於 1989 年由McGrath 家族創立，是一家私人家庭基金會，致力於滿足麻州兒童和家庭的需求，提供教育、住房、醫療保健、環境和藝術機會。

有些組織需要事先登記，所以出發前最好先到要前往的博物館或組織的官網上查看一下。

以下為八月份的每一天開放免費參觀的博物館或組織:

Aug. 1: Children’s Museum of Greater Fall River
Aug. 2: New Bedford Whaling Museum
Aug. 3: Rose Kennedy Greenway Carousel
Aug. 4: Lynn Museum
Aug. 5: Falmouth Museums on the Green
Aug. 6: Battleship Cove
Aug. 7: Peabody Essex Museum
Aug. 8: Castle Hill on the Crane Estate
Aug. 9: Historic Deerfield
Aug. 10: Willard House & Clock Museum
Aug. 11: The Innovation Trail – 10 AM Tour [Full to capacity]
              The Innovation Trail – 2 PM Tour [Full to capacity]
Aug. 12: Mass Audubon’s Drumlin Farm
Aug. 13: Otis House
Aug. 14: Easton Children’s Museum
Aug. 15: Larz Anderson Auto Museum
Aug. 16: Fruitlands Museum
Aug. 17: Children’s Museum at Holyoke
Aug. 18: Jacobs Pillow
              Peformance Registration
Aug. 19: Samuel Slater Experience
Aug. 20: Amelia Park Children’s Museum
Aug. 21: Berkshire Museum
Aug. 22: Revolutionary Spaces
Aug. 23: Atlantic White Shark Conservancy Chatham
Aug. 24: Buttonwood Park Zoo
Aug. 25: Cape Cod Museum of Art
Aug. 26: BSO Tanglewood
Aug. 27: Spellman Stamp Museum
Aug. 28: The Zoo in Forest Park and Education Center
Aug. 29: Freedom Trail Foundation (Promo Code: August Adventures)
Aug. 30: Old Manse
Aug. 31: Patriots Hall of Fame

波士頓市長吳弭為非洲裔美國退伍軍人Gourdin將軍紀念公園啟用剪綵

MAYOR WU CUTS RIBBON ON GENERAL EDWARD O. GOURDIN AFRICAN AMERICAN VETERANS MEMORIAL PARK

BOSTON - Tuesday, August 1, 2023 - Today, Mayor Michelle Wu, Boston’s Chief of Environment, Energy, and Open Space Rev. Mariama White-Hammond, Boston Parks Commissioner Ryan Woods, Mayor's Office of Veterans Services Commissioner Robert Santiago, Boston’s Chief of Arts and Culture Kara Elliott-Ortega, Boston City Council President Ed Flynn, and representatives of the Veterans and Friends of Gourdin Memorial Park Committee unveiled $2.1 million in improvements to the General Edward O. Gourdin African American Veterans Memorial Park. The Roxbury park’s improvements honor Brigadier General Gourdin and all Boston’s Black war veterans, and are a result of community support and work by local artists.  “General Gourdin was a trailblazer in every aspect of his life - in his military service, in athletics, and in our judicial system,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “Thanks to the efforts of our local artists and community organizations, General Gourdin’s contributions and those of all of our country’s Black veterans are forever memorialized for future generations of visitors to this park.”  While at Harvard, Edward Orval "Ned" Gourdin joined the Student Training Corps, and in 1925 enlisted in the National Guard. In 1941, he entered World War II where he was assigned to the 372nd Infantry Regiment, a segregated unit, and served as its commanding officer both in the United States and abroad. He rose to the rank of colonel, serving until 1947. After his discharge, Gourdin rejoined the National Guard and served until 1959 in the 272nd Field Artillery Battalion. He retired having earned the rank of Brigadier General, the first Black soldier to earn this rank in Massachusetts.   “This year marks the 75th anniversary of the racial integration of the U.S. Armed Forces, and it is very fitting that we celebrate and recognize the enormous contributions and sacrifices of General Edward O. Gourdin and our Black veterans with the opening of this park,” said Council President Ed Flynn. “General Gourdin was an exceptional individual who served our city and country honorably in a military, sports, and judicial capacity. I wish to thank all those involved for bringing this park to fruition, and to honor our Black veterans who have built a legacy of courage, respect, and distinction.” Gourdin studied law at Harvard University, was the first man in history to long jump 25 feet, and the first Black olympian to win a silver medal in the Olympics in that event. He was the first Black person to be appointed a Massachusetts Superior Court judge serving on the Court from 1958 until his death in 1966. The many achievements of General Gourdin, as well as the important contributions of all Black military service members in Massachusetts, are now celebrated on the granite entry marker to the park. The park will serve as a place of honor for Black veterans and a place to remember, acknowledge, and educate all Bostonians about this important history. “For generations, Black veterans have fought for this country, even when it did not always love them back,” said Chief of Environment, Energy, and Open Space Rev. Mariama White-Hammond. “Because of the efforts of the veterans and community partners who have come here today to celebrate General Gourdin’s legacy, we now have this memorial park honoring Black service members of the past, present, and future.” "The General Edward O. Gourdin African American Memorial park is a symbol of one man's heroism and impact to his community; and represents the countless unsung heroes who served their country with distinction,” said Veterans Services Commissioner Robert Santiago. “Their stories deserve to be heard, celebrated, and never forgotten.” “This community-initiated public art project plays a major role in celebrating the contributions and achievements of African American veterans, who have been historically underrepresented in Boston’s public monuments,” said Chief of Arts & Culture Kara Elliott-Ortega. “The artworks commemorating General Gourdin and African American veterans are the result of a collaboration between artists Karen Eutemey and Fern Cunningham-Terry, whose lasting legacies in Boston include an enormous impact on the city's public art and representation of Black history and culture.” Located in the heart of Nubian Square, General Edward O. Gourdin African American Veterans Memorial Park is now home to a memorial plaza dedicated to Black veterans of Massachusetts. The 18,000-square-foot triangular parcel is bordered by Washington Street, Malcolm X Boulevard, and Shawmut Avenue. The project is the result of the steadfast, multi-year efforts of the Veterans and Friends of Gourdin Memorial Park Committee. "For far too long, the contributions of Black veterans have gone unrecognized,” said Haywood Fennell, board president of the Veterans and Friends of Gourdin Memorial Park Committee and a Vietnam Veteran. “His memorial stands as a testament to their courage, sacrifice, and unwavering dedication to this nation." The total project budget of $2,095,000 includes paving, trees, lawn, a granite seat wall, 10 bas reliefs on granite bases, a granite entry marker with interpretive signs, the central bronze Gourdin figure, benches, a flagpole, lighting, and general utilities. The late Boston artist Fern Cunningham-Terry created the figurative bronze sculpture of Brigadier General Gourdin as one of her final works in an illustrious career that produced many noted pieces including “Step on Board” in the South End’s Harriet Tubman Park.  The memorial artwork consists of the Gourdin statue and 10 bronze bas relief sculptures sculpted by artist Karen Eutemey representing Black soldiers across ten different conflicts. Complementing the memorial is an interpretive entry marker, all set within a commemorative plaza designed by Martha Lyon Landscape Architecture.  The artwork design and construction was funded with grants of $440,000 from the Edward Ingersoll Browne Fund, $150,000 in capital funds through the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture, and $50,000 from the MA Department of Veterans Services and approved by the Boston Art Commission.  “Thanks to the accomplishments of General Gourdin and the artwork of Fern Cunningham-Terry and Karen Eutemey we have a fitting memorial that adds an important chapter to our city’s history,” said Boston Parks Commissioner Ryan Woods. “We appreciated the opportunity to work with our veterans and the Roxbury community to create a monument to the sacrifices that our Black veterans have made for our nation.”

波士頓計畫發展局和交通局今日聯袂宣佈推出Fenway交通行動計劃

Boston Planning & Development Agency and Boston Transportation Department launch the Fenway Transportation Action Plan Staff will host a series of “Chat with a Planner” engagement events as planning and design effort begins

BOSTON - Tuesday, August 1, 2023 -  The Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) and the Boston Transportation Department (BTD) today announced the launch of the Fenway Transportation Action Plan (FTAP). The Action Plan is a holistic planning and design initiative to guide changes to Fenway streets and public realm through 2030. The Action Plan will prepare preferred design concepts for the reimagining of Kenmore Square, Brookline Avenue, and the Van Ness Street / Ipswich Street corridor. First, it will analyze existing transportation needs alongside City and State plans and projects in the Fenway area. This analysis will also help inform the review of development proposals in the Fenway. The goals of the Action Plan will be to expand walking, biking, and transit networks in the neighborhood that are safe, reliable, and connected; ensure Fenway remains a welcoming urban neighborhood for all people; and ensure it is resilient to climate change.  The Fenway neighborhood has grown significantly in recent years. More than 10 million square feet of development in the area is under review, permitted, or under construction. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority’s Bus Network Redesign proposes more high-frequency bus service in and around Fenway, and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation is planning changes to the Bowker Overpass and Storrow Drive ramps. BTD is currently implementing or has completed improvements along Boylston Street, the Fenway Multiuse Path, and at Audubon Circle. In addition to these proposed changes, City and State transportation guidelines, policies, and plans have evolved since the 2009 Fenway-Longwood-Kenmore Transportation and Pedestrian Action Plan, including the citywide transportation plan, Go Boston 2030, and the Boston Complete Streets Design Guidelines.  This summer, BPDA and BTD staff are kicking off online and in-person engagement for the Action Plan. Today, the BPDA and BTD launched an online survey to help understand the current perspectives, needs, and aspirations of users of the Fenway transportation network. This brief survey is available in English, Simplified Chinese, Traditional Chinese, and Spanish, and will be available through September. Additional online surveys will be published throughout the Action Plan process. Staff will be available through August and September in and around the Fenway neighborhood for informal, in-person conversations at “Chat with a Planner” events. All thirteen events will highlight the same information and provide identical opportunities to speak with BPDA and BTD staff directly. The first of these scheduled events will occur on August 2 at the intersection of Park Drive, Boylston Street, and Brookline Avenue. Please check the Action Plan website for locations, dates, and times of all thirteen events. In addition to these conversations, staff are engaging with neighborhood and advocacy organizations, medical, educational, and arts/culture institutions through small-group conversations. These discussions are taking place early in the planning process to learn more about interests, concerns, and ways to engage with a broad and diverse set of organizations. Information learned from all engagement activities will help inform the Action Plan’s multimodal vision, eventual recommendations, and conceptual street improvement designs. These activities are just the start of the engagement process. Successful engagement builds on past processes, employs diverse tactics, and focuses on strategic feasibility.  BPDA and BTD staff plan to share the results of this first round of engagement later this fall, alongside draft findings from initial planning and analysis work. Staff anticipate planning and analysis to continue into 2024, with street design also starting in 2024.

麻州州長Healey和國會議員聯袂宣佈麻州7郡為農業部天災區

 Governor Healey, Members of Congress Highlight USDA’s Disaster Declaration for Seven Massachusetts Counties 

BOSTON – Governor Maura T. Healey, Senator Elizabeth Warren, Senator Ed Markey, Congressman Richard Neal, and Congressman Jim McGovern are raising awareness of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)’s designation of seven Massachusetts counties as primary natural disaster areas due to losses caused by excessive rain and flooding from July 9 through July 16, 2023.  

The disaster declaration allows farms to apply for low-interest loans and refinance existing loans, effective immediately. In addition, farms can utilize the Emergency Conservation Program (ECP), which is a cost-sharing program for debris and clean-up costs as they relate to natural disasters such as the flood and recent rain events.

 

The seven Massachusetts counties designated as primary natural disaster areas are Berkshire, Bristol, Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire, Norfolk and Worcester. Contiguous counties are also eligible, including Dukes, Middlesex, Plymouth and Suffolk. Contiguous counties in other states include Hartford, Litchfield, Tolland and Windham in Connecticut; Cheshire and Hillsborough in New Hampshire; Columbia, Dutchess and Rensselaer in New York; Bristol, Newport and Provide in Rhode Island; and Bennington and Windham in Vermont. 

More information for farmers can be found here. 

“Massachusetts farmers should know that their government has their backs. We’re grateful to Secretary Vilsack and the Biden Administration for expanding options for farms to get help after so many of them were devastated by heavy rain and flooding this month,” said Governor Healey. “Our administration is committed to using every option to deliver relief to farmers, including state aid, the launch of the Massachusetts Farm Resiliency Fund, and additional efforts to secure federal assistance for municipalities and farms." 

“We estimate that 110 farms and 2,700 acres have been impacted by recent severe weather, with $15 million in losses – and we expect those numbers to continue to grow,” said Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources Commissioner Ashley Randle. “We're grateful to the Biden Administration for issuing this designation that provides more opportunities for farmers to receive assistance as they rebuild from this devastation. Our administration continues to be on the ground meeting with farmers and supporting in any way we can.” 

“This USDA disaster declaration means immediate federal support for Western Massachusetts farmers ravaged by recent flooding, but we must do much more to invest in rural communities,” said Senator Warren. “Unlocking this federal funding will make a difference in farmer's monthly bills through refinancing options at lower interest rates, and I'll keep fighting hard for family farmers to thrive as an integral part of the state's rural economy. I commend Governor Healey for her leadership, my Massachusetts colleagues in Congress for their support, and the Biden-Harris administration for its vital partnership." 

“I applaud USDA for heeding our call and providing communities across Western and Central Massachusetts the opportunity to access emergency funds in the wake of historic floods,” said Senator Markey. “This declaration will unlock resources to help farmers and their families rebuild. But this is only the first step. We need to match the resilience of these communities with climate resilience so we can better protect farmers and our food systems for generations to come. I am proud to have worked with Senator Warren, Congressman McGovern, and Congressman Neal to uphold that commitment and secure this critical declaration.” 

“The farming community plays a prominent role in our regional economy, providing thousands of jobs and producing healthy, locally grown food for grocery stores, schools, and food banks throughout our community. This disaster declaration will quickly mobilize emergency assistance to western Massachusetts farmers, providing critical federal funds that will allow them to continue covering monthly expenses in the wake of this disaster,” said Congressman Neal. “I would like to thank the Biden-Harris Administration for swiftly approving this declaration, as well as the Healey-Driscoll Administration for their leadership and steadfast support of communities in western Massachusetts who continue their recovery efforts.” 

“It was devastating to walk the flooded fields last month and see firsthand how crops have been destroyed and our local food system has been impacted,” said Congressman McGovern. “I applaud the Biden-Harris Administration and the USDA for hearing our calls and unlocking this funding to support our farms and farmers as they rebuild. This is an important step. But it’s the first of many we need to take to deal with the challenges our farmers are facing—especially as they build more resilient farms in the face of climate change. I will continue working with my colleagues in Congress and the Healey-Driscoll Administration as we fight to ensure that Massachusetts farmers have the tools and resources they need to grow healthy, nutritious food for generations to come.” 

Earlier this month, the Healey-Driscoll Administration and the United Way of Central Massachusetts (UWCM) announced the Massachusetts Farm Resiliency Fund. The fund is a partnership between philanthropic organizations and private foundations intended to support Western and Central Mass farms impacted by recent flooding and strengthen farm resiliency in the long term. More information about the fund can be found here and at unitedwaycm.org/farmfund.