中華表演藝術基金會夏日音樂會系列落幕演出 - 謝開明攝影專輯

中華表演藝術基金會夏日音樂會系列落幕演出  - 謝開明攝影專輯

中華表演藝術基金會會長譚嘉陵 (右起)恭喜要佳林和水星交響樂團指揮余建寧演出成功。

要佳林贏得傅聰國際鋼琴協奏曲比賽冠軍，贏得和水星交響樂團同台演出機會，
演出後和水星交響樂團指揮余建寧合影。

中華表演藝術基金會會長譚嘉陵(右)感謝水星交響樂團指揮
余建寧為夏日系列音樂會做落幕演出。

 

波士頓慈濟七月吉祥辦無肉市集 8/24介紹醫療志業

波士頓慈濟七月祈福。(周菊子攝)

               (Boston Orange 周菊子麻州報導) 慈濟基金會波士頓聯絡處8月18日在牛頓市會所為「七月祈福」，推出「無肉市集」，鼓勵人們茹素。

              慈濟人追隨佛教典故，以七月為吉祥、孝親月，以典禮儀式帶動正念，鼓勵人回饋社會，發揚愛心。

慈濟師兄列隊獻花。(周菊子攝)

8月18日這天，在李豐擔任司儀，陳裕逢擊鼓，慈濟師兄師姐分列會所兩旁，魚貫上台，頌唱祈福，放映上人開示影片後，敦請中醫師黃彧從中醫角度分享茹素優點。

黃彧透露，以前她吃鍋邊素，2010年到希臘旅遊時，竟一連做夢2次，夢境完全一樣，讓她體會到佛教心經中，”心定”就能面對整個世界的境界，從此開始認真吃素。

慈濟師姊列隊獻花。(周菊子攝)

黃彧指出，人的七情六欲和身體的五臟六腑，存在著牽連關係。五臟化五氣的中醫理論，有怒傷肝，喜傷心，憂傷脾，悲傷肺，恐傷腎的說法，而動物也是有血肉、情感的，因而動物在變成肉之前所帶有的焦慮情感，極有可能留存在肉裏。她認為這也是為什麼猶太人吃肉講究kosher (猶太潔食)，也就是要以最人道方式處理的原因。

也是因為這，她個人行醫用藥，都盡量不用動物性藥引。至於素菜，例如西方人愛吃的沙拉，趨於寒涼，吃時最好撒些薑沫來中和。

李豐(右)擔任司儀，黃彧分享吃素緣由。(周菊子攝)

黃彧還提醒人，吃素還要注意食另，吃當季的食物，才能配合大自然時令，得到最好的味道與營養。

在照顧營養均衡上，黃彧還建議吃全素的人補充

素食分享現場。(周菊子攝)

B12維生素。

波士頓慈濟師姐們這天在吉祥月儀式結束後，在會所地下室擺出無肉市集，介紹各種素食，包括各種豆腐製品，飯糰，素粽，藥膳薑泥，搭配好的蔬菜沙拉，甚至還有蔬食漢堡，鼓勵人們加入素食行列。

波士頓慈濟接下來將於8月24日的早上10點至下午2點，請來慈濟醫療基金會執行副董事長Steven Voon，在慈濟牛頓市會所講談「慈濟醫療志業現況與展望」。活動地點地址為15 Summer St., Newton, MA 02464。

金花師姊擺出豆腐攤位。(周菊子攝)

Governor Healey Nominates Heath Antonio to District Court and Sarah Hamilton to Superior Court

 Governor Healey Nominates Heath Antonio to District Court and Sarah Hamilton to Superior Court   

BOSTON – Governor Maura Healey today nominated Sarah Hamilton as Associate Justice of the Massachusetts Superior Court and Health Antonio to District Court. The nominees will now be considered by the Governor’s Council for confirmation. 

“Both of these attorneys will make our court systems fairer and more just, and I am thrilled to nominate them,” said Governor Healey. “They’ve each demonstrated significant depth of knowledge of the Massachusetts justice system and have dedicated their careers to public service. We look forward to working with the Governor’s Council as they consider these two nominations.” 

“We’re thrilled to nominated Heath and Sarah to the Massachusetts Courts,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “Their individual careers speak for themselves. They’ve proven time and time again that they are dedicated to justice. We’re proud to submit their names for consideration by the Governor’s Council.”   

About the Nominees: 

Attorney Sarah Hamilton has almost 16 years of experience representing criminal defendants in the Superior and District Courts of Massachusetts. She has spent the entirety of her legal career with the Public Defender Division of the Committee for Public Counsel Services, first as Staff Attorney in the Worcester and Fall River offices from 2008 to 2022 and as Senior Trial Counsel for the Western Region from 2022 until present. She has been certified to handle murder case assignments since 2018 and regularly teaches and mentors less experienced attorneys learning to handle complex criminal defense matters. Attorney Hamilton is a graduate of Northeastern University, where she received a B.A. in Political Science and English, and of the Northeastern University School of Law. She currently resides in Worcester.   

The Superior Court is a trial court of general jurisdiction for Massachusetts and is committed to delivering high quality justice in a timely and fair manner in accordance with the rule of law. The Court's 82 justices sit in 20 courthouses in all 14 counties. The Superior Court has original jurisdiction in civil actions over $50,000 and in matters where equitable relief is sought. It also has original jurisdiction in actions including labor disputes where injunctive relief is sought, exclusive authority to convene medical malpractice tribunals, appellate jurisdiction over certain administrative proceedings, and may hold sittings for naturalization in any city or town. The Superior Court also has exclusive original jurisdiction of first-degree murder cases and original jurisdiction of all other crimes. 

For more information about the Superior Court, visit its homepage.  

Attorney Heath Antonio began his 26-year career as an associate with Finneran, Byrne, Drechsler & O’Brien, an insurance defense firm.  He later moved to the Law Office of Anthony C. Savastano as a plaintiff’s litigator. In 2000, Attorney Antonio joined the Bristol County’s District Attorney’s Office as an Assistant District Attorney in the Felony Trial Division of the New Bedford Superior Court. As an ADA, he prosecuted felony jury cases. In 2002, he was promoted to Chief of the Civil Rights Division, and two years later, he opened his private law office, with an emphasis on criminal defense and civil litigation. Since 2004, he has served in the Bristol County Bar Advocate Program and currently accepts murder case appointments. On a personal note, Attorney Antonio was born without a right ear canal, leaving him 50% deaf since birth and causing a speech impediment when young. He is a lifelong resident of Bristol County and has been deeply involved in youth sports and civic engagement in his community. He is also a past recipient of the First Justice’s Award for Pro Bono Public Excellence in the local housing, probate and family courts. He graduated magna cum laude from Stonehill College and graduated cum laude from Suffolk University Law School. He currently resides in New Bedford with his wife and two children. 

The District Court Department hears a wide range of criminal, civil, housing, juvenile, mental health, and other types of cases. District Court criminal jurisdiction extends to all felonies punishable by a sentence up to five years, and many other specific felonies with greater potential penalties, all misdemeanors, and all violations of city and town ordinances and by-laws. In civil matters, the District Court hears cases in which the damages are not likely to be more than $50,000 and small claims cases up to $7,000. The District Court is located in 62 courts across the state. 

For more information about the District Court, visit its homepage. 

波士頓市長吳弭宣佈Moakley公園推出自行車城

MAYOR MICHELLE WU ANNOUNCES OPENING OF CITY’S FIRST BIKE TOWN So far this year, the Streets Cabinet has helped 1,000 children and youth with their bike riding skills.

BOSTON - Thursday, August 22, 2024 - Mayor Michelle Wu and the City of Boston today announced the grand opening of Bike Town at Moakley Park, a new, family-friendly space where kids can practice riding and rolling in a fun and safe environment. Bike towns are small-sized street networks, often with scaled-down traffic features, designed to teach children how to safely navigate urban street systems and increase their overall confidence in bike riding. This is a part of Mayor Wu’s Connect, Learn, & Explore initiative, her commitment to making Boston the best city in the country to raise a family, by ensuring all of Boston’s children learn how to ride a bike, swim, and connect with their communities through sports, gardening, and the arts. “We’re so excited to welcome Bike Town to Moakley Park,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “This first of its kind space in Boston allows children the opportunity to play and connect while teaching bike riding skills and essential road safety practices.” Bike Town is located in a previously underutilized portion of Moakley Park where children can safely practice bike riding. Research shows that the majority of kids who participate in learn-to-ride bike programs are interested in continuing bike riding, but many families do not have access to safe places to ride. City staff heard from Boston residents that a lack of safe places for kids to ride bikes is one of the biggest barriers to providing bike education and programming for kids in Boston.  "Moakley Park has long been a place where families come to connect and enjoy South Boston’s waterfront,” said Boston Parks Commissioner Ryan Woods. “We're proud to partner in creating Bike Town, an innovative space where children can gain confidence, learn essential road safety skills, and foster a lifelong love of biking.”  “We love that Bike Town at Moakley Park encourages kids to be active and outdoors and hope it will attract more families to this area of the park. The old street hockey court was one of the most underutilized spaces in the park and we are thrilled this area is now a more vibrant and family-friendly space. We are excited to use this space for future programming and look forward to continued collaboration with the City on future improvements to Moakley Park,” said Jaye Meakem, Community Engagement Manager at Boston Harbor Now. Bike Town was created as a partnership between the Mayor's Office of New Urban Mechanics, the Mayor's Office of Early Childhood, and the Boston Parks Department. While bike towns are used in other parts of the country and world, this is the first in Boston.   “Learning to ride a bike as a kid ensures a lifetime of bike riding and Bike Town makes doing so that much easier,” said Shin-pei Tsay, Director of the Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics. “Biking for kids also ushers in other benefits according to researchers, such as supporting motor and social development for young children, encouraging physical activity, and even enhancing self-esteem. We’re proud to have helped create one fun space that can weave all those things together for the families in Boston.” “Our goal is to make Boston the most family-friendly city. Bike towns create an opportunity for kids to make healthy connections to public spaces and provide an early introduction to an active lifestyle in a safe space for kids to ride and learn the rules of the road,” said Kristin McSwain, Director of the Mayor’s Office of Early Childhood. The City is planning to expand the program and bring bike towns to other Boston neighborhoods over the next year. Through a grant from Boston Children's Hospital, the Mayor’s Office of Early Childhood is collaborating with the Mayor's Office of New Urban Mechanics, Parks Department, Boston Bikes, and Boston Public Schools to create two more bike towns in the next year. The city plans to work with a community partner to create a bike town at Ross Playground in Hyde Park and will work with the Parks Department and Boston Public Schools to identify the second location by the end of the year. Over the summer, in collaboration with the Mayor’s Office of Early Childhood, Boston Bikes provided free bike programming for children and engaged them in building safe riding skills at seven locations around the City, including Moakley Park. Bike Town is located at Moakley Park across Day Boulevard from the Carson Beach Bath House, and offers an exciting way to build on the Summer Bike Program. The City will continue on-bike education in eight BPS schools this fall, and provide free bike repair workshops monthly in four different neighborhoods, including at the South Boston Library.  “South Boston Neighborhood House/The Ollie was thrilled to partner with the City of Boston to bring ‘Bike Town’ to Moakley Park this summer! In its 2nd summer and in partnership with Mayor Wu’s ‘Connect, Learn, Explore’ initiative, this program allowed our kids to learn and practice riding bikes in a safe, car-free space and was a huge hit throughout the community with dozens of children and families taking advantage of this free program,” said Kathy Lafferty, Executive Director, South Boston Neighborhood House. “We believe that learning to ride a bike allows our kids to stay active and have fun! Bike riding is a life skill that will encourage our kids to continue to explore their city in new ways. We look forward to partnering with the City and expanding the reach and impact of ‘Bike Town’ for many summers to come!” More on bike towns in Boston can be found here.

打破佣金6%慣例 房屋買賣雙方及經紀今後自行協商

波士頓亞裔房東會創辦人潘樹仁(左)、劉仲岳(右) 在網上主持座談。(周菊子攝)

               (Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓綜合報導) 賣房子，買房子該付多少佣金給房屋經紀? 從2024年8月17日起，麻州房地產買賣將實施新做法，佣金數額或百分比由賣家、買家和經紀自行商量，而且必須簽寫書面協議。

波士頓亞裔房東會創辦人潘樹仁(中)和嘉樂建築老闆黃文(左)，會計師黃業托(右)
等人在房東座談後小聚。(周菊子攝)

              在美國買賣房屋，以前照慣例，賣家會付給買賣雙方經紀售屋金額的大約5~6%，作為佣金，也就是作為服務報酬。但法院裁決出爐後，房地產界將不再需要遵循這慣例。多重上市服務 (MLS)機構也不再是協商佣金的平台。

              美國房地產經紀協會 (NAR)的一系列新規定還包括禁止MLS機構規定賣家需付佣金給買家經紀，1並強烈建議買家經紀要和買家簽署書面協議。

                            這一裁決及和解協議，對麻州登記在案的4萬6千多名房地產經紀，以及有意賣屋買屋的人都有影響。

              2022年10月，在密蘇里州堪薩斯市的一起聯邦法院反壟斷集體訴訟案中，原告聲稱代表100多萬名房地產經紀的美國房地產經紀協會 (NAR)和大經紀公司合謀，人為的提高了賣家佣金。

              2023年10月，在這宗名稱為Burnett v. National Association of Realtors (NAR) et al.,的訟案中，法官的裁決對原告有利，同意NAR的規定支持著以經紀佣金，作為阻礙買家經紀展示某些房屋的方法。

              2024年3月，NAR同意支付1億4800萬元和解款，以解決指控。這協議包括房地產經紀界佣金如何處理的重大改變，同時也影響了全美的多重上市服務(MLS)政策。

              2024年5月時，這協議的初步流程開始，原告訂出2024年8月17日做為新規定的發佈通知日期。

              2024年8月17日，多重上市服務 (MLS)政策的改變及新規定正式生效。這些改變包括廢除賣家支付買家經紀佣金的要求。

              2024年9月16日，這天開始，獨立或部分獨立的多重上市服務 (MLS)公司也必須開始實施新政策。

              TD Cowen遠見公司估計，房地產界佣金會下跌25%到50%。今年3月這消息出爐時，Zillow 和Compass這2家房地產公司的股價下跌了不下13%，Redfin下跌5%。

              美國住宅的平均售價約為41萬7千元，賣家通常要付2萬5千多元的經紀佣金。這些費用一般都轉嫁到買家身上，因此提高了美國房屋價格。TD Cowen遠見的分析師認為，佣金費用可能下跌6簽到1萬2千元。

              波士頓亞裔房東協會創辦人潘樹仁日前特地針對這議題，舉辦網上講座，和房東們討論這宗訟案裁決的影響。他指出，今後MLS將不再規定賣家經紀付報酬給買家經紀，買家經紀可以自行和買家或賣家協商佣金。代表賣家發佈房屋上市消息的經紀，也不再需要付費給買家經紀。這些變動對房屋市場的影響，還有待觀察。 (更新版)

波士頓華排協第五屆雙喜盃賽 華體會、西雅圖、友聯奪冠

第5屆波士頓華人排球協會9人排球邀請賽2024年8月18日舉行。(周菊子攝)

          (Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓綜合報導) 波士頓華人排球協會第5屆9人排球邀請賽，首屆雙喜盃，8月18日分青年、中年、元老3組，共14隊在黃述沾紀念公園麈戰一日後，由華體會、西雅圖、友聯等3隊，依序奪得前述各組冠軍。

波士頓華人排球協會會長雷海峰(左起)、教練梅健心、副會長李健新
統籌辦理笨屆排賽。(周菊子攝)

                   今年的參賽隊伍來自波士頓、紐約、西雅圖、芝加哥、康州等地，分別為青年組的開平、華體會、芝加哥、波士頓；中年隊的雙喜，紐約校聯，西雅圖，康州金神，明創櫥櫃，波士頓；以及元老組的波士頓、紐約友聯、端芳成務、紐約龍旺等。

                 比賽結果，青年組冠亞季軍，依序為華體會，芝加哥，波士頓隊。中年組冠亞季軍為西雅圖，雙喜，明創。元老組冠亞季軍為聯友、成務、龍旺。

雙喜燒臘老闆梅志堅(左)不但自己下場比賽，還在贊助之外，
組成「雙喜隊」參賽。(周菊子攝)

               9人排球賽是來自中國台山移民特有的排球打法。自從1939年在羅德島州辦起球賽，其後經黃述沾落力推廣成為北美華人排球邀請賽後，每年舉辦，逐漸成為每年勞工節時，在北美六大城市輪流舉辦的體育盛事。

             波士頓華人排球協會則是波士頓地區喜歡打排球，志趣相投的人一起成立的。現任會長雷海峰表示，2018年8月22日，該會在麻州正式註冊，並設立會址於波士頓華埠乞臣街 (Hudson)的鴻運餐廳樓下。

雙喜燒臘隊有自己的球衣。(周菊子攝)

             2024年8月18日的這第五屆波士頓華人排球協會邀請賽，由於麾下有4、5家餐館的「雙喜海鮮」老闆梅志堅大力支持，不但有雙喜盃，還有雙喜隊，為比賽更添逸趣。

             在比賽現場，沿柵張掛的贊助餐廳、廠商數量之多，會長手中的個人及商家捐款名單之長，數額之高，出手就一千元的大有人在，彰顯著9人排球賽在大波士頓華人圈中受喜愛的程度。

球場四周掛滿贊助廠商布條。(周菊子攝)

             有意加入波士頓華人排球協會者，可洽會長雷海峰，副會長李健新，伍達慈，財政雷活洪，或者親至9B Hudson St., Boton, MA 02111，發電郵到volleyballclub18@gmail.com 洽談。

比賽成績。 (波士頓華人排協提供)

比賽成績。 (波士頓華人排協提供)

元老組第一名友聯隊。 (波士頓華人排協提供)

元老組第2名成務隊。 (波士頓華人排協提供)

元老組第3名龍旺隊。 (波士頓華人排協提供)

中年組第一名西雅圖隊。 (波士頓華人排協提供)

中年組第二名雙喜隊。 (波士頓華人排協提供)

中年組季軍明創隊。(波士頓華人排協提供)

青年組冠軍隊華體會。(波士頓華人排協提供)

青年組亞軍芝加哥隊。 (波士頓華人排協提供)

青年組季軍波士頓隊。 (波士頓華人排協提供)

Healey-Driscoll Administration Launches ‘Your Presence Is Powerful’ Campaign to Raise Awareness of Importance of School Attendance

Healey-Driscoll Administration Launches ‘Your Presence Is Powerful’ Campaign to Raise Awareness of Importance of School Attendance 

 Students, educators, families encouraged to submit a creative piece of artwork, music, photography, videography, or writing by December 20  

BOSTON – The Healey-Driscoll Administration launched the ‘Your Presence is Powerful’ campaign today as part of their continued efforts to reduce chronic absenteeism and support students getting back into the classroom where they have access to a variety of supports, including universal free school meals and mental health services.   

Emphasizing the importance of attending school, the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) is asking students, school staff, educators and families in Massachusetts public pre-K-12 schools and adult learning classes to submit a creative piece of artwork, music, photography, videography or writing to express why they attend school. Submissions are due by December 20, 2024.  

“Our administration has been working hard to ensure all students have access to a high-quality education in which they receive the support and services they need and always feel welcome. But it’s so important that students are attending school so that they can have these experiences and learn and grow with their peers,” said Governor Maura Healey. “It's great to see the attendance numbers moving in the right direction. We're proud of the progress our state made last year, and this new campaign will help remind people how important it is to attend school.”   

“September is always a new beginning in schools, and we want to start this school year strong, building on the improvements we made last year,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “I look forward to seeing all of the creative projects our students and educators submit, showing why they love going to school and why it is so important.”  

Chronic absenteeism continues to affect schools throughout the country. Before the pandemic, 13 percent of Massachusetts students were chronically absent, meaning they had missed 10 percent or more of the school year, or at least 18 days. Chronic absenteeism rates are still above pre-pandemic levels, but the state is making progress, with the statewide rate decreasing 5 percentage points from 24.5 percent in March 2023 to 19.6 percent in March 2024. That is also a nearly 10 percentage point decrease from March 2022.    

“Absenteeism is really a manifestation of an unmet need. Schools offer counseling, extracurricular activities, meals, and the chance to learn with and from students’ peers. If students aren’t there, they can’t benefit from these opportunities and are missing out on so much more than their education,” said  Education Secretary Patrick Tutwiler. “While there is still much more progress to make, thanks to the hard work of families, educators and entire school communities, we are moving in the right direction. It’s clear our efforts are working.”  

“Chronic absenteeism can significantly hinder a student's learning, their ability to build relationships, and access the additional support they need,” said Acting Commissioner of Elementary and Secondary Education Russell D. Johnston. “I’m encouraged to see attendance rates improving, and I’m optimistic that districts and families will keep collaborating with us to make schools vibrant, engaging destinations for all students.”  

The Department has resources and supports available for schools and districts related to chronic absenteeism, including family engagement resources, guidance on attendance policies and best practices for schools (download), and information on initiatives designed to promote welcoming and supportive school environments for all students.   

The Your Presence Is Powerful campaign builds on the significant investment and historic policies the Healey-Driscoll Administration has delivered for students and schools, including: 

• Fully funding the Student Opportunity Act the last two years, delivering the largest investment in K-12 schools in our state’s history to reduce opportunity and achievement gaps. 
• Making universal access to free lunch and breakfast every day in school permanent for public school students – one of only eight states in the country to continue this when the federal funding ended. 
• Launching Governor Healey’s Literacy Launch Initiative, a nation-leading strategy to expand access to evidence-based reading instruction for Massachusetts students.  
• Dedicating a portion of federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief funds to award districts and educational collaboratives $10,000 each last year to address chronic absenteeism, including to strengthen or scale family engagement initiatives or student monitoring programs, or to provide attendance recovery academies. 
• Investing an unprecedented $13 million in the Bridge for Resilient Youth in Transition (BRYT) program, an in-school program supporting students who have fallen behind academically due to challenges with their mental health. This investment funds the creation of BRYT programs at more than 30 high-need schools across Massachusetts. This is the first time the state has provided funding to establish BRYT in schools; the program has historically only been available to districts with the economic resources to get it off the ground.  
• Investing $5 million through the Fiscal Year 2025 budget to develop a new statewide mental and behavioral health framework for birth through higher education.