CITY OF BOSTON TO HOST ANNUAL DISABILITY COMMUNITY FORUM ON MAY 8, 2025

CITY OF BOSTON TO HOST ANNUAL DISABILITY COMMUNITY FORUM ON MAY 8, 2025 Forum will serve as an opportunity for Boston residents with disabilities to connect with City services and departments and provide feedback on issues across Boston neighborhoods

BOSTON - Wednesday, April 23, 2025 - Mayor Michelle Wu, the Commission on Persons with Disabilities and the Disability Advisory Board today announced that the City’s annual Disability Community Forum will take place on Thursday, May 8, 2025 from 2:00 to 3:30 p.m. The event, held at Suffolk University Law School, is open to the public, with hybrid attendance options allowing participation both in person and on Zoom. To register for this event, please visit boston.gov/disability-forum. “As we continue our work to make Boston a home for everyone, we are working to ensure that residents with disabilities are connected to services and community,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “Boston’s Disability Community Forum is an important way for residents to shape the City’s ongoing efforts, provide feedback, and build community. I encourage everyone to attend this critical forum and help inform the work we do across Boston to make our city more inclusive and accessible." This year’s event will feature a brief presentation from Kristen McCosh, ADA Title II Coordinator and Disability Commissioner for the Mayor’s Commission for Persons with Disabilities. She will share the Commission and Board’s Annual Report. The event will then open for public comment from Boston residents and a Q&A session with Commissioner McCosh and Disability Advisory Board members. The event will provide an opportunity for Boston’s disability community to help shape ongoing City services, share their feedback on initiatives across neighborhoods and ask questions to various City departments. The forum will also provide City officials an opportunity to listen to residents with disabilities and learn more from their perspective across Boston neighborhoods. The public is encouraged to submit questions and comments in advance of the forum on the registration form found at boston.gov/disability-forum.  “Boston’s annual Disability Community Forum provides a valuable opportunity for people with disabilities to connect directly with City officials," said Boston Disability Commissioner Kristen McCosh. "We work hard to ensure that Boston is an accessible and inclusive city, but we want to hear from you. I encourage everyone who is involved in the disability community to attend our forum this year so you can tell us your priorities for accessibility and inclusion in the City of Boston." Last year, Mayor Wu and the Commission on Persons with Disabilities welcomed over 100 attendees in-person and on Zoom. Issues such as accessible housing, transportation, sidewalk safety, and disability discrimination were discussed. The opportunity to listen to Boston’s disability community provided City officials valuable information that improved city departments ability to plan for increased disability accessibility and inclusion in every corner of the city.     “The Disabilities Commission Advisory Board looks forward to the Disability Community Forum every year because it is a direct way to hear from the community. It is a great way to highlight accessibility work, and get feedback on issues that are directly impacting disabled residents, commuters, and visitors to Boston,” said Jerry Boyd, Chair of the City of Boston Disability Advisory Board.    This event will be recorded by the City of Boston’s Cable TV channel, and following the end of the event a video recording will be available to stream on the City’s YouTube channel, Xfinity channel 24, RCN channel 13, and Fios channel 962. To lear​n more about the Disability Community Forum, visit boston.gov, email disability@boston.gov or call the Mayor's Commission on Persons with Disabilities at 617-635-3682.

Governor Healey Nominates Two Western Mass Attorneys to the Superior Court

 Governor Healey Nominates Two Western Mass Attorneys to the Superior Court  

BOSTON – Governor Maura Healey today nominated Judge Charles W. Groce, III and Jeffrey Trapani to serve as Associate Justices of the Superior Court. The nominees, who both live in Western Massachusetts, will now be considered by the Governor’s Council for confirmation. 

“Both of these nominees are exceptional stewards of justice. Over the course of their respective careers, they’ve been able to bring empathy and consideration to the Court while delivering for the people of Western Massachusetts,” said Governor Maura Healey. “We look forward to working with the Governor’s Council to seek confirmation of these two nominees.” 

“With decades of experience, both of Judge Groce and Attorney Trapani bring tremendous knowledge and respect of the law to the Court,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “We’re grateful to the Governor’s Council for their consideration of the nominees.” 

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

For more information about the Superior Court, visit its homepage. Governor Healey has previously nominated twelve judges to the Superior Court: Tracy Duncan, John Fraser, Ira Gant, Keren Goldenberg, Julie Green, Sarah Hamilton, Adam Hornstine, Sarah G. Kim, Matthew Nestor, Michael Pineault, Adam Sisitsky and Deepika Shukla. 

About the Nominees 

Justice Charles W. Groce, III has served as an Associate Justice of the District Court for thirteen years and currently serves as the First Justice of the Westfield District Court. Judge Groce is responsible for the Westfield Court’s overall operations, including overseeing the efficient flow of cases. He also serves as the Presiding Justice of the Court Assisted Supervised Treatment Program in the Springfield District Court, a specialty court aimed at reducing recidivism by promoting rehabilitation, treatment, and healing to those affected by substance use disorder. Judge Groce is also an Adjunct Professor at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, and previously taught at Western New England University School of Law for six years. Prior to his appointment to the bench, Judge Groce was a criminal defense attorney at his own firm for thirteen years, and before that, an Associate at the Law Office of Perman Glenn, III. He holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Connecticut and Juris Doctorate from Western New England University School of Law.  

Jeffrey Trapani has represented individuals, public officials and employees, and municipalities in the defense of personal injury, employment discrimination, and civil rights claims for nearly two decades. He is currently a Partner with Pierce Davis & Perritano LLP. He previously served as an Assistant District Attorney at the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office, and as a Law Clerk at the Massachusetts Juvenile Court. He has also held numerous volunteer roles, including with the Massachusetts Bar Foundation, the MBA House of Delegates, the Massachusetts Board of Bar Overseers, the Joint Bar Committee, the SJC Standing Advisory Committee on the Rules of Civil Procedure and the Springfield Regional Chamber of Commerce. Attorney Trapani holds a Bachelor of Arts from Wake Forest University and a Juris Doctorate from New England School of Law.  

Governor Healey Names Allan Motenko as Next Head of the Massachusetts Office on Disability

Governor Healey Names Allan Motenko as Next Head of the Massachusetts Office on Disability

 

Experienced Civil and Disability Rights Official to Rejoin Agency

 

BOSTON – Today, Governor Maura Healey announced that she has appointed Allan Motenko to serve as the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Office on Disability (MOD), a state agency created in 1981 that provides information, guidance, and training on disability-related civil rights and architectural access. Motenko, who previously served as MOD’s deputy director from 2014-2015, returns to the agency after working at MassDOT and the state’s Department of Revenue (DOR) on civil and disability rights policy implementation.

 

“Ensuring that residents with disabilities across the state know their rights and how to fight for them has never been more important,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Allan’s experience working for agencies that serve people with a range of needs every day, such as MassDOT and DOR, positions him well to be a voice for the disability community in and outside of government. It’s great to have him back at MOD.” 

 

“I’m pleased to have Allan Motenko take the helm at MOD, bringing his strong track record and expertise back to the agency,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “With Allan’s leadership, the MOD team will continue to promote disability rights in Massachusetts.”  

 

“Allan has been a real leader in state government on diversity and equal opportunity,” said Administration and Finance Secretary Matthew J. Gorzkowicz. “He cares about civil rights, knows the legal framework that provides for them, and how to work in government to ensure employees and residents access the protections and services they need. I look forward to working with him to further MOD’s important work.” 

 

“MOD’s mission – to bring about full and equal participation of people with disabilities in all aspects of life – is profoundly important to me,” said MOD Executive Director Allan Motenko. “I’m honored and excited to have this opportunity to lead MOD’s dedicated team in realizing that mission.” 

 

MOD is an agency within the Executive Office for Administration and Finance. It works with the public, state and local government entities, and private organizations to help people understand their disability rights and obligations, how regulations apply to the specifics of their situation, and practical steps they can take to assert their rights and comply with the law. 

 

Between 2010 and 2015, Motenko advanced at MOD, starting as a civil rights advocate, serving as a policy and planning specialist and project manager, and then becoming deputy director, where he oversaw policy development and designed training programs on civil rights laws for a range of groups across the state. In these roles, he developed a deep understanding of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), which MOD is responsible for advising on and coordinating compliance with across executive agencies. 

 

Motenko’s experience in ADA implementation took him to MassDOT, where he re-engineered the reasonable accommodation process for 4,000 employees, including developing new tracking systems, documentation procedures, and engaging employees and managers in how to apply ADA accommodations.  

 

Since 2017, Motenko served as the director of the Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity in DOR, a 1,400-employee agency. In that role, he provided strategic leadership on all aspects of civil rights and equal opportunity; managing compliance with state and federal civil rights laws, coordinating diversity-related training, and supporting the recruitment and retention of a diverse workforce.  

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第129屆波士頓馬拉松賽女子前3名打破紀錄 John Korir追兄長奪男子冠軍

第129屆波士頓馬拉松賽冠軍，John Korir(右)和
Sharon Lokedi (左)。 (周菊子攝)

               (Boston Orange 綜合報導) 第129 屆波士頓馬拉松賽在陽光普照，氣溫宜人中圓滿落幕，肯亞 (Kenya) 再次是最大贏家，以2小時零4分45秒成績，在13年後追趕上兄弟的John Korir，和以2小時17分22秒打破紀錄的Sharon Lokedi，包辦了男女子公開組冠軍。

              2021年的第125屆，以及2023年的第127屆 波士頓馬拉松賽，男女子冠軍就都是肯亞人。

              28歲的John Korir，有哥哥Wesley在2012年時就贏得波士頓馬拉松賽男子組冠軍，今年輪到他以賽史歷來第2快的2:04:45成績，拿下冠軍。

              現年31歲的Sharon Lokedi ，不但成功超越企圖兩度衛冕冠軍的Hellen Obiri，還以2:17:22的成績大破2014年奠下的波士頓馬拉松紀錄2:19:59，整整快了2分半鐘。

今年波士頓馬拉松賽，在兄弟檔時隔13年，先後贏冠軍這佳話之外，另一大亮點，是女子公開組，竟然前3名的成績，都打破2014年時締造的紀錄。

              今年的亞軍，肯亞的Hellen Obiri，成績是2:17:41，季軍衣索比亞 (Ethiopia )的Yalemzerf Yehualaw，成績是2:18:06。

第129屆波士頓馬拉松賽輪椅組冠軍，Marcel Hug(右)和
Susannah Scaroni (左)。 (周菊子攝)

今年的波士頓馬拉松賽，正好遇上波士頓慶祝愛國者日250週年，波士頓體育會 (BAA) 和麻州旅遊局合作，特地安排了一場歷史重演鏡頭，由一名身穿古裝的”保羅里維爾 (Paul Revere)”騎馬來到終點線前，拿出一份古意濃厚的紙板文件宣讀，為這全世界最古老的波士頓馬拉松賽，增添了更多歷史意義。

第129屆波士頓馬拉松賽冠軍，右起，Marcel Hug，Sharon Lokedi，
John Korir，和Susannah Scaroni。(周菊子攝)

1975年的馬拉松賽輪椅組冠軍Bob Hall 和公開賽冠軍 Bill Rodgers接著進場，作為比賽榮譽領隊的為比賽揭幕，同時慶祝他倆贏得冠軍50週年。Bob Hall是波士頓馬拉松賽第一次設立輪椅組的第一位冠軍。Bill Rodgers則是美國長跑傳奇，從1975年首次贏得波士頓馬拉松賽冠軍後，一連贏過4次波士頓馬拉松賽冠軍 (1975，1978，1979，1980)。

              波士頓馬拉松賽主辦單位引述波士頓環球報的消息稱，今年這場比賽讓人情緒波動的另一場景是2018年冠軍Des Linden，出發前在Instagram上宣佈，這將是現年41

麻州州長Maura Healey(右)為第129屆波士頓馬拉松賽
男子組冠軍 John Korir戴上桂冠。(周菊子攝)

歲的她，最後一次參加職業組的波士頓馬拉松賽。今年她的成績2:26:19，也是她近8年來最好的一次成績，贏得大師組冠軍，在所有職業女跑者中排名第17。

波士頓市長吳弭 (Michelle Wu) 為第129屆波士頓馬拉松賽
女子組冠軍Sharon Lokedi 載上桂冠。 (周菊子攝)

              輪椅男子組冠軍是第8度贏得冠軍的瑞士跑者Marcel Hug，成績為1:21:34。曾2度獲得冠軍的美國跑者Daniel Romanchuk，這次亞軍，成績1:25:58，荷蘭的Jetze Plat季軍，1:30:16。Marcel Hug說他很高興，在Bob Hall成為輪椅組首屆冠軍的50週年之際的今年，贏得冠軍。

輪椅女子組由美國籍Susannah Scaroni，以比瑞士籍亞軍整整快了2分多鐘的1:35:20，也是比她自己2023年贏得波士頓馬拉松賽時間還快6分鐘的成績，第2度贏得波士頓馬拉松賽冠軍。她說，這簡直是奇蹟，讓她心存感激。

John Korir的兄弟Wesley在13年前也是波士頓馬拉松賽冠軍。(周菊子攝)

在公開賽男子組中，號碼牌18，幾個月前才打破美國半程馬拉松紀錄，現年28歲的美國跑者Conner Mantz，從一開賽就衝刺的以4:32跑完第一英里，和坦尚尼亞的Simbu, Alphonce Felix，肯亞的Kotut, Cybrian等幾人，一直都跑在最前面，最後在終點線前，以僅只一步之遙的2:05:08，落居第四。

Conner Mantz的2:05:08成績，是波士頓馬拉松賽美國跑者中，歷史上的第2快紀錄。

Simbu, Alphonce Felix和Kotut, Cybrian跑完波馬的時間一樣，都是2:05:04，但以總成績計，依序分獲第2，第3名。

保羅里維爾(Paul Revere)策馬跑來波士頓馬拉松賽跑場。 (周菊子攝)

保羅里維爾(Paul Revere)策馬跑來波士頓馬拉松賽跑場。 (周菊子攝)

1975年的馬拉松賽輪椅組冠軍Bob Hall 和公開賽冠軍 Bill Rodgers，
慶祝奪冠50週年。(周菊子攝)

在波士頓馬拉松賽終點線旁的大樓窗戶，有貼心的人在窗戶上，向馬拉松賽跑者
獻上敬意。(周菊子攝)

Governor Healey and First Lady Celebrate Earth Day at DCR State Park

 Governor Healey and First Lady Celebrate Earth Day at DCR State Park 

Governor Healey encourages everyone to join DCR’s 19^th Annual Park Serve Day this Saturday  

DCR to Host Over 60 Volunteer Events at 40 Parks Across the State 

MEDFORD — Governor Healey and First Lady Joanna Lydgate visited Torbert MacDonald State Park in Medford to celebrate Earth Day and raise awareness for the Department of Conservation and Recreation’s (DCR) upcoming day of stewardship at DCR parks statewide on Saturday. The Governor and First Lady walked their dog Charlie, thanked DCR park rangers and staff for all they do to care for state parks, planted a red maple tree, and helped to beautify the park alongside local Girl Scouts. 

The Healey-Driscoll Administration is encouraging residents to “pick a park, give a day, make a difference” by signing up to volunteer for DCR’s 19^th annual Park Serve Day on Saturday, April 26. This event is held annually in conjunction with Earth Week – inviting volunteers to help clean coastlines, clear trails, pick up litter, plant flowers, or participate in other restorative projects to prepare their favorite state park for the upcoming summer and spring seasons. Registration is now open for the 60 beautification events hosted by DCR at 40 parks across the state for this year’s Park Serve Day.  

"Massachusetts has some of the most beautiful state parks in the country, and it takes all of us to preserve them for generations to come,” said Governor Healey. “In honor of Earth Day, it’s nice to get outside and celebrate our natural spaces. I encourage families looking to give back to sign up for Park Serve Day this Saturday to help us care for our public lands.”  

"We’re so grateful to the hardworking DCR staff across Massachusetts who keep our parks safe and clean,” said First Lady Joanna Lydgate. “Rain, snow, or shine, we try to spend as much time as possible enjoying the fresh air and nature that makes Massachusetts special. And no one was more excited for the opportunity to give back to our parks than Charlie.”  

Park Serve Day began as a pilot program in 2006 at four DCR parks in Western Massachusetts. Since then, it has grown into one of the agency’s signature annual programs that promotes stewardship of state parklands in every region — from Mount Greylock in Adams to Nickerson and the Cape Cod Rail Trail in Brewster. Every year, thousands of volunteers help remove what amounts to tons of trash from DCR parks and facilities, as well as work to help maintain, beautify, and preserve recreational areas. Last year, more than 2,300 volunteers collected more than 500 bags of trash and collectively gave back more than 5,000 hours to DCR parks.  

"Everyone, no matter where they live, should have access to nature,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rebecca Tepper. “Our DCR parks are where we come together, whether to exercise, enjoy the fresh air, or play with our kids. Bring the whole family to Park Serve Day and inspire the next generation of environmentalists.”  

"This Saturday, we’ll be gathering at 60 events across 40 state parks to celebrate the 19^th year of Park Serve Day and our shared love of our state parks,” said DCR Commissioner Brian Arrigo. “We look forward to welcoming thousands of volunteers from communities all over the state to help clean up and beautify our parks. We’re grateful to Governor Healey and the First Lady for kicking off our clean up efforts.”  

Park Serve Day event times may vary by location. Participants are encouraged to register for Park Serve Day through the DCR website. DCR will provide work gloves and other necessary equipment. Participants can also bring their own gloves or hand tools (personal materials should be clearly marked with the owner’s name and phone number). Power tools are not allowed. DCR advises volunteers to wear sturdy shoes and work clothes and bring water and snacks. It is also recommended that volunteers bring sunscreen and insect repellent. Weather can be unpredictable, so please dress accordingly.   

All parking fees will be waived for volunteers at locations where Park Serve Day events are taking place. DCR asks visitors to park in designated areas only.   

DCR is encouraging volunteers to tweet, post, and tag their Park Serve Day photos on social media using @MassDCR.  

Governor Healey Announces $18 Million in Housing Development Awards to Create 288 Units in Gateway Cities

Governor Healey Announces $18 Million in Housing Development Awards to Create 288 Units in Gateway Cities 

Increased funding is a result of Governor Healey’s tax cuts package  

$72 million total awarded in 2024 to create 1,500+ housing units 

FITCHBURG — Today, Governor Maura Healey announced $18 million in Housing Development Inceptive Program (HDIP) awards to create 288 total new units in six Gateway Cities across the state.  

These awards close out the third and final competitive HDIP application round of 2024, which saw a record number of new homes created since Governor Healey increased HDIP from $10 million to $30 million a year with a one-time infusion of $57 million as part of her $1 billion tax  cuts package that she signed in October 2023. As a result, the administration awarded a total of $72 million to create 1,544 new housing units in Gateway Cities in 2024. 

“The HDIP Program has been a proven success in building more reasonably-priced housing in Gateway Cities across the country. We were proud to expand this program as part of our historic tax cuts package, and we’re thrilled to see this funding being put to work across the states,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Together, we’re making it more affordable for people to live in their communities while also attracting more business, industry and culture to our incredible Gateway Cities.”  

“These awards represent this administration's continued commitment to meeting today's housing demands and meeting them quickly,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “This funding brings a significant impact to cities across the state and goes a long way toward making Massachusetts a more affordable place to live, work, start a family and build a future.” 

“I’m grateful to Governor Healey and Lieutenant Governor Driscoll for directing critical investments through the Housing Development Incentive Program, a game-changer for Gateway Cities like Fitchburg,” said Congresswoman Lori Trahan. “This program helps create much needed market-rate housing, drives economic growth, and breathes new life into our downtowns. While Washington threatens to pull back on federal housing support, Massachusetts is charting a better course by investing in solutions that deliver real results for working families.” 

The announcement was made alongside local elected officials, housing developers, and awardees at 347 Main Street in Fitchburg, an eight-unit housing development and previous HDIP award recipient. The project’s developer, Prime Real Estate Investment, is one of the two recipients in this funding round to create mixed-use developments in downtown Fitchburg. 

“Our Gateway Cities have always been vital hubs and the future of Massachusetts depends on their continued economic success,” said Housing and Livable Communities Secretary Ed Augustus. “The funds awarded to these 10 projects today are crucial to jumpstarting housing production that will make our state more affordable for everyone and ensure these cities keep thriving.” 

HDIP is a tool for the state’s Gateway Cities to produce more market rate housing to support economic development, expand the diversity of the housing stock and create more vibrant neighborhoods. The HDIP awards are one part of the Healey-Driscoll Administration’s comprehensive approach to housing, which includes the $5.12 billion Affordable Homes Act, implementation of the MBTA Communities Law, increases to the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit and the work of both the Housing Advisory Council and the Unlocking Housing Production Commission. 

Below are the 10 awardees: 
 

633 Main – Fitchburg 

Sponsor: Prime Real Estate Investment  

HDIP award: $1,059,000  

Total units: 16 
 

329 Main – Fitchburg 

Sponsor: Pprops Development 

HDIP award: $440,000 

Total units: 8 
 

174 Lyman – Holyoke 

Sponsor: C Elliott Developers LLC 

HDIP award: $952,000 

Total units: 14 
 

Cahoon Commons – Hyannis  

Sponsor: Jake Dewey 

HDIP award: $600,000 

Total units: 8 
 

Spartan Cleaners – Hyannis   

Sponsor: Spartan Cleaners Realty LLC 

HDIP award: $2,500,000 

Total units: 46 
 

Mass Mills Boiler Building – Lowell  

Sponsor: Mullins Company 

HDIP award: $2,500,000 

Total units: 65 
 

Mass Mills Main Power Building – Lowell 

Sponsor: Mullins Company 

HDIP award: $2,500,000 

Total units: 30 
 

The Emery – Lowell  

Sponsor: Heritage Properties 

HDIP award: $2,500,000 

Total units: 37 
 

38 Norman – Salem  

Sponsor: Kinvarra Capital 

HDIP award: $2,250,000 

Total units: 20 
 

One Exchange – Worcester  

Sponsor: CMK Development Partners 

HDIP award: $2,300,000 

Total units: 44