星期二, 3月 10, 2015

梅氏公所春宴發獎學金勵學奉紅包敬老

紐英梅氏公所38在波士頓龍鳳酒樓慶祝羊年新春,頒獎學金,鼓勵學子向學,奉上紅包,發揚敬老傳統,約四百名宗親,各界僑團代表從四面八方趕來匯聚。會上一片喜氣洋洋。
梅氏送馬迎羊的慶祝會,當晚在司儀梅芬芳和梅麗梨恭祝大家身體健康,家庭和睦, 送馬迎羊,洋洋得意的開場白中拉開序幕。
            一向有梅氏好聲音”之譽的梅艷玲,梅凱生接著獻唱一曲“梅花”,寓意也祝福梅氏家族“不怕雨雪風霜,越冷越開花”。
            梅氏主席之一的梅少彬致詞,歡迎宗親,僑團出席。                        當晚到會嘉賓不少,包括紐英崙中華公所主席阮鴻燦,駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處處長賴銘琪,處長陳銘俊,波士頓華僑文教中心主任郭大文,麻州眾議員麥家威(Aaron Michlewitz)的代表,以及代表波士頓市議會議長林乃肯(Bill Linehan)的陳偉民,紐英崙中華總會會長陳毓禮,以及僑領暨紐英崙至孝篤親公所元老陳毓璇。
            兩名波士頓僑務委員,馬滌凡之外的另一人,是梅氏自己人,梅氏元老,也是全美安良工商會元老的梅錫銳。
            在波士頓警察局,梅氏也有一名自己人,曾經出任副局長級職位,現任波士頓A-1區警長,本姓梅的Kenneth Fong
            遠道來賀的梅氏宗親,今年有從芝加哥趕來的全美梅氏公所理事會理事長梅卓明,元老梅楹仲,梅新立,理事維政,顧問國炘。紐約梅氏公所主席梅建藩。
            本地梅氏在全美梅氏有職位者包括元老梅錫銳,理事梅少彬,梅偉文,外交專員梅麗梨等。
            梅氏公所當晚由梅影萍,梅伍銀寬頒發獎學金給五名在學宗親子弟,其中兩人六年級,分別為梅庭德(Aaron oy)和余卓豪(Nathan Yee),一人八年級,梅立明(Daniel Fong),二人十二年級,分別為梅振明(David Moy Jr.)和何勁壯(Andy He)。
            梅氏宗親,也是梅氏首名女性主席的梅伍銀寬是波士頓中華耆英會的創辦人,梅氏慶祝新春時發紅包敬老,也於焉更有意義。梅氏今年發給八十歲以上耆英,每人一個紅包,祝福他們長命百歲年年開心。
            慶祝會上,也照例發“利是”給中華廣教學校,中華英會中華頤養院,以示梅氏支持社區服務。
            當晚的慶祝會在老少歡聚一堂,抽獎,唱卡拉OK聲中,熱鬧落幕。
            波士頓梅氏公所今年的職員為,主席麗梨,少彬,財政銀寬,子聰,核數永生,國治,中文秘書浩雲,翠瑜,英文書記小娟,凱生,康樂秀娟,掌珠,素嬋,絮嫦,婦女部主任艷玲,掌珠。

圖片說明:

            紐英崙梅氏主席梅麗梨(後左一),元老梅錫銳(前左二)與梅氏嘉賓合影。(圖由梅氏公所提供)

        梅氏婦女部合影。第二排右一為主席梅麗梨,前排右一起為梅伍銀寬,梅影萍,第二排右三為婦女部主任梅掌珠。(圖由梅氏公所提供)

            左起,梅芬芳,梅麗梨,以及梅伍銀寬(右四),梅影萍(中)等人頒發獎學金。(殷先彬攝)

            梅芬芳(左),梅麗梨(右)致開幕詞。(殷先彬攝

夕陽紅活動站四季情韻服務社區

劍橋中國文化中心夕陽紅活動站三月七日下午,在昆士小學禮堂舉辦“楊年春季聯歡會”,以“四季情韻“為主題,彰顯老中青幼的四代同台的歡樂。
今年的夕陽紅迎春匯演,由活動站會長方慧總策劃,夕陽紅後援會的婁新新,夕陽紅子女會的盧小平等人策劃,朱振中編導,王開成、安桂芬,丘陵分別擔任前、後台,以及前廳總管,既給老人家們一個與華埠串連的機會,也聊盡耆英們服務社區的熱心。。
一整個下午,夕陽紅依春夏秋冬時序,安排了不下廿個節目。在廖廣詩鋼琴獨奏“春韻“後,夕陽紅合唱團壯觀的大合唱,仍是最氣派的節目,幾十名團員在台上站開,高歌“天路“,場面十分震撼。
王立雯的爵士舞,王琳等人的女生小合唱”哩哩哩“,劍橋中文舞蹈隊的”多彩四季“,先暖場,把時序帶進夏天。
麻省理工學院浮雲相聲社的鄭辰,張峻川編演的相聲,聽得台下觀眾笑聲迭起。昆士小學合唱隊,陳望菊率小朋友表演的扯鈴,夕陽紅健身對胡毅等人的”一剪梅“太極組合,都讓觀眾看得十分投入。程峻宇,黃韻,楊書旺,廉艷,鎮德華,胡沛沛的夕陽紅時裝隊,安桂分的夕陽紅舞蹈對等,當天的節目既豐富,又精彩。
義工對成員之一的廉清宇透露,這是一場集結老中青幼,各自出力,表演絕對有水準的活動,出席人們為把活動辦好的熱心交流,互動,更是讓人感動。

圖片說明:

            夕陽紅活動站女生小合唱。(菊子攝)

            李照原(左二起)等主持人請浮雲相聲社的鄭辰,張峻川表演。(菊子攝)

            劍橋中文學校小朋友表演。(菊子攝)

            昆士小學合唱團加入“四季情韻”演出陣容。(菊子攝)

            劍橋中文學校的特別節目,孔雀舞。(菊子攝)


MAYOR WALSH TO HOST PUBLIC FORUM WITH MAYORS OF NEW YORK AND SEATTLE

MAYOR WALSH TO HOST PUBLIC FORUM WITH MAYORS OF NEW YORK AND SEATTLE
Discussion will focus on how cities can address income inequality
and financial empowerment


BOSTON - March 10, 2015 - Today Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced a public forum on “Municipal Strategies for Financial Empowerment” that will feature Mayor Walsh, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, and Seattle Mayor Ed Murray as panelists, and an audience question and answer period. The event on Sunday, March 22 from 3:30pm to 5:30pm will be held at the Campus Center at UMass Boston and is part of a two day US Conference of Mayor’s Leadership meeting being held in Boston. The event is sponsored by Citi.


“In Boston we are building an economy that works for everybody, and putting programs and strategies in place to lift individuals and families out of poverty, by giving them the tools to build financial security,” said Mayor Walsh. “This forum is a place to talk to residents about their experiences, and hear from peers in government about the work being done across the country to put those seeking financial empowerment on the path to achieving their dreams.”


“Research from FamilyAssetsCount.org shows that almost half of nationwide households lack the necessary savings to cover the loss of a job, emergency car repairs or even medical bills,” said Bill Mills, CEO of North America for Citi. “Mayors across the country are stepping up to play a central role in bolstering household financial security, and we are proud to join the U.S. Conference of Mayors and the Cities of Opportunity Taskforce to support and showcase their innovative initiatives.”


​"Financial empowerment is a crucial topic in neighborhoods throughout Boston and across the country," said UMass Boston Chancellor J. Keith Motley. "We're proud that Mayor Walsh is leading the national discussion on this issue, and we're pleased to contribute by hosting this distinguished panel."


Mayors nationwide are leading efforts to address economic resilience and systemic inequality, challenging issues gripping our cities and our country. The 2-hour panel will be moderated by Dr. Eric Rosengren, President of the Federal Reserve Bank of Boston. The Mayors will discuss municipal strategies for credit building, wealth creation, consumer and family protection, and financial empowerment, aimed at improving outcomes for low and moderate income households. The program will include a 40-minute question and answer period with the attendees. Participants are asked to RSVP here: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/municipal-strategies-for-financial-empowerment-forum-tickets-16087150099


Mayor Walsh is a national leader on these complex issues, serving as Vice Chair of The U.S. Conference of Mayors Cities of Opportunity Task Force alongside Chair Mayor DeBlasio.  Established at the Conference’s Annual Meeting last June, the Task Force aims to bring mayors from across the country to together to leverage the power of local governments to advance a national, common equity agenda with local policies and best-practices that will help to expand opportunity for all.


"The nation’s mayors cannot stand idly by when Washington does not act,” US Conference of Mayors CEO and Executive Director Tom Cochran about the ongoing work of the Conference's Task Force. “We have an obligation to do what we can from where we sit to address issues of inequality and grow economic opportunities for the people living in cities and their metropolitan areas all across the country."



In 2014 Mayor Walsh launched the Office of Financial Empowerment in Boston, which offers residents financial coaching and career development tools, and signed an Executive Order for payment certification requirements for vendors with city contracts to prevent wage theft.

星期一, 3月 09, 2015

STATEMENT FROM MAYOR WALSH ON BOSTON 2024 SALARIES

STATEMENT FROM MAYOR WALSH ON BOSTON 2024 SALARIES

BOSTON - Monday, March 9, 2015 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today released the following statement:

"The success of Boston's bid for the 2024 Olympic and Paralympic Games relies on transparency. I urge Boston 2024 to release the salaries for all staff and consultants as a testament to the transparency and openness of this process."

MAYOR WALSH SEEKS IDEAS FOR CITY HALL PLAZA

MAYOR WALSH SEEKS IDEAS FOR CITY HALL PLAZA

Looks to Community to Unlock the Potential of  Important Civic Space

BOSTON – March 9 -Mayor Martin J. Walsh is calling for ideas about the use, redesign, and operations on City Hall Plaza. The request to re-imagine City Hall Plaza is an effort that seeks to re-envision the important public space, cultivating an environment that contributes to the vibrancy of downtown Boston and City Hall. A Request for Ideas (RFI) is available at cityofboston.gov/cityhallplaza for interested parties to submit a comprehensive proposal for the space. Mayor Walsh is also asking residents to submit their ideas to Mayor @Marty_Walsh and @NotifyBoston using #CityHallPlaza. The RFI and twitter comments may inform a future Request for Proposals (RFP).

“City Hall Plaza is City Hall’s front yard. While we’ve reimagined the interior entrance of the building, enlivening the space with public art, a coffee cart, and tables and chairs, the exterior needs new energy,” said Mayor Walsh. “This is the people’s plaza, and we’ve seen how it can bring the City together for international events and community events alike. I’m looking to our experts in architecture and urban planning for design, curation, and partnership ideas, as well as residents of Boston and other interested parties.”

City Hall Plaza consists of over 200,000 square feet of contiguous, solid-surface open space in an L-shape that includes a stage on the north side. Daily foot traffic on the Plaza is estimated at 20,000 to 30,000 people per day. City Hall Plaza has hosted many successful events including several World Cup viewing events,  the annual Boston Calling music festival, PRIDE, dozens of summer music concerts, flag raisings, bike races and more.

Mayor Walsh announced plans to re-envision City Hall Plaza during his 2015 State of the City Address speech in January. The Mayor hopes the plaza will be an inviting and attractive public space for residents and visitors and welcomes any ideas that further these goals, including leasing options, design improvements, curation ideas and public-private partnership strategies.

The RFI is not a formal procurement process to select an operator, but rather an informal solicitation to gauge interest and gain information. Responses to this RFI will assist the City in understanding the current state of the marketplace with regards to the solicited information. City Hall Plaza has been re-envisioned previously, and those existing ideas will be part of the conversation as this process progresses.

BOSTON'S AAA BOND RATING AFFIRMED BY MOODY'S AND STANDARD AND POOR'S

BOSTON'S AAA BOND RATING AFFIRMED BY MOODY'S AND STANDARD AND POOR'S
Cite sound fiscal management, very strong economy 

BOSTON - Tuesday, March 10, 2015 -  Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced that both Standard and Poor's Rating Service and Moody's Investor's Services have affirmed Boston's AAA bond rating, the highest possible credit rating a City can receive.  Both agencies cited the City's sound fiscal management under Mayor Walsh's leadership and the strong and growing local economy. 

"These top credit ratings are a testament to the strong fiscal management that we have implemented to strengthen our city now, and for the long term," said Mayor Walsh. "We will continue to make smart fiscal decisions that will allow our neighborhoods, schools and local economy to thrive."  

"The AAA rating reflects Boston's sound fiscal management of a stable financial position and the city's substantial and economically diverse tax base bolstered by strong government, health care and higher education sectors," said the Moody's rating report.

"We consider Boston's economy very strong," said the Standard and Poor's rating report. "Boston is the 21st-largest city in the nation and the economic hub of New England. The city is the state capital and center for government-related activities. In addition, its economic strengths include world-renowned bio medical research capabilities, a large and broad-based high-tech and life science sector, and a substantial financial services sector. Supporting these strengths are a well-educated workforce and world-class higher education and academic medical centers, both within the city and surrounding area."

Additional factors for the favorable rating include:
·       The city is the center of economic activity for New England and boasts a substantial tax base of over $109 billion; 
·       Local unemployment below the national average at 4.5 percent;
·       272 projects in the pipeline at the Boston Redevelopment Authority, totaling $23 billion in development costs; 
·       Projected per capital effective buying income at 126 percent of the national level;
·       Strong budgetary flexibility with 2015 audited available reserves in excess of 20 percent of general fund expenditures and no plans to materially draw them down;
·       Property taxes account for 63 percent of revenue, and collections are strong and stable;
·       Assessed values increased 10.9 percent, the largest since 2007, attributable to 12 percent residential growth and 8.8 percent commercial growth.

Read the full reports here.