麻州預定10/28起過路費徵收全面電子化

            ( Boston Orange 整理)麻州官員22日公佈，預定10月28日全面實施高速公路收費站電子化，大約有一半道路，會向使用麻州政府發放的電子通行證（E-Z Pass）駕車人士，徵收較以往稍高的費用。

        這個新系統使用高掛的龍門架，在車輛通過時自動收費。適用路段包括托賓橋（Tobin Bridge），以及整條麻州公路（Mass Turnpike），桑姆納/卡拉漢（Sumner/Callahan），泰德威廉（Ted Williams）隧道。

            政府官員表示，根據提案，譬如從李市（Lee）到春田市（Springfield）的這段公路，費用會從1.2元增加到1.3元。從西伯洛夫（Westborough）到衛斯頓（Weston），會從70分增加到95分。

            從紐約邊界開車到波士頓市中心，反而費用會降低。在目前的收費系統下，不包括托賓橋和市內隧道，過路費共6.6元，但在新系統下，費用會是6.15元。

            總體來說，持有麻州政府所發放電子通行證（E-Z Pass）者，在麻州內行駛時，有47%的道路會花費比目前少，5%大約一樣，其餘會更貴些。大約14%的道路會增加約5分錢，20%增加10分到20分錢，其餘的增加25分錢或更多。

            政府官員表示，費率會有這麼大的變動，主要是因為新系統要用16個高掛龍門架來取代26個收費站。

            麻州交通長普拉克（Stephanie Pollack）表示，這些高掛龍門架的安裝地點，多年以前就決定了。他們在儘量做到更公平。

            麻州政府將為此事在九月份時舉辦一系列公聽會，10月6日再就此案正式投票表決。

            交通部董事，也是碧樹市（Braintree）市長蘇利文(Joseph Sullivan)建議，在實施之初，給人們一個緩衝期，讓駕車人士暫時不會被徵收更高費用，或者向還未安裝電子通行證者徵收額外費用。

            麻州政府官員22日時還表示，這一改變，原本預計一年可節省5000萬元，現在只能節省500萬元。

            採行新的收費系統後，車輛在收費站前排隊，或慢下來以付費的情況街不再出現。麻州政府官員表示，應可減少擠塞，污染及收費站前意外事故，並為駕駛人是節省時間。

預計到2017年底，收費站都拆了，道路重建了後，駕車人士將更加感覺到新系統帶來的好處。

麻州交通委員會22日投票通過斥資一億三千二百八十萬元來做這事。

實施新收費系統，也意味著麻州政府不再需要聘用收費站收費元。約有510名兼職或全職工作人員將受影響，必須轉任其他工作。麻州交通部將為2014年1月31日受聘的大約312名員工提供優惠退休方案。

波士頓華埠將增加監控攝像機數量

            （Boston Orange訊）紐英崙中華公所和華美福利會，華埠商會攜手，正和波士頓警察局A-1區警長Ken Fong 合作，計劃與城中區企業改善區（BID）一起，更換並增加華埠內的監控攝像機。

            波士頓華埠內有許多熱心人士一直致力改善華埠內的清潔，安全，在紐英崙中華公所的華埠治安巡邏隊之外，華美福利會前任董事長陳美霞和華埠長期義工阮陳金鳳，數年前也和波士頓市府公共工程局（PWD），稽查局(ISD)，波士頓華埠主街等合作，發起成立了“清潔華埠委員會”，從教育，說明市府提供的相關清潔服務與處罰規定做起。

            紐英崙中華公所主席陳家驊日前發信，通知相關人士有關更換/增加監控攝像機一事，說明一旦Fong警長收到廠家報價，就會和社區人士商量。

據悉，各個參與社區將分攤費用。

陳家驊指出，在華美福利會的陳美霞，波市公共工程局的Frank O’Brien等人協作下，平日的每天早上，以及週六，週日，都有人清掃華埠街道。由於有些人在清掃街道日那些天不遵守停車規定， 阻礙了清掃工作，波士頓警察以及交通部已開始開罰單，許多時候還拖吊違規車輛。最近在Frank O’Brien協助下，乞臣街（Hudson）和泰勒街（Tyler）都有強力清洗機刷洗街道。他還允諾重鋪必珠街（Beach）街道。

陳美霞及阮陳金鳳正在積極遊說市府，連必珠街的人行道都重新鋪。

            陳家驊表示，中華公所和華埠商會合作，正籌畫募集更多資金來清掃華埠。他們和曾為北端（North End），畢肯丘（Beacon Hill）等地提供服務的計劃地（Project Place）合作過，也已收到幾個不同清掃時段，方法的提案。 他們相信，由於監管和保險等問題，聘用服務機構比中華公所自己來做這清掃服務會更有效率。

            華埠治安巡邏隊的隊長翁宇才，隊員謝中之等人匯報過了，該隊成員幾乎每天都會在髒亂不堪，經常有垃圾堆得滿地的好事福地（Oxford Place）巷弄撿到針頭。天安門紀念碑一代，也經常可見尋歡客遊蕩，惹事生非，希望警方多派員巡邏，採取行動。

            陳家驊表示，在社區，警察和市府三方合作下，華埠一定會更清潔，安全。

波士頓市議員 8/24日中午辦音樂會 市長表揚五歲小作家

BOSTON CITY COUNCIL TO HOLD

MUSIC ON THE MEZZ FOLLOWING COUNCIL MEETING TOMORROW, AUGUST 24, AT 1:30

波士頓市議會將於8月24日下午一點半，開完議員會議後，在市府大樓三樓大堂舉辦“大堂音樂會（Music On The Mezz）”。該活動免費供大眾參與。

這是波士頓市議會議長吳弭（Michelle Wu）倡議市議員們加強合作關係的活動之一。市議員們已開始每月聚會午餐，並且挑一個主題，邀講者闡述，申論。

這星期的主持人是第二區市議員林乃肯（Bill Linehan），他決定藉著組織一場音樂表演來和大家分享自己對音樂的愛好。

BOSTON- The Boston City Council will host Music On The Mezz following tomorrow’s City Council Meeting. The event is free of charge and open to all. It will begin promptly after the Council meeting concludes, around 1:30PM on the 3rd floor mezzanine of City Hall.

As part of City Council President Michelle Wu’s initiative to foster stronger relationships and collaboration between colleagues, the Councilors have met for monthly lunches with a focus on nongovernmental business. Each Councilor hosts a lunch and chooses the topic or speaker. District 2 City Councilor Bill Linehan takes his turn as host this week and wanted to share his passion for music by organizing a musical performance.

Various Councilors will share their musical talents, backed up by guitar, drums and keyboard, with songs covering a range of musical genres.

波士頓市長馬丁華殊（Marty Walsh）也將於8月24日下午一點，在市府“老鷹室”內，為年僅5歲，住在麥特潘（Mattapan）的本地寫作者暨表演者，Ashton Antoine，舉辦簽書會。
Ashton Antoine出版的這本兒童書兼自傳，名為“ 5 我的魔奇數目（5 My Magic Number）“簽書會。他還將在簽書後，為市長及嘉賓們舉辦小提琴演奏會。

MAYOR WALSH TO ATTEND BOOK SIGNING, VIOLIN PERFORMANCE BY ASHTON ANTOINE, A 5 YEAR-OLD LOCAL WRITER AND PERFORMER Following the book signing, Ashton will perform a violin concert for the Mayor and guests. BOSTON - Tuesday, August 23, 2016 - Tomorrow, Mayor Martin J. Walsh will attend a book signing of "5 My Magic Number," a children's book and biography written by five-year-old Ashton A. Antoine of Mattapan. Following the book signing, Ashton will perform a violin concert for the Mayor and guests.

TREASURER DEB GOLDBERG LAUNCHES OPEN ENROLLMENT FOR WORCESTER COLLEGE SAVINGS PROGRAM

TREASURER DEB GOLDBERG LAUNCHES OPEN ENROLLMENT FOR WORCESTER COLLEGE SAVINGS PROGRAM

Pilot Initiative to Take Place in the City of Worcester 

Worcester, MA – State Treasurer Deb Goldberg, alongside Worcester families, legislators, and community leaders, launched the enrollment for her office’s $eedMA initiative, the first-of-its-kind pilot program for college savings accounts. The kickoff event coincided with the Worcester Public Schools’ (WPS)  third annual “Countdown to Kindergarten” at the Eco-Tarium, Treasurer Goldberg and her staff were onsite to provide programmatic information for parents and begin the process of enrolling students into the $eedMA pilot. The event welcomed all incoming WPS kindergartners and their families for an evening of activities and helpful tips as they begin their first academic experience. An estimated 600 children and families were in attendance.

“Providing every family with access to affordable higher education is critical to strengthening both the Worcester and the state’s economies,” said Treasurer Deb Goldberg. “The tremendous support exhibited by community leadership will provide a blueprint for success, as we expand the $eedMA program across Massachusetts.”

The $eedMA initiative provides kindergarten students in the Worcester Public School System with an initial $50 deposit to establish a Massachusetts 529 college savings account. The initiative, is a partnership between the Massachusetts State Treasury and the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority (MEFA). It is open to every kindergarten student enrolled in the Worcester Public School System for the 2016-2017 school year, expanding to other communities across the state. Formore information on enrollment and eligibly please visit www.seedma.org.

“MEFA is pleased to be a partner in this initiative with Treasurer Goldberg, her team and the City of Worcester, “ said Tom Graf, Executive Director of MEFA. “It is exciting to work with Worcester families on creating a plan for saving for college.”

“Financial planning is very difficult for many of our families,” said Worcester Mayor Joe Petty. “The $eedMA program is not just about saving for college but it’s about financial literacy. This program is about helping our families change the way they are thinking and talking about their financial futures.”

Treasurer Goldberg created the Office of Economic Empowerment (OEE), led by a deputy treasurer, with the deliberate goal of implementing a range of economic empowerment initiatives, including closing the gender wage gap, increasing access to financial education, improving college affordability, and investing in STEM careers and education.

For more information on $eedMA and the Office of Economic Empowerment please visit www.seedma.org or follow the hashtag #SeedMA.

奧巴馬訪路易斯安那州探災情

Last week Louisiana was struck by an intense, slow-moving storm that produced record rainfall, up to 30 inches in some places, that flooded an expansive area across the lower half of the state -- robbing so many Louisianans of their businesses, homes, and sense of security.

Since before the flooding began, FEMA has been working hand-in-hand with Louisiana officials to respond and help in the recovery efforts -- from providing shelter and housing and warm meals, to helping support home repairs and meet other serious disaster-related needs. As of this week, we've approved more than $127 million to help survivors with home repairs, rental assistance and other needs, and to advance payments to flood insurance policyholders who sustained damages, providing expedited relief.

That's exactly what the President directed us to do: Support and assist the people of Louisiana, no matter what it takes.

Today, President Obama traveled to Baton Rouge to see the federal response effort firsthand. Watch what he had to say:

FEMA with our federal, state, private sector, and nonprofit partners are working around the clock to help make sure Louisianans have what they need to recover and rebuild their lives. Recovery is a long-term process, it's important that Louisianans know: You're not in this alone and we're with you for the long haul.

You can get the latest information on what's happening on the ground here.

And if you or anyone you know has been impacted by this flooding, here are a few key resources that you can use and share:

To find the nearest Disaster Recovery Center visit www.fema.gov/DRC, use the FEMA Mobile Application, or text DRC and your zip code to 43362 (4FEMA).

If you are a resident or business owner who has sustained losses in the designated parishes, you can apply for assistance from FEMA by registering online atwww.DisasterAssistance.gov or by calling 1-800-621-FEMA (3362) or 1-800-462-7585 (TTY) for the hearing and speech impaired.

And if you want to do what you can to help the people of Louisiana get back on their feet, you can visit www.VolunteerLouisiana.gov to see how you can contribute to the response and recovery efforts.

Long after these floods recede and fall away from the headlines, FEMA and our colleagues in the federal response effort will be here alongside state officials as long as we are needed. It's our job to help make sure every community can recover and rebuild.

And that's what we plan to do.

Thanks,

Craig Fugate
Administrator
Federal Emergency Management Agency

美大学华裔教授组中国俱乐部

轉載

美大学华裔教授组中国俱乐部 促提高中国学者在美国学术界的影响力

http://www.aacyf.org/?p=6263

美大学华裔教授组中国俱乐部 促提高中国学者在美国学术界的影响力

由洛杉矶知名海滨学府罗耀拉大学(Loyola Marymount University)的华裔教授们发起组成的中国俱乐部，8月19日在La Harbra 市举行会员活动。华裔教授们在交流各自的专业动态同时，着重探讨了有关如何加强美国大学和中国学术界、教育界的交流，以提高中国学者在美国学术界的影响力。

中国俱乐部发起人, 罗耀拉大学艺术系终身教授戴汉至、经济学资深教授王嗣俊、著名哲学教授、罗耀拉大学亚太项目负责人王蓉蓉教授，以及多个专业的华裔副教授和助理教授, 罗耀拉大学中国学生联合会会长应邀参与了当天的活动和讨论。

戴汉至教授表示，罗耀拉大学地处南加州海岸的黄金地段，有紧邻洛杉矶新经济海滩的特殊优势，这些都可以成为这所大学最新的发展契机。希望通过中国俱乐部的努力，推动中国科技、文化和教育产业与罗耀拉大学的交流合作, 在南加州孕育出高水准的文化教育产业基地。并借此提高中国学者在美国学术界的影响力。

中国俱乐部发起人,戴汉至教授，杭州／温州人，毕业于浙江美术学院版画系和中国美术学院综合绘画专业，获硕士学位，系综合绘画专业中国首届唯一的研究生，导师组成员包括吴冠中、潘公凯、刘国辉、韩黎坤等名家，毕业后留校执教中国美术学院。2006年应聘为加州洛杉矶著名的天主教大学Loyola Marymount University的全职教授，他是迄今为止唯一的仅凭中国学历获得美国高等院校终身教授职位的艺术家。(AACYF洛杉矶讯)

慶祝100週年 美國所有國家公園 8/25到 8/28日免費

轉發美國白宮消息

My name is Cheyenne and I am a rising 5th grader at an elementary school in Maryland.

This Thursday, August 25, the National Park Service turns 100 years old.

To celebrate this anniversary, all national parks will be free to visit from August 25 -- 28, and I wanted to tell you why I hope you will go to FindYourPark.com and plan a visit to some of these amazing places.

Parks are very important to me. When you go to parks, you are able to see just how beautiful and awesome the outdoors can be and how we must be good stewards of our planet.

Sure, you can go on an adventure in a video game, or see someone else's adventure on social media, but think of how much better it would be to LIVE the adventure! With so many national parks in the country, no video game or TV show can beat the fun adventures that exist outside!

Our school is part of National Park Trust’s Buddy Bison environmental education program and that’s how I learned about the President’s Every Kid in a Park initiative. This program, which will start its second year on September 1, gives passes to all 4th graders in the country so that they and their families can visit any national park and public land for free for a full year.

My Every Kid in a Park pass not only provides free entry into all national parks, but also serves as a reminder that I need to keep discovering and exploring new outdoor and historic places. Last June, my classmates and I went to National Colonial Farm at Piscataway Park in Maryland. I enjoyed pretending that we were time travelers going to the 1800s to fix some other time travelers’ mistakes. It was so much fun!

My park visits with my school and family inspired me to write my own book, For the Love of Water, since I learned that it is important that we protect our earth’s water. I have even thought about becoming a park ranger!

Thank you President Obama and the many others who gave 4th graders passes to visit these amazing parts of our country. Even as a 5th grader, without my pass, I want to go to more national parks very soon.

You too can find a park to visit -- just go to FindYourPark.com

I hope that everyone will join in the celebration of the National Park Service’s 100 years of existence and have the chance to get outside and explore the great outdoors!

Thank you!

Cheyenne

Maryland