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人生一定要有的八個朋友: 推手(Builder)、 支柱(Champion)、 同好(Collaborator)、 夥伴(Companion)、 中介(Connector)、 開心果(Energizer)、 開路者(Mind Opener)、 導師(Navigator)。 chutze@bostonorange.com ******************* All rights of articles and photos on this website are reserved.
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Baker-Polito Administration Files $3.5 Billion Economic Development Legislation
The FORWARD bill will make investments in all 351 cities and towns in Massachusetts
LYNN - Today, Governor Charlie Baker filed legislation to make $3.5 billion in investments to support Massachusetts’s path forward as the Commonwealth transitions into a post-pandemic world, including projects to strengthen state infrastructure, create jobs and invest in all 351 cities and towns in the Commonwealth.
The legislation, An Act Investing in Future Opportunities for Resiliency, Workforce, and Revitalized Downtowns (FORWARD) includes $2.3 billion in funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) and over $1.256 billion in capital bond authorizations.
The announcement was made today in Lynn at Breakwater North Harbor, a 331-unit apartment community that broke ground in 2019 and was built in part as a result of a $1.2 million MassWorks grant to fund roadway and water infrastructure improvements, and a $1 million Seaport Economic Council grant to ensure long-term integrity of the adjacent shoreline along North Harbor.
The legislation filed today would direct approximately $27 million to Lynn including $13 million for improvements to the Lynn Heritage State Park, $10 million for the South Harbor waterfront redevelopment site on the Lynnway, and millions more for traffic and safety improvements at the intersection of Broad and Washington Streets, as well as for local economic recovery in the city.
“The Commonwealth has an opportunity to make significant investments now to help our communities and local economies emerge stronger in a post-pandemic world,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “The FORWARD legislation will make investments in every municipality in Massachusetts, strengthening downtowns, improving the resiliency of infrastructure and giving workers the tools they need to succeed in today’s economy. We look forward to working with the Legislature to take action on this bill quickly to ensure cities and towns receive much-needed recovery funding.”
“This bill will support hundreds of local projects, whether through funding to improve green spaces or grants to support economic development,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “Making these local investments will help cities and towns fortify their infrastructure and redevelop their downtowns.”
The FORWARD bill includes $1.2 billion in ARPA funds for climate resiliency and preservation efforts. This includes a $750 million investment in the Commonwealth’s clean energy industry, building on Governor Baker’s October 2021 proposal. The $750 million will be utilized for a variety of areas within the sector, such as electric vehicle rapid charging stations at Logan International Airport, the expansion of the MassCEC Wind Technology Training Center in Charlestown, over $70 million in investments related to the New Bedford Marine Terminal, and a greater focus on higher education and workforce training in an effort to support the burgeoning clean energy industry. The bill also proposes $413 million to support over 100 projects across state parks and trails, water and sewer, and environmental infrastructure grant programs.
The FORWARD legislation proposes nearly $970 million for investments to support revitalizing the Commonwealth’s downtowns and communities, including $318 million in ARPA funding and $650 million in bond authorization. This includes $550 million for the MassWorks program, including $400 million in reauthorization and $147 million in ARPA funds to support 94 local projects. Nearly 250 municipalities will receive downtown recovery grants totaling $108 million. The Baker-Polito Administration commissioned a Future of Work report last year that found that downtowns will look fundamentally different coming out of the COVID-19 pandemic, as many people have changed how and where they work. This funding will help municipalities adapt to this new reality.
The legislation also includes $325 million in ARPA funding for workforce efforts, including $300 million for the Unemployment Trust Fund to address unemployment overpayments. The HireNow program, which provides grants to employers to train and hire new workers, would receive $25 million.
The FORWARD bill includes $270 million in authorization to support housing production across the Commonwealth, including affordable rental housing production and rehabilitation, public housing, climate resilient housing, and transit-oriented development. The bill also makes several policy proposals to increase housing production, including an increase of the cap on the Housing Development Incentive Program from $10 million to $30 million.
The bill proposes significant funding to support the Commonwealth’s innovation economy including $50 million for a new competitive and secure future innovation program to make strategic investments in purpose-driven research, technology development, and innovation, and in emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence and machine learning (AI/ML), robotics, quantum information science, cybersecurity, communications, and digital health.
This legislation would allow the Massachusetts Convention Center Authority to sell the Hynes Convention Center, with proceeds from the sale going to affordable housing development and the Back Bay area. Occupancy levels at the Hynes fluctuated around 60% before the pandemic, and numbers have still not recovered.
"The FORWARD legislation brings together critical capital spending authorizations and key investments backed by remaining ARPA dollars to propose a transformative economic development and environmental spending package that benefits every city and town in the Commonwealth," said Secretary of Administration and Finance Michael J. Heffernan. "The hundreds of projects supported will invigorate local economies and infrastructure at a crucial point in time, and we look forward to working with the Legislature to pass this bill."
“Throughout the pandemic, the partnerships we’ve been able to build with individual communities, the business community, academia, and across state government became more important than ever, and this legislation reflects that spirit of collaboration by targeting funding toward key priorities in all cities and towns across the Commonwealth,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy. “In addition, this bill lays out a thoughtful strategy that will accelerate our transition to a post-pandemic world by making the kinds of investments that support our downtowns, our workforce, core infrastructure, and the state’s housing needs with the urgency this situation calls for.”
“Through the Baker-Polito Administration’s continued efforts, Massachusetts leads the nation in taking action on climate change, including the advancement of climate resiliency investments at the state and local level and developing and deploying clean energy solutions at scale,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Kathleen Theoharides. “With the filing of the FORWARD Act, we will expand on these efforts by investing $750 million to further support the clean energy industry by fostering innovation and technology advancements, continuing the growth of a homegrown clean energy and climate workforce, and beginning construction of important resilient infrastructure improvements.”
ARPA funds must be committed by states by the end of 2024 and spent by the end of 2026. This legislation prioritizes investing ARPA funding into projects that are already sufficiently defined and narrow in scope so they can be completed by 2026.
FORWARD Highlights:
Climate Resiliency and Preservation Efforts (ARPA funding):
Revitalized Downtowns & Communities (ARPA and bond authorization):
COVID-19 Response (ARPA funding):
Workforce (ARPA funding):
Housing (bond authorization):
Innovation (bond authorization):
Education (ARPA funding):
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(中華表演基金會提供) |
小提琴家林昭亮和大提琴家馬友友及指揮小澤征爾
(Seiji Ozawa) 在國際樂壇並列多年,都是最活躍、最有名望的亞裔音樂家。
林昭亮不但是獲得英國「留聲機年度唱片獎」(Gramophone’s
Record of the year) 的第一位華人演奏家,二次獲得葛萊美(Grammy)獎提名,還被「音樂美國」Musical America 雜誌選為2000年的年度器樂演奏家 (Instrumentalist of the year),名列”企鵝指南得獎名人錄( Penguin Guide Rosettes) ”。
在台灣出生的林昭亮,12歲時遠赴澳洲雪梨,後來到美國追隨大師
Dorothy Delay學習,19歲在林肯中心「莫札特主題音樂節」(Mostly
Mozart Festival)首演,20歲和紐約愛樂
(New York Philharmonic Orchestra) 及指揮Zubin Mehta 演出後備受樂壇重視。如今他已與全球最主要的樂團及名指揮合作演出過無數次,享譽全球。1991年,他回母校茱莉亞 Juilliard音樂學院任教,2006年受聘加盟德州萊斯 (Rice)大學。他在加州 La Jolla、香港、及台灣都成功舉辦過國際大師音樂節,為青年音樂家提供向大師們學習並同台演出的珍貴機會。
大提琴家 Clive Greensmith 是著名的東京四重奏
(Tokyo String Quartet)(1999-2013)成員,從最開始到最後一季,每年演出百餘場,14年來足跡遍布全球各地的最著名音樂廳,也贏得全世界的尊敬及讚賞。他還每年在各地的音樂節演出、教學,和倫敦交響樂團等大樂團合作擔任獨奏,也和林肯中心室內樂團
(Chamber Music Society of Lincoln Center)一齊到各地演出。在他輝煌燦爛的簡歷上,與他合作演出及錄音的,都是當今樂壇上最頂尖大師級人物。他現任加州
Colburn 音樂學院的大提琴及室內樂教授。他的學生中已有多人考上著名樂團,並在國際大賽中獲獎。
芬蘭鋼琴家 Juho Pohjonen 曾獲無數芬蘭及國際鋼琴大賽大獎,是當今樂壇公認最傑出的鋼琴家之一。紐約時報
(The New York Times) 稱讚他「珍珠般的觸感,如詩歌般的聲音和敏感度,Pohjonen 在整個節目中展示了他的音樂才華」。他在個人獨奏會,與著名樂團合作,製作錄音專輯之外,還經常和林肯中心室內樂團合作,在全球各地巡迴演出。
5月7日晚的預訂演奏曲目如下:
巴赫:G大調第六小提琴與鋼琴奏鳴曲 BWV 1019
舒曼:《F-A-E》奏鳴曲中的間奏曲
勃拉姆斯:《F-A-E》奏鳴曲中的諧謔曲
拉威爾:小提琴與大提琴奏鳴曲
勃拉姆斯:C大調鋼琴三重奏 Op. 87
這場演出共90分鐘,沒有中場休息。雖然不強制觀眾戴口罩,但為慎重安心起見,還是建議戴上口罩。需出示打過疫苗,或測試陰性證明才可入場。票價為$15 (7至13歲)、$30、及$50三種。提供學生免費票 (14歲以上)及非學生贈送券。需事前預訂。臨時到場者需付10元現款,沒有免費優待。6歲以下兒童請勿入場。詳情請查官網:http://www.chineseperformingarts.net/contents/season/20220507/index.html
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華埠關於治安的會議,華埠及城中區共175人以上出席。(視屏截圖) |
波士頓市長吳弭 (Michelle Wu)的幕僚長朱為亭 (Tiffany Chu) 當晚全程參與會議,並總結指出,在改善地方治安上,社區民眾表達的意見包括燈光,監視錄影機,911電話。
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全美安良工商會總理陳仕維等華埠商家也來出席會議。)(視屏截圖) |
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波士頓市長吳弭的幕僚長朱為亭。 |
波士頓市警察局職位最高的華裔警察,社區參與局副總監陳孔恩
(James Chin)和波士頓警察局A-1區警長Robert
Ciccolo應邀出席會議。
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波士頓市議會議長Ed Flynn。 |
波士頓市議會議長愛德華費林
(Ed Flynn),波士頓華商會會長蔡倩婷,理事余麗媖,紐英崙中華公所行政主任珠蘇珊,社區人士羅燕玲,Elinor
Wong,Rebecca,Arturo等有許多人發言,費林議員的助理盧善柔協助做廣東話翻譯。
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波士頓警察局社區副總監James Chin。 |
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波士頓警察局A-1區警長Robert Ciccolo。 |
波士頓市議會議長Ed Flynn聽聞Eilnor Wong的遭遇後,直言這是仇恨犯罪,必須制止。他並強調自己將和市長合作,積極協助華埠改善治安與相關狀況。
當晚出席會議的州市議員及代表眾多,除前述個人外,還包括波士頓市府社區參與長Brianna Millor,波士頓市議員Ruthzee Louijeune,以及市議員Michael Flaherty,Julie Mejia,Erin Murphy,麻州眾議員Nick Collins的代表,波士頓市華埠聯絡員黃楚嵐等等。
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紐英崙中華公所主席雷國輝 |
Baker-Polito Administration Joins Survivors of Sexual Assault and Domestic Violence to Highlight Public Safety Proposals in Salem
For high resolution and additional photos, click here.
SALEM – Today, Governor Charlie Baker and Lt. Governor Karyn Polito joined Secretary of Public Safety and Security Terrence Reidy, Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett, legislators, survivors and members of their families, advocates and law enforcement officials to participate in the fourth roundtable discussion highlighting the importance of the Baker-Polito Administration’s refiled public safety proposal, which would provide comprehensive new protections for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault, assault and battery, the harmful distribution of explicit images and other crimes.
Since refiling An Act to Protect Victims of Crimes and the Public and An Act Relative to the Harmful Distribution of Sexually Explicit Visual Materials in December, the administration has hosted regional roundtables in Plymouth, Springfield, Worcester and Salem as part of its continued efforts to work with survivors and their families and urge the passage of critical legal reforms. Held during Victim Rights Month, today’s roundtable featured survivors and their family members whose cases and safety would have been aided by the administration’s dangerousness reforms. April is also Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Child Abuse Prevention Month.
“We continue to hear from survivors, their families and advocates that there is more we can and should be doing to protect the brave men, women and children who have been traumatized by violent offenders and predators,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “This legislation will support survivors by enacting simple, commonsense measures that hold offenders accountable and – most importantly – keep survivors safe.”
“Survivors and their families have already endured so much, and it is incumbent upon us to ensure that their rights are upheld before, while and after their cases are adjudicated,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “We are deeply grateful to all of today’s participants and their courage in sharing their harrowing experiences in the hopes of passing this critically important legislative package.”
“We remain grateful to the dozens of survivors, loved ones, prosecutors, service providers, and advocates who have participated in these roundtables,” said Public Secretary and Security Secretary Terrence Reidy. “Their lived experiences expose shortcomings in the Commonwealth’s existing law, which needs urgent, common sense attention. The impact of our proposals will bring hope to those in despair and light into a survivor’s moment of darkness.”
“Since 2018, I have urged the Legislature to address the gaping hole in the law (MGL Chapter 276, Section 58A) which does not permit an assistant district attorney to request a dangerousness hearing for a person charged with raping or sexually assaulting a child,” said Essex County District Attorney Jonathan Blodgett. “One of the primary obligations of government is to protect the safety of the public, particularly the vulnerable, from dangerous people. It is hard to think of anyone more dangerous than an adult who sexually assaults a child and anyone more vulnerable than a child.”
An Act to Protect Victims of Crimes and the Public: First filed in 2018, the Administration’s proposal would expand the list of offenses that can provide grounds for a dangerousness hearing and close certain loopholes at the start and end of the criminal process that currently limit or prevent effective action to address legitimate safety concerns. It would strengthen the ability of judges to enforce the conditions of pre-trial release by empowering police to detain people who they observe violating court-ordered release conditions; current law does not allow this, and instead requires a court to first issue a warrant. Under this proposal, judges will be empowered to revoke a person’s release when the offender has violated a court-ordered condition, such as an order to stay away from a victim, or from a public playground. Current law requires an additional finding of dangerousness before release may be revoked.
The legislation also expands the list of offenses which can provide grounds for a dangerousness hearing including crimes of sexual abuse and crimes of threatened or potential violence. It also follows the long-standing federal model in including a defendant’s history of serious criminal convictions as grounds that may warrant a dangerousness hearing. Current law requires courts to focus only on the crime charged and ignore a defendant’s criminal history when determining whether the defendant may be the subject of this sort of hearing.
An Act Relative to the Harmful Distribution of Sexually Explicit Visual Materials: First filed in 2017, this legislation seeks to close a loophole under current law by creating penalties for adults who distribute a sexually explicit image for purposes of revenge or embarrassment. While current law addresses non-consensual recording of an unsuspecting person, it does not address instances where someone distributes an image without consent regardless of whether the initial image may have been taken with consent. This legislation closes the gap in state law by creating a new felony offense and empowering judges in criminal proceedings to ensure an explicit image in question is permanently destroyed.
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