PATRICK ADMINISTRATION MAKES APPLICATIONS FOR FOURTH ANNUAL ROUND OF MASSWORKS INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM AVAILABLE

PATRICK ADMINISTRATION MAKES APPLICATIONS FOR FOURTH ANNUAL ROUND OF MASSWORKS INFRASTRUCTURE PROGRAM AVAILABLE

BOSTON – Monday, June 2, 2014 –Housing and Economic Development Secretary Greg Bialecki today announced that the fourth round of the annual MassWorks Infrastructure Program grant program will be open to new applications online between June 1 and August 29, 2014.

The MassWorks Infrastructure Program provides a one-stop shop for municipalities and other eligible public entities seeking funding to support housing, economic development and job creation. In addition, the Program also supports municipalities with a population of 7,000 or less that may seek grants for road improvements to enhance safety.

The 2014 grant round will support housing or commercial growth opportunities that contribute to the long-term strength and sustainability of Massachusetts with a particular emphasis on projects that support the production of multi-family housing in appropriately located mixed-use districts or that support economic development in weak or distressed areas. The MassWorks Program encourages communities to apply for projects where they have planned ahead for such growth by implementing prompt and predictable permitting and zoning that supports the desired growth.

The materials for the fourth round of grants and the electronic application system were put online June 1, 2014, giving public entities a 10-week head start on gathering information they need to apply for these grants in August. A copy of the 2014 application, guidelines, FAQs and other relevant materials are available at http://mass.gov/hed/massworks. All data submitted during the 2011, 2012 and 2013 grant rounds will be available to previous applicants for updating, making reapplying easier. All decisions will be rendered within approximately eight weeks.

In total, the past three grant rounds of the MassWorks Infrastructure Program have assisted over 100 projects with over $180 million in infrastructure improvement projects in all areas of the Commonwealth.

The first competitive MassWorks grant round was held in September 2011. In the latest round, the Administration approved 33 projects worth over $79 million.

The MassWorks Program represents six capital budget programs that were consolidated by the Patrick Administration in 2011 and codified by the Jobs Bill signed by Governor Deval Patrick in August 2012. To learn more about the MassWorks Infrastructure Program and how it is supporting job growth and long-term, sustainable economic development, please visit: http://mass.gov/hed/massworks.

BCYF BOSTON NEIGHBORHOOD BASKETBALL LEAGUE PRESENTED BY REEBOK NOW REGISTERING

BCYF BOSTON NEIGHBORHOOD BASKETBALL LEAGUE PRESENTED BY REEBOK NOW REGISTERING

Boston’s favorite summer basketball league, the Boston Neighborhood Basketball League (BNBL), is back!  Presented by Reebok, BNBL is currently accepting registrations for teams to compete in the 45^th annual summer season.  Individuals who wish to join a “wait list” to be placed on a team and youth interested in the Pee Wee Development Program can also register.  The registration deadline is Friday, June 27^th.  Volunteer coaches are also welcome and needed.  All BNBL coaches must pass a CORI/SORI administered through Boston Centers for Youth & Families (BCYF.) 

The BNBL season officially begins on Monday, July 7^th.  Registration forms for team registration and individual “wait list” registration can be downloaded on-line soon at http://www.cityofboston.gov/bcyf/recreation.asp.  The league will end on Friday, August 22^nd after the conclusion of all playoff games.

BNBL also offers a FREE Pee Wee Developmental program for boys and girls ages 6-11.  Pee Wee BNBL is offered at the BCYF Charlestown Community Center, the BCYF Gallivan Community Center in Mattapan, the BCYF Grove Hall Community Center in Roxbury, the BCYF Leahy-Holloran Community Center in Dorchester, and the BCYF Roslindale Community Center.  This program teaches young players the basics of basketball in a fun and non-competitive setting.  Space is limited and spots can be reserved by calling the community centers directly.  Pee Wee registration forms can be downloaded on-line soon at http://www.cityofboston.gov/bcyf/recreation.asp.       

The Boston Neighborhood Basketball League is the oldest municipal basketball league in the country and serves over 3,000 young men and women in four divisions: Pee Wee, 13 and under, 15 and under, and 18 and under.  BNBL is played at BCYF community centers across the city and at select park locations.  For more information, or to find out about coaching opportunities, please e-mail or call the League Co-Director, Woodley Auguste, at Woodley.Auguste@boston.gov  or 617-635-5206 x103.

亞太裔眾議員在美國國會中比例仍偏少美華裔支持劉云平競選

亞太裔眾議員在美國國會中比例仍偏少美華裔支持劉云平競選
正在競選聯邦眾議員的美國加州華裔參議員劉云平，為爭取在即將到來的民主黨內初選中出線，5​​月31日晚與亞太裔社區領袖見面，宣傳自己的競選理念和個人特質，並誓言當選後將代表亞太裔，在聯邦政府內，維護亞太裔的權益。與會的亞太裔社區領袖表示，劉云平從政以來在處理與亞太裔相關議題實施的表現，是值得信賴的。劉云平當選國會議員有助於達成亞太裔人口比例在國會中的代表。
劉云平介紹自己從小生長在貧窮的第一代移民家庭，從舊貨商​​店購買生活用品。然後全家人從經營一家雜貨店開始發展到擁有6家雜貨店。為了回饋社會，劉云平也曾參加空軍服役。他從事的行業包括金融和法律。
劉云平從政資歷完整，從參選洛杉磯托倫斯市市議員開始、到加州眾議員、參議員，雖然在華裔人口較為稀少的選區內參選，但幾乎每次都順利當選。這次因為和他的參議員選區幾乎重疊的選區的國會眾議員宣布退休，劉云平決定競選這一席位。
當天到場表示支持的國會眾議員趙美心表示，美國政府正面臨退伍老兵醫療、個人隱私以及金融等方面的重大議題，劉云平如果當選國會議員，將會對這些議案的處理有極大的幫助。
根據美國亞太裔人口的總數，美國國會內亞太裔的議員人數應該有26名，但是目前國會內的亞太裔議員人數還遠達不到這個比例。
出席活動的亞太裔社區領袖包括，百人會會員、蒙特利公園市前市長陳李琬若、美國華人公共事務促進會顧問朱易、亞太裔公共事務聯盟南加州分會主席黃福篷、全美中華青年聯合會會長任向東，以及來自南加州越南裔社區的代表。他們表示，劉云平是值得亞太裔社區信賴的代表，是華裔從政的優秀代表。更是今年最有機會進入國會的亞太裔代表。亞太裔社區團結合作，力助劉云平進入國會，必將有助於亞太裔議員在國會內的比例提升。 （AACYF洛杉磯訊）
 http://www.aacyf.org/?p=4319
全美中華青年聯合會

全美中華青年聯合會 LA 辦“洪門”文化研討會

“洪門文化”是美國早期華人社會中的主流文化體系
中國致公黨上海市委代表團一行5月28日在洛杉磯應邀參加“洪門”文化研討會，研討會由全美中華青年聯合會、美國華人公共外交促進會、南加州華人華僑聯合會等機構聯合主辦。與會學者指出，美國早期的華人社會中“洪門”文化具有巨大的影響力，“洪門”文化中的推翻封建統治、要求公平、互助團結，形成了當時華人社會中的主流主流文化體系和價值觀。
主辦機構美國華人公共外交促進會會長任向東表示，在年度的亞太裔文化傳統月期間，探索和發掘美國早期華人社會的主流文化源頭和核心價值觀形成過程，可以感受到文化具有超越時空和地域的精神力量和輻射力。
早期美洲洪門組織在傳統中華文化的基礎上，形成了特有文化的現象，可以稱之為“洪門文化”。通過研究早期華人社會的特有文化遺產，以共同探索並形成新時代維繫海外華人社區的文化和價值觀體系。
羅省中華會館主席伍尚齊介紹，有研究報告指出，當年北美洲“華僑名列會籍者十之八九”。洪門提倡的俠義、忠良、團結互助宗旨，對於當時孤身在北美的華人華僑，有巨大的吸引力和凝聚力。直到現在，在華人社區和主流社會中，仍有相當的影響力。
全美中華青年聯合會理事長朱冰峰，羅省中華會館副監事長、羅省台山寧陽會館主席李錦生等認為，洪門文化在美國早期的華人社區中生根後，有逐漸的演變和發展，但是本質上還是依托傳統的中華文化，這也是在當時的華人社會中具有巨大的生命力之原因所在。
致公黨上海市委秘書長鳳懋倫介紹了代表團一行剛剛在費城參加的美國洪門致公總堂第29屆懇親大會的盛況，中國致公黨中央副主席汪珣章應邀率團參加了大會。他表示，洪門一些特有的文化特徵，比如手勢、暗語等都是非常珍貴的非物質文化遺產，需要研究如何保留和傳承。
南加州華人華僑聯合會詹瑞娥表示，這次研討會是首次提出“洪門文化”的概念。在研究洪門文化的同時，也是對中華傳統文化精髓的一次總結。
致公黨上海市委代表團成員，知名學者汪敏生、孫康以及許燕玲、袁立群等參加了當天的研討會。 （AACYF洛杉磯訊）

WGBH The World Channel to air documentary on Boston businessman’s decades long search for his gay brother’s killer in Australia

On the Precipice: The World Channel to air documentary on Boston businessman’s decades long search for his gay brother’s killer in Australia

Boston, MA…..What would you do if your gay younger brother was found dead at the bottom of a cliff 10,000 miles away in Australia, and authorities told you he had killed himself and closed the case? What if, 17 years later, a police investigation lifted the cover on a deadly Australian “sport” popular at the time of your brother’s death, known as “poofter bashing”? What if you repeatedly contacted Australian authorities and were ignored? If you were Cambridge resident and entrepreneur Steve Johnson, you’d raise some hell Down Under. Which is exactly what he did. Beginning June 2, 2012,  an acclaimed Australian documentary will air for the first time in the United States, chronicling Johnson’s quest for justice for his brother and scores of other gay men targeted in hate crimes.

Throughout June, World Channel (produced and distributed by WGBH, American Public Television and WNET/New York in association with PBS) will broadcast a film produced by the Australian Broadcasting Corporation’s flagship show, Australian Story.  The half-hour documentary details Steve Johnson’s 25-year quest to find justice for his brother, and is scheduled to air 18 times in every major market in the U.S. beginning in early June. The explosive film forced the New South Wales Police Force, after 23 years of dragging their feet, to open “Strike Force Macnamir” to investigate Scott’s death, and to offer a $100,000 reward for information about how Scott died. Police announced the task force and reward the day after the broadcast, which was viewed by one out of every 23 Australians.

Johnson, a Boston technology entrepreneur, never believed his younger brother killed himself. Then, in 2005, he discovered what probably happened to Scott, when a police investigation code-named Operation Taradale uncovered horrifying evidence that young thugs routinely preyed on men at gay meeting places called “beats” around Sydney – and ran some of them off cliffs. When Steve learned this, he asked police to reopen Scott’s case, but was rebuffed again.

This time, Steve Johnson was in a position to put his money where his doubts were. A former AOL executive and currently the CEO of ChoiceStream, a Boston-based technology company, Steve hired investigative journalist Daniel Glick to go to Sydney and poke around. Glick, a former Newsweek correspondent, had covered the murder of six-year-old beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey and knew something about police incompetence and stonewalling.

Over the course of the next few years, “Team Scott” discovered shocking details that police overlooked: the place where Scott died was a “notorious” open-air beat, and a gay man had survived a stabbing a year previously at the exact spot where Scott died. They met other families with loved ones whose mysterious deaths were ruled suicide and “misadventure,” and have laid bare dozens of other unsolved murders from that era.

World Channel salutes “Equality for All” (equality-for-all/) during the month of June, beginning with an airing of Scott’s story, Australian Story:  On the Precipice, on Sunday, June 1, 2014.

Boston Mayor announces four winners and commitments to the Mayor’s Carbon Cup

Mayor Walsh Celebrates Sustainability Leaders at Greenovate Boston Community Summit

Announces four winners and commitments

to the Mayor’s Carbon Cup

BOSTON – Mayor Martin J. Walsh today hosted the Greenovate Boston Community Summit to celebrate Boston’s sustainability movement and the development of a forward-looking vision for climate action across all Boston neighborhoods. As part of the summit, Mayor Walsh recognized the winners of the Greenovate Boston Awards, including four inaugural Mayor’s Carbon Cup participants, who have each pledged or achieved a 35% reduction in greenhouse gas intensity in at least one million square feet of space.

“Today is a celebration of every Bostonian’s work in making Boston a greener, healthier, and a more prosperous place,” said Mayor Martin J. Walsh. “It is also a day to look at the climate challenges ahead, and to have confidence that the collective knowledge and drive of Bostonians can step up to these challenges.”

This year, the Mayor presented 11 Greenovate Awards. The awards, now in their eighth year, recognize sustainability leadership across Boston in businesses, community organizations, non-profits, residents, and institutions. 2014 Greenovate Boston award winners, include:

·      The Boston Architectural College and Halvorson Design Partnership, INC – Green Alley Project

·      Planet Southie – Community Organizing

·      Ace Auto Body – Hazardous Waste Reduction

·      Codman Square Health Center – Green Building & Education

·      Tim Hall, CERO Cooperative – Community Leadership

·      Neighborhood of Affordable Housing (NOAH) – Community Climate Preparedness

·      Veolia Energy - Green Steam Pipeline

·      Codman Square Neighborhood Development Corporation – Community Organizing

·      Bon Me Food Truck – Sustainable Food Systems

·      P&G Gillette, Boston Site – Energy Conservation

·      Curley K-8 School – Waste Reduction

In addition, the Mayor’s Carbon Cup, which launched in April of this year, showcased four large institutions that have each committed at least one million square feet of building space to a 35% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions intensity by 2020. The institutions collectively committed roughly 15 million square feet to the Cup and, if successful, will remove approximately 35,000 metric tons of GHGe from a 2005 baseline, equivalent to weatherizing close to 27,000 housing units.

“These large properties are leading the way on climate action, both in preparing for its impacts and lowering our collective carbon footprint,” said Chief of Environment, Energy, and Open Space Brian Swett. “With over 500 Bostonians in attendance today, our hope is that we can all find some place of leadership on climate action, whether in our homes, neighborhoods, or workplaces.”

Carbon Cup Participants

Partners HealthCare, Brigham and Women’s Hospital

• Committed to a 35% reduction in GHG emissions per licensed bed across 3.1 million square feet
• In order to achieve reduction, will build a cogeneration plant at BWH, in addition to HVAC retro-commissioning, occupied/unoccupied scheduling, and a lighting upgrade

Boston University

• Achieved to a 35% reduction in GHG emissions per square foot across 1.1 million square feet since FY 2005
• Committed to a 35% reduction in GHG emissions across 5.2 million square feet by FY 2020

Harvard University (within Boston city limits)

• Achieved a 35% reduction in GHG emissions per square foot across 1.1 million square feet since FY 2005
• Committed to a 30% absolute reduction in GHG emissions across entire North American campus by 2016

Partners HealthCare, Massachusetts General Hospital

• Achieved a nearly 43% reduction in GHG emissions per licensed bed across 5.6 million square feet since FY 2005
• Reduced greenhouse gas emissions due to energy usage alone by nearly 20,000 metric tons from FY 2005 baseline, or the equivalent of 4,200 cars taken off the road  

The Cup is actively seeking new commercial real estate, hospitals, and universities to commit throughout this year. For more information, visit bit.ly/CarbonCupBos.

The daylong summit also featured interactive workshops, keynote speakers including MBTA General Manager, Beverly Scott, Next Step Living CEO, Geoff Chaplin, and Vice President of the Codman Square Neighborhood Council, Cynthia Loesch, and mechanisms for soliciting public feedback into the 2014 Climate Action Plan. For the full agenda, please visit Summit.GreenovateBoston.org.

Coinciding with the one-year anniversary of the public launch of the Greenovate Boston initiative in conjunction with over 50 community partners, the Summit belongs to a larger suite of events and programming to engage Bostonians on how to lower the city’s carbon footprint and prepare for the impacts of climate change. Greenovate Boston staff have personally briefed over 1,000 people and co-hosted or attended over 20 community events regarding the Climate Action Plan.

Moving forward, Greenovate Boston will continue to co-host community meetings for the purposes of soliciting feedback for the Climate Action Plan. Feedback is also being collected via Greenovate Boston’s virtual town hall at Engage.GreenovateBoston.org. Those who wish to have a more active role can join the Neighborhoods, Climate Preparedness or 80x50 Strategy Committees. Feedback from all of these channels will be fed directly into the Steering Committee, who is tasked with providing final strategy recommendations for the Climate Action Plan, which will be completed in late 2014.

Massachusetts to develop first new Food System Plan in 30+ yrs

Massachusetts to develop first new Food System Plan in 30+ yrs

Statewide team will craft new vision, issue recommendations for a resilient local food system

Boston – Massachusetts will develop its first Food System Plan in more than three decades this year, thanks to a partnership of organizations working across the Commonwealth under the leadership of the state department of agriculture.

The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), in collaboration with the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC), the Franklin Region Council of Governments (FRCOG) and the Massachusetts Workforce Alliance (MWA), has been chosen by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) to facilitate the first Massachusetts Food System Plan since 1978. Work kicks off this month and will continue all summer and into next year.

“This is a tremendous opportunity to engage critical stakeholders in a process for identifying the options available to us that best ensure the long-term sustainability of our food system in the face of mounting economic and environmental challenges,” said  Greg Watson, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR).

The plan will help Massachusetts to be more self-sufficient when it comes to producing and consuming our own food, to plan for more equitably distributing our food, and to prepare for climate change and other evolutions in our food system.

Responding to new innovations and dramatically-increasing interest in food systems planning during the past decade, MDAR and the Massachusetts Food Policy Council will work with MAPC and its partners to reach out to food growers, producers and other food system stakeholders throughout the Commonwealth to establish a new vision for the state’s food system.

Work will include planning for an ecologically stable network of food producers, consumers, processors, retailers and distribution hubs, and will include groups working toward greater social equity, health and sustainable water use.

MAPC is taking the leading role in the project, building a collaborative group with representation from key stakeholders in the food system statewide.

“Massachusetts has a distinctive food system, and planning for its future will be critical to ensuring that both our urban and rural areas stay economically competitive,” said MAPC Executive Director Marc Draisen. “MAPC is thrilled to be working with key partners across the entire industry to promote climate resiliency, sustainable agriculture, and access to affordable, healthy local food.”

During the next 18 months, the team will meet with farmers and ranchers, food business owners and workers, distributors, waste handlers, residents and many others to produce a comprehensive assessment of the food system and to issue recommendations for strengthening the state’s food economy.

“Scaling up the production of food in Massachusetts goes hand-in-hand with local economic development and hunger relief,” said PVPC Executive Director Timothy Brennan. “There is now tremendous energy among food producers and consumers for focusing on food systems as a way to achieve these twin goals statewide, thereby allowing Massachusetts to maintain a leadership position in this realm.”   

“The intersection of local food and economic opportunity, including job creation, is potent for Massachusetts. A coordinated, strategic approach to strengthening our food system will clarify what the jobs will be, how to grow them, the training and education needed and the pathways that exist and are being crafted for food system workers,” said Deborah Mutschler, Massachusetts Workforce Alliance Executive Director. “Working with the regional planning entities grounds this work in the larger contexts of economic development, food access, and environmental priorities.”

“We are pleased that our team, made up of regional planning agencies that serve the most rural and most urban areas in the state, was selected for this project,” said FRCOG Executive Director Linda Dunlavy. “Our team represents the state’s land use and economic diversities and brings the primary growing and consumer areas together. Our hope is that we will be instrumental in ensuring the plan’s implementation at the regional and local levels.”

For more information, contact MAPC Senior Environmental Planner Julie Conroy at 617-933-0749 or jconroy@mapc.org. Visitmapc.org/massfoodplan to learn more about the plan and sign up for our project newsletter.