2014麻州最佳高中Sturgis在鱈魚角

美國新聞及世界報導（US News and World Report）本週公布了最佳公立高中名單，位於鱈魚角Hyannis的Sturgis特許學校，在麻州排名第一，全美排第三十二。

緊排在後的是波士頓拉丁學校（Boston Latin School），以及波士頓大學生特許學校（Boston Collegiate Charter School）。

        位於馬伯洛夫（Marlborough）的高級數學，科學學院特許學校（The Advanced Math and Science Academy Charter School）在麻州排名第四。勒星頓高中今年落居第五。

            波士頓拉丁學校去年排名第一，高級數學，科學學院特許學校去年排名第二。兩校排名今年都跌了下來。

            麻州排名在前的學校，有許多在波士頓地區，尤其是在波士頓公校學區內。

            麻州高中的整體排名在全美排第四。馬里蘭州排第一，其次為加州，康州。

            不過麻州沒有一所高中擠進全美前十佳學校之中。

            美國新聞及世界報導的這份名單，包括全美的一萬九千所高中，檢視內容包括學生註冊入學人數，多元化，以及考試成績等。

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES REGIONAL CLIMATE ACTION AGREEMENT

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES REGIONAL CLIMATE ACTION AGREEMENT

BOSTON – Wednesday, May 13, 2015 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced the Metro Boston Climate Preparedness Commitment, a regional agreement to establish a common policy framework throughout the Metro Boston area to prepare for climate change. Mayor Walsh made the announcement during the Metro Mayors Climate Preparedness Summit, hosted by the City of Boston and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council’s (MAPC) Metro Mayors Coalition (MMC). Mayor Walsh also announced the creation of the Metro Boston Climate Preparedness Task Force, which will coordinate regional, cross-government action to prepare for the effects of climate change.

“The Metro Boston region is a dense coastal area that is highly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change,” said Mayor Walsh. “Cities and towns in the Greater Boston area share environmental vulnerabilities, and a regional platform will ensure coordinated and complementary resiliency and climate action efforts. Thank you to my fellow mayors and the Metropolitan Area Planning Council for your commitment to this cause. ”

The Metro Boston Climate Preparedness Commitment, signed by the 14 MMC cities and towns, is a pledge for the municipalities to take coordinated action on critical regional infrastructure and systems, and to develop best practices for local government, policy recommendations for state and federal partners, and funding and investment vehicles to meet the challenges of climate change. By signing onto the agreement, member municipalities agree to sharing information, assessments, plans and identifying crucial gaps; integrating climate change in policies and programs; coordinating preparedness action; identifying regional priorities; and identifying opportunities for coordination and collaboration and acting on those opportunities.

In addition, the agreement creates the Metro Boston Climate Preparedness Task Force, which will meet approximately every two months to identify, evaluate and implement strategies for preparing the Metro Boston region for climate change, and to develop best practices for local government, make policy recommendations and set regional priorities based on the goals outlined at the summit.

“Neither the Atlantic Ocean nor the weather respects municipal boundaries,” said Somerville Mayor Joseph A. Curtatone, Chairman of the MMC. “The cities and towns of Metro Boston share built infrastructure and natural resources. If our region wants to mitigate the threat climate change and increase our resiliency, we also need to share common principles and work toward shared goals. This summit is a critical first step toward establishing those common principles and goals.”

“We will only be successful at tackling climate change if we do so together,” said Marc Draisen, Executive Director of the MAPC. “This issue is happening right here, right now, and we must approach it collaboratively if we want to make a difference.”

The half-day summit, held at UMass Boston, was a first-of-its-kind convening on regional climate preparedness. Members of the Metro Mayors Coalition include mayors from Boston, Cambridge, Chelsea, Everett, Malden, Melrose, Medford, Newton, Quincy, Revere, Somerville, Brookline, Winthrop and Braintree. In addition representatives of regional, state and federal agencies, including MassPort, the Massachusetts Water Resources Authority (MWRA), the Environmental Protection Agency, the Commonwealth's Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs and the Massachusetts Department of Transportation, were in attendance.

The summit was the result of a call by Mayor Walsh on the second anniversary of Hurricane Sandy, in October 2014, to host a regional summit to better prepare for the impacts of climate change and to coordinate a regional approach with the MAPC's Metro Mayors Coalition.

MAYOR’S OFFICE, LEGAL ADVOCATES, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS DISCUSS FUTURE STEPS REGARDING PRESIDENT OBAMA’S EXECUTIVE ACTIONS ON IMMIGRATION

MAYOR’S OFFICE, LEGAL ADVOCATES, AND COMMUNITY ORGANIZATIONS DISCUSS FUTURE STEPS REGARDING PRESIDENT OBAMA’S EXECUTIVE ACTIONS ON IMMIGRATION

BOSTON – Wednesday, May 13, 2015 – The Mayor’s Office of New Bostonians today discussed future steps regarding two of President Obama’s executive actions on immigration: expanded DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) and DAPA (Deferred Action for Parents of Americans and Lawful Permanent Residents), at a press conference at City Hall.

The Mayor’s Office of New Bostonians announced that the City will organize a free legal clinic on Saturday May 30 to support immigrant families looking to qualify for the President’s executive actions and thereby qualify for a work permit, social security number, protection from deportation, a Massachusetts driver’s license, and in-state tuition at public colleges and universities in Massachusetts.

Speakers included city officials and community organizations who have come together to advocate for these programs.

 “It is critical that Boston continues to be a welcoming city that serves all of the people who live and work here,” said Felix G. Arroyo, Chief of Health and Human Services for the City of Boston.

“It is a priority for our office to educate our communities about changes to our immigration system and help connect them to city and community resources,” said Alejandra St. Guillen, Director of the Mayor’s Office of New Bostonians. “Despite the legal hold up in the courts, we are continuing to help immigrants prepare so that when applications are released, individuals are ready to immediately apply.”

At today’s event, an East Boston parent shared his personal story as a DAPA-eligible immigrant, stating that DAPA would benefit him immensely by opening up more work opportunities and alleviating the constant fear of family separation.

“There are thousands of immigrant families in Boston and tens of thousands in Massachusetts who could benefit from these programs which will also give the city and state a big economic boost,” said Patricia Sobalvarro, Executive Director of Agencia ALPHA.

The free immigration legal clinic will be from 10 a.m.- 4 p.m. by appointment at the Mario Umana Academy, 312 Border St. in East Boston and is available to anyone who may be DACA or DAPA eligible. People can register by calling 617-635-4141.

Youth Options Unlimited Boston launches new website to provide high-risk youth with better access to opportunities

Youth Options Unlimited Boston launches new website to provide high-risk youth with better access to opportunities

 Updated site features online referral system and the voices of young people to show impact of YOU Boston’s work

 BOSTON – Youth Options Unlimited Boston (YOU Boston), a division of the Office of Jobs and Community Services, which is supported by the Boston Redevelopment Authority, is launching a more modern, redesigned website to promote engagement and program participation. YOU Boston strives to change the lives of high-risk and court-involved teens and young adults, ages 14 to 24, by partnering with them to take actionable steps toward a better future. In some cases, this work starts by helping young people reenter their communities following incarceration. The overhauled site reinforces YOU Boston’s mission by utilizing social tools and functionality that allows visitors to actively submit referrals online, just in time for 2015 Summer Employment Program.

According to Kim Pelletreau, Deputy Director of YOU Boston, this streamlined communication process will enable YOU Boston staff to more quickly connect with referred youth. “Online referrals will make it so individuals won’t have to call and speak to staff, or go through the time-intensive process of downloading forms, manually filling them out, then sending them in through traditional mail or fax. We’re very excited to have a new public face for our work.” The website redesign aligns with the Office of Jobs and Community Services’ commitment to building clear pathways to economic stability.

Now in its 17th year, YOU Boston (formerly Youth Opportunity Boston) continues to empower and motivate youth and young adults so they may gain the education, employment, and career advancement skills needed to access opportunities and be successful in the workplace, in the community, and in their lives. YOUboston.org has served as an entryway for constituents, partners, and donors seeking out information about the organization. However, the previous website had become dated and lacked the ability to serve as an effective outreach tool.

“Youth Options Unlimited Boston creates positive pathways for high-risk youth, which is essential to Boston's neighborhoods," said Mayor Walsh. "Through this program, young people overcome hurdles, and are empowered to envision brighter futures for themselves. I've been shaped by positive programs, and I know they matter in developing responsible members of society.”

The new YOUBoston.org showcases stories of progress through the voices of young people right on the homepage, giving a human face to the once content-sparse site. This redesigned site marks a vast departure from its predecessor, and it will be a key piece in activating the over 300 youth served annually by YOU Boston. It also offers a more enriching experience for outreach and program partners, which include educators, law enforcement officials, business leaders, and community members.

YOU Boston’s staff of case managers and career development specialists, working as services teams with young people, are committed to doing whatever it takes to connect high-risk and court-involved young people with the tools necessary to reenter their communities, and to progress and succeed in life.

Please visit www.YOUBoston.org for more information about program services and referral opportunities.

僑委會臺灣美食廚藝巡迴講座 5/13-16

僑務委員會為配合推動臺灣美食國際化，行銷臺灣美食品牌形象，並協助美東地區僑營餐飲業提升經營實力，特訂於5月13日至16日前來波士頓辦理「2015年美東地區臺灣美食廚藝巡迴講座」。

此項活動特聘請美麗春天大飯店協理兼行政主廚潘盟仁老師及啟英高中餐飲總監蔡萬利老師擔任講師。潘盟仁老師力寶山日本料理料理長，富岡日本料理、鐵板燒 店長兼主廚，日本、東京新臺北臺菜餐廳總料理長，日本house食品工公司海外餐飲事業部店長兼研發主廚及曾擔任本會2010年美西地區、2012年北美臺灣傳統週、2012年泰國地區、2013年美西地區、2014年關島及印尼地區臺灣美食廚藝巡迴講座講師。

蔡萬利老師曾歷日本東京翠園餐廳副主廚，三普大飯店、古今食府、老真興、滿福樓等餐廳廚師交通部民用航空局國際機場中餐資深廚師，嘉義食品顧問並且是第一屆巧手杯創意賽勝獎、清香素食創意菜優勝獎，中華美食展國際熱食創意賽銀牌獎，中華民國旅館事業協進會優良廚師，臺灣省廚藝競賽銅牌獎，中華民國桃園縣模範勞工、全國模範勞工楷模等殊榮。

「2015年美東地區臺灣美食廚藝巡迴講座」在波士頓辦理日期自5月13日16日，由波士頓安良工商會主辦華埠商會協辦。活動如下:

5月13日下午1:00在龍鳳餐廳二樓舉行歡迎記者會及餐飲座談會(對象除餐飲業外並公開給僑民參加)。題目內容是有關最近台灣的食安問題，民眾及餐飲業者如何選取食材，還有餐飲業者如何做好餐廳管理。

5月14日另公佈

5月15日晚上6:30PM在龍鳳餐廳二樓舉行餐宴由兩位老師主廚，菜單包括台式北京烤鴨、四色拼盤、湯、沙窩獅子頭、兩道素食、松子燒黃魚、櫻花蝦等十道菜，每人35元歡迎大家來品嚐佳餚。

5月16日晚上在美食之家 (Peking Palace)做廚藝交流歡迎大家參加， 452 Main St, Falmouth, MA 02540，電話508-540-8204。

New Balance 大手筆斥資冠名建火車站

運動鞋公司“新平衡（New Balance）”在奧斯頓-布萊頓（Allston - Brighton）擴大發展，斥資一千五百萬元，冠名建新火車站。麻州州長查理貝克（Charlie Baker）等政要，昨（十二）日出席破土典禮，預定2016年通車。

麻州地鐵局(MBTA)近年有如屋漏偏逢連夜雨，狀況不斷，不但系統老舊，破損，組織乏序，混亂，還欠著九十億元債務。去冬大波士頓遭遇有史以來最多風雪之時，地鐵經常開不出去。

            可是波士頓還在不斷增長，無論是千禧年代或嬰兒潮出生者，都希望在走路就行，人口密集的地方生活，因此更需要仰賴鐵路。

            不過，麻州州長查理貝克在新年度預算中，卻提議刪減交通廳預算二千六百萬元，其中有一千四百萬，就預定要從MBTA預算中刪除。

“新平衡”計畫在總部一帶擴大營業，要建新零售店面，酒店，跑道及溜冰場，和地方鄰里晤談時發現，人們對擴建沒什麼意見，卻紛紛抱怨當地缺乏公共交通工具，於是決定自己掏腰包建通勤火車站。

            昨日破土動工的新波士頓登陸站（Boston Landing station），預定於2016年秋，在波士頓和屋斯特（Worcester）之間的通勤火車路線，增加一個車站。新平衡將出資一千四百到一千六百萬元左右，並在車站開張營運後，承擔至少頭十年的維修開銷。

            在“新平衡”的佔地十五英畝，估計斥資五億元的企業發展計畫中，建車站的開銷，相對來說所佔比例很小。

            “新平衡”發言人Matt LeBretton表示，該公司是一家根在波士頓的運動鞋公司，從六個人一天共坐三十雙鞋子起家，拓展到現在全球僱有五千人的公司，還走進了地產界。

        佔地約二萬五千平方呎的大樓，外型有點像高頂球鞋（hightop sneaker），‘新平衡“計畫九月遷進新址，還打算在那兒經營一個溜冰場，好讓波士頓熊隊（Boston Bruins）把那兒當練習場。另外的十九萬平方呎空間，將出租給其他租戶，還要件275個住宅單位，一個跑道，一個田徑場，以及一個微型旅館。逐漸的，該公司將在那兒打造八萬平方呎的零售店面。

            根據美國聯邦交通管理局（Federal Transit Administration）最近做的調查報告，全美迄今只有23州訂有法令，容許交通建設由公私合營。

芝加哥市一個案例，常被人們引以為公私合營之戒。芝加哥市在2009年以十二億元與摩根史坦利公司所支持的私營公司簽下75年合約，把市內36000個停車計時收費錶租給他們，沒多久後發現市內部分地區停車費率飆漲到每兩小時八元，這才發現簽約前合約審查得不夠仔細，不但被綁75年不得建新停車場，而且還得在遊行等情況下，這些停車計時收費錶不能營運時，賠償損失。

圖片說明：

            新平衡火車站示意圖。（圖由麻州政府提供）

            麻州州長查理貝克（左五）等人為新平衡火車站動工破土。（圖由麻州政府提供）

州市長聯袂剪綵 彰顯族裔超市重要

就在南端（South End）隔壁，位於洛士百利（Roxbury）區的“熱帶食品超市（Tropical Foods Supermarket）“，昨（十二）日在麻州州長查理貝克（Charlie Baker），波士頓市長馬丁華殊（Martin Walsh )聯袂出席的隆重中，剪綵啟用。

麻州州長查理貝克，波士頓市長馬丁華殊在致詞時都強調，這家超市的落成，啟用，是麻州，波士頓致力發展經濟，振興地方的實例，將在陸續完成相鄰土地發展計畫後，使德利廣場（Dudley Square）一帶的華盛頓街更加興旺。

馬丁華殊表示，“熱帶食品超市”在這段時間開張，時機再好不過。甫於四月初重新命名，以紀念波士頓市首名非洲裔市議會議長的布魯斯博林市政大樓（Bruce C. Bolling Municipal Building），如今是波市公校中央辦公室新據點，每天都有數以百計市府員工，在那附近進出，購物更方便了。

馬丁華殊還特地指出，在慶祝“熱帶食品超市”啟用之際，必須稱許波士頓前市長萬寧路（Tom Menino）的遠見，當年保護了這具有族裔特色的企業，但他也說，“熱帶食品超市”居然得奔走十六年，才能爭取到所需資源，實現擴展理想的情況，不應再發生。

據說由於萬寧路的意願，波市府人員從2011年起，陸續拒絕了沃爾瑪（Walmart），BJ批發店等大型量販店進駐該一地區。

“熱帶食品超市“是一家傳承了三代的族裔企業。1961年來美的古巴移民Medina牧師，1974年時在德利廣場（Dudley Square）的華盛頓街一角，開了家只賣香蕉的小店“ El Platanero”，1988年賣給他的女婿，並逐漸擴展。2006年這店再轉手給女婿的兒子，Ronn 及Randy Garry兩兄弟。

2011年時，政府為發展波士頓重建局（BRA）和麻州交通廳（MassDot）共同擁有的十號地段（Parcel 10）招標，這兩兄弟的“國際熱帶食品”公司和麥迪遜公園發展公司（Madison Park Development Corporation）合作得標，簽下長期租用合約，並斥資一千六百萬元擴建。

佔地四萬四千平方呎的新“熱帶食品超市”，這才遷建成功，並已於今年二月開張營業，新增了幾乎三千樣新貨品，每週服務約一萬兩千人。

            Ronn Garry表示，“熱帶食品超市”能夠成功營運，不單只因為該電能為西語裔，加勒比海人，以及其他族裔人口提供特色食品，更因為新店貨色更齊，設備更新穎。

            “熱帶食品超市”將是這公私合作發展土地的第一階段。一旦整個發展計畫竣工，這一帶還將新增30  個綜合收入的住宅單位，六萬七千平方呎的商用面積。現有的史蹟大樓翻用，也將於今夏施工。

圖片說明：

            “熱帶食品超市”共同東主Ronn Garry （前左二），麻州州長查理貝克（前左三），波士頓市長馬丁華殊（前右二），波士頓市議員提多傑克遜（Tito Jackson）等人在剪綵後，切族裔特色食品木薯。（菊子攝）

            州市政要為“熱帶食品超市”剪綵。（菊子攝）

            波士頓市長馬丁華殊（右起），熱帶食品超市共同東主Ronn Garry，麻州州長查理貝克等人為超市開張致詞。（菊子攝）