BCNC Seeks Funding from 21st Century Community Learning Center Grant
Boston (MA) - Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center (BCNC) intends to apply for the 21st Century Community Learning Center grant program (MA 21st CCLC), as provided by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary & Secondary Education. Public comment to this application can be submitted by April 25 to Nathaniel Kerr, BCNC’s Manager of Foundation Relations, at nathaniel.kerr@bcnc.net.
The purpose of the federally funded 21st CCLC grant is to support the implementation of additional learning time through out-of-school time (OST) programming and/or Expanded Learning Time. Programming is designed to help close proficiency/opportunity gaps, increase student engagement, support social and emotional learning, and promote college and career readiness and success
In partnership with the Josiah Quincy Elementary school (JQES), BCNC’s Red Oak After School Program will implement an expanded English for speakers of other languages (ESOL) and literacy curriculum aimed at closing the achievement gap and increasing student engagement, success and social/emotional learning through the provision of expanded learning time.
星期二, 4月 11, 2017
Treasurer Goldberg Announces Sale Results of Commonwealth Green Bonds
Treasurer Goldberg Announces Sale Results of
Commonwealth Green Bonds
Deal Will Generate Proceeds That Will Fund Water Infrastructure Projects Throughout Massachusetts
BOSTON – The State Treasurer’s Office announced today that the Commonwealth and the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust have successfully completed the sale of more than $1 billion in a mix of new money, green, and refunding bonds.
Both transactions saw strong retail investor demand. The Massachusetts Clean Water Trust’s original two-day order period was accelerated, and all bonds were sold on the first day. Receiving significantly more orders than available bonds, the Trust adjusted its final pricing, which resulted in lowered borrowing costs for the Trust.
Additionally, the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust’s refunding of just under $100 million will generate budgetary savings of nearly $8 million. These savings will allow the Trust to invest in additional water infrastructure projects around the Commonwealth. Separately, the Commonwealth’s refunding of approximately $270 million is expected to generate $22 million in debt service savings for taxpayers.
The Commonwealth’s transaction marks the fourth time it has issued green bonds since it became the nation’s first issuer of municipal green bonds in 2013. This transaction also marks the third time the Massachusetts Clean Water Trust has issued Green bonds.
The Trust’s deal was led by Bank of America Merrill Lynch, while the Commonwealth’s transaction was led by Citi Bank.
SENIORS TO RECEIVE MORE THAN $130,000 IN SETTLEMENT WITH INSURANCE AGENT AND MORTGAGE BROKER OVER DECEPTIVE PRACTICES
SENIORS TO RECEIVE MORE THAN $130,000 IN SETTLEMENT WITH INSURANCE AGENT AND MORTGAGE BROKER OVER DECEPTIVE PRACTICESRefunds to Supplement Nearly $900,000 Paid by the Insurance Agent’s Former Employer
BOSTON – Massachusetts seniors will receive more than $130,000 in refunds as a result of a settlement with a mortgage broker, its employee and an insurance agent that resolves claims they induced elderly clients to take out reverse mortgages and invest the proceeds in unsuitable variable annuities, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today.
This settlement resolves allegations from a lawsuit filed by AG Healey in August 2015 against mortgage broker Direct Finance Corp., its employee Daniel Matthews, and insurance agent James Moniz.
“We found that these defendants took advantage of elderly homeowners who spent decades building equity in their homes,” said AG Healey. “My office is focused on stopping the financial abuse of seniors.”
The AG’s lawsuit alleged that while employed by John Hancock Life Insurance Company (U.S.A.), Moniz developed an association with Matthews to induce elderly clients to take out reverse mortgages through Direct Finance and invest the proceeds in unsuitable variable annuities. John Hancock terminated Moniz for conduct uncovered during the investigation.
As a result of this settlement, affected consumers will receive a total of $137,500 in refunds that will be distributed by the AG’s Office. Eligible consumers will be contacted by the AG’s Office.
In addition to monetary relief, the settlement imposes restrictions on Moniz, Matthews, and Direct Finance to prevent improper association between the origination of reverse mortgages and the investment of the proceeds in annuities or other investment products. The defendants are also prohibited from misrepresenting the sources of investments or investment intentions of their clients.
The AG’s Office previously settled allegations with John Hancock that it unfairly failed to effectively supervise Moniz, permitting him to sell unsuitable variable life insurance policies, variable annuities, and other insurance and financial products. In September 2014, John Hancock paid nearly $900,000 to seniors in Massachusetts to resolve those allegations.
Unlike traditional mortgages, reverse mortgages do not require borrowers to make monthly payments to pay off the loan. Instead, borrowers receive money from lenders, and the lender is often paid back when the last surviving borrower dies. With reverse mortgages, home equity decreases over time as interest and fees are added to the loan balance each month. With deferred variable annuities, an insurance company invests money from consumers in securities and, after several years pass, begins making periodic payments to consumers over time.
Consumers should be aware that using funds from a reverse mortgage to invest in financial products like annuities is always risky. Variable life insurance policies and variable annuities may not be appropriate investments for older individuals because of steep surrender and withdrawal penalties. Before purchasing any financial product, consumers should always ask questions and make sure that they understand the investment risks, read any forms that they sign, and never sign blank forms.
Consumers seeking more information can contact the Attorney General’s Insurance and Financial Services Division at 1-888-830-6277.
The litigation and the settlement implementation are being handled by staff of Attorney General Healey’s Insurance and Financial Services Division, including Assistant Attorneys General Tiffany Bartz, Claire Masinton, and Tim Hoitink, as well as Legal Analyst John-Michael Partesotti and Civil Investigator Kristen Salera.
劍橋合唱團 2017春季音樂會【聽泉】 5/21
Listen to the Spring: To Africa, Dream Chaser!
MIT CCCS 2017 Spring Concert May 21st, 7PM at MIT Kresge Auditorium
MIT Cambridge Chinese Choral Society (CCCS) will be performing its 2017 Spring Concert “Listen to the Spring: To Africa, Dream Chaser!” on Sunday night, 5/21, 7PM at MIT Kresge Auditorium (48 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge MA).
“Listen to the Spring: To Africa, Dream Chaser!” showcases music from two distinctive cultures. We will be performing new choral pieces of folk and Taiwanese songs, as well as traditional choral music based on Chinese poetry.
Then we will bring you to East Africa and explore the currently popular Missa Kenya composition. By adding French horn and percussion plus adapting his experience in Kenyatta University, composer Paul Basler merges East Africa and Western culture to produce a most dramatic yet harmonic music. Joining by instrumentalists from Boston Conservatory, we promise our concert will be an unforgettable musical experience that you don’t want to miss!
This concert will be conducted by the University of Illinois Choral Conducting DMA Dr. Yufen Yen, and accompanied by current Boston University Piano DMA candidate I-Ying Lin. For ticket information, please email us at cccs-officers@mit.edu. Checks only at the door.
MIT CCCS will start recruitment for the Fall of 2017 after the Spring concert. Our choral group rehearses regularly at 8 PM on Friday nights at MIT. If you are interested in being part of MIT CCCS, please reach out to us directly after the concert. You may also contact us at 217-979- 9719, or email us at cccs-officer@mit.edu.
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劍橋合唱團 2017春季音樂會【聽泉】
5月21日 晚間7點 MIT Kresge Auditorium
劍橋合唱團5月21日星期日晚間7點將在麻省理工學院Kresg
（48 Massachusetts Ave, Cambridge, MA） 舉行2017春季音樂會【聽泉 】。
本次音樂會上下半場風格迥異。
本次音樂會由顏毓芬博士擔任指揮，
劍橋合唱團固定於每週五晚間8點在MIT教室練唱。
聯絡電話：217-979-9719，Email: cccs-officers@mit.edu
Governor Baker Tours CommonWealth Kitchen
Governor Baker Tours CommonWealth Kitchen
Dorchester food business incubator recipient of state urban agenda and agriculture support
Governor Charlie Baker, Secretary of Energy and Environmental Affairs Matthew Beaton and Assistant Secretary for Communities and Programs Juan Vega
Click here for more photos
BOSTON – Today Governor Charlie Baker toured CommonWealth Kitchen, a Dorchester food business incubator and commercial kitchen that provides shared commissary space and manufacturing capacity to entrepreneurs with food-based ventures. CommonWealth kitchen hosts over 55 businesses, employing over 200 workers. Since 2015, the Baker-Polito Administration has supported CommonWealth Kitchen’s growth by providing the nonprofit organization with over $300,000 in capital equipment grants from the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs. CommonWealth Kitchen and the Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative are also core partners in a $200,000 project, funded through the administration's Urban Agenda Economic Development grant program, to facilitate the launch of small local food manufacturing businesses.
“Our administration is focused on creating more jobs through community-based entrepreneurships by building off local assets in every corner of the Commonwealth,”said Governor Baker. “We are grateful for the passion and commitment of our partners in these efforts, CommonWealth Kitchen and Dudley Street Neighborhood Initiative, as we continue to advance economic development in neighborhoods across Massachusetts.”
“Entrepreneurship strengthens neighborhoods and creates new economic opportunities,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash. “Through our support for shared workspaces, business mentorship, and access to capital, we are unleashing the unmatched creativity of our residents.”
“By providing jobs that support fresh, locally grown food, CommonWealth Kitchen is an important economic driver,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton. “The Baker-Polito Administration and the Department of Agricultural Resources are committed to ensuring the future of Massachusetts urban farming by promoting local and youth engagement in sustaining our food supply through grassroots efforts.”
Baker-Polito Administration Announces Transition to Improved Patient Care at Bridgewater State Hospital
Baker-Polito Administration Announces Transition to Improved Patient Care at Bridgewater State Hospital
BOSTON – The Baker-Polito Administration today announced that state officials oversaw the transition to a cultural change and new levels of patient care at Bridgewater State Hospital (BSH) as outlined earlier this year. Early on Sunday, April 9th, Correct Care Solutions of Tennessee began providing mental health, medical and patient safety services at the forensic psychiatric facility for males and BSH correction officers were re-assigned to prison facilities throughout the Commonwealth.
The transition brought about significant reforms, such as an increase in the number of clinical staff and the closing of the Intensive Treatment Unit (ITU) in favor of providing treatment in the housing units. Correction Officers will continue to provide perimeter security at the BSH facility and transportation services for hospital patients, but will not have day to day interaction with patients. In addition, two specialty mental health units were opened at the Old Colony Correctional Center on the Bridgewater Complex to provide continued intensive mental health services to the state criminally sentenced population who were once treated at the Bridgewater State Hospital. As part of Governor Baker’s Fiscal Year 2018 budget proposal, the administration has prioritized $37 million for the clinical services contract at Bridgewater State Hospital to ensure all patients receive appropriate clinical care.
“This administration is committed to real change and to improving the treatment of individuals with serious mental illness at Bridgewater State Hospital,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “This significant transition means that patients at the hospital facility will receive the care from staff with behavioral health expertise while correction officers will continue to provide perimeter security.”
“The handover of patient care as laid out in our contract with Correct Care Solutions is an important milestone in the history of Bridgewater State Hospital and we are proud to be partners in this successful transition whose intent is to bring about a culture change that results in a new level of care,” said Secretary of Public Safety and Security Dan Bennett. “This would not have been possible without the cooperation of the Massachusetts Corrections Officer Federated Union (MCOFU), the Bridgewater State Hospital Administration, and continuing support from the Governor’s Office.”
“The administration prioritized funding the new clinical contract at Bridgewater State Hospital to better address the clinical health needs of patients,” said Administration and Finance Secretary Kristen Lepore.
“Inpatient management services are now provided by clinically trained, trauma informed, non-uniformed direct care staff as part of DOC’s contract with Correct Care Solutions,” said Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders. “This smooth transition of care is a welcome change at Bridgewater and the Department of Mental Health will continue to consult with DOC on all aspects of mental health care and treatment for patients.”
Correct Care Solutions (CCS) was selected based on its extensive experience in treating individuals with serious behavioral health needs and for its specific knowledge of the Bridgewater State Hospital facility. The company is recognized as a national leader in the reduction of the use of seclusion and restraint and has significantly reduced rates of seclusion and restraint at other psychiatric hospitals where it oversees patient care. The contract was awarded to CCS earlier this year.
星期一, 4月 10, 2017
TREASURER GOLDBERG LAUNCHES NEW “BRINGING DIVERSITY ON BOARD” INITIATIVE
TREASURER GOLDBERG LAUNCHES NEW
“BRINGING DIVERSITY ON
BOARD” INITIATIVE
Announces Plans to Publish Resource for Companies to Advance
Board Diversity
BOSTON – State Treasurer
Deborah B. Goldberg announced the launch of a new initiative today that her
office will use to engage directly with board members, corporate leaders,
researchers and advocates, focused on exploring challenging barriers to, and successful
strategies for, diversifying corporate boards.
As part of the
initiative, “Bringing Diversity on Board,” in May, Goldberg’s office will
organize roundtable, working-group discussions focused on various industries –
information technology; finance; and health care, biotechnology and
pharmaceuticals. Following the roundtables, the Treasurer’s Office will
publish a report designed to help companies implement effective strategies for
advancing board diversity.
“In a 21st century global marketplace, maximizing financial success
requires improving boardroom diversity,” said Treasurer Goldberg. “We
look forward to studying proven strategies around the country and engaging with
a wide range of corporate leaders and experts to help them drive tangible
progress on this critical business issue.”
Goldberg highlighted
that the roundtables will enable an array of stakeholders to engage in robust
discussions about not only how to enhance board diversity, but also how diverse
governance boards help companies maximize profits, expand business
opportunities and best serve the interests of shareholders. The
roundtables will explore industry-specific challenges – from health care, to
finance, to technology – related to advancing board diversity.
Goldberg, who chairs the
board of the state’s $62 billion pension fund, has made shareholder engagement
and corporate governance key priorities since taking office in 2015.
Under new custom proxy voting guidelines proposed by Goldberg and approved
this year, which impact how the pension fund votes as a shareholder
in the roughly 9,000 companies it owns stock in, the Pension Reserves
Investment Management (PRIM) Board now votes against or withholds from all
board nominees if less than 30 percent of the company’s board is diverse in
terms of gender and race.
While recognizing the
impact of these reforms, Goldberg also noted that voting and enforcement alone
cannot change corporate culture and institute the systemic changes needed to
accelerate the pace of progress in boardrooms. The roundtables and
subsequent report from the Treasurer’s Office will aim to build upon existing
work done by government, corporate, academic and non-profit leaders around the
country.
Individuals interested
in learning more about the initiative should email board.diversity@tre.state.ma.us.
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