波士頓人前年搶銀行昨判入獄四年餘

BOSTON MAN SENTENCED FOR ARMED BANK ROBBERY

            BOSTON – A Boston man was sentenced yesterday in federal court in Boston for armed bank robbery.

            Kenneth E. Denny, 61, was sentenced by U.S. District Court Judge Denise J. Casper to 51 months in prison and three years of supervised release after pleading guilty in April 2016. He is currently in custody in New York for armed bank robbery, and the sentence imposed today will run concurrent to his sentence in Buffalo.

            On July 24, 2015, Denny entered a branch of the Citizens Bank on Washington Street in Brighton and handed the teller a demand note. He removed what appeared to be a bomb from a newspaper he was carrying and placed it on the teller’s counter, demanding money.  The teller handed Denny $4,040. When Denny turned to exit the bank, he was confronted by the bank’s manager, at which time he dropped the bag of money, headed toward the exit door and removed a white cell phone from his pocket and stated: “I am going to blow it up.”  Denny then exited the bank and was observed heading down Washington Street.  The bomb was later determined by law enforcement to be a hoax. 

            The suspect had also left his wallet on the teller’s counter containing a Massachusetts Identification Card with the name Kenneth E. Denny and a headshot.  Law enforcement recalled that they had observed an individual resembling the man in the photo heading down Washington Street as they were approaching the bank just a few minutes earlier.  Denny was later located and asked his name, to which he replied, “Kenneth Denny.” When Denny was asked to produce some identification, he stated he must have lost his wallet. Bank employees subsequently picked Denny out of a line-up as the individual who had robbed them.

            Acting United States Attorney William D. Weinreb; Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division; and Boston Police Commissioner William B. Evans made the announcement. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kenneth G. Shine of Weinreb’s Major Crimes Unit prosecuted the case. 

麻州長簽行政命令成立拉丁顧問委員會

Baker-Polito Administration Establishes Latino Advisory Commission

BOSTON – Governor Charlie Baker today signed an Executive Order establishing the Latino Advisory Commission and joined Lt. Governor Karyn Polito, Secretary Rosalin Acosta and members of the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus to swear-in members of the commission.  The commission will focus on addressing the concerns of the Massachusetts Latino community and promoting economic prosperity and well-being.

“The members of our Latino Advisory Commission each bring a depth of experience and diversity to the table, and I look forward to their recommendations,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Our administration is committed to creating opportunities all our citizens in every corner of the Commonwealth to drive economic growth and success, and I’m confident this commission will add meaningful value to our goal to make Massachusetts the best place to live, work and raise a family.”

Members of the Commission include gubernatorial appointees with varying expertise in business, community outreach, media, law, health care, education and represent a group diverse in gender, race, industry, region, age and education. The Commission will also include the involvement of the secretariats for Education, Health and Human Services, Housing and Economic Development, Public Safety and Security and Labor and Workforce Development. Appointees will serve for a term of four years. Josie Stamatos Martinez, Senior Partner and General Counsel of Employee Benefit Solutions will serve as Chair and Robert Harnais, owner of Mahoney & Harnais will serve as Vice-Chair.

“The unique cultures, traditions and perspectives of Massachusetts’ Latino community continue to shape and influence the development and success of our Commonwealth,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “Our administration is dedicated to providing equal opportunities to residents across Massachusetts and we look forward to working with the Latino community through this commission and its recommendations to further advance that commitment.”

The Commission will review and assess the priorities of the Latino community on a statewide basis and make recommendations to the Governor and Lt. Governor by identifying up to three priority areas to be addressed by the Commission over the course of the next two years. It will meet at least quarterly and will submit a formal written report on its work, findings, methodology and recommendations as well as metrics to measure the effects of implemented recommendations on the lives of members of the Latino community in Massachusetts to the Governor and Lt. Governor every two years.

“On behalf of the Massachusetts Black and Latino Legislative Caucus, I am excited to announce the Latino Advisory Commission. As the new MBLLC chair, I am thrilled that the Baker Administration has re-established the Black Advisory Commission and has now spearheaded the creation of the Latino Advisory Commission. The establishment of this Commission exemplifies the Administration’s commitment to strengthening the Latino voice and including us at the decision making table. I look forward to partnering both with the Black Advisory Commission and the Latino Advisory Commission to continue to advocate for the key issues currently affecting the Black and Latino communities in the Commonwealth.  ” said Representative Frank Moran (D-Lawrence).  

The Latino Advisory Commission recognizes Massachusetts’ rich diversity and the Latino community’s inclusion of those identifying with the cultures, customs and heritage originating in Spain or Latin America, including the Caribbean, Central America and South America.

Latino Advisory Commission

Josie Stamatos Martinez

Senior Partner and General Counsel, Employee Benefit Solutions

Chair

Robert Harnais

Owner, Mahoney & Harnais

Vice-Chair

Marcela Aldaz-Matos

Director of Diversity & Inclusion, Partners HealthCare

Carolina Avellaneda

General Counsel and Vice President of Operations, Fisher College

Aixa Beauchamp

President, Beauchamp & Associates

Vetto Casado

Executive Director, Small Can Be Big Inc.

Javier Cevallos

President, Framingham State University

Albie Alvarez Cote

Director, Financial Education Institute

Patti Diaz-Andrade

Founding Executive Director, One Goal Massachusetts

Amanda Fernandez

Co-Founder and CEO, Latinos for Education

Yvonne Garcia

Senior Vice President, Investment Manager Services, State Street Corporation

Regla Gonzalez

Vice President, League of United Latin American Citizens

Samalid M. Hogan

Director, Western Regional Office of the MA Small Business Development Center

Rene Jarquin

Partner & Chief Investment Officer, Single Point Partners

Enna Jimenez

Vice President, Quality Engineering, Eastern Bank

Juan Lopera

Vice President of Business Diversity, Tufts Health Plan

Lazaro Lopez

Area Manager of Wireline Network Operations & Engineering, Verizon

Rachel Lopez

Vice President, Resource Management Inc.

Monica Lowell

Vice President of Community Relations, UMass Memorial Hospital

Juan Carlos Morales

Founder, Surfside Capital Advisors LLC

Vanessa Otero

Chief Operating Officer, Partners for Community

Sonia Pope

Principal, Holyoke Community Charter School

Dan Rivera

Mayor of Lawrence

Mary Skelton Roberts

Senior Program Officer for the Environment, Barr Foundation

Carol Sanchez

Founder and Partner, Sanchez & Santiago CPAs

Nahir Torres

Program Officer, Teen Development, Hyams Foundation

Alberto Vasallo

President and CEO, El Mundo Newspaper

For Gubernatorial Appointee Bios, Please Click Here.

公路村居民和三一金融纏訟進法庭

            (Boston Orange) 4200萬元，還是6100萬元? 享有優先購買權的公路村(Mass Pike Towers)居民們和業主三一金融公司(Trinity Financial)爭持不下，纏訟進法庭。

            公路村是波士頓華埠最大的公共屋村，有200個單位。村內居民眼見四周推倒舊樓重建或翻修面市的豪華住宅大樓櫛比鱗次浮現，原租戶遭遇逼遷壓力，流離失所的消息不時傳出，深感憂慮，早於去年就決定行使優先購買權，要從發展商，三一金融的手中買下這樓齡已44年的住宅大樓，以保持樓宇的可負擔性。

            但是，三一金融認為他們和一全國性非牟利團體合作提出的買價，4200萬元太低了。聲稱市府指派的獨立估價師認為，公平的市場價格為6100萬元。

            從那以後，兩造就打起了法律戰。公路村居民協會指控三一金融貪婪，發展商三一金融聲稱2000年時訂定，給予居民優先購買權的條件就是以公平市價為準。

            公路村居民協會去年向薩福克高等法院遞案，控告三一金融，要求法院勒令三一金融把大樓以4200萬元賣給居民。該會聲稱市府的估價，錯誤的把住宅優惠券相關的新收入資訊也算進去了，以致高估了樓宇價格。

“It’s a critical resource for the city of Boston and the Chinatown neighborhood, which is rapidly disappearing,” said Margaret Turner, one of the nonprofit

大波士頓法律事務原住處(Greater Boston Legal Services)律師Margaret Turner和其夥伴，保護可負擔住宅協會(Preservation of Affordable Housing)表示，可負擔住宅以前全都蓋在委靡不振地區，但這些地區現在全成了火熱市場，不可能再在那兒蓋可負擔住宅。對波士頓市政府以及正快速消失中的華埠社區來說，公路村都是很重要的資源。

            三一金融表示，這一訟訴，很諷刺的拖延了大約700萬元，居民們要求的原訂樓宇改善維修計畫。因為居民們不希望一旦擁有這物業時，要揹負那麼大的還款債務。

            2000年時，支持可負擔住宅者和市府官員在三一金融以610萬元買下包括13個商業鋪位，緊鄰天滿街(Tremont)及所物道(Shawmut Ave.)，以及馬津尼路(Marginal)的公路村時，都大表讚揚。那時候該大樓的低收入租住津貼即將到期，前業主想要把這大樓變成市價大樓。

            在獲得包括低收入住宅抵稅優惠的1500萬元公共援助後，三一金融保證公路村大樓直到2070年都會保持為可負擔住宅大樓。當時的協議還包括訂立5年後可提議購買的潛在買家順序。

            之前在波士頓華埠的中華頤養院基金享有第一優先權，其次為居民協會，最後是波士頓市政府。

            不過這購買優先權有時間限制，去年居民決定購買時，該優先權已失效。只有市府的優先權還有效。市府同意行使優先權來買下公路村，再把物業權轉讓給要承擔財務責任的居民協會。波市府鄰里局於是做了一份獨立估價，麻煩也接踵而來。

            公路村居民協會會長Bill Oranczak表示，村內大部分租戶是華人，而且大都仰賴某種形式的低收入租金補助，來支付三分之一的租金。以一睡房單位來說，大約是幾百元到1000多元，視單位尺寸大小而定。

            儘管公路村居民還不會面對被逼遷的壓力，但他們希望買下大樓以盡量久的保護其可負擔性。他說，居民們從2004年三一金融提議在公路村停車場蓋市價公寓大樓時，就開始擔心該公司終將在華埠居民的反對聲中移平整座大樓。

"渴望著火"把華埠一餐廳和顧客纏進法庭

            (Boston Orange)位於波士頓華埠的”為雞瘋狂(Crave Mad for Chicken)”餐廳7日上了英文報，餐廳與顧客各執一詞。顧客說那高聳著燃燒的飲品爆炸了，燒傷她。餐廳說，那顧客的傷看來像曝曬過度。

警方表示，這名女子和她的朋友5月20日那天，叫了”渴望著火(Crave on Fire)”，但是當店經理Cassidy Lu用燒烤打火機點燃飲品時，這女子的臉及胸部著火了，逼使她滾到地上來撲滅火。後來她被送到麻省總醫院(MGH)去了。

            根據薩福克高等法院上個月的訟案資料，這名當時參加婚前單身派對的女伴娘聲稱，飲品的儀器爆炸，把玻璃炸到了她身上。她的頭部，頸部，臉，耳垂，肩膀和胸都嚴重燒傷，頭髮，眉毛都燒起來了。她要求至少74,000元的損害賠償。

            Cassidy Lu表示，在那名女子被送往醫院後，警察打電話給她，說醫生把那燒傷比做”很糟糕的曬傷”。她還說，這綜合飲料沒有像那女子聲稱的炸開來。完全沒有玻璃爆炸的情況。

            該女子的律師Ryan Paine表示，醫院的醫療紀錄會顯示她的客戶受傷嚴重程度，爆炸情景也被拍在錄影帶上。做生意的不應該為了要調高酒品價格而耍把戲，就不顧客戶生命安全。

波士頓消防局發言人Steve MacDonald 表示，州法並未禁止餐廳點燃飲品，不過餐廳點蠟燭，或點燃其他火燭，就需要申請許可。該局會調查該法令適不適用於飲品上。

由於“為雞瘋狂”收到提供不安全酒品，在無許可情況下公開點火的通知，將於週二(11日)出席牌照委員會的聆訊。

該餐廳以前提供名叫”渴望著火”的雞尾酒，一種像藍色夏威夷的飲料，顧客會在點燃的乾威士忌，澆到一疊玻璃上時，用吸管從大碗中喝。

成大布朗攜手合作 培育國際醫學人才

成大布朗攜手合作　培育國際醫學人才

為提升臺灣高等教育國際化，培育國際人才，臺灣著名綜合型大學國立成功大學醫學院與美國常春藤名校布朗大學醫學院簽署合作協議，每年互送學生見習1個月，至今合作已邁入第9年，其良好成效也獲選為教育部學海築夢計畫。

駐波士頓臺北辦事處教育組黃瑋婷秘書在今年7月2日辦理座談餐會，歡迎這6名成大交換生。席間，成大學生說明，他們利用臺灣暑假時間，到布朗大學醫院與其他布朗醫學系學生共同見習，不從事侵入性治療，從旁觀察布朗大學醫院醫師如何診斷及照顧病患。每位交換生分派到不同部門見習，平常需協助基本的問診，瞭解病人的症狀，依據所學醫學知識，與主治醫師討論建議治療方式。他們都發現美國與臺灣醫院問診上的差異，美國較長的問診時間，與臺灣高效率的問診方式是截然不同。而臺美不同的健保制度，也產生不同的問題。臺灣優質可負擔的保費，產生民眾濫用健保資源的弊病；相較之下，美國健保市場開放，多家健保公司供民眾投保選擇，與臺灣相比，則顯負擔較重。也有成大學生指出，在布朗大學醫院見習，要學習積極，主動提出自身想學習、觀摩的項目，增進自己的實務經驗，這樣的學習氛圍是與臺灣不同的。成大為協助這些到國外見習的交換生熟悉與適應國外見習生活，安排學長姐傳承經驗，以及摸擬國外門診練習，這6名交換生都肯定這樣的模擬練習對在布朗大學醫院見習有很大的幫助。

這群從臺灣南部的學生經過校內激烈甄選，順利來到美國布朗大學醫院交換，除了學習美國先進醫學技術、照顧病患實務經驗，也到羅德島的華人教會免費測量血壓，貢獻所學，服務社區，獲邀參加當地活動，體驗美國生活文化。座談餐會上，剛到美國的成大學生，也詢問許多生活上或遇到的疑難雜症，而有喜愛音樂劇的同學，就很好奇波士頓歌劇院目前上映的音樂劇及推薦觀看劇目等。

成大除了與布朗大學進行醫學生交換計畫，也與美國的杜克大學、匹茲堡大學、天普大學(Temple University)合作醫學生海外見習計畫，讓這群未來的臺灣醫師，實地瞭解各國不同的醫療，充實及提升自我臨床與照顧知識，拓展國際視野。(圖與文:經文處教育組提供)

MAYOR WALSH TO RELEASE FINAL IMAGINE BOSTON 2030 PLAN

BOSTON - Friday, July 7, 2017 - On Tuesday, July 11, Mayor Martin J. Walsh will join leadership across the City, community partners and elected officials to release the final version of Imagine Boston 2030 during an interactive showcase that will feature hands-on ways to engage with the plan. Imagine Boston 2030 is Boston's first citywide plan in over 50 years, that prioritizes inclusionary growth and puts forth a comprehensive vision to boost quality of life, equity and resilience in every neighborhood in Boston. 

The Showcase will serve as an opportunity for residents to learn more about how Imagine Boston intersects with other planning processes and departmental work to shape the future of Boston.  The event is free and open to the public.

In addition to the showcase, the Launch Party will include a block-party style celebration with live performers, food trucks, a beer garden, city department tables and booths, local businesses, the Imagination Playground and other family-friendly activities, arts, and more

Legislature Closes $733M Budget Gap, Rejects Baker’s MassHealth Cuts

Legislature Closes $733M Budget Gap, Rejects Baker’s MassHealth Cuts

BOSTON – Representative Steve Ultrino (D – Malden) joined his colleagues in the Massachusetts legislature today to pass a full FY2018 state budget that closed a budget gap of $733 million due to below benchmark revenue. The budget keeps intact key programs for Malden, as well as funding for schools, local aid, and seniors.

“This was a very tough budget cycle, and I’m glad that many important programs for Malden weathered the process,” said Representative Steve Ultrino. “I will continue fighting for funding for our city services, our local non-profits, and for our entire community.”

The budget was balanced by reducing state spending and identifying efficiencies in state government. Notably, the legislature rejected Governor Baker’s proposal to drastically cut MassHealth, the state’s Medicaid program for disabled and very low income people. In June, Baker urged budget negotiators to rewrite eligibility rules to push 140,000 people living below 138% of the federal poverty line off of MassHealth. The move would have made Massachusetts the only state to roll back the Obama-era Medicaid expansion that a majority of states have adopted to support low-income people and combat poverty.

Many Malden-specific programs were preserved at the urging of Representative Ultrino and other members of the city’s legislative delegation, including Senator Jason Lewis and Representatives Donato and Brodeur. Funding for Portal to Hope, a nonprofit that provides services to survivors of domestic violence, was preserved at $150,000. Malden-based Housing Families received $100,000 in the FY18 budget to assist in its mission of ending family homelessness.

Larger programs that have a direct impact on the city’s budget were also protected. Chapter 70 public education funding will increase in FY18 by $119 million over the previous year, equaling an increase of at least $30 per student. Municipal aid is also increased to a total of $1.061 billion through the UGGA fund, which provides direct assistance to cities and towns for general government services. Special education reimbursements for public schools through the special education circuit breaker also increased to $281 million, providing much-needed cash to school districts for certain special education costs.

These investments protect Malden city and school services in FY18, and help maintain important nonprofits in the community that help some of the city’s most vulnerable residents. Representative Ultrino was also instrumental is expanding the scope of a housing program to cover both at-risk seniors and seniors already experiencing homelessness. The new language will help prevent elder homelessness, and allow caseworkers to advocate to keep seniors in their homes.

“It is often said that the best measure of a society is how it cares for those with the greatest need during difficult times,” said Representative Ultrino. “I’m proud that our state continues to defend working class people and their families, and that we have rejected the politics of convenience that would harm our poorest residents.”