CITY OF BOSTON ANNOUNCES PUBLIC MEETINGS FOR NEW COMMUNITY RADIO STATION

CITY OF BOSTON ANNOUNCES PUBLIC MEETINGS FOR NEW COMMUNITY RADIO STATION

BOSTON - Thursday, May 12, 2016 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced three public meetings for the community to discuss a new low-power FM (LPFM) radio station for Boston that will go on-air in June of this year.  Broadcasting on 102.9 FM under the call sign WBCA, the station will be programmed and operated by Boston Neighborhood Network (BNN) as a community radio station. BNN will hold three public meetings from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. on: May 18, Roxbury Innovation Center at the Bolling Building, 2300 Washington Street, Roxbury June 15, Joseph P. Tynan School, 650 E 4th Street, South Boston June 22, Jackson/Mann K-8 School, 40 Armington Street, Allston "I encourage residents to come out and discuss how our new community radio station can best serve our neighborhoods," said Mayor Walsh. "I thank BNN for their partnership with the city to create another platform for civic engagement."    "As a community and local media resource, we know how important it is to gather ideas from our neighbors about different types of programming," said Curtis Henderson, General Manager for BNN. "BNN is looking forward to developing radio programming for Boston's LPFM. We are proud and grateful that Mayor Walsh has asked us to take on the task of developing a radio presence that will truly represent the people and the cultures of Boston's diverse neighborhoods. BNN has the background and experience in community media to make this a success."   Boston's WBCA 102.9 FM will operate 6:00 p.m. - 2:00 a.m. daily.  Initially, early evening broadcasting will feature current BNN programming including  BNN Live studio programs and Boston Neighborhood Network News nightly at 9:00 p.m.   BNN will also develop late evening programming as a resource for local artists, bands, musicians, poets and performers.  The recent series of "Boston Creates" Town Hall meetings revealed a strong interest by local talent in not only performing music and spoken word, but also engaging local youth in mentoring and training. BNN will also develop new opportunities for community participation. Because multiple qualified community organizations applied for the one available LPFM license for the Boston market, a sharing agreement was created under FCC guidelines.  The signal is shared with Lasell College from 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., daily and Global Ministries from 2:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.   BNN Background   Boston Neighborhood Network Television (BNN) is a nationally recognized community media center and 501(c)(3) nonprofit, that acts as a public forum for all Boston residents, nonprofit and community-based organizations, providing them with affordable training and access to emerging media technologies.   BNN-TV has proven to be an effective resource serving all communities of Boston, including groups whose first language is other than English..  BNN channels feature over 1,000 programs annually for new immigrants or in languages other than English.  BNN currently offers television programming in:  Spanish, French, Russian, Haitian Creole, Amharic, Arabic, Chinese, Irish, Albanian, Portuguese, Cape Verdean Creole, Greek, and Vietnamese.   Boston Neighborhood Network currently manages two community television channels: BNN "News and Information" (Comcast 9, RCN 15) and BNN "Community TV" (Comcast 23, RCN 83), and streams all programming onwww.bnntv.org.   FCC LPFM Background   In 2013, the FCC opened up applications for Low-Power FM (LPFM) Radio licenses to community and civic organizations.  This was the first license application window in more than 10 years for local Low-Power FM Radio licenses.  The City of Boston applied for the open FCC LPFM license to provide public safety programming to Boston residents via LPFM radio on a regular and frequent basis as a source of news and information and, also, in the event of any local or regional emergency.     Boston was granted a license-to-construct permit in 2015 for a new FCC Low Power FM (LPFM) radio station.

韓壁丞介紹檢測腦波技術用途 （圖片）

哈佛CSSA 5/13 辦母親節音樂會

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母亲节国际音乐会

母亲节来到的仲春时节，哈佛大学中国学生学者联合会将举行一年一度的母亲节音乐会。母亲节是一个国际性节日，所以今年的音乐会上，将邀请来自俄罗斯，印度，伊朗，哈萨克斯坦，黎巴嫩，美国等国家的国际友人参加表演。他们是新英格兰音乐学院，伯克利音乐学院，波士顿大学音乐学院，哈佛大学查尔斯河管弦乐团的国际学生。他们将用声乐，器乐，诗歌等形式，用不同民族的音乐和语言，来表达一种人类的共同情感—对崇高母爱的感受和对母亲恩情的赞颂！

音乐会的节目包括俄罗斯民歌“母亲”，印度民歌“摇篮曲”，波斯民歌“母亲的祝福”，泰戈尔的名诗“母亲”，钢琴独奏“妈妈”，小提琴独奏“母亲教我的歌”，黑管独奏“回家”，等等。也有传统曲目诗词歌曲“游子吟”，童谣“红蜻蜓”，女声小合唱“大海啊故乡”，京剧清唱“儿行千里母担忧”，京胡独奏“夜深沉”，等等。

音乐会向公众免费开放，欢迎同学们朋友们并特别是来探亲的父母亲光临！

音乐会的日期是5月13日星期五，晚上8点至9点半。

地点在哈佛大学Lehman-Hall二楼的Common-Room。

（Lehman-Hall就是正位于哈佛广场又坐落于哈佛园内的那一栋大楼，从地铁红线哈佛站横过马路即是，交通十分方便）

本次活动谢绝未经邀请的媒体。

中華專協邀王榮德 5/19 談“我的學與思”

Governor Baker Announces $100 Million MassHousing Fund for Creation of Workforce Housing

Governor Baker Announces $100 Million MassHousing Fund for Creation of Workforce Housing

Program Aims to Increase Rental Housing Opportunities for Households Earning 61% to 120% of Area Median Income

LYNN – Governor Charlie Baker today announced a new $100 million MassHousing fund for the creation of workforce housing, increasing rental housing opportunities for households earning 61% to 120% of area median income (AMI), who may have incomes too high for subsidized housing but are priced out of affordable market rents as housing costs in Massachusetts continue to rise.

“Making more affordable housing options available to working Massachusetts families deterred by rising rent expenses is essential to economic growth and development in communities throughout the Commonwealth,” said Governor Baker.“These working middle-income families are the foundation of our economy and talented workforce, and the creation of this $100 million fund by MassHousing will advance opportunities for them to thrive and prosper.”

"Opportunities for affordable housing are important to working families across the Commonwealth," said Lt. Governor Polito. "This fund along with our efforts to leverage state property for housing creation and economic development, will provide more options for our communities to grow and families to succeed."

Working cooperatively with the Baker-Polito Administration, MassHousing is committing $100 million in new resources designated for the creation of workforce housing throughout the Commonwealth, in addition to their support for resources serving very low and low-income households.

“MassHousing recognizes that many middle-income households are struggling with housing costs and the Agency felt it was important to create this fund for workforce housing,’’ said MassHousing Executive Director Timothy C. Sullivan. “We are committed to working with Governor Baker to increase affordable housing opportunities for low-, moderate-, and middle-income residents of the Commonwealth.’’

 “This new workforce housing fund is the latest in a series of steps we’ve taken to advance housing production for all the Commonwealth’s residents,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash. “Housing production is economic development, and by expanding the range of housing options for middle-income residents, we will unlock new economic growth across Massachusetts.”

“The Commonwealth’s partnership with MassHousing is a great example of how the state can leverage significant outside resources to multiply the impact of our contributions in key policy areas to maximize the return on our investments,” said Secretary of the Executive Office for Administration and Finance, Kristen Lepore.“The creation of this fund, when coupled with future strategic capital investments by the state, will induce additional private investment in the Massachusetts economy while providing critical support for hardworking middle-class families.”

MassHousing’s $100 million Investment for Workforce Housing:

• Targets individuals and families with incomes of 61% to 120% of AMI.
• Provides up to $100,000 of subsidy per workforce housing unit to create 1,000 new units of workforce housing statewide.
• Leverages strategic opportunities to use state-owned land.
• Consists of newly constructed units or refinancing of a housing community where new units of workforce housing will be created.
• Remains consistent with development financing in MassHousing’s enabling statute ensuring that in addition to the workforce housing tier, at least 20% of the units in a financed development will be affordable to households at or below 80% of AMI.
• Ensures workforce housing units will be deed restricted as affordable to households with incomes between 61% and 120% AMI for an extended period of time, generally 30 years or longer.

Increasing market rents present challenges for working families priced out of neighborhoods or spending more than the recommended 30% of their monthly income on housing expenses. A household would need to earn $100,000 a year to afford the median rent of $2,497 per month in the Greater Boston area, while the median income for a two-person household in the City of Boston is $78,500. A third of Boston metro area households fall within the income range of 61-120% of AMI.

About MassHousing:

MassHousing (The Massachusetts Housing Finance Agency) is an independent, quasi-public agency created in 1966 and charged with providing financing for affordable housing in Massachusetts. The Agency raises capital by selling bonds and lends the proceeds to low- and moderate-income homebuyers and homeowners, and to developers who build or preserve affordable and/or mixed-income rental housing. MassHousing does not use taxpayer dollars to sustain its operations, although it administers some publicly funded programs on behalf of the Commonwealth. Since its inception, MassHousing has provided more than $19 billion for affordable housing. For more information, visit the MassHousing website at www.masshousing.com, follow us on Twitter @MassHousing, subscribe to our blog, watch us on YouTube and Like us on Facebook.

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES FUNDING TO SUPPORT URBAN FARMING RE-ENTRY JOBS

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES FUNDING TO SUPPORT URBAN FARMING RE-ENTRY JOBS

BOSTON - Wednesday, May 11, 2016 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced $100,000 in funding for an innovative urban agriculture re-entry jobs training program. The Urban Farming Pathways Initiative will create approximately 25 green jobs and provide local healthy food for underserved communities. "In Boston we believe in second chances, and this grant will give young people in our community a unique skill set that will allow them to pursue meaning careers that positively impact our neighborhoods," said Mayor Walsh. The Urban Farming Pathways Initiative will be housed on a city-owned parcel in either Dorchester or Roxbury. During the program's first year, 25 participants will be trained in urban agriculture practices and will grow and distribute 5,000 pounds of healthy produce to 1,000 residents through five farmers' markets in Dorchester, Roxbury and Mattapan. Pending a successful first year, the program aims to create a long-term partnership between re-entry workforce development, sustainable urban agriculture and increased food access to jointly address the missions of all partnering organizations. "This funding follows through on a promise made in the Mayor's 2014 Climate Action Plan that our goals must be met through cross-cutting and collective action," said Austin Blackmon, Chief of Environment, Energy and Open Space. "The partnership behind this announcement showcases that we can pursue an equitable and sustainable future through workforce training, economic development, and food affordability." Youth Options Unlimited Boston (YOU) will house a program coordinator to oversee the initiative and work with City Soil, the Urban Farming Institute and other community partners to develop programming. YOU works with Boston's youth and young adults ages 14 to 24 and specializes in serving young people from neighborhoods with the highest level of poverty and violence, and those reentering the community from incarceration. Partners for Places, a project of the Funders' Network for Smart Growth and Livable Communities, awarded half of the funds, which were matched through a contribution by The Boston Foundation.  The program will cost approximately $320,000, with the opportunity to re-apply for a second round of funding after the first year. Additional costs will be covered in full by the Neighborhood Jobs Trust and the Boston Redevelopment Authority. "The City of Boston is fortunate to have stellar job training partners, educators, and employers to create ladders of opportunity for all Bostonians," said Trinh Nguyen, director of the Office of Workforce Development."Green industry is growing in Boston, and the Urban Farming Pathways Initiative is yet another pipeline that demonstrates this commitment to ensure that all residents are able to take part of the growth." "The Boston  Foundation is pleased to partner with the City of Boston and a national funder like Partners for Places on this important issue," said Paul S. Grogan, President and CEO of the foundation. "Sustainability is crucial to workforce development in general, particularly the development of inner city jobs.  In fostering a strengthened and green-thinking workforce, this program drives home the point that the responsibility of sustainable development is shared by everyone in our community." "From helping low-income households benefit from solar energy to preparing coastal cities for climate change, Partners for Places brings together city officials with funders to develop some really dynamic sustainability projects," said Arturo Garcia-Costas, the New York Community Trust's program officer for the environment and Partners for Places selection committee member. "This kind of collaboration can form the lasting relationships that help create vibrant, thriving communities."

波士頓市議會為市府編列語言預算辦公聽會

the Boston City Council's Committee on Government Operations will hold a public hearing to discuss an ordinance establishing language and communications access for city services. 

The ordinance, sponsored by Council President Michelle Wu and District Councilor Tim McCarthy, would require City of Boston departments to implement a communications access policy for residents who speak a language other than English and/or who need assistive technology. 

Members of the public are invited to attend and testify. Interpretation services will be available in: Spanish, Cantonese, ASL, and CART captioning.

波士頓商會年會 （圖片）