唐佳宇(Jessica Tang)將成為波士頓教師工會首位華裔會長

左二，Jessica Tang和競選夥伴。(圖片取自臉書)

            (Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓整理報導)華人在波士頓即將再度締造歷史。年僅35歲的唐佳宇(Jessica Tang)，在無人競爭下，預定會在6月7日的最後選舉中，當選為波士頓教師工會(BTU)有史以來的首名有色人種會長，大概也是最年輕的會長。

            波士頓教師工會成立於1970年之前，現有會員人數，根據該會網站是5,500名教師及專業人士，以及大約1000名準專業人士和500名代課老師。本地的兩大英文報紙則稱該會約有會員10,000人，其中75%為女性，65%為白人。

            父母都是華裔科學家，成長時從未接觸過工會的唐佳宇(Jessica Tang)會在波士頓當老師僅8年左右，就成為工會內主要人物，坊間分析認為，這和她個人經歷過一些不尋常事故有關。

            第一個關鍵事件發生在她當蓋文(Gavin)中學老師的第三年，也是2008年。南波士頓一場住宅大火，吞噬了她的一名優秀學生Acia Johnson。做後續處理，想要保護該學生的年幼妹妹時，她感慨發現麻州社會服務制度的缺失，使得老師在學生遭遇狀況時，能提供的協助其實十分有限。

            從那以後，她開始非常積極，還成為工會領導，組織教師，學生，家長來爭取學校提供更多社會服務。

            但是當她在Gavin中學加入工會時，該校面臨經營不善，可能關門的危機。學校老師們倡議改制成特許學校，以另謀出路，讓學校不至於倒閉。但工會卻反對，怕校長太大權力，會壓迫老師。Jessica Tang曾經非常為難。該校在她離職一年後，最終還是關門了。

            作為工會領袖，唐佳宇(Jessica Tang)將在工會成員工作狀況，教育政策，預算等方面有很大的影響力，包括參與決定上學天數，加薪幅度，工作保障等等。波士頓環球報在報導中指稱，教師的平均年薪為9萬元以上。

            波士頓教師工會現任會長Richard Stutman已在為14年，即將退休，稱許唐佳宇(Jessica Tang)年輕有為，支持她參選。Jessica Tang表示，她將爭取政府投放更多經費進公校教育，要求每班教室應配置更多工作人員，也將極力促成已談判18個月，5月17日又再度宣告談判陷 入僵局的波士頓市政府與波士頓教師工會合約。

            波士頓環球報在報導中指唐佳宇(Jessica Tang)是同性戀社區成員，她並坦然表示希望自己會是學生們的榜樣，尤其是那些即將了解到自己性別趨向的學生們。

            儘管工會和政府常處於對立面，波士頓公校總監，也是年輕華裔，40出頭的張欽棠表示，他和唐佳宇(Jessica Tang)有著相同的核心價值觀，那就是學生最重要。他相信彼此會合作愉快。

中華頤養院年會感謝捐款者 介紹新執行長Kathryn Plazak

中華頤養院心執行長Kathryn Plazak，資深董事陳秀英，董事會主席
雷偉志。(周菊子攝)

               (Boston Orange 周菊子昆士市整理報導)中華頤養院16日晚在昆士市龍鳳酒樓舉行年會，頒獎表揚19名服務5到30年員工，感謝社區支持，宣佈喬遷後的4年300萬元籌款目標，順利達成。會上還介紹新任執行長Kathryn Plazak。

左起，韓幼文，陳台榮，中華頤養院董事會財政屈振生，
陳毓璇。黃景佩。(周菊子攝)

                            由陳秀英，阮陳金鳳，陳毓璇，黃令南，陳家驊等將近15人於1985年創辦的中華頤養院，2014年從波士頓市南端(South End)遷往昆士市華盛頓街288號，不但床位增至110張，整體設施也美輪美奐，踏進該院參觀的人無不讚賞。但為完善設施，該院遷址後又啟動一輪籌款活動，歷經4年，終於圓滿達成300萬元的目標。

阮陳金鳳與黃令南。(周菊子攝)

                              捐款手筆最大的是Charles II Farnsworth 信託，美國銀行北美董事會，各捐了30萬元以上。捐10萬元的機構或個人，包括無名氏，紐英崙至孝篤親公所，王安基金會，陳秀英，陳仕維夫婦，唐林(譯音，Ling Tang)等也有不下10個。陳毓璇夫婦，丁大衛夫婦也都各捐了5萬元。其他捐款幾萬，幾千，幾百的熱心人士，就更多不勝數了。

陳鐵堅夫婦，陳仕維夫人。

                          中華頤養院董事陳秀英，董事會主席雷偉志代表16名董事，在年會上真誠感謝社區中的每一個熱心人士，直言是大家的支持，該院才得以提供最優質服務。

            昆士市長柯奇(Tom Koch)當晚也特地親自出席，感謝中華頤養院選擇進入昆士市，造福了地方民眾。

                         當晚接替李鳳儀，暫代該院執行長一職的Kathryn Plazak與院長陳力頒發服務獎，表揚在院內服務滿5年以上員工19人，其中服務滿5年的6人，服務滿10年的7人，15年的3人，20年的3人，服務滿30年的有1人，Ying Ping Wu 。

                       會上另外頒發史德勒學習中心基金獎學金給Tammy Chen，Tina Guan，Mei Wei Zhang等三人，頒發丁/穆加傑出領袖獎給David Mckinnon，Quoc Thang，Daisy Tseng等三人。(圖片已於5月17日發表)

陳仕維夫婦捐款十萬元給中華頤養院。(周菊子攝)

陳秀英(前右)與她的好友，支持者。前左一為麻州法官。

左起，李慧芳，李伍綺蓮，梅伍銀寬，梅麗梨，余國峰夫婦。(周菊子攝)

余國峰(左)當年曾是黃令南(中)的實習生。

中華頤養院董事陳逢想(左)，院長陳力(中)。

CLOSED SOUTH HADLEY FUNERAL HOME TO PAY NEARLY $500,000 IN RESTITUTION FOR MISHANDLING HUMAN REMAINS, MISAPPROPRIATING CONSUMER DEPOSITS

CLOSED SOUTH HADLEY FUNERAL HOME TO PAY NEARLY $500,000 IN RESTITUTION FOR MISHANDLING HUMAN REMAINS, MISAPPROPRIATING CONSUMER DEPOSITS

Former Director Permanently Prohibited from Participating in Funeral Business

NORTHAMPTON – A closed South Hadley funeral home and its former director will pay nearly $500,000 in restitution after improperly handling human remains and misappropriating deposits intended for funeral arrangements, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today. The defendants are also permanently prohibited from participating in the funeral business.

“We expect all funeral service providers to operate with respect for the deceased and their families,” said AG Healey. “It is intolerable that any provider would take advantage of the trust placed in them by grieving families.”

The consent judgment, entered today in Hampshire Superior Court, resolves claims that Ryder Funeral Home, Inc. and one of its owners, William W. Ryder, collected deposits from consumers for future funeral arrangements but failed to establish funeral trust accounts or purchase insurance policies as required under state regulations. It also resolves claims that they did not take steps to timely cremate or embalm human remains and did nothing to prevent the decomposition of unembalmed bodies.

The judgment orders the defendants to pay $471,446 in consumer restitution, as well as $347,500 in civil penalties and attorneys’ fees, which is suspended pending the defendants’ compliance with the terms of the settlement.

Pursuant to the terms of the judgment, Ryder Funeral Home and William Ryder are also permanently prohibited from participating in any business involving embalming, funeral directing, or funeral services. Further, William Ryder is prohibited from soliciting, facilitating, or accepting pre-need deposits from consumers. 

In a lawsuit filed against the defendants in September 2014, the AG’s Office alleged that the defendants used the deposits for their own benefit and failed to follow consumers’ directions regarding funeral arrangements. It also alleged they did not take steps to promptly cremate or embalm bodies or prevent the decomposition of unembalmed bodies.

The investigation began when an investigator from the Massachusetts Division of Professional Licensure (DPL) visited Ryder Funeral Home in May 2014, and discovered multiple bodies in various states of decomposition that were not being handled in accordance with state regulations. The DPL’s Board of Registration in Embalming and Funeral Directing immediately suspended the defendants’ licenses. In July 2014, the defendants permanently surrendered their licenses and closed the funeral home without providing notice to consumers.

The AG’s investigation revealed that Ryder Funeral Home had made arrangements with numerous consumers who chose to plan funerals in advance. These arrangements were reflected in pre-need funeral contracts, which are subject to state regulations. The defendants failed to purchase pre-need insurance policies or establish funeral trust accounts for approximately 110 consumers. 

The AG’s Office will be in contact with identified consumers. Consumers who believe they have been harmed by the defendants but have not been in contact with the AG’s Office should call the consumer hotline at 617-727-8400.

This matter is being handled by Assistant Attorney General Ann E. Lynch of AG Healey’s Western Massachusetts and Consumer Protection Divisions with assistance from Civil Investigator Richard Steward and Paralegal Sharon Coles, as well as from the Division of Professional Licensure.

Baker-Polito Administration Opens Seventh MassWorks Infrastructure Award Round

Baker-Polito Administration Opens Seventh MassWorks Infrastructure Award Round

Funding will support public infrastructure improvements that unlock housing creation and economic growth

WORCESTER –  Today Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito announced the opening of the seventh annual MassWorks Infrastructure Program award round. The program invests in local community infrastructure that can leverage private funding and unlock commercial, industrial, or residential development.

“Our support for local infrastructure and development priorities is important to the Commonwealth’s continued economic success and growth,” said Governor Baker. “We were pleased to secure hundreds of millions in new funding for the MassWorks Infrastructure Program, which provides cities and towns the investments and flexibility they need to drive job growth and build stronger communities.”

In August 2016, Governor Baker signed An Act Relative to Job Creation and Workforce Development(H.4569) to reauthorize MassWorks and support $500 million of future investment in critical infrastructure, a significant commitment by the Commonwealth. The Baker-Polito Administration has increased MassWorks funding by $35 million over the past two fiscal years, investing $168 million for 82 projects across 69 communities.

“We are proud of the strong partnerships we have built with all 351 of Massachusetts’ cities and towns, allowing them to embrace local priorities and strengths,” said Lt. Governor Polito. “We look forward to working with them in the upcoming MassWorks round to identify and invest in these important local infrastructure projects.”

The 2017 grant round will fund housing and 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 and projects that support economic development in weak or distressed areas. In addition, the Program will hold an inaugural grant round during the summer for public dredging projects that support growth opportunities for the Commonwealth’s blue economy.

“MassWorks makes strategic investments in public infrastructure, at the local level, that generate private investment in new housing and job creation,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash. “It’s a powerful tool for community development, because MassWorks empowers communities to deliver on their own unique local economic development vision, in truly dynamic ways.”

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 supports municipalities with a population of 7,000 or less that may seek grants for roadway improvements to enhance public safety.

The MassWorks Program encourages municipalities to apply with projects that have been well planned, exhibit prompt and predictable permitting, and have implemented zoning that supports future growth.

The reference materials for the 2017 MassWorks grant round, the electronic application system, application guidelines, FAQs, and other relevant matierals are available online, giving public entities a 12-week head start to gather the information they need in order to submit their applications betweenMonday, July 24th and Friday, August 4th 2017. Applicants will have access to previous MassWorks grant round submissions. All decisions will be rendered within approximately 8 weeks after the application deadline.

Since its inception in 2011, the MassWorks Program has invested over $418 million through competitive grant rounds, in 215 projects throughout the Commonwealth. The 2016 competitive grant round awarded $85 million to 34 projects in 33 communities.

To learn more about the MassWorks Infrastructure Program and how it is supporting job growth and long-term, sustainable economic development, please visit the MassWorks webpage.

AG HEALEY TAKES LEGAL ACTION TO PROTECT AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE FOR MASSACHUSETTS RESIDENTS

AG HEALEY TAKES LEGAL ACTION TO PROTECT AFFORDABLE HEALTHCARE FOR MASSACHUSETTS RESIDENTS

BOSTON – Today, Massachusetts and 14 other states and the District of Columbia filed a motion to intervene in House v. Price, a lawsuit filed by House Republicans that undercuts the affordability of health insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). Attorney General Maura Healey issued the following statement:

“Despite repeated attempts by the Trump Administration and the Republican Congress to sabotage the Affordable Care Act, it remains the law of the land. We’ve moved to intervene today to protect critical federal payments that support health care in our states. In Massachusetts, we believe that everyone should have access to health care and we will use our state authority to defend the law and our values.”

The lawsuit, House v. Price, would eliminate the stable funding that the law created to protect millions of working families from high healthcare costs. Experts predict that simply the threat to end this funding could destabilize the healthcare market and increase premiums by as much as 21 percent. The Trump Administration and the Republican Congress have made it clear that their number one priority is to repeal the ACA and take away affordable healthcare.

In President Trump’s own words, the House v. Price lawsuit could “explode” the ACA and leave millions of Americans without affordable healthcare coverage, leaving states to pick up the pieces. This intervention by the states seeks to protect health care coverage secured for Americans under the ACA.

The motion was led by the California and New York Attorneys General, and joined by Connecticut, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Mexico, Pennsylvania, Vermont, Washington State and the District of Columbia.

The States’ Motion to Intervene can be found here and the Motion to Lift the Abeyance can be found here.

華人前進會5/19慶40週年

MANY PEOPLE, ONE HEART, 萬眾一心
Chinese Progressive Association’s 40th Anniversary Gala
華人前進會40週年慶餐會

https://secure.qgiv.com/for/cpa/event/782718/

Honoring Attorney General Maura Healey, 
Dining Hall Workers of Harvard University,
Friends of the Chinatown Library
and other unsung heroes!

市長馬田偉殊，名譽宴會主席
Honorary Event Chair Mayor Martin J. Walsh

Friday, May 19, 2017
6:00 – 9:00 pm
at Hei La Moon Restaurant
88 Beach Street in Boston Chinatown
$100 Fundraising Ticket, $40 Member/Elderly/Student
www.cpaboston.org or RSVP justice@cpaboston.org

劍橋合唱團5/21"聽泉"

劍橋合唱團5月21日星期日晚間7點將在麻省理工學院Kresge Auditorium 
（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。上半場將演出台灣校園民歌及當代青年作曲家的作作品，包括劉新誠改編的「聽泉」、冉天豪作曲的「尋夢者」（原為戴望舒詩作）、「願」（原為蔣勳詩作）、現居波士頓的鋼琴家周鑫泉作曲的「去罷」（原為徐志摩詩作）、林育伶的台語合唱曲「四季的風」。下半場的「肯亞彌撒Missa Kenya」是作曲家Paul Basler將自己在東非肯亞的教學經驗與西方音樂融合的美麗果實，將邀請波士頓音樂院的法國號演奏家呂佳鴻、打擊樂手鄭育薇、張慈恩跨界演出。最後還有最受團員熱愛的隱藏曲目，精彩可期。

本次音樂會由顏毓芬博士擔任指揮，波士頓大學鋼琴博士候選人林宜穎擔任伴奏，近40位熱愛合唱音樂的歌手擔綱演出。演出憑票入場，購票請洽cccs-officers@mit.edu 。現場購票僅收支票。

劍橋合唱團固定於每週五晚間8點在MIT教室練唱。八月份將開始新樂季招生，
歡迎喜愛唱歌的舊雨新知聯繫。
聯絡電話：217-979-9719，Email: cccs-officers@mit.edu

賴銘琪讚揚邱文祥會長為「臺灣之光」

波士頓臺北經濟文化辦事處處長賴銘琪5月16日應邀參加「美國泌尿科醫學會」頒發臺北市立聯合醫院邱文祥前總院長「總統獎」(Presidential Award)之晚會。典禮於波士頓美術館舉行,出席頒獎晚會包括美國泌尿科醫學會會長Richard Babayan以及來自世界40餘國共約200名醫學界代表，中華民國駐美國代表處衛生組盧組長道揚亦專程自華府來波士頓與會, 邱前總院長夫人劉瑞玲醫師及僑領李臺醫師、陳翠怜女士,周文男醫師及周惠惠女士亦應邀觀禮。

賴處長表示，很榮幸出席見證邱前總院長獲此殊榮，邱前總院長致力醫療及教學，成果豐碩，讓臺灣之醫療技術在國際舞台嶄露頭角，也與世界分享臺灣之醫療研究成果，令人欽佩，實在是臺灣精神之展現。

邱前總院長畢業於國立陽明大學醫學系，並獲得博士學位，曾在波士頓大學醫學中心研究深造，曾歷任臺北市衛生局局長兼代副市長、陽明醫學院院長、臺北榮總住院總醫師、臺北醫學大學學術副院長等，現任亞洲泌尿科醫學會秘書長，資歷豐富，亦在兩岸三地及新加坡辦理三十餘場次腹腔鏡講習，協助培育泌尿科專才，且著作論文繁多，專書亦多達五冊，並曾獲世界內視鏡泌尿學會最佳醫學錄影帶獎、論文獎等，多次代表臺灣獲得國際肯定，誠為「臺灣之光」之典範。B會長並特別在該學會聲明中提到邱前總院長在醫學上之卓越表現,希望邱前總院長及臺灣能有機會對世界醫療作出更多貢獻.

賴處長強調，邱前總院長獲此美國醫學界最高榮譽之獎項，再次證明臺灣之高醫療水準，臺灣自1996年來在全球逾80國挹注60億美元之醫療及國際人道援助，獲得許多被援助國家政府及人民之高度肯定。今年因為政治因素無法出席世界衛生組織年會，不僅剝奪臺灣參與之權利、犧牲臺灣人民之福祉，臺灣亦無法為世界醫療做出貢獻，更造成國際合作防疫系統之嚴重缺口，將臺灣人民乃至全世界人類之健康曝於高度風險之中，違反世界衛生組織憲章不應因政治、經濟、社會或種族因素而歧視之成立宗旨，賴處長呼籲基於道德良心以及全球人類之共同福祉，大家一起支持臺灣參與世界衛生組織。(圖與文均由波士頓經文處提供)