Governor Baker Pays Respect to Victims of Las Vegas Tragedy

Governor Baker Pays Respect to Victims of Las Vegas Tragedy

LAS VEGAS – Governor Charlie Baker today visited the Las Vegas Tragedy Memorial site with Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval to pay his respects to the 58 victims who tragically lost their lives in last week’s mass shooting, including Tewksbury resident Rhonda LeRocque.

Governor Baker leaves flowers at the memorial for Tewksbury resident Rhoda LeRocque at the Las Vegas Tragedy Memorial site.

“The horrific and utterly senseless tragedy that occurred here two weeks ago shocked Massachusetts and our country,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “It is an honor to be here with Governor Sandoval to pay our respects on behalf of the Commonwealth for the innocent lives lost, including our own Rhonda LeRocque of Tewksbury. We appreciate the incredible work of first responders and medical professionals who saved many lives that night, and our state stands ready to support Las Vegas by any means possible during this difficult time.”

Governor Baker is in Nevada today for a speaking engagement on the Gubernatorial Panel at the National Clean Energy Summit called “States Leading the Charge.”

SÁNCHEZ ISSUES STATEMENT ON COST SHARING REDUCTIONS

SÁNCHEZ ISSUES STATEMENT ON COST SHARING REDUCTIONS

BOSTON—Representative Jeffrey Sánchez (D-Jamaica Plain) issued the following statement in response to President Trump’s decision to discontinue cost sharing reduction payments:

“Yesterday, President Trump announced his plan to eliminate crucial cost sharing reduction payments, which reduce health care costs for low-income Americans. President Trump’s unilateral action will significantly increase premiums, destabilize the insurance market, and affect over 200,000 residents of the Commonwealth.

“Research has shown that people forego necessary health care services due to cost. These payments are crucial to ensure individuals and families receive the care they need without incurring massive debt. Since the passage of the Affordable Care Act, millions of Americans have been able to access preventative care, lifesaving medication, and behavioral health treatment for the first time.

“The House remains committed to universal health care, and we are proud that our national leadership has expanded health insurance to 98% of the state. We encourage the President and Congress to put aside partisan differences to ensure affordable healthcare coverage for all Americans.”

CITY OF BOSTON, MASSROBOTICS TO HOST A "ROBOT BLOCK PARTY"

CITY OF BOSTON, MASSROBOTICS TO HOST A "ROBOT BLOCK PARTY"

As part of HUBweek, City Hall Plaza will be home to the first "Robot Block Party" featuring an "autonomous vehicle petting zoo" and robot demonstrations

BOSTON - Thursday, October 12, 2017 - On Sunday, October 15, the City of Boston will partner with MassRobotics to host over two dozen robots on City Hall Plaza as part of HUBweek 2017 for a "Robot Block Party." The City of Boston's Mayor's Office of New Urban Mechanics, in collaboration with HUBweek and MassRobotics, will celebrate all things robotics by exhibiting the latest in robotics and inviting the public to engage with industry leading technologists throughout the day. The event is free and open to people of all ages. "Boston is home to some of the brightest minds solving some of the world's biggest challenges," said Mayor Martin J. Walsh. "This event gives all residents and visitors in Boston a chance to see Boston's inventions in person, and explore why Boston is a hub for innovation and technology." The Robot Block Party will feature a broad range of demonstrations from start-ups, local universities and industry leading companies all under one big dome. Participants will have the opportunity to visit an "autonomous vehicle petting zoo" featuring nuTonomy, Optimus Ride, Delphi, and a Toyota/MIT collaboration. Leading engineers and roboticists will be on hand to answer questions throughout the day and City staff will be on-hand to collect input on the current autonomous vehicle program. "The generous and engaged support of the City of Boston is integral to continued growth for both MassRobotics and the region's robotics/automation industry. Collaborating with the City to co-host the Robot Block Party as part of HUBweek is an opportunity to celebrate how much we've accomplished and to look forward to all that's still to come," said Tom Ryden, Executive Director at MassRobotics. In the fall of 2016, Mayor Walsh released an executive order to establish a testing program for autonomous vehicles in the City of Boston. Since last fall, the City's testing partners have driven over 600 miles autonomously on Boston roadways. The event will provide an opportunity to see autonomous vehicles up-close and take part in other on-site demonstrations -- such as a new personal home robot, demonstrations from Jibo, Pong Robotics, Vecna Technologies and a "design your own robot" technology featuring interactive CAD tools which guide users through the robot design process. Robot Block Party is a free event and open to the public with The HUB Pass. For more information or to register, visit www.boston.gov/calendar/robot-block-party  About the City of Boston's Autonomous Vehicle Efforts In the fall of 2016, Mayor Walsh launched an Autonomous Vehicle testing program led by the Boston Transportation Department and the Mayor's Office of New Urban Mechanics. The program is exploring the technology and policies that help unlock the immense promise of these vehicles to make our transportation system more reliable, more accessible, and safer for all users. Details on the program and the progress can be found at boston.gov. About MassRobotics MassRobotics is the result of the collective work of a group of engineers, rocket scientists and entrepreneurs with a shared vision to create an innovation hub and startup cluster focused on the needs of the robotics and IoT community. It has an extensive network of more than 400 companies, 10 academic institutions and 20 industry-focused associations and organizations. The organization drives international outreach and has active engagements with Ireland, UK, China, Singapore, Chile, France, Canada and UAE, and continues to engage with different countries. MassRobotics' mission is to help create and scale the next generation of successful robotics and connected devices companies by providing entrepreneurs and innovative robotics/automation startups with the workspace and resources they need to develop, prototype, test and commercialize their products and solutions. www.massrobotics.org

BOSTON POLICE OFFICER INDICTED IN CONNECTION WITH STEALING MONEY FROM EVIDENCE ROOM, ATTEMPTED MONEY LAUNDERING AT PLAINRIDGE CASINO

BOSTON POLICE OFFICER INDICTED IN CONNECTION WITH STEALING MONEY FROM EVIDENCE ROOM, ATTEMPTED MONEY LAUNDERING AT PLAINRIDGE CASINO

BOSTON – A Boston Police Officer has been indicted in connection with stealing money from the Boston Police Department’s evidence room and attempting to launder it at Plainridge Park Casino.

 A Suffolk County Grand Jury indicted Joseph Nee, age 44, today on the charges of Larceny over $250 and money laundering (one count each). He will be arraigned on the charges in Suffolk Superior Court on October 30.

Nee is a Boston Police Officer assigned to the Evidence Management Unit in Hyde Park. He has been with the Department since 1998.

The charges are the result of a joint investigation by the Massachusetts State Police Gaming Enforcement Unit assigned to the Investigations and Enforcement Bureau of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, the Boston Police Anti-Corruption Unit and the Attorney General’s Gaming Enforcement Division.

 Authorities allege that in January 2017, Nee stole approximately $2,000 from the file of a closed bank robbery case. The stolen money was identified by the traces of red dye left from an anti-theft dye pack that discharged during the bank robbery. Authorities identified the theft when Nee fed some of the stolen cash into slot machines at Plainridge Park Casino. He then allegedly redeemed the stolen money at a kiosk at Plainridge for cash that wasn’t tainted with red dye.

All of these charges are allegations and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

The case is being prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Pat Hanley, Chief of AG Healey’s Gaming Enforcement Division with assistance from Paralegal Zach Gregoric, also of the AG’s Gaming Enforcement Division. The case was investigated by the Massachusetts State Police Gaming Enforcement Unit assigned to the Investigations and Enforcement Bureau of the Massachusetts Gaming Commission, the Boston Police Department Anti-Corruption Unit and the Attorney General’s Gaming Enforcement Division.  The Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office assisted with the investigation.  Plainridge Park Casino fully cooperated with the investigation.

新皮箱精神 記錄海外台商奮鬥歷程

為和海外僑胞及國人分享台商在海外的打拚事蹟，9月下旬出版「新皮箱精神－世總總會長的奮鬥歷程」專書。9月25日在高雄舉行的新書發表會，總統蔡英文親自出席，表達政府對歷任台商領袖的肯定與感謝。

    本書記錄世界台灣商會聯合總會自1994年成立迄今、已經卸任的23任總會長，如何於全球六大洲面對異國文化開疆闢土建立事業版圖，並長期運用豐富人脈及資源，積極為台商爭取在地權益並不忘為台灣發聲。僑務委員會希望透過台商在海外奮鬥的成功故事，以及支持台灣所做的努力，讓讀者瞭解台灣人勇於拚搏、不忘鄉梓的精神，並對有心到海外創業的年輕人有所啟發及鼓勵。

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AG HEALEY, ROBERT KRAFT, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS FOUNDATION HOST GAME CHANGE STUDENT LEADERSHIP SUMMIT

AG HEALEY, ROBERT KRAFT, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS FOUNDATION HOST GAME CHANGE STUDENT LEADERSHIP SUMMIT

First-of-its-kind program has trained more than 1,000 students, teachers, coaches and service providers; Will train additional 700 across Massachusetts this year

(From AG office)

FOXBOROUGH – Attorney General Maura Healey and Robert Kraft, Chairman and CEO of the New England Patriots, held a student leadership summit today for Massachusetts high school and middle school students participating in “Game Change: The Patriots Anti-Violence Partnership.”

“To break cycles of violence, the goal of Game Change is to educate students about healthy relationships and encourage them to treat one another with respect,” said AG Healey. “These student leaders are learning to engage their schools and communities to empower young people and help end relationship violence.”

“We are proud to see how far that this program has come in just over two years,” said Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft. “Game Change began as a result of a shared mission between the Attorney General’s office and our organization to help put a stop to acts of bullying and violence. Thanks to this partnership, we project 80,000 middle and high school students will have participated in Game Change programs by the end of this school year.”

Launched in 2015 by the New England Patriots Foundation and the Massachusetts AG’s Office, the goal of Game Change is to implement long-term anti-violence and healthy relationship education in Massachusetts schools with a focus on developing peer leaders at the high school level who can provide trainings to their middle school counterparts.

Game Change, through the Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) curriculum, is in its third year of training with students, teachers and coaches from 36 middle schools and 36 high schools, totaling 72 schools throughout Massachusetts.

 At today’s summit at Gillette Stadium, student leaders joining the program this year met and worked with Game Change captains – leaders who have implemented creative programming in their schools. Student leaders rotated through workshop sessions led by Game Change captains from Natick High School, Chicopee High School, South Shore Charter Public School and Lincoln-Sudbury Regional High School.

Game Change captains shared how their teams work together, what they’ve learned as peer leaders, and their advice for students, teachers and coaches to engage high school and middle school students, families and community groups in healthy relationship programming.   

In May, AG Healey and Robert Kraft announced that Game Change would expand to middle schools and additional high schools across Massachusetts, training students and staff in strategies to prevent sexual assault and domestic violence. Those trainings began in September of this year. The third phase of the program will train an additional 700 students, teachers and coaches to prevent relationship and gender-based violence.

During the first phase of Game Change, which ran from January through May 2016, nearly 200 staff from 90 high schools and nine domestic violence organizations across the state were trained in the MVP curriculum. For the program’s second phase, which ran throughout the 2016-2017 school year, staff from MVP provided direct trainings on preventing relationship violence to students at each of the participating high schools across the state.

            In its first two years, Game Change trained more than 1,000 students, teachers, coaches and service providers in the MVP curriculum. Student leaders representing nearly 100 communities across Massachusetts are now equipped to intervene when they witness signs of violence and help other young people do the same.

Run by the Center for the Study of Sport in Society at Northeastern University, trainings in the MVP curriculum give participants the skills to recognize the dynamics of power and control that can lead to relationship and gender-based violence. Trained students, teachers, and coaches learn how to recognize the signs of an unhealthy relationship and when to intervene or reach out for help.

For more information about Game Change, please visit www.mass.gov/ago/gamechange or contact the Policy and Government Division at 617-963-2700.

TREASURER GOLDBERG AND MASSACHUSETTS NONPROFIT NETWORK LAUNCH NEW DEFINED CONTRIBUTION “CORE PLAN”

TREASURER GOLDBERG AND MASSACHUSETTS NONPROFIT NETWORK LAUNCH NEW DEFINED CONTRIBUTION “CORE PLAN”

BOSTON – Treasurer Goldberg, in collaboration with the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network, this month launched the Massachusetts Defined Contribution CORE Plan. The CORE Plan is a new statewide multiple employer 401(k) retirement plan available to Massachusetts nonprofit organizations with twenty or fewer employees.

“I am proud to launch the CORE Plan in partnership with the Massachusetts Nonprofit Network for organizations across the state,” said Treasurer Goldberg. “This innovative savings plan will help nonprofit employees save for retirement, while minimizing fees and charges that can significantly impact long-term savings.”

The CORE Plan incorporates best practices focused on the importance of saving and investing for retirement. Key features include administration and oversight provided by the Office of the State Treasurer on behalf of participating employers, fiduciary assistance to the state’s small nonprofits, professionally developed investment options, and automatic enrollment among others. These features allow participating nonprofit organizations the ability to focus on the primary duties of their organization while offering a comprehensive retirement benefit to their employees.

Treasurer Goldberg earlier this month received the Excellence and Innovation Award from Pensions & Investments for her work shepherding in the creation of the CORE Plan.

“The Massachusetts Nonprofit Network (MNN) congratulates Treasurer Goldberg and her team for receiving the Innovation Award at the Pensions & Investments West Coast Defined Contribution conference,” said Jim Klocke, CEO of MNN.  MNN represents nonprofits across the Commonwealth. “The Treasurer and her team have worked tirelessly over the past several years to develop the CORE plan, an exciting new retirement plan that will benefit thousands of nonprofit organizations and employees across the Commonwealth.”

The Massachusetts Defined Contribution CORE Plan was established under Chapter 29, Section 64E of the Massachusetts General Laws. To learn more, contact your local CORE Plan representative at (877) 630-4015 or visit us at www.ma-employer-core.com.

MAYOR WALSH JOINS COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO CELEBRATE PRESERVATION OF 52 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN FENWAY

MAYOR WALSH JOINS COMMUNITY MEMBERS TO CELEBRATE PRESERVATION OF 52 UNITS OF AFFORDABLE HOUSING IN FENWAY

Redevelopment of Burbank Garden Apartments will preserve long-term affordability in the Fenway

BOSTON - Thursday, October 12, 2017 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today joined representatives from the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, the Fenway Community Development Corporation (CDC), the Community Economic Development Assistance Corporation (CEDAC), funders and residents of Burbank Garden Apartments to celebrate the preservation of 52 units of affordable housing at the Burbank Garden Apartments. The City of Boston's Department of Neighborhood Development (DND) worked with the  Fenway CDC to acquire the building in 2016 and renovate its 52 apartments, located on Burbank Street in the Fenway. The deed restrictions on the building's 52 units were expiring; with the help of the City, State, and funders, Fenway CDC was able to purchase the building from the owners, protecting existing tenants from displacement and preserving the long-term affordability of this mixed income development. "Preserving Boston's affordability is key to ensuring everyone who wants to live here can afford to do so, and I'm particularly pleased our commitment to Burbank Gardens will both preserve and renovate 52 units of our existing affordable housing stock," said Mayor Walsh. "I want to thank the Fenway CDC and our partners for working with us to make sure families can stay in their homes. Together, we're protecting long-time residents from displacement, and we're helping maintain the character of this community." Located next to Symphony Community Park in the Fenway neighborhood of Boston, the property consists of studio, one and two-bedroom apartments, as well as community space. It was one of many properties financed by MassHousing whose 40-year mortgage terms will reach maturity in March 2018. Similar to Burbank Garden Apartments, much of Boston's stock of affordable housing units was built in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s. The low-income use restrictions on these projects now face elimination as owners pay off their subsidized mortgages, known as "13As", or opt out of their existing Section 8 rental subsidy contracts. "Fenway CDC has a long history of developing and preserving affordable housing while fighting displacement in the neighborhood, dating back to the organization's inception in 1973," said Leah Camhi, Executive Director of Fenway Community Development Corporation. "We want to thank the Mayor and all of our partners who have helped us restore the sense of stability to Burbank Street and the surrounding community. Preserving affordable apartments is especially important in the Fenway given the neighborhood's high rents and relative lack of affordable housing options." "It was terrifying to think that we all might have lost our housing. I am so grateful that the Fenway CDC, Mayor Walsh, City of Boston and the State of Massachusetts worked with the former owners to preserve our housing," said Burbank Gardens Resident Carly Caminiti.  "Preservation of affordable housing in Boston is such an important public health issue with major health impacts, especially for the elderly and disabled, many of whom are my neighbors. I'm so thankful that the Mayor and Fenway CDC recognized that, and I hope that other expiring leases can be preserved by the city. My husband and I are so appreciative that we can remain in our home in this neighborhood we love." The City's commitment includes $2.5 million for the acquisition of the building, plus $2.5 million in DND and Neighborhood Housing Trust funding for the rehabilitation of the property, which is expected to commence in 2018. In addition to the City's funds, MassHousing committed $5 million in soft debt; CEDAC provided both a predevelopment loan and, with participation by Eastern Bank, an $8.2 million acquisition loan. In August DHCD awarded $3 million in permanent soft financing so that Fenway CDC can rehabilitate Burbank Gardens and to ensure that the 52 apartments remain affordable for low- and moderate-income households. Building on his commitment to create preserve more affordable housing in the City of Boston, earlier this year Mayor Walsh announced nearly $22 million in funding for 10 affordable housing developments in neighborhoods across Boston including Burbank Garden Apartments. This funding will help preserve or produce 602 housing units, 77 units of which are reserved for homeless or extremely low-income households in Boston. To date, the Walsh administration has committed more than $100 million in funding to the creation and preservation of affordable housing. Today's announcement also contributes to the City's preservation and anti-displacement goals, outlined in Housing a Changing City: Boston 2030, Mayor Walsh's housing plan, and the housing goals laid out in Imagine Boston 2030, Boston's first citywide plan in 50 years.