Governor Baker Signs Bill Approving Sale of Lynn Armory

Governor Baker Signs Bill Approving Sale of Lynn Armory

Legislation will enable historic facility to be developed into veterans’ housing

LYNN – Today, Governor Charlie Baker joined  Lynn Mayor Thomas M. McGee, legislators and members of the Baker-Polito Administration for a ceremonial bill signing for legislation authorizing the sale of the historic Lynn Armory to a city nonprofit, which plans to renovate the historic building into apartment homes for military veterans.

“This project is a great example of how our Administration’s Open for Business initiative works to return underutilized state assets to beneficial public use,”said Governor Baker. “Through collaboration with Lynn officials, we have found a fitting legacy for the Armory building, which served members of the military for more than a century, and will now continue to provide service to our veterans.”

“We are grateful to members of the Lynn legislative delegation, Mayor McGee and the Lynn Housing Authority & Neighborhood Development for working hard to see this bill through,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “Developing new housing for veterans in our communities is an important way to support those who have sacrificed so much.”

The legislation, H. 4265, authorizes the state Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance to sell the former Lynn Armory to Neighborhood Development Associates, Inc., a non-profit housing corporation that is overseen by a board of directors and managed administratively by the Lynn Housing Authority & Neighborhood Development (LHAND).

The legislation requires that the castle-style Armory on South Common Street, which was built in 1893 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, be used to provide veterans’ services, including housing.  The nonprofit plans to renovate the building to create approximately 35 rental apartments. LHAND also envisions linking the new housing development to supportive services that the organization offers to veterans.

“Long after their original mission has ended, it is encouraging to see Commonwealth-owned facilities like the Lynn Armory repurposed to serve their communities in critically important ways, and especially in this case, to serve our veterans,” said Secretary of Administration and Finance Michael J. Heffernan. “All over Massachusetts we are working to ensure that the Commonwealth’s capital assets are being put to their highest and best use - or as in this case, re-use.”

“The reimagining of the Lynn Armory illustrates the transformative work Governor Baker charged the Lynn Economic Advancement & Development Team to pursue,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash.“Beginning in 2015, the Baker-Polito Administration has worked with local and federal officials, along with community groups and the private sector, to provide tools and resources to enable Lynn to achieve its economic vision. Our work has been far-reaching and includes a major push on housing: market rate, mixed-income, transit-oriented housing projects, and workforce – such as the recently opened Gateway North residences. We look forward to continuing our partnership to make Lynn Armory a welcoming home to our local veteran community.”

“This disposition is exactly what the Baker-Polito Administration’s Open for Business Initiative is all about,” said Division of Capital Asset Management and Maintenance Commissioner Carol Gladstone. “DCAMM was pleased to collaborate with our partners across state government and the City of Lynn to take the first steps towards turning this underutilized state asset into veterans’ housing.”

“It’s great to see the iconic Lynn Armory building be repurposed to address a serious need for our veterans,” said Mayor Thomas M. McGee. “The veterans housing project will enhance the efforts currently undertaken by LHAND and the Veterans Services Department to support veterans. I want to thank Governor Baker and the Lynn delegation for supporting this legislation. I also would like to thank LHAND Director Charlie Gaeta for undertaking this process and helping the city ensure that our veterans have access to the services they need.”

“LHAND’s vision for Veterans’ housing shows not only an exemplary level of commitment and care to the Commonwealth’s Veterans but also outstanding foresight with regards to redevelopment of an aging and underutilized property,” said Senator Brendan Crighton, Senate sponsor of the bill. “This outside of the box thinking is truly remarkable and represents the kind of innovative projects that Massachusetts desperately needs in this time of housing scarcity.”

“It is fitting that the preservation of the Lynn Armory, where troops were trained and deployed into service for over 100 years, will include quality housing for our returning veterans,” said Representative Daniel Cahill, House sponsor of the bill. “The Legislature and Governor unanimously supported this legislation because NDA's creative proposal was the perfect redevelopment of an underutilized state asset into veteran housing.”

“This is exactly the type of project we all should embrace, and I congratulate Mayor McGee, Lynn Housing, and Neighborhood Development Associates for making it possible,” said Representative Lori Ehrlich. “I also want to thank Governor Baker for his administration’s continued support for economic development in Lynn – project after project, we are moving the city forward together.”

“This bill will enhance the much needed programs and services for our local veterans,” said Representative Donald Wong. “The possibility of adding housing would be beneficial to our homeless veterans that have served our country.”

“To be able to preserve this historic and significant building and reprogram it to house our veterans’ population is a huge win for both the City of Lynn and the State. I can’t imagine a more appropriate reuse of this landmark, and we are thankful to the Baker-Polito Administration and Lynn’s state delegation for the opportunity,” said LHAND Executive Director Charles Gaeta. “Two years ago, the City of Lynn was the first city in the state to be certified as effectively eliminating veterans’ homelessness, and we are excited for this new challenge to continue our efforts in housing those who have sacrificed for our country.”

“This is an exciting piece of legislation that will transform this neighborhood and allow for the full use and potential of this magnificent, historical structure to be achieved,” said Lynn City Council President Darren Cyr. “I wish to thank Governor Baker, the Lynn delegation, Mayor McGee, and LHAND Director Charles Gaeta for having the foresight to recognize the importance of redeveloping this site which overlooks our recently upgraded Lynn Commons.” 

“Lynn’s effort to preserve and revitalize the Armory for veterans’ housing addresses a critical need,” said Lynn Director of Veterans Services Michael Sweeney. “The passion and innovation behind this project honors veterans past and present.”

About Open for Business

With the Commonwealth as the largest landowner in Massachusetts, Governor Baker in 2015 issued a challenge to state agencies across government to protect natural resources, create economic opportunity, build housing, manage these lands with professionalism and creativity, and generate appropriate revenue from leases and other partnerships. This program is called “Open for Business.”

Since the program’s launch in 2015, there are over 100 projects in 47 municipalities, across 1,000 acres, driving the production of more than 2,200 units of housing on state land. For more information on Open for Business, please click here.

波士頓添新組織 世界華僑總會8/28成立

世界華僑總會成立合影。(周菊子攝)

                        (Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導) 逾百年來被稱為”革命之母”的華僑，在世界各地成立有數難以計，名稱不同的組織。8月28日，波士頓地區又成立了一個新的華僑組織，名為”世界華僑總會”。

左起，陳任卓，黃立輝，黃官羨，黃海龍，阮鴻燦，黃周麗桃，
李銳浩等世界華僑總會首任主要幹部接受祥獅獻瑞。(周菊子攝)

            ,華僑協會總會理事長黃海龍與帝苑大酒樓前東主黃官羨應邀擔任名譽理事長，波士頓安良工商會共同會長黃立輝擔任理事長。四名副理事長分別為前任紐英崙中華公所主席，也是波士頓安良幹部的阮鴻燦，曾任至德三德公所美東副總理的黃周麗桃，欖城安良工商會的現任會長陳任卓，早任會長李銳浩。

             黃海龍早於1994年間，在波士頓擔任僑教中心主任，返台後曾歷任多職、再接任於1942年由中國國民黨元老吳鐵城博士在當年陪都重慶成立的”華僑協會總會”理事長，並連任迄今。

             致詞時，黃海龍透露了”世界華僑總會”的成立淵源。

黃海龍(中)送勉勵長軸給世界華僑總會理事長
黃立輝(左)，副理事長阮鴻燦。(周菊子攝)

             今年四月，全美安良工商會在台灣舉行年會，僑委會請”華僑協會總會”接待一晚。席間，黃立輝與阮鴻燦表示，希望為華僑提供更多服務，並探問可否在波士頓成立華僑協會的分會。由於2002年8月28日已有梅佩凡成立華僑協會總會波士頓分會，擔任創會會長，現由曾任全美安良工商會元老的梅錫銳擔任現任會長，他們商量後，決定成立”世界華僑總會”。

             黃立輝在致詞時特地強調，該會將是一個有世界各國華僑參與的全球性組織。他和黃海龍還簽署了"世界華僑總會”與”華僑協會總會”的"合作及友誼協議書”。

               大波士頓地區眾多僑團首長，這晚也紛紛應邀上台，獲頒一紙”名譽理事”證書。

            在波士頓成立的“世界華僑總會"第一屆職員，除了名譽理事長黃海龍之外，目前全是波士頓及羅德島本地人，分別為理事長：黃立輝，副理事長：阮鴻燦、黃周麗桃、李銳浩、陳任卓，中文書記：黃納斯，英文書記：葉福文，財政：陳國航，核數：陳瑞欣，法律顧問：黃瑞瑜、黃澤堯。

                    席間，黃海龍還特地頒發一枚”僑光獎章”給黃官羨，表揚他對華人社區的貢獻。

黃海龍(右)，黃立輝(左)頒發榮譽證書給黃官羨(中)。(周菊子攝)

波士頓市議員愛德華費林(Ed Flynn)出席致詞，恭賀。(周菊子攝)

世界華僑總會也頒發了榮譽理事證書給陳毓禮。(周菊子攝)

全美安良工商會總理陳仕維(左)也獲頒一紙榮譽理事證書。依序為
黃立輝，黃周麗桃，黃納斯(周菊子攝)。

  

欖城安良工商會會長黃超炎(左二)率會員從羅德島州趕來與會。(周菊子攝)

黃海龍(左二)與陳任卓(右起)，陳仕維，李銳浩都是舊識。(謝開明提供)

華埠牌樓電影節(圖片)

巴西瓦里台灣歌謠唱到波士頓(圖片)

玉山科協創意工作坊 (圖片)

MAYOR WALSH RELEASES FINANCIAL AUDIT OF STUDENT ACTIVITY ACCOUNTS AT BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS

MAYOR WALSH RELEASES FINANCIAL AUDIT OF STUDENT ACTIVITY ACCOUNTS AT BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS

BOSTON - Friday, August 31, 2018 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced the findings of the independent audit conducted by Ernst & Young (EY) of student activity accounts at Boston Public Schools (BPS). The EY audit analyzed fund activity and use, assessed key internal controls and reviewed historical transactions at 118 schools in the BPS system, excluding the six Horace Mann Charter schools due to their autonomy, for School Years 2013 through 2018, or the past five years. "Student activity accounts were launched in the early 1990s and, while they are in most of our schools in Boston, these accounts have never been audited or reviewed until now," Mayor Walsh said. "Trust, transparency and being fiscally responsible for the residents of Boston is what drives our priorities, and this in-depth review has allowed for the creation of substantial and comprehensive new policies and procedures. I want to thank our school leaders for their partnership in this review and for embracing these new guidelines as we begin the new school year." EY was retained by the City of Boston following an audit by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) that included a review of student activity accounts at 16 randomly chosen schools. Several operational changes were made at the City of Boston and BPS as a result of the IRS audit, including eliminating the use of local accounts, requiring all student activity funds to be held and managed through the City of Boston's financial system, enhancing controls and clearer communication to school leaders regarding the rules surrounding student activity accounts. "The Boston School Committee is committed to implementing and upholding policies and practices to ensure all funds in the Boston Public Schools are safeguarded and being used appropriately," Boston School Committee Chairman Michael Loconto said. "We thank Mayor Walsh, BPS staff, and Ernst & Young for their continued cooperation and assessment of student activity accounts. The School Committee looks forward to reviewing the upcoming proposal to ensure stronger accounting practices in the district, and working with the Internal Audit Task Force that was approved by the Committee last winter to advance prudent fiscal oversight for our school system." As EY's work was ongoing, the City of Boston and BPS took significant steps to address any potential risks uncovered by their review and ensure the proper policies and procedures were in place before the beginning of the school year. These actions are in addition to the changes already made in response to the IRS audit and include the following: Created a Superintendent Policy and a Student Activity Account Operating Manual that provides a comprehensive set of rules and procedures for student activity fund management; Drafted a policy that will be presented to the School Committee for approval in September that complies with all statutory and regulatory requirements for student activity accounts; Provided comprehensive training on the new rules and procedures to school leaders in August that will be held annually by BPS; Created a Master Agency Account that provides the necessary financial controls by requiring all student activity deposits and expenditures to be managed through the City of Boston's financial system; and, In addition to including the Master Agency Account as part of the City of Boston's annual financial auditing process, put in place a requirement for operational audits that will be conducted at schools on a rotating basis by BPS to ensure ongoing compliance with all policies.     EY also identified several specific control and procedural gaps that presented the highest potential risk, including those related to segregation of funding sources, expenditures and duties, tax reporting process, appropriateness of fund usage, cash collection and on-hand cash procedures. Each of these priority issues have been addressed through the new policies and operating manual, the Master Agency Account that requires all expenditures to go through the City of Boston's payment system, the new internal auditing process that will be implemented at BPS, new guidelines on maintaining appropriate documentation on the sources of funds, a stated procedure for the handling and reconciliation of funds prior to and after deposit and the elimination of local accounts. "The structures and protocols we have implemented as a result of the EY audit will ensure that, going forward, student activity accounts are used to empower educators to provide BPS students with opportunities for well-rounded and engaging educational experiences in a transparent and thoughtful manner," Interim Superintendent Laura Perille said. "BPS is grateful to all those who participated in and worked on this important initiative to maintain sound fiscal stewardship over these modest but important components of spending in our schools." The proposed School Committee policy will be presented to the Boston School Committee for approval at their meeting on September 12, 2018. The Student Activity Operating Manual and Superintendent Policy was presented to school leaders at the August Leadership Institute and can be found here. Student activities are broadly defined to be co-curricular in nature, contingent on a fee or on external fundraising and for the sole benefit of students. BPS recognizes the following as student activities: Socials, for instance a prom or student pizza party; Special events, for instance a graduation or a Science Fair; Field trips, for instance transportation costs or entry fees; Approved student clubs, for instance student council or debate club; Bookstores, only when the bookstore is run by students and proceeds will benefit students directly; Athletics, only when funds are student-driven or student-initiated and proceeds will benefit students directly; and, Certain miscellaneous, student-related activities. EY spent three to five days at each school during their review and produced a summary of school specific findings in addition to their overall report. These school specific summaries are available online for further review by school leaders and the school community.

恒生香港35指数納入藥明生物

药明生物成为唯一入选恒生香港35指数的生物制药公司

香港，2018年8月30日——为客户提供发现、开发及生产生物制剂端对端解决方案的全球领先开放式的生物制剂技术平台公司——药明生物技术有限公司（“药明生物”或“公司”，股票代码：2269.HK），今日欣然宣布获纳入恒生香港35指数，9月10日起生效。

“恒生香港35指数”由主要营业收入来自中国以外的市值最大的35家香港上市公司组成。业界认为，该指数是反映香港大型股公司表现的高投资性指数，具有低波动性的特点，是投资者有效分散风险的最佳配置之选。

此次入选，充分彰显了药明生物作为一家国际化企业，其业务足迹遍布全球各地。药明生物于今年上半年启动“全球化”战略布局，分别在爱尔兰、新加坡、美国、中国等地宣布产能扩张计划以进一步巩固全球领先的行业地位，打造更高、更宽、更深的生物制药技术和能力平台，助力全球合作伙伴加快和变革生物药的发现、开发及生产，造福广大病患。

这也是继去年九月被纳入恒生综合指数、恒生医疗保健指数、恒生环球综合指数，和今年三月被纳入恒生港股通指数、恒生港股通中小型股指数、恒生港股通香港公司指数及恒生港股通非AH股公司指数后，药明生物在季度审核中再次获纳入新的恒生指数。

WuXi Biologics Selected into the Hang Seng HK 35 Index

Hong Kong, August 30, 2018 – WuXi Biologics (2269.HK), a leading global open-access biologics technology platform company offering end-to-end solutions for biologics discovery, development and manufacturing, announced that the company has been selected by Hang Seng Indexes as a constituent of the Hang Seng HK 35 Index (“HSHK35”) effective 10 September, 2018.

Hang Seng HK 35 comprises the 35 largest companies listed in Hong Kong market which derive the majority of their sales revenue from areas outside mainland China. The Hang Seng HK 35 provides a tradable index reflecting the performance of large-cap Hong Kong companies and it features low volatility which is the best choice for diversification.

WuXi Biologics’ inclusion in HSHK35 signifies that our company is recognized as a global company by the market. Besides China, WuXi Biologics has recently announced plans to execute our globalization strategy to build state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities in Ireland, Singapore and the U.S. WuXi Biologics will continue to focus on expanding our capabilities and capacities to enable our customers to transform biologics discovery, development and manufacturing to benefit patients worldwide.

Prior to joining the Hang Seng HK 35, WuXi Biologics was selected into Hang Seng Composite Index, Hang Seng Healthcare Index and Hang Seng Global Composite Index in September 2017, and was selected into Hang Seng Stock Connect Hong Kong Index, Hang Seng Stock Connect Hong Kong MidCap & SmallCap Index, Hang Seng SCHK HK Companies Index and Hang Seng SCHK ex-AH Companies Index in March 2018.

About WuXi Biologics

WuXi Biologics, a Hong Kong-listed company, is the only open-access biologics technology platform in the world offering end-to-end solutions to empower organizations to discover, develop and manufacture biologics from concept to commercial manufacturing. Our company history and achievements demonstrate our commitment to providing a truly ONE-stop service offering and value proposition to our global clients. As of June 30, 2018, there were a total of 187 integrated projects, including 98 projects in pre-clinical development stage, 78 projects in early-phase (phase I and II) clinical development, 10 projects in late-phase (phase III) development and 1 project in commercial manufacturing. With total estimated capacity of biopharmaceutical production planned in China, Ireland, Singapore and US reaching 220,000 liters by 2021, we will provide our biomanufacturing partners with a robust and premier-quality global supply chain network. For more information on WuXi Biologics, please visit www.wuxibiologics.com.

華埠土地信託會9/26辦年會