Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVOTE) Secures $1.2 Million in New Funding

 

Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote (APIAVOTE) Secures $1.2 Million in New Funding

WASHINGTON, DC -  Christine Chen, Executive Director of Asian and Pacific Islander American Vote, issued the following statement announcing APIAVote’s new cohort of funding partnerships totaling $1,200,000 in new funding.   “We are excited to announce that we have secured new funding partnerships with Open Society Foundations, Public Wise, Stand with Asian Americans, and TDW+Co totaling $1,200,000 for our work,” said Christine Chen, Executive Director of APIAVote. “These investments represent a significant recognition of the impact that APIAVote has had over the past 15 years being at the forefront of a rising movement to strengthen the presence and power of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities in our democracy.”   “The increased funding positions APIAVote to build a pipeline of sustainable resources that will be required to support the growing ecosystem of AAPI serving organizations around the country. This round of funding will specifically help APIAVote conduct our bi-annual Asian American Voter Survey, a critical resource to uplift the needs and perspectives of our communities; expand our youth engagement program to ensure we continue to encourage our young people to establish their habit of voting; increase our capacity to directly invest in our Alliance for Civic Empowerment (“ACE”) network’s voter engagement efforts through subgrants, training, and tailored services; and keep our Asian American communities safe and healthy through vaccine education and outreach efforts,” she said.   Christine Chen added: “We are excited to have new partners and investors in our effort to address the underrepresentation of and underservice to our AAPI communities who, despite being among the fastest-growing racial and ethnic groups in the United States, receive less than 1% of corporate philanthropic investment and less than 0.2% of foundation investment! The recent rise of hate incidents against Asian Americans and increasing awareness of the need to catalyze change for AAPIs underscore the importance of ensuring AAPIs are represented and heard. This is why we are engaging, educating, and empowering our communities to strengthen their voices and create impact.”    "Public Wise is proud to support APIAVote's work mobilizing AAPI voters across the country. APIAVote is evidence-based and research driven, and provides essential resources for organizers. As an Asian American woman living during a time when the AAPI community is facing increased attacks and violence, I am excited to partner with APIAVote to ensure democracy is accessible to Asian American and Pacific Islander communities across the US," said Christina Baal-Owens, Executive Director of Public Wise.   “The AAPI population is the fastest-growing racial and ethnic group in America — in the last two decades, eligible Asian American voters grew by 139 percent, a number expected to double in the next two decades. And yet, the AAPI community has been largely ignored by philanthropy, and has remained peripheral to discussions of American elections, even as we consider the dangers our democracy faces,”  said Laleh Ispahani, Co-Director of Open Society – U.S. “Open Society is proud of our support for organizations like APIAVote, who work every day to strengthen the voice of Asian Americans in our country. We recognize that our investments won't fully realize the potential of this community, but we very much hope colleague donors will build on these investments to get us there.”   Collectively, AAPI voters are shaping elections at historic turnout levels and gaining recognition as a growing national force. We welcome our new partners to build on this moment to strengthen the presence and power of AAPI communities in our democracy. We are looking forward to what 2022 has in store.

波士頓市府準備埋時間膠囊 置放物件請民眾提意見

 
            (Boston Orange) 今年3月，波士頓準備埋下一個時間膠囊，讓後代想像當年種種。波士頓市長吳弭 (Michelle Wu) 今 (17) 早上推特，徵詢意見，請人們建議該放些甚麼東西。

            這是因應波士頓市政府大樓翻修的行動之一。吳弭說波士頓市府準備的時間膠囊，還有空間可以放一些小物件，歡迎市民提建議。

Governor Charlie Baker's updates on Brayton Point offshore wind

 

Baker-Polito Administration Announces $1.6 Million MassWorks Grant to Support Relocation of the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts

CHICOPEE – Wednesday, February 16, 2022 – Today, Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy was joined by Mayor John Vieau, Senator Eric Lesser, Representative Joseph Wagner, and Andrew Morehouse, executive director of the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts, to celebrate a $1.62 million award through the MassWorks Infrastructure Program to support the relocation of the Food Bank’s headquarters and distribution center to the city of Chicopee.   As the leading hunger-relief organization serving the four counties of Western Massachusetts, the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts’ new location will offer: an emergency food hub, an emergency shelter for Chicopee residents, highway access for distribution of emergency food to FBWM’s network of more than 170 local members (independent food pantries, meal sites, and shelters), and its own 77 direct-to-household distribution sites; and space for more staff, visitors, community events, and on-site public programs.      The MassWorks grant will fund improved community access to the future headquarters through a new access road, traffic signal, streetscape improvements to East Main Street, and parking adjacent to the facility. East Main Street will also be resurfaced in order to accommodate additional truck traffic.    “The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts plays a vital role in supporting families in need,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Thanks to the MassWorks program, the organization can advance its plans for expansion and ensure it can continue supporting households throughout the region well into the future.”   “We are pleased to partner with the city of Chicopee and the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts to provide support for what will result in a significant upgrade to the Food Bank’s operations,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito.  “Especially now, the need for food security is of the utmost importance and this grant will support the Food Bank’s mission over the long term.”    MassWorks is a competitive program that offers cities and towns flexible capital funding to support and accelerate housing production and job growth. MassWorks is the largest program in Community One Stop for Growth, a single application portal and collaborative review process for grant programs launched in January 2021 to make targeted investments based on a development continuum.   “We created the One Stop to offer access to a wide variety of programs through a single, streamlined process that ensures that valuable funds can be directed more effectively, to more communities, in less time,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy. “The One Stop gives communities and other partners the opportunity to work collaboratively with us, to pursue multiple projects simultaneously and to meet their economic development goals. The city of Chicopee and the Food Bank have demonstrated how applicants can be creative with grant funding to maximize the impact of state investments in transformative projects. While the first year of the One Stop has shown tremendous promise, the demand for our programs demonstrates that we can do more.” With the addition of this most recent round, the Baker-Polito Administration has awarded 326 MassWorks grants to 181 communities and has invested over $608 million in public infrastructure projects throughout the Commonwealth. These grants have directly supported the creation of 21,000 new housing units and tens of thousands of new construction and permanent jobs, while also leveraging over $13 billion in private investment.  Including MassWorks grants, the Community One Stop for Growth program awarded $88 million for 196 projects in 122 communities across the Commonwealth in its first year.  Of the 196 projects awarded, nearly one-third were located in a rural or small town, half were located in a Housing Choice Community, and one-third were located in a Gateway City.   “We are so pleased to have the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts here in Chicopee and that simply would not be possible without the Community One Stop for Growth and the MassWorks Infrastructure Program,” said Mayor John Vieau. “This project will have a significant impact on food insecurity in Chicopee and our surrounding communities. We look forward to the good that will come from this project.”   “I am pleased to join the Food Bank of Western Mass and the City of Chicopee in welcoming this MassWorks Infrastructure funding for wraparound construction at the new food bank headquarters,” said Senator Eric Lesser. “As the central facilitator for 251 food distribution sites, it’s important that the Food Bank has the resources they need to get food to people’s hands throughout the region from a central point. This project will create construction jobs, permanent positions at the new facility, and will serve as a community flagship while we continue the work to create an economy where people aren’t hungry and don’t have the need for this type of assistance.”   "The Food Bank is a critical resource for so many residents in our region and that need has only grown as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said Senator John Velis.  “The new facility in Chicopee will allow the Bank to expand its reach and serve even more individuals in our communities and this MassWorks Grant is a critical step towards making this project a reality."   "It was wonderful to see that the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts received generous funding through the MassWorks Grant program," said Senator Adam Gomez. "The new planned headquarters and distribution center, based in Chicopee, will allow the Food Bank of Western Massachusetts to help so many more families and individuals in the region. Food support programs, like the FBWM, have worked tirelessly throughout the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure that everyone who needed help was reached. The FBWM couldn’t be more deserving of this funding. I can’t wait to see what they accomplish next!”   “The Baker-Polito Administration, through the MassWorks Infrastructure Program, continues to make significant capital investment in projects across the Commonwealth that increase housing, spur development and create jobs,” said Representative Joseph Wagner. “I am pleased by the continued investment in the city of Chicopee and the greater region with this latest $1.6 million grant for the relocation of Food Bank of Western Massachusetts’ headquarters.”    “It’s a proud day for Chicopee and the lower Pioneer Valley when investments are made in the construction of a new distribution center for The Food Bank of Western Mass,” said Representative Jake Oliveira.  “The projected is a perfect example of collaboration and investments made by governmental agencies, non-profits, and the business community to construct a state-of-the-art center that will fight food insecurity in our region.  Thank you to MassWork for funding this award.” “On behalf of The Food Bank and the tens of thousands of people at risk of hunger who experience food insecurity every week, I am humbled by the tremendous partnership we’ve forged with the city of Chicopee, Commonwealth of Massachusetts, our local legislators, and individual and business donors, together, to build the region’s future clearinghouse of healthy food assistance to ensure food security for all,” said Andrew Morehouse, Food Bank executive director. The Food Bank of Western Massachusetts previously benefitted from a $5 million appropriation in the COVID-19 relief spending bill signed by Governor Baker in December 2021.   Learn more about the most recent round of MassWorks and One Stop awards.

麻州眾議會通過發駕照給無證件移民法案

             (Boston Orange 綜合報導) 麻州州議會今 (16) 日以120對36票，第一次通過了無證件移民也可領駕照的法案。

             無證件移民領駕照是個多年來一直備受爭議，引發各種情緒的議題，共和黨員和一些民主黨員辯稱，駕照是保留給合法居民的特權。

             但今天，民主黨領袖卻指出，其他16個州已通過類似法案，而且執法人員告訴他們需要通過此法，以便執行道路安全法。

             民主黨籍，轄區在Mattapoisett，也是眾議會交通委員會主席的眾議員William Straus說，”當輪子後面的人持有駕照時，我們的工作就會更簡單，執行交通法規的工作就會做得更好”。

             這法案將要求申請者提交2份文件，一份效期未過的外國護照，或者領事證明文件，以及一份原始或經認證的出生證明，或者是未過期的國家身分卡，有效的未過期外國駕照，或者是麻州發出的結婚證書，離婚證書。

             轄區在Auburn的眾議員Paul Frost反對通過這一法案。他說，那會鼓勵更多移民不經適當法律程序來美。他說，”我們是開始鼓勵，像是在說”嘿，別擔心沒有證件，別擔心在這而是非法，你能夠來麻州，你不但能拿到身分證件，還能拿到駕照”。

             麻州州長查理貝克( Charlie Baker)以前表示過反對這作法。如果他否決這法案，麻州參眾兩會需要有三分之二的票數，才能推翻州長的否決。

           已宣佈參選州長的麻州總檢察長奚莉 (Maura Healey)今日下午發出聲明，支持發駕照給無證件移民，聲稱此舉有助道路安全。

Maura Healey Issues Statement of Support for Work and Family Mobility Act

Maura Healey Issues Statement of Support for Work and Family Mobility Act

BOSTON – Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate Maura Healey issued the following statement on the Work and Family Mobility Act, which would allow all eligible drivers to apply for a Massachusetts license, regardless of immigration status.

"I'm proud to support the Work and Family Mobility Act. This bill makes sense – it's good for public safety, good for our economy and good for our immigrant residents who should be able to drive to work, school and the grocery store without fear. I'm glad to see this important legislation advancing, and I'm grateful to the advocates, legislators and public safety leaders who have worked so hard to get us to this point."

上訴法庭決定支持3工會不必接種疫苗 波士頓市長吳弭揚言上訴

           (Boston Orange 綜合報導) 如果3項衡量指標都達標了，波士頓市最快在最這幾天內就可以取消出入室內場所須戴口罩規定。波士頓市長吳弭 (Michelle Wu) 今 (16) 日在接受WGBH電台訪問時這麼說。

這3項衡量指標是社區確診率低於5%，每日住院率低於200人，重症病房的佔用率低於95%。

波士頓公共衛生局今日放在網上的資訊是2月7日登錄的2月4日數據，7天平均的檢測確診人數為359.6人，社區確診率7.4%，2月6日的住院狀況為387人住院，非手術的重症病床佔用率為89%。

WGBH電台稱吳弭在訪問中說，波士頓市目前的確診率為5.4%，每日住院人數為253，重症病床的佔用率則已低於門檻。

吳弭說，「因為病毒不斷衍變，制定政策的時機很複雜，在人們開始轉進與病毒共存階段，希望不會再是每一次病例陡增，就成為一次緊急事件。

在新冠病毒疫情持續變化之際，波士頓市也因為規定市府員工接種疫苗被3個工會告上法庭。上個月，高等法院否決了波士頓消防員本地718工會(Boston Firefighters Union Local 718)，波士頓警察主管聯盟( Boston Police Superior Officers Federation)，以及波士頓警探慈善會(Boston Police Detectives Benevolent Society)這3個機構要求法院發禁制令，不讓波士頓市府對他們實施戴口罩的規定。

這些工會辯稱吳弭違反了他們去年12月20日和波士頓市府達成的協議，加嚴了接種疫苗規定，取消了以檢測代替接種疫苗的選項，還要強制解雇未接種疫苗者。

星期二，2月15日，上訴法院法官Sabita Singh卻站在了公安工會這邊，稱不執行波士頓市府的接種疫苗規定，對市府及公共利益所造成的損害有限。

吳弭在週二時，發了一份聲明，稱要保護社區及工作場所免於新冠病毒侵害，全美法庭持續認可州及地方政府要求公家員工接種疫苗的要求。因為波士頓市的政策，已有95%的市府員工接種了疫苗。”仰賴市府服務的員工及居民需要被保護。我們對今天的判決感到很失望，正在仔細評估”。

今天，週三，吳弭在WGBH電台節目中說，上訴法庭的決定和他們在其他許多案例，甚至州政府的案例中所看到的相反。她大概會申請上訴。

Governor Baker Nominates Jaclyn R. Greenhalgh and Tina W. Cafaro as Associate Justices of the District Court

 Governor Baker Nominates Jaclyn R. Greenhalgh and Tina W. Cafaro as Associate Justices of the District Court

 

BOSTON — Today, Governor Charlie Baker nominated Attorneys Jaclyn R. Greenhalgh and Tina W. Cafaro as Associate Justices of the District Court. Combined, Attorneys Greenhalgh and Cafaro have 46 years of legal experience.

 

“Attorneys Greenhalgh and Cafaro each have decades of experience, with diverse and unique perspectives that I believe make them qualified candidates for the District Court,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “I am pleased to submit their names for consideration to these appointments.”

 

“With years of practice serving their communities, Attorneys Greenhalgh and Cafaro are both well-suited to serve the Commonwealth as Associate Justices,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “I look forward to the Governor’s Council’s consideration of these candidates.”

 

The District Court hears a wide range of criminal, civil, housing, juvenile, mental health, and other types of cases. District Court criminal jurisdiction extends to all felonies punishable by a sentence up to five years, and many other specific felonies with greater potential penalties; all misdemeanors; and all violations of city and town ordinances and by-laws. The District Court is located in 62 courts across the Commonwealth.

 

For more information about the District Court, visit their homepage.

 

Judicial nominations are subject to the advice and consent of the Governor’s Council. Applicants for judicial openings are reviewed by the Judicial Nominating Commission (JNC) and recommended to the governor. Governor Baker established the JNC in February 2015 pursuant to Executive Order 558, a non-partisan, non-political Commission composed of volunteers from a cross-section of the Commonwealth's diverse population to screen judicial applications. Twenty-one members were later appointed to the JNC in April 2015.

 

About Jaclyn R. Greenhalgh

 

Jaclyn R. Greenhalgh began her law career in 1998 as a law clerk with the New Hampshire Superior Court, and later served as a law clerk with the Worcester County Superior Court in Massachusetts. From 2001 to 2004, Attorney Greenhalgh worked as a freelance attorney in both criminal and civil matters in addition to working as an associate attorney at Howard D’Amico, P.C. Currently, she works as an attorney with Gould and Ettenberg, P.C., and is also a faculty member of the Clark University School of Professional Studies, where she has taught business law and negotiation, mediation and conflict management courses since 2012. Attorney Greenhalgh volunteers her time and legal expertise with the Ascentria Care Alliance, with the Lawyer for a Day program in the Worcester District Court, and with the Volunteer Lawyers’ Service. She is a member of the Board of Trustees of the Armenian Apostolic Holy Trinity Church. Attorney Greenhalgh received her bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University in 1988, and her Juris Doctorate from the Northeastern University School of Law in 1998.

 

About Tina W. Cafaro

 

Tina W. Cafaro began her legal career in 1995 as a clerk for the Honorable Justice Kent B. Smith of the Massachusetts Appeals Court. She then joined the Hampden County District Attorney’s Office as an Assistant District Attorney in 1996. Since 2001, Attorney Cafaro has been a Clinical Professor of Law and the Director of Criminal Law Clinics at the Western New England University School of Law. In this role she instructs students in both prosecution and defense clinics, and has served as a Special Assistant District Attorney for the Hampden District Attorney’s Office. She has been an instructor for the Massachusetts Police Training Committee, the Massachusetts State Police and the Massachusetts Trial Court Academies since 1999. Attorney Cafaro has been a member of the Hampden County Bar Association’s Education Committee since 2015 and is active in her community. She has been a basketball and lacrosse coach with the East Longmeadow Youth Sports Program for nearly two decades, and has previously served on the East Longmeadow Basketball Association’s Board of Directors. Attorney Cafaro received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst in 1992 and her Juris Doctorate from Western New England School of Law in 1995.