PATRICK ADMINISTRATION ANNOUNCES LATEST ROUND OF WORKFORCE TRAINING GRANT $3.7M

PATRICK ADMINISTRATION CELEBRATES SUCCESSFUL WORKFORCE TRAINING INITIATIVES AND ANNOUNCES LATEST ROUND OF GRANT FUNDING FOR MASSACHUSETTS COMPANIES

$3.7 million in matching grants complement private sector workforce training initiatives to benefit over 3,273 employees at 39 Massachusetts companies

CHARLTON – Monday, December 9, 2013 – Continuing with the Patrick Administration’s strategic investments in workforce training initiatives, Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development Secretary Joanne F. Goldstein today announced $3.7 million in Workforce Training Fund General Program Grants during a visit to INCOM, a Charlton-based manufacturer and previous grant recipient. In total, today’s announced grants will provide for the training of 3,273 current and newly hired employees at 39 companies across the Commonwealth. The grants, which are for up to two years, serve as a resource for businesses to increase the skill set of their incumbent employees and provide valuable training to the workers. As a result of these awarded grants, participating companies expect to create 242 new jobs by the end of 2015.

“We continue to promote the Workforce Training Fund because it is an effective model that encourages the business community to train and retrain employees, helping Massachusetts companies stay competitive in today’s global and innovative economy,” said Secretary Goldstein. “Over the last several years, we have seen many companies succeed thanks to these training grants and we look forward to more companies growing and excelling as a result of these grants and training initiatives.”

Today’s announcement supports companies located in 32 cities and towns across the Commonwealth. Of the 39 awarded grants, one is a technical assistance grants, a type of planning grant awarded to organizations preparing to implement workforce training grants and initiatives. Additionally, 3 grants were awarded to consortium projects involving multiple employers with common training needs.

This latest round of Workforce Training Fund grants build on the record investments in workforce training and education made by the Patrick Administration in recent years. Since 2007, the Administration has awarded $74.6 million through the Workforce Training Fund in General Program Training Grants to 999 projects involving more than 1,052 businesses. As a result of this funding, 94,836 workers have been or will be trained across a broad range of industries. Today’s announced funding is the latest round of Workforce Training Fund Program grants that will further support initiatives to enhance skills for employees in sectors including: Manufacturing; Finance and Insurance; Information; Accommodation and Food Services; Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services; Retail Trade; Wholesale Trade; Transportation and Warehousing; Arts, Entertainment, and Recreation; and other services.

  

“We encourage businesses, regardless of size, to contact us to learn more about the Workforce Training Fund and how this resource can help them address their business needs,” said Nancy Snyder, President and CEO of EOLWD’s Commonwealth Corporation. "We are also interested in helping small businesses access the fund through consortiums that can be organized by third party workforce and training organizations.”

“If we are going to manufacture domestically, and compete globally, we need to have the best trained, most productive workforce in the world,” said Michael Detarando, INCOM President & CEO. “The Workforce Training Fund is an invaluable resource in the process toward achieving that goal and keeping manufacturing jobs here in Massachusetts.”

“The manufacturing sector is an important component of the Southern Central Massachusetts economy,” said Senator Richard T. Moore, Senate Chair of the Legislature’s Manufacturing Caucus. “Workforce development is critical to sustaining this industry, and keeping businesses in Massachusetts, especially as current employees age and jobs open up. Future candidates must be trained to fulfill those positions, and these grants will go a long way to fulfill that need.”

  

The following is a complete list of the awarded Workforce Training Fund General Program Grant Recipients announced today (listed by city/town), totaling $3,772,716:

City	Company Name	Amount Awarded	Projected Number of Employees to be Trained	New Jobs Expected to be Created
Agawam	BELT TECHNOLOGIES INC.	$75,897	31	3
AVON	CONTROLLER SERVICE & SALES CO INC.	$54,000	28	3
Ayer	L-3 COMMUNICATIONS ESSCO INC.	$107,300	110	6
BILLERICA	CABOT CORPORATION	$223,600	150	20
BOSTON	HAMPTON INN AND SUITES CROSSTOWN	$49,760	50	2
BOSTON	HOLLISTER ASSOCIATES, INC.	$221,168	298	30
BOSTON	SPALDING TOUGIAS ARCHITECTS joinsCHOO & COMPANY, INC. of Quincy for a consortium grant.	$14,400	7	1
BROCKTON	GTR MANUFACTURING CORPORATION	$100,800	65	5
CHARLEMONT	ZOAR OUTDOOR ADVENTURE RESORT, INC.	$25,692	40	0
CHELSEA	KETTLE CUISINE LLC	$249,675	226	37
CHICOPEE	DUVAL PRECISION GRINDING, INC.	$54,600	28	2
East Bridgewater	MUELLER CORPORATION	$54,135	71	1
East Longmeadow	MAYBURY MATERIAL HANDLING	$165,457	68	3
FRAMINGHAM	IDENTITY FORCE	$43,700	5	5
HAVERHILL	NEW ENGLAND DIE CUTTING / AMERICAN EMI SOLUTIONS	$39,808	36	4
HOLLISTON	IWAKI AMERICA WALCHEM	$60,480	38	3
HUDSON	HYPERTRONICS CORPORATION	$199,222	120	15
LAWRENCE	MULTIGRAINS, INC.	$197,800	111	3
Malden	MASSACHUSETTS AFL-CIO WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS, INC. (TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE GRANT)	$21,840	N/A	N/A
MANSFIELD	SMITH & NEPHEW, INC. ASDD	$88,000	63	10
MARLBOROUGH	MARLBOROUGH SAVINGS BANK	$76,275	54	3
METHUEN	3M TOUCH SYSTEMS INC	$72,984	90	4
NEEDHAM	CVS/CAREMARK	$102,142	120	0
NORTH ADAMS	CRANE STATIONERY JOINS CRANE TECHNICAL MATERIALS, INC. OF DALTON FOR A CONSORTIUM GRANT.	$250,000	401	11
NORTH ADAMS	EXCELSIOR INTEGRATED	$80,250	46	6
NORWELL	G-FORCE SHIPPING	$54,736	42	6
PALMER	DETECTOR TECHNOLOGY, INCORPORATED	$112,800	60	3
PALMER	SANDERSON MACLEOD INC.	$131,085	93	10
PEABODY	ANALOGIC CORPORATION	$134,030	147	4
PEABODY	INNOVENT TECHNOLOGIES	$91,000	39	8
PITTSFIELD	BLUE Q CORPORATION	$57,200	29	0
QUINCY	QUINCY CREDIT UNION	$56,552	45	1
SWANSEA	BAYCOAST BANK JOINS PARTNERS INSURANCE GROUP AND PLIMOUTH INVESTMENT ADVISORS, BOTH OF SWANSEA, FOR A CONSORTIUM GRANT.	$193,978	325	20
WALTHAM	PLATING FOR ELECTRONICS, INC	$38,200	38	2
WEST BRIDGEWATER	KOSO AMERICA, INC.	$61,500	68	3
WEST BRIDGEWATER	STD PRECISION GEAR & INSTRUMENT, INC.	$36,400	26	1
WEST WAREHAM	CALORIQUE LLC	$30,360	14	2
WEST WAREHAM	MEDER ELECTRONICS INC	$58,810	25	2
WILMINGTON	S.G. TORRICE CO., INC	$87,080	66	3

To learn more about the Workforce Training Fund Program, visit www.mass.gov/wtfp.

Patrick Administration Issues Final RGGI Revisions to Dramatically Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Power Plants

Patrick Administration Issues Final RGGI Revisions to Dramatically Lower Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Power Plants

BOSTON – December 9, 2013 -  The Patrick Administration today issued final amendments to a regulation that will reduce up to 90 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions from power plants across nine New England and mid-Atlantic states during the next six years.

Massachusetts and eight other states – Connecticut, Delaware, Maine, Maryland, New Hampshire, New York, Rhode Island and Vermont – are part of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), which is the nation’s first “cap-and-trade” program. Power plants in the RGGI states must purchase “allowances” that allow them to emit carbon dioxide. The states auction off these allowances and use the proceeds for public purposes, especially investments in energy efficiency, which create jobs and keep energy spending local.

The revisions to the Commonwealth’s RGGI program, as well as similar changes in the other eight states, will lower the existing “cap” on power plant emissions in the RGGI states from the current level of 165 million tons per year to 91 million tons per year starting in 2014. The cap will then be lowered by 2.5 percent each year thereafter until 2020. This reduction will ensure that in 2020, power plant emissions from these nine states will be half of what they were in 2005, when RGGI was initiated.

The lower cap is also expected to generate an estimated $350 million in additional revenue for the Commonwealth by 2020.These revenues will be invested primarily in programs to improve energy efficiency in Massachusetts’ municipalities, businesses and residences, which will, in turn, reduce energy costs and lower carbon dioxide emissions.

“Massachusetts has benefitted greatly from our participation in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Rick Sullivan. “The program has cut more than 10 million tons of pollutants from our air, invested more than $252 million in energy efficiency improvements and generated thousands of clean-tech jobs.”

Buoyed by the program’s success, the nine RGGI states have also called upon the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to embrace regional cap-and-trade programs when it issues federal rules to cut carbon emissions from power plants.

“RGGI has been an unqualified success as the nation’s first market-based program to reduce carbon dioxide emissions from power plants, and these program revisions are a perfect match to President Obama’s climate change goals,” said Commissioner Kenneth Kimmell of the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection (MassDEP). “Massachusetts and our RGGI partners have created a model for states across the nation, and federal officials should consider it as an option for compliance with the upcoming national rules.”

“Massachusetts has invested RGGI proceeds wisely, with nation-leading results,” said Massachusetts Department of Energy Resources (DOER) Commissioner Mark Sylvia.“We have directed the vast majority into the Mass Save® energy efficiency programs, as well as Green Communities grants, providing billions in benefits to businesses, individuals and municipalities. We look forward to continued economic and environmental contributions from RGGI.”

While the price for allowances is expected to rise under the new cap, the revisions call for the establishment of a “cost containment reserve” that would stabilize allowance prices in unforeseen circumstances, such as a shortage of natural gas. The cost containment reserve would inject additional allowances into the marketplace if allowance prices reach certain triggers ($4 per ton in 2014, $6 in 2015, $8 in 2016 and $10 in 2017, rising by 2.5 percent, to account for inflation, each year thereafter).

Before making these revisions, the RGGI states conducted extensive modeling on the impacts of these changes on consumers. The modeling shows that the impacts of the reduced emissions cap will be very modest, less than one percent in consumer bills. The average Massachusetts residential customer’s monthly electric bill of $72 will rise by 39 cents; the average commercial customer’s monthly bill of $455 will rise by $3.89; and the average industrial customer’s monthly bill of $6,659 will rise by $83.

For more information about the RGGI program revisions for Massachusetts, turn here: http://www.mass.gov/eea/agencies/massdep/air/regulations/310-cmr-7-00-air-pollution-control-regulation.html#3

For more information about the nine-state Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative and its cap-and-trade program, turn here: www.rggi.org

波士頓市長萬寧路搭聖誕列車到華埠揮別社區

 陳毓禮（左二），陳毓璇（右二）兩兄弟，歡迎麥家威
（Aaron Michlewitz)，波士頓市長萬寧路（中），林乃肯（Bill Linehan)
到華埠點亮聖誕燈。（菊子攝）

波士頓市有史以來任期最長的市長萬寧路（Tom Menino)，昨（8）日在相識逾廿年的華埠僑領陳毓禮，陳毓璇兩兄弟和逾百華埠民眾夾道歡迎中，來到夏利臣街，最後一次點亮華埠聖誕樹，既向民眾賀節，也順道揮別。

萬寧路從1993年當選波士頓市長以來，已在位廿年。他和曾任波士頓市採購局局長的陳毓禮這些年來建立的友情，以及在“愛屋及鳥”下對華埠的關愛，也如醇酒，越陳越香。

 左起，梁潔瑩，陳毓璇，陳家驊，曾雪清，余麗媖，以及陳毓禮
（前右一），單鳳琴（前右二）等人和廣教學校學生們在華埠聖誕樹
前合影。（菊子攝）

昨日陳毓禮擔任會長的紐英崙中華總會，特地由余麗媖製做了一塊紅綠相間，非常有聖誕氣氛的感謝佈告版，感謝他過去念年來為華埠所做的一切。

紐英崙至孝篤親公所在現任主席陳滋源，歷任主席陳家驊，陳天佐，以及近年來總是默默協助陳毓禮的陳文棟，陳偉民等人代表，送上一大片紅底綠字的感謝橫幅，謝市長過去廿年來對華埠的照顧。

新當選華埠社區議會議員的黃競雄（後左一）帶青少年
和綠精靈和影。（菊子攝）

梁素英創辦的波士頓亞裔青年會也出動了數十名青少年，分別製作了寫有“謝謝你，萬寧路市長”，“我們會懷念你”，“You Rock”等字句的海報，排成一列，在萬寧路出現時高舉起來，齊聲說謝謝你，場面十分溫馨。

廣教學校梁老師帶著的數十名小朋友，也都圍在聖誕車前，在洋溢的聖誕歌中和綠精靈，雪人合照， 氣氛十分歡樂。

轄區包括華埠的麻州眾議員麥家威（Aaron Michlewitz），波士頓第二區市議員林乃肯（Bill Linehan)，昨日都打了條紅色圍巾，陪同萬寧路市長及聖誕老人，綠精靈等聖誕角色，搭乘梅西聖誕列車，來到華埠，一起為華埠點燈，添加節日氣氛。

 新當選華埠社區議會議員的游誠康（前右一）和青少年們
向萬寧路市長獻上感謝卡。（圖由波士頓亞裔青年會提供）

萬寧路明年一月將卸任市長一職。今年是他以市長身份主持的最後一次“魔法奇緣之旅（Enchanted Trolley Tour）”，為期三天，總共十六站。

萬寧路沿途為民眾送上節慶氣氛時表示，這活動是為人們，社區舉辦的，他就是喜歡看到整個城市那麼快樂。

萬寧路去年十月生病住院，一直住到十二月底，也錯過了搭聖誕列車到各社區為聖誕樹點燈的樂趣。昨日雖然他仍得拄著拐杖，已然清瘦不少的臉龐，卻十分歡欣。來到華埠時，陳毓禮提醒他，要把明年三月一日留下來，好參加至孝篤親公所農曆新年春宴，讓他想起來要練習廣東話“恭喜發財”。

            波士頓市長萬寧路昨日的最後三站，是北端的保羅里維爾購物商場，查理士城的湯普森廣場，東波士頓的中央廣場。

            

          

麻州又多一人角逐州長

麻州的下一屆州長選舉，又多一名角逐者了。舒士百利（Shrewsbury）一名從未參選過的企業商家，共和黨籍的馬克費雪(Mark Fisher)，日前宣布參選。

共和黨目前最受矚目的參選人是2010年獲得共和黨提名參選州長，如今再度參選，曾任哈佛朝聖者（Harvard Pilgrim Health Care）醫療保險公司執行長的查理貝克（Charles Baker），

費雪表示，他當州長的首要之務，是廢除麻州收費公路上的所有收費站。

他在網站上形容自己為茶黨成員，政治界的圈外人。

他上週向麻州競選及政治資金辦公室（Office of Campaign and Political Finance）申報的競選戶口，只有不到四萬五千元。

摩頓市亞裔挺 Katherine Clark 選聯邦眾議員

麻州內有如骨牌效應的一連串遞補遺缺選舉，今年最後一波是遞補馬基（Edward Markey)當選聯邦參議員所遺留下來的第五區麻州聯邦眾議員席缺。預定十二月十日舉行。

贏得十月初選，將名列十二月十日選票上的兩名候選人，分別為住在梅爾羅斯（Melrose）的民主黨籍麻州參議員凱瑟琳克拉克（Katherine Clark），以及共和黨籍的波士頓律師法蘭克艾迪韋諾拉（Frank Addivinola）。

馬基（Edward Markey）原本是轄區包括摩頓市的聯邦眾議員。在麻州聯邦參議員克里（John Kerry）走馬上任美國國務卿後，馬基參加遞補移缺選舉，順利升任為聯邦參議員，也留下聯邦眾議員席位，麻州於是得再辦一次遞補選舉。

由於大多數民眾已開始把注意力放在剛過去的感恩節，即將來臨的聖誕節，這場遞補選舉變得十分低調。

凱瑟琳克拉克（Katherine Clark）表示，她關注的是婦女平權，終止與槍枝有關的暴力，支持社會安全及幼兒教育。她也投票支持，以通貨膨脹為依據，在三年內把麻州最低薪資從八元提高到十一元。

她說，“我們說的是，真的試圖讓國會回到為中產階級家庭服務上”。

法蘭克艾迪韋諾拉（Frank Addivinola）形容自己是“小政府型的候選人”，表示他也有意幫助家庭，但最好的辦法是推動，改變停滯的經濟。

            他說，華府沒有領導力，助長了人們的失業，就業不足情況，進而使得經濟復甦停滯。他也說，小企業最需要的是穩定的法規環境，更少的干預。

            他們兩人對奧巴馬健保法也有不同意見。

        法蘭克艾迪韋諾拉（Frank Addivinola）表示，醫療健保改變最好留交各州自行決定，尤其是麻州從2006年就實施了地標性的全民健保法。他認為醫療保險計劃應不論就保者在投保前有什麼身體狀況，都接受投保。

            凱瑟琳克拉克（Katherine Clark）則稱聯邦計劃為具有歷史重要性的一項法案。他說儘管網站問題令人沮喪，但要讓數以千萬，百萬計的美國人都有醫療保險這目標很重要。

            凱瑟琳克拉克（Katherine Clark）希望見保法能導致“公共選擇”，容許各州在和私營保險計劃競爭下出售保險服務，最終導致一個所謂的單一付費者制度，有效地保障每個人都有醫療保險。

            此外，法蘭克艾迪韋諾拉（Frank Addivinola）形容自己偏重生命，認為未出生的胎兒也應受到保護，國家應有更大權限來限制或擴大人們墮胎。他認為同性戀者也應享有已婚者可得的稅務優惠，但他不是同性戀婚姻的支持者。

            凱瑟琳克拉克（Katherine Clark）支持同性戀婚姻，以及人們的墮胎權。她也批評“眾議院中的一群極端份子把重心放在攻擊婦女權益上”。

在移民問題上，法蘭克艾迪韋諾拉（Frank Addivinola）表示他不支持大規模遣返非法居留在美的數以百萬計移民，但相信美國應執行移民政策。

凱瑟琳克拉克（Katherine Clark）表示她支持美國參議院今年通過的法案，要求為一千一百萬已非法居留在美者，找出一條“走向合法身份之路”。

凱瑟琳克拉克（Katherine Clark）今年五十歲，是一名律師，曾任公益律師，2008年時當選為麻州議員，連任迄今。曾在梅爾羅斯學校委員會服務七年。

法蘭克艾迪韋諾拉（Frank Addivinola）五十三歲，撰寫出版了申請醫學院入學許可書籍，在東北大學教法律入門課，同時正在修讀法律博士。他在摩頓市長大，但住在波士頓市。

另外還有兩個人將名列選票上，衛斯理居民James Aulenti ，以及阿靈頓（Arlington）居民 James Hall。

麻州的聯邦議員目前全為民主黨籍。

十二月十日贏得選舉者，明年需競選連任。

圖片說明：

            在摩頓市居住及工作者，左起Thomas Lieu、Pauline Lieu，林猷康，洪梅、羅祖德，Lihong Li ，以及 Ping Lam等人支持凱瑟琳克拉克（Katherine Clark）（右四）選聯邦參議員。（圖由羅祖德提供）