波士頓市長青年會接受申請

Mayor Walsh Searches for Boston Teens to Join his 

Youth Council 

BOSTON—Today Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced that his newly-redesigned Mayor’s Youth Council will be accepting applications for neighborhood representative positions.The Mayor’s Youth Council (MYC) has been tasked with creating and implementing sustainable initiatives to engage young people in local government.

“Young people in the City not only deserve to have their voices heard, but also be a part of the government process,” said Mayor Walsh. “I have seen the positive results that come from having youth present at the table when decisions are being made – not just in the decision process, but also in their strengthened involvement and sense of responsibility to our City and their neighborhoods.”

The Mayor’s Youth Council has undergone several changes under the Walsh Administration:

•   The size of the Council has more than doubled in size, and neighborhood representatives will better reflect the composition of youth in the City of Boston.

•   The number of youth representing neighborhoods will be based upon census data that indicates where young people live.

•   MYC representatives will have an opportunity to form issue-centric committees that will be designed based on youth input.

“I’m exposed to so many different environments, and meet so many different government officials who want my input, my opinions on different situations,” said Mabel Gonzalez, a current Mattapan representative on the MYC. “Not only do you meet tons of people on the MYC, but you make a plan for what your city’s future can look like. Forty five years from now I can say, ‘I helped build this. I helped make this,’ so that’s pretty cool.”

“I fell in love with public service through my experience on the Mayor’s Youth Council,” said Shari Davis, MYC alumna and Executive Director of Youth Engagement and Employment. “It was really an opportunity for me to make connections and eventually start my career in city government.”

To apply to be a neighborhood representative on the Mayor’s Youth Council, you must be a Boston resident and entering grades 9-12 (or of comparable age). All applicants will participate in a group interview and must submit letters of recommendation. To learn more and apply online, visit www.boston.gov/youthcouncil.

美國商會、紅襪隊 5/21 攜手辦“聘用我們的英雄”就業展

U.S. Chamber and Boston Red Sox to Host Hiring Our Heroes Job Fair for Veterans and Military Spouses at Fenway Park

Event with Lead Sponsors Call of Duty Endowment (CODE) and GE Includes 35 Employers with Jobs Available

BOSTON, MA—The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation and the Boston Red Sox, along with lead sponsor Call of Duty Endowment (CODE) and GE, will host the “Hiring Our Heroes – Boston,” a hiring fair for active duty military, veterans, members of the National Guard and reserve components, and military spouses. More than 35 employers are expected to participate with jobs available for veterans and military spouses of all ranks and levels of experience. Companies range from America's biggest employers to dozens of small companies from the region. Job seekers who pre-register for this hiring fair will be issued a game ticket from participating employers for that evening’s game between the Boston Red Sox and the Toronto Blue Jays. To receive a ticket at the fair entrance, proof of service (e.g., military ID, DD Form 214) and photo ID are required. The event will also include a free GE employment workshop that features one-on-one mentoring sessions on resume building, resume writing, and interviewing techniques for all job-seekers. Since Hiring Our Heroes began in March 2011, more than 1,500 companies have hired 23,000 veterans and military spouses as a result of more than 700 hiring fairs. In March 2012, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and Capital One launched Hiring 500,000 Heroes, a national campaign to engage the business community in committing to hire half a million veterans and military spouses by the end of 2014. Thus far, more than 1,500 businesses of all sizes have pledged to hire 411,000 heroes toward this goal. To date, 255,000 hires have been confirmed toward this goal. WHAT: Hiring Our Heroes – Boston (in conjunction with the Boston Red Sox) WHEN: Wednesday, May 21, 2014 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. EDT Workshop begins at 8:30 a.m. WHERE: Fenway Park 4 Yawkey Way Boston, MA 02215 RSVP: Interested job seekers should register for free at hiringourheroes.org. Walk-in job seekers are allowed (veterans must provide proof of service).

This hiring event is also being held in partnership with the Boston Red Sox, JobNet Career Boston, the Massachusetts Department of Labor and Workforce Development, the Department of Labor Veterans’ Employment and Training Service (DOL VETS), the Massachusetts Committee of the Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve (ESGR), the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, The American Legion, and other local partners. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation (USCCF) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit affiliate of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce dedicated to strengthening America’s long-term competitiveness by addressing developments that affect our nation, our economy, and the global business environment. HiringOurHeroes.org            @hiringourheroes           FreeEnterprise.com

Mayor Walsh, Simmons College Announce Partnership and Further Success in the Work of the Boston Women’s Workforce Council

BOSTON—Today, Mayor Martin J. Walsh convened the first meeting of the Boston Women’s Workforce Council under his Administration.  During today’s meeting, Mayor Walsh announced a newly-created partnership with the School of Management at Simmons College and others. EMC, a major Fortune 500 company in the Boston area, is the newest company to participate in the Council’s work.

The partnership among the Walsh Administration, Simmons, and the Council marks a new chapter for the Council, which was originally formed in April 2013.  The Council’s mission is to work with the businesses in the Greater Boston area in a private-public endeavor to eliminate the gender wage gap, remove the visible and invisible barriers to women’s advancement, and ensure that 100% of the talent pool is used to make Boston the best area in the country for working women.

 “I am pleased to partner with Dean Minehan and Simmons College, which has a long and storied history of advancing women. I am deeply committed to closing the wage gap and to ensuring economic equality for women who work in the Boston area,” said Mayor Walsh. “Partnering with Simmons College, and working with the members of the Council and other interested organizations allows us to elevate and expand the Council’s scope and scale by ensuring we have the resources, contacts, and expertise needed to implement the Council’s goals.”

Cathy Minehan serves as the Dean of the School of Management at Simmons, and as the Chair of the Council. “I am thrilled with the prospect of continuing the work of the Council under Mayor Walsh’s Administration,” said Dean Minehan. “Our collaboration allows us to combine the best aspects of the public and private sectors, and provides us with a broad platform on which to discuss and solve the issues surrounding the wage gap in Boston, a reality that confounds both women workers and the businesses that employ them. Working directly with corporations under the Compact allows us to determine what wage-gap closing practices are realistic, effective, and cost-efficient.”

Christina M. Knowles will serve as the Executive Director of the Council.  Knowles most recently served as the Executive Director of the Massachusetts Caucus of Women Legislators, and as the State Director and Lobbyist for the Massachusetts Chapter of the National Organization for Women. She has been named one of the Top 100 Influencers in the Commonwealth by the national publication Campaigns and Elections Politics Magazine.

The bulk of the Council’s work focuses on 100% Talent: The Boston Women’s Compact. The Compact is a voluntary agreement in which businesses pledge to take concrete, measurable steps to eliminate the wage gap and to report their progress anonymously every two years.  Over 60 businesses have signed on. In addition to the most recent addition of EMC, three other key Fortune 500 companies have signed the Compact: State Street, Raytheon, and Mass Mutual. By the end of the year, the Council expects to have 100 signatories. It is also expected that contributions from signatories will provide the bulk of the Council’s funding for the first three years of the initiative.

Over the next three years, the Council will hold an annual conference on best-practices in gender equity in the workplace and will publish two reports on evaluating the status of the wage gap in Boston. Simmons and the City of Boston will partner with at least one other organization who will handle the collection, analysis, and reporting of data. 

For more information on the Boston Women’s Workforce Council, visit: www.cityofboston.gov/women or contact Christina Knowles, Executive Director. E:christina.knowles2@simmons.edu. O: 617-521-3826. C: 508-527-6007.

麻州汽車證照費訂七月一日起加價 五月下旬辦公聽會

麻州交通廳（MassDOT）汽車監理處（Registry of Motor Vehicles Division）十三日宣佈，將就加價一事，舉辦一系列公聽會。

            該一加價行動，可容許麻州交通廳在2015會計年度中，彌平五千五百萬元的預算差距，改善客戶服務，並投資維修麻州交通系統。

            麻州議會去年通過的交通財政法，要求麻州交通廳自行創收，補助未來的預算。在麻州交通廳董事會三月批准的計劃下，非商用車輛的汽車登記費，將從五十元漲到六十元。

            商業車輛登記費不變。年度汽車檢查費將從現行的廿九元漲到三十五元。適用於大多數駕駛人的一次性路試費，將從現行的廿元，漲到三十五元。

            來自路試的一部分收入，將用於改善為首次申請駕照者提供的服務。

            上一次的登記費變更是2009年，檢查費變更是1999年。路試費則自從上次改過後，已有十年沒變了。

            對於前述費率變更有意見者，可在下列的公聽會中以口頭或書面方式表達。

            公聽會日期為五月廿日（週二）晚上六到八點，在屋斯特市（Worcester）的區域規劃局（Regional Planning Commission, 2 Washington Square）二樓。

            五月廿二日（週四）早上十點至一點，在麻州交通廳大樓（10 Park Plaza, Boston）三樓，麻州灣區交通局董事會室。

            五月廿二日（週四）晚上六到八點，在麻州交通廳大樓（10 Park Plaza, Boston）二樓會議室 。

            五月廿七日（週二）下午六到八點，在春田市的先鋒谷計劃局（Pioneer Valley Planning Commission, 60 Congress Street, Springfield, MA）。

            發電郵表達意見者，可發電郵到William.McVey@state.ma.us。公眾置評截止日期為五月廿七日。

            麻州交通廳預計，新的費率結構，將在2015會計年度中，創造五千五百萬元至六千三百萬元收入。

            新費率預定七月一日生效。

MassDOT Announces Public Outreach on RMV Fee Increase Proposal

Changes to RMV registration, inspection and road test fee structure to take effect July 1

BOSTON – Tuesday, May 13, 2014 – The Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) Registry of Motor Vehicles Division today announced a series of public meetings on the proposed changes to three RMV fees. The changes will allow MassDOT to close a projected $55 million budget gap in Fiscal Year 2015, make customer improvements, and invest in the Commonwealth’s transportation system.

Transportation finance legislation passed by the Legislature last year required MassDOT to generate its own additional revenue to help fund future budgets. Under a plan approved by the MassDOT Board in March, non-commercial vehicle registration fees for motor vehicles will increase from $50 to $60. There will be no change to commercial registration fees. Annual motor vehicle inspections will increase to $35, up from $29. The road test fee, a one-time fee for the majority of drivers, will increase to $35, up from $20. Portions of the road test revenue will help support improved customer service for first time drivers.

The registration fee was last changed in 2009, inspection fees in 1999 and it has been more than 10 years since road test fees were changed.

Interested parties will be given an opportunity to present comments orally or in writing at the followings meetings. All locations are accessible to those with disabilities:

Tuesday, May 20, 2014 from 6pm-8pmCentral Mass. Regional Planning Commission, 2 Washington Square, 2^nd Floor, Worcester, MA

Thursday, May 22, 2014 from 10am-1pm (Public hearing)State Transportation Building, 10 Park Plaza, 3^rd Floor – MBTA Board Room, Boston, MA

Thursday, May 22, 2014 from 6pm-8pmState Transportation Building, 10 Park Plaza, 2^nd Floor Conference Rooms, Boston, MA

Tuesday, May 27, 2014 from 6pm-8pmPioneer Valley Planning Commission, 60 Congress Street, Springfield, MA

MassDOT also encourages the public to provide written comments by mail or email during the comment period. Written comments may be mailed to: MassDOT Legal Department, Regulations, RMV, 10 Park Plaza, 3^rd Floor, Boston, MA 02116. Emailed comments may be sent to: William.McVey@state.ma.us. The comment period will close on Tuesday, May 27, 2014.

MassDOT anticipates the new fee structure will generate approximately $55 million to $63 million in Fiscal Year 2015. The new fees are scheduled to go into effect July 1, 2014.

MassDOT provides reasonable accommodations and/or language assistance free of charge upon request (including but not limited to interpreters in American Sign Language and languages other than English, open or closed captioning for videos, assistive listening devices and alternate material formats, such as audio tapes, Braille and large print), as available. For accommodation or language assistance, please contact MassDOT's Chief Diversity and Civil Rights Officer by phone (857-368-8580), fax (857-368-0602), TTD/TTY (857-368-0603) or by email MASSDOT.CivilRights@dot.state.ma.us.

In 2009, the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) was created to unify the state’s various transportation agencies. MassDOT now includes the Highway Division, the MBTA and Rail Transit Division, the Aeronautics Division, and the Registry of Motor Vehicles.  MassDOT is committed to providing a safe and reliable transportation system to all those who travel in the Commonwealth and works to deliver excellent customer service. MassDOT has been nationally recognized for its innovative approach to transportation, including the Accelerated Bridge Program, the “Where’s My Bus and Train?” apps and “Fast 14” work.  For more information, visit MassDOT at our website: www.mass.gov/massdot  blog: http://blog.mass.gov/transportation/, or follow MassDOT on twitter at https://twitter.com/MassDOT and Facebook at www.facebook.com/massdotinfo.

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姜昆海外推廣中國曲藝 赴哈佛上MIT

中國曲藝家協會主席，著名相聲大師姜昆，為在美國宣傳中國曲藝，日前從耶魯到哈佛，MIT，再赴加州。所到之處，人頭湧湧，笑聲不斷。

            五月十日時，姜昆應哈佛大學中國學生學者聯誼會之邀，為該會麾下的“哈佛茶會”演講。五月十二日下午，姜昆再到麻省理工學院，為浮雲相聲社講了一場。該社前後三任社長，石墨魯，韓炳鴻，王奕斐與多名社員，全都興奮非常。

            姜昆是1950年出生的中國第八代相聲演員，初中畢業學歷，1976年調進中央廣播文工說唱團，師從馬季後，以諷刺文革極左思潮影響的“如此照相”成名，創作過中國第一齣大型相聲劇“明春曲”。

            具政協委員身份的姜昆，2012年十一月當選為中國曲藝家協會第七屆主席，並開始在中國文學藝術基金會支持下，周遊各國，到海外推廣中國曲藝。在來到美國之前，他已先後去過英國劍橋九三學院、法國巴黎第七大學、新西蘭奧克蘭大學、韓國首爾國際語言學院、法國巴黎中國文化藝術中心等地，以“中國曲藝藝術魅力”為主題，闡述中國曲藝的歷史由來與演變。

            姜昆為在海外巡迴演講，悉心準備了中英雙語幻燈片，不但有這門藝術的變革簡介，還配有許多歷史性照片，非常有教育意義。

            姜昆以曲藝是說唱藝術的總稱為引，指曲藝根源可遡自詩經。說唱者造型，可見於1957年在四川出土的漢代說唱俑，至於說唱文本，前身是唐代變文。傳到清末民初時，北京天橋，河南馬街書會，山東胡集書會等地是曲藝最繁茂的地方。

            至於曲藝的表演形式，姜昆表示，說的部分有相聲，評書，快板，唱的部分有大股，單弦，評彈，琴書，二人轉等等。這些說唱藝術的特點之一是按字行腔。

            姜昆指出，這些說唱藝術，早年是窮困人家乞討的手段，所講故事，多半取材於自己的生活經驗，但即使是在社會最底層的藝人，也都還知道自己為討生活所講的段子，有些內容不登大雅之堂，見到場子裏有婦孺在時，都會把他們請出場。姜昆說到這時，感慨表示，現代社會的悲哀是，很多藝人對自己所講內容是否對社會風氣有不好影響，完全沒有意識。

            他認為，侯寶林是把相聲從天橋帶進餐廳，舞台，電視，從俗變成雅俗共賞藝術的大師。中國曲藝發展到評書時，對中國的文學藝術發生很大影響，明清小說就是以曲藝為母體發展出來的文學表達方式。

            姜昆邊講邊演，還敘述他到加拿大推廣中國曲藝，上了當地報紙頭版的際遇，他的洋弟子“大山”在國際活動中，一下子代表加拿大，一下子代表中國的趣事。

            姜昆此行訪問波士頓，有安永會計師樓合夥人張曉青等人協助接待。

            浮雲相聲社將於五月三十一日舉行2014年端午公演暨孫劍相聲專場。

  

圖片說明：

            浮雲相聲社的前後三任社長，石墨魯（左起），韓炳鴻，王奕斐等人和姜昆互贈禮物。（菊子攝）

            浮雲相聲社創辦人石墨魯（左）請姜昆在他表演相聲的扇子上題字後，到MIT的著名圓頂大樓前合影。

            姜昆（中）題了幅字，送給浮雲相聲社，該社的前後三任社長，石墨魯（左二起），王奕斐，韓炳鴻等人代表接受。（菊子攝）

            姜昆（左三）題了幅字，送給浮雲相聲社，該社的前後三任社長，石墨魯（左一起），王奕斐，韓炳鴻等人代表接受。（菊子攝）