Massachusetts to develop first new Food System Plan in 30+ yrs

Massachusetts to develop first new Food System Plan in 30+ yrs

Statewide team will craft new vision, issue recommendations for a resilient local food system

Boston – Massachusetts will develop its first Food System Plan in more than three decades this year, thanks to a partnership of organizations working across the Commonwealth under the leadership of the state department of agriculture.

The Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC), in collaboration with the Pioneer Valley Planning Commission (PVPC), the Franklin Region Council of Governments (FRCOG) and the Massachusetts Workforce Alliance (MWA), has been chosen by the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) to facilitate the first Massachusetts Food System Plan since 1978. Work kicks off this month and will continue all summer and into next year.

“This is a tremendous opportunity to engage critical stakeholders in a process for identifying the options available to us that best ensure the long-term sustainability of our food system in the face of mounting economic and environmental challenges,” said  Greg Watson, Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR).

The plan will help Massachusetts to be more self-sufficient when it comes to producing and consuming our own food, to plan for more equitably distributing our food, and to prepare for climate change and other evolutions in our food system.

Responding to new innovations and dramatically-increasing interest in food systems planning during the past decade, MDAR and the Massachusetts Food Policy Council will work with MAPC and its partners to reach out to food growers, producers and other food system stakeholders throughout the Commonwealth to establish a new vision for the state’s food system.

Work will include planning for an ecologically stable network of food producers, consumers, processors, retailers and distribution hubs, and will include groups working toward greater social equity, health and sustainable water use.

MAPC is taking the leading role in the project, building a collaborative group with representation from key stakeholders in the food system statewide.

“Massachusetts has a distinctive food system, and planning for its future will be critical to ensuring that both our urban and rural areas stay economically competitive,” said MAPC Executive Director Marc Draisen. “MAPC is thrilled to be working with key partners across the entire industry to promote climate resiliency, sustainable agriculture, and access to affordable, healthy local food.”

During the next 18 months, the team will meet with farmers and ranchers, food business owners and workers, distributors, waste handlers, residents and many others to produce a comprehensive assessment of the food system and to issue recommendations for strengthening the state’s food economy.

“Scaling up the production of food in Massachusetts goes hand-in-hand with local economic development and hunger relief,” said PVPC Executive Director Timothy Brennan. “There is now tremendous energy among food producers and consumers for focusing on food systems as a way to achieve these twin goals statewide, thereby allowing Massachusetts to maintain a leadership position in this realm.”   

“The intersection of local food and economic opportunity, including job creation, is potent for Massachusetts. A coordinated, strategic approach to strengthening our food system will clarify what the jobs will be, how to grow them, the training and education needed and the pathways that exist and are being crafted for food system workers,” said Deborah Mutschler, Massachusetts Workforce Alliance Executive Director. “Working with the regional planning entities grounds this work in the larger contexts of economic development, food access, and environmental priorities.”

“We are pleased that our team, made up of regional planning agencies that serve the most rural and most urban areas in the state, was selected for this project,” said FRCOG Executive Director Linda Dunlavy. “Our team represents the state’s land use and economic diversities and brings the primary growing and consumer areas together. Our hope is that we will be instrumental in ensuring the plan’s implementation at the regional and local levels.”

For more information, contact MAPC Senior Environmental Planner Julie Conroy at 617-933-0749 or jconroy@mapc.org. Visitmapc.org/massfoodplan to learn more about the plan and sign up for our project newsletter.

BNY Mellon Returns as Presenting Sponsor of Year Up Boston’s Fore Success Golf Tournament

 

Company’s support helps fund programs to benefit urban young adults

 

BOSTON, June 2, 2014 – BNY Mellon, a global leader in investment management and investment services, announced that it is the presenting sponsor of Year Up Boston’s 10th Annual Fore Success Golf Tournament, which is being held June 16, 2014, at the Weston Golf Club in Weston, Massachusetts.

 

This is the second year for the company’s sponsorship, which is supported by BNY Mellon Investment Management, The Boston Company Asset Management LLC, Mellon Capital Management Corporation, The Newton Group, The Alcentra Group, and Standish Mellon Asset Management Company LLC.

 

“Year Up envisions a future in which every urban young adult will have access to education, experiences, and guidance required to realize his or her true potential,” said Casey Recupero, executive director of Year Up Boston. “Our mission is to close the opportunity divide by providing young adults with the skills, experience, and support that will empower them to reach their potential through professional careers and higher education.”

 

Headquartered in Boston, Year Up has 13 sites across the United States and has served more than 8,500 young adults since it was founded in 2000.

 

“The return of BNY Mellon as our presenting sponsor for the second consecutive year will help advance us toward our goal of increasing the number of students we serve by 50 percent by 2016,” Recupero said. “Our success depends on the tremendous support of employers like BNY Mellon and its subsidiaries.”

 

“Year Up’s training programs combine hands-on skill development, college credits and corporate internships; and they have helped many individuals achieve success,” said Joanne Jaxtimer, BNY Mellon Regional Executive for New England. “It is a wonderful organization that uses a holistic approach to place young adults on a viable path to economic self-sufficiency.”

 

BNY Mellon is a long-time supporter of Year Up, having donated more than $400,000 since 2003. BNY Mellon is also involved in many of Year Up’s programs, including establishing a formal internship program for Year Up students and hosting an annual event where students can showcase investment knowledge to BNY Mellon and community experts.

Chief Justice Roberts to speak at ABA Annual Meeting, kicking off Magna Carta 800th anniversary

WASHINGTON, June 2, 2014 — Chief Justice of the United States John G. Roberts Jr. will be the keynote speaker at the American Bar Association House of Delegates meeting at 11 a.m. on Aug. 11 at the Hynes Convention Center in Boston. The session of the ABA’s policymaking body will conclude the 2014 ABA Annual Meeting.
Roberts will speak about the historical and present-day significance of the Magna Carta, which laid the groundwork for representative democracy and the rule of law upon its signing in June 1215. His appearance will officially kick off the commemorative activities by the ABA and others of the document’s 800th anniversary next year.
“The American Bar Association is honored by Chief Justice Roberts’ acceptance of our invitation to speak to the nation’s largest lawyers’ organization to mark this once-in-a-lifetime celebration,” ABA President James R. Silkenat said. “The Magna Carta inspired many of the basic constitutional rights we often take for granted, including trial by jury and due process. We are very pleased that the chief justice will help us mark this watershed occasion.”
The ABA Annual Meeting is the nation’s premier gathering of legal professionals and features high-profile speakers, essential legal programs and insightful debate on critical law and public policy issues.

HUD ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT BETWEEN ADVOCACY GROUPS AND NATIONAL REAL ESTATE COMPANY ENSURING DEAF PERSONS HAVE EQUAL ACCESS TO HOUSING

HUD ANNOUNCES AGREEMENT BETWEEN ADVOCACY GROUPS AND NATIONAL REAL ESTATE
COMPANY ENSURING DEAF PERSONS HAVE EQUAL ACCESS TO HOUSING

http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/press/press_releases_media_advisories/2014/HUDNo_14-051

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced today that it has negotiated an agreement between the National Fair Housing Alliance, the Austin Tenants’ Council, the National Association of the Deaf, and Bell Partners, a Greensboro, NC-based apartment owner and operator that controls more than 64,000 homes in 15 states, settling allegations that the company’s properties in Texas and Georgia denied housing to deaf persons.

The Fair Housing Act makes it unlawful to refuse to rent, make housing unavailable or discriminate in the terms, conditions, or privileges associated with the rental of a dwelling on the basis of disability. This includes refusing to rent to persons who are deaf or hard of hearing.

The three advocacy organizations alleged that Bell Partners discriminated against rental applicants who were deaf or hard of hearing based on a series of fair housing tests that the groups performed in Savannah, Georgia, and Austin, Texas, in 2013. Testers posing as rental applicants who are deaf or hard of hearing called to inquire about apartments using the Internet Protocol (IP) Relay system, which allows deaf or hard of hearing individuals to communicate with hearing persons via phone using computer text.  Multiple tests were conducted over a period of several months.  Agents of Bell Partners allegedly hung up on testers who used the IP Relay system or sent their calls directly to voice mail; in contrast, agents accepted calls from testers not using the IP Relay system.  When agents spoke with testers using the IP Relay system, they allegedly quoted higher rental prices and failed to offer the same specials and amenities they offered to testers who did not use the IP Relay system.  Agents also allegedly failed to follow up with testers who used the IP Relay system.    

“Testing exposes housing discrimination that might otherwise go undetected,” said Dave Ziaya, HUD’s Acting Assistant Secretary for Fair Housing and Equal Opportunity.  “The Fair Housing Act protects all potential renters, including those who are deaf or hard of hearing.  HUD will continue to enforce the law to ensure that no one is denied housing because they have a disability.”

Under the terms of the agreements, Bell Partners will pay $175,000 to the National Fair Housing Alliance, including $25,000 in attorneys’ fees.  Bell Partners will provide fair housing training to both newly-hired and current employees. The training will cover the use of assistive technology for the deaf and hard of hearing, including telecommunications relay services. Additionally, Bell Partners will adopt a written policy addressing equal access to housing opportunities for applicants with disabilities, including deaf and hard of hearing individuals, which outlines the correct handling of telecommunications relay calls and other types of communications with deaf and hard of hearing individuals.  Bell Partners will communicate the policy to all agents and managers.  Bell Partners will pay the National Association of the Deaf $15,000 for consulting services in the development of these policies.

The Bell Partners agreement follows another settlement HUD reached on behalf of deaf and hard of hearing individuals earlier this year.  In February, HUD reached an agreement with Mercy House Living Centers in Santa Ana, CA, settling allegations that the center’s employees discriminated against two deaf and hard of hearing Section 8 applicants when they refused a request for an American Sign Language (ASL) interpreter.  Under that agreement, Mercy House Living Centers agreed to pay the applicants $17,500 to cover the amount of rent they paid during the seven months that they were unable to participate in the Shelter Care Program, provide ASL interpreters and other accommodations when necessary to communicate with persons with disabilities, and provide fair housing training for its employees.

HUD also released a Video Series for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing produced in collaboration with the National Fair Housing Alliance, Disability independence Group and Sweetwater Media. The 12 videos are in American Sign Language (ASL) with English captioning and they provide legal and practical fair housing information in a format accessible to persons who are Deaf and/or Hard of Hearing. The videos illustrate common problems faced by persons in the buying, renting, and use of a home. HUD also has an ongoing series of print PSAs in English and Spanish that address housing discrimination faced by those who are deaf or hard of hearing.

If you believe your civil rights have been violated in buying or renting a home or apartment, you can report it online at www.hud.gov/fairhousing, call 1-800-669-9777, TTY 1-800-927-9275 or by downloading HUD’s free housing discrimination mobile application, which can be accessed through Apple devices, such as the iPhone, iPad, and iPod Touch.

麻州長支持奧巴馬核能廠減碳30%目標

PATRICK ADMINISTRATION SUPPORTS U.S. EPA’S NEW RULES TO CUT CARBON POLLUTION FROM EXISTING POWER PLANTS

Massachusetts Leads Way on Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions, Cleantech Growth

BOSTON – Monday, June 2, 2014 – Governor Deval Patrick and his Administration today praised the Obama Administration and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on the release of its draft rules that will reduce carbon pollution from existing power plants by 30 percent by 2030 and greatly improve air quality across the nation.

“I applaud EPA’s new carbon rules, which will unleash clean energy innovation and reduce energy costs while protecting our environment and public health,” said Governor Patrick. “This is a critical step in moving the nation toward a clean energy future, one that we’ve already embraced in Massachusetts with great results. The Obama Administration is showing leadership in clean energy for American citizens today, and in the future.”

Over the past seven years, Massachusetts has implemented nation-leading policies that reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and address the impacts of climate change, while spurring economic growth across the Commonwealth. The Patrick Administration has supported a variety of strategies, including programs for GHG emission reductions, energy efficiency and renewable energy, which chart a path to a cleaner energy future and provide models for other states to follow. These strategies have yielded economic benefits as well, with 11.8 percent cleantech job growth in the last year; nearly 80,000 people are employed in the industry in Massachusetts.

Massachusetts was an early adopter of the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). Since 2005, the RGGI states have lowered carbon dioxide emissions by 41 percent in the electricity generation sector throughout the region and demonstrated that a market-based pollution-reduction approach works. State-wide emissions have dropped 16 percent since 1990. Massachusetts has pumped more than $252 million in RGGI proceeds back into the Commonwealth, which has been used primarily for energy efficiency programs.

As existing power plants across the nation are required to cut their emissions due to today’s EPA rule, the RGGI cap-and-trade program can be a model for other states because it is cost-effective, provides economic benefits, aligns with the regional nature of the electricity grid and provides a simple, transparent and verifiable system.

Massachusetts has also utilized RGGI proceeds and utility-based funding to triple the energy savings from efficiency initiatives that have been implemented in homes and businesses, as well as public buildings and housing complexes. These efforts have led Massachusetts to be named the most energy efficient state in the nation three years straight.

The Commonwealth has also successfully implemented renewable energy sources. There are currently 518 megawatts (MW) of solar capacity installed, enough electricity to power nearly 79,000 homes. Governor Patrick has set a goal of 1,600 MW installed by 2020, after reaching his previous goal of 250 MW four years early.

In 2007, Massachusetts had just three MW of wind capacity. Today, 103 MW of land-based wind has been installed and the state is poised to become the home to Cape Wind, the nation’s first offshore wind farm.

波士頓公校高中畢業致詞生有三名華裔

波士頓市昨（五月三十）日中午在海港酒店（Harbor Hotel）舉辦第十六屆高中畢業致辭生午餐會，祝福包括薛文哲，林燕欽，張梓秋(譯音，Ziqiu Zhang)等三名華裔的三十五人，邁向美好未來 。

            儘管大波士頓今年天氣反常，氣溫至今仍拽著冬天的尾巴，各學校的學年日程腳步並未停下，正此起彼落的舉行畢業典禮。哈佛大學前日（五月廿九日）下午，才請紐約前任市長彭博來勉勵畢業生，昨日就輪到了波士頓市長馬丁華殊和波市學校委員會主席Michael D. O’Neil，波市公校代理總監John P. McDonough等人向波士頓市34所高中的35名畢業致辭生送上祝福。

            波士頓市高中畢業致辭生午餐會是波士頓前任市長萬寧路（Tom Menino）在海港酒店，銳跑（Reebok）贊助下，與波市學校委員會，波市公校部門合作舉辦的表揚會，一連十五年下來，已然有如一項傳統。

            今年一月甫上任的波士頓市長馬丁華殊（Martin Walsh）昨日還是第一次出席這活動，恭喜各校致辭生向社會證明，走向成功的道路有很多條。

            馬丁華殊鼓勵畢業生們，面對未來，一定要有夢，還要堅持不懈地追夢，理想一定成真。他以自己做為例子，從小就想當政客，結果1997年夢想實現，當選為麻州眾議員。他接著的第二個夢是要當波士頓市長，在波士頓市前任市長萬寧路宣佈不再競選連任，他全力以赴參選後，夢想又實現了。

            馬丁華殊在致詞時邊要求畢業致辭生們起立接受鼓掌表揚，邊催促他們利用這時間想想自己過去四年來曾面對，克服過哪些挑戰，從而堅定自己實現更多夢想的信心。

            根據波市公校部資料，今年的畢業致詞生中，有46%在美國境外出生，分別來自越南，秘魯，嘎納，中國等許多不同國家。

            其中的三名華裔，分別為波士頓拉丁高中，將升讀哈佛大學的薛文哲；布萊頓高中，將升讀史密斯學院的張梓秋(譯音，Ziqiu Zhang)；以及查理士高中，將升讀薩福克大學的林燕欽。

            幾乎每年都是華裔學生代表畢業致詞生的昆士中學，今年由住在查理士城，會吹奏六種樂器的Carlos Romero獲選致詞。

            林燕欽透露，她父親是廚師，來美已十幾年，但礙于美國的家庭團聚移民排期耗時，直到三，四年前，她才得以隨母親移民來波士頓。由於英文程度不行，她選擇從頭開始念高中，因而年齡比同班同學都大些。林燕欽的老師吳艾彪，校長William Thomas都稱讚林燕欽的勇氣與努力。

圖片說明：

            波士頓高中畢業致詞生們在波士頓海港前合影。（菊子攝）

            波士頓市長馬丁華殊（右起）和波市公校代理總監John P. McDonough，波市學校委員會主席Michael D. O’Neil和波士頓拉丁高中，將升讀哈佛大學的薛文哲（右二）等畢業生，逐個合影。（菊子攝）

            全校950名學生，約有12%為華裔的查理士高中校長William Thomas（右），和該校老師吳艾彪（Gerald Ng）陪同林燕欽（中）出席表揚會。（菊子攝）

            來自中國甘肅，遷居波士頓十幾年，住在布萊頓，都在生化界工作的薛林瓏，李興文稱讚兒子薛哲文很自覺，不需要他們催，自己就很用功。（菊子攝）

            住在牙買加平原（Jamaica Plain），就讀布萊頓高中的張梓秋(譯音，Ziqiu Zhang，右二)和波士頓市長馬丁華殊（右起）和波市公校代理總監John P. McDonough，波市學校委員會主席Michael D. O’Neil合影。（菊子攝）

亜裔社區創紀錄 邀得十四名候選人同晚和黨代表見面

民主黨候選人與黨代表見面會籌辦者，右起，陳綽敏，陳穎玉，
李超榮，劉健儀，吳弦等人。（周菊子攝）

(Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導)麻州訂六月十三日舉行的今年民主黨黨代表大會，出席亞裔將高達約二百人。關注亞裔參政力量的李超榮和陳穎玉，劉健儀，馬惠美，吳弭等人合作，五月廿九日晚在波士頓龍鳳九樓舉辦了一場本地史無前例的民主黨候選人與黨代表見面會。

競選麻州副州長的張禮能（右）在會中有不少支持者。（周菊子攝）

當晚共有十四名民主黨籍的各職位參選者，在五點半到八點十五分之間，各有十分鐘時間，發表政見，爭取黨代表支持，再接受Liz Eng等人的錄影訪問。

奚莉（Maura Healey）原本在麻州總檢察官辦公室工作，掌管
半邊天，為全力參選總檢察長一職，已辭去現職。（周菊子攝）

依照民主黨的黨規，候選人必須獲得至少15%的黨代表背書支持，民主黨才會支持該候選人參選。例如州長這職位，候選人多達五名，各候選人之間的競爭因此頗為激烈。最近這段日子，呼聲最高的兩名候選人，目前在麻州政府中分別擔任財政廳廳長的葛羅斯曼（Steve Grossman），麻州總檢察官柯克莉（Martha Coakley）甚至展開了互相攻訐文宣。

廿九日晚出席的候選人包括，競選州長的葛羅斯曼，柯克莉，艾維龍（Joe Avellone），貝克理（Don Berwick），柯妍（Juliette Kayyem）；競選副州長的柯瑞根（Steve Kerrigan），狄羅沙（James Arena DeRosa），張禮能（Leland Cheung）；競選財政廳廳長的麻州現任眾議員康若伊（Tom Conroy ），高柏歌（Deborah Goldberg），麻州現任參議員范高（Barry Finegold）；競選麻州總檢察官的華倫托文（Warren Tolman ），奚莉（Maura Healey）等人。

競選麻州副州長的雷克(Ｍike Lake)，選擇只做錄影訪問，不向黨代表們講話。

李超榮表示，當晚他們還為每名出席活動的候選人製作了錄影訪問，將播放給當晚未能親自到會的亞裔黨代表欣賞。

李超榮指出，往年亞裔黨代表人數，最多不超過一百五十人，今年除了各分支機構選出來的黨代表之外，加上以少數族裔身份獲選的黨代表（Add on delegates），亞裔黨代表人數破紀錄的有將近兩百人。

在麻州今年將舉行州級選舉，州長層級的候選人，迄今只有張禮能(Leland Cheung)是亞裔。

競選州議員席位者，已知轄區在昆士市的陳德基，轄區包括華埠的麥家威（Aaron Michlewitz）都無競爭者，將同額當選。轄區在索格斯鎮的黃子安，今年得和另一名共和黨員競爭，以保席位。

            當晚的出席者，有黨代表，也有華埠居民會的余仕昂，梅陳月嫦，劉華權等多名執委。出席的黨代表們對於能在兩，三小時內見到十幾名候選人，都表示非常開心，也指出這是政客開始重視亞裔選票力量的表現。

華美福利會籌款新猷 拍賣得標者有專家繪肖像

華美福利會為籌款服務社區，觸角越伸越廣，昨（五月三十）日邀得著名肖像畫家Warren 及 Lucia Prosperi 夫婦參觀該會，並允諾為華美福利會嘉年華會中的拍賣得標者，繪製一幅價值五萬美元的半身肖像。

1949年出生的Warren Prosperi 是一名自學成功的藝術家，以自然寫真，人物栩栩如生著稱。過去這四十年間，他和喜歡攝影的妻子Lucia合作，從歷史角度，生活細節，了解他們要畫的人物後，再設想什麼樣的背景，光度及構圖，最能表現那個人的神韻。他們的繪畫態度，以及他們畫出來的成果贏得許多人欣賞，包括哈佛大學的麻省總醫院等，許多人口耳相傳，以致他們的畫作，如今掛在華府的國家肖像藝廊，倫敦的空氣藝廊（Air Gallery）等地。波士頓美術博物館（MFA）也在2012年六月收藏了他畫的“頓悟博物館III(Museum Epiphany III )”，並放在Penny and Jeff Vink Gallery展出。

波士頓名人中的威廉鮑傑（William Bulger），傑克康諾（Jack Connors），也請他畫了肖像。

華美福利會董事會董事長陳美霞表示，Warren 及 Lucia Prosperi 夫婦都是遺民後代。Lucia的祖父當年為逃避納粹，離開德國。Ｗarren的祖父從義大利移民來美，對移民在美國如何掙扎求存，都有相當的了解。

昨日他們兩人看了義工為華美福利會拍的宣傳片，聽片中來自伊朗，中國等等移民述說各自的移民故事，深為感動，再聽該會行政主任李秋明說起該會的許多英語班，就業技能培訓班，移民咨詢等等服務完全免費，目前已幫助來自 83個不同國家的移民，在美國重新開啟人生，更覺不容易，也為他們能為華美福利會出一分力，感到更為開心。

            華美福利會訂六月四日（週三）五點半起，在波士頓公園廣場酒店（Boston Park Plaza Hotel）舉辦的年度籌款嘉年華會，將共有77件拍賣品，日前已有57人次的網上競標。Warren 及 Lucia Prosperi 夫婦的肖像畫作，也是拍賣品之一。拍賣得標者將可在十八個月內，獲得一幅他們繪製，價值五萬元的半身油畫肖像。拍賣起價為二萬五千元。

華美福利會六月四日晚的嘉年華會，門票每張200元。查詢可洽張韻寧（Teresa Cheong），617-426-9642X206，或上網aaca-boston.org.。

圖片說明：

            華美福利會董事長陳美霞（右一）與行政主任李秋明（左一）邀該會創辦人之一阮陳金鳳（中）陪同Warren 及 Lucia Prosperi 夫婦參觀該會。（菊子攝）