波士頓市長要告麻州賭博局

波士頓市長馬丁華殊（Martin J. Walsh）昨（五）日公告各界，要告麻州賭博局，以阻止該局批准在艾佛瑞（Everett）市建十七億五千萬元的永利度假村（Wynn Resorts） 。

            波士頓市長要求薩福克郡高等法院（Suffolk Superior Court）廢止麻州賭博局挑選永利度假村的行動，並宣佈波士頓有權就此計畫做有約束力的投票。

            瑞維爾（Revere）市和尚莫維爾（Somerville）市為了麻州賭博局把大波士頓的賭博牌照給了永利度假村，已於去年九月提出告訴。

            波士頓市提告的法律文件長達七十五頁，指控麻州賭博局違反，漠視了麻州2011年的賭博法條文，而且以一個模擬式，預存反對波士頓市立場的公聽過程，打發了波士頓市的抱怨。

            波士頓市府在昨日公佈的聲明中指出，波士頓市的優先要務是保護市內居民。波士頓市相信自己是賭場所在地的東道主，計畫中賭場的唯一進出通道是經過天涯路（Horizon Way），也就是會直接穿越波士頓市，尤其是會經過查理士城這社區，交通已嚴重堵塞的魯瑟福道（Rutherford Ave.）道及蘇利文廣場（Sullivan Square）。新賭場計劃將對當地的公共安全及環境造成重大傷害。

            永利度假村昨日宣佈，該公司已在艾佛瑞市交割了一塊33英畝的土地，打算用來建造閃閃發亮的度假勝地。

City of Boston Files Legal Action Against Massachusetts Gaming Commission

City of Boston Files Legal Action Against Massachusetts Gaming Commission

Seeks confirmation of host community status

BOSTON – Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced today that the City of Boston has filed a civil complaint against the Massachusetts Gaming Commission in connection with the Commission’s award of a Category 1 gaming license to Wynn for the development of a resort-casino in Everett and Boston.

The City has been working diligently with Wynn to negotiate a fair agreement that benefits the people of Boston, however has been unable to reach an agreement that accurately represents the impact to the City.

“We have spent an enormous amount of time and sustained effort on the casino issue over the past year since this is something that impacts every single one of our residents,” Mayor Walsh said. “We have understood from day one the complexity of this issue as it relates to the City and it has always been our belief that Boston is a host community. Our priority is to protect the people of Boston and ensure the safety of our neighborhoods. It is clear to us that this is the best way to move forward for Charlestown, the City of Boston and the entire Commonwealth.”

The only legal access point to the planned casino is through Horizon Way, directly through the City or, more specifically, the neighborhood of Charlestown. With Boston providing the sole access to the casino site, the vast majority of patrons will be required to travel through Rutherford Avenue and Sullivan Square in Charlestown, an area that already faces severe traffic congestion, posing significant environmental and public safety harms.

To view the complaint, please visit: http://www.cityofboston.gov/news/uploads/25922_40_5_38.pdf. 

Mayor Walsh Welcomes Local Organic Coffee Cart Vendor to City Hall

Mayor Walsh Welcomes Local Organic Coffee Cart Vendor to 

City Hall

Boston Brewin Coffee Company will enliven and activate important civic space

BOSTON - Today Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced that Boston Brewin Coffee Company, a local small business, will begin selling coffee, tea, and small treats on the third floor mezzanine of City Hall. During a 4-month trial period the coffee cart will activate and enliven this important civic space, welcoming the public and employees to stop by. This effort is the most recent from the Walsh Administration to look for ways to make public spaces inside and outside of City Hall more inviting, engaging, and personable.

“City Hall is the front door to local government, and I want everyone who visits to have a great experience,” said Mayor Walsh. “This is a small step we can take, which has a big impact, to activate the people’s public space and enhance constituent interactions with the City.”

"By sharing our business model, we provide the opportunity for people to be real Bostonians and support their own community through coffee,” said Tom Barns, Founder of Boston Brewin Coffee Company.

The Boston Brewin Coffee Company’s location in City Hall will be its third in Boston. The stand will offer coffee, lattes, mochas, espressos, and teas from Dean’s Beans. It will also sell locally sourced pastries from the Haley House, Lyndell's Bakery, and C and C Bakers of East Boston. The coffee cart, made of discarded school desks, will be open Monday through Friday from 8:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

This project is a collaboration between the Mayor’s Office of New Urban Mechanics, Property and Construction Management, Inspectional  Services Department, the Mayor’s Office of Economic Development, and the Office of Small & Local Business Enterprise.

In the past year several projects have improved the experience inside of City Hall, including a greeters program, a model of the City, the #WickedCoolTree activated by Twitter, and the “Stairs of Fabulousness” art installation, a result of the Mayor’s Public Space Invitation. Outside of City Hall several projects of the Mayor’s First Public Space Invitational have been launched, in addition to the Fenway’s 30 Seconds of Cinema and PitchBoston, digital video art projects.

Boston Brewin Coffee Company uses a four-part business model called “Pay it 4ward.” Using this strategy the company gives 100% of profits back to the immediate community or a local nonprofit organization, uses only 100% organic fair/direct trade, shade grown coffee, pays living wages to all employees, and is a triple bottom line company focused on people, product, and the planet.

BPS this week

BPS this week  From the Boston Public Schools Communications team Monday, January 5, 2015   BPS students were inducted into the High School to Teacher program, which offers training, reduced tuition and a fast track for a teaching position in Boston schools. Above, a group of students and mentors from East Boston High school. BPS photo by Mark Pijanowski Bay State Banner: Program puts BPS students on path to Boston teaching jobs From the Bay State Banner: Thirty-six Boston high school students are starting on a seven-year path through high school and college and into teaching careers, thanks to a new Boston Public Schools program aimed at developing a more diverse next generation of teachers. The High School to Teacher program offers training, mentoring and support to promising students interested in pursuing teaching careers. Launched earlier this year, the initiative aims to help students achieve school and career success while at the same time tackling a key BPS goal to increase diversity in the teaching ranks. "This high school teacher initiative is part of Boston's overarching initiative to increase workforce diversity. There's been considerable strategy on building the pipeline, and this is part of it," said Ceronne Daly, director of diversity programs at the BPS Office of Human Capital. "We're reaching out to work with high school students throughout their entire high school career and into college." Recruiting for High School to Teacher's first cohort began in late spring at four Boston schools: Boston Community Leadership Academy, East Boston High School, New Mission High School and TechBoston Academy. Thirty-six students were accepted into the program, and this fall, they began working with program mentors, who are teachers or guidance counselors at the participating schools. In their second semester, students are expected to spend part of their time tutoring other students. BPS is implementing the program in partnership with Today's Students, Tomorrow's Teachers, a New York-based nonprofit that also operates in New York, Connecticut and Virginia. In Massachusetts, the organization has had partnerships with schools in Worcester, Cambridge and Greater Boston suburbs, but is entering Boston for the first time. Students in the program are required to achieve a B+ average by their senior year of high school, tutor a minimum of two hours each week, intern for 20 hours each summer and attend teacher mentoring, tutor training, college visits, career counseling and free SAT preparation. In addition to the training and mentoring in high school, participants receive a 50 percent waiver of tuition at participating colleges.  [read more] More time with great teachers: BPS expanded-day announcement gets national attention From Boston to Seattle and places in between, our announcement that the City of Boston, the Boston Public Schools and the leadership of the Boston Teachers Union have developed a plan to expand the school day is getting national praise. Here's a summary:   Boston Globe: Boston parents applaud proposal to expand school day Anneta Argyres, who was cochairwoman of the Curley School Parent Council when the school had longer days, remembered how teachers could use the final hour each Wednesday to teach less-traditional classes. Her daughter, Nicole Levenson, who is now 15 and a sophomore at Boston Latin School, would come home raving about taking classes on fishing, yoga, and photography. Argyres said those classes showed students and teachers "that learning happens in different settings and also helped to develop a deeper sense of community." "What we need is to bring back the richness and the diversity of education," Argyres said. "Not just pile on 40 minutes more of the same.   Seattle Post-Intelligencier: Longer days for younger students The National Center on Time & Learning, a Boston-based nonprofit organization that advocates for longer school days, applauded the proposal. "With this agreement, Boston is emerging as one of the country's leaders as it embarks on a plan to strategically redesign and expand learning time for both teachers and students," center officials said in a statement. Boston Herald editorial: Watching school clock We're all for adverse parties coming together to negotiate solutions to major public policy challenges and in that spirit we welcome the announcement that the city of Boston has struck a deal with its teachers union to extend the school day.    Boston Globe editorial: Longer school day is a win for Walsh, students The promise of a longer school day in Boston may strike some as a counterintuitive holiday gift for 23,000 elementary and middle school pupils at 60 schools. But it is the gift that will keep on giving for the children who need the extra time to prepare for the upper grades, higher education, and the eventual demands of the workplace. Making good on a campaign promise, Boston Mayor Martin Walsh said Friday that he has negotiated a tentative agreement with the city's teachers to add 40 minutes to each school day - the equivalent of an extra month of instruction. The announcement is tempered somewhat by the fact that Boston's current six-hour school day is among the shortest of any major urban school district. And some state charter schools already boast eight-hour school days. Whether it is a "true turning point," as the mayor called it, will depend on the ability of teachers to make every one of the additional minutes count.   Apply to join the Boston School Committee! Applications to fill an open seat are due January 20. Click here to download the application form and instructions.   First Registration Period for fall BPS enrollment set for January 5-30 Parents of children who will begin Pre-Kindergarten, Kindergarten, grades 6 or 9 in the fall of 2015 are encouraged to register for Boston Public Schools (BPS) during the first registration period, which runs today through Friday, January 30. Families may visit any BPS Welcome Center to register for school. Parents of students seeking to enroll in all other grades may register between February 4 and March 20. Registering during the first available period for a grade level increases a family's chances of receiving an assignment to one of their top-choice schools. Families can view which schools will be on their options list by visiting the DiscoverBPS website, www.discoverbps.org. Operators are also available during business hours to help answer questions at the BPS Registration Hotline: (617) 635-9046.  Families can also pre-register online at www.bostonpublicschools.org/register. By filling out information in advance using the online form, parents can take advantage of a separate line when they arrive at a BPS Center to complete the school registration process. It's important to note that registration is not first-come first-served, so it does not matter when in the month families visit a BPS Welcome Center, and everyone has the same opportunities as long as they register within the correct period. BPS will run the school choice lottery after the completion of each registration period and will send school assignments by mail.   Click here to sign up for BPS This Week and other BPS publications Communications Office | Boston Public Schools 617-635-9265  |  communications@bostonpublicschools.org

Mayor Walsh Appoints Laura Oggeri as Chief Communications Officer for City of Boston

Mayor Walsh Appoints Laura Oggeri as Chief Communications Officer for City of Boston

BOSTON – Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced today that he has selected Laura Oggeri as the City of Boston’s Chief Communications Officer. Oggeri joined the City as Deputy Chief of Operations in November.

"I'm thrilled to announce that Laura Oggeri will be joining my cabinet as Chief Communications Officer," Mayor Walsh said. "She brings with her exceptional communications and public relations experience, especially from her time as Director of Communications for the Senate President's office. She has done a fantastic job as our Deputy Chief of Operations and I look forward to working with her as we continue to develop our communications strategy." 

As Chief Communications Officer, Oggeri will oversee press activity and serve as Mayor Walsh's advisor on the City's overall communications strategy. Her work will focus on proactive messaging for national, regional and local platforms, strengthening communications across departments and expanding the City's use of new media.

Oggeri previously worked for Senate President Therese Murray as Director of Communications and Senior Policy Advisor where she led the communications strategy for the Senate's legislative priorities. As the head spokesperson for the Senate President's office, Oggeri coordinated with statewide and national press outlets on a regular basis. Oggeri also built the Senate President's local media plan, utilizing print and digital outlets, to ensure a consistent message to constituents and was responsible for managing the Senate President's social media presence.

Prior, Oggeri worked for MSLGROUP where she played a key role in developing strategic messaging and media relations campaigns for public affairs and corporate clients. Oggeri was also a member of the crisis management and social media planning teams. 

Oggeri graduated from Boston University in 2010 with a degree in communication. Oggeri lives with her husband in South Boston. 

Additionally, Bonnie McGilpin will serve as Press Secretary for the City after joining as Deputy Press Secretary in December. McGilpin worked as Governor Deval Patrick’s Deputy Press Secretary and Speechwriter, and this past year served as the Press Secretary on Attorney General Martha Coakley’s gubernatorial campaign.  She is a graduate of Northeastern University.

Oggeri and McGilpin join Melina Schuler, Senior Media Liason and Gabrielle Farrell, Press Assistant in Mayor Walsh’s press office.

Long Island Bridge Demolition to Begin Today

Long Island Bridge Demolition to Begin Today

BOSTON - Monday, January 5, 2015 - The Boston Public Works Department (PWD) announced that the demolition of the Long Island Bridge will begin today, Monday, January 5 and demolition work is expected to be completed by April 30, 2015.  Bids for the construction contract opened on Thursday, December 18, 2014, with Walsh Construction Company, headquartered in Chicago, IL, with a regional office in Canton, being the lowest bidder at $20,586,739.50.  

The City received seven bids in total. All bidders were pre-qualified with the Massachusetts Department of Transportation (MassDOT) in the category of demolition, for projects valued at $15 million or more. The construction contract includes the demolition of the bridge super structure, removal of all utilities that are on the bridge and installation of new utility lines within the seabed. The bridge piers will remain and be reused as part of the new bridge.

On October 8, 2014, the City of Boston closed the Long Island Bridge and evacuated the programs located on Long Island out an abundance of caution, following long-running concerns about the operational limitations of the bridge.  

The Long Island Bridge was opened in 1951, and has been in a state of limited operational use for over a decade. In August 2014, the City of Boston issued a Request for Proposals for a design of a new bridge. The design is expected to cost $9 million; funding has been allocated, with half provided by the City of Boston and half from MassDOT. The design process can take an estimated 12 months. 

Construction on a replacement bridge is likely to cost approximately over $80 million, and – if expedited given emergency circumstances – can be completed in an estimated 24 to 36 months. 

Following the decision to close the Bridge, the City activated its Continuity of Operations Plan to ensure that all needs of the clients who utilize the programs at Long Island are met while the Bridge is closed. Since the bridge closure, the City and partners have maintained an equal, or greater, number of beds for our homeless and recovery guests.

紐英崙至孝篤親公所年輕人上位 陳偉民，陳文珊接主席

紐英崙至孝篤親公所昨（四）日再度交棒給年輕一代，年僅四十上下的陳偉民，陳文珊，接任正副主席。

其中的陳文珊更成為至孝篤親公所有史以來的首名女性副主席。

紐英崙至孝篤親公所共有三名元老，昨日的新舊任職員就職交接，由都已年逾八十的陳毓璇，陳毓禮兩兄弟主持，見證卸任主席陳滋源，陳禮把印信交給陳偉民，陳文珊。另一名元老陳仕維，未及時趕到。

駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處處長賴銘琪，副處長陳銘俊，波士頓華僑文教中心主任郭大文，波士頓市議會議長林乃肯（Bill Linehan），麻州眾議員麥家威（Aaron Michlewitz），波士頓洪門致公堂主席團，阮振強，阮偉昌，李厚鵬，陳國漢等嘉賓，昨日都專程到賀。

紐英崙至孝篤親公所新任主席陳偉民近來喜訊頻傳，去年初當選華埠社區議會議員，去年底升任波士頓市議會議長幕僚長，今年初又接掌紐英崙至孝篤親公所主席一職，成為該公所繼陳毓璇，陳廣漢之後，最年輕的主席。

陳偉民的父親陳文，住在摩頓市，以往鮮少到至孝篤親公所走動，昨日特地出席，為兒子感到驕傲。

陳文珊是波士頓A-1區警員之妻，曾任至孝篤親公所婦女部主席，追隨其父，曾任至孝篤親公所主席的陳天佐，已在公所服務多年。

經文處處長賴銘琪在致詞時透露，陳偉民去年十一月才以傑出青年領袖身份，應邀訪問台灣，相信經過這考察之行後，將可在至孝篤親公所已有的基礎上，再為服務僑社帶來更新做法。

麻州眾議員麥家威也指出，早在他當選為眾議員之前，就已認識陳偉民，兩人的友情也日久彌堅。他相信陳偉民出任主席，可為華人社區帶來更好的服務。

波士頓市議會議長林乃肯（Bill Linehan）坦言，這天對他來說是個特別日子。他憶述指出，陳偉民和他是同一天進波士頓市政府服務的，過去這些年來，無論是競選連任，或是角逐市議會議長職位，陳偉民都有絕佳的工作表現。由於他和陳毓禮，陳偉民的關係之久，之佳，林乃肯昨日還打趣指自己有一部分其實也算陳家人。他在發言時還點名感謝陳文浩。

甫卸任波士頓僑務委員一職，曾任至孝公所主席的陳家驊昨日擔任司儀，特地請波士頓華僑文教中心主任郭大文致詞。

郭大文昨日還帶了一疊僑委會的表揚狀，發給多名至孝篤親公所宗親，感謝他們匡助僑教中心的多項活動。

圖片說明：

            陳滋源（左起），陳建立，陳家驊，賴銘琪，林乃肯（Bill Linehan）恭喜陳偉民，陳文珊當選紐英崙至孝篤親公所主席。（菊子攝）

            紐英崙至孝篤親公所元老陳毓璇（左一），陳毓禮（左二）監督，陳滋源（右二起），陳禮把印信交給新主席陳偉民，陳文珊當選。右一為司禮的陳家驊。（菊子攝）

            紐英崙至孝篤親公所幹部與嘉賓合影。前排坐者，左起，陳毓璇，郭大文，林乃肯，賴銘琪，麥家威，阮振強。（菊子攝）

            司儀陳家驊（前左）特別介紹，陳文珊是歷年首名紐英崙至孝篤親公所女性副主席（前中）。（菊子攝）

            麻州眾議員麥家威（前）坦言他和陳偉民早在兩人都還默默無聞時，就已是好朋友。（菊子攝）

            波士頓市議會議長林乃肯（前）以手勢強調陳偉民對他幫助很大。（菊子攝）

波士頓國民黨元旦團拜 張韻蘭接任常委

 經文處長賴銘琪（中）主持波士頓國民黨分部常委交接。王競芳
（左）卸任，張韻蘭（右）接任。（周菊子攝）

(Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導) 中國國民黨波士頓分部新年新氣象。有四十多年黨齡的張韻蘭在一月一日黨部元旦團拜時，接任常委一職。

        波士頓國民黨分部執行委員會共有委員七人，2015年的其餘六名新任執行委員為李伍綺蓮，李若蘭，殷尚堅，王競芳，薛劍童，韓幼文。兩名候補委員為袁建業，蘇麗萍。

經文處長賴銘琪（前中）主持波士頓國民黨分部執委會委員宣誓典禮。（周菊子攝）

其中王競芳，薛劍童兩人為夫妻，李若蘭，韓幼文為進入決策圈的中生代。

波士頓國民黨的元旦團拜及交接典禮，儀式簡單隆重。司儀李若蘭請出席黨員左右轉，分兩列面對面拱手拜年後，新舊任常委，駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處處長賴銘琪，波士頓華僑文教中心主任郭大文一一致詞。僑委會頒發感謝狀給王競芳。

經文處長賴銘琪（前右三）和波士頓國民黨執委會委員合影。右起，韓幼文，
李伍綺蓮，袁建業，張韻蘭，李若蘭，殷尚堅，王競芳，蘇麗萍，
薛劍童。（周菊子攝）

            卸任常委王競芳致詞時感慨表示，她從李伍綺連手中接下常委一職，迄今六年，歷經民國建國百年，波士頓國民黨分部成立一百週年等大活動，期間經常參加升旗典禮，雙十餐會，馬吳後援會成立大會等僑社各項活動，黨部同仁都非常支持，讓她為過去六年的美好回憶感念在心。

經文處官員和波士頓國民黨分部執委合影。右起，殷尚堅，蘇麗萍，袁建業，
李伍綺蓮，韓幼文，張韻蘭，郭大文，雲雯蓁，賴銘琪，李若蘭，王競芳，
薛劍童，范紀琛，陳銘俊，鄭月華。（周菊子攝）

            接任常委張韻蘭表示，台灣的九合一選舉剛過，國民黨員們要為尊嚴團結，為明天繼續努力。她將竭盡心力做好黨務工作，已不負眾人期望。波士頓國民黨不位於波士頓華埠乞臣街的會址，仍將於每天的早上十點至下午一點開放，週二休假。黨員們如有建議，可以打電話給她。

波士頓國民黨新任常委張蘊蘭來美後受父親感召，才與弟弟張偉林等，
全家人在波士頓歸隊，重新加入國民黨。（周菊子攝）

            經文處新到任處長賴銘琪當天應邀致詞，在會上強調，今日社會民意高漲，各國領導人都面對許多挑戰。台灣去年的確比較辛苦，既有食用油安全問題，經濟成長率達3.5%卻未反映到人民薪水上，又有年輕人不滿兩岸服貿協議簽訂過程，包圍了立法院，影響去年選舉結果等狀況，但是台灣也有許多可讓人民引以為傲的成就，包括德意志證券指台灣今、明年經濟成長率都會維持在3.6%，瑞士經濟論壇的投資安全評比，把台灣排在全世界第十九位，台灣再次完成公開，公平，公正的選舉，連奧巴馬總統和習近平見面時都公開稱讚。他相信，展望新的一年，政府將迎接更多挑戰，也會用更積極的態度處理，加強溝通，讓民眾有感。他引用邱吉爾的話指出，樂觀的人在困難中看到機會，在政府和人民共同努力下，今年這新的一年一定會比去年更好。

            僑教中心主任郭大文在致詞時表示，新年除舊佈新，不論台灣情況如何，都是在往更民主的道路上行走，民國政府走的路線是民有，民治，民享，注重民族，民權，民生，這國父孫中山擬定的三民主義開國路線，也是民國未來的康莊大道。