COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES TO FACE INCREASED FINES FOR SNOW VIOLATIONS UNDER MAYOR WALSH PROPOSAL

COMMERCIAL PROPERTIES TO FACE INCREASED FINES FOR SNOW VIOLATIONS UNDER MAYOR WALSH PROPOSAL

BOSTON -  March 2, 2015 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today filed a Home Rule Petition to raise the amount of fines that can be levied for snow infractions against property owners, and increase the cap on fines for these offenses to be from $300 to $1,500. Under the petition, unpaid fines will be added to property tax bills if they go unpaid.  If the state grants this authority, the Mayor will file an Ordinance updating the City’s snow fine structure. The potential change would consider both commercial and residential property owners.

“Illegally dumping snow onto public roads severely worsens an already challenging snow removal process, compounds our workload, raises our costs and increases safety risks for drivers. Failing to remove snow from a sidewalk puts lives at danger. It’s a problem for every pedestrian, but it is especially difficult for our children, for the disabled, and for the elderly to face deep, unshoveled sidewalks, and be forced to walk in the road,” said Mayor Walsh. “I urge the City Council and state officials to move this legislation which grants us the authority to deter these violations, hold accountable those who are guilty, and recoup some of the added costs that these violations create. Snow clean up has to be a team and community effort, and we need to work together."

City Snow Regulations:

• Commercial entities and residents must not plow or shovel snow onto the roads at any point.

• Remove snow, slush, and ice from sidewalks and curb ramps abutting your property within 3 hours of snowfall ending (or 3 hours from sunrise if snow falls overnight) as required by law. Violators will be fined.

• Remove snow, slush, and ice from the full paved width of the sidewalk and curb ramp or a minimum path of 42 inches wide. Narrow paths encumber carriages and wheelchairs, and properly cleared pathways ensure flow and safety of pedestrian traffic.

• Remove ice to bare pavement or make as level as possible and treat with sand, sawdust or similar material.

• Please clear any snow that may be blocking handicapped ramps, fire hydrants or catch basins.

A Home Rule Petition is necessary because cities and towns may only impose fines of not more than $300.00 unless special authority is granted by the legislature.

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES RORY CUDDYER AS STARTUP MANAGER

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES RORY CUDDYER AS STARTUP MANAGER 

Will lead efforts to unify and bolster ecosystem for Boston’s entrepreneurs

BOSTON – At his January State of the City Address, Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced the creation of StartHub, a regional program to support the startup community and help entrepreneurs grow their ideas and businesses in Boston. Rory Cuddyer, a member of Mayor Walsh’s administration, who previously served as advisor to Chief of Staff Dan Koh, has been selected to lead this effort under the direction of the Chief of Economic Development John Barros and the Boston Redevelopment Authority (BRA). The BRA’s Board of Director’s approved Rory’s hire at its meeting last Thursday.

“I am excited for Rory to take on this new challenge. He has been a valuable asset on my team, and his experience working with businesses and helping to shape our economic development policy make him an ideal fit for the role,” said Mayor Walsh. “Startups should be able to thrive in every neighborhood of Boston, not just a select few. Rory will help us realize our vision for spreading this entrepreneurial spirit across the city.”

In his role as startup manager, Rory will work with higher education institutions, incubator programs, startups, and community development organizations to create partnerships to improve business conditions in Boston. He will serve as the Mayor’s liaison to the startup community and existing innovation centers, such as District Hall in the South Boston Waterfront and the soon-to-open incubator space in the Bruce C. Bolling Municipal Building. He will also coordinate with the city’s Main Streets program to support outreach to local small businesses.

In addition to making policy recommendations and providing outreach to key stakeholders and residents, Rory will be tasked with establishing and maintaining a database of commercial real estate brokers, developers, and landowners to help fledgling businesses find office space.

“I have seen firsthand the impact that Mayor Walsh believes the startup community in Boston and the surrounding region will have on our economic growth for years to come,” said Cuddyer. “I look forward to working in tandem with the community to ensure that the needs of startups are understood and that our policies contribute to and assist in the innovation economy’s continued growth.”

Rory previously advised on the process to secure an operator for the Roxbury Innovation Center in the Bolling Municipal Building. He also coordinated with several city departments to develop the initial foundation for StartHub, and he has assisted Chief Barros in creating a clear and strong vision for economic development in Boston.

Rory is a graduate of Boston College and lives in South Boston. He currently serves as the Mayor’s Office representative to the Downtown Boston Business Improvement District (BID) Board of Directors.

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES 2015 BOSTON CULTURAL COUNCIL GRANT WINNERS

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES 2015 BOSTON CULTURAL COUNCIL GRANT WINNERS

Supporting a diverse group of arts programming across the City of Boston

BOSTON - March 2, 2015 - Today Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced that 137 organizations and institutions supporting arts and culture in the City of Boston were awarded $303,476 by the Boston Cultural Council (BCC). The grant winners represent the diversity of Boston’s arts community from the visual arts to theater, film and video, music, dance, and the humanities.  The BCC received 151 applications for the 2015 grant round.

“We’re working towards making Boston the country’s municipal arts leader, and we can’t do it without supportive and committed partners,” said Mayor Walsh. “Funding is often a hurdle for cultural organizations, and I’m proud that we doubled our Boston Cultural Council funds this year. Congratulations to all of the grant recipients, and thank you for your contributions to a thriving, healthy, innovative Boston.”

"Support from the Boston Cultural Council is crucial to organizations like ours, and helps us develop and implement the artistic and educational work that serves our community of artists, students, and audience," said Jennifer Johnson, co-director of the Charlestown Working Theater.

The BCC falls under the umbrella of the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture, and annually distributes funds allocated by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency, to support innovative arts, humanities and interpretive sciences programming that enhances the quality of life in our city. In 2015 the MCC awarded the City of Boston $163,080, and Mayor Walsh nearly matched those funds. In 2014 the MCC awarded the City of Boston $144,419, with the City adding additional funding to distribute a total of $152,020 via the BCC to 55 of the 75 applicants.

The BCC is comprised of 13 Boston residents appointed by Mayor Walsh to serve for up to six years each. The BCC reviews grant applications  annually  in the fall to evaluate the overall quality of proposed programming and its potential benefit to diverse audiences in neighborhoods throughout Boston.

Mayor Walsh believes the arts are crucial to both expressing and achieving the vision of a thriving, healthy, innovative Boston. Since taking office, Mayor Walsh has taken steps to improve the artist permitting process; revived the poet laureate program, naming Danielle Legros Georges Boston’s Poet Laureate; and appointed Julie Burros the City’s first Chief of Arts and Culture in more than two decades, elevating the conversation about the arts to the highest level of City government. Over the next year and a half the Chief of Arts and Culture will guide a cultural planning process for the city, which will build a long-term strategy for enriching and strengthening civic life through the arts.

Attached is a list of the 2015 grantees.

BPS outlines further steps to balance FY16 budget

BPS outlines further steps to balance FY16 budget

BOSTON – Boston Public Schools (BPS) Superintendent John McDonough today released an 

update to the district’s efforts to balance the FY16 budget, which includes a limited number of school 

and program closures at the end of the current school year. Superintendent McDonough and BPS senior 

staff will meet with families of students who attend the impacted schools and program this week.  

Proposed for closure are Elihu Greenwood Leadership Academy and the Rogers Middle School in 

Hyde Park; Community Academy in Jamaica Plain; Middle School Academy in South Boston; and 

West Roxbury Academy.  Middle School Academy and Community Academy will also undergo a 

program redesign process.

Contributing to the district’s fiscal gap are annual increased costs that continue to rise at a pace faster 

than the increase in revenues. Mayor Martin J. Walsh has committed to increasing the district’s budget 

between 3-4% over the current year’s budget. 

"In order for us to give all of our students the opportunity to succeed, it is imperative that we are using 

our resources as efficiently as possible," said Mayor Martin J. Walsh. "The decision to close schools has 

been a difficult one to make, but I am confident it will strengthen our school system to better serve our 

young people for generations to come."   

BPS used a set of criteria that included enrollment trends, school choice (how families ranked school options)

data, and academic performance to develop the recommended list of schools. The district also considered the 

financial sustainability of Community Academy and Middle School Academy, which offer alternative education 

options to students who are referred to the programs, emphasizing that BPS’ commitment to the quality and 

intensity of support for students will not waiver. The Boston School Committee will make a final decision on 

the Superintendent’s proposal on March 25.

Informational meetings for families of students attending the impacted schools will take place at each of the 

schools on Monday evening, March 2 and again on Thursday evening, March 5.  Parents, students, staff and 

community members will also be able to comment on the recommendations at an upcoming School Committee 

meeting on March 4, and at upcoming budget hearings, scheduled for March 9 and 11.

“To invest in areas that will most impact student success, the district must make difficult decisions,” said 

Michael O’Neill, chair of the Boston School Committee. “I know that these recommendations do not come lightly 

and the School Committee looks forward to discussing them as part of the full proposal and to hearing directly 

from those who would be impacted.”

“If we don’t take action now, we will continue to stretch our resources too thin and put in jeopardy every school 

in every corner of this city; we would put all students at risk.  This is not an acceptable option,” said Superintendent 

McDonough. “We are committed to being with families and students every step of the way, from providing help for 

making new school choices to supporting their transitions to new schools next fall, to investing in strategies that can 

help all students succeed.”

More information on the list of recommended school closures, including a video message from the Superintendent, 

a schedule of family meetings, and an FAQ can be found on the BPS website: www.bostonpublicschools.org.  

Feedback on the proposal may be sent via email to BPSFeedback@bostonpublicschools.org.

Two Airlines Will Move from Terminal A to Terminal C

Two Airlines Will Move from Terminal A to Terminal C

BOSTON – The Massachusetts Port Authority today announced that two airlines, Alaska Airlines and Sun Country Airlines, will move their operations at Boston Logan from Terminal A to Terminal C on Wednesday, March 4^th. All departures and arrivals for the airlines from then on will be at Terminal C. All airport signage will be updated to reflect the new information.

Alaska’s fleet of Boeing 737s fly to three destinations (Seattle, Portland and San Diego) from Logan four times a day in winter, five times a day in the summer season. The airlines’ last departure from Terminal A will be on March 3^rd; their first operation at Terminal C will be an arrival on March 4th.

Sun Country also uses Boeing 737s to connect Boston Logan to Minneapolis–Saint Paul International Airport, the airline’s hub airport, four times a week in the winter, three times a week in the summer season. Sun Country’s operations will arrive and depart Terminal A as normal on March 3^rd; their next operations will occur on March 5^th from Terminal C.

Boston Logan, a short distance from the intersection of Route 128 and I-90 and five minutes from downtown Boston, serves as the gateway to the New England region and offers nonstop service to 75 domestic and 43 international destinations and in 2014 handled 31.6 million passengers. Boston Logan is served by two public transit lines and is the Air Line Pilot Association’s Airport of the Year for 2008 because of its commitment to safety. Over the past decade, the airport spent $4.5 billion on a modernization program that includes new terminals, public transportation access, parking facilities, roadways and airport concessions, and has been transformed into a world-class 21st Century facility.  The airport generates $8 billion in total economic impact each year.

###

The Massachusetts Port Authority (Massport) owns and operates Boston Logan International Airport, public terminals in the Port of Boston, Hanscom Field, and Worcester Regional Airport. Massport is a financially self-sustaining public authority whose premier transportation facilities generate more than $9 billion annually, and enhance and enable economic growth and vitality in New England. No state tax dollars are used to fund operations or capital improvements at Massport facilities. For more information please visit massport.com.

昆市慶羊年 千人同歡 市長選戰露端倪

亞協服務中心（QARI）昨（一）日在北昆士高中慶祝羊年新春，以巨大“福”字歡迎絡繹不絕的數以千計到會民眾。

            昆士市長柯奇（Tom Koch），諾福克郡（Norfolk）地方檢察官莫瑞賽（Michael Morissey），麻州參議員約翰基南(John Kenan)，麻州眾議員陳德基，艾耶斯（Bruce Ayers）等政要和亞協服務中心會長阮艾碧（譯音，Abby Hieu Nguyen-Burke），執委張永鏗等人在巨大的“新年吉祥”海報前，排排坐的一起向民眾拜年。

            今年的昆市農曆新年慶祝會，由富士（Fuji）集團東主梁戰士，以及Joel Buenaventura出任共同主席，林淑明任舞台監督，Carrie Jie Sunde和岑敏兒任司儀。

            表演節目改由李氏公所的興龍武術團舞獅表演，拉開序幕，美國第四十二童軍及幼童軍團再度出列主持升旗儀式，藉以象徵亞裔移民融入美國社會。

            主舞台的慶祝表演，不下廿二項，種類繁多，武術、功夫方面，有昆士，Best兩個跆拳道學校，波士頓少林功夫的示範；樂器部分，有韓國傳統鼓舞，鼓武道的日本太鼓，亞特蘭達青年管樂團，中華公所鼓樂隊表演。舞蹈節目最多，有Ivy課後班兒童舞蹈，華夏藝術團，波士頓元極舞聯誼會，愛爾蘭舞蹈， 菲律賓舞蹈， 波士頓中國舞蹈學校，美東紐英崙養生舞，明珠舞蹈學校，波士頓中國鄉土舞蹈團，君子樓長者舞蹈團，王氏青少年舞蹈團，樂舞族，劍橋中國文化中心，新星演藝學校，西木（Westwood）中文學校等。

            會場的第二舞台，照例有廣東音藝社演唱粵曲，逛累了的人，可以進禮堂坐，邊欣賞廣東戲曲，邊休息。二樓側廳，是文化專區，有劉曉勇現場教畫羊，也有紐英崙華人歷史協會擺攤做“開放日”，邀民眾認識該會，欣賞麻省理工學院榮休教授李燦輝等人製作的“華埠圖冊”展。

            會場內的展示攤位，包括昆士市政府擺出的選民登記攤，萬家網，中華頤養院，塔芙茨醫療中心，紐約人壽等，總數不下五，六十，其中專櫃化妝品攤就有不下四個，透露昆市亞裔人口已受主流社會關注的現實。

            去年是麻州的州級選舉年，有州長候選人出現。今年是市級選舉年，昆市也要改選市長，已宣佈參選者，昆市學校委員會委員馬洪妮（Anne Mahoney），不分區市議員古楚（Doug Gutro）昨日都現身會場。

        昆士市長柯奇（Tom Koch）表示，昆士市長一職，將從明年起改為一任四年，薪資也將跳升為十五萬餘元，難免引起更多人的參選興趣，但他對自己的政績很有信心。

圖片說明：

            亞協服務中心（QARI）行政主任約翰波德（後右一）與昆士市長柯奇（Tom Koch）（前右五）等嘉賓在儀式結束後合影。（菊子攝）

            Ivy課後班小朋友表演舞蹈。（菊子攝）

            亞協服務中心的青少年義工們製作的慶祝羊年裝飾。（菊子攝）

            商家促銷扮財神，市民歡喜邀合影，（菊子攝）

            中華頤養院工作人員阮奕云（左）和董事陳遇均（右）在展示攤位前。（菊子攝）

            紐約人壽公司的陳偉健（右起），黃潔玲，王晶等人在會場擺攤介紹產品。（菊子攝）

龍鳳集團杭幫菜美食節 三，五兩日各一場

  龍鳳酒樓集團董事長梅錫銳（前左起）邀杭幫菜大師胡忠英，杭州飲食服務集團
副總經理韓利平，杭幫菜研究所所長王政宏，以及杭幫菜廚師們，後左起，朱偉亮，
盛鍾飛，陳迅，陳和聖，劉京濤，任震威到波士頓，舉辦“杭幫菜”美食節。
（菊子攝）

(Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導) 杭州飲食服務集團的十人金牌廚師團，將於三月三日，五日，依序在波士頓，昆士市的龍鳳酒樓，推介已在中國爆紅多年，如今才第二度進美國的“杭幫菜”。

龍鳳酒樓集團董事長梅錫銳指出，“杭幫菜”一詞在飲食界人士中早就名聞遐邇，幾年前他有幸認識杭幫菜大師胡忠英，就開始不斷遊說，這回終於促成他們來美一行，舉辦“杭幫菜”美食節。

胡忠英表示，1990年代，他擷取各家宗派，融和來自世界各地原材料創作出一道道菜餚，人們在喜歡之餘，由於說不清菜餚宗派，稱之為“迷蹤菜”，其後因他在2008年獲邀到聯合國，為聯合國慶祝成立六十週年，一連十二天的為來自各國大使烹飪，因而成為少油，少鹽，講究刀功，調味的“杭幫菜”代表。

杭州飲食服務集團副總經理兼知味觀總經理韓利平表示，該集團擁有中國馳名品牌知味觀，天香樓等老字號，共有分店不下七，八十家，曾屢次在國僑辦安排下，應邀赴歐洲，加拿大，日本，台灣等地做烹飪展示，各地老饕嚐了，紛紛要求開分店，讓他們也很為“杭幫菜”的受歡迎，廚師的手藝精湛，感到高興。

這次他們帶來“江南醉拼”，“杭州燻魚”，“湖畔素鵝”，“蟹釀橙”，“魚元燴龍蝦”等等十道熱菜，八道冷菜，將由胡忠英親自指導已在中國各項餐飲比賽中拿金牌的廚師們烹調，把中國八大菜系之一的這“杭幫菜”美味，帶到大波士頓人面前。

            杭州飲食服務集團這趟來美，除波士頓外，還將訪問費城，紐約，推介“杭幫菜”。