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星期日, 2月 28, 2016

波士頓華埠慶猴年迎春揮毫競比墨香

右起,僑教中心主任郭大文,僑務委員蔣宗壬,梅錫銳,經文處處長賴銘琪,書法家吳紹營,波士頓華埠獅子會會長謝如鍵,
書法家方厚正(左一)(波士頓僑教中心提供)
  Boston Orange
波士頓經文處處長賴銘琪揮毫。
周菊子報導)紐英崙中華公所、新英格蘭中文學校協會、紐英崙藝術學會、中華書法會、北美藝術家協會、駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處華僑文教服務中心等六機構,今(
27)日早上在牛頓市僑教中心會址攜手「迎春揮毫」,慶祝猴年到來。

28日(週日)早上10點至下午2點,慶祝猴年的「迎春揮毫」,將移師至紐英崙中華公所(90 Tyler St. Boston , MA 02111)舉辦,出席者可自由創作,亦可參照主辦單位準備的參考資料,揮灑筆墨寫春聯。
蔣宗壬揮毫。
駐波士頓經文處處長賴銘琪,波士頓華僑文教中心主任郭大文,波士頓僑務委員蔣宗壬,梅錫銳等人,一早就趕到僑教中心,先與僑團代表開會討論籌辦今年的“台灣日“,再與眾同樂,欣賞出席者拿毛筆沾墨寫字,彼此調侃已很久沒寫毛筆字,如今提筆有重若千鈞之感。
波士頓華埠書法家吳紹營,方厚正等專家坐鎮會場,儼然最佳模範,氣定神閒的揮毫。抱著拜年與傳承文化心情出席的社區大眾,不少人自己在紙上畫兩下,跑過去看看專家怎麼運筆,再回頭仿效,很是自得其樂。

梅錫銳揮毫。
波士頓華埠獅子會會長謝如鍵還用手機錄下了吳紹營一筆寫草書“春“字的鏡頭,放到臉書,微信上,與友好分享。

 2月28日早上在紐英崙中華公所會議廳舉行的迎春揮毫活動,重頭戲之一是中華公所主席陳家驊接受紐英崙藝術協會會長梅宇國捐贈的“中國書畫家作品精選”等13本圖書。
書法家吳紹營,林卓培,李蕙蓮以及周文熙,黃鏡明,甄雲龍,林蘭詩等人也在會場即席揮毫。
 住在布魯克蘭鎮,年逾七十的書法愛好者,譚維漢,這天也在會場寫空心字,別出一格。

邱西薔(右一)等人先用舊報紙練字。

經文處長賴銘琪致詞。(謝如鍵攝)

吳紹營揮毫。(謝如鍵攝)






陳家驊(右起)、林卓培、梅宇國、周文熙、黃鏡明等人展示梅宇國的新書。
周菊子攝))
中華公所主席陳家驊(左),經文處副處長陳銘俊(中)驚訝林蘭詩
(右)的書法寫得那麼好。(周菊子攝)

林卓培寫過身邊這同一幅字,2月27日晚在至孝篤親公所春宴中,送給
主人家做賀禮。(周菊子攝)


星期六, 2月 27, 2016

梁戰士集團將在昆士中心開家5,000呎大餐廳

             (Boston Orange 周菊子節譯) 昆士市愛國者報226日刊文指出,華裔餐館集團負責人梁戰士有大計劃,要在正翻修中的昆士中心,建一個佔地5,000平方呎的日本混合式餐廳“板栗之西的富士”。
            餐廳預定座落在板栗之西(West of Chestnut)“發展商所蓋,位於興國街(Hancock1400號那一地段的“牌樓住宅”一樓。發展商24日透露,已和梁戰士簽了租約。
            過去這些年來,梁戰士的“富士集團”已開張了9家餐廳,其中6家在昆士市,2家在劍橋市,1家在尚莫維爾市(Somerville)。
            梁戰士在24日時透露,他想要在101日時開張這家新店。
            富士集團在昆士中心內,已經開有3家餐廳,分別是座落在興國街1546號,還有7年租約的日式餐廳“富士1546“,在茅屋道(Cottage Ave.37號的中餐館“小酒館馳(Bistro Chi)”,茅屋道39號賣小吃,漢堡和塔科(taco)的“卡馬休息室(Kama Lounge)”。
            位於茅屋道的這兩家餐廳,座落在昆士市政府有意買下,以拆除,重新打造昆士中心停車場的大樓內,
            梁戰士的表妹,原本在富士集團擔任辦公室經理的梁秀婷,去年底當選為昆士市不分區市議員。今年初宣誓就任後,當上市議會市中心委員會主席。她為避嫌,已辭去富士集團的工作。
            “板栗之西”是一項私人集資六千萬元的土地發展計畫,包括兩座六層樓高,共169戶公寓的樓宇,一樓留做餐廳及零售店面。其中面向興國街的65個公寓單位,預計今年5月啟用,其餘的104各單位,預計8越啟用。
            “板栗之西”發展商透露,在富士餐廳之外,另外3家企業租戶包括一家餐廳,一家健身中心,以及一家蛋糕烘培店。

            1998年時和梁戰士一起創辦富士集團的謝偉德透露,他打算在波士頓市的“墨水塊(Inc. Block)公寓大樓內,開一家新餐廳,還會在劍橋市再開一家。

上海張江波士頓企業園揭牌 中國科技部副部長王志剛出席

麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie Baker)(右)歡迎中國科技部副部長王志剛到訪。
(麻州府提供,Mark Steffen 攝)
右起,上海張江科技園常務副主任曹振全,中國駐紐約總領事館總領事章啟月,中國科技部
副部長王志剛,麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie Baker),美中合作發展委員會主席李建生,麻州
住宅及經濟發展部長Jay Ash等人為上海張江波士頓企業園揭牌。(周菊子攝
(Boston Orange 周菊子報導) 中國人進美國城市大舉買地,買樓,買企業的風潮,最近也正狂吹波士頓,最新一宗是26日上午在麻州政府大樓揭牌的上海張江波士頓企業園。
麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie Baker)、中國科技部副部長王志剛,中國駐紐約總領事館總領事章啟月大使,以及上海國家自主創新示範區管理委員會常務主任曹振全等人在五、六十名中美企業家出席的揭牌儀式中致詞。
麻州州長查理貝克(右一)在州長辦公室向企業家代表致詞。右二
為李建生,科技部副部長王志剛,駐紐約總領事章啟月。(周菊子攝)
麻州政府商務發展及國際貿易助理部長范文南(Nam Pham)透露,上海張江波士頓企業園座落在馬伯洛夫(Marlborough),佔地約10萬平方呎,將陸續有大約35家企業入駐。
根據其他消息來源,上海張江高新科技園區等斥資一千萬美元買下了包括一座大樓的該一地段。
麻州長查理貝克指出,中國北車,中國人壽及平安保險公司才剛進麻州,現在又有張江上海波士頓企業園,相信與近年一連開通了麻州到北京,上海,香港等三條直飛航線,不無關係,麻州樂見其成。
中國北車是年前拿到麻州政府5.67億元地鐵車廂訂單後,去年五月宣佈將投資六千萬美元,在春田市建總部及車間工廠。
中國人壽及平安這兩家中國最大的保險公司,是去年8月時宣佈,將斥資5億元,在波士頓四號碼頭(Pier 4)蓋座13層樓高的辦公大樓,以及9層樓高,共100個單位的住宅大樓。
促成上海張江波士頓企業園,並在揭牌儀式中擔任司儀,為麻州長翻譯的美中發展合作委員會主席李建生博士表示,麻州是做企業的黃金地帶,該會將持續推動這樣的中美合作。
去年三月進麻州落戶的中美企業創新中心(波士頓),也是李建生與搭擋Gene Hartigan引進的。
包括研發出世界上第一個磁控膠囊型內窺鏡系統的上海安翰醫療技術公司董事長吉朋松,創投公司飛馬旅營運長周林古,上海美戈信息執行長陳然,上海楊浦科技創新中心總經理暨國家技術轉移東部中心總裁謝吉華,海航物流董事長黃玕,上海寶騰生物技術董事長樓敬偉等,共有28家企業高管,26日下午還在州政府大樓和美國波士頓本地企業家舉行了一場座談會。

華裔的麻州眾議員黃子安,陳德基,波士頓市議會議長吳弭都特地出席,歡迎企業家們。








上海張江高新科技園區常務副主任曹振全。(周菊子攝)








星期五, 2月 26, 2016

UNDERCOVER OPERATION NETS OWNER AND BOOKKEEPER OF MAJOR COMMERCIAL FISHING BUSINESS FOR VIOLATING REGULATIONS

UNDERCOVER OPERATION NETS OWNER AND BOOKKEEPER OF MAJOR COMMERCIAL
FISHING BUSINESS FOR VIOLATING REGULATIONS
BOSTON – The owner of one of the largest commercial fishing businesses in the northeastern United States and his bookkeeper were arrested today on charges of conspiracy and submitting falsified records to the federal government to evade federal fishing quotas.  The charges arose out of an undercover investigation in which federal agents posed as organized crime figures interested in buying the fishing business.
Carlos A. Rafael, 64, and Debra Messier, 60, both of Dartmouth, were charged in a criminal complaint with submitting falsified records to the federal government and conspiracy.  They are scheduled to appear in U.S. District Court in Boston at 3:30 p.m. today.
According to court documents, Rafael owns Carlos Seafood, Inc., in New Bedford, which is one of the largest commercial fishing businesses in the northeastern United States.  The complaint alleges that for years, Rafael, with help from his bookkeeper, Messier, lied to federal authorities about the quantity and species of fish his boats caught, in order to evade federal quotas designed to guarantee the sustainability of certain fish species.  After submitting false records to federal regulators to conceal the violation of quotas, Rafael sold the fish to a business in New York City in exchange for bags of cash. 

        According to court documents, beginning in June 2015, two undercover federal agents posing as organized crime figures had several meetings with Rafael to negotiate the purchase of his business.  During those meetings, Rafael allegedly told the agents how he operated his business off-the-books by selling fish for cash.  This culminated in a meeting at Rafael’s office in New Bedford in January 2016, during which Rafael and Messier allegedly explained, step by step, what they called “the dance”:  the process by which Rafael and others coordinated with Rafael’s boat captains to falsify federal forms intended to track what was caught as well as forms designed to monitor the fish species purchased by Carlos Seafood.  Rafael also allegedly told the undercover agents that, in his most recent dealings with the New York City buyer, he earned $668,000 in less than six months.  Rafael allegedly smuggled some of the cash through Logan International Airport to Portugal.
The charge of submitting falsified records to the federal government provides for a sentence of no greater than 20 years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000 fine.  The charge of conspiracy provides for a sentence of no greater than five years in prison, three years of supervised release and a fine of $250,000.  Actual sentences for federal crimes are typically less than the maximum penalties.  Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and other statutory factors.
United States Attorney Carmen M. Ortiz; Manny J. Muriel, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the Internal Revenue Service’s Criminal Investigations in Boston; Rear Admiral Linda L. Fagan, Commander of the First Coast Guard District; Timothy Donovan, Acting Assistant Director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Office of Law Enforcement; Gregory K. Null, Special Agent in Charge of the Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General, Philadelphia Field Office; and Harold H. Shaw, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Field Division, made the announcement today.  The case is being prosecuted by Andrew E. Lelling, of Ortiz’s Economic Crimes Unit, and David G. Tobin, of Ortiz’s Major Crimes Unit. 

AG HEALEY SUES UNLICENSED FOR-PROFIT SCHOOL FOR DECEIVING STUDENTS SEEKING NURSING CAREERS

AG HEALEY SUES UNLICENSED FOR-PROFIT SCHOOL FOR DECEIVING STUDENTS SEEKING NURSING CAREERS
AG Healey Alleges Hosanna College of Health Targeted Haitian Community and Charged Thousands of Dollars For Programs that Failed to Lead to Nursing Jobs

BOSTON – Attorney General Maura Healey has sued a for-profit school operating in the Boston area over allegations that it operated without a license and misrepresented its training programs, leaving dozens of students in Massachusetts without promised careers in nursing.  

The complaint, filed today in Suffolk Superior Court, alleges that since 2013, Hosanna College of Health and its two founding executives, Jackson Augustin and Michelle Desarmes, actively recruited students from the Boston area’s Haitian community to take nursing classes in Massachusetts. They also falsely promised that the education would allow them to easily pass the mandatory national board exam in nursing, become licensed nurses in Massachusetts, and obtain full-time, well-paid nursing jobs. 

“These students invested their hopes and dreams in this program, but instead paid thousands of dollars for an ineffective, low-quality education that failed to provide a path to a nursing career,” AG Healey said. “We allege that this school aggressively recruited and misled students from the Haitian community in order to generate a profit. Our office will continue to investigate and act against predatory schools that take advantage of students in Massachusetts.”

Hosanna is not licensed to offer classes or grant degrees in Massachusetts. According to the complaint, classes were held in temporary spaces in Brockton and Randolph, and were taught by Hosanna employees, including Augustin and Desarmes, who flew into Massachusetts periodically to recruit students and to oversee classes. The school’s headquarters currently operates out of a rented building in South Florida.

Students, many of whom paid more than $10,000 for their education, were also promised a hands-on clinical component to their studies. Rather than seek state approval and locate clinical opportunities in Massachusetts, the AG’s Office alleges that Hosanna required students to pay additional money to travel to Florida multiple times during the nursing program for clinical training. Its clinical courses were of inferior quality, some as simple as requiring that students watch a video on labor and childbirth. 

Despite the school’s claims about the value of its education, the complaint alleges that, as of October 2015, less than 3 percent of Hosanna graduates had passed the national board exam in nursing. A passing grade is required in order for students to obtain a nursing license in Massachusetts. Students also reported that classes were often canceled and that they often did not receive test grades, which left them with no sense of their academic progress.

The AG’s Office is seeking restitution for students, including the return of tuition and fees, plus any money students paid to cover travel expenses to Florida for clinical training. The AG’s Office is also seeking civil penalties and injunctive relief for the school’s unfair and deceptive conduct. 
           
            The case against Hosanna is the most recent in a series of actions that Attorney General Healey has taken against predatory for-profit schoolsThe AG’s Office is currently in litigation with for-profit schools Corinthian Colleges and American Career Institute for alleged unfair and deceptive practices. The AG’s Office reached settlements worth more than $6 million with four additional for-profit schools in Massachusetts – Kaplan Career Institute, Lincoln TechSullivan & Cogliano and Salter College. In November, AG Healey announced action againststudent debt relief companies and the launch of a Student Loan Assistance Unit to assist borrowers who are having trouble paying their student loans.

Students looking for more information or assistance should visit the AG’s Student Lending Assistance page or call the Student Loan Assistance Unit Hotline at 1-888-830-6277.

Today’s matter is being handled by Assistant Attorneys General Tiffany Bartz and Claire Masinton, along withLegal Analyst David Lim and Paralegal Katherine Hurley, all of the Attorney General’s Insurance & Financial Services Division, with assistance from Investigator Anthony Crespi of the Civil Investigations Division.