Baker-Polito Administration Awards $28 Million in Community Development Block Grants

Baker-Polito Administration Awards $28 Million in Community Development Block Grants

57 communities set to receive flexible funding for housing, infrastructure and community services

BOSTON – Today the Baker-Polito Administration awarded 34 Community Development Block Grants, totaling $28 million, to a total of 57 cities and towns across the Commonwealth. The Community Development Block Grant program provides competitive funding that allows municipalities to pursue economic development projects, and support the needs of low- and moderate-income residents.

“Our assistance to municipalities is most effective when it provides flexibility to directly support their established goals,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Community Development Block Grants provide for investment in wide-ranging improvements that will bring long-term, positive impacts in these communities.”

This year’s Community Development Block Grant awards will allow municipalities across Massachusetts to redevelop housing and local infrastructure, and provide for a variety of social services, including childcare assistance, elder services and domestic violence prevention programs.    

“Residents across the Commonwealth will see marked improvements in the livability of their communities through these Community Development Block Grant awards,”said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “These awards will help further progress at the local level, and allow municipalities to pursue a bright future for their community.”

The CDBG awards this year will support numerous efforts to support and improve access to housing and services across the Commonwealth. Funds will provide for housing rehabilitation for almost 300 units, along with infrastructure improvements across communities. Awards will also support improvements to a community center in North Adams, provide youth leadership, family literacy and elder services to families in Montague, facility improvements to West Springfield’s Boys and Girls Club, fund a fuel assistance program in Winchendon and Ashby, among many other projects.

“Ensuring municipalities have the resources to invest in housing, infrastructure and social services is crucial to the future of Massachusetts,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash. “Community Development Block Grants directly support economic growth and community development and empower communities to tackle challenges with home-grown solutions.”

“The Community Development Block Grant program provides flexible funding that complements local aid and increases coordinated local action,” said Undersecretary for Housing and Community Development Chrystal Kornegay. “Continued, comprehensive partnerships between the state and municipalities are vital to meet the Commonwealth’s needs for affordable housing and our shared vision of a livable, affordable Massachusetts.”

Massachusetts’ Community Development Block Grant Program is a federally funded, competitive grant program designed to help small cities and towns meet a broad range of community development needs. Assistance is provided to qualifying cities and towns for housing, community, and economic development projects that assist low and moderate-income residents, or by revitalizing blighted areas.

Project Awards and Descriptions:

ABINGTON and WHITMAN will receive $800,000 to provide housing rehabilitation assistance for 20 units of housing, and to support a food pantry.

AMESBURY and MERRIMAC will receive $967,953 to provide housing rehabilitation assistance for 20 units of housing, and for food pantry support and emergency homelessness services.

AMHERST will receive $825,000 for Boltwood Walk accessibility improvements, Health Center HVAC improvements, Housing Authority modernization projects, and to provide services related to homelessness, after-school and literacy programming, youth mentoring and family stabilization.

ATHOL will receive $593,022 for infrastructure improvements to Grove and Main Streets, and to provide housing rehabilitation assistance for 5 units of housing.

BERNARDSTON, ROWE and GILL will receive $1,000,000 to provide housing rehabilitation assistance for 18 units of housing, and to provide a fuel assistance program.

CHELSEA will receive $825,000 for improvements to Hawthorne Street, housing rehabilitation assistance for 8 units of housing, code enforcement, a housing study and social service assistance to include after school/summer programs, ESOL, homelessness prevention and citizenship training.

CHESTERFIELD, CUMMINGTON, GOSHEN, PERU, PLAINFIELD, WESTHAMPTON and WORTHINGTON will receive $894,110 to provide housing rehabilitation assistance for 13 units of housing, and to provide childcare assistance, elder services and a food pantry.

CLINTON will receive $749,635 for infrastructure improvements to Nelson Street, housing rehabilitation assistance for 8 units of housing, and to provide elder services.

DENNIS will receive $825,000 to provide housing rehabilitation assistance for 17 units of housing, childcare vouchers for approximately 50 families, and financial literacy training.

EASTHAMPTON will receive $800,000 to provide improvements in the Admiral Street neighborhood, and for housing rehabilitation assistance for 3 units of housing.

EDGARTOWN, WEST TISBURY and GOSNOLD will receive $805,714 to provide housing rehabilitation assistance for 15 units of housing, and childcare vouchers to approximately 30 families.

EVERETT will receive $825,000 for public facilities infrastructure improvements, housing rehabilitation assistance for 5 units of housing, microenterprise assistance to 8 businesses, and social service assistance to include elder self-sufficiency, homelessness prevention, ESOL, youth services and a food pantry.

FAIRHAVEN will receive $695,551 for Housing Authority parking improvements, and infrastructure design services.

GARDNER will receive $825,000 for public facilities improvements, housing rehabilitation for 3 units of housing, downtown planning services, and to support homebuyer education and job training and domestic violence services.

GREENFIELD will receive $825,000 for housing rehabilitation assistance for 9 units of housing, infrastructure improvements to School Street, and to support a food pantry, youth and elder services.

HARDWICK will receive $796,836 for infrastructure improvements to Prospect and Broad Streets, municipal building accessibility improvement design, and domestic violence prevention services.

HOLBROOK and ROCKLAND will receive $710,496 to provide housing rehabilitation assistance for 16 units of housing, and to provide a fuel assistance program.

HUNTINGTON, MIDDLEFIELD and CHESTER will receive $753,226 for infrastructure improvements to Pleasant Street, a senior center feasibility study, housing rehabilitation assistance for 7 units of housing, and to provide senior services, adult education, a food pantry and domestic violence prevention services.

METHUEN will receive $812,825 for sidewalk improvements in the Arlington neighborhood, housing rehabilitation assistance for 8 units of housing, and to support adult literacy, youth services, elder services and childcare assistance.

MONTAGUE will receive $816,263 for housing rehabilitation assistance for 4 units of housing, lighting improvements to Avenue A, and to provide youth leadership, family literacy and elder services.

NORTH ADAMS will receive $825,000 for improvements to a community center, park improvements, a historic properties inventory, and social services.

OAK BLUFFS and TISBURY will receive $782,495 to provide housing rehabilitation assistance for 15 units of housing, and childcare vouchers for approximately 55 families.

PALMER will receive $807,862 for infrastructure improvements to Stewart Street, to provide housing rehabilitation assistance for 4 units of housing, and to support financial literacy and domestic violence prevention services.

SHEFFIELD and GREAT BARRINGTON will receive $923,983 to provide housing rehabilitation for 14 units of housing, Sheffield Town Hall accessibility improvements, and design for new sidewalks and for circulation, drainage, and parking capacity improvements at the Housatonic Community Center.

SHELBURNE, BUCKLAND and COLRAIN will receive $961,382 for improvements to North Street (Buckland), to provide housing rehabilitation assistance for 5 units of housing, and to support a food pantry.

SOUTHBRIDGE will receive $825,000 for infrastructure improvements at Overland Street, to support the rehabilitation of a public building, and for commercial rehabilitation assistance for 3 signage and awning upgrades in the downtown target area.

SOUTHWICK and GRANVILLE will receive $900,000 to provide housing rehabilitation assistance for 9 units of housing, infrastructure improvements at Veteran Street, and a food pantry.

TRURO, PROVINCETOWN and WELLFLEET will receive $756,952 to provide housing rehabilitation assistance for 12 units of housing, and childcare vouchers for approximately 33 families.

WARE will receive $800,000 for infrastructure improvements to Prospect Street, for design services for Bank and Spring Street improvements, and to support for domestic violence prevention services.

WAREHAM will receive $825,000 for housing rehabilitation assistance for 9 units of housing, for a slum and blight study for Onset, for street design at Wareham Village, and to support for a food pantry, homelessness prevention, at-risk youth, and domestic violence and transportation services.

WARREN, HARDWICK and WARE will receive $724,000 for School Street neighborhood design, housing rehabilitation assistance for 14 units of housing, and for support services related to adult education, community health, and domestic violence prevention.

WEBSTER will receive $825,000 for infrastructure improvements to Tracy Court and Davis Street, and for housing rehabilitation assistance for 10 units of housing.

WEST SPRINGFIELD will receive $825,000 for improvements to Memorial Playground, housing rehabilitation assistance for 11 units of housing, code enforcement, Boys and Girls Club facility improvements, and support for services related to family self-sufficiency and homebuyer programs, ESOL, camp scholarships and Head Start.

WINCHENDON and ASHBY will receive $1,000,000 for improvements to Walnut Street, housing rehabilitation assistance for 12 units of housing, and for a fuel assistance program.

Governor Baker Raises Concerns over Potential Ban on American Lobsters

Governor Baker Raises Concerns over Potential Ban on American Lobsters

Letter to European Commission Cites Possible Impact to North American and Commonwealth Fishing Industry, Economy

BOSTON – June 21, 2016 – Today, Governor Charlie Baker sent a letter to the European Commission’s Director General of Environment voicing concern over the Swedish Ministry of Environment and Energy’s recently submitted risk assessment which stands to result in a potential ban on the importation of American lobsters to the European Union.

In his correspondence, Governor Baker highlighted the detrimental economic impacts a ban would have both on North America and the Commonwealth’s commercial fishing industry. Citing the trans-Atlantic lobster trade as being valued at closely $196 million a year and accounting for nearly one-fifth of all United States lobster exports, Governor Baker told the Director General, “Both North America and Europe benefit from the market and this potential ban could create a significant disruption for New England lobstermen.”

Elaborating upon the harmful economic impacts of any such prohibition, Governor Baker informed European officials, “The economic impacts of a ban on the importation of American lobsters will be significant for U.S. and Canadian fishermen, seafood distributors here and in Europe, and to European customers.”

Further, to rebuke the assertions contained in the Swedish Ministry of Environment and Energy’s evaluation, Governor Baker highlighted the recent work of Massachusetts’ leading lobster biologists. Utilizing findings from a multi-agency, comprehensive review of Sweden’s risk assessment, Governor Baker reiterated that, “the invasive threat from American lobsters is minimal, and likely not consistent with the Swedish Ministry’s conclusion.”

Building upon a commitment to the Commonwealth’s vital commercial fishing industry, Governor Baker encouraged the European Commission to “consider the findings of the multi-agency report and to engage in a productive dialogue with our deferral partners to continue the responsible transatlantic trade of live American lobsters.”

七名麻州政客競選經費比參選總統的川普還多

(Boston Orange)在美國的選舉，選票固然重要，競選經費更舉足輕重。今年美國總統大選的兩黨候選人，在競選經費上有天壤地別的差距，甚至麻州本地，都有7名從政者，競選財庫比共和黨總統候選人川普（Donald Trump）還豐厚。

波士頓環球報26日的一篇報導指出，共和黨美國總統候選人川普的截至六月初可用現金，只有大約130萬元，民主黨的美國總統候選人希拉蕊（Hillary Clinton）則有4200萬元，距離相當不小。

麻州有好幾名政客和幾名最近宣布退選的美國總統參選人，競選財庫也都比川普大。

這些人包括，聯邦參議員沃倫（Elizabeth Warren），財庫內有$3,636,707。麻州州長查理貝克（Charlie Baker），有 $3,584,038。聯邦眾議員尼爾（Richard Neal），有 $2,727,433。聯邦眾議員約瑟夫甘迺迪三世（Joseph Kennedy III），有$2,191,028。聯邦參議員馬基（Ed Markey）有 $1,949,611 。波士頓市長馬丁華殊（Martin Walsh）有 $1,484,458。麻州副州長白莉朵（Kathryn Polito）有$1,474,867。

這些政客的財庫金額記錄，聯邦政府層級的是截至3月底的數目，州及市府層級的是截至6月15日的數目。

就連已經不再是民選代表，曾於1993年至2007年間擔任聯邦眾議員，如今是麻州大學系統總校長的馬丁米罕（Marty Meehan），都有比川普還大的選舉財庫，截至3月31日還有 $4,356,437。

            原本和川普角逐提名的幾個共和黨參選人，手裡藏金量也比川普高，截至5月31日止，克魯茲（Ted Cruz），有$6,839,595，卡森（Ben Carson）有 $1,785,123。

            民主黨還未宣佈退選的山德斯（Bernie Sanders），截至5月31日，也有$9,235,391。

            有些人認為，川普的競選獻金錢不多，顯示了他準備不周，在挑戰希拉蕊上處於不利地位。其他人則說，川普少花錢，少聘員工的競選模式，已被視為有效率的做法。

Catalyst Introduces Waterproof Case for 12.9” and 9.7” iPad Pro and Limited Edition Apple Watch Case at CE Week in New York, Booth 261

- Expanded U.S. Distribution to Include Retail Partners Best Buy, WestMarine and InMotion Entertainment

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NEW YORK– June 21, 2016 – Catalyst, the manufacturer of the world’s most protective and versatile iPhone cases and waterproof accessories, will introduce the Catalyst case for the 12.9" iPad Pro, the only fully functional waterproof, everyday case in the world for this device, at CE Week in New York.

Catalyst is also announcing Catalyst Exclusives, a collection of special edition products available for a limited time on www.catalystcase.com. Featured products include a premium aluminum version of the award-winning Catalyst case for the Apple Watch. Made of premium materials with an anodized aluminum case, supple adjustable wrist strap with matching signature rotating crown dial and button, it perfectly complements the Apple Watch and makes it waterproof to 5ATM.  Catalyst Exclusives will also feature a limited edition version of the Catalyst Waterproof Sleeves in a translucent white waterproof shell with a quilted orange inner organizer.

“Catalyst is continuously designing and developing new solutions to keep ahead of the demand for fashionable and functional solutions that protect Apple products in almost any environment,” said June Lai, CEO of Catalyst Lifestyle. “CE Week brings out the top tier tech enthusiasts, journalists and buyers, who are looking to Catalyst for the latest in our space.  We’re bringing the first waterproof solutions on the market for the 12.9” iPad Pro in the form of a Catalyst waterproof case and a Limited Edition Catalyst waterproof sleeve and are very excited to unveil the new Limited Edition Apple Watch cases. We are excited to get these great new additions into the hands of customers this summer.”

台灣第二屆唐獎頒給開發基因剪接的張鋒等三人

唐獎第二屆生技醫藥獎得主　啓動基因編輯革命

唐獎今公布生技醫藥獎得主，由法國的伊曼紐．夏彭提耶（Emmanuelle Charpentier）、美國的珍妮佛．道納（Jennifer A. Doudna）與華裔美籍的張鋒（Feng Zhang）三人共同獲得，表彰其在CRISPR/Cas9基因編輯技術上的貢獻，將大幅改革生醫研究與疾病治療的策略，極具潛力治療人類各種疾病。

理解各別基因的功能與他們之間互動的模式，是解開生命謎團的關鍵，使人類得以發展疾病治療策略。長久以來，科學家夢想有朝一日可以精準有效率地修正特定基因，並且「編輯」剔除有缺陷的基因。感謝今年唐獎生技醫藥獎得主們，「有朝一日」便是「今日」。過去曾發展數種方式可以進行基因體編輯，但是由這三位得獎者所開發的CRISPR/Cas9平台，在效率、精準度和敏銳度上，大勝以往。

夏彭提耶博士和道納博士將原本細菌中的CRISPR/Cas9系統，簡化成易於操作、可以程式化的雙分子系統，使基因體編輯更有效率。同一時間，張鋒博士對Cas9系統進行自己獨立的改良實驗，率先在哺乳類和人類細胞進行成功的基因體編輯。而後更進一步改良「同時編輯多個基因」、以及「同源性基因修復」的實驗方法。這三位傑出科學家的成就，大幅改革了基因體編輯平台，使其程式化、普及化、並且得以量化。自從2012和2013年刊出以來，全球上百乃至上千間實驗室皆利用此平台進行人類及各種生物細胞的遺傳工程，包括：斑馬魚、植物、猴子、豬和小鼠。許多人相信這是繼基因選殖技術（cloning）和聚合酶連鎖反應（PCR）以來，基因體研究史上最偉大的科技發展之一。因此，這三位科學家獲選本屆生技醫藥獎項的共同得獎人，他們將一起平分4千萬獎金和1千萬的指定研究推廣經費。

唐獎評選委員會表示， CRISPR/Cas9系統已改變人們做遺傳實驗的方法，更是將研發的閘門大開，造福人類的疾病新療法，將如滔滔江水，連綿不絕，將來甚至有機會用在新生物能源的開發或作物的改良。無庸置疑，此三人的成就與貢獻，將造福全體人類健康與社會福址。（駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處經濟組提供）

  

伊曼紐．夏彭提耶博士，一位法國籍之微生物學家，在病原細菌的感染與免疫調控機制研究上，被公認為世界首屈一指的專家。現職為德國馬克斯‧普朗克傳染病生物學研究所（Max Planck Institute for Infection Biology），傳染病生物學調控部門的部長。在CRISPR的發展中，其主要的貢獻在於發現Cas9蛋白的活性仰賴tracrRNA。

珍妮佛．道納博士目前在美國加州大學柏克萊分校（University of California, Berkeley），擔任化學及分子暨細胞生物學系教授，是霍華德‧休斯醫學研究所（HHMI）的研究員，同時也是美國國家科學院院士。身為著名的RNA結構生物學家，他曾研究核酶、內轉譯子（IRES）、和較後來的Cas9/RNA交互作用。crRNA與tracrRNA可以融合成單鏈引導RNA（sgRNA）辨識目標序列，被認為是他和夏彭提耶博士的共同功勞。

張鋒博士目前任職麻省理工學院（MIT），是麥戈文腦科學研究所（McGovern Institute for Brain Research）的研究員、博德研究所（Broad Institute）的核心成員，且在MIT擔任腦與認知科學及生物工程副教授。他是一位華裔美籍之生物工程學家，致力於開發工具來研究神經科學與人類疾病。他先前的研究造就了「光遺傳學」科技，應用在神經細胞的再生。在CRISPR技術的發展中，其主要的貢獻在於率先使其適用於人體細胞。