REP. LIEU CALLS FOR GUN VIOLENCE SOLUTIONS - “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH”

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: June 17, 2016               
CONTACT: Jack d¹Annibale | jack.dannibale@mail.house.gov | 202-225-3976

REP. LIEU CALLS FOR GUN VIOLENCE SOLUTIONS - “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH”

Online, Rep. Lieu calls for an end to gun violence and urges his House colleagues to finally stand up to the NRA

 

“I’ve had enough of gun violence in America. I’ve had enough of Congressional Republicans blocking common sense gun safety legislation.”

“Since Newtown, there have been over 1100 mass shootings in America. 297 people are shot every day in our country – that means an American is shot every five minutes.”

“I’ve had enough of moments of silence, thoughts and prayers in Congress in the wake of mass shootings.”

“In fact, my thoughts and prayers are with those Republicans who cannot seem to find the courage to finally say, “ENOUGH IS ENOUGH” to the NRA.”

***

The Full Video can be found HERE.

CITY OF BOSTON LAUNCHES CULTURAL PLAN

CITY OF BOSTON LAUNCHES CULTURAL PLAN

Percent for Art, Funding for New Works and Housing for Artists Among First New Initiatives Mayor Cites Culture Shift, Collaboration as Critical Success Factors

BOSTON - Friday, June 17, 2016 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today launched the Boston Creates cultural plan: a ten-year initiative led by The City of Boston that will align public and private resources to strengthen cultural vitality over the long-term, and weave arts and culture into the fabric of everyday life.   The plan identifies five strategic goals and calls for a cultural shift in the way City government and the private sector approaches and prioritizes arts and culture. This approach will include leveraging current and future municipal investments, creating new partnerships, breaking down barriers that hinder participation in the arts, creating infrastructure that supports artists, and aligning resources towards the goal of making Boston a municipal arts leader.   Critical to achieving the vision of the plan is ensuring its long-term viability. This will include leadership and financial commitments from the City as well as the cultural, corporate and philanthropic sectors. In addition, the Mayor, as always, remains committed to strengthening existing and identifying new, sustainable sources of public revenue.     "We are already making substantial investments and policy changes that will have significant impacts across the city," said Mayor Walsh. "To fully achieve the goals of this plan will take time, ingenuity and collaboration, with City government, philanthropy, business and civic leaders, and the arts and culture community all working together to make the case for sustainable investment in the arts in Boston."     The City is working to create additional funding sources for the arts, including the announcement of a municipal Percent for Art programwhich will leverage the City's Five Year Capital Plan to invest in public art as part of major city construction and infrastructure projects. Through the capital plan, the Percent for Art Program would devote funding to public art equal to approximately 1% of the City's anticipated annual general borrowing.   Separately, the Department of Public Works has made a commitment to budget $100,000 for permanent public art as part of a road improvement project in Hyde Square.     As affordable housing for artists continues to be a challenge, today the Boston Housing Authority announced it will begin to set asidelow-income housing for artists in redevelopments. As part of the redevelopment of the Bunker Hill public housing development into a new mixed-income community in Charlestown, the Boston Housing Authority and its developer partner Corcoran-SunCal will set aside 10 units of low-income housing, available to income-eligible artists. Simultaneously, new guidelines will be created for the City of Boston Artist Certification Program.   The BHA and the developer have also pledged to set aside money for public art in the project, with the details to be announced in the coming months.   "It's no secret that high housing costs make it challenging for artists to live in Boston and we're committed to working with Mayor Walsh to find innovative solutions to this problem," said Bill McGonagle, BHA Administrator. "Setting aside units at the Bunker Hill public housing development and including money for public art in the budget are the first steps in helping Boston Creates reach its goal of making art accessible to all and keeping artists in Boston.  We're proud to do our part."    Ensuring arts and culture will reach across geographic and cultural borders, Imagine Boston 2030, the city's first comprehensive planning process in 50 years, will include a commitment to catalyze three neighborhood Arts Innovation Districts. Immediately, working with the Metropolitan Area Planning Council, the City will study ways to strengthen Upham's Corner as a cultural hub, building upon the City's investment in the Strand Theatre and integrating local businesses and arts into the economy. Two more locations will be identified through Imagine Boston 2030's public engagement process over the summer and into the fall.   To ensure sustained momentum over the long-term, implementation of the plan will require collaboration and leadership from the community. The Boston Foundation today announced the "Catalyze Creativity" Pooled Fund for Dance and Theater to provide critically needed, flexible support to small entities and artists working within the least institutionally-supported disciplines in the performing arts in Greater Boston - dance and theater, broadly defined. TBF will provide $500,000 per year for three years to pilot and establish this new mechanism of support within Greater Boston's arts ecology. The Barr Foundation will contribute $250,000 in the first year of the Fund.   During the community engagement phase of the process and in the final Boston Creates town hall, Bostonians across geographic locations and diverse communities expressed a desire to see greater cultural equity and access to the arts in their city. To meet this demand, The Boston Foundation has committed to launching a cultural equity study later in the year, exploring how cultural equity and access to the arts can be enhanced across the city. They will also devote funding to an artist housing strategy, which will identify how the region can create sufficient supplies of affordable residential, live/work and work studios to address the needs of artists. "The Boston Foundation is proud to provide significant funding to small organizations, collaborations, and artists historically deprived of institutional capital in Boston," said Paul S. Grogan, President and CEO of the Boston Foundation.  "The process of Boston Creates, so ably supported by the Barr Foundation and The Klarman Family Foundation, has demonstrated a shared commitment to meaningful change to our city's approach to supporting the arts. Mayor Walsh has elevated this urgent and timely conversation, and we must further come together as a community to provide the leadership and resources to bring our shared expectations to fruition and make Boston the preeminent arts city in America." Showcasing the types of partnerships it will seek to catalyze, the City announced Emerson College and the Mayor's Office of Workforce Development will partner to commission a feasibility study to look at designing and implementing a Creative Industries workforce program. It is expected that such a partnership would also utilize the area's community colleges to identify Bostonians who would be trained for jobs in the city's arts and culture institutions and industries.   In another new partnership, the Museum of Fine Arts Boston will advise the City of Boston on conservation of the City of Boston's art collection, sharing its expertise and best practices on care and preservation, as well as evaluating the current state of the collection. The City looks forward to leveraging the very specific expertise at the MFA in an effort to protect and preserve artwork owned by the City. In addition, the City and the MFA will work collaboratively to site sculpture from the MFA's collection on parkland contiguous to the museum's Huntington Ave. location.      Additionally, The Alternatives Spaces Pilot Project will use underutilized private space as rehearsal space for arts organizations. Beginning with space commitments from Massachusetts Eye & Ear, AT&T's flagship store on Boylston Street and the Plumbers Local 12 Union Hall, the Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture will help these entities write and distribute an RFP for use of their spaces for rehearsals on a regular basis, for a minimum of one-year commitment. The program will expand as other companies and organizations with available space step forward.     "We are particularly excited about this innovative, low-cost program," said Joyce Linehan, Chief of Policy for the City of Boston.  "It not only answers a need for rehearsal space that we heard loud and clear, but it also serves as an avenue for arts organizations to forge new cross-sectorial relationships with companies and institutions."   At the forefront of a cultural shift is creating the infrastructure that ensures artists can thrive in Boston. Guidelines for two new grant programs are forthcoming. The first is the Boston Opportunity Fund for Artists, a rolling grant program designed to help artists take advantage of immediate opportunities to showcase their work. $10,000 will be available monthly for distribution to artists, in amounts of $500 and $1,000. Later this year, the City will launch a highly competitive artist fellowship program. The City of Boston continues its second round of the innovative Boston AIR in which artists are in-residence in City agencies.   "Keeping artists in Boston and creating a fertile environment where they can work is a key goal of the cultural plan," said Julie Burros, Chief of Arts and Culture for the City of Boston. "From the establishment of an Artist Resource Desk to a significant increase in grant funding and creating ways to help artists take advantage of these grants, we are working to find ways to help Boston artists - veteran and new - showcase their work and thrive here."     About the Boston Creates Cultural Plan The cultural plan was created out of a year-long community engagement effort designed to help local government identify cultural needs, opportunities, and resources and to prioritize, coordinate, and align public and private resources to strengthen cultural vitality over the long term. The Boston Creates process was funded by The Barr Foundation and The Klarman Family Foundation. The full cultural plan can be found online at http://plan.bostoncreates.org.   A list of initiatives tied to today's launch of the cultural plan can be found here,designed to start Boston on the path to achieving the goals outline in the cultural plan. Additional initiatives will be added in the coming months.

Baker-Polito Administration to Declare June as “Great Outdoors Month”

Baker-Polito Administration to Declare June as “Great Outdoors Month”

Governor to Sign Proclamation at “Capital Campout” Event on Castle Island

CASTLE ISLAND - June 17, 2016 - Today, Governor Charlie Baker and his wife Lauren Baker will join with Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Matthew Beaton, Department of Conservation and Recreation (DCR) Commissioner Leo Roy, and fourth grade students from the Franklin D. Roosevelt School in Hyde Park and their families at historic Fort Independence on Castle Island to announce June as “Great Outdoors Month.” Governor Baker will make the announcement during the state’s second annual Capital Campout event, where he will sign a proclamation officially declaring the month as “Great Outdoors Month” to inspire citizens from across the Commonwealth to get outside in our state parks and enjoy nature.

“By declaring June as ‘Great Outdoors Month’, it is my hope that many will be encouraged to visit the Commonwealth’s valuable natural and recreational resources,” said Governor Charlie Baker.“Today’s Capital Campout event will be a great success, and I’m proud to have the opportunity to spend time with students from the Franklin D. Roosevelt School in Hyde Park to celebrate this special occasion.”

For the second year in a row, Governor Baker will sign the proclamation at Fort Independence on Castle Island during the Capital Campout event, which will provide students with the opportunity to sleep in tents on the historic island. Governor Baker, alongside students and their families, will participate in valuable camping skill development opportunities, including pitching a tent, safely starting and maintaining a campfire, and outdoor cooking.

“From the majestic Mount Greylock in the Berkshires to the beautiful beaches that line our shores, and everything in between, the Commonwealth of Massachusetts has tremendous recreational opportunities for everyone to get outside and celebrate Great Outdoors Month,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito.

Additionally, the Capital Campout event, which is part of a national effort to celebrate America’s great outdoors, will feature other fun activities including, storytelling; group singing; games; a fishing clinic; making s’mores; a tour of historic Fort Independence by costumed interpreters; and a live Birds of Prey demonstration.

“It is incredibly important that people of all ages and abilities incorporate physical activity within their daily routines to foster an active and healthy lifestyle,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton. “Our state parks system provides unparalleled access to some of the nation’s most exceptional environmental resources close to home, such as the nearby Blue Hills, and I urge everyone to get outside and enjoy Great Outdoors Month and our state parks all year long.”

Massachusetts offers unique natural landscapes such as mountain ranges, sandy beaches, universal access recreation trails within state forests, and urban green spaces. The DCR maintains over 250 state parks, which includes 87 ocean and inland beaches, 16 islands, 37 swimming pools, 29 campgrounds, 2,000 miles of greenways and trails, and 145 miles of paved biking trails, all of which are available to the public.

“With the summer recreational season now upon us, it is my hope that we all take advantage of the many opportunities that our state’s parks, forests, and beaches have to offer,” said DCR Commissioner Leo Roy. “The Baker-Polito Administration remains committed to providing recreational opportunities for people of all ages and abilities to enjoy.”

The “Capital Campout” event is made possible by the support and generosity of several businesses and organizations, including the Coleman Company, Inc., who are donating tents and camping supplies; Whole Foods and Sullivan’s, who are providing food; The Fishing Academy, who are providing fishing equipment and lessons; the Castle Island Association, who are providing assistance with tours and historic information; the Boston Tea Party Museum, who are providing costumed interpreters; New England Aquarium, who are providing a live sea creatures show; the Curley Community Center, who are providing an exercise instructor, and The American Recreation Coalition, who assist in organizing “Great Outdoors Month” and “Capital Campout” campaigns across the nation.

EVERETT MAN SENTENCED TO FIVE TO EIGHT YEARS IN PRISON FOR TRAFFICKING WOMAN AT SEVERAL MASSACHUSETTS HOTELS

EVERETT MAN SENTENCED TO FIVE TO EIGHT YEARS IN PRISON FOR TRAFFICKING WOMAN AT SEVERAL MASSACHUSETTS HOTELS

Defendant Coerced Woman into Sexual Servitude

SALEM – An Everett man has been sentenced to five to eight years in state prison on human trafficking and deriving support from prostitution charges in connection with coercing a woman into sexual servitude at several Massachusetts hotels, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today.

Steven Diaz, age 34, of Everett, was found guilty on June 10 by an Essex Superior Court jury on the charges of Trafficking of Persons for Sexual Servitude and Deriving Support from Prostitution.

Today, Judge John Lu sentenced Diaz to five to eight years in state prison.

“Pimps and traffickers, like this one, prey on our most vulnerable residents and profit off of their exploitation,” said AG Healey. “Human trafficking is not a victimless crime. We will continue to prosecute those committing these egregious crimes and to help prevent more victims from being brought into this horrible life.”

The AG’s Office, with assistance from the Essex District Attorney’s Office, began an investigation in May 2014 after Massachusetts State Police arrested Diaz and Marquis Campbell, of Hyde Park, following a motor vehicle stop during which a woman in the backseat asked the state trooper for help. They were later indicted by a Statewide Grand Jury in July 2014.

Authorities allege that Campbell and Diaz picked up the woman days before the arrest and coerced her into providing sexual services for a fee in hotels in several Massachusetts communities, namely Saugus and Danvers, over a three-day period.

Diaz, allegedly along with Campbell, took photos of the woman and subsequently used them to post advertisements offering sexual services on websites known to advertise prostitution. They transported the victim to hotels and to outcalls, coerced her to engage in sexual acts with multiple men, monitored the money being earned, and ultimately collected all of the proceeds.

Campbell also allegedly used threats of violence against the victim and raped her. He is charged with Trafficking of Persons for Sexual Servitude, Kidnapping, Deriving Support from Prostitution, and Rape (two counts). His trial is scheduled for Sept. 12 in Essex Superior Court.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Jennifer Snook, of the AG’s Human Trafficking Division, and Assistant Attorney General Kristyn Dusel, with assistance from Division Chief Deb Bercovitch. Nikki Antonucci, Chief of the AG’s Victim Services Division, Financial Investigator Daniel DeAngelis, and Paralegals Stephanie Haven and Emily Bartlett also assisted in the case. The investigation was conducted by the Massachusetts State Police assigned to the AG’s Office and Director Christopher Kelly and investigators from AG Healey’s Digital Evidence Lab, with assistance from Massachusetts State Police and the Essex District Attorney’s Office.

Governor Baker Declares June 20 – 26, 2016 “Massachusetts Pollinator Week”

Governor Baker Declares June 20 – 26, 2016 “Massachusetts Pollinator Week”

BOSTON – June 17, 2016 – Governor Charlie Baker, in support of National Pollinator Week, has declared June 20 – 26, 2016 as “Massachusetts Pollinator Week” - an opportunity to celebrate and protect our pollinator populations. Additionally, the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) will also celebrate the opening of the first state apiary, a collection of beehives to be used for education and research.

“Massachusetts Pollinator Week is an opportunity to raise awareness of the importance of pollination to our environment and agricultural industry, and the vital need to protect Massachusetts’ pollinators,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “I encourage all residents to learn more about our native pollinators and consider planting flowers, trees and other plants to provide pollinators with nectar, pollen and habitat.”

“This week, we appreciate the importance of pollinators to Massachusetts’ ecosystems, food sources and economy,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “Our administration is committed to preserving our native pollinator species and their habitats, and working with local beekeepers across the Commonwealth to ensure their hives are healthy and thriving.”

Pollinators include bees, birds, bats, butterflies and other species. Over 45 percent of agricultural commodities in Massachusetts rely on pollinator species for crop pollination and food production. There are approximately 4,500 honey beekeepers managing approximately 45,000 hives across the Commonwealth. Pollinator species provide significant environmental benefits that are necessary for maintaining healthy, diverse ecosystems, and produce valuable products including honey, propolis, royal jelly and wax.

The new state apiary at the University of Massachusetts Amherst will serve as a vessel for education, outreach demonstrations and research related to agricultural sustainability, pollination, honey bee health and hive management. The apiary consists of twelve honey bee hives located within an 80 foot by 30 foot plot situated adjacent to the UMass Pollinator Conservation Project.

The apiary will also be used by the UMass Beekeeping Club and for hives maintained for UMass beekeeping courses. The apiary was funded by appropriated FY16 funds for the DAR Apiary Program designated for projects that provide research, education and general support to benefit Massachusetts honey bees.

“Given the ability to do live, in-hive demonstrations onsite, this apiary will also be an important tool for providing outreach education to farmers, land managers, beekeepers and to the public in the Commonwealth on topics related to honey bees and agriculture,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Matthew Beaton. “Through the new state apiary and the Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources’ Apiary Program, we are working hard to educate the public about honey bees and support the Commonwealth’s honey beekeepers.”

In Amherst on June 20, 2016, Assistant Secretary for Environment Daniel Sieger will be joined by MDAR Commissioner John Lebeaux and representatives from UMass Amherst College of Natural Sciences for a tour of the new state apiary on the grounds of the UMass Agricultural Learning Center.

“The apiary has received considerable interest from students engaged in farming and sustainability,” said Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) Commissioner John Lebeaux. “Currently several are doing an internship with DAR to assist in hive management throughout the summer as well as conducting their own individual research projects related to hive vitality and pest management.”

“Making sure bees stay healthy and productive is necessary for vibrant agriculture,” said State Senator Anne Gobi (D-Spencer). “I appreciate the focus of the administration and look forward to continuing to work collaboratively with our many bee organizations to achieve that goal.”

“I applaud the initiative set forth by the Baker Administration and MDAR to recognize our vital pollinator populations here in Massachusetts,” said State Representative Paul Schmid (D-Westport). “We are incredibly fortunate to have so many active beekeepers that maintain thousands of hives throughout the Commonwealth in order to provide the well-known agricultural products that make our state so great and promote environmental stewardship.”

“This is an exciting collaboration for the Stockbridge School of Agriculture at UMass Amherst,” said Frank Mangan, Director of the Agriculture Learning Center. “Maintaining a state apiary with DAR provides our students, growers and bee keepers with preventative learning tools.” 

MDAR manages an Apiary Program that provides assistance to beekeepers to help them protect and maintain pollinators and their habitats.

Ray Campbellnamed Executive Director of Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA)

Baker-Polito Administration, Attorney Maura General Healey and State Auditor Suzanne Bump Appoint Ray A. Campbell III as Executive Director of Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA)

BOSTON – Today, the Baker-Polito Administration, Attorney General Maura Healey and State Auditor Suzanne Bump announced that Ray Campbell, the current Acting Executive Director of the Massachusetts Group Insurance Commission (GIC), has been named Executive Director of Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA) effective August 1, 2016.

“Ray Campbell’s extensive public and private sector health care and management expertise is perfectly suited to fill the important role of leading CHIA,” said Governor Charlie Baker.  “I wish former Executive Director Áron Boros the best with his new career endeavors and thank him for his leadership at CHIA.”

“CHIA’s mission to bring transparency to the incredibly complex world of health care demands strong and experienced leadership. As we strive to improve access to quality health care, it is more important than ever that we have the data we need to make smart health care policy,” said Attorney General Maura Healey. “I am confident that Ray is the right person to continue to ensure that policymakers and all health care stakeholders have the information they need to meet our goals.”

“Ray Campbell brings to CHIA not only energy, but also a depth of knowledge of health care issues, especially in the areas of policy, technology, and data,” said Auditor Suzanne M. Bump. “He brings a forward-looking vision for the agency that is well suited to serving the residents of the Commonwealth.”

“Ray’s public and private healthcare experience and leadership will ensure a smooth transition for CHIA and will help advance their important role in the Massachusetts healthcare community,” said Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders. “I thank Áron Boros for serving as the first Executive Director of CHIA and for his public service.  Áron built a good team and solid foundation for the agency and we are all committed to ensuring that good work continues.”

“I am incredibly excited to be joining CHIA at a time when data is critical to the success of our healthcare system,” said Ray Campbell.  “Massachusetts is a recognized national leader in both healthcare delivery and healthcare reform, and data will be an essential part of our efforts to improve both the quality and the efficiency of care. CHIA has an important role in making sure our health system has the data it needs to be successful, and I am looking forward to working with the staff at CHIA and with other stakeholders.” 

Campbell was formally a Commissioner of the GIC and has held a number of senior positions in the public and non-profit sectors.  For seven years, Mr. Campbell was the Chief Executive Officer of the Massachusetts Health Data Consortium, a non-profit organization that promoted the use of health IT and data to improve the healthcare system.  Prior, he served as the Executive Director and CEO of the Massachusetts Corporation for Educational Telecommunications.  He also worked in state government as the General Counsel for the Information Technology Division and as the Director of Special Projects for the Executive Office for Administration and Finance.  He has a Master’s in Public Administration from Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government, a law degree from Suffolk University, and a B.A. from Bates College.   

Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders also announced that effective immediately Steve McCabe will serve as CHIA’s Interim Executive Director until Campbell starts his position on August 1, 2016.  McCabe currently serves as CHIA’s Deputy Executive Director, Health Analytics and Finance.  

CITY OF BOSTON RELEASES AGE-FRIENDLY BOSTON INITIATIVE REPORT

CITY OF BOSTON RELEASES AGE-FRIENDLY BOSTON INITIATIVE REPORT

Report outlines strengths and weaknesses of growing older in Boston

BOSTON - Thursday, June 16, 2016 - The City of Boston's Commission on Affairs of the Elderly today released data from its Age-Friendly Boston Initiative. The Age-Friendly Boston project challenges the city's public agencies, community groups, businesses, cultural, educational and religious institutions to consider how changes to policy and practice can enhance the quality of life for Boston's aging residents. The report focuses on Boston residents' feedback on growing older in Boston. Mayor Martin J. Walsh was the first mayor in Massachusetts to adopt the age-friendly framework. "This data is another step forward in our goal to make Boston a welcoming city for all, including our older residents," said Mayor Walsh. "I look forward towards achieving our goal to make Boston the most age-friendly city in America." In response to the 2014 Aging in Boston report indicating an approximate 52% increase of the older population in Boston by 2030, Mayor Walsh signed onto the World Health Organization's (WHO) network of Age-Friendly Cities, through their United States partner AARP, and launched the Age-Friendly Boston Initiative. Under Mayor Walsh's leadership, the Elderly Commission formed a partnership with UMass Boston Gerontology Institute, supported by a grant from the Tufts Health Plan Foundation, to conduct research based on the guidelines set forth by the WHO. In the first phase of the initiative, it focused on gathering input directly from older residents about the strengths and weaknesses of growing older in Boston.    Key highlights from the data report include: An insufficient amount of housing is available to seniors in Boston, including housing with supports necessary for the elderly. About half of seniors are satisfied with the access and quality of health and social services in the city. The affordability of housing options to seniors is a barrier to maintaining one's home and to finding appropriate housing. Nearly 50% of all listening session recommendations centered on improving Boston's walkability. Feeling taken advantage of is one way seniors feel disrespected in their community. Seniors report a general lack of paid employment opportunities for seniors. The methods for collecting the data included: A Civic Academy with Mayor Walsh on February 28th, 2015 to kick off the project. 23 listening sessions in every neighborhood organized, in most neighborhoods, with the help of "senior liaisons." 3 language specific listening sessions in Spanish, Chinese and Haitian-Creole (the top three languages spoken by older residents in Boston). 3,700+ surveys completed-surveys available in the top six languages spoken in Boston. Consultations with service providers, non-profit organizations, senior groups, faith-based organizations, neighborhood associations and city departments. Once the data is released, the next steps include appointing an advisory council and drafting an action plan. Projects currently in the planning and implementation process are an Age-Friendly walking project with Walk Boston, a partnership with the Boston Parks and Recreation Department involving seniors' input in new park designs, a partnership with Tufts Human Nutrition Research on Aging Center to educate seniors on the new Senior MyPlate and seasonal cooking and walking event, and a partnership with Design for Aging (a subcommittee of the Boston Society of Architects) to utilize their expertise on city planning projects and the Walk Boston project. As part of Mayor Walsh's ambitious Boston 2030 Housing Plan, the City of Boston is working to address the number of low-income senior households living in Boston who wish to remain in their existing housing as long as they are financially and physically able. Since 2014, almost 600 senior households have been able to retain their housing with City assistance. 325 low-income senior renters were able to retain their housing through homelessness prevention programs, and 260 senior homeowners were stabilized in their housing through major home repair programs and foreclosure prevention services. Four new elderly affordable housing developments were completed in 2015, adding 192 units. In addition, the City now has three affordable senior developments in the pipeline, and has renewed its commitment to affordable senior housing, adding a new $1.75 million budget line item in FY16. Mayor Walsh also launched Seniors Save, a proactive heating system replacement program for senior citizen homeowners in Boston. Aging and inefficient heating systems are replaced before a catastrophic failure results in no heat for a senior. New, more energy efficient heating systems result in both capital and fuel savings for the senior homeowner, which can be used to stabilize the senior homeowner's budget for items such as food and medicine. The Age-Friendly Boston Initiative report is available in full on Age-Friendly Boston's blog: https://agefriendlyboston.files.wordpress.com/2016/06/afb-report_6-15.pdf About Age-Friendly Societies The guiding principle of an Age-Friendly society focuses on designing livable communities that promote good health, strong civic participation and clear communication. That means safe, walkable streets; offering better housing and transportation options; improving access to key services and providing opportunities to be socially engaged. It means sustaining economic growth and enabling happier, healthier residents.

Baker-Polito Administration Announces Funding for Research to Reduce Whale Entanglements

Baker-Polito Administration Announces Funding for Research to Reduce Whale Entanglements

Grants Will Fund Development and Testing of Reduced Breaking Strength Rope for Fishermen

BOSTON – June 16, 2016 – Energy and Environmental Affairs (EEA) Secretary Matthew Beaton today announced $180,000 for the New England Aquarium’s Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life to develop a modified rope for fishermen to reduce the entanglement of endangered whales and other marine species. In a separate initiative, Beaton announced an additional $19,000 grant from the Massachusetts Environmental Trust (MET) for the South Shore Lobster Fishermen’s Association to field test a rope that uses sections of reduced breaking strength, as well as colors that may be more visible to whales.

“The development of fishing equipment which will help ensure the safety of sea life could be a critical tool in reducing North Atlantic right whale mortality and preserving this majestic species,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “With this funding, our administration continues to act upon our commitment to protecting native species while also supporting Massachusetts’ vital commercial fishing industry.”

“Through the work of the New England Aquarium and South Shore Lobster Fishermen’s Association, we will not only protect the approximately 525 remaining North Atlantic right whales, including those off Massachusetts’ coast, but will also provide guidance to fishermen, managers and researchers all over the world who are grappling with this problem,” said Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito.

Research by the New England Aquarium has shown a connection between the severity of whale entanglements and the breaking strength of ropes. With the $180,000 grant from EEA, the New England Aquarium will work to develop reduced breaking strength rope prototypes that are workable for the fishing industry and could minimize the severity of whale entanglements.  The ropes will likely have a breaking strength of 1700 lbs or less, as well as colors that may be more visible to whales. The South Shore Lobstermen’s Association will assist the Aquarium with field testing the developed prototypes.

“We are proud to support our partners at the New England Aquarium and the South Shore Lobster Fishermen’s Association in their efforts to find an innovative solution to ensure the safety of large marine animals while allowing fishermen to safely fish the waters off of the coast of the Commonwealth,” said EEA Secretary Matthew Beaton.

With the $19,000 grant to the South Shore Lobstermen’s Association, working lobstermen will field test rope developed by Novabraid which uses sections of reduced breaking strength.

For the past six years, MET has been providing funds to the Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF) to support the Center for Coastal Studies’ at-sea work to free large whales and sea turtles from life-threatening entanglements. Bringing the total to $750,000, MET is providing $150,000 in fiscal year 2017.

Entanglement in fishing gear is the leading cause of human induced mortality for large whales.  North Atlantic right whales are the most endangered large whale in the North Atlantic, with a population of approximately 525 animals. Eighty-three percent of North Atlantic right whales bear evidence of entanglement.

“A recent study led by New England Aquarium researchers has shown that many of the ropes used in fishing have become too strong for whales to easily break when they become entangled,” said Amy Knowlton, a whale scientist with the New England Aquarium. “Motivated by this finding, Aquarium scientists have teamed up with engineers, rope manufacturers and fishermen to develop and test a new generation or ropes that hold up the rigors of fishing but lead to fewer lethal whale entanglements. By working together on this challenging issue that impacts large whales throughout the world, we can lead the way in finding a solution that works for both whales and fishermen.”

“We in the commercial lobster industry are committed to using the best available science to co-exist with the North Atlantic Right Whale,” said John Haviland, President of the South Shore Lobster Fishermen’s Association. 

The Anderson Cabot Center for Ocean Life at the New England Aquarium applies cutting-edge marine research, data-driven conservation solutions, and public engagement to ensure a future for the oceans in which resources are used sustainably, critical species and habitats are protected, and ecosystems are managed wisely. 

The Massachusetts Environmental Trust’s whale conservation grants are funded by extra fees from whale license plates purchased at the RMV.

湯威頤教你創意

Cambridge, MA, June, 11, 2016 – 玉山科技協會於六月十一舉行創意講座，邀請湯 威頤博士來和大家探討創意發想。湯博士為玉山科技協會的董事之一，前IBM副總 裁，現為I3nsight的董事長，同時也具備科學家、作家、顧問及語言學家的身分。 從紐約親駕到波士頓，湯博士帶領現場三十多位參與的專業人士重新思考如何發展 和展示一個有創意的計劃。湯博士透過參加者提供的例子說明如何精簡敘述創意想 法的語句，評估其理念並提高創意度。 第二階段湯博士介紹了創意和創新的定義和歷史，他強調這是兩個不同的概念，因 為後者需要創意的延伸。隨後，他介紹了以矩陣表示的思考模式，以及一套營運方 式以探索，評估和改進思想。參與者可以運用這個想法矩陣和創造性運用機制套入 自己的想法，湯博士也用他本身的生活經驗套用到這個公式上作為說明的範本。 湯威頤博士為I3nsight的董事長，曾任職IBM的策略提案執行、IBM中國技術合作委 員會的第一任總經理。此外，湯博士被欽點為1994年夏季奧運會客戶關係技術執行， 以及長野冬奧會資訊技術系統經理。湯博士曾任職財富百大企業和政府機構，包括 台灣，芬蘭和經濟論壇顧問。他在麻省理工的博士論文為研究產品的開發和決策理 論。 玉山新英格蘭科技協會(MJNE)是位於大波士頓地區的非盈利性組織。成員包括主要 來自擁有共同的願景的科學和技術領域的專業人士，在本地和國際透過分享交流， 創造商業機會及促成各方專業合作。玉山新英格蘭科技協會為北美和亞洲全球玉山 社群，八個分會的其中一支。

CAMBRIDGE MAN PLEADS GUILTY, SENTENCED FOR COLLECTING NEARLY $18,000 IN UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS WHILE WORKING

CAMBRIDGE MAN PLEADS GUILTY, SENTENCED FOR COLLECTING NEARLY $18,000 IN UNEMPLOYMENT BENEFITS WHILE WORKING

BOSTON – A Cambridge man has pleaded guilty and has been sentenced in connection with collecting nearly $18,000 in unemployment benefits while he continued to work, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today. 

Scott M. MacPherson, age 44, of Cambridge, pleaded guilty to the charges of Larceny over $250 by False Pretenses (2 counts) and Unemployment Fraud (30 counts) in Suffolk Superior Court.

After the plea was entered, Judge Peter Krupp sentenced MacPherson to five years of probation. MacPherson was also ordered to pay restitution in the amount of $17,812.

“This defendant defrauded the system by collecting close to $18,000 in unemployment benefits while continuing to work.” said AG Healey. “Unemployment helps people who really need it bridge the gap between jobs, and is a benefit that when properly accessed can help bring stability to individuals and families. We will continue to work to ensure that those who take unfair advantage of the system are held accountable.”

This investigation was referred to the Attorney General’s Office by the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development’s Department of Unemployment Assistance (EOLWD\DUA).

“We are vigilant and determined to protect the Trust Fund, so benefits are available for legitimate claimants,” Robert Cunningham, director of the Department of Unemployment Assistance, said. “I appreciate the ongoing work of my staff, and the collaboration with the staff of the Attorney General in bringing criminals like Mr. MacPherson to justice.”

Authorities found that for 30 weeks between July 2013 and October 2014, MacPherson applied for and received unemployment benefits from EOLWD\DUA.

During that time, MacPherson was working full-time at a scaffolding company and failed to disclose his employment status to EOLWD\DUA. For each of the weeks that MacPherson fraudulently collected unemployment benefits, he notified the EOLWD\DUA that he was available for work, but that he had not been offered employment.

MacPherson collected $17,812 in unemployment benefits while working full time, earning an income in excess of his weekly benefits.

The Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA) provides temporary assistance to unemployed workers through the Unemployment Insurance (UI) program, which is funded by employer contributions. Private employers are required to pay quarterly contributions into the trust fund based on the number of workers they employ and how often their workers have accessed UI benefits, among other factors.

DUA’s Program Integrity Department focuses on the prevention, detection and the investigation of those who defraud or attempt to defraud the unemployment insurance program. Once fraud is detected, the Program Integrity Department works aggressively with the Attorney General’s office and other agencies to recover money owed to the UI Trust Fund.

AG Healey’s Insurance and Unemployment Fraud Unit works to protect consumers and the integrity of the insurance system by investigating and prosecuting those who commit fraud against all types of insurers, including the Commonwealth’s unemployment insurance and workers’ compensation systems.

To report unemployment fraud call the EOLWD/DUA’s Fraud Hotline @ 1-800-354-9927or visit: www.mass.gov/lwd/ui-fraud anytime, 24 hours a day. Callers may remain anonymous.

This case was handled by Assistant Attorney General Joshua Pakstis of AG Healey’s Insurance and Unemployment Fraud Unit, with assistance from investigator Philip Mantyla of the Attorney General’s Office and investigators from the DUA.