Mayor Walsh Endorses Steve Tompkins for Reelection as Suffolk County Sheriff

Mayor Walsh Endorses Steve Tompkins for Reelection as Suffolk County Sheriff

Boston, MA - Suffolk County Sheriff Steve Tompkins received the endorsement of Boston Mayor Marty Walsh inside Dorchester's Florian Hall this past Thursday night. 

Surrounded by a teeming crowd of 100-plus supporters representing a mosaic of different ethnicities, elected offices and organizations gathered together in celebration of his birthday, Sheriff Tompkins was delivered an emphatic statement of support by Mayor Walsh.

"When you look around the room and see the diversity, and when you look at the elected officials and consider the diversity of the neighborhoods that they represent, you see the respect that this man has from the community," said Mayor Walsh. "I knew Steve from the work that he did with his predecessor and I got to know him even better as Sheriff after I was elected as Mayor, and I've watched what he's done with the office. In the past, the job of the sheriff was to take people who were sent to prison, hold them for their sentence, and then open the door and send them on their way. When Sheriff Tompkins came into office, he began working to ensure that people left prison better than they were when they came in. He's making our streets better and he's making our neighborhoods better. He's making an impact across the city and throughout the county, and I'm working to make sure that we send him back into office."  

Returning the sentiment, Sheriff Tompkins spoke about his great appreciation of the endorsement and about the man who had given it.

"This mayor in his first term, following in the footsteps of a 20-year incumbent, has rolled up his sleeves and taken this city into the 21st century," said Sheriff Tompkins. "Mayor Walsh and I share a couple of things in common," he continued. "Life wasn't easy for either of us as we were coming up. But, we both grew up remembering where we came from and wanting to make life easier for those around us based on our experiences. "Together, we are working mightily to make this city, this county and this state the safest and most vibrant place to raise our children to be successful. I am so honored and appreciative to have his endorsement, but, even more importantly, I'm honored to have his friendship."

Appointed to the position in 2013, Sheriff Tompkins won election in 2014 as a first-time candidate with over 83% of the vote. As the Sheriff of Suffolk County, Tompkins manages all operations at the Suffolk County House of Correction, the Nashua Street Jail and the Civil Process Division. In addition to providing care, custody and rehabilitative support for inmates and pretrial detainees, Tompkins also oversees a management, security, and administrative staff of over 1,000. Sheriff Tompkins holds a Bachelor's Degree in Communications from Boston College and a Master's Degree in Public Affairs from the University of Massachusetts. 

波士頓市長高調支持亞裔食肆提高最低工資 Bon Me 時薪調至13元

Bon Me 為員工提高最低工資到$13時薪;

計劃在2018年把最低工資提升到每小時$ 15

波士頓市經濟發展長巴洛斯（左起），波士頓市議會議長和 Bon Me
共同創辦人鄺樂怡，華人前進會榮譽主席哩速影，共同主任陳玉珍
等人在餐車前合影。（圖由華人前進會提供）

（麻州洛斯百利訊）波士頓市長馬丁華殊（Martin Walsh），市議會議長吳弭（Michelle Wu）等政要，8月15日與Bon Me飲食集團創辦人，鄺樂怡、Patrick Lynch高調舉行發布會，以Bon Me把最低時薪提高至13元，鼓勵餐飲業效尤。

麻州於2014年已通過法令，三年內把最低時薪調至11元。包括華人前進會在內的許多勞工團體，近年以“可以生活的薪資（Living Wage）“為目標，積極籲求把最低時薪提高至15元。

勞工團體為此發動過多次遊行，但各行各業企業主步調不一。

            在波士頓本地，從做餐車開始發跡，現已拓展為有6輛餐車，5間餐館，共聘有165名員工的Bon Me飲食集團，從本月初起，一連4週做培訓後，該集團創辦人鄺樂怡，Patrick Lynch在8月15日這天，和波士頓市長馬丁華殊，波士頓市議會議長吳弭，波士頓市經濟發展長巴洛斯（John Barros），以及爭取＄15時薪聯盟 ( Fight for $15)、麻州站起來 (Raise Up Massachusetts) 、餐館機會中心聯合 ( Restaurant Opportunity Center United)、和華人前進會（Chinese Progressive Association）等，聯袂舉行發佈會，高調表態支持提高最低時薪行動。

Bon Me已把最低時薪從$11提升到$13，預計2018年底，可調高至$15。

Bon Me的大廚兼創辦人鄺樂怡表示，Bon Me成功，都是因為員工努力，他們希望藉這調薪行動，彰顯出照顧員工，提供更好福利，才是員工，雇主，社會三贏的最佳途徑。

            鄺樂怡坦言，做為一個正在成長期的小企業，要調高工資，的確不容易，但她深信對員工好，就是對企業好，對社會好。 

            Bon Me總裁暨共同創辦人Patrick Lynch表示，新創企業時，非常需要員工付出時間，精力。作為企業主，責任之一就是要創造環境，保障員工的付出有所值，讓有領導才能又勤奮的員工，得到更好回報。這次提高最低工資，就是他們在朝這方向的努力之一，希望其他企業也能這樣。

            近年來一直公開表態支持提高最低時薪的波士頓市長馬丁華殊，這天特地出席發佈會，表揚Bon Me是商界榜樣，能幫助波士頓成為更好城市。他還闡述經濟發展的要件之一，就是勞工能夠賺取足以生活薪資。

            波士頓市議會議長吳弭表示自己是Bon Me的忠實消費者，當年她在市府實習，承辦餐車比賽項目時，就已認識鄺樂怡，非常高興看到Bon Me發展到今日的成就，希望其他企業能以Bon Me為榜樣。

            Bon Me 員工代表 Angel Castro 在Bon Me 僅僅工作了一年半。他表示自己在這期間，從廚房員工升職到店鋪管理，時薪也從＄10加到＄15，加薪幅度既大又快，在餐飲界十分罕見。

            出席發佈會的華人前進會榮譽主席李素影驕傲表示，鄺樂怡是該會1996年青年動力項目學員，沒忘記成功不是靠一個人。她認為，像Bon Me這樣利潤低的公司，都能照顧員工，給出最低13元時薪，其他公司當然應該也可以做到。大家都應該支持像Bon Me這樣的企業雇主。

關於Bon Me

Bon Me 是由波士頓長大的帕特里克·林奇和鄺樂怡兩人所管理的飲食集團。2010年，他倆決定參加波士頓市府舉辦的美食車比賽，並連他們自己都驚訝得贏得比賽後，2011年開始經營第一輛美食車，賣三明治、飯盒、和撈麵。五年後，Bon Me已 擴大成爲有六輛彩色美食車和五間餐廳的飲食集團 （分別位於Kendall Square，Fort Point，Fresh Pond,，Boston Public Garden和Chestnut Hill）。

Bon Me：www.bonmetruck.com

爭取＄15時薪：www.fightfor15.org

麻州站起來：www.raiseupma.org

館機會中心聯合：www.rocunited.org

華人前進會：www.cpaboston.org

MAYOR WALSH LAUNCHES OPEN SOURCE CITYSCORE® TOOLKIT, HIGHLIGHTS IMPROVEMENTS TO CITY SERVICES

MAYOR WALSH LAUNCHES OPEN SOURCE CITYSCORE® TOOLKIT, HIGHLIGHTS IMPROVEMENTS TO CITY SERVICES

BOSTON - Tuesday, August 16, 2016 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh and the Department of Innovation and Technology (DoIT) today launched an open source toolkit for the City of Boston's daily performance management system,CityScore®. The open source toolkit will allow other cities and organizations to implement their own version of CityScore®. CityScore® compiles key performance metrics from city departments every day to provide an at-a-glance view of the City's overall performance. "With CityScore®, Boston has an opportunity to recognize our outstanding departments and programs, and identify which services we need to focus additional time and resources on," said Mayor Walsh. "Our goal in Boston is to best serve our constituents, and CityScore® is an invaluable, daily review of how we are serving Boston residents. I look forward to sharing our successful model with cities across the country." The City of Boston's Analytics Team, under the Department of Innovation and Technology, today launched the toolkit to bring Boston's performance innovation to a wider audience. Using the CityScore® toolkit, cities, organizations or individuals can now use the City's toolkit to build their own, customizable version of CityScore®. Providence, Rhode Island; Miami, Florida and South Bend, Indiana have volunteered for city user testing. The CityScore® toolkit can be found on GitHub: https://github.com/CityOfBoston/CityScoreToolkit "Open source software is a model for self-sustaining development," said Jascha Franklin-Hodge, Boston's Chief Information Officer. "Other cities similar to Boston have their own analytics teams, and in opening up our CityScore®model to a wider audience, we look forward to collaborating with cities and organizations to make our tool even better." In addition to the launch of the CityScore® toolkit, Boston has released future plans for CityScore®: adding additional content reflective of fiscal year 2017 priorities, as well as equipping all Cabinets with the tools needed to visualize and drive performance. The City of Boston utilizes CityScore® on a daily, weekly and monthly basis. Each day, metrics are displayed on the CityScore® dashboard, where the public, Mayor Walsh, managers and City staff review the metrics. On a weekly basis, reports are compiled to track the City's week-to-week performance, and on a monthly basis, formal, in-depth discussions are held to discuss opportunities to improve service delivery based on performance outlined in CityScore®. Since its creation in January 2016, CityScore® has led to several improvements within City services. By tracking Emergency Medical Services (EMS) response time through CityScore®, officials found that increases in visitors and the City's resident population over the past several years led to a rise in emergency medical 911 calls, yet EMS' budget had not grown to allow them to hire more emergency medical technicians and replace aging ambulances. As a result, Mayor Walsh prioritized funding for EMS in the fiscal year 2017 budget. Ten replacement ambulances will be purchased and there will be a class of 20 new emergency medical technicians (EMTs) to serve Boston neighborhoods. Additionally, CityScore® has helped support an 18% increase in fixing street light outages within 10 days as well as streamlined processes for repairing traffic signals.

MAYOR WALSH APPOINTS LYDIA EDWARDS TO HEAD OFFICE OF HOUSING STABILITY

MAYOR WALSH APPOINTS LYDIA EDWARDS TO HEAD OFFICE OF HOUSING STABILITY

East Boston resident will lead new office to help tenants remain stable and housed

BOSTON - Tuesday, August 16, 2016 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced today that Lydia Edwards, JD, LLM has been appointed to head the newly-formed Office of Housing Stability.  As a Deputy Director within the Department of Neighborhood Development, Edwards will be responsible for programs to assist Boston residents in housing crisis - whether due to eviction, landlord-tenant disputes, rent escalations, unplanned loss of housing, or any other rental housing emergency. In addition, the office will be responsible forcollecting eviction data, evaluating for trends and responding accordingly. "Housing affordability and preserving long term tenancies are critical to strong stable neighborhoods,"  Mayor Walsh said.  "I know that with pressure on rents in Boston, some residents may face eviction and displacement.  We need to do everything in our power to make sure that tenants know their rights, and put policies in place to support those at risk of displacement. I welcome Lydia Edwards to our team,  and am confident her broad experience and passion for this work will be an asset to our city." In his 2016 State of the City address, Mayor Walsh announced that the City would be forming an Office of Housing Stability to create efficiencies and better coordination of resources for tenants.  The Office of Housing Stability will combine and focus the efforts of several existing City programs, in addition to adding additional capacity for this work. The leadership of this new office will report directly to the City of Boston's Chief of Housing. Services Boston residents will be able to access will include: Improved case management: Residents seeking assistance through the Office of Housing Stability will be assigned a case manager, who will use newly-developed case management software to ensure quick resolution of issues. In addition to streamlining the process, this new protocol will also allow the City to work more seamlessly with outside agencies who do similar work. Eviction prevention: Trained housing advocates will assist residents in danger of losing their homes with advice, access to legal assistance, and resources where necessary.  These advocates will work closely with landlords, management companies, housing authorities, and tenants to help residents stay housed. Emergency housing search: In case of fire or natural disaster, the Office of Housing Stability's staff will assist Boston residents in finding new, affordable housing as they recover. In addition, the Office of Housing Stability will lead research, create recommendations, and implement new and improved policies and programs to make sure Boston residents are able to retain their homes.  The office will be charged with drafting and reviewing new legislative and other public policy solutions to mitigate displacement, and will create new City programs to ensure housing stability in Boston's neighborhoods.   Ms. Edwards comes to the City from Greater Boston Legal Services, where she served as the Equal Justice Works Fellow. She represented domestic workers who survived labor trafficking, helping secure back wages and immigration relief. She also helped draft, implement and enforce the recently enacted Domestic Workers' Bill of Rights and coordinate state wide implementation of the new law. An East Boston resident, Ms. Edwards has also served as a clerk for Massachusetts Appeals Court Justice R. Marc Kantrowitz, and as Law Clerk to the Justices of the Massachusetts Superior Court.  She has a Masters of Law from Boston University's School of Law, holds a JD from American University Washington College of Law, and is a Summa Cum Laude graduate of Marymount College of Fordham University.

$1M Bail for Fugitive Child Rape Defendant

$1M Bail for Fugitive Child Rape Defendant

 

BOSTON, Aug. 16, 2016--A former Dorchester resident was arraigned on child rape charges today, more than 20 years after he fled indictments handed down by a Suffolk County grand jury, District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

 

JOHN J. HARTIN (D.O.B. 1/22/70) was arraigned today on five counts of rape of a child stemming from sexual assaults on two boys between 1991 and 1992. He was held on $1 million cash bail; should he post that amount, he must wear a GPS monitor and stay away from the victims, witnesses, and all children under 18.

 

The victims were between the ages of six and nine when the abuse took place. One child was the family member of a romantic partner, and the other was that child's friend.  Based on their testimony and additional evidence developed during the course of the initial investigation, Hartin was indicted on July 16, 1993, and a warrant for his arrest issued out of Suffolk Superior Court. He fled the area, and local, state, and federal authorities undertook coordinated to locate and apprehend him, including periodic media campaigns, a cash reward, and interviews with friends and family.

 

On June 13 of this year, renewed efforts by Boston Police, Suffolk prosecutors, the FBI, and US Marshals led investigators to North Carolina, where Hartin was living as "Jay Matthew Carter." He was taken into custody on a federal fugitive warrant and ultimately transported back to Massachusetts to answer on the indictments.

 

"There is no span of miles or years that will keep us from speaking for these young victims," Conley said. "They should know, like survivors everywhere, that our foremost goal is to see justice done on their behalf, no matter how long it might take."

 

Assistant District Attorney Alissa Goldhaber of the DA's Child Abuse Unit led today's proceedings. Tina Nguyen is the DA's victim-witness advocate. The case returns to court on

MAYOR WALSH OPENS REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR PUBLIC ART PROJECT IDEAS IN HYDE SQUARE

MAYOR WALSH OPENS REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL FOR PUBLIC ART PROJECT IDEAS IN HYDE SQUARE

BOSTON - Tuesday, August 16, 2016 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced the release of a Request for Proposals (RFP) calling on artists and residents to submit their proposals for a public art project in Hyde Square, located in Jamaica Plain. The Public Works Department (PWD) and the Boston Art Commission (BAC) within the Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture, in coordination with Hyde Square Task Force, Hyde Jackson Square Main Street and local residents, invite artists to submit their proposals. The selected public art proposal will be implemented in conjunction with the reconstruction of Hyde Square at the intersection of Centre Street, Perkins Street, and Day Street in Fall 2017.   "The Hyde Square public art RFP is a great opportunity for local artists and residents to share their creative vision for this dynamic area of Jamaica Plain, and we encourage all qualified residents to apply," said Mayor Walsh. "As we continue to invest in public art across the city, we look forward to engaging the community in opportunities that embrace the diversity of people and cultures that make up each Boston neighborhood."   The deadline to apply for the $100,000 project is September 14, 2016 at 5:00 p.m. This public art project is part of a larger project where PWD will reconstruct the intersection of Centre Street, Perkins Street, and Day Street, collectively known as Hyde Square. Enhancements will include increased sidewalk widths, traffic and pedestrian safety improvements, new lighting, and landscaping. A major goal of this project is to create a sense of place and enhance the public realm with artwork, which is what this request for proposal seeks to accomplish.   The RFP is open to all professional artists, artisans, architects, landscape architects, or teams with experience in public art, site responsive design, project management, and construction administration. Professionals from the Jamaica Plain/Hyde/Jackson Square neighborhoods are encouraged to apply.  The RFP was shaped by community feedback gathered earlier this summer and the successful proposal will celebrate the multi-generational and diverse populations and cultures of Hyde Square.   All questions regarding the RFP should be submitted to BAC@boston.gov by Monday, August 22 at 9am. Answers to any questions received will be posted at boston.gov/procurement on Monday, August 29. One artist will be selected in early Fall.   "By partnering with the Public Works Department and the Hyde Square Task Force, this project helps move forward the Boston Creates Cultural Plan, which calls for integrating arts, culture and creativity into our urban environment," said Julie Burros, Chief of Arts and Culture for the City of Boston. "We look forward to a project that embraces the values defined by the neighborhood while encouraging social engagement."   To see the full RFP visit the  City's Supplier Portal or go to the BAC's "Call to Artists" page.

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES NEW EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES NEW EMERGENCY NOTIFICATION SYSTEM FOR THE CITY OF BOSTON

New emergency management system will allow residents to receive notifications via phone, text or email in four languages

BOSTON - Monday, August 15, 2016 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh and the Mayor's Office of Emergency Management (OEM) today announced significant improvements to the City's emergency notification system, AlertBoston. The AlertBoston system allows residents, businesses and visitors to the City of Boston to be notified and aware in the event of an emergency. The management system upgrades will now allow residents to receive emergency notifications via phone, text or email. Recognizing the diverse nature of Boston's population, the new AlertBoston system also allows City officials to broadcast information in four different languages. Messages such as severe weather warnings, parking ban announcements and street closure information will now be transmitted in  English, Spanish, French and Chinese (Hong Kong dialect).   The new AlertBoston system will also allow for "tailored messaging." With tailored outreach, an emergency message can either be sent City-wide, or solely to areas directly affected by a particular event.   "AlertBoston has long provided an easy and secure method for being notified during an emergency, and the improvements to AlertBoston reflect the City's commitment to ensuring all residents receive timely, vital information in a format and language accessible to them," said Mayor Walsh. The improvements to the system reflect the feedback the City of Boston received from residents. The AlertBoston system was developed by a company called CodeRED, a provider of alert systems to cities and towns throughout the United States. CodeRED has a mobile alert app that can be downloaded for free, and allows visitors who are enrolled in their local alert programs at home to receive AlertBoston notifications in Boston. "By enrolling in AlertBoston and taking advantage of the notification program, residents are taking an important step in safeguarding themselves and their families," said Rene Fielding, Director of the Office of Emergency Management. To enroll in AlertBoston, visit the Mayor's Office of Emergency Management (OEM) website at: https://www.boston.gov/departments/emergency-management.

High Bail in Shooting, Kidnapping

High Bail in Shooting, Kidnapping

BOSTON, August 15, 2016— A Roxbury man was held on high bail at his arraignment today on charges he shot a man after an argument and kidnapped a young relative, Suffolk County District Attorney Daniel F. Conley said.

JUAN AYALA-POWELL (D.O.B. 7/13/89) of was arraigned today in Roxbury Municipal Court on charges of assault with intent to murder, assault and battery with a dangerous weapon causing serious bodily injury, kidnapping and endangering a minor by a relative, possession of a firearm in the commission of a felony, unlawful possession of ammunition, discharging a firearm within 500 feet of a building, and larceny of a motor vehicle.  Judge Jonathan Tynes set bail in the amount of $150,000 bail and ordered Ayala-Powell to stay away and have no contact with the victim or witnesses, submit to GPS monitoring, and abide by a curfew in the event he is to be released on bail.  At the request of Assistant District Attorney Amy Martin, Tynes revoked Ayala-Powell’s bail in an open case out of Dorchester Municipal Court charging forgery and uttering.

Martin told the court that Ayala-Powell and two other residents of a Blue Hill Avenue apartment were involved in a verbal argument on Thursday evening.  Ayala-Powell left the building with a minor child but returned later that night and began to argue with the same individuals shortly before 11:40 p.m.  He allegedly shot one of the individuals in the stomach and fled the apartment in a 2004 Ford Explorer that belonged to another resident.

The victim was transported to Boston Medical Center with serious injuries.

The child’s legal guardian filed a missing person report shortly after 3:00 a.m. Friday after Ayala-Powell failed to bring the child home.  The child was later located at the Dorchester home of a person who was known to Ayala-Powell.

Ayala-Powell was taken into custody in Revere the next day.

Ayala-Powell was represented by Josh Raisler Cohn.  He returns to court Sept. 14.