麻州健康聯絡者公佈11月1日昆士市健保開放登記中心名單

麻州健康聯絡者公佈11月1日昆士市健保開放登記中心名單

提供中文服務協助找到低價或免費的健保計劃

波士頓——麻州健康聯絡者今天公佈了在昆士市配有健保導航員和開放登記中心的組織名單。這些組織被選定來幫助沒有醫療保險的人們獲得低價或是免費的健保計劃。

從11月1日起，導航員和上門咨詢中心的工作人員將可使用中文來幫助沒有醫保者完成申請表填寫和選擇2017年的健保計劃。

本次的健保開放登記購買期將從2016年11月1日一直持續到2017年1月31日。在此期間，無醫保者可以通過健康聯絡者登記購買健保計劃，而已有保險者可以考慮來年的新計劃。

健康聯絡者是麻州醫療保險交易平台，同時也是人們購買一個商業健保計劃并獲得財政資助來支付的唯一渠道。

「擁有醫療保險意味著你可以得到所需的護理，同時支付較少的錢，特別是如果你符合加入聯絡者護理計劃的要求，就意味著你只用支付較低的保費和掛號費，還沒有自付額，」麻州健康聯絡者執行主任路易·古鐵雷斯說，「導航員能夠幫助我們在各個社區找到沒有醫保的人們，並且幫助這些人申請健保和為他們的家庭選擇最好的計劃。」

馬奈社區健康中心

語言：西班牙語、葡萄牙語、阿拉伯語、柬埔寨語、粵語、印地語、意大利語、普通話、越南語。

昆士市1號分中心地址

1193 Sea Street

昆士市2號分中心地址

110 West Squantum Street

昆士市3號分中心地址

9 Bicknell Street

陶頓市分中心地址

One Washington Street

導航者指的是幫助無醫保者完成申請和選擇健保計劃的組織，同時這些組織也協助已有保險者購買2017 年新計劃并保證他們選擇合適的健保。健康聯絡者的導航員網絡將側重於聯絡本州有著高比例無健保居民的區域，為其提供服務，讓這些居民獲得健保。

導航員項目是按可負擔性健保法案規定建立的。該項目是協助者網絡的一部分，其中包括超過1600位獲認證的協助咨詢員，他們主要在醫療健保提供方所在地服務（協助者的詳細名單可在健康聯絡者網站找到）。去年，導航員幫助超過3.6萬人註冊健保或保留他們的保險計劃。

如有興趣尋求協助也可在11月1日至1月31日期間訪問網頁mahealthconnector.org，或致電1-877- 623-7773。

(麻州健康聯絡者提供)

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AG HEALEY SECURES MORE THAN $1.5 MILLION IN CREDITS FOR OVERCHARGED NATIONAL GRID GAS CUSTOMERS

AG HEALEY SECURES MORE THAN $1.5 MILLION IN CREDITS FOR OVERCHARGED NATIONAL GRID GAS CUSTOMERS

Credits to be Issued to 4,500 Residential Gas Customers; Agreement Ensures Customers Are Charged Correct Rates in the Future

            BOSTON – Attorney General Maura Healey has negotiated an agreement with National Grid that returns more than $1.5 million to thousands of National Grid residential gas customers who were wrongfully charged a more expensive rate.

Under the agreement, National Grid will issue bill credits to more than 4,500 residential gas customers who were incorrectly charged the company’s non-heating rate instead of the less expensive heating rate. Credit amounts will be customer-specific and issued later this year.  

“As the ratepayer advocate for Massachusetts, we want to ensure that utilities are not overcharging their customers,” said AG Healey. “With this agreement, thousands of customers who paid too much for their gas usage will receive the credit they deserve, and National Grid will take additional measures to help prevent this in the future.”    

Some National Grid gas customers use gas to heat their homes. Other customers do not heat their homes with gas, but buy gas for cooking or other non-heating purposes. The rate the customer pays depends on how the customer is using the gas. Residential customers that use gas to heat their homes (the residential heating class) generally use more gas and pay a less expensive rate than customers that do not use gas heating (the residential non-heating class). The agreement negotiated by AG Healey involves certain National Grid residential heating customers who were incorrectly charged the more expensive non-heating rate.

In addition to the customer credits, the agreement requires National Grid to improve its processes going forward to ensure that customers are charged the correct rate. The company will update the information it provides customers about different rate classes and establish a process to confirm whether new customers will be using gas for heating or not. 

National Grid will also verify rates upon a customer’s receipt of an energy efficiency rebate for gas heating equipment, conduct periodic reviews of customer usage data to confirm that residential customers are on the correct rate, and provide additional residential customer education regarding the available and most advantageous rate classifications.

Customers who believe that they are not being charged the correct rate should contact their gas company to obtain additional information and confirm that they are in the correct rate class.

AG Healey’s Energy and Telecommunications Division works to ensure Massachusetts businesses and residents have access to reliable, safe and affordable energy. This matter was handled by Assistant Attorney General Lynda Freshman, Deputy Division Chief Nathan Forster, and Division Chief Rebecca Tepper, with the assistance of Utility Analyst Kyle Connors, all of AG Healey’s Energy and Telecommunications Division.

Governor Baker Appoints Maria Krokidas to State Ethics Commission

Governor Baker Appoints Maria Krokidas to State Ethics Commission

BOSTON – Today, Governor Charlie Baker announced the appointment of Maria Krokidas to the State Ethics Commission. The Commission works to foster integrity in public service in state, county and local government, to promote the public's trust and confidence in that service, and to prevent conflicts between private interests and public duties.

“Maria Krokidas’ extensive experience in helping her clients navigate complex compliance issues will make her an excellent addition to the State Ethics Commission,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “I am confident that with her appointment, the Commission will continue to serve the citizens of the Commonwealth with fairness, impartiality and equality.”

The State Ethics Commission is a non-partisan, independent agency, consisting of five members appointed to serve staggered, five-year terms with three appointments made by the Governor, one by the Attorney General and one by the Secretary of the Commonwealth.  The Commission administers and enforces the conflict of interest and financial disclosure laws and has jurisdiction over state, county and municipal employees.   Krokidas will  be joining the Honorable Barbara A. Dortch-Okara, Commission Chair,  the Hon. Regina L. Quinlan, the Hon. David A. Mills and Thomas J. Sartory. The Commission functions in three separate divisions: Legal Division; Public Education and Communications Division; and Enforcement Division.

About Maria Krokidas:

Maria Krokidas is a founder of Krokidas & Bluestein and presently serves as Of Counsel to the firm’s transactional group. She has over forty years of experience representing for-profit, non-profit and public entities in real estate, finance and corporate matters. Ms. Krokidas has counseled numerous non-profit, for-profit and quasi-public authorities on all matters relating to corporate organization and operations including statutory and regulatory compliance and implementation. Ms. Krokidas has extensive experience advising public and quasi-public instrumentalities. She actively serves on the Boards of Directors of several organizations and is a member of the Boston Bar Association, Massachusetts Women’s Bar Association, and the American Bar Association. Ms. Krokidas is a magna cum laude graduate of Mount Holyoke College and a cum laude graduate of Harvard Law School.

波士頓華埠社區中心獲國泰銀行捐款8000

The Cathay Bank Foundation Grants BCNC $8,000 in support of Youth Center

國泰銀行基金捐款   支持青年學習服務

Check presentation at Cathay Bank, Boston Chinatown, MA, from left to right: Giles Li 李隆華, BCNC Executive Director; Dong Mai 麥東玲, Cathay Bank AVP & Branch Manager; Sandra Lee 李雙雙, BCNC Director of Youth Education; and Grant Pattison 白勝德, Cathay Bank First Vice President & Team Manager, Boston Corporate Lending, MA Region.

BOSTON, October 12, 2016 –BCNC has received a grant of $8,000 from the Cathay Bank Foundation in support of Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center’s Youth Center.

“The Cathay Bank Foundation applauds the work of Boston Chinatown Neighborhood Center”, said Grant Pattison 白勝德, Cathay Bank First Vice President & Team Manager, Boston Corporate Lending, MA Region. “We hope that our support will enable your organization to continue its efforts in meeting the needs of underserved communities.”

“We are grateful for Cathay Bank’s many years of commitment and support to the community. BCNC’s youth program serves over 150 youth a year in Boston and Quincy. The youth center helps young people to build academic, leadership and social skills. Services include leadership, enrichment and college access program”, said Giles Li, BCNC Executive Director.

BCNC was featured on NECN, check out the video clip!

PLYMOUTH MAN CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH YEARS-LONG PATTERN OF WAGE THEFT FROM EMPLOYEES

PLYMOUTH MAN CHARGED IN CONNECTION WITH YEARS-LONG PATTERN OF WAGE THEFT FROM EMPLOYEES

Defendant Allegedly Owes Workers $100,000; Also Charged with Larceny and Unemployment Fraud

            BOSTON – A Plymouth man has been charged in connection with an alleged wage theft scheme that spans back to 2011 in which he owes $100,000 to workers, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today. He also faces larceny and unemployment fraud charges for failing to contribute to the Massachusetts Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA).

Joseph B. Kerrissey , III, age 39, and his companies J. Kerrissey, LLC and Sunrise Equipment & Excavation, Inc. were indicted by a Statewide Grand Jury. The defendants will be arraigned in Suffolk Superior Court on Oct. 26 and in Plymouth Superior Court at a later date.

“This defendant allegedly engaged in a pattern of refusing to pay his workers the wages they were rightfully owed and used a variety of methods to dissuade them from seeking to obtain those wages,” said AG Healey. “We know that workers in the construction industry are particularly susceptible to abuse. People who work hard should be able to provide for themselves and their families and we will continue to hold accountable employers who exploit their workers.”

“When people break the law, steal workers’ wages, and skirt their tax responsibilities, we are always ready to partner with the Attorney General to see justice served,” Robert Cunningham, director of the Department of Unemployment Assistance, said. “We appreciate the hard work of the Fair Labor Division in seeing this through to indictment.”

The following charges were brought against Kerrissey and his companies:

Joseph B. Kerrissey, III

·         Non-payment of Employer Unemployment Contribution

·         Larceny by Check over $250

·         Larceny by Check under $250

·         Failure to Submit True and Accurate Certified Payroll Records to the Awarding Authority

·         Failure to Submit True and Accurate Certified Payroll Records to the Attorney General

·         Failure to Pay Prevailing Wages

·         Failure to Pay Wages

·         Failure to Pay Overtime

·         Failure to Provide a Suitable Paystub

J. Kerrissey, LLC

·         Non-payment of Employer Unemployment Contribution

·         Larceny by Check over $250

·         Larceny by Check under $250

·         Failure to Submit True and Accurate Certified Payroll Records to the Awarding Authority

·         Failure to Pay Prevailing Wage

·         Failure to Pay Wages

·         Failure to Pay Overtime

·         Failure to Provide a Suitable Paystub

Sunrise Equipment & Excavation, Inc.

·         Failure to Submit True and Accurate Certified Payroll Records to the Awarding Authority

·         Failure to Submit True and Accurate Certified Payroll Records to the Attorney General

·         Failure to Pay Prevailing Wage

The AG’s Office began an investigation after the AG’s Fair Labor Division received numerous complaints from workers about non-payment of wages on public and private construction jobs. These complaints were received from workers employed by both of Kerrissey’s companies, many of whom performed heavy equipment operation or laborer duties.

           The AG’s investigation revealed that Kerrissey allegedly consistently bounced payroll checks to employees despite receiving payment for his company’s work on construction projects. When workers approached him with complaints of non-payment of wages, he would allegedly use various defenses and counter allegations to avoid payment. Those tactics included telling employees that the money should be in the account, that they did not earn the wages, that they had to work for nothing, and that he would take out criminal complaints for their purported “theft” from him if they attempted to use the legal system to obtain their wages. 

            The AG’s Office alleges that Kerrissey owes approximately $105,000 to 31 workers. On average, each worker is owed $3,000.

The investigation also revealed that from 2011 to the present, Kerrissey allegedly failed to make required contributions to theUnemployment Insurance Trust Fund on behalf of J. Kerrissey, LLC.

The 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. 

The 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.

The AG’s Fair Labor Division enforces the laws regulating the payment of wages, including prevailing wage, minimum wage, and overtime laws. Workers who believe that their rights have been violated are encouraged to call the Office’s Fair Labor Hotline at (617) 727-3465 or visit the Attorney General’s Workplace Rights website www.mass.gov/ago/fairlabor.

All of these charges are allegations and defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.

This matter is being handled by Assistant Attorneys General Jennifer Cotter and Drew Cahill with assistance from Investigator Leah Lucier of the AG’s Fair Labor Division, Investigator Colleen Frost of the AG’s Civil Investigations Division, Victim/Witness Advocate Amber Anderson,Massachusetts State Police assigned AG’s Office and the Department of Unemployment Assistance (DUA).

AARP 基金會徵求證據支持的低收入耆英照顧方案

Open Grant Competition Announcement: AARP Foundation Seeks Evidence-Based Solutions for Vulnerable Older Adults AARP Foundation works to ensure that low-income and vulnerable older adults have nutritious food, safe, secure and affordable housing, a steady income, and strong and sustaining social bonds. To address those needs, this grant competition seeks evidence-based solutions that are guided by a deep level of engagement with AARP Foundation and that can be nurtured, evaluated and brought to scale. Through this grant competition we hope to achieve multiple goals: Develop a landscape analysis of evidence-based interventions that serve vulnerable older adults and align with our four impact areas; Create a portfolio of grant-funded programs that includes projects with different levels of evidence with the goal of scaling, at the appropriate time, to serve more low-income older adults; and Identify solutions that seek to achieve a double bottom line (sustainable programs that achieve a positive financial and social return). For More Information and to Apply Please visit our website for more details or download the full Request for Applications (RFA). You will also find the links to the technical assistance webinar registration and the required online pre-application. Please Note these Important Dates: Technical Assistance Call/Webinar: October 11, 3pm ET. Register for the webinar. Required, Pre-Application Deadline: October 18, 2016, 11:59pm ET Invite-Only, Full Application Deadline: November 10, 2016, 11:59pm ET AARP Foundation works to ensure that low-income older adults have nutritious food, safe and affordable housing, a steady income, and strong and sustaining social bonds. We collaborate with individuals and organizations who share our commitment to innovation and our passion for problem-solving. Supported by vigorous legal advocacy, we create and advance effective solutions that help struggling older adults transform their lives. AARP Foundation is the charitable affiliate of AARP. Learn more at www.aarpfoundation.org

MAYOR WALSH TO DEBUT CITY HALL'S EXTERIOR LIGHTS DURING THIS YEAR'S FINAL BEER GARDEN ON THE BRICKS CELEBRATION

MAYOR WALSH TO DEBUT CITY HALL'S EXTERIOR LIGHTS DURING THIS YEAR'S FINAL BEER GARDEN ON THE BRICKS CELEBRATION

BOSTON - Tuesday, October 11, 2016 - On Thursday, Mayor Martin J. Walsh will debut City Hall's exterior lighting installation, a permanent fixture to highlight and enhance the building's original design while livening up City Hall Plaza and increasing public safety. The unveiling will be made during this year's final Beer Garden on the Bricks event, themed 'Light Bright Beer Garden.' The new lighting fixtures will wash the building in a warm white light, and also have the capability of projecting a wide-range of color options which will allow the City to light the building to acknowledge a variety of civic and celebratory events. This Thursday's light unveiling will serve as the first opportunity for members of the public to see the lights' capability and see a short light demonstration during the final Beer Garden on the Bricks event. Both of these efforts are part of Mayor Walsh's vision to make City Hall and the plaza a more welcoming and enlivened space. The final Beer Garden on the Bricks is hosted in collaboration with Boston Main Streets and Boston Main Streets Foundation, and will be this year's largest celebration with an expanded presence on City Hall plaza, more local food and drink options and glow lawn games. Attendees can enter for a chance to win a $2,500 holiday mad dash shopping spree through Boston's Main Streets' districts. Partner hosts of Beer Garden on the Bricks include Mayor Walsh's Operations Cabinet and Property Management Department, Civic Engagement Cabinet, SPARK Boston and Delaware North. Admission to the Garden is free and open to members of the public. Food will be available for purchase, and drinks will be available for purchase for those who are ages 21 and above. Entertainment will be provided. WHEN:       Thursday, October 13                    Beer Garden begins at 5:00 pm                    Light Show begins at 6:30 pm WHERE:     City Hall Plaza, 1 City Hall Sq.

Ryan Chin 的 Optimus Ride種籽輪籌得525萬美元

從麻省理工學院分裂出來，研發無人駕駛車輛的公司， Optimus Ride，今(11)日傳出，募得525萬美元種子輪資金。投資者包括未景創投(NextView Ventures)，以及”首標資本(FirstMark Capital)。

根據地在波士頓的Optimus Ride打算用這筆錢來無人駕駛科技這個市場，帶來一點獨特的東西。

該公司研發團隊在機器人，即召運輸，電動車輛等領域有30多年經驗。

Optimus Ride的共同創辦人，董事長，首席科學家Sertac Karaman表示，它們研發的是應用自行駕駛車輛科技的新運輸系統，

該公司另一名共同創辦人暨執行長 Ryan Chin是麻省理工學院博士，他是麻省理工學院城市車(MIT CityCar)的共同發明人，一種輕巧，全電動，專為城市行駛設計的車輛。

該公司科技長 Albert Huang也是麻省理工學院博士，原本是谷歌X計畫，以及重新思考機器人項目的首席概念工程師。市場行銷長Jenny Larios Berlin曾經在Zipcar工作。

麻省理工學院媒體實驗室主任Joi Ito 也加入了這種子輪融資行列。

Optimus Ride已經在做測試。包括今年九月在柏金斯盲人學校 (Perkins School for the Blind)的測試。

AG HEALEY, ROBERT KRAFT, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS PLAYERS KICKOFF SECOND PHASE OF ANTI-VIOLENCE PROGRAM AT REVERE HIGH SCHOO

AG HEALEY, ROBERT KRAFT, NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS PLAYERS KICKOFF SECOND PHASE OF ANTI-VIOLENCE PROGRAM AT REVERE HIGH SCHOOL

AG Healey, Robert Kraft, Speaker DeLeo, DA Conley, Mayor Arrigo, Patriots Players, Join 1,800 Revere High School Students to Recognize Domestic Violence Awareness Month

REVERE – In honor of Domestic Violence Awareness month, Attorney General Maura Healey, New England Patriots Chairman and CEO Robert Kraft and New England Patriots Player James White joined more than 1,800 students today at Revere High School to kick off the second phase of Game Change: The Patriots Anti-Violence Partnership.

Students from Revere High School were the first to be trained as part of the second phase of the Game Change program. Throughout this fall and continuing through the remainder of the 2016-2017 school year, staff from the Mentors in Violence Prevention (MVP) program at Northeastern University’s Center for the Study of Sport in Society will provide direct trainings on preventing relationship violence and bystander intervention to 30 students at each of the 34 high schools throughout the state participating in the second phase of the program.

“With Game Change, we are aiming to inspire generational change by intervening at an early age and empowering high school students to treat one another with dignity and respect,” said AG Healey. “By the end of this school year, we will have trained more than one thousand students, teachers, coaches and parents across the state to recognize warning signs and prevent violence before it starts.”

“This program is about getting at the root of domestic violence before it starts and stopping the cycle. This is about teaching high school students to respect, listen to and empathize with one another,” said Mr. Kraft. “We are focused on long-term sustainable cultural change. I know that under Maura Healey’s leadership and the education provided through the MVP program that we are on our way to making a real difference.  I’m extremely grateful to the students and school officials who area already working to end teen and domestic violence.”         

Today’s all-school assembly was an opportunity for Game Change students to share what they’ve learned with the entire Revere High School community and motivate other students to join them in working to end dating violence. AG Healey, Mr. Kraft, and the students were also joined by former Patriots player and Executive Director of Community Relations for the New England Patriots Andre Tippett, Revere Mayor Brian Arrigo and House Speaker Robert DeLeo, who led the successful effort to update the domestic violence law in 2014, and Suffolk County District Attorney Dan Conley, whose office created the first-of-its-kind Domestic Violence Unit in 1996.

The Attorney General’s Office and the New England Patriots Charitable Foundation have also partnered to award more than $250,000 in grant funding to six sexual assault and domestic violence service organizations.

Throughout this school year, staff from each agency will work with schools in their area to implement the MVP curriculum and to ensure that appropriate policies are in place for students, families, and staff who may be experiencing or witnessing violence. The students trained at each of the 34 high schools participating in the second phase of the program with work with educators and coaches at their school, and with staff from their local domestic violence service provider to implement the MVP curriculum over the long term.

During the first phase of Game Change, which ran from January through May 2016, nearly 200 staff from 90 high schools and nine domestic violence organizations across the state were trained in the MVP curriculum.

The list of schools that participated in the first phase of Game Change is available here. For a full list of the schools participating in the second phase of the program, visit here.

CITY OF BOSTON JOB FAIR 10/14

CITY OF BOSTON TO HOST JOB FAIR AT GROVE HALL COMMUNITY CENTER

BOSTON - Tuesday, October 11, 2016 - On Friday, October 14, the City of Boston invites residents to participate in a job fair for employment opportunities within the City of Boston and private companies. The event will take place at the Grove Hall Community Center in Dorchester, and residents are encouraged to attend and learn more about career opportunities with the City of Boston and its agencies. Representatives from city departments and private companies will be on hand to provide information and answer questions on their field of work. The next City of Boston Job Fair will be held in late October in Roxbury. WHEN:       Friday, October 14, 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. WHERE:     Grove Hall Community Center                     51 Geneva Avenue, Dorchester WHO: Representatives from: Boston Police Department Boston Fire Department Boston Water and Sewer Commission Boston Public Health Commission Mayor's Office of Diversity Mayor's Office of Workforce Development Human Resources, City of Boston Inspectional Services Department Verizon Comcast US Postal Service