(Boston Orange)冬天，真的來了。麻州正準備迎接今冬的第一場暴風雪。國家氣象局發出了冬季風暴警告，表示星期四，12月29日這天，麻州有些地方可能降雪18吋。
大約從星期四的早上9點到星期五的早上10點，麻州西部的某些地方會降雪8到12吋。
麻州緊急管理局表示，有些地方的積雪可能高達18吋。
128公路以內，降雪量會少於6吋，麻州東南部及鱈魚角等島嶼，可能完全不下雪。
星期三, 12月 28, 2016
麻州點亮以色列光明燈 市長強調波士頓歡迎所有人
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| 在柯普利廣場舉行的以色列光明燈節。(周菊子攝) |
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| 麻州州長查理貝克點亮光明燈。(周菊子攝) |
(Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導)2017年即將來臨，雞鳴聲也將響起，麻州州長和波士頓市長等人12月27日晚在波士頓柯普利廣場，聯袂點亮猶太人的9燭光明燈(Menorah Lighting)，為未來的世界自由、和平祝禱。
由於聯合國才剛在12月23日時通過決議案，指以色列佔領東耶路薩冷，移民屯墾是非法行為，以色列總理南特亞胡(Benjamin
Netanyahu)立即譴責美國在聯合國安理會中投棄權票，有個猶太女婿Jared Kushner的美國候任總統川普(Donald Trump)，也馬上表示美國應該動用否決權。2017年看來不會很平靜。
關心麻州科技界的人，大概都知道，”麻州挑戰(Massachusetts Challenge)”的第一個國外分支，設在以色列，麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie
Baker)上任2年後，率領出訪的首個貿易團，也是去以色列。麻州和以色列的關係，勢必更將備受矚目。
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右起，麻州州長查理貝克，以色列駐新英格蘭領事Yehuda Yaakov，
波士頓市長馬丁華殊，波士頓市議員查金，麻州眾議員Jay Livingston
(左一)等光明燈節嘉賓。(周菊子攝)
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麻州州長查理貝克是12月9日率領貿易團，到以色列訪問了6天。27日晚，查理貝克面對2~300名圍觀儀式者表示，雖然這次訪問以色列，主要是為了網路安全，數位健康，搭起麻州和以色列的交流橋樑，但去到那兒，親眼見到自己從小在課本，歷史裡中學到事件，文物，感受每一個地方都有2~3000年的悠久，真的很震撼。他祈願大家2007年和平，快樂，安全。
波士頓市市長馬丁華殊(Martin
Walsh)說，在波士頓”我們歡迎所有不同背景，不同信仰的人，致力推廣把人們團結在一起的光明，溫暖，付出和友誼，希望每點亮一根蠟燭，都能帶動對抗黑暗，引人向善的力量。
Menorah這光明燈節又稱Hanukkah，是猶太人慶祝當年脫離塞琉西王朝統治，獲得自由的一連8天慶祝活動。12月27日是今年的光明燈節第四天。
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| 麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie Baker)。(周菊子攝) |
過去33年來，倡議正統猶太運動的大波士頓加巴德猶太中心(Jewish Center Chabad Boston)和大波士頓加德屋(Chabad House of Greater Boston)每年都在麻州地鐵公園街站附近，舉辦燭光慶祝會。今年更請動麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie
Baker)，波士頓市市長馬丁華殊(Martin Walsh)，本身是猶太人的波士頓市議員查金(Josh
Zakim)出席，搭著雲梯，升到22尺高的光明燈檯頂端，點亮燈檯上的蠟燭。
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| 波士頓市長馬丁華殊(中)等人。(周菊子攝) |
以色列駐新英格蘭領事Yehuda
Yaakov，這晚也應邀出席。他在致詞時感謝查理貝克前些日子接受WGBH訪問，談以色列之旅時，對以色列的稱讚，強調以色列已再次拿回(reclaim)耶路撒冷，也將永遠不再讓需要重新拿回的情況出現。耶路薩冷將保持為領土統一的以色列國首都。
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| 波士頓加巴德猶太中心牧師Mayer Zarchi說明光明燈節慶祝以色列獲 得自由。(周菊子攝) |
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| 剛結婚的波士頓市議員查金(Josh Zakim)也是猶太人。(周菊子攝) |
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| 以色列駐新英格蘭領事Yehuda Yaakov強調耶路薩冷是以色列國的統一 領土。(周菊子攝) |
麻州將建全美最大種大麻廠 參眾議會暫緩大麻上路
(Boston
Orange 周菊子綜合報導)前兩天才為麻州將建全美最大的大麻工廠高興的人，這會兒得等一年再高興了。麻州議會12月28日修訂提案，決定把零售大麻的第一張證照，延遲到2018年7月再發。
藥用大麻在美國，原本一向是加州走在前頭，去年麻州選民才剛藉選票問通過大麻合法化，今年12月就傳出AmeriCann這家公司要在麻州建造的種大麻廠，規模遠比加州大，麻州的將是全美最大大麻州，立即引起各方關注。
或許正是因為這樣的關注，麻州參眾議會在12月28日這天決定，延緩牌照發放討論6個月。雖然大麻合法化的新法，已於12月15日生效，但是待細則條文確定，廠商真的可以申請銷售大麻時，可能已是2018年4月了。
參眾兩會打算召開多個會議，討論一旦大麻合法化上路後，該訂立些什麼樣的管制條款。
因為這一行動，麻州財政廳廳長高柏珂(Deb Goldberg)可以等到2017年9月，再組成管轄大麻種植，銷售的”大麻管制委員會(Cannabis
Control Commission)”。
加州在藥用大麻上，一向走在美國前端，2015年的毛收入已達28億元，估計2020年時還可高達65億元。加州最大的種大麻工廠G Farms今年(2016)6月也宣佈，要在沙漠溫泉(Desert Hot Spring)鎮上，建造一個佔地10萬平方呎，包括在7畝地上有3個溫室的大麻工廠。
和來自科羅拉多州AmeriCann公司的計畫一比，加州G Farms的計畫黯然失色。
AmeriCann執行長Tim
Keogh表示，2017年3月，要在Freetown建造一個佔地53畝的大麻工廠。那是該公司今年秋季以447萬5000元買下的100萬平方呎Canna企業園，要在那建效率更高的溫室，檢測實驗室，研發訓練中心，企業辦公室。
Baker-Polito Administration Announces Seafood Marketing Program Partnership with Massachusetts Farm to School
Baker-Polito Administration Announces Seafood Marketing Program Partnership with Massachusetts Farm to School
BOSTON – December 28, 2016 – The Baker-Polito Administration today announced the Division of Marine Fisheries (DMF)’s Massachusetts Seafood Marketing Program has partnered with the nonprofit Massachusetts Farm to School Project to promote the consumption of local seafood in schools.
“The Massachusetts commercial fishing and seafood industries provide delicious food and employment for thousands of people in the Commonwealth,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “This is a great connection to make and we look forward to the partnership between Massachusetts fishermen and farm-to-school programs to provide the Commonwealth’s children with fresh, nutritious seafood products that support cognitive development.”
“Increasing sales of local seafood to schools will not only help find new markets for Massachusetts fishermen, but will also address the critical issue of access to healthy food, and introduce future consumers to the benefits of incorporating seafood into their diet,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton. “The Baker-Polito Administration is proud to launch this initiative that will both help keep our children healthy, and support the Commonwealth’s vital fishing industry.”
During the two-year partnership, the partners will promote seafood as part of Massachusetts Farm to School’s Massachusetts Harvest of the Month campaign, hold a series of local seafood cooking demonstrations for institutional food service providers, and offered a seafood focus track at the Massachusetts Farm & Sea to Cafeteria Conference in November 2016.
“This partnership helps DMF better increase awareness and preference of Massachusetts seafood to support the Commonwealth’s seafood industry and communities by reaching schools, universities, and hospital food service staff, educators, and families though Massachusetts Farm to School’s network,” said DMF Director David Pierce.
The Baker-Polito Administration launched the Massachusetts Seafood Marketing Program in August 2016 to increase awareness and demand for local seafood products and support Massachusetts’ fishing and seafood industries.
“Promoting a joint venture of locally produced seafood, fruit, vegetables, and other produce is not only a great way to support fishermen and fishing families the port communities that support the seafood industry, it also reduces environmental impacts of transporting foods long distances, gives a real boost to our quality of life and it promotes a healthy diet,” said Senate Minority Leader Bruce Tarr (R-Gloucester). “This partnership between harvesters of the land and sea will bring good nutrition to our students and yield many benefits including a greater awareness of the excellent results of Massachusetts produce.”
“The Farm to School program has been immensely successful in the Commonwealth and including locally sourced seafood into the mix is a necessary and welcome progression,” said State Representative Paul Schmid III (D-Westport), House Chair of the Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture. “I am thrilled to see that the Baker-Polito Administration is further promoting seafood products here in Massachusetts while providing schools with fresh, local food.”
“The Farm to School Project was discussed at our Massachusetts Seafood Marketing Steering Committee meeting earlier this month. I am delighted to see this official partnership facilitated by the Baker-Polito Administration,” said State Representative Susan Gifford (R-Wareham). “Massachusetts seafood is some of the best in the world and locally sourced seafood will be a healthy and delicious addition to menus across the Commonwealth in our schools.”
Massachusetts Farm to School is a statewide organization that strengthens the connections that communities have with fresh, healthy food and local food producers by influencing food purchasing and education practices at schools. In October 2016, Governor Baker declared October as Massachusetts Farm to School Month to support Massachusetts’ farm to school programs and the Massachusetts agricultural industry.
“We are very excited to add seafood to our successful Harvest of the Month campaign as the featured item for the month of May,” said Simca Horwitz, the Eastern Massachusetts Director of the Massachusetts Farm to School Project. “Over 150 K-12 schools, colleges, and hospitals in Massachusetts are participating in the campaign, which we expect to translate into at least 800,000 servings of locally caught seafood just during the month of May. We hope this can be the starting point for sustained purchases of local seafood by institutions across the Commonwealth.”
AG HEALEY ISSUES ADVISORY ON MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE, INFORMATION TO BE AVAILABLE IN 14 LANGUAGES
AG HEALEY ISSUES ADVISORY ON MINIMUM WAGE INCREASE, INFORMATION TO BE AVAILABLE IN 14 LANGUAGES
Minimum Wage Set to Increase to $11 on Jan. 1, 2017
BOSTON – Attorney General Maura Healey is reminding the public and employers in Massachusetts about the increase in the minimum wage that is set to go into effect on Jan. 1, 2017. The AG’s Office has updated its wage and hour poster that employers are required to display. It will be available in 14 languages and in formats that employers, workers, members of the public, and organizations can access.
“We are advising people about the minimum wage increase so that employers are aware of their obligations under the law and so that workers know their rights,” AG Healey said. “Through education, outreach, and enforcement actions where appropriate, we will continue our work to protect the economic security of Massachusetts workers and their families.”
In July 2014, the Legislature passed the first increase to the minimum wage since 2008. Pursuant to that legislation, effective Jan. 1, the minimum wage will increase to $11 per hour.
Also effective Jan. 1, tipped employees (those who receive more than $20 a month in tips) must be paid a minimum of $3.75 per hour, provided that, with tips, the employee receives at least $11 per hour. If the total hourly rate for the employee, including tips, does not equal $11, then the employer must make up the difference.
Hard copies of the AG’s Wage and Hour poster will be available in Chinese, English, Haitian Creole, Khmer, Portuguese, Spanish, and Vietnamese. To request a copy, please visit www.mass.gov/ago/fldposter or call (617) 963-2250. Additionally, the following languages will be available to print on the AG’s website: Arabic, Cape Verdean Creole, Chinese, English, French, Haitian Creole, Italian, Khmer, Korean, Lao, Portuguese, Russian, Spanish, and Vietnamese.
The Attorney General’s Fair Labor Division enforces laws that protect workers, including minimum wage, payment of wages, overtime, tip pooling, child labor, Sunday and holiday premium pay, and the public construction bid laws.
The Division has broad powers to investigate violations and enforce these laws through criminal and civil actions. The Division protects employees from exploitation, prosecutes employers who are failing to follow state wage and hour laws, and sets a level playing field for law-abiding employers. The AG’s Office ensures that strong economic growth and fairness for workers go hand-in-hand.
In September, AG Healey issued the first-ever Labor Day Report on her office’s efforts to combat and prevent wage theft. The report shows that in fiscal year 2016 alone, the office recovered $3.8 million in restitution and penalties on behalf of working people in Massachusetts.
To increase resources available to victims of wage theft, the AG’s Office is working with community partners, law schools, and private bar attorneys to host free monthly wage theft clinics at Suffolk Law School. These clinics are part of an effort to address wage theft and worker exploitation among vulnerable populations, including low wage and immigrant workers in the state. The goal of the clinics is to help workers get the wages and benefits they deserve. More than 70 workers have attended the first three clinics and received assistance with a range of wage theft issues. The next clinic is scheduled for Jan. 30, 2017. For more information on these clinics, please click here.
The AG’s Office has also revamped its workplace rights website with a new design and innovative features, including searchable public data and content in various languages. The new easy-to-navigate website allows workers to better understand their rights and for employers, their obligations under state law.
Workers who believe that their rights have been violated in their workplace can also call the office’s Fair Labor Hotline at (617) 727-3465. More information about the state’s wage and hour laws is also available in multiple languages atwww.mass.gov/ago/fairlabor.
星期二, 12月 27, 2016
楊信宜古箏學生冬季音樂會 1/14
2017年楊信宜古箏學生冬季音樂會將於1月14日﹝星期六﹞
吳新興：台灣技職教育歡迎僑生前來就讀
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| 僑務委員會委員長吳新興（第一排中）、僑生處處長莊瓊枝（第一排 右三）、財團法人海外信用保證基金董事長林寶惜（第一排左三） 與參與僑僑生技職專班招生及輔導工作經驗分享會各校人員合影。 |
僑務委員會委員長吳新興27日在僑生技職專班（俗稱3+4）招生及輔導工作經驗分享會開幕式表示，台灣要輸出優秀技職教育，鼓勵東南亞僑生來台就學，創造雙贏局面。
吳新興表示，僑委會除了推動海青班，並於103年開始擴大辦理3+4僑生技職專班，鼓勵僑生來台學得一技之長並取得學位，將來回到僑居國能開創事業，也可留在台灣貢獻所學，希望各校互相合作，擴大招收僑生。
吳新興指出，僑生教育是僑務工作最大成就之一，許多東南亞國家各行各業領袖人才都是留台校友。僑生教育推動一甲子以來，已培育超過12萬名的留台校友。他表示，許多僑生來自馬來西亞，期許未來能擴大招收越南、緬甸、菲律賓的僑生。另外，政府現正推動「新南向政策」，他也要求各校深入瞭解東南亞各國國情，吸引華僑子弟來台就學，並給予僑生關懷及輔導。
僑委會辦理僑生技職專班，至今有5所學校參與，明年將擴大為15所學校共襄盛舉。為了讓新參與之學校瞭解相業務，於27日舉辦工作經驗分享會，邀請同德家商、成功工商、莊敬高職、萬能工商、中山工商、三信家商、方曙商工、東泰高中、高苑工商、協志工商、六信高中、大德工商、大慶商工、樹德家商、華德工家及正修科大出席。
財團法人海外信用保證基金董事長林寶惜到場，說明提供建教僑生專班就學貸款業務，各校並進行經驗分享，也邀請外交部領事事務局、內政部移民署及新北市政府教育局人員到場座談。
State Officials Announce Continued Partnership to Promote Electric Vehicles
State Officials Announce Continued Partnership to Promote Electric Vehicles
Program Will Result in Consumer Awareness and Adoption of Electric Vehicles in the Northeast
BOSTON – December 27, 2016 – State energy and environment officials today announced the award of federal funding from the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) to assist in further collaboration between the Commonwealth and Plug In America to accelerate the deployment of electric, plug-in electric and fuel cell electric vehicles, collectively referred to as Zero Emission Vehicles (ZEVs), in the Massachusetts. DOE selected Plug in America and Clean Cities programs in Massachusetts, as well as in Connecticut, Rhode Island and Vermont, to provide funding for continued public, workplace and fleet events over the next two years. Massachusetts currently offers rebates to customers purchasing electric vehicles through the MOR-EV program. The Baker-Polito Administration recently announced $12 million in additional funding for MOR-EV, representing more than double the rebate funding over the lifetime of the program.
“The innovative test drive initiative funded by the program is proven to help shape consumer perceptions of driving electric and how easy it is to make the switch away from petroleum to make our environment cleaner,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton. “The continuation of Mass Drive Clean federal funding will leverage our successful experience in the Commonwealth with that of our fellow New England states towards a collaborative effort to promote the positive impacts of zero emissions vehicles.”
Mass Drive Clean is a highly successful pilot program funded through a DOE grant in 2015 that resulted in over 650 drivers and passengers test driving one or more electric vehicles at employer sponsored and public events. The program was continued this year with over 1000 test drives to date. The drives are a way for interested drivers to get behind the wheel of multiple makes and models of these clean vehicles. Each driver is surveyed before and after driving, with 83% saying that their overall opinion of a ZEV is better than before their test drive and 68% said that were more likely to purchase one now that they had experienced the performance of the cars. Plug In America has shown in California that about 10% of ride and drive participants will purchase a ZEV within six months. Surveys to Massachusetts test drivers are being sent about 6 months after their drive to document results here.
“Mass Drives Clean proves that by giving consumers the firsthand experience of operating an electric, they are much more likely to purchase a vehicle and help take a traditional vehicle off the road,” said Department of Energy Resources Commissioner Judith Judson. “The increased adoption of electric vehicles is a vital component of Massachusetts reducing emissions to meet our targets under the Global Warming Solutions Act
Automotive dealership training and recognition is another component of the DOE program and will be rolled out first in Massachusetts under this grant. This project is one of only three ZEV showcase projects funded by the U.S. DOE around the country, one in the mid-west and one in the northwest.
Plug In America is the leading national consumer voice promoting the use of plug-in electric vehicles in the United States to consumers, policymakers, auto manufacturers and others. Formed as a non-profit in 2008, Plug In America provides practical, objective information collected from our coalition of plug-in vehicle drivers, through public outreach and education, policy work and a range of technical advisory services. Our expertise represents the world’s deepest pool of experience of driving and living with plug-in vehicles. The organization conceived National Drive Electric Week and has advanced workplace charging by pioneering ride-and-drive events at such leading corporations as Google, Mattel and Paramount Pictures. www.pluginamerica.org.
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