MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES MILESTONES REACHED IN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR THREE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES MILESTONES REACHED IN CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT PROJECTS FOR THREE BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Massachusetts School Building Authority Approves Next Steps in Boston Public School Improvement Projects

Rendering of Boston Arts Academy BOSTON - Wednesday, December 13, 2017 - As part of the Walsh Administration's commitment to improve schools, Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced a set of milestones reached in the improvements being made to three schools in the Boston Public School system. The three schools include: Carter School, Boston Arts Academy and the Josiah Quincy Upper School. The Walsh Administration has put a renewed focus on maximizing the Massachusetts School Building Authority (MSBA) as a resource for improving facilities. Since 2014, the City has secured funding for 12 repair projects throughout the District, with six more projects going into construction in the summer of 2018 and 2019. This in addition to moving forward with the Dearborn STEM Academy in Roxbury. Including today's action by the MSBA Board, the City has been approved for grants totaling up to $112 million since 2014. "It's important that we provide the best education for our students, in the best learning environment," said Mayor Walsh. "These steps taken by the MSBA are significant in ensuring that we are able to update and modernize school facilities for the benefit of our students and educators. I thank the Board for their votes, and look forward to moving forward with these projects to create 21st century learning environments for all of our students." As a result of approval from a MSBA Board vote, the Boston Arts Academy (BAA) is able to move forward with setting the scope, schedule and cost for a new school, marking a major milestone in the MSBA process. The City will receive upwards of $48 million in reimbursement from the state for the $124 million project. The new facility is designed to accommodate 500 students in academics and five arts majors, including: theatre, dance, music, design and visual communications (visual arts) and fashion technology. In addition to the typical classrooms and science labs required at any high school, the new BAA will feature a 500-seat auditorium/theater space with proscenium stage and scene shop, a 200 seat black box theater, four new dance studios, visual arts studios, a recording studio, choral room and a 150 seat recital/lecture hall. Other projects that received approval as part of the MSBA vote include the Carter School, which was approved to be invited into an Eligibility Period, the first step in the MSBA construction process to determine preliminary requirements and eligibility. The Josiah Quincy Upper School will move forward with the extension of a feasibility study to allow the City and MSBA the ability to continue collaborative efforts in determining potential locations for the new school facility. "Improvement projects like these make an important difference in our students' lives by providing them 21st century learning environments where their minds and dreams can flourish," said BPS Superintendent Tommy Chang. "I am grateful to the MSBA for its support of our efforts to create world-class facilities, and bring our BuildBPS framework to life in classrooms across the city." Earlier this year, Mayor Walsh announced a $1 billion commitment to improve Boston's school buildings through BuildBPS, a ten-year Educational and Facilities Master Plan for Boston Public Schools. Mayor Walsh also committed $13 million in near term investments for schools across the district through the creation of the 21st Century Schools Fund. In addition, the Dearborn STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) Academy, a $73 million construction project to create a four-story, 128,000 square foot state-of-the-art learning facility ideal for 21st century, will open to students in September of 2018. The project is being reimbursed $37 million by the MSBA. Earlier this year, Mayor Walsh announced $9 million of investments for roof and boiler replacements at five schools, including Boston Latin School, James F. Condon Elementary in South Boston, John W. McCormack Middle School in Dorchester, Paul A. Dever Elementary School in Dorchester and the William E. Channing Elementary School in Hyde Park. The roof and boiler replacement project leverages nearly $6.1 million in MSBA Accelerated Repair Program, which is focused on performing energy-efficient and cost-saving upgrades, and will result in direct operational savings for the school district. Last year, Mayor Walsh invested $25.1 million for door and window replacement at seven schools, which included construction grants up to $16.4 million from the MSBA Accelerated Repair Program. This project enabled for nearly 3,000 windows to be replaced at these schools. For more information on BuildBPS, please visit here.

City Council Passes Procurement Reform Ordinance, Acoustic on Main, Appoints CPC Members

City Council Passes Procurement Reform Ordinance, Acoustic on Main, Appoints CPC Members

BOSTON - In the final Council meeting of the year, the Boston City Council passed two major ordinances as well as finalized the appointments of four community members to serve on the Community Preservation Committee (CPC). The first ordinance, sponsored by Council President Wu, removed the sunset clause on Boston’s Acoustic Live Entertainment Ordinance to permanently enable neighborhood small businesses to host acoustic live entertainment acts without fees or paperwork. The second, An Ordinance Promoting Equity in City of Boston Contracts, was co-sponsored by Council President Michelle Wu and Councilor Ayanna Pressley.

Acoustic Live Entertainment

In December 2016 the City Council passed the Acoustic Live Entertainment Ordinance to eliminate all permits, licenses, and fees for Boston businesses to host acoustic performances with five or fewer performers. The language included a sunset provision that the ordinance would expire at the end of 2017, in order to allow for review and reconsideration. Today, the Council voted to remove that provision and extend the program permanently.

“This ordinance empowers Boston's small business owners to enliven our business districts and showcase our arts and culture talent," said President Wu. "By eliminating red tape for acoustic performances in our small businesses, we are giving neighborhood retailers another tool to entice customers to shop local. We’ve heard very positive feedback from businesses and community members over the last year and I’m thrilled it will continue permanently as an example of innovation and collaboration in city government."

Procurement Reform

The Equity in City of Boston Contracts Ordinance codifies the City’s responsibility to create a supplier diversity program, which would conduct active outreach to women- and minority-owned business enterprises (WMBEs) regarding City needs and contracting processes. It also requires solicitation of bids from at least one women-owned business and at least one minority-owned business for contracts under $50,000. Finally it directs any and all requests for proposals (RFPs) that the City issues, as well as the evaluation process for such RFPs, to include a rating of diversity and inclusion plans as key criteria, and creates a quarterly reporting obligation.

“This ordinance aligns city spending with our vision of creating equity and opportunity across our neighborhoods” said Council President Wu. “The $700M that city government spends each year represents a tremendous opportunity to invest in local MWBEs that will build wealth in our communities.”

“This has been a long road from my first hearing in 2013, but today is a huge step towards codifying equity in the City of Boston’s procurement and purchasing systems,” said Councilor Ayanna Pressley. “In collaboration with my colleague, Council President Michelle Wu, we have crafted and passed an ordinance built to make a difference now and to create a system that pushes us to continue to set newer and bolder goals for inclusion. This policy is a step towards reducing wealth inequities in the city, and I look forward to its implementation.”

Community Preservation Committee

The Council also voted to confirm four nominees for the CPC, rounding out the 9-member board that will manage and grant the funds collected under the Community Preservation Act.

“The process for the Special Committee on the community Preservation Act to recommend four individuals was very thorough. With the partnership of my Council colleagues which allowed for an in-depth, transparent process to take place, I am confident that the four nominees that were approved by the full City Council will uphold the goals of the Community Preservation Act which will continued to move Boston forward,” said Boston City Council At-Large Michael Flaherty, Chair of the special Committee on the Community Preservation Act.

The new members are: Matthew Kiefer, Madeligne Tena, Kannan Thiruvengadam, and Ying Wang. They will join Mayor Walsh’s appointees: Chris Cook (Boston Conservation Commission), William Epperson (Parks and Recreation Commission), Felicia Jacques (Boston Landmarks Commission), Carol Downs (Boston Planning and Development Agency (BPDA) Board), and Kate Bennett (Boston Housing Authority). They will serve staggered terms such that each year at least one seat will come up for reappointment or a new appointment.

Boston Public Schools, Boston Red Sox Host Holiday Gathering For Families In Need

Boston Public Schools, Boston Red Sox Host Holiday Gathering For Families In Need

Wally the Green Monster To Help Distribute Gifts

BOSTON — Wednesday, December 13, 2017 — Tomorrow, the Boston Public Schools (BPS) Homeless Education Resource Network (HERN) and the Boston Red Sox will host a holiday gathering where about 400 students and family members who are experiencing homelessness or are low-income will receive gifts and take part in a celebration of the season. Wally the Green Monster will be on hand to help provide the gifts and have fun with the students. WHEN: Thursday, December 14, 5:30-8:00 PM WHERE: Mildred Avenue K-8 School, 5 Mildred Avenue, Mattapan WHO: BPS Students and Families BPS Superintendent Tommy Chang Mary William, Homeless Education Resource Network District Liaison Boston School Committee member Jeri Robinson Representatives from City Year, Girls Scouts of Eastern Massachusetts, Family Independence Initiative, Candy.com, MPact, Boston Medical Center, and more.

MASSACHUSETTS TO RECEIVE $2.4 MILLION FROM MEDICAL DEVICE COMPANY OVER UNLAWFUL MARKETING

MASSACHUSETTS TO RECEIVE $2.4 MILLION FROM MEDICAL DEVICE COMPANY OVER UNLAWFUL MARKETING 
Payment Part of $12 Million Settlement Resolving Multistate Investigation

BOSTON – Massachusetts will receive $2.4 million from a medical device company in a multistate settlement resolving allegations that it unlawfully promoted a device used in certain surgical procedures, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today.

In a consent judgment entered today in Suffolk Superior Court, Medtronic Sofamor Danek, Inc. and Medtronic Sofamor Danek USA, Inc. (Medtronic) have agreed to resolve claims they engaged in a deceptive marketing strategy regarding its Infuse® Bone Graft device that is used to stimulate bone growth.

“Companies cannot use deceptive practices to increase their profits, while compromising the safety and well-being of patients,” said AG Healey. “With this settlement, we are bringing more than $2 million back to Massachusetts after uncovering this unlawful conduct.”

The payment is part of a $12 million multistate settlement that concludes an investigation conducted by AG Healey and state attorneys general in Oregon, California, Illinois and Washington.

Infuse is a medical device used in certain spinal fusion procedures as an alternative to more traditional bone grafting. The AG’s complaint, filed along with the consent judgment today, alleges that Medtronic used deceptive company-sponsored scientific literature to convey false and misleading claims about Infuse’s safety, comparative efficacy, and superiority in order to expand the market for Infuse. 

Specifically, the complaint alleges that in order to promote Infuse, Medtronic collaborated with physician-authors – many of whom were paid millions in consulting fees by the company – to publish studies in peer-reviewed journals that unfairly and deceptively omitted discussion of adverse results, downplayed side-effects, overstated the comparative efficacy of Infuse, and failed to disclose consultant ties to Medtronic. The complaint alleges Medtronic knowingly disseminated these deceptive articles and benefited financially from them.  

In addition to the monetary payment, the settlement imposes requirements on Medtronic’s promotional use of clinical trial information and its dissemination of published medical journal articles relating to clinical trials of Infuse.

Medtronic is also required to make clinical trial data relating to Infuse publicly available through the government-run website ClinicalTrials.gov, and comply with other injunctive terms relating to its marketing and promotional practices for Infuse.

This matter was handled by Assistant Attorney General Lisa Gaulin of the AG’s Health Care Division, with assistance from Eric Gold, Chief of the Health Care Division, and Assistant Attorneys General Courtney Aladro and Emily Gabrault through the Health Care Division.

劍橋合唱團12/17辦25週年音樂會

記憶‧童年 劍橋合唱團 25週年春季音樂會 12月17日 晚間 7:00 MIT Morss Hall, Walker Memorial 劍橋合唱團歡慶創團紀念，今年擴大舉行一系列演出活動。12/17星期日晚上的親子音樂會【記憶.童年】將從周璇、鳳飛飛唱到一系列迪士尼經典電影歌曲，從1歲到100歲的觀眾都能唱出屬於自己的童年記憶！

Tale as Old as Time ~ Featuring CCCS 25th Anniversary December 17th, 7 PM at MIT Morss Hall, Walker Memorial  MIT Cambridge Chinese Choral Society (CCCS) is presenting its winter concert "Tale as Old as Time – featuring CCCS 25 years", bringing Disney theme songs, from classic to contemporary for all generations. Come and enjoy a sing-along night with your family.

Buy Tickets

麻州中醫學會歡迎台灣針灸名醫溫崇凱 (圖片)

美國麻州中醫學會歡迎來自台灣的溫崇凱醫師到訪。前排右起，劉京，張群豪，溫崇凱，劉皓行，李志平。(周菊子攝)

溫崇凱。

REP. LIEU INTRODUCES BIPARTISAN BILL TO CREATE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE COMMISSION

REP. LIEU INTRODUCES BIPARTISAN BILL TO CREATE ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE COMMISSION

WASHINGTON - Today, Congressman Ted W. Lieu (D­ – Los Angeles County) introduced bipartisan legislation called the Fundamentally Understanding the Usability and Realistic Evolution of Artificial Intelligence (FUTURE of AI) Act with Congressmen John Delaney (D–MD) and Pete Olson (R–TX) to create a federal advisory commission to study artificial intelligence issues. Comprised of members from federal agencies, industry, academia and labor organizations, the commission would advise the government on how to regulate and prepare for advancements in AI. Reps. Lieu, Delaney and Olson are members of the Artificial Intelligence Caucus, which was created in the 115th Congress to inform policymakers of the technological, economic and social impacts of advances in AI. This is a companion to a Senate bill introduced by Senator Cantwell.

“Artificial intelligence is already reshaping the future of nearly every major industry. With thoughtful investment, American ingenuity in AI can transform our economy and help the United States remain the global standard-bearer of innovation. As a leader in this space, the U.S. is responsible for determining how to deploy these new technologies safely and wisely—especially considering the potential economic, legal and ethical implications of AI. I am proud to join my colleagues Rep. Delaney and Rep. Olson in bringing together a diverse group of experts to tackle these fundamental questions. Used correctly, AI can transform society for the better.  Used in a nefarious manner, AI can wreak havoc on society.”