波士頓過白色聖誕 2018第一夜會很冷

波士頓的市區，下午雪就停了，地面上也只有一層薄雪。(周菊子攝)

(Boston Orange)下雪了。皓皓白雪覆蓋大地，波士頓終於又等來一個白色聖誕，可卻是個沒電了的白色聖誕，大約有4500戶人家停電了。

根據麻周緊急管理局(MEMA)，就在早上10點以前，東橋水(East Bridgewater)大約有11%的民家裡停電了，諾頓(Norton)鎮則有大約六分之一人家停電了。

25日是聖誕假日，人行道也一時還沒人來鏟雪。(周菊子攝)

波士頓還好，沒停電，但是風大雪重，戶外天氣十分惡劣。城中區幾乎有如廢城，路上都覆蓋著雪，只有幾個川著霓虹夾克的人在給人行道鏟雪。據說有一名記者早上9點多時開車繞行畢肯丘，金融區，以及蘿絲甘迺迪綠路，沒看到一輛鏟雪車。

羅根國際機場暫時停止了飛機起降。

麻州港發言人Jennifer Meigan 表示，今早氣溫變化太快，工作人員的進度感不上降雪速度。還好今天路上沒那麼多車。大約早上11點半，羅根機場重開跑道，容許飛機起降了。

今早的風速大約每小時25英哩，溫度大約是華氏20度左右。

國家氣象服務局對鱈魚角和離島發出了大風警告，預估風速會從每小時30到40英哩，加速到每小時65英哩。

國家氣象局的氣象員表示，大都會地區大約再一兩個小時後就會停止降雪，但氣溫會大將，天氣更加冷。路上可能結冰，出門的人要更加小心。

麻州州警表示，因為天氣關係，麻州高速公路(turnpike)的速限已降到每小時40英哩。

麻州交通局表示，已派出1968輛鏟雪車上路。

接下來的這幾天，也將都非常冷，星期四可能會是最冷的一天。2018年的第一個星期，將有一到倆個北極冷峰來襲，”第一夜(First Night)”也將非常冷。

經文處年終聚會 明年預定4人調動

駐波士頓經文處處長賴銘琪，雲雯蓁夫婦(中)與經文處同仁和頂大學人合影。右起，趙順良，蒙志成，陳重仁夫婦，後排左起，波士頓僑教中心主任歐宏偉，黃瑋婷，林美呈，副處長陳銘俊，教育組長陳幗珍，新聞組副組長趙昌倫，外交部組長陳珮瑩(後右一)。(波士頓僑教中心提供)

(Boston Orange) 駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處12月21日在駐處會址辦年終聚會，邀刻在波士頓的”頂大學人”，以及本地華文媒體和辦事處同仁聯誼，透露波士頓經文處來年將有不下4人異動。

駐波士頓經文處處長賴銘琪表示，自己調任波士頓已3年多，之前也已在華府辦事處駐守近2年，預定明年任期屆滿，將調回台灣，因此近來參加每一個活動，都有最後一次的感覺，十分珍惜與僑胞，媒體，本地友人的相聚。

21日這天，賴銘琪夫婦也抱著”最後一次”的心情，特地訂製手工做巧克力，還安排店家做出印有TAIWAN字樣的盒子來裝，再連同僑務委員會的2018年台灣特有鳥類月曆做禮物，聊表心意。

駐波士頓經文處在過去這一年內，已有不小異動，包括教育組組長黃薳玉，新聞組組長朱永昌，副組長陳文昌，商務組組長石大玲，都已調任回國。

處長賴銘琪，副處長陳銘俊，組長陳珮瑩則因駐外任期屆滿關係，預定明年調回台灣。教育組秘書黃瑋婷，據悉也將調離波士頓，主要原因是台灣加重推動新南向政策。

現任的教育組組長陳幗珍，新聞組副組長趙昌倫，外交部副組長林美呈等人則是波士頓經文處新人。

陸續從今年8月起到哈佛大學比較文學及東亞語言及文明系，麻省理工學院政治科學系進修，依序來自政大，台大，成功大學的3名頂大學人，肇良順，陳重仁，蒙志成，這天也都應邀出席，和辦事處同仁聯誼。

經文處教育組組長陳幗珍透露，今年共有6名頂大學人獲選來波士頓，只有5人成行，其中2人當天未能出席。由於頂大學人是教育部一項為期10年的計畫，今年已是最後一批。教育組與紐英崙中華專業人員協會合作的頂大學人講座，今年也將是最後一屆舉辦。

會末，經文處處長賴銘琪和波士頓僑教中心主任歐宏偉預祝出席眾人新的一年更美好。一月一日元旦，別忘了到牛頓市僑教中心會址參加升旗典禮。

波士頓安良工商會迎冬至 會員團聚共享台山湯圓

駐波士頓經文處處長賴銘琪(左四)，波士頓僑教中心主任歐宏偉和
波士頓安良工商會要員合影。左起，伍輝民，司徒炳聰，波士頓安良
工商會會長陳仕維，鄧北海，翁英宏，陳文浩，周榮佳。(周菊子攝)

(Boston Orange ) 波士頓安良工商會在12月22日中午，匯聚會所，輪流上香祭拜關公，圍桌享用台山湯圓，慶祝冬至，約50餘人出席，熱鬧、溫馨。

駐波士頓臺北經濟文化辦事處處長賴銘琪，僑教中心主任歐宏偉應邀到會，恭賀陳仕維和黃立輝連任主席，感謝該會支持中華民國政府，也嘉許該會對僑社的貢獻。

祝波士頓經文處處長賴明琪(左二)和波士頓僑教中心種任歐宏偉(右一)
應邀出席波士頓安良冬至聚會，與幫辦翁英宏(右二)，財政陳文浩(左一)
等人一起上香。(周菊子攝)

              今年擔任波士頓安良自治會長的陳仕維透露，冬至邀會員回到會所團聚，享用湯圓，其實也是近年才又恢復的僑社風氣。他特地說明，和一般人想像中的湯圓不同，台山湯圓是鹹的，湯圓本身是用純糯米製作的，顆粒小，沒有餡，配上雞肉，臘肉，白蘿蔔，大白菜，冬菇，魚塊，蝦米等等配料，加水熬煮成湯，不但台山人自己愛吃，很多人嚐過後都讚不絕口。

              高齡已91歲的安良會員黃毓祺這天也特地出席，和安良會員敘舊。

              即將接任安良財政的陳文浩表示，波士頓安良工商會從兩年前整頓改組後，已完成大樓翻修等工程，今年在總會協調下，上屆的聯選及自治兩名會長，職位對調，仍然由黃立輝，陳仕維出掌大位。該會已訂12月26日舉行新屆職員就職典禮，明年將組團參加全美安良工商會年會。

波士頓安良工商會會長陳仕維(右一)，財政陳文浩(左一)，
和波士頓經文處處長賴銘琪，波士頓僑教中心主任
歐宏偉享用台山湯圓。(周菊子攝)

Cranston, RI showing strong financial management

CRANSTON, RI—Cranston Mayor Allan W. Fung is highlighting the recently-completed fiscal 2017 audit of the city’s finances that shows Cranston continues on a path of strong financial management.

The audit, completed by the city’s outside auditing firm, Marcum, LLP, shows that the city ended with a $123,000 operating surplus despite reductions in state aid, state payments in lieu of taxes at the Pastore complex and higher-than-expected snow removal costs last winter. The reduction in state aid totaled nearly $900,000 alone.

“The results of this year’s audit shows Cranston finished another year in the black and continues on a path of stable finances and strong fiscal management,” commented Mayor Fung. “We have another cumulative surplus and were able to continue adding to our rainy day fund, which, at more than $20 million, remains one of the largest of any Rhode Island municipality. I thank our team in the Finance Department, the City Council and all city employees who work together to provide quality services to our residents and ensure we spend taxpayer dollars wisely.”

A copy of the audit can be viewed here: http://web.cranstonri.org/Clerkdocs/Audit/Audit2017.pdf

華人前進會與州市議員攜手爭取立法保護勞工薪資

The Chinese Progressive Association and State Representative Aaron Michlewitz joined community stakeholders and victims of wage theft for a rally in support of state legislation to curb wage theft and to promote employer accountability.


BOSTON, MA – In a lunchtime rally, members of the Chinese Progressive Association and state and local leaders joined together in support of the Massachusetts wage theft bill (S 999 / H 1033) and to demand missing pay for workers.

"Our workers center has been around for 30 years. Wage theft is the most common problem that we have seen among workers. These builders are making huge profits from renovations but are paying their workers nothing. We have to stand up to stop wage theft," said Karen Y. Chen, Executive Director of the Chinese Progressive Association, while addressing the energized crowd.

The legislation, that passed the Senate last session and was reintroduced in January, seeks to prevent wage law violations by granting additional power to the Attorney General to hold employers and contractors accountable.

"House Bill 1033 would be a great step to get the Attorney General what she needs to help workers. We have over 140 sponsors, which shows that this is a problem, not just in Boston, but in all of Massachusetts. We need to get this bill passed to stop this from happening to Massachusetts' workers," said Representative Michlewitz, who introduced the bill in January this year.

"I stand with workers in our community to stop wage theft. This is a serious problem in my district and in the state," said Boston City Councilor-Elect Ed Flynn, who also attended the event in Downtown Boston.

Boston City Councilor-Elect Kim Janey also marched with attendees lending her support for wage theft legislation.

The rally was also attended by workers from the Chinese community who contend they fell prey to predatory contractors involved in wage theft, which frequently impacts immigrant workers, particularly in the construction industry.

"We have to use worker and community power to stop wage theft. People need to be paid for the work they do. When people don't get paid, they can't support their families or live a healthy life," said Wei Min Zheng, a Quincy resident and a victim of wage theft.

Wage theft has been a chronic problem in Massachusetts and around the country, where few remedies are currently available for victims, particularly vulnerable workers in immigrant communities. For more information about wage theft, and the push for legislation in Massachusetts, please visit http://www.stopmasswagetheft.org.

 The rallying wage theft victims are working with the Chinese Progressive Association, a grassroots community organization which works for full equality and empowerment of the Chinese community in the Greater Boston area and beyond. Their activities seek to improve the living and working conditions of Chinese Americans and to involve community members in making decisions that affect their communities. For more information on the Chinese Progressive Association please visit http://www.cpaboston.org.
 

華人前進會和麻州代表麦家威（Aaron Michlewitz）加入社區利益相關者和工資盜竊受害者的集會，支持州立法，遏制工資盜騙，促進雇主問責。

馬薩諸塞州波士頓 -中午時間在集會上，華人前進會成員和聯同州和地方領袖一起支持馬薩諸塞州反盜騙工資法案（S 999 / H 1033），並要求討回工人工資。

“我們的工人中心已經有三十年了，盜騙工資是我們工人中心所見到的最普遍的問題，這些承建商從裝修中賺取巨額利潤，卻沒有給工人一分錢，我們必須站出來阻止盜騙工資的情況， “華人前進會執行主任陳玉珍（Karen Y. Chen）在集會中表示。

 通過參議院上次會議並将在1月份重新提出, 立法旨在通過賦予總檢察長額外的權力來握监督雇主和承包商的責任，防止違反工資法律。

“”議會法案1033 “將是向司法部長提供幫助工人所需要的一大步，我們有140多個團體贊助，這表明這不僅只發生在波士頓，而且也是馬薩諸塞州內的一個嚴重的問題。這個法案通過，以阻止這種情況發生在馬薩諸塞州的工人身上，“州代表麦家威，他將會在今年1月在議會中介紹該法案。

波士頓市議員愛德華.费连 (Ed Flynn) 也出席了這個活動，他說：“我和我們社區的工作人員一起阻止工資被盜，這在我們的地區和州內都是一個嚴重的問題。

波士頓市當選市議員金尼（Kim Janey）也參加了遊行，支持這個法案立法。

華人社區的工人也參加了這次集會，他們認為這些工人受到承建商掠奪性的盜騙工資，經常影響到移民工人，尤其是在建築行業中經常發生。

“我們必須用工人和社區的力量來制止偷骗工資，人們需要為他們所做的工作付錢，當工人沒有得到報酬時，他們不能養家糊口，過健康的生活. “鄭先生是昆西居民，也是盜竊工資的受害者。

盜騙工資在馬薩諸塞州和全國各地都是一個長期的問題，目前對受害者，特別是移民社區的弱勢工人來說，目前幾乎沒有最好的解決辦法。欲了解更多關於盜騙工資的信息，以及推動馬薩諸塞州的立法，請瀏覽http://www.stopmasswagetheft.org。

集會中被盜騙 工資的受害者正和華人前進會合作，一個基層社區組織，致力於在大波士頓地區及以外的地區實現華人社區的完全平等和賦權。他們的活動旨在改善美藉華人的生活和工作條件，讓社區成員參與影響社區的決策。有關華人前進會的更多信息，請瀏覽http://www.cpaboston.org。

中華頤養院慶聖誕 50耆英同歡

中華頤養院21日在波士頓華人佈道會所物街會址慶祝聖誕節，50多人享用營養早餐，唱歌，抽獎，與院長陳力(第二排右三)等人同樂。該院每月一次的營養早餐會新年度第一場訂1月25日早上9點半，在120 Shawmut Ave, Boston舉行。(圖由中華頤養院提供)

波士頓公校上學、放學時間不改了

            (Boston Orange)波士頓公校系統向來自家長，市議員的洶湧反對浪潮低頭，22日宣佈，明年秋天的上學、放學時間不改了。

            波士頓公校總監張欽棠在週五公佈的聲明中表示，將和學校社區合作，為來年的上學，放學訂定新時刻。

二週前，波士頓公校才宣佈要實施新的上學，放學時間。波士頓公校總監張欽棠表示，過去這幾星期，他們聽到了來自家長，學校員工，以及相關人士的許多反應。他們明白，儘管新時間會達到他們支持所有年級學生在學業上成功的目地，但是變動許多學校的上學時間對許多家庭造成的困擾之大，遠超過他們的預想。

波士頓來春10條巴士路線試行專用車道

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES PLANS FOR SPRING PILOT PROGRAM FOLLOWING SUCCESSFUL COMPLETION OF TESTING ON EXCLUSIVE BUS LANE ON WASHINGTON STREET IN ROSLINDALE

Multi-week pilot program will be implemented next spring

BOSTON - Thursday, December 20, 2017 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh in partnership with the Boston Transportation Department and MBTA today announced the successful completion of testing done on an exclusive bus lane on Washington Street from Roslindale Village to Forest Hills Station. As a result of the success of the testing conducted during the morning commute, a multi-week pilot program is being planned for implementation next spring. Over 60 percent of all individuals' travel in this corridor results from buses, which includes 10 different routes. The exclusive bus lane was also shared with riders on bicycles. "The testing of an exclusive lane for use by MBTA buses, school buses and bicycles on Washington Street in Roslindale was well received by both bus riders and cyclists," said Mayor Walsh. "Observations made during the test runs, as well as feedback from the community, will help us to design a comprehensive pilot program to determine the benefits of an exclusive bus and bike lane on this busy street." Testing took place on Tuesday, December 12, and Tuesday, December 19, from 5 AM to 9 AM.  The inbound parking lane on Washington Street, between Roslindale Village and Forest Hills, was separated from general traffic through the use of 135 orange traffic cones that were placed temporarily along an approximately 1.5 mile stretch of Washington Street. Numerous MBTA buses and Boston Public Schools buses, along with a steady stream of cyclists, took advantage of the congestion-free exclusive lane to reach Forest Hills. "Prioritizing buses between Roslindale Village and Forest Hills is a priority project outlined in Go Boston 2030, the City of Boston's long-term transportation plan," said Boston Transportation Commissioner Gina N. Fiandaca. "It is one of many new projects and policies being explored in an effort to ensure that Boston's streets welcome all users of the roadway safely, effectively and equitably. Examples of Go Boston 2030 initiatives that have recently been implemented or are underway include two new Neighborhood Slow Streets programs in Jamaica Plain and Dorchester, traffic safety improvements along Kneeland Street in Chinatown, and the construction of a new parking protected bike lane on Beacon Street in the Back Bay." "The MBTA is pleased to be working with the City of Boston to try a bus-only lane during the morning rush hour in Roslindale," said Transportation Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack. "The trial run of the dedicated lane will help the City evaluate data as officials try to balance the needs of MBTA customers on buses, people who park along Washington Street and people who drive, to ensure there is a fair allotment of street space between them. Our hope is that we'll be able to find a way to make our buses work more efficiently, to give our current passengers better service and to attract new bus riders. The MBTA is striving to improve service, be a great collaborator, try pilots, and if they work, try to implement them." The bus lane test runs took place on Tuesdays to correspond with an existing street cleaning regulation that already prohibits parking on Washington Street in the early morning hours. A temporary "Tow Zone, No Stopping" regulation extended the prohibition through 9 AM.  Flyers were distributed, temporary signs were posted and variable message boards announcing the initiative were placed on site in advance of the two Tuesdays to ensure neighborhood and commuter notification. Construction work at the location was restricted during the impacted hours. BTD, MBTA and BPS staff was on Washington Street for the duration of the two test runs to witness the impacts of the exclusive lane first hand, and to ensure that people using all modes of traffic were accommodated. Planning for the spring pilot program will include more in depth evaluation of the effectiveness of the exclusive lane. Roslindale residents and other community members are strongly encouraged to participate in the upcoming planning process.