馬丁華殊就職第二任市長 要為中產階級創機會

波士頓市長馬丁華殊(中)在母親，女友，以及美國前副總統拜登(前左)
陪同下，宣誓就職第二個市長任期。(周菊子攝)

               (Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導) 波士頓市長馬丁華殊(Marty Walsh)一月一日在古典瑰麗的卡特勒大劇院(Cutler Majestic Theatre)中就職連任，演說致詞強調，第二任要以中產階級的機會為優先要項，打造21世紀的學校，提供更好工作機會，建更多可負擔住宅，換言之，為所有人打造一個更好的波士頓。

馬丁華殊還宣佈推出”波士頓聘用(Boston Hire)”，"波士頓的回家路基金(Boston’s Way Home Fund)”，重建長島橋(Long Island bridge)，為12年後迎接波士頓建市400週年做好準備。

波士頓市長馬丁華殊(右)第二任就職，請來美國前副總統拜登(中)主持。
(周菊子攝)

主流媒體一字未提，但對華埠民眾很重要的是，馬丁華殊指出，在第一任的”建造波士頓公校(BuildBPS)”10億元設備項目中，為波士頓在洛士百利(Roxbury)建成了23年的第一所新高中，”迪爾伯恩科技工程學校(Dearborn STEM Academy)後，下一個要建的是波士頓藝術學校(Boston Arts Academy)，為國際昆士高中(International Quincy Upper School)新校舍找新經費的事，也在進行中。還要在南端重建卡特(Carter)學校等等。

David A. Ellis小學學生和旗手們在就職典禮中並列。(周菊子攝)

               馬丁華殊這波士頓市第54任市長的第二度就職典禮，十分隆重，不但有美國前任副總統拜登(Joseph R. Biden Jr.)主持，還有麻州州長貝克(Charlie Baker)，聯邦參議員馬基(Ed Markey)，聯邦眾議員卡普阿諾(Mike Capuano)，林奇(Steven Lynch)等重量級政要出席。

               拜登指馬丁華殊在多徹斯特成長，曾經與癌症，毒癮抗爭，再華麗轉身從政。他面對磨難，挑戰的勇氣，讓人難以置信。這經歷也使他最懂得以心與靈魂和人交往，真正顧及多元化不同層面的給人第二次機會，輝映今日華府局勢，尤其難得。

美國前副總統拜登指沒有人像馬丁華殊那麼懂得給人第二次機會。
(周菊子攝)

               拜登透露，他曾經在成都和中國國家主席習近平有過比任何一個其他國家領導人都長的25小時晤談。習近平問他怎麼定義美國人，他的回答是”可能性(possibilities)”。他認為在馬丁華殊領導下的波士頓，更是有著無限的可能性。

               馬丁華殊在長約20分鐘的就職演說中，侃侃而談未來四年大計，要和波士頓居民攜手打造更亮麗的波士頓，使波士頓成為真正世界級城市。

               首先，他要推出"波士頓聘用(Boston Hires)"，要在2022年之前培訓20,000名波士頓低收入民眾，讓他們能找到一份好工作。波士頓市府還打算以身作則，藉由針對市府工作設計的"市政學校(City Academy)"，來培訓，安置波市居民及波市公校畢業生。”波士頓聘用”將於2018年二月，為第一批57人，舉辦招聘及資訊說明會。

四名當選連任的不分區市議員。(周菊子攝)

               馬丁華殊四年前首度就任波士頓市長後，先成立人力發展辦公室，和380家企業合作，每年協助15,000多名求職者撰寫履歷表，建立人脈，打磨面試和找工作的技巧，然後又成立了金融賦能辦公室(The Office of Financial Empowerment)。從2014年起，已經引導1100萬元經費，為3000多名以上低收入民眾提供就業職能培訓。波士頓市的失業率也從2013年的6.1%降至2016年的3.4%。未來四年，他希望在這方面做更進一步的努力。

就職典禮所在地Cutler Majestic Theatre，古色古香。(周菊子攝)

•             在幫助無家可歸者上，波士頓市府宣佈和美國銀行，松街客棧(Pine Street Inn)合作，推出”波士頓的回家路”，要在波士頓已經為無家可歸者建造了4514個單位的基礎上，再籌募1000萬元，為長期無家可歸者建200個單位。美國銀行已捐款25萬元，馬丁華殊希望有更多機構加入行善行列。

               由於波士頓人口預計到2030年時會增至70萬人，住宅將是個大問題。馬丁華殊初上任後，已提出到2030年時，要因應各種收入階層，建造53,000個住宅單位的計畫。迄今，波士頓已建成13,551個新住宅單位，還有8,412個單位正在興蓋中，估計至少再可容納25,000人。

愛德華費林(右)是波士頓前市長雷費林(Ray Flynn)之子，
也是新當選，代表華埠的波士頓第二區市議員。(周菊子攝)

               為了解決住的問題，馬丁華殊去年還和大波士頓的多名市鎮長結盟，推出了包括14個社區的區域性住宅計畫。

               馬丁華殊還打算推出新的24小時311熱線，為戒毒，戒菸酒者提供各種醫療，住宅，就業支援。

               2014年因為安全問題，馬丁華殊下令封閉了長島橋。在第二任就職典禮中，馬丁華殊表示將重建長島橋，估計費用在4000萬到一億元之間。

麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie Baker)也出席就職典禮。他在1月1日這天，共
出席了4個城市的市長就職典禮。其中包括牛頓市新任市長。(周菊子攝)

               在1月1日的馬丁華殊就職典禮中，馬丁華殊也為13名市議員主持了就職典禮。在李超榮等人支持的東波士頓律師Lydia Edwards；阮鴻燦，關麗莎等不少華人支持，住在北端(North End)的保釋官(probation officer)愛德華費林(Ed Flynn)，以及轄區大都在落士百利的Kim Janey等3名新人加入後，波士頓市議會今年共有6名女性，全是有色人種，反映出波士頓政治景觀的變化。其中的Andrea Campbell稍後當選為今年的市議會議長。

13名市議員在馬丁華殊主禮中，宣誓就任。(周菊子攝)

波士頓市長馬丁華殊強調，第二任，他要給中產階級更多機會。
(周菊子攝)

波士頓經文處、僑教中心元旦升旗 數百人歡聚

祝波士頓經文處處長賴名琪(前右八)與協辦雙十國慶活動有功團體代表合影。(周菊子攝)

升旗典禮由臺裔第二代青年譚鼎翰(右二)及譚宇廷(右三)，

以及榮光會理事長石家孝(右四)、國民黨波士頓分部常委張韻蘭

共同擔任升旗手。(僑教中心提共)

               (Boston Orange 周菊子牛頓市報導) 大波士頓僑界1月1日一早，冒著華氏個位數字的氣溫，匯聚波士頓僑教中心會址，升起中華民國青天白日滿地紅國旗。數百人互祝年好的慶祝2018年元旦，場面盛大，熱絡。

升旗典禮由臺裔第二代青年譚鼎翰(左二)及譚宇廷(左三)，以及

榮光會理事長石家孝(左一)、國民黨波士頓分部常委張韻蘭(右三)

共同擔任升旗手。(僑教中心堤供)

這場中華民國107年元旦升旗典禮由波士頓僑教中心主任歐宏偉策畫，在駐波士頓經文處處長賴銘琪上任以來的強調和年輕世代接軌的主軸中，特地安排了臺裔第二代，一男一女的譚鼎翰，譚宇廷，和波士頓榮光會理事長石家孝，國民黨波士頓分部常委張韻蘭擔任升旗手。活動中還頒發感謝狀給協助辦理雙十國慶活動有功的團體、個人，送僑委會月曆，中華民國國旗圍巾給出席者。

波士頓兩名僑務委員蔣宗壬，梅錫銳，中華公所中文書記雷國輝，財政陳文浩，以及眾多僑團首長都出席了元旦升旗盛會。

               經文處處長賴銘琪致詞時透露，他奉派出國17年中，有9年駐守波士頓，這裏有如他的第二個家，波士頓所有僑胞有如他的家人，這天看到有這麼多人來出席元旦升旗典禮，他很感動。

經文處處長賴銘琪夫婦(中)與副處長陳銘俊(左)等人一起帶動跳。
(周菊子攝)

               在致詞中，賴銘琪回顧了過去一年來，有挫折，也有成就的台灣外交大事。挫折有去年5月是台灣8年來第一次無法參加世界衛生組織大會，以及6月份中華民國失去一個重要邦交國，巴拿馬，以致邦交國只剩下20個。成就有護照連簽證，落地簽，之前有164個，現在有167個，也就是說在全世界190多個國家中，有超過80%的國家，都可以讓持用中華民國護照者免簽證，或落地簽的入境，便利性排名全世界第28；還有去年11月1日，台灣成為第12個美國全球入境計畫成員，只要事先申請，核准後，可使用美國設在機場的安全通關系統，入境不再需要排隊。

波士頓北一女校友會會長江佩蓉(前左起)，波士頓國民黨委員韓幼文
等人一起，跟著陳秀惠老師做帶動跳。(周菊子攝)

               賴銘琪處長強調過去這一年，台美關係也一直在升級當中。台灣是美國的第十大貿易夥伴，美國則是台灣的第二大貿易夥伴，雙邊貿易約有660億美元，間接或直接的為美國創造了35萬到40萬個就業機會，其中約13,000個是在紐英崙地區。

               他指出，在美國50州中，之前有19州和台灣簽有駕照互換協定，去年增至25州，麻州從前年3月簽約到去年12月，共有1000多名僑胞、留學生順利的不須再考試，就換到了麻州本地駕照。

陳秀惠老師(右)做帶動跳。(周菊子攝)

               賴銘琪的講話，還談及經濟，社會等多方面的台灣現狀，包括已然有如國安問題的少子化，老齡化，因為去年2月，台灣的老年人口就已經大於年輕人口，預計老年人口會在今年超過14%，屆時台灣將正式進入高齡社會。此外，勞資對立，貧富差距，兩岸關係的不穩定等等，都是台灣政府需要克服的問題。

               波士頓僑教中心主任歐宏偉特地轉達了僑委會委員長吳新興的新年問候。

               在元旦升旗典禮中，華林派醒獅團的舞獅，中華民俗藝術工作坊的台灣戰鼓，舞龍，扯鈴，民俗舞蹈，以及Nia舞蹈班陳秀惠老師的帶動跳，都讓出席者看得很投入，跳得很開心。穿著黃色背心的僑教中心志工團，任勞任怨的在會場服務，佈置含有波士頓及台灣地標的舞台布幕，安裝投影布幕，照相專區，分發自助餐，擺放及收拾椅子，也都博得所有與會者稱許。

波士頓這天實在太冷，波士頓僑務委員蔣宗壬(左)從
父親那兒傳承來的毛襖，終於派上用場。(周菊子攝)

經文處處長賴銘琪夫婦(中)和志工團合影。(周菊子攝)

中華民俗藝術工作坊表演者謝幕。(周菊子攝)

左起，雷國輝，余麗媖，張韻蘭都是嘉賓。(周菊子攝)

2018 新年快樂 天太冷 波士頓第一夜遊行取消

柯普利廣場前的以獨角獸迎接2018年
的冰雕。(周菊子攝)

             (Boston Orange 周菊子整理報導) 實在太冷，”波士頓第一夜”最受歡迎的晚上6點大遊行，7點波士頓廣場的新年煙火，都取消了。
             波士頓市長馬丁華殊(Marty Walsh)辦公室今(31日)早10點24分發出更新行程，將於今日傍晚5點45分，在三一教堂為"波士頓第一夜"發表講話，1月1日早上10點，在愛默生學院的Cutler Majestic Theatre，舉行就職典禮，展開第二任期。美國前副總統拜登(Joe Biden)預定出席。

             製作冰雕的工作人員，30日晚的7點、8點，都還在趕工。柯普利廣場那兒的波約斯頓街也排滿了電視台的新聞播報車，預報著"波士頓第一夜"的準備狀況。  
               麻州州長辦公室晚上8點16分公佈州長次日行程時，也還列出了晚上6點要到柯普利廣場那兒參加波士頓第一夜大遊行。

              但是到了晚上9點多，  "波士頓第一夜”主辦單位看看這天氣實在不行，上了推特宣佈，遊行，煙火都不辦啦。
             大波士頓中華文化協會似乎有先見之明，每年統籌遊行的陳瑞虹和會員們聯絡溝通後，趕在"波士頓第一夜"宣佈不辦遊行之前，就已經決定今年不參加了。

柯普利廣場，三一教堂前的城堡冰雕。
(周菊子攝)

              根據氣象局預報，波士頓在除夕夜這天，氣溫會降至華氏十幾度，甚至降到個位數，到午夜時分，更會降到只剩2度。

               大年初一的星期一清晨，氣溫還可能降到華氏零下，然後一整天都徘徊在個位數的溫度中。

             主辦單位還透過推特說，原定除夕夜早上11點到下午3點的舞台表演，也取消了。

              目前，預定午夜在波士頓海港施放的煙火，還沒取消。

              週五的時候，主辦單位就已經宣佈，因為氣溫太低，人們可能凍傷，預定在波士頓廣場蛙塘舉辦的溜冰秀取消了。不過溜冰場從早上10點到晚上9點，仍然開放給民眾玩耍。

柯普利廣場三一教堂前的表演舞台，30晚已搭建完成，
試了燈光，現在無用武之地了。(周菊子攝)

                柯普利廣場前的冰雕，新英格蘭水族館前的藍色大龍蝦冰雕，以及昆士市場(Quincy Market)的冰雕，都已經陸續雕刻就緒，30晚已經有不少民眾搶先拍照留念。(12月31日早上更新)

波士頓廣場前，正在排演燈光秀。(周菊子攝)

波士頓華埠聖誕樹。(周菊子攝)

告別2017，迎接2018的波士頓華埠牌樓。(周菊子攝)

波士頓廣場旁節日燈光。(周菊子攝)

波士頓蛙塘這溜冰場，除夕夜的溜冰秀雖然取消了，
將開放共民眾玩耍。(周菊子攝)

波士頓廣場旁節慶燈光。(周菊子攝)

波士頓公園內登樹夾道。(周菊子攝)

波士頓廣場的五彩聖誕樹。(周菊子攝)

波士頓廣場旁的節慶燈光。(周菊子攝)

波士頓 2018 第一夜2的冰雕之一，新英格蘭水族館前的
藍色大龍蝦。(周菊子攝)

哥倫布工員節慶燈飾。(周菊子攝)

北端的轉木馬。(周菊子攝)

昆士市場內芳了一顆巨無霸聖誕樹。(周菊子攝)

昆士廣場極具節慶氣氛的街景。(周菊子攝)

昆士市場內的冰雕還在趕工中。(周菊子攝)

昆士市場內的節慶燈光十分誘人。(周菊子攝)

波士頓市府旁，面對著芬紐聽的聖誕樹，喜迎瑞雪。(周菊子攝)

波士頓就會議廳旁的路樹燈飾。(周菊子攝)

梅西百貨公司外牆上的聖誕樹。(周菊子攝)

波士頓金融區街道上掛出節日燈飾。(周菊子攝)

波士頓金融區街道上掛出節日燈飾。(周菊子攝)

派拉蒙劇院在夜晚格外多姿。(周菊子攝)

柯普利廣場前的聖誕樹。(周菊子攝)

MAYOR WALSH ISSUES COLD WEATHER TIPS FOR RESIDENTS AHEAD OF NEW YEAR'S EVE CELEBRATIONS

MAYOR WALSH ISSUES COLD WEATHER TIPS FOR RESIDENTS AHEAD OF NEW YEAR'S EVE CELEBRATIONS

BOSTON - Sunday, December 31, 2017 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced a set of tips and guidelines for residents ahead of New Year's Eve celebrations. Forecasters are predicting wind chills to range from 5 below zero to 20 below zero. The cold wind chills will cause frostbite in as little as 30 minutes to exposed skin. The National Weather Service has issued a Wind Chill Advisory in effect from 8:00 p.m. this evening until noon on Monday. As a reminder, organizers of First Night First Day have cancelled certain programming due to weather concerns, including the People's Procession Parade, Frog Pond Skating Spectacular and Family Fireworks at 7:00 p.m. on the Boston Common. For more information on First Night activities, please visit here.  "First Night is a great Boston tradition that many families look forward to each year. This year, New Year's Eve is going to be extremely cold, so we're asking residents to use their best judgment if they choose to be outside for any duration of time," said Mayor Walsh. "I urge residents to look out for another and remain vigilant as we experience some of the coldest weather our city has seen in years, so that together we can ring in 2018 safely." Mayor Walsh asks all residents to take precautions and exercise care during the low temperatures. He encourages residents to check on neighbors who are elderly or disabled; be mindful of homeless individuals who may need assistance; and practice caution with space heaters. Homelessness services are also available on Boston.gov.  For emergency alerts, including cold-weather alerts, residents are encouraged to sign up for Alert Boston. For questions or additional information, call the City's resident services hotline, 311, or visit boston.gov/cold. Follow the City on Twitter for additional information and safety tips: @BOS311 and @CityofBoston. Key safety tips include: Preventing Hypothermia and Frostbite Dress for the weather: Wear several layers of loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing rather than one layer of heavy clothing.   Outer garments should be tightly woven and water repellent. Wear mittens over gloves; layering works for your hands as well. Always wear a hat and cover your mouth with a scarf to protect your lungs.   Dress children warmly and set reasonable time limits on outdoor play. Restrict infants' outdoor exposure when it is colder than 40 degrees Fahrenheit. Watch for signs of frostbite: These include loss of feeling and white or pale appearance in extremities such as fingers, toes, ear lobes, and the tip of the nose. If symptoms are detected, get medical help immediately. Watch for signs of hypothermia: These include uncontrollable shivering, memory loss, disorientation, incoherence, slurred speech, drowsiness and apparent exhaustion. If you or someone you know shows any of these symptoms, get in touch with a healthcare provider immediately. If symptoms are severe, call 911. Heating Safety Never try to heat your home using a charcoal or gas grill, the kitchen stove, or other product not specifically designed as a heater. These can cause a fire or produce dangerous levels of carbon monoxide very quickly. Using faulty or improper heating sources is the number two cause of home fires in Massachusetts. Have your heating system cleaned and checked annually. Install and maintain smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors on every level of your home. Carbon monoxide (CO) is an invisible gas produced whenever any fuel is burned. Common sources include oil or gas furnaces, water heaters, fireplaces, stoves, and some space heaters. It has no smell, taste, or color. It is a poison and is deadly. Vulnerable Populations If you see homeless and vulnerable individuals out in the cold who appear immobile, disoriented or underdressed for the cold, please call 911. The Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) coordinates a city-wide network of emergency shelters, outreach providers, city agencies and first responders to assist those in need of shelter. Boston's emergency shelters are open 24 hours and will accept any person in need.  Men can access shelter at the 112 Southampton Street Shelter, and women should go to the Woods-Mullen Shelter at 794 Massachusetts Ave. BPHC and the City are working closely with shelter providers in the city to ensure that no client is without shelter, food, resources, and a warm respite from the cold. During extreme cold weather, street outreach teams operate with extended hours and provide mobile outreach vans on the streets in the evening and throughout the day. Heat Guidelines for Property Owners and Tenants In accordance with the Massachusetts State Sanitary Code, the heating season officially begins on September 15 and runs through June 15. Property owners must heat habitable spaces at a minimum temperature of 68° between 7 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. and 64° between 11:01 p.m. and 6:59 a.m. In case of emergency, property owners are encouraged to keep a list of licensed contractors (electrician, plumber and general contractor) on file. Tenants experiencing problems with their heating system should check the thermostat, ensure the dial is turned on, and report insufficient or no heat problems to the property owner or manager immediately. If your landlord or property manager is unresponsive, contact the Inspectional Services Department (ISD) at (617) 635-5300 to file a complaint, or call 311.   Tips to keep water flowing and pipes unfrozen during extreme cold The Boston Water and Sewer Commission recommends that during the upcoming cold snap homeowners remember the words locate, insulate, and circulate. Locate a home's main water shut off valve, and learn how to use it. Should a frozen pipe burst, shutting the main valve quickly will minimize flooding and property damage. Insulate pipes in unheated areas like basements, garages and crawl spaces. Use inexpensive hardware store materials to prevent pipes from freezing and to keep warm water flowing. Circulate warm air around pipes by keeping cabinet doors open. Circulate a trickle of tap water through pipes during extreme cold to help prevent them freezing up. Locate your water meter, protect it from drafts, and make sure basement doors and windows are shut tight. If pipes do freeze, slow thaw with a hair dryer. If water is lost in all taps, call BWSC 24-hour Emergency Assistance Line at 617-989-7000.      Increasing Home Energy Efficiency Disconnect water hose from the home. Wrap or cover exposed spigots. Caulk or putty windows. Ensure kitchen and bathroom dampers close properly. Close all storm windows and doors. Apply weather stripping. Properly insulate all pipes that are exposed. Cover vents. Install insulated or heavy drapes to keep cold drafts from coming in. Don't forget to close the damper to wood burning fireplace after each use. Consider a chimney balloon if you don't have a damper. For more energy efficiency tips for your home, call Renew Boston at 617-635-SAVE (7283). Emergency Home Repair Income eligible homeowners and Boston's seniors can receive assistance with winter emergencies and repairs, such as fixing storm damage, leaking roofs, furnaces and leaking/frozen pipes. For assistance, residents should call the Mayor's hotline at 311 or the Boston Home Center at 617-635-HOME (4663).    A grant up to $5,000 is available for income eligible senior homeowners to ease unexpected financial burdens caused by an emergency situation with their home. In addition, the Mayor's Seniors Save program helps income eligible elders replace old, inefficient heating systems with a new brand new heating system even before a catastrophic failure occurs during the cold winter months.  Seniors can also call 311 or the Boston Home Center at (617) 635-HOME (4663)to be connected with a City staffer to provide additional details. Emergency Operations The City of Boston Office of Emergency Management (OEM) remains in constant contact with the National Weather Service to receive detailed forecasts for the City of Boston. It also ensures each City department has a plan in place to handle the forecast. If the storm warrants, the City's Emergency Operations Center will be activated and City representatives will coordinate response and recovery efforts. Year round, OEM conducts preparedness seminars to educate the public on the importance of having an emergency preparedness plan and a bag of emergency supplies in the event that Boston residents have to shelter in place or leave their residence. Residents who sign up for notifications will receive a message from the City about winter storms and extreme cold weather. This notification system also alerts residents when a snow emergency/parking ban is in effect and when it is being lifted.