AG HEALEY SUES MENTAL HEALTH CENTER FOR ILLEGALLY BILLING MASSHEALTH FOR UNLICENSED AND UNSUPERVISED PATIENT CARE

AG HEALEY SUES MENTAL HEALTH CENTER FOR ILLEGALLY BILLING MASSHEALTH FOR UNLICENSED AND UNSUPERVISED PATIENT CARE

Allegations Concern 17 Mental Health Facilities Across Massachusetts

BOSTON – Attorney General Maura Healey has sued South Bay Mental Health Center, Inc. (SBMHC) for fraudulently billing the state’s Medicaid Program, known as MassHealth, for mental health care services provided to patients by unlicensed, unqualified, and unsupervised staff members at clinics across the state.

“This company provided substandard care to many vulnerable patients and fraudulently billed the state for its inadequate services,” said AG Healey. “MassHealth members deserve competent treatment from qualified individuals, and our office will continue to take action in order to remove these significant barriers to accessing critical mental health care in our state.”

            SBMHC operates mental health facilities across the state including in Attleboro, Brockton, Cape Cod, Chelsea, Dorchester, Fall River, Lawrence, Leominster, Lowell, Lynn, Malden, Pittsfield, Plymouth, Salem, Springfield, Weymouth, and Worcester. 

            The AG’s investigation into these allegations began after a whistleblower lawsuit was filed by a former SBMHC employee in August 2015 in the U.S. District Court for the District of Massachusetts.

            The AG’s investigation revealed that SBMHC had a widespread pattern of employing unlicensed, unqualified, and unsupervised staff at its mental health facilities in violation of MassHealth regulations. The complaint alleges that by submitting claims to MassHealth for mental health services provided by unlicensed and unsupervised personnel, the company submitted fraudulent claims in violation of the Massachusetts False Claims Act. 

The AG’s Office alleges that all of the 17 clinics named in the complaint featured significant gaps in licensing and supervision of therapists during the relevant time period. Many of the employees at SBMHC clinics who were performing mental health services did not have degrees in social work (and therefore were not even license-eligible) and instead had degrees in such areas as expressive therapy, art therapy, creative arts therapy, school counseling, somatic counseling, and agency counseling. For example, the Attleboro Clinic, which had 125 employees, had only two licensed supervisors who could not have possibly provided the necessary supervision to all of the other unlicensed clinicians.

            From August 2009 to the present, MassHealth and its contracted managed care entities paid SBMHC more than $123 million for outpatient services including mental health counseling, such as psychiatric diagnostic evaluations and psychotherapy. The AG’s Office estimates that a significant portion of that $123 million was based on fraudulent claims for services rendered by unlicensed, unqualified, and unsupervised staff to more than 30,000 MassHealth members. 

            The complaint was filed in U.S. District Court against SBMHC and Peter J. Scanlon, who founded and owned the company until April 2012. The complaint also names H.I.G. Growth Partners, LLC and H.I.G. Capital, LLC (collectively, HIG), which created Community Intervention Services (CIS) to acquire SBMHC from Scanlon, as well as co-founder and CEO of CIS, Kevin P. Sheehan.

            The AG’s Office alleges that HIG, CIS, Scanlon, and Sheehan knew that SBMHC was providing services in violation of regulatory requirements and did not bring SMBHC operations into compliance or make any attempts to repay the money owed to MassHealth, as required by law. HIG allegedly cited the large profit margins as a reason to acquire the company.

MassHealth pays for mental health services provided to MassHealth members by qualified clinicians and counselors who are subject to certain licensure and supervision requirements. Mental health centers that employ those rendering mental health services must comply with certain core staffing and supervision requirements set out in applicable regulations.

Through this lawsuit, the AG’s Office is seeking treble damages, civil penalties, and prejudgment interest.

This case is being handled by Assistant Attorneys General Robyn Dollar, Gregory Matthews, and Kevin Lownds, along with Investigations Supervisors Denise Long and Lisa Bailey and Auditor Kaleigh Ross, all of the AG’s Medicaid Fraud Division, with substantial assistance from Special Agent Joseph Losavio of the Office of the Inspector General.

紐英崙中華公所主席陳家驊連任就職典禮(謝開明圖片輯)

謝開明圖片專輯

https://photos.google.com/share/AF1QipPEJgsJ2gbxfdVwRQn4OtyIoWF8NzVMd3_ZGmaWAzIrF7JDgEiQRFFy-sGkWiKSLQ?key=a3YyNGtpXzcwOW9NdThCdmJaQU1YRkY1X0o5VUJB

陳家驊連任紐英崙中華公所主席，就職致詞。

紐英崙中華公所新屆職員，左起，雷國輝，珠蘇珊，陳家驊，

陳文浩，周樹昂。

駐波士頓經濟文化辦事處處長賴銘琪(左)頒賀狀

給紐英崙中華公所主席陳家驊。

駐波士頓經濟文化辦事處處長賴銘琪致詞。

駐波士頓經濟文化辦事處副處長陳銘俊致詞。

左起，張桂英，謝如鍵，陳裕逢等客家鄉親和波士頓僑務委員

蔣宗壬(右二)。

麻州眾議員麥家威(Aaron Michlewitz)致詞。

右起，陳裕禮，麥家威，陳毓璇，蔣宗壬，陳銘俊與僑界大眾觀禮。

陳家驊剛動過手術，拄著拐杖出席就職典禮。左為雷國輝。

波克來台灣商會蘇鴻昌卸任 楊羅東接會長

駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦處處長賴銘琪(中)主李會長交接。蘇鴻昌

(右)卸任，楊羅東(左)接任。

左起，顧問游勝雄，經文處副處長陳銘俊，新聞組副組長趙昌倫，

卸任會長蘇鴻昌，經文處處長賴銘琪，財務長郭競儒，新任會長

楊羅東，僑教中心主任歐宏偉夫婦合影。

(Boston Orange)麻州波克萊台灣商會1月6日在玉園餐廳舉辦2018新春年會，邀得駐波士頓經文處處長賴銘琪為會長交接主禮，共72名長官，嘉賓到會，見證蘇鴻昌卸任，歡迎楊羅東上任。

在年會中，蘇鴻昌感恩該會同仁過去兩年來的支持，讓他得以帶領該會完成許多任務，包括接待了從台灣來參加波士頓馬拉松賽的59名選手，募款6000美金賑濟德州Harvey颶風災民。他還特地感謝了2018年度接待馬拉松選手活動的贊助者，今年已募得5650元。

駐波士頓經文處處長賴銘琪，副處長陳銘俊，波士頓僑教中心主任歐宏偉，新聞組副組長趙昌倫等嘉賓都應邀致詞。歐宏偉報告了僑民證的申請辦法與優惠內容，肇昌倫預報今年4月14日將有159名馬拉松選手會到波士頓參賽，陣容強大，將大幅提升台灣知名度。

            北美洲台灣商會聯合總會婦女工作主任委員郭競儒，也在會上報告，北美洲台灣商會聯合總會將在今年2月1-3日，於檀香山皇家夏威夷酒店(Honolulu Royal Hawaiian Hotel )舉行第30屆第2次理監事聯席會議，並有可愛島，茂宜島，火山島等六種行程搭配的會後旅遊。

世界台灣商會聯合總會資深顧問游勝雄報告，該會於2017年9月24至26日在高雄市展覽館舉行了第23屆第3次及第24屆第1次理監事聯席會議，選出北美洲林貴香為第24屆總會長及大洋洲許明芳為監事長。今年3月8至12日，將在舊金山舉行第24屆第2次理監事聯席會議，會後有美國西岸南巨環世界奇觀七日遊，墨西哥郵輪游等旅遊活動。北美洲總會由會長吳光宜報告了第二次理監事聯席會議訂今年2月1至3日在於檀香山皇家夏威夷酒店(Honolulu Royal Hawaiian Hotel)舉行。

            波克萊台灣商會當天還在會上介紹了該會幹各有專長，組成了商務商機交流平台，包括會長楊羅東(電腦專家)，副會長鄭建盛，秘書長陳玉瑛，副祕書長劉秀春，財務長郭競儒，釣魚隊長游家霖，醫護組長張文欽，邱漢烈，舞蹈班長羅靜春，高爾夫球隊長蘇鴻昌，稅務服務組劉秀春，產業營運組的協和鋁門窗曾有良，ACON公司總裁林清文，投資理財組羅靜春，蘇鴻昌，Aufhauser紐約股票證券總裁吳碧倉，聖地牙哥金融財務保險事務所鄭莉容，工商地產組游勝雄，林元孝，住宅地產組李淑玲，關懷慰訪組林約瑟，青商會員組賴文照，攝影照相組石明軒，胡文驥，藥劑專業組林上填，蕭淑姜，牙醫專業組陳源清，李孟潔。餐館專業組洪榮倫，徐曉玲，旅館專業組周閔，教育專業組李豐盛，楊羅東，法律專業組有波克萊台商會創會會員，現為舊金山台商會會長的律師林政原等。

            波克萊台商會在年會中還安排了一場由蘇鴻昌主講的「你不理財，財不理你」，如何做好完善退休規劃的講座。(所有圖片及內容，游勝雄提供)

TREASURER GOLDBERG WARNS OF LOTTERY SCAM EMAIL

TREASURER GOLDBERG WARNS OF LOTTERY SCAM EMAIL

Massachusetts State Treasurer Warns Citizens of Fraudulent Emails Claiming a Donation From Powerball Winner

BOSTON – Illegitimate emails are being sent using the Treasurer’s name. They claim, “You have a donation from the former Massachusetts hospital worker, winner of the $758.7 million Powerball jackpot”. According to Treasurer Goldberg, these emails are a scam and have not been sent by her or the Massachusetts Office of the State Treasurer.

“It has come to our attention that emails using my name and likeness have been sent to residents across the state,” said Treasurer Deb Goldberg. “Our goal is to ensure that no Massachusetts citizen is taken advantage of as part of this scam.”

If you have any questions, please contact the Treasurer’s office at (617) 367-6900. You can view an example of a fraudulent email HERE.

2018第一場大雪竟讓波士頓市區淹水了

(Boston Orange)2018年的這第一場大風雪，出乎人意料之外的竟然讓波士頓淹水了，沿岸地區居民，還得撤離住家。不少人因為淹水，被困在車裡等人救，不少地方遭遇停電之苦。

包括波士頓，Scituate，Marshfield，昆士市 (Quincy)，以及其他沿海地區都淹水了。

在波士頓，新英格蘭水族館那兒的藍線地鐵站淹水了，車站得暫時關閉一段時間。消防員還用膠筏從州街和大西洋道那兒救出被水淹困在車裏的人。

一名住在附近的目擊者表示，大西洋道都會淹水，簡直讓人不敢置信。

多徹斯特那兒，水也淹到腳踝那麼高。東波士頓的McClellan 高速公路和多徹斯特的莫里塞大道(Morrissey Boulevard)也都因為淹水，暫時封街了。

波士頓市長馬丁華殊(Martin Walsh)宣佈，繼週四之後，波士頓公校週五也停課。波士頓市府要求民眾晚上不要出門，好保持道路暢通。

這場大風雪，估計降雪量會達到18吋。週四下午時，包括波士頓，昆士市等已有許多地方降雪一尺有餘。

麻州交通局(MBTA)關閉了渡輪服務，通勤火車班次減少，紅綠橘藍等地鐵仍照正常班次行使。巴士則按照下雪天的時刻開行。

麻州緊急管理局表示，截至晚上10點半，波士頓南部及鱈魚角一帶，約有6000戶人家停電。

波士頓羅根機場雖然沒關，但許多航空公司取消了航班。單只是藍捷一家航空公司就取消了400個航班。

在 Scituate，消防局長John Murphy透露，有人試著要把船移到安全地方時，掉進水裏，被人救起來。

               大約有20個人必須從他們的住家中撤離。海畔道的海牆也破損了。

               不只一個人把這場大風雪拿來和1978年的暴風雪相比。許多人說他們從來沒見過潮水漲得這麼快，這麼高。

               馬許菲爾德(Marshfield)消防人員也說，有20多人必須從家裏撤離，暫時被安置到鄰近中學去。他們還把八，九名車陷大水中的人，從車裡救出來。

               消防局副局長Louis Cipullo說，水都淹得高過車門了。

               在昆士市，也有許多車在靠近Neponset河一帶，陷入水中。

               昆士市消防人員表示，他們救出大約20名被水圍困的人。昆士市長辦公室表示，東Squantum街，Pawsey街，Rockland街，已及Sachem街，還有幾條小街，都已無法通行。

               昆士警察表示，另有大約10名駕車者在車輛陷於風雪中後，打電話求救。雪實在太多了。市府在昆士高中設立了緊急庇護所，以安置那些因為家裡淹水撤離的人。

               Chatham警察局發推特指出，莫里斯島路因為潮水過高，可能也無法通行，來往民眾應避開那條路。橋街封閉了，Barn Hill鎮淹水了。

國家氣象局表示，有好幾個沿海社區在下午時都報告淹水了，包括Dennis，Oak Bluffs, Vineyard Haven, Gloucester, and Nantucket等。

麻州首名越南裔參議員Dean Tran就職上任

麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie Baker，右起)，副州長白莉朵(Karyn Polito)
為麻州參議員Dean Tran主持就職宣誓。(周菊子攝)

(Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導) 2018年1月3日，在麻州正副州長親自出席主持宣誓的隆重中，麻州參議會正式新添首名越南裔議員，2歲時隨家人逃難來美，2017年12月5日在特別選舉中當選的Dean Tran。

麻州參議員陳翟蘇妮(Sonia Chang Diaz)和Dean Tran打招呼。(周菊子攝)

            去年12月20日，麻州州長貝克(Charlie Baker)已經在他的辦公室為Dean Tran舉行了宣誓儀式，讓共和黨籍的Dean Tran還未正式就職，就已可以展開檢視指定用途預算等工作，並提前和參議會內僅有的其他六名共和黨籍同僚認識。

            1月3日，麻州州長查理貝克指出，Dean Tran的個人經歷就是美國傳奇的見證，因為他能從搭船逃難，漂流海上，在難民營中輾轉這樣的背景，經由努力，踏入政壇，還從地方晉級到州政府。查理貝克更因為Dean Tran是共和黨員，格外高興。

麻州參議員門和同僚Dean Tran打招呼。(周菊子攝)

            現年42歲的Dean Tran，在當選麻州參議員之前，已連續12年擔任費奇堡(Fitchburg)市議員。代表該市，屋斯特(Worcester)及米斗塞(Middlesex)地區的麻州參議員Jennifer Flanagan為加入大麻管制委員會(Cannabis Control Commission)辭職，空出席位，給了他從市議會跳進參議會的機會。

            在大約五分鐘的就職講話中，Dean Tran表示，他不介意自己是麻州議會中的少數成員，因為那就是他的生命故事，他已經很習慣了。沒有哪個人會有像他一樣的經歷，在年僅2歲時，就隨家人跳入海中，逃離共產國家，為追求自由，輾轉於難民營之間，有了這餐，不知下一餐在哪兒。他們家是憑著堅毅，努力，以及社區、同鄉的支持，才成為中產階級。他坦言自己的成為麻州有史以來首名越南裔州議會議員，就是美國夢成真的又一實例。

麻州企業發展署助理署長范文南(Nam Pham)也來道賀。(周菊子攝)

            Dean Tran與家人做為船民，逃離越南後，在泰國難民營住了兩年，才移民來美，先住在Clinton，再遷居費奇堡市。他畢業於布蘭岱斯(Brandeis)大學，在一家軟體公司做工程師，目前已婚，育有4名子女。

            麻州首名越南裔閣員，麻州企業發展署助理署長范文南(Nam Pham)當日也特地出席就職儀式，以示支持。

            在共有40名議員的麻州參議會中，除了有四分之一華裔血統的陳翟蘇妮(Sonai Chang Diaz)之外，Dean Tran是唯一的亞裔參議員。共有160名議員的麻州眾議會，迄今仍只有5名亞裔議員，其中黃子安，陳德基為華裔，Keiko Orrall有日裔血統，Rady Mom為柬埔寨裔，另一人為Paul Schmid。他們五人已在麻州眾議會中組成亞裔黨團。

Cancelled: Sen. Warren Quincy Town Hall Slated for Friday, January 5 Is Cancelled Due to Snow Storm

Cancelled: Sen. Warren Quincy Town Hall Slated for Friday, January 5 Is Cancelled Due to Snow Storm

Boston, MA - Due to the storm hitting Massachusetts today, we will be cancelling Elizabeth’s town hall in Quincy tomorrow night. Areas of the region are experiencing serious flooding and Quincy High School is being used as an emergency shelter. We’ll be sure to update when we’re able to reschedule this event.

摩頓市公校週五也停課

Malden Winter Weather Central

Update as of Thursday, January 4th at 10:00AM

• Snow emergency continues to be in effect until further notice
• Emergency lots open but those who are parked there must monitor 311 (781-322-2311) to find out when to vacate the lot or risk being towed.
• For any downed power lines, trees or limbs or other public safety emergencies, call 911.
• For electrical or gas outages, please visit National Grid's Outage Central page or call 800-322-3223. 
• Trash/recycling canceled today.  Please pull it off of the sidewalk until tomorrow morning.
• Malden City Hall, Senior Center, Teen Center, Library and Public Schools are all closed Thursday, January 4th.  Public Schools also closed Friday, January 5th.
• DPW in full plowing operation and not responding to individual requests at this time unless there is a public safety emergency.  
• Those who had a vehicle towed must contact the Malden Police Department at 781-322-1212 to find out the location of where to retrieve your vehicle. 

波士頓降雪量預估增至18吋 公校週五停課

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES CONTINUED PREPARATIONS, SNOW EMERGENCY, SCHOOL CLOSURES FOR WINTER STORM Urges residents to take caution, abide by snow emergency regulations

(周菊子攝) BOSTON - Thursday, January 4, 2018 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced the city's continued preparations for the ongoing winter storm, which is expected to bring 12 to 18 inches of snow and strong winds by around 9:00 p.m. tonight, with freezing cold temperatures lasting all weekend. Boston's Emergency Operations Center is running and will be monitoring the storm. "As always, safety is our number one priority. We are encouraging residents to stay off the roads, assist the elderly and disabled, and be sure to use caution during the cold weather," said Mayor Walsh. "Please remember to abide by safety guidelines, call 3-1-1 with any questions, and be safe." Updates: Boston Public Schools will be closed on Friday, January 5. All Boston Centers for Youth & Families (BCYF) community centers will be open on Friday, including stand-alone centers and school-based sites. A snow emergency and parking ban remains in effect throughout the duration of the storm. City Hall and all libraries will be open tomorrow, and all employees should report to work. Crews from Boston Water and Sewer, the Boston Fire Department and Inspectional Services are monitoring flooding in neighborhoods. Sidewalks should be shoveled by 3 hours after dawn tomorrow, at about 10:15 a.m. Discounted parking is available for Boston residents in garages and lots throughout city, and residents will have two hours to move their cars once the parking ban is lifted. Locations and pricing are available at Boston.gov/snow. Residents are encouraged to stay off the roads, and take public transportation if needed. Emergency personnel who need transport, such as doctors and nurses, are encouraged to call 3-1-1 to be connected. Boston Public Works has 40,000 tons of rock salt ready to be distributed, and today has over 750 pieces of equipment on the roads. The city's main focus continues to be on clearing sidewalks, main streets, roadways and responding to public requests for plowing and salting. Boston Police and EMS has an increased presence and will be ready to assist people in every neighborhood. Residents are encouraged to sign up for emergency notifications through AlertBoston and utilize the 311 call center for non-emergency related issues. 311 is operational 24 hours a day, and will have extra staff tomorrow to respond to calls. To find out more information about resources and services available to residents, please visit boston.gov/snow. Safety Tips Shoveling snow requires significant exertion; please be cautious and pay attention to symptoms. Stop if you feel chest pain, shortness of breath, light headed, nauseous/vomiting. Call 911 if those symptoms do not resolve quickly when you stop exertion. Snow piles can make navigating intersections dangerous for walkers and drivers; please take extra care when turning corners with snow piles that might limit visibility. Pedestrians should use caution as visibility will be diminished due to blowing and drifting of the snow caused by high winds. Carbon monoxide poisoning is a concern during winter weather, especially with the use of generators. Residents should be sure to use their home heating systems wisely and safety, and have a working carbon monoxide detector on each floor of your home. Call 911 immediately if you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning. Sitting in a car while idling can be deadly if the tailpipe is blocked. Do not let children sit in an idling car while shoveling. Clear any household exhaust pipes of snow. For example, gas exhaust from heating system or dryer. Remember to clear snow away from all vents around their homes to avoid health risks. Remember to keep catch basins and fire hydrants clear. Please check on neighbors, especially the elderly and disabled. Have a contractor check the roof to see if snow needs to be removed. If roof snow can be removed from the ground with the use of a snow-rake, do so with caution. Avoid working from ladders and be mindful of slippery surfaces. To help keep pipes from freezing, keep the faucet dripping a little bit, and don't turn your heaters off. Rules on Clearing Snow Property owners must clear snow, sleet and ice from sidewalks and curb ramps abutting the property within three hours after the snowfall ends or three hours after sunrise if it snows overnight. Failure to comply will result in a fine issued by Boston Public Works Code Enforcement. Please clear at least a 42-inch-wide path for people using wheelchairs and strollers. Removal of snow, ice from a private property to the street or sidewalk is prohibited and will result in a fine issued by Boston Public Works Code Enforcement. Do not throw snow onto the street. Please look here for information about fines associated with improper removal of snow. Space Savers 48-hour space saver rule is in effect: residents have 48 hours to use an object to save a parking spot after a snow emergency has ended. After 48 hours, space savers must be removed. Due to a community decision, space savers are not allowed in the South End. Space savers are allowed in every other neighborhood. Community Centers Boston Centers for Youth & Families Community Centers will be open during normal business hours. Please check their schedules here. Helping the Homeless If you see homeless 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. Emergency shelters are open 24 hours and will accept any person in need. Men can access shelters through 112 Southampton Street, and women should go to the Woods-Mullen Shelter at 794 Massachusetts Ave. BPHC and the city are working closely with shelter providers to ensure that no client is without shelter, food, resources, and a warm respite from the cold. During extreme cold weather, street outreach teams will continue to provide support to homeless individuals in need. Residents are encouraged to sign-up for AlertBoston to receive emergency alerts and to call 311, download the BOS:311 app , or Tweet at @BOS311with questions or concerns. Follow @CityofBoston and boston.gov/snow for the latest updates.

昆士市、摩頓市都從今晚午夜起實施暴風雪停車禁令直至5日清晨

City of Malden

Update as of Wednesday, January 3rd at 3:00PM
Due to the forecasted snowstorm, the City of Malden will declare a snow emergency as of midnight tonight.  After the snow emergency begins at midnight, winter parking restrictions will be strictly enforced.  

Regarding the parking ban:
To avoid being ticketed or towed, please seek off-street parking.  To find out what the parking restrictions are at your specific address, please visit cityofmalden.org/streetalerts. For residents on streets with a parking ban who are without access to off-street parking, the following locations are available to park free of charge and these lots are available as of 8PM.  The locations are the Early Learning Center, Beebe, Forestdale, Ferryway, Linden and Salemwood Schools as well as downtown at the CBD Garage.  Vehicles can remain in these lots until further notice but you must monitor 311 to find out when to remove your vehicle from these lots.

Snow Emergency Parking Rules

Snow emergency parking rules will be in place beginning at 12 a.m. on Thursday, January 4 and will continue through at least Friday, January 5.

Residents may park on the ODD numbered side of non-emergency neighborhood streets, but should always park in driveways if available.

Parking is prohibited on all designated emergency arteries. Click here for a complete list of emergency arteries.

Residents on side streets posted permanently as one-side parking should park on the side always allowed.

Cars parked in violation of emergency rules or impede snow plowing operations pose a public safety risk, and WILL BE TOWED. Regardless of parking rules, vehicles determined to be in obstruction of snow removal or emergency vehicles are subject to towing if not moved.

For assistance, residents can use the City’s snow request application at snowhotline@quincyma.gov or call the DPW's snow operation hotline at (617) 376-1927.

A Coastal Flood Warning is in place for this storm. For flood-related assistance, call (617) 376-1910. Residents in coastal areas should take appropriate precautions and monitor weather reports. ALWAYS call 911 in an emergency.

There will be no trash collection on Thursday, January 4. Trash regularly scheduled for Wednesday will be collected Friday. Regular Thursday and Friday collection days will be collected on Saturday.

The forecast calls for high winds, which creates the potential for downed tree limbs and power lines. If you lose power, call National Grid at 1-800-465-1212 or visit their Outage Central page at https://www.nationalgridus.com/MA-Home/Storms-Outages/.

For updates and emergency notices, please tune to Quincy Access Television; follow the City of Quincy’s Facebook page or via Twitter @CityofQuincy.

羅德島克蘭斯頓市今晚午夜起實施停車禁令

CRANSTON, RI—Cranston Mayor Allan W. Fung is urging all residents to prepare for a significant winter storm that will create dangerous travel conditions on Thursday, followed by bitter cold on Friday.

The City’s Highway Department is fully stocked with sand and salt and ready for full plowing and road-treating operations as soon as the storm arrives. Crews are expected to begin sanding roads around 3 a.m. and the city is prepared to call-in our outside contractors to join the plowing effort as soon as they’re needed.

A parking ban will go into effect at midnight tonight and will remain in effect until 7 a.m. Friday.

Trash pickup will be delayed by an additional day for the remainder of the week with no pickups occurring on Thursday. Trash pickup was already on a one-day delay this week due to the New Years Day holiday on Monday, which means residents who normally are served on Wednesday should put their bins out on Friday, Thursday customers will be serviced on Saturday and Friday customers will be serviced on Monday. Because of the delays this week, next week will continue on a one-day delay schedule with residents who normally have trash picked up on Monday being serviced on Tuesday, and so on.

Mayor Fung is asking residents to complete their storm preparations on Wednesday and avoid driving on Thursday during the storm unless it’s absolutely necessary.

“The safety of all Cranston residents is my top priority,” commented Mayor Fung. “Our crews will be working around the clock to keep the main roads clear during the entirety of the storm and the best way residents can help them get the job done is to stay off the roads.”

Mayor Fung is also urging residents to check on neighbors, particularly the elderly and disabled, to ensure everyone is properly equipped to ride out the storm.

Mayor Fung is available for call-in interviews during the storm as he oversees snow removal operations. Contact Mark Schieldrop to coordinate call-in times.