摩頓市市長Gary Christenson啟動競選連任(圖片)

摩頓市市長Gary Christenson(右二)競選連任，
華夏文協主任洪梅(右一)等出席支持。(周菊子攝)

Baker-Polito Administration Highlights Housing Choice Bill in Salem

Baker-Polito Administration Highlights Housing Choice Bill in Salem

Salem and Beverly leaders join statewide affordable housing advocates to endorse bill to increase new housing production

SALEM – Today, Governor Charlie Baker, Lt. Governor Karyn Polito, and Secretary of Housing and Economic Development Mike Kennealy joined Salem Mayor Kim Driscoll, Beverly Mayor Michael Cahill, Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association (CHAPA) CEO Rachel Heller, and other local leaders to highlight An Act to Promote Housing Choices, legislation filed by Governor Baker in February that calls for targeted zoning reform to advance new housing production in Massachusetts and support the administration’s goal to produce 135,000 new housing units by 2025.

Today’s event highlighted the impact of current zoning reform requirements on Beverly and Salem, as both cities work to expand their housing stocks. Just last month, efforts to re-zone vacant properties for housing in downtown Salem were defeated despite garnering majority support from the city council, denying units necessary to support local families and empower regional growth. If enacted, the Housing Choice legislation will ensure that communities can deliver on projects important to their residents, preventing future debacles like that seen in Salem by reducing the threshold for zoning reform to a simple majority.

“Over the last four years, our Administration has prioritized housing, investing in the production and preservation of more than 15,000 affordable units, and signing the largest housing bill in Massachusetts history, but decades of strict zoning rules have hampered the development communities need,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “By making it easier for cities and towns to adopt the best practices needed to advance new housing production and facilitate long-term planning, our Housing Choice legislation will help the Commonwealth reach our goal of 135,000 new units by 2025.”

Local organizations including Citizens’ Housing and Planning Association joined both mayors in endorsing the legislation.

“As former municipal leaders, Governor Baker and I believe strongly in empowering local decision-making. That’s why we looked to stories like Salem’s struggle to enact majority-backed zoning reform while crafting our Housing Choice legislation,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “We believe strongly in the bill’s promise to promote housing production while maintaining local authority, and are thankful to Mayors Cahill and Driscoll for their perspective and support.”

The legislative proposal will enable cities and towns to adopt certain zoning best practices related to housing production by a simple majority vote, rather than the current two-thirds supermajority. This legislation will not mandate cities and towns to make any of these zoning changes; but will allow municipalities that want to rezone for denser, transit or downtown oriented, and new housing development to do so more easily. Massachusetts is currently one of only a few states to require a supermajority to change local zoning.

Zoning changes that promote best practices for housing growth that would qualify for the simple majority threshold include:

• Building mixed-use, multi-family, and starter homes, and adopting 40R “Smart Growth” zoning in town centers and near transit.
• Allowing the development of accessory dwelling units, or “in-law” apartments.
• Approving Smart Growth or Starter Homes districts that put housing near existing activity centers.
• Granting increased density through a special permit process.
• Allowing for the transfer of development rights and enacting natural resource protection zoning.
• Reducing parking requirements and dimensional requirements, such as minimum lot sizes.

This legislation also includes a provision, added by the Joint Committee on Housing last session, that would reduce the voting threshold for a special permit issued by a local permit granting authority to a simple majority vote, for certain multi-family or mixed-use projects with at least 10% affordable units in locations near transit or, in centers of commercial activity within a municipality.

“Across the Commonwealth, cities and towns like Salem are booming. And yet their continued growth is threatened by a shortage of housing affordable to the workforce within their communities of employment,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Mike Kennealy. “Our Housing Choice legislation is a critical first step toward providing adequate workforce housing, and supporting further development.”

The legislation is part of the administration’s Housing Choice Initiative, which provides incentives, technical assistance, and capital grant funding to encourage new housing production that meets the long-term needs of the Commonwealth’s growing, and aging, population.

“Our families, seniors, workforce, individuals with disabilities and vulnerable populations have diverse housing needs, and today’s market is not meeting them. Housing that our residents can afford is a crucial resource and An Act to Promote Housing Choices will create the tools we need to promote new housing development for those across incomes,” said Acting Undersecretary of Housing and Community Development Jennifer Maddox. “We are proud of the coalition we’ve built in support of this legislation and the investments we’ve made in affordable housing, community development and public housing to benefit the many communities which contribute to our strong, inclusive Commonwealth.”

“There is perhaps no clearer case study in why Housing Choice is so important than what we’ve seen here in Salem. A lack of housing supply, coupled with the desirability of our community as place to live, has meant prices and rents are rising far faster than incomes,” said Mayor Kim Driscoll. “As more and more Salem residents, including working families, young adults, and seniors who have been lifelong residents are being squeezed out of Salem by this crunch, we need more tools to help construct much needed new housing – both market-rate and affordable. We cannot make meaningful progress in mitigating housing costs and ensuring our communities remain livable and welcoming to all, unless we are prepared to take real action on these issues.”

"An Act to Promote Housing Choices will give municipalities additional regulatory tools to create much needed new housing for a range of household types and incomes, and to direct housing to areas that can best accommodate additional housing while preserving critical natural resources and open space,”said Mayor Michael Cahill. “I look forward to utilizing the tools in this legislation to implement the goals and objectives of our recently completed comprehensive housing plan ensuring access to housing while preserving the character of our community."

"We look forward to working with the Baker-Polito Administration and the Legislature to pass Housing Choice legislation. This bill provides an important step for communities actively working to put affordable, fair housing, and smart growth policies into place through empowering the simple majority of people in a community to say ‘yes’ to housing,” said CHAPA CEO Rachel Heller.“Additional strategies will be needed to expand affordable housing, prevent displacement and increase opportunities for people to live in the communities they choose. Making it easier to change land use policies that drive up housing costs is a great place to start."

"I grew up in Salem and have enjoyed watching my city become a hospitality hot spot. This growth of restaurants, hotels, retail -- and new residents seeking an alternative to Boston -- has brought challenges, including the need for additional affordable housing,” said General Manager of the Hawthorne Hotel Claire Kallelis. “Over 60 percent of the Hawthorne’s employees call Salem home and many are finding it increasingly difficult to afford to live here. They are being pushed out by higher rents and increased competition for an already limited inventory of affordable housing. It is discouraging to see so many of these families struggling to remain in Salem.”

“Quality, affordable housing is increasingly becoming more challenging to find on the North Shore of Boston,” said Chianti Italian Restaurant and Jazz Lounge owner Rich Marino. “It is in the best interest of the Commonwealth to revisit any aspects of our current zoning laws that may be antiquated and prohibit smart growth.”

"Housing insecurity is the number one issue about which I most hear both in my district and on Beacon Hill," said Sen. Joan Lovely of Salem.  "I thank the Baker-Polito administration and Mayors Cahill and Driscoll for their advocacy on this important subject and look forward to working together with my legislative colleagues and leaders across my district to craft a bill that will help address the housing crisis in Massachusetts."

“I applaud the Baker-Polito administration for advancing the Housing Choice legislation to address one of the biggest issues in Massachusetts,” said Rep. Paul Tucker of Salem. “I have seen the desperate need for new housing units in Salem and across the Commonwealth, and see this Housing Choice Initiative as a pivotal part of a comprehensive approach to quality housing and overall economic development.”

“Perhaps the number one issue I hear about from constituents is the cost and availability of housing, especially on the North Shore” said Rep. Jerry Parisella of Beverly. “I appreciate the efforts of the administration and our local leadership to tackle this pressing problem and provide more housing options for those trying to accomplish the American dream of home ownership.”

The Baker-Polito Administration has shown a deep commitment to increasing the production of housing across income levels. Since 2015, the administration has invested more than $1 billion in affordable housing, resulting in the production and preservation of more than 17,000 housing units, including 15,000 affordable units. In 2018, Governor Baker signed the largest housing bond bill in Massachusetts history, committing more than $1.8 billion to the future of affordable housing production and preservation. The Baker-Polito Administration has also advanced the development of more than 7,000 mixed-income housing units through the successful MassWorks Infrastructure Program, reformed the Housing Development Incentive Program, and worked with communities to implement smart-growth development and planning efforts.

Governor Baker, State Environmental Officials, Local Youth Stock Trout at Boston’s Jamaica Pond

Governor Baker, State Environmental Officials, Local Youth Stock Trout at Boston’s Jamaica Pond

BOSTON – In celebration of Earth Week, Governor Charlie Baker today joined Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton, Department of Fish and Game Commissioner Ronald Amidon, City of Boston officials and students from Mary E. Curley and John F. Kennedy Elementary Schools to help the Division of Fisheries and Wildlife stock Jamaica Pond in Boston with approximately 1,000 trout from the McLaughlin Hatchery in Belchertown and the Sandwich Hatchery in Sandwich.

The fish stocking event is part of a Division of Fisheries and Wildlife program to provide greater recreational trout fishing opportunities by distributing brook, brown, rainbow, and tiger trout into more than 500 rivers, streams, lakes and ponds throughout the Commonwealth each year. This spring, MassWildlife will release 500,000 trout grown at its five hatcheries in Belchertown, Montague, Palmer, Sandwich and Sunderland. Daily trout stocking updates throughout the state may be found here.

波士頓經文處在麻州政府大堂慶台灣關係法40週年

波士頓經文處處長徐佑典(前左五)夫婦和黃子安(前左二)，陳德基(後左九)，麻州企業發展署助理署長范文南(Nam Pham，後左八)，以及麻州參眾議員，波士頓僑領陳毓禮(前左三)，阮陳金鳳(前右三)，紐英崙中華公所主席陳家驊(前右二)等嘉賓，在麻州政大廳慶祝台灣關係法40週年。(周菊子攝)

                          (Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導) 駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處昨(4月23)日邀得30多名麻州參眾議員，部會政要，以及僑界代表，在麻州州政府大樓大廳內慶祝台灣關係法40週年。麻州參眾議員出席人數之多，打破波士頓經文處歷年所辦活動記錄。

駐波士頓台北經文處處長徐佑典，杜麗雲夫婦(中)和麻州
眾議會多數黨領袖Ronald Mariano (左)，眾議員黃子安(右)
聯袂慶祝台灣關係法40週年。(周菊子攝)

             美國和台灣簽署臺灣關係法(TRA)四十週年，駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處在麻州設館也有37年。自1991年起當選為麻州眾議員，現為麻州眾議會多數黨領袖的Ronald Mariano昨日代表眾議會致詞，稱許台灣的教育成就，勤勉努力是卓越的世界模範，他很榮幸能夠代表議會致詞。

波士頓經文處處長徐佑典為台灣關係法40週年致詞。
(周菊子攝)

             駐波士頓台北經濟文化辦事處成立以來第二位最年輕的處長徐佑典指出，1979年是個極具歷史意義的一年。那一年，美國和中華民國斷絕外交關係，但簽署了台灣關係法來繼續維持雙邊關係。這些年來雙方的經貿及教育等交流往來不斷，都奠基於這一法案，他相信以台灣在生命科學，人工智能，綠化能源等方面的成就，台灣和麻州還有更多可發掘的合作機會。

                 麻州住宅及經濟發展署助理署長范文南(Nam Pham)代表麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie Baker)送上了表揚狀。他說麻州和台灣有個共同點，小而民主。麻州是美國民主、憲法的起源地，台灣則是亞洲的民主燈塔、範例。

麻州住宅及經濟發展署助理署長范文南(Nam Pham，右)
代表麻州州長查理貝克頒發表揚狀。波士頓經文處長
徐佑典(左)代表接受。(周菊子攝)

                昨日應邀致詞的還有麻州參議會代表，妻子來自台灣的麻州眾議員黃子安。出席嘉賓包括麻州另一名華裔眾議員陳德基，甫於兩週前獲麻州州長指派為耆英事務署署長(Secretary of Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs)的陳倩，月前獲麻州長指派為麻州旅遊辦公室主任的Keiko Matsudo Orrall，波士頓僑領陳毓禮，阮陳金鳳，紐英崙中華公所主席陳家驊，E Ink全球金融項目主任林朝仲等人。(圖片已於4月23日發表)

麻州參議會代表送上表揚狀。(周菊子攝)

           

麻州眾議會代表送上表揚狀。(周菊子攝)

兩名台灣學生在現場以小提琴演奏台灣民謠。(周菊子攝)

Baker-Polito Administration Launches Digital Health 'Sandbox' Program for Innovative Startups

Baker-Polito Administration Launches Digital Health 'Sandbox' Program for Innovative Startups

Massachusetts eHealth Institute Commits $500K to Open Doors to Innovative R&D Hubs Across State

Relaunched Mass. Digital Health Jobs Board Features 2,000 Open Job Opportunities

WORCESTER – Governor Baker today announced a new grant program as part of the Administration’s Digital Health Initiative that will provide $500,000 in funding to open doors for healthcare technology startups to access research and development “sandboxes.” Governor Baker made the announcement during a visit with Digital Health Council members at WPI’s PracticePoint, one of the facilities supported by the program, where healthcare startups will be able to test existing technologies and develop new products and services.

Over the next two years, the Massachusetts eHealth Institute at the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MeHI), will provide financial assistance to startups, allowing them to access sandboxes. WPI’s Practice Point research, development and commercialization alliance is the first sandbox approved under the program and a prior recipient of state funding.

“Our administration is committed to sustaining Massachusetts’ global leadership in healthcare technology, and by investing in these research and development centers, we can support the startups that are driving innovation in the digital health field,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Massachusetts’ nation-leading healthcare and educational institutions give the Commonwealth an edge in digital health, and encouraging continued collaboration will spur even more growth.”

“Facilities like WPI’s PracticePoint are a prime example of the way in which the Commonwealth’s educational institutions are leading the way in research and development, and our administration is proud to support centers like this one,”said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “From our support of these innovative start-ups, to efforts to expand STEM education the classroom, we are securing the Commonwealth’s continued leadership in digital health.”

Spearheaded by the Massachusetts Digital Health Council, the Sandbox program aims to boost digital health across the Commonwealth by connecting digital health companies to innovative test beds that will bolster the research and development lifecycle. Managed by MeHI, the Sandbox Grant Program will expand to include additional sandboxes across the state, providing a variety of testing environments and services. The program will help match Massachusetts-based companies with the approved sandboxes and will provide funding directly to the sandboxes to cover the costs for companies to access their R&D services, supporting the product development of homegrown startups while also expanding the user base for these innovative sandboxes.

“The ability to test products outside of a busy hospital or active healthcare setting, yet in a facility that fully mimics these settings, is a game-changer for growing digital health companies looking to efficiently test their product and get to market quickly,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Kennealy, co-chair of the Digital Health Council. “Worcester has grown its footprint in the life sciences sector and this new program, built around the top R&D facilities offered by PracticePoint, means the region can become a driver for growth of digital health startups as well.”

"We’ve made tremendous progress in our efforts to position Massachusetts as the world leader in digital health care," said Jeffrey Leiden, M.D., Ph.D., CEO of Vertex and Co-Chair of the Digital Health Council. “The initiatives announced today will strengthen our thriving ecosystem and ensure our state’s best and brightest have the tools they need to improve patient care, decrease health care costs and drive significant economic growth and job creation.”

The Sandbox program will be managed by MeHI, along with an independent steering committee that will review submissions for new sandbox locations and make funding recommendations for tuition grants to support Massachusetts startups interested in accessing the approved sandboxes. The program will announce additional sandboxes on a rolling basis, expanding access to the variety of world-class R&D facilities that exist across Massachusetts. By increasing access to these sandboxes, the program aims to reduce the time, cost, and resources required to test and validate new products and services.

“We’re excited to work with the Administration and the Digital Health Council to bring new startups to this world-class testing facility and to build on our original infrastructure investment in Practice Point,” said Carolyn Kirk, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative (MassTech). “This type of collaboration and cross-over creates a multiplier effect on the impact of our investments. In addition to investments in R&D and digital health, we’re also spearheading work for the Commonwealth around cybersecurity and advanced manufacturing – two areas where we bring expertise to bear to advance digital health. Altogether, digital health is an exciting sector and one where Massachusetts can truly play a global leadership role.”

WPI’s PracticePoint is aimed at “improving healthcare and patient wellness through the development of medical cyber-physical systems,” delivering a unique focus on the reliability, but also the security of digital health technologies. This emphasis will help establish Massachusetts as a leader in cybersecurity for digital health, while increasing the ability of startups to stress-test new devices, software, and systems to better guard against emerging threats. Located in WPI’s Gateway Park, PracticePoint shares floor space with new labs being developed under a separate advanced manufacturing award from the Commonwealth, an investment that will advance research in photonics.

“Two years ago, when we launched PracticePoint with the administration’s support, we had a vision of bridging the gap between medical device R&D and clinical applications by providing a place where we and our partners could test, evaluate, refine, and test again,” said WPI President Dr. Laurie Leshin. “WPI is focused on impact, on the application of innovation to quickly benefit real people and real patients who need help now, and it is so rewarding to stand here today in the nearly completed suites and know that WPI will have a multiplied impact by partnering with Sandbox startups that have their own visions of developments that can help patients, as well.”

As a membership alliance, PracticePoint is open to all companies interested in joining their research network, both companies already located in Massachusetts or those looking to establish an R&D site in the state. PracticePoint members gain access to state of the art equipment, clinical partners within the university’s ecosystem, and WPI’s own in-house experts, including PracticePoint’s director, Dr. Greg Fischer, an expert in the area of medical robotics and computer-integrated surgery. Startups involved in the Sandbox program will have access to PracticePoint’s benefits, including:

• Point-of-practice clinical care suites embedded in an engineering setting to accelerate the development of medical devices and cyber-physical systems;
• A home, rehabilitation, and assistive care environment comprising a state-of-the-art motion capture suite, and a highly instrumented residential care suite;
• A hospital environment including a hybrid operating suite, magnetic resonance imaging suite, and a critical care suite;
• Flexible testing and work spaces to allow for a multitude of experiments;
• Manufacturing spaces co-located with the testing facilities, including CNC manufacturing, laser cutting, electronics assembly and testing equipment, and 3D printers;
• Access to research-grade equipment to obtain ground-truth measurements;
• An existing Institutional Review Board (IRB) for user studies and focus groups;
• A flexible wireless networking infrastructure in a realistic setting;
• Ability to conduct cybersecurity development and testing at device, networking, and data storage levels;
• Collaborative research opportunities with WPI faculty experts in areas including: user design / user interface; assessing cognitive load; medical robotics; biomechanics; sensor design and medical IOT; image-guided robotic interventions; smart prosthetics;
• Clinical partners within the WPI ecosystem, including hospital administrators, doctors, surgeons, and nursing care staff; and
• Multi-modality cross-validation of new designs with industry standards. 

PracticePoint was supported by a $5 million infrastructure grant from the Commonwealth’s Collaborative Research Matching Grant program managed by the Innovation Institute at the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative andannounced by the Lt. Governor in April 2017. Slated to be fully operational later this year, PracticePoint offers access to four “point-of-practice clinical suites” including a residential home suite and rehabilitative care suite that are currently open, as well as a surgical imaging suite and controlled care suite that are expected to be completed later this year. In addition to MassTech, founding members of PracticePoint include GE Healthcare, The MITRE Corporation, and the University of Massachusetts Medical School, a roster that was updated through the recent addition of Boston Scientific as a member.

“I want to thank Governor Baker and Lieutenant Governor Polito for their continued commitment to Worcester and congratulate President Leshin of Worcester Polytechnic Institute,” said Mayor Joseph M. Petty. “This is a great addition to the entrepreneurial and innovation landscape of our City. I look forward to this space at WPI fostering the ideas of the next economy that will move our city and our Commonwealth forward.”

The Massachusetts Digital Health Initiative, or Mass Digital Health, is a comprehensive public-private partnership launched in January 2016 that is working to establish Massachusetts as a leading ecosystem for digital health innovation, driving economic impact, and improving healthcare costs and quality. Governor Baker signed an executive order in January 2016 which established the Massachusetts Digital Health Council to advise the Commonwealth on the emerging industry and to develop a growth plan to create the leading global ecosystem for digital health.

MeHI is the lead state agency on the Initiative, spearheading investments in the sector and managing the digital front page for the effort,MassDigitalHealth.org. During the event, the Initiative’s newly revamped jobs board was highlighted, an interactive portal that features nearly 2,000 open digital health jobs at 300-plus companies across Massachusetts, highlighting the career opportunities that exist within the sector.

About the Massachusetts eHealth Institute:

MeHI, or the Massachusetts eHealth Institute at the Massachusetts Technology Collaborative the Commonwealth’s entity for healthcare innovation, technology, and competitiveness, and partners with industry, government, and healthcare organizations to support the Massachusetts Digital Health Initiative on behalf of Governor Charlie Baker. MeHI also helps all the Commonwealth’s providers harness the benefits of electronic health records and the Mass HIway, the statewide health information exchange.   For more information, please visit https://mehi.masstech.org and follow @MassEHealth. Learn more about the Massachusetts Digital Health Initiative atwww.massdigitalhealth.org.

麻州政府再添一華裔高官 陳倩將出任耆英事務署署長

陳倩(右)將出任麻州老人事務署署長。旁為轄區包括
勒星頓鎮的麻州參議員，當年與兄姊一起贊助陳倩
全家從台灣移民來美的陳毓禮。(周菊子攝)

            (Boston Orange 周菊子波士頓報導) 麻州政府將於今年六月再添一名華裔首長。曾任全美歷史最悠久驗光學院院長的陳倩，訂6月3日正式上任麻州耆英事務署署長(Secretary of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs)。

             麻州耆英事務署(Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs)日前宣佈了這一訊息。在該聲明中，麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie Baker)表示，他統領的麻州政府對老年有不同看法，致力推廣老年人要有更好的生活品質。相信陳倩能在前任署長Alice Bonner所打造的基礎上，以她的專業，能力，讓麻州繼續作為一個對年齡友好的州。麻州副州長白莉朵(Karyn Polito)也說，麻州近年來在耆英關注的在社區內養老，防制凌虐等議題上，有很大進步，他們很期待能和陳倩攜手繼續努力。

            陳倩目前在麻州政府內擔任公共衛生署助理署長，為尋求緊急和長期護理服務的麻州居民們負責安全及醫療護理品質。她在任內監管30萬名醫療護理專業人士的執照，以及4500個固定或流動的提共護理設置。此外，她還領導旨在促進提供醫療服務系統轉型，在重大轉變情況下，改善公共醫療價值的”判定需求項目”，承辦諸如合併，所有權轉移，以及重大資本投資。

             在這之前，陳倩曾經擔任新英格蘭驗光學院，以及新英格蘭眼睛學院的校長及董事。她也曾經是生物科技公司Circe生物醫藥，以及馬拉松生物製藥公司的董事長及執行長。學術上，她專注的領域是面對晚期慢性疾病時的提前護理計畫。

            麻州健康及人類服務長Marylou Sudders負責監管耆英事務署(EOEA)。她表示，陳倩是一個有30多年經驗，在公私領域都受人尊重的領導者，將會在服務與保護耆英居民上，提升麻州的領導力。她指出，麻州居民人數，60歲以上的比20歲以下的多。他們必須特意努力，幫助耆英們在他們所居住，工作的地方添壽，興旺。她還感謝Robin Lipson在過度期間擔任代理署長。

             麻州耆英事務署表示，查理貝克、白莉朵政府從2015年以來，在照顧耆英上有不少成就，包括成立了第一個州長級的解決耆英問題麻州評議會。該會最近發表了一份附建議的如何在麻州推廣健康添壽全面藍圖，致力推動對年齡友善行動，使得麻州成為全美第二個加入AARP對年齡友善之州網絡，並從2015年起，每年增加EOEA的預算，還把老人評議會的經費提到有史以來最高點，簽署了地標性法案，要改善患癡呆症者得到的照顧，培訓那些照顧他們的人。

             陳倩畢業於耶魯大學，獲有賓州大學華頓商學院的企管碩士學位，哈佛大學的公衛政策碩士學位。2012年時，她進了麻州大學McCormack政策及全球研究學院的研究所，全時攻讀博士，3年半就完成學業。目前她和家人住在麻州勒星頓鎮。

BOSTON — Elizabeth Chen, PhD, MBA, MPH has been named Secretary of the Massachusetts Executive Office of Elder Affairs (EOEA) effective June 3, 2019. EOEA promotes independence, empowerment, and well-being of older people, individuals with disabilities, and their families in every community in the Commonwealth.

“Our administration is focused on thinking differently about aging and we are committed to supporting Massachusetts’ older adults by promoting a greater quality of life for them,” said Governor Charlie Baker.“We welcome the expertise and knowledge that Dr. Chen will bring to Elder Affairs as the new Secretary and look forward to the hard work she will do to build on the progress achieved under former Secretary Alice Bonner that made Massachusetts an age friendly state.”

“Massachusetts has made significant progress in recent years on issues important to older adults like abuse prevention and aging in the community,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “We look forward to working alongside Dr. Chen and her team to continue changing lives in the Commonwealth and leading on important elder issues nationally.”

Dr. Chen currently serves as an Assistant Commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH) where she is responsible for the safety and quality of health care for residents of the Commonwealth seeking services in acute and long-term care settings. At DPH, she oversees the licensing of over 300,000 health care professionals and over 4,500 fixed and mobile care delivery settings. Additionally, she leads the Determination of Need Program, which goals are to advance health care delivery system transformation and improve public health value in circumstances of significant change, such as mergers, transfers of ownership, and substantial capital investment. 

Prior to DPH, Dr. Chen served as President and Trustee of the New England College of Optometry and New England Eye Institute.  She has also served as President and CEO of biotech companies, Circe Biomedical and Marathon Biopharmaceuticals. Her academic work focuses on advance care planning when facing late-stage chronic illness.

“Dr. Chen is a respected leader with over 30 years of experience in the public and private sectors and will help advance Massachusetts’ leadership in providing services, protection and support to our older residents,” said Secretary of Health and Human Services Marylou Sudders, who oversees EOEA. “Massachusetts has more residents over the age of 60 than under the age of 20.  We must be intentional in our efforts to support older adults and in helping them age and thrive in the places where they live and work. I am grateful to Robin Lipson who has served as Interim Secretary with grace and skill.”

The Baker-Polito Administration has achieved significant progress for older adults since 2015, including: establishing the first gubernatorial Council to Address Aging in Massachusetts, which recently released a comprehensive blueprint with recommendations on how to promote healthy aging in the Commonwealth; committing the Commonwealth to the Age-Friendly movement, which made Massachusetts only the second state to join AARP’s Network of Age-Friendly States; increasing the EOEA budget every year since 2015; increasing state funding to Councils on Aging to the highest level ever; investing and improving the Protective Services program and funded it at the highest level ever; signing landmark legislation that will improve care for people with dementia; and, training for those who care for them.

 “I am honored and thrilled to have this opportunity to lead EOEA and to help further Governor Baker’s goal to make the Commonwealth the most age-friendly state in the nation,” said Elizabeth Chen, PhD, MBA, MPH.

Dr. Chen has a BA from Yale University; an MBA from University of Pennsylvania’s Wharton School; and, an MPH from Harvard University’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health. In 2012, she pursued a PhD in Gerontology full-time from the University of Massachusetts’ McCormack Graduate School of Policy and Global Studies, and completed its requirements in 3.5 years. Dr. Chen and her family live in Lexington, Massachusetts.

MIT Solve Announces $1.25 Million in Funding for 2019 Solver Teams

April 24, 2019 (Cambridge, MA)—MIT Solve, an initiative of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology that advances solutions from tech entrepreneurs to address the world’s most pressing issues, today announced a prize pool of $1.25 million for its next class of Solver teams. Prize sponsors include General Motors, Patrick J. McGovern Foundation, Vodafone Americas Foundation, Schmidt Futures, Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund, the Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Court, and the Andan Foundation. The prize sponsors will convene at Solve at MIT from May 7-9 in Cambridge, MA with the rest of the Solve community, including 2018 Solver teams, Members, Sponsors, and MIT faculty and staff.

Solve seeks solutions from tech innovators around the world for its 2019 Global Challenges: Circular Economy, Community-Driven Innovation, Early Childhood Development, and Healthy Cities. Anyone can submit a solution and apply for the $1.25 million in prize funding by July 1, 2019. Finalists will be invited to pitch their solutions at Solve Challenge Finals during UN General Assembly Week in New York City on September 22, 2019. At the event, leading cross-sector experts will select 35 of the most promising tech-based innovators to become Solver teams. They will work with Solve for the next year to scale their solutions with the support of funding, networking, mentorship, marketing, and more from the Solve community.

2019 MIT Solve Prizes available for selected Solver teams:

• Solver Funding: Solve will award a $10,000 grant to all Solver teams selected during Solve Challenge Finals in September by the cross-sector judging panels of each of Solve’s four Challenges.
• GM Prizes supported by General Motors
• Solutions that foster prosperity and social mobility for underrepresented community members—including through STEM education—are eligible for the GM Prize on Community-Driven Innovation. Up to $50,000 will be granted to two recipients.
• Solutions that help communities shift towards a more circular economy through zero waste and zero carbon—including through STEM education for new design and manufacturing techniques—are eligible for the GM Prize on Circular Economy. Up to $50,000 will be granted to two recipients.
• AI Innovations Prize supported by the Patrick J. McGovern Foundation and Schmidt Futures
• Solutions that are propelled by advanced computing techniques or that leverage artificial intelligence to address any of the four Challenges are eligible for the AI Innovations Prize of up to $500,000, granted across several recipients.
• Innovation for Women Prize supported by the Vodafone Americas Foundation
• Solutions that use technology to empower and enrich the lives of women and girls are eligible for the Innovation for Women Prize. Vodafone Americas Foundation will award up to $75,000 across up to three Solver teams addressing any of Solve’s Challenges.
• Everytown for Gun Safety Prize supported by Everytown for Gun Safety Support Fund
• Holistic, community-based Healthy Cities solutions that use technology to make cities safer are eligible for up to $100,000 in grant funding.

• Innovating Together for Healthy Cities Prize supported by Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Court
• The Innovating Together for Healthy Cities Prize of $75,000 will be awarded to one prize recipient, and is open to projects that focus on preventing or managing infectious disease or vector-borne illness in cities or slums.

• Innovation for Refugee Inclusion Prize supported by the Andan Foundation
• Solutions that use innovation to advance economic, financial, and political inclusion of refugees in their hosting communities are eligible for this prize of up to $50,000. Eligible Solver teams will be selected from the Community-Driven Innovation Challenge.

“We are thrilled to work with such a diverse array of leading organizations to secure much needed funding for solutions to the world’s most intractable challenges,” said Alex Amouyel, Executive Director at MIT Solve. “There are innovators solving world challenges all around the world, but too few of them have access to the capital and expertise they need to scale. At Solve, we’re helping to bridge the pioneer gap in social impact, which is critical to achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals.”

第一屆"波士頓台灣電影展" 5月26，27放映6記錄片

                          (Boston Orange 周菊子整理報導) 一群現居波士頓，主要來自台灣的年輕人，希望大波士頓人更進一步認識台灣，了解台灣創作風氣之自由，社會之多元化，自行募資籌畫，訂5月26、27兩日在麻省理工學院26-100舉辦第一屆”波士頓台灣電影展”，將放映6部記錄片，並已邀得其中4名導演來波士頓與觀眾對話。

影展策畫小組認為，全在2017至2019年間拍成，都非常受台灣觀眾歡迎的這六部作品，描述了生活在台灣的那些不同年代，不同背景人們的一生，極具生命反思深度。

影展策畫小組以”告白青春”為主題，選了〈疾風魅影·黑貓中隊〉和〈我們的青春在台灣〉作為影展的開幕片和閉幕片，藉以展現前後相隔60年的不同世代青年，同樣有著為國赴湯蹈火情懷，面對各自所處身的大環境，都有無奈。

影展首日將放映的另外兩部片，〈後勁：王建民〉和〈紅盒子〉，主題為”剖白夢想”，影像語言和音樂製作都十分精緻，述說著片中主角中年成名後所面對的家庭矛盾和他們對技藝的理想、堅持。

影展次日將放映〈那個靜默的陽光午後〉和〈看不見的台灣〉，主題為〔明白慈悲〕，以幽默喜劇手法，表現超越生死和歷史創傷的精神關懷。

傅榆、林明謙、楊佈新、陳惟揚等四名導演將出席影展，與觀眾對話。

影展策畫小組表示，2018年台灣記錄片大豐收，有多部口碑好，評論佳，又有話題性的記錄片出爐，許多海外僑胞都為無法回台看片，深感失落，他們因此決定策畫影展，不斷腦力激盪，希望選出藝術成就高，又能受觀眾喜愛的台灣新電影，既向波士頓觀眾介紹台灣，也期望海外僑社在面對美國多族裔社會，尋求各自文化根源之際，也關注台灣電影，藉以促成深度對話。

他們還抱著扮演文化橋樑之心，以「生命的視域交融」為策展核心，委託有亞太影展專刊設計經驗的金彥良為影展設計主視覺，以”留白”呼應影展團隊所引用的莊子”虛室生白”，藉以傳達”受制於大環境，每一個人都難免人生有缺陷，視角有盲點，但希望大家看了記錄真實生命故事的影片後，勇敢面對生命的不完美，向不同觀點的生命彼此學習，邁向清澈明朗的理想境界”。

                    第一屆”波士頓台灣電影展”策劃小組有意做台灣電影海外拓荒者，先在波士頓打造全新的台灣電影文化意象，為台灣電影在美國東岸創造更多可能性，逐步推動台灣電影的走進世界各地。

                       影展售票，一日套票30元，兩日套票50元，四月三十日前可買到早鳥票，優惠票價依序為24元，40元。一次購買20張以上的團體票，可洽影展團隊。查詢詳情，可上影展官網www.TAIWANFILMFESTIVAL.org。

麻州政府慶祝種樹2萬株 綠化門戶城市 再撥款14萬元

Baker-Polito Administration Celebrates Planting of 20,000th Tree Under Greening the Gateway Cities Program

Administration Announced $140,270 in Urban and Community Forestry Challenge Grants

QUINCY – The Baker-Polito Administration today joined with City of Quincy officials to celebrate the 20,000th tree planted under the Commonwealth’s Greening the Gateway Cities Program and highlight the importance of trees within local communities. The administration also announced $140,270 in 2019 Urban and Community Forestry Challenge Grants to fourteen municipalities. The grants will assist the communities as local officials seek to maximize the social, economic, and environmental benefits of increased tree canopies within their communities.

“Healthy, green and accessible open spaces are an essential component of the public's well-being and our administration is proud to continue partnering with local municipalities and non-profit groups to ensure that trees and parks remain a priority,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “The Greening the Gateway Communities Program and Urban and Community Forestry Challenge Grants provide important resources for local officials focused on doing their part to strengthen and enhance tree canopies across the Commonwealth.”

“The 20,000th tree planting of the Greening the Gateway Cities Program is an excellent opportunity to recognize the positive work done in Massachusetts communities and the benefits that trees provide across the Commonwealth,” said Energy and Environmental Affairs Secretary Matthew Beaton. “The 2019 Urban and Community Forestry Challenge Grants will assist local governments and non-profit stakeholders in maintaining and protecting tree canopies through strategic planning.”

The 2019 Urban and Community Forestry Challenge Grants, which range from $2,000 to $20,000, will assist in the following key areas:

•                 Building and strengthening citizen advocacy;

•                 Creating a Community Wood Bank;

•                 Developing and adopting tree and forest ordinances and policies;

•                 Developing and implementing an urban forestry management plan; and

•                 Completing strategic community tree plantings and “Heritage Tree” care projects.

“The Baker-Polito Administration continues to make investments in our state’s natural resources, that include providing and administering vital funds through programs like the Urban and Community Forestry Grants Program, conserving and protecting environmentally important land throughout the Commonwealth and promoting the Greening the Gateway Cities Program,” said Department of Conservation and Recreation Commissioner Leo Roy.“More trees across the Commonwealth will improve the air we breathe, reduce energy consumption and beautify our neighborhoods.”

“Environmentally, the planting of a tree contributes to better air quality and supports wildlife,”said Quincy Mayor Thomas P. Koch. “Furthermore, the trees outside the school offer shade for the students and faculty. The idea that this particular tree planting is the 20,000th is so significant to show the dedication to the program.”

As a participant of the Greening the Gateway Cities Program, trees are provided free of charge and are planted by DCR work crews. To be eligible, residents and property owners must agree to a two-year watering commitment to ensure the trees’ survival. Easy care instructions are provided by DCR to tree recipients addressing watering, mulching and pruning. When a potential tree recipient registers, a DCR urban forester will visit their home to determine the best location and species of tree for energy efficiency. They also conduct year-round site visits and are available to answer questions. To find out if you are in the planting zone and order a free tree, property owners and residents should call 617-626-1473. For more information, please visit the program’s webpage.

Additionally, the funds for the 50-50 matching grant program are provided by the United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Forest Service and the Massachusetts ReLeaf Trust Fund, and are administered by the DCR. Three of the fourteen grant awards were funded from the Mass ReLeaf Trust Fund utilizing donations from the National Grid Corporation and Eversource Corporation. National Grid and Eversource contribute to DCR to offer Urban Forestry Challenge Grants.

The following proposals were awarded 2019 Urban and Community Forestry Challenge Grants:

Applicant: City of Framingham, Community & Economic Development Division

Brief Description: Downtown North Strategic Tree Planting

Amount Awarded: $11,000

Applicant: Town of Athol

Brief Description: Community Wood Bank

Amount Awarded: $2,000

Applicant: Town of Deerfield

Brief Description: Deerfield Strategic Tree Planting and Environmental Education

Amount Awarded: $4,800

Applicant: Town of Maynard

Brief Description: Maynard Shade Tree Inventory and Management Plan

Amount Awarded: $20,100

Applicant: Town of Lanesborough, Tree and Forest Committee

Brief Description: “King Elmer”: The Lanesborough Elm

Amount Awarded: $1,200

Applicant: City of Medford

Brief Description: Medford Canopy Improvement Initiative

Amount Awarded: $20,000

Applicant: Town of Millbury

Brief Description: Street Tree Planting

Amount Awarded: $5,670

Applicant: Town of Montague, Tree Advisory Committee

Brief Description: Montague Wood Bank Improvement Project

Amount Awarded: $2,000

Applicant: Town of Natick

Brief Description: Natick Tree Health Survey

Amount Awarded: $7,000

Applicant: Town of Needham

Brief Description: Needham Tree Protection Health Planning and Planting Project

Amount Awarded: $10,000

Applicant: City of Northampton

Brief Description: Transforming Downtown Heat Island with Proper Plantings

Amount Awarded: $30,000

Applicant: Town of Palmer

Brief Description: Community Wood Bank

Amount Awarded: $2,000

Applicant: Town of Plainfield, Historical Society for the Plainfield Tree Alliance

Brief Description: Pittsfield Community Wood Bank

Amount Awarded: $2,000

Applicant: City of Springfield

Brief Description: Forest Park Neighborhood Urban Forest Assessment

Amount Awarded: $22,500

“I’m proud to join Governor Baker, Secretary Beaton, Commissioner Roy and others in Quincy to acknowledge the great work Massachusetts has done investing in our environment and to celebrate the 20,000th tree planted under the Greening the Gateway Cities Program,” said State Senator John Keenan (D-Quincy). “With these investments from the state, local communities can continue to maintain open, clean and accessible outdoor areas, protect the environment, and maximize the quality of life in their cities and towns.”

“It’s great to see the 20,000th tree planted today in Quincy, representative of the time and resources the Commonwealth has dedicated to creating and preserving public green space,”said State Representative Tackey Chan (D-Quincy). “The Greening the Gateway Cities Program has been an excellent driver of environmental stewardship while promoting healthier, accessible open spaces to benefit everyone in the city.”

“These funds from DCR will make a real difference for many households in our community,”said Representative Todd Smola (R-Warren). “I want to commend our local officials in Palmer for pursuing this resource and the administration’s support of conservation programs throughout Massachusetts.”

Currently, the Department of Conservation and Recreation is accepting project grant proposals for calendar year 2020. Please visit the agency’s Urban and Community Forestry Challenge Grants webpage for additional details.