The Greenway Conservancy Celebrates 10-Year Anniversary with Greenway Week

The Greenway Conservancy Celebrates 

10-Year Anniversary with Greenway Week

Join us this October 4-10 for a week of celebration and reflection! 

September 5, 2019 - Boston, MA - The Greenway Conservancy today announced a spotlight of our year-long celebration of the 10-Year Anniversary of The Greenway. Greenway Week, a week of highlighted events and activities, will take place from Friday, October 4 to Thursday, October 10 on The Greenway! 

After 10 years of care and management, the Conservancy has transformed The Greenway into a neighborhood amenity, an economic driver for the city and state, and a world-class destination. During Greenway Week, the Conservancy will highlight the incredible partners and supporters, the many volunteers, and the extensive programming and public art of The Greenway. Throughout the week, the Conservancy will reflect on innovations in public art, contemporary and accessible programming, local food and drink, and the commitment to being a dynamic public space, free and open to all. 

A centerpiece of the week will be three free dance performances at the Rings Fountain. The Conservancy has commissioned celebrated choreographer Peter DiMuro and his company Public Displays of Motion to create a site-specific dance work, free and open to the public. Waterway/Lightway/Greenway will be performed by DiMuro's ensemble with additional guest community dancers in and around the Rings Fountain on Saturday, October 5 at 1p and 3p and Thursday, October 10 at 6:15p. The piece is inspired by the history of The Greenway and will include a procession through the green space and dance in and around the Rings Fountain. "We are thrilled with the opportunity to harken back at what was over and underground on this land we now call The Greenway and honor that history, but also the joy of the present moment and future moments, through play so apparent when the Rings Fountain dances its recurring water and light display." said Peter DiMuro.

Additional highlights of Greenway Week include the lighting of neighboring buildings green, the Conservancy’s largest hosted food truck festival on Saturday, October 5, and a day of free rides at the Greenway Carousel at The Tiffany & Co. Foundation Grove on Thursday, October 10! Further details and events will be released over the next month.

Throughout 2019, the Conservancy has celebrated the 10-Year Anniversary with signature improvements and bold new features. Earlier this year, the Conservancy received the Boston Society of Architects Commonwealth Award, recognized for “outstanding work on the dynamic transformation and activation of a portion of downtown Boston that was once lost to the Central Artery.” This spring, visitors could  unwind among 10,000 new bulbs blooming in the Carolyn Lynch Garden, and to explore the park’s new beehives and wildflower meadow. The summer kicked off with the signature Rings Fountain receiving an incredible upgrade with the addition of colored lights, synchronized to the fountain water shows. The 2019 Public Art exhibit, The Auto Show (including The Greenway’s first augmented reality installation), pinstriping demo, and car themed summer film series carried the transportation theme throughout the season. Along with these exciting additions to The Greenway, the Conservancy was thrilled this season to bring back a full and fun events calendar including fitness classes, major festivals, family play, live music, movies, markets, and more. Park Rangers, volunteers, and new branding welcomed visitors to The Greenway as a place to gather, unwind, play, and explore. 

Stay tuned across Conservancy social media channels and join the weekly newsletter to learn more! 

REGISTRATION FOR THE 2020 BOSTON MARATHON OPENS MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 9

BOSTON – Registration for the 2020 Boston Marathon opens on Monday, September 9, 2019 at 10:00 a.m. ET. The B.A.A. will use the same process to register qualified participants as in recent years, allowing the fastest qualifiers to register first. Registration will be held entirely online at www.baa.org and qualifying performances achieved on or after September 15, 2018 may be submitted for entry. The 124^th annual race will mark the 35^th consecutive year that John Hancock will serve as principal sponsor.

2020 BOSTON MARATHON REGISTRATION DATES

• Monday, September 9 at 10:00 a.m. ET: Participants who have met the qualifying standard by 20 minutes or more may apply for entry.
• Wednesday, September 11 at 10:00 a.m. ET: Participants who have met the qualifying standard by 10 minutes or more may apply for entry (if space remains).
• Friday, September 13 at 10:00 a.m. ET: Participants who have met the qualifying standard by 5 minutes or more may apply for entry (if space remains).
• Saturday, September 14 at 5:00 p.m. ET: Registration closes for the first week.
• Monday, September 16 at 10:00 a.m. ET: All participants who have met the qualifying standard may apply for entry (if space remains).
• Wednesday, September 18 at 5:00 p.m. ET: Registration closes for the second week.
   

If space remains after September 18, then on Monday, September 23 at 10:00 a.m. ET, registration will reopen to anyone who meets the qualifying standards on a first-come, first-served basis. Registration will remain open until the maximum field size is reached.

Registration for Para Athletics Divisions and Adaptive Programs will open on September 9, 2019 and follow the same procedures as detailed above. Registration for Para Athletics Divisions and Adaptive Programs will occur on a “rolling admission” schedule, and will remain open until the maximum field size is reached or until October 27, 2019.

The Para Athletic Divisions include a competitive wheelchair division for athletes who use racing wheelchairs in track and road racing events and hold a national or World Para Athletics classification. Para Athletics Divisions also include competitive opportunities for ambulatory classified Para athletes with vision impairments and athletes who run with prostheses or have an upper limb impairment.

The B.A.A. will not predict or provide an anticipated date for when the race will reach its maximum field of qualified applicants. However, the B.A.A.'s website (www.baa.org), Facebook page, and Twitter account will provide updates throughout the registration process and will answer many frequently asked questions during this time period. These pages will be continuously updated throughout registration.

The registration fee for the 2020 Boston Marathon for qualifiers is $205 USD for United States residents and $255 USD for international residents.

2020 BOSTON MARATHON OPEN DIVISION QUALIFYING STANDARDS - OPEN DIVISION

Applicants for the 2020 Boston Marathon must meet the designated time standard that corresponds with their age group and gender in a certified marathon on or after September 15, 2018. Proof of qualification must accompany each athlete's application and participants are required to be 18 years or older on race day (April 20, 2020). All standards below are based on official submitted net time and age groups are determined based on a participant’s age on Boston Marathon race day.

Age Group	Men	Women
18-34	3hrs 00min 00sec	3hrs 30min 00sec
35-39	3hrs 05min 00sec	3hrs 35min 00sec
40-44	3hrs 10min 00sec	3hrs 40min 00sec
45-49	3hrs 20min 00sec	3hrs 50min 00sec
50-54	3hrs 25min 00sec	3hrs 55min 00sec
55-59	3hrs 35min 00sec	4hrs 05min 00sec
60-64	3hrs 50min 00sec	4hrs 20min 00sec
65-69	4hrs 05min 00sec	4hrs 35min 00sec
70-74	4hrs 20min 00sec	4hrs 50min 00sec
75-79	4hrs 35min 00sec	5hrs 05min 00sec
80 and over	4hrs 50min 00sec	5hrs 20min 00sec

PARA ATHLETICS DIVISION QUALIFYING STANDARDS - WHEELCHAIR DIVISION

Class	Age	Men	Women
T53 / T54 / T 34	18 - 39	2hrs 00min 00sec	2hrs 25min 00sec
	40 - 49	2hrs 15min 00sec	2hrs 40min 00sec
	50 and over	2hrs 30min 00sec	2hrs 55min 00sec
T51 / T52 / T33	18- 39	2hrs 45min 00sec	3hrs 10min 00sec
	40 - 49	3hrs 00min 00sec	3hrs 25min 00sec
	50 and over	3hrs 15min 00sec	3hrs 40min 00sec

PARA ATHLETICS DIVISION QUALIFYING STANDARDS - VISION IMPAIRMENT

Class	Age	Men	Women
T13	18 - 39	3hrs 40min 00sec	4hrs 10min 00sec
	40 - 49	3hrs 55min 00sec	4hrs 25min 00sec
	50 and over	4hrs 15min 00sec	4hrs 45min 00sec
T11 / T12	18- 39	3hrs 50min 00sec	4hrs 20min 00sec
	40 - 49	4hrs 05min 00sec	4hrs 35min 00sec
	50 and over	4hrs 25min 00sec	4hrs 55min 00sec

 

PARA ATHLETICS DIVISION QUALIFYING STANDARDS - UPPER OR LOWER LIMB IMPAIRMENT

Class	Qualifying Standard (Both Men and Women, Age 18 and over)
T61 – T64	5hrs 40min 00sec
T45 / T46	4hrs 55min 00sec

Visit Para Athletics Divisions and Adaptive Programs of the 2020 Boston Marathon for eligibility requirements and entry procedures.

IMPORTANT NOTES

• Though the B.A.A. will notify registrants upon the completion of their registration form, athletes are not officially entered into the race until their qualifying time has been verified. The amount of time it takes for qualifying times to be verified varies for each individual athlete and may take several days.
• The qualification window for the 2020 Boston Marathon will remain open until the conclusion of registration for the 2020 Boston Marathon.
• The qualification window for the 125^th Boston Marathon on April 19, 2021 will be announced following registration for the 2020 Boston Marathon.
• Registration dates and qualifying standards for the 2021 Boston Marathon have not yet been announced.

ABOUT THE BOSTON ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION (B.A.A.)

Established in 1887, the Boston Athletic Association is a non-profit organization with a mission of promoting a healthy lifestyle through sports, especially running. The B.A.A.’s Boston Marathon is the world's oldest annual marathon, and the organization manages other local events and supports comprehensive charity, youth, and year-round running programs. Since 1986, the principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon has been John Hancock. The Boston Marathon is part of the Abbott World Marathon Majors, along with international marathons in Tokyo, London, Berlin, Chicago, and New York City. More than 60,000 athletes participate in B.A.A. events each year. The 124^th Boston Marathon will be held on Monday, April 20, 2020. For more information on the B.A.A., please visit www.baa.org.

QUINCY WOMAN PLEADS GUILTY, SENTENCED TO FIVE YEARS IN PRISON FOR TRAFFICKING WOMEN AT ILLICIT BODYWORKS ESTABLISHMENTS IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS

QUINCY WOMAN PLEADS GUILTY, SENTENCED TO FIVE YEARS IN PRISON FOR TRAFFICKING WOMEN AT ILLICIT BODYWORKS ESTABLISHMENTS IN WESTERN MASSACHUSETTS

Victims were Transported from New York and Trafficked in Hadley, Framingham, and East Longmeadow

NORTHAMPTON – A Quincy woman has pleaded guilty and has been sentenced to five years in state prison for trafficking women for sex at illicit massage and bodyworks establishments in Western Massachusetts that were set up as fronts for criminal activity, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today.

Feng Ling Liu, age 53, of Quincy, pleaded guilty on Tuesday in Hampshire Superior Court to Trafficking in Persons for Sexual Servitude (3 counts), Conspiracy to Traffic Persons for Sexual Servitude (3 counts), Transacting in Laundered Money (3 counts), Deriving Support from Prostitution (3 counts) and Keeping a House of Ill Fame (3 counts). After the plea was entered, Judge John Agostini sentenced Liu to five years to five years and one day in state prison.

“Traffickers like this defendant continue to use illicit bodyworks establishments as fronts for criminal activity,” said AG Healey. “This illegal business model needs to be disrupted and we’ll continue to fight human trafficking in all its forms.”

Liu was arrested in December 2016 after a months-long joint investigation by the AG’s Office, the Northwestern District Attorney’s Office Anti-Crime Task Force, and the Northampton Police Department, with the assistance of various other local and federal law enforcement agencies, including agencies in New York. Liu was later indicted by a Statewide Grand Jury in February 2017 for these crimes. 

The investigation found that Liu ran a profitable and organized criminal enterprise through illicit massage and bodyworks businesses that had been set up as fronts for human trafficking. Liu trafficked women between New York and Hadley Massage Therapy in Hadley, Feng Health Center in East Longmeadow and Massage Body Work in Framingham.

Through these businesses, Liu offered sexual services for a fee between the victims and sex buyers. Liu received most of the profits from these sexual encounters and used much of this money to keep her businesses running as well as buy jewelry, automobiles, and travel.

The victims lived in the businesses and depended on Liu for transportation, groceries and other supplies. Liu recruited women, advertised sexual services online, set up appointments, and arranged for transportation for the victims.

AG Healey has a dedicated Human Trafficking Division that focuses on policy, prevention and prosecution and includes a team of specialized prosecutors, victim advocates and Massachusetts State Police troopers who handle high impact, multi-jurisdictional human trafficking investigations and prosecutions across the state. Through the Human Trafficking Division, the AG’s Office has charged more than 50 individuals in connection with human trafficking since the law went into effect in 2012.

The case was prosecuted by Assistant Attorney General Elizabeth Vasiliades, of the AG’s Western Massachusetts Office, Special Assistant Attorney General Jeremey Bucci, Chief Trial Counsel of the Northwestern DA’s Office, and Assistant Attorney General Natalie Hoch, with assistance from the Northwestern DA’s Office, Hampshire County Sheriff’s Office, and the Northampton, West Springfield, Sunderland, Salem and Framingham Police Departments. Senior Financial Investigator Eugene Griffin of the AG’s Office, Victim Witness Advocates Megan Murphy and Rebecca Quigley from the AG’s Office, the Queens and New York DA’s Offices, the AG’s Digital Evidence Lab, Massachusetts State Police assigned to the AG’s Office, U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the FBI Boston Division, and Massachusetts Department of Correction also assisted.