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星期四, 7月 30, 2020

$50 Million will go to Schools and Colleges Across the Commonwealth

Baker-Polito Administration Allocates $50 Million from the Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund to Schools and Colleges Across the Commonwealth

BOSTON – The Baker-Polito Administration announced today it will allocate more than $50 million in federal CARES Act funds to benefit education in elementary and secondary schools, as well as colleges and universities. The funding from the federal Governor’s Emergency Education Relief (GEER) Fund will improve early literacy, expand remote learning opportunities, and cover costs associated with reopening certain schools and colleges, as well as boost financial aid for college students in greater need of financial assistance.

As part of the federal CARES Act, governors in each state were granted a share of discretionary dollars to ensure continuity of educational services during the COVID-19 crisis. The Baker-Polito Administration previously allocated nearly $1 billion in federal funds to help municipalities, school districts, and colleges and universities in the Commonwealth address COVID-related expenses.

The funding announced today will support the following initiatives:

·       Up to $10 million for early literacy programs that provide extra help to students through Grade 3, aimed at remediating learning loss children may have experienced since schools closed in March, as well as accelerate reading skills of children in high-need communities; 

·       Up to $7.5 million to expand access to online courses, including advanced placement, early college or dual enrollment courses;

·       Up to $25 million to cover COVID-related expenses associated with reopening colleges and universities, as well as certain non-public elementary and secondary schools. Funds will be allocated based on the number and percentage of low-income students these schools enroll; 

·        Up to $2.5 million in financial aid for low-income college students attending public colleges to ensure they can cover emergency expenses to continue their education;

·        And up to $5 million set aside in an emergency reserve fund.

“Our administration is committed to supporting every student in our schools as districts and universities prepare for the start of the school year,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “This $50 million investment represents flexible funding that can be used for a variety of critical resources for schools and colleges as they begin to reopen and bring kids back into the classroom, especially in our most vulnerable communities.”

“These additional resources will help us target funding to support schools and colleges recover from effects of the pandemic,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “Our administration looks forward to our continued collaboration with school officials statewide on how to best support the safe return to classrooms this fall.”

“Besides supporting financial stability and continuity of service in both K-12 and higher education, this plan will give more students access to high-quality online learning opportunities,” said Education Secretary James Peyser.

“We know districts will need more funding this year than in a typical school year, and I am pleased to see this money added to the financial support that is already on its way to districts,” said Elementary and Secondary Education Commissioner Jeffrey C. Riley.  

“At a time of great uncertainty for those of us in higher education, this investment in our public colleges and universities and most especially, in our underserved students, will help ease the financial burdens associated with COVID-19 and lay the groundwork for a productive fall semester,” said Carlos E. Santiago, Massachusetts Commissioner of Higher Education. 

Funding announced today builds on the nearly $1 billion previously allocated to schools, childcare programs, colleges, and universities.

·       In June, the Baker-Polito Administration announced the allocation of approximately $200 million from the Commonwealth’s federal Coronavirus Relief Fund for costs related to reopening public schools.

·       Other funding sources to support school reopening include:

$500 million from the Coronavirus Relief Fund previously allocated to cities and towns.

$194 million in federal Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief Fund grants.

$45 million to support the reopening of childcare programs serving low-income children.

$19 million for special education residential schools.

$25 million in federal funds for a matching grant program to help school districts and charter schools close technology gaps that inhibit remote learning

麻州州長探訪輝瑞製藥Andover研發基地



A NEW STUDY OF BOSTON ARTS AUDIENCES LAYS OUT CHALLENGES ARTS GROUPS WILL FACE IN REOPENING


Conducted in June 2020, the Audience Outlook Monitor’s first phase finds respondents eager

to return to performances, but not until public health conditions improve.

Majority of arts goers surveyed won’t be ready to return until at least January 2021.

BOSTON – July 30, 2020 – A brand new survey chronicling how local arts audiences feel about getting back to

cultural activities in Boston shows an intense desire to return to theater, dance and music performances, as well as

museums, but also a significant hesitancy to do so until public health conditions improve.

Conducted by the international arts consulting firm WolfBrown, and sponsored locally by the non-profit arts

marketing and advocacy group ArtsBoston and the City of Boston Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture, the Audience

Outlook Monitor (AOM) surveyed more than 3,000 Boston-area arts goers from 16 Boston cultural organizations

in June 2020. The Audience Outlook Monitor (AOM) is a longitudinal survey to keep tabs on arts attendees’

thoughts, concerns and intentions as the pandemic—and the state’s reopening guidelines—evolve. The survey is

helping arts organizations prioritize decision-making and resource investment as they plan for future programming,

fundraising, and audience engagement.

KEY FINDINGS

Overall, 91% of respondents said they were “very” or “somewhat eager” to return to local performances and events.

Despite that enthusiasm though, 89% indicated they would pursue cultural events again only when epidemiological

conditions improved, including availability of vaccinations, broad testing and treatments, and a reduction to near

zero in new infection rates. A majority (55%) didn’t expect to return to cultural events until at least January 2021.

Eighty-eight percent (88%) of respondents said the pandemic would have no substantial impact on their long-term

future attendance: three-quarters expect to attend the same number of events; 13% plan to attend more. But they

expressed caution about the types of activities they would do; in June, they identified museums, outdoor events and

community art spaces/studios as the activities they would be “somewhat comfortable” visiting. Respondents who

made firm future plans to resume cultural activities expressed confidence that conditions would improve in three

(28%) to seven months (65%).

FUTURE SPENDING & SUPPORT

There was other positive news for arts organizations. Eighty-nine percent (89%) of respondents indicated they

planned to spend as much money or more on subscriptions, tickets, memberships, and admissions, with the average

respondent saying their spending would remain at 99% of previous levels. Similarly, future philanthropic giving

appears bright: 96% of patrons indicated they will maintain similar or larger donations to organizations they

previously supported.

“We have a long way to go before Boston arts enthusiasts are ready to return to theaters and indoor performances,”

says ArtsBoston Executive Director Catherine Peterson. “But as this survey tells us, when they are ready, they’ll

come back with gusto, enthusiasm, and at levels of engagement and support at least as good—or better—than before

the pandemic.”

Peterson says audiences’ itch to see live music, theater, dance and opera again bodes well for cultural groups and

the related industries that benefit from arts goers’ spending. “Pre-COVID, the arts in Greater Boston made a $2

billion impact on the region, employed as many people as the pre-pandemic retail industry, and kept the city a

vibrant place to live, work and visit. In the past, arts goers outnumbered sports fans four times over. And arts visitors

spent more money in restaurants, retail stores and other places than any category of tourist. It’s in everyone’s

interest to protect Boston’s cultural assets until they can welcome audiences again.”

MAKING AUDIENCES FEEL SAFE

In order to return to cultural facilities and events, respondents want arts groups to employ best public health

practices. Among the measures deemed most important to their feeling safe: daily public space disinfection;

availability of hand sanitizer; socially distanced seating; and enforcement of physical distancing guidelines. A large

majority of respondents say they will wear masks and adhere to distancing guidelines in order to attend events.

WolfBrown principal Alan Brown said Audience Outlook Monitor respondents across the country, especially in

Boston, were knowledgeable about public health conditions and appropriate safety precautions. “We were

impressed how the open-ended questions posed as part of this survey revealed that respondents understand the

science and acknowledge the risks of returning too soon. They are clear that their own personal confidence about

the risk being minimal will be what persuades them to return,” he said.

Peterson and Brown said the survey would not have been possible without the support of participating organizations,

the thousands of local arts goers who participated in the first round, and future respondents who will make ongoing

survey deployments as robust as the first.

ORGANIZATIONAL PARTICIPANTS

The regional arts organizations participating in this survey include: Actors’ Shakespeare Project; American

Repertory Theater; ArtsBoston; ArtsEmerson; Boston Symphony Orchestra; Celebrity Series of Boston;

Central Square Theater; Company One; The Dance Complex; Emerson Colonial Theater; Global Arts Live;

Handel & Haydn Society; Huntington Theatre Company; Lyric Stage Company of Boston; the Museum of

Fine Arts, Boston; and the Museum of Science. Each organization receives its own audience’s responses, as well

as the ability to compare their results to other organizations and the group as a whole. ArtsBoston will make the

aggregate data available to its full membership of arts groups, to benefit the region’s cultural sector.

The Audience Outlook Monitor is a project of WolfBrown in partnership with ArtsBoston and in collaboration with

the City of Boston Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture. Additional information about the project is available here.


BOSTON EMPLOYER FORUM SERIES TO EXPLORE EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR RESIDENTS

MAYOR'S OFFICE OF WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT LAUNCHES BOSTON EMPLOYER FORUM SERIES TO EXPLORE COVID-ERA EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR BOSTON RESIDENTS

 

Series of virtual panels will focus on the healthcare, hospitality, construction, retail, and IT/tech industries 

 

BOSTON - Thursday, July 30, 2020 - To better help colleges and job training programs prepare their participants for the COVID-era workforce, the Mayor's Office of Workforce Development is launching a series of virtual panels to disseminate the latest research on labor market trends in Boston's major industry sectors. These panels, called the Boston Employer Forum Series, will also feature insights from hiring directors in these industries. The series will begin today, Thursday, July 30 with a panel focused on Boston's healthcare industry. 

 

"Now more than ever it is critical that we provide residents with the information and resources they need to enter the workforce," said Mayor Martin J. Walsh. "The Boston Employer Forum Series pools on-the-ground knowledge from leading industry employers along with the best available academic data to provide a complete picture of employment opportunities for Boston's residents." 

 

The Boston Employer Forum Series, which is free and open to the public, will cover the following industries: Healthcare, Hospitality, Construction, Retail and IT/Tech. Each of these panels will feature the latest sector-specific labor market data presented by Dr. Alicia Sasser Modestino, an Economist and Associate Professor at Northeastern University. Hiring managers from within that sector will also offer their perspectives on how colleges and job training organizations can tailor their programs to help Boston residents position themselves for these employment opportunities.

 

"In order for individuals to increase access to family sustaining careers, it is critical to ensure that education and training are well-aligned with the needs and expectations of employers," said MJ Ryan, Senior Director of Workforce Development and Economic Opportunity at Mass General Brigham, Inc. and a panelist on the healthcare-focused panel. "The Boston Employer Forum Series is a great way to start this information flow. Mass General Brigham has a constant need for high quality, diverse, culturally competent talent, and we appreciate the commitment of Mayor Walsh and his team to help connect us to that talent."

 

"With so much uncertainty in the economy and especially the hard-hit hospitality industry,  industry-specific panels with expertise such as these offer relevant real-time data for training providers to better serve those seeking jobs and or reemployment," said Luther Pinckney, Outreach and Community Engagement Specialist at BEST Hospitality Training and moderator of the hospitality focused panel.  

 

The Boston Employer Forum Series builds on the Walsh Administration's ongoing efforts to address the pressing needs of Boston's workforce and businesses during the COVID-19 pandemic. In June, Mayor Walsh and the Office of Workforce Development dedicated $2.4 million in Neighborhood Jobs Trust funding to support emergency workforce training programs. 

 

Mayor Walsh and the Office of Economic Development have also launched the Small Business Relief Fund and the Boston Reopen Fund, two strategic initiatives to support small businesses and employees. Over $13 million in debt-free grants has been allocated to help small businesses across the City of Boston pay rent, fulfill payroll, or cover any operating expenses, as well as cover costs of personal protective equipment, cleaning supplies, and temporary structures required for reopening and to keep employees and customers safe.

 

The currently scheduled Boston Employer Forum Series panels are listed below. For those unable to attend, the video will be made available after each panel on owd.boston.gov

 

Boston Employer Forum Series: Healthcare

Thursday, July 30

10-11:30 a.m.

Register here

 

Boston Employer Forum Series: Hospitality

Wednesday, August 5

10-11:30 a.m.

Register here

 

Boston Employer Forum Series: Construction

Tuesday, September 1

10-11:30 a.m.

Register here

 

About the Mayor's Office of Workforce Development

The Mayor's Office of Workforce Development (OWD) is an innovative agency within the Boston Planning & Development Agency that seeks to ensure the full participation of all Boston residents in the city's economic vitality and future. OWD funds and oversees programs that promote workforce development through education, jobs training, apprenticeships, financial coaching, career pathways, literacy initiatives, and the like. Please visit OWD.Boston.Gov to learn more about the OWD's work.

 

星期三, 7月 29, 2020

PPP還有1000多億元 8月8日截止申請

林志棪。(檔案照片,周菊子攝)
               (Boston Orange周菊子報導)聯邦政府為幫助企業而推出的薪資保護計畫(PPP)”,即將於88日第三度截止申請。麻州平等獲取薪資保護計畫 (The Massachusetts Equitable PPP Access Initiative)”成員林志呼籲華裔,亞裔注意日期,有需要而還未申請者,宜把握時間。
               林志指出,麻州平等獲取薪資保護計畫是個聯盟機構,成立主旨為幫助人在聯邦小企業行政局(SBA)所提供的薪資保護計畫中,及時、平等的取得可不必償還的聯邦貸款。迄今他們已協助780個小企業,申辦了總值近400萬元的280筆貸款。
在華人前進會為幫助華埠企業,開辦薪資保護計畫(PPP)”申辦講座時,林志當志工做講員,也親自協助了大約15家在大春田區的華人餐館,處理填表申請,解答疑難等事宜。林志後來加入的波士頓地方計畫支持公司(Local Initiatve Support Corp),目前是麻州平等獲取薪資保護計畫數據庫和作業流程的實際管理者。
美國商業部,財政部,聯邦儲備,以及美國小企業行政局今(29)日下午3點,還舉辦了一場電話會議,介紹財政部新推出的主街借貸計畫,並就小企業行政局執行的薪資保護計畫做重要說明。
美國主街計畫(The Main Street USA program)為符合資格的中小企業提供信用支持,藉由既定貸方,提供聯邦儲備及財政部的5年期貸款,幅度在25萬到3億元之間。
SBA的薪資保護計畫,最早從327日啟動,43日開始發放,撥備有大約3490億元,卻不到二星期就發完了。427日聯邦政府補撥3100億元後,申請的速度卻緩慢了很多,截至720日,SBA已發放大約5180億元,還剩1000億元左右資金可供發放。原定630日截止的申請期,也已延至88日。
6月時,財政部和SBA已經更新了薪資保護計畫的相關規定,企業主有24個星期的時間來使用借來的錢,如果60%都用在薪資上,相關條件也符合,就不用償還這筆貸款。後來還容許一部份貸款不需償還的做法。

Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu to Introduce Hearing Order at Council Meeting Today to Discuss Emergency Food Procurement and Distribution Efforts at BPS and Other Community Organizations

Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu to Introduce Hearing Order at Council Meeting Today to Discuss Emergency Food Procurement and Distribution Efforts at BPS and Other Community Organizations

Boston, MA— In a continued effort to ensure an equitable COVID-19 recovery for all Boston residents, Boston City Councilor Michelle Wu has filed a hearing order to discuss emergency food procurement and distribution efforts at BPS and other community organizations, as well as those funded through the Boston Resiliency Funds. 

Disparities in nutritional access along racial and ethnic lines have worsened over the last two decades, driven by continued structural racism in our health, housing, educational, and economic systems and contributing to chronic diet-related diseases, including hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease, which disproportionately affect Black, Latinx and Native Americans, and are linked to higher morbidity and mortality from COVID-19. 

Across eastern Massachusetts, rates of food insecurity are projected to increase by 59% in 2020 as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Research shows that poor diet quality also contributes to worse educational outcomes, including lower school attendance and academic performance and higher dropout rates.

Since schools closed in March, Boston Public Schools (BPS) has operated numerous food distribution sites for BPS families to pick up prepared meals, with additional sites opening in July to operate the summer meals program. However, BPS families and community members have expressed concerns that the quality, safety and sustainability of meals served could compromise the health and wellbeing of BPS students and depart from the procurement principles to which the City committed through the Good Food Purchasing Program (GFPP) ordinance. 

Councilor Wu is calling for a hearing to discuss access to City programs; and to prepare for challenges heading into the next school year and a potential second wave of the coronavirus pandemic. This hearing will be in anticipation of a public meeting to be held no later than January 2021 to present the findings from a baseline assessment of food procurement practices at BPS and other City agencies and departments, scheduled to be completed in October 2020. 

The hearing order will be introduced at today’s 12PM Boston City Council meeting and assigned to a committee to schedule the hearing in the coming weeks.  Read the full order here

FDA approves Roche’s new VENTANA HER2 Dual ISH test as companion diagnostic to identify breast cancer patients eligible for targeted therapy

FDA approves Roche’s new VENTANA HER2 Dual ISH test as companion diagnostic to identify breast cancer patients eligible for targeted therapy

  • Nearly 2.1 million new cases of breast cancer are diagnosed worldwide each year, and more than 620,000 people will die from the disease.1 About 15 to 20 percent of women diagnosed with breast cancer are HER2 positive.2
  • VENTANA HER2 Dual ISH DNA Probe Cocktail assay3 aids in identifying HER2-positive breast cancer patients eligible for the targeted Roche drug Herceptin (trastuzumab)
  • Developed with enhanced technology, this new assay provides high-quality staining with improved turnaround time

Basel, 29 July 2020 - Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) today announced US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approval of the new VENTANA HER2 Dual ISH DNA Probe Cocktail assay for the detection of the HER2 biomarker in breast cancer and as a companion diagnostic for Herceptin (trastuzumab) therapy. HER2 - human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 - is an important biomarker sometimes found in breast cancers.2 Its detection and inhibition can help healthcare professionals more effectively manage this aggressive cancer.

The VENTANA HER2 Dual ISH DNA Probe Cocktail assay is designed to be completed within the same day, enabling clinicians to get results back faster than with other common methods of confirmatory testing for HER2. Results can be read using light microscopy, eliminating the need for a specialised fluorescence microscope.

“With this new VENTANA HER2 Dual ISH assay, Roche continues to deliver on its commitment to advance personalised healthcare,” said Thomas Schinecker, CEO Roche Diagnostics. “Quick test results are crucial in the fight against cancer and by delivering critical information on treatment options for breast cancer patients faster, this assay will aid clinicians in their therapeutic decisions.”

This assay was launched as a CE IVD in April 2019.

The new VENTANA HER2 Dual ISH DNA Probe Cocktail assay is one component of Roche’s comprehensive breast cancer solutions portfolio designed to help inform decision making in cancer care and contribute to improved patient outcomes. For more information about the assay and the portfolio, please visit the Roche Tissue Diagnostics breast cancer IHC/ISH portfolio page or the Anatomic Pathology site.

星期一, 7月 27, 2020

Baker-Polito Administration Announces Expansion of Targeted Free COVID-19 Testing Sites

Baker-Polito Administration Announces Expansion of Targeted Free COVID-19 Testing Sites
Testing will be available through August 14

BOSTON – Today, the Baker-Polito Administration announced an expansion of its “Stop the Spread” initiative, which provides free COVID-19 testing in targeted communities across the Commonwealth.

This expansion includes new testing sites in Agawam, Brockton, Methuen, Randolph, Revere, Springfield, Taunton and Worcester. The Administration previously launched free testing sites in Chelsea, Everett, Fall River, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, Marlborough and New Bedford, bringing the total number of communities served, with today’s expansion, to 16.

The Stop the Spread initiative is a data-driven focused effort to reduce the prevalence of COVID-19 in communities that are above the state average in total cases, positive test rate, and have experienced a decline in testing levels since April. All residents of these 16 communities, including asymptomatic individuals, are urged to use these sites to get tested. While these sites are being launched in these communities, they are open to all residents of the Commonwealth.

The population of the new cities in which the free testing will be conducted – Agawam, Brockton, Methuen, Randolph, Revere, Springfield, Taunton and Worcester – make up approximately 10% of the Commonwealth’s population. However, these communities have seen 15% of the Commonwealth’s positive tests in the last two weeks.

The statewide positive test rate over the past two weeks is approximately 1.7%, but in these 8 communities, the positivity rate is nearly 50% higher, at 2.3%.

Despite the continued elevated spread in these communities, total testing in these communities has declined over 20% since the end of April, while the statewide average has been flat over that time period. The total cases as a percentage of population for these communities is nearly double the state average.

Since launching Stop the Spread on July 10, 19,083 residents have been tested at these free testing sites. So far, the COVID-19 Command Center has received results back for 17,189 individuals, with a positivity rate just under 1.8%. The Command Center expects these numbers to change as additional testing results continue to come in.

The Administration’s first expansion of testing in 8 communities – Chelsea, Everett, Fall River, Lawrence, Lowell, Lynn, Marlborough and New Bedford – has successfully increased testing in those communities.

In the first week, testing in those 8 communities was up 48% over the week before those sites went live, and statewide, testing was up 24%.

Residents of the 16 communities can visit mass.gov/stopthespread to find testing locations, which will be available through August 14.

Residents are reminded that if they test positive for COVID-19, please answer the call when they are contacted by the Community Tracing Collaborative or their local board of health. Also, any individual who needs a safe place to isolate can call (617) 367-5150 to access an isolation and recovery site at no cost.  

波市府7/28辦兩場工作坊 建築合約及專業服務

THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT TO HOST TWO WORKSHOPS ON CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTS AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES
BOSTON - Monday, July 27, 2020 - The Mayor's Office of Economic Development will be hosting two workshops on July 28 and August 5 to help businesses gain a better understanding of the Request for Proposal (RFP) document and Bid requirements, and process; hear best practices from a panel of City representatives and businesses owners; and create a network of City department contacts and build relationships with like-minded business owners.
A workshop on good and professional services will be hosted Tuesday, July 28th, and a workshop on construction contracts will be hosted Wednesday, August 5th.
All workshops are free and open to the public, but require registration. Registration is available for Goods/Professional Services and Construction Contracts workshops.

WHEN:    3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. 
                Tuesday, July 28, 2020

         3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. 
         Wednesday, August 5, 2020
         Construction Contracts

WHERE:  Registration for the both workshops is available Eventbrite
WHO:       Mayor's Office of Economic Development
                 Mayor's Office of Neighborhood Services

Pathways to City Contracting - Contracting Clinic - Goods & Professional Services

About this Event

The Economic Development Center and Pathways to City Contracting present the Boston Contracting Clinics!
The Boston Contracting Clinics are workshops that are topically focused and geared towards contractors and goods and services providers.*Due to Covid-19 all workshops have been converted to webinar sessions which will be conducted via Zoom. This webinar will focus on Goods and Professional Services bids and RFP's.
The goal of the Boston Contracting Clinics is to help you:
  • Gain a better understanding of the Request for Proposal (RFP) document and Bid requirements, and process;
  • Hear best practices from a panel of City representatives and businesses owners; and
  • Create a network of City department contacts and build relationships with like-minded business owners.
3:30 PM - 3:35 PM - Meeting Admission
3:35 PM - 3:40 PM – Welcome and Introductions
3:40 PM – 4:30 PM - How to Find, Submit and Be Awarded City Bids and RFP's
4:30 PM - 4:45 PM - Best Practices Panel Discussion
4:45 PM - 5:00 PM Benefits of being "certified" as a Minority or Woman owned business
We designed the Economic Development Center to directly engage with residents and businesses. We want to build pathways to wealth building, and connect you with opportunities to grow and thrive. All workshops are free and open to the public, but require registration. *Due to Covid-19 all workshops have been converted to webinar sessions which will be conducted via Zoom. You will receive the link for the webinar via email 1 day prior to the event.
For more information about the event or if you have any questions please contact Joshua McFadden at Joshua.McFadden@Boston.gov or at 617-635-5794.