BAAFF "花木蘭"演員訪談線上觀眾近7000

  

            (Boston Orange 周菊子綜合報導)斥資二億美金拍攝，主要演員幾乎全是亞裔、華人的迪士尼大片”花木蘭”，9月4日起上映的首個週末，票房590萬美元。波士頓亞美電影節(BAAFF)舉辦，曹育倫主持的演員訪談，吸引了6700人上線參加。

               這場”花木蘭演員訪談”，由家在波士頓，從金融業老闆轉型，再從舞台跨上螢幕的演員曹育倫主持，並在和紐約亞美國際影視協會(Asian CineVision)，費城亞美電影人(PAAFF)合作，有全美亞裔總商會青商會(ACE NextGeng)，波士頓亞美房地產商協會(AREAA Boston)等機構的支持下，一舉邀得8名”花木蘭”演員，座談拍片經歷與感受。

               波士頓亞美電影節(BAAFF)創辦人甄翠嬿(Susan Chinsen)還特意藉此活動，呼籲亞裔支持自己的家園，包括支持波士頓華埠彈性活動(Boston Chinatown Resiliency Campaign)，紐約的”長壽基金”，費城的”我愛華埠(Ai Love Chinatown)等，更鼓勵各界支持更多亞裔在美國的大螢幕上出現，並擔任主要角色。

               在”花木蘭”一片中飾演父親的馬泰(Tzi Ma)，飾母親的趙家玲(Rosalind Chao)，飾姊姊的曾曉童(Xana Tang)，可能和花木蘭發展感情的安柚鑫(Yosan An)，飾高階軍官的袁文忠(Ron Yuan)，飾老姚的唐辰瀛(Chen Tang)，飾演新兵的黃谷悅(Jimmy Wong)，以及道阿.茂阿(Doua Moua)在9月5日晚和曹育倫開懷暢談他們飛到紐西蘭，為片中武打等場面集訓四個月，到中國拍片的點點滴滴。

他們坦言，雖然和李連杰，鞏俐等這些國際知名大明星同片演出，但並沒有多少接觸機會。但他們多半早已認識彼此，幾乎每天一起晚餐，培養了極佳感情。那些大牌演員中，甄子丹倒是很親切，還和安柚鑫成為下西洋棋時的最佳隊友。

大約10年前在波士頓Company One推出的舞台劇中，初試啼聲，和曹育倫同台演出，然後因為年齡不足，在演出後無法和其他演員一起進酒吧慶祝的唐辰瀛(Chen Tang)，在回答曹育倫的提問時，坦言他對自己有機會在迪士尼這部會在世界各地上演的影片中演出，有著莫名的興奮。

馬泰還認為，”花木蘭”這部片能夠大量啟用亞裔演員，對於在美國電影界發展的亞裔來說，意義重大。

               這部真人版的“花木蘭”，早在2010年時迪士尼就想要根據1998年的同名動畫電影來改拍，但直到2015年3月才開始執行，2017年才敲定妮基卡羅(Niki Caro)執導，並於2017年9月才從1000人中挑出劉亦菲飾演”花木蘭”，然後陸續邀約了甄子丹，李連杰，鞏俐等大卡司加入，演員陣容甚至還有鄭佩佩與溫明娜。

               許多人對”花木蘭”有著很高的期望，迪士尼在拍這部片時，花費許多心力來照顧劇情中國元素，也一直很受讚許，但是一路拍下來遭遇的風波，包括新型冠狀病毒橫掃全球，導致影片上映日期不得不從3月延至9月，以及花木蘭主角劉亦菲在香港反送中仍處於激烈抗爭期間，發言支持警察，導致該片還未上映就已出現逾萬差評，支持反送中群眾發起杯葛行動。

               如今”花木蘭”正式推出了，部分地區在戲院上映，北美地區在線上發行，9月11日還將推出中文配音版，但是首映週未計線上收入的票房只有590萬元，和迪士尼以往發行的”美女與野獸”首週北美1.7億美元，全球3.4億美元，甚至和張藝謀的”長城”一片在北美首映一日590萬元的成績相比，慘白了些。

波士頓台灣影展九月份放映"老大人"

             (Boston Orange 周菊子綜合報導)第二屆波士頓台灣影展(TFF of Boston)9月份將放映小戽斗主演，抱回台北電影節四項大獎的《老大人》。購票觀眾將可於美東時間的9月11至13日之間上網欣賞影片，13日晚上8點，參加映後座談。

             “老大人”是一部描述老年人在照顧，護理問題上和子女觀念不同，進而在各自生活上形成許多情感、心理困擾，情緒衝突，展現人生難題的影片，內容寫實，碰觸了許多人不敢想或不敢面對的情境。

1947年出生，本名歐藏喜，今年二月因”肺積水”，”胃腸道出血”辭世的小戽斗，憑著這部他生前的最後一部劇情片，贏得2019台北電影節影帝殊榮。

            由於”老大人”導演洪伯豪不克在美東時間的9月13日晚出席映後座談，影展單位特地邀請在華府照護中心的資深社工陳曉瑩，以及知名歌手，也是心靈諮商師的賴佩霞，來和觀眾討論”老大人”一片，以及相關的老人照顧議題。

            波士頓台灣電影展新聞組召集人林佳芬和工作小組日前特地先訪問了賴佩霞，請她談論照護者和被照護者之間的情感糾結，對話，溝通，以及心理療癒的可能性。

            本身是歌手的賴佩霞，小時候和房東患小兒麻痺症的小孩是好朋友，一直都感到能照顧，服務他人，是莫大的快樂。長大後，她還加入孫越的更生團契，進監獄，少年觀護所探望受刑人，從而踏上專業諮商，心靈輔導的路。

            賴佩霞認為，人們常在心中有著崇高的道德標準，面對執行落差，就覺得痛苦，例如照顧父母時，總認為要孝順，就得照顧得周全，若自覺表現不及標準，或心生怨懟，有負面情緒，甚至會出現自我摧殘，自恨等行為，於是糾結成既未能把父母照顧好，也快把自己搞垮了的結果。賴佩霞指出，關鍵可能在於照顧者是否能夠說服，安定自己，在理解對方的需求下，已經盡力了。她強調要勇敢的，平靜的和家人溝通，要樂觀的看待失去，再把親友，社會上的輔導老師等其他資源帶進自己的處境中。

            “老大人”一片將於9月11日(週五)中午12點至9月13日(週日)晚上11點59分之間，在網路上面向全美觀眾公映，門票每張8元。9月13日晚上8點的座談，則是面向全球觀眾開放。購票網址為https://www.taiwanfilmfest.org/buy-tickets/2020monthly-sep。

B.A.A. Announces COVID-19 Medical & Event Operations Advisory Group; Postpones Registration for 2021 Boston Marathon Cross-sector group to advise on safe return to mass participation road races

 B.A.A. Announces COVID-19 Medical & Event Operations Advisory Group; Postpones Registration for 2021 Boston Marathon Cross-sector group to advise on safe return to mass participation road races

BOSTON—The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) has announced the formation of a COVID-19 Medical & Event Operations Advisory Group, comprised of medical, public safety, and race operations experts, as well as city and state officials. The group will establish a framework to advise the B.A.A.’s leadership, board of directors, and staff on when, and how, the Boston Marathon and other large, in-person B.A.A. road races can be held safely again.
Registration for the 2021 Boston Marathon has been postponed and will not take place in September. The Medical & Event Operations Advisory Group’s findings will inform the registration timeline.
“COVID-19 has affected mass participation road races in ways that we never could have imagined,” said Tom Grilk, C.E.O. of the B.A.A. and co-chair of the advisory group. “Convening this cross-sector group of professionals with decades of experience in epidemiology, viral infection, mitigation strategies, and our own race operations was entirely necessary to begin planning for the 125th Boston Marathon.”
The Medical & Event Operations Advisory Group will recommend strategies that address the health and safety of participants, volunteers, staff, and community members. Recommendations will be developed in accordance with the most current guidelines issued for large-scale events by the World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control. The group will develop framework for the B.A.A. that addresses risk factors specific to the Boston Marathon including size and other local and international considerations for the pandemic. Outcomes, including an updated registration timeline for the 125th Boston Marathon, will be shared.
“We seek to determine with some specificity how and when large-scale road running events organized by the B.A.A. may be able to reasonably resume, while also providing input on which operational aspects will change as events are organized and managed,” said Dr. Aaron Baggish, Co-Medical Director for the B.A.A. and Boston Marathon, Director of the Cardiovascular Performance Program at the Massachusetts General Hospital Heart Center, and co-chair of the advisory group.
“September is usually a time for the B.A.A. to begin opening registration for April’s Boston Marathon and planning for an already established field size. We know, however, that we cannot open registration until we have a better understanding of where the virus may be in the spring. This group will be immensely helpful in helping the B.A.A. determine a safe return to in-person running events of magnitude,” said Grilk.
In addition to Grilk and Baggish, the COVID-19 Medical & Event Operations Advisory Group includes:
• Dr. Michael O’Leary, President, B.A.A. Board of Governors; Professor of Surgery, Harvard Medical School
• Dr. Cheri Blauwet, B.A.A. Board Member; Director Kelley Adaptive Sports Research Institute, Spaulding Rehabilitation Hospital/Brigham and Women's Hospital
• Dr. Paul Biddinger, Medical Director for Emergency Preparedness, Mass General Brigham; Chief of the Division of Emergency Preparedness, MGH
• Dr. Gregory Ciottone, Director, Division of Disaster Medicine, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center
• Kate Davis, Director, Mayor’s Office of Tourism, Sports, and Entertainment, City of Boston
• William Evans, B.A.A. Board Member; Chief of Police, Boston College
• Dr. Lisa Stone, Medical and public health consultant
• Dr. Larry Madoff, Medical Director, Bureau of Infectious Disease and Laboratory Sciences, Massachusetts Department of Public Health
• Dr. Charles Morris, Associate Chief Medical Officer; Vice President, Medical Affairs, Brigham and Women’s Hospital
• Samantha Phillips, M.A., M.P.H., Director, Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency
• Dr. Jeff Hopkins, Medical Director, Town of Hopkinton; Chair, Department of Emergency Medicine, Milford Regional Medical Center
• Dr. Sophia Dyer, Medical Director, Boston EMS; Co-Medical Director, B.A.A. and Boston Marathon
• Dr. Pierre d’Hemecourt, Co-Medical Director, B.A.A. and Boston Marathon; Primary Care Physician, Children’s Hospital Boston
• Dr. Brooke Nichols, Assistant Professor, Department of Global Health, Boston University School of Public Health
The Medical & Event Operations Advisory Group will work in consultation with state and city officials. The group will also consist of a working committee of medical and road race operations professionals including B.A.A. Director of Operations Lauren Proshan, Race Director Dave McGillivray, and Medical Coordinator Chris Troyanos.
“The years of expertise and knowledge among the members of the advisory group will help inform the safest way for the world to return to run from Hopkinton to Boston. While we may not know today when that is, we know we will be back,” Grilk said.
The 2020 Boston Marathon, originally scheduled for April 20, was postponed to September 14 by Boston Mayor Martin Walsh due to the COVID-19 pandemic. On May 28, following Mayor Walsh’s announcement cancelling the marathon as a live, mass participation road running event, the B.A.A. announced the Boston Marathon would be held as a virtual event from September 5 to 14.

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES 146 ORGANIZATIONS AWARDED $815,000 THROUGH ARTS AND CULTURE COVID-19 FUND

 

MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES 146 ORGANIZATIONS AWARDED $815,000 THROUGH ARTS AND CULTURE COVID-19 FUND

BOSTON - Thursday, September 3, 2020 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh and the Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture today announced the City of Boston awarded $815,000 in grants to 146 local arts and cultural organizations as part of the  Arts and Culture COVID-19 Fund. This fund, made available by the City of Boston's allocated CARES Act funding, was established earlier this summer to support small and mid-sized arts and culture nonprofits in adapting their programs, spaces, and operating models as a result of COVID-19. "Supporting the organizations that bring transformative arts programming to every neighborhood in our city is imperative during this unprecedented time," said Mayor Walsh. "These organizations have put a tremendous amount of effort into making sure Bostonians can still participate in the arts and express themselves creatively, and it's important that we do what we can to ensure they remain a part of Boston's arts community in the future." COVID-19 has had a significant impact on the arts and culture sector, particularly performing arts organizations. Boston's arts and culture sector is a critical part of the city's economy and generates $1.35 billion in total economic activity, according to Americans for the Arts'  Arts and Economic Prosperity 5 report.  ArtsBoston's 2019 Arts Factor report indicated that more than 21 million people attend arts and cultural events annually.  Mass Cultural Council reported cultural nonprofits in Massachusetts have lost $425 million in revenue with 17,000 jobs impacted, and are facing $441.8 million in total recovery costs. As organizations and cultural facilities begin reopening, the Arts and Culture COVID-19 Fund aims to mitigate costs for finding new safe spaces for performance and rehearsal, adapting existing facilities to comply with public health standards, developing new capacities in streaming and virtual engagement, addressing issues of equitable access on digital programs, retraining staff, and other costs associated with physically distanced program delivery.  "By enabling us to access video and audio engineering services, the Arts and Culture COVID-19 Fund is helping us do something amazing: to continue paying performers and bringing opera performances to Boston audiences during a pandemic," said grantee Greg Smucker, Artistic Director of Boston Opera Collaborative. In addition to the Arts and Culture COVID-19 Fund, the City of Boston  distributed grants totaling $490,000 to 146 arts and cultural organizations that offer programming in the City of Boston through the Boston Cultural Council. Throughout the COVID-19 public health emergency, the City of Boston in partnership with Boston Center for the Arts (BCA) have also awarded grants totaling over $330,000 to over 600 artists as part of the Boston Artist Relief Fund, which was established to support artists whose creative practices and incomes were adversely impacted by the pandemic. "Providing ongoing support to Boston's arts organizations is critical during this time," said Kara Elliott-Ortega. "We hope this will encourage Boston residents to do what they can to make sure these organizations are able to continue providing valuable programming to our communities in the future."  View the complete list of Arts and Culture COVID-19 Fund grantees here. To learn more about how the Mayor's Office of Arts and Culture is supporting artists and arts organizations during COVID-19, visit boston.gov/arts.

Baker-Polito Administration Announces Start of FY2021 Community Compact Cabinet IT Grant Program

 Baker-Polito Administration Announces Start of FY2021 Community Compact Cabinet IT Grant Program

 

 

BOSTON – The Baker-Polito Administration today announced the opening of the sixth year of the Community Compact IT Grant Program which will provide a total of $3 million in grants for municipal and school district projects designed to modernize and improve technology systems. The Community Compact IT program will be accepting applications from September 15, through October 15, and will provide each municipal recipient up to $200,000 in funding.

 

Since its inception, the Community Compact IT Grant Program has awarded 240 grants totaling $12 million to municipalities and school districts to invest in transformative technology infrastructure and critical equipment.

 

“Our Administration remains committed to supporting cities and towns and modernizing and securing the Commonwealth’s technological resources,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “We continue to work closely with our partners in the legislature and in local government to improve technology systems, a need that is even more apparent due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.”

 

“The Community Compact IT Grant Program continues to help meet communities’ technology needs and bolster technological capabilities,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “As the Chair of the Community Compact Cabinet, I am proud of the work we have done so far and look forward to another year of important projects.”

 

COVID-19 has greatly impacted how Commonwealth residents interact with municipalities and utilize technology services. These Community Compact IT grants will be allocated to Commonwealth cities, towns, and school districts to aid in one-time capital improvements such as technology infrastructure, upgrades, or equipment purchases. This includes records management and e-permitting systems, implementing new cybersecurity measures, and improvements to public safety systems.

 

“Community Compact IT grants provide important opportunities for local governments to engage in projects that may otherwise be cost-prohibitive,” said Secretary of Administration and Finance Michael J. Heffernan. “We appreciate the support of the Legislature and municipal partners across the Commonwealth as we continue to improve the delivery of essential technology services for Massachusetts residents.”

"We believe that making smart investments to modernize and secure technology assets at both the state and local level is a key component in creating a resilient and responsive government for the Commonwealth's residents and businesses," said Secretary of Technology Services and Security Curtis M. Wood. "The Community Compact IT Grant Program has funded many critical municipal IT projects to date, and we look forward to the continued dialogue with our partners in municipal government."

 

Formed in January 2015, the Community Compact Cabinet is chaired by Lt. Governor Polito and is composed of the secretaries of Housing & Economic Development, Education, Transportation, Energy & Environmental Affairs, and Technology Services and Security, and the Senior Deputy Commissioner of Local Services and the Assistant Secretary of Operational Services. The Community Compact Cabinet elevates the Administration’s partnerships with cities and towns and allows the Governor’s Office to work more closely with leaders from all municipalities.

 

The Cabinet champions municipal interests across all executive secretariats and agencies, and develops, in consultation with cities and towns, mutual standards and best practices for both the state and municipalities.

Baker-Polito Administration Launches Additional Intervention Initiatives for Communities With Highest Risk for COVID-19

 Baker-Polito Administration Launches Additional Intervention Initiatives for Communities With Highest Risk for COVID-19

COVID-19 Enforcement and Intervention Team to Add Resources, Begin Public Messaging Campaign for Chelsea, Everett, Lawrence, Lynn and Revere with Mass.gov/StopCOVID19

 

BOSTON – Today, the Baker-Polito Administration stepped up its targeted initiative to help stop the spread of COVID-19 in communities across the Commonwealth with the highest number of positive cases. This initiative brings even greater focus to the top 5 highest-risk communities with regular neighborhood-level assessments and a comprehensive multi-lingual public messaging campaign.

 

The initiative focuses efforts on Chelsea, Everett, Lawrence, Lynn and Revere. The Commonwealth’s COVID-19 Enforcement and Intervention Team (CEIT), in partnership with local community officials, is leading this effort. This targeted initiative includes regular meetings with local leadership to understand residential and business activities contributing to trends, an even greater level of state focus to stop the spread and a new public messaging campaign.

 

The goal of the public messaging campaign is to ensure residents know they live in a high-risk community and reiterate the importance of wearing a mask and other best practices to stop the spread. Built around a message of, “You have the power to save a life,” the comprehensive campaign will encourage the use of masks and social distancing and will run in English, Portuguese, Spanish, Haitian Creole, Vietnamese, Arabic and other languages common to these communities. The campaign includes:

 

• A new online resource at Mass.gov/StopCOVID19
  (Spanish: Mass.Gov/DetenCOVID19)
  (Portuguese: Mass.Gov/PareCOVID19)

(Additional multilingual online resources will be available soon)

 

• Advertising on billboards, digital and social media

 

• Downloadable materials in multiple languages

 

• Multi-lingual field teams deployed in the communities

 

• Phone and text communications

 

• Outreach to local community groups

 

This new website Mass.gov/StopCOVID19 provides residents and local business owners with information on how to stop the spread, state restrictions on gathering sizes, testing locations and materials that can be printed for display in apartment complexes, restaurants and community areas.

 

The campaign’s advertising will run on hundreds of displays, message boards, signs, billboards and other channels in these top 5 communities through paid partnerships and via state-owned resources, such as at MBTA stations, on MassDOT signs and much more. During Labor Day weekend, the field teams will be active at approximately 15 locations in these top 5 communities. All aspects of this campaign will expand throughout the fall.

 

In early August, the Administration established CEIT through the COVID-19 Command Center. CEIT is a cross-agency response unit, which includes representatives from the Community Tracing Collaborative, Department of Public Health, Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission, Massachusetts State Police, Department of Labor Standards and other agencies.

 

Since it was launched, this team has worked closely with all higher-risk communities to help stop the spread of COVID-19 in areas that are persistently above the state average. CEIT partnered with local elected and community officials, including municipal leadership, police chiefs and local health departments, to assess trends and most effectively utilize resources. Collectively, these teams have enforced gathering size restrictions and shared with municipalities additional state support, such as testing and contact tracing information.

 

Over the last two weeks the statewide average daily incidence rate is 4.2 cases per 100,000 people, while Chelsea is 29.4, Revere is 20.9, Lynn is 12.1, Everett is 15.9 and Lawrence is 14.9. As new community data is reported, CEIT will adjust as cities and towns move into or out of higher-risk categories. Throughout September, the campaign will expand beyond the top 5 communities.  

麻州初選結果揭曉 聯邦參議員馬基開懷

聯邦參議員馬基(Ed Markey)順利跨過初選大關，預料十一月大選將
成功保位。(檔案照片，周菊子攝)

            (Boston Orange編譯整理)2020年的聯邦及州級民代的初選，9月1日晚落幕。麻州投票人數超過160萬，打破紀錄。最受矚目的聯邦參議員選舉，74歲的馬基(Ed Markey)成功保位。

              今年的選舉，總統部分，大家早就知道民主黨將由拜登(Joe Biden)代表參選，共和黨也會是由現任總統川普競遠連任。他倆在9月1日麻州初選中的得票率依序為民主黨的33.6%，共和黨的87.7%。

聯邦眾議員約瑟夫甘迺迪三世初選落敗，將於年底卸任。
(檔案照片，周菊子攝)

                 已退出選戰，但仍名列選票上的民主黨總統參選人，諸如Bernie Sanders，伊莉莎白沃倫(Elizabeth Warren)，彭博(Michael Bloomberg)，Pete Buttigieg，依序獲得26.7%，21.4%，11.8%，2.7%的選票。顯然民主黨員們對未來四年美國應該由誰領導，看法很不一致。

               在聯邦參議員部分，民主黨有39歲出自政治世家的約瑟夫甘迺迪三世(Joseph Kennedy, III)和74歲的在位參議員馬基(Ed Markey)競爭。

麻州眾議員黃子安(前)無競爭對手，將同額當選，提醒
投票民眾戴口罩，保障安全。(圖片來源:黃子安臉書)

             他們倆的這場選戰，可謂頗為激烈，還締造了麻州最昂貴選舉紀錄。截至8月12日，他倆就已花了2200萬元來參選，超級政治行動委員會(Spuer PAC)也為他倆花了790萬元。他倆各自的支持率起起伏伏，一度讓許多人對誰可能進入大選，都持保留態度。結果是馬基得票率55.5%，約瑟夫甘乃迪44.5%，差距高達11%，頗出人意料之外。

             在初選競爭後期表態支持馬基的波士頓環球報，寫了一篇長文分析大概原因，指稱支持Bernie Sanders和Elizabeth Warren的”日出運動(Sunrise Movement)年輕人，不滿這兩人被擠掉了代表民主黨參選美國總統的機會，於是把精力轉向支持馬基，還為馬基製作了一個長約3分鐘的數位廣告，吸引超過400萬人次收看，馬基和紐約州國會議員Ocasio-Cortez合撰”新綠色法案(Green New Deal)”，也為他吸引了許多重視環保議題的年輕人支持者，陡然抬高了他的民調支持度。

             年輕，又出身於麻州最著名政治世家，現任聯邦眾議員的約瑟夫甘迺迪三世(Josephy Kennedy, III)卻一直沒能很清晰表達，他跳出來和同黨的在位議員競爭，到底是為什麼。他的競選策略原本是走草根路線拜碼頭，但新型冠狀病毒大流行，打亂了他的做法。波士頓環球報指出，馬基本來有早年僅以26%左右的得票率當選，其後住在華府，馬里蘭州的時間比麻州還多，本地選民很多人根本不知道他是誰，他在位這些年也沒有什麼非常令人矚目的政績，在一項奧巴馬提出的政策上還是唯一投出無意見票的議員等等缺點，但約瑟夫甘乃的卻是等到競選末期，才著手攻擊馬基的形象，就已經來不及了。

            有熱衷政治者稱，約瑟夫甘乃迪的落選，很可能意味著甘乃迪家族政治勢力的結束。

            在這場選舉中，馬基還因為支持台灣，贏得了台灣人公共事務協會波士頓分會前會長鍾佳君，杜荷州等人的動員支持。約瑟夫甘乃迪陣營則在投票日前的一，二個星期才想到打電話找波士頓華埠的人支持。

             麻州的聯邦眾議員共有9個席位，第一區部分，民主黨籍候選人Richard Neal竟然還獲得麻州共和黨籍州長查理貝克的支持，順利贏得初選。共和黨只有John Cain一人參選，不須辦理初選。

             第二區，民主黨Jim McGovern晉級，將和共和黨的Tracy Lovvorn在大選中爭勝負。

             第三區，民主黨只有Lori Trahan參選，共和黨因無人角逐，取消了初選。

             第四區，民主黨有13人角逐約瑟夫甘乃迪空出來的席位，但最後只有9人列名選票，競爭十分激烈。Jake Auchincloss得票率22.4%，將在大選中和共和黨的Julie Hall競爭。

             第五區範圍包括摩頓市(Malden)，民主黨參選人陸續退選後，Katherine Clark同額晉級，將和共和黨籍也是同額晉級進入大選的Caroline Colarusso競爭。

             第六區，民主黨由Seth Moulton晉級，將和同額晉級的共和黨John Paul Moran競爭。

             第七區，民主黨籍Aynna Pressley同額晉級，共和黨無人參選，取消辦理初選。

             第八區，民主黨籍Stephen Lynch晉級，共和黨無人參選。

             第九區，民主黨及共和黨各只有一人參選，Bill Keating和Helen Brady將在大選日對決。

             麻州議會部分，參議員40席，目前在位者中有36名民主黨，4名共和黨參議員。這些在位的參議員，全都參加競選連任。由於絕大部部分選區，或因民主、共和兩黨各只有一人參選，不須辦理初選，或因兩黨共只有一人參選，十一月大選時將同額當選。

            轄區包括華埠的第一薩福克郡(Suffolk)及米斗塞郡(Middlesex)區參議員Joseph Boncore，以及父親為美國首名亞裔太空人陳福林的第二薩福克區參議員陳翟蘇妮(Sonia Chang Diaz)都無競爭對手，十一月大選時將同額當選。共和黨籍的屋斯特(Worcester)及米斗塞(Middlesex)區越南裔參議員，Dean Tran將於十一月和民主黨籍的John J. Cronin競爭。

             麻州眾議會有160席，其中127人為民主黨籍，31人共和黨籍，1人獨力無黨籍，1席出缺。共有15名在位議員未參選。和麻州參議會選舉類似，許多席位都只有一人參選，不須辦理黨派初選。轄區包括華埠的第三薩福克區(Suffolk)只有在位眾議員麥家威(Aaron Michlewitz)參選，第九益士石區(Essex)的共和黨籍眾議員黃子安(Donald Wong)，轄區包括昆士市的的第二諾福克區(Norfolk)，只有在位眾議員陳德基(Tackey Chan)參選。他們三人都將於十一月大選時同額當選。

             第十八米斗塞區的民主黨籍眾議員Rady Mom無競爭者，也將在大選時同額當選。

            第十八益士石區(Essex)的越南裔眾議員Tram Nguyen將和共和黨籍的Jeffrey DuFour在十一月大選中競爭。參選這一席位的華裔Shishan Wang，在共和黨初選中落敗。

麻州初選投票踴躍 選前已有近百萬人投了票

波士頓華埠投票站前，有約瑟夫甘乃迪的支持者。(周菊子攝)

             (Boston Orange編譯整理)儘管新型冠狀病毒疫情未消，美國今年的選舉民眾投票踴躍。麻州州務卿威廉蓋文(William Galvin)指出，在今日這9月1日的初選投票日之前，已經有90萬人投了票。

             許多人選擇了郵寄投票方式，有些人則是決定提早投票，在8月22至28日之間，先投了票，避免在正式投票日當天和其他的選民擠用投票站，可能增加感染新型冠狀病毒的危險。

             今年的初選，雖然總統部分大勢已定，人們都知道會由拜登(Joe Biden)代表民主黨，川普(Donald Trump)代表共和黨來競爭美國總統大位，但麻州的聯邦參議員席位民主黨代表選舉，卻因為39歲的現任聯邦眾議員約瑟夫甘迺迪三世(Joe Kennedy, III)跳出來挑戰74歲的在位議員馬基(Ed Markey)，備受矚目。

             在投票結束後沒多久時傳出來的選舉結果，是馬基領先約瑟夫甘迺迪三世不到1%。不過還有很多選票還沒計算。

             在波士頓市，選務局的報告是，截至下午6點時，約有11萬1220人已經投了票，比2018年時的投票人數記錄高。

             這些選票計算包括郵寄選票及提早投票的那些票。威廉蓋文早前說，他估計麻州會有120萬到130萬人在民主黨初選中投票。約15萬人會在共和黨初選中投票。

            一名21歲的愛默生學生質疑約瑟夫甘乃迪三世為什麼要跳出來挑戰同黨的在位議員。他的票投給了馬基。

             另一名51歲的女士，沒明說她的票投給了誰。但她稱讚甘迺迪年輕，有理想。她說她喜歡馬基，但認為是時候改變了。

             劍橋市的Moses青年中心投票站，隊伍排得挺長。好幾個人說因為”綠色新法案(Green New Deal)”，他們投票給馬基。

             麻州州務卿威廉蓋文(William Galvin)在選前就已經預測，今年的選舉投票率大概會破紀錄，一來是因應新型冠狀病毒疫情，今年的選舉辦法改變了，人們可以更容易地以郵寄選票，以及提前投票方式來投票。截至8月31日止，麻州已收到76萬8000張民主黨選票，以及8萬8000張共和黨選票。還有40萬張郵寄選票待計算，估計總共會至少有120萬到130萬人投票。

          根據開票結果，麻州各地選民投票數

九月一日麻州新增354人新冠確診 新增4人死亡

MBTA 慶祝地鐵綠線C、E線修繕完工

麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie Baker)。

(Boston Orange編譯)本來要用掉一整年週末時間來完成的地鐵(MBTA)綠線C線及E線修繕工程，在地鐵當局改變策略下，僅用28天就完工了。麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie Baker)今(1)日在波士頓美術博物館站前稱許相關人員。

地鐵總經理Steve Poftak說明，這是麻州80億元”打造更好地鐵(Building a Better T program)”基礎設施改善工程的一部分。他要特別感謝地鐵的”綠線改造小組(Capital Delivery and Green Line Transformation teams)”，讓地鐵能夠把更新維修工程對乘客的影響，從一整年縮減到不足一個月。

地鐵總經理Steve Poftak(左)。

在整個維修過程中，七月份時，他們把整個綠線C線關了28天，八月份時，整個綠線的E線也關了28天，以加速施工，並在C線，E線關閉期間，提供電車、巴士服務。麻州地鐵還提前達成目標，更換了3英里已有30年老的E線軌道，修了5段行人走道。為了加速地鐵的更新工程，除了7月份的C線全線關閉28天之外，6月D線關了9天，紅線關了14天，5月份藍線關了14天。

Steve Poftak表示，在疫情漸緩下，巴士乘客人數回升得比較多，現在大約每天發車16萬次，約42%的乘客回來了，地鐵則是每天10萬車次，大約26%的乘客回來了。各顏色地鐵的乘客回流率不同，藍線最高。根據他們所追蹤的數據，乘客數是在緩慢回升。地鐵會繼續觀察各項相關數據。

Building a Better T: Baker-Polito Administration, Transportation Officials Celebrate Successful Completion of Accelerated Green Line C and E Branch Work

Posted on September 1, 2020

Today Governor Charlie Baker, Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito, Massachusetts Transportation Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack, MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak, and others celebrated the successful completion of accelerated work on the Green Line C and E Branches this summer with a tour of completed work at Museum of Fine Arts Station. 

With the goal of expediting safety and reliability improvements through core infrastructure investments as part of the MBTA’s $8 billion Building a Better T program, the MBTA accelerated essential track and intersection work on the entirety of the Green Line C Branch during a 28-day shutdown in service in July and on the entirety of the E Branch during a 28-day shutdown in service in August. During this accelerated work, Green Line trolley service on these branches was replaced with alternate services that included bus shuttles.  

“Each month-long Green Line diversion this summer enabled 1 full year’s worth of work to be completed in just a few weeks, and these improvements will result in faster and more reliable service for riders,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “By allowing crews longer periods of 24/7 access, the T is able to complete important upgrades more quickly and save money along the way.”

“The Green Line C Branch and Green Line E Branch capital improvement projects demonstrate the MBTA’s commitment to being aggressive about capital projects that are vital to improving safety and service,” said Transportation Secretary and CEO Stephanie Pollack. “Despite the public health challenges in recent months due to the coronavirus, the MBTA is delivering on previously announced projects which improve the core infrastructure, replacing or repairing track, signals, power, and other assets.”

“Doing this accelerated E Branch work over 28 days last August saved us a year’s worth of weekend and evening diversions, and we exceeded our track replacement goals by replacing over 3 miles of E Branch track, allowing us to provide a safer, more reliable trip for riders,” said MBTA General Manager Steve Poftak. “While ridership has been reduced during the pandemic, the MBTA has had a busy spring and summer making accessibility, infrastructure, customer experience, and safety improvements. This work follows additional expedited work on the C Branch during a 28-day shutdown in July and a 9-day shutdown in June, 2 9-day shutdowns on the D Branch in June, a 14-day shutdown on the Red Line in June, and a 14-day shutdown on the Blue Line in May. I want to express my appreciation to the T’s Capital Delivery and Green Line Transformation teams for their hard work these past few months, and to our riders for their continued patience while we accomplished this important work.”

More Information about The Work

The suspensions in Green Line C and E Branch service was part of both the MBTA’s $8 billion Building a Better T program and the MBTA’s Green Line Transformation program. Though this work was previously announced and planned during the summer when ridership is historically lower, doing this work also allowed its completion at a time when ridership on the Green Line was significantly decreased due to the pandemic. Completion of this work on both branches results in improved safety and reliability, fewer unplanned service disruptions, and improved travel times for riders. 

These nearly month-long closures on the C and E Branches were equivalent to about 1 full year of weekend and night closures on each branch. During these diversions in service, work crews accomplished the following:

• Allowed for a more reliable trip and the removal of longstanding speed restrictions through the replacement of 2.5 miles (about 13,200 feet) of track on the C Branch and over 3 miles (about 17,000 feet) of track on the E Branch (exceeding the project’s goal of about 14,300 feet) that, in some areas, was over 30 years old and had reached the end of its service life;
• Allowed for improvements to safety, accessibility, and the rider experience through the replacement of 7 road crossings and 4 individual pedestrian track crossings on the C Branch and the restoration of 6 road crossings and 5 individual pedestrian track crossings on the E Branch, including the replacement of uneven pavement and the installation of accessible ramps where needed; and
• Performed additional customer improvements that included upgrades to system maps, walkways, station brightening, and yellow tactile edging at C and E Branch Stations. 

Information on Previous Accelerated Work in 2020

The MBTA continues to assess whether other projects can be further accelerated. Previous and current accelerated work in 2020 includes:

• Track work, harbor tunnel repairs, and additional infrastructure improvements during a 14-day shutdown of the Blue Line from Bowdoin to Airport in May 2020;
• Tie replacement work, concrete repairs, Quincy Adams elevator work, track replacement, and bridge inspection work during a 14-day shutdown of the Red Line from Braintree to Quincy Center in June 2020;
• Track and signal replacement work during 2 9-day shutdowns of the Green Line D Branch from Kenmore to Riverside in June 2020;
• Infrastructure work in the area known as the Beacon Junction during a 9-day shutdown of the C Branch from Kenmore to St. Mary’s in June 2020.