波士頓市長宣佈三地點有免費新冠病毒檢測 HYDE PARK, ROXBURY 及 JAMAICA PLAIN

(Boston Orange)「無論有沒症狀，所有居民都可做新冠病毒檢測(COVID-19)」。波士頓市長馬丁華殊(Martin Walsh)12月20日提醒民眾，波士頓市府這星期安排流動團隊到洛士百利(Roxbury)，海德公園(Hyde Park)，以及牙買加平原(Jamaica Plain)等三個地區，為民眾免費檢測。              波士頓市府和Whittier Street健康中心，東波士頓鄰里健康中心，以及LCG波士頓合作的流動團隊，座落在洛士百利，海德公園，牙買加平原。其中海德公園這站點將擴大到容許任何居民做新冠病毒檢測。              東波士頓鄰里中心將在海德公園服務，一週五天共40小時。檢測量已擴大到每天可做500人次檢測。              座落在海德公園大道1432號，波士頓復興特許學校(Boston Renaissance Charter Public School)的這個檢測站，只辦理駕車經過(drive-thru)檢測。前往檢測，需先預約，直至26日都可做檢測，但12月24及25兩日暫停服務。              Whittier Street健康中心將在洛士百利(Roxbury)的Warren接333號的華盛頓街購物廣場內，服務至12月26日。無論是否有症狀，任何人都可做檢測，但須事先致電617-858-2406登記。              這地點的服務時間為12月22日至24日(周二至四)的下午1點至5點半，以及12月26日(周六)的早上10點至下午2點半。              LCG波士頓將在牙買加平原(Jamaica Plain)內Heath街24號Mildred Hailey公寓裏的Anna Mae Cole社區中心，免費為任何人提供新冠病毒檢測。              這個檢測站不須預約，凡在下列服務時間內抵達者都可做檢測。服務時間為12月20日(週日)的早上11點至下午3點，21至22日(週一、二)的下午2點至7點，23日(週三)的早上10點至下午2點。27日(週日)的早上11點至下午3點，28及29日(週一，二)的下午2點至7點，30日(週三)的早上10點至下午2點。              波士頓市在流動檢測站之外，全市各地有30個地點可做新冠病毒檢測。有需要者可電洽事長的健康熱線617-534-5050。              查詢波士頓市重新開放進程，可上網boston.gov/reopening。查詢任何事項可電洽波士頓市選民24小時熱線311。想定期接收有11種語言的新冠病毒提醒警告，可發短訊BOSCOVID到888-777。 MAYOR WALSH ANNOUNCES FREE, MOBILE COVID-19 TESTING IN HYDE PARK, ROXBURY AND JAMAICA PLAIN  Open to all residents, testing available regardless of symptoms   BOSTON - Sunday, December 20, 2020 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh announced this week that free, mobile COVID-19 testing is available to anyone regardless of symptoms. Currently, the City of Boston's mobile teams, in partnerships with Whittier Street Health Center,  East Boston Neighborhood Health Center and LCG Boston, are located in Roxbury, Hyde Park and Jamaica Plain. The Hyde Park site's expanded testing capacity will increase the accessibility of COVID-19 testing for any resident. "Expanding access to COVID-19 testing, particularly in communities facing higher positive test rates of COVID-19, is vital to our response. Since the beginning of the pandemic, we have placed equity at the center of our response to ensure every Bostonian can stay healthy," said Mayor Walsh. "As we continue to see elevated COVID-19 activity in Boston, I want to thank our partners for their continued support for the City of Boston and our residents. In Boston, our decisions and planning are guided by public health metrics and the safety of all Bostonians." East Boston Neighborhood Health Center: Hyde Park Free COVID-19 testing in Hyde Park is operating five days a week, totaling 40 hours of testing availability. Additionally, East Boston Neighborhood Health Center's testing capacity has expanded to 500 tests per day at its mobile site. Testing is drive-thru only, located at Boston Renaissance Charter Public School at 1432 Hyde Park Avenue. Individuals must make an appointment online, available through Saturday, December 26. Testing will not be available Thursday, December 24 and Friday, December 25.  "Testing takes on renewed importance during the holiday season, especially given the current surge in cases, and we're honored to partner with Mayor Walsh to support this critical need for the City of Boston," said President and Chief Executive Officer of the East Boston Neighborhood Health Center Manny Lopes. "Safe preparation and planning starts now."   Whittier Street Health Center: Roxbury   Whittier Street Health Center has COVID-19 testing available in Roxbury at Washington Park Mall at 333 Warren Street until December 26. Anyone can get tested for free and regardless of symptoms. Individuals are asked to pre-register by calling 617-858-2406 before visiting the site during the hours of operation listed below.   Tuesday, December 22 - Thursday, December 24: 1:00 p.m. - 5:30 p.m. Saturday, December 26: 10:00 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.   "We are grateful to partner with the City to provide consistent access to COVID-19 testing, which is crucial to help identify, treat, isolate or hospitalize people who are infected. In addition to testing, we also always want to encourage people to follow the CDC guidelines to wear a mask, wash your hands, and social distance," said Frederica M. Williams, President & CEO of Whittier Street Health Center. "These prevention strategies are critical in controlling the spread of the virus and keeping all of us safe and healthy." LCG Boston: Jamaica Plain In Jamaica Plain, testing is available in partnership with LCG through Wednesday, December 30 at the Anna Mae Cole Community Center, located at the Mildred Hailey Apartments at 24 Heath Street. Testing is available to anyone at no cost and regardless of symptoms and insurance, and by walk-up only during the hours below. With questions, individuals should contact the Mayor's Health Line at 617-534-5050. Sunday, December 20: 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.  Monday, December 21 - Tuesday, December 22: 2:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.  Wednesday, December 23: 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.    Sunday, December 27: 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.  Monday, December 28 - Tuesday, December 29:  2:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.  Wednesday, December 30: 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. The mobile site testing initiative was announced by Mayor Walsh in May as a way to help fill any gaps in testing availability, prioritizing neighborhoods and populations that need dedicated testing efforts to create equitable access to testing. The mobile testing teams have previously been located in Roxbury, Allston, South Boston, Mattapan, East Boston, and Dorchester.  In addition to the City's mobile testing sites, COVID-19 testing is available at over 30 locations across the city. Individuals can call the Mayor's Health Line with any questions using 617-534-5050.  View a complete list of all testing sites. The City of Boston has been partnering with community health centers to increase access to testing, particularly in neighborhoods experiencing higher rates of COVID-19. As of Sunday, December 13, 2020, there were 447,170 COVID-19 tests of Boston residents. For all Boston residents, the current community positivity for tests increased from 7.2% for the prior week (November 30- December 6) to 8.0% for the current week (December 7-13). The latest numbers of cases from the Boston Public Health Commission (BPHC) by neighborhoods are  available online. Resources and information about COVID-19 are available online. Resources available on Boston.gov and through City departments include support for renters and homeowners; small businesses; free meals for Boston students; free toiletries for Boston students; support for older residents; information on homeless shelters; resources for those in recovery or those who have a substance use disorder; and mental health resources. More information on Boston's reopening can be found at boston.gov/reopening. For additional questions or programs, please visit our coronavirus website or call 3-1-1, Boston's 24-hour constituent hotline. Text BOSCOVID to 888-777 to receive text alerts on a regular basis, available in 11 languages.

波士頓街頭Floyd事件抗議視頻引出調查警察行動

聯邦參議員伊莉莎白沃倫(Elizabeth Warren)，聯邦眾議員普利斯萊
(Ayanna Pressley)兩人轉發了這同一則推特貼文。(圖片取自推特)

            (Boston Orange 編譯整理)波士頓市議會16日才剛通過成立「警察問責、透明辦公室(The Office of Police Accountability and Transparency)」，18日就發生波士頓市警察局和薩福克郡地方檢察官辦公室因為警察穿載相機所錄視頻，要啟動調查事件。

成立「警察問責、透明辦公室」是波士頓市長馬丁華殊(Martin Walsh)指派的警察改革工作小組所做的建議之一。波士頓市13名市議員除了Frank Baker，全部在16日舉行的會議中投贊成票，通過這一做法，而且還要增設一個「公民審核委員會(Civic Review Board)」。

18日時，因為「上訴(The Appeal)」這網路媒體把月前民眾為警察殺了明尼阿波利斯(Minneapolis)喬治弗洛依德(George Floyd)事件而走上街頭抗議，警察維持秩序時行動粗暴，甚至故意傷害抗議民眾的視頻公佈上網，引發一片韃伐聲，包括聯邦參議員伊莉莎白沃倫(Elizabeth Warren)，聯邦眾議員普利斯萊(Ayanna Pressley)，波士頓市議員吳弭(Michelle Wu)，全都在推特上發聲。

吳弭(Michelle Wu)在推特上的發言。

                自稱無黨派，觀眾公共政策議題的「上訴」，公佈的是攝於6月1日視頻，來自警察的穿戴相機(body camera)，其中有個別片段明顯可見穿制服的警察對著抗議者的臉噴灑煙霧劑，用警棍把人打倒在地，以粗暴語言威嚇抗議者。

其中還有一段，有一名警官很興奮的告訴同事，當他開的警車在波士頓廣場被抗議者包圍時，他撞了幾名抗議者。這名警察的同事馬上打斷了他，並警告他穿戴相機正在錄他們的對話。

這視頻在網上出現後，不但有許多人轉發，前述民代也都直指應該調查警察的過度執法。

吳弭在推特上還說，不單只該視頻片段展示的行為，正是抗議者要抗議的行為，而且這視頻還被警方扣押，不讓人以公共記錄為由索取。人們在問責之外，還需要改變波士頓警察局內的文化，改變領導層，以制止警察逃避責任。

波士頓警察局局長葛羅斯(William G. Gross)週五時在一份聲明中表示，在他得知有此視頻後，已下令該部門的專業標準局就此事，以及所有的相關環境，執行徹底且公平的調查。他也下令一名涉事警官(Sergeant)暫時離職，一旦調查結果出來後，他會在必要情況下採取額外行動。他要鼓勵人們提醒他們有這類事情出現，以便他們能做事當調查。

波士頓市長馬丁華殊也在一份聲明中稱這視頻讓人”看不下去”。他說視頻內容引發的問題，他等著內部事務調查給答案。

馬丁華殊說，「即使情況很緊張，我們從不希望看見警察過度使用武力」。這些情形也正是市政府為什麼要推動全部警員穿戴相機，要組成改革工作委員會來為警察局帶出必要的改革，負起責任的原因。

薩福克郡地區檢察官Rachael Rollins辦公室表示，他們將非常認真地調查此案。

麻州聯邦參眾議員在推特上展示接種新冠疫苗照片

聯邦參議員伊莉莎白沃倫(Elizabeth Warren)

             (Boston Orange整理編譯)新冠病毒(COVID-19)疫苗送到麻州，醫護工作人員開始接種後，兩名麻州聯邦參議員伊莉莎白沃倫(Elizabeth Warren)及馬基(Ed Markey)，聯邦眾議員凱薩琳克拉克(Katherine Clark)今(19)日都在推特上發出自己接種疫苗的照片。

伊莉莎白沃倫和馬基在推特上都說，在維護政府持續性的主治醫師辦公室的忠告下，他們接種了二劑疫苗中的第一劑。

他們倆都說，疫苗安全，有效，可以拯救生命。

聯邦參議員馬基(Ed Markey)。

                代表摩頓市、劍橋市等地的聯邦眾議員凱薩琳克拉克也在推特上說，她並不比任何其他人更值得接種疫苗，但她遵循醫療指導原則接種了，她希望能藉此展示疫苗是安全有效的，而且接種一苗不只保護自己，也保護了身邊的人。

                   FDA批准疫苗後，現在已經排到國會議員可以接種疫苗了。這個週末，這些議員們應該都還在華府協商新冠病毒疫情紓緩方案。美國副總統彭斯(Mike Pence)也已於週五在電視攝影鏡頭前接種了疫苗。共和黨籍的聯邦參議員麥康納(Mitch McConnell)，代表猶他州，曾任麻州州長的朗尼(Mitt Romney)，也都在推特上宣佈他們接種了疫苗。

聯邦眾議員凱薩琳克拉克(Katherine Clark)。

            民主黨籍的眾議院議長佩洛西(Nancy Pelosi)，紐約州聯邦眾議員Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez也宣佈他們接種了疫苗。(所有圖片都取自推特)

12月19日新冠疫情 新增確診 麻州3995 美國CDC403,359 全世界588,788 新增死亡麻州47 美國2756 全世界10654

美國部份的數據有點混淆。CDC的數據是全美新增確診人數竟然是403,359，但Worldometer的數據卻是170,677，相差一倍有多。原因還有待釐清。

 

11月18日新冠疫情 新增確診 麻州5632 美國230953 世界706,780 新增死亡 麻州53 美國3444 全世界12,262

               (Boston Orange 編譯)麻州的12月18日新冠病毒(COVID-19)疫情是新增確診個案5632宗，累計302,933宗。新增53人死亡，累計11,358人。

               由於第二波疫情爆發，目前在治療中的新冠病患人數暴增至80,989人，其中有1874人住院，370人住在重症病房，204人插管中。

             這天有106,034人做了病毒分子檢測。在麻州總人口不過689萬餘之際，累計已有10,007,766萬人次做過分子檢測，意味著已有許多人做了不只一次病毒分子檢測。做抗體檢測的這天有2476人，累計315,192人。

             七天平均確診率為6.1%。七天的平均住院人數從1761增至1799。

             根據美國疾病防治中心(CDC)的數據，在12月18日這天，全美新增230,953人新冠病毒確診，累計確診人數已達16,987,911，新增3444人死亡，因為新冠病毒死亡的人數，已累計達309,880人。

             根據約翰霍普金斯大學的數據，全世界的新冠病毒確診人數，累計已超過7500萬人，達到了75,508,468人。全世界因為新冠病毒而死亡的人數，更是驚人的已超過167萬，達到1,671,772人。

            由於約翰霍普金斯大學的數據截止時間是12月18日的晚上7點半左右，美國疾病防治中心的數據是截至12月18日的中午12點16分，約翰霍普金斯大學的美國新冠病毒確診人數和死亡人數都比CDC的高了不少，依序為累計確診17,416,108，累計死亡313,035。

             根據Worldometer的統計數據，總人口約331,907,437的美國，每100萬人約有53,878人確診新冠病毒，約967人死亡，在全世界新冠疫情嚴重程度排第二的印度，總人口是美國的4.17倍，每100萬人的新冠病毒確診數及死亡數卻依序是7,217，105。

             在Worldometer的12月18日統計數據中，以確診總人數排名，疫情最嚴重的國家，依序為美國，印度，巴西，俄國，法國，土耳其，英國，義大利，西班牙，阿根廷。但美國和排名第二的確診總人數就有780萬的差距，新增確診個案，更有10被差距，美國248,743，印度26,991。

             若從新增確診人數來看，美國的一日確診人數竟高逾20萬，確實讓人覺得不可思議。其餘各國，確診人數最多的是巴西，52,385，其次為德國31,553，英國28,507。從死亡人數來看，美國新增2753人死亡 (這數據比CDC的3444少得多)，也遠比德國的838，巴西的811，墨西哥的718，義大利的674高得多。

             世界各國的新增死亡人數，在美國最多，有2753之外，其次為德國的838，巴西的811，a

             根據Worldometer的統計數據，美國各州疫情，若以確診人數來排，最嚴重的是加州，已累計有180萬9148人確診，新增確診人數也高達48748，其次為德州，累計157萬1420人，新增15,414人，然後是佛羅里達州的累計118萬1483人，新增13,000人。

             紐約州的累計確診人數867,916竟然比伊利諾州886,805少，新增確診人數卻是紐約12,390，比伊利諾州的僅有7377人多了許多。

             若從死亡人數來看，疫情最嚴重的是紐約州，已有36,219人死亡，但新增死亡人數最多的，還是加州277人，其次為德州的255人，賓州的229人，伊利諾州的221人。

             如果把人口數考慮進去，以每百萬人有多少人確診來排疫情嚴重程度的話，排在第一，第二的是總人口僅762,062的北達科達州的117,519，和總人口僅884,659南達科達的105,998，最是教人驚訝。

麻州年底前收到的輝瑞疫苗會比訂購量少20% 145,000劑 Moderna疫苗已獲批准使用

  

麻州州長查理貝克表示，他不會在電視鏡頭前接種疫苗，
因為醫護工作人員比他更重要。(周菊子攝)

        (Boston Orange編譯)麻州訂購了的18萬劑輝瑞(Pfizer)/BioNTech新冠疫苗，估計現在頂多能拿到14萬5000劑，比預定能收到的少了20%。

             麻州公共衛生廳廳長Marylou Sudders在12月18日的州長疫情匯報會說，聯邦政府通知麻州，以及其他十幾個州，交給各州的疫苗劑數比各州訂購的為少。

             在麻州所訂購的疫苗中，原定第一批會收到6萬劑，現在只能拿到42,900劑。

             麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie Baker)表示，州府人員對此結果感到沮喪，也不知道為什麼會有這樣的變化，同時將著手弄清楚，收到疫苗數量的變化，對麻州預定的三階段免疫時間表會有些甚麼影響。

麻州公共衛生廳廳長Marylou Sudders(右)說明，麻州被告知，收到的
疫苗劑量會比訂購數量少大約20%。(周菊子攝)

            麻州的疫情指揮中心正在和聯邦疾病防治局聯絡，查問其他的疫苗何時會送到。

             麻州政府也訂購了12萬劑預定週五獲批准做緊急使用的Moderna的疫苗。

             麻州各地有些醫療機構週一就拿到了疫苗，到週二(14日)十，共有17家醫院已收到新冠疫苗，並開始為人注射了。其中有19,050劑疫苗在週三十分發給了比較小的醫院，預定62,000劑疫苗要給全州各地的醫療護理人員。

             麻州公共衛生廳將於下週四詳細公佈州政府分發疫苗概況，包括總共分發多少劑新冠疫苗，以及相關的地理資訊。

             和德國生物科技公司BioNTech合作新冠疫苗的輝瑞(Pfizer)發出聲明，否認有生產、分發問題。聯邦藥品管理局(FDA)上週五授權該疫苗可做緊急使用的兩天後，這些疫苗就從輝瑞位於密西根州Kalamazoo的工廠，向全國各地出發了。

             輝瑞公司表示，該公司沒有任何生產新冠疫苗問題，也沒有扣押或延遲運送疫苗。這星期，該公司順利地把美國政府所要求的290萬劑疫苗送到了指定地點。

             輝瑞的工廠內還有數以百萬計的疫苗，但目前還未收到任何運送更多疫苗的指示。

             輝瑞表示該公司仍然有信心能夠今年可在全球各地送出5000萬劑新冠疫苗，明年最多可送出13億劑。

           FDA在英國政府批准紐約的輝瑞和德國Mainz的BioNTech所合作疫苗的一星期後，批准了該疫苗在美國使用。

             根據自然雜誌，美國聯邦藥品管理局(FDA)在外部顧問於12月17日無異議投票通過，建議使用該疫苗後，已迅速批准Moderna的RNA疫苗。

            獲告知疫苗數量會比訂購數量少的州包括新罕布夏州( New Hampshire)，康州(Connecticut)，加州(California)，以及印第安那州(Indiana)。

 

Governor Baker Names Jose Delgado Director of Western Massachusetts Office

 Governor Baker Names Jose Delgado Director of Western Massachusetts Office

 

BOSTON – Today, Governor Charlie Baker announced Jose Delgado as the Director of the Governor’s Western Massachusetts Office in Springfield, effective January 4, 2021. Delgado is deeply involved in the communities of Greater Springfield and brings more than a decade of private and public sector experience working in Western Massachusetts. He will be the Administration’s primary liaison to the region’s constituents and communities, replacing outgoing Director Patrick Carnevale after more than two years of service.

 

“Our Springfield office serves as a key conduit between our Administration and the residents, leaders and municipalities of Western Massachusetts,” said Governor Charlie Baker. “Jose Delgado is a highly accomplished professional who has demonstrated his commitment to public service and the communities of Western Massachusetts, and we look forward to him continuing to serve the region as a member of our team. Outgoing Director Patrick Carnevale’s service to the region and to the Commonwealth has been invaluable to our Administration. We are thankful for Pat’s commitment over the years and I know Jose will hit the ground running with Pat’s help during this transition .”

 

“Our Administration is grateful to Patrick Carnevale for his time as Director of the Western Massachusetts Office, and we are thrilled Jose is joining the team,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “I am confident that Jose’s experience as a leader in business, government and the community will make him an effective liaison between our Administration and the people of Berkshire, Franklin, Hampshire and Hampden Counties.”

 

“Serving the people of Massachusetts is an honor and I am thankful the Governor and Lieutenant Governor gave me the opportunity to give back to the community I care deeply about," said Patrick Carnevale. "Jose is highly talented and will be an asset to the region and the Commonwealth in this role.”  

 

“I am honored to be named the Director of the Governor’s Western Massachusetts Office,” said Jose Delgado. “Thank you to Governor Baker and Lt. Governor Polito for the opportunity to serve this dynamic region and its many vibrant communities.”

 

About Jose Delgado

 

Jose Delgado has served since 2017 as Director of Government Affairs at MGM Springfield, where he was responsible for managing the property’s government relations and community engagement throughout and following the opening of the $960 million-dollar resort that has helped transform Downtown Springfield. He has also overseen communications and media relations for the property during the pandemic. Previously, Delgado served as an aide to Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno, where he managed constituent services throughout the city and represented the Mayor at community events, in addition to serving as Chairman of the Buy Springfield Now Program for local homeowners and prospective homebuyers. He has also worked as an Advisor and Recruitment Coordinator for the University Without Walls Program at the University of Massachusetts Amherst. In addition to his professional work, Delgado is deeply involved in the communities of Greater Springfield, and has been a member of boards and organizations including the Massachusetts Latino Chamber of Commerce, Suit Up Springfield and the Springfield Puerto Rican Parade Committee. He currently serves on the Board of Trustees of Holyoke Community College, the Legislative Steering Committee for the Springfield Regional Chamber, Businesses Against Human Trafficking and the Hispanic American Library. In recognition of his role as a regional leader, Delgado was recognized as a member of BusinessWest’s 40 Under Forty, Class of 2014. He earned his Master’s of Business Administration from the Isenberg School of Management at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, and earned his Bachelor’s Degree from Westfield State University

12月17日新冠毅情 新增確診麻州4958 美國236,913 世界709,997 全美新增死亡ˇ3,435

波士頓市風雪停車禁令18日早上7點起取消 公校學生可回校上課

MAYOR WALSH TO LIFT SNOW EMERGENCY AND PARKING BAN AT 7 A.M. FRIDAY, BOSTON PUBLIC SCHOOLS BUILDINGS TO REOPEN FOR STUDENTS LEARNING IN PERSON   Residents urged to abide by snow regulations, and offer help to older adults and neighbors with disabilities in shoveling sidewalks and pedestrian ramps  BOSTON - Thursday, December 17, 2020 - Mayor Martin J. Walsh today announced the declared snow emergency and parking ban will be lifted at 7 a.m. on Friday, December 18, giving residents parked in participating discounted lots or garages until 9 a.m. to move their cars before regular rates resume. The Public Works Department (PWD) currently has almost 300 pieces of snow and ice control equipment on Boston's streets and is treating streets with salt, following a snow storm that resulted in 12.5 inches of snow. "I'd like to thank the people of Boston for their great compliance with the snow emergency and parking ban," said Mayor Walsh. "It allows our hardworking crews to effectively and efficiently plow the snow, making our streets safer for all. I ask everyone to keep up the good work and continue to keep sidewalks and pedestrian ramps in front of your properties clear. This is a great way to help make your neighborhood safer and more accessible for everyone, especially for older residents and those with disabilities."  Residents are able to look up towed cars on the City of Boston's online database, call the Boston Transportation Department (BTD) at (617) 635-3900 or call the Boston Police Department at (617) 343-4629 to find out which tow company was used if it was not towed by BTD.   Boston City Hall and 1010 Massachusetts Avenue will reopen tomorrow to the public. Boston Public Schools buildings will reopen for students who are currently learning in-person. All other students will return to a full day of remote learning. Boston Public Library locations will be open for BPL To Go services. Boston Centers for Youth & Families in-person programming is set to resume.  As a reminder, trash and recycling pick-up was cancelled citywide today. Neighborhoods with a Thursday and Friday pick-up schedule will be delayed by one day. Residents are encouraged to download the Trash Day App. Street sweeping is cancelled until further notice. Some COVID-19 testing sites were closed on Thursday. Please check each site's hours of operation here and call before going.  Rules on clearing snow: Property owners must fully clear snow, sleet and ice from sidewalks and curb ramps abutting the property within three hours after the snowfall ends or within three hours after sunrise if the snow ends overnight. For this storm, snow will have ended after sunset; consequently, residents have until 10 a.m. tomorrow to complete clearing their sidewalk. We highly encourage people to clear their sidewalk sooner. Curb and pedestrian ramps to the street should be cleared fully and continually over the duration of the storm to ensure accessibility for individuals with disabilities.  Do not throw snow from the sidewalk or private property into the street.  Failure to comply with the rules can result in fines issued by the Code Enforcement Division. Fines associated with failing to shovel sidewalks or throwing snow from private property onto public streets can be found here. Bitterly cold weather between 14 and 30 degrees is expected on Friday into Saturday. Street outreach teams will operate with extended hours and provide mobile outreach vans on the streets in the evening and throughout the day. Residents are reminded if you see homeless and vulnerable individuals out in the cold who appear immobile, disoriented or underdressed for the cold, please call 911. Safety tips: Keep catch basins and fire hydrants clear. For a map of catch basins and fire hydrants, visit here. You can assist in keeping hydrants clear of snow so the Boston Fire Department can access them quickly in case of emergency. Shoveling snow requires significant exertion; please be cautious and pay attention to symptoms. Stop if you feel chest pain, shortness of breath, lightheaded, nauseous/vomiting. Call 911 if those symptoms do not resolve quickly. Please take extra care on our streets while walking or driving, staying alert for other people on the road.   Carbon monoxide poisoning is a concern during winter weather, especially with the use of generators. Residents should use their home heating systems wisely and safely, and have a working carbon monoxide detector on each floor of the home. Call 911 immediately if you suspect carbon monoxide poisoning. Sitting in a car while idling can be deadly if the tailpipe is blocked. Do not let children sit in an idling car while shoveling. Clear any household exhaust pipes of snow like gas exhaust from the heating system or dryer. Have a contractor check the roof to see if snow needs to be removed. If roof snow can be removed from the ground with the use of a snow-rake, do so with caution. Avoid working from ladders and be mindful of slippery surfaces.  Residents are encouraged to sign up for emergency notifications through AlertBoston and call 311 for non-emergency related issues. Please follow @CityofBoston and visit boston.gov/snow for the latest updates.

12月16日新冠病毒疫情 新增確診 麻州5450 美國201,776 世界684,118 全世界新增死亡人數13,177

 

亞美社區發展協會獲BIDMC撥款50萬元 將和華人前進會、GBLS合作

                 (Boston Orange) 亞美社區發展協會(ACDC)宣佈，在貝斯以色列女執事醫療中心(Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center)的 1840萬元社區健康計劃中，該機構獲選為執行單位之一，得款50萬元。

            亞美社區發展協會行政主任劉安琪(Angie Liou)表示，貝斯以色列醫療中心認可該會的可負擔住宅計畫，讓他們感到非常榮幸，而貝斯以色列醫療中心的認同諸如住宅穩定等社會因素對社區健康結果有影響，並撥出很大一筆款項來處理這些不公平狀況，更是讓人讚賞。

            在這計畫中，亞美社區發展協會將和華人前進會(CPA)，大波士頓法律服務的亞裔外展小組(GBLS)合作。

                      華人前進會行政主任陳玉珍表示，該會從人權角度看待住宅問題，BIDMC的支持，將有助於該會擴大防止居民流離失所，讓房客更有能力處理他們所遭遇的狀況。

                      GBLS主任Bethany Li表示，特別是在逼遷危機將在未來數個月惡化之際，的確需要更多資源來幫助低收入房客，保有住處。

                     這一計畫將擴大華埠居民擁有住宅的機會，提供防止逼遷協助，以及促請居民加入反流離失所行動，推動增加可負擔住宅政策。

                亞美社區發展協會獲得的這筆贈款是貝斯以色列醫療中心為鼓勵在可負擔住宅，就業及財務安全，行為健康方面的有影響力工作，撥款給亞美社區發展協會等17個地方組織。貝斯以色列醫療中心已承諾在未來三年撥款680萬元。

ACDC Awarded $500,000 Grant From Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center for Community-Based Health Initiative

The Asian Community Development Corporation (ACDC) has been selected to receive a $500,000 grant from the Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center (BIDMC) as part of the hospital’s $18.4 million Community-based Health Initiative .

“We are honored and thrilled to have our work in affordable housing recognized by BIDMC,” said ACDC Executive Director Angie Liou. “We applaud BIDMC in recognizing the impact that social determinants such as housing stability have on community health outcomes and committing significant funding toward addressing these inequities.’

“In keeping with BIDMC’s strong history of supporting the health and well-being of our communities, we are proud to partner with the Asian Community Development Corporation to address housing stability and affordability,” said Pete Healy, President of BIDMC.

ACDC’s partners in the project are the Chinese Progressive Association (CPA) and the Greater Boston Legal Services’ Asian Outreach Unit (GBLS).

"We are proud to partner with ACDC and GBLS on addressing the essential need of stable housing for Chinatown residents.  While we work towards housing as a human right, the support from BIDMC will help us expand our work preventing displacement and empowering tenants," said Karen Chen, Executive Director of CPA.

“Particularly as the eviction crisis intensifies in the coming months, more resources are necessary to help low-income tenants stay in their homes,” said Bethany Li, Director of the Asian Outreach Unit at GBLS. “We thank BIDMC for its leadership.”

The project will expand homeownership opportunities to Chinatown residents, provide eviction prevention and engage residents in anti-displacement work, and advocate for policies that increase access to affordable housing.

This grant is one of 17 that BIDMC is making to local organizations doing impactful work in the areas of housing affordability, jobs and financial security and behavioral health. BIDMC has committed to granting $6.8 million over the next three years.

ACDC, based in Boston’s Chinatown and with programs in Quincy and Malden, has long worked to develop more affordable housing, particularly for immigrants who are at risk of displacement.

麻州政府宣佈非緊急州府員工週四不必上班

Baker-Polito Administration Directs Non-Emergency State Employees To Not Report to Their Workplaces on Thursday

 

BOSTON – Due to the upcoming winter storm, the Baker-Polito Administration has directed that non-emergency state employees working in Executive Branch agencies should not report to their workplaces on Thursday, December 17, 2020.

 

Employees who have the capacity to telework will be expected to do so in accordance with the Telework Policy.

 

The Administration is urging residents to stay off roadways and to use public transportation when possible.

 

The Baker-Polito Administration remains in close contact with the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency, National Weather Service, MassDOT and State Police to monitor the forecast. The MBTA Storm Desk will continue to monitor rail service throughout the storm and provide updates to commuters at http://www.MBTA.com/winter.

昆士市大雪緊急洎車16日晚6點起生效