美商務部長Raimondo 宣佈斥資1.53億元推廣製藥生產創新

 Secretary Raimondo Announces $153 Million to Promote Innovation in Biopharmaceutical Manufacturing

$83 million in funding comes from the American Rescue Plan to support research and development to prevent, prepare for and respond to coronavirus outbreaks

The U.S. Department of Commerce’s National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) has made two awards totaling $153 million to the National Institute for Innovation in Manufacturing Biopharmaceuticals (NIIMBL). The awards were announced today by U.S. Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo at the NIIMBL annual meeting in Washington, D.C.

NIIMBL is a public-private partnership designed to accelerate innovation in the U.S. biopharmaceutical industry, which produces vaccines, monoclonal antibodies, gene therapies and other medical products derived from biological sources. NIIMBL is a Manufacturing USA® institute sponsored by the Department of Commerce.

“I am so pleased that NIIMBL will continue to bring together organizations of all types to help strengthen our nation through better pandemic preparedness and a more agile manufacturing industry,” said Secretary Raimondo, who was joined at the NIIMBL meeting by Senator Chris Coons of Delaware, Acting Commissioner of the Food and Drug Administration Janet Woodcock and Director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research Peter Marks. “This important investment for America, funded in part by President Biden’s American Rescue Plan, will help meet the nation’s need for lifesaving biopharmaceuticals.”

The first award renews NIST’s federal sponsorship of NIIMBL, providing $70 million over five years with an equal, non-federal cost-matching requirement. This award will allow NIIMBL to continue driving innovation in domestic biopharmaceutical manufacturing by developing flexible, agile and cost-effective manufacturing processes that can be scaled up quickly and are less reliant on foreign supply chains.

NIST will also provide $83 million to NIIMBL over three years from the American Rescue Plan to support research and development to prevent, prepare for and respond to coronavirus outbreaks.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, scientific and manufacturing innovation delivered vaccines in record time. The new funding will enable NIIMBL efforts to help transform this emergency response into a sustainable, ongoing effort to address the continuing coronavirus threat. NIIMBL will do this by developing efficient, robust processes for manufacturing vaccines and therapeutics for COVID-19 and other coronavirus strains that could emerge in the future.

As part of this effort, NIIMBL will work to increase the shelf life and reduce the amount of refrigeration required for messenger RNA vaccines, boost capabilities for rapid production of antigens used in testing and screening for new variants and develop novel technologies for detecting counterfeit vaccines, among other things.

NIIMBL works on challenges that are too big for any single organization to address. The institute brings together more than 180 members, including biopharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, raw materials suppliers, equipment and product manufacturers, academic research institutions, state governments and nonprofit organizations focused on global health initiatives and workforce development. Every $1 of federal investment in NIIMBL has been matched by $1.80 in funding from NIIMBL member organizations.

Since NIIMBL was launched in 2017, its efforts have led to better diagnostic testing and plasma donor screening, an injectable antibody therapeutic that reduces the need for intravenous administration, and improved supply chain models for meeting surging demand during COVID outbreaks.

To learn more about NIIMBL, visit the institute’s website.

The Manufacturing USA institutes and their sponsors, the U.S. Departments of Commerce, Defense and Energy, connect more than 2,000 organizations across hundreds of major projects to quickly move technology from laboratory prototypes to industrial capabilities and provide thousands of people with advanced manufacturing knowledge and skills. To learn more about Manufacturing USA, visit www.ManufacturingUSA.com.

NIST promotes U.S. innovation and industrial competitiveness by advancing measurement science, standards and technology in ways that enhance economic security and improve our quality of life. To learn more about NIST, visit NIST.gov.

鋼琴家翁來7/24音樂會"向貝多芬致敬"

             (Boston Orange)中華表演藝術基金會將於7月24日(週六)晚上8點，在波士頓伊莎貝拉美術館舉辦“向貝多芬致敬”音樂會，邀紐約音樂家協會全球音樂家甄選2019年冠軍翁來(Larry Weng)演奏。

            中華表演藝術基金會從去年11月以來，在波士頓伊莎貝拉美術館（Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum)可容300人的Calderwood大廳舉辦音樂會，迄今已辦過7場。這第8場的“向貝多芬致敬”音樂會，將由鋼琴家翁來演出舒曼、舒伯特、布拉姆斯等作曲家的經典作品。

            翁來是在南京出生的鋼琴家，五歲時隨父母來美。自小才華橫溢，紐英崙地區所有鋼琴比賽的冠軍，幾乎都被他納入囊中。他就讀Needham高中時，參加紐英崙音樂學院附校的協奏曲比賽，也屢獲首獎，曾與紐英崙音樂學院青少年管弦樂團在喬登廳及波士頓交響廳演出，極獲好評。高中畢業後他考進非常難進入的茱麗亞音樂學院及哥倫比亞大學聯校雙學位項目，獲得經濟學學士及音樂碩士。隨後再進入耶魯大學音樂系進修，獲得鋼琴博士，並兼任教授助理。

            獲紐約時報（The New York Times)稱譽為”力如鋼鐵，節奏精準”的翁來，2019年時曾獲紐約音樂家協會 (New York Concert Artists and Association) 全球音樂家甄選冠軍，2016年曾入圍國際伊麗莎白鋼琴大賽決賽。他在世界各地演出時，都佳評如湧。2021年秋季開始，他將在北卡Wake Forest 大學音樂系執教。

            由於麻州政府已取消新冠病毒疫情禁令，本次音樂會現場出席人數可增至296人，但顧及疫情仍在，主辦單位建議還未接種疫苗者，出席音樂會時仍然應戴口罩。

            本次音樂會仍然免費公開（六歲以下兒童不可入場），但接受免税捐款，並須預先登記。查詢這場音樂會的門票預約及詳情可上網http://www.chineseperformingarts.net/offers/20210724/index.html。

牛頓市一連5起入屋偷盜案受害者都是亞裔 市長訂7/15開網路會議討論

           (Boston Orange 綜合編譯)牛頓市在過去5週內發生一連5起破門入屋偷竊事件，在警察持續調查，亞裔質詢，市長發信回應，參選市長者鼓勵居民參加訂15日舉行的網路會議中，逐漸發酵。

根據牛頓市警察局記錄，第一宗入屋偷盜案發生在6月13日的Walnut街第900區塊。最新一宗，發生在數天前的7月10日，在鄉村俱樂部路上。

所有的入屋偷盜事件，都發生在週末的白天，沒人在家時，而且所有的受害者都是亞裔。匪徒是打破窗戶或側門的進入房屋，偷走了珠寶，現金，手袋等物品。

牛頓市警官Bruce Apotheker表示，除了偷盜之外，沒看到任何仇恨相關因素，但因為最近這5宗偷盜案的受害者都是亞裔，他們正在積極調查，這些偷盜案是否針對亞裔而來。他們已通知否米斗塞郡(Middlesex)地區檢察官Marian Ryan。

警察表示，他們正在每個鄰里逐戶敲門，提醒居民注意居家安全，也增派了人手巡邏。

WCVB電視台報導稱，家中遭人侵入偷盜的Scott Chin表示，他們不在家。匪徒走到屋後，敲碎玻璃門，進屋拿走了屋裡面所有的貴重東西。他父母去年才因為染患新冠病毒辭世，他們正在處理相關事務，所以家中有許多母親留下來的珠寶，現在全都被偷了。

另一名受害者表示，”我嘗試著不去想那是仇恨犯罪，或者我們是被人針對了，但那也，

你知道，那讓我想，你知道，亞裔是不是真的被人針對了?我們是不是在刻板印象下被人看作屋裡有更多東西?”。

這5宗入屋偷盜案發生的日期及區域地點如下:

6/13/21 – Walnut 街第900區。

6/19/21 – Dedham 街第600區。

6/20/21 – Helene 路

6/27/21 – Quinobequin 路第700區。

7/10/21 – 鄉村俱樂部路(Country Club Road)

根據2個偷盜發生地點監視相機捕捉到的畫面，警方已認為一人有嫌疑，正在徵求任何知道該人任何訊息者打電話給牛頓市偵探617-796-2104。在影像畫面中，該人似乎手中拿著寵物遺失的傳單。

            Apotheker表示，任何時候任何一天都可能發生破門入屋案。牛頓市在2021年內，迄今共發生45起案件，和2019年相比增加了35宗。

            牛頓市警察局局長John Carmichael和牛頓市長Ruthanne Fuller將於7月15日(週四)晚上8點舉行網上社區會議，邀請所有市民參加，討論此事。

            刻正參選牛頓市市長的馬惠美(Sangiolo Mah)，今日在臉書上發佈視頻，促請市民出席週四網上會議。

            牛頓市警察提醒居民鎖上所有門窗，出門渡假，或是出門時間較長時，避免在社交媒體上張貼訊息。警察也鼓勵鄰居彼此守望相助，注意不尋常行為，有狀況就打電話617-796-2100。

STOUGHTON FUEL COMPANY SETTLES CLAIMS IT OVERCHARGED STATE FOR SUBSTANDARD FUEL DELIVERED IN VIOLATION OF CONTRACTS

STOUGHTON FUEL COMPANY SETTLES CLAIMS IT OVERCHARGED STATE FOR SUBSTANDARD FUEL DELIVERED IN VIOLATION OF CONTRACTS

Fuel Company Also Ignored Diversity Spending Requirements 

            BOSTON – A Stoughton fuel delivery company, Diesel Direct, LLC, and its chief executive officer and senior vice president will pay $850,000 to resolve allegations that the company knowingly delivered nonconforming petroleum diesel fuel to state agencies while charging for a higher-priced and more environmentally-friendly biodiesel fuel, Attorney General Maura Healey announced today. The settlement also resolves allegations that the company failed to comply with its contractually obligated diversity spending requirements aimed at fostering growth and development for women-, minority-, and veteran-owned businesses.

            “By not delivering on the terms of its contracts, this company bilked Massachusetts out of taxpayer dollars and undermined our efforts to reduce harmful emissions,” AG Healey said. “The company further ignored an important part of its contracts designed to ensure minority-, women-, and veteran-owned businesses have an opportunity to participate in government work. Those who accept taxpayer funding to contract with the state have a duty to operate with integrity and those who don’t will be held accountable.”

            The settlement agreement resolves a 2019 qui tam complaint, brought by a whistleblower on behalf of the state, that alleged Diesel Direct violated the Massachusetts False Claims Act when its Senior Vice President of Operations, Augustine Pesaturo, directed employees to deliver nonconforming petroleum diesel fuel to state agencies, instead of the higher-priced and more environmentally-friendly biodiesel blend the agencies ordered. The AG’s Office contends that Pesaturo then directed employees to charge state agencies for the higher-priced biodiesel that it did not provide. The AG’s Office further claims that the company’s chief executive officer, William McNamara, Jr., knew about the company’s improper actions, failed to stop the conduct, and did not disclose it to the state.

            Diesel Direct’s improper conduct caused state agencies to consume fuel that emitted greater amounts of greenhouse gases and particulate matter into the atmosphere. Biodiesel is a renewable fuel made from agricultural resources, vegetable oils, or animal fats and reduces particulate matter and tailpipe emissions that contribute to global warming. Biodiesel is also nontoxic, biodegradable, and suitable for sensitive environments, making spills far less harmful and much less expensive to clean up than a petroleum diesel spill.

The AG’s Office also alleges that Diesel Direct improperly charged state agencies a federal fuel excise tax in violation of the terms of the contracts, and that it used an incorrect benchmark price to determine the per gallon price of the fuel it delivered to the state, by using the higher-priced “winter blend” fuel rate for deliveries made in the summer, resulting in an overpayment by the state.

In addition, in an effort to foster growth and development of diverse businesses, as part of its Supplier Diversity Program (SDP), the state’s Operational Services Division requires that in written bids, contractors commit to a specific percentage of sales derived from each contract to be spent with certified diverse partners. The SDP’s bid evaluation criteria then allocates a meaningful percentage of its evaluation points to each bidder’s promise on this issue. If selected as the successful bidder, the contractor must then actually spend the agreed-to percentage with a diverse partner. Here, despite Diesel Direct’s contractual obligations to spend two percent of its sales generated under the contracts with minority-, women-, and/or service-disabled veteran owned business enterprises, it failed to pay any amount to diverse partners. 

In addition to paying $850,000, Diesel Direct has agreed not to bid, submit a response to a request for proposal, or otherwise participate in any contract with the state or any state agencies for five years.

The False Claims Division was created by AG Healey to safeguard public funds and promote integrity and accountability in public contracting. AG Healey urges anyone with information about suspected fraud or abuse relating to state or municipal contracts or funds to contact the False Claims Division’s tip line at 617-963-2600.

            This matter was handled by Assistant Attorneys General Mary-Ellen Kennedy and Cassandra Arriaza, Special Assistant Attorney General Coleman Gay, and Paralegal Cara Bradley, with assistance from Division Chief Amy Crafts, all of the AG’s False Claims Division.

Renovations Underway at LaBrecque Field in Hough’s Neck

Renovations Underway at LaBrecque Field in Hough’s Neck

QUINCY, MA – July 14, 2021 Mayor Thomas Koch announced that renovations have begun at LaBrecque Field in Hough’s Neck. The City’s Department of Natural Resources will be installing a new playground and shade shelter, renovating the basketball court and softball diamond, and installing a perimeter walking path. The project is being completed as part of Mayor Koch’s Park Capital Improvement Plan approved by the City Council in 2017. The new playground is being funded through the Community Preservation Act. The playground will be moved closer to the parking lot to provide easier access for parents. There will be new trees planted in the park. Exercise equipment will be placed along the perimeter walking trail to encourage health and fitness. Councilor Dave McCarthy has been working with the local community to develop a plan that meets the local community’s needs. Work has begun at the park and will continue through September. “I want to thank Councilor McCarthy for his leadership on this important neighborhood project,” said Mayor Koch. “Through community feedback, we have developed a plan that best fits the community’s needs in Hough’s Neck. I want to thank all those residents that took the time to respond and offer their feedback.” In addition to the new equipment, the old baseball backstop will be removed. The commemorative bricks and stones installed during the prior community-built playground will be preserved and incorporated into the new design. Added Mayor Koch, “The pandemic has reinforced the importance of health and fitness. The perimeter walking path will allow neighborhood residents a chance to work out locally and enjoy the activity and scenery in the park. We received great feedback about the walking path at Kincaide Park and hope to add similar opportunities at neighborhood parks around the city.”This playground is one of 30 playground locations being improved by the Department of Natural Resources through the Community Preservation Fund. Mayor Koch applied for $5.3 million in playground improvement funds in 2017 that were approved by the Community Preservation Committee and the City Council. “We are extremely grateful for everyone’s support of this project; Mayor Koch, the CPC and the Council,” said Commissioner of Natural Resources Dave Murphy. “This is the type of success we can have when we are all working together.” The field in named in honor of Alfred N. LaBrecque, a veteran of World War I who went on to serve on the Quincy City Council. LaBrecque was a strong advocate for the people of Hough’s Neck and served as City Council President

APA Justice Statement on Senate Committee Investigative Report on Abuse and Miconduct at DOC

On July 13, 2021, the U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation (Senate Committee) released a 37-page investigative report, "Abuse and Misconduct at the Commerce Department."  The investigation began after whistleblowers reported a variety of improper activities dating back to the mid-2000s involving abuses of authority, mismanagement, and reprisal against Department employees. Minority Staff conducted over 100 interviews and reviewed thousands of documents supporting allegations from over two dozen whistleblowers.  The report highlighted the targeting of individuals of Asian descent, opening frivolous investigations without probable cause, blocking the release of investigative files to the judicial system and documents to the public's Freedom of Information Act requests, and likely resulting in preventable violations of civil liberties and other constitutional rights, as well as a gross abuse of taxpayer funds, among other findings. The report identified specifically Sherry Chen and Dr. Chunzai Wang who were subjected to criminal investigations by a Department of Commerce unit, without proper authority, and subsequent prosecutions by the Department of Justice.  Sherry Chen courageously testified about her experience in the Congressional Roundtable “Researching while Chinese American: Ethnic Profiling, Chinese American Scientists and a New American Brain Drain” on June 30, 2021.  The Sherry Chen Legal Defense Fund turned over a whistleblower letter to the Senate Committee as part of the investigation. ​ Sherry Chen and Dr. Chunzai Wang are not alone.  The abuse and misconduct occur at multiple levels over many years in the Department of Commerce.  The report further confirms the deep-rooted systemic discrimintion faced by Asian American employees within our own federal agencies, which was exacerbated by xenophobic and reckless profiling policies and practices such as the "China Initiative" that target Chinese American scientists and researchers in recent years.  The Senate Committee report comes on the heels of the mistrial of Professor Anming Hu where federal agents falsified information and made false accusations in the fog of searching for a spy in Knoxville, Tennessee. On July 14, 2021, APA Justice received a response from Mr. Jeremy Licht, Deputy General Counsel Strategic Initiatives, Department of Commerce, in response to the June 1, 2021 APA Justice letter to Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo.  Both Congress and the Biden-Harris Administration now have the responsibility to correct the wrongs in the Commerce Department immediately, as well as taking action to improve transparency, oversight, and accountability in federal agencies and to eliminate racial profiling and anti-Asian discrimination in the American society. Except for Native Americans, Native Hawaiians, and Pacific Islanders, the U.S. is a nation of immigrants.  We, including Asian Americans, all belong to this nation in the pursuit of justice, fairness, and equality. Additional APA Justice comments on the Senate Committee report are posted at https://www.apajustice.org/.  They will be updated with new developments as APA Justice continues to raise awareness and mobilize the communities and the American public about the human and scientific costs of racial profiling.

第125屆波士頓馬拉松賽將有13名往屆冠軍將參賽 還要發破紀錄獎金約5萬美元

           (Boston Orange 編譯) 波士頓體育會(BAA)今(14)日宣佈，第125屆波士頓馬拉松賽將有13名歷屆冠軍參加比賽，並將歷史性的首次發給公開賽，以及輪椅組約等於5萬元的破紀錄獎金。

發給破紀錄獎一舉，將使訂10月11日(週一)舉行的這場波士頓馬拉松賽締造歷史，成為Abbott世界馬拉松大賽中第一個發這類獎金的比賽。

波士頓馬拉松賽也將成為第一個指定給上肢，下肢及視障運動員提供獎金的比賽。

今年的波士頓馬拉松賽參將有加起來共贏過30個第一名的13名波士頓馬拉松賽冠軍，以及來自世界體育馬拉松賽冠軍，殘障奧林匹克賽得獎者，Abbott世界馬拉松大賽贏家，以及奧林匹克級人馬參加約翰漢考克專業組比賽。

過去36年來，獎金由主要贊助者約翰漢考克公司提供。

                         波士頓體育會會長暨執行長Tom Grilk表示，”我們很高興能歡迎這麼多不同範圍比賽的冠軍回到波士頓來參加波士頓馬拉松賽。雖然等到10月還有一段很長時間，但那將是一場有許多世界運動冠軍參加，競爭歷史性獎額的比賽。

              在這些將要參賽的往屆波士頓馬拉松賽冠軍中，有過去5屆女子組冠軍中的4人，包括5次擠入前五名，2次參加奧林匹克賽的2018年冠軍，美國人Desiree Linden；2次世界體育馬拉松賽金牌冠軍，3次Abbott世界馬拉松大賽系列冠軍的2017年冠軍，肯亞人Edna Kiplagat；2010年曾贏得波士頓體育會半馬拉松賽的2015年冠軍，肯亞人Caroline Rotich；2010年美國銀行芝加哥馬拉松賽冠軍，2次巴黎冠軍的2016年冠軍，Atsede Baysa。

                          男子組中有三名公開賽冠軍，包括曾有過2小時7分30秒最佳紀錄的肯亞人Geoffrey Kirui。這名波士頓馬拉松賽以及世界體育馬拉松賽的2017年冠軍，將有機會贏得第2個波士頓馬拉松賽桂冠。來自艾塞俄比亞(Ethiopia)的Lemi Berhanu是2016年冠軍。贏得過30多次國際馬拉松賽冠軍，同時是日本5千公里塞紀錄保持者的Yuki Kawauchi，有可能成為來自日本，繼1987年的Toshihiko Seiko之後，第二個贏得2次波士頓馬拉松賽冠軍的參賽者。

BOSTON MARATHON OPEN CHAMPIONS

WOMEN	PERSONAL BEST	COUNTRY	BOSTON WINS
Edna Kiplagat	2:19:50 (London, 2012)	Kenya	2017
Atsede Baysa	2:22:03 (Chicago, 2012)	Ethiopia	2016
Desiree Linden	2:22:38 (Boston, 2011)	USA (MI)	2018
Caroline Rotich	2:23:22 (Chicago, 2012)	Kenya	2015
MEN	PERSONAL BEST	COUNTRY	BOSTON WINS
Lemi Berhanu	2:04:33 (Dubai, 2016)	Ethiopia	2016
Geoffrey Kirui	2:06:27 (Amsterdam, 2016)	Kenya	2017
Yuki Kawauchi	2:07:27 (Otsu, 2021)	Japan	2018

 

BOSTON MARATHON WHEELCHAIR CHAMPIONS

 

WOMEN	PERSONAL BEST	COUNTRY	BOSTON WINS
Manuela Schär	1:28:17 (Boston, 2017)	Switzerland	2017, 2019
Tatyana McFadden	1:31:30 (Grandma’s, 2019)	USA (MD)	2013-2016, 2018
MEN	PERSONAL BEST	COUNTRY	BOSTON WINS
Marcel Hug	1:18:04 (Boston, 2017)	Switzerland	2015, 2016, 2017, 2018
Ernst van Dyk	1:18:04 (Boston, 2017)	South Africa	2001-2006, 2008-2010, 2014
Josh Cassidy	1:18:25 (Boston, 2012)	Canada	2012
Daniel Romanchuk	1:21:36 (Boston, 2019)	USA (IL)	2019

 

For the 36^th year, John Hancock will serve as principal sponsor of the Boston Marathon. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the 2021 Boston Marathon was moved from its traditional date of the third Monday in April to Monday, October 11. The fall race will feature a field size of 20,000 participants, as well as a rolling start for the first time. The in-person race will be complemented by a virtual race, which will be held from Friday, October 8 through Sunday, October 10. The full international field, including the Para Athletics Divisions field, will be announced the week of August 9-16.