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人生一定要有的八個朋友: 推手(Builder)、 支柱(Champion)、 同好(Collaborator)、 夥伴(Companion)、 中介(Connector)、 開心果(Energizer)、 開路者(Mind Opener)、 導師(Navigator)。 chutze@bostonorange.com ******************* All rights of articles and photos on this website are reserved.
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Massachusetts Observes Overdose Awareness Day
State bridges, transit hubs, and local buildings to be lit up in purple as part of national effort to remember lives lost to overdose
BOSTON (August 31, 2021) – Massachusetts will recognize August 31 as Overdose Awareness Day – a day held to remember the lives lost to overdoses, to dispel stigma surrounding addictions and to offer hope and recognize individuals’ recovery from substance use disorder.
In observance of the day, and in memory of individuals lost due to substance use disorder, all four state-operated bridges – the Zakim, Longfellow, and Fore River bridges in Greater Boston and the Burns Bridge in Worcester – and Boston’s South Station and Government Center transit hubs will be lit up in purple, the color associated with the awareness campaign. A number of landmark locations across the Commonwealth will be illuminated purple, including municipal buildings like Boston City Hall.
Between 1999 and 2019, the opioid overdose crisis claimed nearly 500,000 lives in the United States and each day an average of 136 Americans die from an overdose on prescription pain medication, heroin, or fentanyl.
To recognize the day, Governor Baker issued a proclamation declaring August 31 Overdose Awareness Day in Massachusetts, writing in part:
“As a national public health crisis, the opioid overdose epidemic continues to devastate our communities not only through the tremendous loss of life and associated trauma to families and loved ones, but also through a profound economic strain on individuals and families in health care costs, lost productivity, addiction treatment, and criminal justice involvement …[and]…we should be encouraged to continue in our efforts to provide our loved ones, friends, coworkers, and neighbors with the support they need to overcome addiction.”
The Fiscal Year 2022 budget signed by Governor Baker last month includes a provision codifying the practice of issuing a proclamation each year for Overdose Awareness Day.
The proclamation reinforces the Baker-Polito Administration’s commitment to combatting substance use in Massachusetts, including the most recent announcement of over $30 million in state funding for regional/statewide services to provide pathways to stability and recovery for individuals facing homelessness and substance use disorders. These include $19 million for Housing First-model low-threshold permanent housing and support services in Brockton, Holyoke, Lawrence, Lowell, Quincy, Springfield, and Worcester, $3.2 million for street outreach to people experiencing homelessness and substance use disorder, and a $10 million capital fund that will increase the amount of permanent supportive housing in the Commonwealth.
To learn about addiction treatment and recovery services, visit the Massachusetts Department of Public Health website at www.mass.gov/orgs/bureau-of-substance-addiction-services.
If you or a friend or family
member is struggling with substance use, please call the Massachusetts
Substance Use Helpline at 800-327-5050, or visit https://helplinema.org/.
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麻州州長查理貝克(Charlie Baker)親訪Everett高中, 說明州府和學校合作為學生打疫苗。(周菊子攝) |
查理貝克謝謝Everett市和劍橋醫療聯盟合作,辦理這疫苗門診服務,既為學生,家長,也為所有社區人士提供一個方便的注射疫苗服務。他很高興能告訴州民,麻州在接種疫苗比率上,全美排名第二,僅次於佛蒙特州,在新冠病毒住院比率上,排名全美倒數第二,也是佛蒙特州比率最低。到10月1日以後,各學校將可自行決定是否繼續執行,學生到校必須戴口罩的規定。
查理貝克表示,去年以來,不少學校藉由戴口罩等措施,讓學生到校上課,沒有錯過一天該上學的日子,可見只要小心,讓學生到校是可行的,對學生的身心健康也更有益。
查理貝克和Everett市人員合影。(周菊子攝) |
在回答現場提問時,查理貝克透露,已有2000多所學校參加州政府的檢測或注射疫苗項目。雖然每個疫苗門診目前只能做到每天為幾百人施打,但州政府的終極目標是每個州民都能接種疫苗,以確保所有人的健康安全。
Everett公校總監Priya Tahiliani說明,該學區內已接種疫苗的學生,16到19歲有74%,12到15歲的也有61%。她們依照麻州中小學教育廳的規定,將等接種率達到80%時,再可慮是否繼續必須戴口罩的規定。
Everett市長Carlo DeMaria今年競選連任,有亞裔 為他舉牌。他笑說要亞裔支持勝利者。(周菊子攝) |
Gerly Adrien在5月份時已籌得競選經費約8萬元,不過她花得也多,截至8月5日,她的帳戶只剩下12,873元。Fred
Capone則是後來居上,7月份籌得1萬7000餘元,現在帳戶內還有3萬餘元。在位市長Carlo
DeMaria到底已在位12年,根基厚實,7月份籌款10萬餘元,現在帳戶內現金已有20萬8000餘元。
波士頓市的9人排球賽,日前就在Everett市舉行,由阮鴻燦、阮浩鑾等人與Everett市協商,在Carlo
DeMaria支持下,爭取到非常好的比賽場地。
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Ward 1 Democrats Endorse Michelle Wu for Mayor
Boston, MA— The Boston Ward 1 (East Boston) Democratic Committee has endorsed Michelle Wu for mayor. Wu, who has also been endorsed by Councilor Lydia Edwards, will be on the ballot September 14. The top two candidates for mayor will advance to a general election on November 2.
This endorsement adds to Wu’s support among Ward Committees, where she has already earned the endorsement of the Ward 4 Democrats (parts of Back Bay, Fenway and the South End) and Ward 5 Democrats (Back Bay, Beacon Hill, Fenway, and Bay Village). No other candidate in the mayoral race has received the endorsement of any Ward Committee.
“I’m honored and energized to stand with the Ward 1 Democrats in organizing to build community and transform what’s possible in politics and policy. The issues affecting East Boston are a microcosm of every challenge throughout our city, and I know that together, we can tackle our biggest challenges through building coalitions for bold, urgent leadership,” said Michelle Wu.
I’m excited about the work Michelle has already done to advocate for East Boston, where we have historically had to fight to be heard,” said ward committee chair Vicki DiLorenzo.
The Ward 1 Democrats endorsement adds to the Michelle for Mayor
campaign’s enthusiastic coalition of multigenerational, multicultural
grassroots supporters including leaders Senator Elizabeth Warren, Boston City
Councilor Lydia Edwards, Boston City Councilor Liz Breadon, State Senator and
Assistant Majority Leader Sal DiDomenico, State Representative and Assistant
Majority Leader Mike Moran, State Senator Julian Cyr, Representatives Tram
Nguyen, Tommy Vitolo, Natalie Higgins, Vanna Howard, Maria Robinson and Andy
Vargas; former State Representative and Assistant Majority Leader Byron
Rushing; labor unions Teamsters Local 25, New England Joint Board of UNITE
HERE!, Alliance of Unions at the MBTA, MBTA Inspectors Union Local 600, OPEIU
Local 453; climate organizations Sunrise Boston, Sierra Club, the Environmental
League of Massachusetts, 350 Mass Action; Progressive West Roxbury/Roslindale;
Boston’s Ward 4 and Ward 5 Democratic Committees; and fellow municipal elected
officials from across Greater Boston and the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. For
all of Michelle for Boston’s endorsements, visit michelleforboston.com/endorsements.