波士頓以美沙酮英里為重點 推出暖天11點計畫 ( Video)

 

MAYOR WU PROVIDES UPDATES ON CITY EFFORTS TO ADDRESS UNSHELTERED HOMELESSNESS AND SUBSTANCE USE CRISES CENTERED AT MASSACHUSETTS AVENUE AND MELNEA CASS BOULEVARD Shares Warm Weather Plan; provides strategic direction for longer-term response including decentralizing recovery and treatment services and prioritizing shelter redesign

BOSTON - Tuesday, May 24, 2022 - Mayor Michelle Wu today provided updates on the City of Boston’s next steps to address the intersection of unsheltered homelessness and substance use crises, centered in the area surrounding Massachusetts Avenue and Melnea Cass Boulevard. The City of Boston has developed a comprehensive Warm Weather Plan to address immediate public safety and public health needs during the spring and summer months.  Additionally, Mayor Wu shared the long-term strategic direction that the City of Boston is advancing to improve systems of care for unsheltered individuals impacted by substance use disorder. This strategic outlook outlines initiatives to decentralize services and strengthen the continuum of care, in part through shelter redesign. Through these initiatives, Mayor Wu seeks to reimagine how the City and regional partners assist individuals, services, and community, leading with a public health approach and supported by public safety.  Mayor Wu made this announcement at Boston City Hall with Dr. Monica Bharel; Superintendent of Street Operations Mike Brohel, Department of Public Works; Commissioner John Dempsey, Boston Fire Department; Chief Sheila Dillon, Mayor’s Office of Housing; Chief James Hooley, Boston Emergency Medical Services; Lt. Peter Messina, Boston Police Department Street Outreach Unit; and Dr. Bisola Ojikutu, Executive Director of the Boston Public Health Commission. “As the weather warms, we are taking concrete steps to ensure safety and health. Boston is creating a continuum of care for individuals experiencing homelessness and substance use disorder with pathways from living on the streets to permanent housing,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “I’m grateful to all of our partners in public health and public safety working collaboratively to lower barriers and increase access to services while ensuring safe and healthy streets.” Between November and January, Mayor Wu charged the City to conduct a public health-led emergency response to transition individuals living in the encampment in the Mass and Cass area to low-threshold transitional housing and shelter sites. This effort included working with partners to create and staff six low-threshold housing and shelter sites for over 145 individuals leading up to January 12, 2022, after which no encampments were allowed in the City. This effort transitioned individuals from the street to supportive, transitional housing. Guests at these sites are connected to behavioral health and medical care, as well as housing navigation. The Warm Weather Plan and longer term Strategic Outlook continue this work to support unsheltered residents.  Warm Weather Plan The Mass/Cass neighborhood offers many critical services to individuals facing homelessness, addiction, and mental health challenges. During warmer months, more individuals spend time outside in the area, increasing needs related to public health, public safety, and quality of life. To meet the increased need, Boston’s Coordinated Response Team developed the Warm Weather Plan  to enhance the City’s multi- departmental, collaborative strategies for supporting both individuals accessing services and the surrounding community through safe and healthy streets. The main goals of the plan are to improve public safety; enhance health and cleanliness; reduce overcrowding; and prevent encampments from forming. This will be achieved through 11 steps: Promote public safety through the Boston Police Department and Boston Public Health Commission Public Safety Increase presence of joint public health and public safety outreach teams Prevent encampments Increase street cleaning Promote safe environment for accessing services at Engagement Center Increase parking enforcement Make the neighborhood more beautiful and more walkable Increase outreach Open new day centers outside of the neighborhood Provide transportation and referrals to day centers outside of the neighborhood Strengthen supportive services at low-threshold shelter and housing sites More details about the Warm Weather Plan can be found here.   Strategic direction for longer term response   Additionally, Mayor Wu shared updates on longer term approaches to decentralizing and improving homelessness and substance use services by establishing low-threshold housing and shelter and treatment services in other parts of the city.  Enhance outreach The plan outlines strategies to expand public health outreach to be proactive, to run 24/7, and to serve the city equitably. Through both city and community-led teams, the goal is to maintain encampment response supported by intentional engagement. This will connect unsheltered individuals to available housing and recovery services, and maintain clean and safe streets. Service navigation Service navigation works to make available resources more accessible, including at shelters and day-time spaces. The City will expand access to on-site triage services for unsheltered individuals by opening more drop-in hours at locations throughout Boston to connect them with recovery and treatment resources. The City will also expand low-threshold daytime spaces throughout Boston and maintain an updated online map of resources across Boston.  Shelter redesign and low-threshold housing options Shelter redesign and low-threshold housing options lower barriers for people who have traditionally been unable to access housing and shelter options. The City will work with the State to maintain the six low-threshold housing sites that were established in January, while working to create permanent locations. Additionally, the City is working to redesign shelter space. This will make these spaces more supportive through upgrading the physical space, lowering barriers to entry, and enhancing on-site recovery and behavioral health services. Shelter redesign will allow more people experiencing homelessness to access recovery and treatment services in shelter settings. Permanent housing Unsheltered individuals impacted by substance use disorder often also face acute medical and mental health challenges. The City will work to develop new permanent supportive housing dedicated to individuals with histories of homelessness and substance use disorder. Additionally, the City will work with service, state, and municipal partners to increase the model of wraparound services and housing supports. There are 800 units of permanent supportive housing in the City’s pipeline, 300 of which are in construction. The City will continue to identify more opportunities for permanent supportive housing. Decentralized harm reduction/treatment and high opportunity sites The City is working to decentralize services, including creating a citywide network of harm reduction services by collaborating with community health centers, hospitals, and social service providers. This will increase the locations and options where individuals can access treatment and services, including at community health centers. Additionally, the City will continue to work with partners to explore expanding services through recovery campuses in other parts of Boston. Boston will continue working with partners at the State level to reimagine the Lemuel Shattuck Hospital campus with a focus on acute treatment services and low-threshold transitional housing and shelter. As reflected in our capital budget, the City will continue repairing and stabilizing the existing buildings on Long Island and review the possibilities for that site. These efforts require partnership across the state and the region as the City seeks to expand access to temporary and permanent supportive housing. Recovery services Recovery services are important for the continuum of care for individuals in recovery. The City will continue the wrap-around support on the street including the BPHC Recovery Services street team, nurses, mental health clinicians, and recovery professionals. Additionally, the City is partnering with businesses to create low-threshold job opportunities to help unsheltered individuals impacted by substance use disorder earn income and increase job readiness. Finally, the City aims to create job and life skills training for newly housed individuals. Behavioral health workforce The City of Boston recognizes the need for supporting and growing a diverse behavioral health workforce to expand access to care. The City aims to train shelter, recovery, and housing workforce in harm reduction to improve care quality and health outcomes for individuals with substance use disorder. This initiative would equip providers across the City with the tools and skills to better serve individuals navigating addiction. More details on the Long-term Strategic Outlook can be found here. In developing these strategies, the City convened over 20 stakeholder meetings, meeting with over 250 individuals, including community members with lived experience, clinical partners, neighborhood associations, community health centers, shelter and housing partners, faith-based organizations, outreach teams, Boston’s State delegation, Boston City Council, outreach teams, and justice partners. The City also engaged with best practices from cities around the country and maintained an intentional focus on neighborhoods facing disproportionate impact from substance use disorder and racial/ethnic disparities in health care access. As the City works to develop best steps to address the crisis, engagement sessions with community and stakeholder groups will continue.  More details on the City’s response can be found here.

AG HEALEY ISSUES STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO STATE’S HIGHEST COURT REJECTING EXXON’S EFFORT TO DISMISS CLIMATE DECEPTION LAWSUIT

AG HEALEY ISSUES STATEMENT IN RESPONSE TO STATE’S HIGHEST COURT REJECTING EXXON’S EFFORT TO DISMISS CLIMATE DECEPTION LAWSUIT 

 

BOSTON — Attorney General Maura Healey today released the following statement in response to the decision of the Supreme Judicial Court (SJC) affirming a trial court order denying ExxonMobil’s “anti-SLAPP” motion to dismiss her office’s lawsuit against the company for misleading Massachusetts investors about the fossil fuel-driven climate change risks to its business and deceptively advertising its fossil fuel products to Massachusetts consumers. 

 

Today’s ruling affirms the Suffolk Superior Court’s denial of ExxonMobil’s special motion to dismiss the case under the state’s “anti-SLAPP” law. ExxonMobil had argued that AG Healey’s lawsuit improperly targeted the company’s protected petitioning activities. On appeal, as it did before the Superior Court, the AG’s Office argued that the law does not apply to state law enforcement actions, and the SJC agreed. 

 

“Once again, Exxon’s attacks on my office and our case have been rejected by the courts. Today’s ruling is a resounding victory in our work to stop Exxon from lying to investors and consumers in our state. Exxon’s repeated attempts to stonewall our lawsuit have been baseless, and this effort was no different. We look forward to proceeding with our case and having our day in court to show how Exxon is breaking the law and to put an end to the deception once and for all.” 

 

DANIELLE ALLEN ENDORSES ANDREA CAMPBELL FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL

DANIELLE ALLEN ENDORSES ANDREA CAMPBELL FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL

“Andrea is driven by empathy, thoughtful problem-solving, and a profound belief that with hard work and intention, we can transform our justice system to lift up all our communities.”

BOSTON - Today, Andrea Campbell for Attorney General received the formal endorsement of Danielle Allen, a nationally-recognized democracy advocate and nonprofit leader, and a former Massachusetts gubernatorial candidate. Allen highlighted Campbell’s people-first leadership style and distinct focus on building justice and opportunity for all, especially those who are too often left out and left behind.

“Massachusetts needs a leader who will be a true partner in creating change from the ground up — and never compromise on putting the needs of our communities first. That leader is Andrea Campbell and I’m so proud to endorse her for Attorney General,” said Allen. “Andrea is driven by empathy, thoughtful problem-solving, and a profound belief that with hard work and intention, we can transform our justice system to lift up all our communities.” 

“I’m so proud to have earned Danielle Allen’s support in this race. As Attorney General, I look forward to working in partnership with her to knit our communities together and deliver full inclusion and opportunity,” said Campbell. “From Berkshire County to Barnstable to Boston and beyond, the stories, struggles and successes of everyday people are the driving force behind my work and this campaign. Together, we’ll continue to crisscross the state to inform residents of all the ways the AG’s office can improve life outcomes of our workers, residents, and families.”

Andrea Campbell is running a people-powered campaign. Over the course of her campaign, Campbell has emerged as the clear choice for Attorney General with Massachusetts residents overwhelmingly supporting her campaign. Campbell continues to lead in the polls, with a 19 point lead over her competitors in the race, and she is ahead of the pack in grassroots fundraising with more than $775,000 raised since launch, 93 percent of which comes from Massachusetts residents. Campbell has also secured the endorsements of Senator Ed Markey, former Congressman Joe Kennedy III, Environmental League of Massachusetts Action Fund, and over 90 local and state electeds from every Massachusetts county. 

波士頓環球報亞裔傳統月邀 3 亞藝影人談"華埠"

波士頓環球報亞美傳統月系列座談

Join #GlobeDocs this month in partnership with A-Doc, the Center for Asian American Media, Boston Asian American Film Festival, and WORLD Channel for a curated series of short films featuring AAPI stories. Veronica Chao, deputy managing editor, Living Arts, and editor of The Boston Globe Magazine, moderates a panel with a few of the filmmakers on May 23 to shed light on the context and process behind each film. Sign up: https://globedocsaapi.splashthat.com/social

MY CHINATOWN, WITH ALOHA

by Kimberlee Bassford

Fourth-generation Chinese American filmmaker Kimberlee Bassford explores her family’s relationship to Honolulu Chinatown, documenting the parallels between how the COVID-19 pandemic and the 1899-1900 bubonic plague that hit Hawai‘i transformed the neighborhood then and now.

TALE OF THREE CHINATOWNS

by Lisa Mao

A TALE OF THREE CHINATOWNS explores the survival of urban ethnic neighborhoods in three American cities: Washington, D.C., Chicago, and Boston. Through the voices of residents, community activists, developers, and government officials, the film looks at the forces altering each community and the challenges that go with them, including the pressing issue of urban development and gentrification.

In Chicago, Chinatown is a story of growth where the Asian American population has increased and its borders have expanded. While in contrast, Washington, D.C.’s Chinatown has dwindled to an estimated population of 300 residents of Chinese descent. The Chinatown neighborhood in Boston finds itself somewhere in between these two extremes as different groups fight for the land on which it sits.

MY CHINATOWN, WITH ALOHA

by Kimberlee Bassford

Fourth-generation Chinese American filmmaker Kimberlee Bassford explores her family’s relationship to Honolulu Chinatown, documenting the parallels between how the COVID-19 pandemic and the 1899-1900 bubonic plague that hit Hawai‘i transformed the neighborhood then and now.

CHINATOWN RISING

by Harry Chuck and Josh Chuck

Against the backdrop of the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, a young San Francisco film student and Chinatown resident turned his lens onto his community. Fast forward 50 years, Harry Chuck's now archival material portrays a divided community's struggles for self-determination. Weaving together never-before-seen footage and photographs, CHINATOWN RISING spans three generations in its portrait of the historic neighborhood in transition.

From the 1960s-1980s, the once quiet streets of Chinatown were rattled by the fight for bilingual education, tenants’ rights, affordable housing, and an ethnic studies curriculum. These struggles are chronicled through current-day interviews as Chinatown’s organizers and leaders of the '60s return to the battles for social justice and equality of their youth that would shape their community and nation.

國會議員Lori Trahan支持Maura Healey競選麻州州長

 Congresswoman Lori Trahan Endorses Maura Healey for Massachusetts Governor

LOWELL – Congresswoman Lori Trahan today endorsed Maura Healey for Governor of Massachusetts. The Congresswoman announced her support at the Hamilton Canal Innovation District in Lowell. Following the announcement, the pair toured the UMass Lowell Innovation HUB. Later in the afternoon, the pair visited several Cambodian-owned businesses alongside Lowell Mayor Sokhary Chau, who also endorsed Healey.

“I’ve had the honor of working alongside Attorney General Healey for the past three years, and I’ve seen firsthand just how hard she fights to create a better Massachusetts for every single one of us,” said Congresswoman Trahan. “She knows that our Commonwealth’s future is bright, but that to get there, we must bring our vibrant, diverse gateway cities like Lowell and Lawrence with us. There’s no question we’re better off with Maura leading the way, and I wholeheartedly believe we need her as the next Governor of Massachusetts.”

“A daughter of Lowell, Congresswoman Lori Trahan has never forgotten where she comes from,” said Maura Healey. “She stands up for her community every day in Congress, and I’ve been proud to stand with her to deliver justice to those harmed by the Merrimack Valley gas explosions, improve access to maternal health care for Black women, protect our environment, and more. I’m honored to have her support and look forward to continuing to partner with her to deliver results to the people of the Third Congressional District.”  

The UMass Lowell Innovation Hub is an incubator for medical device, biotech, and technology startups. The space addresses the needs of “open innovation” startups by offering access to dedicated offices and desks, coworking spaces, meeting and event locations, a prototyping and fabrication lab, support services and much more. It also provides the startups with access to UMass Lowell's faculty and research resources, and opportunities to collaborate with mentors and sponsors.

“The UMass Lowell Innovation Hub is a prime example of the ways in which we can harness the talents, brainpower, and resources of our incredible universities to encourage innovation and economic development in Massachusetts,” said Healey. “As Governor, this is a model I’ll seek to expand, particularly in Gateway Cities. Together, we can encourage businesses to move to and grow in Massachusetts, provide more job opportunities for our workforce, and make our economy and communities stronger.”

Lowell Mayor Sokhary Chau also endorsed Healey on Monday.

“As we look ahead to the future of Lowell, we will need a partner in the Governor’s Office who will champion our city,” said Mayor Sokhary Chau. “Maura Healey will be a Governor who understands the needs of Gateway Cities and I am proud to endorse her today.”

麻州農業局籲民眾注意侵入性斑點燈籠蠅卵的孵化

 State Agricultural Officials Ask Public to be on Alert for Hatching of Invasive Spotted Lanternfly Eggs

Potential for egg masses to have been accidentally brought in on nursery stock imported from other states

 

Photo: SLF egg mass on elm; Source: MDAR staff

 

BOSTON- The Massachusetts Department of Agricultural Resources (MDAR) is asking the public to keep an eye out for the invasive pest known as spotted lanternfly (Lycorma delicatula) during the spring planting season due to the risk of egg masses being accidentally brought in on shipments of trees imported from other states. MDAR recently received reports that nursery stock from SLF-infested areas may have been sent to Massachusetts growers. Due to this, anyone who has recently purchased trees or shrubs or had them planted on their property, particularly maple or crabapple trees, is being asked to inspect the trunk and branches to ensure there are no SLF egg masses or any hitchhiking nymphs, and to report any finds to MDAR. Landscapers and plant nurseries are also being reminded to stay on the lookout for this pest.

 

“Spotted lanternfly is a tricky pest to deal with, because it can be so challenging to detect before it becomes established,” said MDAR Commissioner John Lebeaux. “With the potential impact of this pest on grape and hop growers, as well as pick-your-own orchards and other parts of the agritourism industry, we are asking anyone with newly planted trees to check them for signs of SLF and to report it if they find it, so that we can limit the spread of this pest in our state.”

 

In addition to the agricultural impacts it causes, spotted lanternfly has the potential to negatively impact outdoor activities due to the swarming behavior of this pest when the adults appear in the late summer. SLF egg masses are about an inch and a half long, and are flat and gray in color, making them difficult to detect, especially on tree bark. Because of this, any SLF may not be noticed until the nymphs hatch at the end of May or the start of June. The public is asked to look for small black insects marked with white dots. If grapes or tree-of-heaven are in the area, they will migrate to those plants.

 

Spotted lanternfly is a sap-feeding insect that has caused significant impacts to vineyards, orchards, and other agricultural commodities in states where it has become established. SLF not only harms grapevines, maples, hops, blueberries, and over 100 other host plants, but has been observed to impact outdoor recreation in other states where populations are high and adult lanternflies swarm in large numbers during mating season. If you see any signs of spotted lanternfly, please report it to MDAR at https://massnrc.org/pests/slf.

Photo: SLF egg mass on birch; Source: MDAR staff

Photo: Young SLF nymphs on a tree-of-heaven stem; Source: Richard Gardner, via bugwood.org

波士頓市發80萬元補助120名藝術創意人士

(Boston Orange 編譯) 波士頓市長的藝術文化辦公室今 (23) 日宣佈，經由「機會基金」撥發總額80萬餘元補助款，給120名藝術家，教學藝術家，文化實踐者及創意工作者。 今年是波士頓市辦理這項目的第5年，撥發金額也是歷年來最多的一次。 「機會基金」共分2各類別，一為藝術家職業發展補助，一次性的最高補助額可達5000元，另一為社區藝術經驗，藝術家可申請最高一萬元的補助，把藝術體驗及活動帶進波士頓社區。 波士頓市今年優先考慮在多徹斯特，東波士頓，海德公園及麥特潘等地居住或工作的申請者。女性，有色人種，移民，同性戀社區，或經濟上受新冠病毒打擊最嚴重的藝術專業，也獲得優先考慮。                              今年申請到補助款的藝術家，77.5%居住在前述社區中，86.6%由社區藝術體驗項目支持的活動，也都在前述社區之一舉辦。76.7%的領得補助者為有色人種，61.8%領得補助者的年收入低於2萬5000元。                         波士頓市藝術及文化長 Kara Elliott-Ortega表示，波士頓市仍然以致力處理波士頓藝術社區內的不平等為優先要務。                      獲得本年度「機會基金」者包括，獲得社區藝術體驗類補助的Erin Caldwell，將於2022年6月4日舉辦有40個樂隊參加，要支持多徹斯特節 (Dorchfest)的首屆亞當斯艾虛蒙門廊節 (Adams-Ashmont porchfest)；獲得藝術家職業發展類補助的Sheila del Bosque Fuentes，將在華埠組織一次多元感應音樂會，揉合音樂與視覺藝術，以助社會中女性增強力量。 波士頓市今年撥發了46萬元給「機會基金」的營運預算，其中30萬元來自美國援救計畫 (ARPA) 經費，以及4萬元來自哈佛奧斯頓彈性基金 (Harvard Allston Flex Fund)。                       查詢「機會基金」詳情，可上網 boston.gov/opportunity-fund。 MAYOR WU ANNOUNCES MORE THAN $800,000 AWARDED TO 120 LOCAL ARTISTS AND CREATIVE WORKERS THROUGH THE OPPORTUNITY FUND The Opportunity Fund grants provide support for career development and community arts experiences throughout the city.

BOSTON - Monday, May 23, 2022 - Mayor Michelle Wu and the Mayor’s Office of Arts and Culture today announced 120 grants totaling $801,343 have been awarded to artists, teaching artists, cultural practitioners, and creative workers as part of the City’s Opportunity Fund program. This is the fifth year of the program, and the most funding that has been allocated to the program to date. “Thanks to the artists and creatives that live and work in our city, our residents are going to be able to participate in numerous free arts and cultural experiences in their communities throughout the year,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “Arts and culture are a crucial element of our city’s recovery, and we’re proud to be able to support those that play such an instrumental role in our arts sector through this program.” The City offered Opportunity Fund grants in two categories: Artist Career Development, through which artists could apply for up to $5,000 for one-time artistic opportunities that helped to further their career, including supporting an artistic project, purchasing materials or supplies, and professional development opportunities; and Community Arts Experiences, through which artists could apply for up to $10,000 to bring free arts experiences and events into Boston communities.  This year, the City prioritized applicants who live or work in Dorchester, East Boston, Hyde Park, and Mattapan. Artists and creatives who identify as women, people of color, immigrants, members of the LGBTQIAP+ community, or have artistic professions that were most economically impacted by COVID-19 were also prioritized. 77.5% of this year’s grantees live in one of the four priority neighborhoods, and 86.6% of the events and programs supported by the Community Arts Experience category take place in one of those neighborhoods. 76.7% of grantees identify as people of color, and 61.8% have an annual income of less than $25,000. “Addressing inequities in Boston’s arts community remains a key priority for us in the City of Boston, and we’re really excited to be able to support those who have been most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic in this round of grant funding,” said Kara Elliott-Ortega, Chief of Arts and Culture. “We’re also looking forward to bringing more accessible arts opportunities to neighborhoods that haven’t had as much funding to support them in the past.” Examples of this year’s Opportunity Fund grantees include:  Erin Caldwell, who received a grant in the Community Arts Experiences category to support Dorchfest, the inaugural Adams-Ashmont porchfest event featuring 40 local bands on June 4, 2022. Sheila del Bosque Fuentes, who received a grant in the Artist Career Development category to organize a multisensory concert in Chinatown merging music and visual arts to empower women in society. Sonja Tengblad, who received a grant in the Community Arts Experiences category to produce and share a performance of "Mr. Twister and the Tale of Tornado Alley", an opera for families in East Boston. Gabriel Fernandez, who received a grant in the Artist Career Development category to acquire an art studio space and invite other artists to organize around larger projects in partnership with businesses in the East Boston neighborhood.  Odaine Williams, who received a grant in the Artist Career Development category to purchase equipment needed to launch online singing lessons. “This is the first of what will hopefully be an annual and expanding event, and unlike most porchfests, we were committed to paying musicians,” said Opportunity Fund grantee Erin Caldwell. “We know that a) to get the caliber of music that will really make the event fun and b) to honor the work that creatives do, and the enrichment they bring to our lives, payment was critical. The Opportunity Fund played a major role in making that possible, boosting not just one career, but 40.” “I'm simply thrilled I can provide my community with an event like this,” said Opportunity Fund grantee Sonja Tengblad. “East Boston was hit so hard by COVID, and we also have the highest number of essential workers. Since East Boston also faces so many environmental burdens, we will use this event as a way to spread the word about initiatives that offer mitigation and environmental protection.” “Support for inclusive artistic projects that make us question reality, or that offer us experiences that unite us as a community is fundamental,” said Opportunity Fund grantee Sheila del Bosque Fuentes. “Boston is one of the most incredible cities I know in terms of art. I believe that artists in Boston are creating a community where the diversity of voices is highly listened to and respected.” The City of Boston allocated more than $460,000 to the Opportunity Fund in its Operating Budget this year. An additional $300,000 was allocated through American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding, and the Harvard Allston Flex Fund contributed $40,000. To learn more about the Opportunity Fund, visit boston.gov/opportunity-fund.