波士頓市府提醒選民9月12日初選 9/8前可提早投票

 

CITY OF BOSTON ISSUES REMINDERS AHEAD OF PRELIMINARY MUNICIPAL ELECTION

BOSTON - Wednesday, September 6, 2023 - The Boston Election Department is reminding voters that the Preliminary Municipal Election will be held on Tuesday, September 12, 2023 in City Council Districts 3, 5, 6, and 7.  The Preliminary Municipal Election will determine the field of candidates whose names will appear on the official ballot at the Municipal Election on November 7. For more details visit here. Polling Location Changes

In-person Early Voting In-person Early Voting began Saturday, September 2nd and runs through Friday, September 8th. Early Voting provides the flexibility to vote at a location that is convenient for voters. All ballot styles will be available at every early voting location. All early voting locations are accessible to voters with disabilities. Every location will also have AutoMark machines for voters who need help marking their ballots. More information about in-person early voting is available here. Vote-by-mail Voters who requested vote-by-mail ballots or absentee ballots must have their signed ballot returned to the Boston Election Department by 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, September 12, 2023 in order to be counted. Ballots cannot be delivered to a polling location on Election Day. Voters may return their voted ballot using one of 21 drop boxes located throughout the city. All drop boxes will remain open until 8:00 p.m. on Election Day. For a list of drop box locations click here: in-person at the Boston Election Department located at City Hall Room 241, or via U.S. Mail using the postage paid return.  Voters can track the status of requests for vote-by-mail ballots here. If there is no movement indicated in the “Track My Ballot” system, voters should plan to vote in-person on Election Day. Accessible Voting The Accessible Electronic Voting System allows voters who are unable to independently read, write, hold, or physically manipulate or mark ballots to submit their ballot via a secure electronic delivery system. Voter’s who qualify for an Accessible Electronic Ballot may apply here.  Please note: To get access to the electronic ballot, voters will need to provide their email address. Voting on Election Day  Polling locations open at 7:00 a.m. and close at 8:00 p.m. A list of polling locations in Districts 3, 5, 6 and 7 can be found here. If a voter has moved, changed their name, or forgot to fill out Boston’s Annual Residential Listing, they may need to update their voting status.  As a reminder, voters should check their registration status via the Secretary of the Commonwealth’s website. Printed ballots will be available in English and Spanish. Chinese and Vietnamese ballots will be available where required. Language interpreters will also be available upon request.. All voting locations are ADA accessible and are equipped with AutoMark Voter Assist Terminal for voters with visual or hearing impairment. Unofficial Results After polls close at 8:00 p.m., the Election Department will receive and upload unofficial results of ballots counted at polling places as they are returned from each precinct. Media Guidelines Where to Stand Members of the press must remain behind the guardrail. While many polling places are not equipped with a physical guardrail, the area within the “guardrail” encompasses the check-in table, the voting booths, and the ballot box. Only poll workers and voters should be within this area. Interacting with Voters and Poll Workers Members of the press, like all other observers in the polling place, may not interact with voters while they are in the polling place. Further, observers who have questions about where they should stand and what they are allowed to do while observing should ask to speak to the warden. The warden may provide members of the press with information regarding their rights as observers. Photography Photography of the voting process in the polling place is permitted, though marked ballots may not be photographed. Photographers are allowed inside the polling place to photograph the area from outside the guardrail. The warden may instruct the photographer not to take photos of any marked ballots. Video & Audio Recording As with photography of the polling place, video recording of the polling place is allowed. Audio recording of the polling place is not permitted under state law. Anyone recording in the polling place must have the ability to record without capturing audio and should be instructed to do so by the warden. Those who are using electronic equipment may not use the electricity in the polling place to power their equipment. Exit Polling Exit polling and interviews of voters are permitted outside the polling place, even within 150 feet of the entrance to the polling place, but only those voters who are leaving the polling place should be stopped. Voter access to the polling place should not be impeded in any way.

麻州政府撥款410萬資助6機構辦幼兒精神健康諮詢服務

Healey-Driscoll Administration Awards $4.1 Million in Grants 

 to Support Mental Health Among Young Children 

 

BOSTON – The Healey-Driscoll Administration announced today that they are awarding $4.1 million in Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Grants to organizations that support the social-emotional development and behavioral health of children in early education and care programs across Massachusetts. This funding will go to six organizations that serve early education programs by training providers and improving program processes to promote the developmental, social-emotional, and behavioral well-being of infants and young children in their care. The Healey-Driscoll Administration’s investment will support the healthy development of our youngest students, reduce the suspension and expulsion rate in early education and care settings, and promote school success and community health 

 

“We have a mental health crisis that has only been made worse by the pandemic, particularly for our youngest kids,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Our administration is continuing to help break down the stigma behind seeking treatment while ensuring that Massachusetts residents know how they can access the health care and support they deserve—no matter how small. These grants will provide early education and care programs with the tools and resources needed to help educators identify kids struggling and support families in accessing help.” 

 

“Early education and care programs play a vital role in supporting the foundation for infant and child mental health that will serve our students throughout their lives. With the state’s Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Grants, our early educators can access the resources they need to help young children learn about and manage their feelings, fostering environments to support healthy social and emotional development in their classroom and beyond,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll.  

 

Examples of the services and supports these grantees provide early education and care programs include  improving policies, procedures and practices to be trauma-informed and center the social-emotional and behavioral well-being of children; developing strategies for staff self-care; strengthening skills to identify children with or at-risk for behavioral, developmental, or mental health difficulties and supporting the implementation of positive behavior interventions and supports using evidence-based practices. These mental health grantees will also help early education and care programs build stronger relationships with families to support children both in the classroom and their homes, including with individualized behavior support plans for children and referrals to other community-based services. 

 

“The Healey-Driscoll Administration is focused on healing, stabilizing, and transforming our education system that is still recovering from the lasting impacts of the pandemic. With these early education mental health grants, we can support the critical infrastructure of mental health service providers that uplift our youngest children, their families, and their educators.,” said Secretary of Education Patrick Tutwiler. “The path to well-being and stability is a slow one, but with this funding we will make inroads in our pursuit to improve mental health for all of our students.” 

 

“I hear often from educators and parents as I travel around the state about the growing social-emotional needs of young children in our early education and care programs and the impact this is having on the wellbeing, as well as recruitment and retention, of staff. These grants will help provide early education and care programs, and their staff, with the tools they need to meet the individual needs of children and families while also creating environments that enable children to learn and thrive,” said Early Education and Care Commissioner Amy Kershaw.  

 

The 2023 Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Grant Awardees: 

 

Organization	Cities/Towns Served	Award Amount
Behavioral Health Network, Inc.	Adams, Agawam, Alford, Amherst, Ashfield, Athol, Becket, Belchertown, Bernardston, Blandford, Buckland, Charlemont, Cheshire, Chester, Chesterfield, Chicopee, Clarksburg, Colrain, Conway, Cummington, Dalton, Deerfield, East Longmeadow, Easthampton, Egremont, Erving, Florida, Gill, Goshen, Granby, Granville, Great Barrington, Greenfield, Hadley, Hampden, Hancock, Hatfield, Hawley, Heath, Hinsdale, Holyoke, Huntington, Lanesborough, Lee, Lenox, Leverett, Leyden, Longmeadow, Ludlow, Middlefield, Monroe, Monson, Montague, Monterey, Montgomery, Mount Washington, New Ashford, New Marlborough, New Salem, North Adams, Northampton, Northfield, Orange, Otis, Palmer, Pelham, Peru, Petersham, Phillipston, Pittsfield, Plainfield, Richmond, Rowe, Royalston, Russell, Sandisfield, Savoy, Sheffield, Shelburne, Shutesbury, South Hadley, Southampton, Southwick, Springfield, Stockbridge, Sunderland, Tolland, Tyringham, Ware, Warwick, Washington, Wendell, West Springfield, West Stockbridge, Westfield, Westhampton, Whately, Wilbraham, Williamsburg, Williamstown, Windsor, Worthington	$772,706
Community Health Link, Inc.	Ashburnham, Ashby, Auburn, Ayer, Barre, Bellingham, Berlin, Blackstone, Bolton, Boylston, Brimfield, Brookfield, Charlton, Clinton, Douglas, Dudley, East Brookfield, Fitchburg, Franklin, Gardner, Grafton, Groton, Hardwick, Harvard, Holden, Holland, Hopedale, Hubbardston, Lancaster, Leicester, Leominster, Lunenburg, Medway, Mendon, Milford, Millbury, Millville, New Braintree, North Brookfield, Northbridge, Oakham, Oxford, Paxton, Pepperell, Princeton, Rutland, Shirley, Shrewsbury, Southbridge, Spencer, Sterling, Sturbridge, Sutton, Templeton, Townsend, Upton, Uxbridge, Wales, Warren, Webster, West Boylston, West Brookfield, Westminster, Winchendon, Worcester	$602,242
Enable, Inc.	Acton, Arlington, Ashland, Belmont, Boxboro, Canton, Dover, Foxborough, Framingham, Hingham, Holliston, Hopkinton, Hudson, Concord, Marlborough, Maynard, Medfield, Millis, Littleton, Natick, Newton, Norfolk, Northborough, Norwell, Norwood, Plainville, Scituate, Sharon, Sherborn, Southborough, Stow, Sudbury, Walpole, Watertown, Wayland, Westborough, Westwood, Wrentham	$457,994
Justice Resource Institute, Inc.	Abington, Acushnet, Aquinnah, Attleboro, Avon, Barnstable, Berkley, Bourne, Brewster, Bridgewater, Brockton, Carver, Chatham, Chilmark, Dartmouth, Dennis, Dighton, Duxbury, East Bridgewater, Eastham, Easton, Edgartown, Fairhaven, Fall River, Falmouth, Freetown, Gosnold, Halifax, Hanover, Hanson, Harwich, Holbrook, Kingston, Lakeville, Mansfield, Marion, Marshfield, Mashpee, Mattapoisett, Middleborough, Nantucket, New Bedford, North Attleborough, Norton, Oak Bluffs, Orleans, Pembroke, Plymouth, Plympton, Provincetown, Raynham, Rehoboth, Rochester, Rockland, Sandwich, Seekonk, Somerset, Stoughton, Swansea, Taunton, Tisbury, Truro, Wareham, Wellfleet, West Bridgewater, West Tisbury, Westport, Whitman, Yarmouth	$744,340
Massachusetts Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children	Amesbury, Andover, Bedford, Beverly, Billerica, Burlington, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Boxford, Danvers, Dracut, Dunstable, Essex, Everett, Georgetown, Gloucester, Groveland, Hamilton, Haverhill, Ipswich, Lawrence, Lexington, Lincoln, Lowell, Lynn, Lynnfield, Malden, Manchester, Marblehead, Medford, Melrose, Merrimac, Methuen, Middleton, Nahant, Newbury, Newburyport, North Andover, North Reading, Peabody, Reading, Rockport, Rowley, Salem, Salisbury, Saugus, Stoneham, Swampscott, Tewksbury, Topsfield, Tyngsborough, Wakefield, Waltham, Wenham, West Newbury, Westford, Wilmington, Winchester, Woburn	$953,221
Walker, Inc.	Boston, Braintree, Brookline, Cambridge, Chelsea, Cohasset, Dedham, Hull, Milton, Needham, Quincy, Randolph, Revere, Somerville, Weston, Weymouth, Winthrop, and Wellesley

紐英崙中華公所夏日燒烤感謝治安巡邏隊

波士頓市議會議長Ed Flynn趕到活動現場和華埠治安巡邏隊隊員及出席者合影。(周菊子攝)

               (Boston Orange) 紐英崙中華公所在9月3日的勞工節週末，以牛肉串、雞翅膀、玉米、西瓜，豆漿及啤酒，感謝華埠治安巡邏隊為維持華埠治安所付出的心力。中華公所主席雷國輝和多名中華公所董事親自上陣燒烤，以行動表達謝意。

BBQ這天出席的華埠治安巡邏隊隊員，右起，李翠屏、關美玲，阮鴻燦，劉文哲，
余麗媖，羅銘朝、雷國輝，劉皓，李耀培、劉樹榮、劉華權、以及
左起鄺坤珍、陳家驊等人。 (周菊子攝)

              波士頓市議會議長愛德華費連(Ed Flynn)應華埠治安巡邏隊隊長阮鴻燦之邀，在其助理盧善柔陪同下，來到現場，讚許華埠治安巡邏隊員們的為社區服務，並一起享用燒烤。波士頓僑教中心主任潘昭榮也在助理張小慧陪同下，應邀出席。

              紐英崙中華公所主席雷國輝，財政陳余寶愛，以及李伍碧香，李盧蓮馨、陳黃海蘭、阮謝少珍，陳秀珍，朱瑞生，朱健威等許多人，早早趕到會場，擺出桌椅，架起燒烤爐，一盤盤的美味燒烤，就上桌了。

波士頓市議會議長Ed Flynn (左起) 應阮鴻燦、雷國輝之邀出席華埠治安巡邏隊的BBQ。
(周菊子攝)

              中華公所麾下的華埠治安巡邏隊，創始於2005年，歷任隊長包括黃國威、翁宇才、阮鴻燦。其中阮鴻燦前前後後擔任過的時間最長。這巡邏隊原則上每晚5到8點，有2名以上志工，巡邏華埠街道約3小時，發現流民滋事，毒販交易或吸毒者當街注射，橫豎睡在路當中稅等情況，立即通知警察。早年最活躍的巡邏志工發叔和謝中之，都有和滋事份子交手，追逐的經驗。後來警察為顧及這些平民百姓志工的安全，要求志工們別和肇事者直面對決，只要遠距觀察，並立即通知警察即可。

中華公所董事陳秀珍(右起)、李伍碧香，李盧蓮馨，陳黃海蘭、
陳建立等人在現場燒烤。 (周菊子攝)

              近年來，中華公所為犒勞巡邏隊員們，還編列了一年3600元預算，讓巡邏隊員在巡邏那天到糕餅店買個麵包，飲料，夏天來次燒烤，冬天來次感恩聚餐。

              不過，巡邏隊隊長阮鴻燦慨言最近有點困擾，因為財政小組要求巡邏隊提交每次拿取麵包，飲料的人名。他認為，巡邏隊員都是志工，沒有薪水，不應該管得太細，從今年3月迄今，糕餅店交給他們的帳單，約每個月120到200元，在今年以來物價高漲，連一個麵包都要3到5元的實際環境下，這數額應不算離譜。

中華公所主席雷國輝(左二)以實際行動來表達對巡邏隊員的感激。
(周菊子攝)

              阮鴻燦和鄺坤珍坦言，他們並沒有確切紀錄哪名志工在哪個時段巡邏，或者幾點到，幾點離開，原則上參加巡邏的人都有自己固定的巡邏時間。例如中華公所主席雷國輝大約每週四會和余麗媖一起巡邏，綽號山東仔的劉文哲會和劉皓、姚英倫等年輕人在週末巡邏，關美玲夫婦更是巡邏得很勤。

              中華公所唯一聘任的全職員工鄺坤珍提供的華埠治安巡邏隊隊員，約20人，隊長為中華公所英文書記阮鴻燦，隊員包括鄺坤珍，羅銘朝，陳家驊，余麗媖，雷國輝，Maggie Law，翁宇才，李翠屏，李奇舜，黃兆祥，謝中之，關美玲，李耀培，劉樹榮，姚英倫 (Charlie Yao)，張俊亭，黃麗玲，劉皓，劉文哲，劉華權，發叔等。

朱瑞生另起爐灶燒烤。 (周菊子攝)

中華公所主席雷國輝(右)和波士頓僑教中心主任潘昭榮利用機會交換意見。

發叔從2005年華埠治安巡邏隊創立時，就參加巡邏了。
(周菊子攝)

麻州公共設施處批准電力公司購買及訂定費率時間表

New schedule separates the most expensive winter months into two periods, which is expected to reduce large swings in seasonal electric supply rates  

BOSTON — The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities (DPU) has issued an Order approving changes to the schedule used by Eversource and National Grid to purchase and set rates for basic service electricity supply. The schedule change is expected to mitigate large seasonal changes in basic service electricity supply prices and differences across electric distribution companies.  

In January 2023, the DPU opened an investigation into the procurement and pricing of basic service supply in response to the significant increases that Massachusetts electricity customers experienced in basic service supply rates during 2022. These rate increases are the result of wholesale energy market dynamics, including the conflict in Ukraine, regional natural gas transportation constraints for electric generation, the uncertainty of basic service customer load, and the inclusion of the coldest winter months of January and February in the same procurement period.  

This Order requires Eversource and National Grid to change their current basic service periods for residential and small business customers to six-month periods of February through July and August through January. Unitil already follows this schedule. For large business customers, the Order requires the following three-month fixed rate periods: February through April, May through July, August through October, and November through January.  

“Due to our current reliance on fossil fuel generation, customers can experience significant volatility in electric supply prices,” said DPU Chair James Van Nostrand, “Today’s decision is an important step towards minimizing significant price swings for basic service customers, while we transition to clean energy sources that will not only help stabilize energy rates but also lower emissions and improve air quality.”  

Under Massachusetts law, electricity supply is procured in a competitive market. The Massachusetts electric distribution companies are required to contract for an electric supplier on behalf of customers who do not select their own supplier (a competitive supplier or a municipal aggregation program). Basic service is procured through a competitive bidding process, and the distribution companies pass that cost on to their customers without profit to the distribution company.   

波士頓體育會秋季補助計畫 9/26截止收件

(Boston Orange 編譯) 波士頓體育協會（B.A.A.）今天(9月5日)宣佈，秋季給非牟利機構的補助項目，即日起開放申請，9月26日截止。

這是雙年計劃的第二輪，支持那些經由運動，特別是跑步等，推廣健康生活型態，以建立健康社區，進一步實踐BAA使命的非牟利機構。

            春季時，整個麻州有14個機構的各種健身項目獲得補助，包括阿喀琉斯 (Achilles)國際、巴頓 (Barton) 糖尿病教育中心、261 新英格蘭無畏 (Fearless) 俱樂部、大步邁進(Stride for Stride)和青少年充實服務(Youth Enrichment Services Inc)。

波士頓體育會的發展主任Nicole Juri說，B.A.A的回饋補助是地方組織獲得額外資金幫助他們實現目標的好資源。他們從首批獲贈者那裡得到很多正面反饋，他們表示這些補助款幫助他們歡迎新成員參加他們的夏季活動；購買新設備；培訓了新教練等等。

波士頓體育會希望麻州有更多人知道這補助款項目，以期有更多人申請。

申請標準：所有符合以下標準的非營利組織都可以申請：

• 組織是註冊的501（c）（3）或公家機關。
• 組織是非政治組織。
• 組織的項目經由運動，特別是跑步等，推廣健康生活型態，以建立健康社區。
• 組織位於麻州，並為麻州居民服務。

如何申請：有興趣的組織可以在此申請鏈接 (https://baa.my.site.com/s/grant-application?language=en_US)。

B.A.A. Gives Back Grants Open for Applications

Fall edition of Boston Athletic Association grant program open to nonprofit organizations September 5-26.

BOSTON – The Boston Athletic Association (B.A.A.) today announced the opening of applications for the fall edition of B.A.A. Gives Back Grants. Eligible organizations have from today until September 26 to apply.

 

This is the second round of the biannual program which supports nonprofits that advance the B.A.A.’s mission of promoting a healthy lifestyle through sports, especially running, in order to build healthy communities.

 

There were fourteen recipients in the spring iteration, with organizations covering a range of health and wellness programs across Massachusetts including Achilles International, Barton Center for Diabetes Education, 261 Fearless Club New England, Stride for Stride, and Youth Enrichment Services Inc.

 

Nicole Juri, Director of Development at the B.A.A. said, “The B.A.A. Gives Back Grants are a wonderful resource for local organizations to gain extra funding to help them achieve their goals. We have received a lot of positive feedback from our inaugural recipients about how the grants have helped them welcome new members into their summer programming; with the purchasing of new equipment; the development of new coaches and many more.

 

“We hope that news of this program can spread across Massachusetts, and we are looking forward to receiving many applications and awarding a new set of organizations later in the fall.”

 

Entry Criteria:
The competitive application process is open to all nonprofit organizations that meet the following criteria:

• Organization is a registered 501(c)(3) or a public agency.
• Organization is not political.
• The organization's program advances the B.A.A.'s mission of promoting a healthy lifestyle through sports, especially running, in order to build healthy communities.
• The organization is located in and serves residents of Massachusetts.
  
  

How to apply:
Interested organizations should apply HERE.

More information:
A full list of spring recipients and more information on the program can be found HERE.
Learn more about some of our round one recipients HERE.