THE WALTHAM NEWS.com

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Wednesday, February 29, 2012 10:53 AM

Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the City of Taunton

Announce Plans for a Destination Resort Casino

  

 

Taunton, MA—The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and Mayor Thomas Hoye, Jr. announced today that they have begun discussions to build a destination resort casino in Taunton.

“The development of a destination resort in Taunton presents an incredible opportunity for the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe and the City of Taunton,” said Tribal Chairman Cedric Cromwell. “This project will bring much-needed economic opportunity for the Tribe while creating thousands of jobs in Taunton.”

 

Taunton Mayor Thomas Hoye, Jr. sees the proposal as an economic opportunity for the city and the region. “In addition to the thousands of good jobs a development like this will bring, it will also mean millions of dollars in revenue to address our priorities here in Taunton like improving our schools, hiring police officers and fire fighters, improving infrastructure, and attracting new businesses to the city,” Hoye said. “This conversation is the first step in the process. We will follow the guidelines in the state law.”

 

Both leaders stressed that this announcement is the beginning of a conversation with the residents of Taunton about how best to work together to make this proposal a reality. “I’ve been impressed from the beginning with the Tribe’s commitment to an inclusive process and a real partnership with Taunton,” Hoye explained. “Together, we’ll be meeting with residents across the city about this project and about a long-term vision for our community.”

The Tribe has entered into an option to purchase land alongside Route 24 in East Taunton. The Tribe’s integrated destination resort concept will include a casino, hotels, fine and casual dining, entertainment space and other amenities. “This will be a first-class resort with something to offer the whole family,” Cromwell said. “The residents of Taunton and all of Southeastern Massachusetts will be proud of the state of the art facility we will build here.” In addition, Taunton’s and the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe’s rich shared history will be an attraction to thousands of tourists. “We see Taunton as a cultural gateway to Southeastern Massachusetts, Cape Cod and the Islands,” Cromwell said. “Taunton is a fantastic city and we want to share it with people from all over the world.”

 

The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe will request a vote of the people of Taunton to approve the destination resort. This vote will follow a series of community meetings in every neighborhood of the city so residents have the opportunity to ask questions about the proposal and offer their ideas for how the project can help the city. In addition, the Tribe and the City will enter into an agreement that will spell out the relationship between the two governments.

 

In addition, the Tribe will negotiate a compact with Governor Deval Patrick regarding the operation of their destination resort. “We look forward to developing an agreement with the governor that will be beneficial to the Tribe, The City of Taunton and the Commonwealth,” said Cromwell. “We are excited about the opportunity this presents for all of us, and we can’t wait to get started.”

 

About the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe

 

The Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, known as the People of the First Light, has inhabited present-day Massachusetts for more than 12,000 years. After an arduous 30+ year process, the Mashpee Wampanoag were re-acknowledged as a federally recognized tribe in 2007 and retain full tribal sovereignty rights.

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Wednesday, February 29, 2012 10:45 AM

Rep. Stanley testifies on behalf of his bill to protect Massachusetts’

Public Deposits before Joint Committee on Financial Services

  

 

 

(Boston, MA) – February 9, 2012 – Representative Tom Stanley testified before the Joint Committee on Financial Services in support of a bill he filed to create a special commission to determine the best ways to protect public deposits. Richard Carmignani Jr., the Treasurer of Dudley, MA, also testified on behalf of the Massachusetts Collectors and Treasurers Association (MCTA) in support of Rep. Stanley’s legislation.

 

 

 

The special commission would investigate, study and report on the safety and security of deposits made by public entities with funds deposited in any public depository or combined investment fund by the state, municipalities, counties, districts and regional school districts.

 

 

 

“As we learned when Capitol Bank failed in 1990, taking millions of dollars in funds of the communities of Newton, Rehoboth and Yarmouth, bank and credit union failures can result in both a loss of public funds and a loss of public confidence.” said Rep. Stanley. “Furthermore, after the recent near financial collapse, it has been firmly established that even the most cautious public treasurer can no longer rely upon the published financial statements of banking institutions and that no amount of diligence can substitute for actual secure collateral.”

 

 

 

The study conducted by the Commission will determine the best ways to protect public deposits and consider the potential effect of legislation requested by the MCTA. This legislation would establish a structure to achieve and maintain the security of public deposits of all governmental entities in the Commonwealth by creating a system for qualifying public depositories and establishing rules for collateralization of public deposits.

 

 

“The MCTA has lobbied for passage of legislation for years that would establish a structure to achieve and maintain the security of public deposits by qualifying public depositories and establishing rules for collateralization of public deposits. Massachusetts is one of very few states that do not protect their public deposits and passage of my legislation would change that by forcing the competing interests to act,” added Rep. Stanley.

 

 

 

For more information:

 

Tara Conklin

Legislative Aide to Rep. Stanley

(617) 722- 2230

Tara.conklin@mahouse.gov

 

 

_______________________________________________________________________________

 

 

 

 

 

 

Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture

Reviews Rep. Stanley’s Bills to Protect Striped Bass

  

 

 

 

Boston, MA, February 28, 2012 – The Joint Committee on Environment, Natural Resources and Agriculture, chaired by Rep. Anne Gobi and Sen. Marc Pacheco, today reviewed three bills filed by Rep. Stanley to protect the population of Atlantic Striped Bass.

  

 

 

Rep. Stanley requested a favorable report from the Committee on House Bill 258, “An Act relative to the economic value and revenue generation of the Atlantic Striped Bass”, House Bill 259, “An Act promoting the public health of the citizens of the Commonwealth through the testing and labeling of striped bass”, and House Bill 260, “An Act relative to the conservation of Atlantic Striped Bass.”

 

“It is of utmost importance that we protect and preserve the Atlantic Striped Bass in our waters,” said Rep. Stanley. “With the value of the recreational fishery estimated at $1.2 billion, it is extremely important to protect the harvest.”

  

 

 

A 66 percent decline in coast-wide recreational catch from 2006 - 2009; a 25 percent decline in estimated striped bass abundance from 2004 – 2008; and several years of below-average production of young fish from Chesapeake Bay (where most striped bass found in MA’s waters are spawned), are indicators of a declining population. In addition to these decreases in numbers, there are troubling signs of a wasting disease that has hit the species, which worries fishermen and specialists that another potential crash in stock like the one experienced in the early 1980s may occur.

 

 

“To ensure the long-term survival of this species, we need to recognize striped bass for their real value to Massachusetts and take action now. The current rising loss of jobs and personal income caused by the declining fishery must be reversed,” stated Rep. Stanley. “With fewer fish to catch each year, there are fewer visiting anglers coming to Massachusetts, all of which is having a negative effect on the Massachusetts economy.”

 

 

 

About the Legislation:

 

• House Bill 258 requires the Massachusetts Division of Marine Fisheries to take into consideration the economic importance of and the revenue implications for the Commonwealth of the recreational Striped Bass fishery when making decisions about the Commercial Striped Bass fishery.
• House Bill 259 seeks to protect our consumers by requiring that the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection annually study the Striped Bass for contamination by mercury, PCBs and other elements as they currently do for the fresh water fishery. This research is shared on an annual basis with the Massachusetts Department of Public Health who will take action if the level of contaminants is deemed to be a threat to the Public.
• House Bill 260 seeks to grant the striped bass with “game fish” status, thus protecting the stock of striped bass and best managing this resource.

“These three bills would protect and preserve this important resource that is so integral to the Massachusetts economy, while also protecting consumers from potential health issues that have yet to be studied,” said Rep. Stanley.

 

Senator DiDomenico sponsors DMH Citizen’s Legislative Breakfast and is Recognized for his Legislative Leadership for Adults and Children with Mental Illness and their Families

 

Photo Caption – Senator DiDomenico is pictured with Department of Mental Health Commissioner Marica Fowler.

 

BOSTON – Senator Sal DiDomenico recently sponsored the annual Massachusetts Department of Mental Health Metro Boston Area Citizen's Legislative Breakfast in the Great Hall at the State House, where he was recognized for his legislative leadership on behalf of adults and children with mental illness and their families.   The event provided an opportunity for people with mental illness, family members, providers and advocates to interact with state legislators.

 

“I want to thank the Commissioner and staff of the Department of Mental Health, and I am grateful for the opportunity to speak to so many consumers.  Helping people thrive, and live productive and satisfying lives in their communities is the reason I love my job and continue to be an advocate for them in the legislature,” said Senator DiDomenico.

 

“This is an opportunity for the mental health community—consumers, families, providers and advocates—to meet with their legislators, thank them for their support and discuss with them the many services DMH provides to individuals with serious mental illness,” said DMH Commissioner Marcia Fowler.

 

The theme of this year’s DMH breakfast series was “Community First and Our Future.”   The event’s centerpiece was the personal stories shared by DMH consumers and their families. Their experiences put a face on mental illness, demonstrated that treatment works and reminded us that people with mental illness can achieve important accomplishments and most importantly, recover and lead productive lives.

 

More than 300 people including legislators, consumers, family members and advocates and providers attended the breakfast.

 

________________________________________________________________________________________

 

 

Senator DiDomenico Approves Storm Response Legislation

 

BOSTON – The Senate on Thursday passed a bill to address emergency service response of public utility companies in Massachusetts as a result of the widespread power outages in communities across the state during Tropical Storm Irene in August and the snowstorm in October, Senator Sal DiDomenico announced. 

 

“The aftermath of Iast year’s storms demonstrated the critical need to improve emergency service response in the Commonwealth,” said Senator DiDomenico. “Thousands of residents were left without the full knowledge of the ongoing storm efforts and lacked proper communication with their public utilities company.  This bill is an important step to ensure that we do not repeat the unfortunate events of last year.”

 

“I heard from many frustrated residents and local officials during last year’s storms, and we want to make sure our communities won’t run into the same roadblocks they did in August and October,” Murray said. “No one expected power to be restored immediately, but there were people without power for a week or longer in some cases with no knowledge of an anticipated response time. That is unacceptable.”

 

The bill requires public utility companies to provide twice-daily estimates to customers on when electricity will be restored following a 24-hour damage assessment period, and to set up a call center during a major storm. The call center must be located in Massachusetts and must have sufficient staffing to handle increases in calls.

 

Utilities must also report storm outages to the state and designate a community liaison in each community when implementing an emergency response plan. The bill also requires utilities to designate staff at the Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency to help coordinate statewide response.

 

Additionally, utilities will pay an assessment charge to help the Department of Public Utilities pay for storm investigations. The cost of this assessment cannot be passed on to customers. The bill also ensures that any penalties assessed on utilities for violation of emergency preparation and response will be credited to customers.   

 

The bill now goes to the House of Representatives.

Joe Spinosa's Weekly Red Sox Article-Player Projections for the 2012 season

  

(The opinions and views expressed in the commentaries of Boston News Group's News Publications belong solely to the authors of those commentaries and do not reflect the views or opinions of Boston News Group, it's publications, its staff or publishers.)

 

 

 

 

by Joe Spinosa

  

  

  

First off, starting with the pitchers

 

 

 JOSH BECKETT:
12-9, 4.13 ERA
The skinny:
Josh Beckett in his Boston tenure has been very inconsistent. In 2006 the
young, newly acquired, 26 year old posted 16 wins with an atrocious 5.02
ERA. Then in 2007, Beckett had a career year posting 20 wins with a
miniscule 3.27 ERA finishing second in the Cy Young Award voting. In 2008
Beckett had some nagging injuries especially his hamstrings and quads, he
finished the year with 12 wins and 4.03 ERA. Following his average year,
was 2009 in which he had 17 wins and a respectable 3.86 ERA. In 2010
Beckett had a career low point where he had similar injuries to the
nagging ones in '08, but was just not able to recoup he had a 6-6 record
with a skyrocketed 5.78 ERA. Finally in 2011,this past season, Josh had a
deceivingly good year. He had 13 wins, which could have been at least
17-20 if he got appropriate run support for what the team had been
producing in his non starting days. Most bitter fans ,myself included,
only remember his season as fried chicken and beer. So in conclusion my
methodology for the projection is that since Beckett has had his best
seasons in '07,'09, and '11 and had his worse years in'06, '08, and '10.
I'm sticking with the trend of his career and saying he will have a nearly
identical year to the one in 2008.

Jon Lester:
17-8, 3.17 ERA
The Skinny:
Jon Lester has taken the reign as the Red Sox "ace" since 2008. Lester
always had the stuff but was side tracked by Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma, but
since his no hitter in May of '08 Lester has been one of the most dominant
lefties in the MLB. posting and average total of a 16-8 record with a 3.33
ERA from his breakout year in 2008. A testament to Lester's power stuff is
that from '08 to now he has averaged nearly 200 strikeouts each year
topping with 225 in both 2009 and '10. The numbers don't lie and Lester is
poised to have a "Lester-like" year and will do just fine in his age 28
season.

 

Clay Buchholz:
15-5, 3.47 ERA
The Skinny:
Clay Buchholz has been a highly touted individual in the Boston Red Sox
system his whole career from the day the Sox had drafted him in the first
round of the 2005 draft and two years later in 2007. Clay threw a no
hitter against the Baltimore Orioles in September of 2007. He had a rough
next two years being bounced around from the AAA to the big club. Finally
in 2010 Buchholz had a phenomenal year posting 17 wins and a microscopic
2.33 ERA. In 2011 Buchholz got bit by the injury bug in late June and
suffered a stress fracture in his lower back. Though in the 14 games he
started, he had a good 3.48 ERA. Not sure how he is going to rebound from
the injury I am reluctant to go full speed ahead and think he will produce
at a comparable level to his excellent '10 season, but I have faith that
Clay will have a solid year as our #3 starter

Daniel Bard:
13-8, 3.98 ERA
The Skinny:
Daniel Bard has been a staple as the Red Sox setup man for three years and
has caught the baseball world by storm with his blazing fastball that tops
out around 100 mph. Concerns for Bard is that he has never pitched more
than 75 innings as a pro and has broken down towards the end of the year
posting a 7.47 ERA from August 1st to the end of the year in 2011. His
season ERA before August was 1.76 and had ballooned to 3.33 by the end of
the season. Another reason for weariness is that he is a predominantly a 1
pitch pitcher and that pitch is obviously a fastball. He has sprinkled in
some sliders and very little change-ups now and again. Also since he will
be pitching at least 5 innings as a starter compared to 1 as a reliever
his velocity will dip from 100 to about 96, which is still excellent. With
all the negative reasons to suspect he will have a lack luster year Bard
has such great stuff, potential, youth, and he will prevail.  although he
will have to a lot of strength and conditioning and stay away from Beckett
(a la fried chicken).

Andrew Bailey
4-6, 3.01 ERA,33 saves
The Skinny:
The newly acquired Andrew Bailey is the replacement for 6 year closer and
fan favorite Jonathan Papelbon. Filling Paps shoes will be hard, but
Bailey has the talent to do so. I unfortunately never got to see him play,
but he seems like a viable closer by the numbers. In 2009 Bailey was the
AL rookie of the year and was incredible. He was a horse in 2009 and he
pitched in 68 games and recorded 26 saves which could have been a boatload
more if the team gave him more opportunities. his team was not competitive
and finished with a total of more than 75 wins good for last in the AL
West. In 2010 he had an even better 1.47 than his 1.84 in the year prior,
but only pitched 49 innings and most recently in 2011 Bailey pitched 42
innings with an ERA that doubled from the two previous seasons (a 3.24 ERA
in today's game is very good). Causes for concerns are his health, Bailey
has had decreasing innings pitched from each year of his career. Another
issue is that his ERA jumped in 2011 which causes questions of if teams
have figured him out, yet another factor is going from the monstrous,
pitcher friendly park in Oakland compared to the small dimensions of the
100 year old Fenway Park. Finally. I get nervous going from Oakland where
baseball is not very important to the pressure cooker in Boston where
every game in April is equal to one in September.  Therefore, if he has a
slow start and blows a few saves he might not be able to take the
relentless attacks from the fans. I do believe Bailey will have a career
high in saves due purely to the number of opportunities in Boston opposed
to Oakland and he has youth on his side.

Stay tuned for more of my projections on the position players of the Sox.
The formula for my Projections are the previous 4 years, career trends,
and intuition from the mind of an avid baseball follower.

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Saturday, February 25, 2012 9:20 PM

GOVERNOR PATRICK AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR MURRAY HONOR U.S. ARMY VETERAN, DVS EMPLOYEE KEVIN LAMBERT DURING CABINET MEETING

Governor Patrick and Lieutenant Governor Murray honor U.S. Army veteran and recently appointed Director of Special Populations for the Department of Veterans’ Services (DVS) Kevin Lambert during a ceremony at their weekly cabinet meeting. (Photo credit: Megan Dhaliwal / Governor’s Office). View additional photos.

BOSTON – Friday, February 17, 2012 – Governor Deval Patrick and Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray today honored U.S. Army veteran and recently appointed Director of Special Populations for the Department of Veterans’ Services (DVS) Kevin Lambert, during a ceremony at their weekly cabinet meeting. Following a 16-month tour of duty in Iraq, in which he suffered multiple injuries that led to his medical discharge, Lambert, a U.S. Army specialist, chose to continue his call to service by assisting other veterans who make the often difficult transition back to civilian life.

“As a Commonwealth, we have worked hard to provide services for veterans, and for that we are recognized as a leader nationally,” said Governor Patrick. “Today we are honoring Kevin, for not only heroically serving our country but for returning home and graciously continuing that service to his fellow servicemen and women."

"When I meet veterans and military families across the Commonwealth, I often hear how Kevin Lambert helped a friend, son, daughter, brother, or sister and in many cases even saved a life," said Lieutenant Governor Murray. "Kevin is a war hero who has gone above and beyond the call of duty to help his fellow military servicemen and women, and his dedicated service is a model for others to follow."

In his new role at DVS, Lambert has pioneered multiple veterans’ outreach efforts that have received national recognition. His newest endeavor, known as the Statewide Homelessness and Reintegration Program (SHARP), focuses on peer support and outreach for veterans seeking assistance for a multitude of issues including, homelessness, substance abuse, judicial system issues and reentry from incarceration. Lambert currently resides in Haverhill.

Lieutenant Governor Murray serves as chair of the Governor’s Advisory Council on Veterans’ Services and works with DVS to ensure that Massachusetts remains a national leader in support, outreach and benefits to our veterans. As part of its mission, DVS works to secure federal compensation and other benefits for eligible veterans and administers needs-based benefits program through veterans' service officers across Massachusetts. It also provides state funding to organizations offering homeless shelter, transitional housing, and outreach services to veteran

Rep. Miceli Hosts “Job Shadow Day” at the State House

 

Representative Jim Miceli recently hosted Wilmington High Seniors, Dan Vigneau and Kristen Esdale at the Boston State House.  The annual Job Shadow Day allowed the students the opportunity to “shadow” workplace mentors as they go through a normal day on the job.  From left to right: State Representative Jim Miceli, Dan Vigneau, Kristen Esdale and State Treasurer Steve Grossman.

 

Off the Shelf Feb 29

Well...I was glad to be included in the poetry anthology  Last Call: The Bukowski Legacy Continues. I know many a writer has cited the Buk--(the late, dirty old man of poetry)--and he remains an inspiration to the non-mandarins of the poetry world to this day. Reviewer Dennis Daly, a former columnist for The Salem News, piped in with this article.

 
Last Call: The Bukowski Legacy Continues

Editor: RD Armstrong

Lummox Press

www.lummoxpress.com

ISBN: 978-1-929878-86-4

$18.00

Review by Dennis Daly

Here you will find shit jobs, mad women in miniskirts, junkies, cigar smoke, insomniacs, booze, broads, swollen testicles, and despair.  Sound like the world of the late writer and poet Charles Bukowski. Well it’s not. But it is an anthology inspired by him and Bukowski remains the central reference point throughout.

RD Armstrong edited this ambitious book (apparently his second attempt to get it just right) hoping to lay out the legacy and influence of Bukowski for all to see.  Like their mentor’s own work many of these pieces are angry and defiant in both style and subject matter. One of their repeated targets, and deservedly so, is academia.

Michael Ford’s poem, Not Celebrity Bowling: Cerebrally Bowling, goes right to the heart of it,

spare me the hypocrisy of the gutless rituals of

anthologized poetry; English Department ivory

tower cowards publishing what they have turned

the art of poetry into: bubbles on a fat vat full of

bland oatmeal.

Mark Terrill puts it another way, but no less effective, in his poem Bukowski: 3/10/94,

..there are the

Great Living Poets

the Great Dead Poets

and then there’s me

another two-bit guttersnipe.

In an obscenity- laced poem, appropriate to the book, FN Wright’s Bukowski and Me makes the point that the underside of culture where Bukowski  found his muses is not only alive and well but still a suitable setting for intense poetry,

I attract bad women

drunks

junkies

whores…

catholic girls gone bad

& Baptist minister’s

daughters

are particularly

fond of me

unlike Bukowski

I am not

a great poet

but I’m damn good…

My Comrades, a poem by Joe Speer with a provocative title, needles the literary establishment. Speer allies the underclass, non-elite writers with luminaries such as Sir Thomas Malory, a prisoner, Cervantes, impoverished, Thomas Hardy and Emile Proust, self-publishers, William Faulkner, a rum smuggler, and others. He details his points of comparison thusly:

this one teaches

that one lives with his mother and cat

another pencraft master takes drugs, non-prescription

and cleans house as his wife earns a living.

In other words, here are poets from the real world, not that rarified artificial world of artsy-fartsy elitism.

Poets, who emerge from this seamy world of damaged creative people, have advantages. In order to measure out the truth, they lie better than most. And that is only the beginning of it. Ellaraine Lockie in her clear-eyed telling poem, Poets at Any Price, says,

They’ll exploit

confessor, friend or family …

And,

I tell you

Because I’ve been truth’s victim

Verbal accounts reiterated

verbatim in someone else’s poem

Secrets exposed as sonnets

Composites as transparent

as the silk panties I wore…

Plato was right: never trust poets.

The world of Bukowski and his acolytes is reduced to a piece of bruised fruit in an interesting piece by Doug holder entitled, It Is Late and the Fruit Is Bad. Beware there is a little bit of DH Lawrence’s poem Figs here. Holder’s persona chooses to eat in a way not acceptable in polite society. He says,

I take its flesh

deep into my mouth

digest the ferment

of its rotten skin

cut the lights

Cutting the lights seals the deal. We are among the vulgar. Not just everyman seeking satisfaction and a high, but an artist, who, even in miniature, meticulously records the truth of his appetites. If eating rotting fruit this way seems vaguely licentious, eating rotting fruit in the middle of the night in the dark seems downright obscene. 

Another all-nighter was had by G. Murray Thomas. In his poem, To the Editor Whose Name Will Appear on my Next Rejection Slip, the poet says,

I sat up all night

drinking beer

and going over my

unpublished poems

searching for one written

in the cheap…

The poet tries to match expectations of a Bukowski –like poem. He finally gives up, becomes himself again and writes this poem chronicling the process. I wonder if the rejection letter he expected was from this very anthology.

Breaking the mood, but not the context, the short story by RD Armstrong, Two Drink Minimum, grabs you with its great musically obscene refrain. The refrain breaks up the story of a construction job gone bad. Add the battle of the sexes and the result is a hilarious read.

Another one of the stories is an odd but serious piece by John Macker, called Not Too far From the Maverick Bar. The protagonist has packed his dead dog’s body in dry ice and trekked into the desert to bury him and seek redemption. The story takes a neat and satisfying turn at the end with Bukowski doing a cameo.

I found all the essays interesting, but one was especially memorable, A Buk Remembrance by Michael Meloan. Three quarters of the essay describes the legendary Bukowski alit with booze and on a rampage. The last quarter portrays a thoughtful, workaholic, with more than a touch of irony in his pronouncements.

That Charles Bukowski would really get a kick out of this book.

Advertise with the Boston Area Small Press and Poetry Scene!                               http://tinyurl.com/ddjcal
  
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Doug Holder's CV: http://dougholderresume.blogspot.com
Ibbetson Street Press http://ibbetsonpress.com
ISCS PRESS  http://www.iscspress.com
Ibbetson Street Press Online Bookstore  http://www.tinyurl.com/3x6rgv3

GOVERNOR PATRICK SIGNS BILL TO STREAMLINE AND PROMOTE ORGAN DONATION PROCESS IN MASSACHUSETTS

Governor Deval Patrick is joined by legislators and advocates while signing S. 2067, “An Act Relative to a Uniform Anatomical Gift Act.” (Photo credit: Eric Haynes / Governor’s Office). View additional photos.

BOSTON – Wednesday, February 22, 2012 – Governor Deval Patrick today signed S. 2067, “An Act Relative to a Uniform Anatomical Gift Act,” legislation that will promote organ donation by updating Massachusetts’ Uniform Anatomical Gift Act (UAGA). The legislation is an important step to increase organ donations by aligning state statute with requirements currently in effect in neighboring states.

“We know the critically important role that organ donation plays in saving lives,” said Governor Patrick. “I am proud to sign this bill that will promote the idea of organ donation and remove barriers to allow more people to become organ donors.”

“Rarely do we get a chance to adopt a law that saves lives, saves money and comes with no expense to the state,” said Senator Susan Fargo, the lead sponsor of the bill and the Senate Chair of the Joint Committee on Public Health. “The first organ transplant was done right here in Massachusetts in the 1950’s and now we have the first sweeping organ donor law overhaul in nearly 50 years. I offered this bill to keep families together, save lives and encourage more of us to become donors.”

“Today in Massachusetts, thousands of patients are in desperate need of a life-saving organ transplant,” said Representative Jeffrey Sánchez, House Chair of the Joint Committee on Public Health. “This new law will improve their chances that an organ will be found for them by removing the regulatory barriers to matching those patients with donors in Massachusetts and other states.”

“The bill is important because it sets clear rules so that consent for organ and tissue donation can be obtained accurately, from the right person, and in a time frame necessary for donation to occur,” said Richard S. Luskin, President and CEO of New England Organ Bank. “With the bill's passage, Massachusetts joins 45 other states that have updated their laws regarding organ and tissue donation.”

Under current requirements, New England’s sole organ procurement organization must navigate various state-by-state requirements with minor differences. Standardization of these requirements throughout the region will facilitate organ donation across state lines and provide Massachusetts residents with greater availability of organs for transplant.

The primary amendments to the UAGA concern new requirements for the Registry of Motor Vehicles (RMV), setting forth that the agency:

• Include a description of the donor registry and UAGA in every license and registration renewal notice, including email notifications.
• Include the option to donate $2 or more to the Organ and Tissue Donor Registration Fund on all license renewal forms, including those completed at RMV branch locations.
• Provide to the organ procurement organizations listed in the UAGA the names and dates of birth of individuals registered as organ and tissue donors (a disclaimer regarding this disclosure must be made to all donors).
• Provide an information session and informational materials during all required driver education and training courses.
• Develop an electronic organ donation registry on the RMV website. 

In addition, the bill updates certain definitions and terms within UAGA regulations to clarify the role of a potential donor’s family in the decision-making process and standardize the medical practices surrounding organ donations.

GOVERNOR PATRICK ANNOUNCES PROBATE AND FAMILY COURT JUDICIAL NOMINATIONS

GOVERNOR PATRICK ANNOUNCES PROBATE AND FAMILY COURT JUDICIAL NOMINATIONS

BOSTON – Wednesday, February 22, 2012 – Governor Deval Patrick today announced the nominations of two experienced attorneys to the Probate and Family Court: Megan H. Christopher, as a Circuit Justice; and Patrick W. Stanton, as an Associate Justice of the Plymouth County Division.

“It is an honor to nominate these well qualified and highly respected attorneys to the Probate and Family Court,” said Governor Patrick. “I am confident that they have the experience, knowledge and temperament to excel on the bench and I thank them for their willingness to serve.”

Megan H. Christopher has practiced law for 22 years at MetroWest Legal Services in Framingham, representing low income and elder clients in administrative and court proceedings, with a focus on family law. She has been a supervising attorney since 2000 and currently manages the Family Law Unit at MetroWest Legal Services. Christopher serves as president of the MetroWest Bar Association and as a member of the Probate and Family Court Bench Bar Committee on Rules. She is a graduate of Wellesley College (B.A., 1977) and Northeastern School of Law (J.D., 1989) and is a resident of Natick. Christopher is slated to fill the vacancy on the Probate and Family Court created by the retirement of the Honorable E. Chouteau Levine.

Patrick W. Stanton has maintained a sole litigation practice in Brockton since 1994, concentrating on divorce and child custody matters. Stanton served as a License Commissioner for the City of Brockton from 1997 to 2003. He is a graduate of Massasoit Community College (A.A., 1987), Stonehill College (B.A., 1990) and Suffolk University School of Law (J.D., 1993). Stanton is a resident of West Bridgewater and a native of Brockton. Upon confirmation, he will fill the vacancy created by the retirement of the Honorable Stephen C. Steinberg.

Massachusetts Masons News Release

Massachusetts Masons News Release

 

Local Freemasons Welcome Public

February 25^th Open House to Enlighten, Educate, and Inform

 

(XXX), Massachusetts – Month Day, Year – Joining with Masonic lodges across the Commonwealth, Freemasons meeting in the (Town/City Masonic building or Lodge Name), Street Address, will open their doors to the public on Saturday, March 25^th, between 9 am and 3 pm, as part of the 2012 Early Spring Open House, a state-wide celebration of Freemasonry.  If you’ve ever wondered who the Freemasons are, whether they are the descendants of the Knights Templars, or what the inside of their building looks like, here’s your chance to find out.

 

More than 230 lodges will be hosting Open Houses to help the public gain a better understanding of what Freemasonry is, and the positive impact that is has on its members, their families, and community.  Members will provide tours of their building, talk about Freemasonry’s history, discuss its rituals, signs, and symbols, and explain what they do.

 

“The 2012 Spring Open House is a great opportunity for anyone interested in learning more about Freemasonry to meet and talk with Masons in their community,” said Richard J. Stewart, Grand Master of Masons in Massachusetts and the presiding officer of 36,000 members.  “Although many have heard of us, very few are aware that for over 275 years we have been part of an unbroken tradition of great men who have changed our world in ways both big and small.  Benjamin Franklin, George Washington, Thurgood Marshall, and John Glenn, for example, all joined the Masons prior to achieving the greatness we recognize them for.  There are countless other great men, whose names are not widely known, that made their families, workplaces, and communities better because they were Masons.  I warmly invite the public to join us on February 25^th.”

 

Freemasons trace their roots to the stonemason guilds that built Europe’s cathedrals and castles during the early part of the last millennium.  As construction of these buildings declined, they began accepting members from outside their trade.  These new members, influenced by the “Age of Enlightenment,” transformed the organization from a group for builders to one focused on developing the character of its members.  Freemasonry was formally organized in London, England in 1717. In 1733 it was formally organized in Massachusetts, making it the oldest Masonic group in the Western Hemisphere and the third oldest in the world. In 2008, Massachusetts Freemasons celebrated their 275^th Anniversary.

 

Freemasonry, the world’s oldest and largest fraternity, seeks to bring together men of every country, religion, race, background, and opinion and develop the bonds of friendship between them.  Through a large variety of North American Masonic philanthropies, approximately $3,000,000 is given to charity every day, 70% of which benefits the general public.  During its initiation ceremony, which uses symbolism and allegory, its members are encouraged to value principles, ethics, and morality and to live their lives accordingly.  By “making good men better,” Freemasonry positively benefits its members, families and communities.  Freemasonry in Massachusetts is comprised of 36,000 members and more than 230 lodges throughout the Commonwealth.  For additional information, please call 800.882.1020, or visit askafreemason.org.