Bay State Banner 4-7-2016

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inside this week

New organization aims to fight Mass. income inequality pg 3

A&E pg 13

business news

AUTHOR BRIDGETTE ALEXANDER ON HER LATEST NOVEL, ‘SOUTHERN GOTHIC’

Venture Café probes challenges to women in tech field pg 10

plus Film: ‘The Wake of Vanport’ revisits 1948 flood pg 13 ‘Bootycandy’ bursts onto Boston Stage pg 14 Thursday, April 7, 2016 • FREE • GREATER BOSTON’S URBAN NEWS SOURCE SINCE 1965 • CELEBRATING 50 YEARS

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Protestors put GE deal under fire Tax breaks, incentives benefit GE more than public, objectors say By JULE PATTISON-GORDON

Dozens of protestors picketed in the falling snow on Monday outside 60 State Street, where, inside, Governor Charlie Baker and Mayor Martin Walsh were scheduled soon after to meet with General Electric executives to discuss the company’s move to Boston. The protestors represented a coalition of 34 housing, social justice, faith-based, environmental, community and peace organizations that object to GE’s arrival for wide-ranging reasons. Particularly under fire: the hefty incentive package offered to entice the company here in the midst of budget woes for the MBTA and public schools. Demonstrators also ripped the company for tax-dodging and unfinished cleanup of pollution.

When the wallet opens

After GE announced intentions to move its 800-person headquarters from Connecticut, Boston competed with 40 other locations to attract the company. To persuade GE to come, the Walsh and Baker administrations offered incentives including $25 million in city property tax breaks; $120 million in state grants; $25 million in state-financed improvements to streets, transit, bikeways and water transportations services and a

ON THE WEB “Rethinking Property Tax Incentives For Business,” co-authored by Daphne Kenyon:

http://bit.ly/1nquE4y $100-million city project to replace the deteriorating Northern Avenue bridge. At BPS budget protests, many advocates have decried the GE deal as a symbol of misaligned government priorities, pointing to the tax breaks and grants offered to GE while BPS scrambles for revenue and faces shortfalls. Monday’s demonstrators said that city and state resources are better focused directly on pressing issues of homelessness, beleaguered public transit, cashstrapped public schools and need for more well-paying jobs. In a press release, Aubri Esthers of the Boston Homeless Solidarity Committee criticized Walsh for failing to replace the Long Island bridge, while providing a bridge for GE. “The mayor should rebuild the bridge to Long Island for Bostonians in recovery, rather than a bridge at Fort Point for GE execs,” Esthers said. Meanwhile, Walsh said in a speech to the Boston Municipal Research Bureau that the tax breaks ultimately will generate far more revenue than is given up.

See GE, page 8

PHOTO: ANTHONY THOMAS

State Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz outlines legislation aimed at increasing the number of charter schools and the amount of funding available to district and charter schools. Looking on are senators Pat Jehlen, Daniel Wolf, Karen Spilka and President Stan

Senate bill irks charter school supporters, foes Coalition will move forward with ballot initiative By YAWU MILLER

A group of state senators last week rolled out compromise legislation that would over the next ten years raise the cap on the percentage of district funding for charter schools from the current 18 percent to 23 percent. The announcement comes as a campaign led by the New York-based Families for Excellent

Schools is preparing to spend $18 million on a ballot referendum that would allow up to 12 new charter schools a year — lifting the current cap that limits charter schools to 18 percent of school spending in the state’s low-performing districts. “For us to allow this to go to the ballot, which would expose the citizens of the commonwealth to $300 million a year in costs, is reckless,” said Barnstable Senator

Dan Wolf, speaking during a State House press conference announcing the compromise legislation. The legislation calls on the state to increase funding for charter and district-run schools with an increase of $1.4 billion to the state’s foundation budget for education over the next seven years, while lifting the cap by half a percent per year over the next ten years.

See SENATE, page 19

Rep. Gloria Fox will not run again Three eyeing Seventh Suffolk seat By JULE PATTISON-GORDON

BANNER PHOTO

Former City Councilor Chuck Turner spoke at the demonstration downtown, where the governor and mayor would be meeting with GE executives.

Longtime state Rep. Gloria Fox announced last week that she will not seek re-election for the seat she has held since 1985. Three contenders already have taken out paperwork to vie for her Seventh Suffolk District seat. Fox is one of only two black women currently elected to the State House, but the changeover may not reduce

diversity: all of the current contestants are women of color. Competing thus far are Chynah Tyler, former aide to Sen. Sonia Chang-Diaz; Mary-dith Tuitt, aide to Rep. Fox; and Monica Cannon, community liaison for Roca, an organization that works to keep atrisk, court-involved youth out of jail. The primary election is scheduled for Sept. 8, 2016 and there is plenty of time for more candidates to enter the race, with the filing

deadline on June 7. The Seventh Suffolk District extends from Audubon Circle near Boston University to parts of Back Bay, the Fenway and Roxbury. According to Ballotopedia, it is approximately 47 percent white, 32 percent black, 9 percent Asian and, by ethnicity, 17 percent Hispanic.

Campaign teams

Chynah Tyler, former aide to Sen. Chang-Diaz, brings a staff familiar with the Seventh District

See FOX RACE, page 18


2 • Thursday, April 7, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER

Public may weigh in on police body camera pilot By JULE PATTISON-GORDON

The chance for broad community feedback on the Boston Police Department’s upcoming body camera pilot program may finally arrive, with three public meetings scheduled for late April. Community engagement has been long sought by members of the Boston Police Camera Action Team, an organization that formed to advocate for body cameras and policies governing their use. Last August, BPCAT presented a proposed camera usage policy to the city council. The policy was developed in partnership with groups such as the American Civil Liberties Union, and BPCAT members say it received widespread community approval. The BPD has not taken up BPCAT’s policy, but rather, since announcing intentions for a pilot program last September, has been developing its own internally. Bringing voices from outside the police force into this process is a Social Justice Task Force. The task force comprises six police command staff members and 17 non-police volunteers selected from community, civil rights, academic, health and faith-based organizations, said Lt. Detective Mike McCarthy, director of media relations for the BPD. In early March, City Councilor Tito Jackson amplified the

request for wider public involvement by calling for a hearing on BPD’s pilot program. The matter was sent to the Committee on Public Safety & Criminal Justice, chaired by Councilor Andrea Campbell.

Pilot program

The pilot program is expected to launch in late May, McCarthy said. Details are still being finalized, but the general shape of the pilot program has emerged: The current plan is to equip 100 officers with cameras for a six-month span, at an estimated cost of $1 million, he said. No vendors have been solicited, with the request for proposals yet to be issued. McCarthy said cameras will likely go on patrol officers, and that gang units and detectives may be included as well. “It’s all still being worked out,” he said. BPCAT co-founder Segun Idowu said including gang and drug units is essential. “That’s where most of the problems have risen up from, what most of the complaints are [about],” he said. BPD’s usage policy will include rules for when to turn cameras on or off and how long data will be kept, according to McCarthy. The pilot’s success will be judged based on factors such as costs, complaints received and effect on community relations.

Community say

According to Leila Quinn, director of policy and performance for Councilor Campbell, the Social Justice Task Force decided on three community meetings dates: April 25, April 28 and — likely, but with possibility of change — April 26. Locations have yet to be selected. McCarthy described the community meetings as informational sessions to explain to residents the final policy that will be implemented. Community say has been already incorporated through the Social Justice Task Force’s involvement, he said. “This is more to roll out the final product,” he said. “The whole purpose of the task force was to advise the commissioner with input from the community.” Despite this, McCarthy said there still is room for residents to convey their comments through the task force and changes could be enacted before the pilot launch. “There’s nothing set in stone right now,” he said. “The whole process is in process.” Task force members, BPD representatives and Campbell will attend the meetings. A discussion session will follow the BPD’s presentation of the latest information. In Quinn’s view, the meetings are an opportunity to solicit community discussion in an informal setting, before any potential hearing at Boston City Hall. “Our priority is making sure

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Segun Idowu, co-founder of BPCAT, has called for public say in body camera policy. there’s a community process, making sure everyone can provide input in terms of how this pilot is launched,” Quinn said. “[The community meeting] format will be less formal than a regular hearing — more of roundtable discussion.” Quinn said there is potential for a hearing, should council schedule allow. The priority was getting the community meetings in first, she said, so that any hearing could address matters raised in the discussions. “We wanted to make sure this community process happened first, before any hearing, so there’s reflection at the hearing about what was sourced from community input,” Quinn sid. Councilor Jackson told the Banner that a hearing will happen in May, with a date not yet set. A hearing, he said, is critical to provide transparency on the process. “There has to be a public hearing prior to the Boston Police Department rolling out this policy,” Jackson said. “There hasn’t been a transparent process publicly in how this policy is going to be implemented in the community.” BPCAT’s Idowu said that community meetings, if they allow for public say, are a crucial step, though one or more hearings would be beneficial as well. “This is a program where community input is of the upmost importance,” Idowu said. “Every

BOSTON REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

other program in the country is not going forward until they have community input.”

Social Justice Task Force

The Social Justice Task Force is the community’s go-between for discussions with the BPD on the matter, McCarthy said. Its non-BPD members are volunteers who were invited to join by Police Commissioner William Evans. According to McCarthy, the task force includes members of the NAACP; community, health and faith-based organizations; Urban League of Eastern MA and Northeastern and Harvard Law School scholars, as well as the Community Ombudsman Oversight Panel — a three-member civilian panel that provides external oversight and review of BPD internal affairs investigations. Jackson said BPCAT should have had a presence on the task force because of its significant role in advancing the issue. “I also found it very troubling that the Boston Police Department has not included the leaders in BPCAT in their task force. BPCAT is the driving force in the community behind advancing this,” he said. But Idowu said the task force members were well-selected: “I know the makeup of the task force, and there’s a good group of folks on there. I hope the commissioner listens to whatever they offer.”

COMMUNITY WORKSHOP

PLAN DUDLEY SQUARE TUESDAY, APRIL 19 5:30 PM - 8:00 PM

2300 WASHINGTON STREET

Bruce C. Bolling Municipal Building, 2nd Floor, School Committee Room Roxbury, MA 02219

PROJECT DESCRIPTION: At the PLAN: Dudley Square Visioning Workshop on March 21st we heard from many of you about your priorities for an updated vision of Dudley Square. We will gather on April 19th for our Transportation and Public Realm Workshop to discuss getting around Dudley Square and making connections to and from the study area. PLAN: Dudley Square is an initiative to think strategically about the types of uses and the scale of development best suited for the future of Dudley Square and Roxbury. The goals of this study are to provide an inclusive community engagement process, create an updated vision with the community, and establish an implementation plan that will lead to the issuance of Requests for Proposals (“RFPs”) for publicly-owned and vacant privately-owned parcels in Dudley Square.

• The Dimock Center

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phone: email:

HUGUES MONESTIME

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BostonRedevelopmentAuthority.org Teresa Polhemus, Executive Director/Secretary

@BostonRedevelop


Thursday, April 7, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER • 3

New organization aims to fight Mass. income inequality By YAWU MILLER

A $15 minimum wage, paid family and medical leave and a public higher education system that enables students to graduate debt-free are among the goals of Fair Shot, a new organization that launched Monday in Massachusetts. Backed by a $100,000 grant from the Paul and Phyllis Fireman Foundation the group has an executive director and two organizers who so far have canvassed in Brockton and Lynn, seeking support for their progressive agenda. “The idea behind Fair Shot is to educate and mobilize people around income inequality and the policies that are necessary to reduce the gap,” said Fair Shot President Rosy Gonzalez, who is also a vice president at Northwind Strategies, a Boston-based political consulting firm that launched Fair Shot. “Boston is the number one city for income inequality. It gives us the impetus to work on these issues.” Other issue areas the group plans to work on include campaign finance reform, retirement plans, investments in transportation infrastructure and better access to child care for low-income families. The nascent group’s agenda mirrors the efforts of existing campaigns, like Raise Up Massachusetts, which in 2014 pushed through an increase in the state’s minimum wage and a new earned sick time through ballot measures. This year Raise Up is advancing a measure that would increase the tax rate on income in excess of $1 million and direct the projected $1.5 billion in additional revenue to education and transportation projects. Gonzalez said the Fair Shot organization will complement the existing efforts. “There are a lot of great organizations doing this work,” she said. “We look forward to working with them.” While Raise Up Massachusetts has relied on a base of union activists and nonprofit staff and volunteers, Fair Shot is looking to organize its own base of Massachusetts residents. “What we really look forward to is bringing new people into the political process based on the issues we’re working on,” Gonzalez said. Fair Shot enters the scene amid growing awareness of income inequality in Massachusetts. On Monday, Boston Mayor Martin Walsh made waves with a call for a $15 minimum wage in Massachusetts. Walsh’s call comes after Raise Up in 2013 gathered 150,000 signatures for a ballot initiative raising the minimum wage to $11 an hour. The state Legislature agreed to a phased minimum wage increase that will bring hourly wages to $11 by 2017. Currently, Raise Up is pushing legislation that would mandate a $15 minimum wage for fast food workers and workers at big box retailers in Massachusetts as part of the union-backed national Fight for $15 campaign. Raise Up Co-Chairman Harris Gruman, who serves as executive director of the Service Employees International Union Massachusetts State Council, says Fair Shot’s efforts are a welcome addition to the movement against income inequality. “We welcome anybody who

PHOTO: COURTESY ROSY GONZALEZ

wants to work toward ending income inequality,” he said. The Coalition for Social Justice, which organizes around similar issues in the South Coast and Brockton, is serving as the fiscal conduit for Fair Shot. “It doesn’t hurt to have more allies working on the issues we care about,” said CSJ Executive Director Deb Fastino. “It means more voters will hear about vital policies on Beacon Hill that will affect their lives and inspire them to take action.” Gonzalez says the Fireman Foundation has committed a total of $500,000 to the organization, which will staff up to five organizers, allowing the group to expand. Northwind Strategies will provide services to Fair Shot at reduced fees, Gonzalez added. This year, Gonzalez hopes to add three organizers to the group’s staff. “We’re starting in Lynn and

PHOTO: COURTESY FAIR SHOT

Left: Rosy Gonzalez; Above: Fair Shot organizer Yonerky Santana leads a discussion on paid family leave during a convening in Lynn. Brockton, but we will eventually be in all communities, not just in urban areas,” she said. Ultimately, Gonzalez says, the organization will go national. According to research compiled by Fair Shot, rising income inequality is devastating the middle class and limiting economic growth. Workers have seen their wages decline and their debt increase over the past 40 years, resulting in the need

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for longer hours and a second or third job. Meanwhile, 95 percent of the income growth in this country over the past decade has gone to the top one percent. As a result, 400 Americans own 62 percent of the wealth in the country, while for the poorest 115 million, their debts exceed their assets. The timing for the launch of the organization — as Democratic presidential candidate Bernie

Sanders raises issues of economic disparities and the declining fortunes of the U.S. middle class — could help elevate local efforts to combat income and wealth inequality to the national level. And given how deep inequality runs here, Massachusetts could be a good laboratory for testing out effective policy changes. “Boston is the number-one city for income inequality,” Gonzalez notes.


4 • Thursday, April 7, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER

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What inspired the Massachusetts vote for Trump? Massachusetts is a very blue state. In fact, it is considered to be one of the national outposts of progressive politics. This is a reputation established by the late Sen. Ted Kennedy and is certainly sustained by the present senior Sen. Elizabeth Warren. The red states of the Old Southern Confederacy are looked down upon as backwaters of bigotry. It was something of a shock, therefore, that Donald Trump did so well in Massachusetts in the March 1 presidential primary. The polls indicated that Trump would win, but he tallied the most lopsided victory of any primary thus far with 49.3 percent of the vote. John Kasich came in second with a mere 18.0 percent. The only other Trump victory that was close to that margin was the March 8 primary in Mississippi, where Trump tallied 47.3 percent. The size of the Trump victory suggests that Massachusetts has a more serious racial problem than many believe. The largest group of voters in the state is independents, who total 53 percent of the electorate with 2,277,760 enrolled. They can choose between Democratic and Republican ballots in a primary election. Trump totaled 311,313 of the 614,663 Republican votes

cast. Since there are only 468,298 registered Republicans in the state, clearly many independents chose Republican ballots. Some liberals had suggested that independents ought to vote for Trump to help him win because he would be an easier target for the Democratic nominee in the November election. There is no way to measure how many votes were cast with that in mind, but it is reasonable to conclude there were not too many because of the close race between the Democratic candidates. Hillary Clinton tallied only 50.1 percent of the vote to beat Bernie Sanders. According to the New York Times, Trump does well in areas where there is substantial race conflict. He also seems to be strong among Catholics. It is hoped that the religious preference is at play in Massachusetts rather than racial hostility. The state’s population is 74.3 percent white, and the relatively small population of racial minorities is as follows: Hispanic — 10.8 percent; black — 8.3 percent; and Asian — 6.3 percent. Nonetheless, policymakers should be alert to any indication of potential racial difficulties so that they can be alleviated before they grow to crisis stature.

The maturing Black Lives Matter movement The fatal shooting of black men by the police used to be considered a normal aspect of police work, but public attitudes changed last year when several outrageous incidents were videotaped for all to witness. The videos rebutted the police version of events. Two significant responses to the continuing police violence occurred: African Americans formed Black Lives Matter political action groups, and the Washington Post established a team to investigate police shootings. Reporters developed a national database of 986 fatal police shootings in 2015. With political sophistication, Black Lives

It seems like every year there’s a surge in the prices of homes in Roxbury. There were boom times in the 80s that mostly saw action in Fort Hill. In the 90s other areas of Rox-

Matter participated in the defeat at the polls of two district attorneys who were egregiously biased in favor of the police. Tim McGinty lost. He had refused to indict the police officer who killed Tamir Rice in Cleveland, a young boy with a fake pistol. And Anita Alvarez was defeated in Chicago. She had waited for 13 months to take official action against the officer who had shot 17-year-old Laquan McDonald. African Americans will have to develop new strategies to achieve equality. The Civil Rights Movement as it has been known historically is over. Perhaps Black Lives Matter might become a solid base for political progress.

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bury saw modest rises in value. Now it seems like anywhere near public transportation, and in a lot of other parts of the neighborhood, prices are out of reach of the people who currently live here. It’s only a matter

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LETTERS TO THE EDITOR Roxbury’s real estate

“Since half of those shot and killed by the cops last year were white, maybe whites ought to join our movement.”

of time before there are million dollar condos in Roxbury. This neighborhood will be no different from the South End or Jamaica Plain. — Eric Washington Roxbury

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Thursday, April 7, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER • 5

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The terror attacks and people like us

Why do you think voters in Massachusetts supported Donald Trump?

By LEE A. DANIELS Who are these people — these “terrorists” who think that killing innocent people is an — forgive the use of this word — effective way to spread this or that ideology, or, even worse, act out their own personal grievance? I’ve contemplated that awful mystery ever since growing up during the Civil Rights Movement in the 1960s led me to wonder why human beings could be so cruel to other human beings. It was easy then to be overwhelmed by examples of the worst human beings can do. And so it is now, when it often seems as if the world — in Brussels; in Grand Bassam, the Ivory Coast; in Paris; in Istanbul, Turkey; in Iskandariya, Iraq; in Lahore, Pakistan; in Colorado Springs, Colorado; in San Bernardino, California — is awash in the blood of innocent lives taken to provoke terror. I confess I tried during this last round of terror attacks to not read the brief obituaries of the victims — to avoid thinking of the devastating human toll. I tried to focus on just the “hard stuff ” of government officials’ reconstruction of the conspiracy and the hunt for the killers and others in the terrorist network. But invariably a headline description of one of the innocents would catch my eye and I’d click to open the story to find that one victim, a young Belgian woman, was “all smiles and bubbly enthusiasm” and “intent on using her law degree for the public good.” Another story told of a young, Congolese-born Belgian immigrant, multilingual and rising up the corporate ladder at a European energy company, but who was most proud, he said, of being “a husband and father first,” he said. “Happiness is making happy the beloved ones,” he wrote, according to a New York Times report, beside a picture of his children playing on the beach. “Love is priceless.” And, I read in another article that from his hospital bed in Lahore, a young, grief-stricken husband said of his now-dead pregnant wife, “I can’t figure out what happened! Within minutes, I lost my wife. I couldn’t save her.” Elsewhere in the city, a father whose son and two of his son’s friends had died, said, “They were innocent! I can only pray that they find peace wherever they are now.” These wrenching stories always take me back to that sunny day in early September 2001 when, having caught one of the last subway trains traveling from Brooklyn into Manhattan, I arrived at my Wall Street office an hour or so before the first World Trade Center tower collapsed. In the days and weeks that followed, the city’s newspapers — and building walls, storefront windows, lamp posts, and public bulletin boards — were filled with “missing person” notices that, in effect, themselves became brief obituaries of the victims. Sadness lay like a shroud over New York. Like many, I gradually understood why I was obsessed with these items: They showed that before the dead became victims of the whirlwind they were people with interesting personal stories, or jobs, or personalities. They were people like the people in my family, in my neighborhood, in my circle of friends. I made the same “discovery” last year in reading about the nine members of Emanuel AME Church in Charleston, murdered because they were kind to a stranger who seemed in need of help. In other words, I realized that reading about the lives of the victims turned my attention from considering the evil among us to considering the good. I realized it was the lives the dead had lived and the legacy of goodness they had left that redeemed their deaths. It was a lesson, I remembered, I first learned contemplating the tragedies that shadowed the Civil Rights Movement. Those who do evil are but dust in the wind. They have no existence beyond the moment of their crime. It is always the victims of the evil who live on. They live on by being remembered by the decent people of the world as people like us.

... reading about the lives of the victims turned my attention from considering the evil among us to considering the good.”

Lee A. Daniels is writing a book on the Obama years and the 2016 election. He can be reached at leedanielsjournalist@gmail.com.

They want to take from us. Trump stands for that.

Sharika Morgan

I think the reason he’s doing so well everywhere is because people like entertainment. I hope people change their minds before November.

Jasmin Hooks

Maybe he says things people are afraid to say.

Amaya

Mother Boston

Intake Coordinator Roxbury

Student South End

Because Massachusetts is racist. They’re hidden racists. They smile in your face.

Because he says what a lot of people want to say but can’t because they want to appear politically correct.

He’s conservative, and he’s connected to money.

Glenn Henderson

Shelly Dunbar

Retired Roxbury

Jason

Clerk Roxbury

IT Support Roxbury

guide and support investments in early childhood, youth development and place-based strategies. Prior to joining our team, Islam served as Associate Project Director for Robert Wood Johnson Foundation’s Roadmaps to Health Community Grants Programs at Community Catalyst where she managed the provision of training and technical assistance to grantees pursuing policy and system change to address the social and economic factors influencing health in their communities. Islam’s career began in early childhood education and youth development. She was a 2009 CAYL Schott Fellow. Islam brings passion to her role as both a philanthropic leader in and organizer for racial and gender equity. Facilitating learning communities, addressing structural racism and empowering marginalized communities are long-standing threads in her work. Islam is charged by her experiences as a mother, immigrant and woman of color to center and

elevate the voices of marginalized communities in social justice movements. She is a founding member of Massachusetts Women of Color Coalition, an emerging intergenerational advocacy group which centers on the livelihood and experiences of women of color, particularly Black and Latina women and girls. Islam is also the co-founder of Youth Empowerment and Activism, a collective of racial justice organizers working in solidarity with youth to creatively and strategically fight racism.

IN THE NEWS

MARIANNA ISLAM Marianna Islam joined the Schott Foundation for Public Education as the Director of Programs and Advocacy in March 2016. In this role, Islam works with program staff to develop and implement the Foundation’s resource delivery strategy, including the provision of grantmaking, communications, network building, and policy advocacy supports. Islam has a range of experiences working with communities across the country to advance equity through program development and policy advocacy. Her work has supported and empowered diverse youth, community leaders and coalitions towards achieving personal, program, policy and system change goals. Islam brings over a decade of experience in the philanthropic sector, having served as the Vice President of Community Impact Initiatives and Promise Neighborhoods Project Director at the United Way of Central Massachusetts. In this capacity, she helped


6 • Thursday, April 7, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER

Simmons Leadership Conference celebrates ‘Women Leading Change’ By COLETTE GREENSTEIN

Authenticity and owning your power were two of the central themes at the 37th Annual Simmons Leadership Conference held at the Seaport World Trade Center and Hotel on March 29. These themes were best exemplified in the opening keynote by the dynamic Carla Harris, Vice Chairman of Wealth Management, Managing Director and Senior Client Advisor at Morgan Stanley. Having been on Wall Street for nearly 30 years, Harris feels strongly about giving back and helping others along their career path — especially women. Known for delivering “pearls,” or the lessons she’s learned along the way, Harris emphasized “bringing your authentic self to the table,” in your career and in life. “Most people are not comfortable in their own skin,” she said, “and those that are will be the ones that other individuals naturally gravitate to.” The “pearls” were so impactful that they seemed to permeate the sold-out conference, which included more than 3,000 (primarily) women attendees. Upon arriving at a morning business session titled “Leading Change Outside the Lines,” moderator Susie Gharib, an award-winning business news journalist, began by saying how she was inspired by Carla Harris’ address. It was evident that Harris had

hit upon an issue that’s in the zeitgeist. On the topic of “what makes a great leader?” panelist Liz Kelley’s response was “to be inspiring” and that one of the ways to accomplish that was “by being authentic.” The vice president at Hewlett Packard Enterprise added that humility is important in being a great leader. Laura Gentile, Founder of espnW at The Walt Disney Company found her confidence through sports, and said that “the notion of empowering others” is one of the attributes that makes for a great leader. The third guest on the panel, Elizabeth Phalen, senior vice president at EMC Corporation, spoke about how being authentic has increased her ability to be a leader. The official theme of this year’s conference was Women Leading Change. It featured keynote addresses by Anita Hill, University Professor at Brandeis University; Geena Davis, an Academy Award-winning actor; and America Ferrera, actor, producer and activist. Davis, founder and chairwoman of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, discussed her profound interest in how women and girls are depicted on screen. She cited a startling fact: Despite women making up 50 percent of the workforce, only 11 percent of films cast women and girls in speaking parts; and that even though women make up 40

percent of the global workforce, they make up only 25 percent of working roles on film. Over the past 20 years, according to www.seejane.org, her Institute has amassed the largest body of research on gender prevalence in entertainment, and over the past 10 years they’ve been collecting data on the number of female characters in children’s programming. Part of Davis’ work has been to dive deeper into this issue and to make an impact at this level first. “We should be showing girls and boys sharing equally in the sandbox,” she said. Davis has also advocated for women and girls in part by playing roles that resonate with women. In 2005, she starred in the television series “Commander in Chief,” where she played the first woman president of the United States. Data that her Institute collected noted that 68 percent of people were more likely to vote for a female president after viewing one season of the show. During the afternoon keynote, Anita Hill spoke of reimagining equality through the context of what women were facing in the housing crisis. She chose the setting of home because “it’s a place that allows us to grow and develop” and “it’s a place where we hope that our contributions are going to be recognized and rewarded,” said the professor. She also connected reimagining equality with Title IX and how it can be a tool to provide women with an equal chance, not just in sports but also in

PHOTOS: CARLA OSBERG PHOTOGRAPHY

Left: Geena Davis, actress and founder of the Geena Davis Institute on Gender in Media, giving the morning keynote address at 37th Annual Simmons Leadership Conference. Right: Anita Hill, Brandeis University Professor of Social Policy, Law, and Women’s Studies and a faculty member of Brandeis’ Heller School for Social Policy and Management, giving the luncheon keynote address. education and in the workforce. Master of Ceremonies Joyce Kulhawik moderated the closing keynote, “A Conversation with America Ferrera.” Kulhawik began by noting how the day-long conference seemed to be filled with certain recurring themes such as “being authentic,” “being comfortable in your own skin” and the “power of media images.” During the one-hour conversation, Ferrera discussed a range of issues, from what drives her on camera and behind the scenes to her first film role in “Real Women Have Curves,” to her television shows “Ugly Betty” and “Superstore,” as well as the impact of media images on America’s youth. An avid film and television watcher growing up in the San Fernando Valley in California, Ferrera was acutely aware of the

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(L-R): Afternoon keynote speaker America Ferrera star and co-producer of the NBC sitcom “Superstore” and star of ABC’s “Ugly Betty, with Helen Drinan, president of Simmons College.

lack of images of individuals who looked like her on screen. Despite the lack of images, she had a strong role model in her mother who told her that she could be and do anything that she wanted to be. But when she told her mother she wanted to be an actor, her mother’s response was “not that.” However, Ferrera felt this pull “to tell stories to empower people” and that she was “young enough and naïve enough to believe what my mother told me; that I could be anything I wanted to be.” Throughout the conversation, Ferrera was insightful, engaging, and passionate about being part of the solution, especially in the media and political landscape. When asked about playing Betty Suarez in “Ugly Betty,” Ferrera said Betty never doubted her own value and her own worth despite what other people saw externally. She explained, “It still boggles my mind that the biggest insult you could give a woman is that she’s ugly. It’s like ok, and then what? What does that have to do with anything?’” The actor and activist strongly believes that moving forward is about finding common ground. “We have to find a way to build partnerships. It’s not just the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do,” she said. The 2017 Simmons Womens Leadership Conference will celebrate the theme Leading With Purpose with keynote speaker Diana Nyad, the first person in history to swim 111 miles nonstop from Cuba to Florida. For more information, visit www.leader ship.simmons.edu.

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GE

continued from page 1 “These agreements are not expenditures, but net positives that unlock new taxable developments,” Walsh said. “I’d like to put to rest the notion that our pro-active growth strategy comes at any cost to schools, parks, affordable housing or other vital investments in community wellbeing. The very opposite is true: we depend on new development to fund city services at the level they deserve.”

Weighing GE’s offers

The Walsh and Baker administrations assert that bringing GE will stimulate state and local economies. GE is expected to do some local hiring, as well create a reason for complementary and related businesses to come to the area, representing more jobs and more property taxes. Economist Daphne Kenyon said that the cost to the city and state per job generated is high enough to be a red flag. Between tax breaks and state grants the city and state offers $145 million, while directly receiving fewer than 800 GE jobs, as many employees are likely to transfer from Connecticut. The cost: more than $180,000 per position offered. She said that if GE stays less than ten years, the deal is unlikely to balance out. Meanwhile, GE CEO Jeffrey Immelt predicted the ripple effects would produce thousands more jobs, according to statements made when he met business leaders at the Boston College Chief Executives Club last month. “We think by the time it’s all said and done there should be, you know,

let’s say 4,000 jobs around the ecosystem in Boston,” Immelt said. GE also seems to have started trying to woo the city. The company pledged on Monday to give $25 million to BPS over five years, $15 million to community health centers and $10 million for manufacturing-oriented training opportunities for small business owners and students outside of Greater Boston. Rep. Nick Collins, whose district will host GE, told the Banner that GE is “an incredible win for the city and state,” with the company expected to give students access to lab facilities, assist with gearing curriculum towards future jobs, provide summer jobs and invest heavily in the schools. “My understanding is we’re going to see the largest investment, both financial-, human- and partnership-wise out of any organization outside of the school district partnering with the school to take it to the next level,” Collins said, speaking a few days before GE’s announcement. However, Nathan Tran-Trinh, member of the Boston Student Advisory Council, called the contribution to BPS “too little, too late.”

Setting incentives

Did Boston have to offer as much as it did to get GE — and the promised benefits? When announcing GE’s move to Boston, Immelt noted the city’s concentration of higher education institutions, heavy spending on research and development and diverse and technologically-savvy workforce. Tax breaks are rarely cost-effective incentives. According to a report co-authored by Kenyon, property

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Demonstrators in Boston opposed the property tax break offered to GE and criticized the company for federal tax-dodging and unresolved Housatonic River pollution. taxes on average comprise less than 1 percent of the U.S. manufacturing sector’s total costs. As such, tax breaks are a notable cut to government revenue but a minor benefit to businesses. Peter Enrich, professor of law at Northeastern University, said tax breaks are rarely a deciding factor in a business’s

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national location search. Yet, Kenyon and Enrich said, the city and state had to offer GE something to win it — despite the compelling reasons Immelt listed for coming to Boston. According to Enrich, the current business climate is such that if local governments did not provide an incentive package, it would send a message of disinterest. “If [the city and state] didn’t put something on the table, GE would say, ‘Oh, so you’re anti-business. They don’t want us to come. We’ll go somewhere else,’ ” Enrich said. “Now, did they have to be as generous as they were? There’s a big question about that.” In some cases, Keynon said, incentives deals are a game. A company already may have decided where it will move, but is seeing what benefits it can get before declaring. Instead of tax breaks, better incentives include worker training and transportation improvements, which benefit both the public and the company, Enrich and Kenyon said. “Depending on what’s done for infrastructure, like if there was money spent on serving the T that served GE, now that would help a

lot of people,” Kenyon noted.

Distrust

Many demonstrators expressed distrust also in what they regard as a company that prioritizes profit and tax avoidance. “GE is one of the biggest corporate tax cheats in the world. In America, for sure,” said Michael Kane of the Massachusetts Budget for All Coalition. A 2011 New York Times article states that GE for years has leveraged tax loopholes and accounting strategies — including directing profits offshore — and lobbying for tax breaks to protect much of its revenue from U.S. taxation while claiming refunds and credits. In 2010, GE reported generating $14.2 billion in profit worldwide, including $5.1 billion generated in the U.S., but managed to pay no American taxes, according to the article. GE’s current arrangement has allowed it to dodge $37 billion in federal taxes, Kane said. Partners H Some coalition members decried GE for pollution of the APPRO Housatonic River from 1930 to 1970, the cleanup of which is incomplete and the subject of dispute between GE and the Environmental Protection Agency.

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Officials get taste of MCAS, PARCC By JULE PATTISON-GORDON

Last week, Massachusetts state legislators and other officials sat down with number two pencils and spent 45 minutes working through a sampling of the kind of standardized tests high school students must pass to graduate. “It was quite stressful,” said Sen. Linda Dorcena Forry, stepping out of the testing room. Members of Youth Organizers for the Now Generation, an organization that includes Boston Student Advisory Council, Youth On Board and Boston Youth Organizing Project, organized a “Take the Test” event for officials to try PARCC and MCAS questions in a similar exam environment. The high school students hoped the experience would persuade officials that placing high stakes on these test scores is problematic. “If people want to set up a test for us and our future, then they should take them,” said Ian McSorley, age 19, a student at Boston Day and Evening Academy, one of the organizers of the event. Passing the grade 10 MCAS is a current graduation requirement and the state plans ultimately to replace this test with a new MCAS — commonly dubbed “MCAS 2” — that will include elements of PARCC. Students and some officials at the event argued that the tests punish those who have different learning styles or high school curriculums and that the tests may fail to measure skills necessary for future success. Hinging graduation and school performance levels on those test scores creates an unproductively high level of anxiety, they said. McSorley supports a bill sponsored by Rep. Marjorie Decker and currently in committee that would put a three-year moratorium on PARCC and remove the highstakes element of MCAS. Meanwhile, some supporters of high-stakes standardized tests say the tests are critical assessment tools for determining that all students are being taught to common standards and that if graduation was not riding on performance, students would not take the tests seriously. Turning out to try the exams were Rahn Dorsey, Boston chief of education; Sen. Pat Jehlen; Rep. Marjorie Decker; Sen. Dorcena Forry; Sen.

William Brownsberger and an aide from Decker’s office.

Too stressed for success

The point of standardized tests is to hold all schools to providing a sufficient level of education and to ensure that students are not graduating unprepared. But opponents of high-stakes testing say there are other ways to assess performance and uphold graduation standards without putting so much pressure on one exam. Students charged that the stress of so much riding on a single test makes it makes it difficult to perform well, regardless of how well they may have done in school. “When I take a test, I black out,” said Fania Joseph, a sophomore at Boston Community Leadership Academy. McSorley and Decker — who said she found the test similarly stressful — raised concerns that the intimidation factor may be counterproductive, by inspiring some students to give up and repeat a year or drop out. Monty Neill, executive director of the National Center for Fair and Open Testing, or FairTest, said those fears are grounded. “A lot of research nationally shows that having high school exit tests increases drop out rate, feeds the school to prison pipeline, causes expansion in incarceration,” he said. But in Sen. Brownsberger’s view, the magnitude of the tests is critical to their accuracy as assessment tools. “If it wasn’t a graduation requirement, people wouldn’t take it seriously at all,” he said.

Failed predictor?

Opponents of high-stakes testing also argued that the structure and usage of the particular standardized tests employed in Massachusetts do not accurately capture whether a student is prepared for life after high school, and so holding them back for not doing well on it is not productive. “People who studied [high school exit tests] in depth find no evidence it improves either college-going or employment outcome,” said FairTest’s Neill. According to Rep. Decker , among students who pass the MCAS and graduate, one-third go to community college and are placed in remedial courses.

Among the issues: Top scorers may be the most skilled at test-taking, but not necessarily know the material best. Decker and Dorcena Forry said that the test seemed to make unnecessary use of confusing phrasing and jargon — meaning they were being assessed on their ability to parse the idiosyncratic questioning style, not solely their subject matter knowledge. “It seems like it’s using language to trick you,” Decker said. The test also may be more favorable to a particular style of learner: those who process best through reading. “I’m more of an auditory and tactile learner,” Decker said. She added, “It hasn’t been an obstacle to my [life] success.” Some may interpret this not as a need to do away with highstakes testing, but as a need to improve the test.

Teaching the test, for good or ill

With schools’ rankings dependent in part on test scores, there comes the risk that too much time will be spent focusing on test preparation, letting other important topics slide. Sandra Stotsky is a member of the advisory board for Pioneer Institute’s Center for School Reform and former senior associate commissioner of the Massachusetts Department of Education. She said that, with educators calling for extended learning time, it does not make sense to shorten instruction time by using it for test prep. “I don’t see much value in

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Senators Linda Dorcena Forry and William Brownsberger tried a sample of MCAS and PARCC test questions. spending a lot classroom instructional time in preparing kids to take [Common Core-based] tests, because kids in Boston, like anywhere else, need more instruction time,” Stotksy said. She believes little test preparation is needed with the current MCAS, but that the MCAS 2 requires a burdensome amount because it is computer-based. In a Nov. 2015 letter to the Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, Commissioner Mitchell Chester wrote that the solution to losing time to test prep is to create a test where the way to prepare for it is by providing high-quality education. He said that the computer skills required by the forthcoming MCAS 2 mean that students learn technical abilities they will need after high school. “The computer-based setting mirrors the digital world that is

ubiquitous in students’ current and future lives,” Chester wrote.

Curriculum mismatch

Joseph and McSorely said that in some schools, the standardized tests and curriculum do not match up well. McSorley said local teachers should not be obliged to change their classes to follow what distant test-companies decided that students need to know. “Someone who doesn’t even set foot in your classroom decides what you should be learning,” he said. “Our teachers should be the ones who decide if we pass with a final, not a test that may not fit our curriculum.” Members of both sides of the issue have said that teachers must not limit themselves to what is on the test, as no exam can capture all skills needed for life.

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What you need to know about the Affordable Care Act and taxes

While the Affordable Care Act (ACA) is no longer new, each year brings changes to the health care law. As you undoubtedly know, the ACA is inextricably linked to taxes so keeping up with annual changes is important. Given that tax season is now well underway, here’s what you need to know when preparing your income tax return this season. ACA PAPERWORK: THINGS TO KNOW BEFORE YOU FILE Beginning each January, a variety of tax documents are sent your way. Some arrive via snail mail and others appear in your email inbox. And while you’ve probably come to know the most common, like 1040, W-2 and maybe even Form 1099, this tax season you may receive forms you haven’t seen before: 1095-B and 1095-C (Not to be confused with Form 1095A, which was required last year). “These new forms are creating a bit of confusion for taxpayers this year. Folks simply aren’t clear about what they’re supposed to do with Forms 1095 when they receive them,” says Andrew Townsend, a tax analyst for TaxAct, a leading provider of affordable digital and download tax preparation solutions. “The important thing to know is that, in most cases, you do not need to wait until you receive these forms to file your tax return. Simply check a box on your return to indicate you had minimum essential coverage throughout the year. “You don’t even have to worry about attaching 1095 forms to your return — the IRS receives a separate copy. Just put your form(s) in a safe place in case you need to verify any information later.” A LITTLE BACKGROUND In 2014, the IRS released Forms 1095-B and 1095-C as optional paperwork for employers and insurance providers. For tax year 2015, it became a requirement for every business and insurance provider to administer the forms to the IRS and the corresponding individual or employee as proof of provided coverage. Here’s what you need to know about the three versions of Form 1095: n Form 1095-A: If you purchased health insurance through the Health Insurance Marketplace in 2015, you can expect to receive Form 1095-A. When preparing your 2015 federal return, you will need to use this information to complete your income tax filing, claim premium tax credits and adjust any tax credit payments. n Form 1095-B: Your insurance company will send you this form if you received minimum essential health coverage through an employer, the government or a government-run plan such as Medicaid, Medicare, CHIP, TRICARE, VA benefits, etc. n Form 1095-C: This form will come directly from your employer if it offered coverage to you through a company-sponsored health care plan. No matter which 1095 form you get, the purpose is the same: to provide an accurate picture of the health insurance coverage you had access to throughout the past year. However, the information provided on Form 1095-B and 1095-C varies slightly. See BIZ BITS, page 11

Venture Café probes challenges to women in tech field By MARTIN DESMARAIS

For the past two weeks, Venture Café has helped Boston tackle the tough challenge of creating the conditions to foster the growth of woman entrepreneurs, with the ultimate conclusion to start young and promote interest in business, technology and science, as well as a push the local innovation community to be more inclusive. It is a strong rallying cry, especially in a tech industry that often features convenings where any women present are likely to be the only ones amidst a sea of mostly male faces. But this certainly wasn’t the case the past two Thursdays at the Roxbury Innovation Center and the Cambridge Innovation Center during Venture Café’s “A Night with Female Founders.” The events featured women entrepreneurs who are on the front line of advancing equal opportunity for the next generation of women in business, talking about their success, opening the door for mentorship and critically examining the future. Both nights were centered around the “Empowering the Next Generation of Innovators,” panel with organizers bringing in an audience of female high school students from Roxbury and Cambridge.

PHOTOS: MARTIN DESMARAIS

Danielle Olson (left), founder of Gique, speaks during the “Empowering the Next Generation of Innovators” panel on March 31 at the Cambridge Innovation Center, while fellow panelist Maya Nitzberg, development and communications coordinator for the Possible Project, looks on. The panel was part of Venture Café’s “A Night with Female Founders.”

I realized what a creative field engineering was and I fell in love with it. In STEM I was so creative. If anything I was gaining more skills and more tools in order to express myself and try to change the world and rebuild it to make it better.” — Danielle Olson, founder, Gique

Dispelling stereotypes

The panel featured moderator Vicky Wu Davis, executive director of Youth Cities; Aarathi Balijepalli, Advancing Women in the Enterprise of Science & Technology organizer and science grant writer at Northeastern University; Allison Cox, director of Upward Bound Math Science program; Danielle Olson, founder of Gique; and Maya Nitzberg, development and communications coordinator for the Possible Project. All the women have a background in science or technology or the startup world and now all work for organizations pushing Science, Technology Engineering and Math (STEM) education in communities of color and to female students. At the second of the two events, in Cambridge on March 31, Wu Davis, a veteran gaming industry engineer and startup founder, emphasized that a key to developing future women entrepreneurs is teaching the intersection between science, technology and business. “Usually when you think of STEM you might think of tech geeks in a dark basement or maybe with test tubes or something else, if you don’t think of the tech geeks, and entrepreneurs are often thought of as money-hungry, old rich guys. But, no, that couldn’t be farther from the truth,” Wu Davis said. “STEM and innovation entrepreneurship, they go hand-and-hand.”

Usually when you think of STEM, you might think of tech geeks in a dark basement or maybe with test tubes or something else, if you don’t think of the tech geeks, and entrepreneurs are often thought of as moneyhungry, old rich guys. But, no, that couldn’t be farther from the truth. STEM and innovation entrepreneurship, they go hand-and-hand.” — Vicky Wu Davis, executive director, Youth Cities

If that is something we can change in middle school and high school then that will be useful because you will be able to recruit more girls later on in their careers.” — Aarathi Balijepalli, organizer, Advancing Women in the Enterprise of Science & Technology, in reference to eliminating the stereotypes that keep young girls from getting involved in the science and technology fields

For Wu Davis, it is a big mistake to think otherwise. “Both are creators, both make impact and both skills are very valuable to be able to impact the future, be a next-generation leader and create things,” she added. MIT engineering graduate Olson, whose Gique promotes

STEM education among programs at the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester among other activities, said she was slow to warm to science and technology because she thought it wasn’t creative enough. But she learned better and makes it her mission now to emphasize the creativity of

science and technology, which she believes opens the door to more females entering the fields. “I realized what a creative field engineering was and I fell in love with it,” Olson said. “In STEM I was so creative. If anything, I was

See STEM, page 11


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STEM

continued from page 10 gaining more skills and more tools in order to express myself and try to change the world and rebuild it to make it better.” She also placed a high value on diversity in the creative and entrepreneurial processes as well, because it broadens the way companies can think about solving problems. Ultimately for Olson, engineering and science help businesses develop products that solve these problems, and the more different kinds of minds at work in figuring out how to do so, the more chance of coming up with something that actually works.

Promoting STEM

Northeastern’s Balijepalli, who grew up in India and has a doctoral degree in neuroscience, said she believes it is very important to eliminate the stereotypes that keep young girls from getting involved in the science and technology fields. This includes attitudes such as math is only for boys or that if girls do science at all, it is only biology. “If that is something we can change in middle school and high school then that will be useful because you will be able to recruit more girls later on in their careers,” Balijepalli said. While Upward Bound’s Cox agreed with the importance of promoting STEM to female students

she cautioned against trying to sell the fields as easy options. She has undergraduate and graduate degrees in engineering and said it has been a long hard road, though rewarding. “If you want to be an engineer, if you want to start a business you have to be prepared to take on those hard challenges and not quit,” said Cox. “There are going to be a million opportunities to quit, and not quitting is what is going to get you there. The habits of not quitting [for young students] and doing hard things and overcoming those things and sticking with it is what prepares students to do it.” All the panelists recognized the value of mentors or women that younger girls can look up to so that they know it is possible to enter science and technology fields and not be the only women in the room. “Role models, a particular quote that somebody said, or an activity can often be the catalyst for lifelong inspiration and change,” Wu Davis said.

Biz Bits

continued from page 10 Form 1095-B includes details specific to your selected health insurance plan, such as the name of your health insurance provider, whom the plan covered and the period during which your family had health insurance. Form 1095-C lists the coverage options you were offered through a company-sponsored health care plan. Even if you chose not to participate in your company-sponsored plan, you will still receive Form 1095-C as proof of the options made available to you. Keep an eye out for these forms, which should be sent to you on or before March 31. STEEPER PENALTIES FOR THE UNINSURED The ACA says that most Americans living in the United States are required to have qualified health insurance coverage. “The good news is many people already meet minimum essential coverage requirements,” Townsend says. “However, those who didn’t have health insurance for more than two months in 2015 and

did not qualify for an exemption may face a tax penalty for each month they went without coverage.” This penalty, known as an individual shared responsibility payment, is not new this year, but the amount a taxpayer without qualifying insurance may be subject to pay with their 2015 tax return has changed. The penalty, payable with 2015 returns (due April 18), is the greater of: n 2 percent of your yearly household income above the tax-filing threshold (generally about $10,300) up to a maximum cost of the national average premium to purchase a Bronze Plan from the federal healthcare exchange (also called a Marketplace) n $325 per adult ($162.50 per child under 18), but not more than $975 These costs have more than tripled since 2014 when the penalty was $95 per person or 1 percent of household income. In 2016 they spike even higher. If you do not meet the minimum essential coverage requirements throughout 2016, you may pay the greater of 2.5 percent of your household income or $695 per adult and $347.50 per child under 18 (up to $2,085 for a family).

According to a global study by International Consortium for Executive Development Research, the top four reasons people in their 30s leave companies are: 1. “ I have found a job that pays more elsewhere.” 2. “There are not enough opportunities for learning and development for me here.” 3. “ There is not a fair balance between how hard I work and the compensation I receive.” 4. “ The work here is not as interesting and meaningful as I would like.” — More Content Now

NUMBER TO KNOW

$200

million: A white paper released by Airbnb estimates that the fifty largest cities in the U.S. would have collected a total of $200 million in hotel, tourist and occupancy taxes in 2015, if they had partnering with Airbnb to create clear tax rules for home sharing. — More Content Now

Bridge Boston Charter School – Construction Project

People’s Law School: Community Legal Education Workshops presented by the Legal Services Center of Harvard Law School th

WHEN: Saturday, April 16 2016, 1pm to 5pm WHERE: 122 Boylston Street, Jamaica Plain WHAT: Legal education workshops designed to educate and empower community members around every-day legal issues, including Disability Law, Housing Law, Family Law, Consumer Law, Veterans Law, Employment Law, and Tax Law. Free Event - Registration Not Required. For more information, call 617-522-3003, email peopleslawschool@law.harvard.edu or visit legalservicescenter.org

THE LIST

Attention: Minority and Women Business Enterprises and Local Workforce Event: OPEN HOUSE to Review the Construction Project Details Location: 435 Warren St, Roxbury, MA 02119 Date/Time: 4/13 - 6pm, Level 1 Common Area (Enter from Hazelwood Entrance)

BANNER BUSINESS DIRECTORY GET YOUR BUSINESS IN OUR LISTINGS: EMAIL ADS@BANNERPUB.COM • $250 FOR A 30-WORD LISTING IN PRINT FOR SIX MONTHS

ACCOUNTANT ACCOUNTING SERVICES Focusing on small businesses. I can assist you with the following services: Daily, weekly, or monthly bookkeeping. Accounts receivable and accounts payable, financial statements. Call Irving Randolph (978) 454-4397

AUTOMOTIVE HICKS AUTO BODY, INC 10 Talbot Ave, Dorchester, MA 02124 Repair, refinish damaged vehicles. Complete interior and exterior recondition/detail. 24 Hour Towing. (617) 825-1545; fax (617) 825-8495; www.hicksautobodyinc.com

CATERING HALEY HOUSE BAKERY CAFÉ Breakfast Specials, Signature Muffins and Scones, À la Carte Breakfast, Lunch Package Deals, Wrap and Sandwich Platters, Steamin’ Hot Entrees, Soup and Salads, Pizza, Side Dishes, Appetizers, Desserts, Beverages and more. To place an order call catering line Monday through Friday 8 am–4 pm at (617) 939-6837

CONSTRUCTION KERRY CONSTRUCTION, INC 22 Sylvester Rd, Dorchester. Interior & Exterior Painting; Replacement Windows & Doors; Carpentry; Roofing; Gutters; Masonry; Kitchens; Bathrooms; Vinyl Siding. Free Estimates. Licensed & Insured. Call James O’Sullivan (617) 825-0592

Want your ad included? EMAIL ADS@BANNERPUB.COM

FINANCIAL PLANNING & INVESTMENTS LURIE DAVIS WEALTH MANAGEMENT Lurie Davis, Registered Investment Adviser Investments, Financial Planning, Mutual Funds, Debt Management, Roth IRA, 529 College Savings Plans and Life Insurance. (781) 595-0396; ldwm@comcast.net; 40 Baltimore Street, Lynn MA 01902

DAILY GENERAL COUNSEL, PLLC Finally, small businesses can get help from a smart and experienced business lawyer at an affordable price, on a One Day and Done™ basis. n Business Formations n Contracts n Customer/Vendor Disputes n Employee Issues n Employment Manuals www.DailyGeneralCounsel.com; Email: info@dailygc.com; Phone & Fax (800) 296-7681

FIRE EXTINGUISHERS OPHTHALMOLOGISTS FIRECODE DESIGN LLC.

195 Dudley Street Roxbury, MA 02119 617-442-CODE(2633) Roxbury’s #1 Fire Extinguisher & Fire Sprinkler Company Inspections, Maintenance, Sales, Installation FREE Workplace Fire Extinguisher Training (some restrictions apply)

HYPNOSIS

MUTARE HYPNOSIS LLC Live a Fuller Life Professional Hypnotists for weight loss, tobacco, stress, fears, chronic pain and illness, dental concerns, self-esteem, salesmanship, sports, leadership, test jitters. Downtown Boston or by Skype. (617) 266-3057; www.MutareHypnosis.com.

LAWYERS LAW OFFICE OF VESPER GIBBS BARNES & ASSOCIATES 10 Malcolm X Blvd, Boston, MA 02119; (617) 989-8800; Fax: (617) 989-8846. Attorneys Vesper Gibbs Barnes and Felicia E. Higginbottom, practicing in the areas of Real Estate (Buyer/Seller), Landlord/Tenant, Probate, Family Law (Divorce/Child Custody and Support), and Personal Injury. Open M-F, 9 am-5 pm.

URBAN EYE MD ASSOCIATES. P.C.

183 Massachusetts Ave, Boston, MA 02115 720 Harrison Ave, Boston, MA 02118 (617) 262-6300; (617) 638-8119; www.urbaneyemd.com. Benjamin Andrè Quamina, M.D.; Lawrence I. Rand, M.D.; Clifford Michaelson, M.D.; Chukwuemeka Nwanze, M.D.; Purvi Patel, O.D. Treating: Glaucoma, Cataracts, Diabetes, Ocular Plastic/Cosmetic Surgery and other vision threatening conditions and diseases. Offering: Routine Eye and Contact Lens Exams

REALTOR BERNICE OSBORNE, SRES, REALTOR PROFESSIONAL REAL ESTATE SERVICES Residential, Commercial, Land, Estate sales and short sales, 14+ years of experience. Serving Greater Boston and surrounding areas. SRES® Seniors Real Estate Specialist specializes in working with seniors (persons 50+) and their caregivers. Coldwell Banker Residential Brokerage, Direct: (617) 804-5789 Office: (617) 696-4430 Email: Bernice.Osborne@nemoves.com, Web: www.nemoves.com/Bernice.Osborne

REMOVAL SERVICES FREE TREE WOOD REMOVAL Good hardwood only. Call Akee Roofing (781) 483-8291

ROOFING AKEE ROOF REPAIRS Roof Leaks repaired, Gutters repaired, cleaned, and replaced, Flatroofs replaced. Free estimates. Call (781) 483-8291

SKILLED NURSING FACILITY SKILLED NURSING & REHAB CENTER Proudly serving the Community since 1927

BENJAMIN HEALTHCARE CENTER 120 Fisher Ave, Boston, MA 02120. www.benjaminhealthcare.com; Tel: (617) 738-1500; Fax: (617) 738-6560. Short-term, Long-term, Respite, Hospice & Rehabilitation. Tony Francis, President & CEO, Notary Public

SNOW REMOVAL KERRY CONSTRUCTION INC Snowplowing / sanding / salting driveway’s and parking lots bobcat and loader services roof shoveling, fully insured (617) 825-0592

$250 FOR A 30-WORD LISTING IN PRINT FOR SIX MONTHS


12 • Thursday, April 7, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER

Office of the State Treasurer and Receiver General Unclaimed Property Division

She’s a finder and a keeper. Are you?

The State Treasurer’s Office oversees over $2 billion in unclaimed money. Some of it may be yours. my name on the list was a “ Seeing huge surprise. It was so exciting to find out that I had money waiting for me from a bill I’d overpaid eight years ago! I called the office, and the staff helped me file a claim in under ten minutes. Now, I’m reunited with my cash and plan to treat my husband to a fun night out!

— Dana N, Brookline Actual Recipient


Thursday, April 7, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER • 13

ARTS& ENTERTAINMENT CHECK OUT MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS ONLINE: BAYSTATEBANNER.COM/NEWS/ENTERTAINMENT

‘SOUTHERN GOTHIC’ Author and art historian Bridgette Alexander on her latest novel By KAM WILLIAMS

B

orn in Chicago, Illinois, on September 21, 1965, Bridgette R. Alexander is a writer and storyteller. Her books are: “Celine Caldwell Mysteries”; “Marked — The Worlds of Tyler Cain”; and “Princessed — Is Pink Really The Color For Me?” Alexander was an avid reader from a very young age. She loved her dolls, including Farah Fawcett-Majors, Cher, Charlie’s Angels, Donny & Marie, and Barbies. She was a prolific writer back then, too, and created many adventures. Throughout her childhood, she watched television, including police and spy shows, entertainment and variety shows, and the occasional movie. When she wasn’t watching TV, she was reading, writing or carrying on conversation. She was a Buck Rogers fan, and in 1975, she wrote her first story about aliens that came to earth, creating spaceships that allowed her to travel to their homes. Alexander is also a 19thCentury French Art Historian specializing in the racial and sexuality construction during the development of modern Parisian culture. She is also an independent curator and an art advisor. Over 20 years her attention was devoted to the art worlds of New York City, Paris and Berlin. She used that experience to create a second career as the author of a young adult book series, the Celine Caldwell Mysteries. Here, she talks about her latest novel, “Southern Gothic.”

What whetted your interest in writing, what whetted your interest in art history, and how did you come to combine the two? Bridgette Alexander: When I started studying art history, I hoped to become an historian

PHOTO: COURTESY OF BRIDGETTE ALEXANDER

Bridgette Alexander of ancient Egyptian art and an archaeologist. I’d spent most of my weekends as a teen at the Oriental Institute in the Education Department and in the archives reading and studying in an unofficial capacity with the Director of Education at that time. I would go to the Field Museum and study there as well. Much, much later, long after college, I returned to the Field Museum and taught Egyptian Hieroglyphics to groups of children as an overnight workshop. I’d teach them the Ancient Alphabet and then instruct them on creating their own cartouche with their names. And then we’d spend the night near, or sometimes for the daring ones,

in, an exhibit area of the tombs. But, back to the point. It was much later when I changed my major to Modern Art. I was living in NYC and started studying at Columbia University. I learned I couldn’t actually major in ancient Egyptian art history in that department. I was taking a number of modern art courses, one particular course with Rosalind Krauss, and in her slide presentation of modern masterpieces she introduced the class to Edouard Manet’s Olympia, a painting of a reclining nude white woman and standing right next her a clothed black woman. After that course, I took about six more classes in modern art ranging from

feminism to theoretical constructs in modernity and, each time, Manet’s painting kept coming back to me. It happened so often, I knew it was telling me something … something more than the mere analysis the professors were so brilliantly laying out. For one thing, I couldn’t understand why so much had been written and discussed about Olympia, Edouard Manet’s seminal work, a painting so important it is what led him to be known as the father of modern art. Thousands of gallons of ink have been spilled about that painting and yet not one, real, honest mention of the black woman standing in it. Years later, at the University of Chicago, I centered much of my graduate study around not only Manet and that painting, but around the life and world of the standing black woman, whose name was Laure, and around the thousands of African, Jewish and Arab female artists’ models in Paris during the Second Empire, which made up 60 percent of female artists’ models in Paris. I still want to write that story.

How did you develop the confidence to pursue your dream of a writing career? BA: I have written and told stories since I received my first diary as a young child. Writing was a refuge for me, and a way to put my thoughts in front of myself. Writing never challenged my confidence, but was something I always needed to do, just as I live to tell stories. Before I was 23 and working at the Chicago Mercantile Exchange as a trader assistant, I already had the vivid sense that my life and work were my own. When my grandparents died and left me alone as a young

See ALEXANDER, page 15

www.baystatebanner.com

FILM REVIEW

Documentary revisits 1948 flood that wiped out Oregon City ‘Wake of Vanport’ a poignant remembrance By KAM WILLIAMS

Vanport, Oregon was established in 1942 on lowlands located between Portland and the Columbia River. At its height, the hastily-constructed public housing project had about 40,000 inhabitants, most of whom were hired by the military to work in shipyards in nearby Portland and Vancouver. After the war ended, it proved to be an attractive destination for African-Americans families who appreciated that the town was integrated and that it offered a higher quality of life than what they’d experienced in places like Arkansas, Oklahoma and Louisiana. A big negative, however, was the series of sluices slicing through the city serving as an ever-present reminder of the precarious nature of its existence. For, there was always the possibility that a dike might give out, a fear that turned into a frightening reality at 4:05 pm on Sunday, May 30, 1948. Heavy snows followed by an unusually warm spring combined to flood the town by nightfall, claiming 15 lives while leaving the rest of its citizens homeless. The Wake of Vanport is a very moving documentary featuring archival photographs of the Memorial Day disaster, as well as the wistful remembrances of a number of survivors. Belva Jean Griffin, who was 21 at the time, recounts how her parents had received unreliable assurances that the dams would hold. Consequently, she lost everything she owned except an album of family photos. Regina Flowers reminisces about how there was no racial strife among the kids in Vanport when she was growing up,

See ‘VANPORT,’ page 15

AT A GLANCE “THE WAKE OF VANPORT” Excellent (4 stars) Unrated Running time: 53 minutes Distributor: The Skanner Foundation

ON THE WEB To watch “The Wake of Vanport,” visit:

www.theskanner.com/entertainment/theatermovies/23648-watch-the-wake-of-vanport


14 • Thursday, April 7, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER

ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT FIND OUT WHAT’S HOT IN THE CITY THIS WEEKEND: BAYSTATEBANNER.COM/NEWS/ENTERTAINMENT — CLICK WHAT’S HOT IN THE CITY

PHOTOS: GLENN PERRY PHOTOGRAPHY

Left, Maurice Emmanuel Parent and Tiffany Nicole Greene in “Bootycandy.” Right, Johnny Lee Davenport, Jackie Davis, Tiffany Nichole Greene, and Maurice Emmanuel Parent.

‘Bootycandy’ bursts onto Boston Stage By CELINA COLBY

Robert O’Hara’s “Bootycandy,” playing at SpeakEasy Stage Company through April 9, strikes a rare harmony between cultural criticism and entertainment. The New England premiere of this groundbreaking production reveals the playwright’s experience growing up black and gay in a series of loosely connected vignettes.

This is not an easy play to watch. It’s intimate, uncomfortable and important. But as O’Hara makes clear, art is not about being comfortable. It’s about putting the audience in a difficult position, forcing them to confront challenging situations. In an interview with SpeakEasy, O’Hara said, “I think one of my mottos that I always say is ‘Everyone is welcome, and no one is safe.’ And it’s because I want

everyone to feel like they’re a part of the story and a part of the journey, but at the same time, you can be indicted by what you’re either laughing at, or by what you don’t get, or by what is offensive to you.” The content oscillates from a sassy, cross-dressing minister preaching tolerance in a pair of glitter platform pumps to a dark rape and suicide that confronts the vengeful feelings of oppressed groups.

The Eloquent One: Celebrating Rufus Reid

The power of O’Hara’s writing comes through in its accessibility. In one scene a teenage boy tells his parents about a man who has been following him home. His parents berate him, insisting he must have enticed the man in some way. They comment on his clothes, his attitude, blaming any straws they can grasp for the strange behavior. This victim-blaming mindset hit home for me as a woman, and unfortunately is a theme many minority audience members can relate to. Johnny Lee Davenport, Jackie Davis, Tiffany Nichole Greene, John Kuntz and Maurice Emmanuel Parent comprise the cast, playing multiple roles throughout the show. The cast handle rapidly changing roles and plotlines remarkably well. Davenport morphs effortlessly from a conservative father to a technologically challenged grandmother, adding

humor to difficult topics without losing the scene’s believability. In one scene a collection of black writers has been assembled for a panel at a conference. The white mediator probes into their work, asking what it’s like to be African American and how their experience as a person of color has impacted their work. The panelists insist that their art isn’t defined by their skin color but the mediator, like so many lurking online commenters, can’t get past his own tangled web of political correctness and intellectual biases. Bootycandy is about personal experiences, but it’s not a niche play. The themes of fragility, violence, judgment, and community resonate with all walks of life. As the writers in O’Hara’s conference scene protest, this isn’t a story about being black; it’s a story about being human.

Rufus Reid Harvard University Jazz Master in Residence In concert with Harvard Jazz Bands Yosvany Terry and Mark Olson, conductors Saturday, April 9, 2016, 8 pm Sanders Theatre, 45 Quincy Street, Cambridge Free Parking (Broadway Garage) Tickets: $15 general admission; $8 students and senior citizens Harvard Box Office, 617.496.2222 www.boxoffice.harvard.edu PHOTO: GLENN PERRY PHOTOGRAPHY

Johnny Lee Davenport as Reverend Benson. HarvardJazz2016_Banner_quarter.indd 1

3/28/16 12:30 PM


Thursday, April 7, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER • 15

ARTS&ENTERTAINMENT CHECK OUT MORE ENTERTAINMENT NEWS ONLINE: BAYSTATEBANNER.COM/NEWS/ENTERTAINMENT

Alexander continued from page 13

adult, I was confident in my own decisions. I don’t mean to say that the path was clear to me. It wasn’t until much later, when I was a scholar of 19th Century French Art History living in Paris that I finally awoke to the art of writing as something I could pursue professionally. And it wasn’t until a few years after that that I realized that my writing had always been storytelling.

How did you come to settle on young adult readers as your target demographic? BA: I don’t think I’ve ever left my own young adult stage of life. It is such an incredibly beautiful, complicated and amazing time for most of us. We’re no longer a child that really needs momma and daddy, but also not quite a full-on grown person. It’s probably, and certainly it was that way for me, a sort of delicious purgatory.

How would you describe your new novel, “Southern Gothic,” in 25 words or less? BA: Lady Macbeth meets the Gossip Girls for a day of art, crime and culture.

What was the source of inspiration for the book? BA: “Southern Gothic” has many sources of inspiration. The book and the series represent a revisiting of my experiences in the art world. The historical material in “Southern Gothic” has a distant source in my husband’s old

Scottish Presbyterian family in North Carolina. Religious groups and cultural sects in North Carolina during the 19th Century, like the Quakers, provided inspiraton, too. And raising my daughter helped me re-think daughters and mothers. The protagonist Celine and her mother Julia are one result of that.

How did you go about writing it? Did you create an outline to follow, or did it come to you as you went along? BA: I don’t create an outline per se, however, I do have to create what I call “beats.” Writing to beats was not my creation, but a method I picked up from another writer, and I love it. I go through each action in the story and just write out the entire plot, subplot, character arc, everything … It all just gets laid out so splendidly. Even before I do that, the story starts to unfold in my mind as I create scenarios for Celine Caldwell to inhabit. Of course, the story sometimes changes when characters or plots refuse to go along with my plan. Eventually, I give up and let them live their own lives.

Your heroine, Celine Caldwell, is biracial and the plot involves a lynching by the Ku Klux Klan. Did you consciously decide to have a non-white protagonist and to explore sensitive subject-matter? BA: Yes, I did. I wanted her to be absolutely different from me. I thought about her as I rocked my own bi-racial daughter to sleep for afternoon naps. I thought about what her life could

look like — a life of privilege, a life traveling the world at such a young age; a life navigating through social circles that I didn’t and couldn’t enter and, to a certain extent, didn’t want to engage with … I created a girl that could go in and out of that world of privilege and own it and see a lot of its ugliness. On the other hand, Celine’s contact with the KKK is through reading old diary entries from a girl her own age who lived in the 19th-Century American South. I wanted Celine to see her life juxtaposed with that of someone living in dramatically different social conditions. I myself wanted to somehow experience a life that extreme right along with Celine. And throughout the book series, I attempt to continue that process. In the second book, “Sons Of Liberty,” scheduled for release in the spring 2017, we’ll find Celine tackling a right-wing political organization as its tentacles reach into her private school while locking itself in a wing of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, creating total disruption in the name of “returning our country to its greatness.” In book three, “Pasha,” a former arms dealer-turned-art patron is being honored by the establishment of the art world but, unfortunately, Celine Caldwell intercepts a Fatwa that has been issued against the newly-reformed art benefactor. Each of the twelve books in the series examines social and political issues,

without being preachy or didactic. And the art, oh my God, I am so excited and thrilled about the art that’s featured in the series. The art takes the reader through centuries of visual culture from American portraiture, French Heroism and French Orientalism to Modern and Contemporary Islamic Art. The series is a beautiful journey through art history that is both sexy and informative. I think that’s why my retail partners, Henri Bendel and Clarins, are excited — developing and reaching new readers in the way Celine Caldwell does is very appealing to them! So, through this year, Henri Bendel and Clarins has partnered with Celine Caldwell Mystery Series to present fun and exciting book launch events at their stores across the nation. We’ve held a couple at the Chicago flagship for a packed house. People are falling in love with Celine Caldwell! If I may add, for more information on events and locations, please visit http://celinecaldwell.com. There, you’ll also find our secret razzmatazz button for giveaways.We also have original music created for each book in the series. The music was created by Francisco Dean, a music teacher at the University of Chicago Laboratory School. You can hear the music by watching the “Southern Gothic” book trailer at celinecaldwell.com. We’re also looking to option the series for television.

‘Vanport’

continued from page 13 although there was some among the adults. Paula Hartman recalls that only whites received advance notice about the impending deluge, in a handbill that read: “ Remember: Dikes are safe at present. You will be warned, if necessary. You will have time to leave. Don’t get excited.” Lily Raxter recollects watching a black lady with a couple of huge suitcases being swept away by the all-consuming current. And Marge White talks about immediately falling in love with Vanport upon arriving from Tallulah, Louisiana in the fall of ‘44. Together, this collection of heartfelt remembrances paints a poignant portrait of a short-lived, idyllic oasis.

Looking for an affordable college? frugaldad.com can help. frugaldad.com/cheap-colleges

Monday, April 11, 6-8pm Bruce Bolling Municipal Building 2300 Washington Street Roxbury, MA

SUDOKU ANSWERS FROM PG 18

Please join us for the first in a series of conversations about the possibility of designating Dudley Square and John Eliot Square as a Massachusetts State Cultural District. Should Roxbury be the site of Boston’s third cultural district? What might a cultural district in the Dudley Square and Eliot Square sections of Roxbury look like? What are our cultural assets? How could we use this state designation to collectively publicize and market the rich cultural assets and programming of this area? Light refreshments will be served.

LOOK FOR MORE STORIES AND UPDATES ON OUR WEBSITE

This meeting is supported with funding from The Catalyst Fund and in partnership with Haley House, Madison Park Development Corporation, The American City Coalition and a growing group of organizations. Let us know you are coming. Call 617.427.0046 or email DECDinfo@gmail.com

BAYSTATEBANNER.COM PHOTO: AKOSA MADUEGBUNAM


16 • Thursday, April 7, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER

FOOD

www.baystatebanner.com

CHECK OUT NUTRITION AND HEALTH NEWS ONLINE: BAYSTATEBANNER.COM/NEWS/HEALTH

Shortcut Soup Dried potatoes decrease cooking time for Scalloped Potato-Kale Soup

TIP OF THE WEEK

Reboot breakfast with oats If you think of oatmeal as part of your average, boring breakfast, it’s time to think again. There are many ways to enjoy them: Baked oatmeal: Add in your favorite fruit combination and you’ll feel like you’re biting into a delicious oatmeal cookie every morning. Oatmeal breakfast smoothie: Smoothies are the perfect breakfast solution for a busy morning. Add McCann’s Steel Cut Irish Oatmeal before you blend to provide a delicious, nutty taste. Oat flour muffins or pancakes: Did you know you can make oat flour at home? Simply grind up oats in a blender or food processor. Use it in place of regular flour for your baked goods and breakfast favorites. Easy overnight oats: Put your oatmeal together the night before. Let the oats soak in a mixture of almond milk, Greek yogurt and fruit. The next morning, the flavors will have combined to create a creamy breakfast, no cooking required. Oatmeal banana bread: adding oats to the recipe keeps your banana bread from getting mushy. — Brandpoint

EASY RECIPE

Fruit and Oatmeal Brulee

RELISH MAGAZINE

BY THE EDITORS OF RELISH MAGAZINE

P

otatoes have lots going for them — versatility, flavor and a surprising amount of nutrition — but short prep time isn’t on the list. Using a box of scalloped potatoes mix, here’s a way to make quick work of a weeknight soup that would take about an hour if you started with whole spuds. The dried potatoes in the mix deliver fresh flavor and keep their shape when cooked, making for a filling bowl of

warmth on chilly evenings. This soup is perfect for a weeknight St. Patrick’s Day celebration, too. Variations: n Add 1 cup shredded cooked ham to the soup when you add the kale. n Don’t like kale? Use baby spinach instead, adding it to the pot just 3 or 4 minutes before serving. n Add crumbled, crispy bacon and a sprinkling of cheese.

UPCOMING EVENTS AT HALEY HOUSE BAKERY CAFÉ THU 4/7: Jazz By Any Means Necessary celebrates Jazz Appreciation Month, 7 pm FRI 4/8: The House Slam Last Chance Slam, 6:30 pm THU 4/14: Lifted Boston from Outside the Box Agency, 7 pm THU 4/21: Art Is Life Itself! with Nina LaNegra, 7 pm FRI 4/22: The House Slam Team Finals, 6:30 pm

Come By The Bolling Building to check out our new enterprise, Dudley Dough Haley House Bakery Cafe - 12 Dade Street - Roxbury 617 445 0900 - www.haleyhouse.org/bakery-cafe

Scalloped Potato-Kale Soup Serves 4 n 1 medium onion, thinly sliced and cut into half moons n 1 tablespoon olive oil n 1 (4.7-ounce) box scalloped potatoes n 6 cups reduced-sodium chicken broth n 2 teaspoon dried marjoram, crumbled n Freshly ground black pepper n ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional) n 4 cups chopped fresh kale, rinsed, tough stems removed (about ½ bunch) Heat olive oil in a 3-quart saucepan

over low heat. Add onions and cook until translucent but not browned, about 5 minutes. Stir in potatoes and seasoning packet, chicken broth, marjoram, black pepper and crushed red pepper, if using. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer, stirring occasionally, until potatoes are hydrated and softened, 20 to 25 minutes. Add kale and cook just until wilted, 5 to 7 minutes. Serve immediately. Makes about 6 cups. — Recipe by Richard Swearinger

n 1 cup packed dark brown sugar n ¼ cup hot water n 8 cups, hot, non-instant, cooked oatmeal n 3 cups of one type of sliced fruit n Sprinkle of nutmeg n Sprinkle of cinnamon n 6 ramekins Preheat your oven’s broiler with the rack in the top third of the oven. Place the ramekins on a rimmed baking sheet. Mix the brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon and hot water together to make a thick paste. Divide the oatmeal among the bowls, then arrange the fruit in a fan shape on top. Spread the brown sugar mixture on top of the fruit. Then place the baking sheet under the broiler until all the sugar starts to bubble but not burn, about 4 minutes. — More Content Now

NUMBER TO KNOW

26,0000

An 18-ounce package of old fashioned oats contains about 26,000 rolled oats. — WholegrainsCouncil.org

WORD TO THE WISE Kheer: A traditional Indian sweet dish made of rice boiled in milk and sugar. — More Content Now

THE DISH ON ... “The Quick Six Fix: 100 No-Fuss, Full-Flavor Recipes - Six Ingredients, Six Minutes Prep, Six Minutes Cleanup” by Stuart O’Keeffe The foundation of the book is simplicity: Fewer ingredients afford higher quality. Taking smart shortcuts, like pairing key store-bought items with homemade ingredients, saves money. Quick, easy-to-follow recipes result in great-tasting dishes. — William Morrow Cookbooks


Thursday, April 7, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER • 17

EXPLORE

the possibilities

at UMass Boston this summer

Registration is now open!

Learn more at: summer.umb.edu 700+ courses to help you reach higher and look beyond Accelerate your studies Complete requirements Mornings, afternoons, evenings or online Study abroad, service learning or field study Gain new perspectives and earn 3 - 6 credits Discover the value of UMass Boston Session I begins: 5/31

Session II begins: 7/18


18 • Thursday, April 7, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER

Fox race

continued from page 1 state representative race. Campaign managers Frank Farrow and Marcus Johnson worked on Rufus Faulk’s failed 2014 bid to become the Democratic candidate for the seat and Johnson worked on Faulk’s 2012 campaign for it as well. Tyler’s field director, Jed Hresko, also ran in the 2012 Democratic primary. Gloria Fox took the nomination in both of those years. Along with her three staff members, Tyler counts about 20 volunteers. Tyler was born in Roxbury and said her family has lived in the community for generations. “I am a proud Roxbury native,” she said. “This is all about myself and my community and how I can help navigate the legislative system.” Among Tyler’s competitors is Rep. Gloria Fox’s chief of staff, Mary-dith Tuitt, who moved to Roxbury last year and said she wants to continue Fox’s advocacy. “I want to continue the work,” Tuitt said. “I know Roxbury needs a strong voice. I know the issues. I know the residents.” Tuitt estimated her volunteer count at a similar level to Tyler’s: 15 to 20 people. Her staff includes campaign manager Dan Janey and committee chair Mukiya Baker-Gomez. Janey and Baker-Gomez have extensive campaign experience, most recently working on former City Councilor Charles Yancey’s unsuccessful 2015 bid for re-election. Tuitt’s team also includes a volunteer outreach coordinator, and is meeting with potential field coordinators this week, she said. Tuitt has had two past bids for

elected positions: Twelfth Suffolk district state representative and District 3 Boston city councilor. She said is using lessons from those experiences in her approach now, making sure to select supporters with strong political backgrounds to guide her strategy. “The last one was a learning experience, so now I know what not to do,” Tuitt said. “This [campaign] is geared toward more political outlook toward who’s on my team.” Monica Cannon has no official staff yet, she said, and has approximately 25-30 volunteers so far. Cannon’s campaign experience comes from volunteering on field operations organization for City Councilor Tito Jackson’s successful 2011 campaign and in event planning on Rufus Faulk’s 2014 Seventh Suffolk District state representative campaign. Cannon said she is inspired to run in part so that she can further her community advocacy work from a legislative perspective. Her children are another inspiration. “Raising young black men in this community and watching what my children have had to experience is an inspiration in itself,” Cannon said. “I’ve been doing work in this community for the last 13 years and wanted to be able to help them from a state perspective.” Cannon grew up in Dorchester and has lived in Roxbury for the past 13 years.

Official start

Tyler was the first to officially kick off her campaign, filing her campaign committee with the Office of Campaign and Political Finance on March 16. She announced on April 4 that she was also the first candidate to file the qualifying number of signatures to

FUN&GAMES SUDOKU: SEE ANSWERS ON PAGE 15

O’Bryant School delegation visits Cuba

PHOTO: COURTESY ADAIR JOHNSON

A delegation from Boston’s John D. O’Bryant School of Mathematics and Science during a recent visit to a UNESCO school in Havana, Cuba. Accompanying the Cuban school principal (holding American flag) are O’Bryant representatives (l-r) Irene Fontanez Pillon, guidance counselor; Francine Locker, assistant principal; Carrie Bell Peace, school nurse; and MarieMonique Brun, world language teacher. get on the ballot. Candidates need 150 accepted signatures and Tyler said she turned in more than 500. She did not have an estimate of how much money she had raised so far, but said her goal is $10,000. Cannon filed her committee on Feb. 25. She said she pulled papers on February 6 and has

been steadily turning in signatures since then, reaching about 200. She said she is waiting to hear from the OCPF on how many signatures are confirmed. She has raised about $3,000 and aims to reach $50,000. Tuitt was last to file her committee, taking out papers last Friday,

two days after Fox announced she would not run again. Tuitt did not state her current funding, but said she aims for at least $50,000. According to city records, 2,069 votes were cast in the 2012 democratic primary for the Seventh Suffolk state representative race, and in 2014 the votes cast tally was 2,074.


Thursday, Thursday,April April7,7,2016 2016••BAY BAYSTATE STATEBANNER BANNER••19 19

LEGAL Boston Public Schools receive $25m from GE to build career pipelines for students Boston Public Schools Superintendent Tommy Chang, Mayor Martin J. Walsh and Boston Public Schools Committee Chair Michael O’Neill attended General Electric’s (GE) celebration, which detailed their relocation to Boston and future investments. GE Chairman and CEO Jeff Immelt announced that GE will invest $25 million in Boston Public Schools. “This investment into the future of the City of Boston is going prepare our children to be the leaders and innovators of the world,” Walsh said. “We’re thrilled that GE has committed itself to being a strong partner of Boston Public Schools. We look forward to seeing the many positive results of this work.” GE Foundation will commit $25 million to Boston Public Schools to help students explore college and career possibilities and understand the skills necessary for future jobs. GE will reach 100 percent of Boston Public Schools high school students each year through career labs, computer science courses, and will provide educators the tools they need to prepare students for the workforce of tomorrow. BPS said in a statement, “Across the country, less than 50 percent of U.S. high school graduates are prepared for college-level math, and we want our students to be ready--and every bit helps. GE will be working to empower all BPS high school

Senate

continued from page 1 Additionally, the legislation would create a unified enrollment system, allowing parents to sign up for district and charter schools in the same process, while allowing parents who do not want their children to attend charter schools to opt out. State Sen. Sonia Chang Diaz told reporters she represents parents with children in both charter and district schools and sought to craft legislation that would benefit both. “I’m very pleased to say that this legislation meets that standard,” she said. While senators spent months ironing out the details of the compromise bill, charter supporters and opponents rejected the legislation within hours of the senators’

LEGAL

BANNER CLASSIFIEDS NEWSBRIEFS

LEGAL FOR MORE LOCAL NEWS: HTTP://BAYSTATEBANNER.COM/NEWS/NEWS/LOCAL

students to become globally productive citizens and will assist in creating Boston Public School system as a Model of Excellence at the crossroads of education and STEM careers, by providing opportunities for BPS students to further their critical thinking and problem-solving skills.” They will provide: Computer Science for All The GE Foundation will focus on working with Boston Public School district to create a systemic and sustainable plan and to ensure that Computer Science is part of a student’s schedule across all high schools. GE Brilliant Career Labs - The GE Foundation will also create “GE Brilliant Career Labs” with both physical and virtual locations to allow students a unique hands-on experience with advanced technology and software to assist them with career planning and internships. “I look forward to partnering with the GE Foundation to further support our students and strengthen our schools,” Chang said. “I am grateful that this investment aligns with our belief that our students are Boston’s future leaders, workers, and innovators.” This contribution will provide students the opportunity to explore college and career possibilities, and to understand the skills necessary for future employment. “We are looking forward to assisting Boston Public Schools in making great strides for its high school students. I had the pleasure of working with a group of students from Boston high schools here earlier this month,”

said Kelli Wells, executive director of Education and Skills at the GE Foundation. “Their visions of innovation and what the future can bring for them were inspiring. They created a video of our two-day innovation experience. A short version of it is available on Boston Public Schools website. The students are ready to get down to the business of college and career planning and delving into STEM courses. It is an honor for the GE Foundation to help.” Additionally, GE will assist STEM high school teachers, guidance counselors, and administrators, to better prepare students for college and their future careers. “In a city with a rich history of civic and corporate involvement in the public school system, our nation’s first, we are delighted to welcome the time, talent and generosity of GE and its foundation,” said Boston School Committee Chairman Michael O’Neill. “We appreciate their deep interest in partnering with the Boston Public Schools’ leadership to understand our current challenges and create expanded opportunities to help our students succeed in the growing innovation economy of this city that we all love.” GE announced in January it selected Boston for its corporate headquarters. The new site, located in Boston’s Seaport District, will be home to 800 GE employees; 200 from corporate leadership and 600 digital industrial product managers, designers and developers split between GE Digital, Current, robotics and Life Sciences.

Thursday press conference. “This is not a reform bill,” said Marc Kenen, executive director of the Massachusetts Charter School Association, in a statement sent to the media. “It is designed to freeze the growth of public charter schools across the state, and it imposes onerous new regulations that will shackle the operation of existing charter schools.” Charter school opponents were no more supportive of the senators’ legislation. “The Senate legislation attempts to fix some of the significant flaws in our charter school system, and in doing so it exposes the serious problems charter schools present,” read a statement from Save Our Public Schools, a campaign funded by the state’s largest teacher unions that is aimed at defeating the pro-charter ballot measure. “The bill would perpetuate the very serious problem inherent

in lifting the cap yet again: the expansion of a separate and unequal system. Commonwealth charter schools are causing grave harm to the real public schools in Massachusetts, taking hundreds of millions of dollars from our students and communities and putting these vital funds under the control of private entities. Given this reality the state should not move to expand their reach.” Among the regulations Kenen referred to are the following measures: n Requirements for charters to provide greater transparency and make public information on their finances, board meeting minutes and to disclose information on their contracts. n A measure requiring charters to fill vacant seats when students leave mid-year. n A requirement that charter school teachers undergo

Diversity in the Music Industry

PHOTO: EMILY YANG

Michael Bivins (left), Tatia Adams Fox (right) and Bryshere Gray (front), with Berklee student organizers of the Diversity in the Music Industry 2016 event. Diversity in the Music Industry 2016 is a day-long event where multicultural professionals share their experiences in an industry that lacks diversity.

Mayor kicks-off free salary negotiation workshop blitz in honor of Equal Pay Day On Monday Mayor Martin Walsh’s Office of Women’s Advancement and the American Association of University Women kicked off a blitz of free salary negotiation workshops to train over 350 women in honor of Equal Pay Day on April 12. The goal of the workshop blitz is to reach the target of 1,000 women trained since the launch of the workshops last fall. The workshops will take place in a variety of locations across Boston.

“It’s time to stop talking about the wage gap and time to start doing something about it,” Walsh said. “I am proud of the work we have done since we launched the workshops last fall, and to honor Equal Pay Day we will provide hundreds more women with the tools they need to close the wage gap.” In September of 2015, Mayor Walsh kicked off a 5-year partnership with AAUW to train 85,000 women. By June of 2016 the goal was to train 1,000 women. This workshop blitz in honor of Equal Pay Day will attain that goal early. Those interested in attending a workshop can sign up at www. aauw.org/work-smart-boston.

certification. n A requirement that charter school teachers who opt to form collective bargaining units be afforded wages and benefits commensurate with those available to teachers in the districts in which the charters operate. Additionally, schools that suspend high numbers of students or maintain higher-than-average attrition rates would have their charters revoked. The measures appear designed to bring a higher degree of accountability to the state’s charter schools, which critics say push out English Language Learners, low-performing students and students with learning disabilities through suspension rates that are often many times higher than those of district schools. The Senate legislation would also hand charter schools a significant victory, with language that

would enable urban school districts to incorporate charters into unified districts in which students could be assigned to charters through the district school enrollment process. The legislation would extend the maximum time school districts could rent or lease school buildings to charter schools from the current 10 years to 30 years. Senators at last week’s press conference said they sought to level the playing field between charter and district-run schools. “The Senate took this bill as an opportunity to address funding and fairness for all of our students,” said Ashland Senator Karen Spilka. “We are in a unique moment. We can take all we have learned over 20 years of education reform and adequately, fairly and fully fund our education system.” The Senate is expected to debate and vote on the legislation this week.

BANNER CLASSIFIEDS LEGAL

LEGAL

LEGAL

MASSACHUSETTS BAY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY 100 SUMMER ST., SUITE 1200 BOSTON, MA 02110

BUILDINGS, PROJECT VALUE – $3,473,388), can be submitted at www.bidx. com until two o’clock (2:00 p.m.) on May 3, 2016. Immediately thereafter, in a designated room, the Bids will be opened and read publicly.

that they will make sufficient and reasonable efforts to meet the stated DBE goal of Twelve (12) percent.

NOTICE TO BIDDERS

Work consists of the removal and proper disposal of PCB caulking; repair of concrete joints; replacement of joint sealants; installation of epoxy encapsulant on floor surfaces; and removal of HVAC ductwork. Cleanup of dust on surfaces. Provide and install modular offices, metal shelving and stairs and plastic pallets and bins.

http://www.mbta.com/business_center/bidding_solicitations/current_solic itations/

Bidders’ attention is directed to Appendix 1, Notice of Requirement for Affirmative Action to Insure Equal Employment Opportunity; and to Appendix 2, Supplemental Equal Employment Opportunity, Anti- Discrimination, and Affirmative Action Program in the specifications. In addition, pursuant to the requirements of Appendix 3, Disadvantaged Business Enterprise (DBE) Participation Provision, Bidders must submit an assurance with their Bids

Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority

Electronic proposals for the following project will be received through the internet using Bid Express until the date and time stated below, and will be posted on www.bidx.com forthwith after the bid submission deadline. No paper copies of bids will be accepted. Bidders must have a valid digital ID issued by the Authority in order to bid on projects. Bidders need to apply for a digital ID with Bid Express at least 14 days prior to a scheduled bid opening date. Electronic bids for MBTA Contract No. R40CN01 - READVERTISEMENT, CABOT CARHOUSE – PHASE I IMPROVEMENTS, BOSTON, MA, (CLASS 7 –

Additional information and instructions on how to submit a bid are available at

On behalf of the MBTA, thank you for your time and interest in responding to this Notice to Bidders

Francis A. DePaola, P.E. General Manager of the MBTA April 1, 2016


20 • Thursday, April 7, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER

BANNER CLASSIFIEDS

LEGAL

LEGAL

LEGAL NOTICE REQUEST FOR QUALIFICATIONS The MASSACHUSETTS PORT AUTHORITY is soliciting Statements of Qualifications for MPA CONTRACT NO. LP1702-C1, FY 17-19 BAGGAGE HANDLING SYSTEM OPERATIONS AND MAINTENANCE, LOGAN INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT, EAST BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS AND WORCESTER REGIONAL AIRPORT, WORCESTER, MASSACHUSETTS. The Authority is seeking Qualification Statements from contractors to provide management and operations personnel to operate, maintain, and repair the existing baggage handling system (BHS) throughout Logan International Airport and Worcester Regional Airport. Such contractors must have a demonstrated experience in the operation and maintenance of similar systems in terms of scale and complexity. The contractor shall be able to maintain the BHS in accordance with requirements of the original equipment manufactures and the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) for such systems. The contractor shall be responsible for the maintenance of all BHS software and hardware, with exception of the L3 Examiner 6700 screening devices. The contractor shall also be responsible for any necessary repairs to the system. The scope of work shall include BHS at Terminals B, C, and E with the option of adding Terminal A at Logan Airport and BHS at Worcester Airport. At Terminals B and C, the scope of work is for the zone of outbound in-line baggage screening only. At Terminal A and E, the scope of work is for all inbound and outbound baggage systems, including in-line baggage screening systems. At Worcester Airport, the scope of work is for all inbound and outbound baggage systems, including in-line baggage screening systems. The contract is anticipated to be for a period of three years with options to extend the contract for two additional years and is estimated at approximately $5,800,000 per year. Due to the fact that the plans and specifications for this project contain sensitive security information, hereinafter referred to as SSI, the Authority is planning to implement this project in accordance with the Massport’s approved SSI procedures. A Request for Qualifications (RFQ) will be utilized to prequalify and shortlist contractors capable and experienced in the previously described scope of work. The Authority shall utilize a two-step process including the prequalification and shortlisting of contractors based on an evaluation of the Statement of Qualifications received in response to this solicitation, followed by an Invitation to Bidders which will only be issued to the shortlisted contractors. In order to be shortlisted, a contractor must have a demonstrated expertise in the scope of work herein described, and a demonstrated ability to manage and protect SSI. The Authority expects to shortlist a minimum of three (3) contractors but may choose to shortlist a different number if it is deemed in the best interests of the project. Qualification Statements shall be evaluated in accordance with the following criteria; (1) qualifications, credentials and recent relevant experience on similar projects; (2) experience, geographic location and availability of the proposed Project Manager and other key staff; (3) corporate ownership, history, financial stability and long-term viability of the Contractor and its subcontractors, if any; (4) quality of references on similar work performed in the past three years; (5) M/W/DBE participation and affirmative action efforts; (6) commitment and capacity to implement the contract over the full term of the work; (7) depth and breadth of relevant airport experience and understanding of the challenges in working in an operational airport; (8) past performance on Massport projects; if applicable, (9) ability to provide appropriate staff to execute the contract; and (10) demonstrated ability to manage a sensitive security project and protect SSI. A Supplemental Information Package that discusses the Evaluation Criteria and the requirements for the Qualification Statements in more detail will be available to interested parties beginning Wednesday,

City Hall, in connection with a petition for the approval of the Amended and Restated Development Plan for Planned Development Area No. 27 (“Amended Development Plan”), Douglass Plaza a/k/a Douglass Park filed by the Boston Redevelopment Authority. Said Amended Development Plan would allow for the construction of a new five story building up to 55 feet in height that includes approximately 44 multi-family residential rental units. A copy of the petition and the Amended Development Plan may be viewed at the office of the Zoning Commission, Room 916, Boston City Hall, between 9 AM and 5 PM any day except Saturdays, Sundays, and legal holidays. For the Commission, Kathleen R. Pedersen Executive Secretary

Seven (7) copies of a bound document each limited to 10 sheets (20 pages), exclusive of covers and dividers and resumes which shall be limited to one page, shall be printed on both sides of the sheet (8 ½” x 11”) and shall be addressed to Mr. Houssam H. Sleiman, P.E., C.C.M, Director of Capital Programs and Environmental Affairs, and received no later than 12 Noon on Thursday, April 21, 2016, at the Massachusetts Port Authority, Logan Office Center, One Harborside Drive, Suite 209S, Logan International Airport, East Boston, MA 02128-2909. Any submittal that exceeds the page limit set here or that is not received in the Capital Programs Department by the above deadline shall be rejected as non-responsive.

In the interests of Hadasa Milagro Polanco of Roxbury, MA Minor

NOTICE TO ALL INTERESTED PARTIES Hearing Date/Time: A hearing on a Petition for Appointment of Guardian of a Minor filed on 03/08/2016 by Evelyn Y. Pulido of Roxbury, MA will be held 04/22/2016 08:30 AM Motion Located at Suffolk Probate and Family Court - 3rd floor - Boston, MA.

2.

Response to Petition: You may respond by filing a written response to the Petition or by appearing in person at the hearing. If you choose to file a written response, you need to:

File the original with the Court; and Mail a copy to all interested parties at least five (5) business days before the hearing.

3.

Counsel for the Minor: The minor (or an adult on behalf of the minor) has the right to request that counsel be appointed for the minor.

4.

Presence of the Minor at Hearing: A minor over age 14 has the right to be present at any hearing, unless the Court finds that it is not in the minor’s best interests.

THIS IS A LEGAL NOTICE: An important court proceeding that may affect your rights has been scheduled. If you do not understand this notice or other court papers, please contact an attorney for legal advice. Felix D. Arroyo Register of Probate

Date: March 17, 2016

Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Trial Court Probate and Family Court Department Docket No. SU16C0089CA

SUFFOLK Division

In the matter of Evelin Aristy of Mattapan, MA

IF YOU DESIRE TO OBJECT THERETO, YOU OR YOUR ATTORNEY MUST FILE A WRITTEN APPEARANCE IN SAID COURT AT BOSTON ON OR BEFORE TEN O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING (10:00 AM) ON 04/21/2016. WITNESS, HON. Joan P. Armstrong, First Justice of this Court. Date: March 17, 2016 Felix D. Arroyo Register of Probate

Docket No. 15W2456

*7501

RFQ/P Technical Assistance Consulting Services Deer Island Treatment Plant

04/27/16

11:00 a.m.

To the above named Defendant(s):

**7458

Beacon Street Line Water Pipeline Repair

04/28/16

2:00 p.m.

A Complaint has been presented to this Court by the Plaintiff(s), Lizette Varela-Cruz seeking a Complaint for Custody-Support-Parenting Time, pursuant to G.L. 209 (c).

*F241

RFQ/P Disclosure Counsel Services

04/29/16

11:00 a.m.

You are required to serve upon Lizette Varela-Cruz — or attorney for plaintiff(s) — whose address is 12 American Legion Hwy #11, Dorchester, MA 02124 — Phone # 617-980-1405 your answer on or before 19 day of May, 2016. If you fail to do so, the court will proceed to the hearing and adjudication of this action. You are also required to file a copy of your answer in the office of the Register of this Court at Boston. Witness, Joan P. Armstrong, Esquire, First Judge of said Court, this 10 day of March, 2016. Felix D. Arroyo

PUBLIC NOTICE

Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Trial Court Probate and Family Court Department

PROPOSED EXTENSION TO SOUTH END URBAN RENEWAL PLAN, PROJECT NO. MASS. R-56

The Zoning Commission of the City of Boston hereby gives notice, in accordance with Chapter 665 of the Acts of 1956, as amended, that a public hearing will be held on April 13, 2016, at 9:30 AM, in Room 900, Boston

Docket No. SU16C0105CA

SUFFOLK Division

NOTICE OF PETITION FOR CHANGE OF NAME To all persons interested in a petition described: A petition has been presented by Tyianne Mendes requesting that Janeli Lyianne Huff be allowed to change her name as follows: Janeli Lyianne Mendes

WITNESS, HON. Joan P. Armstrong, First Justice of this Court. Date: March 28, 2016 Felix D. Arroyo Register of Probate

SUFFOLK Division

Docket No. SU97P0545

SUFFOLK Division

BOSTON REDEVELOPMENT AUTHORITY

ZONING HEARING

WITNESS, Hon. Joan P. Armstrong, First Justice of this Court. Date: March 24, 2016 Felix D. Arroyo Register of Probate

Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Trial Court Probate and Family Court Department

TIME

Teresa Polhemus Secretary, Boston Redevelopment Authority

The outcome of this proceeding may limit or completely take away the above-named person’s right to make decisions about personal affairs or financial affairs or both. The above-named person has the right to ask for a lawyer. Anyone may make this request on behalf of the above-named person. If the above-named person cannot afford a lawyer, one may be appointed at State expense.

Lizette Varela-Cruz, Plaintiff(s) V. Joel A. Spencer, Sr., Defendant(s)

DATE

Public Notice is hereby given that the Boston Redevelopment Authority (“BRA”) will consider at its scheduled meeting on Thursday, April 14, 2016, at 3:30 P.M. in the BRA Board Room – Room 900, 9th Floor, Boston City Hall, a proposed six (6) year extension of fourteen (14) active urban renewal plans, including the South End Urban Renewal Plan, as well as a short-term, sixty (60) day extension. This Public Notice is being provided in accordance with a certain “Conciliation Agreement” by and among the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the BRA and others, dated as of January 16, 2001.

IMPORTANT NOTICE

IF YOU DESIRE TO OBJECT THERETO, YOU OR YOUR ATTORNEY MUST FILE A WRITTEN APPEARANCE IN SAID COURT AT BOSTON ON OR BEFORE TEN O’CLOCK IN THE MORNING (10:00 AM) ON 04/28/2016.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Trial Court Probate and Family Court Department

DESCRIPTION

**To access and bid on Event(s) please go to the MWRA Supplier Portal at www.mwra.com.

You have the right to object to this proceeding. If you wish to do so, you or your attorney must file a written appearance at this court on or before 10:00 A.M. on the return date of 05/05/2016. This day is NOT a hearing date, but a deadline date by which you have to file the written appearance if you object to the petition. If you fail to file the written appearance by the return date, action may be taken in this matter without further notice to you. In addition to filing the written appearance, you or your attorney must file a written affidavit stating the specific facts and grounds of your objection within 30 days after the return date.

In the matter of Janeli Lyianne Huff of Boston, MA

BID NO.

to:

The petition asks the court to determine that the Respondant is incapacitated, that the appointment of a Guardian is necessary, that the proposed Guardian is appropriate. The petition is on file with this court and may contain a request for certain specific authority.

Evelin Herrera

SUFFOLK Division

request

To the named Respondent and all other interested persons, a petition has been filed by Dept. of Mental Health of Westborough, MA in the above captioned matter alleging that Heinz Oliver is in need of a Guardian and requesting that Melissa Coury Cote Esq. of Londonderry, NH (or some other suitable person) be appointed as Guardian to serve on the bond.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Trial Court Probate and Family Court Department

A petition has been presented by Evelin Aristy requesting that Evelin Aristy be allowed to change her name as follows:

The Massachusetts Water Resources Authority is seeking bids for the following:

email

In the matter of Heinz Oliver Of Boston, MA RESPONDENT Alleged Incapacitated Person

To all persons interested in a petition described:

Summons By Publication

please

Docket No. SU16P0646GD

Citation Giving Notice of Petition for Appointment of Guardian for Incapacitated Person Pursuant to G.L. c. 190B, §5-304

NOTICE OF PETITION FOR CHANGE OF NAME

INVITATION TO BID

*To obtain the complete RFQ/P MWRADocumentDistribution@mwra.com.

Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Trial Court Probate and Family Court Department SUFFOLK Division

NOTICE AND ORDER: Petition for Appointment of Guardian of a Minor

Questions regarding this RFQ should be directed to cpbidquestions@mass port.com with the Project Title and Number included in the subject line of the e-mail. MASSACHUSETTS PORT AUTHORITY THOMAS P. GLYNN CEO AND EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

UNSUPERVISED ADMINISTRATION UNDER THE MASSACHUSETTS UNIFORM PROBATE CODE (MUPC) A Personal Representative appointed under the MUPC in an unsupervised administration is not required to file an inventory or annual accounts with the Court. Persons interested in the estate are entitled to notice regarding the administration directly from the Personal Representative and may petition the Court in any matter relating to the estate, including distribution of assets and expenses of administration.

Docket No. SU16P0537GD

SUFFOLK Division

1.

10:00 a.m. on the return day of 04/21/2016. This is NOT a hearing date, but a deadline by which you must file a written appearance and objection if you object to this proceeding. If you fail to file a timely written appearance and objection followed by an Affidavit of Objections within thirty (30) days of the return day, action may be taken without further notice to you.

WITNESS, HON. Joan P. Armstrong, First Justice of this Court. Date: March 15, 2016 Felix D. Arroyo Register of Probate

Commonwealth of Massachusetts The Trial Court Probate and Family Court Department

April 6, 2016, by contacting Colleen LaGrasso at clagrasso@massport.com. A Project Briefing will be held on Wednesday, April 13, 2016, at 1:00 PM in the Authority’s Capital Programs Department, Logan Office Center, One Harborside Drive, Suite 209S, East Boston, MA. Attendance at the briefing is not mandatory, however, it is strongly encouraged in order to best familiarize your firm with the project details and the selection process.

LEGAL

Docket No. SU16P0571EA

Citation on Petition for Formal Adjudication Estate of Yadielys N. Deleon Date of Death: 06/06/2015 To all interested persons: A Petition for Formal Appointment of Personal Representative has been filed by Yalitza Camacho of Roxbury, MA requesting that the Court enter a formal Decree and Order and for such other relief as requested in the Petition. The Petitioner requests that Yalitza Camacho of Roxbury, MA be appointed as Personal Representative(s) of said estate to serve Without Surety on the bond in an unsupervised administration. IMPORTANT NOTICE You have the right to obtain a copy of the Petition from the Petitioner or at the Court. You have a right to object to this proceeding. To do so, you or your attorney must file a written appearance and objection at this Court before

Citation Giving Notice of Petition for Resignaton of a Guardian of an Incapacitated Person In the Interests of Heinz Oliver Of Roxbury, MA RESPONDENT Incapacitated Person/Protected Person To the named Respondent and all other interested persons, a petition has been filed by Department of Mental Health (Boston) of Westborough, MA in the above captioned matter requesting that the court: Accept the Resignation of the Guardian of the Respondent The petition asks the court to make a determination that the Guardian and/ or Conservator should be allowed to resign; or should be removed for good cause; or that the Guardianship and/or Conservatorship is no longer necessary and therefore should be terminated. The original petition is on file with the court. You have the right to object to this proceeding. If you wish to do so, you or your attorney must file a written appearance and objection at this Court on or before 10:00 A.M. on the return date of 05/05/2016. This day is NOT a hearing date, but a deadline date by which you have to file the written appearance if you object to the petition. If you fail to file the written appearance by the return date, action may be taken in this matter without further notice to you. In addition to filing the written appearance, you or your attorney must file a written affidavit stating the specific facts and grounds of your objection within 30 days after the return date. IMPORTANT NOTICE The outcome of this proceeding may limit or completely take away the avoenamed person’s right to make decisions about personal affairs or financial affairs or both. The above-named person has the right to ask for a lawyer. Anyone may make this request on bhlaf of the above-named person cannot afford a lawyer, one may be appointed at State expense. WITNESS, HON. Joan P. Armstrong, First Justice of this Court. Date: March 24, 2016 Felix D. Arroyo Register of Probate


Thursday, April 7, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER • 21

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$20,700

Applications may be requested from Pine Street Inn beginning on April 4, 2016 82 Green Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 (accessible location) by calling (617) 892-8706 Monday- Friday April 4, 2016 through June 3, 2016 from 9 am – 4 pm and from 9 am – 7 pm on Thursday, April 7, 2016 and Thursday, May 5, 2016 Applications may also be picked up at Brookline Town Hall, 333 Washington Street in the Planning Department, Room 309 or on the reference desk at the Brookline Public Library, 361 Washington Street, Brookline Information session April 7, 2016 at 6 pm at 82 Green Street, Jamaica Plain Completed applications accepted in person or by mail at 82 Green Street, Jamaica Plain, MA 02130 by 5pm, June 3, 2016. Mailed applications must be postmarked by 5pm, June 3, 2016. Selection by lottery at 82 Green Street, Jamaica Plain Use and Occupancy Restrictions apply. Preference for homeless persons Persons with sensory and mobility impairments have preference for 3 accessible units. For more info or reasonable accommodations, contact Pine Street Inn at (617) 892-8708 TTY/TTD use Mass Relay 711 Equal Housing Opportunity

Share an apartment 1000 per month Includes: n Heat and electricity n Private bathroom n Off-street parking n Close to commuter rail and Red Line n Cable ready n Share kitchen and living room Serious inquiries only No couples Contact Darrell Ramsey (617) 903-2000

Wollaston Manor 91 Clay Street Quincy, MA 02170

Senior Living At It’s Best

A senior/disabled/ handicapped community

East Main Apartments Norton, MA 1BRs @ $1,080, 2BRs @ $1,257, 3BRs @ $1,413 No Utilities included East Main Apartments is a community that will be seven buildings with 188 units surrounding a separate clubhouse and pool for community use. Units include in-unit Washer and Dryers and fully appliance kitchens. There is free surface parking and garage spaces are available for a fee. 47 of the 188 apartments are affordable units that will be rented to households with annual incomes not exceeding 80% of Area Median Income (AMI) adjusted for family size as determined by HUD. The first affordable units will be ready in June/July 2016. The 80% AMI Income Limits are as follows: $46,000 (1 person), $52,600 (2 people), $59,150 (3 people), $65,700 (4 people), $71,000 (5 people), $76,250 (6 people) A Public Information Session will be held at 5:30 pm on May 9th, 2016 in the Norton Public Library (68 East Main Street, Norton MA) Completed Applications may be mailed, faxed, emailed, or delivered in person. Completed Applications and Required Income Documentation must be received by 2:00 PM on June 1st, 2016. The Lottery will be held on June 14th, 2016 at 5:30 PM in same location as the info session above.

0 BR units = $1,027/mo 1 BR units = $1,101/mo All utilities included.

For Applications and Details on the Lottery or for reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities, call 617.782.6900 or go to www.s-e-b.com/lottery. For TTY Services dial 711. Free translation available.

Call Sandy Miller,

Applications and Info Packets also available in the Norton Town Hall, and the Norton Public Library (68 East Main Street, Norton). Library Hours: M,Tu,Th 10-7, W 10-3, F-Sa 10-2

Property Manager

#888-691-4301

Program Restrictions Apply.

Parker Hill Apartments Brand New Renovated Apartment Homes Stainless Steel Appliances New Kitchen Cabinets Hardwood Floors Updated Bathroom Custom Accent Wall Painting Free Parking Free Wi-Fi in lobby Modern Laundry Facilities

Two Bedrooms Starting at $2200 888-842-7945

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Job’s Fishing Neighborhood at Mashpee Commons Mashpee, MA 1BRs @ $1,033*, 2BRs @ $1,224*

*Rents subject to change in 2016 when HUD Publishes 2016 AMI. Tenants will pay own Electric Heat, Gas Hot Water, Electricity (including cooking). Property pays for Water and Sewer Job’s Fishing Neighborhood at Mashpee Commons is a 52 unit rental apartment community located across 8 distinct buildings in the new phase of Mashpee Commons located at the intersection of Rte 28 and Rte 151. 13 of these apartments will be made available through this application process and rented to households with incomes at or below 80% of the Area Median Income. Configured within eight large buildings reminiscent of historic Cape Cod, these units will include all the comforts of home: Full kitchens with all major appliances, Hardwood floors; tile in the bathrooms, Washing machine and dryer, Energy efficient heat-pump HVAC, Large windows with copious natural light, Convenient parking. MAXIMUM Household Income Limits: $47,550 (1 person), $54,350 (2 people), $61,150 (3 people), $67,900 (4 people) A Public Info Session will be held on May 6th, 2016 at 3:30 pm at the Mashpee Public Library (64 Steeple St) Completed Applications and Required Income Documentation must be received, not postmarked, by 2 pm on June 6th, 2016 The Lottery for eligible households will be held on June 21st at 4:30 pm at the same location as the info session. For Lottery Information and Applications, or for reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities, go to www.s-e-b.com/lottery or call (617) 782-6900 and leave a message. Applications and Information also available at the Mashpee Public Library on 64 Steeple Street (M 10-5, Tu 12-7, W 10-5, Th 12-7, F+Sa 10-5)

ADVERTISE YOUR CLASSIFIEDS (617) 261-4600 x 7799 • ads@bannerpub.com Find rate information at www.baystatebanner.com/advertise


22 • Thursday, April 7, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER

BANNER CLASSIFIEDS

REAL ESTATE

REAL ESTATE

REAL ESTATE Mosaic on the Riverway 80 Fenwood Road, Boston, MA 02115

Affordable Housing Opportunity in Boston (8) One-Bedroom (48) Two-Bedroom & (4) Three-Bedroom apartments (4) of the One-Bedroom apartments have a preference for disabled households requiring wheelchair accessibility Maximum household income limit 30% & 60% of HUD Boston Median Income HH Size

30%

60%

1

20,700

41,400

2

23,650

47,200

3

26,600

53,220

4

29,550

59,100

5

31,950

63,840

6

34,300

68,580

Informational sessions: Thursday, April 14th at 6:00 p.m. at RTH Community Center, 20a Vining Street, Boston Monday, April 18th at 1:00 p.m. at POP Allston, 89 Brighton Ave, Boston Applications may be picked up from Wingate Management: RTH Community Center: 20a Vining Street, Boston, MA 02115 April 4, 2016 - April 28, 2016 Mon/Tues/Wed/Fri: 9:30 am - 4:00 pm Thursdays: 10:00 am – 7:00 pm Saturdays: from 9:00 am – 12:00 pm Application Return RTH Riverway Management Office in person or via U.S. Mail to 747 Huntington Avenue, Boston, MA 02115 or emailed to MosaicApts@wingatecompanies.com Deadline: Completed applications must be received by 5:00 p.m. or have a postmarked date of Friday, May 6th, 2016.

Rental Opportunity

Girard

600 Harrison Avenue, Boston, MA 02118 Income Restricted Units 10 One Bedroom Units @ $1,246 per month, including 1 ADA Unit built for mobility disability 11 Two Bedroom Units @ $1,424 per month, including 1 ADA Unit built for mobility disability Maximum Income per Household Size HH size

70%

1

$48,250

2

$55,150

3

$62,050

4

$68,950

Applications may be picked up in person from New Atlantic Development, 725 Harrison Avenue, Suite 1, Boston, MA 02118: Monday – April 18, 9am - 4pm Tuesday – April 19, 9am - 4pm Wednesday – April 20, Noon - 7pm Thursday – April 21, 9am - 4pm Friday – April 22, 9am - 4pm Saturday – April 23, Noon - 4pm Monday – April 25, 9am - 4pm To receive an application via e-mail, please send your request with your name, mailing address and e-mail address to: girardlottery@bozzuto.com Deadline for completed applications handed in at the above address: in person by 4pm, May 2 Completed applications mailed to the above address: must be postmarked by May 2. Informational Meeting April 20, 2016 at 6pm at 725 Harrison Avenue, Suite 1, Boston, MA 02118 Selection by lottery. Asset, Use & Occupancy Restrictions apply. 2 wheelchair accessible units have a preference for disabled households who need accessible features. Preference for households with at least one person per bedroom. Preference for Boston Residents. For more information or reasonable accommodations for persons with disabilities, please call Bozzuto Management at 617-863-8641. Equal Housing Opportunity

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Thursday, April 7, 2016 • BAY STATE BANNER • 23

BANNER CLASSIFIEDS

REAL ESTATE

NOTICE: WAIT LIST WILL BE CLOSED FOR ANNA BISSONETTE HOUSE AND RUTH COWIN HOUSE ON APRIL 11, 2016 AT 4:00 P.M. Effective Monday, April 11, 2016 at 4:00 P.M., Peabody Properties, Inc., Agent for Owner of Anna Bissonette House and Ruth Cowin House will close the wait list for the following sized apartments, as indicated below: Anna Bissonette House (aka Concord Street Elderly Housing), 1640 Washington St., Boston, MA 02118 ∙ 0 Bedroom - All Income Categories ∙ 1 Bedroom - Very Low Income Category Only - Open for Extremely Very Low

HELP WANTED Are you interested in a

Healthcare CAREER? Project Hope, in partnership with Partners HealthCare is currently accepting applications for a FREE entry level healthcare employment training program. Program eligibility includes: • • • • •

Have a high school diploma or equivalent Have a verifiable reference of 1 year from a former employer Pass assessments in reading, language, and computer skills Have CORI clearance Be legally authorized to work in the United States

For more information and to register for the next Open House please visit our website at www.prohope.org/openhouse.htm or call 617-442-1880 ext. 218.

Public Notice will be provided when the Peabody Properties, Inc. as Agent for Owner re-opens the waiting lists for this property.

Info contained herein subject to change w/o notice.

The WHA has not been awarded any additional project-based vouchers, nor are there any vacancies anticipated in the near future. Vouchers will be issued based on future turnover at the 22 project-based units at St. Joseph’s Hall, 2 Rosary Drive, Watertown, MA. Applicants will be determined eligible and qualified in accordance with the applicable rules and regulations of the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the WHA’s Administrative Plan. Interested persons may get a copy of the application during the waiting list opening period by one of the following methods: n In Person at the WHA Office: The WHA Office is located at 55 Waverley Avenue, Watertown, MA. Office hours are Monday – Friday from 8:30am to 4:30pm. n By Phone: Applicants may call 617-923-3950 to request an application be mailed to them. n By Mail: Applicants may submit a request for an application to 55 Waverley Avenue, Watertown, MA 02472. For an application to be considered, it must be delivered in person no later than Friday, June 10, 2016 at 4:30pm at the WHA office or be postmarked no later than June 10, 2016. All mailed applications must also be received by mail no later than June 17, 2016. The WHA is not responsible for non-delivery of mail. Applications will only be accepted in person or by mail. Faxed or emailed applications will not be accepted. Applicants must only submit one (1) application per household. If duplicate applications are received, the household will become ineligible and will not be placed on the waiting list. All applications must be complete and legible. The application submitted must be the original application; photocopies will not be accepted. If you have a disability and require a reasonable accommodation, please contact the WHA office at 617-923-3950. To qualify for this program, applicants must be 62 years of age or older and gross family income must be less than: Household Size

Income Limit

1 person

$34,500

2 persons

$39,400

The WHA has adopted the following selection preference for this waiting list: Applicants who live and/or work in Watertown, MA. Applications equal in preference will be maintained in order by lottery selection number.

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The The Association Association partners partners with with people people who who have have disabilities disabilities and and their their families families to to create create opportunities opportunities to to build build relationships relationships throughout throughout their their lives. lives. Requires Requires experience experience obtaining obtaining contracts contracts from from state state agencies, agencies, staff supervision, fundraising, and work with a staff supervision, fundraising, and work with a nonprofit nonprofit board board and and passion passion for for The The Association’s Association’s mission. mission. Please see www.TheAssociationInc.org and send cover letter, resume and recent salary history to Susan Egmont, Egmont Associates, at segmont@egmontassociates.com.

Admnistrative Assistant: The ideal candidate will have 3 years of experience in all aspects of property management. Candidate must be computer literate and have the ability to establish and maintain effective communication both oral and written with employees and clients; strong organizational skills and attention to detail are required. Transportation is a must. United Housing Management LLC is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Rapid career growth potential

Are you a “people person?” Do you like to help others? Full-time, 12-week training plus internship. Job placement assistance provided. Free training for those who qualify! HS diploma or GED required. Free YMCA membership for you and your family while enrolled in YMCA Training, Inc. Call 617-542-1800 and refer to Health Insurance Training when you call

Administrative Assistant Full time Administrative Assistant for a 775 unit multi-family apartment development in Boston’s Mission Hill area. The Administrative Assistant will assist the Collections Manager in administering and managing the rental collections of the property. This position will also assist the Compliance Manager in the monthly recertification process. The candidate must be familiar with LIHTC program and HUD project based section 8 program. Certified Occupancy Specialist certification a plus. Must possess strong organizational skills and be detailed oriented. The Assistant will also perform general clerical tasks to included but limited to: answering telephone, filing and front desk coverage. Bilingual Cantonese / Mandarin / English preferred. Resumes may be submitted by email to: wblaser@trinitymanagmentcompany.com or by fax to 617-731-6481.

Join the OneUnited Bank team

and experience the evolution of technology and banking.

The Social Media Intern will be responsible for

maintaining daily activity such as posts / tweets to all applicable social media outlets. Individuals should be enthusiastic, service oriented and eager to learn and grow. Strong writing and verbal skills are imperative; the ability to multi-task effectively is a must, along with an appreciation and understanding of the digital marketplace. QUALIFICATIONS: n Must be currently enrolled in an accredited college or university n Familiar with Social Media platforms (Blog, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, YouTube, and Instagram, SproutSocial, Excel, Photoshop) n Video creation/editing experience a plus Please note interns will be required to work from their own computers and already have the Adobe Creative Cloud suite of applications installed. The Bank is in full compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and does not discriminate with regard to applicants or employees with disabilities, and will make reasonable accommodation when necessary. OneUnited Bank is an Equal Opportunity Employer M/F/D/V. Submit resumes to hr@oneunited.com.

EOE

MECHANIC Full Time Boston Area

Looking for full time reliable and experienced person with knowledge in general apartment maintenance. The Mechanic is responsible for performing maintenance functions in the community, including rental units, office buildings, residential areas, grounds and parking lots. On-Call Rotation required. Good communication skills (written and verbal), C.OR.I., S.O.R.I. & Drug Test Required. Please send resume to: Langham Court Apartments Attn: Margarita Ballester 26 Worcester Street Boston, MA 02118 Fax: 617-859-0024

The lottery will be conducted no later than September 30, 2016 to determine placement order on the waiting list for all eligible applicants. This lottery will be conducted by computer and in accordance with HUD regulations and the WHA’s Administrative Plan.

Email: langhamcourt@winnco.com

Applications will be accepted without regard to race, color, creed, religion, actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability or marital status.

ADVERTISE YOUR CLASSIFIEDS

This is an Equal Opportunity Housing Program.

Executive Director

Assistant Property Manager: The successful candidate will have extensive HUD Project Based Section 8 and Tax Credit experience, and will assist in the full range of property management functions. Responsibilities include but not limited to recertification, and tenant relations – COS and Tax Credit certifications are required. Candidate must be self-motivated and possess excellent communication and organizational skills – bilingual English/Spanish is a plus. Transportation is a must.

Peabody Properties, Inc. has determined, based on HUD regulation, a public hearing is not required when opening and closing the wait list. Therefore, only public notice will be provided as stated in the Tenant Selection Plan.

Beginning Monday, April 11, 2016, the Watertown Housing Authority (WHA) will accept applications to establish a waiting list for its Project-Based Voucher Waiting List for 22 elderly units at St. Joseph’s Hall, 2 Rosary Drive, Watertown, MA. A lottery system will be used; there is no advantage to being first to apply. The waiting list opening period will end at 4:30pm on Friday, June 10, 2016, at which time the waiting list will close until further notice.

a vital human services organization headquartered in Springfield, MA, is seeking a dynamic new

is currently seeking the professionals below. Please forward resumes no later than April 15, 2016 to HR/United Housing Management LLC, 530 Warren Street, Dorchester, Ma 02121 – Fax: 617-442-7231.

Applications WILL NOT be accepted for these waiting lists after the closing date and time.

Housing Choice Voucher Program Project-Based Waiting List Opening

The Association for Community Living,

United Housing Management

Ruth Cowin House, 1027 Beacon St., Brookline, MA 02446 ∙ All Categories

LEGAL NOTICE

HELP WANTED

(617) 261-4600 x 7799 • ads@bannerpub.com Find rate information at www.baystatebanner.com/advertise

Executive Director The Lynnfield (MA) Housing Authority seeks qualified, experienced applicants for the position of Executive Director. Ideal candidate will have 5 yrs experience in public administration, Experience in pubic, affordable and/or private housing is preferred. Candidate should have a strong understanding of PR, Staff Relations, HR and Bookkeeping. Bachelor’s degree is required but 5 + yrs of managerial Housing Exp will be considered. Master’s degree in related field is desirable. Candidates should have or be prepared to obtain certification as a Public Housing Manager (PHM) from a (HUD) approved organization, and MA Certification (MPHA) within 1 year of hire. LHA consists of 64 (667) units and 7 (689) units. Applicant should be creative, is committed and passionate about serving the community. Position is part time, 24 hours/wk. Salary commensurate with exp and educ and includes excellent benefits in accordance with DHCD and HUD guidelines. Candidates will be subject to qualification verifications prior to employment. More detailed information will be required of applicants that advance to the next level of consideration. Submit cover letter and resume to: Email: Cindy White Overton at info@DVMainSail.com. Or mail to Executive Director Search; D&V/Mainsail Associates, PO Box 3571, South Attleboro, MA 02703. Deadline for receipt of application is Friday, April 22, 2016, 12 noon EST. Late applications not accepted. Lynnfield Housing Authority is an EOE.


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