Paul Pingaro Scholarship applications now available
Applications are now available for the Paul Pingaro Scholarship at The Martin Pino Center. Thanks to a generous donation from the Salvator and Maria Pizzi Foundation, we will now give out two $1000.00 Scholarships this year. Eligibility requirements for Applicants are as follows: Applicant must be a resident of East Boston, a graduating High School senior, must be accepted into an accredited college or university and turn in a completed application no later than April 27, 2018. For More information please call 617 635-5121 and ask for Joe Weddleton.
MAYOR WALSH HOSTS RETURN OF THE SWANS MAY 2
Mayor Martin J. Walsh and Boston Parks Commissioner Chris Cook welcome Boston’s most popular waterfowl back during the 30th Annual Return of the Swans event on Wednesday, May 2. The celebration in the Public Garden begins with entertainment at 11 a.m.
After wintering at the Franklin Park Zoo, Romeo and Juliet will reside during the summer months in the Public Garden. The swans will be returned to the lagoon following a parade that begins at the Beacon and Charles Street corner of the park near the “Make Way for Ducklings” statue. Carts beautifully decorated by Boston’s Winston Flowers will help usher the swans to the release site.
Led by a brass band, the parade will continue to the George Washington Statue at the Commonwealth Avenue/Arlington Street entrance, over the pedestrian bridge, and end on the Boylston Street side of the lagoon for the official Return of the Swans ceremony.
The accompanying entertainment program, sponsored in part by the Friends of the Public Garden, begins at 11 a.m. The celebration will include a brass band, face painters, a reading of “Make Way for Ducklings” led by the Boston Park Rangers, and children’s activities presented by the Four Seasons Hotel Boston. In-kind sponsors HP Hood LLC, Power Crunch, and the Four Seasons Hotel Boston will provide refreshments.
BAKER-POLITO ADMINISTRATION SUBMITS OPPORTUNITY ZONE DESIGNATIONS TO U.S. TREASURY DEPARTMENT
Gov. Charlie Baker submitted the state’s Opportunity Zone designations to the U.S. Treasury Department today to encourage long-term investment in eligible Massachusetts communities. Created as part of the federal Tax Cuts and Jobs Act of 2017, the Opportunity Zone program presents an opportunity for private, tax-free investment into areas of economic need, benefiting both residents living in the zones and private investors.
Eligible communities include municipalities with state-designated opportunity zone tracts submitted for federal approval:
Boston
Chelsea
Lynn
Revere
Winthrop
“The opportunity zone program helps leverage private investment in Massachusetts cities and towns and can be a catalyst for job creation and economic activity,” said Gov. Baker. “I look forward to working with our congressional delegation and local officials to support these new economic development opportunities across the Commonwealth.”
The Opportunity Zone program provides a federal tax incentive for taxpayers who reinvest unrealized capital gains into ‘Opportunity Funds,’ which are specialized vehicles dedicated to investing in low-income areas called ‘Opportunity Zones.’ The zones themselves are to be comprised of low-income community census tracts and designated by governors in every state.
Of Massachusetts’ 1,478 census tracts, 581 tracts were determined by the U.S. Department of Treasury to be eligible to be considered for Opportunity Zone designation. Gov. Baker recommended 138 Opportunity Zones, the maximum number for Massachusetts.
The administration engaged municipal leaders and other key stakeholders in the communities with eligible tracts in the development of the state designation process, opening the application process on March 9th.
“As part of a collaborative process with communities, our administration empowered local leaders to nominate eligible tracts they believed would benefit most from this program, resulting in a diverse set of designations across Massachusetts,” said Lt. Governor Karyn Polito. “These communities range from small rural towns to Gateway Cities and large urban centers, representing a wealth of opportunities for new investment in the Commonwealth.”
Of the 138 designated tracts submitted for federal approval, 32 tracts are located in the 10 communities with the lowest median family income (MFI) in the state. 48% of the tracts are from “Gateway Cities,” which are municipalities with a population between 35,000 and 250,000, with median household income and rate of educational attainment of bachelor’s degree or greater below the state average. Rural communities were encouraged to participate as well, and they make up 18% of the communities with designated tracts.
Applicant municipalities explained why their nominated tracts offer attractive investment opportunities, what level of planning they had already completed, and key demographic data such as median family income, unemployment, and poverty rates – both in the nominated tract and in the wider community.
“We are committed to helping our cities and towns prepare for and attract investment, and we are enthusiastic about the possibilities represented by the Opportunity Zone program,” said Housing and Economic Development Secretary Jay Ash. “Here in Massachusetts, our communities have proven that planning, site readiness, and community engagement are major factors in successful development. The tracts identified by the nominating communities reflect these characteristics and are worthy of consideration by the federal government.”
The U.S. Treasury has committed to responding to state submissions within 30 days.
East Boston Branch Library
Check out What’s Happening at the East Boston Branch Library
EAST BOSTON POP-UP CHOIR
A free 8-week choral program for children ages 7-12
Through May 24
Mondays and Thursdays from 5-6pm
East Boston Library – 356 Bremen Street, Boston, MA 02128
The Boston Children’s Chorus (BCC) is excited to expand our programs to the East Boston Branch of the Boston Public Library! Geared towards children ages 7-12, these 8 weeks will be packed with skill-building, cultural exchange, and tons of fun, culminating in two performances in May. The East Boston Choir will perform in BCC’s Season Finale Concert at Dorchester’s Strand Theatre on Sunday, May 20 and in a community concert at the East Boston Library on Thursday, May 24.
Interested? Join us on Monday, April 2 from 4-5 p.m. for a special kick-off rehearsal for parents and children. This event will include an orientation to BCC, time to meet and mingle with other families in the choir, BCC swag giveaways, and food from a local restaurant!
For more information, please contact Jana Hieber at 617-245-6043 or [email protected]. Or visit our website at http://www.bostonchildrenschorus.org/our-programs/east-boston
For information any of these programs, call or come in to the East Boston Branch Library, 365 Bremen Street, (617) 569-0271.
Boston Public Library’s free homework help underway
Boston Public Library’s free Homework Help program began and runs through May 24, 2018, offering free afterschool help and mentorship provided by high-achieving high school students at most BPL locations across the city. The program, offered Monday through Thursday from 3:30 -5:30 p.m. is open to students in grades K-8; no registration required. Boston Teacher’s Union (BTU) tutors are also available during select weekdays from 4-6 p.m. for students in Grades K-12. Visit www.bpl.org/homework for complete information. Most homework help mentors and program participants are Boston Public Schools students, though it is open to all, and BTU tutors are either current or retired Boston Public Schools teachers.
Tech goes home
Tech Goes Home is a computer based program with the goal of ensure that all low-come residents of Greater Boston are equipped with the tools, training, and access to support 21st-century skills development. The TGH program offers resident the ability to improve their quality of life as new member of the online community.
What’s included for Boston residents?
- 15 Hours of Computer training
- A web based curriculum designed to help you access resources throughout the Internet.
- The option to purchase a brand new computer for just $50
- Help accessing significantly discounted high-speed Internet for qualified participants
If you interested in participating or have any questions,Speak to a staff at ABCD East Boston APAC or Call 617-567-8857
LEARN ITALIAN FREE
The class will be held at Robert DeLeo Senior Center, 35 Harvard St., Winthrop for residents age 55 and above.
Whether you have Italian ancestry, or just want to learn one of the world’s most beautiful languages, join us at informal and friendly Italian language and culture classes. Wednesday afternoons from 1:15 to 2:45 p.m.
For info call 617-846-8538