Mya & Deanna Cook to be Honored

MASSACHUSETTS COMMISSION ON THE STATUS OF WOMEN

ANNOUNCES COMMONWEALTH HEROINES OF 2020

Mya and Deanna Cook of Malden will be honored as a member of the Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women’s 2020 class of Commonwealth Heroines. Representative Steven Ultrino recommended Mya and Deanna for this recognition because of their work on impacting change for people of color. They will be honored with the other Commonwealth Heroines for their outstanding contributions to their community. The Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women will be virtually celebrating the seventeenth-annual Commonwealth Heroines Class of 2020. The Commission will be sharing a slideshow provided through a shared link on the original date of the event of June 24, 2020 on our social media platforms.

The Commonwealth Heroines are women who make the difference. Thousands of women in every community of the state perform unheralded acts on a daily basis that make our homes, neighborhoods, cities, and towns better places to live. Commonwealth Heroines use their time, talent, spirit, and enthusiasm to enrich the lives of others in their community. They are mentors, volunteers, and innovators who strive to protect and represent the interests of seniors, victims of violence, children, immigrants, and other vulnerable populations. They are the glue that keeps a community together.

“It was an honor to nominate Mya and Deanna for this award because of their work in the community and around the country addressing discrimination and advocating for changes which impact people of color” said Representative Ultrino. “I am amazed that these young ladies, starting at age 15, have dedicated so much time and effort to social justice. It takes immense bravery to share one’s personal story in an effort to become a catalyst for change to improve the lives of others.”

This event is made possible with the support of Eastern Bank, Eversource and Flour Bakery.

A complete list of this year’s honorees is available by contacting the Commission at mcsw@state.ma.us.

The Massachusetts Commission on the Status of Women is an independent state agency that was legislatively created in 1998 to advance women of the Commonwealth to full equality in all areas of life and to promote their rights and opportunities. The MCSW provides a permanent, effective voice for the women of Massachusetts.

MBTA News

Effective Sunday, June 21, regular weekday service will operate on the Blue Line with increased weekday service on the Red, Orange, Green, and Mattapan Lines as staffing levels permit. Additional service on weekends will also be added on the Mattapan Line.

The MBTA continues to follow guidance from the Massachusetts Department of Public Health with the MBTA encouraging its riders and the public to:

· Practice social distancing at all times when leaving the home for essential trips; · Stay home if sick and avoid close contact with others; · Wash hands often with soap and water for at least twenty seconds; · Use alcohol-based hand sanitizing gel with at least 60% alcohol if soap and water are not available; · Avoid touching eyes, nose, and mouth; · Clean areas that are frequently touched with sanitizing spray or wipes; · Cover coughs and sneezes, and use a tissue or the inner elbow, not hands.

For more information, please visit mbta.com/coronavirus, mass.gov/COVID19, or connect with the T on Twitter @MBTA, Facebook /TheMBTA, or Instagram @theMBTA.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Restaurant Relief

House Passes Bill to Support Commonwealth’s Restaurants

BOSTON – House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo and Representative Steven Ultrino joined his colleagues in the House to pass legislation that provides more tools to the restaurants of Massachusetts in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The legislative package adopted today aims to assist a sector that has been hard hit by COVID-19. The measures passed are intended to help restaurants weather the economic crisis in the wake of the pandemic. The package eases outdoor dining restrictions, expands alcohol delivery options to include mixed drinks, extends takeout options to February 2021, waives interest on late meals tax payments and caps the amount that can be charged a food delivery service.

In 2019, the House created the Restaurant Promotion Commission, which is being repurposed as the Restaurant Recovery Commission. The bill builds on the House’s general focus on restaurants and previous action to permit alcohol delivery with meals as well as its focus on restaurants as an anchor on main streets.

“No corner of the small business sector has been more affected by the pandemic than our restaurants,” House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo (D-Winthrop) said. “I’m grateful to Chairs Michlewitz, Gregoire, Chan, McMurtry, Representative Day and my colleagues in the House for this bill which could make a real difference in preserving jobs in the Commonwealth.”

“I was happy to work with my colleagues to pass this critical piece of legislation that will provide much needed relief to food and beverage establishments,” said Representative Ultrino. “It is necessary to address the challenges which the COVID-19 Pandemic has imposed on restaurants to ensure that they can begin to rebuild their business during these trying times.”

The package:

· Streamlines the Alcohol Beverage Control Commission (ABCC) approval process for restaurants to establish outdoor seating by waiving the approval of these licenses. Instead, it only requires restaurants to notify and place on file with the ABCC their outdoor seating plan;

· Temporarily suspends some relevant local zoning laws on outdoor seating if cities and towns wish to do so;

· Waives interest and late penalties for restaurants on their meals tax payments until December 2020;

· Allows restaurants to include cocktails to-go with take-out food until February 2020;

· Caps commissions on on-line restaurant delivery at 15% across the board so that these apps can continue to operate without placing an undue burden on our restaurants.

The bill will now go to the Senate.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX