By Alison Kuznitz
State House News Service

A day shelter for migrants and homeless families is slated to open Tuesday at La Colaborativa, a Latina-led organization in Chelsea, to help accommodate people who are staying at the state’s overnight overflow shelter in Cambridge.

The new walk-in shelter, which will offer case management and wraparound services to up 200 individuals daily, is funded through a $5 million grant program launched by the Healey administration and the United Way of Massachusetts Bay. The shelter will operate five days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., United Way said as it announced its latest grant recipient late Friday.

“As we’re facing an unprecedented state of emergency, it’s critical that all residents have access to safe, dignified shelter, especially over the frigid winter months,” Gladys Vega, CEO of La Colaborativa, said in a statement. “Recognizing the countless lives at risk, we’re grateful to collaborate with the United Way and Healey-Driscoll Administration to deploy our unique, trauma-informed model of providing a culturally familiar, welcoming day center with comprehensive housing, economic, and wraparound services, which are vital to the wellbeing of homeless families.”

La Colaborativa will coordinate transportation to its new headquarters — 318 Broadway — for families being accommodated at the Cambridge overflow shelter, United Way said. The shelter will also support Chelsea community members.

The Middlesex South Registry of Deeds Building in east Cambridge, which the Healey administration opened in December amid a crush of new arrivals coming to Massachusetts, hosts families from 6 p.m. to 7 a.m., state officials previously said.

In Chelsea, case managers will support families in accessing economic, immigration and housing services, such as helping them obtain their work authorization permits and find employment opportunities. Case managers will also help connect people to public benefits, mental health services and other health care.

“A longstanding lifeline for immigrant populations and residents of Chelsea, these funds will expand and enhance the capacity of La Colaborativa to provide critical day services for families, expediting exits of families from shelter systems and helping to enable them to stabilize and contribute to our economy and communities as quickly as possible,” Bob Giannino, CEO of United Way of Massachusetts Bay, said.

United Way last week said it’s distributed $3 million in grants so far to support eight safety-net shelters that serve about 100 families per night. They’re located in Greater Boston, as well as Worcester and Hampden counties.

“BUZZARDS BAY, MA, ISSUED FEBRUARY 20, 2024… As host in partnership with U.S. Department of Transportation Maritime Administration (MARAD) of this year’s Women on the Water (WOW) Conference, Massachusetts Maritime Academy (MMA; www.maritime.edu), a top-ranked public university with undergraduate degree programs focusing on science, engineering, technology, math, and business that blend academics and experiential learning, has planned a tour of the New Bedford Harbor for those registered to attend the February 29-March 2 event.

The off-site tour, scheduled to begin at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday, March 2, will transport participants from the Academy to the Cuttyhunk Ferry for a guided tour of the New Bedford Harbor, focusing on offshore wind, during which representatives from Clean Energy Center (CEC), the New Bedford Ocean Cluster (NBOC), and the New Bedford Port Authority will provide information about offshore wind and address the collaboration between private sector, public sector, and academic partners to establish New Bedford as the leading ocean economy on the East Coast.

Massachusetts Maritime Academy photo.

The tour is scheduled for the final day of the Women on the Water Conference, a summit that showcases the remarkable achievements of women in the maritime industry and highlights their essential contributions to the nation’s maritime workforce. The conference features panel discussions, keynote speeches, mock interviews and networking events designed to prepare female cadets and maritime students for the ever-evolving maritime industry.

Women on the Water offers cadets an invaluable opportunity to learn from seasoned mariners, industry leaders and experts in maritime professional development. The conference’s primary goal is to foster camaraderie and facilitate networking among peers.

Registration remains open for those wishing to attend the conference. To register, please visit https://www.maritime.edu/wow.

“The New Bedford Harbor tour will be the perfect culmination of the inspiring WOW Conference,” said Rear Admiral Francis X. McDonald, USMS, president of the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.”

“Good morning, Sudbury Police fielded 20+ reports of car break-ins yesterday which appeared to have occurred in the early morning hours of February 18th, possibly late on February 17th in the Pine Lakes neighborhood off of Hudson Road.

Circumstances remain under investigation but anyone who may have camera footage during the hours of darkness depicting anything suspicious or may have seen something/someone out of the ordinary please contact the Sudbury Police Department at (978) 443-1042.

Sudbury is great community which often lulls residents into a false sense of security hence some do not feel the need to lock their vehicles and sometimes their houses. We implore all residents to ALWAYS secure your vehicles as well as your house! Although perpetrators are typically looking for unlocked vehicles, if high value items are left in plain sight this may entice one to forcibly gain entry.

Please do not leave valuables in your vehicles, particularly in plain sight! Thank you for your anticipated cooperation.”-Sudbury, MA Police Department.

“NEW BEDFORD, MA – In a groundbreaking moment for the City’s arts community, New Bedford Creative this week is announcing the release of 82 grant awards, totaling an unprecedented $509,200.

This monumental grant allocation, the highest ever awarded to a broad cross-section of individual artists, purveyors of special events, and cultural non-profit organizations in New Bedford, marks a significant milestone in the recovery from the challenges posed by the pandemic. It also puts an exclamation point on the City’s decades-long journey towards defining itself as a regional destination for arts and culture.

“New Bedford’s arts and culture scene is thriving,” Mayor Jon Mitchell said. “This significant investment in the arts is a testament to the artists’ creativity and talent, as well as to the City’s place as the center of a region rich in arts and culture offerings.”

This substantial investment supports a diverse range of initiatives as proposed by a broad range of individual residents and arts and culture partners in New Bedford. Projects receiving funding in 2024 include 14 innovative Art is Everywhere! projects, 18 transformative Wicked Cool Places projects, and the empowering inclusion of 50 ARTnet artists. The breadth and depth of these grants reflect a commitment to enriching the cultural fabric of New Bedford, making the arts more accessible and impactful than ever before.

“This grant program is not just a financial boost; it’s an investment in the vibrant arts community that defines New Bedford,” said Tony Sapienza, President of the New Bedford Economic Development Council (NBEDC). “These grants recognize the essential role of the arts in our recovery and reflect the dynamism culture brings to our local economy. We are witnessing a transformative moment that will resonate for years to come.”

You can see a full list of grant awards and summaries of individual projects here. An independent Review Committee, representing a broad cross- section of community interests, scored grants for Wicked Cool Places and Art is Everywhere! ARTnet artists were selected based on eligibility.

Funding for this ambitious initiative is provided by the City of New Bedford, through American Rescue Plan awards, and its Arts, Culture and Tourism Fund. Additional support comes from the Barr Foundation, Bristol County Savings Bank, and Mass Cultural Council, reflecting a collaborative effort to fortify the cultural landscape of the city.

The grant recipients span a wide array of artistic disciplines and will contribute to making arts and culture in New Bedford richer, deeper, and more meaningful than ever before. These initiatives promise to engage diverse audiences, foster community connections, and stimulate economic growth, positioning New Bedford as a beacon for artistic innovation in Massachusetts for years to come.

ARTnet is an artist recovery and training network to help artists recover from the economic impacts of the pandemic by providing financial support, business planning support, training workshops, and access to a network of creative-entrepreneur peers.

Art is Everywhere! is a grant program that prioritizes creative solutions to expedite the recovery of the COVID-19 pandemic in New Bedford’s neighborhoods. This grant was originally created in 2020 with funding by MassDevelopment’s Transformative Development Initiative (TDI) and the Barr Foundation as one component of a broader “TDI Creative Cities” initiative to boost arts-based economic development.

Wicked Cool Places, a grant program for making or keeping a place where things are happening and people want to be, are for projects that involve and impact residents, visitors and/or businesses in New Bedford’s neighborhoods. This grant was originally created in 2019 with funding by the City of New Bedford’s Arts, Culture and Tourism Fund, with additional support by Bristol County Savings Bank.

New Bedford residents and visitors will begin to feel the effects of these grant awards immediately and throughout 2024.

Remarks NBEDC’s Margo Saulnier, Director of Creative Strategies: “From individuals to the staff and directors of non-profit organizations, the persons who practice arts and culture in the city constitute a professional class without peer. They’re eager and ready to go – and these awards will enable them to get busy with the business of creating an abundance of unique experiences which will uplift and enrich the entire city.”

“My name is Taylor Jasinski and I am one of the assistant track coaches at New Bedford High School. We have 7 athletes who have earned a spot to compete on the National stage.

We are hoping to take 3 of them to the Nike Indoor Nationals in New York City and all 7 to the Adidas Indoor National in Virginia Beach. Unfortunately, due to MIAA rules, the school is not allowed to fund either trip.

We as a coaching staff, led by head coach Paul Jasinski, do not want to pass up these once-in-a-lifetime opportunities for our athletes due to funding. We are looking for help with the costs of our trip from any avenue of donations we can think of.

These athletes have put in the work and deserve this chance to compete! Please consider helping them represent New Bedford!! Want to help them shine? Here’s how.”

The following is an opinion sent to New Bedford Guide. It does not reflect the opinion of New Bedford Guide, nor is it an OP-ED. In fairness and objectivity, we share opinions from our readers whether we agree or disagree with their opinion.

Do you have a counter opinion to this opinion? Have an opinion about something else? Email us at info@newbedfordguide.com.

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“The last several weeks have been very negative for Donald Trump.

Two civil lawsuits have been adjudicated and Trump assessed hundreds of millions of dollars. Despite accusations of conflict of interest against Fulton County Georgia Attorney General Fani Willis she redeemed herself by testifying and calling attention to the interference of election case which will probably move forward.

Trump’s adored dictator Putin has again been accused of murdering an opponent. The major witness against Hunter and Joe Biden has been indicted for lying to investigators. Nikki Haley hasn’t ended her campaign and is ramping up her criticism of Trump. Ukraine and Zelensky haven’t been defeated but remain a constant reminder of Trump’s efforts to bolster Putin’s territorial aspirations. Melania continues to be conspicuously absent from Trump’s campaign and court trials.

And in no small measure Netanyahu’s aggressiveness was encouraged by Trump’s unmitigated support during his presidency and undoubtedly cancelling this as a braggable issue for his campaign.

These accumulating woes for Trump may still inspire donations and sympathy from his MAGA millions and syncophantic legislators but certainly is turning off increasing numbers of voters who want to see an end to this destructive period in the United States.”-Betty Ussach, Dartmouth.

“Part of keeping our horses healthy is ensuring they always get good nutrition. Hence the need for good dental health.

Big Ben recently had his regular dental check up. Here, veterinarian Heidi Williams floats his teeth, a procedure that involves grinding them down to a perfect eating surface. If you’re not a fan of the dentist, you may not want to be present for the procedure.

Big Ben, who is 26 years old, is one of 15 horses in our Mounted Unit. The unit’s Troopers and their equine partners play a vital role patrolling state parks, beaches, and reservations and performing crowd control and security missions at large events.”-Massachusetts State Police.

Massachusetts State Police photo.

Massachusetts State Police photo.

Massachusetts State Police photo.

Governor to seek $100 million in upcoming Economic Development Bill to create Applied AI Hub in Massachusetts.

“Governor Maura Healey signed an Executive Order establishing the Artificial Intelligence Strategic Task Force to study AI and Generative Artificial Intelligence (GenAI) technology and its impact on the state, private businesses, higher education institutions, and constituents. The Task Force will conduct outreach and collect input from stakeholders and experts, advise the Governor and executive branch on the state’s role in AI implementation, and find ways to encourage leading industries to adopt this technology to ensure continued success.

The mission of the Task Force is to create specific recommendations for how the state can best support the state’s businesses in leading sectors around AI adoption. It will also produce recommendations focused on startups’ ability to scale and succeed in Massachusetts.

“Massachusetts has the opportunity to be a global leader in Applied AI – but it’s going to take us bringing together the brightest minds in tech, business, education, health care and government. That’s exactly what this task force will do,” said Governor Maura Healey. “Members of the task force will collaborate on strategies that keep us ahead of the curve by leveraging AI and GenAI technology, which will bring significant benefit to our economy and communities across the state.”

“Our administration acknowledges AI as a transformative technology set to influence various aspects of our nation’s economy,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “This Task Force will position Massachusetts as a hub for talent and business excellence, as we examine economic shifts driven by AI with the goal of establishing our state as a global leader in its effective and responsible utilization.”

AI is a machine-based system that can, for a given set of human objectives, make predictions, recommendations, or decisions. GenAI as used in this Order, is a type of artificial intelligence technology that can generate many forms of content including but not limited to texts, images, and multimedia.

The Task Force will have subject-specific working groups that will create recommendations to leverage AI in leading sectors, such as education, healthcare, life sciences, robotics, and financial services. The launch of the Task Force delivers on a commitment from the Administration’s Economic Development Plan, Team MA: Leading Future Generations.

The AI Strategic Task Force consists of 26 individuals representing members of the business community, higher education institutions, and state and local government. The Secretaries of Executive Office of Economic Development (EOED) and the Executive Office of Technology Services and Security (EOTSS) will serve as state co-chairs. Mike Milligan of the UMass system and Santiago Garces of Boston will serve as cochairs from the academic community and local government.

“Massachusetts is the great state that it is because of our ability to harness the ingenuity and knowledge of our greatest natural resource, our residents,” said Senate President Karen Spilka. “As technology enters its next era, that of Artificial Intelligence, I commend the Governor and the Administration for putting together some of our brightest minds in various cross sectors of the Commonwealth to help us reap AI’s great potential and position Massachusetts to be a global leader in the technology.”

“Artificial intelligence is already changing aspects of daily life and the world around us, which is why it’s critical that we ensure that the Commonwealth’s businesses are well prepared for that transition, and that Massachusetts is positioned to benefit from the growth of emerging technologies related to AI,” said House Speaker Ron Mariano. “The House looks forward to reviewing any recommendations made by the task force, as we work to better understand the impact that AI will have on our economy, schools, and on the Commonwealth as a whole.”

“Technology is critical to delivering services and connecting residents in Boston and across Massachusetts to opportunity,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “As we continue to address our most urgent challenges, it’s essential to understand the opportunities, key questions, and impact of AI. I look forward to the leadership of this task force and partnering with the Healey administration and all sectors to grow our strongest economy and community.”

“Massachusetts leads in adopting innovative technology, and we are proactively embracing the emerging field of AI,” said Secretary of Economic Development Yvonne Hao. “The AI Strategic Task Force shows our Administration’s commitment to collaboratively advance AI development and adoption. Our goal is not only to propel the growth of AI, but to employ it to stimulate job creation, elevate our state’s economy, and lengthen our lead in key sectors.”

“We have the conditions in place here in Massachusetts to cement our standing as the hub of AI and emerging technology in the future,” said Secretary of Technology Services and Security and State Chief Information Officer Jason Snyder. “Today’s executive order recognizes the urgent need for the state to engage with AI now, with the understanding that we do our best work together, with state policy leaders, the innovation industry, and higher education all at the table. We are working on projects that capitalize on this rich ecosystem to move our entire state forward.”

“This new partnership with Northeastern University is an exciting opportunity for the state to leverage the strength of our higher education system to test ways that generative artificial intelligence can improve the efficiency and accessibility of state services. AI represents a unique and promising new frontier for Massachusetts, but it’s going to take all of us working together through initiatives like this to realize its full potential and do so with the proper safeguards in place,” said Secretary of Administration and Finance Matthew J. Gorzkowicz.

Governor Healey will seek $100 million in her upcoming economic development legislation to create an Applied AI Hub in Massachusetts. The funding will be used for a capital grant program to support the adoption and application of AI capabilities to solve public policy problems and to advance the state’s lead in technology sectors, including life sciences, healthcare, financial services, advanced manufacturing, robotics and education. Subject to the legislative process, this capital fund will position the state to act on the strategic goals and priorities of the AI Strategic Task Force established by this Executive Order and will focus on capital expenses related to the incubation of AI firms, adoption of AI technologies and the development of AI software and hardware technology development and commercialization. The Governor’s recently filed FutureTech Act includes a $25 million authorization for IT capital AI projects within the Executive Branch.

In addition, the Executive Office of Administration and Finance (A&F) and EOTSS have announced a partnership with Northeastern on InnovateMA, a collaboration between higher ed and the Healey-Driscoll administration to leverage AI across state government.

Northeastern co-ops have started assisting the state with implementing an AI solution in the following use cases:

• Policy Hub: Create a tool for MassHealth call center staff to more efficiently navigate policy documents needed for beneficiary customer support.

• Resource Gateway: Create a tool for MassDOT’s Highway Division engineers to more efficiently navigate the large quantity of Standard Operating Procedure’s governing highway projects.

• User Navigation: Create a tool for the riders and potential riders of the MBTA RIDE paratransit service to better understand how to access services.

• Grant opportunities: Predict grant program eligibility for potential applicants within the suite of grants offered by agencies and programs under the Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs (e.g. farmers impacted by floods).

Members of AI Strategic Task Force
• Secretary Yvonne Hao, EOED (Co-Chair)
• Secretary Jason Snyder, EOTSS (Co-Chair)
• Mike Milligan, Vice President and Chief Information Officer, University of Massachusetts (Co-Chair)
• Santiago Garces, Chief Information Officer, City of Boston (Co-Chair)
• Erica Bradshaw, Chief Technology Officer, Harvard
• Representative Tricia Farley-Bouvier, Massachusetts House of Representatives
• Usama Fayyad, Professor and Executive Director, Institute for Experiential AI, Northeastern
• Patricia Geli, Co-founder, C10 Labs/MIT
• Segun Idowu, Chief of Economic Opportunity and Inclusion, City of Boston
• Dr. Robert Johnson, President, Western New England University
• Meghan Joyce, CEO and Founder, Duckbill
• Chrissy Lynch, President, AFL-CIO
• Patrick Larkin, Deputy Director, Massachusetts Technology Collaborative
• Jeffrey Leiden, Executive Chairman, Vertex Pharmaceuticals
• Spyros Matsoukas, Vice President and Distinguished Scientist of AI, Amazon
• Vipin Mayar, Executive Vice President, Head of AI Innovation, Fidelity
• Sears Merritt, Head of Enterprise Technology and Experience, MassMutual
• Armen Mkrtchyan, Origination Partner, Flagship Pioneering
• Senator Michael Moore, Massachusetts Senate
• Jane Moran, Chief Information and Digital Officer, Mass General Brigham
• Ed Park, Co-Founder and CEO, Devoted Health
• Rudina Seseri, Founder and Managing Partner, Glasswing
• Soundar Srinivasan, Director, AI Program, Microsoft New England
• Fernanda Viegas, Principal Scientist and Co-Lead of People + AI Research (PAIR), Google
• Grace Wang, President, Worcester Polytechnic Institute
• Jeremy Wertheimer, Visiting Scientist, Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard

The Task Force will begin its work in February and present final recommendations to the Governor later this year. InnovateMA began its work in mid-January and the pilot will conclude in July.”-Governor Maura Healey and Lt. Governor Kim Driscoll’s Office.

“BOSTON – Two men have been charged in U.S. District Court for their alleged sexual exploitation of a minor female and filming the assault.

Michael Lamountain, 41, of Oxford, Mass. and Jalen Latimer, 25, of Woonsocket, R.I., were charged with one count each of sexual exploitation of a minor. Both defendants are in state custody on related offenses and will appear in federal court in Worcester today at noon.

According to the criminal complaint, on or about July 7, 2022, Latimer traveled to Oxford where he and Lamountain created video recordings of themselves sexually exploiting a minor.

Lamountain was previously arrested in August 2023 and subsequently charged in Worcester Superior Court with rape of a child; aggravated indecent assault and battery on a child; depicting minors in sexual conduct; human trafficking of a minor; possession of child pornography; distribution of child pornography; and intimidation of a witness. According to court documents, Latimer was arrested in February 2024 and is facing charges in Worcester Superior Court of rape of a child, aggravated indecent assault and battery of a child, human trafficking of a minor and depicting a minor in sexual conduct.

The charge of sexual exploitation of a minor provides for a mandatory minimum sentence of 15 years and up to 30 years in prison, up to a lifetime of supervised release and a fine of $250,000. Sentences are imposed by a federal district court judge based upon the U.S. Sentencing Guidelines and statutes which govern the determination of a sentence in a criminal case.

Acting United States Attorney Joshua S. Levy; Jodi Cohen, Special Agent in Charge of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, Boston Division; Worcester Police Chief Paul B. Saucier; and Oxford Police Chief Michael K. Daniels made the announcement. Valuable assistance was provided by Rhode Island State Police and Massachusetts State Police. Assistant U.S. Attorney Kristen M. Noto of the Worcester Branch Office is prosecuting the case.

This case was brought as part of Project Safe Childhood, a nationwide initiative to combat the growing epidemic of child sexual exploitation and abuse, launched in May 2006 by the Department of Justice. Led by the U.S. Attorneys’ Offices and the DOJ’s Child Exploitation and Obscenity Section, Project Safe Childhood marshals federal, state and local resources to locate, apprehend and prosecute individuals who exploit children, as well as identify and rescue victims. For more information about Project Safe Childhood, please visit https://www.justice.gov/psc.

The details contained in the charging document are allegations. The defendants are presumed to be innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt in the court of law.”-Massachusetts Department of Justice.

“The 34-year-old Fall River man who was shot last Friday night near the intersection of Nashua and Blackstone streets died yesterday afternoon at Saint Luke’s Hospital in New Bedford.

The death of Joshua Medeiros is now being investigated by our office as a homicide.

The investigation is being coordinated by Homicide Unit prosecutor, Russ Eonas, and will be conducted by Massachusetts State Police detectives assigned to the district attorney’s office and detectives from the Fall River Police Department.

This is an active and ongoing investigation and no further information on the facts of the case can be publicly disseminated at this time.”-Bristol County District Attorney’s Office.

Video by Carlos Pimental Felix: