HELP WANTED: $100,000 a year for part-time work in Boston

Want a part-time job that pays six figures, paid travel to exotic countries with a full time staff to do most of your work? Read on!

Beacon Hill is seeking some-what qualified candidates for elected office. Get 150-300 signatures and your in! Well, almost.

Requirements:
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– Must be willing to travel at no cost to exotic lands for weeks at a time without your family. Remember who paid for your trip when voting!
– Must be a team player, incapable of critical thought and be willing to vote exactly how the party leadership tells you how to. Rock the boat? No “leadership” pay or highly coveted committees for you.
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Does this interest you? Download our handbook and complete the checklist here.



Community Preservation Committee to consider funding for 2018 projects at final public hearing

The City of New Bedford’s Department of Planning, Housing and Community Development announced that the city’s Community Preservation Committee (CPC) is hosting its final public hearing on Tuesday, February 13, at which CPA project proposals will be presented before the CPC. This is an opportunity for the public to comment on the project proposals being considered for funding in fiscal year 2018.

The Community Preservation Act (CPA) was adopted by New Bedford voters through a ballot question in November 2014. This statewide enabling legislation allows communities to create dedicated funding for: Open Space, Outdoor Recreational Facilities, Historic Preservation and Affordable Housing activities in the city. Oversight of this process rests with the Community Preservation Committee (CPC), the body established by the City to oversee the CPA program in New Bedford.

In June of 2017 the CPC hosted three community meetings that invited the public to provide comments and suggestions for the community’s goals and objectives for Open Space, Outdoor Recreational Facilities, Historic Preservation and Affordable Housing that were used in developing a Community Preservation Plan. The input provided by citizens at these well-attended meetings has been incorporated into the Plan, and a final Community Preservation Plan was adopted on August 22 by the CPC.

The CPA fund has over $2.9 million available for projects and in the fall of 2017 began the application process for eligible projects. The CPC is currently in the course of reviewing the proposed projects and is conducting the public hearings in order for the applicants to present their project proposals to the CPC as well as to the community in a public setting. Once the CPC has reviewed and selected the projects, the CPC will recommend project applications to the City Council for final consideration and awarding of funds.

The hearing will be held in City Hall at 6:00 p.m., on Tuesday, February 13 in Room 314 and the following project proposals will be heard at the meeting:

Tuesday, February 13, 2018 at 6:00 p.m.
City Hall –Room 314

133 William Street

PROJECT PROPOSALS

· Acushnet Saw Mill
· Abolition Row Park
· Butlers Flats Lighthouse
· Buttonwood Brook Trail
· Buttonwood Outdoor Adult Fitness
· Ernestina Morrissey
· Rotch Jones Duff House
· South Coast Scenic Greenway
· Zeiterion Theatre Marquee

For further information please go to the CPC webpage on the city website at:

http://www.newbedford-ma.gov/planning/community-preservation/ or call the Department of Planning, Housing & Community Development at 508.979.1488



Congressman Keating reintroduces Nuclear Plant Decommissioning Act

This week, Congressman Bill Keating reintroduced the Nuclear Plant Decommissioning Act of 2018, which requires a nuclear plant operator to consult with state and local communities when drafting plans to govern the shutdown of a reactor and eventual transfer of a plant’s federal license. Congressman Keating reintroduced this legislation with Rep. Peter Welch; the bill has the support of a number of Members of both the House and Senate.

Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station (“Pilgrim”), in Plymouth, is scheduled to enter the decommissioning phase in 2019. This bill would have a direct effect on the plant’s decommissioning process.

“Ask anyone in Plymouth how important the decommissioning of Pilgrim is and they will tell you in no uncertain terms,” said Congressman Keating. “Plymouth residents can name a number of concerns, whether they be economic, environmental, safety, labor, or others. Not having their input makes no sense whatsoever and would only serve one purpose – the operator’s purpose. It is the people who live or work in the community hosting a nuclear power plant who truly understand the effects of decommissioning one. This legislation gives them a voice. They have been drowned out by the big corporations who own these plants for too long.”

“As the host community for Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station, it is important that Plymouth and surrounding communities have the opportunity to work with the NRC and the plant operator in order to ensure the safety, security, and well-being of its residents,” said State Senator Vinny deMacedo.

“I applaud Congressman Keating for his leadership on matters related to decommissioning of nuclear power plants,” said State Senator Julian Cyr. “As Massachusetts is preparing for the decommissioning process of Pilgrim Nuclear Power Station in Plymouth, MA, the residents of the Massachusetts 9th congressional district are well served by our Congressman’s focus on this matter. NRC regulations for closing nuclear plants remain too broad; local communities deserve greater input on decommissioning decisions that will affect them for decades to come.”

Specifically, the Nuclear Plant Decommissioning Act of 2018 mandates a licensee, such as Entergy who operates Pilgrim, to gain meaningful input from neighboring governments located within 50 miles of a nuclear power plant during the crafting of any decommissioning proposal. Additionally, the bill requires the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) to seek public input on a plan, formally evaluate that input, and publicly declare its decision to adopt or reject the resulting recommendations.



Mayor Mitchell ask city council for temporary moratorium on recreational marijuana

New Bedford Mayor Mitchell submitted the following ordinance amendment to City Council, amending Chapter 9, of the City Code by adding Section 5720 TEMPORARY MORATORIUM ON RECREATIONAL MARIJUANA ESTABLISHMENTS.

Mayor Mitchell’s amendment calls for a “temporary moratorium on the use of land or structures for a marijuana establishment and other uses related to non-medical marijuana.”

DOC013118-008-Recreational_Marijuana_Temporary_Moratorium



Congressman Keating issues statement on release of Nunes memo

Below is a statement from Congressman Bill Keating, a senior Member of the Homeland Security Committee and Ranking Member of the Terrorism, Nonproliferation, and Trade Subcommittee of the Foreign Affairs Committee, on today’s release of House Intelligence Committee Chairman Devin Nunes’s memo.

“I’ve had the opportunity to review both the Nunes memo released today and the memo put together by the House Intelligence Committee Democrats. Having read both, the only reason to release this memo is to undermine the work of Special Counsel Robert Mueller and/or to attempt to justify firing him or other Department of Justice officials. Special Counsel Mueller’s investigation into the Russian attack on our country, including possible involvement by the Trump Campaign, must continue unimpeded.

“There is bipartisan concern regarding what FBI Director Christopher Wray called ‘material omissions of fact that fundamentally impact the memo’s accuracy.’ Wray was appointed by President Trump, as was Deputy Attorney General Rod Rosenstein and Assistant Attorney General Stephen Boyd – all of whom opposed releasing this memo. If there is a conspiracy against Republicans and this Administration, as President Trump wants everyone to believe, then it is being led by his own appointees.”



Is there still hope for a New Bedford casino? Yes and no

Casinos and South Coast Rail – the two items politicians love to tease us with. New Bedford residents have voted several times to support a casino only to have their hopes and dreams squashed by developers, politicians or political appointees.

Just a few years ago, voters in Massachusetts approved three resort casinos and a smaller one in Plainridge, but like legalized marijuana, politicians decided the peasants voice only matters on paper. The politicians rewrote the ballot question and decided no south coast, MA casino was needed. The threat of an Indian casino was enough to have the New Bedford casino developers pull out just a few feet from the finish line. Now a few New Bedford city councilors are hoping to entice the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) to consider a casino in New Bedford.

The following motion was submitted to the New Bedford City Council during the January 25 session:

1. WRITTEN MOTION, Councillors Abreu, Lima, Giesta and Lopes, requesting, that the City of New Bedford send a letter to the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) expressing support of their casino interest for the mainland Southeastern Massachusetts region; and further, the City of New Bedford could be poised to host such a casino, given its available space for potential economic development, strong workforce, solid public infrastructure, community support, and nearby location to Rhode Island and Cape Cod. (To be referred to Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) Tribal Council, Mayor’s Office and the New Bedford Economic Development Council Office.)

The motion passed and was sent to the Wampanoag Tribe of Gay Head (Aquinnah) and New Bedford Economic Development Center.

Is there still hope for a New Bedford casino? Yes, if you consider a 0.0001% hope.



California legislation would jail anyone providing unrequested straws

California legislator and Majority Leader Ian Calderon has filed legislation that would jail waiters and other restaurant staff for up to six months for proving single-use plastic straws to consumers that don’t request them. The bill reads as follows:

AB 1884, as introduced, Calderon. Food facilities: single-use plastic straws.

Existing law, the California Retail Food Code, establishes uniform health and sanitation standards for, and provides for regulation by the State Department of Public Health of, retail food facilities, as defined, and requires local health agencies to enforce these provisions. Existing law requires, except as otherwise provided, a person who violates any provision of the code to be guilty of a misdemeanor with each offense punishable by a fine of not less than $25 or more than $1,000, or by imprisonment in the county jail for a term not exceeding 6 months, or by both.

This bill would prohibit a food facility, as specified, where food may be consumed on the premises from providing single-use plastic straws to consumers unless requested by the consumer. By creating a new crime and imposing additional enforcement duties on local health agencies, this bill would impose a state-mandated local program.

The California Constitution requires the state to reimburse local agencies and school districts for certain costs mandated by the state. Statutory provisions establish procedures for making that reimbursement.

This bill would provide that with regard to certain mandates no reimbursement is required by this act for a specified reason.

With regard to any other mandates, this bill would provide that, if the Commission on State Mandates determines that the bill contains costs so mandated by the state, reimbursement for those costs shall be made pursuant to the statutory provisions noted above.



Keating: GOP and Trump attacks on intelligence professionals is dangerous and un-American

Below is a statement from Congressman Bill Keating, senior Member on the House Homeland Security Committee, in response to the Republicans’ vote tonight to release the Intelligence Committee memo related to the FBI’s surveillance of a Trump campaign aide.

“The release of a committee staff-drafted memo containing classified information is beyond reckless. In an age where ‘fake news’ is getting harder and harder to discern from the truth, Republican Members of government are poised – and willing – to be part of the problem.

“When wrongs have been committed, they must be corrected. But the constant attacks by the GOP and Trump Administration on our intelligence professionals is dangerous and un-American. It’s very obvious that these attacks are happening in an attempt to give credibility to an Administration that has been under scrutiny because of election interference by a foreign government.

“The GOP should tread lightly here. This report only further highlights that the dossier in question was originally funded by Republicans and that the FBI had cause to surveil a Trump insider.”



Mayor Mitchell to Hold January Neighborhood Office Hours at Casa da Saudade Library

Mayor Mitchell will hold neighborhood office hours for the month of January on Tuesday, January 30, 2018 from 5:30 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. at the Casa da Saudade Library, 58 Crapo Street in New Bedford.

Mayor Mitchell sets aside time each month to hold office hours in city neighborhoods so that residents can meet with him outside of normal business hours and in their own neighborhood.

City residents are invited to attend the neighborhood office hours to meet with Mayor Mitchell directly and share their concerns and ideas. The sessions are open to all New Bedford residents, no advance appointments are required and meetings with the Mayor will be done on a first come, first served basis.



Massachusetts Representative Joe Kennedy III to give response to Trump’s State of the Union

Congressman Joe Kennedy III, the grandson of former United States Attorney General Robert F. “Bobby” Kennedy, announced on his Twitter page that he will be delivering the response to President Trump’s State of the Union speech next week. He will be giving the response from Diman Regional Vocational Technical High School in Fall River.

Congressman Kennedy represents Massachusetts’ 4th Congressional District.