"ENDORSED BY OVER SEVENTY NEWSPAPER PUBLICATIONS
STATEWIDE"Poll Results: Maria Curtatone is Still The Voter's Favorite
Top Choice Pick! Candidate Curtatone is predicted to win the Democratic election
for Middlesex South Register Of Deeds!
"
signatures, Maria Curtatone's signatures were certifed and turned in many months
earlier and also with all the possitive press results around the state as well
as endorsing her in over seventy news publications!
they want as our next register of deeds, well the writing is on the wall that
Curtatone will be our next Register of Deeds for South Middlesex
County
Favorite Top Choice Pick Candidate Maria
Curtatone for Middlesex South Register Of Deeds
Vote for Maria Curtatone On September 6,
2012
My name is Maria Curtatone and I am running for Middlesex South Register of
Deeds. I am a practicing attorney and small business owner with my own firm. I
have worked in Middlesex County and the surrounding area for the last 25 years.
I bring to this job strong administrative skills, leadership and a commitment to
public service.
As a business owner and working professional with two children I bring a
unique perspective to this office. I am not a politician. I am a working
professional who understands the needs of other working professionals. As a
business owner, I know what it takes to run a business. I will bring to the
office effective management, strong leadership and administrative skills. I am
and have been an active member of my community for the last 25 years and I look
forward to Giving back further and applying my skills to the office of Middlesex
County Register of Deeds.
As the Register of Deeds, I will continue to expand and build upon the work
the office already does in order to efficiently maintain property records while
further implementing the utilization of state-of-the-art technology, electronic
recording and accessibility online while simplifying the process and making
certain that it is a customer service driven office. It is imperative to me that
the office of Middlesex South Register of Deeds maintain ultimate transparency
at all times.
I am a highly qualified candidate and the right person for the job of the
Middlesex South Register of Deeds. I am committed to effectively serving the
public and serving you as your Register of Deeds. I am seeking your endorsement
and humbly ask for your vote
http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=endscreen&v=x5tIv228NBM&NR=1
This is a grass roots campaign to help Elect Maria Curtatone for Register of Deeds, Middlesex
South on September 6,2012. Maria has what it takes to bring this office into the
twenty first century. She has run her own legal practice in Middlesex Countyfor
the past twenty five years. You, the people of
Middlesex South deserve a
registrar who will make decisions and implement new ideas based on the needs of
the citizens who use this office.
Elect Maria Curtatone For Register of Deeds
44 Cities and Towns, Here we come!
The South Middlesex Registry District includes the following cities and
towns:
ACTON, ARLINGTON, ASHBY, ASHLAND, AYER, BEDFORD, BELMONT, BOXBOROUGH,
BURLINGTON, CAMBRIDGE, CONCORD, EVERETT, FRAMINGHAM, GROTON,
HOLLISTON,
HOPKINTON, HUDSON, LEXINGTON, LINCOLN, LITTLETON,
MALDEN,
MARLBOROUGH,
MAYNARD,
MEDFORD, MELROSE, NATICK,
NEWTON,
NORTH
READING, PEPPERELL,
READING, SHERBORN,
SHIRLEY,
SOMERVILLE,
STONEHAM, STOW, SUDBURY,
TOWNSEND,
WAKEFIELD, WALTHAM,
WATERTOWN,
WAYLAND, WESTON, WINCHESTER,
WOBURN
Posted at 06:46 AM in Film | Permalink
| Comments
(0)
GOVERNOR PATRICK ANNOUNCES GREEN COMMUNITIES MILESTONE
Over 100 cities and towns named Green Communities; Seventeen
cities and towns named clean energy leaders in fifth round of designations
Governor Patrick offers remarks during an
event marking a Green Community milestone.(Photos: Jeremiah Robinson /
Governor's Office) View additional photos.
Map
of Green Communities
BOSTON – Tuesday, July 24, 2012 –
Governor Deval Patrick today joined state and local officials to announce that
Massachusetts is now home to over 100 Green Communities. At an event at the
State House, the Governor announced the designation of 17 new Green Communities,
bringing the total number up to 103 cities and towns. Nearly half of
Massachusetts residents, or 44 percent, now live in a Green Community.
With the Department of Energy Resources’ (DOER) designation, Amherst,
Ashland, Auburn, Berlin, Conway, Gill, Great Barrington, Huntington, Lakeville,
Leominster, Northfield, Pelham, Richmond, Sunderland, Tisbury, Townsend, and
West Tisbury will be eligible for nearly $2.75 million in grants for local
renewable power and energy efficiency projects. Participating communities have
committed to five clean energy leadership criteria – including cutting energy
use by 20 percent over five years --spelled out in the nation-leading Green
Communities Act, which was passed by the Legislature and signed by Governor
Patrick in 2008.
When Governor Patrick came into office in 2007, he made an ambitious and
achievable commitment to clean energy. A major component of that agenda is the
Green Communities Act, which empowers communities to invest in local solutions
that expand renewable energy adoption, boost the clean energy industry and cut
overall energy use. As a result, Massachusetts leads the nation in energy
efficiency and has seen the number of renewable energy projects – like solar and
wind – soar. There are now more clean energy companies and clean energy jobs in
Massachusetts than ever before.
“Surpassing the 100th Green Community mark is a win for every community and
our Commonwealth as a whole,” said Governor Patrick. “We have developed a
nation-leading clean energy agenda because it is the right thing to do for our
environment, our energy independence and our public health. This milestone
proves again the clean energy revolution is taking hold, and growing, one
community at a time.”
“From Great Barrington in Berkshire County to Tisbury in Dukes County, our
communities are committed to promoting clean energy and a green environment,”
said Lieutenant Governor Timothy Murray. “Now over 100 Green Communities are
making strategic investments to increase energy efficiency and create jobs,
improving our economy and quality of life across Massachusetts.”
“I am so proud to hear that Massachusetts is now home to 103 Green
Communities,” said House Speaker Robert A. DeLeo. “Adopting clean energy
solutions in over a hundred of our cities and towns enhances the economy by
creating more green jobs, giving new life to renewable energy companies, and
cutting unnecessary energy usage.”
To date, the 103 Green Communities have committed to a total energy reduction
equivalent to the annual energy consumption of 13,358 homes. This commitment
equates to a greenhouse gas emissions reduction equivalent to taking 22,556 cars
off the road.
“Cities and towns across the Commonwealth have stepped up to the challenge of
decreasing our dependence on foreign sources of energy,” said Energy and
Environmental Affairs Secretary Rick Sullivan. “Keeping our energy dollars in
Massachusetts keeps more money in our wallets, boosting our economy, and not one
overseas.”
DOER’s Green Communities Designation and Grant Program reward communities
that win Green Communities designation by meeting five clean energy
benchmarks:
- Adopting local zoning bylaw or ordinance that allows “as-of-right siting” –
allowing a project to proceed without requiring a special permit or any time of
discretionary approval – for renewable and/or alternative energy research and
development facilities, manufacturing facilities or generation units; - Adopting an expedited permitting process related to the as-of-right
facilities; - Establishing a municipal energy use baseline and a program to reduce use by
20 percent within five years; - Purchasing only fuel-efficient vehicles for municipal use, whenever such
vehicles are commercially available and practicable; and - Requiring all new residential construction over 3,000 square feet and all
new commercial and industrial real estate construction to reduce lifecycle
energy costs (i.e. adoption of an energy-saving building “stretch code”).
Once designated by DOER as official Green Communities, cities and towns are
eligible for awards to fund local renewable power and energy efficiency projects
that advance both municipal and state clean energy goals. Grants awarded so far
assist an array of projects across the state, including the installation of
solar panels on town office buildings, weatherization at schools and municipal
buildings, installation of high-efficiency street lights, and a host of energy
efficiency upgrades.
“With today’s designation, the Commonwealth again demonstrates its commitment
to supporting our municipalities while advancing our clean energy goals,” said
Senator Benjamin B. Downing, Senate Chairman of the Committee on
Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy. “I am proud that communities I
represent, Conway, Great Barrington and Richmond, join 100 other Green
Communities in committing to these goals through reduced energy use and the
encouragement of renewable energy solutions.”
“I applaud the Administration for its leadership and investment in renewable
energy and energy efficiency projects,” said Representative John Keenan, House
Chairman of the Committee on Telecommunications, Utilities and Energy. “The
Commonwealth continues to lead the nation in promoting renewable energy and
energy efficiency, and the Green Communities Program is at the forefront of that
effort. Massachusetts’ Green Communities are to be commended for their
commitment to clean energy and energy efficiency projects.”
“Nearly half of the Commonwealth’s residents live in a community that has
made a conscious decision to buck the energy status quo and become a leader in
renewable energy adoption and smart energy use,” said DOER Commissioner Mark
Sylvia. “When we launched Green Communities just a few years ago, we never
predicted such an overwhelming response. Becoming a Green Community requires
hard work, and this milestone is a testament to the eagerness with which cities
and towns large and small have rolled up their sleeves in support of a clean
energy future.”
Massachusetts sits at the end of the energy pipeline and imports all of its
fossil-fuel based energy sources – some from areas unstable or hostile to the
U.S. Of the $22 billion Massachusetts spends annually to buy the energy that
runs its power plants, buildings and vehicles, 80 percent flows out of state to
places like South America, Canada, and the Middle East. That’s nearly $18
billion in lost economic opportunity that Massachusetts stands poised to reclaim
through investments in home-grown renewable energy and energy efficiency
projects such as those supported by Green Communities grants.
By the end of this month, Massachusetts will have more than 118 megawatts of
solar power. That’s enough electricity to power more than 18,600 homes, and when
compared with fossil fuel-generated electricity, the equivalent of taking 9,750
cars per year off the road. Installations this summer alone are poised to be
more than five times the total solar power installed in all of 2008. There has
been a twenty-fold increase in wind energy to 61 megawatts in just four years,
enough to power nearly 19,600 homes. By the end of this year, Massachusetts will
be more than halfway to its 2017 goal of 250 megawatts, with five years left to
hit the target.
Grants for the communities designated today will be funded by Alternative
Compliance Payments (ACP) made by electricity suppliers who do not meet their
Renewable Portfolio Standard obligation to purchase a sufficient percentage of
renewable energy. Green Communities grants also receive funding from proceeds of
carbon allowance auctions under the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative
(RGGI).
Using a formula that caps awards at $1 million and provides each community
with a $125,000 base grant – plus additional amounts based on other criteria,
DOER notified the selected communities of their eligibility for the following
funding:
| CITY OR TOWN | AMOUNT |
| Amherst | $302,000 |
| Ashland | $164,325 |
| Auburn | $165,550 |
| Berlin | $140,350 |
| Conway | $139,650 |
| Gill | $139,900 |
| Great Barrington | $142,700 |
| Huntington | $140,650 |
| Lakeville | $158,275 |
| Leominster | $245,575 |
| Northfield | $143,750 |
| Pelham | $138,100 |
| Richmond | $137,300 |
| Sunderland | $146,450 |
| Tisbury | $140,925 |
| Townsend | $156,825 |
| West Tisbury | $143,250 |
In addition to grant eligibility, each Green Community designated today will
receive a certificate from the Commonwealth and four road signs identifying it
as an official Green Community.
Click
here for more information on DOER's Green Communities
program.
Posted at 06:35 AM
| Permalink
| Comments
(0)
Statement of Middlesex Sheriff Peter
J. Koutoujian
on Death of Correctional Officer
The Middlesex Sheriff’s Office is mourning the loss of Correction Officer
Edward "Teddy" Dillon III, 27 of Lowell, who was a respected member of the
Middlesex Sheriff’s Office since 2008. Teddy worked the 12 a.m.–8 a.m. shift at
the Middlesex House of Correction in Billerica and his job included conducting
routine perimeter checks of the facility and nearby Middlesex Sheriff’s Office
property.
Sheriff Koutoujian issued the following statement:
"My thoughts and prayers, as well as those of the entire Middlesex Sheriff’s
Office, go out to Officer Dillon’s family, friends and colleagues. We know the
work of correction officers is difficult and dangerous, but that does nothing to
ease the pain and shock when we lose one of our own. The Middlesex Sheriff’s
Office will work to ensure that our officers and the Dillon family have the
support they need as we grieve Teddy’s passing."
The Massachusetts State Police Collision Analysis and Reconstruction section
is conducting a review of this incident.
Posted at 06:32 AM
| Permalink
| Comments
(0)
07/19/2012
Massachusetts Black and Latino
Legislative Caucus to
Vote Against Sentencing Reform
Bill
BOSTON--Citing the bill's lack of
evidence-based solutions, removal of
judicial discretion, and the absence of any
elimination of mandatory
minimums on non-violent offenses, members of the
Massachusetts Black and
Latino Legislative Caucus (MBLLC) announced today that,
as a Caucus, they
will be voting against the final sentencing reform bill
released by the
Conference Committee on Tuesday evening.
“As a senator representing a
district grappling day-in and day-out with
the pervasive effects of violence and
the drug trade, I have a strong
interest in government putting forth smart,
evidence-based solutions to make
our neighborhoods safer. This bill doesn't get
us there,” said
Senator Sonia Chang-Díaz (D-Boston). “Over the past
several
months, I have met with criminal justice experts, faith leaders, and
victims’ families, and talked with scores of constituents about what they
see as
the benefits and drawbacks of this legislation. These parties have
put forth
great advocacy about the alternative solutions that would serve
our communities
better. Ultimately, I am not convinced that the benefits of
this bill outweigh
its fiscal and societal costs—or its opportunity
costs.”
“Addiction is a real concern and
we need a comprehensive approach to
providing critical services that break the
cycle of repeat sentencing,” said
Representative Linda Dorcena Forry
(D-Dorchester). “This is
not just a criminal issue—It is a mental health and
addiction issue, and
judges need the discretion to determine the
difference.”
In a letter to House and Senate
colleagues delivered on Wednesday
afternoon, the MBLLC expressed concerns that
the bill did not include
data-driven solutions to reduce violence and
recidivism. The Caucus
expressed disappointment that the bill “imposes new
burdens on our courts
and prisons while doing too little to promote
rehabilitation for non-violent
offenders and prevent recidivism. It also removes
the judicial discretion
that is fundamental to the purpose of our judicial
system and the principal
of separation of powers.”
In announcing
their opposition to the final bill, MBLLC members also
pointed
to:
- Data from the Massachusetts Sentencing Commission
suggesting that
this bill will cost over $100 million over the next 10 to 15
years—funding
that will be siphoned off from priorities such as education, job
training,
and transportation improvements.
- The half-dozen states around the country, including Kansas
and South
Carolina, that have moved away from mandatory minimum sentencing laws,
and
have seen their crime rates drop.
- The disproportionate representation of communities of color
in our
jail and prison systems. As of 2009, Black and Latino people comprised
approximately 12 percent of Massachusetts’ population yet accounted for 56
percent of its prison population. They argued that unnecessary and
ineffective
jail sentences devastate communities, preclude valuable job
training and
educational opportunities, fracture families, and perpetuate a
cycle of violence
and crime that has had serious consequences on communities
of color.
Over the past eight months, MBLLC members have
facilitated and attended
many community forums, State House briefings, and
constituent meetings to
solicit input on the two sentencing bills passed by the
House and the Senate
last fall. This input informed the position that the MBLLC
took during the
course of Conference Committee negotiations and in their
communications with
House and Senate leadership.
Although they could not endorse the bill on balance, the
MBLLC did note
and express appreciation for the fact that the Conference
Committee included
several provisions for which the MBLLC had advocated. These
provisions
included:
- Significant reduction of the so-called “school zone” area
for drug
sentences, and a suspension of the school zone policy between midnight
and
5am - Inclusion of the “Good Samaritan” provision
- Increased access to earned-good-time and work release
programming
for inmates serving time on non-violent offenses.
