WCCA TV News and Information Roundup: January 26, 2016

Soapbox, with host, Mauro DePasquale, is all new in February. wcca

The show will feature such topics as the Brownfield Development,
Ascentria Care Alliance and the Language Bank Program, Greg White of the
Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, local artist and
poet, Judith Ferrara and Yes Health and the Disability Policy Consortium.

THIS IS MEANINGFUL TV to empower all who live, work, study, and play in Worcester, MA.

Soapbox can be seen Wednesdays at 8:30pm,
Saturdays at 10:30pm and Sundays at 6:30pm
on WCCA TV Channel 194 in Worcester
and streaming live at those times at wccatv.com.
Past shows can be downloaded any time at our website by
going to Video on Demand and entering the name “Soapbox”.

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WORCESTER FREE TAX SERVICE Kick Celebration:

We are excited about celebrating our twelfth year of preparing free tax returns!
Thank you so much for agreeing to attend our Annual Kickoff Event this Friday,
January 29, 2016 at 10:00 AM at the Woo Church, 875 Main Street, Worcester, MA. We
look forward to seeing you on Friday!

WCCA TV has been a strong supporting partner of this since it’s beginning.

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For Immediate Release: 1/26/16

Worcester to offer translation services for more than 90 languages
Partnership with Ascentria will allow city government to be more inclusive,
effective for residents
Worcester- City Manager Edward M. Augustus Jr. announced today that Worcester is
implementing a new policy across city government aimed at providing improved
services to Worcester residents who speak languages other than English.
A new partnership with Worcester-based Ascentria Care Alliance will provide language
bank services for more than 90 different languages (list attached) – significantly
improving access to city services for people with Limited English Proficiency (LEP).
The contract with Ascentria provides for interpreters to be available either on-site
or by telephone for city employees interacting with the public – including at City
Hall and on site during situations like code inspections and public safety
situations.
“Worcester is a city of immigrants, and the city is taking steps to assure that all
of our residents, no matter what languages they speak, can access important
information and benefit from programs and services,” said City Manager Augustus. “If
we want to become an even more welcoming city, we must do everything we can to
embrace and support people of all cultural and linguistic backgrounds.”
This policy is part of a larger effort by the City Manager and numerous city
departments to make municipal government more inclusive, diverse, and reflective of
the community it serves. Since April, when the strategy was first introduced, the
city has hired a Chief Diversity Officer, reconstituted the Worcester Clergy Police
Partnership, appointed seven of nine members to a newly-formed Diversity and
Inclusion Commission, and taken a number of steps to improve police relationships
with diverse communities.
The language policy will ensure meaningful communication between LEP persons and the
city by providing for interpretation and translation services at no cost to the LEP
person being served. Communication services will also be provided for information
contained in private documents, including applications, statements, ordinances, and
relevant forms. Written translation will also be provided for vital documents,
including consent and complaint forms, applications for programs, activities, or to
receive city government benefits or services, etc.
“Worcester resettles the largest number of refugees in the state and has a large,
diverse foreign born population,” said Kaska Yawo, Executive Director & Co-founder
of the African Community Education (ACE) Program. “As the Co-founder and Executive
Director of the ACE Program which works with African immigrants refugees in
Worcester, I have seen how determined and motivated refugees and immigrants are to
make a better life for their families and contribute to this vibrant community. This
policy is a significant step toward making that dream possible.”
The policy for dealing with LEP residents was presented to the City Council on
Friday. Employee training has already begun, and the new policy is expected to be
fully implemented across all city departments by the spring.
“Language and cultural barriers are two of the main culprits that prevent many
immigrants and refugees from quickly becoming self-sustaining,” said Anh Sawyer,
Executive Director of the Southeast Asian Coalition of Massachusetts (SEAC). “The
SEAC, with our mission to assist Asian immigrants, refugees and long-term residents
to successfully integrate, thrive and become contributing citizens while preserving
their cultural heritage, believes the City of Worcester’s LEP Language Access
Policies and Procedure will help to alleviate these barriers, narrow disparities,
and help English language learners to access many important resources necessary for
them to thrive.”
# # #

John F. Hill
Communications Specialist
City of Worcester

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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE January 26, 2016

Latest Seasonally Unadjusted Job and Unemployment Estimates for Local Labor Markets
in Massachusetts
BOSTON MA, January 26, 2016 – Twenty-three labor market areas in the state
experienced drops in seasonally unadjusted unemployment rates compared to December
2014, and one area remained the same, according to data measured by the Bureau of
Labor Statistics.

During December 2015, seasonally unadjusted unemployment rates dropped in one area –
Haverhill-Newburyport-Amesbury. The rate went up in 19 areas of the state measured
by the Bureau of Labor Statistics and remained the same in four areas, the Executive
Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported Tuesday.

Over the month, five areas – Framingham, Peabody-Salem-Beverly,
Lynn-Saugus-Marblehead, New Bedford, and Leominster-Gardner – added jobs. The
Lawrence-Methuen-Salem and Pittsfield areas had no change in jobs level over the
month. Seasonal losses occurred in the eight remaining areas.

In order to compare the statewide rate to local unemployment rates, the Bureau of
Labor Statistics estimates the statewide unadjusted unemployment rate for December
is 4.6 percent, up 0.1 of a percentage point from the November rate.

Last week, the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development reported the
statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained at 4.7 percent for the
month of December. The unemployment rate is down 0.6 percent over the year.

The statewide seasonally adjusted jobs estimate showed a 7,100 job gain in December
and an over-the-year gain of 73,800 jobs.

The unadjusted unemployment rates and job estimates for the labor market areas
reflect seasonal fluctuations and therefore may show different levels and trends
than the statewide seasonally adjusted estimates.

The labor force, unemployment rates and jobs estimates for Massachusetts is based on
different statistical methodology specified by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bureau
of Labor Statistics.

NOTES: The preliminary January 2016 and revised monthly 2015 unemployment rates,
labor force data and jobs estimates for Massachusetts will be released on Thursday,
March 10, 2016; local unemployment statistics will be released on Tuesday, March 15,
2016. Detailed labor market information is available at
www.mass.gov/lmi. See the 2016 Media
Advisory
annual schedule for
complete listing of release dates.

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