The Recorder du lieu suivant : Greenfield, Massachusetts • a4

STATE REGION A4 Thur sday, Dec ember 2 0, 2018 recor der.com STATE REGION BRIEF Massachusetts fastest growing state in the Northeast BOSTON Massachusetts is the fastest growing state in the Northeast with many of its newest residents coming from other countries. according to Massachusetts Secretary of State William Galvin, the official 2020 census liaison. Galvin said the latest numbers from the U.S. Census Bureau show Massachusetts is growing twice as fast as it did in the pre- vious decade. Since the last census, the population in Massachusetts has increased by an estimated 5.4 percent, reaching almost 7 mil- lion residents.

Galvin said that according to the new numbers, the driving factor behind population growth appears to be international immigration. He said while Massachusetts continues to lose population by residents moving to other states, the loss is offset by twice that number of people moving to the state from other countries. State reaches settlement with MetLife over pension payments BOSTON Secretary of State William Galvin says or- dering MetLife to pay $1 million and make payments to retirees after an investigation found that the company failed to make pension payments. Galvin said Wednesday his office entered into a consent or- der, requiring the fine and payments, with interest, to hundreds of Massachusetts retirees and beneficiaries who the life insur- ance company had wrongly designated as MetLife says they self-identified and reported this issue and they focused on enhancing their processes. The recipients of the payments include retirees who worked for grocery stores, hospitals and manufacturers that closed.

Galvin says he opened an investigation a year ago after MetLife said it made payments to thousands of people because it locate them. Worcester council approves plan for land for PawSox stadium WORCESTER The Worcester City Council has approved a plan to expand its downtown urban revitalization area to in- clude properties needed for a new stadium for the Pawtucket Red Sox. The council voted Tuesday to amend its downtown revitaliza- tion area to add 25 parcels and 18 acres. The added parcels in- clude seven properties targeted for a stadium. The Boston Red Sox Triple-A affiliate is looking to leave Paw- tucket, Rhode Island and play its first season in Worcester in 2021.

After the state reviews the amendment, the city could nego- tiate with property owners. The revitalization plan does allow for taking properties by eminent domain. Most are on Washington Street and one is on Madison Street, all in the vicinity of the proposed ballpark site. Agency works to correct problems with Head Start on Cape Cod BOSTON A child development agency on Cape Cod is working to correct multiple problems with its Head Start preschool programs after a scathing federal report. The Cape Cod Times reports the U.S.

Administration for Children and Families found issues with low morale, high staff turnover, growing debt, limited support for behav- ioral issues and a failure to provide a nurturing environment for low-income children in Head Start, run by Cape Cod Child De- velopment. The agency says some of the things that happened that are unacceptable and reviewing procedures and working with staff, among other steps. The Head Start program serves about 300 children on Cape Cod and Nantucket. The newspaper says the federal report describes children routinely hitting and biting classmates while being supervised by stressed out teachers and assistants. Students protest discarded needles found around school BOSTON Students at an elementary school in Roxbury are protesting the dirty syringes being discarded around their school grounds.

The Boston Globe reports that the Orchard Gardens K-8 Pi- lot School is located near several treatment facilities and nee- dle exchange outlets. Students and parents held a protest Tues- day. They say students should be safe in school. City officials insist they are trying to keep the area clean of discarded syringes, but note that clean needle distribution is a key part of addiction outreach. School nurse Sue Burchill says discarded needles are so prevalent that students have been taught what to do when they encounter them: turn, and From Associated Press Mass.

has few migrant children in its care By PHILIP MARCELO Associated Press BOSTON Mas- sachusetts has among the fewest unaccompanied immi- grant children in government custody, according to data ob- tained by The Associated ress. And the number of chil- dren has held relatively steady even as other states are dealing with surging pop- ulations under President Donald administra- tion. A closer look at the local program: BY THE NUMBERS Massachusetts ranks 15th out of the 17 states that have migrant youths in custody, ei- ther in large-scale detention centers and shelters, or in fos- ter care programs. The state has averaged a little over a dozen migrant youths since Trump took office. The state had 14 migrant children in custody in April 2017.

It had 13 as of Monday. The number of children peaked at 17 last November and December. A FOSTER CARE PRO- GRAM Massachusetts does not operate shelters for unaccom- panied minors. It places them into foster and group homes instead. The state Office for Refugees and Immigrants and Massachusetts Depart- ment of Children and Fami- lies jointly administer the pro- gram.

Children are consid- ered in the custody of DCF, meaning entitled to all the services that agency of- fers. A FAITH-BASED MAN- AGER Ascentria Care Alliance has managed the program for the state since the 1970s, ac- cording to the brochure. The Worcester- based nonprofit was formerly known as Lutheran Social Services of New England and is a member of Lutheran Ser- vices in America, a national network of social ministries. The agency respond to requests for comment. WHO QUALIFIES? Children sent to Mas- sachusetts under the federal Unaccompanied Refugee Mi- nor Program must get prior federal approval and have the immigration status of refugee, asylee, Cuban or Haitian Entrant, or Special Immigrant Juvenile Status; or be a certified victim of traf- ficking, according to the office of state Health and Human Services Secretary Marylou Sudders.

The federal govern- ment must also determine that reunification with the parents is not possi- ble. AT PROVIDED? Ascentria places youths into foster families, group homes or other residential settings. It also provides case management, health insur- ance benefits, education and training to develop indepen- dent living skills, according to its brochure. DEMOGRAPHICS program for years served mainly Southeast Asian youths com- ing from Vietnam and Cambo- dia, according to a question- naire for prospective foster parents. In recent years, it has also served children from the African nations of Congo, Eritrea and Somalia, as well as Central American youths.

The program consists mostly of high school age boys, but youths can remain in the pro- gram until the age of 22. GOP chair contest getting more fractious By MATT MURPHY STATE HOUSE NEWS SERVICE Despite Republican Party Treasurer Brent Andersen claiming sufficient support to become the next chair of his party, the leadership race within the MassGOP appears to be more fluid than ever with one candidate disputing A count and another jumping into the race. Rep. Peter Durant, a can- didate for party chair, said An- dersen was assump- tions that simply when Andersen said Tuesday that he had 45 votes, or a ma- jority of the Republican State Committee, to become the next chairman. Meanwhile, Rep.

Geoff Diehl has been quietly telling friends and associates that he has decided not to seek the post, which led friend and fel- low conservative Rep. Jim Lyons of Andover on Wednes- day to get into the race him- self. Lyons told the News Ser- vice Wednesday he spoke with Diehl Tuesday night about decision not to seek the chairmanship. The Whit- man Republican ran unsuc- cessfully this cycle against U.S. Sen.

Elizabeth Warren, while Lyons lost his House seat to a Democratic chal- lenger Tram Nguyen Novem- r. decided given the cir- cumstances, that going to take a run at it and see how it Lyons said. Diehl did not return calls or texts seek- ing comment. Durant also spoke to Diehl on Tuesday, and said he was hoping to consolidate some of the support for a Diehl candi- dacy behind his own bid for party chair. Before Lyons declared his intention to run, Durant said A claim of being the front runner in the race only held up in a three-way con- test.

may have been true in a three person race, how- ever it is my understanding that Geoff is not going to get into this race and with the commitments that I have se- cured I feel confident in say- ing that Brent does not have the votes to win at this Durant said. Durant also said he bothered that 20 of his 33 House colleagues have en- dorsed Andersen, and hold any to- ward them if he wins. He said he purposefully did not seek endorsements from elected officials who do not have a vote in party business be- cause he want to force them to choose sides. Durant also dismissed as a Minority Leader Brad con- cerns about him serving in a purely political role as party chair and effectively doing his job as a state representative. same group of people endorsed Keiko Orrall for na- tional committeewoman.

There seen to be a problem he said. usually fighting for cr Durant said. me not beneficial that we have to betray the things that we to just to get a couple of crumbs in the budget. slowed down considerably in trying to get earmarks in the budget because as Republi- cans we really believe in earmarks and you go down the road of begging for the lit- tle we might Asked about chal- lenge to his internal whip count, Andersen emailed to say he felt in the 45 votes he is counting in his column. The election to choose a successor to MassGOP Chair- woman Kirsten Hughes will be decided by secret ballot at the next state committee meeting on Jan.

17. Hughes is stepping down after six years in charge of the party. Several committee mem- bers who spoke to the News Service on Wednesday said they sure where the votes were at this time, but acknowledged that private commitments now may not become votes in January. know if got the majority at this point, but that could change between now and the vote and depends on who shows said commit- tee member and former can- didate for state auditor Patri- cia Saint Aubin. a se- cret ballot, people blank it.

People change their minds. You never Saint Aubin has not de- cided who to back yet for chair, but got into what sev- eral committee members de- scribed as a tense back-and- forth with Andersen during this Dec. 12 commit- tee meeting over his level of transparency as treasurer. Saint Aubin said that it was not the first time she had challenged Andersen to pro- duce a more detailed account- ing of the finances be- yond top level revenues and expenditures. you query Brent, he have a lot of ready an- swers.

My problem is there has been a pattern that this is all we get as a board of direc- tors, so to speak. I think peo- ple are getting impatient with the facts that he provides Saint Aubin said. Committee member Marty Lamb agreed with Saint Aubin, saying that like her he does not think anything ques- tionable is going on, but would appreciate greater access to the books. think a lot of frustration that not able to see a year-to-date financial he said. Lamb said he would have supported Diehl, with whom he has worked over the years on ballot campaigns.

But now, Lamb said backing Ly would expect a lot of the Geoff supporters would either be supporting Peter or Jim, but not an Lamb told the News Service, before he knew for sure that Lyons had decided to run. Lyons has spent eight years in the Legislature where he carved out identity as one of the more conserva- tive members of the House on both fiscal and social matters. He often votes on his own against legislation like the an- nual state budget, which typi- cally garners bipartisan sup- port. SHNS PHOTO Rep. Jim Lyons, an Andover Republican who lost his re- election bid in November, entered the contest for MassGOP party chair on Wednesday after his friend and colleague Rep.

Geoff Diehl, right, decided not to seek the post. 2F 0 67 8(' 3(3- 11(9 2F -(3) COLD WATER WARNING! Cold water cools the body much faster than air. Attempted swimming or immersion in water may cause hypothermia. Without a PFD, survival time can be reduced. safewaters.com NE-256484.