Page 14 THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 25, 2022 EHS seniors share continuing education plans at Senior Night T By Tara Vocino he Everett High School Crimson Tide Girls’ Varsity Basketball players presented to their parents during Tuesday’s Senior Night in the Field House. Forwards Jane Odiari and Celeste Fuccillo presented roses to their mothers. Senior team manager Wilimide Lucien couldn’t be present, but Head Coach Riley Dunn acknowledged her help on the team. BUDGET | FROM PAGE 9 to the public health response to COVID-19, such as providing rapid tests and surveillance testing in congregate care settings, administering monoclonal anCrimson Tide Head Coach Riley Dunn congratulated the three seniors. Not present: senior team manager Wilimide Lucien. (Advocate photos by Tara Vocino) tibody treatments, maintaining vaccination sites and ensuring sufficient staffing in health care facilities. After anticipated Federal Emergency Management Agency reimbursements, these initiatives are expected to have Everett forward Celeste Fuccillo presented to her mother, Andrea Fuccillo, and father, Robert Fuccillo, during Tuesday’s Girls’ Varsity Basketball Senior Night at Everett High School. After graduation, Fuccillo plans to study biology at the University of Alabama. a net cost of $439 million. These funds will complement the $101 million supplemental budget signed into law last week to support COVID-19 response. “The surplus we’ve realized in FY22 thus far reflects the conLady Tide forward Jane Odiari presented to her mother, Loretta Maduegbunam, and sister, Lilly Odiari, during Tuesday’s Senior Night at Everett High School. Odiari is excited about continuing her education in psychology after graduation. tinued strength of the Massachusetts economy and gives us the opportunity to address additional critical areas of need across the state,” said Administration and Finance Secretary Michael J. Heffernan. “The Baker-Polito Administration is pleased to propose a spending plan that will redirect surplus revenues to high-impact investments in human services, childcare, education, local infrastructure and more that will continue the Commonwealth’s recovery from COVID-19.” The Administration also recommends supporting a range of infrastructure and climate-related needs in local communities. It proposes $100 million for a supplemental Chapter 90 distribution, $100 million to help municipalities repair roads from winter damage and $150 million in supplemental grants to fund climate change resiliency initiatives, including the Municipal Vulnerability Preparedness (MVP) program. Several other initiatives are supported in the supplemental budget proposal, including: • $60 million to stabilize and support counseling, advocacy and intervention services for victims of crime through FY25 until federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) resources are restored • $50 million to support the guardian ad litem expansion proposal (described more fully below) • $14 million to fully fund service improvements for men who are civilly committed for substance use treatment under Section 35 • $10 million to ensure Emergency Aid to the Elderly, Disabled and Children (EAEDC) payments are uninterrupted through caseload volatility • $5 million to expand STEM teacher professional development, materials and technology • $5 million to support the implementation of the new 988 emergency call line • $5 million for Department of Mental Health (DMH) housing repairs and additional housing vouchers • $2 million to optimize government services for hybrid work models • $1.8 million to support behavioral health services for Haitian and Afghan evacuees • $1.1 million for Safe Water Initiative Massachusetts (SWIM) grants and other summer water safety investments. The legislation also includes several policy proposals, including: • A section that will mandate the appointment of a guardian ad litem (GAL) in every alleged child abuse or neglect case through the Juvenile Court – these GALs would provide children in the custody of the Department of Children and Families (DCF) an independent advocate responsible for considering only the child’s best interests; an accompanying appropriation is filed in the bill to support the recruitment, training and compensation of additional GALs • A proposal that will exempt payments received through the Commonwealth’s COVID-19 Essential Employee Premium Pay program from the Massachusetts income tax • Sections that make corrections to previously signed legislation related to COVID-19 response that will improve implementation of spending priorities • Sections to extend certain COVID-19 state of emergency provisions, including the eviction provision that is set to expire on April 1, 2022; it would be extended until January 1, 2023.
15 Publizr Home