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THE EVERETT ADVOCATE – FRiDAy, MAy 13, 2022 Page 19 PROGRAMS | FROM PAGE 18 ing while smoothing the transition to school for young children to provide them a stronger foundation for academic success. The administration will commit up to $8 million to this program. Summer Acceleration to College High school graduates from the Class of 2022 will be able to participate in Summer Acceleration to College, a program launched last summer that provides recent graduates access to credit-bearing math and English courses at no cost to them as they prepare for college. Fifteen community colleges in the Commonwealth will participate in this program, with approximately $500,000 awarded in funding. In addition to these programs, the Baker-Polito Administration will also: • Help camps and community organizations expand educational enrichment as part of their existing summer programs by making $12 million in funding available. • Provide early literacy tutoring grants this summer and during the 2022-23 school year, funded at $2 million. • Launch a new K-8 Math Acceleration program to help teachers increase student learning over the summer and throughout the school year, funded at $6 million. • Expand the Biggest Winner Math Challenge to serve approximately 2,500 gifted math students, funded at approximately $2.5 million. • Offer college courses over the summer for rising high school juniors and seniors who are enrolled in approved Early College programs, funded at approximately $1 million. AG’s Office issues warning about scams targeting friends and family of incarcerated people A ttorney General Maura Healey is partnering with the Massachusetts Department of Correction (DOC), Prisoners’ Legal Services (PLS) and the Massachusetts Sheriffs’ Association (MSA) to advise residents with incarcerated loved ones to be wary of scams that offer to make or improve connections between those in correctional facilities and their friends and families for a fee. These scams target the families and friends of people who are currently incarcerated, offering deceptive or fake services that are often advertised online, over social media and in print media. In some cases, scammers purportedly offer supplemental calling plans, including false promises of “unlimited minutes,” to connect with incarcerated people. However, Massachusetts does not currently offer unlimited calling plans in any jail, House of Correction or prison. Ultimately, these scams fail to provide promised services, even after taking hundreds of dollars from consumers. “Scammers will use any opportunity to seek financial gain, including taking advantage of family and friends looking to connect with their incarcerated loved ones,” said Healey. “We are working with community advocates and our partners in law enforcement to ensure our residents know how to protect themselves from fraud and deceptive services and that they can report any instances of these scams to my office. It is important that incarcerated individuals are able to connect with the people closest to them without their loved ones becoming victims of fraud.” “The Sheriffs stand united that one of our highest priorities is keeping incarcerated individuals connected to family members, friends and outside support systems,” said Suffolk County Sheriff/MSA President Steven Tompkins. “We want to warn citizens that these are most definitely scams and urge them to take the proper precautions. Taking advantage of people who are already dealing with the stress and emotional toll of having a loved one who is incarcerated is especially repugnant. Protecting our incarcerated individuals and their families from those who would prey on them must remain a top priority.” “The Department of Correction recognizes the importance of connected relationships of family and friends with their loved ones in our custody,” said the Department of Corrections’ Commissioner Carol Mici. “This collaboration with the Attorney General’s office will help to ensure this connection continues while thwarting opportunities for fraud.” “It is too often the case that families who are already financially burdened and disproportionately people of color are also preyed upon by people seeking to take advantage of the painful experience of being separated from a loved one who is incarcerated,” said Prisoners’ Legal Services Executive Director Elizabeth Matos. “We appreciate the Attorney General’s efforts to ensure that families and communities are not being scammed in this way.” The Massachusetts Attorney General’s Office, DOC, PLS and MSA are encouraging residents to take the following steps to protect themselves from fraud and targeted scams: • Be cautious before posting about incarcerated loved ones on social media, as scammers looking for targets might try scanning social media activity. • Before signing up for a service, check the business’s website to make sure they offer reputable and legitimate services and to see if they have negative reviews. • Confirm that you can contact the business/organization via phone, email, live chat or through their website. • Look out for all fees that will apply and check the business’s refund policy. • Avoid offers that come from social media and, in particular, from questionable businesses or organizations that operate solely on Facebook or other social media websites. • Avoid unsolicited offers from sources you don’t trust or know, including texts and phone calls, unless you can confirm that the product or service is legitimate. • If you decide to make a purchase, pay with a credit card, PayPal or other method that offers purchase protections. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has taken recent action against these scams, stopping the operators of a scheme that preyed on families and friends of incarcerated individuals who rely on phone calls to stay in touch with their incarcerated loved ones – particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic when in-person visitations were suspended. A settlement was also reached by the FTC and the Florida Attorney General’s Office with a company that scammed prisoners and their families by charging them for magazine subscriptions that either showed up late or not at all. Any consumers who feel they may have been scammed by these deceptive practices are encouraged to file a complaint online with the Attorney General’s Office. • Offer the 21st Century Community Learning Centers (CCLC) Summer Enhancement Grant internship program to support high school and college students interested in careers in education, funded at $500,000. To learn more about summer programs or how to apply for a grant, please contact DESESummerProgramming@mass.gov. - LEGAL NOTICE - COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS THE TRIAL COURT PROBATE AND FAMILY COURT Middlesex Division Docket No. MI22P1338EA Estate of: MICHAEL A. FORGIONE Also Known As: MICHAEL A. FORGIONE Date of Death: August 15, 2020 INFORMAL PROBATE PUBLICATION NOTICE To all persons interested in the above captioned estate, by Petition of Petitioner David Forgione of Tewksbury, MA, a will has been admitted to informal probate. David Forgione of Tewksbury, MA has been informally appointed as the Personal Representative of the estate to serve without surety on the bond. The estate is being administered under informal procedure by the Personal Representative under the Massachusetts Uniform Probate Code without supervision by the Court. Inventory and accounts are not required to be filed with the Court, but interested parties are entitled to notice regarding the administration from the Personal Representative and can petition the Court in any matter relating to the estate, including distribution of assets and expenses of administration. Interested parties are entitled to petition the Court to institute formal proceedings and to obtain orders terminating or restricting the powers of Personal Representatives appointed under informal procedure. A copy of the Petition and Will, if any, can be obtained from the Petitioner. May 13, 2022 ~ LEGAL NOTICE ~ COMMONWEALTH OF MASSACHUSETTS THE TRIAL COURT PROBATE AND FAMILY COURT Middlesex Probate and Family Court 10-U Commerce Way Woburn, MA 01801 (781) 865-4000 Docket No. MI21P6232EA Estate of: Mary Ann Hayes Date of Death: 10/28/2020 CITATION ON GENERAL PROBATE PETITION To all interested persons: A Petition has been filed by: Francis Hayes, Jr. of Everett MA requesting this honorable court permit the late filing of a Disclaimer of Interest. IMPORTANT NOTICE You have the right to obtain a copy of the Petition from the Petitioner or at the Court. You have a right to object to this proceeding. To do so, you or your attorney must file a written appearance and objection at this Court before: 10:00 a.m. on 05/25/2022. This is NOT a hearing date, but a deadline by which you must file a written appearance and objection if you object to this proceeding. If you fail to file a timely written appearance and objection followed by an Affidavit of Objections within thirty (30) days of the return date, action may be taken without further notice to you. WITNESS, Hon. Maureen H. Monks, First Justice of this Court. Date: April 27, 2022 TARA E. DeCRISTOFARO REGISTER OF PROBATE May 13, 2022

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