維州議員提案 學校雇員被捕須通知家長

為了保障學校孩童安全,維州參議員史洛斐爾(Scott Surovell)提出議案,要求在學校雇員因犯罪被逮捕時,執法單位須即時以清楚的方式通知學校與家長。

2020年11月,在費爾法克斯郡(Fairfax County)的格拉斯哥中學(Glasgow Middle School)擔任輔導員的50歲桑頓 (Darren Thornton),因與未成年人發生性犯罪而首次被逮捕,但之後仍受雇於該校。

根據7News 報導,雀斯特菲爾德郡(Chesterfield County)的警察局表示,他們當時透過電子郵件通知費爾法克斯公立學校(FCPS)的總督學有關桑頓被捕的消息,但這封電子郵件被退回到警察局的垃圾郵件文件夾,並沒有成功發送到學校的郵件系統中。直到2022年夏天,桑頓的犯罪歷史曝光後,他才被FCPS解雇。

史洛斐爾代表費爾法克斯郡的部分地區,加上自己的孩子就讀於費爾法克斯縣公立學校 (FCPS),他說沒有父母會想看到性犯罪者仍在學校內工作。於是他提出參議會第821號議案,要求維州教育部整理並在其網站上公開列出學區內每位督學的傳真號碼、電子郵件地址和郵寄地址清單。

該提案還規定執法機構和法院書記員,在司法管轄區有任何逮捕時要發出具體的通知,例如寄送與收到掛號信、傳真或電子郵件等書面記錄,以避免未來出現任何類似的溝通失誤。

另外,提案要求執法部門與維州就業委員會對被雇用者進行就業檢查,每次有人被雇用時,他們就會收到通知並可以查看該雇用者的背景資料庫。

2025年維州將與聯邦調查局(FBI)合作設立新的自動化犯罪背景調查系統,稱為Rap Back計畫,會將被捕的雇員資訊即時提供給參與的機構。因此史洛斐爾認為他目前所提的法案是執行Rap Back計畫生效前的權宜之計,希望能盡快獲得立法機關的批准並由州長簽署成為法律,並在2023年7月之前生效,以保障校內的學童安全。

華府議會通過醫用大麻修正法案 交市長簽署

為了對華府地區的醫用大麻計畫進行全面改革,華府議會日前以13票對0票通過醫用大麻修正法案,已交給市長鮑瑟簽署,內容包括取消大麻商業執照的上限規定(business licensing caps)、提供販賣業者減稅、促進社會公平,與建立新的監管業務類別,例如成立現場使用大麻的設施和大麻烹飪班等。

雖然該修正案中沒有提到任何上限規定,但已經制訂明文規定的流程,讓監管機構可以設限或暫停核准種植中心、零售商或網路零售商的許可證。

該法案將負責監管的主要機構從酒精飲料監管管理局(ABRA)更名為酒精飲料和大麻管理局(ABC),並提高其執法權力來打擊非法經營的業者。

針對目前一些規避法律監管、以經營非大麻物品來免費「贈送」(gifting)大麻產品的無大麻執照業者,修正案也提供申請合法執照的管道。

目前無執照業者申請許可證的申請期限從60天延長至90天。另外這些無執照業者現在也可以申請種植中心許可證。如果業者申請許可證被拒絕時,該修正案還為申請者新增提出上訴的流程,並允許大麻業者可以根據當地法規減免稅款。

修正案通過保留50%的名額給在新零售商、網路零售商、快遞公司、種植中心和製造商類別的社會公平申請人(social equity applicants),並規定監管機構必須在明年5月1日之前準備好讓新申請者申請執照。

該修正案讓現有的醫用大麻種植中心和藥房將被允許垂直整合,並允許21歲及以上的成年人可以自我證明為醫用大麻患者,意即他們不需要醫生建議就能自行在藥房購買醫藥用大麻。

華府選民在2014年投票表達希望像美國其他州一樣,能建立合法管理的大麻市場,但目前仍繼續尋求聯邦法規的鬆綁。

市長鮑瑟(Muriel Bowser)在7月簽署了一項法案,禁止多數公司解雇或以其他方式懲罰吸食大麻的員工,希望保護地方政府雇員免受因使用醫用大麻而在職場被歧視。

天寒地凍 水管保持緩慢出水可防爆裂

 
寒冬防止家中水管凍結,可打開離家中進水開關最遠端的水龍頭,讓一支鉛筆芯直徑大的水流從水龍頭中緩慢流出,讓水管內的水保持流動而不結冰,直到戶外溫度高於冰點。(記者陳曼玲/攝影)
寒冬防止家中水管凍結,可打開離家中進水開關最遠端的水龍頭,讓一支鉛筆芯直徑大的水流從水龍頭中緩慢流出,讓水管內的水保持流動而不結冰,直到戶外溫度高於冰點。(記者陳曼玲/攝影)

天寒地凍時,人出外要保暖,房屋內的水管也要注意絕緣隔冷,以防水管內的水結凍而使管道爆裂。專家建議要欲門度假的人可以關閉家中進水開關,若待在家裡,可以打開離家中進水開關最遠端的水龍頭,讓一支鉛筆芯直徑大的水流從水龍頭中緩慢流出,可以使水在水管內保持流動而不結冰,直到戶外溫度高於冰點。

霍華德郡(Howard County)公共工程部代理主任夏皮羅(Art Shapiro)說,讓水管緩慢出水,雖然會犧牲幾加侖的水,但可以避免水管結凍,導致爆裂帶來的損失。

以下是專家建議保暖水管的簡單方法:

•用熱膠帶(heat tape) 包裹在牆壁外面的水管道,這是一種可自動加熱的電纜(electric cable)。

•用絕緣材料包裹暴露在冷空氣中的水管,即使用報紙也有幫助。

• 把會通風的門窗和閣樓密封住,可消除管道附近的冷空氣來源。

•如果發現水表(water meter)上的水壓開始下降,可打開溫水流過水管,以融化水管道內的結冰。

•打開櫃子的門讓暖空氣進入,使櫃子後方的水管保持溫暖。

•如果水管結冰,首先找到並關閉主供水閥,以防管道破裂。接著打開水龍頭讓水流過管道融化結冰。再用吹風機輕輕加熱管道周圍,加熱時注意要遠離易燃物,而且不要用火,也不要使用會導致融化的冰沸騰的設備。

•由於輸送到家中服務管線的戶外水管壓力高且流動速度快,不太可能結冰,因此宜檢查家中是否有其他凍結的水管道,尤其是沿著外牆的管道或將水引入屋內地基的管道。將結凍的水管解凍後,記得要檢查管道是否有漏水,確認冰塊沒有造成水管裂縫或損壞。

•如果仍無法找到結凍的水管區域、或無法自行解凍,要聯絡有執照的水管工盡早來家中修理。

Untangled by the truth

Being stuck in jealous lies,

A kind care from my son shining into my dark,

Untangles my struggle with revenging thoughts.

Then I came to write down all my meditation for my posts,

The light of truth dawns on me more bright and warm,

Leads me to strips off all the bitter cold,

Caresses my heart to be melted in His love.

Then, I finally see all the earthly jealousy,

To be like trash,

Is no longer worthy of digging.

I win!

Jesus wins!!

 New covenant with me

Thank God for establish the new covenant with me,

Through Christ Jesus’ precious blood of redemption,

Making atonement for all my sins.

So I can love Him to serve my brothers and sisters,

Not by law of fear but by His grace of love.

With all my heart to receive Him,

And His children as my spiritual inheritance.

I see God

I have seen God in the sanctuary, 

In the heart where He dwells with me,

I see His power to answer my request,

I feel His love to care for my weakness.

I shall sing to praise Him as long as I live.

Thank God for keeping me close with Him,

Through feeling anxious about uncertainty.

So I pray and feel His presence of peace again.

I pray to Father God for teaching me

Not to be anxious but alert,

He speaks to me through Max Lucado’s sermon

And a Japanese animation called “When Marnie was there”:

Life gives lemons but you don’t need to suck on them.

Gratitude comes in and anxiety goes out.

God prepared this world for me to enjoy.
With Him, I have all the protection I need.

Yes. I don’t need to meditate on the mess,

But meditate on my Master,

And anything worthy of praise, honor, truth, good, adorable, pure and right.

Live in beauty!

He said to me, “Live!”

He bathed me with water of Truth,

Washed off the blood of my wounds,

Put ointment of the Holy Spirit to heal,

Anointed my head with His fragrance,

Clothed me with golden thresh embroidered dress,

Put leather sandals of gospel on my feet,

Dressed me in fine linens of Righteousness,

Covered me with costly garment of Justice,

Adorned me with precious jewelry of fruits,

Put bracelets of love on my arms,

Put a necklace of purity on my neck,

Put a ring of grace on my nose,

Put earrings of faith on my ears,

Put a beautiful crown of honor on my head,

I’m adorned, and treated with fine food of heaven,

I become very beautiful and rise up,

To be a queen in His palace.

Jesus’ fame in me spreads among the saints,

On account of my beauty,

For Father God made my beauty perfect.

With my Bridegroom’s splendor.

(Ezekiel 16)

Rest in God alone

My soul rests in God alone,

My hope comes from only Him.

My honor depends on Him only,

My mighty rock and refuge is He.

To Him I pour out my heart in trust,

I do not set my heart on temporary success,

But rejoice in His heavenly reward,

All being stored up for me.

Rest in Him, my fortress and salvation,

Never will be shaken, both God and me.

人を富ませるのは主の祝福。

人の苦労は何も増し加えない。

(Psalm 62, Proverbs 10:22)

God defines my success of victory

The success God defines for me,

Is to be an overcomer of victory,

To freely do His good will without fear,

Like the good and faithful servant,

Uses what he has been granted,

To invest and harvest.

So I invest my time in praying,

My good senses in writing, playing music, reading, speaking, teaching, reading, thinking, drawing, cooking, exercising, 

All the things God touches my heart to enjoy.

Then I give thanks as an offering to God,

to please His heart to see me,

As His child being so joyful in Him.

Prayer reaches into the future

Reach into the future through prayer,

For my son and my son-in-law,

To flourish in their youth,

Like well-nurtured plants and finish strong to the end;

For my daughter and daughter-in-law

To be like graceful pillars,

Carved by Jesus Christ to beautify the palace,

Strong and sturdy to bear the weight of life.

May all the generations of my descendants

Be fruitful for God in the everlasting Kingdom.

(Psalm 144:12)