VOL. 124 - NO. 19 BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, MAY 8, 2020 $.35 A COPY Secretary Perdue Issues Letters on Meat Packing Expectations U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Sonny Perdue last later amended to include emergency and disaster night sent the following two letters to Governors response. across the nation and leadership of major meat I understand that State and local leaders are processing companies on May 5, 2020. These let- working diligently to protect and maintain the ters establish the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s well-being of their citizens, including those who (USDA) clear expectations for the implementation work on the front lines in critical industries, such of President Donald J. Trump’s Executive Order as meat and poultry processing. It is essential that signed last week. The President’s Executive order we work together to ensure the health and safety directs plants to follow the Centers for Disease of those who help keep food on the table during Control (CDC) and the Occupational Safety and this unprecedented time. Health Administration (OSHA) guidance specifi c to Effective immediately, I have directed meat the meat processing industry to keep these critical and poultry processors to utilize the guidance facilities open while maintaining worker safety. issued on Sunday, April 26, 2020, by CDC and “USDA expects state and local offi cials to work OSHA specifi c to the meat and poultry processing with these critical meat processing facilities to industry to implement practices and protocols for maintain operational status while protecting the staying operational or resuming operations while health of their employees,” Secretary Perdue said. safeguarding the health of the workers and the “Meat processing facilities are critical infrastruc- community. ture and are essential to the national security of The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) our nation. Keeping these facilities operational is has also directed meat and poultry process- critical to the food supply chain and we expect ing plants currently closed and without a clear our partners across the country to work with us timetable for near-term reopening to submit to on this issue.” USDA written documentation of their protocol, “A mother is your fi rst friend, Letter to Governors developed based on the CDC/OSHA guidance, May 5, 2020 and resume operations as soon as they are able your best friend, your forever friend.” Re: Executive Order Delegating Authority Under after implementing the CDC/OSHA guidance for the Defense Production Act with Respect to the the protection of workers. USDA Food Safety and —Unknown Food Supply Chain Resources During the National Inspection Service’s (FSIS) mission is to inspect Emergency Caused by the Outbreak of COVID-19 meat and poultry products to ensure that they The Executive Order signed by President Donald are wholesome and safe. For this reason, USDA J. Trump on Tuesday, April 28, 2020, delegated is partnering with OSHA and CDC as they are our to the Secretary of Agriculture the powers of the Nation’s federally recognized public health and News Briefs President, under the Defense Production Act, to worker safety authorities. take all appropriate action to ensure America’s USDA, alongside our Federal partners at CDC by Sal Giarratani meat and poultry processors continue operations and OSHA, will continue to work with State and consistent with the guidance jointly issued by the local offi cials to ensure that facilities are imple- Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and the U.S. menting best practices designed to mitigate the Department of Labor’s (DOL) Occupational Safety spread of COVID-19, while maintaining opera- So Many Dead at Soldiers’ Home and Health Administration (OSHA) regarding pub- tions. Further action under the Executive Order A Real Scandal! lic health and worker safety. Congress enacted and the Defense Production Act is under consid- So far, 71 residents who died at the this state-run the Defense Production Act of 1950 to ensure eration and will be taken if necessary. facility had tested positive for the virus making it the the availability of critical supplies and materials, Signed, deadliest outbreak at a long-term care facility in the including food for national defense, which was Secretary Perdue Nation. Another 80 residents and 81 employees have also tested positive. Banning Students from China? Massachusetts RMV Cautions Customers U.S. Sen. Tom Cotton, R-AR, suggested our country should ban students from China coming To be Aware Of Unoffi cial Third-Party Websites here to study technology and science. Cotton also wondered if Beijing might be trying to steal a coro- Customers are Encouraged to Use Only Mass.Gov/RMV for Online RMV navirus vaccine from us. He also thinks we need to The Massachusetts Registry look at visas that we are giving Chinese nationals to the Massachusetts Registry of information, but unofficial of Motor Vehicles (RMV) is come here to study, especially in advanced scientifi c Motor Vehicles. third-party sites may charge cautioning customers to use fi elds. • Massachusetts uses the for this service. Their informa- only Mass.Gov/RMV when they abbreviation “RMV.” Any website tion is also not guaranteed to Fired Captain Should Get Job Back are trying to renew a license using the phrase “Department be accurate. The U.S. Navy’s top admiral has recommended the or registration or process any of Motor Vehicles” or “DMV” • The Registry never charges reinstatement of Capt. Brett Crozier to his command business transactions online. should be avoided. for address changes. If a cus- of the USS Theodore Roosevelt, who had been fi red for Customers may inadvertently • Make sure the Common- tomer uses a mimic site, the going outside the chain of command in a desperate come across unoffi cial third- wealth’s seal is located some- change cannot be guaranteed attempt to protect the aircraft carrier’s crew from a party websites or “mimic sites” where on the page. This will to have actually gone through. coronavirus outbreak. Currently, thousands of crew- that advertise similar services help ensure that it is an offi cial Any information on these members have been quarantined in Guam. but have no affi liation with the government website. If it can- third-party websites may not As of last week, 840 sailors have tested positive RMV. not be found, customers should be accurate, and any details or for the virus. Thank God, Navy leaders have come to “Customers need to ensure leave the site immediately. payments that customers sub- their senses. He never should have been fi red in the that they are using the offi- • Always read the fi ne print mit may not be secure. The RMV fi rst place. cial Massachusetts Registry of and look for key phrases such is not responsible for the con- By the way, why were many conservative talk radio Motor Vehicles website Mass. as “for-profit” or “privately tent or actions taken by these folk blasting the captain for trying to save lives? Gov/RMV to conduct their busi- owned” at the top or bottom of sites. For more information on (Continued on Page 10) ness transactions,” said Acting the third-party websites which the dangers of third-party ser- Registrar of Motor Vehicles may note that they are not affi li- vices, visit the Mass.Gov/RMV. Jamey Tesler. “Customers ated with the Commonwealth. Customers with additional should avoid using any unoffi - • The Registry will never questions can contact the cial third-party websites that are charge a customer to check the Offi ce of Consumer Affairs and POST-GAZETTE SATELLITE OFFICE offering RMV services to ensure status of a license, registration, Business Regulation by calling that their personal and fi nancial or title. If the site requires pay- the Consumer Hotline at 617- 343 CHELSEA ST., DAY SQ., EAST BOSTON information is protected.” ment to access this information, 973-8787, or toll-free in MA at Tues. 10:00 AM-3:00 PM; Thurs. 11:00 AM-2:00 PM Customers can use the help- it is an unsecured mimic site. 888-283-3757. ful hints listed below to deter- • At Mass.Gov/RMV, a cus- For the latest Registry updates Call 617-227-8929 for more information mine whether the website they tomer will never be charged and information, follow the are using is the offi cial site for to access Registry forms and RMV on Twitter @MassRMV. PAGE 2 POST-GAZETTE, MAY 8, 2020 NEW Health Starts Contact Tracing Of COVID-19 VESTA Vesta was the Roman goddess introduced the worship of this of the hearth, similar to the goddess, and devoted to her a Greek goddess Hestia, but she space of ground just in front was worshipped by the Romans of his own dwelling house. It during ancient times indepen- is also interesting to note that dently of all connection Greece. at this time in history; about The worship of Vesta goes 700 B.C, the king was the high back to the time when it was priest, and in this offi ce, he was diffi cult but necessary to obtain known as “Pontifex Maximus” fi re. Then, as well as even now or “Pontiff.” among some primitive tribes, There were at least fi ve suc- they developed the custom of cessive temples here in Rome always keeping a fi re alive for that were built in honor of the use of the community, and this goddess, and all adhered even to carry it to new settle- to the same style of architec- Under the leadership of Gov. Charlie Baker, collaboration ments. This custom was pre- ture. It was always a small between the Department of Public Health and the global organiza- served in the religion of later circular edifi ce with a domed tion, Partners in Health, was created to stop silent and community Greeks and Romans even after roof that was supported on spread of COVID-19.