On Monday, Governor Patrick testified before the Joint Committee on Public Service in favor of pension reform. Read his testimony and the press release.

Governor Patrick attended a legislative leadership meeting Monday afternoon.

Governor Patrick's spoke live at a town hall meeting on WWLP-22 News Springfield Monday evening.

On Tuesday, the Governor was in Dorchester and Mattapan, where he stopped by a meeting of the Black Ministerial Alliance at Jubilee Christian Church, visited Echo Evangelique, a Haitian radio outlet and had lunch at Brother's Deli Restaurant in Mattapan Square.

Governor Patrick offered remarks at The Learning Center for the Deaf Annual Gala in Newton Tuesday evening.

On Wednesday, the Governor traveled to Springfield where he visited with young people at the YMCA, toured local businesses and met with local religious leaders.

Thursday morning at Holyoke Vocational High School, Governor Patrick announced that $163 million in additional federal education Title I funds from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act will go to many high-poverty school districts in Massachusetts.

Also on Thursday, Governor Patrick swore in Lois Eaton as Associate Justice of the Hampden Juvenile Court.

Friday morning, Governor Patrick met with farmers at the Commonwealth's largest dairy farm in Sheffield to swear in Scott Soares as Commissioner of the Department of Agricultural Resources.

Friday afternoon, Governor Patrick traveled to Greenfield to swear in William F. Mazanec, III as Associate Justice of the Greenfield District Court.

The NDCC has organized a volunteering day at Greater Boston Food Bank on Wednesday, August 5th, 2009 from 5:30pm-8:00 pm. Over 20 people have already volunteered to help out at the GBFB. Obviously this is quite a way in the future, so please put this on your calendar now, and we will have periodic reminders as we get closer to the date. By August 5, GBFB will be in their new warehouse facility. They are working on a new volunteer checklist and directions to the new facility which I will share when I receive them. The first 30 minutes or so of our shift will comprise training, and we can have pizza delivered from one of the nearby shops to enjoy before the work begins.

Please take note of the following guidelines from GBFB:

"Volunteers will inspect, sort and repack donated grocery products that are then distributed to hunger relief agencies. All volunteers are trained in food safety at the beginning of the shift. Volunteers work
together as a team on an assembly line, and may be working alongside other groups. Some volunteers load boxes onto conveyer belts, other volunteers inspect products, others sort products, and others check and label boxes. A few of these "jobs" require the ability to lift a box of about 30 pounds, but the majority of positions simply require that a volunteer can stand and inspect products for a few hours.

"We can accommodate volunteers with special needs or requests with advance notice.

"With your help, The Food Bank is able to provide meals for over 83,000 people each week!

"Please note the closed toe shoe policy (no sandals or flip flops) as we are a working warehouse, and please communicate this to your group as those wearing open-toed shoes will not be allowed to volunteer. Volunteers will want to wear clothes they do not mind getting dirty."

If you haven't already volunteered and would like to participate in this event or a future trip on another day to help at the Boston Foodbank, send email to NewtwonDems@gmail.com.

The 2009 Democratic Platform hearing in Newton on March 23 at the Scandinavian Living Center was well attended. Front row, left to right, State Committee members Leon Brathwaite and Martina Jackson, Ward 2 members Sam Glass, Ruth Dain and Jane Brown. Second row, left to right, Stephen Wax, Ward 3 member Jim Callahan, Ward 2 member Bill Dain, Ward 7 Chair Alderman Lisle Baker, and Ward 5 member Herbie Robinson. Click on the Categories below to view more photos.