FEMA Awards Funds to Massachusetts for COVID School Testing Costs

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BOSTON — The Federal Emergency Management Agency will be sending more than $64 million to the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to reimburse it for the cost of contracting to provide testing services in public schools during the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
The $64,144,440 Public Assistance grant will reimburse the Massachusetts Executive Office of Health and Human Services for the cost of contracting to provide testing at schools and in public buildings in surrounding communities between February 2021 and June 2022.
 
The contractor provided services which included operations and logistics of pooled testing, training, software, and technical assistance to school personnel.
 
The contractor also provided transportation for a total of 907,829 COVID-19 test specimens from approximately 2,400 public schools across the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to the laboratory for analysis.
 
"FEMA is pleased to be able to assist Massachusetts with these costs," said FEMA Region 1 Regional Administrator Lori Ehrlich. "Reimbursing state, county, and municipal governments – as well as eligible non-profits and tribal entities – for the costs incurred during the COVID-19 pandemic is an important part of our nation's ongoing recovery."
 
FEMA's Public Assistance program is an essential source of funding for states and communities recovering from a federally declared disaster or emergency.
 
So far, FEMA has provided more than $2.7 billion in Public Assistance grants to Massachusetts to reimburse the commonwealth for pandemic-related expenses.
 

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Adams Couple Faces 5 Years for 2020 Death of Foster Child

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — Sentencing for the Adams couple found guilty in the 2020 death of their foster infant has been pushed off by two weeks.

The court wants to clarify care for their four children before possibly issuing prison sentences. 

Matthew Tucker and Cassandra Barlow-Tucker, on Monday, were found guilty of involuntary manslaughter and reckless child endangerment in the death of Kristoff Zenopolous on Feb. 18, 2020. 

Kristoff was just 10 months old when he died from complications with respiratory illness, strep, and pneumonia, and the jury determined that the tragedy was a result of neglect. 

On Thursday, Judge Tracy Duncan continued the hearing for sentence imposition to Thursday, April 2, at 11 a.m. She explained that the Berkshire Superior Court wants to know the plan for the family's four children, two of whom have high needs, before their parents are sentenced.  

The commonwealth is requesting five years in prison and three years of probation for both defendants.

Evidence presented at trial showed that the child died after the defendants failed to seek medical treatment despite clear and obvious signs that he required care. The medical examiner determined that the child died from complications of a strep infection, bronchopneumonia, and empyema, a condition in which pus accumulates in the lungs and chest wall. 

Attorneys representing the couple have asked for probation and for staggered prison sentences if they are incarcerated. 

The court heard from Kristoff's birth mother, Kayla Zenopoulos, who said her heart breaks for everybody, and his grandfather, who lovingly described the baby's favorite foods, toys, and songs before his life was tragically cut short. 

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