ABCC Kicks Off ‘Operation Safe Holidays’
Enforcement Efforts will Focus on Impaired Driving
BOSTON – To ensure safety for the citizens of Massachusetts, the Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission (ABCC) will be conducting alcohol enforcement operations at bars in major Massachusetts cities from Thanksgiving Eve through New Year’s Eve.
The primary objective will be to prevent impaired driving and other alcohol-related harm during the holiday season, which is known for heavy alcohol consumption. The ABCC will focus enforcement efforts at bars identified as the last to sell alcohol to a convicted drunk driver.
“We want to ensure that the holiday season is enjoyed by everyone, and to do so people need to celebrate in a responsible way,†said State Treasurer Deborah B. Goldberg, who oversees the ABCC. “Strong enforcement and helping to deter bar owners from over-serving can prevent tragedies before they happen and helps to keep the public safe.â€
The program is run in conjunction with the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s (NHTSA) Impaired Driving Crackdown, from Thanksgiving Eve through New Year’s Eve, and is funded through the Executive Office of Public Safety and Security – Highway Safety Division.
The ABCC will also be working with local police departments that have identified high-risk locations in their communities.
Alcohol is involved in 40 percent of traffic crash fatalities resulting in 17,013 fatalities and injuring an estimated 275,000 people annually. Data indicates that well over 50% of impaired driving arrests originate at bars.
About the ABCC:
The Alcoholic Beverages Control Commission is an agency under the Office of the State Treasurer and Receiver General Deborah B. Goldberg. Its overall objective is to provide uniform control over the sale, purchase, transportation, manufacture, and possession of alcoholic beverages in the state.
Historic Year in FY 2021 Saw Robust Use of SBA Traditional Lending Programs in Massachusetts
The U.S. Small Business Administration announced the agency reached $44.8 billion in funding to small businesses through more than 61,000 traditional loans for fiscal year (FY) 2021. as aid provided via the CARES Act.
Nationally, fiscal year 2021 traditional lending data highlights include:
• $36.5 billion in 7(a) loans: Nearly 52,000 7(a) loans worth more than $36.5 billion were provided to small businesses. Lenders reported that minority business owners received nearly $11 billion in 7(a) loans or 30% of the SBA’s total 7(a) portfolio. Data also shows that women-owned businesses received nearly $5 billion in FY 21, while veteran-owned businesses received $1.2 billion.
• $8.2 billion in 504 loans: Working with authorized Certified Development Companies (CDCs), the SBA’s 504 program delivered 9,600 loans worth more than $8.2 billion to small businesses, fully exhausting funding authority for the first time in the program’s history. Minority business owners received nearly $1.88 billion in loans — 23% of the total 504 portfolio. In FY 21, the program also provided over $712 million in lending to women-owned businesses and increased its support of rural small businesses by nearly 33%.
• $71.8 million in microloan funding: In fiscal year 2021, $71.8 million in microloan funding went to nearly 4,400 small businesses. Forty-one percent of those loans went to underserved communities, including Hispanic-owned and Black-owned small businesses.