Page 8 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, January 3, 2025 YEAR | FROM PAGE 1 first high school in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts to raise the Brazilian Flag in honor of its large and growing Brazilian student population on Brazil Flag Day. Malden also dedicated an exquisite memorial to its Black Revolutionary War heroes and, in February, welcomed the Greater Boston Lunar New Year Rolling Parade to Malden. *** Mayor sworn in to a record, fourth four-year term of office on a historic night Two former Mayors, including the former 16-year Malden top spot holder he succeeded, were on hand on January 2, 2024, when Mayor Gary Christenson was sworn in to a fourth, fourMayor Gary Christenson, Peter Caso and Bill Dempsey and his daughter; World War II hero and former longtime Linden School Principal Dempsey passed away on June 28 at age 99. the audience of over 300 in the Jenkins Auditorium at Malden High School on Tuesday night after he was officially sworn in by Malden City Clerk Carol Ann Desiderio. Mayor Christenson is the first Malden mayor to be elected to four consecutive four-year terms since the mayoral years were changed, by ordinance, from two years to four years in the mid-2000s. “I promise to continue to give you my all in serving the residents of Malden and to do whatever it takes to keep this community on the right path,” Mayor Christenson added. “We will continue to live our motto, Former Malden Public Schools Supt. Dr. Ligia NoriegaMurphy year term of office, a first in municipal history. On hand for the Inaugural ceremonies – held at Malden High School’s Jenkins Auditorium – were former Mayor Richard Howard, who served from 1996-2012, and former Mayor Ed Lucey (1992-1996). “It is the honor of a lifetime that I stand before all of you this evening,” Mayor Christenson told ‘Strong Past, Proud Future.’” *** School Committee announces contract of Superintendent of Schools Dr. Ligia Noriega-Murphy will not be renewed, with her three-year tenure ending in June 2024 Mayor Christenson, on behalf of the School Committee, via news release, in early January announced that the Committee voted to not renew the contract of Superintendent Dr. Ligia Noriega-Murphy. Supt. Noriega-Murphy had been working on a three-year contract, which began on July 1, 2021. Apparently, the terms of that contract included formal notification on a potential new contract (or not) was due to be provided to the Superintendent by the end of the 2023 calendar year, December 31. Dr. Noriega-Murphy had led the Malden Public Schools for the past two and a half years, “which included some challenging times in education, especially during the end of the COVID-19 pandemic,” according to the city’s official statement. “I am grateful to Dr. Noriega-Murphy for her contributions to education in Malden, and the professional approach she has brought to the role,” Mayor Christenson said at a January 8 School Committee meeting. A new superintendent search began immediately. *** An abandoned dog got a second chance at life due to some Good Samaritans, Malden doggie daycare owner In February, it was announced MARCHETTI CORP. 46 Years of Excellence!! 1978-2025 Happy & Prosperous New Year! On behalf of the Marchetti Family, have a Safe, DIESEL TRUCK STOP that an abandoned dog’s life had a bright future after a succession of compassionate and generous people stepped to the forefront and helped save her. It’s so hard to imagine why someone would abandon her, scared and shivering, tied to a pole in Trafton Park in Maplewood. “Big Momma,” as the mastiff has since been named, was found in the cold the night of Dec. 14, 2023, on a pole in Trafton Park, “whimpering and screeching for help,” said Kevin Alkins, Malden police’s animal control officer. She also had a massive, 13 lb. tumor on her belly. A good Samaritan brought her to Malden police, and Malden daycare kennel owner Bill Bowdridge immediately took over care of Big Momma. “It was the first dog I’ve ever witnessed that cried real tears and the more we wiped the more the tears came. It would break anybody’s heart.” Bowdridge, who owns Big Daddy Doggie Daycare on Maplewood Street in Malden, fostered Big Momma as she awaited adoption. “She’s not the same dog. Being with us now, she lays on her back with all four legs in the air,” CELEBRATING 375TH ANNIVERSARY AT STATE HOUSE: Mayor Gary Christenson joined Malden Library Director Dora St. Martin (left), State Reps. Steve Ultrino and Paul Donato and others to mark the exact birthday of Malden on May 2, 375 years after 1649. (Courtesy Photo/City of Malden) he said. *** For the first time, 4th Annual Greater Boston Lunar New Year Rolling Parade hits Malden Mayor Christenson welcomed the 4th Annual Greater Boston Lunar New Year Rolling Parade to Malden in February. Kicking off in Boston, the parade was escorted by Boston Police and traveled with a contingent of 30 vehicles through several Massachusetts cities, including Belmont and Somerville. The Korean American Citizens League of New England, Chinese American Citizens Alliance Boston Lodge and the Chinese American Heritage Foundation with the Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) community honored 2024 Parade Grand Marshal Brigadier General Joseph Milano for his dedication to our country. Malden-based Chinese Culture Connection was instrumental in coordinating the ride through Malden for the Lunar New Year Parade. *** A recurring story: Malden Mayor, School Committee and City Council lament ‘skewed’ Chapter 70 state education aid formula Malden School Committee STATE OF THE CITY: Top hat and tai ls-bedecked former City Councillor Neal Anderson strode into the hall to announce the start of the 2024 State of the City address this year – the newly appointed City Messenger. members, including Chairperson and Mayor Christenson, were joined by members of the Malden City Council in lamenting the glaring disparity in the all-important state education aid funds received by the City of Malden through the Mass. Chapter 70 program. This year’s figure represented a 7% increase of around $5.4 million from the FY23 state budget, but local politicians noted far higher proposed Chapter 70 aid for similar districts in the region. Two of the communities compared to Malden in a chart presented by Spadafora were Everett and Revere, which have similar student numbers in their populations and similar demographics. Everett, which has just 300 more students than Malden’s 6,570, was preliminarily allocated $111,682,212 – nearly twice as much as Malden – while Revere’s preliminary Chapter 70 aid was $98,418,11 – 50 percent more than Malden’s $68.2M, while having approximately the same number of students. The full Malden State House legisYEAR | SEE PAGE 9 Happy 2025!
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