FLORAMO’S | FROM PAGE 1 Greater Boston area. Known for its signature barbecue ribs and Italian fare, it went by the saying “Where meat falls off the bone!” With recent and unanticipated developments, it could now be said, “Where the restaurant falls off ... the entire local and area scene.” Without much notice, in September 2022, Floramo’s announced it was closing its longtime Chelsea establishment. Immediately, the rumors fl ew around that the well-known restaurant would be taking its talents to downtown Malden. Well, the rumors quickly became fact when Floramo’s opened in Malden at the site of the former Dockside Restaurant, 220 Centre St. (Rt. 60). The GRANT | FROM PAGE 1 tion, including State Senator Jason Lewis (D-5th Middlesex) and State Representatives Paul Donato (D-Malden, Medford) Steve Ultrino (D-Malden) and Kate Lipper-Garabedian (D-Malden, Melrose) this week announced that Malden Public Schools are receiving a $40,000 Genocide Education Grant from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE), which oversees all of the Commonwealth’s public schools. The Malden Public Schools have been on the forefront of educating its students of the presence and tragedy of genocide in the world throughout history, including the Holocaust of World War II where millions of Jews and those other cultures were murdered. The intent of the education is multi-layered, according to Gerard Tannetta, Director of History/Social Studies, Visual and Performing Arts for the Malden Public Schools: to teach students the history of genocide through the years with the ultimate intent of preventing it. “This is a major plus for our district,” Tannetta told the Advocate. “This grant will provide the resources to support our educators and administrators in so many ways and on diff erent levels for this very important educational topic.” The focus of the education on genocide will be for Malden High School’s nearly 2,000 students, MHS Principal Chris Mastrangelo confi rmed, though another 1,000 7th and 8th graders will also be included in the scope of this education, Tannetta said. “We are so pleased with this grant as we want our students to be fully aware of this tough topic of genocide education,” Principal Mastrangelo said. “We have had numerous speakers through the past several years who have given fi rst-hand accounts of genofi rst ribs, angel hair pasta and meatballs were served in the new Malden restaurant on October 7, 2022, 29 days after the Chelsea Floramo’s closed. Shortly after, the second Floramo’s materialized at the former second Dockside on Main Street in Wakefi eld. “Foodies” were suddenly fl ush in Floramo’s restaurants, not just THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, April 26, 2024 real shocker: Malden’s Floramo’s one, but two of them. Using the “eye test,” the heralded arrival of the Floramo’s brand was a big success. The 45-window side view along Route 60 frequently showed a packed house at the Malden Floramo’s. Similar reports came out of Wakefi eld for the past year and a half. Then, just after the fi rst of the year, came reports the Wakefi eld Floramo’s had closed its doors. Less than two weeks ago came a cide in their lives, particularly the Holocaust. Our students have been very appreciative and receptive to these important recollections and information.” The most notable of these speakers was the late Israel “Izzy” Arbeiter, an Auschwitz concentration camp survivor, who passed away at age 96 in 2001. Arbeiter became a close personal friend of Malden Mayor Gary Christenson, chairperson of the Malden School Committee, after his many talks on the Holocaust at Malden High. Genocide Education Grants are intended to support districts in selecting and/or developing curriculum, providing professional development and creating enrichment experiences related to genocide education. The grant provides support to districts to train educators in content knowledge and pedagogical skills relevant to genocide education, to sustainably incorporate genocide education resources into core curricula and to provide meaningful learning experiences for students relating to genocide education. In 2021, the Massachusetts state legislature passed a new law to require all public middle and high schools to provide instruction in the history and patterns of genocide. Districts may integrate genocide education across a variety of subjects, such as history, civics and English Language Arts. “Teaching our students about human rights and the history of genocide is essential to ensuring that these atrocities don’t happen again,” said Senator Lewis, who also serves as the Senate Chair of the Legislature’s Joint Committee on Education. “I’m very pleased that Malden Schools are receiving this state grant to support their genocide education eff orts.” “With this grant, Malden Public Schools reaffi rms their dedicahad abruptly locked its doors and ceased operations, literally overnight on April 9. Details have been scarce, but unsubstantiated reports have indicated that Floramo’s would be returning to reopen again in a yet-to-be-named location at or near its original spot in the Chelsea-Everett area. Last week, large trucks were viewed in the back of the former Dockside Restaurant loading tables, chairs and other restaurant items and hauling them away. Goodbye, Floramo’s, we hardly knew you in the brief 17 1/2 months you served your tasty menu in Malden. **** Two other new restaurants are ready to open at tion to encouraging students to critically engage with the past,” said Representative Donato. “By focusing on the world’s dark history, students can foster empathy, resilience, and a commitment to social justice. It is our duty to provide a holistic education to our youth so that society can continue to positively move forward.” “It is not only important for our students to learn both about the Page 11 Malden-Medford city line In other local restaurant news, two other well-known area restaurant sites appear ready to open under new names and styles soon. The former John Brewer’s Tavern – 7 Highland Ave. at the Malden-Medford line – closed with no notice on July 24, 2023, after 15 years of operation at the site. According to sources, issues with the rent at the site caused the operators of the establishment to decide to close that location and concentrate on its two other restaurant pubs in Waltham and Oak Bluff s. It has been vacant since that time, but now new signs announce that a new restaurant will be opening soon, called K-Pot, which will feature all you can eat Asian Barbeque and other dishes. atrocities of the past, but to use this knowledge to address and understand a wide range of current issues in our society,” said Representative Ultrino. “These funds will ensure that our students receive a more in-depth education on pertinent historical and current events related to genocide. Congratulations again to Malden Public Schools for successfully pursuing this grant funding!” About 500 yards down the street and across the Malden-Medford border, the former longtime Tiki Island Restaurant – 269 Middlesex Ave., Medford – closed in September 2023 after 40 years of operation. Serving Chinese and Polynesian fare, Tiki Island was a well-known stop for generations of residents of Malden, Medford and other places since it opened in the early 1980s. Within the past several months, it was announced that the longtime Everett restaurant, Ho Win Palace on Everett Street, would be opening a new restaurant of the same name at the site of the former Tiki Island. In addition to the restaurant, the new Ho Win Palace will be off ering a function room for rentals at that site, it was announced. “As a former educator, I fi nd it essential that students receive accurate history and civics curriculum; this includes the history of genocide to ensure history does not repeat itself,” said Representative Lipper-Garabedian. “I was proud to vote for Massachusetts’s genocide education law, and I am glad that Malden Schools will be receiving this state funding to support genocide education in student learning.”
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