Page 10 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, July 11, 2025 ELECTION | FROM PAGE 3 taken out nomination papers, and Councillor Crowe has submitted close to the total required for certification. In another potential contested ward councillor race, Ward 6 Councillor Stephen P. Winslow has had his required number of nomination papers signatures verified. Three other candidates have pulled papers to potentially face off against him in the fall: Jerry Leone, 91 Webster St., a former Ward 6 School Committee member who was runner-up to Winslow in the 2023 Ward 6 Council race; Kevin M. Larson, 44 Bowman St., a political newcomer; and William E. Muise, 90 Columbia St., another first-time Malden political candidate. The Councillor-at-Large race at this time features five potential candidates vying for three seats, including incumbents Karen Colón Hayes of Wyoming Avenue — the only at-large candidate with all of her required nomination signatures verified at this time (with 206), Carey McDonald, of Pierce Street, and Craig Spadafora, of Elm Street. Two challengers are political newcomer Mohammad AbuTahar, 190 Mountain Ave., and former Ward 7 School Committee member Michelle Luong. Luong, 111 Daniels St., finished runner-up to Ward 7 Councillor Chris Simonelli in the 2023 Malden municipal election for a then open seat vacated by former Councillor Neal Anderson. Simonelli, of Bowdoin Street and the incumbent Ward 7 Councillor, has pulled nomination papers seeking reelection along with Ward 2 Councillor Paul Condon, Council President Amanda Linehan (Ward 3), Ward 4 Councillor Ryan O’Malley, Councillors Ari Taylor (Ward 5) and Jadeane Sica (Ward 8), all facing no challengers at this time. In a pair of additional interesting developments in the School Committee race, Ward 4 School Committee member Dawn Macklin, in her second term, is seeking to return to the school board in this fall’s election — but from a different ward. Macklin recently moved from her now former primary residence in Ward 4 to 20 Summer St., which happens to be in Ward 2. The two-term School Committee member has pulled nomination papers from Ward 2 and is now set to face off against Ward 2’s incumbent, Robert McCarthy, Jr. That unusually formed race would take place if new-to-Ward 2 Macklin files the necessary nomination signatures. McCarthy has already filed and received certification of his 50plus necessary signatures for a ward race. After serving alongside McCarthy on the School Committee for the past two terms, Macklin would face off against him in the fall if she submits the necessary signatures and they are certified. Macklin’s residence change now leaves a second open seat in this year’s School Committee election. No less than three candidates have taken out nomination papers for the now open seat, including a former Ward City Councillor. None of the three has had signatures submitted nor verified as of yet; if all three did so, there would be a Preliminary Election on Tuesday, September 16, to reduce three candidates to two for the General Election set for Tuesday, November 4. The three candidates at present are former Ward 4 Councillor Jeffrey A. Donahue, 56 Tremont St., and two Malden political newcomers: Abeer A. Annab, O Mountain Ave., Unit #4; and Katzia M. Small, 61 Exchange St., #10. Another incumbent School Committee member could be challenged in the fall if all signatures are submitted and verified in Ward 1, as longtime rep Michael Drummey, of Oxford Street, and potential challenger and newcomer Kimberly M. Gillette, of 7 Tufts St., have pulled nomination papers. Two potential candidates for Ward 6 School Committee member seeking to replace outgoing member Gray are a pair of firsttime office seekers: Peter T. Piazza, 1 Manley Terr., and Amy E. AbuShanab, 5 Pagum St. School Committee Vice Chairperson Jennifer Spadafora (Ward 3), Elizabeth J. Hortie (Ward 5), Keith E. Bernard (Ward 7) and Sharyn Rose-Zeiberg (Ward 8) have all taken out nomination papers seeking reelection to their seats, and as of this week have not had a challenger pull papers for this fall’s election. Maldonian celebrates a century M Special to The Advocate alden resident Mary Ruth Jones recently celebrated 100 years young! Mayor Gary Christenson surprised her with a citation in recognition of her milestone birthday. Having lived in Malden most of her life, she and her beloved husband Larry and son Kevin operated the family electric business — Gerard Electric, later becoming Gerard Compressors — that her father started. She worked well into her late 90s until they sold the business. She has always enjoyed shopping, art and jewelry and is a big fan of murder mysteries. Mary credits hard work and dedication as the key to her longevity. MTEC working to beautify Malden Special to The Advocate T he Malden Teen Enrichment Center (MTEC) recently partnered with the Malden Housing Authority to revitalize the Newland Street Traffic Circle with fresh plantings from Northeast Nursery in Peabody. MTEC’s goal was to recapture the charm Newland Street once had — creating a clean, vibrant and creative green space for the community to enjoy. With the space cleared and prepared, the teens planted a beautiful mix of blackeyed Susans, Bailey red twig dogwoods, petunias and begonias. MTEC students are also working to establish a regular watering schedule to help these flowers thrive throughout the season and beyond. MTEC and the Malden Housing Authority are grateful to who assisted in bringing a little more color and community spirit to Malden!
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