Your Local News, Sports & More! Scan & Subscribe to Advocate News Online! Vol. 35, No. 30 -FREEwww.advocatenews.net Published Every Friday 617-387-2200 Friday, July 31, 2026 State Senate candidates share visions on safe, effective transit, transportation in 5th Middlesex District communities ‘Malden Safe Streets’ hosts candidates forum on pressing topics in this and other communities By Steve Freker I t comes up every time he meets with constituents, becoming a central topic of discussion. “They just do not feel they can safely cross our streets,” Carey McDonald said. “We have to act, we must work to have safety sensibility,” McDonald, one of three candidates for Fifth Middlesex District state senator added, at a recent Candidates Forum hosted by Malden Safe Streets. The Candidates Forum, focusing on the topic of transportation, was hosted outdoors in front of Bay State Cohousing, 368 Pleasant St., Malden. Noah Tuke, a Malden Safe Streets board member and Ward 1 resident, served as moderator. McDonald, who is a third-term Malden Councillor at-Large, was joined by fellow candidates, thirdterm state Rep. Kate Lipper-Garabedian (D-32nd Middlesex) and Ryan O’Malley, a six-term Malden City Councillor (Ward 4). This is Rep. Lipper-Garabedian’s first campaign for state Senate as well as Councillor McDonald’s and Councillor O’Malley’s first campaigns for state office. The three candidates are vying for the open Carey McDonald Kate Lipper-Garabedian seat created when longtime state Senator Jason Lewis (D-5th Middlesex) announced he would not seek a third term earlier this year. The Fifth Middlesex District comprises the cities of Malden and MelSPEED CAMERAS: Legislation to bring speeddetecting cameras for school, safety & construction zones in Mass. passes major hurdle Mass. Senate includes provisions for communities to use speed cameras in major, $575M economic development bill By Steve Freker S peed-detecting cameras could become a reality in the Commonwealth of Mass. after the state Senate approved the inclusion of a provision to allow the use of these devices by local communities. Last Thursday Mass. state senators added to a $575 million economic development bill a provision that would permit automated cameras in school zones and other designated “safety zones,” as well as near active highway construction sites, across the state. Drivers found on camera going 11 are located near schools, playgrounds, parks, daycare centers and senior housing. Speed limits are usually lowered to 20 mph to protect people on foot or bicycles. Judging by the climate of Speed-detecting cameras may be coming to Massachusetts in the near future due to some legislation at the state level. (Courtesy Photo) miles per hour over the posted limit would face fines between $25 and $100. “Designated safety zones” transportation safety discussions in the communities in this region, they could very well be coming here to the Advocate readership cities and towns of Everett, Malden, Revere and Saugus. In all of these communities, advocates, elected officials and many citizens have made transCAMERAS | SEE PAGE 9 From left to right: Clean Water Fund's Youth Engagement Program Manager, Omesa Mokaya; awardee Kidus Tsige; and Clean Water Fund’s Youth Program & Coalition Co-Manager, Eben Bein. (Photo credit Angela Rowlings) Special to The Advocate K idus Tsige, a sophomore at Malden High School, was honored with Clean Water Action & Clean Water Fund’s Youth STUDENT | SEE PAGE 5 rose, the towns of Reading, Stoneham and Wakefield and precincts 1, 2, 3 and 8 in Winchester. The three candidates, all Democrats — Lipper-Garabedian, McDonald and O’Malley — will square off on Ryan O’Malley Tuesday, September 1, in the Democratic Primary Election, a rare pre-Labor Day voting day. Malden Safe Streets is a local TRANSIT | SEE PAGE 7 Malden High School student honored by Clean Water Action & Clean Water Fund
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