Maldden alld a Vol. 29, No. 42 den AADD -FREEwww.advocatenews.net The Advocate - A Household Word in Malden! CTE OCAT AT Published Every Friday MVRCS students take part in park beautification project 617-387-2200 Erik Grath Misty Mtn. Shop Principal owner By Steve Freker T Embodying the community service aspect of its mission, members of Mystic Valley Regional Charter School’s Environmental Club and its student body in grades 7-12, took part in park beautifi cation eff orts recently. Their visit to Devir Park was the fi rst of fi ve trips within the week to sites around Malden to collect trash and preserve the grounds. Shown from left to right are faculty member Erin Hayn, Victoria De Assuncao, Thalia Jean-Baptiste, Angelica Nocera and Arianna Perdomo. (Photo Courtesy of Mystic Valley Regional Charter School) he words “green light” may never have seemed so appropriate for a City Council vote in Malden municipal history. Rightly so, history was indeed made Tuesday night when the Council gave the go-ahead to Malden’s fi rst-ever retail marijuana establishment. With an 8-3 vote, following a nearly 3 1/2-hour public hearing, the Councillors granted a special permit to Misty Mountain Shop and its principal owner, Erik Gath, to sell cannabis products at a renovated site at 323 E Friday, October 16, 2020 City Council makes history, OKs Malden’s first-ever marijuana retail outlet Gives “green light” for Misty Mountain Shop; negotiation of Host Community Agreement next Patrick MacDonald Attorney Commercial St. It was a major step in the city’s lengthy licensing process, which included review and approval of their initial plan by the Malden Cannabis and Licensing Commission (CLC), as well as approval by the Malden Planning Board. Next step is Host Community Agreement with city Misty Mountain Shop must now successfully negotiate a Host Community Agreement with the offi ce of Mayor Gary MARIJUANA | SEE PAGE 11 Officials: Malden’s “Red” designation not due to any “clusters,” outbreak COVID-19 city update includes information on schools, and offi cials urge continued safety protocols By Steve Freker lowing the proper protocols. “The day we hoped would D espite Malden’s latest designation as “Red” in the state’s color-coded COVID-19 risk assessment map, the news was not all bad at last Thursday night’s city-sponsored, virtual COVID-19 update session. Two top municipal officials pointed out that despite the designation there have been no “clusters” of COVID-19 cases reported or identifi ed in Malden. Also, the percentage of positive COVID-19 cases from testing in this city remains very low. The main theme of the meeting was simple: Malden must remain vigilant to ensure that citywide its residents protect themselves and their families by folnever come, has,” said Malden Mayor Gary Christenson. “The one thing that has not changed – red, yellow, green or white – we must all work together to protect the safety and health of all our citizens.” “We had a change of events when we went ‘Red’ this week,” Chris Webb, Malden’s Public Health Director, added. “It is not the optimal change, but it is not surprising, according to trends and the time of year. We were expecting more [COVID-19] cases in October.” It is not the optimal change, but not surprising, according to trends and the time of the year. Both the Mayor and Webb stress the following advice to all living in or visiting Malden: Wear a mask, maintain social distancing and avoid large gatherings. Thursday’s panel included Christenson, Webb, Kourtney Nickerson, chairperson of the Malden Board of Health, Christian Lanphere, head administrator at Cambridge Health Alliance-Everett, and Ward Five School Committee Member Adam Weldai. Malden one of 40 communities ‘in the Red’ In addition to discussing Malden’s “highest risk” designation, where it was one of 40 communities statewide, questions posed from the public to the panelists included topics such as Malden has been entered in the “Red” designation for “highest risk” in the state’s color-coded COVID-19 risk assessment map. (Courtesy Photo) Malden Public Schools students returning to the classrooms. As for the “Red” designation, several of the panelists mentioned that Malden has been teetering on the higher end of the next lowest designation, “Yellow,” for the past two categorizing periods. Even with the Red last week, Mayor ChristenRED | SEE PAGE 9
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