Maldden alld a Vol. 30, No. 49 den AADD -FREEBy Christopher Roberson C ongresswoman Katherine Clark, U.S. Senator Ed Markey, Congresswoman Lori TraA household word in Malden for 30 years! CTE OCAT AT www.advocatenews.net Published Every Friday Congresswoman Clark tours Malden home weatherized with funds from new Infrastructure Act han and U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm recently toured the home of Malden resident Cindy Yu, which was recently weatherized using funds from the new Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act. “Cindy’s story highlights the CLARK | SEE PAGE 8 617-387-2200 By Steve Freker O Shown from left to right are State Representative Paul Donato, Congresswoman Lori Trahan, U.S. Energy Secretary Jennifer Granholm, Malden resident Cindy Yu and her daughter and U.S. Senator Ed Markey; Mayor Gary Christenson and Congresswoman Katherine Clark are shown in back. (Courtesy Photo) Malden School Committee extends school bus contract through 2022-23 school year Mayor notes ‘seller’s market’ factor in supporting fi nal option year for NRT Bus Inc. By Steve Freker W hen it came time for Malden School Committee Chairperson and Mayor Gary Christenson’s turn to say his piece, he made it quite simple: Dollars...and sense. The topic was whether the School Committee was going to fl ip a voting coin and either move on from its present student transportation vendor, Lynn-based NRT (North Reading Transportation) Bus Inc., or exercise its fi - nal one-year extension option through the 2022-23 (Fiscal Year 23) school year. Already the School Committee had heard at Monday night’s meeting from the influential Special Education Parent Advisory Council (SEPAC), and its President, Patrick Fitzgerald, and also from a parent of a bused student, who related what she described as a harrowing experience by her son on an NRT vehicle from the fall of 2019. Fitzgerald asked the School Committee members to table a vote on the potential contract extension so as to provide time for more input from SEPAC members on their personal experiences with NRT Bus. The parent of the student who spoke, Amy Friedman, told the School Committee there should be no consideration of a contract renewal unless NRT Bus guaranteed full compliance with all tenets of the contract in place, which she claimed was not being folBUS | SEE PAGE 10 ne of the longest-running local holiday traditions in New England will continue this season when Santa Claus makes his annual visit to Pine Banks Park E Friday, December 10, 2021 Santa Claus will make his 72nd Annual Visit to Pine Banks Park Traditional visits and photos in 'Santa’s Offi ce; return this year Santa Claus is coming to town at Pine Banks Park for his 72nd Annual Visit on Saturday, December 18 from 2-6 p.m. The Ward 5 Elves will assist him that day and this elf with Santa, above, bears a slight resemblance to Councillor Barbara Murphy, don't you think?(Courtesy Photo) next week. Santa Claus will take time out of his busy schedule at the North Pole to come to his Pine Banks headquarters, at 1087 Main St. SANTA CLAUS | SEE PAGE 11 Longtime School Committee members Iovino, Froio and Luong departing It has been over 50 years of service to the Malden school district for Ward 4’s Iovino Departing School Committee Members Leonard Iovino and Michelle Luong were honored at Monday’s School Committee Meeting – their fi nal one. Shown above, after Mayor/School Committee Chairperson Gary Christenson presented offi cial municipal citations, are, from left, Malden High School Student Representative to the School Committee Christelle Jean, School Committee Members Jennifer Spadafora (Ward 3), Adam Weldai (Ward 5), Luong, Christenson, Iovino, Michael Drummey (Ward 1), Robert McCarthy Jr. (Ward 2) and Joseph Gray (Ward 6). (Advocate Photo) By Steve Freker T hree departing members of the Malden School Committee who have each made a signifi cant impact were recognized at their final meeting Monday night. Ward 4 School Committee Member Leonard Iovino has contributCOMMITTEE | SEE PAGE 9
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