Have a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Vol. 34, No. 52 -FREEwww.advocatenews.net Published Every Friday Ward 7 Councillor Celebrates the Holidays with Suffolk Manor Tenants 617-387-2200 Wednesday, December 24, 2025 YEAR IN REVIEW: Here are some of Malden’s Top Stories of 2025 Seemingly interminable trash collectors strike and city’s Proposition 2 1/2 Override ballot question lead the list HAPPY HOLIDAYS: Ward 7 City Councillor Chris Simonelli is shown with city officials, friends and family members at the Suffolk Manor Housing last Friday in celebration of the holiday season with the many happy residents. Shown from left to right, are: Mayor Gary Christenson, Joseph Simonelli, Councillor Christopher Simonelli, Ly To, Kevin Shapleigh, and Olivia Simonelli. See photo highlights inside. (Advocate photo by Tara Vocino) City celebrates Chanukah at Annual Menorah Lighting at City Hall A 79-day trash collection strike in Malden and 17 other communities was one of the top stories of 2025. (Advocate Photo) By Steve Freker A s we welcome the New Year 2026, we also look back and recall some of the top stories that made the headlines in the Malden Advocate in 2025. Nearly three-month trash collectors strike lasted from July 1 through the end of September One of the toughest 79-day Children enjoyed Chanukah activities, followed by Menorah lighting and a performance by the Malden High School Chorus on Sunday night at City Hall. Shown from left to right, back row: Ward 6 School Committee Member-Elect Peter Piazza, Ward 7 School Committee Member Keith Bernard, Ward 6 Councillor Stephen Winslow, Schools Supt. Tim Sippel, Mayor Gary Christenson, Rabbi Sruli Baron, Ward 1 Councillor Peg Crowe and Ward 1 School Committee Member Michael Drummey. Shown standing, Councillor-at-Large Karen Colón-Hayes, Ward 5 Councillor Ari Taylor, Ward 3 Councillor Amanda Linehan, Ward 8 Councillor Jadeane Sica, Councillor-at-Large Carey MacDonald, Councillorat-Large-Elect Michelle Bucci-Luong and Ward 8 School Committee Member Sharyn Rose-Zeiberg. See inside for photo highlights. (Advocate photo by Tara Vocino) stretches in city of Malden history ended Monday when regular trash pickup in this city and 17 other North Shore communities resumed, ending a months-long workers strike. On September 21 was announced that waste management giant Republic Services and Teamsters Local 25 reached agreement on a new, five-year contract. Malden and 17 other cities and towns — mainly on the North Shore — had watched trash pile up at times and related health issues mount up since about 400 Republic Services workers walked off the job. Although replacement workers were working in the city on a somewhat regular basis since shortly after the strike began, it was not anything close to what is necessary to keep a city the size of Malden serviced. About 400 Republic Services waste collection workers walked off the job July 1, affecting residents and commercial businesses in greater Boston and North Shore cities and towns. The walkout caused disruptions to trash and recycling collections even as Republic brought in workers from other parts of the country to service local routes. Malden Mayor Gary Christenson made municipal history in the City Council Chamber when he formally requested the Councillors consider a Proposition 2 1/2 property tax override. The Mayor outlined a specific sum of revenue he said was sought to supplement other cost-saving measures already taken or underway by the city’s administrative team. Chief among those was a switch from city-managed health care for municipal employees to a state-run program, which the Mayor said would save some $3 milREVIEW | SEE PAGE 8
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