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Page 12 THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, December 31, 2021 REVIEW | FROM PAGE 11 April, after Fall season 2020 was postponed. It was announced Malden Public Schools was receiving $15.8 million in federal American Rescue Plan emergency education funds. Malden was ranked #2 in its population category in “Top Spots to Live North of Boston” by Boston.com. Mayor Christenson named a new Opioid Task Force designed to address the spike in overdoses in Malden and the region. MAY: City Engineer Yem Lip made a presentation to the City Council on the city embarking on an extensive, $4.7 million underground water pipe evaluation project. After 10 years on the City Council, Councillor-at-Large Debbie DeMaria announced she would not seek a sixth term, thus leaving a second at-large seat open in the upcoming fall election for the first time in nearly two decades in Malden. Mayor Christenson proposed Malden’s first Inclusionary Zoning Ordinance. Malden Public Schools, through the efforts of Business Manager Toni Mertz, unveiled its new food truck designed to help enhance food security. Mayor Christenson proposed a $188.1 million municipal budget for Fiscal Year 2022. City officials reported Malden’s percentage of vaccinated residents had surpassed state averages due to reach-out efforts. Malden High School students and some Grades 6-8 students returned to in-person learning for the first time since 2020. MHS Junior Varieties did not miss a year, as the 81st production was held “live” in the Jenkins Auditorium, albeit, for the first time in May, not its usual March. Over 1,500 Malden High School students out of 1,700 total responded to a Youth Truth Survey – included as part of a committed program to foster and promote equity and inclusion among and between its students and staff, with 73 percent responding they felt “strongly supported” by MHS staff and administration both before and during the pandemic during the past 12-16 months. On a tragic month-ending note, Simon Daponta, a 19-year-old Malden High graduate from the Class of 2020, was killed in Class of 2012 alumnus Witche Exilhomme was announced as the new Malden High School head football coach for the 2021 season. Above, he was also in the spotlight as a selectee for Boston25's "Hometown Heroes" series in July, shortly after the announcement of his hiring by MHS Principal Chris Mastrangelo and Athletic Director Charlie Conefrey. Malden High School Students and staff continued to be leaders in promoting and embracing diversity, equity and inclusion in our community when Principal Chris Mastrangelo and Superintendent John Oteri presided over the raising of the PRIDE Flag for LGBQT support and the Juneteenth Flag celebrating Juneteenth Day. Malden Public Schools is the first district in the region to raise either flag, the PRIDE Flag (third from top) for the past five years running, the first this year to raise Juneteenth Flag (fourth from top). a crash on Interstate 93 on May 28. The new Bridge Recovery Center on Commercial Street held its official Grand Opening and Ribbon Cutting. Tous les Jours, Evviva Trattoria and 110 Grille all officially opened in Malden Square. City Hall officially reopened to the public at 215 Pleasant St. New Korean War and Vietnam War memorials in Malden were unveiled on Memorial Day. JUNE: Malden High School became the first school in the region since the pandemic began to raise the Pride Flag, signaling support for the rights of students and all others in the LGBQT community during Pride Month. A fully interactive outdoor playground was officially opened at the Beebe School, offering full access and enhancements for physically and intellectually challenged students and Malden residents, through grants obtained by the Malden Public Schools. Malden High School graduated 402 members of its Class of 2021 in a traditional ceremony at Macdonald Stadium on Pearl Street. COVID-19 vaccine clinics hosted by the Malden Board of Health continued around the community, including in Malden High School and the Salemwood School. It was announced by Supt. John Oteri that the Malden High School Class of 2021 was one of the highest achieving classes in school history, with 81 percent of its members moving on to higher education, 49 percent of its students achieving Honor Grades of a 3.0 grade point average (GPA) or higher and 15 percent of its students (62 students) achieving 4.0 or higher GPAs, “all A’s.” Malden Public Schools held its first-ever Juneteenth Flag Raising – at Malden High School – on June 16, “in a show of support for our students and staff of color,” Supt. Oteri said, as part of a national celebration. The Malden City Council approved a $187 million municipal FY22 budget, which including $76 million for the Malden Public Schools and increased funding for both the Malden Police Dept. and Malden Fire Dept. Summer Festivals opened in Malden Square and were a big success all season. JULY: Malden Police and Fire Malden City Councilors joined with friends and family members of the late former longtime Malden City Councilor and State Rep. Herbert "Herbie" Jackson, in an August ceremony where the newly reopened Malden City Hall Council Chambers were rededicated in his name. Dept. personnel responded to a bizarre incident where a rabid raccoon attacked and injured a Malden couple in their backyard on Winship Street in the Forestdale neighborhood. The MBTA formally approved funding for a $750,000 project in Malden that will convert Route 60/Eastern Ave. to one single lane of travel from Franklin Street to the Malden Center Orange Line station. An Everett man, Brian Butler, 30, was held without bail in the shooting murder of an Everett woman in a Malden home invasion on Fairmont Street on July 6. Congresswoman Katherine Clark was in Malden on July 14 delivering good news about a $3.36M federal funding request for a Malden lead pipe replacement project. (Ultimately, Malden received that grant confirmation in December.) Three former Malden City Councillors threw their hats in the ring for one of the three atlarge Council seats for the fall election – Jeff Donahue, John Matheson and Chris Simonelli – joining a crowded field of six candidates who ended up on the ballot in the fall. (Only one, Simonelli, was ultimately elected.) Malden High School hired alumnus Witche Exilhomme as its new football Head Coach for the upcoming 2021 season. Malden High principal Chris Mastrangelo publicly thanked and acknowledged Malden restaurants All Seasons Table, El Potro, Evviva Trattoria, Dockside Restaurant, Donut Villa, 110 Grille and Pearl Street Station for donating all of the food, totaling thousands of dollars in all, to ensure a Malden High School traditional prom was held at the school the previous month. Newly hired Superintendent of Schools Ligia Noriega-Murphy hosted a Town Hall–style forum at Malden City Hall on July 31. After many months of planning and strategy, the Malden Redevelopment Authority became an official department of the City of Malden. The Malden Chamber of Commerce celebrated its 130th year in the city. AUGUST: A talented Malden resident, Alex Potocki, embarked on an exciting new stage of his career when he traveled to Las Vegas to join the exclusive dance group “The Jabbawockeez.” Results from the 2020 federal Census revealed that Malden’s official population had soared to a record-high of 66,263, up nearly 12 percent from 59,450 in 2010, and, for the first time ever, Malden is officially a “majority-minority” community, dropping below 50 percent of residents identifying as White, from 53 percent in 2010 to 40 percent in 2020. Malden’s third murder of 2021 was reported on August 15 when Joshua Roush, 43, was arrested on charges he hacked to death his roommate, Brian McDonald, 34, in the apartment they shared at 19 Presley St. Roush remains held without bail on that charge. The chairman of the Mystic Valley Regional Charter School Board of Trustees, at a City Council meeting told Councillors, “We will sue... and we will win” if the City Council or other city officials or boards tried to impede a plan to expand the school’s footprint in the Maplewood Square area, through real estate purchases and future demolition and construction plans. In a letter to Malden Public Schools families, Supt. Noriega-Murphy outlined details of the planned full return to in-person learning for the school district’s nearly 6,000 students and staff. The Malden City Council honored beloved former City Council President Herbert Jackson with a rededication of the City Council Chambers. Malden city and health officials urged all residents to get vaccinated against COVID-19. Mayor Christenson and Police Chief Kevin Molis announced that Malden Police will begin use of body cameras for uniformed personnel. The Malden CARES Pilot Program, providing information and resources in an extended outreach mode, and backed by Ward 1 Councillor Peg Crowe, Councillors Murphy, Sica, Spadafora and others, was funded for two years. SEPTEMBER: Malden Police seized two illegal guns and a cache of illicit drugs shortly after they responded to a call of a disturbance at the Town Line Inn Motel at 735 Broadway on September 2. Mayor Gary Christenson announced the launch of the city’s new Transparency Center – meant to provide a platform for residents to gain greater insight into city spending and project management. Incumbent Ward 8 Councillor Jadeane Sica captured 54 percent of the vote, and challenger Nate Bae Kupel won 30 percent to earn the right to chalREVIEW| SEE PAGE 13

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