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THE MALDEN ADVOCATE–Friday, December 31, 2021 Page 13 REVIEW | FROM PAGE 12 lenge her in the final election in November in the only preliminary election held on Sept. 14. A third candidate, Amy Friedman, was eliminated with 14 percent of the vote. Malden High School launched a new scheduling and curriculum addition – designed to enhance inclusion as well as student voice and choice – titled “Flex Block.” City Council candidates began participating in various virtual candidate forums hosted by various groups. Longtime Ward 7 resident Marion Desmond, active in the community for decades, was the recipient – from Mayor Christenson and City Council President Anderson – of a Lifetime Achievement Award for her many years of helping others in Malden. Mayor Christenson announced a $1.1 million commitment in funding for the completion of the Trafton Park improvement project initiated by Councillors Camell, Winslow and Spadafora. It was announced that longtime Edgeworth neighborhood favorite Spadafora Slush would be closing for good at the end of this season. OCTOBER: The City of Malden was asked to make a $36 million commitment to help finance a new, state-of-the-art school building for the Northeast Metropolitan Vocational Technical High School in Wakefield. Malden’s Director of Community Development Alex Pratt gave a detailed presentation and analysis of the Census 2020 results for the City Council, providing a revealing look at the city’s newest demographics. “For the first time on record, Malden is majority people of color,” Pratt said. The Malden City Council voted unanimously to approve changes to the city voting map which would redraw ward boundary lines and move some city blocks into different wards. In a historic move, included in the changes was an increase from two precincts per ward to three precincts, which is believed to be the first time ever in Malden. A 45-year-old Malden man and four Revere residents were among 12 suspects in the area indicted in connection with an alleged ongoing “10-percenter” lottery ticket cashing scam. Four suspects were arrested, and two handguns were confiscated after Malden Police responded to a report of an armed robbery in the Bowdoin Street area the night of October 21. A powerful nor’easter rainstorm soaked Malden with a one-two punch on October 25-26, causing considerable damage around the city due to downed trees and den Winter Festival along Pleasant Street in Malden Square on the first Saturday in December. It may have been the lowest turnout for a citywide election in municipal history, with just 20 percent, or only 7,187 voters, casting ballots out of over 35,000 registered (highest number of registered voters in city history). Still, the low turnout brought anticipated changes, with three open City Council seats and three more openings on the School Committee. New faces on the City Council Langston was seriously injured after being struck by a motor vehicle while assisting a motorist on Main Street. Langston is recovering from his injuries. DECEMBER: The Malden Public Schools launched its first English Learners Parent Advisory Council for caregivers and students whose first language is not English. Malden held a very successful Winter Festival, Holiday Tree Lighting and Menorah Lighting, all in the heart of Malden Square. Despite mixed reviews, the Malden School ComAfter spending much of the previous 18-month period in a remote learning setting, newlyhired Superintendent of School Ligia Noriega-Murphy and her staff welcomed nearly 6,000 Malden Public Schools students in a return to full, in-person learning to start the 2021-22 school year in September. State Rep. Steven Ultrino, D-Malden, was recognized as "Legislator of the Year" by the Mass. Association of School Committees. Shown above, from left, Glenn Koocher, MASC Executive Director, Malden School Committee members Jenn Spadafora (Ward 1). Len Iovino (Ward 4), John Froio (Ward 7), Supt. Ligia Noriega-Murphy, Malden High Student Rep Christelle Jean, Rep. Ultrino, School Committee member Adam Weldai (Ward 5), Mayor Gary Christenson, Ward 5 School Committee member Robert McCarthy Jr., Michelle Luong (Ward 7) and Joseph Gray (Ward 6). power lines. A steering committee was announced for the planned, new Malden Arts and Culture Center at the site of the former Malden Courthouse on Summer Street. About 2,000 turned out for Malden’s annual Public Safety Day held at the Linden School. The City of Malden received a $400,000 state grant to help fund the ambitious $3 million Devir Park rehabilitation and renewal project now underway under the direction of longtime Ward 2 Councillor Paul Condon. NOVEMBER: City officials announced that instead of the longtime favorite Parade of Holiday Traditions, Malden would welcome the launch of the MalPlans to turn the former Malden District Courthouse on Summer Streets into a new, city center for cultural activities and the arts took another big step forward when Mayor Gary Christenson announced a Steering Committee had been formed to oversee the building's planned transition. elected on Nov. 5 were Karen Colón Hayes (at-large), Carey McDonald (at-large) and Chris Simonelli (Ward 7). New to the School Committee were Keith Bernard (Ward 7), Dawn Macklin (Ward 4) and Sharon Zeiberg (Ward 8). Malden returned its Veterans Day Parade – coordinated by Malden American Legion Post #69. Enrollment was soaring in the Malden Public Schools with over 500 new students in just the period between Sept. 1 and Nov. 1. Malden state Rep. Steve Ultrino was officially honored as “Legislator of the Year” by the Mass. Association of School Superintendents at a Malden School Committee meeting. Longtime Malden/Medford state Rep. Paul Donato was congratulated on his 80th birthday. MHS senior Christelle Jean was introduced as the newest representative to the School Committee. The Malden High Golden Tornado Club welcomed six individuals, a Distinguished Service Awardee and the 1973 Hockey Team to its 35th Hall of Fame at a Nov. 18 banquet. The Malden High Football Team handed first-year Head Coach Witche Exilhomme a 12-10 win in the 134th Thanksgiving meeting with Medford. Malden welcomed over two dozen newly trained Addiction Recovery Coaches to the city. Malden Police Officer Michael mittee voted to extend for one year the contract of its bus company responsible for transporting a segment of its Special Education students, North Reading Transportation (NRT) of Lynn. The Malden School Committee at its last meeting of 2021 bid farewell to more than 50 years of combined political service as longtime members Leonard Iovino (Ward 4), John Froio (Ward 8) and Michelle Luong (Ward 7) all participated in their final meetings, as each did not seek reelection this past fall. A 27-year-old Malden man, Yassine Khaouda, was charged in the Dec. 15 stabbing murder of his own father, Mohammed Khaouda, 65, in the basement garage of the Malden Square apartment complex where they shared a residence. It was the fourth Malden murder in the past 11 1/2 months. Malden Police have suspects in custody for all four slaying cases. The Malden City Council voted in favor of a new four-year contract for Malden firefighters and a new three-year contract for parking enforcement employees. A permanent memorial honoring former Mayor, state representative and City Councillor Ed Lucey will be mounted in City Hall Plaza after a unanimous vote of the City Council. Malden Arts outlined plans for a COVID-19 memorial honoring Malden victims and heroes from the pandemic – an idea originated by Councillor-at-Large Debbie DeMaria – to be placed at Franklin Street alongside the Northern Strand Community Trail. Ward 5 Councillor Barbara Murphy and her “elves” welcomed Santa Claus to his 72nd Annual Visit to Pine Banks to greet Malden children. Mayor Christenson announced that a full-funded Language Access Plan is coming to Malden on a citywide basis. The City Council and members of the public bid adieu to longtime Councillors Neal Anderson (Ward 7, 28 years), Debbie DeMaria (at-large, 10 years) and David Camell (Ward 6, four years), all of whom did not seek reelection this fall and participated in their final City Council meeting. The City of Malden began distributing more than 20,000 athome Rapid COVID-19 Tests free of charge to Malden residents, including several thousand to Malden Public Schools students to take home, just before their dismissal for Winter Vacation. The city had its first Winter Festival in the heart of Malden Square and the event, held in place of the former Parade of Holiday Traditions, drew hundreds to the downtown on Dec. 4.

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