April 2019 - Neighborhood View

Events

Chinese Culture Connection gala celebrates CCC’s 14th year

April 29, 2019 ditikohli 0

Story and video by Diti Kohli More than 200 attendees from the greater Boston area enjoyed a ten-course dinner and celebrated the Chinese Culture Connection’s success at the organization’s 14th annual gala on April 6. The non-profit hosted the event at the Hei La Moon restaurant in Boston’s Chinatown to raise funds for future programs and honor those who made an impact that aligned with the organization’s mission of “cross-cultural understanding.” Performers in traditional garb showcased Chinese dances, karate, and tai chi, a martial art that doubles as a method of meditation, as entertainment through the night. Organizers priced one spot at each of the eight-person tables at $100 dollars––profits went directly into the CCC’s fundraising trove. Executive director Mei Hung thanked the city of Malden for aiding the organization’s efforts while reminding guests that their financial help is welcomed and needed. “Without the city’s official support, it would be very hard to do the work,” Hung said. “But this is still a fundraising event.” Guests also bid on traditional artwork and other products from sponsors […]

Malden’s second “City Nature Challenge” takes place April 28

April 24, 2019 NeighborhoodView 0

Mother Nature is calling. Will you help her out? Do your part for biodiversity by participating in the second City Nature Challenge, a global contest for cities to compete for the highest number of natural observations within their regions. This Sunday, April 28, the Friends of the Malden River and the National Park Service of Boston Harbor Islands invite you, your friends, and family to take part in this challenge and discover two Malden River parks in the process. This will be a chance to help a global effort to document biodiversity in urban places and to highlight the natural beauty hidden in plain sight along the Malden River. No prior experience in nature-sighting is necessary! Participants are taking part in what is known as citizen science. There will be two time frames and locations offered for participants. At 11. a.m. meet at the new Everett Rivergreen Park for the first challenge. The second challenge will take place from 12:30 to 2 p.m. This is a chance to observe the natural beauty at the Gateway […]

Featured

John Matheson mulling challenge against Christenson for mayor

April 22, 2019 ditikohli 3

Story by Diti Kohli John Matheson, four-term city councillor for Ward 3, said he will decide whether to launch an official bid for mayor before May. In a phone interview, the prospective candidate stressed his self-identification as a “populist and idealist” and said his potential platform would include policies that would expand commercial development. The councillor also plans to focus on increased ticketing, worsening street and traffic patterns, city beautification, and environmental issues, like challenging the contentious mandatory use of blue trash bags and eliminating lead pipes in homes. Matheson announced the formation of his exploratory committee to the public on March 16 via Facebook. “Residents have said the administration has ignored their issues,” said Matheson. “And the government we have now is not a government that’s for the people.” Matheson is no stranger to local politics; in addition to his four terms on the city council, he ran an unsuccessful race for state representative in 2014. If he officially posits himself as a candidate this month, Matheson will be the first to challenge the […]

Events

Malden’s Half Marathon trained runners for the big event

April 11, 2019 huiwingting 0

By Frances Hui As runners take off in Monday’s Boston Marathon in what is predicted to be cold and wet conditions, many will benefit from their run in Malden last month. Amid harsh, snowy weather, about 3,000 runners from 22 states, including many prospective marathoners, participated in the 17th Annual Malden Rotary Road Race on March 10, which featured Malden’s first half marathon and annual five miler. “The event hit that sweet spot in training, just the right distance from the big event, which is part of the reason why it was so successful,” said Kevin Duffy, the strategy and business development officer for Mayor Gary Christenson. The Malden Rotary Club organized the half marathon with C5K Sports, which proposed to hold a half marathon to attract runners planning to compete in the Boston Marathon on April 15, “It’s the kind of course that people really appreciate it because it was mostly flat and there were a lot of personal records set,” Duffy said in a phone interview. “So from a runner standpoint, the feedback on the course […]

Events

Malden historic fire station celebrates 100th anniversary

April 9, 2019 ditikohli 0

The city commemorated the century-mark of its oldest standing fire station on 1 Sprague Street on the afternoon of March 31. Firefighters and public officials spoke of the station’s history, and performers from Malden Public High School played at the event. Residents were also free to take tours of the building, including the newly constructed second floor, near the celebration’s end. The news clip below was produced and edited by Diti Kohli

Featured

Bread of Life nearly halfway funded to reconstruct Eastern Ave. headquarters

April 2, 2019 ditikohli 2

Story by Diti Kohli Bread of Life Malden, an organization dedicated to preventing food insecurity, effectively raised $1.4 million, or nearly 50 percent, of the required funding to reconstruct its headquarters at 54 Eastern Ave. as of March 19. Some basic services, including a food pantry, are already run out of the acquired building. Executive director Gabriella Snyder Stelmack and development director Patty Kelly informed the City Council of the organization’s progress and mission at the March 19 council meeting. The $2.9 million funding estimate for reconstruction includes the remaining loan payment on the Eastern Avenue building. The 501c3 non-profit bought the property for $750,000 in 2014 using monies from philanthropy efforts. Bread of Life’s actions to open its own headquarters follow a long history of occupying temporary meal sites. “We lost our meal site several times,” said Stelmack resignedly. “Different times we’ve been serving out of our van or truck in a parking lot. And a lot of those [past] facilities, almost all of them, have had really outdated equipment and kitchens.” A projected […]