Uncategorized Archives - Page 20 of 30

Is violence against women linked with other violent crime?

August 7, 2017 jlynnmcclain 0

By Jennifer McClain The March terrorist attack in Westminster in London raises the question: Is there a connection between domestic violence and lone wolf terrorism attacks? The wife of Khalid Masood, the perpetrator in the Westminster attack, was reported to have fled his violent attacks. Or consider the recent shooting of Steve Scalise [requires NYT subscription], the majority whip of the House of Representatives, by a man who had been involved in several acts of domestic violence. Attacks on female partners are often viewed as an issue of “domestic violence.” In June, Malden was shocked by the case of Malden resident, Ryan Power, who is accused of strangling his girlfriend, Leah Penny, a mother of seven, in her home with a dog leash. Power had been previously arrested for pushing Penny, the mother of his two children, to the ground. Likewise James T. Hodgkinson, the accused Steve Scalise shooter, had been arrested for attacks against women, including his girlfriend and his daughter. Domestic violence is not only a serious problem but may be a predictor of future […]

Cameroonian artist presents “Celebration”

July 18, 2017 annedr 1

By Anne D’Urso-Rose Cameroon-born artist Efon Elad knows adversity. But, like the manner of folks in his native country, he chooses to approach life as a celebration. Not only life passages, but daily rituals, ordinary moments, scenes of beauty and terror, songs and stories inspire in him a sense of gratitude and jubilation. Many of the paintings in an exhibit now on view at the MATV Gallery, located at Malden’s Media Center, depict moments of life in Cameroon and West Africa where the artist has lived and travelled as a youth. Other paintings are inspired by songs or Biblical stories, which have captivated his imagination. Still others depict places in his adopted homeland in the Boston area, where he has lived for over 30 years, as well as other places that exist only in his mind or memory. Well-educated in his native Cameroon, Elad is fluent in English, French and five African languages and is a lover of literature. His career began in telecommunications at a time when telegrams and Morse code were his specialty. A lost […]

Brick by brick, “The Beast That Ate Pleasant Street” is demolished

July 15, 2017 professorschorow 0

With the sound of crashing bricks and breaking glass, the demolition of the former Malden Government Center and police station continues this summer. Bit by bit, the structure at 200 Pleasant Street is coming down for a new mixed-use development. A short video by Neil D. Novello, “When the Crews Arrive,” captures the sight and sounds of a truck and crane pulling away the facade of the 1970s-era structure like the claw of a hungry dinosaur digging for food. The demolition is schedule to continue through the end of August. The demolition of the building first hailed as an architectural achievement and then dubbed “The Beast that Ate Pleasant Street,” will re-connect the two ends of Pleasant Street and provide access to the MBTA Station at Malden Center. According to the Malden Redevelopment Authority, the new “Jefferson at Malden Center” will have “320 residential units in two buildings, a 45,000-square-foot office condominium shell (to be built out by the City for a new city hall), more than 22,500 square feet of ground floor retail and approximately 330 […]

Making Malden Pedestrian Friendly

June 26, 2017 jlynnmcclain 2

By Jennifer McClain “They don’t care if they run you over” is one of the statements I’ve heard about traffic on the Fellsway East Road from Malden residents in my neighborhood. Many Malden residents feel the increase in traffic on their roads in recent years has made it less safe for them to walk in their own neighborhoods. A recent land use survey completed by the Urban Land Institute and the recent boon in construction have made many Malden citizens rethink how they want to “shape the city for years to come.” The Urban Land Institute was commissioned to provide leadership in the responsible use of land for Malden and Everett and was “charged to focus on the unique and growing issues of industrial land development in metropolitan Boston’s urban core.” This reshaping could be an opportunity to improve Malden’s pedestrian environment and to make walking safer for the community. Other cities, such as Minneapolis, can provide a blueprint of how a community can learn to leave the cars at home and get people on […]

Bubbles and Books brings fun to Miller Park

June 22, 2017 annedr 0

Once a place to be avoided, Miller Park in Malden has become an oasis for family fun. This became evident on June 3 when the second annual Bubbles & Books event brought hundreds of children and their families to the park to enjoy a puppet storyteller, giant bubbles and free (gently used) books. The event was hosted by Malden Kiwanis in collaboration with Malden Reads. “It felt like Christmas in the spring!” said Erga Dormevil, a Malden resident and mother of four school-age children. She added, “A book is a priceless gift for people of all ages and this event provided families with a chance to enjoy quality time together in a beautiful park. The outpouring of support from our community in the form of book donations was both heartwarming and amazing.” Robin Jorgensen, immediate past president of the Malden Kiwanis Club and a primary organizer of the event, said, “Our first year [last year] we had a great turnout. But I think our numbers nearly doubled in size this year!” The number of book […]

Malden residents willing to go green for green.

June 12, 2017 karenbuckmalden 0

By Karen Buck Malden residents not only want more open space but a city survey indicates they are willing to open their wallets to help. The Open Land and Recreation Survey was presented by the Metropolitan Area Planning Council (MAPC) and Malden officials in a May 3 public forum at the Malden YMCA. The survey is another step in a process that began in January. That’s when Mayor Gary Christenson announced the creation of an 11-member committee to assist the MAPC in updating the city’s Open Space and Recreation Plan (OSRP). The plan was last updated in 2009 and covered the period of 2009-2016. The committee was tasked with determining the City’s park and recreational assets and gathering feedback to help guide the City in its future actions regarding open space and recreation planning. From January to Mid-April, an Open Space and Recreation Plan survey was posted on the city’s website and promoted through social media, local community groups, youth sports, and word of mouth. Additionally, two public forums were held for comments, one in March […]

Little Free Libraries “Revive” Malden’s Neighborhood Libraries

May 31, 2017 sharonsantillo 9

By Sharon Santillo An international effort that encourages citizens to set up free neighborhood book exchanges has arrived in Malden. Moreover, these “little free libraries” are bringing back a miniature version of the neighborhood libraries that the city lost beginning in the 1980s. Sparked by the non-profit organization, Little Free Library, Malden residents are creating tiny spaces where anyone passing by can take a book to read or leave a book for someone else to find. The first little free library was created by Todd Bol in 2009 to honor his deceased mother who loved to read. He built a one-room schoolhouse model and put it on a post in the front yard of his Wisconsin home and filled it with books. He shared the idea and it spread globally. Now there are over 50,000 little free libraries across the United States and in over 70 countries. Soon you will see these small libraries around Malden. Malden Arts has received a grant from the Malden Cultural Council to register 10 little free libraries in Malden […]

History has a way of repeating itself

May 12, 2017 jlynnmcclain 0

If it hadn’t been for Pokemon Go, I would have walked past the Burial Ground on Lebanon Street. Instead, I explored the Hebrew Charitable Burial Ground, which I soon found out is the second oldest Jewish cemetery established in Massachusetts and the only cemetery in Massachusetts with predominately children buried in it. (http://www.jcam.org/Pages/HCBG/). My curiosity was sparked, and I began to research the history of the cemetery. And here I found some parallels to today’s events. I found that a recent controversy over a Muslim cemetery in Dudley, Mass., mirrored the same prejudices in Malden in the 19th Century. It was evident in the language found in both situations. In Dudley, David Boeri of NPR noted “the raw language of some of the small town’s residents brought accusations of religious bigotry”. http://www.wbur.org/news/2017/03/03/dudley-muslim-cemetery-permit This same conclusion could be drawn in the language of an article found in the Malden Evening Mail about the Jewish cemetery in Malden. When you visit the Hebrew Charitable Burial Ground you find plaques explaining its history and the controversy over the […]

Arts

Second year of storytelling and stargazing on Waitt’s Mount

May 4, 2017 annedr 0

A waxing crescent moon was brightly visible, as was Jupiter and the bright star Sirius. Through the telescope, event goers to the top of Waitt’s Mount got to see the close-up surface of our moon, as well as the moons of Jupiter, and other stars. They were treated to a variety of storytelling and live, acoustic music on a beautifully windy, but warm, night in April. The second annual “Sunset, Storytelling and Stargazing on Waitt’s Mount” on April 29 proved to be a successful and delightful community event. Co-sponsored by Malden Reads and Ward 4 City Councillor Ryan O’Malley, the event celebrated a central theme of this year’s Malden Reads book selection—getting to know your neighbors and creating a shared sense of community. It featured family storytelling at sunset with professional storyteller Sharon Kennedy, live acoustic Americana music from the band “Slow Boat Home,” and local folks telling their own personal stories that were honed under the direction of Malden-based writer and spoken word artist CD Collins. The telescope was provided compliments of the North […]

What will be the future landscape of Malden?

April 27, 2017 karenbuckmalden 0

What will the city of Malden look like in 10 years? The city and its citizens are making decisions today that could shape the city for years to come. They are continuing a process that began in November of 2015 and was explored in a study done by the non-profit group, the Urban Land Institute, in June, 2015. Since January of 2017, Malden residents have been working with Malden city officials to evaluate current zoning, the moratorium on new construction, green spaces, and recreation space. Residents have submitted surveys and attended public forums. In March, the Community Opportunities Group, Inc., a Boston consulting firm, released a Growth Management Study for the city of Malden based on the surveys, public meetings, and data provided by various department heads of the city of Malden. This is a fact finding study with a public engagement process. Concurrently, the Metropolitan Area Planning Council has been working with an 11-member committee and the Malden Redevelopment Authority to update of the existing 2009 Open Space and Recreation Plan. The committee is […]