Malden Archives - Page 21 of 27

Need a bike ride? Choose green or yellow

November 2, 2017 NeighborhoodView 0

By Nekita Lamour Has anyone noticed the yellow and green bikes appearing throughout Malden? Originally, they were clustered on Pleasant Street, at the Malden train stations, along the Northern Strand Bike Trail and at other key locations. A little over one week later and you can spot them all over the city, now often parked in front of houses and apartment buildings. These bikes are the result of a pilot bike-sharing program, instituted by the City of Malden. The city has made arrangements with bike-sharing companies, Ofo and LimeBike, which “each offer users a station-free biking experience,” according to the city’s web site. Ofo has the bright yellow bikes and LimeBike has lime green bikes. Thanks to the efforts of Councilors Ryan O’Malley, Councilor-at-Large Debbie DeMaria, and Mayor Gary Christenson, Malden residents can ride these bikes at the reasonable fee of $1 per hour, for transportation, or exercise or just for the joy of a bike ride. “Many constituents have expressed the desire to having bike sharing in Malden like we see in Boston, Cambridge, Somerville and […]

RESPOND highlights domestic violence in Malden

October 26, 2017 jlynnmcclain 0

By Jennifer McClain A vigil to highlight the problem of domestic violence was held Wednesday, Oct. 25, 2017 in the newly built Malden Police station’s community room, a place created to make the police more “accessible and transparent,” in the words of Malden Police Chief Kevin Molis. The vigil was held by the domestic violence agency RESPOND in collaboration with the Malden government, Malden police and the Malden Zonta club. “Today’s vigil is certainly a time to reflect and remember those who have lost their lives but it is also a time to raise awareness on this topic,” said Malden Mayor Gary Christenson, one of the officials and community leaders who attended. Christenson praised RESPOND for being “a pioneer in the movement to end domestic violence.” RESPOND “is New England’s first domestic violence agency and the second oldest in the nation,” the mayor said. Christenson also said it was important to recognize the successful joint effort of the Malden Police force and the community organizations in concert with local Malden city government. Christenson noted that, in […]

The Malden man behind the Pledge of Allegiance

October 10, 2017 jlynnmcclain 2

By Jennifer McClain Down an unassuming street in Malden behind the Malden Court House is the home of the, some say contested, author of a work that is both inspiring and divisive. Even beyond the nature of the work is the controversy over its origins. Who wrote it and what does it mean? These are questions have been pondered since the words were published in 1892. The man believed to be the author of “I Pledge Allegiance to the Flag” is James Bailey Upham, who died in 1905 and is buried here in Malden. Upham, who was born in 1845, lived on Lincoln Street in Malden and was an active member of the First Baptist Church. Most scholars attribute the Pledge to minister Francis Bellamy. In Malden, however, there was no doubt that the author of the pledge was Upham. It’s been a point of contention over the decades. What is uncontested is this: The pledge — in an early form — was first published in the magazine Youth Companion on Sept. 8, 1892. Youth Companion was, in the […]

Malden School Committee candidates quizzed on positions in Sept. 28 forum

October 2, 2017 NeighborhoodView 0

Reported by Diana Jeong More than 150 residents packed the Malden Senior Center on Sept. 28 to hear candidates for the Malden School Committee discuss their positions on issues ranging from bilingual education and family engagement to teaching subjects in a culturally sensitive manner. The candidates forum was sponsored by the Greater Malden Asian American Community Coalition (GMAACC) the Mass Senior Action Council, Chinese Cultural Connection, Chinese Progressive Association, and APIsCAN (which a coalition of groups who serve various Asian communities throughout Massachusetts). These organizations have worked together in the past on civic engagement and language access issues. The Malden School Committee consists of the mayor and eight members who are elected from each of the city’s eight wards. Three of those seats are being contested in the municipal elections to be held Nov. 7. All school committee candidates were invited to attend the forum; eight participated. Lisa Wong, former mayor of the Fitchburg and current Deputy Director of the Asian American Civic Association, served as moderator. The forum began with greetings from Malden Mayor […]

Video documents “Malden Unites Against Hate” rally

September 6, 2017 NeighborhoodView 0

On Thursday, August 17, Malden community members gathered at Malden High School for an interfaith vigil and peaceful demonstration entitled “Malden Unites Against Hate,” in response to the preceding week’s rally in Charlottesville, Virginia, and other acts of violence and hatred occurring throughout the country. Hundreds turned out for the event, which began with a “Solidarity Standout” and group chants in front of the high school. It then featured a diverse range of speakers in the high school courtyard, ending with a “water cleansing ceremony” to release messages of fear and hope in a pool of water. The key community organizers of the event were Nichole Mossalam, Fern Remedi-Brown, Amanda Ceide and Lori Ardai. The speaking portion was hosted by Nichole Mossalam. Below is a 2-minute preview video from MATV, Malden’s Media Center. All photos by Greg Cook. Video footage recorded by Joe Gray and Ose Schwab, and edited by Neil Novello for MATV, Malden’s Media Center. To see the one-hour edited version of the event, including all the speakers, click here.

Multi Media Madness makes memories

August 30, 2017 NeighborhoodView 0

By Delilah Doeleman This summer I interned at MATV, and was a counselor for MATV’s Multi-Media Madness two week program in mid-July. My job was to photograph and document the class as I, and the kids, experienced it. This year’s workshop centered on teaching kids how to write, direct, and record their own music videos, shows, and stories in MATV’s studios. They then edited them on the computer and presented them to the rest of the class. The kids, ranging in age from 8 to 13, spent the first few days of the program brainstorming and figuring out what they wanted their individual projects to look like. Thanks to MATV’s extensive costume storage, and guest instructor Masio Dotson’s guidance, inspiration was not difficult to find, and soon everyone had come up with a thought-out idea. Among some of the more “out of the box” ideas were a My Chemical Romance music video, brought to life by Finn, one of the program participants, and his friends whom he cast as his bandmates (he was the lead […]

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 […]

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 […]