News from around Malden, Ward 1

* The MA Young Playwright's Project Ten-minute plays will take place on Friday, April 9th beginning at 7 pm in the Jenkins Auditorium, Malden High School, 77 Salem Street.

 * St. Joseph's Parish, 790 Salem Street will be hosting their annual flea market and craft fair on Saturday, April 10th from 9-3 pm. * Malden's Local Cultural Council will be meeting on Saturday, April 10th beginning at 9:30 am at the Malden Public Library, 36 Salem Street.

* St. Rocco's Society will be hosting their annual banquet to help raise funds for this year's feast in August. The event will be held on Saturday, April 10th beginning at 6 pm at Anthony's, 105 Canal Street. Tickets are $45 and for more information, please contact stroccomalden@verizon.net or by calling 781-438-0803. * There will be a Bike-to-the-Sea tour of the Malden and Mystic River paths this Sunday, April 11th beginning at noontime at Madeline English School, 105 Woodville Street, Everett.

* The Residential Employment Monitoring Committee will meet on Monday, April 12th at 6:30 pm in City Hall, Room 418. The Committee is charged with ensuring contractors hire qualified Malden residents to work on the renovation of Malden High School.

* The School Committee will meet on Monday, April 12th at 6 pm in City Hall, Council Chamber, Third Floor. The meeting will also be televised live on local access.

* The Ferryway School PTO will meet on Tuesday, April 13th beginning at 6:30 pm in the school library.

* The Malden High School Blue and Gold Gallery opening reception will take place on Wednesday, April 14th beginning at 5:30 pm at 350 Main Street. This exhibit showcases Senior Art Class and all levels of Malden High School Student Artwork.

 * The Bike-to-the-Sea volunteer trail cleanup will take place at Medford and Canal Streets on Saturday, April 17th beginning at 9 am.

* There will be a yard sale to benefit the Independence Route Day Care Kids Stop After School Program at the Emerson School Auditorium, 238 Highland Avenue from 9-3 pm on Saturday, April 17th. For more information, please call 781-321-9603 or e-mail irdcks@gmail.com.

* Healthy Kids Day will take place on Saturday, April 17th from 10-2 pm at the Malden YMCA, 99 Dartmouth Street. Free bike helmets will be distributed as part of the event.

* There will be a Cut-a-Thon to benefit the Inflammatory Breast Cancer Initiative at Tufts Medical Center at Hair 'n There Salon, 431 Charles Street on Sunday, April 18th from 11-4 pm.

* The Dockside Restaurant will be hosting a Kids Week during school vacation, Monday, April 19th through Friday, April 23rd, 1-4 pm: Monday - Jason the Magician; Tuesday - Arts & Crafts; Wednesday - Make Your Own Teddy Bear; Thursday - Fingerprinting by Middlesex Sherriffs Office & Horse Rides; Friday - Dance Party with Paulie B.

* The Frank Says Hi Pancake Breakfast will take place on Sunday, April 25th from 8-10 am at Applebee's, 95 Middlesex Street. Tickets are $10 and for more information, please visit franksayshi.com/home.

* The Second Annual All Faiths Festival will take place on Sunday, April 25th from 1-4 pm. For more information on this great event, please visit www.allfaithfestival.com.

CITY COUNCIL NEWS:

A cafe has opened up on the first floor of the office building at River's Edge serving breakfast and lunch and an outdoor seating area is planned as well...On the residential component of River's Edge, 124 units or 56 percent of the units have been leased and 96 units or 44 percent of the units are occupied.

Don't forget that street sweeping starts in earnest in May. Flyers are being placed on cars and inserted into April's water bills. Also, a one-time call will be placed to households reminding residents about the program. To see more information on the city's street sweeping program, please visit this site.

The City Council is currently interviewing applicants for the part-time compliance officer and the Residential Employment Monitoring Committee. I am happy to report that there were about 20 applicants for the part-time compliance officer position. Again, the compliance officer will work about 15 hours per week, mostly nights and weekends, checking to make sure licensed establishments comply with city ordinances and the terms of their licenses. The part-time position will pay a maximum of $17,000 annually. The Resident Employment Monitoring Committee is charged with ensuring that qualified Malden residents are considered for work on public construction jobs, including the ongoing renovation of Malden High School.

Good luck to the Malden High School Blue and Gold Newspaper as they get ready for the National History Day State Competition...Congratulations to Kathryn Fallon who was reappointed as City Solicitor.

 The Malden Police Department has set up a tip line and citizens can now send a text message to Tip411 (847411) or an e-mail by clicking on the "submit a tip" icon on maldenpd.com. If using texting, the word "Malden" must be added before the tip. Tip411 as a way for the community to send anonymous tips through text messages and e-mail...This new feature is also being discussed as part of a review of our anti-bullying policy led by Ward 5 School Committee Member Adam Weldai.

Congratulations to the Lakers who won the Al Locke Youth Basketball Championship...Don't forget that school vacation starts Monday, April 19th. Condolences on the passing of former, long-time city employees Ed Casey and Ann Chisholm.

Yard waste pickup began on March 29th and will continue weekly for April and May and every other week for June, July, August, and September and back to a weekly basis for October and November. Yard waste can also be dropped off at the Department of Public Works Monday-Friday between 7:30-4 pm and Saturday 8:00-12 noon. For a review of the guidelines on yard waste pickup, look here.

Congratulations to Ward 8 City Councillor Judi Bucci who is nearing completion of the renovated city website. She has been at this project since she took the lead back in 2008 and I think the citizens will be pleased with the final product.

The City Council voted unanimously to support State House Bill 3643 which reduces the prevailing speed limit in urbanized areas from 30 mph to 25. Thank you to Ward 1 resident Sharon Santillo for leading the charge on this issue. If interested in supporting, please write to Chairman Charles Murphy at: State House, Room 234 Boston, MA 02133 or e-mail him at Rep.CharlesMurphy@hwm.state.ma.us.
 
WARD 1 NEWS:

The Bell Rock Safety Plan at Medford, Bell Rock, and Green Street remains in effect. A final meeting will be held soon now that cost estimates are in...The WWII Memorial renovation at Bell Rock Memorial Park continues and a June 26th dedication at 10 am is being planned...The Judson Square island was recently damaged in a hit and run. Ward 7 Councilor Neal Anderson and I will be appearing before the Traffic Commission soon to determine what steps are needed to improve traffic safety in that area...The Flags at Green Street Park have been replaced...We are working on establishing an outdoor basketball league this summer at Green Street Park. I will keep you posted on what happens...Congratulations to Cory D'Entremont who soon will become an Eagle Scout in the Boy Scouts of America.
 
Call me a glutton for punishment but my second appearance on MATV's Neighborhood Dish is now running on Fridays at 4 pm and Saturdays at 7 pm...I am working with the businesses on the odd side of Ferry Street between High Street and Eastern Avenue. There has been alot of double-parking and close accidents as a result. Currently, there are no parking restrictions and we are trying to come up with something that works for the businesses but also reduces the need for double-parking. The next meeting on the issue will take place on Tuesday, April 20th beginning at 5 pm in front of the Malden Traffic Commission in City Hall, Room 421.
 
Thank you to all involved in fighting the three-alarm fire at 11 Cross Street on Sunday. A special thank you to the Malden Fire Department who saved a resident from the second floor. Bill Wall, who was one of the tenants who lived on the second floor, is seeking a one or two-bedroom during the interim. Please e-mail him at billwallboston@yahoo.com...The Malden Planning Board will be meeting on two Ward 1 matters on Wednesday, April 14th beginning at 7 pm at City Hall, Council Chamber, Third Floor. One is to extend the special permit previously granted on 121 Madison Street. The owner is still looking for someone to develop the parcel as condominiums. The second petition is to enclose the porch at 84 Fairmont Street...Signs have been installed at Green Street Park prohibiting dogs inside the park. Citizens who get caught risk being fined...40 Hancock Street has a spacious 1 or 2 Bedroom apartment available. Rent is $1,200 per month plus utilities. Heat is forced hot water by oil. Apartment is available anytime between now and May 1st. First and last month's rent and references required. For more information or to see the apartment, call Chris at 781-321-4974 or 781-856-2256.
 
Please e-mail me any potholes that need to be filled in as soon as possible with a description such as the street address and location, i.e. manhole cover, near curb. A bunch were filled in during the past week thanks to the Department of Public Works...The Mayor's Housing Task Force inspects problem residential and commercial properties throughout the community in an effort to eliminate blight in the neighborhoods. Ward 1 locations that are on the Mayor's Housing Task Force list as of March 23rd include 168 Belmont Street, 141 Cross Street, 163 Ferry Street, 161-163 Madison Street, 91-95 Medford Street, 33 Pratt Street, and 49 Walnut Street. 141 Walnut Street has been removed as the Malden Redevelopment Authority sold the house to new neighbors after a bidding process was completed...Please continue to report any street light outages, graffiti issues, and/or abandoned shopping carts to me as soon as possible.
 
That's it for now! Please e-mail me back or call me with any further questions at 781-389-3148.