The following letter was submitted to Malden Patch for publication. There are so many wonderful things about living in Malden, Massachusetts. The cultural diversity of our city is, to me, the centerpiece of Malden’s laudable features. The rich tapestry of languages and cultures overlap in all of our public spaces. Our community events are well attended by a mosaic of people from differing social and economic locations, a veritable united nations represented. Our schools, most recently rated some of the best in the country, attract many students. And, oh yes, the escalating gun violence? Woven…

The following was submitted by Toni Genzale of the Malden Crimewatch.  This is to inform readers that as of July 1, 2012 Malden Crimewatch was disbanded. In our opinion we live in a city that does not want any assistance in crime prevention. The personal attacks by some individuals that feel we are "stepping on toes" have made it impossible for us to continue on with our efforts to inform our neighbors of issues that exist in our community. Furthermore, we feel that any opinion that is stated on Patch or any other site is being used in an attempt to intimidate. For this reason, we have joined…

On the heels of Fire Fighter Memorial Day, a day on which we remember our Malden Fire Fighters who have served our citizens, those who continue to serve and those who died while serving, including the members of our Malden Fire Department who have served and continue to serve our country in the military, I wanted to thank the members of the Malden Fire Department for their strength and commitment. It is truly an honor to work alongside my brothers and sisters who are Malden Fire Fighters. There are retirees who have paved the way for us and taught us pride in our work, and there are everyday …

Crime and crime prevention have long been important issues to politicians and the constituencies they represent. The intensity of political interest in crime and community interest can be attributed to a number of factors: Crime is an emotional issue which draws on insecurities about safety and security. Crime touches most people, directly or indirectly, at some point in their lifetimes. Nearly everyone, regardless of political allegiance, race, ethnicity, age, gender, or lifestyle, supports taking action to control violence and crime. Citizens are willing to make sacrifices to increase their…

The following was submitted by Ward 4 Councilor James Nestor  I would like to take this opportunity to thank all those that came out to help with the “5th Annual Spring Clean Up of Waitts Mount”. Over 40 people turned out, some for just an hour others for the entire time, for the fifth year in a row to help clean one of the premier parks in Malden. I was amazed at how little leaves and debris we pulled out of the park this year in comparison to years past. Each year we start the season in better shape than the previous year. With the plans for renovations to the park to begin shortly, I hope …

The following was submitted by Susan Famiglietti. For more information about Paul Famiglietti and the community's response, visit our topics page.  Dear Malden Community, Thank you for all the love and support you have shown our family while we are grieving the loss of my loving husband and our father, Paul Famiglietti. The candle light memorials were a wonderful tribute to Mr. Fam. We have gotten much comfort from all of the photos, videos, and all of the personal stories that you shared with us.  Mr. Fam loved sharing all of his experiences and stories of all of you through the years with …

The following was submitted by councilor Neil Kinnon:  Dear Editor Malden Patch and Malden’s Citizens: This past week the City Council passed a Pit-bull Ordinance which will take effect on May 1, 2012 (provided the Mayor signs it). It will exempt current pit-bulls which are licensed by that time with some reasonable stipulations. Hopefully this letter might clarify what is in the Pit-bull Ordinance, the reasons for it and why some of the information opponents are spinning is simply misinformation or untrue. 1. There are currently 1,150 dogs licensed in the city of Malden including …

Girl Scouts Send Cookies to Soldiers Abroad Malden Girl Scout Troop 71139 would like to thank everyone who supported us during Girl Scout Cookie Season. With your help, we were able to buy over 140 boxes of cookies and make a donation to a community organization, Local Heroes. Local Heroes is a Wilmington-based group that ships care packages to soldiers from area communities who are stationed oversees. On March 30, some of the girls and Leaders from Troop 71139 went to Local Heroes and helped pack boxes full of Girl Scout Cookies along with other snacks, toiletries, hats, socks, books, and …

We would like to express conditional support for the proposed RIO-B and Jackson St. apartment complex.  The conditions we support are in accordance with the letter submitted to the planning board by Mayor Howard and Stephen Wishoski, Executive Director of the Malden Redevelopment Authority and are as follows:1)  Exclusion of the sites at 350 Main St. and 200 Exchange St. from the RIO-B.  As stated in the above mentioned letter, “As proposed, the RIO-B could result in the creation of up to approximately 1,000 additional residential rental units.  This is greater than the housing volume called …

I would like to publically thank all of the sponsors and instructors who made the Malden winter baseball clinic a resounding success. Over 200 kids aged 4–12 come through the doors at the Salemwood Gym to learn the game of baseball or to enhance their baseball skills. Each week a different group of guest instructors ran the kids through a number of drills to teach them the correct techniques of throwing catching, pitching, and hitting while creating an atmosphere of fun and excitement. The program could not have been offered free to all of the children of Malden without the help of our …

New Fire Union President Asks Mayor, Councilors to Avoid Further fire department cuts [Editor's note: The following is an open letter to Mayor Richard Howard and the City Council sent by Firefighters Union Local 902 President George Romvos. The letter was also sent to Malden Patch.] Dear Mayor Howard and Members of the Malden City Council: As the new President of the Malden Fire Fighters Union Local 902, I am writing to bring forward the below concerns of the membership. In anticipation of the upcoming budget process, it is important that our elected officials understand the severity of the …

[The following letter was sent to Malden Patch by Malden Crime Watch Coordinator Toni Genzale.]  Established in 2009, The Malden Crime Watch Program is a group of citizens  who are concerned about safety in their community. We are residents who want to work with the local law enforcement agencies to ensure that the citizens of Malden feel safe in their own homes. The Malden Crime Watch Program educates people on how to:  Recognize and report crimes and suspicious activities Protect yourself, your family, and your property Protect your neighbor’s family and property Identify crime and disorder…

Residents Recall Personal Connection to DiPaola In the last couple of weeks there have been many articles written about Sheriff DiPaola, and comments were made by people that surely have never met the man. No matter what allegations were made against him, we need to remember the man for the good he has done for our city and Middlesex County. How sad is it that a man filled with so much pride felt like he had to go to the extreme because of public opinion. We will never know what his thoughts might have been those last days, but who are we to judge him? Do the citizens that criticize the man …

I wanted to take this opportunity to thank all of my supporters in Malden for the assistance, support and friendship you have provided over the past year.  I feel so fortunate to have had you in my corner throughout the campaign. While the results Tuesday night were clearly not what we had hoped for, I believe that we waged a campaign that was honorable, and one of which we can all be proud. I also believe that as time goes on, the people of Massachusetts will more fully appreciate the urgency and importance of the issues and concerns we brought to the forefront.  I remain convinced that …

Resident Supports Katherine Clark In the upcoming November 2nd election, Malden voters have the rare opportunity to elect a new State Senator to fill the open seat being vacated by Senator Richard Tisei.  It has been twenty years since the seat opened up, and it is up to us to fill it with the candidate who will fight for our communities, put us first, and work hard to get things done on Beacon Hill. This past summer, Katherine Clark knocked on my door while she was out in my neighborhood meeting voters. During the course of our conversation, Katherine and I spoke about our community, the …