Latest news with #Malden
CBS News
02-07-2025
- General
- CBS News
Communities work to clear out garbage as trash collectors' strike continues in Massachusetts
With a garbage collectors' strike now in its second day, some Massachusetts communities are coming up with temporary solutions to clear out the trash. It's a pretty stinky problem for the city of Malden, how to get rid of trash when the trash collector isn't coming. "I just close my door, keep the apartment closed with my AC on because of the smell," said Malden resident Luz Rodriguez. Garbage piling up in Malden Bags and bags of trash are lining the sidewalks along with trash barrels and recycling bins as far as the eye can see. It's all in the midst of a strike that's impacting more than a dozen communities. "We'll end up with a lot of truckloads," said Tommy Ruddock with the Malden Housing Authority, which is now forced to remove all the trash from its properties and take it to a disposal location, especially before the long holiday weekend since pickup won't resume until at least Monday. "It's a tough one. We have eight developments throughout the city, we've got four high rises where we've got a lot of trash in the high rises." Teamsters Local 25 said it's on the picket line fighting Republic Services for better wages and benefits, which the company claims it is offering. But as workers stand on the line, the trash stands on the streets in the communities they service. Danvers offering trash drop-off for residents Danvers is letting residents bring their trash and recyclables to the DPW yard with trash removal also not expected until Monday. "Dirty diapers, stinky dirty diapers in July," said Danvers resident Carlo Leone. Cars were lining up as residents took advantage Wednesday, the town knowing it's a help but not an answer. "Unfortunately, this is the solution we have right now. We realize the impact this has on residents and this is not a perfect solution, but it's one we're able to offer for the temporary week," said Danvers Assistant Town Manager Jen Breaker. A lot of trash can pile up in a temporary week. "Hopefully inot a rat problem given that it's the summertime. It's pretty frustrating but like I said, I'm glad that at least the neighborhood and Danvers got this together pretty quickly or else I think we'd be in a big issue," said Danvers resident Cassandra Grzybinski.
CTV News
20-06-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Former mayor from Haiti gets prison time for lying to get into the U.S.
CONCORD, N.H. — A former mayor from Haiti convicted of lying about his violent past on his visa application was sentenced Friday to nine years in prison and three years of supervision, after which he will be subject to deportation proceedings. Jean Morose Viliena, of Malden, Massachusetts, was the mayor of Les Irois, Haiti, from December 2006 until February 2010. He was convicted of three counts of visa fraud in March and sentenced Friday in federal court in Boston. 'For more than a decade, he lived freely and comfortable in this country while the victims of his brutality lived in fear, exile and pain,' U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said in statement. 'Today's sentence brings a measure of justice for the lives he shattered and sends a clear message: the United States will not be a safe have for human rights abusers.' According to prosecutors, Viliena committed 'violent atrocities' against his political foes in an isolated, rural community of about 22,000 residents on Haiti's western tip. In 2007, he was accused of leading a group of his allies to the home of a political opponent, where he and his associates shot and killed the opponent's younger brother, then smashed his skull with a rock. In 2008, Viliena and his allies went armed with guns, machetes, picks and sledgehammers to shut down a community radio station that he opposed, prosecutors said. Authorities said he pistol-whipped and punched a man and ordered an associate to shoot and kill the man and another person. Both survived, but one of the men lost a leg and the other was blinded in one eye. When he applied for a visa to enter the U.S., however, Viliena denied having 'ordered, carried out or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings and other acts of violence against the Haitian people.' He later received a permanent resident card and has raised a child who is a U.S. citizen by birth, prosecutors said. Defence attorneys argued in court that it was members of a rival political party — including some who they say are government witnesses — who committed the violence. They described the former mayor as the son of a farmer who became a teacher and eventually ran for mayor to improve conditions in town. In 2023, Viliena was found liable by an American jury in a civil trial in connection with the killing and the two attempted killings and assessed US$15.5 million in compensatory and punitive damages. Holly Ramer, The Associated Press
Washington Post
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Washington Post
Former mayor from Haiti gets prison time for lying to get into the US
CONCORD, N.H. — A former mayor from Haiti convicted of lying about his violent past on his visa application was sentenced Friday to nine years in prison and three years of supervision, after which he will be subject to deportation proceedings. Jean Morose Viliena, of Malden, Massachusetts, was the mayor of Les Irois, Haiti, from December 2006 until February 2010. He was convicted of three counts of visa fraud in March and sentenced Friday in federal court in Boston. 'For more than a decade, he lived freely and comfortable in this country while the victims of his brutality lived in fear, exile and pain,' U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said in statement. 'Today's sentence brings a measure of justice for the lives he shattered and sends a clear message: the United States will not be a safe have for human rights abusers.' According to prosecutors, Viliena committed 'violent atrocities' against his political foes in an isolated, rural community of about 22,000 residents on Haiti's western tip. In 2007, he was accused of leading a group of his allies to the home of a political opponent, where he and his associates shot and killed the opponent's younger brother, then smashed his skull with a rock. In 2008, Viliena and his allies went armed with guns, machetes, picks and sledgehammers to shut down a community radio station that he opposed, prosecutors said. Authorities said he pistol-whipped and punched a man and ordered an associate to shoot and kill the man and another person. Both survived, but one of the men lost a leg and the other was blinded in one eye. When he applied for a visa to enter the U.S., however, Viliena denied having 'ordered, carried out or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings and other acts of violence against the Haitian people.' He later received a permanent resident card and has raised a child who is a U.S. citizen by birth, prosecutors said. Defense attorneys argued in court that it was members of a rival political party — including some who they say are government witnesses — who committed the violence. They described the former mayor as the son of a farmer who became a teacher and eventually ran for mayor to improve conditions in town. In 2023, Viliena was found liable by an American jury in a civil trial in connection with the killing and the two attempted killings and assessed $15.5 million in compensatory and punitive damages.
Associated Press
20-06-2025
- Politics
- Associated Press
Former mayor from Haiti gets prison time for lying to get into the US
CONCORD, N.H. (AP) — A former mayor from Haiti convicted of lying about his violent past on his visa application was sentenced Friday to nine years in prison and three years of supervision, after which he will be subject to deportation proceedings. Jean Morose Viliena, of Malden, Massachusetts, was the mayor of Les Irois, Haiti, from December 2006 until February 2010. He was convicted of three counts of visa fraud in March and sentenced Friday in federal court in Boston. 'For more than a decade, he lived freely and comfortable in this country while the victims of his brutality lived in fear, exile and pain,' U.S. Attorney Leah Foley said in statement. 'Today's sentence brings a measure of justice for the lives he shattered and sends a clear message: the United States will not be a safe have for human rights abusers.' According to prosecutors, Viliena committed 'violent atrocities' against his political foes in an isolated, rural community of about 22,000 residents on Haiti's western tip. In 2007, he was accused of leading a group of his allies to the home of a political opponent, where he and his associates shot and killed the opponent's younger brother, then smashed his skull with a rock. In 2008, Viliena and his allies went armed with guns, machetes, picks and sledgehammers to shut down a community radio station that he opposed, prosecutors said. Authorities said he pistol-whipped and punched a man and ordered an associate to shoot and kill the man and another person. Both survived, but one of the men lost a leg and the other was blinded in one eye. When he applied for a visa to enter the U.S., however, Viliena denied having 'ordered, carried out or materially assisted in extrajudicial and political killings and other acts of violence against the Haitian people.' He later received a permanent resident card and has raised a child who is a U.S. citizen by birth, prosecutors said. Defense attorneys argued in court that it was members of a rival political party — including some who they say are government witnesses — who committed the violence. They described the former mayor as the son of a farmer who became a teacher and eventually ran for mayor to improve conditions in town. In 2023, Viliena was found liable by an American jury in a civil trial in connection with the killing and the two attempted killings and assessed $15.5 million in compensatory and punitive damages.
