Baristanet has been asked to deliver its own State of the Union as part of a project going on today at Radio OpenSource. You'll get Bush's version tonight. Here's ours now. Feel free (as you always do) to add your own two cents.

UPDATE: The Barista was a guest on Radio OpenSource last night. Listen here.

We live in a pretty damn good place. We have big trees, which only fall and kill people once in a while, and nice old interesting houses. The houses may be expensive to maintain and may be taxed beyond the pale, but at least they're not aesthetically deadening, and many have welcoming front porches that foster a sense of community. We're surrounded, for the most part, by smart people (though not smart enough to stay off their cell phones while driving) and, as Baristanet and the front-yard flamingo flocks prove, by people with a sense of humor. For all these things -- but for the falling trees, the taxes and the distracted drivers -- we are blessed. And to top it off, we have something like eight sushi places, five Thai restaurants and one Vietnamese.

And yet. We have turned childhood into an arms race of playdates, traveling soccer teams, SAT prep classes, and have turned the very act of growing up into a matter of serious competition. We've turned our kitchens and bathrooms into mausoleums, our parks into plastic playing fields and our graduations into orgies of fundraising and overindulgence, where money flows as freely as the alcohol it is meant to replace.

We can do everything right ( pay our taxes, vote, serve jury duty, save for college, retirement and a rainy day, fix the leaking roof, volunteer to coach the local baseball team) and buy countertops and cars that could withstand earthquakes, yet still not be able to protect ourselves from the utter randomness of fate, which allows a grandmother with no known enemies to be murdered in her home or a couple walking on a public street to be held up at gunpoint. And these things, having happened recently, contribute to a growing sense of unease. And that unease grows even stronger when our attention wanders away from the neighborhood to pictures of a 28-year-old newspaper reporter weeping on a videotape and begging for her release.

An ordinary house in these parts costs three-quarters of a million dollars, which is good for those of us who bought them a long time ago, and not so good for those who haven't bought them yet. The economy is terrific for some, terrible for others. Yet we all live side by side in a fiction of equality, and the Smiths go deeper and deeper into debt to keep up with the Joneses.

But if anyone asks how it's going, we say "ok." That's part of the bargain too. We're Americans. We smile. The State of Baristaville is ok. Fine, great, terrific even. Let's do lunch. Soon. Seriously.

Posted by at 1:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (29)

Get your abortions while they last.

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For the second time in three days, a mugging has taken place in downtown Montclair. Last night, about 11 pm, a couple walking south on South Fullerton were robbed by a man who demanded their wallet, purse and cell phones at gunpoint, and then instructed them to turn around and walk back toward Bloomfield Ave. The incident took place at the corner of Hawthorne.

Nobody was hurt. Nobody was apprehended.

Montclair police say the victims described their mugger as a heavyset black male between 28 and 30, wearing jeans and a hooded sweatshirt that mostly obscured his face. Police don't think the perpetrator was the same one involved in Saturday's night's pedestrian attack on Crescent, but they are stepping up patrols in the area and warn residents to avoid dark areas at night.

Anyone with a tip should contact the Montclair Police at tips@montclairpolice.org.

Posted by at 10:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (18)

  Congressman Bill Pascrell plans to introduce legislation today to designate the 9/11 war memorial in Eagle Rock part of the National Park System. "It rises above a regional monument," Pascrell said, according to the Star Ledger, and Joey D. is all for it too.

"Hundreds of years from now, it won't be developed," DiVincenzo said. "It will put us on the historic list throughout the country."

Maybe so. But the winged memorial to 9/11 has long had its share of local detractors, the latest of whom have mocked it on the front of their new record album.

We feel that aside from being aesthetically grotesque, something akin to a war memorial is an unfit tribute to the thousands of people who were murdered that day, and it is representative of America's endemic xenophobia, nationalism, and aggressiveness.

The group, called Zephyr Device, is composed of three graduates from Montclair State's honors program. Billy Gray, guitarist for the "post-punk, indie rock, and maybe rap" group elaborated on Zephyr's album cover:

The album cover is attempting to make the point that what should be a sober memorial to the dead comes off as a war memorial, and the giant bald eagle that dominates the scene is a traditional symbol of American jingoism and warfare. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington DC is a humbling and breathtaking memorial because it makes no attempt to glorify what took place; there are no generals on horseback, no men gallantly loading canons, just a black wall recessed into the earth naming the thousands who gave their lives. There was quite a controversy over this, as Maya Ying Lin, the artist behind the wall, refused calls from Washington elites to add various traditional symbols of war (the Three Soldiers statue that was eventually added is quite removed from the wall). What we have at Eagle Rock is the exact opposite, a memorial that attempts to utilize a tragedy to engender the worst in people - jingoism and nationalist hubris. This is a problem that has plagued our country throughout our history. As artists, we felt we had to respond to such a widely-known local symbol of that problem.

The guns in the image - Adam took some photographs of war memorials from the area, and modified the image of the eagle to include the various canons and howitzers that commemorating and glorifying past wars to show the gesture the artist (Patrick Morelli) made when he included the eagle in the memorial. The eagle in the cover is a photograph of the memorial itself.

Posted by at 10:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (30)

And the nominees are:

• Brokeback Mountain
• Capote
• Crash
• Goodnight, and Good Luck
• Munich

Ready. Set. Chat.

Posted by at 9:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (28)

Joey D has staked his entire political career on a strategy of improving parks in Essex County. (And having the press show up and snap pictures.) So when the Friends of Anderson Park (FAP) shot him a message that something had gone wrong, drastically wrong, it was a little like Oprah asking James Frey for a sitdown.  Essex County Executive Joseph Di Vincenzo made an appearance at the park today with an entourage of county officials and contractors to observe first hand the wacky "improvements" that have taken place. Twenty-two FAP supporters, many of them arms crossed in the official "show me" stance, accompanied the county executive as he toured the park, recently overpopulated with garbage cans and park benches.  DiVincenzo admitted there were far too many cans (ya think?), and that benches facing homes and the street would have to be taken out.

DiVincenzo also assured residents that the number of sporting events will not increase, that forthcoming public restrooms will be staffed, and that the county will actually buy some more trees for the park. Hallelujah! We'll come take pictures when it happens.

Posted by at 6:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (13)

Mount Hebron students were shocked to learn today that one of their favorite teachers, Stephanie Ferrara, had resigned. A Mount Hebron mom writes in...

There was no notice of this whatsoever. She gave homework on Friday and the kids showed up today to be told that she had "resigned" and that they must not ask her what happened (except that they were told that "she's fine.").

When the mom called Mt. Hebron to ask what happened, she was told she could find out more by attending a meeting tomorrow at 8 a.m. at Mt. Hebron. Apparently, the only folks finding about the meeting are those who call the school asking after the teacher. Consider this a heads up for parents who may not have heard about the meeting. We hear kids were crying over the news; Ferrara started the Pizza and Poetry Club, a monthly get-together for students to share their own poems or favorite poems over their lunch hour.

Got something else to share; feel free to chat here, now...

Posted by at 6:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (59)

Glen Ridge-bred saxaphonist follows in his parents' footsteps. Story on our Happenings page. Photos (from Niewood's website, by Tracy Allan.)

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A little press can be a dangerous thing. Sure, we wrote about Amazing Hot Dog in Verona. Then, Eyewitness News' Lauren Glassberg followed the trail, sampling the shop's yummy Caped Crusader. The Star Ledger's Peter Genovese picked up the scent, chiming in with this review. The result -- customers came in droves forcing the store to close up early this past Saturday night. The owners apparently ran with their tails between their legs, rather than deal with an angry dog-loving mob who would arrive only to discover the doors locked and a sign explaining how the shop ran out of hot dogs.

How do you run out of hot dogs when your main product for sale is...hot dogs? Kind of reminds us of this story. Meanwhile, if all this hot dog talk has got you hot hungry, go on over today for lunch. Then, tell them how you came Saturday night. We bet you get a free dog.

Posted by at 2:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (34)

Steps away from the frustrating parking chaos at the Crescent Deck, a more frightening scenario played out on Saturday night. The flyer (already being distributed downtown), alerts residents and visitors to the area near Crescent and Trinity about a mugging at gun point that occured on Saturday night.

Deputy Police Chief Perry Mayers confirmed additional details this morning. According to police reports, the victim was attacked while walking east on the Crescent. The attacker, accompanied by a driver, got out of a car (described as a Pontiac), and  accosted the victim, demanding his wallet. When the victim refused, the mugger pulled out a gun and hit the victim twice in the head. The victim fell to the ground; the mugger took the cash out of the victim's wallet and threw the wallet to the ground. He then returned to the car, which then sped away in the direction of Harrison Ave.

Posted by at 12:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (60)

Are folks trying to distance themselves from the Marlboro Inn's unpopular 10 new mega homes? Sure seems that way. We've received tips that now after all the variance issues have been resolved, Plofker is no longer involved in the development. The Star Ledger article seems to suggest it, when it says...

"Before turning things over to American Properties, Steven Plofker, the Montclair developer who demolished the Marlboro Inn, advanced the streetscape as an example of "new urbanism" preferable to a more traditional development of 12 homes requiring no variances.

Meanwhile, if you missed it in the comments, Mayor Ed Remsen is going on record with his disdain for the structures...

Fort the record, I HATE the McMansions being built on the old Marlboro Inn site; I tried to convince Plofker to build something more in the footprint of the Inn, somthing that at least mimicked the Inn and created smaller units; he opted not to; as unahppy as we may all be with his decision, he built what the laws allowed and what the PLANNING BOARD, not the Council approved. Frankly a lot of people would like to have seen the Inn preserved but NO ONE came forward with a proposal that made sense; the closest idea was from someone who wanted to triple the scale of the business with a seven-day a week restaurant/catering business and room for 100+ cars. Even if the Inn was desgnated a local landmarked, Plofker or anyone else who owned it could and likely would have petitioned (succesfully) to demolish it.

Posted by at 9:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (47)

Wondering about the pricetag for the homes on steroids being built at the old Marlboro Inn site? Seems an even million a piece isn't quite enough for these mega-luxury estates (they look so much smaller in these artist renderings) expected to sell like hot cakes (or so goes the buzz machine). From the Star Ledger...

Out at the construction trailer for the 10-house division called "Hempstead at Montclair," Greg Paoli, the job supervisor for American Properties Realty Inc. of Iselin, wasn't sounding apologetic. "Good buzz. Good buzz on the street," he said of the 5,000-square-foot estates, all 10 of them priced at $1.7 million a pop for five bedrooms, the attic ones having 10-foot ceilings. Elevators optional.

Sales are to begin in mid-March. "No one in the company feels we're going to be here long after that," he said.

All the buzz isn't good of course. Folks on the Montclair Watercooler have dubbed the development, the Marlboro Monstrosities (well, it is more alliterative than Hempstead at Montclair...). Meanwhile, Read talks to the owners of the mega home being built at Watchung and Upper Mountain Aves, first documented here. Now, there's a definitive answer to just how big it will get...

The 12,000-square-foot house rising on the western edge of Watchung Avenue was approved before the 2 1/2-story limit took effect in August.

The one-time sprawling ranch was purchased by Melih Adbulhayoglu, CEO of an Internet security firm, and his wife, Lesley, who laid down $849,000 for the property in 2004 and went to work. "We're trying to make it fit in," he said.

The greatly expanded home is to include six bathrooms and two fireplaces, a sharp contrast to the small cottages of his native England, he said. "So we could enjoy the space that you guys have here."

And then there's the bar with a view of Manhattan. "Being from Britain, we like our pubs," said Adbulhayoglu, who is of Turkish descent but hails from Manchester. "We fell in love with it (Montclair) because it had this English feeling to it."

Posted by at 9:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (16)

The Baristanet staff did try to eat at Blu a few months ago. We'd heard it was open for lunch, went there, and then found that it wasn't.

Now New York Times Jersey section food critic David Corcoran gives Blu a rare "excellent" rating in his restaurant column today.

Blu, a tiny new restaurant in a narrow storefront that used to be Mango's Reggae Cafe, has the dim, retro-noir look of an early-60's basement rec room. On a ferocious night in early winter, its blue three-letter sign, etched into frosted glass in the front window, was wreathed in vapor. The place looked faintly, pleasurably disreputable, as if we'd been transported from the suburbs to some shady deserted neighborhood under the Brooklyn Bridge.

Pleasurably Disreputable. We like that. Thinking about making it our new slogan. Corcoran goes on to describe Blu's atmosphere as "disarmingly down-market: a narrow storefront with furnishings out of 'Twin Peaks'" and recommends the sake-marinated salmon, seafood dumplings, smoked trout, sweetbreads, among other dishes.

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The Year of the Dog starts today. How do you plan to celebrate?

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In case Baristanet is your only source of news, this just in from the AP: ABC co-anchor Bob Woodruff and his cameraman have been seriously injured by a bomb blast while filming in Iraq.

Posted by at 9:03 AM | Permalink | Comments (37)

Must say, after last night, flying looks a lot better than driving. Andy Foster, owner of Gallery 51 on Church Street, threw a party to mark the end of his exhibit of "Window Seat Photography," photographs all taken by Foster from the window seats of Continental planes. The extraordinary large-format photographs of clouds (some in color, some in black and white), wheat fields (which look just like quilts) and airplane engines (seen from inside) will soon come down off the walls. But if you missed it, we bet Foster will be happy to show the pictures on his own wheat-field size computer monitor, or you might be able to buy one of the 20 catalogues he ordered that didn't come in on time, but which will probably arrive Monday. Gallery 51 is located at 51 Church St., Montclair.

Meanwhile, does anybody know a macher at Continental or the Port Authority who might be able to to take a look at these amazing photos? That's where this display really belongs.

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One pay station worked. The other was broken. Tempers flared. Horns honked. And nobody cared if we took their picture. Click here to see the movie.

Posted by at 12:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (18)

It's got a new name, some new menu items, but we hear most remains the same at Montclair's French-Thai Deja Vu, now renamed Sri Thai.

In other food changes, talk about your extended coffee breaks. A cryptic message on the answering machine for now-closed Remedy Cafe states..."As of January 24th, the Remedy Cafe will be closed until Spring. Sorry for the inconvenience."

What's eating you? Chat about it now...

Posted by at 1:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (35)

Garbage cans got you down? Come tell Joey D. all about it. Reminder: this Monday, at 11.30am, The Friends of Anderson Park invites you to meet with county executive DiVincenzo at the corner of Parkside & North Mountain Ave in Montclair. Official topics to be discussed: lack of tree replacements. (Unofficial topics: whassup with all those freaking cans?).

The Friends of Anderson Park is composed of area residents interested in maintaining and restoring the 100-year-old park, originally designed by Olmsted.

Posted by at 10:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

You have to hand it to the folks at Glen Ridge Taekwon-do. They've moved from Glen Ridge to Montclair, but there's really no need for a name change because of their new address: 133B Glenridge Ave., Montclair (across from The Little Gym). To celebrate reopening in their new location, there's a party today and you are invited. Come for children's activities at 2 pm, an open class and demo at 3 pm, and a reception at 3:30. For more information, go here.

In other moves, Sharon Miller Academy for the Performing Arts is scheduled to relocate next month from its current Bloomfield Avenue location to bigger digs at the corner of Park Street and Bloomfield Ave.

Posted by at 10:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Good bye frump, hello funk. The window dressing at Montclair's Saint Barnabas Thrift Shop has gotten a make-over since the new manager, Dawn Candy, arrived last October. Her Valentine's day display of black leather-clad mannequins has been stopping motorists, pedestrians, even bikers dead in their tracks. "Almost everything in the window is sold," Dawn told Baristanet, (and that would be the gently used red cha-cha heels, red lingerie, and pointy black boots). "But you can still get the black leather lace up vest for just $20." Luckily, it didn't fit. (51 North Fullerton. 973-509-2060)

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Some Soprano fans may already know, but Baristanet was surprised that Sir Ben Kingsley will be starring "as himself" (who ever that is) in the final series of The Sopranos this season.  Bringing a bit of polish to the New Jersey mob family from across the pond? Nobody knows - there is a veil of secrecy on the show, and the whole cast is very hush-hush about the plot line, including James Gandolfini, who told reporters: "I don't know what's going to happen and I don't want to know." Although Michael Imperioli admitted "Lots of rituals revolve around food, as you saw. When you're asked to dinner, it's not such a good thing. Remember that."

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Did anyone see Oprah yesterday when she summoned ambushed invited author James Frey to an Inquisition the principal's office  her show for sweet revenge a public flogging  a final showdown? Haven't read the book yet, but like thousands of others whose interest has been peaked piqued -- causing a spike in book sales -- it's on my list...which is exactly what Oprah didn't want.  Your Daily Chat starts NOW:

Posted by at 11:41 AM | Permalink | Comments (82)

Montclair resident Lisa Williamson Rosenberg, a Montclair therapist specializing in issues of identity, will lead a discussion tonight at Temple Ner Tamid in Bloomfield about what it's like to be both black and Jewish. The event, which is free and open to the public, includes services and a potluck supper. 6:30 pm. More information here.

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It's a mess at the intersection of Claremont and Pine, in Montclair today.  At 8:16 a.m., a tipster reported a garbage truck collided into two utility poles at this location. A police officer on the scene could not confirm details,[Update from Deputy Chief Mayers: garbage truck snagged low hanging wires, causing the top of two brittle poles to snap, and loosening the foundation of a third. Two, maybe three poles will be replaced.]   but said he expected streets to be closed off for at least eight hours [and maybe until tomorrow morning]. Police barricades are on Grove, Walnut, Glenridge Avenue, and George Street, safeguarding the area. Barista saw that the tops of two poles had snapped off falling into a private yard, and several live wires down on the ground.  Several PSE&G trucks were  on the scene [by 8:34 a.m.] working on repairs.  Stay clear...

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The debate about economic diversity and affordable housing in Montclair is raging. To recap, both the Town and the Housing Commission agree that builders should provide low cost housing units.  But how many and for whom? Tony Schuman will present the side of the Montclair Housing Commission this Sunday: " Housing Costs, Town Character and Inclusionary Zoning" at the Unitarian Church, 67 Church Street, at 12:30 p.m. But before you go, you may wanna read just how unaffordable the Garden State really is for low income tenants.

Posted by at 10:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (26)

With the threat of Montclair’s Glen Ridge's Mountainside Hospital closing,  questions and rumors surrounding its future have the public, patients, physicians, and hospital staff buzzing.  Will Mountainside continue to function as a vital community resource under new ownership, be converted to a sub-acute facility – or worse yet – be sold to developers?  After enduring months of uncertainty, Baristanet hears that staff morale is at an all time low.  Yesterday’s Montclair Times reported closed door sessions between the current owner, Atlantic Health System, and St. Barnabas Health Care System were continuing in a positive direction, but that St Barnabas was asking for more time to complete due diligence before announcing their intent.

Richard F. Harries, a board member of the Mountainside Hospital Foundation, who is fighting to maintain the hospital’s long term viability, denied that the hospital would close or be converted to an extended care facility.

“That’s a horrible rumor,” said Harries, who has created a Web site, savemountainsidehospital.org. The most recent posting states:

“It is now public knowledge that Mountainside Hospital is experiencing a state of transition and may be subject to be assumed by another hospital system. History tells us that when hospitals are taken over, assumed, or bought, the buyer can choose to close the facility in order to drive patient volume to its other locations, leaving a vast gap in healthcare services in the community.”

Posted by at 8:25 AM | Permalink | Comments (32)

The Montclair Times updates its website tonight with news of an arrest in Wednesday's bomb scare at Montclair High School. The suspect is a teenager living in Newark.

“He agreed to come up and give a video statement,” said Lavery. “And, within that statement, he admitted to having his phone used for the call into Montclair High School, and he admitted to being present when the calls were made, which was enough for us.”

Detectives are investigating Venezia’s claim that another caller was present when the bomb threat was made.

Next question: why is a teenager in Newark calling bomb scares into Montclair High School? And question after that: how did all inmates manage to escape?

Posted by at 8:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (12)

Would the sounds, smells and tastes of Jamaica lure you out of your winter doldrums?  Whole Foods in Montclair won't fly you there, but TODAY, it's "TRY THIS THURSDAY". Between 4 and 7pm, Reggae music can get you jivin' through the aisles while sampling island delicacies like Jerk Chicken, Rice and Peas, Busha Browne's Red Snapper, Carrot Cake, Ginger Beer,Tropical Fruit and more. It's fun, it's yummy, and this Barista has the kids partake, so they can give the thumbs up to some burger alternatives.

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Last night, after describing New Jersey as the home of sharpshooters Annie Oakley and Robert Blake, Comedy Central’s Steve Colbert spent a moment with our five-term congressman to share the 8th district’s profile with the rest of   America.  Bill described Jersey’s 8th (“Jersey” sounds hip, cool, Bill reported) as more diverse (he’s using the “D”word) than New York City. Commenting on Bush’s decision to invade Iraq, he said the president “has screwed up royally”.   Colbert also brought up Pascrell’s suppport of legislation introduced to counter the negative Italian stereotypes which are reinforced by…The Sopranos! Although Colbert cast doubts on the Congressman’s own Italian heritage (Pascrell doesn’t “end in a vowel”) he was quick to defend his ethnic roots. And when asked “Did you take money from Jack Abramoff?” we noticed his quick Soprano-esque Jersey reply…”I dunno him, I don’t wanna know him.”

To see a replay of last night's segment, tune in today to Comedy Central's, "The Colbert Report" at 2:30pm, and 8:30pm.

Posted by at 2:00 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)

There's someone looking for you on Craigslist, in their Missed Connection personals...but if you are expecting a hook-up with a MILF, or hair challenged guy, you might be a little disappointed.

It all started out so promising, maybe even a little kinky:

"You were in your little SUV, the SUV you must have bought so you could tackle all those HUGE snow covered mountains in Montclair, NJ.  My boyfriend and I were behind you".

But it wasn't a threesome Cupid calling:

"But in case you didn't hear me through our two cars, I wanted you to know what I said: there is no room for us to back up, you crazy stupid bitch".

Ouch!

Posted by at 11:51 AM | Permalink | Comments (23)

That's not our line; it's the title of a blog by downtown Bloomfield merchant Guido Alexander. We came across it accidentally recently and think it's worth sharing with the whole Baristaville community.

Ever since the Supreme Court's decision in Kelo v. New London last year, there's been a huge backlash against the use of eminent domain for the purpose of downtown redevelopment. Schools? Highways? Hospitals? Yes. But, tearing down one business to make way for another business -- and often one from out of town -- while legal, is turning out to be politically unpalatable.

There are lots of places to read about eminent domain on the internet: NJ Eminent Domain Blog, NJ Law Blog, and this Star-Ledger's special report. But nobody tells the story as personally as Guido.

So I got the only news that matters today, the voices of the people. The postman, who knows this area inside and our for years, and speaks to every single business owner daily, has confirmed that Bloomfield township was out to get this area, and has nearly won.

My amazingly kind postman said that three more businesses closed, and every business confirmed their holiday season was the worst in years (possibly ever). He confirmed that there were no people in sight, that he has no idea where all the people have gone. He mentioned how absurd the holiday meter cover up (lack thereof) was and how that truly affects people coming down here.

So there we have it, from the voices of the business owners, the people who work here every single day - Bloomfield has nearly officially slaughtered its downtown.

What a lovely, foggy day this is.

P.S. - No response from the mayor, the zoning board, the neighborhood association, or the development consultants on a letter sent last week.

Posted by at 10:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (82)

The Montclair Co-Op School is looking for new digs after abandoning plans to relocate to a residential estate (pictured) on Llewellyn Road.

The school’s decision followed hours of heated debate a public hearing Tuesday, over the Montclair Co-Op school’s proposed move, reports today’s Star Ledger.

A proposed ordinance including new restrictions for schools located in residential zones was “enough to stop us dead in out tracks” said school headmaster, Bruce Kanze.

The decision to sell the Llewellyn estate  - which the Co-Op bought a year ago for $1.8 million -- was revealed during the packed public hearing.

Yesterday, Kanze said the co-op, now housed on Chestnut Street, is in serious discussions to purchase another Montclair property, and he expected the Llewellyn Road estate to be listed for sale by week's end.
"We want to make sure we cover the expenses," he said when asked about an asking price.

Kanze said the buyer could “conceivably” be another school…
"Or, God forbid, a developer…It will be interesting to see if the buyer is a private family."

Any guesses where the Co-Op is headed next?

Posted by at 8:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (131)

Photo by Warren Levinson.

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Residents who live on Montclair"s North Mountain Avenue -- the scene of two multi car crashes today  --  had been promised traffic calming. Instead, the  town is only giving them Belgian block curbs, driveway aprons, and new drains.

After two years of meetings, letters, petitions, and protests against reckless speeding along the kid-filled blocks between Van Vleck and Watchung Ave., residents say the town has stalled on its promise to provide a traffic calming solution.

"We're all going to be together at a funeral before the town decides to take us seriously," one irate resident told Town Engineer Kimberli Craft at a meeting Tuesday, at Edgemont Park Shelter.

The town called the meeting so residents could review plans for the "North Mountain Avenue Improvements".  A year ago, Craft had promised that street calming measures would take place at the same time as street improvements.  Well, apparently the town just gave up forgot that part of the plan, but it is going ahead with the beautification program, which also involves the removal of several trees.  So where are the stops signs, speed humps and chicanes?

"The Fire Chief opposed the plan (for speed humps) because of the delayed response time, and after that, I have to admit, I did drop the ball," Craft announced at the meeting.

And that comment has residents reeling. "What did you expect us to do, roll over and forget about this?  My car has been hit, while I was turning into my driveway, with three young kids inside," said North Mountain mom and attorney, Sally Coughlin.

Craft confirmed to Baristanet that the town spent $44,500 on consultants to study traffic patterns which found that (surprise!) people are driving dangerously. She promised a meeting between the neighborhood, the Fire Chief, and the Public Works Department in the next two weeks.

But one exasperated resident walked out of the meeting with these last words: “Spend the money on street calming. Don’t’ fix my street!”

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Two locals of the New Jersey Regional Council of Carpenters have been out picketing in Glen Ridge this week, protesting the construction job going on at The Reserve, a new condo/townhouse complex being built on the site of the old Verizon building at the intersection of Hillside and Bloomfield Aves.

"It's an informational picket to let the public know that Taas Construction is not employing people from the local affiliates" said union council rep Mike Travostino, who also accused Taas of exploiting Hispanic workers by paying them as 1099 subcontractors and not as full employees. The union is not trying to prevent workers from crossing the picket line.

Taas has not yet returned our request for an interview. Thanks to two tipsters who alerted us to the strike.

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Baristanet's official cybrarian Arnie Korotkin sends us word that they're getting ready to muster the troops in Delaware just in case there's a war against New Jersey.

Seems those wooses in Delaware don't like NJ's plans to let BP build a liquified natural gas plant on our side of the Delaware River. Now what could be wrong with that?

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This morning, in the midst of heavy school busing and the daily commute, there were two collisions within  minutes of each other at one of Baristaville's most dangerous intersections: Watchung Ave. and North Mountain.  Barista saw a side slam involving two vehicles around 8:00 a.m., and at 8:47 a.m. a second collision occurred involving damage to three vehicles. Fortunately, none of the passengers appeared to be hurt. This is an all too familiar occurrence to residents of North Mountain, who were told by town engineer Kimberli Craft  just yesterday, at a neighborhood meeting that a new traffic light had been approved for the intersection. However Craft said it would take about a year to be installed.

Posted by at 10:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (31)

Ok, a bunch of kids are going to graduate high school this spring. Ok, we don't want them to go out, get drunk and kill themselves the very night they get their diplomas. Ok, we need to raise a gazillion dollars to throw them the biggest party ever. Ok, enough already.

The Project Graduation mommies are out in full force. Last Friday night, Montclair's Project Graduation held its "biggest event of the [Project Graduation fundraising] season" -- Copacabana night at the Montclair Art Museum. Next: on Thursday, Feb. 8, a bunch of restaurants* will donate between 10 and 20 percent of their revenues for lunch or dinners to the cause. Last fall, they were selling mums. And in Glen Ridge, the Project Graduation moms are perpetually chopping onions making Project Graduation chili dinners.

Now, here comes Project Graduation for the Glen Ridge Class of 2014. Yes, 2014. Laura Buchmann, mother of a Glen Ridge fourth grader, has circulated a letter looking to get a head start on fundraising for the special night. And that, apparently, comes on the heels of the fifth-grade moms' successful fundraiser for the class of 2013.

Typically the Project Graduation committee fundraise a lot of money in a short period of time as I’m sure many of you know. In order to avoid this flurry of fundraising I thought maybe we could get a head start and host some type of annual event for the class and start up an account for the benefit of the Class of 2014. The class of 2013 has begun fundraising for their Project Graduation and has raised over $2,500 with their 1st fundraiser, a parent social.

But why stop there? Where are the mothers of the class of 2019? Busy looking around for their children's mittens? Ha! Think of it as an opportunity. It's never too early to plan for Project Graduation.

L=Lunch, D=Dinner, **=Reservations recommended

Egan & Son’s, 118 Walnut St.                   

973-744-1413            D   

Udupi Village, 511 Bloomfield Ave.

973-233-1905            L, D, **

Sushi Hana, 5 N. Fullerton Ave.

973-746-3900            L, D, **

The Jerk Pit, 446 Bloomfield Ave.

973-509-5375            D

Nauna’s Bella Casa, 148 Valley Rd.

973-744-3232            L, D

Church Street Café, 12 Church St.

973-233-0216            L, D, **

South Park Bar & Grill, 30 South Park St.

973-744-0402            L, D

Gag’s Carribean American, 318 Orange Rd.

973-509-1002            L, D

Lalezar, 718 Bloomfield Ave.

973-233-1984            D, **

Little Saigon, 19 Elm St.

973-783-3914            D

Orbis Bistro, 128 Watchung Ave.

973-746-7641            D, **

Corso 98, 98 Walnut St.

973-746-0789            D

Osteria Giotto, 21 Midland Ave.

973-746-0111            D, **

Indigo Smoke, 381 Bloomfield Ave.

973-746-6778            D, **

Café Sultan, 38 Upper Montclair Plaza

973-655-1441            D

Sweet Potato & Pecan, 103 Forest St.

973-746-3444            L

The Energy Bar Cafe, 307C Orange Rd.

973-746-7003            L, D

Posted by at 9:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (140)

We went down to Brookdale Park today on a tip that the county sheriff is handing out citations for unleashed dogs. We didn't see any dogs get ticketed, but we did get confirmation from dog owners that people have been getting warning tickets for having their dogs off-leash.

While we were there, we took in the sights. The pond is back.

And the Brookdale Park uglification drainage and irrigation project is underway.

What are these people looking at? Tell us that, or what you think of unleashed dogs, or anything that tickles your fancy.

Posted by at 2:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (30)

Uncomfirmed tip just in that Montclair High School has been evacuated for a bomb scare.

UPDATE: Apparently kids spread hither and yon following the bomb scare. From the Watercooler:

Apparently there is a bomb scare and LOTS of the high school kids [I've seen about 40] are running thru all the yards in my neighborhood- near the high school and Woodman field. These are not houses where they live, at least I have seen lots of kids in yards where no kids live. I know they don't have anywhere specific to go, but there have been a lot of bomb scares at the HS and I have not seen this behavior before. I called the police, but they know it is probably just mischief and they are busy with the bomb scare. Just a heads up!

And this response:

I actually just got a call from my daughter letting me know that she and some friends came to our house during the bomb scare. Apparently they were told not to be back at school until 1:00. So I guess there will be kids hanging around town until then. I think its sort of a natural reaction to cut loose when unexpectedly given some free time.

Whatever happened to orderly lines? Is it possible that the principal just says, "Bomb scare, kids. See ya back here at 1"?

Posted by at 1:11 PM | Permalink | Comments (23)

What do you see in this picture? The newly-crowned Miss America or ....?

And if you don't know why March 12 is important, you better start reading this.

Posted by at 11:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (33)

Go ahead and buy that hunk of artisinal cheese, those Marconi almonds or a slab of Callebaut chocolate. If you do it today, you'll help cows, sheep and other farm animals as part of Global 5% day for the Animal Compassion Foundation. Shop at any Whole Foods today and 5% of sales will be be donated to help producers evolve their practices for raising farm animals naturally and humanely.

Posted by at 10:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (14)