You can always expect to savor the unusual at Peak Perfomances. “To Be Straight With You” a tri-state premiere performed by DV8 Physical Theatre this week in Montclair takes a searing look at intolerance, religion and sexuality. Based on hundreds of hours of audio interviews with people in the U.K., DV8’s founder Lloyd Newson delves into the world of homophobia in the Afro-Caribbean and Islamic communities. Incorporating dance, text, documentary, animation and film, this work is fast, athletic and exciting to watch. This intense work brings uncomfortable yet timely issues in your face with powerful dialogue, dance and true stories.

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Following heated debates over the future of the dollar-hemmoraging municipal ice rink, the 2008-2009 season opening of Montclair’s Clary Anderson Arena is right on schedule to open tomorrow. Ohio-based United Skates of America, who won a management contract for the rink, put a fresh look on the arena interior, and its staff. From The Star Ledger:

The employees, too, will be looking crisp, with uniforms consisting of a staff shirt, black pants (no jeans) and name badges. In the main office, a United Skates handout for employees also notes that any tattoos must be covered and that earrings are prohibited on men.
The price of admission and the like are to remain “approximately” the same, [United Skates V-P Phil] De Angelo said. “It’s basically the same, dollar for dollar.” That means the cost of a lesson will include the cost of a skate rental, rather than it being an add-on. “Rather than nickel and dime-ing,” he said.

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Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. announced yesterday the county plans to bring back last year’s controversial deer hunt in South Mountain Reservation. The pesky, profligate deer population continue to imperil the natural ecosystem of their own habitat, maintain county officials. Detractors aside, DiVincenzo made it known that he’s got the support of the Audubon Society and South Mountain Conservancy for the Deer Management Program.
Rules of the hunt: dates proposed are Tuesdays and Thursdays from January 27 to February 26, 2009. Twenty qualified marksmen will hang out in trees 20 feet above the ground. There’s no limit to the number of deer that can be shot, and they hope to top last year’s cull of 213 deer by another hundred.

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A majority of the NJ delegation refused to bail out Wall Street at the taxpayer’s expense yesterday. Baristaville’s Congressman Bill Pascrell delaying his decision until the final moment, voted against the bailout bill.

“We’re flipping coins here,” he said. “What happens if this goes down today — the markets tank and you are an accessory to the crime? But what happens if you vote ‘yes’ and the market tanks anyway?”
He added, “Most of my constituents are against this, but when I prod them they don’t really understand. It’s a very complex issue. But I’ve got to make a decision here — otherwise I’m an automaton.”

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Former state trooper Hiram Ortiz, 43, owner of Bloomfield’s Avenue Steakhouse, (formerly Scores Sports Cafe) plead guilty yesterday to a second occupation: fencing jewelery and fancy watches worth $1.27 million, received from a multi-state smash-and-grab theft ring. Ortiz will be sentenced in January, facing steep fines and 10 years in prison. From NJ.com:

Ortiz admitted receiving the stolen Rolexes and reselling them. The heists took places in malls in Paramus, Rockaway and Bridgewater, as well as in Pennsylvania, Georgia and Florida.
Ortiz also faces unrelated charges in New York on which he may stand trial later this year.

As usual, a little Rosh Hoshana education can be useful to guide the non-Chosen through the political correctness minefield of the next 10 days. Rosh Hoshana starts tonight (Monday) at sundown. Here are some RH FAQ, which we first ran in 2006.
Is Rosh Hoshana the most important day of the Jewish calendar?
God starts deciding whether you should live or die in the coming year. So, yeah, pretty important.

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An update on the Obama book defacing that occurred in a Glen Ridge school from the BOE:

With the full cooperation of the Board of Education and its employees, the Glen Ridge Police Department investigated this disturbing incident. The investigation has now moved to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, and we will continue to provide our cooperation. Due to the ongoing nature of the investigation, neither the Board nor its employees can comment further on the matter.
We have every confidence that the Prosecutor’s Office will soon bring the case to a satisfactory conclusion.

This guy colorfully sums it up. From the New York Daily News…

“This is a huge cow patty with a piece of marshmallow stuck in the middle and I’m not going to eat that cow patty,” declared Rep. Paul Broun (R-Ga.)

In Montclair and Glen Ridge, trained volunteers offer assistance when a case of domestic violence occurs. The Domestic Violence Response Team (DVRT) works with the Montclair Police Dept. to advocate services and help keep victims of these crimes safe.
To be part of the DVRT team, volunteers go through a free 40-hour training program. In the wake of the violent tragedy that ended the life of Monica Paul, the DVRT is encouraging interested volunteers to take their compassion for victims to the next level of action. The program is ongoing; after the training, team members commit to being on call for a once-a-week, 8 hour shift. In Montclair, contact coordinator Geri Bowers of the Montclair Police Dept. for sign-up information at (973) 509-7543. In Glen Ridge, contact Capt. Sheila Byron-Lagatutta at (973) 748-5400.