Montclair Councilor-at-large Kathryn Weller writes:

I just got back from President Obama’s Inauguration and I am feeling so energized and inspired to make the most of my service on the Council. These are the priorities and tasks which I hope to accomplish by 2012.
First, and most important, we must get control of the budget, and stem the steep escalation of property taxes.
Second, I want to be the best liaison possible and assist the fantastic volunteers of the committees with attaining their many wonderful goals to improve Montclair. Those groups include Human Services Advisory Council, Landlord-Tenant Housing Advisory Committee, People with Disabilities Advisory Committee, and Senior Citizens Advisory Committee. Some of these tasks for example are increasing access to services, increasing awareness of the free mediation services available for tenants and landlords, increasing consideration and implementation of universal design, and dramatically improving the senior citizens bus. I also serve as liaison to the Water and Sewer Authorities, and look forward to the continued improvement of our infrastructure for these services, and the opportunity to better explain to the residents of Montclair how these services function and are funded.

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Montclair State University approved a new PhD program in Environmental Management last Friday. And New Jersey knows green is the way to go. Maybe we’ll see some students from Bloomfield staying in Baristaville to get their green collar. The new graduate program is one of five doctoral degrees offered at the university.

Becky Bowser Lowenthal, an MKA graduate and formerly of Montclair, died suddenly on January 20, in Potomac, MD. Lowenthal was 43.
Becky’s community of friends and family share memories and condolences on Facebook. RK, a family friend sends us this tribute:

Rebecca was born in Montclair, New Jersey, and was the daughter of Hamilton and Merle Bowser.
She was the wife of Andrew Lowenthal, formerly of Rye, New York and New York City, and the mother of three children, Nicholas, 12, Julia, 9, and Jonathan, 5. Rebecca is also survived by her brother Hamilton V. Bowser, Jr., her sister Jennifer Bowser Gerst, her parents-in-law Malcolm and Joan Lowenthal, her sister-in-law Hilary Rosen and so many friends and family.
A graduate of Montclair Kimberley Academy and Yale University, Rebecca served as Director of Public and Governmental Affairs at the New York City Taxi & Limousine Commission. During the Clinton administration she received a Presidential appointment in the U. S. Treasury Department in Washington, D.C., serving under all three Secretaries of the Treasury.

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Orpheus Chamber Orchestra and special guest Anoushka Shankar (Ravi’s sitar-playing daughter) make a stop in South Orange this Friday evening before their gig at Carnegie Hall on Saturday. On the program are works of Hayden, Mozart, Kodaly, and of course Shankar. With the chilling weather, tolls, and parking, I’d vote for the closer and more cost-effective venue. If you’re travelling green, take NJ Transit (even on weekends), which practically leaves you at SOPAC’s box office. Four east-bound trains arrive in South Orange between 7-8pm; one west-bound train from NYC arrives in South Orange at 7:47pm. Friday’s curtain time is 8pm.
Now, SOPAC will make it even easier to enjoy the Orpheus concert. Email us now. The first two people we hear from will get a pair of tickets to the performance. You don’t even have to write haiku.

Montclair writer Dana Jennings, who’s been blogging his prostate cancer in the Times, is on right now on WNYC, 93.9 FM.

Customers at Gencarelli’s bakery in Bloomfield mostly passed the good Samaritan test during last night’s episode of “What Would You Do?” Customers observed the evil sales clerk insulting and short-changing a blind woman, and then a blind man (both actors). By-standers jumped to the rescue, becoming very emotional and vocal – no shrinking violets in Baristaville! One guy said he’d like to murder the clerk for his abusive behavior, while a couple of others offered therapy.
Watch the episode here, and tell us, would you step into a similar situation to help a stranger? And by the way, Gencarelli’s makes killer desserts…which one’s your favorite?

When former Montclair High principal Mel Katz suddenly retired last July, Judith Weiss was named as Katz’s temporary replacement. Weiss was hired to serve as interim principal through December 2008 – allowing the BOE time to find a candidate for the long-term. Now, it appears that Montclair High is operating with a part-time principal.
According to an email Weiss sent to MHS staff on Jan. 22 — in response to staff and parents questions — Weiss says she was asked to stay on and finish out the 08/09 school year. And while Weiss says she was “very interested,” she could only accept if allowed to commute to work one or two days a week from Ft. Lauderdale, where she and her husband were taking a winter residence for three months. The BOE said OK, but apparently didn’t inform MHS staff or parents about the arrangement. Weiss states in her email: “I understand it can be disconcerting to feel that you are in the dark. I always want to be transparent with you.”
We contacted the BOE with several questions for Superintendent Frank Alvarez, and are awaiting a response.
Read Weiss’s email, here.

A blanket of snow, mini ice pellets clinging to my hair, and a forecast of ice and wintry mix that already seems to be upon us is enough reason to stay in my pj’s all day. Scary stories of road accidents and cars spinning out of control on last night’s news will keep my car in the driveway, train travel would be the way to go if you have to go.
Mista Barista schlepped into work this morning through the weather mess: “I was really struck this morning by the contrast between shuffling through fluffy white Glen Ridge and arriving barely a half hour later in rainy, slushy NYC.”
Tell us how the start of your day is going. It’s your icy cold, slushy-slippery all day bad weather open thread.

The robo call just came in for Montclair Schools – closed for the day. Lucky for MHS teens who get an extra day to study for mid-terms. Glen Ridge and Bloomfield Schools are also closed.
Put other closings/weather delays in comments.

Baristanet mourns the passing of Frank Rennie. A reader writes..

He was a much beloved former Principal at Northeast School in Montclair, long time member of the Unitarian Church, and one of the nicest and most compassionate people around. In “retirement,” he made the tutoring program run out of the Unitarian Church a great success. Really a wonderful person. He passed on Sunday morning.

In addition to three decades serving the Montclair Public Schools, Rennie was also actively involved in numerous Montclair organizations including the Salvation Army, Montclair Mentoring Partnership, United Way Panel and Working Groups, coordinator of the aforementioned After School Program of the Unitarian Church and assisted or served on boards for First Night Montclair, Montclair Farmers Market, and Day Nurseries Inc.
Rennie will be remembered at a memorial service on Saturday, Feb. 21, 11 a.m., at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation, 67 Church St., Montclair.