Nutley’s Grace Episcopal Church on Highfield Lane graces the cover on one of Arcadia’s most recent publications Anglicans In New Jersey. Arcadia publishes the distinctive sepia-toned regional history series documenting Baristaville’s, and our nation’s past.
Hat tip to author Phil Read – friend and colleague from The Star Ledger. Last week on the Barnes & Noble scorecard, Anglicans in North Jersey broke into the Top 10 of the 4,400+ Arcadia titles. In Anglicans in North Jersey: The Episcopal Diocese of Newark, Read documents many of the diocese’s 114 parishes, beginning with Newark’s pioneering role in civil rights and the ordination of women. At St. Paul’s in Paterson, the front pews were once lined with the families of millionaires, a reflection of the city’s onetime industrial might. At the Church of the Annunciation in Oradell, a boy by the name of Walter M. Schirra Jr. once attended Sunday school. He would later become one of the original seven Mercury astronauts. And about Grace Episcopal – where Read is a member in Nutley – it’s just up the block from an old store (now residences) where Annie Oakley and Mark Twain use to hang out.

With such a huge talent pool in Baristaville, we ofen feel a connection to local actors and musicians who entertain us. This Saturday at Tierneys, and next Friday night at SOPAC, you can find your groove with some familiar Montclair faces.
Grammy award winning jazz bassist Christian McBride (above) performs a night of jazz improv at SOPAC “A Christian McBride Situation” next Friday, Mar 6 at 8 p.m. He’ll be accompanied by Ron Blake (saxophone), David Gilmore (guitar), and DJ Logic on turntables. We have two pairs of tickets to give away to McBride’s performance. Just ask nicely…and quickly, here.

Update: Christian McBride freebies have been politely claimed!
Tomorrow night, there’s local talent playing upstairs at Tierneys. The Bloomingfields are David Rieth-guitar and vocals, Janet Donofrio-vocals, Brendan Mee-bass, John Packel-drums, Andy Day-guitars, Ken Kurson-keyboards. They start at 9pm this Saturday night 2/28. Also performing is Angels Garage. Angels Garage is Christine Kelly, vocals; Fabio Giron, guitar; John Whipple, trumpet; Angel Kenney, percussion; John Poglinco, bass; and Dave Cushing, drums.
For more weekend thrills, go to Calendar.

“Parking in Montclair” to many, resonates like an oxymoron. Daytime, you’re hunting down a spot armed with a roll of quarters. Overnight, parking is verboten. But according to town manager Joe Hartnett, the overnight parking ordinance is a policy none of the past three councils have wanted police to enforce. “It’s a dysfunctional system, and no one wants a true overnight parking ban,” says Hartnett.
If you need to park overnight and don’t have use of a driveway, you can take your chances of getting towed, or call MPD with your license plate number, hoping for a special dispensation.
Last month, there were about 3,700 calls to MPD from people wanting permission to park overnight. Councilor Nick Lewis has been working with the parking advisory committee, hoping to hatch a plan that would make the whole process easier on everyone. But hold on, it’s gonna cost you…

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Georgette at MontclairKids was psyched to score an interview with Grammy-winning kid musician Dan Zanes this week. Zanes gives a sneak peak into his show (a rapper! a tap dancer!) and reveals why he has a soft spot for Montclair.

Will you take your kids to Sunday’s Dan Zane’s concert to benefit the Montclair Community Pre-K?
Come on, he’s pretty good.

Read more at Montclair Kids.

Mother Nature has sprung a bit of Spring weather on us today, with temperatures expected to reach 61F degrees. That’s warm enough to warrant a dash to the shore. Get outside and warm up before the mercury drops again, and tell us how you’re going to enjoy this welcome reprieve from recent arctic blasts.

Glen Ridge resident, renowned jazz saxophonist, and friend Gerry Niewood will be remembered at a memorial service this Monday, March 2 at 2 p.m. The service will be held at Glen Ridge Congregational Church, 195 Ridgewood Avenue, Glen Ridge.
Niewood died in the February 12 plane crash near Buffalo, NY. He was 64. Niewood is survived by his wife, two children, a daughter in-law and two grandchildren. In
lieu of flowers, donations may be made to the Gerry Niewood Scholarship Fund,
c/o Glen Ridge Congregational Church, 195 Ridgewood Avenue, Glen Ridge NJ 07028

It reads as if E. Michael Taylor, Essex’s director of housing and community development found a stash of cash under the county mattress. Yesterday, Taylor handed out checks to Essex municipalities and non-profits from “a decades-old federal community development block grant” package. Checks ranging from $4,000 to $1.6 million were passed out, mainly for road improvements, senior and handicapped services, municipal face lifts – and Baristaville was one of the big winners, according to The Star Ledger. Taylor then made a surprise announcement – that an extra $4 million in federal stimulus funds was on its way to Essex.

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A bunch of events before the month ends this weekend including Sunz of Sankofa and Montclair’s own Samantha Bussey and the Union Baptist Male Choir, tomorrow (Friday, 2/27). Also tomorrow, St. Paul Baptist Church on Elm Street hosts its annual celebration. From 7-9 p.m. enjoy three performance workshops featuring tap dance, jazz and call and response singing. On Saturday, head over to the Montclair Public Library, for events beginning at noon that include performances by the African Dance Theater & Education Center of Irvington and jazz vocalists Denise Hamilton and Yvette Glover. There’s also an African market from noon to 1 p.m. in the cafe and Black History exhibits on the first and third floors.
Also at the Montclair library, catch Daughters of The Dust, the 1991 indie that tells the story of generations of Gullah women, on Sunday, March 1, at 2:30 p.m..