“Coffee” Bike Stolen In Baristaville

BY  |  Wednesday, Jul 27, 2011 3:44pm  |  COMMENTS (26)

A whole lot of bikes are going missing in Montclair. A reader writes…

My husband’s bicycle was recently stolen off our front porch on Montague Place in Montclair. It is a brown Schwinn, vintage style that says Coffee in big letters on it. Just thought I’d let you guys know as the police mentioned that there has been an increase in bicycle/porch thefts lately. We are pretty bummed about the bike as it had all the baby seat attachment stuff on it.

Another bike, worth $800, was stolen from a porch on Brookfield Road; two other bike thefts were reported in this police blotter. One was stolen at Bay Street Parking Deck; the other disappeared from the area of Yale Terrace/North Fullerton after a kid let another kid take a ride on it. (The old “let me ride your bike” only to have it disappear happened to my husband’s brother some 30 years ago — amazing how it still happens.)

Moral of the story: lock up your bikes and tell the kiddies to be careful when lending.

“Munchmobile” Snaps for Go Lightly’s Vegan Ice

BY  |  Wednesday, Jul 27, 2011 2:30pm  |  COMMENTS (5)

When they introduced their line of vegan ice cream in April, Montclair’s eco-friendly store “Go Lightly” seemed to make lots of folks very happy. Our post got recommended by more than 100 people and one reader said “awesome, awesome, awesome.”

Last week, the shop’s owner, Montclair native Jennifer Chaky, got a big media shout out for her vegan treat when the roving Munchmobile sampled their wares during the annual “all-healthy-food trip.”

One of five stops on the tour, the Munchers favored the dark chocolate and peanut butter fudge flavors, but weren’t so keen on the strawberry balsamic. In his article, the Star Ledger’s Munchmobile writer Peter Genovese admitted developing a potential dependence on the confection, which is made by Maze’s Creamery in Staten Island, NY. Continue Reading

Deer in the Glen

BY  |  Wednesday, Jul 27, 2011 1:00pm  |  COMMENTS (23)

Reader Ron Travisano sent us this photo of some deer activity on Bloomfield Avenue yesterday afternoon in Glen Ridge.

Four deer, bucks, were seen on Bloomfield Ave and Freeman Parkway at 1 pm crossing into the Glen Ridge “Glen” on Tuesday. I walked in there and took this picture of two of them, (one on the left edge). The other two were lying down.

Amy Vecchione sent in this photo taken recently of perhaps three of the same bucks in her back yard on Hillside Ave, near the Glen. “We see the four bucks walking around quite often.”

Baristanet’s Pets Editor, Martta Kelly has had some wildlife spottings of her own, in West Orange. She has had a young deer in her front yard, and there’s been a wild turkey at her neighbor’s.

I’m still noticing lots of nocturnal skunk “activity” down in my neck of the jungle (dog still smells, btw). Anyone else picking up the scent or seeing other evidence of Baristaville wildlife this week?

Punches Thrown on Bloomfield Avenue

Wednesday, Jul 27, 2011 12:18pm  |  COMMENTS (0)

This just in from the Montclair police:
Arrest
On 7/26/11 at approximately 4:15 PM, police were patrolling Bloomfield Avenue when they were flagged down by a passerby who advised them that there was a fight outside Cutz and Stuff near the corner of Bloomfield Avenue and South Willow Street. As police approached the area, they observed a male, later identified as Keith Johnson, standing over a forty-six year old Montclair male. Police then observed Johnson throw approximately six or seven punches to the victim’s face. When Johnson looked up, he began to walk east on Bloomfield Avenue. Police detained Johnson and placed him under arrest. Police then attempted to speak to the victim, who did not wish to discuss the incident. The victim was transported to Mountainside Hospital for evaluation of a facial laceration. Johnson, 39, of Montclair, was charged with simple assault. He was later released. Continue Reading

Catch South Orange Blues “Preview”, Tonight

Wednesday, Jul 27, 2011 12:00pm  |  COMMENTS (0)

Tonight, get a taste of what you’ll hear at the South Orange International Blues Festival (SOIBF) on September 18 with a special “Blues Revue” preview. Tonight’s free event, 7:30 p.m., at Flood’s Hill in South Orange (Meadowland Park, 70 North Ridgewood Road, corner of Mead), highlights some of the performers from last year’s SOIBF.

Headlining the preview is Michael Hill’s Blues Mob featuring (pictured left to right): Bill McClellan (drums), Mike Griot (bass), Michael Hill (guitar and vocals). Not pictured: Dave Barnes (harmonica).

The 2011 Concerts in the Park series are presented by Village of South Orange, The Baird, and South Orange Performing Arts Center.

Photo credit: Petra Arnold

Giant Watchung Bridge Pot Hole Causes Rumors and Road Closures

BY  |  Wednesday, Jul 27, 2011 10:43am  |  COMMENTS (9)

Just as rush hour was winding down this morning, word started to spread — by mouth, text, twitter and facebook — that Bloomfield’s Watchung Avenue Bridge was “collapsing.” It was overheard in bagel shops and gas stations. At 9:04, BNN reported that police had closed both directions of the GSP around Exit 151, due to “debris falling from the overpass under construction.” The goal of the ongoing project, which has been in the works for months, is to widen the bridge, and is scheduled for completion sometime next year.

By the time Baristanet got to the scene, just after 9:15, the parkway was moving, unencumbered, and the workers and police couldn’t/wouldn’t say whether it had actually been closed at all. Watchung Avenue, however is closed in both directions, and will remain so until around noon, according to a spokesperson for the construction company Dewberry (which is located nearby in Bloomfield, at 200 Broadacres Drive).

The culprit behind the hubbub is an oversized pot hole, around 15 feet long and 3 feet wide, that developed alongside the construction barrier on the eastbound lane. Workers were preparing to fill it, and had a huge steel plate waiting to cover the filled hole.

“The asphalt caved in, that’s all,” said a construction manager. “Nothing fell onto the parkway or anything like that.” He said the whole incident was blown out of proportion, and said their work was simply to fix the hole and avoid cars from falling in.

Were any of you way layed waylaid this morning?

Taking it Down: Eyesores and Illegal Additions

BY  |  Wednesday, Jul 27, 2011 9:00am  |  COMMENTS (28)

Back in 2007, we wrote about an illegal addition being built on a home in Bloomfield, at 79 Florence Avenue, titled “Not in my Backyard.”

According to a neighbor, more than 6 years after the Zoning Board of Adjustments of Bloomfield denied their applications for multiple variances, despite the addition being almost 90% completed, the oversized construction is coming down, piece by piece. Continue Reading

Montstock, 2011 is Coming, 8/5 -7

BY  |  Tuesday, Jul 26, 2011 4:30pm  |  COMMENTS (4)

If you graduated from Montclair High School anytime in the ’70′s (and we know you have some stories to tell, if you can remember them), get ready for a groovy, blast-from-the-past weekend.

The third Monstock — an all ’70′s class reunion — will take place on August 5, 6 and 7 at various Montclair venues, including Egan & Sons, Tierneys, The Commonwealth Club, Edgemont Park, and of course, the Amphitheater. Organized by Bruce Davies (MHS Class of ’76), the three-day music festival has announced its final schedule and musical line up. To register and for more information, go to the Monstock web site. There’s also a Facebook page with over 550 members (and growing).

Are you going? Who do you hope to see there? Continue Reading

Zach Braff on NJ and “All New People”

BY  |  Tuesday, Jul 26, 2011 3:30pm  |  COMMENTS (0)

Baristaville’s Zach Braff, star of Scrubs and writer/director/star of the 2004 film Garden State, opened his first play, All New People, at the Second Stage Theatre yesterday, July 25th. We caught up with Braff last week, as he approached opening day, to chat about New Jersey and his new play. 

First, as a native of Millburn, I thanked the native of South Orange for flying the flag for our fair state.

Baristanet: I remember when I saw Garden State, I thought wow, that really is like South Orange, it’s all green and beautiful, and it’s not a “what exit” kind of thing. Do you ever make it back?

Braff: I go back and forth a lot. My parents are still there. I love Jersey. 

The play takes place in Loveladies, in Long Beach Island. I have very fond memories of going to the beach there. You can’t even tell someone, ‘I’m going down to the Jersey shore’ because they can’t help themselves but make a joke about the Jersey Shore, TV show. So I’ve stopped saying that, and just say ‘I’m going down to Long beach Island.’ People say, oh that sounds nice.

Making fun of Jersey is easy.  It’s like getting in an elevator with a stranger and asking about the weather. People just go to it. And that was before Jersey Shore and Jerseylicious and all this stuff. It’s frustrating. I think what I’m doing is hopefully talking about Jersey in a good way. Not that my characters are necessarily mentally healthy people, but they aren’t caricatures of people. Continue Reading

Armed Robbery, Graveyard Robbery, Lottery Ticket Thief Caught

Tuesday, Jul 26, 2011 3:09pm  |  COMMENTS (4)


The latest crime in Montclair from Lt. Scott Buehler:

Robbery
On 7/22/11 at approximately 3:00 PM, police responded to the Immaculate Conception Cemetery on Valley Road in Upper Montclair on a report of a robbery. The victim, an 82-year-old Verona resident, stated that he was visiting the cemetery and tending to a grave when he was attacked from behind. The victim stated that the attacker pushed him to the ground and held him in a chokehold while repeatedly shouting, “Don’t fight!” the suspect then forcefully removed a wallet from the victim’s back pocket and ran west towards Valley Road. The victim, who did not report any injuries, stated that the wallet, made of alligator skin and valued at $100, contained approximately $40 cash and numerous identification cards.

The victim is described as a black male, 6’0”, twenty-five to thirty-five years old, over 200 lbs., with a muscular build. The suspect was last seen wearing gray pants and no shirt.

Anyone with further information is asked to contact Detective Joseph Anderson at 973-509-4706.

Armed Robbery
On 7/24/11 at approximately 12:55 AM, police received a report from a twenty-five year old Glen Ridge resident concerning a robbery. The victim told police that he had left a party on Midland Avenue at approximately midnight and was walking when he was approached by a male in the area of Orange Road and Bloomfield Avenue. The male asked the victim for a light while another male attacked the victim from behind, kicking him in the back and causing him to fall face first into the ground. The victim believes that approximately four or five other individuals then started to kick and punch him in the face and ribs. One male then placed a silver flip knife with a three or four inch blade in front of the victim’s face while another male went through the victim’s pockets. The victim is unsure if the males stole anything from him, as he stated that he was not carrying any money.

The suspect who initially approached the victim is described as a black male, twenty-five to thirty years old, clean-shaven with short black hair. He was last seen wearing a white t-shirt and dark pants. The victim was unable to provide a description of any of the other suspects at the time of the report.

Anyone with further information is asked to contact Detective Ray Gulbin at 973-509-4739. Continue Reading

Featured Comment

I was very glad to see this post. The running in the street around here drives me crazy, mostly because the the majority of the runners I've encountered (not every runner)seem to think that it's their right to take up half the street when what they are doing is in fact illegal. And let's not be silly. Yes, concrete is hard on the joints, but the pavement isn't that much better. It's not like the roads are made of track rubber.
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sadie07

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