Art by the People, for the People

BY  |  Friday, Sep 30, 2011 9:00am  |  COMMENTS (0)

Montclair Art Museum calls it the vernacular. The Newark Museum calls it indigenous. Either way, it’s about art at its most down-to-earth, often done by amateurs, usually in the form of crafts. This fall, both museums are featuring exhibits that emphasize the vernacular. The Newark Museum has a world-class collection of 150 quilts, started in 1918, and between now and Dec. 31 if will feature 3o of them in an exhibit called “Patchwork.” The show includes a new quilt by Maplewood artist Teresa Barkley, “Midtown Direct,” which celebrates the New Jersey Transit service into New York.

“Patchwork” explores the evolution of the quilt from a practical household object to an art object in its own right. Although American quilts dominate the show, a small companion exhibit of Asian and African quilts is also on display.

If you’ve ever seen any of the Newark Museum’s previous quilt exhibits, you know this is not one to miss.

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Letters & Notes: Celebrating Montclair’s Bellevue Avenue Library

BY  |  Thursday, Sep 29, 2011 3:00pm  |  COMMENTS (0)

Want to support the Bellevue Avenue Library and help keep it open for readers every Monday? The Friends of the Bellevue Avenue Library invite you to Letters & Notes, an evening celebration in honor of the re-opening of the historic Carnegie library, on Saturday, October 15, from 7-10 p.m, at St. Cassian School, Landers Hall, 190 Lorriane Ave. in Upper Montclair. Tickets are $25 per person or $20 with student discount — monies will go to help keep the library open and vibrant. Hear readings from Peter Quinn, Michelle Fine, Dana Jennings and Nancy Star as well as music by Odarka Polanskyj Stockert of HarpAntics Harp Ensemble, and Jack Drucker on flute. Wine, hors d’oeuvres and desserts included.

Susan Anderson, a founding trustee of the Friends of Bellevue Avenue Library, volunteers every Monday from 2-4 p.m. “People come in and say how beautiful the library is and how glad they are that it is open,” says Anderson. “Kids are reading and using the computers. It’s really a delight to be there.” Anderson, who says the organization has a goal to raise $50,000, hopes people will be generous.

To r.s.v.p. for the event or to make a donation, contact John Downing, 973-233-0638, or email balfriendsgroup@aol.com.

Photo: Edward John Skillin

Bloomfield Declares Put The Brakes on Fatalities Day

Thursday, Sep 29, 2011 1:40pm  |  COMMENTS (1)

Buckle up, Bloomfield. On October 10th, the goal is a day without driving fatalities. “Put the Brakes on Fatalities” is a national, day-long effort designed to increase awareness about safe driving behaviors and keep the roadways fatality free for one-day. To support this effort, The Bloomfield Police Department will be stepping up enforcement of all traffic violations.

Last year, 556 people lost their lives in motor vehicle-related crashes in New Jersey, down from 583 in 2009. “Clearly, this effort will go a long way in our continuing efforts to stem the tide of tragedies that occur every day on New Jersey’s roadways,” Bloomfield Chief Goul said. “Put the Brakes on Fatalities Day not only raises awareness about the individual responsibility we have for our driving behaviors, but also engages drivers in making positive changes behind-the-wheel every day of the year.”

The Weekend: Concerts, Fall Markets and More!

BY  |  Thursday, Sep 29, 2011 12:00pm  |  COMMENTS (2)

It may be hard to believe, but the humid, saturated mess of weather we’ve been having will finally clear up and the weekend will offer relief. It will be much cooler and there’s still a slight chance of some rain, but it will be a pleasure compared to this past week’s weather. You’ll want to spend time outside, believe me.

Chante for Haiti will be a day of great music, dancing, story telling and community all in support of Lamp for Haiti all at the beautiful gardens of Van Vleck.  All donations and food purchases will go to Lamp for Haiti’s vital programs that strive to ensure basic human rights in Cité Soleil and Port-au-Prince. In pursuit of this mission, the LAMP provides basic health care, investigates allegations of human right abuses, and provides educational and humanitarian aid. Continue Reading

Blessing of the Animals Set for October 1 in Bloomfield

BY  |  Thursday, Sep 29, 2011 11:00am  |  COMMENTS (5)

The annual Blessing of the Animals will be held Saturday, October 1, at Christ Episcopal Church of Bloomfield and Glen Ridge, located at the corner of Bloomfield and Park avenues, Glen Ridge. The regular church service will start at 10:30 a.m., followed by the Blessing. Any money collected during the service will be donated to the John A. Bukowski Animal Shelter.

The Blessing of the Animals coincides with the feast day of St. Francis of Assisi (October 4), a nature lover and patron saint of animals and the environment. Numerous churches throughout the world observe the Sunday closest to October 4 with such blessings.

October 4 is also World Animal Day is observed by animal-lovers of all faiths, nationalities, and backgrounds. In addition ot animal blessings, animal rescue shelters hold fundraising events, wildlife groups organize information displays, schools undertake animal-related project work and individuals and groups of friends or co-workers donate to animal charities or pledge to sponsor a shelter animal.

So How Much Does Moving The Montclair Election Really Save?

BY  |  Thursday, Sep 29, 2011 10:08am  |  COMMENTS (4)

And you thought the petition issue was complicated. Now there’s a big hullabaloo according to the Montclair Times regarding Mayor Jerry Fried’s attendance at the municipal election commission meeting and a clash with commission member William Wallach over how much Montclair would save if town elections were moved from May to November to coincide with the general elections.

On Tuesday, Essex County Clerk Christopher Durkin told Baristanet that “the costs associated with holding a General Election are incurred by Essex County. The only costs that Montclair might have is if you advertise the election locally ($600) and any costs for staffing on election night($350).”

We then emailed town clerk Linda Wanat to ask what other additional costs she might be aware of — besides what Durkin details. Here’s her response:

Yes, Chris stated that he had polled the other Essex County election officials and they will not be charging anything extra if Montclair was to hold its Municipal Elections in November. Staff overtime costs for both late night registration and the day/night of the election occur for every election. They would not be an additional cost. The Municipal Clerk may choose to place an election advertisement in the Local paper as a public service to our voters but that would not be required according to Chris ( the amount you quoted seems high…the local advertising for the 2008 election was $218.79). Hope that helps.

Police, Councilors, UMBA Address After School Kid Crowds

BY  |  Thursday, Sep 29, 2011 8:53am  |  COMMENTS (42)

Participants in The Side Door play indoors and out, under the supervision of church and community volunteers.

After school in Montclair, especially on Fridays and nice weather days, count on between 150 and 200 unsupervised tweens and teens congregating in the Upper Montclair business districts, turning the areas around Valley Road and Bellevue Avenues and Watchung Plaza into a giant middle school roaming playdate. Kids from all three middle schools gravitate to these two areas, and for most, it’s a chance to socialize, grab a pizza or ice cream and have fun with friends. It’s also a situation that has been troubling merchants for the past decade, in part because the gatherings can create an unmanageable-sized crowd.

More serious than crowded sidewalks, was a recent after-school weapons arrest incident on Friday, September 16, involving a “five inch long silver-colored knife.” Both the victim and suspects were middle school-aged children. Earlier that same week, an 11-year-old boy (and his friend) were robbed by two adolescent boys in Watchung Plaza.

Gerry Tobin, president of the Upper Montclair Business Association (UMBA) and a former town council member, says the school system and town police haven’t responded properly to the threat posed by such a large group of unsupervised kids. “It’s more than just socializing. Someone could get hurt,” says Tobin. “They just keep letting the kids out of schools but don’t take action to prevent this problem. Parents need to step up, too.” Continue Reading

L’Shana Tova Baristaville!

Wednesday, Sep 28, 2011 5:15pm  |  COMMENTS (3)

Wishing L’Shana Tova and a Happy New Year to all of Baristaville celebrating Rosh Hashanah! For something sweet, read Bernadette Baum’s essay on the holiday and her wonderful honey cake recipe. Or if you’d rather groove, here’s Mama Doni. Here’s more about how the holiday is celebrated:
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Ina Denburg: Nature vs. Nutritionism’s False Hope

BY  |  Wednesday, Sep 28, 2011 3:45pm  |  COMMENTS (3)

How many times have you heard this question, “With all the scientific information we now know about nutrition, how come Americans are heavier and unhealthier now than ever before?” The answer is the same as it ever was: because we overeat, we eat a ton of crap food, and don’t sufficiently exercise. We know it and we’ve known it for a long time.

One of the “new” hopes to correct our misbegotten food habits (that’s been increasingly gaining ground over the past few decades) is what Michael Pollan has termed nutritionism – the science of qualifying foods based upon their reductionist component values such as fiber, vitamins, minerals, protein and fats. It starts with researchers examining foods for these qualities and how they affect our health. Then the government promulgates guidelines of how much of what we should eat to be healthy. (This gets updated every few years.) And finally food manufacturers and providers more than happily jump on the bandwagon to increase sales by boasting their products have this component and that health benefit. They even create new “foods” and drinks purposefully to feed us nutritional ingredients; think vitamin waters or Ensure – once for chemo patients, now for all of us who don’t have the time to make breakfast or eat lunch! Continue Reading

Montclair Crime: Loud Drunk Man Arrested On Lloyd Road

Wednesday, Sep 28, 2011 2:37pm  |  COMMENTS (0)

Man knocks on doors, yells and leaves. The latest crime from Lt. Scott Buehler:

Arrest

On 9/27/11 at approximately 10:50 AM, police responded to the area of a single-family residence on Lloyd Road on a report of a male who had knocked on the door. When the homeowner answered the door, the male began yelling and acting belligerently before leaving and walking south on Lloyd Road. Police located a male who matched the provided description and detained the individual, later identified as Kevin Doud. Doud was found to be in possession of an open container of vodka and had the odor of an alcoholic beverage on his breath.

Doud, 56, of Newark, was placed under arrest and charged with trespassing. He was also issued a summons for violating a township ordinance prohibiting the consumption of an alcoholic beverage in public. He was later released.

Burglary Attempt

On 9/27/11 at approximately 3:15 PM, police responded to a multi-family residence on Woodland Avenue on a report of a burglary attempt. The victim stated that sometime between 9:30 PM on the 26th and 8:00 AM on the 27th, someone had removed a lock to the front door of the residence. There were on the door near the door handle. It does not appear that the suspect was able to gain entry to the residence, as it had been additionally secured with a deadbolt lock, which did not appear to be damaged. There are no suspects at this time.

Anyone with further information is asked to contact Detective Sergeant Wil Young at 973-509-4719. Continue Reading

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