Concerned Citizens of Montclair: Transparency Now!

BY  |  Tuesday, Sep 27, 2011 11:37am  |  COMMENTS (17)

This is the latest installment in a series of opinion-editorials about the Montclair municipal government, by the Concerned Citizens of Montclair, sent out in an email to subscribers.

As you may have read in local news articles, it was reported that the Town Council recently stated they have a renewed sense of starting over, working as a team and a commitment to return to the more pressing items facing the town. To this end, CCM offered a few straight forward and easy to implement suggestions based on the Municipal Best Practices Checklist as completed by Montclair officials.

Please see full details from the forwarded message below. Continue Reading

Millburn Crime: Bike Theft, Louis Vuitton Belt Heist

Tuesday, Sep 27, 2011 11:33am  |  COMMENTS (0)

Stolen: three kids bicycles from the front yard and over three grand of designer belts. Here’s the latest in Millburn/Short Hills crime from Lt. Peter T. Eakley:

On 20 September 2011 an Andover Road resident reports that an unknown actor(s) stole three children bicycles from the front of his home between 1500-1815 hours / 3:00 PM and 6:15 PM .

On 22 September 2011 a Millburn Middle School student reported that he locked his bicycle up at the Millburn Middle School to attend class. Between the hours of 0730-1430 hours / 7:30 AM and 2:30 an unknown actor(s) cut the lock and stole the youth’s bicycle.

On 24 September 2011, Neiman Marcus located at the Mall at Short Hills, reports that an actor entered the store and was observed stealing over $3,630.00 in Louis Vuitton Belts. Neiman Marcus Store Loss Prevention reported to the police the suspect entered a Chevy Monte Carlo.

The Millburn Police Department saw a suspect vehicle leaving the Mall at Short Hills. The vehicle was stopped and the suspect was found. Further investigation by the Millburn Police Department resulted in two adults and one juvenile being arrested.

Philippe Benson, age 20, of Irvington, New Jersey, his brother Jonathan Benson, age 19, also of Irvington, and a 17-year old Maplewood Juvenile were all arrested and charged with several crimes including shoplifting. The juvenile was released to his parents and the two adults were processed and released pending their court hearings.

TMI? How Much Do You Share?

BY  |  Tuesday, Sep 27, 2011 10:26am  |  COMMENTS (7)

Jeff Jarvis, a media pundit, visionary, and advocate of hyperlocal, has come out with a brand new book and a new word. Publicness, which he defines as “the act or condition of sharing information, thoughts, or actions” is the subject of “Public Parts,” just out from Simon & Schuster, which argues that sharing information in the digital age is mostly a good thing.

It’s a tricky balance, as he acknowledges, in a culture that disdains show-offs but fawns on celebrities. Continue Reading

Hollow Day Care Center is Closed

BY  |  Tuesday, Sep 27, 2011 9:00am  |  COMMENTS (5)

A little more than a year ago, the Hollow Day Care Center in the Frog Hollow neighborhood of Montclair celebrated its 50th birthday with a benefit luncheon honoring founder Mother Lilly Margaret Walthall Connor. Yesterday, the building was locked up and the program officially closed. “I’m glad no one’s allowed in there,” said Mother Connor, 94, who has been embroiled in controversies with her board. “It wasn’t being run properly. It was too lax.”

The history of the day care center, which provided summer camp and after-school day care for needy students up to 12-years-old, is long and convoluted. Mother Connor says it started in 1960 when she opened up her own home on Valley Road, across the street from Tierney’s, to kids in the neighborhood. But its modern incarnation, in a house on Talbot Street with a large room attached to it, dates from the early 80′s. It was built with community block grants from Essex County on an abandoned building donated by the town.

Continue Reading

Art Appraisal Tomorrow at the Millburn Farmers Market

Monday, Sep 26, 2011 7:53pm  |  COMMENTS (0)

Do you have art work and wonder how much the appraised value would be? You can get your answer at the Millburn Farmers Market on Tuesday, September 27, from 10 am to noon. This complimentary appraisal will be performed by Steven Suskauer of David Gary Gallery at the Downtown Millburn tent. Please limit the number of art work to two pieces. Millburn Farmers Market is held every Tuesday from 8 am – 2 pm through October 25. For further information call Downtown Millburn at 973-379-2341.

Montclair Crime: Prescription Drug Arrests Near Two Schools

Monday, Sep 26, 2011 5:00pm  |  COMMENTS (0)

The latest Montclair crime includes precription drug arrests near the Deron and Bullock schools.
From Lt. Scott Buehler:

Vandalism to a Motor Vehicle

On 9/23/11 at approximately 3:00 PM, police received a report of vandalism to a motor vehicle that occurred on Erie Street. The victim told police that he parked his Ford pickup in a lot on the 16th at 4:30 PM. When he returned to the vehicle on the 19th at 8:00 AM, he discovered that rear window of the enclosed portion of the truck had been smashed and the wire grate behind the glass had been cut. It does not appear that entry was gained to the vehicle. There are no suspects at this time.

Drug Arrest

On 9/23/11 at approximately 5:00 PM, detectives were conducting an investigation in the area of the CVS parking lot on Claremont Avenue. During that time, detectives observed two males in a Honda Civic engage in a hand exchange consistent with a drug transaction. As detectives approached the vehicle, one of the males, identified as Ernest Williams II, exited the vehicle, reached into his pocket, and threw an undetermined number of pills to the wet ground. Detectives also approached the other occupant of the vehicle and discovered that the male, identified as Kyle Murray, had three Oxycodone pills in his hand. Williams and Murray were both placed under arrest. In addition, $75 was seized from Williams as suspected proceeds from drug dealing.

Williams, 20, of Montclair, was charged with distribution of prescription legend drugs, distribution of prescription legend drugs within one thousand feet of Deron School, and hindering apprehension. Bail was set at $50,000.

Murray, 24, of West Orange, was charged with unlawful possession of prescription legend drugs. Bail was set at $2,500. Anyone wishing to report drug activity is asked to contact 973-509-4720. Continue Reading

Leone’s on Kitchen Nightmares To Air Friday

BY  |  Monday, Sep 26, 2011 4:57pm  |  COMMENTS (10)

UPDATE: Fox corrected the town.
Leone’s in Montclair is scheduled to get its star turn on Kitchen Nightmares this Friday (9/30)– but Fox’s website for the show has transported Rose Leone and family to Springfield, MA for some odd reason. The mistake, which keeps getting repeated, may or may not be a good thing — depending on how hard Gordon Ramsay was on the South Park street red-sauce Italian. Sounds like he was pretty hard.

Montclair’s Favorite “Diner” Prepares to Open Its Doors

BY  |  Monday, Sep 26, 2011 3:45pm  |  COMMENTS (7)

“Four to five weeks, everything ready,” said Gus Makris, co-owner of the Montclair Char-Broil, located at 613 Valley Road.   Makris, along with Stavros Godevas, his partner and the diner’s co-owner, look forward to opening their restaurant after a fire in April 2011 closed down their business. 

In addition to introducing customers to a new name for the restaurant, “the Montclair Diner,” Makris and Godevas plan to introduce new menu items, including new “health salads,” wraps and lunch specials.  Customers will also find new blue and red booths and the restaurant walls painted red and white.  “American colors,” said Makris. Continue Reading

Montclair Real Estate: 07042 Saves The Day

BY  |  Monday, Sep 26, 2011 2:44pm  |  COMMENTS (17)

What’s keeping Montclair’s housing market looking, well, less depreciated? It’s not homes selling in the 07043 zip code. Nope — according to this New York Times article, we can thank Montclair’s Estate section in 07042 for keeping the overall average sales values up — at least according to Ken Baris, president of Jordan Baris Realty in West Orange. Baris states 42 homes that sold in the Estate section, sold at a median price of $1.218 million. The article, which compares Montclair, Millburn and West Orange, mentions folks discouraging the use of “Upper” for 07043 as divisive (oh, not that old chestnut again). Lots of interesting zip code talk from realtors on Trulia.

Here are two relatively new listings — one in Upper Montclair, the other in Estate Section.
Continue Reading

Let’s Yo Coming to Montclair

BY  |  Monday, Sep 26, 2011 1:44pm  |  COMMENTS (21)

Let’s Yo, a yogurt experience, is coming to Montclair, taking the former Color Story Home space on Valley Road near Bloomfield Ave. You can even go get yourself a breakfast frozen yogurt as their website shows opening hours at 8 a.m. Facebook fans are already talking a Red Mango rivalry. Check out the menu of flavors — Rocky Road looks interesting. We’ll keep you posted on an opening date. 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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