BY Cary Africk | Wednesday, Feb 22, 2012 12:00pm | COMMENTS (2)
The following is reprinted with permission from the Montclair Watercooler.
From Wikipedia:
“Because the density of pure ice is about 920 kg/m³, and that of sea water about 1025 kg/m³, typically only one-ninth of the volume of an iceberg is above water. The shape of the underwater portion can be difficult to judge by looking at the portion above the surface.”
Building houses on Wildwood is the tip of the iceberg. Continue Reading
Wednesday, Feb 22, 2012 11:19am | COMMENTS (0)
The following information is from Lt. Scott Buehler.
Burglary
       On 2/21/12 at approximately 10:10 PM, police responded to a single-family residence on Lloyd Road on a report of a burglary. The caller told police that the suspect had entered the residence while she was upstairs watching television on that date between 7:15 PM and 8:15 PM. During this time, the victim heard an alarm in the house chime, but mistakenly assumed that it was a family member entering the residence.
At approximately 9:45 PM, a family member returned and noticed that an Apple Mac Book Pro, valued at approximately $2,500, and a coin jar containing approximately $200, had been stolen from the kitchen. It is believed that the suspect gained entry through an unlocked kitchen door. There are no suspects at this time.
Anyone with further information is asked to contact the Detective Bureau at 973-509-7543. Continue Reading
BY Steven Maginnis | Wednesday, Feb 22, 2012 10:34am | COMMENTS (6)
Steve Rubinstein of Realty Appraising
Last night’s Township Council meeting began with a presentation by Steve Rubenstein of the Realty Appraisal Company to explain the recent re-assessment of property values.  Rubenstein said that all of the data from the 2006 revaluations were taken into account, as well as recent sales, listings, and tax appeals of properties between January 2011 and October 2011 to gauge real estate trends.
Realty Appraisal found that the taxable ratable base in Montclair was down from $7 billion before the re-assessment to $5.7 billion, with the tax burden shifting slightly to commercial and apartment buildings.  The impact in the decline of property values, Rubenstein, was mostly on larger houses and smaller, cheaper properties.
“In terms of where the tax rate actually falls, that’s going to be based  on the decision the council makes concerning the budget,” Township Manager Marc Dashield said. “They’re really two separate issues.  One is, [what are the] assessed values, the other is, what we’re going to decide here, and also at the Board of Ed, in terms of increases of taxes.  It’s important that we really don’t mix the two.” Continue Reading
BY Katherine Milsop | Wednesday, Feb 22, 2012 9:00am | COMMENTS (2)
Gov. Chris Christie may have vetoed the same-sex marriage bill on Friday, but last night at 7:30 p.m., locals gathered at the Unitarian Universalist Church in Montclair to proclaim their support for equal rights through song, chants and a candlelit march down Church Street.
Rev. Charlie Ortman organized the rally, along with Rev. Judy Tomlinson. About 40 people attended, many of whom are members of the congregation. Also present were members of local Jewish temples, and the Quaker Society of Friends. Continue Reading
BY Debbie Galant | Tuesday, Feb 21, 2012 4:25pm | COMMENTS (23)
UPDATE: We have a winner, Tara Munn. Thanks everybody for playing, and consider supporting Jazz House Kids by buying tickets to the event.
Montclair’s Jazz House Kids wants to spread the word about its cool programs and the fundraisers going on this week to support them. So it’s asked us to give away two tickets (value $200) to its Body and Soul wine-tasting event on Friday night at Brassworks, 105 Grove Street, Montclair, from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Continue Reading
BY Debbie Galant | Tuesday, Feb 21, 2012 4:01pm | COMMENTS (8)
You shouldn’t covet your neighbor’s tax reassessment, but then if it’s out there in black and white, you might not be able to help it. So if you’re the owner of 88 Undercliff Road in Montclair, whose assessed property value went down 24 percent in the latest reassessment, you might be a little envious of your neighbor at 126 Undercliff, whose assessment plummeted 34 percent.
BY Debbie Galant | Tuesday, Feb 21, 2012 2:30pm | COMMENTS (2)
It’s no big deal to be an author in Baristaville, but most of who churn out books do it the way we churn out children: producing two or three at tops.
Not Pamela Redmond Satran, who’s got 18 book credits to her name, including one that releases today, “The Possibility of You” (Gallery Books, $13.50), and available now at Watchung Booksellers. Continue Reading
BY Daniel Kaskel | Tuesday, Feb 21, 2012 1:00pm | COMMENTS (0)
Millburn Township will always be home to my family. We moved to Florida in 1999 from Short Hills, but have kept in touch with many close friends and family in Millburn and Short Hills these past 13 years. In 1994 I ran for Millburn Township Committee – as a Democrat. (Running for Township Committee in 1994 as a Democrat truly reflects the love I had for the Township.) I also had the pleasure of practicing law for several years at a firm in Short Hills. While living in first Millburn and then Short Hills, my family never missed a Forth of July celebration or Halloween parade.
It is with profound sadness that I learned last week that the Millburn Zoning Board denied the Chai Center’s application for a variance very early this morning. Rabbi and Mrs. Bogomilsky became a much welcomed, valuable asset to the Township long before I moved to Florida. Their struggle to establish a Jewish institution within the Township has been made unduly troublesome and difficult, and has become needlessly costly for both the Chai Center and the Township. This is unfortunate. Continue Reading
Tuesday, Feb 21, 2012 12:20pm | COMMENTS (0)
Bloomfield Police have arrested Darren Lewis of Carteret on charges of robbery, burglary, criminal restraint, theft and conspiracy in relation to a home invasion on Bolten Place last Tuesday. Several Bloomfield schools were shut down while police were searching for suspects. The case is still open with “additional arrests of suspects anticipated,” according to police.
Here is the complete Bloomfield blotter for the week. Continue Reading
Tuesday, Feb 21, 2012 11:36am | COMMENTS (1)
The latest police blotter for Montclair includes several drug arrests and a possible luring attempt on Rosedale Ave.
Arrest
On 2/11/12 at approximately 9:10 PM, detectives were conducting an investigation on Gates Avenue when they observed an individual identified as Daniel Ruizmolina exiting a Honda. Detectives were aware that Ruizmolina had warrants for his arrest and took him into custody. Ruizmolina was found to be in possession of four zip-lock bags containing marijuana.
Further actions led detectives to a Gates Avenue apartment, where detectives located a three-foot tall marijuana plant under a heat lamp. In addition, detectives recovered four zip-lock bags of cocaine, four Ecstasy pills, a plastic bag containing marijuana, materials used to package drugs for distribution, and a digital scale. Detectives also seized over $3,200 that was believed to be proceeds of drug distribution.
Ruizmolina, 24, of Montclair, was charged with possession of cocaine, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute, possession of cocaine with intent to distribute within one thousand feet of Bullock School, possession of Ecstasy, possession of Ecstasy with intent to distribute, possession of Ecstasy with intent to distribute within one thousand feet of Bullock School, manufacture of marijuana, possession of marijuana, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute, possession of marijuana with intent to distribute within one thousand feet of Bullock School, and possession of drug paraphernalia. Ruizmolina was issued a motor vehicle summons for possession of a controlled dangerous substance in a motor vehicle. He was also found to have warrants issued by Haledon, with bail set at $409, and Newark, with bail set at $200. Bail was set at $75,000.
Anyone wishing to report drug activity is asked to call 973-509-4720.
