BY S.J.Streeter | Sunday, Jan 29, 2012 10:25am | COMMENTS (9)
See what you absorb when you walk/drive around Baristaville. Watch the slide show and you’ll see a hint, a bigger hint, and finally the answer. See if you can guess the town/place on the first shot (some are pretty easy — others a little more obscure):
BY Debbie Galant | Thursday, Jan 26, 2012 2:15pm | COMMENTS (28)
Baristaville drivers beware: Bloomfield may soon join the ranks of cities and towns across the country that are imposing fees on non-residents who have car accidents in their towns. Such fees are referred to as a “crash tax,” and they’re quite controversial.
In Bloomfield’s case, the town is considering sending a $100 bill to any non-resident motorists involved in an accident, to help defray police and, in the case of a cleanup, fire department expenses.
The idea was discussed at the council’s Monday night meeting. The town administrator and attorney are drafting an actual resolution to be considered Feb. 6.
BY Debbie Galant | Thursday, Jan 19, 2012 12:38pm | COMMENTS (19)
Sue Ann Penna, who won 33 percent of votes in her unsuccessful bid for Bloomfield’s 3rd Ward council seat last November and who founded the Essex County Tea Party Coalition, has started Citizens for Limited Government, an educational organization to promote the values of “Limited Government, Individual Rights and Free Markets.”
She is applying for non-profit 501(c)3 status for the organization, which she describes as non-partisan. She intends for it to have statewide reach.
Penna, who ran as a Republican last fall, describes herself as a lapsed Democrat and former staffer for Steve Adubato Jr., who has become a fiscal conservative. “I don’t push the social conservative issues,” she told us in a telephone interview today. “At the end of the day, people’s personal preferences and how they choose to live their lives is fine with me.” Continue Reading
BY Erica Dietsche | Saturday, Jan 14, 2012 8:00am | COMMENTS (0)
Out with the old, in with the new doesn’t apply to this weekend’s open house scene; of the 80 or so houses showing, nearly all are holdovers from last year. However, many of the listings boast something special. One house in Montclair has a (small) indoor pool, while a new Maplewood listing has a fantastic wraparound porch. The upper-end of the market is busier than recent weeks, with about seven houses priced at $1,000,000 and up. Condos are more plentiful than usual as well. Swimming pool, wraparound porch — what are the special features on your home wish list?
9 Lobell Ct., Bloomfield
List Price: $399,000
Taxes: $12,607
Acreage: n/a
4BR/4.1BA
Completely overhauled and expanded in 2007, this 10-room Colonial is nicely appointed, with a modern, open kitchen. The home is situated at the end of a cul-de-sac on an irregular lot. Central air and walk-in closets are among the attributes. An extra room could serve as an office or gym. Outdoors, there is a deck and patio. Finally, there is a finished basement and two car attached garage. Open house 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Continue Reading
BY Debbie Galant | Friday, Jan 13, 2012 10:54am | COMMENTS (48)
Bloomfield residents are being warned that their drinking water, which is supplied by Newark, exceeds the federal limits for trihalomethanes, chemical contaminants that are byproducts of chlorination. Some are carcinogenic.
The standard for trihalomethanes in drinking water is 80 ug/l. Bloomfield water averaged 83 ug/l in the third quarter and 86 ug/l in the fourth quarter.
The letter from the township suggested that the elderly, people with severely compromised immune systems and people with infants should seek medical advice.
The full letter follows. Continue Reading
BY Gwen Orel | Friday, Jan 13, 2012 8:46am | COMMENTS (28)
Thanks partly to a pending lawsuit with BMI (Broadcast Music, Inc) and partly to unrealized redevelopment plans for the surrounding area, Pianos Bar & Grill in Bloomfield will shut its doors at the end of this month. Melissa Hathaway, wife of owner Rick Hathaway, told Baristanet that the club is looking for a buyer. A “for lease” notice is posted here.
The club began its life as Hathaway’s Pub, shifting to the name Pianos in the summer of 2007. It has hosted dueling piano acts, open mic nights with live accompaniment, local theater and improv shows, including Lunatic Fringe, which will hold its last show there tomorrow night. Continue Reading
BY Mimi Michalski | Tuesday, Jan 03, 2012 10:10am | COMMENTS (7)
Councilmen Elias Chalet, Nick Joanow and Carlos Bernard were sworn in just after noon Monday in the Bloomfield Council chambers to begin their 3-year terms.Joanow had won reelection as 2nd ward council representative after fighting off a primary challenge in June. Chalet and Bernard were elected for the first time to represent the 1st and 3rd Wards, respectively. Continue Reading
BY Gwen Orel | Monday, Dec 19, 2011 3:26pm | COMMENTS (9)
Last week a helicopter was hovering over Montclair’s South End and Bloomfield searching for the perpetrators of a carjacking incident involving a man forced into a car against his will. The search and arrest involved Essex County K-9 units, Glen Ridge Police, Verona Police, New Jersey Transit Police and a New Jersey State Police helicopter. Today a police report confirms the story and provides details of the arrests. Three suspects, all of Newark, are now in custody. Two were chased down by police, and the third turned himself in the next day after he had been identified through police investigation. Here is the report:
On 12/15/11 at approximately 10:10 PM, police responded to the area of Sherman Street and Pine Street on a report of an individual being forced into a vehicle against his will. Upon arrival, police located the victim, a 39 year old Montclair male, who stated that he had just been carjacked. The victim told police that he had just arrived home and was parking his Nissan Maxima on Sherman Street when he was approached by three black males, each approximately twenty years old. Continue Reading
BY Erica Dietsche | Saturday, Dec 17, 2011 11:00am | COMMENTS (0)
Just over 30 houses are showing on what will likely be the last open house weekend of 2011. While the market is clearly getting ready to hibernate for the holidays, a few new listings are keeping things interesting. West Orange, Maplewood and South Orange are the most active this weekend. Just two houses are showing in Bloomfield and Millburn and only one is open in Montclair. Nothing is showing in Glen Ridge.
4 Curtis Terr., Montclair
List Price: $1,200,000
Taxes: $21,317
Acreage: 0.28 Acres
6BR/3.1BA
A new listing, this circa 1930 Tudor seamlessly combines old and new. Many improvements have been made to the 3,652-sq. ft. 11-room house, which has new wiring, plumbing and central air. Floors and tile have been redone. Chestnut woodwork and beamed ceilings remain. There is a lot of living space, especially on the first floor, which has a den and an office. The kitchen has a butler’s pantry and soapstone countertops. Four bedrooms (including the master) are on the second floor, while the third floor has two bedrooms and an original bathroom with a clawfoot tub. There is a finished basement and two car attached garage. Open house 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Continue Reading
Saturday, Dec 10, 2011 4:48pm | COMMENTS (1)
The Homeless Animal Adoption League (HAAL) will host a Reunion Day with Santa on Sunday, December 11, from noon to 4 p.m. at 56 Dodd Street, Bloomfield.
All HAAL alumni, as well as new friends, are invited to this event. Companion humans and their pets will have the opportunity to have their photo taken with Santa for $10 (frame included). All cats must be in carriers and all dogs must be on leashes.
If your pet is camera-shy, you can stop by with photos and stories to post on our wall.
