Email Cites More Concerns About Assisted Living Facility in Montclair

Wednesday, May 23, 2012 4:00pm  |  COMMENTS (10)

Martin Schwartz forwards an email detailing “potentially troubling fiscal issues” that might arise for the township if an assisted living facility (ALF) comes to downtown Montclair. Says Schwartz, of concerns raised below by in an email by candidate Lee Ann Carlson, “Some of these concerns were identified over the past few weeks but were not fully considered by the current council.”

Here is the text of Carlson’s email detailing those concerns that has been circulating as part of an ongoing ALF conversation between members of the elected Montclair 20102 team, as well as candidates from Real Progress Montclair, mayoral candidate Harvey Susswein and develop Dick Grabowsky. Continue Reading

Three-Car Crash at Bloomfield and Pine

BY  |  Wednesday, May 23, 2012 2:00pm  |  COMMENTS (5)

A tipster sent us this photo of an accident that occurred this afternoon at the corner of Bloomfield Avenue and Pine, just across from Panera and Smashburger.  At least one victim was taken away by ambulance. This corner has been the scene of several accidents lately.

Earl Slick in Car That Bursts into Flames

BY  |  Wednesday, May 23, 2012 1:12pm  |  COMMENTS (7)

We received an alert from Breaking News Network about a car fire on Harrison Road this Saturday. According to the Montclair Times, it turns out rocker Earl Slick was in the vintage car that was destroyed by fire, after performing in a School of Rock tribute show called “The British Invasion” at Just Jake’s in Montclair.  Luckily, no was was hurt.

Wynona’s House Hosts Fundraiser

Wednesday, May 23, 2012 12:30pm  |  COMMENTS (0)

Wynona’s House, an child advocacy center in Newark, will host its 4th Annual Steel Magnolia Awards Benefit on June 7 from 6 p.m. – 10 p.m, at McLoone’s Boat House.

Wynona’s House promotes justice and healing for child victims of abuse and violence by coordinating investigation, prosecution, treatment, and prevention service for Essex County children and families. This year, they will honor Hedge Funds Care and Prevent Child Abuse New Jersey.

Hedge Funds Care is an international charity, supported largely by the hedge fund industry, whose sole mission is preventing and treating child abuse. It has two goals: to raise as much money as possible to fund the programs that do the preventing and treating and to showcase the philanthropy of the hedge fund industry. Prevent Child Abuse New Jersey is a nonprofit organization working to end child abuse. Their mission is to prevent child abuse in all of its forms, for all of New Jersey’s children.

Tickets are $100 per person, and can be purchased by calling (973) 753‐1110 or emailing receptionist@wynonashouse.org. Business attire requested. For more information or to donate, visit the website.

Plofker Co. Buys Montclair’s Former Luna Stage Prop

BY ,  |  Wednesday, May 23, 2012 11:21am  |  COMMENTS (6)

A company developer that Steve Plofker is involved with has bought the former Luna Stage building at 695 Bloomfield Ave in Montclair. Plofker tells Baristanet that the plan is to renovate the building and transform it into a contemporary retail and office space. The office space (which will be located upstairs) is in demand, says Plofker, because he doesn’t have a single vacancy for office space in his other properties. No word yet on what the downstairs retail space might house, but Plofker expects it will be another ratable for the town.

Have You Seen Pikachu?

Wednesday, May 23, 2012 10:04am  |  COMMENTS (1)

A reader writes than on May 15, his yellow and grey cockatiel, Pikachu, flew away from his house on Christopher Street in Montclair. Pikachu responds to his name when called and is very friendly. If you’ve seen Pikachu, please contact pets@baristanet.com.

Poll: How Will You Spend Memorial Day Weekend?

BY  |  Wednesday, May 23, 2012 9:00am  |  COMMENTS (6)

The holiday weekend is fast approaching, and Baristanet is wondering how readers plan to mark the occasion.

Monday will bring the time-honored tradition of parades.  We wrote about Bloomfield’s here last week. Glen Ridge has a traditional Memorial Day Parade that starts down Ridgewood Avenue at 11 a.m., followed by a Service of Remembrance at the Ridgewood Avenue School and then a festive town picnic. For details, click here.

Maplewood has a big parade as well as a famed Rubber Duck Race, where people “sponsor” rubber ducks that are dumped in the river in a slow float toward the finish line. Continue Reading

Council Passes Budget, with Applause and Relief

BY  |  Wednesday, May 23, 2012 9:00am  |  COMMENTS (25)

The Montclair Township Council

The outgoing 2008-12 Montclair Township Council passed a budget last night without any of the drama or special meetings for a vote that marred the process in 2011. The passage of the budget, with expenditures of over $74.9 million, was met with applause and relief by the very council  that passed it.

Fourth Ward Councilor Renée Baskerville managed to amend the budget slightly before the final vote, successfully getting the council to agree to adding spending for the Summer Youth Employment Initiative through the township’s recreation department.

The amendment, which passed with First Ward Councilor Rich Murnick, Second Ward Councilor Cary Africk, and Mayor Jerry Fried voting against it, sets aside $15,500 for the recreation department for twenty summer jobs for teenagers to be hired through the Montclair Neighborhood Development Corporation (MNDC) to work in public works jobs and helping senior citizens, among other things, plus a partnership with Montclair Emergency Services for the Homeless to participate in gardening activities. MNDC is to administer the program, with the township keeping watch over it. Continue Reading

Watsessing Heights Neighborhood Association Meets on May 23

BY  |  Tuesday, May 22, 2012 6:04pm  |  COMMENTS (0)

The Watsessing Heights Neighborhood Association (WHNA) will meet on Wednesday evening at 7:30 p.m. at the Bloomfield Civic Center at 84 Broad Street.

Continue Reading

Yellow Tape Added to Deteriorating Bloomfield Station

BY  |  Tuesday, May 22, 2012 5:00pm  |  COMMENTS (33)

Charlie Spademan drove by the Bloomfield Train Station the other day, and noticed that the chain supporting the awning on the right side had detached from the building, and that it was now “torquing down on the right side.” Continue Reading

Featured Comment

I'll be visiting two cemeteries to pay tribute to two men with whom I served in Nam, and I'm really surprised the Baristas didn't include such a visitation as something specific to do this coming weekend. Since such remembrance is traditionally the true purpose of Memorial (or "Decoration") Day.

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