Thursday, October 31, 2013

POLICE OFFER HALLOWEEN SAFETY TIPS

From Maplewood Police:

Halloween Safety Tips
Halloween doesn’t have to be scary if you practice basic, common-sense safety. Fun times and happy memories can still be made if you follow a few simple steps. Tips for young and old to enjoy the holiday can be as easy to remember as:

- Hold a flashlight while trick-or-treating to help you see and others to see you.

- Avoid trick-or-treating alone. Walk with a group.

- Party safely. Don’t drink and drive. Get a ride home from a sober
friend or a taxi.

- Prepare for chilly weather while trick-or-treating by bringing a warm piece of clothing.

- Wear clothing that’s easy to see at night while trick-or-treating, like yellow or something light-colored or reflective.

- Have a cellphone with you while trick-or-treating, in case of emergency.

- Always keep a safe distance from candles or other fire sources. Dress in fire proof costumes or treated with a fire retardant.

- Look both ways before crossing any streets, especially if trick-or-treating at night
.
- Location. Know where you’ve parked or walked to avoid getting lost, especially if in an unfamiliar neighborhood. If your kids are going alone, know their route before they leave. Have them check in regularly by phone and give their current location.

- Obey all laws, good manners and curfews.

- Walk on sidewalks, wherever available. To avoid traffic accidents, do not run from house to house or dash into the street
.
- Eat only factory-wrapped treats from people you know and trust. Note the address from which each treat was received.

- Examine all treats for tampering, choking hazards and allergens.

- Never enter a stranger’s home or vehicle while trick-or-treating. Teach kids not to engage strangers if they go trick-or-treat alone.

Have an enjoyable time celebrating Halloween, but remember to still be cautious of your surroundings. If you see something, say something.


Address/Location Maplewood Police Department NJ
1618 Springfield Ave
Maplewood, NJ 07040
Contact
Emergency: 9-1-1

MAPLEWOOD LIBRARY HALLOWEEN FUN

From Maplewood Library's Twitter feed:

8m
Stop by the Main Library Children's Room today to make a pumpkin craft, and to say hi to our kitty librarian!

THE TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE HAUNTED HOUSE

A Township Committee Halloween 




MAPLEWOOD VILLAGE HALLOWEEN CELEBRATION

Maplewood Village's annual Halloween celebration is set for today from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Bring the costumed kids, of all ages, and get some village trick or treating before going out tonight.

The costume contest is from 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.

And in case you forgot how fun it can be, check out this video:




It's Halloween! from Catherine Stratton, 9beach Films on Vimeo.

Wednesday, October 30, 2013

FREE ADULT HEALTH SCREENING TODAY


10:30am

Medication, weight & health counseling
Blood Pressure Screening
Carotid Bruit Screening
Staffed by Maplewood Health Dept. Nurses. For an appointment, call the Maplewood Health Dept at (973) 762-8120 ext. 4300
Drop-ins are also welcome
10:30 – noon at Main Library

SCHOOL BOARD CANDIDATES FORUM TONIGHT

NO HALLOWEEN COSTUMES AT MMS

A reminder from the Maplewood Middle School principal:

Dear Maplewood Middle School Community Member,
During our morning broadcasts this week students will be reminded of our policy regarding wearing Halloween costumes at school.  While we appreciate the excitement and fun associated with Halloween, we believe that the best way to maintain our focus on learning is for middle school students to refrain from wearing costumes during school hours.  Please remind your child that Halloween costumes are not permitted to be worn at school.  
Sincerely,
Jeffrey L. Truppo
Principal
Maplewood Middle School

Tuesday, October 29, 2013

POLICE CATCH BURGLARS FROM TWO INCIDENTS

From Maplewood Police today:



October 21, 2013: Burglary; At approximately 930 AM, officers responded to a residential alarm on Park Ave and found an unlocked door.  Officers were already in the area looking for a male reported as being suspicious by a resident.  On Springfield Ave, Officer Brian Rodrigues observed a male fitting the description given by the caller and stopped the male.  He was found to be in possession of CDS paraphernalia, electronics from the home on Park Ave and had multiple open warrants for his arrest. He was identified as 29 year old Justin Sokoloski of
Phillipsburg. He was taken into custody and charged with the paraphernalia and burglary. He was later remanded to the county jail.

October 23, 2013: Burglary; During the afternoon hours a home on Van Ness Terr
was entered and electronics were removed.  Later on October 26th a vehicle was
also stolen from the same residence.  This vehicle was recovered in East Orange
occupied by two adult and two juvenile males.  After a follow up investigation
by Detectives, 19 year old Khalid Underwood of Linden was charged with burglary,
theft and receiving stolen property.


In other cop news:

October 25, 2013: Attempt Burglary; At approximately 1 AM, a resident of
Franklin Terr observed a male on their porch attempting to lift the window
screen.  The male was scared off and fled the area.

October 26, 2013: Stolen Car Radio; During the overnight hours a car parked in
the driveway of a Prospect St residence had it’s radio removed.

October 26, 2013: Stolen Vehicle; During the overnight hours a Jeep Cherokee was
stolen from a residence on Maplewood Ave.





PAJAMA STORYTIME TONIGHT

7:00pm
Pajama Storytime
Ages 2 - 10 * Drop In

Hilton Branch
All children must be
accompanied by an adult.






VATICAN II LECTURE AT ST. JOE'S





7:00pm  

All are invited to an interactive informative evening with Fr. Tom Dente, Director of the Office of Divine Worship for the Archdiocese of Newark. Rather than just giving a talk about the liturgical changes of Vatican II, join Fr. Tom as he uses the space and furnishings of the church to explain how the liturgy has changed and why.

St. Joseph's Church, Prospect St.

CONSTRUCTION WORKERS SMOKING ON MMS SCHOOL GROUNDS - BREAKING RULES

Several students and parents have complained that construction workers on site at Maplewood Middle School have been smoking, with the smoke often wafting into school classroom windows and doors.

This would seem to break the clear rules about no smoking on school grounds.

Asked about the issue monday, Superintendent of Schools Brian Osborne sent this email:

The issue was handled about a month ago.  Some of the masons were smoking, two parents did call and complain, as did some teachers near the construction site.  The principal went outside when the teachers reported the smoking, and we communicated with the supervisor.  The teachers near the site know to inform the principal if they smell smoke, and if anyone witnesses any reoccurrence, we would appreciate it being reported to the MMS office.

Monday, October 28, 2013

JAZZ NIGHT AT THE PARKWOOD DINER




Monday , October 28, from 7 - 8:30 PM, The Well Fed Trio continues its run at the Parkwood Diner in Maplewood. Joel Perry, John Straus, and Ron Naspo play jazz, blues, and music you can use. Musical guests surprise and delight , too.
Jim Buchanan continues to get stronger at his house in Maplewood, and we expect him back soon.

JUST CALL MAYOR DE LUCA THE GAY WEDDING PARSON

We reported last Friday that some 23 same-sex marriage licenses had been issued from Maplewood Town Hall during the first week of legalized gay marriage in New Jersey.

But now comes word from the township that Mayor Vic De Luca performed more than half of them:

Breaking News

Posted on: October 28, 2013

Maplewood officiates same-sex marriages.

Mayor De Luca officiated more than a dozen same-sex marriages over the course of the week of October 21, 2013. Overall, Maplewood, issued 23 marriage applications from same-sex couples in the first week of their vows becoming legal.

See our interview with De Luca about why he is such a strong proponent of gay marriage HERE.

LAST FARMER'S MARKET TODAY

From the Township:

Maplewood Farmers Market ends on Monday 10/28

The Maplewood Farmers Market will conclude the 2013 season this upcoming Monday, October 28, 2013.
The market will be open from 2 PM to 7 PM. Stop by and pick up your locally grown produce before the end of the season.
In 2014, the Maplewood Farmers Market will celebrate it's 20th Anniversary!

GREEN DRINKS TONIGHT

GREEN DRINKS:  

7:00 PM
1978 Arts Center
1978 Springfield Avenue, Maplewood NJ  07040

This month's speaker is John Nettleton, who will speak to us about greening our schools.  
John Nettleton is a city planner and consultant in sustainable development.  He recently worked as part of an instruction team from CUNY's Building Performance Lab and trained custodial engineers in NYC schools (one per school, total 1205) - in sustainable/energy efficient building operation. A long-time South Orange resident, he's a founding member of its Energy Policy Committee.
The Maplewood Green Team is proud to bring this tradition to you. At these events, held periodically, you will meet many members of our community, both those actively involved in our green initiatives and those just finding out more. It's a great opportunity to make new friends, to learn all the latest environmental information, and to help make a difference in our town. $5 fee.  Everyone is welcome, ask your friends and spread the word!  
Please RSVP to  greendrinks@maplewoodisgreen.org.  

Sunday, October 27, 2013

Saturday, October 26, 2013

BIG SCHOOL YARD SALE TODAY


CHS FOOTBALL LOSES A TOUGH ONE IN THE COLD

Alternative Press reports:

MAPLEWOOD, NJ- The West Orange football team improved to 6-1, as they cruised past Columbia, 34-6, on a bitter cold night at Underhill Field.
The Mountaineers offensive attack was driven by dual-threat senior quarterback Jahir Blanton, who threw for two touchdowns as well as running in for one more. Blanton and fellow senior McDerby Ceneus, who had rushing scores of 14- and 55-yards, accounted for all five of the West Orange touchdowns. 
The Mountaineer offense was pass-heavy throughout the game which also resulted in two interceptions for Blanton. Both C.J. Ibezim and Eriq Royal had interceptions for the Cougars.
Columbia’s night was once again defined by missed opportunities and costly turnovers. Their first two offensive possessions both resulted in lost fumbles, the second of which West Orange was able to capitalize on for a touchdown. 
Unlike the Mountaineers, the Cougars could not produce any points off of their takeaways.   
The Cougars were without usual starting quarterback Jimmy Martinez, who was out with an injury. Junior Eli Rivera got the start in his place and was able to find receiver C.J. Ibezim for a 23-yard touchdown pass early in the fourth quarter. It was Rivera’s first touchdown pass on the year and also snapped a 10-quarter scoring drought for the Cougars dating back to an Oct. 11 matchup against East Orange.

DRUG TURN IN DAY TODAY

Got Drugs???
  Turn in your unused or expired medication for safe disposal from 10:00 AM to 2:00 PM at the Maplewood Police and Court Building located at 1618 Springfield Avenue, Maplewood NJ.

Friday, October 25, 2013

NEARLY TWO DOZEN SAME-SEX MARRIAGE LICENSES ISSUED

If you were wondering if the recent same-sex marriage court ruling would spark action in Maplewood, the answer is yes.

In the past week since the township began issuing same-sex marriage licenses last Friday, at least 23 couples have applied for the coveted documents, according to Township Clerk Liz Fritzen.

Here's to more healthy and happy.

THE MILTON SCHOOL ISSUE

PATCH has been posting some great clips from the last township committee candidates forum.

One of note is asking the three candidates how they would handle trouble surrounding The Milton School, which is the former St. Joseph's School next to St. Joseph's Church, an issue that has not gotten a lot of attention.

See it HERE.

CUPCAKE CORRAL IS NOW CEDAR RIDGE

If you wondered what became of the Cupcake Corral over at Ridgewood and Cedar, it is now the Cedar Ridge Cafe.

We stopped by the great former bakery, which still has cupcakes, but now a lot more.

Check them out HERE.

CIVIC ENGAGEMENT TOMORROW

Civic Engagement Institute

Saturday, October 26


Don't miss the opportunity for free:
-Personality profile & analysis by licensed psychologist.
-Time & productivity management with a professional organizer.
-Group dynamics training from a seasoned college professor.
-Overview of both town governments by town officials.

These valuable skills will be shared in exchange for participants volunteering with South Orange or Maplewood organizations of their choice.



Date:
October 26
Time:
9:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Location:
DeHart Community Center
Address:
120 Burnett Ave.
Maplewood, NJ 07040
Contact:
973-761-6116

Thursday, October 24, 2013

POLICE CALLED TO BUS FIGHT

....Scanner reports police responding to a fight aboard a NJ Transit bus at Springfield and Chancellor avenues...Woman victim of pepper spray...

SCHOOL CAPITAL PLAN FORUM TONIGHT




The Board of Education will host a community forum to discuss Capital Plans and the Columbia High School facility renewal, including the future of the CHS swimming program:
Thursday, October 24, 2013
7:30 pm
Columbia High School Library
The Board particularly seeks community input on the decision to build a swimming pool addition or to eliminate swimming from the physical education program. 
The forum will allow time for community members to make comments, followed by Board of Education discussion. 
Comments can also be sent to capitalplan@somsd.k12.nj.us.  The comments sent to this email will be shared with all Board of Education members to inform their discussions.
More information about the Capital Plans is available on the district website.

MILTON SCHOOL CALLS POLICE ON STUDENTS

...Scanner reports police called to The Milton School on Franklin Street, next to St. Joseph's Church, on reports of two students being unruly...

BIG LIBRARY EVENTS DAY


Check out what is going on, click each event for details

ORANGE MAN ARRESTED IN MAPLEWOOD MAN'S MURDER

The Star-Ledger reports:

ORANGE — An 18-year-old Orange man was arrested and charged in the shooting death of a Maplewood man earlier this month, prosecutors said.

Raquan Laney was arrested this morning and charged with murder in the fatal shooting of 23-year-old Marving Dauphin, said Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn Murray.

Dauphin was gunned down in the 400 block of Laurel Street in Orange on Oct. 1, Murray said. She did not offer a motive.

Laney is being held at the Essex County jail in lieu of $750,000, according to Murray, who did not say when the teen will appear in court.

Wednesday, October 23, 2013

MAPLECREST PARK TO GET SECURITY CAMERAS

PATCH reported from last week's TC meeting:

The Maplewood Township Committee voted to install new security cameras at Maplecrest Park, at the behest of residents after a park shooting incident.
The Township Committee voted 4-0 in favor of installing three cameras at $5,000 each to be paid through the Open Space Trust Fund to increase security at the park.
Mayor Victor De Luca, Deputy Mayor Kathleen M. Leventhal and Committee members India Larrier and Gerard Ryan all voted in favor. Committeeman Marlon K. Brownlee was unable to attend the meeting.
The cameras are in response to an August incident in which a man fired a handgun into a crowded Maplecrest Park.

FLU SHOTS AT TOWN HALL TODAY

10:00 AM to 12:00 noon
 

Maplewood Town Hall - 574 Valley Street
ADULTS- 18 years of age and older
Pregnant women must bring a note from their doctor.
MEDICARE PART B will be accepted. MUST BRING MEDICARE CARD.
ALL OTHERS- $20.00 


**You should not take a flu shot if you are allergic to eggs, egg protein, thimerosal (mercury) or are presently ill. Please consult your doctor.**
Any questions: Call Maplewood Health Department at 973-762-8120, ext. 4400 or 4300.

Tuesday, October 22, 2013

TEEN ROBBERY AND BURGLARIES LEAD POLICE WEEK

From Maplewood Police today:



October 15, 2013: Robbery; At approximately 830 PM a 16 year old juvenile male was walking home on Tuscan Rd and was approached by a group of juvenile males. 
He was struck with an unknown object and knocked to the ground before having his backpack and cell phone taken.

October 15, 2013: Burglary; During the daytime hours, entry was forced to a home
on Menzel Ave and a bicycle stolen.

October 15, 2013: Burglary; During the daytime hours, a home on South Pierson Rd was entered and a Ipad and jewelry were stolen.

October 17, 2013: Burglary; Between 830 AM and 10 AM a home on Oakview Ave was entered and an Ipad was stolen.

October 18, 2013: Burglary; During the daytime hours, entry was made to a home
on Irvington Ave and laptop and cash were stolen.

October 18, 2013: Stolen Vehicle; Two Dodge Caravans were reported as being
stolen from 50 Burnett Ave during the overnight hours.  Both were recovered the
same day.

October 20, 2013; Stolen Vehicle; Sometime around midnight a Jeep Cherokee was
stolen from a residence on Valley St.