Maplewoodian.com: January 2014

Friday, January 31, 2014

POST OFFICE REDEVELOPMENT MEETING VIDEO POSTED

The Township has posted the video from Thursday night's informational meeting about the proposed Maplewood Village Post Office redevelopment project plan.

The video also inclues Mayor Vic De Luca giving a step by step explanation of how the TC chose L & M Developers.

See it below:

UPDATE - CARJACKING IN MILLBURN HEADING TO MAPLEWOOD

UPDATE...Vehicle now believed to have been used in an armed robbery of a gas station East Orange....

...Scanner indicates police following a carjacking that began in Millburn near Lackawana pl. and Essex, now traveling down Millburn Ave. into Maplewood,...reportedly taken with a handgun...silver Mercedes Benz.....damage to the rear bumper.....New York Yankee plates

NJTV REVIEWS PATCH MASS LAYOFF WITH TWO MAPLEWOODIANS

NJTV last night gave a good look at PATCH's layoff announcement and its pathetically cold conference call to tell workers they lost their jobs.

The former PATCH employee panel on the show also included two Maplewood residents, Mary Mann, now at NJ News Commons, and Dave Chmiel, a former PATCH edior.

See below:

PATCH HIT WITH BIG LAYOFFS

PATCH, which has had a solid presence in Maplewood since it launched years ago, is laying off most of its New Jersey staff, according to reports.

The bad news came down via a very cold conference call with employees, which you can hear HERE.

It is unclear how this will affect Maplewood PATCH as its editor, Eric Goodman, has yet to respond to an inquiry.

You can always tune in here for the latest Maplewood news either way.

MAPLEWOOD MAN GUILTY IN SOUTH JERSEY CONSTRUCTION SCAM

From Philly.com:

Two men pleaded guilty Thursday to unlawfully removing asbestos from the former Zurbrugg Memorial Hospital in Riverside, operating without a license, and putting untrained workers at risk.

Frank J. Rizzo, 55, of Parlin, N.J., pleaded guilty to second-degree conspiracy before Superior Court Judge James W. Palmer Jr. in Burlington County, according to the state Attorney General's Office. The state will recommend three years in prison.

Michael Kouvaras, 61, of Maplewood, N.J., pleaded guilty to third-degree violation of the Asbestos Control and Licensing Act. The state will recommend that he be sentenced to 364 days in jail as a condition for probation.

Two men pleaded guilty Thursday to unlawfully removing asbestos from the former Zurbrugg Memorial Hospital in Riverside, operating without a license, and putting untrained workers at risk.
Frank J. Rizzo, 55, of Parlin, N.J., pleaded guilty to second-degree conspiracy before Superior Court Judge James W. Palmer Jr. in Burlington County, according to the state Attorney General's Office. The state will recommend three years in prison.
Michael Kouvaras, 61, of Maplewood, N.J., pleaded guilty to third-degree violation of the Asbestos Control and Licensing Act. The state will recommend that he be sentenced to 364 days in jail as a condition for probation.

Read more at http://www.philly.com/philly/news/local/20140131_2_plead_guilty_to_illegal_asbestos_removal.html#1HizAixgeHG0KSEr.99

Read the rest HERE.

GIGI'S SUPER BOWL CUPCAKES?

Email
cupcakes@gigiscupcakes.com
Phone Number
(973) 763-8986
Fax Number
(908) 301-1997
Store Address
1925 Springfield Avenue
Maplewood, NJ 07040
- See more at: http://www.gigiscupcakes.com/contact/#sthash.qA1RdquG.dpuf

Gigi's Cupcakes, 1925 Springfield Ave. Maplewood www.gigiscupcakes.com

Thursday, January 30, 2014

TECH ZONE FOR TEENS TODAY

Main Library 3:30-6:00 pm
Join us in Memorial Hall to play Wii, Playstation 2, use laptops or just hang out. Tech Zone is run through a partnership between YouthNet and the Maplewood Library.

POST OFFICE REDEVELOPMENT PLAN MEETING TONIGHT

Expect another night of concern and questions tonight as the Township holds an informational meeting for residents on the proposed Maplewood Village Post Office redevelopment plan.

As the township announced:

The Township of Maplewood is sponsoring a public meeting on Thursday, January 30, 2014 at 7:30PM at the Maplewood Municipal Building to introduce the development team that has been selected for the redevelopment of the Maplewood Post Office site.

The development team will present information about the redevelopment of the site. The development team and public officials will answer questions. The meeting will be broadcast on Fios Channel 24 and Comcast Channel 35. A phone number will be announced during the meeting to allow television viewers to submit questions.
This meeting is to share information and answer questions from the public. No official actions will be taken.

The development has raised concerns because many feel the TC rushed to approve the choice of L & M Developers after receiving interest from eight companies and eliminating others without more public meetings and disclosure of other options.

See the background, plans and an artist's rendering of the proposed structure HERE.

ANOTHER NJ TRANSIT DELAY THIS WEEK

In a bad week for NJ Transit delays, yet another alert this morning:

Jan 30, 2014 07:36:55 AM
NEC, NJCL and MTD Trains are subject to 15 - 20 minute delays in and out NYPS due to earlier Portal bridge opening.

HEATING BILL GRANT AVAILABLE

From the Township:

PSE&G Advises New Grant Available to Help Moderate-Income Customers Pay Heating Bills

A new payment assistance grant is available to help moderate-income households pay their heating bills during this brutally cold winter. This can help families who are behind on their bills yet don’t qualify for other programs.

PSE&G wants customers to know that a new grant is available to help moderate-income customers who are behind with their PSE&G bill.
The New Jersey Board of Public Utilities (BPU) provided funding this year to the Affordable Housing Alliance (AHA) for the new grant known as Payment Assistance Gas and Electric (PAGE). The grant is intended for low- to moderate-income New Jersey residents who are struggling to pay their electric and natural gas bills.
To be eligible for a PAGE grant, customers must:
-Have a PSE&G bill that is currently past due.
-Have made at least two payments of $25 or more in the last six months. At least one of those payments was made in the past 30 days, or a $100 good faith payment was made in the last 90 days.
-Have not received assistance from Low Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP) in the current heating season, or have received a Universal Service Fund (USF) benefit within the past six months.
The PAGE grant application is the same application as the Temporary Relief for Utility Expenses (TRUE), also administered by the AHA. Customers may benefit from both programs in one year, providing up to $2,900 in combined assistance. For more information or to apply online, visit pseg.com/help or call 1.855.465.8783.
Other programs are now accepting applications for the 2014 heating season.
Low Income PSE&G customers who meet the guidelines for LIHEAP may be eligible to receive an average of $300 toward their utility bill. Individuals and families may now apply; applications will be accepted until April 30. Homeowners as well as tenants are eligible and should apply.
To receive LIHEAP assistance, customers must pay their heating costs directly, pay their landlord according to their usage, or have their heating included in their rent. Income guidelines also apply. To be eligible for LIHEAP benefits, the applicant’s household gross income must be at or below 200 percent of the federal poverty level. That means a family of four making $3,925 or less per month may be eligible.
Customers who apply for LIHEAP are automatically screened for the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities’ Universal Service Fund (USF). This program can lower the amount you have to pay for your gas and electric bills. Applications are accepted all year. Customers must reapply each year to continue receiving benefits.
To find out about programs to help to pay your PSE&G bill, visit www.pseg.com/help or call 1-800-510-3102. Most program applications can be downloaded from the website and are available at the PSE&G’s 16 walk-in Customer Service Centers listed on your bill. Customers can also apply online for the PAGE Grant, TRUE Grant and NJ SHARES.

Wednesday, January 29, 2014

ALBUM RELEASE PARTY FOR OUR ROCK OPERA STAR

Maplewood's own Alexander Kariotis will meet and greet you and let you se hsi latest work.

TWO STRANDED TRAINS SPARK MORNING DELAYS

Were you or someone you know on the two NJ Transit trains that were stranded in the past 24 hours, including one stuck in a tunnel last night for three hours?

As a result, delays this morning, according to NJ Transit alerts:

Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Coast Line and MidTown Direct trains are subject to 15-20 min. delays in and out of NYPS, due to earlier disabled train.

PRE-SCHOOL STORYTIME TODAY

CHS BOYS BASKETBALL ON FIRE - WINS AGAIN

Photo: Alt Press

In all of the hub-bub over Super Bowl 48 at Met Life Stadium this week and freezing cold temperatures, you may not have noticed that Columbia High School boys basketball has slowly become one of the best teams in the state.

The latest Star-Ledger poll ranks the Cougar men 14th among all teams throughout New Jersey. Star player David Runcie, meanwhile, ranks in the top 25 among scoring leaders so far, with a 21 point average.

See HERE

They continued their winning ways Tuesday night with a 67-46 win over Newark Tech at home.

At 11-4 the team is looking good with its next game set for Thursday at Newark East Side.

Come out and root them on.

BABY LIT STORYTIME

11 a.m.

Baby literature for infants up to 2 1/2 years old.

Hilton branch library.

Tuesday, January 28, 2014

LOCAL CPA PLEADS GUILTY TO FEDERAL CHARGE

PATCH reports:

The owner of a Maplewood tax preparation business pleaded guilty Tuesday, admitting his role in filing false returns, the U.S. Attorney's Office said.
Carlyle Fraser of Maplewood, whose age was not released, owner of Fraser CPA and Taxko Inc. pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joel A. Pisano in Trenton federal court to one count of aiding and assisting in the preparation of false individual income tax returns.

Read more HERE.

IRVINGTON AVENUE ROAD CLOSURE ALERT

From the Township today:

Irvington Ave between Coolidge and Essex Ave in Maplewood is
currently closed due to emergency work.

An alternate route should be used to avoid delays.

TOWNSHIP PROMOTES STAY SAFE APP

From the Township website today:

"If You See Something, Say Something"

The New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness (OHSP) is committed to engaging the citizenry of New Jersey as part of the State's homeland security and counter-terrorism efforts.

Accordingly, OHSP has developed a public awareness campaign to encourage New Jersey residents and visitors to report suspicious activity to trained personnel. The "If You See Something, Say Something" public awareness campaign has helped OHSP better protect the people and infrastructure of New Jersey.
Building on the "If You See Something, Say Something" campaign, OHSP developed a mobile application entitled, SAFE-NJ. The SAFE-NJ App, enables residents of New Jersey and surrounding states to instantly report suspicious activity from a smartphone or mobile device, which is sent directly to the Counter Terrorism Watch personnel who are on duty 24 hours a day.
The SAFE-NJ App is free and is available in iTunes and Google Play.
The SAFE-NJ App enables citizens and visitors to:
-Automatically dial the 1-866-4-SAFE-NJ terrorism tip line.
-Enter details about an incident; who, what, when, where and why.
-Capture a photo from the App or use on that already exists on the device.
-Automatically find and use the device's location or enter an address.
-Report detailed subject and vehicle descriptions
-Include contact information or remain anonymous if preferred.

Go to iTunes or Google Play and search for "SAFE-NJ". You can download and install the app for free. Please remember that the SAFE-NJ App is live and any report submitted will be considered live.

PAJAMA STORY TIME TONIGHT

7-7:30 p.m. at the Hilton Branch *Ages 2 – 10 * Drop in at the Branch in your pajamas for some bedtime stories!

All children must be accompanied by an adult.

HOW THE TOWNSHIP "BAMBOOZLED" ONE MAPLEWOOD FAMILY ON PROPERTY TAXES

Maplewood's ridiculously high property taxes got a major hit Monday with a lengthy story in The Star-Ledger showing how one assessment in the township went terribly wrong.

If one big assessment mistake can be found, how many are not found?

The Star-Ledger reports:

Jerry Auriemma was born and bred in Maplewood.
In 1988, before he married, he bought a newly built home in town. The four-bedroom, 2.5 bath colonial cost $295,000, and had property taxes of about $11,000.
After his marriage, he and his wife Annette decided to raise their family in that same home.
Property taxes rose slowly over the years, and by 2010, the home was valued at $394,000 with property taxes of $18,365.
But that year, the town conducted a reassessment.
"Our house goes from a value of $394,00 to $784,000. Keep in mind, we are in the midst of the biggest financial collapse since the Depression, and my house doubles in value," Auriemma said. "Our taxes went crazy."
In three years, his property tax bill went up nearly $9,000 to $27,246 in 2013. That was a monthly increase of about $750.
And money was already tight.

Jerry and Annette Auriemma. Photo:NJ.com

"The town outgrew us financially, we thought, but we didn’t want to uproot our kids," he said, so they struggled to stay in their home with a non-amortizing mortgage. Fees were expensive, but the loan lowered their monthly payments enough that they could stay put.
Such is life in New Jersey, one might think.
But it wasn’t just general rising prices that challenged the couple’s financial situation.
It was a mistake. A big mistake.
The appraiser hired by the town in 2010 added 660 square feet and an extra top-of-the-line bathroom with two sinks to the home. The Auriemmas had been priced out of their own home — on a mistake.
"I never caught on that something was wrong," said Auriemma, 60, who lost his job a week after contacting Bamboozled. "Call it ignorance, but it’s now insanity."
Here’s how it happened.

Read the rest HERE.

And next time you think your assessment is wrong, hopefully it will not take as much trouble as it took these folks to fix it.

BABY STORY TIME TODAY

MAIN LIBRARY: 10:30 A.M.

No registration required - All children must be accompanied by an adult.
Valid Maplewood library card required

Monday, January 27, 2014

NJ TRANSIT DELAYS DUE TO WIRING

From NJ Transit.com:

Jan 27, 2014 02:03:11 PM
Morris & Essex Line trains are subject to 15-30 min. delays in both directions, due to overhead wire problem near Dover.

WATCH GW BRIDGE SCANDAL HEARINGS HERE TODAY

The state Select Committee on Investigations
will hold its first hearing on the GW Bridge scandal today.

You can tune in below

SCHOOL BOARD MEETING TONIGHT

The Board of Education meets for its regular session at 7:30 p.m. tonight at the board offices, 425 Academy St.

See the full agenda HERE.

The meeting is broadcast on Comcast channel 35 and Verizon FIOS channel 22, and streamed live online HERE.

You can also show up and comment or ask about any issue. Remember, they work for you.

FREE OBAMACARE SIGN-UP HELP TODAY

One of the best services the township has been providing, through a great library program, is help with signing up for Obamacare.

With all of the negative press, much of it overreacting, many people are fearful of trying to sign up.

This is an unnecessary fear.

Help is here in the form of how-to sessions that have been going on for the past few months.

Another one today. See below:

JOB SEARCH HELP AT LIBRARY TODAY

End the Job Search Pain & Get Your Life Back

Neil Cooper, career transition coach, has developed the key elements to: achieve a high level of engagement, visibility, and organization; implement confidently; and create a common sense career search plan that you can feel comfortable with.
He will discuss
• How to be much more highly engaged in the job search process
• Establishing the essential career direction, purpose, and objectives
• Dramatically improving your visibility through personal branding
• The Essence of Networking
• Q&A

Neil is a certified leadership coach who specializes in working with people who want to take leadership to have an outstanding career, and want a simple, solid, and easy to use model to follow

10:00 am at Main Library

KIDS MEDITATION STARTS TODAY

Meditation for the Imagination

For Kids ages 8-12 with Andrea Grace

Mindfulness exercises and self-awareness tools to increase focus, manage emotions and decrease stress.

When: 6 Mondays (2 Parts), 3:45-4:30pm

Part 1: January 27 - February 10

Part 2: February 17 - March 3

Cost: $80 BOTH Parts 1 & 2 or $45 for 3-week series or $18 Drop-in

Register: call (973) 763-2288 or pay online

These 45-minute classes include games, meditation, movement and an art project.

Shakti NJ. More info HERE.

Sunday, January 26, 2014

FINAL PERFORMANCE TODAY OF A GREAT SHOW

Burgdorff Center for Performing Arts
10 Durand Rd.
Maplewood, NJ
(973) 763-9357

3PM Today

http://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/545720

WHO IS YOUR SUPER BOWL PICK? TAKE OUR SURVEY

Since the Giants and Jets are not in the Super Bowl next week, and it is being played just down the road, we wanted to ask who Maplewood residents are picking for the big game next Sunday.

Choose below:

Create your free online surveys with SurveyMonkey , the world's leading questionnaire tool.

We will post results before the big game is played on Sunday.

FOUR OPEN HOUSES TODAY

So no football today? Check out your next house or see what the market is offering.

Okay, there is the Pro Bowl, but that's not really football.

See the list HERE.