MAPLEWOOD JEDIS

For a little fun with the Township Committee:

Personalize funny videos and birthday eCards at JibJab!

KUDOS TO TRASH HAULERS

Big praise to our local Waste Management guys, who pick up our trash cleanly and properly, even if a critter has ripped it open, as last night.


Bravo!

MAPLEWOOD IS KIND?

You may have seen the big banner in Maplewood Village for this new effort.


The Website boasts this info:

Maplewoodiskind.org  

Making kindness a way of life

organized by the Taskforce for Humanity Coalition

Why Maplewood N.J.?

Maplewood possesses a truly progressive philosophy. Maplewood has been a leader in environmental issues and has received statewide honors for its accomplishments in this area  (Maplewoodisgreen.org). Maplewood prides itself on being a diverse and family-friendly community. And according to Wikipedia, the Town “has been ranked in a number of surveys as among the most desirable places to live in the United States”. Along with neighboring South Orange, Maplewood is a member of the Maplewood/South Orange Coalition on Race (twotowns.org) whose vision “is to achieve and sustain the benefits of a thriving, racially integrated and truly inclusive community that serves as a model for the nation”. In 2008, Maplewood’s racial diversity index was 284.5 with 100 being the national average. Due to it’s progressive consciousness, Maplewood is a perfect town from which to launch an ambitious Kindness Campaign.(Besides, the founder of the the organizing agency, the Taskforce for Humanity Coalition lives there...)

SUPPORTERS

$25 donation or in-kind contribution

Click here to become a supporter using Paypal

So if it's kindness the want, start with Maplewood 

Online, our local abusive language site

ELECTRONIC AND HAZ DROP OFF DAYS

Hat tip to PATCH for alerting us to this schedule. Although I object to their use of the word "free." 


It is our tax dollars at work:


News and Events

Calendar of Events
The dates for the 2011 ECUA sponsored events are as follows:

Fall Household Hazardous Waste Collection Day
Saturday, 8:30am - 4:00pm, Oct 1, 2011
Essex County Fleet Maintenance Garage
99 West Bradford Avenue, Cedar Grove, NJ 07009
List of Acceptable/Unacceptable Materials

Fall Computer and Electronics Recycling Day
Saturday, 9:00am - 3:00pm, Sat. Oct 15, 2011
Essex County Fleet Maintenance Garage
99 West Bradford Avenue, Cedar Grove, NJ 07009
List of Acceptable Materials

THIRD COFFEE CAFE TO OPEN SATURDAY

Can Springfield Ave. handle three coffee and goodies spots in a span of a few blocks? 


We will find out Saturday morning at 8 a.m. when Edo's launches its effort in the former Kari's Cafe spot at Prospect and Springfield.


He joins Kocafe down the block and I.D. Bakery at Indiana and Springfield.


By the way, stop by Kocafe on Friday night at 7 p.m. for some jazz from Wendy West.

ROBBERY, BURGLARY AND THEFT MARK WEEK

Courtesy of Patch, here is the police blotter for this week:

Sept. 20, 2011: Theft from Auto- An unlocked 2001 Chevy Caviler was entered sometime between midnight and 8:00 am and the actor removed an IPOD Nano and charger from the center console. The car was parked in the driveway of a home on Highland Ave. 

Sept. 20, 2011: Burglary- A resident of Richmond Avenue reported to Police that an unknown actor entered his home by breaking a window pane on the rear door which enabled the actor to unlock the door.  Once inside, the actor ransacked dresser drawers and jewelry boxes in the second floor bedrooms and removed several pieces of jewelry.  The home was vacant from 9:30 in the morning until 6:15 pm.

Sept. 22, 2011: Robbery- At 11:30 pm a man walked in to Police Headquarters to report that he had just been robbed at gun point while he was walking on Burnett Ave near Dehart Park.  The incident occurred approximately 15 minutes before he arrived at Headquarters and it involved two black males. One of the men was reportedly armed with a handgun. 

The victim reported that as he was walking north on Burnett Ave near Dehart Park the two men approached him from behind and one of them brandished a handgun and demanded the victim turn over his money.  The second suspect then began to go through the victim's pockets and removed a wallet with some cash and a cell phone.  They also took the victim's back pack which contained some personal items.  

The victim, a 27 year old man from Manor Dr. in Newark, was not injured in the incident and the two suspects, who were wearing masks on their faces, were last seen on foot towards Springfield Ave.  The suspect armed with the handgun is described as a black male, 5''7" tall, dark skinned, with a white t-shirt and light blue jean shorts.  The second suspect is described as 5'6" tall, muscular build, wearing a blue and yellow stripped shirt. 

Sept. 22, 2011: Burglary- A home on Burnett Street was broken into sometime between 7:00 am and 7:00 pm while the resident was at work.  Entry was gained through an unlocked kitchen window on the first floor.  The resident reported to Police that several pieces of jewelry were taken from the second floor bedrooms.   

BIG TRAIN DELAYS

Latest from NJ Transit alert site:

Travel Alerts

Sep 27, 2011  06:48:10 PM Midtown Direct trains operating with 20-30 minute delays into and out of New York.

Sep 27, 2011  06:42:35 PM Morris & Essex Line train #0433 the 5:40pm Hoboken departure up to 10 min. delay.

Sep 27, 2011  06:41:59 PM Morris & Essex Line train #0467 thew 6:08pm Hoboken departure up to 15 min. delay with congestion ahead.

Sep 27, 2011  06:09:29 PM Morris & Essex Line train #0649, the 5:32pm from Hoboken, up to 10 min. delay near South Orange.

Sep 27, 2011  05:59:15 PM Train #6653 the 6:09 pm New York departure is CANCELLED, passengers to train #6655 the 6:18 pm New York departure.

Sep 27, 2011  05:33:08 PM Morris & Essex Line train #0879, the 4:36pm from Hoboken, up to 15 min. delay near Summit.

PATCH PAYS US SOME HOMAGE

PATCH revived our Where in the 'Wood contest, which I created on my old Maplewoodian site.


Patch editor Mary Mann, always a sign of class, asked if I wanted them to change it. 


No way! Thanks for thinking of us. Keep it going.

ATTEMPTED RAPE AT MMS?

....Scanner reports police called to Maplewood Middle School this morning, to meet with principal, about an alleged attempted rape. 


No further details or more proof of any incident, still checking...


UPDATE: Turns out report was not for attempted rape and no incident occurred, according to sources.

CHS FOOTBALL WINS ONE

Alt Press reports the Cougars won their first game Friday, 28-6, against East Side. 

MORE CHS PROBLEMS PROMPT SUPE'S LETTER

First a power outage last week, then an evacuation, prompts Superintendent of Schools Brian Osborne to send a letter home Friday:



September 23, 2011
Dear Columbia High School Community:
Earlier today you received a message advising you about a temporary evacuation at Columbia High 
School.  I want to share an update regarding the electrical situation in the B-wing of Columbia.  
We experienced a power outage at Columbia High School last week. The cause was damage to 
underground supply wires. We were able to restore power to most of the building but are still working 
towards a solution to restore electrical power supply to the B-wing of the high school. Until repairs are 
complete, a generator has been located in the central office parking lot to power the B-wing.
This morning a power surge in the B-wing caused us to evacuate the building at 7:10 am.  The 
Maplewood Fire Department investigated the area, decided to close B-wing only, and confirmed that it 
was safe for students to occupy the rest of the building while electricians worked on the situation.  
Classes that would normally meet in the B-wing were relocated to other areas of the building. We 
anticipate having B-wing reopened before Monday.  However, a schedule for relocating classes on 
Monday, should this be necessary, is being developed so that the class schedule will not be interrupted. 
The generator that caused the power surge is being replaced this afternoon.  We will continue to use 
generator power while the underground supply wires are being replaced.  Engineering plans, approvals, 
and acquisition of supplies, to correct the electric supply situation, are all in motion.  We are hopeful
that the majority of the work can be done next Thursday and Friday while schools are closed.
Some rumors were circulating that B-wing was closed due to carbon monoxide in the building.  I want to 
assure you that this is not true.  The safety of our students and staff is our first priority.  Since the first 
moment that the need to run power from a generator became evident, we have been working closely 
with the Maplewood Fire Department, the Maplewood Police Department and the Maplewood Health 
Department to assure everyone’s safety.  Carbon monoxide alarms are in rooms nearest the generator.  
Inspections of rooms have been taking place regularly both by district staff and Essex County Health 
Department.  Carbon monoxide has never been an issue at the building. 
At approximately 2:45 pm this afternoon, a fire alarm was pulled in C-wing.  This had no relation to the 
situation in B-wing or to the generator.  Students returned promptly to the building and were dismissed 
at the regular time.  
We apologize for any inconvenience to students and staff and appreciate your cooperation and patience 
as we work to resolve the situation at Columbia High School.
Sincerely,
Brian Osborn

ARMED ROBBERY ON BURNETT

This just posted on PATCH:


A man was robbed at gunpoint of his wallet and cellphone at 11:30 p.m. Thursday night near DeHart Park, according to Maplewood police.

EQUALITY WALK THIS WEEKEND

Information Home GardenStateEquality.org EqualityCompanies.com Visitors Participant Registration Sponsor Participant Spread the Word General Donation My HQ Main Login Email Friends Enter my HQ Edit my Site Check Reports Use Tools

Total Donations : $32,010 Support Marriage Equality in New Jersey! $28 donation for the cost of a marriage license in New Jersey $50 donation for marriage equality in all 50 states $83 donation in tribute to Garden State Equality’s 83,000 members $120 donation for the 120 state legislators who will vote on marriage equality $213 donation for marriage equality becoming the 213th LGBT law enacted in NJ Thank you for your interest in joining Garden State Equality’s annual Equality Walk! Our 2011 Equality Walk will be on Saturday, September 24th, beginning at 5:00 pm at Grove Park in South Orange. We’ll meet at Grove Park at the corner of Grove Road and South Orange Avenue, a few steps from downtown South Orange. The Equality Walk will be about three miles, starting at Grove Park, then touching Maplewood, then circling back to South Orange. The walk will end at Cryan’s Pub, 24 1st Street in downtown South Orange, by Grove Park. At Cryan’s, the first round of appetizers and soft drinks will be on us. And we invite you to stay for our annual Pub Quiz with some of our favorite public officials. You’ll be able to order dinner at Cryan’s on your own. Whether you walk or form a team of friends to join you on the Equality Walk, you will be significantly advancing Garden State Equality’s fight to win marriage equality in New Jersey. If you can't physically be at the Equality Walk, we invite you to be a Virtual Walker. You can still register and collect donations online. On the day of the Equality Walk, wear a Garden State Equality shirt or pin wherever you are. Remember that last year’s Equality Walk raised funds to stop school bullying. Just a few weeks later, New Jersey enacted the strongest anti-bullying law in America. Today, Garden State Equality is doing everything it can to win marriage equality. We have a two-pronged approach that no other state is trying. Garden State Equality is the lead plaintiff in a new marriage equality lawsuit, and we are heading a new campaign to win marriage equality through legislation. Our goal is to get enough votes to override an expected veto by Governor Christie. We’re already back to having enough votes to pass the bill were he not governor. Fighting two parallel battles is expensive. Your participation in the 2011 Equality Walk, especially if you decide to form a team of your friends to walk, will go a long way to making our work possible. A team can be any number of friends, family and colleagues. We recommend forming a minimum of six, including you and five others. But six is not a required minimum, and nor is it a maximum. The more, the merrier! Nor is there a required minimum amount for you or any of the people you recruit to raise. We merely require each team and each walker to raise or contribute something, regardless of the amount. Every walker and team leader who raises $100 will receive a Garden State Equality bumper sticker and Garden State Equality mug. Every walker and team leader who raises $250 will receive the bumper sticker, mug and a Garden State Equality t-shirt. Every walker and team leader who raises $500 will receive the bumper sticker, mug and a Garden State Equality t-shirt or fleece jacket, your choice. Garden State Equality 40 South Fullerton Avenue Montclair, New Jersey 07042-3357 (973) 509-5428 Follow us

Special Thanks to: Top Fundraisers 1. Sheila Turteltaub 2. Steven Goldstein 3. Steve McIntyre 4. Troy Stevenson 5. Vicki Wu >> search

MAPLEWOOD CAMPAIGN CASH

A look at campaign contribution reports for the 2011 primaries and school district race finds a mix of campaign cash raised and spent.

Mayor Vic De Luca and newcomer India Larrier, who won the June primary for the Township Committee Democratic nomination, spent some $4,833.77 as of July 26, the last filing date, with $5,483.456 raised for their joint campaign, according to reports filed with the state.

The expenditures included $92.62 to De Luca for postage and office supplies and a repayment of a loan of $2,000 to the mayor.

De Luca also filed reports for his own campaign fund, noting $3,454 in receipts, but no expenditures. That amount included $2,604 from a previous campaign fund.

But he also received $350 from Parkwood Diner owner Peter Kikianis. Other contributions were less than $300, requiring them not to be listed individually under state law.

De Luca and Larrier’s primary opponent, Lee Navlen, reported $3,380 in contributions, all of which he loaned to himself. He did not file detailed expenditure reports as that is unnecessary if less than $4,000 is spent.

Republican candidates Bart Albini and Joel Ziegler, who won the GOP primary, did not file a detailed campaign report, stating in their disclosure forms that they did not intend to raise or spend more than $7,600 as a joint committee. Campaigns raising and spending less than that amount are not required to file specific detailed reports.

In a related move, the state cited Albini on June 26 for failing to file a report for his 2010 campaign, according to the News-Record.

De Luca and Larrier will face Albini and Ziegler in the general election Nov. 8.

On the school board side, newcomer Bill Gaudelli, who won one of the three seats up for grabs in the April election, raised and spent the most, with reports indicating he received $4070.17, all of it in contributions of $300 or less, requiring no detailed disclosure. He also spent $1343.20 as of May 17, the latest filing he made.

Among his expenditures was $228.00 for online advertising in Patch.

The two school board incumbents, South Orange residents Andrea Wren-Hardin and Sandra Karriem, filed a joint campaign report, revealing they received $1250, with Wren-Hardin’s husband David giving $750 and Maplewood lawyer Deryck Palmer donating $500.

Palmer is a major campaign contributor, with records indicating he has donated tens of thousands of dollars in the past decade to candidates ranging from Democratic New York Congressman Charles Rangel to former New Jersey Republican Congressman Mike Ferguson

Wren-Hardin and Karriem disclosed no detailed expenditures since state law does not require it for that amount.

CHS FOOTBALL ARRESTS

Cops plan to beef up security for the next night game after two arrests last Friday night, according to Thursday's News-Record. Was it  a mistake to play under the lights?

See HERE.

STRUPP GETS RESULTS

A day after I noted that a big tree remained down in Maplecrest Park weeks after Hurricane Irene, it was removed. Thanks!

FARMER'S MARKET VOUCHERS

Great idea. This from township email...

Farmers’ Market vouchers, valued at $20.00 are available to seniors 60 and over with a monthly income of $1,670.00 or less per person.

Vouchers will be distributed on Monday September 26, 2011 from 11:00 am to 1:30 pm at the Maplewood Community Center 120 Burnet Ave. Maplewood.

Income verification must be provided and you have not received a Farmers’ Market Voucher for 2011.

DPW PRIORITIES

So the township has time and money to build new handicapped dips in the curbs at locations where they already exist, but this tree from Hurricane Irene more than three weeks ago is still in Maplecrest Park blocking paths.

7-11 TAKING SHAPE

Work finally being done on new 7-11 at Springfield and Tuscan, with the new Walgreen's about finished down the street. Nice!

CHICKENS AT TC MEETING

PATCH has a good preview of tonight's Township Committee meeting, chickens and all....

GREEN DRINKS TONIGHT

Host: fred profeta Location: 1978 Arts Center 1978 Springfield Avenue Maplewood, NJ 07040 US When: Monday, September 19, 7:00PM to 9:00PM     Our speaker will be Dave Hogenauer, the historian and hike leaded for the South Mountain Reservation.  There is a fee of $8 at the door which covers organic wine, beer, and snacks. Dave Hogenauer is a former Columbia High School teacher, 45-year Maplewood resident, Reservation historian and experienced hike leader. His brief talk will feature the history of the South Mountain Reservation which was designed by landscape architect Frederick Olmsted in the last century.  There will also be information about the various volunteer opportunities at the Reservation. 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.  Everyone is welcome, so spread the word!