PODCAST - DEMOCRATIC CHAIR GRODMAN DISCUSSES TONIGHT'S ENDORSEMENTS, TC PRIMARY

With the 2014 Township Committee elections approaching, we wanted to let you know that the Maplewood Democratic Committee, which offers its own endorsement for the TC seats up for grabs, is meeting tonight to consider potential candidates.

Two seats on the five-person Township Committee are up for re-election this year, those are currently held by Mayor Vic De Luca and TC Member India Larrier. Both plan to meet with the MDC tonight to seek the endorsement. The deadline for filing to run in the primary is Monday, March 31. The primary will be held June 4.

We caught up with Maplewood Democratic Committee Chair Ian Grodman ealier today to discuss the process, how you can still run if you wish, and what else is going on in the local political circles.

Hear it below.

MAPLEWOOD FENCING CHAMP WINS AT NATIONAL EVENT

Maplewood's Ibtihaj Muhammad at far left

From BoxScoreNews.com

USA Fencing: Colorado Springs, Colo. (March 24, 2014) – Four of Team USA’s eight fencers each placed in the top eight at the Moscow Grand Prix on Saturday with Ibtihaj Muhammad (Maplewood, N.J.) and Eliza Stone (Chicago, Ill.) winning bronze. Mariel Zagunis (Beaverton, Ore.) and Dagmara Wozniak (Avenel, N.J.) finished fifth and eighth, respectively. 

Muhammad won all of her pool bouts on Friday and entered the table of 64 on Saturday as the 17th seed.

After an opening win against Marta Baeza Centurion (BRA), 15-5, Muhammad defeated 2013 Senior World Team silver medalist Yana Egorian (RUS), 15-14.

In the table of 16, Muhammad fenced Jiyeon Kim for the first time since the Korean won gold at the 2012 Olympic Games. Muhammad came away with another 15-14 victory to advance to the quarter-finals where she outscored Wozniak, 15-11.

Read the rest HERE.

MOOKIE WILSON COMING TO WORDS

Sources tell us one of the key members of the New York Mets, 1986 world championship team, Mookie Wilson, will be at Words Bookstore in May.

He will promote his new book, Mookie: Life, Baseball and the '86 Mets, which is out in late April.

Stay tuned for more details.

BABY LIT AT THE LIBRARY TODAY

10:30 am - 11:00 am 
 

Main Library * Ages birth – 2 1/2 years

Stories, fingerplays, songs and more! Valid Maplewood Library card required.

Drop In * All children must be accompanied by an adult.

WHY ARE WE PAYING FOR CHRISTIE'S LEGAL TEAM REVIEW OF BRIDGE SCANDAL?

So we as taxpayers are paying $1 million for a review by Gov. Chris Christie's own legal team that, surprise, finds he did nothing wrong in the GW Bridge scandal.

Read HERE to believe it.

With his office suddenly engulfed in scandal over lane closings at the George Washington Bridge, Gov. Chris Christie of New Jersey two months ago summoned a pair of top defense lawyers from an elite law firm to the State House and asked them to undertake an extensive review of what had gone wrong.
Now, after 70 interviews and at least $1 million in legal fees to be paid by state taxpayers, that review is set to be released, and according to people with firsthand knowledge of the inquiry, it has uncovered no evidence that the governor was involved in the plotting or directing of the lane closings.
The review is the first of multiple inquiries into a scandal that has jeopardized Mr. Christie’s political future. It will be viewed with intense skepticism, not only because it was commissioned by the governor but also because the firm conducting it, Gibson Dunn & Crutcher, has close ties to the Christie administration and the firm’s lawyers were unable to interview three principal players in the shutdowns, including Bridget Anne Kelly, the governor’s former deputy chief of staff.

More HERE.

RESTAURANT WEEK STARTS TODAY

Sponsored by Keller Williams Midtown Direct Realty and benefiting Rent Party Pantry, Inc.

This year, Restaurant Week is supporting Rent Party Pantry, Inc. in its efforts to fight hunger locally so come on out that week and sample the quality, variety and hospitality of Maplewood’s restaurants and food purveyors for less AND help fight hunger on the local level.
Participating restaurants are generously donating a portion of their Restaurant Week profits to Rent Party Pantry, Inc., so dine out and feel good about giving back! In addition, many restaurants and two local businesses will be collecting canned goods during Restaurant Week. Canned good donation centers are marked below in bold with an “*” and they’ll also have a poster in their windows identifying them as a can collection site so you can easily spot them when you’re out and about. Special thanks to Keller Williams Midtown Direct Realty, 181 Maplewood Avenue and Le Petit Academy, 1529 Springfield Avenue for also collecting canned goods during Restaurant Week. Your donations will help a great deal by filling food pantry shelves during these difficult winter months.
Maplewood Restaurant Week is a joint effort of the Maplewood Village Alliance, the Chamber of Commerce and the Springfield Avenue Partnership.

See the list of restaurants and their specials HERE.

PORTION OF ELMWOOD AVE. CLOSED TODAY

From Maplewood Police today:

Monday 3/24/14 @ 0625 hrs.
Please be advised that Elmwood Avenue with be closed between Suffolk Ave and Oakland Terr due to a large tree leaning on a garbage truck. Please take alternate route.

MAPLEWOOD TV WRITER IN NY TIMES TODAY

Maplewood's own Bruce Fretts, he of TV Guide fame, finds himself in today's New York Times' Arts & Leisure section, with a great piece on television's best actors in smaller roles.

See it HERE. 

And read more of him HERE.