NATIONAL NIGHT OUT TONIGHT AT DE HART

                                 From Maplewood Police:

Maplewood Police Department invites the public to join them in the National Night Out against crime.

National Night Out will take place between the hours of 6PM and 9PM tonight. The event will be held at DeHart Park, 120 Burnett Avenue in Maplewood NJ. The event is to promote various crime prevention programs including: neighborhood watch groups, neighbor home security surveys, bike registration, and crime prevention tips. All members of the community are cordially invited to participate in this year’s event. The event is free to participants and will include food, drinks, music, video game truck, bounce house, dunk tank and other activities. A police car, fire truck, and an ambulance will be on display. Participants will be able to register bicycles and sign up for home security surveys.

SO WHY IS THAT PARK BENCH TAPED OFF?

If you are among those wondering why the popular park bench area at Maplewood Avenue and Baker Street, known as a great spot to nosh your Village Ice Cream treats, has been blocked off with yellow tape, here's the answer.
It's apparently due to a falling branch danger.

 
We asked Township Administrator Joseph Manning about it and he sent this email today:

The tree in the photo has to be removed because it is dying. Its limbs go through

electrical wires that belong to PSE&G who must trim them to below the electrical wires before our township staff or hired contractor can safely remove the remainder of the tree. 

A resident voiced concerns that some limbs or branches fell close to

the benches and reported their concern for the safety of people sitting on the

benches and in the general area. Out of an abundance of caution we cordoned off the area. 

We have calls in to PSE&G and I am told they will be inspecting the situation today and will contact the township after making their assessment. We are also reaching out to a private contractor to determine if they can do the work if PSE&G predicts a long delay in getting their work done.

A note on the location itself might have helped.

ACCUSED CHS TEACHER'S ATTORNEY WANTS VICTIM'S ALLEGED ROBBERY ATTEMPT AS EVIDENCE

Heated arguments over evidence in the sexual assault case against former Columbia High School teacher Nicole Dufault -- including a request for records related to an alleged robbery attempt by one of the student victims against other juveniles -- were center stage at a court hearing on the case Monday.

NJ.com reports that Dufault's attorney, Timothy Smith, requested access to the records related to the alleged robbery committed by one of the students who is accusing Dufault of sexual assault. Essex County Assistant Prosecutor Gina Iosim is seeking to keep the robbery details out of the case, contending they are juvenile records and not for public review.

Smith also requested that the case, which includes 40 charges against Dufault related to alleged sexual acts with six under-aged male students, be severed so that she can face them in separate trials.

NJ.com also reports:

Smith said during a hearing on Monday that prosecutors have not provided him with various pieces of evidence, including several statements made to police.

But Essex County Assistant Prosecutor Gina Iosim said many of the items cited by Smith were already turned over twice.

After having met with Smith to discuss the evidence sought by the defense, Iosim said "each and every disc, statement, and piece of paper in possession of the state has been copied and turned over to defense twice at this point."

"I do believe the state's credibility and the state's resources are under attack," said Iosim, adding that she would turn over a third copy of the evidence to Smith in court in front of the judge.

Smith said his staff had conducted "a good faith review" that determined certain items had not been turned over. But Smith conceded that, given the volume of information provided by the state, he may already have some of the items in question.

"I think we're both doing our best to get it right, to acquire the necessary information to just get this case right," Smith said, referring to Iosim and himself..... 

 ....At the end of Monday's hearing, Superior Court Judge Michael L. Ravin indicated he would issue a written decision in the coming weeks on whether to grant the severance request, deny it or not issue either ruling at this time.

BIG LIBRARY DAY: BABY LIT TO LEGOS

Baby Lit

10:30 am – 11:00 am

Main Library * Ages birth – 2 1/2 * Stories, fingerplays, songs, & more! DROP IN

Hilton Preschool Storytime & Craft

2:00 pm – 2:30 pm

Hilton Branch * Ages 2 1/2 – 5 * Stories and activities to encourage reading readiness. DROP IN

Lego Ice Excavation

3:00 pm – 4:00 pm

Main Library * Ages 6+ * Registration Required
You are a world-class explorer and it is your mission to get your Lego guy out of a frozen glacier! How will you do it?
Register here

Create Space – Maplewood Library’s Makerspace is Open!

5:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Hilton Branch – Every Tuesday  and Thursday 5:00-8:00 pm.  Patrons can use Rhino 3D software to build a model, print an object on our 3D printer or use our new color printer or laminator.  There are also Snap Circuits, Squishy Circuits, littleBits and SparkFun kits for the kids. Raspberry Pi single board computers are also available to learn more about computer science.  More information about the Create Space…

CHS ALUM BAKER WINS INTERNATIONAL TRACK GOLD

Former Columbia High School track phenom Olivia Baker continued her international success on Sunday, scoring a gold medal at the Pan American Junior Track and Field Championships.

Baker, a 2013 CHS graduate now attending Stanford University, ran the second leg of the 4X400 relay at the event in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

From NJ.com today:

Oliva Baker, a N.J. track and field legend who starred at Columbia High in Maplewood, N.J., added to her remarkable resume by winning a gold medal as a member of Team USA's 4x400-meter relay that finished first at the Pan American Junior Track and Field Championships on Sunday night at Foote Field in Edmonton, Canada.

Baker, a rising sophomore at Stanford University, ran the second leg to help Team USA win the women's 4x400 in 3:31.49, the top junior time in the world this year. Baker was joined on the victorious relay team by Zola Golden, Kendall Ellis, and Raevyn Rogers.

Full results of the race are here

Team USA, which won the race by more than seven seconds over runner-up Jamaica, has now won seven straight women's 4x400's at the Pan Am Junior Championships and 12 overall.

The gold medal by the women's 4x400 helped Team USA rack up a Pan Am Junior Championships meet record 30 golds and a total of 58 medals, No. 3 all-time.

AUTO-RELATED THEFTS AND BURGLARIES, AND WHO LEFT THAT BIKE IN THE YARD?

From Maplewood Police today:

July 27, 2015; Theft from Auto; Overnight a vehicle parked on

Hillcrest Rd had a window smashed and a credit card removed from the

vehicle.

July 29, 2015; Theft from Auto; During an unknown time frame

a passport was reportedly stolen from a vehicle parked on Garfield Pl.
 
July 29, 2015; Bicycle Theft; During the overnight hours a

bicycle left laying in the backyard of a home on Garfield Pl was stolen.

It was possibly taken around 1 AM.
 
July 30, 2015; Burglary; Between 9 AM and 1:30 PM, a home

on Manley Ter was entered. Jewelry and electronics were stolen

from the home.
 
July 31, 2015; Burglary; Sometime since 7/25 a home on

South Pierson Rd was forcibly entered. Any proceeds are unknown at this time.

YET ANOTHER NJ TRANSIT MIDTOWN DIRECT DELAY

From NJ Transit:

Aug 03, 2015  08:43:36 AM
Trains in/out of NY Penn Station are subject to delays up to 15 min due to an earlier medical emergency.

MOVIES, HENNA AND MAKER AT LIBRARIES TODAY

Maker Monday

11:00 am – 1:00 pm

Create Space @ Hilton Branch – July 6, 13, 20, 27 Aug. 3 & 10 – 11 am – 1 pm – All ages
Make cool things in the Create Space!  Drop In!

Hilton Monday @ the Movies

2:00 pm – 4:00 pm

 Hilton Branch * All ages *
Want to see a movie about a hero/heroine? Come in, get cool, bring some popcorn!

Hilton Heroes from India

3:30 pm – 4:30 pm

Hilton Branch * Ages 8-12 * Discover the superheroes of Indian cinema in a workshop with rocking music and cool Bollywood dance moves. Register here

Mehndi – the Art of Henna for Teens and Adults

6:00 pm – 8:00 pm

Main Library – The mehndi, or henna plant has been used since the Bronze Age as a dye, fragrance and decoration, as well as for its medicinal value. This traditional form of decoration is used primarily by women to adorn their hands and feet for weddings, festivals and other special occasions. Its popularity continues to spread worldwide with the migration of people from India and other Eastern countries. In this hands-on workshop you will learn to draw traditional Indian motifs and application techniques, and then use real henna paste to make your own designs!  Register at MMLMehndi.eventbrite.com