Bloomfield GreenWays

Food Season

2012-03-03T22:49:00.003-08:00

Reflecting its ethnic diversity, Bloomfield has become increasingly known for its growing number of restaurants. Restaurant Week will be held Sunday, March 4 through Saturday, March 10. Participating restaurants invite you to participate by offering a prix fixe menu of $30 or less (not including drinks, tax and tip) for dinner and $15 for lunch. This can include lunch and/or dinner.

Restaurant Week will showcase all of its best restaurants. From French to Thai, from Japanese to Italian and from our traditional Steakhouse to Mexican, every taste and every palate will be satisfied at the first annual Bloomfield Restaurant Week. Each restaurant will raffle away a gift certificate to the guests that come during restaurant week date. Mark your calendars and start planning which restaurants you will want to visit.

The North Essex Chamber of Commerce is throwing their annual Taste of Essex on Monday, March 5. This Taste is unique, since it offers food from restaurants throughout North Essex.

Restaurants from Fairfield, Montclair, Caldwell, West Orange, Bloomfield, and many other towns will be well represented at this affair.

This is the 12th annual Taste of Essex, and like a fine wine, it just gets better with age.
Proceeds from this event will be dedicated towards the North Essex Chamber Foundation award scholarships, along with other community service programs this business owner club runs all year long.

Bloomfield at 101

2012-03-01T20:32:00.001-08:00

Long before the NY Times profiled our town, The NY Tribune sent it's reporters here to take a close look at the township just after it celebrated its centennial. The date was Sunday, July 6, 1913. We're starting the month with this "time capsule" as a reminder that our BiCentennial Gala kickoff is barely 3 weeks away on March 23.(Click on photo to enlarge it.)

This framed page can be more easily read at Bloomfield's Historical Museum in the second floor of the Children's Library.

A Model Proposal to Control Cell Towers

2012-02-29T22:58:00.003-08:00

At this weeks conference meeting, Bloomfield's town council agreed to update a township ordinance on wireless communication.

The motion, put forth by Bloomfield Residents for Responsible Wireless Communications, Maria Probst and Sandra Cummins, calls for a wireless communication system that reflects up-to-date technology as well as a design that is aesthetically pleasing and has a carefully considered “fall zone” to protect citizens. There was no such zone in T-Mobile's plans to erect a new cell phone tower last year near the corner of Bay and Broad Street.

Probst and Cummins concluded that there must be a 120-foot fall zone around any wireless communication structure. They have written an extensive report on the issue, noting that Bloomfield's current Wireless Communication Ordinance was adopted over 10 years ago and is no longer viable.

The Mayor and council voted 6 to 0 on first reading for Nick Joanow's proposed ordinance to be reviewed by the Planning Board.

A small group of concerned and dedicated Bloomfield residents came together to write the proposed ordinance. Extensive research was done on other municipalities’ wireless telecommunication facilities ordinances across NJ the US to determine the best practices for a policy that would hold up under legal scrutiny. Their overriding challenge "was to make sure that in writing it we did not violate the 1996 Telecommunications Act by making it impossible for cell towers and other telecommunications facilities to be built."

Clerk Louise Palagano stated that "The Council will pass a resolution on Monday, March 5th sending it to the Planning Board as well as introduce the ordinance. At some point, the Planning Board will send it back to the Council “as is” or with recommendations.

Dealing With Bloomfield's Homeless

2012-02-28T07:14:00.002-08:00

My recent encounters with impoverished homeowners and renters has helped make me more aware of the effect of the rocky economy on everyone. Until recently, the homeless have been nearly invisible in Bloomfield. (Illinois has developed an interesting program called PADS for effectively dealing with suburban homeless. They designed the chart on the left.) The lack of bathroom facilities in the Lackawanna RR Station area has lead to formal complaints by commuters. Yesterday's Baristanet story on the subject drew a dozens of thoughtful comments.

From my perspective, blmfld grl's was the most constructive:

"...agreed there are several directions to take

FACT – you should all know there is a Sergeant who has been working with Chief Goul to address the homeless situation in Bloomfield. Most of the individuals who are on the streets have homes or have family, though some do not.

I personally know many of them and know of the efforts put forth by this Sergeant. He is aware who receives SDI, who has other income, who has family. He has helped place individual in rehab/detox when possible (and when they want). He doesn’t stop there. He creates short term and long term arrangements for these individuals. Some have participated in the programs willingly, some have not.

There are many reasons behind each of their circumstances. I have purchased clothes for one who has a medical condition that caused them to bleed through their pants. I have purchased a coat/gloves for another who would be out in the cold. I have purchased food/drink for many of them. I will NOT give them cash.

But I address them all by name. They have names. Herbie, Lizzie, Eddie, Theresa…

I feel sorry for any of you whose lives may turn to a direction that you need help – especially if the people who are near you judge first.

I will be following up on this matter to ensure that public safety is addressed."

Two Newcomers Will Join Incumbents in Run for BOE

2012-02-27T17:01:00.002-08:00

Daniel Anderson, a retired music teacher, and 2011 Republican council candidate Kent Weisert have filed petitions for this year's Board of Education election. They will join incumbents Mary Shaughnessy and Diana Fuller in competing for 3 available seats on the BOE. Former BOE President Joseph Lopez has apparently decided to retire since he did not file in time for today's 4PM deadline.

Volunteers Wanted

2012-02-26T23:58:00.004-08:00

Just fiinished our first food run, delivering a week's worth of groceries from Montclair's Food Pantry to several of the hundred or so neediest Bloomfield families in the program.
Under Bloomfield's Health and Human Services Dept. Through the NTNN, Human Services collaborates with community organizations, local citizens and businesses to recruit volunteers who provide resident services not available through traditional programs. After the division conducts a home‐based assessment, volunteers are matched with residents in need to provide services such as minor home repair and maintenance, shopping, tutoring, visitation and transportation. NTNN also serves people whose lives are unexpectedly disrupted by hardship. The Network fills immediate gaps and then finds ways to bring long‐term resolution.

Next assignment is to visit with a Senior 3rd warder who just needs little company and assistance shpping on her own.

We encourage you to join the NTNN and assist your fellow residents in need, by
either donating your time, your assets, or both. Please contact Paula Peikes of
the Human Services Division at 973.680.4017 for more information or to see how
you can help.

Historical Society Exhibit at Main Library

2012-02-24T21:07:00.004-08:00

In anticipation of the BiCentennial Kickoff next month, Bloomfield Public Library is showing off several of it's vintage objects and historic postcards.

Bloomfield Household Income and Home Values

2012-02-21T23:25:00.000-08:00

City-Data.com has the largest concentration of statistical info on most communities -- although it has been slow to update it's website.

"When We Were Bloomfield"

2012-02-16T07:22:00.000-08:00

Hard to imagine that Glen Ridge's businesses, public works, schooling efforts and social events were intertwined with the neighboring Township of Bloomfield for most of the 19th century. But Glen Ridge ended its relationship with Bloomfield with a contentious secession in 1895.

Want to find out more?

The Glen Ridge Historical Society and Town Historian, Sally Meyer, will host, “When We Were Bloomfield,” a presentation explaining the reasons behind the separation of these municipalities. The event will be held at 7:30 P.M. on February 16 in Robinson Hall at the Glen Ridge Congregational Church, 195 Ridgewood Ave. The event is in recognition of the 2012 bicentennial celebration of the Township of Bloomfield.
The presentation is free and open to the general public. If you can't make it, an interesting
summary can be found here.

12 Years of Bloomfield Home Sales

2012-02-14T23:19:00.001-08:00

Trulia recently send us this chart showing the ups and downs of home sales in bloomfield over a 12 year period. Note that these are Median Sales. An interactive map of more recent sales can be found here.

Whitney Houston's Bloomfield Connection

2012-02-12T21:25:00.000-08:00

While Whitney didm't live in Bloomfield, she grew up on the northern border of East Orange, s block from Watsessing Park, and probably spent many afternoons playing there.

Neighbors say Whitney Houston grew up at 362 Dodd St. in East Orange. Houston and her family moved to the home from riot-ravaged Newark, when she was 4. She was the daughter of John Russell Houston Jr., an entertainment executive, and gospel singer Cissy Houston. Dionne Warwick was her cousin, and Aretha Franklin was her godmother.

It's ironic that this was the year of a major restructuring and consolidation in Grammy Gospel and Roots Music award categories,

Morris Canal towpath underneath Berkeley Ave., 1920

2012-02-10T20:44:00.001-08:00

Citizen Legislators Wanted

2012-02-08T10:42:00.000-08:00

You Don't Need to be an elected official to get things done.

Take the FREE Citizen Legislator Class on Saturday February 11, from 10am-12 noon.
Join your friends and neighbors at Bloomfield College's College Hall (Liberty and Spruce St).
Enter through the side door on Liberty - Park for FREE the Bloomfield College parking lot on Liberty - put a note on your dash - at BNAC meeting in College Hall. Refreshments will be served

The Citizens Campaign, a non-partisan non-profit has educated thousands of New Jerseyans in how to navigate the power structure of government and to exercise leadership beginning with their own hometowns.

Sponsored by the Bloomfield Neighborhood Association Committee. The BNAC is a nonpartisan group of residents, community leaders, neighborhood and civic leaders dedicated to a better Bloomfield. The group meets regularly to promote civic participation and community building through the ongoing exchange of ideas and information. All meetings are free and open to the public.

Nice Win for Jersey Giants

2012-02-05T20:53:00.000-08:00

Enjoyed seeing our home team come from behind to take the Super Bowl at two of Bloomfield's finest taverns, The Town Pub and Obals. The Town Pub crowd was at least two decades younger than Obals. The Pub had the most free food, but Obals had the movers and the shakers led by our favorite cheerleader/bartender: retired councilman Ray Tamborini.

Bicentennial Preparations Accellerate

2012-02-03T19:45:00.000-08:00

There is a general meeting of the Bloomfield Bicentennial Committee tomorrow, Saturday, February 4 at Bloomfield College (College Hall - corner of Liberty & Spruce) at 10:30 AM.
Enter through side entrance near the front of the parking lot on the Liberty Street side of the building.

Brookdale Time

2012-02-01T22:32:00.000-08:00

Brookdale Soda, the legendary Bloomfield beverage of choice, has recently been bubbling with hints of a comeback. Check out their Facebook page for updates.

Some Key Local Stats Updated

2012-01-30T09:37:00.000-08:00

Nearly a year ago, we introduced you to the innovative website called TownStats on our EcoRealty blog. At that time, we posted comparison chart for Bloomfield, Montclair and Nutley that has recently been updated, along with the addition of demographic stats (click on chart to enlarge).

TownStats is an non-profit, non-partisan online database designed to give you access to important information on your town, its budget, and its taxes in a format that makes it easy to make comparisons with other towns. A project of The Independent Center, TownStats is a prototype that will soon be rolled out in other states. The project aims to provide the access and transparency that citizens need to participate fully in decision-making at the local level.

To help compare municipal spending, TownStats shows town-by-town spending in standardized categories and provides an easy comparison tool to evaluate differences. These tools are designed to give your and your elected representatives a clearer picture on potential areas to reduce taxes and/or improve services.

The project was funded through the Council of New Jersey Grantmakers as a joint project of The Fund For New Jersey and the Geraldine R. Dodge Foundation.

Westinghouse Memories

2012-01-28T22:07:00.000-08:00

Jean Giaimis just posted this request on the popular Facebook page "I Grew Up in Bloomfield, NJ":

Folks, I really need your help. I'm trying to contact people who either grew up in the Watsessing area or worked in Westinghouse or knew people who worked there. I understand if you are busy and don't have the time to speak with me, so I've created a one page survey that you don't even have to put your name on. After speaking with some people, I've expanded time frame: 1938-2000. Please know that anything you reply to will be respected as confidential which in this case means that no names will be used. If you are willing to fill out the survey, you can contact me at:giaimis@andromeda.rutgers.edu or you can call me at 973-736-5873. Thanks for your help!

When Forests Mattered

2012-01-27T23:58:00.001-08:00

Interesting forest oriented NNJ Map from 1900 centering on Bloomfield.(Click on map to enlarge)

Joint Fire Deal With Glen Ridge Goes Up in Smoke

2012-01-24T18:35:00.000-08:00

Breaking news from from Bloomfield Life:
Bloomfield officials and its fire union president were shocked Tuesday morning to learn the bid went to Montclair. Bloomfield Mayor Raymond McCarthy said it appeared Montclair was able to see Bloomfield's bid before it submitted its own.
"If you look at the bid, it's just under ours," the mayor said. "I'll say honestly, we allowed Glen Ridge to play us. I'm not happy about that. But you know, we gave it a shot."
"Those are serious allegations," Montclair Mayor Jerry Fried said of McCarthy's allegation.
McCarthy "is definitely not accurate...."

1/28 update:
Baristanet did an interesting piece on the issue -- mostly from a Montclair perspective. Call it sourgrapes, but most of the many comments thought Montclair may have gotten the raw end of the deal.

Liongate

2012-01-21T21:54:00.000-08:00

Sidewalking on the Wild Side

2012-01-19T21:23:00.001-08:00

"I left for work in the morning and I had a sidewalk. When I came home, the sidewalk was gone," Rosemary Ceracchio says.
The Bloomfield homeowner was shocked to find the sidewalk she'd recently paid $1,300 to fix was completely ripped up. She called Mayor MaCarthy's office and said, "Someone stole my sidewalk."
The "thief" turned out to be a contractor working for Bloomfield's Engineer, Paul Lasek. The contractor ripped out the new sidewalk.

Last August, Ceracchio's home owner's insurance company inspected her property and cited her for cracked front walks. She was told that she had 30 days to fix the problem or potentially lose her insurance.

Four months later, the city sent the crew without notifying Ceracchio.
The town said it was Ceracchio's fault for not contacting the city that her sidewalk no longer needed repair.
After Arnold Diaz, the "Shame on You" reporter at Fox 5 News, contacted the town about the issue (neither Lasek, or any town representative would go on camera), a new sidewalk was quickly poured. Ceracchio is glad to have a sidewalk again, but she was sorry that she had to shell out the $1,300 when she could have had the repairs for free.

The way things have been going in town lately, Shame on You may soon have Bloomfield on speed-dial.

Ruins of Old Factory on Second River

2012-01-17T20:57:00.001-08:00

Suggestion for Filtering Bloomfield Water

2012-01-13T16:29:00.000-08:00

As of this evening, there have been no updates from the town on the contamination issues mentioned in our last post, but Baristanet's publication of the alert has provoked many comments from residents. Tuesday's council agenda has no mention of the issue, but the public comment portion of the meeting may well see some fireworks.

Jane Calif, former head of Bloomfield's Recycling Committee, suggests an alternative to both tap water and bottled water:

I have had a Multi-Pure filter on my sink for a number of years. It is one of the best. You can read about it at their website. It takes out the most pollutants that could possibly be in your water including the one listed in the Bloomfield Water Dept. report: trihalomethanes - which is a by-product of chlorine.

I do not believe in bottled water. There have been studies which show there are brands which are simply bottled from municipal water supplies and not from pristine springs as they advertise. There have been pollutants found in such water. Bottled water that is in plastic has been found to have leached chemicals from the plastic into the water, especially if they have been heated such as being left in a hot car or in the sun. Aquifers have been lowered by companies sucking up the water to bottle it or for production of sodas. This has compromised the water systems in countries such as India where farmers who are already facing drought, find less water in the water table due in part to water extraction by companies. Their farming has been very negatively affected.

The whole idea of paying for water that we used to get for free is a way for big corporations to make money off of what should be a right - clean water. There has to be a way to have clean water in our homes without, for ex., using so much chlorine, resulting in by-products that may put our health in danger....

Jane

There are also less expensive options that will help.

IMPORTANT INFORMATION ABOUT YOUR DRINKING WATER

2012-01-12T19:31:00.000-08:00

(Note: Bloomfield's Official website has long since been capable of updating residents on issues like this. We will add updates here, as we receive them, but suggest calling their suggested hotline -- Water Operator at 973-680-4168 -- until this is resolved.)

Total Trihalomethanes Violation at Bloomfield Water Department

Our water system recently violated a drinking water standard. Although this incident was not an emergency, as our customers, you have a right to know what happened and what we are doing to correct this situation.

We routinely monitor for the presence of drinking water contaminants. Testing results from third quarter and fourth quarter 2011 show that our system exceeded the standard, or maximum contaminant level (MCL), for Trihalomethanes. The standard for Trihalomethanes is 80 ug/l. It is determined by averaging all samples collected by our system for the last 12 months. The level of Trihalomethanes averaged at our system for third quarter 2011 was 83 ug/l and fourth quarter 2011 was 86 ug/l.

What should I do?
• There is nothing you need to do unless you have a severely compromised immune system, have an infant, or are elderly. These people may be at increased risk and should seek advice about drinking water from their health care providers.

• You do not need to boil your water or take other corrective actions. If a situation arises where the water is no longer safe to drink, you will be notified within 24 hours. We will announce any emergencies on Channel 35, Bloomfield Public TV.

What does this mean?
This is not an emergency. If it had been an emergency, you would have been notified with 24 hours.

People who drink water containing trihalomethanes in excess of the MCL over many years may experience problems with their liver, kidneys, or central nervous system, and may have an increased risk of getting cancer.

What is being done?
The Township of Bloomfield purchases 100% of its water supply from the City of Newark, and does not maintain any sources or treatment processes.

We are working with the City of Newark, our water supplier, to improve water quality and establish compliance.

We intend to perform additional monitoring in our service area to better characterize the water supply and elevated Trihalomethanes levels.

We will evaluate our hydrant flushing program (normally performed twice per year) to determine if additional flushing in our service area will minimize water age and reduce Trihalomethanes (disinfection by-products) in our water supply.

For more information, please contact Anthony Marucci, Water Operator at 973-680-4168 or Township of Bloomfield, Engineering Department – Room 203, One Municipal Plaza, Bloomfield, N.J. 07003

Please share this information with all the other people who drink this water, especially those who may not have received this notice directly (for example, people in apartments, nursing homes, schools, and businesses). You can do this by posting this notice in a public place or distributing copies by hand or mail.

This notice is being sent to you by The Township of Bloomfield Water Department. State Water System ID# NJ0702001. Date Distributed: January 11, 2012.

Covering the News

2012-01-11T20:16:00.000-08:00

The cover photos on last week's Bloomfield newsweeklies were a study in contrasts, reflecting each paper's publishing model. The Independent Press still has the largest circulation, reflecting its traditional status as the "paper of record" -- where all the legal ads were required to be buried. Only last month, the council voted unanimously to move its ad budget to Blife, so they may soon catch up. In an effort By its Worrall Publisher to economize, The Press has grown more distant from township issues -- rarely editorializing and eliminating such niceties as letters to the editor. With a strong online presence via its North Jersey Media publisher, Blife was the first to add color and invite residents to write extended Op Ed articles. The one saving grace of the Press is that they still manage to keep most of their stories on one page. Full disclosure: I once freelanced for North Jersey Media, but strongly believe having two weekly papers in Bloomfield is a great benefit for all residents. I still pickup both papers, but often check for Shoprite coupons before buying The Press.
If only they would bring back that editorial page...,

Bloomfield Life: circulation 1,946
Independent Press of Bloomfield: circulation 3,000-4000

Baristanet.com: 86,000 website visitors/month

Newark Star-Ledger 210,586

Open Letter from A Third Warder

2012-01-10T20:59:00.001-08:00

The following was sent from a friend to their new Third Ward Councilman:

Our few remaining business owners along Bloomfield Avenue, near the torn-down buildings of the “redevelopment center” are totally demoralized. Yesterday afternoon I was purchasing some items from one of the merchants located in the center of town, along Bloomfield Avenue, when he informed me that he was planning to close shop in about a year. He told me that he and all the other small merchants were totally fed up with the town because nothing has been done in more than 10 years, and that nothing, in his opinion, would be done because of all the lawsuits and shenanigans. He was also very angry at the fact that he pays lots of money for police and fire protection and that neither he nor any of the other merchants EVER see a police officer on foot. PLEASE bring this up with Chief Goul. I tried to convince this merchant that things will change, but he kept on telling me that we would NEVER get anything done and that there is no foot traffic other than homeless individuals, panhandlers, and would-be thieves. I was very disappointed to hear how he and other merchants feel about our town, but I understand perfectly the reason for his frustration.

Ron Rice: Your Next Congressman?

2012-01-07T20:59:00.001-08:00

Bloomfield's First Ward may soon see a heated congressional fight between it's newest designated congressman, Donald Payne, and Ron C. Rice, the son of it's State Senator, Ronald Rice.
Rice has formed an exploratory committee and intends to make a final decision about running sometime in February.

Marching Towards March BiCentennial

2012-01-06T16:01:00.000-08:00

Here's an interesting photo of Bloomfield High School students, dressed in pioneer costumes, proudly marching in Bloomfield's Centennial parade down Broad Street.
Perfect time to remind everyone to take a look at Bloomfield's new BiCentennial website. When you click on the link on the right you'll get a preview of the main events planned starting with a Gala March 23 kickoff event at Bloomfield High. Starting on January 14, the website is scheduled to begin adding links to more events and historical memorabilia.
If you want to get involved NOW, come to Saturday's volunteer meeting. It's at 10:30 AM in Bloomfield College's Science Building on Liberty Street. If you can't make it, the next one is Jan. 28th.

Beyond the Bloomfield Greenway

2012-01-03T18:34:00.000-08:00

I started this blog 5 years ago when Bloomfield's Master Plan began including elements of a greenway plan into it's approved "grand design" for the township. The earliest posts included many of the slides that opened a presentation in our "Greenway Forum" at Bloomfield College's Van Fossen Auditorium.

While will continue to advocate for the greenway as well as other local environmental and green issues, we have long since expanded the blog to include many other issues that we hope will make our town a better place to live.

Renewed and Updated Council

2012-01-02T16:46:00.000-08:00

Bloomfield councilmen Elias Chalet, Nicholas Joanow and Carlos Bernard were formally sworn in to their respective ward council seats at noon today. Mayor Ray McCarthy noted that Bernard is the first Hispanic elected to office in Bloomfield and Chalet is the first elected foreign-born person.

With a capacity audience in the council chambers, Joanow, the second ward councilman, took his seat for a second term, joined by newcomers Chalet and Bernard, in the first and third wards. Peter Strumolo, Bloomfield's Democratic Party Leader, was conspicuously looking on in the doorway(photo). County Clerk Christoper Durkin introduced Bernard by praising "his loyalty"(party?) and Bernard followed up by asserting that the third ward had "not had any leadership" during the past three years. The ward had been represented by Robert Ruane, who lost to Bernard in the June primary. This comment drew audible hissing from the audience.

State Senator Ron Rice administered the oath while Nick Jr, held the bible and the councilman held his 10 month old granddaughter Nicolina. From left to right: councilman Bernard Hamilton, Mayor McCarthy, councilman Peggy Dunnigan, O'Boyle, Michelle and James Joanow, James Jr., Marlene and Nick Joanow, Ron Rice, and Laura and Nick A. Joanow. From left to right is councilman Bernard Hamilton, Mayor McCarthy, councilman Peggy Dunnigan, O'Boyle, James and Michelle Joanow, James Jr., Marlene, Nick, Ron Rice, Laura and Nick A. Joanow.

Wishing Bloomfield a Happy 2012!

2012-01-01T23:59:00.001-08:00

New Year's Eve of Destruction On Belleville Ave

2011-12-30T20:28:00.000-08:00

The current plan by Garden Commercial Properties is to create two buildings along the lower bend of the Third River, four stories each with a parking deck beneath, to serve as luxury one or two-bedroom apartments. The developer has said that the properties could begin as rental units and potentially become condominiums when the real estate market improves. In the process, about two dozen back office and warehouse businesses were given eviction notices in preparation for the demolition.

The planned 300 unit development has sparked controversy at many town council meetings. Reminded that she approved the bill when it first came up (along with the rest of the council), Council Janice Litterio replied that the full scope of the project was not made clear. “I feel snookered,” she said when summarizing her traffic concerns. There was also much debate regarding the planned 30 year tax abatement negotiated with the developer, Zygmunt Wilf, the owner of the Minnesota Vikings, who has himself been the subject of controversy.

Commenting on the news of a $100,000 grant received for studying the causes and cures of flooding along Bloomfield's segment of the Third River, Councilman Nick Joanow asserted that

You don't build on a floodplain. There's a cost/benefit analysis that needs to be understood …. Homes along that river have lost 5 to 10 feet of their property due to riverbank erosion. There are homes that are consistently flooding...the water has to go somewhere.

He referenced the township's 2002 Master Plan which included the Army Corps of Engineers conclusion that

The increase in the intensity and number of 100 year and 500 year flood events can be attributed to the way that development has occurred in Bloomfield. Impervious surface coverage along stream corridors in wetlands and floodplain areas leaves stormwater with no place to go. Generally these areas would absorb and filter the waters acting as a natural detention basin for the surrounding community. In Bloomfield, storm water travels through streets, driveways, and sometimes basements, rather than vegetated riparian corridors and wetlands.

Demolition of the structures on the north side of the site is planned to be completed by New Years Day.

Sunday on Washington St.

2011-12-28T18:50:00.000-08:00

Puttering around with the car on Sunday afternoons was the usual Sunday pastime for the male half of the population. A closer look at the construction of these "houses" suggests that they were built as speedily and as cheaply as possible. Additions are tacked on wherever and whenever and the high basements obviously predict the flood waters expected from nearby Toney's Brook. This entire area is now covered by black top and has become a parking lot.

Frederick Branch,

Historical Society of Bloomfield

Breaking News: Bloomfield is Turning Republican

2011-12-23T20:06:00.000-08:00

Bloomfield woke up today to find it has been broken into two congressional districts. Neither of them will include our current congressman, Bill Pascrel.

Most of the 1st and 2nd wards(along with Upper Montclair and Nutley) will be represented by Republican Rodney Frelinghuysen's 11th District. The 3rd Ward will fall mostly into the 10th district of Democrat Donald Payne.(Click on graphic to enlarge.)

It all becomes official in 2013.
Final confirmation of the new maps won't happen until the new legislature confirms everything when they meet in January. More details and the best analysis of the process so far can be found at NJSpotlight.com.

7 year Old King of Bloomfield's Inflatables

2011-12-20T12:21:00.000-08:00

James Joanow likes balloons. His grandmother recalls that he's been collecting them since he was around 5 years old. James especially likes the oversized inflatables that are the latest thing to decorate front yards for holidays and special occasions. The problem is that James lives in a 2 bedroom condo where holiday displays are frowned upon -- especially those that take up lawn space.

So, James called on grandparents Nick and Marlene Joanow to donate their front yard to showcase his collection on major holidays. The fact that the Joanows live on an isolated Lakewood Terrace cul-de-sac -- with a tiny, hilly, front yard -- has not dampened James' enthusiasm. "He loves standing out front in the cold and answering questions from neighbors and passersby," notes Councilman Joanow.

Each holiday serves up new and bigger additions to his displays. James is now 7. Even though he still lives in the Roseland condo, he manages to spend most of his December weekends visiting "Poppy" and giving guided tours while fine tuning his latest project. He told me that he's been working on this year's Christmas display since taking down an equally amazing Halloween show that startled neighbors with two fog machines. "He really does it all himself," says Nick. "He arranges all of them and configures all the wiring so that no one gets tangled up and no circuits are overloaded." Check out this Youtube clip of James in action.

Young James still has two items on the top of his Christmas list: more inflatables and more extension cords.

Christmas in Bloomfield

2011-12-19T19:00:00.000-08:00

Seems like there is a bit more optimism in the air as indicated by an increase in homes lit up for the holiday season. Especially nice to see lights on side streets that are mostly only seen by neighbors. These homes are on Garner St. We've seen some spectacular displays in even more isolated neighborhoods. Stay tuned....

Highlights

2011-12-18T20:34:00.000-08:00

2011 has been quite a year of ups and downs in Bloomfield. Here's a tast of out "highlight reel" for the year. They can all be found in our blogroll at right. Recognise any?

The Russians are Coming!

2011-12-16T17:20:00.000-08:00

Among it's many diverse ethnic groups, we're aware that Bloomfield has a vibrant Russian community. Google analytics is showing us that late this afternoon hundreds of folks from the heart of Russia have suddenly become fascinated with this humble Bloomfield blog. We're open to theories as to who, and why....

Bloomfield Centennial

2011-12-15T20:44:00.001-08:00

Broad Street at Franklin.
Time for another reminder that Bloomfield's Bicentennial Committee will be meeting for the last time, in this pre-Bicentennial year, on Saturday at 10:AM in Bloomfield College's Science Building. All are welcome.

Besides hundreds of photos like this on The Historical Society of Bloomfield's website, you are invited to the grand opening of our new unofficial Bicentennial blog: Vintage Bloomfield.

Au Revoir, Janice

2011-12-14T08:04:00.000-08:00

It's hardly a goodbye, since we'll be seeing her this Saturday when she chairs another meeting of Bloomfield's Bicentennial Committee:

Dear Friend:

Khalil Gibran once wrote, “You give but little when you give of your possessions, it is when you give of yourself that you truly give.” For the past 9 years I have abided by these words serving as the First Ward representative in the municipality of Bloomfield. Although my term expires December 31, 2011, my last council meeting will be Monday, December 12, 2011.

During my tenure on council, I am proud to say that my many initiatives were attained and that growth and accomplishments for Bloomfield and in particular, Ward 1, are evidenced. Many of these accomplishments were in direct response to the needs and desires of the constituents. I would also like to thank those town hall employees and advisors who worked diligently in assisting me in my township goals. Further, I would like to thank various members of the governing body and other elected officials who, throughout the years, fostered within me an “education in people,” second only to a Harvard Doctrine.

I do not leave this position with a heavy heart, but with one that beats excitedly. I shall remain committed to our town. Presently, I serve as chair to the Bicentennial committee, helping to navigate Bloomfield’s 200th Birthday with honor and grace. On a personal note, I cherish the blessings that God has bestowed upon me, I continue to plan and lay the groundwork for my future and with open arms I am ready to love life to its fullest. As I pen this farewell address, I glance down upon my hands and recall the times I filled Brian’s juicy cup with my left hand and simultaneously moved mountains with my right. I proudly ponder, that these are my hands; small yet independent. It is at this juncture in my life that I choose to use my hands to gently wave farewell.

Warmly,

Councilwoman Janice Litterio

Pinpointing Poverty in Bloomfield

2011-12-10T11:17:00.000-08:00

WNYC created a Pinpointing Poverty map based on newly-released statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau. Interesting to see that the Montclair tract at left has over 3 times the rate of poverty as can be found anywhere in Bloomfield. Baristanet raised the issue to much back and forth comment by it's regulars. This census tract(#153), along with two others in the 10% range, covers a sector of Bloomfield East of the Garden State Parkway and south of Hoover.(click on map to enlarge)

Christmas Carol for Rent Control

2011-12-09T07:27:00.000-08:00

Following Monday's Christmas Tree lighting festivities, John Street resident Beresford Jones sang to the council during the public portion of the meeting. He was applauded by fellow rent control protestors who had earler picketed outside.
See video via link below:
Next Line of Attack for Rent Protection Advocates: SINGING? [Video] - Bloomfield, NJ Patch:

'via Blog this'

Bloomfield Census Consensus

2011-12-06T20:59:00.000-08:00

The NJ Star Ledger and the Philadelphia Courier have collaborated on an interesting piece regarding NJ outmigration appropriately titled: "N.J.residents are leaving for Pennsylvania in increasingly large numbers." They cite many 2010 Census stats to reinforce their premise, but they don't point out that -- while Pennsylvania is the leading northeast state for in-migration -- the number LEAVING Pennsylvania for other states is comparable to those leaving NJ. The 130 odd comments at following the NJ.com piece reinvorce the message. One summed it up
especially well: "...I would love to see a stat on how many baby boomers are fleeing this money pit of a state. You would have to be an absolute idiot to retire here."

All this got me wondering about how many Bloomfielders have been leaving town and when the exodus began. We all have friends and relatives who have decided it was time for them to migrate to another state. Having participated in last year's Census in Bloomfield, I can attest to the fact that every stone was unturned to count every possible resident in every neighborhood. It turned out that we were down several hundred from the previous census. Although the township is considering a formal challenge on the numbers, the adjacent chart from Wikopedia shows that the pattern has been fairly steady for the past 40 years. We've shrunk from a high of 52,029 in 1970 to our current 47,315. Going into our Bicentennial year, it's hard to imagine what Bloomfield was like in 1900 just before it began it's biggest population surge -- quintupling in size by 1950.

We can speculate that much of the decline is attributable to factors such as declining family sizes and uncounted undocumented residents, but there's no doubt that taxes also have a lot to do with it. We continue to wonder if anything can be done to reverse the process and whose going to fill those empty rooms.

Assessing Bloomfield's Neighborhoods

2011-12-02T07:32:00.000-08:00

At Monday's Council meeting Tax Assessor Joe Pisauro presented an update on his 2012 Compliance Plan for property taxes. He explained that he breaks Bloomfield into has 150 neighborhoods that must be reviewed each year.

I asked Mr. Pisauro if he could provide a copy of his map and he forwarded the copy below. It would make an interesting parlor game -- and jigsaw puzzle -- just to figure out which segment you live in. (click on map to enlarge) Pisauro explained to me that his "neighborhoods" are not defined in terms of streets or traditional communities, but of assessed land values and similar types of housing. Not all towns use this systems, but it facilitates fine tuning annual tax updates. To get you started, green depicts parks, light green is for golf courses....

He can change up to 50 percent of the township’s property evaluations annually, based on current market conditions. These changes are then brought before the County Board of Taxation for approval.

Tis the Season...

2011-12-01T20:00:00.000-08:00

Free parking for all and to all a goodnight,

Liongate

2011-11-26T14:50:00.000-08:00

Broad and Bay In "Olden Days"

2011-11-22T20:31:00.000-08:00

"It would be hard to disagree with the ladies of the TIA that this is one of Bloomfield's worst corners. The building to the right seems to be in the process of demolition. The Broad Street service station seems to occupy the corner that was once owned by James Morris, whose old derelict mansion still stands behind it. Gas stations now occupy both corners and the area beyond the site of the Morris home is a 7-11 variety store, Branch Bank, and Dunkin' Donuts. From 1942 until it burned in 1991, it was the location of the Broad and Bay Bowling Alley."

Frederick Branch from The Historical Society of Bloomfield

You Can't Take It With You

2011-11-19T20:19:00.000-08:00

The Bloomfield High School Thespians take their bows after the final performance of their revival of the Hart Kajufman classic at Van Fossan Theater. The original play was won the 1937 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. It was a terrific production, touching on many topical issues that we are still dealing with. Now I have to dig up the Jimmy Stewart movie version -- a good chunk of which is on Youtube

Duel on Evans Road

2011-11-17T20:23:00.000-08:00

Two next door neighbors on the northeast corner of Bloomfield happen to have 2 of the 3 highest priced homes in town. 120 Evans Road and 116 Evans Road (at left) are priced at 549.9k and 619k respectively. Both Colonials were built in 1973 came on the market in July and have yet to find a buyer or make a price reduction.

Police Blotter Highlights

2011-11-15T11:16:00.000-08:00

Burglaries
Nov. 9: Someone kicked in a laundry room window on the 200 block of Franklin Street. Once inside the suspect broke into the coin machine. It is unknown how much money was taken.

Nov. 10: A homeowner on the 100 block of Ella Street reported someone entered the home through a rear door between 7 p.m. and 1 a.m. and took a PlayStation 3, a Compaq laptop computer and jewelry.

Nov. 10: A man reported someone broke into his garage on the 200 block of North 17th Street and stole a bicycle.

Nov. 11: A woman said when she returned to her home on the 100 block of Parkway Drive West, she noticed a rear window was open. She then went upstairs and found a bedroom had been ransacked and two rings were missing.

Stolen Vehicles
Nov. 9: A 1996 Honda was stolen from North 17th Street.

Nov. 12: A 2000 Ford was stolen from Abington Avenue and Ampere Parkway.

Theft
Nov. 9: Two parking meters were removed from a lot on Bloomfield Avenue and Ward Street between Nov. 8 and Nov. 9.

Nov. 9: A man reported two men broke into his car on the 50 block of Farrandale Avenue and took a Gucci brown bag containing his driver’s license, credit cards and an iPhone.

Nov. 10: A woman reported a man entered her office at 2 Broad St. and stole a wallet and a Wii game out of her purse.

Nov. 13: A woman, who was having a seizure, said a bystander told her a man stole her coach handbag while the woman was having a seizure on the 50 block of Franklin Street.

Criminal Mischief
Nov. 10: A man reported someone ripped out some of the wires on two cars on the 350 block of Broad Street.

Bicentennial Plans Take Shape

2011-11-12T11:45:00.000-08:00

This morning's organizing meeting at the Bloomfield Library was SRO with dozens of resident's signing up on a variety of committees. There's still time to get involved. You can keep in touch by "Liking" the new Facebook page. A more interactive website will be up in a few days with a closer look at what the committees are up to and what events are in the planning stages. Clicking on the photo thumbnails at the top of the page starts a c.1900 slide show (currently showing the Watsessing area).

One Party Rule Becomes the Rule

2011-11-09T20:04:00.000-08:00

There were many reasons given for the inability of GOP candidates to stage a competitive campaign in Bloomfield. Certainly the changing demographics had a lot to do with it. Others have cited the well-oiled Democratic machine led by Democratic Committee leader Strumolo. Yet the most votes were garnered by anti-machine Democrat, Nick Joanow (at right) in the 2nd Ward -- Bloomfield's heaviest Republican stronghold,
On the NJ/Bloomfield Forum, NJPollwatcher reminded us of how it used to be:

The last "like" election was 1999...meaning similar in that there were no statewide or congressional elections and the top of the ticket was legislative. In 1999 the entire Dem ticket (Assembly, Freeholder and Council) was dominated by the Republican party. This was in part due to a popular Bloomfield candidate--Marion Crecco---being at the top of the ticket.
Now, Republicans in town are more than likely more heavily outnumbered in terms of registered/affiliated party voters.....

Concerning the current GOP, "ByeBye Bloomfield" summed it up the best:

But what happened here in Bloomfield was that our local republican candidates were full of national GOP ideas instead of their own. In addition they could distance themselves from some of the negative aspects of the mainstream conservative republican ideology, but instead they imbraced it. They should have been progressive republicans instead of conservative. Honestly they almost sounded like a Tea Party branch of the Republican Party and just did not see the issues as they were. None of them said anything about the millions of state aid cut by their protege governor. Or what can they do to get this aid back. Instead their solution to balance the sheet was to cut two departments by 5%. Next year when the state aid will be trimmed even more another 5 or 10% of cut would be made. This is not facing an issue but simply avoiding it just as unlimited bonding. Bloomfield GOP should have concentrated on local issues not politics.

When No Means Yes

2011-11-03T20:28:00.000-07:00

At the October 24th Conference meeting, councilman Nick Joanow's proposal for Bloomfield to institute a "Pay to Play" ordinance was narrowly defeated by the mayor's 4 to 3 majority. The need for such an ordnance became abundantly clear at the Candidate's Forum last Thursday. Towards the end of the Q and A from the audience, the candidates were asked if they had ever accepted contributions from vendors.

This week's independent Press has a cover story on the "incorrect answers" that Carlos Bernard and Elias Chalet gave at the Forum:

Incorrect answers at forum
By Daniel Jackovino Staff Writer

During last Thursday's Candidates' Forum, candidates were asked if they had accepted contributions from vendors currently under contract with the township.

All six candidates answered "no." However, a perfunctory review of the candidates' contribution reports showed Democrat Carlos Bernard of the 3rd Ward and Democrat Elias Chalet of the 1st Ward did in fact receive contributions from contracted vendors.

The Friends of Carlos Bernard for Councilman listed Ed Farmer, the CEO of Millennium Strategies, a grants consultant for the township, as having made a $250 contribution. Andrew Zabiega, a partner in the accounting firm of Samuel Klein & Co, the township auditor, made a contribution of $100. Elias Chalet for Bloomfield Councilman lists a $2,600 contribution from Richard Alaimo Engineering Association, an engineering consultant.

Video coverage of the entire forum can be seen here.

Trick or Treat or Not Tonight -- Maybe Friday

2011-10-31T10:06:00.000-07:00

Along with Glen Ridge and Montclair, comes this announcement from Bloomfield:

The Township of Bloomfield and Township of Glen Ridge are concerned about slippery roads, darkened streets, downed tree limbs and power lines and are postponed trick-or-treating until Friday, November 4, 2011. Bloomfield and Glen Ridge are urging parents and residents to wait until end of the week to allow children to go trick-or-treating Friday November 4, 2011.

Climate Change Emergency -- Day 2

2011-10-30T19:58:00.000-07:00

Thousands of Bloomfield residents are still without power and Broad Street remains closed from Sunset to Yantecaw (right.)Mayor McCarthy described the damage as much worse than Hurricane Irene and opened the Civic Center to those without heat. All schools will stay closed on Monday and Halloween trick or treating may be strongly discouraged.

Snowmogedden

2011-10-29T20:41:00.000-07:00

The County of Essex and the Township of Bloomfield would like to inform all residents that conditions outdoors due to the storm are very dangerous and we encourage everyone to stay at home. The snow is causing many trees and power lines to fall causing hazardous conditions. Once again please do not leave your home unless it is an extreme emergency. Thank You

Morris Canal Photographs by Bloomfield's Best Known Painter

2011-10-28T20:04:00.000-07:00

Born in Albany, New York, Charles Warren Eaton became a Tonalist landscape painter greatly influenced by Montclair's George Inness. His intimate, moody landscapes were known for subdued hues and muted tonal harmonies, and the subject was often the landscape in late autumn, evening time, or winter. His paintings were groundbreaking because they were relatively small scale intimate countryside views, which was a departure from the generally popular panoramic, romanticized views of Hudson River School painters. A reclusive bachelor, Eaton maintained a studio in New York City and painted throughout the Northeast.

Eaton also visited Holland where he painted many canal scenes. This may explain his love for Bloomfield and the Morris Canal. He lived most of his life on Monroe St. and left an extensive collection of photographs taken along the canal that were believed to have inspired many of his paintings. He lived in Bloomfield from the 1880's until his death in 1937 -- over a decade after the Morris Canal was drained and filled in.

Archivist Rich Rockwell recently added large selection of these photographs to the rapidly expanding website of the Historical Society of Bloomfield. Rich has done extensive research on many of the locations of specific photographs such as the one shown here: "Looking South towards the Liberty Street bridge. The houses on the right are the backs of houses on Spruce Street. The chimney is W M Cutler Coal on Spruce Street at the foot of Monroe Place "(click on photograph to enlarge)
Much of the original documentation on the Canal photos was done in 1976 by Robert Goller who is still active with the Canal Society of New Jersey.

Thursday is Candidate's Night

2011-10-26T20:49:00.000-07:00

Bloomfield Candidate forum is this Thursday, Oct. 27 at Bloomfield College's Van Fossan Theatre, corner of Fremont and Franklin Streets. The forum is an opportunity for the public to meet and question all six contestants running for the three ward council seats on the ballot in the November 8 general election. The forum tarts at 7:00, doors open as 6:30.

Arrive early for a slide show of Bloomfield past and present memorabilia by yours truly.
Post forum reception will be Next door in Westminster Hall. All for free.

Rent Controls Return to Bloomfield -- Almost

2011-10-24T20:30:00.000-07:00

After nearly a year of unsuccessful votes to restore rent control, Bloomfield's Town Council tonight unanimously approved a compromise rent control agreement that will protect many tenants from unbearable rent increases.
This time around, however, several limitations were were added to the ordinance: It will only apply to buildings with 5 or more units, increases cannot be more than 5% a year based on the consumer price index, and new apartment buildings that are part of downtown redevelopment will be exempt from rent control for 30 years after they are built. More details can be found in Bloomfield Life.

North Center Revisited

2011-10-19T19:31:00.000-07:00

Residents were invited to a designers open house atBloomfield Library to compare and discuss concepts to revitalize the town’s North Center commercial district (Broad Street from the intersection of Pitt/James Streets to Hoover Avenue).
The town, along with landscape architect David Lustberg, and his team at Arterial, a Montclair-based “street design studio,” was present with boards illustrating initial ideas to improve the area, including new sidewalks, furniture, banners, trash receptacles, municipal parking lot improvements that would allow better connectivity to the parking lot for pedestrians and cars and a parklet — the temporary use of a parking space for seating or outdoor dining.
Lustberg and his team will move forward with the initial plans or revise them based on community feedback. According to Lustberg, the first phase of construction will start in spring 2012 and will continue based on available funding (the town is looking at various funding sources for the initiative).

Bloomfield Mortgage Scammer Sentenced

2011-10-17T23:54:00.000-07:00

A loan officer from a Bloomfield-based business was sentenced Monday to 366 days in prison for his role in a $1.5 million wire fraud case, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

David Wynn of Englewood, from Home Start America Inc., previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit wire fraud, along with its chief executive officer and founder Michael Kaufman, of Reading, Pa. Kaufman also pleaded guilty in the sceme and is awaiting sentencing.

Kaufman founded HSA in Bloomfield, N.J., and at one time employed more than 30 people in the historic Leo building at 2 Broad St. . Kaufman, through HSA, purchased and sold residential real estate properties. As part of the scheme, Kaufman and others recruited people – often first-time home buyers – to purchase properties quickly, with promises of no money down, no closing costs, and repairs paid for by HSA. Kaufman would then steer the purchasers to loan officers, including Wynn.

2nd Ward Candidate Deleted from Campaign

2011-10-13T12:57:00.000-07:00

Question: What's missing from this Democratic billboard on Broad St?
Answer: NIck Joanow, the Democratic candidate who overwhelmingly won his primary to qualify for LIne A on his party's ticket.

The bottom line according to Democratic District Rep, Pat Gilleran:

"Bloomfield environmental Town Councilor Nick Joanow is not being supported by the Bloomfield Democratic County Committee. Rumor has it that Bloomfield's Mayor Ray Mccarthy has been campaigning for the Republican candidate, Kent Weisert."

Pat has made her case in an open letter to Essex County Democratic Chairman PhilipThigpen,

I would like to ask why the Bloomfield Democratic County Committee has been allowed to circumvent their own bylaws and NOT support the re-election of Bloomfield 2nd Ward Democratic Councilman Nick Joanow. Mr. Joanow won the Democratic primary in 2011 and is running on LINE A as a Democrat.

I've attached a photo of the Bloomfield Democratic County Committee sponsored Billboard on Broad Street in Bloomfield where Mr. Joanow is not included and yet Democratic candidates from ALL other wards in Bloomfield are.

I would like an explanation as to why the Bloomfield Democratic County Committee is being run as a social club and not as a true Democratic organization. I am a duly elected District leader who has not been invited to a meeting in over a year. Others that I know have also not been invited. We were elected by the people of Bloomfield and yet we cannot represent them.

Pat Gilleran
Bloomfield Democratic County Committee Ward 2 District 2 Representative

Cell Tower Proposal Withdrawn

2011-10-11T09:34:00.000-07:00

T-Mobile 's attorney has notified the Bloomfield Zoning Board that they have withdrawn their application without prejudice. Here is the letter submitted to the Bloomfield Zoning Board:
Re: T-Mobile Northeast LLC, variance application, 551 Broad St.

Dear Chairman and Board members:

I have been authorized by T-Mobile to advise you that the Applicant desires to withdraw
this case, without prejudice. Obviously, this will render the October 20, 2011 hearing
date moot.

On behalf of T-Mobile, I would like to thank the Board as well as its staff and
professionals for their attention and consideration of this application.

Very truly yours,

James K. Pryor

The Bloomfield Zoning Board will still hold a special public meeting on Thursday October 20, 2011 at 7:00pm Bloomfield Town Hall - 2nd Floor to discuss the cell tower.

Bloomfield's School Garden

2011-10-10T23:50:00.000-07:00

From the glass slide collection of Bloomfield resident, David Petillo (c.1914). Much of his collection can be viewed online at http://www.bloomfieldhistorical.org/ Click on photo to enlarge.

Solar Comes to Bloomfield

2011-10-05T23:50:00.001-07:00

(Newark, NJ) – As part of its Solar 4 All™ program, PSE&G is installing pole-attached solar energy units in the more than 300 municipalities in its electric service territory. When the project is complete in late 2012, the pole-attached solar units will provide 40-megawatts of solar electricity – enough to power about 6,500 average size New Jersey homes annually. Solar unit installations started in 2009 and to date approximately 109,000 units are installed, operating and producing clean energy from the sun.

Beginning in mid- to late- October, PSE&G contractors will begin installing pole-attached solar units in Bloomfield. They will be placed on utility poles that offer a clear exposure to the southern sky, access to the proper voltage electric wires and where installation does not interfere with existing equipment on the pole. Not all utility poles will receive a solar unit since only those that meet these three criteria are eligible. The panels are approximately 2 ½ feet high by 5 feet wide and will be installed about 15 feet off the ground.

“These solar units bring the direct benefit of clean, renewable energy to all our customers since the electricity they generate is used in homes and businesses in the immediate neighborhood,” said Al Matos, vice president for renewables and energy solutions for PSE&G. “We would need 170 acres of land to place 40 megawatts worth of traditional solar farms. By utilizing these utility poles, we take up zero land space, which is a great way to install a large amount of solar capacity in a crowded state like New Jersey while making solar available to all.”

PSE&G estimates that when the full 40 megawatts of pole attached solar units are installed, they will reduce the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the air by 31 metric tons per year, the amount of nitrous oxide (NOx) by 58 metric tons per year, and the amount of sulfur oxide (SOx) by 135 metric tons per year. This is the same as removing about 3,800 cars from the road for one year.

Discussion With Police Chief now Online

2011-10-02T22:31:00.001-07:00

The full 90 minute Q & A with Bloomfield's new Police Chief, Christopher Goul, is now available on the WBMA-TV website. It can be found in the Community events section. Downtown Business Alliance manage Doreen Sarcone is pictured above. At left is Piano's Manager, William Rutan, and Planning Board member Susana Sotillo. The September event was organized by the Bloomfield Neighborhood Association Committee. The BNAC's next event will be their Candidate's Forum at Bloomfield College on October 27th.

Blessing of the Animals to Benefit Bloomfield Shelter

2011-10-01T06:55:00.000-07:00

Shelter Volunteer Karen Banda reports that "the pastor has very generously offered to donate all money collected at the service to the Bloomfield/Bukowski Animal Shelter. We are extremely grateful. Volunteers and some shelter animals will be present to receive the blessing which we hope will be carried back to the rest of our shelter critters."
(Click on poster to enlarge)
Two other animal blessing events are taking place in Mpntclair and Nutley this weekend.

Belleville residents blame Bloomfield businesses for flooding

2011-09-28T23:57:00.001-07:00

From Bloomfield Life:

While the mayor and council argued they have no say over Bloomfield businesses(Glendale Cemetery and Forest Hill golf course), Hinton insisted that the cemetery's land closest the river is technically Belleville. Mayor Ray Kimble subsequently agreed to send Belleville code employees to Bloomfield, to issue violation notices.

Clark's Pond

2011-09-27T20:29:00.001-07:00

Harvest Fest

2011-09-24T20:51:00.000-07:00

The fun continues at the 19th Annual Bloomfield Harvest Fest on Sunday 11 AM - 6PM..
Yhe Entertainment schedule can be found here.

What's New on Bloomfield Ave?

2011-09-24T08:22:00.000-07:00

It wasn't the traffic accident on Wednesday that temporarily blocked drivers in both directions. (A westbound car had crashed into
the front yard of a Glen Ridge Resident on the corner of Clark St.) It wasn't the scratch and sniff look to one of Bloomfield's finest police cars. Your're correct if you noticed the new banners for Bloomfield's 2012 Bicentennial festivities. Bloomfield history buffs can make the case for a Bloomfield Tricentenial as well.

Bloomfield College

2011-09-22T21:06:00.000-07:00

Those Little Red Schoolroom Containers

2011-09-16T23:34:00.000-07:00

To deal with overcrowding at Franklin School this year, the Bloomfield school district has brought in three trailers to serve as temporary classrooms, each with a 30-student capacity. Even with a fresh coat of red paint, the windowless cubicles still look more like industrial containers than school rooms.

Police Chief Chris Goul to Speak to Bloomfield Residents Saturday

2011-09-14T19:05:00.000-07:00

Bloomfield Township Police Chief Christopher Goul will be the guest speaker.at Saturday's 10am meeting of Bloomfield's Neighborhood Association Committee. Goul was confirmed by the Town Council in January.

The meeting format is usually a brief overview by the guest then questions from residents.It will take place in The Mayor's conference room in the second floor of the Police Building at the corner of Montgomery and Franklin streets,

The BNAC is a loosely organized grassroots network of Bloomfield residents which meets bi-monthly to share interests, concerns and events. Anyone can attend meetings. The BNAC sponsors candidate forums and periodically invites local leaders to meet with residents.

T-Mobile Still Undecided on Cell Tower Plan, But ZB May Force the Issue on Thursday

2011-09-12T20:52:00.001-07:00

The attorney for T-Mobile, James Pryor, has again requested the Bloomfield Zoning Board carry T-Mobile’s application to build a 120-foot monopole on the corner of Broad Street and Bay Avenue for “one last time.”
In a letter to the board dated September 9, 2011, Pryor stated that T-Mobile is “still evaluating this site based on current circumstances,” and requested that the Board schedule a special meeting to address the application on either October 13 or October 20, 2011, as the regular Zoning Board meeting agenda on October 6 is already full. Applicants requesting a special meeting of the board are required to pay for the expense of the additional meeting.
T-Mobile will provide legal notice for whichever date is selected, and the applicant will be prepared to either provide testimony at the meeting or request dismissal of the application at that time. The letter also waived the time constraint on the board to act on the application to October 31.

However the leader of the neighborhood residents opposed to the tower spoke with the secretary of the Bloomfield Zoning Board to confirm the Baristanet report. She reaffirmed that that T-Mobile is required to appear this Thursday September 15, 2011 at 7:30pm Bloomfield Town Hall to let the Zoning Board know whether they choose to proceed with the application.

Tuesday 5:PM Update:
Bloomfield Zoning Board Attorney confirms that that Mr. Pryor, attorney for T-Mobile will not be at this meeting and that the letter sent to the Zoning Board on September 9 will be read into record. For a copy of this letter please email: nobroadbaycelltower@gmail.com The zoning board is voting this Thursday to either accept T-Mobile's adjournment or not.

.

The Doggon Biggest Pooch Parade in Brookdale

2011-09-10T22:36:00.001-07:00

United Against Puppy Mills (UAPM) held a Puppy Mill Awareness Concert, Sound for the Hounds, in Brookdale Park today. This event was geared toward raising awareness about puppy mills and enlightening the public about how to put an end to the industry.

Along with many prominent jazz performances, the event also featured a Dog Look-a-Like Contest, sponsored by Rescue Ink; rescue groups representing many different dogs breeds; vendors; and much interbreed networking.

Foley Field Reopens

2011-09-09T20:05:00.000-07:00

First game on the new astroturf....Bloomfield 42 - Belleville 7...Go Bengals!! A video clip can be seen here.
Bloomfield's Fitness Guru, Steve Crooks, wrote up his impressions of the event for his forthcoming blog:

This is what it looked like and felt like to me...
Like they say, "If you build it, they will come." Boy, those Friday-night lights were outstanding, weren't they? There could not have been a more perfect game to open not only the season, but the whole new era of Foley Field. I mean, it sounded like a great game; but to be honest, from where I was standing I couldn't actually see much of the action. And besides, there was as much action, energy and excitement in the crowd as there was on the field. It was everything vibrant and vital about a town like Bloomfield, people of all ages and shapes and sizes and walks of life. Kids big and small, engaging in that kind of life-celebration that, I'm sorry, but an I-Phone or a video game or texting your BFF just can't provide. Older folks with that look on their faces you only see in churches or movie theaters sometimes, as if something has been born and reborn, right in front of their eyes; something they never really believed they'd see again.

And more than that, there was a clear and visible lesson for our times: do the best with what you've got. Use a table for a ticket booth; use a tent for concessions. And the stands? Well, there'll certainly be more than just rented aluminum bleachers in Foley's future, but hey, as a fitness professional, I think people sit too darned much anyway. And to be honest, without any real stands to plant themselves in, there was a lot more mingling and neighbor-to-neighbor socializing going on.

Galvanized like a thrilling human chain of community, in the bleachers, against the fence (where my son and I first tied our red ribbons on a rainy Sunday morning a couple of March's ago), out along the ticket line, through the local blocks and parking lots, and iron-straight all the way up the column of Broad Street traffic; it was everything I could've imagined from the time I started imagining the revitalized Foley Field at all, how it would bring together and anchor all the diverse districts and neighborhoods and citizens of our fascinating town. (My 'social barometer' for the evening? The shopping-cart-collecting kid I spoke to later on that night at the Brookdale Shop-Rite, who said simply, "No one was here!")....

Steve's complete post can now be found on Baristanet.

Welcome to Foreclosuredale

2011-09-08T20:15:00.001-07:00

Broad St residents paid scant attention to the home being boarded up a couple of days before the arrival of Hurricane Irene. But when the plywood windows stayed on for days after Irene's departurbanker sign was down, a new reality set in. The cozy corner cape had been for sale for months, but now the Caldwell Banker Realty sign had come down. The unsuccessful Short Sale was now a Foreclosure.

After receiving several complaints, councilman NIck Joanow prodded Bloomfield's Director of Code Enforcement, Glen Dominick to convey the residents' concerns to the mortgage holder.

Dominick took a cautious approach:

" …while it is not what I would like to see I do not recommend we ask the mortgage companies on this location or any other to alter their attempts to secure these structures it create less problems for us and protects the condition of the home to the best it can in order to insure the best possible potential for a sale. The Township potentially will face great numbers of properties being boarded up and as you are aware this national epidemic is not something we can cure on a local level it creates a great burden on our services and this method is one way of greatly reducing our burden. Once I compile a database of the foreclosed properties I can begin to formulate the contact information on the lien holders then I have a plan for the general steps that I will request of the banks in order to secure and maintain properties such as this."

The issue of maintaining property values in the face of an avalanche of impending foreclosures has no easy solutions. Neighborhood awareness is a good start. Just making sure that vacant homes don't attract vandals with accumulated trash or overflowing mail boxes can make a difference.

Plans for a Town Hall meeting on the subject have been put on hold.

This Wednesday, the plywood was taken down.

Brookdale Park

2011-09-06T15:23:00.001-07:00

New Rules for Golf Drivers?

2011-09-04T21:49:00.000-07:00

If corporations are people, are carts considered pedestrians when they drive across a crosswalk? Just wondering...

Where Bloomfield Gets It's Excess Water [Video]

2011-09-01T22:30:00.000-07:00

In Search of the source of my basement pond. Since we're up the hill from Broad St., most of our runoff was donated by Glen Ridge. Shot this late Sunday Morning on Essex Sr..

Irene

2011-08-28T21:16:00.000-07:00

Top: Newark at West St.

Center: Watsessing

Bottom: Brookside

A video clip from Brookside can be seen here. Both Brookside and Watsessing were converted from lakes into parks. The 1865 map that shows both can be seen here.

Getting Ready to Welcome Irene

2011-08-26T21:50:00.001-07:00

Shoprite

Brookside Park 7:30 pm Friday

The Earth Shakes as Downtown Redevelopment Begins

2011-08-23T16:45:00.000-07:00

By coincidence, the first full day after ground breaking for Bloomfield's long delayed had our town shaking from an uncustomarily extensive earthquake, that was broad enough in scope to be felt by many on Broad Street and beyond.

Farmers Market Today in Venner Park

2011-08-18T12:43:00.000-07:00

There's still time to make the next to last of the Summer Concerts from 4 to 7 by the fountain. Today you can hear the funky sounds if No Name James and Butterball. On the 26th, the Kootz will rock the "Green Scene" -- all sponsored by the Bloomfield Center Alliance. The market will continue on Thursdays thru October.

Brookside

2011-08-14T22:40:00.001-07:00

Brookside

2011-08-12T23:50:00.000-07:00

Double Feature at Brookdale Park

2011-08-04T21:55:00.000-07:00

Hard to believe that Bloomfield's summer outdoor concert season is just about over. Rick Larrimore's tribute to Rod Stewart was the opening act for Bloomfield's own internationally renowned Infernos. If you missed them tonight, you can catch them in Nutley's Memorial Park on August 25th or on Youtube.

Memorial Park

2011-08-03T23:35:00.001-07:00

NIght Out in Bloomfield

2011-08-02T20:59:00.000-07:00

Strengthening community spirit and preventing crime and drug use is at the core of the annual National Night Out celebration. The Bloomfield police and fire department were active at many locations from Garner St. (above) to N. 15th St. Bloomfield police officers visited neighborhoods throughout the township and provided balloons, stickers and other give-aways to children. Firefighters also visited the neighborhood parties with firetrucks.

Bloomfield Old and New -- landmark book now accessible online

2011-07-30T23:58:00.000-07:00

Thanks to the Historical Society of Bloomfield, you can now freely download the entire Google-scanned copy of the original 1912 publication of Bloomfield, old and new: an historical symposium edited by Joseph Fulford Folsom. You can also read it online without downloading the 200 page work. What's really cool is that the extensive index(sampled above) is hyperlinked, so you can easily locate any page with a reference of interest with the click of your mouse.

End Game Near at Foley Field

2011-07-27T19:00:00.000-07:00

Originally built in 1934 as a Depression inspired WPA project, Foley Field's massive major renovation project is finally reaching it's goal line. The renovations were funded by a $2.9 million bond passed in 2010 after a more ambitious bond issue was defeated. Bloomfield High's first football game in the new field is scheduled for September.

A live streaming video of Foley Field’s renovations cab be seen at http://www.bloomfield.k12.nj.us/foley/

Go Jump in the Lake!

2011-07-24T23:31:00.000-07:00

Since, Bloomfield is one of the few large NJ towns without a public pool, we've found this beach to be the closest, cheapest($5), cleanest, cheeriest, and less crowded of them all.

Stay Cool!

2011-07-22T21:17:00.000-07:00

Temps were at an all time high of 108 degrees in Newark today, so we checked out the Bloomfield Township website to see if there were any contingency plans in effect for power failures or seniors in need of help. In fact, Bloomfield has its page updated thusly:

"Friday, July 22, 2011 EMERGENCY NOTICES:
Due to the predicted amount of snow this winter, we would like to request that all residents move their cars off of the street once the snow starts to fall...."

Thankfully, we are now able to enlist the help of Google to find an NJ.com list of Essex County cooling centers that included our very own "Civic Center, 84 Broad St., open continuously through 6 p.m. tomorrow."
If you know of anyone without working air conditioners, please let them know about this.

By the way, one of Yoshi Manale's observations at Saturday's Q & A was that our town doesn't have the resources to water its newly planted curbside trees. He suggested that we all assume the responsibility of watering the trees on the strips in front of our homes -- or next door if they look parched. It would be a great project for a neighborhood group to organize.

BNAC Interview with Yoshi Manale (Video Link)

2011-07-21T23:56:00.000-07:00

The 90 minute discussion with Bloomfield's Neighborhood Association Committee and the Bloomfield Town Administrator can now be viewed online via this WBMA-TV link. After the meeting, Susanna Sotillo commented: "This was a very informative event. Participants from all three wards were represented and we were given sufficient time to ask questions and express our views. Yoshi provided a lot of useful information. This is democracy in action."

Bloomfield's Underground Streams and Lakes

2011-07-19T10:30:00.000-07:00

Baristanet just posted an interesting piece on the historic rivers, streams, and ponds of the Bloomfield and Montclair area. Many new maps and diagrams have been unearthed by local historian Frank Gerard Godlewski as a result of the discovery of forgotten underground streams surrounding Montclair's newly constructed Sienna condo complex. At right is one of the more revealing maps (click on map to enlarge) showing the older streams that flow from Montclair to the former Watsessing Pond. The numerous comments reflect a continuing fascination with the subject in both towns.

New State Aid Targeted for Bloomfield Schools Announced

2011-07-17T11:45:00.000-07:00

Bloomfield's Public Schools will see $1.6 million in additional state aid for the 2011-2012 school year. This is a result of revised figures from from the Governor's Office.
(Photo of 1939 BHS archery team courtesy of The Historical Museum of Bloomfield)

According to Bloomfield Life, all non-Abbott school districts are receiving a second aid package, matching February's initial allotment. The exact figure is $1,580,857, raising the Bloomfield schools' state funding total to $18,876,003 for 2011-12.

Adjacent towns are seeing a boost as well. Examples include Nutley ($1.08 million), Belleville ($1.16 million), Montclair ($2.2 million) and Clifton ($2.86 million). And East Orange, a former Abbott District, is receiving over $10 million.\

Relay for Life KIcks Off

2011-07-15T16:29:00.000-07:00

Last night was the first organizing session for Bloomfield's Relay For Life at Bloomfield High School's Media Center. The American Cancer Society Relay For Life is a life-changing event that gives everyone in communities across the globe a chance to celebrate the lives of people who have battled cancer, remember loved ones lost, and fight back against the disease. At Relay, teams of people camp out at a local high school, park, or fairground and take turns walking or running around a track or path. Each team is asked to have a representative on the track at all times during the event. Because cancer never sleeps, Relays are overnight events up to 24 hours in length.
Although every Relay For Life is different, there are certain traditions at all Relays, no matter where they are held. These traditions help participants celebrate, remember, and fight back

Yoshi Manale to Speak at BNAC 10 AM Saturday

2011-07-14T06:47:00.000-07:00

Bloomfield Township Administrator Yoshi Manale will be the guest speaker. at Saturday's meeting of Bloomfield's Neighborhood Association Committee. Manale was narrowly confirmed by the Town Council in January after the abrupt resignation of the previous Administrator, Fred Carr.

The meeting format is usually a brief overview by the guest then questions from residents.It will take place in The Mayor's conference room in the second floor of the Police Building at the corner of Montgomery and Franklin streets,

The BNAC is a loosely organized grassroots network of Bloomfield residents which meets 6 times a year to share interests, concerns and events. Anyone can attend meetings. The BNAC sponsors candidate forums and periodically invites local leaders to meet with residents.