DPW GOT TO WORK

Memorial Park was finally cleared by DPW workers on Thursday. It seemed that the cutbacks of two years ago that reduced the workforce were part of the cause as workers had to plow streets, then hit the parks.


Thanks for doing it all Guys and Gals!

KARI'S SOLO

Before the Township Committee reappoints Mayor Vic De Luca on Saturday and swears in new TC member Marlon Brownlee, one Kari Capone, she of Kari's Cafe, will sing a solo song.


See agenda HERE

FIRST NIGHT TONIGHT

This great annual event offers something for adults and kids, late revelers and early-to-bedders. 


Fireworks rock.


See schedule HERE

TOWN HALL CLOSED

Reminder, town offices closed today for New Year's holiday, which is actually tomorrow.

TOWN SHUTDOWN

After failing to clear walks in Memorial Park, the township is taking more time off, closing Town Hall at 12:15 today and all day Friday.


Your tax dollars NOT at work.


Just in time for the reval tax hikes soon to hit in 2011.

SLOW SNOW REMOVAL

A walk around Memorial Park today found most sidewalks still unplowed. The law says WE must shovel our walks within 12 hours, but apparently not the township.


Two days later and still unplowed, despite our criminal taxes.


Came across Mayor De Luca outside Town Hall this morning. He said this is the best that they can do, saying DPW people need a break. Sorry, not good enough. Likely impact from DPW cutbacks last year.

SNOW SNAFUS

Waste Management, which did not pick-up Monday due to snow, is apparently waiting until the regular Thursday pick-up, thus ripping us off again and making us pile up garbage from the long holiday weekend.


Why not pick up the garbage when you are supposed to instead of adding more monthly bulk pick-up.


How nice of the Star-Ledger, by the way, to deliver Tuesday's paper again today, but not today's paper. 

REAL ESTATE ROW

Our real estate expert, Mark Slade of Mid-Town Direct Realty, offers his regular views on buying and selling.


See the latest HERE

POST-SNOW REPORT

As usual, Maplewood DPW seemed to have roads cleared well, except for Valley late Monday.


But, paths in Memorial Park were still bad, even this afternoon, 24 hours after the snow ended. 


As the law requires us to remove snow within 12 hours, the township should at least do that much.

NJ TRANSIT ALERTS

Travel Alerts

Dec 27, 2010  10:28:59 AM Morris & Essex Line service is subject to 10-15 minute delays due to weather conditions.

Dec 27, 2010  09:15:02 AM Rail service is operating on an enhanced weekend schedule today. To plan a trip, use 1/17/11 (MLK Day) as your travel date.

Service Advisories

Dec 27, 2010  08:37:58 AM WINTER STORM: Rail Service to Operate on Enhanced Weekend Schedule on Monday, December 27

Dec 23, 2010  10:08:13 AM

TOWNSHIP SNOW EMERGENCY

PATCH reports township snow emergency, delayed town office openings:


Update: Maplewood Township Administrator Joseph Manning reports that the Township declared a Snow Emergency on Sunday evening around 5 p.m. shortly after the County declared one. The Township offices will be open today but not until at least 11 a.m. when parking lots and sidewalks are expected to be cleared. No time for the opening of the Recycling Center is available yet as the town is working to plow access to the Center. Roadways were plowed twice by 6 a.m., but winds and snow have covered them again. The Department of Public Works continues to plow.

DIG OUT BEGINS

Plows are out, our street clear, but about 15 inches of snow, or more. High drifts.


Scanner reports Valley Street still uncleared, police urging DPW to get there: "Valley is still extremely difficult."

POLICE BUSY

Scanner reports car stuck at Prospect and Oakland with two infants in the car...police responding..."We have a whole bunch of calls stacked up."

SNOW TROUBLES

Scanner shows police getting parked cars towed due to snow emergency....one car owner at Maplewood Diner....Police trying to get up a hill to Wyoming....Disabled vehicle blocking driveway on Van Ness Terrace...

SNOW EMERGENCY

Essex County declared a snow emergency, so move your car or it will be towed from anywhere on the street or in a lot.

FOLLOW PSE&G OUTAGES ONLINE

No outages reported in Maplewood yet, but some in South Orange.


Follow them HERE. Keep the flashlights handy.

NJ TRANSIT BUSES SUSPENDED

This is the alert posted tonight:

Travel Alerts

Dec 26, 2010  08:45:24 PM NJ TRANSIT bus service will be suspended systemwide as of 8:30 p.m. Sunday.

SNOW REMOVAL LAW

Township ordinance requires you to remove all snow from sidewalks and public areas within 12 hours of the snow ending. Or you will get a ticket.

SNOW PROMPTS NJ TRANSIT SCHEDULE CHANGE

The snow is hitting, about two inches so far, bad roads, and a change to "enhanced weekend schedule" for Monday.


See HERE

SNOWING HAS BEGUN

Waiting for the big storm, it is coming slowly.


Follow it HERE.


E-mail reports of snow-related happenings to us at joestrupp@yahoo.com.

EMBARRASSED MAPLEWOOD KIDS?

A Maplewood family stars in a national AP story on parents embarrassing kids.


See HERE

BIG STORM COMING

Looks like a big snow storm coming Sunday.

Follow it HERE

ST GEORGE'S CHURCH MAKES STAR-LEDGER PAGE ONE

See it HERE, or pick up a copy and support the local daily paper.

MAPLEWOOD YULE LOG

Courtesy of YouTube:

FIRST AID SQUAD NEEDS YOUR HELP

We got our annual plea from this great volunteer group that gets no township money.


See HERE
 

MERRY CHRISTMAS

In honor of today, a look at the best Christmas carol ever.

STILL NO TEACHERS CONTRACT

Notice on this Christmas Eve that the teacher's union has gone 18 months without a contract, based mostly on their lack of interest in forking over more health insurance, despite most of us paying more ourselves.


If you want to let the union know what you think, write them HERE

NICE MOL PARTY

Went to the Maplewood Online party Tuesday night at Highland Place. 

Kudos to Jamie for allowing me in, and back on MOL. Will behave.

TUSCAN STUDENTS PROTEST

Great latest issue of the Tuscan Tiger Times, the student newspaper of Tuscan School.

Two student editorials rail against bans on tag and kickball.
Says one: "My friends and I are always peaceful when we play."

Nice speaking out against the rise in overactive restrictions at school.
I applaud recent efforts against bullying and even secret or private clubs at these schools, a good message for kids.
But limiting games that cause no harm is over doing it.

MAPLEWOOD MARKET SHUTDOWN

Township officials shutdown the troubled Maplewood Market on Springfield Ave. for numerous health code violations.

PATCH reports:

As of 3 p.m. this afternoon, the Maplewood Market at 1835 Springfield Avenue has been closed by order of the Essex County Superior Court.

This afternoon at 3:00 p.m. Maplewood Health Officer Robert Roe visited the Maplewood Market accompanied by Maplewood police officers. Armed with a court order (attached here) from Superior Court Judge Harriet F. Klein, Roe directed the sales clerk to "shut the business down, turn off the lights and lock the door. He did this and as of now the business is closed," Roe related via email.

DE LUCA TO BE REAPPOINTED MAYOR TONIGHT

The TC Democratic caucus, which means all five of them, will meet tonight to vote for the mayor for 2011. 

It is expected Vic DeLuca will win and serve his third straight term.

TC MEETING HIGHLIGHTS

The Township Committee on Tuesday night did the following:

* Approved a trial merchant parking program for Maplewood Village.
* Approved plans for a monthly bulk pick-up by Waste Management.
* Approved a community garden.

The TC will return on Jan. 1 at 2 p.m. for reorganization and the swearing in of new member Marlon Brownlee.

HOLIDAY CONCERT RESCHEDULED

The SOM School District announced it has rescheduled the holiday concert planned for last night to Jan. 6 at 7:30 p.m.

The concert was postponed after police evacuated the high school when a bomb scare occurred at an apartment building on Valley Street. Nothing was found and no one was hurt.

MORE ON BOMB SCARE

Star-Ledger updates the bomb scare that canceled the CHS annual holiday concert Tuesday night:

MAPLEWOOD — A bomb threat at a residential unit along the Morris/Essex commuter rail line in Maplewood led to the shutdown of train traffic in both directions for more than an hour and the evacuation of a small number of residents, officials said.
The threat was called in to a multi-family dwelling on the north side of Valley Street at approximately 6:45 p.m. today, said Sgt. Craig Lahey, a Maplewood Police Department spokesman.

NJ TRANSIT ALERT DUE T CHS BOMB SCARE

FROM NJTRANSIT.COM:

Dec 21, 2010  09:22:08 PM
Morris & Essex Line service (including Midtown Direct) is subject to 30-60 minute delays in both directions due to earlier police activity in Maplewood.

VIDEO FROM THE CHS EVACUATION TUESDAY NIGHT

And eyewitnesses.....

BOMB SQUAD CALLED TO CHS

Just back from the scene at Columbia High School. Witnesses said the annual winter concert had barely started when the call to evacuate came around 7:20 p.m. Apparently some kind of bomb threat from across Valley Street.

Parker from Valley to Prospect was shutdown, as was most of Valley from Oakland to the South Orange line......


PATCH reported the incident also stopped NJ Transit trains between Maplewood and South Orange.....Also reports of FBI on the scene.....

Scanner indicates some residents not allowed back into homes until 9:30 p.m.

CHS WINTER CONCERT EVACUATED

Scanner indicates winter concert at CHS, the non-religious song event, is being evacuated because of police activity across the street on Valley....No word on cause...

SHOPLIFTER AT QUIK CHEK

Scanner reports Police pursuing man who allegedly stole candy at Quik Chek...black man with braids heading up Spfld. Ave....Now on Boyden...

POLICE FILE DEC. 21

Auto theft, warrant arrest and one neighbor trespassing at the home of another?

See HERE

MAPLEWOODONLINE HOLIDAY PARTY

The MOL holiday party is tonight, 7-11 p,.m, at Highland Place.


I RSVP'd, even though I have been blackballed from MOL. Think they will let me in?


Funny they set it for the same night as a TC meeting and charge a fee. How about giving something back to all of those MOL regulars who keep the money-making site going?

TOWNSHIP COMMITTEE MEETING TONIGHT

The TC will meet at 7:30 p.m. and discuss issues such as setting aside merchant parking in Maplewood Village, creating a community garden, and having weekly Waste Management curbside bulk pick-up.


See the agenda HERE

How about doing more to publicize these meetings? You have to hunt for the agenda and notice on the town website and it is posted sideways. I don't think this is aimed at hiding information, but it is the same result

UNDERHILL FIELD LIGHTING ISSUE RETURNS

Looks like lights at Lynn Profeta Field will happen.


PATCH reports on the funding being set aside on Monday:

Barring an unforeseen turn of events, lighting will be coming to Underhill Field after the South Orange-Maplewood Board of Education amended its long-range facilities plan to include the lighting project at its December 20 meeting.
The board allocated $70,000 of its upcoming $10 million bond issuance request to the lighting project which would enable night-time sports activities at Underhill. However, it is anticipated that that amount will be reduced to $50,000 in January due to expected additional private gifts totaling $20,000

SCHOOL BOARD MEETING TONIGHT

If you want to venture 

out into the freeze.

See agenda HERE

SHAKTI NJ ANNUAL POTLUCK

Check it out and join them:

2nd Annual Winter Solstice Concert & Holiday Potluck
Wednesday, December 22 ~ 6pm Potluck, 8pm Concert
Please RSVP ~ $20 suggested donation for concert, kids are welcome and free.

LAST DAY OF DICKENS VILLAGE

We caught up with former mayor Ellen Davenport at Maplewood Village's great seasonal event:

ESSEX COUNTY CRIME WAVE?

The Star-Ledger says its true:

NEWARK — A man was shot and killed in Newark on Sunday night, capping a violent weekend in Essex County that saw nine reported carjackings, nine shootings and three attempted carjackings, authorities said.

DISTRICT HELPS WITH HEALTH INSURANCE

This SOM District release says it all:

The South Orange Maplewood School District’s Parenting Center, with help from school nurses and social workers, sponsored an “Enrollment Evening with New Jersey Family Care” for eligible applicants who chose to sign up for medical insurance for their families. Held at Seth Boyden Elementary School, Mr. Carlos Sanchez, from New Jersey Family Care, was on hand to answer any questions.

By the end of the evening, 22 families had filled out NJ Family Care applications, representing 83 new enrollees for free or affordable health insurance.  

The applicants were aided in filling out the forms by school nurses and social workers Lindy Rollo, Maudjah Frances, Allison Steiner, Karen Weiland, Jesse Weiland, Stacie Tiftitsoglon, Adelay Diaz, Heather Levitt, Howard Holtz, Kaili Petrillo, Marianne Hess, David Connerty, Marilu Gregory, Patrick Joyce, Kathleen Robinson, Eric Stoudemire, Paul Steiner, Nancy Weinstein, Angela Thompson, and Julie Porter.

HIT-AND-RUN DEATH MAKES NEW YORK MEDIA

CBS News reports on hit-and-run death of Maplewood man.

HIT-AND-RUN VICTIM'S FAMILY SPEAKS

 PATCH reports:

James Callaway of Lindsley Avenue in Maplewood was killed yesterday in East Orange when he was struck by a man driving a stolen West Orange Public Works truck. Callaway was exiting St. Mark AME Church at the time.

Today, Callaway's family released this statement: "This is a very difficult time for us all. James was a very loving and caring man who could not do enough for his family, church, and community. At this time, we pray that we'll understand why this happened, and we pray for Mr. Silvera's family as well. We ask everyone to please understand our desire to mourn privately."

NO FUNNEL CAKE COMING

Plans for a funnel cake store in Maplewood Village fell apart.

See HERE

BLOOD DRIVE TODAY

Maplewood Library is hosting a Blood Drive conducted by the Blood Center of NJ. The Center needs blood to meet the needs of patients in hospitals and medical centers. Each donated unit of blood is tested and broken down into different components, which are needed by: premature babies; accident victims; surgery, cancer and organ transplant patients; burn victims; and people with blood disorders. 
10 am to 2 pm.
Walk-ins are also welcome

MAPLEWOOD WOMAN ARRESTED

NJ.COM reports:

EAST RUTHERFORD — Three people were arrested Thursday night after a Berkeley man they allegedly mugged in Newark followed them into East Rutherford, speaking to a 911 dispatcher during the car ride, according to a report on NorthJersey.com.

Julia Eisenberg, 24, of Maplewood, and two 16-year-old-boys approached the victim around 5 p.m. the report said. They took cash out of his wallet, brandished either a knife or a gun, and drove off. They were arrested in East Rutherford when a police officer recognized their car, according to the report.

MAPLEWOOD MARKET SUBPOENA

Scanner reports subpoena being served at Maplewood Market on Springfield Ave...Police help sought...No details...

MAPLEWOOD MAN KILLED IN EAST ORANGE

PATCH reports:
  
A Maplewood man was struck and killed in East Orange on Friday morning by the driver of a stolen West Orange Public Works truck. James Callaway, 63, of Maplewood, was leaving St. Mark AME Church in East Orange when he was hit by the stolen truck, according to authorities and a church member.

AGGRESSIVE DRIVER SOUGHT

Scanner reports an aggressive driver at Durand and Wyoming...Heading to South Orange.....

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MAYOR DE LUCA

Best wishes to our top official, who is expected to have the job for another year.

Welcome

This is the new Maplewoodian blog site.
I have redesigned to make it easier to post and update.

Keep coming back and offer any and all tips, ideas and views as usual.

We also have a new web address as you can see:
http://www.maplewoodiannj.blogspot.com - bookmark it for easy use.

Remember, those in charge of our governments work for you and you have every right to question them, criticize them and ask for a change.