Donaldson gets 7 years for sexual assault

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Former Bloomfield High School teacher and coach Leo Donaldson, 32, received the maximum prison term of seven years from Judge Richard Sules in Newark Superior Court, on Monday, July 30. Donaldson, who was indicted on 37 counts stemming from sexual contact with minors, had pleaded guilty to four counts and must serve 85 […]

Essex County rakes in funding from NJ State Council on the Arts

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — The New Jersey State Council on the Arts recently awarded more than $15.7 million in grant funding to support 700 arts organizations, projects and artists throughout the state. The awards were announced at the Arts Council’s 52nd annual meeting, held at the New Jersey State Museum in Trenton. “The New Jersey […]

ECPO, EC Bar Foundation sponsor gun buyback program

NEWARK, NJ — Acting Essex Prosecutor Robert D. Laurino and Essex County Bar Association President Raj Gadhok announced July 19 that the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office and the Essex County Bar Foundation, the related charitable arm of the ECBA, are co-sponsoring a one-day gun buyback program this fall. The initiative is the first time in […]

Town settles BPD lawsuit with victim for $1.6 million: dashcam reveals the truth

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Township Administrator Matthew Watkins has confirmed that a $1.6 million lawsuit settlement has been reached between all parties and a motorist involved in a 2012 traffic stop with Bloomfield police officers. The incident involved Bloomfield resident Marcus Jeter who, according to court papers, was punched and taken from his car on the Garden […]

Good crowd, no rain at Fourth of July fireworks

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — The Bloomfield Department of Recreation presented an Independence Day celebration at Foley Field on Wednesday, July 4. The sky was overcast the entire day and rain seemed imminent, but did not fall. A good crowd, on blankets and beach chairs, were spread over the field or filing up to the food stands behind […]

Louis Venezia named new Bloomfield fire chief

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Bloomfield Fire Department Deputy Fire Chief Louis Venezia will be promoted to fire chief Tuesday, July 10, in a ceremony scheduled for 6 p.m., at Town Hall. He will be replacing former fire chief Joseph McCarthy who retired earlier this year. Venezia, who is brother to Bloomfield Mayor Michael Venezia, received the highest […]

‘Ina’ Campbell, longtime librarian, has died at 95

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Former Bloomfield Public Librarian Robertina “Ina” Campbell, 95, was laid to rest Monday, July 1, in Bloomfield Cemetery. She died June 5. Campbell lived in Job Haines Home for the last three years. She had been a long-time resident of Troy Towers. A former president of the Historical Society of Bloomfield, Campbell was […]

Bloomfield Middle School has annual promotion ceremony

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Bloomfield Middle School promoted its eighth-graders on Thursday, June 21, in two separate proceedings. One group of students were given their certificates in the gym. The other half of the class were handed theirs in the auditorium about five minutes later. Together, 481 students became high school freshmen. Principal Alla Vayda-Manzo told […]