Carteret School celebrates their grandparents

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Carteret Elementary School recently held its annual Grandparents Day in the school gym. Organized by special education teacher Rachael Ciliento, the event dates to 1989. Ciliento said about 150 grandparents were in attendance this year. “It promotes togetherness,” she said, “having conversations between grandparents and the children.” Sixth-grader Sami Kabakibi, in a […]

Columbus Day tradition: student essays and pancakes

Columbus Day tradition: student  essays and pancakes

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Bloomfield UNICO, the Italian community-service organization, held its 21st annual Columbus Day observance Monday morning, Oct. 10. The event took place on the Green, at the sculptured relief of Christopher Columbus. An award ceremony was held for fourth-grade essayists followed by a pancake breakfast in the Civic Center. The Columbus Day ceremony is […]

OPMA violations might void a 2014 town bond ordinance

BLOOMFIELD, NJ  — The appellate judges who will rule if whether of not a Bloomfield bonding ordinance is void because of a conflict of interest claim will also determine if the same ordinance is void because of a Open Public Meetings Act violation. On Wednesday, Sept. 21, a three-judge panel heard from an attorney representing four Bloomfield […]

Pilot program: high-tech parking meters on Broad Street

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — The Bloomfield Parking Authority will have a second pilot program using high-tech parking meters that record license plates and automatically ticket violators. According to Anne Prince, the BPA operations manager, the seven parking meters currently in use during the first pilot program, on Washington Street, will be moved to the east side of […]

Bad weather on Sunday shortens the annual HarvestFest

Bad weather on Sunday shortens the annual HarvestFest

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — The weather has not cooperated with Bloomfield events since spring. This past weekend was no exception. In May, the Memorial Day Parade was cancelled because of an ominous forecast. In July, the rockets red glare was soaked with rain on Independence Day. And this past weekend, Mother Nature cut HarvestFest short. Ollyn Lettman, […]

Officials, care providers discuss mental illness, addiction

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Mental health providers, advocacy organizations and elected officials gathered to express continued support and increased awareness of topics related to mental illness and substance abuse services as the Essex County Mental Health Coalition held its 16th annual Legislative Breakfast at the Mayfair Farms in West Orange on Oct. 7. The event was sponsored […]

FAMILYConnections launches social media campaign to combat domestic violence

EAST ORANGE, NJ — DREAMS of Essex, a FAMILYConnections program that helps children and parents recover from domestic violence is launching #itscalledatanktop. This new social media campaign for Domestic Violence Awareness Month, which is observed in October, will bring awareness to the use of violence in our everyday language that has become so ingrained — […]

Health care providers discuss mental illness, addiction

Legislators attend event addressing mental health needs

Health care providers discuss mental illness, addiction

WEST ORANGE, NJ — Mental health providers, advocacy organizations and elected officials gathered to express continued support and increased awareness of topics related to mental illness and substance abuse services as the Essex County Mental Health Coalition held its 16th annual Legislative Breakfast at the Mayfair Farms in West Orange on Oct. 7. The event […]

Three appellate judges hear Lion Gate case

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — A panel of three appellate judges has heard arguments from an attorney representing four township residents who claim that 2nd Ward Councilman Nicholas Joanow had a conflict of interest when he voted for a $10 million bonding ordinance that provided funds to purchase land bordering his own. The land, known as “Lion Gate,” […]