Dems and GOP optimistic as Election Day nears

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — With Election Day only five days away on Tuesday, Nov. 8, the two major-party Bloomfield mayoral candidates were both seeing positive results from their campaigning. Earlier this week, Democrat incumbent Mayor Michael Venezia expressed confidence that he would be returned to office for a second term, while GOP challenger David Tucker said many […]

Teacher arrested for aggravated sexual assault

Charges against the BHS instructor include third degree aggravated criminal sexual contact

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Leo Donaldson, the Bloomfield High School cross-country coach who was arrested and charged with aggravated sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child, remains in the Essex County Correctional Facility on $400,000 bail, with no 10 percent option. Donaldson was arrested Oct. 27 after being discharged from a hospital he had […]

Ex-BFD captain charged for child pornography in Wisconsin

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Former Bloomfield Fire Department Capt. Donald Jervis has been been arrested in Kenosha, WI, and charged with four counts of attempted sexual exploitation of a child and 17 counts of possession of child pornography. Jervis, 52, was a Bloomfield firefighter for 25 years, according to BFD Chief Joseph McCarthy. He retired Aug. 1, […]

Veterans’ pancake breakfast, parade next week

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — The Bloomfield Joint Memorial Committee will be hosting its annual Veterans Day breakfast on Sunday, Nov. 6, at 9 a.m. The all-you-can-eat breakfast will be held at the Newark-Bloomfield Lodge No. 21, located at 296 Bloomfield Ave. in Bloomfield. A donation is requested. The committee has been hosting this breakfast for more […]

Middle school students, parents invited to VoTech school fair

NEWARK, NJ — The Essex County Vocational Technical School District invites seventh- and eighth-grade students from Essex County and their parents to attend the “Essex County Seventh & Eighth-Grade Annual School Fair.” The fair will be Saturday, Nov. 19, from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at Essex County Newark Tech, 91 W. Market St. in […]

Talks break down: no debate for municipal elections

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — No mayoral candidates will be facing-off this year. Bloomfield voters head to the polls 12 days from now without having the opportunity to have heard the candidates debate the issues that currently confront the town or hear about the visions each candidate has for the future of Bloomfield. Mayor Michael Venezia, a Democrat, […]

Bill to establish law enforcement-assisted addiction and recovery programs is now law

TRENTON, NJ — Legislation sponsored by state Sen. Richard Codey and Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee Chairman Joseph Vitale that would establish law enforcement-assisted addiction and recovery programs was signed into law on Oct. 26, according to a press release. Under the law, the director of the Division of Mental Health and […]

Pit bull from town’s shelter attacks boy who receives 80 stitches to close wounds

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — According to Mayor Michael Venezia, an 11-year-old boy has been injured by a dog adopted from the Bloomfield Animal Shelter. “All I know is he got 81 stitches,” Venezia said earlier this week. In an email, Bloomfield Police Department Director Sam DeMaio confirmed that the dog was a pit bull named Derrick. The […]

NJ Transit adopts Fiscal Year 2017 operating, capital budgets

NEWARK, NJ — The NJ Transit board of directors recently adopted a Fiscal Year 2017 operating budget and capital program that supports continued investments in infrastructure and equipment to maintain the system in a state of good repair and enhance the overall customer experience, according to a recent press release from NJ Transit. “The operating […]