Venezia elected Dem’s chair

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Mayor Michael Venezia has been elected as Bloomfield Democratic Party chairman. “I’m excited about the challenge,” Venezia said in a telephone interview. “We’re going to make it a true committee. The former committee and chairman made unilateral decisions.” Venezia succeeds Peter Strumolo who was chairman for 16 years. The house-cleaning began when Strumolo […]

Memorial dedicated to longtime Watsessing office aide

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — On Thursday, June 9, Watsessing Elementary School dedicated a weeping cherry tree to former office aide Rae Kiessling. Kiessling, 80, who died June 12, 2015, had worked as an office aide at the school for 41 years, beginning in 1974. Attending the dedication were two educators whose Bloomfield school-district careers commenced at Watsessing […]

Town now testing ‘touch and display’ parking meters

Town now testing ‘touch and display’ parking meters

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Bloomfield Parking Authority has installed seven “touch and display” parking meters on Washington Street for a 90-day pilot program with Municipal Parking Service, of Minneapolis, Minn. The meters take quarters and credit cards and are activated by touching a screen. If you need help, they will talk you through it— there is a […]

Town using Border collies to frighten away Canada geese

Town using Border collies to frighten away Canada geese

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — In an effort to keep down the geese population in Bloomfield, the Board of Health is employing a vendor that uses Border collies to scare the birds, hopefully into another municipality far,far away. This effort is in conjunction with coating the eggs with corn oil by the Public Works Department. The name of […]

Bloomfield Police increase use of body cameras

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — By the end of this week, Bloomfield Police Director Sam DeMaio said there will be 22 body cameras in use by his police officers. The devices are less than one-half the size of a pack of cigarettes and record both video and audio. They will not be issued to individual officers; they will […]

Downtown Alliance gears up for summer

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — A parade of classic cars will travel down Broad Street at about 6 p.m. on July 6, Aug. 3 and 31. Their destination will be the five-point area at Bloomfield Avenue and their purpose will be to show off during another classic car display. Classic cars will gather at the site each Wednesday […]

Jury says Haberman train station is worth $2.9 million

Jury says Haberman train station is worth $2.9 million

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Following two weeks of testimony, a six-member jury in Newark Superior Court determined that Bloomfield would have to pay investor Howard Haberman $2.9 million as fair and just compensation for the historic train station property on Lackawanna Place. The verdict was 5-1. Haberman owned the property until the township condemned it and took […]

Health Dept: Meningitis shots needed by students going to Rutgers, Brunswick

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Two Rutgers, New Brunswick, students were diagnosed with bacterial meningitis this spring. As a precaution, the Bloomfield Department of Health has issued an alert to nurses at Bloomfield and Glen Ridge high schools that students planning on attending this college campus in the fall are advised to be vaccinated against meningitis B. “Two […]

Venezia and team win primary by a landslide

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Concluding a tumultuous Bloomfield primary race season, registered Democrat voters chose Mayor Michael Venezia over Councilman Joseph Lopez by a 2-1 margin, according to uncertified figures released by the Essex County Clerk’s Office. The results have Venezia with 4,588 votes, or 67.8 percent, and Lopez with 2,166, or 32 percent. For the three […]