TOWN WATCH
NEWARK – A Federal District Court Judge here, on July 22, has made Daymond John’s injunction against a Newark family’s criticisms of the FUBU founder and “Shark Tank” investor permanent.
The judge has ordered Al “Bubba” Baker, his wife Sabrina and daughter Brittani to take down all online negative comments on John that was a preliminary injunction placed by Judge Robert Kugler in March. July 2’s action may be the epilogue to a 10-year business deal born on “Shark Tank” that had soured.
The Bakers and John, on “Shark Tank” Season 5’s Dec. 16, 2013 airing, had agreed that John would invest $300,000 in exchange for three percent ownership of the Bakers’ Newark-based Bubba’s Q Boneless Baby Back Ribs business. John brought Rastelli Foods Group, of Swedesboro, to help with the marketing and distribution of the meat products and barbeque sauce.
Baker, a Weequahic High School graduate, had started Bubba Q’s World Famous Bar-B-Que restaurant with Sabrina in the 1990s. Baker was a 12-year award-winning NFL defensive lineman primarily for the Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns 1978-90.
The Bakers began posting negative comments on John on their own website and social media in 2019 after they had settled with him. They were claiming that they received $639,657 from the $16 million valued business and that John had cut Al Baker out of the decision-making process.
John had countered that he, as “brand ambassador” and not a manager, had netted a four percent loss in the “razor-thin profit margin” food business. He added that Sabrina had used the business’ credit card for personal uses; she countered that the $60,480 in charges made were recompensed.
John sought the Baker’s on-line bad mouthing injunction after he said he had lost an appearance engagement and a prospective business deal because of the family’s comments.
IRVINGTON – The end of business here at the Municipal Building July 31 also marked the end of an era when Municipal Clerk Harold E. Wiener turned his office keys over to Shawna Supel.
Wiener, 66, a native Irvingtonian, ended his 37-year run as municipal clerk. The Union Elementary School and Irvington High School Class of 1975 graduate is one of 37 municipal clerks to have attained the International Institute of Municipal Clerks’ Master Municipal Clerk destination in 2005.
The Municipal Clerks Association of NJ’s 2010 Municipal Clerk of the Year had attended roughly 1,500 Township Council meetings since being named clerk in 1984. A bout of pneumonia ended his consecutive streak in 2007 and health issues had then-Assistant Clerk Supel fill in for him recently.
Wiener’s growing education and experience garnered him the “Wizard” nickname. Municipal clerks from other towns have come to him for advice. It is hard to believe that the 1979 Montclair State College graduate in psychology and sociology came to the Municipal Building in 1980 not for a career but a job that would help him afford his pursuit of a masters degree in social sciences.
The then-township consumer affairs officer passed a typing test and was appointed assistant clerk in 1982 and municipal clerk in 1986. He said that he would have continued as clerk if it were not for recent health issues.
The Township Council commemorated the now-Union resident’s service at their July 10 meeting. Shointa Watson has been meanwhile promoted to assistant clerk.
EAST ORANGE – The two teenagers who took city police officers on a car and foot chase here at Springdale and Midland avenues early July 25 will likely be facing arraignment in two other municipalities.
An EOPD statement, issued past 6 p.m. that Tuesday, said that officers had arrested Travis Andrews, 18, of East Orange, and Jaquil Q. Buie, 18, of Newark, were arrested in the area of that First Ward intersection. They ran out of the 2021 grey late model four door BMW after they and a marked EOPD SUV had collided in the intersection.
The said BMW had matched the description of one stolen earlier from Wykoff. Livingston police said that the same car was seen at or near a home in their township that was burglarized.
LPD cruisers soon spotted the suspected vehicle, beginning a pursuit that went onto Interstate 280 and Newark and East Orange streets. The BMW-EOPD collision resulted in the car’s passenger side curtain airbags deployed, a smoking BMW engine bay and damage to the squad car’s left front corner.
An EOFD fire truck arrived to put the BMW engine fire out. A Pulse ambulance took the cruiser’s driver to Newark’s University Hospital for “treatment of minor injuries.”
ORANGE – Last rites were held for lifelong city resident and retired teacher Hope Edgar Webster here at St. Matthew AME Church July 28, followed by Interment at Rosedale Cemetery.
Webster, 76, a 36-year Orange Public Schools teacher, died here July 15.
Born Hope Doreen Edgar, she was one of five siblings born to Edward and Bess Edgar on the North Ward’s Elizabeth Street. Ed and Bess Edgar were PTA school members and advocates for building the new or current Orange High School.
Hope Eagar left Orange to attain a bachelor’s degree in elementary education. She returned home to join OPS as a teacher in 1969. Hope Webster received many teaching accolades before retiring in 2005.
Sister Faith and brothers Edward, Jr., Frank, Kim and Mark are among her survivors.
WEST ORANGE – The five-month-old tug-of-war between Mayor Susan McCartney and a majority of the Township Council, as of July 24, has moved into a State Superior Court-Newark courtroom.
McCartney announced that Monday that she has filed an injunction request in Superior Court to overturn the Township Council’s 3-2 June 13 vote of “no confidence” in and “no support” of Township Attorney Richard Trenk.
The council’s resolution called on Township CFO John Gross to stop paying Trenk his salary and his legal firm for its services. The measure is seen an attempt to show the 30-year township attorney the door.
“Never before have three council members ever told a mayor that she could not use the services of the Township Attorney – which the same council (had) unanimously confirmed,” said McCartney. “For (Trenk) is to fulfill his duties and responsibilities to represent the approximately 48,000 people of the township, it’s always been understood that he delegates to attorneys in his firm to execute his duties. The council’s attempt to compel the CFO not to make payments for those services is not consistent with applicable law.”
The Township Council, in a July 26 emergency meeting executive session, discussed their response. They have not published a response as of July 31.
McCartney’s attorneys, from Florham Park’s Jardim, Meisner & Susser, P.C., is to make their case before a Superior Court judge Sept. 7.
SOUTH ORANGE – Village elders, after hearing from the public July 19 and 24, have decided on tabling legislation that would ask the State Legislature permission to make changes to its charter.
Village President Sheena Collum and the Village Trustees are going through a review on what changes would be basic and what are the optional add-ons.
The process is akin to a car buyer determining what optional features can be afforded. The buyer, in this case, would be the State House in Trenton.
The basic model would be some long sought-for name changes. “Township” in South Orange Village’s title would be dropped. “Village President,” “Village Trustee” and ‘Village Treasurer” would be replaced by “Mayor,” “Council Member” and “CFO.”
Some Village Trustees have also asked moving its May non-partisan municipal elections onto the November General Election ballot. The thinking is that South Orange will save $77,000 in not holding a May election and hopefully attract more village voters. The non-partisan status will remain unchanged.
Several public speakers expressed opposition to the option to pay unspecified stipends to the VP and trustees. One speaker asked the elders to consider implementing ranked choice voting – similar to what New York City has practiced for its mayor, council and comptroller since 2019.
MAPLEWOOD – South Essex Fire Department’s Maplewood Station No. 2 at 249 Boyden Ave had put out mourning bunting two weeks ahead of the July 5 deaths of Newark Firefighters Augusto Acabou and Wayne Brooks.
Station 2’s mourning, explained SOFD Chief of Department Joseph Alverez July 20, was for retired Montclair Firefighters Fredrick Fatzler and Charles Valestin.
Frederick William Fatzler, 93, was MFD’s oldest living retired fighter when he died at his Toms River home June 19.. “Fred” joined the force after returning from a tour with the Army as an MP in Germany. He started out as the force’s Master Mechanic and retired as a Lieutenant.
Fatzler, until his retirement to Toms River, was a lifelong Maplewood native. Born May 8, 1930 here, the Columbia High School Class of 1948 graduate entered the Army.
The Antique Automobile Club of America NJ Region member and judge had his June 23 wake at Watching’s Higgins Home for Funerals and burial at Somerset Hills Memorial Park. Sons Fredrick and William, daughter Patricia DiBiase, four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren are among his survivors; wife Eileen died in 2016. Memorial donations may be made to Hospice of New Jersey., 400 Broadacres Dr., 1st Flr., Bloomfield 07003.
Charles J. Valestin, who also retired to Toms River, died at home June 9. Wife Barbara predeceased him in 2016.
Sons Peter and Paul, daughter Peggy Valestin-Klemm, grandson Jedadiah and granddaughter Wednesday are among the former Maplewoodian’s survivors.
BLOOMFIELD – The water going through Bloomfield Water Department customer taps, as of Aug. 1, has become more expensive.
Mayor Michael Venezia and the Township Council, after a July 17 public hearing, approved increasing BWD water rates and charges. The ordinance to amend Township Code Chapter 556 was introduced on June 26.
The monthly water allotment charges, for example, are based on the cubic feet of water running through the diameter of a water meter conduit.
The new minimal monthly allotment rate – based on 200 cubic feet of water running through a 5/8 inch diameter meter conduit – is $10.76. The maximum monthly rate – 35,000 cu. ft. through a 10-in. meter conduit – is $1,899.14.
Some BWD customers are paying bimonthly with cubic feet of water through the same diameter meter conduit.
The minimum bimonthly rate going through the same 5/8-in. meter conduit is $21.52 for 400 cu. ft. of water. Those who have 70,600 cu. ft. flowing through a 10-in. channel are to be charged $3,798.28.
Mayor Venezia said that the rate increase is the first since 2012.
MONTCLAIR – Do not be surprised that, should you require daytime ambulance service in Cedar Grove as of Aug. 1, that a Montclair Ambulance Unit responds. Montclair residents, should a medical emergency arise overnight on or after Aug. 1, will be handled by the Cedar Grove Ambulance & Rescue Squad.
Cedar Grove Township Manager Joe Zichelli announced, on July 12, that a shared services agreement had been reached between its CGARS and the MAU.
MAU will cover Cedar Grove 6 a.m. – 6 p.m. seven days a week. CGARS will cover Montclair 6 p.m. – 6 a.m.
What makes this shared service unique is that, while CGARS is a non-profit volunteer institution, MAU is a private organization. The arrangement allows Cedar Grove being served by its own overnight while it tries to attract daytime volunteers.
CGARS was formed in 1938 and is headquartered at 651 Pompton Ave. The 70-year-old MAU, at 95 Walnut St., accepts EMT interns but is otherwise a professional 40-member company.
GLEN RIDGE – The Borough Council here has set Aug. 14 for a public hearing on parking revisions affecting a 10-block area south of its Bloomfield and Ridgewood avenues’ crossroads. The changes would affect parking at or near Glen Ridge High School, the Glen Ridge Women’s Club, the Ridgewood Avenue Train Station and U.S. Post Office.
Glen Ridge’s elders, on July 10, passed the introductions of proposed revisions to Ordinances 1789 and 1790 to its Borough Code parking regulations. Monday-Friday 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. parking along the westernmost block of Snowden Place.
The amendments to Ord. 1789 elders consider shorting parking meter time, hiking parking violations. Two-hour 7 a.m. – 5p.m. Monday-Friday timed parking along Snowden Place’s westernmost block, for example, will be halved to one hour. Residents along that block with valid parking permits will be exempt so long as they park in front of their residences.
Ord. 1790 will confine GRHS student parking to Ridgewood Avenue; from Lincoln Street south to Washington Street in Ridgewood’s west side and from Appleton Place to Washington on the avenue’s east side. The borough will issue no more than 95 student permits.
The ordinances will keep overnight parking violations to $35. All other parking violations, however, will be raised to $45.
BELLEVILLE – There may be activity later this year at 202 and 213-215 Belleville Ave., pending a Belleville Planning Board study, that its neighbors may not loathe or dread.
The planning board, as early as its Aug. 10 meeting, may take up the Township Council’s request to study the single story building at 213-15 Belleville and its parking lot at 202 Belleville as a possible “Area in Need of Redevelopment.”
The council forwarded its request to the planning board to explore a future use for the two overall .302 acre properties after openly accepting an escrow account from owner Meekassa LLC July 12. Meekassa, of Maplewood, bought the respective deeds Feb. 6 and Oct. 9 for an overall $1.055 million.
Meekassa, on one hand, has not said what it has in mind for the building and parking lot. The building on Belleville Avenue and Smith Street’s southwest corner, however, had been known as the Wet Gentlemen’s Club and, earlier, as the Red Shingle Inn go-go bar.
Some readers may remember that three Elizabeth men were prosecuted in 2016 for the Oct. 8, 2015 fatal shooting of Michael Lewis, 28, of Newark. ECPO attorneys said that Lewis was shot in the parking lot after an argument broke out in the bar between him and the other three men. One man has pleaded guilty and is serving a 20-year prison sentence.
Wet had remained open as late as Jan. 22, 2022.
