TOWN WATCH
NEWARK – Funeral arrangements have not been posted as of Oct. 29 for East Ward Elementary School art teacher Laura Cuevas, 66, who died at University Hospital Saturday from Oct. 23 auto crash injuries in front of Arts High School.
Cuevas, who would not be otherwise heading to Arts High, was walking with another teacher to 555 Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Blvd. for training. Newark Public Schools was holding a scheduled staff development day that Wednesday, giving its students the day off.
They got as far as AHS’ 1996 wing at about 10:39 a.m. when what Newark Public Safety Director Fritz Frage said was a two car collision happened. One of the impacted cars lost control and struck the two teachers. Responding NPD officers and EMS medics found Cuevas pinned by the car against the wall.
Both teachers were rushed and admitted with critical injuries. ECPO, who has now taken the investigation’s lead, announced Cuevas’ death. The other teacher’s status has been upgraded.
The two colliding drivers were treated and released for non-life threatening injuries. Whether they will be charged for motor vehicle or other offenses are pending the probe’s outcome.
Some may look for parallels with Arts junior and cheerleader Chiara Jones, 17, being struck by a car, leaving her comatose, Feb. 4. Both car-versus-pedestrian accidents happened in front of AHA outside of normal school hours.
Jones was disembarking a school bus from a Toms River cheer competition that Saturday night and was walking across King Boulevard. Her family and their attorney, James Lynch, filed a $150 million civil lawsuit against the school, the district and Best Choice Transportation of West Orange here Oct. 7.
IRVINGTON – The owners of an east side filling station and garage here are among the four statewide announced Oct. 24 by its commissioner, Shawn M. LaTourette, and N.J. Attorney General Matt Platkin for failing to remediate their property as promised.
LaTourette and Platkin are telling AB Trading Enterprises and 959-961 Clinton Associates, Irvington: “You had agreed in your municipal court in 2019 to pay penalties and to clean up found contamination. You have done neither. Comply and pay up or face more civil penalties.”
The DEP had brought AB, 959-61 Clinton and owner Alexander Briiukhan, of Colts Neck, to Irvington Municipal Court in 2018 as one of 72 gas stations statewide on grounds of environmental justice.
That agency said they were made aware as early as 2003 that motor fuel had been leaking from its metal underground storage tanks and had spread into neighboring properties. The longstanding service station on Clinton and Harrison avenues’ northeast corner, is on a block shared by several residences plus the Transcend Church and a day care center across Harrison.
The July 2019 Administrative Consent Order made before an Irvington municipal judge calls for AB/959 to pay the DEP’s penalties and hire “a licensed state remediation professional” at its own expense to cleanup the contamination under state agency observation.
The DEP, however, was never called to the corner gas station and found it had never carried out its part of the order. The agency said it was “forced to conduct intrusion vapor sampling” at the daycare center in early 2024 but found no vapor intrusion at the daycare center.
Petroleum-based motor vehicle fuel contains benzene, a chemical that is cancerous as a liquid and a vapor. Newer and some older filling stations have replaced their metallic underground take with concrete ones.
EAST ORANGE – There are two things about the New Jersey Department of Education should it fill the East Orange School District’s 2024-25 budget’s shortfall – as indicated by an agency’s Oct. 26 comment and the recent experience of several other “Local Talk” area public school districts.
EOSD may likely receive the $25 million as a loan, to be paid back as a 30-year municipal bond issue. The agency will send a monitor to supervise – with veto power – future budgets drawn up by administrators and the board of education.
Nutley Public Schools, since realizing a $7 million 2023-24 budget deficit in April, received its NJDOE loan and a monitor in May. Its monitor nixed a salary line item to its current 2024-25 budget.
Belleville received a $4 million loan and a monitor in 2014. Although school officials and contracted auditors as late as October consider Belleville Public Schools’ financial ship as stable, its NJDOE monitor is still on board.
NJDOE, whatever remedy it dispenses to the East Orange district, will not be happy about it, going by the following Friday statement by agency spokeswoman Laura Frederick:
“EOSD’s reports that they’re experiencing a budget shortfall so early in the school year raises concerns. Unfortunately, the district did not follow steps, including timely notification to the department. The department is attempting to gather additional information from the district.”
Department officials, added Frederic later, had met with ESOD administrators Oct. 21 – and that a possible DOE takeover of the 9,303-student, 20 school building district was never discussed. The Board of Education, at their Oct. 16, sent out Dec. 15 layoff notices to 93 of its employees, including 71 teachers.
ORANGE – A city man, said a sexual assault victim to Fairfield police detectives Oct. 14, got far worse than what she had expected at her appointment with him there.
Responding FPD officers said that they met a woman at 363 Rt 46 West and told them that Jonathan Colombo, 31, had explicitly contacted her after he had added veneers to her dental work.
She said that Colombo had advertised “newyousmiles” and “newyoudental” on Instagram. She called him and made an appointment after negotiating on the work and price.
FPD called in the ECPO Special Victims Unit. Detectives from both agencies found that he was operating without certification; they first arrested Colombo on practicing medicine without a license at his Fairfield office Oct. 15.
Authorities are looking for any other Colombo victims. Colombo was in a building occupied by several licensed dentists.
ELECTION UPDATE: Orange’s Vote By Mail Dropbox location, according to the Essex County Board of Elections Sept. 20 voters guide, has moved to Orange City Hall at 29 North Day St.
WEST ORANGE – Superintendent of Schools Dr. Hayden Moore joined fellow West Orange Public Schools officials Oct. 25 in hailing tow of their own rescuing two students from choking in separate incidents the week before.
Moore said that respective Redwood Elementary and West Orange High School Physical Education Department members Franco Cozzolino and David Grant used the Heimlich Maneuver to dislodge objects blocking each student’s airway.
Cozzolino, Redwood’s Phys. Ed. teacher, happened to be in a classroom when a student got to his desk and collapsed, knocking over his own chair and clutching his chest. The teacher applied the Heimlich Maneuver to cough up some food blocked in his throat.
The child, said Cozzolino, was immediately alert, breathing and talkative. Although Cozzolino took him to a water fountain for a drink and returned to the classroom, the student said he was “fine but scared.” He was brough home by one of his parents as a precaution.
Grant, WOHS’s Instructional Aide and Strength and Conditioning Coach, applied the maneuver later that week on a student during a lunch period.
“I’m so proud and grateful to our staff here,” said Morre Friday. “Their commitment to our students goes beyond the academic and extends to their health, safety and well-bine every day.”
Cozzolino noted that choking and other unintentional fatalities are the fourth leading cause of death in the U.S. and urged all to learn the Heimlich Maneuver and CPR.
SOUTH ORANGE – Cong. Andrew Kim returned to the “PAC” he prefers – the South Orange Performing Arts Center – for an Oct. 22 “Meet and Greet” as part of his campaign for the U.S. Senate.
Kim (D-Moorestown) discussed the need to restore public trust in government through ‘reforms and bipartisan cooperation. The current New Jersey Third Congressional District representative was last here May 13 for a primary candidate debate hosted in part by the ACLU-NJ, League of Women Voters and WNYC/New Jersey Public Radio.
The second-generation Korean American that Monday night was comparing and contrasting views on issues with Democratic primary competitors Patricia Campos-Medina and Lawrence “Larry” Hamm. Kim and Campos-Medina were plaintiffs in a U.S. Third Circuit Federal Court whose judge temporarily struck down the state’s county or party line voting ballot design.
A majority of Democratic voters picked Kim on June 4 to represent them on the Nov. 5 General Election block ballot. He, Curtis Bashaw (R-Cape May), Kenneth Kaplan (Libertarian-Parsippany), Patricia G. Mooneyham (Socialism and Liberation-Turnersville) Joannie Kuniansky (Socialist Workers-W. New York) and Christina Khalil (Green-Hackensack) are asking voters statewide to succeed the resigned Robert “Bob” Menendez (D-Paramus) as New Jersey’s junior senator.
Kim, however, will not accept money from the other type of “PAC” – Political Action Committees – since first signing an abstinence pledge in 2018. He has accepted endorsements from Retail, Warehouse and Department Store Union AFL-CIO (including Maplewood-based Local 108), the Communication Workers of America, the American Federation of Teachers-New Jersey, the Brady Campaign to Prevent Gun Violence, the “Philadelphia Enquirer” and NJ.com, among other organizations.
MAPLEWOOD – One question likely prevailed among members of the Maplewood Film Society before and after their screening of “The Apprentice” here at the Woodland Oct. 28.
MFS co-founders Lisa Cohen and Angela Matusik may have asked each other and their 600 members whether they have met prospective new owners of the Maplewood Theater and what is the new ownership’s intention.
The new owner, according to rumor for the last two weeks, has supposedly approached The Lost Picture Theater LLC of Green Brook about buying 151-55 Maplewood Ave., a 1927-built two story structure that contains five offices or stores – and the closed-since-the-pandemic Maplewood Theatre.
Film Society members, who banded together in March, are concerned that the purported buyer would replace the six-screen, 1,412-seat theater with housing or a hotel. That and commercial-retail use is permitted by a redevelopment plan presented in August by the Township Committee and contracted planner Paul Grygyl.
The redevelopment zone – one block holding eight properties bordered by Maplewood Avenue, Inwood Place, Woodland Avenue and Durand Place – allows for the current or reuse of the now-Green Way grocer and the corner Maplewood Trust/Bank of America building.
MFS advocates reopening the theater for fill screening and/or theatrical performing arts space -also an allowable use. by the plan. The group have said so as late as the Sept. 24 special meeting on the plan.
The society Grygyl and the committee are all seeking reuse of current spaces that are in keeping with the character of the pedestrian-oriented Maplewood (or Jefferson) Village.
What the society is calling for is what Maplewood Theater had in 1927 – silent movies and stage performances prior to the advent of talking pictures. CineLabs has leased the theatre in 2022 and was supposedly reopening it after a remodeling.
BLOOMFIELD – Township detectives are looking for three people who robbed two businesses along the Ampere section of Bloomfield Avenue here Oct. 27 and 15-16.
The latest incident, a reported “robbery in progress” at 12:30 a.m. Oct. 27 brought responding police officers to the Sunoco station at 72 Bloomfield Ave.
Employees there said that “a Hispanic male” had robbed them of proceeds and fled east on the avenue. There are no further details as of press time.
BPD gumshoes are also fielding a pair of back-to-back day robberies that cost the Staples store at least $848.99. The Oct. 15 incident, said employees, involved a female suspect who asked about a PlayStation 5 valued at $499.99. When an employee placed the game console on the sales counter, the suspect left the store with it.
A male suspect, on Oct. 16, asked about a pair of Bose headphones valued at $349. He went behind the sales counter once the headphones were placed there and took it without paying.
ELECTION NOTE: Per reports, Jessica Aviles, as of Sept. 30, has suspended her school board campaign. Her name, however, remains on the Bloomfield Board of Education Ballot.
MONTCLAIR – Township planning board are considering revising its cellular telephone tower and equipment installation regulations with a possible public hearing and final vote past filing deadline 7 p.m. Oct. 29.
The revision, introduced at the board’s Oct. 7 meeting, would change the installation procedure along public rights of way. It calls for residents and other property owners within a 200-foot radius of the proposed cell tower and/or transceiver installation site be notified in advance.
The 200-foot radius notification would act the same way notifications for proposed site plans before the township’s planning or zoning boards do – it gives residents a chance to sound off on the proposed location. The new rule seeks preventing a cellular company to install their devices among several of Montclair’s alleys.
Oct. 27’s vote, however, may hinge on whether several questions from Oct. 7 among its members have been answered. One question, for example, is whether that Montclair has domain over a county road or right of way.
MPB panelist and Mayor DR. Renee Baskerville said that she wished that the board had run the proposed revision past the Township Council for their say.
GLEN RIDGE – Mayor Deborah Mans, for the first time, lighted a Diya lamp here at the Municipal Building 5 p.m. Oct. 27 to celebrate Diwali here.
The Diya lighting is a highlight of the 26-to-96-hour celebration of Diwali. The Sunday night event here joined similar lightings, dances and feasts in Montclair and Maplewood that weekend.
Diwali, also called Deepavali, are observed by Hindus, Jains, Silks and Newar Buddhists of the dharmic faiths. Although each religion has its reason for celebrating, Diwali celebrates the triumph of light over darkness. Their overlapping holidays agree on 6:22 a.m. Oct. 31 – 8:46 a.m. Nov. 1 peak period.
The Glen Ridge Public Schools, for the first time, has closed Nov. 1 for Diwali – although it is an extension of a break for Nov. 5 Election Day and the Nov. 6-7 NJEA Teachers Convention in Atlantic City. The borough district joined Montclair and South Orange-Maplewood in adding the holiday on their calendars.
There were no traditional fireworks set off here, Montclair or Maplewood due to the record-breaking statewide drought and open fire ban. News 12 noted eight particular Morris and Middlesex County towns currently banning all fireworks. Diwali celebrants should check with their fire departments.
BELLEVILLE – Take a good look at the temporary bike lane along Division Avenue between Norton Street and Belleville High School before Friday night.
That two-lane separated bicycle path for that long Norton-BHS block was put up Oct. 24 as part of a grant-funded demonstration project. Provisions have been made for Division Avenue residents, including access to their driveways and overnight parking at BHS’s parking lot by its tennis courts.
That pop-up project will be pulled up, including temporary No Parking signs, plastic posts and painted lines, by 12:01 a.m. Nov. 2. Whether it whole or in variance returns depends on the police and public works findings sent to project funders Rutgers-Voorhees Transportation Center, Sustainable N.J. and the North Jersey Transportation Authority.
NJPTA, through its Complete Streets Technical Assistance Program had granted Belleville funds to develop a bicycle network. Its application of a dedicated bicycle right-of-way apparently put off Mayor Michael Melham.
“I knew discussions were happening on this temporary project, but I trusted others to handle it,” said Melham on his own Facebook posting. Oct. 24. “To be clear, the town did NOT dream up this project nor am I blaming the town for its execution; after all, we received a grant by the organization for the study. I have concerns on turning westbound onto Division and how a garbage truck can collect garbage in the middle of two-wat traffic and a double bike lane.”
The mayor said that he has “made my concerns and frustrations known to the Town Manager and Police Chief” Oct. 25. The project highlighted an Oct. 30 Bike to School Day by BHS, the township and the E-Z Ridge Transportation Management Association. A bike safety program was scheduled at BHS for Nov. 1.
NUTLEY – Township voters, as of Oct. 20, have a fifth candidate to consider for its board of education although that name is not on the ballot.
Kerry L. Walsh had launched his write-in campaign that Sunday via his own Kerry L. Walsh for Nutley Board of Education Nutley Facebook page. Walsh has been a member of the Nutley Rescue Squad as an EMT medic since before the COVID-19 pandemic until its shutdown.
Walsh and fellow challenger Stephen Gilberti, who is on the ballot, are running a joint campaign. They said they “Will Bring Back Trust and Accountability.”
Walsh himself intends to “Restore Financial Accountability, Enhance School Safety and Restore Trust Through Open Communication.” He wants to end “Closed Door Decisions.”
“Write-in Walsh,” as he calls himself, and “7 Million Reasons” Gilberti are challenging on-the-ballot NBOE Vice President Joseph Battaglia and fellow incumbents Daniel Fraginals and Nicholas Scotti – all of whom are conducting individual campaigns. The five are looking to fill three school board seats with voter consent.
