October 2010 Highlights (34)

Council seat to be decided Tuesday

Editor’s note: With election season in full swing this is the last in our series examining governmental issues in Maplewood.

By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer

Don’t tell Democrat Marlon Brownlee that he should take this election easy, even though his party has a large edge over Republicans in registered voters.

With the race for Township Committee winding down, Brownlee spent four hours on the… Continue

Added by News-Record on October 28, 2010 at 3:01pm — No Comments

Maplewood PD: slight increase in burlgaries

By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer

Maplewood Police said they have noticed an uptick in burglaries in the past five to six weeks, with most of the crimes occurring during the daytime.

Maplewood police Capt. Paul Conlon on Oct. 23 termed it a slight increase, though the department did not provide a specific count.

Last week, the department released a statement saying that most burglaries or attempted burglaries “are occurring during the… Continue

Added by News-Record on October 28, 2010 at 2:55pm — No Comments

Maplewood Committee election — Candidate debate

By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer

The two candidates for Township Committee used a joint appearance last week to sound off on government finances, economic development and local policing.

At a forum Oct. 21, Republican Bart Albini criticized the Democrat-controlled Township Committee for increasing the municipal debt.

Annual debt service stands at under $5 million, and Albini said “serious fiscal, financial issues” confront the community… Continue

Added by News-Record on October 28, 2010 at 2:50pm — No Comments

BOE hopes to improve math approach

By Christina Hernandez, Managing Editor

Developing, refining and implementing comprehensive plans that address curriculum reform, student and program assessment and professional development in the kindergarten through grade 12 math programs are on school officials’ agenda for the next four years.

A math audit was conducted in 2009 by Phi Delta Kappa International, which also performed the English Language Arts audit two years ago, as a “deficit… Continue

Added by News-Record on October 28, 2010 at 2:49pm — No Comments

3 alleged suspects in Maplewood murders plead not guilty

Three males who are alleged suspects in two separate murder cases that occurred in Maplewood this year plead not guilty to all charges at each of their arraignments on the morning of Oct. 27 at the Essex County Veterans Courthouse, authorities said via e-mail on Oct. 28.

“They each remain in custody on $1 million bail,” said Katherine Carter, spokeswoman for the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office. “We will finish the investigations and present their cases to the grand jury.”

Marquise… Continue

Added by News-Record on October 28, 2010 at 1:00pm — No Comments

Police investigate if Millburn man is connected to crimes in town

A Millburn man was arrested and charged with burglary, theft and criminal mischief after he allegedly broke into a Hudson Avenue house at 12:32 p.m. on Oct. 26, police said.

Robert D. Tyson, 23, was also found to be in possession of a bag of marijuana, and was charged accordingly, police said.

Municipal Court Judge Stanley Varon set Tyson’s bail at $25,000, which was posted at Maplewood police headquarters. Tyson was later released.

Maplewood police are continuing their… Continue

Added by News-Record on October 28, 2010 at 10:34am — No Comments

UPDATE: Second suspect in murder of transgender woman caught

The second suspect in the shooting of a transgender female in Maplewood has been caught.

Alrashim N. Chambers, charged with murder and related weapons offenses, is being held on $1 million, Essex County jail records showed Oct. 25.

He was lodged in jail on Oct. 25.

Victoria Carmen White, 28, was shot Sept. 12 in her cousin’s Jacoby Street apartment.

A second suspect in the case, Marquise L. Foster, surrendered to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office on Oct.23. …

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Added by News-Record on October 25, 2010 at 5:39pm — No Comments

Midtown Direct train-riders should expect delays

Midtown Direct service has been disrupted for the rest of the afternoon and into the evening of Oct. 25, according to New Jersey Transit.

“All Midtown Direct trains will originate and terminate at Hoboken Terminal, instead of New York,” according to a travel advisory NJ Transit issued.

The problem, also affecting other lines, stemmed from an earlier “slow-speed derailment within the Penn Station complex,” the travel advisory read.

“PATH trains are cross-honor ing NJ Transit tickets… Continue

Added by News-Record on October 25, 2010 at 3:00pm — No Comments

Frost Predicted in New Jersey Tonight!

It's that time of year again! You can avoid frozen split water lines by calling a licensed contractor to winterize your outdoor plumbing. <a href="http://blog.bornsteinsons.com/2010/10/frost-predicted-in-new-jersey-tonight.html"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Read our blog post</span></a> for more information. While you're at it.....let us perform an annual tune-up on your gas fired heating equipment to make sure it's in good working order, running efficiently which… Continue

Added by Bornstein Sons, Inc. on October 25, 2010 at 10:38am — No Comments

UPDATE: Suspect in murder of transgender woman surrenders to police

Marquise Foster, 25, of North Plainfield, surrendered at approximately 8 p.m. on Oct. 23 without incident, authorities said via e-mail last weekend.

Foster was wanted for the murder of Victoria Carmen White, a 28-year-old

transgender Newark woman who was murdered in a Jacoby Street apartment in Maplewood on… Continue

Added by News-Record on October 25, 2010 at 9:56am — No Comments

Manhunt begins for 2 suspects in Maplewood murder of transgender woman

A manhunt is underway for two suspects that were allegedly involved in the murder of a transgender woman in Maplewood, announced the office of acting Essex County Prosecutor Robert D. Laurino on the evening of Oct. 21. Warrants have been issued for the arrest of Marquise L. Foster, 25, of North Plainfield, and Alrashim N. Chambers, 23, of Newark.

Foster and Chambers are wanted for the murder of Victoria Carmen White, 28, of Newark.

White, who authorities initially…

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Added by News-Record on October 22, 2010 at 10:11am — No Comments

Police focus on home invasions, offer safety tips

The Maplewood Police Department issued the following press release via e-mail on Oct. 21:

Over the past five or six weeks, the Maplewood Police Department has experienced an increase in the number of burglaries reported in town. Most of the burglaries, or attempted burglaries, are occurring during the

daytime hours and have been made to unoccupied homes.

Entries have been through…

Continue

Added by News-Record on October 21, 2010 at 3:23pm — No Comments

BOE satisfied with NJ ASK results

By Christina Hernandez, Managing Editor

When the 2009-2010 New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge, or NJ ASK, results for grades three through eight were unveiled at the Board of Education meeting on Oct. 18, school officials were happy with the outcome, but noted that more work needs to be done.

“The gains bolster our efforts, and yet we have a long way to go,” Superintendent of Schools Brian Osborne said in an e-mail — reiterating his… Continue

Added by News-Record on October 21, 2010 at 1:07pm — No Comments

Newark layoffs could affect public safety in towns

By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer

South Orange Fire Chief Jeffrey M. Markey does not have a say on whether Newark should lay off firefighters.

But with the city asserting municipal employee layoffs are necessary, there could be implications for his and other departments that have mutual aid agreements with the Newark Fire Department.

“Will Newark call out for more mutual aid? I don’t know,” Markey said Oct. 18. “Nobody knows what’s going to… Continue

Added by News-Record on October 21, 2010 at 1:04pm — No Comments

CHS senior trumps cancer in triathlon

By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer

Jake Silberg of Maplewood knew he wanted to compete in something like the Jarden Westchester Triathlon, an endurance test over water and land in Rye, N.Y., last month.

In his case, he knew it a few years ago while in a hospital bed, his body bloated and his hair gone from the chemotherapy treatment he was receiving at the Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center.

Three years in remission from a form of cancer… Continue

Added by News-Record on October 21, 2010 at 1:01pm — No Comments

Towns may share violations bureau

By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer

The Township Committee voted 5-0 on Oct. 19 for a deal to create a shared violations bureau with South Orange and rent out its municipal court to its sister town.

The five-year agreement, which would take effect Jan.1, 2011, would provide the township with net “new revenue” of $140,000 annually, Mayor Vic De Luca said at the Township Committee meeting.

He called it “a great deal for both… Continue

Added by News-Record on October 21, 2010 at 12:55pm — No Comments

A hunt for the ratables

Editor’s note: With election season in full swing, this is the third of a four-part series examining ongoing governmental issues in Maplewood.

By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer

Despite living in an affluent suburb, Maplewood residents carry a heavy financial burden to pay for their schools and municipal government.

The local tax base is 93 percent residential, according to a figure the township supplied this week. So while neighboring… Continue

Added by News-Record on October 21, 2010 at 12:09pm — No Comments

Parents enroll in online program to track child's academics

At a recent school board meeting, Superintendent Brian Osborne announced 929 parents enrolled in the district’s new online program that allows them to track their child’s academic progress throughout the school year.

He said the program made its debut last week, and also noted that there may be “another spike” in enrollment “around report card” season. Members received their passwords to enter the program via mail this week.

PowerSchool Parent Portal lets parents with students in grades… Continue

Added by News-Record on October 21, 2010 at 10:54am — No Comments

District looking at solar

District officials are examining the feasibility of installing solar panels on the roofs of schools in Maplewood and South Orange. However, this eco-friendly initiative is strictly preliminary, school officials said.

Board member Beth Daughtery, chairwoman of the Facilities Committee, said Oct. 15 that district employees, such as the architect and property services director, are looking into the possibility of solar energy at schools while they prepare bid specifications for roof repairs,… Continue

Added by News-Record on October 19, 2010 at 5:51pm — No Comments

Maplewood Committee election — Candidate debate

The two candidates for Maplewood Township Committee will face off at the annual candidates forum starting at 7:30 p.m. Oct. 21 at the DeHart Community Center.

Democrat Marlon Brownlee and Republican Bart Albini are expected to attend. They are running in the Nov. 2 election seeking a three-year term.

The format traditionally calls for candidates to answer submitted questions and then take questions from the audience. The community center is located on Burnett Avenue.…

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Added by News-Record on October 19, 2010 at 2:55pm — No Comments