Top Local News

Police Continue Search for Man Last Seen Leaving Mountainside Hospital

March 25, 2023

NUTLEY, NJ - Police continue their search for 30-year-old Nataniel Sheppard who was last seen leaving Mountainside Hospital in Montclair on March 13.

Sheppard was a patient, was discharged, and is believed to have gotten into a cab bound for Newark. Police report that no one has heard from him since being discharged. 

Sheppard previously resided in Nutley and Irvington.  He is 30 ...

29th Paul Robeson All-Star Football Classic Set for June 13

Twenty nine years ago, a dream started with three men, and those men have seen so much growth in a high school all-star football game, ever since.

And this year, the 29th Paul Robeson All-Star Football Game will be played at Paul Robeson Stadium, in East Orange, on Tuesday, June 13, with a 7 p.m. kickoff. 

Now you might be asking why would a game that began in 1994 not be celebrating a ...

Nutley Police Request Assistance to Locate Missing Person

NUTLEY, NJ - Nutley Police Director Alphonse Petracco and Chief Thomas Strumolo are requesting the public's assistance to locate a missing person.

Police are investigating the whereabouts of Mr. Nathaniel Sheppard. He was last seen at Mountainside Hospital in Montclair on March 13, 2023 when he was discharged. He hasn’t been heard from since. 

Sheppard previously resided ...

Township of Bloomfield Offers Expanded Shuttle Bus Service After Crucial Bus Route Vacated by DeCamp

BLOOMFIELD, NJ – Bloomfield Mayor Michael Venezia wants residents to be aware of the alternate means by which they can access New York City now that the DeCamp bus company has terminated its commuter service from Bloomfield to New York City. This includes an expansion of the Townships’ existing shuttle service beginning on April 10, that will take residents to the Allwood ...

Bloomfield Township Launching Monthly Mental Health Workshops Starting in March

BLOOMFIELD, NJ –  The Township of Bloomfield Department of Human Services, in partnership with Temple Ner Tamid and Rabbi Katz, will be hosting a monthly workshop to help equip parents and caregivers of children, teens, and young adults with the support and information they need to understand and care for the mental health of their children. The workshops will be held at Temple Ner ...

James Bond in Bloomfield? Historical Society of Bloomfield Presents: “From Success to Seizure: The Schering Corp. of Bloomfield 1937 to 1942”

March 12, 2023

James Bond in Bloomfield? Historical Society of Bloomfield Presents: “From Success to Seizure: The Schering Corp. of Bloomfield 1937 to 1942”

EVENT: From Success to Seizure: The Schering Corp. of Bloomfield 1937–1942

ORGANIZATION: The Historical Society of Bloomfield, NJ (HSOB)

PRESENTED BY: Lifetime Bloomfield resident Dean Cole 

DATE: Tuesday, March 28, ...

Township of Bloomfield Announces 2023 Bloomfield Women to Watch

BLOOMFIELD, NJ--Councilwomen Sarah Cruz, Wartyna Davis, and Jenny Mundell took over the Township of Bloomfield Facebook feed today to recognize the 2023 Bloomfield Women to Watch.  Launched in 2022, the annual effort builds on the theme of International Women's Day (March 8), this year being "embrace equity."  The councilwomen, along with this year's inaugural ...

Bloomfield to Host Series of Events and Programs for Women’s History Month

BLOOMFIELD, NJ –  The Township of Bloomfield Women’s History Month Committee is excited to announce a series of events to celebrate and honor Women’s History Month. Highlighted events will include the Women’s History Month Professional Networking Event on Thursday, March 23, from 6:30 – 8:30 PM at Bloomfield Steak & Seafood and the 4th Annual Menstrual ...

29th Paul Robeson All-Star Football Classic Set for June 13

March 24, 2023

Twenty nine years ago, a dream started with three men, and those men have seen so much growth in a high school all-star football game, ever since.

And this year, the 29th Paul Robeson All-Star Football Game will be played at Paul Robeson Stadium, in East Orange, on Tuesday, June 13, with a 7 p.m. kickoff. 

Now you might be asking why would a game that began in 1994 not be celebrating a ...

The Rich Adams Era for Bloomfield High Softball is off to a Good Start, as the Bengals Get Ready on a Beautiful New Home Field

The Bloomfield High softball program begins a new era this spring, with Rich Adams taking over as head coach.

Adams succeeds Bob Mayer, who won over 500 games as the Bengals' head coach for 33 years. And while Adams is new to the job, the surroundings are quite familiar. 

That familiarity begins with a coaching staff that includes Mayer, as a valued assistant, and former Bengal ...

Bloomfield Native Ashley Martinez Doing Well as Head Coach at NJCU; Dan Carter Hits .556 in Florida; Bloomfield High Baseball and Track Teams Working Hard, with Season Opener Coming Quickly

The spring sports season is well underway in Bloomfield, and there have been some good results by former Bengals on the collegiate level, as well as the high school athletic teams working hard, with the regular season just around the corner.

First, in college, the William Paterson University baseball team had a good week in Florida, winning five of nine games at the RussMatt Central Florida ...

Nutley Police Request Assistance to Locate Missing Person

March 23, 2023

NUTLEY, NJ - Nutley Police Director Alphonse Petracco and Chief Thomas Strumolo are requesting the public's assistance to locate a missing person.

Police are investigating the whereabouts of Mr. Nathaniel Sheppard. He was last seen at Mountainside Hospital in Montclair on March 13, 2023 when he was discharged. He hasn’t been heard from since. 

Sheppard previously resided ...

Bloomfield Police Department Police Blotter Week 11: March 13, 2023-March 19, 2023

Theft: 

03/14/2023-Officers responded to the 100 block of Summit Avenue on report of a theft from auto. A resident parked his vehicle on the street overnight. The resident then noticed on his surveillance camera, a male wearing a red jacket enter the vehicle and remove items. The missing items were sunglasses valued at $600.00, a Louis Vuitton purse valued at $2500.00 and $250.00 in cash.

Bloomfield Fire Department Passes Air and Water Quality Inspections at its Stations

BLOOMFIELD, NJ – As part of its commitment to protecting the health and well-being of its firefighters, the Bloomfield Fire Department (BFD) recently took the proactive measure of conducting comprehensive air and water quality checks at all of its fire stations, which confirmed they were clear of any dangerous or toxic particulates. 

The testing was performed by Underwriter ...

Bloomfield Police Department Police Blotter Week 10: March 6, 2023-March 12, 2023

Theft: 

03/06/2023-Officers responded to the area of Dalebrook Road on report of a catalytic converter theft. According to a resident, three males exited a gray SUV, lifted his vehicle and cut the catalytic converter from underneath. The suspects then fled in the SUV. This incident is under investigation. 

03/06/2023-Officers responded to the area of Gregory Terrace on report of a ...

Bloomfield Diner Sustains Fire Damage in Overnight Blaze

February 27, 2023

BLOOMFIELD, NJ-- A fire broke out in the Nevada Diner, a Bloomfield landmark, shortly after midnight on Monday morning. 

Broad Street was closed down for hours as fire hose was stretched from the hydrant on the corner of Benson Street into a fire engine parked in front of the diner. 

According to Bloomfield Fire Chief Louis Venezia, the call was received as a kitchen ...

Bloomfield to Conduct Annual Spring Town-wide Cleanup

March 15, 2023

BLOOMFIELD, NJ – The Township of Bloomfield is once again coming together for a town-wide cleanup on Saturday, April 22, from 8:00 - 12:00 PM Noon, in collaboration with local schools, community groups, and residents, and sponsored by the Bloomfield Beautification Committee. 

Residents are encouraged to spread the word about the town-wide cleanup and to get involved by volunteering ...

Over Two-Dozen Employees will Lose Jobs As Montclair State University and Bloomfield College Merge

March 4, 2023

MONTCLAIR, NJ - As Montclair State University prepares to merge with Bloomfield College, nearly two dozen employees at Bloomfield College are reportedly not being offered jobs at MSU, according to an nj.com report this week.

“We understand deeply that this is affecting people’s lives,” Montclair State University President Jonathan Koppell added in a statement.

While they ...

Britnee N. Timberlake Announces Senate Run

March 11, 2023

In 2018, Britnee N. Timberlake was sworn-in to serve as a member of the New Jersey General Assembly, representing the 34th Legislative District, comprised of Clifton, East Orange, Orange, and Montclair. She serves as the Chair of the Commerce and Economic Development Committee and Vice-Chair of the Homeland Security Committee. In the past, Timberlake served on the Community Development and ...

Planning Board Gives “Green” Light to Dispensary in Bloomfield’s North Center

BLOOMFIELD, NJ--A small, unassuming storefront that once housed a shoe repair shop will soon house Bloomfield’s next cannabis dispensary, following a ruling from the Planning Board on Tuesday night. 

The Board unanimously approved the application of Emerald Tea Supply Company, a service-disabled veteran-owned boutique dispensary to be located at 368 Broad Street. Members appeared ...

Mayor Venezia Announces Intention to Run for State Assembly

BLOOMFIELD, NJ-- Bloomfield Mayor Michael Venezia announced on Facebook today that he will be making a political move from Bloomfield to Trenton.

Venezia, who was first elected into office as Councilman at Large in 2011 before running for Mayor in 2013. After winning the election, Mayor Venezia became the youngest mayor in Bloomfield to be elected into office at the age of 31.

His ...

Mayor Venezia Implores NJ Transit to Take Over Bus Route Vacated by DeCamp

March 21, 2023

BLOOMFIELD, NJ –  After the DeCamp bus company made the unexpected decision to terminate commuter service from Bloomfield to New York City beginning on April 7, Bloomfield Mayor Michael Venezia immediately took action by sending a letter to NJ Transit Executive Director Kevin Corbett requesting his agency take over service of the route. 

“This route is vital to the ...

Little Known Facts About St. Patrick's Day

March 16, 2023

NATIONAL -- During a typical year (meaning pre-pandemic), more than 52% of Americans plan some type of celebration of St. Patrick's Day, and more than 82% of celebrants will wear green, according to WalletHub. Overall, billions of dollars typically are spent on clothing, flags, green carnations, dining, and, of course, beer. Guinness estimates that more 13 million pints of its stout ...

Saturday:  “A Pilgrim’s Psalm – a Contemporary Oratorio for Lent” as performed by doorjam

BLOOMFIELD, NJ - Brookdale Reformed Church and Franklin Reformed Church in Nutley are partnering to offer the community an event of food and meaningful entertainment for the Lenten Season Sat. Mar. 11 from 4 to 6 p.m.

“A Pilgrim’s Psalm” shares the story of Holy Week through the words and music of doorjam.

An original, contemporary oratorio based on the events of ...

Roman Catholic Archdiocese Removes Lenten Fasting Restriction for St. Patrick's Day on Friday, March 17

NEWARK, NJ -- For Roman Catholics conflicted about eating traditional corned beef and cabbage on St. Patrick's Day, which falls on Friday, March 17, the Archdiocese of Newark has altered Lenten fasting obligations, which include abstaining from eating meat on Fridays.

The Memorial of St. Patrick is on a Friday this year.  For those members of the faithful celebrating this Solemnity ...

Wildflower Gardens Expanded on Ampere Parkway

March 18, 2023

BLOOMFIELD, NJ-- Members of the Bloomfield Beautification Committee, with assistance from the Bloomfield Department of Public Works, were out on Ampere Parkway on Saturday preparing and expanding the wildflower garden project they began last year, beautifying the median strip that runs between the eastern and western travel lanes at the "Welcome to Bloomfield" sign on Ampere and ...

Bloomfield Township Purchases Four New Electric Vehicles

BLOOMFIELD, NJ – Bloomfield Mayor Michael Venezia is proud to announce the Township has acquired four new electric vehicles (EV), and received grants for two more, for use by its municipal departments. The Townships’ four new sedans and two trucks will replace older gasoline-powered vehicles in their fleet and bring their EV total to ten.

“The purchase of these new electric ...

Bloomfield to Conduct Annual Spring Town-wide Cleanup

BLOOMFIELD, NJ – The Township of Bloomfield is once again coming together for a town-wide cleanup on Saturday, April 22, from 8:00 - 12:00 PM Noon, in collaboration with local schools, community groups, and residents, and sponsored by the Bloomfield Beautification Committee. 

Residents are encouraged to spread the word about the town-wide cleanup and to get involved by volunteering ...

Bloomfield Township Launching Monthly Mental Health Workshops Starting in March

March 23, 2023

BLOOMFIELD, NJ –  The Township of Bloomfield Department of Human Services, in partnership with Temple Ner Tamid and Rabbi Katz, will be hosting a monthly workshop to help equip parents and caregivers of children, teens, and young adults with the support and information they need to understand and care for the mental health of their children. The workshops will be held at Temple Ner ...

Bloomfield Township Partners with NJ Human Services and GetSetUp to Offer Free Online Courses for Older Adults

BLOOMFIELD, NJ – Bloomfield Township has partnered with the New Jersey Division of Aging Services and GetSetUp to provide hundreds of virtual classes for older adults, taught by peers, to keep residents mentally, physically, and socially active. Classes are interactive, easy to join, offered day and night, and free for Bloomfield community members ages 60 and older.

“This is an ...

Clara Maass Medical Center Named to MONEY’s First-Ever Best Hospitals for Bariatric Surgery List

BELLEVILLE, NJ — Clara Maass Medical Center, an RWJBarnabas Health facility, is included as one of only 101 hospitals in the U.S. on Money.com’s first-ever Best Hospitals for Bariatric Surgery list. Money.com, in partnership with The Leapfrog Group, announced the Best Hospitals for Bariatric Surgery list in January 2023.

The 101 hospitals that earned this distinction ...

Jury: Newark Man Swindled a Woman Out of Her Home, $110,000

March 20, 2023

NEWARK, NJ — An Essex County jury convicted a city man for swindling a woman out of her home and stealing $110,000 from her bank account in 2016 by forging her name on various documents.

Obadiah J. Salters, 36, of Newark, was convicted on 24 counts of theft and forgery charges after a four-day trial last week before Superior Court Judge John I. Gizzo. Salters s to be sentenced in May, ...

Bloomfield Man Sentenced in Violent Clark Carjacking

A Bloomfield man who was convicted in November of attempting to murder a Lyft driver and assaulting another passenger before carjacking the vehicle in April of 2019, has been sentenced to a total of 29 years in State Prison, Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel announced today. 

Union County Superior Court Judge Thomas Isenhour imposed the term on 31-year-old Farrakhan Howard, ...

Wildflower Gardens Expanded on Ampere Parkway

March 18, 2023

BLOOMFIELD, NJ-- Members of the Bloomfield Beautification Committee, with assistance from the Bloomfield Department of Public Works, were out on Ampere Parkway on Saturday preparing and expanding the wildflower garden project they began last year, beautifying the median strip that runs between the eastern and western travel lanes at the "Welcome to Bloomfield" sign on Ampere and ...

Bloomfield Environmental Commission Seeks Bloomfield Nature Photos for Environmental Resource Inventory

The Bloomfield Environmental Commission (Essex County, NJ) invites the community to submit nature photos for inclusion in the Environmental Resource Inventory that the commission will be releasing in the near future.

An Environmental Resource Inventory (ERI) is a compilation of information about the natural resource characteristics and environmentally significant features and impacts of a ...

Bloomfield Announces Contest to Name Official Town Flower

BLOOMFIELD, NJ –  The Bloomfield Beautification Committee is excited to announce a contest to choose the official town flower of Bloomfield. The official flower will be named by proclamation of the mayor and council in April. 

Residents have a choice between:

Cardinal Flower - This woodland native attracts bees, butterflies and hummingbirds with its bright scarlet color. It ...

Township of Bloomfield Offers Expanded Shuttle Bus Service After Crucial Bus Route Vacated by DeCamp

March 23, 2023

BLOOMFIELD, NJ – Bloomfield Mayor Michael Venezia wants residents to be aware of the alternate means by which they can access New York City now that the DeCamp bus company has terminated its commuter service from Bloomfield to New York City. This includes an expansion of the Townships’ existing shuttle service beginning on April 10, that will take residents to the Allwood ...

Bloomfield Township Launching Monthly Mental Health Workshops Starting in March

BLOOMFIELD, NJ –  The Township of Bloomfield Department of Human Services, in partnership with Temple Ner Tamid and Rabbi Katz, will be hosting a monthly workshop to help equip parents and caregivers of children, teens, and young adults with the support and information they need to understand and care for the mental health of their children. The workshops will be held at Temple Ner ...

Upcoming Events

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Thu, March 30
06:00 PM — 08:00 PM

Berkeley College, Woodland Park

Interior Design Insights: An Evening ...

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Sat, April 01
09:00 AM — 11:30 AM

Verona Park, Verona

St. Cassian Cougar Challenge- 5K & Fun ...

‘Hercules’ Hits All the High Notes at Paper Mill

MILLBURN, NJ — This mythical tale of gods and goddesses makes for smashing musical theatre in “Hercules”, now at the Paper Mill Playhouse.

The enthusiastic audience at a recent matinee caught all the nuances right away. From the hero Hercules (in a strong performance by Bradley Gibson) to the muses to the earthbound peasants, it all comes together with flair. We start ...

‘The Flick’ Merges Old and New in Thought-provoking Ways

CHATHAM NJ - The theme of “The Flick,” now playing at the Chatham Playhouse, centers on the waning days of an old movie theater near Worcester, Massachusetts. As cinemas move from projectors to digital technology, the three employees at the site struggle with their own identities and futures.

Peter Despres as Sam is at the heart of the story. He’s 35 years old and still ...

Police Continue Search for Man Last Seen Leaving Mountainside Hospital

March 25, 2023

NUTLEY, NJ - Police continue their search for 30-year-old Nataniel Sheppard who was last seen leaving Mountainside Hospital in Montclair on March 13.

Sheppard was a patient, was discharged, and is believed to have gotten into a cab bound for Newark. Police report that no one has heard from him since being discharged. 

Sheppard previously resided in Nutley and Irvington.  He is 30 ...

Oops! Newark Duped in Bogus Deal with Fake ‘Sister City’

NEWARK, NJ — Street-smart politicians can get scammed, too.

It happened to Mayor Ras J. Baraka and his savvy Newark City Hall team.

For six days in January, the City of Newark had a nifty “sister city” cultural-trade deal with one of India’s emerging independent Hindu nations: “United States of Kailasa.”

Turns out, Kailasa does not exist. It's ...

TAPinto Launches Local News and Digital Marketing Platform in Hanover Township, New Jersey

HANOVER TOWNSHIP, NJ — There's more local news for Morris County residents, with the launch of TAPinto Hanover Township.

Laura Ali is the owner and publisher of the new TAPinto local news and digital marketing platform, which started providing local news to the community in February. It is the 10th TAPinto site in Morris County.

Ali said local leaders reached out to her, saying ...

TAPinto Kenilworth Publisher Telina Cuppari Judges New Jersey's Best Pizza at Pizza Bowl III

CARLSTADT, NJ — If New Jersey's best pizza is going to be in one place, having a Guinness World Records holder for the most pizza items as a celebrity judge just makes sense.

TAPinto Kenilworth owner/publisher Telina Cuppari — who has 669 pizza-related items in her house — joined athletes, actors and members of the media to help judge New Jersey's best pizza at Pizza ...

An Ocean of Collected Souls by Stephen Grand

An Ocean of Collected Souls by Stephen Grand. CHB Media, 2023.

 

The year is 1966. Picture a girl, 15 years of age with black hair, parted in the middle, tumbling to her waist. Today she is to meet a young man who is in college already, studying mathematics. She does not realize that this brilliant and very funny fellow will have a profound and enduring impact on her life. She is too ...

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus

 

Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus (Doubleday, 2023)

 

In reading Lessons in Chemistry by Bonnie Garmus, which has just hit the top of the New York Times Best Seller List in the Fiction Category, I was reminded of “Fractured Fairy Tales,” which was a segment on the Rocky and Bullwinkle Cartoon Show which aired from 1959-1965. Fractured fairy tales are parodies ...

Doctor Assassin by Mark R. Belsky

Dr. Assassin by Mark R. Belsky  (BabyBook, 2021).

 

More thrilling than the series Homeland. . .   More frightening than The Stand . . . Faster paced than a James Patterson novel . . .As beautifully crafted as a Nelson DeMille . . . 

The book to which I am referring is a “medical thriller,” that is so much more than a Michael Crichton or Robin Cook .

Hidden Demons: Evil Visits a Small New England Town by Margery B. Metzger

Hidden Demons: Evil Visits a Small New England Town  by Margery B.  Metzger. (Wild Blue Press, 2023).

They are everywhere. A hidden demon can be a kindly neighbor who helps friends in need; he can lurk anonymously near school crossings, watching young teens on their way to and from school, he can be the janitor who scours cinemuck in the local movie theater after the crowd has ...

Black Entrepreneurs and Community Empowered at Black History Month Empowerment Expo Hosted by Empower The Village at Bloomfield College

February 28, 2023

Cultural pride, commerce, mental well-being and nonstop networking were in abundant supply this month, as Empower The Village, Inc., a Morristown-based 501c(3) organization, hosted its tremendously successful, inaugural Empowerment Expo on February 11th in the beautiful, stained-glass window adorned spaces of the historic Westminster Arts Center building at Bloomfield College.