Ocean Grove, mid-week escape: Gas in the minivan $35; Beach-access wrist bands for three over 12's: $21; Lunch on the beach $19; Ice cream at Nagle's: $9; Parking - free. A day of sun, sand and sea with the kids: priceless. It's your holiday weekend open thread...
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The weather continued to hold up as the parade crowd congregated for a picnic at Edgemont Park. Picnickers were able to enjoy yummy treats from Applegate Farms and the Church Street Kitchen, there was a giant purple moonwalk with an equally giant line up of children waiting to hop around inside it, and live music, too! Roscoe Orman (Gordon from Sesame Street) was singing with a great kid's rock band named Audra Rox. Or maybe that was just the name of the lead singer (pictured above, with Roscoe.) Either way, they sounded fine and transfixed Edgemont Park with their wonderful music. Happy Fourth of July!
Two of the participants in the always fantastic Fourth of July Parade here in Montclair. The Robotics Team had more than the fourth to celebrate--they were the First Place Winners in this year's New York City Regional Robotics competition, which is the most difficult one in the nation. And of course, pulling up in style, the always chic Baristanet team. Check out more photos and upload your own right here: http://www.flickr.com/groups/baristanet
William Kristol, conservative political analyst and commentator writes:
The last few years, we’ve spent July Fourth at the house of friends who have had the assembled company read the entire declaration. It’s a longer document than one thinks; the charges against the king take quite a while to get through...I was doubtful at first that reading the declaration would enhance the overall beer-and-hamburger experience of the day. But the effort has proved more thought-provoking and patriotism-stirring than I expected.
Read a part of our history, aloud, after the jump...Test your knowledge about Independence Day with a quiz, here.
Funeral coverage from the Star Ledger...
The letters, dated the same month in 2007 as a restraining order issued against the father now accused of killing Paul, were for the first time read aloud by a friend, Rodney Campbell, during a tearful and packed service today at Christ Church in Montclair."My boy and smiley face...a.k.a. spiderman, you know I'm going to miss you," Paul wrote in a letter dated Oct. 7, 2007 to her son, whose father is now a fugitive. "Like I told your sister, if you're reading this, then something must have happened to me.
"I love you...even though you don't let me kiss you anymore. You say there's too many germs in kissing. You are so funny...Know that I am in a better place. I love you. Mommy."
It was a little over year ago, when the Helen and Bill Geyer Family opened its doors for the first time. Now, after being closed for over a week in the aftermath of the tragic murder of Monica Paul, interfaith clergy will gather on Monday for a re-dedication ceremony of the Y. Rev. Brandi Drake of Grace Presbyterian Church writes...
I wanted the community to know that on Monday morning at 7:30, there will be a brief re-dedication ceremony of the Geyer Family Y before they re-open. It will be led by inter-faith members of the Clergy throughout Montclair. The purpose of this time will be to re-claim the building for the purpose intended: the love and strengthening of children and families. We wanted to provide the Y staff and families with a ritual to begin the week from a place of strength. There will be light refreshments following the ceremony, which will take place in the parking lot.
From 1010 Wins
Bulletins (EAST ORANGE) GARDEN STATE PKWY NORTHBOUND AT EXIT 145 (RT 280) CLOSED . DUE TO AN ACCIDENT INVOLVING AN OVERTURNED VEHICLE WITH INJURIES & A FATALITY BEFORE EXIT 148 (BLOOMFIELD) - TRAFFIC IS BEING DIVERTED OFF AT EXIT 145 - TRAFFIC IS JAMMED BACK TO THE UNION TOLLS.. / SB TRAFFIC IS JAMMED FROM EXIT 151 TO THE AREA.
Update: The traffic is the result of a fatal two-car collision.
Note to Grammy winner Fatman Scoop and his lady Shanda -- you are in for a treat. The stars of the MTV show Man and Wife just arrived in Bloomfield to get the royal treatment from the magically massage-gifted couple Lerrick and Oliver of Flic Spa for an upcoming episode.
If you haven't caught the show, here's the premise. It aired online first and is now on MTV. Fatman Scoop and Shanda offer advice for couples on their show, usually from bed. Today, they offered advice above to Lerrick and Oliver and here's what they told us to pass on to our Baristanet couples: "Communicate often, don't go to bed angry and have sex as much as possible."
Look for the show to air in September; from the expression on Lerrick's face, it should be a hoot. And here's some advice for couples from us: if you haven't been to Flic yet, try this (the Hawaiian lomi lomi). Yum!
We've learned that a woman perished this morning in a fire at 5:30 a.m. at 276 Harrison Street in Nutley. Nutley firefighters and police responded to the scene as did the Essex County Prosecutor’s Arson Task Force, who confirms that a female victim, in her mid thirties, who was discovered on the second floor of the two-family home. The victim has not been identified pending autopsy results. The fire was contained to the second floor of the structure. The investigation is continuing.
A funeral mass for Monica Paul will be held at 11 a.m. today (Thursday) at Christ Church in Montclair.
In addition to other ways to donate to Paul's children mentioned here, the Monica Paul Children's Fund for the care of Essence and Noah Paul has been established at Christ Church. Donations can be sent to Christ Church, 68 Church Street, Montclair, NJ 07042; write "The Monica Paul Children's Fund" in check memo line.
To honor Monica's memory, we're taking a moment of silence and closing comments on this post.
How kind, how considerate...If you're hot to trot, NJ Transit is making your weekend escape from Penn Station a little bit easier for Baristaville today, starting with NJ Transit's Family Super Saver Fare in effect from 7 p.m. today to 6 a.m. Monday. Two children 11 and younger may travel free of charge when accompanied by a fare-paying adult.
Additional trains will operate on the Northeast Corridor, North Jersey Coast, Raritan Valley, Morris & Essex, Pascack Valley and Port Jervis lines.
Trains leaving New York Penn Station, Newark Penn Station and Hoboken Terminal today will operate on a regular weekday schedule with extra departure times added between noon and 5 p.m. to accommodate the mass holiday exodus.
But the tracks will be quiet in Baristaville on July 4th, except for the Fireworks Express - Friday trains will operate on a weekend/holiday schedule on all lines, with the exception of the Montclair-Boonton line which has no service.
Power has been on and off by Watchung Plaza and around Upper Montclair. It just came back on again, we hear from our sources eating pizza at Mr. Dino's. We'll update when we know more.
Montclair's Phoenix Building (Bloomfield Avenue at North Willow) is nearing completion of its total makeover. Above, the before and after...Insiders tell us much of the retail/office space is already spoken for - ready for occupancy in the next couple of months. They're keeping mum on exactly who's coming to Baristaville, though...I'm hoping for a place where we can buy music. Whaddya think?
Here's your schedule of Baristaville festivities for the fourth..
Celebrate Independence Day at Montclair's 58th annual 4th of July parade, picnic and fireworks.
The parade begins at 11:00 a.m. at Bloomfield Avenue (at S. Fullerton) and the route proceeds to Midland Avenue, north to Watchung Avenue, west to Valley Road and south to Edgemont Park. The Baristas will be joining in the parade for our fourth consecutive year (just wait to see how far we've come from the shopping cart days...) and regulars like the Fralinger String Band, Wayne Raiders Drum & Bugle Crops, and the Jersey Surf Drum & Bugle Corps will be marching. Also in the parade line-up: Baristaville juggler Jen Slaw, Montclair Community Band, St. Columcille United Gaelic Pipe Band, community floats, fire engines, antique cars.
Gina's on Walnut St. has something new going on inside the European boulangerie. Take a better, more comfy bite, on Food.
It takes a village...
A foundation has been created for the two surviving children of Monica Paul, Essence & Noah Paul. Charitable contributions can be made to Monica Paul Fund c/o United Way of North Essex, 60 South Fullerton Ave., Montclair, NJ 07042. For more information, call 973-746-4040, or visit www.uwne.org.
Bradford PTA Board voted to make PTA funds available immediately to assist the family of Monica Paul...Many Bradford families have also expressed an interest in making individual monetary donations to the family. Checks can be made out to the Bradford PTA and earmarked for "Paul Family." Send checks to: The Bradford PTA, Attn: Hollie Reddington, 87 Mt. Hebron Road, Montclair, NJ 07043.
You may pay respects to the Paul family today and tomorrow:
Last week's horrific shooting and death of Montclair mom Monica Paul reverberates well beyond our community. The tragedy sharpens the focus on domestic violence and gun control. The blog Momlogic.com looks at early warning signs of domestic danger; Ceasefire NJ/Blue Wave NJ have announced a press conference and rally in support of gun control.
The press conference, co-sponsored by BlueWaveNJ, Ceasefire NJ and The Million Mom March, will be held at Crane Park at midday on Wednesday, July 9. We will then caravan to a location in Newark’s North Ward where a young woman was shot at the same time as the Montclair shooting with an illegal handgun. Details will soon be on our website at www.bluewavenj.org.
With Fourth of July celebrations and summer parties in the planning, you may see the evenings lit up by kitschy tiki-torches. Baristaville, keep torch fuel bottles off the table - the oil used for these lights has been mistaken for apple juice. And apparently, there's no warning odor to stop you before it gets to your lips.
The borough of Glen Ridge sent out a warning last night to residents, following the report of six New Jersey residents who ingested small amounts of the oil -- an 84-year-old grandma is dead, and five others have been hospitalized. From The Star Ledger:
One of those injured was an 8-year-old Bergen County girl whose lungs sustained permanent damage after she drank from a glass on the kitchen counter filled with what she thought was apple juice.
State health officials last night said they were working on sending out an electronic alert to local health officials about the incidents.
The Burlington County woman, who was not identified, died in a hospital Monday night from "complications of lung damage," said Steve Marcus, executive director of the New Jersey Poison Information & Education System. Marcus said the Burlington County Medical Examiner's Officer is investigating.
"Somebody poured the drink for her thinking it was apple juice," he said of the "kerosene-like" substance, which is used to light patio torches.
Here's the poison help hotline #: 1-800-222-1222; the cluster of oil poisonings - reported since May 25 - is unusual..
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