The Week in Union County

News Show Launches on Berkeley Heights TV

In the summer, the Berkeley Heights Communication Committee sought to bring the town closer together through the use of technology, and their work has come to fruition with the launch of a weekly 15-minute news show on the local Berkeley Heights Television station.

This Week in Berkeley Heights will be produced and anchored by representatives of Berkeley Heights Patch and The Alternative Press. The content will include news from government, community (non-government), nonprofit organizations, business and other relevant stories from around the community.

The first show debuted Thursday December 1 at 7:00 pm and will continue to run at various times on the Berkeley Heights local access channel. Mayor Joseph Bruno was the featured guest for the shows debut.

"We are thrilled to be a part of this exciting new venture," said Mike Curci, editor of Berkeley Heights Patch. "This is a terrific way for everyone in the community to get involved, from government officials, to businesses to community leaders. I think the viewers will enjoy tuning in."

Committee members Nicholas Schiavo and Patrick Smith along with other volunteers worked hard to create the show. Schiavo and Smith believe it will be a great success.

“We all felt it was in the best interest of the community,” Schiavo said. “There’s a lot of value to be on T.V. in Berkeley Heights."

Schiavo said the show will benefit everyone because it deals with all aspects of the town. Although most residents do not know about the new show, Schiavo said he expects a positive reaction.

The show will have three segments; weekly news, which will originate from that week’s media outlet’s front pages; the Community Corner, which is devoted to initiatives of the Berkeley Heights community organizations; and Business of the Week.

Clark-Garwood

Sangiuliano took the mic, explaining the project himself and answering questions from the audience. The site's traffic engineer, Joseph Staiger, followed Sangiuliano and also was questioned by those in attendance. No vote was taken. The next meeting is scheduled for Dec. 15.

Westfield

Seven runners from the Westfield boys cross country team headed to Oregon on Saturday, Dec. 3 after a stunning performance on Saturday, Nov. 26 in the Nike Northeast Regional Cross Country race at Bowdoin Park in Wappingers Falls, NY.

New Jersey State Police released the 2010 Uniform Crime Report.

At Tuesday evening's Town Council meeting, residents voiced their concerns about safety. Brush and leaves blocking narrow streets and school zones and the pedestrian activated stoplight on Central Avenue were topics raised before the Council.

Coaches’ Corner took a look at Westfield High School swim team head coach Jeffrey Knight.

Four local dads band together to make the music they love. The Rick Cantor Band rocks local venues with classic rock covers as well as original tunes.

The Westfield Garden Club was busy decking the halls downtown this week.

New Providence

In the 29th meeting between the two schools, the New Providence varsity football team never trailed and  over rival Governor Livingston behind two rushing and one passing touchdown for Dave Barletta. The Pioneers hold a 24-3-2 in the Thanksgiving rivalry between the local rivals whose campuses stand just about two miles apart.

The  served as a warm welcome for this year's holiday season on Nov. 25. Santa was first spotted on the roof of The Provident Bank around dusk and continued down South Street and throughout the Village Shopping Center on a New Providence fire truck, serenaded by the  Marching Band. During the event, several businesses had their doors open and refreshments available for residents. On Springfield Avenue, luminaries lit the way to where children got the chance to pet live animals, including rabbits, goats, and sheep. The church also hosted a live Nativity scene to remind families that Christmas is not just about buying and receiving material gifts, but sharing memories and cheer with those who are special. But one of the main attractions was the chance to sit on Santa’s lap at . The line to whisper a Christmas wish, a tradition that dates back 27 years, was around the block but seemed to move quickly for many excited children.

Scotch Plains-Fanwood

For two employees at the Quick Chek on Westfield Avenue in Scotch Plains, Thanksgiving came to a shocking end as the conveince store was robbed at 12:30 a.m. on November 25 by two men who produced a gun, took an an undetermined amount of cash and fled on foot. Lieutenant Donnelly stated that Police are still searching for the white or Hispanic, male, "young looking" assailants.

Belkie was one of the employees present during the robbery. "Its not an experience I would recommend to anyone," she stated with a hesitant smile. "Two guys came in with a gun and demanded money. There were no cars in the parking lot. I never thought that this could happen in Scotch Plains," she said. 

On Tuesday, the Board of Education commended the two Varsity soccer teams as well as the Girls JV soccer team for their outstanding seasons and top notch character. Coach Tom "Brez" Breznitsky also received an award for all of his achievements including his recent 600th win as well as his contributions to the community in his 37 years of coaching.

Springfield

With a dramatic accident and an ill-conceived armed robbery keeping them busy, Thanksgiving weekend was far from relaxing for Springfield’s emergency responders. On the morning of the holiday, . Springfield fire, police and first aid squad members—along with emergency responders—spent hours on site extracting the driver and bringing him to University Hospital in Newark via medevac helicopter. The accident remained a hazard for drivers long into Thanksgiving afternoon, with emergency workers needing several hours to clear the scene.

At 3 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 26, Springfield Patrolman Brian Trotman arrested three men after he reportedly. According to Springfield Police, Trotman was parked across the street on Hillside Avenue around 3 a.m. Saturday when he noticed the suspicious vehicle parked on the shoulder. Through the store windows, Trotman witnessed two men rob the store while one waited in the car. Trotman and Patrolman James Mirabile arrested the men about a quarter-mile down the road as they were heading westbound on Route 22. Police recovered the cash drawer from one register and a handgun used in the robbery.

Summit

Schools Superintendent Nathan Parker wrote a letter to parents that said a  program under consideration will be scrapped. The City of Summit has never had a full-day kindergarten program. 

Summit's football team lost their bid for the North 2 Group II championship with a crushing 47-7 defeat to defending champs, Madison. Summit completed its season at 11-1. A four-yard sweep by Kyr’e Negron with 6:26 left in the second quarter was the Hilltoppers only score.

Police warned residents about child luring incidents. A blue vehicle, possible a Ford Fusion, has been seen in two separate incidents involving an adult potentially luring young teenage girls. Accordingto authorities both incidents occured Wednesday. In Morristown, a 13-year-old girl was waiting for her morning school bus when a stranger motioned for her to get into his vehicle. In Florham Park, later that afternoon a 14-year-old was walking home from her school bus stop when a stranger began slowly following her in his car. Neither girl was hurt in the incident.

The Summit Volunteer  First Aid Squad announced their annual Christmas tree sale this week. The proceeds from the sale are used to support the Summit Volunteer First Aid Squad.  

Tree sale hours are from 9:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. on the weekends and 3:30p.m. to 9:30p.m. during the week. For further info, check out the SVFA website: www.summitems.org/treesale.htm

Police continue their search for missing Summit man. Ronaldo Blanco has been missing for two weeks and despite police-led bloodhound and helicopter searches, efforts to find him have turned up nothing.

Cranford

Work continued inside on Nov. 30, where crews began painting the interior of the flood-damaged building. Outside the building, a small group of union workers protested the district's decision to hire local painters for the job.  "The Cranford Board of Education has hired a local (Cranford), non-union paint company, to paint the interior of Brookside Place School as part of the process following Hurricane Irene," Superintendent of Schools Gayle Carrick said. "This paint company submitted the lowest job quote and the workers are being paid prevailing wages, as required by state law." Carrick explained that the "union picketers are protesting the hiring of non-union painters and are exercising their right to free speech by displaying their protest signs and by confining their activities to the Cranford sidewalk, off of school district property."

A major disaster declaration approved Nov. 30 by President Barack Obama will allow Union County towns affected by the late October snowstorm to secure federal funding for costs associated with emergency work and repairs resulting from the unexpected storm. The U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency announced that federal disaster aid has been made available to New Jersey and ordered federal aid to supplement state and local recovery efforts in the area affected by the .

At their first meeting, the explored political solutions to regional flooding problems. Mayors of five towns that contain sections of the Rahway River met in Millburn along with their town engineers as well as engineers from Essex and Union County. Leo Coakley, a consulting engineer for Cranford, informed the mayors of his work with the Army Corps of Engineers, which is conducting a survey of water flow and drainage of the Rahway River and its tributaries in and near Cranford. The Corps, is looking at causes and effects of changes to waterways and areas where water collects. He emphasized that the Army Corps is working with a strict cost benefit ratio, and said that it was up to elected officials to advocate the human toll of the storm.