Verona Woman Killed, Montclair Pet Shop Lead County News

Verona Woman Killed Tuesday Night

A 54-year-old Verona woman killed Tuesday night while crossing Bloomfield Avenue in Verona did not cross in a crosswalk, according to Verona Police Chief Douglas Huber.

Marie Trusits was struck by the car at 8:45 p.m. near 370 Bloomfield Ave., Huber said, adding she crossed the street as "it was getting dark." The weather was clear at the time of the accident, he said.

Montclair Man Pleads Not Guilty In Murder

The Montclair man accused of shooting to death a Villanova University student in Montclair pleaded not guilty early Tuesday at his arraignment in Essex County Superior Court in Newark, The Montclair Times reported. 

Judge Peter J. Vazquez asked Ernest Williams, 21, if he reviewed the charges against him, if he understood the charges, and if his lawyer, John McMahon, reviewed his rights.

In each case, Williams responded "yes, I do." Vazquez told Williams the matter will go before a grand jury — most likely not until December — and his bail will be continued at $750,000.

Montclair Pet Store Struggling to Stay Open

A beloved Montclair pet store known for its rescue of hundreds of dogs and cats over the last five years most likely will close its doors this month due to a dramatic drop in business. Danny Heaps, owner of  on Valley Road in Upper Montclair, told Patch that business has dropped by about 50 percent in the last several months.

Edison Redevelopment Stalls at Planning Board

The Edison redevelopment project continues to hit delays as the Planning Board again did not vote on the proposed changes to the altered site plan. 

A new traffic study found that the changes to the plan will have “no significant negative impacts ... to the surrounding area” or intersections, said traffic engineer Bill Lothian, of Langan Engineering, speaking on behalf of Prism-Green Urban Renewal Associates IV LLC, a subsidiary of the redeveloper.

Proposed Jitney to South Orange in Works

The pilot plan that will allow New York City commuters to take a jitney bus from the  to the is moving forward according to officials.  It is expected to begin sometime after Labor Day and will run weekdays.  Parking at the Mall is free.

Residents would be charged a $2 fare per ride.  There are also plans to introduce a monthly pass at $70 a month.

Three Arrested on Jacoby Street

A man, his mother and a third person were arrested on Jacoby Street by Maplewood Police during a police “enforcement action” in the area that turned into a scuffle.

When it was over, the three were charged with disorderly conduct, obstruction of the administration of law, resisting arrest and in one case, aggravated assault on a police officer, according to Maplewood Chief Robert J. Cimino.

School Board Chooses New Brookdale Principal

Joe Fleres, a former Demarest Elementary teacher from 2003-2011 and a principal in the Prospect Park school district, was announced as the new principal for the Brookdale School.

Fleres was announced by Bloomfield Superintendent Jason Bing at Tuesday night’s Board of Education meeting. 

“We ran a successful candidate screening over the last two to three weeks and we think we came up with an absolutely great candidate, a great leader, to lead this school into the 21^st Century,” said Bing.

SO Denies Pool Passes to Maplewood Families

At Monday's meeting of the South Orange Board of Trustees,  parents asked -- once again -- for access to the . In response, the Board of Trustees granted South Orange families more guest passes, effective immediately, so residents can bring Maplewood friends to the pool.

Yankee Pitcher CC Sabathia Wows Verona

Three hundred boys and girls stood on baseball diamonds at Verona High School Thursday morning waiting patiently for the arrival of New York Yankee starting pitcher CC Sabathia for the start of The PlayStation CC Sabathia Baseball ProCamp.

VIDEO: Cielo Chef Creates 'Amazing' Dish

Chef Anthony Pucciarello, owner of Cielo Restaurant & Bar in Fairfield, gave a cooking demonstration last Friday at the Caldwell Farmers' Market.

Pucciarello, a resident of Caldwell, but who has roots in the Belleville-Nutley area, purchased fresh produce available at the market and demonstrated how to prepare a simple pasta primavera. The consensus among the samplers—it was "amazing."

Caldwell Seeks Funds for a Facelift

Mayor Ann Dassing has a vision for a shiny, new downtown Caldwell. 

The mayor submitted a $2.3 million grant application to the New Jersey Department of Transportation (NJDOT) last month.

The grant, Dassing said, would be used to implement a streetscape initiative in the borough’s business district, from the  to Lane Avenue.