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• James F. Small Jr. 12:00 p.m. ET
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- • Obituaries from the Cranford Chronicle
Kenilworth residents to vote on $15.7 million worth of upgrades for school
by By LESLIE MURRAY -- THE CHRONICLE
Wednesday November 19, 2008, 4:47 PM
KENILWORTH--On Tuesday, Dec. 9, the residents of Kenilworth will be asked to consider two public questions as part of a bond referendum. The subjects at hand are structural work and safety upgrades at the district's two schools, and a project to upgrade the district athletic fields.
Superintendent of School Lloyd Leschuk said this week that the projects included in the bond referendum are matters of long-term maintenance that the district must address eventually, such as new roofs on David Brearley Middle and High School, as well as on Warren Harding Elementary School and reconfiguration of the athletic fields to better utilize the limited space for both school sports and borough recreational use.
"These are things that are not going to go away," Leschuk said.
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JCAS recognized by State Legislature
by By LESLIE MURRAY -- THE CHRONICLE
Wednesday November 19, 2008, 1:41 PM
CRANFORD--On Monday, November 17, the New Jersey Legislature recognized the contributions of artists and art groups to their local communities, including the Jersey Central Art Studios (JCAS) and its founder Deb Leber.
For the past few years, JCAS, an arts-focused non-profit organization lead by Leber, has made a concentrated effort to establish a visual arts center in downtown Cranford that includes artist space and open access for the public.
As part of that study, JCAS joined with the Cranford Downtown Management Corporation (DMC) to commission a feasibility study through the Bloustien School at Rutgers University.
On Monday, November 17, the New Jersey Legislature recognized the contributions of artists and art groups to the community. Honored from Union County were Deb Leber of the Jersey Central Arts Studio and Michael Tcheyan and Dr. Harry Wilson of The Summit Outdoor Arts Projects. Pictured here are Michael Tcheyan, Assemblyman Eric Munoz, Dr. Harry Wilson, Deb Leber, David Leber, Anne Occi, Mayor Bob Puhak of Cranford, Chuck Robinson, Assemblyman Jon Bramnick.Garden Homes presents update on River Front
by By LESLIE MURRAY -- THE CHRONICLE
Tuesday November 18, 2008, 12:45 PM
CRANFORD--Before a crowd of less than a dozen residents, Garden Homes made an updated presentation on the Riverfront Redevelopment Project on Thursday, Nov. 13 that included an expanded onsite parking plan and an endorsement of the developer's financial stability from a township planning consultant.
Making the presentation last week Tony DiGiovanni, director of development for Garden Commercial Properties, a branch of Garden Homes, said at the special meeting of the Township Committee that through a careful and in-depth process which involved township officials, a plan had been tailored to the environmental challenges and location advantages of the Riverfront site.
"These aren't just pretty pictures," DiGiovanni said. "It's very specific (for Cranford)."
During the updated presentation given by Garden Homes on the Riverfront Redevelopment Project last Thursday, they discussed the plan for a three-story residential building fronting on High Street with a 45-foot maximum height, and one four-story residential building at the rear of the property with a 48-foot maximum height, pictured above.VIA donates handmade teddy bears to Cranford First Aid Squad
by By LESLIE MURRAY -- THE CHRONICLE
Monday November 17, 2008, 5:53 PM
CRANFORD--In a partnership for pediatric patients, the volunteers of the Cranford Village Improvement Association (V.I.A.) made a donation this month of handmade teddy bears to the Cranford First Aid Squad.
As part of an effort to keep young patients calm and comforted when they are being transported for emergency care, the teddy bears are handed out as needed by squad members.
The V.I.A. has been donating the bears to the First Aid Squad for at least four years, and works to replenish the stock of stuffed animals when the squad runs out.
In an assembly line effort, the volunteers donated 34 bears made of a variety of different cloth patterns this month.
Report of benefits from county makes progress
by LESLIE MURRAY -- THE CHRONICLE
Saturday November 15, 2008, 8:38 AM
CRANFORD--A report cataloging the benefits that Cranford receives from Union County will not be complete before the end of the year, though the effort did make some progress in 2008 according to Deputy Mayor David Robinson.
Offering an update of the effort during the Nov. 10 workshop meeting, Robinson said that the endeavor to account for what the township sends to Union County in taxes and what Cranford receives in return in the form of grants, services, and amenities would likely not be completed until 2009.
Robinson, who first proposed such a study when he ran for the committee in 2006, has said repeatedly that the effort is a simple accounting of services not a partisan effort. However the idea of study became a heated topic during 2007 when the three Republican commissioners, Robinson, Bob Puhak and Michael Plick, supported the move but the Democrats on the committee at the time, George McDonough and George Jorn, said the report would be little more than an attack on the all-Democrat Board of Chosen Freeholders.
Continue reading "Report of benefits from county makes progress" »Township considers adding development fee to Housing Plan
by LESLIE MURRAY -- THE CHRONICLE
Saturday November 15, 2008, 8:35 AM
CRANFORD--In an update to the township's affordable housing obligation on Tuesday, the Township Committee considered an ordinance to establish development fees and sent the draft Housing Plan element to the Planning Board for consideration.
In a memo on development fees, township planning consultant Stanley Slachetka of T&M Associates said that because of the pending builder's remedy lawsuit against Cranford, the township can petition the court for approval of a development fee ordinance.
Offering some additional explanation, Township Attorney Carl Woodward said that such an ordinance called for "assessing fees on residential projects, redevelopment and expansions."
Continue reading "Township considers adding development fee to Housing Plan" »Cranford Community Center atrium available for rent; ordinance sets rate
by LESLIE MURRAY -- THE CHRONICLE
Friday November 14, 2008, 3:21 PM
CRANFORD--In a move that would make nearly every space in the Cranford Community Center available for rent, the Township Committee approved the first reading of an ordinance to set the rental rate for the building's atrium this week.
The committee first considered renting the center's atrium when approached by non-profit groups looking for space to hold fundraising events in, last summer.
However, the topic of whether or not alcohol could be served became a stumbling block and slowed the agreement process.
Continue reading "Cranford Community Center atrium available for rent; ordinance sets rate" »As RVSA debt mounts town fees to increase
by LESLIE MURRAY -- The Chronicle
Friday November 14, 2008, 3:12 PM
CRANFORD--In an update on the Rahway Valley Sewerage Authority (RVSA), the township's liaison from the authority board said that work on a court ordered upgrade at the Rahway facility is near completion and that the authority is looking for ways to cut legal and consulting fees.
Jim Murphy, who represents Cranford as one of the 11-member municipalities in the RVSA, was asked by the Township Committee last year to provide regular updates about the authority's ongoing efforts.
The RVSA is an independent authority, but the commissioners are appointed by governing bodies in the member towns. As the authority nears completion of a mandated environmental upgrade that will ultimately cost more than $250 million, the annual assessments that each municipality pays to the RVSA will escalate.
Continue reading "As RVSA debt mounts town fees to increase" »Township committee agrees to freeze spending
by LESLIE MURRAY -- THE CHRONICLE
Wednesday November 12, 2008, 11:40 AM
CRANFORD--With nearly two full months left in 2008, the township has nearly spent all of the money that was budgeted for gasoline, utilities and legal bills, Director of Finance Thomas Grady said this week as he recommended a spending freeze to keep the township out of financial trouble.
In what was a tight budget year for municipalities across New Jersey, the Cranford Township Committee approved a 2008 municipal budget that increased taxes on the average home by $180, an 8.8 percent tax increase over the 2007 budget. The commissioners proclaimed that the budget included the slimmest capital improvement plan in years and that careful scrutiny had kept the tax increase below the mandated spending increase.
But despite those efforts, Grady told the committee on Monday that three budgets in particular had either been expended or were nearly exhausted; the legal budget, the utility budget, and the gasoline budget.
Continue reading "Township committee agrees to freeze spending" »With rededication, 'Raise the Flag' effort fulfilled
by By LESLIE MURRAY -- THE CHRONICLE
Tuesday November 11, 2008, 4:44 PM
CRANFORD--On a damp and dreary Saturday afternoon, a crowd of nearly 200 turned out to watch as the flagpole in Post Office Plaza was rededicated in honor of the veterans of the township on Nov.8.
An effort some two years in the making, the rededication of the flagpole came just a few days before Veteran's Day.
When the flagpole was originally erected in 1918, it was dedicated in honor of the Cranford residents who died in World War I. The flagpole was removed from Post Office Plaza in 2003 when plans moved forward for a redesign of the triangle of land at Miln Street, North Avenue and Eastman Street and it was left to rust in the Conservation Center.
Libel case against county watchdog group dismissed
by LESLIE MURRAY -- THE CHRONICLE
Monday November 10, 2008, 5:08 PM
CRANFORD--A libel suit brought by the director of the Office of Public Information of Union County against a Union County watchdog group was dismissed last week by a Superior Court Judge.
On Friday, Nov. 7, Superior Court Judge Marianne Espinosa in Elizabeth found that a blog by Cranford resident Tina Renna, the founder and president of the Union County Watchdog Association, did not defame Union County Director of Public Information Sebastian D'Elia.
In his suit, D'Elia alleged that the April 2006 blog post by Renna, titled "County Hacks are Soulless Psychopaths", questioned his sexual orientation and compared him to Adolf Hitler.
Continue reading "Libel case against county watchdog group dismissed" »Aschenbach and Dugan official winners of Cranford election
by LESLIE MURRAY -- THE CHRONICLE
Friday November 07, 2008, 8:01 PM
CRANFORD--In one of the tightest races for Township Committee in recent memory, Daniel Aschenbach and Mark Dugan emerged as the winners on Friday, Nov. 7, with the provisional ballots cast on Tuesday, Nov. 4 failing to sway the results.
On the eve of Election Day, Republican Dugan and Democrat Aschenbach seemed the likely winners based on unofficial vote tallies, but with 109 provisional ballots waiting to be considered none of the candidates were certain of the outcome.
The Union County Board of Elections was slated to open and consider the provisional votes - paper ballots issued to voters who either do not appear in the register of eligible voters or face a challenge at the polls - on Friday morning.
Democrat Daniel Aschenbach, pictured with his son on election night, was the top vote-getter in the Cranford election.Linken and Petruzzelli victorious in Garwood
by Leslie Murray/The Chronicle
Friday November 07, 2008, 12:58 PM
GARWOOD--While there will be some new faces on the Garwood Borough Council in January, the status quo will remain the same with an Election Day victory by Democrats Jonathan Linken and Louis Petruzzelli.
In seeking the seats currently held by Democratic incumbents William Schadewald and Walter Tucker, neither of whom sought re-election this year, Petruzzelli and Linken beat out Republicans Timothy Hak and Patricia Quattrocchi on Tuesday, Nov.4.
With the victory by the newcomers, Democrats will continue their commanding control of the Borough Council. Currently only one of the six council members is a Republican and the mayor's chair is held by Democrats.
Continue reading "Linken and Petruzzelli victorious in Garwood" »Provisional ballots to be counted for Cranford election
by Leslie Murray/The Chronicle
Friday November 07, 2008, 12:55 PM
CRANFORD--While the final votes for Township Committee were cast on Tuesday night, the final results of the election will remain uncertain until 109 provisional ballots are considered Friday morning by the Union County Board of Elections.
This year, Republicans Mark Dugan and Christopher Drew faced off against Democrats Daniel Aschenbach and Kevin Illing for two seats on the Township Committee in an election that saw 76 percent of the registered voters in Cranford turn out.
On Election Night, the unofficial vote tally including absentee ballots had Aschenbach as the top earner with 5,873 votes and Dugan garnering the second highest tally with 5,797 votes. Drew received 5,721 votes and Illing received 5,715.
While the final votes for Township Committee were cast in Cranford on Tuesday night, the final results of the election will remain uncertain until 109 provisional ballots are considered Friday morning by the Union County Board of Elections.Lance beats Stender in 7th Congressional race
by Leslie Murray/The Chronicle
Friday November 07, 2008, 12:45 PM
AREA--In a race that drew serious attention and some serious political heavyweights, Republican state Sen. Leonard Lance defeated Assemblywoman Linda Stender on Tuesday to become the next Congressional representative for District 7.
The 7th Congressional District, which is comprised of portions of Middlesex, Hunterdon, Somerset and Union counties, has been held continuously by Republicans since 1956. U.S. Representative Mike Ferguson (R-7) announced this year that he would not seek a fifth term in Congress.
According to unofficial election results on Wednesday, Lance (R-Hunterdon) beat Stender (D-Union) by a 51 percent to 42 percent margin in the tightly watched race.
Former President Bill Clinton, along with Governor Jon Corzine (pictured right) stumped for Assemblywoman Linda Stender's (center) campaign for the 7th Congressional District at Union County College (UCC) on Saturday, Nov. 1. Despite the high-profile visit from Clinton, Stender lost the election to Lance on Tuesday.SERVICE CENTER
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