Morristown Green

Local opinions, news, events, real estate & more from Greater Morristown

Morris Township officials say that if they put up lights on new recreational fields they plan to build in neighboring Harding Township, the glare would not extend more than 3 feet from the site, but Harding officials are skeptical.

Tomorrow, Morris Township plans to prove it.

When Porfirio Jimenez learned police had DNA linking him to the savage beating death of a 10-year-old Morristown boy, he told investigators the third-grader tried to take his own life and then asked Jimenez to kill him because he didn't want to go home anymore.

"He told me ... for, for, for me, for, for me to do it, you understand me?" Jimenez stammered in Spanish during an hour-long audiotaped confession played yesterday at his murder trial in Morristown. A bilingual police officer served as interpreter during the June 7, 2001, interview, and yesterday, jurors followed along with a transcript that included a Spanish-to-English translation by a court-certified interpreter.

Jimenez, 43, eventually conceded he killed Walter Contreras Valenzuela on May 20, 2001, after trying to have sex with him on the banks of the Whippany River.

"I took the bad reaction, you understand? And ... it occurred, uh, the accident occurred," Jimenez said.

by George!Dana Dellavecchio and Alexis Ahern, high school seniors from Parsippany, love working with Spiderman at Halloween Secret on South Street in Morristown. "Halloween's a fun holiday," Alexis said.

We were wondering what might replace La Rue Chaude on South Street. Now we know: Halloween Secret has set up shop inside the former boutique until Nov. 2, with costumes that range from naughty to nightmarish.

The same store had temporary digs on Market Street last fall, when it accurately predicted the outcome of the Democratic primary. Customers bought more Barack Obama masks than Hillary Clinton masks last Halloween.

Don't expect any prognostications this time around, however. Halloween Secret has no Barack Obama masks for sale, and only one John McCain likeness. As any political scientist will tell you, that's simply not a scientific sample.

by George!A skeleton takes shape over the former Epstein's site, across from the Morristown Green.

Inch by inch, the Epstein's redevelopment project is reclaiming the horizon. A steel skeleton has risen over the pit where a beloved department store stood for generations. Luxury condos and retail shops are promised for late next year.

by George!There is no joy on Speedwell...

Back in May, we were assured by people at Cafe Arabica that they would iron out their lease problems.

But alas, Morristown's only hookah bar--and one of the few downtown venues for live music--is now but a hazy, herbal memory.

The Presbyterian Church on the Green has lots of history buried in its back yard, church elder Scott Shepherd tells The Daily Record.And just as interesting as WHO is buried there is HOW they're laid out--north to south:

"That's so the deceased would face east and be able to rise up and meet the Angel Gabriel, who would be coming from that direction."

Nine residences were sold in Morristown in September--seven of them for less than the asking price.

Sale prices ranged from $256,000 to $557,500, according to a local realtor.

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Earlier, we posted streaming video of Saturday's town meeting from the Community Theatre. Here, for your listening pleasure, is the audio version.

Expert architects and planners discuss parking, traffic, bicycles, tourism, development and recreation, among other issues, and field audience questions, including concerns raised by Hispanic residents about anti-immigrant tensions and a need for communal soccer fields. The recording runs about two hours; public comments occur in the last 45 minutes or so.

by George!Buffy, a Cairn Terrier, with owner Scot McCachren of Morris Plains at Sunday's blessing of the animals outside the Prebysterian Church offices in Morristown

...deserve God's blessing, after all. A joyful noise echoed Sunday from the lawn of the Presbyterian Church annex on South Street, where pets of the faithful were blessed during a brief service.

Jamie DuffyKaren Ann Kurlander, outreach coordinator for the Morris County Historical Society, carries a pot of tea at the annual Harvest Tea at Acorn Hall, Sat. Oct. 4.

Jersey-fresh food was the focus at the Morris County Historical Society's annual afternoon Harvest Tea at Acorn Hallon Saturday. The sit down savory and sweet affair, organized by community outreach coordinator Karen Ann Kurlander of Morristown, is one of two offered each year. A February buffet tea is for MCHS members.

"People have such rushed, busy lives. It's nice to be able to sit back and take an hour and a half for yourself. It's a very nice change of pace from modern life," said Kurlander, who wore a new Victorian-inspired shirtwaist for the occasion.