Community Corner

The Week in Union County

Here's a look at the top stories from around the region.

Every week, Patch takes a look at the top stories in Union County. Among this past week's top headlines, the Scotch Plains Fire Department responded to a five-alarm fire at a condominium complex, Union County Police responded to an apparent suicide in a public park and all towns celebrated the Fourth of July.

 

SCOTCH PLAINS

Find out what's happening in New Providence-Berkeley Heightswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

More than 100 firefighters from across the county responded to a in Scotch Plains on Wednesday morning. The blaze, which started in the second-floor bedroom of 83-year-old Roseanne Menzione, destroyed or severely damaged six townhouses.

"You see it in the news you don't think it's going to happen to you," Menzione's granddaughter, Camille Mammolite, 24, said. "And then you are outside your own house, and your heart breaks."

Find out what's happening in New Providence-Berkeley Heightswith free, real-time updates from Patch.

 

SUMMIT


Police charged three men in connection with a July 3 car chase near the Canoe Brook Parkway this week. A Summit resident reported that suspicious men in a vehicle were outside his home but when police approached the vehicle, the men fled. After police apprehended the suspects, they also charged Summit resident Robert Laudati Jr with filing a false police report for failing to tell police he was buying drugs from the suspects and had a dispute about money.

 

Berkeley Heights

The Union County board of chosen freeholders recognized five county police officers at the Ralph Froelich Public Safety Building in Westfield on Wednesday for uncovering an international luxury car stolen vehicle syndicate. 

Officers said that the sting was made possible, in part, through their deployment of the LoJack auto theft alert system, which assisted them in locating the suspects.

In a ceremony on Wednesday morning, representatives of the LoJack Corporation handed out awards to the officers who participated in the capture and one arrest.

Receiving recognition awards were officer Ken Matz, officer Giovanni Arila, and Sargeant Joseph Nordstrom. Also recognized from the county Police Investigation Division were Lieutenant McGuire and Detective Incannella.

 

New Providence

New Providence residents set up their lawn chairs and blankets at Centennial Park on Thursday night to enjoy the opening of "A Night Under the Stars" Summer Concert Series. Presented by the New Providence Business and Professional Association, "The 1910 Fruitgum Company" provided the entertainment for the evening. In our , Patch speaks with Event Chairman Al Elefante, New Providence Mayor Brooke Hern, and Frank Jeckell, founding member of the band. The series will continue every Thursday in July with a children's concert kicking off the festivities at 6:30 p.m. and entertainment for adults at 7:30 p.m. 

 

CRANFORD

This week was all about the red, white, and blue as Cranford held its annual Fourth of July bash. Things kicked off early with the , where residents competed for first, second, and third place trophies. The next big athletic event was 32nd Annual  at Nomahegan Park. Following the race, Nomahegan was transformed into  that featured food, rides, and fun for the whole family.

The day's biggest highlight, of course, was the . The evening boasted an extra big display to commemorate Cranford's 140th Anniversary. 

After an overwhelming tryout season, the opted to form three teams instead of two. Tryouts coordinator James Shriner took the case for an additional B team to the CBSL Executive Board. The Board agreed to the idea based on the interest from the boys and also from the parents who were willing to put in significant time to coach the teams. 

 

 

WESTFIELD

The Westfield Board of Education tasked Schools Superintendent Margaret Dolan with  for the coming school year. Dolan has been asked to focus on the science, technology, engineering and math curriculum, fostering a culture of student respect and looking at maintaining a culture of excellence in Westfield High School with a projected enrollment growth to over 2,000 students by 2014. The goals were set following a brainstorming session, which included  as reengineering the district's management, a global curriculum and outside fundraising. The BOE also agreed to keep  at the top of their goal list for all individual goals.

Owners of Ferraro's Restaurant are  on parts of the restaurant within two weeks. The downtown landmark was destroyed in a six-alarm fire at the beginning of May.

On Thursday, the Board of Education  as the district's new assistant superintendent of schools for pupil personnel services. Weissman replaces the retiring Ted Kozlik.

 

SPRINGFIELD

Independence Day celebrations dominated Springfield's news this week. The township's  was as huge as ever, with families from throughout the region turning out for . Two '60s hit-making groups,  and the , brought the crowd to their feet, and Union County's biggest capped off the evening. 

Also, a story about changes to parking fees in , and local emergency responders helped out  on route 24. 

 

CLARK

 

On Friday, the Union County Police responded to an The body of a 74-year-old Rahway resident was found by a passerby in a sitting position under a tree near one of the ball fields in the park, the victim of a self-inflicted gun-shot wound. Police have not released the victim's name. 

It's twins: Amongst the 217 Arthur L. Johnson graduates were seven sets of twins, comprising a solid 6.5 percent (double the census average) of the class of 2011.  and learned lots about twin-life, including just how quickly one sibling was willing to rat out the other as “the troublemaker” and why sharing a car can almost tear them apart.

A and is the second playground fire in town this year. The Clark Volunteer Fire Department responded to the Lupine Way park and found a slide fully ablaze. Fire Chief Andy Beach does not know if the incidents are related or are necessarily arson, but says the Union County Arson Department is investigating. 


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

More from New Providence-Berkeley Heights