Top Stories of 2012

New Providence Liquor Licenses

The sale of liquor licenses in New Providence has been ongoing issue for many years. In 2012, Council approved an ordinance to allow for the sale of liquor licenses in the borough and took numerous steps toward making the sale of the first liquor license a reality.

Superstorm Sandy

Patch kept readers up-to-date on power outages and damages throughout the borough following Superstorm Sandy.

UPDATE 7PM: JCP&L Restoration Timeline, Berkeley Heights Poll Change

We provided numerous updates following Superstorm Sandy. This article, which included updated information from Saturday, Nov. 3 through Monday, Nov. 5, was the most read articles on New Providence-Berkeley Heights Patch for 2012.

A New Providence resident was arrested for allegations of the sexual assault of a 13 year-old female at Oakwood Park. He was charged with 2nd Degree Sexual Assault and Attempted Sexual Assault. 

New Providence Boy Dies After Fall from Apartment Building Window

A New Providence boy tragically died on June 16 from injuries sustained after a six-story fall from a Connecticut apartment building window. The 8-year-old student at Salt Brook Elementary School, was reportedly visiting relatives with his family at Rippowam Manor, a 10-story apartment building located in Stamford, CT. 

New Providence High School Ranked #1 By NJ Monthly Magazine

New Providence High School moved up the ranks this year when the school was named the number one public high school in the state by New Jersey Monthly Magazine. NPHS, home of the Pioneers, was previously ranked #26 in 2006, #17 in 2008 and #5 in 2010. NJ Monthly Magazine’s 2012 rankings of the top public high school will be featured in the September issue, which hits newsstands on Aug. 28.

A January meeting of the New Providence Business and Professional Association aimed at promoting cooperation among town merchants was disrupted by a public dispute between Mayor J. Brooke Hern and former Mayor Al Morgan. 

New Providence and Summit continue to inch closer to a shared emergency dispatch center, which could be up and running in 12 to 18 months. At their meetings in early December, New Providence Borough Council and Summit Common Council approved identical ordinances and resolutions that lay out the groundwork for this shared service, which will be housed in the New Providence Municipal Center where the Rescue Squad was formerly located. Members of the center’s project committee met on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the next steps toward making this shared service a reality. Members of that committee include: Chris Cotter, City of Summit Administrator; Doug Marvin, New Providence Borough Administrator; Robert Weck, City of Summit Police Chief; Anthony Buccelli, New Providence Chief of Police; Joseph Houck, Summit Fire Department Chief and Director; and representatives from Millburn.

Athletic Foundation Gives Council $65K for Lieder Field Lights

About 2,500 kids use Lieder Field in New Providence every year. Thanks to the New Providence Athletic Foundation and lights that were installed in 2011, community members are now utilizing the field during evening hours. This project was made possible through the efforts of community volunteers, who managed to raise $125,000 of the $235,000 needed for the lights through the New Providence Partnership for Recreation and the Union County Kids Recreation Trust Fund Grant. New Providence Council agreed to bond the remaining $110,000 needed for the project at a December 2010 meeting and the Athletic Foundation agreed to pay back that money over time. At a Dec. 17 council meeting, NPAF moved a whole lot closer to a zero balance when two of its members, Jim Madden and Bill Harvey, presented two checks to council, totaling $65,000.

Photos: NP Marks Centennial Park 10th Anniversary with Celebration

Despite the heat, numerous residents came together at Centennial Park in July for the park's 10th Anniversary Celebration.

Berkeley Heights Council Votes Against BAC Sewer Amendment

In a 5-1 vote, the Berkeley Heights town council voted against amending town law to extend sewer service to the Berkeley Aquatic Club's proposed 51,000 square foot facility in neighboring Warren. The vote capped months of debate over the facility and left the next steps for the project in doubt.