Belleville-Nutley Top News Of 2023: Patch Year In Review

BELLEVILLE-NUTLEY, NJ — It’s been a memorable year in Belleville and Nutley. Catch up with some of 2023’s top news stories here.

GOVERNMENT/POLITICS

Property Tax Bills In Belleville And Nutley Are Growing, NJ Data Shows

See where Belleville and Nutley landed on a list of the highest property taxes in New Jersey.

Belleville Municipal Tax Increase Lower Than Expected For Homeowners

The Belleville Town Council voted to adopt the 2023 municipal budget. Here's the tax impact for local homeowners.

Nutley 2023 Town Budget: Tax Hike Less Than Forecasted, Official Says

The Nutley Board of Commissioners floated a $227 municipal tax hike a few months ago. Here's where that number stands now, officials say.

2023 Nutley 'State Of The Township': Development, New Businesses

Nutley's mayor gave updates about the Diamond Springs Pool Club, the former Ciccolini site and the ON3 campus, among other topics.

Nutley Residents May Get 'Sticker Shock' Over Property Revaluations

Nutley Official: "At first glance, there is certainly going to be sticker shock. While this is understandable, it's not the reality."

Mikie Sherrill Visits Belleville Firehouse To Push For Benefit Changes

Rep. Sherrill is pushing to repeal federal policies that "unfairly cut hard-earned social security benefits for retired first responders."

Nutley Town Boards Convene For Massive Joint Meeting (VIDEO)

Nutley Mayor: "I don't know of any other municipality that does this."

Nutley Resident Re-Elected As Sewerage Commission Chair

Thomas Tucci Jr. has been on the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission since 2014. He previously served as town manager in Cedar Grove.

Ukraine President Should Stop 'Bullying America': Nutley Republican Pundit

"This is Europe's war, not ours. This war has nothing to do with U.S. national security."

EDUCATION

Belleville, Nutley School Election Results Certified: See Final Totals

Winners were Lissa Missaggia and Brenda Pacheco (Belleville), and Salvatore Ferraro, Lisa Danchak-Martin and Salvatore Balsamo (Nutley).

Belleville School Budget Gets Green Light: Here's The Tax Impact

Belleville homeowners will face a tax hike under the public school district's latest budget. See the nuts and bolts here.

Belleville Teacher Rescues Choking Student, 'Makes District Proud'

A Belleville teacher was recognized by the school board for going above and beyond to aid a student.

Nutley Teacher Earns 'Educator of the Year' Award For 2023

Jianine Gambaro has a long history of service in the town's schools. See what she's done for Nutley over her 35 years of work.

Belleville Schools May See 625 New Students In 10 Years: Official

It's a topic that "might shake the tree a little bit," but it's time to talk about it, Belleville Superintendent Richard Tomko says.

Lockdown Lifted At Middle School In Belleville; All Students Safe

Belleville Middle School was temporarily locked down due to a police investigation, authorities said.

Belleville School Lockdowns: Superintendent Addresses Online 'Rumors'

Watch Belleville Superintendent Richard Tomko speak about "rumors" and concerns that sprung up in the wake of a recent school lockdown.

Fire At Nutley School Causes Serious Damage, No Injuries

The building was empty at the time, Nutley officials said.

Nutley Township, School Board Explore 'Shared Services' Partnership

Remember the outdoor preschool playground that was put up in Nutley? A new partnership could expand on that success, local officials say.

CRIME/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

Violent Crime Rate In Belleville, Nutley Has Dropped Over Past Decades

The violent crime rate in Belleville and Nutley is near historic lows in each township, according to the latest FBI data.

Man Dead, Child Wounded In Belleville Shooting: Essex Prosecutors

A fatal shooting took place in Belleville, which left a man dead and a young child in the hospital, authorities said.

Nutley Woman Fatally Shot In Belleville; Man Charged With Murder: ECPO

Authorities charged an Essex County man with murder after a Nutley woman was shot to death in Belleville on Sunday, authorities said.

Missing Nutley Woman Found Dead On Apartment Building Rooftop

The woman's death doesn't appear to be suspicious, Nutley police said.

Man Killed, Boy Hospitalized In Belleville Shooting: Prosecutor

The child was transported to a nearby hospital and is in stable condition, officials said.

Attempted Carjacking In Nutley; Driver Hits Owner, Flees: Police

A car owner was hit while trying to stop a theft. The suspect jumped out of the car and ran away – here's what happened next, police said.

Belleville Man Pleads Guilty; Sexually Assaulted, Strangled Minor

A Belleville man climbed through a juvenile's bedroom window in Clifton and sexually assaulted her, prosecutors said.

Police Arrest Men Accused Of Robbing Nutley Dunkin' Donuts

Police have apprehended three people accused of robbing Dunkin' Donuts locations in Nutley and Secaucus on Easter morning.

Juveniles Chase Man, Use Stun Gun On Him: Nutley Police

A group of juveniles were charged in Nutley after two of them allegedly chased a man and used a stun gun on him, police said.

WEATHER/ENVIRONMENT

Canada Wildfire Smoke In NJ: Expert Answers Common Questions (VIDEO)

A professor at NJIT in Essex County has answers to some of your most pressing questions about the hazy smoke wafting across New Jersey.

Nutley Battles Rats After 'Perfect Storm' Of Weather, Construction

"This is an unprecedented surge of activity," a Nutley official said about the town's rise in rodent residents.

Too Hot For School: Single-Session Days In Belleville Amid Heat Wave

Students in Belleville will get a partial break from classes on Thursday and Friday. Thermometers are expected to jump across New Jersey.

Nutley Investigating Illegal Dumping, 'Oily Sheen' In Third River

Nutley HAZMAT and DPW employees are investigating the illegal dumping of a petroleum product into the storm water system.

REAL ESTATE/DEVELOPMENT

Essex-Hudson Greenway Takes Leap Forward: Here's Where It Will Begin

An old railway will become a hiking-biking path in Montclair, Glen Ridge, Bloomfield, Belleville, Newark, Kearny, Secaucus and Jersey City.

Belleville OKs Strict Rules For Airbnbs, Short-Term Rental Properties

Thinking of running an Airbnb in Belleville? There are some hoops you'll have to jump through first – and stiff fines if you don't comply.

Ciccolini Project Is 'Alive And Well' In Nutley, Officials Say

A plan is finally shaping up for the property formerly occupied by the Ciccolini Brothers store in Nutley, Mayor Joseph Scarpelli said.

Nutley Loses Lawsuit To Stop Hotel Project: Report

Work on a seven-story, 266-room Marriott AC/Element Hotel will be allowed to proceed at the ON3 campus near Route 3, a report says.

$2.8M In Field Renovations Coming To Belleville Park: Here's The Plan

Over the past year, Essex County has been upgrading athletic fields across the region. Now, it's Belleville's turn, officials say.

$2M In Upgrades Coming To Yanticaw Park Athletic Fields In Nutley

It will soon be a whole new ballgame for the baseball and softball fields at Yanticaw Park in Nutley, county officials say.

$10M Cherry Blossom Center At Branch Brook Park Opens In Essex County

The park features a grove of 5,000 cherry blossom trees that is larger than the national display in Washington D.C.

Childhood Home Of Martha Stewart For Sale In Nutley, NJ

Stewart lived in the house after her family moved to Nutley when she was three-years-old. Now, it's on the market for $600,000.

Home Of 'Death Seat Burger' For Sale Near Nutley, Bloomfield Border

The Old Canal Inn is on the market for $2.19 million. The building comes with a liquor license – and a hauntingly spooky local legend.

BUSINESS

Clara Maass Nurses Will Get Raises; Contract Negotiations Continue

Unionized nurses at the Belleville hospital will get wage increases. Both sides agree it's a step forward – but more work remains.

Nutley ShopRite Owners Plan To Buy Kearny Store From Tully Family

The planned sale of the Kearny store and Tully ShopRite Liquors comes as longtime operator Richard Tully retires from the business.

Nutley-Based Pharma Company Will Lay Off 91 Workers

Only three of the layoffs will take place at Eisai's U.S. headquarters in Essex County, a spokesperson said.

Nutley Bans Any New Smoke, Vape Shops From Opening In Town

The local ordinance doesn't affect existing vape/smoke shops in Nutley.

NJ Restaurant Will Move To Belleville After Scam Drains Funds

Coffee & Cornbread in Montclair will be moving to Belleville and relaunching with a "takeout and delivery-only model," its owners say.

Christmas-Themed Bars Will Return In Nutley, Verona: 2023 Events

This year's menu includes the "Christmapolitan" and the "Snowball Old-Fashioned."

Ex-Hoffmann-La Roche Employees Return To ON3 In Nutley

It's a homecoming for the team at Cepter Biopartners – who used to work in Nutley on the former Hoffmann-La Roche campus.

TRANSPORTATION/TRAVEL

Nutley Cops Beef Up Patrols After Increase In Thefts From Vehicles

Several Nutley streets were recently targeted by car burglars, authorities said. See a list of other vehicle-related crimes here.

Belleville Man On E-Bike Hit By Car In Nutley: Police

The driver said the e-bike rider "appeared out of nowhere" from the upper field of Yantacaw Park, police reported.

Barrage Of Car Crashes Send Nutley First Responders Scrambling

Nutley has seen at least 10 vehicle crashes in the week since New Year's Eve, police said. See the list here.

Car Hits Father, Son Riding Bike In Nutley: Police

A car struck a father and son who were riding a bicycle in Nutley, authorities said.

ATVs, Dirt Bikes Are Becoming A Menace In Belleville, Mayor Says

Belleville officials are calling on the state to relax directives that ban police from engaging in vehicular pursuits, except in rare cases.

Nutley Mayor Says Gap Will Be Filled When DeCamp Bus Stops NYC Routes

Nutley Mayor: "The entire board of commissioners was on this issue from the moment we heard our residents would be affected."

Traffic Mural, Improvements Near Belleville School; More May Follow

For now, the brightly colored installation is only temporary. But there's a chance it could become permanent, Belleville officials say.

OBITUARIES

Funeral Procession Will Honor Nutley WWII Veteran Killed In Combat

Anthony Di Petta's remains were recently recovered decades after he died in combat. A procession on Tuesday will honor his memory.

Belleville Plans To Honor Late Athletic Booster With Street Naming

Danny Rafferty's commitment to the kids of Belleville "will always live on," the town's recreation department stated.

Belleville Legion Helps Member With House After Death In Family

"This happened this week at my home squadron in Belleville, New Jersey – and it speaks directly to how amazing our organization is."

OTHER NEWS

New 'Joker' Movie Filming In Belleville? Here's What We Know

A blockbuster production has been filming in New Jersey. According to social media buzz, it's the sequel to the "Joker" movie.

Belleville Teen Battling Pain Syndrome Is 'Shining Knight' At Rutgers

A Belleville teen found himself standing tall as the "Shining Knight of The Game" at a Rutgers football matchup against Virginia Tech.

Nutley Parade Organizers, Pastor Honored For Italian Heritage Month

The Nutley-Belleville Columbus Day Parade and Italian Heritage Committee and the pastor of St. Mary's Church earned awards from the county.

Back-To-School Giveaway Is Latest Good Deed From 2 Belleville Sisters

These siblings from Belleville continue to make the world a better place with the latest installment of their "Wave of Positivity" campaign.

Belleville Man's Spirit Never Broke – Although His Liver Nearly Did

"I love every moment of my life, and I see the beauty in even the most mundane things we do each day," an ironworker from Belleville says.

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