Top 10 Stories in December

Here are the top 10 stories read this month on the Bloomfield Patch!

Ryan Lanza was at his job in Manhattan when news outlets began to report that he had massacred 20 school children in a sleepy Connecticut town.

Report: Bomb Threat at Montclair High School Possibly Came from Bloomfield

A bomb threat referencing Montclair High School and its cross town rival Bloomifeld prompted the evacuation of Montclair students and faculty around 2 p.m. on Dec. 18, according to a school official. 

Bloomfield Doctor Found Not Guilty of Sexually Abusing 12 Female Patients

A Bloomfield doctor accused of sexually assaulting multiple female patients was found not guilty by an Essex County Superior Court judge. 

Ray Russomanno, 68, was found not guilty of two counts of second-degree sexual assault, two counts of attempted sexual assault, and 12 counts of criminal sexual misconduct. 

'It Wasn't Me' Hoboken Man Named as Shooter Writes

The man identified in media reports as the shooter in the second deadliest school shooting in American history has told friends that he thinks his developmentally disabled brother may have committed the crime, Patch reported.

Violent crime increased in Bloomfield in 2011 compared to 2010 while overall crime remained consistent, according to a recent state report. 

Man Robbed at Gunpoint on Chester Avenue

Bloomfield police are looking for two men who robbed a 69-year-old man at gunpoint.

Judge Rules Eminent Domain in Bloomfield's Lackawanna Station Case

A judge ruled Bloomfield Township has eminent domain rights over the dilapidated Lackawanna train station, ending a months-long legal battle between the township and developer Howard Haberman.

Watchung Ave. Bridge Project Nears Completion

Commuters who pass through the Garden State Parkway's Exit 151 interchange finally saw an end to construction delays. 

Medical Marijuana Dispensary Opens in Montclair

Marijuana has arrived in Montclair. 

Greenleaf Compassion Center, located at 395 Bloomfield Ave., opened on Dec. 6 and became the first medical marijuana dispensary in New Jersey. 

Longtime Councilman Reflects on Bloomfield's Evolution

Former Township of Bloomfield administrator Joseph Barry was a "Depression-era baby," born in 1931. His has been a rich, rewarding life, and he has given back to his hometown of Bloomfield many times over, serving as a township councilman for seven terms over 19 and 1/2 years.