Montclair’s Top News Of 2023: Patch Year In Review

MONTCLAIR, NJ — It’s been a memorable year in Montclair. Catch up with some of 2023’s top news stories here (click headline to read the article).

GOVERNMENT/POLITICS

Watch Montclair Mayor's State Of Township Address For 2023

Sean Spiller's speech included references to housing, finance, infrastructure and "community values." Watch it here.

Montclair Council OKs Town Budget At Packed Meeting: See Tax Impact

A hearing for Montclair's latest municipal spending plan also drew a crowd of students who were concerned about the separate school budget.

Winds Of Change Shake Up Montclair Town Government – Again

When Michael Lapolla takes the reins, Montclair will have had four people occupy the town manager's seat within the past five months.

'CEO Of Montclair' Gets The Boot; Council Votes To Remove Stafford

Montclair has officially cut ties with its former township manager, Timothy Stafford, who was accused of creating an abusive workplace.

Firefighters Sue Montclair Over Discrimination Accusations: Report

Two Black firefighters in Montclair are alleging that promotions at the Montclair Fire Department favor white firefighters, a report says.

Hillary Clinton Visits Montclair For Women's History Month: 'Not Going Back'

"Rights are critically important, but they are nothing without the power to claim them," Clinton said during an event in Montclair.

Republicans Will Get 'Line A' In Essex County For 2023 Election

When voters in Essex County head to the polls on Nov. 7, they'll see something they haven't experienced in nearly two decades.

Part-Time Officials In Montclair Got Full-Time Benefits: Report

Montclair greenlighted hundreds of thousands of dollars in health care benefits for several officials – but questions linger, a report says.

$450K Settlement Ended Cyber Attack On Montclair IT Department: Report

Montclair's insurer negotiated a settlement to end the attack. It cost $450,000, a report says.

Yacobellis Ends Montclair Mayoral Bid, Cites 'Happiness' As Key Factor

Peter Yacobellis also said he doesn't plan to run for town council again in "one of the hardest notes that he's ever had to write." (Read our update here)

Longtime Activist From Montclair Guns For Menendez's Senate Seat

Lawrence Hamm, a Montclair resident with deep ties to Newark, is running for Senate in 2024. He previously challenged Cory Booker in 2020.

Montclair Town Council Takes Stance On Israel-Palestine: VIDEO

"Antisemitism and Islamophobia are always unacceptable and the horrific loss of Israeli and innocent Gazan lives is a collective tragedy."

'Build A Senior Center,' Frustrated Montclair Residents Tell Council

Members of Aging in Montclair implored the town council to "get the ball rolling" on a senior center.

Montclair's New OPRA Portal Goes Live (How To Request Public Records)

People who seek public records from the Township of Montclair can request them through an online portal. Here's how.

EDUCATION

Montclair State, Bloomfield College Merger Finalized: What To Know

It's official: say hello to Bloomfield College of Montclair State University. Here are some important things to know if you're a student.

Montclair Students Protest Teacher Cuts In School Budget: WATCH

A large crowd of Montclair students attended a board of education meeting, pleading to save their teachers' jobs. They later held a walkout.

School Budget Cuts Leave Montclair Residents With Big Questions

Why are dozens of teachers being laid off? Will it affect academic programs? How does it impact property taxes? See the district's answers.

Share PILOT Money With Schools, Montclair Residents Demand (VIDEO)

It wasn't on the agenda. But that didn't stop people from showing up at a Montclair town council meeting to call for a big shift in funding.

Montclair School Board Election Results Certified: See Final Tallies

Incumbents Phaedra Dunn, Melanie Deysher and Allison Silverstein emerged victorious in Montclair.

Shovels Hit Ground For Montclair's $188M School Bond Updates

So it begins, Montclair.

Beloved Montclair Teacher Is Retiring As 'An Icon, Community Treasure'

If you went to public school in Montclair, there's a good chance you – or your child – has had Dan Gill as a teacher.

16 Inspiring Montclair Teachers Earn Weston Awards: See The List

The annual awards were put on hold in 2016. After a short break, they've returned – in the memory of the late Judy Weston.

Free Preschool Program Expands In Montclair: How To Enroll

The "Mini-Mounties" pre-K program is powered by state funding. Tuition is free for eligible families.

CRIME/FIRE/PUBLIC SAFETY

Montclair Crime Rate Remains Historically Low, New FBI Data Shows

Crime rates in Montclair increased after dropping amid the pandemic. But a look at the larger picture shows big improvement over the years.

Montclair Lawyer Convicted Of Murdering Mother Of His Child

James Ray shot his longtime girlfriend when she returned home after dropping their daughter off at school. Then he fled the country. (Read our update here)

No Charges For Montclair Cop After Fatal Police Chase In Glen Ridge

Montclair police officers tried to pull over a car in connection with a robbery investigation. It sped away and crashed, authorities said.

4 Montclair Firefighters Hurt Battling Church Fire (UPDATED)

Fire and water damage to Grace Presbyterian Church was "extensive," Montclair authorities said.

NJ Teen Dies After Car Crash In Brookdale Park

A 16-year-old from Glen Ridge died after a crash in the Bloomfield section of Brookdale Park, which also extends into Montclair.

Fire On Roof Of Montclair Police Building; No Injuries, Officials Say

A fire took place on the roof of the Montclair Police Department building on Bloomfield Avenue.

Montclair Car Owner Takes Law Into Own Hands, Chases Teen Thief: PD

A Montclair resident chased down a car burglary suspect. He's not the only North Jersey resident to make a "citizen's arrest" in past years.

Armed Robbery At Montclair Gas Station; Suspects Escape With Cash

Montclair police are searching for three people who allegedly robbed a gas station employee at gunpoint.

Another Montclair State University Student Faces Child Porn Charges

A Summit resident is accused of distributing child porn. An Edgewater Park resident is accused of trying to sexually exploit underage kids.

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.

Weird Lights Seen In New Jersey Skies: 'Elon Musk, Is This You?'

The sightings lit up social media across New Jersey. Some said they were UFOs – others had a different theory: Space X satellites.

Acorns Aplenty: Why So Many In Brookdale Park This Year?

"Why are there so many acorns?" If you're asking this question in Montclair and Bloomfield, you're not going nuts, a nonprofit says.

Montclair Boy Finds Rare, 6-Leaf Clover In His Backyard

"Montclair as a whole actually seems to have a lot of mutant clovers," his mother said.

REAL ESTATE/DEVELOPMENT

Average Property Tax Bill In Montclair Is Growing, Latest Data Shows

See where Montclair landed on a list of the highest – and lowest – property taxes in New Jersey.

Green Light For Lackawanna: Montclair Council Takes Long-Awaited Vote

A major hurdle has been overcome. But the debates on one of Montclair's most controversial real estate projects in decades aren't over.

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.

We're Living In 'Inhumane' Conditions, Montclair Apartment Tenants Say

"All the town is doing is fining, and they obviously don't care," a resident of an apartment building in Montclair said.

Accessory Dwelling Units In Montclair: What To Know About New Law

Want to make some extra money from a renter, or create a smaller home for a family member? A new law in Montclair may be up your alley.

Future Looks Bright For Montclair Home Steeped In Black History

The saga isn't over for the James Howe House, which is the first in Montclair owned by a freed slave.

Rent Has Soared At Montclair Apartment Building, Tenants Say: Report

Some tenants claim their rents have gone up between 20 and 40 percent since a new corporate owner took over in 2021, a report says.

BUSINESS

Landscapers Sue Montclair Over Leaf Blower Ban

The plaintiffs include companies based in Montclair, Verona, Bloomfield, Glen Ridge, Essex Fells, Nutley, Livingston and West Orange.

Amazon Fresh Is Lackawanna's New Supermarket, Montclair Official Says

An unexpected twist has been revealed in the saga of a long-maligned "food desert" in Montclair.

Campbell Soup Plans To Buy Montclair-Based Pasta Sauce Company

Campbell Soup is acquiring Sovos Brands, parent company of the popular Rao's Homemade line of sauces, for $2.7 billion.

Montclair Baristas Strike, Accuse Starbucks Of 'Union Busting'

"Rather than publicizing rallies, we encourage Workers United to live up to their obligations," Starbucks countered.

NJ's First Weed Dispensary May Be Leaving Montclair: Report

Ascend Wellness plans to move its cannabis dispensary out of Montclair, a report says. Nearly two dozen of its workers unionized last year.

Montclair 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.

Paris Baguette Is Coming To Montclair; Bakery Expands NJ Footprint

A global bakery café chain is growing its footprint in New Jersey with a new store in Montclair.

Sushi Restaurant In Montclair Is Closing After 35 Years In Business

Daikichi on Valley Road will be closing its doors. "Our family is ready to move on to its next chapter," a goodbye message said.

Michelin Star Restaurant Jiang-Nan Opens Location In Montclair

Montclair Center welcomed its latest "award-winning fine dining restaurant" to the township.

TRANSPORTATION/TRAVEL

End Of An Era For DeCamp Bus: NJ Company Stopping NYC Routes

Federal and state aid helped to keep the Montclair-based company afloat, but it just couldn't recover from the coronavirus pandemic, spokespeople said. (Read our update here)

No Crashes In Montclair By 2029? Proposed Task Force Would Aim High

Montclair saw 47 pedestrian strikes and 14 cyclist strikes by vehicles last year, as per police statistics.

Car Fatally Strikes 83-Year-Old Pedestrian In Montclair: Authorities

A pedestrian died after a car crash in Montclair. The driver remained at the scene, authorities said.

Fatal Scooter Crash In Montclair Claims Verona Resident's Life

A scooter and a truck collided on Bloomfield Avenue. No charges have been filed, Essex County prosecutors said.

Amtrak Train Station In Montclair? It Could Happen Under This Plan

It may soon be possible – for the first time in decades – to take a train from Pennsylvania through New Jersey on your way to New York City.

Official Calls For Change After Car Hits Pedestrian In Montclair

A county commissioner with longtime ties to Montclair says he's "disturbed" after the town's latest car-pedestrian strike.

OBITUARIES

Montclair Church Unveils Memorial For COVID-19 Victims

The monument – one of the first of its kind in North Jersey – is intended to be a place to pray for people who died during the pandemic.

Montclair Town Manager Joseph Hartnett Dies: 'Honor And Integrity'

Hartnett previously served as town manager in Montclair before being hired back on a temporary basis in July.

Al Pelham Remembered In Montclair At Glenfield Park Dedication

Pelham, who died in 2021, served as a pillar of support for the Montclair community for decades.

Montclair Community Mourns 'Hero' Veterinarian

"There will never be another Dr. Cameron, but we will do our best to carry on his legacy."

Mourning For Former Montclair Police Chief Continues: Thomas Russo

A lifelong Montclair resident who served for more than four decades on the local police force continues to be mourned in the township.

Montclair Mourns For James Eason, Late Community Leader

Jim Eason will be remembered for being a "great father figure, uncle, friend and companion" to many people in Montclair.

Ex-Montclair School Board Employee, 'Master Craftsman,' Dies At 86

Harold Vincent Van Riper would have been 87 on July 4th. He passed away peacefully at his home, according to his obituary.

OTHER NEWS

Montclair Hospital Diverts Ambulances After Cyber Attack

Two hospitals in North Jersey are diverting ambulances from their emergency rooms after a ransomware attack, authorities confirmed Monday.

Homelessness In Montclair: Results From 2023 'Point In Time Count'

Montclair has the third-highest number of people experiencing homelessness in Essex County, an annual study says.

Migrants Find Welcoming Arms In Church Parishes Across North Jersey

Several church-affiliated groups in Newark, Montclair and Jersey City have been reaching out to immigrants with aid – not scorn.

Montclair's Buzz Aldrin Ties The Knot At 93: 'Excited As Teenagers'

The iconic and outspoken astronaut married his "longtime love" Dr. Anca Faur, he announced on his 93rd birthday.

NFL's Aaron Rodgers Buys $9.5M Mansion In Montclair Area: Report

The football star bought a new home in the Montclair area as he prepares for his first season as a New York Jet, a report says.

Montclair Hospital Gets Top Marks In Latest Leapfrog Grade

A hospital in Montclair is among a slew of medical centers in New Jersey that received the highest possible rating from a watchdog agency.

Huge LGBTQ Pride Festival Returning To Montclair For 2023

The Montclair Pride festival will feature a full day of entertainment, as well as inspirational performances and speeches.

Music From The Heart: Sax Player's Rehab Inspires Montclair Hospital

After Charles Dixon had a heart attack, the gifted saxophonist found himself wondering: Will I ever play music again?

Another Animal Tests Positive For Rabies In Montclair (What To Know)

Animals that have tested positive for the rabies virus over the past year in Montclair include skunks, bats and raccoons.

Little Free Pantry Movement Is Exploding In Montclair

It doesn't get town, county or state funds. But this community program in North Jersey gave out more than 330,000 pounds of food last year.

Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.