October 2017
...
Bloomfield dissolves Parking Authority    
Township assumes parking enforcement
       Bloomfield has replaced its downtown parking authority with a "parking utility" that will oversee both downtown and residential parking. The change was unanimously approved by Town Council at the Sept. 18 conference meeting.
       Previously, the Bloomfield Parking Authority, an independent agency, managed downtown meter enforcement while the Bloomfield Police Department enforced parking elsewhere in town. The new centralized utility (under the authority of the police department) is expected to streamline parking operations and bring $200,000 a year in taxpayer savings.   Read More
Dump your stuff!  
(3 recycling events) 
 
         o Essex County Household Hazardous Waste Day will take place Saturday, Oct. 7, from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the fleet maintenance garage, 125 Fairview Avenue, Cedar Grove (next to the old hospital center). Bring your driver's license as proof of county residency. For details, call (973) 792-9060. 
o Paper Shredding and Recycling Day - Saturday, Oct. 14,  9 a.m. to noon, at 155 Broad Street (Board of Education parking lot). Bloomfield residents only.       
o North End Electronic Recycling Day - Saturday, Oct. 28, 9 .m. to noon, at 1350
Broad Street (ShopRite parking lot, across from Brookdale Christian Church). Items allowed for disposal include computers, monitors, wire cables, TV, VCR/DVD players, stereos, and small appliances.
Sign up now for free Thanksgiving turkeys    
        Mayor Michael Venezia is offering free Thanksgiving turkeys for qualified Bloomfield families. Registration for a limited number of turkeys runs from Oct. 2 through Nov. 14. The turkeys will be distributed, rain or shine, on Sunday, Nov. 19 from 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. in the municipal parking lot behind Town Hall. For eligibility requirements and registration, call the Department of Health & Human Services at (973) 680-4017.
Essex Toastmasters now meeting at Civic Center    
        Bloomfield residents are invited to explore the benefits of joining the world's largest public speaking organization. For the next year and a half, Essex Toastmasters (part of Toastmasters International) will hold its twice-monthly meetings at the Bloomfield Civic Center, 84 Broad Street. The club meets every second and fourth Thursday of the month, from 7 to 8:30 p.m. Members work on overcoming the fear of public speaking while learning listening, team-playing and leadership skills that aid their professional and personal success. Learn more at the club website.
Give Jade a a home    
        Ladylike "Jade" came to the Bloomfield Animal Shelter from a hoarding situation back in February. Now able to trust, she is available for adoption. The 15-year-old needs a comfortable home to retire in. She gets along with other cats, likes being petted, and enjoys treats. Meet her during shelter adoption hours: 2-5 p.m. weekdays; until 6 p.m. on Wednesdays; or 1-5 p.m. on weekends. Info at (973) 748-0194.
Town Council Meetings    
* Oct. 16, 7 p.m., conference meeting, Law Enforcement Building, room 205.
* Oct. 30, 7 p.m., regular meeting, Council Chambers, Municipal Building, second floor.
General Election Deadlines     
        Tuesday, Nov. 7 will be General Election Day. Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. Related voter deadlines are as follows:
       * Oct. 17 - Last day for new registrations and address transfers. Go to the Municipal Clerk's Office, room 214, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. (Open until 9 p.m. on Oct. 17).
       * Oct. 31 - Last day to apply by mail for a vote-by-mail ballot (must be postmarked by Oct 31). Forms at the Municipal Clerk's Office, room 214, 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Sign up for the Affordable Care Act    
        If you need health insurance, now is the time to sign up for the Affordable Care Act, or Obamacare. Open enrollment will run from Nov. 1 to Dec. 15. Bloomfield Human Services has a certified application counselor to help you understand your options in the Health Insurance Marketplace. For an appointment, call (973) 680-4017; TYI, (800) 852-7899.

 
Community & Cultural Events
   
Harvest Fest marks 25th anniversary 
Saturday, Oct. 7, 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.
      Enjoy live entertainment,  rides, harvest beer garden, restaurant and food truck delights, marketplace, obstacle course, petting zoo and pony rides.  Learn more

'Opera in October' 
Sunday, Oct. 15, at 3 p.m.  
       The Bloomfield Civic Band's fall concert will be held at the Bloomfield Middle School auditorium. The event will include a dedication of the auditorium to former band director Dominick J. Ferrara III, who will be honored in memoriam by the Bloomfield Board of Education and the Bloomfield Federation of Music.

Look into the mind of the cyber attacker -  Wednesday, Oct. 18, 6 p.m. 
      How easily can your life be hacked? Find out at Bloomfield Public Library when cyber security expert Eric Favetta presents a talk on securing identity and managing invasive e-mails and phone calls. 
        Learn More 
  
It's D'Italia Italian Heritage Day!
Saturday, Oct. 21, noon to 5 p.m. 
       Dance the Tarantella, practice Italian phrases, and learn how to research your Italian roots. It's all happening at Bloomfield Public Library. 

More library programming for October 
Movies * Clubs * Kids' Stuff * Blood Drive 

Learn More about all library programs
 
Learn how Bloomfield fared thru WWI 
and the flu epidemic 
Tuesday, Oct. 24, 7:30 p.m.  
      Hear a talk by Township resident Dean Cole who delves into WWI-era history when Bloomfield was swept by pro-war and anti-war sentiments, a national influenza epidemic, and simultaneous fundraising for Allied and German causes. The presentation is sponsored by the Historical Society of Bloomfield,  at the Civic Center, 84 Broad StreetLearn More  

Macbeth comes to the library
Saturday, Oct. 28 at 2 p.m.
       Shakespeare's eerie tale of political ambition will be presented by the Hudson Shakespeare Company in the Bloomfield Public Library theater. It's a story of prophecy, power and paranoia, sprinkled with murder and guilt.   Learn more 
 
Oakeside delights with four October events 
* Tricky Tray, Friday, Oct. 6, 6 p.m. 
* Victorian Tea & Concert, Sunday, Oct. 22, 1 p.m. 
* Murder Mystery Dinner, Friday, Oct. 27, 7 p.m.  
* Music at the Mansion, Sunday, Oct. 29, 3 p.m.  
        Learn more 
 
Animal shelter boosters 
hold five October events 
        Tattoo Fundraiser - Saturday, Oct. 7. Fifty percent of proceeds go to Supporters of the Bloomfield Animal Shelter. 
        Adoption Events  
       * Saturday, Oct. 14 - PetValu, 192 Bloomfield Avenue.
       * Saturday, Oct. 21 - Lynnes Subaru, 379 Bloomfield Avenue.
       * Saturday, Oct. 21 - BARKtoberfest, Turtle Back Zoo.
        Halloween Pup Parade/Strut Your Mutt - Saturday, Oct. 21 at Brookdale Park.
        Learn more 
 
Two canal walks coming up 
      * Saturday, Sept. 30, 9 a.m. - One-hour walk with canal historian Rich Rockwell and the New Jersey Bike and Walk Coalition.
       * Saturday, Nov. 4, 10 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. - Five mile walk and bus ride with canal historian Rich Rockwell. 
        Learn more 
Tailgate Party at BHS football game
       Before the East Orange vs. Bloomfield High School football game on Friday, Oct. 20, come to the Tailgate Party presented by the Bloomfield Educational Foundation. Hours are 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at the Town Pub. For ticket information and more, click here.
Think GREEN! at Harvest Fest
       Open Space Trust Fund will host a Harvest Fest table in the quad near the Civic Center. Learn about the 18-acre Liongate project and the Pulaski Park Community Garden. Try your luck in a drawing for a free garden plot in 2018. 
       Greener Bloomfield will be in the quad by the Civic Center. Come learn about composting and other sustainable practices. Top off your refillable water bottle from our canister.  
Halloween Fun    
   
Haunted Trail, Saturday, Oct. 14, 6:30 to 9 p.m. - Take a spooky walk along the Bloomfield Morris Canal Greenway. Groups of up to six people, age 10 and older, will be guided along the path. Beware the goblins!
       
o Scream on the Green & Halloween Spooktacular, Saturday, Oct. 21 - The annual Township event includes trick-or-treating, a magic show, pumpkin patch and more starting at 4 p.m. at the Town Green and Civic Center. "It's The Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown" will be shown outdoors at 6:15 p.m.
       
o Trunk or Treat, Saturday, Oct. 21, noon to 3 p.m. - The annual car trunk decorating contest sponsored by Bloomfield Center Alliance is the perfect place for safe trick-or-treating for all ages. The free event takes place in the Farrand Street parking lot.  See photos from last year.

Learn more about all of the above.
Bloomfield Recreation    
Join new adult soccer pickup games
       Bloomfield Recreation has teamed up with the Bloomfield Essex Soccer Team to offer friendly yet competitive soccer games on Tuesday nights at Pulaski Park. The co-ed program runs now through Nov. 14, from 7 to 9 p.m. Use this link to sign up for each night you wish to participate. The season sign-up fee is $5; the nightly playing fee is $1. A second weekly playing night may be added depending on interest.
 
New Little League bat standards adopted
       As of Jan. 1, 2018, the new USA Baseball bat standard will be implemented in Bloomfield's Little League programs. Bats approved during the 2017 season will no longer be acceptable. For information on the new standards and a list of approved bats, click here.

Friday Fun Night
       An art class with Lovlee Tang will be the featured activity at the Oct. 13 Friday Fun Night. Recreation's once-a-month child-watching service runs from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Civic Center. Kids also enjoy games, movies and pizza. Assistance is provided for special needs children. Fee: $20 per child. Call (973) 743-9074.

Seniors: Sands excursion, Halloween party, fitness classes and more
       An Oct. 9 bus trip to Sands Casino in Bethlehem, PA, a Halloween party, a Senior Club meeting with a program and entertainment, a Walmart shopping trip, and four fitness classes are featured in October. Learn More
Resident Services  
          
Get the human services you need
        o Food programs, utilities assistance, prescription assistance, and limited rental/mortgage assistance.
        o  Affordable dental care from the Zufall Dental Van.
        o  Homelessness prevention grants.

Programs for special needs residents - Bloomfield Recreation offers programs for eligible residents of all ages.
         The CARE Station (ages 7 to 16) - After-school program. 
         Friday Night Canteen (up to age 18) - Supervised play in the Carteret Elementary School gym, with occasional excursions. 
         Horizons
(age 18 and older) - Bowling, movies, dining, plays and more.  
Bloomfield Federation of Music    Sing or play with us! 
If you're a music lover who likes to sing or play an instrument, consider joining 
one of Bloomfield's five music ensembles, collectively know as the Bloomfield Federation 
of Music. All groups are currently welcoming new members. 

Bloomfield Chorale  o  Bloomfield Civic Band  o  Mandolin Orchestra
Bloomfield Symphony Orchestra  o  Bloomfield Youth Band

E-BUZZ Editor Robin Patric  |  908-823-9001  |  rpatric@comcast.net