Petitions required

for Village election

The South Orange municipalelection will be held Tuesday, May14 for three Village Trustee positions— all four-year terms. The 2013Candidate Reference Guide andnomination petitions are available atthe Village Clerk’s Office in VillageHall. The last date to file petitionsis March 11. For more information,e-mail clerk@southorange.org or call(973) 378-7715 x7726. ▲

Thanks SOVCA, for less litter downtown!

Every morning at 6 a.m., Carnell Williams heads out for the first of two litter removalloops around the downtown business district. It takes four hours to complete both circuits.

At 10 a.m. Asher Hurtado joins in, concentrating on particular problem areas, like litterin the train trestles or in decorative landscaping areas.

Williams and Hurtado were hired in early January as part-time maintenance workers forthe South Orange Village Center Alliance. Along with clearing unsightly litter, they call onPublic Works for pickup of bulk debris such as discarded chairs or mattresses.

“We’ve gotten tremendous feedback from merchants,” said SOVCA Executive DirectorLisa Hackett. “People should see noticeable change.”

If you spot a mess the workers haven’t yet seen, call the Alliance at (973) 763-6899. ▲

1.

The Gaslightis published sixtimes yearly forthe residentsand business community ofSouth OrangeVillage.

SouthOrangeThe

March/April2013

■ SOPAC hiresMark Packer asexecutive director

■ New laddertruck for FireDept.

■ Health Dept.offers freeongoing bloodpressure checks

■ Booked 10 andYoung Curatorsfeatured at Pierro

■ Clip and saveDPW spring/sum-mer services

■ interACTTheater becomesthe new residenttroupe at Baird

Inside

Filling vacancies indowntown storefronts is atop priority of the SouthOrange Village CenterAlliance, which aims to fillthose spots with a crowd-pleasing mix of retail, eateriesand services.

So says Lisa Hackett whobecame executive director ofthe Alliance on Jan. 22. “Thekey objective is to recruit compli-mentary businesses that are desir-able to South Orange’s cosmopolitanand family-oriented clientele,” shesaid.

Hackett brings to the job awealth of downtown managementknow-how garnered from her priorposition as executive director of theDowntown Millburn DevelopmentAlliance.

There, she created events likeGirls Night Out, which drew morethan 1,350 shoppers in its secondyear. Earlier, she honed her market-ing, branding and event-planningabilities in positions with MTVNetworks International and NBCUniversal.

Currently, Hackett is overseeinga survey conducted by the Alliance’sBusiness Recruitment Committee.

GaslightVolunteers are talkingwith merchants and resi-dents to identify favoredbusiness types and thosethat would best thrive inour community. Basedon survey results, theAlliance will makerental recommenda-tions to landlords andcommercial realtors.

“I’m excited to be here andextremely impressed with the levelof volunteerism in South Orange,”said Hackett. “I would encouragefolks to reach out to me here at theoffice if they would like to share sug-gestions in general or ideas for mer-chants they’d like to see added to ourVillage Center.”

The Alliance aims to drive busi-ness to downtown merchants, partlyby offering promotional programsformerly run by Main Street SouthOrange, such as the Farmers Market.Other Alliance functions includedowntown marketing, design, beauti-fication and fundraising.

Main Street evolved into a specialimprovement district as a way tomake the downtown developmentorganization more economically sus-tainable.

Starting this year, each businessand property owner in the improve-ment district will pay a portion of aquarterly assessment to cover ser-vices such as district publicity, down-town cleanup, event marketing,façade and design services, and busi-ness recruitment.

The idea is that business ownersinvesting in their own success willget the most return on the investment.

The Alliance is a nonprofit organi-zation governed by a 12-person boardof trustees. South Orange is one of 75improvement districts in New Jersey,including Millburn, Maplewood andWestfield.

To learn more about the Alliance,visit www.sovillagecenter.org. ▲

Lisa Hackett takes the helm at Village Center Alliance

Village President Alex Torpey previewshis March 18 State of the VillageAddress, page 4.

april

march

2. The South Orange Gaslight, March/April 2013

One step aheadfor ALL your

real estate needs

Maggie Calisterwww.njrealestatemama.comDirect: 973-913-8020 Cell: 973-271-6951

I know how to make Smart Moves!

Mid-Town Direct Realty

• Mar, 1, 8 p.m. – Booker T.Jones, R&B, Soul, $30-$45.

• Mar. 2, 11 a.m. – “Jack & Jill inthe Forgotten Nursery,” families, $11-$16.

• Mar. 3, 7 p.m. – Michael Hill’sBlues Mob, $15.

• Mar. 9, 8 p.m. – Harlem GospelChoir, $20-$35.

• Mar. 10, 3 p.m. – “TheSpencers: Theatre of Illusion,” fami-lies, $25-$40.

• Mar. 13 – “Time for Three,”Youth Orchestras of Essex County.Master class, 4:30 p.m.; concert, 7:30p.m. $15-$45.

• Mar. 16, 8 p.m. – Frank WessQuartet, $20-$35.

• Mar. 17, 7 p.m. – “7.5Wondrous Acts of True Love,” MidtownDirect Rep, $15.

• Mar. 19, 7:30 p.m. – The NewYork Voices, jazz (SHU Arts), $8-$25.

• Mar. 21, 7:30 p.m. – SalzburgChamber Soloists, classical (SHUArts), $8-$25.

• Mar. 23, 8 p.m. – Searson,Celtic pop and Irish dancing, $20-$25.

• Mar. 24, 7:30 p.m. – EvanSherman, Millburn High School stu-dent, jazz, $15.

New executivedirector on boardat SOPAC

TheSouthOrangePer-formingArtsCenterhas anewexecu-tive

director. Mark Packer, formerexecutive director of AppelFarms Arts & Music Center inElmer, NJ, started at SOPAC onMarch 1.

In his prior post, Packerexpanded the South Jerseycenter to a year-round per-forming arts organization withdiverse in-house programmingand outreach events in schoolsand other community centers.He has played a major role inregional and statewide artsorganizations including theSouth Jersey Cultural Alliance,ArtPride in New Jersey, andthe Arts & Business Partner-ship of Southern New Jersey.

Packer replaces InterimExecutive Director LindaOnorevole, who has returnedto her position as director ofdevelopment. She temporarilyreplaced former Executive/Artistic Director MichaelBollinger who resigned lastsummer. ▲

On Stage at SOPACSOPACnow.org • (973) 275-1114

• April 5, 8 p.m. – AmericanRepertory Ballet, “Viva Spring,” $20-$35.

• April 6, 8 p.m. - Ben E. King,R&B, Soul, $25-$50.

• April 7, 3 p.m. – Allant Trio,chamber music, $15-$20.

• April 9, 7:30 p.m. – Seton HallFaculty Jazz Ensemble Concert, $0-$5.

• April 12, 8 p.m. – DeclanO’Rourke, Irish folk singer, $15-$20.

• April 13, 8 p.m. - GrahamParker and the Rumour, punk/newwave, $33-$60.

• April 14, 7 p.m. – MarleneVerplaanck, popular music, $15

• April 16, 7:30 p.m. – TheHorszowski Trio, classical (SHU Arts),$8-$25.

• April 17 and 18, 17:30 p.m. –Spring Concert, SHU Choir, free.

• April 19, 8 p.m. – “Adventuresof Alvin Sputnik: Deep Sea Explorer,”families, $20-$25.

• April 20, 8 p.m. – Janis Ian,folk music, $20-$35.

• April 21, 7 p.m. – “TheCottage,” Midtown Direct Rep, $15. ▲

Get a FREE blood pressure screening

You may not know you have high blood pressure, and nowyou can find out for free! The first and third Thursday of everymonth, the South Orange Health Department offers free bloodpressure screenings for all residents.

• First Thursday, 9-10:30 a.m. at the Charles Bierman Home,110 Vose Avenue, second floor activity room.

• Third Thursday, 9-11 a.m. at The Baird, 5 Mead Street, firstfloor, large meeting room.

Screenings and health counsel are provided by a registerednurse. For details, call (973) 378-7715, x7710. ▲

Fire Dept. trainsits crews on newladder truck

You don’t just acquire a$735,000 ladder truck andinstantly drive it off to the lat-est conflagration. No way! saysSouth Orange Fire Chief JeffMarkey.

First, you train every crew,two hours a day, every day, fora month and a half.

That’s what happenedwhen the department’s newestfleet member arrived in mid-January. The new ladder truckcarries five firefighters and acaptain and features the famil-iar white ladder on top, ahydraulic device reaching 102feet at an angle of 70 degrees.It also carries ground-level lad-ders and plenty of equipmentfor forced entries, search andrescue, ventilation, gas andelectrical shut-down and more.

The new truck replaces a24-year-old ladder truck, wornand torn and long obsolete.

Most of the new truck’scost was covered by a federalAssistance to FirefightersGrant, a particularly competi-tive funding source, accordingto Markey. The grant totaled$700,000 with the remaining$35,000 covered by the Village.

The ladder truck is one offive fire department vehicles,including two front-lineengines, one spare engine andone heavy rescue vehicle. Theold ladder truck is no longer inservice. ▲

The South Orange Maple-wood Adult School’s springcatalog is now available atwww.somadultschool.org.Register for classes online orcall (973) 378-7620.

The semester began in lateFebruary, but many classeshave later start times. Check

Learn something!Great spring classes at the Adult School

the site for details. Highlights inthe spring class line-up include:

• Basket Weaving 101• Be Your Own Film Critic• How to Read Music• Joy of Singing• Violin for Adult Beginners• Who’s Afraid of Opera? • Writing for the Web

The South Orange Gaslight, March/April 2013 3.

■ Recurring Events• Book Review Group – Mar. 18,

“Brother I’m Dying,” by EdwidgeDanticat. April 22, “I Am Forbidden,”by Anouk Markovits. Both sessions areat 7:30 p.m.

• Creative Writing Workshop –March 6 and 20, April 3 and 17, at1 p.m. Beginners welcome.

• Knitting Workshop – Mar. 18and April 15, at noon. Led by profes-sional knitter Nan Samons.

• Wednesday Movies, 1 p.m. –March 13, “Argo.” March 27, “Flight.”April 10, “To Rome with Love.” April24, “Silver Linings Playbook.”

• The Service Corps of RetiredExecutives, SCORE, will meet March 12at 7 pm. Topic: “Small BusinessOpportunities.” SCORE provides smallbusiness mentoring to entrepreneurs,as well as free business workshops.

South Orange Library Events (973) 762-0230 • www.sopl.org

Join the Friends of the South Orange Public Library!

Choose your membership level. Note: Pre-school, Student andLifetime are one-time payments. All other membership levels areyearly dues payments.

_____ Pre-school (to age 6) $3 _____ Family $25 _____ Student (age 7-16) $10 _____ Sustaining Member $60 _____ Senior $10 _____ Patron $100 _____ Individual $15 _____ Lifetime Member $300

_____ New member _____ Renewal

Name: _______________________________________________

Address: _____________________________________________

Phone Number: ________________________________________

Email: ________________________________________________

Payment Method

___ Cash ___ Check

Tax-deductible checkpayable to: Friends of theSouth Orange PublicLibrary, P.O. Box 874, South Orange, NJ 07079

Contact Us Email: friends@sopl.org Phone: 973-762-0230

Thank you for supporting us!

f r i e n d sof the South Orange Public LibraryDear Villagers,

Help support your locallibrary by renewing yourmembership or making a taxdeductible donation to TheFriends of the South OrangePublic Library. In this time ofsevere budget cuts, thelibrary needs your help morethan ever. Your membershipfunds go directly towardevents and programs thatsupport the library’s educa-tional, information, andcultural missions.

Current and ongoing pro-grams and projects include:

❥ Direct financial support for

new books and materials tokeep our library collectionscurrent.❥ The Book Cage, our used

book store, housed in thelibrary to sell donated books.❥ Purchases of toys, books,

equipment, and other materi-als for the Children’s Room.❥ Full sponsorship of the

summer reading program,and popular entertainmentsuch as Big Jeff.❥ Support for the rehabilita-

tion/renovation of theConnett Library building.❥ Vocal advocacy for the

library to local and stategovernments. ❥ Funding for the restoration

and digitization of importantlocal historic documents.

Please fill out and returnthe form below to join ordonate, and begin support-ing your local library today!

Sincerely, The Friends

■ Special Programs• Black Maria Film Festival, April

16, 7 p.m. Award-winning films fromemerging filmmakers are presented byMaria founder John Columbus.

• “Breathless,” part of the foreignfilm series will be screened March 19at 7 p.m., followed by a discussionwith educator/filmmaker GerardAmsellem.

• The library’s Spring Concert onApril 14, from 2 to 3 p.m., will featuresoprano Vanessa Parvin of SouthOrange and guitarist John Brohpy ofMaplewood, performing favorites fromthe American Songbook.

■ Library DiscussionGroup Thursdays, 1 p.m.

• Mar. 7 – History professorEugene Lieber discusses China.

• Mar. 14 - “Chasing the BluesAway,” with psychotherapist andauthor Lewis Epstein.

• Mar. 21 – “Tangerine Tango:Women Writers Share Slices of Life,”with author and educator Lisa Winkler.

• Mar. 28 – “ Pure Vermont: TheRacial Politics of Belonging,” withanthropology professor Mark Boglioli.

• April 4 – Political science pro-fessor Douglas Simon offers a “WorldPolitical Update.”

• April 11 – Speaker andradio/TV personality Lee Leonard andactress/dancer Kelly Bishop present“Here We Go Again!”

• April 18 – “Lincoln and theEmancipation Proclamation,” with his-tory professor Lillie Edwards.

• April 25 - New York Timesreporter Andy Lehren, topic to beannounced.

■ Children’s Room (March,April)

• LEGO Club - ages 5 and olderMar. 11, 25, April 8, 24, 3:45 p.m.

• Toddler Storytime, ages 3 andolder, every Tuesday, 11 a.m.

• Baby Storytime, newborn to 2 ½with adult, every Wednesday, 10 a.m.

• Book Bunch Book Group, Mar.13 and April 10, ages 9 and older.

• Thursday Music: Good TymesString Band, Mar. 14 and April 11;Music with Friends, Mar. 28 and April25. All at 11 a.m.

• Seton Stories, every Friday(except Mar. 8) at 10:30 a.m.

• Drop-In Crafts, Mar. 8, 22, April12, 26, 3:30 p.m. All ages.

Special Event: Happy Birthday Dr.Seuss Day, Mar. 2, 2-4 p.m. Readaloud, drop-in crafts. ▲

4. The South Orange Gaslight, March/April 2013

■ Jonathan Rose wasselected as a redeveloper ofthe Valley and Third Streetproject— more than 200rental apartments, retail oppor-tunities, and a 600-to-700-carparking garage where, now,only surface parking exists.

■ The grant-funded installa-tion of three electric vehiclechargers in our downtownhas been a great sustainableinitiative.

■ We continue to inno-vate with the kinds of tech-nology we implement:

• Our downtime-pronee-mail system has moved tocloud-based Google Apps.

• We’ve switched to a pow-erful emergency notificationsystem (EverBridge), the firststep in the overhaul andredesign of the Village web-site.The new site will be vastlymore user-friendly with a mul-titude of interactive tools.

• We continue to invest inbackup power at critical pub-lic safety buildings, we’re near-ing completion of a Village-wide fiber-optic network, andwe’ve completed multipleupgrades to our public safetycommunication systems.

• Several of these initiativeswere funded by an Office ofEmergency Managementgrant opportunity I found lastyear, and we hope to uncovermore such opportunities tocontinue the upgrades.

■ South Orange weatheredincredibly destructive Hurri-cane Sandy, which left morethan 80% of our residents with-out power, some for up to twoweeks. Although the Villageresponded swiftly and profes-sionally, and took advantage ofresources like Twitter and theCERT (Community EmergencyResponse Team), we learnedthere is much work to be donein advocating to the state forbetter preparedness fromutility companies.

■ Dozens of new busi-nesses opened last year,among them: Pandang (Asianfood), Love and Yogurt,Indulgence Day Spa, Portu-guese BBQ, the nicknack store“Stuff,” and great eateries onIrvington Avenue such asLalibela and Blue Plate Special.

South Orange’s downtownis expanding and if you wantto help drive that growth in astrategic manner, contact theVillage Center Alliance’s for vol-unteer opportunities, or justcheck out what they’re accom-plishing online, www.sovillage-center.org.

■The Board of Trustees issteadily re-structuring theVillage debt, thanks in particu-lar to Trustee Howard Levison

and Administrator Barry Lewis,our capable fiscal watchdogs.These changes will save theVillage millions of dollars overthe coming years, resulting insustainable and responsiblebudget-planning. (Now if onlyCongress could do the same!)

■ A number of new hiresin vacant positions will helpimprove general managementin the Village. Trustee DeborahDavis Ford has been particular-ly supportive in that arena, andwe’ll have a new Deputy Clerkand new Deputy Administratorshortly following this issue ofThe Gaslight is out.

■ We continue negotiatingwith New Jersey Transitover train schedules and otherissues not yet concluded in ourfavor. Working with our stateAssembly members, JohnMcKeon and Mila Jasey, as wellas Senator Richard Codey andCounty Executive JoeDiVincenzo, we have success-fully kept pressure on NJTransit and hope for a resolu-tion in South Orange’s favor.We also hope for further invest-ment in the commuter experi-ence for South Orange (andLivingston and West Orange)residents. Join me in thankingTrustee Mark Rosner for beingextremely proactive on thisinitiative. The effort will con-tinue with a resident/Villageworkgroup I recently createdto focus our efforts together.

■ For now at least, a billhas been stopped that

As I begin preparingfor this year’s State of

the Village Address, I want tohighlight some of South Orange’s

great accomplishments in 2012.These achievements are the result ofconsiderable teamwork, not onlyamong Village staff, but the entirecommunity, most notably duringHurricane Sandy. Here are some ofthe highlights:

Village President Alex Torpey previewshis State of the Village address withnotable 2012 accomplishments

■ We had the second low-est tax increase in morethan a decade. (The first low-est was the 2011 budget.) Readmore about the budget and ournew transparency tools thatbuild on last year’s precedent-setting release of the budget ina downloadable spreadsheet.(See it online at www.southor-ange.org.)

■ We created a downtownmanagement corporationcalled the South OrangeVillage Center Alliance, aturbo-charged version of MainStreet, with more access togrants and funding sources thatwill help local merchantsinvest in our downtown, con-tinue to grow it, and continueto help make our Village anattractive arts, culture and fooddestination in northern NewJersey.

■ We approved plans tobuild on the former Beifus Site,now known as South OrangeCommons. The site willinclude 57 rental apartments,premium retail space, and 100parking spaces for residentsand shoppers. It is a long-awaited beautiful addition toour downtown.

You’ve earned your stars, South Orange!

The South Orange Gaslight, March/April 2013 5.

Welcometo four newVillage Centerbusinesses!

■ Little Shop of HipHop, 111 South OrangeAvenue - Owner Ron Brownhas combined his passions forhip hop and flea markets tooffer hats, jewelry, T-shirts andcustom shirts.

■ Pandang Asian Bistro,8 Village Plaza, opened inOctober offering soups, salads,appetizers and sushi, as well asThai entrees. Jenny Chen is themanager.

■ TJ’s Shoes, 9 VillagePlaza, is actually a partnershipof five businesses in one: TJ’sShoes, owned by BencillaPowell; The Bag Man, ownedby Charlie Penn; Sharif’s Oils;An Extra Touch, owned byKakila Hunter; and Creationsby Maryam. Together theyoffer shoes, oils, handbags,boots, dressy and casual hats,jewelry and decorated pencils.Many of their products aresold to corporations and hos-pitals as well.

■ Walia, a new Ethiopianrestaurant at 11 Village Plaza, isowned by Kadra Zerihun ofSouth Orange. The cuisine ischaracterized by the ritual ofbreaking injera (a spongybread) and sharing food froma common plate. The foodfeatures a uniquely delectablemix of seasonings.

■ Wellness Interactive,14 South Orange Avenue, helpspeople in organizations devel-op wellness as a lifestyle –from scripture yoga to reflex-ology, and stress managementto personal development. CEODesiree Watson says they alsooffer eco-friendly and naturalproducts. ▲

BiZBUZZ

would have given privateuniversities exemptionfrom local zoning laws.Working with the New JerseyLeague of Municipalities andofficials in other towns, Ihelped represent South Orangeresidents’ interests and keptpressure on the legislature,showing them the negativeconsequences the proposedchanges would have had in ourcommunities. Our advocacyresulted in a powerful StarLedger editorial.

■ I’m pleased to see thatmore and more residents arebecoming part of the gover-nance process. We’ve createda Historic Preservation Com-mission, re-established thePublic Information andMarketing Committee, and ourCommunity EmergencyResponse Team continues togrow. No doubt we will findmore ways for residents to beactive in the year ahead.

■ The Village and theCitizens Public Safety Commit-tee (especially CPSC ChairSheena Collum) raised nearly$30,000 for the all-volunteerand donation-funded SouthOrange Rescue Squad. Theirhugely successful fundraiser/golf outing was the most suc-cessful in the squad’s history.(But don’t stop sending inthose important individualdonations!)

■The FBI’s Uniform CrimeReport showed a markeddecrease in crime in SouthOrange from 2010 to 2011,thanks to the dedicated menand women of the South OrangePolice Department. Kudos tothem for their vigilance inkeeping our streets safe.

■ It is gratifying to reportthat a personal passion ofmine is gaining public affirma-tion: South Orange has con-tinued to lead the way onopen government issues,garnering praise from organiza-tions like the NJ ACLU and theNJ Foundation for OpenGovernment. We caught theirattention by increasing our useof social media and video com-munication, by putting thebudget online in a download-able, editable spreadsheet, andby adding a second publiccomment period to our boardmeetings. We’ve also be recog-nized for proactively seekingways to respond readily toOpen Public Records Actrequests, contract informationand other government trans-parency issues. South Orangehas, and will continue, to leadthe way in “Transparent Govern-ment 2.0” in New Jersey.

These outstanding accom-plishments are the tip of theiceberg for ever-thriving SouthOrange. There is more to be

told. At this writing, I antici-pate delivering the 2013 Stateof the Village Address onMonday, March 18. Theaddress anticipates goals andinitiatives for 2013 andbeyond. You’ll find out aboutcontinued downtown growth,further long-term budget stabi-lization and more ways to getresidents involved in govern-ment and the community.

If you’d like to read the fulltext of the address or watchthe video after March 18, itwill be available on the Villagewebsite, www.southorange.org.

Please note, my office hourshave changed: I am at VillageHall every Monday from 5 to 7p.m. if you’d like to schedule atime slot. Or feel free to dropby! You can also e-mail me atatorpey@southorange.org.

I wish every Villager a safeand happy 2013 and hope tomeet many more of you as wework together for SouthOrange’s future!

Cordially,

Alex Torpey, Village President

P.S. Don’t forget to make sureyou and your family are signedup for the Village emergencynotification system. Find it atwww.southorange.org/alerts.

Post-Sandy survey

results due now

Hundreds of Villagers haveparticipated in a survey andattended neighborhood meetingsabout Hurricane Sandy and howbest to improve the Township’sfuture response to such devastat-ing events. The survey wasundertaken by the Office ofEmergency Management andresults were expected by earlyMarch. Look for the report onthe Village website, www.south-orange.org. ▲

A Village advisory committeehas been created to consider waysto improve Midtown Direct com-muter train service.

In January, New Jersey Transitofficials met twice with Villageleaders and residents to discussOctober train service changes thatraised ire among commuters on theMidtown Direct line (the #6335train). The changes extended traveltime and increased congestion.

Nearly 4,000 riders use SouthOrange Station each weekday.

NJT proposed eliminating stops

in Secaucus and Newark on the 6:19p.m. train from NY Penn Stationstarting in March — for a travel sav-ings of six minutes.

NJT also said 100 more multi-level train cars being delivered nowthrough August will further easecongestion.

The new Village advisory com-mittee will discuss still-unresolvedcommuter issues and NJT has com-mitted to hearing their thoughts. Toget involved, e-mail Village PresidentAlex Torpey at atorpey@south-orange.org. ▲

Advisory committee on NJT issues needs members

6. The South Orange Gaslight, March/April 2013

SPORTS & ACTIVITIES

■ Tae Kwon Do – Learnpractical self defense whilegaining discipline, body con-ditioning, self-confidence andreduced stress. Many classesfor children and adults, allskill levels.

■ Tae Kwon Do forSpecial Needs - Parents ofchildren with autism learn toexercise more effectivelywith their children. Saturdayclasses for ages 6 to 10, from1 to 2 p.m.; ages 11 andolder, 2 to 3 p.m.

■ Tennis Lessons - USSports Institute teaches peo-ple of all ages and skill levelsat Meadowland Park begin-ning the week of April 15.Details and registration atwww.USsportsInstitute.com.

■ Sports Squirts -TheUS Sports Institute SportsSquirts program for 3-to-5-year-olds will be held atMeadowland Park. Childrenwill learn multiple sports in asafe, structured environment.

At The BairdAt The Baird

La Cinémathèque Film Club(973) 378-7754, ext 1 • www.pierrogallery.org

The Baird’s popular film club is back with four films fromSpain. Sunday screenings at 2 p.m. are followed by discussionswith educator, artist and filmmaker Gérard Amsellem. Member-ship is $45. Pre-register at www.thebaird.org, or call (973) 378-7754, or stop by The Baird.

• March 10: “The Exterminating Angel,” 1962, Luis Bunuel• April 7: “Cria Cuervos,” 1975, Carlos Saura• May 5: “All About My Mother,” 1999, Pedro Almodovar• June 9: “The Sea Inside,” 2004, Alejandro Amenabar

Spring Cultural Arts Classesstart March 23(973) 378-7754, ext 1 • www.thebaird.org

■ Young Singers Lab (New!) - Vocal coach and profes-sional singer Holly Pappas offers classes for all ages. Details atwww.thebaird.org

■ Check Out All the Spring Classes, including ArtStudio I, Music Preludes, Yoga in the Spring and much more.Details online. Registration begins March 1, either in person atThe Baird or online. �

Seven 1-hour sessions will beheld on Wednesdays begin-ning April 17 at 3:30 p.m.Details and registration atwww.USSportsInstitute.com.

■ Jaguar Track, Ages 7-16 – In-person registration atThe Baird takes place Mar. 13,7:30 to 9 p.m. and Mar. 16,from 10 a.m. to noon. Detailsat www.thebaird.org.

■ Spring Break Multi-Sports Camp - Children ages5 to 12 learn 15 sports in oneweek in US Sports Institute’sMulti Sports Camps. Half-dayand full-day options areoffered April 8 to 12. Detailsand registration at www.USS-portsInstitute.com.

■ Spring Break ScienceCamps – Two-day “Sciensa-tional Workshops for Kids” willbe offered during spring breakweek for children ages 6 to 11.• Make It & Take It Home,

April 8-9, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. • Model Airplanes and More,

April 10-11, 9 a.m. – 4 p.m.

Calling all local artists!Artists who live or have studios in South Orange or

Maplewood are invited to apply as exhibitors in the 10thannual South Orange/Maplewood Artists Studio Tour onSunday, June 2. Applications are available at www.studiotour-soma.org. Enrollment ends April 15 and artists are encouragedto apply early. For details, e-mail smartiny@southorange.organd write “studio tour” in the subject line.

Spring registration begins March 1Details, registration at www.thebaird.org (“View Activities”)

Register for Preschool at The BairdA few open spots remain for The Baird Preschool 2013-2014.

The licensed learning center serves South Orange residents ages2 ½ through 4 ½. Children get a balance of educational and recre-ational activities. Details and registration at www.thebaird.org.

Pierro Gallery(973) 378-7754, ext 1 • www.pierrogallery.org

Booked 10 (March 6 - 30)The 10th annual Book Arts Roundtable exhibition, a celebra-

tion of the love of books and paper arts, will take place March 6to 30, from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily, except Sundays. The openingreception will be Saturday, March 9, from 1 to 4 p.m.

MAM Young Curator (April 11 – May 11)High school juniors and seniors will function as curators in

this special exhibition. The students will choose and organizeworks by professional artists. The students are part of the YoungCurators Program at Montclair Art Museum where they’re learningthe business of curating.

Renew your ID badge now!

Take advantage of lower fees and avoid long lines. Buy yourRecreation and Cultural Affairs ID badge now! Fees are:

• $30 per person, through May 15. Maximum family fee, $120. • $35 per person, starting May 16. Maximum family fee, $140. Badge holders get pool entry plus discounts on many depart-

ment-sponsored classes and programs. Badges are issued at TheBaird with two proofs of residency. Details at www.thebaird.org.

Sign up for Playground Program Planned activities and supervised free time await children in

the South Orange Summer Playground Program. Applicants mustbe South Orange residents, ages 4 years through 8th grade (cur-rent photo ID badge required). Children grouped by age andgrade meet at the Meadowland Park/Cameron Field complex. Theseven-week, half-day program runs July 1 through Aug. 16.Registration begins March 1 at The Baird.

✹ Saturday Container Day Drop-Offs April 27, May 18, June 22, July 27, Aug. 24, Sept. 288 a.m. to 1:45 p.m. (no arrivals after 1:30 p.m.)

Special disposal containers are provided on site. To enter, two proofs ofresidency are required. The program is not open to commercial or industrialcompanies.

PermittedFurniture, mattresses, appliances,* toys, small household items, tools,

strollers, playpens, metal items.**

* Please drop off metals during regular DPW hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m., and Saturdays, 8 a.m. to noon.

** Separate metals and appliances from other household items and remove doors on refrigerators and freezers.

ProhibitedPaint cans (empty or not), propane bottles, hazardous chemicals or

their containers, construction materials (such as tiles, plaster, sheetrock,paneling, wood with nails), roof shingles, grass clippings, household fooditems, car/truck parts, batteries of any size, stumps, root sections, branchesmeasuring more than four inches in diameter, railroad ties, pressure-treatedor painted wood, doors/windows with glass or hardware, or any electronichardware.

No metal items or appliances allowed in containers.Note: DPW staff reserves the right to prohibit other items as neces-

sary. Call in advance to ask about a specific item.

✹ ElectronicRecycling Drop-Offs

Villagers can drop off usedelectronic items in South Orange orMaplewood. Proof of residency isrequired.

Saturday Drop-Offs8 a.m. to noon

• Mar. 9, South Orange• May 4, Maplewood• June 15, South Orange• July 13, Maplewood• Sept. 21, South Orange• Oct. 19, Maplewood• Dec. 14, South Orange

Drop-Off Locations• South Orange Recycling

Depot, 300 Walton Avenue, (973)378-7741.

• Maplewood Public WorksDepartment, 359 Boyden Avenue,(973) 762-1175.

PermittedComputer monitors, CPUs, key-

boards, printers, mainframes, faxmachines, scanners, telecommuni-cations equipment, speakers, televi-sions, VCRs, stereos, DVD players,toasters, irons and old cell phones.

Prohibited• Commercial and large-quanti-

ty electronics users.• Electronics pickup appoint-

ments.

Alternatives to SaturdayDrop-Offs

If circumstances prevent yourdrop-off on a normal electronicrecycling day, you may drop off theThursday before in South Orange.Call first at (973) 378-7741. InMaplewood, drop off the Fridaybefore, between 2 and 4 p.m. Call(973) 762-1175.

✹ Spring Clean-Up,Branches & Leaves Curbside Placement Dates: April 1 - May 13 (no overlap)

Branches Must be less than four inch-

es in diameter. For those measur-ing two inches or less, tie in bun-dles with cord or twine. Place ongrass next to curb, not on streetor sidewalk.

Not Permitted: roots,stumps or branches larger thanfour inches in diameter.

Leaves, Yard Clippings,Garden Rakings

Place in brown biodegrad-able paper bags only, on grass bycurb, not on sidewalk or street.

Do not rake leaves intostreets for spring cleanup. Looseleaves and material in plastic bagswill not be picked up.

Ignoring the rules violatesthe Municipal Housing Code.

Grass Clippings South Orange Disposal picks

up grass clippings in plastic bagsonly, from April 1 to Nov. 1.Limits: two bags per week, 30pounds per bag. Place curbsideon the second garbage collectionday of the week.

✹ Rigid Plastic Items DPW now recycles rigid plastic

items including garden furniture,toys, bins and buckets, crockery,food containers and gardeningequipment. Rigid plastics cannot beplaced in toters. Go to www.south-orange.org and click “Single StreamRecycling.”

✹ Humus, Shredded WoodLimited quantities are available to residents for pickup at the DPW

yard at no charge. Be prepared for self-service. A $50-per-order feeapplies, payable prior to delivery. Call with any questions.

• Humus - decomposed leaves, finely textured and dark colored,used as a soil supplement.

• Shredded Wood - hardwood mulch used as top dressing forgardens, flowerbeds, and around trees. May contain bits of rock. Nottreated.

Ordering/Delivery (973) 378-7741Starting Tuesday, Mar. 26, DPW will make appointments for deliv-

ery of humus and shredded wood. Actual delivery starts in April. Oneproduct per household per month. Products are delivered loose to thedriveway entrance. Charge: $50 per delivery.

South Orange Department of Public Works • 300 Walton Avenue • (973) 378-7741 • www.southorange.org/dpw.asp

RESIDENTIALDPW Services

Spring/Summer 2013

InTouchwithVillageGovernment

General Info.(973) 378-7715Emergency, 911Clerk’s Office, x1Administrator, x2Construction, x3Tax Collector, x4Assessor, x5 Finance, x6Engineer, x7Parking Auth., x8Health Officerx7710Animal Controlx7711Fire Dept.378-7751Library762-0230Police Dept.378-7775Public Works378-7741Recreation & Cultural Affairs378-7754Rescue Squad762-3410Recycling Info. &Street Dept.378-7741Water Service266-8869

To submitinformation forThe SouthOrangeGaslight, sendto Editor RobinPatric, rpatric@comcast.net, or call (908)823-9001

Township of South Orange VillageSouth Orange, NJ 07079

Postal CustomerLocal 07079

Presorted StandardU.S. Postage PaidNewark, NJ

Permit No. 7081

8. The South Orange Gaslight, March/April 2013

Village Web Site: www.southorange.org

Natalie FarrellREALTORCell: 917-514-7541mnfarrell@verizon.net

Call or email me for a Free Market Analysis!

Individual and Business Tax PreparationTax Reduction Strategies

973.378.3300coutodefranco.com

TAX PROJECTIONS & PLANNING TAX PROJECTIONS & PAX PROJECTIONS & PT AX PROJECTIONS & PLANNI NG

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Individual and Business Tax PreparationTax Reduction Strategies

TAX PROJECTIONS & PAX PROJECTIONS & PT

973.378.3300

Individual and Business Tax PreparationTax Reduction Strategies

coutodefranco.com

AX PROJECTIONS & PLANNI

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NG

At Seton Hall■ Pulitzer Prize recipient, C.K.

Williams, author of eleven books of poetryincluding “The Singing” (2003 NationalBook Award) and “Repair” (2000 PulitzerPrize) will appear at Jubilee Hall on March13 at 7 p.m. E-mail nathan.oates@shu.eduor call (973) 761-9388.

■ The 19th annual SHU Women’sConference takes place Friday, March 22.This year’s theme, “Women InspiringInnovation through Imagination,” focuseson women in the STEM fields: science,technology, engineering, and math. The con-ference includes breakfast, a panel discus-sion and two workshops. Hours are 9 a.m.to 2 p.m. in the university’s main lounge.E-mail rosario.reyes-urbina@shu.edu orcall (973) 275-2137.

Community Coalitionwww.twotowns.org • (973) 761-6116

■ As part of its Integration through theArts Program, the Community Coalition onRace presents “Gertrude McFuzz,” by Dr.Seuss, a musical version featuring songsand an orchestral score with dance. Theshow will be paired with a dramatic readingand musical performance of “Stand TallMolly Lou Melon” at SOPAC on March 16 at10 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. Reservations arerequired; $5-per-person donation recom-mended. Reserve at www.twotowns.org/donate.

■ Share your interpretation of Two

Towns diversity through a multi-facetedproject of artistic book-making, haikupoetry and collage. Professional artistswill guide adults and high school studentsthrough a six-week art journey onThursdays at 7:30 p.m., from April 11through May 16 at Maplewood 1978 ArtCenter. Completed books will be displayedin the annual Artists Studio Tour in Juneand at public venues throughout SouthOrange and Maplewood. Workshops arefree; registration is required by April 5.

■ Sign up for a Cultural CompetencyWorkshop and explore how to workthrough cultural differences and build rela-tionships. The one-night session will beheld the third week of April at 7:30 p.m.Call for updated details. (Professionaldevelopment credits will be available forteachers.)

‘A Standing Ovation’ for Fred Profeta

The Achieve Foundation will honorMaplewood’s Fred Profeta with “A StandingOvation” on Saturday, April 20 at the Clubat Orange Lawn. With cocktails, dinner andentertainment, the event will be a celebra-tion of Fred’s lifetime achievement and ser-vice to the community and Columbia HighSchool. Proceeds will support the Take aSeat campaign to restore the school’s his-toric auditorium. For details, or to requestan invitation, contact takeaseat@achieve-foundation.org or (973) 378-2055.

Happenings

Baird’s new resident theater company stagestwo comedies

Neil Simon’s “Plaza Suite” and “TheFull Monty,” originally a hit British film, areon tap this spring as the premiere stageproductions of interACT Theatre Produc-tions, the new resident theater group at TheBaird.

InterACT, now in its fourth season,moved to The Baird in November after stag-ing a series of performances in host the-aters. The Baird is their first dedicatedhome.

Baird Theater is located on the thirdfloor of the Village community center (ele-vator available). It formerly housed Dream-catcher Repertory Theater, which moved toSummit last year.

Interact will stage Plaza Suite on April12, 14, 19 and 21, with evening perfor-mances at 7:30 and matinees at 2 p.m.Tickets will be $15 for adults and $12 forstudents.

The Full Monty will be performed May10, 12, 17 and 19. Look for more details inthe next Gaslight, or visit www.interactpro-ductions.org, or e-mail info@interactpro-ductions.org.

Tim Gunn to appear atColumbia High

Tim Gunn of “Project Runway” comesto CHS on Sunday, March 17 at 7:30 p.m.Villager Budd Mishkin of NY1-TV’s “One on1 with Budd Mishkin,” will conduct a livelyinterview. The event is part of the SethBoyden Series created to raise funds for anew playground and outdoor learning cen-ter at Seth Boyden Demonstration School.Tickets are $35 to $50. Purchase online atwww.brownpapertickets.com/event/317681.Details at (973) 327-3016.