Midland Park Neighborhood Association - Maplewood, NJ

Shred-a-thon Event and Earth Week Events

2010-04-19T20:36:00.001-04:00

The following is a message from a MPNA member:
Hello Maplewood Friends!
I am happy to announce Maplewood's first ever FREE Paper Shred-a-thon!
You can now rid yourself of those sensitive documents in one fell swoop, so bring those boxes or bags of documents to be shredded to the Maplewood Recycling Center 359 Boyden Ave, on April 24th, 2010, 8am to noon. You will be able to watch your documents be shredded on the spot in a shredding truck.
This event, just one of Maplewood's Earth Week events, is co-sponsored by the Department of Public Works and the Environmental Advisory Committee.
For more info on other Earth Week events go to www.maplewoodisgreen.org.
For those of you who still need to purge your old files, I have attached guidelines on which papers to shred and which to keep.
Also see the attached flyer for more inspiration and to pass along to other Maplewood residents and businesses.
Hope to see you there!
Diane Thomson

Hilton NA meeting to feature discussion on library services

2010-02-09T10:36:00.002-05:00

Jane Kennedy, Director of the Maplewood Memorial Library, will be the main speaker at the Hilton Neighborhood Association's Thursday, February 18th meeting at 7:30 PM in DeHart Community Center, 120 Burnett Avenue, Maplewood. Learn about the library's programs, services and budget. Find out how to become a Library Champion. Maplewood deserves a 1st Class Library. Also on the program, Nancy Sobieski and Katherine Hillaire of the Maplewood/South Orange Adult School, will give an update on the numerous opportunities the Adult School provides for the Maplewood community. Refreshments will be served. The meeting is free and all members of the public are welcome. For further information, contact 973-761-4672 or cabms@aol.com.

2010 Census Opportunities

2010-01-28T09:16:00.001-05:00

There will be a need for people to help with the 2010 Census. If you are interested, please check out this site. http://2010.census.gov/2010censusjobs/

Try-cycle Plastic Bag Recycling Program

2010-01-12T09:31:00.003-05:00

Maplewood Memorial Library’s Hilton Branch Library and Fringe Hair Salon have teamed up to rescue plastic bags from landfills where they can take up to 1000 years to degrade.

· Just drop off your clean, dry plastic bags in the lovely bins located at Fringe (1874 Springfield Avenue) and Hilton Branch Library (1688 Springfield Avenue).

· Sign up for our monthly workshops devoted to repurposing plastic bags. On January 21st, Kari from Kari’s Café will be leading a workshop making baskets out of “plarn” – yarn made from plastic bags. Register by phone or in-person at Hilton Branch: 973/762-1688. (no crochet or knitting experience necessary)

· Enjoy our hand-outs, displays and samples of repurposed plastic bags.

· Stay tuned for our Spring Raffle, more workshops, and other cool, creative ways to reuse, repurpose, and recycle plastic bags.

Questions? Comments? Ideas? We’d love to hear from you. Please call Betsy Wald, Branch Manager, Hilton Branch: 973/762-1688.

Donation to Hilton Library complete

2009-11-19T07:22:00.002-05:00

If you haven't done so, feel free to check out the 2 new children's chairs at the Hilton Library. They now have plaques on them and we are proud to have made this donation to our library.

Garage Sale Extravaganza

2009-09-10T16:01:00.003-04:00

Do you have treasures you no longer need? Would you like to discover great deals without leaving the neighborhood? The Midland Park NA is encouraging its members and non members to join us for a neighborhood garage sale.

Details
Date : Saturday October 10th
Time: 9 AM - 1 PM
Maplewood requires a permit for $10
Forms are due by Friday October 9th

We would also like to make a donation to the Children's Room at Hilton Library. If you would like to donate a portion of your proceeds to this cause, please let me know.

Lastly, let me know if you would like to participate so that we can better market the event.

Save the Date - Candidates Forum October 15th

2009-09-10T10:43:00.004-04:00

Come participate at the next Candidates Forum on October 15th at 7:30pm. Details to follow. This event is sponsored by the Hilton NA.

Hilton Neighborhood Association September Meeting

2009-09-10T10:41:00.001-04:00

The Hilton Neighborhood Association's September 17th meeting in DeHart Community Center, 120 Burnett Avenue will feature Township Committee members Fred Profeta and Kathy Leventhal who will explain the Township's recent Sustainability Grant and how it might benefit residents. The meeting will begin at 7:30 PM. Also, Dr. Barbara Velazquez will provide information about the exciting Visions of a Better World Conference to be held at Jubilee Hall, Seton Hall University on Sat., Oct. 10 at 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM. The HNA's annual garden award winners will be announced. The meeting is open to the public. Everyone is welcome.

Refreshments will be served. For further information, contact 973-761-4672 or cabms@aol.com.

What a fantastic BBQ

2009-08-22T19:04:00.002-04:00

Thank you for all who attended our summer BBQ today. It was so nice to relax and get to know our neighbors a little bit better. If anyone has ideas for our next event, please let me know.

Jennifer

Hilton Library celebrates 50 years on Springfield Avenue

2009-05-26T13:51:00.005-04:00

Bring the entire family out to the Hilton Library at 1688 Springfield Avenue this Saturday, May 30th from 10 am - 4 pm. Events include storytelling, crafts, dance and a hula hoop contest. Food and beverage will be available!

Midland Boulevard Arch Fixed!

2009-05-02T10:22:00.001-04:00

Our lovely arch at the end of Midland Boulevard (at Summit Avenue) has been repaired. A huge thank you to the town of Maplewood. Once we plant flowers, it will be even more lovely.

Gardening Event at the Maplewood Library so informative

2009-04-24T09:14:00.004-04:00

A huge thank you to the Maplewood Garden Club for hosting a beginner's gardening seminar last evening at the Maplewood Library. The presenters brought their knowledge and love of gardening to the event and it showed!

I encourage everyone to consider a Garden Club membership which only costs $15, but gets you a years worth of meetings, good eats and contact with local gardeners with expertise in all areas.

The Garden Club will be hosting it's annual plant sale Mother's Day weekend. It is held at the Maplewood Pool and is a fantastic opportunity to support this organization which in turn pours the money back to the community.

Topics included how to approach landscaping your yard, composting, container gardening and creating raised beds. The gardeners had multiple handouts, free plant clippings, magazines and more.

Also, if you are considering composting in your yard and would like an enclosed composter, the Department of Public Works in Maplewood is selling units for $50. This is a great price.

Traffic and Stop Signs on Midland Blvd

2009-03-05T18:12:00.001-05:00

On March 16th, the township Engineering and Transportation subcommittee will be discussing stop signs on Midland Blvd. There has been some speeding on Midland by Lancaster and Richmond and the town will be investigating additional stop signs at those locations. Kevin Harris is spearheading this initiative.

Save the Date: Gardening Seminar to be held in April

2009-03-05T12:46:00.002-05:00

I am pleased to announce that the Maplewood Garden Club will be hosting a beginner's gardening seminar for our group on April 23rd. The meeting will be held at the Maplewood Memorial Library and there is no fee. More details to follow.

Celebrate Black History Month in Maplewood

2009-02-08T18:59:00.003-05:00

The Springfield Avenue Partnership is sponsoring events every Saturday this month. Events will be held at The Beaded Path, Express Yourself Studios, Jazzberries, Hair Chalet, Shakti Yoga and Living Arts and Churrasco BBQ. There is even a free Jazz concert and craft event on February 28th at the Hilton Branch of the library. For more information visit www.springfieldavenue.com or call 973-763-6011.

Great new program for kids at the Hilton Library

2009-02-04T18:51:00.002-05:00

This Saturday your Kindergarten & up children are invited to read to a dog at the Hilton library. The event starts at 11am and ends at 12pm. Sign up by calling the library at 973-762-1688

For full program information check out the library website at www.maplewoodlibrary.org or call:
Main 973-762-1622 ext 5005
Hilton 973-762-1688

January 10, 2009 First Aid Squad Event

2009-01-12T08:46:00.004-05:00

Our event at the First Aid Squad provided valuable information on emergency planning. We discussed the different kind of emergencies including flood, hurricane, hazmat, nuclear power and terrorism. Listed below are a few details that may benefit those who did not attend.

Maplewood, through the Fire Department, offers CERT (Community Emergency Response Team) Training to prepare residents in the case of a local emergency.
All residents should be aware of local emergency procedures such as how to evacuate.
Know how to shut off your home's gas, electricity and water.
Have a record of personal property.
Have a family plan. This can include: where do you meet in an emergency, how do you exit the house (you should have 2 exits per room of the house), if you need to stay indoors know the safest room of the house.
Have a family pet plan since shelters do not normally permit pets.
Know the school's procedures for an emergency in case you have school age kids.
Be aware of neighbors with special needs.

When it came to terrorism, we discussed the importance of being aware. This can also work for deterring crime in the area. Note vehicles or packages that are unusual. Be aware of people around you who seem nervous or who are interested in items that are not normally of great interest (taking more than a normal amount of photos). Should things not seem normal, call authorities.

Lastly we discussed having a grab and go kit for you and your family. This can include many items such as water, medication, food, first aid items, flashlight etc. We were provided with a FEMA preparedness manual that described in detail what would be helpful.

First Event of 2009 - January 10th

2009-01-04T09:46:00.004-05:00

Please join us for our first event of 2009 at the Maplewood First Aid Squad on Boyden (next to the pool). We will be meeting on Saturday Jan. 10 from 2-4pm to discuss first aid, emergency planning and also using this as a way to meet new members of the association.

Children are invited and refreshments will be served. Please RSVP to Jennifer at jswen73@aol.com with the number of adults/children attending.

Thank you!

Holiday Wreaths to Adorn Midland Park Arch

2008-12-13T10:24:00.003-05:00

The Garden Club of Maplewood has graciously donated 4 holiday wreaths this year to adorn the arch at the start of Midland Boulevard. We will be sending a thank you on behalf of the neighborhood association. Happy holidays to all!

Continued conversation on crime and how to help our neighborhood

2008-12-02T14:07:00.003-05:00

The following is from Elizabeth Aaron, Kensington Area NA. She has been actively working with the Police Dept. to work on communication between our Neighborhood Associations and the Police Dept.

"Yes, we certainly all agree that keeping lights on is a step (and an important one) but not the only thing we could be doing as a community and neighborhood to respond to the recent series of events in our town. The neighborhood associations are working with the Police Department’s Public Safety Officer, Sgt. Tutunjian, to coordinate other efforts as well. Here are some things we should all keep in mind and some ways you can help.
As has been covered in the local paper this year – GPS systems are easy to steal and easy to sell for cash, and thus the most frequent thing taken from cars. If you have one, take it inside with you when you park your car. The same goes for anything else – briefcases, tote bags, CDs, spare change, etc. that you might leave in your car.
Unsecured windows are the easiest access to a house – as are any windows and doors that are not well-lit, and/or are behind shrubs or bushes. A motion-activated light is a smart investment. An attempted break-in on North Terrace this past weekend was through a dark side of the house’s basement window. Police noted right away that lights would have probably prevented the attempt. We do also encourage every resident to leave a light on outside from dusk to dawn – this is an IMMEDIATE way to make your house and street less attractive to would be attackers, burglars, and the like.
Community safety patrols are a great idea and have been implemented in the past – but residents should not undertake one on their own. They should contact the police department, who will be happy to meet with residents to organize one. Usually residents who team up for patrol may have walkie-talkies or 2-way radios that put them in immediate contact with law enforcement should they need it. You are right in that being more of a presence in one’s neighborhood sends a clear message. On that note, the police are working with the neighborhood associations to reintroduce their “Plan To Protect” initiative. It simply asks residents, when and where possible, to plan their daily activities so that they are extra eyes and ears when children (including those of high school age) are most likely to be out and about. For example – walking to the library or grocery, taking a jog, walking the dog, putting out garbage or recycling, raking, gardening, home repairs, etc – if we can try to do these things when children are likely to be out unsupervised (mornings, on the way to school) and after school (3-5 pm or so) – it sends a message to anyone driving or walking a neighborhood that any unusual activity IS being observed, and this simple step can keep our streets safer. As the days get shorter and darker, this is a simple way we can all try to be more aware of what is going on in our community.

Also – the Maplewood PD reminds us that we SHOULD call when we have concerns about an area being unsafe, or not patrolled. But remember that just because you’re not seeing a marked police car or uniformed officer, that doesn’t mean there isn’t a police presence in the area.
Sgt. Tutunjian is going to meet with representatives from all of the neighborhood associations in the coming weeks to discuss more of our concerns. First and foremost, he is conducting a study to determine where else utility pole/street lights could be useful and is pursuing ways to fund them if need be with the township and PSE & G.
These are difficult economic times for many, and a difficult emotional time as well – an increase (perceived or real) in crimes, minor or serious, makes us all uncomfortable and looking for reassurances and answers to questions about how safe we and our houses and families are. The Maplewood Police Department recognizes this, and has offered multiple ways we can be better organized, more informed, and more constructive in making our town safer.
Please contact Elizabeth Aaron, 973-761-4094, the Kensington Area Neighborhood Association Public Safety Liaison, with questions, concerns, suggestions, or to become more involved in working on some of these issues. "

November 10th Crime Prevention Community Meeting

2008-11-11T07:40:00.003-05:00

On November 10th, Ray VanDyke from the Berkshire NA and Kathy Leventhal, Town Committe Member, organized a community meeting to discuss recent crime activity. Sgt. Naddeo led a powerpoint presentation and Q&A. Here is a sampling of the presentation:

The Police offer free home and business security surveys and provide written reports on how to keep your home/business safe.
Last year 300 yellow security reminders were issued to residents alerting them to potential risks.

865 suspicious persons/conditions/vehicles were invesitgated thanks to residents alerting police. He asks residents to call if they are suspicious of something, but don't investigate it yourself if there is a risk. Call 911 in an emergency or 973-763-1234 or 973-763-3400 in a non threatening/ past situation.
When you call it is important to tell your location, what is happening, direction of flight and describe person(s) from head to toe or toe to head.

Home security tips: Remember the free survey if you have questions!
Lighting - exterior and interior
Curbside Presentation - a well kept home is less at risk
Shrubbery/Foliage - Does your shrubbery hide your home and allow easy access
Doors/Windows/Locks
Alarm Systems
Safes / Identification of Valuables

You can:
Limit access to property with fencing
Secure items (bikes/tools)
Emergency numbers
Beware of door to door scams
Phone scams
Neighborhood watch groups

Sgt. Naddeo also spoke about being outside and present in the neighborhood. When you can be outside from approx. 3-5 pm you deter crime and help act as another set of eyes for the neighborhood. When possible, mow the lawn, rake leaves, play in the front yard, walk your dog and just be aware.

Neighborhood meeting concerning recent crime

2008-11-05T11:51:00.002-05:00

There will be a meeting on Monday November 10th at 7:30 pm concerning a recent armed robbery on Burroughs. The police department is sending representatives to discuss this issue with local residents. As this street is adjacent to our neighborhood, I wanted everyone to know so you may also attend.

Location: Jewish Center at the corner of Parker and Burr

Television schedule for Township Candidates Debate

2008-10-29T18:25:00.003-04:00

We are told that you may watch the Township candidates debate when it re-runs on:

Thursday 9 pm
Friday 3:30 am
Saturday 2:10 pm

Channel 35 on Comcast and channel 22 on Verizon FIOS

Maplewood Township Committee Candidates Forum

2008-10-21T17:53:00.002-04:00

Thursday October 23 at 7:30 PM, the Hilton Neighborhood Association will be hosting a candidates forum. The location is the DeHart Recreation Center at 120 Burnett Avenue.