Letters to the Editor

Resident Urges Makeover for Butler's Main Street

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My neighbors have put their beautiful house on one acre with an antique barn on the market for $349,000. They were told that if their home were located in any place other that Butler, they could get around $200,000 more for it. They said Butler isn't recovering from the economic downturn as fast as other towns; there are lots of short sales coming on the market. I'm sure the condition of Main Street has a lot to do with this. Butler was just voted the most walkable community. We have great schools, we are close to everything on Route 23. So why does this town look so downtrodden? Butler could be a quaint setting if Main Street were spruced up: Plant trees on the sidewalks. Have hanging baskets off the light posts. Little things like that …

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mimi

2:12 pm on Friday, April 19, 2013

That would be a great step forward. And what I said about the Mill was a suggestion so I don't understand the "Check your facts" comment. I'm just putting forward what would be a beautification project for the town. Flowers hanging from the lights, trees planted along the streets, etc.   more ›

Water Main Break Shuts Down Main Street

One lane of traffic reopened after 10-inch main broke near Bella Sera.

A water main break shut down Bloomingdale Main Street Tuesday afternoon as Department of Public Works (DPW) crews worked to restore the broken roadway beginning around 3 p.m. DPW Superintendent Al Gallagher said a 10-inch main broke in front of a Bloomingdale restaurant. "When it blew, right in front of Bella Sera, the whole road came up like a half an inch by Frank the Barber's," he said. Main Street was closed immediately following the break, but by 6 p.m., Gallagher said DPW crews were able to open up one lane of traffic heading from Bloomingdale Borough Hall, on Hamburg Turnpike, toward Riverdale. Gallagher said he was in touch with Borough Engineer Paul Darmofalski and that crews began working on the break right away. Traffic could be…

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Butler Dollar Store Expanding to Include Groceries

Landlord working with business to help with changes.

Butler Dollar Plus and Party is in the process of expanding to soon include a grocery store with produce and coffee bar. The Main Street discount party supply store, across the street from Trackside Bar & Grill, is owned by Amkit Kakkad and has been open for the past two years. His father, Ketan Kakkad, has helped manage the store over the past six months. Ketan Kakkad said he first moved to America from India in 1987 to try to make a better life for himself and his family. "This is the only country in the world where one has the solace that even if someone loses everything and comes on the street, one can still come back up. The people and the system here have that heart built in to help that person make it back," he said. The family …

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Handicapped Parking on Main St. Can Be Better, Resident Says

Butler Council will consider moving handicapped parking space closer to post office.

On a busy day, finding parking on Butler's Main Street by the post office can be quite a challenge.  For those who are handicapped, the challenge is enhanced, which is why one resident, a member of the borough's senior citizen organization, wrote the Butler Council a letter to ask if a handicapped parking space could be created in front of the post office. Butler Mayor Robert Alviene read aloud the letter at Tuesday's meeting. Currently, according to Borough Administrator Jim Lampmann, there are two handicapped parking spots on Main Street, neither particularly close to the post office. The resident requested that one of the spots be moved closer to the building for easier access. Councilman Stephen Regis noted that creating one …

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Zoo Keeper

11:52 am on Sunday, October 7, 2012

I agree John 100% There should be NO debate about a handicapped spot close to the Post office.   more ›

Man Pulled From Bloomingdale Blaze Released From Hospital

Construction official deems 91 Main St. 'uninhabitable.'

The Bloomingdale home that was on fire Tuesday night, bringing dozens of firefighters to the scene and forcing officials to shut down Main Street, has been deemed "uninhabitable" by Bloomingdale Construction Official Dan Hagberg, according to Bloomingdale police. Police released new details Wednesday on the fire that tore through a first floor apartment at 91 Main Street. Gregory C. Mather, 38, the man who was rescued after being found unconscious in the home at 91 Main Street, checked himself out of St. Joseph's Hospital in Paterson Wednesday morning, Bloomingdale police said in a press release. A preliminary investigation by the Bloomingdale Office of Emergency Management shows the fire started in Mather's kitchen, particularly in the …

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UPDATE: Unconscious Man, Dog Rescued From Burning Home

Bloomingdale chief said fire began in kitchen of Main Street residence.

An occupant of a Main Street home in Bloomingdale was rescued when he was found unconscious after a fire broke out at the residence Tuesday night, Bloomingdale Fire Chief Mike Hudson said. A dog was also rescued from the residential fire at 91 Main St. Officials were on the scene around 10:30 p.m. when Hudson said a fire had started in the kitchen. While the cause of the fire is still under investigation, Hudson said the fire was put out within 10 minutes of officials arriving on the scene. Main Street was completely closed off to motorists while officials responded. The air smelled of smoke but exterior damage to the residence was not visible. An employee of Gisler & Mahler, CPA, located next door to the residence, said he was working at …

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UPDATED: Five New Businesses Opening in Butler

Four businesses on Main Street and one on Route 23 to open this month.

Mayor Robert Alviene announced at the Butler Council meeting last Tuesday evening that there would be five new businesses opening up within the next month, including four on Main Street and one on Route 23. "There's four and soon to be a fifth business open in our town," Alviene said. "I think that's something that's very helpful to our town, and I think it's a growing situation in this economy." The Main Street businesses are Suzette's Stained Glass, at 168 Main Street; Zirpoll Insurance, 13 Main Street; a fruit store on Main Street; Wytches Flyte (also known as Soul Journey) at 409 Main Street; and the Route 23 operation is a bakery. Alviene added that he has met with each of the businesses owners and they all have been redoing the …

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1 Year Later, Barber's Murder Still a Mystery

Surrounding Main Street storefronts vacant after customers dwindle.

Sunday will mark a full year since the apparent beating in broad daylight of Frank Halat, a beloved Bloomingdale barber and Pompton Lakes resident.  Halat, who was 79 at the time, was found unconscious inside his own Frank's Barber Shop on Main Street with life-threatening injuries to his face and head on April 1, 2011. He died four days later at Morristown Hospital. In the past year, both the Bloomingdale Police Department and Passaic County Prosecutor's Office have tried to bring justice and peace to Halat's relatives and solve a crime that police said no one seemed to have witnessed. The Borough of Bloomingdale has honored Halat with signs re-naming the roadway in his honor. Meanwhile, nearly all of the businesses surrounding Frank's …

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What Businesses Would You Like to See in Butler?

Tell us what you would like to see in the empty Main Street storefronts.

Over the past few months, we've reported on Butler Main Street's vacancies and how some store owners are working together to make the best of a tough economic climate. But we didn't need to tell you there were vacancies on Main Street for you to know about them. Many of you have approached us in the comments or through email about how you feel Main Street could use a boost. Butler Mayor Bob Alviene has said he and the Butler Council will do whatever they can to attract new business to the downtown area. We want to know, if new businesses were to move in, which ones you would be most interested in. We know Main Street is not the only tri-boro location with vacancies, but we will be doing our best to explore what residents want and where in …

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tacodadbob

11:09 am on Friday, February 3, 2012

As a small business owner myself, I can tell you that none of those stores, especially the book store, won't sell enough product to pay for rent, insurance, taxes, payroll, fees etc. to even break even much less make the owner a living. Unfortunately, the days of small bustling downtown's aren't coming back any time soon. It's a rare business that finds a niche on a Main St USA or the owner has …   more ›

Kinnelon Resident Was Entrapped in Vehicle on Main Street

Butler police investigating cause of accident that required extrication of driver.

Butler police responded to an accident Tuesday morning where a 22-year-old Kinnelon resident had become entrapped in his vehicle after allegedly losing control of the car and colliding with a utility pole around 1:33 a.m. Police said alcohol does not appear to have been a factor in the accident. Police said Timothy Hack was driving a 2001 Oldsmobile Alero and his vehicle rolled over near 68 Main Street. The Butler Fire Department responded and extricated Hack from the vehicle and police said he had a non-threatening injury to his arm. He was transported to Morristown Medical Center for treatment. Hack was issued a summons for careless driving as a result of the event. Main Street was closed for about 45 minutes during the rescue efforts, …

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