Community Corner

đŸŒ± Patch AM: How an Elm Street basement fire uprooted 11 Montclair residents

And check out M y Big Beautiful Clear-Out Sale on the Montclair Patch calendar

Patch AM Team's profile picture
Patch AM Team, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge
Thursday August 27th Patch AM
Thursday August 27th Patch AM (Patch graphic)

Hello again Montclair! We're bringing you the latest town highlights. Don't miss out, keep going! ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • How an Elm Street basement fire uprooted 11 Montclair residents
  • What Montclair parents must know about new in-class Chromebook limits
  • Why a popular Church Street café faces multiple sidewalk-access summonses

Also on today's calendar: M y Big Beautiful Clear-Out Sale and 9 more events.

Today's riddle: What is the difference between a jeweler and a jailer? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

  • Thursday: Showers and thunderstorms, with a high of 81 and low of 70 degrees.
  • Friday: Humid with a thunderstorm, temps: high: 85, low: 65.
  • Saturday: Periods of sun; less humid, with a high of 81 and low of 63 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Montclair House Fire Displaces 3 Families, Blaze Extinguished With Aid From Nearby Towns (patch.com) — An early-morning house fire on Elm Street in Montclair displaced three families and a total of 11 residents, though everyone escaped without injury. Montclair firefighters, aided by crews from neighboring towns and the Red Cross, contained the blaze to the basement. Officials are still investigating the cause and are urging all Montclair households to check smoke alarms and plan two exits from every room.
   

2. Montclair Schools to Limit Chromebook Use in Classrooms (montclairlocal.news) — Families in Montclair should expect far less Chromebook use in classrooms this year, especially for elementary grades, as the district shifts toward more offline learning and tighter device rules. Superintendent Ruth Turner says the change responds to research, community concerns, and New Jersey's new Bell-to-Bell cell phone limits. Parent advocates with Screen Aware Montclair back the move, while broader tech and AI policies are set for Board review in September.
   

3. Accessibility Complaints Sparked Montclair Sidewalk Cafe Summonses (montclairlocal.news) — Accessibility complaints from Montclair residents about tight sidewalk space outside Fresco Da Franco and Bar Franco led to five township summonses over sidewalk café encroachment. Records show prior warnings and broader enforcement efforts, as advocates stress the impact on people using wheelchairs and walkers. The restaurant owner has pleaded not guilty, and the latest Montclair Municipal Court hearing was postponed.
   

4. Student Involvement (montclair.edu) — If you're a Montclair State student or attend another college nearby, you can plug into archaeology right here on campus and in the Montclair area through lectures, an archaeology minor, and hands-on artifact work. The Center also runs local and international field schools, emphasizing collaboration across departments to better understand how culture and environment shape our past and present.
   

5. Your Safety & Mental Health Matter (montclair.edu) — Students in Montclair have several immediate options for crisis help, including 988, campus counseling services, and University Police, plus clear instructions on how emergency alerts will reach your phone, inbox, and social feeds. Montclair State and Bloomfield College of Montclair also stress their tobacco- and drug-free policies and invite students to training and prevention programs to support mental health and campus safety.
   

📸 Around Montclair

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in Montclair

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

📣 Montclair Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

 

Thank you 👏👏👏 to these businesses for making Montclair PatchAM possible:

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Insomnia Cookies posted a job opening for Store Manager in Training (MIT) in Montclair. Apply here.
  • Michael Page posted a job opening for Quality Manager - Precision Component Manufacturing - NJ in Montclair. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Montclair here.

Ok Montclair! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: A jeweler sells watches and a jailer watches cells. (Thank you Jean D. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

👉 Help make Patch AM better

We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what's happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.

Share to NextDoor     Share to Facebook

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

More from Montclair