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BLOOMFIELD, NJ – This past weekend an individual was bitten by a wild skunk in the area of Bloomfield and Glen Ridge, prompting a rapid and comprehensive response by the Township. The skunk was confirmed to have tested positive for rabies, highlighting the importance of swift action to safeguard public health and safety.

“Upon receiving reports of the skunk bite, the Bloomfield Health Department immediately coordinated efforts with local animal control authorities to ensure a prompt and effective response to this unfortunate incident,” said Bloomfield Mayor Venezia. “Please make sure that your pets are up-to-date with their rabies vaccines and if your pet is bitten, please make sure to contact your veterinarian immediately. We appreciate the cooperation and understanding of our residents as we work together to prevent potential health risks and maintain a safe community for all.”

Animal control officers were dispatched promptly to address the skunk encounter, ensuring the animal was contained and removed from the area to prevent further risks to the community. The individual who was bitten received immediate medical attention and treatment.

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The Township of Bloomfield is releasing material advising residents and visitors to be mindful of their surroundings when engaging in outdoor activities in the Bloomfield and Glen Ridge area, and encourages residents to remain vigilant by reporting any unusual animal behavior, bites, or encounters with potentially rabid animals to animal control authorities. Additionally, residents are reminded to ensure their pets are up-to-date on rabies vaccinations and to exercise caution when interacting with unfamiliar or wild animals.

Additionally, the Township is providing the following list of recommendations:

Do not touch, feed, or unintentionally attract wild animals with open garbage cans or litter.

Never adopt wild animals or bring them into your home. Do not try to nurse sick, wild animals to health. Call animal control or an animal rescue agency for assistance.

Teach children never to handle unfamiliar animals, wild or domestic, even if they appear friendly. "Love your own, leave other animals alone" is a good principle for children to learn to reduce the risk of exposure to rabid animals.

Maintain homes and other buildings, so bats cannot get inside.

If a bat is in your home, do not release the bat outdoors until after speaking with animal control or public health officials.

After consulting with animal control or public health officials, the bat may need to be captured for rabies testing to determine if you need preventive treatment.

Wash the wound thoroughly with soap and water and seek medical attention immediately. The local health department or the county animal control office also should be notified immediately. The animal should be captured without damaging its head and only if direct contact with the animal can be avoided.

If an apparently healthy domestic dog, cat or ferret bites a human, it must be captured, confined and professionally observed for 10 days following the bite. If the animal remains healthy during this period, it would not have transmitted rabies at the time of the bite. There is no reliable observation period established for non-domestic animals. If a person is bitten by a non-domestic animal and it is available for testing, testing should be done immediately. All animal bites should be reported to the local animal control office.

If an animal suspected of having rabies cannot be observed or tested, or if it tests positive for rabies, treatment of the individual with rabies immune globulin and the vaccine series must begin immediately. Vaccine injections are given in the arm.

People in high-risk occupations--for example, veterinarians, wildlife biologists, wildlife rehabilitators, animal control officers and taxidermists--should consider getting the rabies vaccine to protect themselves from exposures that could occur in their work. This type of vaccination (pre-exposure vaccination) consists of three rabies vaccine injections. These vaccinated persons should have their rabies titers tested every two years. If their titer falls below 1:5 they should receive a booster vaccination. A person already vaccinated and later exposed to rabies must receive two booster injections three days apart immediately after exposure.

If you are bitten, please make sure to contact the Bloomfield Health Department at (973) 680-4024, as well as your primary care provider/emergency care services. The Bloomfield Health Department and animal control are actively monitoring the surrounding areas daily for any unusual activity and remain in communication with the State of New Jersey Department of Health Division of Communicable Disease Services regarding the situation.

The bitten person received immediate medical attention and treatment after the encounter, Bloomfield officials said.

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — A skunk that bit a human near the border of Glen Ridge last week has tested positive for rabies, authorities reported Friday.

According to a statement from Bloomfield Township officials:

“This past weekend an individual was bitten by a wild skunk in the area of Bloomfield and Glen Ridge, prompting a rapid and comprehensive response by the township. The skunk was confirmed to have tested positive for rabies, highlighting the importance of swift action to safeguard public health and safety … Animal control officers were dispatched promptly to address the skunk encounter, ensuring the animal was contained and removed from the area to prevent further risks to the community.”

The bitten person received immediate medical attention and treatment after the encounter, officials said.

The exact location of the incident wasn’t noted in a statement from the township. However, Bloomfield isn’t the only Essex County township to report rabid skunk encounters; others have been seen in Montclair over the past years.

“Upon receiving reports of the skunk bite, the Bloomfield Health Department immediately coordinated efforts with local animal control authorities to ensure a prompt and effective response to this unfortunate incident,” Bloomfield Mayor Venezia said.

Find out what's happening in Bloomfieldwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

“Please make sure that your pets are up-to-date with their rabies vaccines and if your pet is bitten, please make sure to contact your veterinarian immediately,” Venezia continued. “We appreciate the cooperation and understanding of our residents as we work together to prevent potential health risks and maintain a safe community for all.”

The Bloomfield Health Department and animal control are actively monitoring the surrounding areas daily for any unusual activity and remain in communication with the State of New Jersey Department of Health Division of Communicable Disease Services regarding the situation.

Bloomfield officials said people can report unusual animal behavior, bites or encounters with potentially rabid animals to animal control authorities.

“If you are bitten, please make sure to contact the Bloomfield Health Department at (973) 680-4024, as well as your primary care provider/emergency care services,” officials said.

People should be careful when interacting with unfamiliar or wild animals, officials reminded local residents.

The township also provided the following safety recommendations:

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Volleyball on Wooden Court Floor Corner close up with light reflection 3D rendering with room for text or copy spacePhoto Credit: shutterstock/Praneat

By Mike Lamberti

PublishedSeptember 22, 2023 at 8:00 AM

Glen Ridge High has added a seventh varsity sport to its fall agenda, as the school introduces girls volleyball this fall.

Girls volleyball joins football, girls soccer, boys soccer, cross country, girls tennis and field hockey on the school's busy agenda.

Mike Tully, a highly successful middle school, high school, club and college coach, for 35 years, is Glen Ridge's first head coach.

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"We are having lots of fun," said Tully. "There’s a lot of pent up interest in the sport in Glen Ridge, and now it’s getting an outlet on the high school level."

Glen Ridge's captains this fall are seniors Maddie DeLuca, Allison Minion and Emily Minion.

"They are wonderful leaders, who have helped support the team values of teamwork, respect and improvement," said Tully. "We have four sets of twins in the gym."

Tully had a tremendous run as the girls volleyball coach at Montclair Kimberley Academy, for 13 years. There, he won 192 games as the program's head coach, from 2005-2017. The 2015 MKA squad also won an Essex County Tournament championship.

Tully was also a volleyball coach at Lacordaire Academy, in Montclair, for 11 years, as well as a softball coach there.

Coaching again on the high school level has provided Tully a good experience.

"Two of my grandkids go to Glen Ridge, so I thought perhaps I could help get the program off on good footing," said Tully. "I'm grateful to be there at such an historic time."

Through its first four games, Glen Ridge has put together a 3-1 record, with wins over Passaic Charter, in three sets, on Sept. 8, Paterson Arts, in straight sets, on Sept. 13 and Arts, in three sets, on Sept. 18. The team's loss came to South Plainfield.

The Ridgers are back in action, on Sept. 21, at Dickinson, starting at 4:15 p.m. On Sept. 27, the team is home to Irvington, at 4 p.m.

The 2023 varsity roster features Jorie Boyle (Middle), Catie Buntrock (Outside Hitter), Maia DeLuca (Defensive Specialist), Maddie DeLuca (Libero), Noa Hackmeyer (Opposite), Inari Krabbe (Outside Hitter),

Amelia Mikros (Outside Hitter), Chloe Mikros (Setter), Allison Minion (Outside Hitter), Emily Minion (Opposite), Sophia Ostermann (Middle), Ava Tahiliani (Setter), Nina Tahiliani (Outside Hitter) and Lisa Wan (Defensive Specialist).

In the program's debut, against Passaic Charter, Maddie DeLuca had 13 digs, Ava Tahiliani recorded 11 service points and two aces and Allison Minion had eight service points.

Versus Paterson Arts, Tahiliani had 10 service points and six aces. Tahiliani had 17 assists, 12 service points and four aces in the match against Arts High. Also doing well in the Arts match was Buntrock (8 digs, 8 service points) and Allison Minion (12 digs, 6 service points).

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of the Township of Bloomfield. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.

The Township of Bloomfield is coming together for a town-wide cleanup on Saturday, Oct. 21 from 8 a.m. to noon in collaboration with local schools, community groups and residents. This event is sponsored by the Bloomfield Beautification Committee.

Residents are encouraged to spread the word about the town-wide cleanup and to get involved by volunteering their time. Anyone interested in participating can sign up at https://tinyurl.com/cleanfall/. The deadline to sign up is Oct. 14.

“This incredibly popular town-wide event is a great opportunity to bring people together and create a real sense of community spirit,” Mayor Michael Venezia said. "I’m very excited to have my friends and neighbors join us as we help keep our township beautiful."

The Bloomfield Spring Town-wide Cleanup is a great opportunity for residents to take pride in their community and work together to make a difference. It is a chance to promote a clean and healthy environment by taking ownership of their own neighborhoods, parks and other public spaces.

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Organized by the Bloomfield Beautification Committee and with support from the Bloomfield Department of Public Works (DPW) and Division of Public Safety, the Town-wide Cleanup Day is a twice-yearly event that encourages residents to actively participate in the upkeep of their neighborhoods and think about the small ways they can make a difference year-round. Participants choose their own location and the Bloomfield DPW drops off and picks up supplies, including gloves, garbage pickers, bags, rakes, and shovels to be used for the event. Resident-designed t-shirts will be available but participants are encouraged to reuse t-shirts from previous clean-up events as well.

If residents are interested in joining the Bloomfield Beautification Committee, they should contact Councilwoman Jenny Mundell at [email protected] or the Bloomfield Beautification Committee at [email protected].

Residents may also report any quality of life issues they observe directly to the township as part of the new Clean & Strong Bloomfield program. To report an issue, visit the program website and complete the form at: https://www.bloomfieldtwpnj.com/1472/Report-an-issue.

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The Foley Field Foundation presented the Bloomfield Board of Education with an $80,000 donation for a new concession stand.

Patch Staff

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — The following news release comes courtesy of the Foley Field Foundation. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site.

The Foley Field Foundation (FFF) recently announced that an $80,000 donation has been made to the Bloomfield Township Board of Education to be used towards the new concession stand – or “snack shack” – at Foley Field. The donation was presented and accepted at the monthly Board meeting, held on September 12 at the School Administration Building.

The gift marks the culmination of an ambitious revitalization plan at Foley Field, which began in 2009 following a bond referendum, and has seen the facility transform into a state-of-the-art athletic complex for Bloomfield students and residents.

“On behalf of the FFF and through the generosity of our sponsors, it gives me great pleasure to present the Bloomfield Board of Education with this $80,000 donation towards the completion of the snack shack at Foley Field,” foundation president Anthony Todaro said. “Coupled with the nearly $50,000 already donated for preliminary site work and studies, the FFF has invested more than $125,000 in private donations for this building.”

In addition to the snack shack, the FFF has helped fundraise to repair and improve infrastructure throughout Foley Field over the past 14 years, including:

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“As the founding president of the FFF, it makes my heart proud to see us continue the historic cooperative and ongoing relationship between the township of Bloomfield, the Bloomfield Board of Education and the Foley Field Foundation,” president-emeritus Michael Napolitano said.

Following the unveiling of the new snack shack on September 26, several members of the FFF board will be stepping down, with Todaro and trustee Alan LaQuaglia retiring at the end of the month, and FFF treasurer Alfonso Crincoli retiring at the end of December.

In their place, three new trustees have been appointed to continue work with the remaining board members to further improve and enhance Foley Field in the years ahead. The new members are:

The FFF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, which collects donations and sponsorships to be approved and accepted by the Board of Education for the revitalization, maintenance and ongoing improvements at the Foley Field athletic complex.