MAYOR'S UPDATE:
APRIL 14

As the spring season continues, there’s a lot to celebrate in Downtown Westfield! Over the past week, several new businesses announced their impending openings – including The Life by Alli and Paige (in the former Castle Bootery space on Elm), La Bendita Mexican restaurant (in the former LaVash space on Quimby), and of course the relocation and expansion of Mimi & Hill in the former NJ Workshop for the Arts space (which has moved from East Broad to a new and bigger location on Elmer Street). It’s an exciting time, and you can expect more announcements next week about new businesses, the return of expanded outdoor dining spaces, and Open Quimby, paving the way for a great spring and summer season for our local business community. 

As a reminder, all municipal offices and the Conservation Center will be closed on Friday in observance of Good Friday. Wishing all who celebrate a Happy Easter on Sunday, and Chag Sameach to our Jewish community observing Passover beginning Friday night.

POLICE DEPARTMENT UPDATES

PSE&G LAWSUIT

Earlier this week, Councilman Parmelee released a statement, in his role as Chair of the Code Review & Town Property Committee of the Town Council, regarding the lawsuit filed by PSE&G on April 8. The lawsuit disputes the basis of General Ordinance No. 2022-04, which was adopted by the Town Council on February 22 to provide standards and regulations for how our public rights-of-way are used by utility companies and telecommunications providers so that work can be better managed. The Town believes that G.O. No. 2022-04 protects our rights related to any future utility upgrades, including any proposed 69kV project, to ensure we can minimize any potential negative impacts to Westfield. You can read the full statement on our website.

EARTH MONTH 

As Earth Month continues, be sure to take advantage of the activities presented by the Westfield Green Team:

• Living Greener Student Art Contest
• Native Plant Sale in partnership with The Friends of Brightwood Park
• Live Greener Fair on April 24
• Free Market on April 30
• Parks Clean-Up on May 1

You can find all of the information about these events on our website. 

SPRING FLING

After a two-year hiatus due to the pandemic, the Greater Westfield Area Chamber of Commerce Spring Fling returns on May 1! Presented in partnership with OceanFirst Bank, this year’s event will be held on Central Avenue, between East Broad and North Avenue, and will include the parking lot across from the Post Office as well as a section of Lenox Avenue. As in years past, the event will have a variety of food and merchandise vendors, along with a Kids Zone and musical entertainment. For further information,visit www.gwaccnj.com.

WESTFIELD MEMORIAL LIBRARY LAUNCHES KANOPY

Anyone with a Westfield Memorial Library card can now enjoy 30,000+ free films from Kanopy, a new video streaming service. Kanopy offers high-quality video content to libraries around the globe that inspire, educate and entertain. Their unique selection offers something for everyone, from award winning indie films to important and timely documentaries, to foreign films, popular cinema, children’s shows and more.  

Many of Kanopy’s videos are not available on any other streaming video platform, and the experience is easy-to-use and completely advertisement free. Users can access Kanopy on their desktop or laptop computer, mobile device, TV streaming devices (like Apple TV, Chromecast, Roku), and more.

Westfield Memorial Library cardholders can view up to ten movies per month, and two of The Great Courses Series per month. Great Courses is a collection of lectures on a variety of topics such as literature, finance, and religion.

There are no limits on Kanopy Kids, the source for children's content, which includes Sesame Street, PBS, and story times. Kanopy Kids offer a carefully curated collection of children’s programming that supports early literacy, STEM education, and foreign language learning.

To get started, just download the Kanopy app or visit wmlnj.kanopy.com. 

SPEAK SOBRIETY COMMUNITY PRESENTATION

Please join the Westfield Municipal Alliance, Albert Anthony Kayal Foundation, and the Matthew Thomas Toriello Memorial Fund for a special parent program on April 20 at 7:00PM at Edison Intermediate School. The program features Stephen Hill, a renowned national speaker on substance use prevention.

Stephen is the founder of Speak Sobriety, a bestselling author, recovery coach, and a fierce attorney advocating for treatment over incarceration. He has presented in front of thousands of people for over 350 schools, drug-free community coalitions and alliances across the country, sharing his cautionary tale of addiction to recovery and beyond. The parent program is free and open to the public. 

POOL RENEWALS

Have you made Memorial Pool part of your summer plans yet? It’s hard to believe we are just seven weeks away from opening weekend, and our dedicated pool staff is hard at work to deliver another great season for our members. As a reminder, returning members have until May 6 to renew a secured spot for this summer; after this date, the membership will be on a first-come, first-served basis. If you’re new to Town, make sure to sign up to receive a membership packet, as there is currently no wait list. 

BLOOD DRIVE

Thanks to the Westfield Volunteer Rescue Squad for hosting the upcoming Gary Letizia Memorial Blood Drive on April 21, from 2:00 - 8:00PM at 355 Watterson Street. Appointments are strongly recommended, and can be made online.

SPOTTED LANTERNFLIES

With the spring weather unfortunately comes the return of the Spotted Lanternfly.  According to the NJ Department of Agriculture, this insect has the potential to greatly impact agricultural crops and hardwood trees, as it feeds on the plant sap of many different plants including grapevines, maples, black walnut, and other important plants in our state. While it does not harm humans or animals, it can be a signifcant nuisance, affecting the quality of life and enjoyment of the outdoors. 

Now is the time to identify and destroy Spotted Lanternfly egg masses, before they begin hatching in the coming weeks. Our DPW Downtown Division is actively working to identify and address any egg masses that they may find over the next few weeks as they set up the outdoor dining areas. This video provides some helpful details so that we can all do our part to help minimize the disruption of these invasive insects this summer.