The rent plan in plain terms, GL volleyball's title run, a café opening Sunday, and a house to guess. | | No. 3
Nov 13, 2026
🌧 45° / 31° |
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|  Town Hall on Park Ave, where the Council heard a plan on Tuesday to cap rent increases. It looked like this in April; it won't this weekend. |  | Hi neighbors, |
The big news from Town Hall this week: the Council laid out a plan to cap rent increases in larger apartment buildings at 4% a year, or inflation if that's lower. If you rent, or own a building with four or more units, it's worth two minutes. It's the first story below. Also this week: GL volleyball played for a sectional title, the new mayor-elect shared her plans, and a café, bookstore and wine bar opens Sunday at The Park. There's also a house to guess: a big one, on two acres. Last week I asked how you're taking the dark evenings. Every single one of you who answered picked Hate it. Not one cozy vote. I hear you. One correction on Best of Berkeley Heights: votes now count through Dec 11, and I'll announce the winners in the Dec 18 issue (I'd said Dec 1 and Dec 4). More time to vote, and to tell your favorite place they're nominated. ✋ YOUR TURN — Paul |
| Four more weeks to pick the town's favorites Best of Berkeley Heights is the area's list of local favorites, picked only by neighbors' votes: 11 categories, from pizza, bagels and coffee to the mechanic you trust and whoever your dog is happiest to see. Vote in as many categories as you like, and write in a place that's missing. PizzaBagels and breakfastCoffee and treatsItalianSushi and AsianMexican and LatinDelis and sandwichesAuto repairHair, nails or spaVet and pet care Votes in by Dec 11 count for this year's winners. I'll announce them in the Dec 18 issue. 🏪 Know a nominee, or own one? Many nominated businesses still don't know they're on the ballot, and you can reach them faster than I can. Tell your favorite (there's a ready-made note for each one) or forward them this email. Own one? Claim it for your free nominee kit. Tell a nominee →Claim yours → |
The more neighbors vote, the better the list. Send the ballot to someone with opinions about pizza: Share the ballot → |
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| | Four stories from around town |
| Council A plan to cap rent increases at 4% a year The Council presented a draft rent stabilization ordinance on Tuesday, after rent increases of up to 10% this year at Woodcrest, the 55-and-over complex on Locust Ave. What it would do: in buildings with four or more rental units under one owner, rents could rise once a year by 4% or the change in inflation, whichever is lower, with added fees counting toward the cap. Between tenants, the rent could go up no more than 10%. Landlords would register every unit with the township, and one who doesn't follow the rules gets no increase at all. A new five-member rent board, with one landlord and one tenant, would hear hardship and capital-improvement requests. Public housing, nursing homes, assisted living, short-term rentals and affordable units still under their agreements are exempt; senior housing is not automatically. Mayor Devanney said it could be introduced in January and take effect around February. It's not retroactive. The agenda → TAPinto → | | Election The count firms up: Poage by 552, and a write-in wins a school board seat With all districts in, mayor-elect Susan Poage leads John Foster 3,389 to 2,837 (George deLuna has 359), and Bill Machado and Margaret Illis kept their Council seats. In her statement, Poage, a teacher at Woodruff, promised to be "a mayor for all residents" and to keep up the community outreach Mayor Devanney started; she takes office Jan. 1. On the Board of Education, write-in candidate Angela Halverson got 403 votes for the second open seat, alongside David Moore. The county certifies the results on Nov 16. County results → TAPinto: Poage → TAPinto: school board → | | Around town A Veterans Day farewell, and Berkeley Heights is now a Purple Heart town Wednesday's ceremony at Veterans Memorial Field was Mayor Angie Devanney's last as mayor, and the VFW presented her with a flag. Tom Lombardi noted that Berkeley Heights is now a Purple Heart community, with signs on every road into town. At 11am, the VFW laid a wreath and everyone stood in silence. Sunday's VetFest filled the municipal lot with classic cars, Jeeps and a parade of dressed-up dogs, and the money goes to VFW Post 6259. So does the Thanksgiving 5K, which the mayor said has already raised more than $7,000. Township → TAPinto → VetFest photos → | | Council Also on Tuesday's agenda: streams, trees and a safer walk to school The Council's agenda included a stream-cleaning contract of up to $169,000, tree removal for flood control, and an agreement to build a curb ramp and sidewalk on school property for the Snyder Ave Safe Routes project linking Woodruff and Hughes. Two ordinances were up for introduction, on affordable housing fees and on the township's tree rules, with public hearings set for Dec 1. If you want to speak on either, that's the night. The agenda → TAPinto → |
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| Sports GL volleyball hasn't dropped a set in the state tournament Volleyball 2, Burlington Township 0 (25–14, 25–17, 25–22) in the quarterfinal on Nov 5, then 2, Pinelands 0 (25–20, 25–19, 28–26) on the road against the No. 2 seed on Nov 7. Mya Joseph had nine kills in the semifinal and Sierra Isbirian 19 assists; the sixth-seeded Highlanders are 17–10. TAPinto → Mya Joseph is only the fourth player in GL history with 358 career kills, and fifth in career digs. Her coach credits her with the team's turnaround from a 5–7 start. TAPinto → Boys soccer: led Wall 2–0 at halftime but lost 3–2 in double overtime in the first round (Nov 4). TAPinto → The final: volleyball played top-seeded Ocean City for the South Jersey, Group 2 title on Nov 12. I'll have the result next week. Schedule → |
Know something I should cover? Send a tip → |
| | Worth leaving the house for | | | | |
| This weekend and next week |
| My pick Cafe Exchange opens with free coffee Sun, Nov 15 · 9am–1pm · District Drive, The Park As promised, the openings on District Drive: Bathhouse, the sauna and pool spa from Brooklyn, opened Nov 5 (daily 8am–11:30pm, by reservation), and Cafe Exchange is next. It's a coffee shop, bookstore and wine bar in one, with a book-swap room, a library of antique books and a small stage. The grand opening has live music, free coffee, tea and food, and giveaways. After that it's open 7am–7pm every day, with ONYX coffee and pastries in the morning and natural wines in the evening. A reader tipped me off weeks ago; thank you. TAPinto → Instagram → TAPinto: Bathhouse → |
| Pumpkin and squash night at the libraryJoy of Cookbooking: bring a pumpkin or squash dish (or just the recipe), talk about where it came from and taste everyone else's, 6:30pm in the Creative Space. Good timing for Thanksgiving ideas. Library → | | Read to a dogKids read aloud to Morrigan, a very patient listener, 3:30pm in the Children's Room. Bring a book from home or pick one there. Library → | | Skip cooking and help the libraryPanera at 977 Valley Rd in Gillette gives 25% of sales to the Friends of the Library, 4–8pm. Show the flyer at the counter, or use code FUND4U in the app or online. The flyer → | | A comedy where everything goes wrongOver in New Providence, the high school's drama department stages Play On!, about a community theater falling apart on opening night. Fri 7:30pm, Sat 2pm and 7:30pm in the NPHS auditorium; $10, $8 for students and seniors, cash or check at the door. Tickets → TAPinto → | | Clear out the garage before the holidaysThe township's DPW yard at 101 Berkeley Ave takes electronics, Styrofoam and appliances, 9am–noon; bring proof of residency. The same morning, Union County's last scrap-metal day of the year takes old bikes, grills, mowers and metal cabinets in Cranford and Rahway. Township → County → | | Make your own Thanksgiving centerpieceA local florist teaches a flower-arranging workshop, and you leave with a fall centerpiece, 6:30pm in the Highlander Room. Supplies are provided. Registration opens Mon, Nov 16, at 6:30pm, and these fill fast. Library → |
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Save the date: Thanksgiving morning The Gobble & Go 5K runs at The District at The Park on Thu, Nov 26, at 9am (check-in from 8am), with a turkey costume contest and a Thankfulness Wall. It's $35 now, and it all goes to VFW Post 6259. Register → TAPinto → Have an event coming up? Add it → |
| | Meet a neighbor: Laurie Holsten | | | | |
|  | Laurie Holsten grew up in Scotch Plains and moved to Berkeley Heights 41 years ago. All three of her sons went through the schools here, and all three now live with their families within three miles of her, along with her four grandchildren. Over the years she's been a Boy Scout leader, a PTA mom ("yes, it was called that back in the day"), and a volunteer with the Business & Civic association and the Mt. Carmel Society, where her business partner Vinny Cirincione is now president. These days she's a real estate agent with RE/MAX Achievers, and her favorite part is showing newcomers everything the town has to offer. |
Want to be in this spot? Introduce yourself → | | A 5-bed on Kuntz Ave tops the week at $1.499M Three closings posted since the last issue. The biggest: a 5-bedroom, 4.5-bath on Kuntz Ave at $1,499,000. A 1930 3-bedroom on Inwood Rd, on almost three-quarters of an acre, closed at $735,000, and a 2-bedroom on Helen Way at $530,000. | Street | Sold for | | Kuntz Ave, 5-bed · Nov 6 | $1,499,000 | | Inwood Rd, 3-bed · Nov 6 | $735,000 | | Helen Way, 2-bed · Nov 5 | $530,000 |
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Closings recorded Nov 5–6. Sales post with a lag, and I couldn't confirm the final list prices on these three. | A 5-bedroom on two acres on Park Ave. What's it listed for? A Park Ave house built in 2002, in the Mead Meadows area, with 5 bedrooms and 4.5 baths in about 4,700 square feet, on a lot of a little over two acres. That's a lot of yard for Berkeley Heights, where most houses sit on a quarter to half an acre. It hit the market last week. What's the asking price? Tap your guess. I'll share the answer next week, along with how close the town got. |
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| | Back to Penn Station on Monday, if testing goes well Amtrak's Portal North Bridge work is set to finish Sat, Nov 14, and NJ Transit expects regular weekday Midtown Direct service to Penn Station to resume Sun, Nov 15, pending safety testing. Until then, weekday trains still go to Hoboken, with tickets honored on PATH, the ferry to W. 39th St and the #126 bus. Check the app Monday morning before you leave. NJT → Weekend delays ahead On Nov 21 and 22, 7am–3:30pm, Morris & Essex trains may run up to 15 minutes late for drawbridge work in Newark, and NJ Transit warns of possible delays on select weekends through December. Advisory → |
| Thanksgiving is two weeks away. Where will you be? Tap one; I'll share how the town is spending it next week. Or just hit reply. ♥ |
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| | Weather & the fridge list | | | | |
| | ☀ | Nov 13: cold rain all day, near 45° and falling, with gusts to 24 mph. Overnight into Saturday: rain may turn to a little snow after 1am, low 31°; not much should stick. Saturday: a stray flake early, then partly sunny, 46°. Sunday: mostly sunny, 49°. Monday and Tuesday: sunny, low 50s, with nights below freezing. Bring in the hoses and cover anything tender. NWS → |
| ☐ | Leaf pickup: Section 3 wraps up Nov 13, Section 4 runs Nov 16–20 and Section 5 starts Nov 23. Paper bags only, at the curb before your week. Which section am I? | | ☐ | Hamilton Ave closed west of Roosevelt Ave on Sat, Nov 21, 7am–4pm, for fire department hose testing, as planned on the Council agenda. Agenda | | ☐ | Every home sold in the last 12 months, street by street, with the asking price next to each sale. See the list | | ☐ | Board of Health: Thu, Nov 19, 7:30pm on Zoom. Calendar | | ☐ | Vote in Best of Berkeley Heights by Dec 11. Ballot |
| This newsletter gets better with your help. Here's what I'm looking for this week: ❄️ | First snow photo. If flakes show up this weekend, send me your best shot of town in white, and I'll run my favorite. Send a photo → | 👋 | Introduce yourself. Every week I'd like to introduce one person from town, like Laurie this week. New in town or a 40-year resident, tell me about you. Say hi → | 📢 | Your holiday event. Tree lighting, craft fair, toy drive, school concert? Send it in and I'll list it. Add an event → |
☑ All the ways to pitch in, and what you've already done → |
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| That's it for this week. Stay dry, get a free coffee Sunday, and if you have a minute, vote in Best of Berkeley Heights. You have until Dec 11. See you next week. — Paul P.S. If you rent in town and have a view on the rent plan, hit reply. I'd like to hear how it would land for you. Share The Heights Weekly with a neighbor | The Heights Weekly is an independent newsletter for Berkeley Heights and Murray Hill, NJ, and isn't affiliated with the township. Every item links to its source. A lot of the news here comes from the reporters at TAPinto Berkeley Heights; please support them. See a mistake? Reply and I'll correct it on the web version. Town Hall photo from Wikimedia Commons by Mr. Matté (CC BY-SA 4.0). Meet a neighbor photo: Laurie Holsten. View in browser · Update preferences · Unsubscribe
The Heights Weekly, 118 Lawrence Dr, Berkeley Heights, NJ 07922 |
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