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a zine about one small town in essex county

the bloomfield beat

vol. 1 · issue four · may 2026 · still free, somehow

issue 4 printed on a friend's printer

letter from the editor

Last month a reader asked why I spend my evenings stapling pages together for a town of forty thousand people. I told her honestly: because somebody has to know who fixed the gazebo. That somebody might as well be me. maeve t., founder, sole employee, and only typist

I'm typing this on a kitchen table that has heard louder arguments than any newsroom I've ever worked in. The pothole on Belleville avenue still hasn't been filled. The pothole has been a beat for me since february. The pothole has, against all odds, become a personality.

Anyway. welcome to issue four. We're growing — fifty-two subscribers as of this morning, which is twelve more than last month and forty-eight more than I expected when I started this thing in january.

local government food history opinion gossip (allegedly)

in this issue

government

the pothole, an update

It is still there. The town council says april. The town council said march. The town council said february. I have started leaving small offerings beside it. A mint. A bottle cap. Last week, a single playing card.

— page 2

food

the pizza on glenwood is back

After eighteen months of "kitchen renovations" that everyone assumed was code for tax problems, Tony's reopened on a tuesday with no announcement. The slices are bigger. The cheese is the same. The cat is new but seems to know what it's doing.

— page 4

history

who was clarence j. clinton?

The man whose name is on the rec center plaque is not, as widely believed, a former mayor. He sold the township a parcel of land in 1953 for one dollar. The plaque went up by accident in 1971 and nobody took it down. We love him anyway.

— page 6

three notes from the desk

correction. Last issue I wrote that the new bagel place opens at 6 a.m. They open at 5:45 a.m. Frank emailed me about this twice. Frank, I hear you. The bagels are worth the early start.
reader spot. Big thanks to Alma G. for the photo of the heron at brookdale park last week. We do not have room to print the photo at print resolution but please trust me when I say it is a very dignified bird.
scolding (mild). If you keep emailing me asking why I haven't covered the school board, it is because nobody tells me when school board meetings are. They are not on the website. They are not on the bulletin. I am one woman with a stapler.
fun fact. The town's second-oldest tree is in someone's backyard on grove street. It is a sycamore. The owner has named it "Carl." Carl is, by the most generous interpretation, two hundred and forty years old.

letters to the beat

From R.K., Watsessing: I've lived in Bloomfield since 1978 and never once heard anyone call it "B-field." Please stop trying to make this happen. It will not happen.
From a regular at the diner: The corner booth at the Tic-Toc has a wobbly leg. Not a big deal. Just thought you should know. Somebody should know.
my reply. R.K., point taken, I will retire "B-field" effective immediately. To the diner regular: I went and confirmed. The booth wobbles. I have informed Cheryl. Cheryl said she has known for six years.

this week's calendar

whenwhatwhere
tue 7pmtown council, the long versionmunicipal building, room 2
wed 6pmbook club (we are reading piranesi)back of the library
fri 8amfarmers market opening daythe parking lot behind the bank
sat dawnannual cleanup of the second rivermeet at the green bridge
sun 4pmal's birthday party (al says you're invited)al's backyard, you know the one

support the beat

If you've made it this far and want to keep the staples flying, you can chip in five bucks a month at bloomfieldbeat.example/support. Or just tell a friend. Or write me a letter — paper letters are a treat.