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NEWTON — Surveillance video released Friday shows fire inside a plastic ashtray melting the container and setting a wooden deck area on fire at the Newton Moose Lodge 432 on Swartswood Road in Fredon July 15.

Sussex County Fire Marshal Virgil Rome said it is clear from the video that the fire began inside the plastic base of the ashtray, melted through and then spread along the wooden deck.

Another picture released by Rome and taken by one of the arriving fire units, shows the wooden deck and lattice on fire and the flames just getting into the eaves. The main building is concrete block, but there was fire damage to the roof and, of course, the deck.

Rome said the fire was reported by four different sources, all calling 9-1-1 at 3:04 a.m. One was a neighbor, two were passersby on Swartswood Road and the fourth was the building's automatic fire alarm.

The building, which is just over the border between Newton and Fredon, brought an immediate mutual aid response from Fredon, Stillwater and Hampton units with an immediate second alarm involving Newton, Andover Township and Green departments.

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Montague also dispatched their air truck, a unit which has equipment to fill air tanks used by firefighters.

In addition to the fire departments, EMS units from Fredon, Lakeland and Newton also responded.

Firefighters were able to stop the fire just as it was getting into the roof structure although the deck was destroyed. There was also smoke and water damage to the inside of the building.

Rome said the time stamp on the video is off by nearly two hours because the system's clock was not reset for Daylight Savings Time and there have been short power outages due to summer storms in recent months.

"But (the video) is clear as to the cause," he said. The ashtrays have a collection space at the bottom and a tube, often three feet long, through which cigarette butts can be put in the container.

The type of ashtray is often used at building entrances or, as was the case here, at an outdoor area where smoking is allowed.

"But people don't put out their cigarettes," he said. "And other people use them for trash, like candy wrappers, small pieces of paper."

The outdoor ashtrays come in metal and plastic models. But even the metal ones can catch fire inside under the right conditions and heat transmitted through the metal can ignite flammable material around the outside.

The video shows the plastic melting and burning as the burning and melting plastic spreads along the wooden deck. The video clip released is less than two minutes from the first visible glow to the stream of burning plastic and deck.

There were no injuries reported.

The lodge's annual Clam Bake has been moved to the Newton VFW post on Mill Street, at the intersection with Swartswood Road. The event will be held on Aug. 13 from 2-5 p.m.

The lodge will reopen to members on Tuesdays and Thursdays beginning Tuesday, under a tent in the parking lot with a limited menu. The county's Board of Health has approved the tents for summer and fall use according to the lodge's Facebook page.

(NEWTON, NJ) -- The Newton Theatre presents Spyro Gyra on Thursday, March 30, 2023 at 8:00pm. The multiple Grammy award-winning jazz fusion band has sold over ten million albums worldwide since the 70s. The Jazz giants have led the charge with their breakthrough Morning Dance album. They have had continued success with 29 studio albums, two live albums, and three compilation albums, marking their place in history as one of the world’s great jazz fusion bands.

Spyro Gyra has long been known to its peers in the contemporary jazz world as a “well oiled road machine” due to its relentless schedule of 48 years of performing. To date, they have logged more than 10,000 shows on six continents and released 35 albums, garnering platinum and gold records along the way. Spyro Gyra rose from humble beginnings in Buffalo, New York in 1974 to their current international prominence in the jazz world. Every year, they continue to exhibit how to remain among a relative handful of artists who will be able to say that they have worked constantly in their 50 year career in the year 2024. Their energy and joy in concert match their unmatched musicality.

As Spyro Gyra looks forward to the future, they show no sign of slowing down. Over the last 40-plus years, they have performed over five thousand shows, released thirty-one albums (not counting Best Of compilations) selling over ten million albums while also achieving one platinum and two gold albums. Although few acts have accomplished this type of success, they have done it by constantly challenging themselves as is evidenced by their last studio release The Rhinebeck Sessions which was written and recorded over three days in the studio.

Spyro Gyra is music whose core and desire was never for strictly commercial purposes. There was no calculated effort to sell millions of records, sell out concerts throughout the world, and inspire a whole new generation of musicians seeking an eclectic road of their own. When Beckenstein and Wall first started jamming back in Buffalo, they just did it because it was a blast, pure and simple. They made lyrical, jazzy music for a few folks at Jack Daniels, developed a high energy live gig, one thing led to another, and suddenly, instrumental music was never quite the same. The fun was suddenly not just theirs, but ours as well.

Tickets go on sale Friday, December 9, 2022 at 10:00am. The Newton Theatre is located at 234 Spring Street in Newton, New Jersey.

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NEWTON — The Mental Health Association of Essex and Morris branched into Sussex County with a new location two months ago. On Thursday, the agency invited the community to tour the facility and see the services it offers to those in need.

Dozens of healthcare professionals, patients and government officials attended the open house for the MHA Wellness Hub, a urgent care facility for local residents dealing with various mental health concerns. The space, located on Spring Street in the county Division of Social Services building, provides psychiatric evaluations, therapy and other support for adults experiencing mental illness.

Wellness Hub employees have met with more than 100 patients since opening on Aug. 19, said the facility's director, Michele Walsh. That included several who sought help during the open house. The influx suggests the glaring need for more mental health support in the region, she said.

"I think the problem that we're seeing very frequently is that there is a real lack of resources for mental health in Sussex County and the surrounding areas," Walsh said. "Our area in general is spread out. Everyone is needing mental health services even more now after COVID, and they're just not there."

One in five people deals with mental health issues and one in 25 has a psychotic disorder, said Bob Davison, the Mental Health Association's CEO. The association has the experience to help people recover and manage their ailments, he added.

"We don't have a magic wand. We can't necessarily cure mental illness or make all the difficulties go away," Davison said. "But we can work with them and make their lives better, and that's what it's all about."

The Hub features what Walsh called a "therapeutic living room," an open space with couches and a television for patients. There are three wellness rooms for therapy sessions and a conference room to hold group meetings, along with a cafeteria and staff offices.

MHA welcomes walk-ins and offers a variety of treatment options depending on the patient. Nadine Venezia, the association's chief operating officer, compared the Newton Hub to a medical urgent care facility, which might send someone with a broken bone to the hospital but can treat a cold or other minor ailments onsite.

Patients seeking professional help for the first time may have all the resources they need at the Hub. Others in need of more in-depth services can get preliminary treatment, if they are waiting for a hospital appointment, or be sent directly to the hospital.

"Our goal is to treat people in the least restrictive environment possible," Venezia said.

For subscribers:Sussex valedictorian can't speak, but her words inspire millions. Here's her story

MHA is still adding staff to the Hub, which is now open from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays along with occasional night and weekend sessions. Eventually, Walsh said, the goal is to be open every day from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.

MHA employees at the open house expressed optimism that the stigma surrounding mental health treatment is slowly fading, and that opening a new location in Sussex County will encourage a residents to seek help when they are struggling.

"The overarching goal ... is to make sure everyone feels comfortable accessing mental health services, and that doesn't matter what you're struggling with, who you are, what your job is," Walsh said. "We really want to make this a comfortable place that anyone can go and start the process."

For more information on the Wellness Hub, call 973-840-1850 or email [email protected]

Kyle Morel is a local reporter covering Morris and Sussex counties.

Email: [email protected]; Twitter: @KMorelNJH

Running the ball and playing strong defense has long been a trademark for teams that succeed in the postseason.

But for Newton, this isn’t a formula just for late-October and November.

It is what the program has preached since the start of offseason workouts. It has brought more than positive results, as few teams have been as effective on both sides of the ball like Newton has.

Thanks to its explosive run game and punishing defense, Newton is off to the sectional title game for the third time since 2017. The second-seeded Braves got out to an early lead and never looked back, as it took down third-seeded Glen Rock, 35-14, in the NJSIAA/Rothman Orthopaedics North 2, Group 2 semifinals at Palmer Field in Newton.

Newton’s Wing-T offense, spearheaded by running backs Thaylor Sibblies, Brayden Nolan, and Matt May, was remarkably efficient all night, much like it has throughout the season. By the end of the first half, Newton had amassed 250 yards on 21 carries, an eye-popping 11.9 yards per carry.

“That’s what we believe in and that’s our base philosophy,” Newton coach Matt Parzero said. “We want to wear teams down with a really grueling run game. They know what we’re going to do and we just want to execute better. It comes down to execution and that’s really what our guys did. We played really good defense, particularly in the first half. We finished the game off.”

That was a major reason why Newton built a commanding 28-0 lead going into halftime. Nolan scored on TD runs of 38 and 5 yards, Matt May had a 40-yard score, and Sibblies had a 15-yard TD in that first half. Sibblies also came up with an interception, and Dylan Cotter made a big stop on a 4th-and-1 to lead the Braves’ defense.

“It’s very crucial,” Sibblies said of his team’s quick start. “Like our coach says, he gives us a great pep talk, we want to start out quick because people can’t handle us sometimes. That just goes into practice with preparation and all that with Coach (Scott) Zymet and (Matt) Parzero. It’s all about execution.”

Demarius Posey added a 16-yard TD run in the third quarter to put Newton ahead 35-0. Glen Rock (8-2) had scores from Andrew Knight and James Stewart in the third and fourth quarters, respectively, but the deficit was too much to overcome.

It has been a dominant season for Newton (10-0), which has beaten opponents by an average of 29 points. Its two closest margins of victory included a 21-12 win over Hackettstown and a dramatic 33-29 win over a fellow Sussex County power in Sparta in the final week of the regular season.

The program is going through one of its longest periods of sustained success in its history, as it heads for the program’s third sectional title game since 2017. Going back to the COVID-shortened 2020 season, Newton has gone a combined 26-1 in the last three years.

That one loss was a 27-14 loss to eventual sectional champion Jefferson in last season’s semifinals, a loss which has motivated Newton since the night it walked off the field last November.

“It means nothing less than winning it at this point,” Sibblies said. “Last year left a bad taste in our mouth, and we knew we wanted it more (now). Everyone’s been saying that this is our revenge season. We’re going to give it all we’ve got.”

Now, it will look towards its biggest challenge of the season, when it travels to face top-seeded Caldwell, which defeated fourth-seeded Ramsey, 42-7 in the other North 2, Group 2 semifinal on Friday. Caldwell is the reigning North, Group 2 regional champion, and holds the state’s longest winning streak at 25 games.

“We’re going to give the people what they want, Sibblies said. “It’s going to be a fight. Caldwell’s good, we’re good, it’s going to be a dogfight no matter what. Nobody’s going to be left out. Both sides of the ball are going to need to be in it for four quarters.”

Sibblies added, “(It’s going to be about) mental preparation. The famous saying we have is bend, don’t break. You saw that today and you constantly see that in our games. It’s all about the mentality and who’s willing to keep going and going. We challenge each other in practice every day, we just knock each other off our butts and get mad at each other, but it just makes us work ten times harder and we love it.”

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Devotees of Agent 007, that suave, cinematic spy, may do a double take when they learn that the excellent food at Indian Masala in Newton is the work of chef/owner Jamesbond Paramanandan. The chef says his first name was chosen by the Church of South India priest who baptized him 38 years ago. Whereas 007 was famously licensed to kill, Paramanandan just might be licensed to thrill. One bite of his grilled paratha bread, hand tossed and fluffy, in the style of the southwestern coastal state of Kerala, and he had my full attention.

Indeed, all the breads—more central to an Indian meal and more varied than their American counterparts—are worth trying, including the crackly, peppery, $2 papadum and the $5 Peshwari naan of northern Kashmir, lusciously filled with a paste of ground almonds, cashews, coconut, raisins and dried cherries.

At Indian Masala, the chef says, “I’m cooking my mother’s and grandma’s village dishes. For them, every recipe has its very own masala”—the heady spice mixture toasted and ground daily from scratch. “Nothing premade, canned, jarred or frozen here. We keep busy in this kitchen.”

The passion is evident in the traditional, savory appetizer pastries called samosas. These triangles are amply stuffed with Keema—ground lamb, onion, tomato, and a harmonious masala of cumin, cardamom, cinnamon, turmeric, ginger, garlic and bay leaf. The toothsome vegetable samosa elevated my opinion of peas, carrots and mashed potatoes as bedfellows. Two deep-fried starters—Gobi Manchurian cauliflower and chili chicken—jogged fond memories of Hunanese sweet and sour.

Indian Masala occupies the high-ceilinged parlor floor of a 1920-vintage townhouse on Newton’s lively Spring Street. With just 30 seats and refined service, it feels more like an elegant bistro than a BYO with entrées hovering around $20. Paramanandan earned a degree in culinary arts and hotel management in India and cooked in his home state of Tamil Nadu, on the southeastern coast. Following “my dream to live and cook in the U.S., own my own restaurant, and be a big chef,” he arrived in Boston in 2013 to cook at a vegan restaurant, “where my Indian techniques and spices made the food a lot more interesting.”

After a year, he moved to New Jersey to open Manjal in Ridgewood with two partners, also chefs from Tamil Nadu. Last year, they opened Indian Masala in Newton. Why there? “I grew up on a farm, and I love being around country people,” he says. “And the fresh produce I need, I can buy from the local farmers.”

The art-filled dining room sets a tone matched by the polished service. Photo by Cayla Zahoran

Lamb entrées proved exceptional. Lamb Chettinad (named for the historic central region of Tamil Nadu) was at once pungent with fresh curry leaves and Indian black pepper, aromatic with fennel, tamarind and cloves, subtly sweet with coconut, and hot with roasted red chilies. The disparate elements played well together. Lamb rogan josh was a complex, compelling stew in fresh tomato paste, yogurt, Kashmiri red chili powder and its own masala spice mix.

For the main course, diners can choose a base of lamb, chicken, shrimp, salmon, vegetables or paneer cheese and pair it with one of more than a dozen sauces. These include peppery Chettinad, mild tikka masala, buttery makhana, creamy korma, and several types of curry, including fiery vindaloo and Thai-influenced green curry.

The tandoori medley. Photo by Cayla Zahoran

Fisherman curry, a compelling concatenation, presented succulent hunks of salmon in a deftly calibrated sauce of coconut, tamarind, curry leaves and red chilies. Shrimp mango curry kept its mélange of tropical tastes and textures discernible, yet harmonious.

Chicken tikka masala ennobled a marinated bird with tomato, cream and a masala of seductive seasonings. From the restaurant’s tandoor clay oven, made in India, come appealing chicken, lamb chops, shrimp, salmon and baked paneer cheese.

Lamb chops cooked in the traditional tandoor clay oven. Photo by Cayla Zahoran

Though fueled by gas instead of the traditional charcoal or wood (“due to safety regulations,” explains manager Nikhil Shete), the oven produced tender, crisp-skinned chicken, as well as toothsome lamb chops with a velvety char (request them medium rare).

The only entrée not to our entire table’s liking was the house biryani, the classic rice dish, here made in the bracing, chilie-spiced Hyderabad style. Though faultlessly slow-cooked, it lacked the gentle charm of the more commonly served Malabar biryani, gratifyingly endowed with cashews, raisins and cinnamon.

Indian Masala’s malai kulfi (ice cream) is a fragrant dessert worth trying. Photo by Cayla Zahoran

I’ve never lusted after Indian desserts, which tend toward hyper-sweet palate soothers. But Indian Masala’s malai kulfi won me over. It’s a dense ice cream made from boiled-down milk amplified with fragrant cardamom, pistachio, cashew, almond and rosewater.

“Mothers and grandmas all over India make malai kulfi for their families,” says Paramanandan. “It shows how much they love us, because the milk has to be hand stirred.” This dessert was so magical, I myself was stirred.

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