Cirilo to head Township Council as president in 2016

WEST ORANGE, NJ — Councilman Victor Cirilo is poised to begin his second nonconsecutive term as the West Orange Township Council president after being elected Dec. 15 at the final council meeting of 2015. Cirilo, who previously served in the position from 2012 into 2013, was granted another yearlong term by a 4-1 vote after being […]

Council passes Downtown Alliance budget for $207K

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The West Orange Township Council approved the proposed 2016 Downtown West Orange Alliance budget, which totaled $207,000, at its Dec. 15 meeting. Councilman Joe Krakoviak cast the sole vote against passing the budget, which is approximately $15,000 more than last year’s net operating budget of $192,000 despite the fact that the alliance […]

Questions abound about Laurel Avenue buildings

WEST ORANGE, NJ — A township resident is coming out against the West Orange Zoning Board’s Oct. 15 decision to approve an application to convert the single-family home at 23 Laurel Ave. into a Hindu house of worship and the house at 27 Laurel Ave. into a caretaker’s residence, citing ambiguities about the project and the […]

Post House construction to begin soon

Maplewood Planning Board approves site plans for former post office building on Maplewood Ave.

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The Maplewood Planning Board unanimously granted final approval to the controversial Post House development during its Dec. 8 meeting, thus ending an extended process that saw numerous revisions to the site plan, shows of both objection and support from residents, and a lawsuit. With its 9-0 vote, the board officially gave its permission […]

Leaving a legacy for young WO Filipinos

Through original operetta Velezes educate show’s audience and WO’s future college students

WEST ORANGE, NJ — If you attend a West Orange Township Council meeting, you are pretty much guaranteed never to see Council President Jerry Guarino swinging a sword around to drive home support for a resolution. And while Rodolfo Rodriguez may be one of the township’s deputy mayors, he certainly does not spend his days sitting […]

JCC MetroWest hopes to take bite out of food insecurity

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — With a photo exhibit on display at the JCC MetroWest through Dec. 21, the New Jersey Anti-Hunger Coalition, in conjunction with several other agencies working to end food insecurity, is putting a face to the state’s elderly and disabled population without the means to afford food this holiday season. “NJ Soul of […]

Girl Scouts give back to keep neighbors warm this winter

WEST ORANGE, NJ — Two West Orange Girl Scout troops collected a total of 180 coats, as of press time Dec. 8, for the 20th annual Jersey Cares Coat Drive, a program that will now distribute them to approximately 200 nonprofits throughout New Jersey. Coat-drive coordinator Clare Silvestri said troop 20016 from Mt. Pleasant Elementary School […]

Montrose School officially opens its doors

MAPLEWOOD/SOUTH ORANGE — The Montrose Early Childhood Center officially opened its doors with a ribbon cutting Dec. 4, roughly two years after the building was approved as a joint general-education and special-education school for the South Orange-Maplewood School District’s preschoolers. District officials joined school staff, parents and students to commemorate the school’s ceremonial launch, though classes […]

Students flourish in the arts thanks to recent district show

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The artistic talent of West Orange’s student body was on full display at the inaugural West Orange Council of PTAs Reflections Art Show held in the West Orange High School Library Media Center on Dec. 4. Many of the approximately 80 submissions to the local chapter of the nationally sponsored PTA Reflections […]

Dar Williams’ music serves as the voice of the times

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Writing is often thought of as a solitary occupation, but that has not been Dar Williams’ experience. Through the years the critically acclaimed singer-songwriter has collaborated with some of the music industry’s most respected names in writing and performing her work, from Joan Baez to Suzzy Roche to The Hooters. And while […]