SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Four days after the South Orange–Maplewood School District presented its fall reopening plan, with three options to choose from as the COVID-19 pandemic continues to prevent the normal back-to-school fanfare September would usually bring, Gov. Phil Murphy signed an executive order allowing New Jersey school districts to begin the […]
BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Bloomfield firefighter Ken Hall returned home from his third tour of duty with the New Jersey National Guard in December, and a celebration was planned for him at Bella Napoli in March. But because of the COVID-19 pandemic, it was delayed until Aug. 6, when the restaurant could expand into its parking […]
WEST ORANGE, NJ — Following the presentation of the preliminary school reopening plan at a West Orange Board of Education meeting in July, Superintendent of Schools Scott Cascone and a panel of other school officials held a virtual town hall on Aug. 6, revisiting the plan and introducing changes. The plan that the BOE will […]
Vandals place anti-police signs on lawns of two Maplewood Township Committee members
MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The Maplewood Police Department is investigating signs expressing anti-police sentiments that were placed by trespassers on the front lawns of Maplewood Committeemen Greg Lembrich and Vic DeLuca on Aug. 5. The signs, which were painted over existing lawn signs, said “Abolish the auxiliary,” referencing the Maplewood Police Department Police Auxiliary; “Kroll has […]
GLEN RIDGE, NJ — Glen Ridge High School seniors finally got a graduation ceremony on July 24, as the Glen Ridge School District held an in-person event for the 129-member Class of 2020. Aside from attendees wearing masks and having to spread out to stay 6 feet apart on Hurrell Field, the ceremony was pretty […]
SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — The South Orange Board of Trustees passed two resolutions at a special meeting on Aug. 3, both memorandums of agreement with the local firefighters unions to enact a salary freeze through 2021 as a result of budget shortfalls caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Both FMBA Local 40 and FMBA Local […]
MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Maplewood’s parks remain open to the public, and the last two weeks have seen nine residents walking around them wearing green shirts and handing out face masks. They’re the social distancing ambassadors, who are part of a program Maplewood is testing out in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. “Not only do […]
WEST ORANGE, NJ — An Army soldier involved in a military vehicle crash in June 2019, killing Cadet Christopher “CJ” Morgan and injuring others, was sentenced to three years of confinement after being convicted of negligent homicide, The New York Times reported on July 21. Staff Sgt. Ladonies P. Strong was driving the truck that […]
GLEN RIDGE, NJ — Glen Ridge School District Superintendent Dirk Phillips presented the district’s reopening plan for September at the Board of Education’s July 27 meeting, a month after Gov. Phil Murphy announced that schools would resume in-person learning after being forced to move online because of the COVID-19 pandemic in March. Each school district […]
SOUTH ORANGE / BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Older Americans Month is usually in May, but Essex County took the liberty of delaying it until July, holding off on announcing the winners and honorable mention honorees of the Essex County Senior Citizen Legacies Writing Contest because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead of an in-person celebration, all eight […]