Martinez-Brooks pleads guilty to wire fraud

NEWARK, NJ — According to published reports, Dianthe Martinez-Brooks, 42, of West Orange, the former aide to former Irvington Mayor Wayne Smith, pleaded guilty to one count of federal wire fraud on Monday, Jan. 29, before Judge Jose L. Linares in Newark. Martinez-Brooks, a Newark area political consultant also known as Dawn Martinez, admitted to […]

SOMA Film Fest to return for third year

SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The SOMA FilmFestival returns for its third season with an impressive slate of films that will both entertain and enlighten, according to a recent press release. The festival takes place Friday, March 16, through Sunday, March 18, and for the first year at The Woodland in downtown Maplewood with […]

Studying the Shabbos Queen with Chabad

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The Rosh Chodesh Society’s lesson for the month of Adar will be about the Shabbos Queen on Wednesday, Feb. 14, at 7:30 p.m. To register, contact Altie Kasowitz, co-director of Chabad of West Orange, at ​973-​8​18-2937 or [email protected]. Upon registration, participants will be given the lessons location, which is a private […]

Bloomfield HS bowling teams sweep ECT championships

BLOOMFiELD, NJ (updated Thursday Feb. 8, 9:37 a.m.) – The Bloomfield High School boys’ and girls’ bowling teams swept the Essex County Tournament boys’ and girls’ team championships on Monday, Feb. 5, at Brunswick Zone in Belleville. The boys’ team had a pin total of 2,817 among the 15 teams. Livingston was runner-up with a […]

West Orange HS girls’ hoop star Mya Bembry hits 1,000th point

By Cynthia Cumming Correspondent WEST ORANGE, NJ – West Orange High School junior Mya Bembry scored her 1,000 career point during a 61-36 girls’ basketball win over Teaneck at home on Jan. 30. Bembry scored 18 points and hit her 1,000th point in the third quarter. She also had 10 rebounds and five steals to […]

SOPD working to combat statewide increase in pedestrian fatalities

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Across New Jersey pedestrian fatalities were up in 2017 reaching their highest point in more than 24 years, according to state police statistics. Many authorities are concerned that distracted drivers and distracted pedestrians are combining to drive these incidents up. In response the South Orange Police Department has been addressing this […]

Green Hill goes red for women

WEST ORANGE, NJ — To draw attention to women’s heart health, Green Hill staff participated in Wear Red Day on Feb. 2. From left are Hope Richardson, Alison Ruchaevsky, Donna Lazartic, Richard Lai, Jackie Colao, Diane Lambert, Maggie Frank, Donna Drake, Tina Davis, Sharon South, Beth Schwartz and Dina Augustin.

Newark stabbing homicide investigated

NEWARK, NJ — The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force, which includes detectives from the Newark Police Department, is investigating a fatal stabbing. On Sunday, Jan. 28, at approximately 2 p.m. Ricardo Valla, 34, of Newark was stabbed. On Monday Jan. 29, he died from his injuries. He was pronounced dead at University […]

Four guns, three arrests, cash and drugs confiscated

NEWARK, NJ — Police seized four guns, including an assault weapon, during the execution of a series of search warrants on the evening of Friday, Feb. 2. Detectives of the Newark Police Division’s Narcotics Unit and officers from the New Jersey State Police Entry Unit executed search warrants at three locations on Mapes Avenue, following […]

Motor vehicle violation leads to arrest with loaded handgun

NEWARK, NJ — Joseph Bossie, 18, of East Orange, was arrested for possession of a loaded handgun on Wednesday, Jan. 31. At approximately 3:30 p.m., officers patrolling the area of 15th Avenue and South 18th Street observed a vehicle that had committed a motor vehicle violation. They conducted a motor vehicle stop. Officers observed that […]