MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Maplewood Township Committee candidate Mike Summersgill believes his recent removal from the Maplewood Pool Advisory Committee directly relates to his run for office, a claim contradictory to the Township Committee’s stated reason. Prior to voting 4-0 for Summersgill’s removal from the pool committee at its May 2 meeting, the Township Committee stressed […]
WEST ORANGE, NJ — Several residents spoke out against West Orange Board of Education Vice President Irv Schwarzbaum during the board’s May 8 meeting after he voted against a policy that, in part, allows transgender students to use whichever bathroom or locker room corresponds to their gender identity. The policy in question, which was passed […]
ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — A national organization dedicated to forming bonds between Jewish and Muslim women is looking to start a few new chapters in Essex County. The Sisterhood of Salaam Shalom already has one local chapter, but co-founder Sheryl Olitzky said she wants to create two to four more in response to the demand […]
Friends, WOPL clear out lower level of library, help set the stage for meeting place, ESOL classes
WEST ORANGE, NJ — The West Orange Public Library unveiled its long-awaited lower level meeting space at its Friends organization’s first-year anniversary celebration April 30. For at least 20 years the area — 1,500 square feet — was used to store books, shelves and other material. But library Director David Cubie always planned to make […]
Town hall forum breaks into small, focused sessions
SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — At a second town hall meeting on equity and inclusion on May 3, roughly one month after community members stressed that the South Orange-Maplewood School District’s curriculum should be changed to prevent racially insensitive incidents from occurring, the district’s assistant superintendent of curriculum and instruction informed parents that teachers […]
WEST ORANGE, NJ — The West Orange Environmental Commission will soon start promoting an online marketplace in which residents can obtain free cost estimates on solar panels from approximately 450 different contractors. WOEC Chairman Mike Brick said his group will soon start working with EnergySage to create a website specifically for West Orange, which the […]
Schwarzbaum votes against budget in board minority
WEST ORANGE, NJ — The West Orange Board of Education voted 4-1 to approve the 2017-18 school year’s final budget, which uses all of the school district’s banked cap on top of raising taxes to the state-mandated 2-percent cap — making for a 4.09-percent overall increase. The final budget, which only Vice President Irv Schwarzbaum […]
Clarke, Hilton, Saeed and Schnall vie for three open seats on South Orange’s governing body
SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — South Orange residents are not lacking qualified candidates to choose from in the 2017 Board of Trustees election, which sees two incumbents and two challengers running for three open seats. Incumbent running mates Walter Clarke and Stephen Schnall are both coming off successful first terms on the board, respectively distinguishing themselves […]
West Orange TC commits to putting up $3 million for 40 affordable units at Harvard Press site
WEST ORANGE, NJ — The West Orange Township Council unanimously approved two resolutions endorsing amendments to the township’s affordable housing spending plan and Fair Share Housing Center plan at its April 25 meeting, allowing West Orange to put up $3 million toward subsidizing 40 affordable housing units in the 100-unit residential building that will be […]
WEST ORANGE, NJ — Most activists dedicate their lives to a particular cause. But longtime West Orange resident Ruth Bardach never was like most activists. Bardach — who died April 11, just a few weeks before her 97th birthday — never passed up an opportunity to fight for a cause in which she believed. Whether […]