BOT becomes health board, absorbs duties

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — The South Orange Board of Trustees members will soon take over as the Board of Health. The trustees voted March 14 to pass an ordinance on second and final reading that dissolved the board and allowed the BOT to absorb its responsibilities. The BOT voted 5-0 — Trustee Jeffrey DuBowy was […]

Two towns choose ASI for reassessment

SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Maplewood and South Orange will likely again use Appraisal Systems Inc. of Whippany for the upcoming joint property reassessment. Maplewood and South Orange will be conducting the joint reassessment — though Maplewood Mayor Vic DeLuca said at the March 1 Maplewood Township Committee meeting that South Orange will be […]

Maplewood may seek artwork to keep downtown beautiful during redevelopment project

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Between passing ordinances and resolutions at its Feb. 16 meeting, the Maplewood Township Committee discussed the post office site redevelopment and some possible initiatives that may come with it. Although the redevelopment project, which drew mixed conversation of both support and ire for years, is now under way, there is still more […]

V.C. Chickering takes a bite out of suburban boredom

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Sex sells. Maplewood author V.C. Chickering is taking full advantage of this with her debut novel “Nookietown,” which came out Tuesday, Feb. 23, through St. Martin’s Griffin. She will read from the book and sign copies at Words Bookstore, 179 Maplewood Ave. in Maplewood, on Saturday, Feb. 27, at 7:30 p.m. for […]

Knudsen heads out after 4 successful years in Maplewood

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Maplewood is preparing to bid a fond farewell to Recreation and Cultural Affairs Director Keith Knudsen, whose final day in the township will be Feb. 24. After that, Knudsen will be moving on to head the Roxbury Parks and Recreation Department. According to Joseph Manning, Maplewood’s business administrator, he and Knudsen were scheduled […]

Former West Orange Mayor Sam Spina dead at 86 years

WEST ORANGE, NJ — Samuel A. Spina, former five-term mayor of West Orange and former president of the N.J. Conference of Mayors, died Feb. 10 at age 86. The longest-serving West Orange mayor, he held the top township position from 1978 to 1998. Born in Orange, Spina was a lifelong resident of West Orange. He graduated […]