East Orange increases vaccination access and encourages indoor mask usage

East Orange increases vaccination access and encourages indoor mask usage

The COVID-19 delta variant has recently led to rising hospitalizations across the nation. Now, in preparation for the impact this will have on East Orange, the city’s Department of Health and Human Services has increased its efforts to get residents vaccinated and is now encouraging everyone — both vaccinated and unvaccinated individuals —to resume wearing […]

South Orange–Maplewood BOE attends second retreat to address operational dysfunction

South Orange–Maplewood BOE attends second retreat to address operational dysfunction

SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The South Orange–Maplewood Board of Education has held two board retreats in the last three weeks in an effort to find its footing after a tumultuous spring and summer that began with the resignation of member Kamaljit Kaur Zubieta in May because of what she called “cliquish behavior” on […]

Bloomfield budget to increase taxes by just 0.47 percent

Bloomfield budget to increase taxes by just 0.47 percent

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — The Bloomfield Township Council unanimously introduced the 2021 municipal budget at its July 26 meeting. The budget is a total of $95,652,790.32, with a tax increase of $19 per year for the average homeowner. This represents a tax increase of approximately 0.47 percent. “The biggest priority was to help the township residents […]

Fofana family and SOMA community grateful for arrest in case, continue to push for ‘Justice for Moussa’

Fofana family and SOMA community grateful for arrest in case, continue to push for ‘Justice for Moussa’

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office announced on Aug. 6 that a 20-year-old Newark man had been arrested and charged with the June 6 murder of Moussa Fofana, an 18-year-old Maplewood resident and Columbia High School junior. Yohan Hernandez was charged with murder, aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of […]

Kean U’s Scholar Academy accepts 22 East Orange high school students

Kean U’s Scholar Academy accepts 22 East Orange high school students

EAST ORANGE, NJ — Twenty-two current East Orange high school students have been accepted into the Kean University Scholar Academy, a dual-enrollment program that offers qualified students the opportunity to earn college credits while still attending high school. The first cohort began learning earlier this summer, when select students from throughout the state attended a […]

Belleville school officials celebrate federal ADA compliance

Belleville school officials celebrate federal ADA compliance

BELLEVILLE, NJ — For decades, the Belleville Public Schools had to regretfully mark “no” on the state Comprehensive Equity Plan where it asks if all school buildings comply with the federal American with Disabilities Act. That officially changed Aug. 2 as Superintendent of Schools Richard Tomko, Board of Education President Christine Lamparello, business administrator and […]