SOMSD audit shows effective management

SOMSD audit shows effective management

SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The South Orange–Maplewood School District heard an audit report of the 2018-2019 school year at its Jan. 27 meeting, learning that all financial operations during the year were working effectively. The report was presented by Robert Morrison of the accounting firm Hodulik & Morrison, who has been working in […]

Assemblyman calls for cursive to be taught in school

BLOOMFIELD/GLEN RIDGE, NJ — A bill has been reintroduced in the state Legislature that would, if approved, require public school districts to teach cursive writing in elementary schools. Reintroduced in January, Assembly Bill No.1754 has three primary sponsors, including Assemblyman Ralph Caputo, D-District 28, who represents Bloomfield and Glen Ridge. “Students can’t even write their […]

PVP has stellar inaugural year at OSPAC

PVP has stellar inaugural year at OSPAC

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The staff members of Pleasant Valley Productions, a nonprofit theater company, were at the Township Council meeting on Feb. 4 to present the year-end report of the Oskar Schindler Performing Arts Center. PVP took over operations of OSPAC in May; Artistic Director Camille DiLorenzo and Executive Director Laura Naranjo gave the […]

Two towns receive $267,740 through CDBG program

Two towns receive $267,740 through CDBG program

MAPLEWOOD / SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Essex County recently announced that approximately $5.4 million will be distributed to 14 Essex County municipalities and 34 community organizations through the Community Development Block Grant program and the Emergency Solutions Grant program. Maplewood received $164,840 and South Orange received $102,900. The CDBG and ESG programs are funded through […]

Local elementary school celebrates the love of reading

Local elementary school celebrates the love of reading

IRVINGTON, NJ — Special guests flocked to Irvington’s Berkeley Terrace Elementary School on Friday, Feb. 7, to read to the students for the school’s “Celebrity Read” event. “Today, we had our ‘Celebrity Read,’” the school’s parent coordinator, Jennifer Parrish, told the Irvington Herald during the event on Feb. 7. “It’s in conjunction with American Heart […]

West Orange receives $345K through CDBG program

West Orange receives $345K through CDBG program

WEST ORANGE, NJ — Essex County recently announced that approximately $5.4 million will be distributed to 14 Essex County municipalities and 34 community organizations through the Community Development Block Grant program and the Emergency Solutions Grant program. The township of West Orange received a CDBG for $345,100. The CDBG and ESG programs are funded through […]

TC votes 3-2 to stay the course with recycling collector

TC votes 3-2 to stay the course with recycling collector

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The Maplewood Township Committee narrowly voted to award a contract to F. Basso Jr. Rubbish Removal to continue as the township’s recycling collector, despite Business Administrator Sonia Alves-Viveiros’ recommendation that the bid request be revised and released again. Two bids for the contract were received; one cost more than Maplewood had budgeted […]

Wingman Program builds inclusivity in schools

Wingman Program builds inclusivity in schools

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — An activity encouraging the social and emotional development of Bloomfield public school students was introduced last month and will conclude at the end of the school year. It is called the Wingman Program and was developed by the parent of a victim at the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooting in Newtown, Conn., […]

Fourth-graders explore what friendship really means

Fourth-graders explore what friendship really means

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — “Friendship” was the word during an assembly last week in the gymnasium at Fairview Elementary School, as fourth graders explained the qualities a person needs to be a friend. The attributes or ingredients were given in “friendship pie recipes,” and, from this, the audience learned that friendship requires many ingredients to turn […]