SOMA BOE labors against $515K deficit

BOE chops elementary Spanish, vows to ‘reimagine’ it

SOMA BOE labors against $515K deficit

SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The South Orange-Maplewood Board of Education approved the proposed preliminary budget for the 2017-18 school year, leaving a more than $500,000 shortfall for the school district to make up, despite the fact that taxes will increase by 3.56 percent and the banked cap from the 2014-15 school year will […]

Tax up $329 in BOE budget

GLEN RIDGE, NJ — A tentative budget for the school year 2017-2018 was discussed Monday by the Glen Ridge Board of Education. The budget will raise taxes $329.46 on the average-assessed home of $543,553. The tax levy is an increase of 2.54 percent over the 2016-2017 levy. State aid is $780,892, the same as the previous […]

Bike-storage facility to open in Center’s parking garage

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — The Bloomfield Parking Authority has scheduled a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Bloomfield Bike Depot for Friday, March 24, at 3:30 p.m. “It is a new facility that will offer local resident safe and secure storage for their bicycles right here in Bloomfield Center’s parking garage,” said Ollyn Lettman, the director of the […]

EO mayor introduces last budget, and with a tax decrease

EAST ORANGE, NJ — At the March 13 East Orange City Council meeting, Mayor Lester Taylor introduced his $140 million budget for Calendar Year 2017, which contained a tax decrease, Taylor’s first as mayor. According to administration officials, the last time the city had a budget introduced containing a tax decrease was 2006. Taylor said […]

Beekeeper to speak at GR library on colony collapse

GLEN RIDGE, NJ — A program on bee sustainability and beekeeping is scheduled for Tuesday, March 28, at the Glen Ridge Public Library, at 7 p.m. The talk was originally scheduled for the train station. The location was changed because the Glen Ridge School District referendum vote had to be postponed due to the snowstorm last […]

Essex Rising continues efforts to meet with Frelinghuysen

Essex Rising continues efforts to meet with Frelinghuysen

WEST ORANGE, NJ — Several members of the left-leaning political action group Essex Rising held a silent protest outside Liberty Middle School during U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen’s March 6 visit, calling on the Republican, who represents the state’s 11th District to hold an in-person town hall meeting with his constituents. West Orange partly falls into […]

Get ready for a crazy night with 10,000 Maniacs at SOPAC

Maniacs bring their special brand of sound to South Orange

Get ready for a crazy night with 10,000 Maniacs at SOPAC

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Popular alternative rock band 10,000 Maniacs will take the stage at the South Orange Performing Arts Center on Sunday, March 26, after celebrating 35 years in music last year. Such a milestone is a major achievement for any group, and the significance is certainly not lost on the Maniacs. After all, […]

Snowstorm left 8 inches but town said ‘no big deal’ B

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Spring and its unpredictable early weather arrived with warming temperatures Monday following a blizzard last week in the Greater New York area. Bloomfield came through the storm OK, according to Anthony Nesto, the director of Bloomfield Public Works and Parks. About 8 inches of snow dropped on Tuesday, March 14, in the local […]

GR Historical Society seeks restoration projects for the annual preservation awards

GLEN RIDGE, NJ — The Glen Ridge Historical Society is currently accepting nominations for consideration in its annual preservation awards program. This award recognizes excellence in the preservation and restoration of historic buildings and architectural features. In keeping with its commitment to promote an appreciation of the historic buildings of Glen Ridge, the Historical Society […]