SOCO honors Smilow and Abramson, remembers MLK

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Residents of South Orange and Maplewood gathered at South Orange Middle School on Jan. 7 for the South Orange Civic Organization’s annual celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. and to give the Beloved Community Awards to two deserving residents. Featuring music, poetry and several speakers, the school’s theater was full despite […]

A Q&A on the ABCs of kindergarten

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The Parenting Center & the Elementary PTAs will hold a question-and-answer session about kindergarten in the South Orange and Maplewood community on Saturday, Jan. 27, from 10 to 11 a.m. at Seth Boyden Elementary School, 274 Boyden Ave. in Maplewood. A special “parent to parent” meeting to introduce families to Seth Boyden […]

Baker takes BOE presidency for 3rd year

MAPLEWOOD / SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — The South Orange-Maplewood Board of Education met for the first time in 2018 on Jan. 3, swearing in new board members Robin Johnson Baker and Anthony Mazzocchi and swearing in Elizabeth Baker for her second term. The reorganization meeting also resulted in the election of the year’s officers and […]

Local venues nominated for arts awards

BURLINGTON, NJ — The ArtPride New Jersey Foundation and New Jersey State Council on the Arts recently opened the polls for the 2018 JerseyArts.com People’s Choice Awards. Celebrating the extraordinary work of New Jersey’s vital, vibrant and diverse cultural community for 10 years, the contest invites arts lovers to lend their support for their favorite […]

HNA meeting to feature interim police chief

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The Hilton Neighborhood Association’s Thursday, Jan. 18, meeting at 7:30 p.m. in DeHart Community Center, 120 Burnett Ave. in Maplewood, will feature the town’s interim Police Chief Jimmy DeVaul. Meet DeVaul, bring your questions and present your concerns. Everyone is invited to attend this meeting, which will be opened by Mayor Vic […]

Muhammad inspires at local NAACP chapter event

EAST ORANGE, NJ — In a presentation drawing on the rich history of social justice movements in the United States, Harvard University professor Khalil Gibran Muhammad spoke at an event hosted by the Oranges and Maplewood unit of the NAACP at Elmwood United Presbyterian Church in East Orange on Jan. 7. A well-known speaker and […]

County outlines plan for 2018 deer culling program

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. recently outlined plans for the 2018 Essex County Deer Management Program in South Mountain Reservation and Hilltop Reservation. This is the 11th year of the program, which is geared toward revitalizing the forest ecology by reducing the number of deer. “Controlling the population by removing […]

Free health screenings in Maplewood

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The Maplewood Health Department will hold free health screenings throughout the year. Screenings will be held at Maplewood Town Hall, 574 Valley St. from 10 a.m. to noon on Thursdays, Jan. 11, Feb. 8, March 8, April 12, May 10, June 14, July 12, Aug. 9, Sept. 13, Oct. 11, Nov. 8 […]

Beth El to explore Israel and society

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Congregation Beth El has announced the next two events in its series of events commemorating Israel’s 70th anniversary. “The Fight for Religious Pluralism in Israel: Recognizing All Forms of Jewish Expression” will be Tuesday, Jan. 16, at 7:30 p.m. with Rabbi Arie Hasit. Hasit grew up in Cherry Hill and made […]