Town loses: Jury says developer gets $1.6M, not 440K

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — A Newark Superior Court jury verdict determined Wednesday, Dec 19, that the township must pay $1.6 million for a piece of land it had acquired through eminent domain. The town had argued that an appraisal it had commissioned said the land was worth $440,000, a figure it thought was a fair price. This […]

Orange BOE’s reorganization to also be swearing-in ceremony

ORANGE, NJ — Orange Board of Education’s reorganization meeting will be Monday, Jan. 7, at 7 p.m., at the Orange School District’s headquarters at 451 Lincoln Ave., according to Essex County clerk Chris Durkin and Orange Board of Education secretary and business administrator Adekunle James. This meeting will also serve as the official swearing-in ceremony […]

WOSD special ed. to see more changes

WEST ORANGE, NJ — Kristin Gogerty, the West Orange School District’s Director of Special Services, detailed updates to the district’s special services department at the West Orange Board of Education meeting on Dec. 11. The changes stem from the results of a special education audit presented in January; Gogerty and staff in the department have […]

Kent Place School announces new middle school director

SUMMIT, NJ — Kent Place School in Summit recently appointed Kooheli Chatterji, of Maplewood, as the school’s new middle school director, effective July 1. “I am genuinely honored and delighted to be joining the Kent Place School community,” Chatterji said. “During my time on campus and in conversations with students, teachers, parents and administrators, I […]

Residents gather for 7th Holiday Sing-Along

GLEN RIDGE, NJ — The Glen Ridge Congregational Church and the Women’s Club of Glen Ridge held its seventh annual Community Holiday Sing-Along, on Sunday evening, Dec. 23. According to Jill Simmons, a former WCGR president, the first sing-along took place December 2012, at Fitzgerald’s Sidecar. “It was created by the church as a community outreach […]

Zoning Board postpones Essex Green site plan vote

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The West Orange Zoning Board of Adjustment heard testimony about the revised site plan for the redevelopment of the Essex Green Shopping Center at its Dec. 20 meeting, but ultimately did not vote after deciding there would not be enough time to consider the plan at the meeting. Residents questioned the […]

Teen entrepreneurs see huge success supplying MAPSO

MAPLEWOOD / SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — What started as a freshman class project for three Columbia High School students to explore personal interests has expanded into MAPSOSupply, a curated selection of secondhand clothing and clothing with original designs promoting South Orange and Maplewood. MAPSOSupply is run by Thomas Dandino, Ethan Pidgeon and Adam Krakower, all […]

Fifth homicide of 2018 happens on Christmas Eve

IRVINGTON, NJ — The year ended on a dour note as, according to the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office, Irvington suffered its fifth homicide of 2018 on Monday, Dec. 24. “Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens and Irvington Public Safety Director Tracy Bowers announced that authorities are investigating an incident in which two males were […]