Two towns’ girls learning to stand up and speak out

MAPLEWOOD/SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — One local group of 7- to 10-year-old girls from Maplewood and South Orange proves the value of girl power each day through lessons learned from Stand Up Girls, an organization that empowers its young participants to stand up for both themselves and others. Entering its third season in February, Stand Up Girls, […]

South Orange’s Well No. 17 continues to raise health concerns

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Recently, there has been talk about the presence of perfluorinated chemicals, or PFCs, and one specific PFC, perfluorooctanoic acid, or PFOA, in public and private water systems in New Jersey and around the country. South Orange’s Meadowbrook Well tests showed that it has a PFC level above the guidance level, according […]

U.N. ambassador speaks to Obama’s policies at SHU event

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power defended President Barack Obama’s foreign policy during a speech at Seton Hall University on Jan. 13, telling a packed auditorium that the United States’ willingness to form coalitions with other countries, engage with hostile states and practice its values of openness is what makes […]

Two towns celebrate Dr. King’s legacy

Community Coalition on Race sponsors interfaith service of diversity, equality, respect, integration

MAPLEWOOD/SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Equality and integration is hard work, but luckily South Orange and Maplewood have the Community Coalition on Race to light the way. On Jan. 18, the CCR sponsored the 15th annual celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and his message of equality, tolerance and freedom. The event, held at Congregation Beth […]

Donaldson tapped to spread YMCA Togetherhood program

MAPLEWOOD/SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — When the YMCA of the USA launched “Togetherhood,” its social responsibility initiative, in 2014, longtime South Mountain YMCA employee Tommy Donaldson led the effort at the Maplewood-based branch. The South Mountain Y was one of only 50 out of more than 2,700 YMCAs nationwide chosen to pilot the program, according to […]

Baker unanimously chosen to be new BOE president

MAPLEWOOD/SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — The South Orange-Maplewood Board of Education saw some big changes at its first meeting of 2016. Not only were new board members Annemarie Maini and Chris Sabin sworn in at the Jan. 4 meeting, but Elizabeth Baker was unanimously chosen as the board’s new president. Baker, who is in the second year […]

SHU student loses eyesight, gains sense of charity

MAPLEWOOD/SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Like most teenage guys who are into cars, Joseph Sehwani hoped to one day drive his very own dream car — in his case, a Nissan GT-R. He longed to hear the purr of the vehicle’s 3.8-liter twin-turbo V6 engine, to see the sun glint off the hood’s sleek chrome as he […]

‘Portrait of Ray’ brought to SOMS this MLK weekend

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — This Martin Luther King Jr. weekend, South Orange Middle School in partnership with the Vanguard Theater Company will host a community event celebrating the life of pioneering musician Ray Charles with the musical production “A Portrait of Ray,” which will feature Broadway star and South Orange resident Dwayne Clark. Clark currently stars […]

CHS students display their art like pros

MAPLEWOOD/SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — The artistic endeavors of students from Columbia High School and five additional local high schools, are currently featured in an innovative display in 1978 Maplewood Arts Center’s eighth annual Advanced Placement studio art exhibit, “Fresh 8.0,” which runs through Jan. 10. In addition to the CHS students, the exhibit also features the […]