The Durand-Hedden House & Garden Association and The South Orange-Maplewood Community Coalition on Race recently celebrated Juneteenth at Grasmere Park. Activities included historical reenactors, learning about the history of enslaved people in New Jersey, musical performances, and African dancing. Children enjoyed face painting, crafts, storytelling, Nubian quilters, and an art exhibit featuring local Black artists. […]
It was anything but an uneventful ride for the Columbia High School Class of 2024. Their high school careers began amid the COVID-19 pandemic and included remote learning, a tropical storm that flooded the two towns and controversy involving both the school principal and district superintendent. It ended at Codey Arena on June 19 when […]
MAPLEWOOD — The South Mountain YMCA celebrated 25 years of the iconic Duck Race on Memorial Day, raising a net total of $31,784 for local children and families through duck sponsorships, ticket and T-shirt sales, prize and individual donations. The event began with participants in duck-themed attire marching in the town’s Memorial Day Parade before […]
MAPLEWOOD/SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Columbia High School’s Madison Stevens, Gianna Green, Zhamir Rowan and Jalele Williams gave fine efforts at the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s state track and field Meet of Champions on Wednesday, June 12, at Pennsauken. The four athletes were the lone qualifiers for CHS at the meet. Stevens, a senior, […]
Maplewood and South Orange are seeing an increase in dog bite cases. The Health Department shared by the two towns receives reports from local hospitals treating animal bite injuries and/or from the local police department. There were 36 reports of dog bites in 2023. So far this year, eight dog bites have been reported. In […]
Columbia High School Principal Frank Sanchez made a dramatic entrance into Codey Arena Wednesday night to be part of the commencement exercises for the Class of 2024. Sanchez was placed on leave earlier this year after he was charged with assault and endangering the welfare of a child in connection with an incident with a […]
Photos by Rocco Ungaro MAPLEWOOD — Memorial Park hosted the North Jersey Pride Festival on Sunday, June 9. The event was a free family-friendly day of celebration, music and community for LGBTQ and ally attendees. Live music was played throughout from a variety of acts and vendors were on hand selling jewelry, art, crafts, […]
An Essex County grand jury has reviewed and dismissed charges against Frank Sanchez, who was accused of assault and endangering a child while working as Columbia High School principal. Sanchez still faces a charge of simple assault, a disorderly persons offense, which will be addressed on a date to be scheduled. The simple assault charge […]
One was a renowned journalist and entrepreneur. The other is an acclaimed saxophonist, keyboardist, vocalist, composer, and producer. The late Ayesha K. Faines, Class of 2004, and Michael C. Ghegan, Class of 1986, were recently inducted into the Columbia High School Hall of Fame. Monica Soliman, CHS teacher of social studies, welcomed attendees to the […]
Bess Kalb is an Emmy Award-nominated writer for the “Jimmy Kimmel Live” television show and a journalist with The New Yorker magazine. She’s also the author of the best seller “Nobody Will Tell You This But Me: A True Story.” She recently was at Words Bookstore in Maplewood, reading from her new children’s book, “Buffalo […]