West Orange celebrate Hanukkah

West Orange celebrate Hanukkah

WEST ORANGE, NJ — West Orange Council President-elect Michelle Casalino welcomed Rabbi Mendy Kasowitz of Chabad of West Orange to Town Hall to lead the township’s Hanukkah menorah-lighting ceremony on Dec. 23, the second night of the holiday. Kasowitz’s holiday message called for unity and joy in celebrating the miracle of Hanukkah.

World premiere of ‘American Rookie’ at Luna Stage

World premiere of ‘American Rookie’ at Luna Stage

WEST ORANGE, NJ — Luna Stage will present the world premiere of “American Rookie,” written and performed by Dipti Bramhandkar and directed by Padraic Lillis, from Jan. 11 to 20. Part coming-of-age tale, part social commentary and part comedy, this one-woman show explores what it means to be an immigrant at a time when the […]

West Orange High School percussion band performs at Juilliard

West Orange High School percussion band performs at Juilliard

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The award-winning West Orange High School Percussion Ensemble had the incredible opportunity to perform at Juilliard School of Music on Dec. 14 during the Juilliard Pre-College Inaugural Percussion Ensemble Festival. The ensemble performs under the direction of Michael Denburg. In addition to West Orange, Mantra Youth Percussion, Percussion on the Sound, […]

Four new West Orange firefighters sworn in

Four new West Orange firefighters sworn in

WEST ORANGE, NJ — Pictured, from left, are new firefighters Anthony Williams, Matthew DeSacia, Fethnat Nishuileabhain and Anthony Torrisi, along with Capt. Abdur Yasin, Deputy Chief Steven Caponi, Fire Chief Anthony Vecchio and Mayor Robert Parisi. The new firefighters were officially sworn in by Parisi on Dec. 20 in front of a standing-room-only crowd. Each […]

Murphy administration awards tax credits to expand affordable housing

Murphy administration awards tax credits to expand affordable housing

TRENTON, NJ — Opening the door to more than 1,200 new apartments affordable for families, seniors and residents with special needs, the Murphy administration announced Dec. 23 that it has awarded more than $22 million in annual 9-percent federal Low Income Housing Tax Credits. The highly competitive tax credits are expected to generate $214.7 million […]

Liberty Middle School holds simulated climate summit

Liberty Middle School holds simulated climate summit

WEST ORANGE, NJ — Following the international Conference of Parties Climate Summit in Chile from Dec. 2 to 13, students at Liberty Middle School held a simulated summit of their own on Dec. 13. The COP25 summit, which grew out of the Paris Climate Agreement, is organized by the United Nations. According to a press […]

‘Dedication of Hands’ recharges DOI staff

‘Dedication of Hands’ recharges DOI staff

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The annual “Dedication of Hands” ceremony at Daughters of Israel, led by Rabbi Zvi Karpel, helps staff members recharge for the new year. The ceremony, which is available to all staff on various days throughout the end of December, is a two-part ritual consisting of rinsing the hands with water and […]

Holiday contest helps raise awareness about nature and the environment

Holiday contest helps raise awareness about nature and the environment

ROSELAND, NJ — Residents throughout the county brought stunning entries to the Essex County Environmental Center’s Annual Sustainable Homes and Habitats Gingerbread Contest, which was held Saturday, Dec. 21. All told, there were 35 entries in this year’s contest. “Our Sustainable Homes and Habitats Gingerbread Contest is a wonderful project that incorporates our mission to […]

Two major investigations into carjacking rings lead to 42 prison sentences

Two major investigations into carjacking rings lead to 42 prison sentences

TRENTON, NJ — On Dec. 13, Attorney Gen. Gurbir Grewal announced final results of “Operation Jacked” and “Operation 17 Corridor,” major investigations and prosecutions that targeted international carjacking and stolen car-trafficking rings. The operations led to arrests and charges against more than 50 ring members in 2014 and 2015, and recovery of approximately 250 stolen […]