Fred Branch, authority of town’s history, dies at 93

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Frederick Branch, architectural model-maker, foremost Bloomfield historian, and life-member of the Historical Society of Bloomfield, died at his Forest Drive home Sunday, Nov. 4. He was 93. A graduate of Bloomfield High School, Class of 1943, Branch was born Aug. 26, 1925. He lived in Kearny until 1927 when his family moved to […]

District offers alternate redistricting plan for consideration

SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Acting Superintendent Thomas Ficarra updated the South Orange-Maplewood Board of Education on the long-range facilities and integration plan at its Oct. 15 meeting, presenting the plan for facilities renovations, additions and redistricting after talking to parents and community members during the summer months. The $93.1 million plan for capital […]

Residents vote to build a special needs playground

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The town’s voters didn’t just have the chance to choose their elected officials in the Nov. 6 election, they also had a say in how their tax dollars would be spent. In addition to a statewide public question on the ballot, West Orange voters had a town-specific public question: a non-binding […]

Berkeley School wins grant for theater program

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Berkeley Elementary School has been awarded a grant from Disney Theatrical Group, in participation with NJPAC, to build a sustainable musical-theater program. The grant will provide the school with licensing permission, and two NJPAC teaching artists for 17 weeks, to help produce a children’s version of “Aladdin” in the spring. The grant will […]

Parisi decisively wins mayoral election

WEST ORANGE, NJ — Incumbent Mayor Robert Parisi earned a decisive victory in the Nov. 6 election for mayor, garnering approximately two votes for each vote his opponent, Councilman Joe Krakoviak, received. Parisi will add four more years as mayor to the eight years he has already served. All results from the Nov. 6  election […]

Adams and Lembrich win sweeping victory for TC seats

MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The majority of Maplewood voters have again made clear that they want an all-Democratic Township Committee. Democratic incumbents Nancy Adams and Greg Lembrich won their seats back by a large margin, with Independent candidate Ileana Castillo in a distant third place. All results from the Nov. 6 election remain unofficial until certified […]

McCartney and Matute-Brown elected to Township Council

WEST ORANGE, NJ — With five candidates running for just two open seats on the West Orange Township Council, this election season was divisive and a true challenge for all candidates. On Nov. 6 though, West Orange voters chose who will represent them on the council for the next four years: Susan McCartney was re-elected […]