County residents win costume contests at annual ‘Strut Your Mutt’

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. welcomed dog owners and their pets to the annual Essex County Strut Your Mutt Canine Costume Parades and Contests at Brookdale Dog Park Bloomfield/Montclair and at South Mountain Dog Park in Maplewood/Millburn on Saturday, Oct. 20, and Hilltop Dog Park in North Caldwell on Sunday, […]

SOMA Star Athlete: Ethan Pidgeon

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Ethan Pidgeon, of South Orange, is a senior at Columbia High School, where he plays center-back on the boys’ soccer team. A varsity team member since his freshman year at Columbia, he has also played for the soccer club Jersey United, a state-ranked team, for three years. This year, he is […]

Civic Band performs Sunday

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — The Bloomfield Civic Band will perform its fall concert Sunday, Oct. 28, at 3 p.m., at the Bloomfield Middle School. It will be under the direction of Frank Ortega. Although he will not be performing, Ortega is a tuba player. He is in his fourth year conducting the Bloomfield Civic Band. The theme […]

South Orange Rescue Squad answers the call

SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Since its inception in 1952, South Orange Rescue Squad has been serving families in South Orange and surrounding areas with competency and compassion. The squad is entirely volunteer-based, and its operations are funded solely by donations; no tax dollars are allocated for the squad’s efforts. In order to be a full […]

Rutzky resigns, BOE approves separation

WEST ORANGE, NJ — The West Orange Board of Education approved a separation agreement with Superintendent Jeffrey Rutzky at a special meeting Oct. 19, in which Rutzky agreed to voluntarily resign effective at midnight that evening. Complying with state law, Rutzky will be paid three months’ salary for each year remaining on his contract, which […]

Palagano coordinating town’s recycling program

BLOOMFIELD, NJ — Bloomfield Municipal Clerk Louise Palagano has assumed the role of recycling coordinator for the township. She is assuming the duties from Department of Public Works employee Joseph Testa. The change occurred in July and she will continue as the municipal clerk. In her Town Hall office recently, Palagano had a clear idea of […]