MAPLEWOOD / IRVINGTON, NJ — According to an order of the United States District Court for the District of New Jersey, Jason McDougall has reached an amicable settlement with the township of Irvington over the July 5, 2016, incident following Maplewood’s Independence Day fireworks event, in which Maplewood police used excessive force on rowdy teenagers. […]
West Orange Town Council plans to draft resolution against expanding the zoo's footprint
ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — County residents continue to voice opposition to the Turtle Back Zoo amphitheater proposed by County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo Jr. earlier this summer, with several towns speaking out against the project. The Maplewood Township Committee passed a resolution at its Aug. 6 meeting asking the county to suspend expansion of the Aug. […]
Fire dept. personnel get fired up over current staffing plans for joint FD
MAPLEWOOD / SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — The Maplewood Township Committee approved at its Aug. 6 meeting a resolution that supports creating a joint meeting to merge the Maplewood and South Orange fire departments, allowing the towns to take another step forward in combining the two departments. The resolution passed unanimously; Deputy Mayor Frank McGehee was […]
Comedy club owner, au pair slain; police arrest Elizabeth man for killings
MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The SOMA community was stunned Saturday by the news of a double homicide. Just one day later, law enforcement arrested the alleged perpetrator, but the quiet Maplewood neighborhood where the attacks occurred is still shaken. Shortly after 6 a.m. on Saturday, Aug. 3, Maplewood police officers responded to the area of Walton […]
Two towns plan to have combined fire department ready to serve by Jan. 1
SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — South Orange Village President Sheena Collum shared an update about the planned merger for the South Orange and Maplewood fire departments at the July 22 Board of Trustees meeting, saying she hopes to have the merger completed by Jan. 1, 2020. According to Collum, the Maplewood Township Committee has […]
ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — The Essex County Board of Chosen Freeholders passed two resolutions at its July 10 meeting that approved the allocation of $600,000 from the Recreation and Open Space Trust Fund to determine the feasibility of building an amphitheater at the Turtle Back Zoo in West Orange. One resolution approved the money and […]
Collum discusses taxes, then introduces Murphy at South Orange firehouse
SOUTH ORANGE, NJ — Gov. Phil Murphy and Attorney Gen. Gurbir S. Grewal announced at a July 17 press conference at the South Orange Fire Department that New Jersey has filed a federal lawsuit against the Internal Revenue Service and the U.S. Treasury Department, in an attempt to protect state taxpayers from what the Murphy […]
MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Mayor Victor De Luca and the Township of Maplewood signed onto a friend-of-the-court brief in three key LGBTQ cases that will be heard at the U.S. Supreme Court next term. The brief includes nearly 100 mayors and municipalities around the country encouraging the Supreme Court to rule in support of LGBTQ nondiscrimination […]
SOUTH ORANGE / MAPLEWOOD, NJ — The South Orange-Maplewood Board of School Estimates approved the $158.9 million Long Range Facilities Plan at its July 10 meeting, allowing the district to bond for upgrades and additional space at nearly every public school in the two towns. The plan includes $82 million to build additional space to […]
MAPLEWOOD, NJ — Thousands of people descended on Memorial Park in Maplewood on Thursday, July 4, for the Maplewood Civic Association’s annual Independence Day festivities. The event included a car show, pet show, parade, magician, food-decorating contests, a stuntman, live music and, of course, a spectacular fireworks show. Photos by Amanda Valentovic