KEARNY, NJ – West Orange residents Shavonn Stewart-Oliver and Rhakeem Oliver died from injuries sustained in a five-car accident on March 16 on the Newark-Jersey City Turnpike in Kearny at 7 a.m.
Their daughter Khameryn was airlifted to the hospital and is in a medically induced coma at Jersey City Medical Center.
According to officials, Rhakheem was pronounced dead at the accident site, and Shavonn passed away at the hospital a week later.
Shavonn’s brother, Jamaal Stewart, has set up a GoFundMe campaign to pay for Khameryn’s medical care and rehabilitation as well as her parents’ funeral, which is scheduled for April 6.
According to Jamaal, “We wish to provide a space for family, friends and colleagues to support the Stewart-Oliver Family as they start on this difficult journey of grief, strength, peace and ultimate healing with Khameryn.”
Shavonn was the assistant principal of School 6 in Passaic. Khameryn is a 17-year-old volleyball player at Paramus Catholic High School, and they were on the way to a volleyball tournament when the accident occurred. Khameryn is also a member of the indoor track team 55-meter relay team.
The crash is under investigation by the Kearny Police Department Traffic Unit and Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Regional Fatal Collision Unit.
Click HERE to help Khameryn.
]]>WEST ORANGE, NJ - The West Orange High School Wind Ensemble continued their award-winning ways, earning a Gold Rating in the North Jersey School Music Association/Region I Concert Band Festival held at Hanover Park Regional High School on March 19.
Under the direction of Lewis Kelly, the Wind Ensemble was also awarded Outstanding Woodwind Section, Outstanding Brass Section, and Outstanding Percussion Section. Winston McAbee, senior clarinet player, was awarded the outstanding soloist award.
The Wind Ensemble has again been chosen to represent Region I (North Jersey) in the New Jersey State Concert Band Gala Concert. This concert, to be held at The College of New Jersey on Sunday, April 28, will feature the top four scoring bands from each region of the state (North, Central, and South).
On March 20, the Ninth Grade Band, Concert Band, and Symphonic Winds traveled to Parsippany Hills High School. The Ninth Grade Band, under the direction of Mr. Joshua Zimmer, received a Gold rating, and the Concert Band and Symphonic Winds, both under the direction of Ms. Erin Lagatic, were both awarded Silver ratings, with Symphonic Winds winning the award for Outstanding Woodwind Section.
Information about the State Gala will be shared as available.
]]>WEST ORANGE, NJ – Members of the town council interviewed the Nishuane Group to plan and manage the Downtown redevelopment area project. During the March 26 town council meeting, Nishuane Group Principal and Managing Partner Michele Delisfort and Economic & Development Specialist Craig Sawyer spoke about the firm's qualifications.
Delisfort, a former resident of West Orange, shared, “We are a planning, consultancy and a project management firm located two miles away in Montclair, New Jersey. We have a bunch of planners with diverse backgrounds. Our firm is a minority woman-owned business.” She added, “We have been around for roughly 17 years now and have 15 members in our firm that's composed of licensed and certified planners, engineers, architects, all that have different specialties and different industries.”
She spoke of Urban Planning, consisting of transportation planning, land use planning, redevelopment planning, urban design and economic development. Delisfort noted that Nishuane has staff members with backgrounds in most of those areas.
“We understand the assets that the township has as well as some of the challenges that you face. We've worked with municipalities in Hudson, Essex, Union, Middlesex and Monmouth County.” Delisfort mentioned that municipalities have commonalities, but each needs a customized approach due to their differences.
According to Delisfort, the firm is LEED [Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design] certified, Project Management Professionals certified, certified in economic development financials and certified by the American Institute of Certified Planners.
Sawyer said, “I have extensive experience in developing underutilized assets. Real Estate Development was one of the areas that [I’ve spent] a lot of time on over my last 20 something years consulting on a variety of projects for retail, industrial and mixed-use development type projects.” He also stated that he has a lot of experience working with developers, financing, tax abatements, federal and state programs, Demand Driven Planning, Licensed Site Remediation Program and a relationship with the Economic Development Administration.
“I have been a consultant for the New Jersey Redevelopment Authority for over 15 years, where I have been responsible for development curriculum for training programs for electrical issues, board members, developers, nonprofits, for profits, developers, attorneys, planners and others on development professionals, all aspects of development, real estate development and project finance,” reported Sawyer.
He added that he’s served on several West Orange Boards, including Housing and Neighborhood Development Services in the valley, which works to revitalize the area. Sawyer concluded, “I know the assets that we have down in the valley that also could be highlighted, like Luna stage, which provides some of the best plays and training opportunities for young adults and kids when learning the arts.”
Town council members later voted to hire the Nishuane Group to manage the redevelopment. Council Member Sue Scarpa was the only dissenting vote because she said she felt the council should interview more than one
Regarding a full-time town planner, Council Member Asmeret Ghebremicael shared, "The best part of hiring or voting on a professional services contract is that we get to test them out for a year and if it doesn't work out, you have the opportunity to vote no next year. We can't do that with a full-time planner.", She continued to say that she had been an advocate for a full-time planner but learned that most municipalities use firms as a "one-stop shop." Council President Bill Rutherford agreed with her assessment, as did Council Members Michelle Casalino and Tammy Williams. Scarpa expressed that she feels the township needs a full-time planner.
]]>WEST ORANGE, NJ - The March 18 West Orange Board of Education meeting recognized this year's Governor's Award Education recipients, swore in Dr. Dia Bryant as the newest board member, honored West Orange High School alumna Sandy Guerrero as a national wrestling champion, saw a presentation by the ELA committee and reviewed the budget for the 2024-2025 school year.
The meeting opened with the swearing in of Dr. Dia Bryant as the board's newest member. Bryant replaced Jennifer Tunnicliffe, who resigned in January. A search for her replacement ensued and Dr. Bryant was selected from a field of qualified applicants. She will serve through December 2024, and can choose to run for her own term in November.
Superintendent Hayden Moore greeted the administrators, faculty, family and friends that had come to celebrate the recipients of the Governor's Awards in Education. According to the website:
"The Governor's Educator of the Year Program highlights educational innovation, student achievement, exemplary teaching and important services outside the classroom environment that lead to student success. This celebratory program recognizes our state’s best teachers and educational service professionals, who will be recognized at the Union County Office of Education.
Honorees are exceptionally skilled and dedicated licensed classroom teachers (PK to grade 12 in a public or charter school) where teaching is the primary responsibility, rather than administrative or supervisory responsibilities or educational services professionals (ESP) who are listed as one of the eligible enrollment areas. Among several eligibility criteria, they must also be experts in the field who inspire students of all backgrounds and abilities to learn; actively collaborate with colleagues, students and families to create a strong culture of respect and success; demonstrate leadership and innovation in educational activities and have the respect and admiration of students, parents and colleagues."
Principals from each West Orange school recognized their Educator of the Year and Educational Services Professional.
Following the educator presentations, West Orange Class of 2021 Sandy Guerrero was honored by Athletic Director Stephan Zichella and wrestling coach Jeff Mazurek for her historic achievement in becoming the national women's wrestling champion. Guerrero is the senior captain of the number nine ranked New Jersey City University (NJCU) Wrestling program and took the title at the National Collegiate Women's Wrestling Championship on March 9. Not only is Guerrero the first and only state wrestling champion at West Orange High School, she is the first national champion in women's wrestling at NJCU and the first in the history of New Jersey.
Eveny de Mendez, the Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, began to speak about the ELA committee's recommendations for the 2024-2025 school year. Their main considerations when creating the presentation were the revision of the curriculum in accordance with the state's October 4 guidelines; the proficiency of ELA standards in grades 3-5 and teacher feedback that pushed for a core curriculum.
Beatrice Hanratty, K-5 ELA supervisor, then introduced teachers who piloted Into Reading (Houghton Mifflin Harcourt) and myView (Savvas) programs and were able to share their experiences. Ultimately, the committee's final recommendation was that for the 2024-2025 school year, Into Reading should be implemented at the K-5 level. 20.2% of the staff recommended myView, compared with the 74.4% who recommended Into Reading because of its increased student engagement, valuable teacher resources and ease-of-use.
"Teachers were excited that this was a core program, that all the materials are in one place … all the pieces fit together seamlessly, which is great for teachers and therefore great for instruction. Teachers also love that the lessons are linked to the new standards," said Amanda Goldman, second grade teacher at Redwood.
The committee also recommended the replacement of the current Fundations (K-2 phonics program) with Structured Literacy based on teacher interviews. Felix Plata, supervisor of ESL and World Language, commended Structured Literacy's resources for multilingual students and attested that the program would be able to address the needs of varied groups.
The meeting concluded with Superintendent Hayden Moore reviewing the budget. Unexpectedly, the budget was cut almost 2%, or $700,000, from the 2023-2024 budget of $34 million. This would necessitate a need for 30-40 district-wide staff reductions due to the double factors of a higher cost of living and state budget cuts. Moore pointed out that West Orange is one of two districts to face budget cuts for the 2024-2025 school year, although in 2023-2024, it received $4,915,635 from the state (a 16.74 percent increase). This translates to a 2.77% tax increase for homeowners.
Moore stressed that this information was not meant to frighten listeners, but to "give us a chance to work it as best we possibly can."
SEE ALL THE PHOTOS FROM THE BOARD OF EDUCATION MEETING HERE.
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WEST ORANGE, NJ – Gavin Cohn’s younger brother, Jordan, won two gold metals at the 2024 Winter Special Olympics New Jersey (SONJ). While Jordan was skiing, Gavin was fundraising for the SONJ.
This year’s annual SONJ Snow Bowl tag football fundraiser was played on March 1 at MetLife Stadium. Gavin and his friends played on the “Jordan’s Avengers” team, and they were the second top fundraising team in the Snow Ball -- beating everyone but Luke’s Warriors. The Snow Bowl raised $398,616 of its $565,000 goal.
Gavin shared how he was able to secure $18,223 in donations, “It was a combination of initiatives through The MRCF (The Monica & Richard Cohn Foundation), which included Friendsgiving Fundraiser, Super Bowl Box Pools, Raffles, Super Bowl Party Fundraiser, direct donations from local businesses, friends and family, social media outreach, organic outreach and public support.” Also, his teammates on Jordan’s Avengers helped raise money.
“The Snow Bowl has now become an annual event I look forward to every year because it is a combination of my passions for playing flag football, helping others and making a difference all while having fun,” reported Gavin. He continued, “I am elated to be able to represent my brother and his accomplishments along with my parents and their boundless generosity and support. That’s why I named our Snow Ball team “Jordan’s Avengers” and my foundation’s name is the “Monica & Richard Cohn Foundation” (MRCF).”
He spoke about the team and foundation names being tributes to his family and meant to inspire others to know that even if they don’t know the family, “We are here to help in any way we can, so let’s work together to make a better future,” he said.
Gavin stated that his goal is to increase awareness of the Snow Bowl to include more individuals and families of those with special needs and to get more local businesses involved to share the Snow Bowl experience.
Gavin is a 27-year-old Project Manager who enjoys playing flag football and other pickup sports, entrepreneurial endeavors/side hustles, helping others and developing his foundation -- The MRCF. Click HERE for their Instagram.
Click HERE for additional information about the Snow Ball.
If you’d like to make a financial contribution to the Snow Ball, click HERE.
]]>WEST ORANGE, NJ -- The township committee meeting is Tuesday, March 26 at town hall and also on Zoom.
Some of the agenda topics include:
Click HERE for entire agenda.
]]>WEST ORANGE, NJ – Municipal Engineer Zayibeth Carballo announced recently, “The Township of West Orange is required by the State of New Jersey to inspect all storm water outfalls into creeks, river and lakes within the municipality.”
She explained that the inspections will ensure that the storm water system is operating properly. Chris Pirone of Mott MacDonald will be doing the field inspections and will just need to take a quick look at the outfalls.
If you have any questions, please call (973) 325-4160 or email the Engineering Department.
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WEST ORANGE, NJ -- West Orange High School Senior John Caplanis became an Eagle Scout, the highest rank in Scouts BSA, on March 8, 2024. He celebrated the occasion at the Eagle Court of Honor for Troop 2 at the West Orange Elks.
Caplanis joined the Scouts in 2017, ascending to Tenderfoot and then Second Class, First Class, Star and Life before becoming an Eagle Scout. A scout needs to earn 21 merit badges and complete Patrol Leadership and National Leadership Training to become an Eagle Scout. He chose to build shelters for the cats of West Orange’s Trap-Vaccinate-Neuter-Release (WOTVR) program for his Eagle Scout Project.
Caplanis shared, “The most challenging part was finding a personal, meaningful project that also met the requirements for Eagle Scouts. I reached out to organizations and people that I knew. My family has fostered feral kittens for West Orange Trap Neuter Vaccinate & Release for over six years and enjoys working with the President of WOTNVR, Judy Stier.” He continued, “The project consisted of planning and organizing people and necessary materials, and then building insulated winter shelters for the feral colonies in West Orange and beyond to help them through the winter weather.”
He mentioned that he will continue his active role in the community and in Scouts by remaining on the staff at National Youth Leadership Training (NYLT). Caplanis also described the positive impact that NYLT has had on him. “When I first went to NYLT, it helped me become a better leader and to have the confidence to be more outgoing.”
Other initiatives that he’s volunteered for are the West Orange Recreation Program and Stomp Out the Stigma, teaching local students with special needs how to play basketball. “It was a great time, and I want to participate in more events like this in the future,” reported Caplanis.
Caplanis’ advice for younger Scouts is, “Have fun and be open to new things and keep a positive attitude.”
He plans to study Business Analytics in college while still playing basketball and being a counselor at NYLT.
Butch Melhorn, Committee Chair of Troop 2 and a trustee of the West Orange Elks, said “We were honored to facilitate this event. In attendance were several Elks Officers as well as Exalted Ruler Cathy Lodge. Caplanis’ Troop 2 is sponsored by the Kelly School PTA.”
Attaining the rank of Eagle Scout takes years of work, and only 5% of all Scouts achieve it.
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Here's Mayor Susan McCartney's response to Town Council President Bill Rutherford's statement about the update on the mayor's lawsuit against the council:
Council President Rutherford’s statement and stance on this entire matter is unfortunate. My statement was completely accurate. The 32-page court decision goes through every legal argument which Mr. Rutherford raised and rejected them. It is time to move on and do the people’s business of legislating and working with the Mayor and Administration. I was duly elected Mayor and the Council unanimously approved Mr. Trenk at the January 10, 2024, Town Council meeting. The June Resolution put forward by Councilman Rutherford has no validity as a matter of law or fact.
See court order above.
]]>WEST ORANGE, NJ -- Town Council President Bill Rutherford released a statement about the lawsuit that Mayor Susan McCartney filed regarding a mayor's legal right to choose the township's attorney.
"For more than a year, our Township Attorney, Richard Trenk, has been utilizing his law firm (Trenk Isabel Siddiqi and Shahdanian - aka "Trenk firm") to do work for the Township of West Orange without a contract. That is in direct violation of the Faulkner Act, Local Public Contracts Law and the will of the Township Council as expressed through our vote. Consequently, the Township Council has been locked in a battle with the Mayor in an attempt to force the legal department to comply with the law," began the statement.
Rutherford continued to say that the battle culminated in the Mayor suing the Town Council last year. In that suit, the Mayor asked the Court to compel the Town Council to award the Township Attorney's private law firm a contract and render invalid a resolution that prevented his firm from being assigned work and/or getting paid for any legal work assigned to it. He said that the lawsuit is still pending, but the Mayor added to the agenda for next week's Council meeting (March 26) a resolution seeking to withdraw from the litigation after publicly claiming the Judge ruled in her favor. Rutherford said, "The judge has not [ruled in her favor] and detailed the history of the lawsuit:
"In March 2023, when the Trenk firm's contract came before the Town Council for renewal, it failed to pass. The first vote resulted in 2 yays, 2 nays and one abstention. At that point, the legal department stated that the Mayor could vote to break a tie." It turned out that legally, her vote was not supposed to be counted, and the contract was awarded because of her tie-breaking vote.
Rutherford stated that Richard Trenk has been the township attorney for over 25 years and McCartney, who's been a member of the town council for two decades "should have known that the Mayor cannot vote on Council matters, with very few exceptions." At the next meeting, the Council voted to rescind the resolution that awarded the Trenk firm a contract (5 yay, 0 nay). A vote on a new resolution to award his firm a contract failed to pass with 3 voting nay, 2 voting yay.
"At that point, in March 2023, Mr. Trenk should have begun transitioning all the cases his firm was working on to other law firms that had a contract to do legal work in West Orange. He did not. He had already been working without a contract since his last contract expired on December 31, 2022," reported Rutherford. He added, "Even by the most liberal reading of Local Public Contracts Law, he should have immediately stopped working on any cases his firm was handling for West Orange and begun a transition of the work to other firms that had a contract."
Rutherford said that the initial reason given for failing to transition the work was that Trenk was a "holdover" and other reasons were given, too. He noted that the Council began pulling his bills from the bill list to prevent the CFO from paying them. "That did not stop Mr. Trenk from assigning work to his firm (a conflict of interest) or continuing to work on existing cases," shared Rutherford.
He added that in May or June 2023, the township council was alerted that the Trenk firm may still have been receiving payment from the Township of West Orange. "That would have been in violation of the Faulkner Act which governs our town and gives authority to pay bills to the Township Council. At that point, resolution 233-23 was introduced and successfully passed, in an effort to stop the payments and assignment of cases to the Trenk firm," remarked Rutherford. The resolution passed with 3 yay and 2 nay votes."
He relayed that Trenk continued to do work for the Township through his law firm, which is separate from the work he does as Township Attorney (a salaried position). Rutherford reported, "As objections from the Township Council majority continued to mount, and residents continued to express their discontent, the Mayor initiated a lawsuit against the Council asking the Court to compel the Council to award the Trenk Firm a contract and invalidate Resolution 233-23." He added, "When the initial hearing took place (August or September 2023), and without any substantive evidence being presented, the presiding Judge, Judge Scoca, granted temporary relief to the Mayor." Rutherford explained that "relief" meant that all parties were to continue doing business as they had been before the lawsuit was filed until the case was resolved.
Rutherford shared that oral argument was heard in that case on December 6, 2023. Judge Scoca, at the end of oral argument, stated she would render her decision the first week of January 2024. He emphasized, "She has not yet rendered her decision. However, on March 19, she issued an update on the case, continuing the temporary relief she granted the Mayor last year at the initial hearing."
Regarding McCartney's statement on March 20, Rutherford maintained that the judge did not rule in favor of the mayor. He stated, "The Mayor has added to the agenda a resolution to withdraw from the pending litigation to our Council meeting next week." Rutherford called McCartney's statement "incomplete, inaccurate and misleading".
He concluded, "At the heart of this matter is a Township Attorney awarding his own firm legal work, without a contract and unjustly enriching himself, with taxpayer funds, in the approximate amount of $500,000 over the last 15 months with the full support and assistance of the Mayor."
]]>WEST ORANGE, NJ – Mayor Susan McCartney issued a letter reporting that the court ruled in her favor in her lawsuit against the town council to retain attorney Richard Trenk, who has served as township attorney since 1998.
In September, McCartney’s lawsuit brought charges against the council of trying to “usurp her authority” by voting against Township Attorney Trenk remaining in his position. The legal argument was that the Faulkner Act, which details a mayor’s executive powers in the town code and the optional municipal charter law, N.J.S.A. 40:69A-1, et seq, allows her to choose the attorney.
At the time, the council’s no support resolution to relieve Trenk of his duties would have left West Orange without a municipal attorney. Another Township Attorney, Ken Kayser, had temporarily filled the position before he retired. An associate attorney from Trenk’s firm, Trenk Isabel Siddiqi & Shahdanian P.C., Stephen Gengaro, has been attending town council meetings and providing legal assistance.
McCartney’s letter read, “I am pleased with the court’s decision vindicating the Mayor’s right to designate Richard Trenk as Township Attorney and permit him to continue to serve unimpeded.” She stated that she has full confidence in Trenk and concluded, “My hope is that we can work together with the Township Attorney and his office to ensure that the many critical, pending projects in Town can be reviewed, scrutinized and accomplished in a respectful, cooperative manner.”
In response, Town Council President Bill Rutherford stated, "West Orange should be appalled at this blatant attempt to politically spin an interim decision as somehow vindicating her legal challenge. Judge Scoca was clear when she stated her decision of March 19 would be in effect 'until further order of the Court or until resolution of the case.' She has not yet given her final ruling." He continued, "The resolution I introduced and successfully passed does not deal with his role as Township Attorney. She and Mr. Trenk both know it. They asked questions about it on the record multiple times. They raised the same questions during the oral argument of the trial. And at every turn our attorney or members of the Township Council have been clear; Mr. Trenk’s law firm cannot do business for the Township of West Orange without a contract. No one can. That’s what this is about. That’s what the judge will rule on. We eagerly await the final decision."
]]>WEST ORANGE, NJ – According to the Zoning Department meeting agenda, the developer of the Popeyes and Sonic drive-thru restaurants has withdrawn its application. Some residents, especially the environmental group Our Green West Orange, were concerned about motorists driving in and out – which is even more dangerous due to the location's proximity to the Rt. 280 exit. Residential neighbors were also worried about lighting, garbage and noise pollution seeping into their yards and homes.
Joyce Rudin of Our Green West Orange stated, “It is great news for West Orange residents that two fast food drive-thru's were withdrawn by the applicant after significant pressure organized by Our Green West Orange.” She added, “This would have created more danger, noise, pollution and congestion in a residential area where children are walking to schools. West Orange deserves better and would get better if the township hired a full-time planner.”
The fast food drive-thru topic has been discussed at several town council meetings, with some residents sharing that they preferred a regular restaurant to fast food.
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WEST ORANGE, NJ – The 2024 annual Earth Hour event, sponsored by the West Orange Environmental Commission (WOEC) and hosted by Thomas Edison National Historical Park (TENHP) on March 14, featured West Orange students and community members involved with environmental initiatives.
WOEC Chair Mike Brick served as emcee for the informational event, beginning with the importance of Earth Hour, to be held March 23.
“Earth Hour reminds us of how important our planet is,” said Brick.
“It helps to shed light on the environment and the initiatives to preserve it. Our planet is warming much too quickly, and we have to do something about it,” he stated.
TENHP Superintendent Tom Ross welcomed attendees and explained how committed the park, and the national parks, were committed to the environment.
“Here we are where electricity began,” noted Ross, “and the park service works to preserve not only the parks, but the planet for future generations.”
Mayor Susan McCartney expressed her appreciation for the partnership between TENHP, the Township and West Orange School District.
“Thank you to all who were able to attend and present initiatives, local activities and your innovative ideas at the Township's 15th Annual Earth Hour Launch at the Thomas Edison National Historical Park,” she stated.
“By joining this global event, we are raising conservation awareness by switching off our lights for 1 hour/60 minutes on Saturday, March 23, 2024, from 8:30 - 9:30 p.m., and inviting the public to join us in our local, environmentally friendly decisions.”
]]>WEST ORANGE, NJ – During the recent town council meeting, members discussed cannabis businesses. Council President Bill Rutherford reported, “The Planning Board has heard its first cultivator, and we're hoping to have cannabis businesses up and running very certainly this year.”
Two of the cannabis retailers that have been approved by the township haven’t communicated with the township in a while, and the council talked about revoking their letters of support. Township attorney, Stephen Gengaro, explained, “Even if we do the revocation of the two, I believe the two that we're all referring to are Kemistry and Peace of Mind.” He continued, “They’re two separate processes. In order to revoke them just because of where we're at with both. So for Kemistry, we gave them an opportunity to cure [complete] their application, but it's been several years. So with that one, you can do a resolution to revoke it.” He noted, "Revoking Peace of Mind would just be a separate resolution doing the same thing, but there's no requirement from what I'm told to get noticed.”
One of the attendees and speakers at the meeting was Jennifer Hardell, who’s trying to open a cultivating business called Blue Violet Grow, LLC. She has appeared at many town council meetings in an effort to move forward with her business. She always requests an update on when she can set up shop.
The township has a moratorium on cannabis businesses right now. Council members have considered ending the moratorium on cultivators because the public doesn’t patronize them, and they can be located away from business districts. Council Member Michelle Casalino warned that if the township opens a space, “Once we open it up, then you will have all this pressure of five more applicants coming to us, and we're going to expand and because it's a political year this year.” She added, “We need a mechanism in place because you have an apartment there with a lot of children living across the street from the playground right there on that corner. The delivery trucks have to go to the Park Avenue entrance, so it doesn't interfere.”
Williams pointed out, “The Planning Board will issue conditions, because this is a new industry that will regulate the odor, and it is within their purview and control. They can say if there is a complaint from a neighbor, and they can create whatever mechanisms they want. They can also implement something that says if there's a complaint that the entity has 30 days to remediate it.” She also suggested taking an inventory of space to ensure there’s space for more cultivators.
Council Member Casalino and Asmeret Ghebremicael spoke of the revenue that cannabis taxes would bring in.
Council members are holding a cannabis workshop to discuss ending the moratorium and welcoming new distributors and cultivators. There will be no public comment, but residents can watch the meeting.
]]>WEST ORANGE, NJ – During the recent town council meeting, members spoke about the new Senior Café and senior citizen programs. Council Member Sue Scarpa praised the Senior Services Program Director. “Laura Van Dyke has done a tremendous job with our Winter Cafe for the seniors. She is one of those people who juggle so many balls, and when we asked her to put this program together with us, I knew it was a little bit of extra work for her.”
Scarpa said that the senior citizens are very happy to gather at the Toby Katz Center, especially in the winter, because they go to the Ginny Duenkel Pool in the summer but need a cool weather destination. She reported that the Teen Techie Program, in which high school students teach senior citizens to operate computers and devices, will return this summer.
“Some of the programs that the nursing homes have put in place have been wonderful to watch. [They learn about] diseases and things that affect seniors," Scarpa also shared.
Council Member Tammy Williams commented, “I want to remind our seniors to come out to the Senior Café. The grassroots foundation, in combination with the Mountaineer Mentors and me, go on a monthly basis to do an intergenerational reading program with our seniors in conjunction with the Senior Services Department.”
Williams remarked that the students and senior citizens share stories and have great conversations. She also gave accolades to Scarpa, who she called “the biggest advocate for our seniors this year and since her election.” Williams mentioned that she and Scarpa visited the senior facilities before COVID and always tried to find something entertaining for them each month, like a dance or similar.
]]>WEST ORANGE, NJ -- In the heart of West Orange High School, two unsung heroes reign supreme: Gene Palatianos and Ashley Sivo. As National Athletic Training Month takes center stage, we shine the spotlight on these dynamic athletic trainers "From Head to Toe" whose passion and dedication fuel the spirit of the game.
With 26 years of experience in the trenches, Gene Palatianos embodies the essence of athletic training. From his roots at Kean University to the halls of West Orange High School, Gene's journey is one of relentless dedication and commitment. For Gene, the thrill lies not in the victories on the field, but in the triumphs of his athletes' recovery journeys. From the weight room to the sidelines, Gene's presence is felt — a beacon of strength and resilience for those in need.
Ashley Sivo is a force to be reckoned with in her own right. With nine years of experience under her belt, Ashley's journey from Seton Hall University to West Orange High School is a testament to her passion for the craft. For Ashley, the joy of athletic training lies in the moments of redemption -- when sidelined athletes rise from injury, their determination burning brighter than ever before.
In a playful homage to their craft, Gene and Ashley partnered with the West Orange High School Sports Media Association and took to social media to showcase the quirks and nuances of life as athletic trainers at West Orange High School. From the legendary "best ice" to the ever-present AED by their side, their Instagram escapade captures the essence of their profession — a delicate balance of professionalism and camaraderie, where every detail matters.
Click HERE to watch the video.
During National Athletic Training Month, let us raise an extra toast to Gene, Ashley, and all the unsung heroes who work tirelessly behind the scenes. Theirs is a world of grit and determination, where victory is measured not in touchdowns or goals, but in the resilience of the human spirit. So here's to you Gene and Ashley —the silent guardians of the game, whose dedication keeps our athletes safe, healthy, and ready to conquer the world, one game at a time.
]]>WEST ORANGE, NJ -- First ballot Grammy nominated R&B artist Carl Brister will release his debut country music single "Will Be Spring Again" on March 22, 2024. Inspired by Carl's own true story, "Will Be Spring Again" is a toe-tapping song of hope that can be sung every day of the year. Carl's, whose cover of Janet Jackson's "Let's Wait Awhile", achieved impressive reviews from fans and critics alike, will release his upbeat new single "Will Be Spring Again" along with an official music video directed by Fredy Mfuko, followed by a downloadable comic book in April and May during Stress & Mental Health Awareness Months.
Produced by Brister & Scott Packham, "Will Be Spring Again" also marks the professional debut of Carl's teenage son, Jordan "J-Maestro" Brister as co-writer and co-producer. Carl, who married his college sweetheart and has two teenage sons, shared, "We had a lot of fun, and it turned out to be a great father-son bonding experience."
In addition to his music, Carl is very active in his community through his own non-profit organization, Music Village, which provides Music and Arts Scholarships to young artists and hosts The Love+Unity Fest, an event he founded in 2016 in response to racial intolerance, hate crimes and other forms of divisiveness threatening the community.
Carl described The Love+Unity Fest, "It is a free, week-long, family-oriented event that was founded with the purpose of bringing the community together in love through music and the arts. It takes place from May 13 to May 18 throughout West Orange." The event is produced by Carl and Music Village in partnership with West Orange Public Schools. Now in its 9th year, The Love+Unity Fest has been honored with virtual and in-person appearances by NJ legends Dionne Warwick, Robert "Kool" Bell, Nat Adderly Jr., opera's Alison Bolshoi and more. Carl will perform "Will Be Spring Again" at The Love+Unity Fest along with songs from his upcoming album "The Journey To L.O.V.E." to be released later this year.
"Will Be Spring Again," the debut country single by Carl, arrives on all online and digital platforms everywhere on March 22, followed by the "Will Be Spring Again" downloadable comic book in April through May.
Click HERE for a Love+Unity video.
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