Despite fluctuating temperatures, spring is starting to bloom as the MLB season has kicked off and March Madness is coming to a close. It’s been another busy week in Essex County, and we’ve got all the news to keep you up to date. Among the highlights: New Jersey bridges are under watch after a federal report releases on the Key Bridge Collapse in Baltimore; the Montclair Library gets its $5 million repair budget approved; and Montclair State will continue its lacrosse programs as NCAA sports. Read on for all the news in Essex County for the week ending March 30th, 2025.

Have a news story or press release? Email it to [email protected].

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Among the Headlines (read on for full stories):

• West Caldwell Swimming Pool Membership Discounts Available Until April 25
• Montclair State University Appoints New Director of John J. Cali School of Music
• Flight Attendants Rally in Newark to Demand More Pay + Benefits
• Teens Gearing Up to Vote in Upcoming Newark BOE Elections
• Historical Society of Bloomfield Highlights Bloomfield Fire Department
• Skip to My Brew Opens on Valley Road in Montclair
• Montclair State to Continue Lacrosse Programs as NCAA Sports
• Montclair Library Gets $5M Repair Budget Approved
• Ceiling Collapse Leads KoKoRo to Temporarily Close
• Penguin from Turtle Back Zoo Enters International Contest

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West Caldwell Swimming Pool Membership Discounts Available Until 4/25

Pool registration in West Caldwell for the 2025 season began at the beginning of the month, and the early registration discount ends on Friday, April 25th. According to TAPinto West Essex, the pools will open weekends only on Saturday, May 24th, and will be open on Memorial Day, May 27th. The pools will open daily beginning on Saturday, June 21st until Labor Day (September 1st). Hours of operation during weekends, Memorial Day, July 4th, and Labor Day are 10AM-7PM and weekdays are 11:30AM-8PM; the pool will close at 7:30PM beginning August 14th.

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Montclair Bulldogs Cheer Team Earns Grand Champion Honors

On Sunday, March 2nd, the Montclair Bulldogs cheer team placed first in their division out of three teams in their division/level and earned the Grand Champion title for their session as they competed at the ImpACT Cheer and Dance Competition in Lincroft, New Jersey. The Montclair Bulldogs Junior Pee Wee cheer team made history in February, claiming its first national crown among top Pop Warner teams from around America, per Montclair Local. The team is led by Head Coach Jasmine Atuncar and Assistant Coach Heather Kufta

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NJ Bridges Under Watch After Federal Report on Key Bridge
Collapse in Baltimore

The National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) is recommending that the owners of nearly 70 bridges across the United States, including 15 in New York and New Jersey, conduct vulnerability assessments of the risk of collapse from a vessel collision. This comes nearly a year after the devastating collapse of the Francis Scott Key Bridge in Maryland after a container ship struck one of its piers, which an assessment could have prevented. The Commodore Barry and Vincent R. Casciano (Newark Bay) bridges are among the New Jersey bridges on the list, per ABC7NY. The NTSB says that the newly-released report does not imply that the 68 bridges are certain to collapse, but they advise the bridge owners to develop and implement a “comprehensive risk reduction plan” if it’s determined that a bridge has a risk level above the AASHTO (American Association of State Highway and Transportation Officials) threshold.

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Rep. Mikie Sherrill Gets Essex Democratic Committee’s Nod for Governor

 

On Saturday, March 22nd, U.S. Rep. Mikie Sherrill, D-Montclair, beat out her competitors by wide margins in securing the Essex County Democratic Committee’s endorsement for governor. Rep. Sherrill secured 438 votes to Newark Mayor Ras Baraka’s 236 votes and former Montclair Mayor Sean Spiller’s 24 votes, per the Essex County Democratic Committee. Steve Sweeney, a former state Senate president, secured seven votes.

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Leaked Documents Show Pattern of Past-Due Bills in Montclair Schools

Essex Regional Educational Services Commission (ERESC) Executive Director Anthony Vauss recently called former Montclair Mayor Sean Spiller, seeking his help in reaching the township public school district over millions in overdue bills. In November 2023, ERESC sought nearly $5.5 million from the township’s public schools, according to an email exchange that was leaked to Montclair Local. ERESC Business Administrator Craig Smith reported that the school district’s outstanding balance totaled about $5.799 million as of Friday, March 14th. This includes a current amount owed of about $1.175 million and a past-due balance of approximately $4.624 million.

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March 31st Designated Maplewood’s ‘Transgender Day of Visibility’

On Tuesday, March 18th, Maplewood proclaimed that March 31st will now be Transgender Day of Visibility in the township. A family-friendly rally for all will be held on Monday, March 31st, at Maplewood Town Hall on Gerry Ryan Plaza in support of the new day of recognition. According to TAPinto SOMA, Shannon Cuttle has served as the first Vice President of the South Orange- Maplewood Board of Education and is the first openly known trans, non-binary elected official in New Jersey.

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Montclair Issues Rare ‘Section 8’ Vouchers While Many Remain on Wait List

 

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Montclair State University Appoints New Director of John J. Cali School of Music

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Montclair State University (MSU) announced last week the appointment of Shea Scruggs as the new director of the John J. Cali School of Music, effective July 1st, 2025. Shea brings a dynamic background in music education and institutional leadership and program development to the Cali School, being a highly accomplished arts administrator, educator, and former professional oboist. He joins MSU from the prestigious Curtis Institute of Music, where he served as Chief Enrollment Officer and Director of Institutional Research and Musician Experience.

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ShopRite + Partners Donate $10K to Support Newark School Sports

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Teens Gearing Up to Vote in Upcoming Newark BOE Elections

Sixteen and 17-year-olds are registered to vote for the Board of Education candidates in the Newark School District for the first time. According to News12 New Jersey, recent voting law changes in the city are now allowing students to vote in April’s elections. While the registration deadline passed on Tuesday, March 25th, the election will be held on Tuesday, April 15th.

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Flight Attendants Rally in Newark to Demand More Pay + Benefits

 

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Historical Society of Bloomfield Highlights Bloomfield Fire Dept.

On Tuesday, March 25th, the Historical Society of Bloomfield revealed its latest event presentation — a journey through the history of the Bloomfield Fire Department, from its founding in 1883 to the present day. The presentation was hosted by James Gardner and featured stories of famous fires, remarkable firefighters, and the tale of the “Felix the Stone Fireman” statue, including his origins and James’s family connection to his story, per the Society’s website. James is a local historian and the host of Your History Your Story, a podcast he’s been producing with his wife, Kelly, since October 2020.

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Montclair History Center to Host Rosedale Cemetery Walking Tour

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Car Stolen at Montclair Gas Station + Stolen Vehicle Recovered

On Tuesday, March 25th, Montclair Police officers on patrol encountered a 2023 Bentley Bentayga that was parked and unoccupied on Ward Place. A check of the vehicle’s registration revealed it was stolen out of Greenberg, New York, before it was towed to Montclair police headquarters so it could be processed by Greenberg police. Meanwhile, a car owner parked his running 2015 Acura MDX in front of the Exxon gas station on Bloomfield Avenue when a tall male wearing a gray hooded sweatshirt and blue navy pants got out of a white Audi sedan and entered his Acura. According to Patch Montclair, the two vehicles were last seen traveling together eastbound on the main street and into East Orange.

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Skip to My Brew Opens on Valley Road in Montclair

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The newest cafe to enter Montclair’s coffee scene, Skip to My Brew, opened at 145 Valley Road, in the former Mystic Lobster Roll Co. space, and has been serving coffee enthusiasts all kinds of drinks and pastries since its soft opening on Sunday, March 9th. The new business held its official opening on Tuesday, March 18th. Click here for more.

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Essex Fells Native Pleads Guilty to 100 MPH Fatal Car Crash

It was announced on Monday, March 24th, that a North Jersey man pleaded guilty in connection with a 100 mph car crash that killed a 70-year-old. Alexander Eiden of Essex Fells was charged with one count of vehicular manslaughter in the death of Christine Perrella on January 9th, 2023, in Roseland, per NJ.com. Police reported that he was driving 103 mph in a 50 mph zone when he slammed into another vehicle, which was being driven by Christine. No passengers were in either vehicle, but the 70-year-old female was rushed to a local hospital before being pronounced dead. Alexander, 23 years old at the time of the crash, was also issued traffic citations for reckless driving.

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Montclair State to Continue Lacrosse Programs as NCAA Sports

 

 

 

 

 

 

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It was announced on Tuesday, March 26th, that Montclair State University (MSU) — in partnership with men’s and women’s lacrosse alumni, supporters, and student-athletes — will maintain its lacrosse programs as NCAA sports. The programs were slated to be transitioned to club status as part of a realigned slate of athletics and recreation offerings set to take effect in the fall of 2025; however,  funds raised by supporters secured the financial sustainability to build a strong foundation for the future. The University has assured that this reinstatement will not impact any additional aspects of MSU’s realigned athletics and recreation programs.

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Montclair Library Gets $5M Repair Budget Approved

On Tuesday, March 25th, the Montclair Township Council approved $5 million to fund the town’s library building repairs. According to Montclair Local, leaky windows and a failing HVAC system, along with water infiltration at the Bellevue Avenue Branch, are just some of the repairs needed. Of the funds, $4.76 million will come from bond anticipation notes (a form of borrowing), while $240,000 will be sourced from the capital improvement fund, per the proposal. The community is majorly in support of this venture.

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Ceiling Collapse Leads KoKoRo to Temporarily Close

KoKoRo — a long-time specialty gift store in Maplewood Village — has announced it will be closed for the foreseeable future following the collapse of an interior ceiling on Saturday, March 22nd. No one was injured, but the repairs “will take some time,” per The Village Green of Maplewood + South Orange. KoKoRo owner Susan Onuma said she would update customers “as soon as [we] have more information.”

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Penguin from Turtle Back Zoo Enters International Contest

 

 

 

 

 

 

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One of the penguins at Turtle Back Zoo is still in the running for the international contest, “March of the Penguins Madness.” The bracket-style contest has led Zilla, an African Penguin, to the fourth round of voting. Penguin lovers and Turtle Back Zoo supporters alike can vote for their favorite penguin on Facebook, Instagram, and the contest website.

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Essex College Student Becomes Semifinalist for Competitive Scholarship

The Jack Kent Cooke Foundation recently announced that Michael Ogbinaka of Essex County College is one of the 467 semifinalists for its highly competitive Cooke Undergraduate Transfer Scholarship. The award can provide as much as $55,000 per year for two to three years to complete a bachelor’s degree at any accredited four-year undergraduate institution in the country. According to Patch Newark, this scholarship aims to help community college students who have demonstrated exceptional academic ability, leadership, and service transfer to top four-year institutions and avoid student debt.

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Case of Montclair Teacher Accused of School Threat to be Heard by Grand Jury

It was announced on Thursday, March 27th, that an Essex County grand jury will hear the case of a suspended Montclair teacher accused of threatening to kill an elementary school principal. Officers 45-year-old Amir Doctry on January 12th and charged him with making “terroristic threats” that caused the district to close all schools for one day. Amir is currently detained in the Essex County Correctional Facility in Newark, according to jail records. Per Montclair Local, the prosecutor’s office did not have an estimate of when the grand jury would issue its decision.

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New Vision for Livingston Mall Property Develops with Local Input

Recently, town officials in Livingston announced that they were seeking input from residents as they try to create a “community-led vision” of what the property of the Livingston Mall will look like for the next 50 years. After an online survey, a week-long “visioning process,” and a Framework Pin-Up session, a Conceptual Vision Plan (a roadmap used to guide the next steps in the development process) was made up. During Open Design Studio sessions in Town Hall, community members had the opportunity to stop by the studio where Topology’s Community Visioning Team was working; there, they were able to view the project’s progress, ask questions, and share input with Topology’s team members, per Patch Livingston. The next step currently consists of Topology creating a concept plan that will serve as the basis for a formal redevelopment plan and be shared with the Livingston Township Council upon completion.

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West Orange Restaurant Week Returns This Week

West Orange Restaurant Week is returning today, March 30th, through Sunday, April 6th. Participating eateries include 460 Bistro, The New West Orange Diner, OKO Fine Cuisine, and more. According to a press release, each participating location will offer menus and specials dedicated to the event if customers mention Restaurant Week. A full list of participating businesses can be found here.

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Montclair State Students Nominated by Television Academy for 44th College Television Awards National Competition

PHOTO CREDIT: Television Academy Foundation

Sixteen students from Montclair State University have recently been nominated for the Television Academy Foundation’s 44^th College Television Awards. They have been nominated in the ‘News’ category for their project titled Arizona Stories: Border, Water and Politics, which was selected from over 200 entries from universities nationwide. The Foundation’s annual awards show recognizes and rewards excellence in student-produced programs from colleges across America, per a press release from the Television Academy Foundation. Winners in the competition will be announced at a red-carpet awards ceremony on Saturday, April 12th, at the Television Academy in North Hollywood, California. 

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pastaRAMEN Heading to Resorts World Las Vegas for a One-Month Pop-Up Experience in May

PHOTO CREDIT: Peter Bonacci

pastaRAMEN, the innovative Wafu-Italian dining concept from James Beard-nominated Executive Chef Robbie Felice and Montclair Hospitality Group, is traveling to Resorts World Las Vegas for a highly anticipated one-month pop-up in May, powered by HexClad. Beginning Tuesday, May 15th, the exclusive experience will be hosted at Bar Zazu with an all-new menu including exclusive sake offerings from HEAVENSAKE – the groundbreaking Franco-Japanese sake brand crafted in collaboration with renowned Chef de Cave Regis Camus and some of Japan’s most revered breweries, per a press release. The pop-up will be open Tuesday through Saturday from 5PM-10PM. Reservations will be available exclusively through Resy, as seating is limited to 100 guests per night.

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