The Montclair Girl Team 
The days are getting shorter here in the Montclair area, and while New Jerseyans are beginning to settle into the rhythms of the colder months, local news hasn’t slowed down one bit. It’s been another busy week in Essex County, and we’ve got all the Montclair news to keep you up to date. Among the highlights: a pilates studio opening in Montclair; a $20k lottery ticket sold in Nutley; and Waymo to begin testing at Newark Airport. Read on for all the news in Montclair and the surrounding Essex County towns for the week ending October 26 2025.
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Among the Headlines (read on for full stories):
- Belleville to Get a Food Truck Park
- Essex County Breaks Ground on Watsessing Park Project
- Historic Upper Montclair Theater Reopens
- Montclair Native Releases Debut Album
- New E-Bike Legislation Proposed in New Jersey
- New Pilates Spot Opens in Montclair
- Notable NJ Publicist Passes at 74
- Remodeled ShopRite Opens in Belleville
- Stephen Colbert and Conan O’Brien to Hold Event at NJPAC
- Waymo to Begin Testing at Newark Airport
$20,000 Lottery Ticket Sold in Nutley
Last week, a Mega Millions lottery ticket was sold in Nutley. The drawing took place on October 14th. The winning ticket was sold at Raceway Mart on Washington Avenue with a prize of $20,000, per TapintoNutley.
Air India Flight Headed for Newark Makes Emergency Return
According to The Times of India, Air India flight AI191 from Mumbai to Newark made a precautionary air-return to its origin city on October 22nd. Following the landing, the aircraft was removed from service and the corresponding inbound flight was cancelled.
Belleville to Get a Food Truck Park
Per TapintoNutley, Belleville is getting a food truck park on Washington Avenue. The park will feature artificial grass, corn hole games, and gates that will be closed during off-hours. Township Manager Brian Banda said the monthly rent for food truck owners will be $500, and businesses must be open at least three or four days a week. The park will be open to the public regardless of whether they shop at the food trucks.
Essex County Breaks Ground on Watsessing Park Project in Bloomfield and East Orange
On October 20th, the Essex County Park System broke ground on a $1.7M project at Watsessing Park in Bloomfield and East Orange. Improvements will be made to the playground and spray park near Dodd Street. The synthetic grass surface at the soccer/lacrosse field on Bloomfield Avenue will also be replaced. According to a statement from Essex County, this project is part of the County’s ongoing initiative to update recreation facilities and meet community needs.
Essex County Leaf Collection Schedule for County Roads
Per Patch West Orange, Essex County has released its leaf collection schedule for 2025, with the first round of pickups on county roads scheduled for October 27th. Section 1 includes Cedar Grove, Millburn, and West Orange; Section 2 includes South Orange and Maplewood; Section 3 includes Belleville and East Orange; and Section 4 includes Irvington, Newark, and Orange. The local Department of Public Works in remaining communities will collect leaves along county roads. Click here for an interactive map showing the schedule for each county road.
Historic Upper Montclair Theater Reopens
The Historic Bellevue Theater opened on October 18th for the first time in seven years. Located at 295 Belleville Avenue in Montclair, the theater closed in 2017 after 95 years in operation. It reopened after Montclair Film signed a lease with the building owner, Jesse Sayegh, in July 2025. Click here to read more.
Maplewood’s Fall Leaf Collection Schedule
This fall, the Maplewood Department of Public Works (DPW) will have four rounds of leaf pickup from October 27th to December 15th at residential properties within Maplewood. Residents are permitted to rake all of their leaves from their properties to the street. Click here to read about restrictions and view the schedule. Curbside pickups are done on a rotating basis, but residents are also permitted to drop their leaves off at the DPW yard at 359 Boyden Avenue in Maplewood.
Millburn Emergency Services Rescue Woman from South Mountain Reservation
According to Millburn Police Captain Mark Azzopardi, on October 21st, a 28-year-old woman hiking with her father and their dog became stuck in quicksand-like ground along the riverbank while in South Mountain Reservation. The responding Millburn firefighters used long boards to safely reach the victim and spent nearly 30 minutes carefully digging her out of the mud. The hiker was evaluated on scene by the Millburn First Aid Squad for possible hypothermia and did not sustain any injuries, per TapintoMillburn/Short Hills.
Montclair Native Releases Debut Album
View this post on Instagram
Per Montclair Local, Francesca Federico ÓMurchú’s debut album celebrates Irish musical heritage inspired by her father Seán, a native Irish speaker from Cork. Francesca released her album, Visions and Ecstasies: Classical & Folk Songs of Ireland, on October 24 with Odradek Records. She grew up in Montclair and now lives in New York City.
Montclair Public Schools Lay Off Over 100 Employees
Amid $19.6 Million Budget Crisis
On October 22nd, over 100 Montclair Public Schools educators and support staff were issued termination notices, a direct result of the district’s $19.6 million budget deficit. To tackle the deficit, the school district has scheduled a special referendum vote for December 9, 2025 with two measures to approve. The first is a one-time tax levy to cover the past deficit, while the second asks for a permanent increase in property taxes to cover the current year’s deficit, reduce the amount of staffing cuts expected in 2026, stabilize the district’s finances long term, fund a forensic audit to identify the causes of the crisis, and prevent further program and staffing cuts. Click here to read more.
New E-Bike Legislation Proposed in New Jersey
Senator Nicholas Scutari has proposed a change to the state’s e-bike classification system. His concern is that the practices and views around e-bikes are outdated. “We are in a new era of e-bike use that requires updated safety standards to help prevent accidents, injuries and fatalities”, he explained in an announcement. His proposals include a new MVC electric bicycle registration, an insurance and sticker system for Class 2 and higher e-bikes, and the prohibition of minors under the age of 17 from operating e-bikes above Class 1. Click here to learn more.
New Pilates Studio Opens in Montclair
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Pilates Addiction will open at 638 Bloomfield Avenue, Suite 1A, in Montclair. This studio offers classes like IGNITE, CORE+, and MAX that blend classical technique and modern intensity to strengthen core and sculpt muscles.
Newark Academy Ranked High in 2026 Best
Private High Schools in New Jersey List
The Livingston-based Newark Academy ranked number 6 on the 2026 Best Private High Schools in New Jersey list 2026 per Niche.com. This was not the only Essex County school to make it high on Niche.com’s lists. Montclair Kimberly Academy in Montclair ranked 21st. Livingston High School took 14th and Millburn High School took 16th place on the 2026 Best Public High Schools list.
Newark Culture Club Holds Grand Opening
On November 7th, Newark Culture Club will hold its grand opening with a special edition of the Brick City Comedy Revue celebrating The Jersey Bee’s birthday, per Patch Newark. The night’s talent will include Alonzo “Hamburger” Jones, Chris Gethard, Chris Lamberth, Jess Salomon, and Lance Weiss. The event is open to those over 21 years old, and tickets can be purchased here.
Notable NJ Publicist Passes at 74
Per NorthJersey.com, Publicist Joe Dera has passed away at 74 years old. Joe and his family were Dutch immigrants to Clifton. He later lived in Montclair. Joe represented Paul McCartney, David Bowie, Billy Joel, Elton John, and many others.
NJ Transit Launches App to Assist Visually Impaired and Deaf Customers
Through a collaboration between NJ TRANSIT and the Transit Tech Lab, customers will have access to GoodMaps at Hoboken Terminal, which provides indoor navigation assistance through the facility. Customers at Newark Penn Station Customer Service and Ticket Offices will have access to Convo, which provides on-demand American Sign Language (ASL) interpreting. “GoodMaps and Convo are innovative applications that deliver practical solutions that help make our busiest facilities more accessible to all customers,” said NJ TRANSIT President & CEO Kris Kolluri. “Whether it’s navigating a terminal or communicating with staff, these technologies give people more control over their journey and reflect our ongoing commitment to creating a more welcoming transit system.”
Proposed NJ Bill to Require AI Data Centers to Report on Resource Usage
In March of 2025, the New Jersey State Legislature introduced a bill, S4293, to require the data centers to report their water and energy usage to the Board of Public Utilities. The bill is intended to enforce transparency, but not impose restrictions on the amount of energy or water a center uses. The bill was amended in May of 2025 after being referred to the Senate Environment and Energy Committee, and was passed by both the State Senate and State Assembly on June 30th, 2025. The bill was brought to Governor Phil Murphy to be signed into law on October 20th, and was conditionally vetoed. Click here to read more.
Remodeled ShopRite Opens in Belleville
Source: BML Public Relations
ShopRite of Belleville, owned and operated by LoCurcio Family Markets, celebrated its renovation with a ribbon-cutting ceremony on October 19th. The remodel includes enhanced departments like Bakery and Prepared Foods, an exterior makeover, and new ceilings and flooring. This was the second ShopRite in Essex County to reopen upon remodel this past week, the other being the West Caldwell Location.
Starlink Wi-Fi Debuts on United Airlines From Newark to Houston
On October 15th, a United Airlines flight from Newark to Houston offered Starlink wifi for the first time ever on any major U.S. airline. The airline expects to install Starlink antennas on up to 15 mainline 737-800 planes every month, according to Patch Newark.
Stephen Colbert and Conan O’Brien to Hold Event at NJPAC
According to Montclair Film, on December 7th, Conan O’Brien will join Stephen Colbert on stage at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) in downtown Newark. The two will sit and celebrate Conan’s career. Click here to purchase tickets.
Township of Livingston Passes ‘Skip The Stuff’ Law For Restaurants
“Skip the Stuff” is a law requiring restaurants to stop automatically providing single-use items like plastic utensils, napkins, and condiments with take-out and delivery orders. Instead, customers must request these items if they want them. This initiative helps to reduce waste. Click here to read Ordinance 29-2025 that the Township of Livingston has adopted.
Waymo to Begin Testing at Newark Airport
On October 22nd, Waymo posted on X that the company will begin manual testing of its autonomous vehicles at Newark Liberty International Airport. Waymo will collaborate with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to begin the work.
