The world is filled with humor, inspiration and beauty. Here are seven stories to make you smile from Essex County, NJ.
A North Caldwell teen with a heart condition got his wish from the Make-A-Wish Foundation when he joined Commissioner Roger Goodell at the 2022 NFL draft to announce the first-round choice of his favorite team, the New York Giants. (Photo courtesy of Make-A-Wish Foundation)
ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — The world can be a scary place. But it’s also filled with humor, inspiration and beauty. Let’s focus on that second part. Take a look at some recent good news stories in Essex County below. (Click the headlines to read).
Find out what’s happening in Belleville-Nutleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Find out what’s happening in Belleville-Nutleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Why were those sirens wailing? Patch recaps some of Essex County’s recent police, fire and EMS stories.
Why were those sirens wailing? Patch recaps some of Essex County’s recent police, fire and EMS stories. (Shutterstock)
ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Find out why those sirens were wailing. Check out these recent police, fire and EMS stories in Essex County (click headline to read).
Find out what’s happening in Newarkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Find out what’s happening in Newarkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Why were those sirens wailing? Patch recaps some of Essex County’s recent police, fire and EMS stories.
Why were those sirens wailing? Patch recaps some of Essex County’s recent police, fire and EMS stories. (Shutterstock)
ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Find out why those sirens were wailing. Check out these recent police, fire and EMS stories in Essex County (click headline to read).
Find out what’s happening in Newarkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
Find out what’s happening in Newarkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
WEST ORANGE, NJ — A West Orange author is gearing up for the official release of her new educational children’s book, “ABCs of Child Sexual Abuse.”
Gloria Bozor, a two-time survivor of child sexual abuse who found her calling as a sociologist, case worker and safety advocate, will hold a free book signing and launch event at 1:30 p.m. on Saturday, June 18 at The Suite Spot in South Orange.
Bozor said she’s trying to create awareness, educate and possibly prevent children from experiencing sexual abuse by starting a conversation at home, or at school in a safe and trusted environment.
It’s a difficult conversation, she says – but it has to start somewhere.
“The most terrifying part about child sexual abuse is not that it happened, but know it will happen again,” Bozor said, adding that it “has no color, race, gender, time or date.”
According to Bozor, her book explores body boundaries, body ownership, “good touch vs. bad touch,” consent, reporting an incident and getting out of possible dangerous situations.
“My story is someone else’s survivor kit,” emphasized Bozor, who said that “an educated child is a safe child.”
Transitioning to a fleet of electric school buses wouldn’t only improve the health of countless New Jersey residents; the move would equip New Jersey with long-lasting batteries on wheels that could be used to power the state in times of need, according to a report released Wednesday.
As New Jersey lawmakers debate a proposal to spend tens of millions of dollars on electric buses over the next few years, the report from Frontier Group and Environment New Jersey Research & Policy Center suggests that any cleaner buses purchased here should be equipped with vehicle-to-grid technology that would add to the state’s capacity to store electricity.
“As electric school buses are mostly only in use during short, specific periods, buses could absorb renewable energy when it is available in abundance and release it during periods when it isn’t, such as at night,” the groups say. “It could also allow electric school buses to provide additional power during unexpected demand spikes or emergency power during outages.”
If every school bus currently in operation in New Jersey were replaced with an electric bus that has vehicle-to-grid technology, the additional power storage would be enough to power more than 68,000 homes for a day, according to the report.
“Electric school buses obviously provide that immediate benefit of the schoolchildren that are on those buses, and that cannot be underestimated, but they also provide a larger benefit to the grid and to school districts that are adopting this vehicle-to-grid technology,” Doug O’Malley, director of Environment of New Jersey, said during a press event about the report.
Recommendations in the report include funding for electric school buses and vehicle-to-grid pilot programs. The groups involved with the report also say that utility companies and regulators should establish partnerships with school districts and public officials, as well as help finance electric buses, and that school districts should commit to a full transition to electric buses on a specific timeline.
Legislation approved by a second Assembly committee on Thursday would require the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection to implement a three-year electric school bus program that would make up to $45 million available for electrification. A Senate version of the bill was approved by a committee in February.
Environmentalists are also waiting on word from federal officials about billions of dollars that are to be released specifically for the transition to electric school buses. Priority will be given to states that are already making investments in this area.
“New Jersey is lagging very far behind other states in the region regarding the electrification of the state’s school bus fleet,” said Bill Beren, transportation chair for New Jersey Sierra Club. “Only $25 million has been allocated out of the Volkswagen settlement and the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative payments to buy 77 electric school buses. Meanwhile, Montgomery County in Maryland has signed a contract to replace all 250 diesel school buses in their fleet, and both New York City and now New York State have set a goal to replace all their diesel school buses by 2035.”
We’re coming up on another summer at the Jersey Shore! Before you get lost in the excitement of sunny days on the sand, we’re running down how much seasonal/weekly/daily beach tags will cost you, and the pre-season deals you can still take advantage of!
At least four young New Jersey patients are being examined as potential cases of severe hepatitis in children — an unnerving national health concern.
State health officials say the children — ranging from infants to 7 years old — have all recovered after being hospitalized between October 2021 and February.
Hepatitis is inflammation of the liver. None of the children in New Jersey underwent liver transplants and all tested negative for COVID-19, state officials said.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has so far identified 180 pediatric patients across 36 states and U.S. territories under investigation over the past seven months.
In April, the state health department advised medical providers to monitor and report such suspect cases of “hepatitis of unknown origin.”
There have been no reported deaths since February and the proportion of patients requiring liver transplants is now around 9% — down from 15% as of May 5.
Hepatitis child cases (Townsquare Media)
Acute hepatitis in children (Townsquare Media)
Many are “retrospective” patients just now being reported, the CDC continued, rather than new cases of hepatitis some may ultimately wind up not being linked to the current investigation.
Adenovirus has been detected in nearly half of the children and “continues to be a strong lead,” CDC officials said. Those are common viruses, that typically cause mild cold- or flu-like illness.
CDC continues to examine possible causes, including testing for and ruling out some of the viruses that commonly cause hepatitis (types A, B, C, D and E).
While such severe cases among children remain rare, CDC officials said, guardians should be on alert.
“We encourage parents and caregivers to be aware of the symptoms of hepatitis – particularly jaundice, which is a yellowing of the skin or eyes – and to contact their child’s healthcare provider with any concern.”
A countdown of the 20 most populous municipalities in New Jersey, as measured by the 2020 Census.
50 Most Popular Chain Restaurants in America
YouGov investigated the most popular dining brands in the country, and Stacker compiled the list to give readers context on the findings. Read on to look through America’s vast and divergent variety of restaurants—maybe you’ll even find a favorite or two.
See the Must-Drive Roads in Every State
Voting for the 2022 class of the New Jersey Hall of Fame
These are the nominees for the 2022 class of the New Jersey Hall of Fame. They come from all walks of live, spanning generations back to the colonial era. The nominees cover the categories of Arts & Letters, Enterprise, Performing Arts & Entertainment, Public Service and Sports.
Netflix’s Most Popular TV Shows Ever
These are the most popular TV shows ever on Netflix, based on hours viewed in their first 28 days on streaming.
The weather is finally warm, and this weekend is packed full of fun family activities! Hit up a fair and enjoy some rides (from mild to wild!) and get competitive playing some games. See an outdoor production of Alice in Wonderland or learn about women’s history at the historic Crane House. The best part is being out with your crew. Let the good times roll!
ALL WEEKEND
New Jersey Seafood Fest Belmar Mall Parking Lot, Belmar Friday – Sunday Enjoy lobster, shrimp, clams and other delights from sea at the 34th annual New Jersey Seafood Festival. Don’t miss the food trucks and live music. With plenty of children’s activities it’s fun for the whole family.
Our Lady of Peace Country Fair Our Lady of Peace Parish, New Providence Wednesday – Saturday There’s something for everyone at the fair including rides for young children, family and thrill seekers. There will be raffles with great chances to win valuable prizes such as a TV, iPad, grill, gift certificates, and more. Don’t miss the delicious food including hamburgers, hot dogs, pizza, cheese steaks, sausage and peppers, calzones, shish kabobs, zeppoles, ice cream and much more.
The Trip to Bountiful The Burgdorff Center for the Performing Arts, Maplewood Friday- Saturday Join the Maplewood Strollers in celebrating their 90th season with the heartwarming tale of an elderly woman who yearns to see her hometown of Bountiful, Texas one last time. The Maplewood Strollers are the theater company in residence at The Burgdorff Center for the Performing Arts in Maplewood.
43rd Annual Bordentown Street Fair Farnsworth Ave., Bordentown Saturday – Sunday This free 2-day event on the streets of downtown features artists, crafters, food, music, local businesses and fun for the entire family. Free parking and shuttle buses. Event is weather permitting; no pets, service animals only.
Alice in Wonderland at Historic Smithville Historic Smithville & Village Greene, Galloway Saturday – Sunday An exciting, new way of presenting live theater will be rolling into Historic Smithville again this spring! The premier of “Riddlesbrood’s Alice in Wonderland”, an original, rollicking, musical adaptation of Lewis Carroll’s classic nonsensical novel, ‘”Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland”, by Riddlesbrood Touring Theatre Company, will be the featured free outdoor attraction at their annual 2-day Fantasy AdventureFest.
FRIDAY
JAZZ IN THE GARDEN
Jazz in the Garden: Don Braden Quartet Greenwood Gardens, Short Hills Don Braden, a world-class saxophonist, flutist, and composer, takes the stage with his quartet. This is the first in a series of three intimate outdoor jazz concerts set on the West Terrace of historic Greenwood Gardens, a 28-acre formal garden and former estate built during the Jazz Age.
Dinner & Dancing in the Park: Kids night Memorial Park, Gibbstown Grab your blankets and chairs and bring your family to enjoy a night of delicious food and live music! Featuring Mr. C’s Water Ice, $5 Fresh Burgers and much more.
SATURDAY
ARMED FORCES DAY
Free Outdoor Armed Forces Day Concert Jacobus Vanderveer House, Bedminster The Whitehouse Wind Symphony, a community band under the direction of Branchburg resident James P. Sheeley, Jr., will present a free outdoor concert to commemorate Armed Forces Day. The program will feature patriotic selections such as “America the Beautiful,” marches by John Philip Sousa and selections from the Broadway musical “Les Miserables.”
Volunteer Day The New Weis Center for Education, Arts & Recreation, Ringwood Volunteers (individuals, families, groups, clubs, scouts) are welcome to stop by and help with some much-needed cleanup in the gardens and grounds. This may include weeding and invasive species removal, raking, planting, pruning, spreading woodchips/mulch, litter abatement and special projects. Bring a rake and gloves if you have them.
Lake Hopatcong Block Party Hopatcong State Park, Hopatcong The Lake Hopatcong Block Party offers a unique Main Street-style experience in a beautiful lakeside setting. Hosted by the Lake Hopatcong Foundation, this event brings visitors together with businesses, non-profit organizations, community groups, crafters and food vendors for a community day like no other featuring activities, entertainment, raffles, a children’s scavenger hunt, and more.
Guitar Bob’s May Kids Concert Cedar Bean’s Coffee Joint, Cedar Grove Join us for a spectacular, family-friendly, kid’s performance with the magical “Guitar Bob” Messano!
Spring Wildflower Walk New Jersey Botanical Gardens, Ringwood Join Darlene Nowak in checking out the many delightful spring bloomers in the woodlands of the Wildflower Garden! Meet at the Carriage House and wear sturdy shoes.
Arts in the Park Veterans Community Park, Randolph Join for 70 crafters, 40 artists, 7 food trucks, live entertainment, a beer tent and much more at this fun event. There will be plenty of activities for children such as art, scavenger hunt and story walk.
South Jersey Arts Fest at Appel Farms Appel Farms, Elmer Join for fun workshops including Bollywood Dance, Printmaking and Watercolor Mandalas. Don’t miss drop-in activities like the Art of Henna and Pixel Art Self Portraits at this celebration of community and arts.
2022 World Diversity Day Children’s Festival Lake Topanemus Park, Freehold The family-friendly outdoor event, with storytellers, sing-alongs, dancing, crafts, choirs, book giveaways and more, will celebrate diverse cultural diversity while teaching acceptance of others. Explore diverse ethnicities, abilities and identities in a fun filled outdoor atmosphere. The festival – which is free and open to the public – will have interactive programs and activities ideal for 5 to 10-year-olds plus opportunities for adults to connect with community resources or register to vote.
Glen Ridge Arts and Eco Fair GR High School, Glen Ridge This all-day street fair and art show will take place along Ridgewood Avenue and feature arts, crafts and wellness vendors as well as fair-trade, organic and eco-smart products for sale, including native plants. Attendees will enjoy all-day live entertainment and food concessions.
Allaire Music Fest The Historic Village at Allaire, Wall Twp. Join to hear local bands from NJ perform a variety of Bluegrass and Folk music. Multiple stages and jam sessions will take place throughout the day. For children, there will be a special interactive instrument and music session to promote the importance of music: “An Intro to Music & Instruments.”
SUNDAY
16th Annual Junior League of Bergen County Touch-a-Truck Garden State Plaza, Paramus The Junior League of Bergen County with Westfield Garden State Plaza present the 16th Annual Touch-a-Truck. Touch-a-Truck is a family-friendly outdoor event that takes place rain or shine and attracts more than 1000 attendees. Kids of any age enjoy climbing on all types of vehicles, beeping horns and participating in a variety of entertainment opportunities (i.e. bounce houses, face-painting, fun bus, etc.), while their parents have the opportunity to learn about new products, services and establishments that are available to them in Bergen County.
5th Annual Great Swamp Music Festival Giralda Farms, Chatham Twp. Recharge your batteries on a Sunday afternoon with over 6 hours of live music from Not Enough Jeffs, Lenox Underground, The Big Fuss, The Refugee Dogs, The Step Brothers Band and opener Nick Amling & The Lifeline. Spread out your blankets and chairs and get lost in the music at the beautiful, tree-lined Giralda Farms Preserve. Enjoy food, local merch vendors, beer/wine/cider and so much more at this annual fundraiser in support of clean water and land.
Guided House Tour: Women of the House Crane House & Historic YWCA, Montclair On this special tour, hear the stories of the women who lived, worked and played in the Crane House. From the Crane wives, to the enslaved and paid workers of the house, to the women and girls of the African American YWCA, the Crane House & Historic YWCA has seen how a woman’s role in the house and in society has changed over 200 years.
Pinkster, A Jersey Dutch Celebration of Spring Historic New Bridge Landing, River Edge The Tricorne Dance Ensemble under the direction of dance mistress Denise Piccino will be dancing around the maypole at this event. They will also be performing a collection of 18th century dances throughout the day. On display for viewing in the state historic 1752 Steuben House will be Revolutionary War artifacts from the society’s extensive collection. Be sure to check out the Lost Art Lacers demonstrating their craft of lacemaking in the Steuben House.
Ham it Up! Hunterdon Art Museum, Clinton Try your hand at textile and needle arts, still-life painting, hat making from recycled materials, cartooning, and caricatures, to name a few of the artistic projects being offered at this fun event. There will be face painting and balloon creations happening throughout the day as well. Enjoy live music compliments of the Somerville School of Rock with Dante Cimino and his School of Rock House Band.
ONGOING
Broadway at Westfield Garden State Plaza Paramus Westfield Garden State Plaza is hosting a free 15-week series every Saturday through June 25 that features performances from hit Broadway shows for children in partnership with Bergen Performing Arts Center. Come out and see memorable scenes and songs from your favorite Broadway shows and modern movies — this weekend it’s “Moana.”
May 2022 Train Rides Whippany Railway Museum, Whippany Sundays Passengers can board a caboose and experience an old-fashioned, relaxing way of spending a Sunday afternoon with the family. Children will love swaying to the motion of the old cars while they listen to the nostalgic “clickety-clack” sounds the wheels make as they clatter over the rail joints. During the 45-minute ride, the train travels the route of the historic “Whippanong Trail” through Whippany, East Hanover, Livingston and Roseland in Morris and Essex Counties. The ride also features the thrill of crossing high above the Passaic River over a steel bridge.
Winery Weekend Music Series Terhune Orchards., Princeton Saturday – Sunday Grab a glass of one of Terhune’s award-winning wines, sit back, relax and enjoy live music from local artists each week. Styles range from Jazz and Blues to Folk and Rock. Music is from 1 pm-4 pm.
You might not be aware of it but a specially trained group of men and women are hard at work in New Jersey, cracking down on tax cheats.
Tammy Tomlins, acting Special Agent in Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation New Jersey Office, said her team investigates potential violations of the Internal Revenue Service code and other types of financial crimes as well “like money laundering, bribery, or violations of the Bank Secrecy Act laws.”
Who gets targeted?
She said their investigations “are targeted at individuals who knowingly commit tax fraud or other financial crimes. We don’t fish for cases.”
Tomlins said they will get leads for upwards of 125 new investigations every year from a variety of sources.
“Some of those are referrals from the U.S. Attorney’s Office, some of those are referrals from your neighbor, or from any individual that recognizes somebody is not willing to pay their fair share, and some are from other law enforcement sources,” she said.
She stressed this is important work because “it reinforces the backbone of our voluntary compliance tax system, it’s a system that funds things like our government, our military, and our infrastructure.”
Turn them in
She added if you are aware of any monkey business going on you should definitely report it.
“Individuals and businesses engaging in tax fraud are not just stealing from the government, they are stealing from neighbors,” said Tomlins.
“Ultimately it’s about protecting the American taxpayers and ensuring everyone pays their fair share.”
She said when it comes to your own taxes:
• Choose a tax preparer wisely, look for a preparer who is available year-round. • Make sure your preparer has an IRS tax preparer identification number • Make sure your preparer signs your return as your preparer • Make sure you receive any refund that’s due, it should not go to your preparer • Understand the IRS will never call you threatening legal action, if you get a call like this, it’s fake
• Do not respond to text messages, emails or social media posts claiming to be the IRS- they’re fake
A trip to New Jersey doesn’t have to be all about the beach. Our state has some incredible trails, waterfalls, and lakes to enjoy.
From the Pine Barrens to the Appalachian Trail to the hidden gems of New Jersey, you have plenty of options for a great hike. Hiking is such a great way to spend time outdoors and enjoy nature, plus it’s a great workout.
Before you go out on the trails and explore some of our listeners’ suggestions, I have some tips on hiking etiquette from the American Hiking Society.
If you are going downhill and run into an uphill hiker, step to the side and give the uphill hiker space. A hiker going uphill has the right of way unless they stop to catch their breath.
Always stay on the trail, you may see side paths, unless they are marked as an official trail, steer clear of them. By going off-trail you may cause damage to the ecosystems around the trail, the plants, and wildlife that live there.
You also do not want to disturb the wildlife you encounter, just keep your distance from the wildlife and continue hiking.
Bicyclists should yield to hikers and horses. Hikers should also yield to horses, but I’m not sure how many horses you will encounter on the trails in New Jersey.
If you are thinking of bringing your dog on your hike, they should be leashed, and make sure to clean up all pet waste.
Lastly, be mindful of the weather, if the trail is too muddy, it’s probably best to save your hike for another day.
I asked our listeners for their suggestions of the best hiking spots in New Jersey, check out their suggestions:
Every NJ city and town’s municipal tax bill, ranked
A little less than 30 cents of every $1 in property taxes charged in New Jersey support municipal services provided by cities, towns, townships, boroughs and villages. Statewide, the average municipal-only tax bill in 2021 was $2,725, but that varied widely from more than $13,000 in Tavistock to nothing in three townships. In addition to $9.22 billion in municipal purpose taxes, special taxing districts that in some places provide municipal services such as fire protection, garbage collection or economic development levied $323.8 million in 2021.
New Jersey’s license plate designs through the years
What started a few days ago for Angela Caverly as a family vacation to a rented Toms River home to enjoy the New Jersey shore a few days has ended with funeral plans. It’s unthinkable. Her 18-year-old son Levi is gone, killed when a giant 10-foot-deep hole he and his sister dug out of the sand using frisbees had its walls collapse in on him.
His 17-year-old sister survived with minor injuries but the mental scars will be horrific. It happened near Seaview Road and Chadwick Beach in the Ocean Beach III section.
Frantic 911 calls poured in around 4 p.m. Tuesday about people being trapped under the sand. First responders from Toms River, Lavalette and Seaside Heights came together along with the Ocean County sheriff’s and prosecutor’s offices to help. Levi’s body wasn’t recovered until 7 p.m.
Officials say it was the kind of thing lifeguards would normally stop people from doing. This happened in the off-season when no lifeguards are on duty.
What a tragic situation.
I would imagine many people don’t realize the danger of digging in sand. And it makes me think how many of us did incredibly stupid things when we were young that felt far more dangerous than this. Kids who “hood surfed.” Kids who played with M-80s. Heck, half the things that went in at Action Park in the 1980s seemed more dangerous.
It hardly feels fair.
Those of us from a generation older than Levi’s had unbridled freedom at which we look back on and marvel at how we survived. Kids at 5 years old wandering neighborhoods alone. No seat belts in cars or riding in the beds of pick-ups. Full driver’s license the moment you passed your road test with none of this graduated probationary business. Drinking not being taken as seriously, Roman candle fights, hitchhiking, etc.
Almost always we came out of it just fine. Yet it’s like we were asking for it. All Levi Caverly was asking for was a day at the beach with his sister.
Our hearts go out to the Caverly family. The part of New Jersey that brings us such peace has brought this out-of-state family so much pain.
Opinions expressed in the post above are those of New Jersey 101.5 talk show host Jeff Deminski only.
New Jersey’s least populated municipalities, according to the 2020 Census. This list excludes Pine Valley, which would have been the third-smallest with 21 residents but voted to merge into Pine Hill at the start of 2022.
New Jersey’s new congressional districts for the 2020s
A district-by-district look at New Jersey’s congressional map following the redistricting done after the 2020 Census.
Nasty NJ town nicknames — Have you heard of them?
Dennis & Judi asked their listeners for the nasty nicknames they’ve heard their towns referred to. How many have you heard? Which ones would you add?
