Essex Countys Best Good News Stories Of 2018 – Montclair, NJ Patch
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 a local editor’s pick of Essex County’s best “good news stories” that happened in 2018. (Click the headlines to read). Got a local news tip about something that will make your neighbors smile? Have a funny photo that’s just too good not to share? Send it to eric.kiefer@patch.com
New Jersey Gymnast, 8, With ‘Rapid-Aging Disease’ Meets Olympian
Zoey Penny, 8, has an “insatiable passion for the sport of gymnastics.” Watch her meeting with Olympic gold medalist Laurie Hernandez.
West Orange Teachers Show True Grit When Snowstorm Traps Students
A group of dedicated West Orange teachers and staff refused to leave their students when a snowstorm trapped them in school overnight.
29 Strangers Donate Kidneys To Each Other In Essex County
A New Jersey man’s selfless act kicked off the “longest kidney transplant chain in the nation.”
Newark’s Inspiring School Laundromat On ‘Ellen Show’ (VIDEO)
A Newark principal fought bullying in his school by installing a free laundromat for in-need students.
Watch TSA Officer Floss In Hilarious Airport Dance-Off
A boy challenged a TSA officer to a dance-off. Game on.
Chris & Dana Reeve Foundation Gets $6.5M Fed Grant In Short Hills
“This grant is going to the right people,” U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance said of the Short Hills-based nonprofit.
Oprah, Michelle Obama Surprise West Orange Students
They walked into the room to talk about the midterm election. What awaited was just as climactic: Oprah Winfrey and Michelle Obama.
Married Couple Open Montclair’s First Microbrewery
Montclair’s first microbrewery features beers inspired by the owner/head brewer’s roots in West Africa and the Caribbean.
Montclair State Student Skates Way To 2018 Olympics
A Montclair State University student has ice skated her way to the 2018 Winter Olympics.
Airport Workers Win ‘Highest Min. Wage In US’ After Long Battle
Union: About 40,000 workers at Newark, JFK and LaGuardia airports will soon get a min. wage hike to $19/hr… the “highest in the country.”
Buzz Aldrin’s Advice On ‘Failure’ Brings Smiles To Twitter
Have you recently botched something up? Don’t worry… it just means that you’re a human being, Montclair’s beloved spaceman says.
After Stroke At 20, Caldwell University Student Gains Perspective
When Kimberly Valladares was 20, she emerged from a coma and had to learn to feed herself and walk again. She’s bounced back in a big way.
NJ Chef Continues Success Story With New Restaurant
Born in Guyana, Roger Miller is the personal chef of singer Lauryn Hill. He and his wife own a restaurant in Essex County.
Newark’s Indoor Urban Farm Is ‘Redefining’ NJ, Sen. Menendez Says
U.S. Sen. Bob Menendez said that urban farmers, including those in New Jersey, stand to get “major wins” if the 2018 Farm Bill becomes law.
Tears, Smiles For Verona, Jersey City Running Buddies At Marathon
“We’ve shared smiles and tears,” a Verona resident says of her friend, a Marine Corps veteran who has overcome PTSD and addiction.
Livingston Hebrew Academy Sheltered 100 Kids In Snowstorm (VIDEO)
There’s one good thing about New Jersey snowstorms… they give people a way to shine in a crisis.
Mystery Donors Keep Homeless Shelter Open In Heat Wave
A homeless shelter that closed its doors in the middle of a dangerous heat wave will get a reprieve… for now.
Baseball Hall Of Fame’s Only Female Member Gets Bobblehead Doll
The tribute to Newark Eagles owner Effa Manley is part of an effort to honor the legends enshrined in the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.
Essex County ‘Teacher Of Year’ Used To Be Chemical Engineer
Smita Dharsi, a 2nd grade teacher in Essex County, was recognized as one of the state’s 2018-19 Teachers of the Year.
Newark’s New Municipal Judge Is Immigrant Success Story
Born in the Dominican Republic, Judge Emilia Perez immigrated to Perth Amboy at 8-years-old.
NJ Martial Artist Misses Olympics, But Kicks Her Way To The Top
New Jersey taekwondo champion Abrielle Pinto of Newark trains at Universal Martial Arts in Bloomfield.
Newark Keeps Cranking Out Geniuses; Writer Nabs MacArthur Grant
John Keene, a fiction writer and professor at Rutgers University, is Newark’s latest MacArthur “Genius Grant” winner. (VIDEO)
Maplewood Paints Rainbow-Striped Crosswalks For LGBT Pride Month
The color scheme is vibrant. And so is the statement of peace and inclusion behind Maplewood’s rainbow-striped crosswalks.
Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site here. Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com
Main photo courtesy of Kristina Drymalski
