Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Photo of the Day 12/31/14


This photo shows a seagull in the Passaic River in Newark, near the Bridge Street Bridge.

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Tuesday, December 30, 2014

Photos of the Day 12/30/14


These photos show the historic Plume House, which was built in 1725. It is the second oldest house in Newark. The oldest, Sydenham House on Old Road to Bloomfield, was built in 1711.




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Monday, December 29, 2014

Photos of the Day 12/29/14


These photos show the former Central Railroad of New Jersey (CRRNJ) terminal on Broad Street in Downtown Newark.



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Sunday, December 28, 2014

Photo of the Day 12/28/14


This photo shows 'Seated Lincoln', a sculpture outside of the Essex County Courthouse. The sculptor, Gutzon Borglum, also created the Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

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Saturday, December 27, 2014

Photo of the Day 12/27/14


This photo shows the Old First Presbyterian Church in Newark, which was organized in 1666.

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Friday, December 26, 2014

Photo of the Day 12/26/14


This photo shows the area where the new headquarters of the South Orange Rescue Squad will be constructed.

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Thursday, December 25, 2014

Homes Needed for 'Gems of South Orange' Tour


The South Orange Historical and Preservation Society is looking for homes to be part of the 2015 Gems of South Orange House Tour. According to SOPHS, homes should be "aesthetically pleasing and generally well-kept", and may be of interest if they are historic, were occupied by well known residents, are good examples of an architectural style or restoration, or have an interesting collection or garden.

The Gems of South Orange House Tour takes place every other year, and generally features six or seven homes. In recent years, properties have included mansions in the Newstead neighborhood with skyline views and the historic 1774 Squire House on North Ridgewood Road. The 2015 tour will take place on Saturday, May 16 between 11:00am and 4:00pm. The deadline for submission is Saturday, February 28. Interested homeowners should contact SOPHS by sending an email to info@sohps.org or calling (973) 763-2310.

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Photo of the Day 12/25/14


This photo shows the South Orange Fire Department headquarters.

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Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Sponsored: 7-Eleven Now Open, 16 Handles Coming Soon to Livingston


A 7-Eleven convenience store is now open in the Livingston Town Center at 6160 Town Center Way. The new location is 7-Eleven's second in the township. Another store is located on South Livingston Avenue at Belmont Drive. Also in the Livingston Town Center, a franchise of frozen yogurt chain 16 Handles will open next door to Omaha Steaks. The new store will take over the former Cold Stone Creamery space. Another frozen yogurt franchise across the street, YoFresh, closed in August.

Despite the recent openings of businesses like Chocolate Works and Anthony's Coal Fired Pizza in Livingston Town Center, there are still multiple vacancies in the development. Locations of Cafe Foozy's, Dale and Thomas Popcorn, and Imperial Foods Market each closed several years ago. However, the spaces formerly occupied by these businesses remain vacant. Other businesses like Gimmee Jimmy's Cookies, Fresh City, and Sur la Table have also closed their Livingston locations in the years since Livingston Town Center's 2006 opening.



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This post was sponsored by 16 Handles.

Photo of the Day 12/24/14


This photo was taken from the Columbia High School Project Adventure course in Maplewood.

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Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Photo of the Day 12/23/14


This photo shows the pop up holiday card in Downtown South Orange.

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South Orange Family Buffet Closed for Renovations


A restaurant in South Orange has closed, and signs posted outside indicate that it will soon undergo renovations. Family Buffet, a Chinese, American, and Italian restaurant at the corner of Irvington Avenue and Academy Street closed to customers on December 9. Now, all equipment inside is for sale, and according to a sign, "everything must go". An employee told Essex County Place that she was not sure when the restaurant would reopen. Matt Glass of the South Orange Village Center Alliance said that he is "not familiar with what is going on at Family Buffet".




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Monday, December 22, 2014

Photos of the Day 12/22/14


These photos show the bridge which used to connect South Orange Middle School (SOMS) with the South Orange Community Pool. Many SOMS students would place locks on the old bridge upon graduation. The bridge was torn down in June, 2011 and a new one was installed in August, 2011. 


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Sunday, December 21, 2014

Photo of the Day 12/21/14


This photo shows the entrance to the former Newark City Hospital Convalescent Branch on Irvington Avenue.

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Saturday, December 20, 2014

Photo of the Day 12/20/14


This photo shows the Hanukkah menorah outside of the Charles Kimmel Building of the Maplewood Jewish Center on Parker Avenue.

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Friday, December 19, 2014

Free Cooking Demonstrations Start Tomorrow in Newark


Mayor Ras J. Baraka and the Newark Department of Health and Community Wellness will sponsor monthly demonstrations of healthy cooking for senior citizens and other interested members of the community. The first demonstration will take place tomorrow, December 20, at the Star Career Academy Culinary School between 10:00am and 12:00pm. According to a press release from the city, "attendees will learn how to prepare healthy food alternatives to traditional holiday dishes". In addition, attendees may participate in a nutrition workshop where they will receive complimentary foods and vegetables.  

The Star Career Academy Culinary School is located on the 18th floor of 550 Broad Street in Downtown Newark. 

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Local Domestic Violence Response Team Needs Volunteers


The West Essex Domestic Violence Response Team is looking for volunteer advocates who are willing to confidentially meet with domestic violence victims at police stations in Western Essex County.

According to a release from the Verona Police Department, volunteers must be at least 18 years old, live in Western Essex County, have a valid New Jersey drivers license, have transportation access, and be able to "serve on an on-call basis". Applicants with criminal histories will not be considered, and background investigations of applicants will be conducted. 

In order to become a volunteer, applicants must take a training course, which will be run by the Rachel Coalition Domestic Violence Division of Jewish Family Service of MetroWest New Jersey. The course will consist of classes on Tuesday nights from 6:00pm to 9:00pm for 14 weeks. In order to be a part of the class, interested applicants should contact Sergeant John Belotta of the North Caldwell Borough Police Department by calling (973) 226-0900. Those interested must pick up an application and return it by January 31, 2015.

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Photo of the Day 12/19/14


This photo shows a horse at the Montclair Community Farm next to the Montclair Historical Society Crane House.

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Thursday, December 18, 2014

Roseland Model Train Display Starts on Saturday


The Holiday Model Train Exhibit will return this week to the Roseland Free Public Library (RFPL). Every year, Roseland resident Bill Cinque, also known as "Mr. Conductor", sets up a large display on the floor of the community room, which is free to view and is open to the public. The dates and times of the display are as follows:

Saturday, December 20: 
11:00am to 3:00pm 

Monday, December 22
7:00pm to 9:00pm 

Tuesday, December 23
4:00pm to 6:00pm 

Friday, December 26
3:00pm to 5:00pm 

Saturday, December 27
11:00am to 3:00pm 

Monday, December 29
7:00pm to 9:00pm 

Tuesday, December 30
2:00pm to 4:00pm 

Friday, January 2, 2015
3:00pm to 5:00pm 

Saturday, January 3
11:00am to 3:00pm

The library is located at 20 Roseland Avenue, and parking is available in the library parking lot off of Fells Road. The RFPL phone number is (973) 226-8636. 

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Photo of the Day 12/18/14


This photo shows the former South Orange Water Department pumping station.

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Wednesday, December 17, 2014

County Contracted for Livingston Express Shuttle Service


Starting on January 2, the County of Essex will be contracted to operate the Livingston Express Shuttle Service, which operates on weekdays between the Livingston Mall and the South Orange Train Station.  According to the Livingston Township website, the current fares and schedules will remain the same. However, riders will be required to pay the $2.00 one way fare with exact change, or purchase a monthly pass for $70.00. Shuttle drivers will not be permitted to handle cash, and the township will be responsible for emptying the fare box. Transdev, a private French transportation company, will operate the shuttle service for Essex County, replacing State Shuttle of Jefferson Township. 

The contract with Essex County was approved by the Livingston Township Council on Monday, and is scheduled to expire in three years. 


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Photo of the Day 12/17/14


This is one of several abandoned buildings surrounding the South Orange Department of Public Works.

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Tuesday, December 16, 2014

Photo of the Day 12/16/14


This photo shows the former playground at Farrell Field in South Orange.

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Monday, December 15, 2014

New Business Opens on Springfield Avenue in Maplewood


A new place to eat opened on Saturday in Maplewood. Just Fish opened at 1546 Springfield Avenue at the corner of Boyden Parkway, across from the Maplewood Fire Department No. 2 Firehouse. The restaurant serves a variety of breakfast, lunch, and dinner options, ranging from shrimp with fresh grits to fish and chips. The space now occupied by Just Fish was previously The Grill Shack and Chris & Cathy's Coney Island Grill. Just Fish is open from 8:00am to 10:00pm on weekdays and Saturdays, and is closed on Sundays.

The Maplewood location is not affiliated with the Just Fish Café in Newark. 


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Photo of the Day 12/15/14


This photo shows the Village Diner in South Orange, formerly known as the Blue Moon Diner.

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Sunday, December 14, 2014

Photo of the Day 12/14/14


This photo was taken at Kip's Castle in Verona.

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Saturday, December 13, 2014

Photo of the Day 12/13/14


This photo shows the headquarters of the South Orange Fire Department. Free photos with Santa are available at the SOFD headquarters today from 2pm to 5pm as part of the South Orange Hometown Holiday. Visitors will receive a free elf hat. 

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Friday, December 12, 2014

Photo of the Day 12/12/14


This photo shows the Administration Building for the South Orange Maplewood School District, which is housed in the former Fielding Elementary School.

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Thursday, December 11, 2014

NJ350 Pop Up Store Now Open in South Orange


The last pop up store to commemorate the 350th birthday of New Jersey opened this afternoon in South Orange. The store is located in the former Love and Yogurt space at 65 South Orange Avenue next to the walkway to Taylor Place.

The pop up store sells a variety of New Jersey themed merchandise, including books, board games, cups, tote bags, and t-shirts, in addition to works from several local artisans. Items with the logos of the South Orange Village Center and Seton Village, South Orange's two business districts, are also available for purchase. Plus, visitors will receive a tourism guide to the island of Jersey in Europe, which is New Jersey's namesake.

Matt Glass and Bob Zuckerman of the South Orange Village Center Alliance and Jeff Buehler of Main Street New Jersey spoke at the grand opening ceremony. 

"This comes at a perfect time for us", said Glass, who noted that The Gateway, a residential and commercial building, was just completed on West South Orange Avenue and that another development will be completed next year at the corner of Third and Valley Streets.

The pop up store toured cities and towns throughout the state this year, including Red Bank, Montclair, Newton, Boonton, Atlantic City, and most recently, Vineland. The store will be open from noon to 6:00pm on Friday and Sunday, and from noon to 8:00pm on Saturday during the South Orange Hometown Holiday.










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Photo of the Day 12/11/14


This photo shows one of the new banners lining Irvington Avenue in South Orange. At a meeting of the South Orange Board of Trustees on Monday, it was announced that the Irvington Avenue Corridor Advisory Committee would brand the area as Seton Village. A tree lighting celebration will take place at the corner of Irvington Avenue and West Fairview Avenue in the business district tomorrow afternoon.

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Wednesday, December 10, 2014

Coming Soon to Essex County: Subs, Macarons, and Hardware


Essex County's second location of Jersey Mike's Subs will open next week in West Orange. The sub shop will open on Wednesday, December 17 in the West Orange Plaza at 235 Prospect Avenue, near Kmart and Whole Foods Market. Franchise owner James Pond said that he "could not be more excited to open in West Orange". The shop will be open daily from 10:00am to 9:00pm. The other Essex County location of Jersey Mike's is within Newark Liberty International Airport. 

 

Two businesses will open in Caldwell in the near future. Asalt & Buttery, a popular bake shop in Little Falls, Passaic County will move to Bloomfield Avenue across from Smull Avenue by next weekend. The bakery sells French macarons and a variety of cookies and cupcakes. The Little Falls location will remain open until the opening of the Caldwell shop. Down the street, ACE Hardware will once again have a presence in the borough when Costello's Home Center ACE opens at 490 Bloomfield Avenue next to Coldwell Banker. The space has been vacant since an separate ACE Hardware franchise closed in late 2011. The new store will be the first Costello's Home Center ACE location outside of Long Island, New York.

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