Tuesday, June 30, 2015

Summer Concerts Returning to South Orange


South Orange, New Jersey: South Orange's annual summer concert series will return to Flood's Hill this July for the 20th year. The concert series, themed as 'Taste the Music', will feature five performances, activities for families and children, and food trucks. Concerts will include 'Mark Murphy and Friends' on July 1st, 'Max Headroom and the Counterfeiters' on July 8th, 'Dub Proof & Eastbourne' on July 15th, 'Rave On! & Bottle Cap Rockets' on July 22nd, and the Rock the Hill concert on July 29th, which will several garage rock bands. Each concert is free, and all performances will begin at 7:30pm. In case of rain, concerts will be cancelled and not postponed. Food trucks will include Pizza Vita, The Original Soupman, The Thai Elephant, Oink and Moo BBQ, and Amanda Bananas. In addition, the Montclair Art Museum Art Truck mobile studio will visit on July 1st, and there will be other art projects each week. Funding will come from BCB Community Bank, Maplecrest Ford-Lincoln, and Governor’s Council on Alcoholism and Drug Abuse. The events are presented by the Village of South Orange, The Baird, and South Orange Performing Arts Center. Flood's Hill is located between North Ridgewood Road and Meadowbrook Place in Meadowland Park, off of Mead Street. Click here to learn more, or call (973) 313-2787.

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Alternative Music Festival Coming to Military Park


Newark, New Jersey: The Guard D'Avant Alternative Music Festival will return to Newark's Military Park this summer. All performances are free and open to the public. The festival will be held on Tuesdays from July 7th to August 4th from 5:30pm to 8:30pm. Performers include Dam Funk, Empress Of, Jack Moves, DJ Anthony Bones, Oshun, Chimes, Rush Midnight, Aitch, Shabazz Palaces, and more. Military Park is located in Downtown Newark between Broad Street, Center Street, and Park Place. Transportation is available using most Newark-bound New Jersey Transit buses, Coach USA Bus 44, and the Newark Light Rail's Military Park Station. Sponsors include The Honors Program. the Military Park Partnership, the Newark Community Economic Development Corporation, Rutgers-Newark, and the Newark Arts Council. Click here to learn more. 

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Photo of the Day 6/30/15


This photo shows State Street in Bloomfield, one of the few remaining cobblestone streets in Essex County.

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Monday, June 29, 2015

Celebrate Independence Day in Millburn


Millburn, New Jersey: An Independence Day celebration will be held on July 4th in Millburn Township. Tickets cost $10. The festivities will begin at 9:00am at Taylor Park. There will be a flag raising, softball game, bicycle and tricycle parade, and award ceremony. Taylor Park is located near Downtown Millburn off of Main Street. The festivities will continue at Millburn High School at 3:00pm. Local students and bands will perform, and there will be rides, a rock wall, a radio control plane display, a variety of food and drinks from area restaurants, and a 50/50 raffle. At nightfall, there will be a fireworks display. Millburn High School is located at 362 Millburn Avenue. Sponsors include Towne Realty Group, Charlie Brown's, Investors Bank, Weichert Realtors, the Millburn Delicatessen, A&R Associates, and the Short Hills Association. The event will be presented by the Fourth of July Committee of Millburn-Short Hills. Click here to learn more.

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Newark Library Summer Reading Challenge Continues


Newark, New Jersey: The Newark Public Library is holding the annual Summer Reading Challenge again this year. The program is divided into categories for children up to seventh grade and teenagers in eighth through twelfth grades. The theme of the program for younger children is 'Every Hero Has a Story' and the theme of the program for teenagers is 'Escape the Ordinary'. Participants are encouraged to read at least 20 minutes per day, and prizes will be awarded by amount of time spent reading. Click here to learn more about the program for younger children and here to learn more about the program for teenagers.

The locations of the Newark Public Library are as follows:

Headquarters: 5 Washington Street
Branch Brook Branch: 235 Clifton Avenue
Clinton Branch: 739 Bergen Street
North End Branch: 722 Summer Avenue
Springfield Branch: 50 Hayes Street
Vailsburg Branch: 75 Alexander Street
Van Buren Branch: 140 Van Buren Street
Weequahic Branch: 355 Osborne Terrace

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Photo of the Day 6/29/15


This photo shows the Ridgewood Avenue bridge over Toney's Brook in Glen Ridge.

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Sunday, June 28, 2015

Photo of the Day 6/28/15


This photo shows a mallard along Toney's Brook in Glen Ridge.

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Saturday, June 27, 2015

Photo of the Day 6/27/15


This photo shows Springfield Avenue in Maplewood with the One57 tower in Manhattan in the distance.

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Friday, June 26, 2015

Photo of the Day 6/26/15


This photo was taken on the Seton Hall University campus in South Orange.

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Thursday, June 25, 2015

Free Newark Library Computer Classes to Continue in July


Newark, New Jersey: The Newark Public Library's main branch will continue to hold computer classes throughout the month of July at the Main Library. All classes will be free and open to the public, and there will be classes in English and Spanish. Seats will be given on a first come-first serve basis, and registration will begin in the third floor Technology Training Center thirty minutes before the start of each class. Classes regarding Microsoft Excel will be held in English on Saturday, July 18th at 11:30am, and Tuesday, July 21st at 2:00pm, and in Spanish on Saturday, July 11th. Classes about resume creation will be held in English on Tuesday, July 14th at 2:00pm, and Thursday, July 30th at 2:00pm, and a class in both English and Spanish will be offered on Saturday. July 25th at 11:30am. A class on basic internet skills will be offered in English on Thursday, July 16th at 2:00pm, and a class about Microsoft Word will be held on Thursday, July 28th at 2:00pm. The Main Library is located at 5 Washington Street opposite Washington Park. Transportation is available using New Jersey Transit buses and the Newark Light Rail. The classes are funded, in part, by the Newark-based Victoria Foundation.

Prior knowledge of certain computer features is required for most classes. Click here to learn more.

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Photo of the Day 6/25/15


This photo shows the Maplewood Train Station with the Columbia High School clock tower in the distance.

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Wednesday, June 24, 2015

Million People's March Coming to Newark


Newark, New Jersey: The People's Organization for Progress, a Newark-based "politically progressive association of citizens working for racial, social and economic justice and greater unity in the community", will sponsor the 'Million People's March Against Police Brutality, Racial Injustice, and Economic Inequalityon Saturday, July 25th. The march will begin at 12:00pm at the Lincoln Monument outside of the Essex County Courthouse, located at the corner of West Market Street and Springfield Avenue in Downtown Newark. To learn more, call (973) 801-0001. Meetings are held on Thursdays at 6:30pm at the Abyssinian Baptist Church, located at 224 West Kinney Street.

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Photo of the Day 6/24/15


This photo shows the eastbound track of the Maplewood Train Station.

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Tuesday, June 23, 2015

Environmental Center Programs Coming to Newark Library


Newark, New Jersey: The Newark Public Library will welcome employees of the Essex County Environmental Center in Roseland for 'Heroes of the Animal Kingdom', a series of children's programs that will be held this July. Participating children will make a craft at each event. According to the Newark Public Library, the first program, called 'Arthropods and their Amazing Powers', will take place at 2:30pm on Wednesday, July 1st at the Vailsburg Branch Library, located at 75 Alexander Street. Attending children will learn more about how arthropods stay alive. Birds will be discussed on July 7th at 2:00pm at the Main Library's children's room, located at 5 Washington Street, and on Tuesday, July 21st at 11:00am at the Weequahic Branch Library, located at 355 Osborne Terrace. Students can learn about ocean animals and fish at the Springfield Branch Library, located at 50 Hayes Street, on Wednesday, July 29th at 2:00pm. Lastly, a program about reptiles and amphibians will tour the library system. Environmental Center employees will visit the Van Buren Branch, located at 140 Van Buren Street, on Wednesday, July 8th at 2:00pm, the North End Branch, located at 722 Summer Avenue, on Wednesday, July 22nd at 2:00pm, the Branch Brook Branch, located at 235 Clifton Avenue, on Thursday, August 6th at 3:30pm, and the Clinton Branch, located at 739 Bergen Street, on Wednesday, August 12th at 3:00pm. Click here to learn more.

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Photo of the Day 6/23/15


This photo, which was taken along the Morris and Essex Lines in Maplewood, shows one of the few remaining mile markers of the Delaware, Lackawanna, and Western Railroad in New Jersey. Another marker exists at the 14 mile point in South Orange.

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Monday, June 22, 2015

Learn More About Complete Streets in Millburn Today


Millburn, New Jersey: Open house sessions regarding the 'Complete Streets' program will take place in Downtown Millburn today. According to Downtown Millburn, the 'Complete Streets' program is part of "a plan to improve pedestrian safety, traffic congestion, traffic calming and improve the vitality of our downtown". Residents and business owners are encouraged to attend. Represenatives from the design team and the Township of Millburn will answer questions from attendees. The first session will be held from 10:00am to 2:00pm in front of the Millburn Deli, located at 328 Millburn Avenue. The second session will be held from 6:00pm to 8:00pm at 110 Essex Street, at the corner of Lackawanna Place.


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Maplewoodstock to Return in July


Maplewood, New Jersey: The 12th Annual Maplewoodstock Music and Arts Festival is coming this summer to Memorial Park in Maplewood. Admission to the festival is free, and the event is open to the public. Performers will include 'The Wailers', 'Rusted Roof', and Alejando Escovedo. In all, 24 bands will perform at the festival, which will also feature local vendors, a variety of foods, an area with activities for kids, and a beer garden. Memorial Park is located off of Valley Street near Oakview Avenue. Transportation is available using the Maplewood Train Station, which is just across Dunnell Road from the park. Click here to learn more.


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Bacon Brothers Coming to SOPAC


-Submitted by South Orange Performing Arts Center-

The Bacon Brothers will be filling the house at the South Orange Performing Arts Center on Thursday, June 25 at 7:30 PM for an evening of rockin’ good fun and music. Tickets are still available by calling the SOPAC Box Office at (973)313-2787 or by visiting the newly designed SOPAC website at www.sopacnow.org. The duo, recently featured on NBC News TODAY promoting their current tour and talking #BreakfastTODAY, will be playing songs from their 2014 release, 36 Cents, among others. Long before Kevin launched his prolific stage and screen career, and before Michael became known as a go-to composer for film and television, they were just two brothers growing up playing music together. Nearly 20 years ago, they decided to make it official and formed The Bacon Brothers. Since then, the six-piece-band has toured regularly and produced eight CDs as well as a live DVD. The Bacon Brothers have appeared as special musical guests on A Prairie Home Companion, Craig Ferguson, Live with Kelly and Michael, VH1's Big Morning Buzz, Jimmy Kimmel Live and performed “Guilty of the Crime” with The Bellamy Brothers at the Grand Ole Opry in 2009. Playing approximately 50 shows per year, the band consistently sells out fan-favorite venues like The Birchmere, City Winery, and Rams Head On Stage, while expanding into other regions and performing well-attended shows in newer venues such as South Orange Performing Arts Center, as well. Their music, an infectious mix of rock, country, folk, and a little Philly soul, has fans dancing in their seats and singing along at every stop. The intimate atmosphere of SOPAC promises to bring out the best in the musicians and the crowd on the evening of June 25th, making The Bacon Brothers another memorable event for the books. Honored in 2015 by The Humana Foundation for its “playability,” South Orange embraces happenings like The Bacon Brothers at SOPAC where good music and good fun join together for an experience that will have you floating “Above the Clouds.” For tickets call (973)313-2787 or visit www.sopacnow.org.

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Photo of the Day 6/22/15


This photo was taken at Memorial Park in Maplewood.

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Sunday, June 21, 2015

Photo of the Day 6/21/15


This photo shows one of Newark's few wooded areas, at the site of the former Newark City Hospital Convalescent Branch on Irvington Avenue.

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Saturday, June 20, 2015

Photo of the Day 6/20/15


This photo was taken at the western entrance to Midland Boulevard in Maplewood.

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Friday, June 19, 2015

TODAY: Interfaith Vigil at South Orange Station in Memory of Charleston Shooting Victims


South Orange, New Jersey: The South Orange Maplewood Clergy Association will host an interfaith vigil "to show solidarity with the victims and community in Charleston, SC" this afternoon at 5:30pm at South Orange's main train station. The vigil is open to all. The South Orange Train Station is located at 19 Sloan Street in Downtown South Orange. The South Orange Maplewood Clergy Association is made up of leaders of local religious institutions, many of whom will help lead today's vigil.

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Photo of the Day 6/19/15


This photo shows the entrance to the former Newark City Hospital Convalescent Branch on Irvington Avenue. The property now lies abandoned.

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Thursday, June 18, 2015

La Casa de Don Pedro to Present Family Festival


Newark, New Jersey: The 8th Annual Festival de la Familia will take place on Sunday, July 19th, from 12:00pm to 4:00pm. The festival will be presented by La Casa de Don Pedro, the City of Newark, and Essex County. Sponsors will include Carepoint Health, Citi, Horizon, IDT, Popular Community Bank, Bloomfield College, United Healthcare, and Valley National Bank. According to La Casa de Don Pedro, there will be "live music, artistic performances, food, games, a farmers market, and much more". The event will be held on Broadway between 7th Avenue and Bloomfield Place. Transportation is available by taking the Morris and Essex Lines or the Newark Light Rail to Broad Street Station, or by using local New Jersey Transit buses 11, 13, 27, 28, 29, 72, or 76.


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Photo of the Day 6/18/15


This photo was taken at Branch Brook Park in Newark.

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Wednesday, June 17, 2015

Career Fair Coming to West Side High School


Newark, New Jersey: A vocational and career fair will be held at Newark's West Side High School this Thursday, June 18th. The fair will take place in the school's gymnasium from 11:00am to 2:00pm. It is open to the general public, and admission is free. Sponsors include the City of Newark, the Urban League of Essex County, West Side High School, the Office of Mayor Ras Baraka, Councilman Joe McCallum, Jr, and Councilman Eddie Osborne. To learn more, call (973) 733-6978. West Side High School is located at 403 South Orange Avenue, between South 12th and South 18th Streets, and can be accessed using the 31 Bus from Penn Station and Vailsburg.

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Take a Hike at Branch Brook Park


Newark, New Jersey: A group hike of Newark's Essex County Branch Brook Park will take place this Thursday, June 18th from 8:30am to 11:00pm. The hike is open to adults. Attendees will learn more about the history of the park and its wildlife. Participants should meet at 8:30am at the Essex County Cherry Blossom Welcome Center, located in the northern part of the park near the Belleville border. Transportation is available by taking Bus 74 from Nutley and Belleville or Bus 92 from South Orange and Bloomfield to Clara Maass Medical Center and walking.

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Photo of the Day 6/17/15


This photo shows commuters exiting the Military Park Station of the Newark Light Rail onto Broad Street.

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Tuesday, June 16, 2015

Newark Officials Cut the Ribbon on New Restaurant


Newark, New Jersey: City Mayor Ras Baraka and other officials helped cut the ribbon Tuesday afternoon on a new restaurant in Downtown Newark. Lakay Restaurant, which officially opened in April, serves Haitian food and other Caribbean cuisine. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner are served. The restaurant is located next to Felfeta Mediterranean Restaurant at 85 Mulberry Street, between Commerce Street and Raymond Boulevard. It replaced Nicky's Cafe and Grille. To learn more, call (973) 645-1700.

Lakay Restaurant is owned by Merlene Jeudy Louis.

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Shenanigans Toys to Hold Grand Opening Celebration


Maplewood, New Jersey: A toy store in the Maplewood Village Business District will hold a grand opening celebration this Saturday, June 20th, from 11:00am to 5:00pm. Shenanigans Toys is located at the former location of Norman Scrivener’s Toys & Collectibles. It opened to customers in the winter. During the celebration, there will be a dance party, book readings, cotton candy, a balloon animal artist, performances, and personalized caricatures. Shenanigans Toys is located next to the Bagel Chateau at 178 Maplewood Avenue. Free parking is available on nearby streets and parking lots, and transportation is available by using Maplewood's train station.

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Orange to Sponsor Public Safety Academy


Orange, New Jersey: The City of Orange Township will  sponsor a Junior Public Safety Academy this summer from July 13th until August 4th. The academy will be free for children who are between ages 12 and 16 as of June 7th. It will meet on Mondays through Fridays from 8:30am to 4:40pm. Attending children will learn more about the Orange Fire Department, the Orange Police Department, and other public safety agencies. To register, email orangejpsa@gmail.com or call the Orange Police Department at (973) 266-4111 ext. 5062.

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Photo of the Day 6/16/15


This photo shows the campuses of Rutgers-Newark and NJIT, as well as Newark's Central and West Wards, and the First Watchung Mountain in West Orange and South Orange.

Special thanks to the Berger Organization for allowing PlaceNJ.com to photograph the views from the Robert Treat Hotel rooftop.

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Monday, June 15, 2015

World Mission Society Volunteers Clean Up Branch Brook Park


Note: This post was submitted to Essex County Place by the World Mission Society.

Newark, New Jersey: Over 40 members of the World Mission Society Church of God offered their time, energy and support of the recent Care of the Park Movement with Branch Brook Park Alliance. The volunteers vigorously and enthusiastically weeded invasive plants, cleared debris and collected trash and recyclables from various areas throughout the park. Working together with trained gardeners and arborists, the members of the World Mission Society Church of God branch located in Belleville, NJ were able to collect over 30 bags of debris and trash along the Lenape Trail. The park, which is over two miles of trails, fields, trees and ponds, is a treasure within Essex County and its landscape and history are well-worth the effort to preserve resources there. The County along with Branch Brook Park rely on volunteers such as the members of the World Mission Society Church of God to advance the Care of the Park Movement so that this park is well-cared for and protected. The volunteers’ hope is to push this new movement forward so that it may grow in size and strength and more of our neighbors will join in caring for this public treasure.

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Photo of the Day 6/15/15


This photo shows the view of Harrison and Kearny in Hudson County, as well as the Meadowlands and Fort Lee, from the Robert Treat Hotel.

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Sunday, June 14, 2015

Documentary on 1967 Newark Riots Premieres at Seton Hall


South Orange, New Jersey: For the first time in several decades, the population of New Jersey's largest city is increasing. Newark, the seat of Essex County, is now home to several mixed use developments, an increasing commercial presence, and thousands of new residents. This reverses a trend of population decline that began in the middle of the twentieth century, and spiked following the violence that plagued the city in July, 1967. 'The Week that Changed the World', a new film by West Ward native Kevin McLaughlin, highlights this trend. The film premiered during a private event on Saturday afternoon at South Orange's Seton Hall University, McLaughlin's alma mater.

McLaughlin was introduced to premiere attendees by Seton Hall University professor Peter Savastano, a Newark native who called 'The Week that Changed the World' a "very timely documentary" because of recent protests across the country.

'The Week that Changed the World' focuses not only on the five days of violence that caused 26 deaths and massive property destruction, but it informs the audience about what has changed in the years since the riots. South Orange resident Andre Braugher narrates as former members of the New Jersey National Guard, former Newark Police officers, retired Newark firefighters, former New Jersey State Police troopers, and current community members share their memories of the riots.

According to one interviewee, "Newark was very much a segregated city" before the riots, and had segregated movie theaters. Another interviewee describes how, as a child, she was not allowed to go west of Broadway on Halloween due to the tension between Newarkers of different races and ethnicities.

Other interviewees include Newark's mayor, Ras Baraka, and preceding mayors Cory Booker, Sharpe James, and Kenneth Gibson. 

Many of the interviewees attended the premiere. 

Several interviewees blamed the New Jersey State Police and the National Guard for causing the 26 deaths. Others faulted the Newark Police Department for causing the events that led up to the rioting.

"The Newark Fire Department was the only organization that no one (in the film) criticized", McLaughlin pointed out during a question and answer session that followed the screening. 

McLaughlin's father, who was a firefighter for the Newark Fire Department at the time of the 1967 riots, appears in the film. 

"I grew up in the shadow of these events", McLaughlin told Essex County Place. 

Asked about the current redevelopment of parts of the city, McLaughlin said that he is "hoping for Newark", and that he is "encouraged by what he see(s)".

During the question and answer session, an attendee criticized McLaughlin for not including the efforts of the New Community Corporation (NCC) in the 'The Week that Changed the World'. NCC, a non-profit organization, was established following the riots to provide housing for Newarkers. McLaughlin responded that several topics were cut for time.

Another attendee pointed out that the Newark riots of 1967 are rarely included in the school curriculum, and that she knew little about what had occurred during those five July days before seeing 'The Week that Changed the World'.

"You changed my life today", she told McLaughlin.






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Photo of the Day 6/14/15


This photo shows the Hahnes Building on Broad Street in Newark, which, as part of the Express Newark project, will house a Rutgers-Newark arts center and a Whole Foods Market location.

Special thanks to the Berger Organization for allowing PlaceNJ.com to photograph the views from the Robert Treat Hotel rooftop.

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Saturday, June 13, 2015

Photo of the Day 6/13/15


This photo shows the area surrounding Broad Street and Center Street in Downtown Newark, as seen from the Robert Treat Hotel.

Special thanks to the Berger Organization for allowing PlaceNJ.com to photograph the views from the Robert Treat Hotel rooftop.

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Friday, June 12, 2015

Al Sharpton to Receive Newark's 'Key to the City' on Monday


Newark, New Jersey: City officials announced today that Reverend Al Sharpton will be honored during a ceremony at Newark's City Hall this Monday, June 15th. According to a press release, Sharpton, who founded the National Action Network, will be honored by Mayor Ras J. Baraka, Newark Municipal Council members, including Council President Mildred Crump, and other local leaders. Sharpton will also receive the 'key to the city' for his "career and humanitarian efforts". Newark Police Department personnel will also be honored.

Mayor Baraka attended the National Action Network convention in New York in April.

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