Union BOE OKs preliminary $137M budget

UNION, NJ — A divided Board of Education approved a $137 million preliminary budget for the 2019-20 school year, sending it to the Executive County Superintendent for review, despite the concerns of several board members at the March 19 regular meeting. The spending plan passed 5-3 with one abstention one day before it was due […]

Local pols tie one-seat ride return with Gateway

Local pols tie one-seat ride return with Gateway

CRANFORD, NJ — If the Hudson River rail tunnel were to partially shut down, more than 500,000 passengers would experience a longer commute along the Raritan Valley Line, according to Jerry Zaro, the director of the Gateway Development Corporation. The message came during a March 26 presentation at the Cranford Community Center by the ad-hoc […]

Cranford survey finds support for full-day kindergarten

Cranford survey finds support for full-day kindergarten

CRANFORD, NJ — Residents are in favor of two “reimagine” plans for the township’s schools, both of which include the addition of free, full-day kindergarten, according to preliminary survey results. Superintendent Scott Rubin announced at the May 20 Cranford Board of Education meeting that more than 1,900 residents responded to the survey seeking input on […]

Hillside residents bemoan changes at industrial site

Hillside residents bemoan changes at industrial site

HILLSIDE, NJ — When township resident Justyna Latek had the opportunity to relocate her family from their home on Leslie Street to Pennsylvania a few months ago, she didn’t hesitate. Although she lived in Hillside for more than 13 years, she said the noise produced by the crane company located behind her house made it […]

Hillside mulls reconfiguring schools by grade

Hillside mulls reconfiguring schools by grade

HILLSIDE, NJ — The school district is looking to reconfigure the Hurden Looker, Calvin Coolidge and George Washington schools so that each includes grades two through six in the fall. The Grade Reconfiguration Committee proposed the change to the local Board of Education at its March 21 meeting, saying it would benefit students, teachers and […]

Roselle Park seeks business district ‘visioning’

Roselle Park seeks business district ‘visioning’

ROSELLE PARK, NJ — Borough officials are looking to transform the area around the train station and the commercial corridor along Chestnut Street into a “transit village” — adding streetscaping and open public spaces, and improving mobility. The “visioning” project will improve the aesthetics of downtown Roselle Park, according to William Kurzenberger, the borough’s development […]

Summit sidewalk plan calls for revisiting school walking routes

SUMMIT, NJ — The city’s updated sidewalk master plan calls for re-evaluating the elementary schools’ walking routes, which are about a decade old. The city’s engineer, Aaron Schrager, updated and presented the Summit Common Council with recommendations for updates at the March 5 meeting regarding the city’s sidewalk installation and maintenance plan. Schrager said that […]

Demonstrators call for resignation of Linden fire chief

Demonstrators call for resignation of Linden fire chief

LINDEN, NJ — About 75 people who attended a rally in front of City Hall called for fire Chief Joseph Dooley to step down amid accusations that he has fostered “a racist culture” inside the department, including using derogatory terms for African-Americans. Gusting winds and chilly conditions did little to temper the concerns of those […]