HILLSIDE, NJ — Hillside High School briefly went into lockdown May 23 after a male student made a call to police falsely claiming he had a gun, authorities said. Police received the cellphone call around 11 a.m. and traced it to the high school, authorities said. “A student in the high school was determined to […]
HILLSIDE, NJ — Concern about removing funding for armed security guards pushed the local board of education on May 3 to adopt a more costly $59.9 million budget — with a 2 percent tax levy increase — over a leaner spending plan. In an April 26 budget hearing, the proposed spending plan included six armed […]
HILLSIDE, NJ — Kelly Ronca, a second-grade teacher, doesn’t want to leave the school district over contract negotiations, but she also doesn’t want to work three other jobs to pay her mortgage and other bills. “I don’t want to leave Hillside,” Ronca said at an April 19 meeting. “I love the families. I love my […]
HILLSIDE, NJ — Ten police recruits graduated from academy training on April 5, bringing the local force up to 62 officers, police Chief Vincent Ricciardi. Seventeen recruits entered the Essex County Police Academy in November, according to an earlier press release. There, they were instructed in law and protocols, crisis intervention, de-escalation, use of force […]
By Rebecca Panico Staff Writer HILLSIDE — As an author, actor and clothing designer, Essynce Moore has a resume that stacks up against those of most adults. And, she’s only 15 years old. “My mom has always taught me that school comes first,” Moore said, describing how she juggles her activities. “That’s always my first […]
HILLSIDE, NJ — Mayor Dahlia Vertreese has appointed Hanifa Johnson as the township’s new department of public works director. Johnson was hired as the head of the DPW, Hillside spokeswoman Natalie Pineiro said. Johnson previously worked as an assistant deputy borough engineer in Roselle and for Maser Consulting, an engineering firm based in Monmouth County. […]
HILLSIDE, NJ — The candidate who lost in the December runoff election for mayor has pulled his lawsuit contesting the vote to avoid prolonging uncertainty over who will lead the township. Jorge Batista filed suit in December in Union County Superior Court, alleging there was voter impersonation and miscounts by county officials related to the […]
HILLSIDE, NJ — The school district will receive a $15,000 grant that will be put toward eventually renovating Woodfield Stadium’s athletic field, including replacing the grass with synthetic turf. The Investors Foundation, the charitable arm of Investors Bank, will award the district with the grant at the next school board meeting on March 15, according […]
HILLSIDE, NJ — A former school board member and the founder of a local nonprofit organization were appointed Feb. 15 to fill two vacancies on the board of education. Joi Stanley-Smith, who founded a women’s empowerment group, and Rayba Watson, who served on the school board for seven years, were chosen by the board from […]
HILLSIDE, NJ — Angela Garretson, who was mayor of Hillside and has since been sworn in as a Union County freeholder, was not issued a summons for driving with an expired license when she rear-ended another car last month, police records show. An Elizabeth police officer responded to the scene of the minor accident at 582 […]