The Montclair Girl Team 
It’s the last MG news edition of the year, and the headlines have kept us on our toes as usual. Among the headlines: 2 NJ Transit trains make contact in Montclair; the Montclair Girl announces its 2026 Women to Watch; and a Bloomfield educator is recognized by the NY Jets Foundation. Read on for all the news in Montclair and the surrounding Essex County towns for the week ending December 21, 2025.
Have a news story or press release? Email it to [email protected] and we’ll consider it for coverage.
Among the Headlines (read on for full stories):
- New Jersey Lawmakers Propose Tax Breaks to Save New Jersey Diners
- Best of Montclair 2025 Winners ANNOUNCED!
- Millburn Officials Warn Residents About Scammers Using Fake Township-Like Emails
- Bloomfield Educator Meghan Leonard Receives $10,000 Check From NY Jets Foundation for Special Olympics
- West Essex Middle School Teacher Anthony Lambo Honored as Governor’s Educator of the Year
- Impact100 Essex Awards Record $65,000 in 2025 Equity Grants to Local Nonprofits
- NJEDA and CoreWeave Announce $20M AI Hub Fund to Boost Startups in New Jersey
- Box Office Cinemas to Reopen SOPAC Movie Theater in January 2026
- The Montclair Girl Announces 2026 Women to Watch
The Montclair Girl-Curated Holiday Market at Lackawanna Station: Dec 13–14 and 20–21st
The Montclair Girl is teaming up with historic Lackawanna Station to launch our very first The Montclair Girl-curated Holiday Market — a festive, small-business-focused shopping experience happening right in the heart of town. The market will be located at 1 Lackawanna Plaza in Montclair. Click here to read more.
New Jersey Lawmakers Propose Tax Breaks to Save New Jersey Diners
As The Local Girl has been watching closely, New Jersey diners have been increasingly closing their doors in recent years. The state’s iconic pre-fab restaurants were once a staple, but have begun limiting hours, menus, or closing down altogether. Earlier this month, New Jersey state lawmakers proposed a bill, the “Saving Our Diners and Protecting Our Past Act,” which would grant tax breaks for diners and other long-running restaurants in the state. Click here for more.
Best of Montclair 2025 Winners ANNOUNCED!
Drum roll, please, we now have the winners for the Best of Montclair 2025 Awards! After weeks of voting and local businesses working hard for your support, we have finally closed the polls and have tallied the votes to see who has won the title, and of course, the bragging rights, of being the “best” in town. Click here for a list of all the winners.
Millburn Officials Warn Residents About Scammers Using Fake Township-Like Emails
Millburn authorities are alerting residents that scammers are sending fraudulent emails that mimic official township addresses to try to solicit personal or financial information. According to TapInto Millburn, Officials are advising the public to be cautious and to verify email legitimacy before responding or sharing sensitive details. Being vigilant about spoofed communications can help prevent falling victim to these scams.
Bloomfield Educator Meghan Leonard Receives $10,000 Check From NY Jets Foundation
for Special Olympics
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Bloomfield High School teacher Meghan Leonard, a 2024 Teacher of the Year and head coach of the school’s Unified Sports program, was awarded a $10,000 check from the New York Jets Foundation to benefit the Special Olympics. The donation, presented by Jets defensive tackle Harrison Phillips, will support inclusive athletic opportunities in the community, according to a press release. Ms. Leonard’s leadership has been praised for fostering participation and growth in the Unified program.
787 Coffee Opens in Montclair
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787 Coffee, a Puerto Rican coffee company, opened its Montclair cafe at 706 Bloomfield Avenue. The brand is known for its freshly roasted beans, infused coffee flavors such as rum and whiskey, and seasonal drinks like coquito and horchata. There are other locations in New York, Texas, and in Westfield, NJ.
Box Office Cinemas to Reopen SOPAC Movie Theater in January 2026
The South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) announced that theater operator Box Office Cinemas will reopen and operate its on-site movie theater. The space will reopen in January 2026, bringing films back to the arts center after several months of closure. Read on for more about the movie theater reopening at SOPAC.
West Essex Middle School Teacher Anthony Lambo Honored as Governor’s Educator of the Year
Bloomfield native and West Essex Middle School educator Anthony Lambo was named Governor’s Educator of the Year, a recognition he described as humbling and a tribute to his students and colleagues, according to TapInto Bloomfield. A former Virginia Tech football standout, Lambo emphasized the importance of relationships and inspiring student growth in his teaching work. His award highlights his commitment to education and community engagement.
1776
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Paper Mill Playhouse has been awarded a $25,000 grant from the National Endowment for the Arts as part of the America250: Arts Projects Honoring the National Garden of American Heroes initiative. The funding will support the theater’s upcoming production of the Tony Award–winning musical 1776, which runs April 1–26, 2026, in Millburn. Directed by Producing Artistic Director Mark S. Hoebee, the production brings the story of the Declaration of Independence to life as the nation approaches its 250th anniversary.
Impact100 Essex Awards Record $65,000 in 2025 Equity Grants to Local Nonprofits
Pictured L-R: Joy Lindsay, founder and CEO of Butterfly Dreamz Inc; Quadeer Porter, founder and Executive Director of Brothers Building a Better Nation; and Rosa Vasquez Zaremba, Executive Director of Bessie Green Community, Inc. Photo courtesy of Impact100.
Impact100 Essex announced its 2025 Equity Grant awardees, distributing a record $65,000 in unrestricted funding to three Essex County nonprofits advancing community-based equity initiatives. The grants include $25,000 to Bessie Green Community, Inc., and $20,000 each to Brothers Building a Better Nation and Butterfly Dreamz, all organizations with annual budgets under $500,000, according to a press release. Leaders of Impact100 Essex emphasized that the funding supports nonprofits led by people of color and provides flexible resources to strengthen infrastructure, staff, and community impact across Essex County.
NJEDA and CoreWeave Announce $20M AI Hub Fund to Boost Startups in New Jersey
Governor Phil Murphy announced that the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (NJEDA) and CoreWeave, along with other investors, are launching a $20 million investment fund to support startups associated with the NJ AI Hub Strategic Innovation Center in New Jersey. Per a press release, the fund will help entrepreneurs access capital, overcome growth challenges, and accelerate business scaling, strengthening New Jersey’s position as a national leader in artificial intelligence innovation. The initiative also includes partnerships with Plug and Play, which will run accelerator programs and an AI Challenge to connect founders with investors, mentors, and commercialization opportunities.
Montclair Awarded Holiday DUI Enforcement Grant
Montclair has received state grant funding to support local participation in New Jersey’s “Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over” campaign, which boosts patrols and sobriety checkpoints to reduce impaired driving over the holiday season. The funding is part of a larger statewide effort to improve road safety and curb drunk driving-related crashes and fatalities. Law enforcement and officials are urging residents to plan safe rides and avoid driving under the influence, per TapInto Montclair.
Montclair Educator Celebrated at 2025 Hall of Fame Ceremony
Montclair teacher Drury Thorp was honored as part of the New Jersey Hall of Fame’s Class of 2025 for her decades of inspirational teaching and innovative contributions to student learning. Per TapInto Montclair, the induction ceremony at American Dream showcased her alongside other notable honorees from diverse fields. Her recognition highlights Montclair’s community impact in education and beyond.
2 NJ Transit Trains Make Contact Near Bay Street Station in Montclair, Service Suspended
Two NJ Transit trains made contact on Friday evening, December 19th, on the Montclair-Boonton line near the Bay Street Station in Montclair. Service on that line is currently suspended while passengers are treated and the scene is investigated. NJ Transit rail tickets are being cross-honored by NJ Transit bus services. Read on for more.
