This past week, Essex County has seen a heat wave, the early signs of 4th of July festivities, and plenty of headlines. It’s been another busy week in Essex County, and we’ve got all the Montclair news to keep you up to date. Among the highlights: a bear was spotted on Forest Avenue in Verona; Adam Sandler was seen playing basketball in Montclair; and David's Cookies opened a new manufacturing building in Cedar Grove. Read on for all the news in Montclair and the surrounding Essex County towns for the week ending June 29th, 2025.

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Among the Headlines (read on for full stories):

• Bear Spotted on Forest Avenue in Verona
• Adam Sandler Spotted Playing Basketball in Montclair
• AI-Driven Art Installation Now on View at Yogi Berra Museum + Learning Center
• Developer Looking to Build a Warehouse in Nutley Withdraws Application
• Newark Ties Its Record for Highest Temperature, Last Set in 1943
• Renovations Stop at Montclair Senior Center
• Montclair Officials Show Their Support for Graz, Austria, After School Shooting
• David's Cookies Opens New Manufacturing Building in Cedar Grove
• Owner of Electronics Store in Orange Charged for Allegedly Selling Counterfeit Apple Products
• Montclair 4th of July Parade + Festival to Return for 2025

Bear Spotted on Forest Avenue in Verona

Verona and West Orange officials have warned residents of bear sightings and provided tips on what to do if they encounter one. According to Facebook posts shared by both towns, a black bear was spotted in the Forest Avenue area of Verona on June 19th, 2025.

AI-Driven Art Installation Now on View at Yogi Berra Museum
+ Learning Center

 

 

 

 

 

 

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"The Great American Pastime: Berra and the Bronx Legends" is an AI-driven art installation now on view at the Yogi Berra Museum + Learning Center, located within Montclair State University at 1 Normal Avenue. This exhibition features an immersive audio experience that simulates a real baseball radio broadcast, drawing on historical game data to generate eight different games that highlight legendary New York Yankees teams, according to Montclair Local.

Developer Looking to Build a Warehouse in Nutley Withdraws Application

Prism Capital Partners, the developer that applied to build a warehouse at 275 Kingsland Street in Nutley in 2020, has withdrawn its proposal. This follows a five-year-long dispute between the town and the developer, as the Nutley Board of Commissioners previously argued that the proposal violated a zoning ordinance prohibiting the construction of truck terminals. In 2021, Prism Capital Partners filed a lawsuit against the town, which it won earlier this year. But after town-wide pushback, including a petition that garnered over 2,500 signatures from local residents, Eugene Diaz, the founder of Prism Capital, announced at the June 17th Nutley Board of Commissioners meeting that he would be withdrawing the application, a move he said he was “[looking] forward to.”

Newark Ties Its Record for Highest Temperature, Last Set in 1943

It was another hot and humid day where records fell in a lot of places. Five of our six climate sites posted new daily high temperature records. Also, two climate sites tied their warmest June temperature ever recorded. #nycwx #nywx #njwx #ctwx #hvwx #liwx pic.twitter.com/bw94pZjOHS

— NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) June 25, 2025

The week of June 22nd saw a statewide heatwave across New Jersey. In Newark, temperatures reached as high as 100 degrees on Wednesday, June 25th, just days after city officials activated the year's first “Code Red” alert. On this day, a Newark climate site tied its record for the all-time warmest June temperature in Brick City, which was last set in 1943, according to the US National Weather Service of NY (NWS).

Renovations Stop at Montclair Senior Center

Construction of a 4,100-square-foot senior center in the Mills Building at 60 South Fullerton Avenue, Montclair, has stalled. Renovations began in fall 2024, with the plan to bring five offices, a conference room, a lobby reception area, two gender-neutral bathrooms, and a common conference room to the property. According to Montclair Local, the real estate investment company BDP Holdings LLC encountered issues when attempting to renovate a set of internal stairs and a hallway. The company is working on solutions and hopes construction will resume in the coming months.

Montclair Officials Show Their Support for Graz, Austria,
After School Shooting

Montclair officials have expressed their support following a school shooting that happened in Graz, Austria, in early June, claiming the lives of 11 people, including a teacher who had participated in a cultural exchange program with Montclair State University. Montclair and Graz have shared a 75-year relationship that began shortly after World War II, marked by a student exchange program between the two universities. Deputy Mayor Susan Shin Andersen, who was part of a Montclair delegation that visited Graz, said in a statement to Montclair Local: "My heart is with the families and friends of all whose lives have been lost...School and mass shootings in the U.S. have become so unacceptably endemic, but are not common in Austria, and certainly not in Graz.”

David's Cookies Opens New Manufacturing Building in Cedar Grove

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The nationwide cookie company David's Cookies has expanded its footprint in Cedar Grove with a new 100,000-square-foot manufacturing facility across the street from its headquarters at 11 Cliffside Drive. According to NJBIZ, the new space features 6,000 pallet slots, a research + development test kitchen, and corporate offices.

Owner of Electronics Store in Orange Charged for Allegedly Selling Counterfeit Apple Products

Mahmoud Salim from Woodland Park was arrested on June 5th, 2025, and charged with third-degree counterfeiting for allegedly selling over 100 counterfeit Apple products at his Orange electronics store. According to NJ.com, Super Star at 309 Main Street allegedly sold fake AirPods, iPhones, and phone accessories.

Montclair 4th of July Parade + Festival to Return for 2025

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Montclair's annual 4th of July parade and festival, featuring music, marching bands, decorative floats, food trucks, vendors, and more, kicks off at 11AM with a parade. The parade will follow a 1.6-mile route beginning on Bloomfield Avenue, traveling north along Watchung Avenue and Valley Road, and ending at Edgemont Park. The festival portion of the event begins at 1PM with a community picnic. See here for more.

 Residents Invited to Share Immigration Stories with
Montclair Public Library

The Montclair Public Library is currently seeking stories documenting the immigrant experience in Montclair to "expand [its] local history collection to reflect the diversity within our community," as per its website. As part of the "Making History Together: Sharing the Immigrant Experience in Montclair" program, residents are invited to share their family's stories with the library, either by completing a form or submitting them on paper. See more on how to submit here.

Newark Gang Member Who Ordered Others to Kill Sentenced
to 28 Years in Prison

Mothers Against Drunk Driving Honors Verona Police Officers with Award

Verona police officers Joseph Clark, Shane Daly, and Brendan Heller were recently honored with a Recognition of Excellence Award from Mothers Against Drunk Driving (MADD), an organization with a mission to "to end drunk and drugged driving, support the victims of these violent crimes, and prevent underage drinking and other drug use," as per its website. "Their dedication to removing impaired drivers from the road helps keep our community safe,” the Verona Police Department said in a Facebook post.

Roseland Police Officer Hospitalized + Undergoes Surgery After Car Crash

A Roseland police officer was seriously injured in a motor vehicle accident that occurred along Livingston Avenue and Becker Farm Road on June 20th, 2025. The officer was hospitalized at UMDNJ and underwent surgery later that night. "Although the officer's condition is improving, it is still serious," Roseland Mayor James Spango shared via social media.

Essex County Foundation Grants Five Nonprofits $25,000 Each

The Jewish Women’s Foundation of New Jersey (JWF-NJ) has granted five local nonprofits $25,000 each to "support urgent needs affecting women and girls in Essex and surrounding counties," the organization shared with The Montclair Girl. Awardees include CASA for Children of Essex County, Essex County Family Justice Center, Jewish Vocational Service of Metrowest, University Hospital Foundation, and Volunteer Lawyers for Justice.

Montclair + Essex County Summer Bucket List: 50 Must-Try
Activities for 2025

The Montclair Girl has created a free and downloadable summer bucket list of activities featuring 50 local things to do, including outdoor adventures, foodie spots, must-attend festivals, and more. Readers can expect to find ideas like walking the South Mountain Reservation Fairy Trail, paddleboarding at Verona Park, and more. Download our guide to a local Montclair + Essex County summer here.

Montclair Residents Shop Historic DeCamp Bus Lines Artifacts at Liquidation Sale

After 155 years in operation, the historic Montclair-based DeCamp Bus Lines shut down in 2023. On June 27th and 28th, locals visited the company’s headquarters and bus depot at 101 Greenwood Avenue to shop for memorabilia. According to Montclair Local, artifacts for sale included the original DeCamp Bus Lines bus route service signs, City of New York sightseeing bus license plates, DeCamp Bus Lines hanging signs, and more.

Montclair Fund for Women Awards $71,000 in Grants to Local Nonprofits

In line with its mission to invest in programs that promote the educational success of women + girls of color in the Essex County area, the Montclair Fund for Women has awarded $71,000 in grants to various women-positive nonprofit organizations. As per Montclair Local, these organizations include: Connections at Home, Family Promise of Essex County, IMANI, Jazz House Kids, Mindful Awareness Academy, Montclair Fund for Educational Excellence, Montclair Neighborhood Development Corporation, Succeed2gether, The Side Door at Union Congregational Church, We’ve Got Friends, and YWCA Eastern Union County.