There is never a dull moment in Essex County, which is why we cover the news in the Montclair and greater Essex County + North Jersey area so you don’t miss a beat. Among the headlines: YouTuber MrBeast opens restaurant at American Dream Mall; Newark animal shelter reaches full capacity; Montclair to host first-ever Latinx Heritage Month; and so much more. Keep reading for all the news you missed this week in Essex County and beyond.
For a list of local 9/11 events in Essex County to honor and remember the lives lost, click here.
New Jersey is Now the 1st State to add Climate Change to School Curriculum
New Jersey is making headlines this week as it becomes the first state in the country to officially start including climate change as a part of its public school K-12 education curriculum. The New Jersey Student Learning Standards, which provide learning goals for each grade across different areas, now officially include climate change education. The goal, according to the NJ.gov website, is to teach students how and why climate change occurs, how it impacts communities, and how to make informed and sustainable decisions. Click here for what we know.
The Montclair Jazz Festival Hosts Final Weekend Show
The Montclair Jazz Festival held its final show this weekend on Saturday, September 10th at Lackawanna Plaza in Montclair. The final concert featured Downtown Jamboree with two headliner stages on Lackawanna Plaza and Park Street. Click here for a full rundown of the event.
Moss + More Celebrates the Opening of its New Montclair Location
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Moss + More on Bellevue Avenue in Montclair recently opened a new, redesigned flagship store, located at 42 Upper Montclair Plaza — which will become the official home of the boutique. The team celebrated the soft opening on Tuesday, September 6th, followed by a grand opening on Friday, September 9th. Click here for what to expect at the new shop.
YouTuber MrBeast Opens Restaurant at American Dream Mall
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On Sunday, September 4th, famous YouTuber Jimmy Donaldson, known as “MrBeast,” opened a full-service restaurant called MrBeast Burger inside the American Dream Mall, per Patch. Fans camped overnight to be among the first to experience the new addition.
Mobile COVID-19 Vaccine Clinic Unavailable in Essex County
On Tuesday, September 6th, Essex County announced its mobile vaccine clinics would not be available last week from Tuesday, September 6th through Friday, September 9th. According to Patch, the clinics are usually parked in the parking lot of Sears at the Livingston Mall. Services are expected to resume this week.
Van Vleck Fall Plant Sale Returns to Montclair
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The Van Vleck Fall Plant Sale returned this week to Montclair. From Friday, September 9th through Sunday, September 11th, plant enthusiasts could choose from mums, cabbages, shrubs and a variety of other home and garden plants. According to Baristanet, Van Vleck Members were granted early access.
West Orange to Host Pay-What-You-Wish Theater Classes
Luna Stage announced this week it will launch a new Pay-What-You-Choose program for theater classes, per Baristanet. The program is designed to encourage equity and access within the community. Available classes will include scene study, improv, and musical theater for both youth and adults. Luna Stage is located at 555 Valley Road in West Orange.
Newark Animal Shelter Reaches Full Capacity
The Associated Humane Societies animal shelter in Newark announced this week it has reached full housing capacity for both dogs and cats. The shelter took to social media saying, “Summer may be winding down, but kitten season is still in full swing. Every day, more and more kittens are being brought to the shelter. We are full to capacity with dogs and cats – please help us by donating wet kitten and dog food.”
New Jersey Port Authority Officers Awarded for Excellent Service
A number of Port Authority police officers were given medals of honor for going above and beyond in their call of duty, reported Patch. Officers Nicholas Romano, Thomas Cooper, and Sean Dunne were recognized for the role they played in helping a woman who experienced a heart attack near a baggage carousel in Newark Airport earlier this year. The officers began CPR and administered AED shocks before the 73-year-old woman regained consciousness.
Permanent Outdoor Seating Installed at Montclair Library
The Montclair Public Library has installed permanent outdoor seating for library goers, reported Patch. Located at both the Main Library and the Bellevue Avenue branch, the accessible tables, seating, and umbrellas will provide more space for the community to utilize library services. The library has taken measures to extend the Wifi to reach the new outdoor seating.
Montclair to Host First-Ever Latinx Heritage Month
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During the month of September and into October, Latinos of Montclair will host a variety of community events to highlight the impact Latinos have had in the community. The events will run between September 15th through Saturday, October 15th. The events will include family activities at Watchung Booksellers, a dance night fundraiser at Porta Montclair, and an American Latino film series with Montclair Film. Click here to learn more.
SOPAC Welcomes New Executive Director
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The South Orange Performing Arts center has named its new Executive Director — Stephen Beaudoin. According to Baristanet, Beaudoin is a community-focused, inclusivity-driven executive. He will head up the upcoming 2022-2023 season in his new role leading the award-winning arts non-profit.
Montclair Film Announces New Artwork for 2022 Festival
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The theme for this year’s Montclair Film Festival has been announced as “Embrace Your Curiosity,” per Baristanet. To accompany it, local artist Tracey Diamond has created artwork featuring a vibrant fall landscape with trees and a night sky. The 11th annual Montclair Film Festival will take place Friday October 21st through Sunday, October 30th.
Studio Montclair to Host Dual Exhibit
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Studio Montclair is putting on a dual art exhibit at the Leach Gallery and the Montclair Museum of Art, per Patch. The exhibit is called Life and Landscape: Inspired by George Inness and will be on display from Friday, September 9th through Sunday, November 6th. The two venues are a five-minute walk apart from one another and are located at 641 Bloomfield Avenue and 3 South Mountain Avenue in Montclair, respectively.
Toni’s Kitchen Launches at Montclair Jazz Festival
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A Montclair food ministry connected with St. Luke’s Church, Toni’s Kitchen, launched this weekend at the Montclair Jazz Festival. According to Baristanet, the festival was held on Saturday, September 10th and welcomed the community to hear live jazz music and enjoy food, drinks, and other events. Toni’s Kitchen serves burgers, chicken, fries, salads, and wraps. The food served via Toni’s Kitchen was donated by a local family.
Paterson Millionaire Unknowingly Owned a da Vinci Painting
Jersey Digs recently reported on an interesting find in the history of one of Paterson’s oldest and wealthiest homeowners. Catholina Lambert lived in Paterson and was one of the area’s premier art collectors. During a challenging financial time, Lambert sold a painting thought to be done by da Vinci’s assistant and sold it for $1,950 in a 1916 art auction. Nearly 40 years later, the painting would be recognized as an original da Vinci and priced at over $1 million. At one time, Lambert had promised to leave the art collection to the City of Paterson for the community to enjoy but ended up selling most of the collection before the end of his lifetime. The house and small art collection are currently maintained by the Passaic County Historical Society.
Montclair School District to Receive Over $970K
On Thursday, September 8th, the Montclair Public School District was awarded $970,555 in grants to establish a free preschool program, Montclair Local reported. This grant comes as part of the state’s Department of Education’s Preschool Expansion Act. The programs will accept children ages three and four who live in Montclair.
Local Pizza Staple Bonvini’s May Return to Livingston
Founded in 1955, Bonvini’s Pizza was an old staple in the Livingston area until 1998 when it closed its doors. Last week, the shop announced it is tentatively coming back, with a new location at 127 South Livingston Avenue, and the same family-run business as before. According to Patch, the family is hopeful they will open their doors by the end of October.
Montclair Adds 2 Bats to List of Animals with Rabies
Recently, reports of a raccoon and a skunk testing positive for rabies have circulated through Montclair, now two bats have been added to the list. According to Patch, “The Township Health Department was notified by the New Jersey Department of Health lab that two bats found on Garden Street on Friday, September 2nd had tested positive for the rabies virus.”
Montclair Public Schools Awarded $58M for Upgrades
The State of New Jersey has awarded Montclair Public Schools nearly $58M which will go to upgrading schools and classrooms. According to Baristanet, the proposed plans will address urgent health and safety needs in school buildings by creating state-of-the-art learning facilities for staff and students.
Turtle Back Zoo Opens New Exhibit in West Orange
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The Turtle Back Zoo, located in West Orange, opened the new “Louis LaSalle Amazing Asia Exhibit” on Thursday, September 8th, per Patch. The new exhibit includes red pandas, cloud leopards, and slow lorises. The exhibit was specifically designed to meet the needs of the animals it houses with a larger outdoor area, waterfall, pool, climbing structures, and grassy area.
NJ Governor Signs Bill to Create ‘Black Heritage Trail’
On Wednesday, September 7th, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy visited Newark and announced the state will be creating a Black Heritage Trail, Patch reported. The trail will highlight landmarks, heritage sites, museums, and more.
Archdiocese of Newark Distributes Hundreds of School Supplies
The Mercy House, a family-oriented resource and referral center operated by the Archdiocese of Newark Respect Life Office, distributed dozens of backpacks and hundreds of school supplies to families in need during its annual Back-to-School Day giveaway on Tuesday, August 30th. Every child who visited left with a backpack filled to the brim with supplies such as lunchboxes, notebooks, paper, rulers, pencils, pens, and crayons.
Maplewood to Host 2 Free Concerts This Weekend
On Saturday, September 10th, Maplewood Village hosted guitarist Courtney Sappington for a free concert at 6:30PM, per Patch. The second free concert this weekend is taking place on Sunday, September 11th at Maplewood Memorial Park from 3PM to 5PM. This concert will feature musician Tycoon Dog who is known for performing family-friendly music touching on rock, blues, reggae, funk, pop, soul, and hillbilly country. All are welcome.
