The Montclair Girl Team 
Just in time for the start of summer, a new ice cream shop has opened in Montclair. We’ve got all the Montclair + Essex County headlines to get you up to speed, including the Food Truck Festival returning to the Montclair Art Museum, an NJ native is named to the US Men’s National Soccer Team in time for the World Cup, and Dot Cakes take over the internet (and New Jersey).
You can read more at the links below, and always feel free to submit any news tips to [email protected]. Our twice-weekly newsletter shares more as well, which you can sign up for here (it’s so great, promise)!
– Park Ridge native Matt Turner was named to the United States Men’s National Team roster for the 2026 FIFA World Cup (The Bergen County Girl).
– TikTok trendy Dot cakes are popping up across New Jersey bakeries and social feeds (The Local Girl).
– Free People is opening a new location at 585 Bloomfield Avenue in Montclair (The Montclair Girl).
– Supreme Bagels is opening a new bagel shop at 104 Walnut Street in Montclair (The Montclair Girl).
– A New Jersey soccer kit launch party is being held in Newark to celebrate the state’s World Cup pride with local fans, food, music, and merch (The Montclair Girl).
– Montclair Art Museum is hosting a summer kick-off event featuring a food truck festival, cocktail crawl, art-making activities, live music, and extended museum hours (The Montclair Girl).
–Impact100 Essex awarded its 2026 $100,000 Impact Grant to Returning Citizens Support Group to support long-term housing and wraparound services for formerly incarcerated Essex County residents ages 55 and older (Impact100 Essex).
– Montclair’s Vesta Chocolates has been named one of the best chocolate shops in the US, adding another sweet local bragging right to the Garden State (USAToday).
– A vacant former ice cream factory site in West Caldwell is slated to be redeveloped into a 92-unit luxury rental building (NJ.com).
– As the 2026 World Cup approaches, New York and New Jersey officials are still navigating transportation plans, ticket access, and public frustration over the cost of getting fans to MetLife Stadium (The New York Times).
– A sweeping New Jersey e-bike law requiring licensing, registration, and insurance is facing growing opposition from advocates who say it overregulates low-speed e-bikes while missing higher-risk e-motos (NJ.com).
– Newark is getting a new 77-unit apartment building that will include affordable housing (NJ.com).
– New Jersey car insurance rates have soared in recent years, pushing some drivers to consider dropping coverage altogether as costs outpace inflation (New Jersey Monitor).
– NJ Transit says it will not change its World Cup transit plan to accommodate a potential Knicks NBA Finals game at Madison Square Garden, meaning some New Jersey fans may need to use PATH transfers to get into Manhattan (New York Post).
– Governor Mikie Sherrill announced a statewide plan to regulate AI data centers (Office of Governor Mikie Sherrill).
– American Dream is planning to become a major off-pitch World Cup destination with Dream Fan Fest, a 39-day soccer celebration (NJ.com).
– Atlantic City and nearby shore towns may benefit from travelers choosing closer-to-home vacations over expensive flights (CDC Gaming).
– A Montclair resident’s lawsuit against the Montclair BOE remains tied up in legal delays, raising questions about due process and accountability in the ongoing dispute (TAPinto Montclair).
– South Orange Public Library’s renovation + expansion project is on track for a May 2027 opening (Village Green).
– New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport and New York Attorney General Letitia James announced an investigation into FIFA’s World Cup ticketing practices, including concerns about variable pricing, fake scarcity, and affordability (New Jersey Office of Attorney General).
– ShopRite of Livingston celebrated the completion of its store remodel with grand reopening festivities (TAPinto Livingston).
– About 300 detainees at Newark’s Delaney Hall ICE facility reportedly launched a hunger strike over alleged mistreatment and poor conditions, while protests outside escalated into clashes with federal agents and DHS denied the allegations (TIME).
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