Colder temperatures graced New Jersey this week, while spring temperatures are trying to push their way through this season. It’s been another busy week in Essex County and we’ve got all the news to keep you up to date. Among the highlights: Mashed Burgers soft opens on Bloomfield Avenue in Montclair; NJ Transit is installing new fare gates in Secaucus Junction + Newark Airport; and a new restaurant feedback app launches from Montclair residents. Read on for all the news in Essex County for the week ending April 13th, 2025.

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Among the Headlines (read on for full stories):

• Mashed Burgers Soft Opens on Bloomfield Avenue in Montclair
• Montclair Ambulance Chief Publicly Comments About Making EMS an 'Essential Service'
• Montclair State University Chief of Police to Retire After 27 Years
• Livingston Residents Warned to Watch For Bears
• NJ Transit Installing New Fare Gates in Secaucus Junction + Newark Airport
• Newark Residential Development Receives $30M Refinancing from Tay Investments
• New Art Space in Newark Opens at Vermella Broad Street
• New Restaurant Feedback App Launches from Montclair Residents
• Lead Pipe Mandate + Meter Replacements Among Water Updates In Montclair
• New Animal Wellness Center Opens at Turtle Back Zoo

Mashed Burgers Soft Opens on Bloomfield Avenue in Montclair

As an addition to Montclair’s ever-growing food scene, signage for Mashed Burgers, a burger and dessert restaurant, was recently spotted at 360 Bloomfield Avenue back in December 2024 — the location of the former Poke 360. Now, the restaurant is officially in its soft opening stages as of late March. Click here for more.

Montclair Ambulance Chief Publicly Comments About Making EMS an
'Essential Service'

Montclair Ambulance Unit (MAU) Chief James Mazza has recently made it known that he'd like Emergency Medical Services (EMS) to be recognized as "essential services" by the state of New Jersey. This conversation comes following potential changes to Medicaid and Medicare that the federal government is discussing under the administration of President Donald Trump. In 2024, MAU raised approximately $110,000 transporting Medicaid patients and $841,000 transporting Medicare patients, per Montclair Local. MAU has also met with Essex County Commissioner Brendan Gill and U.S. Representative Mikie Sherrill, D-Montclair, to advocate for continued funding for EMS services.

Montclair State University Chief of Police to Retire After 27 Years

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Chief Kieran Barret of Montclair State University Police is retiring after 27 years on the job, per The Montclarion. Chief Barret first joined the force in August 1998 and ascended to chief in July 2022. His last day of duty is set for June 30th, 2025.

Whistleblower Lawsuit Alleges Montclair Schools Covered Up Bullying

The Montclair Public Schools former mental health and anti-bullying coordinator, Maggie Shaver-Dock, claims in a recent lawsuit that the district fired her following her refusal to suppress reports of Harassment, Intimidation, and Bullying. According to Montclair Local, she claims that then-Superintendent Jonathan Ponds (who passed away in July 2024) ordered her to alter state-required HIB reports in the complaint filed in Superior Court in Essex County. Maggie claims in the March 20th civil lawsuit that she experienced “escalating hostility, both verbally and in writing, from colleagues and Central Office administrators who refused to comply with the HIB law.”

West Orange Superintendent Includes Potential School Budget
Solutions in Letter

Superintendent Hayden Moore recently emailed the West Orange public school community to address the state education budget cuts, which have caused the district's budget to go into crisis. He reminded the community that he is also a parent with students in the district, a resident, and a West Orange taxpayer, per TAPinto West Orange. In the letter, Superintendent Moore expressed concern for residents who are already struggling financially and said that the district will keep them in mind. The full letter can be read here.

Livingston Residents Warned to Watch For Bears

NJ Transit Installing New Fare Gates in Secaucus Junction + Newark Airport

New fare gates are coming to NJ Transit's major stations at Secaucus Junction and Newark Liberty International Airport after the agency purchased 72 new gates. The gates stand nearly eight feet tall and are equipped with "advanced, sensor-based feedback mechanisms" to prevent fare evasion with technology that can help distinguish children, adults, baggage, and other objects, per NorthJersey.com. The value of the contract to purchase the gates — which are currently being used by the Southeastern Pennsylvania Transit Authority and being tested by the Metropolitan Transportation Authority in New York — is around $5 million.

Newark High School Student Receives Full Scholarship to
Ivy League University

Through the prestigious QuestBridge Scholarship Program, East Side High School senior Samuel Da Silva was recently accepted with a full-ride scholarship to Columbia University. This "once-in-a-lifetime opportunity," as per a Newark Board of Education press release, covers room + board and a summer bridge experience. The Newark student, who was also selected for Columbia’s Academic Success Program, plans to pursue and study his lifelong passion of mechanical engineering.

Bloomfield College Ranked in Top 50 for Best Game Design
Programs in the Country

Montclair State University's own Bloomfield College was ranked top 50 in The Princeton Review's Top 50 Undergrad Schools for Game Design for 2025. The school has ranked second in the Garden State, 13th on the Northeast regional list, and 48th on the top 50 undergraduate list. “To students considering a career in the exciting field of game design, we highly recommend Bloomfield College of Montclair State University along with the other outstanding schools that made [the] lists for 2025,” Rob Franek, The Princeton Review’s editor-in-chief, said in a Bloomfield College announcement.

New Art Space in Newark Opens at Vermella Broad Street

On Thursday, April 10th, Newark Arts, in partnership with Russo Development, hosted an official ribbon cutting for the new Newark ArtSpace at Vermella Broad Street — a new gallery and cultural hub at the forefront of Newark’s Arts + Education District. Newark ArtSpace will serve as a vital platform for local artists, exhibitions, and creative programming, further complementing the city’s thriving arts community. Russo Development donated the space.

New Restaurant Feedback App Launches from Montclair Residents

A new Montclair-based app, Twocents, was recently released to allow direct suggestions for restaurants in the area rather than an influx of public bashing like other review sites. For each suggestion a user makes, the user will earn an entry to Twocents's monthly drawing for a free dinner for four. More information on how to join can be found on its website.

Lead Pipe Mandate + Meter Replacements Among Water Updates In Montclair

New Animal Wellness Center Opens at Turtle Back Zoo

 

 

 

 

 

 

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On Tuesday, April 8th, Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr., officially opened the new Barry H. Ostrowsky Animal Wellness Center — named after the retired President and CEO of RWJBarnabas Health — at Essex County Turtle Back Zoo. Located at 560 Northfield Avenue in West Orange, the 10,000-square-foot wellness center provides updated and expanded accommodations for the care of the Turtle Back Zoo’s animals. It also enables the zoo to meet changing animal care requirements from the Association of Zoos and Aquariums and the United States Department of Agriculture. The center is also designed to provide guests with an opportunity to view treatment, lab, and nursery rooms in order to get a better understanding of the high level of care animals receive at Turtle Back Zoo.

Raising Cane’s to Open First Essex County Location in Fairfield

The popular Southern fast food joint, Raising Cane's, is bringing its chicken finger meals to Route 46 in Fairfield. The franchise has plans to open in late 2025, sometime during the fall or winter, at the former Houlihan’s at 645 US-46. Click here for more.

A Hidden Speakeasy Opens Inside a Newark Brunch Spot

 

 

 

 

 

 

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The Newark Standard Bar + Kitchen, serving a full bar and a menu of dinner favorites like burgers and pizza, opened to the Ironbound community this past February. Operating as a speakeasy, this newer business is located inside The Standard Café at 68 Wilson Avenue, Newark. It is open Tuesdays to Thursdays from 2PM to 11PM, Saturdays from 2PM to 12AM, and Sundays from 2PM to 10PM.

Newark Residential Development Receives $30M Refinancing
from Tay Investments

Tay Investments has secured a $30 million refinancing deal through IDB Bank, a New York-based private and commercial bank, to support The Art of Newark just months after opening. According to Jersey Digs, the fixed-rate loan with a three-year term signals IDB Bank’s continued support for both the 155-unit residential building and Tay Investments. Tay Investments focuses on bringing high-quality and attainable housing to urban communities.

Maplewood Dispensary, Sweetpots, to Celebrate Grand Opening
With a Special Event

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Local New Jerseyans and husband and wife duo Ann and Bill Henderson have opened Sweetspot, a sustainable cannabis dispensary, at 751 Irvington Avenue, Maplewood. The franchise, which officially debuted in late March, sells pre-rolls, vape oil, flowers, mists, and gummies. Sweetspot will host a 4/20 Weekend Celebration in honor of its arrival to Maplewood from April 18th to April 20th. This event will feature food vendors giving away free eats like hot dogs and ice cream, as well as a caricature artist, special deals, and more, as per an Instagram post.

39 NJ People Charged with Racketeering, Gambling,
Money Laundering, + More

New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin and the New Jersey State Police announced on April 11th that 39 New Jersey residents were charged with racketeering, gambling offenses, money laundering, and other offenses tied to the Lucchese Crime Family. According to a press release shared by the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office, a search, following a two-year investigation, was inducted in 12 New Jersey spaces, including four poker clubs in Totowa, Garfield, and Woodland Park, a Paterson business, and seven private residences.

Office Romance, Staring Jennifer Lopez + Brett Goldstein, Filming in Montclair

After being spotted in the Mile Square, Jennifer Lopez, Ted Lasso star Brett Goldstein, and the crew behind the Netflix film Office Romance have moved further west in the Garden State. As per the Montclair Local, the rom-com was seen filming at a resident's home on Gates Avenue. This will be the only Montclair filming site.

Sen. Booker + Rep. McIver Attend Anti-Trump Protest in Montclair

On Saturday, April 5th, U.S. Senator Cory Booker and U.S. Representative LaMonica McIver, a Newark Democrat representing the 10th Congressional District, spoke to thousands of people at Montclair's “Hands Off!” rallies nationwide to protest President Donald Trump’s sweeping actions, casting the cause as a moral imperative. The rally in Brookdale Park was led by Montclair Democrats in coordination with the progressive group Blue Wave NJ. According to Montclair Local, state lawmakers and elected leaders from across Essex County made speeches at the rally, representing Montclair, Bloomfield, South Orange, and Livingston.

Student Journalists at Montclair State University Win Two Titles at the 44th College Television Awards

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Students of Montclair State University's FOCUS, a team of student journalists who produce a semester-long broadcast each term, won nationally acclaimed awards at the Television Academy's 44th College Television Awards in Los Angeles on April 5th. The titles for Best in News and the Seymour Bricker Humanitarian Award were given for the spring 2024 broadcast: Arizona Stories – Border, Water and Politics, which explored issues faced at the U.S.-Mexico border in Arizona leading up to the 2024 election. This included segments on "asylum seekers, aid workers, and law enforcement at the U.S. southern border; youth voting trends at Arizona State University; and the challenges faced by farmers, artists and Indigenous communities," as per a statement released by MSU.