Community & Public Policy

LITTLE FALLS, NJ -- TAPintoTV’s Brian Brodeur spoke with NJ CannaBusiness Association President, Edmund Deveaux, in a wide-ranging conversation in December 2020. Today, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy signed legislation to formally legalize marijuana in the state.

The NJ CannaBusiness Association was started by Deveaux and his colleagues at Burton Trent Public Affairs based in ...

LITTLE FALLS, NJ -- Comedian John Poveromo recently broke a Guinness World Record and spoke to TAPintoTV’s Executive Producer Brian Brodeur to explain how it all went down. 

Poveromo and his comedic colleagues recently produced a live show on Twitch, a popular streaming platform, and broke the Guinness World Record for the longest live-streamed comedy event, which “clocked in ...

WAYNE, NJ -- Commemorating Presidents' Day 2021, TAPintoTV revisits the Dey Mansion, one of several locations in New Jersey which served as General George Washington’s Headquarters during the Revolutionary War. 

The Dey Mansion was the home of Theunis and Hester Dey, and was built around 1770. Ten years later, Theunis, who was the Colonel of the Bergen County Militia ...

LITTLE FALLS, NJ -- TAPintoTV’s Executive Producer, Brian Brodeur, was recently joined by Joe Roth, President & CEO of the NJ Sharing Network, a non-profit organization which promotes and procures organ donation across the state of New Jersey and beyond. 

February 14th, besides being Valentines Day, is also National Organ Donor Day. Organ donation is crucial “to save ...

HUDSON VALLEY, NY -- Janet Irizarry, the founder of Hudson Valley Eats, spoke with Brian Brodeur about her latest initiative, “Cooking For A Cause”. Irizarry started Hudson Valley Eats, whose main goal is to “make sure that everyone in the Hudson Valley eats, not just those who can afford it.” 

During the pandemic, it is hard for people to afford their basic ...

LITTLE FALLS, NJ -- Julian Leshay, an independent photojournalist, spoke with Executive Producer Brian Brodeur about his experiences taking photos at the recent Capitol Hill riot on January 6. Leshay gives viewers his insight into the scenes he witnessed and the images he captured on that fateful day. 

Leshay arrived in Washington, D.C. the day before, “to get the environment, to ...

BLOOMFIELD, NJ -- Small Business Saturday, which fell on November 28th, was celebrated with local festivities in downtown Bloomfield, New Jersey. The Bloomfield Center Alliance sponsored activities such as holiday caroling, ice sculpting and a “Holiday Hunt,” where shoppers searched for deals and prizes at local retailers.

The day’s events were organized “not only to ...

LITTLE FALLS, NJ -- TAPintoTV’s Brian Brodeur spoke with NJ CannaBusiness Association President, Edmund Deveaux, in a wide-ranging conversation following the passage of a recent ballot measure legalizing marijuana in New Jersey.

The NJ CannaBusiness Association was started by Deveaux and his colleagues at Burton Trent Public Affairs based in Trenton, NJ following an information gathering ...

TINTON FALLS, NJ -- TAPintoTV’s Brian Brodeur speaks with Kevin Watson, Manager at AJ Perri, to learn about the company’s new indoor air scrubbers proven to kill the virus that causes COVID-19 and which are now available for home installation. 

AJ Perri is a major provider of heating, air conditioning, and plumbing services to households across New Jersey.

LITTLE FALLS, NJ -- TAPintoTV Executive Producer, Brian Brodeur, was joined by Janellen Duffy, Senior Advisor with JerseyCan, and Vivian Cox Fraser, President and CEO of the Urban League of Essex County, to discuss a recent report released by the Global Strategy Group and the New Jersey Children’s Foundation examining parents’ perspectives on remote learning during the 2020-21 school ...

LITTLE FALLS, NJ -- TAPintoTV Executive Producer, Brian Brodeur, spoke with Kyle Rosenkrans, Executive Director of the New Jersey Children's Foundation. Rosenkrans joined Brodeur to discuss their recently-released survey of parents of New Jersey public school students, the first such survey conducted during the start of the 2020-21 school year. 

The New Jersey Children's ...

LONG ISLAND, NY -- Ellen Volpe, President of American Business Associates, spoke with David Faverio, CEO of Pupfish Sustainability Solutions, on a recent episode of Opportunity Calls with Ellen Volpe.

Pupfish Sustainability Solutions, based in Hauppauge, New York, offers data destruction, electronics recycling and IT asset liquidation services to organizations throughout the New York tri-state ...

Ellen Volpe, President of American Business Associates, spoke with Shannon Boyle, Executive Director of New Ground, on her new television program, Opportunity Calls with Ellen Volpe.

Volpe introduced the New Ground organization, which was founded in 1991. “It has been providing support to homeless veterans and families on Long Island in a very local and palpable way,” she said.

LITTLE FALLS, NJ -- Dan Gasby, partner and husband of B. (Barbara) Smith and CEO of B. Smith Enterprises, spoke with TAPintoTV’s Stephanie Willoughby about why the Aunt Jemima brand was finally dropped by Quaker Oats after years of controversy. Gasby also shared how he and Barbara had previously petitioned to abolish the Aunt Jemima brand, though at the time the two were met with ...

ESSEX COUNTY NJ -- TAPintoTV takes a look back to Executive Producer Brian Brodeur's conversation with activist and community leader, Bill Edge. Speaking at the 2016 Meet The Mayors event, Edge represented the NJ League of Women Voters, a sponsor of the annual chamber of commerce function.

Edge spoke about the connection among Essex County municipalities in past years. "What we've ...

LITTLE FALLS, NJ -- Cathy Keenan, Executive Director of Volunteer Lawyers for Justice (VLJ), joined TAPintoTV’s Brian Brodeur to discuss the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund's Housing Stability Project Grant.

Keenan described the work of the New Jersey Pandemic Relief Fund (NJPRF), which was established after the COVID-19 pandemic, and which has raised over $37 million from over ...

LITTLE FALLS, NJ -- Along with the presidential race coming up on November 3, there is also a mayoral race here in Little Falls and TAPintoTV recently spoke with both candidates. Donald Radcliffe, running on the Republican ticket, shared his point-of-view and outlook for the community with Executive Producer Brian Brodeur.

A resident of Little Falls for nearly 40 years, Radcliffe worked as a ...

LITTLE FALLS, NJ -- Ahead of the upcoming mayoral contest here in Little Falls, TAPintoTV recently spoke with both candidates running for office. James Damiano, the incumbent mayor on the Democratic ticket, shared his perspective and vision for the community with Executive Producer Brian Brodeur.

Damiano is a lifelong resident of Little Falls and has served as mayor since January of 2017.

Staci Berger, CEO of the Housing & Community Development Network of New Jersey, joined Brian Brodeur, TAPintoTV's Executive Producer, at East Main Media Studios, to discuss the state's current housing situation and in particular, the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

According to Berger, New Jersey has had a "very strong" housing crisis even prior to the pandemic.

LITTLE FALLS, NJ -- Mayor James Damiano of Little Falls, NJ joined Brian Brodeur, TAPintoTV’s Executive Producer at East Main Media Studios, to have a wide-ranging conversation about local development, the success of the town farmers market, and ways to vote during the upcoming election. 

Damiano, who is running for re-election this year, was born and raised in Little Falls, ...

LITTLE FALLS, NJ -- Tami Bowling, Co-founder of Metavivors of New Jersey, spoke with TAPintoTV’s Executive Producer, Brian Brodeur, about the upcoming “Light Up MBC” event, which takes place virtually and in-person on Tuesday, October 13, 8pm EST. Bowling also spoke about her own personal history and struggle with metastatic breast cancer.

Metastatic breast cancer (MBC), ...

Tami Bowling of METAvivors of NJ joined TAPintoTV Executive Producer, Brian Brodeur, via Zoom video conference to discuss their upcoming “Light Up MBC” event on October 13 at 8pm. 

METAvivors of NJ is a local chapter of the national organization, METAvivors Research and Support, which raises funding and awareness around research of Stage 4 Metastatic Breast Cancer, or ...

MAPLEWOOD, NJ -- Maplewood’s oldest business, Woolley Home Solutions, spoke with TAPintoTV about their long history in town and how they've been able to maintain their success for 95 years. 

“It’s a lot to live up to,” said Norman E. Woolley. “It’s important to support the town that’s allowed you to thrive and be able to be successful for that ...

PORT MURRAY, NJ -- Tree-licious Orchards has a great reputation for their varieties of apples, fruits and vegetables, but it’s also known as a foster home for rescue husky dogs. “Our huskies just love life at the orchard,” said Tree-licious partner, Ginger Kesler.

Housing huskies at the farm started as a way to help rid the orchard of critters and provide a better life ...

Saratoga Automobile Museum Communication Director, Dustin Lanterman, joins TAPintoTV Executive Producer, Brian Brodeur, to discuss the museum's diverse collection of vehicles and upcoming annual auction.

The Saratoga Auto Museum can be found in the former Bottling Plant of Saratoga Spa State Park. The Bottling Plant building size and location provided the perfect venue to establish the ...

CEDAR GROVE, NJ — Commemorating the 19th anniversary of the September 11th attacks, TAPintoTV takes a look back at our 2018 coverage of Cedar Grove Waves:

Cedar Grove Waves honors the victims of terrorism, remembers the lives lost, and educates students with a heartfelt 9-11 tribute on the front lawn of Cedar Grove High School.  

“I was a little over a year old when 9-11 ...

LITTLE FALLS, NJ -- Clinical Psychologist Dr. Meryl Dorf joined TAPintoTV’s Executive Producer Brian Brodeur to discuss why some people are not wearing masks, despite evidence showing that it is in the public good. 

Dr. Dorf joined Brodeur at East Main Media Studios’ facility in Little Falls, NJ, after being featured several times on TAPintoTV via Zoom. East Main’s ...

LITTLE FALLS, NJ -- Catherine Riordan, Esq., of Riordan & Associates, a boutique divorce and family law firm, spoke with TAPintoTV’s Executive Producer, Brian Brodeur, about her career and how she is able to help her clients through difficult and challenging life situations. 

Riordan and Brodeur spoke via video conference from East Main Media’s studio in Little Falls, NJ, ...

LITTLE FALLS, NJ -- Captain Bill Sheehan of Hackensack Riverkeeper talked with Stephanie Willoughby about the recent fire that has temporarily sidelined the organization. Sheehan joined Willoughby at East Main Media Studios’ facility in Little Falls, NJ, which has been recently reconfigured to accommodate safe and socially distant production in light of the COVID-19 ...

BLOOMFIELD, NJ -- Bloomfield Township will be hosting “Let’s Talk About Race,” the third in a series of community conversations about race, on Wednesday, July 29 at 7:00pm via Zoom.

“We wanted to give the community a safe space to have these conversations,” said Councilwoman Jenny Mundell, who will co-moderate the online event. 

The evening’s ...

SPRINGFIELD, NJ -- Bob Bernstein, an attorney specializing in Estate Planning and Elder Law, spoke about the importance of obtaining a health care proxy, especially with the medical challenges Americans are currently facing in light of the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Simply explained, “a health care proxy is a document that says that you have the right to manage someone else’s health ...

NUTLEY, NJ -- TAPintoTV Executive Producer Brian Brodeur was joined in studio by TAPinto Nutley Publisher, John Lee, who described a recent clash between Nutley For Black Lives demonstrators and local counter protesters that turned ugly and made national news. 

The two spoke from East Main Media Studios’ facility in Little Falls, NJ, which has been recently reconfigured to ...

SPRINGFIELD, NJ -- Bob Bernstein, an attorney specializing in Estate Planning and Elder Law, spoke about the importance of having accurate and up-to-date legal documents in light of the coronavirus pandemic. 

“One of the things that this pandemic has brought to light is the importance of the alternate that is named,” Bernstein cautioned. With COVID-19 being highly contagious ...

LITTLE FALLS, NJ -- Dan Gasby, partner and husband of B. (Barbara) Smith and CEO of B. Smith Enterprises, spoke with TAPintoTV’s Stephanie Willoughby to discuss why the Aunt Jemima brand was finally dropped by Quaker Oats after years of controversy. Gasby also shared how he and Barbara had previously petitioned to abolish the Aunt Jemima brand, though at the time the two were met ...

CLARK, NJ -- A.J. Perri, a leading plumbing and heating company in New Jersey for nearly 50 years, recently installed a free hot water heater for a deserving “Healthcare Hero” who is fighting COVID-19 on the front lines. 

Carla Biondi, a registered nurse from Clark, NJ, is the deserving recipient of a brand new 40 gallon gas water heater. A.J. Perri covered all costs for the ...

RED BANK, NJ -- Scott Wingerter, Editor of TAPinto Red Bank, joined Host Stephanie Willoughby to share a story from his community about a local nonprofit organization who held an online art auction to raise money to feed the needy.  

Lunch Break is a Red Bank organization founded in 1983 to help underemployed people make ends meet, said Wingerter, but it has evolved into much more.

CAMDEN, NJ -- Steven Rodas, Editor of TAPinto Camden, spoke with Stephanie Willoughby about the recent protest held here in solidarity with George Floyd that has put the city in the national spotlight for both its peaceful nature and police participation. 

Hundreds gathered in downtown Camden on Saturday, May 30, but what made this protest stand out from the thousands of other ...

CLINTON, NJ -- Tara Stone, Owner of Grounded for Life Cafe, recently appeared on TAPintoTV’s Sunday morning show on News 12 Plus, where she spoke to Host Stephanie Willoughby about her experiences as a small business owner navigating the pandemic. 

Stone described Grounded for Life as a plant-based restaurant “borne from a need to bring healthy and compassionate food, ...

LITTLE FALLS, NJ -- Personal Chef Nicolle Walker recently appeared on TAPintoTV’s Sunday morning TV program on News 12 Plus, to update host Stephanie Willoughby on her evolving business operations, which had to be adapted due to the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Walker’s prior business model included working in people’s homes, as she and her staff cooked meals for busy families or ...

JERSEY CITY, NJ -- Stephanie Willoughby recently caught up with Lizeth Morales, Owner of El Gordo Restaurant in Jersey City, to learn about her experiences navigating the pandemic as a small business owner. Morales and El Gordo participated in an upcoming episode of HomeGrown, filmed just before the COVID-19 outbreak. 

El Gordo, which serves Peruvian cuisine, is currently open for online ...

SOMERSET, NJ -- Ashley Jankowski, Guest Writer for TAPinto Franklin/Somerset, appeared on TAPintoTV’s weekly Sunday television show on News 12+ to tell an inspiring story of a local group supporting New Jersey health care workers. 

FLAG, which stands for Front Line Appreciation Group, is dedicated to helping feed front line health care workers during the coronavirus pandemic, while ...

GLEN ROCK, NJ -- Becky Greene, Editor of TAPinto Fair Lawn & Glen Rock, appeared on TAPintoTV’s weekly Sunday television show on News 12+ to share a story about a local group who conducted a virtual poetry slam to raise money for New Jersey health care workers. 

G.R.I.N.S., which stands for “Glen Rock Is Never Surrendering,” was founded by three women to provide ...

WAYNE, NJ -- Jon “Ferris” Meredith, editor of TAPinto Wayne, appeared on TAPintoTV’s Sunday morning show on News 12+ to share a story about an inventive family from Wayne who created a prototype for a medical grade ventilator. 

While social distancing at home, the Asaad family heard about the shortages of ventilators due to the coronavirus pandemic. “They decided ...

RUTHERFORD, NJ -- Doing business during the coronavirus pandemic has brought many new changes and lessons for Matera’s on Park, an Italian market and eatery on Park Avenue in Rutherford. HomeGrown’s Stephanie Willoughby spoke with Erica Russo, Director of Events and Communication for Matera’s, about the ways the small business has adapted to help both their customers and the ...

LITTLE FALLS, NJ -- New Jersey, New York, and many states across the nation have had stay-at-home and social distancing orders in place since mid-March, and yet, there is still a significant subset of people not following those rules. 

Though the good news is that the curve seems to be flattening in New Jersey and the New York Metro Area because most of us are successfully ...

LITTLE FALLS, NJ -- Matt Kass, Editor of TAPinto Millburn & Short Hills, spoke with TAPintoTV about how the communities he covers are dealing with the impact of the coronavirus pandemic. 

“It’s too quiet outside, it’s too calm,” Kass said, about the current atmosphere in the community. “A lot of people are quietly on edge, there’s not a lot of ...

LITTLE FALLS, NJ -- As part our ongoing coronavirus coverage in New Jersey, Cheryl Brown, the Publisher of TAPinto Verona/Cedar Grove, spoke with Brian Brodeur of TAPintoTV about the effects of the pandemic on daily life in her community. 

Both Verona and Cedar Grove are located in Essex County, New Jersey, which currently has the second-highest number of coronavirus cases in the state.

LITTLE FALLS & NUTLEY, NJ -- John Lee, Publisher of TAPinto Nutley, spoke with Brian Brodeur of TAPintoTV to report on how the coronavirus pandemic has affected the town of Nutley, New Jersey. On March 21, New Jersey Governor Phil Murphy issued orders to close non-essential businesses and dictated strong social distancing guidelines statewide. This piece was recorded on March 24, 2020 and ...

LITTLE FALLS, NJ -- Michael Shapiro, CEO & Publisher of TAPinto.net, spoke with Brian Brodeur of East Main Media this week to share how TAPinto has been an invaluable source of information for readers seeking local news to learn how the coronavirus pandemic has affected their own communities. 

Shapiro, who lives in Broward County, Florida, reports that his county is one of the ...

NUTLEY, NJ -- Researchers at the Hackensack Meridian Health Center for Discovery and Innovation (CDI) are currently developing rapid response diagnostic tests for the coronavirus, known as COVID-19. Robert Menendez, U.S. Senator from New Jersey, toured the CDI lab and called for a stronger federal response to this growing crisis. TAPintoTV spoke with CDI officials as well as their Chief ...

Valentine’s Day is widely known as the day of the year when love is celebrated, and indeed, February has been a month of romance for centuries. The St. Valentine’s Day we observe today evolved both from ancient Roman and early Christian history.

There are many legends about who St. Valentine was. One story dates from the third century A.D. Apparently, Emperor Claudius II of Rome ...

CEDAR GROVE, NJ -- The Cedar Grove Ambulance & Rescue Squad is seeking new volunteers to become members of their team, especially young people and students. 

“I can’t think of anything that’s more important than what we do,” said Alan Chadrjian, an EMT and Driver with the Rescue Squad. “This is a place where you can meet people, and learn things that will ...

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ -- TAPintoTV caught up with Crystal Pruitt, Councilwoman of Franklin Township, at the 2019 New Jersey League of Municipalities Conference. Pruitt is currently the youngest person on the Franklin Township Council, and we spoke with her about her background, goals, and advice for millennials who want to get more politically active. 

Pruitt, who is also Chief of Staff for ...

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ -- At this year’s New Jersey League of Municipalities Conference, TAPintoTV spoke with Captain Bill Sheehan of Hackensack Riverkeeper, about his organization and their efforts to revitalize the Hackensack River Watershed. 

Among its missions, Hackensack Riverkeeper collaborates with planners to ensure that land use decisions reflect science and adhere to all ...

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ -- TAPintoTV caught up with Everton Scott, Senior Public Affairs Manager at PSE&G, at the 2019 League of Municipalities Conference. Scott spoke about PSE&G’s presence at this year’s conference as well as the utility’s latest programs and priorities.  

One of the most high-profile statewide initiatives for PSE&G is the company’s ...

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ -- At this year’s annual New Jersey League of Municipalities Conference, Mark Sokolich, Mayor of Fort Lee, NJ, moderated the panel, “Media Strategies: Tips & Tools for the 21st Century.” Presenters at the panel were Michael Shapiro, the CEO & Publisher of TAPinto.net; Robin Dente, Assistant Business Administrator & Community Affairs Coordinator of ...

ATLANTIC CITY, NJ -- TAPintoTV recently attended the New Jersey League of Municipalities’ Annual Conference and caught up with Steven Ward, Business Administrator of Denville, NJ. Ward discussed some of the township’s latest initiatives, including a new recycling program that helps both the local economy and the environment. 

The recent collapse of the international recycling ...

Highlights of the sixth annual Franklin Township Franklin Day Festival - 2019, presented by Joel Republic

Joel Republic is a story (video and media) production company developing entertainment products and services for businesses and enterprises. Our passion is telling compelling stories of the lesser-known businesses, individuals, cultures, and experiences in New Jersey especially ...

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ -- At this year’s East Brunswick Day, an annual event which brings together community residents, officials and businesses, TAPintoTV spoke with several attendees and participants. The event, which is in its sixth year, was held at the East Brunswick Community Arts Center and included local vendors, nonprofit organizations, township programs, local government, youth ...

ESSEX COUNTY, NEW JERSEY -- The North Essex Chamber of Commerce (NECC) is celebrating its 50th anniversary with a Gala & Fundraiser to be held on September 26 at The Manor in West Orange, NJ. The NECC is the official chamber of commerce for nine towns in Essex County, NJ: Montclair, Fairfield, West Caldwell, Caldwell, North Caldwell, Roseland, Verona, Cedar Grove and Essex Fells. 

The ...

NEW JERSEY -- Mustard Seed Children is holding a Diaper & Supply Drive event on Saturday, August 17 from 10am to 8pm at East Side High School in Paterson, New Jersey. East Side High School is located at 150 Park Avenue in Paterson. 

Mustard Seed Communities is an international nonprofit organization dedicated to caring for the most vulnerable populations throughout the developing ...

BLOOMFIELD, NJ -- Mac-Adley Hyppolite, Jr., better known as “Mac,” took off on May 1st for a cross-country biking journey to raise funds for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.

Bloomfield residents and supporters gathered in Watsessing Park to give him a warm send-off, and the Bloomfield police force provided an official escort as he biked off on his way out of his ...

MONTCLAIR, NJ -- It was a sunny day in Montclair's Brookdale Park for Breaking The Chain Through Education's Summer Kickoff 5k Walk and Run event.

"This is our first annual Brookdale Park 5k run," said BTCTE founder Evan Robbins. "We're hoping to have a lot of fun on a beautiful day."

BTCTE is dedicated to eradicating child slavery in Ghana, ...

FRANKLIN TOWNSHIP, NJ - Benefiting Franklin High School's Project Graduation, the 2nd Annual Franklin Food Truck Festival featured craft and food truck vendors from across the state.

"We have great vendors like New World Pizza. They have the best pizza in Somerset County, New Jersey, because they make it right on the spot - this is not heated up in a microwave!" said ...

HOBOKEN, NJ -- TAPintoTV caught up with Hoboken Mayor, Ravi Bhalla, at the 25th Annual Spring Arts and Music Festival, held on Washington Street. Over 300 artists and vendors along with three stages of music were on hand to entertain the crowd.

“It’s a time-honored tradition in Hoboken, where we have the community come together,” said Mayor Bhalla.

Alongside the ...

“Think Tank with Steve Adubato,” a new show featuring four-person roundtable discussions, will debut this weekend on local PBS stations, such as NJTV and Thirteen. The program brings together thought leaders, innovators and experts from a variety of fields to explore the critical issues, trends and challenges facing society today.

The genesis of “Think Tank” was born ...

TOTOWA, NJ -- TAPintoTV caught up with staff members at the Totowa Public Library at the recent “Mind and Body Expo” to learn about the many events and community services frequently hosted at the library.

“It’s a chance for everybody to come out and learn more about themselves,” said Philip Schirner, Page at the Totowa Library, speaking about the Anxiety and ...