Top Local News

Cranford High School Performing Arts Student of the Week: Melissa Collins

March 30, 2023

CRANFORD, NJ - Congratulations to Cranford High School's PAW - Performing Arts Student of the Week, Melissa Collins!

Melissa Collins is a senior in the Cranford High School acting program. She was nominated because of her leadership within the program. Melissa is the president of Cranford High School’s International Thespian Society Troupe and a writer for the Senior Acting ...

Cranford High School Performing Arts Student of the Week: Sansa Kirby

CRANFORD, NJ - Congratulations to PAW - Cranford High School's Performing Arts Student of the Week, Sansa Kirby!

Sansa, a senior, is both a choir student manager and alto section leader.  "She brings positive energy but also a sense of quiet humility, showing care and compassion for members of the Concert Choir and Madrigal Choir," the Cranford High School ...

Cranford High School Performing Arts Student of the Week: Lindsey Stevens

CRANFORD, NJ - Congratulations to this week's PAW - Cranford High School's Performing Arts Student of the Week, Lindsey Stevens!

Lindsey is a senior and has been in Cranford High School's dance program since freshman year. Last spring, a duet she choreographed was selected to perform at the Union County Teen Arts Festival. Lindsey is also a member of the National Honor Society for ...

Scenes from the 2023 Cranford Truck Parade

March 28, 2023

CRANFORD, NJ - A beautiful spring day brought out plenty of kids and grown-ups alike to the 2023 Cranford Community Connection Truck Parade. Lights, sirens, and bright colors filled the air as the big wheels came down the streets of town for the third year in a row.

Garbage trucks, construction company trucks, and small businesses joined the Cranford Police, Cranford Fire Department, Cranford ...

It's O-fish-ial: Cranford Police to Offer Free "Cops and Bobbers" Event

CRANFORD, NJ - Something fishy is happening this spring in Nomahegan Park. 

The Cranford Police Department are inviting children aged 5-13 to a free morning of fishing on Saturday, April 22, 2023, from 7:30 a.m. to 12 p.m.

"Fishing teaches patience, ingenuity and humility," a Cranford Police Department press release says. "Our officers will work alongside kids, ...

Get the Story Behind the Story with Cranford Mom's New Podcast

March 29, 2023

CRANFORD, NJ - Think of a writer and you may think of a solitary person behind a computer (or perhaps a typewriter) clicking away at the keys in a frenzy. But behind those favorite and nascent authors is a village of supporters. We read their books, but have you ever perused the back pages? The ones where they thank those individuals who kept them going?

Those words of thanks, ...

Saturdays with Bernie: BreakTime

CRANFORD, NJ - This week, Bernie Wagenblast interviews BreakTime, a band made of four NJ natives, including their drummer, Cranford High graduate Peter Roefaro.

Douglas Lupo, Thommy Delaney, Sean Manuel, all of Bayonne, NJ and Roefaro are the quartet of musicians that play "modern pop with generous vintage touches," Manuel said on the podcast. Their music is ...

New Cranford High School Administrator Approved by BOE

March 29, 2023

CRANFORD, NJ - Thomas Manzo was officially approved by the Cranford Board of Education to become the new Assistant Principal of Cranford High School at Monday night's meeting.

Manzo graduated from Rowan University with magna cum laude honors, achieving a Bachelor's Degree in History and Education before pursuing a Master's Degree in Educational Leadership at Montclair ...

Township Committee Moves Forward with Redevelopment Plan

March 23, 2023

CRANFORD, NJ – The voting process opened with Commissioner Gina Black's comments, advocating for more time and a more in-depth assessment of the plan presented. She publicly thanked for all the effort and commitment invested, accepting that “the town needs rehabilitation,” using as an example the “good statement” that already represents other new ...

Cranford Township Committee to Hold Important Vote Tuesday on North Avenue Gateway Project

CRANFORD, NJ - After viewing a presentation by Connolly & Hickey Historical Architects at its March 7 meeting, the Township Committee is set to vote on a Resolution this week that seeks Request for Proposals (RFPs) from redevelopers for the North + Springfield Redevelopment Project, also known as the "North Avenue Gateway Project."

As previously reported on TAPinto Cranford, ...

National Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month: Knowledge is Key

March 27, 2023

CRANFORD, NJ— “It felt like a literal punch in the gut,” Christina Thompson, of Rockaway, said about her first cancer diagnosis. 

After her mom died from colon cancer at the age of 45, Thompson was determined to do everything she could to keep her and her family healthy. From 1993 to 2011, Thompson got a colonoscopy every three years. 

“I remember in ...

Cranford Elementary School Shelters in Place Due to Police Activity in Area; "All is Well" Schools Say

March 20, 2023

CRANFORD, NJ - A Cranford elementary school "sheltered-in-place" due to police activity in the area earlier today. 

Around 12:30 p.m. today, Cranford Schools sent a message to the school community confirming that a "Shelter-in-Place" was enacted at Bloomingdale Avenue School at 11:34 a.m. 

The shelter-in-place was lifted at 12:15 p.m. 

"All ...

Cranford Cadettes Want to Help Other Girls...Period

March 26, 2023

CRANFORD, NJ - Three Cranford Cadette Girl Scouts are on a mission to help those experiencing period poverty.

Period poverty is defined by Girls Helping Girls Period (GHGP), an organization that works to bring awareness and aid to the cause, as a "lack of access to menstrual products, education, hygiene facilities, waste management, or a combination of these."

Sofia ...

Jason Gareis and Brian Andrews are Runninng for Cranford Township Committee

March 30, 2023

CRANFORD, NJ - Cranford Township Commissioners Jason Gareis and Brian Andrews will run for re-election this November. Both commissioners were elected in 2020 and their terms end on December 31, 2023.

There will be two open seats on Cranford's Township Committee come November, each with a three-year term. Gareis and Andrews are running as Democrats.

Gareis has served as the Deputy ...

First Presbyterian Church Celebrates the Return of It's Children's Choir

March 27, 2023

CRANFORD, NJ - First Presbyterian Church of Cranford was excited to celebrate the return of its children's choir on Sunday, March 19th! Under the direction of Elsa Gail Hahn, a retired elementary school music educator, children in grades 2 - 8 have been gathering Thursday afternoons at 4:15 p.m. in the choir room to make new friends and rehearse beautiful music! 

"Participating ...

Get a New Start in God's Hands This Easter

Cranford, New Jersey (March 17, 2023) - The First Presbyterian Church of Cranford, 11 Springfield Ave., Cranford, invites you to experience Easter! Encounter the peaceful, reassuring and forgiving presence of God as Rev. Jin Bae brings the two-thousand-year-old Holy Week story to life.  It won’t be boring, we promise.  Children have several special responsibilities during Palm ...

Check Your Bank Account: NJ ANCHOR Property Tax Relief Rebate Payments are Arriving

March 28, 2023

NEW JERSEY – If you haven’t checked your bank account today, you may want to. Several residents who applied for the ANCHOR property tax relief report receiving a deposit today, March 28, 2023.  

In a joint statement by Governor Phil Murphy and Treasurer Elizabeth Maher Muoio, they announced that the first batch of ANCHOR Property Tax Relief rebate payments are ...

A Bit of 'Magick' Coming to Downtown Cranford

CRANFORD, NJ - A bit of 'magick' is coming to Downtown Cranford with another offering from a longtime business.

Witch Baby Soaps, a downtown Cranford shop that sells soaps, body scrubs, bath bombs and other personal care items since 2019, will be opening another store at 11 North Union Ave., the former location of Simply Art & Framing. The store, that started as an online ...

Salad-Ology Salad of The Week

March 28, 2023

If you haven't tried Cranford's hottest spot for salad yet, this is your nudge to get to Salad-Ology and sample their Salad of the Week today! 

Salad-Ology, located inside Sub-Ology, has an extensive menu of to die for salads. Their chopped salads have caused quite a buzz these last few months.

My Big Fat Greek Salad is Salad-Ology's Salad of the Week. It features marinated ...

Saturdays with Bernie: East Coast Greenway Alliance

March 25, 2023

CRANFORD, NJ - This week, Bernie Wagenblast interviews Dennis Markatos-Soriano, the executive director of the East Coast Greenway Alliance.

The East Coast Greenway spans 3,000 miles, running from Maine to Florida, cutting through Mohawk Park, local streets and Nomahegan Park in Cranford. Roughly 50 million bike rides and walks happen along the Greenway each year, Markatos-Soriano ...

See How Cranford Ranked on Niche's List of Best Places to Live

March 21, 2023

CRANFORD, NJ - Cranford is an overall A+ place to live according to a recent ranking from Niche.com.

"Cranford Township is in Union County and is one of the best places to live in New Jersey," the ranking website says. "Living in Cranford Township offers residents a dense suburban feel and most residents own their homes."

The rest of Cranford's 2023 grades ...

The Holy Grail! How to Turn Fat Into Muscle?

The short answer is you cannot.  Muscle is muscle and body fat is body fat and they both weigh the same, although muscle mass is much denser.  You may see a layer of fat over your muscles, but despite our best efforts of exercise and diet, it is impossible to convert one to the other. However, it is possible to change your body composition and become leaner. Losing body fat (breaking ...

Faculty/Staff Spotlight: Meet Union Catholic's Vanessa Wyckoff

SCOTCH PLAINS, N.J. - In our latest installment of Faculty/Staff Spotlight, we shine the spotlight on Union Catholic Athletic Trainer Vanessa Wyckoff.

Here is our Q and A with Wyckoff:

Years of service at Union Catholic?
Wyckoff is in her first year at UC  

Current position at UC?
Athletic Trainer 

Education:
Graduated from MacArthur High School in Levittown, N.Y. in ...

Feature Friday: Nicole Ciuba Stars on Stage And Classroom at Union Catholic

SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ -- In our latest installment for Feature Friday, we shine the spotlight on Union Catholic junior Nicole Ciuba.

Ciuba is an Honor Roll Student, a member of the Performing Arts Company, a Student Ambassador, a member of the swim team and forensics, and a member of the National Honor Society.

Here is our Q and A with Ciuba -   

Which character are you ...

Falcon Profile: Mark Gialluisi - An Unlikely Falcon Star

Mark Gialluisi was a highly sought-after baseball player by high schools all around New Jersey during his middle school years. But Saint Joseph’s High School was not in the plan for his future.

As he grew up, so did his skills and recognition. Traveling to Florida for a 14u National Showcase event in 2018, Gialluisi showed out as one of the best catchers ranking No. 3 in pop time and No.

Saint Joseph High School Edison Rotary Seniors of the Month - March 2023

Saint Joseph High School is proud to congratulate Tyler Andersen and Aidan Dul as the Edison Rotary Seniors of the Month for March 2023. 

 

Tyler Andersen is a senior at Saint Joseph High School in Metuchen. He attended Immaculate Conception School in Spotswood where he has been an altar server since 4th grade and will end this summer after 9 years of this Catholic service to the ...

2023 Union County Hazardous Waste Disposal this Saturday, April 1, in Cranford

The Union County Board of County Commissioners presents upcoming 2023 Union County Hazardous Waste Disposal events, including this Saturday, April 1, 2023, at Union College, Parking Lots 5A/5B, 1033 Springfield Avenue in Cranford.  For this and other hazardous waste disposal events, including details about the events, please click here or view the schedule in the photo ...

Union County Polling Public on Options for Seal That Doesn't Show Killing of Patriot

March 28, 2023

UNION COUNTY, NJ — The county is asking the public to weigh in on which of two options residents prefer to replace the Union County seal depicting the killing of a Revolutionary War patriot by a British soldier.

The existing seal dramatizes the shooting death of Hannah Caldwell, the wife of the Rev. James Caldwell of the Elizabethtown Presbyterian Church and chaplain to the Third New ...

Lidl Supermarket Expected to Begin Construction at Former Snuffy's Location Soon

SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ - Scotch Plains director of redevelopment Tom Strowe announced at the Township Council meeting of March 21 that construction of the long awaited Lidl supermarket is expected to take place at soon 250 Park Ave., where Snuffy's Pantagis Renaissance once operated. The Council then passed a resolution approving the construction of the supermarket.

At the ...

Property Taxes in Union County: Where Your Town Ranked in 2022

UNION COUNTY, NJ — Homeowners in 17 Union County municipalities saw increases in their property taxes while homeowners in four municipalities saw decreases in 2022, according to recently released state data.

When taken all together, however, the average Union County homeowner saw a tax decrease of 0.07% last year bucking a statewide trend of increases, according to the ...

Wardlaw+Hartridge Students Honor March Celebrations

Middle School students at The Wardlaw+Hartridge School in Edison covered a wide range of topics highlighting important March celebrations at their divisional meeting during the week prior to Spring Break. With school closed for about half of the month, the students packed much information into the meeting in the Berry Performing Arts Center.

The meeting included an observance of ...

US Sens. Menendez, Booker Highlight $18 Million in NJ Higher Education Federal Funding at Kean University

March 29, 2023

UNION, NJ - U.S. Sens. Robert Menendez and Cory Booker highlighted more than $18 million in federal funding they helped secure for New Jersey higher education during an event this week at Kean University.

Kean received $4.25 million in the $1.7 trillion dollar federal spending bill approved by Congress and signed by President Biden in December for programs that involve government, community ...

2023 Election Policies

The following are marketing options available to all candidates for the 2023 elections.  To discuss marketing on TAPinto, please contact your local TAPinto site owner/publisher or click here. 

Site Advertising:

Leaderboard (728 x 90 pixels desktop, 320 x 100 pixels mobile):  $700 per month or $250 per week per TAPinto site

Bullseye (300 x 250 pixels):  $500 ...

Upcoming Events

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Thu, March 30
06:00 PM — 09:00 PM

Cranford

Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader ...

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Fri, March 31
07:00 PM — 10:00 PM

Cranford

CHS Senior Fashion Show (Events)

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Sat, April 01
11:00 AM — 03:30 PM

The Delaware River Railroad Excursions, Phillipsburg

The Easter Bunny Train Ride and Easter ...

Taking Care of Yourself While Taking Care of Others

Around the world, women take care of other people. It’s a natural human expression of love that can be a source of great joy – and a source of exhaustion and stress over time. Although men are taking on more caregiving for children and family, women still handle the majority of childcare, elder care, and informal care to spouses, parents, in-laws, friends, and neighbors.

So, if ...

TAPinto Journalists Recognized for Excellence by The Center for Cooperative Media

ISELIN, NJ — TAPinto journalists were recently honored by The Center for Cooperative Media with NJ News Commons Excellence in NJ Local News Awards.

"Thank you to the Center For Cooperative Media for recognizing the outstanding local journalism being produced here in New Jersey," TAPinto Founder and CEO Michael Shapiro said. "Congratulations to all the winners including our ...

North Ave Redevelopment

March 20, 2023

OPINION - At the Township Committee meeting on Tuesday , March 21 at 7:30 pm the Township Committee will vote to approve an RFP for the North Avenue Redevelopment on North Avenue and Springfield Avenue.  They are proposing four stories at the gateway to our town. If you believe that 3 stories is more appropriate please let your voice be heard .  Please attend the workshop meeting on ...