NEW JERSEY — There's new promising news that the COVID-19 surge in New Jersey is slowing. Plus, generous kids are using their hearts to help other kids. Also, one community prepares to honor a local hero, as he celebrates a milestone.

TAPinto's Kristina Behr has today's Now in New Jersey, Powered by TAPinto, brought to you by Lakeland Bank.

Now in New Jersey ...

TRENTON, NJ — “Were all the votes counted?” joked Josh Murphy, as he and his siblings introduced their father during his inauguration for second term as 56th Governor of New Jersey. 

After the small roast from his four children and a speech from his wife and First Lady Tammy Murphy, Governor Phil Murphy took the podium following Chief Justice Stuart Rabner ...

Join us for Trivia, SGS Karaoke Night and Live Music!

Wednesday 6-8PM - Trivia

Thursday 8:30-11:30pm SGS Karaoke Night Fundraiser

Friday 9pm-12am Kimon

Saturday 8-11pm John Nutile

The Oakley has great food with delicious pizza, burgers, sandwiches and entrées. For the grown-ups, there are signature cocktails and beers on draft. There are also plenty of TVs for watching ...

NORTH HALEDON, NJ - Last week the Garden State Model Railroad Club wrapped up its annual Model Railroad Show, held in the lower levels of 575 High Mountain Road in North Haledon.  For those who missed out, the club members said that another showing is being considered for late March, when their doors will again be open to the public to check out the extraordinary, masterful model work which ...

Introducing the cast of our long awaited production of Michael McKeever’s “Clark Gable Slept Here,” directed by Helen Exel!

Kristie McClain - Estelle the Maid

Greg Northam - Jarod “Hilly” Hilliard

John Fraissinet - Gage Holland

Ann Grippo - Morgan Wright

Joey Nasta - Travis

Russ Meyer - Presenter

Patrick Zane - Voiceovers

It’s the night ...

PARAMUS, NJ - With the start of a new year, many of us are looking to become healthier, both mentally and physically.

But, that can be easier said than done; just ask Stew Leonard's chef Tyshawn Lackey.

“I think we have been programmed since we were young to think that healthy food is bland or nasty or that it’s too expensive," Lackey said.

With ...

BLOOMFIELD, NJ-- Whether you are a half-caff mocha latte with almond milk, an African rooibos with a touch of honey, or a straight-up black coffee drinker, a cup of your favorite toasty beverage may be just what you need as temperatures dip into the single digits.  TAPinto Bloomfield has gathered recommendations from your neighbors for the best independent shops in town to snag your cup ...

MONTCLAIR, NJ – Jams by Kim has earned fans during the summer months at the Montclair Farmers Market and throughout New Jersey for its creative artisanal jams and has now been recognized with a national award for its Peach and Ginger jam by the Good Food Foundation. 

Kim Osterhoudt, founder/owner of Jams by Kim said her jam won first prize in the Preserves ...

NUTLEY, NJ - Public Affairs Commissioner John V. Kelly III declared that 2022 is the year of getting out and walking for Nutley residents during the Tuesday, Jan. 4 Board of Commissioners meeting.

Kelly suggested walking to restaurants and through the nine township parks. “Go walk the town. We have amazing parks thanks to our mayor. […] It’s easy to get from one place ...

TRENTON, NJ – With firefighters at greater risk of cancer than the general population due to their exposure to carcinogens on the job, a measure sponsored by Assembly Democrats Sterley Stanley (LD-18), Daniel Benson, and Britnee N. Timberlake would require certain health insurers to provide coverage for cancer screenings on behalf of firefighters. The legislation ...

TRENTON – Governor Murphy signed into law S3416, which codifies marriage equality in New Jersey law by providing that all laws concerning marriage and civil union are to be read with gender-neutral intent. Marriage equality currently exists in New Jersey based on state and federal Court decisions. 

“Despite the progress we have made as a country, there is still ...

BLOOMFIELD, NJ-- The themes of urgency around protecting our democracy and the importance of community involvement were in the forefront of the Township of Bloomfield's celebration of the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. on a Monday evening.  While past celebrations of the day were held live in Bloomfield's New Light Baptist Church, a church reminiscent of where Dr.

NEWARK, NJ — A Newark fire captain is dead while a retired city firefighter was hospitalized after their bodies were found unresponsive this weekend inside a Park Avenue firehouse. 

Both individuals were found inside the firehouse, located at 269-271 Park Ave., Saturday morning, according to Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore Stephens and ...

MAPLEWOOD, NJ – An associate of the parents of a South Orange elementary school student - who contend a teacher improperly removed the girl’s hijab – is disputing published reports alleging the parents have sued the school district.

The associate, James Davis III, who is chairman of Black Parents Workshop, said the parents are planning to sue the South Orange Maplewood School ...

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ – Being handpicked to throw out the first pitch before a Major League Baseball game is an honor usually reserved for the likes of rock stars, Olympic heroes and the President.

For Jonathan Holloway – who was recruited by the Stanford football program in the mid-1980s to punish running backs and flatten quarterbacks – the invitation to throw out the first ...

PATERSON, NJ – Governor Phil Murphy, Mayor Andre Sayegh, Congressman Bill Pascrell Jr. and other local officials, as well as more than a dozen youth volunteers, joined the New Jersey Community Development Corporation (NJCDC) on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, to host an outdoor Drive-Through Food Collection event at the Great Falls Youth Center.

Donors stopped by to donate what amounted ...

FLEMINGTON, NJ - World War II Navy veteran, and Flemington resident, Bill Watkinson will celebrate his 100th birthday Jan. 23 – and residents are invited to celebrate with him.

Watkinson was stationed on the USS Yorktown from 1942 to 1946. By 1943, he was a Navy test pilot, certifying aircraft and delivering them to the U.S. fleet abroad, and, in 1944, he was certified as a fighter ...

UNITED STATES - Beginning Wednesday, January 19, at-home, rapid COVID-19 tests will be available for all American households, announced the Biden Administration. 

According to the administrations, testing is an important tool to help mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Public health experts and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommend that Americans use at-home ...

NEW JERSEY — The COVID-19 Rate of Transmission, the measurement of how much the virus is spreading, fell below 1.0 on Tuesday to 0.96.  A number below 1.0 means the outbreak is on the decline, with every infected person spreading COVID-19 to fewer than one additional person, on average.

The State Health Department confirmed 9,073 additional new COVID-19 cases on Tuesday.

MONTCLAIR, NJ -- Hackensack Meridian Mountainside Medical Center will participate in the American Dental Association’s “Give Kids a Smile” program on Friday, February 4, to provide free dental care for children 12 years old and younger.

“Nearly one in four children under the age of five already has cavities,” said Aneta Wojcik, D.D.S., director of Mountainside ...

MONTCLAIR, NJ - Montclair State University congratulates Red Hawks from Nutley named to the Fall 2021 Dean's List.

Enia Rios 

Vincent Russo 

Grace Aristy 

Marina Bollano 

Maggie Redstone 

Eric Sebek 

Mark Notarmaso

Robert Carlucci

Anthony Cassie 

Patrick Infante 

Dante Bevere 

Cara Abaya ...

MAPLEWOOD, NJ – An associate of the parents of a South Orange elementary school student - who contend a teacher improperly removed the girl’s hijab – is disputing published reports alleging the parents have sued the school district.

The associate, James Davis III, who is chairman of Black Parents Workshop, said the parents are planning to sue the South Orange Maplewood School ...

PATERSON, NJ – When the Paterson Public Schools faced a bus shortage threatening the ability of students to get to school, two teachers at the Paterson Adult Continuing Education Academy took the wheel. 

On Wednesday, Superintendent of Paterson Public Schools Eileen Shafer recognized Michael McMahon and Kenneth Reilly, who both have their CDL license, for stepping up when ...

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ - New Jersey’s ban on single-use plastic products is inching closer, prompting local businesses to assess how to continue operation if they are no longer allowed to use plastic bags. P.L. 2020 c117, which was signed into law on November 4, 2020, will go into effect on May 4, 2022. 

The new law, which prohibits the use of single-use plastic carryout bags in all ...

NUTLEY, NJ - TAPinto Nutley welcomes Gary Marino as our latest marketing partner. 

Gary Marino is the VP of Mortgage Lending NMLS# 41910 at Guaranteed Rate  NMLS# 2611 139 Chestnut St. Suite 1, Nutley NJ, 07110.

Guaranteed Rate has helped over 100,000 people with Life's Biggest Purchase (TM). With 150 offices and full service solution in 50 states, we assist customers the ...

NUTLEY, NJ - The Nutley culinary renaissance will be in full swing this year when the Woodcroft Steakhouse & Seafood opens on Washington Ave. 

Located in the space that was home to American Bistro, the restaurant first caught our attention in the Fall of 2021 when the Township of Nutley Board of Commissioners approved the transfer of the plenary license to ...

PATERSON, NJ – Governor Phil Murphy, Mayor Andre Sayegh, Congressman Bill Pascrell Jr. and other local officials, as well as more than a dozen youth volunteers, joined the New Jersey Community Development Corporation (NJCDC) on Martin Luther King Jr. Day, to host an outdoor Drive-Through Food Collection event at the Great Falls Youth Center.

Donors stopped by to donate what amounted ...

SOMERVILLE, NJ - A 37-year-old Somerville woman who gave birth to a baby boy three weeks ago has died of COVID-19 complications without ever having the chance to hold her newborn, according to family and friends.

Michelle Stani, who had recently moved to Somerville from Bridgewater also had an 11-month old daughter, Jordan, a son Noah, 4 and her oldest daughter Samantha, 19.

She had ...

With the Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday just around the corner, it got me thinking about an article I read back in 2019. Found on the NBC News section, Better by Today, the article, “Meaningful Ways to Celebrate Martin Luther King Day for Kids and Adults,” was authored by Nicole Spector. At this time, she found her positivity level lacking and was having difficulty seeing the United ...

MONTCLAIR, NJ - A collective group of Montclair African-American Clergy are demanding answers from Mayor Sean Spiller and Township Council members over the racist, inflammatory remarks made by former township attorney Ira Karasick.

After reports surfaced revealing that Karasick had called an African-American community leader "three-fifths of a human," Spiller and council ...

Join Grace Church Nutley, Sunday January 16 at 10am, for Restorative Justice Sunday.

We pray and sing prayers and hymns of freedom, celebrate the work of Martin Luther King, Jr, and learn about incarceration in New Jersey.

Vincent United Methodist Church will gather for worship this Sunday morning, January 16 at 10:00 a.m. on the Second Sunday after Epiphany and Human Relations Day.

The church is open for worship in the church sanctuary, will be broadcast live from the sanctuary on the church Facebook page, and will be available for Call In. Hymns will
be sung by Music Director Tricia Blanchard. Rev.

PISCATAWAY, NJ – Rutgers gymnastics recorded its third-best team vault score in program history to highlight its 2022 home opener at Jersey Mike's Arena. The Scarlet Knights posted three scores of 9.850 to lift the vault score to 49.150, contributing to an overall score of 194.550.

RU posted a total of nine top three finishes and a number of career-highs, as ...

TOTOWA, N.J. - Local resident Mark Monteyne represented the Borough at the 2022 Walt Disney World's 29th Marathon Weekend.

Held every January in Orlando, Florida since 1994, the marathon this year ran from Jan. 7 through 9. It was part of a weekend race series that also included a 5K, 10K, a half-marathon, and a number of challenges involving one or more ...

LITTLE FALLS, NJ -- Ryan Kratz' hat trick carried Passaic Valley-Cedar Grove to its first victory of the season, 4-0, over Clifton on Monday.

Jonathan Montana gave PVCG a 1-0 lead with a goal 6:50 into the first period, with an assist from Chris Cubeta.

The Hornets extended their lead to 2-0 with the first of Kratz' three goals, 2:44 into the second period with an assist from ...

WAYNE, NJ – Fire Companies #1, 2 and 5 were dispatched at 9:15 a.m. on Monday morning for an overturned truck on the corner of Route 23 and New Street. What they found was a fuel tanker truck completely upside down with diesel fuel actively leaking onto the roadway and into drainage pipes that flow into the local water basin.

The Van Varick and Sons tanker truck held 2,000 gallons of ...

NEWARK, NJ — A Newark fire captain is dead while a retired city firefighter was hospitalized after their bodies were found unresponsive this weekend inside a Park Avenue firehouse. 

Both individuals were found inside the firehouse, located at 269-271 Park Ave., Saturday morning, according to Acting Essex County Prosecutor Theodore Stephens and ...

WAYNE, NJ – For more than twelve hours in frigid temperatures and extremely difficult circumstances, volunteers from Wayne’s Fire Company #1 joined firefighters from dozens of other towns to help quell an enormous inferno at a huge warehouse owned by the Qualco Chlorine Manufacturing plant in Passaic. The fire soon set the next door chlorine plant ablaze as well

The first alarm ...

NUTLEY, NJ - On December 2nd, Nutley High School hosted an event called, “Instant Decision Day” annually where seniors get to meet directly with select schools and get an acceptance statement on the spot. This year, students met virtually with college counselors and were able to at minimum, walk away with more knowledge of the college process or at maximum, run away with a full-ride ...

NUTLEY, NJ -  Salvatore Balsamo spoke to the Maroon & Gray and the new term that is approaching. Mr. Balsamo has lived in Nutley for his whole life; he grew up on Beach St. Mr.Balsamo feels as Nutley has helped him grow into the man he is today, “There are so many people that have helped me in both big and small ways. Most of them were friends, neighbors, and teachers ...

MAPLEWOOD,  NJ -- Dickens Village, an annual Maplewood NJ tradition, returns to Ricalton Square this week and will be open to the public from 1pm - 4pm on December 4th, 11th and 18th.

In celebration of the yearly event, TAPintoTV takes a look back at Stephanie Willoughby's visit to Dickens Village in 2019, and the community tradition of re-creating the village from ...

According to recent data, 85% of Americans own a smartphone**. Smartphones are routinely used to publish pictures and video via websites and apps, which enables users to share their participation in an event, presence at a location, or highlight a relationship or connection with other people. The primary means of creating and publishing User-Generated Content has become the smartphone.

What is ...

PATERSON, NJ -- Former Police Commissioner Bill Bratton took part in a roundtable discussion on public safety, community policing and bail reform at the Passaic County Community College’s Hamilton Club on October 28. 

Moderated by Larry Mone of the Manhattan Institute, Bratton was joined by three New Jersey mayors: Paterson Mayor André Sayegh, Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora, and ...

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ - New Jersey’s ban on single-use plastic products is inching closer, prompting local businesses to assess how to continue operation if they are no longer allowed to use plastic bags. P.L. 2020 c117, which was signed into law on November 4, 2020, will go into effect on May 4, 2022. 

The new law, which prohibits the use of single-use plastic carryout bags in all ...

EAST BRUNSWICK, NJ – All the models have confirmed what had been developing throughout the weekend. The impending storm will be a major event, but for all but the most northern and western portions of New Jersey and counties immediately north of New York City, it will be almost entirely a rain event.

The center of the storm is currently making its way up from the southeast, bringing ...

ROXBURY, NJ – Scientists and officials are mulling the possibility of dredging the shallow Landing Channel section of Lake Hopatcong and dumping the material on nearby Floating Island, a dense clump of vegetation once described as a wonderful "freak of nature." 

Those interested in the idea say it might be a great way to deepen Landing Channel – helping prevent weed ...

PARAMUS, NJ - With the start of a new year, many of us are looking to become healthier, both mentally and physically.

But, that can be easier said than done; just ask Stew Leonard's chef Tyshawn Lackey.

“I think we have been programmed since we were young to think that healthy food is bland or nasty or that it’s too expensive," Lackey said.

With ...

BLOOMFIELD, NJ-- Whether you are a half-caff mocha latte with almond milk, an African rooibos with a touch of honey, or a straight-up black coffee drinker, a cup of your favorite toasty beverage may be just what you need as temperatures dip into the single digits.  TAPinto Bloomfield has gathered recommendations from your neighbors for the best independent shops in town to snag your cup ...

MONTCLAIR, NJ – Jams by Kim has earned fans during the summer months at the Montclair Farmers Market and throughout New Jersey for its creative artisanal jams and has now been recognized with a national award for its Peach and Ginger jam by the Good Food Foundation. 

Kim Osterhoudt, founder/owner of Jams by Kim said her jam won first prize in the Preserves ...

HACKENSACK, NJ— Chick-fil-A, the ninth-largest franchise company in the United States, officially announced the opening of its sixth restaurant and drive-thru in Bergen County,  in an effort to replace a run down Hooters on Route 4. The state's first Chick-fil-A opened more than 40 years ago in the food court at Paramus Park Mall and currently has 55 locations across the ...

CLIFTON, NJ - January 17th would have been Betty White’s 100th birthday. The Clifton Animal Shelter is joining hundreds of shelters and rescues across the country by inviting everyone to take the #BettyWhiteChallenge.

Whether we first met her on Password, as "Happy Homemaker" Sue Ann Niven, as Delores Bickerman in "Lake Placid," or her five guest appearances on ...

WAYNE, NJ – Wayne’s social media groups blew up when pictures of the Great Dane Apollo, looking emaciated, began to appear along with accusations of his mistreatment in the Wayne Animal Shelter.

RELATED STORY: What Happened to Apollo? Sick Dog in Wayne Animal Shelter Becomes Center of Controversy

Many believed that Apollo was not receiving the care they felt he should during the ...

WAYNE, NJ – Wayne’s social media groups blew up when pictures of the Great Dane Apollo, looking emaciated, began to appear along with accusations of his mistreatment in the Wayne Animal Shelter.

RELATED STORY: What Happened to Apollo? Sick Dog in Wayne Animal Shelter Becomes Center of Controversy

Many believed that Apollo was not receiving the care they felt he should during the ...

MADISON, NJ - St. Hubert's Animal Welfare Center, as well as animal welfare organizations around the country are paying tribute to Betty White by joining the #BettyWhiteChallenge on social media which encourages animal lovers to donate to local shelters on January 17, which would have been White's 100th birthday.

Community members can donate to the animals at St. Hubert's by ...

NORTH HALEDON, NJ - Last week the Garden State Model Railroad Club wrapped up its annual Model Railroad Show, held in the lower levels of 575 High Mountain Road in North Haledon.  For those who missed out, the club members said that another showing is being considered for late March, when their doors will again be open to the public to check out the extraordinary, masterful model work which ...

BORDENTOWN CITY, NJ — After a hugely successful event in October, the annual Cranberry Festival will officially be back in 2022 after organizers received approval to host the event by Bordentown City Commissioners during their monthly meeting last Monday night.

The 2020 festival was canceled due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the event made a triumphant return in October 2021.

This ...

CAMDEN, NJ — A new “Camden Invincible” mural will now welcome commuters who cross the Ben Franklin Bridge into this city from Philadelphia along Admiral Wilson Boulevard. 

The new greeting – updated from an earlier version that read: “City Invincible” – is the work of five local artists who were commissioned to spotlight Camden’s people, ...