Westfield Top Stories
By CHUCK O'DONNELL
May 12, 2024
PISCATAWAY – About 75 Rutgers students quietly walked out of Sunday’s commencement ceremony at SHI Stadium, apparently in protest of the university’s financial ties with companies connected to Israel. The students, some of whom wore keffiyeh and scarves emblazoned with the word “Palestine,” left ...
WESTFIELD NJ — Plants make everything better. So believe Ben Montez, Trisha Montez and Peter Dario, owners of the new design-focused Terrace Plant Shop at 122 Elm St. The new shop has an abundance of tropical and house plants to buy and even rent, should you want them for a limited time for ...
CLARK, NJ — In a classic New Jersey boys lacrosse rivalry game, the Hilltoppers outlasted the Blue Devils on Saturday night.Sophomore attack James Grainger scored two goals with an assist and senior attack Daniel Flaim posted one goal with a game-high three assists to lead second-seeded Summit, No.
WESTFIELD, NJ — Westfield’s police station and Mindowaskin Park were the location for filming of a movie Wednesday. Two famous actors were spotted filming scenes. Starting in the 2025-2026 school year, Westfield Public Schools will be closed on Diwali, Eid al-Fitr and Lunar New Year when those ...
CLARK, NJ – The top-seeded Westfield High School baseball team took on fifth-seeded Cranford in the Union County Tournament semifinals on Saturday at Johnson High School. The Blue Devils edged the Cougars, 8-7, in nine innings, ending Cranford’s quest for its third straight county crown. “We ...
NEW BRUNSWICK — All the pomp and circumstance. All the caps and gowns. All the hugs and laughs. Sunday’s annual commencement ceremony typically affords Rutgers a football-stadium-sized stage to beam with scarlet pride, boast of its many accomplishments and dispense a bunch of degrees, ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — Four teachers are being honored by the Westfield High School community with annual awards of excellence, the school district announced Friday. Music teacher and orchestra director Craig Stanton is the recipient of the 2024 Distinguished Teacher of the Year Award, established to ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — It was totally rad. An estimated 1,000 people came to Downtown Westfield Thursday night for a 1980s-themed Girls’ Night Out. More than 40 businesses participated in the annual event, offering refreshments, giveaways, special pricing and fun activities. “Tina Turner” and ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — Edison Intermediate School mathematics teacher Ryan Belline and Roosevelt Intermediate School social studies teacher Marissa Conneely are the recipients of the 2024 Optimist Club’s Intermediate School Outstanding Teacher Awards, the district announced Thursday. The awards ...
NEW BRUNSWICK — A Jewish freshman at Rutgers whose face was displayed on Pro-Palestinian fliers that were posted outside a dorm room and throughout Demarest Hall has filed a lawsuit against the university charging discrimination. Cory Rothbort, the Essex County-based attorney representing Rivka ...
UNION, NJ — She did it again. Westfield sophomore Lily Patel defended her Union County Tournament individual title successfully by shooting a score of 9-over-par (41-40--81) to win by seven strokes at historic Suburban Country Club in Union Tuesday, May 7. Jasmine Gutierrez-Solana of Scotch ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — Westfield’s police station and Mindowaskin Park were the location for filming of a movie Wednesday, May 8, that will include several Academy Award winners, according to town officials. “Westfield welcomed a bit of Hollywood yesterday, as the Town of Westfield, NJ Police ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — McKinley Elementary School 4th grade teacher Branice Moore is the 2024 recipient of the Rotary Club of Westfield’s Philhower Fellowship in recognition of outstanding teaching at the elementary school level, the school district announced Wednesday. Westfield High School ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — This talented second baseman for the varsity baseball team at Westfield High School is focused on achieving historic wins in both county and state competitions this year. Junior Jake Alfano is this week’s Andy Heinz and The Westfield Legacy Agency’s Allstate Westfield Athlete of ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — A Westfield man who worked as the chief financial officer for a prominent law firm admitted Wednesday that he misappropriated more than $1.5 million from the firm and evaded state income tax obligations over the course of about six years, according to officials. The man, John ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — Starting in the 2025-2026 school year, Westfield Public Schools will be closed on Diwali, Eid al-Fitr and Lunar New Year when those holidays fall on school days. The Westfield Board of Education unanimously approved the change at its meeting Tuesday, May 7. Board member Brendan ...
MOUNTAINSIDE, NJ — The person who stole a car on Parkway Avenue and crashed it near Echo Lake Park is still at large, Mountainside Police said at 4:50 p.m. Wednesday. Mountainside Police Chief Joseph Giannuzzi said the department got a 911 call at about 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 8 from 25-year-old ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — Jacqueline Spring will succeed Westfield High School Assistant Principal Dr. Warren Hynes this summer, when Hynes leaves to become principal of Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School. The Westfield Board of Education approved Springs’ appointment, effective July 1, during its meeting ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — Longtime Westfield High School assistant principal and head football coach James DeSarno will become the district’s next director of athletics/K-12 physical education and health supervisor on July 1. Members of the Westfield Board of Education approved the appointment at ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — Portions of Park Drive in Mindowaskin Park will be closed on Wednesday, May 8, from mid-morning through the early evening due to film production activity at Town Hall, Westfield police said in a Nixle alert sent Tuesday evening. During that time, Park Drive will be open to ...
SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ — A fire at a building under demolition on East Second Street between Myrtle Avenue and Park Avenue closed traffic on the artery around 1 p.m. on Tuesday afternoon. Fire officials said that the building, the former home of The Bike Stand, was in the process of being demolished ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — Seven residents reported that their vehicles were burglarized in town last week, Westfield Police said Tuesday. A resident reported a burglary to their vehicle parked on Cacciola Place on April 30 at 1:01 a.m. that resulted in a theft of property, police said. The resident told ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — The Union County Commission together with the Westfield Regional Health Department are partnering to conduct a mandated health assessment survey and they need the public’s participation. Required by New Jersey every three to four years, the survey is conducted to provide insights ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — On the last day of Earth Month, the Westfield Town Council approved a resolution crafted by the climate-focused town committee and volunteer group, the Green Team, to do its part to address climate change. “Reducing greenhouse gas emissions” was top of the bill for the ...
NEW BRUNSWICK – Rutgers President Jonathan Holloway on Monday defended his decision to negotiate with pro-Palestinian protesters who camped on Voorhees Mall last week. “People have said we should have not engaged in discussion with the protesters,” Holloway said during a special meeting of the ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — Westfield High School’s No Place for Hate Club recently ran events for fifth graders at Westfield’s six elementary schools. “The purpose of the event is to introduce students to the type of things that No Place for Hate does and to have a very targeted lesson and conversation ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — Make it three straight for the Westfield boys tennis team. The Blue Devils tallied 92 points and had finalists at all five flights (winning three of them) to capture their third straight Union County Tournament team title at the Donald Van Blake Tennis Facility in Plainfield on ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — The Westfield Fire Department will begin state-mandated lead-based paint inspections for rental and multi-unit buildings built before 1978. A resolution was unanimously approved at the April 30 town council meeting. “We have about a thousand units,” said Town Administrator Jim ...
UNION COUNTY, NJ — The state Department of Environmental Protection has awarded three grants to the county totaling $3,754,900 that will help fund an inclusive playground at Warinanco Park, updates to a Rahway River Park playground and landscape restoration at the Homestead Farmhouse at Oak Ridge ...
WESTFIELD, NJ — School board members Robert Benacchio and Sonal Patel traded seats and leadership positions at the Westfield School Board reorganization meeting Wednesday night, when the board voted unanimously to make Benacchio president and Patel vice president. The Westfield Town Council ...