First Congregational Church of Westfield presents the long-awaited return of Great Decisions, America’s largest discussion program on world affairs courtesy of the Foreign Policy Association. For four weeks, beginning on Monday, April 25 at 7 p.m, attendees will explore a variety of current topics of deep importance both nationally and internationally. During each session, participants will view a short introductory film centered on the theme for the evening, and then discuss how we, as people of faith, manage through the issues ...

WESTFIELD, NJ — With season highlights that include placing first overall in an exciting win over New Providence High School last month, the captain of Westfield High School’s varsity golf team has proven to be an invaluable contributor to the Blue Devils. Westfield High School junior Jillian Isaacman is described by her coach, Jayne Summers, as dedicated and hardworking. Isaacman, 16, is this Week’s Ron Bansky and Associates Allstate Athlete of the Week.  “She puts incredible amounts of time and practice ...

As a mental health and pain management coach, I spend a lot of time talking to my clients about managing chronic pain, chronic illness, and mental health struggles like depression, anxiety, grief, ADHD, bipolar disorder, etc.  In the process, I often hear, "I want to change Christina, but I just can't." My response is always, "well…you get to decide that." I'm often met with a confused look—and rightfully so. How can anyone decide that they can change their anxiety? Depression? Grief? For ...

With the end of the school year approaching, many high school students are seeing their friends’ social media feeds flooded with photos of college acceptance letters.  The pressure to go to a four-year college immediately after high school is intense, and many kids are applying to colleges simply because they think they are supposed to go.  But what if college is not a good fit for you or your child?    The truth is, college isn’t right for everyone. The upfront investment is high, as tuition has ...

*NOTE VENUE CHANGE* DATE AND LOCATION:  Hennessy Hall (the Mansion) Fairleigh Dickinson University 1 Mansion Mall Madison, NJ 07940 Friday, June 3rd, 2022 from 5:30 pm to 10:00 pm There will be fabulous designer purse bingo, tricky tray raffle, 50/50 raffle, dessert, AND door prizes!

A wise therapist once told me, “David, no matter how much you think you can, no one can predict the future. So stop trying and making yourself crazy in the process.” Excellent advice, especially considering my future predictions tend to veer into sometimes frightening territory. Predictions are like opinions, everyone has one. When I signed on for parenthood, I tried to anticipate a lot of talks that I would have to give, such as about sex, why we do not root for the Yankees or Cowboys, drugs, why daddy will not watch ...

WESTFIELD, NJ -- Students at Holy Trinity School are showcasing their talents in music, art, and drama this spring after a hiatus of two years.  On Apr. 6, students in the school instrumental program, under the direction of music teacher Mrs. Samantha Gambuzza, played a concert for the school community that afternoon and in the evening for parent/adult guests. Students played various instruments ranging from wind instruments to keyboard and guitar. "We talk all the time in our general music class that the skill of ...

Franklin 5th graders Henry Tuttle, Karl Westerling, Matt Taormina, James Holleran and Shaan Patel (not pictured) made it to the final rounds of the regional competition of the International Geography Bee while qualifying to compete in Nationals in June.

Divorce inevitably results in a major life transition for all parties involved. Whether or not both spouses wish to end their marriage, divorce presents changes in family structure, time spent with children and financial resources. During a divorce, decisions need to be made about the most precious and important aspects of an individual’s life while they navigate the intense emotional effects of materially altering the way they may have envisioned their future. In order to protect yourself during a divorce, I advise my clients that ...

CHATHAM, NJ — This delightful play, set in Yorkshire, England, lends a risque air to the Women’s Institutes at a local church parish. The play and film were based on a true story of middle-aged women who were seeking a fundraising idea for Leukemia Research. They’re desperate to find a way to support their charities and somehow come up with the idea of posing nude (not naked) for a calendar, incorporating their backgrounds of gardening, knitting, baking and music. Chris insists that ...

Update: Reunited with owner. This black-and-white dog was found in the area of 800 Forest Avenue Friday, Westfield Police said. He does not have a microchip. If you recognize him, call Westfield Police at 908-789-4000 x0.

For a glimpse of just how volatile commodities currently are, look at nickel markets. Prices doubled in early March. Then they fell sharply. Then the London Metals Exchange halted trading. In late March, the market for nickel — a key component in electric vehicle batteries and stainless steel products — reopened but with strict trading limits. It’s just one example of how the global economy is being disrupted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. Russia provides about 20% of the world’s nickel supply. The threat of ...

NEW JERSEY - COVID-19 temporarily slowed transit ridership, but it did not slow NJ TRANSIT from continuing to improve service and the customer experience for its customers. According to NJ TRANSIT reports, the quest to make improvements to infrastructure and other projects has resulted in NJ TRANSIT advancing over $4 billion to enhance system performance and add new vehicles to the fleet since 2018. Major capital projects that will positively impact millions of riders each year are at the top of the list of planned improvements for NJ ...

Corporations—particularly public corporations—typically include some form of equity (corporate stock) in their executives’ pay.  That equity can take different forms, each with its own tax and investment consequences.  Whatever the form of equity compensation, it typically vests—or becomes available to the employee—over a set time, often three to five years.  The goal is to reward loyalty and make continued employment remunerative, with less turnover by more valuable employees.  Employees who ...

Information provided by Susan Massa Broker Associate Keller Williams Premier Properties 908-400-0778. Town                    Address                              Style      RMS      BR          ...

On Wednesday, May 4, a new state law called the “Bag Ban” goes into effect. When it does, supermarkets will not hand out any free, single-use paper or plastic shopping bags. Customers will have to bring their own shopping bags, or purchase them at the supermarket. Other retail stores and restaurants can continue to provide free paper shopping bags, but they will not be allowed to provide free plastic bags. “The new statewide Bag Ban is going to be a big change for many shoppers. We hope to help make the transition ...

For those who make estimated tax payments such as self-employed individuals, retirees, investors, businesses, corporations and others that the payment for the first quarter of 2022 is due Monday, April 18. Income taxes are a pay-as-you-go process. This means, by law, taxes must be paid as income is earned or received during the year. Most people pay their taxes through withholding from paychecks, pension payments, Social Security benefits or certain other government payments including unemployment compensation. Most often, ...

NEW PROVIDENCE, NJ — Publishers invest significant time and financial resources in building their audience. No one has the right to have their content placed in front of the audience you’ve built. Public relations firms and others say their content is newsworthy and they get paid a lot of money to try to make that case to publishers every day. Drawing the line between news and public relations and critical to publisher credibility and success in the years ahead. There are still many in the industry who feel there needs to ...

Ever wonder how some people seem to get so many things done in a short period of time?  Well, they probably know the secret to quickly manifesting their goals. There are tons of books out there on manifesting, but the truth is, you only need to be in tune with your own body to really achieve your goals and dreams.  In the above video, I give you some tips on how to super charge those chakras (subtle energy centers) to generate new ideas and then bring those ideas to life. 

METUCHEN, NJ - The second that Matthew DaSilva stepped foot on the campus of Saint Joseph High School five years ago he immediately felt something special. From his first campus tour to his time as “Freshman for a Day,” DaSilva knew the choice was easy. He was going to spend the most formative years of his life at Saint Joe’s. Sure there were other private schools in consideration, mainly St. John Vianney and Christian Brothers Academy, but Saint Joseph High School was different. It felt like home. “We went ...

Who is holy? Is it the mystic in the mountains, the monk in the monastery, or the guru in the garage? Perhaps it is the lady with the crystal ball or the meditating yogi? People today have fallen in love with Spirituality, Mysticism and Kabbalah. Great. I’ve even given a whole series of Kabbalah classes myself. Judaism is certainly rich in spirituality and the mystical perspective helps us to a deeper understanding of our faith and its practice. But how would Judaism define "holy"? Must one be a mystic to be ...

The death of Christiano Ronaldo’s baby boy twin has garnered the sympathy of fans and followers around the world.  On Monday, April 18, he announced via a social media post that his newborn son had passed away. “Only the birth of our baby girl gives us the strength to live this moment with some hope and happiness,” read the statement on Twitter, signed by both Ronaldo and girlfriend Georgina Rodriguez. No additional information has been released about the birth.  The loss of any baby, at any stage of pregnancy ...

EDISON, NJ -- Gurinder Singh of Carteret, a senior at The Wardlaw+Hartridge School in Edison, was among three local high school seniors to receive Good Citizen Awards from The Westfield Chapter of The Daughters of The American Revolution (DAR). Each school selected one Good Citizen from their senior class based on Dependability (truthfulness, loyalty, punctuality), Service (cooperation, courtesy, consideration of others), Leadership (personality, self-control, responsibility), and Patriotism (unselfish interest in family, school, ...

Phonemic awareness is one of the best predictors of a student’s ability to read fluently. This ability to hear speech sounds clearly, and to differentiate them, is key to our understanding of what we read. As cognitive neuroscientist Dr. Paula Tallal explains, “To break the code for reading, a child must become ‘phonologically aware’ that words can be broken down into smaller units of sounds (phonemes) and that it is these sounds that the letters represent.” A National Reading Panel in-depth review of 52 ...

National Water Safety Month is in May and is a kick-off for the summer season. This is the perfect time for parents and caregivers to reinforce the importance of water safety and equip kids and adults with the essential skills to keep them safe in and around water. As “America’s Swim Instructor,” the YMCA teaches more than 1 million children invaluable water safety and swimming skills each year nationally.  As always, the Westfield Area YMCA wants to make sure water safety is a top priority as they head back into pools, ...

It’s been a roller coaster year in life and real estate. In my family, we had weddings, engagements and new babies! In real estate, we saw multiple offers, low interest rates, new families arriving and others pursuing new locations.   Perhaps you’ve been thinking it’s time for a change. If so, just give me a call, at 908-875-5628. I’m sure you have lots of questions.   At this time of year people celebrate in many ways. No matter how you celebrate, I wish you peace, joy ...

Check out 831 Grandview Ave in Westfield; this colonial in the Manor Park neighborhood won’t last long. With a new outdoor staircase leading to the enclosed front porch, a new roof, and other updates since 2021, you’re getting modern living with classic character. From the porch, you’ll step in to the sun filled living room with bay windows that flows into the updated kitchen with granite countertops and stainless-steel appliances. The first floor also contains a half bathroom and a formal dining room. On the second floor ...