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Westfield Library Updating Aging HVAC, Cites $300K Savings Under PSE&G Program

March 20, 2023

WESTFIELD NJ — The Westfield Memorial Library was closed for about 10 weeks in 2021 because its heating system failed.

Looking to avoid another shutdown and maximize energy efficiency, the library is upgrading its heating and air conditioning systems along with some lighting, all of which date back about 35 years, the library announced.

“The major heating and cooling components, ...

Westfield Mourns Loss of Recreation Events Specialist, 28

WESTFIELD, NJ — Funeral services have been set for a 28-year-old resident and town employee who died this past weekend.

Lauren Ashley Harmer, who worked as an events specialist for the Westfield Recreation Department, died Saturday, March 11, at her home in Westfield, her family said in an obituary. A cause of death was not given.

“The pride of her life was the Westfield ...

Westfield Council OKs 8 Financial Agreements, $57M in Bonds For Redevelopment

WESTFIELD, NJ — A major redevelopment plan for the town is anticipated to move forward following the Town Council’s approval of financial agreements and bonding for public improvements in connection with the project.

Following required public hearings on the measures, council members on Tuesday approved eight separate financial agreements with the Hudson’s Bay Company entity ...

How’s Lifelong Westfield Doing? Survey Seeks Local Seniors’ Feedback

WESTFIELD, NJ — Webinars on preventing seniors from being scammed, a senior services fair and a home safety webinar were among the events held by Lifelong Westfield over the past two years.

How well attended were these events held by the initiative of the Mayor’s Senior Advisory Council? And how much are they liked? Lifelong Westfield is seeking to answer these and other questions ...

5 Candidates File to Run in 2023 Westfield School Board Election

WESTFIELD, NJ — Two incumbents and three challengers have filed petitions to run for the three open seats in the April 25 Board of Education election, according to the school district.

The candidates are as follows, the district said.

Brian Crawford
Kent Diamond*
Brendan Galligan*
Charles Gelinas
Dyanna Pepitone

*Denotes Incumbent

The deadline to file petitions ...

Westfield Council Addresses Residents’ Concern Over 25.6% Sewer Fee Hike

WESTFIELD, NJ — The cost to put water, and other waste, down the drain has gone up for homeowners in this town.

Residents in Westfield recently got their sewer bills and at Tuesday’s town council meeting an explanation from elected officials for the 25.6% hike. The new fee for single-family homes rose to $245, from the previous rate of $195, which was set in ...

Why Westfield Schools Want Voters’ Permission to Raise Taxes

WESTFIELD, NJ — Voters will have the opportunity to learn about the 2023-24 Westfield school budget in a series of community engagement sessions and board meetings ahead of an April 25 public vote on raising the school district tax levy above New Jersey’s 2% cap.

On Tuesday, the school board discussed proposals to fill a budget shortfall that particularly affects the areas of ...

Westfield Council OKs $440.8M Deal With Developer for Lord & Taylor Site, Train Lots

WESTFIELD, NJ — Offices, housing and retail are slated for the site of the shuttered Lord & Taylor building and the train station parking lots following the local government’s approval of an agreement with the developer.

The town council on Tuesday approved a redevelopment agreement with Streetworks Development, the development arm of Hudson’s Bay Company. The ...

Town Council to Vote on ‘One Westfield Place’ Finances Tuesday

WESTFIELD, NJ — Approval of an agreement governing a controversial redevelopment project for the vacant Lord & Taylor site and train station parking lots is on the Town Council’s agenda for Tuesday night.

The 338-page agreement, which was posted on the town website over the weekend, states that the project is valued at $440.831 million and is of “substantial benefit to ...

Homes in Westfield’s Stately Stoneleigh Park Considered for Historic Designation

WESTFIELD, NJ — On the National Register of Historic Places, the Stoneleigh Park district is a planned residential neighborhood of about 30 single family homes sitting on about 20 acres of park-like land.

A plaque at the entrance to the neighborhood states that it is also on the New Jersey Register of Historic Places. But those designations wouldn’t prevent a home in the ...

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Upcoming Events

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Tue, March 28
07:00 PM — 11:00 PM

Westfield

Westfield Board of Education Meeting

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Tue, March 28
07:00 PM — 11:45 PM

Municipal Building, Westfield

Westfield Town Council Meeting

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Letter: One Westfield Place: From Vision to Reality | Mayor

March 15, 2023

This week marked a significant and exciting milestone for Westfield when the Town Council cast its final votes for One Westfield Place and approved the financial agreements, allowing the project to move forward to the Planning Board for site plan approval later this year. 

Specifically, the Council voted to adopt ordinances approving the PILOT agreement and authorizing the eventual ...

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‘Excellence in Local News’: TAPinto Journalists Recognized for Union County Reporting

March 22, 2023

ISELIN, NJ — The NJ News Commons recognized Andrea Crowley-Hughes and Matt Kadosh Wednesday with an “Excellence in Local News” award for their 2022 coverage of Union County government, which ran on multiple TAPinto news sites.

“Andrea Crowley-Hughes and Matt Kadosh’s investigation of Union County government stood out for its depth, collaboration and impact on the ...

Letter: One Westfield Place: From Vision to Reality | Mayor

March 15, 2023

This week marked a significant and exciting milestone for Westfield when the Town Council cast its final votes for One Westfield Place and approved the financial agreements, allowing the project to move forward to the Planning Board for site plan approval later this year. 

Specifically, the Council voted to adopt ordinances approving the PILOT agreement and authorizing the eventual ...

Upcoming Events

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Wed, March 22
07:00 PM — 08:30 PM

James Ward Mansion, Westfield

Bates College A Cappella Performance

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Thu, March 23
07:00 PM — 09:00 PM

South Avenue Arts, Garwood

Art Workshop with Callie Campbell

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Fri, March 24
11:30 AM — 01:30 PM

Echo Lake Country Club, Westfield

College Woman's Club of Westfield's ...

Imagine, a Center for Coping with Loss, and Camp Yachad Join Forces to Support Community Members in Need

March 22, 2023

Imagine, A Center for Coping with Loss, located in Mountainside, NJ, is a grief support center for children, young adults and families coping with the death of a parent, sibling or child. Imagine provides free peer grief support year-round for as long as is needed.  Imagine’s mission is to create safe spaces where those who are grieving can share their stories and know they are not ...

Columns

Money Talk

Banking Worries … What About My Investment Accounts?

The recent financial troubles of Silicon Valley Bank, Signature Bank and Credit Suisse have investors worried, testing the mettle of even the most seasoned investor. People want to know:

Is my money in the bank safe?

Should I worry about the custodian institution holding my investments?

Banks are in the business of taking deposits (borrowing from the depositor) and investing those ...

Screaming ‘Bank run!’ in a Crowded Twitter

Douglas Boneparth is a Westfield resident, author and founder of Bone Fide Wealth, a leading wealth management firm for millennials. For laughs, follow him on Twitter. For help with your finances, contact him here.

Over the past week, we witnessed the collapse of two U.S. banks: Silicon Valley Bank (SVB), the 16th largest bank at the time, and Signature Bank, which was ...

10 Homes Sold March 11 -18 in Westfield Area

Information provided to you by Susan Massa Broker Associate Keller Williams Premier Properties 908-400-0778.

Town                    Address                Style      ...

Faculty/Staff Spotlight: Meet Union Catholic's Allison Lestarchick

SCOTCH PLAINS, NJ -- In our latest installment of Faculty/Staff Spotlight, we shine the spotlight on Union Catholic's Allison Lestarchick.

Here is our Q and A with Lestarchick -   

Faculty/Staff Member: 
Allison Lestarchick

Years of service at Union Catholic?
11 years

All current positions at UC?
Director of Parent Relations, Main Office Administrative ...

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 ...

Home of the Week: 50 Coachman Drive S Freehold, NJ 07728

Come see 50 Coachman Drive S in Freehold; and don’t miss the open house 3/18 1-3pm. As you walk into this center hall colonial, you’ll step into the foyer with the eat-in kitchen right ahead of you. Inside you’ll find cherry cabinets, double electric oven, a gas range, and a new refrigerator. To the left of the foyer is the family room with a fireplace and to the right, are your ...

Rivero CPA: The Earnings From Your Gigs are Taxable

The IRS expects taxpayers to report their income from the gig economy and service industry. This includes activity from providing on-demand work, services or goods, such as selling goods online, driving a car for deliveries or renting out property. 

Income must be reported even if it is:

From part-time, temporary or side work.
Paid in any form, including cash, property, goods or ...

Wardlaw+Hartridge Seventh Graders Win Odyssey of the Mind Competition

The Wardlaw+Hartridge School in Edison entered two Middle School teams into the Odyssey of the Mind regional competition, held on Saturday, February 25.

The seventh grade team of Rehan Ali of Carteret, Japjeev Singh of Edison, Joshua Simeonidis of Scotch Plains, Joy Patel of Iselin and Arshi Goel of Edison captured first place and will move on to the state competition in Princeton on ...

Spring Cleaning and Recycling Tips for Union County Residents

The Union County Board of County Commissioners invites all residents to bring their spring cleaning recyclables to countywide drop-off events. These countywide events provide a free, convenient way to clear out personal documents for secure shredding and recycling, unwanted metal items for resource recovery, and household chemicals, smoke detectors and many other potentially dangerous products ...

There’s You There’s Me and There’s Us

There are many different ways that people relate to one another in relationships. People generally tend to relate to each other in three ways: Independent, co-dependent and inter-dependent. Some people are very independent in relationships; others are co-dependent (which means they put aside their own well-being to maintain the relationship). Co-dependence leads to seeking validation and ...

Puppy Found Near Unami Park Safe, Back Home (UPDATE)

UPDATE: Our new friend is safe and found his way home. Thanks for the help.

This pup was found near Unami Park along South Union Avenue in Cranford. Know the owner? Call the Cranford Police Department non-emergency number at 908-272-2222.

Visitors Invited for Worship and Coffee with FCC Pastors

If you've been visiting First Congregational Church of Westfield — or if you are still considering us — and are interested in discovering more about our faith family, then please join our pastors, Jennifer and Kyle, for coffee following the 10 a.m. worship this Sunday, March 12!

In a casual conversation-style meeting, you'll have a chance to ask questions and hear more ...

Westfield Area YMCA to Host Free Senior Open House March 29

The Westfield Area YMCA announces a free Senior Open House on Wednesday, March 29, located at the Main Y Facility, 220 Clark Street in Westfield. All activities are free for members and the community, including a variety of full-length and demo-length land and water fitness classes including Gentle Yoga, Bone Smart, Aqua Fit Intervals and more.  

Y staff members will be available for ...

‘Hercules’ Hits All the High Notes at Paper Mill

MILLBURN, NJ — This mythical tale of gods and goddesses makes for smashing musical theatre in “Hercules”, now at the Paper Mill Playhouse.

The enthusiastic audience at a recent matinee caught all the nuances right away. From the hero Hercules (in a strong performance by Bradley Gibson) to the muses to the earthbound peasants, it all comes together with flair. We start ...

TAPinto Launches Local News and Digital Marketing Platform in Hanover Township, New Jersey

HANOVER TOWNSHIP, NJ — There's more local news for Morris County residents, with the launch of TAPinto Hanover Township.

Laura Ali is the owner and publisher of the new TAPinto local news and digital marketing platform, which started providing local news to the community in February. It is the 10th TAPinto site in Morris County.

Ali said local leaders reached out to her, saying ...

Holy Trinity School Now Offering Full Day PreK-3

WESTFIELD, NJ -- Starting in September 2023, Holy Trinity School in Westfield will offer a variety of PreK-3 options. The times and days are as follows:

Monday-Wednesday-Thursday half days
Monday-Wednesday-Thursday full days
Monday - Friday half days
Monday - Friday full days

Half day times are from 8:30 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and full day times are 8:30 a.m. to 2:45 ...

Sen. Ron Rice, Newark Public Servant and Leading Black Statewide Voice, Dies 

March 16, 2023

Former state Sen. Ron L. Rice, a leading voice in the Black community and a force in Newark and state politics, has died. He was 77 years old. 

"The things that politics lacks right now nationally and in New Jersey is a standard. There's not many of us that could meet his standard, and that's what made him special," said his son, former Newark West Ward Councilman Ron C.

Milestones

Westfield Student Zafar Zaidi Takes Second Place at National Science Bee

March 13, 2023

Zafar Zaidi of McKinley Elementary School in Westfield secured second place at the New Jersey Regional Finals of the 2023 National Science Bee, 5th Grade Division.

The competition, organized by the International Academic Competitions, was held at Princeton University, on March 11, 2023. His performance at the final regional competitions has also qualified him for the National ...