Essex County Daily Buzz: Nov. 18, 2025

LOCAL NEWS

Tarot card class planned at Belleville library on Nov. 25. it is from 6:30-7:30 p.m. Registration required. Walk-ins must bring their own Tarot deck.
Belleville Public Library

Bloomfield residents in grades K-6 can attend a craft session at the Bloomfield Civic Center on Nov. 21. The drop-off event is from 6-9 p.m. Attendees are encouraged to wear flannels or sports jerseys. Enrollment is $20. Registration is available online.
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Bloomfield Parks, Recreation, and Cultural Affairs Department

Bloomfield Animal Shelter seeks dog and cat food donations. Items accepted online through Amazon or between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m. at 61 Bukowski Pl.
Bloomfield Animal Shelter

Bloomfield residents can share feedback on township health initiatives through an online survey. Responses will inform future programs. Survey is available in English and Spanish.
Bloomfield Township

Thanksgiving turkey giveaway planned on Nov. 22 in East Orange. It is from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Calvary Baptist Church. One turkey and one food box per family. First-come, first-served. ID reuqired.
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East Orange City

Silent reading club for adults planned at East Orange library on Nov. 25. Participants will meet and read quietly without distractions from 6-7:30 p.m. Registration is required. Library card not required.
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East Orange Public Library

Glen Ridge Community Association seeks non-perishable food donations through Nov. 21. All donations support Toni’s Kitchen and Christ Church’s food pantry in Montclair. Items accepted at Women’s Club of Glen Ridge, Glen Ridge Congregational Church, and Cabrera House.
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Glen Ridge Community Association

“Community Freeshare” planned with Montclair Mutual Aid on Nov. 23. It is from 12-1 p.m. at Glenfield Park. There will be groceries, menstrual products, and clothing for free. Montclair Mutual Aid, Out Montclair, and Toni’s Kitchen are also seeking winter clothing donations through Nov. 22 for the freeshare. Drop-off location available by DM.
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Montclair Mutual Aid

Romance queer lit club meeting for adults planned with Montclair library and Out Montclair on Nov. 25 in the Bellevue Branch. The meeting is from 6-7 p.m. and members will discuss “Looking for Love in All the Haunted Places” by Claire Kann. Registration is required. Library card not required.
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Montclair Public Library

Toni’s Kitchen and Human Needs Food Pantry seek non-perishable food donations. Drop-off locations and times are available online.
Toni’s Kitchen

Montclair residents who sign up for a library card in November will receive a free skate pass at Clary Anderson Arena. Existing Montclair library cardholders can bring it to the arena for $3 off their admission.
Montclair Public Library

Montclair library’s Bellevue Branch will receive a $10,000 gift from Carnegie Corporation of New York, according to a library press release. The funds will be given in January 2026.
Montclair Public Library

Nutley residents can participate in the township’s 2025 “Adopt-a-Family” program for the holiday season by purchasing $25 gift cards to large local stores. Gift cards can be dropped off at the Nutley health building weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. through Dec. 5.
Nutley Township

Stage production of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” planned with Nutley recreation on Dec. 4-6. Performances begin at 7 p.m. at Nutley High School. Tickets are available online for purchase.
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Nutley Township

Nutley Little Theater seeks directors for its 2026-27 season. Applicants must submit up to two plays by email for consideration. Deadline is Feb. 15.
Nutley Little Theater

Nutley-area residents can join the library on a trip to see “A Playhouse Christmas” production on Dec. 6 in Union. Tickets are $115 and include transportation, lunch, and the show. Bus leaves at 9:30 a.m. to Hunterdon Hills Playhouse. Registration is required.
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Nutley Public Library

Thanksgiving dinner planned on Nov. 24 in Newark. It is from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Good Neighbor Baptist Church. Free admission.
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Newark City

Financial workshop discussing ways to improve credit scores planned with La Casa de Don Pedro on Nov. 25 in Newark. It is from 5-6 p.m. at 282 First Ave. Registration is required. Free admission.
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La Casa De Don Pedro

Newark central planning board approved an application to demolish the Stanley Theater and replace it with a mixed-use building. The building will be five stories and include 14 residential units. Nine four-family dwellings will be built next to it. The theater’s main structure will be preserved and its Spanish Colonial Revival-style façade will be restored.
TAPinto Newark

Newark-based organizations and residents can apply for Newark Alliance’s Experience Newark grant program. Applicants will receive $1,000-$5,000 to host events that celebrate local culture, strengthen community connections, and engage people. Applications are accepted online through December.
Newark Alliance

La Casa de Don Pedro is hiring for multiple job openings. Positions are available in early childhood, healthy homes, community empowerment and executive office departments. Applications are accepted online.
La Casa De Don Pedro

Healthcare enrollment assistance planned with New Jersey Citizen Action on Nov. 25 in Orange. It is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at Orange library. Services available in English and Spanish. Free admission.
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New Jersey Citizen Action

South Orange residents can share feedback on ways to improve road safety in an online survey. Feedback will inform the South Orange Village Safe Streets for All Action Plan. All survey respondents are entered to win a $25 Visa gift card.
South Orange Village

South Orange-Maplewood schools district’s Parenting Center seeks toy donations through Dec. 12. Toy collection bins will be placed in each elementary school and tax-deductible gifts can be made to purchase gifts for families.
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South Orange-Maplewood Public Schools

REGIONAL NEWS

Gov. Phil Murphy approved permit applications for a gas pipeline expansion on Nov. 7, one week after a coalition of environmental groups filed a lawsuit to halt the project, known as the Northeast Supply Enhancement. Natural Resources Defense Council, a national environmental law group part of the coalition, said the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission approved the pipeline project based on outdated information. The coalition said the expansion will also stir up toxic sediments, destroy wetlands, and harm local waters across N.J. Murphy issued permits to Williams, the pipeline company, which includes approvals for wetlands, flood hazard, coastal development, and a water quality certification. The Northeast Supply Enhancement is an expansion of the 10,000-mile-long Transco natural gas pipeline system. The project includes a 3-mile pipeline section in Middlesex County, a 6-mile section beneath the Raritan Bay in N.J., and a compressor station in Somerset County.
WHYY Public Media