Follow local news and events in Newark with The Jersey Bee. Here is The Daily Buzz for Mar. 3, 2026 from The Jersey Bee.
LOCAL NEWS
Eligible residents earning $80,000 or less per year can sign up for free tax preparation services through the Newark Prosperity Hub. It is offered through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, sponsored by the IRS. Services are available at different locations in Newark, East Orange, and Bloomfield. A list of locations and hours is available online. The last day to file taxes is Apr. 15. Documents can be dropped off or uploaded online. A list of required documents is available online.
Newark Prosperity Hub
Newark approved to install two playgrounds and an event plaza at Harriet Tubman Square. The playgrounds will serve ages 2-7 and 5-12, and will include slides, climbing sets, springers, a see-saw, a play tunnel, and music-producing play equipment. The event space will include tables with seating, new landscaping, and benches. It is not yet clear when the projects will begin.
TAPinto Newark
Family game night planned with Partnership for Maternal and Child Health of Northern NJ on Mar. 10 in Irvington. It is from 3:30-4:30 p.m. at 50 Union Ave. There will be board and card games. Registration is required. Free admission.
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Partnership for Maternal and Child Health of Northern NJ
East Orange seeks contractors for its Housing Rehabilitation Program. Contractors can attend a workshop on Mar. 10 at 6 p.m. at 44 City Hall Plaza to learn about program requirements and the application process. People can RSVP by calling Amber Montgomery at 973-266-5411, ext. 5314 or emailing amber.montgomery@eastorange-nj.gov.
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East Orange City
REGIONAL NEWS
Families can attend a webinar discussing N.J.’s curriculum and standards for grades K-12 on Mar. 10 with SPAN Parent Advocacy Network. It is from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. and will discuss academic instruction, ways to interpret progress report and test scores, and how to support children at home. Registration is required. Free admission.Add to 📅.
SPAN Parent Advocacy Network
Gateway Development Commission said construction has continued after it received $200 million in federal funding towards the Gateway Tunnel, a series of rail infrastructure projects to improve transit reliability along the Northeast Corridor. The funds were released after having been frozen by the Trump administration since October 2025. It released funding after N.J., N.Y., and the Gateway Development Commission sued the federal government in two separate lawsuits for freezing project funds. There is no final ruling on whether the federal government can withhold congressionally approved funding for the Gateway project.
New Jersey Monitor
