Essex County Daily Buzz: Apr. 28, 2026

LOCAL NEWS

Families can attend South Mountain YMCA’s “Healthy Kids Day” event on May 2. It is from 2-4 p.m. at 13 Jefferson Ave. in Maplewood. There will be activities and snacks. Registration is required. Free admission.
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South Mountain YMCA

Montclair is hiring summer counselors, lifeguards, and pool managers. Applications are available online.
Montclair Township

Dungeons and Dragons play session for youth planned by Belleville library on May 1. Members will meet from 3-4:30 p.m. and learn game basics, design characters, and play a campaign. Registration is required. Library card not required.
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Belleville Public Library

Orange public school students can attend the district’s summer programming. Offerings include art, band, dance, robotics, and English as a Second Language. Programs run from July to August. Registration is available online.
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Orange Public Schools

Irvington public schools is hiring for multiple positions. Applications are accepted online.
Irvington Public Schools

May Day rally and march planned with People’s Organization for Progress on May 1 in Newark. May Day is recognized as International Workers’ Day. It begins at 11 a.m. at the Lincoln Statue, 12 Springfield Ave.
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People’s Organization for Progress

Small business networking event planned at NJPAC on May 4 in Newark. It begins at 5:30 p.m. and will include a panel with Black women business owners, free food and drinks, and more. Registration is required. Free admission.
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New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC)

Essex County residents can recycle hazardous waste on May 2 in Cedar Grove. Items collected from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. at 99 W. Bradford Ave. A complete list of accepted items available online.
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Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr.

“Muffins with Mom” planned with YMCA Montclair on May 2. It is from 11 a.m. to 12 p.m. at 159 Glenridge Ave. Designed for families with children ages 3-12. There will be a paint and sip, dance, and muffins. Registration is required. Free for family members, $10 for individual members.
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YMCA of Montclair

South Orange-Maplewood Adult School Association seeks people to join its board of trustees. The board is responsible for fundraising, outreach, marketing, and more. Applications are available online.
South Orange-Maplewood Adult School

Plant sale planned with Rutgers’ Essex County Master Gardeners on May 1-2 and May 9 in Roseland. It is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 1, and from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on May 2 and May 9 at the Essex County Environmental Center. There will be tomato plants, perennials, shrubs, and herbs available for purchase. Admission is free.
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Essex County Parks

Adults can learn how to use Google Docs during an East Orange library workshop on May 4. The free class is from 4-5:15 p.m. Attendees will create, save, share, upload, and download documents using Google Docs. Registration is required. Library card not required. Attendees must have a Google account.
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East Orange Public Library

“Community Partnership Breakfast” planned with Spence-Chapin Services to Families and Children on May 5 in Newark. It is from 9:30-11 a.m. at 50 Park Pl. Designed for perinatal professionals, social service providers, and community organizations. There will be networking, resource-sharing, and free food. Registration is required.
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Spence-Chapin Services to Families and Children

Newark children ages 3-4 can attend Ironbound Community Corporation’s free pre-K program. It includes free breakfast, lunch, and snack, and aftercare. People can apply by calling 973-589-6873 or picking up an application in-person at 1 New York Ave.
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Ironbound Community Corporation

People can attend an open house at Bloom Childcare and Co-Working on May 2 in Montclair. It is from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m. at 52 Upper Montclair Plaza. Attendees will tour the space, meet the education team, talk to currently enrolled families, and explore enrollment options. RSVP encouraged.
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Bloom Childcare and Co-Working

Tech support for seniors planned at Montclair library on May 3 in the Main Branch. It is from 2:30-4:30 p.m. and ill discuss internet safety, tech use, email and video calls, and photos. Registration is required. Free admission.
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Montclair Public Library

Insomnia Cookies recently opened in Montclair at 332 Bloomfield Ave. It is open Mondays to Wednesdays from 11-1 a.m., Thursdays and Fridays until 3 a.m., Saturdays from 12 p.m. to 3 a.m. and Sundays until 1 a.m.
TAPinto Montclair

Bloomfield residents can schedule a “Mayor on Your Block” visit to share ways to improve the neighborhood with township officials. Mayor Jenny Mundell will hear which services community members need in their area. Schedule a visit by emailing ecirne@bloomfieldtwpnj.com.
Bloomfield Township

Baked Goodz, a cannabis dispensary, recently opened in East Orange. It is located at 484 Main St. and marks the city’s fist Black-owned dispensary. It is open Mondays through Thursdays from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Fridays and Saturdays until 10 p.m., and Sundays from 1-8 p.m.
TAPinto East Orange/Orange

Children ages 6-12 can register for Montclair History Center’s summer 2026 farm camp, scheduled to start in August. It is designed for children interested in nature, history, and agriculture. Camp sessions are available from Jul. 27 to Aug. 21. Attendees will learn about food, animals, and gardening. Registration available online.
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Montclair History Center

Book sale planned at East Orange library on May 2. It is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.
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East Orange Public Library

REGIONAL NEWS

Pinelands Alliance launched an online petition urging Gov. Mikie Sherrill to place a three-year statewide moratorium on the approval and construction of large-scale data centers. It cites DataOne Vineland, a data center located in Vineland, as an example of failed environmental assessment, community input, and regional evaluation. The petition explains that a moratorium would allow the state to evaluate environmental, energy, and public health risks associated with data centers, and set statewide standards for siting, noise, energy sourcing, and environmental protection.
Pinelands Alliance

New Jersey’s first Crisis Receiving Stabilization Center recently opened in Rutgers-Newark. It is part of the state’s 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline continuum of crisis services, and the Newark location marks the first of five centers. It will provide behavioral health care for adults ages 18+, specifically to alleviate crisis and reduce symptoms. Center admission is voluntary. It will be staffed 24 hours each day with a prescriber, registered nurse, clinician, behavioral health technician, and peer recovery specialist. It is located in the Behavioral Health Sciences Building, 183 South Orange Ave. Services are open to all people, regardless of insurance.
Patch Newark