Follow local news and events in East Orange with The Jersey Bee. Here is The Daily Buzz for May 21, 2026 from The Jersey Bee.
LOCAL NEWS
East Orange businesses can attend a virtual information session discussing city-sponsored micro-loans on May 27. It begins at 6 p.m. and will also include information about eligibility. Registration is required.
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East Orange City
Mental health awareness event planned with East Orange health on May 28. It is from 5-7 p.m. at the City Council Chambers. There will be a panel with mental health professionals discussing resources.
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East Orange City
“Story Day” for families with children in grades 3-5 planned with East Orange school district on May 30. It is from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Elmwood Park.
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East Orange Public Schools
SOMA Chamber of Commerce meet-up is scheduled for May 29 in Maplewood. It begins at 10 a.m. at the General Store Shops and Cafe, 1875 Springfield Ave.
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SOMA Chamber of Commerce
South Orange Downtown’s Under Cover Music Fest is scheduled for May 30 in South Orange. It is from 2-10 p.m. at Sloan Street Parking Lot. It will feature live music performances, food for sale from local restaurants, and a beer garden. Free admission. Rain date is May 31.
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South Orange Downtown
Zufall’s mobile dental unit to be stationed in Bloomfield on May 30. Services such as dental exams, x-rays, cleanings, fillings, and preventative care will be available from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Bloomfield Civic Center. Cost is determined by household income and size. Free eye screenings for Essex County residents ages 3+. Registration required by calling 973-325-2266 ext. 1040 or emailing emelo@zufallhealth.org.
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Bloomfield Township
Montclair Film is accepting submissions to the 2026 Montclair Film Festival by May 29. A complete list of guidelines and accepted submissions available online.
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Montclair Film
“The Attack On Voting Rights And The War On Black People” forum planned with People’s Organization for Progress on May 29 in Montclair. It begins at 7 p.m. at St. Paul’s Baptist Church, 119 Elm St.
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People’s Organization for Progress
Lantern Festival for Justice and Unity planned with AAPI N.J. on May 30 in Montclair. The event is from 6-10 p.m at Edgemont Memorial Park. It is meant to build solidarity and engage in social justice work. There will be food trucks, children’s activities, and live music.
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Montclair Girl
REGIONAL NEWS
N.J. Supreme Court recently declined to hear a lawsuit challenging segregation in N.J.’s public schools and decided the case must be heard by an appellate court. A hearing has yet to be scheduled. The case began in 2018 when Latino Action Network, NAACP N.J. State Conference, and the Urban League of Essex County joined families of nine N.J. public school students in a lawsuit claiming segregation in N.J. schools violates the state constitution and deprives students of their right to a quality education. Mediation, or negotiations between legal parties, began in 2023 after a state Superior Court judge found racial segregation in N.J. schools, but said the plaintiffs failed to show that segregation is widespread across every district. In N.J., students must attend schools in the municipality where they live, which results in segregated schools because of residential segregation and discriminatory housing laws and practices, according to the lawsuit and a 2017 study from the UCLA Civil Rights Project. Possible solutions include creating new magnet schools that enroll students from multiple districts, allowing students to transfer schools, and redrawing district boundaries.
New Jersey Monitor
