East Orange Daily Buzz: Feb. 13, 2025

LOCAL NEWS

Virtual workshop for parents and guardians on ways to manage sibling conflict while maintaining parental harmony planned by East Orange YMCA on Feb. 19. Two sessions are available at either 12 p.m. or 7 p.m. The workshop is free. Registration is required.
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East Orange YMCA

Free workshop for first-time homebuyers planned by East Orange on Feb. 20. Workshop begins at 6 p.m. at City Council Chambers. Attendees will learn about down payment assistance programs, budgeting tips, and the home-buying process. Registration is required.
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East Orange City

Virtual “Family Fun Night” planned by East Orange YMCA on Feb. 21. There will be an interactive conversation and craft focused on kindness from 7-8 p.m. Registration is required.
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East Orange YMCA

Free screening of “Eight Centuries of Muslims in America” planned at East Orange library on Feb. 22. It is from 1-4 p.m. Popcorn and snacks will be served. Registration is not required.
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East Orange Public Library

“Battle of the R&B Divas” planned by East Orange on Feb. 21 and Feb. 23. East Orange students will perform at 6 p.m. on Feb. 21 and 4 p.m. on Feb. 23 at Cicely L. Tyson Community School of Performing and Fine Arts. Tickets available online. Admission is $15-20.
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East Orange City

Parent appreciation lunch for families planned by Partnership for Maternal and Child Health of Northern NJ on Feb. 18 in Irvington. The free lunch is from 3:30-4:30 p.m. at the Unity Family Success Center, 50 Union Ave. Registration is required.
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Partnership for Maternal and Child Health of Northern NJ

Black History Month community social planned on Feb. 22 in Bloomfield. It is from 12-3 p.m. at Oakeside Bloomfield Cultural Center.
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Bloomfield Township

Free dental services for children ages 12 and younger planned by Mountainside Medical Center on Feb. 21 in Montclair. Availability is between 8 a.m. and 12 p.m. Appointments must be made by phone.
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Mountainside Medical Center

Graphic novel signing with Geoff Mosse planned at East Side Mags on Feb. 22 in Bloomfield. Mosse will sign “In the Valley of Death” from 2-5 p.m. at 491 Bloomfield Ave.
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East Side Mags

Montclair Brewery to honor Montclair African American Heritage Foundation during its Black History Month beer series celebration on Feb. 21. The free event is from 5-7 p.m. at 101 Walnut S. The annual beer series celebrates Black culture, history, and resilience. There will be live music, food, and an outdoor beer garden until 10 p.m. Tickets available online.
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Montclair Brewery

Self-care webinar planned by Arts Ed Newark on Feb. 20. It is from 12-2 p.m. Attendees will practice healing exercises to strengthen their ability to care for themselves emotionally, physically, and mentally. Admission is $25.
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Arts Ed Newark

SOMA Justice will host a birthday party to honor Trayvon Martin on Feb. 22 in Maplewood. George Zimmerman shot and killed Martin in 2012 when he was 17 years old. SOMA Justice’s community event comes almost three weeks after Martin’s birthday, Feb. 5. This year, Martin would have turned 30 years old. The birthday party is from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. at Maplewood Senior Center. It is open to all ages and there will be pizza and cake.
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SOMA Justice

“In Living Queer” networking event planned by Garden State Equality on Feb. 21 in Newark. It is from 6-8 p.m. at ArtFront Gallery, 375 Mount Prospect Ave. Apt. 8C. There will be food and music. Registration is required.
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ArtFront Gallery

Talk with Black game designers and toy inventors planned at West Orange library on Feb. 22. David Vonner, Adrienne Smith, and founder of Black Inventors Hall of Fame James Howard will speak with attendees from 2-5 p.m. The event is free and registration is not required.
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West Orange Public Library

Free mental wellness workshop for men of color planned by Garden State Equality on Feb. 22 in Newark. There will be yoga, free food, giveaways, and workshops on breath work, self-regulation, and mindfulness. ⁠It is from 10:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Vince Lombardi Center of Hope, 201 Bloomfield Ave. Registration is required.
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Garden State Equality

DIY birdhouse workshop for all ages planned by Essex County Environmental Center on Feb. 22 in Roseland. It is from 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Admission is $25 per birdhouse, with up to two people assigned to one birdhouse. Registration is required.
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Essex County Environmental Center

REGIONAL NEWS

People in N.J. experiencing immigration or detention crises can call the Deportation and Immigration Response Equipo (DIRE) hotline for support and legal resources over the phone or in-person. DIRE is a group of volunteers based in Highland Park who provide information on how to navigate family separation, interactions with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents, and other immigration-related guidance. People can also call DIRE to report ICE sightings or encounters.
Gothamist

New Jersey candidates for governor Sean Spiller, Jon Bramnick, Ras Baraka, and Steve Sweeney will participate in a virtual roundtable with Garden State Equality on Feb. 17-20. Candidates will share ways they will address issues important to N.J.’s LGBTQ+ communities. Registration, with dates, times, and Zoom links for each roundtable, is available online. Add to 📅.
Garden State Equality

New Jersey employers are required by law to provide full-time, part-time, and temporary workers with up to 40 hours of sick leave per year. Those hours can be used to attend parent-teacher conferences, doctor appointments, and other sessions for care. Earned sick leave can carry over each calendar year, or it can be paid out to the employee. If an employee suspects that their employer is not providing sick leave, they can file a complaint with the N.J. Department of Labor.
New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development