Follow local news and events in West Orange with The Jersey Bee. Here is The Daily Buzz for Jan. 12, 2026 from The Jersey Bee.
LOCAL NEWS
Parent support group meeting planned with West Orange Special Education Parents Advisory Council on Jan. 15. It begins at 6:30 p.m. at the West Orange Elks Lodge, 424 Main St. It will discuss IEPs in English and Spanish.
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West Orange Special Education Parents Advisory Council
United Asian Voices of West Orange seeks volunteers to prepare sandwiches and donation bags for West Orange Holy Trinity Food Pantry. Interested volunteers should complete an online form by Jan. 15.
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United Asian Voices of West Orange
West Orange Arts Center seeks monetary donations to continue its programming after it stopped receiving funding from the town in September. Donations are accepted online.
West Orange Arts Council
Nichole Mariette is West Orange Chamber of Commerce’s new executive director. The executive director is responsible for overseeing the organization, reviewing and evaluating programs, and developing policies, among other tasks.
West Orange Chamber of Commerce
Multi-Chamber of Commerce networking event is scheduled for Jan. 27 in Union. It is from 5:30-7:30 p.m. at Galloping Hill Caterers, 1085 Galloping Hill Rd. There will be more than 300 business leaders representing 20 local and regional Chambers of Commerce. Registration is required. Open to non-members.
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SOMA Chamber of Commerce
Box Office Cinemas will reopen at South Orange Performing Arts Center this month, according to an announcement from SOPAC. There will be movie discounts and other benefits for SOPAC members.
The Village Green
Montclair-area residents can apply to be a storyteller for Montclair Film’s StorySLAM program by Jan. 16. Participants will have five minutes to share stories about regifting on Jan. 29. Applications accepted online.
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Montclair Film
Comedy show planned at Montclair Book Center on Jan. 17 in Montclair. It is from 8-9:30 p.m. at 221 Glenridge Ave. Tickets are $20.
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Montclair Book Center
Orange and Newark public school students will be participating in the 2026 Martin Luther King, Jr. Oratorical Competition on Jan. 17 in Newark. It begins at 11 a.m. at NJIT. Tickets are available online for purchase.
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Orange Public Schools
“Invisible Pain Day” planned by Darren Memorial Foundation on Jan. 17 in Paramus. It will honor people who died by suicide from 11:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at East Brook Middle School. There will be guest speakers, a vigil ceremony, and resource table. Tickets are free, but registration is required.
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Darren Memorial Foundation
Story reading of “Playing at the Border: A Story of Yo-Yo Ma” by Joanna Ho planned at Newark library on Jan. 14 in the North End Branch. It begins at 4:30 p.m. and is part of NJPAC’s “Books on the Move” series. Registration is required.
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New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC)
Martin Luther King March of Resistance planned by People’s Organization for Progress on Jan. 19 in Newark. It begins at 12 p.m. at the Martin Luther King Jr. Statue, 495 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.
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People’s Organization for Progress
Martin Luther King Jr. “Community Day” planned at Newark Museum of Art on Jan. 19. It is from 12-5 p.m. and will include performances, hands-on activities, and more. Free admission. Registration is required.
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Newark Museum of Art
Essex County Teen Arts Festival seeks visual art and creative writing submissions by Mar. 22. Students age 13-19 can enter. Guidelines available online. The festival will be held on Apr. 29 at South Mountain Recreation Complex in West Orange. Festival registration closes Apr. 24.
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Essex County Parks
Students in grades 3-12 can apply to promote Arc of Essex County’s “Building Tomorrows 5K Run, Walk, and Family Fun Fest” scheduled for Apr. 25. Applications are available online until Jan. 16.
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The Arc of Essex County
REGIONAL NEWS
Individuals ages 17+ must register by Jan. 15 to vote in the special primary election for the 11th congressional district, scheduled for Feb. 5. The district includes parts of Morris, Essex, and Passaic counties. Eligible individuals can register to vote online, in-person at a local election office, or by mail. Voter registration status, ways to register, and polling information are available online. The general election is scheduled for Apr. 16.Add to 📅.
New Jersey Division of Elections
Governor-elect Mikie Sherrill will be sworn into office on Jan. 20 at NJPAC in Newark. Sherrill’s inaugural ball will follow at American Dream Mall in East Rutherford. Sherrill previously represented the state’s 11th congressional district, which includes parts of Essex, Morris, and Passaic counties. Governors in N.J. serve four-year terms.
CBS News
