AREA — In March of 2022, the state of New Jersey reached a settlement agreement as part of a national lawsuit levied against various manufacturers and distributors for their roles in contributing to the national opioid crisis. The settlement dictates that numerous state, county and local governments...

GARWOOD — During last Thursday’s regular meeting of the Garwood mayor and council, officials introduced Ordinance 24-27. This ordinance would require unsolicited print material to have a contact person and telephone number for residents to call and cancel the delivery of the materials if they wish, ...

GARWOOD — The Garwood Planning Board at its meeting last Wednesday approved the Garwood Public School District’s five-year Long-Range Facilities Plan, following a presentation by Superintendent of Schools Christopher Kinney. Since the Washington School is back within the district, plans to repair th...

WESTFIELD — Leaves are falling early in Westfield this year, but residents may still have a while to wait before the town can start its annual collection efforts.“We usually start the first week in November, and as of right now, that’s still the plan,” Town Administrator James Gildea said, speaking ...

MOUNTAINSIDE — The Mountainside Council had a light agenda at Tuesday night’s work session meeting, where officials reviewed some ordinances, authorized a donation towards the Parent Teacher Organization’s (PTO) annual Trunk or Treat event and discussed plans to replace the generator at Borough Hall...

WESTFIELD — Next month, the state of New Jersey will unveil a new list of affordable-housing mandates which will force municipalities to shoulder increased obligations and host higher-density developments. In anticipation of the upcoming changes, the Westfield Town Council voted Tuesday to issue an ...

SCOTCH PLAINS/FANWOOD — Superintendent Joan Mast, Ed.D., last week called the defeat of the school bond referendum “disappointing” and said board of education officials “will need time to listen to the community’s feedback” from the September 17 vote and “then consider feasible options.”She made her...

WESTFIELD — Westfield High School was placed on a three-hour lockdown Monday morning while police worked to debunk a threatening phone call that claimed that two people had been shot inside of the building. According to police reports, the call, which originated from an as-of yet- unidentified phone...

SCOTCH PLAINS — The planning board’s agenda for the remainder of the year looks to be light, meaning it is likely that there will be “short meetings over the next few months,” according to Board Attorney Robert Pansulla.With the major portions of the downtown redevelopment plan held up while state e...

COUNTY — A budget freeze that will prevent department heads and constitutional officers from hiring new employees has been implemented in Union County.According to a letter drafted by County Manager Edward Oatman on August 2, the measure, which also prohibits county officials from filling existing v...