Good News, Inspiring People: Essex County 2024 Year In Review

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — Need a reason to celebrate 2024? There are no shortage of inspiring people and stories in Essex County.

Take a look back at some of the good news stories that took place last year (click headline to read the article).

‘Happy Gilmore 2’ Films In Essex County, Paid Extras Needed

Adam Sandler has been spotted all over NJ as he films the highly anticipated sequel. Here's where filming has taken place in Essex County.

Unity In Newark: See What ‘24 Hours Of Peace’ Looks Like (PHOTOS)

New Jersey's largest city came together to protest against violence, empower women and celebrate peace at a massive block party.

West Orange School Staff Rescue 2 Choking Students In 1 Week

Knowledge of the Heimlich maneuver and quick action from staff members saved the lives of two students in West Orange.

Livingston, Maplewood Fencers Earn Spots On USA Olympic Team

Two Essex County women will take their sabers and foils to the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris.

NJ, NY Soccer Stars Are Headed To 2024 Olympics In Paris

Several New Jersey/New York Gotham FC players earned a spot on the U.S. Olympic Women's Soccer Team.

Newark Teen Earns Full Ride To Ivy League College – Here’s How

A high school student at KIPP Newark Collegiate Academy offers some sage advice for teens looking to score a big scholarship.

NJ Devils Put Smile On Face Of Young Hockey Superfan Battling Cancer

The Devils hosted their annual Hockey Fights Cancer Night, inviting 12-year-old hockey fanatic Theo Koshenkov onto the ice.

Bloomfield Peace Activist Praised For 'Living By The Logic Of Love'

Jane Califf got hooked on activism when her mother brought her to "Ban the Bomb" rallies as a teen. Here's what she's been up to since then.

Peak Bloom For Cherry Blossoms Arrives In Essex County

The cherry blossom tree grove at this Essex County park rivals any other in the nation.

Montclair Teen Wows Judges On ‘American Idol’ Audition (WATCH)

Conall Gorman's audition for the popular show consisted of a bold move: an original song.

$3.5M Lottery Win In West Orange Was Among Largest In NJ For 2023

It was a lucky year for the lottery in West Orange. Here are three big wins that took place in the township.

Nutley Store Sells $2 Million Lottery Ticket (See Lucky Numbers)

A convenience store in Nutley sold a $2 million winning ticket for the Powerball drawing on Dec. 21. See the lucky numbers here.

$1M Powerball Lottery Ticket Sold In Newark (See Lucky Numbers)

A million-dollar lottery ticket was sold in Newark for the Sept. 18 Powerball drawing. Here are the lucky numbers.

Ukraine Refugees Get A Little Taste Of Home In North Jersey

Never underestimate the healing ability of a good snack.

Italian Heritage Month: Restaurant In The Oranges Honored For 2024

The Essex County commissioners are spotlighting community leaders for Italian Heritage Month, including the owners of Bella Italia.

Cheerios Puts Bloomfield Grocery Store Workers’ Faces On Cereal Boxes

A team of employees at the Brookdale ShopRite recently earned a unique honor: their faces on a box of Cheerios.

125 Lifetimes Of Marriage Celebrated At 'Golden Mass' In North Jersey

The secret to a long marriage? Here's the recipe that has worked for a New Jersey couple who recently celebrated their 50th year together.

Montclair Jazz Fest Attracted 25,000 Music Fans This Year (VIDEO)

A widely attended free music festival in Montclair just keeps getting more popular, organizers say.

NJ Mother, Daughter Will Graduate Side-By-Side From Rutgers

They live together. They attend school together. And this May, they'll graduate together.

21 Famous Garden State Residents Earn Spot In NJ Hall Of Fame (VIDEO)

Meryl Streep, Paul Rudd, Kevin Smith, Phil Simms, Lesley Gore, Gay Talese and the other 2024 inductees got a warm welcome from Danny DeVito.

Essex County Families Will Celebrate 11 Adoptions At Annual Event

The local celebration is welcome news in a state that reportedly has the third-lowest child adoption rate in the nation.

6 Scouts In Maplewood, South Orange Earn Eagle Awards

It's the loftiest rank available in Scouting – here are the projects that earned these high-achieving youth their Eagle Scout Awards.

Montclair Music Maven Honored For Contributions To Jazz World

Here's why Melissa Walker, the founder of Jazz House Kids, earned an "Inspiration through the Arts Award."

NJ Martial Artist Uses World Records To Inspire Bullied Kids (VIDEO)

It takes strength to end bullying, John Mirrione says. Catch up with his attempt to set 11 world records for push-ups.

Deaf NJ Sports Fan Continues To Push For Better Disability Access

More and more teams are catching on, Gary Noll says. Here are some encouraging updates from a die-hard sports fan.

Nutley Volunteers Rake Leaves For Seniors Over Thanksgiving Weekend

"The spirit and volunteers of the RAKES program are what the holidays are all about," a Nutley town official said.

25 Immigrants Become New U.S. Citizens In Essex County

"We look forward to your contributions and to the rich diversity you bring to our community," the town’s mayor told attendees.

NJ Quintuplets Make History As They Graduate From Montclair State University

Being a quintuplet is exceptionally rare. Rarer still is all five attending the same college and graduating on the same day.

Girl Scout From Livingston Is Speaking Up For Older Dogs

Helena Drakulich of Troop 20290 is working with shelters and rescues to shine a light on a vulnerable pet population: senior dogs.

Sons Of American Legion In Belleville Earn National Awards

Belleville's Sons of The American Legion (SAL) Squadron 105 was recently presented with several national awards.

Irvington Boxer Scores Big Knockout At Prudential Center In Newark

After seeing other local pugilists such as Shakur Stevenson fight at the arena, Jean Pierre Valencia enjoyed his own big moment at The Rock.

31 Artists Earn Awards In Essex County Senior Citizens Art Show

"The talent displayed by our senior artists is truly amazing and the artwork is inspiring."

Dozens Of Devoted Dads, ‘Father Figures’ Attend NJ School’s Event

Dozens of positive male role models celebrated parenthood and guardianship at KIPP TEAM Academy's Kings Recognize Kings Day.

Belleville Sisters Uplift Local Children With School Supply Giveaway

For Selena and Sabrina Kossup, "back to school" season has become a chance to do a good deed.

Titan Finds A Home: Dog Thriving After 1,000 Days In NJ Animal Shelter

Sometimes good dogs get exactly what's coming to them.

Teen Chef Is Cooking Up A Buzz At 2 North Jersey Restaurants

Want to know what a perfect bowl of ramen looks like? Here's the scoop from Matthew Cheung, the 17-year-old chef de cuisine of Sum Ramen.

NJ Brothers Reflect On Their Inspiring Liver Donation, 10 Years Later

A decade ago, a Livingston resident donated more than half of his liver to his younger brother. Here's what they've been doing since then.

Students Earn Diplomas While Incarcerated In Essex County

Here's what these inspiring young people had to say after earning their diplomas at Sojourn High School.

WATCH: Dog Takes First Steps On Prosthetic Leg In West Orange

An inspiring project led by high school students has put a big smile on the face of "Cody the Tripod Dog."

Nutley Native Shares Insight Into Her Journey As NFL Official (VIDEO)

Robin DeLorenzo, the third woman ever to be hired as a National Football League official, appeared on an episode of "Inside Nutley."

Hollywood Magic Hits Home For NJ Child Actor At Essex County Screening

Audrey Hoffman of Essex County celebrated her 7th birthday at a screening of "IF." She also happens to be an actor in the movie.

NJ Grandmother Earns Her Degree After Five Decades

Rosalyn Coppola, a 72-year-old grandmother who has been taking college classes over the past five decades, will finally earn her diploma.

NJ Veteran Returns To Graduate College After Raising Family

"I just felt that, at 67, it was now or never," the Essex County College graduate said.

Sewer Save: Kitten Rescued From Stinky Situation In North Jersey

What do you call a lucky cat that gets plucked from a sewer? "Pennywise," of course.

New Jersey Teen Is Flying High After Earning His Pilot License

One of the nation's youngest pilots says he couldn't have reached his dream without hard work – and the help of Eagle Flight Squadron.

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