Hello West Orange! Here's our latest buzz. Let's get into it. ☀️
In today's newsletter:
Also on today's calendar: MBA Open House at Berkeley College and 9 more events.
Today's riddle: Why do Norway's navy ships all have barcodes? 🤔 (Answer below!)
1. Road Rage, Car Theft Reported In West Orange: Police (patch.com) — West Orange residents are being alerted to two recent police calls involving vehicles in town, including a curbside car theft on Forest Hill Road and a road-rage dispute at the Northfield Avenue Dunkin' Donuts. Officers later recovered the stolen Acura in Newark, while the driver assaulted in the Dunkin' parking lot reported the attacker fled in a white Audi sedan.
2. Where To Pick Pumpkins Near West Orange This Fall—And How To Carve Them (patch.com) — Families in and around West Orange can plan fall outings to nearby pumpkin patches across New Jersey, many offering hayrides, corn mazes, and other kid-friendly activities. The piece also walks readers through practical tips for choosing and carving a jack-o'-lantern, from selecting the right pumpkin to safely lighting up a finished design on the porch.
3. Lead at Child Daycares: A Comprehensive Report (wordpress.com) — West Orange is singled out among New Jersey's large municipalities with some of the highest percentages of young children showing elevated blood lead levels, placing local daycares and homes in a higher-risk category. The report explains how lead exposure happens in childcare settings, the health impacts on kids, and practical steps parents, providers, and officials can take to test, remediate, and prevent further exposure. It also points to New Jersey–specific programs families can tap into.
4. Garrett reflects on Hackensack Meridian legacy ahead of retirement (njbiz.com) — Hackensack Meridian Health's CEO is preparing to retire in 2027, but one of his legacies for West Orange residents is a new Urgent Care PLUS center in town with advanced emergency-style capabilities like CT scans and on-site labs. The article also outlines the system's massive statewide investments, new technologies, and efforts to expand convenient outpatient and at-home care options across New Jersey.
5. Judge dismisses Trump administration lawsuit over West Orange synagogue protest • New Jersey Monitor (newjerseymonitor.com) — A federal judge has thrown out the Trump administration's civil lawsuit over a 2024 protest that turned into a brawl outside a West Orange synagogue, ruling the government failed to show violations under the FACE Act. For West Orange residents, the decision means no federal penalties for the named protesters or organizations, and it clarifies that disruptive or offensive advocacy alone doesn't meet the statute's threshold.
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Ok West Orange! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!
-- The Patch AM Team
P.S. The answer to today's riddle: "Why do Norway's navy ships all have barcodes?" — So when they come back to port they can just scan-da-navi-an! (Thank you Jessica C. for sending it in!)
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