Community Corner

šŸŒ± Patch AM: How Downtown Thursdays ended summer on David Cassidy Way.

Spotted on the West Orange calendar: Newark PorchFest

Patch AM Team's profile picture
Patch AM Team, Patch StaffVerified Patch Staff Badge
Thursday September 17th Patch AM
Thursday September 17th Patch AM (Patch graphic)

Hey hey West Orange! Your one-stop source for local news is here. Continue reading for all the updates. ☀️

In today's newsletter:

  • How Downtown Thursdays ended summer on David Cassidy Way.
  • How a West Orange nonprofit is keeping music alive in schools
  • Kessler patient and pro ballplayer heads home after months of rehab.

Also on today's calendar: Newark PorchFest and 11 more events.

Today's riddle: When geese fly, one side is longer than the other. do you know why that is ? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

  • Thursday: Mostly cloudy with a shower, with a high of 81 and low of 69 degrees.
  • Friday: Times of clouds and sun, temps: high: 81, low: 58.
  • Saturday: Not as warm with some sun, with a high of 69 and low of 62 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

• The Characters perform at 'Downtown Thursdays' final summer night of fun, music and community (essexnewsdaily.com) — Downtown West Orange just wrapped up its summer Downtown Thursdays series with a lively concert by The Characters, who played a special tribute to David Cassidy on Elm Street, now co-named David Cassidy Way. Neighbors packed the area to dance, enjoy food trucks, shop local vendors, and learn about groups like the Downtown West Orange Alliance, which manages the town's Special Improvement District.
   

• Kool Kids Foundation sustains music education access in new Jersey schools (sboplus.net) — A West Orange‑based nonprofit, the Kool Kids Foundation, is quietly expanding music education access by buying instruments, uniforms, and other essentials for schools across New Jersey. Founded in memory of Sakinah Deborah Bell and led by Robert "Kool" Bell, the group funds its work through special events and partnerships while also supporting youth music programs abroad.
   

• Ryan Lasko discharged from rehab facility, will begin outpatient therapy (firstalert7.com) — A patient recovering at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in West Orange, pro baseball player Ryan Lasko, has been discharged after months of therapy and is continuing his recovery at home. Family, friends, and staff celebrated his sendoff, and doctors are optimistic he can fully recover from a serious spinal injury suffered during a June game.
   

📸 Around West Orange

Show off your photography skills and the sights around town! Click here to submit your Photo of the Day to Patch AM!

🗓 Upcoming Events in West Orange

Add your event to our calendar and newsletter!

★ Featured events ★

Want to see your event featured? Click here!

Other local events

📣 West Orange Shout Outs!

Want to say something great about someone in town? Click here to submit your Shout Out to Patch AM! It's free!

Have we missed something on our calendar? Add an event yourself! As always, before attending confirm event details to ensure accuracy.

 

Thank you 👏👏👏 to these businesses for making West Orange PatchAM possible:

Click here to show your appreciation! 💚

Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.

🪧 Patch Classifieds

  • Cat Wellness Study
    Hi fellow cat people! I am working with a company called Treat that seeks to recruit pets for in home wellness studies. There are great freebies ... (More info)
  • Part-Time Psychotherapy Office Available - Downtown Montclair
    Psychotherapy office available in a LEED Gold certified building in the heart of Downtown Montclair. This lovely part-time office is available on... (More info)

💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Dunkin' posted a job opening for Crew Member in Caldwell. Apply here.
  • Popeyes posted a job opening for Popeyes Team Member - Montclair, NJ in Montclair. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near West Orange here.

🗞 Nearby News

South Orange

  • South Orange Police Blotter for August: Two Assaults and Three Cases of Fraud Reported (villagegreennj.com)
  • Gas Main Replacement to Snarl Traffic on South Orange Ave; Workers Will Pause During School Drop Off, Dismissal (villagegreennj.com)

East Orange

  • NJ State Police seek help identifying woman killed in East Orange 42 years ago (news12.com)
  • South Orange Daily Buzz: Sep. 15, 2026 (jerseybee.org)
  • Packers head east to take on the Jets (packers.com)

Livingston

  • Pool Party In Livingston For People With Disabilities Draws Eager Crowd (patch.com)

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: because there are more geese on that side (Thank you jo L. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

👉 Help make Patch AM better

We use a combination of real people and machines to tell you what's happening around town. Learn more about Patch AM.

Share to NextDoor     Share to Facebook

Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

More from West Orange