Community Corner
🌱 Patch AM: Road Rage, Car Theft Reported In West Orange: Police
Make time for MBA Open House at Berkeley College on the West Orange Patch calendar

Hello West Orange! Here's our latest buzz. Let's get into it. ☀️
In today's newsletter:
- West Orange police detail car theft and road rage assault
- Plan your West Orange-area pumpkin outing and perfect your carving
- Why are West Orange children showing elevated lead levels—and what can help?
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!)
- Tuesday: Plenty of sunshine, with a high of 62 and low of 43 degrees.
- Wednesday: Mostly sunny, temps: high: 67, low: 52.
- Thursday: Sunny and pleasant, with a high of 76 and low of 52 degrees.
📰 News we're reading
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.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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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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📸 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 ★
- MBA Open House at Berkeley College →
Virtual,
7:00 pm - Jack & Jill Bingo Night →
Ss. Nicholas, Constantine & Helen Greek Orthodox Church, 80 Laurel Ave, Roseland
5:00 pm - Cold Stun Run →
Orange Reservoir, West Orange
8:00 pm - Open House at Berkeley College →
New Jersey Campuses,
11:00 am
Thursday October 8
Friday October 9
Saturday October 10
Sunday October 18
Want to see your event featured? Click here!
Other local events
- Folk Project Open Stage →
21 Normandy Heights Rd, Morristown NJ
7:30 pm - Kill Goofy →
Apricot Sky Productions, LLC, 130 Grove St, Montclair
8:00 pm - Cold Stun Run →
Clipper Pavilion, 9 Cherry Ln, West Orange
8:30 am - Kill Goofy →
The Grove Street Theatre, 130 Grove St, Montclair
8:00 pm - Local Resident Invites Community to Join "Race to Cure Sarcoma" at South Mountain Reservation →
South Mountain Reservation, Clipper Pavilion
7:45 am - Kill Goofy →
The Grove Street Theatre, 130 Grove Street, Montclair
1:30 pm - Big Band Concert →
South Orange bPerforming Arts Center
7:30 pm - Pedestrian Safety Seminar →
10 Rooney Cir, West Orange
6:00 pm
Friday October 9
Saturday October 10
Sunday October 11
Tuesday October 13
Wednesday October 14
📣 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:
- Wedderburn Law — (201) 897-0287
- Daryle Pellegrino | Mortgage Loan Originator | NMLS 327220 — 2016796200
- Right at Home of Essex County — (973) 669-1822
- Crane's Mill — (973) 276-6700
- Floor Coverings International of Greater Essex, NJ — (973) 261-9640
- Green Heat NJ.Com - Pest Control — (973) 932-2092
- HZY Goods Dispensary — (973) 200-3030
- The Pool Boss — (973) 823-7007
- 24 HOUR Home Care NJ — (908) 912-6342
- Insurcomm Restoration — (866) 708-5357
- West Orange Wellness Dispensary — (862) 420-0420
- PSE&G — (800) 436-7734
Click here to show your appreciation! 💚
Want to see your business here? Click here to connect with local customers.
💬 Chatter
What your neighbors are talking about on social media
- Tom Thumb Supermarket posted a job opening for Deli Clerk in Livingston. Apply here.
- Balducci's Food Lover's Market posted a job opening for In-Store Shopper in Montclair. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near West Orange here.
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!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!
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