The 20 most-read stories on Village Green for 2024 are dominated by several stories related to charges against Columbia High School Principal Frank Sanchez — allegations that shocked and galvanized the community. The more serious charge of child endangerment was dropped in June after a grand jury did not indict Sanchez; a simple assault charge is still pending in municipal court. With the support of the grassroots “Friends of Frank” effort, Sanchez was reinstated as Principal in June and is now tenured. He made a triumphant return as principal at the CHS graduation in June.
CHS topped the news in other stories as well — from the happy news of Mae Dowling breaking Maplewood Middle School Principal Dara Crocker Gronau’s 26-year-old school record in the 1600-meter race, to a controversial student Walkout for Palestine, to a report revealing sexual abuse by a coach in the 1980s.
MMS Principal Dara Crocker Gronau and Mae Dowling
In January, the South Orange-Maplewood School District filed a bias complaint against the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association when a Columbia High School girls basketball player was not allowed to participate in part of a game because of an issue with her hair beads, but the NJSIAA issued a report that concluded the game “did not constitute a bias incident.”
Black bears make a number of appearances locally in the spring and summer, prompting the towns’ health officer to issue guidelines and tips. Adam Sandler was also spotted several times in South Orange and Maplewood in September while filming Happy Gilmore 2.
The top business news story was the opening of Barn Bird Kitchen at 147 Maplewood Avenue in the former Strawberry Fields location. Founder and head chef Emeka Onugha and business partners Jafrania Onugha and Chukah Morah are offering Southern American-inspired comfort food “refined over generations by African Americans” to Maplewood Village.
South Orange also celebrated the reopening of the Baird Recreation Center in April, after a stunning $15 million renovation and expansion.
The most-read story of 2024 concerned the death of Thomas J. Gates, who was struck and killed by a train at South Orange Station in May. Gates, 51, was a Broadway stage manager. He is survived by his husband, Rick Steiger, also a Broadway stage manager. Singer/composer and actor Sara Bareilles, who worked with Gates on “Waitress,” posted a tribute on Instagram that read: “He was gentle. He was funny, usually without meaning to be. He was soft spoken. Reliable. Generous. Loving. Compassionate. Tired and overworked, but I never heard him complain. He was the first one in and the last one out. He has been a stage manager for many shows over the years, and taken care of countless others…but he’s the only one I made my first show with who took care of me. Today is unspeakably tragic for many reasons- I can’t even put words to it. Thom Gates will be missed and loved. I hope he knew that.”
And although he left us in December 2023, the impact of renowned actor and South Orange resident Andre Braugher was such that a memorial piece in his honor reached into 2024 to be the 20th on the list of most-read Village Green stories.
Andre Braugher as Henry V at the Delacourt theater, 1996 for TimeOut London (credit Julia Verderosa)
These are the stories that were most read on The Village Green in 2024:
- Thomas J. Gates, Broadway Stage Manager, Struck & Killed by Train at South Orange Station
- CHS Principal Sanchez Placed on Administrative Leave; Bodnar to Helm School in Interim
- CHS Walkout Was ‘Without Incident’, Students Participating Were Marked Absent
- CHS Principal Frank Sanchez Charged With Child Endangerment, Simple Assault
- REPORT: Girls Track Students Say CHS Coach Sexually Abused Them in 1980s
- Child Endangerment Charges Dismissed Against CHS Principal Frank Sanchez
- SOMSD Files Bias Complaint with NJSIAA After Referee Benches CHS Student-Athlete Based on Her Hair
- Black Bear Spotted in Maplewood Backyard Thursday Morning
- Maplewood to Welcome July 4th With Pets, Parades, Ice Cream, 5K, Fireworks & More
- Columbia High School Senior Breaks School Record in 1600 Set By MMS Principal
- VIDEO: Adam Sandler Spotted Filming in South Orange & Maplewood
- Jason Bing Named Superintendent of South Orange-Maplewood School District
- The Able Baker to Open Additional Location at 4th & Valley in South Orange
- Former Newark Arts High School Principal Ricardo Pedro to Helm CHS as Interim Principal
- Columbia High School Principal Released After Being Charged with Felony
- Barn Bird Kitchen Brings Southern American Cooking to Maplewood Village
- South Orange to Host Grand Re-Opening for Baird Recreation Center April 20
- South Orange-Maplewood District Hired Outside Investigator Re: Special Dance Allegations
- UPDATED: Person of Interest in CEO Killing Used Fake ID with Fake Maplewood Address
- The Extraordinary Career and Family Life of South Orange’s Andre Braugher
