The week began with important news in a homicide case that touched many local people, when the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office charged three men in the death of 19-year-old Brendan P. Tevlin. A Livingston resident and Seton Hall Prep graduate with strong family ties to Maplewood, Tevlin was gunned down on Northfield Avenue in West Orange on June 25.
Tevlin’s mother gave a statement deploring the country’s “epidemic” of gun violence and said she hoped other families might be spared a similar agony.
In another story of young lives cut short by tragedy, we covered a memorial service to mark the one-year anniversary of the deaths of two young Maplewood men killed in a drunk driving accident. Around a hundred family members and friends of Tamir Harry, 16, and Kevin Noel, 21 gathered at Memorial Park to reflect, remember, and celebrate the two.
In local police news, South Orange Police arrested two Maplewood teens for allegedly attempting to break in to the Montrose School. In Maplewood, a man was robbed on Brook Lane by two men wearing ski masks.
In Millburn, police arrested four Chicago men for allegedly attempting to exchange counterfeit I-Phones for authentic ones at the Apple Store at the Mall at Short Hills. Police responded to a report from the store and after an investigation, arrested Xu Guangzhou, 29; Wenhui Huang, 24; Jonell L. Crump, 22, and a 17-year-old, all from Chicago, IL.
The Village Green was at both South Orange and Maplewood National Nights Out on Tuesday. They were fun celebrations that drew hundreds of people to Flood’s Hill and Memorial Park, respectively, to eat, play games, listen to live music and learn about public safety initiatives.
We visited the Rent Party Garden’s South Orange Elks location with Chris Dickson, to see some of the 2,000 lbs. of produce that the gardens supply to local food pantries each year.
In other Rent Party news, we spoke to Dickson about the organization’s first-ever outdoor music event, the Rent Party Family Picnic, which will be held on Sat., Sept. 6 to celebrate the organization’s fifth anniversary.
Moving to school news, we profiled two more candidates who will be running for a spot on the South Orange – Maplewood Board of Education: Elizabeth Baker and Maureen Jones.
In local business happenings, we told you about a welcome new addition to the Irvington Avenue business corridor, Oasis Salon & Beauty Lounge, owned by a Newark native and Seton Hall University graduate.
South Orange will welcome another new business, Mara’s Cafe and Bakery, which will open its doors in September as part of The Gateway, a new mixed-used luxury residential and retail development at 9 W. South Orange Avenue next to the train station.
Speaking of South Orange, the town is getting ready for “the greatest day of play to ever hit” the town, when the first-ever PlayDay South Orange comes to town on Sept. 21. Organizers are looking for volunteers for this exciting day.
The Village Green profiled So.i.Heard House of Music, a music school in Millburn run by two musicians with roots in the area.
We got to the bottom of rumors that a popular local restaurant, Highland Place, was shutting its doors. Owner Chris Farrow clarified that the restaurant was temporarily closed for “retooling” and would reopen early this week.
Maplewood’s Memorial Park is the subject of a new master plan, which we reported on this week. The Maplewood Township Committee heard a consultant’s recommendations on how to enhance, restore and preserve “Maplewood’s Central Park” and usher it into its second century.
Did you know that the “best tech reviewer on the planet” is a Maplewood native and son of one of our esteemed Township Committee members? Check out the story here.
Finally, we brought you the story of “Lawn Sign-gate,” in which two local artists’ satire on the ubiquitous lawn signs sweeping SOMA made it onto CBS 2 News.
Good thing it wasn’t a slow news week for The Village Green!
