Blog

October Snow Update from OEM

This is an update from the Village of South Orange and the Office of Emergency Management. We are advising residents against going house to house to trick or treat tonight because of the potential danger of downed wires, hanging branches and debris still on the ground. Spooky Spiotta Park will be happening starting at 4pm and we invite all residents to come downtown and celebrate Halloween with us! The Village is in constant communication with PSEG and is working on getting areas in South Orange prioritized as fast as possible. If you have medical or special needs please contact the SOPD immediately.The Library will be open until 9pm Monday night for residents to come in, charge electronic devices and relax in warmth. The Baird will be opened as a shelter if needed overnight, and you can call the SOPD to request that assistance.Residents are encouraged to move branches and debris out to the curb so DPW can remove it. All of the roads in South Orange were opened by the end of the Sunday, due the hard work of our Department of Public Works and other village staff. They will continue clearing debris through the end of the week, while...





Corrections to the News-Record's September 22nd Editorial

I am writing to you today in regards to the editorial that appeared in the last edition of the News Record. I do not offer the following criticism lightly, as I understand and value the necessary role for the press to hold public officials accountable. However, in order to promote rational public discourse, editorial opinion must be based upon sound facts. Now, nobody is perfect, but it’s distressing to see the extent to which the News-Record’s recent editorial deviated from the facts - facts that were actually presented fairly accurately in a front page article by Phillip Curran in the very same edition. Below are the most critical of concerns that I have: · The editorial begins with a statement that “an administrator is needed” and that "a new administrator will be required in the Village..." The assumed fact in that statement is that an administrator has not been chosen. Nowhere in the editorial is it mentioned that Reagan Burkholder, former administrator to Summit, was appointed in the last Board meeting and has already begun the transition. You left your readers with the erroneous impression that the Village has been left adrift, which is by no means accurate. · The...


September 12th BOT Summary

Hey all - Check out the summary of the September 12th Special and Conference Meetings below:


Rembering September 11th

To find a list of all of the events remembering September 11th 2001 in South Orange please download the schedule here.“Yeah they closed all the airports or something, no planes are even allowed to fly.”Those would be the first words I would hear about the terrorist attacks of September 11th, though I didn’t know it at the time. I wasn’t even aware of what happened, but was standing in the hallways of Columbia High School in Maplewood, waiting for 4th period study hall to begin. After a few more minutes of chatter it became clear that something major had happened in New York City, and as the teacher arrived we rushed in to turn on the TV. Instantly a live picture of smoke billowing out of the World Trade Center filled the classroom, and like a vacuum had been created all other details in that classroom vanished except for that image, which is burned into my, and probably everyone’s, memory of that day.For a few deafeningly silent minutes everyone in the classroom watched in awe of what was happening. Still trying to make sense of what they saw... could this really be happening? In New York City, not much more...


Hurricane Irene Information

Below please find the statement from the Village about the storm this weekend. Continue on to southorange.org/ready for more information, shelter locations, and more resources.