Bear in Tree, Lauryn Hill Moves Out of Mansion Top Regional News

Who Comes Next After Booker at City Hall?

The death Monday of respected liberal lawmaker Sen. Frank Lautenberg may have some consequences in Newark, including changing the dynamics of a race for a vacant council seat or—less likely but possible—touching off a court battle to determine who succeeds Mayor Cory Booker.  

Tranquilized Bear Drops Out of Tree in Montclair

A black bear captured in a Montclair park Tuesday has been identified as an 18-month-old male cub weighing approximately 158 lbs., according to Montclair Police officials.

The bear was tranquilized while perched on a tree branch about 12-feet above the ground in Watchung Park, located across from the Watchung Avenue train station. The cub became woozy and slipped from the tree and landed safely onto a net.

Stolen Car Driver Eludes Police Twice in One Day

A driver in a stolen vehicle was twice able to elude authorities last week, Verona Police said.

A car matching the description of one stolen from West Caldwell was spotted in Verona last Friday, police said. Sgt. Tim Banta saw a grey Audi traveling westbound on Bloomfield Avenue at about 1:10 a.m. Friday, checked its license plate and determined it was the stolen vehicle. 

Banta followed the vehicle westbound on Bloomfield Avenue into Caldwell, but the vehicle failed to stop after he activated his siren, police said.

Lauryn Hill Moves Out of South Orange Mansion

Singer Lauryn Hill has moved out of the South Orange mansion she rents after her landlords sued her last month for failing to pay rent, according to published reports.

Since the Maplewood Post Office Redevelopment Plan was released just over a month ago, some locals have asked for a bigger role in the design process while others launched a petition to demand a slower timeline and more public input. The plan will guide the development of the .75-acre, 33,000-square-foot site in a prime Village location after the Post Office vacates the space in November.

17 Year Old Deemed Eligible for Board of Ed Race

A 17-year-old Millburn resident has thrown his hat in the race for one of the four open seats in the November Millburn Board of Education elections. 

Chase Harrison's petition was originally denied on Tuesday because of his age at the time of filing. However, on Wednesday the decision was reversed.

West Orange Resident Named 'Champion of Change' by White House

A West Orange resident was named a 'Champion of Change' by the White House Tuesday afternoon for his innovative projects benefiting the world since 2003.

'Champions of Chnage' are ordinary Americans are doing extraordinary things in their communities to out-innovate, out-educate and out-build the rest of the world, according to the White House's website.

Returning Veteran Receives Warm Welcome from Caldwells Crowd

Clouds and rain did not dampen the mood on Deerfield Road on Thursday when a crowd of neighbors filled the street awaiting the return of a Caldwells war veteran from his long stay overseas. 

Livingston Man Used Dead Man's ID to Gain $373K in Illegal Refunds

A Livingston man pleaded guilty Wednesday to filing tax claims under a dead man's name, preparing false documents for fraudulent loans and receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars in illegal tax refunds, according to authorities.