A Newark man was found not guilty May 25 of killing a transgender lingerie model inside an apartment on Jacoby Street in September 2010.

A jury of seven men and five women deliberated parts of May 24 and 25 before acquitting Al-Rashim Chambers, 25, of Newark, of murder and other charges in the shooting death of 28-year-old Victoria Carmen White. The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office and White’s family expressed disappointment in the verdict.

“I’m a…

By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer

A bill allowing South Orange-Maplewood to hold November school board elections starting next year must be amended to satisfy concerns of Gov. Chris Christie.

The governor conditionally vetoed the measure earlier this month and recommended technical changes, according to state Sen. Richard J. Codey, D-27th District. Codey, a sponsor of the measure, said the governor wants the Essex County clerk to be responsible for…

By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer

Michelle Scotti was pulling a small cart filled with plants she planned to buy at the annual Maplewood Garden Club’s plant sale May 18.

For the past 75 years, people have been coming from across New Jersey and other states to choose from the hundreds of varieties of plants at the three-day sale that always falls on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday before Mother’s Day.

Organizers, calling it…

By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer

Public employees in Maplewood are shaping up and working off extra weight.

Health officer Robert D. Roe said that the employee-wellness campaign is an initiative of the Township Committee and Township Administrator Joseph F.…

The Essex County Prosecutor's Office released an update May 16 on the case of John Staten, who pleaded guilty to charges for the death of a Maplewood man.

Here is what it said:

John Staten, 32, of Orange plead guilty May 15 to aggravated manslaughter and weapons offenses for killing 27-year-old Arthur Downey III, in his Maplewood home.

Under the terms of the plea agreement, Staten will be sentenced to 18 years. He is scheduled…

By Christina Hernandez, Managing Editor

Maplewood Mayor Vic De Luca has helped to broker an agreement between the Maplewood Village Alliance and Civic Association that allows a “public bulletin board” to join the new, locked kiosk near the post office on Maplewood Avenue.

In a prepared statement sent via email Friday, De Luca said the alliance and the association agreed to allow two bulletin boards downtown.

He noted that the…