Urgent Repairs Needed at Belleville Dutch Reformed Church

If you are a regular reader, you know how much I love my hometown of Belleville. From stopping at Rosebud's after school, to my memories from marching band in high school, to riding my bike all over town, Belleville will always hold a special place in my heart. What you may not know is Belleville…

Saying Goodbye to The Manor

This week all of North Jersey was shocked to hear The Manor in West Orange will close this summer after 66 years. That magical location has been the location where many wonderful memories were made. From New Year's Eve black-tie dinners, to weddings, to proms, almost everyone from North Jersey has a story. All those…

Observe the Christmas Crossing

We all learned about the incredibly harsh winter General Washington and his men endured deep into the Revolutionary War. Throughout the entire war, time and again, Morristown was a key location for the the Continental Army. Morristown National Historical Park commemorates the sites of General Washington and the Continental Army’s winter encampment of December 1779…

Giving Tuesday in New Jersey

Tomorrow is Giving Tuesday; a great reminder to give back whenever you are able. There are a number of wonderful non-profits and organizations in The Garden State that need support. Here are a few of my favorites. A Helping Wing Parrot Rescue & Sanctuary I may have never mentioned it in the past, but my…

A Want for Italian Immigration History Education

New Jersey is home to one of the largest collection of Americans of Italian descent in the entire country. Yet, if you ask any child if they learn about this important part of history, they would know very little. Luckily, there's a solution to the problem. A few years ago, the Italian-American Heritage Commission developed…

Italian Heritage Month 2022

I always heard a saying growing up. "There are two types of people. Italians and people that wish they were Italian." I agree completely. We grow up around three main concepts. Faith, family, and food. Sundays were extra special. We would start the day at church. Then head to the cemetery to plant flowers and…

9/11: Twenty-One Years Later

"Where were you on 9/11?" For those of us who were witnesses to history, we remember every minute of that day. We can describe in detail every moment and every feeling. If you put that question to an entirely new generation, they have no answer. They weren't born. Just like if someone asked me where…

Fourth Grade and New Jersey History

As the school year begins, I think back to growing up in Belleville and starting school in September. I have many wonderful memories of that time. In sixth grade I was part of the school patrol and guarded the kindergarten door. In middle school, I accompanied the chorus on piano for the first time. In…

National New Jersey Day

This week we celebrated National New Jersey Day. Yes, that’s right. There’s an official day to nationally celebrate New Jersey. There are plenty of reasons to celebrate New Jersey and I thought I would share some interesting facts about our awesome state, which officially became a state in 1776. The New Jersey State Seal (source:…

The True Story Behind Jaws

Today begins the much anticipated Shark Week on Discovery. I've always been fascinated by marine wildlife. Fascination, along with a healthy dose of respect. That respect first came from the movie Jaws; one of my favorite all-time movies. What many do not know is Peter Benchley's inspiration for the book upon which the movie is…