WESTFIELD, NJ — Get ready to see your beloved characters and hear your favorite songs come to life with Edison Intermediate School Theater Guild’s upcoming spring musical, Disney’s “Frozen, Jr.”
Michael Altman is the director. Janine Dayson is the choreographer and Stephen Markowski is the musical director.
As in the popular Disney movie, sisters Anna and Elsa find themselves in a predicament when Elsa becomes queen and freezes the entire kingdom of Arendelle with her snow powers. Anna must now go on an adventure to find and bring her sister back.
Altman said the story is full of “twists and turns and characters you meet along the way, including the loveable Olaf the snowman, Kristoff the ice salesman, Hans the prince, Sven the reindeer and many others.”
The soundtrack is full of unforgettable and timeless songs many in the audience grew up with, including “Do you Wanna Build a Snowman?” and “Let the Sun Shine On.”
“Part of the things I’m most looking forward to are how the music that everyone has grown to know and love is something that they can see in real life, as opposed to on a TV screen,” Markowski said.
“The song I’m most excited for everyone to see is ‘Let It Go,’ and the costumes, particularly my tear-away dress,” said Corabelle Martin, the eighth grader who plays Elsa.
Using recorded music as background this year instead of live, the songs will have a much fuller sound, according to Markowski.
More than 100 members of the cast and crew are putting their all into this musical. According to Altman, the production is almost entirely run by the students, from creating sets to running lights.
“I’m really excited for everyone to see the sets. A lot of time and work has gone into them,” said eighth grade stage manager Tziona Gras.
Up on stage, the actors have also been hard at work putting together their dances and lines.
“Seeing everything come together has been so fun to see,” said eighth grader Fiona Brown, who plays Anna.
This production of “Frozen, Jr.” will be “far above and beyond anything you would expect any middle school to put together,” Altman said.
If you go:
Catch “Frozen, Jr.” on March 21 at 4 p.m., and March 22 and 23 at 7 p.m. at Edison Intermediate School, 800 Rahway Avenue, Westfield, NJ. Thursday matinée tickets are $8.25 and tickets on Friday and Saturday are $13.50 in advance or $15 at the door. Advance tickets are available at https://eis.booktix.net/.
“Frozen, Jr.,” based on the book and Disney film written by Jennifer Lee and directed by Chris Buck, features songs from the animated film with music and lyrics by Kristen Anderson-Lopez and Robert Lopez.
Mahika Dang is a student at Westfield High School participating in a journalism program with TAPinto Westfield.
]]>WESTFIELD, NJ — Westfield Police are getting more license plate recognition cameras to help fight crime, according to Police Chief Christopher Battiloro.
The LPR cameras alert the police department of a stolen vehicle entering or leaving Westfield. As a result of an alert, responding police officers can use the information to better identify, locate and stop stolen vehicles.
The town council approved the purchase of 10 more cameras, in addition to the 15 the department already had, earlier this year.
“Five of them have already been installed and are fully operational, a sixth is being installed and should be operational later today, and four are pending installation,” Battiloro said Friday.
“The remaining four are intended for locations that will require permits from either the state DOT, PSE&G or Verizon and we have been working on that process,” he said. “This will bring us to a total of 25 fixed LPR cameras. They have been installed at locations in all four wards.”
Fifteen of the department’s police vehicles are also equipped with “mobile LPR cameras,” he said.
Westfield’s town council voted unanimously to authorize a five-year, $64,000 agreement for maintenance of the cameras at its meeting on Tuesday.
ARCHIVE: Police Chief: Vehicle Thefts Were Up 60% in Westfield Last Year
The maintenance agreement with Flock Safety covers both existing and new stationary LPR cameras.
“This is our maintenance agreement for the five-year agreement we have, for the ones that not only are in, but the ones that are going in,” Gildea said. “It encompasses all. I believe it’s 25.”
“The nice thing about these and other towns now, following our lead, we’re able to share information with other towns too,” he noted.
]]>WESTFIELD, NJ –
Read these stories and more at the links below.
WESTFIELD, NJ — In a strategic move to bolster career exploration opportunities for its students, the Westfield High School counseling department has developed the Blue Devil Community Network.
The initiative provides insight into various educational and career pathways by establishing connections between WHS students and other community members, alumni and local professionals.
By bridging the gap between students and community members, the initiative not only enhances career exploration, but also fosters a sense of belonging and connection within the WHS community.
“We often see students coming down to the counseling office asking about specific post-secondary options/careers,” said Director of Counseling Falynn Balassone, who oversees the network. “We thought it would be helpful to have community members to contact for more information based on their direct experiences.”
The Blue Devil Community Network marks a significant step forward in the school’s commitment to providing comprehensive support for students as they navigate their post-secondary options.
Through the network, students can learn more about post-secondary options by making individualized connections with potential mentors. In addition, alumni and community members can get more involved with WHS by helping to mentor and guide students.
“So far, we have had about 30 community members sign up for the network. We are so grateful and are looking to grow the network further and attract those with non-traditional paths, as well,” Balassone said.
Community members who want to be part of the network can submit their information to this form.
Students can visit their school counselor to express interest in getting connected. All communication between students and community members will be observed by an administrator or counselor.
Balassone added that the network is looking to increase its career exploration programming.
"We would love to build events such as career panels, etc.,” she said.
Julie Snyder is a student at Westfield High School participating in a journalism program with TAPinto Westfield.
]]>WESTFIELD, NJ — A bill intended to amend the legislation around affordable housing in New Jersey has been postponed, Mayor Shelley Brindle said Friday.
In her weekly update, Mayor Brindle announced that a Senate vote on bill S50, which seeks to change a municipality's responsibility in providing affordable housing, was paused.
“I’m happy to report that the bill was pulled from the Senate floor, and the vote on S50 has been postponed until additional amendments can be considered, which I hope will address our specific concerns,” Brindle said.
On Tuesday, Mayor Brindle had shared the town’s reasoning for not supporting the bill at the Westfield Town Council meeting.
“First, a provision that requires land-poor municipalities such as Westfield to create a realistic opportunity to satisfy 25% of their unmet need, or to defend why they can’t do so, a change that would have a significant impact on the number of affordable units required of us going forward,” she said.
ARCHIVE: Westfield Officials Give Affordable Housing Update
Brindle said the proposed obligations would drastically increase the number of affordable units required in Westfield.
“For example, in the previous round, we had to provide the opportunity to address our unmet need of 998 units, which we did through establishing overlay zones which, at a maximum, would provide approximately 690 total residential units if they were all built out, which they’re not,” she said.
“Under the proposed legislation, if we had to provide for 25% of our 998 unmet need number, we would have needed to provide for approximately 250 new affordable units, which equates to a maximum buildout of approximately 1,666 total new units,” she said.
Brindle described the implementation of the proposed obligations as “absurd and unrealistic,” and added that the legislative changes could threaten the town’s ability to avoid builder’s remedy lawsuits.
“The legislation, as written, lifts some of the protections that we’ve had under the third round,” she said. “When considered within the context of the 25% obligation, we would lose sovereignty over our own planning and zoning policies under the threat of costly litigation.”
As of now, Brindle said the proposed bill is being postponed to directly address the concerns of different municipalities.
“I’m hopeful that an amended bill can ensure that our state addresses our affordable housing crisis fairly and equitably, while providing land-poor municipalities like ours flexibility to address our obligation in a way that makes sense for our communities,” Brindle said.
]]>WESTFIELD, NJ — Westfield police are seeking the public’s assistance regarding a hit-and-run motor vehicle crash that happened last week, the police department posted on social media.
On Thursday, March 7, at about 7:20 a.m., a burgundy/red Jeep Grand Cherokee struck a parked Acura MDX on Westfield Avenue near the intersection of Shackamaxon Drive, police said.
The Jeep seemed to have pulled out from Shackamaxon Drive and made a left turn onto Westfield Avenue when it then lost control and struck the parked Acura, police said.
The Acura was significantly damaged, police said last week.
Police asked anyone who has any information or video surveillance to contact Officer Natale at 908-789-6039, jnatale@wpdnj.org or Sgt. Penn at 908-789-6068, gpenn@wpdnj.org.
]]>WESTFIELD, NJ — The Westfield High School softball team will look to its returning players to lead the charge once the spring season gets underway April 1 at Union Catholic.
The Blue Devils are coming off a 13-14 season where they reached the county tournament semifinals and quarterfinals of the state sectional tournament.
Head coach Caitlin Cheddar knows experience will be a key factor this season.
“Our team is made up of a good number of returning players which should help us get off to a strong start this season,” she said. “We will depend on those 11 returning varsity players to set the tone and to lead by example. A successful season is always one where the team improves its performances from the beginning of the season to the end.
“Success would also be to achieve or exceed our potential during tournament play,” she added.
Key returners include senior outfielder Julie Kamins, junior outfielder Quinlan Doherty, senior Swarthmore commit Cat Heflin at first base, junior shortstop Alex Laguna, senior Salisbury commit Erin Doherty at third base, senior pitcher Bella Sciponi, senior and Franklin and Marshall commit Grace D’Angelo at pitcher, senior catcher/designated player Gianna Puglisi, senior catcher/outfielder and Russell Sage commit Annie Reilly and senior utility Rebecca Wilson.
Westfield will play the likes of Dayton, Summit, Bernards, Pingry, Cranford, Governor Livingston, Scotch Plains-Fanwood, Monroe, Johnson, Elizabeth, Union, Bridgewater-Raritan, Dayton, Brearley, Ridge, North Hunterdon, West Morris and Immaculata.
“Our schedule is competitive,” Cheddar said. “Our conference is composed of a variety of good teams that all have specific strengths to contend with. We always like to challenge ourselves with our independent pickups and we have done that again this season.”
]]>WESTFIELD, NJ — “An Inspector Calls,” a mystery by J.B. Priestley, opens March 16 at Westfield Community Players.
The play, written in 1945, takes place in an industrial city in England in 1912. A young woman has died under mysterious circumstances. Confessions, denials and unsuspecting twists are brought to light.
“It’s fascinating to watch this family, close at the start, begin to unravel as the inspector interrogates each one,” said Director Cass Cochrane, who first saw a production of “An Inspector Calls” while in London in 1995.
“This play will leave audience members thinking and wondering about its message for days to come,” she said.
The cast includes Christopher C. Gibbs, Stephen A. Menella, Ruth Kliwinski, Mary O’Connor-Kelley, Kathy Quinn Vaccari, Matt Marino and Ron Richardson.
Members of the community theater group, many of whom are retired from careers outside of theater, come from as near as Westfield and Fanwood and as far away as Pittstown. Cochrane said that the experience of directing this talented cast and crew has been joyful and “not unlike the inspector himself, somewhat otherworldly.”
“There's an intense joy that comes from connecting with an audience,” she added.
If you go:
“An Inspector Calls” will be performed on March 16, 23, 29 and 30 at 8 p.m., with Sunday matinée performances on March 17 and 24 at 2 p.m. The theater is located at 1000 North Avenue West in Westfield.
Tickets can be purchased in advance at www.wcptheatre.org, or by calling 908-232-1221.
This production is made possible by funds from the Union County office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs, a partner of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts.
What’s next?
“See How They Run,” a comedy in three acts by Philip King, will run May 4 - 18.* Learn more at www.wcptheatre.org.
]]>WESTFIELD, NJ — This senior finishes her career at Westfield High School as the most-decorated swimmer the school has ever known.
Clare Logan is this week’s Andy Heinz and The Westfield Legacy Agency’s Allstate Westfield Athlete of the Week.
Logan swam in Olympic Trials in 2021, when she was 15 years old, and in July she qualified for the 2024 Olympic Trials, which will take place in June.
Logan said her desire to compete started at an early age and continued to grow stronger as she progressed.
“I have been swimming since I was six, and my love for the sport inspired me to get involved with competitive swimming,” Logan said.
“I enjoy the racing and high-level competitiveness that comes with swimming,” she said. “I love the feeling I get when I'm about to race and being able to just sprint as fast as you possibly can.”
Despite the long list of accomplishments and victories, Logan said she’s still motivated to achieve better times and compete on bigger stages.
“I hope to improve this season by working hard both in practice and in my dry land workouts,” she added.
Logan will continue her swimming career at the collegiate level for Duke University next year. As of now, she’s undecided on a major.
Out of the water, she enjoys spending time with friends and family, visiting the beach, playing basketball and watching Grey’s Anatomy.
“Beyond the pool, she is one of the most down-to-earth athletes you will find,” coach Steven Whittington said. “It was an honor to coach not only the greatest Westfield swimmer, but one of the greatest Westfield athletes of all-time.”
]]>ELIZABETH, NJ — Twelve-year-old Yohan Lopez, of Elizabeth, has been located, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office said Wednesday afternoon.
Lopez had been last seen Wednesday, March 13, at 7:30 a.m. wearing a blue shirt and blue sweatshirt with khaki pants, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office said in an alert.
Lopez is Hispanic, with brown hair and brown eyes. He is about 4'7" and weighs 85 lbs, according to the prosecutor's office.
Anyone who has information is asked to contact UCPO Detective Ruiz at 908-591-6875 or Detective Coll at 908-347-2474 or the Elizabeth Police non-emergency line 908-558-2000.
]]>WESTFIELD, NJ — The residential property being acquired at 1037 Central Avenue will be used to expand and update the adjacent fire station on 1029 Central Avenue.
Westfield's town council voted unanimously to approve a special ordinance authorizing the purchase of the property at its meeting on Tuesday.
“As we discussed, the property owner is finally ready to sell his property,” Mayor Shelley Brindle said. “It’s a property that we’ve been seeking to purchase for over 15 years to accommodate the future expansion, renovation of firehouse number two.”
In total, the ordinance authorizes the town to spend $725,000 to acquire the property.
At the town’s previous conference session, Town Administrator Jim Gildea said the actual purchase price is $710,000 and that the additional $15,000 is for legal and closing costs. The down payment for the property is $35,000.
The addition of the property will enable the town to design and construct an updated version of the existing Fire Station Two.
ARCHIVE: Westfield Council Approves $40K for Firehouse Feasibility Study
Upgrades to the station would potentially include a large working environment that accommodates modern-sized firetrucks and equipment through larger vehicle bays.
ARCHIVE: Westfield’s Firehouse is Aging, Outdated. Replacing it May Cost $15M
Brindle reiterated that, despite the planned expansion, the current fire headquarters at 405 North Avenue will remain active.
“I do just want to remind everybody that the current firehouse is going to stay there indefinitely,” Brindle said. “This is really only impacting a long, overdue and needed upgrade to a new headquarters to address things like proper protocols, female firefighters and other things."
]]>WESTFIELD, NJ — Several new restaurants are headed to Westfield, including award-winning Vietnamese, quick-serve Mediterranean, health-conscious smoothie bowls and a “play café” where parents can sip lattes while kids keep themselves amused.
Read below for a preview of what we know is to come:
vPho – 415 Westfield Avenue
Andy Vo, owner of the Saigon Café in Millburn, said his new restaurant, which is expected to open in April, will offer traditional Vietnamese dishes, including several variations of pho.
“Pho is a well-known Vietnamese noodles bone both dish,” he said. “This is our second location, and the first one is the Saigon Cafe in Millburn which was voted the best pho restaurant in NJ.”
Vo said the opening had been planned for years and that the existing restaurant's popular menu will also be used at the Westfield location.
vPho will operate inside the building formerly occupied by Mulberry House.
Rush Bowls – 27 East Broad Street
Rush Bowls, which has over 50 locations throughout the U.S., will offer blended bowls of assorted fruits, a selection of smoothies and other health-conscious food options.
It is expected to open in May or June in the space formerly occupied by Psychic Boutique.
Small Town Play Café – 278 North Avenue East
Kim Coe, the founder of Small Town Play Café, said the multi-use space will accommodate families, parents and children. It is expected to open in May.
“Part play space and part café, our goal in building Small Town Play Café is to create an enjoyable space for children to play that adults actually want to spend time in, too,” Coe said.
In addition to gourmet coffee and specialty beverages, the café will also offer breakfast items, salads, wraps, baked goods and other sweet treats to eat there or grab-and-go.
Small Town Play Café will also host events, specialty classes and birthday parties, and offer different perks and membership options.
Hummus Republic – 102 East Broad Street
Hummus Republic, which has multiple franchises in several states, is set to open a new location in Westfield sometime in 2024.
The Mediterranean-inspired vegan- and vegetarian-friendly quick service menu offers customizable bowls, pitas and wraps to choose from, and customers can mix and match from a wide selection of toppings and dressings and select their preferred protein source and hummus spreads.
Desserts, such as Peruvian chocolate brownies and toffees, will also be available.
Taco de Ojo Taqueria – 106 Central Avenue
Detailed information on the Mexican restaurant and the potential opening date is not yet available. According to the restaurant’s Instagram, the new location will offer a variety of tacos, tortillas and tostadas.
Taco de Ojo will open in the space formerly occupied by Inspiration Roll, which recently moved to a new spot on Elm Street.
Maize Cocktails and Cocina – 300 North Avenue West
The Mexican restaurant and cocktail bar is expected to open on the north side of Westfield’s train station in the spring or summer. The much-anticipated spot, which will feature locally sourced ingredients and botanical cocktails, was previously scheduled to open in 2022, but faced several delays.
Renovations to the existing structure are still underway and an exact opening date has not yet been confirmed.
]]>WESTFIELD, NJ — Want to help save our oceans? Dive in and buy a hoodie from Westfield High School’s Ocean Preservation Club.
After starting in the middle of last year, the club has grown to more than 100 members. It is run by co-presidents Jordan Hadel and Sabrina Muller.
“We kind of just noticed that the school didn’t have anything for marine sciences, and we wanted to educate students at the high school,” Muller said.
The club has monthly meetings where members learn about the oceans and engage in activities such as bake sales. They are looking into doing beach clean-ups in the spring, according to Hadel.
The club has created a new fundraiser, selling sweatshirts to help spread their message. The shirts carry the phrase “Preserve our oceans” on the front and back.
The sweatshirts were designed by the club’s vice president of marketing, Victoria Marmarou.
“We wanted something people would want to wear, something they would enjoy while still spreading our message,” Marmarou said.
“We thought the fundraiser was a good way to expand our initiative to the community and outside world, so now other people can also make the purchase and help us raise money for our oceans,” Hadel said.
The club plans to donate the profits from the fundraiser to the Ocean Conservancy.
“We did a lot of research to pick which non-profit organization we wanted to donate the money to and we decided on Ocean Conservancy,” said Muller. “They are one of the number-one organizations that has been researching climate change and everything about the oceans.”
The overall mission of the club, as Marmarou said, “is yes to protect our oceans, but more so to preserve what we have left.”
The sweatshirts, available in two designs, are sold on Etsy here.
Follow the club on TikTok.
Mahika Dang is a student at Westfield High School participating in a journalism program with TAPinto Westfield.
]]>WESTFIELD, NJ — The Westfield boys indoor track team took its talents up north this past weekend from the friendly confines of the Garden State and competed in the 2024 New Balance Nationals Indoor Track & Field Championships (March 7-10) at the TRACK at New Balance and the Reggie Lewis Track & Athletic Center in Boston.
The Blue Devils’ 4x800 relay took home the national title on Sunday, March 10 with a school record of 7:46.46, 0.37 better than DC Cadets (7:46.83). The legs were junior Kaleb Stoeckmann, senior Jimmy Gildea, junior Ryan Daly and senior Alex Valencia.
“It was another well-executed race that came to a very close finish. Ryan got the baton to Alex with a half-second lead, and Alex was able to hold off the anchor from St John’s College (Washington DC) to secure the win,” said Westfield head coach Chris Tafelski.
Westfield’s distance medley relay team narrowly missed a victory with a second-place finish (10:01.92), but the overall time was the third-fastest time ever run by a New Jersey team indoors and 11th overall in U.S. indoor history. The time wiped five seconds off of the school record.
The only two New Jersey schools to ever run faster: Ridge (9:53.50) and Union Catholic (9:55.12). Both finished first and second respectively at the 2022 New Balance National Championships.
The relay was Valencia, senior Emanuel Gayanilo, Gildea and senior Avery Keith. Keith split an indoor school record for the mile with a time of 4:09.49 on the anchor leg.
In Westfield's last race of the meet, the 4x400 relay of senior Rowan McMahill, senior Noah Petrassi, Daly and Gayanilo finished ninth with a school record time of 3:20.89.
]]>WESTFIELD, NJ — The community raffle, created by the Westfield United Fund, was the non-profit’s new fundraising initiative that offered an exclusive experience for the winners.
On March 8, Gauri Rijhsinghani, 7, and her brother, Anuj Rijhsinghani, 5, spent an afternoon learning about the roles and responsibilities of a police chief and were treated to pizza and doughnuts.
Inside the conference room of the police station, the pair of siblings asked Westfield Police Chief Battiloro an abundance of questions as they shared a few slices of pizza together. Some questions focused on how police caught the “bad guys,” while other questions centered around the connection between doughnuts and police officers.
After finishing their pizza, the pair stopped inside the police chief’s office to pick up some Westfield Police Department hats before heading back out. The raffle winners then enjoyed a guided tour of the entire station and were introduced to officers and detectives along the way.
Throughout the tour, the curious siblings shared their questions with Battiloro and engaged in different discussions about how the station worked. Battiloro explained the history of the department and offered several explanations to answer the rapid-fire questions that came from Gauri and Anuj.
In the hallway of the department, Battiloro shared some background information on the collection of police memorabilia that caught the siblings' attention. Battiloro then showed them the police dispatch room before visiting the department’s gym, where the children received some quick personal training from an officer.
The siblings also had a look around the booking area and holding cells before heading to the town council chambers to take their official oath of office. With their parents in attendance, Gauri and Anuj took their oaths with Mayor Shelley Brindle to certify their status as police chiefs for the day.
The siblings then briefed the next shift of officers before heading home for the day.
“I think it was fun,” Gauri said about the experience. Anuj said that “seeing the jail” was his favorite part.
Amit Rijhsinghani, their father, said they entered the raffle to support the Westfield United Fund.
“It seemed like a great cause,” he said. “We were very happy when we got the call from Beth [Saad].”
“We really want to thank her, the Westfield United Fund and Chief Battiloro, for all the time and effort in making this such a wonderful experience for the kids,” he said.
Executive Director Beth Saad said the United Fund plans to have other raffle fundraisers to reach their campaign goal of $500,000.
“Funds from the campaign will be distributed between 18 local social service agencies that provide services such as enriching programs for senior citizens, tutoring for at-risk youth, diapers and baby supplies for underserved communities and free mental health counseling for first responders,” she said.
For more information on the Westfield United Fund, click here.
]]>WESTFIELD, NJ — A wind advisory is in effect on Monday, March 11, from 2 a.m. until 11 p.m., the National Weather Service announced.
Northwest winds blowing 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 55 mph are expected, it said, and Isolated wind gusts upwards of 60 mph may be possible.
“Gusty winds will blow around unsecured objects,” the weather service said. “Tree limbs could be blown down and a few power outages may result.”
To report service disruptions, residents may call the following utilities:
UNION COUNTY, NJ — Residents could face a 1.75% increase in the county portion of their property tax bill this year, after the 2024 budget is presented for a Union County Commissioner board vote in upcoming months.
County Manager Ed Oatman presented a 2024 executive budget with a 1.75% tax increase, citing pressures from inflation and supply chain challenges.
At the Feb. 21 county commissioner board meeting, Oatman said submitting a budget with a tax increase was a difficult decision he made to sustain the county’s commitment to quality services and programs for residents.
Oatman said the increase is “driven by inflation, rising operating costs and labor market challenges.”
“Despite this, AAA credit rating is maintained, reflecting strong fiscal responsibility,” he said. “Union County also continues to prioritize shared services to overcome funding challenges, which optimize resources.”
County budgets for the past four years, including the $520.89 million budget approved in 2023, did not increase the county-wide tax levy.
The 2024 executive budget includes $98.75 million for public safety; $79.4 million for health and welfare; $20.7 million for operational services; $17.9 million for recreation; and $22.7 million for education; in addition to staff and commissioner salaries and staff health benefits.
The budget funds commissioner Chairperson Kimberly Palmieri-Mouded’s initiatives, which focus on connectivity, inclusivity, supporting seniors, mental health and opportunity for women. The plans include launching a new app and updating the county’s website for residents’ easy access.
Thirty-nine million dollars is anticipated in surplus for 2024, according to the executive budget.
The executive budget can be viewed on the county website at www.ucnj.org/finance.
This story was made possible through a collaboration of TAPinto sites in Union County.
]]>WESTFIELD, NJ — With new initiatives, more residents are stopping by the library to not only read, but engage with new programs and community events, said Library Director Allen McGinley.
The Westfield Department of Health is warning residents to avoid a recently recalled supplement product called Neptune’s Fix, also referred to as “gas station heroin.”
If approved by the Board of Education and voters, the average homeowner in Westfield could pay $347 more in school taxes next year. Read these stories and more at the links below.
WESTFIELD, NJ — A flood watch is in effect in Westfield from 10 p.m. Saturday, March 9, through 9 a.m. Sunday, March 10, the National Weather Service has announced.
One to two inches of rain are expected to fall, the weather service said, with the heaviest rain expected Saturday evening into the overnight hours. Flooding may occur in poor drainage and urban areas, it said.
“Due to saturated conditions from the recent rainfall events earlier this week, quick responding rivers and streams may reach or exceed bankfull,” the weather service said.
The National Weather Service offers this safety advice for floods:
“Don't walk through flood waters. It only takes 6 inches of moving water to knock you off your feet. If you are trapped by moving water, move to the highest possible point and call 911 if possible.
“Do NOT drive into flooded roadways or around a barricade; Turn Around, Don't Drown! Water may be deeper than it appears and can hide hazards such as sharp objects, washed out road surfaces, electrical wires, chemicals, etc. A vehicle caught in swiftly moving water can be swept away in seconds. Twelve inches of water can float a car or small SUV, 18 inches of water can carry away large vehicles.”
Learn more at https://www.weather.gov/safety/flood-during.
]]>
WASHINGTON, DC — Francesca Mani, a Westfield High School sophomore who has been advocating for stronger laws surrounding AI-generated pornography, attended President Biden’s State of the Union Address Thursday night as the guest of Congressman Tom Kean, Jr. (NJ-07).
Each member of Congress is allowed one guest at the annual address.
Mani learned in October that she was one of several WHS girls who had fallen victim to AI-generated pornography. Instead of remaining silent, she chose to speak out.
Along with her mother, Dorota Mani, Francesca has been talking with legislators to get stronger laws on the books and help prevent other people from becoming victims.
MORE: Westfield Parents Demand Action After Learning About AI Nude Photos
One of the people she reached out to was Congressman Kean, who lives in Westfield. Soon after, he introduced the AI Labeling Act, a bill that aims to ensure people are aware when they are viewing AI-generated content or interacting with an AI chatbot by requiring clear labels and disclosures.
“I am proud of Francesca for speaking up and advocating for women who have been victimized by AI-generated deepfakes,” Kean said in a statement Thursday. “Francesca is a leader and a fighter, and I am honored to have her join me as my guest at the State of the Union tonight.”
On Friday, Francesca Mani spoke with TAPinto Westfield about the experience.
“It was so cool,” Mani said. “When we got there, I actually took a picture with Mike Johnson, the speaker of the house.”
Congressman Kean showed Francesca and Dorota around before Francesca went to sit in the house gallery with other guests for the speech.
“It just felt really powerful,” Francesca Mani said. “I think I was the only young person there. I sat next to this really sweet lady and she’s like, ‘How old are you?’ I’m like, ‘I’m 15,’ and she asked, ‘Why are you here?’ so I explained it to her. It was really cool and everyone was so nice to me.”
]]>WESTFIELD, NJ — It’ll be very.
On March 14, 15 and 16 students at Westfield High School will perform “Heathers The Musical: Teen Edition.”
“The musical is about Veronica Sawyer, a high school girl living in Ohio,” said senior Rachel Klemm, who plays Veronica. “During senior year, she becomes friends with the highest clique in the school: three girls who are all named Heather. After the girls begin to get her in trouble, she starts to date JD, who turns out to be a psycho killer and plots to kill the Heathers.”
The musical is based on a dark comedy that many high schoolers can relate to. It was released as a film in 1988 that over time has become a cult classic.
“The show uses satire, like naming all the girls Heather, to send a message about cliques in high school. The show really holds a mirror up to our society and talks about these issues in an entertaining way,” Klemm said.
The cast and crew have been working hard to perfect the production, especially as opening night grows closer. Through their long hours of rehearsals, the team must memorize lines, run through the musical score, build sets and coordinate the equipment.
“When we start rehearsing, our practices end at 5:30 every day,” said junior Garrett Gao, who plays Ram’s dad. “This increases gradually over the next few weeks, eventually staying until about eight. The last week before the show is called tech week, where we may rehearse until 11:30.”
The many WHS students that work as crew members and musicians as well further add to the play’s professionalism.
“The crew works tremendously hard to build sets, design posters, mix sound, stage manage and more. In reality, there wouldn’t be a show without the crew,” said junior Alex Nurnberg, assistant head of graphics.
The excellence of the WHS theater department is also due to the passion its members have for producing and performing in the play.
“My favorite part of the show is opening night because it’s the first time you get to see everyone in the seats waiting to see you perform and let your heart out,” Klemm said.
“I’m most excited for people to really see and understand the meaning behind it,” Gao said. “There's a lot of really important topics that really should be spoken about, like bullying.”
The theater department is increasing awareness in the real world as well by working with the organization Caring Contact, which will be present at all productions. The organization promotes emotional wellbeing by “providing opportunities for people to express themselves to compassionate listeners in a safe environment,” according to the play’s announcement.
If you go:
Catch “Heathers The Musical: Teen Edition” March 14, 15 and 16 at 7:30 p.m. at Westfield High School, 550 Dorian Road.
Tickets, $15 each, are available in advance at whstd.booktix.com.
Carson Donnelly is a student at Westfield High School participating in a journalism program with TAPinto Westfield.
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