Members of the community came together on Tuesday night to see Bloomfield High School's 157th commencement ceremony. The graduating class met at the Oakside Cultural Center and proceeded to march down Belleville Avenue in cap and gown in the direction of the High School where the ceremony was ultimately held. The evening was bittersweet, as many of the students have been enrolled in the school district for the past 13 years where they've made many friends and learned valuable life lessons. With the cermeony coming to a close, the graduates joined together as a group one last time and tossed …

The stormy skies held out just long enough for members of the Bloomfield High School senior class and their families to enjoy a festive pre-prom. Take a glimpse at some of the young men and women, looking their best, as they prepared for an unforgettable evening with their classmates. Next stop: Graduation.   Want to see your prom photos in our gallery? Send away to Phil.Hoops.Patch@gmail.com

There was only one thing hotter in Livingston than the weather on Wednesday, and that was Piers Morgan sitting down at the counter of the Ritz Diner for a conversation and coffee with Gov. Chris Christie. Christie was showing Morgan around his hometown. They met up at Livingston High School, where Morgan interviewed the governor for “Piers Morgan Tonight,” which will air next Wednesday at 9 p.m. “Our AP Government class had the opportunity to have an exchange of ideas with the Governor and let me say that our students were impressive with their questions and commentary,” said LHS Principal …

“The Miracle on the Hudson” is making a sensation as it slowly winds its way through New Jersey to its final destination. It's been quite a sight as the US Airways jet travels the back roads of Jersey. On Sunday, it passed through Burlington County, getting stuck for awhile in Moorestown trying to make a turn from Chester Avenue to Main Street. "People littered the street with cameras and cell phones, taking photos and videos of the immovable plane," said Patch photograher Ivrie Myhre. "As I came closer, I heard a voice shout, 'This woman is going to take a photo of all of you for Time-Life …

Today the nation took time to pause and reflect on those who died while protecting us in the line of combat. Everything ranging from schools to mail delivery shut down for the day to pay tribute to these brave men and women. In Bloomfield, spectators from all over lined up along Broad Street to catch a glimpse of this year's Memorial Day Parade.Early in the morning, there was some concern that the parade would be cancelled after stormy weather swept through the area. Fortunately, that was not the case and the parade went off without a hitch under sunny skies. Veterans, members of the fire and…

“We have to get out of this Noah phase,” lamented Harold Flint, as he sat under a patio umbrella at the Iris Gardens in Upper Montclair. “All this rain has postponed the blooming season by about two weeks.”  Flint is a Board of Trustees member and volunteer at the Essex County Presby Memorial Iris Gardens. On May 19, Flint was taking five-dollar donations and offering informational booklets to visitors. After a week of daily drenching storms, he was enjoying a rare respite from the rain.  “We’re hoping by next week we’re going to see an explosion of blossoms,” he said, smiling. “We have a lot…

Hundreds packed Main Street in West Orange Sunday afternoon for the 60th annual St. Patrick's Day Parade organized by the St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee.  Watch the video for more details. View photos of the event by clicking the pictures below the video.

Brookdale ShopRite employees have an appetite for goodness. Three associates from the Bloomfield grocery store were honored Wednesday for helping raise the most money in the 11th annual ShopRite Partners in Caring Cheerios Contest, which targets hunger in communities. Spanning six states, the initiative raised a record $522,000. Anne O'Leary and Roland Spence, both Bloomfield residents, and Susan Kosinski, of Verona, are featured on 150,000 special-edition Cheerios box that will be sold throughout March at the Brookdale branch. O'Leary and Kosinski, a customer service front-end manager, …

A collection of artwork from Bloomfield students is currently on display at Livingston Mall, as part of Essex County Education Association's Pride in Education Expo. A variety of colorful work, including self portraits, paintings and animal habitat projects, were created by students from Watsessing, Brookdale, Oak View, Franklin and Fair View Schools. The display, located on the second floor of the mall, will be featured from March 4-11.

Demolition of Foley Field's concrete bleachers began early Thursday morning, with crews from Grinnell Recycling crushing the north side of the concrete stadium. Two excavators chomped through tons of concrete and steel beginning around 10 a.m. and will be working Monday through Friday to complete the project. A third excavator was due to arrive Thursday to help expedite the demolition. The process, which involves knocking down the stadium then moving the materials off-site for recycling, will take about three to four weeks, according to Grinnel General Manager Bob Lombardo. He estimated it …

Fifth grade students at Watsessing Elementary School unveiled their research project focused on veterans at the Feb. 8 Board of Education meeting. Students of Ms. Hilla's class honed their PowerPoint and Internet research skills to prepare PowerPoint presentations about the history of the Congressional Medal of Honor and recipients of the coveted award. The final slideshow was a compilation of pictures from Bloomfield's Veterans Day Parade last November.

The New Jersey State Library has named McKenna Pope, a student at Brookdale Elementary in Bloomfield, the winner of a statewide essay contest about goodwill. As the winner, McKenna's school received a visit from Buckets Blakes and Scooter Christensen of the Harlem Globetrotters, the original "Ambassadors of Goodwill," Wednesday afternoon. Blakes and Christensen brought the Globetrotters' renowned "C.H.E.E.R. for Character" program to teach students about cooperation, healthy mind and body, effort, enthusiasm and responsibility. Students also enjoyed the Globetrotters' impressive hoops skills …

Bloomfield varsity wrestling team was defeated by Livingston High School last Friday, 32-24. Special thanks to Jerry Simon who submitted the photos below for our View Finder feature on the grapplers.

Students at Carteret Elementary School performed the first two scenes of "We Are The Dream" at last week's Board of Education meeting. The play depicts the life of civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. and is a fitting kick-off to February's Black History Month. Students will perform the full version of "We Are The Dream" Feb. 24 at 7 p.m. at Cateret.