By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer

Fewer burglaries in 2011 contributed to a nearly 11.5 percent drop in crime in South Orange last year, the South Orange Police Department reported Jan. 23.

Police Chief James M. Chelel credited the work of the officers in the department, and highlighted the role technology is playing to help police solve crimes. In all, South Orange had 438 crimes last year compared to 494 in 2010.

Helping…

South Orange trustees are on track to introduce an ordinance Feb. 15 to create a special-improvement district, or SID, to manage the village’s downtown.

An SID is a nonprofit entity that recruits and promotes businesses.

Property owners in the designated area pay a separate tax, or special assessment, based on the assessed value of their properties, to help finance the SID.

Trustee Nancy Gould said Jan. 24 she expected her colleagues…

South Orange’s next village administrator has a background in the public and private sectors as an attorney in two states, and as business administrator for three New Jersey towns.

Barry R. Lewis Jr., scheduled to start his new job Jan. 30, emerged from a field of more than 50 applicants interested in…

By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer

South Orange officials were keeping mum on their ongoing legal battle with the East Orange Water Commission, despite “recent developments” that required them to have a meeting last week.

The closed-door meeting took place around 9 p.m. on Jan.…

Photo courtesy by Bill Viqueira

Pictured are Columbia High School fencers who have qualified for the United States Junior Olympics in Salt Late City, Utah next mont. Back row from left are Max Gould, Stowe Hammarberg, Bryn Hammarberg, Alex Viqueira, Rachel Viqueira, Andrew Kelly and John…

By Philip Sean Curran, Staff Writer

South Orange is planning to buy a new fire truck to replace an older model, but there is a lot of planning that goes into the purchase.

The Fire Department has to make sure the ladder truck is the right height to clear the two train trestles, as well have enough horse power to make it up and down the village’s hilly streets, Trustee Howard Levison said Monday in a phone interview.

Fire…

Two South Orange men pleaded guilty Jan. 12 to federal wire fraud and money laundering charges that they stole more than $1 million, U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman’s office said.

Abiatu Umah and Emmanuel Awa opened checking accounts using fictitious names, authorities alleged.

Between February 2009 and August 2010, they were able to get access to “compromised accounts” and have money wire transferred to the business checking accounts they had created,…

Registration for the 2012 South Orange and Maplewood spring Baseball and Softball program will take place at The Baird in South Orange and the Civic House in Maplewood on Jan. 21 and 22 and Feb. 4 and 5 from 1-4 p.m. on those days. South Orange and Maplewood residents ages 5-15 as of April 30 are eligible to register for baseball. All first-time registrants must bring a copy of their birth certificate. Softball is open to girls in grades K through 9. Representatives of the South Orange and…