Cedar Grove will be the sole municipality in Essex County with a May election for mayor and council this year offering three incumbents running unopposed on a single ticket for the governing body The township's non-partisan election offers three four-year terms serving the dais at-large the full council will elect a mayor and deputy mayor from its own sitting members during the reorganization hearing July Michele Mega currently serves as Deputy Mayor this will be her first full-term on the dais as she joined the council two years ago to fill the unexpired term left void by former council member Joseph Zichelli's departure Running alongside Mega is Councilwoman Kerry Peterson ― the longest serving incumbent on the trio's "Leadership for A Strong Cedar Grove" ticket Kerry Peterson would enter her third term on the dais Melissa SkabichMellissa Skabich is Cedar Grove's current sitting mayor and running for her second term as a council member The municipal election will be held on Tuesday Here is the list of polling sites listed by township and the districts they serve: Use of and/or registration on any portion of this site constitutes acceptance of our User Agreement, (updated 8/1/2024) and acknowledgement of our Privacy Policy, and Your Privacy Choices and Rights (updated 1/1/2025) © 2025 Advance Local Media LLC. All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices - Police are on the scene of a shooting in Shreveport's Cedar Grove neighborhood Friday afternoon Shreveport police described the victim as a young male He was shot at least once to the lower body and taken to the hospital with life-threatening injuries The shooting was reported just after noon in the 200 block of W That's the same area where SPD plans to put its new southeast substation Local breaking news delivered as it happens News headlines delivered at 7:00 am Monday - Friday News headlines delivered at Noon Monday - Friday News headlines delivered at 4:00 pm Monday - Friday Weather forecast delivered at 9:00 am daily Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Thanks for visiting The use of software that blocks ads hinders our ability to serve you the content you came here to enjoy We ask that you consider turning off your ad blocker so we can deliver you the best experience possible while you are here Climate change and the parks National Parks in Crisis Access to Cedar Grove in Kings Canyon National Park is scheduled to open Friday/NPS file After a seasonal winter closure, the Cedar Grove area in Kings Canyon National Park in California is set to reopen to visitor day use on Friday The reopening is a collaborative effort involving the National Park Service These teams are crucial in ensuring the steep and serpentine California 180 roadway is cleared of debris and rockslides that may have occurred over the winter as well as restoring power and utility services the return of power to Cedar Grove is underway and is projected to be completed this Friday park staff can work to activate utility services Visitors are advised to plan accordingly by bringing enough water and other essential supplies for their visit Additional services and facilities will become available as repairs progress and conditions permit with the scheduled opening of Sentinel Campground The Cedar Grove Market and Lodge are anticipated to open May 10 and Moraine campgrounds are expected to open later in 2025 after repairs and safety measures have been completed Support Essential Coverage of Essential Places A copy of National Parks Traveler's financial statements may be obtained by sending a stamped self-addressed envelope to: National Parks Traveler National Parks Traveler was formed in the state of Utah for the purpose of informing and educating about national parks and protected areas Residents of the following states may obtain a copy of our financial and additional information as stated below: National Parks Traveler is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit Here’s the definitive guide to National Park System campgrounds where RVers can park their rigs Our app is packed with RVing- specific details on more than 250 campgrounds in more than 70 national parks.You’ll also find stories about RVing in the parks tips helpful if you’ve just recently become an RVer National Parks Traveler is a 501(c) (3) nonprofit media organization KOHLER — The Cedar Grove-Belgium boys basketball team's season was supposed to be done three games ago, at least according to the WIAA seedings in the Division 4 playoffs The Rockets have pulled off a string of upsets but nothing quite like what happened Thursday in the sectional semifinals against No With the game deadlocked at 63 in overtime Thomas Wiesner launched a prayer of a heave from half court which was answered 10 Ozaukee 75-62 last Tuesday before stunning second-seeded and No 5 state-ranked Kohler 83-81 in the regional semifinals three days later 6 seeded last Saturday in the regional final Reedsville set up Thursday's meeting with Roncalli More playoff basketball: WIAA girls basketball: Oostburg wins 'heavyweight fight', advances to D3 state title game More high school sports: Check out the top prep performers in Manitowoc and Sheboygan Cedar Grove-Belgium's Cinderella run might not be over either Saturday in Whitefish Bay for a chance to reach the state tournament for the first time in school history It would continue a string of success for the Rockets programs winning state titles in both girls soccer and boys cross country in the past 12 months Contact Tom Dombeck at 920-686-2965 or tdombeck@htrnews.com. Follow him on X, formerly known as Twitter, at @Tom_Dombeck Connie graduated from Franklin County High School in 1972 and went on to obtain her LPN license from Ivy Tech-Richmond in 1974 She worked as a nurse for a few years before staying home to take care of her boys she went back to work as a nurse for a short time and then went on to work at the Franklin County Courthouse for several years eventually becoming the Franklin County Recorder she went back to her nursing background and was doing private home health care She loved to be with her family and friends Her greatest pride came from being with her children and grandchildren She enjoyed going to ALL of their events; sports programs and anything else that they may be in involved in She was the most devoted and loving ‘Nana’ to her grandchildren and mother to her children Those left to cherish her memory include her husband her son’s; Ryan (Vanessa) and Adam Bischoff her most amazing and glorious grandchildren; Brooklyn Her siblings by marriage; Leroy (Monica) Bischoff Jackie Bischoff and Lee Graf and her nephew; Joey Bachus Friends & family may visit from 4 to 7:00 p.m Indiana; where the Holy Rosary will be prayed at 3:45 P.M. Vincent Lampert will officiate the Mass of Christian Burial at 11:00 A.M with burial following in Holy Guardian Angels Cemetery in Cedar Grove Memorial contributions may be directed to Holy Guardian Angels Preservation or the Cedar Grove Volunteer Fire Department The staff of Phillips & Meyers Funeral Home are honored to serve the Bischoff family to sign the online guest book please visit www.phillipsandmeyers.com Sign up to receive GPB Event announcements via Email The North Jersey-based gambling enterprise involved online sports betting and illegal poker clubs Investigators said they uncovered $3 million in suspected criminal proceeds New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin the Division of Criminal Justice (DCJ) and New Jersey State Police said 37 of the 39 people had been arrested The defendants all face charges of racketeering Three people from Cedar Grove were among those charged this week alleging that they held the following positions in the gambling ring: Police raided four poker clubs in Passaic and Bergen counties on Wednesday two of which were hidden in the back rooms of functioning restaurants Law enforcement also searched a business in Paterson that was storing gambling machines and the homes of seven people who are accused of being involved in the operation The high-level managers of the criminal enterprise oversaw the gambling activities and received a cut of the criminal proceeds Dozens of others are accused of hosting poker games and working at the poker clubs and managing bettors in an illegal online sportsbook Two of the defendants are also accused of stealing home improvement items from area retailers including $22,000 in merchandise from Home Depot to renovate and "flip" properties that added to their criminal proceeds >> Read More: NJ Councilman, 38 Others Charged In Gambling Probe Tied To Famous Crime Family: Officials This article contains reporting by Michelle Rotuno-Johnson Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. KTALnews.com ktalnews.com | one on one with Shreveport Mayor Tom Arceneaux The Twice as Fine Texarkana Wine Festival is a highly anticipated annual event that brings together wine enthusiasts and the community for a celebration of exceptional wines The New Town Neighborhood Association in Marshall held their yearly Spring Clean Up to rejuvenate the historic neighborhood KTAL Digital Health & Wellness News for you If you’ve seen any of the area lakes and rivers you know that they are currently a bit higher than normal With another round of heavy rain expected over most of the area on Tuesday Our scholarships are open to all young men and women The Panthers (9-4) scored twice in the first inning and broke the game open with a five-run fifth to secure their fourth victory in their last five games allowing just one run on one hit over five innings while striking out two batters Jack Velonas pitched the final two innings for Cedar Grove giving up one run on five hits while striking out two Cedar Grove jumped out to an early lead with two runs in the first inning The Panthers added another run in the fourth to make it 3-1 before the big fifth inning when they scored five times Ronnie Sheridan drove in two runs for Cedar Grove John Brophy went 2-for-2 with a walk and an RBI Liam Block added an RBI single for New Milford which saw its two-game winning streak snapped The Panthers showcased their speed on the basepaths with six stolen bases including two each from Russo and Luis Placido who now has a team-high 15 singles on the season Cedar Grove’s defense was solid throughout while New Milford played error-free baseball despite the loss The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter) Generative AI was used to produce an initial draft of this story which was reviewed and edited by NJ Advance Media staff .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Matt Cosentino | For NJ Advance MediaAlyssa Abadiatokis hit two triples knocked in three runs and scored one to lead Marlboro to a 5-4 comeback win over Cedar Grove in an eight-inning thriller at the Black and Gold Invitational in Cedar Grove Marlboro (7-6) scored three runs in the sixth inning to tie the game and went ahead 5-3 in the top of the eighth before holding on for the win Gia Fernandez had every piece of the cycle except for a home run for Cedar Grove (11-2) The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! The Cedar Grove Garden Center shuttered in March after serving its surrounding communities for 75 years as a family-owned business "The Garden Center was the product of five generations of the Cox family in the nursery business," stated Stacey Cox Slowinski sister to the business' final owner Ted Cox Jr. who made the difficult decision to shutter upon his decision to retire "It's a lot of hours being a farmer," Ted Jr noting plants require a lot of devotion and care he looks forward to doing more with his life: "I want to spend time with my family." The Coxes' nascent beginnings with farming and lawncare date back to 1869 emigrated from England and soon took up work as a gardener at Paterson's Ryle Estate opened a nursery at 39 Alexander Ave in Montclair in 1929 farmed the plot of land in Cedar Grove that his son Theodore Fredricks Cox opened as a retail Garden Center in 1950 "There weren't many garden centers back then the center remained under ownership of the Cox family and provided gardening products and landscaping services to residents and professionals across Essex County Upon the death of Theodore Fredricks Cox in 2010 was an easy choice after operating the garden center in partnership with his father since 1975 The March 1 closure marked the end of Ted Jr.'s five-decade run in the business "I can't drive down a street in Montclair and not see a tree that I planted," Ted Jr Members of surrounding communities left an outpouring of well wishes to the Cox family on the Garden Center's Facebook page and expressed sadness that the business had to shutter Among them was Verona Park Conservancy President Charles Heyer who said ― over the past 15 years ― his organization has purchased approximately 100 trees and shrubs from the center to replace dying flora or provide newly planted shade along the park's walking paths "It’s a shame," Heyer said during an interview although the Cox's service won't be easily replicated: "It was local and easy." Optional area for headlines or alerts OR ALL CAPS HEADLINES OR ALERTS will go in here a five-time Class 3A football champion coming off its first losing season in 19 years said Cedar Grove’s success and his roots in the area attracted him to the job an Atlanta city school seven miles from Cedar Grove and most of my fondest memories came from the Atlanta and DeKalb County area and I just know about the history and tradition over at Cedar Grove and how well they’ve done over the past 20 years,” Freeman said “There’s some fertile ground on the east side in terms of talent.” Freeman was the 2018 SIAC coach of the year after leading Morehouse to a 7-3 record he led Morehouse to its first NCAA Division II playoff berth He stepped down after the 2022 season following a 1-9 finish Freeman was Drew High School’s defensive coordinator last season Smith later became Cedar Grove’s coach and won state titles in 2016 and 2018 Cedar Grove would win five state titles under Smith his successors The downturn came after Adams took a job on Georgia State’s staff including Georgia signee Bo Walker and top-50 national recruit Devin Carter “We have to win our home first,” Freeman said we have to win the players and we have to win the parents We have to be attractive enough to keep our people right at home because our people are leaving out They’re bringing them success but not championships they’re going to get the pinnacle of what they want That’s been proven at Cedar Grove with three different coaches We’ve got to get everybody back here excited.” Click here for a complete list of head coaching hires and openings Email GHSF Daily Staff Created by Ellen Kennerly — Made with Squarespace © 2025 Georgia High School Football Daily who led Cedar Grove to two state titles in his three seasons as football coach Adams announced his resignation Sunday evening He is expected to join the staff at Georgia State as an assistant coach in the secondary “I am more than grateful for having had the opportunity to work with a program that is leaving its mark on football in the state of Georgia,” Adams said in an post on X thank you for trusting and allowing me to serve all these last three years Adams’ three-season record at Cedar Grove was 33-11 with many of those losses against larger schools than Cedar Grove but was runner-up to Sandy Creek in a game remembered for a controversial play in which Sandy Creek was awarded the winning touchdown despite its runner getting stopped a yard short of the end zone on a third-down play Cedar Grove is expected to be a strong contender again this fall quarterback Elliott Colson was the Class 3A offensive player of the year Running back Boden Walker is committed to Georgia Wide receiver Devin Carter is a top-40 national recruit Adams had been Cedar Grove’s defensive backs coach since 2016 when promoted to head coach in 2021 He has been on staff for all five Cedar Grove state titles North Atlanta and Northwest Rankin in Mississippi He is a Southwest DeKalb graduate who played football under coach Buck Godfrey He played baseball for two years at South Carolina and finished up his undergraduate degree at Jackson State in 2007 Click here for a complete list of head coaching hires and openings Check for current road conditions throughout the parks Ride our free winter holiday shuttles in Giant Forest and Lodgepole Explore our mountain landscapes along the Generals Highway and the Kings Canyon Scenic Byway Vehicle-length limits and advisories are in place on some roads If you drive an RV or a vehicle with a trailer There are no gas stations within the national parks Be sure to fill your tanks before you enter the park or ensure that you have enough gas to reach one of the two gas stations in the neighboring national forest: Hume Lake (open year-round) and Stony Creek Resort (open summer only) There are also no charging stations for electric vehicles Access to park roads varies by season. Tire chains may be required on park roads any time it snows, usually late fall, winter, and through spring. Weather and chain control advisories can change rapidly, often multiple times per day. Learn more about chains and other winter driving information before you plan your visit For the most up-to-date 24-hour road conditions and advisories The road between Hospital Rock Picnic Area and Giant Forest Museum is very curvy and narrow—use designated pullouts. Some river access is available. There is a vehicle length advisory for vehicles 22 feet and over from Potwisha Campground to Giant Forest Museum consider using the Big Stump entrance to Kings Canyon National Park along Highway 180 This main highway is closed occasionally during and after snowstorms for plowing or removal of debris This section of the highway connects Sequoia and Kings Canyon national parks and remains open unless impassable due to weather or snowy conditions except for a few months in winter From the Friday after January 1 to the third Friday in March this road is unplowed and often closes due to snow If you visit in winter and plan to drive to both Sequoia and Kings Canyon you may not be able to travel between the parks without driving back down to the foothills Road closures begin just north of Wuksachi Lodge ending at a gate near the junction of the Generals Highway and Highway 180 (near Grant Grove) This road is very narrow and curving and the upper portion is partially unpaved The road is generally open from the Wednesday before Memorial Day to the last Wednesday in October Snow removal along this road is limited to removal of drifts that block road access once the road is open RVs and trailers are not recommended (nor permitted in the Mineral King campgrounds) This road is open only when Crystal Cave is open for tours. It is generally open from mid May to late September, though it may close if the cave closes unexpectedly due to weather conditions or other hazards. Crystal Cave is expected to open for tours on May 23 This road generally opens by the Wednesday before Memorial Day in late May and closes for winter once it becomes impassable due to snow. In heavy snow years, the road may open later than usual. When the road is closed, it becomes a ski trail. In summer when the free park shuttles are running (usually from late May to early September) the road closes to private vehicles on weekends and holidays from morning through late afternoon You can park at Giant Forest Museum or any other shuttle stop and ride the free park shuttle along the road No drinking water is available along this road Backpackers with a wilderness permit may access this trailhead 24 hours a day This road is generally open daily until it becomes impassable due to snow and holidays to allow access to the snowplay area at the end of the road Wolverton is between the Giant Forest Museum and Lodgepole It ends at South Fork Campground and Ladybug Trailhead The road is unpaved beyond the park entrance and may be rough for some vehicles; it is slippery during rainy or snowy weather The road joins Highway 198 in the town of Three Rivers about 6 miles south of the Sequoia park entrance This road leads from Kings Canyon Visitor Center to Panoramic Point easy trail to a point with wide views of wilderness lands then turn right just before John Muir Lodge It generally opens on the Wednesday before Memorial Day in late May and closes when it becomes impassable due to snow It may open earlier during years with little snow This unpaved road leads from the Generals Highway to Redwood Mountain Trailhead It generally opens on the Wednesday before Memorial Day in late May and closes when it becomes impassable due to weather It may open earlier during light-snow years It joins the Generals Highway opposite Quail Flat Download the NPS app to navigate the parks on the go .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Anthony Gabbianelli | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comMatthew Kuilan was 2-for-4 for Cedar Grove with two RBI and a pair of singles in its 9-0 shutout against Bloomfield in Bloomfield Matthew Norman pitched a complete-game shutout for Cedar Grove (7-3) with four hits one hit-by-pitch and four strikeouts for the win After taking an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning Cedar Grove (7-3) tallied three more runs in the top of the fifth to stretch its advantage to 4-0 Chris Halpert and John Tzavlakis each had a single and an RBI for Cedar Grove Noah Attas had a single and a walk for Bloomfield (3-7) Anthony Gabbianelli can be reached at agabbianellli@njadvancemedia.com The N.J. 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Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter) 2025 at 11:57 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}A TD Bank location in Essex County is one of several that will be closing this spring in New Jersey NJ — A TD Bank location in Essex County is one of several that will be closing this spring in New Jersey the TD Bank at 85 Pompton Avenue in Cedar Grove will be shutting down on June 5 Other New Jersey locations that will be closing include the branches in Holmdel we regularly evaluate existing TD Bank stores or relocations as we look for opportunities to better align our network of stores with customer needs and preferences,” a spokesperson told Patch we made the difficult decision to close 38 locations effective June 5,” the statement continued “We are committed to making this transition as smooth as possible for customers and look forward to serving them at one of our 216 stores in New Jersey (number effective June 5) or via any channel our customers choose.” According to a recent sustainability report TD Bank is the sixth-largest bank in North America by assets and serves more than 27.9 million customers This week's announcement comes after the bank pleaded guilty in a federal money laundering scheme and agreed to a $3 billion fine back in October Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. 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Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site and the world’s largest trees exemplify the diversity of landscapes Explore these pages to plan your visit or to learn about the plants and animals here and the threats they face Ancient giant sequoias may seem invincible Start here for general trip planning information there are day hikes for all levels of ability in the parks Learn how to spend the holidays at Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks Check in on current conditions in the parks Learn about camping options throughout the parks Campgrounds are reservation only and availability is extremely limited in summer months Reservations are highly recommended for lodging and regional maps to help you locate and plan a route to these parks Whether you trek into wilderness or stay close to your car review tips on staying safe in these parks Wondering if you should bring your four-legged friend on vacation We offer recreational opportunities suited for a wide range of abilities From foothills to the tallest peak in the lower 48 states this remarkable landscape provides diverse and dynamic habitat Explore over a century of history in these parks and learn about the people who lived here before the parks were established You are using an outdated browser. Please upgrade your browser or activate Google Chrome Frame to improve your experience Sports car enthusiasts will not want to miss the impressive lineup of cars set to be on display at Cedar Grove Wednesday all of which are part of the Classical Italiano-themed wine dinner to be held at the historic home but while the European speedsters are parked there for ambiance aficionados can order a beverage from the bar at Cedar Grove and ogle all the beauties “We’re going to have close to 10 high-end Italian cars Lamborghini and Maserati in our backyard,” Cedar Grove owner Kendra Reed said Reed said the cars will be on display beginning at 5 p.m She is a part-time reporter at The Vicksburg Post and is the editor of the Vicksburg Living Magazine which has been awarded First Place by the Mississippi Press Association She has also been the recipient of a First Place award in the MPA’s Better Newspaper Contest’s editorial division for the “Best Feature Story.” Terri graduated from Warren Central High School and Mississippi State University where she received a bachelor’s degree in communications with an emphasis in public relations Prior to coming to work at The Post a little more than 10 years ago she did some freelancing at the Jackson Free Press she enjoyed being a full-time stay at home mom Terri is a member of the Crawford Street United Methodist Church She is a lifetime member of the Vicksburg Junior Auxiliary and is a past member of the Sampler Antique Club and Town and Country Garden Club “From staying informed with local governmental issues to hearing the stories of its people a hometown newspaper is vital to a community I have felt privileged to be part of a dedicated team at The Post throughout my tenure and hope that with theirs and with local support I will be able to continue to grow and hone in on my skills as I help share the stories in Vicksburg Two games on the Monday college basketball schedule feature a ranked team including the matchup between the Wake… The Tampa Bay Lightning versus the Florida Panthers is one of many solid options on today’s NHL slate.… The Southern Jaguars versus the Florida A&M Rattlers is one of many compelling options on Monday in SWAC… Ranked squads will be on Monday’s college basketball schedule in two games including the Kansas Jayhawks taking on… Austin Lumberjacks square off in one of many compelling matchups on the… View Results 2025 at 2:59 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}(Patch Graphics)VERONA-CEDAR GROVE NJ — Want to learn how to submit news tips or post a local event/classified on Patch Verona-Cedar Grove At Patch, we believe that local news and information have the power to unite a community. We also believe in giving neighbors the power to tell their own stories and help keep each other informed about what’s happening at the local level. >> Sign up for free Patch email newsletters and news alerts here There are a few different ways to reach out: Log in or sign up to start posting Or find out more about Patch’s various posting types below Post an Event Adding your event to the Patch Community Calendar is a great way to boost attendance and let neighbors know about fun stuff happening near them. If the thing you’re posting about has a date and time, it should always be posted as an event your event will appear in the main Calendar section for your community and sometimes in other event preview sections across Patch and in emails to readers To boost your listing and give it extra visibility you can also pay to promote it as “Featured” across the region your money will help support more local journalism in the communities you care about!) 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To apply, email contributors@patch.com with a link to your Patch profile some examples of your work and a few sentences on why you’d like to contribute HOW TO SUBMIT LOCAL NEWS TIPS AND PRESS RELEASES News tips and press releases can also be sent to your local Patch editor Send all tips/releases for Verona or Cedar Grove EAST RUTHERFORD − Cedar Grove reached new heights offensively in 2024 scoring more points in a season than any other team since the creation of the Super Football Conference eight years ago The high-octane offense guided the Panthers to a sectional championship and a trip to its first state championship game The powerful engine of Cedar Grove's offense sputtered on Friday falling to Glassboro in a 56-14 defeat at MetLife Stadium "These guys have a lot to be proud of," coach Rob Gogerty said They built upon the tradition and might have even raised the bar a bit We ran into a buzzsaw today and didn't really play well." The Panthers (13-1) began the night the way they have began most of their games Quarterback Stephen Paradiso completed six of his first eight passes before plowing in for an 8-yard touchdown run to put the Panthers ahead The Bulldogs (13-0) responded with a touchdown drive of their own scoring four-and-a-half minutes later on an Amari Saab touchdown run Glassboro went for 2 to take an 8-7 lead halfway through the first quarter The ensuing drive by the Panthers included a key fourth-down completion by Paradiso who found Nick Russo one play later for a 33-yard touchdown pass to take a 14-8 lead Glassboro scored the next 48 points as Kenny Smith rushed for four touchdowns and Saab scored twice more Cedar Grove was unable to catch up as the game turned into an offensive track meet "I think the game just got away from us," Gogerty said "We started off the game the way we wanted to We just didn't get a chance to slow the game down We thought we could push them off the field a little bit and control the pace of this game Two key turnovers derailed the Panthers offensively beginning with a 45-yard interception returned for a touchdown by Davon Barr to put the Bulldogs up by multiple touchdowns but a fumble by Connor Kearney turned aside the Panthers and halted Cedar Grove's chances at attempting a comeback Smith finished the game with 20 carries for 402 yards believed to be a state championship record It is also a MetLife Stadium record as Smith became the first player at any level to run for at least 400 yards in a single game since the stadium was built in 2010 Glassboro averaged 14 yards per offensive play Cedar Grove was held to a season-low 177 yards of offense Paradiso completed 22 of 42 passes for 190 yards a touchdown pass and two interceptions in his final game The senior finished his season with with 242 completions and 3,691 passing yards He fell just shy of matching Nick Kargman's state records of 259 completions and 3,963 yards for Camden Eastside in 2018 Paradiso's 41 touchdown passes fell seven short of matching Devin Leary who threw for 48 touchdowns for Timber Creek in 2017 "This is the first time that we have played 14 games in a season and it's kind of a grind.. I don't know how many people expected this when we lost the seniors that we did Our senior class showed us what they were capable of to get us to this mark." - Gogerty Taylor Dzama (2) of Livingston plays against Roxbury during the girls lacrosse game between Roxbury and Livingston at Roxbury High School in Succasunna 2025.Mile Djordjiovski | For NJ Advance Media .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Jack McKenna | For NJ Advance MediaTaylor Dzama found the back of the net four times and tacked on one assist to factor into each of Livingston’s goals in a 5-4 victory over Cedar Grove in Livingston The win was Livingston’s first victory of the season after dropping its first four games Casey Conklin assisted on two goals and accounted for Livingston’s fifth tally Goaltender Taryn Dzama turned aside 13 Cedar Grove shots for Livingston (1-4) Cedar Grove falls to 3-4 and will look to rebound on Wednesday when it hosts Verona Jack McKenna can be reached at hssports@njadvancemedia.com The N.J. 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Sign up now! 2025 at 4:01 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The deadline to register to vote in Cedar Grove's nonpartisan municipal election is April 22 NJ — Want to vote in Cedar Grove’s 2025 municipal election town officials recently reminded residents The deadline to register to vote in the town’s nonpartisan municipal election is April 22 The final day to apply by mail for a vote-by-mail ballot is May 6 According to an advisory from the township personnel from the Cedar Grove town clerk office will be available until 9 p.m on April 22 to accommodate residents who are not already registered to vote The clerk’s office is located on the second floor of Town Hall at the following locations on Election Day (check your ballot for your poll location): contact the clerk’s office at dforde@cedargrovenj.org or 973-239-1410 2025 at 5:00 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}John Kennedy has retired from the Cedar Grove Police Department after three decades of service Francis Pumphrey was sworn in as new chief this week NJ — An official changing of the guard took place for the Cedar Grove Police Department this week Chief John Kennedy recently retired from the police department after 30 years of service to the township Francis Pumphrey has taken up the reins as Kennedy’s replacement He was promoted to chief at the town council meeting on Monday Pumphrey began his career with the Cedar Grove Police Department in 1999 as a dispatcher Watch footage from Monday’s town council meeting below (video is cued to the promotion ceremony) Cedar Grove parted ways with football coach Roderick Moore this week after one season that was hamstrung by several transfers leaving the program and resulted in the school’s worst record in 19 years a DeKalb County school with 37 former players on college rosters this season won five Class 3A titles with three coaches from 2016 to 2023 left after three seasons and two titles to join Georgia State’s staff Previous coaches Miguel Patrick and Jimmy Smith had left previously to join college staffs a DeKalb County native who had been head coach at McNair and Redan and most recently was offensive coordinator at Dougherty in Albany The Saints finished 3-7 and lost in the first round Moore acknowledged the challenge to GHSF Daily in August “We got some pushback from some parents and players,” he said Click here for a complete list of head coaching hires and openings by NDWorks along with the devoted staff at Cedar Grove Cemetery received the esteemed Presidential Team Irish Award in recognition of their outstanding contributions this dedicated team worked quietly and diligently to honor their wishes for the reburial of legendary former Notre Dame football coach Knute Rockne and several family members at Cedar Grove Cemetery on campus The team meticulously managed all logistical details ensuring that their efforts were conducted with the utmost respect and fulfilled the family’s desire to bring Coach Rockne and his loved ones back to Notre Dame The whole team acted in a dignified way that honored the solemnity of the circumstances They also embodied the spirit of this famous Knute Rockne quote: “The secret is to work less as individuals and more as a team.” Thank you to the team for exemplifying the University values of integrity and leadership in mission for this important initiative Accessibility Information Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInSHREVEPORT (KSLA) — A dog was found dead in a house in Shreveport’s Cedar Grove neighborhood that sustained heavy fire The blaze in the 600 block of West 63rd Street was reported via a 911 call at 4:17 p.m [RELATED: Fires destroy one house, damage two others] Engine 9 arrived on the scene within three minutes and reported smoke and flames coming from the front of the one-story dwelling It took 14 minutes for two dozen firefighters operating nine units to bring the fire under control The American Red Cross was contacted to help the displaced occupant with their immediate needs Investigators determined that the blaze began in the front of the house; the exact cause of the fire remains under investigation Call SFD’s Fire Prevention Bureau at (318) 673-6740 or visit the SFD website to learn fire safety tips for your home or to ask for a free smoke alarm CEDAR GROVE − Rob Gogerty never had any thoughts of rescheduling the biggest game in his school’s history The Cedar Grove coach admits he doesn’t have a history of success the few times he’s moved games due to inclement weather when the idea was floated to push Friday’s state playoff game to Saturday to work around two days of rain I had it in my head yesterday that we’re playing,” Gogerty said “We have experienced kids and we’ve played in this weather before my coaches were mad at me because we practiced inside yesterday The most prolific offense in the state put on its signature air show to secure a spot in the state finals one of only seven undefeated teams left in New Jersey in a Group 1 semifinal in driving rain on Friday in Essex County Senior quarterback Stephen Paradiso who is second in the state in passing yards threw for 381 yards and four touchdowns as the Panthers outscored the Bulldogs Getting out here and touching the first ball I realized it wasn’t going to be as bad as I thought I knew we were going to be alright,” Paradiso said “[Coach] Gogerty’s message before the game was that he wanted to keep firing He’s not changing our offense because of the weather We’re going to come out and do what we do.” Paradiso threw three touchdowns in the first half two to Jackson Morrice on the Panthers first two drives the state's leader in receptions (89) and receiving yards (1,748) scored on catches of 43 yards and 29 yards and returned an interception 42 yards for a score Cedar Grove scored on its first three possessions to take a 21-7 lead with 10:58 left in the first half The Essex County team then stretched its lead to 27-14 when Morrice picked off Butler quarterback David Smith with 2:28 remaining in the second quarter The Panthers defense managed to keep Butler’s fast-paced offense in check disrupted the Bulldogs game plan and put pressure on Smith all night We knew we were the better team,” said Kerney “Our game is on the next level and it’s all panning out in our last year.” scored twice out of the backfield in the fourth quarter to put the game out of reach Butler (11-1) came out firing to open the game when Smith connected with Peter Calvi on a four-yard touchdown reception on the opening drive with 6:24 left in the first quarter the Bulldogs got a break when Peyton Kiburz returned a Morrice fumble 48 yards with 2:28 left Smith connected with Calvi from 10 yards to pull within six with under a minute to go What it meansCedar Grove (13-0) advances to the Group 1 final where it will meet fellow undefeated Glassboro (12-0) in the other Group 1 semifinal on Friday night closes out one of its best campaigns in program history ∎ Paradiso was 22-of-35 and connected for touchdowns with four different receivers He has now thrown for 3,501 yards and 40 touchdowns this season ∎ Morrice had nine catches for 148 yards and two touchdowns The senior has a state-best 89 grabs for 1,748 yards and 21 touchdowns on the season ∎ Cedar Grove's Nick Russo had five receptions for 77 yards and a touchdown ∎ Kerney led the defense with seven tackles ∎ Smith was 8-of-29 for 109 yards and two touchdowns for Butler ∎ Calvi had five receptions for 37 yards and two touchdowns for Butler I think this is one of the best wins we’ve ever had here Butler is a very good football team that’s very-well coached I thought we were dominant throughout the game.” – Gogerty See crime and public safety coverage for the week here >> Essex County 911: Fire Kills Child + Fatal Stabbing + Jumped In Alley Check out some stories that will make you smile here >> Good News In Essex County: Inspiring Women + Airport Dogs + Scholars Trump Rallies Taking Place In Essex County On Easter Weekend (See Locations) Tesla Vandalized In North Jersey, 'Vulgar' Note Left Behind: Police Primary Election Nears In Verona-Cedar Grove (See Candidate List) This NJ City Just Had A History-Making School Election – Here’s Why Sham Nonprofits Are Abusing NJ’s New Foreclosure Law, Senator Says Essex County Commissioners Support ‘Transgender Day Of Visibility’ See Early Voting Locations In Essex County: 2025 Primary Election NJ Town’s ‘Master Plan’ Needed More Public Input, Residents Say Should Insurance Cover Stuttering Treatments? Proposed NJ Law Advances Activists Can Use Rare Legal Defense In NJ Trespassing Case, Judge Rules NJ Ranks Among States Most Dependent On Foreign Imports: Study Essex County Food Pantry, Soup Kitchen Need Help From The Community Lead Pipe Replacement In Maplewood; Company Moves To Meet Mandate Mental Health Experts Will Accompany Montclair Police On Some Calls Greenwood Gardens Is Restoring Its Historic Fountain (See Details) New At The Zoo: Australian Outback, Wellness Center At Turtle Back NJ Resident Has Fond Memories Of Bloomfield Tech School Fox Sightings Common In Livingston This Time Of Year, Police Say How To Avoid Political Drama At Spring And Summer Family Gatherings Learn more about posting announcements or events to your local Patch site Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com This story has been updated with more information CEDAR GROVE — Cedar Grove and New Providence took vastly different paths to the North 2 Group 1 championship game the Pioneers succeeding by staying on the ground And that dichotomy played out in a deadlocked first half as Cedar Grove passed for 206 yards while New Providence ran for 169 But Cedar Groove stiffened on defense after the break blanking the Pioneers while scoring on three straight possessions en route to a 35-14 victory and the school’s ninth sectional title and first since 2021 that’s the biggest thing,” Cedar Grove coach Rob Gogerty stressed “At halftime we talked about being in this kind of situation before and we started to attack made some adjustments and played our game.” Stephen Paradiso and Jackson Morrice once again led the explosive Panther attack Paradiso completed 22 of 31 passes for 341 yards and three touchdowns while Morrice hauled in 14 of those tosses for 260 yards and two scores Cedar Grove (12-0) set the tone by marching 81 yards in seven plays for its first score a 3-yard pass from Paradiso to Jerry Targia 20-yard passes and had another 32-yard connection to Morrice as he attempted six passes on the opening series as many as New Providence attempted in their first two playoff games The Pioneers (9-3) penetrated to the Cedar Groove 17 on the ensuing drive but came away empty and Paradiso and Morrice hooked up for an 80-yard bomb that extended the lead to 14-0 as the senior quarterback amassed 164 passing yards in the first quarter “We knew we had to come out hot and get off to a good start,” said Paradiso who eclipsed the 3,000-yard passing mark for the season as well as 7,000 for his career “Coming out to a hot start was very important for us We kind of fumbled it a little but at halftime we regrouped and got it back together.” New Providence clawed its way back into the contest with a pair of second-quarter takeaways an interception by Quinton Moore that led to a 1-yard touchdown run by AJ Whitehead and a fumble recovery by James Keneally that spawned a 16-yard scoring pass by TJ Munn to Jack Fitzgerald with 45 seconds left in the half to knot the score at 14-apiece “We made some plays on defense and forced a couple of turnovers which we got points off,” New Providence coach Chet Parlavecchio offered “If you’re going to beat a team like this you have to play a pretty flawless game In all of their games the first half seemed to be close then they would just explode in the second half for two or three touchdowns and that’s exactly what happened here tonight.” New Providence had the momentum and received the second-half kickoff but a holding penalty on second down blunted that drive and Cedar Groove promptly got the ball back Gogerty had his charges pick up the tempo and went to their nearly dormant running game in the second half and it worked as the Panthers scored on their first three possessions to salt the game away “I kind of told the coaches that I should have went to it early on when we went up 14-0,” said Gogerty We got that stop and I knew I was going to run the ball a little bit more nine guys sometimes during the second quarter.” Paradiso and Morrice connected from 9 yards out for the first score and the last two came on the 15-yard run by Morrice and a 2-yard dive by Anthony Tronio New Providence did manage to run for 233 yards on 39 carries with Munn leading the way with 134 on 17 tries The senior quarterback contributed 107 of those yards on nine first-half tries that would have been sufficient for a victory EAST RUTHERFORD — Amari Sabb walked out onto the field at MetLife Stadium before the most important game of his young life and “just knew” I knew we were born for this moment,” the junior said the Glassboro High School football team put together an awe-inspiring performance during a 56-14 win over Cedar Grove earning the program’s first-ever state title Included on what might have been the best game played on this turf all season the Bulldogs’ effort was highlighted by Kenny Smith’s career-best 402 rushing yards and four touchdowns while the defense forced three turnovers Glassboro scored the final 49 points of the game forcing a mercy-rule running clock in the third quarter The Bulldogs finished the season a perfect 13-0 — the sixth time in program history with an undefeated record “We worked so hard to get here and to finally get it it’s the best feeling I’ve ever had,” Sabb said We wanted to play a full four quarters and that’s what we did It was a special moment for Glassboro head coach Timmy Breaker who also played on two undefeated teams during his playing days at GHS (2007 and 2008) “It’s kind of a full-circle moment for me,” Breaker said “To be the first in history (to win a state title at Glassboro) and to be the coach These boys are going to go down in history for sure All week we wanted to be physical and the boys accepted the challenge.” Glassboro compiled so many highlights that they probably couldn’t all fit in a SportsCenter Top 10 segment if not the most productive and entertaining performances in New Jersey state final history The senior ripped off two 80-yard touchdown runs including one on the opening play from scrimmage in the second half who had 180 rushing yards in the first half play in a big game like this and make plays I’ve got to show up in big games like this.” Smith’s 402 yards is the seventh best single-game total in South Jersey history according to football historian Chuck Langerman Glassboro graduate and former Philadelphia Eagle Corey Clement holds the South Jersey record with 478 in 2012 Smith also surpassed the 5,000-yard mark for his career He’s the sixth player in South Jersey to accomplish the feat and the first in 12 years when Clement broke the mark Smith’s final rushing total of 5,383 ranks second on South Jersey’s all-time list Smith had to sit out the first three games this fall because of the NJSIAA transfer rules or he might have made a run at Clement’s record Glassboro’s Xavier Sabb had one of the best catch-and-runs of the season when he weaved his way through what looked like the entire Cedar Grove defense on his way to a 55-yard touchdown The score gave Glassboro another huge boost with 30 second left in the first half as well as a 35-14 lead Glassboro’s defense provided plenty of highlights as well Sophomore cornerback Kenny Johnson delivered the game's biggest hit putting a Cedar Grove receiver on the turf in the first quarter It was a tackle that appeared to take the wind out of the Panthers “Absolutely,” Breaker said when asked if Johnson’s hit was a game changer “He made a big play on a knockdown (the previous play) and came back with a big hit Johnson said he “felt it” about the strength of the hit as well as the importance of it “We pride ourselves on being physical," Johnson said "The coaches emphasize effort and physical play in practice Cedar Grove (13-1) scored on its first two possessions and held a 14-8 lead but the Panthers were held to just 112 yards the rest of the way while Barr and Xavier Sabb each had interceptions but it was called back because of a penalty “We knew our defense was going to be challenged and it was,” Simmons said Glassboro advanced to the state final last season losing 24-6 to Mountain Lakes at Rutgers University The game helped sparked the fire and provided much-needed experienced for the Bulldogs in their return trip to the big game “Experience and preparation,” Breaker said about the big factors for his squad this season Breaker also said his team was fired up to play Game notesOn playing at the home of the New York Giants and New York Jets from you’re 5 years old all they way up until you’re done playing.” Glassboro quarterback Jack O’Connell completed 12 of 14 passes for 145 yards and two touchdowns The Bulldogs racked up 597 yards of total offense and scored 49 offensive points on 41 plays The Bulldogs finished with 508 points this season breaking the old school record of 478 set back in 2008 The point total also ranks 14th on South Jersey’s all-time list Glassboro’s six undefeated seasons occurred after the NJSIAA developed the playoff system in 1974 Tom McGurk is a regional sports editor for the Courier-Post, The Daily Journal and Burlington County Times, covering South Jersey sports for over 35 years. If you have a sports story that needs to be told, contact him by email tmcgurk@gannett.com Help support local journalism with a digital subscription.