Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: Newark High School Football Player Earns ‘Heart Of Giant’ Nomination

Also check out UNCF New Jersey Walk for Education on the Newark Patch calendar

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Good morning to you Newark! Catch up on our news and events right here. Keep reading to stay in the know. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • Newark's Kariem Coston turns adversity into a Heart of a Giant
  • Newark soccer field renamed to honor beloved Ironbound community champion
  • Newark details strict rules and perks for fall leaf disposal

Also on today's calendar: UNCF New Jersey Walk for Education and 13 more events.

Today's riddle: How do billboards talk? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

  • Saturday: High clouds and pleasant, with a high of 70 and low of 56 degrees.
  • Sunday: Rain, temps: high: 65, low: 61.
  • Monday: A couple of morning showers, with a high of 73 and low of 59 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. Newark High School Football Player Earns 'Heart Of Giant' Nomination (patch.com) — Newark residents can rally behind Malcolm X Shabazz High School football player Kariem Coston, who earned a 2026 Heart of a Giant nomination for his leadership, resilience and community focus. The standout athlete, who turned personal loss into motivation on the field and in the classroom, is now in the running for a fan-voted honor open through Oct. 18.
   

2. Late NJ Lawmaker's Love Of Soccer Remembered At Newark Field Dedication (patch.com) — Newark residents, officials, and soccer lovers gathered at Riverfront Park to dedicate the newly named Albert "Al" Coutinho Soccer Field, honoring the late assemblyman's deep roots in the Ironbound and his passion for the sport. The field and its plaque celebrate Coutinho's role in expanding youth soccer, securing scholarships, and elevating Newark's Portugal Day Festival, while community leaders recalled how he helped beautify parks and connect residents to vital resources.
   

3. How To Dispose Of Leaves This Fall In Newark: 2026 Update (patch.com) — Newark residents are getting ready for leaf season as the city's Leaf Recycling Collection program runs from October 14 through January 29, 2027, with weekday curbside pickups and multiple drop-off centers across all wards. Officials stress using biodegradable paper bags, keeping leaves out of the street to prevent flooding, and offer free bags to seniors at several Newark service centers.
   

4. Known NJ sex offender now charged in brutal Newark street attack (nj1015.com) — Newark police have charged a 41-year-old convicted sex offender with aggravated assault and criminal trespass after a woman was repeatedly punched outside her Leslie Street home. The victim was followed from a bus stop around 1:30 a.m., and detectives used surveillance video to identify the suspect, whom city officials say was recently released from prison for aggravated sexual assault.
   

5. Regulatory change opens door to one-stop mental and physical healthcare in NJ (newsfromthestates.com) — Newark residents relying on community clinics should know St. James Health is receiving nearly $400,000 in new state funding to expand integrated mental and physical healthcare at its three city locations. A recent regulatory change now lets clinics combine behavioral and primary care under one license, and Newark's providers are among the first to benefit, potentially simplifying treatment for addiction, mental health, and chronic conditions.
   

📸 Around Newark

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • Kitchen + Kocktails Opens in Times Square, Bringing Southern Comfort Food to NYC —Zollyann Howell Read on Patch
  • Imagine Staff Trained Nearly 50 New Community Members & Volunteers This Summer! —Indira Jagoo Read on Patch
  • Rotarians Continue the Battle Against Polio —Joseph Casale Read on Patch
  • MC Lyte Announces 'Road to the Hall of Fame Tour,' Kicking Off in Brooklyn —Zollyann Howell Read on Patch
  • Colin Kaepernick Talks 'The Perilous Fight,' Authenticity at CultureCon 2026 —Zollyann Howell Read on Patch
  • Good morning neighbors,
    I'm looking for someone who knows about mold in walls. From testing to removal. (Nextdoor Roseville)
  • Can anyone recommend overnight jobs that run from around 10 or 11pm to 6 or 7am?
    I'm searching for a second job and want to avoid any that include THC in their drug test. I'm able to commute to the job location. (Nextdoor Springfield/Belmont)
  • O'Reilly Automotive posted a job opening for Retail Service Specialist in Newark. Apply here.
  • pOpshelf posted a job opening for ASST STORE MGR in NEWARK NJ S22339 in Newark. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near Newark here.

Ok Newark! So now you're in the loop about what's happening today. Thanks for reading, and see you in your inbox next time! Oh -- and if you like what you're reading, invite a friend to Patch AM!

-- The Patch AM Team

P.S. The answer to today's riddle: "How do billboards talk?" — Sign language (Thank you Ellen S. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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