Community Corner

🌱 Patch AM: How To Dispose Of Leaves This Fall In West Orange: 2026 Update

Happening soon: Estate Planning: 5 Essential Things You Should Know on the West Orange Patch calendar

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Friday October 9th Patch AM
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Hey there, West Orange! Let's get started with what's happening in and around town. Read on and stay in the loop. ☕️️

In today's newsletter:

  • New 2026 rules change how West Orange collects your fall leaves
  • Demolition at Essex House site paves way for 95 proposed apartments
  • Don't miss these October events in and around West Orange

Also on today's calendar: Estate Planning: 5 Essential Things You Should Know and 15 more events.

Today's riddle: Why did the cookie go to the hospital? 🤔 (Answer below!)

Weather forecast:

  • Friday: Mostly sunny and nice, with a high of 71 and low of 49 degrees.
  • Saturday: Sunny to partly cloudy, temps: high: 67, low: 52.
  • Sunday: Some rain in the p.m.; cloudy, with a high of 64 and low of 60 degrees.

📰 News we're reading

1. How To Dispose Of Leaves This Fall In West Orange: 2026 Update (patch.com) — West Orange residents get a 2026 update on how and when to dispose of leaves, including new weekly collection-zone updates instead of a fixed season-long schedule. The township details key dates for loose-leaf and bagged pickup, explains which rules apply on township versus county roads, and urges residents to keep piles away from storm drains to prevent flooding and safety hazards.
   

2. Demolition Begins At Essex House Site In West Orange, Apartment Building Proposed (patch.com) — Demolition is underway at the former Essex House restaurant site in West Orange, where developers are proposing a four-story mixed-use building with ground-floor commercial space and 95 apartments, including 19 affordable units. The project, near St. Cloud Elementary School and South Mountain Recreation Complex, has raised concerns about steep-slope variances, building height, and traffic as it heads to a rescheduled Planning Board hearing.
   

3. Essex County Daily Buzz: Oct. 8, 2026 (jerseybee.org) — West Orange families have several chances to get out next week, including a free guided bird walk at McLoone's Boathouse parking lot on October 12 and a fall‑themed watercolor workshop for kids at the West Orange Public Library on October 18. The roundup also highlights nearby Essex County events in Montclair, Newark, South Orange, Bloomfield, and other towns that West Orange residents can easily attend.
   

4. SEC Batch Meet 4 2026 (milesplit.com) — West Orange High School runners turned in strong performances at the SEC Batch Meet 4, with Emilee Danser and Katherin Shiflett going 1–2 in the novice girls' two‑mile and several boys placing well in the novice race. These full results let West Orange families see exactly how their athletes stacked up against nearby Essex County schools.
   

5. Interview: Matt Schatz Explores AI and Human Connection in BOBBY ROBOTOWITZ (broadwayworld.com) — West Orange theater fans can look forward to Luna Stage hosting a future production of Bobby Robotowitz, a new comedy about a novelist who grows unexpectedly attached to an AI chatbot. The play, now debuting in Los Angeles and then touring Pittsburgh and Washington, D.C., uses intimate, small‑audience settings to explore how technology shapes modern relationships and creativity.
   

📸 Around West Orange

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🗓 Upcoming Events in West Orange

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💬 Chatter

What your neighbors are talking about on social media

  • My cat ran away on the Valley area around Hazel school.
    He has an orange collard with a bar code scan on it. We are terribly sad and miss him so much. If seen please scan (he is very docil, or call me at … (Nextdoor Valley)
  • Applegreen US posted a job opening for Shift Supervisor-Auntie Anne's and Cinnabon in South Orange. Apply here.
  • Raydar posted a job opening for Commercial Real Estate Associate/Counsel in Roseland. Apply here. You can search for other jobs near West Orange here.

Ok West Orange! 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: "Why did the cookie go to the hospital?" — Because he felt crummy. (Thank you Sanda J. for sending it in!)
Got a good riddle for PatchAM? Submit it here!

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