Boston Bombing, Flavorful Fare Tops Week's News

The week was marred by tragedy as two bombs detonated near the finish line of the Boston Marathon, killing two people and injuring scores more. The nation was riveted and repulsed by the actions and the week’s news centered around the tragedy both regionally and locally.

To see the full stories from the previous few days, click on the headlines.

Change of Mind – And Shirt – Saves Family at Marathon

Four runners from Long Valley took part in the Boston Marathon on Monday, and fortunately, all were unharmed. But Janice Cazes, competing in her first Boston event, was just two blocks from the finish when the bombs detonated. Her experience – and the changes she made during the races – were incredible.

Local Flavor is Fare at Silver Birch Kitchen

Jessica and Marc Geanoules love to cook and love to be local. So when they opened their downtown Long Valley food service after spending a year working out of a commercial kitchen, all that was left was introducing the town to their specialties. The couple have fit right in (they moved to Long Valley, too) and are getting great feedback from customers about their locally grown and locally produced specialties.

Bus Depot Construction Nears Finish Line

An in-town school bus maintenance and repair facility is scheduled to be completed by the end of June, which will be the center for Washington Township’s school buses to be fixed, rather than outsourcing. With the hiring of three full time mechanics, the in-town facility is expected to save the district $115,000 per year.

Manager Sought as Administrator Retirement Looms

Washington Township is looking for a new office manager, now that acting administrator Debbie Burd is retiring. Current office manager Andrew Coppola will take Burd’s place, and the Washington Township Committee decided the position needed to be filled by June 15.

Road Naming Honor Highlights Memorial Day Event

The Washington Township Recreation Department announced the official time and date of the annual Memorial Day event at Rock Spring Park this year, which will include keynote speaker James Smith. The speaker is the father of Army Cpl. James “Jamie” Smith who died in action in Somalia in 1993. One of the roads at Rock Spring Park will be named for the Long Valley native and formally unveiled during the ceremony.