For Michael J. Iantosca, writing his first novel meant finding his way back to Maplewood.

Now living in Asheville, North Carolina, the South Orange and Maplewood native set Is It You? partly in the hometown he knew growing up.

The story follows Chase Marino from first love in the late 1970s into an adult life shaped by ambition, distance and memory.

Columbia High School, Maplewood Memorial Park, the train station and South Mountain Reservation give local readers familiar places to recognize along the way.

Iantosca attended Columbia High School, wrote for its student newspaper and worked as a freelance photographer while growing up.

Though the novel draws on those surroundings and the feelings they evoke, Chase’s story is fiction, not autobiography.

Iantosca has also composed songs inspired by the characters, extending a story about first love and the lasting pull of home.

Columbia High School gave Maplewood and South Orange field hockey fans plenty to celebrate with an 8-0 win over Union in an earlier September game.

Senior Violet Bennett led the Cougars with three goals and an assist, while Phoebe Perlman added two goals and an assist.

Maddie Popowsky scored twice, Penny Leveque added a goal, and Zahria Angelou contributed an assist.

Columbia controlled play so thoroughly that goalkeeper Maddy Klein did not face a shot on goal.

The following game brought a sharp reversal: an 8-1 loss to Summit at Underhill Sports Complex that left the Cougars at 2-2.

The two results captured both Columbia’s scoring potential and the challenges it faced early that season.

Maplewood’s ninth annual Diwali festival will bring music, dance, food and a community lamp-lighting ceremony to Memorial Park on Saturday, October 17.

The free celebration runs from 2 to 6 in the afternoon at the amphitheater, 145 Dunnell Road.

Presented by SOMA Cross-Cultural Works, the Township of Maplewood and Maplewood Arts & Culture, the event welcomes longtime celebrants and neighbors discovering Diwali for the first time.

Known as the Festival of Lights, Diwali celebrates hope, renewal and light overcoming darkness.

Visitors can enjoy Indian food, shopping, henna, face painting and children’s activities, along with performances by Samarth Nagarkar, Bansari, Rutgers Raag, SOMA Dance Mob and local dance groups.

The community lamp-lighting ceremony is planned for about 5:45, with sparklers at 6.

Last year’s gathering drew about 1,500 people, reflecting the festival’s place in Maplewood’s community life.

Sunday, October 18, is the rain date.

Keeping up with Maplewood, New Jersey news has never been more important for those hoping to stay connected and engaged with their vibrant community.

Springfield Avenue is buzzing with new cafes and small businesses, reflecting renewed energy in neighborhood revitalization.

These updates offer hope amid the challenges brought by changing retail trends.

Community leaders are rolling out initiatives to make Maplewood safer and more enjoyable, unveiling better signage and enhanced safety for bikers at key intersections.

Residents find purpose through local coverage, celebrating everything from food drive successes to students achieving state science honors.

Stories highlight grassroots creativity—from downtown murals to organized park cleanups—shining a light on Maplewood’s hidden gems.

Recently, the real estate market sizzled with historic homes attracting eager buyers.

For anyone seeking updates or a stronger sense of belonging, local journalism keeps Maplewood’s unique spirit alive.

In Maplewood, staying informed is what truly binds the community together.

When Maplewood’s community pool closed for the season, dogs got one last chance to make a splash at the township’s annual Dog Days of Summer swim.

The event brought neighbors together poolside while their pets paddled, played and met new friends.

New resident Katie Pogue watched her Great Pyrenees-Labrador mix, Jax, swim for the first time as her daughter Ramona cheered him on.

Bianca Wallace joined the fun with her Goldendoodle, Digby, while Andre Van and Danielle Mimes brought their Alaskan Klee Kai, Nairobi, to help him grow more comfortable in the water.

Older English Labrador Cisco showed that enthusiasm for swimming has no age limit.

In past years, Maplewood residents could attend without pool memberships, provided their dogs were licensed and wore tags; people stayed out of the water.

Future dates and rules may change, so residents should check township event details before heading to the pool.

Barn Bird Kitchen opened at 147 Maplewood Avenue in November 2024, bringing fried chicken and Southern American-inspired comfort food to Maplewood Village.

Friends, family, staff and elected officials joined founder and head chef Emeka Onugha for a ribbon cutting.

Onugha created the restaurant with business partners Jafrania Onugha and Chukah Morah, building its menu around fried chicken made with care and attention to flavor.

His cooking draws on the spices of his upbringing and memories of watching his mother cook, sharing homemade lunches and dreaming of a restaurant with his siblings.

The concept also honors generations of African American cooks whose expertise shaped Southern comfort food.

Already familiar to South Orange and Maplewood diners through earlier Springfield Avenue ventures, Onugha now brings a personal take on a favorite dish to the heart of the village.