Politics & Government
2025's Top News Stories In Essex County: Must Read Articles
It was a busy year for news in Essex County. Catch up with some of the most important articles of 2025.

ESSEX COUNTY, NJ — It was a busy year for news in Essex County. Catch up with some of our most-viewed stories of 2025 (click the headline to read the article).
GOVERNMENT/POLITICS
Sherrill Tops Ciattarelli In Her Home County (2025 Election Results)
Find out what's happening in Montclairfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
Republicans Dig In For ‘Long Haul’ After 2025 Election
Essex County Mayor's Strong Showing In Primary Gives Progressives Hope
Find out what's happening in Montclairfor free with the latest updates from Patch.
NJ Republicans Overwhelmingly Support MAGA Movement, New Poll Finds
NJ Third-Party Candidates Face Unfair Playing Field In 2025 Election, Campaigns Say
Election Day Threats Reported At Polling Places Across New Jersey
Essex County Lawmakers React To NJ Budget With Praise, Criticism
3 Congress Members From Essex County Vote ‘No’ On ‘Beautiful Budget Bill’
'No Kings' Protests In Essex County Draw Thousands Of Demonstrators (PHOTOS)
Commissioners In Essex County Town Decry Kirk Shooting: ‘Reject Political Violence’
25 Hours, 5 Minutes: What To Know About Cory Booker’s Record-Setting ‘Filibuster’
Detainee Population Surges At ICE Prison In NJ After It Reopens Under Trump
Feds Name 6 Essex County Towns As 'Sanctuary Cities,' Demand Compliance
ICE Immigration Raid In Essex County Shocks New Jersey: 5 Things To Know
NJ Town's Plan To Charge People For Protesting Is Off The Table – For Now
$900 Billion Military Bill Rejected By Cory Booker, Andy Kim Of New Jersey
NJ Town Parts Ways With Firefighter After Racial Bias Lawsuit Involving Noose
Tempers Flare At Protest Outside Essex County Synagogue, 6 People Arrested
Essex County Sheriff’s Office Swears In 1st African American, Female Chief
Pro-Immigrant Protests Continue Outside ICE Detention Center In Essex County
Essex County Town 'Wasted' $632K Of Opioid Settlement Money On Concerts, Officials Allege
Feds Accuse Protesters Of Instigating Controversial Clash In Essex County
NJ Senator Fights ‘Exploitative’ Electricity Hikes With New Proposed Laws
Republican Lawmakers In Essex County Bash NJ Budget, ‘Mansion Tax’
This NJ City Just Had A History-Making School Election – Here’s Why
NJ Town Denies Claims Of ‘Obstruction’ From Rent Leveling Board
Millions Spent To Elect Teacher Union President As NJ Governor, Report Says
DiVincenzo Gives State Of County Speech: ‘Unprecedented Times’
Fight For Slavery Reparations Endures In NJ As Wealth Gap Widens
Federal Budget Cuts Wallop NJ Nonprofit That Creates 'Little Free Pantries'
Gutting Of AmeriCorps Hits Hard For Community Farm In Essex County
Veterans, Military Families March In The Oranges Against Federal Budget Cuts
GOP Assemblymen Pen Letter To Voters After Election Victories
NJ Cop Launches ‘Retaliation’ Lawsuit Against Town Officials
Essex County Town Is $171 Million In Debt, Officials Hear Plan To Fix Finances
NJ Congresswoman Wants Assault Charges Dropped, Points To Pardons For Jan. 6 Rioters
NJ Mayor Sues Feds After Controversial Arrest Outside ICE Prison

EDUCATION
NJ Moves Forward With Free Preschool, Kindergarten For All Residents
Essex County Educator, Coach Earns NJ ‘Teacher Of The Year’ Award
Judge Nixes School Referendum In NJ Town, Financial Woes Loom On Horizon
Steep Insurance Hike Prompts NJ School District To Abandon State Health Plan
Inspiring Essex County Teen Accepted To Nearly Every Ivy League University
Essex County School District Faces 2 Lawsuits Alleging Harassment: Report
NJ Teen Scores Kudos After Nailing Down Perfect SAT
NJ School Aide Sues District, Claims She Was Fired For Protecting Special Ed Students
Dozens Of 'Freedom Libraries' Built At 2 State Prisons In New Jersey
State Monitor Removed From NJ School District, Officials Cheer For 'Historic Victory'
‘He Dies Tonight’: NJ Teacher Threatened Principal, Police Say
Charges Against Essex County School Principal Dropped, Court Tosses Suit
Retired NJ Firefighter Earns College Degree 50 Years After Starting
New Internet Trend Gets Stern Rebuke From NJ School Official
Incarcerated Youth Graduate High School In Essex County: ‘Power Of Second Chances’
Chance Encounter On Shuttle Bus Drove This Army Veteran Back To The Classroom
High School Alum Donates $100K To Boost Music Education At His Former School
Professor Among Students Who Received Mentor's Final Gift – Her Life Savings
School District In Essex County Faces Slew Of Teacher Sex Abuse Lawsuits: Report
NJ Prison Launches Fashion Design Training For Women, Youth Coaching Program

TRANSPORTATION/TRAVEL
Feds Launch New Probe Into Frustrating Delays At Newark Airport
Controversial Turnpike Expansion Moves Forward (See Pros, Cons)
‘It’s Like An Oven’: Airport Workers Demand More Protection From Extreme Heat
Dozens Of Handicap Parking Spaces Removed In NJ Town After Audit
Take A Sneak Peek At NJ Airport's $3.5B New AirTrain (PHOTOS)
NJ Sees Big Jump In Electric Vehicles As It Chases Murphy's 'Clean Energy' Mandate
Hundreds Push For Safer Streets, Honor Late 11-Year-Old In Essex County
‘It Broke My Heart’: Pilot Apologizes For Leaving 3 Passengers Behind In NJ
10 Minutes To The Airport: $160M Project Will Boost Residents In 2 Nearby Cities
Port Authority Experiments With Self-Driving Shuttle Buses In NJ, NY
$4M Project To Replace ‘Deficient’ Bridge In Essex County Crosses Finish Line

BUSINESS/WORKPLACE
'Overpaid CEO' List Includes Companies With Big Footprints In New Jersey
NJ’s Largest Private Employer Faces 2 Lawsuits Over Worker Rights
New Business Tax Will Raise $789M For NJ Transit, Latest Budget Shows
NJ PBS Says It Will Shut Down After Losing Federal, State Funding
2 Companies With NJ Ties May Score Big Profits From Trump Deportations
2,000 NJ Security Guards Get Pay Hike After Threatening To Strike
NJ's Largest City Gave 400 People 'Guaranteed Income' – Here's What Happened
CEO From Essex County Indicted In $3.3M Securities Fraud Scheme: AG
Lyft Pays $19M To New Jersey After Audit Involving Drivers
NJ ‘Claws Back’ $3.4M In Improper Business Tax Breaks: Comptroller
AI Data Centers Are Sapping Power In NJ – And Driving Up Your Electric Bill: Report
Provident Opens New Branch In Essex County City; Feds Seek To End Consent Order
Striking Train Engineers Picket Outside NJ Transit HQ In Essex County
NJ Tax Hike On Internet Gambling Industry Expected To Raise Big Bucks
Iconic Beer Brewery In Essex County Will Shut Down, Company Sells Plant
New Supermarket Opens In Essex County, Ribbon Cutting Draws Big Crowd
A new list names 100 companies with some of the biggest CEO-to-worker pay gaps in the nation. Several have heavy footprints in New Jersey. https://t.co/3pWceFfAMf pic.twitter.com/1SlxlOIFY9
— PatchEssexCountyNJ (@EK_Patch) December 30, 2025
OBITUARIES
Thousands Gather To Mourn For Pope In Essex County (VIDEO)
Essex County Towns Mourn For Longtime Community Leader, Louis LaSalle
Peter David Dies At 68: Iconic Comic Book Writer From NJ Mourned
Passionate Advocate For Racial Justice Mourned In Essex County
Essex County Girl Passes Away, Leaves Legacy Of 'Courage And Grace'
Beloved Educator Dies In Essex County, Community Mourns Her Loss
Father Of 4 Passes Away In North Jersey, Fundraiser Launched To Benefit Family

OTHER NEWS
Is Crime Up Or Down In New Jersey? Here’s What FBI Data Shows
New Shooting, Car Theft Data Released In NJ Shows 'Historic' Numbers
Homeless Totals Are Down Slightly In Essex County, Latest Data Shows
Parents Lose Lawsuit Against NJ University After Student Dies During Pandemic
Racist, Sexist Police Training Cost NJ Taxpayers $1M, New Report Says
Animal Control Controversy In Essex County Town Has Advocates Howling For Answers
Fyre Fest 2: NJ Native Relaunches Infamously Awful Music Festival
Is Fluoride Making Your Kids Dumber? Nope, NJ Dental Expert Says
This NJ Law Has Given ‘Safe Haven’ To 100 Surrendered Babies
Crime Dropped In New Jersey Last Year, Latest FBI Data Shows https://t.co/ttuAUCWRXd
— PatchEssexCountyNJ (@EK_Patch) August 6, 2025
Hungry for more? There's plenty of other news that took place in Essex County last year. Check out some of our local roundups below:
- Police And Fire News In Essex County: Most-Viewed Articles Of 2025
- 2025's Most Heartwarming Stories In Essex County (Best Of The Year)
- Real Estate And Development In Essex County: 2025 News Roundup
- Strange And Unusual Stories In Essex County: 2025 News Roundup
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