Voters throughout Essex County and three Local Talk Congressional Districts plus Bloomfield and Maplewood are to choose who will lead their November ballot tickets June 8.

The most contentious contests may be found among two Democratic tickets for mayor and three at-large council member seats in Bloomfield.

Mayor Raymond McCarthy is seeking his third term while heading up the "Line A" Democratic ticket. Joining McCarthy are incumbent councilman Bernard Hamilton, former councilwoman Peggy O'Boyle Dunigan and former board of education member Michael Venezia.

Patricia Spychala is meanwhile willing to risk her current six-year at-large council seat to unseat McCarthy as Democrats' choice for Mayor. Her "Line B" council running mates are incumbent councilwoman Patricia Barker, Historic District Review Board panelist Carlos Pomares and zoning board member Richard Rockwell.

Essex County has done some excellent work under the leadership of County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo. The people of Essex County can access a lot of information with easy instructions, which is the approach under Essex County Clerk Christopher Durkin. Durkin is always looking to upgrade the Web site www.essexclerk.com, so that information is easily accessible to Essex County residents and others. He is running for another term as County Clerk and he is unopposed in the primary election. However, he might face a challenge by the Republican Party in the upcoming November Election. So I have decided to take his interview.

 

Newark, NJ - The Essex County Independence Park Senior Citizen Building was reopened on March 31 after a major renovation of the structure. The upgrades provide senior citizen social clubs and other community organizations with modern and more comfortable accommodations. The improvements are the first major overhaul the building has received in over 30 years.

Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo will present the American Red Cross of Northern New Jersey with a donation Wednesday morning to benefit the victims of the earthquake in Haiti.