ORANGE - Attorney Kevin McGovern and firefighter Elvin Padilla decried furloughs and short staffing March 2 before the City of Orange Township Council and administrators.

McGovern, representing the Orange Municipal Employee Bargaining Association, charged that the city could have used $200,000 in intended 2009 salary raises to meet the current budget gap, and eliminate eight of the 12 furloughs scheduled from Feb. 19 to June 30.

ORANGE – A fire destroyed nine homes on the 200 block of Oakwood Avenue Feb. 21, displacing 39 residents. Investigators are still trying to determine the cause of the blaze.

The Orange Fire Department first received reports of the fire after 1 p.m. The blaze began in an unattached house on the block between Central Avenue and Russ Monica Court. According to published reports, some neighbors said they heard a pop and saw smoke.

ESSEX - A Newark music marathon and an East Orange children's pageant Sunday, February 21 helped raise more than $11,000 for Haiti earthquake relief funds.

The Latinos for Haiti Relief Coalition had scheduled up to 16 musical acts for its music marathon at The Flamboyan Manor between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. The collaboration among 19 North Newark area organizations and the local American Red Cross strived to raise at least $10,000.

"We raised over $11,000 and we're still counting," said Hispanic Firefighters Association official and coalition co-organizer Jose Robles. "We had 12 rotating musical acts from 2 p.m. and the manor was packed. We didn't get out until 8."

Orange, N.J. – YWCA of Essex and West Hudson will be hosting a "Women's Survival Series" celebrating "The Women Within" throughout March in recognition of Women's History Month. The free series is designed to help foster a sisterhood, building strong bonds among sisters that will uplift, inspire, celebrate and encourage women to become better women for themselves, their families and their communities.