Tuesday, July 28, 2009

The Soup Man Cometh

When I think of soup I oftentimes think of a red labeled silver can of saltiness that brought me back to Catholic school days . But today soup has now taken on new appeal, especially in Orange. Daily Soup on Central Avenue infuses fresh ingredients such as seafood, veggies, herbs and exotic spices to create a symphony of taste. You can choose from vegetarian soups such as Sassy Tomato to robust soups like Curry Chicken. Daily Soup not only offers a variety of delicious soups, but mouthwatering sandwiches too. Looking for something cool and refreshing? Try one of Daily Soup's low-fat frozen yogurt mix-ins. Choose from 30 different mix-ins that will have you craving for more. I tried the banana pudding mix-in and wanted to move into the store.

Anthony White, owner and soup master, pours his heart and soul into his food. The menu is fresh and exciting and keeps customers lined up at the doors. Stop in for a delicious family meal or treat yourself to a decadent treat. Come on, you know you deserve it!










Daily Soup





501 Central Ave





Valley Arts District





Orange, NJ

Monday, July 6, 2009

Ben Jones - A True Leader



One word is not ample enough to describe the man called Ben Jones. A political force, strong, humble, determined, brilliant are just a few. Mr. Jones was a force to be reckoned with. He was the first African-American to be elected Councilman of the newly created East Ward of Orange and rallied for equality for the community of Orange.

Benjamin Franklin Jones was born in Virginia, but his family migrated to Orange when he was seven. His love for Orange is evident by his vast history of social and political change in order to make Orange an equal and fair city. In 1968 Mr. Jones led a campaign for a new high school and fought for equal employment for all. He rallied and won the fight for senior citizen housing, revitalized Orange’s recreation program and worked alongside Mr. Ernest Thompson, a union organizer and political activist, to form CRG (Citizen’s for Representative Government) to abolish segregated schools in Orange. I had the honor of meeting Mr. Jones at the 2007 HANDS Community Leadership Awards and I just stood in awe. I was unaware of the separation of schools due to a gerrymandered school district line which was uncovered by Mr. Thompson.

Today, the newly formed CRG now known as Citizens for Responsible Government movement has taken the reins to provide a fair and just society in Orange. A Free People’s University called University of Orange (U of O)was formulated by CRG. U of O offers free classes, walking tours and symposiums for citizens willing to expand their knowledge of the City that is Orange.

Mr. Jones gave neighbors of Orange a sense of pride. He never had to raise his voice but spoke with eloquence and assurance. Mr. Jones was called home on Friday, June 26th but his legacy will live on. The City of Orange recognized Mr. Jones’ accomplishments by naming a section of Cleveland Street after him. Mayor Eldridge Hawkins, Councilwoman Tency Eason and host of friends and family attended the celebration.
The strength of a leader is the courage to be humble. Mr. Jones embodied this sentiment and his legacy will live on through us.
Kelli Copeland