Fairfield, NJ

Fairfield Township, which covers over 10 square miles of Essex County, has a diverse population of approximately 7,000. The small community is composed of mainly married couples and families. Many Fairfield residents are of Italian, Irish, German, Polish, or English descent. This town has a little over 2,000 homes, most of which were built in the 1940s, 1950s, and 1960s.

Fairfield was part of the "Horseneck Tract," a 14,000-acre territory that settlers purchased from the Lenni Lenape Native Americans for goods equal to $325 in 1702. The area received its nickname due to its shape, which looked like a horse's neck and head. The township was originally formed in 1798 as Caldwell Township. It was renamed as Fairfield Township in 1963.

EVENTS

• Annual Tricky Tray Brunch is a fundraising event offering door prizes and food.
• Future Stars provides residents a chance to hear live music performed by various local bands, presumably before they become famous.
• North Jersey Alzheimer's Disease Meet-up is an opportunity to discuss various topics relating to Alzheimer's. This meeting provides residents with education, the opportunity to share, and refreshments.

COMMUNITIES

• Broadway Trip is a road trip to the Nederlander Theater in New York City sponsored by Fairfield Department of Parks and Recreation. Attendees enjoy luxury bus transportation and a Broadway show. Reservation and ticket purchase is required.
• Youth Baseball Programs are offered by the Department of Parks and Recreation for children ages 9 to 15 years. Teams are divided in to age appropriate divisions; the older divisions are traveling teams
• Techstars Program is 6-week program that teaches children how to investigate a crime scene.
• Adult Basketball Program is an open basketball game for adults 35 and older held regularly on Friday nights. There is a registration fee.

BEST BETS

• Fun Time Junction is a kid-friendly indoor playground. In addition to the usual playground activities, kids can access the internet and watch their favorite sports on a plasma screen TV.
• Crown Plaza Fairfield Hotel and Conference Center offers over 200 rooms, a business center equipped with internet access and a library, and newly renovated conference and ballrooms. The hotel also offers a fitness club and an indoor swimming pool.
• Fairfield Free Public Library offers a number of services to residents including books, internet access, online research databases, and special events and programs. Information about the library can be found online, on TV channel 35, or in the library's monthly newsletter.

EDUCATION

In addition to the public schools in Fairfield, this town offers three private schools:

• The Gramon School is dedicated to special education for students between the ages of 12 and 21. Typically, these students have had difficulty in their home schools due to behavioral, emotional, or academic challenges. Gramon includes 24 full-time teachers and 168 students, allowing for small class sizes and specialized instruction.
• The Banyan School is for students from first through eighth grade and specializes in students with learning disabilities. Class sizes are small, with 15 full time teachers instructing 73 students.
• Early Learning Center, for pre-K and kindergarten students, offers early childhood education, preparing kids for easy transitions into elementary school.

There are also several local opportunities for post-secondary education:

• Metropolitan Technical Institute offers Bachelor degrees in Computer Sciences and Engineering Technologies.
• Steno Tech Career Institute is an accredited career college offering education in Court Reporting, Scoping, and Medical Transcription.
• Dental Studies Institute is aimed at providing licensed dentists with continuing education credits. This 12,000 square foot facility is equipped with all the requisite technologies, including laboratories, an operatory, x-ray rooms, a darkroom, and a massage clinic.

ECONOMY AND INDUSTRIES

• Bradley Pharmaceuticals, initially founded in 1985, has its headquarters in Fairfield. The company provides services to physicians in the United States and 35 countries abroad.
• Covanta Energy Corporation converts more than 5 percent of the United States' waste into energy. To date, this company is responsible for recycling 360,000 tons of metal, thus producing 8,000 gigawatt hours of electricity per year.
• Prime Hospitality Corporation is one of the nation's leading hotel and lodging companies. Located in Fairfield, this company employs nearly 7,000 people and is traded on the New York Stock Exchange.
• Kearny Financial Corporation is the holding company for Kearney Federal Savings Bank. They company offers home equity loans, as well as residential, multifamily, and commercial mortgages.
• Infotech USA Inc is an information technology firm offering consulting, networking, procurement, integration, and security services to small and medium business.
• Unigene Laboratories, Inc. houses its research and development facility in Fairfield. This company works to develop peptide- and protein-based medications for chronic diseases.

LOCAL MEDIA

AM Radio Stations

• WSNR 620 AMEthnic
• WOR 710 AMTalk
• WINS 1010 AMNews
• WEPN 1050 AMSports
• WVNJ 1160 AMNostalgia

FM Radio Stations

• WFME 94.7 FMReligious
• WKTU 103.5 FMDance
• WQCD 101.9 FMSmooth jazz
• WHTZ 100.3 FMTop-40
• WWPR 105.1 FMHip Hop
• WSKQ 97.9 FMSpanish
• WXRK 92.3 FMRock

Newspapers

• Montclair Times
• Verona-Cedar Grove Times