Proud family, friends, teachers, and community celebrate Class of 2026 Photos by Jack Ponzoni Valedictorian Mubashur Ahmed gives his speech to the crowd at the Dover High School Commencement. The Dover High School Class of 2026 celebrated its path to educational growth and personal enrichment on June 18. DOVERNOW.com contributing photographer Jack Ponzoni captured moments from the celebration: Dover High School students and the assembled crowd stand for the Pledge of Allegia

No layoffs included in the deal, which will raise average homeowner's taxes $183 for year. John Mooney, independent auditor for Dover, steps to the podium to answer council members' budget questions. (Photo/DOVERNOW.com) The Dover Town Council approved the 2026 municipal budget on Tuesday, roughly three hours after getting the okay from the state of New Jersey. Mayor James P. Dodd, as well as professionals working on behalf of the town, deliberated on the merits of thelegisl

Pick the perfect spots to have fun and celebrate the beautiful game. If you can't make it to a stadium, Dover's bars and restaurants offer ideal spots for watching the matches.(Photo/Igor Batista) “Olé, Olé, Olé...” Local restaurants and bars will be brimming with energy and excitement this World Cup summer. DOVERNOW checked in with all of them to share the events and specials they’ll offer to futbol fanatics as the action unfolds. Here’s the view from the hotspots that retu

RWJBarnabas Health Red Bulls Performance Center brings the soccer world to Morris Township. The sprawling performance center offers every amenity to help Red Bulls players reach and maintain their peak athletic efficiencies. (Photo/Red Bulls) Under a gray sky accented by a biting wind and a threat of rain, several hundred people await the official ribbon-cutting of Red Bull New York’s state-of-the-art training center. Among the dignitaries and sponsors sit soccer icons Jürgen

All-women Dover Town Council bloc paves way for November race. Candidates (left to right) Elizabeth Tapia, Alice Plastoris, Krista Seanor, and Sandra Wittner captured a lopsided victory in the June 2 Democratic primary. (Photo/Team Dover) Sandra Wittner, Krista Seanor, Alice Plastoris, and Elizabeth Tapia announced in March that they had formed "Team Dover" to run together for the Dover Town Council. On Tuesday, they took the first step toward that goal with an emphatic victo

Election Day is Tuesday, June 2. Check out the polling locations and sample ballots to help you make informed decisions. Democracy succeeds when informed voters take their civic responsibility seriously. Understand the issues, figure out what the ballot looks like, and make informed choices. Click on your ward to study the sample ballot: WARD 1 BALLOT WARD 2 BALLOT WARD 3 BALLOT WARD 4 BALLOT Now that you know more about the ballot, here are the official polling locations. Yo

Lifelong Dover resident following a 'call to serve' for the Ward 4 position. Austin Nieves touts his experience on the Zoning Board as a stepping stone to Town Council. (Photo/Austin Nieves) 1. What led you to run for Council? It boils down to service. In my household, I was raised to love the Lord and love my neighbor as He loves me. We were taught that serving my neighbors is the best way to honor both of those commands. So I grew up with the deep desire to be of service. T

Ward 4 candidate is a lifelong Dover resident who promises to be an advocate for 'practical solutions, transparency, and responsible decision-making.' Elizabeth Tapia is vying for the Ward 4 Democratic nomination to run for Town Council. (Photo/Elizabeth Tapia) EDITOR'S NOTE: Elizabeth Tapia, who is running for the expiring term held by Ward 4 incumbent Marcos Tapia. Marcos Tapia (D-Ward 4) did not respond to requests to answer the Dover Town Council candidate questionnaire.

Attorney Alice Plastoris is a lifelong Dover resident, former Public Defender, and Ward 3 hopeful. Alice Plastoris is a lifelong resident and a former Dover Public Defender, poised to serve all residents. (Photo/Alice Plastoris) Alice Plastoris is running for the Ward 3 Town Council seat presently held by Veronica Velez. In her bio, Plastoris says, "As a lifelong resident and daughter of a lifelong resident, I bring deep roots in the community and a strong understanding of ou

Educator and former Dover BOE President inspired to run for contested Ward 2 seat. Krista Seanor says her work as an educator and board member prepared her for being a Town Council member. (Photo/Krista Seanor) EDITOR'S NOTE: Carlos Noriega, a Democrat running against Seanor, did not respond to requests to answer the candidate questionnaire. Krista Seanor has lived in Dover for more than 20 years and has always been active in the community. Find out what motivated her to run

Ward 1 incumbent shares her thoughts on Dover's essential matters. Sandra Wittner (D-1st Ward) is a longtime member of Dover Town Council. (Photo/Sandra Wittner) Longtime Dover Town Council member, an incumbent 1st Ward Democrat, is running unopposed for her seat in the June 2 primary. Wittner answered these questions to help voters get to know her: 1. What led you to run again for Council? I was ready to pass the baton at the end of my fourth term, as I strongly believe in

The tax increase is linked to the skyrocketing costs of employee insurance. Next meeting to be held June 9. Mayor James P. Dodd introduced Dover’s 2026 budget Tuesday evening, which would raise taxes by $17.74 per month or $213 per year, based on an average home assessed at $240,000. He said that cuts had to be made in some departments to offset a 41 percent increase in health benefits, which rose from $3.3 million last year to $4.7 million. Dodd said town residents would ha

May 9 Open House activities include a hands-on community mural, art gallery displays, music, food, and more. Looking for a fun way to enjoy a spring Saturday afternoon? Join the creative crowd from 3 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, May 9, at The Amp, the Richards Building’s thriving arts and entertainment space. Amp Executive Director Walter F. Rodriguez says event-goers can expect to take part in creating a mural, enjoy some music, see a gallery of work by students from the MCO

The board also approves two new full-time and one new part-time hires at the Dover Police Department. The Town Council unanimously approved the addition of three new Dover Police Department officers at the April 28 meeting. (PHOTO/DOVERNOW.com) The tragic death of Christofer Huamani on the NJTransit tracks near Water Works Park in Dover two weeks ago has prompted town officials into action. During the town council’s second meeting in April, council member Sandra Wittner requ

Superintendent Jaime, board members lament a nearly $2 million cut in state aid. Dover Public Schools revealed its $93 million budget for the 2026-27 school year. It includes an 11 percent tax increase to help bridge a budget gap, caused in part by the loss of nearly $2 million in state aid. At Tuesday night’s board meeting, Superintendent Luis Jaime and Atilla Sabahoglu, the business administrator and board secretary, said the financial challenges forced them to implement c

The board also approved a local land sale and granted new food truck licenses. Dover Police Chief Jonathan Delaney praised the department's three newest sergeants. (Photo/DOVERNOW) The Dover Town Council approved the promotions of Dover Police Department detectives Samuel Berthoud, Joseph Dodd, and Joel Gotera to the rank of sergeant. The decision was made following a 15-minute executive session at the end of the meeting, after which the legislation was read into the record.

Erika Huamani thanks the Dover community for helping her cope with her son’s tragic death. Erika Huamani checks her phone for messages from well-wishers as she deals with the loss of her son, Christofer. (DOVERNOW Photo/David Chmiel) Blackwell Street was quiet on Sunday morning. Temperatures had fallen into the 40s, bringing gray skies, gusty winds, and cold rain. At Water Works Park, a man walked his small dog quickly to avoid the chill. The nearby tracks were quiet. No tra

Donations being collected for Christofer Jeremy Chavez Huamani. Club Colombia will be open from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sunday, April 19, to receive mourners and donations. (Facebook photo) The young man who was struck and killed by an NJTransit train on April 16 has been identified as 18-year-old Dover High School student Christofer Jeremy Chavez Huamani. A Facebook posting recounted his life and the sad news: "It is with heavy hearts that we share the passing of Chavez Huamani

The investigation into the accident along Richboyton Road continues . NJTransit confirmed the death of a Dover teen on the evening of Thursday, April 16. A Dover teen was struck and killed Thursday evening along Richboyton Road by an eastbound NJTransit train, according to NJTransit and law-enforcement officials. NJ Transit Police is the primary investigator on the case. NJTransit released this statement: At approximately 6:20 p.m. on Thursday, Morris & Essex Line train 858

Democrat cruises to victory for U.S. House seat vacated by Gov. Mikie Sherrill. Ananlilia Mejia was declared the winner of the April 16 special election over Joe Hathaway. Democrat Analilia Mejia scored a decisive win over Republican opponent Joe Hathaway in the special election for Gov. Mikie Sherrill's vacant U.S. Congress (NJ-11) seat. The district includes Morris, Essex, and Passaic counties. With more than 90 percent of the ballots tallied, Mejia, co-executive director