Farewell to Jade Villa by Jeffrey Bellido

"Try laughing. Then whatever scares you will go away." — Tatsuo, to Mei & Satsuki from My Neighbor Totoro (1988)

On May 4, 2025, Jadelyn Villa hosted a live poetry reading event, part of an ongoing series held every other Sunday (alternating with Open Mic) at The Fine Grind Coffee Bar in Little Falls.

A former Editor-in-Chief of Visions, the college newspaper, Villa also worked as a barista while completing her degree.

Many poets at the event shared a wide range of personal experiences through their readings, bringing creativity and emotion to their work. Jade also participated, reading three of her own poems, one of which won a contest at Passaic County Community College. As the evening came to a close, Jade expressed her gratitude and encouraged attendees to bring more friends and family to support The Fine Grind Coffee Bar at future events.

At this time, we would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to Jade Villa for her many contributions to Visions and for being an integral part of our community. We will miss her, but her dedication, editorial work, and commitment to our monthly meetings will not be forgotten.

For those interested in supporting this event, visit The Fine Grind at 101 Newark Pompton Turnpike, Little Falls Township.

Hours of Operation:

• Monday-Thursday: 8:00 AM - 8:00 PM

• Friday: 8:00 AM - 10:00 PM

• Saturday: 9:00 AM - 10:00 PM

• Sunday: 9:00 AM - 8:00 PM

Event Schedule:

• Open Mic: Sundays, 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM

• Board Games: Mondays, 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

• Adult Coloring: Tuesdays, 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

• Live Music: Wednesdays, 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM

• Trivia: Thursdays, 6:00 PM - 7:30 PM

• Live Music: Fridays, 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM

• Open Latte: Saturdays, until 10:00 PM