VIDEO: NY Dad Keeps Promise To Son—And Degree—In Viral Commencement Chase VIDEO: NY Dad Keeps Promise To Son—And Degree—In Viral Commencement Chase
Video: NY Dad Keeps Promise To Son—And Degree—In Viral Commencement Chase A University at Buffalo graduate turned his commencement into a viral family affair. Jean-Paul Al-Arab made headlines when he sprinted across the stage while carrying his infant son–and while being chased by campus police–at UB’s College of Arts and Sciences commencement ceremony on Sunday, May 18. Al-Arab, who immigrated to the United States from Lebanon in 2022, earned his bachelor or arts degree in criminology all while working overnight restaurant shifts and being the primary caretaker for his son during the day while his wife worked, he told NPR. “I promised myself and I promised him …
Person Arrested With Weapon Near New Britain High School: Reports Person Arrested With Weapon Near New Britain High School: Reports
Person Arrested With Weapon Near New Britain High School: Reports A person was arrested near New Britain High School on Friday, May 23, after being spotted with a weapon, according to authorities. The school's principal notified parents that the campus was placed on lockdown when officials saw a suspicious individual approaching the 110 Mill St. school, NBC Connecticut reported. The lockdown was lifted after police took the suspect into custody. A call to New Britain police seeking details about the suspect, the weapon, or their motives was not immediately returned. School officials told reporters that the school resumed a normal class schedule following…
Judge Halts Trump Administration's Block On Harvard Foreign Students (UPDATE) Judge Halts Trump Administration's Block On Harvard Foreign Students (UPDATE)
Judge Halts Trump Administration's Block On Harvard Foreign Students (Update) A federal judge has temporarily stopped the Trump administration's attempt to block Harvard University from hosting international students in the President's latest political attack on the Ivy League school. Massachusetts District Court Judge Allison Burroughs issued the ruling on Friday, May 23. The pause came just hours after Harvard announced the lawsuit over the Department of Homeland Security's decision to revoke the university's Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP) certification. The suit claims the move was meant to punish Harvard for rejecting Pr…
Trump Administration Bans Harvard From Enrolling International Students Trump Administration Bans Harvard From Enrolling International Students
Trump Administration Bans Harvard From Enrolling International Students The Department of Homeland Security has taken away Harvard University's ability to host international students in President Donald Trump's latest political attack on the Ivy League college. DHS Secretary Kristi Noem revoked Harvard's certification in the Student and Exchange Visitor Program (SEVP), the department announced on Thursday, May 22. The Trump administration has accused the Cambridge, Massachusetts, university of allowing "anti-American, pro-terrorist" foreign students to disrupt campus life. The decision puts the legal status in doubt for Harvard's nearly 6,80…
Meriden Student Charged With Sparking Bathroom Fire At Middle School — 4 Injured Meriden Student Charged With Sparking Bathroom Fire At Middle School — 4 Injured
Meriden Student Charged With Sparking Bathroom Fire At Middle School — 4 Injured When fire alarms went off at Washington Middle School in Meriden on Monday, May 19, it seemed like a typical drill. But it quickly turned into a real emergency. Students were rushed out of the building and gathered at Falcon Field as fire crews responded to a reported blaze inside the school. Meriden firefighters found a fire had been set in a second-floor girls’ bathroom using paper towels. The building filled with smoke and the strong smell of fire, and crews had to work fast to clear the air. Three school employees were taken to MidState Medical Center to be checked for smoke exposure. A…
Tuberculosis Scare At Sachem HS Prompts Testing Of 100+; District's Response Criticized Tuberculosis Scare At Sachem HS Prompts Testing Of 100+; District's Response Criticized
Tuberculosis Scare At Sachem HS Prompts Testing Of 100+; District's Response Criticized A confirmed case of tuberculosis (TB) at a Long Island high school has students, parents, and teachers on edge – and district administrators on defense. The case was confirmed at Sachem High School East and was reported to the Suffolk County Department of Health earlier this month, according to district superintendent Patti Trombetta. As a result, school officials notified 116 students and seven staff members who may have had close contact with the infected individual. However, no districtwide announcement was made at the time, prompting confusion and concern as the news began circulating…
Frog Of Honor: Kermit Leads UMD’s Class Of 2025 Sendoff Frog Of Honor: Kermit Leads UMD’s Class Of 2025 Sendoff
Frog Of Honor: Kermit Leads UMD’s Class Of 2025 Sendoff The skies may be gray in the DMV on Thursday, but there was a little green on campus at the University of Maryland. Kermit the Frog was on campus on Thursday ahead of his commencement speech scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. on May 22, after it had to be rescheduled. "Hi-ho, UMD, Kermit the Frog here," the Peabody Award winner, and best-selling author said in a post shared by the school. "That's right, I am here.  "If you see me hopping around the quad, say 'Hi.'"  .@KermitTheFrog is HERE at UMD! 🎉💚 We simply can't wait for his Commencement speech tonight. See you there, grad…
Federal Judge Blocks Trump From Dismantling Education Department Federal Judge Blocks Trump From Dismantling Education Department
Federal Judge Blocks Trump From Dismantling Education Department In a decisive legal ruling, a federal judge has blocked the Trump administration from dismantling the Department of Education, mandating the reinstatement of employees who were terminated.  US District Judge Myong Joun of Massachusetts said the department cannot be shut down without Congressional approval. In his injunction, Joun also told the administration to reinstate Education Department employees who lost their jobs during the reduction-in-force announced on Tuesday, March 11, "to restore the Department to the status quo." President Trump issued an executive order on Thursda…
Student Sets Off Pepper Spray On Meriden School Bus, Prompting Emergency Evacuation Student Sets Off Pepper Spray On Meriden School Bus, Prompting Emergency Evacuation
Student Sets Off Pepper Spray On Meriden School Bus, Prompting Emergency Evacuation A Meriden school bus was evacuated Wednesday afternoon, May 21, after a student discharged pepper spray, authorities said. The incident occurred as the bus traveled past Ceppa Field on Gale Avenue. An email to police seeking information on the number of students on board, the school they attend, and how many were treated for injuries was not immediately returned. Meriden firefighters responded to the scene and decontaminated the bus. There were no serious injuries, Meriden police said. Some children were transferred to a different bus, while others were picked up by parents at Ceppa Field.…
Henderson Elementary School Custodian Slapped 8-Year-Old In Cafeteria: PWC Police Henderson Elementary School Custodian Slapped 8-Year-Old In Cafeteria: PWC Police
Henderson Elementary School Custodian Slapped 8-Year-Old In Cafeteria: PWC Police A Virginia elementary school custodian is facing charges after allegedly smacking an 8-year-old student in the cafeteria, according to Prince William County Police. Miguel Ismael Gonzales Carmona, 76, is accused of slapping the back of the boy’s head during a brief encounter at Henderson Elementary School in Dumfries on Friday, May 16.  The two reportedly separated after the incident, and the child told school staff what happened on Monday, May 19, police said.  No serious injuries were reported. Following the investigation, Carmona, a Dumfries resident, was arrested that same d…
Classmate Ambushes, Stabs 14-Year-Old On Tracks, Repeats Death Threats In Kennett Square: PD Classmate Ambushes, Stabs 14-Year-Old On Tracks, Repeats Death Threats In Kennett Square: PD
Classmate Ambushes, Stabs 14-Year-Old On Tracks, Repeats Death Threats In Kennett Square: PD A 14-year-old boy is accused of stabbing his classmate on the railroad tracks in Kennett Square and repeatedly threatening to kill him, police announced on Monday, May 19. The attack happened on Wednesday, May 7, on the tracks behind the 300 block of West Cedar Street, according to the Kennett Square Police Department. Officers were called to the scene and found a 14-year-old boy suffering from serious stab wounds. They rendered emergency aid before EMS from Longwood Fire Company arrived and transported the victim to Nemours AI duPont Hospital in Delaware for further treatment. The victim …
Lancaster County Teacher Accused Of Groping 13-Year-Old Student: PA State Police Lancaster County Teacher Accused Of Groping 13-Year-Old Student: PA State Police
Lancaster County Teacher Accused Of Groping 13-Year-Old Student: PA State Police A Lancaster County teacher was removed from campus after a 13-year-old girl reported being groped at school, Pennsylvania State Police announced on Tuesday, May 20. Troopers with the PSP Lancaster Crime Unit say the girl told investigators that her teacher touched her buttocks during school on the morning of Monday, May 19. The incident reportedly occurred at a school along the 900 block of Robert Fulton Highway in Fulton Township. The teacher, who has not been publicly identified, was employed by the Solanco School District, officials confirmed. In a letter sent to Swift Middle School par…
Principal Out At Glen Ridge School After Lawsuit Alleges Sex Abuse Coverup Principal Out At Glen Ridge School After Lawsuit Alleges Sex Abuse Coverup
Principal Out At Glen Ridge School After Lawsuit Alleges Sex Abuse Coverup The principal and assistant principal at an Essex County elementary school have been placed on leave after a lawsuit alleges a teacher sexually harassed an 11-year-old girl for more than three years. In a letter to parents, Glen Ridge School District Superintendent Kyle Arlington said Ridgewood Avenue School Principal Michael Donovan and Assistant Principal Jonathan Heitmann have been placed on leave "until further notice." An attorney filed a notice of complaint last week against administrators alleging a teacher, Gerald White, groomed a student over a period of four years. White, who had …
Student’s Fentanyl-Laced Vape Scare Prompts Urgent Warning From Coxsackie School District Student’s Fentanyl-Laced Vape Scare Prompts Urgent Warning From Coxsackie School District
Student’s Fentanyl-Laced Vape Scare Prompts Urgent Warning From Coxsackie School District A frightening incident at a New York school has prompted a stern warning from educators about the dangers of black-market marijuana products. In a letter sent to parents on Monday, May 19, the Coxsackie-Athens Central School District detailed a recent case in central New York where a student collapsed on campus after taking a single puff from a marijuana vape. The vape, which was later tested, came back positive for fentanyl—a powerful synthetic opioid, Superintendent Randy Squie said. The student was administered multiple doses of Narcan, a life-saving medication used to reverse opioid ove…
Arlington HS Employee Under Investigation For Inappropriate Conduct: Officials Arlington HS Employee Under Investigation For Inappropriate Conduct: Officials
Arlington HS Employee Under Investigation For Inappropriate Conduct: Officials A staff member at a Dutchess County high school has been placed on administrative leave following allegations of inappropriate conduct, school district and law enforcement officials confirmed.  In a letter sent to families on Thursday, May 15, Arlington Central School District Superintendent Philip Benante acknowledged the serious nature of the report and said the district, which includes large parts of the towns of LaGrange, Pleasant Valley, Beekman, Poughkeepsie, and Union Vale, acted swiftly after learning of the allegations.  "Upon receiving this report, we immediately no…
Twelve Hospitalized After School Bus Crash In Silver Spring, Officials Say Twelve Hospitalized After School Bus Crash In Silver Spring, Officials Say
Twelve Hospitalized After School Bus Crash In Silver Spring, Officials Say Twelve people — mostly children — were hospitalized for various injuries after a school bus crashed into a vehicle in Maryland, officials say. First responders in Montgomery County were called early on Tuesday, May 20, to the area of Norwood Avenue and New Hampshire Avenue in Silver Spring, where there was a reported crash involving a school bus with more than 20 kids inside. None were trapped. Silver Spring, MD - Aerial of the scene of a reported crash involving a school bus at Norwood Rd and New Hampshire Ave. @mcfrsPIO @HHFireProds @ArmisteadIsaac @mcfrs #mcfrs @MoCoFireWire @Lawzfir…
16-Year-Old Football Player Gunned Down Near Upper Darby High School; Suspect Sought (VIDEO) 16-Year-Old Football Player Gunned Down Near Upper Darby High School; Suspect Sought (VIDEO)
16-Year-Old Football Player Gunned Down Near Upper Darby High School; Suspect Sought (Video) A teenage football player was gunned down in broad daylight just blocks from Upper Darby High School, and police are urgently seeking the suspected shooter — believed to be another teen — who was caught on camera fleeing the scene. Khalief Webster, 16, was riding his motorized scooter near Long Lane and Pine Street around 2:58 p.m. on Sunday, May 18, when he got into a heated argument with another juvenile male, according to Upper Darby Township Police. The other teen pulled a gun and shot Khalief in the lower back before running away, police said. Khalief was rushed to Penn Presbyterian Me…
Kindergartener Hands Out Alcohol In Jell-O At PA School: Superintendent Kindergartener Hands Out Alcohol In Jell-O At PA School: Superintendent
Kindergartener Hands Out Alcohol In Jell-O At PA School: Superintendent A Pennsylvania kindergartener handed out alcoholic Jell-O cups to classmates at school, alarming parents and prompting a hospital visit, school officials said. The incident happened at Johnstown Elementary School in Cambria County earlier on Wednesday, May 14, according to a statement from Greater Johnstown School District Superintendent Dr. Amy Arcurio. Three students reportedly ingested alcohol from the Jell-O shots before staff intervened. All affected children were evaluated by the school nurse and then taken by EMS to a local hospital for further treatment. Parents met their children t…
Charles County Man Who Pointed Gun At School Bus Full Of Kids Avoids More Jail Time Charles County Man Who Pointed Gun At School Bus Full Of Kids Avoids More Jail Time
Charles County Man Who Pointed Gun At School Bus Full Of Kids Avoids More Jail Time A Maryland man who pointed a gun at a bus full of middle schoolers will avoid any additional jail time after a judge gave him credit for time served. Richard William Ellis, 48, of Newburg, was sentenced to five years in prison with all but 142 days suspended after pleading guilty to 19 counts of second-degree assault, the Charles County State’s Attorney’s Office announced Friday, May 16. Ellis had already spent 142 days behind bars since his arrest in December 2024. He will now serve five years of supervised probation and was ordered to remove all firearms from his home. The charges stem f…
Mount Vernon Schools Pick New Leader Amid Budget, Enrollment Challenges Mount Vernon Schools Pick New Leader Amid Budget, Enrollment Challenges
Mount Vernon Schools Pick New Leader Amid Budget, Enrollment Challenges A Westchester County school district has selected a new leader to guide it through one of the most challenging periods in its recent history. In a unanimous vote on Wednesday, May 14, the Mount Vernon Board of Education appointed Dr. Demario A. Strickland as the district’s new Superintendent of Schools, effective Tuesday, July 1.  Dr. Strickland currently serves as interim superintendent for the Rochester City School District and brings nearly two decades of educational leadership experience to his new role in Westchester County, district officials said.  The appointment comes ju…
Principal Suspended Amid Parent Outcry Over Leadership Concerns At Middle Island School Principal Suspended Amid Parent Outcry Over Leadership Concerns At Middle Island School
Principal Suspended Amid Parent Outcry Over Leadership Concerns At Middle Island School A Long Island school principal has been suspended amid growing community backlash over his leadership and alleged mismanagement. Daniel McKeon, the principal of Longwood Middle School in Middle Island, has been placed on “administrative reassignment," district superintendent Lance Lohman confirmed in a letter to parents. While Lohman declined to provide specifics, citing personnel confidentiality, the move comes as a Change.org petition calling for McKeon’s dismissal gains traction. The petition, started by a group of concerned parents and community members, accuses McKeon of fostering a “…
Double Trouble At Trumbull High: Firefighters Tackle Major Leak, Minor Fire Hours Apart Double Trouble At Trumbull High: Firefighters Tackle Major Leak, Minor Fire Hours Apart
Double Trouble At Trumbull High: Firefighters Tackle Major Leak, Minor Fire Hours Apart Firefighters were called to Trumbull High School twice in less than six hours after two unrelated incidents sent emergency crews scrambling Thursday night and early Friday morning. The first call came at 8:24 p.m., Thursday, May 15, when Trumbull firefighters responded to a 100-gallon glycol spill from a broken pipe that flooded the school, authorities said.  Firefighters worked to contain the spill and reduce any danger. Building maintenance quickly shut down the HVAC system to stop the chemical from spreading through the air. Once the area was deemed safe, the scene was turned over …
Drunk Dad With Bulging Pants At Kennett Middle School Found With Loaded Gun: Police Drunk Dad With Bulging Pants At Kennett Middle School Found With Loaded Gun: Police
Drunk Dad With Bulging Pants At Kennett Middle School Found With Loaded Gun: Police An intoxicated man armed with a loaded pistol tried to pick up a child he wasn’t authorized to retrieve from a Chester County middle school, police announced on Thursday, May 15.  Joseph L. Lawthers, 30, showed up at Kennett Middle School at 195 SunnyDell Road in Landenberg at 3:20 p.m. on Wednesday, May 14, well after dismissal had ended, according to Southern Chester County Regional Police. Staff immediately activated safety protocols after determining Lawthers was not on the approved list to pick up the child. He was kept outside in the secure vestibule where the school resource off…
Garfield Engineer Flunked Out Of Rutgers In 1957; At 85, He Graduates As Oldest Student Ever Garfield Engineer Flunked Out Of Rutgers In 1957; At 85, He Graduates As Oldest Student Ever
Garfield Engineer Flunked Out Of Rutgers In 1957; At 85, He Graduates As Oldest Student Ever Tom Maniscalco was 18 when he first stepped onto the Rutgers campus in 1957. Nearly 70 years later, he’s graduating. At 85 years old. The Garfield resident will earn a master’s degree in engineering this week, becoming Rutgers’ oldest graduate in school history, the university said. “It’s a sense of accomplishment at my age,” Maniscalco said. Maniscalco originally enrolled at Rutgers to study mechanical engineering, but flunked out after one semester. He got an A in calculus and a B in physics, but failed engineering drawing. “Of all things, engineering drawing! And I became a design engi…
Palisades Park Schools Chief Leaves After Two Decades, Takes Top Job In Demarest Palisades Park Schools Chief Leaves After Two Decades, Takes Top Job In Demarest
Palisades Park Schools Chief Leaves After Two Decades, Takes Top Job In Demarest After more than two decades of service, Palisades Park Superintendent Dr. Joseph Cirillo is stepping down and will become the new Superintendent of Demarest Public Schools, he announced. Dr. Cirillo, who began working in Palisades Park in 2004 and served as superintendent for the past 12 years, was officially appointed to his new role during a special meeting of the Demarest Board of Education, following what officials called an “extensive and thoughtful search process.” “Since September of 2004, it has been my honor to serve the children of Palisades Park and to collaborate with such suppo…
WWII Mortar Round Found In Cumberland County Teen’s Backpack On School Bus: Police WWII Mortar Round Found In Cumberland County Teen’s Backpack On School Bus: Police
WWII Mortar Round Found In Cumberland County Teen’s Backpack On School Bus: Police A Cumberland County teen brought a World War II-era mortar round onto a school bus, prompting an emergency police response in Mechanicsburg, authorities announced on Wednesday, May 14, 2025. The 17-year-old Greenwood School District student had the inert explosive device in his backpack while riding a school bus to the Cumberland Perry Area Career and Technical Center at 110 Old Willow Mill Road, according to Silver Spring Township Police. Officers were notified at 11:49 a.m., and the Pennsylvania State Police Hazardous Device and Explosive Section confirmed the device contained no explosiv…
Florida Man Left Loaded Gun In Car—9-Year-Old Took It To Charles County School, Sheriff Says Florida Man Left Loaded Gun In Car—9-Year-Old Took It To Charles County School, Sheriff Says
Florida Man Left Loaded Gun In Car—9-Year-Old Took It To Charles County School, Sheriff Says A Florida man who left his loaded gun in a car before a 9-year-old brought it to school — where it later discharged inside a Maryland classroom — is now facing charges, police announced. Phillip McRay Bright, 68, of Crestview, Florida, has been charged in connection with the April 10 firearm incident at Billingsley Elementary School in Waldorf, according to the Charles County Sheriff’s Office. Investigators say the 9-year-old student accidentally fired the gun inside a classroom after stashing it in his backpack days earlier.  No one was injured, but the incident sparked a lockdown an…
Former Catholic School Teacher Connected To Child Porn, Solicitation In Chantilly, Sheriff Says Former Catholic School Teacher Connected To Child Porn, Solicitation In Chantilly, Sheriff Says
Former Catholic School Teacher Connected To Child Porn, Solicitation In Chantilly, Sheriff Says A Virginia Catholic school teacher is behind bars after being arrested on multiple child porn and solicitation charges, authorities announced. Nicolas Martin Zimmerman, 35, of Chantilly, was arrested on April 7 and is facing multiple felony charges, according to the Loudoun County Sheriff’s Office (LCSO). Zimmerman, a former teacher at St. Veronica’s Catholic School in Chantilly, taught at the school from August 2015 through February 2025, officials said on Wednesday, May 14. He was arrested in April. Zimmerman is now charged with two counts of felony electronic solicitation, nine counts …
Lower Paxton School Bus Driver High On Multiple Drugs Gets Prison Time Lower Paxton School Bus Driver High On Multiple Drugs Gets Prison Time
Lower Paxton School Bus Driver High On Multiple Drugs Gets Prison Time A Dauphin County woman who drove a school van full of special-needs students while high on prescription drugs has been sentenced to jail and probation, Lancaster County officials said. Heather Elaine Shumberger, 41, of Lower Paxton Township, pleaded guilty to DUI, endangering the welfare of children, and recklessly endangering another person, according to the Lancaster County District Attorney’s Office in a release issued Tuesday, May 13. Lancaster County Judge Jeffrey Conrad originally stated she would serve up to seven years and nine months behind bars. However, court documents were corre…
Southington Students Charged After Setting School Laptops On Fire In Dangerous TikTok Trend Southington Students Charged After Setting School Laptops On Fire In Dangerous TikTok Trend
Southington Students Charged After Setting School Laptops On Fire In Dangerous TikTok Trend Two Connecticut high school students have been arrested and charged after police said they triggered an evacuation last week by causing their school-issued laptops to produce toxic smoke as part of a viral social media trend, according to reports. Southington High School was evacuated on Wednesday, May 7, after two teens reportedly inserted metal objects into the laptops’ ports, causing the electrical components inside to spark and catch fire, Southington police said. The dangerous trend is known as the "Chromebook Challenge." Multiple schools in Connecticut have been evacuated or disrupted…
Inappropriate Photo Of 11-Year-Old Girl Circulated At School: PA State Police Avondale Inappropriate Photo Of 11-Year-Old Girl Circulated At School: PA State Police Avondale
Inappropriate Photo Of 11-Year-Old Girl Circulated At School: PA State Police Avondale An intimate image of an 11-year-old girl was shared among students at a Chester County school, Pennsylvania State Police announced on Monday, May 13. Troopers were called to investigate the inappropriate photo at 9:16 a.m. on Monday, May 6, at Avon Grove Charter School in London Grove Township, according to the release. Multiple students were interviewed after the image began circulating, state police said. The Chester County District Attorney’s Office has been notified and is working with investigators. No further details were released, including how the image was obtained or who may be …