Scotch Plains Student Reportedly Posted Image Of Himself In Blackface Scotch Plains Student Reportedly Posted Image Of Himself In Blackface
Scotch Plains Student Reportedly Posted Image Of Himself In Blackface The superintendent of the Scotch Plains - Fanwood school district sent a letter to parents Monday to quell concerns about an alleged threat believed to have been made online by a student.  The high school student, according to multiple published reports, appeared in the social media post wearing blackface and standing before a Confederate flag, although an investigation never turned up evidence of an actual threat, Dr. Joan Mast said in her letter.  "On November 10th it came to the attention of the Scotch Plains Police Department that a controversial photo had been posted on socia…
Thomas Bliss, 14, Of Kenilworth, Avid Denver Broncos Fan Thomas Bliss, 14, Of Kenilworth, Avid Denver Broncos Fan
Thomas Bliss, 14, Of Kenilworth, Avid Denver Broncos Fan Thomas Robert Bliss of Kenilworth died at University Medical Center in Newark Tuesday. He was 14 years old.  Born in Perth Amboy, he lived with his family in Roselle Park before they moved to Kenilworth in 2012.  He attended David Brearly Middle School in Kenilworth and was a student at Magnet High School in Scotch Plains. He loved playing video games and was a fan of the Denver Broncos football team.  Thomas was predeceased by his maternal grandparents, Patricia and William Knapp. Surviving are his parents, Thomas and Kathleen;  sister Kayla Bliss; paternal grandparent…
UPDATE: Man Charged With Setting Series Of Fires In Linden UPDATE: Man Charged With Setting Series Of Fires In Linden
Update: Man Charged With Setting Series Of Fires In Linden UPDATE, Aug. 1: A Roselle man has been charged with setting the fires. Click here for more.  Original story is below:  Firefighters in Linden and neighboring towns handled a string of fires Thursday night that police say appear to be suspicious.  No one was hurt in any of the fires.  The first in the series of blazes occurred at 809 N. Wood Ave. around 10 p.m., said Lt. Christopher Guenther of the Linden Police Department. The building was unoccupied, but police said neighbors were evacuated safely as a precaution.  An empty house on Seymour Avenue went up n…
Marco M. Giasullo, 31, Scotch Plains Native Who Loved Golf, Playing Guitar Marco M. Giasullo, 31, Scotch Plains Native Who Loved Golf, Playing Guitar
Marco M. Giasullo, 31, Scotch Plains Native Who Loved Golf, Playing Guitar Funeral services are planned later this week for Marco M. Giasullo, who died suddenly on June 8. A Dover resident, Marco grew up in Scotch Plains and was a graduate of Scotch Plains-Fanwood High School, where he was a pitcher for the varsity baseball team. After earning an economics degree from the University of Rhode Island he worked in the banking industry in Rhode Island and in New Jersey. An avid fan of the New York Yankees, Marco also loved to play golf. He played guitar and loved to mix music on his computer. He is survived by his father, Robert Giasullo, and his wife, Teresa Paren…
NEW RANKINGS: These North Jersey High Schools Among Nation's Best In U.S. NEW RANKINGS: These North Jersey High Schools Among Nation's Best In U.S.
NEW Rankings: These North Jersey High Schools Among Nation's Best In U.S. Where does your high school rank nationally? Now, you can find out. More than 17,000 schools nationwide are numerically ranked, up from last year's 2,700 schools in this year's U.S. News & World Report rankings of the best high schools in the nation. The six factors weighed in the rankings were graduation rates, number of AP courses offered, college readiness, reading and math proficiency, reading and math performance, and underserved student performance. "Our mission with the Best High Schools rankings has always been to educate families about the schools in their district," said…
Flags To Be Lowered For Westfield Principal Who Died After Marrow Donation Flags To Be Lowered For Westfield Principal Who Died After Marrow Donation
Flags To Be Lowered For Westfield Principal Who Died After Marrow Donation Gov. Phil Murphy has ordered that U.S. and state flags be flown at half-staff Monday in honor of Dr. Derrick Nelson, the principal of Westfield High School who died April 7 following a bone marrow donation several weeks earlier.  "Dr. Derrick Nelson represented the best of our state and our country,” Murphy said in a statement. “He spent over 20 years in the United States Army, including time in the Middle East. He did all of this while serving the children of Plainfield, Orange, and Westfield, as a teacher, an assistant principal, and eventually as a principal. Tragically, Dr. Nelson d…