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Montclair State University

Obituaries
'Undone Melody': Funeral Held For Montclair State Freshman Found Dead In Newark Bay 'Undone Melody': Funeral Held For Montclair State Freshman Found Dead In Newark Bay
'Undone Melody': Funeral Held For Montclair State Freshman Found Dead In Newark Bay A funeral Mass was held Tuesday, March 19, for an 18-year-old Montclair State University freshman from Jersey City whose body was recovered from Newark Bay. Hayley Alvarado had been missing since just before Christmas last year. Her body was spotted and then recovered from the bay near Gregg County Park in Bayonne on March 5, according to the Hudson County Sheriff’s Department. The Filipino American teen reportedly was wearing the same blue "Delaware" t-shirt that her father said he bought her during a trip to Maryland two years ago, as well as the same pants and shoes. She was officially…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Lifestyle
Meet NJ 'Slipper Slap Master' Who Choreographed TikTok's Latest Viral Dance Meet NJ 'Slipper Slap Master' Who Choreographed TikTok's Latest Viral Dance
Meet NJ 'Slipper Slap Master' Who Choreographed TikTok's Latest Viral Dance We're one week into 2024 and Joseph Lepinski, a Middlesex County resident, has already launched the year's newest TikTok dance craze. Lepinski, a.k.a. JerseyyJoe has been going viral on TikTok with his new dance, the Cha Cha. Lepinski, the master of the Slipper Slap, has racked up more than 26 million videos of his new dance.  Lepinski produces his dance videos  while studying physical education at Montclair State University and launching his own clothing brand. @jerseyyjoe DO THE CHA CHA 😂🔥🔥 ( DC: ME ) #jerseyyjoe #jersey #trend #viral #fyp ♬ original sound - On The Rad…

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by Sam Barron
Obituaries
Student, 19, Who Died In Fall From NJIT Parking Deck Remembered Student, 19, Who Died In Fall From NJIT Parking Deck Remembered
Student, 19, Who Died In Fall From Njit Parking Deck Remembered A 19-year-old student who died in a fall from a parking deck at the New Jersey Institute of Technology this month is being remembered as a “faithful friend” and a “beacon of positivity.” Elna Nandako Nyongesa died in Newark on Saturday, Nov. 11, her obituary says.  "With heavy hearts, we share the heartbreaking loss of Elna Nyongesa, who was suddenly taken from us on November 11, 2023," reads a GoFundMe for her family.  "Elna, our shining star, was a student at the New Jersey Institute of Technology who tragically died after falling from the parking deck at her school, leaving be…

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by Valerie Musson
Police & Fire
Student Shared Homemade Child Porn Via Montclair State Internet: NJAG Student Shared Homemade Child Porn Via Montclair State Internet: NJAG
Student Shared Homemade Child Porn Via Montclair State Internet: Njag UPDATE: A Montclair State University junior who was arrested for collecting child porn used the school's Internet connection to post videos of children pleasuring themselves that he'd convinced them to make by posing as a woman, authorities charged. The allegation is among new details that emerged from an indictment returned against Keyon Luff, 21, of Edgewater Park in Burlington County by a state grand jury in Trenton. Daily Voice reported Luff's initial arrest this past May.  Armed with a court-approved warrant, state Cybercrime Bureau/Internet Crimes Against Children investiga…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Schools
Best Colleges In NJ: Website Releases 2024 Rankings Best Colleges In NJ: Website Releases 2024 Rankings
Best Colleges In NJ: Website Releases 2024 Rankings The grades have been posted. Just in time for the 2023-24 school year, Niche.com has released its list of best colleges in New Jersey. In fact, several universities in the Garden State also made the popular ranking site's list of best colleges in America — with Princeton coming in at No. 5 (click here to read up on how the list was compiled). The top 10 universities in New Jersey according to Niche are: No. 1. Princeton University No. 2. Rutgers University New Brunswick, Piscataway No. 3. Stevens Institute of Technology, Hoboken No. 4. The College of New Jersey, Ewing No. 5. Rutgers Univ…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
UPDATE: College Student From Garfield Dead, GF Hospitalized In Horrific Ridgefield Crash UPDATE: College Student From Garfield Dead, GF Hospitalized In Horrific Ridgefield Crash
Update: College Student From Garfield Dead, GF Hospitalized In Horrific Ridgefield Crash UPDATE: A 19-year-old college student from Garfield was killed and his girlfriend seriously injured when his Mustang slammed into the front of a new restaurant in Ridgefield early Saturday. The two were headed north on Broad Avenue when Yusuf Bakmaz missed the split to Grand Avenue on the left around midnight June 24, Ridgefield Police Chief TJ Gallagher said. The teen's white 2002 Ford Mustang barreled over the island, clipped another vehicle and swerved directly into Karden, which opened in April at the site of the old Chan's Dragon Inn. Bakmaz -- a sophomore who majored in computer sc…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Lifestyle
Steak And Eggs Saved His Life: Recovering NJ Addict Represents Northeast On 'MasterChef' Steak And Eggs Saved His Life: Recovering NJ Addict Represents Northeast On 'MasterChef'
Steak And Eggs Saved His Life: Recovering NJ Addict Represents Northeast On 'MasterChef' The first thing Ryan Walker did after getting sober was lose 50 pounds. How'd he do it? Steak and eggs, the Millstone Township resident says. Well, the Keto Diet and other forms of healthy eating. And ironically enough, the 33-year-old home chef's signature breakfast dish wowed celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay, earning him a spot representing the Northeast on "MasterChef: United Tastes of America." Walker will appear alongside another New Jersey chef, Purvi Dogra, as the show progresses.  The next episode will air Wednesday, June 21 at 8 p.m. on FOX. This season is a regional competition tha…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
It’s Over: Burglars Who Stole $1M In World Series Rings, More From Berra Museum Busted By Feds It’s Over: Burglars Who Stole $1M In World Series Rings, More From Berra Museum Busted By Feds
It’s Over: Burglars Who Stole $1M In World Series Rings, More From Berra Museum Busted By Feds The local cops suspected it was an inside job, but federal authorities on Thursday said otherwise. It seems the burglars who broke into the Yogi Berra Museum at Montclair State University nearly a decade ago and stole several of his World Series rings, two of his MVP plaques and the glove the Yankee legend used to catch Don Larsen’s perfect game were actually part of a multi-state ring. Eight people in all were charged with a series of heists of priceless artwork and one-of-a-kind sports memorabilia from museums and cultural centers in several states and Washington, D.C. from 1999 through …

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Small But Spicy: Powerful Clinging Jellyfish Spotted In NJ Waters Small But Spicy: Powerful Clinging Jellyfish Spotted In NJ Waters
Small But Spicy: Powerful Clinging Jellyfish Spotted In NJ Waters A petite but potent jellyfish is hiding in New Jersey waters, naturalists warn. The Clinging Jellyfish, officially dubbed the Gonionemus vertens, was collected last month by naturalist Naturalist Jesse Amesbury at Skimmer Tours during a trip in the Cape May area. The jellyfish is difficult to see, growing to be only about an inch in diameter and mostly transparent, according to the NJDEP. They have a "single distinctive" reddish-orange to yellow cross and between 60 and 80 alternating short and long tentacles containing the nematocysts, or stinging cells, the DEP …

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Another Montclair State Student Seized On Child Porn Charges Another Montclair State Student Seized On Child Porn Charges
Another Montclair State Student Seized On Child Porn Charges A second Montclair State University student was arrested on child porn charges, only this time by federal authorities. Sean Lynch, 21, of Summit, used an instant messaging app to share six dozen videos of children being sexually abused, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said. The announcement of a federal arrest came less than a week after state authorities seized MSU junior Keyon Luff, also 21, of Edgewater Park. Luff "catfished" underage children online using a bogus identity, engaged them in sexually explicit chats – and even had some send him videos of them pleasuring themselves, Selli…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Montclair State Junior Who Collected Child Porn Got Kids To Send Sex Vids, Authorities Charge Montclair State Junior Who Collected Child Porn Got Kids To Send Sex Vids, Authorities Charge
Montclair State Junior Who Collected Child Porn Got Kids To Send Sex Vids, Authorities Charge Investigators who arrested a student at Montclair State University for collecting child porn made a frightening discovery after raiding his dorm room, authorities said. The MSU junior from Burlington County had contacted underage children online using a bogus identity, then engaged them in sexually explicit chats – and even had some send him videos of them pleasuring themselves, they said. Keyon Luff, 21, of Edgewater Park, was arrested by state Division of Criminal Justice detectives assisted by Montclair State police during a raid of his on-campus dorm room last week, New Jersey Attorney …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Schools
Beloved North Jersey HS Teacher Fady Hanna Dies: 'We Feel Horrible' Beloved North Jersey HS Teacher Fady Hanna Dies: 'We Feel Horrible'
Beloved North Jersey HS Teacher Fady Hanna Dies: 'We Feel Horrible' A Passaic County high school is mourning the loss of one of its most beloved teachers. Fady Hanna, an English teacher at Manchester Regional High School in Haledon since 2020, was remembered by Schools Superintendent Gary Lubisco Jr. as "an engaging teacher," who made students feel excited to attend class. "We feel horrible," Luisco told Daily Voice. "He was a beloved member of our school community and will be deeply missed." It was not immediately known when or how Hanna died. The school will be closed on Wednesday, April 19 due to Hanna's untimely death, officials announced in a le…

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by Jon Craig
News
Human Trafficking: US Homeland Security Investigations, NJSP, Others Cite New Enforcement Tools Human Trafficking: US Homeland Security Investigations, NJSP, Others Cite New Enforcement Tools
Human Trafficking: US Homeland Security Investigations, Njsp, Others Cite New Enforcement Tools New ways of targeting and stopping human trafficking will be discussed by an elite group of federal, state and local law enforcement authorities in Newark on Wednesday, Jan. 25. U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Phillip R. Sellinger, Homeland Security Investigations (HSI) Newark Special Agent In Charge Ricky J. Patel and Ali Boak, the director of the Global Center on Human Trafficking, will be among the speakers at the unique news media event. They will discuss joint efforts at fighting human trafficking by giving law enforcement at all levels the necessary tools – including a new mobile app and…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
These New Jersey Colleges Ranked Among Best In America These New Jersey Colleges Ranked Among Best In America
These New Jersey Colleges Ranked Among Best In America New Jersey boasts one of the highest college graduation rates in America, and with top-rated small and large, public and private universities, it's no surprise since there seems to be a school to fit every sort of student— 30 of which have ranked among the top 1,500 on the US News & World Report's 2022-2023 Best Colleges.  Princeton was the highest ranking overall in both the state and the country. The first place status has it outranking MIT, Harvard, Stafford, Yale — the latter three of which tied— the University of Chicago, and the University of Pennsylvania— which tied…

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by Jillian Pikora
News
Rare Purple Jellyfish With Powerful Sting Found In Throngs At NJ Beaches Rare Purple Jellyfish With Powerful Sting Found In Throngs At NJ Beaches
Rare Purple Jellyfish With Powerful Sting Found In Throngs At NJ Beaches They might be pretty, but boy can they sting. A rare, purple jellyfish called "mauve stingers" who can sting without their tentacles, and powerfully, have been popping up along the Jersey Shore. Scientists warn there could be thousands of them. Maggie McGuire told NJ.com that the water in Manasquan was swarming with the purple jellyfish. She posted photos of them to Facebook group New Jersey Jellyspotters. "Very beautiful but they pack a good sting," commented Paul Bologna, the director of the Marine Biology and Coastal Sciences program at Montclair State University.  Bologna tells NJ.com…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
WILD CHASE: Masked Carjackers Ram Police Cruiser, Civilian Vehicles On Route 46 WILD CHASE: Masked Carjackers Ram Police Cruiser, Civilian Vehicles On Route 46
Wild Chase: Masked Carjackers Ram Police Cruiser, Civilian Vehicles On Route 46 Three carjackers were captured following a wild chase in which they rammed a Wayne police cruiser and several civilian vehicles on Route 46, authorities said. It began shortly after Montville police issued an alert for two vehicles, one of which had just been taken by thieves in ski masks, shortly after 1 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 27. A short time later, the masked bandits approached a Porsche at the Starbucks on Route 23 just south of the "spaghetti bowl" intersection in Wayne near Willowbrook Mall, Wayne Detective Capt. Dan Daly said. They abandoned their attempt after discovering it occupied,…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Surprise Proposal Shocks Montclair State Grad (VIDEO) Surprise Proposal Shocks Montclair State Grad (VIDEO)
Surprise Proposal Shocks Montclair State Grad (Video) One Montclair State University student got a sweet surprise during the convocation ceremony this week. Hendy Joseph was waiting for Kathy Fervius as she got on stage. "No words can express my love for you," he says, holding a bouquet of flowers. "I love you." Joseph got down on one knee and — spoiler alert — she said yes. According to NJ Advance Media, the Newark couple had planned an engagement for sometime this summer — but Joseph had something else up his sleeve, the outlet said. Click here to watch the proposal from MSU and here for more from NJ Advance Media.

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by Cecilia Levine
News
RESPECTS: Visiting Hours Today (Sunday), Funeral Monday For New Milford High School Senior RESPECTS: Visiting Hours Today (Sunday), Funeral Monday For New Milford High School Senior
Respects: Visiting Hours Today (Sunday), Funeral Monday For New Milford High School Senior UPDATE: Visiting hours are scheduled from 4-8 p.m. Sunday followed by a 10 a.m. funeral service on Monday for an 18-year-old New Milford High School senior who drowned trying to help a group of local kids. Both the April 25 service and visitation for Clinten Ajit the day before are at St. Peter's Mar Thoma Church, 56 Ridgewood Road in Washington Township: (201) 837-2200. The service will be followed by interment in Westwood Cemetery, 23 Kinderkamack Road, Westwood: (201) 664-7161. Ajit was born in Niranam, Kerala, India on Jan. 22, 2004. He emigrated to the U.S. with his family in Septembe…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
GoFundMe Established For Family Of Drowned New Milford HS Student GoFundMe Established For Family Of Drowned New Milford HS Student
GoFundMe Established For Family Of Drowned New Milford HS Student UPDATE: Visiting hours are scheduled from 4-8 p.m. Sunday followed by a 10 a.m. funeral service on Monday for an 18-year-old New Milford High School senior who drowned trying to help a group of local kids. The April 25 service and visitation for Clinten Ajit the day before are both at St. Peter's Mar Thoma Church, 56 Ridgewood Road in Washington Township: (201) 837-2200. The service will be followed by interment in Westwood Cemetery, 23 Kinderkamack Road, Westwood: (201) 664-7161. Ajit was born in Niranam, Kerala, India on Jan. 22, 2004. He emigrated to the U.S. with his family in Septemb…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Obituaries
Beloved Trenton Native, Montclair State Grad Dies Suddenly At 23 Beloved Trenton Native, Montclair State Grad Dies Suddenly At 23
Beloved Trenton Native, Montclair State Grad Dies Suddenly At 23 Beloved Trenton native and Montclair State University graduate Taquesha Tift died suddenly on Monday, Feb. 7. She was 23. Tift grew up in Trenton and attended the Mercer County Health Science Academy, her social media pages say. Tift then went on to study exercise science at Montclair State University, where she graduated in 2021, her page says. Social media tributes were pouring in for Tift, who was remembered as a loving soul and a “special light in this world.” “God gifted you with so much charisma, you can light up a room and make anyone smile!” writes Tiffany Hargrett. “You gave us…

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by Valerie Musson
News
Trio Charged With Murdering College-Bound Paterson Honor Student, 18 Trio Charged With Murdering College-Bound Paterson Honor Student, 18
Trio Charged With Murdering College-Bound Paterson Honor Student, 18 Three men were each charged with murder in a street shooting that killed an innocent college-bound honor student from Paterson as he carried in his grandmother’s groceries. Jaquin Williams and Jahed Jones, both 19 of Paterson, and Kahaz D. Heron, 18, of Clifton remained held in the Passaic County Jail following an intense and furious investigation into the slaying of 18-year-old Robert Cuadra. Cuadra was struck by a bullet that was among no fewer than 16 rounds that authorities said were fired on Godwin Avenue around 6:30 p.m. Jan. 19. Responding officers found the mortally wounded teen o…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Stray Bullet Kills Paterson Teen Carrying In His Grandmother's Groceries Stray Bullet Kills Paterson Teen Carrying In His Grandmother's Groceries
Stray Bullet Kills Paterson Teen Carrying In His Grandmother's Groceries UPDATE: A college-bound Paterson teen was carrying in his grandmother's groceries when he was struck and killed by a stray bullet outside the family's home, loved ones said.  Robert Cuadra, 18, was hit when someone fired no fewer than 16 rounds on Godwin Avenue between Carroll Street and Rosa Parks Boulevard around 6:30 p.m. Wednesday, police said. Responding officers found the mortally wounded teen on the sidewalk in front of his house, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Paterson Police Chief Ibrahim Baycora said in a joint announcement. An ambulance took Cuadra to St. Josep…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
These Are The Best Colleges In New Jersey, Website Says These Are The Best Colleges In New Jersey, Website Says
These Are The Best Colleges In New Jersey, Website Says Niche has released its 2022 rankings of the best colleges in New Jersey. Princeton University was ranked first among the top 10 in the state. The calculations were based on "an analysis of academic, admissions, financial, and student life data from the U.S. Department of Education along with millions of reviews from students and alumni." Niche said. "The ranking compares more than 1,000 top colleges and universities in the U.S. This year's rankings have reduced the weight of ACT/SAT scores to reflect a general de-emphasis on test scores in the college admissions process," the website added…

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by Nicole Acosta
News
COVID-19 Vaccines Mandatory At These NJ Universities COVID-19 Vaccines Mandatory At These NJ Universities
Covid-19 Vaccines Mandatory At These NJ Universities Colleges and universities around the world are making COVID-19 vaccines mandatory for students. Including several in New Jersey. The most recent school in the Garden State to do so was Montclair State University, which made the announcement Thursday. Other NJ colleges and universities that require vaccinations include: Rutgers University Princeton University Fairleigh Dickinson University New Jersey City University New Jersey recently expanded vaccine eligibility to include anyone age 16 or above. As of Friday, April 23, approximately 6,310,065 New Jersey residents were vaccina…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Prosecutor: Jersey Shore Police Officer, Sports Coach Arrested For Sexually Assaulting Child Prosecutor: Jersey Shore Police Officer, Sports Coach Arrested For Sexually Assaulting Child
Prosecutor: Jersey Shore Police Officer, Sports Coach Arrested For Sexually Assaulting Child A popular South Jersey youth sports coach and Ocean City police officer has been arrested for sexually assaulting a juvenile, authorities said. Sgt. Tyrone Rolls, 50, of Marmora turned himself into the Cape May Prosecutor’s Office on Wednesday where he was charged and taken to Cape May County Correctional Center. Rolls remains employed by the Ocean City Police Department.  His employment status will be determined after the city receives the official charges, a city spokesperson told NJ Advance Media, saying he is currently on administrative leave. Four years ago, Rolls received a key to …

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by Jon Craig
News
Bergen Woman Struck By Hit-Run Driver On Route 46 Dies After Years-Long Battle Bergen Woman Struck By Hit-Run Driver On Route 46 Dies After Years-Long Battle
Bergen Woman Struck By Hit-Run Driver On Route 46 Dies After Years-Long Battle Anna Semioli fought for 4½ years while loved ones prayed for a miracle after she was struck by a pickup truck on Route 46 in Clifton. Annie's fight ended this weekend. Semioli, 26, of Moonachie was two months from being graduated with an accounting degree from Montclair State University when she was hit by the pickup just after midnight on Oct. 9, 2015. She suffered a traumatic brain injury, lost a great deal of blood and went into cardiac arrest. The driver fled the scene, leaving her on the side of the highway. He surrendered a week later amid intense media coverage. He didn’t have insu…

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by Jerry DeMarco