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New Providence, NJ

Schools
New Rankings: Best Public High Schools In Union County New Rankings: Best Public High Schools In Union County
New Rankings: Best Public High Schools In Union County Niche has released its list of the best public high schools in America for 2025. The rankings are based on "rigorous analysis of key statistics and millions of reviews from students and parents using data from the U.S. Department of Education. Factors include teacher quality, high school ratings, college readiness, state test scores, and graduation rates (click here for more on methodology). Here are the top 10 best high schools in Union County, according to Niche. 1. Union County Magnet, Scotch Plains 2. Academy for Information Technology, Scotch Plains 3. Academy for Allied Health Scien…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
DUI Driver Strikes Officers During Traffic Stop On Route 78, 3 Hospitalized: Police DUI Driver Strikes Officers During Traffic Stop On Route 78, 3 Hospitalized: Police
DUI Driver Strikes Officers During Traffic Stop On Route 78, 3 Hospitalized: Police Two police officers were hospitalized after being struck by a DUI minivan driver while conducting a motor vehicle stop on Route 78 Friday, Aug. 9, authorities said. The New Providence Police Department said two of their officers were in marked police vehicles were emergency lights activated while stopped with a civilian vehicle on the westbound shoulder of the highway near mile post 43 in Berkeley Heights around 5 p.m. A westbound Honda Odyssey driven by Johnny Ho, 45, of Flushing, NY, struck the back of the New Providence patrol vehicle, causing a chain reaction crash with the next New Pro…

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by Cecilia Levine
Obituaries
'Look For My Soul In Your Next Life': New Milford Bus Crash Victim, 64, Succumbs To Injuries 'Look For My Soul In Your Next Life': New Milford Bus Crash Victim, 64, Succumbs To Injuries
'Look For My Soul In Your Next Life': New Milford Bus Crash Victim, 64, Succumbs To Injuries 𝗧𝗥𝗜𝗕𝗨𝗧𝗘: A 64-year-old New Milford man who died less than two weeks after he was struck by a commuter bus while walking to work donated his kidneys, loved ones said. Daybreak was still a good 20 minutes away when the NJ Transit bus hit Frank Bauer at the intersection of Madison Avenue and River Road shortly before 6:30 a.m. Feb. 21. Bauer suffered a fractured skull, brain bleed and other major injuries, loved ones said. Doctors at Hackensack University Medical Center put him into an induced coma in a determined effort to save him. The PSE&G veteran and grandfather died on Sunday, March…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Weather
These North Jersey Towns Got The Most Snow These North Jersey Towns Got The Most Snow
These North Jersey Towns Got The Most Snow New Jersey residents are digging out of this week's snow storm — the worst of the season so far. According to the National Weather Service, the storm left 15 inches in the northern-most part of the state, canceling schools across the region. Here are the towns who got the most snow in the Tuesday, Feb. 13 storm, according to the National Weather Service. BERGEN River Vale: 9.8 inches Franklin Lakes: 9.1 Waldwick: 9.0 Bergenfield: 8.1 Mahwah: 8.0 Fair Lawn: 7.0 Lyndhurst: 6.5 HUDSON Harrison: 5.5 East Newark: 5.0 SW Hoboken: 4.8 MORRIS Green Pond/Randolph: 11.5 Denville: 10.2 Kinnelon…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Officials ID Pedestrian Fatally Struck By Train In North Jersey Officials ID Pedestrian Fatally Struck By Train In North Jersey
Officials ID Pedestrian Fatally Struck By Train In North Jersey NJ Transit officials have identified the pedestrian fatally struck by a train this week. Naji Jacob, a 74-year-old New Providence resident, was struck and killed by a train near Murray Hill Station in New Providence early Wednesday morning, Dec. 27. At 5:05 a.m., a Gladstone Branch train en route to Hoboken, fatally struck Jacob, NJ Transit officials said. There were no injuries to the people on board the train, NJ Transit said.

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by Sam Barron
Obituaries
Tammy Tobitsch, Outdoor Enthusiast From Union County, Dies At 47 Tammy Tobitsch, Outdoor Enthusiast From Union County, Dies At 47
Tammy Tobitsch, Outdoor Enthusiast From Union County, Dies At 47 Tammy Tobitsch, a New Providence resident, died of breast cancer at the age of 47 on Friday, Sept. 29 according to her obituary. A native of Summit, Tobitsch graduated from Summit High School and developed her love for the outdoors at the Frost Valley YMCA in the Catskills.  She enjoyed camping, hiking, biking, kayaking and sailing, her obituary reads. Her outdoor excursions took her to Winnipeg and Sweden, according to her obituary. Tobitsch, a diehard New York Rangers fan, spent the last 14 years working for Recreational Equipment Inc. as a programs specialist for merchandising options,…

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by Sam Barron
Lifestyle
'I Beat Bobby Flay': Union County Man Takes Down Celebrity Chef 'I Beat Bobby Flay': Union County Man Takes Down Celebrity Chef
'I Beat Bobby Flay': Union County Man Takes Down Celebrity Chef Chef Joe Murphy has the bragging rights to last a lifetime. Murphy, who lives in Scotch Plains and runs Bakehouse in New Providence, appeared on "Beat Bobby Flay" on Thursday, Sept. 7 on The Food Network and did what few have done: defeated the celebrity chef on his own new TV show. A watch party was held outside Harlee's Tap and Grille in New Providence. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bakehouse by Joe Murphy (@bakehousebyjoemurphy) In the first round, Murphy took on Laura Ochikubo, a pastry chef at French Laundry, cooking  a d…

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by Sam Barron
Lifestyle
Union County Chef Appearing On 'Beat Bobby Flay' Union County Chef Appearing On 'Beat Bobby Flay'
Union County Chef Appearing On 'Beat Bobby Flay' Does pastry chef Joe Murphy have what it takes? We'll find out Thursday evening, Sept. 7. Murphy, who lives in Scotch Plains and runs Bakehouse by Joe Murphy in New Providence, will be appearing on "Beat Bobby Flay" on the Food Network at 9 p.m. On "Beat Bobby Flay" two contestants face off, cooking a dish for 20 minutes using a secret ingredient chosen by Flay. Two judges then decide which chef has the chance to beat Flay, and the winner gets their shot to challenge Flay with their signature dish. If the judges determine the chef made a better dish than Flay, they get to tell the world, "I…

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by Sam Barron
News
$10K Mega Millions Winners Sold In NJ $10K Mega Millions Winners Sold In NJ
$10K Mega Millions Winners Sold In NJ A winning pair of Mega Millions tickets each good for $10,000 were sold in Middlesex and Union counties. The third-tier prizewinning tickets from the Friday, June 16 drawing matched four of the five white balls and the Gold Mega Ball drawn winning the $10,000 prize. Those tickets were sold at the following locations: Middlesex County: Metuchen Corner Deli, 640 Middlesex Ave., Metuchen Union County: South Street Market, 64 South Street, New Providence. The winning numbers for the Friday, June 16, drawing were: 04, 24, 34, 45 and 57. The Gold Mega Ball was 19 and the Megaplier Multipli…

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by Cecilia Levine
Obituaries
Former NJ First Responder Justin Iuliano Dies, 25 Former NJ First Responder Justin Iuliano Dies, 25
Former NJ First Responder Justin Iuliano Dies, 25 Justin Tyler Iuliano lived to help others. The 25-year-old West Chester, PA resident — who was raised in Summit and New Providence, NJ — died on May 10. He was 25 years old. A longtime New Providence EMS volunteer, Juliano also aided the homeless, his obituary says. After graduating from New Providence High School in 2015, he went on to attend Penn State University and worked as a senior field service engineer at the Eaton Corporation in Boothwyn, PA. It is with great sadness, we announce the loss of our former member Justin Iuliano. For over 4 years, EMT Iuliano... Posted by New Pro…

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by Sam Barron
News
Teen Son Of Union County Firefighter Battling Cancer Teen Son Of Union County Firefighter Battling Cancer
Teen Son Of Union County Firefighter Battling Cancer Support is surging for the teen son of an Elizabeth firefighter who is battling cancer. Andrei Popescu, a junior wrestler at Governor Livingston High School in Berkeley Heights, has been recently diagnosed with rhabdomyosarcoma, a common cancer among children. Andrei's mom is local dentist Alexandra Popescu and his dad is Petre, a firefighter in Berkeley Heights, New Providence and Elizabeth. A GoFundMe campaign launched for the family had raised more than $52,000 as of Sunday, May 14. Pete is the stand-up driver/engineer of my Company at Elizabeth Fire Dept. that has never asked for…

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by Cecilia Levine
Business
NJ Restaurants Named Favorites In America By Rachael Ray Show Staffers NJ Restaurants Named Favorites In America By Rachael Ray Show Staffers
NJ Restaurants Named Favorites In America By Rachael Ray Show Staffers Not one, not two, but six New Jersey restaurants made the Rachael Ray Show's list of best restaurants in the US. The top picks come from Ray's cast members. "We are huge foodies here at the show, so as you can imagine, we spend a lot of time trying out restaurants all over the country," the article reads. "We asked some of our staff to share their favorite spots—and their choices should definitely be added to your restaurant must-try list." The Garden State digs on the list include: Bakehouse by Joe Murphy, New Providence View this post on Instagram …

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by Cecilia Levine
Schools
These Are The Best School Districts In NJ, Website Says These Are The Best School Districts In NJ, Website Says
These Are The Best School Districts In NJ, Website Says Three New Jersey school districts have been ranked among the 50 best in America. Millburn came in at No. 29, Northern Valley Regional is ranked No. 33 and Princeton came in at No. 43 on Niche.com's latest rankings. Those three districts topped the list for 2023 Best School Districts in New Jersey, released Tuesday, Sept. 27. Here are the top 20 best districts in the state, according to Niche (scroll for a link to the complete list): Millburn Pubic Schools Northern Valley Regional HS District Princeton Public Schools West Windsor-Polainsboro Regional Schools Ridgewood Public Schools Tenafl…

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by Cecilia Levine
Obituaries
NJ Sailor Dies In Bermuda Yacht Race NJ Sailor Dies In Bermuda Yacht Race
NJ Sailor Dies In Bermuda Yacht Race A sailor from New Jersey died when he fell overboard during a yacht race from Rhode Island to Bermuda, race officials said. Colin Golder, of New Providence and captain of the 42-foot single-masted sailboat Morgan of Marietta, went overboard early Sunday, June 19 about 325 miles west of Bermuda in strong winds. "After extended effort, Mr. Golder’s body was recovered by the vessel’s crew, and the vessel is returning to the mainland," race organizers said. "The Bermuda Race Organizing Committee, the Cruising Club of America, and the Royal Bermuda Yacht Club wish to express sincere condolences…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Conspirator Who Used NJ High School Students To Cash Stolen COVID Stimulus Checks Gets 4 Years Conspirator Who Used NJ High School Students To Cash Stolen COVID Stimulus Checks Gets 4 Years
Conspirator Who Used NJ High School Students To Cash Stolen COVID Stimulus Checks Gets 4 Years One of a nest of criminals who paid New Jersey high school students to cash COVID stimulus checks stolen from the mail was sentenced to four years in federal prison. Because there's no parole in the federal prison system, Jeffrey Bennett, 27, of Irvington, must serve just about all of the plea-bargained sentence rubber-stamped by a U.S. District Court judge in Newark via videoconference on Monday, Feb. 14. Bennett -- a reputed associate of a group called "The Members" -- recruited U.S. Postal Service employees to steal checks, checkbooks, debit cards, and credit cards from the mail in excha…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
BUSTED: 31 Nabbed, 14 Pounds Of Coke, Firearms Seized In Massive Drug Distribution Scheme BUSTED: 31 Nabbed, 14 Pounds Of Coke, Firearms Seized In Massive Drug Distribution Scheme
Busted: 31 Nabbed, 14 Pounds Of Coke, Firearms Seized In Massive Drug Distribution Scheme Thirty-one people were arrested following a months-long New Jersey drug distribution scheme that netted 14.3 pounds of cocaine, two firearms and more than $193,000 in cash, authorities announced. An investigation into “Operation Triple Tragedy” involved law enforcement agencies from Somerset, Union, and Middlesex counties and the U.S. Postal Service. Somerset County Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson said the following arrests were made on June 4: Arrests made in “Operation Triple Tragedy”Somerset County Prosecutor's Office Joselin Castillo, aka “Tragedy," 30, Grandview Avenue Edison Po…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
NJ Man Admits Using Postal Workers, Students To Steal, Forge COVID Stimulus Checks NJ Man Admits Using Postal Workers, Students To Steal, Forge COVID Stimulus Checks
NJ Man Admits Using Postal Workers, Students To Steal, Forge COVID Stimulus Checks A Union County man admitted recruiting postal service employees to steal federal COVID stimulus checks and then paying high school students to help cash them, authorities said. Tashon Ragan, 21, of Hillside was among a group of thieves associated with a group called “The Members” who paid US Postal Service employees in cash to steal credit cards and blank checkbooks from the mail, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said. They then “forged the signatures of the accountholders and negotiated the checks by making them payable to individuals,” Honig said. Some were New Jersey high school st…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
'Dream Became Reality': Linden Firefighter Inspires With Organ Transplant Story 'Dream Became Reality': Linden Firefighter Inspires With Organ Transplant Story
'Dream Became Reality': Linden Firefighter Inspires With Organ Transplant Story A Linden firefighter is opening up about his heart transplant in an effort to raise awareness toward the importance of organ and tissue donation. Knowing heart disease runs in his family, Mathew Pribish went in for a routine cardiology checkup more than a decade ago. "I wanted to make sure that, as a firefighter, my heart was healthy," Pribish said. During one of those checkups, the firefighter was told that he has Marfan Syndrome, a connective tissue disorder that affects the heart, joints and other parts of the body. In 2013, after being monitored for a few years, Pribish's aortic root…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Pedestrian Killed By Train In Morris County ID'd As Union County Woman Pedestrian Killed By Train In Morris County ID'd As Union County Woman
Pedestrian Killed By Train In Morris County ID'd As Union County Woman Authorities have identified the individual struck and killed by a train in Morris County earlier this week as a Union County woman. Eileen Cunningham, 64, of New Providence, was struck by a Morris & Essex line train at the Madison Station Monday afternoon, NJT spokesman Jim Smith said. The train was set to arrive in Dover at 4:46 p.m. No further information was released.

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Police: Man, 19, Crashes Stolen Audi, Runs Away After High-Speed Morris County Chase Police: Man, 19, Crashes Stolen Audi, Runs Away After High-Speed Morris County Chase
Police: Man, 19, Crashes Stolen Audi, Runs Away After High-Speed Morris County Chase A 19-year-old man was driving a stolen Audi SUV when he initiated a police pursuit in Morris County and crashed a short time later, authorities said. A man identified as T. Jones stole the vehicle from a driveway on Buxton Road in Chatham Township Tuesday, Patch reports citing Police Chief Thomas Miller. The stolen Audi was seen traveling toward Fairmount Avenue in front of another suspicious vehicle just before 4:30 a.m., Miller said. Jones sped off as officers tried to pull the vehicle over on River Road, initiating a chase that ended with a crash in New Providence, authorities said. Jo…

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by Valerie Musson
Lifestyle
NEW RANKINGS: These New Jersey Towns Named Among Safest In State NEW RANKINGS: These New Jersey Towns Named Among Safest In State
NEW Rankings: These New Jersey Towns Named Among Safest In State A new report from AdvisorSmith ranked the crime rates of hundreds of municipalities across New Jersey to determine the safest small, midsize and large cities. The study — which analyzed a total of 37 large cities, 200 midsize cities and 247 small cities — used data from the FBI’s Uniform Crime Reporting Dataset to calculate and compare crime levels, putting more weight on serious and violent crimes like murder, rape and assault. The analysis found the safest small, midsize and large cities to be Matawan, Warren Township and Middletown, respectively. The average crime score for the large ci…

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by Valerie Musson
Schools
Website Lists Every NJ School That Reported Positive COVID-19 Case Website Lists Every NJ School That Reported Positive COVID-19 Case
Website Lists Every NJ School That Reported Positive Covid-19 Case A website where teachers across the U.S. can report a confirmed COVID-19 case in their school shows dozens in New Jersey. The website was launched by the National Education Association, specifically a Kansas high school teachers, and serves as a hub for educators to report virus cases and health concerns. All submissions are reviewed by NEA staff and verified by checking school websites, press releases, media reports and other public sources.  The cases listed are by no means a "comprehensive accounting of all cases at schools and campuses," the website says. Each case is dated a…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Former Union County School Janitor Admits Driving To NY For Sex With 13-Year-Old Girl Former Union County School Janitor Admits Driving To NY For Sex With 13-Year-Old Girl
Former Union County School Janitor Admits Driving To NY For Sex With 13-Year-Old Girl A former school custodian from Union County is heading to federal prison after admitting he drove to upstate New York after planning on having sex with a 13-year-old girl, federal authorities in New York said. As part of his guilty plea, Recep Sandikci, 46, of North Plainfield, said Friday he sent the girl sexually explicit images over a cell phone app in the days leading up to his drive to Albany on Aug. 6, 2019, Acting United States Attorney Antoinette T. Bacon and FBI Special Agent in charge of the Albany field officer Thomas F. Relford said. Sandikci was arrested by the FBI just af…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Feds: NJ Crew Used Postal Workers, High School Students To Steal, Forge COVID Stimulus Checks Feds: NJ Crew Used Postal Workers, High School Students To Steal, Forge COVID Stimulus Checks
Feds: NJ Crew Used Postal Workers, High School Students To Steal, Forge COVID Stimulus Checks A group of criminals recruited New Jersey postal service employees to steal federal COVID-19 stimulus checks and paid high school students to help cash them, authorities said. The defendants -- who were associates of a group calling itself “the Members” -- recruited U.S. Postal Service employees to steal checks, checkbooks, debit cards, and credit cards from the mail in exchange for cash, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said. They then forged the signatures of the account holders and made the checks payable to high school students and others who’d given them access to their accounts, also in …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Lifestyle
These 10 Towns Were Ranked Best Places To Live In Union County These 10 Towns Were Ranked Best Places To Live In Union County
These 10 Towns Were Ranked Best Places To Live In Union County We've seen the best places to live in New Jersey, but what about Union County? The newly-released set of rankings by Niche.com grade each municipality based on quality of local schools, crime rates, housing trends, employment statistics and more. Westfield came in at No. 1 and earned an A+ overall, despite a B in housing and B+ in crime and safety. Here are the top 10 places to live in Union County. 10. Garwood 9. Mountainside 8. Springfield 7. Scotch Plains 6. Cranford 5. Fanwood 4. Berkeley Heights 3. Summit 2. New Providence 1. Westfield Click here for the full list.

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
UPDATE: Pedestrian Killed By Train In Morris County Was Teen Girl UPDATE: Pedestrian Killed By Train In Morris County Was Teen Girl
Update: Pedestrian Killed By Train In Morris County Was Teen Girl The pedestrian struck and killed by a train Monday afternoon in Morris County was a teenage girl, NJ Transit officials said. A 17-year-old female from New Providence was struck by the westbound Morris & Essex line train #423 in Long Hill Township around 3:50 p.m., NJ Transit spokesman Paul Milo said. The victim's identity had not been released as of 9:30 Tuesday morning, Milo said. The train had left Hoboken at 2:40 p.m. and was scheduled to arrival at the Gladstone Station at 4:13 p.m.  Gladstone Branch rail service was suspended in both directions between Stirling and Murr…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Brand New Rankings: Best Places To Live In All Of NJ Brand New Rankings: Best Places To Live In All Of NJ
Brand New Rankings: Best Places To Live In All Of NJ Niche.com has released its latest rankings of best places to live in New Jersey. Crime, quality of schools, things to do, and cost of living were among the factors used in determining the rankings.  Princeton came in at No. 1, with Princeton Junction following at No. 2. Upper Montclair was listed as the third best place to live in New Jersey, and is described as a family-friendly area with plenty of parks and great schools. Here are other top places to live in New Jersey. 4: Ridgewood 5: Mountain Lakes 6: Princeton Meadows 7. Springdale 8. Monmouth Junction 9.Westfield 10. New Prov…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Complete Rundown Of George Floyd Marches, Vigils Planned Across Garden State Complete Rundown Of George Floyd Marches, Vigils Planned Across Garden State
Complete Rundown Of George Floyd Marches, Vigils Planned Across Garden State Many more marches and other demonstrations in memory of George Floyd are planned in New Jersey and across the nation this week. Protests over Floyd’s death in Minneapolis have swept across the country Four Minnesota police officers who were at the scene of Floyd’s death were fired, and one of them, Derek Chauvin, was charged with third-degree murder and second-degree manslaughter. At least seven such rallies were set for Tuesday, June 2 including: In Princeton, the Coalition for Peace in Princeton will hold a peaceful protest at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday at Nassau and Witherspoon streets. In Kean…

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by Jon Craig
Schools
BREAKING: Newark Archdiocese Permanently Closing 10 Schools In Three Counties BREAKING: Newark Archdiocese Permanently Closing 10 Schools In Three Counties
Breaking: Newark Archdiocese Permanently Closing 10 Schools In Three Counties The Archdiocese of Newark said Thursday that it is closing a number of its schools in Bergen, Essex and Union counties -- and consolidating them into others -- at the end of the current school year. Factors considered in the closings included "declining enrollment numbers and increasing and unsustainable dependence on archdiocesan funding over time," the archdiocese said. "Consideration also was given to geographic locations and proximity to nearby matched archdiocesan schools that will accommodate new students." The schools being closed are: Academy of St. Therese of Lisieux, Cresskill …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Spitting On Police, 911 Scares: Coronavirus Crimes Spread Throughout NJ Spitting On Police, 911 Scares: Coronavirus Crimes Spread Throughout NJ
Spitting On Police, 911 Scares: Coronavirus Crimes Spread Throughout NJ Along with the increase of coronavirus cases in New Jersey are growing numbers of people charged with crimes directly tied to the pandemic, authorities said. No fewer than five of them either spit or coughed on police officers and claimed they’d tested positive for COVID-19, authorities said. Others held weddings or other gatherings in violation of state emergency orders. Another is accused of dialing 911 and claiming she had the coronavirus to try to get a community college to close. All are being held accountable, state Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said. “Our police officers are g…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Feds In Newark Bust Contractor Who They Said Scammed Public Library Feds In Newark Bust Contractor Who They Said Scammed Public Library
Feds In Newark Bust Contractor Who They Said Scammed Public Library Federal authorities on Thursday arrested a Union County businessman who they said pulled off a pair of scams, one of which cost the Orange Public Library $40,000. Shenandoah Adams Sr., 54, of New Providence initially bought an East Orange site on Hilton Street in 2014 on behalf of his property management company, then arranged for a $153,562 loan to a “close associate” knowing that person didn’t have the money to pay his company the balance of the $225,000 purchase price, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said. At the March 2015 closing, Adams had his associate write a worthless check to cover …

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by Jerry DeMarco