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Plainfield Teacher, Soccer Coach Joseph Colodne Dies Suddenly, 46
Multiple New Jersey school and soccer communities are mourning the sudden loss of Joseph “Joe” Colodne, a longtime educator and coach known for his passion, mentorship, and heart.
Colodne, of Fanwood, died unexpectedly Wednesday, June 18, loved ones announced. He was a history teacher at Plainfield High School and an assistant women’s soccer coach at Kean University.
“Joe was so many things,” said Kean women’s soccer head coach Brian Doherty. “A great coach, great mentor, great friend and more than that, just a great person.”
“He was more than just a coach in our program. He was an educato…
Virginia Congressman Gerry Connolly Dies At 74: 'Fierce Defender Of Democracy'
Virginia Congressman Gerry Connolly died at home surrounded by family on Wednesday, weeks after announcing his esophageal cancer had returned, his loved ones said.
The longtime Northern Virginia lawmaker — who served nearly four decades in public office — passed away peacefully at his Fairfax home on May 21, his family confirmed.
“It is with immense sadness that we share that our devoted and loving father, husband, brother, friend, and public servant, Congressman Gerald E. Connolly, passed away peacefully at his home this morning surrounded by family,” the family said in a statement.
Conno…
Beloved DMV Coach, Mentor, Father Of Final Four Star Mourned: ‘A True Legend’
Coach Lamar Butler Sr. didn’t just build basketball players in the DMV — he built men.
The DMV basketball world is mourning the loss of Coach Lamar Butler Sr., a beloved mentor, husband, grandfather, and father to George Mason Final Four standout Lamar Butler Jr., who passed away this week.
He was more than a coach — he was a pillar, his loved ones said.
Butler shaped generations of young athletes, not only with his love for the game, but with values that extended far beyond the hardwood: discipline, integrity, teamwork, and self-belief.
His contagious smile and unwavering com…
DC Club Shooting Claims Former Morgan State Star—Two Named In Case Over A Year Later
Two men have been arrested in connection to the fatal shooting of a former college basketball standout and father of three at a DC nightclub in 2023, officials say.
Blake Bozeman, 31, was shot and killed around 11:50 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 23, 2023, inside a bar in the 1300 block of H Street NE, according to the Metropolitan Police Department.
Bozeman, who played Division I basketball at Morgan State University in Baltimore, was celebrating a friend’s birthday when gunfire broke out.
Three others—a woman and two men—were also injured in the shooting but survived.
On Friday, March 2…
'Highly-Regarded' Mastic Coach, Mentor Honored Following Death In Rollover Crash
The Long Island athletic community is mourning the loss of a beloved high school basketball coach following his untimely death.
Darrell Sumpter, a dedicated assistant varsity basketball coach at William Floyd High School, died Friday, Dec. 13, in a wreck on Sunrise Highway in Shirley, as Daily Voice reported. He was 51.
The William Floyd School District confirmed his passing in a letter to parents the following day.
“Mr. Sumpter was a proud William Floyd graduate, a longtime community member, a family man, and a highly-regarded coach and mentor for our boys’ and girls’ basketball programs,…
Laurel Florist On 'Love Is Blind' Paves Way For Other Black Women
Had Veronica Sallee seen other women of color working as florists, she would've started her business much sooner, she says.
The Maryland event florist, 52, opened her Laurel, MD flower shop, The Blooming Bohemian, three years ago after decades of working for other people.
Thankfully, she's been blessed, she said. Beyond blessed, having had a steady flow of business since the day she opened her doors, she said.
In Fall 2023, producers from Netflix's "Love Is Blind" contacted her and asked if she would do the floral arrangements for the Washington DC-based Season 7 weddings. …
South Jersey Hair Salon Owner Crowned International Mrs. USA: 'Bold, Ambitious, Beautiful'
A Trenton High School graduate and owner of a hair salon in Bordentown has been crowned International Mrs. USA.
Chimere Nicole Haskins, 39, of Willingboro, won the title — competing as Mrs. New Jersey USA — earlier this month during a competition in Orlando, Florida.
The mother of two daughters, ages 11 and 9, has been married for 17 years. Her hair-styling and extensions business is called CN Salon and has operated since 2014.
Her husband drives around with her on all her community service work including her non-profit, #GirlYes, a movement that encourages women to be "bold, ambitious and…
Philadelphia Musician, Delco Resident John Carr Dies, 38
John Lawrence Carr, a beloved husband, brother, son, and musician, died Monday, Feb. 27, according to his obituary. He was 38.
Born in Glen Cove, New York to Mary and the late John M. Carr, John enjoyed a happy childhood in Delaware County, graduating from Garnet Valley High School in 2002, loved ones wrote.
John's passion for music was evident early on, forming a rap duo in high school with his best friend Richard Kearney before picking up the guitar and pursuing his art as a career, his obituary says. Over the two decades that followed, loved ones said John continued to collab…
Beloved Coach, Community Icon Dies At Age 63
A longtime Hudson Valley mentor and beloved basketball coach has died following a battle with pancreatic cancer.
Chris McLaurin, age 63, of Poughkeepsie, died on Monday, March 15, according to his family.
"A legend in his own right and our superhero. He made a huge impact on the people who he’s come in contact with. He will forever live on in our hearts," the family wrote in a statement on Facebook.
A Brooklyn native, McLaurin has lived in the mid-Hudson Valley for more than 40 years.
McLaurin, who worked as a private skills coach, also worked at times as an assistant at Poughkeepsie High…
Byron Womack, 49, Port Chester Middle School Assistant Principal, Dies
Byron Womack, a very popular assistant principal at Port Chester Middle School, died overnight, officials said on Tuesday, Feb. 20. He was 49 years old.
Details about funeral services have not been announced, but counseling is being offered to students and staff at PCMS, which is in session this week.
Thirteen months ago, Womack’s ability to “go long” was recognized when he was given the 2017 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Commemoration Committee Humanitarian Award at a celebration of civil rights icon Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
The award recognized both Womack’s longstanding role as a mentor …
