By Rebecca Panico and Jenny Goldberg – Staff Writers CRANFORD, NJ — A Union County College student was arrested during class on Monday, Feb. 26, for having three imitation firearms inside the Student Development Building on the Cranford campus. Eric Jacobs, 20, of Millburn, was arrested by Cranford police at approximately 10 a.m. and charged with […]
UNION COUNTY, NJ — A bipartisan marijuana decriminalization bill co-sponsored by a local state senator is providing opposition to Gov. Phil Murphy’s campaign promise of full legalization for the drug’s recreational use. State Sen. Joseph Cryan, a Democrat who represents parts of Union county, served as Union County sheriff from 2015 to 2017, and became […]
HILLSIDE, NJ — A former school board member and the founder of a local nonprofit organization were appointed Feb. 15 to fill two vacancies on the board of education. Joi Stanley-Smith, who founded a women’s empowerment group, and Rayba Watson, who served on the school board for seven years, were chosen by the board from […]
LINDEN, NJ — The Rev. Peter De Franco looked slightly out of place in his robes as people rushed passed him to buy train tickets during the morning rush hour on Feb. 14. “Good morning! Would you like ashes?” De Franco asked commuters as they walked toward the train platform around 8:30 a.m. on Ash […]
CLARK, NJ — The dangers of smoking tobacco, such as cancer, emphysema and heart disease, have long been emphasised in middle school health classes. Now the so-called “safe alternative” to smoking also is being targeted. Vaping, inhaling flavored vapor through an electronic cigarette, has been growing in popularity since its invention in China in 2003. […]
UNION, NJ — A Franklin Elementary School teacher said she had many of the same experiences growing up in town as the character in her self-published children’s book. “You kind of grow up thinking you’re not good not enough,” said Nikki Gangemi, who now coaches others to combat those feelings with yoga and meditation. “That’s […]
LINDEN, NJ — Current and former city officials are questioning Mayor Derek Armstead’s use of a police escort for social events even though he has a city-issued vehicle, a practice that the city attorney said is permissible. Council members Gretchen Hickey and Jorge Alvarez, along with former mayor Richard Gerbounka, said a police escort was […]
CRANFORD, NJ — More than 900 Cranford residents joined an end-of-the-year scramble to prepay their 2018 property taxes. The idea is they’d get one more year out of the deduction on their federal income returns before the new tax reform legislation signed in December limits their exemption to $10,000. Cranford saw nearly a $7 million deluge […]
UNION, NJ — Schools around the county are carrying doses of a medication that reverses the effects of an opioid overdose since teen deaths from drugs like heroin and prescription painkillers have seen a spike in recent years. Nurses at the middle and high schools in Westfield have been carrying Narcan, a brand name version […]
CRANFORD, NJ — Two officers are spending time away from their daily patrol routines to interact with residents through the new community policing unit geared toward strengthening the relationship between law enforcement and the community. The unit was introduced by police Chief Ryan Greco during his swearing-in ceremony in October. “Through identifying problem-solving initiatives that […]