EDISON, N.J., July 24 (ZFJ) — Kushal Aluru, 20, a Rutgers student and J.P. Stevens High School alumnus, died on Tuesday, July 22, 2025. Aluru was majoring in cell biology and neuroscience and minoring in chemistry at Rutgers University, New Brunswick. He had a stated interest in neurobiology and glial functions, conducting research in the lab of Professor Peng Jiang since 2023, and intended on pursuing a combined medical and doctorate degree program to become a physician and scientist.

WASHINGTON, July 18 (ZFJ) — Nationwide injunctions exceed the authority of lower court judges, ruled the Supreme Court in three cases concerning birthright citizenship on June 27, 2025. The Court struck down nationwide injunctions by a 6-3 vote in the cases Trump v. CASA, Inc. (24A884), Trump v. Washington (24A885), and Trump v. New Jersey (24A886). The Court, which heard the cases consolidated on the emergency docket, only considered the question of nationwide injunctions and issued no ruling on the birthright citizenship order central to the lawsuits.

EDISON, N.J., July 10 (ZFJ) — Federal immigration authorities arrested 21 people in a raid on an Edison warehouse on Tuesday, July 8. The raid occurred at the Alba Wine and Spirits Warehouse, located at 360 Saw Mill Pond Road in the Heller Industrial Parks section of the town. Immigrant advocates were notified of the raid via calls to their rapid response lines. They showed up to the warehouse, warned incoming workers of the authorities’ presence and to stay away, and streamed the raid live on Facebook.

EDISON, N.J., July 4 (ZFJ) — A destructive storm tore through Central Jersey on Thursday, July 3, leaving trees felled, wires downed, and three dead. The thunderstorm suddenly rolled in at around 6:00 p.m. and lasted until 6:30 p.m. The National Weather Service (NWS) issued a severe thunderstorm warning and advised that winds could reach up to a “DESTRUCTIVE” 80 miles per hour. Severe Thunderstorm Warning continues for South Plainfield NJ, Carteret NJ and North Plainfield NJ until 6:30 PM EDT.

TRENTON, N.J., June 29 (ZFJ) — NJ Transit rail service saw many cancellations and delays during the heat wave from Monday, June 23, to Wednesday, June 25. The East Coast endured an early heat wave that reached 100 degrees at its worst. The National Weather Service reported a new record of 98 F (37 C) in Trenton and a tied record of 103 F (39 C) in Newark on the hottest day of the heat wave—Tuesday, June 24.

WASHINGTON, June 22 (ZFJ) — Washington Metro’s longer weekend hours, Red and Silver Line changes, and new system map took effect on Sunday, June 22. Metrorail will open an hour earlier at 6:00 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays and close an hour later at 2:00 a.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Starting Monday, June 23, Red Line trains will run more frequently, arriving at least every four, instead of five, minutes “during the busiest portions of weekday rush hours.

EDISON, N.J., June 12 (ZFJ) — Sam Joshi and his team of town council candidates swept the Democratic primary election on Tuesday, June 10. Nearing the end of his first term, incumbent Edison Mayor Sam Joshi secured 6,000-7,000 more votes than his challengers, Lav Patel and incumbent Councilman Richard Brescher. “Thank you 🙏 everything we do is for the residents of Edison,” Joshi posted on social media after polls closed. “On to the general election in November.

EDISON, N.J., May 26 (ZFJ) — The Edison Board of Education abolished Policy 5756, the transgender students policy, during a marathon action meeting on Tuesday, May 20. Policy 5756 was issued by the N.J. Department of Education as guidance to local school districts. It directs schools to accept a student’s asserted gender identity and, controversially, eliminates an “affirmative duty” (in other words, an obligation) for staff members to notify parents of the student’s new gender identity.

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., May 23 (ZFJ) — Three Rutgers students and one Cranford man unaffiliated with the university were charged with rioting and other offenses during a pro-Palestinian demonstration at Rutgers Hillel on April 29, 2025. On that day, Rutgers Hillel, located on the College Avenue campus, held a roundtable with U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer to, according to a press release from the congressman, “speak with students about the alarming rise in antisemitism on college campuses across the country.

GREENBELT, Md., April 19 (ZFJ) — U.S. immigration authorities have erroneously deported Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia of Maryland, who was protected from removal by an immigration judge, to an El Salvador mega-prison. Abrego Garcia’s case was brought before U.S. District Judge Paula Xinis at the Maryland federal court’s division in Greenbelt. Xinis wrote in her memorandum opinion that Abrego Garcia came from Los Nogales, El Salvador, and illegally entered the U.