EDISON, N.J., March 31 (ZFJ) — The railroad crossing gates on Inman Avenue, nearby CVS Pharmacy and the Westgate neighborhood, malfunctioned on Saturday, March 30. Two ZFJ reporters were buying doughnuts (Boston Kreme remains our forever beloved) when they noticed the crossing’s lights flashing and alarm ringing despite no train being in sight. Upon closer inspection, they saw one gate on the Westgate side stuck in the closed position. A police officer on the scene told The ZFJ that they called the rail company at about 5:00 p.

EDISON, N.J., March 14 (ZFJ) — Edison councilmen unanimously rejected an ordinance that would have expanded the zones in which cannabis establishments would be permitted at their regular meeting on Wednesday, Feb. 28. The ordinance was first introduced at the Feb. 15 combined council meeting, where all councilmen except Richard Brescher and Ajay Patil voted in support of it. It went up for final adoption on Feb. 28. Map of the general area where cannabis establishments are currently permitted (in green) and zone expansions proposed by O.

EDISON, N.J., Feb. 26 (ZFJ) — Edison Township held a combined council meeting on Feb. 15 that discussed a proposed ordinance that would expand the areas in which cannabis establishments can be approved in. The ordinance’s public hearing and final adoption was scheduled to be on Wednesday, Feb. 28, but the Municipal Clerk’s Office informed The ZFJ in a phone call on Monday, Feb. 26, that it was going to be removed from the council’s agenda.

EDISON, N.J., Feb. 21 (ZFJ) — One juvenile was arrested in connection with a fight that occurred at Menlo Park Mall on Monday, Feb. 19. At about 5:30 p.m., Edison police received a call reporting that shots had been fired at the mall, said Police Chief Tom Bryan in a phone call. Based on the emergency call, police assumed that there was an active shooter, so they organized a large response.

EDISON, N.J., Feb. 21 (ZFJ) — Four juveniles and two adults were arrested by Edison police at Menlo Park Mall on Saturday, Feb. 17. At about 9:30 p.m., an individual called 911 and said that they were being chased by a group of kids, Edison Police Chief Tom Bryan said in a phone call. The police apprehended the suspects behind the McDonald’s right beside the mall. They were in possession of two firearms, one of which was stolen.

Feb. 20 (ZFJ) — Glen Rock police are investigating vandalism of the Glen Rock Starbucks’ sign as a bias incident. At 8:05 a.m. on Monday, Feb. 19, the manager of the Starbucks at 224 Rock Road in the borough’s Central Business District notified police that red paint had been splashed over the café’s sign at the corner of Rock Road and Glen Avenue. The responding officer also found stickers on the sign with messages related to the Israel-Hamas war.

METUCHEN, N.J., Feb. 18 (ZFJ) — The Metuchen Planning Board adopted a resolution at its reorganization meeting on Jan. 4 to approve Dasco Solutions’ drive-thru marijuana dispensary plan. Dasco intends to convert a 3,037 square foot former bank building at 700 Middlesex Avenue into a cannabis dispensary. It presented its proposal to the board on Nov. 2, 2023, and the resolution reflects the board’s actions on that date. RESOLUTION 23-1368 VOTE RESULTS

Feb. 14 (ZFJ) — The Kansas City Chiefs defeated the San Francisco 49ers 25-22 in Super Bowl LVIII on Sunday, Feb. 11. Securing their third Super Bowl win in five years, the Chiefs have achieved a dynasty. The first half of the game was characterized by many punts and a few fumbles. Momentum really picked up from the second half. Overall? Absolutely thrilling game. The Chiefs won the coin toss and deferred.

Feb. 8 (ZFJ) — Joint European Torus (JET) researchers announced on Thursday, Feb. 8, that their tokamak set a new world record of 69.26 megajoules released in controlled nuclear fusion energy on Oct. 3, 2023, at 19:14 GMT. The record, equivalent to the energy released from burning two kilograms of coal, was set during a single pulse of JET over six seconds with only 0.21 milligrams of fuel. JET’s previous record from 2022 was 59 MJ.

SCOTCH PLAINS, N.J., Feb. 7 (ZFJ) — The discovery of a firearm in Union Catholic High School on Monday, Jan. 22, resulted in lockdowns at nearby schools and the arrest of one student. The Scotch Plains Police Department said in a press release that it received a call at about 10:45 a.m. from a Union Catholic administrator concerning a handgun that had been recovered in the school. The school was placed on lockdown, and Scotch Plains police officers recovered the weapon.