Alvin Wu

WASHINGTON, Jan. 21 (ZFJ) — President Joe Biden commuted the sentences of 37 of 40 federal inmates from execution to life in prison without the possibility of parole on Dec. 23, 2024. The Justice Department, on July 1, 2021, imposed a temporary moratorium on federal executions pending a review of federal policies. “These commutations are consistent with the moratorium my Administration has imposed on federal executions, in cases other than terrorism and hate-motivated mass murder,” said Biden in a statement.

Jan. 20 (ZFJ) — Microsoft, Google, and Amazon are investing in nuclear energy as the race to develop artificial intelligence technologies heats up. AI technologies, which are currently rapidly gaining traction, demand significant computational power to train and operate. Data centers house the hardware for them and are consuming increasingly more energy. According to a December 2024 report from Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, a U.S. Department of Energy research facility, total American data center electricity usage increased from 58 TWh in 2014 to 176 TWh in 2023.

Jan. 17 (ZFJ) — The Nintendo Switch 2 will be released in 2025, according to an announcement from the video game company on Thursday, Jan. 16. Nintendo offered a look at the highly-anticipated successor to the Nintendo Switch in a trailer that rocketed to over 14 million views within 17 hours and became the top trending video on YouTube. Video: Trailer released on Thursday, Jan. 16, for the Nintendo Switch 2.

EDISON, N.J., Jan. 10 (ZFJ) — Jerry Shi was voted president of the Edison Board of Education and Vishal Patel was voted vice president at the Jan. 2 reorganization meeting as the winners of November’s elections were sworn in. Clips from the Edison Board of Education Jan. 2 reorganization meeting. Includes oaths of office, board president and vice president votes, board member comment, and public comment. EDISON BOARD OF EDUCATION/Livestream The meeting began with Ronak Patel, Ralph Errico, and Shi taking the oath of office.

EDISON, N.J., Jan. 10 (ZFJ) — The Edison Town Council adjourned their Dec. 23 combined meeting in the middle of public comment following a statement by Leroy Truth accusing Mayor Sam Joshi of rape and calling for an investigation. Truth is a YouTuber who runs the channel Leroy Truth Investigations. His stated purpose is “to expose government corruption and hold corrupt government officials accountable to the full extent of the law,” according to the channel’s about section.

EDISON, N.J., Dec. 31 (ZFJ) — The Edison Town Council ejected a man from the council chambers for holding an American flag during public comment at the Nov. 25 combined meeting. The council also passed two ordinances to limit public comment time and grant the council president broad authority to restrict “disorderly” behavior at the dais. Two ordinances related to the council’s public comment were on the agenda that night. The first, O.

EDISON, N.J., Dec. 28 (ZFJ) — Water has been restored to most residences affected by the water main break on Thursday, Dec. 26, according to Mayor Sam Joshi. This incident has been one of Edison’s largest water main breaks, impacting about 20,000 residents. In a statement posted to social media yesterday afternoon, Joshi said that 99% of impacted water supplies have been restored. The boil advisory will remain in effect until lab results come back safe, which he says can take up to 48 hours.

EDISON, N.J., Dec. 28 (ZFJ) — New Jersey authorities issued a notice of violation to M&U International on Monday, Dec. 23, for an unpermitted discharge in connection with a chemical spill that entered the Raritan River. According to M&U International’s website, the company is a supplier of “synthetic and natural aromatic chemicals, food additives and essential oils.” Their facility in Branchburg, N.J., repackages these chemicals and is located within the watershed and upstream of New Jersey American Water (NJAW)’s surface water intake.

COLLEGE PARK, Md., Dec. 28 (ZFJ) — Dr. Dominique Mwepu, 53, of Gaithersburg, Md., a lecturer for the Department of Hearing and Speech Sciences at the University of Maryland, College Park, died on Sept. 30, 2024. The Montgomery County Police Department reported that he had been fatally struck by a car. “He was a beloved husband, father, friend, known for his incredible sense of humor, always quick with a joke and able to bring laughter to even the most difficult moments,” reads his obituary.

EDISON, N.J., Dec. 26 (ZFJ) — A 20-inch water main broke near M Lane and Woodbridge Avenue at about midnight today, Thursday, Dec. 26. Residents served by Edison Water Utility along Woodbridge Avenue, Route 27, Route 1, and areas up to Talmadge are experiencing little to no water pressure. A boil water advisory has been in effect since 3:10 p.m. Emergency repair crews have been working on isolating the break, according to Mayor Sam Joshi.