New Jersey (NJ)

Police bust drug trafficking ring run by Rutgers students

Police bust drug trafficking ring run by Rutgers students

NEW BRUNSWICK, N.J., Dec. 19 (ZFJ) — Seven people have been arrested in connection with a drug trafficking ring involving Rutgers University students, announced the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office on Dec. 5. Operation RU Pharm was an undercover narcotics operation led by the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office Narcotics Task Force and assisted by the Rutgers University Police Department, New Brunswick Police Department, and Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office. The operation, lasting several months, uncovered “a closed and private social media network” that Rutgers students used to buy and sell narcotics.
Cold front to bring rain and snow to Northeast

Cold front to bring rain and snow to Northeast

COLLEGE PARK, Md., Dec. 4 (ZFJ) — Bundle up, folks. A cold front is en route to the Northeast and is expected to bring rain and snow, strong winds, and freezing temperatures on Wednesday and Thursday. “Beginning tomorrow, the passage of the Arctic cold front will lead to an outbreak of snow squalls containing intense bursts of snow and gusty winds upwards of 50 mph in the Upper Midwest and Great Lakes, which spread southeastward into the Central Appalachians and Northeast by Thursday,” according to the short range forecast issued by the National Weather Service’s Weather Prediction Center on Tuesday, Dec.
Edison police arrest four for half-million armed FedEx perfume robbery

Edison police arrest four for half-million armed FedEx perfume robbery

EDISON, N.J., Nov. 27 (ZFJ) — Four individuals have been arrested for a high-profile gunpoint robbery of over $500,000 worth of perfume and cologne from a FedEx truck, announced Edison police on Sept. 26. The incident occurred on Sept. 5 when, according to police, the individuals threatened the FedEx truck driver with a firearm and forced him to drive to a nearby parking lot. There, the driver was bound while the robbers unloaded numerous cases of the fragrances before fleeing.
Former Edison middle school teacher sentenced to 8 years for child pornography, stalking

Former Edison middle school teacher sentenced to 8 years for child pornography, stalking

EDISON, N.J., Nov. 24 (ZFJ) — Julius Coaccioli, formerly a teacher at Woodrow Wilson Middle School in Edison’s school district, was sentenced to eight years in prison on Aug. 26. Coaccioli reached a plea agreement with prosecutors and pleaded guilty to possession of child sexual abuse material in the second degree and stalking in the fourth degree. Judge Thomas Abode of the Middlesex County Superior Court sentenced him to concurrent terms of eight years in jail for the possession charge and 18 months for the stalking charge.
New Jersey American Water issues water conservation notice

New Jersey American Water issues water conservation notice

EDISON, N.J., Nov. 23 (ZFJ) — New Jersey American Water issued a statewide conservation notice and asked residents to limit all nonessential water usage on Nov. 13. This action came immediately after the N.J. Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) elevated the statewide drought status to a drought warning on Nov. 13, allowing the state government to closely manage water supplies. A combination of high temperatures and low precipitation have contributed to the present dry conditions affecting the whole Northeast and over half of the United States.
NJ declares statewide drought warning as wildfires rage, water supplies dwindle

NJ declares statewide drought warning as wildfires rage, water supplies dwindle

EDISON, N.J., Nov. 15 (ZFJ) — The New Jersey government elevated the drought watch status to a drought warning on Wednesday, Nov. 13, as wildfires rage and water supplies dwindle. Over half of the United States is currently facing drought conditions. A record-breaking dry spell is impacting the whole Northeast, with all of N.J. and Delaware, eastern Pennsylvania, New York City, and southern New York under at least moderate drought conditions, according to the U.
Andy Kim elected US senator for New Jersey

Andy Kim elected US senator for New Jersey

EDISON, N.J., Nov. 9 (ZFJ) — Congressman Andy Kim, a Democrat, was elected U.S. senator for New Jersey, making him the first Korean-American senator. Kim led Curtis Bashaw, the Republican candidate, by more than 300,000 votes. Kim thanked his team and supporters in a victory speech at his campaign headquarters in the DoubleTree Hotel in Cherry Hill on election night. He observed that his family had lived in this hotel for several weeks when they first moved to N.
Patel, Errico, Shi decisively win Edison Board of Education election

Patel, Errico, Shi decisively win Edison Board of Education election

EDISON, N.J., Nov. 8 (ZFJ) — Column 1—Ronak Patel, Ralph Errico, and Jingwei “Jerry” Shi—won the three available seats on the Edison Board of Education by a landslide. Column 1, the Students First team, outpaced Column 3, the Champions for Students team, by about 6,000-7,000 votes. Shi reprises his role after coming in fourth place for three seats in last year’s board election. He previously served on the board from 2014 with a term as president.
In reversal, Edison Board of Education votes against abolishing transgender students policy

In reversal, Edison Board of Education votes against abolishing transgender students policy

EDISON, N.J., Nov. 3 (ZFJ) — The Edison Board of Education voted 6-3 against abolishing Policy 5756, which concerns transgender students, in a second reading during a marathon action meeting lasting five hours on Tuesday, Oct. 29, in which many members of the public spoke in support of the policy. The board previously voted 5-3 in favor of abolishment after Vishal Patel made a motion on the floor to do so.
Edison Board of Education votes to abolish transgender students policy

Edison Board of Education votes to abolish transgender students policy

EDISON, N.J., Oct. 19 (ZFJ) — The Edison Board of Education voted 5-3 to abolish Policy 5756, which concerns transgender students, at their action meeting on Monday, Sept. 30. Since they didn’t properly follow the procedure to abolish a policy, it is still in effect. The abolishment was not on the publicly posted agenda for the night and arose from a motion made from the floor. This move follows the abolishment of Policy 5756 by many other school districts in N.