July 2012

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ—Remsen Avenue may not be recognizable even to its own residents as the city embarks on a massive sewer repair project between George and Sandford Streets.

Nearly a dozen of pieces of heavy machinery remain parked up and down the corridor, even during nights and weekends, when work is not being done.

Each day, contractors dig up a little more of the road and the sewer below.  Truckloads of dirt and rocks from the project are then dumped at the city's Department of Public Works on Jersey Avenue.

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ—The Robert Wood Johnson Health Network might be getting even bigger soon, as executives have been in talks with Somerset Medical Center in Somerville to define a parternship.

The Robert Wood Johnson network includes hospitals with the RWJ name in New Brunswick, Rahway, and Hamilton, as well as the Raritan Bay Medical Centers in Old Bridge and Perth Amboy.  The system also includes a variety of other facilities in Middlesex, Monmouth, Somerset, Union, and Mercer counties.

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ—Multiple sources have alleged that the number three man in the county prosecutor's office did not retire on his own terms.

In fact, two sources are saying that there is a criminal investigation into Nicholas Sewtich, the recently retired deputy 1st assistant prosecutor.

Sewitch, a 28-year veteran of the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office oversaw all homicide cases until his abrupt departure earlier this month.

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ—Monday afternoon, James Coleman, 44, led police officers from North Brunswick and New Brunswick on a twenty minute chase through parts of both towns.

The pursuit ended when Coleman, who hails from North Brunswick, crashed into a police cruiser and then into a utility pole on Powers Street in New Brunswick.

“He was in and out of an apartment complex. On highways and side streets. A number of people lives were put in danger,” New Brunswick Sgt. Mark Pappas told NJ.com.

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ—Rutgers students from New Jersey will have to pay an additional $318 in tutition and fees next year due to a 2.5% tuition hike unanimously approved by the Board of Governors last Wednesday.

Student demonstrators packed the boardroom and walked out in protest after the decision.  Seven students spoke eloquently against the increase.

Natalie Sowinski, a rising senior at Rutgers, said she came to Rutgers because of its supposed affordability and strong reputation as a research University.

NEW BRUNSWICK, NJ—New Brunswick is the only community in Middlesex County with a fully-paid fire department.  And those firefighters may soon face random drug testing if their union votes to ratify a new contract with the city.

"We have negotiated with the firemen for a nubmer of years now this drug testing policy.  We now have it this close to being signed off on in an agreement," said Business Administrator Thomas Loughlin at the most recent City Council meeting.