South River HS pranksters must sign contract if they want to graduate – NJ Top News

Here are the top stories on NJ 101.5 for Tuesday, June 17, 2025

⬛ NJ man sentenced to 125 years in prison for murder and other charges

NEWARK — A New Jersey man was sentenced to 125 years in prison for murder, weapons, and witness tampering charges.

Isaiah Knight, 31, of East Orange, was found guilty in April for the June 2021 killing of 23-year-old Tyzier White on Campbell Street in Newark.

Knight shot his victim five times after a dispute involving the pair plus Knight's cousin, investigators said.

⬛ Punishment for NJ students includes fines for toilet paper prank at school

SOUTH RIVER — The students identified as being part of the senior prank vandalism that led to the cancellation of classes must pay a fine and agree to certain terms, including community service, in order to be part of Thursday's commencement.

Mayor Peter Guindi told ABC 7 Eyewitness News that nothing was broken or stolen.

The students have been sent a "graduation participation contract" with terms they must comply with in order to participate in commencement. The deadline to return the signed contact is Monday.

⬛ NJ can have grand jury probe clergy sex abuse allegations, high court rules

TRENTON (AP) — New Jersey can have a grand jury examine allegations of clergy sexually abusing children, the state's Supreme Court ruled Monday, after a Catholic diocese that had tried for years to block such proceedings recently reversed course.

The Diocese of Camden previously had argued that a court rule prevents the state attorney general from impaneling a grand jury to issue findings in the state’s investigation into decades of allegations against church officials. But the diocese notified the court in early May that it would no longer oppose that. Camden Bishop Joseph Williams, who took over the diocese in March, said he'd met with stakeholders in the diocese and there was unanimous consent to end the church’s opposition to the grand jury.

⬛ NJ shore traffic disaster: Busy bridge out of service all summer long

BELMAR —  Get ready for traffic problems at the Jersey Shore. 

Last year, a busy draw bridge connecting Belmar and Avon-by-the-Sea had to be closed for two months because of mechanical failure.

On Friday, the problem happened again and now the 93-year-old structure may be out of commission to vehicles and pedestrians all summer long.

The Route 71 bridge was unexpectedly closed in both directions on Friday afternoon after the south bridge leaf encountered a “mechanical failure.” It remains in the open position to allow for marine traffic to pass.

⬛ Massive home décor retailer closing stores in NJ, blaming new tariffs

Bad news if you love freshening up the rooms of your house every season.

A major home décor retailer has filed for bankruptcy, announcing in federal court documents that the company intends to close more than two dozen stores across the country.

Three of those stores are in New Jersey, which now has eight locations.

In court documents filed in Delaware, the company blames "a challenging commercial environment brought on by both broader economic and retail-specific market pressures."

It cites a "dramatic rise in interest rates" and "persistent inflation" as reasons for their troubled business.

No specific timeline was given for the closures but the bankruptcy said all closing sales would be wrapped by the end of September.

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