Victory for defiant NJ gym owner

Here are the top New Jersey news stories for Wednesday:

⬛ NJ school reveals shocking data breach: Kept secret for a year

Goggle Maps/Townsquare Media illustration

A Monmouth County school district hid details about a cyber-attack for over a year. Only now are they revealing student's sensitive personal data was compromised.

Officials at Shore Regional High School District in West Long Branch began notifying families on Friday. On Monday they issued a public statement.

"On or about April 13, 2023, Shore Regional experienced unauthorized access to our network," a statement on the district website reads, "We determined on March 28, 2024, that certain impacted files containing personal information may have been removed from our network by the unauthorized individual(s)."

⬛ Menendez trial takes break after jurors get stuck in elevator

FILE - Sen. Bob Menendez, D-N.J., waits to speak during a Senate Banking, Housing, and Urban Affairs Committee oversight hearing, Dec. 6, 2023, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon, File)

NEW YORK (AP) — The trial of Sen. Bob Menendez grinded to a weeklong break on Tuesday after federal court jurors who were treated to a brick-by-brick build of the prosecution's bribery case got stuck in an elevator a day after they were forced from their usual assembly room because of flooding.

Judge Sidney H. Stein said jurors were trapped in an elevator for several minutes during what was supposed to be a 10-minute late-afternoon break that lasted almost a half hour.

⬛ NJ new unemployment app will save 'hours of time,' Murphy vows

Unemployment app NJ upgrade (NJDOL, Canva)

New Jersey has used millions in federal funding to overhaul its Unemployment Insurance system — cutting down on wait times and frustrations for users which hit a breaking point during the COVID pandemic.

Gov. Phil Murphy was joined by U.S. Department of Labor Acting Secretary Julie Su, state Department of Labor and Workforce Development Commissioner Robert Asaro-Angelo and state Chief Innovation Officer Dave Cole in outlining the new application on Tuesday.

⬛ 4 years later, defiant NJ gym owner declares a win over Murphy

Getty Images, AP, Canva

Four years and six figures in fines after COVID, the New Jersey gym owners who battled state pandemic shutdowns have declared a legal victory.

Ian Smith rose to conservative fame as co-owner of Atilis Gym in Bellmawr, alongside Frank Trumbetti, following their defiance of state restrictions in spring 2020.

“Dumb NJ meathead who didn't close his gym,” is the opening line of Smith's bio on X, formerly Twitter.

⬛ NJ doctor, pharmacist trapped in Gaza able to return home

Dr. Adam Hamawy (front row, left) American doctors volunteering in Gaza trapped by Israeli attack on Rafah (PAMA)

A pharmacist and doctor from New Jersey who volunteered for a two-week mission to a hospital in Gaza have finally both left.

Dr. Adam Hamawy of Princeton and pharmacist Ghada AbuKuwaik from Paterson were part of a group of 35 international medical professionals, including 22 Americans, trapped in Gaza at European Hospital after Israel seized the main crossing into Egypt and sealed off their way out.

On Friday, days after the teams were supposed to leave, talks between U.S. and Israeli authorities yielded results and some of the doctors were able to get out of Gaza.

Memorial Day Parades in New Jersey 2024 (alphabetical)

New Jersey remembers those who made the ultimate sacrifice on Memorial Day with parades, solemn services, reenactments and fairs. Most events take place Monday, May 27 unless otherwise noted and are subject to change without notice here.

Add your community's parade to our list with an email to dan.alexander@townsquaremedia.com

Gallery Credit: Dan Alexander