Columbia, MD
Obituaries
Devoted Maryland Nursing Educator Jane Solberg Dies, 33 Devoted Maryland Nursing Educator Jane Solberg Dies, 33 Devoted Maryland Nursing Educator Jane Solberg Dies, 33
Devoted Maryland Nursing Educator Jane Solberg Dies, 33 Tributes are pouring in for Jane Jordan Solberg, a devoted nursing educator from Howard County who died Sunday, Dec. 31 at the age of 33. Born in Georgia, Jane graduated from the McDonogh School with honors in 2008, discovering her passion for theater, singing, and dancing along the way, her obituary says. She went on to pursue a career in nursing and eventually earned an advanced degree during the COVID pandemic. Upon graduating, Jane taught nursing at several different institutions and was incredibly dedicated to her work. “She loved her students, and they loved her,” reads her obituar…

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by Valerie Musson
Towson, MD
Breaking News
Former Correctional Officer Gets Time For Sexually Abusing Inmates At MD Prison: Feds Former Correctional Officer Gets Time For Sexually Abusing Inmates At MD Prison: Feds Former Correctional Officer Gets Time For Sexually Abusing Inmates At MD Prison: Feds
Former Correctional Officer Gets Time For Sexually Abusing Inmates At MD Prison: Feds A former correctional officer in Maryland will spend years on the other side of the bars after admitting to violating prisoners' civil rights, prosecutors say. Baltimore native Owen Nesmith, 54, pleaded guilty on Tuesday, June 20, to multiple charges that include the depravation of rights under the color of law and making false statements for having sexual contact with victims at the Maryland Correctional Institution in Jessup. On Thursday, officials announced that Nesmith has been sentenced to eight years in federal prison for abusing the inmates. Nesmith was the acting lieutenant at…

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by Zak Failla
Jersey City, NJ
Your Community
Hoboken Mayor Announces Congressional Run, Primarying Menendez Hoboken Mayor Announces Congressional Run, Primarying Menendez Hoboken Mayor Announces Congressional Run, Primarying Menendez
Hoboken Mayor Announces Congressional Run, Primarying Menendez Ravi Bhalla, the mayor of Hoboken, announced Tuesday, Dec. 12, he is running for Congress in New Jersey's 8th Congressional District. Bhalla will be primarying incumbent Rob Menendez (D-Jersey City), the son of Senator Robert Menendez, who was recently indicted on federal corruption charges. The younger Menendez, who has represented the 8th district since 2023, has not been accused of any wrongdoing.  Menendez announced in September he was running for re-election for a second term and has already received endorsements from numerous elected officials in Hudson County. In a video announ…

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by Sam Barron
Egg Harbor Township, NJ
Breaking News
Scathing Report: Police Trainers Glorified Violence, Demeaned Women At NJ Seminar (VIDEOS) Scathing Report: Police Trainers Glorified Violence, Demeaned Women At NJ Seminar (VIDEOS) Scathing Report: Police Trainers Glorified Violence, Demeaned Women At NJ Seminar (VIDEOS)
Scathing Report: Police Trainers Glorified Violence, Demeaned Women At NJ Seminar (Videos) The Office of the State Comptroller (OSC) showed no mercy to a New Jersey-based organization that they said preached unconstitutional policing tactics and  demeaned women at a massive training conference paid for using thousands of dollars in public funding. The OSC made a video montage of just some of the 100 instances of "discriminatory and harassing comments" made at the October 2021 seminar held by Street Cop in Atlantic City, included in its scathing report announcing the findings of its investigation. Approximately 1,000 law enforcement officers from across the U.S. gathered…

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by Cecilia Levine
Paterson, NJ
Breaking News
State Slams Paterson Handyman Who Refused To Serve Jewish Clients State Slams Paterson Handyman Who Refused To Serve Jewish Clients State Slams Paterson Handyman Who Refused To Serve Jewish Clients
State Slams Paterson Handyman Who Refused To Serve Jewish Clients A handyman from Paterson was ordered to immediately stop refusing to serve Jews and take several remedial steps or face serious charges, state authorities in Trenton said on Thursday. Melquisedec Francis must satisfy eight specific demands to keep from being prosecuted, including announcing that he no longer discriminates against Jewish customers, attending training on anti-Semitism and paying a fine, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin said on Nov. 30. In advertisements on TaskRabbit and elsewhere last month, Francis wrote: "I am expressing my solidarity with the Palestinian Peopl…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Mount Vernon, NY
Your Community
Longtime Mount Vernon Resident Announces Run To Become Westchester's First Black DA Longtime Mount Vernon Resident Announces Run To Become Westchester's First Black DA Longtime Mount Vernon Resident Announces Run To Become Westchester's First Black DA
Longtime Mount Vernon Resident Announces Run To Become Westchester's First Black DA A Westchester native with years of experience in civil rights cases has announced his candidacy to become the county's first Black district attorney.  Mount Vernon native and attorney William O. Wagstaff III announced his candidacy for the Westchester County District Attorney's office on Monday, Nov. 20.  Wagstaff's candidacy announcement comes nearly a month after the county's current District Attorney, Miriam Rocah, announced she would not be seeking re-election in 2024.  Earlier Report - Westchester DA Rocah Won't Seek Re-Election: 'I Do Not Fit Mold Of Career Polit…

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by Ben Crnic
Gaithersburg, MD
Your Community
State Department Official From Maryland Resigns Over Biden's Support For Israel State Department Official From Maryland Resigns Over Biden's Support For Israel State Department Official From Maryland Resigns Over Biden's Support For Israel
State Department Official From Maryland Resigns Over Biden's Support For Israel Senior US State Department official Josh Paul has stepped down from his position amid President Joe Biden's response to the Israel-Hamas conflict overseas, he says. After more than 11 years with the Bureau of Political-Military Affairs (PM), Paul announced his resignation in an open letter on LinkedIn, citing a promise the Maryland native made to himself that conflicts with the current regime's handling of the ongoing war.   Paul said that he is leaving his position because "in our current course with regards to the continued - indeed, expanded and expedited - provision of lethal …

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by Zak Failla
Arlington, VA
Breaking News
Former US Capitol Police Officer Admits To Violating Civil Rights In Hit-Run Crash: Prosecutors Former US Capitol Police Officer Admits To Violating Civil Rights In Hit-Run Crash: Prosecutors Former US Capitol Police Officer Admits To Violating Civil Rights In Hit-Run Crash: Prosecutors
Former US Capitol Police Officer Admits To Violating Civil Rights In Hit-Run Crash: Prosecutors The former US Capitol Police officer who engaged in an illegal pursuit and attempted to cover it up has copped to the crime, federal authorities announced. Thomas Smith, 46, pleaded guilty this week to violating civil rights by "recklessly engaging in a dangerous pursuit and being deliberately indifferent to the danger he created."  According to court documents, on June 20, 2020, Smith was on duty conducting security checks at the homes of members of Congress in Georgetown when he began to pursue a pair riding motorized cycles, even though such pursuits are prohibited by the department…

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by Zak Failla
Vineland, NJ
Breaking News
'Want To Feel Pain?': NJ Cop Who Pepper-Sprayed Handcuffed Driver 2X Pleads Guilty, Feds Say 'Want To Feel Pain?': NJ Cop Who Pepper-Sprayed Handcuffed Driver 2X Pleads Guilty, Feds Say 'Want To Feel Pain?': NJ Cop Who Pepper-Sprayed Handcuffed Driver 2X Pleads Guilty, Feds Say
'Want To Feel Pain?': NJ Cop Who Pepper-Sprayed Handcuffed Driver 2X Pleads Guilty, Feds Say A South Jersey police officer admitted in federal court to using excessive force when he twice pepper-sprayed a drunken but cooperative driver while handcuffed in 2017, authorities announced. John Grier III, 51, of Cedarville — who was indicted in 2021 — pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez in Camden in federal court on Thursday, Oct. 5, to a superseding information charging him with one count of violating an individual’s civil rights, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger said. A sworn Bridgeton police officer since 2004, Grier's admission is in connection with an…

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by Cecilia Levine
Paramus, NJ
Breaking News
NJ Veterans Homes Where Pandemic Deaths Soared Violated Residents' Civil Rights, Feds Find NJ Veterans Homes Where Pandemic Deaths Soared Violated Residents' Civil Rights, Feds Find NJ Veterans Homes Where Pandemic Deaths Soared Violated Residents' Civil Rights, Feds Find
NJ Veterans Homes Where Pandemic Deaths Soared Violated Residents' Civil Rights, Feds Find UPDATE: State-run veterans homes in Paramus and Menlo Park violated the civil rights of their residents during the COVID pandemic and must correct policies and procedures going forward, federal authorities said Thursday. COVID killed more than 200 residents and staff at New Jersey's veterans’ homes, which was among the highest in the entire country. The pandemic claimed a total of 103 residents at the Memorial Veterans Home in Edison and 89 at the Paramus Veterans Memorial Home, according to New Jersey's Department of Health. The state to this point has paid nearly $70 million to settle la…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Mount Vernon, NY
Breaking News
Mount Vernon Sergeant Indicted After Tasing Handcuffed Victim 7 Times in 2 Minutes: Feds Mount Vernon Sergeant Indicted After Tasing Handcuffed Victim 7 Times in 2 Minutes: Feds Mount Vernon Sergeant Indicted After Tasing Handcuffed Victim 7 Times in 2 Minutes: Feds
Mount Vernon Sergeant Indicted After Tasing Handcuffed Victim 7 Times in 2 Minutes: Feds A Westchester Sergeant faces federal charges after tasing a handcuffed victim seven times in the span of two minutes and violating their rights in the process, officials said.  Brooklyn resident Mario Stewart, age 44, a Sergeant with the Mount Vernon Police Department, has been indicted on federal charges after allegedly using excessive force against a handcuffed individual in a March 2019 incident, the US Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York announced on Thursday, July 20.  According to federal officials, at the time of the incident, Stewart had been …

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by Ben Crnic
Harrison, NY
Breaking News
Harrison Fire Department Discriminated Against Female Member, Must Pay Her $425K: Feds Harrison Fire Department Discriminated Against Female Member, Must Pay Her $425K: Feds Harrison Fire Department Discriminated Against Female Member, Must Pay Her $425K: Feds
Harrison Fire Department Discriminated Against Female Member, Must Pay Her $425K: Feds As the result of a settled federal civil rights lawsuit, a town and fire department in Westchester have been ordered to pay a former female member one of the largest-ever payments by a municipality in an employment discrimination case brought on behalf of a single person, officials said.  The payment is a result of a settled federal civil rights lawsuit that alleged the town of Harrison and the Harrison Fire Department discriminated against a former female firefighter, Angela Bommarito, based on her sex and failed to take disciplinary action against a male firefighter who even…

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by Ben Crnic