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Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Israeli Forces Kill Palestinian American Teen In Occupied West Bank
Israeli forces shot three Palestinian American teenagers in the occupied West Bank on Sunday ― killing one of them in what is the latest incident of the military targeting U.S. citizens, usually without consequence. A group of children were protesting an Israeli raid at the village of Turmus Ayya when Israeli soldiers opened fire on them, hitting three teenage boys who are U.S. citizens, according to local media and the Palestinian Ministry of Health. Two 15-year-old Palestinian American boys, Ayoub Jabara and Abdulrahman Shihada, were rushed to a hospital to get treatment for their wounds, according to the village's mayor Adeeb Lafi. But Israeli soldiers detained the third, 14-year-old Amer Mohammad Saada Rabee, before paramedics could get him help. Israeli troops shot Rabee 11 times, according to the Palestinian American Community Center (PACC). The New Jersey teen was pronounced dead in custody. Video on the ground shows Rabee's mother kissing her son's lifeless body during his funeral in Ramallah on Monday. PACC, based in New Jersey, held a prayer service in honor of the boy, whose death the group said was 'entirely preventable and horrifically unjust.' 'Amer was killed for speaking out at a time when the U.S. and Israel are doing everything they can to crush dissent, but we will not be silenced,' Illinois state Rep. Abdelnasser Rashid, a fellow Palestinian American whose family is also from Turmus Ayya, told HuffPost on Tuesday. The Democrat said he's spoken to some of Rabee's relatives in Chicago, who are 'understandably heartbroken.' The Israel Defense Force has confirmed the attack, justifying the shooting by saying the teens ― only referred to as 'terrorists' ― were 'endangering civilians' by throwing rocks at the highway. 'By labeling children who throw stones as 'terrorists,' Israel entrenches a fabricated system above international law, violating its fundamental rules and principles, fabricating pretexts for killing, and entrenching its policy of institutionalised, systematic and unlawful violence and persecution against Palestinians,' Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor posted on X. 'The killing of children is not self-defense. Stone-throwing is not terrorism,' the Geneva-based rights group continued. 'What Israel is committing is fully-fledged apartheid violence and relentless settler-colonial violence – ongoing, and met with impunity.' Rabee is the latest American to be killed by Israeli forces, an all-too-frequent occurrence that almost never resulted in consequences under the Biden administration. An Israeli airstrike killed Michigan-based Dr. Kamel Ahmad Jawad in October while he was helping injured civilians in Lebanon. An Israeli sniper killed Turkish American student Ayşenur Eygi in September for protesting the occupation in the West Bank. An off-duty Israeli soldier killed Palestinian American teen Tawfiq Abdel Jabbar in January while he was visiting family in the West Bank. Israeli soldiers beat and detained Palestinian American Omar Assad while he was driving home in the West Bank in January 2022, eventually dying of a heart attack after they left the elderly man in the cold still handcuffed. An Israeli sniper killed high-profile Palestinian American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh in May 2022, while she was covering Israeli raids on the West Bank city of Jenin. An Israeli soldier ran a military bulldozer over American activist Rachel Corrie in March 2003, killing her while she was protesting the occupation in Gaza. Despite repeated calls for accountability from both Israel and the U.S., the Justice Department has never pursued prosecution in these cases. The White House, regardless of who occupies it, has nearly always deferred to the Israeli military's self-investigations, which when announced have rarely led to consequences. The IDF did not answer HuffPost's repeated questions as to whether there would be an independent investigation in Rabee's death, nor if there were any consequences that came out of the investigation into Eygi's death. 'We know the frustration of hearing Israel scrambling to falsely justify the targeting and killing of a loved one, as if anything justifies the killing of this child,' Eygi's family said in a statement on Monday. 'We remember our rage seeing the unwillingness of our government to seek justice for the killing of one of its own citizens, despite our repeated calls for accountability.' 'If Ayşenur's killing had been investigated and those responsible had been held accountable, maybe [Amer] would be alive today,' the family continued. 'The impunity afforded to Israel by the United States, as well as its allowance on billions of dollars in weapons sales to Israel, allows Israel to continue its killing of American citizens.' The Trump administration is now facing calls to reinstate sanctions on violent settlers and to investigate Rabee's killing, including by both New Jerseysenators and the Council on American-Islamic Relations. On Tuesday, State Department spokesperson Tammy Bruce would not answer reporters' questions about a possible investigation, only sending condolences to the teenagers' families. 'We are not calling for special treatment – only equal protection under the law for all Americans, regardless of their ethnic or religious identity,' CAIR said in a letter to Attorney General Pam Bondi. 'When Americans are murdered abroad, especially by actors from a U.S.-funded foreign military like Israel, our government has an obligation to respond with the full force of U.S. law. Failure to do so perpetuates injustice and undermines the principle that every American life matters.' The Sunday shooting is also part of a spike in violence against Palestinians by Israeli soldiers and settlers in the occupied West Bank, including a larger offensive in the northern region that has killed at least 99 people and displaced tens of thousands, according to the United Nations. While Palestinians in the West Bank continue to face such threats, Israeli forces have kept up their 18-month destruction of Gaza, where UN officials say children have bore the brunt of the violence and displacement. 'We know that [Amer's] killing, like Ayşenur's, has only garnered attention in America because he was a US citizen, and we also know there are thousands of other [Amer's] and Ayşenur's killed by Israel whose stories have not been told, simply because of where they were born,' Eygi's family said. 'Israel must not only be held accountable for the killing of [Amer] and Ayşenur, but also for its continued genocide of the Palestinian people.'
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Family of NJ teen killed in West Bank demands answers
NEW JERSEY (PIX11) — A Palestinian American family from New Jersey is calling on the federal government to investigate their son's death over the weekend in the West Bank. Fourteen-year-old Amer Mohamad Saada Rabee was shot and killed Sunday. More Local News The Israel Defense Forces claim that they identified 'three terrorists who hurled rocks toward the highway,' endangering civilian drivers. Amer's family claims the circumstances were much more innocent. 'Amer was killed after he and two other boys were picking almonds off a tree,' said Rania Mustafa, the executive director of the Palestinian American Community Center. More: Latest News from Around the Tri-State 'This kid was unarmed … no weapons,' said Amer's uncle, Rami Jbara. 'He's just playing on top of a tree getting those almonds.' Amer's family moved to Palestine from Saddle Brook in 2013. Amer had dual citizenship and often traveled back and forth. 'This was a senseless killing of an innocent 14-year-old boy, a boy who also happens to be an American citizen,' said Salaedin Maksut, the executive director of the Council of American Islamic Relations-NJ. Amer's father said he learned of Sunday's shooting through a family friend. He said he tried for hours to get information from the American embassy before learning the gruesome truth. 'He had 11 shots,' said Mohammed Rabee. 'Two in his stomach, one in his leg, two in his hand, two in his heart, two in his shoulder, and two in his head.' The Rabee family is calling for the United States government to step in and get answers. 'We demand a formal investigation into the murder of Amer,' said Mustafa. 'We demand our local and state officials condemn this killing. We demand the American embassy take accountability. And we demand an end to the illegal Israeli operation and an end to the genocide.' So far, the White House has not addressed Amer's death. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Middle East Eye
08-04-2025
- Politics
- Middle East Eye
'They executed him': Palestinian Americans outraged over killing of teen in West Bank
The Israeli military "executed" a Palestinian-American teenager as he picked green almonds in a village in the occupied West Bank, bereaved family and members of the Palestinian community in New Jersey told reporters on Tuesday. Amer Mohammed Saada Rabee, 14, who was born in Saddlebrook, New Jersey, and lived between the occupied West Bank and the US, was killed on Sunday when Israeli forces fired at him and two other minors in the Palestinian village of Turmus Ayya. Amer, a US citizen, was shot 11 times and died from his injuries, while the two other boys - one of whom is also a US citizen - sustained several bullet wounds but managed to survive. Both boys - one with minor and the other with severe injuries - were taken to a Ramallah hospital. At a sombre press conference held at the Palestinian American Community Center (PACC) in Clifton, New Jersey, on Tuesday, organisers said the community had once again fallen victim to "senseless violence" from the Israeli state with the full consent and support of the US government. New MEE newsletter: Jerusalem Dispatch Sign up to get the latest insights and analysis on Israel-Palestine, alongside Turkey Unpacked and other MEE newsletters Amer's father, Mohammed, who joined the press conference via Zoom from the occupied West Bank, said the family was heartbroken and in mourning over the loss of his son. He said he was at home when he was told the Israeli military had opened fire on three boys in the village, including his son. He immediately contacted the US embassy, but they were slow to respond to his pleas for help, asking him for "unnecessary" details even though he was a US citizen with all the proper paperwork. Hours later, he was informed that his son's body was at a military base near Nablus. He said his son was given to him in a blue bag. His clothes had also been removed. Exploding bullets Mohammed said a doctor who examined his son's body said it appeared that Amer had been struck by two different types of bullets, including a type that exploded once it entered his body. He noted his son also had suffered two gunshot wounds to the head. 'This was a cold blooded murder,' Rami Jbara, Amer's uncle who lives in New Jersey, said. Amer Rabee would have turned 15 in May (Rabee family/Supplied) Rania Mustafa, executive director of PACC, said the village of Turmus Ayya is surrounded by Israeli settlers who routinely look to intimidate and interfere with Palestinian villagers. The Rabee family's farmland and farmhouse had been set alight and burnt by settlers last summer. Mustafa described Amer as a bright kid who liked playing video games and spending time with friends, like any other boy his age. Mustafa said Amer was visiting family in New Jersey as recently as February. She said his only fault was that he was Palestinian. "The reality is, like many Palestinians, that he was living in Palestine, and he was subjected to senseless murder and an execution," Mustafa said. "Our stories are consistently ignored. Our people are consistently dehumanised. Amer was killed after he and two boys picked green almonds off a tree," Mustafa said, clarifying that it was almond-picking season in Palestine. 'Amer was not in Gaza. He was in the West Bank. Palestinians are not safe neither here, nor in the West Bank, Gaza or even the US," Mustafa said. Israeli soldiers said the boys were "throwing rocks" at Highway 60, a motorway that runs through the occupied West Bank from Beersheba to Nazareth. They described the boys as "terrorists". But Amer's father, Mohammed, said his son, along with the other two boys, were climbing trees, and if they were throwing stones - of which there is no evidence that they were - it was likely they were trying to break off almonds to eat when they were fired upon by Israeli soldiers. 'Even if he was throwing stones [at anyone], he was 14 years old. They could have caught him and stopped him, but they wanted to kill him," Mohammed said. Though the Palestinian-American community is calling for accountability from US officials over the killing of Amer, given his American citizenship, there is very little evidence to suggest that the US government will hold Israel to account. In 2021, Palestinian-American journalist Shireen Abu Akleh was killed while reporting in the West Bank, and this case has been all but buried. Likewise, in 2023, 17-year-old Mohammed Khdour was shot in the head by Israeli forces while he sat in his car. No actions have been taken in either of these cases. On Tuesday, the US State Department said it was "aware" of the killing by Israeli forces of a Palestinian-American teenager, adding that it was still seeking more information on what had transpired.
Yahoo
08-04-2025
- Yahoo
14-year-old dual Palestinian-US citizen killed in the West Bank
A 14-year-old dual Palestinian-U.S. citizen was killed in the West Bank on Sunday, the Palestinian Ministry of Health said Monday. The teen was identified as Amer Mohamad Saada Rabee. The death comes after Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement Sunday that they identified 'three terrorists who hurled rocks toward the highway, thus endangering civilians driving' in the Turmus Ayya area of the West Bank. Israeli soldiers "opened fire," killing one person and hitting two others, the IDF said in the statement, though they did not identify the person who was killed. In response to an ABC News request, the IDF would not comment regarding whether they are investigating the incident. A video of the rock-throwing incident in question was provided with the IDF statement Sunday. A State Department spokesperson confirmed in a statement to ABC News that a U.S. citizen died in the West Bank. MORE: Israel expands ground operations in north Gaza after deadly strike on school "We acknowledge the IDF's initial statement that expressed that this incident occurred during a counter-terrorism operation and that Israel is investigating,' the statement said. 'It is with heavy hearts that The Palestinian American Community Center (PACC) shares the news of the horrific killing of Amer Mohamad Saada Rabee, a young 14-year-old Palestinian American boy from Turmusayya [sic], a village in the West Bank,' the New Jersey-based Palestinian American Community Center said in a statement. Two other people who were also under 18 years old were injured in the incident, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. 'Amer, along with two other Palestinian American 15-year-olds from the village, were shot by Israeli military officers. Amer was shot 11 times in total,' the Palestinian American Community Center said. Mourners gathered Sunday for funeral prayers at the Palestinian American Community Center in Clifton, New Jersey. ABC News' Nathan Luna contributed to this report. 14-year-old dual Palestinian-US citizen killed in the West Bank originally appeared on
Politico
14-03-2025
- Politics
- Politico
Paterson and Palestine
Good Friday morning! Late last month, at a ceremony marking the start of Ramadan, Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh called his city the 'capital of Palestine' and repeated someone's comments about it being the 'fourth holiest city' in Islam. To me, it sounded like typical municipal boosterism by a Democratic mayor who leads a city with a big Arab-American population, many of them Palestinians. And Sayegh told me that's exactly what he meant by it. He said just the other week, speaking to Dominican-Americans, he called Paterson the 'capital of the Dominican Republic.' But to right-wing and pro-Israel publications, Sayegh's Palestine comments were vague and threatening. You can see the backlash here. One website even called Sayegh 'Jihad-happy.' Another incorrectly said he's Muslim. (He's a Catholic of Syrian and Lebanese descent). 'Critics argue that the city's transformation into an Islamic and Palestinian enclave could undermine the values that have traditionally defined Paterson,' read one publication, referring to the planned industrial city that's seen different waves of immigrants from all over the world. If someone topples the Lou Costello statue, then maybe they'll have a point. It's also kind of funny that designating Paterson the actual capital of Palestine might actually please some Israelis considering the dispute over Jerusalem. Sayegh's comments have largely escaped mainstream media coverage in New Jersey, probably because they just sounded like typical politician talk. For instance, I recall Alabama-born former state Sen. Sam Thompson, a Republican who represented many Indian-Americans, referring to himself at an event as 'Sam Thompson Patel.' Bill Spadea, Republican candidate for governor, is putting himself in the middle of it. On Sunday, over a Marco Rubio tweet about deporting visa and green card holders who are Hamas supporters, obviously referring to Columbia University pro-Palestine activist Mahmoud Khalil, Spadea tweeted: 'Good. Start in Paterson, New Jersey.' Spadea plans to briefly stop in the city Saturday to criticize this and Sayegh's previous immigration statements. One speaker at the event did make some controversial comments that touched on the war in Gaza and Israel, but got very little attention for them. Paterson-born Rania Mustafa, who leads the city's Palestinian American Community Center, criticized 'Israel's ongoing aggression to both Gaza and the West Bank' and called on the audience to support the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel. But Sayegh's statements are basically just treating Palestinians the same way politicians talk about other ethnic constituencies in their towns. Saint Patrick's Day is Monday. Do you think politicians are getting negative press for showing up to the parades? HAPPY BIRTHDAY: Anthony Campisi, Brian McGovern. Saturday for Nia Gill, Grace Spencer, Brian Bauerle, Justin Zaremba, Katie Wertheimer. Sunday for Beth Sawyer, Koren Frankfort, Shane Mitchell, Christina Renna, Madeline Urbish WHERE'S MURPHY? In Newark at 10:30 a.m. for the funeral Mass of Newark Police Detective Joseph Anthony Azcona QUOTE OF THE DAY: 'President Trump is not a king, and he cannot unilaterally decide to close a cabinet agency.' — Attorney General Matt Platkin, on the latest multi-state lawsuit against the Trump administration, this time against gutting the Department of Education WHAT TRENTON MADE I SEE DEAD POLICIES — Gov. Phil Murphy's administration is counting on offshore wind to meet the Democrat's clean energy goals, despite turmoil, failure and uncertainty in the wind industry, according to a preview of his long-awaited energy blueprint released Thursday. Officials and consultants hired by the administration held a lengthy public hearing on a draft of the state energy master plan, which hasn't been updated since before the pandemic. Eric Miller, the top climate staffer in the governor's office, said the plan is meant to be 'actionable and flexible' to help the state meet Murphy's goal of 100 percent clean electricity by 2035. But amid the largely upbeat picture the consultants painted are signs that Murphy's major promises are in danger of being swallowed up by skyrocketing electricity rates, the failures of the offshore wind industry and potential loss of federal subsidies for clean energy. 'It's feasible for New Jersey to meet its goals, but there will be challenges,' said one of the consultants hired to work on the plan, Chelsea Petrenko of E3. — Ry Rivard EXPUNGEWORTHY — 'N.J. just made 'pivotal' move to help those with minor convictions rebuild their lives,' by NJ Advance Media's Ted Sherman: 'For years, critics say the New Jersey State Police has taken far too long to erase the convictions of those charged with minor crimes — despite court orders to seal those records — leaving thousands in legal limbo. On Thursday, the Office of the Public Defender said it reached a settlement that should speed up the slow-as-molasses criminal expungement process, with the goal to complete the processing of those cases within 90 days … The settlement term sheet was finalized after months of mediation before retired Associate Justice Jaynee LaVecchia. As part of that agreement, officials said a newly launched online portal will allow people to track the status of their expungement orders. At the same time, the State Police agreed to provide monthly, detailed reports on expungement processing numbers, which will be publicly posted over an 18-month period. In addition, the agency agreed under the settlement to process all known expungement orders that are more than 120 days old by June 1.' 2 STATES 1 CUP — 'As political volatility escalates, so do preparations for the FIFA 2026 World Cup in NJ,' by The Record's Katie Sobko: 'Lauren LaRusso, a co-chair of the New York New Jersey Host Committee for the eight matches set to take place next summer at MetLife Stadium, joined Meg Kane of the Philadelphia organizing committee, Jeremy Goldberg of Microsoft and Kely Nascimento of The Impact Game to talk about what it takes to prepare for the biggest sporting event on the planet …Though hosting is a New Jersey and New York partnership, LaRusso did acknowledge that the city tends to get the lion's share of the attention so it's up to the host committee to draw fans out of the city itself. That will include a partnership with Adidas, which will place 150 'big mega balls' with QR codes at attractions and destinations worth visiting in a 'scavenger hunt type way' beyond just Manhattan. As for what that visit will cost and how it will impact New Jersey remains to be seen. Though the state partnered with its neighbor across the river for hosting duties, a contract between the two still does not exist.' LANDLINE BLING — Lawmaker proposes statewide elderly hotline to reduce social isolation, by POLITICO's Matt Friedman: New Jersey seniors who just want someone to talk to would be able to sign up for a weekly telephone check-in under a new legislative proposal. Assemblymember Carol Murphy last week introduced a bill to create a statewide telephone chat line for residents who are at least 60, run by the state Division of Aging Services. 'This has been a big issue for seniors, that they feel lonely and isolated,' Murphy, a Democrat from Burlington County, said in a phone interview. 'Even those who are at home and get someone who comes in and takes care of them, the isolation is huge to a lot of them.' Under the bill, NJ A5428 (24R), New Jerseyans who are at least 60 years old would be able to sign up with the division to receive a weekly telephone call. They'd fill out a form that would include questions about their interests and hobbies, and the best time to reach them. ONE FLU OVER THE CUCKOO'S NEST — Spadea vows to end flu shot requirements as governor, by POLITICO's Daniel Han: Former conservative radio host Bill Spadea is promising to scrap flu vaccine requirements if elected governor. The annual shot is recommended for everyone over six months old with limited exceptions, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — and is credited with preventing hundreds of thousands of flu-related hospitalizations in a single flu season. In New Jersey, state law requires health care workers to get the flu shot and it is required for preschool-aged children and to enroll in child care. 'Parents want to be able to decide what goes into their kids' bodies,' Spadea said in an interview posted online Wednesday, underscoring that nurses and public health officials should not be required to get the shot. 'This is a very basic thing. I've made a public commitment that I want to get rid of the flu shot mandates. The flu shot is an absurdity as a mandate anywhere' … In 2018, Spadea encouraged his listeners to get flu shots and said they weren't as effective if there wasn't widespread uptake. 'Get your flu shot — that's right,' he said at the time. — 'With immigration fight, Newark mayor claims progressive lane in governor's race' — 'After an I-295 wall collapse in Camden County, a new law requires stronger testing for road construction' — 'Has South Jersey made this blue state more of a purple? Governor race may test the notion' — 'Congressman Frank Pallone endorses Mikie Sherrill for NJ Governor' — 'Joe Egan's IBEW Local 456 endorses Steve Sweeney' TRUMP ERA ARTKNOCKERS — 'NJ arts groups fear what comes next amid flurry of changes by Trump administration,' by The Record's Jim Beckerman: 'At first glance, New Jersey arts funding might appear to have a comfortable cushion. The federal part of the funding pie, in this state, is small: $1.19 million. A total of $31.9 million was awarded by the New Jersey State Council on the Arts last year to 900 New Jersey arts groups and projects in the state. (Some additional state funding comes from other sources.) New Jersey is unusual because it has its own dedicated arts funding stream: the Hotel/Motel State Occupancy Fee, established in 2003, on the principle that theater, dance and music are tourism generators. Virtually all of the state arts council's money comes from this source. Thus, New Jersey is less dependent than some other states on federal funding. However, the lion's share of the federal $1.19 million New Jersey gets from the National Endowment for the Arts goes to administrative costs for the state's arts council. Without it, the whole distribution mechanism of the grants could be affected.' A HALAL BUDGET — 'House GOP kills over 200 NJ community projects,' by NJ Spotlight News' Benjamin J. Hulac: 'New Jersey would lose more than $200 million in federal funding for a variety of projects, from lead-pipe replacement, chemical cleanup and stormwater management projects to money for fire engines, libraries, road construction and police departments, under legislation Congress is poised to pass this week … The New Jersey congressional delegation voted along party lines: Republicans voted for the bill and Democrats voted against it. The bill keeps federal funding largely flat through September while increasing spending on the U.S. military by $6 billion. To the frustration of members of both parties, including Rep. Chris Smith (R-4th), the bill eliminated all funding through earmarks — the method Congress uses to pay for specific projects lawmakers secure for their home state or district. 'I will work to put them back next year,' Smith said in an interview with NJ Spotlight News.' — 'NJ Medicaid monitors claw back $100M annually from fraud, overpayments' — 'Will N.J.'s 3 GOP Congressmen vote to slash Medicaid? | Opinion' LOCAL INZELBUCKS — 'State blocks reappointment of Lakewood Schools' $6 million attorney,' by the Asbury Park Press' Joe Strupp: 'The school district's state monitor has blocked the reappointment of Lakewood Board of Education attorney Michael Inzelbuch after a scathing state report criticized his contract, which has paid him more than $6 million since 2017 and requires little accountability. The move comes shortly after an Asbury Park Press investigation on Feb. 18 that detailed Inzelbuch's contract and included critics' comments about the board's approval of the unique agreement. The nine-page report, issued on Feb. 25 from the state Department of Education's Office of Fiscal Accountability and Compliance (OFAC), states that Inzelbuch's contract is problematic because it was not put out to competitive bid to ensure the most affordable legal services. It also does not require detailed invoices and improperly guarantees that he will earn $50,000 per month no matter how much work is done … Board of Education President Moshe Bender sought to counter the report during the board's regular March 12 meeting, claiming it was filled with inaccurate information and did not take into account Inzelbuch's positive attributes.' LAPOLLA DOLLA BILL Y'ALL — 'Montclair's parting interim manager to get $72,174 payout, contract says,' by Montclair Local's Matt Kadosh: 'Michael Lapolla, Montclair's interim township manager, will receive a total payout of $72,174.60 on or before his departure from service with the township on March 31, according to his separation agreement. On Tuesday, the Township Council approved the agreement, which requires the town to pay Lapolla $52,500, representing 90 days' pay. The contract also requires Montclair to pay Lapolla $19,674.60 for unused vacation days. Council members approved the contract by a unanimous vote after discussing some of its terms publicly … The Faulkner Act for Montclair's Council-Manager government form requires the town to pay a parting manager 'his salary for the next three calendar months.'' — '[Orange] city councilman brandished gun at tow truck driver, police say,' by NJ Advance Media's Anthony G. Attrino: 'City of Orange Councilman Kerry Coley Jr. was arrested Monday for allegedly attempting to intimidate a tow truck driver by displaying a firearm, authorities said Thursday. Coley surrendered at the City of Orange Township police headquarters and was held overnight at the Essex County Jail, according to Essex County Prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens II and Orange Township Police Director Todd Warren. He was charged with making terroristic threats, a third-degree crime.' — 'New Jersey has contributed more than $800M in funding to Atlantic City for budgets since 2016' — 'Wildwood vows to head off 'Project X' teen bash' — 'Newark students are eager to participate in April's school board election, but they have questions' — 'Jersey City Council approves vote of no confidence for Public Safety Director Shea' — 'Neptune business administrator quits, cites 'changing political environment'' — '[Atlantic] county is considering selling its nursing home to avoid millions in losses' — 'Another primary, another slugfest in Roselle' EVERYTHING ELSE HARVARD ON THE BOULEVARD — Funding for a costly merger between Kean and New Jersey City universities is uncertain, by POLITICO's Eden Teshome: New Jersey City University and Kean University plan to enter a multimillion-dollar merger that could cost the state tens of millions. But in a year when higher education is facing across-the-board cuts in the governor's budget, it's uncertain whether the state will deliver. Gov. Phil Murphy's office declined to answer directly whether the state would commit to funding the proposed merger, instead referring POLITICO to a previous joint statement from Murphy and Secretary of Higher Education Brian Bridges saying they 'look forward to working with state and institutional leaders on the path to a successful transition that empowers student success and long-term resilience.' NJCU spokesperson Ira Thor said 'the State has steadfastly supported NJCU's transition to its current financial strength and we have no reason to expect that there will be any lessening of that support going forward.' NOPE, NOT GOING THERE — 'Damned if you do: This N.J. town declared war on its beaver neighbors. Boy, did they misunderstand the enemy,' by NJ Advance Media's Steven Rodas: 'In the farmhouse committee room, the humans huddled together and spoke of the evidence. The whispers were true. Things were escalating. Not just trivial teeth marks on twigs or muddy paw prints on paths. Entire trees felled. Stumps that foretold the same. Reports of one bold enough to trespass on someone's front lawn — near a playground, no less … This is not how things are supposed to be in the young neighborhood of Old York Village … A foolproof plan for a flawless suburb … … if not for the beavers … The town's stakeholders gathered, meeting after meeting, taking turns at the microphone — business owners, Boy Scouts, politicians and parents. Surely a few pesky rodents were no match for a group of New Jersey homeowners determined to keep unsavory visitors out of their town. What happened next was more than just an unhinged melodrama of neighbor versus neighbor versus beaver.' — 'Bone-dry New Jersey asks people to delay lawn, yard projects until it rains more'
