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Montclair State

Joe Fiordaliso, Former Livingston Mayor, Public Utilities President, Dies At 78 Joe Fiordaliso, Former Livingston Mayor, Public Utilities President, Dies At 78
Joe Fiordaliso, Former Livingston Mayor, Public Utilities President, Dies At 78 Joe Fiordaliso, the longtime president of the Board of Public Utilities and three-time mayor of Livingston, died at the age of 78, Gov. Phil Murphy announced on Thursday, Sept. 7. No cause of death was provided. Fiordaliso was appointed to Murphy's cabinet in 2018, having previously served as a commissioner on the New Jersey Board of Public Utilities since 2005.  Fiordaliso was born and raised in Newark and graduated from Montclair State in 1967. He taught at Vailsburg High School and Bloomfield High School. In 1988, he was elected to the Livingston Township Council, serving for three …
'We Lost A Hero': Aneurysm Takes Beloved Bergen Educator, Firefighter, Church Music Leader, 49 'We Lost A Hero': Aneurysm Takes Beloved Bergen Educator, Firefighter, Church Music Leader, 49
'We Lost A Hero': Aneurysm Takes Beloved Bergen Educator, Firefighter, Church Music Leader, 49 Death came suddenly and without warning for beloved educator, firefighter and church music director Basil Pizzuto of Saddle Brook, leaving legions who knew him shocked, saddened and more than a bit shaken. Pizzuto, an assistant principal at Ridgewood High School, was at work when an aortic aneurysm struck on Wednesday, Nov. 23, a day before he and loved ones had expected to celebrate both Thanksgiving and his 50th birthday. It was a gut punch that spread through multiple communities of those who knew and loved Pizzuto -- from the village's public schools to the Saddle Brook Fire Department…
'Invincible' Harrison Firefighter Who Served In US Marines, Law Enforcement Dies 'Invincible' Harrison Firefighter Who Served In US Marines, Law Enforcement Dies
'Invincible' Harrison Firefighter Who Served In US Marines, Law Enforcement Dies Vincent Doffont spent much of his life serving and protecting his country as a U.S. Marine and, later, his community in Hudson County as a sheriff's officer, police officer and firefighter. Doffont, 37, died suddenly this weekend, leaving those who knew him in shock and profound grief. "He was one of the hardest men I have ever met," wrote friend Blake Upton. "I always thought of him as invincible." Doffont, indeed, seemed indestructible as a football running back, defensive back and placekicked for the St. Mary's High School Gaels from 1999 through 2002. He was praised for his "speed, s…
Lyndhurst Woman Saves 4 Lives With Kidney Donation To Honor Late Father, Jersey City Officer Lyndhurst Woman Saves 4 Lives With Kidney Donation To Honor Late Father, Jersey City Officer
Lyndhurst Woman Saves 4 Lives With Kidney Donation To Honor Late Father, Jersey City Officer A Lyndhurst woman who recently donated a kidney in honor of her late father, a Jersey City police officer, saved four lives when she ignited a “zig-zagging bi-coastal chain” of donations across the country. Gianna Graw, a 24-year-old grad student in higher education at Montclair State, wanted to honor her father — a Jersey City police officer who died in 2016 — by donating a kidney to another officer in need. “My dad dedicated his life to helping others, and I wanted to find a way to honor him and live his legacy,” she said. But finding out that the officer had already found a suitable don…
Prominent Morris County Photographer, Nature-Lover Jill Homcy Dies, 54 Prominent Morris County Photographer, Nature-Lover Jill Homcy Dies, 54
Prominent Morris County Photographer, Nature-Lover Jill Homcy Dies, 54 Jill Marie Homcy of Lincoln Park, a nature-lover who founded a massive Facebook page dedicated to wildlife, died on Sept. 30. She was 54. Born in Passaic, Homcy was a Montclair State graduate known for her love of art and nature, her obituary says. She worked as a Production Manager for Strategic Content Imaging, a digital printing company in Secaucus, for 13 years. Homcy was also known for creating and running a Facebook group called NJ Nature and Wildlife, which had more than 10,000 members to date. Her photography projects have helped raise awareness of local environmental issues, such …
A Life Well-Lived: Mahwah's Alix Morriss, 93, Was Mother, Businesswoman, Volunteer & Traveler A Life Well-Lived: Mahwah's Alix Morriss, 93, Was Mother, Businesswoman, Volunteer & Traveler
A Life Well-Lived: Mahwah's Alix Morriss, 93, Was Mother, Businesswoman, Volunteer & Traveler Alix Elizabeth deMarees Morriss, 93, died in her home in Mahwah on Dec. 7 surrounded by her children. Born in Germany in 1926 from a noble lineage, with a title of Baroness, she went on to grow up in a country at war. Alix left home as a teenage refugee to complete a fulfilling and engaging life in Bergen County. There wasn’t a challenge she didn’t face head on. Since arriving to the United States, she sought opportunities wherever they appeared: from working on Wall Street with no experience to getting a Master’s degree at Montclair State while simultaneously working as a teacher at Imma…
Cliffside Park 'Kitchen Disaster' Eliminated In First Round Of Food Network Show Cliffside Park 'Kitchen Disaster' Eliminated In First Round Of Food Network Show
Cliffside Park 'Kitchen Disaster' Eliminated In First Round Of Food Network Show Spoiler alert: A Palestinian comic from Cliffside Park was eliminated in the first round of Food Network's "Worst Cooks in America." Nina Kharoufeh, 25, was cut by judge and celebrity chef Anne Burrell for her take on steak and squash stew. The Montclair State graduate claimed to have never used a can opener. Her mom thought the reason she's still single is because she can't cook. "This experience was honestly so much fun," Kharoufeh said. "I can't wait to go home and practice. I'm sure I'll get better." The remaining "kitchen disasters" will continue to compete for $25,000 on t…
MSU Grad Eliminated In First Round Of 'Worst Cooks' On Food Network MSU Grad Eliminated In First Round Of 'Worst Cooks' On Food Network
MSU Grad Eliminated In First Round Of 'Worst Cooks' On Food Network Spoiler alert: A Palestinian comic from Cliffside Park was eliminated in the first round of Food Network's "Worst Cooks in America." Nina Kharoufeh, 25, was cut by judge and celebrity chef Anne Burrell for her take on steak and squash stew. The Montclair State graduate claimed to have never used a can opener. Her mom thought the reason she's still single is because she can't cook. "This experience was honestly so much fun," Kharoufeh said. "I can't wait to go home and practice. I'm sure I'll get better." The remaining "kitchen disasters" will continue to compete for $25,000 on the show's …
Woman Charged With Liability For Fentanyl, Heroin Death Of Morristown Artist Battling Addiction Woman Charged With Liability For Fentanyl, Heroin Death Of Morristown Artist Battling Addiction
Woman Charged With Liability For Fentanyl, Heroin Death Of Morristown Artist Battling Addiction A Rockaway woman initially arrested on a minor drug charge is facing much more severe consequences for providing the heroin and fentanyl that killed a user, authorities said. Natalia E. Zyga, 30, is charged with strict liability for a drug-induced death, they said.  Police found Sasha Truesdale dead Nov. 23 after overdosing on drugs given to her by Zyga, Morris County Prosecutor Fredric M. Knapp, Chief of Investigations Stephen F. Wilson, Jr. and Rockaway Borough Police Chief Conrad Pepperman said in a joint release Tuesday. Under state law, someone who sells illegal drugs that k…
Fit Cops: Wood-Ridge Patrolman Works Midnight Shifts To Coach HS Wrestling Fit Cops: Wood-Ridge Patrolman Works Midnight Shifts To Coach HS Wrestling
Fit Cops: Wood-Ridge Patrolman Works Midnight Shifts To Coach HS Wrestling Sacrificing sleep and a social life for four months of the year doesn't bother Wood-Ridge Police Officer Timothy Janz. Wrestling is his passion and he'd give up just about anything to help others looking to follow a similar path. The officer opts for midnight shifts from November through March so he can continue as the assistant wrestling coach at Wood-Ridge High School. "I love the sport and being able to coach and represent the town I grew up in and team I once wrestled for is very gratifying," said Janz, 30. "Plus, the kids love knowing that I have more than 20 years exp…