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Sal DiMaggio

Multimedia journalist focusing on local news and features

Writer, photographer, storyteller.

My Work

MyCentralJersey.com •

Upcoming novel details young man's coming of age in early 1990s Bound Brook

The year is 1991. You are a young man in a small town, finding your way in life. Places like the ice cream shop and theater are the monuments of your youth.That warm nostalgia is what an author who grew up in Bound Brook and South Bound Brook is hoping to evoke in his upcoming novel about life in those towns on the opposite sides of the Raritan River.“The Bridge” is a coming-of-age novel set in Bound Brook and South Bound Brook in the summer of 1991. The story follows Sonny Verone, a young man w...
MyCentralJersey.com •

Firefighters battle Somerville house blaze on East Cliff Street

SOMERVILLE – Fire departments from four communities responded Tuesday afternoon to a house blaze on East Cliff Street two blocks from the Somerset County Administration building.Fire companies from Somerville, Manville, Raritan and Finderne responded to the alarm shortly after 2:30 p.m.Smoke was seen coming out of the three-story early 20th century wooden house. Volunteer firefighters were using ladders to reach fires on the upper floors.Unconfirmed initial reports indicated that a firefighter m...
MyCentralJersey.com •

A century of patriotism: Plainfield's 100th July 4th parade takes on added significance

PLAINFIELD – The city's celebration of the 100th anniversary of its Fourth of July parade is more than a celebration of the holiday marking the country's independence.

The three-day event is also a celebration of Plainfield, its organizers say.

Beginning in 1924 as an event just for the city and eventually growing into a regional event for Central Jersey, the parade has returned to its roots as a citywide celebration. This year's festivities will include a historical exhibit at the Plainfield...
MyCentralJersey.com •

'Grave whispering': How a Somerville man keeps the story of Black US soldiers alive

SOMERVILLE – Arthur Adair’s official title may be the community relations coordinator of the New Cemetery, but he calls himself a “griot.”

That term comes from West Africa, and it means a historian of sorts, someone who can trace bloodlines back hundreds of years.

“I call it grave whispering,” Adair said. “The graves talk to me. And it may sound like crap, but they do they talk to me, and they say look over here, find something.”

Adair, a Somerville native, has been an active part of the comm
MyCentralJersey.com •

Seven Middlesex Borough residents displaced in early morning fire

MIDDLESEX BOROUGH – Seven residents have been displaced following an early Friday morning three-alarm fire that rendered two West Second Street homes uninhabitable.

Around 2:41 a.m. Friday, the Middlesex Borough Police Department was notified about a structure fire at 832 West Second St.

When officers arrived, they found a garage fully engulfed in flames. Officers were able to evacuate the residents of 832 and 836 West Second St. before the fire spread to the second home, police said.

Aubery
MyCentralJersey.com •

Police canvass Carteret in search for shooting suspect

Police gather on the corner of Clauss Street and Park Avenue in Carteret after a shooting on Roosevelt Avenue. Sal DiMaggio/MyCentralJersey.com

Police tape off the area where residents say he dropped his sweatshirt on Clauss Street. Sal DiMaggio/MyCentralJersey.com

The sweatshirt that residents say the suspect dropped after the shooting on Clauss Street in Carteret. Sal DiMaggio/MyCentralJersey.com

A New Jersey State Police helicopter flies over Carteret in search of the shooting suspect. Sal
The Montclarion •

Interdisciplinary Science Building to Replace Webster Hall, Operational by 2028

Montclair State University students will have a new science building as soon as 2028, according to Montclair State President Jonathan Koppell. Koppell announced this in a budget presentation he held on April 4 and elaborated on the plan more in a meeting with campus media organizations on April 19.

The new science building, which would replace Webster Hall, will provide more lab space for STEM students in different schools and colleges, such as the College for Science and Mathematics (CSAM), th
The Montclarion •

"It Takes A Village": How Danielle Epps Has Become Her Students' Biggest Supporters

Lit by a single lamp on her desk, Danielle Epps’s office is a cozy and inviting space, warmed by a tungsten light. Tucked away on the third floor of University Hall, many students have knocked on her door and sat down at the round table in the corner, telling her about their day or asking her for advice.

Epps’s wall is filled with photos of her and her loved ones, as well as signs honoring her sorority, Zeta Phi Beta. Also on her wall are her bachelor’s and master’s degrees: reminders to the st
The Montclarion •

PHOTO ESSAY: University Honors Women's History Month With Flag Raising Event

On March 4, the Office of Social Justice and Diversity (OSJD) hosted a celebration to mark the start of Women’s History Month with a flag-raising event in front of the Center for Computing and Information Science (CCIS) building.

Members of the university community gathered as women across campus spoke, including vice president of student development and campus life Dawn Soufleris.

Speakers discussed the importance of women in our communities and how to empower them not just during March, but
The Montclarion •

BREAKING: Car Fire Disrupts Morning Commute at Montclair State

On Feb. 21, students at Montclair State University faced mass disruption during the mid-morning commute to and from campus as a car fire of unknown origins caught ablaze on the third floor of the Red Hawk Parking Deck.

The parking garage, located next to the Montclair State police station and Alexander Kasser Theater, caught the attention of students and authorities as black smoke was seen billowing from the garage. Police and fire response to the incident was immediate as spectators were held
The Montclarion •

PHOTO ESSAY: University Honors Black History Month With Flag Raising Event - The Montclarion

On Feb. 1, Montclair State University celebrated the start of Black History Month with a flag-raising event in front of the Center for Computing and Information Science (CCIS) building.
The event began with a procession starting at Cole Hall, led by three officers from the University Police Department. Members of the university community followed behind them, including university president Jonathan Koppell, dean of students Margaree Coleman Carter and more.

After the procession reached the flag...
The Montclarion •

From Beach Cleanups to the White House: How Richard Steiner-Otoo is Leaving His Mark as a Public Servant

If you have walked around the campus of Montclair State University, chances are you have heard of Richard Steiner-Otoo. Whether as president of the Student Government Association (SGA) or in one of his many other roles on campus, the senior geographic, environmental and urban studies student has maintained an active presence on campus since his freshman year.

“I feel like I’m a very outgoing person,” Steiner-Otoo said. “And I feel like that’s part of the reason why I’m here. I’ve always tried m
MyCentralJersey.com •

All aboard for two new restaurants at the Somerville train station

All aboard for two new restaurants at the Somerville train station

Workers and commuters in Somerville now have two restaurant options located in the historic building at the borough's train station.

Bombay Canteen, a vegetarian Indian restaurant, serves street foods found in cities such as Mumbai.

Don Oscar’s Cafe, a grab-and-go spot that opened about a month ago, focuses on quick eats such as empanadas, sandwiches and pastries.

Here's a closer look at both restaurants.

Open eight months,
MyCentralJersey.com •

'Keep everybody smiling': How the landmark Dunellen Theatre has reinvented itself

'Keep everybody smiling': How the landmark Dunellen Theatre has reinvented itself

Dunellen has changed a lot in the past century. Businesses have risen and fallen, people have come and gone, but there has been one constant throughout.

The Dunellen Theatre at the corner of North and Madison avenues, opened in 1921, has been a community landmark since before movies had sound.

But now the times are catching up. The theater's screen has been dark since the pandemic, not because attendance went do
MyCentralJersey.com •

Nana's Wood Fired Pizza food truck carries on legacy of owner's grandmother

Kevin Trimarchi, the owner of 22 West Tap and Grill, Epic Cookies & More, Slingin' Dogs and Oink & Moo BBQ & Burgers, has made a name for himself in Somerset County.

But his newest food truck isn’t just another professional venture. This time, it’s personal. Dedicated to his late grandmother, Nana’s Wood Fired Pizza serves fresh pies to parties as large as 200 people.

Trimarchi has strong memories of Rose, who helped him develop his love for food.

“She was a small little Italian woman,” Trima
MyCentralJersey.com •

Marisa Rose Bowl: East Brunswick's Tobias Neuberger a modern-day Renaissance man

EAST BRUNSWICK – To Tobias Neuberger, the Marisa Rose Bowl is more than a chance to play football one last time; it’s an opportunity to give back to those less fortunate.

“It puts a smile on my face, literally and figuratively, to help these people,” said Neuberger, an East Brunswick High School senior.

The lead running back for his team last season, Neuberger is one of six players representing East Brunswick in the Marisa Rose Bowl, which kicks off at Woodbridge High School’s Nicholas A. Pris
MyCentralJersey.com •

Dunellen man eyes 'absolute best and worst versions' of himself in grueling Death Race

Dunellen man eyes 'absolute best and worst versions' of himself in grueling Death Race

Jacob Sanders wants to push his life past the limit in the Death Race.

The 22-year-old former Dunellen High School football star will be taking on the Spartan Death Race, one of the most unforgiving athletic competitions in the United States, later this month.

In the Death Race, competitors undergo a series of grueling tasks such as chopping wood, clearing brush and other torturous exercise in the Green Mou
MyCentralJersey.com •

'There is no crime': Trump supporters rally in Bedminster before speech

'There is no crime': Trump supporters rally in Bedminster before speech

BEDMINSTER — Supporters of former President Donald Trump gathered near the Trump National Golf Club Tuesday afternoon, protesting his historic indictment on federal charges related to his handling of classified documents.

Demonstrators outside the Clarence Dillion Public Library hollered at passing cars as they raised flags and banners that read "Trump 2024," "Make Votes Count Again", and "Save America." Cars and trucks ho
MyCentralJersey.com •

This is what Trump said in Bedminster speech Tuesday

This is what Trump said in Bedminster speech Tuesday

BEDMINSTER — On Tuesday night, after he returned to New Jersey from his arraignment in federal court in Miami, former president Donald Trump spoke to supporters at Trump National Golf Club.

After appearing on a 37-count indictment related to his handling of classified documents after he left the White House, Trump flew back to Central Jersey for a fundraiser that had been scheduled before news of the federal charges broke last week. Trump of
MyCentralJersey.com •

Somerset County Juneteenth celebration to honor local Civil Rights hero

Residents are invited to a Juneteenth celebration at the Somerset County Courthouse next week, where a late local hero who played a role in the Civil Rights Movement will be honored.

The county is hosting the celebration on June 19 in honor of the day that the enslaved people of Galveston, Texas learned that they had been freed under the Emancipation Proclamation in 1865. The celebration will include a featured panel with local African American families, exhibits by local Black-owned businesses
MyCentralJersey.com •

Victims of discrimination and hate crimes in Middlesex County have new sanctuary

Victims of discrimination and hate crimes in Middlesex County have new sanctuary

Victims of discrimination and hate crimes in Middlesex County will now have sanctuary when they feel unsafe, thanks to a new initiative.

Middlesex County recently launched the Safe Place Program, which designates different community locations as safe havens for victims of discrimination and hate crimes.

Each location will have a designated Safe Place partner. That partner will call 911 when a victim walks into th
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