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Sal DiMaggio

Journalist focusing on feature articles, education news and local government.

Writer, photographer, storyteller.

My Work

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
MyCentralJersey.com •

Bound Brook's Latin American community inspires train station mural

BOUND BROOK – Vibrant colors and detailed designs now greet commuters as they walk through the NJ Transit station, thanks to the work of college students.

Art and design students from Raritan Valley Community College recently finished a 2,000-square-foot mural in the tunnel of the station. The mural, “Vida De el Sol y La Luna” (Life of the Sun and the Moon), was painted by eight students in six days.

Student Sarah Lopez was at the forefront of designing the mural. Bound Brook’s large Latin Ame
MyCentralJersey.com •

Opponents of second power plant in Woodbridge say proposal is 'environmental injustice'

Opponents of second power plant in Woodbridge say proposal is 'environmental injustice'

WOODBRIDGE – Climate activists protested the construction of a natural gas power plant in the Keasbey section of the township by holding a march and rally downtown on Saturday.

Competitive Power Ventures (CPV) plans to build the 657-megawatt power plant next to its existing one off Riverside Drive, but activists say the pollutants emitted by the plant would worsen the air quality.

According to CPV, the pro
The Montclarion •

One Year Later: Pavlo Lushyn’s Journey From Ukraine to Montclair State

To Pavlo Lushyn and countless other Ukrainians, the possibility of a Russian invasion seemed like something out of a dystopian blockbuster movie.

“We somehow were expecting that something bad may happen since December [of] 2021,” Lushyn said. “But nobody believed that. We just thought [the Russians] were frightening us, just so we [would] behave in favor of them.”

But as the whole nation of Ukraine soon realized, that dystopia was to become a reality. On Feb. 24, 2022, Russian troops invaded a
The Montclarion •

Red Hawks Rising: How A Montclair State Initiative is Preparing the Teachers of Tomorrow

When Melissa De Almeida learned about the Red Hawks Rising program during her senior year of high school, she jumped at the opportunity to become a part of it. To her, this was her way to begin her dream career of teaching.

“I was with my guidance counselor every day trying to figure [the application process] out,” De Almeida said. “I was missing class to figure this out [because] I felt that it was so important that I got it done as soon as possible.”

De Almeida, a freshman educational founda
The Montclarion •

EOF Barbershop: Making Men Leaders the Old School Way

The sharp smell of aftershave hits you in the face as you enter the room. The lights are dimmed, giving off a mellow vibe. You hear the buzz of the clippers, the music playing in the room and the murmur of men talking to each other.

No, this isn’t your local barbershop that’s been around since your grandfather was your age. This is EOF Barbershop, a new initiative from what was once the Male Leadership Academy (MLA) at Montclair State University.

Also known as Barbershop.Edu, the program’s goa
The Montclarion •

Dining Decisions: How to Make the Best of University Food Options

Eating on campus can be a challenge for a lot of students. It’s no secret that Montclair State University has been plagued by dining issues for the past few years. From raw chicken tenders to limited hours at some popular dining locations, students have been more than disappointed by the university’s dining services.

However, that’s not to say it’s all bad. The campus does have a few good eats if you know where to look for them. From the best burger to the best place for vegan options, here’s y
The Montclarion •

Isolation Tips: Things To Do So You Don't Go Insane While You Have COVID-19

Getting the coronavirus (COVID-19) sucks. There’s no doubt about that. But what can suck even more is getting stuck in isolation for six days. Talk about boring: you have to suffer alone for almost a whole week, either stuck in your bedroom or worse, in an isolation room in one of the residence halls on campus. Cabin fever can get to a lot of people. You can start to go a bit crazy, itching for something to do.

I would know; I spent the last week in quarantine after testing positive for COVID-1
The Montclarion •

Victor Muniz Rosa: On a Mission to Make a Change for Communities

Debris was strewn across the street. No electricity and running water for weeks on end. Homes and businesses were destroyed. A town completely devastated by a hurricane like no other.

This is what Victor Muniz Rosa, a senior journalism and digital media major at Montclair State University, woke up to after Hurricane Maria tore through his hometown in Puerto Rico.

Muniz recalled how he and his dad had to remove trees from the roads just so that they could see his grandparents, who lived a mere
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