Armed Officer in Schools, 'Hitchhiker' Pleads Not Guilty, Whisky Spill Top Regional News

Local Entrepreneur Launches 'Product Cycler'

Jonathan Dayton High School graduate Michael Lebovitz has created 'Product Cycler,' a website that provides users the ability to organize all of the products they purchase and own in one place.

Armed School Resource Officer on Board of Ed Agenda

An armed School Resource Officer stationed at Westfield High School will be among the agenda items to be discussed at the next meeting of the Westfield Board of Education to be held at 7:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 11 at 302 Elm St. 

Parking Fees to Cost Less in Summit

It will be less expensive to park in downtown Summit beginning July.

By a 6-1 vote on Wednesday evening, the Common Council reduced the short-term rates in Park and Shop lots 1, 2 and 3 on DeForest Avenue.

Under the ordinance, parking will be free for one hour. Now parking is free for a half hour. The ordinance also sets the cost of parking for 90 minutes to $1. Parking now is $1 for the first hour.

Smoking Ban Moves Forward in Scotch Plains

At Tuesday night's meeting, Scotch Plains councilmembers continued their discussion of a smoking ban for town properties and parks. At this meeting, after further discussion, the council revised the ordinance to remove Scotch Hills Golf Course from the ban (except for the minigolf course), and left room to designate a smoking area outside the municipal building.

'Kai the Hitchhiker' Pleads Not Guilty to Clark Murder 

A public defender on Monday entered a plea of not guilty for Caleb Lawrence McGillvary (aka 'Kai the Hitchhiker'), the Internet celebrity who police say beat 73-year-old Clark attorney Joseph Galfy to death last month. 

McGillvary, 24, made a brief first appearance in Union County Superior Court Monday morning. He is being held on $3 million bail.

Suspended Cranford Police Officer Pleads Guilty to Harassment

A 12-year veteran Cranford Police Officer pleaded guilty to harassing a woman while he was on duty two years ago, officials said.

Brian Thomas, 38, of Linden, was suspended following the June 22, 2011 incident when he was charged in August of that year with fourth-degree criminal sexual contact and second-degree official misconduct, according to the Union County Prosecutor’s office at that time.

Whisky Truck Catches Fire on King Georges Road

Around 8:50 a.m. a truck carrying 6,000 gallons of scotch whisky overturned on King Georges Road in Fords causing it to catch fire, according to officials.

Police Captain Roy Hoppock reported at 9:50 a.m. that the fire had been put out and Haz Mat personnel were on the scene.

No one was injured in the accident, Hoppock added.