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Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Chief Richard Abrams of the Highland Park Police Department announced authorities are investigating the death of a Borough man whose body was recovered from the Raritan River. On August 15, 2021, at approximately 4:15 P.M., authorities responded to the Donaldson Park boat ramp following the report of a person floating in the river. Upon their arrival, officers located Michael Davis, Jr., 37, of Highland Park floating in the river. Davis was pronounced dead at the scene. The cause of death remains undetermined pending the completion of an autopsy by the Middlesex County Regional Medical Examiner’s Office. READ MORE

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The Highland Park Borough Council on Tuesday August 17, 7 p.m., Borough Municipal Building, (221 South Fifth Avenue) will hold a public hearing on an ordinance that would allow the retail sales of cannabis in shops located only in the areas zoned for retail business. The ordinance would not permit marijuana production or warehouse distribution. And the no-smoking-in- public law currently in effect within the municipality would apply to marijuana smoking as well. At prior public discussions of the proposed ordinance on July 6 and June 29, the mayor and council heard dozens of comments pro and con the cannabis ordinance. After addressing some of the residents’ concerns (such as distance from schools and no smoking in public), the council members unanimously supported the introduction of the ordinance. READ MORE

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The following commentary is from Phyllis Yonta, MSW, MA, DVS, Executive Director of Women Aware

The horrific murder of Highland Park-native Yasemin Uyar, following years of repeated and escalating domestic violence, shook Middlesex County.  In spite of Yasemin’s courageous efforts to create a safer life for herself and her young son, Sebastian, her life was stolen.  Family and friends will keep Yasemin’s memory alive for Sebastian. Women Aware and like-minded partners will ensure that Yasemin’s voice and survivors’ voices continue to be heard. The fact that an abuser strangled Yasemin in the past made it 10 times more likely that the abuser would kill her. The word “choked” falls far short of describing what strangulation actually is, a terrifying assault that can kill a victim in a matter of seconds.  The lethality associated with strangulation is so high that New Jersey recently enacted legislation (S2503) elevating strangulation assault to a second-degree crime punishable by 10 years imprisonment, a fine of up to $150,000 or both. As the lead, state-designated domestic violence agency in Middlesex County, Women Aware has been committed to moving survivors and their families beyond abuse for more than 40 years. READ MORE

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The Middlesex County Emergency Rental Assistance (MCERAP) still has funding to distribute to Middlesex County residents unable to meet rent and utility obligations because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Residents are urged to apply for assistance today. Since launching in May 2021, MCERAP has already distributed $847,905 in rental assistance and $50,305 in utilities assistance, totaling more than $898,000 in combined assistance for renter households in Middlesex County. Millions of dollars are still available for distribution,

MCERAP, which is funded through a $24.6 million grant from the federal government, is open to renter households in Middlesex County that meet specific criteria (see below). Funding is distributed on a priority basis, directly to landlords and utility companies. READ MORE

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Tyler Rios, the Highland Park man charged with kidnapping his son last week in an incident that was the subject of a widely broadcast Amber Alert has been charged with the murder of the boy’s 24-year-old mother. The Highland Park High School graduate and athletic star Tyler Rios, 27, was charged with kidnapping and murder in the abduction of his 2-year-old son, Sebastian Rios, and the death of the boy’s mother, 24-year-old Yasemin Uyar, of Rahway, Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel and Rahway Police Director Jonathan Parham announced Thursday. Rios was in custody in Tennessee pending extradition back to New Jersey, after which a first appearance and detention hearing will be scheduled to take place in Superior Court in Union County. It’s still unclear where and exactly when Uyar was killed, and additional information about her death was not disclosed. See below stories for the background. READ MORE

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It was a Highland Park High School romance story with a very tragic ending – the death of a beautiful 24-year-old woman, Yasemin Uyar, who doted upon her two-year-old son Sebastian Rios. Sebastian now no longer has a mother and has a father 27-year-old Tyler Rios, who remains in police custody, charged with first-degree kidnapping for the alleged abduction of the toddler Sebastian. Additional criminal charges are pending in the death of Yasemin Uyar, according to the Union County Prosecutor’s Office. Karen Uyar mother of Yasemin and grandmother of Sebastian held a press conference at the Highland Park Police Headquarters on Monday July 12. She recounted the sad tale of how her daughter Yasemin, known as “Yazzi,” HPHS class of 2015 met Chris Rios, HPHS class of 2012, and a wrestling and football star, when they were students at HPHS. READ MORE

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A mother who was allegedly abducted alongside her two-year-old son, triggering an Amber Alert in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, has been found dead in Tennessee, her family said, according to NBC News 4 New York. The body of Yasmine Uyar, 24, was found in Tennessee, where authorities also safely located her baby, The suspected abductor is the boy’s father, Highland Park NJ resident Tyler Rios, who was arrested in the city of Monterey, where police found his son. The Highland Park Police Department reported only that the two-year old child Sebastian Rios of Rahway, who was the subject of a widely disseminated Amber Alert on Friday June 9, was found safe and unharmed. The Police Facebook page was still reporting as of early Sunday morning that his mother 24-year-old Yasmine Uyar of Rahway was still missing. His father 27-year-old Tyler Rios, a resident of Highland Park, allegedly abducted both and is now in custody. READ MORE

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The Highland Park Borough Council voted on July 6 to approve a resolution in support of a national Medicare for All system – and by doing so sent an unambiguous message to Congress and New Jersey’s Congressional representatives about implementing a basic human right of universal health care. Ten other New Jersey municipalities, including Trenton, Princeton and West Orange Township, have passed resolutions advocating for guaranteed health care. The need for such a public policy was highlighted tragically by the COVID-19 pandemic when millions of New Jerseyans lost their jobs and their health insurance. Healthcare providers reported that a portion of New Jersey’s more than 26,000 deaths could have been prevented if people had sought treatment immediately. Often the lack of health insurance discouraged patients from seeking medical help. READ MORE

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The Dream Project invites people of all ages to participate in its Biking for a Cause initiative on Sunday July 18, 10 a.m. and by doing so contribute to bringing significant and sustainable social change in New Brunswick. During the15 mile ride throughout New Brunswick, riders will learn about changemakers working in the city. In addition, riders can get iinvolved in  the changemaking action. After learning about two of The Dream Project’s charity partners – Triple C Housing and Elijah’s Promise – riders will get a snack and give a snack while helping assemble food bags to give to Elijah’s Promise. The event is free, but organizers are encouraging a donation of $25 that will go to the charity partners. READ MORE

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Performing artists during the past 16 months of the pandemic social distancing and isolation have fought to remain relevant with the public by ‘takin’ it to the streets,’ in the words of The Doobie Brothers. Highland Park has been among the communities that have supported this trend, starting last November 2020 when Main Street Highland Park arranged the American Repertory Ballet/Princeton Ballet School Nutcracker performance segments outdoors in the Main Street’s Farmers’ Market space. Most recently at the end of May, residents were heaping praise on Highland Park-based musician Gary Kaplan for producing Porch Fest, an entire afternoon of rock music performances from the porches and/or driveways of homes throughout the town. Porch Fest rocked the community out of its lethargy and into an energetic post-pandemic state of mind. I roamed the streets during Porch Fest and was astonished to see how quickly the isolation and community deterioration of COVID was eradicated not only by a vaccine but also by these performances that brought the residents swinging and mingling together with unmitigated joy in a COVID safe manner. READ MORE

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