Local Beat is the NJ News Commons’ weekly roundup of the best reporting by community news sources.
FORMER NEWARK EMPLOYEE SAYS SHE WAS SEXUALLY ASSAULTED BY MAYOR’S OLDER BROTHER
A former City of Newark employee has accused Mayor Ras Barak’s older brother, Obalaji Baraka, of sexually assaulting her. Elana Knopp of TAPinto Newark says Dannisha Clyburn posted a video to Facebook, in which she addresses members of the Baraka administration and claims she was touched inappropriately and without her consent by Obalaji Baraka in 2013, and again in 2015.
UPTICK IN DOWNTOWN TRANSACTIONS IN RAHWAY?
Mark Hrywna of Rahway Rising noticed that property sales in Rahway have been particularly active recently, so he did some digging. He also created a property transactions map and released the spreadsheet he used to make the map. By Hrywna’s count, the 25 properties sold in Rahway during 2016-17 totaled more than $21 million in sales.
WHAT DO YOU DO WITH A LIBRARY WHEN IT STOPS BEING A LIBRARY?
In part two of a four-part series on local libraries, Maureen Berzok of TAPinto East Brunswick takes a closer look at the historic DeVoe Library which, in its early years, served students from Old Bridge, which had no library, and students from East Brunswick, Spotswood, and South Amboy – all on a bare-bones budget.
TALKING TIPPING, MINIMUM WAGES, HOSPITALITY FEES AND ATLANTIC CITY
Last month, Elinor Comlay of Route 40 sat down with a local Atlantic City restaurant owner and two servers with decades of experience to talk about tipping practices and how best to reward talented staff, both in the kitchen and in the restaurant. You can also listen to the podcast version of her interview by clicking here.
OTHER NOTABLE LOCAL STORIES THIS WEEK:
- Judge Rules that Addams Tavern in Westfield Must Close for Now | TAPinto Westfielde
- Spotswood Police Department Completes Raid That Saves Christmas | TAPinto Milltown/Spotswood
- Retiring Officer Gary Mankowitz Reflects on 25 Years with the Livingston Police Department | TAPinto Livingston