The death of local journalism has largely been a quiet affair. Over the course of the past several decades, hundreds if not thousands of smaller outlets like ours have been forced to close their doors for good amid increased costs, dwindling support, and, of course, the advent of the 24hour online n...

A collaboration with the Westfield High School Journalism Program

In the world of broadcast news, 31 years isn’t just longevity—it’s almost unheard of.Les Trent has done exactly that. He has become a familiar and trusted staple of our television screens at Inside Edition for over three decades, navigating the chaos of the industry with a legendary personality that...

As the year has passed, the Westfield High School (WHS) administration has gotten stricter with the rules they are implementing. Certain new safety measures include mandatory lanyard-wearing and SmartPass, a digital hall pass system designed to manage student movement. The system allows teachers to ...

For as long as I can remember, senior prom has been depicted in conversations and teen movies as the “end-all-be-all” event of my high school experience. It’s supposedly this epic, memorable night where some hypothetical climax happens and all the conflict of the past four years magically gets resol...

I ride down the elevator in my building, preoccupied with the worries or woes de jour. I step into the lobby, where Mengu, the doorman, greets me with a big smile and asks how I am. I pause to hear how his daughter is enjoying her junior spring semester at the University of Southern California (USC)...

In the 1960s, my friend Lynn taught for two years in a rural community in South Korea, surrounded by rice fields. Homes and buildings had no central heating, no indoor plumbing, only occasional electricity, and modest school supplies for the children. Lynn was in South Korea as a Peace Corps volunte...

A collaboration with the Westfield High School Journalism Program

“Does that little boy have a face?” I kidded my husband last Sunday, as we waited for a table at a weekend brunch spot. A three-year-old boy caught our attention. He sat with his mother and her friend, his face hidden behind a waffle. His eyes, nose, chin, and mouth, even his hair, were invisible, a...

A collaboration with the Westfield High School Journalism ProgramRecently, it feels as if every time I watch the news, there is a new controversial story about ICE raids, arrests, protests, etc. This government agency, which is supposed to protect its citizens, has been the leading cause of panic in...