English Bulldog Puppies for Sale in Elizabeth, NJ

A restaurateur who has been creating buzz in Central Jersey for almost a decade is launching another new concept at a spot in Middlesex County.

Matthew Borowski first opened 618 in Freehold Township, nine years ago.

618 Restaurant built a social-media-driven following

The restaurant at 618 Park Avenue has become known for its innovative cocktails and menu, with many a round of drinks marking patrons’ Instagram and social media stories.

Mezcal in Old Bridge became an instant hotspot

In 2025, Borowski and his team opened Mezcal, a “modern Mexican steakhouse” not too far from Monmouth County at 292 Route 516 in Old Bridge.

It was immediately a hot spot, with reservations highly coveted among locals wanting in on the food, drinks and ambiance.

Jersey Freeze partnership signals broader growth

Borowski has also become a partner and franchising operator for Jersey Freeze.

The landmark brand’s third location opened in Colts Neck in August, with an eye on even more growth ahead.

Borowski has shared his professional experiences in a book, “The Death of Hospitality,” which has inspired the name, Death of Hospitality Restaurant Group, as its properties are growing.

Ahead of 2026, he announced a third restaurant was on the way, this one planned as a modern, upscale Italian spot.

Elizabeth’s Italian to emerge in Old Bridge

Elizabeth's Italian has begun taking shape at 2658 Route 516 in Old Bridge.

It will transform the former Grillestone location, which closed suddenly in 2025.

Leading up to the anticipated opening, a “first taste” of Elizabeth’s Italian was being offered by reservation at 618 Restaurant.

A curated five-course tasting menu with wine pairings was being offered, with limited seating, on Jan. 27 and Jan. 28.

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A restaurateur who has been creating buzz in Central Jersey for almost a decade is launching another new concept at a spot in Middlesex County.

Matthew Borowski first opened 618 in Freehold Township, nine years ago.

618 Restaurant built a social-media-driven following

The restaurant at 618 Park Avenue has become known for its innovative cocktails and menu, with many a round of drinks marking patrons’ Instagram and social media stories.

Mezcal in Old Bridge became an instant hotspot

In 2025, Borowski and his team opened Mezcal, a “modern Mexican steakhouse” not too far from Monmouth County at 292 Route 516 in Old Bridge.

It was immediately a hot spot, with reservations highly coveted among locals wanting in on the food, drinks and ambiance.

Jersey Freeze partnership signals broader growth

Borowski has also become a partner and franchising operator for Jersey Freeze.

The landmark brand’s third location opened in Colts Neck in August, with an eye on even more growth ahead.

Borowski has shared his professional experiences in a book, “The Death of Hospitality,” which has inspired the name, Death of Hospitality Restaurant Group, as its properties are growing.

Ahead of 2026, he announced a third restaurant was on the way, this one planned as a modern, upscale Italian spot.

Elizabeth’s Italian to emerge in Old Bridge

Elizabeth's Italian has begun taking shape at 2658 Route 516 in Old Bridge.

It will transform the former Grillestone location, which closed suddenly in 2025.

Leading up to the anticipated opening, a “first taste” of Elizabeth’s Italian was being offered by reservation at 618 Restaurant.

A curated five-course tasting menu with wine pairings was being offered, with limited seating, on Jan. 27 and Jan. 28.

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An incoming state lawmaker was pushed out of his longtime government job after reporting another public official’s wrongdoing to the city mayor, according to a new lawsuit.

Ed Rodriguez, who will be sworn in to the state Assembly on Jan. 13, had a spotless record in a decade as Elizabeth’s director of planning and community development, he says. His contract was routinely renewed — until, suddenly, it wasn’t in late 2024, according to a Dec. 31 whistleblower complaint filed in Union County Superior Court.

The surprising decision came after Rodriguez told Mayor J. Christian Bollwage about a tip that a “prominent public official” was doing a major project on their home without filing necessary plans or permits, the lawsuit says.

Just a few days later, with no “prior notice, warning, or opportunity to respond,” Rodriguez was told that his appointment for the $170,000 role wouldn’t be renewed, according to the lawsuit.

Rodriguez was the only city department head whose contract wasn’t extended that year, a decision that shows “retaliatory intent and pretext,” Rodriguez claims in the complaint.

Bollwage declined to comment through a city spokesperson. But the city provided an exit memo Rodriguez sent to Bollwage on his last day that reflects “a good-faith” departure, spokesperson Ruby Contreras wrote in a statement.

“You will never know how much I appreciated the job,” Rodriguez wrote in the three-paragraph memo.

The lawsuit was filed just before the statute of limitations expired under New Jersey’s whistleblower law. It doesn’t name the public official who allegedly failed to file necessary permits for construction work on their home, and Rodriguez did not identify the official to NJ Advance Media.

Bollwage has led Elizabeth since 1992, making him the state’s third longest-serving mayor. He’s an influential fixture in state and local Democratic circles, previously leading the state League of Municipalities and now serving on the board of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey.

Two months after Rodriguez’ was stripped of his job, the former city planning director announced his candidacy for the state Assembly.

He narrowly defeated Bollwage-backed Union County Commissioner Sergio Granados by 98 votes in the June 10 primary and was elected in November to the Assembly.

Rodriguez is part of a wave of candidates who unseated establishment-backed figures after the court-ordered end of New Jersey’s “county line,” a system that had long given party-backed candidates a built-in advantage on primary ballots.

Rodriguez wants to be “respectful of the process” and “let the facts speak for themselves,” he wrote in a statement to NJ Advance Media.

“I believe strongly in the integrity of public service and in the protections New Jersey law provides to employees who raise legitimate concerns,” he said.

A New Jersey high school student was injured Monday when a driver crashed through the wall of their school, officials said.

The vehicle smashed into an exterior wall of Elizabeth High School's John E. Dwyer Technology Academy auditorium at around 8 a.m. after it drove over the curb and sidewalk, according to an official with the city of Elizabeth.

The driver was spotted going erratically on Bridge Street and then running a red light on Pearl Street before careening into the brick wall of the school, the official said.

Fortunately, there were no serious injures. One student reported a minor leg injury and was taken to Beth Israel Hospital as a precaution, police said.

"One of the kids got hit by a brick. That is what I heard. But they are doing OK," student Brian Willis said.

The driver was taken to University Hospital for injuries that also appeared to be minor, officials added.

A teacher was in the auditorium at the time of the crash, and they were not injured, the district said.

"I think it's crazy," student Diego Sinche said. "Something must have happened in that car."

"I saw several videos of people being inside the actual auditorium at the moment, and they started leaving immediately," student Dayry Nina said. "If it was earlier, people could have actually got run over."

Investigators were looking at surveillance video from inside the school, however there was no immediate word on how the driver lost control.

Pearl Street was closed for repairs, while the school remained open for the day. The building was deemed structurally sound, and by noon, the hole was boarded up. .

In:

A house in Roselle Park that sold for $630,000 tops the list of the most expensive residential real estate sales in Elizabeth area in the past week.

The area saw a total of seven residential real estate sales during the past week, averaging $499,857. The average price per square foot was $322.

The prices in the list below include real estate sales where the title was recorded during the week of Dec. 1 even if the property may have been sold earlier.

7. $385K, single-family house at 1023 Grove Street #1025

The single-family home at 1023 Grove Street #1025 in Elizabeth, has been sold. The price was $385,000. The house was built in 1950. The deal was finalized on Nov. 14.

6. $450K, single-family residence at 1067 Fanny Street #9

The sale of the detached house at 1067 Fanny Street #9 in Elizabeth has been finalized. The price was $450,000. It was built in 1920 and has a living area of 1,606 square feet. The price per square foot was $280. The deal was finalized on Nov. 13.

5. $455K, single-family home at 159 E. Grant Ave.

A 1,506-square-foot detached house at 159 E. Grant Ave. in Roselle Park, has been sold. The total purchase price was $455,000, $302 per square foot. The house was built in 1910. The deal was finalized on Nov. 14.

4. $481K, single-family residence at 15 Hollywood Ave.

A sale has been finalized for a single-family house at 15 Hollywood Ave. in Hillside. The price was $481,000. The house was built in 1929 and the living area totals 1,561 square feet. The price per square foot ended up at $308. The deal was finalized on Nov. 10.

3. $548K, single-family home at 1090 Voorhees Street

A 1,694-square-foot detached house at 1090 Voorhees Street in Hillside has been sold. The price was $548,000, $323 per square foot. The house was built in 1949. The deal was finalized on Nov. 14.

2. $550K, single-family residence at 765 Bailey Ave. #767

The property at 765 Bailey Ave. #767 in Elizabeth has new owners. The price was $550,000. The single-family house was built in 1922 and has a living area of 1,616 square feet. The price per square foot was $340. The deal was finalized on Nov. 14.

1. $630K, single-family residence at 284 W. Webster Ave.

The detached house at 284 W. Webster Ave. in Roselle Park has new owners. The price was $630,000. The house was built in 1900 and has a living area of 2,187 square feet. The price per square foot was $288. The deal was finalized on Nov. 14.