This Week in Central Jersey History, October 21-27.

The Smithrins were among the 2018 New Jersey Hall of Fame inductees at a ceremony held on Sunday, October 27, 2019, at the Paramount Theater in Asbury Park.

Frontman Pat DiNizio, who died in December 2017 at age 62, was inducted posthumously.

Here’s a look at the events that happened in Central Jersey five, 10, 25, 50 and 100 years ago this week.

Five years ago

October 21, 2019: Bruce Springsteen recounted his visit Saturday, October 19, 2019, to the AMC Loews Freehold multiplex theater to promote his new film Western Stars on Jimmy Kimmel Live, which was taped in Brooklyn earlier that day.

October 22: The controversial reading of P is for Palestine was reported to take place as planned on Sunday, October 20, 2019, at the Highland Park Public Library, after being rescheduled from May 2019. About four adults and three children attended the event.

October 23: In the Greater Middlesex Conference tournament, the East Brunswick High School girls soccer team won its fourth straight county title and 36th overall with a 1-0 victory over second-seeded Old Bridge at Woodbridge High School.

October 24: Thomas J. Wilkie, 46, of Bear, Delaware, who was found near Tamaques Elementary School in Westfield earlier that year with a loaded handgun, ammunition and a knife, was reportedly charged with six weapons-related offenses.

October 24: Richard Savitsky, 21, of Lackawanna, New York, pleaded guilty to an accident in Sheldon, New York that killed three members of a Perth Amboy family and injured six others, including a four-year-old girl who, will never fully recover, prosecutors say. .

October 26: Millions of New Jersey residents have reportedly been drinking tap water contaminated with carcinogens and other dangerous chemicals, according to a new report from the Environmental Working Group.

10 years ago

October 21, 2014: In a statement, North Plainfield school officials said the district’s position was to raise the issue of what it believed was inappropriate and possible racial taunting – pushing bananas through the locker room door of a predominantly African-American football team. ,” before the varsity football game at the Summit.

October 22: Normalcy returned to Sayreville War Memorial High School as the school and community came together to celebrate homecoming. On Friday, October 10, 2014, seven high school football players were charged with hazing and aggravated sexual assault against four teammates.

October 24: The four Edison police officers are Michael A. Dotro, 37, of Manalapan; Brian Favretto, 39, of Brick; and Victor E. Aravena, 42, and William H. Gesell, 46, both of Edison, were accused of planning revenge against a North Brunswick police officer who arrested a Dotro relative on a drunken driving charge.

October 24: After blowing a two-touchdown lead and trailing by a touchdown with four minutes to play, the Hillsboro High School football team scored 10 points in the final 50 seconds to defeat Elizabeth, 31-28, for the Delaware Division championship.

October 25: Comedian Chris Tucker performed at the State Theater of New Brunswick.

October 25: Rutgers graduate student John Wu of Clinton and 24 other students from 22 countries, who worked with tenured faculty and a group of distinguished American and British visiting scientists at the Vatican Observatory, which is run by the Roman Catholic Church, received an audience with Pope Francis. who praised the students is reported.

1999

October 22, 1999: On October 11, 1999, police reportedly found a dead crow in a pond in southern Bernards Township. This is the first case in Somerset County to test positive for the West Nile-like virus.

October 23: About 40,000 people attended the 79th annual Far Hills Race at Moreland Farms in Far Hills.

October 26: In the first round of the Greater Middlesex Conference tournament, the Sayreville High School girls soccer team defeated South Plainfield 4-0.

October 27: Ten years of persistence paid off when the U.S. Postal Service informed Watchung area officials that their own ZIP code had been approved. “07069”, which will come into force on Saturday, July 1, 2000.

1974

October 22, 1974: It was reported that Lafayette School in Bound Brook, where 40 cases of head lice were found, would be closed until Tuesday, October 29, 1974. The school has been disinfected and a doctor’s note will be required from infected children to be re-admitted to the school.

October 23: Five employees were injured when a pollution control device exploded at the Anaconda Co. copper plant. Raritan in Perth Amboy.

October 24: The calm that returned to New Brunswick High School on Wednesday, October 23, 1974, after three days of tension, was shattered when about 30 white students left the classroom and walked out of the building. Several people then marched down Livingston Avenue in front of the school holding signs that read, “School is not safe” and “Whites have rights.”

October 25: It was reported that the regulations, which had accomplished nothing but cost consumers and businesses money, would be wiped from Franklin’s books after a plan inspired by President Gerald Ford was put into effect.

October 25: Eugene O’Neill’s play Desire Under the Elms opened at the George Street Theater in New Brunswick.

October 26: In college football, Rutgers beat the Air Force 20-3 in front of a screaming crowd of 18,000 at Rutgers Stadium in Piscataway.

1924

October 21, 1924: Golfer Zoe Terry, who won the President’s Cup by defeating Ms. Ellis 2 in the final round for the trophy at Plainfield Country Club, managed to earn additional honors by defeating Ms. Howard H. Craig in the approach and putt competition. Terry won by 11.

October 24-25: Paramount’s The Men, starring Pola Negri, was shown at Reade’s Strand Theater in Perth Amboy.

October 27: On a day set by North Plainfield Mayor William L. Smalley, high school students took charge of running the town for the day.

October 27: Deciding to cut her hair despite the protests of her husband, Edward MacKinnon, of the Avenel area of ​​Woodbridge, Evelyn MacKinnon left home in a fit of rage on Friday, October 24, 1924, and is still reported missing.

Brad Wadlow is a staff writer for MyCentralJersey.com.

This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: New Jersey History October 21-27.