NEW HAVEN — Lucy Ballester, the owner of Soap-Edi on Chapel Street in New Haven, said she initially wanted the stretch of the road between in front of her shop to open to two-way traffic.
Northeast
Bullied NJ student's family sues school officials who 'created culture of violence' before girl's suicide
This story may contain details that are disturbing. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988.
The bullying that Adriana Kuch endured in a New Jersey school that allegedly “created a culture of violence” continued at home until she took her own life, her family alleges in a lawsuit.
Kuch was a 14-year-old student in the Central Regional School District when she died by suicide at her home Feb. 3, 2023, two days after a video of her hallway assault went viral.
During Adriana’s funeral Feb. 10, Superintendent Triantafillos Parlapanides, who has since resigned, allegedly made “defamatory” statements to reporters about Kuch’s dad having an affair. He said that led to Adriana’s mom’s suicide, and then he leaked Adriana’s mental health struggles to the press, the lawsuit alleges.
NEW JERSEY STUDENT ENDS HER LIFE AFTER MONTHS OF BULLYING, VIDEO OF SCHOOL HALLWAY BEATING CIRCULATES ONLINE
Adriana Kuch’s father is seeking justice after her suicide. (Michael Kuch)
Instead of protecting Adriana from “known” bullies, the New Jersey district officials’ “egregious” actions were “willful, wanton, reckless, intentional, malicious and in utter disregard” for the Kuch family, according to a lawsuit filed this week.
The Central Regional School District did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.
Kuch was brutalized by a pack of students in a hallway, while at least one other student filmed the vicious surprise assault and uploaded the video to social media, where it quickly spread.
NJ STUDENT BULLIED LIKE ADRIANA KUCH A YEAR BEFORE TEEN’S SUICIDE AFTER SCHOOL ASSAULT FILMED: LAWSUIT
The attackers allegedly punched Adriana in the face, pulled her hair, hit her with a water bottle and kicked her while onlooking students laughed and egged on her assailants.
The physical toll was obvious, as pictures of what appeared to be bruises covered her body. She sustained bruising, swelling, cuts and lacerations to ther head, face, body and legs, according to the lawsuit.
But the avalanche of hateful comments, shame and mockery that followed the teenager was worse. Her father found his daughter had hanged herself in her bedroom overnight Feb. 2-3.
A 14-year-old New Jersey high school student died by suicide after video was posted online of a group of girls attacking her. (Michael Kuch)
William Krais, Kuch’s family lawyer, said Adriana’s dad, Michael Kuch, and his family went through “so much heartache and tragedy already.”
“The gross negligence of school officials, followed by the superintendent’s cruel, insensitive and defamatory remarks only compound their pain,” Krais said in a statement. “It is the defendants’ job to provide a safe and secure environment for the students at Central Regional High School.
“They catastrophically failed Adriana, leading to the emotional distress, humiliation and embarrassment that ultimately caused her to take her own life. It’s high time the school and those involved are held accountable for their actions.”
ADRIANA KUCH DEATH: NJ COUNTY PROSECUTOR MET WITH SCHOOL OFFICIALS AFTER BULLIED TEEN TOOK HER LIFE
Adriana Kuch, who was bullied in Central Regional High School in New Jersey and died by suicide. (Michael Kuch)
The sweeping civil lawsuit, filed Jan. 29 in Ocean County court, named the Central Regional School District, former superintendent Parlapanides, the school board, the high school principal and assistant principal and several district officials who served a number of anti-bullying leadership roles.
The legal action demands a jury trial and unspecified punitive damages.
WATCH: SCHOOL BOARD ERUPTS AFTER ADRIANA KUCH’S SUICIDE
Adriana’s suicide and the video of the bullies’ attack ignited a fury in the community.
One by one, her friends and parents of other students who packed a school board meeting, yelled at school board members and district officials about a culture of bullying that they say has been ongoing for years.
There’s a lawsuit against the school district for a nearly identical hallway attack on another student that was recorded and uploaded to social media.
“I had a student that came into the district happy and healthy. He didn’t require doctors or psychiatric help, who now is medicated,” one parent said during the meeting.
“We’re hurting. They’re hurting. My daughter comes home, and she’s scared. And she doesn’t want to go to school,” another parent said as she choked back tears.
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Police in Boston are searching for a missing 12-year-old girl from Dorchester.
La’Niya Johnson-Skinner was last seen Friday in the area of Mascot Street in Dorchester, police said Thursday.
She is described as a 4’10, 120-pound Black girl with medium brown skin and dark brown hair she wears in a bun, the Boston Police Department said.
When she was last seen, she was wearing a black Nike sweatshirt, a baby blue shirt with a Boston Renaissance Charter Public School logo, black leggings, brown sandals and a pink and black Elite backpack.
Anyone with information is asked to call 911 or 617-343-4712. Anonymous tips can also be left by calling 1-800-494-8477, by texting “TIP” to 27463, or by visiting the Boston Police Department’s website.
High school football schedules for the 2026 season are coming out one-by-one out of every state around the country and one that is a breeding ground for college prospects is California, with a number of squads finalizing their fall slates.
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Next up out of the state of California when it comes to their 2026 high school football schedule release are the Pittsburg Pirates, which finished within the state’s Top 25 rankings last season. Armed with an abundance of talent last fall, the Pirates concluded last season with a 42-17 win over Cardinal Newman.
The Pirates only two losses of the season came against state powerhouses Archbishop Riordan and De La Salle, respectively. Though Pittsburg has some graduations that will hit the roster, one key returner that will be back is 2028 four-star wide receiver Kenneth Ward, who caught 47 passes for 924 yards and scored 11 touchdowns in 2025.
The full Pittsburg 2026 football schedule can be seen below, with all official game times to be announced at a later date.
Aug. 28 – Monterey Trail
Sep. 4 – St. John Bosco
Sep. 11 – at James Logan
Sep. 18 – at Mission Viejo
Oct. 2 – Los Gatos
Oct. 9 – Liberty
Oct. 16 – Freedom
Oct. 23 – at Deer Valley
Oct. 30 – at Antioch
Nov. 6 – at Heritage
Pittsburg went 11-2 last season and finished as the state’s No. 19 ranked team, according to the final California 2025 High School Football Massey Rankings.
More about Pittsburg High School
Pittsburg High School, located in Pittsburg, California, is a comprehensive high school known for its strong academic and extracurricular programs. Established in 1924, PHS is home to the Pirates and serves a diverse student body. The school offers a range of AP courses, career technical education, and a robust athletics program. The Pirates are recognized for their competitive sports teams, particularly in football. The school fosters a supportive environment emphasizing academic achievement and community involvement.
For California high school football fans looking to keep up with scores around the nation, staying updated on the action is now easier than ever with the Rivals High School Scoreboard. This comprehensive resource provides real-time updates and final scores from across the Golden State, ensuring you never miss a moment of the Friday night frenzy. From nail-biting finishes to dominant performances, the Rivals High School Scoreboard is your one-stop destination for tracking all the high school football excitement across California.
Connecticut
New Haven’s Chapel Street shift from one-way to two-way traffic brings confusion, concerns
Pedestrians dash across Chapel Street where a new two-way traffic pattern has opened between College and York Streets in New Haven, Conn., Thursday, April 23, 2026.
She thought the change would bring more customers to her business, which sells bath bombs, soaps and lotions.
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“Now it’s kind of harder for them to get here,” Ballester said, who has been in the space for four years.
Chapel Street, between College Street and York Street, was converted from one-way traffic to two-way traffic starting April 20. The change is part of a broader effort to improve the safety of Chapel Street, one of New Haven’s longest, busiest and most crash-prone arteries.
Chapel Street goes through at least seven neighborhoods stretching from Fair Haven in the east through Mill River, Wooster Square, Downtown, Dwight and Edgewood, West River and Westville.
On April 23, though, New Haven crossing guards manned crosswalks, guiding pedestrians across the street and stopping traffic. Police officers sat in cars on the corners of Chapel Street where traffic change happened to make sure people weren’t driving in the wrong lane.
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One police officer said he saw 10 people drive in the wrong lane on April 22. By around 11:50 a.m. on April 23, he said he saw four people who drove in the wrong lane. He added a fifth one just moments later when a blue pickup truck turned from College Street into the wrong lane on Chapel Street.
The police officer laid on the horn at the driver.
Ballester said there’s more traffic and it is more difficult to get to and leave her shop. She also said her customers said they have to park further away to get to her. She lives in Hamden and usually Ubers to her store or she’ll sometimes drive with her husband.
“I literally don’t even want to deal with it,” Ballester said.
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Ballester said she lost parking spots in front of her store to a loading space, where a truck was unloading food on April 23.
“(The traffic) just makes the drivers angry,” Ballester said. “Just makes everybody upset.”
Balester said before there was “flow” and the cars were moving more, but now the street is congested.
Bryn McGuire, who lives in Clinton and drives to New Haven to attend classes at Gateway Community College, said the street seems “more calm” than he remembered it being. He said he’s been visiting New Haven for more than 20 years now.
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“That’s what I’d certainly like to see if it makes it more convenient to get around here, that’s great,” McGuire said. “But I think it’s very much a wait and see.”
He said he wanted to see more pedestrian infrastructure, such as bike lanes.
Plans call for Chapel Street, which already is a two-way street from Fair Haven to College Street, eventually to be open to two-way traffic all the way to Ellsworth Avenue, where it currently becomes two-way as it crosses Ella T. Grasso Boulevard into Westville.
The announcement came just over a year and a half after New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker, joined by U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal, D-Conn., and U.S. Rep. Rosa DeLauro, D-3, announced an $11 million federal grant for the “Chapel Street Safe Streets Project.”
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At the time of the announcement, nearly 900 accidents had taken place over four years along Chapel Street between State Street and Ella T. Grasso Boulevard, including three fatalities and 18 serious injuries, according to the University of Connecticut’s Connecticut Crash Data Repository, officials said at the time.
This story includes reporting by staff writer Mark Zaretsky.
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