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Jensen Ackles Shares Life Lessons With CT Grads: 'Find Those People, Be Those People' Jensen Ackles Shares Life Lessons With CT Grads: 'Find Those People, Be Those People'
Jensen Ackles Shares Life Lessons With CT Grads: 'Find Those People, Be Those People' "The Boys" star Jensen Ackles built his commencement speech around a simple message for Connecticut graduates: the people who help you through life's toughest moments matter most. Ackles, who lives in Southport, gave the commencement speech to Greens Farms Academy's graduating high school class last week. The 48-year-old actor wove humor, career lessons, and personal reflection into a speech that encouraged the Westport students to value the relationships that carry them through setbacks and self-doubt. View this post on Instagram Ackles …

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by Josh Lanier
Schools
Too Many Students Are Getting A's At Harvard: Faculty Just Made It Even Harder Too Many Students Are Getting A's At Harvard: Faculty Just Made It Even Harder
Too Many Students Are Getting A's At Harvard: Faculty Just Made It Even Harder Harvard University faculty voted to cap the number of A grades undergraduate students can receive beginning in 2027, according to multiple news reports, including CBS. Faculty approved the measure in a 458-201 vote, limiting A grades to 20 percent per class, with professors allowed to award four additional A grades beyond the cap. The policy will apply only to undergraduate students, according to the university. A-minus grades and lower grades will not be affected under the new rules. Faculty also rejected a separate proposal that would have allowed individual courses to opt out o…

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by Cecilia Levine
Schools
Major Cyberattack Disrupts Classes For Thousands Of Colleges, Schools: What To Know Major Cyberattack Disrupts Classes For Thousands Of Colleges, Schools: What To Know
Major Cyberattack Disrupts Classes For Thousands Of Colleges, Schools: What To Know Schools nationwide are able to use a popular class management system after a cybersecurity incident locked out teachers and students, exposing personal data for millions of users. Canvas was "fully back online" on the morning of Friday, May 8, according to education technology company Instructure's website. The platform used by about 9,000 K-12 schools and universities was down for several hours on Thursday, May 7, in a data breach claimed by the hacking group ShinyHunters. Instructure said it first detected suspicious activity in Canvas on Wednesday, April 29. While the …

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by Chris Spiker
Schools
Swatting Group ‘Purgatory’ Linked To 10+ Hoax Active Shooter Calls As FBI Charges Suspect Swatting Group ‘Purgatory’ Linked To 10+ Hoax Active Shooter Calls As FBI Charges Suspect
Swatting Group ‘Purgatory’ Linked To 10+ Hoax Active Shooter Calls As FBI Charges Suspect A swatting group calling itself Purgatory is believed to be behind more than 10 hoax active shooter reports that triggered lockdowns at universities nationwide — and now, federal prosecutors have filed charges against a suspect tied to the spree, officials announced Thursday, April 30. Villanova At The Center The wave of hoaxes began on Aug. 21 at Villanova University, where families and new students attending orientation Mass were sent scrambling after an alert warned of an “ACTIVE SHOOTER” on campus. Students and parents barricaded doors and hid as heavily armed officers flooded the Main L…

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by Jillian Pikora
Schools
UConn Sophomore Lily Michelfelder Dies Of Medical Emergency At 19: Officials UConn Sophomore Lily Michelfelder Dies Of Medical Emergency At 19: Officials
UConn Sophomore Lily Michelfelder Dies Of Medical Emergency At 19: Officials A college student from Pennsylvania died unexpectedly in Connecticut, leaving her family, friends, and university community in mourning. Lily Jean Michelfelder, 19, of Quakertown, passed away in the emergency department at Windham Hospital in Willimantic, Connecticut, on Saturday, April 25, according to her obituary. Michelfelder was a sophomore at the University of Connecticut, where she was pursuing a degree in dietetics. She had enrolled in Fall 2024 and was studying Nutritional Sciences and Nutrition for Exercise and Sport, according to the university. A graduate of Quakertown High Sch…

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by Jillian Pikora
Schools
CT Teacher, Wrestling Coach Placed On Leave After Arrest On Child Injury, Assault Charges CT Teacher, Wrestling Coach Placed On Leave After Arrest On Child Injury, Assault Charges
CT Teacher, Wrestling Coach Placed On Leave After Arrest On Child Injury, Assault Charges A teacher and wrestling coach at Norwich Free Academy has been placed on administrative leave following serious criminal charges, school officials said. Steve Nelson, a math teacher and head wrestling coach at NFA, was arrested on April 16, according to police and the state’s judicial website. He is charged with risk of injury to a child and third-degree assault. The alleged incident happened on Dec. 30.  The school and police would not provide details on what allegedly happened as the warrant is sealed.  School officials acted quickly after learning of the allegations. NFA notif…

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by Josh Lanier
Schools
‘This Loss Will Be Felt Deeply’: CT School Mourns Death Of 15-Year-Old Student ‘This Loss Will Be Felt Deeply’: CT School Mourns Death Of 15-Year-Old Student
‘This Loss Will Be Felt Deeply’: CT School Mourns Death Of 15-Year-Old Student A Connecticut community is in mourning after the death of a 15-year-old New Britain student The Consolidated School District of New Britain confirmed on Monday, April 27, that Melvin Osiel Duarte Garcia has died.  “Melvin was a bright and strong-willed young man whose sense of humor brought joy to those around him. He treated others with respect and left a lasting impression on both students and staff, who cared for him deeply. He will be remembered for the impact that he had on our school community,” said interim principal of Catalyst Academy, Donnah Swaby, in a Facebook post.&nb…

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by Josh Lanier
Schools
Ex-Penn State Professor Who Raped Dog In State Forest Sentenced: Court Docs Ex-Penn State Professor Who Raped Dog In State Forest Sentenced: Court Docs
Ex-Penn State Professor Who Raped Dog In State Forest Sentenced: Court Docs A former Penn State professor accused of repeatedly raping his dog in a state forest has learned his fate in court, according to newly filed documents. Themis Matsoukas, 64, of State College, was sentenced on Wednesday, April 22, in Huntingdon County Court, records show. He pleaded guilty to open lewdness and indecent exposure, and was found guilty of sexual intercourse with an animal, according to the court summary. For the animal-related charge, Matsoukas was sentenced to a term of confinement of one to four months in a county correctional facility, court records state. He received n…

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by Jillian Pikora
Schools
National Teacher Of The Year Goes To Same State As Last Year National Teacher Of The Year Goes To Same State As Last Year
National Teacher Of The Year Goes To Same State As Last Year A Pennsylvania educator has earned the nation’s top teaching honor for the second year in a row, state officials announced. Leon Smith, a teacher at Haverford High School in Havertown, has been named the 2026 National Teacher of the Year, Pennsylvania Secretary of Education Dr. Carrie Rowe said on Tuesday, April 21. Smith, who was named Pennsylvania’s 2025 Teacher of the Year, becomes the latest educator from the Commonwealth to receive the national recognition. “Pennsylvania is honored to have, for the second year in a row, an educator from our great Commonwealth named National Teacher of…

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by Jillian Pikora
Schools
WATCH: NY Children Bamboozled By Outdated School Technology In Viral Video WATCH: NY Children Bamboozled By Outdated School Technology In Viral Video
Watch: NY Children Bamboozled By Outdated School Technology In Viral Video A New York school district’s video of middle school children being bewildered by outdated technology has gone viral. In the clip, which racked up more than 2 million views on Instagram, various children at a Niskayuna Central school approach an overhead projector and attempt to guess what it is. A couple students even try to see something in the bulb or on the (empty) projector’s surface. View this post on Instagram “I do not know what this is,” the first student in the video says. “Looks very old.” “Is it an X-ray machine?” one guesses. “I …

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by Joe Wilkinson
Schools
Connecticut Ex-PTO President Arrested, Accused of Stealing Group's Funds Connecticut Ex-PTO President Arrested, Accused of Stealing Group's Funds
Connecticut Ex-pto President Arrested, Accused of Stealing Group's Funds A former parent-teacher organization president at a Connecticut elementary school is accused of stealing money from the group to use for personal expenses, authorities said. Avery Fusick, 33, of New Britain, the former PTO president for Maple Street School in Vernon, was arrested Tuesday, April 7, and charged with third-degree larceny, Vernon police announced Wednesday. Administrators at Maple Street School contacted police in November after they learned of unpaid balances from previous book fairs. Investigators reviewed the group's ledger and found multiple transactions that appear unrelat…

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by Josh Lanier
Schools
Gun Found In Student’s Backpack Triggers Lockdown At Middletown High School Gun Found In Student’s Backpack Triggers Lockdown At Middletown High School
Unloaded Gun Found In Backpack At Middletown High School Authorities briefly locked down a high school in Connecticut after police found an unloaded gun in a student’s backpack. Police responded to Middletown High School at about 10 a.m. Wednesday, April 8, after receiving reports of a possible weapon on campus, authorities said. Administrators had already issued a shelter-in-place order. Middletown police searched and found the firearm inside an unnamed student’s backpack. No one was injured, and classes resumed shortly after the investigation, authorities said. It’s unclear why the student brought the gun to school, but Middletown police said …

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by Josh Lanier
Schools
Northeast Grad Schools Among Nation's Best Programs In New Rankings Northeast Grad Schools Among Nation's Best Programs In New Rankings
Northeast Grad Schools Among Nation's Best Programs In New Rankings Graduate programs across the Northeast are being recognized among the best in the nation, according to a new report. U.S. News & World Report released its 2026 Best Graduate Schools rankings on Tuesday, April 7. The list evaluates programs in several fields, including business, law, medicine, engineering, education, and nursing. The media outlet said it compared grad programs based on factors like research performance and career outcomes. "We know a graduate degree is a major commitment," said LaMont Jones, managing editor of education at U.S. News. "That is why we are dedica…

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by Chris Spiker
Schools
Antisemitic Social Media Posts Mar CT High School Hockey Championship Antisemitic Social Media Posts Mar CT High School Hockey Championship
Antisemitic Social Media Posts Mar CT High School Hockey Championship A heated high school hockey rivalry in Connecticut crossed a line that has upset two communities and sparked a national debate.  Students at Fairfield College Preparatory School were disciplined after antisemitic posts targeted players from New Canaan High School following a state championship game, according to a New York Times report. The March 23 game took place at Quinnipiac University in Hamden, where New Canaan won 3-1. In the days around the matchup, social media posts linked to Fairfield Prep fans used hateful language, including “Jew Canaan,” and targeted specific players, acc…

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by Josh Lanier
Schools
Mold Found In 2 Rooms At CT School, Officials Say Building ‘Fit For Occupancy’ Mold Found In 2 Rooms At CT School, Officials Say Building ‘Fit For Occupancy’
Mold Found In 2 Rooms At CT School, Officials Say Building ‘Fit For Occupancy’ Classes will continue at a Connecticut school after air quality tests uncovered mold in two rooms, officials said, but students and teachers will be barred from entering those rooms until crews can clean them. Administrators at Quaker Farms School in Oxford alerted parents to the problem last week. An air quality survey found the building was "fit for occupancy," Board of Education Chairman Mike Koosa and Superintendent Ralph Marino Jr. said in a letter dated Friday, Feb. 27. Only the computer lab and Room 320 at the Great Oak Road school were not fit for students or teachers to enter. (Clic…

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by Josh Lanier
Schools
CT School District Halts Picture Day Amid Epstein Rumors As Parents Push Back Nationwide CT School District Halts Picture Day Amid Epstein Rumors As Parents Push Back Nationwide
CT School District Halts Picture Day Amid Epstein Rumors As Parents Push Back Nationwide A Connecticut school district has postponed school picture day amid claims tying its photography vendor to convicted child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.  Danbury Public Schools Superintendent Kara Casimiro told parents in an email last week that the district would pause school picture day out of an “abundance of caution.” Social media posts allege that Lifetouch, which photographs millions of students a year across the United States, has ties to the late disgraced financier.  “At this time, there is no verified evidence from law enforcement agencies or credible news organizations …

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by Josh Lanier
Schools
Magic Cut Short: NY Band's Disney Dream Grounded After Flight Canceled: 'Devastating' Magic Cut Short: NY Band's Disney Dream Grounded After Flight Canceled: 'Devastating'
Magic Cut Short: NY Band's Disney Dream Grounded After Flight Canceled: 'Devastating' Their Disney dream vanished before takeoff. Dozens of Long Island marching band students were left stranded at JFK Airport for hours after their long-awaited flight to Disney World was canceled. The Kings Park High School marching band, color guard, and kick line arrived at JFK shortly after 5 a.m. Saturday, Feb. 14, for a scheduled Delta flight to Orlando only to be informed the flight had been canceled, Kings Park Superintendent Timothy Eagen told Daily Voice. Attempts to split the group onto multiple flights were rejected after proposed itineraries would have separated students from cha…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
Substitute Fired After Racist Comment Caught On Video At NY Middle School Substitute Fired After Racist Comment Caught On Video At NY Middle School
Substitute Fired After Racist Comment Caught On Video At NY Middle School A substitute teacher was fired after a racially offensive remark directed at a student was captured on video inside a New York middle school. The incident happened in Saratoga County, in an eighth-grade classroom at O’Rourke Middle School in Burnt Hills. A video widely shared online appears to capture the substitute teacher telling a student, “Take your cotton-picking hands to yourself.” That remark was directed at a Black student, according to multiple reports. The comment was heard in the background of a Chromebook video journal a student was recording for a class assignment. School lead…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
Adelphi Professor Accused Autistic Freshman Of AI Cheating — Judge Tossed Violation Adelphi Professor Accused Autistic Freshman Of AI Cheating — Judge Tossed Violation
Adelphi Professor Accused Autistic Freshman Of AI Cheating — Judge Tossed Violation An Adelphi University freshman is celebrating after a Nassau County judge ruled he did not cheat on a paper with artificial intelligence and ordered the university to wipe the violation from his academic record. In a decision issued Thursday, Jan. 29, Nassau County Supreme Court granted Orion Newby’s petition and annulled both the violation and the university’s denial of his appeal. Newby, who is on the autism spectrum, sued the university in July 2025, challenging its finding that he committed plagiarism during the previous fall semester, as Daily Voice reported. According to the petition…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
Gun Found At CT High School, Student Arrested, Classes Dismissed Early Gun Found At CT High School, Student Arrested, Classes Dismissed Early
Gun Found At CT High School, Student Arrested, Classes Dismissed Early A Connecticut high school was dismissed early on Thursday, Feb. 5, after a student was found to have a gun inside the building, authorities said.   Manchester High School administrators contacted police around 9:30 p.m. after a student reported hearing another mention having a gun magazine while leaving a bathroom, Superintendent Matt Geary said in a message to parents.  Police and school administrators quickly located the suspected student and found the gun.  The student was placed in police custody. Authorities did not release their name or whether they had any i…

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by Josh Lanier
Schools
Parents, Teachers Coalition Demand Cell Phones Out Of CT Schools: They're Eroding 'Civility' Parents, Teachers Coalition Demand Cell Phones Out Of CT Schools: They're Eroding 'Civility'
Parents, Teachers Coalition Demand Cell Phones Out Of CT Schools: They're Eroding 'Civility' Connecticut educators and parents are teaming up to push for statewide phone-free school policies. The group, called Phone-Free CT, wants lawmakers to pass a “bell-to-bell” policy that keeps phones put away for the full school day. The push comes as the new legislative session gets ready to start on Wednesday, Feb. 4. Phone-Free CT includes the Connecticut Education Association, AFT Connecticut, The Anxious Generation Movement, the Distraction Free Schools Policy Project, and the Becca Schmill Foundation. Detractors of the proposal say students need phones in case of emergencies or to call…

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by Josh Lanier
Schools
CT School Cancels Secretary Linda McMahon's Visit After Parents Voice Concerns CT School Cancels Secretary Linda McMahon's Visit After Parents Voice Concerns
CT School Cancels Secretary Linda McMahon's Visit After Parents Voice Concerns A Connecticut school has canceled a visit from the Secretary of Education later this week after parents raised concerns and considered keeping their children at home that day, officials said. Fairfield Public Schools Superintendent Michael Testani said Linda McMahon was planning to visit McKinley Elementary School on Friday, Jan. 31, as part of the US Department of Education's "History Rocks!" national tour. Several parents were upset at the idea.  “Following this evening's announcement about the Secretary of Education's planned visit to McKinley on Friday, we heard from many families …

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by Josh Lanier
Schools
School Built 'Wooden Dog Cage' For Nonverbal Child, NY Parents Claim Ahead Of Lawsuit School Built 'Wooden Dog Cage' For Nonverbal Child, NY Parents Claim Ahead Of Lawsuit
School Built 'Wooden Dog Cage' For Nonverbal Child, NY Parents Claim Ahead Of Lawsuit A New York elementary school built a wooden cage for a nonverbal, disabled student, his parents claim, intensifying a controversy that has already put multiple district officials on administrative leave. The parents of an 8-year-old Native American student allege the Salmon River Central School District constructed what they describe as a “wooden dog cage” specifically for their child while he attended St. Regis Mohawk School in Akwesasne, according to a notice of claim provided to Daily Voice. The filing comes amid an ongoing investigation into allegations that students — including those w…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
Librarian Caught Standing On Special Needs Student At NY Elementary School Resigns Librarian Caught Standing On Special Needs Student At NY Elementary School Resigns
Librarian Caught Standing On Special Needs Student At NY Elementary School Resigns A librarian at a New York elementary school has resigned after a photo circulated online showing her standing on the back of a special needs student. The Schenectady Board of Education voted to accept the resignation of Maria Mawson, a librarian at Lincoln Elementary School, during its meeting Wednesday, Jan. 14. The resignation follows widespread outrage over an image that appeared to show an adult with a foot placed on the back of a child lying face-down on the floor of a classroom, as Daily Voice reported. The child’s mother, Ashley Rivera, told Albany television station WNYT that the …

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
Outrage Grows As Teacher Seen Standing On Special Needs Student At NY Elementary School Outrage Grows As Teacher Seen Standing On Special Needs Student At NY Elementary School
Outrage Grows As Teacher Seen Standing On Special Needs Student At NY Elementary School Community anger is mounting after a photo circulated online that appears to show a staff member standing on the back of a special needs student inside a New York elementary school classroom. The image, which spread widely on social media this week, allegedly shows a woman with her foot on the back of a child lying face-down on the floor of a classroom at Lincoln Elementary School in Schenectady. The child’s mother, Ashley Rivera, told Albany station WNYT that the student is her 8-year-old son, Gian, a second grader with ADHD who struggles to express himself. Rivera’s son was restrained on…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
State Trooper Fired After Investigation Into Relationship With Middletown High School Student State Trooper Fired After Investigation Into Relationship With Middletown High School Student
CT State Police Trooper Timothy Haroian Fired A Connecticut State Police trooper has been fired following an internal affairs investigation into an inappropriate relationship with a high school student, state police said. Trooper First Class Timothy Haroian, 39, was terminated from state service on Dec. 30, Connecticut State Police confirmed Thursday. The decision followed an investigation into an inappropriate relationship with a student at Vinal Technical High School in Middletown, where he served as a school resource officer. Law enforcement records show the relationship involved a 17-year-old student. Investigators said Haroian beg…

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by Josh Lanier
Schools
'This Is Sick!' NY School's 'Timeout Box' Draws Outrage, Triggers State Investigation 'This Is Sick!' NY School's 'Timeout Box' Draws Outrage, Triggers State Investigation
'This Is Sick!' NY School's 'Timeout Box' Draws Outrage, Triggers State Investigation A New York school superintendent has been placed on home assignment amid explosive allegations that special needs students were subjected to a so-called classroom “timeout box” at an elementary school. The Salmon River Central School District launched an investigation after a former school board member alleged that students at St. Regis Mohawk School in Akwesasne were subjected to improper restraint and seclusion practices, the district’s Board of Education confirmed Thursday, Dec. 18. The school is located within the Saint Regis Mohawk Reservation. In a Facebook post that has since gone vi…

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
Brown University Shooting: Person Of Interest Detained, FBI Says Brown University Shooting: Person Of Interest Detained, FBI Says
Brown University Shooting: Person Of Interest Detained, FBI Says A person of interest has been detained in the Brown University mass shooting Saturday, Dec. 13, the FBI announced Sunday morning, Dec. 14. At least two people were killed and eight others were injured following reports of an active shooter near Barus & Holley Engineering, officials said. Eight people were listed in critical, but stable condition at the hospital following the incident, officials said. The shelter-in-place was lifted Sunday morning. "We continue to ask anyone with information that could help this investigation to call the Providence Police Department at 401-652-576…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
NY Special Ed Teacher, City Councilmember Discussed Sex, Drugs, Violence With Student: Police NY Special Ed Teacher, City Councilmember Discussed Sex, Drugs, Violence With Student: Police
NY Special Ed Teacher, City Councilmember Discussed Sex, Drugs, Violence With Student: Police A New York special education teacher and city councilmember is accused of engaging in sexually explicit conversations with an underage student. Fulton County resident Scott Jeffers, 42, of Johnstown, was arrested Thursday, Dec. 11, following an investigation launched at the request of Greater Johnstown School District Superintendent Amy Arcurio, according to New York State Police. Investigators concluded that Jeffers, a special education teacher at Johnstown Jr./Sr. High School, repeatedly communicated with a student under the age of 17 through social media, text messages, voice calls, and …

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by Michael Mashburn
Schools
CT School Principal Resigns Suddenly, Social Media Wiped Clean CT School Principal Resigns Suddenly, Social Media Wiped Clean
CT School Principal Resigns Suddenly, Social Media Wiped Clean A Connecticut elementary school principal abruptly resigned this week. Principal Daniel Hicks of Second Hill Lane Elementary School in Stratford issued a statement Monday, Dec. 8, informing staff he was stepping down “effective immediately.” He did not provide a reason for the sudden departure. A call to the school system was met with a response that officials do not comment on personnel matters. Reporters contacted Stratford police, who said there were no pending charges. An email to Hicks from Daily Voice on Tuesday was not returned, and a call to his number went to voicemail. In his l…

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by Josh Lanier
Schools
Lehigh University Professor Ran $2M Wire Fraud Scheme — Fourth International Crime At College Lehigh University Professor Ran $2M Wire Fraud Scheme — Fourth International Crime At College
Lehigh University Professor Ran $2M Wire Fraud Scheme — Fourth International Crime At College A now-former Lehigh University professor has admitted to running a wire fraud scheme that stole nearly $2 million from victims, according to court documents, federal prosecutors, and a statement from the University shared with DailyVoice on Thursday, Dec. 4.  Chinedu Ekuma, 45, of Catasauqua, pleaded guilty before United States District Judge John M. Gallagher to two counts of wire fraud after acknowledging he carried out the scheme from August 2020 through March 2023, according to the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania. According to prosecutors, Ekuma used…

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by Jillian Pikora