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Commuters are stinging today from the decision by NJ Transit's board to raise train and some bus fares 25-percent - tied for the biggest fare hike in NJ Transit's history - but the agency's executive director said he didn't expect another increase in the next three years.

When Michelle Ryan Lauto decided to organize a statewide protest against school budget cuts, she didn't pass out fliers, make phone calls or attend meetings.She just logged on to Facebook.Lauto's Facebook page - "Protest NJ Education Cuts - State Wide School Walk Out" - drew nearly 18,000 members within a few weeks and sparked today's mass budget protest in schools across New Jersey.With 400 million members and growing, Facebook is becoming the leading forum for mobilizing protests, rallies, boycotts and other social movements

"A northern New Jersey school district's code of conduct that extended to off-campus behavior was struck down today by an appeals court that said the policy exceeded the authority given to local districts by the state. The case stemmed from a policy instituted in 2009 by the Ramapo Indian Hills School District in Bergen County. It sought to ban students from extracurricular activities if they were charged with illegal activities, regardless of whether the alleged behavior occurred on school grounds."

Summary: Two shoppers were injured when a motorist accidentally rammed his vehicle into McCaffrey's market at the Princeton Shopping Center yesterday afternoon. This contains proximitey (Princeton is close to Flemington) and timelines (it happened this morning). This is news worthy because it is crazy to hear a car crashed into a shopping center.

Gov. Chris Christie today revives a town hall tour that's been a smash hit across New Jersey as the outspoken Republican uses his roving stage to bash lawmakers, grab attention for his agenda and show off his gregarious demeanor and speaking skills.

Heavy rains from Hurricane Irene, Tropical Storm Lee and other recent storms and just plain old age seem to be taking a toll on a number of roads in the township. Residents of Foothill Road and others who live along Indian Run, Cherry Court and Van Pelt Drive have presented two separate petitions to the Readington Township Committee to repair those streets.

READINGTON - Heavy rains from Hurricane Irene, Tropical Storm Lee and other recent storms and just plain old age seem to be taking a toll on a number of roads in the township.

Heavy rains from Hurricane Irene, Tropical Storm Lee and other recent storms and just plain old age seem to be taking a toll on a number of roads in the township.

This afternoon, jurors at Dr. Conrad Murray's involuntary manslaughter trial witnessed a shocking photo of Michael Jackson's dead body during the testimony of the county coroner. He spoke of his autopsy findings and the overall decision to declare the singer's death a homicide.

"Some residents of Seaside Heights and several other barrier island communities are being allowed to drive back to houses in their own vehicles for the first time since Hurricane Sandy ravaged the Jersey Shore two weeks ago today."

"New Jersey is moving to a "new normal" in the wake of Sandy as more residents move out of shelters, get their power turned back on and send their children back to school, Gov. Chris Christie said. In one of his first acts to return to pre-Sandy days, Christie said he's lifting the odd-even gas rationing system beginning 6 a.m. Tuesday that has been in place for 12 northern counties since shortly after the superstorm caused widespread destruction in the Garden State."

"FLEMINGTON - Robert Shore has asked Flemington officials to designate English as the borough's official language. Shore is a borough resident, landlord and businessman. He made the request at Borough Council's Feb. 25 meeting, urging them to adopt an ordinance to that effect. But Shore is not just an outspoken participant in most council meetings; he is on the board of directors of the Flemington Business Improvement District."

Four Florence High School baseball players are suspended and the head coach is under investigation by district administrators after a sub-varsity player was held down and bitten by other players as part of an alleged hazing incident approximately two weeks ago, two sources familiar with the incident said. One source called the biting "a ritual that has gone on for years."

"Gov. Chris Christie signed an executive order today instituting gas rationing for the purchase of fuel by motorists in 12 counties. Calling the fuel supply a "shortage" that could endanger public health, safety and welfare, the rationing will take place in Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Middlesex, Morris, Monmouth, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren counties."

"A special education teacher at Hunterdon Central Regional High School will compete on ABC-TV's Wheel of Fortune quiz game at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 27."

All eyes are fixed on now Hurricane Sandy, which is churning slowly northward in the southern Caribbean and expected to play a crucial role in the potential development of a powerful nor'easter that could begin affecting the Garden State as early as Sunday.

TRENTON - The state Senate passed a bill legalizing gay marriage this afternoon by a vote of 24-16. The bills passage elicited a round of applause from those in the audience wearing blue in support of the bill, which Gov. Chris Christie has promised to veto.

Due to the circumstances, the 78 Grammys given out last night seemed less important than they usually do. It didn't help, either, that there was little suspense. Everyone was expecting a major sweep for Adele, and that's what ended up happening. She won six Grammy, including album, record and song (i.e., songwriting) of the year. (Foo Fighters also had a strong showing, though, with five awards, but none in the major, open-to-all-genres categories).

RARITAN TWP. - The Township Committee unanimously voted to approve the Raritan Junction redevelopment plan, which envisions turning the former Yale property into a mixed-use development that will include residences, retail spaces, offices and recreation areas. The intent of the mixed-use design is to create a neighborhood town center on what is an existing brownfield with an abandoned and obsolete industrial facility, township Planner Jamie Sunyak said. The plans will impact student parking at Hunterdon Central High School. Future plans call for a smaller lot with more than 100 spots for students.

Four candidates are undergoing multifaceted interviews today and tomorrow at Hunterdon Central High School, vying for the job of principal of the 3,200-student regional school. The next principal could be chosen this week, Superintendent Chris Steffner said.