THE BLUNT TRUTH...Union County Police transport convict Otis Blunt, who escaped from the county jail in Elizabeth, to the high-security county police headquarters in Westfield last Thursday, after he was captured in Mexico City last Tuesday through the efforts of an international manhunt. On Friday, the New Jersey Department of Corrections transported Blunt to New Jersey State Prison in Trenton. See photos at: www.goleader.com/photos.

Editorial: Will Aid Formula Become First Step In Replacing Local School Boards?...With Governor Jon Corzine signing into law the new school aid funding formula on Sunday, local school boards are trying to understand just what it means.

Editorial: New Year Brings New Faces At All Levels of Government...Now that the New Year has been rung in, we would like to congratulate the newly sworn-in elected officials. 

SETTING UP A LEG SCISSORS AND A POWER HALF...Raider Trevor Cannon, top, has Bear Steve Margolin in a leg scissors in an attempt to set up a power half tilting maneuver in his 152-lb bout.


Sports: Lady Blue Devils Warm Up, Scald East Side Cagers; Vikings, Blue Devils Place At County Boys Track Relays; Raider Matmen Rumble Past Short-Handed Westfield; Charged Raider Boys Crunch Red Raider Hoopsters; No. 9 Brearley Bears Defeat SPF Raider Wrestlers: Photos

DOWNTOWN ART...The mural painted on the side wall of Mezzogiorno Restaurant on Park Avenue in Scotch Plains became the focus of last week's planning board meeting. After discussion, the board allowed the mural to stay.

Devil's Den: Second Opinion Proves The Girl's Got Game

Government Reform Thought: The National Surface Transportation Policy and Revenue Commission has recommended an increase in the federal gasoline of 25 cents to 40 cents per gallon over the next five years to fund the nation's transportation system. Given Governor Jon Corzine's recommendation to increase tolls in New Jersey 200 percent over the next 14 years, we believe the voters should make the final decision on any more taxes. See Year-to-date Reform Thoughts.