Rock Attack Turns Fatal: 5 Must-Read NJ Stories

Good evening, New Jersey Patch readers! We've assembled some of the most share-worthy stories from the state for today, just for you.

Here are the top five stories from New Jersey:

1. A new restaurant with New Orleans-inspired cuisine and cocktails has opened in Somerset County. Tap & Bitters, which features Cajun-inspired bites, cocktails, and décor, is hosting a blowout bash next week to welcome people in and laissez les bons temps rouler! (Read more on Patch.)

2. Four people were rescued from a rip current thanks to a keen-eyed Seaside Heights lifeguard who spotted the struggling swimmers from blocks away, an official said. Three lifeguards and a surfer got the people back to shore. (Read more on Patch.)

3. New Jersey's bear hunt is back on again, with hunts slated to begin again this October in parts of the state to control the black bear population. Now that the policy has been approved, bear hunts could take place twice a year from 2023-2027. (Read more on Patch.)

4. A school district will pay $85,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by a student who claimed that she faced severe bullying and that school officials did nothing to help. The then-teen says she faced racial and sexual harassment between 2016 and 2018 by a group of students that called themselves the "Super Slut Squad."(Read more on Patch.)

5. A man died from his injuries several weeks after a large rock was thrown at his head during a fight, authorities said this week. One person has been charged in connection to the Aug. 12 altercation, but officials are looking to identify another person who may be involved (Read more on Patch.)