Sayreville nightclub destroyed by fire: This week in Central Jersey history, May 13-19
An hour-long blaze engulfed and destroyed d'Scene discotheque on Route 9 in Sayreville on Friday, May 17, 1974.
The controversial but popular night spot with five bars and huge bandstand burned to the ground. There were no injuries.
Here's a look at events that happened in Central Jersey from five, 10, 25, 50 and 100 years ago this week.
Five years ago
May 14, 2019: It was reported a state appellate court had upheld the conviction and sentence of Roland Amos, 43, of North Brunswick, who was found guilty of murdering his neighbor, Brian Hoey, 43, on Monday, Sept. 1, 2014.
May 16: The Rutgers University adjunct faculty union, after a year of contract negotiations, reached a tentative deal that week that included pay raises of up to 33 percent over four years and multi-semester appointments for some longtime adjuncts, it was reported.
May 17: It was reported the Rutgers University Committee on Sexual Harassment Prevention released a report that week recommending the university adopt consequential policy changes, including a ban on relationships among employees, university affiliates and students.
May 17-18: The 13th annual Jersey Shore Festival, featuring live music performances, a freestyle motorcross stunt show, and more, was held at various venues throughout Seaside Heights.
May 18: The top-seeded Bishop Ahr High School softball team beat second-seeded J.F. Kennedy 3-0 to win their second-straight Greater Middlesex Conference Tournament title at Middlesex County College in Edison.
May 19: Rutgers University held its university-wide commencement ceremony at HighPoint.com Stadium in Piscataway, awarding about 12,187 baccalaureate degrees, 4,926 master's degrees, and 1,711 doctorates to the largest class in its 253-year history.
10 years ago
May 14, 2014: Gov. Chris Christie talked up his management of New Jersey's finances at a conference in Washington, a day after hinting for the first time that motorists could see a hike in New Jersey's gasoline tax, despite new warnings from Wall Street ratings agencies about the state budget.
May 15: Hunterdon Medical Center in Flemington had been named a recipient of the Women's Choice Award as one of America's Best Breast Centers, acknowledging its dedication to providing exceptional patient care and treatment, it was reported.
May 15: The third-seeded Ridge High School boys lacrosse team won its second straight Somerset County Tournament title, 8-6, over top-seeded Immaculata. It was the Red Devils' fifth straight victory overall.
May 16: A bear came out of the woods on Leigh Street in Clinton, which resulted in the police and the state Division of Fish and Wildlife initially being called on a report of a bear trying to break into a home. Officials said the 443-pound male bear was simply digging around a home's foundation looking for food. The bear was tranquilized and released into a nearby wildlife area.
May 17: The State Theatre Benefit Gala featuring Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons was held at the State Theatre in New Brunswick.
1999
May 13, 1999: A 10-year-old Upper Elementary School student in South Brunswick was saved by school nurse Peggy Querec after the boy choked on a piece of doughnut brought by another student for a birthday party.
May 14: Officials said the harassment of a Plainfield woman through a fraudulent Internet personals ad was the first of its kind in New Jersey be be investigated by the FBI's Interstate Theft Task Force.
May 17: The Montgomery High School golf team shot a 348 and captured the Group I title at the Meet of Champions at the Burlington County Country Club in Westampton.
May 18: About 600 fans waited for a chance to watch "The Phantom Menace" at General Cinema at the Bridgewater Commons.
May 19: It was reported a message reading, "All will die" on Thursday, May 20, 1999, at Hillsborough High School was found on a township park bench. It was reported township police would search the school for explosive devices between 3 p.m. Wednesday, May 19, 1999, and 7 a.m. Thursday, May 20, 1999.
1974
May 13, 1974: The state Division of Dairy Industry said the minimum price for a gallon of milk would drop four cents on Saturday, June 1, 1974, for the first time in several years. Woodrow W. Moffett, the division's director, said equivalent reductions would be made for half-gallon and quart containers.
May 15: The Pulitzer Prize winning musical "South Pacific" opened at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn to a packed house and a standing ovation.
May 16: In the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association Golf Tournament, the Bridgewater-Raritan West High School golf team finished in second place with an aggregate score of 323, behind the West Essex High School Knights, with a score of 320.
May 18: John F. Kennedy Medical Center in Edison announced a gift of $1 million from the Robert Wood Johnson Jr. Charitable Trust to the rehabilitation facility, which was nearing completion at the center.
1924
May 14, 1924: The Plainfield High School track team beat Westfield High, 47-25, in a dual meet.
May 14-15: "Thundering Dawn," a dramatic photoplay of the Java coast, was presented at Reade's Strand Theatre in Perth Amboy.
May 17: Alvin Watson of Westfield reported his car was parked on Richmond Street in Plainfield, between South Avenue and the railroad bridge, when a team of horses owned by James Hurling of Plainfield ran away and collided with the car, doing some damage.
May 19: Burglars bored a hole through the floor of a clothing store owned by I. Stern in Perth Amboy and made off with 200 suits of men's clothing valued at $7,000.
May 19: An appeal to the stockholders of the Consolidated Fruit Jar Works in New Brunswick that they remove Henry B. Kent, president of the company, from the factory's active management, was voiced when 212 employees threw down their tools and walked out of the factory.
Brad Wadlow is a staff writer for MyCentralJersey.com
This article originally appeared on MyCentralJersey.com: NJ history for May 13-19
