Chiropractor in Spotswood, NJ

SPOTSWOOD, NJ - It will be almost a year since Second Lieutenant Robert Jack Oross tragically lost his life in a motorcycle accident in East Brunswick. He was 22. Oross was better known as RJ to his family and friends. His death on May 17, 2025, rocked the Spotswood, Helmetta and Milltown communities. Oross was a Spotswood native and a member of Spotswood High School's Class of 2021. He was only 16 years old when he joined the Spotswood Volunteer Fire Department's Cadet Program. From the Cadet Program, Oross became a volunteer firefighter, moving up to the rank of second lieutenant in January 2025. It was a role he was extremely proud of.

Oross' family is honoring his legacy this month by spotlighting organ and tissue donation. Their hope is that by sharing his story, they will encourage more people to think about registering as an organ and tissue donor. It was something Oross, who had committed his young life to helping others, had done.

“My son dedicated his life to saving others,” said Oross, mother Heidi. “He always honored his grandfather, who was also an organ donor, by wearing NJ Sharing Network’s green bracelets as a piece of him always with RJ. He repaid the same donation that meant so much to him, the gift of life.”

As an organ donor, Oross' life lives through those he helped as an eye and tissue donor.

“Through his generous decision to register as an organ and tissue donor, RJ’s impact continues beyond his years," the NJ Sharing Network said in a recent press release. “According to the United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS), more than 100,000 Americans, including nearly 4,000 New Jerseyans, are currently waiting for a lifesaving organ transplant. One organ and tissue donor can save eight lives and enhance the lives of over 75 others.”

Oross had a positive impact wherever he went. He was well-known for his huge smile, good-natured sense of humor and, of course, his “Ciao for now” sign-off. He loved being outdoors. His hobbies included hunting and fishing, but most of all, Oross relished spending time with his family and friends. His fellow Spotswood volunteer firefighters “described him as self-motivated, loyal, and always willing to take initiative, including mentoring the department’s newest junior members.” His younger brother Aidan is also a member of the Spotswood Volunteer Fire Department.

The Spotswood Volunteer Fire Department created a scholarship in Oross' name. Spotswood Volunteer Fire Department Chief Christopher Hager said the department was excited to add a second scholarship for Spotswood High School's graduating seniors, especially one honoring Oross. It was created for soon-to-be graduates like Oross who were not headed to traditional four-year universities. Hager said the department saw the high school was lacking in scholarship opportunities for teens interested in taking different paths after graduation.

Oross worked for local department of public works and area businesses. The scholarship in his name to deserving Spotswood High School graduates is another way his legacy lives on in the community he served.

Oross became an organ donor at a young age. His family, with the help of the New Jersey Sharing Network, is hoping Oross' story will inspire others to consider registering to become an organ and tissue donor.

In 2025, the NJ Sharing network had 1203 tissue and eye donors, including Oross. There were also 269 organ donors in 2025 and 693 organs transplanted. For more information on organ and tissue donation or to register as a donor, visit the New Jersey Sharing Network's website.

“RJ made a huge impact in this world that will forever go on because of his need to care for others and always make the best out of every situation,” said Heidi Oross. “He is and will always be honored, loved, and beyond missed.”

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SPOTSWOOD — Millions in New Jersey school funds remain missing after a successful scam.

The Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office is investigating to find whoever managed to fleece $3.3 million from Spotswood Public Schools, said borough Mayor Rich O'Brien. He said that investigators do not believe anyone from the borough or school district was involved in the theft.

Around 1,650 students attend the district's four schools, according to the National Center for Education Statistics. The district had a revised budget of over $36.5 million in the 2024-25 school year, making a loss of over $3 million fairly significant.

The massive theft happened in September 2025, and most of the money hasn't been recovered, O'Brien said. Weeks later, the scammers stole another sum of $1,474,820.70. That second amount has made it back to the district.

Around $3.1 million is still unaccounted for, and the district needs to make up the lost money, the Spotswood mayor said. O'Brien said they have until the end of the first fiscal quarter, which is March 31.

"I share your fear and frustration over this situation and ask for your patience as we work through it," O'Brien said.

The money was stolen through a spoofing scam, O'Brien said. Borough officials mistakenly transferred the funds to a third party impersonating the school board.

School board officials told Spotswood that school operations will be "severely affected" if the district doesn't get the money it's owed, according to O'Brien. But the district doesn't have $3 million just lying around.

Borough officials have filed an insurance claim and have been in contact with local lawmakers to recoup the funds. However, the mayor said the change in the governor's mansion caused a delay.

O'Brien said that the borough is planning for a worst-case scenario, though they don't expect to face those hardships. Spotswood will look to spread any loss over municipal budgets for the next 15 years, which would increase the average home's property tax by $101. That increase will not be necessary if the money is recovered, either from the scammer or the state.

In 2025, the average property tax bill in Spotswood was $9,827. That's a 4% increase from the year before. See your town's average property tax bill below.