Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw and Moorestown Township Public Safety Director Patrick J. Reilly Jr. revealed that a 73-year-old Moorestown man faced charges on Thursday for murdering his wife in their East Camden Avenue residence. Gerard Slavin was charged with First Degree Murder and Aggravated Assault – Strangulation.
He was held at the Burlington County Jail in Mount Holly awaiting a detention hearing in Superior Court.
The investigation commenced just before 3 p.m. on Thursday after authorities received a call regarding the Slavin’s home in the Moorestowne Woods Apartment Homes. Responding officers from the Moorestown Township Police Department discovered the lifeless body of Linda Slavin, 73, in the couple’s bedroom.
Following the incident, Gerard Slavin was taken into custody without any complications. The Burlington County Medical Examiner Dr. Ian Hood performed an autopsy on Friday, confirming that Linda Slavin’s cause of death was strangulation. Authorities from the Moorestown Township Police Department and the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office are leading the ongoing investigation with MTPD Det. Ryan Carr and Prosecutor’s Office detectives Shawn McDonough and Katie White at the helm.
- New Jersey Grocery Prices Hold Steady as New Law Targets AI-Based Pricing
TRENTON, N.J. – Grocery prices across New Jersey held steady in June, offering consumers a brief pause after months of rising costs, according to the latest Consumer Price Index released by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. While the food-at-home index, which tracks grocery store purchases, was unchanged from May, prices remained 4.0% higher than a year earlier.
The broader food index increased 3.7% over the past 12 months, reflecting continued inflation across grocery stores and restaurants in the New York-Newark-Jersey City metropolitan area, which includes much of northern New Jersey.
Some grocery items rose while produce became less expensive
Although overall grocery prices were flat in June, shoppers still experienced changes at the checkout aisle. The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported higher prices for snacks, bread, and spices, seasonings, condiments and sauces.
Fresh fruits and vegetables, including tomatoes, became less expensive during the month, helping offset increases in other grocery categories. Restaurant and takeout prices also edged higher, with the food-away-from-home index rising 0.1%.
New Jersey bans AI-driven personalized grocery pricing
The June inflation report comes days after Gov. Mikie Sherrill signed the Fair Price Protection Act into law on July 23, prohibiting grocery stores and shopping apps from using artificial intelligence or personal consumer data to charge different prices to individual shoppers.
The law also places a one-year moratorium on the installation of new electronic shelf labels in grocery stores while the state evaluates their potential use in dynamic pricing systems.
Supporters of the legislation said the measure is intended to ensure consumers pay the same advertised price regardless of shopping history, location data or purchasing habits.
Photo: 73-year-old south jersey husband charged with killing wife New Jersey households continue to fare well on grocery affordability
Despite relatively high grocery prices, a recent WalletHub analysis found New Jersey households spend one of the smallest shares of their median income on groceries in the nation. The ranking reflects the state’s comparatively high household incomes, even though residents often pay more in absolute dollars than shoppers in many other states.
Consumers looking to stretch their grocery budgets continue to find the lowest prices at warehouse clubs and discount chains.
According to the analysis, Costco offered prices averaging 21.4% below Walmart’s baseline, followed closely by BJ’s Wholesale Club at 21% lower. Lidl and Aldi also ranked among the state’s most affordable grocery options, with average prices roughly 8% below Walmart’s benchmark.
Premium supermarkets, including Whole Foods, Acme and McCaffrey’s Food Markets, ranked among the most expensive grocery retailers based on estimated annual household spending.
Why it matters
The latest inflation data suggests grocery price increases may be slowing, but New Jersey families are still paying significantly more for food than they were a year ago. At the same time, the state’s new restrictions on AI-based pricing are designed to prevent supermarkets from using customer data to create individualized prices, potentially changing how grocery retailers adopt emerging pricing technology in the years ahead.
- $1 million winning Jersey Cash 5 ticket sold in Burlington County
Edgewater Park deli sells jackpot-winning ticket worth more than $1 million
EDGEWATER PARK, NJ — A Jersey Cash 5 ticket worth more than $1 million was sold at an Edgewater Park deli after two players split Sunday’s jackpot, according to the New Jersey Lottery.
The winning ticket was purchased at C & C Deli Market, located at 925 Woodlane Road in Edgewater Park.
The Sunday drawing produced winning numbers 03, 12, 19, 34 and 40. The Bullseye number was 40, and the XTRA number was 03.
Because two tickets matched all five numbers, the $2,079,222 jackpot was split evenly. The Burlington County ticket is worth $1,039,611.
C & C Deli Market will receive a $2,000 bonus from the New Jersey Lottery for selling the winning ticket.
In addition to the jackpot winners, 58 players matched four of the five numbers plus the Bullseye to win $500 each. Fifteen of those players increased their prizes to $1,500 by purchasing the XTRA option.
The Jersey Cash 5 jackpot has been reset to $150,000 for the next drawing.
Key Points
- A Jersey Cash 5 ticket worth $1,039,611 was sold in Edgewater Park.
- The winning ticket was purchased at C & C Deli Market on Woodlane Road.
- The retailer will receive a $2,000 bonus for selling the jackpot-winning ticket.
- New Jersey Faces Several More Days of Rain and Thunderstorms Through Thursday
Mount Holly, NJ – New Jersey residents should keep umbrellas handy for the next several days as a slow-moving weather pattern brings repeated rounds of showers and thunderstorms through Thursday, according to the National Weather Service.
The unsettled stretch begins Monday afternoon, with scattered showers and thunderstorms expected to develop before becoming more widespread later in the day. Forecasters say temperatures will climb into the mid-80s before storms move through, bringing locally heavy rainfall in some areas.
While not every location will see rain continuously, periods of showers and thunderstorms are expected each day through Thursday.
Photo: 73-year-old south jersey husband charged with killing wife Heavy rain possible Tuesday
The greatest potential for widespread rainfall arrives Tuesday and Tuesday night.
After a foggy start Tuesday morning, skies will remain mostly cloudy with temperatures reaching around 82 degrees. Showers and thunderstorms are expected to develop late in the afternoon before becoming more numerous during the evening.
The National Weather Service forecasts a 90% chance of rain Tuesday night, with many areas receiving between three-quarters of an inch and one inch of rainfall. Localized higher totals are possible where thunderstorms repeatedly track over the same locations.
Southerly winds could gust up to 25 mph during the day Tuesday before easing Tuesday night.
Unsettled weather continues Wednesday
The wet pattern is expected to continue Wednesday as another round of showers and thunderstorms develops.
Forecasters say scattered morning showers may linger before another round of afternoon thunderstorms forms. High temperatures will once again remain near 82 degrees under mostly cloudy skies.
Additional rainfall could total between one-tenth and one-quarter inch outside of thunderstorms, with locally heavier amounts where stronger storms develop.
Showers are expected to continue into Wednesday night before gradually diminishing late.
Rain chances linger into Thursday
The pattern begins to slowly improve Thursday, but New Jersey is not expected to be completely dry.
A 50% chance of showers remains in the forecast, with thunderstorms again possible during the afternoon. High temperatures will top out near 80 degrees under partly sunny skies.
Any lingering thunderstorms Thursday evening should taper off before overnight, with lows settling into the mid-60s.
Fog and travel impacts possible
In addition to periods of rain, patchy fog is expected overnight Monday into Tuesday morning, which could reduce visibility during the early commute.
Motorists should also be prepared for rapidly changing conditions during thunderstorms, including heavy rain, ponding on roadways and occasional gusty winds. Drivers are encouraged to slow down during periods of reduced visibility and avoid driving through flooded roadways.
What happens next
Current forecasts indicate the unsettled weather pattern should begin breaking down after Thursday, allowing drier conditions to return heading into the end of the workweek. Forecasters will continue monitoring rainfall totals and the potential for any localized flooding if multiple rounds of thunderstorms affect the same areas.
- Labor Department Claws Back $9 Million From New Jersey After Massive Migrant Unemployment Fraud Scheme
Washington, DC – The U.S. Department of Labor is clawing back more than $9 million in federal taxpayer money from New Jersey after investigators uncovered a widespread COVID-era unemployment fraud scheme that resulted in more than 53,000 fraudulent unemployment insurance claims.
The recovery effort comes as federal prosecutors continue securing convictions against organized fraud rings that targeted government assistance programs, including a recent guilty plea by two Romanian nationals who admitted stealing more than $760,000 in SNAP benefits from recipients in New Jersey, Massachusetts, and other states.
Fraudsters exploited stolen identities to steal benefits
According to the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General, the New Jersey unemployment fraud involved criminals using stolen Social Security numbers belonging to people in other states, including prisoners, deceased individuals, children, and individuals whose identities had been compromised. Investigators also discovered multiple fraudulent claims tied to the same mailing addresses.
The inspector general’s office initially flagged nearly 220,000 suspicious unemployment accounts before deploying a strike team to New Jersey in April. Investigators ultimately identified more than 53,000 fraudulent claims and directed banks to freeze many of the suspected fraudulent benefit payments while federal officials worked to recover taxpayer funds.
Labor Inspector General Anthony D’Esposito sharply criticized the state’s oversight of the program.
“New Jersey’s 53,000 fraudulent accounts illustrate Governor Sherrill’s failure to safeguard funds and a complete disregard for the American taxpayer,” D’Esposito said.
“Allowing these accounts to go unchecked is unacceptable. New Jersey’s reckless approach demonstrates a profound betrayal of hardworking Americans. My office will not rest until every account has been examined and every stolen dollar is recovered.”
Romanian brothers admitted targeting New Jersey SNAP recipients
The federal government’s recovery effort comes as prosecutors continue dismantling organized fraud rings responsible for stealing government benefits.
Earlier this month, Marian Ovidiu Dumitru, 37, and Catalin Dumitru, 39, Romanian citizens whom prosecutors said were living in the United States unlawfully, pleaded guilty to wire fraud for orchestrating a multistate SNAP fraud scheme that victimized recipients in New Jersey, Massachusetts, and other states.
According to court records, the brothers and their co-conspirators installed skimming devices at ATMs, gas pumps, and other payment terminals to capture electronic benefit transfer (EBT) card data used by SNAP recipients. The stolen account information was transferred onto counterfeit bank cards and gift cards, allowing the group to make thousands of dollars in fraudulent purchases at warehouse clubs in North Carolina.
Prosecutors said the defendants purchased bulk quantities of coffee, candy, energy drinks, baby formula, and other high-demand products using cloned EBT cards loaded with stolen benefit information from New Jersey and Massachusetts recipients. The merchandise was then transported and resold for profit.
Investigators also recovered at least 15 counterfeit or unauthorized payment cards encoded with stolen SNAP account information, along with blank magnetic-strip cards used to create additional fraudulent access devices. Federal prosecutors said the scheme stole more than $760,000 in benefits and caused substantial hardship for more than 10 victims who depended on SNAP assistance.
Both men pleaded guilty to wire fraud and each faces up to 20 years in federal prison. Sentencing has not yet been scheduled.
Federal crackdown continues
The $9 million being recovered from New Jersey represents only a fraction of nearly $1 billion in suspected pandemic-related unemployment fraud under investigation by the Department of Labor’s Office of Inspector General.
Federal officials say they will continue working with banks, state agencies, and law enforcement partners to identify fraudulent benefit payments, prosecute those responsible, and recover taxpayer funds improperly obtained through identity theft and organized fraud schemes.
- New Jersey Voters Continue to Back Full-Service Gas Stations, FDU Poll Finds
Madison, NJ – New Jersey voters remain firmly committed to the state’s full-service gasoline law, according to a new Fairleigh Dickinson University Poll released Thursday. The survey found 64% of registered voters support keeping attendants at the pumps, while 24% favor allowing self-service, almost identical to the results recorded in 2012.
The findings reinforce New Jersey’s status as the only state in the nation that still requires gas station attendants to pump fuel for customers. Despite periodic legislative proposals to permit self-service, public opinion has remained remarkably stable over the past 14 years.
Poll shows little change since 2012
“At a time when everything seems unstable, it’s good to know that there are some things that just don’t change,” said Dan Cassino, professor of government and politics at Fairleigh Dickinson University and executive director of the FDU Poll. “New Jersey voters have never wanted to pump their own gas, and they still don’t want to pump their own gas.”
Support was strongest among women, with 74% favoring the current law compared with 56% of men. Even among male voters, however, a majority said they prefer to keep full-service stations. Younger voters also expressed stronger support than older residents, with 68% of those age 30 and younger backing the current system compared with 61% of seniors.
Differences emerge across demographic groups
Cassino said the gender gap has been a consistent feature of polling on the issue.
“In the past, full-service gas has been seen as a safety measure for women,” he said. “But the gap between men and women could also just be men saying that they like doing things with their cars.”
The survey also found Democrats were somewhat more likely than Republicans to support maintaining the current law, although researchers said much of that difference appears tied to age and gender rather than political ideology.
What happens next
The questions were included as part of a broader FDU survey experiment, and researchers noted the gasoline issue served as a nonpartisan filler task. Additional results from the larger study are expected to be released later.
The poll surveyed 1,211 registered New Jersey voters between June 23 and June 30 using text-to-web surveys. After weighting, the poll reported a margin of error of plus or minus 4.2 percentage points.
Why it matters
New Jersey has long stood apart from the rest of the country by prohibiting self-service gasoline. While lawmakers periodically introduce legislation to allow drivers to pump their own gas, the latest FDU Poll suggests there continues to be broad public support for preserving the state’s longstanding full-service requirement.
