Community News

Jackson Councilman Calogero Next in Line for County Patronage Job?

JACKSON – Will Councilman Barry Calogero be the next Ocean County politician to receive a position in the county government, or a lucrative appointment to one of the county’s political boards or commission? Emails logs obtained from the county say it’s a strong “yes.” Emails Show How GOP Chairman Gilmore Manipulates County Government Hiring George Gilmore…

Motorcyclist arrested after plowing into 3 cops investigating fatal crash

UNION CITY — Three Union City police officers remain hospitalized Thursday after they were struck by a motorcyclist who plowed through an investigation of a fatal crash that left a 16-year-old high school student dead, officials said. The 16-year-old Union City High School student, who has not been identified, was pronounced dead at the scene after…

Pygmy sperm whale, baby calf die after washing up on Jersey Shore beach

BRIGANTINE – A pygmy sperm whale and her young calf had to be euthanized Wednesday after they washed ashore in Brigantine hours apart, officials said. The adult female pygmy sperm whale was found by beach-goers rolling in the surf close to the shoreline at 2 p.m., according Marine Mammal Stranding Center director Bob Schoelkopf. Officials from…

Lawmakers OK tougher scrutiny of N.J. group homes after death of advocate’s son

TRENTON — Eliciting wild applause and chants of “thank you” from a gathering of families at the Statehouse, the state Senate Thursday gave final approval to legislation that would impose tougher scrutiny on the operators and employees of group homes for people with developmental disabilities. The 32-0 vote sends the “Stephen Komninos Law” to Gov. Chris…

Pups, pigs arrive in N.J. from hurricane-ravaged Puerto Rico (PHOTOS)

MADISON — Another 181 pets from Puerto Rico are on the path to finding new homes in New Jersey after Hurricane Maria tore through the island, thanks to St. Hubert’s Animal Welfare Center. A plane with 146 dogs and 35 cats arrived at Morristown Airport early Thursday morning. It was the fifth animal airlift from Puerto…

Shake Shack, Surf Taco expanding with 2 new N.J. locations

MERCER COUNTY – Burger and taco fans will soon have Shake Shack and Surf Taco to choose from in Mercer County in the future. Surf Taco, a popular Jersey Shore “Surf Mex” restaurant, will continue its march inland this fall with a new shop in the Princeton Shopping Center, in Princeton. The taco company opened a…

Too Early for Toms River Campaign Signs?

TOMS RIVER – Is it too early for campaign lawn signs? The township Republican club president took a shot at the Democratic council challengers over the issue via social media this weekend. One Democratic candidate, asked to respond, pushed back and lobbed his own criticism at the incumbent Republican administration. Toms River GOP leader Bob DiBiase…

Today is National Taco Day. Where are the best deals?

This year it’s Taco Wednesday — because today is National Taco Day. On Wednesday, Oct. 4, restaurants in New Jersey and across the nation will be celebrating National Taco Day with taco deals ranging from 50-cent tacos to a $5 taco gift set at Taco Bell. Like Starbucks not offering any deals on National Coffee Day,…

Seaside Park Bomber on Trial

NEW YORK (AP) — A jury on Tuesday watched video footage of a man with a backpack dragging two small suitcases down a street last year before a bomb went off, injuring dozens of people. The cameras in Penn Station and on the street outside trailed Ahmad Khan Rahimi as he walked downtown toward the Manhattan…

Is Murphy’s lead over Guadagno shrinking in the race to replace Christie?

TRENTON — With Election Day just five weeks away, a new poll shows Democratic nominee Phil Murphy leads Republican Kim Guadagno by 14 percentage points in the race to succeed Gov. Chris Christie — a tighter margin than those in recent similar surveys. The Monmouth University Poll released Tuesday shows 51 percent of likely New Jersey…

Man Awarded $750k for Slipping on Icey Seaside Heights Sidewalk

OCEAN COUNTY — A New Jersey man who cracked his skull and suffered brain injuries after slipping on an icy Seaside Heights sidewalk more than three years ago settled his lawsuit for $750,000, according to a report. Thomas Donovan, 56, of Toms River, lost his footing on untreated ice and snow Feb. 16, 2014, while he…

Police ID man who died after being pulled from surf off Long Branch

LONG BRANCH – The man who died after he was pulled from the ocean off Seven Presidents Park on Sept. 23 has been identified as a 34-year-old Piscataway man. Weining Liu was on the beach, which is a county park, with his family when he went swimming and became distressed from the currents, Long Branch police…

Sing Father Scott’s rosary with new CD | Faith Matters

Attending Holy Rosary Grammar School and going to Holy Rosary Church in Jersey City meant that as a child I prayed the rosary – a lot. We’d say the rosary in the classroom, have rosary rallies and pray all 15 decades of the rosary at all-night vigils in church. The rosary has a kind of sing-song…

Memorial Dedicated to Fallen Firefighters Unveiled in Howell Township

The Fallen Firefighters Memorial was dedicated at the Monmouth County Fire Academy in Howell on Sunday morning during a moving ceremony that commemorated the courage of the 47 heroes who made the ultimate sacrifice in protecting the lives and property of county residents from 1881 through 2017. Freeholder Deputy Director John P. Curley said in his…

Officials identify 2 killed in Neptune shooting

NEPTUNE — Officials on Saturday identified the two people found shot to death in a vehicle in Neptune. Township police were called to reports of two shooting victims around 4:30 p.m. Friday in the 500 block of Sayre Street, where they found Frantz Paraison 37, of Neptune, and Shaezeel Collins, 37, of Toms River. They were…

Sing Father Scott’s rosary with new CD | Faith Matters

Attending Holy Rosary Grammar School and going to Holy Rosary Church in Jersey City meant that as a child I prayed the rosary – a lot. We’d say the rosary in the classroom, have rosary rallies and pray all 15 decades of the rosary at all-night vigils in church. The rosary has a kind of sing-song…

Man assaulted by several people at party near Rutgers University

NEW BRUNSWICK — A man described by police as affiliated with Rutgers University was assaulted by several people at a party Saturday, authorities said. The attack occurred at 5:20 p.m. on Delafield Street between Courtland and Bristol streets near the university’s College Avenue campus, Rutgers police said. The man told police he was at a party…

Taxpayers on hook for $100K in damage after inmate floods jail

TOMS RIVER — The flood in the Ocean County Justice Complex caused when an inmate flushed a jumpsuit down the toilet will cost taxpayers at least $100,000, according to a report on APP.com. In all, officials will spend about $2 million to install “low-flow” toilets that can be flushed only once per hour. Corrections officers will…

Toms River police officer dies from injuries 9 months after off-duty crash

TOMS RIVER – A township police officer who was seriously injured in a crash with a tractor-trailer while off-duty in January died on Friday, the department announced. Patrolman Brett Hansen, a member of the Toms River Police Department since 2015, died from the extensive injuries he suffered in the crash, according to an announcement on the…

REPORT: Toms River Police Department Hacked, Thousands of Records May Have Been Exposed

TOMS RIVER — Thousands of people may have had sensitive personal information exposed to hackers in a data breach at the Toms River Police Department headquarters, according to a report. The township now plans to notify about 3,700 people potentially affected by the breach, APP.com reported. Officials first became alerted to a potential issue in early…