Beloved dog dies during PetSmart grooming and grief-stricken owner wants answers

The call was cold, abrupt and confusing. A PetSmart employee told Chuck Crawford his beloved dog Abby was dead and gave him info on where to pick up the carcass. “It was a 20-second phone call. It was so crude and beyond comprehension,” Crawford said. “To take your pet for a grooming, and then have them…

Murder charge dismissed in drunken motel pool drowning

A judge has dismissed a murder indictment against a woman accused of purposely pushing a friend into the deep end of a motel swimming pool during a night of drinking at a Point Pleasant Beach motel. But Jelani Webster will remain jailed without bail for now. State Superior Court Judge James Blaney gave Ocean County prosecutors…

Off-duty cop admits he lied, was drunk when he killed woman crossing the street

An off-duty Long Branch police officer admitted Tuesday that he was driving drunk when he fatally struck a woman as she crossed the street in September. Detective Jake Pascucci acknowledged that he had at least a blood-alcohol level of .08, the state’s legal limit for drivers, when he hit Karen Borkowski, 66, as she crossed Ocean…

The REAL Reason Behind Toys R Us Shutting Down

Retail giants are going bankrupt left and right, which doesn’t make sense since the economy is actually getting better. But a report by David Dayen in The New Republic shines a light on what’s really behind retail stores like Macys, Toys R Us, and countless others being forced to shut their doors. Ring of Fire’s Mike…

8 ways to save money at Hobby Lobby

If you’re a fan of arts, crafts and home decor, you’re probably familiar with Hobby Lobby. As the world’s largest privately owned arts-and-crafts retailer, Hobby Lobby operates more than 800 stores across 47 states. RELATED: 7 ways to save money at Tuesday Morning Here’s how to save money at Hobby Lobby When it’s time to get…

Medical marijuana in N.J. is now available for chronic pain, anxiety, migraines

Effectively immediately, doctors in New Jersey can recommend their patients use medical marijuana to treat anxiety, various forms of chronic pain, migraines and Tourette’s syndrome. The conditions have been added under the first stage of a wide-ranging expansion of the medicinal marijuana program announced Tuesday by Gov. Phil Murphy . Patients will also pay less to…

State baseball finals leaving Toms River for Mercer County, report says

The NJSIAA baseball championships will have a new home in June. According to an APP.com report, the state baseball finals are moving to Veterans Park, Hamilton Township and leaving Toms River, the sole site of the group finals since 2003. The state baseball finals are scheduled for June 9-10. Three games will be played on Saturday…

Your lawmakers used $660K of your money to tell you about themselves. Who spent the most?

WASHINGTON — Your lawmakers in Washington last year spent spent more than $666,000 in taxpayer money on mailings, robocalls and other communications to show you what they’re doing, according to a new report tracking members of the U.S. House. Known as “franking,” the funds go to such things as legislative updates, newsletters and notices about upcoming…

Body found floating near rocks at marina on the Jersey Shore

New Jersey State Police are investigating the death of a man whose body washed ashore Saturday afternoon at a Cape May County marina, a spokesperson said Sunday. A passerby reported the body floating near rocks around 3:15 p.m. Saturday at the All Seasons Marina, in the 500 block of Roosevelt Boulevard in the Marmora section of…

Donovan Catholic softball nationally ranked in preseason poll

Two New Jersey softball teams are getting some attention entering the 2018 season. Both Donovan Catholic and Kingsway are ranked in MaxPreps.com’s Preseason Top 50, occupying the No. 45 and No. 46 spots, respectively. Donovan Catholic’s inclusion comes as no real surprise following a 27-2 season in which it reached the Non-Public A final and finished…

Helicopter charter company in NYC crash helped Rutgers football recruitment

The ill-fated helicopter that crashed Sunday in the East River, killing five, was operated by a company that provides flight services for the Rutgers University football team. The aircraft that went down in icy waters on a photo shoot was being flown by Liberty Helicopters, a long-time sponsor of the Scarlet Knights, which has been regularly…

34-year-old gunned down in Newark’s 3rd homicide in 24 hours

A 34-year-old Newark man fatally shot Tuesday morning is the city’s third homicide in 24 hours. In a statement, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office and Newark Department of Public Safety said police officers found Willie Jackson unresponsive and suffering from apparent gunshot wounds when they arrived in the 100 block of Brookdale Avenue on a report…

A new legal weed plan allows for hundreds of dispensaries across N.J.

A state lawmaker has unveiled a plan to legalize marijuana that would permit hundreds of dispensaries across New Jersey and would allow people to grow a small number of plants at home. Assemblyman Reed Gusciora, D-Mercer, quietly introduced the bill last week after months of speculation about when it would drop and what it would contain.…