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One Dead When Car Slams Tree In Somerset County (UPDATE) One Dead When Car Slams Tree In Somerset County (UPDATE)
One Dead When Car Slams Tree In Somerset County (Update) One person was killed in a crash Thursday, May 9 in Franklin Township (Somerset County), authorities confirmed. Firefighters and police were dispatched to the scene at Route 27 near Reler Lane, where a southbound vehicle struck a tree just after 8:05 a.m., Somerset County Prosecutor John P. McDonald said. Police offices, firefighters, and EMS personnel responded to the scene. Due to the extent of the injuries sustained, the victim was pronounced dead at 9:30 a.m.  A section of Route 27 was closed for approximately four hours. The factors that contributed to the crash remain unde…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
NJ Broadway Stage Manager Killed By Train NJ Broadway Stage Manager Killed By Train
NJ Broadway Stage Manager Killed By Train Thomas Gates, the stage manager of a Tony-nominated Broadway show and New Jersey resident, was struck and killed by a train this week. Gates, 51, was struck by Morris and Essex Line train 6324 on Wednesday, May 8 at 9:12 a.m. at the South Orange station, NJ Transit officials confirm. The South Orange resident had been working as the stage manager for "Illinoise," a Broadway show that had four Tony Award nominations this year. The show mourned his loss on its Instagram account, noting he was the "center of Illinoise on Broadway, beloved friend and collaborator. "We are devasted for hi…

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by Cecilia Levine
Business
'This Place Is Iconic': Jersey Shore Nightclub Reopening Under New Ownership 'This Place Is Iconic': Jersey Shore Nightclub Reopening Under New Ownership
'This Place Is Iconic': Jersey Shore Nightclub Reopening Under New Ownership A historic Jersey Shore nightclub once owned by a popular Philadelphia radio host is bringing back the music. Memories in Margate will reopen on Friday, May 24 after closing in September 2022, the bar and restaurant posted on social media on Wednesday, May 8. The nightclub was owned by DJ and performer Jerry Blavat, who died on Friday, Jan. 20, 2023, at 82 years old from an autoimmune disorder called myasthenia gravis. Known by many as "The Geator with the Heater" and "The Big Boss with the Hot Sauce", Blavat purchased Memories in 1972 and hosted his radio show there. His est…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Thieves Throw Away 100+ Mayoral Campaign Signs In Howell Township: Police Thieves Throw Away 100+ Mayoral Campaign Signs In Howell Township: Police
Howell Township Mayoral Campaign Signs Stolen A mayoral candidate in a Monmouth County township had more than 100 campaign signs stolen from the ground and thrown away, authorities said. Howell Township police are investigating after about 130 signs for Republican mayoral candidate John Leggio were stolen, the department said in a news release on Thursday, May 9. The signs were taken on or around Tuesday, Apr. 23 and they were put in dumpsters behind Ramtown Plaza. Police shared two photos on Facebook of a 2018 to 2023 Toyota Camry suspected in the thefts. They also posted a 20-second video of a person taking a sign before being d…

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by Chris Spiker
Business
Brewery Specializing In Tropical Flavors Moves Into Old Cape May County Bowling Alley Brewery Specializing In Tropical Flavors Moves Into Old Cape May County Bowling Alley
Brewery Specializing In Tropical Flavors Moves Into Old Cape May County Bowling Alley A Cape May County brewery is giving an extra frame to an old bowling alley. Ludlam Island Brewery is moving from Ocean View to an expanded space in Woodbine, the company said in a news release. The new brewery is inside the former Mouse Trap Lanes on Dennisville-Petersburg Road. The brewery said the larger space will allow it to make more beer, along with having a full kitchen and bar. "We're aiming for something completely new to South Jersey," said Ludlam Island owner William Topley. "We've created a beer fest/food truck vibe in a relaxed atmosphere." Ludlam Island offers several b…

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by Chris Spiker
Police & Fire
Woman From Infamous NJ Sheriff's Job Sting Busted For Burglarizing Post Offices Woman From Infamous NJ Sheriff's Job Sting Busted For Burglarizing Post Offices
Woman From Infamous NJ Sheriff's Job Sting Busted For Burglarizing Post Offices A woman who once made national headlines when she showed up for a job interview with the Hudson County Sheriff's Office only to be busted for nearly a dozen outstanding warrants was arrested for burglarizing a post office she'd been fired from, federal authorities said. Zyeama Johnson, 29, of Jersey City had been sacked by the U.S. Postal Service when she applied for a security guard's job with the county sheriff's office in the fall of 2022. She was also wanted on a fugitive warrant out of Monroe County, PA, and 10 outstanding traffic warrants out of Jersey City at the time. Johnson …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Traffic
Crash Closes Route 27 In Central Jersey (DEVELOPING) Crash Closes Route 27 In Central Jersey (DEVELOPING)
Crash Closes Route 27 In Central Jersey (Developing) A crash closed all lanes of Route 27 in Central Jersey, authorities said. The crash occurred at about 9:30 a.m. north of Route 682 (Finnegan Lane) in Franklin Township, according to the NJDOT. Route 27 between Cozzens Lane and Finnigan's Lane remained closed during an investigation, according to Franklin Township and 511nj.org. "Expect heavy delays," the township said in an alert. The road reopened at about 1 p.m. Check back for updates

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by Jon Craig
Schools
Rutgers Failed To Listen To Pleas From Jewish Faculty, Students On Campus, NJ Congressmen Say Rutgers Failed To Listen To Pleas From Jewish Faculty, Students On Campus, NJ Congressmen Say
Rutgers Failed To Listen To Pleas From Jewish Faculty, Students On Campus, NJ Congressmen Say A pair of New Jersey congressmen have made an urgent request for Rutgers University to address the antisemitism and safety concerns raised for months by Jewish students on campus. In a letter sent Wednesday, May 8 to Rutgers University President Jonathan Holloway, Democratic U.S. Reps. Josh Gottheimer and Donald Norcross said the university has a responsibility to ensure the safety and inclusion of all faculty and students on campus "after the administration appeased the demands of violent and hateful agitators." The lawmakers also demanded answers about whether the administration consulted…

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by Jon Craig
News
Why Miss Teen USA, North Jersey 17-Year-Old Is Giving Up Her Crown Why Miss Teen USA, North Jersey 17-Year-Old Is Giving Up Her Crown
Why Miss Teen USA, North Jersey 17-Year-Old Is Giving Up Her Crown Miss Teen USA, a Morris Plains native, is giving up her crown. UmaSofia Srivastava, 17, made the announcement on Instagram on Wednesday, May 8, saying her personal values no longer fully align with the "direction of the organization." "I am grateful for all the support from my family, my state directors, my sister queens, and the fans who have cheered me on since I won my state title," said Srivastava, who was crowned last September in Reno, NV.  "I will always look back on my time as Miss NJ Teen USA fondly, and the experience of representing my state as a first generation, Mexican-I…

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
NJ Flight Attendant Smuggled Millions In Drug Cash To The DR Through Special Airport Lane: Feds NJ Flight Attendant Smuggled Millions In Drug Cash To The DR Through Special Airport Lane: Feds
NJ Flight Attendant Smuggled Millions In Drug Cash To The DR Through Special Airport Lane: Feds A flight attendant from New Jersey smuggled $2.5 million of an estimated $8 million in drug money from the United States to the Dominican Republic through a scheme that capitalized on flight crews’ easy access through airports, authorities charged. Charlie Hernandez, 42, of West New York and three other accused mile-high drug mules used code words such as “lotions” – meaning drug cash – and “los tigres” (for their drug-dealing partners), an indictment alleges. Each got a cut for slipping the cash through unscreened TSA security lanes for international commercial airline employees at JFK Air…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Man Who Pulled Gun On Teen 'Significant Other' At Atlantic City Casino Convicted: Prosecutors Man Who Pulled Gun On Teen 'Significant Other' At Atlantic City Casino Convicted: Prosecutors
Man Who Pulled Gun On Teen 'Significant Other' At Atlantic City Casino Convicted: Prosecutors A Philadelphia man was convicted after he pulled a gun on a teen that he was dating at an Atlantic City casino, authorities said. A judge found 28-year-old Rahiem Paige guilty on Wednesday, May 8 of several gun charges, including certain persons not to possess a firearm and unlawful possession of a handgun, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said in a news release. He faces five to ten years in state prison and must serve five years before he's eligible for parole. Prosecutors said Paige went from Philadelphia to Atlantic City with his 16-year-old "significant other" to&…

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by Chris Spiker
News
WINNER: Powerball Lottery Player Takes Home $100K In South Jersey WINNER: Powerball Lottery Player Takes Home $100K In South Jersey
Winner: Powerball Lottery Player Takes Home $100K In South Jersey There was a lucky Powerball lottery player in South Jersey. A winning $100,000 Powerball ticket was drawn on Wednesday, May 8. The winning numbers were 7, 41, 43, 44, and 51 and the Powerball was 5. The Powerplay option was 2x. The winning ticket was sold at Xpress Mart, 2778 S Main Road, Vineland in Cumberland County.

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by Jon Craig