Fog/Mist 48°
Police & Fire
GOTCHA! Federal, State Team Seize Local Man, 24, In Rutgers Islamic Center Vandalism GOTCHA! Federal, State Team Seize Local Man, 24, In Rutgers Islamic Center Vandalism
Gotcha! Federal, State Team Seize Local Man, 24, In Rutgers Islamic Center Vandalism UPDATE: An elite law enforcement team captured a 24-year-old local man on Monday who authorities said broke in and trashed the Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers University in New Brunswick earlier this month. Jacob Beacher was due for an initial afternoon appearance on federal hate crime charges in U.S. District Court in Newark on April 22. Beacher broke into the CILRU shortly after 2:30 a.m. April 10 and did an estimated $40,000 worth of damage, state and federal authorities said. It was during the Eid-al-Fitr -- the Islamic holiday commemorating the end of sunrise-to-dusk fasting during…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Pennsylvania BMW Driver, 30, Struck, Killed After Crash Along NJ Turnpike In Robbinsville Pennsylvania BMW Driver, 30, Struck, Killed After Crash Along NJ Turnpike In Robbinsville
Alton Smith Levittown A 30-year-old Pennsylvania man standing along the side of the New Jersey Turnpike after a collision was struck and killed by a passing car early Monday, April 22, authorities said. Alton Smith, of Levittown, PA, had bee driving a BMW 328i when he got into a crash with another BMW around 2:20 a.m. in Robbinsville, New Jersey State Police said. Smith was standing outside of his vehicle on the southbound side of the highway near milepost 64.1 on the inner roadway, when a passing Hyundai struck him and the back of his car, police said. Smith died while the driver of the Hyundai susta…

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by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
West Windsor Man, 28, Among 3 Killed In Fiery Crash West Windsor Man, 28, Among 3 Killed In Fiery Crash
West Windsor Man, 28, Among 3 Killed In Fiery Crash Authorities have identified the three people killed in a fiery crash on Route 1 in South Brunswick earlier this month. Charisse Nelson-Bailey, 24, Daniel Vida, 28, and Maria Passalaris, 25, all died in the Friday, April 12 crash near Ridge Road, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone said. Just after the 9:40 a.m. accident, police said a van had been struck by a tractor-trailer before the van collided with two other vehicles. Both the tractor-trailer and van then caught fire.  Nelson-Bailey, of Princeton Junction, was identified as the van's driver. The other two victim…

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by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
Family Of Eight Displaced After Central Jersey House Fire Family Of Eight Displaced After Central Jersey House Fire
Family Of Eight Displaced After Central Jersey House Fire A family of eight people was displaced after a home caught fire in Monmouth County, authorities said. Manalapan police responded to the fire at a home on Paddington Court at around 7:38 p.m. on Friday, Apr. 19, a department spokesperson said. Flames and smoke were reportedly coming from the house's laundry room. Firefighters from Gordons Corner, Englishtown, Freehold, and Marlboro were able to put out the fire. No injuries were reported. The New Jersey chapter of the American Red Cross said a family of eight was displaced. Volunteers were helping the family with immediate needs like tempor…

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by Chris Spiker
News
NJ Crash Victim, 20, Was Getting Ride Home From New Job With Coworker: Family NJ Crash Victim, 20, Was Getting Ride Home From New Job With Coworker: Family
NJ Crash Victim, 20, Was Getting Ride Home From New Job With Coworker: Family The 20-year-old passenger killed when the car he was riding in struck the rear of a tractor-trailer in Pennsauken on April 16 has been identified by his family as Sean Hill. Hill was getting a ride home from work with one of his new coworkers when the driver rear-ended a tractor trailer on the 9000 block of Crescent Boulevard, Hill's mother, Tiffany, told Daily Voice. Hill had just started the new job three weeks earlier, Tiffany said. "Sean was known for his kind heart, unwavering dedication to his work, and love for his family and animals," his mother wrote on a GoFundMe page. "He w…

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by Jon Craig
News
Jawbone Of Marine Who Died In Training Exercise ID'd By NJ College Students Jawbone Of Marine Who Died In Training Exercise ID'd By NJ College Students
Jawbone Of Marine Who Died In Training Exercise ID'd By NJ College Students Students at Ramapo College helped identify the missing remains of a marine who had been dead for 73 years. In July of 1951, Leland Yager, a U.S. Marines Captain, died in a military training exercise. His remains were recovered in California and buried in Missouri. Years later, a child was doing a scavenging exploration in Arizona when they discovered an unidentified human jaw bone. Last year, enforcement in Arizona referred the case to the Ramapo College Investigative Genetic Genealogy Center and students began working on the case, along with the North Texas Center for Human Identification …

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by Sam Barron
Business
Trader Joe's Sets Opening Date For Newest Store In New Jersey Trader Joe's Sets Opening Date For Newest Store In New Jersey
Trader Joe's Sets Opening Date For Newest Store In New Jersey Popular food items like "Everything but the Bagel" seasoning, "Unexpected Cheddar Cheese", and "Hold the Cone!" ice cream are about to be sold at a new Central Jersey spot. Trader Joe's will open its location in Middletown on Thursday, Apr. 25, the company said on its website on Friday, Apr. 19. The grocery store will hold a grand opening celebration at 8 a.m. The new Trader Joe's will be in the Middletown Plaza shopping center off Route 35. "We've consulted our maps and compass and have found a terrific location for a store in Middletown, NJ," Trade Joe's said in its opening announce…

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by Chris Spiker
Business
Dave Portnoy Surprises NJ Pizza Making Champ For 'One Bite' Review Dave Portnoy Surprises NJ Pizza Making Champ For 'One Bite' Review
Dave Portnoy Surprises NJ Pizza Making Champ For 'One Bite' Review It's about time! That's what Nino Coniglio is saying to Barstool CEO Dave Portnoy, who finally stopped by his Morristown pizzeria for a One Bite review. Without warning. "It means a lot," said Nino, a 9-time world champion pizza maker who owns six other restaurants in New York City, most of which have been reviewed by Portnoy. Six years ago, Portnoy reviewed two different pizzas from 310 Bowery, and gave them both an 8.1. Nino says the highest score he's ever gotten from Portnoy is an 8.7. Coniglio's made headlines for canceling a meet-and-greet with Tommy DeVito after his agent doubled …

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Arsonist, 44, Charged In South Jersey Church Fire: Police Arsonist, 44, Charged In South Jersey Church Fire: Police
Arsonist, 44, Charged In South Jersey Church Fire: Police A 44-year-old man has been charged with arson in connection with a blaze that broke out at a South Jersey church, police said. Brian Cannon is believed to have set fire to the Colonial Manor United Methodist Church on Elberne Avenue in West Deptford on Friday, April 20, local police said. He was charged with two counts of arson and aggravated assault. Multiple fire companies responded to the church around 6:40 a.m. Friday. One firefighter was hospitalized with an injury suffered fighting the blaze, and has since been released.

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by Cecilia Levine
News
TikTok Ban Explained: What's The Fate Of Popular Video Sharing App? TikTok Ban Explained: What's The Fate Of Popular Video Sharing App?
TikTok Ban Explained: What's The Fate Of Popular Video Sharing App? Another sell-or-be-banned TikTok legislation is working its way up to the Senate. The House passed the sell-or-be-banned bill for the app (360-58) on Saturday, April 20 as part of a larger foreign aid package for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan, giving Chinese TikTok owner ByteDance up to a year to sell the app. Otherwise, TikTok will be subject to a nationwide ban. According to Politico, the bill is expected to pass the Senate as it's considered "priority legislation" for Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. A previous, standalone bill was passed by the House in March over national security co…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Fire Closes NJ Mall For Weekend Fire Closes NJ Mall For Weekend
Fire Closes NJ Mall For Weekend A mall in South Jersey will be closed through the weekend due to a fire. The fire broke out in the food court of Voorhees Town Center on Friday evening, April 18, local firefighters said. Last night, Quint and Engine 68 responded mutual aid into Voorhees for a building fire at The Voorhees Town Center. ... Posted by Gibbsboro Fire Company #1 on Saturday, April 20, 2024 While no injuries were reported, the mall said it would be closed through the weekend and reopen on Monday, April 22.

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by Cecilia Levine
Schools
NJ Teacher Accused Of Touching Student In Hallway Slapped With Disorderly Persons Offense NJ Teacher Accused Of Touching Student In Hallway Slapped With Disorderly Persons Offense
NJ Teacher Accused Of Touching Student In Hallway Slapped With Disorderly Persons Offense A Marlboro middle school teacher accused by a parent of assaulting a student in the hallway has been slapped with a disorderly persons offense. On Friday, April 19, Jenna Sciabica, 38, was charged with one count of harassment-offensive touching, which is considered a petty disorderly persons offense, in connection with a March 13 incident, Marlboro police and online records say. Teacher Jenna Sciabica charged after inappropriate touching claim https://t.co/oR03iOdUtf — Avi Lehrer (@lehrer_avi) April 21, 2024 The incident involved "offensive touching over the clothes" in the hallway of …

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by Cecilia Levine