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Popular Italian Restaurant Chain Files For Bankruptcy, Closing Multiple Locations Popular Italian Restaurant Chain Files For Bankruptcy, Closing Multiple Locations
Popular Italian Restaurant Chain Files For Bankruptcy, Closing Multiple Locations Buca di Beppo is Buca di bankrupt. The popular Italian eatery chain announced it had filed for Chapter 11 this week and would close several underperforming locations, including restaurants in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Maryland.  Like many other restaurant chains, Buca di Beppo said the business hadn't bounced back since the COVID-19 pandemic. Customer spending is lower than expected, and supply costs remain high, according to court documents. It's a common tale for several "fast-casual" dining restaurants that have failed to thrive in recent years.   Revenue for…
America's Best Buffet Is In PA, Experts Say America's Best Buffet Is In PA, Experts Say
America's Best Buffet Is In PA, Experts Say A panel of experts says the best buffet in all of America is in Pennsylvania — and it is one of two from the state that made the top 10!  USA Today's 10Best Editors made the announcement on June 26, following the Readers' Choice Awards nomination.  The number one buffet is Shady Maple Smorgasbord located in East Earl. The restaurant has always claimed to have "the largest buffet in America," with over a 200-foot-long smorgasbord. They specialize in Pennsylvania-Dutch-style food in a cafeteria-style setting.  This wasn't the only Pennsylvania location on the list —…
Two Massachusetts Communities Rank High In 'Best Coastal Small Towns' List Two Massachusetts Communities Rank High In 'Best Coastal Small Towns' List
Two Massachusetts Communities Rank High In 'Best Coastal Small Towns' List A pair of Massachusetts towns nestled by the Atlantic coast were recognized for their "tranquility and charm" on USA Today's list of 10 best coastal small towns in the US. Marblehead, in Essex County, scored the number three spot on USA Today's list, ranking just below Sandusky, Ohio, and Stuart, Florida, which held the number one and number two spot, respectively. The town, home to 19,808 residents, is known for its "quaint narrow streets and historic 17th and 18th-century buildings," according to the town website. View this post on Instagram …
'There’s A New Republican Sheriff In Town': GOP Support For Trump 2024 Run Craters, Poll Says 'There’s A New Republican Sheriff In Town': GOP Support For Trump 2024 Run Craters, Poll Says
'There’s A New Republican Sheriff In Town': GOP Support For Trump 2024 Run Craters, Poll Says Former President Donald Trump is losing his grip on the Republican party, according to a new Suffolk University/USA Today poll. The poll, released Tuesday, Dec. 13, found that among registered voters nearly two-thirds (65 percent) of Republicans and independents who identified as either conservative or very conservative wanted Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis to run for president. Of those same voters, 56 percent said they prefer DeSantis over Trump. “There’s a new Republican sheriff in town,” said David Paleologos, director of the Suffolk University Political Research Center. “DeSantis outpoll…
New Gannett Layoffs Affect Hundreds Of Staffers Across Region, Nation New Gannett Layoffs Affect Hundreds Of Staffers Across Region, Nation
New Gannett Layoffs Affect Hundreds Of Staffers Across Region, Nation The largest newspaper publisher in the United States is once again starting another round of layoffs that will affect hundreds of employees across the country, according to multiple news outlets. Earlier Report - Gannett Lays Off Staffers Across Region, Nation Following $54 Million Quarterly Loss On Thursday, Dec. 1, Gannett started terminating the positions of around 200 employees in an effort to cut its news division staff of around 3,440 by six percent, according to Poynter.  The layoffs come only four months after the company terminated hundreds of employees in August following a near…
Gannett Lays Off Staffers Across Region, Nation Following $54 Million Quarterly Loss Gannett Lays Off Staffers Across Region, Nation Following $54 Million Quarterly Loss
Gannett Lays Off Staffers Across Region, Nation Following $54 Million Quarterly Loss The largest newspaper publisher in the United States has laid off employees at newspapers across the country following a nearly $54 million quarterly loss, according to multiple news outlets. Gannett's layoffs on Friday, Aug. 12, impacted numerous newsrooms, according to a report from Poynter. Gannett has not released information on the number of employees who were laid off, how many of its 250 newspapers were affected, or whether there will be further staffing cuts. Gannett, which owns USA Today, reported a $53.7 million net loss in its second-quarter report. Adrian Szkolar, a producer a…
Auto Insurance Premiums Are About To Rise For 1.1 Million NJ Drivers Auto Insurance Premiums Are About To Rise For 1.1 Million NJ Drivers
Auto Insurance Premiums Are About To Rise For 1.1 Million NJ Drivers A new bill that raises costs of auto insurance for New Jersey drivers was signed into law by Gov. Phil Murphy, impacting nearly 1.1 million drivers, the state's Insurance Council says. State Senators and personal injury attorneys, Senate President Nicholas Scutari, D-Union, and Sen. Jon Bramnick, R-Union, are the ones who pushed for the bill.  Supporters say crash victims haven't been able to consistently get medical coverage due to the low coverage option. Those against it, though, say it's nothing but another hit to the wallets of Garden State residents. Starting next year, dri…
NJ's Kevin Spacey Charged With Handful Of Sex Assaults In UK NJ's Kevin Spacey Charged With Handful Of Sex Assaults In UK
NJ's Kevin Spacey Charged With Handful Of Sex Assaults In UK New Jersey's Kevin Spacey has been charged with four counts of sexual assault against three men in the United Kingdom, authorities said.  The charges were handed down to the 62-year-old South Orange native on Thursday, May 26, according to a release from the London Metropolitan Police Department. The charges date as far back as March 2005, with most of the victims currently in their 30s and 40s, police said.  One charge even suggests Spacey had "penetrative sexual activity" with one man without consent, according to police. Spacey will be formally charged at a later date, police added.  S…
NJ Bed Bath & Beyond Store Among Dozens Closing NJ Bed Bath & Beyond Store Among Dozens Closing
NJ Bed Bath & Beyond Store Among Dozens Closing Nearly 40 more Bed Bath & Beyond stores will be closing in February, according to a new report from USA Today. Among them, one in New Jersey. Liquidation sales are underway at the 37 stores, including the one on River Road in Edgewater, the outlet says. Last June, the company announced it would be closing 200 stores over the next two years. Locations in Jersey City, Howell, and Rockaway were some of the first to go. Click here for more from USA Today.
Christian Hall Had Hands Up When Fatally Shot By PA State Police, Unredacted Video Shows Christian Hall Had Hands Up When Fatally Shot By PA State Police, Unredacted Video Shows
Christian Hall Had Hands Up When Fatally Shot By PA State Police, Unredacted Video Shows A newly released video of a Pennsylvania teen killed by state police last year shows him with his hands up in the air when troopers opened fire, prompting demands for an independent investigation. Christian Hall, 19, who had been suffering from a mental health emergency at the time, was standing near the ledge of a highway overpass in Hamilton Township on Dec. 30, 2020, armed with what appeared to be a real gun when police arrived.  It turned out to be a BB gun.  State police initially claimed that troopers fired their weapons in response to Hall pointing a gun at them, but unred…
HBO's Last Week Tonight With John Oliver Features Central Pennsylvania Local News Station HBO's Last Week Tonight With John Oliver Features Central Pennsylvania Local News Station
HBO's Last Week Tonight With John Oliver Features Central Pennsylvania Local News Station HBO's Last Week Tonight With John Oliver loves local news but the show also loves to hate on local news, and this time one central Pennsylvania broadcast team member was part of the joke. One of the shows segments, Now This, typically showcases a humorous moment of local broadcast news. The show also has strong feelings about pumpkin spice flavored items, and has a recurring bit on the subject dating back to 2014, according to Time. Pumpkin spice. Why? John Oliver investigates. Well, he doesn't really investigate. He says things about it, though!LastWeekTonight This time when the show…
2 NJ Hot Dog Spots Named Among 'Best Around NYC' 2 NJ Hot Dog Spots Named Among 'Best Around NYC'
2 NJ Hot Dog Spots Named Among 'Best Around NYC' Popular NYC food blog Eater New York has compiled a new list of 27 hot dogs around the city deemed “superior,” and among them are two Garden State spots. Clifton classic Rutt’s Hut is renowned for its original “rippers,” dogs named for the sound they make when the casing cracks during the eatery’s unique deep-frying process. Rutt’s, a staple since its opening in 1928, has been featured in national television programs and publications including USA Today, several Food Network series and the Travel Channel’s ‘Deep Fried Paradise.’ Top your Rutt’s hot dog with the spot’s mustard-relish sauce…
Self-Proclaimed 'CrazyGal' Arrested On Animal Abuse Charges In Pennsylvania Self-Proclaimed 'CrazyGal' Arrested On Animal Abuse Charges In Pennsylvania
Self-Proclaimed 'CrazyGal' Arrested On Animal Abuse Charges In Pennsylvania A York County woman who once made national news for beating her husband when he tossed her brother's ashes has been arrested on animal abuse charges -- one week after posting on social media that her dog went missing, court documents show. Crystal Rae Sheffer, 33, of Red Bank Road in Newberry Township, was arrested Thursday for neglecting and abusing at least one animal, including a dog. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Crystal Sheffer (@crazygal420) The arrest followed an investigation in the 2000 block of Red Bank Road in Dove…
COVID-19: Cats, Dogs, Caviar, Here Are Odd Shortages Caused By The Pandemic COVID-19: Cats, Dogs, Caviar, Here Are Odd Shortages Caused By The Pandemic
Covid-19: Cats, Dogs, Caviar, Here Are Odd Shortages Caused By The Pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent economic turmoil are leading to supply shortages in places you might not have considered. Among purchasables in short-supply are cats and dogs up for adoption to baking yeast, jigsaw puzzles, and truffles among other things. When COVID-19 closed much of the economy in March 2020, items that include toilet paper, paper towels, cleaning supplies, coins, meat, and flour were among the first pandemic-related shortages Americans experienced. Most of those shortages have been addressed by manufacturers and supply chains. But as the U.S. comes up on one year…
What's Open On Christmas Eve? Local Grocery, Retail Store Hours What's Open On Christmas Eve? Local Grocery, Retail Store Hours
What's Open On Christmas Eve? Local Grocery, Retail Store Hours If you need a last-minute item on Christmas Eve, many stores will be open until 6 p.m. with some exceptions staying open later. The following is a list of store closing times for Christmas Eve, Dec. 24, 2020, according to USA Today and retail websites. Aldi, 4 p.m. Best Buy, 7 p.m. Big Lots, 10 p.m. Big Y, 6 p.m., pharmacy closes at 4 p.m. BJ’s Wholesale Club, 6 p.m. Costco, 5 p.m. CVS, most stores are open regular hours on Christmas Eve and Day, pharmacy hours vary Dollar General, 10 p.m. Fresh Market, 7 p.m. Home Depot, 5 p.m. Home Goods, 6 p.m. Kohl’s, 6 p.m. Lowe’s, 6 p.m. Market Baske…
State Asks Judge To Stop Purported Animal Charity Run By Wyckoff Woman That Raised Millions State Asks Judge To Stop Purported Animal Charity Run By Wyckoff Woman That Raised Millions
State Asks Judge To Stop Purported Animal Charity Run By Wyckoff Woman That Raised Millions A Wyckoff woman raised millions of dollars by falsely claiming an organization she founded that places rescue dogs as service animals is a charity, said state authorities who’ve gone to court to shut her down. Janice Wolfe has “unlawfully raised millions of dollars since 2008 without registering Merlin’s Kids as a charitable organization,” state Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said Friday. Wolfe’s fundraising included “false and misleading claims” about the services provided by both Merlin’s Kids and an affiliated for-profit company, United K9 Professional Inc., he said. Meanwhile, tens …
Trump Sues Pennsylvania Where Uncounted Ballots Could Tip Presidential Race In Biden's Favor Trump Sues Pennsylvania Where Uncounted Ballots Could Tip Presidential Race In Biden's Favor
Trump Sues Pennsylvania Where Uncounted Ballots Could Tip Presidential Race In Biden's Favor U.S. President Donald Trump's campaign filed lawsuits in Michigan -- where Joe Biden won -- and Pennsylvania, where thousands of votes still hadn't been counted in the 2020 Election. Pennsylvania was among six states that had yet to be called including Alaska, Arizona, Georgia, North Carolina and Nevada. Expect more fireworks as Trump's personal lawyer, former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani, has joined the election fray. Giuliani tweeted: "En route to Philadelphia with legal team. Massive cheating. @realDonaldTrump up by 550,000 with 75% counted. Will not let Ph…
Four Bed, Bath, & Beyond Shops Closing Permanently In Connecticut Four Bed, Bath, & Beyond Shops Closing Permanently In Connecticut
Four Bed, Bath, & Beyond Shops Closing Permanently In Connecticut There are four Bed, Bath, and Beyond Connecticut stores that will close soon as part of the company’s plan to shutter more than 60 stores in 2020. The housewares chain store said on Friday, Sept. 18, according to USA Today, that it planned to close 63 stores including the ones in: Danbury, Sugar Hollow Road Mildford, Boston Post Road Farmington, Southeast Road Torrington, East Main Street. While many retailers and restaurants have closed due to the COVID-19 restrictions on the economy, Bed, Bath, and Beyond, over the winter, before COVID-19 became aa serious risk in the U.S., the store ann…
HBO Host John Oliver Offers $55,000 To Name CT Sewage Plant After Himself HBO Host John Oliver Offers $55,000 To Name CT Sewage Plant After Himself
HBO Host John Oliver Offers $55,000 To Name CT Sewage Plant After Himself The back and forth between HBO show host John Oliver and Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton is getting expensive. Oliver has pledged to give $55,000 to Danbury, Connecticut, charities if the mayor names the city’s sewage plant after him. Oliver is the host of ‘Last Week Tonight,’ a comedy news program with a late-night talk show vibe. In a tweet on Monday, Aug. 31, Boughton responded to the offer Oliver made during his Sunday, Aug. 30 show. “Yeah. We are on it,” the mayor tweeted. “Standby.” So how did we get here - the mayor of a Connecticut city sparring with a national celebrity? The bad bl…
John Oliver Salutes Danbury For Response To Rant, Makes $55K Donation Offer, With Conditions John Oliver Salutes Danbury For Response To Rant, Makes $55K Donation Offer, With Conditions
John Oliver Salutes Danbury For Response To Rant, Makes $55K Donation Offer, With Conditions John Oliver is showing that like Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton, he can take it as well as he dishes it out. During the latest episode of “Last Week Tonight,” on HBO Sunday night, Aug. 30, Oliver offered to donate $55,000 to charities in Danbury if Boughton followed through on the joke of renaming the city’s sewage plant in his honor. Original story - War Of Words Escalates Between Comedian John Oliver, Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton Oliver said that he would donate $25,000 to the Connecticut Food Bank, $25,000 to Donors Choose fund for Danbury teachers, and $5,000 to ALS Connecticut if Boughton…
War Of Words Escalates Between Comedian John Oliver, Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton War Of Words Escalates Between Comedian John Oliver, Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton
War Of Words Escalates Between Comedian John Oliver, Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton Danbury Mayor Mark Boughton is giving comedian John Oliver a taste of his own medicine. During his weekly HBO show “Last Week Tonight” Oliver took a shot at the city during his main story about jury selection in a lengthy, expletive-filled rant about how people of color are excluded from becoming jurors. While speaking about cities missing African American and Hispanic jurors and the impact of their absence, Oliver concluded by taking a jab at Danbury. 
“If you’re going to forget a town in Connecticut, why not Danbury?” he mused. “Because, and it’s true, (expletive deleted) Danbury. "From…
West Orange Kmart Closing Next Year, Liquidation Sale To Start In December West Orange Kmart Closing Next Year, Liquidation Sale To Start In December
West Orange Kmart Closing Next Year, Liquidation Sale To Start In December The holding company that owns Sears and Kmart announced that dozens of the struggling retailers' stores will be closed down for good in February 2020, including the Kmart store on Prospect Avenue in West Orange, USA Today reported.   The once ubiquitous retailers have struggled to stay afloat since the turn of the century, with more than 3,500 Kmart and Sears stores closing down in the last 15 years.  A total of 51 Sears stores and 45 Kmart locations across the United States will shut down in the latest round of closures.  A going-out-of-business sale is scheduled to be…
Wyckoff's Joe Jonas Weds 'Game Of Thrones' Star Sophie Turner In Vegas Wyckoff's Joe Jonas Weds 'Game Of Thrones' Star Sophie Turner In Vegas
Wyckoff's Joe Jonas Weds 'Game Of Thrones' Star Sophie Turner In Vegas Joe Jonas, one-third of the famed musical trio from Wyckoff, sprung a surprise on millions of fans by marrying "Game of Thrones" star Sophie Turner in what was described as a low-key affair in Las Vegas.  The couple applied for a wedding certificate Wednesday, USA Today reported.  Jonas' brothers Nick and Kevin served as groomsmen for the 29-year-old newlywed.  The newly-reunited Jonas Brothers performed their hit single "Sucker" at the Billboard Music Awards shortly before the wedding. 
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AOC Reduces Social Media Screen Time After Pelosi Touts Keeping House Caucus In Order AOC Reduces Social Media Screen Time After Pelosi Touts Keeping House Caucus In Order
AOC Reduces Social Media Screen Time After Pelosi Touts Keeping House Caucus In Order The so-called political Princess of social media says she's taking a temporary break from Facebook, and reducing her Tweet time, while calling it a "public health risk to everybody." At last count, U.S. Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, who graduated from high school in Westchester, ranked No. 2 among politicians with nearly 4 million Twitter followers  after the so-called King of social media @realDonaldTrump who boasts nearly 60 million followers of his daily tweets.  The youngest-ever woman elected to Congress, at age 29, the 2007 Yorktown High School graduate ran under a differen…
Koffeewagon Roasters Expands To Fort Lee Koffeewagon Roasters Expands To Fort Lee
Koffeewagon Roasters Expands To Fort Lee Fort Lee is getting a new coffee shop. Koffeewagon Roasters, which opened on Route 17 in Hasbrouck Heights in January 2016, will be coming to Bergen Boulevard, BoozyBurbs reports. The coffeeshop was named Best in New Jersey by Cosmopolitan and USA Today. KWR owner Bruce Juan Pettineo roasts and brews on-site. The cafe offers pour-over coffee, cold brews, teas and pastries baked fresh daily. No word yet on opening date. Koffeewagon Roasters: 1666 Bergen Blvd., Fort Lee
'Apple Watch Saved My Life,' Edgewater Mom Says 'Apple Watch Saved My Life,' Edgewater Mom Says
'Apple Watch Saved My Life,' Edgewater Mom Says If it weren't for the Apple Watch, Christina Ling of Edgewater may not be alive. Ling had been experiencing flu symptoms and went to urgent care. all tests came back negative, she said in an interview with USA Today. After nearly two days of sleeping in bed, the mom's Apple Watch indicated that her heart rate was 150 beats per minute. Initially believing the watch was malfunctioning, Ling took it off and went back to bed. When she put her watch on the next morning, Ling saw her heart rate was still high. She returned to the urgent care center for an EKG and MRI -- but the physicians there…
HS Football Coach Resigns After Facebook Post With Racist, Sexist Slurs HS Football Coach Resigns After Facebook Post With Racist, Sexist Slurs
HS Football Coach Resigns After Facebook Post With Racist, Sexist Slurs An assistant high school football coach in Fairfield County has resigned after he reportedly posted a racist and sexist image on Facebook describing two female celebrities. Mark Kovacs, who coached at Shelton High School, is out of a job following the post - which has not been disclosed - according to a WTNH report. The nature of the post has not been disclosed. According to reports, Kovacs was informed he was to be suspended, and resigned later in the day. The now-former coach has not released any statements or information regarding his departure. "After becoming aware of some social medi…
Ocasio-Cortez 'Medicare For All' Plan Anti-Senior, Anti-Choice, Says Kellyanne Conway Ocasio-Cortez 'Medicare For All' Plan Anti-Senior, Anti-Choice, Says Kellyanne Conway
Ocasio-Cortez 'Medicare For All' Plan Anti-Senior, Anti-Choice, Says Kellyanne Conway White House Counselor Kellyanne Conway recently slammed Democratic congresswoman-elect Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez over her calls for “Medicare for all,” telling senior citizens not to be fooled by the health care dream. Ocasio-Cortez, a 29-year-old graduate of Yorktown High School, was elected as the youngest-ever female member of Congress on Nov. 6. “Seniors don’t be fooled, it is anti-senior, anti-choice,” Conway said during a recent appearance on Fox and Friends. “You'll lose your doctor, it'll destroy Medicare Advantage, and I know Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez couldn't say what it would cost…
'Inhumane, Vicious': No Parole For Dad Who Killed Passaic Wife, Daughters 'Inhumane, Vicious': No Parole For Dad Who Killed Passaic Wife, Daughters
'Inhumane, Vicious': No Parole For Dad Who Killed Passaic Wife, Daughters A Colorado father was sentenced to three consecutive lifetimes in prison not eligible for parole Monday after a prosecutor detailed how he planned the murders of his pregnant wife, a Passaic native, and two daughters. Christopher Watts apparently hoped to start a new life with his new girlfriend when he killed his wife Shannan Watts, along with daughters Bella and Celeste in August. Passaic County native Shanann Watts and her two daughters, Bella and Celeste.Shanann Watts Shannan's dad Frank Rzucek called 33-year-old Watts -- dressed in an orange jumpsuit -- a "heartless monster." "I t…
YouTuber Logan Paul Features Westchester Survivor In Comeback Suicide Video YouTuber Logan Paul Features Westchester Survivor In Comeback Suicide Video
YouTuber Logan Paul Features Westchester Survivor In Comeback Suicide Video YouTuber Logan Paul received backlash after filming the corpse of a suicide victim hanging in a Japanese forest last month. After a weeks-long hiatus, he came back to social media with a nine-minute suicide awareness video highlighting the 2013 story of Ally Del Monte of White Plains, a suicide survivor (see video above). Del Monte's USA Today story flashed across the screen for more than 5 million eyeballs to see as Paul spoke with another survivor (4:31 in the video), who said he felt instant regret after jumping from the Golden Gate Bridge 17 years ago. Paul plans to donate $1 million t…
Ex-Hudson Valley Resident, Father Face Incest Charge After Baby's Birth Ex-Hudson Valley Resident, Father Face Incest Charge After Baby's Birth
Ex-Hudson Valley Resident, Father Face Incest Charge After Baby's Birth A 20-year-old former Dutchess County woman and her biological father were arrested on incest charges after officials found out they had a child together and considered themselves married, according to multiple reports. Kathie Fusco Pladl, 20, who attended Dover High School and lists her address on her website as Wingdale, and Steven Pladl, 42, from North Carolina, were arrested on Jan. 27 on charges of incest, adultery, and contributing to delinquency, according to USA Today. Their story of "love" began when Fusco, who was given up by her parents in 1998 for adoption out-of-state,…