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Covid-19: XEC Now Leading Variant in US - Here Are Symptoms
The XEC COVID-19 variant, first identified in Europe, now accounts for 45 percent of cases in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
As infections tick upward, public health experts are urging vigilance.
The strain, a mix of earlier Omicron subvariants, exhibits symptoms similar to Omicron and its predecessors. These include:
Congestion,
Runny nose,
Cough,
Shortness of breath,
Fever or chills,
Fatigue.
Notably, loss of taste and smell — once hallmark signs of COVID-19 — has become increasingly rare.
…
Holiday Lotto Cheer! Bergen County Mega Millions Player Wins Big
Six North Jersey lottery players are having a very happy holidays.
Mega Millions tickets sold in Morris, Somerset, Hudson, Bergen and Essex Counties matched four numbers and the gold megaball in the drawing held on Friday, Dec. 27, winning $10,000.
The tickets were sold at Jay Cee's in Denville, United Check Cashing in Secaucus, Krauszer's in Manville, Towne Check Cashing in Bloomfield, Surya Sunny in Guttenberg and ShopRite Liquor in Roselle Park.
The winning numbers were 3, 7, 37, 49, 55, and the gold megaball was 6.
Christmas Fire Steals 45+ Years Of Memories From Ridgefield Park Couple
A Ridgefield Park family is grappling with unimaginable loss after a three-alarm fire destroyed their home of more than 45 years on Christmas morning, Wednesday, Dec. 25.
Donovan and Terry Blades narrowly escaped the flames that engulfed their house on Emerson Street, leaving them with nothing but the pajamas they were wearing, according to a GoFundMe launched by their son, Aaron Blades.
The fire, which broke out around 11 a.m., quickly spread, leaving their home uninhabitable and claiming all their belongings, including cherished family keepsakes. Thankfully, no injuries were reported, but…
'First Couple Of Fox' Sean Hannity, Ainsley Earhardt Engaged Over Christmas
Christmas brought a romantic twist for Fox News hosts Sean Hannity and Ainsley Earhardt, who announced their engagement on Thursday, Dec. 26.
Hannity popped the question during a special moment at their church, marking the culmination of their five-year relationship, Fox News reports.
“We are overjoyed and so thankful to our families for all of their love and support during this wonderful time in our lives,” the couple said in a statement to Fox News, radiating joy as they celebrated the milestone.
Hannity, 62, has deep roots on Long Island, where he grew up in Franklin Square. Start…
Deployed Dads Surprise Families In Morris County Holiday Homecomings
Two Roxbury families got the most welcome holiday gift anyone could ask for.
On Wednesday, Dec. 4, at Nixon School, Hallie, 4, and her brother Leo, 3, were making ornaments, when their dad, Mariusz Cieslak, suddenly walked in. The kids hadn't seen Cieslak since he was deployed to Syria 11 months ago. Hallie's face lit up as she gave her dad a hug, Roxbury Public Schools said.
On Thursday, Dec. 19, a family at the Franklin School got their own holiday surprise. During the 4th grade holiday recital, Bennett, 10, Nathan, 10 and Mason, 6, were called up to sing "I'll Be Home for Christmas."
"I…
Big Lots Laying Off 385 NJ Employees As Stores Close: Here's Where
Big Lots, the popular discount retailer, is officially going out of business, which means hundreds of workers are about to lose their jobs.
The company, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September, has announced plans to close all 963 of its remaining stores nationwide, including 18 locations in New Jersey.
According to a WARN notice, 385 New Jersey employees will be out of work by Feb. 28, 2025. The layoffs will be in Somers Point, Edgewater Park, North Cape May, Toms River, Clifton, Brickton, South Plainfield, West Deptford, Sicklerville, Middletown, Dover, Barnegat, Cape May Court…
$2M NJ Christmas Powerball: Back-To-Back Winners Both Sold In Garden State
A lucky New Jersey Lottery player scored $2 million in the Christmas Powerball drawing, matching five white balls and the multiplier, according to lottery officials.
The winning numbers from the Wednesday, Dec. 25 drawing were 15, 26, 27, 30, 35, with the Powerball 03 and Power Play 3X. The winning ticket was sold by Jackpot.com, a Middlesex County-based courier.
This $2 million prize comes just days after another $2 million Powerball win in the Friday, Dec. 20 drawing. That ticket was sold at Lucky 7 Deli, located at 397 Centre St., Nutley, in Essex County.
While nobody claimed the j…
State Worker Steals $130K From Mom Who Killed Both Sons Then Fled To NJ For Drugs: DA
A Philadelphia woman stole over $130,000 from a former Norristown State Hospital resident who was convicted of murdering her two young sons, using the funds for personal expenses, including a Puerto Rico vacation, officials announced on Monday, Dec. 23.
Bridget Nicole Compton, 51, is accused of stealing $132,480.01 from the TD Ameritrade account of Trinh Nguyen, a former Norristown State Hospital resident, officials in Bucks County, PA said. Nguyen is currently serving two life sentences for fatally shooting her sons, 13-year-old Jeffrey “JT” Tini and 9-year-old Nelson Tini, in their Upper M…
NJ 'Hot Shot' Murderess Found Dead In PA Prison Cell 3 Days After Probation Violation Arrest
A New Jersey woman convicted of murder, who admitted to injecting a man with a fatal mix of cocaine and bleach, was found dead in her cell at the State Correctional Institution at Muncy, officials announced.
Lisa Marie Stavish, 41, a Passaic, NJ native, was discovered unresponsive in her cell on Sunday, Dec. 22, 2024, according to Wendy Nicholas, superintendent of SCI Muncy. Prison staff attempted life-saving measures until emergency responders arrived, but Stavish was pronounced dead at 6:07 a.m.
Stavish was serving a 7-to-20-year sentence for third-degree murder in the death of David…
Former NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo Files Lawsuit Against Sexual Harassment Accuser
Former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo, who resigned in 2021 following allegations of sexual harassment, is suing one of his accusers, a Northern Westchester native, for defamation.
Cuomo, age 67, filed the lawsuit in the New York Supreme Court on Thursday, Dec. 19 against former staffer Charlotte Bennett, a Northern Westchester native, who accused the former governor of sexual harassment in 2021.
Bennett had previously filed a federal lawsuit against former Gov. Cuomo in September 2022. However, she voluntarily dropped the lawsuit on Monday, Dec. 9, saying in a joint statement …
NJ's $1.13B Lotto Winner Comes Forward After Months Of Mystery, Officials Say
The winner of the largest lottery jackpot in the Garden State's history has finally claimed their prize nearly nine months later, officials said.
A New Jersey resident has officially submitted their winning ticket in the $1.13 billion Mega Millions jackpot, the New Jersey Lottery said in a news release on Monday, Dec. 23. The winner was purchased at ShopRite Wine & Spirits on Route 66 in Neptune Township in the drawing on Tuesday, Mar. 26.
The ticket matched all five numbers—7, 11, 22, 29, 38—plus the Mega Ball of 4, securing the fifth-largest jackpot in Mega Million…
Norovirus Outbreak Prompts Recall Of Oysters Sold In NJ
New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Washington DC residents are being urged to avoid consuming certain oysters after a recall linked to a norovirus outbreak, federal officials announced.
The contaminated oysters were sold under the brands Fanny Bay, Buckley Bay, and Royal Miyagi and harvested between Dec. 1 and Dec. 9, 2024, from British Columbia (BC), Canada, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
The oysters, distributed by S&M Shellfish Co. of San Francisco, were shipped to retailers and restaurants across several states, including New Jersey, New York, Pe…
