Jon Craig

Reporter

jcraig@dailyvoice.com

Pleasantville native Jon Craig is special editor for the Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, Orange and Dutchess Daily Voice sites. He is also the primary reporter for Daily Voice Plus Politics in Westchester and Fairfield.

Jon graduated from Cornell University and received his master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University. Across a 35-year career, he's worked as a reporter for daily newspapers in Chicago, New York, Ohio & Washington, D.C and as managing editor for weekly newspapers in Rye, White Plains and Harrison.

Jon also writes periodically for the Cornell Chronicle.

Career Highlights:

  • -- Covered Metro-North train wreck that killed a motorist and five commuters, 2015
  • -- Researched state investigative project for PublicIntegrity.org, 2011-12
  • -- National MADD award for database analysis of repeat drunk drivers in Ohio, 2008.
  • -- Henry F. Guggenheim Fellow, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, 2010.
  • -- Sentenced to jail for protecting confidential sources (won on appeal), 1999.
  • -- Broke 30th anniversary story about Kent State shootings — using FBI records, resurrecting theory a student informant triggered fatal National Guard volley, May 2000.
  • -- Covered Ground Zero after Sept. 11, 2001, terrorism attacks.
  • -- Uncovered voting problems before & during presidential recount in Ohio, 2004.
  • -- Witnessed botched Death Row execution of Romell Broom in 2009, one of more than a dozen I covered; Wrote about three inmates whose death sentences were commuted to life without parole.
  • -- Won IRE, SDX and multiple national & state awards for series led by Erik Kriss investigating New York General Assembly. 1994.
  • -- Guest lecturer at universities in NY & Ohio. Taught Syracuse high school journalism class.
  • -- Co-authored IRE-award winning series on illegal restraints/beatings at juvenile detention centers. Gov. Mario Cuomo had NY inspector general confirm what Hart Seely and I found at Division for Youth & fired top directors, 1993.
  • -- Survived Air Force Kool School training at North Pole, 1996.
  • -- Covered Persian Gulf wars, including 2002 bomb missions from Turkey, and stateside Army/Air Guard training. 1991.
  • -- Supervised overnight coverage of Pan Am Flight 103 after Libyan bomb killed 35 Syracuse University students over Lockerbie, Scotland, 1988.
  • -- Covered aftermath of John F. Kennedy Jr.'s fatal plane crash from Cape Cod, 1999.
  • -- Greeted Kurt Vonnegut Jr. as Cornell Sun sports editor during daily's 100th anniversary dinner in May 1980. 

Jon Craig's Contributions

Mount Laurel Man Gets Prison Time For Harassing His Neighbors, Racial Slurs Mount Laurel Man Gets Prison Time For Harassing His Neighbors, Racial Slurs
Mount Laurel Man Gets Prison Time For Harassing His Neighbors, Racial Slurs A 47-year-old man from Mount Laurel has been sentenced to eight years in New Jersey State Prison for threatening his neighbors including hurling racial slurs, authorities said. Edward C. Mathews, formerly of Grammercy Way, pleaded guilty in October to four counts of bias intimidation and possession of drugs, according to Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw. The charges to which Mathews pleaded involved the mistreatment of five former neighbors. The drug offense was filed after numerous psilocin mushrooms, which are known for their hallucinogenic effect, were discovered duri…
Philadelphia Man Accused Of Kidnapping 2 Girls, Driving Them To Jersey Shore: Police Philadelphia Man Accused Of Kidnapping 2 Girls, Driving Them To Jersey Shore: Police
Philadelphia Man Accused Of Kidnapping 2 Girls, Driving Them To Jersey Shore: Police A 43-year-old man from Philadelphia is accused of kidnapping two girls and sexually assaulting one of them in Monmouth County, authorities said. Benjamin Pessin was charged with one count of kidnapping, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child and one count of aggravated sexual assault, Aberdeen Township police said. The two girls were found knocking on doors in Aberdeen early Monday, Dec. 4, trying to find a place to sleep, police said on Facebook. The children were reunited safely with their mother and the family has returned home. If anyone has any information regarding this …
SEEN THEM? Home Depot Thieves Threatened Employee With Knife In Toms River: Police SEEN THEM? Home Depot Thieves Threatened Employee With Knife In Toms River: Police
Seen Them? Home Depot Thieves Threatened Employee With Knife In Toms River: Police Toms River police seek the public's help in identifying a pair of alleged thieves from a Home Depot store. Shortly before 3 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 6, police were dispatched to the Home Depot on Route 9, A suspect used bolt cutters to cut the lock securing wire behind cages and removed 27 rolls of 12-2 wire, worth a total of $2,916, Toms River police said. When approached by an employee, the suspect removed a utility knife from his pocket and threatened the employee, police said. He and an associate were subsequently observed loading the wire into a white Chevy Impala and l…
Ex-Con Admits Selling Heroin In South Jersey: Prosecutor Ex-Con Admits Selling Heroin In South Jersey: Prosecutor
Ex-Con Admits Selling Heroin In South Jersey: Prosecutor A 49-year-old ex-convict from Galloway has admitted to selling heroin, authorities said. Alfred Fuller pleaded guilty to first-degree possession with intent to distribute heroin, and second-degree certain persons not to possess a firearm on Thursday, Dec. 7, according to the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office. On August 9, 2021, police made warranted searches on Fuller’s residence, two units at Clayton Self Storage, and Fuller’s 2015 Black Chevy Tahoe. Police seized approximately 342 bricks, or 17,100 individual bags of heroin, packaged for distribution, the prosecutor said. Detectives…
Man Found Slumped Behind Wheel In Montgomery Township Man Found Slumped Behind Wheel In Montgomery Township
Man Found Slumped Behind Wheel In Montgomery Township A drunken driver was found asleep behind the wheel, authorities said. On Thursday, Dec. 7 at approximately 8 p.m., Montgomery Township police responded to the intersection of Route 518 and Route 206. Pollice found a 2020 Nissan Rogue stopped in the left turn lane of Route 518 with a line of cars behind it honking their horns.  Police observed the driver and lone occupant slumped over the steering wheel apparently asleep. After multiple attempts, the officers were able to wake up the driver who was identified as 31-year-old Jake Fenical of Franklin Park, police said…
Mexico-Bound Killer Decapitated Victim Then Dumped Her Body Near Camden Overpass: Affidavit Mexico-Bound Killer Decapitated Victim Then Dumped Her Body Near Camden Overpass: Affidavit
Mexico-Bound Killer Decapitated Victim Then Dumped Her Body Near Camden Overpass: Affidavit Gruesome details are coming to light in the death of a 26-year-old New Jersey woman. Police documents obtained by Daily Voice are painting a horrifying story in the death of Cathleen McGrath, of Haddon Township. ** WARNING: The following news report contains graphic information. ** Reports of a body wrapped in clear, black trash bags brought Camden County police officers to the area near the overpass at 8th Street and Atlantic Avenue, just before 2 p.m. on Nov. 15, according to an affidavit obtained by Daily Voice. "Investigation revealed the victim was Cathleen McGrath," the complaint re…
Edison Middle School Teacher Had Sexual Relationship With Student: Prosecutor Edison Middle School Teacher Had Sexual Relationship With Student: Prosecutor
Edison Middle School Teacher Had Sexual Relationship With Student: Prosecutor A 55-year-old Edison Township Middle School teacher who was found with child porn over the summer has been arrested again, after it was learned he had a sexual relationship with a student, authorities said. Julius Coaccioli is facing new charges of kidnapping and child endangerment, Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and Woodbridge Police Director Robert Hubner announced on Thursday, Dec. 7. On Aug. 30, the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office Internet Crimes Against Children Unit (ICAC) executed a search warrant at Coaccioli's home, seizing electronic devi…
Authorities ID Driver Killed In Route 9 Crash Authorities ID Driver Killed In Route 9 Crash
Authorities ID Driver Killed In Route 9 Crash Authorities have identified the driver killed in a seven-vehicle crash on Route 9 in Freehold Township. Daniel Kaplan, 78, of Freehold Township, died in the crash, according to the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office. The crash occurred at about 10:30 a.m.  Tuesday, Dec. 5 northbound near Route 9's intersection with Route 33. Anyone who witnessed the crash is asked to call Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office Detective Brian Boryszewski at 800-533-7443 or Freehold Township police officer Justin Nunno at 732-462-7908.
4 Injured In NJ Transit Bus Crash In Trenton 4 Injured In NJ Transit Bus Crash In Trenton
4 Injured In NJ Transit Bus Crash In Trenton A bus driver and three passengers were injured when a New Jersey Transit bus was rear-ended in Trenton, authorities said. At 11:21 a.m. Thursday, Dec. 7, the #601 bus was traveling on Mulberry Street and was slowing down to stop at the railroad crossing next to Route 1 when a vehicle rear-ended the bus, Trenton police said. The four crash victims were taken to Capital Health Regional Medical Center all for reported back pain, police said. No other serious injuries were reported and the damage to the bus and vehicle was minor, police said. The driver of the vehicle that rear-ended the bus, …
Woman Struck, Killed While Waiting For Ride In Wall Township Woman Struck, Killed While Waiting For Ride In Wall Township
Woman Struck, Killed While Waiting For Ride In Wall Township A 40-year-old woman from Wall Township was struck and killed while waiting for a ride from a friend, authorities said. Georgina M. Stelman was standing on Brighton Avenue when she was struck by a 64-year-old driver from Oakhurst, Wall Township police said. The crash occurred at about 8:25 p.m. on Wednesday, Dec. 6. Stelman was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune by Wall Township Emergency Medical Services where she was pronounced dead approximately three hours later, police said. The accident is being investigated by Sergeant Andrew Baldino and Patrolman Johan Moren…
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