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Charity

Police & Fire
Two Single Mothers Lose Homes In Toms River Fire: Campaigns Two Single Mothers Lose Homes In Toms River Fire: Campaigns
Two Single Mothers Lose Homes In Toms River Fire: Campaigns Two single mothers in Toms River are looking for help after a multi-family home was destroyed by a fire, according to fundraising campaigns. A firefighter was taken to the hospital for evaluation after falling at the scene of a two-story house fire on Bergen Avenue at around 2:04 p.m. on Saturday, Mar. 9. The Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention said no one else was injured and two cats were found safe. Firefighters were able to quickly put out the flames and remained on the scene for about 90 minutes. The home was ruled as an unsafe structure by the township's building department…

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by Chris Spiker
Schools
Monmouth Regional High School Educator Nominated For National Teacher Of The Year Monmouth Regional High School Educator Nominated For National Teacher Of The Year
Monmouth Regional High School Educator Nominated For National Teacher Of The Year A Monmouth County educator who was named New Jersey's teacher of the year could also get the same recognition nationally. Joe Nappi, a history and social studies teacher at Monmouth Regional High School in Tinton Falls, is one of four finalists for the 2024 National Teacher of the Year award, The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) announced. Nappi won the state's Teacher of the Year award in September 2023. The other finalists are Cat Walker from Alaska, Christy Todd from Georgia, and Missy Testerman from Tennessee. Nappi is the third Garden State educator to be a nati…

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by Chris Spiker
Obituaries
'RIP To The Queen:' Condolences Pour In For Toms River Icon Sondra Fortunato, 'Miss Liberty' 'RIP To The Queen:' Condolences Pour In For Toms River Icon Sondra Fortunato, 'Miss Liberty'
'RIP To The Queen:' Condolences Pour In For Toms River Icon Sondra Fortunato, 'Miss Liberty' Sondra Fortunato, an iconic New Jersey entertainer and model known to many as "Miss Liberty USA," has died. Condolences were widely posted online on Thursday, Jan. 11 for the well-known local celebrity from Toms River, including the town's Republican party organization. "Dear sweet Sondra, I first met you when I was about 12 years old. I'm now 66. We girls would see you in Seaside buying the latest fashion's," one mourner wrote. "We were all fascinated by your stunning appearance. You truly were the first Barbie doll!  "As the years went by it was a delight to see you in Toms River wh…

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by Chris Spiker
Business
Newest Wawa Opening In Oakhurst Newest Wawa Opening In Oakhurst
Newest Wawa Opening In Oakhurst A new Wawa is opening in Monmouth County. On Thursday, Aug. 17, Wawa is opening its newest store at 1611 Route 35 in Oakhurst with an 8:30 a.m. ribbon-cutting ceremony. Free coffee will be served all day. Limited-edition t-shirts will be given to the first 100 customers And Wawa's signature Hoagies for Heroes competition will take place. Local first responders from Ocean Township Police Department and Oakhurst Independent Hose Company will compete to see who can build the most hoagies in three minutes.  Wawa will conclude the Hoagies for Heroes competitions by presenting checks for …

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by Jon Craig
News
Community Support Abounds For Emmy-Nominated Jersey Shore Musician Community Support Abounds For Emmy-Nominated Jersey Shore Musician
Community Support Abounds For Emmy-Nominated Jersey Shore Musician Mike Dalton has sung the National Anthem for professional sports teams and played in a warm-up band for Paul Simon and Bob Dylan, but has also raised funds for local charities through music. Now, his Jersey Shore community is coming together for him. Amy Hariegel of Neptune, a singer in his band, has launched a GoFundMe page Dalton recovers from the fight for his life. He is still in the hospital working toward a full recovery, she said  According to his biography, Dalton makes original pop/rock music and has composed over 320 original songs. He also sang and…

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by Jon Craig
Business
Newest Wawa Opens With Free Coffee All Weekend In South Jersey Newest Wawa Opens With Free Coffee All Weekend In South Jersey
Newest Wawa Opens With Free Coffee All Weekend In South Jersey A new Wawa store is set to open Thursday in Burlington County.  With the grand opening ceremony comes free coffee to customers from Thursday, Feb. 10 through Sunday, Feb. 13, Wawa officials announced. The newest Wawa store is located at 210 Monmouth Road in Chesterfield. The store will open at 8 a.m. Thursday and hold a ribbon-cutting ceremony at 9 a.m. The first 100 customers who walk through the door that day will receive a limited-edition Wawa “Goose Vibes Only,” t-shirt. The grand opening of the Chesterfield location is the second store to open this year out of the 54 total new s…

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by Jon Craig
Sports
Bergen County Poker Player Donates World Series Winnings To Charity Bergen County Poker Player Donates World Series Winnings To Charity
Bergen County Poker Player Donates World Series Winnings To Charity A former New Jersey resident and first-time World Series of Poker player is coming home empty handed. Gershon Distenfeld, who recently moved from Teaneck to Hollywood, FL -- will be donating his winnings from the $1,500 No-limit Hold’em Shootout to charity: All $204,063, PokerNews.com reports. Distenfeld was crowned champion after a more than three-hour back-and-forth heads-up battle against Johan Schumacher, the outlet said. Gershon DistenfeldDanny Maxwell for PokerNews.com Distenfeld works in the investment management industry and took up poker about a decade ago, he told Daily Voice…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Heartbreaking Battle Ends For Beloved NJ Firefighter Heartbreaking Battle Ends For Beloved NJ Firefighter
Heartbreaking Battle Ends For Beloved NJ Firefighter A career Bergen County firefighter's valiant battle with cancer ended Saturday, leaving countless loved ones, first responders, friends and others devastated. "We all ask why the great ones are taken to soon and we can't find the answer," Hackensack Fire Capt. Justin Derevyanik wrote as news of the death of Timothy Rice spread on Saturday. Timmy Rice, 42, of Emerson leaves Regina, his wife of 15 years, their daughter, Aubrey, and their son, TJ. He was "one of a kind, truly one of the nicest, most caring people I’ve ever known," Doug Habermann wrote -- just one of a rapidly growing collect…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
NJ Boy, 9, Clings To Life, Loved Ones Hold Onto Hope After SUV Accident NJ Boy, 9, Clings To Life, Loved Ones Hold Onto Hope After SUV Accident
NJ Boy, 9, Clings To Life, Loved Ones Hold Onto Hope After SUV Accident Friday promises another ray of hope for the family of a 9-year-old Fair Lawn boy critically injured in a tragic accident last month. Aiden D'Angelo "is opening his eyes and moving his limbs," his father said Thursday. The news is heartening to many. There are Aiden's parents, Joe and Jessica, as well as his brother, Luca. There are the neighbors who called 911 and rushed into the street after Aiden was struck by a Honda CR-V on 17th Street near Morlot Avenue on May 26. There's the local police officer who held Aiden's head in his hands, the EMS workers who took him to St. Joseph's Re…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Bergen County Coworkers Rally For 'Angelic' Special Ed Behaviorist Battling Cancer -- Again Bergen County Coworkers Rally For 'Angelic' Special Ed Behaviorist Battling Cancer -- Again
Bergen County Coworkers Rally For 'Angelic' Special Ed Behaviorist Battling Cancer -- Again Ashley Van Valen and Jenny Venezio have long called Cassie Romano their angel. The three met each other working in Paramus for Bergen County Special Services, and have since become close friends. "She has this platinum blonde hair," said Van Valen of Dumont. "She lights up a room and she's so soft-spoken." "She's the sweetest, most generous person," Venezio added. "She cares about her friends, family and the students she works with." And so when Cassie was diagnosed with Stage 4 metastatic breast cancer last September, Van Valen and Venezio knew they needed to be what their colleague has…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Soccer Great Diego Maradona Dies At 60 Soccer Great Diego Maradona Dies At 60
Soccer Great Diego Maradona Dies At 60 Diego Armando Maradona, considered one of the greatest soccer players of all time, died of a heart attack in Buenos Aires early Wednesday, according to multiple reports.  Maradona, 60, who'd been in failing health, has left the hospital after undergoing surgery for a blood clot on his brain earlier this month, according to the Argentinian newspaper Clarín. Known as “El Pibe de Oro” (“The Golden Boy”), Maradona was honored along with Pele with the FIFA Player of the 20th Century award.  Following a 21-year career, he briefly coached Argentina during the 2010 World C…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
VIDEO: Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson Thanks Ridgefield Firefighters With New Kicks VIDEO: Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson Thanks Ridgefield Firefighters With New Kicks
Video: Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson Thanks Ridgefield Firefighters With New Kicks Amid this week’s 9/11 remembrances came news of a token of appreciation that meant a lot to volunteer firefighters in Ridgefield. Movie star Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson and Under Armour sent the department 100 pairs of his new $140 training sneakers as part of a rollout honoring first responders. The First Responders Children's Foundation arranged for delivery of the new Under Armour Project Rock PR3 sneakers to departments near Ground Zero. Jillian Crane of the non-profit First Responders Children's Foundation officially presented the new kicks at Engine Co. 2 in Ridgefield last month, but …

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
NJ Landlord Waives 3 Months Rent During Pandemic NJ Landlord Waives 3 Months Rent During Pandemic
NJ Landlord Waives 3 Months Rent During Pandemic A Montclair landlord is waiving rent payments for three months to help ease his tenants' financial burdens during the coronavirus pandemic. David Placek originally waived rent for April and May and recently added June. Overall, his BDP Holdings LLC and Community Investment Partners is eating about $50,000 -- at an average of $1,200 to $1,500 a unit per month. The goal is to show tenants "some compassion and feelings for what they might be going through," Placek told ABC7. We didn't ask them what financial position they're in." The father of three "exemplifies the spirit we need to see ri…

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by Jerry DeMarco