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NJ Advance Media

Princeton Student Killed By NJ Transit Train: Officials Princeton Student Killed By NJ Transit Train: Officials
Princeton Student Killed By NJ Transit Train: Officials A Princeton University student was fatally struck by a train last week, according to officials. James Li (Class of 2027) was struck at the NJ Transit crossing on Faculty Road in Princeton on Friday, Feb. 16, Princeton Vice President for Campus Life W. Rochelle Calhoun said. Princeton University spokesman Michael Hotchkiss said the incident involved the Princeton Dinky, a train operated by New Jersey Transit between Princeton Station and Princeton Junction. "Our entire community mourns the loss of James, and our hearts go out to James’s family and friends," Calhoun said.…
NJ Nursing Home Closes Abruptly Prompting Emergency Evacuation Of 70 Residents: Reports NJ Nursing Home Closes Abruptly Prompting Emergency Evacuation Of 70 Residents: Reports
NJ Nursing Home Closes Abruptly Prompting Emergency Evacuation Of 70 Residents: Reports A New Jersey nursing home closed suddenly on Friday, Sept. 1, and only notified residents' families that morning — leaving them with just hours to relocate, as first reported by Planet Princeton. Families of more than 70 residents of Princeton Care Center had less than a day to find new facilities, due to a sale of the facility that fell through the day prior, a spokesperson for the state's health department tells NJ Advance Media. A resident of the facility on Facebook said PCC patients were "fed and left in their soiled linens until they were moved to the new facilities as far as Morrist…
Couple Who Dumped, Ran From Feces-Covered Puppy At NJ Home Depot Face Charges Couple Who Dumped, Ran From Feces-Covered Puppy At NJ Home Depot Face Charges
Couple Who Dumped, Ran From Feces-Covered Puppy At NJ Home Depot Face Charges Charges have been filed against a couple who police say dropped a puppy covered in dried feces in a Home Depot parking lot in Central Jersey. Police did not identify the man and woman captured by surveillance footage running away from the lab retriever pup, who followed them into the Route 9 Home Depot store in Old Bridge, after dumping her in the parking lot on Friday evening, May 26. "The dog was wearing a red harness and covered in dry feces," police said. "They were driving a black Ford truck, which was pulling a black Griffin trailer. Later, the dog’s empty crate was found in the par…
Uncle Giuseppe's Marketplace Opens Jersey Shore Location Uncle Giuseppe's Marketplace Opens Jersey Shore Location
Uncle Giuseppe's Marketplace Opens Jersey Shore Location Uncle Giuseppe's has landed at the Jersey Shore. The popular Italian marketplace is open in the renovated 56,000-square-foot space on Shrewsbury Avenue in Tinton Falls, formerly home to the ACME supermarket that closed in 2019. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Uncle Giuseppe's Marketplace (@unclegiuseppesmarketplace) This is uncle G's third New Jersey location, with two others in Ramsey and Morris Plains.  Along with its staple deli, bakery departments, gourmet cheese, meat, seafood and produce departments, this new Uncle G's is…
'Wanna Meet?' Ex-Jersey Shore High School Sportswriter Takes Plea In Underage Sex Luring Case 'Wanna Meet?' Ex-Jersey Shore High School Sportswriter Takes Plea In Underage Sex Luring Case
'Wanna Meet?' Ex-Jersey Shore High School Sportswriter Takes Plea In Underage Sex Luring Case A former high school sportswriter from Ocean County admitted on Wednesday that he trafficked child porn off his cellphone and repeatedly pressed a minor to send him sexually explicit images, authorities said. Kevin Van Pelt, 33, of Lakehurst, was originally arrested in May 2019 after Gloucester County prosecutor's detectives and police in Woolwich Township said they found that he'd sought a meeting with a 14-year-old girl for sex through Snapchat and Instagram. Van Pelt, who worked part-time for NJ Advance Media – the parent company of NJ.com and the Star-Ledger – told the girl he’d been a …
Two NJ Elected Officials Killed Week Apart Two NJ Elected Officials Killed Week Apart
Two NJ Elected Officials Killed Week Apart Just one week after the shooting death of a 30-year-old Sayreville councilwoman Eunice Dwumfour, another elected official died the same way. Russell Heller, 51, a Republican councilman in Milford, was gunned down at work — a PSE&G parking lot — in Somerset on Wednesday, Feb. 8, authorities in Somerset County said. The suspect, former PSE&G employee Gary T. Curtis, 58, was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound just more than an hour later, authorities said. An admired senior distribution supervisor, Heller had more than 11 years of service with PSE&G, the company said. …
Discount Grocer Opens Third NJ Location Discount Grocer Opens Third NJ Location
Discount Grocer Opens Third NJ Location A popular discount grocery chain has opened a third location in New Jersey. Grocery Outlet Bargain Market, run by franchise operators Tracy and Kent Encarnacion, opened on Feb. 2 at 3057 Route 35 in Hazlet. It's the chain's third grocery store to open in New Jersey, joining Bargain Markets in Delran and Hamilton, and replacing ALDI market. The California-based supermarket chain offers shoppers deals on brand-name groceries, including fresh produce, meat, deli and dairy products, NJ Advance Media reports. The store carries a variety of natural and organic products, health and bea…
Firefighters Battle Massive Brush Fire In South Jersey Firefighters Battle Massive Brush Fire In South Jersey
Firefighters Battle Massive Brush Fire In South Jersey Firefighters from the National Park Fire Department and local fire departments managed to contain a huge suspicious brush fire in Gloucester County. The fire consumed 25 to 30 acres of land and took about three hours to bring under control, the National Park Fire Department said. National Park and Westville fire departments were dispatched shortly before 4 p.m. on Sunday, Feb. 5. Additional brush units were called from West Deptford and Deptford fire departments. The land off Grove Avenue is owned by the U.S. Corps of Engineers. Investigators have a "person of interest" as the possible a…
$1.35M Settlement Paves Way For Jewish High School In Ocean County: Report $1.35M Settlement Paves Way For Jewish High School In Ocean County: Report
$1.35M Settlement Paves Way For Jewish High School In Ocean County: Report Jackson Township's zoning board has settled a $1.35 million lawsuit, allowing construction of an Orthodox Jewish high school, NJ Advance Media reports. The settlement is a decade in the making as, Congregation Oros Bais Yaakov in 2013 filed an application with the township's zoning board seeking a variance and final site-plan approval for an all-girls school, the outlet said. That application was denied the following year, and the congregation sued the township four months later. The two-story school will be built on a lot bordering Lakewood Township near White Road and Galassi Court …
Popular Jersey Shore Restaurant Avon Pavilion Will Stay Open After All Popular Jersey Shore Restaurant Avon Pavilion Will Stay Open After All
Popular Jersey Shore Restaurant Avon Pavilion Will Stay Open After All Popular Jersey Shore restaurant Avon Pavilion was set to close after 33 years, but will remain open under new ownership. Bareli's By the Sea owners Liam and Carmen Maloney bought the Ocean Avenue restaurant and are expected to reopen in Spring 2023, NJ Advance Media reports. The Maloneys made the announcement on Instagram, too, where longtime patrons celebrated the news. Avon Pavilion overcame every obstacle in its way. The Avon-by-the-Sea stayed strong after the deaths of its founders in 2011: Mamma and Pappa Fishman. Three years later, the beachfront restaurant was rebuilt after Hurri…
H2oi Rally Driver From PA Indicted In Crash That Killed 2, Injured 2 H2oi Rally Driver From PA Indicted In Crash That Killed 2, Injured 2
H2oi Rally Driver From PA Indicted In Crash That Killed 2, Injured 2 A Pennsylvania driver accused of killing two people during the unsanctioned H2oi car rally in Wildwood last fall has been indicted on 18 counts including vehicular homicide, NJ Advance Media reports. Gerald J. White, 37, of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Delaware was allegedly fleeing another crash when he hit a Honda Civic and two pedestrians on Sept. 24, prosecutors have said. On Tuesday, Dec. 20, a grand jury sitting in Cape May County indicted White on charges of first-degree vehicular homicide, first-degree aggravated manslaughter, knowingly leaving the scene of a motor vehicle accident…
Rutgers Frat Pledge Suffers Broken Skull, Brain Injury In Hazing Incident: Lawsuit Rutgers Frat Pledge Suffers Broken Skull, Brain Injury In Hazing Incident: Lawsuit
Rutgers Frat Pledge Suffers Broken Skull, Brain Injury In Hazing Incident: Lawsuit A 19-year-old Theta Chi pledge at Rutgers University is suing the school, the fraternity, its grand chapter, and more than a dozen fraternity brothers after falling down a flight of stairs in an alleged drunken hazing incident, leaving him seriously injured. Armand Runte, of Somers Point, was forced to drink "life-threatening" amounts of booze before tumbling down a flight of stairs at the Mine Street frat house in New Brunswick during "Big Brother Night" last month, according to a newly-filed lawsuit detailed by NJ Advance Media. The incident allegedly wasn't reported until hours later,&nb…
Couple In Their 90s Killed In Central Jersey Crash Couple In Their 90s Killed In Central Jersey Crash
Couple In Their 90s Killed In Central Jersey Crash A couple was killed in a weekend crash in Middlesex County, NJ Advance Media reports. Edward Mitnowski, 96, of Monroe, was driving east on Station Way at about 3:40 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 10 when he veered into the westbound lane and struck a car, the outlet said, quoting Cranbury police. Mitnowski's SUV partially overturned, and he was pronounced dead while is wife, Rita, 92, died during transport to the hospital, police said. The 38-year-old Elizabeth driver in the other vehicle declined treatment. Click here for the complete story by NJ Advance Media.
Mysterious Booms Rattle South Jersey Again Mysterious Booms Rattle South Jersey Again
Mysterious Booms Rattle South Jersey Again The Navy is investigating whether aircraft carrier training in Maryland caused mysterious noises in South Jersey, NJ Advance Media reports. Monday's loud booms and rattling windows marked the second major disturbance in two weeks.  On Nov. 22, residents of Brigantine were abuzz about what sounded like an explosion, as Daily Voice reported. The source of that noise was never identified. The Naval Air Station Patuxent River in southern Maryland was scheduled to conduct “noise generating” aircraft carrier training from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 5.  The Naval District Wa…
Drag Show Sparks Outrage Among Parents, Teachers Of NJ High School Drag Show Sparks Outrage Among Parents, Teachers Of NJ High School
Drag Show Sparks Outrage Among Parents, Teachers Of NJ High School Parents and teachers of a New Jersey high school expressed frustration over administration's handling of a student drag show in October. The event at Hunterdon Central Regional High School was held on Oct. 27, leaving teachers outraged over the loss of instructional time. Parents additionally expressed concern at a recent board meeting, according to footage shared by Libs of TikTok on Twitter: “Instead of our students being engaged in academic time, they were applying makeup and changing into their drag costumes,” says one parent. “This was a loss of over 30 minutes of instructional time fo…
Federal Inspection Finds More Issues At NJ Veteran's Home, Murphy Deploys Army To Help Federal Inspection Finds More Issues At NJ Veteran's Home, Murphy Deploys Army To Help
Federal Inspection Finds More Issues At NJ Veteran's Home, Murphy Deploys Army To Help An army of specialists were deployed by the Murphy administration to help combat health issues that riddle a New Jersey veteran's home. The "Mission Critical Team" members were deployed to the Menlo Park Veterans Memorial Home to "improve quality of care through mentoring, coaching, and sharing of operational and clinical best practices," the Murphy administration said in a release. The home is apparently "not in substantial compliance" and funding may be withheld for new admissions by the US Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services unless gaps in infection control and resident care …
Atlantic Club Casino To Be Developed Into Luxury Condominiums: Reports Atlantic Club Casino To Be Developed Into Luxury Condominiums: Reports
Atlantic Club Casino To Be Developed Into Luxury Condominiums: Reports A vacant property previously known as a popular boardwalk hotel will be developed into luxury condominiums, NJ Advance Media reports. Rocco Sebastiani, the president of Colosseo Atlantic City Inc. — the New York investment and construction firm that owns the Boardwalk property— told the outlet that plans to convert the former casino at 3400 Pacific Ave. into high-priced residences are in motion. Last known as the Atlantic Club Casino Hotel, the popular boardwalk destination shuttered more than eight years ago. The property has eight current tax liens against it, Atlantic City spokesperson …
Father Accused In 4-Month-Old's Death Admits He Threw Baby Into Swing, Onto Floor: Report Father Accused In 4-Month-Old's Death Admits He Threw Baby Into Swing, Onto Floor: Report
Father Accused In 4-Month-Old's Death Admits He Threw Baby Into Swing, Onto Floor: Report A Central Jersey father allegedly told police that he threw his four-month-old daughter into a swing and then onto the floor, NJ Advance Media reports. The infant died on Thursday, Nov. 10 of her injuries, authorities previously said.  Radamez Santana, 22, of Perth Amboy, reportedly told police that the girl started to cry and stopped breathing next to a bed, the outlet said, quoting an affidavit of probable cause. Santana has been charged with murder and child endangerment in the incident that occurred on the 500 block of Compton Avenue in Perth Amboy. The baby was taken to Rar…
Car Struck By Freight Train At Central Jersey Crossing: Report Car Struck By Freight Train At Central Jersey Crossing: Report
Car Struck By Freight Train At Central Jersey Crossing: Report A freight train struck a car injuring its driver in Middlesex County, NJ Advance Media reports. The unidentified woman was taken to a local hospital after the crash, which occurred about 9 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 15, at a South Avenue crossing, the outlet said, quoting Piscataway police. A Piscataway police spokesman was not immediately available to say what led to the collision or detail the severity of injuries, the report said. Click here for the complete story by NJ Advance Media. 
Montclair Principal Removed Over Controversial Video Reinstated, Lawyer Says Montclair Principal Removed Over Controversial Video Reinstated, Lawyer Says
Montclair Principal Removed Over Controversial Video Reinstated, Lawyer Says A state arbitrator has ruled that a Montclair middle school principal fired over a Zoom video he played for teachers can return to his job, his lawyer tells various news outlets. Joseph Putrino, the former Renaissance at Rand principal, was put on administrative leave in 2020 when he apparently played a YouTube skit of a comedian yelling about remote learning. Montclair Superintendent Jonathan Ponds called the video "completely inappropriate and unacceptable." According to Montclair Local, another similar case was handled differently and so Putrino's was found "unjust," his lawyer Robert M.…
Star-Studded Camden HS Basketball Team In Recruit Scandal: Report Star-Studded Camden HS Basketball Team In Recruit Scandal: Report
Star-Studded Camden HS Basketball Team In Recruit Scandal: Report Camden High School's basketball team is accused of recruiting non-city residents to play on its star-studded team, NJ Advance Media reports. The team could be stripped of its 2022 state title and banned from post-season play in 2023, if they're found guilty of any wrongdoing, the outlet said, quoting an anonymous source. The team is led by the nation's No. 1 college recruit, D.J. Wagner, who also would suffer consequences  Camden is set to appear at a Dec. 5 hearing before the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s Controversies Committee, NJ.com said. The commit…
NJ Business Owner With 'Strong Family Ties' Let Out Before Trial After Deadly DWI Crash: Report NJ Business Owner With 'Strong Family Ties' Let Out Before Trial After Deadly DWI Crash: Report
NJ Business Owner With 'Strong Family Ties' Let Out Before Trial After Deadly DWI Crash: Report The co-owner of a New Jersey business and suspected drunken driver in a deadly crash has been released from Salem County Correctional Facility pending trial, NJ Advance Media reports. Amy Buchanan, 56, of Gloucester Township, was killed in a DWI crash involving a pickup truck driven by Patrick M. Dunn, 42, of Harrisonville, in Elk Township on Tuesday, Nov. 1, the outlet said. Dunn was arrested for “the suspicion of driving while intoxicated,” the outlet said, quoting the criminal complaint. Dunn was charged with reckless vehicular homicide and strict liability vehicular homicide. Nancy Ken…
High-Tech Go-Kart Track Brings New Life To Shuttered South Jersey Kmart Store High-Tech Go-Kart Track Brings New Life To Shuttered South Jersey Kmart Store
High-Tech Go-Kart Track Brings New Life To Shuttered South Jersey Kmart Store A former Central Jersey Kmart store is in the process of being transformed into a larger-than-life go-kart track. The building at 328 S. White Horse Pike in the Berlin Shopping Center of Berlin will soon boast 32 electric go-karts, arcades, a ninja course and rock climbing. "This new FEC is bound to breathe life back into this shopping center and the local community," said vendor DFX on Facebook. According to NJ Advance Media, company is leasing about two-thirds of the 92.000-square-foot Kmart building, which closed in 2014. DFX is also providing video systems, lighting and audio, the out…
2-Foot-Tall Hawk Trapped In Jersey Shore Library: Report 2-Foot-Tall Hawk Trapped In Jersey Shore Library: Report
2-Foot-Tall Hawk Trapped In Jersey Shore Library: Report A hawk with a 4-foot wingspan is caught inside the Ocean County Library but hasn't bothered patrons or workers, NJ Advance Media reports. He’s healthy and walking around in the ceiling tiles, library spokesperson Sherri Taliercio told the outlet. The red-tailed hawk, which measures about 22 inches tall, entered the library on Monday, Oct. 24. The library in Toms River pointed a camera at the bird of prey to make sure it remains safe, the outlet said. The New Jersey Division of Fish and Wildlife set non-lethal traps to capture the hawk, NJ.com reported. Click here for the complete sto…
$1.4M Paid To Suspended NJ Officers Awaiting Trial For No-Show Extra Duty Jobs: Report $1.4M Paid To Suspended NJ Officers Awaiting Trial For No-Show Extra Duty Jobs: Report
$1.4M Paid To Suspended NJ Officers Awaiting Trial For No-Show Extra Duty Jobs: Report Four suspended police officers from Edison were paid $1.4 million during the two years they awaited trial for billing the town for no-show "extra duty" assignments, NJ Advance Media reports. The officers have been on paid suspension ever since, but were put on unpaid leave earlier this month when new indictments were announced against Sgt. Ioannis (John) Mpletsakis, 43, of Edison Township, Patrolman James Panagoulakos, 36, of Jackson Township, Patrolman Gregory Makras, 38, of Cranford and Sgt. Brian Rossmeyer, 45, of Bridgewater, according to the outlet and Middlesex County Pr…
NJ Town's Historians Desperate To Save Cherished Funeral Home Featured In 'The Sopranos' NJ Town's Historians Desperate To Save Cherished Funeral Home Featured In 'The Sopranos'
NJ Town's Historians Desperate To Save Cherished Funeral Home Featured In 'The Sopranos' A historic funeral home dubbed Belleville's "town jewel" is facing demolition. Built in 1887, the Cozzarelli Memorial Home is one of the town's last surviving historical structures, and was featured in "The Sopranos," as Tony mourned his mom's loss. The Washington Avenue building could be designated an "Area in Need of Redevelopment," as a resolution approved during a council meeting last month will allow the Planning Board determine that, NJ Advance Media reports. Michael Perrone, the president of Belleville's historical society, says the town is looking to demolish the building to m…
DUI Charges Dropped For Defiant NJ Gym Owner: Reports DUI Charges Dropped For Defiant NJ Gym Owner: Reports
DUI Charges Dropped For Defiant NJ Gym Owner: Reports Drunk driving charges against Ian Smith, a former gym owner known for defying state COVID orders, have been dismissed, the New Jersey Globe reports. The charges had dashed Smith's chances of winning a Republican Party primary for the 3rd congressional seat. However, for the next nine months, a municipal court judge ordered Smith to have a breath alcohol ignition interlock device placed on his vehicle, his defense lawyer told NJ Advance Media. The former owner of Atilis Gym in Bellmawr, Smith pleaded guilty to refusing a breathalyzer and careless driving, according to news reports. Th…
Netflix Aims To Build Production Studios At Former Monmouth County Military Base: Report Netflix Aims To Build Production Studios At Former Monmouth County Military Base: Report
Netflix Aims To Build Production Studios At Former Monmouth County Military Base: Report Netflix wants to build a huge production facility at the former Fort Monmouth Army base, NJ Advance Media reports. The entertainment company is the top bidder to buy nearly 300 acres in Eatontown being rebuilt by the Fort Monmouth Revitalization Authority, the outlet said. There is “still work to be done” on the deal with state and local leaders, the outlet said citing a Wednesday, Oct. 12 statement from the company. The base closed in 2011 after almost a century of military use. Click here for the complete story by NJ Advance Media.
Dinosaur Sculptures Vandalized At State Park On Jersey Shore: Report Dinosaur Sculptures Vandalized At State Park On Jersey Shore: Report
Dinosaur Sculptures Vandalized At State Park On Jersey Shore: Report Dinosaur sculptures at Allaire State Park on the Jersey Shore were vandalized, NJ Advance Media reported Tuesday, Oct. 7. A friend texted artist Robin Ruggiero to say that some of her Monmouth County art pieces had been torn down, she told the outlet. The destruction didn’t seem random — someone took a “really sharp knife” to carefully and “strategically” slice each branch apart, the report says. Ruggiero originally started building the sculptures in December 2019 and was told that she could continue as long as she followed the stand land’s rules, so she would make different animals a…
Italian Restaurant Frequented By Celebs Brings Cocktail Lounge, Pizzeria To NJ Train Station Italian Restaurant Frequented By Celebs Brings Cocktail Lounge, Pizzeria To NJ Train Station
Italian Restaurant Frequented By Celebs Brings Cocktail Lounge, Pizzeria To NJ Train Station An Italian restaurant frequented by celebrities is bringing an upscale pizzeria to a local New Jersey train station, as first reported by NJ Advance Media. Owned by Michael Vitiello, Ristorante MV will be opening Pizzeria Tâton by MV at the Bernardsville Train Station, the outlet said. The concept was recently approved by municipal officials.  Ristorante MV has seen many celebrities since opening in March 2021, among them (scroll for full list and photos): View this post on Instagram A post shared by Ristorante MV (@ristorantemv) …
President Biden To Attend Fundraiser At Gov. Murphy's NJ Mansion President Biden To Attend Fundraiser At Gov. Murphy's NJ Mansion
President Biden To Attend Fundraiser At Gov. Murphy's NJ Mansion President Joe Biden is expected to visit New Jersey ahead of the midterm elections, according to various news reports. Biden will be in the Garden State on Thursday, Oct. 6, to attending a fundraiser at Gov. Phil Murphy's Middletown mansion, according to Bloomberg and NJ Advance Media. Proceeds will benefit the Democratic National Committee’s Grassroots Victory Fund. Biden will also attend an event at IBM’s New York campus in Poughkeepsie, NY that day, and is expected to discuss job creation in the region, according to multiple reports. The president is expected to attend another fund…