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'Glue That Kept Friend Group Together,' Jersey City Dad Justin Chang Dies Suddenly, 42 'Glue That Kept Friend Group Together,' Jersey City Dad Justin Chang Dies Suddenly, 42
'Glue That Kept Friend Group Together,' Jersey City Dad Justin Chang Dies Suddenly, 42 A Jersey City family is grieving the loss of their patriarch, Justin M. Chang, who died unexpectedly in his sleep on Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024, according to a GoFundMe campaign launched for his loved ones. He was 42 years old. Born in Vancouver, Canada, Justin is survived by his wife, Michelle, and their two children, Joshie (3) and Kylie (1).  Known for his unwavering faith and generosity, Justin touched the lives of many, always putting others first. Despite his recent battle with cancer, he faced every challenge with optimism and strength, reads the GoFundMe, launched by a group of lo…
End Of An Era: Jersey Shore Bar Closes After 17 Years End Of An Era: Jersey Shore Bar Closes After 17 Years
End Of An Era: Jersey Shore Bar Closes After 17 Years A popular Wildwood staple is saying farewell after nearly two decades. Goodnight Irene’s, the iconic restaurant and bar at Pacific Avenue and East Poplar Avenue, announced that this weekend will be its last after 17 years. "AND THAT’S A WRAP FOLKS!" the owners shared on Facebook. "We appreciate you all more than you know." The final days of service, running through Sunday night, Nov. 17, promise to be filled with goodbyes and nostalgia. "We hope to see as many of you as possible," the Irenes family wrote, signing off with "LOVE." For countless locals and visitors, Goodnight Irene’s has b…
Shuttered NJ Stop & Shop Replaced By New Grocery Store Facing Multi-Million-Dollar Revamp Shuttered NJ Stop & Shop Replaced By New Grocery Store Facing Multi-Million-Dollar Revamp
Shuttered NJ Stop & Shop Replaced By New Grocery Store Facing Multi-Million-Dollar Revamp A brand-new grocery store has replaced Stop & Shop in Passaic County, which was among 32 of underperforming stores in the region, and 10 in New Jersey, that closed. The Fresh Grocer, a division of Wakefern operated by the Inserra Family, opened to an enthusiastic crowd at Ringwood’s Fieldstone Park Shopping Center on Friday, Nov. 8.  The supermarket’s grand opening saw a strong turnout from the community, who gathered to welcome the new addition to the neighborhood just two weeks after Stop&Shop closed its doors. The Fresh Grocer is set to undergo a multi-million dollar r…
Sudden Death Of Hoboken City Council President Jen Giattino Stuns Community Sudden Death Of Hoboken City Council President Jen Giattino Stuns Community
Sudden Death Of Hoboken City Council President Jen Giattino Stuns Community Hoboken City Council President Jen Giattino died suddenly on Tuesday, Nov. 5, Mayor Ravi Bhalla said. She was 52 years old. Hudson County View shared a statement from Jen's husband, Joe Giattino: "I am heartbroken to share that my beloved wife, Jen—the love of my life and mother of our three children—passed away suddenly. She was not only an incredible mother but also a dedicated public servant who cared deeply about this community,” her husband Joe Giattino said in a statement. “Jen’s unwavering commitment, kindness, and passion touched so many lives here in Hoboken. We are devastated by …
Four Arrested In NJ Detective's Home Invasion Killing: 'Significant Step Toward Justice' Four Arrested In NJ Detective's Home Invasion Killing: 'Significant Step Toward Justice'
Four Arrested In NJ Detective's Home Invasion Killing: 'Significant Step Toward Justice' Four people have been charged for their roles in a violent home invasion that left a Cumberland County detective dead, authorities announced. Nyshawn Mutcherson, 29, of Vineland; Jarred Brown, 31, of Bridgeton; and Richard Hawkins Willis, 32, of Gloucester City, were each charged with first-degree murder, the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office said in a news release on Monday, Oct. 28. Cyndia Pimentel, 38, of Paulsboro, was also facing charges in the case. Sgt. Monica Mosley, a detective sergeant with the Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office, was shot and killed in her Brid…
Teen Killed In Boating Accident Was Rising Rutgers Freshman Teen Killed In Boating Accident Was Rising Rutgers Freshman
Teen Killed In Boating Accident Was Rising Rutgers Freshman More information has come to light about the 18-year-old Wayne resident killed in a boating accident over the weekend in Harvey Cedars. Zeina Mahafzah was days away from beginning her freshman year at Rutgers University, as classes start on Tuesday, Sept. 2. According to university spokeswoman Dory Devlin, Zeina was enrolled in the School of Arts and Sciences–Newark. "The Rutgers-Newark community is devastated by the news of Zeina’s passing, and we are sending our support to the Mahafzah family during this incredibly difficult time," Devlin said. In a post shared to Faceboo…
Tears And Beers: Patrons Gather At The Cottage Bar For 'Last Call' Ever Tears And Beers: Patrons Gather At The Cottage Bar For 'Last Call' Ever
Tears And Beers: Patrons Gather At The Cottage Bar For 'Last Call' Ever "Bar closes at 6 p.m.," is scribbled in pen on a flashcard hanging on the front door of The Cottage Bar on Cedar Lane in Teaneck. That's when Mickey Dawson will shut his doors for good Tuesday, July 30, after 24 years in business. Reluctant to say goodbye, patrons gathered at their local watering hole, described by most as "an institution," unsurprisingly. "It's our neighborhood home," said Irini Killian of Ridgefield Park, tears in her eyes. "It's the 'Cheers' of Bergen County." "'Cheers' wishes they could be us!" someone somewhere in the dimly-lit pub chimed in. Others laughed and…
Goffle Creamery Voted Best Ice Cream In North Jersey: Meet High School Sweethearts Behind It Goffle Creamery Voted Best Ice Cream In North Jersey: Meet High School Sweethearts Behind It
Goffle Creamery Voted Best Ice Cream In North Jersey: Meet High School Sweethearts Behind It Some of Vinnie and Alyssa Penna's best childhood memories were getting ice cream at the Old Bar Milk Barn. If you grew up in Wayne, you know it: The brown barn with red and white signage. You could grab a cone at the walk-up window or sit in a booth or at a bar. The Pennas enjoyed many an ice cream cone at the Old Barn Milk Bar in their summers dating through Wayne Valley High School.  The two got married in 2012 and in August 2021, they opened Goffle Creamery 686 Goffle Road in Hawthorne. The Pennas always envisioned creating a shoppe that would be an ode to places like the…
Storied Disappearing Dumont Donkey Is Hero Mascot At Builder's New Ice Cream Shop Storied Disappearing Dumont Donkey Is Hero Mascot At Builder's New Ice Cream Shop
Storied Disappearing Dumont Donkey Is Hero Mascot At Builder's New Ice Cream Shop It was 2017 and Matt Dagistanli was in the process of building the structure that stands today at 65 W. Madison Avenue in Dumont, when his donkey went missing. He wasn't a real donkey, of course, but a statue that Dagistanli and his former business partner had affectionately called Dumbo. Dagistanli grew quite fond of Dumbo, and wasn't ready to get rid of him at the turn of his career change. "I didn’t want to sell it or throw it away, so I took it home," said Dagistanli, 63, of Rutherford. "My wife said, 'You need to take this away.'" Dagistanli had nowhere to keep Dumbo except for …
Man Dies In 'Tragic Incident' On Grounds Of NJ High School: Officials Man Dies In 'Tragic Incident' On Grounds Of NJ High School: Officials
Man Dies In 'Tragic Incident' On Grounds Of NJ High School: Officials A community member died in what officials are calling a "tragic incident" on the grounds of a New Jersey school district on Wednesday, Nov. 15. Police responding to Highland Park High School around 6:25 a.m. found an unresponsive male, local police said. He was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, where he was pronounce dead. "The patient was not affiliated with Highland Park Schools nor was the patient ever inside of a school building," local police said. Highland Park Schools Superintendent Kristina Nicosia said that a community member died before the school d…
Popular Hoboken Eatery Closes After 17 Years: 'This Is Brutal' Popular Hoboken Eatery Closes After 17 Years: 'This Is Brutal'
Popular Hoboken Eatery Closes After 17 Years: 'This Is Brutal' Dwight Thompson was just an employee when he began working at Hoboken's 918 Willow in 2005. It wasn't long before he was promoted to manager and, soon enough, he owned the place along with business partner Stephen Bailey. They called it "D's Soul Full Cafe," and since 2010, it's been a staple in the community, a popular hangout and late-night food stop with a focus on the arts. But Sunday, May 14 was D's last day in business. And the community is heartbroken. View this post on Instagram A post shared by D's Soul Full Cafe (@dssoulfullcafe) …
Beloved Bogota Bagel Man Dies Beloved Bogota Bagel Man Dies
Beloved Bogota Bagel Man Dies He was deeply woven into the community's fabric, so it's with deep sadness that folks are learning that Thomas Walsh died at the bagel shop in Bogota where he'd worked for as long as most could remember. Walsh, 80, of Cliffside Park kept things hummin' at Boxcar Bagels.  The general manager regularly arrived hours before sunrise so that those still asleep would have a pleasant start to their days, thanks to fluffy, jumbo-sized bagels that became the trademark of the shop in front of the train tracks. It was around 4 a.m. Tuesday, March 7, in fact, when borough police were called to the R…
Morris County Native, Dedicated Dad Of 2 Matthew Bell Dies At 38 Morris County Native, Dedicated Dad Of 2 Matthew Bell Dies At 38
Morris County Native, Dedicated Dad Of 2 Matthew Bell Dies At 38 Morris County native and dedicated father of two Matthew Robert Bell died at his home on Thursday, Oct. 6. He was 38. Born and raised in Denville, Matthew graduated from Morris Knolls High School in 2002, his obituary says. Matthew loved sports, live music, and spending time with friends. He is remembered as an endlessly generous person who embraced his role as a loving father to his two children, Alexander and Sophia Bell, his memorial says. “The loss of this wonderful person is a pain that will be felt by many, and he will always be remembered as a kind, caring man who was so full of l…
Danzig Bass Player, Wife Dedicate Bench In Mahwah Park In Memory Of Beloved Chihuahua Danzig Bass Player, Wife Dedicate Bench In Mahwah Park In Memory Of Beloved Chihuahua
Danzig Bass Player, Wife Dedicate Bench In Mahwah Park In Memory Of Beloved Chihuahua Sir Otis looked forward to his daily walks in Mahwah's Silver Creek Park. "He went to the park between 11:30 and 12:30 every day for 10 years," said Lana Grecco. "He knew whenever it was time. He was always ready." The spunky Chihuahua was at the park in the township's northeast corner near the New York State border when he passed on Dec. 21, 2021. He was 16. Lana made a vow with her husband, Steve "Zing" Grecco, who plays bass with the legendary New Jersey heavy metal band Danzig, among other acts. "We promised ourselves that we'd do something to honor his memory at the spot our little…
Shock, Sadness Spread: Young Harrison Police Officer Dies Shock, Sadness Spread: Young Harrison Police Officer Dies
Shock, Sadness Spread: Young Harrison Police Officer Dies People get to know their police officers in small towns like Harrison, where shock and sadness continued to spread with the news that one of its finest had suddenly died. Officer Elizabeth Yasmin Delacruz succumbed at the Valley Hospital in Ridgewood following a medical procedure elsewhere, said Maureen Curran Kleinman, the manager of communications and marketing for Valley Health System. A graduate of Lincoln High School in Jersey City, and a graduate student in criminal justice at John Jay College in Manhattan, Delacruz served in the U.S. Marine Corps, She was appointed to her depar…
Big-Hearted Bergen County Sheriff's Officer Dies Suddenly Big-Hearted Bergen County Sheriff's Officer Dies Suddenly
Big-Hearted Bergen County Sheriff's Officer Dies Suddenly “A big man with an even bigger heart” is how a colleague described former Bergen County Sheriff’s Officer Scott Emerson, who died suddenly this weekend. Emerson, 34, of Fair Lawn, “wasn’t feeling well, and they called an ambulance," another colleague said Sunday. The 8-year department veteran may have suffered an infection following recent surgery, friends said. He hung on throughout the day Saturday -- as family, friends and colleagues gathered at the hospital -- before he passed away, one said. "They brought him back several times," the friend said. "Then they couldn't. He went on his o…
First Day Of Kindergarten Holds Special Meaning For Lyndhurst Family First Day Of Kindergarten Holds Special Meaning For Lyndhurst Family
First Day Of Kindergarten Holds Special Meaning For Lyndhurst Family Tradition. Family values. Longevity. That's what Columbus Elementary School represents for the Restrepo family of Lyndhurst. Four generations of the family will have attended the Lake Avenue school come Wednesday, when 5-year-old Francesca Restrepo will start her first day of Kindergarten -- 100 years after her great-grandmother. "It's something to be said about our town," said Francesca's mom, Liz Restrepo, who also attended Columbus with her husband and Francesca's father, Juan. Francesca has only met some of her relatives but fully understands that she will be carrying history, mem…
Hackensack Mourns Beloved HS Principal Harold Bloom, 89 Hackensack Mourns Beloved HS Principal Harold Bloom, 89
Hackensack Mourns Beloved HS Principal Harold Bloom, 89 The Hackensack community is mourning the loss of the high school's longtime and beloved principal Harold Bloom, who died Jan. 14 at Hackensack University Medical Center. He was 89 years old. Affectionately known as "Uncle Hal," Bloom started in the district as a history teacher in 1954. He worked his way up to become principal in 1969 and retired in 1992. Bloom went on to become a trustee for the Maywood library, playing a major role in stabilizing its finances. His name lives on not only on Hackensack High School's First Street skybridge, but in the hearts of hundreds of former colleagues…
'I Love You Papou': Grandson's Touching Tribute Honors Late Lyndhurst Diner Owner 'I Love You Papou': Grandson's Touching Tribute Honors Late Lyndhurst Diner Owner
'I Love You Papou': Grandson's Touching Tribute Honors Late Lyndhurst Diner Owner He had an unmistakable, booming voice. A magnetic and kind personality. An innate ability to make everyone feel at home. This is how longtime Lyndhurst Diner owner John Sakellaris, who died Tuesday after 48 years at the helm, is being remembered. If you didn't know Sakalleris, a touching tribute penned by his grandson -- Emanuel Logothetis -- might make you feel like you did. Or at least, wish that you did. Logothetis, who spent nearly every weekend of his childhood at the Eagle Street diner with his grandfather, published the tribute to Facebook, where it garnered hundreds of li…