Rain 70°
Lifestyle
VIDEO: Bergen County Native Wows Judges On NBC's 'The Voice' VIDEO: Bergen County Native Wows Judges On NBC's 'The Voice'
Video: Bergen County Native Wows Judges On NBC's 'The Voice' A Bergen County native has secured a spot on Season 19 of NBC's "The Voice." Olivia Reyes, of Teaneck, sang "Falling" by Harry Styles on Tuesday night's episode of the show before judges Gwen Stefani, Blake Shelton, Kelly Clarkson and John Legend. Legend said Reyes' tone was "crystal clear and piercing." She later chose him as her coach for the season. Reyes, 19, grew up in a baseball-loving family. Her brother plays competitively and she played softball, but later quit to focus on singing in high school.  Reyes was involved in choir and musical theater throughout school, but only sa…

SHARE

by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
'American Ninja Warrior' Champ Charged With Having Sex With Underage Teen In NJ, CT 'American Ninja Warrior' Champ Charged With Having Sex With Underage Teen In NJ, CT
'American Ninja Warrior' Champ Charged With Having Sex With Underage Teen In NJ, CT Last year’s $1 million winner of TV’s “American Ninja Warrior” competition lured an underage girl to New Jersey and Connecticut for sex, said federal authorities who arrested him. The girl’s mother confronted Andrew Drechsel, 31, after discovering he’d had sex with her daughter at his “Ninja Gym” in Hamden, CT as a 15th birthday present, authorities said. Drechsel, who was 26 at the time, didn’t deny the abuse but, rather, claimed that he didn’t know her daughter’s age, they said. He reached out and met the girl again for several sexual encounters in New Jersey, at least one of which was i…

SHARE

by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
‘American Ninja Warrior’ Champ Drew Drechsel Accused Of Having Years-Long Sex With NJ Teen ‘American Ninja Warrior’ Champ Drew Drechsel Accused Of Having Years-Long Sex With NJ Teen
‘American Ninja Warrior’ Champ Drew Drechsel Accused Of Having Years-Long Sex With NJ Teen A three-time winner of NBC’s “American Ninja Warrior” is accused of multiple sex crimes involving an underage girl, authorities said. Drew Drechsel, known as “The Real Life Ninja” on the show, was arrested Tuesday at his home in Saint Cloud, Florida. Drechsel is accused of manufacturing child pornography, enticing a minor to travel for sex and use of interstate commerce to entice a minor, according to a news release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office. The alleged victim said she and Drechsel had sex multiple times around New Jersey, including in the parking lot of a restaurant and outside a gy…

SHARE

by Jon Craig
Events
Iliza Shlesinger, Queen Cover Band Performing At Jersey Shore Drive-In Concert Iliza Shlesinger, Queen Cover Band Performing At Jersey Shore Drive-In Concert
Iliza Shlesinger, Queen Cover Band Performing At Jersey Shore Drive-In Concert Comic Iliza Shlesinger and "Queen" cover band "Almost Queen" have been added to Drive-In Live at Monmouth Park The band will play Wednesday, July 29, with Shlesinger set to perform Thursday, July 30.  The drive-in show is presented by the Count Basie Center for the Arts in Red Bank. Tickets are $110 to $250 per vehicle for "Almost Queen" and $135 to $250 for Shlesinger.  Tickets go on sale 10 a.m. Thursday, July 2 on Ticketmaster.com. "Almost Queen" is a deliberate, four-piece band that delivers a live performance showcasing four-part harmonies and intricate musical in…

SHARE

by Cecilia Levine
Lifestyle
TONIGHT: New Jersey Athletes Compete On NBC's 'The Titan Games' TONIGHT: New Jersey Athletes Compete On NBC's 'The Titan Games'
Tonight: New Jersey Athletes Compete On NBC's 'The Titan Games' One is a firefighter. Another quit her corporate job to pursue a career in fitness. The third is a DJ with an incredible weight loss journey. All three are New Jersey residents and among 32 contestants on Season 2 of NBC's "The Titan Games," premiering Monday, May 25 at 8 p.m. The three competitors representing New Jersey are Courtney Roselle, a professional CrossFit athlete and Cedar Grove native currently living in Jersey City; Shantal Athill, an Orange firefighter and former Rutgers track team member (a four-year letter winner, too), and Kareem Brinson, a DJ and fitness coach from Howell…

SHARE

by Cecilia Levine
Lifestyle
Lyndhurst Songwriter Could Get Big Break On NBC Show 'Songland' Lyndhurst Songwriter Could Get Big Break On NBC Show 'Songland'
Lyndhurst Songwriter Could Get Big Break On NBC Show 'Songland' A 29-year-old Lyndhurst resident will star on Season 2 of NBC's songwriting competition "Songland" next month. Ckay -- a Nutley native whose real name is Christina Kapushy -- will pitch an original song to guest celebrity artist and five-time CMA-winning country superstar Martina McBride, along with series producer-mentors Ryan Tedder, Shane McAnally and Ester Dean. A classically-trained opera singer, Ckay's musical journey began when she was 12 years old, performing in famous venues such as Carnegie Hall. At her uncle's urging, she auditioned for “Showtime at the Apollo” when she was 16 a…

SHARE

by Cecilia Levine