Fair 56°
Business
These 18 NJ Big Lots Stores Are Among Nearly 1,000 Closing Nationwide: Here's When These 18 NJ Big Lots Stores Are Among Nearly 1,000 Closing Nationwide: Here's When
These 18 NJ Big Lots Stores Are Among Nearly 1,000 Closing Nationwide: Here's When Big Lots, the popular discount retailer, is officially going out of business.  The company, which filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September, has announced plans to close all 963 of its remaining stores nationwide, including 18 locations in New Jersey. The last day of business is expected to be in mid-February, according to sources familiar with the closures. While official store closing sales have not yet begun, all Christmas items are currently 50% off, offering shoppers a chance to stock up before the doors shut for good. The closures mark the end of an era for the budget-friendl…

SHARE

by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
NJ Transit Employee Missing: Newark Police NJ Transit Employee Missing: Newark Police
NJ Transit Employee Missing: Newark Police A 45-year-old Newark man who works for NJ Transit, was reported missing on Saturday, Dec. 14. Jason Gray last spoke with his family on Friday, November 22, Newark Public Safety Director Eugene Miranda said. He has not reported to his workplace, and his neighbors near the 700 block of South Orange Avenue have not seen him for the past few weeks, Miranda said. Gray is 5'9" and 160 lbs. with a bald head and brown eyes, Miranda said.  Anyone with information is asked to call police at 1-877-695-8477.

SHARE

by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
20 Years In Prison For German Man Who Traveled To NJ For Sex With Kids: Feds 20 Years In Prison For German Man Who Traveled To NJ For Sex With Kids: Feds
20 Years In Prison For German Man Who Traveled To NJ For Sex With Kids: Feds A 40-year-old German man was sentenced to 20 years in prison on Wednesday, Dec. 18 after admitting he traveled to New Jersey to have sex with a minor, authorities said. In January 2023, undercover officers began chatting with Christian Stefan Walther abut his desire to have sex with young children, US Attorney Philip Sellinger said.  Walther sent an undercover officer two videos, each of which depicted an adult male engaging in sexual conduct with a prepubescent aged female child, Sellinger said. Walther also expressed his desire to engage in sexual conduct with children aged…

SHARE

by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Two Newark Men Plead Guilty To Trafficking Fentanyl: Feds Two Newark Men Plead Guilty To Trafficking Fentanyl: Feds
Two Newark Men Plead Guilty To Trafficking Fentanyl: Feds Two Newark men pleaded guilty on Wednesday, Dec. 18 to being members of a drug trafficking organization that distributed hundreds of kilograms of fentanyl analogues, authorities said. From January 2014 through September 2020, Thomas Padovano, 50, and Bartholomew Padovano, 72, agreed to import and distribute various controlled substances and controlled substance analogues, including fentanyl, fentanyl analogues, methylone, and ketamine, US Attorney Philip Sellinger said. The Padovanos placed orders with a source in China and distributed the controlled substances and analogues in Ne…

SHARE

by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Jersey City Man Shot Rival Gang Members: Feds Jersey City Man Shot Rival Gang Members: Feds
Jersey City Man Shot Rival Gang Members: Feds A 33-year-old Jersey City man was charged on Thursday, Dec. 19 with shooting rival gang members, authorities said. Micah Reid is a member of the Rutgers neighborhood street gang which operates in Triangle Park in Jersey City, US Attorney Phillip Sellinger said.  On Sunday, Oct. 1, 2003,  Reid, driving a stolen vehicle, shot at members and associates of rival street gangs who were exiting a nightclub on Culver Avenue in Jersey City, Sellinger said. Six people suffered gunshot wounds, Sellinger said. Reid was charged with one count of violent crime in aid of racketeering …

SHARE

by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
East Orange Drug Trafficker Possessed Assault Rifles, Dealt Cocaine, Heroin: Feds East Orange Drug Trafficker Possessed Assault Rifles, Dealt Cocaine, Heroin: Feds
East Orange Drug Trafficker Possessed Assault Rifles, Dealt Cocaine, Heroin: Feds A 32-year-old East Orange man pleaded guilty on Thursday, Dec. 19 to distributing cocaine and heroin and possessing two assault rifles, authorities said. Azmar Carrer pleaded guilty in Newark Federal Court to two counts of distribution and possession with intent to distribute cocaine, possession of firearms and ammunition by a convicted felon, and possession with intent to distribute heroin and cocaine, US Attorney Philip Sellinger said. In 2021, law enforcement began investigating a drug trafficking organization based in Orange, Sellinger said. During the investigation, Carter di…

SHARE

by Sam Barron
Business
Drugstore Deserts On Rise Amid Nationwide Pharmacy Closures Drugstore Deserts On Rise Amid Nationwide Pharmacy Closures
Drugstore Deserts On Rise Amid Nationwide Pharmacy Closures Nearly 30 percent of US pharmacies closed between 2010 and 2021, according to a new study in the health-policy publication Health Affairs. The research, led by University of California Berkeley assistant professor Jenny S. Guadamuz and colleagues, analyzed data from the National Council for Prescription Drug Programs, county health statistics, and ZIP Code demographic surveys.  Of the 88,930 retail pharmacies operating in 2010, almost one-third shuttered by 2021, with those in predominantly Black and Latino neighborhoods disproportionately affected, Independent pharmacies were hit ha…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
Ex-Paterson Mayor Avoids Jailtime In Admitting To Violating Public Office Ban Ex-Paterson Mayor Avoids Jailtime In Admitting To Violating Public Office Ban
Ex-Paterson Mayor Avoids Jailtime In Admitting To Violating Public Office Ban Former Paterson Mayor Jose “Joey” Torres pleaded guilty to criminal contempt for defying a 2017 court order permanently barring him from running for or holding public office, Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin announced. Torres, 66, admitted during a hearing on Thursday, Dec. 19, in Passaic County Superior Court that his 2022 bid to reclaim the mayor’s seat violated the judicial order. The plea, to a fourth-degree criminal contempt charge, followed an investigation by the Office of Public Integrity and Accountability (OPIA)’s Corruption Bureau. Under the terms of the plea agreement, the St…

SHARE

by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Photos Show Plane Crash Near Lakewood Airport, 4 Miraculously Survive (UPDATE) Photos Show Plane Crash Near Lakewood Airport, 4 Miraculously Survive (UPDATE)
Photos Show Plane Crash Near Lakewood Airport, 4 Miraculously Survive (Update) A small plane crashed near Lakewood's airport, leaving four passengers injured, authorities said. Officers received a call about the crash at the Lakewood Township Municipal Airport just before 4 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 19, a Lakewood Police Department spokesperson said. Emergency responders arrived at the scene and found the plane in a wooded area. The general aviation airport is located on 191 acres off Cedarbridge Avenue and is operated by the township government. Photos were shared by The Lakewood Scoop, who was the first to report the story. View this pos…

SHARE

by Chris Spiker
Business
Big Lots To Begin 'Going Out Of Business' Sales At Nearly 1,000 Remaining Stores Big Lots To Begin 'Going Out Of Business' Sales At Nearly 1,000 Remaining Stores
Big Lots To Begin 'Going Out Of Business' Sales At Nearly 1,000 Remaining Stores Big Lots has announced plans to close all of its remaining 963 stores, initiating "going out of business" sales following its Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing in September. The company says it's started the process of closing stores in 48 states and liquidating inventory under its court-supervised Chapter 11 bankruptcy proceedings.  The decision comes as the retailer seeks to maximize value for stakeholders while exploring potential going-concern sale opportunities. "We all have worked extremely hard and have taken every step to complete a going concern sale," Big Lots' President and Chie…

SHARE

by Joe Lombardi
News
FAA Bans Drones From Flying Over Parts Of New Jersey: See The List FAA Bans Drones From Flying Over Parts Of New Jersey: See The List
FAA Bans Drones From Flying Over Parts Of New Jersey: See The List New Jersey’s skies are getting a no-drone zone makeover.  In response to a string of drone sightings that have raised eyebrows and security concerns across the state, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has issued 22 Temporary Flight Restrictions (TFRs) banning drones from buzzing around "critical New Jersey infrastructure." Prompted by a request from federal security partners, the restrictions are set to take effect Wednesday, Dec. 17, and will run through Friday, Jan. 17. The no-fly zones below aim to curb potential risks posed by drones near sensitive sites and ensure airspace…

SHARE

by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Drugs, Ghost Guns, Corruption: Former NJ Police Sergeant Indicted, Prosecutors Say Drugs, Ghost Guns, Corruption: Former NJ Police Sergeant Indicted, Prosecutors Say
Drugs, Ghost Guns, Corruption: Former NJ Police Sergeant Indicted, Prosecutors Say A former Middletown police sergeant was given 22 criminal charges after an investigation revealed a web of illegal activity involving untraceable guns, drugs, and abuse of power, authorities said. David Ringkamp, 43, was indicted by a grand jury, Monmouth County Prosecutor Raymond Santiago said in a news release on Thursday, Dec. 19. Ringkamp was formerly a Union Beach resident. The investigation into Ringkamp began in December 2021. New York State Police identified Nicholas D’Ambrosio of Millstone as someone purchasing kits to assemble ghost guns, which are illegal in New Jersey.…

SHARE

by Chris Spiker