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NJ Boy Severely Burned In Backyard Bonfire Gets Community Support NJ Boy Severely Burned In Backyard Bonfire Gets Community Support
NJ Boy Severely Burned In Backyard Bonfire Gets Community Support An outpouring of support was shown for 11-year-old Ryan Jastrzembski after most of his body was burned in an accident during a backyard bonfire in Mount Laurel. Joseph Boccuti, who is a friend and business partner of Ryan's father, started this GoFundMe page. "Young Ryan, only 11 years old, suffered burns over 90% of his body," he writes. "Needless to say, he has a long, extremely tough road ahead to recovery." The boy poured gasoline on the fire and the gas can exploded on Monday, Mount Laurel police said.  "Due to the large percentage of his body that was burned, the plan is n…

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by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
South Jersey Woman Found Beaten To Death, Person Of Interest Nabbed In Philly: Prosecutor South Jersey Woman Found Beaten To Death, Person Of Interest Nabbed In Philly: Prosecutor
South Jersey Woman Found Beaten To Death, Person Of Interest Nabbed In Philly: Prosecutor A 38-year-old woman from Burlington County was found bludgeoned to death in her bed, authorities said. A "person of interest" has been arrested in Philadelphia in connection with thefts from the woman, but no homicide charges have been filed, according to Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina. Melissa Malcolm, 38, was found dead after Mount Laurel police entered her home to conduct a wellness check at approximately 12:30 p.m. Wednesday because she did not show up for work, Coffina said. Coffina and Mount Laurel Township Police Chief Stephen Riedener said Thursday that Malcolm's d…

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by Jon Craig
News
Ex-US Airman From Jersey Shore Busted With 2,800 Child Porn Images, Feds Say Ex-US Airman From Jersey Shore Busted With 2,800 Child Porn Images, Feds Say
Ex-US Airman From Jersey Shore Busted With 2,800 Child Porn Images, Feds Say A former U.S. Air Force airman from the Jersey Shore was arrested by federal agents who said he’d amassed 2,800 images of child pornography that he made available for downloading. Former Airman 1st Class Jared Faircloth, 24, “received and distributed material containing images of child sexual abuse via the BitTorrent Network” from September 2020 through this past July, Acting U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Rachael Honig said. These included videos as well as photos, she said. Special agents of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Homeland Security Investigations were able to access the …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
All Firefighters Needed For Mount Laurel House Blaze All Firefighters Needed For Mount Laurel House Blaze
All Firefighters Needed For Mount Laurel House Blaze It was an "all hands" outcry for firefighters in South Jersey, authorities said. The call came in at at 9:45 a.m.  about a blaze breaking out at 14 Federal Street in Mount Laurel, Burlington County, reports said.  Command said the fire was throughout the building but that they were making good progress, reports said. There was a partial collapse of the building's side, a report said.  About 10 a.m., reports said, there still were some pockets of fire they can’t access. Command going to put a ladder pipe in service to try and extinguish them."  CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES

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by Jon Craig
News
Feds: Accomplice Of NJ Bank Employee Admits Swiping $600,000 From Customers With Stolen IDs Feds: Accomplice Of NJ Bank Employee Admits Swiping $600,000 From Customers With Stolen IDs
Feds: Accomplice Of NJ Bank Employee Admits Swiping $600,000 From Customers With Stolen IDs A Bronx man admitted that he conspired with a South Jersey bank employee to steal more than $600,000 from unsuspecting victims after swiping their IDs, federal authorities said. Lamar Melhado, 32, used screenshots of customers’ information and signatures that were supplied to him and others by Jamere Hill-Birdsong of Gloucester City, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said Thursday. Hill-Birdson, who worked for a call center at a Mount Laurel bank, recruited co-workers to take photos or screenshots of customers’ information and signatures and then pass them on to him and Melhado, she sai…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Business
'On The Border' Restaurant Opens At Ocean County Mall 'On The Border' Restaurant Opens At Ocean County Mall
'On The Border' Restaurant Opens At Ocean County Mall There's a new On The Border restaurant coming to Ocean County Mall in 2022, the 6th to open in New Jersey. The other five popular Mexican eateries from the Texas-based chain are in Mount Laurel, New Brunswick, Paramus, Princeton and Woodland Park. The chain's Tex-Mex restaurants have been cooking up specialties since 1982 and are located in 114 communities nationwide. The Ocean County Mall website announces the expected opening date for the new On The Border in Toms River as Feb. 28, 2022. On The BorderOn The Border "From using mesquite-wood grills to sear special marinades into our f…

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by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
NJ Man Hit With New Charge, 4 Neighbors Arrested In Viral Bias Intimidation Incident NJ Man Hit With New Charge, 4 Neighbors Arrested In Viral Bias Intimidation Incident
NJ Man Hit With New Charge, 4 Neighbors Arrested In Viral Bias Intimidation Incident The Mount Laurel man arrested in July for bias intimidation of his neighbors and other crimes has been charged with leaving a threatening note on one of his victim’s cars earlier this year, and also vandalizing the victim’s vehicle, authorities said. Edward C. Mathews, 45, of Gramercy Way, was charged Tuesday with bias intimidation and harassment, according to Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina. Four other rioters and neighbors were also charged with discharging pepper spray at police, throwing a brick through Mathews' home and more. Mathews was served with the new charges at the B…

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by Jon Craig
News
Suspended NJ Jail Officer Indicted In Shooting That Killed Medical Worker, Wounded Patient Suspended NJ Jail Officer Indicted In Shooting That Killed Medical Worker, Wounded Patient
Suspended NJ Jail Officer Indicted In Shooting That Killed Medical Worker, Wounded Patient A suspended New Jersey corrections officer who opened fire in a doctor's office when he couldn't book an appointment has been indicted for murder, authorities said. Bruce Gomola Jr., 52, was charged with first-degree murder, aggravated assault and possession of a weapon, according to Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina. Gomola, from Burlington Township, worked at Burlington County Jail in Mount Holly at the time of last summer's fatal shooting at a medical office, Coffina said. He has been suspended without pay and is being held in a detention facility in northern New Jersey, Coffin…

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by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
NJ Man Accused Of Harassing Black Neighbor In Video Gets Jeered By 100 Angry Protesters NJ Man Accused Of Harassing Black Neighbor In Video Gets Jeered By 100 Angry Protesters
NJ Man Accused Of Harassing Black Neighbor In Video Gets Jeered By 100 Angry Protesters A Mount Laurel man seen in a viral video harassing his black neighbors was arrested, sparking a protest involving nearly 100 people outside of his home on Monday. The crowds gathered outside of Edward Cagney Mathews' condo in the Essex Place development for hours, three days after the 45-year-old resident was charged with harassment and biased intimidation. Dozens of rioters jeered and threw objects at Mathews, who was escorted out of his home by police for unknown reasons.  Mathews' arrest came after a neighbor reported being continually harassed by him, police said.  It was around that…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
NJ Man Who Went On Racial Tirade Newly Charged With Stalking, Damaging Neighbors' Vehicles NJ Man Who Went On Racial Tirade Newly Charged With Stalking, Damaging Neighbors' Vehicles
NJ Man Who Went On Racial Tirade Newly Charged With Stalking, Damaging Neighbors' Vehicles A 45-year-old South Jersey man captured in a viral video harassing his black neighbors has been newly charged with damaging their vehicles, stalking and drug-dealing offenses, authorities said. Edward C. Mathews, of Mount Laurel, was charged Thursday with multiple counts of criminal mischief, multiple drug-related offenses including dealing drugs, stalking and several weapons offenses, the Burlington County prosecutor said. Mathews, who was being held  in Burlington County Jail in Mount Holly, was initially charged on July 2, and again on Monday, with several counts of harassment, bias…

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by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
NJ Man Accused Of Harassing Black Neighbor In Video Gets Jeered By 100 Angry Protesters NJ Man Accused Of Harassing Black Neighbor In Video Gets Jeered By 100 Angry Protesters
NJ Man Accused Of Harassing Black Neighbor In Video Gets Jeered By 100 Angry Protesters A Mount Laurel man seen in a viral video harassing his black neighbors was arrested, sparking a protest involving nearly 100 people outside of his home on Monday. The crowds gathered outside of Edward Cagney Mathews' condo in the Essex Place development for hours, three days after the 45-year-old resident was charged with harassment and biased intimidation. Dozens of rioters jeered and threw objects at Mathews, who was escorted out of his home by police for unknown reasons.  Mathews' arrest came after a neighbor reported being continually harassed by him, police said.  It was around that…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
9 More Men Busted In Massive South Jersey Child Porn Sting, Prosecutor Says 9 More Men Busted In Massive South Jersey Child Porn Sting, Prosecutor Says
9 More Men Busted In Massive South Jersey Child Porn Sting, Prosecutor Says A multi-agency child porn sting in South Jersey led to the arrest of nine more child pornography suspects, authorities said. Operation Safe Quarantine took place during the COVD-19 pandemic when many children stayed indoors on cellphones and computers, Coffina said. The year-long sting included federal, state and local detectives.  Investigators.  They tracked down and arrested a total of 46 online predators including those possessing or sharing child pornography, according to Burlington County Prosecutor Scott Coffina. Newly charged with endangering the welfare of a c…

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by Jon Craig