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NJ Reports Three West Nile Virus Cases NJ Reports Three West Nile Virus Cases
NJ Reports Three West Nile Virus Cases The New Jersey Department of Health has confirmed the state’s first human cases of the West Nile Virus, much earlier than in prior seasons. Two residents, one more than 70 years old and the other under 18, tested positive for the illness transmitted by mosquitoes after reporting symptoms in the first week of July, the state's health department said. The individuals, from Union and Middlesex counties, were hospitalized and have since been discharged. A third case of an asymptomatic WNV-positive blood donor was later reported, the DOH said. They were identified as a Somerset County resid…

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by Cecilia Levine
Business
Pizza From Brothers' NJ Shop Leaves Crunch To Be Desired, Portnoy Says Pizza From Brothers' NJ Shop Leaves Crunch To Be Desired, Portnoy Says
Pizza From Brothers' NJ Shop Leaves Crunch To Be Desired, Portnoy Says Dave Portnoy is kicking off another "One Bite" New Jersey pizza review tour in Old Bridge.  Barstool Sports' CEO stopped by Via Sposito in Old Bridge, where he said he had one day to load up on pies before his colonoscopy. That's besides the point. On to the pizza. Portnoy ultimately gave the pizza a 7.4, telling owner Anthony Esposito his pies could use a little bit more crunch — but putting it in a cardboard box definitely wasn't helping. Via Sposito is owned by Anthony and his brother, Vincent Esposito Jr., both fourth generation Italians whose family previously lived in Brooklyn,…

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by Cecilia Levine
Weather
Storm Update: Flooding, Crashes Close NJ Roads Storm Update: Flooding, Crashes Close NJ Roads
Storm Update: Flooding, Crashes Close NJ Roads Following fierce storms swept through the region Tuesday evening, Aug. 6, many roadways were still flooded and wet, making for treacherous commutes Wednesday, Aug. 7. As of 8 a.m., Route 17 north was closed in Hasbrouck Heights at Route 46 due to flooding. The borough's fire department shared scenes from local streets. Last night, members stood by at the firehouse in anticipation of the storm. For several hours, the department responded... Posted by Hasbrouck Heights Fire Department on Wednesday, August 7, 2024 Last night, members stood by at the firehouse in anticipation of the st…

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by Cecilia Levine
Schools
Top Educators In Each Of NJ's 21 Counties Named Top Educators In Each Of NJ's 21 Counties Named
Top Educators In Each Of NJ's 21 Counties Named The New Jersey Department of Education has named the top 21 educators in the state. The department released the list of the 2024-25 New Jersey County Teachers of the Year on Tuesday, Aug. 6.  They are: Atlantic County: Carly Broomhead, Visual Arts Teacher at Emma C. Attales Middle School in the Absecon School District Bergen County: Margarita Diakos, Special Education Teacher at Ramsey High School in the Ramsey School District Burlington County: Margaret Fanourgakis, Health & Physical Education Teacher at Shawnee High School in the Lenape Regional Hi…

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by Cecilia Levine
Weather
Tracking Hurricane Debby, Severe Storms Expected To Slam Northeast This Week Tracking Hurricane Debby, Severe Storms Expected To Slam Northeast This Week
Tracking Hurricane Debby, Severe Storms Expected To Slam Northeast This Week The Northeast is in for a wild week of weather. AccuWeather forecasters say episodes of drenching rain and heavy winds are working their way across the country and are expected to arrive in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Maryland on Tuesday, Aug. 6. AccuWeather The above AccuWeather map shows which part of the region will be most impacted by the storms arriving Tuesday afternoon and lasting into the evening. Those include the Pennsylvania-Maryland border, South Jersey, and the Philadelphia and Baltimore areas. Tuesday will be sunny and hot with a high of 90 before storms roll in,…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
You Can Audition For 'American Idol' Virtually — As Long As You Were Born Between These Dates You Can Audition For 'American Idol' Virtually — As Long As You Were Born Between These Dates
You Can Audition For 'American Idol' Virtually — As Long As You Were Born Between These Dates Are you the next "American Idol?" The popular ABC singing competition is holding virtual auditions for the upcoming season this month and next. As long as you are of a certain age (scroll down for audition dates). According to the "American Idol" casting application website, contestants must be born between June 2, 1995 and Feb. 15, 2010.  Additionally, contestants must be legal U.S. residents authorized to participate in the entire competition. Auditions for residents in Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania via Zoom will be Wednesday, Aug. 21.  Virginia re…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Mugshots Released Of Murder Suspect, Brothers Charged In NJ Actress' Death Mugshots Released Of Murder Suspect, Brothers Charged In NJ Actress' Death
Mugshots Released Of Murder Suspect, Brothers Charged In NJ Actress' Death Philadelphia police have released the mugshots of the man accused of killing a New Jersey actress and the two brothers charged with hindering apprehension in the case. Gregg Page, 34, has been charged with murder in the Atlantic City slaying of 32-year-old Carley Elbert, an actress from Sewell, on Thursday, Aug. 1.  Page also is also charged with attempted murder for shooting a 29-year-old Pleasantville woman, who survived, at the same time as Elbert, the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office said (scroll for mugshots). Ryan Schnenck, 30, and his brother, Ramir Schenck, 27, were charged…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
These 19 Clever Road Safety Signs Are Delighting NJ Drivers This Summer These 19 Clever Road Safety Signs Are Delighting NJ Drivers This Summer
These 19 Clever Road Safety Signs Are Delighting NJ Drivers This Summer Safe driving is no laughing matter for the New Jersey Department of Transportation. But who's to say they can't have some fun in promoting it? You may have noticed the 19 safety signs rotating across the 224 video message boards across Garden State highways this summer — each one seemingly better than the last (scroll down for a complete list of this season's messages). The NJDOT regularly runs safe driving PSAs to remind motorists of the various behavioral issues such as texting while driving, safe merging, and speeding, all of which contributed to crashes, NJDOT spokeswoman Elizabet…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
NJ Actress, 32, Killed In Double Shooting Overcame Rare Disease NJ Actress, 32, Killed In Double Shooting Overcame Rare Disease
NJ Actress, 32, Killed In Double Shooting Overcame Rare Disease Carley Elbert was no stranger to pain. The 32-year-old New Jersey actress spent years of her life battling a rare illness, Mast Cell Disease. Elbert shared her struggles with the hundreds of people who followed her journey, spreading awareness about the illness in a Facebook group called Hope For Carley. Her last post in the group was a TikTok video she made last November. In it, Elbert celebrates being a Mast Cell Disease survivor, bouncing along to music in her car. While Elbert survived years of pain and hospitalizations, her life ended tragically and suddenly this week, when the Atlan…

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by Chris Spiker & Cecilia Levine
News
NJ Man Sentenced For Sexually Assaulting Passenger On United Airlines Flight: Feds NJ Man Sentenced For Sexually Assaulting Passenger On United Airlines Flight: Feds
NJ Man Sentenced For Sexually Assaulting Passenger On United Airlines Flight: Feds A New Jersey man who admitted to sexually assaulting a woman passenger seated next to him on a United Airlines flight has been sentenced to six months of home confinement, authorities said. Piyush Mathew, 31, of Robbinsville Township, must also serve five years of probation and register as a sex offender, the U.S. Attorney's Office said on Thursday, Aug. 1. Mathew, who pleaded guilty in March, was sentenced on Wednesday, July 31. In court documents, the government alleged that on Sept. 7, 2023, Mathew and the victim, identified as Jane Doe, were seated next to each other on United Airlines…

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by Jon Craig
News
Prisoner Swap: First Photo Shows New Jersey WSJ Reporter In Release From Russian Captivity Prisoner Swap: First Photo Shows New Jersey WSJ Reporter In Release From Russian Captivity
Prisoner Swap: First Photo Shows New Jersey WSJ Reporter In Release From Russian Captivity Evan Gershkovich is a free man.  The 32-year-old New Jersey native was among three United States residents released from prison in Russia in on Thursday, Aug. 1, in what's being called the biggest prisoner swap between since 1991. Gershkovich, former U.S. Marine Paul Whelan, and radio journalism Alsu Kurmasheva, were the prisoners released to American soil. The massive swap freed more than two dozen prisoners from six different countries. A photo shared by President Joe Biden to X shows the former hostages smiling, and proudly displaying an American flag, on an airplane. "…

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by Jon Craig & Cecilia Levine
News
Powerball Ticket Sold Statewide In NJ Wins $100K Powerball Ticket Sold Statewide In NJ Wins $100K
Powerball Ticket Sold Statewide In NJ Wins $100K It was a wonderful Wednesday for a Powerball player in New Jersey. A ticket sold online in New Jersey matched four numbers plus the red Powerball in the drawing held on Wednesday, July 31, winning $100,000. The ticket was sold online via the Jackpocket app, which is based in Hewitt in Passaic County. The winning numbers were 23, 34, 37, 50, 58 and the red Powerball was 7.

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by Sam Barron