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Man Drowns In NJ 'Hidden Gem' Popularized On TikTok Man Drowns In NJ 'Hidden Gem' Popularized On TikTok
Man Drowns In NJ 'Hidden Gem' Popularized On TikTok A 23-year-old Plainfield man drowned at a former mining property in Ocean County, authorities said. The body of Edwin Caballero was pulled from Crystal Lake at the Heritage Mineral property in Manchester Sunday morning, Manchester Township police said. Several videos of Crystal Lake have been popping up on social video-sharing platform TikTok, calling the spot a "hidden gem." A Manchester Township police spokesperson warned, though, the water can be "very unpredictable and dangerously unstable." "Those entering the water will quickly realize that after taking a few steps in the soft, unsta…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Community Rallies For Kennel Owners Who Lost Jersey Shore Home, Pets To Lightning Strike Blaze Community Rallies For Kennel Owners Who Lost Jersey Shore Home, Pets To Lightning Strike Blaze
Community Rallies For Kennel Owners Who Lost Jersey Shore Home, Pets To Lightning Strike Blaze A Jersey Shore couple best known for working magic with animals, especially as popular dog-training professionals, were left homeless on Wednesday after a lightning strike destroyed their house and kennel -- killing several pets, authorities said,  Friends and clients of Liz Casterlin and Mark Buglio -- owners of J&R Kennel LLC at 318 Beckerville Road in Manchester -- have made a plea to the community to donate food and essential supplies to the couple.   At least two cats, a bird and several reptiles died in the fast-moving fire, which broke out in the 1½-story ranch hou…

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by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
Clothes Dryer Fire Spreads In Manchester Mobile Home Park Clothes Dryer Fire Spreads In Manchester Mobile Home Park
Clothes Dryer Fire Spreads In Manchester Mobile Home Park Manchester area firefighters, police and EMS crews were called to Pine Acres Manor mobile home park late Friday morning, authorities said. The original emergency call at about 11 a.m. was for a clothes dryer on fire at 1881 Route 37 West, according to an alert by Manchester police.  The fire quickly spread to a structure and vehicle, according to initial, unconfirmed reports. The fire was reported "knocked down" within about 30 minutes. This is a developing news story. CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES.

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by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
Manchester PD: Burglary Ring Leader Captured After Driving Pickup Into Pond During Pursuit Manchester PD: Burglary Ring Leader Captured After Driving Pickup Into Pond During Pursuit
Manchester PD: Burglary Ring Leader Captured After Driving Pickup Into Pond During Pursuit An accused burglary ring leader who drove his pickup truck into a pond during a police chase was arrested on a warrant a short while later, Manchester police said. Craig Orler, 43 -- accused of running the ring that netted more than $100,000 -- had a warrant out for his arrest when he refused to pull over in a motor vehicle stop Wednesday, Manchester police said. He subsequently led police on a pursuit, which ended with Orler driving his 2014 Dodge Ram pickup truck into a pond and running into the woods, police said. He was arrested a short while later on a tip from the public, authori…

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by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
SEEN HIM? Fugitive Sought By Manchester Police After Evading Arrest SEEN HIM? Fugitive Sought By Manchester Police After Evading Arrest
Seen HIM? Fugitive Sought By Manchester Police After Evading Arrest Authorities are searching for a 43-year-old man with active arrest warrants who they said fled the scene of a motor vehicle stop. Police tried to stop a car about 10 a.m. Wednesday driven by Craig Orler of Jolson Court in Manchester, who is wanted on burglary and theft charges, Manchester police said in a statement. Orler was last seen in the area of Northampton Boulevard and the entrance to the Heritage Minerals property, police said. Orler is described by police as a white male, about 6 feet tall and around 170 pounds. Orler was last seen wearing a black baseball hat, a black jacket and …

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by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
Ocean County Brush Fire Ravages 100 Acres Ocean County Brush Fire Ravages 100 Acres
Ocean County Brush Fire Ravages 100 Acres Whiting Fire Company and the New Jersey Forest Fire Service contained a nearly 100-acre brush fire on Sunday near Harry Wright Lake in Manchester, authorities said. The fire had roared through about 20 acres when it was discovered, but burned another 80 acres before it was extinguished, according to a Facebook post from the fire company. Forked River Fire Department assisted. It was brought under control before reaching any homes, fire officials said. Manchester Police and the Ocean County Sheriff’s Department are investigating the cause, officials said.

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by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
NJSP: 3 Charged, 5,000 Heroin Folds, $28,688 Drug Cash Seized In Garfield-Based Drug Operation NJSP: 3 Charged, 5,000 Heroin Folds, $28,688 Drug Cash Seized In Garfield-Based Drug Operation
Njsp: 3 Charged, 5,000 Heroin Folds, $28,688 Drug Cash Seized In Garfield-Based Drug Operation New Jersey State Police smashed a Garfield-based drug operation, seizing 5,000 heroin folds and $28,668 in suspected proceeds while arresting three people. Detectives from the NJSP Opioid Enforcement Task Force (OETF) at first focused on Luis M. Cuebas, 28, who they said ran the operation in Garfield with Victoria L. Rodriguez, also 28. Cuebas supplied a large amount of drugs in Lodi to Jasmin R. Willis, 29, of Manchester, whom they stopped soon after on the southbound Garden State Parkway in Middletown. In her vehicle, Willis had the 5,000 heroin folds, they said. Other detectives at the…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Prosecutor: Kilo Of Cocaine, Firearms, Meth Seized In Ocean County SWAT Team Raid Prosecutor: Kilo Of Cocaine, Firearms, Meth Seized In Ocean County SWAT Team Raid
Prosecutor: Kilo Of Cocaine, Firearms, Meth Seized In Ocean County SWAT Team Raid The Ocean County SWAT Team seized more than two pounds of cocaine, loaded weapons, cash and other drugs from a pair of suspected dealers, authorities said. Victor Mendoza-Gutierrez, 24, of Manchester, and Jose Quintero, 36, of Brick, were arrested after a search of their homes turned up multiple loaded firearms, more than a kilo of cocaine, 20 grams of methamphetamine, marijuana, paraphernalia indicative of drug sales, a high-end security system and about $30,000 in cash, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said in a statement. Mendoza-Gutierrez was arrested at his house …

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by Jon Craig
Lifestyle
91-Year-Old Former Flight Attendant From Central Jersey Beats Coronavirus Odds 91-Year-Old Former Flight Attendant From Central Jersey Beats Coronavirus Odds
91-Year-Old Former Flight Attendant From Central Jersey Beats Coronavirus Odds A 91-year-old great-grandmother from Central Jersey beat the coronavirus odds. After being hospitalized last month with coronavirus and pneumonia, Jean Powell -- a former flight attendant from Manchester -- is among the rare survivors from her age group.  Powell's 65-year-old daughter from Lacey, Kim Wedemeyer, had feared the worst, telling the Asbury Park Press: “I thought she was gone. . . .They say when old people get this, it’s a death sentence.” “I thought she was gone,” Wedemeyer said. “They say when old people get this, it’s a death sentence.” Not for Powell. After 10 days, Co…

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by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
More Trouble In Lakewood: Police Crash Catered Backyard Party, Packed Toy Store Lot More Trouble In Lakewood: Police Crash Catered Backyard Party, Packed Toy Store Lot
More Trouble In Lakewood: Police Crash Catered Backyard Party, Packed Toy Store Lot Police shut down a Lakewood toy store that had more than 50 customers gathered outside while an employee took orders in violation of mandatory state coronavirus closures, authorities said. The customers who'd gathered in the packed Toys4U parking lot weren’t social distancing or wearing masks, state Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said. Ten employees also were together in the store – only three of them wearing masks, he said. Ten cars blocked the fire lane, the attorney general said. Police charged owner Yossi Itzkowitz and manager Tzvi Blau with violating Gov. Phil Murphy’s closure of “…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Manchester's K-9 Officer Storm Down But Not Out Manchester's K-9 Officer Storm Down But Not Out
Manchester's K-9 Officer Storm Down But Not Out A South Jersey K-9 officer will be off-duty for a few more weeks because of a battle against cancer. Manchester Officer Storm is a solid black, 6-year-old German Shepherd, and one of two members of the township’s K-9 Unit. “Our entire department’s thoughts are with K-9 Storm, who underwent successful surgery this morning (March 10) to remove his left eye due to a cancer diagnosis," the Manchester Police Department announced on its Facebook page. "Thankfully, Storm is resting comfortable under the care of his partner, Patrolman Marc Micciulla, and testing showed that there are no signs of…

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by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
Manchester Teenager Gets 18 Years In Prison For Killing His Mom Manchester Teenager Gets 18 Years In Prison For Killing His Mom
Manchester Teenager Gets 18 Years In Prison For Killing His Mom An 18-year-old from Ocean County was sentenced to 18 years in state prison for killing his mother, authorities said. Edgar Diaz of Manchester previously pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter in Margarita Diaz's death last August, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said. On Aug. 7, 2019, Toms River police were called to Deer Chase Professional Park for reports of an assault. Police arrived found an unresponsive female. Despite lifesaving efforts by first responders, the victim was pronounced dead at Community Medical Center, police said. Subsequent i…

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by Jon Craig