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Police & Fire
Hardyston Church Blaze Was Contained Thanks To Closed Door, Authorities Say Hardyston Church Blaze Was Contained Thanks To Closed Door, Authorities Say
Hardyston Church Blaze Was Contained Thanks To Closed Door, Authorities Say A closed office door at a Hardyston church is to thank for the minimal damage sustained in a fire that otherwise could've been much worse, officials said. Fire crews responded to Christian Faith Fellowship Church on Route 94 after alarms sounded in the office around 6:30 p.m. Monday, NJHerald reports. Fortunately, the doors to the church’s office were closed, proving to be a critical factor in keeping it contained to the room and a small carpeted area outside. The Sussex County Fire Marshal’s Office and fire crews from Sparta, Hamburg, Franklin, McAfee, and Ogdensburg were called to assist…

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by Valerie Musson
Police & Fire
Sussex County Man Killed In Pickup, Box Truck Crash Sussex County Man Killed In Pickup, Box Truck Crash
Sussex County Man Killed In Pickup, Box Truck Crash A 70-year-old man was killed after his pickup truck was struck by a box truck early Friday morning, authorities said. The box truck, driven by a 26-year-old Quarryville, PA man, was heading north on State Highway 23 when it struck the pickup, making a left out of the the Irish Cottage Inn parking lot onto the southbound side of the roadway around 6 a.m., Franklin police said in a release. The pickup then hit several road signs and veered off State Highway 23 as a result of the impact, police said. The south bound lane of State Highway 23 was closed for several hours during the investigatio…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
NJ's Coronavirus Deaths Surpass 1,500, Murphy Moves Primary NJ's Coronavirus Deaths Surpass 1,500, Murphy Moves Primary
NJ's Coronavirus Deaths Surpass 1,500, Murphy Moves Primary New Jersey's primary election will be moved from Tuesday June 2 until Tuesday July 7, Gov. Phil Murphy announced at Wednesday's briefing, noting an additional 3,088 new positive cases had been reported. The state has recorded 47,437 positive cases of COVID-19, Murphy said. Another 275 state residents have died of coronavirus, bringing New Jersey's total deaths to 1,504, Gov. Phil Murphy said Wednesday. "It is still increasing,'' Murphy said. "We need to tighten rather than loosen (restrictions). Sadly, fatalities are continuing to spike." Murphy also announced new executive order…

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by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
Sussex County Man With Arrest Record Blames Black Man For COVID-19 Pandemic, Police Say Sussex County Man With Arrest Record Blames Black Man For COVID-19 Pandemic, Police Say
Sussex County Man With Arrest Record Blames Black Man For Covid-19 Pandemic, Police Say A Sussex County who  once threatened to kidnap a JCP&L worker during a power outage was taken into custody again, this time for blaming a black man for the COVID-19 pandemic, said authorities who charged him. Authorities responding to ShopRite on reports of a bias incident Sunday morning found Robert A. Winter, 65, of Vernon, had used racial slurs while blaming a black man -- in part -- for the spread of coronavirus, Franklin police said in a release. Winter was charged with simple assault, terroristic threats, harassment and bias intimidation. He was charged, processed and r…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Authorities Investigating Sussex County Fire Authorities Investigating Sussex County Fire
Authorities Investigating Sussex County Fire The cause of a two-alarm fire at a vacant home early Saturday morning in Sussex County remained under investigation hours later. Flames shot out of a vacant two-story home behind Ballyowen Golf Club on Wheatsworth Road just after 4:40 a.m. The fire rose to two alarms, bringing firefighters from Franklin, McAfee Pochuck Valley and Hamburg to the scene.  The blaze was under control by 6:40 a.m., fire officials said. Glenwood Pochuck Volunteer Ambulance Corps and Saint Clare’s Emergency Medical Services also responded.

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Franklin Woman Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Teen Franklin Woman Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Teen
Franklin Woman Accused Of Sexually Assaulting Teen A Franklin woman is accused of sexually assaulting a juvenile, authorities said. Crystal Seidner, 38, was arrested after authorities received a tip that the teen -- between ages 13 and 16 -- was assaulted at a local home in November 2018, Franklin police said. Seidner was charged with sexual assault and endangering the welfare of a child.  She was processed and released in accordance with the New Jersey bail reform act, pending an appearance in Sussex County Superior Court.

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Don't Fall For It: Franklin Police Warn Of 'Publishers Clearing House' Scam Don't Fall For It: Franklin Police Warn Of 'Publishers Clearing House' Scam
Don't Fall For It: Franklin Police Warn Of 'Publishers Clearing House' Scam Franklin police are warning the public of a recent phone and mail scam. Several residents have reported receiving a phone call or letter stating that they’ve won the Publishers Clearing House sweepstakes, but in order to collect the prize, victims are directed to send money to pay for fees and taxes.  "These types of scams typically direct the victim to send money by Western Union or MoneyGram, or by getting a reloadable card or gift card," Franklin police said. Scammers have also been known to send a realistic-looking check in the mail, which is ultimately found to be fraudulent.&nbs…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Authorities: Sussex County Man Leads Virginia Police On High-Speed Chase In Stolen Pickup Authorities: Sussex County Man Leads Virginia Police On High-Speed Chase In Stolen Pickup
Authorities: Sussex County Man Leads Virginia Police On High-Speed Chase In Stolen Pickup A 32-year-old Sussex County man was taken into custody after leading police in Virginia on a high-speed chase in a pickup truck he stole from his mom's boyfriend, local authorities said. Samuel Courtright III entered the Franklin apartment that his mom and her boyfriend share, swiped the keys and drove off in their pickup truck Thursday, Franklin police said. Two days later -- and more than 550 miles away -- a Virginia state trooper saw the Ford F-150 speed by him on Interstate 81, according to a police report obtained by Daily Voice. The trooper activated his lights and siren, but the veh…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Man Who Stole Nearly $500 In Clothing, Merchandise From Walmart Nabbed In Franklin Man Who Stole Nearly $500 In Clothing, Merchandise From Walmart Nabbed In Franklin
Man Who Stole Nearly $500 In Clothing, Merchandise From Walmart Nabbed In Franklin Police arrested man who they say stole nearly $500 of merchandise from a Sussex County Walmart. Gerred Littles-Santiago, 30, of Unionville was caught on surveillance video stealing clothing, multiple cases of Red Bull and other merchandise totaling nearly $500 from Walmart in Franklin, local police said. The thefts occurred on Sept. 22 and Jan. 3, police say. Littles-Santiago was previously charged with DWI and petty larceny in Orange County, N.Y., records show. He was arrested Tuesday and charged with fourth-degree theft, then released as per the New Jersey bail reform act.  Little…

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by Valerie Musson
Lifestyle
Valentine's Day Is Coming: Check Out These 5 Top-Rated Sussex Candy Shops Valentine's Day Is Coming: Check Out These 5 Top-Rated Sussex Candy Shops
Valentine's Day Is Coming: Check Out These 5 Top-Rated Sussex Candy Shops Valentine’s Day is just around the corner, giving you the perfect opportunity to stop by a local candy shop and pick up something sweet. From old-fashioned favorites to customized creations, these shops have it all. Here are some of the highest-rated candy shops in Sussex County, according to Google: 1. Village Sweets LLC (75 Rt.15 in Newton, ‘The Shoppes at Lafayette’) Quality and craftsmanship are equally prioritized at Village Sweets in Newton, which earned a 4.2/5-star rating on Google. The shop’s owner, Tracey Williams, was born and raised in England and therefore “accustomed to good…

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by Valerie Musson
Police & Fire
Firefighters Battle Sussex County Barn Blaze For Hours Firefighters Battle Sussex County Barn Blaze For Hours
Firefighters Battle Sussex County Barn Blaze For Hours A barn blaze that broke out in Hardyston took several hours to be extinguished. Flames were shooting out of a barn behind 215 North Church Road when firefighters arrived around 8:30 p.m. Saturday. The fire quickly climbed to a second alarm as Hardyston companies battled with assistance from Mcafee, Lafayette, Ogdensburg, Franklin, Hamburg, Vernon, Pochuck Valley, Sussex and West Milford. Firefighters stayed at the scene digging up hay until around 1 a.m., to make sure the blaze wouldn't reignite. Glenwood Pochuck EMS and St. Clares EMS also responded, although no injuries were reported.

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Franklin PD: Passaic County Man, 32 Busted For Child Porn Was Chatting With Juvenile Online Franklin PD: Passaic County Man, 32 Busted For Child Porn Was Chatting With Juvenile Online
Franklin PD: Passaic County Man, 32 Busted For Child Porn Was Chatting With Juvenile Online A Passaic County man who'd been chatting online with a Sussex County juvenile was found Wednesday with child porn,  authorities said. Franklin police said they got a tip from another law enforcement agency that Damien S. Stefancik, 32, of New Milford had been communicating with the minor and was believed to have child pornography. Stefancik was arrested at a house in Ringwood and charged with possession of child pornography, lewdness observed by a child, obscenity for persons under 18 and child endangerment. He was released pending a first appearance in  Central Judicial Pro…

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by Cecilia Levine