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Police & Fire
Thousands Without Power In Warren County Thousands Without Power In Warren County
Thousands Without Power In Warren County Thousands of Warren County residents were without power Tuesday morning, August 22, authorities said. According to JCP&L, nearly 8,500 of Warren County’s approximately 52,500 customers had lost electricity as of 8 a.m. Hackettstown was experiencing the highest number of outages with nearly 3,900 (77 percent), with Allamuchy Township at more than 2,500 (97 percent). Almost 2,000 Independence Township residents (76 percent) were left in the dark as of 8 a.m. ⚠️There is a power outage affecting parts of Hackettstown. JCP&L has been notified. Posted by Hackettstown Police Departm…

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by Valerie Musson
Business
Hackettstown Rite Aid Slated For Permanent Closure Hackettstown Rite Aid Slated For Permanent Closure
Hackettstown Rite Aid Slated For Permanent Closure The Rite Aid pharmacy in Hackettstown is closing its doors. The Mountain Avenue location’s last day open will be Wednesday, August 30. A spokesperson released the following statement: “Like all retail businesses, we regularly review each of our locations to ensure we are meeting the needs of our customers, communities and overall business. A decision to close a store is one we take very seriously and is based on a variety of factors including business strategy, lease and rent considerations, local business conditions and viability, and store performance. We review every neighborhood to ens…

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by Valerie Musson
Police & Fire
DRUG FRAUD: Crimebusters Smash Statewide NJ Ring That Stole, Forged Prescriptions For Codeine DRUG FRAUD: Crimebusters Smash Statewide NJ Ring That Stole, Forged Prescriptions For Codeine
Drug Fraud: Crimebusters Smash Statewide NJ Ring That Stole, Forged Prescriptions For Codeine An elaborate drug fraud ring operating in more than half the counties in New Jersey stole doctors’ prescription pads as part of a scheme to stock up on opioid-boosted cough syrup, authorities charged. Medical offices in various parts of the state – including Wayne, Morristown and Bridgewater – were broken into by Divinete Jeffries, 30, of East Orange, Attorney General Matthew Platkin said. Jefferies snatched prescription pads that were then forged and given to accomplices who submitted them to various pharmacies using stolen IDs and bogus driver’s licenses, according to an indictment return…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Business
Restaurateurs Join Forces To Open Tex-Mex Sports Bar In North Jersey Restaurateurs Join Forces To Open Tex-Mex Sports Bar In North Jersey
Restaurateurs Join Forces To Open Tex-Mex Sports Bar In North Jersey A sports bar featuring Tex-Mex specialties has opened its doors in Mount Olive. Lakeview Sports Bar & Grill, located at 311 Rt. 46 in Budd Lake, held its grand opening and ribbon-cutting ceremony Saturday, August 5: Ribbon Cutting for the Grand Opening of the Lakeview Sports Bar & Grill TODAY!! Located at 331 ROUTE 46 Budd Lake. If you're hungry and thirsty, head there! DJ starts at 9:30 p.m. and they close at 2:00 a.m. Posted by Mount Olive Township on Saturday, August 5, 2023 Launched by the owners of Taste of Italy in Hackettstown, Frank’s Trattoria in Byram, and Pezzo Pizza…

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by Valerie Musson
Obituaries
Unexpected Death Of Hackettstown Mom At 39 Prompts Outpour Of Community Support Unexpected Death Of Hackettstown Mom At 39 Prompts Outpour Of Community Support
Unexpected Death Of Hackettstown Mom At 39 Prompts Outpour Of Community Support The unexpected death of a beloved Hackettstown mother of two has prompted an outpour of support from the local community. Iryna Pradid died at Valley Hospital of Ridgewood on Monday, July 31, her obituary says. Born in Ukraine, the devoted mom and her family “were seeking a better life for themselves and their loved ones,” reads a GoFundMe launched for her funeral expenses. “Moving to a new country can be challenging, but it's a testament to their determination and hope for a brighter future. Their story highlights the struggles and aspirations of many families seeking opportunities abroad…

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by Valerie Musson
Police & Fire
Man, 29, Killed By NJ Transit Train Man, 29, Killed By NJ Transit Train
Man, 29, Killed By NJ Transit Train A 29-year-old Union County man was struck and killed by an NJ Transit train earlier this week in Essex County, officials said. Evan Krupp was struck by the Morris & Essex Line train near the Summit station around 1:20 p.m. Monday, July 24, NJ Transit spokesman Kyalo Mulumba said. The train had left Hackettstown just before noon and was set to arrive in Hoboken at 2 p.m., Mulumba said. No injuries were reported to the 45 passengers. The crash suspended service for several hours.

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by Cecilia Levine
News
WINNERS: 3 Powerball Tickets Worth $50K Sold In NJ WINNERS: 3 Powerball Tickets Worth $50K Sold In NJ
Winners: 3 Powerball Tickets Worth $50K Sold In NJ Three lucky Powerball tickets worth $50,000 each were sold across New Jersey. The tickets, which matched four of the five white balls and the Power Ball for the Saturday, July 22 drawing, were sold at: Mak on Main Liquors, 1500 Main St., Asbury Park (Monmouth County) M & R Discount Liquors, 408 21st Ave., Paterson (Passaic County) Sunmart BP, 2014 Route 57, Hackettstown (Warren County) The winning numbers were: 25, 27, 36, 37, and 63. The Red Power Ball was 07, and the Power Play was 2X. Each winner will take home t…

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by Valerie Musson
Police & Fire
'I Got You:' Video Shows Hackettstown Cop Lifting Elderly Woman Through Window Of Burning Home 'I Got You:' Video Shows Hackettstown Cop Lifting Elderly Woman Through Window Of Burning Home
'I Got You:' Video Shows Hackettstown Cop Lifting Elderly Woman Through Window Of Burning Home The moment a Hackettstown Police officer saved a 91-year-old woman from a burning home by lifting her out the window was captured in a heroic video clip. The blaze broke out at a home on Thomas Drive just after 2:25 a.m. on Saturday, June 24. Independence Township Police responded and assisted a 61-year-old woman out of the residence — but her mother was still trapped inside. Hackettstown Police Officer Ryan Blankenship arrived, entered the home, and found the woman in a bedroom. He then “went through the bedroom window and lifted her off the bed and handed her out the window” to Indepen…

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by Valerie Musson
Obituaries
Tributes Pour In After Death Of Warren County Mom, 'Dedicated Volunteer' Johanna Garrison, 40 Tributes Pour In After Death Of Warren County Mom, 'Dedicated Volunteer' Johanna Garrison, 40
Tributes Pour In After Death Of Warren County Mom, 'Dedicated Volunteer' Johanna Garrison, 40 Tributes and donations are pouring in after the unexpected death of a beloved Warren County mother remembered as one of her town’s “most dedicated volunteers.” Johanna Kelly Garrison, of Great Meadows, died on Wednesday, June 14, her obituary says. She was 40. Raised in Ewing, Johanna was a proud Girl Scout and loved attending dance classes. She graduated from Notre Dame High School in Lawrence Township before furthering her education at Mercer County Community College, where she served as the Student Association President and earned an Associates Degree in Humanities, according to her mem…

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by Valerie Musson
Police & Fire
'Devastating' Warren County Fire Rips Through Home, Kills Pets, Leaving Family To Rebuild 'Devastating' Warren County Fire Rips Through Home, Kills Pets, Leaving Family To Rebuild
'Devastating' Warren County Fire Rips Through Home, Kills Pets, Leaving Family To Rebuild A Warren County home was destroyed in “just minutes” following a weekend blaze that claimed the lives of the family’s pets as well, loved ones and responders say. Several crews rushed to the scene of the two-alarm fire on Mt. Rascal Road in Independence Township around 1:15 p.m. Saturday, June 10, including departments in Hackettstown, Mansfield Township, Allamuchy, and Washington, and more, the township's first aid squad said. No injuries were reported, however, the family’s pets were killed, according to a GoFundMe launched by loved ones. “…the Delorenzos lost their home and al…

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by Valerie Musson
Police & Fire
Jersey Shore Wrestling Champ Who Coached Kids Admits Trafficking Child Porn Jersey Shore Wrestling Champ Who Coached Kids Admits Trafficking Child Porn
Jersey Shore Wrestling Champ Who Coached Kids Admits Trafficking Child Porn UPDATE: A former New Jersey state wrestling champion who made national headlines when he came out admitted in federal court on Tuesday that he trafficked child porn, authorities said. Alec Donovan, a 26-year-old youth wrestling coach and referee from Brick, “used an internet-based application to exchange multiple images and videos of child sexual abuse, including depictions involving pre-pubescent children,” U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Philip R. Sellinger said after the June 6 plea hearing in Trenton. Donovan, who records show has coached at the Shorething Wrestling Club in Lakewood, also …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
DWI: Warren County Man Crashes Into Ambulance At Rt. 46 Intersection, Police Say DWI: Warren County Man Crashes Into Ambulance At Rt. 46 Intersection, Police Say
DWI: Warren County Man Crashes Into Ambulance At Rt. 46 Intersection, Police Say A Warren County man was charged with DWI after allegedly crashing into a Long Valley ambulance while driving drunk. The crash occurred in Hackettstown on Tuesday, May 23 around 10:25 p.m. at the intersection of Route 46 and Route 604. Brett Gray, 30, of Independence Township, was behind the wheel of a 2021 Kia heading westbound on Route 46 when he made a right turn onto Route 604 northbound and hit a Long Valley First Aid Squad ambulance that was stopped at the traffic light on Route 604 southbound, police said. Gray refused medical treatment for a minor injury. The driver and front s…

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by Valerie Musson