Home Explosion Rocks Quiet North Jersey Neighborhood Home Explosion Rocks Quiet North Jersey Neighborhood
Home Explosion Rocks Quiet North Jersey Neighborhood An unoccupied home in Westfield was destroyed following a fiery explosion on Monday evening, July 29, authorities said. At 10:15 p.m., firefighters responded to a home on the 100 block of Tudor Oval and found the structure ablaze with evidence of an explosion, the Westfield Fire Department said in a release. Debris was scattered around the area, firefighters said. Firefighters said they transported a second alarm at 10:23 p.m., requesting additional units to assist with containing the blaze. A third alarm was transmitted at 10:38 p.m., firefighters said. Police evacuated nearby homes, fire…
Jersey Shore Judoka Eliminated From 2024 Olympics, Enjoys 'Unreal Experience' In Paris Jersey Shore Judoka Eliminated From 2024 Olympics, Enjoys 'Unreal Experience' In Paris
Jersey Shore Judoka Eliminated From 2024 Olympics, Enjoys 'Unreal Experience' In Paris A West Long Branch man from a storied judo family had his quest for Olympic gold in Paris cut short after losing his first contest. Jack Yonezuka was defeated 10-0 by Adil Osmanov of Moldova in a round of 32 fight in the 73-kilogram weight class on Monday, July 29. He lost by ippon (points) after he was given his third shido (a penalty) three minutes and 40 seconds into the match. Before his fight, the 2021 Shore Regional High School graduate shared Instagram pictures and videos of his view aboard Team USA's boat during the opening ceremony along the River Seine on Friday, Ju…
Office Manager Embezzled $350K From North Jersey Synagogue, Feds Say Office Manager Embezzled $350K From North Jersey Synagogue, Feds Say
Office Manager Embezzled $350K From North Jersey Synagogue, Feds Say A 51-year-old Scotch Plains woman is charged with embezzling more than $350,000 from a Union County synagogue she worked at, authorities said.  In 2010, Stacy Margaritondo began working at Congregation Beth Israel in Scotch Plains and was later promoted to bookkeeper and office manager in July 2020, U.S. Attorney Philip Sellinger said.  Margaritondo’s duties included accounting/bookkeeping, payroll, preparing checks for accounts payable, and reporting to the synagogue’s board of directors regarding the synagogue’s financial condition, Sellinger said. From Dec. 2019 to May 20…
Drunk Driver Going 114 MPH Sentenced For Garden State Parkway Crash That Killed Amazon Worker Drunk Driver Going 114 MPH Sentenced For Garden State Parkway Crash That Killed Amazon Worker
Drunk Driver Going 114 MPH Sentenced For Garden State Parkway Crash That Killed Amazon Worker A 47-year-old Newark man was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Friday, July 19, for a deadly 2021 crash on the Garden State Parkway where he was driving intoxicated at 114 mph, authorities said. On Feb. 15, 2021, Rolando Godwin was driving a Range Rover when he struck a Lexus SUV driven by Christopher Meikle, a 46-year-old East Orange resident, causing his car to be engulfed in flames on the Garden State Parkway in Clark, Union County Prosecutor William Daniel said. Following the crash, Godwin requested he be transported away from the scene, indicating he was prepared to offer an unsp…
Security Guard Charged In Deadly Assault At Elizabeth Lounge: Prosecutor Security Guard Charged In Deadly Assault At Elizabeth Lounge: Prosecutor
Security Guard Charged In Deadly Assault At Elizabeth Lounge: Prosecutor A 26-year-old Elizabeth resident was arrested and charged on Friday, July 12, with a deadly assault in 2023, authorities said. In July 2023, Elizabeth police found Jose Lopez suffering from a head injury at the El Monsignor Lounge, Union County Prosecutor William Daniel, Elizabeth Police Director Earl Graves, and Elizabeth Police Chief Giacomo Sacca said. Lopez was taken to a rehabilitation facility where he died in March, authorities said.  Regis Pelegrino Motas was identified as Lopez's assailant, and had been working as a security guard at the lounge at the time of the inciden…
Vehicle Fire Closes Route 78 In Union County Vehicle Fire Closes Route 78 In Union County
Vehicle Fire Closes Route 78 In Union County A vehicle fire on Route 78 in Union County has caused all lanes to be closed on the afternoon of Thursday, July 11, authorities said. The fire occurred on the Route 78 express lanes on the eastbound ramp near Exit 48 in Springfield Township, the New Jersey Department of Transportation said. 
Car Fire Completely Shuts Garden State Parkway, DOT Says Car Fire Completely Shuts Garden State Parkway, DOT Says
Car Fire Completely Shuts Garden State Parkway, DOT Says There are heavy delays on the Garden State Parkway due to a car fire closing all lanes in Union County on Wednesday, July 10. Three lanes are blocked on Garden State Parkway northbound from Exit 132 in Woodbridge to Exit 135 in Clark Township, the Department of Transportation said. Open lanes are operating on a 2.5 mile delay, the DOT said.
Scotch Plains Home Sells For $126K Over Asking Price Scotch Plains Home Sells For $126K Over Asking Price
Scotch Plains Home Sells For $126K Over Asking Price It's more spacious than it looks! A 2,308-square foot home in Union County sold for $126,000 over asking price and was under contract in less than a week. The split-level home at 1111 Jefferson Ave. in Scotch Plains was listed by Juan Gamarra of Compass New Jersey in the spring, and was under contract in less than seven days. The 4-bedroom 3.5-bathroom home had 11 offers, four of them over $100,000, Gamarra said. The final offer was for $825,000, the buyer closing just in time for summer vacation. "There's not much inventory in Scotch Plains, so when a property under $1 million come…
Mugshot Released, Attempted Murder Charge For 79-Year-Old Man In NJ SWAT Standoff Mugshot Released, Attempted Murder Charge For 79-Year-Old Man In NJ SWAT Standoff
Mugshot Released, Attempted Murder Charge For 79-Year-Old Man In NJ SWAT Standoff Charges have been filed against a 79-year-old Union County man who was arrested after a SWAT standoff early Wednesday, July 2. Kenneth Kutyla, of Clark, has been charged with first-degree attempted murder, second-degree aggravated assault, aggravated assault with a firearm, and possession of a firearm for unlawful purpose, local police said. At 12:31 a.m., officers responded to 9 Stanton St. on a report of shots fired, Clark police said in a release. An investigation found Kutyla had barricaded himself with a weapon inside, police said. Union County Special Weapons and Tactics responded to…
Man From Storied NJ Judo Family Qualifies For 2024 Summer Olympics Man From Storied NJ Judo Family Qualifies For 2024 Summer Olympics
Man From Storied NJ Judo Family Qualifies For 2024 Summer Olympics A West Long Branch man who's part of a storied family in judo is heading to Paris to compete at the 2024 Summer Olympics. Jack Yonezuka will represent the U.S. at the Olympics as a 73-kilogram fighter. The 21-year-old will be the youngest member of Team USA's judo squad. Yonezuka qualified for the Summer Games after the International Judo Federation's world championships in Abu Dhabi in May. "Firstly, I want to start by thanking everyone who has helped me become the athlete I am today and everyone who has been a part of my journey," Yonezuka wrote in an Instagram post. "I do…
8K+ Without Power Amid Another Round Of Storms In New Jersey 8K+ Without Power Amid Another Round Of Storms In New Jersey
8K+ Without Power Amid Another Round Of Storms In New Jersey More than 8,000 New Jersey residents were without power amid another round of storms on Sunday, June 22. PSE&G's outage map shows 5,341 were in the dark in Burlington County and more than 3,000 in Camden. The majority of the outages were in Maple Shade, Moorestown, Haddon and Pennsauken. In Union County, nearly 1,000 had lost power in Westfield. Smaller but more widespread outages were reported on the Jersey Shore, according to JCP&L, specifically in Long Branch, Red Bank, Asbury Park, Hazlet, Middletown, Keansburg, and Matawan. The National Weather Service had warned residen…
WINNER! Mega Millions Tickets Sold In North Jersey Net Big Bucks WINNER! Mega Millions Tickets Sold In North Jersey Net Big Bucks
Winner! Mega Millions Tickets Sold In North Jersey Net Big Bucks Two North Jersey Mega Millions players had a fantastic Friday. Their tickets, sold in Morris County and Union County, matched four numbers and the gold Megaball in the drawing held on Friday, June 7, winning $10,000. The tickets were sold at 7-Eleven in Rockaway and at a BP Gas Station in Rahway. The winning numbers were 3, 5, 12, 22, 66 and the gold Megaball was 7.