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Religion

Maryland Minister From Takoma Park Hopes To Turn Trivia Into Treasure On Jeopardy! Maryland Minister From Takoma Park Hopes To Turn Trivia Into Treasure On Jeopardy!
Maryland Minister From Takoma Park Hopes To Turn Trivia Into Treasure On Jeopardy! The DMV is set to be represented on Wednesday as a popular minister is ready to represent the region on Jeopardy! Takoma Park resident Kimberley Debus, a community-based minister with thee Unitarian Universalist Association, who has served across the country, is the latest contestant to take her shot at becoming a champion on the popular quiz show. Debus, who has ties to Nebraska and New York, is set to square off against Gloria Nastas, a retired healthcare policy analyst from Michigan and returning champion Stevie Ruiz, an assistant front office manager from Long Island who won $17,987 on …
Falls Church Priest Turns ‘Jeopardy!’ Dream Into $40K, 3-Game Win Streak Falls Church Priest Turns ‘Jeopardy!’ Dream Into $40K, 3-Game Win Streak
Falls Church Priest Turns ‘Jeopardy!’ Dream Into $40K, 3-Game Win Streak A Virginia Episcopal priest has turned his childhood dream into reality, racking up nearly $40,000 during a winning streak on "Jeopardy!" this week. Kevin Laskowski, of Falls Church, claimed his third victory on Wednesday, Nov. 27, after a dramatic comeback in Final Jeopardy! His success has earned him a spot among this season’s top contenders and a shot at the coveted Tournament of Champions. The priest-in-charge at St. John’s Episcopal Church in Centreville entered the final round in second place, trailing Julia Schan, a stay-at-home mom from California. The Final Jeopardy! clue challenge…
New Jersey's First-Ever Mormon Temple Coming To Summit New Jersey's First-Ever Mormon Temple Coming To Summit
New Jersey's First-Ever Mormon Temple Coming To Summit The Church of Jesus Christ Latter-day Saints announced it is building its first temple in the Garden State. The temple will be built in Summit (Union County), the church announced this month. The temple is one of 17 new temples the Mormon Church plans to build. “Why are we building temples at such an unprecedented pace?” President Russell M. Nelson of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints said.  "Why? Because the Lord has instructed us to do so. The blessings of the temple help to gather Israel on both sides of the veil. These blessings also help to prepare a people who will…
PA Jehovah's Witness Member Convicted Of Sexually Abusing 4-Year-Old: AG PA Jehovah's Witness Member Convicted Of Sexually Abusing 4-Year-Old: AG
PA Jehovah's Witness Member Convicted Of Sexually Abusing 4-Year-Old: AG A Jehovah's Witness member from Philadelphia has been convicted of sexually abusing of a young child in 1988, authorities said on Tuesday, Sept. 17 David Balosa, 62, was one of five defendants arrested in 2023, as previously reported by Daily Voice. Balosa was accused of sexually assaulting a 4-year-old child while staying with a family in his congregation, authorities previously said.  Balosa was convicted Monday, Sept. 16 of two felony counts of aggravated indecent assault and related misdemeanors after a weeklong trial, according to a press release by Pennsylvania Attorney Gene…
Meet Don Lemon In Northvale Meet Don Lemon In Northvale
Meet Don Lemon In Northvale Former CNN anchor Don Lemon is bringing his search for God to Bergen County. Lemon will be signing copies of his new book "I Once Was Lost: My Search for God in America" on Sunday, Sept. 15 at Books and Greetings in Northvale at 1 p.m. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Don Lemon (@donlemonofficial) The book is about Lemon grappling with his relationship with God, being raised in a Southern Black church as a gay man, and as he got older, seeing Americans losing faith in higher institutions, according to a synopsis. Lemon then lost h…
Meet Kirk Cameron In Ridgewood Meet Kirk Cameron In Ridgewood
Meet Kirk Cameron In Ridgewood Kirk Cameron, who gained fame playing Mike Seaver on the hit sitcom "Growing Pains" before becoming an evangelical activist is coming to Bergen County. Cameron is signing copies of his new book "Born to Be Brave: How to Be a Part of America's Spiritual Comeback" on Saturday, Sept. 14 at Bookends in Ridgewood at noon. In the book, Cameron offers tips on how to realign the country with Christian values, by using biblical insights and true stories of people who acted bravely out of love for God, according to a synopsis.  Cameron has written numerous books about his faith, along with a se…
Man Killed In Chain-Reaction I-95 Maryland Crash Shared Touching Moments With Wife Before Death Man Killed In Chain-Reaction I-95 Maryland Crash Shared Touching Moments With Wife Before Death
Man Killed In Chain-Reaction I-95 Maryland Crash Shared Touching Moments With Wife Before Death Sifrido Villalobos' final moments were like something out of a movie before his death in an I-95 crash. The Silver Spring resident was heading home from work early on Thursday, Aug. 29 in the area of Jessup when he was involved in a chain-reaction crash involving he and three other drivers.   Villalobos suffered critical injuries in the crash, and was unable to get out of his vehicle, according to organizers of a fundraiser on behalf of his family. Realizing his fate, Villalobos "immediately called his wife (Bianca) to tell her what happened and that he knew he wouldn't make…
Mom Killed Toddlers 'For Religious Purposes' In NJ Home: Police Papers Reveal Gruesome Details Mom Killed Toddlers 'For Religious Purposes' In NJ Home: Police Papers Reveal Gruesome Details
Mom Killed Toddlers 'For Religious Purposes' In NJ Home: Police Papers Reveal Gruesome Details A New Jersey mother told investigators that she killed her two toddlers for "religious" reasons while experiencing concerning thoughts while her husband was away on business, according to arrest records obtained by Daily Voice. Naomi Elkins, 27, of Lakewood, NJ was charged with two counts of murder, possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and unlawful possession of a weapon. She was arrested after the one- and three-year-old girls were killed in a two-family apartment home on Shenandoah Drive on Tuesday, June 25. After her arrest, Elkins told investigat…
Western Mass Artist Tackles Faith, Family In New Historical Fiction Book Western Mass Artist Tackles Faith, Family In New Historical Fiction Book
Western Mass Artist Tackles Faith, Family In New Historical Fiction Book Matthew Brinton admits he's more comfortable working as a visual artist, but he felt compelled to write "Tales from a Bygone Era," his first book.  The historical-fiction thriller follows multiple characters as they navigate their way through the turbulence of the early 1960s and 1970s.  "The characters are in a lot of ways based on my parents and people they knew growing up," Brinton said in an interview with the Daily Voice. "... Ultimately, though, it's about faith. There's a lot of my own path to find Jesus Christ as my personal savior in it as well. I think there is a shared …
State Slams Paterson Handyman Who Refused To Serve Jewish Clients State Slams Paterson Handyman Who Refused To Serve Jewish Clients
State Slams Paterson Handyman Who Refused To Serve Jewish Clients A handyman from Paterson was ordered to immediately stop refusing to serve Jews and take several remedial steps or face serious charges, state authorities in Trenton said on Thursday. Melquisedec Francis must satisfy eight specific demands to keep from being prosecuted, including announcing that he no longer discriminates against Jewish customers, attending training on anti-Semitism and paying a fine, New Jersey Attorney General Matthew Platkin said on Nov. 30. In advertisements on TaskRabbit and elsewhere last month, Francis wrote: "I am expressing my solidarity with the Palestinian Peopl…
PA Man Tells Pastor He Abused Child At Family Events: Police PA Man Tells Pastor He Abused Child At Family Events: Police
PA Man Tells Pastor He Abused Child At Family Events: Police A Pennsylvania man has been charged after telling his pastor about the sexual abuse he inflicted on a child, authorities announced on Tuesday, Nov. 14.  Randy L. Abell, 50 of the 1000 block of Fondersmith Drive, Carlisle, has been arrested at 1:30 p.m. on Oct. 17, 2023, for allegedly sexually assaulting a child multiple times at family events between Nov. 2018 and March 2020, according to a release by Manheim Township police. Before the police investigation that led to his arrest, "In October 2021, Abell, had sought counseling and disclosed that he had 'inappropriate sexual incide…
‘Truly Beautiful, Inside And Out:’ Alexa Brown Of Phillipsburg Dies At 16 ‘Truly Beautiful, Inside And Out:’ Alexa Brown Of Phillipsburg Dies At 16
‘Truly Beautiful, Inside And Out:’ Alexa Brown Of Phillipsburg Dies At 16 Phillipsburg is mourning the loss of a lifelong resident and beloved teen. Alexa Marie Brown, “Alexita,” died Thursday, August 24 at age 16. Born in Phillipsburg, Alexa was known for her wide range of hobbies, including cheerleading, softball, and basketball, in which she became “a competitor on and off the court” with the help of her father, her obituary says. She played on several basketball teams, including the Steele Hill Bulldogs, Steele Hill Warriors and Team Jenkins. “She was feisty, tenacious and quickly recognized as a tough defender,” reads her memorial, adding that the talented …
Hastings-On-Hudson Village Justice Dies After Cancer Battle: 'Exemplary Human Being' Hastings-On-Hudson Village Justice Dies After Cancer Battle: 'Exemplary Human Being'
Hastings-On-Hudson Village Justice Dies After Cancer Battle: 'Exemplary Human Being' A community in Westchester is mourning the loss of its village justice who was well-known for being a trusted source of wisdom for those who came to him.  Hastings-on-Hudson resident Joseph DiSalvo, who served as Village Justice since 2004 and Acting Village Justice before that since 1988, died at the age of 71 on Saturday, July 1, Mayor Nicola Armacost announced.  DiSalvo, who served as a judge until the week before his death, split his time between practicing law in Westchester with Bronxville-based Nobile, Magarian & DiSalvo, LLP, and serving as Village Justice fo…
Machete-Wielding Man Berates Waldorf Parishioners With Racist Tirade Machete-Wielding Man Berates Waldorf Parishioners With Racist Tirade
Machete-Wielding Man Berates Waldorf Parishioners With Racist Tirade Sunday services didn’t go as planned for some parishioners at a Charles County church when a machete-wielding man made a surprise appearance and started shouting racial epithets at them, according to the sheriff’s office. Kyle Michael Krawczyk, 25, wasn’t feeling heavenly on Sunday, April 16, when he threatened several church-goers while spewing hate inside a church in the 5100 lock of Leonardtown Road in Waldorf. The incident happened shortly before 9:15 a.m. on Sunday as members of the church were setting up for a service. Several of the victims, who were familiar with Krawczyk, were abl…
Vandal Painted 'Crosses' And 'Stars Of David' On Philly Mosque, Cops Say Vandal Painted 'Crosses' And 'Stars Of David' On Philly Mosque, Cops Say
Vandal Painted 'Crosses' And 'Stars Of David' On Philly Mosque, Cops Say Philadelphia police are seeking the vandal who targeted a mosque in West Oak Lane over the weekend, the department says.  It happened at Masjidullah, 7401 Limekiln Pike in West Oak Lane, late on Friday, Feb. 24, Philly police wrote in a statement. Mosque leaders posted photos to Facebook on Saturday, Feb. 25 showing crudely painted messages and images on the house of worship's doors and walls.  A despicable act of vandalism took place in the middle of the night at @masjidullah last night. We’re absolutely... Posted by Masjidullah, Inc. on Saturday, February 25, 2023 According to police…
‘Bling’ Bishop From Bergen Seized By FBI, Charged With Swindling Retiree Out Of $90,000 ‘Bling’ Bishop From Bergen Seized By FBI, Charged With Swindling Retiree Out Of $90,000
‘Bling’ Bishop From Bergen Seized By FBI, Charged With Swindling Retiree Out Of $90,000 A flashy Brooklyn bishop who lives in Bergen County – and was infamously robbed at gunpoint during a live-streamed church service earlier this year – swindled one of his parishioners out of $90,000 in retirement money that he used for himself, federal authorities charged. Lamor Whitehead, a 44-year-old Paramus resident known for his Rolls Royce, Gucci suits and bling, was arrested by federal agents on Monday, Dec. 19, on an indictment that charges him wire fraud, extortion and lying to the FBI. The indictment returned by a grand jury in U.S. District Court in Manhattan accuses Whitehead of …
48-Year-Old Sunday School Teacher From Ossining Dies Suddenly 48-Year-Old Sunday School Teacher From Ossining Dies Suddenly
48-Year-Old Sunday School Teacher From Ossining Dies Suddenly A lifelong resident of Northern Westchester who loved educating children at churches in the area has died suddenly.  Ossining resident Jennifer Maria Arduini died on Saturday, Dec. 3 at the age of 48, according to her obituary.  Born in White Plains in 1974, Arduini graduated from Ossining High School before earning her Associate Degree from the Westchester Business Institute, her obituary said.  Arduini was passionate about working with children in churches, serving as a Sunday School teacher at the Ossining Gospel Assembly, and also teaching at the Noah’s Ar…
Hateful Images, Messages Sent To Westwood Regional Students Probed By Cyber Crime Detectives Hateful Images, Messages Sent To Westwood Regional Students Probed By Cyber Crime Detectives
Hateful Images, Messages Sent To Westwood Regional Students Probed By Cyber Crime Detectives An underage saboteur used the online account of a Westwood Regional High School student to email hateful messages to most of the victim’s classmates – among them, an image of a Ku Klux Klansman accompanied by an anti-Semitic caption, authorities said. The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Cyber Crimes Unit and Washington Township police are investigating the bias incident, which district officials traced to a “non-district minor’s” IP address, Schools Supt. Jill Mortimer wrote in a message to parents and staff members. “Please know this was not a breach of our network or system,” Mortimer emphasiz…
United Parish In Brookline Condemns Destruction Of Their Trans Pride Flag United Parish In Brookline Condemns Destruction Of Their Trans Pride Flag
United Parish In Brookline Condemns Destruction Of Their Trans Pride Flag A parish in Brookline is spreading messages of positivity after their Trans pride flag was vandalized on their doorstep last month.  "The hate and violence shown on our lawn has no place in the kind of world that Jesus imagined and God created," United Parish said in a Facebook post. "We at the United Parish in Brookline believe that all people are made in the image of God and embrace and cherish every person and every kind of family." We are sad to report that on Thursday, August 25, someone burned and destroyed the Trans pride flag on our front lawn.... Posted by United Parish in Bro…
PA Mennonites Vote To Allow Pastors To Marry LGBTQ Members PA Mennonites Vote To Allow Pastors To Marry LGBTQ Members
PA Mennonites Vote To Allow Pastors To Marry LGBTQ Members Pride Month kicked off with the announcement that members of the Mennonite Church USA gathered and voted to make some serious changes to the Church's stance on the LGBTQ community members, according to a release by the Church. The group voted on the "Resolution for Repentance and Transformation,” among several other changes at an annual conference held in Kansas, Missouri held May 27-30, according to the church's release on June 1. The resolution "calls the church to repent for harm done to LGBTQ people and calls for broader inclusion of LGBTQ people," church officials say. That inclusion …
Beloved Saddle Brook Woman Who Survived Brain Tumor, 23, Killed In Crash Beloved Saddle Brook Woman Who Survived Brain Tumor, 23, Killed In Crash
Beloved Saddle Brook Woman Who Survived Brain Tumor, 23, Killed In Crash She was a blessing to many, a remarkable woman who'd survived a brain tumor with deep faith and abiding humor. Then, in a devastating instant, she was gone. Shock mixed with heart-rending grief continued to spread Tuesday with the news that 23-year-old McKenna Winnie of Saddle Brook had been killed in a traffic accident in South Jersey. The Rutgers University research assistant was headed east on Route 619 in Upper Pittsgrove Township (Salem County) late Monday morning when her car collided with a tractor-trailer heading south at the intersection of Route 77, according to New Jersey State P…
Vandalism At Nassau County Mosque Being Investigated As Bias Crime, Police Say Vandalism At Nassau County Mosque Being Investigated As Bias Crime, Police Say
Vandalism At Nassau County Mosque Being Investigated As Bias Crime, Police Say Trash mixed in with human waste that was tossed into a Long Island mosque earlier this month is being treated as a bias crime, authorities announced. On Friday, Aug. 13, a man was caught on camera walking up to the front door of the Faizan-e-Aisha mosque on Heitz Place in Hicksville twice, tossing shovels of garbage and urine near the front door. According to reports, the package landed in the area of the mosque where congregants would leave their shoes before heading inside to pray. Though the incident happened earlier this month, it was not reported to the Nassau County Police Departmen…
Great Valley High School Grad, River Johnson Dies At 24 Great Valley High School Grad, River Johnson Dies At 24
Great Valley High School Grad, River Johnson Dies At 24 River McNair Johnson of Malvern, PA died on June 28, 2021. He was 24. Born in Paoli, PA, Johnson was an "accomplished athlete," and the oldest son of eight siblings, his obituary says. He graduated in 2015 from Great Valley High School in Malvern and went on to attend Wilkes University and West Chester University studying business, according to his obituary. Johnson was remembered as a "sweet soul," and someone who "dedicated the remainder of his life to spreading the love and salvation of Jesus Christ," his obit says. He is survived by his parents Scott (Deborah Ludwig), Colleen (Brandon…
House Fire Kills Teaneck Couple In Attic Apartment House Fire Kills Teaneck Couple In Attic Apartment
House Fire Kills Teaneck Couple In Attic Apartment A community clung tight to faith Thursday as word spread of the deaths of a beloved Teaneck couple in an overnight house fire. Delton Brown, 32, and his wife, Amoya (Bennett) Brown, 29, were dedicated church-goers who served fellow worshippers as well as the greater community, said Winston Christian, pastor of the West Side (Pentecostal) Worship Center in Englewood. "I don't know what I'm going to do without them," Christian told reporters outside the Arlington Avenue home owned by Delton Brown's parents where the couple died before dawn. "They are that integral a part of our ministry here…
Police Probe Alleged Hate Crime Against Muslim Student At North Penn High School Police Probe Alleged Hate Crime Against Muslim Student At North Penn High School
Police Probe Alleged Hate Crime Against Muslim Student At North Penn High School Police are investigating an alleged hate crime incident against a Muslim student that occurred at North Penn High School Tuesday, as originally reported by NorthPennNow. A video uploaded to Instagram by No Gun Zone Philly on Wednesday shows a security officer breaking up a fight between three girls. The video was submitted to the advocacy group by the mother of a Black female student, who said that her daughter was attacked on Tuesday afternoon in the cafeteria by two White students who had been threatening to "beat her up" on Snapchat prior to the incident, Towamencin police said. The pa…
Investigation Underway After Graffiti Found On Church In Western Mass Investigation Underway After Graffiti Found On Church In Western Mass
Investigation Underway After Graffiti Found On Church In Western Mass An investigation is underway after a sign was defaced with graffiti at an area church in Western Massachusetts. The sign out front of the Canaan Baptist Church of Christ in Springfield was defaced around Tuesday, April 27, with the words on the sign spray-painted over with black painted graffiti. At the time of the incident, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno said the incident was "just plain terrible." "What is wrong with our society to deface a House of Worship! I have spoken to Rev. Dr. W.C. Watson of Canaan Baptist Church to offer my and our city assistance to clean up this desecration,…
Long Island Man Indicted In Connection With Shootings Of Businesses, Residence Long Island Man Indicted In Connection With Shootings Of Businesses, Residence
Long Island Man Indicted In Connection With Shootings Of Businesses, Residence A Long Island man has been indicted in connection with five shootings throughout Suffolk County as well as the alleged harassment of several victims via telephone and social media.  District Attorney Timothy D. Sini announced on Friday, April 16, that Christopher Keller, age 36, of Manorville, was an "alleged menace who has terrorized a number of individuals in our community based on his perception of their religion and their sexual orientation." An investigation into a series of five shootings led investigators to Keller. A subsequent investigation revealed evidenc…
UPDATE: Paramus Driver, 61, Killed In Horrific Fair Lawn Crash UPDATE: Paramus Driver, 61, Killed In Horrific Fair Lawn Crash
Update: Paramus Driver, 61, Killed In Horrific Fair Lawn Crash She was called "an angel with a heart of gold," deeply religious, kind and caring. Now loved ones friends and others who knew Cemile Akguc are mourning her sudden death in a horrific crash in Fair Lawn. Akguc, 61, of Paramus, "was such a good woman," one of them told Daily Voice. "Read the Bible every day. Went to Bible studies. Spoke Jesus’s word every day." Responders suspect Akguc suffered a medical episode before her Jeep careened out of control and crashed, killing her, at a busy intersection Monday night. The Turkish immigrant, who lived several years in Dumont before moving Paramus…
Historic Elizabeth Church Destroyed By Fire 'But Believers Go Forth' Historic Elizabeth Church Destroyed By Fire 'But Believers Go Forth'
Historic Elizabeth Church Destroyed By Fire 'But Believers Go Forth' A historic Elizabeth church was destroyed by an early-morning fire just hours before Sunday services. The blaze had burned through the roof of the Shiloh Baptist Church at 95 Murray St., within minutes of erupting around 3:10 a.m. The fire reached four alarms and was under control around 6 a.m. Shiloh Baptist Church was founded in 1879, its Facebook page says.  Clark Fire Department at the scene.Clark FD Parishioners and community members sent encouraging words to Pastor William Ingram on Facebook. "Please keep the Shiloh Baptist Church , Elizabeth, New Jersey in prayer and Pastor Wi…
Long Island Church Going Viral For Its Clever Signs Long Island Church Going Viral For Its Clever Signs
Long Island Church Going Viral For Its Clever Signs A church on Long Island has gone viral as a result of a pastor’s clever use of signage. Wantagh Memorial Congregation Church’s Pastor Ron Garner uses highly visible church signs to “preach to the street.”  His creations, which have been featured on CNN, MSNBC and the United Church of Christ’s Sunday Bulletin Service, have included the following thoughtful and humorous phrases: “God prefers kind atheists over hateful Christians.” “A gay Christian is not an oxymoron; a hateful Christian most certainly is.” “How do we worship a homeless man on Sunday and ignore one on Monday?” “Jesus ha…
East Rockaway Deacon Resigns Amid Allegations Of Sexual Abuse Of Minor East Rockaway Deacon Resigns Amid Allegations Of Sexual Abuse Of Minor
East Rockaway Deacon Resigns Amid Allegations Of Sexual Abuse Of Minor An East Rockaway Roman Catholic deacon has agreed to step away from his duties following allegations that he sexually abused a minor 26 years ago. The accusations against Deacon Richard W. LaRossa, 72, a deacon of the Diocese of Rockville Centre assigned to the Church of Saint Raymond of Penyafort in East Rockaway, were recently reported to the Office for the Protection of Children and Young People of the Diocese of Rockville Centre, said  Sean P. Dolan, director of communications for the diocese. Dolan said the matter has been reported to civil authorities and that LaRossa has ag…