Middletown, NJ
Lifestyle
Drinks And A Movie: Alcohol Sales Approved At Nonprofit Cinema In Central Jersey Drinks And A Movie: Alcohol Sales Approved At Nonprofit Cinema In Central Jersey
Drinks And A Movie: Alcohol Sales Approved At Nonprofit Cinema In Central Jersey You can now enjoy a beer, a glass of wine, or a cocktail at an independent movie theater in Monmouth County. Basie Center Cinemas will start selling alcoholic beverages to customers 21 and older, the Red Bank theater announced in a news release on Tuesday, May 7. A recent state law cleared the way for the cinema to receive a liquor license. The White Street theater said it will feature products from Jersey craft breweries and wineries. "Basie Center Cinemas is now the only area indie movie house that can offer patrons a glass of wine, a local craft beer, or a cool, canned cocktail to accom…

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by Chris Spiker
Villas-Lower Township, NJ
News
Jersey Shore City To Get Emergency Beach Erosion Fix As Summer Approaches Jersey Shore City To Get Emergency Beach Erosion Fix As Summer Approaches
Jersey Shore City To Get Emergency Beach Erosion Fix As Summer Approaches A Cape May County beach desperate for more sand will get some emergency help for this summer, officials said. The state has authorized a short-term beach renourishment project along the coast of North Wildwood. Gov. Phil Murphy and Mayor Patrick Rosenello announced the plan in a brief joint statement at night on Thursday, Apr. 26. The Democratic governor and Republican mayor said they worked "through collaboration and bipartisan partnership" to find a temporary solution to erosion concerns in North Wildwood. "The New Jersey Department of Transportation's Office of Maritime Resources is cur…

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by Chris Spiker
Newark, NJ
Politics
Congressman Donald Payne Dead At 65 Congressman Donald Payne Dead At 65
Congressman Donald Payne Dead At 65 Rep. Donald Payne, Jr. (D-NJ) died on Wednesday, April 24 at the age of 65, weeks after suffering a cardiac episode. Payne, a Newark native, had served in Congress, representing New Jersey's 10th district since 2012, when he won a special election to fill the seat left vacant when his father, Donald Payne, Sr. died.  A graduate of Kean University, he previously served on the Essex County Board of Freeholders and the Newark Municipal Council and was known for his signature bowtie.  Earlier this month, Payne's office said he suffered a cardiac episode based on complications from di…

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by Sam Barron
Middletown, NJ
News
Where Is Central Jersey? Monmouth U. Poll Finds Answers To NJ's Tricky Regional Debate Where Is Central Jersey? Monmouth U. Poll Finds Answers To NJ's Tricky Regional Debate
Where Is Central Jersey? Monmouth U. Poll Finds Answers To NJ's Tricky Regional Debate Monmouth University pollsters have tried to answer a question that has been hard to solve for many in the Garden State: Where is Central Jersey exactly? The Monmouth University Polling Institute released a survey on Tuesday, Apr. 16 that asked New Jerseyans what region they live in and if they believe their region gets a fair share of state resources. The pollsters also asked people to pick their favorite convenience store. According to the poll, 41 percent of New Jerseyans said they live in North Jersey, 34 percent said they're in Central Jersey, and 23 percent said they're from South…

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by Chris Spiker
Edison, NJ
Police & Fire
'Reprehensible': Crimefighters Unite To Pursue Rutgers' Islamic Center Attackers (UPDATE) 'Reprehensible': Crimefighters Unite To Pursue Rutgers' Islamic Center Attackers (UPDATE)
'Reprehensible': Crimefighters Unite To Pursue Rutgers' Islamic Center Attackers (Update) The overnight trashing Wednesday of the Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers University in New Brunswick -- which coincides with the end of the holy month of Ramadan -- is being treated as a bias crime, authorities said. Someone forced their way in sometimes before 4:30 a.m. April 10, broke glass and destroyed artwork and various other possessions, Rutgers Police Chief Kenneth Cop said. The attack came on Eid al-Fitr, the Islamic holiday commemorating the end of sunrise-to-dusk fasting during the holy month of Ramadan. "Today we witnessed art pieces with Quranic verses, shattered window…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Edison, NJ
Police & Fire
Rutgers Islamic Center Burglarized Rutgers Islamic Center Burglarized
Rutgers Islamic Center Burglarized The Center for Islamic Life at Rutgers University in New Brunswick was broken into overnight, coinciding with the end of the holy month of Ramadan. Rutgers Police Chief Kenneth Cop said the incident is being investigated as a bias crime, burglary and criminal mischief. The suspects caused damage to several items of value, he said. The center was burglarized, with evidence of a forced entry, sometime before 4:24 a.m. Wednesday, April 10, Cop said.  The break-in happened on Eid al-Fitr, the Islamic holiday commemorating the end of sunrise-to-dusk fasting during the holy month of Ramadan…

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by Jon Craig
Albany, NY
News
New Update: Northeast Earthquake Felt In Capital Region; State Conducting Damage Assessment New Update: Northeast Earthquake Felt In Capital Region; State Conducting Damage Assessment
New Update: Northeast Earthquake Felt In Capital Region; State Conducting Damage Assessment An earthquake that rattled several states along the East Coast late Friday morning, April 5, was felt throughout the Capital Region. Original report - 4.8 Magnitude Earthquake Hits New York, Northeast The 4.8 magnitude quake, centered about 60 miles west of Manhattan in Hunterdon County, New Jersey at a depth of nearly three miles, struck at 10:23 a.m., according to the US Geological Survey (USGS). There have not been any reports of injuries or significant damage to buildings. Wow! A M4.8 struck in New Jersey this morning around 10:30 am local time. Shaking was widely felt from …

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by Michael Mashburn
Paramus, NJ
Politics
Judge Strikes Down NJ's Party Line Ballot System Judge Strikes Down NJ's Party Line Ballot System
Judge Strikes Down NJ's Party Line Ballot System Andy Kim: 1. New Jersey's party line ballot system: 0 In a legal ruling that will set off an earthquake among New Jersey party bosses, a judge ruled against the state's controversial party line ballot system. The system gives preferential treatment to candidates endorsed by the county party, issuing a preliminary injunction against the ballots for the upcoming June primary and ruling ballots must use office block ballots. Judge Zahid Quraishi announced his ruling on Friday, March 29, siding with Rep. Andy Kim (D-NJ), who had filed a federal lawsuit seeking to get the line thrown out. …

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by Sam Barron
Newark, NJ
Police & Fire
Two Newark Teens Shot Near High School: Authorities Two Newark Teens Shot Near High School: Authorities
Two Newark Teens Shot Near High School: Authorities Two Newark teenagers were shot near West Side High School on Tuesday, March 26, authorities said. A 17-year-old and a 15-year-old boy were the victims of the shooting, Mayor Ras Baraka and Public Safety Director Fritz Fragé said. The two teenagers were transported to University Hospital in Newark, authorities said.  Gov. Phil Murphy said his office was coordinating with law enforcement. "Every student deserves to be safe at school," Murphy said.  The incident remains under investigation, authorities said.  Anyone with information is asked to call 1-877-695-8477.

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by Sam Barron
Paramus, NJ
News
Bringing Affordable Housing To NJ Just Got Easier: Are You For Or Against It? (POLL) Bringing Affordable Housing To NJ Just Got Easier: Are You For Or Against It? (POLL)
Bringing Affordable Housing To NJ Just Got Easier: Are You For Or Against It? (Poll) New Jersey is hoping to become a national leader for affordable housing. Last week, Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law a bill making it easier for municipalities to get funding to build more affordable housing and track its progress in meeting its benchmarks, under the Mount Laurel affordable housing doctrine. "We will be able to create more certainty and lower costs in New Jersey’s affordable housing landscape," Murphy said of the legislation. The Mount Laurel doctrine was created after the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled in 1975 that every municipality must "make realistically possible an a…

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by Sam Barron
Paramus, NJ
Politics
NJ First Lady Tammy Murphy Drops Out Of Senate Race NJ First Lady Tammy Murphy Drops Out Of Senate Race
NJ First Lady Tammy Murphy Drops Out Of Senate Race Tammy Murphy, the First Lady of New Jersey, announced on Sunday, March 24, she is ending her campaign for the Democratic nomination for US Senate. The announcement caps a dizzying a few months for Murphy, the wife of Gov. Phil Murphy, who entered the race as a frontrunner, racking up endorsements and raising $3.2 million in six weeks, but watched her campaign stall as Rep. Andy Kim overtook her in the polls.  Murphy was running to replace embattled incumbent Bob Menendez who is facing federal corruption charges. "Continuing in this race will involve waging a very divisive and negative…

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by Sam Barron
Paramus, NJ
News
The Valley Hospital Has Opening Date For New Paramus Campus The Valley Hospital Has Opening Date For New Paramus Campus
The Valley Hospital Has Opening Date For New Paramus Campus The Valley Hospital is officially in Paramus. Almost. After more than 70 years in Ridgewood, The Valley Hospital will relocate to Paramus in April. Patients from the Ridgewood facility will be moved to the Paramus location on Sunday, April 14, at which point the hospital will open its doors to emergency and inpatient care. Located at Winters Drive, the state-of-the-art hospital has 370 beds, single-patient rooms, an expanded emergency department, larger operating rooms, park-like grounds, and the latest technology. Gov. Phil Murphy was among the state and local officials who con…

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by Cecilia Levine