11+ hour, 48+ min ago (361+ words) Most New Jersey residents want to leave'and here's why West Long Branch, NJ " New Jerseyans say they enjoy living in their state, but a growing number are ready to move out. A 2022 Monmouth University Poll found that nearly six in ten residents would like to leave the Garden State someday'the highest level since the poll began asking the question. Even as most residents rate New Jersey positively, the state's crushing property tax burden continues to push people toward the exits. According to the survey, 59% of residents say they want to move elsewhere, up from about 50% a decade ago. That figure comes as the Garden State Quality of Life Index'a composite measure of satisfaction with local schools, neighborhoods, and environment'holds steady at +27, near its highest levels in 15 years. Property taxes remain the top reason for the urge to leave, consistent with…...

1+ week, 2+ day ago (466+ words) Maple Shade, NJ " A 38-year-old Indian national has been charged in the 2017 homicides of a mother and her young son in Maple Shade. Nazeer Hameed faces two counts of first-degree murder, two counts of possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, and one count of unlawful possession of a weapon. The victims, Sasikala Narra, 38, and Anish Narra, 6, were found deceased in their Hamilton Road apartment on March 23, 2017. An autopsy revealed each died from multiple slash wounds to their necks, with evidence indicating Anish Narra was nearly decapitated by the attacker. Hameed resided in the same apartment complex as the victims and was an acquaintance of the family through their workplace. After the incident, he returned to India, where he remains while the investigation proceeded. Law enforcement identified Hameed as a person of interest due to his stalking behavior toward…...

1+ mon, 2+ week ago (285+ words) WILDWOOD, NJ " Republican gubernatorial candidate Jack Ciattarelli fired up a packed crowd at Seaport Pier on Saturday, delivering one of his most energetic campaign rallies yet as the race for governor heads into its final weeks. Before a sea of waving signs and cheering supporters, Ciattarelli declared that "New Jersey is ready for change," framing the event as a turning point for his campaign. The boardwalk crowd filled the pier and surrounding area, with chants of "Save our state!" echoing over the Atlantic breeze. Ciattarelli told supporters it's time to "protect our Shore, support our police, and get New Jersey back on track," calling out what he described as years of mismanagement, high taxes, and "broken schools." The candidate's remarks emphasized pocketbook issues and local pride, key themes that have defined his campaign since the primary. The Wildwood rally, one…...

1+ mon, 3+ week ago (337+ words) TRENTON, N.J. " A new Emerson College polling partnership with PIX11 and The Hill shows New Jersey's governor's race locked in a 43%"43% dead heat between Democrat Rep. Mikie Sherrill and Republican Jack Ciattarelli, with 11% undecided. Voters under 40 back Sherrill 58%"24%, while those over 50 favor Ciattarelli 52%"36%.Women lean Sherrill by 10 points and are more undecided than men, while men back Ciattarelli by 12 points. Independents are pivotal, giving Ciattarelli a 25-point edge and comprising a large share of the undecided bloc. Support by age tightens among voters in their 40s, where Sherrill leads 47%"40%.Turnout dynamics are uncertain in the off-year contest, with no clear advantage for either party. State issues dominate the agenda, led by the economy at 51%, followed by threats to democracy at 13% and housing affordability at 11%, placing pocketbook concerns at 62% when economy and housing are combined. Gov. Phil Murphy's job rating stands at 41% approve to…...

1+ mon, 4+ week ago (232+ words) TRENTON, NJ " A Jersey Cash 5 jackpot worth $1.3 million is about to slip away, as the winning ticket purchased in Monmouth County last November remains unclaimed and is set to expire in just weeks. The ticket, valued at $1,300,245, was sold at the Wawa located at 3303 Route 9 in Freehold. It matched the winning numbers for the November 25, 2024, drawing. Under New Jersey Lottery rules, winning tickets must be redeemed within one year. "Players really should check their tickets," Lottery Executive Director James Carey urged. "We have several ways our players can verify if they are winners. More than once, I've seen players come to us after a period of time saying they won a prize after finding a misplaced ticket." The reminder comes as several other large prizes approach their expiration dates. A $150,000 Jersey Cash 5 ticket purchased at White Oak Liquors in Belleville…...

2+ mon, 1+ week ago (292+ words) Trenton, NJ " Lyft has agreed to pay nearly $19.5 million to New Jersey after state officials determined the ride-sharing company wrongly classified more than 100,000 drivers as independent contractors, depriving them of unemployment insurance, disability coverage, and other safety-net benefits. The New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development (NJDOL) and the Office of the Attorney General announced Thursday that the settlement follows a years-long audit covering 2014 through 2017. The review found Lyft failed to make mandatory contributions to state benefit funds, leading to a $10.8 million assessment in unpaid contributions and another $8.5 million in penalties and interest. The case escalated when drivers filed for unemployment and disability benefits, exposing gaps in Lyft's compliance. Lyft initially contested the findings, even paying a portion of the assessed contributions to stop interest from accruing, but ultimately dropped its legal challenge last month and paid the remaining…...

2+ mon, 1+ week ago (803+ words) Congresswoman Mikie Sherrill was a U.S. Navy pilot. If you have been watching television, you would know this because it has become the cornerstone of her political campaign to be the next governor of New Jersey. She's boasting about how her brief time in the navy flying helicopters will help her fix New Jersey. Spoiler Alert: It won't. That's because while Sherrill spent a few years as a helicopter pilot, most of her time in the Navy appears to have been in administrative roles. That's not necessarily a problem. The real problem is Mikie Sherrill's time in Congress has shown us exactly who she is as a political leader, and if high taxes, soaring energy prices, illegal immigration, and crime are your main concerns, then perhaps Mikie Sherrill isn't the governor for you. As a former Navy helicopter pilot, Mikie Sherrill…...

2+ mon, 2+ week ago (176+ words) LEONIA, NJ " A late-night crash on the New Jersey Turnpike spiraled into gunfire when two men rear-ended a car before opening fire and assaulting its occupants, State Police said Saturday. The incident unfolded just after 11:30 p.m. Thursday in the northbound lanes near milepost 121.2 in Leonia. Traffic was at a standstill when an unidentified vehicle slammed into the back of a white Acura with New York plates, investigators said. Two suspects then got out of the striking vehicle armed with a handgun. According to police, they assaulted the two people inside the Acura before firing at the car. The suspects fled the scene, and troopers launched a manhunt while urging the public to help track them down. No arrests had been made as of Saturday. The Turnpike's northbound lanes were briefly shut down during the investigation, causing heavy delays for overnight traffic....

2+ mon, 2+ week ago (201+ words) Trenton, NJ " A nationwide wave of anti-Trump demonstrations under the banner "No Kings" is expected to hit New Jersey on October 18, with rallies planned in several towns despite many event sites being kept private until the day of action. The effort, organized by the No Kings Coalition, builds on a June campaign that drew millions nationwide and overshadowed Donald Trump's birthday parade. Protesters then filled streets across the U.S. with the slogan "America has no kings," aimed at countering what they call authoritarian overreach by the former president. The coalition says it is responding to Trump's second-term policies, which critics argue have eroded civil liberties and targeted vulnerable communities. Among their concerns: immigration enforcement tactics, voting restrictions, healthcare rollbacks and the handling of gun violence. "No Thrones. No Crowns. No Kings," reads the movement's rallying cry, which leaders describe as a…...

2+ mon, 2+ week ago (156+ words) Trenton, N.J. " A New Jersey seafood dealer was sentenced for his role in a conspiracy to hide illegal scallop harvesting from federal regulators, prosecutors announced. A federal judge ordered Antonio Pereira to pay a $4,000 fine and serve two years of probation after he admitted to conspiring to obstruct justice in violation of 18 U.S.C. " 371. His co-defendant, clam vessel captain Darren McClave, pleaded guilty to the same charge. The scheme unraveled after a probe led by NOAA's Office of Law Enforcement uncovered the fraudulent paperwork and sales trail. The case was prosecuted by Environmental Crimes Section Trial Attorney Christopher Hale and Assistant U.S. Attorney Kelly Lyons of the District of New Jersey. The case highlights federal pressure on illegal fishing practices along the Jersey coast. Extra ticket slip leads to massive $150K lottery prize in Maryland California man sentenced for role in Mexican spider monkey smuggling…...