The saying goes that each house has a story to tell, but if the walls of Kip’s Castle could talk, there’d be more than enough for a blockbuster novel.
While the vaulted ceilings, Gothic arches and lavish light fixtures do drop a few hints to its history, there’s still an aura of mystery that fills the air when you visit the magnificent, 9,000-square-foot mansion in Essex County. Maybe it’s because some have reportedly heard a ghost roaming its halls. Or, perhaps it’s from the last vestiges of the cultish past that still linger on the walls. Regardless of the reason, there’s only way to ensure you see it all. Let’s flip to the first page, shall we?
Like any good book, Kip’s Castle wastes no time in setting the scene. Walking up the windy entranceway along the border of Verona and Montclair reveals a fortress that rises strongly against the foreground, striking visitors with its extraordinary, Medieval-style exterior. Such was the intent of textile tycoon Frederic Kip and his wife Charlotte when they constructed the storybook home from 1902 through 1905. They wanted their “Kypsburg” estate (as it was originally named) to reflect the rugged appearance of an indomitable, French Normandy stronghold, so they opted for local trap rock trimmed with sandstone to accomplish the edgy look.
Frederic Kip, left, stands with his son Ruloff and wife Charlotte on the front steps of their estate. This photo is believed to have been taken on move-in day in 1905. Photo courtesy of Essex County Division of Cultural Affairs
The iconic corner turrets are an impossible feature to miss as they bulge outward and upward from the stone walls, as are the arches and deep-set windows, which pierce the imposing façade. Charlotte delicately balanced the roughness with romance throughout the surrounding grounds, most notably by using small goldfish ponds set within serene gardens. While some of her handiwork has since faded, a stroll around the 11-acre property continues to conjure up the look and feel of fluency while providing a tease of the splendor that can be found inside.
Upon entrance to the mansion, Charlotte’s vision unfolds in front of you across 30 distinguished rooms — four of which can be toured today on the first floor. Fix your gaze on the decorative details, like the various Kip family crests, the old English oak woodwork and the ornate fireplaces, and you’ll get a tangible view of the grandiosity that came to define America’s Gilded Age. From the foyer to the dining room to the family chapel (which is studded with Tiffany-style stained glass windows), every room showcases a glimpse from this glitzy period of time, along with a dash of the unexpected. Whether it be in each space’s shape and size or in a structure that presents a surprise — like the airy conservatory with its awesome views of New York City — you’ll undoubtedly discover some point of appreciation for this fascinating treasure before your eyes.
“It’s important to recognize how finite of a resource this structure is,” said Robert Williams, capital historian for the Township of Verona. “When you come to a place like Kip’s Castle, you appreciate it for what it is, but you should recognize that it could’ve gone the route that a lot of other historic structures went. There was a time that it was proposed to build several apartment buildings up on top of the mountain, and luckily that did not happen. This is a resource that is part of America’s heritage and part of the community’s heritage … so it’s fortunate it was saved.”
The family chapel features a cathedral-style ceiling, Tiffany-style stained glass windows and a beautiful Madonna and Child relief. Photo by Hunter Hulbert
The compelling story of Kip’s Castle doesn’t stop there; surely, no novel is complete without some twists and turns. After Charlotte Kip died in 1926, a heartbroken Frederic sold the estate the same year to Signono Munoz, a Chilean immigrant who started a nearly 50-year reign over this regal piece of land that spanned multiple generations. Then, the 1970s came, and so did a series of sales that ultimately landed the castle into the hands of controversial Indian cult leader Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and his followers in 1981.
Their stay in the castle created quite a crazy chapter. Among other things, Rajneesh took out an advertisement in Time magazine preaching about a peculiar idea: spirituality through sex. Sure enough, it took little time for a flurry of rumors to emerge surrounding this Rolls-Royce-obsessed guru. As some local residents stated in an infamous New York Times article, they were “panic-stricken” and “very concerned” by the “unusual sexual practices” that may have been happening behind the closed doors of the castle. While there’s no way to know what really went on, the group unquestionably left its mark.
Disciples greet Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh during his daily drive through Rancho Rajneesh, an Oregon-based encampment created after their departure from Kip’s Castle. Photo courtesy of NJ Advance Media
“These people wore this really weird outfit, like a reddish-purple outfit with beads around their neck, and at the bottom of the bead chain was a little picture of Bhagwan,” Williams said. “I was told that they had to paint everything white because of purity for (Bhagwan). The most important stained glass windows were not taken out (of the castle), and the windows that were taken out were not the prettiest; certainly those are still in Kip’s Castle.”
The departure of the cult in 1984 meant a welcome period of peace after a tumultuous three years. A law firm bought Kip’s Castle from Rajneesh and used it as their office for a few years while restoring some of the structure back to its original state. It wasn’t until Essex County purchased the estate in 2007, though, that the castle really sprung back to life. Through funding from both Green Acres and Open Space Trust Fund grants came a decade-long revitalization project that finally returned this New Jersey gem to its former grandeur.
The decorative details inside each room of Kip’s Castle give a tangible view of the grandiosity that came to define America’s Gilded Age. Photo by Hunter Hulbert
But what about the ghost? Well, some believe the spirit of Charlotte Kip still roams inside. Rumor has it that one could hear the sound of papers turning or footsteps going up the main staircase while alone in the house. Those who want to (potentially) experience it firsthand can typically take one of the Essex County Park System‘s self-guided tours, but most are on hold because of the pandemic. However, the arrival of winter will mark the return of the ever-popular holiday tours. For those who prefer to admire from afar, the grounds are freely accessible from dawn to dusk daily.
“Time your visit with the holidays. It is the most magical time to see the castle because it is decorated with lights, candles and decorations, and it really makes you think about how this family would’ve been spending the holidays in this huge castle,” said Kate Hartwyk, Essex County Park System deputy director, of the “Holiday at Kip’s Castle” program, which will resume sometime in December. (Click here to stay updated with times, dates and other details. The experience is free.)
Spooky and mysterious stories aside, the foundation of Kip’s Castle was built on an unbreakable bond of love that will never be forgotten. Still 116 years later, the palatial property rises above the rest as a lasting symbol of the Kip family’s legacy. When you behold the beauty of this bucolic landmark, be sure to appreciate each of its incredible chapters, and don’t forget you can only find it … Just in Jersey.
Kip’s Castle is located at 22 Crestmont Road, Verona, N.J. 07044.
Hunter Hulbert is the Just in Jersey features writer for Jersey’s Best magazine. Have a suggestion for a story? Contact him at hhulbert@njadvancemedia.com. To read more stories like this, click here.
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Wow! I’m loving all the positive New Jersey news we are getting lately. This is another huge feather in our cap if you ask me…first we were ranked the best state to live in in the nation, then we were ranked one of the top three happiest states now, we are crowned with being the safest state in America! We’re on a roll Jersey!
This is not my research, Consumer Affairs has a research team and they used data from the FBI and the U.S. Census Bureau to rank every state in terms of their overall safety. They considered violent and property crimes, the number of law enforcement needed per capita and budgets needed to support that law enforcement in respective states.
New Jersey was the safest state in the USA according to that research!
Here is the granular breakdown…Mantoloking was the safest small town in our state, the safest midsized town was Matawan and the safest large city was Toms River!!!! I’m so proud of our state…but now we are just showing off 😉 Here is the rest of the top 10 safest states from the Consumer Affairs research:
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On the list, there’s a robust mix of offerings from great schools and nightlife to high walkability and public parks. Some areas have enjoyed rapid growth thanks to new businesses moving to the area, while others offer glimpses into area history with well-preserved architecture and museums. Keep reading to see if your hometown made the list.
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NEW JERSEY — Below you will find the most up-to-date information on coronavirus news impacting New Jersey. You can find additional resources and coverage on our coronavirus page.
U.S. lifts nearly 20-month international travel ban
More than a year and a half after COVID-19 concerns prompted the U.S. to close its borders to international travelers from countries including Brazil, China, India, South Africa, the United Kingdom and much of Europe, restrictions are shifting to focus on vaccine status.
Beginning Monday, Nov. 8, bans on travel from specific countries ended. The U.S. will allow in international travelers, but they must be vaccinated — with a few exceptions.
The U.S. also reopened the land borders with Canada and Mexico for vaccinated people. Most trips from Canada and Mexico to the U.S. are by land rather than air.
U.S. appeals court halts Biden vaccine mandate for companies
The 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals granted an emergency stay of the requirement by the federal Occupational Safety and Health Administration that those workers be vaccinated by Jan. 4 or face mask requirements and weekly tests.
US gives final clearance to COVID vaccine for kids 5 to 11
U.S. health officials on Tuesday, Nov. 2 gave the final signoff to Pfizer’s kid-size COVID-19 shot, a milestone that opens a major expansion of the nation’s vaccination campaign to children as young as 5.
The Food and Drug Administration already authorized the shots for children ages 5 to 11 — doses just a third of the amount given to teens and adults. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention formally recommends who should receive FDA-cleared vaccines.
Vaccinated just as likely to spread delta variant within household as unvaccinated: study
People who have received COVID-19 vaccinations are able to spread the delta variant within their household just as easily as unvaccinated individuals, a new study published on Friday, Oct. 29, shows.
Child tax credit 2022: What we know so far
As inner-party conflict continues to shave off elements of President Joe Biden’s sweeping domestic policy package, there may be good news for parents. While it’s unclear what the ultimate bill will include, Democrats arrived at a framework Thursday, Oct. 28, that included a one-year extension of the expanded child tax credit.
Moderna says its low-dose COVID shot safe, effective for kids 6 to 11
FDA says Pfizer COVID vaccine looks effective for young kids
Federal health regulators said late Friday, Oct. 22, that kid-size doses of Pfizer’s COVID-19 vaccine appear highly effective at preventing symptomatic infections in elementary school children and caused no unexpected safety issues, as the U.S. weighs beginning vaccinations in youngsters.
NJ among top vaccinated states in U.S.
New Jersey is among the top 10 states in the country with the highest COVID-19 vaccination rates at 74%. Helping to lead the charge is Paterson, which has a 90% vaccination rate.
COVID vaccine mandate for state workers, teachers begins
Many state employees returned to in-person work on Monday, Oct. 18, the same day Gov. Phil Murphy’s requirement for them to either be vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to regular virus testing went into effect. The vaccine or test mandate also applies to teachers in New Jersey.
IRS sending October installment of child tax credit after delay in September
Families across the country are starting to receive their October child tax credit. The IRS says the program’s fourth monthly payment is already hitting Americans’ bank accounts after a technical issue last month caused delays for some recipients.
New COVID safety guidance for the holidays released by the CDC
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention released updated COVID-19 safety guidance for the holiday season on Friday, Oct. 15, including getting vaccinated, wearing a mask indoors if you’re not vaccinated and avoiding crowded and poorly ventilated spaces.
Rutgers team tries to understand ‘brain fog’ COVID connection
Dr. William Hu, the Chief of the Division of Cognitive Neurology at Rutgers Robert Wood Johnson Medical School, is leading a team trying to figure out what brain fog is and how it’s connected to COVID-19.
FDA endorsement essentially calls for Johnson & Johnson to be 2-shot vaccine
An FDA panel unanimously recommended a Johnson and Johnson booster vaccine on Friday, Oct. 15. The terms of the endorsement essentially call for the J&J COVID-19 vaccine to be a two-dose shot, rather than the one-dose shot for which it’s been known since it first got emergency use authorization last spring.
The panel called for a second shot to be available to people 18 and older, at least two months after the first shot.
FDA panel recommends Moderna booster shot, but the process isn’t over
A panel of medical experts affiliated with the Food and Drug Administration endorsed a COVID vaccine booster from Moderna on Thursday, Oct. 14. The panel recommended a half dose as a booster.
Need to be vaccinated by Thanksgiving, Hanukkah or Christmas? Here are the deadlines
People who want to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by Thanksgiving, Hanukkah or Christmas are running out of time. Two of the three vaccines available in the U.S. require two doses spread weeks apart and a waiting period once the shots have been administered.
Vice President Kamala Harris visits NJ day care, vaccination site
Vice President Kamala Harris made a stop in New Jersey on Friday, Oct. 8, to discuss the state’s latest vaccination efforts. She visited a day care center to highlight child care provisions in the president’s spending proposal as well as a vaccination site at Essex Community College.
Children will feel impact of pandemic on mental health for years: UNICEF report
UNICEF released a critical report on Friday, Oct. 8, which found that children and young people could feel the impact of the pandemic on their mental health for many years to come.
COVID vaccine for kids: Doctor answers your questions
The Pfizer vaccine for kids could be on the market in about a month after the drug maker filed for FDA authorization Thursday, Oct. 7, for their shot for kids ages 5 to 11.
However, many parents still have questions about the children’s COVID vaccine. Dr. Sallie Permar, the head of pediatrics at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital, joined the PIX11 Morning News on Friday, Oct. 8, to share more information and answer some of the biggest questions.
Pfizer’s request to OK shots for kids a relief for parents
Parents tired of worrying about classroom outbreaks and sick of telling their elementary school-age children no to sleepovers and family gatherings felt a wave of relief Thursday, Oct. 7, when Pfizer asked the U.S. government to authorize its COVID-19 vaccine for youngsters ages 5 to 11.
U.S. hits 700,000 COVID deaths just as cases begin to fall
The United States reached its latest heartbreaking pandemic milestone Friday, Oct. 1, eclipsing 700,000 deaths from COVID-19 just as the surge from the delta variant is starting to slow down and give overwhelmed hospitals some relief.
NJ leaders take on ‘Mayors Vaccine Challenge’
Two New Jersey mayors are going head-to-head in an effort to get more people vaccinated against COVID-19. It’s all part of the ongoing vaccination campaign in the Garden State that has already propelled it as one of the nation’s leaders in the fight against COVID-19. Paterson Mayor Andre Sayegh is squaring off with Trenton Mayor Reed Gusciora in what the state is calling the “Mayors Vaccine Challenge.”
New Jersey surpasses 1 million COVID-19 cases
As of Tuesday, Sept. 28, more than 1 million cases of COVID-19 have been confirmed in New Jersey since the pandemic reached the state in 2020.
Pfizer submits vaccine data on kids to FDA
Pfizer Inc. and BioNTech SE announced they have submitted initial data to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) from the Phase 2/3 trial of their COVID-19 vaccine in children 5 to 11.
In the trial, which included 2,268 participants 5 to 11 years of age, the vaccine demonstrated a favorable safety profile and elicited robust neutralizing antibody responses using a two-dose regimen of 10 μg doses.
NJ offers $500 ‘return to work bonus’ to unemployed residents
Unemployed New Jersey residents could earn a $500 bonus to return to the workforce as part of a new program announced by Gov. Phil Murphy on Monday, Sept. 27. The “Return and Earn” initiative will offer the one-time bonus to folks who secure a job through the program, including positions that require on-the-job training.
Is it safe to trick-or-treat this Halloween? CDC weighs in
CDC Director Rochelle Walensky said on Face the Nation that kids can trick-or-treat safely this year, adding, “If you’re able to be outdoors, absolutely.”
CDC director overrules panel, backs booster for all adults in high-risk jobs
The panel had voted against saying that people ages 18 to 64 can get a booster if they are health-care workers or have another job that puts them at increased risk of being exposed to the virus.
FDA OKs Pfizer COVID-19 boosters for 65 and older, high-risk Americans
The FDA authorized booster doses for Americans who are 65 and older, younger people with underlying health conditions and those in jobs that put them at high-risk for COVID-19. The ruling represents a drastically scaled back version of the Biden administration’s sweeping plan to give third doses to nearly all American adults to shore up their protection amid the spread of the highly contagious delta variant.
J&J booster shot 94% effective 2 months after 1st dose
Johnson & Johnson on Tuesday, Sept. 21, said new data shows a second dose — or a booster shot — of their one-shot COVID vaccine was found to be 94% effective against symptomatic COVID-19 when given two months after the initial dose.
Pfizer says COVID-19 vaccine works in kids ages 5 to 11
Pfizer said Monday, Sept. 20, its COVID-19 vaccine works for children ages 5 to 11 and that it will seek U.S. authorization for this age group soon — a key step toward beginning vaccinations for youngsters.
Vaccine mandate for child care facilities
Gov. Phil Murphy said all child care workers and facility employees need to be fully vaccinated by Nov. 1 or face regular weekly testing. As of Sept. 24, all employees, students and children in a facility’s care ages two and up will need to wear masks indoors, with limited exceptions.
Moderna vaccine is most effective against hospitalization from COVID-19: study
A study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention compared how effective each of the three COVID-19 vaccines are in preventing hospitalization from the virus. The CDC reported that effectiveness was higher for the Moderna vaccine (93%) than the Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine (88%) and the J&J vaccine (71%).
New Jersey surpassed as state with highest rate of COVID deaths
Mississippi has surpassed New Jersey as the state with the highest rate of COVID-19 deaths in the U.S., with roughly 1 of every 320 Mississippians having succumbed to the coronavirus.
COVID-19 is ‘getting better’ at becoming airborne virus
Recent COVID-19 variants are much more adept at airborne transmission than the original version of the coronavirus, according to a new study. University of Maryland researchers analyzed the Alpha variant first identified in the United Kingdom and discovered that carriers breathe out 43 to 100 times more infectious viral aerosols than those infected with the original strain.
U.S. panel backs Pfizer COVID-19 boosters only for 65 and over, high-risk
An influential federal advisory panel overwhelmingly rejected a plan to give Pfizer COVID-19 booster shots to most Americans, but it endorsed the extra shots for those who are 65 or older or run a high risk of severe disease.
COVID outbreaks in NJ schools
As of Wednesday, Sept. 15, there were six outbreaks in New Jersey schools, according to Health Commissioner Judy Persichilli. An outbreak is defined as at least three cases that are epidemiologically connected and not from the same household.
The cases are a mix of students and staff, Persichilli said. More information will be released on the state Health Department website in the coming days.
COVID-19 variants significantly reduce protection of vaccines, prior infection: study
A new study confirms that vaccinations and even prior COVID-19 infection provide significantly less protection against newer variants. Researchers from Oregon Health & Science University say in order to protect against the Alpha, Beta, and now Delta variants, these findings stress the importance of doubling down on both vaccinations and public health measures during the pandemic.
Mask debate moves from school boards to courtrooms
The rancorous debate over whether returning students should wear masks in the classroom has moved from school boards to courtrooms. In at least 14 states, lawsuits have been filed either for or against masks in schools. In some cases, normally rule-enforcing school administrators are finding themselves fighting state leaders in the name of keeping kids safe.
Supreme Court allows evictions to resume during pandemic
The Supreme Court’s conservative majority is allowing evictions to resume across the United States, blocking the Biden administration from enforcing a temporary ban that was put in place because of the coronavirus pandemic. New Jersey’s statewide rent moratorium expires at the end of the year.
These foods are extra hard to find right now because of shortages, supply chain issues
Notice your grocery store shelves looking a little bare lately? You’re definitely not the only one. Supply chain issues have created shortages of highly specific ingredients.
‘It’s up to us’: Fauci says pandemic could possibly end by spring 2022
The nation’s top infectious disease expert believes the pandemic’s end is near as long as the U.S. follows the right protocols to contain COVID-19. Dr. Anthony Fauci said he sees the light at the end of the tunnel, but it’s only open if the country’s 80 million to 90 million unvaccinated people are convinced to get the shot.
Comirnaty: What’s the story behind the new Pfizer vaccine name?
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Is an earache a new COVID-19 symptom?
Doctors say they’re seeing a new COVID-19 symptom in some patients. According to experts, an earache has been reported more frequently by those testing positive for COVID. Earaches can cause pain, a feeling of blockage and sometimes muffled hearing.
NJ COVID hospitalizations top 1,000 for the first time since May: Gov. Murphy
For the first time since May, more than 1,000 people were hospitalized with COVID-19 in New Jersey on Wednesday, Aug. 25, Gov. Phil Murphy said. There were 1,012 people hospitalized with COVID, 92 of whom were on ventilators, according to state Health Department data. The last time the state had more than 1,000 COVID hospitalizations was over three months ago on May 11, Murphy said.
Johnson & Johnson: Vaccine booster provides ‘rapid, robust’ response
Johnson & Johnson on Wednesday, Aug. 25, announced new data the company said supports the use of its COVID vaccine as a booster shot for people previously vaccinated with their single-shot vaccine.
J&J said the new data showed that a booster shot of their vaccine generated a “rapid and robust increase in spike-binding antibodies, nine-fold higher than 28 days after the primary single-dose vaccination.”
NJ to require teachers, state workers be fully vaccinated
All school personnel and state workers in New Jersey will be required to get vaccinated against COVID-19, Gov. Phil Murphy announced Monday, Aug. 23.
Will COVID booster shot have the same side effects as the first two shots?
The Biden administration said Wednesday, Aug. 18, that COVID booster shots will soon be available, but how will the Sept. 20 rollout work, and what side effects should Americans expect?
Lambda and B.1.621: New COVID variants could be the worst yet, doctor warns
At least two new COVID-19 variants have hit the United States and they could be worse than the delta variant in their infectiousness and ability to stand up to vaccines, according to a top medical authority.
U.S. health officials call for booster shots for all to battle COVID-19
U.S. health officials recommended all Americans get COVID-19 booster shots to shore up their protection amid the surging delta variant and evidence that the vaccines’ effectiveness is falling. The announcement was made on Aug. 18.
August child tax credit payments issued: Here’s why yours might be delayed
The second installment of expanded child tax credits was issued on Aug. 13 to millions of eligible families, but some payments will likely be delayed due to a technical glitch, the U.S. Department of Treasury said.
Schumer calls for federal crackdown on fake vaccine cards
COVID claims more young victims as deaths climb yet again
The COVID-19 death toll has started soaring again as the delta variant tears through the nation’s unvaccinated population and fills up hospitals with patients, many of whom are younger than during earlier phases of the pandemic.
NJ county opens COVID booster shot appointments
Health care officials in a northern New Jersey county began offering COVID-19 booster shots to qualified residents on Aug. 14. Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. said appointments for a third shot of the Moderna or Pfizer vaccine were open at vaccination centers at Kmart in West Orange and Essex County College in Newark.
Concerts, outdoor events still risky as delta variant surges, experts say
Concerts and outdoor events are returning, and many are requiring proof of vaccination as part of new safety protocols designed to help prevent the transmission of COVID-19. But while experts say being outdoors is less risky in general, they continue to recommend additional precautions for those visiting crowded outdoor venues.
Biden weighs stiffer vaccine rules as delta variant spreads rapidly across U.S.
When the pace of vaccinations in the U.S. first began to slow, President Joe Biden backed incentives like million-dollar cash lotteries if that’s what it took to get shots in arms. But as new COVID infections soar, he’s testing a tougher approach.
Who doesn’t need the COVID-19 vaccine?
It has been eight months since the first doses of the COVID-19 vaccine were administered to health care workers nationwide. Since then, the vaccine has become available to anyone over the age of 12. Experts explain the few instances in which a person would not qualify for, or should delay getting vaccinated.
Extra COVID shot OK’d for immunocompromised individuals
With more than 600 colleges and universities now requiring proof of COVID-19 inoculations, an online industry has sprung up offering fake vaccine cards.
What to do if you lose your COVID-19 vaccine card
Don’t worry if you’ve lost your COVID-19 vaccine card, there are several ways you can get it replaced. No matter where you got your shots, getting a replacement card is possible.
Will NJ reinstate a travel advisory?
Gov. Murphy said on Aug. 9, a new travel advisory is not off the table, but for now he encouraged mask wearing, which is mandatory in all airports and on flights, and other COVID safety protocols. “You gotta use your head,” he added.
Will NJ mandate masks indoors?
Despite CDC data showing New Jersey falls under its guidance to wear masks indoors, Gov. Murphy said he will not yet mandate face coverings but added, “we leave all options on the table.”
COVID transmission levels call for indoor masking under CDC guidelines
Indoor masking is advised in areas with COVID transmission rates considered “substantial” or “high” under recently updated guidelines from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As of Aug. 8, all of New Jersey falls under those categories.
How do you know if you have the delta variant of COVID-19?
So you’ve tested positive for COVID – but which COVID exactly? Is there a way to tell if you have the highly transmissible delta variant? There is a way to tell, but there’s not really a way for you to tell.
COVID breakthrough cases: Is one vaccine better than others?
Are kids more vulnerable to the delta variant of COVID-19?
Hospitals around the United States, especially in the South, are starting to fill back up again as the delta variant tears though the country. With previous waves of infection, we’ve been most worried about the elderly being vulnerable. Now, it’s younger people – even children – starting to show up in hospital beds.
U.S. averaging 100,000 new COVID-19 infections a day as delta surges
The United States is now averaging 100,000 new COVID-19 infections a day, returning to a milestone last seen during the winter surge in yet another bleak reminder of how quickly the delta variant has spread through the country. The U.S. was averaging about 11,000 cases a day in late June. Now the number is 107,143.
NJ schools mask mandate: Teachers’ union backs, Republicans slam Murphy decision
New Jersey Republicans have largely trashed Gov. Phil Murphy’s announcement on Aug 6 that masks will be required in all schools in the upcoming academic year.
NJ health care workers must be vaccinated or tested for COVID-19
Gov. Phil Murphy signed an executive order on Aug. 6 mandating that all workers in state and private health care facilities either be vaccinated for COVID-19 or tested for it twice a week.
50% of U.S. population is fully vaccinated, White House says
The United States reached a vaccination milestone on Aug. 6: 50% of the population, all ages, were fully vaccinated, the White House COVID-19 data director confirmed.
CDC says people who’ve had COVID should get shot or risk reinfection
Even people who have recovered from COVID-19 are urged to get vaccinated, especially as the extra-contagious delta variant surges — and a new study shows survivors who ignored that advice were more than twice as likely to get reinfected.
‘You have lost your minds’: Murphy lashes out at anti-vax protesters
Warning of more delta mutations, Fauci urges vaccinations
The White House COVID-19 response team said the delta variant continues to surge across the country. During a briefing on Aug. 5, Dr. Anthony Fauci called on Americans to take precautions to stop the virus from mutating. “The ultimate end game of all this is vaccination,” he said.
The latest surge in COVID-19 infections is fueled by the highly contagious delta variant first identified in India late last year. Now, a variation of that variant is beginning to generate headlines. Here’s what we know about the COVID sub-strain being called delta plus.
Vaccine mandate for state colleges?
Currently, some state colleges in New Jersey are mandating the COVID-19 vaccine for students and staff and some have made it optional. Murphy said a universal mandate “is certainly an option,” but for now individual universities can make their own call.
More ‘pain and suffering’ ahead as COVID cases rise, Fauci says
Dr. Anthony Fauci warned on Aug. 1 that more “pain and suffering” is on the horizon as COVID-19 cases climb again and officials plead with unvaccinated Americans to get their shots.
Walmart requiring COVID vaccination, masks for many employees
In a memo, Walmart announced that associates who work in multiple facilities, and associates of its campus office, will need to be vaccinated against COVID-19 by Oct. 4. Walmart also required associates, including those fully vaccinated, to wear masks in its stores.
Iconic NJ restaurant The Fireplace closes after 65 years
The Fireplace, like many other restaurants across the country, was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic and temporarily shuttered its doors before reopening in May, when they implemented drive-thru, takeout and curbside pickup followed by indoor dining in October.
New delta variant research makes strong case for vaccination
A report released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention emphasized the delta variant is more dangerous and fast-spreading than first thought. The findings also made clear why efforts to get more people vaccinated are vital.
CDC data shows delta variant spreads as easily as chickenpox
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new information on July 30, saying the coronavirus delta variant can spread as easily as chickenpox.
Pfizer: COVID vaccine protective for at least 6 months
The effectiveness of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine wanes slightly over time but it remains strongly protective for at least six months after the second dose, according to company data released on July 28.
Disney World requires masks indoors regardless of vaccination status
Beginning July 30, Disney World required all visitors ages 2 and older to wear a face covering while indoors as well as in Disney buses, the monorail and the Disney Skyliner, regardless of vaccination status.
CDC mask guidance: Vaccinated people should wear face coverings in public indoor settings
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reversed course on some masking guidelines, recommending that even vaccinated people return to wearing masks indoors in parts of the U.S. where the coronavirus is surging.
U.S. headed in ‘wrong direction’ on COVID-19, Fauci says
Doctors warn about slightly different symptoms with delta variant of COVID
As concern grows regarding the COVID-19 delta variant, health leaders are warning about somewhat different symptoms that come with it.
Most unvaccinated Americans unlikely to get COVID-19 shots, new AP poll finds
A new poll shows that most Americans who haven’t been vaccinated against COVID-19 say they are unlikely to get the shots. About 16% say they probably will get the vaccine.
Is asking about someone’s COVID vaccine status a HIPAA violation?
HIPAA was signed into law by President Bill Clinton in 1996 during a time when medical records were being computerized. It was created to simplify the administration of health insurance and to prevent unauthorized access to peoples’ medical histories.
In fact, HIPAA doesn’t block anyone from asking another person about their health status, according to Alan Meisel, law professor and bioethics expert at the University of Pittsburgh.
Gov. Murphy holds off on reinstating mask mandate
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy says he’s not ready to reinstitute mask requirements, now or when schools are back in session in September. Murphy says he “is comfortable where we are” on mask mandates but is also closely monitoring developments.
Child tax credit checks: Will they become permanent?
The parents of an estimated 60 million American children began receiving child tax credit payments from the IRS in a move expected to lift millions of families above the poverty baseline for the remainder of 2021. Should they become permanent?
Biden grapples with ‘pandemic of the unvaccinated’
President Joe Biden is confronting the worrying reality of rising cases and deaths — and the limitations of his ability to combat the persistent vaccine hesitance responsible for the summer backslide.
Child tax credit: When to expect payments, how it may impact tax returns
Common cholesterol drugs may significantly reduce risk of death from COVID-19: study
Statins, a common medication for lowering cholesterol, may be saving lives among patients with COVID-19. A new study reveals hospitalized coronavirus patients who take statins are much less likely to die from the illness.
WHO chief says it was ‘premature’ to rule out COVID lab leak
The head of the World Health Organization acknowledged it was premature to rule out a potential link between the COVID-19 pandemic and a laboratory leak, and he said he is asking China to be more transparent as scientists search for the origins of the coronavirus.
Wildfire smoke linked to increased COVID-19 risk, study says
A new study suggests that exposure to wildfire smoke is linked to an increased risk of contracting COVID-19.
What can I do if I didn’t get my child tax credit payment?
The official disbursement date for the first child tax credit payments from the Internal Revenue Service was July 15, but parents may not see the cash right away.
Delta now dominant COVID variant in New Jersey
The highly transmissible delta variant is now the dominant strain in New Jersey, Gov. Phil Murphy said on July 12. The governor urged New Jersey residents to get vaccinated against COVID if they haven’t already done so.
Global COVID-19 deaths hit 4 million amid rush to vaccinate
There’s more to the worker shortage than pandemic unemployment, experts say
The workforce shortage is a combination of several factors, including the COVID-19 pandemic, a shift in the economy, and changes in the workforce demographics, experts say.
Free health insurance included in stimulus benefits for unemployment recipients
Along with $1,400 stimulus checks and monthly child tax credit payments, the American Rescue Plan has another important benefit available to people who qualified for unemployment assistance this year: free health care.
Will one dose of a two-dose COVID-19 vaccine protect me?
Yes, but not nearly as much as if you had both doses. Experts recommend getting fully vaccinated, especially with the emergence of worrisome coronavirus mutations such as the delta variant first identified in India.
Workers enjoy the upper hand as companies scramble to hire
With the economy growing rapidly as it reopens from the pandemic, many employers are increasingly desperate to hire. Yet evidence suggests that as a group, the unemployed aren’t feeling the same urgency to take jobs.
As of Monday, there have been 1,050,219 total positive PCR tests in the state since March 2020, and there have been 25,274 lab-confirmed coronavirus deaths, according to the state Health Department.
The fact Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin is so firm about his agenda for the upcoming session is not insignificant. | Seth Wenig/AP Photo
Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin is charting a legislative agenda as New Jersey begins to emerge from the throes of the pandemic, starting with a commitment to expand the state’s free school meal program.
Many details remain unresolved, but Coughlin said his platform will include five pillars: tackling hunger, homelessness, mental health and child care issues and providing more aid to small business owners. The Middlesex County Democrat said he’s working on legislation to expand access to free school meals and wants to reimagine how the state is serving its homeless population.
The fact Coughlin is so firm about his agenda for the upcoming session is not insignificant. He’s usually shied away from putting out a robust platform, instead releasing proposals more piecemeal.
“I have historically rolled things out as they came in,” Coughlin said, but as New Jersey recovers from the pandemic, “there’s a couple of things I recognize need to be addressed, that dovetail with one another.”
In a 30-minute phone interview with POLITICO on Monday, Coughlin said he’d wait to introduce his proposals until the new session that begins in January, rather than try to rush them through the lame duck.
“What I think we need to do as a caucus is to make sure that the caucus reflects on shared middle class values,” he said.
Coughlin’s agenda comes as the political balance of Trenton is in flux.
Last week, Senate President Steve Sweeney suffered an out-of-nowhere defeat to a virtually unknown Republican candidate, Edward Durr, sending shockwaves through New Jersey politics. Sweeney’s departure will surely recalibrate the balance of power in the Legislature, and deals are already in the works to name Sen. Nick Scutari (D-Union) the new Senate president. Sen. Nia Gill (D-Essex) said over the weekend she’s also interested in the position.
Despite losing several seats in the Assembly, Coughlin said the news wasn’t all bad for Democrats.
“It’s been a tough and trying 48 hours, but today is a good day for Democrats in New Jersey and for the Assembly,” Coughlin said at a press conference announcing Democratic leadership last week, including that he will remain as speaker. “We retained a solid and comfortable majority in the Assembly and the Senate, we reelected a Democratic governor for the first time in 44 years, we flipped a Senate seat for the first time in the 16th District.”
Coughlin has made combating hunger in New Jersey one of his signature issues, and ramped up those efforts during the pandemic, pushing through legislation that appropriated more money into anti-hunger causes and shepherding the passage of a bill that made New Jersey the first state to appoint an official anti-hunger advocate to oversee food aid programs.
The speaker wants to go a step further by expanding the state’s free meals program. During the pandemic, the federal government allowed families to pick up free food from their local school district, even if they did not qualify for the programs. But that benefit will expire this school year and Coughlin wants to increase the number of students eligible for free meals by broadening family income eligibility.
“If we can get kids well fed, at least we know they have a couple of meals a day, that enhances their performance and eliminates the burden for the parents who have to worry [about feeding their kids],” he said.
Coughlin said all lawmakers have stories about helping people with housing issues, and now with the foreclosure moratorium ending, he fears the situation will only get worse.
One option he’s looking into is turning vacant structures, such as hotels or malls, into public housing. Then the state could provide wraparound services in the same location, he said, and help provide people with transportation.
“The notion is using things that are not used for their intended purpose, like commercial space, to identify them, figure out how to fund them, and then turn them into centers for living and for those other wraparound services,” he said.
Other issues on his agenda, such as improving access to child care, expanding mental health services and providing more aid for small businesses, are in the early stages of discussion, he said.
“These are things that may take more time,” he said. “And if we’re going to be thorough and thoughtful about it, I wouldn’t want to rush it during lame duck.”
NEWARK – Jack Ciattarelli spent a lot of verbiage the last few months condemning the Reproductive Freedom Act, which supporters say would protect abortion rights regardless of any action by the U.S. Supreme Court.
Democrats never passed the bill despite having a comfortable majority in both houses and despite it being backed by Gov. Phil Murphy. Now with Democrats losing seats in both houses, passage may be even more difficult in either the lame duck session or the new Legislature in 2022.
But advocates are not giving up.
First Lady Tammy Murphy said today that it’s important to pass the act in New Jersey. She spoke along with Sen. Bob Menendez at a rally/press conference in front of the historic Essex County courthouse to support abortion rights and Planned Parenthood.
Joe DiVincenzo, the Essex County executive and another speaker, spoke of things going not forward, but backwards.
Many Republican-led states have passed laws that virtually outlaw abortion.
These measures theoretically run afoul of the court’s Roe v. Wade ruling nearly 50 years ago, but abortion opponents are emboldened by the changing make-up of the U.S. Supreme Court. While justices do not always rule in line with preconceived ideological assumptions, the court is now seen leaning right by a 6-3 margin.
It has set a hearing for early next month on an anti-abortion law from Mississippi.
“The threat to Roe v. Wade has never been greater,” Menendez said.
He condemned what he called “unrelenting attacks” on abortion rights by anti-choice ideologues.
The senator wasn’t pleased either with Republicans who he said “stole” a Supreme Court seat by refusing to confirm a justice nominated by Barack Obama in 2016. That would have been Merrick Garland.
That is old news by now, but the anger among Democrats lives on.
The current Senate is 50-50, but Dems have the advantage because any tie-breaking vote would be cast by Vice President Kamala Harris.
That is timely because of the pending Build Back Better Act, a $1.75 trillion package that would appropriate money for child care, medical care, pre-school and also eliminate the $10,000 deduction cap on state and local taxes, a Democratic goal for four years now.
The problem, as we saw with the just-passed infrastructure bill, is to bring different factions of the party together.
Menendez is confident that will happen.
He’s also a big proponent of the bill.
“It’s imperative, imperative. (that) it becomes the law of the land,” Menendez said.
PRINCETON — A Rutgers University administrator was killed Sunday afternoon when a teenager in a stolen Jeep rammed into her vehicle head-on, police said.
The 15-year-old also died in the crash while a teen passenger was seriously injured.
The tragedy began to unfold when Princeton police were called about 12:40 p.m. by a Clover Lane resident reporting that three people were trying to steal his parked from his driveway
As police gave chase, the teens were in a stolen black Jeep Cherokee heading west on Clover Lane and were being followed by a Range Rover, which police later learned had been reported stolen from a home on Dodds Lane. The Jeep was stolen out of Pequannock.
The officer who responded to the call followed the Range Rover as the Jeep took off in an unknown direction.
The Range Rover picked up speed and police ended the potentially dangerous pursuit on Snowden Drive. The Range Rover continued without stopping and was later found abandoned in Newark.
The Jeep, meanwhile, ended up crashing head-on with a 2016 Acura RDX about 1:10 p.m. on Route 27 (Princeton-Kingston Road) near Carnegie Drive. Police said the Jeep crossed over the double yellow line and struck Jodi Marcou’s vehicle.
Pictures from the scene show both vehicles went off the road with one standing nearly straight up.
Jodi Marcou (Jodi Marcou via Linkedin)
Marcou and the teen were pronounced dead at the scene while a 14-year-old passenger in the Jeep was taken to Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Princeton and is in critical condition.
Route 27 was closed for several hours during the cleanup and investigation of the crash.
Princeton police asked any witnesses to the crash to call 609-921-2100 X 1879.
Marcou had worked at Rutgers University as a development specialist in New Brunswick since 2018.
“Jodi was a true asset to the school adding great value to the school’s development operation. Jodi was highly regarded by colleagues, donors, and alumni,” Rutgers spokesman John Cramer said in a written statement.
“Dean Jonathan Potter expressed his deepest condolences to her family and friends upon hearing of the loss of Jodi saying that words are insufficient to express our deep sorrow for the loss of our colleague.”
Crash scene on Route 27 in Princeton 11/7/21 (Halley Smith, MidJersey.news)
Vaccinations for COVID-19 began being administered in the U.S. on Dec. 14, 2020. The quick rollout came a little more than a year after the virus was first identified in November 2019. The impressive speed with which vaccines were developed has also left a lot of people with a lot of questions. The questions range from the practical—how will I get vaccinated?—to the scientific—how do these vaccines even work?
Keep reading to discover answers to 25 common COVID-19 vaccine questions.
54 Jersey natives playing in the NFL in 2021 (+ 2 head coaches)
Some of them may even be on your fantasy football team.
Things to do in Salem County, NJ
The least populated county in New Jersey is out of the way for most New Jerseyans. Here’s a sample of things to do and appreciate should you choose to take a trip to Salem County.
WABC Disney+ Day 2021 SWEEPSTAKES – OFFICIAL RULES
I. NAME OF SPONSOR(S)
WABC Television New York , LLC. (hereinafter referred to as “Sponsor”).
II. ELIGIBILITY
WABC Disney+ Day Sweepstakes (the “Sweepstakes”) is open only to legal residents who reside in the Designated Market Area (“DMA”) of WABC-TV, as determined by Nielsen Media Research Services, and who are at least eighteen (18) years of age or older. The DMA of WABC-TV covers the following counties: BERGEN, NJ; BRONX, NY; DUTCHESS, NY; ESSEX, NJ; FAIRFIELD, CT; HUDSON, NJ; HUNTERDON, NJ; KINGS, NY; MIDDLESEX, NJ; MONMOUTH, NJ; MORRIS, NJ; NASSAU, NY; NEW YORK, NY; OCEAN, NJ; ORANGE, NY; PASSAIC, NJ; PIKE, PA; PUTNAM, NY; QUEENS, NY; RICHMOND, NY; ROCKLAND, NY; SOMERSET, NJ; SUFFOLK, NY; SULLIVAN, NY; SUSSEX, NJ; ULSTER, NY; UNION, NJ; WARREN, NJ; WESTCHESTER, NY
Any individuals (including, but not limited to, employees, consultants, independent contractors, and interns) who have, within the past six (6) months, performed services for Sponsor, other television and radio stations in the DMA, or any organizations responsible for sponsoring, fulfilling, administering, advertising or promoting the Sweepstakes or supplying a prize, and/or their respective parent, subsidiary, affiliated and successor companies, and immediate family and household members of such individuals, and any person who, within the past ninety (90) days, has been awarded a prize in any sweepstakes conducted by Sponsor, are not eligible to enter or win. “Immediate family members” shall mean parents, stepparents, children, stepchildren, siblings, stepsiblings, or spouses. “Household members” shall mean people who share the same residence at least three (3) months a year.
III. HOW AND WHEN TO ENTER
NO PURCHASE NECESSARY.
From 4:30am Eastern Time (“ET”) on Friday, November 12, 2021 through 1:00 pm ET Friday, November 12, 2021 (the “Entry Period”) you may enter” by navigating the Internet to http://www.abc7ny.com/ (“Website”), locating the “Promotions” section of the Website, clicking on the Sweepstakes-themed image and then clicking on the link to the Sweepstakes entry form.
CLICK THE CHECK BOX SIGNIFYING THAT YOU HAVE READ AND AGREE TO THESE OFFICIAL RULES. IF YOU DO NOT CHECK THE BOX INDICATING YOUR CONFIRMATION OF AND AGREEMENT TO THE ABOVE, YOU WILL NOT BE ENTERED IN THE SWEEPSTAKES AND CANNOT WIN THE PRIZE.
Limit one (1) Sweepstakes entry via the method listed above (each an “Entry” and collectively referred to herein as “Entries”) per person during the Entry Period, regardless of how many Member accounts a person may have (as further described below).
To enter the Sweepstakes, you must be a registered member of One-ID (“Member”).
Existing Member: As a Member, you may enter the Sweepstakes by logging into One-ID through the Website with your user name or email address and password and following the entry instructions. If you login to your Member account using Facebook, you will be asked to allow Facebook’s “Basic App Permissions,” which is required in order to login to your Member account and participate in the Sweepstakes.
Non-Member: If you are not a Member, you may become a Member free of charge by visiting the Website and registering by providing the requested information on the registration form through the “sign up” or similar section on the Website. By creating a Member account, you acknowledge your agreement to the Terms of Use (available at http://disneytermsofuse.com). Upon becoming a Member and meeting eligibility requirements, you may enter the Sweepstakes by following the instructions.
By clicking the “Continue” button to continue with your Entry (as described below), you confirm that you meet the eligibility requirements of this Sweepstakes and agree to these Sweepstakes Official Rules. During the registration and entry process, you may be asked to consent to receive promotional and marketing emails from ABC and/or other members of the Walt Disney family of companies or the prize provider. Consenting to receive promotional, marketing or reminder emails is optional, does not have to be agreed to in order to be eligible to enter the Sweepstakes and does not improve your chances of winning. In the event you do consent to receive these emails, the use of such emails shall be subject to ABC’s Privacy Policy, available at www.disneyprivacycenter.com.
Sponsor can provide no technical support and accepts no responsibility for ensuring the receipt or successful submission of your Entry. Mass Entries or Entries generated by a script, macro or use of automated methods will be disqualified. Sponsor is not responsible for failed, partial or garbled computer transmissions, or for technical failures of any kind, including, but not limited to, electronic malfunction or damage of any network, hardware or software. If for any reason the Sweepstakes is not capable of running as planned, including infection by computer virus, bugs, tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or other causes that corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity or proper conduct of the Sweepstakes, Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual who tampers with the entry process, and to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Sweepstakes. No responsibility is assumed for any error, omission, interruption, deletion, defect, delay in operation or transmission, communications line failure, theft or destruction or unauthorized access to, or alteration of, Entries; or any problems or technical malfunctions of any telephone network or lines, computer online systems, servers, or providers, computer equipment, software, failure of any email or electronic Entry to be received on account of technical problems or traffic congestion on the Internet or Website, or any combination thereof, including any injury or damage to entrant’s or any other person’s computer related to or resulting from participation in or downloading any materials from this Sweepstakes. Except as otherwise contemplated by these Official Rules, and to the extent entrants may otherwise elect at the time of Entry, information provided by you for these Sweepstakes is subject to Sponsor’s privacy policy.
IV. HOW AND WHEN WINNERS WILL BE SELECTED AND NOTIFIED
Potential winners will be notified on or around the date of selection by telephone or email at the email address or phone number listed in their Member account profiles. Odds of winning depend on the total number of valid Entries received during each Entry Period. Limit one (1) prize package per person and only one (1) person per household can win.
A total of five (10) potential winners will be selected via a random drawing from among all eligible Entries received during the Entry Period.
Final determination of the winners is always conditional on verification of eligibility and compliance with these Official Rules and procedures. Failure to respond to the initial verification phone call and/or email within twenty-four (24) hours after initial notification to the potential winner or return of the email notification as undeliverable after two (2) attempts may result in disqualification and award of the prize to an alternate winner. Potential winners will be required to complete, sign and return within one (1) business day of transmission, an Affidavit of Eligibility, Release and Indemnification, and a Publicity Release where allowed by law, W-9 Form, if applicable and any other documentation required by Sponsor (collectively, “Verification Documents”). If a potential winner does not respond to the initial notification within twenty-four (24) hours as set forth above, if Verification Documents are not returned to Sponsor within the specified time period, if potential winner cannot attend any programming connected with the Sweepstakes on the specified date, if any prize notification or prize is returned as non-deliverable, if potential winner is found to be ineligible or otherwise not in compliance with these Official Rules, or if potential winner cannot or does not accept the prize for any reason, prize may be forfeited and potential winners may be disqualified without compensation of any kind and an alternate winner may be selected in a random drawing (time permitting) from remaining eligible entries received.
In the event of any dispute concerning the identity of any entrant, the Entry will be deemed submitted by the natural person who is the authorized holder of the email listed in the Member account. “Authorized account holder” is defined as the natural person who is assigned to an email address by an Internet access provider, online service provider, or other organization (e.g., business, educational institution, etc.) that is responsible for assigning email addresses for the domain associated with the submitted email address.
V. PRIZES
Ten (10) prize winners will each receive a virtual code and instruction on how to redeem the code for a one (1) year subscription to Disney+, a value of $79.99.
Total actual retail value of all Prizes awarded = $799.99
Federal, state and local taxes, if any, are the sole responsibility of each winner, who will receive an IRS Form 1099 reflecting the final actual value of any prize valued at $600 or more. All expenses not specifically provided for herein, including transportation to and from the venue, parking, concessions and merchandise (if applicable), are each winner’s sole responsibility. Some restrictions may apply.
Sponsor shall have no responsibility or liability for cancellations, delays, or any other change by any company or person providing any element of the Prize due to reasons beyond Sponsor’s control, and is not responsible or liable for any expenses incurred as a consequence thereof. Prize event is subject to cancellation. If a winner chooses to attend the event with no guest, the remaining elements of the Prize shall constitute full satisfaction of Sponsor’s obligation to winner and no additional compensation will be awarded.
Prize components may not be sold, traded, transferred, or rescheduled to dates not within the fulfillment period set forth above, or refunded. Prizes are not redeemable for cash. Sponsor will not replace any lost, mutilated or stolen tickets.
VI. RELEASES
By participating, entrants agree to be bound by these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsor, which shall be final in all respects.
By participating in this Sweepstakes and accepting any prize that they may win, entrants agree to release Sponsor, ABC Holding Company, Inc., their parent, subsidiary, affiliated and successor companies, advertising and promotion agencies and prize suppliers, and each of their respective officers, directors, agents, representatives and employees, as well as each of their respective successors, representatives and assigns (collectively, the “Released Parties”) from any and all actions, claims, injury, loss or damage arising in any manner, directly or indirectly, from participation in this Sweepstakes and/or acceptance or use of the prizes, including, but not limited to, potential exposure to COVID-19 while attending the Prize event.
Winners agree that the Released Parties have not made nor are in any manner responsible or liable for any warranty, representation or guarantee, express or implied, in fact or in law, relative to any prize.
Entrants authorize the Released Parties to use their name, voice, likeness, biographical data, city and state of residence and entry materials in programming or promotional material, worldwide in perpetuity, or on a winner’s list, if applicable, without further compensation unless prohibited by law. Sponsor is not obligated to use any of the above-mentioned information or materials, but may do so and may edit such information or materials, at Sponsor’s sole discretion, without further obligation or compensation.
VII. MISCELLANEOUS; WINNERS’ LIST
Void where prohibited. All federal, state and local laws and regulations apply.
Sponsor reserves the right, in its sole discretion, to disqualify any individual who tampers with the entry process and to cancel, terminate, modify and/or suspend the Sweepstakes in the event of tampering or other circumstances, including, but not limited to, acts of God or civil disturbance that render it impractical or impossible to complete or fulfill the Sweepstakes as originally planned.
For the names of the winners, send a self-addressed, stamped envelope to: WABC Disney+ Day, c/o WABC, 7 Lincoln Squares, New York, NY 10023 within sixty (60) days after Sweepstakes end date.
These Official Rules will be posted on abc7ny.com/promotions for at least thirty (30) days after winner(s) are notified or announced.
Reportedly, the SUV slowly pulled up next to the teenager as she was walking down the street. The driver rolled down the window and told the girl that she needed to get in his car. She had her phone on her and began filming the vehicle. After the driver asked her if she was cold and told her to get in, the girl ran up a driveway and the car sped off.
Luckily, the teen’s video helped the police track down the vehicle and take the suspect into custody for attempted child luring.
To read more about the case as well as everything released to the public about the investigation so far, click HERE.
Make sure to listen to Cat Country Mornings with Joe and Jahna every weekday from 5:30a-10a!
Not all of NJ’s kids are lucky like this 13-year-old. These 62 missing children from New Jersey still need to be found:
While you’re at it, Here are the FBI’s Most Wanted for Crimes Against Children:
LOOK: What are the odds that these 50 totally random events will happen to you?
Stacker took the guesswork out of 50 random events to determine just how likely they are to actually happen. They sourced their information from government statistics, scientific articles, and other primary documents. Keep reading to find out why expectant parents shouldn’t count on due dates — and why you should be more worried about dying on your birthday than living to 100 years old.
James Anthony O’Brien died in his sleep of heart failure in the early morning hours of Thursday, November 4. He was a month shy of his 73rd birthday. Born in Brooklyn, New York, on December 7, 1948, he was pre-deceased by his mother and father, James Anthony O’Brien and Nora Irene Casey O’Brien. Surviving to treasure his memory are his wife and best friend of 37 years, Sherry Frances Brabham, and his three children: Rory James McIntyre O’Brien and wife Ann Marie Kelly O’Brien of Letterkenny, Ireland; and John Louis Brabham O’Brien and Elizabeth Gerald Brabham O’Brien of Glen Ridge, NJ. In addition, he is survived by three grandchildren, Charlie James O’Brien, Evie May O’Brien, and Finn Samuel O’Brien of Letterkenny, Ireland; his siblings, Coleen O’Brien Farrell and husband, John (Jack); John (Jack) O’Brien and wife, Maureen; and Timothy (Tim) O’Brien and wife, Liane; as well as two brothers-in-law, Gerald (Gerry) Brabham and Anthony (Tony) Brabham. In addition, Jim has seven nieces and nephews and twelve grand nieces and nephews. Pamela McIntyre O’Brien, Rory’s mother, also survives him. Jim graduated from Bishop Loughlin High School in Fort Greene, Brooklyn at the height of the Vietnam War. Having only modest success at Kingsborough Community College, he enlisted in the US Navy in 1968, passing all qualifying exams to become a submariner. He served from 1968 until 1972 on the USS Halibut, which played a significant role in the espionage missions of the 1970s cold war politics, remaining submerged for weeks at a time and secretly anchoring off the coast of the Soviet Union. Jim’s memories of his days on the Halibut, where he served as a torpedoman at a time that the vessel and crew were recipients of a Presidential Unit Citation, have been fondly sustained by his bi-annual Halibut reunions and life-long friendships with former shipmates. After his honorable discharge from active service, Jim continued his service to his country in the Navy Reserves until 1974. Jim’s long and varied career started in high school, working in a Brooklyn butcher shop, cleaning-up and delivering meat on his bicycle throughout the neighborhood. He also worked on the loading dock at Macy’s on 34th Street for a brief period. After the military, his first work was sorting checks in the transit department until he graduated to the position of truck driver, delivering beer through-out Union, Hudson, and Essex counties in New Jersey. Soon thereafter, he became a part-time rural-route letter-carrier for the United States Postal Service in Sussex county. In 1974, he became a full-time firefighter in the Belleville, NJ fire department, where he served for eleven years, narrowly escaping injury on more than one occasion. In fact, his firefighter hat sustained a permanent dent from a falling beam during one near-miss incident. After working as a firefighter for five years, Jim decided to change the course of his life. He stopped drinking alcohol and began to find ways to be of service to other alcoholics and addicts. With the sponsorship of the Firemen’s Mutual Benevolent Association (FMBA), he started the Alcohol Referral and Information Department (ARID), providing services to help firefighters throughout the State of New Jersey quit alcohol and drugs. In 1985, after feeling led to a life of greater service, Jim determined to join Habitat for Humanity, building houses for the homeless. This leading was tested and confirmed by a clearness committee of Montclair Friends (Quaker) Meeting, where he had become a committed member and where he had also met his future wife. One opportunity that Jim embraced through his association with Friends was his active participation in New York Yearly Meetings Alternatives to Violence Project (AVP) where volunteers were trained to work with inmates in New York prisons, teaching them through didactic sessions, group discussions, and role playing to identify and choose alternatives to some of the violent responses that had led to their incarceration. Jim spent dozens of weekends at New York garden spots such as Sing Sing, Bedford Hills, Clinton, among others. In May of 1985, Jim left the firehouse, gave away most of his belongings, and made the trip to Americus, Georgia for a summer of Bible study, management training, and back-breaking work as a Habitat volunteer. Living on poverty wages, he and his colleagues learned to trim damaged spots from fruit and vegetables that were to have been thrown out by area grocers and ate simple meals of chicken and milk gravy. In Americus, he was offered an assignment to Haiti and began to learn Haitian Creole. Jim returned to New Jersey at the end of July to attend the annual meeting of Quakers from New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut, where he hoped to raise funds to secure financial support for his mission to Haiti. The fund-raising effort was only modestly successful; however, the bond with Sherry (his future wife) was greatly strengthened and he began to seek opportunities to work for Habitat in New York or New Jersey. That opportunity opened at Habitat’s first multiunit building site on the lower east side of Manhattan. Jim became a community organizer and addiction counselor for $3.15 per hour, plus commuting costs. When former President Jimmy Carter and First Lady Rosalynn Carter came to New York to help finish the work on the Habitat building, Jim and Sherry walked across the Brooklyn Bridge with the Carters, the new homeowners, and hundreds of volunteers to cut the ribbons on the new homes. A year later, Jim and Sherry travelled to Puno, Peru to help construct homes, high in the Andes. With his work with Habitat completed, Jim continued his work as an addiction counselor in New Jersey. Over the coming years, he completed both his bachelor’s degree and his Masters of Social Work and advanced his certifications as an addiction counselor. Over 31 years, he worked at several important treatment centers across New Jersey, including Saint Clare’s Medical Detox; Turning Point, where he became Executive Director; Maryville, where he also served as Executive Director, and Integrity House, where he worked at both the beginning and end of his career. At each agency, Jim was an agent of change, expanding the availability of beds to those desperate for treatment; leading formerly unaccredited agencies through the labyrinth of the accrediting processes, standards, and team visits; ensuring that quality food was served to clients in in-patient facilities; working with the criminal justice system to create drug courts, giving inmates options for treatment in lieu of continued incarceration; ensuring counselors had private offices to meet with clients; introducing best practices in therapeutic programs and ensuring accurate content in didactic and family sessions – the list goes on. At Maryville, he laid out and installed a labyrinth for clients for meditation practices. Perhaps Jim’s greatest impact was his service as the Director of a non-profit, Associated Treatment Providers (ATP), where, in partnership with the Division of Addiction Services, he administered grants earmarked for counselor training and ADA accommodations at treatment facilities across the State. Countless individuals and programs benefited from the professional programming and effective grant distribution of ATP under Jim’s leadership. Jim retired from his last position at Integrity, Secaucus in 2016 – and immediately immersed himself in new endeavors. He began to take pre-requisite courses in theology and biblical studies in order to be admitted to the Doctor of Ministry Program at Lancaster Theological Seminary. Simultaneously, he was sponsored by the Glen Ridge Congregational Church and placed under care of the New Jersey Association in pursuit of ministerial ordination. He had great success on this path, until his illnesses forced him to reconsider and step away. Jim furthered his volunteer work with prisoners, participating with his friends Judge Joseph Connolly and John Flippin with Kenosis Prison Ministry, which brought visitation, witness, and prayer services to New Jersey inmates. Jim also began to write, taking courses on-line and joining a creative non-fiction writing group. He proudly had one of his stories published by the New York Times in the Metro Diary. And Jim began to study Irish, enrolling in on-line courses offered by the Irish Center at the University of Montana. Throughout his life, Jim’s service to his Church and to the United Church of Christ, nationally, has been extensive. Ordained as a Commissioned Minister, he has offered programs, worship opportunities, and sermons educating adults and young people on the risks of addiction and the importance of a Higher Power in a path to serenity and health. For more than a year he held a weekly service of prayer in the Glen Ridge Congregational Church sanctuary for all those impacted by addiction. For the past two years, he has provided the data and materials for a monthly counting of crosses, representative of those in New Jersey who have died from opioid overdose. These souls and their families are lifted up in the morning prayer. And Jim served his hometown of Glen Ridge. As a member of the school board; the Gas Lamp Players, as a Board member and occasional “actor” in casts that featured the town’s children and teenagers; and as the helper who played Santa Claus for many Glen Ridge tree lighting ceremonies. Among Jim’s hobbies were his love of sailing, his beekeeping, and his membership in the Cloud Appreciation Society. Jim walked his talk. Sober for 42 years he was a model of a life in service to a Higher Power, who he called God. It was impossible not to feel the truth of his faithfulness when in his presence, even briefly. Jim was blessed to be surrounded by people who loved him – his family, his church community, and even the many members of the medical community who he encountered briefly or over many years as he struggled with kidney disease, heart disease, and related complications. Jim’s courage was evident throughout his life. He excelled with overt acts of bravery – rushing into burning buildings and staying calm and alert when on a risky mission aboard his beloved Halibut. What must have been most difficult was finding the courage to face illness, uncertainty, multiple surgeries and medical interventions with equal resolve and calm. Jim – the one who was so strong and proactive in his youth — learned to accept the help of others with grace and dignity. Jim received the extraordinary gifts of two kidneys from living donors – the first in 1997 from his dear brother, Jack, and the second in 2011 from his dear brother-in-law, Tony. It is impossible to express in words the depth of generosity and kindness that were shown by these gifts. Jim and his family are forever grateful. Jim was greatly loved – because he himself radiated the love of God to every person he met. Equally important, he had the humility to accept what others offered him – a smile, a kind word, a helping hand, a blood draw, an EKG, a kidney. He gave many others the opportunity to serve him – and in doing so, made all of us better for having been touched by his gracious and grateful receipt of our gifts, both large and small. A memorial service to remember Jim O’Brien will be held on Friday, November 12 at 11:30 AM at the Glen Ridge Congregational Church, 195 Ridgewood Avenue, Glen Ridge, New Jersey. All friends are invited to a repast to celebrate Jim’s life immediately following the service at the Glen Ridge County Club, 555 Ridgewood Avenue, Glen Ridge, New Jersey. In lieu of flowers, friends may contribute to: Centurion Ministries, 1000 Herronton Road, Princeton, New Jersey 08540 (an organization dedicated to the vindication of the wrongly incarcerated); the Glen Ridge Volunteer Ambulance Squad, 3 Herman Street, Glen Ridge, New Jersey 07028 (which served Jim faithfully for many years); the Glen Ridge Congregational Church, 195 Ridgewood Avenue, Glen Ridge, New Jersey 07028(Jim’s church family); or Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School, 357 Clermont Avenue, Brooklyn, New York, 11238 (to a scholarship in Jim’s name). Please express condolences at www.oboylefuneralhome.com
The Essex County prosecutor and sheriff told CBS2’s Lisa Rozner they’re leaving no stone unturned in the search for Jashyah, who was last seen on Oct. 14 at Poppie’s Deli on Central Avenue in East Orange.
“We don’t even know if she actually entered the park or not. We know she used to come here once in a while, and the deli that she went to was only about three blocks away from here,” Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura said.
The sheriff says another reason they searched the body of water is because people have been found there in the past.
Saturday’s search yielded no sign of Jashyah or any of her belongings.
SEARCH FOR JASHYAH: Some clearer photos of 14 y/o Jashyah Moore given to me by her mother. Pls note she no longer has a nose ring. Last seen wearing a black jacket, boots + khakis. More in our piece at 11p @CBSNewYorkpic.twitter.com/SpCdOdE5lr
Since Friday, the reward for information has increased from $10,000 to $15,000 thanks to an anonymous donation.
The prosecutor says they’re looking into recent tips but need more.
“Please, you know, no matter how small the information may appear, how insignificant, it may have large ramifications,” acting Essex County prosecutor Theodore N. Stephens said.
Jashyah’s mom, Jamie Moore, last saw her daughter after she picked up a few items from the store in their neighborhood. She lost her mother’s card and went back to retrace her steps.
Authorities say there is footage of an older man buying items for her at the deli, but he has been identified and has been helpful.
WATCH: Mother Of Missing Jashyah Moore Speaks Out
Moore says Jashyah loves to stay home and play video games or cook.
“If you see Jashyah, please call the police. I really in my heart don’t believe Jashyah is able to just come to me because she would never stay away from her family like this … I’m keeping all my faith in God that my baby is going to return to me unharmed,” Moore said.
Jashyah is 5 feet, 5 inches tall and weighs around 135 pounds. She was last seen wearing khakis, black boots and a black jacket.
Moore says she’s telling Jashyah’s 3-year-old brother, her best friend, Jashyah will be back.
Jashyah’s family says they did request an AMBER alert to be issued earlier, but authorities said the case doesn’t meet the criteria to issue one.
The FBI, New Jersey State Police and East Orange Police Department are working together to find Jashyah. Anyone with information is asked to call police at 877-847-7432 or 973-266-5041. Tips can be made anonymously.
James Anthony O’Brien died in his sleep of heart failure in the early morning hours of Thursday, November 4. He was a month shy of his 73rd birthday.