Latest news with #OceanCounty
Yahoo
4 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
1 dead, 14 injured, including children, after lightning strike in New Jersey
JACKSON, NJ — One person was killed and 14 others were injured, including eight children, after a lightning strike at an outdoor archery range in New Jersey on July 16, officials said. The lightning strike occurred at 7:07 p.m. ET at the Black Knight Bowbenders archery range in Jackson Township, a suburb in Ocean County located about east of the state's capital city of Trenton. The incident occurred while the club was hosting a competition for the Boy Scouts, according to Joseph Candido, the township's public safety information director. The lightning strike killed a 61-year-old man and sent another to the Burn Center at Cooperman Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, a township near Newark and about 50 miles north of Jackson, Candido said. The deceased was later identified as archery instructor Robert Montgomery, of Cinnaminson Township, New Jersey. In addition to Montgomery, 13 other people, including eight children, were sent to local hospitals for treatment, Candido said. Their injuries ranged from minor burns to some reporting feeling electrical sensations in their bodies, according to Candido. The victims were as young as 7 years old. The lightning also struck an apartment complex in town, but minor damage was reported, Candido added. Jackson First Aid and multiple other agencies responded to the scene, including Freehold, Howell, Toms River, Plumsted, Millstone, and Hatzolah first aid squads, Candido said. The Black Knight Bowbenders outdoor archery range is located on nearly 50 wooded acres in a remote area off Perrineville Road. The club features numerous archery competitions throughout the year. Heat wave sizzling parts of Northeast: NYC could feel like a 100-degree cooker Mayor: No other incidents reported from the thunderstorm The incident occurred as thunderstorms were forecasted for parts of the eastern and central United States on July 16, including New Jersey. The lightning strike happened shortly before a severe thunderstorm warning was issued in Ocean County. Nick Guzzo, a meteorologist on duty at the National Weather Service station in Mount Holly, said the thunderstorm that passed over Jackson "wasn't necessarily anything atypical" of such an event. But he noted that the weather service was aware of what happened in Jackson and was attempting to gather more data on the circumstances that led to the lightning strike. Reina said that he had spoken to New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy, who offered to send whatever resources the town needed. "I have been briefed on a lightning strike tonight at an outdoor archery range in Jackson. At this time, we have at least one fatality and multiple injuries," Murphy said in a post on X. "All injured have been transported by first responders. Please pray for everyone involved in this tragic incident." The mayor said seven outside agencies were assisting, but aside from the incident at the Black Knight Bowbenders, there were no other reported incidents from the storm. 'We're grateful for the offer, but we have no downed trees, no power outages — this was a lightning strike," Reina said. New Jersey lightning strike: 28-year-old dies after getting struck by lightning on golf course Severe weather in the Northeast The lightning strike also comes just days after powerful storms swept across much of the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic on July 14, inundating cities with heavy rainfall and causing flash flooding in some areas. The storms killed two people in Plainfield, New Jersey, a suburb about 30 miles outside New York City, and flooded multiple stations in the New York City subway system. Murphy had declared a state of emergency due to the "flash flooding and high levels of rainfall in parts of the state." Officials recorded 6 inches of rain in under two-and-a-half hours the evening of July 14, Murphy previously said during a news conference. The weather service in Mount Holly also warned that flood impacts were expected to continue on July 15. Following the storms, a heat advisory was issued on July 16 for parts of Delaware, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, and New Jersey. The advisory remains in effect from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m. ET on July 17 for portions of central and southern Delaware, northeast Maryland, and southern New Jersey, according to the weather service. Contributing: Christopher Cann This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Lightning strike in New Jersey kills 1 and injures 14, including kids Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
6 days ago
- Business
- Yahoo
JCP&L Begins Work to Boost Reliability for Thousands in Ocean and Burlington Counties
Helicopter will be used in the fall to set new equipment and string power lines HOLMDEL, N.J., July 17, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Jersey Central Power & Light (JCP&L) has begun prepping land in central New Jersey for infrastructure upgrades that will enhance the regional power grid and improve service reliability for thousands of residents and businesses in Ocean and Burlington counties. The project involves clearing brush along 14 miles of existing right-of-way to make room for new utility poles that will support a high-voltage power line. The line will help enhance the efficiency and reliability of electricity delivery while providing a backup power source to keep the lights on if wires or equipment on the region's primary line are damaged or must be taken out of service. The work will span multiple communities, including North Hanover Township, New Hanover, Plumsted Township and Jackson Township, benefiting customers across these areas and their surrounding communities. Construction is scheduled to begin in early September. Helicopters will be used to install equipment and string power lines in areas that are difficult to access by ground. This approach offers a safe, efficient and environmentally friendly alternative to using heavy equipment, which would otherwise require building roads or clearing large paths. By flying in materials and placing them with precision, helicopters minimize landscape disruption, enhance worker safety and accelerate the construction process. The project is expected to be completed in June 2026. Doug Mokoid, FirstEnergy's New Jersey President: "As energy needs continue to grow and evolve, we're keeping pace by strengthening our grid, adding additional capacity and using innovative tools like helicopters to build a more resilient system that keeps the power flowing, even during storms or unexpected outages." As part of the work, new and existing overhead high-voltage lines along the project route will be upgraded to stronger, thicker wire that can better handle increased capacity and is more resilient during storms. This project is part of Energize365, FirstEnergy's grid evolution program focused on investing $28 billion between 2025 and 2029 across its six-state footprint to create a smarter, more secure grid that delivers the power customers depend on today while also meeting the challenges of tomorrow. JCP&L serves 1.1 million customers in the counties of Burlington, Essex, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren. Follow JCP&L on X @JCP_L, on Facebook at or online at FirstEnergy is dedicated to integrity, safety, reliability and operational excellence. Its electric distribution companies form one of the nation's largest investor-owned electric systems, serving more than six million customers in Ohio, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, West Virginia, Maryland and New York. The company's transmission subsidiaries operate approximately 24,000 miles of transmission lines that connect the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic regions. Follow FirstEnergy on X @FirstEnergyCorp or online at View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE FirstEnergy Corp.
Bloomberg
07-07-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Jersey Shore School District to Avoid Bankruptcy Due to Tax Hike
A New Jersey school district will likely avoid filing for bankruptcy after the state passed a budget that raised property taxes. The New Jersey Department of Education adopted a spending plan on behalf of the Toms River Regional School District late last week. The budget, which included a general-fund tax levy of about $222.9 million — including a 15.4% increase, according to a letter penned July 3 by Susan Naples, the acting executive county superintendent for Ocean County.
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Yahoo
Island Beach State Park staff limit visitors after 'sewer line blockages'
ISLAND BEACH STATE PARK — Sewer line blockages prompted state park officials to limit the number of visitors allowed into Island Beach State Park on July 6, according to New Jersey officials. "The park has experienced sewer line blockages over the past several days, requiring the closure of restrooms while Island Beach State Park staff and outside contractors work to identify and resolve the issue," state officials wrote on the park's webpage. "Per the New Jersey Department of Health's Public Recreational Bathing Code, operational restrooms are required to safely allow public access." As of the morning of July 6, the park had "limited functioning restrooms" and staff were working to bring in portable toilets to accommodate the public, according to the post. "Without operational restrooms, it would be both unsanitary and unsafe to allow visitors into the park," New Jersey officials wrote on the park website. Island Beach State Park is home to one of New Jersey's most popular beaches, according to the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. The park attracts about a million people each year, and most of those visitors come in the summer months, according to the agency. Amanda Oglesby is an Ocean County native who covers education and the environment. She has worked for the Press for more than 17 years. Reach her at @OglesbyAPP, aoglesby@ or 732-557-5701. This article originally appeared on Asbury Park Press: Limited entry to Island Beach State Park after 'sewer line blockages'
Yahoo
06-07-2025
- Yahoo
Island Beach State Park reopens Sunday morning after weekend closures. Here's what we know
Island Beach State Park in Seaside Park has reopened after announcing it would be closed indefinitely Saturday night. The park, with its beaches and amenities, is a popular day destination in Ocean County for beachgoers. A sewer line blockage issue caused the closure, leaving no operational restrooms, and making it 'unsanitary and unsafe to allow visitors into the park.' By Sunday morning shortly after 7:30 a.m., the park announced it would open with limited capacity with some 'limited functioning' restrooms available. The park could close early is 'problems' persist, the announcement read. The state was also trying to bring portable toilets to the park. The state said park staff are working to resolve the issue and make repairs, and would update its website and social media pages with updates. The state Department of Environmental Protection's notice read on its Facebook page at about 11 p.m. Saturday: 'We are disappointed to report that the park is experiencing sewer line blockage issues that necessitates closing all restrooms within the park. Public restrooms are required as per the New Jersey Department of Health Public Recreational Bathing Code, and without operational restrooms, it would be both unsanitary and unsafe to allow visitors into the park.' The beautiful July 4th holiday weekend weather has kept the park busy as it closed due to being filled to capacity on Saturday. Sunday brings what would be another gorgeous beach day with 78° and mostly sunny skies. it also closed on Friday due to capacity. This article originally appeared on Bucks County Courier Times: Island Beach State Park reopens Sunday a.m. after 'indefinitely' closing
