Latest news with #SussexCounty
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
28-year-old dies after getting struck by lightning on golf course
A man struck by lightning while golfing at a tournament in New Jersey on Tuesday July 8, his died from his injuries, according to information from his family and local authorities. Simon John Mariani, 28, was struck during a competition at the Ballyowen Golf Club, a Hardyston Township Police spokesperson confirmed to USA TODAY on Wednesday, July 16. The club is at Crystal Springs Resort in Hamburg, a borough in Sussex County near the New York state line and about an hour drive from New York City. According to his obituary, Mariani died on Monday, July 14. Mariani lived in Franklin Lakes, New Jersey, about 30 miles southeast of the golf course. Health officials: 4 dead after contracting 'flesh-eating bacteria' in Florida this year Reports: Golfer's father performed CPR on golf course Brian Delia, who witnessed the lightning strike while golfing, told WABC-TV the victim was about 300 yards in front of him when the bolt struck him. "We got up to the 14th hole... we saw lightning off in the distance for at least a half an hour before that," Delia told the outlet. Delia said two golfers and the victim's father ran to perform CPR on him before he was taken off the course in a golf cart and then transported by medical helicopter to a hospital. When reached by USA TODAY on Wednesday, July 16, Michelle Abate, spokesperson for Crystal Springs Resort, declined to comment about the incident citing the family's request not to release information. But WPVI-TVI reported the resort released a statement after the incident saying, 'course personnel sounded warning horns to clear the course and that the golf course had been operating under normal conditions before the storm, which developed rapidly.' "The safety of our guests is one of our top priorities," Abate told the outlet. "Our primary concern right now is the well-being of the guest and his family." Preacher arrest: Alabama pastor accused of leaving 5-year-old alone in car to drink in bar Golfer had a 'zest for life' A 2019 University of Notre Dame graduate, Mariani was, "driven, dedicated, smart, likeable and exceptionally talented," according to his obituary. At the time of his death, the obituary says, he worked as an associate at MTS Health Partners in New York City. "Outside of his professional life, Simon embraced all things family and enjoyed painting, photography and baking," his family wrote, adding he loved the New York Yankees, New Jersey Devils, New Jersey Jets, his college alma mater's football team and the Manchester United Football Club. "Simon's love for his family, career, the outdoors and sports reflected his zest for life," his obituary reads. "Simon had the heart of a Champion." Natalie Neysa Alund is a senior reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at nalund@ and follow her on X @nataliealund. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Man struck by lightning at New Jersey golf course dies Solve the daily Crossword
Yahoo
15-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Sussex Commissioner William Hayden indicted for falsely claiming veteran's tax exemption
The Stolen Valor accusations against Sussex County Commissioner William Hayden have resulted in an indictment for tax fraud for the embattled politician. The state Attorney General's Office announced the move on July 15, saying Hayden had filed a tax return in which he claimed a veteran's exemption to which he was not entitled. The fraudulent filing in 2020 saved Hayden approximately $382 in taxes, the office said. 'Our tax system relies on everyone filing a true and accurate tax return,' Attorney General Matthew Platkin said in a statement. 'Fraudulently claiming an exemption reserved for military veterans is something we will not tolerate.' Asked about the indictment, Hayden responded to the New Jersey Herald via text on Tuesday: "lol." He did not elaborate. Messages seeking comment from county Commissioner's Director Chris Carney and county Administrator Ron Tappan weren't immediately returned. Hayden, one of five members of the all-Republican county board, has faced calls to resign ever since accusations surfaced that he falsely claimed in his 2022 campaign to be a wounded veteran who served in the Navy SEALs. In some retellings, he allegedly claimed to have been injured in action against a drug cartel in Africa. The Branchville resident has denied any wrongdoing but has found himself at odds with the rest of the party. The Sussex County Republican Party mounted a recall effort against Hayden but dropped the effort after failing to secure enough signatures. Hayden did not seek the the GOP nomination for re-election this year, meaning his tenure as commissioner will end in January, barring a write-in campaign. The 58-year-old is charged with one third-degree count of filing a fraudulent tax return. The charge carries a potential sentence of three to five years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000. According to the AG's Office, Hayden assisted his wife in preparing the couple's state income tax return for the year ending Dec. 31, 2019. Hayden falsely checked a box indicating he was a veteran, according to Tuesday's statement. "Hayden is not, in fact, a veteran," the AG's Office said. As a result, he received a $6,000 exemption, resulting in the avoidance of about $382 in taxes, Platkin's office said. More: Sussex GOP drops recall effort against commissioner accused of faking military record In 2023, a former donor to Hayden's campaign filed a complaint with the New Jersey State Police, alleging the commissioner had violated the state's Stolen Valor Act, which makes it illegal to benefit financially from false claims of a military record. Separately, U.S. Rep. Josh Gottheimer, a Democrat whose district includes most of Sussex County, wrote to the state Attorney General that year asking for an investigation into whether Hayden violated New Jersey tax laws by claiming a veteran's exemption. This article originally appeared on Sussex County NJ Commissioner indicted for tax fraud
Yahoo
12-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Homes in Sussex County sold for higher prices recently. See how much here
Newly released data from for April shows that potential buyers and sellers in Sussex County saw slightly higher home sale prices than the previous month's median of $460,000. The median home sold for $461,250, an analysis of data from shows. That means April, the most recent month for which figures are available, was slightly up from March. Compared with April 2024, the median home sales price was up 1.8% compared with $452,915. sources sales data from real estate deeds, resulting in a few months' delay in the data. The statistics don't include homes currently listed for sale and aren't directly comparable to listings data. More: Homes in Kent County sold for lower prices recently: See how much here Information on your local housing market, along with other useful community data, is available at Here is a breakdown of median sale prices: Looking only at single-family homes, the $451,000 median selling price in Sussex County was down 5.1% in April from $475,000 the month prior. Since April 2024, the sales price of single-family homes was slightly up from a median of $450, single-family homes sold for $1 million or more during the month, compared to 25 recorded transactions of at least $1 million in April 2024. Condominiums and townhomes increased by 17.7% in sales price during April to a median of $502,450 from $426,995 in March. Compared with April 2024, the sales price of condominiums and townhomes was up 7.4% from $467,750. Eight condominiums or townhomes sold for $1 million or more during the month, compared with 12 recorded transactions of at least $1 million in April 2024. In April, the number of recorded sales in Sussex County dropped by 18.5% since April 2024 — from 466 to 380. All residential home sales totaled $240 million. Across Delaware, homes sold at a median of $375,000 during April, a slight decrease from $376,250 in March. There were 987 recorded sales across the state during April, down 18.8% from 1,215 recorded sales in April 2024. Here's a breakdown for the full state: The total value of recorded residential home sales in Delaware decreased by 11.1% from $517.3 million in March to $460 million this April. Out of all residential home sales in Delaware, 4.96% of homes sold for at least $1 million in April, up from 4.36% in April 2024. Sales prices of single-family homes across Delaware increased by 2.5% from a median of $390,000 in March to $399,900 in April. Since April 2024, the sales price of single-family homes across the state was up 3.9% from $385,000. Across the state, the sales price of condominiums and townhomes dropped 2% from a median of $325,000 in March to $318,450 during April. The median sales price of condominiums and townhomes is down 9.8% from the median of $353,000 in April 2024. The median home sales price used in this report represents the midway point of all the houses or units listed over the given period of time. The median offers a more accurate view of what's happening in a market than the average sales price, which would mean taking the sum of all sales prices then dividing by the number of homes sold. The average can be skewed by one particularly low or high sale. The USA TODAY Network is publishing localized versions of this story on its news sites across the country, generated with data from Please leave any feedback or corrections for this story here. This story was written by Ozge Terzioglu. Our News Automation and AI team would like to hear from you. Take this survey and share your thoughts with us. This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Homes in Sussex County sold for higher prices. See how much here
CBS News
05-07-2025
- Business
- CBS News
Delaware wineries push for bill allowing at-home wine shipments
A new bill passed by legislators in Delaware could allow home shipments of wine to consumers in the First State, according to lawmakers. The bill would allow wine shipments from around the country and within the state. "We've got tons of customers from the northern part of the state that don't want to drive two hours down in the middle of summer and fight traffic," said Adrian Mobilia of Salted Vines Vineyard & Winery in Frankford, Sussex County. Only Delaware and Utah have shipping laws that prohibit the delivery of wine. The bill has been in the works since 2012, according to the Delaware Wineries Association, which supports the legislation. It is unclear when or if the bill, on the desk of Gov. Matt Meyer, would be signed into law. By Sydney-Leigh Brockington
Yahoo
04-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Special election for Rep. Parker Selby's seat is set. Who's on the ballot and what's next?
Delaware voters in state Representative District 20, prepare to cast your ballots. A special election to fill former state Rep. Stell Parker Selby's seat in the House will take place on Tuesday, August 5. Parker Selby, who previously served the Milton and Lewes areas, resigned from her position last month, citing health reasons for her departure. Both the Sussex County Democratic and Republican parties announced their picks to run in the special election race this week: former Cape Henlopen High School principal Nikki Miller and Delaware Center for Justice executive director Alonna Berry. How we got here: Delaware House Rep. Stell Parker Selby submits letter of resignation, citing health reasons Here's what to know about the upcoming special election. Sussex County Republicans announced Miller as their nominee for the special election race on July 2. A longtime community leader and educator, Miller previously served as the principal of Cape Henlopen High School and now serves as the supervisor of instruction at the Seaford School District. Miller's platform prioritizes protecting farmland and open spaces, improving traffic, 'proactive constituent service,' and 'common sense solutions to everyday issues.' Miller previously went head-to-head with Parker-Selby last year, with Parker-Selby winning re-election by a narrow margin. The Sussex County Democratic Committee also selected Alonna Berry as their special election nominee the following day after a candidate forum. Among her many accolades, Berry previously served as senior policy advisor for health, equity and education under former Gov. John Carney and as Delaware's 'first statewide trauma-informed care coordinator.' Berry's campaign focuses include education reform, preparing for statewide federal budget cuts and working with lawmakers across the political aisle to ensure community protection. Related: State Sens. Sarah McBride and Kyle Evans Gay have new jobs. What happens to their seats? Simply put, an election is taking place to fill Parker Selby's seat, following her resignation last month. According to the Delaware Code, if a seat in the General Assembly is left unoccupied, then either the leader of the Senate or House must call for a special election to take place 'within 10 days' following the vacancy's creation. Following Parker Selby's resignation, House Speaker Melissa Minor-Brown issued a Writ of Election in the days following the creation of the vacancy in the House. The special election race will be overseen by the state Department of Elections, according to a statement from the House Majority Caucus issued that same day. The special election will be held Tuesday, August 5, according to the state Elections Department. Whoever wins the special election will serve the district for the remainder of Parker-Selby's term, which is set to expire in November 2026. Early voting will take place on the following dates: Thursday, July 24 to Saturday, July 26 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday, July 28 and Tuesday, July 29 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Wednesday, July 30 to Sunday, August 3 from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. There will be no early voting on Sunday, July 27. Early voters can cast their ballots at Mariner Middle School in Milton. To cast a ballot, individuals must be 18 years of age or older on the day of or before the election, registered to vote at least ten days before and must reside in the representative district. Additional information can be found on the Department's website. Olivia Montes covers state government and community impact for Delaware Online/The News Journal. If you have a tip or a story idea, reach out to her at omontes@ This article originally appeared on Delaware News Journal: Delaware special election date, nominees set for House District 20
