New Jersey
Thanksgiving Tail: NJ Mom Says Anxious Dog Saved Her Son's Life
NORTH JERSEY — Ella the dog, a poodle-St. Bernard mix, is not an emotional support animal, says her owner, Beth Fitzgerald of Hoboken.
“She needs support,” Fitzgerald joked during a recent interview. She said Ella, who’s eight years old, has stomach problems and anxiety.
But this Thanksgiving, Fitzgerald, her husband, and her four adult children are thankful that Ella saved one of their lives.
Fitzgerald said that last May, she and her husband moved into an apartment in Maxwell Place in Hoboken. Three of her adult children also live in that city.
The family grew up in Montgomery, N.J., in Somerset County, but have since moved north.
In May, the family decided to travel to Boston for a ceremony for their oldest child’s graduation from graduate school.
Fitzgerald’s son Liam, 26, decided to stay behind for a day. He slept in his mom and dad’s relatively new rental in Maxwell Place that night and watched Ella, who was going to go to a sitter the next day.
But Ella started acting unusual that day.
At the same time, Liam was having headaches and didn’t feel well.
Since moving into Maxwell Place on May 1, Beth had smelled gas each day, but decided it was a slight smell and thought it disappeared when she got close to the oven. So she had dismissed it.
But when her son called and said he didn’t feel well — and Ella was acting unusual — she put it all together and knew the gas might be causing a problem.
Beth told Liam to immediately call the gas company, PSE&G, and not just the building supervisors. She also told her son to leave the apartment.
Luckily, PSE&G came and found the source of the leak. It was the oven after all. It’s since been replaced.
Fitzgerald said she’s been beating herself up a bit over leaving her son in an apartment with a gas leak. She said part of the reason she never called was that she didn’t want a big deal with fire trucks coming and the like. But she said she wanted people to learn from the incident.
“If you smell gas, don’t do what I did,” she said. “I keep thinking, what if it had been midnight [and Liam was asleep]? What if Ella didn’t act weird? Don’t hesitate. You call PSE&G immediately.”
She noted that chemicals are added to natural gas to give it an odor, so people can detect if there’s too much.
“If anything had happened to my son or my dog, I would have never been able to forgive myself,” she said.
Brian Clark, a vice president for PSE&G Gas Operations, said, “We’re so glad Beth took action and told her son to leave the house immediately and call PSE&G. She did exactly the right thing to ensure their safety, and the neighbors’ safety. If you ever smell gas, leave the area immediately.”
IF you have an emergency, you can call PSE&G at 1-800-880-PSEG (7734) or 911. You can learn more at PSEG.com/gassafety.
Meanwhile, Patch asked Ella herself for a comment on her heroic actions in May.
Ella looked away, licked her lips, then ran and hid behind her mommy.
New Jersey
ACLU featured at Bruce Springsteen No Kings show in New Jersey
Bruce Springsteen and E Street Band tour rehearsal in Ocean Grove
Bruce Springsteen and E Street Band March 26, 2026 Land of Hope and Dreams American Tour rehearsal at the Ocean Grove Youth Center in Ocean Grove.
There will be No Kings at the Monday, April 20 Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band show at the Prudential Center in Newark but the American Civil Liberties Union of New Jersey will be there.
The group will be the “featured organization” for the New Jersey stop of the band’s Land of Hope and Dreams American Tour.
“We’re honored to have the opportunity to work with New Jersey’s own Bruce Springsteen to advocate for the rights and freedoms that all people deserve,” said ACLU-NJ Executive Director Amol Sinha in statement. “This moment requires all of us, and we are grateful to Bruce, who is using his platform to fight against authoritarianism and for our rights. We share a love for New Jersey and a desire to make the Garden State safer and freer for everyone who calls it home. Our team is thrilled to connect with everyone who shares our mission to protect and defend civil liberties, and who knows the power that art and music have to change the world.”
Springsteen said the American Dream is under attack by “our wannabe king and his rogue government” when he announced the tour on Feb. 17. Promotional posters for the tour features the phrase “No Kings,” a reflection of the national anti-President Donald Trump protests that have taken place in the last year.
The tour kickoff was March 31 at the Target Center in Minneapolis and it included 27 songs over three hours. The show also featured some direct talk from Springsteen on the state of the country. The setlist included the newly composed “Streets of Minneapolis,” written after the fatal shooting by federal agents of Renee Good and Alex Pretti of Minneapolis in January.
ACLU-NJ representatives will be at the Prudential Center to talk to concertgoers about its work. The American Civil Liberties Union previously released an ad with the Springsteen classic “Born in the U.S.A.” featured on the eve of the Supreme Court case where the ACLU is challenging the President Trump’s executive order attempting to overturn the current interpretation of 14th Amendment, which grants automatic citizenship to those born in the U.S. regardless of their parents’ legal status.
Visit www.aclu-nj.org for more info on the ACLU-NJ.
Subscribe to app.com for the latest on the New Jersey music scene.
Chris Jordan, a Jersey Shore native, covers entertainment and features for the USA Today Network New Jersey. Contact him at cjordan@app.com
New Jersey
NJ Lottery Pick-3, Pick-4, Cash 5, Millionaire for Life winning numbers for Sunday, April 19
The New Jersey Lottery offers multiple draw games for people looking to strike it rich.
Here’s a look at April 19, 2026, results for each game:
Pick-3
Midday: 8-7-3, Fireball: 9
Evening: 5-0-8, Fireball: 0
Check Pick-3 payouts and previous drawings here.
Pick-4
Midday: 4-7-7-9, Fireball: 9
Evening: 5-9-7-8, Fireball: 0
Check Pick-4 payouts and previous drawings here.
Jersey Cash 5
20-25-35-38-45, Xtra: 35
Check Jersey Cash 5 payouts and previous drawings here.
Millionaire for Life
32-42-52-53-55, Bonus: 05
Check Millionaire for Life payouts and previous drawings here.
Quick Draw
Drawings are held every four minutes. Check winning numbers here.
Cash Pop
Drawings are held every four minutes. Check winning numbers here.
Feeling lucky? Explore the latest lottery news & results
When are the New Jersey Lottery drawings held?
- Pick-3: 12:59 p.m. and 10:57 p.m. daily.
- Pick-4: 12:59 p.m. and 10:57 p.m. daily.
- Jersey Cash 5: 10:57 p.m. daily.
- Pick-6: 10:57 p.m. Monday and Thursday.
- Millionaire for Life: 11:15 p.m. daily
This results page was generated automatically using information from TinBu and a template written and reviewed by a New Jersey Sr Breaking News Editor. You can send feedback using this form.
New Jersey
The Maple House Is Planning To Open In Two Locations In New Jersey This Year
Is there anything better than going out for breakfast? I mean, sure, you can make bacon, eggs, and toast at home, but there’s just something relaxing about going out to a Jersey Diner and getting your coffee in a plain white mug, looking over a massive menu, and feeling the back of your legs stick to the pleather booth.
Jersey loves a good breakfast spot.
A New Breakfast Chain Is Coming To NJ, With 2 Locations Planned
And there’s a new breakfast chain getting ready to open two locations in New Jersey that promise an elevated breakfast experience, which could be perfect for your next brunch.
And this new elevated breakfast concept is being run by a mother-son duo, who don’t love seeing that?
The Maple House Is Coming Soon To New Jersey
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According to NJ.com, Monmouth County natives Anthony DeGrande and his mother, Lisa Dalton, are the brains behind Monmouth County’s newest breakfast place, The Maple House.
The Maple House will specialize in an elevated breakfast experience, whipping up menu items such as cookie butter pancakes, a braised short rib melt, and addictive salads. The Maple House will be a great new addition to the New Jersey breakfast scene.
The Maple House Is Planning 2 NJ Locations
The Maple House already has big expansion plans, too. The first location is getting ready to open sometime in May off Oceanport Avenue in Fort Monmouth, but there are already plans in place for a second location.
The Maple House also plans on debuting in Neptune, off of South Main Street, in the near future as well.
18 Best Places In New Jersey To Get A Pork Roll Egg And Cheese Sandwich
It’s called Pork Roll, first off, and these are the 18 best restaurants and delis. and diners to get a PEC in the Garden State
Gallery Credit: Buehler
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