New Jersey

9 hospitalized, dozens more treated for heat at New Jersey graduation

Published

8 months ago

June 25, 2025

9 hospitalized, dozens more treated for heat at New Jersey graduation

Several people attending an outdoor high school graduation ceremony in New Jersey during the widespread heat wave in the U.S. were taken to the hospital, while dozens more were treated at the scene, according to officials.

On Monday, June 23, nine people were taken to the hospital by emergency medical technicians, while 50 others declined hospital care and were treated on site at Hinchliffe Stadium in Paterson, said Fire Department Chief Alex Alicea according to the Bergen Record, a part of the USA TODAY Network.

Paterson is about 20 miles northwest of New York City.

Graduates were in folding chairs on the turf, while family members and other attendees sat in the grandstand with little shade.

On Monday, temperatures in the area rose to the upper 90s and the heat index reached 107 degrees, according to the Weather Channel.

Event stopped for safety

During a second ceremony later in the day, 100 people required treatment, while seven more were taken to the hospital, NBC News reported.

Seven more high school graduations were planned at the stadium, but were rescheduled due to the weather, the Bergen Record reported.

Sweltering heat continues

Tens of millions of Americans in the Eastern U.S. continue to face the heat wave.

Along the edges of the heat dome impacting the country, thunderstorms known as a “ring of fire” cropped up, according to forecasters. The severe thunderstorms could bring damaging wind gusts and hail to states on the outskirts of the dome, including parts of the Carolinas, Southeast and mid-Mississippi Valley, according to the Storm Prediction Center.

National heat index map: See which states feel hottest

The map embed below identifies areas where the heat index is forecasted to reach NWS-defined levels from “Caution” (80 degrees Fahrenheit) to “Extreme Danger” (above 125 degrees).

Heat index measures how hot it actually feels when factoring for humidity. Prolonged exposure to a heat index above 80 degrees can lead to fatigue, as previously reported by USA TODAY. As it gets hotter, the risk continues to increase − potentially resulting in heat stroke or even death. Older adults, children, and outdoor workers are generally at higher risk of heat-related incidents.

How to stay safe during extreme heat

People facing extreme heat should do the following, according to NWS:

Drink plenty of fluids
Stay in an air-conditioned room
Stay out of the sun
Check up on relatives and neighbors
Do not leave young children and pets in unattended vehicles
Wear lightweight and loose-fitting clothing outdoors
Limit strenuous activities to early morning or evening

Heat exhaustion and heat stroke

Extreme heat can have a negative impact on people’s health.

“Heat-related illnesses increase significantly during extreme heat and high humidity events,” according to the National Weather Service.

The following factors increase the possibility of a heat-related illness, according to the National Park Service:

High humidity
High elevation
Strenuous activity
Age: Infants, young children and people over 65 are more susceptible to heat illness
Pregnancy
Obesity
Heart disease
Poor circulation
Fever
Mental illness
Dehydration
Sunburn
Prescription drug and alcohol use

What are the symptoms of heatstroke?

There are multiple forms of heat illnesses, but heatstroke is the deadliest and most dangerous, according to the NPS.

The following are symptoms of heatstroke, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention:

Body temperature of 103 degrees or higher
Skins that is hot, red, dry or damp
Fast, strong pulse
Headache
Dizziness
Nausea
Confusion
Losing consciousness

In the case of heatstroke, the CDC recommends people do the following:

Call 911 immediately
Move the person suffering from heatstroke to a cool location
Lower the person’s body temperature with a cool cloth or bath
Do not give the person suffering from a heatstroke water or anything to drink

Contributing: Joe Malinconico, Paterson Press; Doyle Rice, Jeanine Santucci and staff, USA TODAY

Julia is a trending reporter for USA TODAY. Connect with her on LinkedIn, X, Instagram and TikTok: @juliamariegz, or email her at jgomez@gannett.com

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New Jersey

Devils Out to Rattle the Leafs | PREVIEW | New Jersey Devils

Published

4 hours ago

March 4, 2026

Press Room

Devils Out to Rattle the Leafs | PREVIEW | New Jersey Devils

THE SCOOP

The Devils began their season-high seven-game homestand with a decisive victory over the Florida Panthers on Tuesday night. The win was their second consecutive victory after picking up a win in St. Louis earlier in the week.

There’s not a lot of runway left in the season, and stringing together a run of victories is at the top of their minds. New Jersey is 11 points out of the final Wild Card spot, and 13 out of third in the Metropolitan Division. Tuesday will mark the Devils final game before the NHL Trade Deadline, which is on Friday at 3 p.m.

The Toronto Maple Leafs are having a down year, based on where the expectations were set heading into the season. The Leafs have struggled to gain any traction in their season and sit just two points ahead of New Jersey with 64. Toronto is 12 points out of third in the Atlantic Division, and nine points out of a Wild Card spot.

The Leafs have a tendency to give up an abundance of shots to their opponents, ranking first in the league in shots against, per game with 31.8, which bodes will for a Devils team that averages 29.4 shots per game, ranking sixth in the league. Despite their overall struggles, the Leafs do have the league’s fourth-best penalty kill, working at an 83.1 percent efficiency.

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New Jersey

Former Lumberton, New Jersey, mayor Gina LaPlaca pleads guilty to 2025 DUI, sentenced to treatment program

Published

17 hours ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Former Lumberton, New Jersey, mayor Gina LaPlaca pleads guilty to 2025 DUI, sentenced to treatment program

A former mayor in Burlington County, New Jersey, pleaded guilty to DUI and child endangerment charges after a 2025 traffic stop, according to prosecutors.

Lumberton Township committee member Gina LaPlaca, 46, was indicted last spring on child abuse charges after county prosecutors said she was observed driving drunk with her young child in the car, while serving as the township mayor.

Police arrested her at her home after reviewing video from a witness showing her swerving out of her lane and nearly hitting a utility pole. Lumberton police discovered her blood alcohol concentration was .30%, over three times the legal limit of .08%.

On Monday, LaPlaca was sentenced to three years in a diversionary program for first-time offenders after pleading guilty to driving under the influence and a fourth-degree child abuse charge. As part of the plea deal, LaPlaca will avoid jail time as long as she abides by the terms of the program.

Under the terms of the Pretrial Intervention or PTI program, she must attend regular Alcoholics Anonymous meetings and comply with any requirements set by the New Jersey Division of Child Protection and Permanency.

Judge Craig A. Ambrose also ordered LaPlaca to have an ignition lock device on her car that will prevent it from starting up if the driver has consumed alcohol. She said in court she had already installed one in October 2025, the county prosecutor’s office said.

If LaPlaca violates the terms of the PTI program, she could be prosecuted for the child abuse charge.

LaPlaca completed an intensive treatment program in May 2025 and said in a statement that she is “fully committed to my recovery” and is doing the “daily, intentional work” that comes with it. She apologized to Lumberton residents while acknowledging a private struggle with alcohol addiction that was no longer private.

“The weight of my actions is something I carry deeply,” she said in a statement shared on social media. “What I did was wrong. It was dangerous. It was inexcusable. I drove while intoxicated with my child in the car — a choice that could have caused irreversible harm. That reality is something I will live with, and learn from, for the rest of my life.”

LaPlaca served as mayor through 2025 but remains on the township committee. Terrance Benson was sworn in as mayor of Lumberton this year.

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New Jersey

Newark-bound United flight returns to LA airport for evacuation after reported fire

Published

1 day ago

March 3, 2026

Press Room

Newark-bound United flight returns to LA airport for evacuation after reported fire

NEWARK, New Jersey — A United Airlines flight headed to Newark, New Jersey returned to the Los Angeles airport Monday about 40 minutes after taking off for an emergency evacuation after a reported fire, authorities said.

All flights at the LAX International Airport were ordered to remain on the ground for about half an hour during the flight’s return and evacuation, according to advisories from the Federal Aviation Administration. No injuries were reported.

The flight, which was en route to Newark Liberty International Airport returned to LAX to address an issue with one of the engines, the airline said in a statement. There was no mention of a fire, but the LA Fire Department said it responded and there was a fire that was contained as of an hour after the plane’s landing.

The flight took off at 10:43 a.m., began to turn around at about 11 a.m. and landed again at 11:19 a.m., according to flight tracker FlightAware.

The LA Fire Department said they assisted with the evacuation of more than 250 passengers and crew. Passengers exited the plane on the taxiway using slides and stairs and were taken to the terminal, the airline said.

The airplane was a Boeing 787-9, a variant of the popular line of 787 Dreamliner long-haul aircraft.

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