New Jersey
Who is Scott Ruskan? NJ Coast Guard officer saves kids at Camp Mystic, Texas flooding
Coast Guard member from NJ helps rescue 165 in Texas floods
Scott Ruskan, a U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer and petty officer from Oxford Township in Warren County, completed his first rescue mission.
News 12
New Jersey native and Coast Guard Petty Officer Scott Ruskan was sent on his first mission to central Texas to assist with catastrophic flooding during July 4th weekend and is now being dubbed an “American hero.”
Ruskan, a U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer from Oxford, New Jersey, is being credited with saving 165 kids and camp counselors from Camp Mystic, an all-girls Christian camp where around 200 children were trapped by rising flood waters.
The death toll reached over 100 on July 8 as search and rescue operations continued after heavy rainfall overwhelmed the Guadalupe River, which sent floodwaters through homes and summer camps. President Donald Trump said Monday he plans to visit the ravaged southern state this week.
Here’s what to know about Ruskan, his NJ connection and the latest on the devastating floods.
Who is Scott Ruskan?
Petty Officer 3rd Class Scott Ruskan is a U.S. Coast Guard rescue swimmer from Oxford Township in Warren County. He earned a bachelor’s degree in accounting, with a minor in Homeland Security Policy, from Rider University in 2021, according to his LinkedIn page. He is a 2017 graduate of Warren Hills High School, who recognized their alumnus in a Facebook post.
What did Ruskan do?
Scott Ruskan was on his first rescue mission in Texas during the catastrophic floods when he was credited with rescuing 165 people, mostly kids from Camp Mystic, as floodwaters burst through homes and campsites.
Ruskan told Good Morning America he had “about 200 kids all scared and terrified, cold, probably having the worst day of their life,” explaining that he relied on the high-level training he received as a Coast Guard rescue swimmer to bring victims to safety.
Ruskan has been stationed at US Coast Guard Station Corpus Christi, about 210 miles from Kerrville in central Texas, where the Guadalupe River flooded its banks. He told GMA it took nearly six hours to reach the flood zone due to the weather, and once he landed, he was the only certified rescue swimmer on scene at Camp Mystic.
Kristi Noem, secretary of the Department of Homeland Security, dubbed Ruskan an “American hero” in a post on the X platform, remarking that it was Ruskan’s “first rescue mission of his career and the only triage coordinator on scene.”
“His selfless courage embodies the spirit and mission of the USCG,” she added.
Where is Oxford NJ?
Oxford, New Jersey, is a township in Warren County and spans just six square miles. It is in the northwest portion of New Jersey and has a population of around 2,400, according to 2020 US Census data.
Camp Mystic updates today
Among those killed in the Texas floods are at least 27 children and counselors from the storied Camp Mystic, a Christian girls camp in Kerr County, Texas, where flooding hit hard during July 4th weekend, according to USA Today. Ten Mystic campers and one counselor remained unaccounted for as of Tuesday morning, July 8.
Texas flood death toll
The death toll in the Texas floods was at least 104 people, including at least 27 children and counselors from Camp Mystic, as of Tuesday morning, according to USA Today, where live updates are being provided.
When is Trump going to Texas?
President Donald Trump said he would visit Texas on Friday, July 11 as the state reels from devastating floods that left 100 people dead over the July 4th weekend. Trump confirmed his trip with reporters during a White House dinner Monday night with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
“Texas was just so badly hurt by something that was a big surprise, late in the evening,” Trump said. “So, we’ll be working with the governor and all of the people of Texas. We’ll be going on Friday.”
Lori Comstock is a New Jersey-based journalist with the Mid-Atlantic Connect Team.
Two private contractors have been hospitalized following, what police called, an “advanced life support emergency,” after they were likely electrocuted while working at a property in Ocean City, New Jersey early Monday.
According to police, the incident happened at about 8:57 a.m., when first responders were called to a property along the 100 block of Somerset Lane in Ocean City, New Jersey, after two men were possibly electrocuted.
Officials said the incident happened when one of the workers contacted electrical supply lines with a metal ladder while working on the exterior of a property.
The initial worker was injured when they were likely electrocuted and fell from a ladder police said.
A second worker was likely electrocuted as well when, officials said, they grabbed the ladder in an effort to help the first worker.
Police said fire department personnel at the scene administered trauma assessment and initial treatment while paramedics administered advanced life support care for the pair of workers before they were taken to a nearby hospital by helicopter.
Officials did not immediately provide information on the victims’ conditions upon being admitted to the hospital.
An investigation into this incident, officials said, remains ongoing.
New Jersey
NJ Lottery Pick-3, Pick-4, Cash 5, Millionaire for Life winning numbers for Sunday, April 26
The New Jersey Lottery offers multiple draw games for people looking to strike it rich.
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Quick Draw
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Cash Pop
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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.
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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.
Team USA is scheduled to play all three of its FIFA World Cup group stage games on the West Coast.
After that, the only two chances of seeing the American national soccer team in New Jersey are during the final game on July 19, or during the round of 32 match scheduled for June 30.
Here’s how it works:
USA is in Group D. If the team ends up third during the group stage and enters the round of 32, the could be scheduled to play in New Jersey on Tuesday, June 30. But, that would require a disappointing result in the group stage as USA is the top-ranked team in their group.
Typically, ending third would eliminate a team after the group stage. But, the 2026 Men’s World Cup includes 48 teams, the most it has ever had, so, eight third-place teams from the group stage will advance to the round of 32.
If Team USA makes it through to the final, they would play in New Jersey on July 19.
FIFA World Cup 2026 groups
- Group A: Mexico, South Africa, Korea, Czechia
- Group B: Canada, Switzerland, Qatar, Bosnia and Herzegovina
- Group C: Brazil, Morocco, Scotland, Haiti
- Group D: USA, Australia, Paraguay, Turkey
- Group E: Germany, Ecuador, Ivory Coast, Curacao
- Group F: Netherlands, Japan, Tunisia, Sweden
- Group G: Belgium, Iran, Egypt, New Zealand
- Group H: Spain, Uruguay, Saudi Arabia, Cabo Verde
- Group I: France, Senegal, Norway, Iraq
- Group J: Argentina, Austria, Algeria, Jordan
- Group K: Portugal, Colombia, Uzbekistan, DR Congo
- Group L: England, Croatia, Panama, Ghana
When does Team USA play in the World Cup?
Here’s the group stage schedule for Team USA:
- USA vs Paraguay- Friday, June 12 in Los Angeles at 9 p.m. ET.
- USA vs Australia- Friday, June 19 in Seattle at 3 p.m. ET.
- USA vs Turkey- Thursday, June 25 in Los Angeles at 10 p.m. ET.
When are the World Cup games in New Jersey?
There are eight games scheduled to take place in New Jersey between June 13 and July 19. Here’s the schedule:
Saturday, June 13 – Brazil vs Morocco (6 p.m.)
Tuesday, June 16 – France vs Senegal (3 p.m.)
Monday, June 22 – Norway vs Senegal (8 p.m.)
Thursday, June 25 – Ecuador vs Germany (4 p.m.)
Saturday, June 27 – Panama vs England (5 p.m.)
Tuesday, June 30 – Undetermined. Round of 32 (5 p.m.)
Sunday, July 5 – Undetermined. Round of 16 (4 p.m.)
Sunday, July 19 – Final (3 p.m.)
Where is World Cup New York New Jersey Stadium?
The New York New Jersey Stadium is the new temporary name of the MetLife Stadium. The venue sits in the borough of East Rutherford, eight miles west of Manhattan.
Juan Carlos Castillo is a New Jersey-based trending reporter for the USA Today network. He covers weather, and national events focusing on how they affect New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Delaware.
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