New Jersey
Camden, New Jersey, buys new trash truck for first time in decade in effort to keep city clean
CAMDEN, N.J. (CBS) — Camden is doubling down on its effort to clean up the city as it unveils new tools to help keep the streets clean.
On Thursday, truckloads of trash were unloaded and the unwanted items were hauled away into a dumpster.
Alex Rodriguez was one of the many people living in Camden who waited in line to throw away an old TV, plywood and chairs.
“I’m glad the city is doing this kind of cleaning for the community,” said Rodriguez, who has lived in Camden for 30 years.
Rodriguez says large trash items remained at his home because there was never a place to legally dump them.
“Now we got the opportunity to bring it here, I’m glad,” he said.
The city held its monthly bulk trash event in the Cramer Hill neighborhood, which is an initiative that was launched to help fight against illegal dumping.
“Illegal dumping isn’t just an eyesore, it’s a threat to our health, safety, and quality of life,” Councilwoman Jannette Ramos said.
City leaders say 30,000 to 35,000 tons of material are dumped illegally each year, which costs Camden about $4 million to clean up.
In June, city council announced an illegal dumping reward program, which will provide up to $1,000 to anyone who gives information that leads to a conviction.
Now, a new garbage truck is being unveiled as another tool to help clean up the city. According to the city, the truck cost $280,000 and was purchased through a combination of grant dollars and budgeted funds. It is the first garbage vehicle procured by the city in almost a decade.
Mayor Vic Carstarphen says a clean community is a happy community.
“It builds trust, it builds confidence in our residents to know that we care, and we are committed,” Carstarphen said.
The mayor says he’s committed to tackling quality-of-life issues, and two additional new garbage trucks will hit the streets in the fall.
Rodriguez is happy to see progress and says it takes a team effort to restore pride across Camden.
“The community has to work together with the city to keep the city clean,” he said.
The bulk waste event takes place every third Thursday of the month from 9 a.m. – 1 p.m.
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey Democratic Gov. Phil Murphy will name his former chief of staff George Helmy to serve as interim senator when Bob Menendez resigns later this month after his conviction on federal bribery charges, according to a person familiar with the decision.
Helmy served as Murphy’s top aide from 2019 to 2023 and is now an executive at RWJ Barnabas Health, a large health care provider in the state. He was formerly an aide to Sen. Cory Booker of New Jersey. The source spoke on condition of anonymity because the decision was not yet public ahead of an expected announcement on Friday in Newark.
His appointment means Murphy passed over Rep. Andy Kim, who is the Democratic nominee for the seat on the November ballot, facing off against Republican hotelier Curtis Bashaw. Kim was briefly locked in a tough primary with first lady Tammy Murphy before she dropped her bid. Murphy’s choice denies Kim a boost in seniority if he were to win the seat in November.
Menendez wrote in a letter to Murphy last month that he’s resigning on Aug. 20, just over a month after the jury’s verdict. He said he planned to appeal.
Menendez, 70, was convicted of charges that he sold the power of his office to three New Jersey businessmen who sought a variety of favors. Prosecutors said Menendez used his influence to meddle in three different state and federal criminal investigations to protect his associates. They said he helped one bribe-paying friend get a multimillion-dollar deal with a Qatari investment fund and another keep a contract to provide religious certification for meat bound for Egypt.
He was also convicted of taking actions that benefited Egypt’s government in exchange for bribes, including providing details on personnel at the U.S. embassy in Cairo, ghostwriting a letter to fellow senators regarding lifting a hold on military aid to Egypt. FBI agents found stacks of gold bars and $480,000 hidden in Menendez’s house.
After his conviction, Menendez denied all of those allegations, saying “I have never been anything but a patriot of my country and for my country. I have never, ever been a foreign agent.”
Numerous fellow Democrats had urged him to resign, including Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer. Murphy had urged the Senate to expel Menendez if he didn’t quit. Only 15 senators have ever been expelled. Sen. William Blount, of Tennessee, was ousted in 1797 for treason. The other 14 were expelled in 1861 and 1862 for supporting Confederates during the Civil War.
Menendez’s sentencing is scheduled for late October, shortly before the election.
Storm Watch Team Meteorologist Lauren Due says today will see low humidity, sunshine and near seasonal temperatures.
NEW & NOW: Shattered showers are possible this afternoon across the north-central counties but that’s the most “rain” this week until the weekend. There also will be a noticeable haze in the sky from wildfire smoke burning in Canada, but not bringing the air quality to unhealthy levels.
We are also tracking the tropics as Hurricane Ernesto moves north in the Atlantic, far from New Jersey. The Jersey Shore will see rough surf, high swells this weekend and through Tuesday.
NEXT: Rain and humidity return for the weekend. Scattered showers on Saturday. More widespread with storms on Sunday and into Monday.
TODAY & TONIGHT: Hazy sunshine with a couple of clouds. Rogue showers in the afternoon. Highs near 89. Overnight near 69.
FRIDAY: Mostly sunny, no rain yet! Highs in the low 90s. Overnight lows near 70.
SATURDAY: Partly cloudy with some rain showers, yet the better half of the weekend. Highs dip into the low 80s. Overnight lows near 70.
SUNDAY: Another round of showers and storms that could be more widespread, otherwise mostly cloudy. Highs stay in the low 80s. Overnight lows also near 70.
HACKETTSTOWN, NEW JERSEY (WABC) — Timelapse video from an eyewitness in Hackettstown, New Jersey on Monday shows the northern lights illuminating the night sky.
Solar flares triggered by explosions of the sun produced the spectacular displays.
This was the largest geo-magnetic storm in two decades.
The northern lights are occasionally visible from as far south as the Garden State.
* Get Eyewitness News Delivered
* Follow us on YouTube
* More local news
* Send us a news tip
* Download the abc7NY app for breaking news alerts
Submit a tip or story idea to Eyewitness News
Have a breaking news tip or an idea for a story we should cover? Send it to Eyewitness News using the form below. If attaching a video or photo, terms of use apply.
Copyright © 2024 WABC-TV. All Rights Reserved.
Authorities recapture 2 escapees from Augusta Transitional Center
Washington DC: Diaspora takes part in 78th Independence Day celebrations at Indian Embassy – www.lokmattimes.com
Burgers, chicken and fries, oh my! Savvy Sliders’ bite is as good as its fast-growing bark
'Inside Out': Tightening race for president in Texas?
GOP congressional hopeful takes sides in a political drama over Alabama Democratic delegates
See it: Tesla crashes into Columbus convention center at 70 mph
Colorado Rockies game no. 116 thread: Zac Gallen vs José Ureña
Fox News Politics: Georgia the whole day through
Death of missing Oregon girl found in stream ruled homicide
At least 2 dead as tornadoes hit Alabama, damage homes across Southeast
Video: Why Harris’s Crowds Rattled Trump
Trump conducts no-holds-barred press conference while Harris continues dodging media
How Canada’s ‘off-the-record’ arms exports end up in Israel
What Trump's time as president tells us about his promise of mass deportations : Consider This from NPR
Harris camp silent on when VP will hold press conference as Trump preps to host his second in a week
-
News1 week agoThe ‘Blue Walz’: How a low-key Midwestern governor shot to the top to be Harris’ VP pick | CNN Politics
-
News1 week agoKamala Harris holding rally in Pennsylvania to introduce running mate after securing Democratic nomination
-
Movie Reviews1 week agoMinmini Movie Review: A soothing and understated film with characters to root for
-
World1 week agoVenezuela launches probe against opposition leaders Gonzalez, Machado
-
Culture1 week agoIf that was it for Simone Biles' Olympic career, let's all appreciate what we just saw
-
World1 week agoThe day after in Dhaka
-
World1 week agoEx-Catalan leader Puigdemont headed back to Spain despite fear of arrest
-
Movie Reviews1 week ago‘Confession’ Review: A Live-Action Manga Adaptation Crams Maximum Menace Into One Cabin