New Jersey
‘Doesn’t get any better than this’: Veterans join battleship’s journey to Paulsboro
PHILADELPHIA — After 78 days spent in drydock here, the Battleship New Jersey made the first leg of its journey back home, guided once again by Coast Guard and powered by tugboats to get Camden’s historic ship to Paulsboro.
After a 6:30 a.m. call time, crews, passengers and other personnel milled around dock number three of the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard the New Jersey was built in, waiting for the OK to board the ship by way of a steep gangway. Above them, the sun continued to rise, bathing the Black Dragon (one of the many nicknames for the ship) in golden sunlight.
Excited chatter, “copy that” muffled through radio static and the whirr of airplane engines decorated any rare moments of almost-silence Friday morning.
For one guest, stepping foot on the New Jersey once more was something previously unfathomable.
“You want the honest truth? I’m emotional as hell,” Vice Admiral Douglas J. Katz (USN, Ret.), who commanded the New Jersey from August 1987 to May 1989, said through a laugh.
“This ship and the crew that we had in that time period was special,” Katz said. During his service, the USS New Jersey sailed off the coast of Korea for pre-Olympics presence and represented the United States at the Australian Naval Salute.
Katz made his arrival onboard alongside his wife of 59 years, Sharon Katz; “Unbelievable,” he said when he first stepped off the gangway, taking in the scene.
Katz would later call the “shift colors” for the vessel as it left the Philadelphia dock, changing the flags on the ship from in-port to at-sea.
Former Secretary of the Navy Kenneth Braithwaite was also a passenger on the ship.
“Being aboard this ship emphasizes the importance of sea power and of the U.S. Navy,” Braithwaite said. “Armies win wars, navies prevent them.”
More: Battleship New Jersey by the numbers. Here are some interesting facts
Maintenance on the Battleship New Jersey
In March, the 887-foot ship left Camden for the first time in 20 years to be drydocked in Philadelphia for a $10 million maintenance project.
“We came in thinking we were going to do three major projects, and we ended up doing five,” said Marshall Spevak, the museum and memorial’s CEO.
These projects included improvements like repainting and inspecting the hull, partially installing new teak flooring, proactive welding and sealing to prevent water leakages and more.
“We are just incredibly elated and frankly lucky that the hull was in such great condition,” he said.
During its time across the river, exclusive tours were offered for $225 per standard ticket, and passenger spots were also available for those who wanted to hitch a ride on the ship as it trekked to Paulsboro.
Tickets for the second leg of the return trip were still available as of Friday and could be purchased for $5,000 on the battleship’s website.
In May, Spevak told the Courier-Post that the ship was planning to reopen for tours soon after its return date as well as be a viewing point for July 4 fireworks celebrations on the river.
More: What the battleship means for Camden, and how it ended up here
Battleship New Jersey return celebration
To mark its official return to the Camden Waterfront on June 20, the Battleship crew is planning a homecoming celebration.
Doors will open at the ship’s pier in Camden at 11 a.m., and the ship is expected to return around 1:24 p.m.
Attendees are expected to make a $10 donation at the gate in order to participate in games, live music, food and drinks and more. Children under 12 can enter free.
Guests can park along Clinton Street, in Lot 1 across from the Freedom Mortgage Pavillion as well as at the Waterfront Garage.
Kaitlyn McCormick writes about trending issues and community news across South Jersey for the Courier-Post, The Daily Journal and the Burlington County Times. If you have a story she should tell, email her at kmccormick@gannett.com. And subscribe to stay up to date on the news you need.
JAMESBURG, New Jersey (WABC) — When it comes to home deliveries, having your order stolen right off your doorstep can be infuriating, so one New Jersey man did it right.
Peter Tsistinas had his brand-new cell phone delivered to a so-called safe pickup site, designated by the seller, where it was stolen.
Delivery services can drop off your item at any number of safe locations, where you can later pick up your order. But as exclusive video obtained by 7 On Your Side shows, porch pirates are upping their game.
Captured on a security camera, a man calmly walks into the CVS store, asks for a delivery, shows an ID, signs for it, and walks off with a brand-new iPhone. There’s just one problem.
“They saw somebody that was not me getting my package,” said Tsistinas when asked what the police were seeing on the tape.
The real Peter, a popular DJ for hire, was dumbfounded. He chose the safe drop to avoid being porch pirated, but the thief still got the goods.
“Yeah, I actually paid extra for it. It wasn’t much. It was $7.99,” Tsistinas said.
Tsistinas got a notification from UPS that the phone was dropped off at 12:39 p.m., less than two hours later, he got a notice it was picked up.
But Tsistinas didn’t pick it up. It was the unknown suspect who went into the CVS, walking off with the brand-new iPhone for Peter’s son.
Tsistinas reported the crime to the police and alerted UPS, CVS and T-Mobile, which shipped the smartphone. The response to the DJ was what he called, “crickets.”
“I was watching, you know ABC News, and I saw 7 On Your Side and I’m like, ‘you know, you’re the first thing I thought of,’” Tsistinas said
7 On Your Side reached out to both CVS and the cell phone provider.
Within a week, T-Mobile responded, saying, “Our care team is working with Mr. Tsistinas directly to get him the device he ordered from us, and we’re working closely with CVS and our other partners to further protect our customers’ orders from theft. Our dedicated fraud, crime and logistics teams collaborate with vendors to address these issues and improve delivery processes.”
CVS also sent 7 On Your Side an official statement, saying, “We’ve connected with the customer and apologized for his experience. T-Mobile is now working directly with Mr. Tsistinas to help resolve the matter. Anyone picking up a UPS package at CVS Pharmacy must present identification matching the person and name on the package to be released. We’re working with the store team to help prevent similar situations from occurring in the future.”
After weeks of back and forth with the companies, Tsistinas could finally focus on his beats again.
“I paid almost $500 in deposit, and then it was going to be like so much per month. So, they just squashed all that,” Tsistinas said.
Referencing the Rolling Stones, he says he not only got his satisfaction, but also his money back.
“Nina, you’re the best!” Peter said.
Police are still looking for the suspect in the video and say he’s part of a crime ring. If you recognize him, call Jamesburg police in New Jersey.
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A police investigation took place at a Walmart in Cherry Hill, New Jersey on Wednesday morning and shoppers may have noticed an increased presence of officers at the shopping center, officials said.
On social media, the Cherry Hill Police Department alerted residents that an investigation was underway in a Walmart, located along Route 38 in Cherry Hill, New Jersey, at about 9 a.m. on Wednesday.
However, officials did not immediately detail the cause of this increased police presence, other than saying an investigation was underway and “the scene has been secured.”
Police were asking people to avoid the area, if possible, to allow officers the ability to complete this investigation.
However, as of about 10 a.m., police said on social media that the incident was resolved and there was no threat to the public.
OFFICIAL UPDATE: INCIDENT RESOLVED
The police activity at Walmart (500 Route 38) has been resolved without incident. There is no threat to the public.
Thank you to residents and motorists for their patience and cooperation while officers worked in the area. #CherryHillPD pic.twitter.com/668By2Ttht
— Cherry Hill Police Department (@CherryHillPD) July 8, 2026
As of about 10:15 a.m., police had not provided further information on the nature of this investigation, nor did they say if anyone was arrested through the course of this incident.
NBC10 is working to learn more.
This is a breaking news story. It will be updated as new information becomes available.
WILDWOOD, N.J. (WPVI) — Multiple people were rescued from the ocean off Wildwood, New Jersey, over the weekend, and the rescue was caught on video.
It all happened around 7:45 p.m. Sunday on the beach near Schellenger Avenue.
In total, officials say nine people were saved.
The Wildwood Beach Patrol, which was among the responding agencies, posted video of the rescue on Facebook.
A woman who witnessed it all said she was struck by the act of bravery she witnessed.
“What I just experienced was just the most beautiful thing ever. These people just came out of nowhere – I’m talking about like Baywatch – out of nowhere, come out there and save those people in that water. It was so beautiful,” she said.
Officials are reminding beachgoers to only swim when lifeguards are present.
Copyright © 2026 WPVI-TV. All Rights Reserved.
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