Mark Motta was checking the hydraulics on a recycling truck just past 7 a.m. when he noticed two shiny eyes looking at him from behind the compactor’s crushing mechanism.
New Jersey
He rescued a kitten from a recycling compactor and named her Squishy
The driver of the truck, Moses White, had already started the engine to head out on his rounds in Burlington County, N.J., that day, July 8. Motta told White to turn off the engine, then he climbed into the truck’s bin and delicately pried the kitten free from the hopper.
“I’ve had cats my whole life, and I know that when they’re babies, if you grab them by the skin on their necks, it makes them think they’re being carried by their mother,” he said. “So that’s what I did.”
The kitten didn’t fight him.
“She was really scared, but she seemed happy to be rescued,” he said.
Motta used his bright yellow safety shirt to wipe the kitten off the best he could, then he called safety officer Samantha Stamile to let her know what had happened.
Stamile told Motta to put the kitten in a box, then she rushed to her office.
“I got there, and there’s this sweet little kitten, absolutely saturated in some kind of oil from inside the truck,” she said. “She also had a green eye discharge, and she was wheezing. We decided to clean her up right away.”
Stamile and Motta took the kitten to the fleet mechanic shop and gave her several baths with Dawn dish soap to remove the oil.
“The first bath did nothing — she needed quite a few,” said Stamile, noting that she also cleaned the kitten’s eyes with a saline solution and gauze.
Motta decided there was only one name that suited the cat: Squishy.
“I thought it was perfect, because if I hadn’t seen her that morning, there would have been no saving her,” he said.
Stamile gave Squishy some cat food, then took her to All Creatures Veterinary Care Center in Sewell, N.J., where she was examined at no charge and given antibiotics for an upper respiratory infection. The vet said she appeared to be about 2 months old.
Otherwise, the kitten was fine, Stamile said, so she contacted Rise Again Animal Rescue, a New Jersey animal foster and adoption nonprofit. The Asbury Park Press was among several local news organizations to cover the happy rescue.
“I told them I’d like to foster Squishy until she’s old enough to be spayed, vaccinated and put up for adoption,” said Stamile, 30, who has fostered cats for four years for the animal rescue.
Ekaterina Sedia, a founder of Rise Again Animal Rescue, said she added Squishy to her adoption list.
“We know how easily a cat — or especially a young kitten — can get hurt,” Sedia said. “Unless people interfere, an accidental injury is often a death sentence for a cat on the streets.”
Stamile said her two daughters, Arabella, 7, and Adelyn, 2, were delighted when she brought Squishy home and introduced her to the family’s other cat, Rascal.
“My kids have always loved fostering cats, and it instills the importance of treating all life kindly and with respect,” Stamile said.
Squishy is a good fit with the household, and she now enjoys romping around with Rascal and playfully jumping on everyone’s bare feet when they wiggle their toes, she said.
“She’s now completely oil-free, and when you hold her, she’s an absolute cuddle bug,” Stamile said. “She’s becoming more and more social with time.”
It isn’t known how Squishy ended up trapped inside the recycling truck, but Stamile speculates she might have been a feral kitten who climbed in after the driver’s previous run.
Motta said he was happy that Stamile could take in Squishy.
“I don’t think I could have another cat right now because I already have a male cat at home,” he said. “His name is Stinky.”
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.
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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.
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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