New Jersey

Mick Jagger stops in at NJ diner: This week in Central Jersey history, July 29-Aug. 4

Published

10 months ago

July 29, 2024

Mick Jagger stops in at NJ diner: This week in Central Jersey history, July 29-Aug. 4

Mick Jagger, hours before he went onstage at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford on Thursday, Aug. 1, 2019, grabbed a classic NJ breakfast at the Tick Tock Diner in Clifton.

Jagger ordered Taylor ham, egg and cheese. “So we went to the Tick Tock Diner!” Jagger told the audience. “We had Taylor ham, egg and cheese! With Disco fries! And sloppy joe to go!”

Here’s a look at events that happened in Central Jersey from five, 10, 25, 50 and 100 years ago this week.

Five years ago

July 29, 2019: A state appellate court upheld the conviction of James Quackenbush, 51, of Plainfield, serving a 40-year sentence in NJ State Prison, for murdering his mother, Gail Vandewalle, 69, in February 2013 by hitting her on the head with a 12-pound dumbbell.

July 30: The Marisa Tufaro Foundation, on what would have been its namesake’s 16th birthday, commemorated its second anniversary, announcing the nonprofit had donated more than $100,000 to help pediatric patients and other children in need throughout the greater Middlesex County area.

July 30: Te’Rai Powell, a rising senior at St. Joseph Regional in Montvale, announced on Twitter that he would play football for Rutgers University. Powell helped the Green Knights capture the NJSIAA Non-Public Group 4 championship the previous season, averaging 6.4 yards per carry.

July 31: Walter Yovany-Gomez, aka “Cholo,” 35, an MS-13 member previously named one of the FBI’s 10 Most Wanted Fugitives, was sentenced in Newark to 25 years in prison for killing Julio Matute of Plainfield in 2011.

Aug. 1: It became legal for NJ doctors to prescribe lethal medication to patients with less than six months to live. NJ was one of eight states that allowed medically assisted suicide or medical aid in dying.

Aug. 2-4: The Jersey Fringe Festival, featuring live music and a beer and wine garden, was held at 12 venues across downtown Hammonton, with the Eagle Theatre serving as the central location.

10 years ago

July 30, 2014: The Somerset Patriots beat the Lancaster Barnstormers, 7-0, on “Bark In The Park Night” at TD Bank Ballpark in Bridgewater. Somerset won the nightcap 2-0. The Patriots established a new franchise record for wins in a half with 47, albeit three weeks after the half had actually ended.

July 30-31: Approximately 350 bicyclists, including some local residents, participated in a two-day Bike4Chai fundraiser, beginning in Piscataway and ending at Camp Simcha in Glen Spey, New York, raising more than $4 million for the overnight summer camp for children and teens with cancer and other serious illnesses.

July 31: It was reported Albert Thomson, 48, of Berkeley Heights, was indicted on charges he stole millions of dollars from his employers, Elizabeth-based New England Motor Freight, and two related companies, Eastern Freightways Inc. and Carrier Industries Inc., over eight years.

Aug. 1: Jeff Xie, 17, of Edison, a senior at J.P. Stevens High School, took home $75,000 on the “Jeopardy! Teen Tournament,” beating Alan Koolik of Boca Raton, Florida.

Aug. 3: The Under the Influence of Music tour, with Wiz Khalifa, Jeezy, Ty Dolla $ign, Rich Homie Quan, Mack Wilds, Iamsu! and DJ Drama, was held at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel.

Aug. 4: In Somerville, State Superior Court Judge Robert Reed ruled David Granskie Jr.’s statement to police two days after the murder of Bridgewater resident Carolyn Stone, 45, could be admitted into his trial, which was expected to begin Wednesday, Sept. 3, 2014. Stone was killed on Memorial Day weekend of 2009 at Granskie’s father’s home in the Bradley Gardens section of Bridgewater,

1999

July 30, 1999: Deborah Caggiano, 34, of South Plainfield, who embezzled more than $2.5 million from Beumer Corp., a Bridgewater manufacturing company, was sentenced to seven years in prison.

July 31: Three teenage girls pleaded guilty to fourth-degree assault for lacing the coffee cup of their teacher at Middlesex County Vocational-Technical High School in East Brunswick with rubbing alcohol, it was reported. The girls were from Spotswood, Perth Amboy and New Brunswick.

Aug. 1: It was reported the Hispanic Riverfront Festival of New Brunswick, featuring music, dance and food, would be held Thursday, Aug. 5, 1999, through Sunday, Aug. 8, 1999, at Boyd Park in New Brunswick.

Aug. 4: The Somerset Patriots regained sole possession of first place with a 4-2 win over the Bridgeport Bluefish in front of 5,384 at Somerset Ballpark in Bridgewater, erasing the sting of a 9-1 loss in the series opener on Tuesday, Aug. 3, 1999.

1974

July 29, 1974: Scott Siegrist and Rich Szumel combined for a no-hitter as Piscataway American West edged Spring Lake-Sea Girt 1-0 and advanced to the Section 3 finals of the state Little League Baseball Tournament.

July 31: N.J. Secretary of State J. Edward Crabiel, 58, was indicted along with The Franklin Contracting Co., which he once headed; George Katz of Fort Lee, a Democratic fund raiser; the Passaic Crushed Stone Co., and the Gallo Asphalt Co., on charges of bid-rigging.

Aug. 2: A fire routed the 130 tenants of the Royal Court Apartments in Perth Amboy from their beds and heavily damaged the first four floors of the five-story building. Ten apartments were destroyed and one elderly tenant was hospitalized.

Aug. 4: Patrolman Jeffrey Royte, who discovered John Burns Jr., 14, of Mount Laurel in Burlington County, sleeping peacefully in a wooded area in Clinton, unknowingly found the youth who was missing from South Jersey since the previous Monday, and was the subject of an intensive search by police and volunteers.

Aug. 4: “Show Boat,” the Jerome Kern musical classic, would be presented by Plays-in-the-Park beginning Tuesday, Aug. 6, 1974, at Roosevelt Park in Edison, it was reported.

1924

July 30, 1924: Three inmates of the NJ Reformatory at Rahway were shot when a riot broke out among the 500 inmates. Before the outbreak was stopped, the institution suffered considerable damage.

July 30: While swimming in Lake Nelson in South Plainfield, Emile Ulmric, 21, a member of the faculty of St. Joseph’s Normal College, near Metuchen, was seized with cramps and drowned before assistance could be given.

July 30-31: The movie “Her Temporary Husband,” starring Sidney Chaplin, Sylvia Breamer and Owen Moore, was shown at Reade’s Strand Theatre in Perth Amboy.

Aug. 1: An attempt was made to “blow” the safe in the Forty-fifth street, Bayonne station of the NJ Central, but the burglars were frightened away by the police who were informed as to what was going on by a woman living near the station.

Aug. 4: In baseball, the St. Peter’s Lyceum beat the Pirates of Sayreville, 2-0.

Brad Wadlow is a staff writer for MyCentralJersey.com

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New Jersey

New Jersey community mourning death of Justin Rivera, Hudson County sheriff’s officer who fell from building

Published

12 hours ago

June 1, 2025

Press Room

New Jersey community mourning death of Justin Rivera, Hudson County sheriff’s officer who fell from building

The Bayonne, New Jersey, community is devastated over the loss of one their own – Hudson County sheriff’s officer Justin Rivera, who fell nine stories to his death Friday morning.

The 29-year-old was on duty when he fell from a window at the Hudson County Administration Building in Jersey City. Officials said the building was closed to the public due to an unrelated power outage at the time, and the fatal fall appears to be accidental in nature.

Hudson County Sheriff Frank Schillari, in a statement, described Rivera’s death as “one of the saddest and most horrific days that the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office has ever experienced,” calling Rivera an “excellent officer and outstanding young man.”

The Hudson County prosecutor’s office has no new details on the investigation surrounding his death at this time.

“It doesn’t even feel real”

Rivera ran Bayonne Boxing along with his father. A sign on the door says the gym is closed due to a family emergency.

A memorial was growing outside the front door of the beloved business Saturday as passersby offered prayers and dropped off flowers in Rivera’s memory.

A memorial was growing outside Bayonne Boxing on May 31, 2025, after the death of Justin Rivera, who ran the gym with his father.

CBS News New York

“It’s unbelievable, honestly, like how this could just happen out of nowhere. So it was like, it was honestly like it doesn’t even feel real,” said Jayden Morales, who has been training at the gym for the past year.

Morales said Rivera and his father were both great coaches.

“You could tell they loved each other,” Morales said. “He was funny, too, always cracking jokes.”

A neighbor, who wanted to remain anonymous, lived near Rivera’s childhood home, where he lived with his daughter. The neighbor describes the Riveras as a beautiful, hardworking family she’s come to know for the past 20-plus years.

“He would meet my daughter at the gym and say, ‘I love your mom. I’m here for her if she ever needs anything.’ And I knew that … ’cause that’s the kind of kid he was,” the neighbor said. “They kissed goodbye in the morning, and he got in his car and he went to work and that was it. We never know.”

“He loved to box, police officer, being a family man. That was him as a person,” Morales said.

“We’ll miss that wave, that smile. We’ll miss it,” the neighbor said.

Rivera’s father told CBS News New York his son is now with God and that there’s nothing he can say that will bring him back.

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New Jersey

The oldest ice cream parlor in New Jersey is right here in Monmouth County

Published

1 day ago

May 31, 2025

Press Room

The oldest ice cream parlor in New Jersey is right here in Monmouth County

It’s no secret that New Jersey is known for it’s beautiful boardwalk and beaches, but there are many historical entities nestled in quaint towns of the Garden State.

According to mashed.com, New Jersey is home to a historic ice cream parlor that’s been satisfying customers at the Shore since 1876.

The multi-platform publication dedicated to food, took a look at the oldest known ice cream parlors in every state to find which unique, century-old, family-owned establishments evolved into full-service dessert destinations that’s more than just places that you go to grab a cone but also serves as living history.

“Whether you’re a history buff, an ice cream lover, or a bit of both, these time-honored establishments offer a delicious glimpse into America’s frozen dessert heritage,” said mashed.com.

Nestled in a popular resort town with quaint Victorian houses, known as ‘God’s Square Mile,’ is Day’s Ice Cream in Ocean Grove.

The Monmouth County dessert shop has been serving ice cream one scoop at a time for more than 135 years. Day’s, is currently Ocean Grove’s oldest operating business that is still occupies its original location on Pitman Avenue. According reports, Day’s Ice Cream had three locations; Asbury Park, Morristown, and Newark in the earlier years. In 2017, Day’s launched another shop in Ocean Grove, Just Another Day’s, that closed due to a massive fire in 2019.

Here’s the story behind New Jersey’s oldest sweet institution, Day’s Ice Cream, according to mashed:

“Day’s Ice Cream opened in 1876 in Orange Grove, consistently serving ice cream to its customers ever since. It was opened by two brothers, William and Pennington Day, who were already in the ice cream business. The parlor has since become a local institution, known not only for its longevity but also for its classic homemade flavors and nostalgic atmosphere that reflect its rich history.”

Day’s Ice Cream is located at 48 Pitman Avenue on Auditorium Park in Ocean Grove. Operating hours are daily from noon to 10 p.m. through October.

Popular flavors incclude toasted coconut, black raspberry chocolate chip, peanut butter moose tracks, cinnamon, almond joy, salted caramel pretzel and hazelnut truffle latte. There is also an alternative menu with low fat frozen yogurt, sugar free ice cream, dairy free sorbets, dairy free soy, coconut milk and almond milk options.

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New Jersey

Rite Aid files bankruptcy, to close 300 stores. Which NJ Rite Aid stores are closing?

Published

2 days ago

May 30, 2025

Press Room

Rite Aid files bankruptcy, to close 300 stores. Which NJ Rite Aid stores are closing?

If you frequent drug stores, you could soon be in for a longer ride.

Rite Aid filed for bankruptcy for a second time this month, and will close more than 300 stores during its restructuring.

“As we move forward, our key priorities are ensuring uninterrupted pharmacy services for our customers and preserving jobs for as many associates as possible,” Rite Aid CEO Matt Schroeder said in a news release.