New Jersey

Murphy gets high marks in early COVID: This week in Central Jersey history, April 21-27

Published

8 months ago

April 21, 2025

Murphy gets high marks in early COVID: This week in Central Jersey history, April 21-27

According to a Monmouth University Poll, Gov. Phil Murphy’s approval rating among New Jersey residents skyrocketed to 71% amid the coronavirus pandemic, jumping 30 points since September 2019, it was reported on Wednesday, April 22, 2020.

The poll also showed wide approval of the strict measures the state had taken to slow the spread of the virus.

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

April 21, 2020: The Somerset County Park Commission announced the annual July 4th fireworks display at North Branch Park in Bridgewater and other popular events had been canceled due to the financial and health impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.

April 21: Seton Hall basketball star Myles Powell earned a second straight Haggerty Award as the metropolitan area’s top player, becoming the first Pirate ever to receive the honor twice.

April 22: Gov. Phil Murphy reported 3,551 new cases of the coronavirus in New Jersey at the state’s daily briefing, bringing the statewide total to 95,865. He also reported 314 more virus-related deaths, bringing the statewide death toll to 5,063.

April 24: It was reported seven New Jersey schools were in the top 100 in U.S. News & World Report’s rankings of the best 500 high schools released earlier in the week, including Middlesex County Academy for Science, Mathematics and Engineering Technologies on the campus of Middlesex County College in Edison.

April 24: Bon Jovi canceled the band’s upcoming summer tour with Bryan Adams, which included at show on Tuesday, July 14, 2020, at the Prudential Center in Newark, it was reported.

April 25: It was reported the cities of South Amboy and Perth Amboy had canceled their annual joint Fourth of July celebration and several other large annual outdoor events due to the coronavirus pandemic.

April 27: According to a new Monmouth University Poll released three days after “Weed Day,” a sizeable majority of New Jersey voters would vote to legalize marijuana in November 2020, it was reported.

10 years ago

April 25, 2015: It was reported a person associated with Raritan Valley Community College in the North Branch section of Branchburg had been diagnosed with pulmonary tuberculosis and Somerset County and state health officials were conducting an investigation to identify those people who may have had sufficient exposure to require further testing.

April 25: Marisa Eve Girawong, a physician’s assistant, was killed in the 7.8 earthquake in Nepal. Before leaving to work there in 2014, Edison was listed as her place of residence.

April 25: Jonathan Morgan, 28, of Plainfield, one of two men responsible for the 2010 robbery and murder of Isidro Leonardo, 44, a Plainfield taxi driver, was sentenced to 45 years in state prison, it was reported.

April 25: The Stone Temple Pilots and Dreamers performed at The Wellmont Theater in Montclair.

April 26: The Franklin Township Food Bank’s annual Tour de Franklin fundraiser, featuring 62-, 40-, 25- and 10-mile rides, as well as others, was held in the Somerset section of Franklin Township.

April 26: The Montgomery High School boys tennis team won four of their five matches to beat Pingry, 34-30, clinching their seventh straight Somerset County Tournament tennis team title at the Green Knoll Tennis Center at Bridgewater.

2000

April 21, 2000: Lightning struck at least four homes in Middlesex County between 4:30 and 5:30 p.m., setting one of them on fire.

April 23: It was reported New Jersey actors Avery Brooks and Joe Morton would be featured in the 11th annual “Genesis Festival 2000, New Voices in African-American Theatre,” which would begin Saturday, April 29, 2000, at Crossroads Theatre Company in New Brunswick.

April 24: New Jersey voters passed a record number of school budgets the previous week, approving 88.1 percent of spending plans, up from the previous year’s 82.8 percent, it was reported.

April 25: The Transcontinental Gas Line Co., a Texas-based natural gas pipeline company, won final approval to build a controversial 155-mile gas line through Pennsylvania and New Jersey. On Wednesday, April 26, 2000, New Jersey officials said they would contest the federal approval.

April 25: Shawnetta Stewart and Usha Gilmore became the first Rutgers University women’s basketball players selected in the WNBA Draft.

1975

April 21, 1975: In high school baseball, Rich Gabriel’s two-run homer in the bottom of the seventh inning gave South River a 3-1 win over Woodbridge, which had its first defeat of the season.

April 22: During a five-hour Somerville Board of Education session, 12 teachers were put out of jobs and two programs were cut despite protests from students, teachers, parents and citizens.

April 24: Secretary of State J. Edward Crabiel was back on the state government payroll, one day after his acquittal on highway bid-rigging charges.

April 25: East Brunswick Mayor Jean Sears Walling died of cancer at Middlesex General Hospital in New Brunswick. She was 53.

April 25: It was reported poet-singer Patti Smith would make her first New Jersey appearance on Wednesday, April 30, 1975, at the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick.

April 26: County and state health inspectors had ruled out problems in the Dunellen High School cafeteria as the cause of sickness which had kept nearly one-third of the students home for two days, it was reported.

1925

April 21, 1925: Ground was broken by the Charter Construction Company, Inc. of New York for the erection of First Church of Christ, Scientist, at Prospect Avenue and East Ninth Street in Plainfield. It was reported on Wednesday, April 22, 1925, the cost would be $55,000.

April 22-23: The movie, “The Last Laugh,” starring Emil Jannings, was shown at Reade’s Strand Theatre in Perth Amboy.

April 23: Josephine Krysowaty, 11, who lived on Neshanic Mountain and was stabbed 20 times, died at Somerset Hospital, making it a murder case.

April 24: It was reported more than 700 people of Plainfield and vicinity had pledged active support of the campaign for $500,000 for Muhlenberg Hospital in Plainfield.

April 24: Rutgers University’s relay athletes regained the Middle Atlantic States Championship in the annual Penn relay games in Philadelphia, Pa., by beating Johns Hopkins, New York University and Lafayette in the mile relay.

Brad Wadlow is a staff writer for MyCentralJersey.com

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New Jersey

Devils Shake Up Forward Lines on Island; Markstrom Starts | PREVIEW | New Jersey Devils

Published

7 hours ago

December 23, 2025

Press Room

Devils Shake Up Forward Lines on Island; Markstrom Starts | PREVIEW | New Jersey Devils

Emotional Stakes

Beyond the lineup, the Devils know the emotional stakes of the night are real. A three day break follows, and the difference between going into it with a win or a loss can linger.

“We’ve got three days to think about this game,” defenseman Brenden Dillon said. “A win, you’re in good spirits. A loss, you’re wanting the next game to come right away. With how things have gone the last couple weeks, we’re trying to build momentum, and if we have a slip up, we want to fix it right away and not let it snowball.”

Dillon was quick to stress that recent returns to the lineup do not change the responsibility of the group as a whole.

“The three guys aren’t going to win the hockey game for us,” he said. “They’re three really important players and we want them in the lineup, but at the end of the day it’s a team game. We have to go out there and earn the two points.”

Stopping Barzal

That mindset mirrors Keefe’s own message. With the Islanders featuring dynamic players like Barzal, discipline and structure will be essential.

“Top players like that play a little bit outside the structure,” Keefe said. “They play on instincts, and it can be hard to predict. For us, it’s trying to keep the puck out of his hands, and if he gets it, protect the good ice, put him into bad spots, and outnumber him. You also have to be aware of the people away from him because he’s so good at drawing coverage and moving it.”

Keefe noted the Devils see similar challenges daily in practice.

“We have guys like Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt who play very similarly,” he said. “So we talk about it often when we’re playing against top guys like that.”

Rest Over Practice

As the season’s pace has taken its toll, the upcoming break is welcomed. Keefe acknowledged the grind, especially with the injuries New Jersey has navigated.

“It’s been a condensed schedule and it adds up,” he said. “We’ve asked a lot of guys to play big minutes. We’ve practiced very little this season, the least I ever have as a coach, because you’re opting for rest to keep guys fresh.”

For Brown, the objective is simple.

“At this point it’s pretty clear what the performance needs to look like and what our identity needs to look like,” he said. “It’s just important getting into it right away.”

Dillon framed it in even more direct terms.

“They’re a team we’re going to be battling with all the way to the end,” he said. “It’s a good test. We have to want it more tonight and earn our break.”

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New Jersey

Did anyone win Powerball? Winning numbers for Dec. 22, 2025

Published

19 hours ago

December 23, 2025

Press Room

Did anyone win Powerball? Winning numbers for Dec. 22, 2025

APP.com Digital Desk
| Asbury Park Press

Powerball winning numbers are in for the Monday, Dec. 22 drawing with a jackpot that reached an estimated $1.6 billion ($735.1 million cash option).

The winning numbers in Monday’s drawing are 3, 18, 36, 41, and 54, with Powerball number 7. The Power Play number is 2.

Did anyone win the Powerball jackpot?

No one won the Powerball jackpot.

When is the next drawing of the Powerball?

The next Powerball drawing is Wednesday. Drawings are held at 10:59 p.m. every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday.

How late can you buy a Powerball ticket?

In New Jersey, in-store and online ticket sales are available until 9:59 p.m. on the night of the draw.

What does it cost to play Powerball?

Powerball costs $2 to play. For an additional $1 per play, the Power Play feature can multiply nonjackpot prizes by two, three, four, five or 10 times.

Are you a Powerball winner? Here’s how to claim your lottery prize

All New Jersey Lottery retailers will redeem prizes up to $599.99. For prizes over $599.99, winners can submit winning tickets through the mail or in person at New Jersey Lottery offices. By mail, send a winner claim form, winning lottery ticket and a copy of a government-issued ID to New Jersey Lottery, Attn: Validations, PO Box 041, Trenton, NJ 08625-0041.

Winners can drop off their claim form and winning ticket in person at the New Jersey Lottery office where a secure drop box is available. Claim forms are also available at the office. Hours are Monday to Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.; Lawrence Park Complex, 1333 Brunswick Avenue Circle, Trenton, NJ 08648.

To find a lottery retalier, you can search the NJ lotto website.

What is the Powerball payout?

The complete guide to winnings is:

Match 5 White Balls + Powerball: Jackpot
Match 5 White Balls: $1 million
Match 4 White Balls + Powerball: $50,000
Match 4 White Balls: $100
Match 3 White Balls + Powerball: $100
Match 3 White Balls: $7
Match 2 White Balls + Powerball: $7
Match 1 White Ball + Powerball: $4
Match Powerball: $4
Match 5 White Balls with Power Play: $2 million
Match 4 White Balls + Powerball with Power Play: $200,000
Match 4 White Balls with Power Play: $400
Match 3 White Balls + Powerball with Power Play: $400
Match 3 White Balls with Power Play: $28
Match 2 White Balls + Powerball with Power Play: $28
Match 1 White Ball + Powerball with Power Play: $16
Match Powerball with Power Play: $16

What are the odds of winning the Powerball jackpot?

The overall odds of winning the Powerball are 1 in 292.2 million.

How do I find the Powerball winning numbers?

Powerball drawings are broadcast live every Monday, Wednesday and Saturday at 10:59 p.m. from the Florida Lottery draw studio in Tallahassee. Drawings are also lived streamed on Powerball.com. The winning numbers are posted to the Powerball and New Jersey Lottery websites.

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New Jersey

ELEC: NJ Gubernatorial Election is Sixth Most Expensive in US History – Insider NJ

Published

1 day ago

December 22, 2025

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ELEC: NJ Gubernatorial Election is Sixth Most Expensive in US History – Insider NJ

New Jersey gubernatorial candidates and the Independent Expenditure-Only Filers (IEFs) who promoted them shredded multiple records by spending more than $259 million on this year’s primary and general elections, according to an analysis by the New Jersey Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC).

In nominal dollars1, New Jersey’s spending total was the fourth largest amount of dollars ever spent during a gubernatorial election year nationally and ranked sixth when past totals were converted to 2025 dollars to reflect inflation’s impact.

On a per capita basis, calculated by dividing total election spending by the state’s population, New
Jersey ranked first nationally (Table A3).

“It is now evident that this year’s gubernatorial election was the most expensive New Jersey election in
state history by a large margin. It was also one of the top ten costliest gubernatorial elections ever in the nation,” said Joe Donohue, ELEC’s deputy director.

See below:

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