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Mystery drone sightings keep happening in New Jersey. Here's what we know (and don't know)

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Mystery drone sightings keep happening in New Jersey. Here's what we know (and don't know)


A large number of mysterious drones have been reported flying over parts of New Jersey and the East Coast in recent weeks, sparking speculation and concern over who sent them and why.

New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy wrote to President Joe Biden asking for answers. New Jersey’s new senator, Andy Kim, spent Thursday night on a drone hunt in rural northern New Jersey, and posted about it on X.

Murphy and law enforcement officials have stressed that the drones don’t appear to be a threat to public safety, but many state and municipal lawmakers have nonetheless called for stricter rules about who can fly the unmanned aircraft.

The FBI is among several agencies investigating and has asked residents to share videos, photos and other information they may have about the drones.

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Dozens of witnesses have reported seeing drones in New Jersey starting in November.

At first, the drones were spotted flying along the scenic Raritan River, a waterway that feeds the Round Valley Reservoir, the state’s largest aquifer, about 50 miles (80 kilometers) west of New York City.

But soon sightings were reported statewide, including near the Picatinny Arsenal, a U.S. military research and manufacturing facility, and over President-elect Donald Trump’s golf course in Bedminster.

The aircraft have also recently been spotted in coastal areas.

U.S. Rep. Chris Smith said a Coast Guard commanding officer told him a dozen drones closely followed a Coast Guard lifeboat near Barnegat Light and Island Beach State Park in Ocean County over the weekend.

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Drone sightings have now been reported in New York City, where a permit is required, and Mayor Eric Adams says the city is investigating and collaborating with New Jersey and federal officials.

The runways at Stewart International Airport – about 60 miles (96 kilometers) north of New York City — were shut down for about one hour Friday night because of drone activity in the airspace, New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said.

“This has gone too far,” she said in a statement.

The governor called on Congress to pass legislation to strengthen the FAA’s oversight of drones and give more authority to state and local law enforcement agencies to investigate the activity.

“Extending these powers to New York State and our peers is essential,” she said. “Until those powers are granted to state and local officials, the Biden administration must step in by directing additional federal law enforcement to New York and the surrounding region to ensure the safety of our critical infrastructure and our people.”

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The White House has said that a review of the reported sightings shows that many of them are actually manned aircraft being flown lawfully, echoing the opinion of officials and drone experts.

The federal Homeland Security Department and FBI also said in a joint statement they have no evidence that the sightings pose “a national security or public safety threat or have a foreign nexus.”

Assemblywoman Dawn Fantasia, who was briefed by the Department of Homeland Security, said the reported drones have been up to 6 feet (1.8 meters) in diameter and sometimes travel with their lights switched off. This is much larger than those typically flown by drone hobbyists and she said they appear to avoid detection by traditional methods such as helicopter and radio.

Authorities say they do not know who is behind the drones.

The FBI, Homeland Security and state police are investigating the sightings. Authorities say they don’t know if it is one drone that has been spotted many times or if there are multiple aircraft being flown in a coordinated effort.

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Speculation has raged online, with some expressing concerns that the drone or drones could be part of a nefarious plot by foreign agents. Officials stress that ongoing state and federal investigations have found no evidence to support those fears.

Two Republican Jersey Shore-area congressmen, Smith and U.S. Rep. Jeff Van Drew, have called on the military to shoot down the drones, citing safety concerns.

The Pentagon insists the drones do not represent a threat from abroad.

Pentagon spokesperson Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said Thursday that the military’s initial assessment after consulting with the Department of Homeland Security and the National Security Council — that the drones are not of foreign origin — remains unchanged.

Pentagon spokeswoman Sabrina Singh said Wednesday that the aircraft are not U.S. military drones.

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President-elect Donald Trump has posted that he believes the government knows more than it’s saying. “Let the public know, and now. Otherwise, shoot them down!!!” he posted on his social media site.

U.S. Sen. Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut on Thursday said the drowns should be “shot down, if necessary,” even as it remains unclear who owns the unmanned aircraft.

“We should be doing some very urgent intelligence analysis and take them out of the skies, especially if they’re flying over airports or military bases,” Blumenthal said.

Experts, however, warn not to shoot at anything in the sky.

Trisha Bushey, 48, of Lebanon Township, New Jersey, lives near Round Valley Reservoir where there have been numerous sightings and said she doesn’t believe the assertion that the drones aren’t a risk to public safety.

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“How can you say it’s not posing a threat if you don’t know what it is?” she said. “I think that’s why so many people are uneasy.”

The flying of drones for recreational and commercial use is legal in New Jersey, but it is subject to local and Federal Aviation Administration regulations and flight restrictions.

In New York City, a permit is required to take off or land an unmanned aircraft.

Operators must be FAA certified.

Sightings also have been reported in Virginia and elsewhere.

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Two people said they spotted an aircraft Thursday night near Virginia Beach that was unlike any other they’ve seen.

The flying object was over the ocean and they watched as it slowly moved over a Virginia Army National Guard facility, John Knight told The Virginian-Pilot.

“It was definitely different,” said Knight, who took videos of what he thinks was a drone the size of a small truck.

“It flew like a helicopter but made no noise,” he added.

The Virginia National Guard did not have any aircraft operating in the facility’s area Thursday night, according to spokesperson A.A. “Cotton” Puryear. Its leadership is aware of the incident and it’s under investigation, Puryear said.

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Another military installation in the area is Naval Air Station Oceana Dam Neck Annex. NAS Oceana, the East Coast master jet base in Virginia Beach, is aware of recent reports of drone sightings in the area and is coordinating with federal and state agencies to ensure the safety of its personnel and operations, Katie Hewett, public affairs officer, said in an email Friday.

Knight submitted the videos Thursday night to the FBI tip line.

Drones were also spotted last month in the U.K. The U.S. Air Force said several small unmanned aircraft were detected near four military bases in England that are used by American forces.

___

Miller reported from Oklahoma City. Bruce Schreiner contributed from Shelbyville, Kentucky.

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Ice, freezing rain alerts expand to 10 N.J. counties. Wind advisory issued for 50 mph gusts Monday.

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Ice, freezing rain alerts expand to 10 N.J. counties. Wind advisory issued for 50 mph gusts Monday.


Winter weather advisories have been expanded to 10 New Jersey counties with freezing rain that could cause a dangerous layer of ice tonight.

The National Weather Service has also issued a wind advisory for 16 counties Monday with up to 50 mph gusts possible.

The more immediate concern is freezing rain already hitting the state Sunday evening.

The National Weather Service has expanded winter weather advisories to 10 New Jersey counties with freezing rain creating the potential for dangerous ice Sunday night. High winds gusting to 50 mph are expected Monday.AccuWeather.com and National Weather Service

Winter weather advisories for Bergen, Essex, Hudson Passaic and Union counties expire between 10 p.m. and midnight.

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Winter weather advisories for Hunterdon, Morris, Somerset, Sussex and Warren counties take effect at 6 p.m. and run through 2 a.m.

As temperatures remain near or below freezing across northern New Jersey this evening, precipitation will fall as freezing rain, particularly in Warren and Morris counties where a glaze to one-tenth of an inch of ice accumulation is possible.

N.J. weather: Ice storm alerts expanded to 7 counties. Wind gusts up to 50 mph Monday.
The National Weather Service has expanded winter weather advisories to 10 New Jersey counties with freezing rain creating the potential for dangerous ice Sunday night. High winds gusting to 50 mph are expected Monday.AccuWeather.com and National Weather Service

The National Weather Service warns that even areas outside the advisory that remain near freezing at the onset of precipitation could experience localized icing, especially on shaded surfaces that have remained below freezing for more than 36 hours.

Temperatures will rise above freezing areawide during the pre-dawn hours Monday as a warm front lifts through the region, changing any remaining freezing rain to plain rain.

A brief break in the rain is likely prior to daybreak Monday.

The warm front will be quickly followed by a strong cold front Monday afternoon, bringing another period of rain that may be moderate in intensity at times.

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High temperatures Monday will reach the upper 40s along the coast before the cold front passes, bringing high winds to the area.

N.J. weather: Ice storm alerts expanded to 7 counties. Wind gusts up to 50 mph Monday.
The National Weather Service has expanded winter weather advisories to 10 New Jersey counties with freezing rain creating the potential for dangerous ice Sunday night. High winds gusting to 50 mph are expected Monday.AccuWeather.com and National Weather Service

The wind advisory for 16 counties runs from 10 a.m. Monday to 1 p.m. Tuesday. Just Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Passaic and Union counties are not under wind advisories.

“Strong westerly winds develop Monday with wind gusts up to 50 mph and a wind advisory has been issued,” the weather service said Sunday evening. “Some tree damage and power outages possible.”

Tuesday will be markedly colder with high temperatures struggling to rise above freezing even at the Jersey Shore.

Wind chills in the teens and low 20s are expected during the day.

Skies will be partly cloudy with continued gusty winds of 20 to 30 mph.

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N.J. weather: Black ice, freezing rain alerts issued for 6 N.J. counties
Freezing rain and wind gusts up to 50 mph are expected over the next 24 hours. AccuWeather

Wednesday brings slightly milder conditions with highs in the mid 30s to near 40 degrees, though it remains well below normal for late December.

The extended forecast shows below-normal temperatures continuing through the end of the week and into the New Year.

Thursday may bring a chance of snow showers as a weak cold front passes through, though accumulations are expected to be light.

Friday looks dry with highs in the low to mid 30s.

Another weather system may impact the area late next weekend, potentially bringing a mix of rain and snow, though forecast confidence remains low for that timeframe.

Current weather radar



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Deadly helicopter collision in New Jersey kills one, critically injures another

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Deadly helicopter collision in New Jersey kills one, critically injures another


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One person was killed and another critically injured when two helicopters collided and crash-landed in Hammonton, New Jersey, on Sunday morning, authorities said.

The Hammonton Police Department told Fox News Digital that it received calls of an aviation crash at approximately 11:25 a.m. involving two helicopters in the area of the 100 block of Basin Road.

Police, fire and EMS responded, extinguishing one helicopter that was engulfed in flames.

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The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board have been notified and will investigate the crash, police said.

MIDAIR PLANE CRASH KILLS ONE PERSON NEAR COLORADO AIRPORT AS BOTH PLANES CATCH FIRE

Two helicopters collided Sunday, Dec. 28, 2025, in Hammonton, N.J. (WTXF)

New Jersey Lt. Gov. Tahesha Way wrote on X that she has been updated on the midair collision.

The site of a deadly helicopter collision in Hammonton, N.J., on Dec. 28, 2025. (WTXF)

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“The Atlantic County Office of Emergency Management, Hammonton Police Department, and @NJSP personnel are on the scene,” she said.

This is a breaking news story; check back for updates.



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New Jersey Celebrities Who Died in 2025

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New Jersey Celebrities Who Died in 2025


These actors and musicians all called the Garden State home at some point in their lives. Though they have passed, their work and spirits endure.

Peter Greene

1965-December 12, 2025

Born and raised in Montclair. Greene attended Montclair High School but dropped out before graduating, according to his IMDB biography, and ran away from home as a teenager, he revealed in a 1996 magazine interview. He struggled with homelessness and drug addiction before pursuing acting and became best known for his villainous roles in the films Pulp Fiction and The Mask. Greene was slated to begin production on an indie thriller this January, the New York Post reported. He was 60.

Eddie Palmieri

1936-August 6, 2025

Eddie Palmieri

Photo: Shutterstock/lev radin

The Grammy-winning musician was a New York City native but was living in Hackensack when he died at home at the age of 88. Palmieri’s decades-long career was “marked by his groundbreaking fusion of Afro-Caribbean rhythms and jazz harmonies,” wrote Manahil Ahmad in an obituary for NorthJersey.com. “His orchestra La Perfecta, formed in the early 1960s, set a new standard for Latin music….showcasing his explosive piano style—a blend of precision, power and improvisational grit.”

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Palmieri performed at the Montclair Jazz Festival in 2019. Earlier this month, on what would have been his 89th birthday, the festival posted a tribute on their Instagram account. “We are so thankful to Eddie for his music and his friendship!” it concluded. “Long may his legacy continue!”

Malcolm-Jamal Warner

1970-July 20, 2025

The Jersey City-born actor, beloved for his role as Theodore “Theo” Huxtable on NBC sitcom The Cosby Show, died in an accidental drowning off the coast of Costa Rica, ABC News reported. He was 54. Warner played Huxtable from 1984 to 1992, and was nominated for an Emmy for outstanding supporting actor in a comedy series in 1986. More recently, he starred as a surgeon on Fox medical drama The Resident until the show ended in 2023.

“Deeply saddened by the tragic loss of Jersey City native Malcolm-Jamal Warner,” Governor Phil Murphy posted on social media. “[…] Malcom-Jamal brought joy and hope to millions of Americans. We are praying for the Warner family during this incredibly difficult time.”

Connie Francis

1937-July 16, 2025



The Newark-born pop singer, best known for ’50s and ’60s hits like “Who’s Sorry Now?” and “Where the Boys Are,” passed away at the age of 87 this summer. Dubbed “the girl with the million-dollar cry” by Dick Clark, she was the first solo female artist to top the Billboard Hot 100 chart. Francis spent her early years in Brooklyn before her family moved back to New Jersey, where they lived in Newark’s Ironbound section and later Belleville. Francis attended Newark Arts High School for a few years before transferring to Belleville High School, where she graduated in 1955. She was inducted into the New Jersey Hall of Fame’s Class of 2016 at a 2017 ceremony held at Asbury Park’s Convention Hall.

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Just two months before her death, Francis had responded to news that her deep cut “Pretty Little Baby” had gone viral on TikTo, six decades after its original release. “My thanks to TikTok and its members for the wonderful, and oh so unexpected, reception given to my 1961 recording,” she wrote in a Facebook post. Her publicist and record-label president, Rob Roberts, had informed her of her “viral hit”—a term she didn’t understand. “Clearly out of touch with present day music statistics terminology, my initial response was to ask: ‘What’s that?’” she continued. “Thank you everyone!”

Lenny Welch

1938-April 8, 2025

Though born in New York City, the pop singer was raised in Asbury Park, where he was shaped by the vibrant Black music scene on the city’s West Side. He attended Asbury Park High School and joined a local vocal group called the Mar-Keys, which, according to the Asbury Park Press, opened for Little Richard at city’s Savoy Theatre in the 1950s. He later became best known for his cover of “Since I Fell for You,” which hit number 4 on the Billboard chart in 1963.

During a 2011 panel about the history of race and music, Bruce Springsteen referred to Welch as “Mr. Asbury Park,” according to NJ.com. Later that year, Welch returned to his hometown to perform at the Soul of Asbury Park concert held at the Paramount Theatre. In 2012, he was inducted into Asbury Park High School’s Distinguished Alumni Hall of Fame. A few years before his death, in 2021, Welch told the Asbury Park Press that he thought about the city “every day” and hoped to return “before I leave this earth.” He said he wanted to “walk around, go up Springwood Avenue because that’s where I grew up….just walk up the street, look around, visit relatives’ gravesites […].” Welch died in Florida at the age of 86.

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Maggie Doyne, cofounder of Kopila Valley Children’s Home and School in NepalMaggie Doyne, cofounder of Kopila Valley Children’s Home and School in Nepal

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