New Jersey

New Jersey Eagles fans preserve

Published

1 year ago

January 31, 2025

Not many reminders of “Old Man Winter” are sticking around in Millville, New Jersey. While it’s certainly a gloomy Friday, it is a different story inside the Sooy house. They are a group of jolly, happy, Eagles-loving souls without question.

Every Eagles game, a group of fans flock together flying from house to house to watch their Birds. They’ve been doing it for years.

Millville Mayor Benjamin Romanik’s been along for the ride.

“I call myself ‘Ben ‘Birdgang’ Romanik.’ I am the ‘COO of Hosting Operations’ here in South Jersey. It goes through all family and family friends,” Romanik said.

New Jersey Eagles fans preserve 'Snoquon' for good luck in Super Bowl LIX — CBS Philadelphia

The list of traditions, or maybe superstitions, is long.

“High five for field goal. Two high fives for touchdowns. 55 points that’s a lot of standing and walking,” Romanik said.

Green grass outside was hard to come by during the playoffs here, so naturally one of these diehard fans built a snowman and decked it out in green.

“He’s magical. We have to keep his hat on because that’s the secret,” the group said.

Some may call him Frosty the Snowman, but the Sooy’s put an Eagles spin on this.

“My daughter came out, Jamie and she saw him and said, ‘Oh my God!’ You just made ‘Snoquon Barkley,’ ” Jane Sooy said.

“Snoquon” stuck around for the playoff run and was even rebuilt after melting. When it came to the Super Bowl, the group decided they had to save him. That’s where this superstition thing flies to a new level.

“They ended up getting it into the barrel — our keg barrel — they put it in there, they put it into Ben’s truck, we went over to Cody’s and put it in the freezer,” Sooy said.

Days later, the group went to check on the snowman in the hunting freezer.

With a corncob pipe, button nose and an Eagles beanie worn at the parade down Broad Street, Snoquon is literally chilling before the big game Friday afternoon. There are even buckets of snow nearby just in case he needs a little help.

“It’s a little different but we’re all good with it. It’s weird, it’s crazy, but it’s Philly. It’s us. It’s the Eagles,” Sooy said.

The gameplan now, according to Sooy and the group: “Oh, he’s coming back. Even if he’s a snowball, he’s coming back.”

Come Super Bowl Sunday, Snoquon will leave the freezer and come right back to the same spot he once stood.

“I think the Eagles are definitely going to win and I think Snoquon Barkley is there to help,” Romanik said.

Nikki DeMentri

Nikki DeMentri is a general assignment reporter with CBS Philadelphia. The Central New Jersey native is thrilled she is sharing the stories of where she grew up.

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New Jersey

Did anyone win Powerball? Winning numbers for March 21, 2026

Published

12 hours ago

March 22, 2026

Press Room

Did anyone win Powerball? Winning numbers for March 21, 2026

APP.com Digital Desk
| Asbury Park Press

Powerball winning numbers are in for the Saturday, March 21 drawing with a jackpot that reached an estimated $120 million ($54.4 million cash option).

The winning numbers in Saturday’s drawing are 12, 28, 36, 41, and 59, with Powerball number 2. 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 Monday. 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

Neighborhood rallies behind woman who lost childhood home in South Orange, New Jersey fire

Published

24 hours ago

March 22, 2026

Press Room

Neighborhood rallies behind woman who lost childhood home in South Orange, New Jersey fire

SOUTH ORANGE, New Jersey (WABC) — Tears streamed down Stephanie Staszak’s face after her childhood home in South Orange, New Jersey went up in flames.

“I had three dogs in there. And one of them just passed, and the other one is not doing good,” she said, “I left home to go get my haircut…and my neighbor called me and said ‘your house is on fire.’”

Crews from South Essex, Millburn, Newark and West Orange all responded to 365 Melrose Place after noon on Saturday.

Officials say medics rushed one firefighter to the hospital.

Sisters Tina and Luisa live across the street.

“I saw near our neighbor’s house. There was rising smoke,” said Luisa.

“We smelled smoke and like, we, that was something in our house when we saw neighbors outside talking,” added Tina.

Community members say they are rallying behind Staszak.

“It was heartening, actually, to see how quickly everyone came to respond,” said neighbor Lauren Charlotte.

Neighbors also set up a GoFundMe to help Staszak.

As for Staszak, the unknown is worrying.

“I’m sort of sitting here waiting to see what I could find out,” she says.

She is grateful for the support from family and neighbors.

“I’m as good as I can be for right now,” she adds.

Staszak was able to save a few treasured items in the middle of the rubble – like a family photo with her mom holding her brother. She is cherishing a life once lived at the home as loved ones and neighbors helped keep her spirits up

The Red Cross was at the scene offering assistance to Staszack.

The cause of the fire is under investigation.

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New Jersey

Why you still can’t pump your own gas in New Jersey

Published

1 day ago

March 21, 2026

Press Room

Why you still can’t pump your own gas in New Jersey

We New Jerseyans have a lot to brag about.

From our beautiful shores, iconic musicians, actors and inventors that hail from all over the state and the unique blend of cultures no matter where you go — the Garden State is a place many are proud to represent.

Perhaps our most underrated bragging right is the fact that we don’t ever have to leave our cars at the gas station and reach for that pump because, well, we don’t pump our own gas. We technically aren’t even allowed to.

When the New Jerseyan ventures on a road trip to another state, they might wait in their car a little too long before realizing a gas attendant won’t be there to assist them. So why are we the only place in the country that has this luxury?

When did New Jersey ban pumping your own gas?

For one, New Jersey has a self-service ban at gas stations dating back to 1949 with the Retail Gasoline Dispensing Safety Act, citing safety concerns in relation to fire hazards as one of the main reasons for this ban.

Due to the potential danger from dispensing fuel, the New Jersey state law states “it is in the public interest that gasoline station operators have the control needed over that activity.”

Yet, protecting the people from fire isn’t the sole reason this law exists.

In the late 1940s, an entrepreneur named Irving Reginald opened a massive 24-pump self-service gas station in Hackensack with much lower prices than competitors. In efforts to intimidate Reginald, some competitors enacted a spiteful drive-by shooting at his station, in Sopranos-esque fashion.

When those attempts to stop Reginald were futile, they switched their efforts from continued violence to reforming legislation, and shortly after the Gasoline Retailers Association proposed the self-service ban, which was approved quickly.

‘Jersey Girls Don’t (Want to) Pump Gas’

Regardless of the unpleasant and somewhat vicious origins of the self-service ban, New Jerseyans seem to be content with it.

A 2022 Monmouth University study found that 60 percent of residents are opposed to a pump-your-own gas policy, with 54 percent supporting self-service as long as an attendant is still on duty to assist.

People argue that full-service gas stations lead to higher gas prices due to labor costs, but Oregon, who lifted their self-service ban back in 2018 then again fully in 2023, only saw gas prices decrease by 4,4 cents per gallon during their first ban.

Would self serve gas stations save money in NJ?

Even if the ban was repealed, gas prices wouldn’t go down by more than a few cents because the employment of full-time gas attendants lowers these stations’ insurance costs, since fewer accidents occur with less risk involved.

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