New Jersey
NJ Transit fare holiday starts today. Here’s what to know about the free rides this week.
NEWARK, N.J. — The New Jersey Transit fare holiday starts Monday, with free rides on trains and buses all week long.
New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy says the fare holiday is meant to be a “thank you” to commuters who have dealt with months of service problems. The free rides will run through Monday, Sept. 2.
Monthly pass holders who purchased an August pass will automatically receive a 25% discount on their September monthly pass.
NJ Transit fare holiday follows months of issues
The fare holiday comes as lawmakers proposed a passenger bill of rights, called the All Aboard Act. Lawmakers say it would refund commuters if trains are canceled or delayed by at least three hours.
NJ Transit also implemented a 15% fare hike — its first in nearly a decade — back in July.
Riders have faced several delays and cancellations, mainly due to overhead wire issues on the Northeast Corridor, which is owned by Amtrak.
Murphy says Amtrak and NJ Transit have been working to improve service by stepping up inspections, repairing the overhead wire power supply system, as well as signals and substations.
An Amtrak spokesperson told CBS News New York in a statement, “the rail company has launched its largest-ever capital investment program, which has more investment planned in New Jersey than any other state,” adding the federal government has funded $6 billion for the effort.
NJ Transit riders welcome free rides, but want more
Some riders questioned the fare holiday’s timing — coming on one of the slowest public transportation periods of the year. But they said they appreciate the little bit it does for their wallets.
“I think they should give us, instead of seven days, why not seven months? Why not more?” said Felisha Thomson, of South Orange. “We appreciate the seven days though. But only two days out of that one week I’m going to work.”
“I’m really glad that at least we have a week. I wish we had a month or something, but it’s great” Lauren Ortega said.
“It’s awesome, I think the city should appreciate that,” Assem Mahmoud said. “Anything free, if it’s really free, that’d be cool.”
“I think it’s so beautiful for people to be able to get free rides. How amazing,” another rider added. “So amazing, thanks Phil [Murphy].”
A New Jersey lottery player won a $2.8 million Jersey Cash 5 jackpot on Friday, Dec. 5. It’s the 60th time the lottery game has been won in 2025.
The New Jersey Lottery announced that a Monmouth County ticket matched all five numbers to win the $2,849,336 jackpot.
The winning ticket was sold at One Stop Food Store on Main Street, in the Belford section of Middletown. The retailer will receive a $2,000 bonus for selling the winning ticket.
It is the largest individual Jersey Cash 5 win in 2025. A record $3.8 million jackpot was won on Oct. 7 when two lottery players split the prize.
The Jersey Cash 5 winning numbers for Dec. 5 were: 05, 10, 17, 33, 38 and 43. The XTRA was 02 and Bullseye was 33.
The New Jersey Lottery estimates the next Jersey Cash 5 jackpot at $150,000 for the Dec. 6 drawing.
Jersey Cash 5 is a daily lottery draw game from the New Jersey Lottery. Players pick five numbers between 1 and 45 and can add the Xtra for a chance to increase non-jackpot prizes by up to five times. The Bullseye gives players another chance to win. Drawings are held seven days a week at 10:57 p.m.
$1 million won in Cash 4 Life
It was a lucky day for Monmouth County as another player in the county won $1 million in the Cash 4 Life game on Friday.
The lottery player matched five numbers, but missed just the Cash Ball. It was good enough for the million-dollar prize. The Cash 4 Life ticket was sold at the Country Farm on Route 524 in Howell Township.
The winning numbers for Dec. 5 were: 34, 44, 50, 51 and 58 with Cash Ball 01.
It is the sixth Cash 4 Life prize of at least $1 million won in New Jersey. In the May 14 drawing, Union County had a top prize $7 million winner by a lottery player who purchased the ticket at the Quick Stop Deli & Grill on Stuyvesant Avenue in Union.
Cash4Life, which is only available in Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Maryland, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Tennessee and Virginia, is a daily lottery game. It costs $2 to play with option of adding a doubler (for third-tier prizes or lower) for $1 more.
In the game, a player selects five numbers from one to 60, and also a Cash Ball from one to four. The top prize is $1,000 a day for life or $7 million cash value and the second prize is $1,000 a week for life or $1 million cash value.
New Jersey
Former NJ fire chief arrested after allegedly forcing firefighters into sexual situations
A man who used to be the former chief of a volunteer fire company in Ocean County, New Jersey, was arrested and is facing charges after allegedly forcing firefighters into non-consensual sexual situations, according to the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office.
Officials said that between 2022 and 2023, Robert Sinnott, Jr. is accused of getting some of the firefighters he worked with alone at his home in Toms River, at the firehouse or at other locations.
Sinnott worked in various roles at the Silverton Volunteer Fire Company in Toms River, including as chief when these incidents happened, officials said.
While alone, Sinnott would reportedly handcuff or restrain the victim while pretending it was for training purposes, officials said.
Sinnott would then force the victims into sexual contact with him, prosecutors alleged. In some cases, he would take photos of the victim while they were restrained.
Sinnott has been living in Florida and on Dec. 4, Cape Coral SWAT agents arrested him before investigators searched him, his home and vehicle, officials explained.
Sinnott is being held at the Lee County Jail in Florida until he is extradited to New Jersey where he faces charges of criminal sexual contact and official misconduct.
If you have any information on this case, please contact Detective Brandon Mastropasqua at 609-960-3768 or Detective Malikah Daniels at 856-414-8855.
You can also leave a tip by calling 1-844-OPIA-TIP.
The New Jersey Devils have recalled forward Angus Crookshank.
He will join the team at morning skate on Friday morning.
The center has played 17 games with the Utica Comets (AHL) this season, with five goals and two assists. He has the second-most goals on Utica, behind Xavier Parent’s six.
Crookshank has played 21 NHL games over the past two seasons with the Ottawa Senators, recording two goals and two assists.
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