New Jersey
Princeton freshman leads midway through the 123rd New Jersey Amateur Golf Championship
BLOOMFIELD – Reed Greyserman will be the center of attention entering Wednesday’s 36-hole finale of the 123rd New Jersey Amateur Golf Championship.
Greyserman, 19, an incoming freshman at Princeton, extended his lead to five shots after carding 5-under-par 66 during Tuesday’s second round at Forest Hill Field Club. He stands at 12-under 130.
“It’s going to be a long day, so don’t get too caught up on one shot when you’re out there playing and hitting so many different shots,” said Greyserman, a Short Hills resident representing Hamilton Farm.
Greyserman holds a five-shot lead over Liam Pasternak, 17, of Essex Fells and Jeremy Wall, 29, of Manasquan River. Pasternak shot 67 and Wall 68 to move to 7-under 135.
If Pasternak wins, he might be the first high school champion of this New Jersey State Golf Association event. Two months ago, Pasternak won the New Jersey high school Tournament of Champions as a junior at Morristown.
“I’m really looking forward to it,” said Pasternak, who tees off with Greyserman in Wednesday’s third round at 9:10 a.m. “I think my game is in a great spot.”
Wall, 29, can give his family back-to-back Amateur titles, as his younger brother, Jack, won last year’s crown in a three-hole aggregate playoff. Jack, 23, is in contention as well.
Mark Costanza of Baltusrol, 35, the 2020 State Open champion, is fourth at 4-under after shooting 67. Drew Mulcahy of Baltusrol is fifth after his 71 left him at 3-under.
Austin Devereux of Manasquan River, the 2020 Amateur champion, shot a second consecutive 70 and his 2-under is tied for sixth with Troy Vannucci of Little Mill, who carded 71. Defending champion Jack Wall of Manasquan River climbed into the picture with a 67 that has him tied for eighth at 1-under.
Greyserman is the youngest of three golfing brothers and all have made a splash in NJSGA events. His oldest brother, Max, won the State Open in 2014 and State Amateur in 2015 and is in his first season on the PGA Tour. Another brother, Dean, was runner-up at the State Amateur in 2020. Reed was fourth at the State Amateur in 2021 and fifth in 2022.
Reed Greyserman played Tuesday’s last seven holes at 5-under, and it started after back-to-back bogeys on the 10th and 11th. He eagled the par-5 14th by hitting a 6-iron from 178 yards into the wind to within a foot. He had birdies on the 12th, 17th and 18th holes.
“I did a good job calming myself down and hit a lot of really good shots on the last five holes,” Greyserman said.
Jeremy Wall was cruising until he closed with three consecutive bogeys, on Nos. 7, 8, and 9, for his 68. He has yet to birdie those three holes and is in search of answers.
“I didn’t finish well, which is the most important part to me,” Wall said, adding: “I have to play seven, eight and nine better. I have to hit better shots or focus harder. I have to do something different on those three, because I’ve struggled on them.”
Pasternak had five birdies and one bogey en route to his 67 and rise to 7-under. He had a little luck on his second-to-last hole, the par-4 17th, when his too-hard chip from 35 yards hit the flagstick and dropped a foot near the hole for a tap-in par.
“Tee to green it was really good, really solid,” said Pasternak. already committed to Notre Dame. “I didn’t put myself in too many poor positions off the tee, and into the greens I stayed in the right spots, hit it close enough to the hole, and gave myself chances all day.”
Costanza labeled his 67 “pretty steady.” The Bergen Catholic graduate and Morristown resident had five birdies and one bogey to climb to 4-under, and his 2020 State Open title shows he’s battle tested for this finale.
“The good thing about this event is it’s 72 holes,” Costanza said. “It’s 36 holes in and you’re only halfway there, so there’s a lot of golf left to be played.”
Jack Wall, like his brother a graduate of Christian Brothers Academy, climbed into the red and into the top 10 with a 67 that was “solid, but it could have been a lot lower.” He had five birdies and one bogey and might need a couple more 67s to climb into the thick of it.
“It kind of eases your mind a little bit knowing what to expect,” said Wall, who this spring graduated from Texas Tech. “It’s a long day and you just have to survive it pretty much.”
123rd New Jersey Amateur Championship
At Forest Hill FC, Bloomfield
Par: 71; Yardage: 6,555
Second of four rounds
Reed Greyserman, Hamilton Farm 64-66-130
Jeremy Wall, Manasquan River 67-68-135
Liam Pasternak, Essex Fells 68-67-135
Mark Costanza, Baltusrol 71-67-138
Drew Mulcahy, Baltusrol 68-71-139
Troy Vannucci, Little Mill 69-71-140
Austin Devereux, Manasquan River 70-70-140
Anthony Gallardo, Suburban 73- 68-141
Griffin LaLonde, NJSGA HS E-Club 72-69-141
Jack Wall, Manasquan River 74-67-141
Benjamin Ortwein, Oak Hill 71-70-141
Thomas O’Neill, Hackensack 65-77-142
Eric LeFante, Somerset Hills 70-72-142
Tanner Little, Copper Hill 71-71-142
Mike Stamberger, Spring Lake 74-68-142
Dylan Gallagher, Rockland 69-74-143
Daniel Cassidy, Trump Colts Neck 72-71-143
Jason Bataille, Raritan Valley 71-72-143
CJ Antifonario, Knickerbocker 72-71-143
Stephen Wentz, Baltusrol 71-73-144
Chris Dejohn, Arcola 72-72-144
Arav Patel, Forsgate 68-76-144
Andrew Giuliani, Trump Bedminster 72-72-144
Will Celiberti, Arcola 73-71-144
Ricky Calve, Colts Neck 78-66-144
Anthony Campanile, Deal 75-70-145
Greg Angelillo, Baltusrol 70-75-145
Christian Deussing, NJSGA E-Club 72-73-145
Elliot Parker, Suburban 74-71-145
Sean Vowells, Canoe Brook 74-71-145
Jake Todaro, Shackamaxon 75-71-146
Ethan Lee, Colts Neck 71-75-146
Corey Brigham, NJSGA E-Club 74-72-146
Greg Scalley, Forest Hill 74-72-146
Trevor Randolph, Arcola 72-74-146
Graeme Hollingshead, Trump Bedminster 73-73-146
Barnes Blake, Echo Lake 72-74-146
Alex Yong, Heron Glen 72-75-147
Matthew Normand, Riverton 75-72-147
Robert McHugh, Rock Spring 71-76-147
Michael Gallagher, Echo Lake 74-73-147
Did not make cut
Zach Mueller, Trump Colts Neck 70-78-148
Clifford Lindholm, Montclair 78-70-148
Brandon Capone, Mercer Oaks 78-70-148
Erik Stevens, Hamilton Farm 76-72-148
Gehrig Shannon, Upper Montclair 74-74-148
Michael Reddy, Mendham 74-75-149
Doug Ergood, Tavistock 73-76-149
Garrett Kessler, Mountain Ridge 74-75-149
Michael Guli, Trump Bedminster 74-75-149
Patrick Scenna, Deal 74-75-149
Roger Rice, Basking Ridge 75-74-149
Brendan Hansen, Spring Lake 75-74-149
Brandon Dalinka, Baltusrol 73-76-149
Peter Byrne, NJSGA E-Club 72-78-150
Tyler Galatini, Montclair 77-73-150
Jason Cruz, Navesink 73-78-151
Eric Lasota, Rock Spring 75-76-151
Ben Keyser, Legacy Club 78-73-151
Zach Egermayer, NJSGA E-Club 76-76-152
Brett Inserra, NJSGA E-Club 73-79-152
Shiv Manhas, NJSGA E-Club 73-80-153
Patrick Ryan, Essex County 74-79-153
Jake Aronson, NJSGA E-Club 78-75-153
Kevin Purcell, Forest Hill 73-80-153
Liam Larkin, Warrenbrook 77-76-153
Winston Blank, Hollywood 78-76-154
Brendan Gutzler, Trump Colts Neck 70-84-154
Gavin Rau, Neshanic Valley 78-77-155
William Eke, Eligo 80-75-155
Brian Dowling, Stanton Ridge 78-78-156
John Havay, High Bridge Hills 76-80-156
Michael Clemente, Echo Lake 80-76-156
Anthony Dinelli, Spring Brook 76-81-157
Richie Reck, Jumping Brook 76-81-157
Jake Morgan, Deer Run 78-79-157
James Arbes, Watchung Valley 83-74-157
Cameron Link, Lake Mohawk 79-79-158
Niall Handley, Knoll 79-79-158
Ryder Hodgson, Montclair 77-81-158
Maxwell Sorger, Montclair 80-78-158
Mac Bredahl, Fairmount 77-82-159
Steven Maide, Upper Montclair 83-76-159
Paul Giovannoli, NJSGA E-Club 77-82-159
Adrian Jordan, Cobblestone Creek 81-79-160
Daniel Kopp, Manasquan River 77-83-160
Stephen Boyd, Baltusrol 77-85-162
Erik Grehl, NJSGA E-Club 81-82-163
Andrew Kaskel, Montclair 77-86-163
Pat Noone, Fairway Mews 79-86-165
Ryan Applin, NJSGA E-Club 84-81-165
Michael Corbo, Hamilton Farm 87-82-169
Jake Riggs, NJSGA E-Club 78-NS-NS
Shane Quinn, New Jersey National 79-WD-WD
Bob Johnston, White Beeches 82-WD-WD
Trump signs TrumpIRA order to broaden access to retirement savings
Trump signs executive order creating TrumpIRA.gov, which workers whose employers don’t offer 401(k) plans can use to enroll in a retirement plan.
New survey data released May 13 suggests affordability pressures are increasingly shaping whether older New Jersey residents stay or leave the state.
More than one-third of residents age 45 and older – 35% – said they have considered leaving New Jersey in the past year, according to a new AARP New Jersey “Vital Voices” survey. Among those weighing a move, 67% said the high cost of living is a primary reason.
The findings come as state lawmakers continue discussions centered on property taxes, utility costs and policies aimed at helping residents age in place.
“New Jersey should be a place where people can afford to grow older, not a place they feel forced to leave,” Chris Widelo, state director of AARP New Jersey, said in a statement. “Right now, rising costs are pushing people out.”
NJ property taxes, utilities driving concern
Affordability pressures extend across multiple key household costs.
Property taxes remain a central concern, with 53% of respondents citing them as a factor in considering leaving the state. The survey also found strong support for the Stay NJ program, which provides eligible homeowners with up to $6,500 in annual property tax relief.
Nearly two-thirds of respondents (65%) said they support keeping the program intact, including maintaining the full benefit.
Rising utility costs are also a growing concern. About 89% of respondents said they are worried about increasing electricity bills, including a majority who said they are “very concerned.”
Support for caregiving relief, transparency
The survey highlights financial and logistical pressures facing caregivers, as more residents provide unpaid care for aging relatives.
More than half – 54% – of adults age 45 and older said they have served as unpaid caregivers. A majority said caregiving costs are a financial concern, and 86% expressed support for a caregiver tax credit.
Respondents also backed greater oversight of long-term care facilities. Strong majorities said they support requirements for nursing homes to disclose ownership, staffing levels and financial arrangements, along with greater transparency in how Medicaid funding is spent.
What it means for NJ budget talks
The findings underscore a broader policy debate in Trenton over how to address affordability challenges while maintaining services.
AARP New Jersey is urging state leaders to prioritize policies that reduce financial strain on older adults, including property tax relief, utility affordability and support for caregivers.
“This survey sends a clear message,” Widelo said. “If New Jersey wants to remain a place where people can age with dignity, we must focus on making it more affordable to stay.”
This story was created by reporter Joe Martino, jmartino@usatodayco.com, with the assistance of Artificial Intelligence (AI). Journalists were involved in every step of the information gathering, review, editing and publishing process. Learn more.
New Jersey
24-year-old elected mayor of NJ town as incumbent faced backlash in wake of massive warehouse fire
BELLEVILLE, New Jersey (WABC) — Frank Vélez, a 24-year-old town councilman, was elected as the new mayor of Belleville, New Jersey, on Tuesday.
Vélez may be young, but he has years of experience after he became involved in politics at 19 because his sister has special needs.
He has served on the school board in Belleville and the town council, and he was on the staff of former congressman Bill Pascrell.
Vélez said his win is a testament to hard work.
“We ran on getting back to the basics, the quality of life. Talking about responsible development and just talking about getting back to the priorities of working people,” Vélez said.
Incumbent Michael Melham faced backlash for his handling of a massive warehouse fire that shut down schools for more than a week.
There has been growing pessimism in town, highlighted by the massive 14-alarm warehouse fire this month that caused residents to evacuate and schools to shut down for days.
Parents and educators wrote a joint letter critical of Melham and school leadership for failing to communicate with parents during the emergency.
“In the hours and days following the fire, our community was left navigating uncertainty with little or no official instruction, resorting to group chats and scavenging social media for guidance or information, both of which should have been provided by the government that we entrust for such tasks,” the letter read in part.
Vélez said he’s ready to get to work.
“I feel grateful. I am humbled, and I’m just- just so ready to get to work as the next mayor of Belleville. And I’m so grateful to everyone for support. This was a resounding victory,” Vélez said.
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Round-trip bus fares for fans attending the 2026 FIFA World Cup have been cut by 75% as officials scrambled to secure backup transportation between the Big Apple and New Jersey, a new report said.
The New York/New Jersey host committee slashed fares from $80 to $20 for ticket holders traveling from three Manhattan locations to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, NJ — and boosted capacity from 10,000 to 18,000 seats by adding yellow school buses for the eight World Cup games, The Athletic reported.
Buses will shuttle up to 18,000 people on non-school matchdays, and about 12,000 on school-day games between June 13 and July 19.
The steep price cut comes after New York Gov. Kathy Hochul pumped $6 million into hacking down fares – with the investment setting aside about 20% of bus tickets for state residents who have purchased match tickets, the outlet reported.
Sources familiar with ticket sales told the Athletic that about 25% to 30% of tri-state area residents have already scooped up admissions for games at MetLife Stadium.
Alongside the major investment, Highland Fleets, which manages electric school bus fleets, worked with the New York City School Bus Umbrella Services – after contacting Hochul, the committee, and NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani – to secure additional buses, with about 300 hitting the road on peak matchdays.
The transit rides will leave from the Port Authority Bus Terminal, a Midtown east location east of Grand Central Terminal, and a Midtown North location west of Central Park, the outlet reported.
Highland Fleets chief operating officer Ben Schutzman said the goal was to create “affordable and accessible” bus services during the World Cup, while a Mamdani spokesperson praised the mayor’s support for discounted rides for ticketholders.
“Mayor Mamdani supports any effort that makes transportation more affordable for New Yorkers – including reduced-cost buses for World Cup ticketholders,” the mayor’s rep told the outlet.
“We look forward to rolling out additional free and affordable events to ensure that all New Yorkers can enjoy the World Cup.”
The price-slashing effort comes days after New Jersey Transit trimmed its widely slammed World Cup fare hike by 30% after securing funding from “sponsors and other sources.”
The new price will be set at $105 for a round-trip ticket from Manhattan to MetLife after fares were bumped more than 1,000% from the standard $12.90 ticket to a whopping $150.
The eight games being played at the Garden State stadium are set for June 13, June 16, June 22, June 25, June 27, June 30, July 5, and July 19.
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