New Jersey
We mourn Bill Pascrell Jr., Paterson’s champion who devoted life to American democracy
3-minute read
Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. dies at 87: Video
Rep. Bill Pascrell, Paterson’s former mayor who represented the city in Congress for nearly three decades, died Wed., Aug 21, 2024. He was 87.
Paterson has lost a giant. And so has New Jersey.
A relentless promoter of his native Silk City, Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. simply loved Paterson. He was certain of its eventual renaissance and he was devoted to it like no other.
At 87, he died Wednesday.
Pascrell, who had been ill for more than a month, was mourned deeply and personally by hundreds across the city as news of his death spread.
“He loved this city and its people with all his heart,” said Bob Guarasci of the New Jersey Community Development Corporation, a nonprofit organization focused on building quality of life in Paterson. “He fought for the people of Paterson, and for all our nation’s middle class, right to the end. It’s going to be hard to imagine the landscape without him, and we should all be motivated to honor him and his life through service to others.”
Hours after the congressman’s death, flags across the city, including at the Robert A. Roe Federal Building, were lowered to half-staff.
The shock of Pascrell’s passing will surely continue for days — and so it should as a scrappy New Jersey city grieves a former mayor, a longtime congressman and its most loyal son.
Paterson shaped its champion
A lifetime spent in Paterson — a city that has been the cradle of the American Dream for so many in northern New Jersey and well beyond — informed Pascrell’s devotion to fairness for middle-class New Jersey residents.
Paterson and its many troubles — and its many strengths — transcended his approach to politics. Pascrell was, after all, a veteran of the city’s tough-guy politics whose own journey led him through Passaic County Democratic circles, stints in the Legislature in Trenton and, finally, the mayor’s office. First elected to Congress in 1996, he served 14 terms and was seeking a 15th this November.
Silk City mourns: Paterson laments Rep. Bill Pascrell’s death
He never strayed from what he believed was his duty to represent his Paterson neighbors in Washington — the police, the firefighters, the small business owners and the newly-arrived immigrants starting their American journeys in northern New Jersey. They were his priority — as was, in recent years in particular, the preservation of our great American democratic traditions.
Pascrell championed economic policies he believed would benefit his neighbors across his district. He worked to protect Social Security and Medicare, to expand access to health care, to better protect first responders on the job and to better serve veterans. He supported broader investment and stimulation of American manufacturing and, recently, was a vocal advocate for investment in American community colleges.
He was also among the New Jersey congressional delegation’s loudest advocates for the restoration of the state and local tax exemption, which was capped during the administration of former President Donald Trump. Pascrell supported investment in infrastructure and successfully steered federal dollars to support NJ Transit and infrastructure investment.
He took good care of Paterson’s greatest asset, too, ensuring that the Great Falls will enjoy a long future under the stewardship of the National Park Service as a tourism driver and an indelible focal point in the city he loved.
“Forget about changing the world,” Pascrell told our editorial board as he sought a new term in Congress in 2022. “Change your community.”
A champion of fairness: These were the causes dear to the late Rep. Bill Pascrell’s heart
A champion of our democracy
Pascrell, as we were, was disgusted and dismayed by the Jan. 6 insurrection at the U.S. Capitol. He was deeply concerned about the prospects of a second Trump presidency and blasted Republican attacks on what he saw as fundamental rights in a near-constant barrage of press releases that filled New Jersey press corps inboxes over the last few years.
He was unequivocal about his commitment to the American experiment in representative democracy. He always reminded us of his years as a history teacher in the Paterson public schools at the start of his career.
When we interviewed him in advance of his re-election in 2022, he was straightforward as ever about his priorities.
“First thing on my list is democracy,” he said. “That’s why I took the stand that I did after Jan. 6. … I’m gonna be a protector of speech and accountability and voting rights.”
And he was.
We will always admire — and will greatly miss — Pascrell’s devotion to Paterson, a city whose fortunes are essential to northern New Jersey.
We will always admire — and remember — his unshakeable belief that American government can be a force for good.
Godspeed, Congressman.
.
New Jersey
Did anyone win Powerball? Winning numbers for May 9, 2026
Powerball, Mega Millions jackpots: What to know in case you win
Here’s what to know in case you win the Powerball or Mega Millions jackpot.
Just the FAQs, USA TODAY
Powerball winning numbers are in for the Saturday, May 9 drawing with a jackpot that reached an estimated $47 million ($21.0 million cash option).
The winning numbers in Saturday’s drawing are 15, 41, 46, 47, and 56, with Powerball number 22. 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.
New Jersey
NJ ex-fireman ‘ready for war’ when he launched into violent rampage triggered by breakup: prosecutors
A crazed ex-fireman allegedly launched into a violent rampage after his ex-girlfriend dumped him — and was “ready for war” when he drove eight hours intending to kill her family in New Jersey, according to prosecutors.
Brian John Lanzim, 37, was armed with two guns and a bulletproof vest when he headed from Bangor, Maine to South Toms River, after the mother of his two kids broke up with him and filed a temporary restraining order against him, authorities said.
He allegedly wanted to kill off his ex’s family to get custody of his kids, according to prosecutors — but his lawyer claimed he was actually trying to die “by suicide by cops,” according to Patch.com.
“He absolutely f–ked up. He f–ked up big time,” Lanzim’s good friend, who asked not to be named, told The Post.
The former Toms River firefighter allegedly sent terrifying threats to his ex on April 29 — letting her know he was armed, dangerous and on his way over.
“If your father is there I’m going to take him out” and beat him “pulseless,” he allegedly told the woman, as Ocean County Judge Pamela M. Snyder read aloud in court Friday morning.
“You don’t know crazy yet,” he also allegedly warned his ex during a chilling FaceTime call, NJ.com reported.
The people inside the home he was targeting fled the scene and alerted police long before he arrived, authorities said.
When Lanzim showed up after 9:40 p.m., he allegedly floored his Toyota 4Runner over the lawn in a sick attempt to run over the waiting cops, according to the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office.
The officers then dove behind a fence and watched as gun-wielding Lanzim pounded on a locked door of the vacant house, prosecutors said.
“Brian, put it down!” one of the Toms River police officers demanded, according to NJ.com.
“No!” Lanzim resisted, per the body camera footage.
Police then fired at Lanzim, striking him in his hand and pelvis nonfatality. He was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune before being moved to Ocean County Jail.
Investigators found a loaded rifle and a large amount of ammunition magazines in his car, prosecutors said. He reportedly had a handgun on him when he was shot.
He’s been charged with three counts of attempted murder, two counts of weapons possession for an unlawful purpose, unlawful use of body armor, burglary, terroristic threats and 22 counts of possession of a large capacity of ammunition magazines.
“He was ready for war,” Assistant Prosecutor Mara Brater said at his detention hearing — warning that if the victims hadn’t fled the home and called police before he arrived, he would have committed even more heinous crimes.
Brater went on to claim that Lanzim’s sinister plan was to kill or harm his ex’s family so he could get full custody.
But Lanzim’s lawyer Marissa Koerner brazenly argued his alleged violent outburst was caused by a mental breakdown triggered by the breakup. He also has bipolar disorder and was in treatment for it, she said.
“‘I f–king lost her, man. Tell her and the boys I love them,’” Lanzim allegedly said, per an affidavit Koerner read aloud.
“He loves his family,” she argued.
By wearing a bulletproof vest, Lanzim was trying to “force a kill shot to the head” during his heated exchange with police, the lawyer told the court.
But Brater shot down these claims — alleging that his targets begged him not to go through with his horrifying plot.
He also allegedly has a track-record of violence — including an instance where he pulled a gun on his ex and said, “If I can’t have you, no one can.”
The judge ordered that Lanzim will remain in custody awaiting trial, according to court records. He’s due back in court on May 18.
Lanzim was a fireman and EMT in Ocean County for about 18 years before heading to Bangor in September 2025 for a new job.
“He couldn’t find employment in New Jersey,” his close friend claimed. “I’m not sure what was going on, I guess things fell apart up there [in Bangor].”
Lanzim’s friend spoke with him just days before the incident.
“I had messaged him and asked him if he was okay. He said no. I said, ‘does it have to do with the kid’s mother?’ And he said yes,” the man said.
“I asked, ‘you need me to call you?’ and he was like, ‘I’m okay, I’m just at Applebee’s trying to find the bottom of the glass right now.’”
The next time he heard Lanzim’s name was when he made headlines for the alleged horrors.
“I hope that kid [Lanzim] gets the help he needs,” the friend said. “Brian sometimes doesn’t act like an adult, and where he is now and where he’s going to be going, he has no choice but to. I would say man up.”
Lanzim’s attorney did not respond to a request for comment.
New Jersey
Woman charged with theft for taking dog outside N.J. home, police say
A woman has been charged with theft for taking a dog outside a Clifton, New Jersey, home in April, police say.
Last month, William Chan told CBS News New York his dog, a 7-year-old Shih Tzu-Yorkshire Terrier mix named Rocky, somehow got out of the house on April 5 while his nephew was dog-sitting.
The Clifton Police Department said investigators determined that while Rocky was loose, he ran down the street and was running in or near the road at times.
Video shows Rocky did eventually return to his own yard, and a child holding a blanket can be seen chasing the dog before a woman gets out of a black SUV parked in the road. Rocky then runs onto the back porch of his home, where the woman and child corner him, grab him with a blanket, take him back to the SUV, and drive away.
The family said Rocky was wearing a harness and ID tag at the time.
Police said the woman did not make any attempt to talk to anyone inside the home or any neighbors, and neither animal control nor police received any calls about a loose dog being found on that day.
Chan called police on April 6 to report that Rocky had possibly been stolen, and investigators were later able to identify 29-year-old Mery Cepeda-Chevalier, of Newark, as a person of interest.
Officers spotted Cepeda-Chevalier’s vehicle in Passaic on April 8 and pulled her over, police said.
According to police, Cepeda-Chevalier cooperated with detectives, admitted she had Rocky, and agreed to have the detectives follow her back to her home. She then handed over the dog, and detectives reunited Rocky with his family.
On Thursday, Cepeda-Chevalier was charged via summons with one count of theft of a domestic companion animal.
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