NJ Music Teacher, 72, Tried To Have Sex With 17-Year-Old Student: Prosecutor NJ Music Teacher, 72, Tried To Have Sex With 17-Year-Old Student: Prosecutor
NJ Music Teacher, 72, Tried To Have Sex With 17-Year-Old Student: Prosecutor A 72-year-old New Jersey music teacher was arrested after he tried to have sex with a 17-year-old student he was giving private lessons to, authorities said. John Bendzak was arrested Wednesday, Aug. 12, following an investigation by the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office Special Victims Unit, Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes said.  Bendzak had been communicating with the teen in June before trying to engage in sexual conduct with the student at a West Milford home on July 9, Valdes said.  After the incident on July 9, Bendzak sent harassing communications to the t…
Babies Suffer Injuries From Recalled Swings, Jumpers: See Which Ones Babies Suffer Injuries From Recalled Swings, Jumpers: See Which Ones
Babies Suffer Injuries From Recalled Swings, Jumpers: See Which Ones More than 41,000 baby jumpers and swings have been recalled after dozens of reported injuries. Taleco Gear issued the recall for about 41,100 G Taleco Gear Baby Jumpers, Baby Swings, and 2-in-1 Baby Jumper & Swings, the Consumer Product Safety Commission announced on Thursday, Aug. 13. About 150 were also sold in Canada. The jumpers and swings can become unstable, creating fall and impact dangers. Hanging restraint straps and seat openings can also pose a risk of strangulation. Taleco has received at least 52 reports of fall, impact, and strangulation hazards, according to the CPS…
Luigi Mangione Reportedly Set For Surprise Court Move In High-Profile CEO Murder Case Luigi Mangione Reportedly Set For Surprise Court Move In High-Profile CEO Murder Case
Luigi Mangione Reportedly Set For Surprise Court Move In High-Profile CEO Murder Case A surprise court development could dramatically reshape two closely watched prosecutions in the killing of a prominent health insurance executive. Luigi Mangione, 28, is expected to plead guilty to federal charges during an emergency hearing at 11 a.m. on Friday, Aug. 14, according to multiple reports. Federal prosecutors and Mangione’s defense team jointly requested the hearing before US District Judge Margaret Garnett in Manhattan, according to CNN and NBC News. The expected plea would resolve Mangione’s federal case but could spark a new legal battle over his separate state prosecution.…
Win Free Oreos For A Year As New Flavors Launch: Here's How Win Free Oreos For A Year As New Flavors Launch: Here's How
Win Free Oreos For A Year As New Flavors Launch: Here's How Oreo is launching three new flavors and giving fans a chance to win a year's supply of cookies. Mondelez International announced the launch of its "Twist, Lick, Vote" campaign in a news release on Thursday, Aug. 13. The contest promotes three new Oreo cookies: Banana Pudding, Deep Fried, and Chicken & Waffles. The three limited-edition flavors will hit stores nationwide beginning Monday, Aug. 24. Presales will begin Monday, Aug. 17, on Oreo's website, with limited quantities also available through the SnackWorks TikTok Shop. The new Oreos include these tastes: Banana Puddin…
NY Man Exposed Himself Multiple Times In NJ Borough: Police NY Man Exposed Himself Multiple Times In NJ Borough: Police
NY Man Exposed Himself Multiple Times In NJ Borough: Police A 21-year-old New York man has been charged after exposing himself throughout South River, authorities announced Thursday, Aug. 13. Between Thursday, July 2 and Tuesday, July 7, officers received multiple reports of a man, later identified as Anthony Lopez, exposing himself in public to people. Most of the incidents occurred just off Whitehead Avenue near Magiera Street, Spring Street, and Jeffrie Avenue, police said. An investigation identified Lopez as the suspect and he has been charged with five counts of lewdness, police said. An active warrant has been issued for his arrest, poli…
Viral Video Shows Gun Pulled From Paramus Brook: Here's What Really Happened Viral Video Shows Gun Pulled From Paramus Brook: Here's What Really Happened
Viral Video Shows Gun Pulled From Paramus Brook: Here's What Really Happened A video showing Paramus police pulling a gun from a local brook has caught fire online, and now authorities are explaining what really happened. Officers were working a detail along Forest Avenue at Behnke Brook (299 Forest Ave.) at 10:52 a.m. Wednesday, Aug. 12, while a section of the brook was being drained, Paramus Police Chief Robert Guidetti said. As the water dropped, a gun was spotted buried in the mud at the bottom of the brook, Guidetti said. A special officer at the scene called Paramus police, who responded and recovered the weapon, according to the chief. The gun was h…
Are Flock Cameras Watching You? This Map Shows Where They Are Are Flock Cameras Watching You? This Map Shows Where They Are
Are Flock Cameras Watching You? This Map Shows Where They Are You have probably driven past one without realizing it. Flock's license plate readers have spread along roads and through communities across the country, giving police a tool to locate vehicles while fueling a growing debate over just how much the cameras can reveal about where people go. Now, a growing privacy advocacy project is letting you see where those cameras have been spotted. DeFlock, an independent open-source effort opposed to widespread automatic license plate reader surveillance, maintains a searchable nationwide map of the devices. As of Thursday, Aug. 13, the map displayed …
Food Safety Concern Prompts Recall At Major Grocery Chain Food Safety Concern Prompts Recall At Major Grocery Chain
Food Safety Concern Prompts Recall At Major Grocery Chain A seasoning sold across much of the East Coast is being pulled from shelves after routine testing uncovered a potentially dangerous contaminant. Lidl US is recalling one lot of Vitasia Chinese Style brand Asian Style Wok Spice Mix because it may contain Salmonella, according to a company announcement posted by the FDA. The recall covers 1.58-ounce plastic containers with purple lids. The affected spice mix bears lot number 155846, UPC 4335619355491, and a best-before date of June 2028. Those identifying details appear on the side of the label. The product was distributed between Friday, J…
Flock Unveils Major Changes Amid Growing Surveillance Camera Backlash Flock Unveils Major Changes Amid Growing Surveillance Camera Backlash
Flock Unveils Major Changes Amid Growing Surveillance Camera Backlash Flock Safety is making major changes to how it stores data as nationwide privacy concerns rise over the controversial surveillance cameras. The company announced the updates in a blog post on Thursday, Aug. 13. Flock says it will cut its recommended default retention period for automatic license plate reader (ALPR) data from 30 to seven days. The changes also include new safeguards that Flock says will prevent law enforcement from misusing data. Flock will require agencies to use a system that flags unusual searches, automatically locks some users out pending review…
20 Dogs Found In Feces-Filled Cages With No Food Or Water In New York: Police 20 Dogs Found In Feces-Filled Cages With No Food Or Water In New York: Police
20 Dogs Found In Feces-Filled Cages With No Food Or Water In New York: Police An elderly person and 20 dogs were rescued from inhumane conditions at a home in New York, police said. The dogs were living in feces- and urine-filled cages with insufficient ventilation, New York State Police said Thursday, Aug. 13. Additionally, the dogs did not have immediate access to food or water, authorities said. Troopers responded to a complaint about the home in Argyle on Sunday, Aug. 9 around 1 p.m., according to state police. In addition to the dogs, they found an elderly person “in need of immediate assistance due to mobility issues.” Carol Kiaer, 72, of Argyle, was arrested …
Lightning Strikes Reported Before Early-Morning Bergen County House Fire Lightning Strikes Reported Before Early-Morning Bergen County House Fire
Lightning Strikes Reported Before Early-Morning Bergen County House Fire A Bergen County family escaped safely after a house fire broke out early Thursday, Aug. 13, as lightning strikes were being reported across the area, authorities said. Glen Rock police and firefighters responded to 37 Hanover Place at 2:32 a.m. on a report of a structure fire, Police Chief Michael Trover said. Responding police officers shut off a gas line near the fire and kept the blaze under control until firefighters arrived, Trover said. Glen Rock firefighters, with mutual aid from surrounding towns, extinguished the fire, according to Trover and the Glen Rock Volunteer Fire Depar…
Ex-Bergen Councilman Jailed On Weapons, Drug Charges (DEVELOPING) Ex-Bergen Councilman Jailed On Weapons, Drug Charges (DEVELOPING)
Ex-Bergen Councilman Jailed On Weapons, Drug Charges (Developing) A former councilman accused earlier this year of repeatedly smashing windows at a Bergen County home has been lodged in the county jail, where records list weapons, drug, and obstruction charges against him. Glen A. Luciano, 64, of Englewood Cliffs, was committed to the Bergen County Jail on Wednesday, Aug. 12, according to county inmate records. The jail record lists 10 charges against Luciano, including third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, fourth-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, fourth-degree possession of certain prohibited weapons or devices, and possessio…
ICE Detains 14 In NJ Town ICE Detains 14 In NJ Town
ICE Detains 14 In NJ Town Fourteen people were detained following an ICE raid in Hackettstown Wednesday, Aug. 12, authorities said. Two of the people detained, Rafael Salazar and Luis Rivera Guillen, have criminal records, a spokesperson for Immigration and Customs Enforcement said. Salazar, a native of the Dominican Republic, was previously arrested in Miami for cocaine possession while Guillen, a Honduras native, has prior convictions in New York for criminal mischief with intent to damage property and possession of controlled substances, ICE said. Everyone detained had illegally entered the United States at some …
Shocking Discovery: HS Football Player Practices With Venomous Snake Hidden In Helmet Shocking Discovery: HS Football Player Practices With Venomous Snake Hidden In Helmet
Shocking Discovery: HS Football Player Practices With Venomous Snake Hidden In Helmet A high school football practice took a frightening turn when a player discovered he had been sharing his helmet with an unexpected guest. The incident happened on Thursday, Aug. 6, in Arkansas, about 15 miles northwest of the state capital, Little Rock. The Maumelle High School student had reportedly practiced for nearly an hour before feeling movement inside his helmet and alerting a coach, according to multiple reports.  Hidden behind the padding was a roughly 2-foot-long venomous cottonmouth. ABC News reported that the player was not bitten.  "A student put on his helmet, onl…
Supermarket Staple Sees Stunning Price Shift During Foodborne Illness Outbreak Supermarket Staple Sees Stunning Price Shift During Foodborne Illness Outbreak
Supermarket Staple Sees Stunning Price Shift During Foodborne Illness Outbreak A grocery staple is undergoing a historic market jolt as a sprawling foodborne illness outbreak reshapes shopping habits. Lettuce prices fell 16.4 percent in July, according to the US Bureau of Labor Statistics, marking a dramatic reversal after sharp increases earlier in the summer. The plunge came as consumers pulled back from leafy greens during a widening Cyclospora outbreak, CNBC reported. Retailers discounted lettuce as demand weakened and inventory accumulated, according to the report. The decline helped push overall fresh vegetable prices down 2.6 percent for the month. The lower …
McDonald's Energizes Drink Menu With Red Bull Partnership: See What's New McDonald's Energizes Drink Menu With Red Bull Partnership: See What's New
McDonald's Energizes Drink Menu With Red Bull Partnership: See What's New Some extra energy is coming to the McDonald's drink menu with a new Red Bull beverage. McDonald's is launching the Red Bull Dragonberry Energizer nationwide, the company announced in a news release on Tuesday, Aug. 11. The beverage will be available at participating restaurants starting on Monday, Aug. 17. The new drink combines Red Bull with blue raspberry syrup and freeze-dried dragonfruit. Customers looking for less sugar can substitute Red Bull Zero as the base. McDonald's will also sell 8.4-ounce cans of Red Bull on their own at some locations. "We've seen growing enth…
Drug-Resistant 'Superbug' Cases Surface In Nearly Half Of US States Drug-Resistant 'Superbug' Cases Surface In Nearly Half Of US States
Drug-Resistant 'Superbug' Cases Surface In Nearly Half Of US States A drug-resistant “superbug” has surfaced in nearly half of US states, raising concern about a hard-to-treat health threat that can spread before anyone knows it is there. Candida auris, a type of yeast also known as C. auris, has been reported in 23 states this year, according to data available Wednesday, Aug. 12, from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The fungus can cause severe, life-threatening infections and spread easily among patients in hospitals and long-term care facilities. California has recorded the nation’s highest overall number of clinical cases. New York, Illi…
5 Cremation Urns, 70K Videos, 2 Missing Women; Inside 'Dark' Death Investigation: Police 5 Cremation Urns, 70K Videos, 2 Missing Women; Inside 'Dark' Death Investigation: Police
5 Cremation Urns, 70K Videos, 2 Missing Women; Inside 'Dark' Death Investigation: Police Five urns believed to contain cremated remains, 70,000 videos, 600,000 images, and thousands of pages of writings are among a mountain of evidence recovered from a home now at the center of a death investigation involving two women who vanished years apart, police announced on Wednesday, Aug. 12. The sprawling investigation centers on 44-year-old Eugene Horsch and 417 West Chew Avenue in the city's Olney section, where Philadelphia detectives reviewing digital evidence discovered recordings showing missing women Maribel Fresses and Gabrielle Amarando alive and, in later footage, apparently d…
This 3-Minute Daily Habit Could Help Lower Cancer Risk, Study Reveals This 3-Minute Daily Habit Could Help Lower Cancer Risk, Study Reveals
This 3-Minute Daily Habit Could Help Lower Cancer Risk, Study Reveals A potentially protective health habit may require less time than brewing coffee or scrolling through a few social media posts. Adding just three minutes of vigorous physical activity each day was associated with a four percent lower risk of developing 13 cancers linked to inactivity, according to a study published in BMC Medicine in July. Vigorous activity can include brief bursts of fast stair climbing, running, cycling, or other activities that sharply raise heart rate. Researchers analyzed data from 59,218 UK adults who wore wrist activity monitors for seven days. Participants were, on …
Winter Outlook Warns Of Complicated Pattern: Farmers' Almanac Predicts 'Heavy, Wet Snow' Winter Outlook Warns Of Complicated Pattern: Farmers' Almanac Predicts 'Heavy, Wet Snow'
Winter Outlook Warns Of Complicated Pattern: Farmers' Almanac Predicts 'Heavy, Wet Snow' A newly released long-range forecast is offering an early look at a winter that could prove especially tricky across the Northeast. The Farmers' Almanac says the 2026-27 season may bring sharp weather contrasts nationwide, with an unpredictable mix of precipitation expected across the Northeast. "The Northeast may face one of the season’s most complicated winter patterns," the Farmers' Almanac said. The outlook calls for a mix of rain, sleet, freezing rain, and snow, with the type of precipitation varying depending on storm tracks and temperatures. "Coastal communities could receive more …
Simple Fitness Test Could Offer Clue About Life Expectancy In Older Adults Simple Fitness Test Could Offer Clue About Life Expectancy In Older Adults
Simple Fitness Test Could Offer Clue About Life Expectancy In Older Adults How well an older adult performs on a few simple physical tests could offer an important clue about longevity. A large study published Monday, Aug. 10, in JAMA Network Open evaluated measures of balance, agility, lower-body strength, and cardiovascular fitness in adults aged 65 and older. Researchers found these physical factors were strongly associated with mortality risk during a seven-year follow-up period. Researchers analyzed 13,423 adults in Taiwan who completed standardized physical fitness assessments between 2015 and 2016. Their results were linked to national health records, allow…
Rod Stewart Abruptly Cancels Remaining North American Shows Rod Stewart Abruptly Cancels Remaining North American Shows
Rod Stewart Abruptly Cancels Remaining North American Shows Rod Stewart is stepping away from the stage for now, scrapping the remaining North American dates of his farewell tour. The 81-year-old singer canceled his upcoming performances after successfully undergoing a routine coronary stent procedure, his representatives announced Tuesday, Aug. 11. Doctors advised Stewart to take four weeks off to recuperate and regain full fitness before performing again, according to People. A coronary stent is a small tube placed inside a narrowed or blocked artery to help keep it open. Stewart had been scheduled to continue his “One Last Time” tour through ear…
New Expedition For Amelia Earhart's Plane Targets Mysterious Object: 'Something Is There' New Expedition For Amelia Earhart's Plane Targets Mysterious Object: 'Something Is There'
New Expedition For Amelia Earhart's Plane Targets Mysterious Object: 'Something Is There' One of aviation's greatest mysteries could finally get a new answer. Purdue University and the Archaeological Legacy Institute are leading an expedition to investigate an object researchers believe could be Amelia Earhart's long-lost airplane. The trailblazing pilot and navigator Fred Noonan disappeared on Friday, July 2, 1937, while attempting to fly around the world. A 16-person team will travel in October to examine the "Taraia Object," an object seen in satellite imagery sitting in a lagoon on Nikumaroro, a remote Pacific island between Hawaii and Australia. "Someth…
Taco Bell Adds New Menu Items As Chain Looks To Rebound From Lettuce Outbreak Taco Bell Adds New Menu Items As Chain Looks To Rebound From Lettuce Outbreak
Taco Bell Adds New Menu Items As Chain Looks To Rebound From Lettuce Outbreak Taco Bell is teaming up with a popular spice brand to add a different kind of heat to the menu as the chain faces scrutiny amid the ongoing Cyclospora outbreak. Tajín and Taco Bell are partnering to launch three new items, the fast-food chain announced in a news release on Wednesday, Aug. 12. The Tajín Taco, Tajín Cheesy Gordita Crunch, and Tajín Pineapple Strawberry Freeze will debut nationwide on Thursday, Aug. 13. The collaboration uses Tajín Clásico Seasoning, a blend of chiles, lime, and sea salt. Tajín was created in Mexico in 1985 and first arrived in the US in 1993. …
NJ Cyclist Killed By Alleged Drunk Driver Leaves Behind Brand-New Bride NJ Cyclist Killed By Alleged Drunk Driver Leaves Behind Brand-New Bride
NJ Cyclist Killed By Alleged Drunk Driver Leaves Behind Brand-New Bride Rocco Della Serra and his wife, Zsuzsanna Carlson, had been married for just three months when the life they were building together was suddenly cut short. Della Serra, a 65-year-old Cranford father and grandfather, was killed by an alleged drunk driver with a history of DUIs while riding his bicycle on Route 22 in Mountainside on Thursday, Aug. 6, as previously reported by Daily Voice. His wife is now facing the loss of her new husband as friends rally around her through a GoFundMe that had raised $18,000 as of Wednesday, Aug. 12. “Zsuzsanna and Rocco had only been married for three month…
Fake VIN Leads Cops To Stolen SUV At Paterson Home, Sheriff Says Fake VIN Leads Cops To Stolen SUV At Paterson Home, Sheriff Says
Fake VIN Leads Cops To Stolen SUV At Paterson Home, Sheriff Says A VIN that Toyota never issued led Passaic County detectives to a Paterson man accused of using altered documents to title two vehicles, authorities said. Luis M. Nurse-Rosario, 31, was arrested at his Paterson home on Monday, Aug. 10, following an investigation into a 2024 Toyota Grand Highlander and Honda Pilot, Passaic County Sheriff Thomas Adamo said. The investigation began on July 27, when detectives received information about a suspected "re-VIN" Toyota Grand Highlander registered in Paterson, Adamo said. Detectives determined the Toyota had allegedly been titled in New York usi…
Gotti Grandson Lands In Lockup After Mom’s Kidney Transplant Drama Gotti Grandson Lands In Lockup After Mom’s Kidney Transplant Drama
Gotti Grandson Lands In Lockup After Mom’s Kidney Transplant Drama John Gotti’s COVID fraudster grandson has finally reported to prison, after delaying his report date for nearly half a year, authorities said. Carmine G. Agnello, 40, of Oyster Bay, NY, is being held in federal prison in Fairton, NJ, according to Bureau of Prisons records. Agnello was sentenced to 15 months behind bars in April 2026. He pleaded guilty to stealing $1.1 million in federal COVID relief funds and spending the money on cryptocurrency investments. But Agnello insisted he needed to remain free to donate a kidney to his mother, Victoria Gotti, the daughter of notorious “Teflon Don…
Sailors Try To Jump Overboard Amid Aircraft Carrier's Lengthy Iran War Deployment: Reports Sailors Try To Jump Overboard Amid Aircraft Carrier's Lengthy Iran War Deployment: Reports
Sailors Try To Jump Overboard Amid Aircraft Carrier's Lengthy Iran War Deployment: Reports Several sailors aboard the USS Abraham Lincoln have reportedly tried to jump overboard, fueling concerns about a mental health crisis in the aircraft carrier's ninth month of deployment during the US-Israeli war with Iran. The attempts were reported by the Navy Times and the Stars and Stripes military news outlets on Tuesday, Aug. 11. The USS Abraham Lincoln left its home port of San Diego on Friday, Nov. 21, 2025, with roughly 5,000 sailors and Marines for what was initially expected to be a Pacific deployment. The aircraft carrier was later redirected to the Middl…
Major Trump Departure: Karoline Leavitt Steps Down As White House Press Secretary Major Trump Departure: Karoline Leavitt Steps Down As White House Press Secretary
Major Trump Departure: Karoline Leavitt Steps Down As White House Press Secretary One of President Donald Trump’s most visible aides is preparing to leave the White House after a rapid rise through Republican politics. White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt will step down at the end of August, Trump announced on Wednesday, Aug. 12. The 28-year-old is leaving the demanding position to devote more time to her family and two young children. She returned to work after giving birth to a daughter in May. Karoline Leavitt with one of her two children in the White House. Wikipedia/Margo Martin “Our wonderful White House Press Secretary, and one of my most trus…
Motorcyclist Ejected In Garden State Parkway Crash: NJSP Motorcyclist Ejected In Garden State Parkway Crash: NJSP
Motorcyclist Ejected In Garden State Parkway Crash: Njsp A 37-year-old motorcyclist was seriously injured when his motorcycle struck the back of a van on the Garden State Parkway in Passaic County on Wednesday, Aug. 12, authorities said. New Jersey State Police responded to the southbound Parkway at milepost 155.5 in Clifton at 12:17 p.m. for a crash involving a Ford van and Yamaha motorcycle, NJSP Sgt. Jeffrey Lebron said. Both vehicles were traveling south when the Yamaha struck the rear of the Ford near milepost 155.5, according to a preliminary investigation. The motorcyclist, a male from Haledon, was ejected and suffered serious injurie…
Drunk Driver With Prior DUIs Charged In Deadly Route 22 Hit-Run: Prosecutor Drunk Driver With Prior DUIs Charged In Deadly Route 22 Hit-Run: Prosecutor
Drunk Driver With Prior DUIs Charged In Deadly Route 22 Hit-Run: Prosecutor A 35-year-old drunk driver with a history of DUIs and careless driving offenses ran a red light on Route 22 in Mountainside, struck and killed a 65-year-old bicyclist, then continued driving for three miles before police found him, authorities and court records show. Fabian Parra, of North Plainfield, was charged Monday, Aug. 10, with second-degree vehicular homicide and second-degree leaving the scene of a fatal crash in the death of Rocco Della Serra, 65, of Cranford, Union County Prosecutor William A. Daniel and Mountainside Police Chief Joseph Giannuzzi said. Parra also faces 15 motor v…