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Business
Costco Pilot Program Could Change How Members Pay Costco Pilot Program Could Change How Members Pay
Costco Pilot Program Could Change How Members Pay Costco’s checkout line may be getting a serious speed boost. The warehouse chain is testing a pre-scan system that could make the final payment step take about 8 seconds, according to multiple reports. Under the pilot, a Costco employee scans a shopper’s membership card and the items in the cart while the shopper is still waiting in line, Inc. reported. When the shopper reaches the front, the member card is scanned again at an automated pay station. The pre-scanned order then loads on the screen, and the shopper pays by tapping or swiping a card. The goal is simple: reduce the time shoppe…

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by Joe Lombardi
News
Lucchese Mob Gambling Ring: 8 Plead Guilty As $4.8M Scheme Unravels, AG Says Lucchese Mob Gambling Ring: 8 Plead Guilty As $4.8M Scheme Unravels, AG Says
Lucchese Mob Gambling Ring: 8 Plead Guilty As $4.8M Scheme Unravels, AG Says Eight defendants admitted their roles in a Lucchese crime family-linked gambling and money laundering enterprise, state officials announced Tuesday, June 23. The defendants are among 42 people indicted following April 2025 arrests that capped a two-year investigation into alleged illegal gambling, loansharking, extortion, and money laundering operations tied to the Lucchese crime family, according to New Jersey Attorney General Jennifer Davenport. Those who pleaded guilty include: George Zappola, alleged Lucchese crime family member, second-degree racketeering Joseph R. Perna, allege…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Pickup Smashes Into 2 Utility Poles In Hawthorne, Driver Hospitalized Pickup Smashes Into 2 Utility Poles In Hawthorne, Driver Hospitalized
Pickup Smashes Into 2 Utility Poles In Hawthorne, Driver Hospitalized A driver was hospitalized when a pickup truck crashed head-on into two utility poles in Hawthorne on Tuesday afternoon, June 23, according to incident photographer Boyd A. Loving. The white Chevrolet pickup struck the poles near the intersection of Lincoln Avenue and Van Winkle Avenue, Loving said. One of the utility poles was destroyed in the collision. An ambulance from The Valley Hospital transported the driver to the hospital's emergency room for treatment of non-life-threatening injuries, Loving said. Firefighters from Hawthorne Engine Company No. 1 and Rescue Company No. 5 respo…

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by Cecilia Levine
Obituaries
NJ District Mourns Loss Of HS Freshman Jounir Badawy NJ District Mourns Loss Of HS Freshman Jounir Badawy
NJ District Mourns Loss Of HS Freshman Jounir Badawy A North Jersey school community is mourning the loss of ninth-grade student. Jounir Badawy's death was announced by Bayonne Schools Superintendent John J. Niesz on Tuesday, June 23. "I have some very sad news to share - one of our 9th grade students, Miss Jounir Badawy passed away this weekend," Niesz wrote in a message to students, staff, faculty, and the Bayonne community. "The death of someone so young and vibrant is incomprehensible especially when it is so sudden." Niesz said the district's thoughts are with Badawy's loved ones as they navigate the loss. School counselors were m…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Victims Leaving Bergen Nightspot Robbed By Masked Gunmen, Prosecutor Says Victims Leaving Bergen Nightspot Robbed By Masked Gunmen, Prosecutor Says
Victims Leaving Bergen Nightspot Robbed By Masked Gunmen, Prosecutor Says Two Paterson men have been charged in connection with an armed robbery in Bergen County that investigators say targeted victims walking home after leaving a local establishment. Garfield police responded to Monroe Street and Palisade Avenue at approximately 12:33 a.m. on Sunday, March 1, on a report of an armed robbery, according to Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella. Investigators determined two victims were walking with a group of acquaintances on Monroe Street when they were approached by two masked men armed with firearms, authorities said. One victim was robbed of car keys, a wallet…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Grandmother Killed Sister, Granddaughter In Philly Murder-Suicide: Police (UPDATE) Grandmother Killed Sister, Granddaughter In Philly Murder-Suicide: Police (UPDATE)
Grandmother Killed Sister, Granddaughter In Philly Murder-Suicide: Police (Update) An 18-year-old granddaughter and a 55-year-old sister were fatally shot inside a Philadelphia home before the suspected gunwoman took her own life, police said. Officers from the 3rd District responded to a residence on the 2800 block of South 10th Street at approximately 5:32 p.m., according to the Philadelphia Police Department. When officers arrived, they found three women inside the home, each suffering from a single gunshot wound to the head. Philadelphia Fire Department medics pronounced all three dead at 5:38 p.m., police said. The victims have been identified as 18-year-old Angelin…

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by Jillian Pikora
Police & Fire
NJ High School Senior Prank Under Investigation: Report NJ High School Senior Prank Under Investigation: Report
NJ High School Senior Prank Under Investigation: Report A senior prank at one New Jersey high school is no laughing matter. An investigation at Manchester Township High School is reportedly underway following a prank on Wednesday, June 17, the Asbury Park Press reports. A TikTok video shared by Tri-County Scanner News shows the school strewn with toilet paper both inside and outside the building and students sitting on top of the roof. Students put a "For Sale" sign over the school sign. Superintendent Diane Pedroza said in a statement that the senior prank "exceeded the expectations and guidelines that had been communicated to studen…

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by Sam Barron
News
VIDEO: Rutgers Dancer-Turned Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Performs On 'TODAY' Show VIDEO: Rutgers Dancer-Turned Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Performs On 'TODAY' Show
Video: Rutgers Dancer-Turned Dallas Cowboys Cheerleader Performs On 'Today' Show A New Jersey native who danced her way from Rutgers to one of the most famous cheerleading squads in the country took the stage in New York City on Tuesday morning, June 23. Kelly Villares, of Weehawken, performed on the "TODAY" show as a third-year member of the Dallas Cowboys Cheerleaders. The Dallas Cowboy Cheerleaders join TODAY to preview Season Three of their hit series “America’s Sweethearts” on Netflix and Reece opens up about her decision to retire from cheer. Then, they perform their routine on the plaza!  TODAY Villares was among a select group of cheerleaders chose…

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by Cecilia Levine
Business
New Dairy Queen Blizzard Flavors, Slush Float Celebrate Summer's Return New Dairy Queen Blizzard Flavors, Slush Float Celebrate Summer's Return
New Dairy Queen Blizzard Flavors, Slush Float Celebrate Summer's Return Dairy Queen is adding several new flavors and treats to its menu just in time for summer. DQ is launching three new Blizzard Treats and a patriotic Stars & Stripes Misty Slush Float, the chain announced in a news release on Tuesday, June 23. The new items will be available at participating locations starting on Sunday, June 29. The new Blizzard Cup Lineup is inspired by the 2026 FIFA World Cup. The international flavors include Strawberry Mango-flavored Mochi, Biscoff Cookie, and Mexican-style Hot Chocolate. The Strawberry Mango-flavored Mochi Blizzard Treat features man…

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by Chris Spiker
Sports
Trump Will Attend World Cup MetLife Finals, FIFA Prez Says Trump Will Attend World Cup MetLife Finals, FIFA Prez Says
Trump Will Attend World Cup MetLife Finals, FIFA Prez Says President Trump will be attending the World Cup finals held at MetLife Stadium next month, league officials confirmed. FIFA President Gianni Infantino made the announcement on "Fox & Friends" Tuesday, 23.  The U.S. president is expected to present the winning team with the trophy on July 19, as he did at the Club World Cup Finals in New Jersey during Chelsea's trophy lift, leaving players confused. One of the biggest questions surrounding Trump's appearance at the World Cup is how it could affect traffic around MetLife Stadium. Authorities have repeatedly warned fans to expec…

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by Cecilia Levine
Sports
Jets QB Under Investigation For Attacking Woman: Report Jets QB Under Investigation For Attacking Woman: Report
Jets QB Under Investigation For Attacking Woman: Report New York Jets quarterback Geno Smith is under investigation for battery, ESPN reported, citing police in Florida. A woman claiming to be Smith's ex-girlfriend called 911 on Sunday, June 21 and said Smith was assaulting her, ESPN reported. She posted a video, claiming Smith, "ran outside and attacked me," and accused of him not wanting to take care of his special needs child. A woman is putting Geno Smith on blast on instagram 😳“Today is the DAY! GENO SMITH beat my a$$ cause he HATES taking care of his special needs kid and can't be left alone with him because hed rather watch s*x online …

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Fugitive In Jersey City Double Murder Captured In The Bronx: Prosecutor Fugitive In Jersey City Double Murder Captured In The Bronx: Prosecutor
Fugitive In Jersey City Double Murder Captured In The Bronx: Prosecutor An 18-year-old Jersey City man wanted in a double homicide that left two men dead inside a residence has been arrested in New York, authorities said. Treshawn Daniels was arrested Saturday, June 20, on Washington Avenue in the Bronx by members of the New York City Police Department, according to Hudson County Prosecutor Wayne Mello. Daniels is charged with murder, attempted murder, unlawful possession of a weapon, and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose in connection with the May 18 killings, prosecutors said. He is awaiting extradition to New Jersey. The investigation began sho…

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by Cecilia Levine