Crippling NJ storms leave thousands in the dark – NJ Top News
Here are the top stories for Monday, July 6, 2026.
⚫ Decorated NJ police officer sentenced to prison for illicit spending spree
SOUTH BRUNSWICK — Abraham "Jason" Gassman, 53, was sentenced to five years behind bars in Superior Court in Monmouth County, prosecutors said Wednesday. Earlier this year, Gassman admitted that he stole more than $75,000 from a Policeman’s Benevolent Association in Middlesex County.
The former South Brunswick police officer pleaded guilty to second-degree theft. The plea included a ban from Target and public service, plus an agreement to surrender his firearms.
Investigators began looking into Gassman after he shoplifted about $100 worth of bedding items from a Target in Ocean Township last year, prosecutors said. He left with the stolen items in his police vehicle. That raised serious questions, as Gassman was the treasurer of his local PBA chapter.
Gassman had sole control over the PBA's finances since 2009, when he took the treasurer position. Investigators found he used that control to steal $75,000 in PBA funds over six years.
⚫ Thousands of NJ families sweat it out and some won’t get power back for days
Restoration efforts continue for utility and NJ Transit crews after Friday night's powerful thunderstorms took down hundreds of trees, utility poles and wires.
Utility crews did not let a heat index of nearly 100 stop them from working 16-hour shifts to restore power to thousands. As of 7 p.m., nearly 89,000 JCP&L and PSE&G customers were still without power as another day of work loomed.
JCP&L: 53,896 customers were still without power. The counties and communities with the most customers out are:
- Monmouth: Colts Neck, Freehold Township, Howell, Manalapan, Marlboro and Millstone
- Morris Chatham, Florham Park, Harding, Mendham Township, Morris Township, Mount Arlington, Mount Olive, Parsippany-Troy Hills, Randolph and Roxbury
- Ocean: Brick, Lacey, Lakewood, and Point Pleasant Borough
- Somerset: Bernards, Bernardsville, Warren
- Sussex: Byram, Montague, Stillwater and Wantage
PSE&G: 12,089 customers were still without power. The counties and communities with the most customers out are:
- Bergen: Dumont, Hillsdale, New Milford, Paramus, Ridgewood Village, River Vale
- Essex: Newark, South Orange
- Hudson: Jersey City
- Middlesex: Edison, Middlesex Boro and Woodbridge
- Union: Plainfield, Scotch Plains and Westfield
⚫ Breached whale destroys Carteret marine ship in Raritan Bay
A whale breaching in Raritan Bay destroyed a Carteret marine unit on the Fourth of July.
The unit was part of a regional special operation marine security detail in the Arthur Kill. It was at the mouth of the bay around 4:30 p.m. when it was violently struck by the whale, according to Mayor Dan Reiman on Facebook.
The boat immediately took on water within seconds and the firefighters had to abandon ship. A Port Authority marine unit, a jet ski operator and another boat rescued them. No one was injured; just shaken up a bit.
⚫ Wildwood police stop a pop-up before it began; PA teen arrested
WILDWOOD — Police managed to stop a pop-up party planned for their boardwalk on the Fourth of July, and a teen from Pennsylvania has been charged with promoting the gathering.
Police said an NJ Transit cop alerted them to the event earlier on Saturday. Detectives and State Police could not initially identify the promoter or get the event cancelled in time, so officers went to the boardwalk to make sure it didn't get started.
They warned businesses in the area about the unsanctioned event, as well.
The apparent organizer, a 19 year old from Pennsylvania, was later spotted and charged with creating a disturbance at a public gathering.
Report a correction 👈 | 👉 Contact our newsroom
Damage from Severe Thunderstorms of Friday, July 3
Gallery Credit: Dan Alexander
More From New Jersey 101.5 FM
