Shocking sex charges for gymnastics coach

Here are the top New Jersey news stories for Thursday:

⬛ NJ's most charming small town ranks top 10 in nation

New Jersey is home to the third-most charming small town in the United States, according to a new analysis.

Small towns tend to offer an authentic and enriching opportunity to explore America in a more intimate setting, says InsureMyTrip, which created a list of the 10 most charming small towns in the country.

They're located all over the U.S., with a number of entries getting a boost by being located along the water.

⬛ SEPTA averts a strike by reaching a deal with its largest workers

FILE—Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority (SEPTA) trains sit in the yard at Fern Rock Transportation Center in Philadelphia, in this file photo from Oct. 25, 2021. (AP Photo/Matt Rourke, File)

Philadelphia's mass transit system has reached a tentative contract deal with its largest workers union, averting a potential strike that could have seen thousands of employees walk off the job.

The Southeastern Pennsylvania Transportation Authority and Transport Workers Union Local 234 announced the one-year agreement Wednesday. It calls for union members to receive a 5% raise and an unspecified pension adjustment. The contract also has language aimed at improving the personal safety of frontline workers, including installing bulletproof enclosures for drivers since many face violence and harassment.

⬛ NJ man convicted after road rage shooting incident gets prison

Gerald Chapman (SCPO, Google Maps)

A 41-year-old Middlesex County father has been sentenced to five years in prison for a road rage incident in which he fired a gun at another driver’s car.

In September, Gerald Chapman, of Highland Park, was found guilty by a Somerset County jury of second-degree possession of a firearm for an unlawful purpose, unlawful possession of a firearm, two counts of endangering the welfare of a child, and third-degree hindering apprehension.

⬛ Second teen charged with intentionally setting NJ forest fire

Firefighters attend the wildfires as they burn along the New York and New Jersey border in Greenwood Lake, New York, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. (AP Photo/Eduardo Munoz Alvarez)

A second teenager was charged with intentionally setting a wildfire in a New Jersey suburb of Philadelphia as “significant” rainfall was expected to help douse a stubborn wildfire burning on the New Jersey-New York border Wednesday.

Many parts of the Northeast have been under red flag alerts, with firefighters responding to hundreds of brush fires in tinder-dry and windy conditions. Officials have said numerous prolonged rain storms are needed in parts of New England as well as New Jersey and New York, which are the driest in between 120 to 150 years.

⬛ NJ gymnastics coach, 51, accused of girl's sexual assault

Google Maps/Matthew Shriver, Galloway police shield (Galloway police/Canva)

GALLOWAY — A gymnastics coach was arrested on several charges of sexual assault following an investigation into allegations he engaged in sexual activity with a girl under the age of 16.

Matthew Shriver, 51, of Brigantine was taken into custody Sunday after Galloway police executed a warrant on his cell phone.

Police say evidence collected from Shriver's cell phone confirmed the victim's allegations. The Everest Gymnastics Center on Jimmy Leeds Road and Shriver's vehicle were also searched.

NJ drought situation is now dire at the Manasquan Reservoir

Photos capturing the impact of New Jersey's ongoing drought from both ends of the Manasquan Reservoir. As of 11/20/2024, water levels at the reservoir dropped below 50% capacity for the first time in 30 years.

Gallery Credit: Mike Brant