According to recent data released by the Social Security Administration, approximately 715 boys were named Liam and 480 girls were named Olivia in New Jersey last year, making these two names the most popular baby names of 2023. Nationally, the top ten most popular names for baby boys and girls, from first to tenth, are: Liam and Olivia; Noah and Emma; Oliver and Charlotte; James and Amelia; Elijah and Sophia; Mateo and Mia; Theodore and Isabella; Henry and Ava; Lucas and Evelyn; William and Luna.
The parent company of Stop & Shop, Ahold Delhaize, headquartered in the Netherlands, announced last week at an investor conference that underperforming Stop & Shop stores in the United States will be closed. The company will consider brand density, store performance, and the position of each store in the market. Stop & Shop has nearly 400 stores in the northeastern United States, with the majority located in Massachusetts. There are 57 stores in New Jersey. The number and locations of the stores to be closed have not been disclosed yet, but the company plans to provide this information later this year.
36-year-old businessman, Randhawa Randhawa, residing in Warren, where the average house price exceeds $1.5 million, was arrested for insurance fraud. Law enforcement stated that Randhawa falsely reported his truck garage address, saving a six-digit premium. Last year, he claimed his trucks were parked in Bridgewater, but they were actually in a garage in Linden. By writing the address in Somerset County instead of Union County, Randhawa saved a significant premium, over $231,000 within six months. On May 9th, Randhawa was arrested and charged with third-degree insurance fraud.
Sixty-five residents of the Bel Air Lakes townhouse community in Absecon, Jersey Shore retirement community, have filed a federal lawsuit against the Atlantic County Utilities Authority. They allege that harmful gases from a nearby landfill have forced them to seek medical treatment and resulted in difficulty breathing. The residents’ lawyer claims that hydrogen sulfide and methane emissions from a landfill near Egg Harbor Town have exceeded the state’s limits for nearly a decade despite regular monitoring. Residents have been exposed to these gases emitting foul-smelling odors, causing choking, vomiting, and “a range of other serious physical and psychological injuries, including sleep deprivation and depression.” The landfill is located in the Atlantic County Utilities Authority Environmental Park, about 8 miles from Atlantic City.
The Federal Bureau of Investigation has issued a warning about a new, sophisticated fraud scheme emerging – scammers selling vacant properties without the knowledge of the rightful owners. FBI agents point out that this scam starts with real estate agents receiving inquiries from fraudulent owners claiming to want to sell their vacant properties. FBI Newark Field Office Special Agent Joseph Cardosi stated in an interview with NJ Spotlight News, “They reach out saying, I want this land sold. They have phony IDs, ready to close the deal swiftly. They can find publicly available information matching the recorded owners. They forge IDs, contracts, notary stamps to make the entire scheme look seamless.”
Cardosi mentioned that the COVID-19 pandemic has made remote transactions common and irregular. Real estate agents excel at virtual closings, and scammers are adept at it too. Some transactions can be completed within weeks, with property owners unaware that their real estate has been transferred. If you encounter such a scam, please immediately dial the FBI Newark Field Office at 793-792-3000, or call 1-800-CALL-FBI, or report online at tips.fbi.gov. You can also report to the FBI Internet Crime Complaint Center at www.ic3.gov.