19-year-old man charged with arson in New Jersey Wildfire

Authorities confirmed on Thursday that a 19-year-old man from Ocean Township, New Jersey, has been charged in connection with a wildfire that erupted Tuesday and spread rapidly across more than 15,000 acres.  In a statement released jointly by the Ocean County Prosecutor’s Office, Ocean Township Police Department, and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, officials announced that Joseph Kling has been taken into custody and placed in the Ocean County Jail. He faces charges of aggravated arson and arson and is awaiting a detention hearing.

Authorities allege that Kling is responsible for igniting the fire, which tore through large areas of Waretown and Lacey townships and resulted in the destruction of a commercial property. Investigators say the blaze began after Kling allegedly built a bonfire using wooden pallets and then left the area before ensuring the fire was out, leading to his arrest on charges of arson and aggravated arson. The flames were initially discovered in the Forked River Mountains Wilderness Area, part of the Ocean County Natural Lands Trust.

The wildfire in New Jersey’s Pine Barrens—a sprawling forest region spanning more than 1 million acres and roughly the size of the Grand Canyon — was sparked by an abandoned bonfire and has continued to spread, prompting air quality alerts as far as New York City. According to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, the wildfire remained only 50% contained as of 10 a.m. EDT on Thursday. The Ocean County Sheriff’s Office said on Thursday that smoke would likely linger and emergency crews would remain on the scene for several days.

The fire has consumed over 23 square miles of land, making it one of the largest wildfires the state has seen in nearly 20 years, with firefighters battling tough conditions, including dry air and the effects of a prolonged drought. New Jersey is the most densely populated state in the U.S., and officials have warned that residential areas nearby could be at risk. No injuries or fatalities have been reported, with approximately 5,000 residents evacuated at one point but were allowed to return on Wednesday.

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NHL Playoffs 1st Round: Panthers, Maple Leafs, Wild, Blues all win

The Florida Panthers took a 2-0 series lead after defeating the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 2 of the Eastern Conference First Round at Amalie Arena on Thursday with a score of 2-0. Nate Schmidt and Sam Bennett scored for the Panthers, while Sergei Bobrovsky made 19 saves for his fourth career postseason shutout. Game 3 will be in Sunrise, Florida, on Saturday.

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The Toronto Maple Leafs beat the Ottawa Senators with a 3-2 overtime win in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference First Round on Thursday. Simon Benoit scored at 1:19 of overtime to help Toronto top the Senators, who also saw goals from Auston Matthews and Matthew Knies; while goalie Anthony Stolarz made 18 saves. The Leafs now hold a commanding 3-0 lead in the series, with Game 4 scheduled in Ottawa on Saturday.

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The Minnesota Wild defeated the Vegas Golden Knights 5-2 in Game 3 of the Western Conference First Round at Xcel Energy Center on Thursday. Kirill Kaprizov scored two goals for the second straight game, while Marco Rossi and Matt Boldy each had a goal and an assist for the Wild; Filip Gustavsson made 30 saves. Minnesota leads the best-of-7 series 2-1, with Game 4 in Minnesota on Saturday.

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The St. Louis Blues took a 7-2 victory over the Winnipeg Jets in Game 3 of the Western Conference First Round at Enterprise Center on Thursday. Pavel Buchnevich scored his first Stanley Cup Playoff hat trick and had an assist, while Cam Fowler had a goal and four assists, and Robert Thomas had four assists for the Blues, with Jordan Binnington making 16 saves. St. Louis trails the best-of-7 series 2-1. Game 4 will take place in St. Louis on Sunday.

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Highland Park gunman sentenced to life in prison for July 4th parade shooting that killed 7

Robert Crimo III, the gunman who killed seven people and injured dozens in a mass shooting during a parade in Highland Park, Illinois on July 4, 2022, was sentenced to life in prison without the possibility of parole on Thursday.

Judge Victoria A. Rossetti announced on Thursday that Crimo was sentenced to seven consecutive life sentences along with 50 years in prison for each person injured. As she handed down the maximum sentence, Rossetti said: “The court finds he’s irrevocably depraved. He is beyond any rehabilitation .. This court hopes this sentence brings a sense of justice and an end to the continued horror.” Life without the possibility of parole is the most severe punishment Crimo faced, as Illinois doesn’t have capital punishment.

The seven people killed by Crimo were Stephen Straus, 88; Nicolas Toledo-Zaragoza, 78; Eduardo Uvaldo, 69; Katherine Goldstein, 64; Jacquelyn Sundheim, 63; and married couple Kevin McCarthy, 37, and Irina McCarthy, 35. Cooper Roberts, then 8, was shot and paralyzed.

Crimo, 24, was a no-show in court Thursday and declined to make a statement to the court, per his lawyer. The shooter’s parents, who have attended most court proceedings, were also not present. Crimo pleaded guilty last month to charges in the mass shooting that wounded nearly 50 more people in addition to the seven deaths.

The sentencing hearing, which began Wednesday and finished Thursday morning, included testimony from multiple survivors and relatives of those killed in the shooting at the Independence Day parade. Lake County State’s Attorney Eric Rinehart said: “In the middle of that joy, in the middle of that celebration, 83 shots rang out over 40 seconds. Eighty-three attempts to hurt people, do as much damage as possible. Eighty-three attempts to kill. Eighty-three attempts to reduce light in the world. He intended to end the happiness he saw around him … I cannot attempt to rein in the pain, ocean of grief, trauma, heartache and loss.”

Prosecutors say that Crimo told police he wore women’s clothing during the shooting and used makeup to hide his facial tattoos and blend in with the crowd during the chaos. He was apprehended hours after the shooting, and confessed.  Crimo’s father, Robert Crimo Jr., pleaded guilty last year to reckless conduct, admitting to signing the Firearm Owner’s Identification card for his son to apply for gun ownership. At the time, Illinois at the time required people ages 18, 19 or 20 to have parent or guardian authorization; and Crimo III was 19 and too young to get a FOID card on his own.

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NBA Playoffs: Knicks, Thunder, Clippers all win Game 3

The NY Knicks won Game 3 of their best-of-seven playoff series against the Detroit Pistons on Thursday, 118-116, to take a 2-1 series lead. Jalen Brunson scored 30 points with nine assists, and Karl-Anthony Towns scored 31 points, while OG Anunoby added 22 points and Josh Hart contributed six points, 11 rebounds and nine assists for the Knicks.  Game 4 will take place at Little Caesars Arena in Detroit on Sunday.

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The Oklahoma City Thunder defeated the Memphis Grizzlies 114-108 on Thursday night to take a 3-0 lead in the first-round series. The Thunder rallied from a 29-point deficit after Ja Morant left the game with a hip injury just over three minutes left in the first half. Shai Gilgeous-Alexander scored 31 points for Oklahoma City and Jalen Williams added 26 — The 29-point comeback from the Thunder was the second-largest in an NBA post-season game since the 1996-97 season. Game 4 is on Saturday in Mephis.

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The LA Clippers defeated the Denver Nuggets 117-83 in Game 3, taking a 2-1 lead in their playoff series. Kawhi Leonard led the Clippers with 21 points and 11 rebounds, while James Harden and Norman Powell each scored 20 points; while the Nuggets saw a strong performance from Nikola Jokic with 23 points, 13 rebounds, and 13 assists. Game 4 will take place on Saturday at Intuit Dome.

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Netflix shares teaser for ‘The Four Seasons’ starring Tina Fey, Steve Carell

Netflix is giving a glimpse of the new series The Four Seasons, starring Tina Fey and Steve Carell and set to premiere May 1.

The show is an adaptation of the 1981 movie of the same name, which was written, directed by and starring Alan Alda (who’s a producer and guest star of the new version). The film centers on three couples — played by Fey and Will Forte, Carell and Kerri Kenney-Silver, and Colman Domingo and Marco Calvani — who vacation together in each of the four season, and are thrown when one of the couples announces they’re divorcing.

The Netflix show is created by Fey, Lang Fisher and Tracey Wigfield, who previously collaborated on 30 Rock. The series follows three couples whose vacation is upended when they learn one couple plans to split up.

The Four Seasons premieres May 1 on Netflix; see the teaser: HERE.

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Quinta Brunson to guest host ‘SNL’ with musical guest Benson Boone on May 3

Abbott Elementary star and creator Quinta Brunson is returning to host NBC’s Saturday Night Live for the second time on May 3, featuring musical guest Benson Boone, who is making his debut on the comedy series.

Brunson previously made her hosting debut on April 1, 2023 in an episode that earned her a nomination for Outstanding Guest Actress in a Comedy Series at the 74th Primetime Emmy Awards. Brunson was also present at the show’s 50th anniversary special in February.

22 year-old singer/songwriter Boone, who shot to fame with his hit single “Beautiful Things,” is fresh off his viral set at Coachella, where he debuted the title track of his upcoming sophomore album, “American Heart.”

No word as of press time on who will host the show’s May 10th episode or the May 17th season finale.

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NHL Playoffs Round 1: Capitals, Stars, Kings earn wins

The Washington Capitals defeated the Montreal Canadiens 3-1 in Game 2 on Wednesday night at Capital One Arena, to take a 2-0 lead in their Eastern Conference First Round playoff series. Canadiens’ forward Christian Dvorak scored early in the second to give Montreal a 1-0 lead, but the Capitals’ Connor McMichael and Dylan Strome replied in the second with goals one minute apart to put the Capitals on top, and later sealed the victory with an empty-net goal by McMichael. The series now shifts to Montreal with Game 3 set for Friday at the Bell Centre.

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The Dallas Stars beat the Colorado Avalanche 2-1 in an overtime win on Wednesday in Game 2 of the Western Conference First Round at Ball Arena on Wednesday.  Tyler Seguin scored at 5:31 of overtime to give the Stars the win; with Jamie Benn also scoring, and Mikko Rantanen with an assist for Dallas, while Jake Oettinger made 27 saves.  The Stars lead the best-of-7 series 2-1; Game 4 will take place in Denver on Saturday.

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The Los Angeles Kings took a 6-2 win against the Edmonton Oilers in Game 2 at Crypto.com Arena on Wednesday, extending their series lead to 2-0. Adrian Kempe had two goals and two assists, with Anze Kopitar adding a goal and three assists. Brandt Clarke and Andrei Kuzmenko each scored on the power play for the Kings, and Darcy Kuemper made 24 saves. Game 3 of the best-of-7 series will be in Edmonton on Friday.

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EU fines Apple 500 million euros and Meta 200 million under new digital rules

European Union regulators imposed hefty fines on Apple and Meta on Wednesday, intensifying efforts to enforce the bloc’s digital competition laws. The fines were issued under the EU’s Digital Markets Act (DMA), a comprehensive set of regulations aimed at increasing consumer and business choice while curbing the dominance of powerful tech “gatekeepers.” Both tech giants have signaled their intention to appeal.

The European Commission, which serves as the EU’s executive body, fined Apple €500 million (approximately $571 million) for restricting app developers from directing users to alternative, often cheaper, purchasing options outside of its App Store. Meta Platforms, the parent company of Facebook and Instagram, was fined €200 million over its practice of requiring users to either accept targeted ads or pay a fee to avoid them.

According to the Commission, both Apple and Meta must comply with the rulings within 60 days or face additional recurring fines. While substantial, these penalties are smaller than the multibillion-euro fines the EU has previously levied on major tech firms for antitrust violations. Henna Virkkunen, the Commission’s executive vice-president for tech sovereignty, said the goal of the DMA is to ensure that individuals maintain control over their personal data and that companies can communicate directly with customers. She added: “today’s decisions conclude that both Apple and Meta denied users this freedom of choice and must amend their practices.

In Apple’s case, the Commission found the company imposed restrictive conditions that blocked app developers from directing users to purchase alternatives outside the App Store—despite DMA rules that require such transparency. Regulators have now ordered Apple to eliminate both technical and business barriers that prevent developers from promoting or linking to these external options. Apple responded by accusing the Commission of unfairly singling it out and shifting expectations despite the company’s efforts to adhere to the rules. The company said: “We’ve invested hundreds of thousands of engineering hours and implemented many changes to comply with the law—changes users haven’t even requested,” adding that the Commission “keeps moving the goalposts.”

Meta’s investigation focused on its strategy to comply with EU privacy rules by offering a paid, ad-free version of Facebook and Instagram. Users could pay a monthly fee—starting at €10—to avoid having their data used for targeted advertising. This option was introduced after the EU’s top court ruled that Meta must obtain user consent before serving personalized ads, a ruling that threatened its core advertising model. Meta’s Chief Global Affairs Officer, Joel Kaplan, criticized the ruling and argued that the EU is penalizing successful American firms while applying different standards to European and Chinese competitors. Meta introduced a third option allowing users to opt for fewer personalized ads without subscribing in November, however, the Commission is still reviewing this alternative and has asked Meta to demonstrate its effectiveness. Kaplan said: “this is more than a fine—it’s an attempt to force a fundamental change in our business model. It’s essentially a multi-billion-dollar penalty and forces us to deliver a diminished service. These restrictions also harm European businesses that depend on personalized advertising.”

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State of Emergency declared after New Jersey wildfire rapidly expands

A fast-moving wildfire in Ocean County, New Jersey, has surged to more than 11,500 acres since Tuesday, forcing thousands to evacuate and threatening over 1,000 structures. According to the New Jersey Forest Fire Service, the Jones Road Wildfire was initially reported around 9:45 a.m. Tuesday in the Greenwood Forest Wildlife Management Area in Ocean County, and rapidly spread overnight from several hundred acres to 8,500. Officials believe that the dry brush and low humidity helped fuel the rapid expansion, as well as strong 25 mph gusts that whipped through the area.

Trevor Raynor of the Forest Fire Service explained that the blaze was first spotted from the Cedar Bridge Fire Tower near Barnegat Township. “Our teams responded immediately. Even with aerial and ground support, the fire grew quickly.” The fire, located just south of Toms River, has also impacted travel along the Garden State Parkway. On Tuesday evening flames crossed the highway, prompting a full closure of the parkway.

As of Wednesday morning, the fire was 30% contained. During a press conference, Shawn LaTourette, New Jersey’s Commissioner of Environmental Protection, said that no injures had been reported, but warned that the fire is expected to continue growing and could become the state’s most significant wildfire in two decades: “thanks to the brave and tireless efforts of our state’s fire service teams, we’ve managed to prevent a much larger catastrophe. Lives and homes have been saved.”

Acting Governor Tahesha Way, filling in for Governor Phil Murphy, issued a state of emergency for Ocean County on Wednesday morning, which allows additional resources to be deployed to combat the fire. As of Wednesday, more than 5,000 people had evacuated either by order or voluntarily. Over 25,000 utility customers lost power due to the fire, and forecasters warned of gusty winds up to 20 mph during the morning before conditions ease later in the day. Rain is not expected until Friday evening.

According to Chief Bill Donnelly of the Forest Fire Service, the blaze has placed buildings in both Ocean and Lacey Townships at risk, with the cause of the fire still under investigation. Currently, about 100 firefighters are working on the ground and from the air, with full containment anticipated by the weekend.

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NBA Playoffs: Celtics, Cavaliers, Rockets all win

The Boston Celtics beat the Orlando Magic 109-100 in Game 2 of their playoff series at TD Garden on Wednesday to take a 2-0 series lead. Jaylen Brown led the Celtics in Jayson Tatum’s absence (due to a wrist injury) with 36 points and 10 rebounds, with Kristaps Porzingis delivering 20 points and 10 rebounds. The Celtics and Magic meet for Game 3 at 7 p.m. Friday in Orlando.

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The Cleveland Cavaliers defeated the Miami Heat in Game 2 of the the first round of the 2025 NBA playoffs with a 121-112 victory at Rocket Arena on Wednesday night, giving them a 2-0 series lead.  The Cavs’ Donovan Mitchell finished with 30 points, six assists and six rebounds while going 7 of 10 from 3-point range. Cleveland and Miami will meet for Game 3 in Miami on Saturday.

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The Houston Rockets evened their first-round Western Conference series against the Golden State Warriors at one game apiece, with a 109-94 win in Game 2 on Wednesday night. Jalen Green made eight 3-pointers and scored 38 points, Alperen Sengun had 17 points and 16 rebounds, and Tari Easonn scored 14 points off the bench. The Warriors fell short for most of the night after Jimmy Butler left with a pelvis contusion after a hard fall on a foul late in the first quarter. Game 2 will take place on Saturday night at Golden State.

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