NJ.COM REPORTED A WOMAN WAS HIT BY A VEHICLE ON A NEWARK STREET AND THEN DRAGGED MORE THAN TWO MILES INTO A SUPERMARKET PARKING LOT, WHERE SHE WAS FOUND DEAD BENEATH THE VEHICLE FRIDAY. ACCORDING TO THE ESSEX COUNTY PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE, NEWARK POLICE REPORTED TO THE EXTRA SUPERMARKET ON THE 300 BLOCK OF LYONS STREET JUST BEFORE 7 P.M. AND FOUND THE PEDESTRIAN UNDER THE VEHICLE. THE DRIVER TOLD INVESTIGATORS SHE WAS DRIVING SOUTH ON SHERMAN AVENUE WHEN SHE HIT WHAT SHE THOUGHT WAS A BLACK GARBAGE BAG. AFTER LEAVING THE SUPERMARKET, THE DRIVER TRIED AND FAILED TO PUT HER CAR IN REVERSE. IT WAS THEN SHE WALKED AROUND TO THE BACK OF HER VEHICLE AND DISCOVERED THE DEAD PEDESTRIAN. AUTHORITIES HAVE NOT IDENTIFIED THE PEDESTRIAN AND SAID THE INVESTIGATION IS ONGOING. ANYONE WITH INFORMATION RELATED TO THIS INCIDENT IS ASKED TO CALL THE ESSEX COUNTY PROSECUTOR’S OFFICE TIPS LINE AT 1-877-847-7432. ALL CALLS WILL REMAIN CONFIDENTIAL.
NJ.COM HAS REPORTED THAT A LONGTIME ITALIAN MARKET, DELI AND CATERING BUSINESS IN BERGEN COUNTY IS CLOSING AFTER 14 YEARS, JUST WEEKS AFTER REOPENING FOLLOWING A SUMMER BREAK. MIKE FINAN AND MARK FORTE, CO-OWNERS OF MATERA’S ITALIAN MARKET & CATERING AND ITS UPSTAIRS PRIVATE EVENT SPACE, THE LOFT, ANNOUNCED THE CLOSURE OF THE BUSINESS ON SOCIAL MEDIA ON OCTOBER 26TH. THE CLOSURE COMES AFTER A BRIEF RETURN AFTER IT TEMPORARILY CLOSED ON AUGUST 11TH FOR WHAT IT DESCRIBED ON SOCIAL MEDIA AS “SUMMER VACATION AND MAINTENANCE,” WITH ITS REOPENING THAT HAPPENED ON SEPTEMBER 25TH. MATERA’S OPENED IN RUTHERFORD IN 2012 AND BECAME KNOWN FOR ITALIAN SANDWICHES, PREPARED FOODS, PASTA, MEATS, CHEESES AND OTHER SPECIALTY ITEMS, AS WELL AS ITS CATERING OPERATION. THE LOFT, LOCATED ABOVE THE MARKET, HOSTED PRIVATE PARTIES, MEETINGS, FUNDRAISERS AND OTHER GATHERINGS. IN ANNOUNCING THE CLOSING, THE OWNERS PAID TRIBUTE TO THEIR CUSTOMERS, EMPLOYEES AND FRIENDS WHO SUPPORTED THE BUSINESS AND THE RELATIONSHIPS THEY BUILT THROUGHOUT THE YEARS.
NEWS 12 NEW JERSEY HAS REPORTED THAT THE RIBBON-CUTTING FOR THE NEWLY RESTORED LOEW’S JERSEY THEATRE IN JERSEY CITY WAS HELD MONDAY, AHEAD OF THE HISTORIC VENUE’S FIRST SHOW ON FRIDAY. LOCATED IN JOURNAL SQUARE, THE THEATER FIRST OPENED IN SEPTEMBER 1929 AS A MOVIE HOUSE, WHICH LATER BECAME A PERFORMANCE VENUE. AFTER MULTIPLE REPAIR ATTEMPTS AND CLOSURES, A 130 MILLION DOLLAR RESTORATION PROJECT WAS PUT INTO EFFECT FROM THE EFFORTS OF COMMUNITY GROUPS, SUCH AS THE FRIENDS OF LOEW’S GROUP FOUNDED IN THE 1990S TO PREVENT THE BUILDING FROM BEING DEMOLISHED, AND THE CITY BUYING THE THEATER IN 1993. THE PROJECT’S GENERAL MANAGER, BRUCE WHEELER, SAID THE WORK WAS DONE DOWN TO THE LAST DETAIL. THE VENUE CAN HOLD UP TO 4,000 PEOPLE ACROSS BOTH SEATING AND STANDING ROOM. IT’S SET UP FOR CONCERTS, COMEDY SHOWS, FILM SCREENINGS AND OTHER EVENTS. OPENING WEEKEND BEGINS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13TH, WITH WHEELER STATING THE GOAL BEING FOR THE THEATER TO ONCE AGAIN BE THE CENTERPIECE OF JOURNAL SQUARE FOR GENERATIONS TO COME.