August 20, 2022
MANALAPAN TOWNSHIP, NJ (MONMOUTH)–Just after 4 p.m., yesterday August 19, 2022, Manalapan, Millstone, Englishtown, Howell, Freehold Township fire departments were dispatched to a working structure fire at 13 Regency Way in Manalapan Township. Fire was though the roof on arrival and a large column of smoke could be seen for miles. The New Jersey Forrest Fire Service also sent units to the area since the Jamesburg Fire Tower was reporting a large column of smoke, additional brush units were called due to embers flying in the air and landing in brush. Additional water tankers from the Monmouth County Task Force were assigned to the fire and the fire went to 2-Alarms before being brought under control.
MidJersey.News has reached out to Manalapan Police Department for official information. The report above is based on emergency radio reports.
Further information to follow when it becomes available.
Photos sent to MidJersey.News
The National Weather Service reported that much needed rain is finally on the way.
National Weather Service Mount Holly reports rain in the forecast from Sunday though Monday night. The Mid-Atlantic River Forecast Center map shows 1″ to 1.25″ of rain for most of our area. The US Drought Monitor reports the range in our area goes from abnormally dry to severe drought. The Murphy Administration is urging residents and businesses to conserve water as persistent dry and hot conditions continue to stress water supplies throughout the state.
Many agricultural crops have been heavily damaged due to the drought and may be too late to recover even with rain in the forecast.
Sunday
A chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2pm. Patchy fog before 8am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 86. Southeast wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 30%.
Sunday Night
A chance of showers and thunderstorms, then showers likely and possibly a thunderstorm after 11pm. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 69. Southeast wind around 5 mph becoming calm after midnight. Chance of precipitation is 60%. New rainfall amounts between a quarter and half of an inch possible.
Monday
Showers and possibly a thunderstorm. High near 81. South wind 5 to 10 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a half and three quarters of an inch possible.
Monday Night
Showers and possibly a thunderstorm before 8pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms between 8pm and 2am. Low around 68. Chance of precipitation is 80%. New rainfall amounts between a tenth and quarter of an inch, except higher amounts possible in thunderstorms.
Tuesday
A chance of showers after 2pm. Mostly sunny, with a high near 85. Chance of precipitation is 40%.
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=439253708240766&set=a.303637041802434 
Corn in East Windsor, New Jersey on August 9, 2022 showing crop damage to lack of rain.
HAMILTON TOWNSHIP, NJ (MERCER)–Hamilton Police report on August,19, 2022, at approximately 10:34 p.m. Gerald Lane 52-years-old of Trenton NJ was operating his 2015 Subaru Legacy east bound on E. State Street when he lost control of his vehicle at E. State Street and Norway Avenue. Mr. Lane struck a parked vehicle on E. State Street near Norway Avenue pushing the parked vehicle into the fence of Global Painting at 1517 E. State Street. Mr. Lanes vehicle continued to travel east on E. State Street. and came to a final rest on the corner of E. State Street and Johnston Avenue. Mr. Lane was transported to Capital Health Regional Medical Center by Robert Wood Johnson EMS and Captial Health Paramedics for injuries sustained in the crash. Hamilton Township Fire Department also responded to the scene.
The crash is being investigated by Officers J Anaya, and K. McDonald of the Hamilton Police Traffic Unit.
Any witnesses are asked to contact the Hamilton Police Traffic Unit at (609)581-4000.
Burlington County Prosecutor LaChia L. Bradshaw announced that a Palmyra man has been indicted on charges related to coaxing underage boys on social media to send him nude pictures and videos, then using that material to blackmail his victims into performing sexual acts on themselves for his enjoyment.
A grand jury indicted Sean Higgins, 31, on 75 total counts that included charges of Endangering the Welfare of a Child, Aggravated Sexual Assault, Criminal Sexual Contact, Cyber Harassment, and Obscenity to a Minor. Thirteen of the counts were first degree charges.
Higgins is accused of committing these crimes in 2020 while serving as the youth pastor and music leader at Harbor Baptist Church in Hainesport, and serving as a teacher at the Harbor Baptist Academy, a private K-12 school that is housed in the same facility.
The indictment includes 13 victims, ranging in age from 12 to17, who resided in Alabama, Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, South Dakota and Tennessee. It was returned on August 16 and signed by Prosecutor Bradshaw. An arraignment will be scheduled soon in Superior Court in Mount Holly.
The crimes for which he was indicted did not include physical contact with the victims, and did not involve any members of the church congregation or students at the school.
He has been lodged in the Burlington County Jail in Mount Holly since being taken into custody at his residence in October 2020. With the assistance of the New Jersey State Police, search warrants were executed at that time on his home as well as the church, and multiple electronic devices were seized.
The investigation revealed that Higgins would adopt the persona of a teenage girl and utilize Snapchat and Instagram to begin a conversation with a juvenile male, introducing himself as Julie Miller. After establishing a rapport, he would suggest that they trade photos. Higgins would then send pictures of an unidentified female teenager.
In return, Higgins would often receive nude photos that the victims took of themselves. Immediately upon receiving those images, he would take a screenshot of the victim’s friends list that was visible on the forward-facing social media platform. Higgins would send that screenshot back to the victim and threaten to send the nude photos he had just received to the list of the victim’s friends unless the victim did exactly what Higgins demanded.
In most of the cases that were investigated, Higgins then demanded that his victims go into the bathroom at their residence and place the phone on the floor, or at an angle looking up, and would instruct the victims to masturbate or perform sexual acts on themselves. Higgins would record what was transpiring.
According to the videos made by Higgins that were obtained during the investigation, victims would often beg Higgins to be allowed to stop engaging in sexual conduct, but Higgins would demand that they complete his instructions, or face the consequences of having the recordings he was making of the incident be sent to their list of friends.
The investigation began after a youth in Berks County, Pa., contacted Snapchat and reported that he sent nude photos of himself to someone he believed to be an unknown female. The unknown female, who in actuality was Higgins, had threatened to expose his nude photographs after they exchanged pictures. An underage male in Alabama also reported his communications with Higgins to law enforcement authorities.
The investigation was conducted by the Burlington County Prosecutor’s Office High-Tech Crimes Unit, the Cinnaminson Township Police Department and U.S. Homeland Security Investigations – Cherry Hill. Multiple state and local agencies assisted in confirming the identities of additional victims once investigators became aware of their existence.
The BCPO High-Tech Crimes Unit, Cinnaminson Township Police Department and HSI – Cherry Hill are members of the New Jersey State Police Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (NJ ICAC Task Force). The BCPO also belongs to the New Jersey State Police Cyber Terrorism Task Force.
Higgins is being prosecuted by Assistant Prosecutor Stephen Eife, supervisor of the BCPO Special Victims Unit.
Anyone who believes their child has had inappropriate interaction on Snapchat or Instagram with someone going by the user name of Julie Miller, Julia Miller, or some variation of that name, is asked to call Burlington County Central Communications at 609-265-7113, or send an email to [email protected].
An indictment is an accusation. Defendants are presumed innocent unless or until proven guilty.
Sean Higgins, 31