The Latest Breaking News from New Jersey

“It’s the Kinks meets AC/DC. I had to play around with the riff because I didn’t want it to sound like You Really Got Me – you don’t wanna get sued”: Jim Babjak revisits 5 classic Smithereens riffs – and reveals the gear and stories behind them

New Jersey's finest have had their share of killer riffs. Here Babjak walks us through the catalog, talks trials by click-track, and reveals how A Girl Like You nearly ended up at the movies

Guitar World · May 26, 2025

Like a Tom Cruise stunt: hawk uses traffic patterns to target prey

Researcher records Cooper’s hawk in New Jersey making use of pedestrian crossing and line of cars while hunting

The Guardian - UK · May 23, 2025

Judge reprimands Alina Habba’s office for ‘embarrassing’ case against New Jersey mayor

Trump’s top prosecutor in New Jersey made a ‘worrying misstep’ with the case of Mayor Ras Baraka, judge says

The Independent UK · May 21, 2025

3 Terrible Companies To Lose $5 Billion in Federal Green Energy Loans

One of the recipients has filed for bankruptcy after allegedly scamming elderly clients.

Reason · May 20, 2025

New Jersey congresswoman LaMonica McIver charged with assault after clash at detention center

‘No one is above the law – politicians or otherwise,’ interim US attorney Alina Habba said.

The Guardian - US · May 20, 2025

Released Israeli-American hostage's parents say the small things bring bliss as he recovers

The parents of Edan Alexander, an Israeli-American soldier who was held captive in Gaza for 19 months, are overjoyed he is home and slowly absorbing their son's life in captivity

The Independent UK · May 20, 2025

From ’dried out prune’ to ‘corrupt’: How the nasty divide between Springsteen and Trump began

The rock star and the president are both guys in their 70s with homes in New Jersey - but the similarities end there

The Independent UK · May 20, 2025

Democratic Rep. McIver charged with assault after skirmish at ICE center, New Jersey prosecutor says

New Jersey’s top federal prosecutor says she’s charging Democratic Rep. LaMonica McIver with assault after a skirmish with federal officers who arrested the Newark mayor outside an immigration detention center

The Independent UK · May 20, 2025

“People were saying, ‘You’re not gonna make it.’ We just kept going. It took us six years”: The Smithereens’ Jim Babjak on how they went from broke to touring with Tom Petty –and became Kurt Cobain’s tonal reference for Nevermind

Babjak reflects on the remarkable career of the Smithereens, competing with tribute acts, and why he was too scared to speak to Pete Townshend

Guitar World · May 19, 2025

Talks aimed at ending New Jersey Transit rail strike to resume Saturday, railroad CEO says

Talks aimed at settling a strike between train engineers and New Jersey’s huge commuter railroad will pick up on Saturday and continue Sunday

The Independent UK · May 17, 2025