Jon Craig

Reporter

jon.craig@dailyvoice.com

Pleasantville native Jon Craig is special editor for the Westchester, Putnam, Rockland, Orange and Dutchess Daily Voice sites. He is also the primary reporter for Daily Voice Plus Politics in Westchester and Fairfield.

Jon graduated from Cornell University and received his master's degree in journalism from Northwestern University. Across a 35-year career, he's worked as a reporter for daily newspapers in Chicago, New York, Ohio & Washington, D.C and as managing editor for weekly newspapers in Rye, White Plains and Harrison.

Jon also writes periodically for the Cornell Chronicle.

Career Highlights:

  • Covered Metro-North train wreck that killed a motorist and five commuters, 2015
  • Researched state investigative project for PublicIntegrity.org, 2011-12
  • National MADD award for database analysis of repeat drunk drivers in Ohio, 2008.
  • Henry F. Guggenheim Fellow, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, 2010.
  • Sentenced to jail for protecting confidential sources (won on appeal), 1999.
  • Broke 30th anniversary story about Kent State shootings — using FBI records, resurrecting theory a student informant triggered fatal National Guard volley, May 2000.
  • Covered Ground Zero after Sept. 11, 2001, terrorism attacks.
  • Uncovered voting problems before & during presidential recount in Ohio, 2004.
  • Witnessed botched Death Row execution of Romell Broom in 2009, one of more than a dozen I covered; Wrote about three inmates whose death sentences were commuted to life without parole.
  • Won IRE, SDX and multiple national & state awards for series led by Erik Kriss investigating New York General Assembly. 1994.
  • Guest lecturer at universities in NY & Ohio. Taught Syracuse high school journalism class.
  • Co-authored IRE-award winning series on illegal restraints/beatings at juvenile detention centers. Gov. Mario Cuomo had NY inspector general confirm what Hart Seely and I found at Division for Youth & fired top directors, 1993.
  • Survived Air Force Kool School training at North Pole, 1996.
  • Covered Persian Gulf wars, including 2002 bomb missions from Turkey and stateside Army/Air Guard training. 1991.
  • Supervised overnight coverage of Pan Am Flight 103 after Libyan bomb killed 35 Syracuse University students over Lockerbie, Scotland, 1988.
  • Covered aftermath of John F. Kennedy Jr.'s fatal plane crash from Cape Cod, 1999.
  • Greeted Kurt Vonnegut Jr. as Cornell Sun sports editor during daily's 100th anniversary dinner in May 1980. 

Jon Craig's Contributions

Organs Of NJ Army Sergeant Killed In Motorcycle Crash Will Help Four Others Live Organs Of NJ Army Sergeant Killed In Motorcycle Crash Will Help Four Others Live
Organs Of NJ Army Sergeant Killed In Motorcycle Crash Will Help Four Others Live The organs of a U.S. Army sergeant from the Jersey Shore who was killed in a motorcycle crash will help four other people live. Dennis Andrew Vaccaro, 27, crashed on Tuesday, June 14, in Ocean Township, and was kept alive so he could donate his organs. Further details on the crash were not immediately known. An airborne combat medic in the U.S. Army, Dennis achieved the rank of sergeant, and spent five years in the military, including a tour of duty overseas in Afghanistan, his obituary says. He was apparently a student at Monmouth University, according to a statement published by school o…
Fugitive Arrested In South Jersey Shooting Death: Prosecutor Fugitive Arrested In South Jersey Shooting Death: Prosecutor
Fugitive Arrested In South Jersey Shooting Death: Prosecutor A 27-year-old man from Sioux Falls, South Dakota has been arrested in connection with a South Jersey shooting death, authorities said. Dominique Woodall was arrested without incident on Tuesday, June 20, at approximately 2 a.m. in Pleasantville, according to the Atlantic County Prosecutor's Office. Woodall was wanted for the murder of 30-year-old Atlantic City resident Terrance Dismuke on Friday, June 16, in Egg Harbor City, the prosecutor said. At 4:50 p.m., Friday, the Egg Harbor City Police Department was dispatched to the 200 block of St. Louis Avenue for a report o…
Motorcyclist Killed In Atlantic City Crash: Police Motorcyclist Killed In Atlantic City Crash: Police
Motorcyclist Killed In Atlantic City Crash: Police A 61-year-old motorcyclist from Pleasantville was killed in a crash, authorities said. The crash occurred at 8:42 p.m. on Sunday, June 18 near mile marker 54 on the eastbound lanes of Route 30, Atlantic City police said. Police found that Pearl Matthew had been ejected from his seat. He was pronounced dead at the crash scene. A preliminary investigation, that included witness statements, revealed that Matthews left the roadway and struck a pole. There were no other vehicles involved in the crash. The Atlantic County Prosecutor’s Office is assisting in this investigation. Anyone who wi…
Life Without NJ DPW Worker Struck By Lightning Is 'Unimaginable' Life Without NJ DPW Worker Struck By Lightning Is 'Unimaginable'
Life Without NJ DPW Worker Struck By Lightning Is 'Unimaginable' There's been an outpouring of support for a Woodbridge Department of Public Works employee struck by lightning this week. Eric Baumgartner survived the strike after a Woodbridge police officer performed life-saving CPR. Baumgartner was painting lines for the soccer field at Iselin Middle School on Wednesday, June 14, and didn't hear anything over the loud noise of the machine he was using when the lightning strike came down, a GoFundMe page says. Eric was unresponsive and had no pulse when Woodbridge Police Officer RJ McPartland revived him. In Eric’s words, "He thought he was dying …
Tornado Warning Issued For Ocean, Burlington Counties Tornado Warning Issued For Ocean, Burlington Counties
Tornado Warning Issued For Ocean, Burlington Counties A tornado watch was issued at about 12:50 p.m. for parts of Ocean and Burlington counties. The National Weather Service in Mount Holly also issued a severe thunderstorm warning for a wider area of South Jersey. The thunderstorm warning is in effect until 6 p.m. Friday June 16. The weather service said cloud rotation was detected on weather radar as a “severe squall line capable of producing both tornadoes and extensive straight-line wind damage was located over Browns Mills, or 20 miles southeast of Trenton, moving east at 40 mph.”
'Smash And Grab' Burglars Are Back, Toms River Police Warn 'Smash And Grab' Burglars Are Back, Toms River Police Warn
'Smash And Grab' Burglars Are Back, Toms River Police Warn A Jersey Shore police department is warning its residents about "smash and grab" burglars. "Since the beginning of June, the central and northern New Jersey areas have been hit by a group known as the 'Felony Lane Gang,'" Toms River police said. This organized group targets parking areas of public parks, gyms, and recreation areas all over New Jersey with car burglaries. Residents are warned not to leave valuables in cars. A few things to be aware of: They are often driving rental cars with out-of-state plates. This group originates from Florida and drives-up the eastern seaboard to com…
Six Flags' Popular El Toro Rollercoaster Reopens Saturday Six Flags' Popular El Toro Rollercoaster Reopens Saturday
Six Flags' Popular El Toro Rollercoaster Reopens Saturday El Toro, the popular wooden roller coaster at Six Flags Great Adventure, will reopen to riders on Saturday after a malfunction closed the ride last August, officials said. The ride will reopen to season pass holders Saturday, June 17 at 9:30 a.m., said Staci Wheeler, a Six Flags spokeswoman. Regular ticket holders will be able to ride starting at 1:30 p.m. Similar season pass holder hours will be held on Sunday June 18. Fourteen people were hurt on the ride last August when it suddenly lurched forward. It had been ordered shutdown for repairs and inspections by the New Jersey Department o…
Kingda Ka Rollercoaster Closes After Malfunction At Six Flags Great Adventure Kingda Ka Rollercoaster Closes After Malfunction At Six Flags Great Adventure
Kingda Ka Rollercoaster Closes After Malfunction At Six Flags Great Adventure Kingda Ka, the world’s tallest roller coaster located at Six Flags Great Adventure, is closed after a malfunction (scroll for video of the ride). It's the second coaster ride closed after El Toro closed in August, also due to a malfunction. El Torro is set to reopen on Saturday, June 17. Kingda Ka, which is 456 feet high, has been shut down since June 5 after suffering an apparent unintended rollback. Front Rider's Perspective on Kingda Ka (Intamin AG: Accelerator Coaster) at Six Flags Great Adventure in Jackson, Sharp Productions The malfunction involved "a mechanical failure of a co…
Jersey Shore Man With 157 Cats Charged WIth Animal Cruelty: Prosecutor Jersey Shore Man With 157 Cats Charged WIth Animal Cruelty: Prosecutor
Jersey Shore Man With 157 Cats Charged WIth Animal Cruelty: Prosecutor A 54-year-old man from the Jersey Shore, who owned 157 cats, has been charged with animal cruelty, authorities said. Twenty-five of the cats owned by Jeffrey Finlay of Brick had to be euthanized, according to Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer. On May 4,  Brick police were requested to respond to a residence on Mantoloking Road for assistance with removing an excessive number of animals from Finlay's residence. Police found 157 cats and three dogs living at the residence.  The animals were transferred for treatment and evaluation to the Northern and…
Route 35 Closed For Pedestrian Crash (DEVELOPING) Route 35 Closed For Pedestrian Crash (DEVELOPING)
Route 35 Closed For Pedestrian Crash (Developing) Route 35 in Middlesex County was closed due to a serious pedestrian crash, authorities said. The crash occurred at about 3:20 p.m. on Thursday, June 15 southbound north of Ernston Road in Sayreville, according to the New Jersey Department of Transportation. All lanes were closed, 511njorg reported. An unconfirmed report said that the crash involved a fatality. CHECK BACK FOR UPDATES
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