Amazon, Blue Cross Among Biggest NJ Layoffs In Early 2026
Thousands of workers across New Jersey are being impacted by layoffs reported in early 2026, according to state WARN filings.
Major employers across retail, healthcare, finance, and logistics industries reported job cuts affecting communities from Bergen County to South Jersey, state records show.
Among the largest layoffs reported:
Amazon: Passaic (240), Bergen (417), Monmouth (141), Hudson (44), Statewide (29), effective 4/28/26
Blue Cross Blue Shield of NJ: Newark, 242 layoffs, effective 4/26/26
Bristol Myers Squibb: Lawrence Twp, 247 layoffs, effective multiple dates through 12/31/26
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UMass Student, 21, Killed In DC Triple Shooting While Interning For US Congressman: Police
A rising college senior interning on Capitol Hill was shot and killed in Washington, DC this week, officials confirmed.
Eric Tarpinian-Jachym, 21, of Granby, Massachusetts, was fatally shot on Monday night, June 30, in Northwest DC, the Metropolitan Police Department announced.
Officers with MPD's Third District responded to the sound of gunshots around 10:30 p.m. in the 1200 block of 7th Street NW.
There, they found three victims suffering from gunshot wounds: an unconscious man, a conscious woman, and a conscious 16-year-old boy.
All three were transported to area hospitals b…
Franklin Lakes Dad Jossy Thomas Dies, 44: 'The Guy That Was Supposed To Win'
Jossy Thomas of Franklin Lakes died on Saturday, April 26, 2025, following a courageous battle with illness, according to his obituary from the Vander Plaat Funeral Home website. He was 44 years old.
Thomas was Head of Trading at QTrade Capital Partners, where his sharp mind and strategic vision earned him respect and admiration," his obituary reads. He previously worked at UBS Investment Bank. Thomas earned his MBA from NYU Stern and a bachelor's degree in computer science from Stony Brook University, the obituary says.
Born in Queens and raised in Hicksville, NY, Thomas is …
LI Candidate Vanishes While Exercising On Beach, Cops Recover Clothing Left On The Shore
New details have emerged in the disappearance of an aspiring politician from New York.
Petros Krommidas, 29, of Baldwin, was reported missing to Nassau County Police on Thursday, April 24.
Krommidas, a Democratic candidate for the Nassau County Legislature’s Fourth District, parked his car near the Allegria Hotel in Long Beach and walked onto the beach to exercise at around 10:30 p.m. Wednesday, April 23, friend Maria Lo shared on Facebook.
Police recovered his towel, clothes, and phone on the beach the following morning.
"He has always been in great shape and has many future p…
Pro Golfer-Turned Fitness Model, Sister-In-Law Open Vegan Cookie Shop In Maywood
A former pro golfer and fitness model with nearly 17,000 followers on Instagram is bringing her healthy-living passion to the dessert world — one cookie at a time.
Miko Page, 33, of Guttenberg, and her sister-in-law, Amal Page, 49, of Clifton, have opened Kukki Vegan at 7 East Pleasant Ave. in Maywood.
The vegan cookie and dessert shop specializes in small-batch treats made without dairy or harsh chemicals — something Miko said she was desperate to find during the pandemic.
"During the pandemic, we were eating a bunch of junk, and I can’t do dairy," said Miko, a pro golfer-turned fitness m…
MIT Star Athlete, Manhattan Medical Student, Boyfriend, And Family Killed In Plane Crash
A private plane carrying a close-knit family of high-achievers — including a decorated MIT athlete, a rising Manhattan medical student, and her finance-driven boyfriend — crashed in Columbia County, killing all six people aboard, authorities announced.
The crash happened around 12:05 p.m. on Saturday, April 12, in a muddy field in Craryville, located in the town of Copake near the Massachusetts border, according to the Federal Aviation Administration.
The twin-engine Mitsubishi MU-2B had departed from Westchester County Airport in White Plains and was en route to Columbia County Airport whe…
Ex-Westport Exec Who Stole $4.4M From CT Company In Crypto Scam Gets 4 Years: Feds
A former Connecticut finance executive will serve four years in prison for embezzling more than $4 million from his employer in a slapdash cryptocurrency fraud scheme, federal authorities said.
Dylan Meissner, 31, was sentenced to 48 months in federal prison, followed by two years of probation, after he pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges, The US District Attorney for Connecticut said this week. Meissner must also repay the company $4,633,424.99 — $4.4 million of which he stole, and the rest is for a loan, authorities said.
As vice president of finance at a cryptocurrency …
Lansdale BBQ Pitmaster Mike Wister Of NJ Dies Suddenly From Illness
A Pennsylvania BBQ pitmaster and business owner with roots in New Jersey has died suddenly, according to his obituary posted by Huff & Lakjer Funeral Home.
Michael "Mike" C. Wister, 58, originally of Elizabeth, NJ, but most recently of Lansdale, PA, passed away suddenly after a short illness at home on Saturday, Sept. 28, as detailed in his obituary.
For 20 years, Mike ran small roadside BBQ stands, then he ran Wister’s Barbecue on Main Street for five years before moving to Broad Street in Lansdale where it's been for over two years, as explained in his obituary.
In his spare time, h…
$42K Raised For Family Of NJ Man Killed In 'Tragic Accident' Vacationing In Thailand
Michael Basciano, a 34-year-old Mount Olive native, died while on vacation in Thailand on Tuesday, July 9, according to his obituary at the Dangler Funeral Home website.
Basciano died in a "tragic accident," according to a fundraiser set up to support his family, though additional details have not been made available. As of Wednesday, Aug. 7, the fundraiser has raised more than $42,000.
Basciano graduated Mount Olive High School in 2008 and worked in construction management before going into finance, spending the last nine years at Asset Based Lending, his obituary reads.
Last year B…
