Life After Lottery: Winners Discuss How Life Changed After Hitting Jackpots; Keeping It Secret Life After Lottery: Winners Discuss How Life Changed After Hitting Jackpots; Keeping It Secret
Life After Lottery: Winners Discuss How Life Changed After Hitting Jackpots; Keeping It Secret The only thing better than winning the lottery is doing it anonymously. There are countless stories of lottery winners who've gone bankrupt in part from empty-handed "friends" or scammers looking for a rich target.  In Massachusetts, winners must divulge their names and pose with novelty checks boasting their jackpot amount unless they create a trust to collect their cash. Attorney David Spillane, a partner at the Quincy-based law firm SKB Attorneys, who's done nearly 100 of these trusts, connected us with some of those winners who chose to keep their paydays a secret to see what life …
Yamileth D. Marenco, Operating Room Nurse, 41 Yamileth D. Marenco, Operating Room Nurse, 41
Yamileth D. Marenco, Operating Room Nurse, 41 Yamileth D. Marenco, of Pennsauken, died on March 26, according to an obituary published by Falco, Caruso & Leonard Funeral Home. She was 41 years old. Yamileth was the first in her family to graduate from college and was a surgical technologist for over 15 years, working as an operating room nurse at Cooper Hospital, where her compassion and dedication touched the lives of countless patients and colleagues, her obituary said. Beyond her work at the hospital, Yamileth made a lasting impact by collecting donations for the children of her home country, Nicaragua. "Her commitment to improv…
Two Single Mothers Lose Homes In Toms River Fire: Campaigns Two Single Mothers Lose Homes In Toms River Fire: Campaigns
Two Single Mothers Lose Homes In Toms River Fire: Campaigns Two single mothers in Toms River are looking for help after a multi-family home was destroyed by a fire, according to fundraising campaigns. A firefighter was taken to the hospital for evaluation after falling at the scene of a two-story house fire on Bergen Avenue at around 2:04 p.m. on Saturday, Mar. 9. The Toms River Bureau of Fire Prevention said no one else was injured and two cats were found safe. Firefighters were able to quickly put out the flames and remained on the scene for about 90 minutes. The home was ruled as an unsafe structure by the township's building department. A GoFun…
NJ High School Educator Nominated For National Teacher Of The Year NJ High School Educator Nominated For National Teacher Of The Year
NJ High School Educator Nominated For National Teacher Of The Year A Monmouth County educator who was named New Jersey's teacher of the year could also get the same recognition nationally. Joe Nappi, a history and social studies teacher at Monmouth Regional High School in Tinton Falls, is one of four finalists for the 2024 National Teacher of the Year award, The Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) announced. Nappi won the state's Teacher of the Year award in September 2023. The other finalists are Cat Walker from Alaska, Christy Todd from Georgia, and Missy Testerman from Tennessee. Nappi is the third Garden State educator to be a nati…
Panhandler Who Attacked Elderly Pair Gets Prison Time For Beating Them With Victim's Cane In DC Panhandler Who Attacked Elderly Pair Gets Prison Time For Beating Them With Victim's Cane In DC
Panhandler Who Attacked Elderly Pair Gets Prison Time For Beating Them With Victim's Cane In DC The panhandler responsible for a life-altering attack on an elderly couple outside a Northwest DC grocery store will spend years in prison for beating the pair up with their own cane when they didn't give him enough charity, according to officials. District resident Alexander Adams, 35, was sentenced to 96 months in prison, followed by three years of supervised release after pleading guilty in December to two counts of aggravated assault of a senior citizen. His sentence comes after he violently assaulted 78-year-old John Hopkins and then 79-year-old Claudia Hopkins outside Giant in the 370…
'RIP To The Queen:' Condolences Pour In For Toms River Icon Sondra Fortunato, 'Miss Liberty' 'RIP To The Queen:' Condolences Pour In For Toms River Icon Sondra Fortunato, 'Miss Liberty'
'RIP To The Queen:' Condolences Pour In For Toms River Icon Sondra Fortunato, 'Miss Liberty' Sondra Fortunato, an iconic New Jersey entertainer and model known to many as "Miss Liberty USA," has died. Condolences were widely posted online on Thursday, Jan. 11 for the well-known local celebrity from Toms River, including the town's Republican party organization. "Dear sweet Sondra, I first met you when I was about 12 years old. I'm now 66. We girls would see you in Seaside buying the latest fashion's," one mourner wrote. "We were all fascinated by your stunning appearance. You truly were the first Barbie doll!  "As the years went by it was a delight to see you in Toms River wh…
Hoboken SantaCon Arrests, Summonses: Guests On Better Behavior This Year, Police Say Hoboken SantaCon Arrests, Summonses: Guests On Better Behavior This Year, Police Say
Hoboken SantaCon Arrests, Summonses: Guests On Better Behavior This Year, Police Say Guests at Hoboken's annual Santacon were on better behavior this year than last, but arrests were still made, police said. Two people were arrested and another 34 people were issued summonses at the annual SantaCon in Hoboken on Saturday, Dec. 16, authorities said. SantaCon is an annual bar crawl where people dress up like Santa. While the event raises money for charity, it has become reviled by many residents, disgusted by the trail of drunken mayhem left in its wake.  This year's SantaCon had less arrests than year's past, Marci Rubin, a spokeswoman for the city said.  "Arrest…
Charities To Benefit From Maryland Lottery Player's $620K 'Multi-Match' Jackpot Win Charities To Benefit From Maryland Lottery Player's $620K 'Multi-Match' Jackpot Win
Charities To Benefit From Maryland Lottery Player's $620K 'Multi-Match' Jackpot Win A Howard County man still can't believe his luck days after winning a six-figure jackpot playing a Maryland Lottery game. Last week, a $620,000 "Multi-Match" ticket was sold at Royal Farms in Elkridge, which was claimed by a Columbia man at Maryland Lottery Headquarters on Monday, officials say. On the night of Thursday, Dec. 7, the lucky longtime lotto player picked up $10 in tickets from the grocery store, choosing a mix of quick-pick and personal numbers to take a shot at the jackpot. The winning numbers of the drawing were 15-24-26-35-39-41. When he went to check his numbers on t…
Central Mass Lottery Winner Has Noble Plans For His Payday Central Mass Lottery Winner Has Noble Plans For His Payday
Central Mass Lottery Winner Has Noble Plans For His Payday A Worcester County lottery winner said he wants to put the money he's won to good use by funding his son's education and giving to charities he believes in.  Venkataramanan Balakrishnan, of Shrewsbury, won $25,000 a year for life after he matched the first five numbers on his Season Ticket. They're the same five numbers he's been playing for years.  Balakrishnan chose to take the one-time lump sum payment of $390,000 (before taxes) rather than the annuity.  He said he would use the money on his mortgage, his son's education, and charitable causes. He didn't go into which cha…
Former Officer Avoids Jail Time After Stealing From New Rochelle Charity For Autistic Children Former Officer Avoids Jail Time After Stealing From New Rochelle Charity For Autistic Children
Former Officer Avoids Jail Time After Stealing From New Rochelle Charity For Autistic Children A former police officer and co-founder of a Westchester-based charity for autistic children has been sentenced after stealing $24,000 from his own organization named after his son, officials announced.  New Rochelle resident Christopher Greco, age 52, was sentenced to a one-year conditional discharge for stealing from Christopher’s Voice, Inc., a New Rochelle-based charity for autistic children that he co-founded, Westchester County District Attorney Miriam Rocah announced on Friday, Dec. 3. Earlier Report - Former Police Officer Steals $24K From New Rochelle Charity Fo…
Swampscott Cook Turns Scary Injury Into $40K In Donations To Hospital That Saved His Finger Swampscott Cook Turns Scary Injury Into $40K In Donations To Hospital That Saved His Finger
Swampscott Cook Turns Scary Injury Into $40K In Donations To Hospital That Saved His Finger Matthew Swartz sliced his finger open while carving his family's Thanksgiving turkey four years ago, and he's turned that scary moment into a yearly tradition of giving back to the people who saved his digit.  Swartz, of Swampscott, is a cook by trade. He opened Matteo’s, a Newton restaurant that featured Mediterranean Italian cuisine, in 1999 before he sold the place in 2005. But despite his years as a cook, slicing his index finger while trying to cut off a leg of his Thanksgiving turkey in 2019 is the worst injury he says he’s had in a kitchen. “I grabbed my butcher knife, and I de…
$1M Lottery Win: Mass Man Loses Winning Ticket, Housekeeper Finds It $1M Lottery Win: Mass Man Loses Winning Ticket, Housekeeper Finds It
$1M Lottery Win: Mass Man Loses Winning Ticket, Housekeeper Finds It A Middlesex County man is $1 million richer now, thanks to his honest housekeeper.  Khalil Soussa, of Medford, won the payday playing the “15,000,000 Money Maker” scratch-off lottery game, Massachusetts Lottery Officials said.  He bought the ticket months ago but lost it. Soussa's housekeeper found it inside a vase, the lottery said.  Soussa took the lump sum of $650,000 before taxes rather than the annuity.  He said he plans to use the money to help a friend and donate to charities.  He bought the ticket at Tony’s Convenience at 416 Salem St. in Medfor…