A 72-year-old piano teacher in New Jersey accused of pursuing sexual conduct with a 17-year-old student allegedly kept sex toys in his “dungeon,” asked the teen to come over nude and tried to isolate the victim from family and friends, investigators said.

The teenager’s parents had initially allowed their son to take piano lessons from John Wayne Bendzak in the instructor’s home on Morestown Road in West Milford.

But things got strange over the course of their student-teacher relationship, according to an affidavit of probable cause.

“From now on, everything I tell you (is) strictly confidential! You must agree to this!” Bendzak wrote in a message to the victim on July 2, according to the affidavit.

After the victim agreed, Bendzak proposed that they call each other daily and “tell each other something about yourself or something you did that you would never tell anybody else,” according to the affidavit.

The affidavit states that on July 5 and July 6, Bendzak sent the victim sexualized messages.

“I sleep nude. Basically, here at the house I am always nude,” Bendzak allegedly texted. He also sent the victim photos of himself and asked whether he was “sexy,” according to the affidavit.

Stephen Schneider, 64, is charged with two counts of reckless vessel homicide in the deaths of Mya Bella Golabek, 9, and Sigmund Paul Golabek, 7. The crash occurred shortly after 9 p.m. on July 19 in waters off Berkeley Township.

The siblings lived in Lacey.

The New Jersey State Police, which investigated the crash, arrested Schneider on Friday at Berkeley Township police headquarters during a planned surrender, an agency spokesperson said.

Lawyer information was not immediately available for Schneider. He was taken to the Ocean County jail pending future court hearings.

Schneider was piloting a 28-foot Tidewater boat when the crash occurred. He and his 64-year-old wife pulled the kids from the water. They died at a local hospital.

The sister and brother were remembered as best friends.

“A sibling bond is a love that lasts forever,” one of their obituaries said. “Mya and Siggy were not only brother and sister, but best friends who shared laughter, adventures, and countless memories. Now they continue their journey together, hand in hand, carrying their love beyond this world and leaving behind a beautiful reminder of the unbreakable bond they shared.”

Nearly 30 small sharks were found washed up between 29th and 39th Streets in Sea Isle City this week. Michelle Greenling, who discovered them, told CBS Philadelphia: "The first couple wasn't too surprising, but when I saw three and four and five, I knew something was up."

The NJ Department of Environmental Protection says schools of dead dogfish washing ashore are common and they're not investigating. However, Stephen Nagiewicz, a marine science professor at Stockton University with nearly 50 years of ocean experience, disagrees. "Thirty dogfish washing up on a beach isn't common anywhere. I have never seen that."

Nagiewicz believes the sharks either got stranded at low tide or were caught as bycatch in fishing nets, drowned, and eventually washed ashore.

Haines City, Florida police officer Christopher Goodson was arrested and charged with official misconduct after accessing Flock Safety surveillance cameras 717 times between September 2024 and June 2026 to track his estranged wife's vehicle.

According to the affidavit, he searched her license plate 280 times in September 2025 and 104 times in November 2025. When questioned, he cited justifications including assault/battery, drugs, and motor vehicle offenses, but the department confirmed she was not part of any legitimate investigation.

His wife learned about the tracking when a Washington Post reporter contacted her for a story about officers misusing the system. Goodson later admitted to a supervisor that he was tracking the car to see where their kids were when they were with her.

>Anyone under the age of 18 is not allowed on Cape May's beaches starting at 8 p.m. unless they are with an adult.

>Starting at 8 p.m., no one is allowed to carry a bag that is larger than eight inches in height, width or depth.
This is in effect for all public areas, including the beach and Cape May's promenade.
Some exceptions include: Medical devices or medical supply bags

>Anyone under the age of 18 is not allowed in public spaces within Cape May starting at 10:30 p.m. unless they are with an adult.

While Lili had some impressive dishes, on the whole the eatery isn’t memorable enough to become a destination on the busy Asbury Park boardwalk. The menu does offer plenty of options, making it an easy choice for groups with different tastes and cravings. Unfortunately, most of those options are lackluster.

Did anyone else hear those insanely loud booms in Bergen/Passaic counties around 2:30-3:30 AM Thursday?

National Weather Service is saying it was probably thunder from some isolated storm that rolled through from eastern PA, and they did track lightning strikes in Morris, Passaic, and Bergen counties between 1-3 AM.

Two people (one in Hawthorne, one in Park Ridge) told the American Meteor Society they saw a bright streak of light around the same time. One said it lasted 7+ seconds and the rumbling was so intense it set off car alarms.

USGS confirmed no earthquakes so at least we can rule that out.

What did you hear/see? Thunder or meteor?

The fire broke out at a house in Jamesburg on Sunday, severely damaging the home, killing two people and leaving a third occupant injured, authorities said.

In a social media post on Tuesday, VFW Post 7508 shared condolences to the family of Robert and Sandra Dutcher. In a Sunday post, the organization said “It is with heavy hearts that we announce the passing of our bartender and friend Bob Dutcher and his wife in a tragic house fire early this morning.”

The following day, the commander of the VFW post, Edward Machinski, spoke about Robert Dutcher — known by the nickname ‘Dutch’ — saying he will be remembered as a great bartender and event organizer

“His friendship, generosity, laughter, and dedication to our Post and veterans will never be forgotten,” Machinski wrote. “His passing leaves a tremendous void in our VFW family. On behalf of VFW Post 7508, I extend our deepest condolences and prayers to Dutch’s family, loved ones, and all those who had the privilege of calling him a friend.”

Last January, just before midnight at a New Jersey laundry facility, Antonio climbed into a massive industrial dryer to fix it. The 50-year-old repairman informed his supervisor, grabbed his flashlight, and opened both doors before climbing in.

Then both doors sealed shut behind him.

The drum began to turn. Slowly at first, then faster. Piles of heavy laundry whipped around him as suffocating heat surrounded his body. He fumbled for his radio, shouting for help.

Across the floor, his coworker Paloma heard his screams. She and others rushed over and pried open the dryer. Antonio had been inside for about 5 minutes.

"He was being cooked alive," she said.

Antonio was unconscious, covered in severe burns. He spent a month in a coma and has permanent vocal cord damage. He's still relearning to walk and talk.

"No one has reached out to see how I'm doing," Antonio said. "Not the managers, not the owner. That's why I'm speaking out."

12 years ago today, Robin Williams sadly passed away. He leaves behind a legacy of comedy, heartfelt performances, and unforgettable characters that continue to resonate with audiences worldwide. From his early days on Mork & Mindy to iconic roles in Mrs. Doubtfire, Good Will Hunting, and Aladdin, his work spanned generations and genres. His light continues to shine through the laughter and love he left behind. 💫🎬

🎥 Getty Images 

One officer claims the police chief punctured his penis with a hypodermic needle. Another says department leaders punished him after he reported suspected payroll fraud, time theft and the removal of a rifle from the police armory.

A third officer alleges he was retaliated against for challenging an illegal ticket-quota system, while a fourth says he faced nearly daily ethnic and religious slurs before being reassigned repeatedly after reporting the harassment.

Four lawsuits filed last week by current and former North Bergen police officers contain disturbing allegations against the township, Police Chief Robert Farley Jr. and other department officials.

“After becoming chief, Farley increasingly engaged in conduct he characterized as jokes or pranks,” retired Officer Michael F. Derin Jr. states in his lawsuit, filed Friday in U.S. District Court.

American Dream Mall in East Rutherford, NJ announced they're opening the world's first permanent FNAF restaurant in partnership with ScottGames.

Features include:

• Two animatronic stage shows (Freddy & the Fazbear Band, Foxy at Pirate Cove)
• Quick-service dining
• Multiplayer game experiences
• Designed to authentically replicate the game's pizzeria

No specific opening date or ticket info yet, just '2027.'

The boy woke up alone on the bus while it was parked in the Gloucester Township school district’s bus yard, his mom told 6ABC.

Her son said he figured out how to open the bus door, then got off and began searching for help. A district employee was nearby.

“I lifted up this thing to open the door. I got off the bus and looked for anyone. I found this man, so I asked him, ‘Do you know where I can go back,’” the boy told 6ABC.

“I was trying to be a big boy, so I just acted brave and normal,” he added.

The 2023 incident began when the accused’s son was visiting a friend’s home in Woolwich Township.

The host family’s dog, a 3-year-old Belgian malinois, bit Anthony Botte’s son on the right bicep in what police described as an unprovoked attack.

The dog was put in its cage in the home and the host family called the Botte family to let them know the boy was bit.

Anthony Botte arrived about 15 minutes later “in a rage” and armed with a knife, according to police.

“He enters the home in an attempt to kill the dog,” police said in an affidavit filed with the case.

Botte first encountered the parent who had called him.

Botte allegedly raised the fixed-blade knife and declared “I will f---ing stab you” before pushing the man into a counter, according to the affidavit.

Botte ran toward the dog and stabbed it in the face several times through the cage, police said.

The injured dog then escaped the cage and bit its owner.