Articles by Bruce Shipkowski

Runaway Steel Drum From Construction Site Kills Woman

A steel drum weighing thousands of pounds somehow rolled out of a construction site in Pittsburgh and eventually struck and killed a woman who was walking on a nearby sidewalk, police said. The accident occurred around 10:40 a.m. last Friday …

Severe Weather Spawns Tornado, Damage and One Death in South, Midwest

Thousands of homes and businesses were without power Tuesday as severe weather roared through several states, causing at least one death and spawning possible tornadoes. Parts of Ohio, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, West Virginia, Virginia and Georgia were under …

Testing Drone Delivery of Lifesaving Supplies into Disaster Zones

How to distribute lifesaving supplies quickly and safely after a natural disaster has long been a puzzle for responders. Now, drones might be the lifesaver. That idea was put to the test last month in New Jersey as a drone …

Putting Drone Deliveries of Disaster Relief to the Test

How to distribute lifesaving supplies quickly and safely after a natural disaster has long been a puzzle for responders. Now, drones might be the lifesaver. That idea was put to the test this week in New Jersey as a drone …

New Jersey Bill Would Make Texting While Walking Illegal

Jared Schumacher is among the hundreds of thousands of New Jerseyans who routinely use electronic devices to text, listen to music or do other tasks as they walk outdoors. But if a “distracted walking” measure recently proposed by a state …

Post-Blizzard, N.J. Gov. Apologizes to Official for ‘Crazy’ Comment

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie said Tuesday that he personally apologized after calling a New Jersey shore official a “crazy mayor” and forcefully rebutted critics who suggested the state hasn’t done enough to help residents dealing with the aftermath of …

N.J. Lawmaker Wants to Ban Smoking in Vehicles When Kids Present

A New Jersey state senator wants to stop smokers from lighting up in vehicles if children 16 and under also are present. Joseph Vitale said the measure he introduced last month would protect children from being exposed to tobacco products …

Housing Focus of Next Sandy Aid for New Jersey

Restoring housing and expanding a fund that finances thousands of affordable rental units for low- to moderate-income families will be how New Jersey spends most of what will likely be the final round of Superstorm Sandy relief money. New Jersey …

New Jersey Bill Targets Vehicles Registered Out of State

New Jersey is taking aim at residents who fraudulently register their vehicles or obtain auto insurance in other states. The Assembly recently passed a measure that makes so-called “reverse rate evasion” a form of insurance fraud under state law. Under …

New Jersey Bill Targets Vehicles Registered Out of State

New Jersey is taking aim at residents who fraudulently register their vehicles or obtain auto insurance in other states. The Assembly recently passed a measure that makes so-called “reverse rate evasion” a form of insurance fraud under state law. Under …