Community Corner

12 for '12: Long Valley's Most Read Stories

These articles received the most views from readers in 2012.

While Long Valley Patch published thousands of original articles in 2012, some resonated with readers more than others. Below is a top 12 (for 2012) of the most read stories of the year.

Click on the headline to see the full post.

Dead Body Pulled From River in Hackettstown

The year kicked off on a somber note, as authorities pulled the dead body of 55-year-old Candido Bonilla of Hackettstown from the Musconetcong River on January 3. Employees of Greenway Flowers on the Washington Township side of the river observed the body that morning and called police.

Find out what's happening in Long Valleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

A major scare at Hackettstown High School gripped the community on the morning of March 26, as an alleged gunman called police and said he was wandering the woods near the school and was prepared to take action. The threat, in the end, came away as unfounded, but widened the eyes of many in the area.

On Dec. 30, 2011, Long Valley’s Stephen Berstler went missing. Hours later his belongings were found near and on the George Washington Bridge. When the news broke, Berstler’s mom, Sandi Basenese, told Patch she believed her son was missing at the time and would be coming home soon. Berstler’s body was found in the Hudson River on Feb. 8.

Find out what's happening in Long Valleywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Outages Drop as JCP&L Adds More Manpower

This is just one of many posts that readers used for information during Hurricane Sandy and its aftermath. In Washington Township, power was out for anywhere from 48 hours to 14 days for residents and businesses, and cable and phone service for some were out for close to a month. For a full page of coverage from Hurricane Sandy and its aftermath, go here.

Brain Cancer Claims Life of Long Valley Teen

After a five-year battle with brain cancer, 14-year-old Glenn Lightner succumbed to the disease he and his family fought so hard against. Lightner passed in December, but not before fighting the cancer both stateside and abroad with a flood of help from the Long Valley community. For a full page of coverage from Lightner’s journey, go here.

Chris Connors of Belvidere, formerly of Mt. Olive, died in a car crash on a dangerous section of Rt. 46 in Budd Lake in October, with two others being hospitalized as a result of the crash. The roadway was closed for hours to clear up the debris. Connors is survived by his wife and four children.

A neighborly welfare check ended in finding a deceased resident in early October on Ann Road. That person was Tracy Kohl, 55, who died of natural causes, according to the Morris County Prosecutor’s Office.

Mayor: Township is Top Priority Despite Absence

A pre-planned vacation by Washington Township Mayor Ken Short near the end of the power outage caused by Hurricane Sandy drew the ire of some residents in town. Short responded with a letter to the community through Long Valley Patch, explaining he felt the town was in good hands with the remaining committeemen in charge.

A 20-year-old Long Valley man who was a passenger in a vehicle involved in a three-car crash on Schooley’s Mountain allegedly assaulted police after fleeing the scene of the accident in March. Samuel Tawiah was asked by police if he was ok following the crash when he then physically assaulted two police officers, Washington Township Police said.

Insider Trading Scam Allegedly Centered Around Long Valley Man

U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman announced on Nov. 19 that a Long Valley man and pharmaceutical company executive had been charged as part of a $1.4 million insider trading scheme that lasted close to five years. The man, John Lazorchak, could face up to 20 years in prison and a $5 million fine.

On a humid August night, local and state law enforcement were dispatched to an area of cornfields on Turtleback Road in search of a suicidal man wielding a shotgun. The incident ended without anyone injuries, but put a major scare into the community.

Transit of Venus Captured on LV Teen’s iPhone

Suzanna Nussbaum, a Long Valley teenager, simply took a photo with her iPhone through the lens of a telescope during the Transit of Venus in June. What came of the photo was national attention, as her smartphone and the technology of the telescope mixed to create some amazing imagery along with the actual transit.


Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts.

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here