Jersey Shore Headlines

Area police searching for a man who tried to lure a 13 year old into his SUV. That story and more in today's Townsquare Media News for Monmouth and Ocean Counties.

Police in Toms River are on the lookout for a man they say tried to lure a child into his vehicle. Investigators say the man pulled up in a dark blue or black SUV while the 13-year old boy was playing in his yard and offered the child candy. The suspect is described as a clean shaven, thin white man with long black hair in his early to mid-20s.

A Tinton Falls man is facing charges after police say he attacked his pregnant wife, punching her in the stomach. 21-year old Anthony Dileo is charged with simple assault. He's also charged with criminal mischief for smashing his wife's cell phone. Investigators believe he may have been under the influence of drugs at the time of the attack.

Three Pit Bulls abandoned in the woods of Monmouth County, left chained to a tree with no food or water, have been rescued after a trail hiker noticed them. They were abandoned not far from the SPCA shelter. Police are looking for whoever did it.

The onetime Monmouth County SPCA volunteer accused of letting around 300 birds starve to death in the house she shared with her mother pleads not guilty to animal cruelty. Gretchen Rell's lawyer describes her as a good-hearted volunteer who was trying to rehabilitate the birds but became overwhelmed by the number she took on. Animal advocates say they're way of a plea bargain.

Examine the ID of anyone showing up at your door claiming to work for United Water, especially if you didn't place a service call. Ocean County investigators say scammers are worming their way into a rising number of homes. They recommend leaving the individual outside the house and calling the company or the Prosecutor's Office.

The State Senate has failed to override Governor Christie's conditional veto of the Superstorm Sandy 'Bill of Rights' legislation. Senate President Stephen Sweeney pushed the measure, over concerns about how the state has distributed aid.

More than 1,300 young people died from drug overdoses in our state last year, and heroin was the chief culprit in most of those deaths. So why has the heroin epidemic exploded so dramatically here? Because of our seaports, airports and proximity to other major population centers, NJ has become the top heroin distribution gateway state in the northeast. The Partnership for a Drug-Free NJ says teens don't think twice about snorting heroin, which is much different than it used to be.

Even though the homeless enclave in Lakewood, known as Tent City, is essentially closed, individuals who remain aren't planning to go away quietly.Tent City residents will be using social media to notify supporters about upcoming rallies and government meetings. Some predict that the closure of the Lakewood site will only lead to the creation of smaller scattered homeless camps.

As the weather gets hotter, your child can be at a higher risk  for heatstroke while in the car. Since 1998, 600 hundred children have died from heat related injuries in the car. A car can jump 20 degrees in 10 minutes, leaving young children susceptible. Once a child's temperature hits 104, they're at serious risk for major organs shutting down.

Jersey Central Power and Light is using social media to keep the lines of communication open with its customers.A web site with outage maps and reporting is now available. There is also a Facebook page and text messaging app. The utility encourages all customers to report outages and to access the personal outage information JCP&L provides online.

The Little League State Championships are getting closer, and returning to the home of two-time World Championship winners - Ocean County. After 20 years, the Little League and Junior League State Championships will be held in Berkeley Township at the Moorage Baseball Complex in Bayville. Championship week begins July 22nd and could run to July 28th if teams are forced to play a do-or-die game.