'Chopped' Chef Charged, 9 NJ Schools Honored: 5 Must-Read Stories

NEW JERSEY — Hello NJ Patch readers! On the weekend, we assemble some of the most share-worthy stories from the state this week you may have missed.

Here are the top five stories from New Jersey this week:

Same-Day Real ID Appointments Open In NJ Ahead Of New Deadline

If you have been waiting to get a federal REAL ID for your driver’s license, state transportation officials are trying to make things easier ahead of a May 2025 deadline.

Missing Boater's Vessel Broke Apart After Capsizing Off Jersey Coast

Authorities are continuing to search for a Brick Township man who went missing after his family's boat capsized last week near Manasquan Inlet. The community has been lighting lanterns outside homes and businesses — a tribute to missing boaters — until 21-year-old Derek Narby is found.

New Arrest For NJ 'Chopped' Chef Yehudiel; 1 Victim Speaks

Bergen County restaurateur Shalom Yehudiel has been arrested again on charges of sexually assaulting a minor.

Student Stabbed On Union Campus At Kean University

The stabbing is believed to be connected to a group riding around the campus on bicycles, said authorities.

9 NJ Schools Named National Blue Ribbon Schools For 2023

About 350 schools were named National Blue Ribbon Schools for 2023. Here are the schools in New Jersey.