The Top Barnegat-Manahawkin Stories Of 2023: Year In Review

BARNEGAT-MANAHAWKIN, NJ — It's been a busy year in Barnegat and Manahawkin!

From the announcement of a new Super Wawa to the opening of new restaurants, there was certainly a lot going on.

Here are the five top-viewed articles from the Barnegat-Manahawkin Patch in 2023.

5. Double Homicide Under Investigation In Barnegat: Prosecutor

One of the biggest stories out of Barnegat this year was the double homicide of Eugene and Cheryl Mulgrew. Police said their son, 34-year-old Michael Mulgrew, stabbed the two to death in their house. He was reported to have been dealing with mental health issues, which his parents were seeking help for. Eugene was remembered fondly by his former colleagues as being a dedicated family man.

4. 5 Injured In School Bus Crash In Barnegat: Reports

A bus driver, an aide and three students were injured when a Lexus struck their bus on the Garden State Parkway as they were heading from Southern Regional. The bus overturned in the crash and the Lexus ran off the road and up an embankment.

3. Was That An Earthquake? Rumbling Strikes South Jersey

Residents down in Cape May up to Barnegat and west towards Gloucester County all reported a strange rumbling one day in January, with their windows shaking and some fearing their house was about to collapse. Was it an earthquake? There was no recorded seismic activity that day. One possible solution was a sonic boom, as the Department of Defense does military testing offshore over the Atlantic Ocean. But there's no way of knowing for sure.

2. Cozy Barnegat Diner Named One Of NJ's Hidden Gems

Lucille's Luncheonette, tucked away in Warren Grove, had a busy year for sure. The theft of their iconic Jersey Devil statue made headlines statewide, but all was well when a new statue was commissioned and revealed. The beloved diner was named of the best hidden gems in New Jersey, with its menu of delicious comfort food. It's far from the first accolade the eatery's received, having been around since 1975.

1. Necropsy Results For Barnegat Bay Minke Whale Revealed

After a minke whale stranded itself repeatedly in Barnegat Bay waters this past October, it was humanely euthanized by authorities. The necropsy revealed that the whale had froth in the lungs and "a heavy parasite load" in the gastrointestinal tract. No signs of trauma were observed, according to the Marine Mammal Stranding Center.