HGTV Stars File Bankruptcy, Ashley Madison Affairs In N.J., Concert Shooting: August 2015 on Patch

We are presenting our “12 days of 2015 on Patch” by looking at New Jersey Patch’s top 10 stories of each month in 2015.

During August, a family of bears made headlines in North Jersey after they decided to go for a swim in a backyard pool. Also, the cousins of HGTV filed for bankruptcy over a Bergen County renovation project and a mother reflected on her daughter’s heroin death. 

RELATED

• Top Stories of January 2015
• Top Stories of February 2015
• Top Stories of March 2015
• Top Stories of April 2015
• Top Stories of May 2015
• Top Stories of June 2015
• Top Stories of July 2015

Here is the full list of the top 10 stories on Patch sites across New Jersey during August 2015:

1. WATCH: Mama Bear And Cubs Go Swimming In Backyard Pool (August 21)

Five cubs, one mom made themselves at home in a Rockaway Township above ground pool

2. HGTV’s ‘The Cousins’ File For Bankruptcy Over Bergen Renovation (August 12)

A judge ruled against ‘The Cousins’ in a case claiming they did shoddy work on a renovation project in Tenafly.

3. No One Could Save Briana. Not From Heroin. (August 27)

A New Jersey mother described the troubles with her daughter’s heroin addiction, and how a system failed her. Briana Hoppel died last year.

4. Map Shows Top 100 New Jersey Communities for Ashley Madison Affairs (August 26)

The data collection identified a list of towns and the numbers of users in each community, but did not reveal names.

5. 30 N.J. Towns With The Most Heroin Abuse (August 18)

These are the communities - both large and small, urban and suburban - with the most reported heroin abuse cases in New Jersey.

6. Aspiring Singer Dies Right After Successful ‘American Idol’ Audition (August 4)

Natasha Bellott had a winning ticket in her pocket when she died in a car crash. She was headed home to surprise her family in Bloomfield.

7. N.J. Shooter Kills Self, Two Others, In Hours-Long Police Standoff (August 29)

An active shooter shot and killed a man and a woman. Officers were reportedly “pinned” during the standoff.

8. Two Critical After Shooting At PNC Arts Center In Holmdel (August 4)

Two people were shot and wounded outside the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel where Hip-hop artists J. Cole, Big Sean, YG and Jeremih had been playing to a sold-out crowd.

9. The 50 Safest Towns In New Jersey (August 4)

Safewise released a list of the safest towns in New Jersey, noting that the state’s violent crime is dropping.

10. N.J. Waitress Gets Taunting Tip: ‘LOL’ (August 25)

A waitress said she would have preferred to get no tip than what was written on her dinner receipt: “LOL.”