New Jersey Police Order Nude Snow Sculpture Covered

Police in New Jersey ordered a snow sculpture modeled on the famous nude Venus de Milo to be covered up after a neighbor complained, the artist said.

Elisa Gonzalez, 44, carved the ancient Greek-style torso from snow on her front lawn in Rahway and says her work was initially a hit.

“It looked very beautiful,” she said. “We got a lot of attention from people in the neighborhood. Some of them got out and took pictures and spoke to us.”

One neighbor clearly felt the snow nude — headless, armless, and cut off above the knees — was too hot.

“We had a visit from the local police who told us that a neighbor had complained about the statue and we needed to cover it up or knock it down,” Gonzalez said. “We didn’t want to have any problem with the police so we covered it up.”

The original Venus de Milo, which is housed in Paris’ Louvre museum, depicts a nude woman. She also is without arms, although her head is intact.

Snookie Says No Nude Pictures Or Sex Tape

Reality TV star Nicole Polizzi aka Snookie has ruled out report suggesting her nude pictures and videos have been up for sale to various media outlets.

Although Snookie doesn’t mind showing some of her skin in the MTV reality series “Jersey Shore”, the 21-year-old actress claimed that the news which was first outed by Radar Online is nothing but a “snook gossip”.

On February 2, the same day the site came up with the report, Snookie wrote her Twitter page, “Idk [I don't know] where radar online comes up with their stories..weirdos.” An hour later, she posted another message, clearing up the report “Like i said before about my supposed ‘sex tape’…There are no nude pictures nor will there ever be. the tabloids just love snook gossip ;].”

Snookie as reported by Radar Online, snapped herself wearing nothing but her smile. The site continued to detail the photos, claiming that in one shot Snookie is seen in her bedroom, kneeling on her knees with one hand on the ground while the other one holds the rail of the bed frame. However, another photo is too raunchy to be described, so the site shared.

Previously, another cast of “Jersey Shore” was also struck by the same deal. Jenni Farley aka J-WOWW allegedly had her naked photos being shopped to several media outlets. Radar Online reported that they have at least three of the 23-year-old reality TV actress’ racy pictures, showing her topless and wearing only a small wrap around her waist and boots.

Plane Lands Safely On The New Jersey Turnpike

A pilot hired to make traffic reports for a local radio station became the news himself when he made an emergency landing on the busy New Jersey Turnpike.

The Cessna single-engine airplane joined the morning rush hour in the most unexpected way after developing engine trouble, but landed safely, said Joe Orlando, chief of staff for the New Jersey Turnpike.

“There were no injuries, no vehicles involved. The pilot did a fantastic job,” Orlando said. “We have 600,000 to 700,000 cars on the road every day and the guy managed to find a safe enough opening to land the plane.”

The accident occurred at 06:46 am (1146 GMT) but fortunately not in the northern section of the Turnpike, near New York, where the traffic is most dense.

The pilot, who was broadcasting live traffic reports for Philadelphia radio station KYW, managed to get his crippled aircraft to the side of the road, although he still created a 1-1/2 mile (2.4 kilometer) tailback.

“He did an extraordinary job,” Orlando said. “But if I was a reporter, I’d be thinking about trying not to create the news.”

Actress Brittany Murphy Dead At 32

Brittany Murphy, the bubbly, free-spirited actress who appeared in films including “Clueless” and “8 Mile,” has died. She was 32.

Murphy was pronounced dead at 10:04 a.m. PT Sunday at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, hospital spokeswoman Sally Stewart told CNN Radio.

The Los Angeles Police Department is investigating the death, and robbery and homicide detectives will be at her home, LAPD spokeswoman Norma Eisenman said. No other details were immediately available.

“In this time of sadness, the family thanks you for your love and support,” Murphy’s publicist, Nicole Perna, said in a statement. “It is their wish that you respect their privacy.”

Murphy starred in several movies, including “Just Married,” “Don’t Say a Word,” and “Riding in Cars with Boys.” She also voiced the character Luanne on the animated TV series “King of the Hill.”

She is survived by her husband, Simon Monjack, whom she married in 2007.

Murphy’s former boyfriend and “Just Married” co-star Ashton Kutcher posted his reaction to the news via Twitter.

“2day the world lost a little piece of sunshine. My deepest condolences go out 2 Brittany’s family, her husband, & her amazing mother Sharon,” Kutcher posted.

He added later: “see you on the other side kid.”

Singer-actress Jessica Simpson tweeted: “Brittany Murphy was an incredible ray of Light to so many people. Her smile was contagious. My prayers are with her family and loved ones.”

Murphy was best known for her work in a string of romantic comedies in the early 2000s, including lead roles in “Uptown Girls” alongside Dakota Fanning, and “Little Black Book” with Holly Hunter and Kathy Bates.

She also lent her voice to a number of animated works. In addition to her “King of the Hill” role, Murphy’s raspy voice could be heard on the TV series “Futurama” and the 2006 hit movie “Happy Feet.”

Her work as troubled teenagers in “Don’t Say a Word” and “Girl, Interrupted” also gained her critical acclaim.

It’s Official! The Nets Set The Record

They are off to the worst start in NBA history, and the New Jersey Nets might not have hit bottom yet.

“There’s going to be a few more weeks of adjustment, unfortunately,” outgoing interim coach Tom Barrise said.

How much lower can they get?

New Jersey was pounded into NBA infamy Wednesday night, falling 117-101 to the Dallas Mavericks for its 18th straight loss to start the season.

The Mavericks made 17 of 19 shots and opened a 27-point lead in a nearly flawless second period, burying the Nets early in former New Jersey captain Jason Kidd’s second trip back to his old home.

The Nets passed the 1988-89 Miami Heat and 1999 Los Angeles Clippers, who both dropped their first 17 games. New Jersey’s next chance to end the streak comes Friday at home against Charlotte.

Dallas shot 81 percent in the first half, the first NBA team to make 80 percent of its shots in a half since the Denver Nuggets hit 82 percent against the Clippers on April 4, 2006, according to STATS, LLC.

“At this point, I feel the streak has definitely gotten the best of us. It’s really not starting to get to us now,” guard Chris Douglas-Roberts said. “So when a team goes on a run, we kind of, it’s almost like we give up, which is really unfortunate but that’s what it looks like to me. We kind of give up and just lay down instead of trying to fight.”

The NBA record for longest single-season skid is 23 games, shared by the Memphis Grizzlies and Nuggets.

Wayward Deer Swims The Hudson

A wayward deer is on its way back to the wild after an urban adventure that saw it roam through downtown Jersey City, leap into the Hudson and swim to Governor’s Island.

New York television station WABC-7 reported the deer made its way on to the rocks at Governor’s Island before police caught up to it and tranquilized it.

A Jersey City police spokesman said the department received calls at lunchtime Tuesday of a buck roaming near downtown. Witnesses saw it leap into the water near the Exchange Place area.

Police plan to transport it back to the mainland, but did not say where it will be released.

Officials Nab Turnpike Turkey

A wild turkey that’s taken up residence at a New Jersey tollbooth and spends its days scooting around 18-wheelers won’t have to dodge Thanksgiving traffic.

State Fish and Wildlife officials netted the bird Wednesday after failed attempts during the weekend.

The turkey had been trotting around the busy toll booth since the spring, weaving around traffic at the 14B interchange in Jersey City.

“Apparently, this turkey decided to make Jersey City her home, alongside of one of the top five busiest toll roads in America,” said turnpike spokesman Joe Orlando. “She didn’t want to leave, she was a regular, and to be honest with you, she probably had better attendance than a lot of the employees.”

Wildlife officials believe the 11-pound female turkey may have taken a wrong turn out of Staten Island and become disoriented. She spent her days causing stunned truck drivers to slam on their brakes and prompting some spectators to run across several lanes of traffic to pose for pictures with her.

Toll collector Robin Bonner and her colleagues have nicknamed the scraggly bird “Tammy the Turnpike Turkey.”

“I’m going to miss her when she’s gone,” said Bonner, who has been feeding the turkey Cracker Jacks and sunflower seeds. “Tammy has become the hit of the turnpike, she’s a good bird.”

Turnpike officials finally decided to have Tammy removed after complaints from drivers intensified.

The turkey kept wildlife officials at bay for nearly an hour Wednesday, as they crept around behind her with a net gun to try to capture her. After a few more trips back and forth across several lanes, she was scooped up, placed in a cardboard box, and driven to the Popcorn Zoo in Lacey Township.

A Very Happy Mistake In New Jersey

No one is complaining about a $100,000 mistake made by a southern New Jersey store clerk.

Indian Fields Market owner Domenic Galle says a man walked into the Bridgeton store and asked for a Deuces Wild scratch-off lottery ticket Monday night.

Galle says the clerk gave him an Aces High ticket instead.

The clerk chased after the man when she released she had made a mistake. But he was gone.

Galle says the man walked in an hour later with a $100,000 winner.

The man doesn’t want his name released.

Turnpike Turkey Causes Havoc

Authorities have stopped trying to capture a wild turkey that calls Interchange 14B on the New Jersey Turnpike home.

The bird has been causing havoc for toll collectors and motorists as it runs across toll booths, plays in traffic, and sits atop toll collectors’ parked cars.

Turnpike Authority spokesman Joe Orlando said efforts over the weekend to catch the turkey were unsuccessful, and for the time being, the bird will be left alone.

Collectors will have to continue putting cones on their parked cars because the turkey likes to jump on the cars, and motorists will continue dodging the bird.

Cory Booker Bans Conan O’Brien From Newark

Conan O’Brien may think twice before insulting Newark, NJ again.

Last week on ‘The Tonight Show’,” O’Brien took a jab at the city, saying:  “The Mayor of Newark, New Jersey wants to set up a citywide program to improve residents’ health. The health-care program would consist of a bus ticket out of Newark.”

Now, Newark Mayor Cory Booker has taken to YouTube to personally deliver his reaction to O’Brien: placing the funnyman on the Newark airport no-fly list.

In the video, a fired-up Booker defends his city, saying that Newark is “one of the fastest growing cities in the Northeast” and airs footage of Newark residents responding to O’Brien’s joke with shock and anger.

“Try JFK, buddy,” says Booker, after he “officially” puts O’Brien on the no-fly list at the tail-end of the minute-long YouTube address.

Lesson learned: Don’t mess with Jersey!