Sunday, November 8, 2026
type here...
Support Local News

RIDGE VIEW ECHO WRITER

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer

471 ARTICLES
Joe brings decades of journalism experience to the Ridge View Echo, covering everything from local school boards to the U.S. Supreme Court. A former National Law Journal editor and Columbia Law School press officer, he now enjoys telling community stories in Blairstown, where he lives with his wife, Rose, and their two dachshunds.
Transportation

Knowlton Assured No Freight Trains on Cutoff

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
The reopening of the Lackawanna Cutoff railroad tracks across North Warren for proposed Amtrak service between Scranton and New York won’t happen until at...
Municipal Actions

Warren County Honors Blairstown for 250th Celebration 

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
Blairstown was recognized by the Board of County Commissioners for having one of the best Fourth of July celebrations in Warren County. At the Township...
Outdoor Recreation

Blairstown Gets Dam Report

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
The Blairstown Township Committee got a dam progress report about the restoration of the Paulins Kill River two years after the demolition of the...
Phalon's File

What Are You Waiting For? Call the Police!

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
Every so often somebody on social media posts about a suspicious person in the neighborhood or even at their door. So, they ask, “What...
Frelinghuysen Fire

Burning Questions Continue Over Frelinghuysen Fire Department

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
The war of words between the Frelinghuysen Township Committee and the Frelinghuysen Volunteer Fire Co. continued over the weekend after a shorted-lived suspension of...
Weather

Foul Air to Persist Until Saturday Night

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
North Warren is in for at least one more day of unhealthy air, which is expected to worsen overnight Friday. The onslaught of smoke and...
Frelinghuysen Fire

Frelinghuysen Fire Dept. Threatens Service Suspension

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
UPDATED: The Frelinghuysen Volunteer Fire Co. threatened an immediate withholding of emergency services Friday morning, then less than two hours later issued a statement...
Family Fun

Blairstown Fourth Thunders Through Stormy Weekend

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
Q. What do you get when you mix ducks and July Fourth? A. Fire-quackers! Ba-dum bump! Thank you, you’ve been a great audience! I’m here all...
Weather

JCP&L Blasted for Storm Response

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
The repeated series of rain and wind storms that have battered the North Warren area for the past six days are expected to ease...
Weather

Worst Heat Wave in 15 Years Scorching North Jersey 

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
An extreme heat warning has been issued for Warren County and most of the rest of New Jersey starting Wednesday at noon. With high temperatures...
Community

Divided Frelinghuysen Finds Common Ground on Founders’ Day

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
It hasn’t been easy being Frelinghuysen for the past year or two, but local residents were able to forget their differences for at least one day as the township celebrated its annual Founders’...
Land Preservation

Frelinghuysen Moves to Lock Out Detention Centers 

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
Add detention centers — along with cannabis farms, warehouses and data centers — to the list of facilities not welcome in Frelinghuysen. Describing it as...
Community

Cub Pack 140 Celebrates Past, Present and Future

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
Cub Scout Pack 140’s Blue and Gold Dinner celebrated friendship and personal achievement, including the recognition of the achievements of several past Eagle Scouts. Speakers...
Phalon's File

World Cup Coming Up Empty for Jersey

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
See if you agree with the following statement. “The words do not exist in any language or dialect that could express how little I care...
Community

UPDATE: Blairstown Reeling After Home Fire Deaths of Paul and Sheila Avery

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
Blairstown—as well as surrounding communities—are expressing disbelief at the deaths Tuesday of Paul and Sheila Avery, who perished in a fire at their Mohican...
This Just In

Paul and Sheila Avery Perish in Early-Morning Blairstown House Fire

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
Two beloved, long-time Blairstown residents died in a house fire early Tuesday, according to New Jersey State Police. Paul and Sheila Avery were found unconscious...
Pets

Chew on This: Dogs Get the Boot From Tunnel Field

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
How much is that doggie in the park? In Knowlton a canine in a town park could cost up to $200. The township committee earlier...
Taxes

Knowlton Residents to See $42-Per-Year Tax Increase 

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
The Knowlton Township adopted its 2026 budget this week. The $2.7 spending plan increases property taxes $42 for the year on an average home...
Municipal Actions

Frelinghuysen Adopts $2.02 Million Budget

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
The Frelinghuysen Township Committee adopted its 2026 budget May 18, which will result in a $2.54 per month tax increase for the average homeowner,...
Community

Threat of Rain Doesn’t Deter Memorial Day Parade Marchers

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
The Givens-Belet American Legion Memorial Day parade wasn’t favored with bright blue skies and sunshine, but any heavy rain steered clear of the events....
123...31Page 2 of 31

Featured

About us

Ridge View Echo is your local independent, nonprofit and nonpartisan news source. We provide local news serving the Blairstown, Frelinghuysen, Hardwick, Knowlton and surrounding communities in northern Warren County, New Jersey.

Ridge View Echo is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit news organization.

Articles

The latest

Knowlton Elementary School Sees Strong ELA Scores; For Math, It’s Complicated

Knowlton
It’s test score presentation season, that time of year...

Beech Blight Aphids: The Bugs That “Boogie Woogie”

Notes From the Fallen Tree
Beech blight aphids are a type of woolly aphid...

After Second ICE Operation in Hackettstown, Local Groups Unite in Protest

Community Issues
About 50 protesters marched through downtown Hackettstown on Sunday,...
Make a Contribution

Sign up for free

Never miss a story. Receive breaking news, local alerts, and headlines in your inbox each week.

© 2026 Ridge View Echo. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy | Terms of Use
Development by WHY KYRA DESIGNS