Monday, November 9, 2026
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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.
News

Man Airlifted After 100-Foot Fall From Paulinskill Viaduct

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
A man was airlifted after falling from the Paulinskill Viaduct in the Hainesburg section of Knowlton Township Sunday afternoon. State Police spokesperson Trooper Christopher Postorino...
Entertainment

Blairstown Welcomes Return of Jason for Peacock’s ‘Crystal Lake’ Series

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
It was déjà vu all over again as Main Street in Blairstown once again became the town of Crystal Lake, New Jersey, home of that lovely Voorhees family.  Over...
Phalon's File

Revenge of the Target Lady

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
One of the biggest, if not the biggest, I-told-you-so moments in history was unfolding 40 years ago this summer. Business executives in charge of one...
Land Use

Zoning Reversal Sinks Cannabis Proposal in Frelinghuysen

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
The application for a cannabis cultivation facility in Frelinghuysen was effectively denied by the Township Land Use Board Monday night. In a marathon session, the...
Entertainment

‘Friday the 13th’ Origins Series to Shoot in Blairstown

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
The Voorhees family is returning to Main Street in Blairstown next week. “Crystal Lake,” a prequel to “Friday the 13th” — currently filming under the...
Transportation

Delaware River Bridges Face Proposed Toll Increases in 2026

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
It could cost more to leave New Jersey next year. Coming back will still be free. Tolls at Delaware River bridge crossings could rise as...
Land Use

Frelinghuysen Cannabis Hearings Resume Monday

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
Hearings on a proposed cannabis production facility in Frelinghuysen are expected to resume Monday before the township Land Use Board, following a three-month hiatus...
Featured1

The Big Wheel Is a Big Deal at the Blairstown Mill

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
Historians and the curious were recently granted a rare look inside the inner workings of the Old Mill on Blairstown’s Main Street. The massive water...
Community

Hundreds Flock to Blairstown Fourth and the Duck Race

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
A duck walks into a pharmacy and says, “One Chapstick, please.” The clerk says, “Here you go. Will that be cash?” The duck says, “No. Just...
Weather

Flash Flood Watch in Effect: Warren County Braces for Heavy Rain

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
The National Weather Service has issued a Flash Flood Watch from 2 p.m. Monday to 2 a.m. Tuesday for all of Warren County. Slow-moving showers...
Things to Do

Blairstown’s Fireworks Outshine the Storm

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
One way or another, Blairstown was going to have fireworks July 3. The only question was whether they would be supplied by Mother Nature...
Family Fun

Historic Old Mill to Welcome Visitors for Blairstown Fourth Festivities

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
The doors to the Old Mill on Main Street will welcome visitors this Friday in celebration of Independence Day — just one of many...
Phalon's File

The Bicentennial: When American Went Bonkers

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
July 4, 2025, will mark the one-annum countdown to the semicentennial of the Bicentennial. “What are you talking about, Phalon?” you might ask. You are probably...
Community

Warren County Celebrates 200 Years With Music, History and Fireworks

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
Warren County knows how to throw a birthday party. The county’s bicentennial was celebrated June 28 at Warren County Community College with music, food and...
Music

Slambovian Circus of Dreams Opens Summer at Ramsaysburg Homestead

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
Slambovia Nation came to Knowlton as the Slambovian Circus of Dreams kicked off the summer concert season at the historic Ramsaysburg Homestead’s Riverside Amphitheater...
Good News Groove

North Warren Art Students Awarded Over $100K Scholarships

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
It was an evening to shine for the artists of North Warren Regional High School. The school’s annual art show, held on May 29, has...
Phalon's File

Shopping Basket Cases

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
I’ve got some game when it comes to shopping. And I am also good at returns, but that is ground which has been amply...
Interesting Folks

Jason(s) Prowl the Streets of Blairstown on Friday the 13th

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
It was just another Friday the 13th to the rest of the world, but in Blairstown, those who don’t suffer from paraskevidekatriaphobia could be...
Schools

North Warren Graduation Celebrates Resilience, New Beginnings for Class of 2025

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
North Warren Regional High School continued a streak of sunny skies for its graduation ceremonies, and as a bonus, this year brought cooler temperatures....
Local Elections

Karen Lance Wins GOP Primary, Looks Ahead to November and Local Challenges

Joe Phalon, Contributing Writer -
Incumbent Karen Lance was nominated for another term on the Blairstown Township Committee on Tuesday, fending off a challenge by former Committeeman Charles Makatura. While...
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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,...
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