Long Hill Woman Found Safe After 3-Day Search

Carrie Ruffner found 3.4 miles from home Saturday after last being seen Wednesday in Basking Ridge.

A Long Hill woman who had been missing since Wednesday was found safe Saturday afternoon. Carrie Ruffner, 34, was found by Long Hill police Sgt. Aaron Buerstetta at 3:49 p.m. near the intersection of Carlton Road and Whitebridge Road in Millington, only 3.4 miles from her home. Ruffner was transported to Morristown Medical Center for evaluation, acting Morris County Prosecutor Fredric Knapp said in a release. Authorities did not say where Ruffner had been for the past three days or if she suffered from a medical condition. Ruffner disappeared after leaving her parents' house in Basking Ridge around 7:30 p.m. Wednesday, and had been expected back at her own home on Meyersville Road in Long Hill. A large search coordinated by the Morris …

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Body Found in Swamp ID'd as 62-Year-Old Man

Authorities said there was no foul play involved in the man's death.

The body found last week near the Great Swamp has been identified as a 62-year-old Florida man, the Morris County Prosecutor's Office said. Thomas Zelante, of the Morris County Prosecutor's Office, identified the body found last Tuesday in the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge as Daniel Armbrecht, of Fort Myers, Fla. The Observer Tribune previously reported the man was a Lake Hopatcong resident who was shot in the stomach. Online records show Armbrecht had lived in Lake Hopatcong as well as South Amboy and Fort Myers. Zelante declined to comment on the specific nature of the man's death, but said no foul play was suspected. Sgt. Mark Giasanti, of the Harding Township Police Department, said he believed Armbrecht was visiting the area …

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Body Found off Great Swamp Trail, Officials Say

Discovery was made Tuesday near Long Hill Road in Harding Township.

A body was pulled out of the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge Tuesday in Harding Township, the Morris County Prosecutor's Office said. The body was found just off a trail near a parking lot on Long Hill Road in Harding Township, according to Harding Police. Long Hill Road runs through the swamp and into Long Hill Township. According to Harding Police, the road is a common destination for hikers and cyclists, and there are marked trails throughout the area. Christopher Kimker, of the Morris County Prosecutor's Office, is leading the ongoing investigation. No further information has been released.

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PHOTOS: Basking Ridge Among Top N.J. Foliage Spots

Looking for a great spot to see fall's best leaves? Here are three statewide suggestions from MapQuest, including our own town.

New Jersey fall foliage features brilliant hues and spectacular scenery. The changing colors of leaves in autumn is one of nature’s most beloved rites of passage–and makes for one of the most popular and inexpensive getaways for families. As part of LeafQuest–a MapQuest series helping leaf peepers across North America find easy and rewarding destinations–here are three recommended spots for viewing New Jersey fall foliage.—Saira Bajwa  Did Washington sleep here? You bet. The idyllic town of Lambertville has historical significance for those with an interest in Revolutionary War-era. General Washington made the then-named Holcombe farm his headquarters, and famously crossed the Delaware River just downstream from here. Lambertville–now a …

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Great Swamp Hosts Butterfly and Milkweed Presentation

Presentation focuses on how plants like milkweed, native to New Jersey, can bring butterflies into your life.

It was a rainy afternoon when nature lovers were invited to a free presentation at the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in Basking Ridge “Sunday with Friends: Butterflies and Native Plants.”  Rain shortened a heavy tour of the wildlife refuge's new butterfly garden. But attendees were able to learn about butterfly-friendly native plants and identification of butterfly species. The presentation was co-sponsored by the Friends of the Great Swamp National Wildlife Refuge and the N.J. Native Plant Society. The Discovery Den at the Helen C. Fenske Visitor's Center was filled to capacity with young and old who learned more about butterflies and milkweed, the unique plant that covers much of our state. The new garden with butterfly-friendly …

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