Weird NJ

Recently Demonic and I were hiking in some woods off Weldon Rd. We ran into some kids and started talking about exploring. One of the first words out of there mouths was "WeirdNJ"

We told them that we aren't fans of there site. Every site that gets mentioned on that site gets trashed. They just laughed and said, "yeah, we know about that"

Anyone else have any dislike toward Weird Nj because of this?

Explain us their trespasses


A wave of trespassing arrests on the former Essex County Hospital Center grounds in Cedar Grove has the Sheriff’s Department blaming Weird NJ, a biannual travel magazine that chronicles local folklore.
As a result of recent “plainclothes police surveillance,” 40 young adults and teenagers have been arrested or detained for trespassing at abandoned hospital center during the past two weeks, according to authorities.
“Regretfully, this location is a favorite haunt of juveniles and adults who frequent the Web site Weird NJ,” Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura said in a press release.
“This department contacted Weird NJ and advised its operators that our surveillance and arrests would continue. If our information is not prominently posted on the Weird NJ Web site, its operators may be liable to lawsuits initiated by those arrested at the hospital grounds.”
Weird NJ co-publisher Mark Moran said that although the magazine has encountered infrequent complaints from parents of arrested teenagers before, it has never faced such a lawsuit.
“People need to take responsibility for their own actions. It’s nobody else’s fault if you choose to break the law,” he said.
The trespassing has been taking place at night; the ages of the trespassers range from 16 to 20. Almost all were from out-of-town, coming from Orange, Glen Ridge, Montville, Pine Brook, Belleville and even as far as Castleberry, Fla.
There was a single instance of criminal mischief – a broken window – and none of the arrests involved alcohol or drugs, according to the Sheriff’s Department.
“These are just bored kids,” said a sheriff’s spokesman. “But it’s dangerous in there. There’s asbestos in there…. It’s just not a safe place to hang out.”
Moran agreed that it’s not a good idea to go poking around at the hospital center site.
“We try to impress upon people that we’re not encouraging them to go to places like this…. Even if you don’t get arrested, you might die. That’s the nature of abandoned buildings.”
Still, that’s not Weird NJ’s fault, Moran emphasized. Nor is the recent wave of trespassing arrests at the old hospital center.
Moran said that his magazine hasn’t printed an article on the hospital center grounds in Cedar Grove for years. A glance at the archive on the Weird NJ Web site turns up two articles referencing the hospital grounds, both written in 2001 and 2002.
The sentiment that Weird NJ promotes trespassing is not a new one, said Moran, nor is it fair.
He noted that the magazine and Web site have a disclaimer that states Weird NJ is not intended as a guide for trespassing.
“We cannot control people who choose to break the law or destroy the places we write about,” the disclaimer reads. “Although we call it a travel guide, it is intended to be read with the knowledge that some places cannot be visited… trespassing is illegal…those who disregard this advice will (in most cases) be arrested and charged.”
Moran added that the magazine regularly posts messages from local police departments on its Web site, telling people that arrests are being made at a particular site and warning them to stay away.
The recent Essex County Sheriff’s Department’s warning has been added to the message board, said Moran.
“We strive to take people to places they can’t go themselves…. We’re a virtual form of getting into a dangerous situation.”
The magazine often gets sanctioned visits to these otherwise restricted areas to do this, he added.
In fact, many people realize the historical and journalistic value of what Weird NJ does, said Moran. They include Verona Historical Society President Gerald Caprio.
Caprio, who has submitted several articles to Weird NJ himself, said that the magazine definitely contributes to the local historical consciousness.
“They do a lot to encourage the study of local history, whether it be factual or the stuff of legends,” he said. “It whets people’s appetites [for history]…. At least they’re paying attention to the places.”
According to Moran, reader submissions make up at least half of Weird NJ’s content.
Moran said that the magazine’s function as legitimate journalism often gets overlooked.
“It’s condescending to our magazine and our readership when [police] assume that people are trespassing because of us,” said Moran, who added that it’s unfair that Weird NJ isn’t granted the same legitimacy of other, more traditional journalistic entities. Other local publications have done articles about the hospital and sanitarium grounds, he noted.
“Why don’t police call The Star-Ledger and ask them to print a disclaimer?”
The Sheriff’s Department spokesman told the Times that the old hospital center and former sanitarium has also been featured on other Web sites, such as Youtube and WatchLocalVideos.com.

I hate Weird NJ so much. They bring so many idiots to good spots.

Manehawk wrote: I hate Weird NJ so much. They bring so many idiots to good spots.

Thank You.


We think alike. :thumbup:

I totally agree fellas, some things are best left unsaid. During WW2 there was a saying "loose lips sink ships" it kinda aplies here too

hidinginshadows wrote: I totally agree fellas, some things are best left unsaid. During WW2 there was a saying "loose lips sink ships" it kinda aplies here too

I agree, WeirdNJ is some loose lips for sure.

i also agree weird NJ just bring destruction to sites