Top 5 Stories In Lacey For 2025

LACEY, NJ — 2025 was a busy year in Lacey, with the Jones Road Wildfire, some truly wacky crimes, businesses coming and going and more.

What did Lacey Patch readers click on most? These are five top articles from the past year.

5. Shuttered Oyster Creek Power Plant Could Get New Life Under Proposal

Year after year, Lacey residents wonder what the future of Oyster Creek will be. Holtec International, which owns the plant, said they want to build four small nuclear reactors on the site. After building these reactors, the site would have enough land leftover to install a solar energy capture plant, officials said.

4. Drinking Driver Hits Multiple Cars, Goes Airborne, Jumps Into Lake In Wild Cop Chase, NJ Police Say

This is one of those stories that's just too crazy to be fake. A man who was openly drinking alcohol while driving a car he did not have consent to drive was caught after a wild cop chase Lacey that involved multiple cars being hit, the driver's car going airborne, the driver crashing into a utility pole and ultimately fleeing on foot and diving into Deerhead Lake, where officers finally arrested him, Lacey police said. The cherry on top? He was cited for swimming in the lake without a beach badge.

3. Son Indicted For Dad's Murder In Lacey Home: Prosecutor

Justin Donaldson, 38, was indicted by a grand jury on Jan. 20, 2025 for the murder of David Donaldson, 67. He had a long history of mental illness, according to documents obtained by Patch.

2. $28.9M Bond Referendum Passes: What It Means For Lacey Residents

Voters had their say this November, and they voted in favor of the $28.9 million bond referendum for Lacey schools. The question passed with 56.59 percent of the vote, according to the unofficial results from the Ocean County Clerk's Office; 7,388 voted "yes," while 5,668 voted "no."

1. Waretown Man Accused Of Starting Jones Road Fire That Burned 15K Acres

Unsurprisingly, the top story of the year was about the Jones Road Fire, which burned through more than 15,000 acres. It was one of New Jersey's biggest wildfires in the past 20 years. And authorities say it was due to Joseph Kling, charged with aggravated arson.