Paramus NJ, Every Tuesday at 9 a.m., Thrive’s Walking Club meets at Westfield Garden State Plaza. Last Tuesday, we had a special event at Sur La Table! Each walker was given a beautiful dish towel compliments of the Thrive program, plus sample expressos, cappuccinos and an instant pot demo by the store manager! March 27th will be the final day of indoor exercise for the Walking Club. If you would like to join us, please call 1-800-825-5391 to register. You may also go to www.valleyhealth.com/thrive for more information.
Hackensack NJ, Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Dennis Calo announced the arrest of TIMOTHY SMITH (DOB: 4/16/1975; divorced; and employed as deli counter help) of 360 Main Street, Apt 333, Hackensack, New Jersey on six counts each of Sexual Assault by Contact and Endangering the Welfare of a Child. The arrest is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Robert Anzilotti, and the Hackensack Police Department under the direction of Officer-in-Charge, Captain Francesco Aquila.
On Friday, February 16, 2018, the Hackensack Police Department was contacted via 911 that children at an indoor public pool in Hackensack, NJ had been touched on their intimate parts by Timothy Smith during a public swim program. The Hackensack Police Department responded. An investigation was initiated by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and the Hackensack Police Department.
As a result of the investigation, Timothy SMITH was arrested on February 23, 2018 in Hackensack, NJ and charged with six counts each of Sexual Assault by Contact, N.J.S.A. 2C:14-2B, a crime of the 2nd degree; and Endangering the Welfare of a Child, N.J.S.A. 2C:24A(1), a crime of the 3rd degree. Timothy SMITH is scheduled for a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing in Hackensack, New Jersey on February 24, 2018 at 9:00 A.M.
Acting Prosecutor Calo states that the charges are merely accusations and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt, and would also like to thank the Hackensack Police Department for their assistance in this investigation.
Ridgewood NJ,Car thieves use laptops to hack and steal vehicles.According to the National Insurance Crime Bureau, an industry group, thefts like this are a growing trend. Someone gets in a late-model car and fiddles with an electronic device, then drives away.
The last few years Car thefts, have been made easier because owners have left keys in the vehicle. The Ridgewood blog reported a significant number of vehicle thefts in North Jersey and now with the aid of a laptop it could get worse.
Hackensack NJ , The Lonegan for Congress campaign is questioning if Democrats have infiltrated the ranks of the Republican Party in the 5th District now that a prominent New Jersey family with ties to Democrat Josh Gottheimer is publicly supporting John Mcann in the Congressional race.
Harry Shortway is the Mayor of Vernon Township, in Sussex County. His father, also named Harry Shortway, is the Mayor of Midland Park, in Bergen County.
Harry Shortway of Vernon was the most prominent Republican in Sussex County to endorse liberal Democrat Josh Gottheimer for Congress. His father, who held a patronage position with the Democrat Sheriff of Bergen County, recently told GOP officials that he too was supporting Democrat Gottheimer.
On Sunday, February 25th, the Shortways will be hosting a campaign event for John McCann’s congressional campaign committee. The event will be held at the family business: Shortway’s Barn, in Hawthorne. McCann claims to be a loyal Republican, but why are two Republican supporters of the Democrat incumbent supporting him?
McCann was also in the employ of the Bergen County Democrat Sheriff Michael Saudino until announcing his run for Congress last September.
Are the Democrats attempting to pick the winner of the Republican primary for Congress in the 5th District?
FACEBOOK LINK: McCann-Shortway Meet & Greet see photo
Westwood NJ, according to the Westwood Police a 79-year-old woman was struck and injured crossing Kinderkamack Road and Irvington Street Wednesday afternoon.
Westwood Police were summed to the scene at 12:08 p.m. The victim began crossing Kinderkamack Road when Patricia Shaw, 76, of Midland Park turned left from Irvington Street onto Kinderkamack Road. Westwood Police were assisted by Hillsdale Police , Westwood Volunteer Ambulance Corps, and Micron Advanced Life Support .
According to police the victim was walking in southbound lane when the driver failed to yield and hit her with the front driver’s-side part of the vehicle.
The woman was knocked to the ground and injured on the lower part of her body. She was stabilized at the scene and rushed to Valley Hospital in Ridgewood. The extent of her injuries is unknown.
The 76 year old driver failed to yield the right of way to a pedestrian and was charged with failure to stop/yield at an intersection, making an improper turn, failure to maintain a lane and failure to yield to a pedestrian.
Westwood Police will also submit a re-evaluation to the state Division of Motor Vehicles regarding Shaw to determine if she is fit to operate a motor vehicle.
The Westwood Police Department is asking for the public’s cooperation in reducing the number of accidents involving pedestrians and bicycles in the borough.
Hillsdale NJ, On February 21, 2018, the Hillsdale Police Department was made aware of a suspicious incident that took place on Bedford Road, near the Ann Blanche Smith School. The incident involved a nine-year-old student of the school that was walking home after school was dismissed. As the student approached Bedford Road a vehicle that was being driven by a middle-aged, white man with a crew cut said: “hey, come here”. The student described the vehicle as a smaller, black, four-door vehicle.
Despite our efforts, our follow-up investigation did not reveal any further details other than those provided by the student.
Please take this incident as an opportunity to discuss stranger safety with your children and remind them of the following:
• An adult does not need help from a child — not to find a puppy, not for anything. If an adult is asking you for help, that’s a warning sign;
• Don’t walk away with anyone other than a parent, or the person who was already arranged to take care of you that day;
• Always stay at least an arms distance away from any strangers or strange vehicles;
• Avoid walking places alone, use the buddy system;
• Point out places children can go for help when walking places like school and the park;
Washington DC, according to Attorney General Jeff Sessions , “Each year, an estimated $3 billion are stolen or defrauded from millions of American seniors. Through “grandparent scams,” fake prizes or even threats, criminals prey on some of the most vulnerable Americans to steal their hard-earned savings and their peace of mind.”
Upscale towns like Ridgewood, Glen Rock etc are often the prime targets of these scams . The Ridgewood blog has reported over and over again senior scams , phone scams , internet scams and identity theft .
And this threat is only growing. The Senate Aging Committee’s Fraud Hotline received twice as many reports in 2016 as it received in 2015. The rise of new technologies has made it easier for criminals to coordinate their efforts and perpetrate their crimes.
The Trump Administration is taking action. We will not let this crime continue to rise.
Last month, the Department ordered all 94 of our U.S. Attorneys’ offices to each designate an elder justice coordinator, who will customize our strategy to protect seniors in their district. This will ensure even greater cooperation between the Department of Justice and our law enforcement partners.
The Trump administration is forming unprecedented law enforcement partnerships around the country and, indeed, around the world. These partnerships are already bearing fruit.
Today, the Department of Justice is announcing the largest elder fraud enforcement action in American history.
With the help of our partners at all levels of government and in the private sector, we have charged more than 200 defendants for committing elder fraud schemes and brought civil actions against dozens more.
These defendants allegedly robbed more than one million Americans of more than half a billion dollars.
In the past month alone, the Department’s Consumer Protection Branch and our U.S. Attorneys’ Offices have filed cases against more than 40 defendants. These 40 defendants are responsible for a majority of those 1 million victims I mentioned, and they include charges against the transnational criminal organization highlighted on the map we have displayed.
Just yesterday the Postal Inspection Service executed 14 search warrants across America. The Department of Justice’s Consumer Protection Branch and our U.S. Attorneys are working closely with the postal inspectors on these investigations.
And as we speak, our partners with the Vancouver, Canada Police Department are executing dozens of search warrants as part of this enforcement action. These warrants are being carried out against members of transnational criminal organizations that have allegedly defrauded tens of thousands of Americans and people all over the world.
And so I want to thank the Postal Inspection Service, the FTC and its Consumer Sentinel database, the FBI and its Los Angeles field office, the Vancouver Police Department, the U.S. Attorney’s Offices in the Eastern District of New York and the Southern District of Iowa, our elder justice coordinators, and all of our state, local, and international partners who helped make this historic achievement possible.
Thank you to Derek Schmidt, Kansas Attorney General and President of the National Association of Attorneys General for participating in this action and representing our state Attorneys General, who play a vital role in this effort.
And thank you to the Senate Special Committee on Aging, especially to my good friends Senators Grassley and Collins. They have a real passion for this issue and they have helped raise awareness about it.
I also want to thank Deborah Cox-Rausch, director of Senior Corps, a federal agency that coordinates the work of hundreds of thousands of senior citizen volunteers across the country. Senior Corps has helped get the word out about the threat of fraud schemes to our seniors, and I believe that helps prevent crime.
That’s why I hope that no victim of fraud feels ashamed. This can happen to anyone. Several members of my staff have told me about their grandparents being targeted by fraudsters. In fact, just this past week, one of my senior staffers was in a meeting with me when she got a call from her grandmother, who had just received a phone call from a fraudster.
We need to spread the word about this. So, please, if you or someone you know was victimized by an elder fraud scheme, please report it to the FTC. It might just give us the tip we need to put criminals in jail—and to protect other seniors.
We are joined here today by several Americans who have had the courage to step forward and share their stories of being victimized by fraudsters. They’ve come a long way to be here—and I want to thank them for that and for sharing their experiences and insights.
Woodcliff Lake NJ, Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Dennis Calo announced the arrest of JEFFREY PALISH (DOB: 2/23/1953; married; and unemployed) of 22 Oakwood Drive, Woodcliff Lake, New Jersey on a charge of Theft by Deception. The arrest is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Robert Anzilotti.
In November of 2017, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office received information that Jeffrey PALISH, a Bergen County based financial advisor, had failed to make payments on a $100,000 loan that he had received from two elderly clients; a loan which he had failed to disclose to the financial institution at which he was employed. An investigation revealed that, during a four-year period, Mr. PALISH had received in excess of $600,000 from the clients. The funds were obtained through the conversion of the clients’ stock holdings. The stocks were sold and the monies were transferred to a second bank where the monies were remitted to Mr. PALISH through checks written by one of the clients. Further investigation revealed that, during the same time period, Mr. PALISH initiated approximately forty unauthorized wire transfers from the clients’ bank account to make payments to his personal credit card account. The unauthorized credit card payments totaled in excess of $300,000. As a result of the investigation, it was determined that Mr. PALISH utilized all of the monies for his own personal benefit and has not repaid or returned any monies to the victims.
As a result of the investigation, JEFFREY PALISH was arrested on February 21, 2018 in Paramus, NJ and charged with one count of Theft by Deception, with the amount involved being greater than $75,000 in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:20-4a, a crime of the 2nd degree. Mr. PALISH is scheduled for a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack, NJ on Wednesday, March 7, 2018 at 9:00 a.m.
Acting Prosecutor Calo states that the charges are merely accusations and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.
Typical customer to save almost $75 for winter gas usage
February 22,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, Public Service Electric and Gas Company (PSE&G), New Jersey’s largest utility, announced today that customers will continue to save money on their gas heating bills through March. The company is extending its January and February bill credits for residential customers an additional month, saving customers an additional $25 on their March bills or nearly $75 this winter.
Bill credits during January and February have saved the typical residential gas heating customer about $50 for both months, a savings of about 17 percent. Extending the credit for March usage will bring total savings to nearly $75 for the three winter months.
A typical residential customer using a total of 495 therms from January 1 through March 31 would normally pay about $440. This customer’s bill for the three winter months will be about $365 with the bill credit.
Since January 2009, annual bills for PSE&G’s typical residential gas heating customers are 49 percent — or $825 — lower due to supply rate reductions.
“We continue to be in a position to pass along gas price savings to our residential customers,” said Jorge Cardenas, PSE&G vice president of asset management and centralized services. “Low natural gas prices, our transportation and storage capabilities, and the way we manage our contracts have enabled us to pay less for natural gas. And our customers benefit.”
PSE&G makes no profit on the sale of natural gas, and passes along what it pays to customers.
Moonachie NJ, Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Dennis Calo announced the arrests of BRANDON BIALEK (DOB: 05/18/1985; single; lab aide) of 16 John Street, Apartment 1, Lodi, New Jersey on charges of Leaving the Scene of a Fatal Motor Vehicle Collision and Hindering Apprehension; and BRIAN BIALEK (DOB: 05/18/1985; single; maintenance worker) of 270 Lawrence Avenue, Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey on a charge of Hindering Apprehension. The arrests are the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Fatal Accident Investigation Unit under the direction of Chief Robert Anzilotti, members of the Moonachie Police Department under the direction of Chief Richard Behrens, and the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office under the direction of Sheriff Michael Saudino.
At approximately 5:50 A.M. on Friday, January 5, 2018, the Moonachie Police Department received a report of a pedestrian lying in the roadway on Route 46 East near the intersection with Industrial Avenue. Upon arrival at the scene, officers observed a deceased male victim lying in the roadway. The victim’s injuries were consistent with being struck by a motor vehicle. The victim, who was pronounced dead at the scene, was later identified as 28-year-old Brian P. Rossi.
Evidence at the scene indicated that the striking vehicle was a black Ford Focus, sedan or hatchback, model year range 2012 to 2015. The striking vehicle fled the scene traveling eastbound on Route 46, before parking in the rear of a business establishment. A Mitsubishi Lancer arrived shortly thereafter, and both vehicles left together traveling east on Route 46, then north on Liberty Avenue towards Hackensack.
As a result of the investigation that followed, Brandon BIALEK was charged with one count of Leaving the Scene of a Fatal Motor Vehicle Collision in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:11-5.1, a 2nd degree crime, and one count of Hindering Apprehension in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:29-3, a 3rd degree crime. Brian BIALEK was charged with one count of Hindering Apprehension in violation of N.J.S.A. 2C:29-3, a 3rd degree crime. Brandon BIALEK was remanded to the Bergen County Jail pending a detention hearing on Friday, February 23, 2018 at 9:00 A.M. Brian BIALEK is scheduled for a first appearance in Bergen County Central Judicial Processing Court on Monday, March 4, 2018 at 8:30 A.M.
Acting Prosecutor Calo states that the charges are merely accusations and that the defendant is presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. He would also like to thank the Moonachie Police Department and the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office for their assistance in this investigation.
Hillsdale NJ, Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Dennis Calo announced the arrests of BRYAN ORTIGOZA (DOB: 01/25/1999; single; unemployed) of 152 Milton Avenue, Nutley, NJ; ALEX JUAREZ (DOB: 10/18/1998; single; unemployed) of 705 Centre Street, Nutley, NJ; and a 17-year-old JUVENILE from Nutley, NJ. The arrests are the result of an investigation conducted by members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit under the direction of Chief Robert Anzilotti, the Hillsdale Police Department under the direction of Chief Robert Francaviglia, and the Nutley Police Department (Essex County) under the direction of Chief Thomas Strumolo.
On Tuesday, February 13, 2018, the Hillsdale Police Department received a 911 call from a resident of Catherine Court reporting an injured male lying in the roadway. The investigation revealed that the victim had been physically assaulted by several actors then dragged over 250 yards by their vehicle from the area of Beechwood Drive in Hillsdale. The victim was subsequently thrown from the vehicle in the cul-de-sac of Catherine Court. The vehicle and actors then fled the scene. The victim suffered severe, life-threatening injuries, including a broken neck and a cerebral hemorrhage. The victim was transferred to an area hospital via helicopter in critical condition, where he remains.
On Wednesday, February 14, 2018, law enforcement officials arrested Bryan ORTIGOZA after searching his residence and a vehicle used by him during the assault.
On Friday, February 16, 2018, law enforcement officials arrested the 17-year-old JUVENILE after conducting a search of his residence.
On Tuesday, February 20, 2018, law enforcement officials searched Alex JUAREZ’S residence. He was later located and taken into police custody.
As a result of the investigation, Bryan ORTIGOZA, Alex JUAREZ, and a 17 year-old JUVENILE were identified as actors who assaulted the victim. Ortigoza and Juarez were each charged with one count of Attempted Murder, N.J.S.A. 2C:5-1a(1) and N.J.S.A. 2C:11-3a(2), a crime of the 1st degree, and one count of Aggravated Assault, N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1b(1), a crime of the 2nd degree. The JUVENILE was charged with Juvenile Delinquency complaints based on conduct which would also constitute attempted murder and aggravated assault if he were an adult. Bryan ORTIGOZA and Alex JUAREZ were remanded to the Bergen County Jail pending a detention hearing on February 26, 2018 at 9:00 A.M. The 17-year-old JUVENILE was remanded to the Bergen County Juvenile Detention Center pending a detention hearing on March 6, 2018 at 9:00 AM.
Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Calo states that the charges are merely accusations and that the defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt. He would also like to thank the Hillsdale Police Department, the Westwood Police Department, the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office, and the Nutley Police Department for their assistance with this investigation.
Oakland NJ, Borough of Oakland Police Department report that on February 21, 2018 at approximately 9:44 a.m., the Oakland Police Department received a 9-1-1 call reporting that a pedestrian had been struck by a motor vehicle on Thackeray Road. Officers were dispatched to the scene along with members of the Oakland First Aid Squad, the Oakland Volunteer Fire Department and a Paramedic Unit from Valley Hospital. Upon arrival of emergency services, the victim, a 38 year old resident of Oakland, was located beneath the vehicle, 1 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee. After initiating rescue efforts, it was determined that the victim succumbed to her injuries.
Further investigation revealed the victim and a acquaintance of hers were walking on the sidewalk in front of 18 Thackeray Road when they were struck by a vehicle backing out of a driveway. The initial impact knocked the victim to the ground. The driver subsequently pulled the vehicle forward and back into the driveway. The vehicle then rolled backwards out of the driveway and stuck the victim again, this time pinning her beneath the vehicle.
The victim was pronounced dead at the scene by members of the responding Paramedic Unit. Lt. Christian Eldridge, Lt. Keith Sanzari, Detective Mark Piercy, PO Michael Catenacci, PO Michael Griffin and PO Robert Hintzen investigated along with members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Fatal Accident Investigation Unit and the Bergen County Sheriff’s Department, BCI Unit.
Identities of those involved are not being released at this time, pending notification to next of kin.
The matter is currently still under investigation and no further information is available for release, at this time.
Ho Ho Kus NJ, an Eagle Scout is working on a Revitalization of the “Old Burying Ground” in Ho-Ho-Kus . The site is an area up by the train station near First Street and if you look down onto the large municipal parking lot on the right is the cemetery.
The Scout Alexander Melarti has done a nice job there and these last couple of items are putting a nice touch to his work to honor the families of the deceased.
Eagle Scout Revitalization Project of “The Old Burying Ground”
Prepared by Alexander Melarti (Eagle Scout – Troop 7)
And
Stanley A. Kober (Historic Ho-Ho-Kus Researcher)
PROJECT DESCRIPTION:
Eagle Scout candidate’s full legal name: ALEXANDER MELARTI
Eagle Scout Service Project Name: REVITALIZING OF “THE OLD BURYING GROUND”
“The project will take place on First street in Ho-Ho-Kus, New Jersey. There is a 200 year old cemetery where some of the Hopper and Zabriskie families are buried; the families were the first inhabitants of Ho-Ho-Kus, and a member of the Zabriskie’s built what is now called the Ho-Ho-Kus inn and tavern. The last time any proper care was given to the cemetery was in 2006. The shrubs that were planted behind the headstones have become overgrown, and fall over the graves. Weeds, leaves, and dead thicket cover most of the floor of the plot, and the tarp under the gravel path leading up from the parking lot is in disarray. There is also a slope on one side of the cemetery where erosion has created a side entrance to the lot.
“This project has 4 steps. The first is to fundraise for the materials and supplies needed. The Second Step is to clean out all the debris, and trim the shrubs hanging over the grave. The third step is to add stones to the eroded side entrance in an attempt to terrace the dirt. The gravel path will be redone, and wood chips will be laid down in the fenced in section of the lot to further prevent erosion. The last step is to repair and repaint the fence posts surrounding the lot. In addition there will be a bench, an interpretive panel outside the fenced in area, and some evergreen plantings inside the lot.
“The interpretive panel will contain a brief history of the cemetery’s occupants and the role they played in the town’s history It will be placed on the perimeter of the fence where it meets the gravel path. [added recently is the installation of a QR code on the plaque that will be linked to the Borough of Ho-Ho-Kus Master Plan].
“The Bench will match the style of the other outdoor benches of the town; the bench is made of steel and extruded aluminum with a heat fused poly-vinyl coating. It will be placed parallel to the pathway, and two feet from the fence.” [Excerpted from Eagle Scout Service Project Workbook by Alexander Melarti dated 10/23/17]
The funds to be raised will cover the purchase of the Park Bench, the Interpretive Panel, shrubbery, and other assorted materials to make the historic family cemetery a place of honor for the families interred there. Some of the items are in the process of being ordered and it would be very beneficial for the funds to be received as soon as possible.
We are extremely grateful for whatever anyone may donate for this worthwhile Eagle Scout Project honoring these families.
LOCATION: The area up by the Ho-Ho-Kus train station is First Street and if you look down onto the large municipal parking lot, on your right is the cemetery. The young Scout has done a nice job there and these last couple of items are putting a nice touch to his work to honor the families of the deceased. Click on this link and it will take you to the site. https://goo.gl/maps/PDZha5kbGhr
Wyckoff NJ, Wyckoff Police Seeks Public Assistance Identifying a Person of Interest:
If you have seen this person, or can provide any information as to her identity please contact us. Anyone with information is asked to contact the Wyckoff Detective Bureau at [email protected] or to send us a private message on Facebook to the Wyckoff Police Department..
As the Mayor of the Mahwah Township, I am greatly troubled that neither the Township Council or myself were ever apprised of the threat made by an eighth-grade student several months ago concerning a Township school facility. The Mayor and the Township Council need to be immediately apprised of any and all potential threats concerning our Township and its schools to ensure that swift and appropriate action is always taken. Moreover, the Township residents deserve to be timely notified of any such threats concerning the safety of their children. Our residents deserve better.
To prevent this lack of timely notification from occurring again, as the Mayor I am asking the Chief of Police to immediately notify myself and the Township Council of any and all threats involving the Township Schools. I have also requested that the Chief of Police immediately assign a uniformed, armed patrol officer to each of our Township schools when school is in session to ensure the safely of the students and staff. The presence of an armed uniformed patrol officer in a marked police car at each of the schools will act as a deterrent and provide immediate response time should a threat be made against any school facility in the interim, this will result in additional police overtime costs being incurred, but so be it. Our residents, students and District personnel deserve to be safe when attending the Township schools.
I am also calling on the Mahwah Township Board of Education and the Superintendent to immediately enter into a shared service agreement wit the Township to defray the costs of having a uniformed, armed patrol officer at each of our Township schools to ensure the safety of our students and District personnel. I will be recommending to the Township Council that we waive any administrative costs associated with such assignment to help defray the District’s expense.
We have all witnessed far too many horrific acts of violence against school children throughout our nation. Our thoughts and prayers go out to all of those families, students and staff who are grieving as a result of these senseless and horrific acts of violence. The highest priority of government is to protect its citizens. As the Mayor, I am committed to taking whatever steps are necessary to protect our students and District staff when attending Mahwah Township Schools.
It is imperative that whenever anyone learns of a potential safety threat that they immediately notify the Mahwah Township Police Department and the Mahwah Township School District. As a community, we all have to remain vigilant and work together to ensure the safety of our students and District personnel. Always remember that “if you see something, say something.” Working together, we can prevent any senseless tragedy from occurring in the Township of Mahwah.
