CLOSTER – Local police say a recent car burglary may be tied to a national criminal organization known as Felony Lane Gang.
Police are looking to question two people after a vehicle was broken into outside a gym last week and a credit card taken from the vehicle was used, according to a press release.
“It appears to be the same M.O. as Felony Lane Gang but we haven’t tied them to crime,” Detective Vincent Aiello told NJ Advance Media Thursday.
The incident occurred last Friday, March 10, when a car was broken into outside the CGI Holistic Fitness & Spa. An iPhone and personal information were taken from the vehicle.
Fair Lawn NJ, No injuries were reported in connection with a Wednesday afternoon, 03/15, rollover crash on Broadway in Fair Lawn. The vehicle involved, a 4-door Saturn sedan, was righted and removed from the scene by a hydraulic lift tow truck. Fair Lawn FD Company #3 and Fair Lawn Heavy Rescue responded to assist Fair Lawn PD. A Paramus PD ESU unit helped with traffic control. Traffic on a service road feeding Saddle River Road southbound was detoured until the crash scene was cleared.
Hackensack NJ, GOP Gubernatorial Candidate Joseph Rudy Rullo has decided not to participate in the Bergen screening and convention . ”
“Fighting Joe Rullo” told the Ridgewood blog on Wednesday,”I’m not going to participate in the Bergen screening and convention. I want to send a message to Bergen County voters that I’m the outsider Republican candidate. I believe the Republican organization is divided and want to stay neutral. I believe Bergen County is key to general election and staying neutral will help unite both sides in November.”
Rullo has attended to all major GOP speaking opportunity events and now will focus on other groups over the next couple of months. Rullo commented , “I am meeting with liberty group and other conservative groups” Rullo feels he has some establishment support from speaking at their events.
Special Guest Speaker Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi
March 21 – 7pm
650 American Legion Drive, Teaneck N J
(Don’t forget to bring a pantry item for the American Legion food drive-support our veterans’ good works)
Teaneck N J , We are very fortunate to have Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi as our guest speaker on March 21, Tuesday. Assemblywoman Schepisi has been an advocate for towns deciding what happens in their own town….wouldn’t you think that is the right way forum for these decisions to be made?
Don’t think for a moment this isn’t going to affect your town or any town in NJ for that matter….we brought this issue to your attention last year and now it’s rearing it’s ugly head in full force on the state level.
In a decision that could reshape hundreds of communities, the New Jersey Supreme Court ruled in January that municipalities must allow the development of affordable housing for poor and middle-class families whose needs were ignored for more than 16 years.
A recent article in NorthJersey.com highlighted Affordable Housing affecting the towns in Bergen County.
“Two Pascack Valley towns have thrown their support behind legislation that aims to bring affordable-housing litigation in the state to a screeching halt and pressure the state Legislature to take action on the issue. The governing bodies in Emerson and Woodcliff Lake approved resolutions last week backing the bills, which were introduced by Assemblywoman Holly Schepisi.
One bill – A4666 – urges a freeze on all affordable-housing litigation through the end of the year. A companion bill – A4667 – calls for establishing a bipartisan Affordable Housing Obligation Study Commission that would be composed of professionals and elected officials to determine each town’s affordable-housing obligations.
State Sen. Gerald Cardinale, R-Demarest, has sponsored similar legislation in the Senate.
Towns have been submitting their housing plans to state judges for approval, after the state Supreme Court ordered them to bypass the Council on Affordable Housing, which has been inactive for years because of bureaucratic dysfunction.
Schepisi said the Legislature should be dealing with the issue, not the courts. “There are a host of out-of-the-box ideas and thinking that we as legislators should be exploring, and we’re not,” Schepisi said, adding: “We need to also question if the obligation should rest with the state rather than each municipality.”
Ridgewood NJ, The Christian Health Care Center (CHCC) Foundation recently welcomed two new trustees: Ms. Kathleen Entwistle, CFP, CDFA, and Mr. John Plum.
Ms. Entwistle is Senior Vice President – Wealth Management at the UBS Ridgewood Wealth Management Group. She has more than 25 years of experience in the financial-services industry and has been recognized with multiple awards and designations for her achievements during her tenure at both Morgan Stanley and UBS. Ms. Entwistle, a resident of Ridgewood, received a bachelor’s degree in business administration from Providence College in Rhode Island and a master’s in business administration from Fordham University in New York. She serves on the board of directors of the Ridgewood Public Library Foundation, The Family Support Organization of Bergen County, St. Joseph’s School for the Blind, and the Ridgewood A.M. Rotary. She is an active member of the Commerce and Industry Association of NJ and Women United in Philanthropy, and cofounder of an executive women’s networking group. “Christian Health Care Center is a community of caring, dedicated professionals with a shared purpose of providing exceptional health care to those in need of our services,” said Ms. Entwistle. “My goal as a Foundation trustee is to support the Foundation through sharing Trustees awareness in the community about all the services we provide, as well as participating in fundraising efforts.”
A resident of Saddle River, Mr. Plum has more than 35 years of professional expertise in the financial-services industry. He is the founding partner of Emery, Kim Global Advisors, LLC, a firm specializing in investment advisory, corporate finance, and money management services. Previously he was the President and CEO and Managing Director for Citigroup Asset Management in Japan. Prior to Citigroup, Mr. Plum was employed by Chase Manhattan in corporate finance, Shearson Loeb Rhoades in electric-utility finance, and Blyth Eastman Dillon in health-care and public finance. Mr. Plum lived in Japan for eight years and has extensive business experience throughout Asia. He was a founding board member of the non-profit Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Institute of Japan, and a board member and treasurer of the American School in Japan. In the United States, Mr. Plum was a board member and treasurer of Doctors Without Borders in New York City. Mr. Plum received a bachelor of science from Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Following graduation, he remained actively involved with his alma mater, serving as a board member of MIT’s Alumni Fund, Alumni Association, Alumni Association of Northern New Jersey, and MIT Alumni Association of Japan. “Christian Health Care Center has a richly deserved reputation for excellence in innovation and health-care delivery. My family and I have lived in Bergen County for more than 40 years and have watched, with much admiration and curiosity, as the Center adapted to the MORE Trustees … Page 3 changing landscape of the industry and the changing population and needs of Northern New Jersey,” Mr. Plum says. “My goal as Foundation trustee is to enable the Center to meet its strategic objectives over the next 10 to 20 years. The health-care industry will again undergo major reassessments at both federal and state levels. Because of its long-standing reputation and talented personnel, CHCC stands at the nexus of these changes and can take advantage of new opportunities for progress and leadership to improve the health-care experience of all New Jersey residents.”
New Jersey is known for having the highest property taxes in the country. In 2016, the average tax bill hit $8,549. But in many towns the average is well below that mark.
Here are the 30 New Jersey towns with lowest property tax bills — all where homeowners pay less than half the state average.
TRENTON — Democratic lawmakers in the Statehouse are considering major changes to New Jersey’s infrastructure spending program but are being met with resistance from their Republican colleagues.
The complex, 21-page bill (S3075) would enact broad amendments to the law passed last year authorizing the state’s Transportation Trust Fund to spend $2 billion per year on road, bridge and transit projects.
The new measure, sponsored by Senate President Stephen Sweeney, would strip a key transparency requirement, delay the creation of a panel to review the proposals and create a new system by which counties and towns could take over stalled projects. It would also allow the state to “bundle” several related projects, potentially speeding up environmental reviews and engineering work.
Introduced a week ago, the bill was quickly ushered through committee and was scheduled for a vote in the state Senate Monday, but never went on the board. Sweeney said he did not have enough support to call a vote without first sending the bill though a second reading. Such a predicament suggests fairly significant Republican opposition.
Paramus NJ, Paramus firefighters battled a smokey blaze fire that engulfed a large storage shed at the Denny Wiggers Garden Center, 395 Paramus Road, Paramus on Monday morning, 03/13. No injuries were reported in the conflagration.
The structure was apparently being used to store fire wood.
Traffic on busy Paramus Road was detoured throughout the incident. Mutual aid to cover empty Paramus firehouses was provided by several municipalities.
Established in 1991, Denny Wiggers Gardens is billed as being an environmentally friendly Company.
Kristie Cattafi , Staff Writer, @KristieCattafiPublished 7:22 p.m. ET March 7, 2017 | Updated 11:53 a.m. ET March 8, 2017
GARFIELD — Discussions are underway for a transit village designation around Garfield Station and the possibility of a commuter parking garage.
Plans for the parking garage were unveiled at the Garfield Redevelopment meeting March 6. The garage would be in the 1st Ward rehabilitation area, flanked by Somerset Street, Palisade Avenue, Hepworth Place and Hudson Street, along the train tracks. Plans call for a three-story structure with 468 spaces, said Pike Development’s president, Peter Cornell, who gave the presentation.
Editors Note: Former President Bill Clinton asked 93 politically-appointed U.S. attorneys to resign in 1993, which didn’t prompt as much media outrage as when President Trump did it.
Dustin Racioppi , State House Bureau, @dracioppiPublished 6:12 p.m. ET March 13, 2017 | Updated 4 hours ago
Gov. Chris Christie called “all this moaning and complaining” by two of the region’s prominent U.S. attorneys “ridiculous,” after they were ordered out of their posts by President Trump.
Christie, the former U.S. attorney for New Jersey, said Monday that those prosecutors – Paul Fishman, Christie’s appointed successor, and Preet Bharara, who led New York’s Southern District office – should have known and prepared for their transition out of their positions months ago. They had been appointed by former President Barack Obama, a Democrat, and “they received notice” by the electorate that they would not keep their positions much longer.
867 tickets and counting: NJ cops crack down on snow-covered cars
You hear it during and after every snowstorm: clear your vehicle of ice and snow before hitting the road. Not doing so is actually against the law.
But if you’re willing to take a gamble and see what you can get away with, just know New Jersey cops are taking this law seriously, and they may be cracking down now more than ever.
We want to see your photos! Send them to us via the NJ 101.5 app!
Between January and February of 2017, municipal police departments in New Jersey handed out 867 tickets to motorists who failed to remove ice and snow from their vehicles before driving, according to the Administrative Office of the Courts. And this hasn’t been a very active winter in terms of precipitation.
More than 300 summonses were delivered in Bergen County, the data show. The second-largest number of tickets (84) was registered in Middlesex County.
This year’s numbers already surpass the number of tickets handed out in all of 2016 — 838, according to the data, with Bergen and Middlesex Counties leading the pack.
Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino said the numbers are likely elevated in the county due to population and miles of highway. Seventy municipal departments operate in Bergen County.
“It could be a matter of life or death — something as simple as getting the ice off your car,” he said
Systemwide Cross-Honoring in Effect: To give customers additional travel options – if they must travel – during expected winter weather conditions, NJ TRANSIT will offer full systemwide cross-honoring, enabling customers to use their ticket or pass on an alternate travel mode—rail, light rail, PATH or ferry. As a reminder, on Tuesday, March 14th all bus service will be suspended. For example, customers who normally take the bus from Rutherford to the Port Authority Bus Terminal may use their bus pass or ticket on the train from Rutherford to New York Penn Station. Similarly, customers who normally take the bus between Atlantic City and Lindenwold may use the Atlantic City Rail Line instead at no additional charge. NY Waterway and Billybey ferries will accept NJ TRANSIT tickets and passes.
...BLIZZARD WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL MIDNIGHT EDT
TONIGHT...
* Locations...New York City, Northeast New Jersey, the Lower
Hudson Valley, Southwestern and interior Southeastern
Connecticut, and Northern Nassau and Northwestern Suffolk
Counties.
* Hazard Types...Heavy Snow and Blizzard Conditions.
* Snow and Sleet Accumulations...1 to 2 feet across interior
areas. 8 to 16 inches of snow and sleet are expected across New
York City, Northwestern Long Island and Coastal Southwestern
Connecticut. Locally higher amounts are possible, especially
over areas north and west of New York City.
* Snowfall Rates...2 to 4 inches per hour at times.
* Timing...The snow may mix with sleet at times across
Northwestern Long Island and portions of the New York City
metropolitan area later this morning into this afternoon. The
precipitation will change back to all snow before ending this
evening.
* Impacts...Dangerous travel due to whiteout conditions at
times. Several roads may become impassable.
* Winds...Northeast winds 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph,
becoming northwest in the afternoon. Isolated gusts of 55 to 60
mph are possible near the immediate coast.
* Temperatures...In the upper 20s.
* Visibilities...Near zero at times.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A Blizzard Warning means severe winter weather conditions are
expected or occurring. Falling and blowing snow with strong winds
and poor visibilities are likely. This will lead to whiteout
conditions...making travel extremely dangerous. Do not travel. If
you must travel...have a winter survival kit
Bergen County State of Emergency March 14-15, 2017
March 13,2017
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Hackensack NJ, With the impending winter storm expected to be the biggest we have seen this year, I have declared a county-wide State of Emergency,” said County Executive Tedesco. “I have instructed the Bergen County Office of Emergency Management to take every necessary step to implement our winter storm plan that protects residents and infrastructure.
Residents are encouraged to make sure they have enough food, water, as well as batteries, gasoline or diesel for personal generators. We encourage all residents to stay off the roads, as travel will be extremely dangerous. Please be safe and use good judgment.
Prospect Park NJ, Hawthorne FD Rescue 5 was dispatched to 94 North 16th Street, Prospect Park on Sunday evening, 03/12 on an assistance call to Prospect Park FD for a vehicle that had crashed into a home. No information was available on the scene as to whether the vehicle, a 4-door Chevrolet sedan, was occupied at the time of impact. The vehicle was removed from the scene by a flatbed tow truck after Hawthorne FD and Prospect Park FD personnel shored up the front porch of the involved structure.
…Major Winter Storm Late Tonight into Tuesday Evening…
...BLIZZARD WARNING IN EFFECT FROM MIDNIGHT TONIGHT TO MIDNIGHT
EDT TUESDAY NIGHT...
The National Weather Service in Upton has issued a Blizzard
Warning, which is in effect from midnight tonight to midnight EDT
Tuesday night. The Winter Storm Warning is no longer in effect.
* Locations...Portions of northeastern New Jersey, Northern
Westchester, Northern Fairfield, and Northern New Haven
counties.
* Hazard Types...Heavy Snow and Blizzard Conditions.
* Snow Accumulations...18 to 24 inches.
* Snowfall Rates...2 to 4 inches per hour early Tuesday morning
into Tuesday afternoon.
* Timing...Late Tonight through Tuesday evening.
* Impacts...Dangerous travel due to whiteout conditions at times.
Several roads may become impassable. Power outages possible.
* Winds...Northeast 20 to 30 mph with gusts up to 40 mph on
Tuesday.
* Temperatures...In the mid 20s.
* Visibilities...One quarter mile or less at times.
PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...
A Blizzard Warning means severe winter weather conditions are
expected or occurring. Falling and blowing snow with strong winds
and poor visibilities are likely. This will lead to whiteout
conditions...making travel extremely dangerous. Do not travel. If
you must travel...have a winter survival kit with you. If you get
stranded...stay with your vehicle.
