Local State and Transit Police Plus Bergen County agencies Respond to Large Brawl at BOOM Burger in Rochelle park
December 7,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Rochelle Park NJ, Police from more than a dozen Bergen County agencies plus NJ State and NJ Transit PD units responded to a large bar brawl at the Boom Burger restaurant, 375 West Passaic Street, Rochelle Park on Sunday evening, 12/06 at approximately 7:30 PM. An unknown number of restaurant patrons suffered minor injuries in the fracas. Two (2) ambulances were also called to the scene and at least two (2) patrons received treatment on site, but no one was transported to a hospital. No word on whether there were any arrests related to the incident, nor what precipitated the brawl. Jets ,Giants Bragging rights ,Football you bet!
Councilmen Mike Sendon could not be reached for comment
DECEMBER 4, 2015, 2:48 PM LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2015, 11:38 PM
BY RICHARD COWEN
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
The expanded black bear hunt that begins on Monday will cover more ground than ever before with a greater focus on rooting out so-called urban bears that feed off trash cans in suburban areas.
But a battle of wills still rages between hunt advocates and opponents who say that nuisance bears can be managed more humanely with stricter enforcement of garbage-can laws and more public education.
This year, the will of the hunters has an edge, as the state Supreme Court on Friday ruled in favor of allowing the hunt to begin as planned.
Related: Expanded bear hunt to begin next week, include parts of Wayne, Bloomingdale, Pequannock
The new bear hunt rules not only expand the terrain in which hunters can stalk bears, but also allow the state Division of Fish and Wildlife to extend the six-day hunt by four days if hunters don’t reduce the bear population by 20 percent.
The state’s newly adopted black bear management policy expanded the hunting area beyond the traditional boundaries of Route 287 and Route 78, in play since 2003. It opened up more densely populated suburban towns to bear hunting, including the west side of Wayne, Pompton Lakes, Wanaque, Oakland, Pequannock, Lincoln Park and Madison. The bear hunt is spread over eight counties and more than 1,000 square miles, touching as far south as Mercer County.
New Jersey has 3,500 black bears, according to state estimates. Bears have been spotted in all 21 counties.
DECEMBER 4, 2015, 11:47 AM LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2015, 6:16 PM
BY PETER J. SAMPSON
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
Sobbing as he pleaded for mercy and insisted he did nothing wrong, Joseph A. Ferriero, the once powerful leader of the Bergen County Democratic Party, was sentenced Friday to nearly three years in prison for using his political clout to profit from a kickback scheme involving government contracts.
“I understand the court has to accept the verdict,” Ferriero said, adding, “Not for a nanosecond did I think I was doing anything wrong.”
In retrospect, he said, he should have done things differently, but he insisted he never solicited bribes or accepted kickbacks.
U.S. District Judge Esther B. Salas imposed a 35-month prison term on the 58-year-old Hackensack lawyer during a two-hour hearing in federal court in Newark. She said he can self-surrender to prison authorities within 60 days.
Ferriero, who earlier this week lost a bid to set aside his conviction, is planning an appeal.
DECEMBER 4, 2015 LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, DECEMBER 4, 2015, 1:21 AM
BY NICHOLAS PUGLIESE
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
ORADELL — A former owner of the Atwood-Blauvelt Mansion said Thursday that the property’s current owner has signaled that it intends to file for a permit to demolish the historic structure.
Jeffrey Wells, who owned the home until 2011, said that representatives of CareOne, one of the state’s largest nursing home operators, informed him this week that “they were looking to do a walk-through on the house because they were going to apply for a demo permit.” Supporters of efforts to preserve the mansion, which was built in the 1890s, responded by staging a small demonstration there on Thursday.
But Timothy Hodges, CareOne’s chief strategy officer, said Thursday that the fate of the building has not yet been decided.
“Ever since CareOne acquired the property at 699 Kinderkamack Road in Oradell, it has continued to explore its development options for the property,” he said. “That process is still ongoing and no final decisions have been made.”
He added: “CareOne has not applied for a demolition permit from the Borough of Oradell.”
Borough Administrator Laura Graham confirmed that no such application had been filed as of Thursday afternoon.
Wells said the purpose for the walk-through would be to show CareOne’s construction professionals how the building receives utility services. The tour was scheduled for 10 a.m. Thursday, he said.
But when those professionals saw about a dozen people displaying a banner reading “SAVE the BLAUVELT” on the property’s front lawn, they canceled the appointment, Wells said.
Paramus NJ, A five (5) vehicle crash in front of Paramus Catholic High School, 425 Paramus Road, Paramus, resulted in minor injuries to at least two (2) drivers on Tuesday evening, 12/01. The collision occurred in the northbound lanes of Paramus Road, at the jug handle turn for Paramus Catholic. Two (2) vehicles were heavily damaged and were removed by tow trucks. Paramus EMS responded along with Paramus PD. All of the victims refused medical treatment beyond whatever first aid was provided at the scene. Paramus PD is investigating the incident, which was reported shortly after 7 PM. Heavy rain was falling at the time of the crash.
NOVEMBER 27, 2015, 8:30 AM LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 27, 2015, 11:33 PM
BY JOAN VERDON, MELANIE ANZIDEI AND KATHLEEN LYNN
STAFF WRITERS |
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Chris Singleton of North Arlington was out shopping with his wife and children on Black Friday because the post-Thanksgiving activity is a holiday tradition.
“It’s not even the deals, it’s just the excitement,” said Singleton, a telecommunications engineer who was shopping at the Toys “R” Us on Route 17 in Paramus. “It gets you into the holiday spirit.”
For thousands of shoppers in North Jersey, the malls and stores still are the place to be on the Friday after Thanksgiving. But the Black Friday shopping frenzy that used to jam the highways near the malls and create long lines at the stores is not that big of a deal anymore.
The spending that used to be focused on a single “Super Bowl of Shopping” event now is spread out over multiple days, and divided by new ways to shop, such as online or with a smartphone, that don’t involve driving to the mall.
“Every year the season gets longer,” said Charlie O’Shea, vice president at Moody’s Investors Service, referring to earlier promotions. And this year, many of the top deals were available online, as well as in stores, unlike previous years. As a result, he said, it is more difficult to compare the strength of this Black Friday to previous years.
Thanksgiving Accident on GSP backs up traffic for Miles
November 26,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Washington Twp NJ, The driver, and possibly other occupant(s), of a red compact passenger vehicle could not be located following a crash on the Garden State Parkway (GSP) in Washington Township that was reported via a 911 telephone call at 10:19 AM on Thanksgiving Day. The vehicle left the roadway of the northbound GSP just south of Hillsdale Avenue and crashed into a wooded area within the highway’s center median. Washington Township, Hillsdale, HoHoKus, and Ridgewood PD units canvassed the nearby residential areas but were unable to find any victims as of 12 noon.
A canine unit, believed to be from the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office, was also deployed to assist in the search. The car is registered to an adult female from Danbury, Connecticut. The heavily damaged vehicle was removed from the scene by a flatbed tow truck. Northbound and southbound traffic was slowed on the GSP due to heavy rubbernecking near the scene. A trooper from the NJ State Police Parkway Patrol Bloomfield Barracks is conducting the investigation.
Ridgewood NJ, The Division’s Turkey Restoration Project represents one of the greatest wildlife management success stories in the history of the state. By the mid-1800s, turkeys had disappeared in New Jersey due to habitat changes and killing for food. Division biologists, in cooperation with the NJ Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, reintroduced wild turkeys in 1977 with the release of 22 birds. In 1979 biologists and technicians began to live-trap and re-locate birds to establish populations throughout the state. By 1981 the population was able to support a spring hunting season, and in December, 1997, a limited fall season was initiated.
There is now an abundance of wild turkeys throughout the state with turkeys found wherever there is suitable habitat. In South Jersey, where wild turkeys had been struggling just a few years ago, intensive restoration efforts have improved population numbers significantly. The statewide population is now estimated at 20,000 – 23,000 turkeys with an annual harvest of approximately 3,000 birds.
The birds can be pretty aggressive certain times of the year and groups of wild turkeys have been known to wreak havoc on a neighborhood. Do not under estimate their boldness.
NOVEMBER 25, 2015 LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 25, 2015, 1:21 AM
BY JOHN BRENNAN
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
The sale of $1 billion in government bonds — a key financing element to ensure there is sufficient funding to complete the American Dream Meadowlands shopping and entertainment complex — may not be issued until early next year, officials said.
Tony Armlin, vice president of development and construction for Triple Five, the Canada-based conglomerate that is building American Dream, had said in an interview in September that the bonds would be issued “in the next several weeks.” But Debbie Patire, a Triple Five spokeswoman, confirmed Tuesday a revised timeline for issuing the bonds that executives at the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority first described last week.
That state agency is expected to issue about $350 million in bonds that will be repaid to institutional investors via the transfer of Triple Five’s annual tax savings through a state grant.
“We continue to work aggressively toward a sale of the bonds prior to the New Year — but, given the holidays, there is a potential that this could shift to after the new year,” Patire said.
Triple Five, which built and operates the Mall of America in Minnesota, was brought in to revive construction on the long-dormant American Dream project, then known as Meadowlands Xanadu, in mid-2011; company executives have projected as recently as September that it will open in the fall of 2017. It is unclear if that opening date will have to be pushed back in light of the revised timetable for issuing the bonds.
The sports authority agreed in August to replace the Bergen County Improvement Authority as the issuer of those bonds, with Armlin of Triple Five saying at the time that the sports authority was better positioned to issue them “within 30 to 60 days,” or by mid-October.
Ridgewood NJ, Ridgewood Water will be performing a water system flushing beginning November 30th in Glen Rock and Ridgewood .Hydrant Flushing will proceed late at night at velocities sufficient enough to remove naturally occurring minerals .Each hydrant will be flushed from 5 to 60 minutes . Residents may experience water discoloration . Work will begin at 9pm and finish by 430am the next day . Residents will be notified by reverse Robo call
Hydrant Flushing – Update
Hydrant flushing in Ridgewood was suspended this week and will continue starting on Monday, November 30th, weather permitting. Below is the revised Public Service Announcement : Click Here
Thanksgiving Day Service – November 24th – Senior Bus Available
All are invited to attend the Annual Interfaith Thanksgiving Service to be held at the Old Paramus Church on Tuesday, November 24 at 7:30PM.
The Senior Bus will be available for transportation for this service. Reservations for the bus can be made at 201/670-5500 x203
Old Paramus Church to Host Community Thanksgiving Service, Nov. 24
Complete with a community choir, the Interfaith Religious Group of Ridgewood Thanksgiving service will be held at Old Paramus Church on Tuesday evening at 7:30 p.m. Nov. 24. The participating congregations will share the different expressions of their own faith as they all give thanks together. The community choir invites anyone interested to join them as they rehearse under the direction of Stewart Holmes, Old Paramus Choir Director, beginning at 6:45 p.m. immediately before the service.
Old Paramus Church is located at 660 East Glen Ave., Ridgewood. It is handicapped accessible and there is ample free parking. Additional questions may be addressed to the church office weekdays, from 9 to 1:30 or visit the church website, www.oldparamus.org
NOVEMBER 23, 2015, 10:19 AM LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, NOVEMBER 23, 2015, 2:03 PM
BY STEFANIE DAZIO
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
A man accused of fatally stabbing a woman in Troy, N.Y., Monday morning was arrested several hours later following a chase on the Palisades Interstate Parkway and the New Jersey Turnpike, authorities said.
David Campos, 45, allegedly killed Denise Gely, 44, with whom he once had a romantic relationship, around 5:45 a.m., Troy Police Capt. Daniel DeWolf said.
The couple had a history of “domestic issues,” DeWolf said, but Campos had never been arrested in Troy previously. At one time they lived together in Troy, but they were not at the time of her death, he said.
One of the couple’s three children called police to report the alleged attack, DeWolf said. Two were home at the time.
Troy is about 150 miles north of New York City along the Hudson River and authorities sent police departments a description of his vehicle, a black Chrysler 200, and his license plate.
Officers on the New York side of the Palisades Interstate Parkway discovered the car and a chase ensued into New Jersey around 9:40 a.m.
Officer Donald Liu, a Palisades Interstate Parkway cop in New Jersey, joined the pursuit at Interchange 5, Chief Michael Coppola said in a statement. Coppola, Detective Lt. Roman Galloza, Lt. Jesse Cohen and Officers Travis Philhower and Timothy Conboy jumped in as the chase continued south on the parkway.
Rep. Scott Garrett enjoyed his recent visit to Parkway Elementary School in Paramus to discuss his job as a Congressman with the 4th grade class. As you can see by the picture, they had a lot of great questions!
Rep. Scott Garrett , “My top priority is the safety and security of the American people”Garrett Statement on the American SAFE Act
Nov 19, 2015
Ridgewood NJ, Rep. Scott Garrett (NJ-05) issued the following statement after voting in support of H.R. 4038, the American Security Against Foreign Enemies (SAFE) Act.
“My top priority is the safety and security of the American people, and last week’s horrific attacks on Paris are a stark reminder that our enemies are willing to impersonate refugees and go to great lengths to commit acts of terror. Today the House voted to pause our refugee program until we can fully examine our vetting process to ensure that every refugee admitted to the United States does not pose a threat to our nation. The Syrian people seeking refuge need the continued support of the international community, and we must continue to work on a balance between helping these people and our national security. The United States is, and will continue to be, a world leader in humanitarian aid operations, and those who are suffering from unspeakable horrors at the hands of oppressors will always have our support while we work diligently to advance policies that protect our country.”
NOVEMBER 19, 2015, 7:27 PM LAST UPDATED: FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2015, 7:11 AM
BY ALLISON PRIES
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD
PARAMUS – Gary M., of Park Ridge, clutched a packet of tissues in one hand as he dabbed tears from his cheek with the other.
Listening to a presentation at Bergen Community College, titled “Caught in the Web: Heroin Addiction” the 27-year-old personal trainer blended into the crowd of mostly 20-somethings who stopped into the all-day event between classes.
Then, he moved to take his seat at the panel, where he told the dozens of attendees inside the Moses Family Meeting and Training Center that a weight-lifting injury at 19 got him a prescription for Oxycodone.
“I loved it,” said Gary, who asked that his last name not be published because he is in recovery. “Pills became too expensive and heroin was a whole lot cheaper.”
The tale is one that resonates throughout New Jersey, said the event’s keynote speaker, Michael DeLeon, a Vineland man who has made it his mission to inform whoever will listen about the danger of drugs in general and the heroin epidemic.
Parents don’t start young enough in talking to their children about drugs and they don’t do it often enough, DeLeon said. By the time they’re doing heroin, “you have a problem you might not win,” he said.
DeLeon founded the non-profit Steered Straight back in 2000 after serving 12 years in jail for drug-related crimes.
