Category: Bergen County

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Hackensack teen accused of making Internet threat against Obama

Faith in Government

SEPTEMBER 22, 2015, 4:24 PM    LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 22, 2015, 9:40 PM
BY ABBOTT KOLOFF
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

HACKENSACK — A 17-year-old city resident was arrested today on juvenile charges related to Internet threats he allegedly made against President Obama and the White House, saying he was going to be part of an attack at the 9/11 Memorial at Ground Zero in Manhattan and that he has friends in ISIS who are planning to attack New York City, authorities said in a news release.

The boy, who was not identified because he is being charged as a juvenile, is also a suspect in swatting incidents in New Albany, Ind., and an investigation into those incidents uncovered “threats being made from the suspect’s residence in Hackensack,” Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli said.

Authorities searched the suspect’s house on Tuesday morning after receiving a search warrant in court, Molinelli said, adding that “additional charges” could be filed after authorities examine “electronic devices that were seized.” The prosecutor said charges related to the incidents in Indiana “are expected to be filed shortly.”

Molinelli did not provide details about the alleged threats and did not immediately respond to requests for more information. He said in the release that the boy, identified only as J.C., allegedly “used the Internet to send threatening messages” toward the president of the United States and White House and also “made threatening references to being involved in an attack on the 9/11 Memorial and having ‘friends’ in ISIS who are planning an attack on New York City.”

https://www.northjersey.com/news/hackensack-teen-accused-of-making-internet-threat-against-obama-1.1415577

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American Dream adding 10 more retailers

xanadu

SEPTEMBER 21, 2015    LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2015, 5:49 PM
BY JOHN BRENNAN
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

Ten more retailers were announced for American Dream Meadowlands on Monday by developer Triple Five, which has set fall 2017 as the opening for the shopping and entertainment complex.

Familiar women’s clothing retailers Victoria’s Secret and Lulelemon are joined by venerable mall stores Banana Republic and The Gap; MAC cosmetics; and a Microsoft computer store. Also on the latest list are Aritzia, Uniqlo, Zara, and Pink.

Triple Five president Don Ghermezian called the latest round of announcements “just the beginning” of a rollout that he said would set a new standard for “the New York metropolitan market.” Ghermezian recently promised to make deals with “SoHo boutique-style” retailers that traditionally have not been found in malls.

The new signups follow last week’s announcement of Hermes as well as news earlier this month that a Saks Fifth OFF Fifth outlet store as well as 100,000-square-foot anchor tenants Lord & Taylor and Saks Fifth Avenue. Ghermezian said the latter two stores would be the largest at the site.

The 2.9-million-square-foot American Dream shopping and entertainment project is to include a 639,000-square-foot indoor water and amusement park currently under construction, as well as a 22-screen movie complex, an indoor snowdome, a 286-foot observation wheel, and other attractions.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/business/american-dream-adding-10-more-retailers-1.1415006

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Mahwah police have man in custody after school officials reported suspicious person

Ridgewood _police_theridgewoodblog

file photo by Boyd Loving

SEPTEMBER 21, 2015, 12:58 PM    LAST UPDATED: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 21, 2015, 12:58 PM

BY STEFANIE DAZIO
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

MAHWAH — Police have a man in custody Monday morning after school officials reported a suspicious person in the area.

The man, whose name has not been released, ran from an officer when police arrived on Ridge Road around 9:30 a.m., Chief James Batelli said. Officers chased him in and out of the woods nearby for a few minutes and caught him.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/mahwah-police-have-man-in-custody-after-school-officials-reported-suspicious-person-1.1414834

 

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Freeholder Candidate John Mitchell Campaigns at Oradell Train Station

john mitchell oradell

Oradell Council President Donna Alonso and New Milford Council Candidate Matt Seymour chatting with one of the commuters. — with Matthew S Seymour in Oradell, New Jersey.

Freeholder Candidate John Mitchell Campaigns at Oradell Train Station
September 19,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Oradell NJ, Freeholder Candidate John Mitchell made a campaign stop at  Oradell Train Station and answered the $64,000 question, what is a Freeholder?…

…That was the operative question of the morning at the Oradell train station. When I explained that the The Board of Chosen Freeholders acts as the legislature for Bergen County and controls what county government can spend, things became a bit clearer…and certainly the commuters were happy to hear that my running mates and I have specific plans on how to reel in the ever burdensome property taxes hoisted on the backs of our hard working citizens.

…The Oradell train station also accommodates surrounding towns including the great town of New Milford. I was joined by New Milford Council Candidate Matt Seymour along with Oradell Council President Donna Alonso. Our tag teaming of commuters from the various towns was very productive indeed.

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4 Vehicle Crash in Paramus temporarily Closes Lanes on 17 North at Century Road

Paramus Crash
courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook
4 Vehicle Crash in Paramus  temporarily Closes Lanes on 17 North at Century Road
September 19,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Paramus NJ, Four (4) vehicles collided on Route 17 northbound between Century Road and the Garden State Parkway at approximately 7:00 PM on Thursday, 09/17. At least two (2) adult victims were transported by separate ambulances to Hackensack University Medical Center’s (HUMC) main campus.

Two (2) of the four (4) vehicles involved in the crash, a Toyota Prius and a Nissan Altima, were heavily damaged and removed from the scene by a flatbed tow truck. The right travel lane and right shoulder of the roadway were closed while crews worked at the scene removing debris and the vehicles. Paramus PD and EMS responded along with a paramedic unit from HUMC.
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Mayor loses ally at North Jersey Media

no_news_theridgewoodblog

September 18,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog .

Ridgewood NJ , we had heard rumors since early September that Chris Harris of North Jersey Media  reportedly he gave NJMG 2 weeks notice. Its said according to sources he was going to write for People Magazine . Its turned out to be true and his last day was yesterday .

Readers were already asking, ” Mayors Mouth Piece Leaves North Jersey Media Where is the Mayors Press Secretary Chris Harris to put the spin on this story?” and some questioned , “WOW what is our Mayor going to do? He lost the editor of the Patch a few years back and now this. Who will spin his stories now?”

 Chris was frequently criticized on this blog for being a little to enamored with our Mayor Paul Aronsohn , some readers referring to him as the Mayors PR department at North Jersey Media .

On his twitter page he says he is the “Unflinching true crime reporter for People Magazine” . We wish him the best of luck and we are sure the Mayor will develop a new mouth piece at North Jersey Media shortly .

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Police: Clifton man kidnapped victims from Paramus malls for money and Red Bull

Red_Bull_theridgewoodblog

SEPTEMBER 16, 2015, 9:43 AM    LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 16, 2015, 12:24 PM
BY CHRIS HARRIS
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

PARAMUS — A 27-year-old Clifton man who has an apparent affinity for Red Bull drinks was arrested Tuesday by authorities on three counts of robbery and kidnapping, and two weapons charges.

According to police, Eddie J. Johnson is accused of brandishing a knife and forcing men and women into cars, where he instructed them to drive to  an ATM machine to withdraw cash for him or supermarkets to buy him energy drinks in bulk.

Paramus Police  said Johnson first approached a woman back in February in the parking lot of Blink Fitness at the Outlets at Bergen Town Center, asking her for money. When she refused his request, Johnson had the woman drive him in her vehicle to an ATM to take out money.

Police said the woman purposely entered the wrong pin number for her account, so Johnson forced her to take him to the Pathmark in Elmwood Park, where he instructed her to buy $70 worth of Red Bull with her credit card. He fled on foot, energy drinks in hand.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/police-clifton-man-kidnapped-victims-from-paramus-malls-for-money-and-red-bull-1.1410867

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Freeholder candidate John Mitchell visited Ridgewood Train Station this morning

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September 16,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Ridgewood NJ, Freeholder candidate John Mitchell visited Ridgewood Train Station this morning  after attending the GOP Candidates night in Hasbrouck Heights pushing a Tax Reduction and Strict Budgeting strategy .

It was a “Win-Win” at the Ridgewood train station this morning…

…It was a “win” that I was able to help a commuter understand the intricacies of the unfair school funding formula and how it impacts his ever rising property taxes. And it was also a “win” that I had a chance to meet hundreds of residents in this beautiful town.

John Mitchell , “There are 70 towns in Bergen County and it continues to amaze me how diverse we are but at the same time united in what we want for our children and grandchildren. A good education, the opportunity to work, lower property taxes and a safe environment are what I heard consistently during my recent travels”
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Animal Waste Spill closes Route 17 south

spill clean up route 17 paramus
photo courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook
September 15,2015
the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Paramus Nj , NJDOT employees and members of the Paramus Fire Department work to clean up the remainder of a foul smelling spill on Route 17 southbound between A&S Drive and Midland Avenue in Paramus late Monday afternoon, 09/14.

The spill was created when a load fell from a tractor trailer hauling animal waste shortly after 3:00 PM. All lanes of Route 17 south in the area of the spill were subject to closure. Heavy rubbernecking delays were reported northbound in the area as well. Paramus PD was also on the scene.
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A busy season for local theater

alfalfa-and-hula-girls-1

SEPTEMBER 13, 2015    LAST UPDATED: SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 13, 2015, 1:21 AM
BY JIM BECKERMAN
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

Say hello to Happy and Weepy.

You know them: twin masks, one the smiling face of comedy, the other the grimace of tragedy. They’ve been the official Emoji of theater for more than 2,000 years — ever since the days of the ancient Greeks, when actors did in fact wear outsize masks.

Consider them the mascots of the fall theater season in North Jersey.

Because happily, there are dozens of plays and musicals coming to our area in the next few months — from the lavish professional productions at Millburn’s Paper Mill Playhouse, to the dedicated amateurs who perform in a church basement.

And tragically, you’d be hard-pressed to get to them all, even if you wanted to.

There’s no disguising — with masks or otherwise — the sheer amount of theatrical activity that goes on in this part of the Garden State. They say that every clown secretly wants to be Hamlet — but so, apparently, does every accountant, lawyer, teacher, dentist and sales rep. How else to account for the proliferation of “neighborhood” theaters with their casts full of “shopgirls, schoolteachers, and counter-jumpers” — as Maurice Browne, in 1912, described the habitués of his Chicago Little Theater, the granddaddy of all community theater groups?

And that’s just for starters. What about the student theater groups, with ties to schools like William Paterson University and Bergen Community College? And the professional, Equity actors who appear in venues like Paper Mill and the Garage Theatre Company?

Any more actors in Bergen and Passaic counties, and they’d have to buy tickets and watch us.

Until that day, we local ticket-buyers can avail ourselves of the busiest theater season this side of Broadway. The choices are so many, and bewildering, you may not know whether to laugh or cry.

But then, that’s what the masks are for.

https://www.northjersey.com/arts-and-entertainment/theater/the-curtain-rises-on-north-jersey-1.1409016?page=all

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Firefighters battle Smokey Blaze at Waldwick PSE&G substation

Fire PSEG
photo courtesy of Boyd Loving Facebook

Firefighters battle Smokey Blaze at Waldwick PSE&G substation

September 14,2015

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Waldwick NJ, Firefighters from countless Bergen & Passaic County, NJ communities battled a stubborn cooling oil fed fire at a Public Service Electric and Gas electric sub/switching station on Hopper Avenue in Waldwick, NJ.

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The fire began shortly after 10:30 AM on Sunday, 09/13. Heavy smoke and visible fire were still present as evening approached. EMS resources from several communities were also summoned to assist with decontamination of personnel.

The Record reported “Just under 2,000 people in northern and central Bergen County were without power after an explosion at a PSE&G substation in Waldwick on Sunday morning, according to the utility” https://www.northjersey.com/photo-galleries/photos-smoke-billows-from-fire-at-pse-g-substation-in-waldwick-1.1409176

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Meet the Candidates – D38 and Freeholders

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MEET: DISTRICT 38 ASSEMBLY CANDIDATES
ANTHONY CAPPOLA & MARK DI PISA 

BERGEN COUNTY FREEHOLDER CANDIDATES
JOHN D. MITCHELL, KENNETH TYBURCZY & DAISY ORTIZ-BERGER

ISN’T IT TIME YOU ACTUALLY MEET THE CANDIDATES AND FIND OUT WHAT THEY STAND FOR AND THE COMMITMENTS THEY MAKE TO YOU, THE VOTER, ON HOW THEY WILL BE GOOD STEWARDS OF YOUR HARD EARNED TAX MONEY?

HEAR THEIR VISION FOR A BETTER DISTRICT 38 AND BERGEN COUNTY

ASK YOUR QUESTIONS—BE THERE, KNOW BEFORE YOU VOTE

Tuesday September 15th at 7:00pm – 9:00pm
VFW 513 Veterans Pl, Hasbrouck Heights, NJ 07604

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Bergen Freeholders approve $1M contract for parking lot for proposed Paramus outdoor skating rink

Van Saun County Park

SEPTEMBER 9, 2015, 8:04 PM    LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2015, 8:13 PM
BY JOHN C. ENSSLIN
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

The Bergen County Freeholders on Wednesday approved a $1-million contract for an overflow parking lot that would enable the county to build an outdoor skating rink this winter in Van Saun County Park in Paramus.

But hold the Zamboni: There’s a rut in that plan. None of the six firms that had expressed an interest in building and operating the seasonal rink submitted a bid, county officials said.

County Parks Director Jim Koth said that as a result, the county plans to re-advertise the bidding for the rink contract after talking with the various firms to see what was it about the specifications that kept them from making bids.

Koth said he suspects some of it may have to do with the timing and the short duration of the rink-operator contract.

Under the terms of the parking lot contract awarded to Applied Landscape Technologies Inc. of Montville, the firm will have 100 days to build the lot. With a bid of $1,030,000, the firm was the lowest of seven bidders seeking to build the approximately 110-space lot on what is now a dirt lot south of the park’s carousel. The outdoor temporary ice rink would be built within the footprint of the overflow lot, Koth said. The lot also will provide additional parking for the nearby Bergen County Zoo.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/bergen-freeholders-approve-1m-contract-for-parking-lot-for-proposed-paramus-outdoor-skating-rink-1.1406248

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6 North Jersey residents charged in scheme that cheated investors out of $3M

Ridgewood_Police_theridgewoodblog

file photo by Boyd Loving
SEPTEMBER 8, 2015    LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2015, 8:03 AM
BY KATHLEEN LYNN
STAFF WRITER |
THE RECORD

Within weeks after they agreed to pay $5.5 million to settle allegations of investment fraud, a Bergen County father and son began selling bogus investments again, state authorities said Tuesday.

George Bussanich of Park Ridge and his son, George Bussanich Jr. of Saddle River, settled state allegations of defrauding 26 investors in August 2014. Then – although the settlement barred them from selling investments – they almost immediately solicited $3 million from 15 of the same investors, the state attorney general said Tuesday.

“The audacity of these defendants is astounding,” said Acting Attorney General John J. Hoffman in a statement. “After the Bureau of Securities exposed how this father and son deceived investors, securing a $5.5 million settlement against them, the defendants allegedly went right back to their old game, defrauding investors of another $3 million and even using some of the new funds to make payments under the settlement.”

https://www.northjersey.com/news/business/bergen-county-father-son-charged-with-securities-fraud-after-settling-earlier-case-1.1405553

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Authorities seize heroin in Teaneck with street value of more than $3.5M

heroin

SEPTEMBER 8, 2015, 2:11 PM    LAST UPDATED: WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9, 2015, 10:24 AM
BY STEFANIE DAZIO, MARY DIDUCH AND JIM NORMAN
STAFF WRITERS |
THE RECORD

TEANECK — Authorities seized 22 kilograms of heroin — said to have a street value of between $3.5 million and $5 million — and arrested a 25-year-old California man in what the state police described Tuesday as one of the most significant drug busts of the year.

Miguel Armenta-Villa of Bakersfield was arrested Friday and charged with first-degree possession of heroin and possession with the intent to distribute, the state police said in a statement.

Sgt. Jeff Flynn of the state police said the arrest and seizure prevented a massive amount of drugs from making it to the streets.

“This is certainly one of the largest seizures of the year,” Flynn said.

The state police said in a release that detectives, along with agents from the federal Drug Enforcement Agency, the New York City Police Department, the New York State Police and the Bergen County Sheriff’s K-9 Unit, made the arrest at 620 Bryant Ave. after a three-week investigation.

The address was not Armenta-Villa’s residence, authorities said.

The state police said detectives “subsequently searched the residence and seized 22 kilograms of heroin, which equates to 1.1 million decks with a street value of $3.5 to $5 million.”

Heroin is always “cut” or diluted at least once — often two or three times — with ingredients such as baby laxatives or aspirin to decrease the potency and stretch the drug to make more doses, Flynn said.

https://www.northjersey.com/news/authorities-seize-heroin-in-teaneck-with-street-value-of-more-than-3-5m-1.1405552