Oradell NJ, A pedestrian trespasser was fatally struck by a NJ Transit Pascack Valley Line train just south of New Milford Avenue in Oradell on Wednesday evening, 06/20. The train, carrying dozens of passengers, was traveling from Hoboken to Spring Valley, NY. No injuries to any passengers of members of the train crew were reported. Passengers on board when the incident occurred were taken to their final destinations by NJ Transit buses. NJ Transit Police, Oradell Police, and New Milford Police officers were observed at the scene. Oradell Fire Department and a paramedic unit from Hackensack University Medical Center also responded to the scene.
Paramus NJ, An unoccupied NJ Transit bus caught fire while parked at Bergen Community College’s Paramus campus on Wednesday afternoon, 06/20. Firefighters from Paramus FD Engine Company #1 and Engine Company #3 extinguished the conflagration. The bus, owned by Saddle River Tours, Inc. of Lodi, was completely destroyed in the blaze.
Hawthorne NJ, A runaway dump truck in reverse crashed into a single family home on Sunrise Drive in Hawthorne shortly after 12 noon on Monday, 06/18. No injuries were reported related to the impact, but Hawthorne EMS treated at least one (1) civilian and one (1) firefighter at the scene for heat exhaustion. Hawthorne Fire Department was assisted by the Paterson Fire Department USAR team. Hawthorne Police and Hawthorne EMS also responded. Damage to the home was severe in nature. Fire Department crews had to remove a section of the home’s roof in order to free the dump truck so that it could be towed away.
Hackensack NJ, in a statement on his friend Sheriff Mike Saudino endorsing Josh Gottheimer , ” Unfortunately, he is doing what he has to do to survive, placing partisan politics above friendship. Eight other New Jersey sheriffs have endorsed me and have recognized these four points.
– I was directly responsible for saving over $1 million in healthcare savings in the jail. In contract Josh Gottheimer wants to spend taxpayer money.
– It was my initiative, and upon my recommendation that the Sheriff’s department adopted the policy to use body cameras as the first in the state.
– Myself and members of the team spent thousands of hours merging the Sheriff and County police departments. A policy that Josh Gottheimer opposed in January of this year.
– I modernized the medical leave policy, saving tens of thousands of dollars of overtime hours.
By endorsing a democrat in this national election, Saudino wants to put the gavel back in the hands of Nancy Pelosi and liberal democrats. “
photo of Skip Huisking Glen Rock Councilman -2016-2018, courtesy of his “official” Facebook page
June 17,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood bog
Glen Rock NJ, looks like Ridgewood is not the only town that has issues with social media and OPRA , a Glen Rock resident named Timothy Larkin claimed he was “banned” from participating in a public dialogue on Councilman Skip Huisking’s Facebook page, which Huisking called an “official” page of Huisking’s, where the councilman conducts official government business.
On April 10, Larkin filed a lawsuit against the Borough of Glen Rock, and Borough Clerk Jackie Scalia, for denying an Open Public Records Act (OPRA) request for access to the list of Facebook accounts blocked or removed by Glen Rock mayor Bruce Packer and all members of the Borough Council. The suit is focusing on the public Facebook pages maintained by the mayor and council members, and not their personal Facebook pages.
The lawsuits focus seems to focus on if the “official” Facebook page is in fact “official ” Glen Rock Business .
Skip Huisking Glen Rock Councilman -2016-2018 commented on his “official” Facebook page on June 15th :
“Social Media Lawsuit: As many have been following, it was heard today (6/15/18) with the judge rendering an opinion. As with most cases, there are pluses and minuses.
I can, and will, continue to administer my page as I have in the past. Namely requiring standards of civility by insisting two things (both were on my page and part of the court documents submitted);
“First, always be respectful with comments- no personal attacks against anyone or group”.
“Second, should you comment and I respond, please do not delete my responses or your original comment. Playing this ‘dirty delete’ game is against my policy of openness and transparency. I look forward to your contributions should you decide to make them.”
The Judge did require we provide the names of those blocked if requested – which I will clearly provide the list of 3 accounts blocked (As I offered in late April to settle) for not following those standards
For further detail, the opinion will be posted on the appropriate court site. I am glad the judge rendered the opinion today so we can focus on the many issues facing our Borough.”
Lodi NJ, Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal announced that a former New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission clerk was sentenced to prison today for operating a scheme in which he accepted tens of thousands of dollars in payments in return for allowing over 200 people to obtain permits and licenses without passing required exams.
Rodman Lora, 39, of Ridgewood, N.Y., a former clerk at the Lodi MVC Agency, was sentenced today to seven years in state prison, including two years and four months of parole ineligibility, by Superior Court Judge James J. Guida in Bergen County. He pleaded guilty on April 16 to charges of conspiracy (2nd degree), computer criminal activity (2nd degree), and tampering with public records (3rd degree). He forfeited his state pension and is permanently barred from public employment. Deputy Attorney General Christopher J. Keating prosecuted the defendants and handled the sentencing hearings for the Division of Criminal Justice Specialized Crimes Bureau.
Lora was charged in an investigation by the Division of Criminal Justice Specialized Crimes Bureau, the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission and the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office. The investigation revealed that Lora altered MVC driver records for over 200 people between 2014 and 2016, enabling them to obtain various permits and licenses without having passed the mandatory written and/or driving exams, including commercial driver’s licenses with school bus and HazMat endorsements. In return, he received cash payments averaging over $700 per license or permit.
The following three men previously pleaded guilty to third-degree tampering with public records in connection with the scheme. They also were sentenced today by Judge Guida.
Luis Tiburcio, 46, of Passaic, N.J., was paid to act as a “runner” for Lora and bring him customers in the illegal scheme. He was sentenced to three years in state prison.
Masood Ahmadi, 55, of Lake Hiawatha, N.J., is the owner of Ideal Transportation, a school bus company operating in northern New Jersey. He sent people seeking commercial driver’s licenses to Lora to obtain licenses through the scheme, including relatives and persons seeking employment with his company. He was sentenced to a term of three years of probation.
Mark Hingston, 55, of Toms River, N.J., a private security guard at the Lodi MVC agency, obtained a commercial driver’s license with an endorsement, after Lora entered passing written exam scores for him. He received two years of probation and 100 hours of community service.
“The illegal brokering and sale of driver’s licenses compromises public safety and security on multiple levels, by allowing unqualified drivers to share our roadways and by enabling criminals to steal identities and use false identities to commit crimes,” said Attorney General Grewal. “The MVC has enhanced its technology and programs to prevent this type of fraud, and we will continue to collaborate with them to investigate and aggressively prosecute those responsible.”
“We left no stone unturned in our investigation, charging a total of 70 people, including many defendants who illegally obtained licenses through this scheme,” said Director Veronica Allende of the Division of Criminal Justice. “The prison sentences ordered for this former MVC clerk and one of his runners send a strong deterrent message that document fraud of this kind is a serious crime that will be met with serious penalties.”
“I’m so proud of our staff for uncovering these bad apples and helping to root them out of a great organization full of hard-working, honest people dedicated to serving millions of New Jerseyans on a daily basis,’’ said MVC Chair and Chief Administrator Sue Fulton. “The MVC does not tolerate any type of criminal activity whatsoever, either from employees or customers. This case is a prime example of our efforts to weed out fraud and abuse and enhance security throughout the entire organization. We will continue to work with our partners in law enforcement to ensure the quality and integrity of our motor vehicle services, and the safety of New Jersey drivers.”
Nine defendants were indicted with Lora, including the three men sentenced with him today and six others. Two pleaded guilty previously to tampering with public records and face sentences of probation: Carlos Vicuna, 37, of Elizabeth, N.J., was a “runner” for the scheme, and Jose Lora, 45, of Newark, N.J., Lora’s brother, received a commercial driver’s license without passing the written exam. Four defendants were admitted into the Pre-Trial Intervention Program.
Beyond the indictment charging those 10 defendants, the investigation led to charges against 60 other customers and runners, bringing the total defendants to 70. Seven of those 60 pleaded guilty to tampering with public records and face probation, and 52 were admitted into the Pre-Trial Intervention Program.
The investigation was conducted for the Division of Criminal Justice Specialized Crimes Bureau by Detective Cecil Boone, Sgt. Kelly Howard, Detective Jessica Marcacci and Analyst Terri Drumm, under the supervision of Sgt. Andrea Salvatini, Lt. Bill Newsome, Acting Bureau Chief Andrew Johns, Deputy Bureau Chief Jacqueline Smith, and Division of Criminal Justice Deputy Director Jill Mayer.
The Motor Vehicle Commission uncovered the alleged scheme involving Lora and referred the case to the Division of Criminal Justice after an initial internal investigation and audit. Attorney General Grewal thanked the Motor Vehicle Commission’s Division of Security, Investigations & Internal Audit for its referral and valuable assistance. He also thanked the following agencies that assisted in the investigation: Bergen County Sheriff’s Office, New Jersey Department of Education, New Jersey Department of Labor and Workforce Development, New Jersey Department of Treasury-Division of Payroll, Lodi Police Department, and U.S. Department of Homeland Security.
This case came to light through the efforts of NJ MVC Investigator 2 Johannes Segboer of the Security & Investigations Unit (SIU), under the direction of SIU Supervising Investigator Richard Stryker and SIU Chief of Investigations James Clifford. NJ MVC Information Technology (IT) personnel were also brought into the mix by SIU Supervising Investigator Gary Nucera, who realized the need for specific database searches to be designed and conducted in order to identify the full extent of the fraudulent activities perpetrated by Rodman Lora: IT Director Joseph Csolak, Administrative Analyst 4 Philip Fink, Administrative Analyst 3 Alyssa Rosenlicht and Administrative Analyst 3 Carol Sokolowski. Their assistance was of great value throughout. Even after the matter was referred to the NJ DCJ, Investigator Segboer and the NJ MVC IT Team continued to support DCJ in their investigation.
Closter NJ, A Closter, New Jersey, man today admitted producing and selling fraudulent massage therapy training certificates for use in various New Jersey massage parlors that engaged in prostitution, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.
Naresh Rane, 64, pleaded guilty before Senior U.S. District Judge Anne E. Thompson to Count 1 of an indictment charging him with knowingly and intentionally using and causing the use of facilities in interstate commerce to promote, manage, establish, carry on, and facilitate the business of prostitution in violation of New Jersey law.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:
Rane owned and operated Axiom Healthcare Academy, which purported to provide classes in massage therapy training. Rane held himself out as a businessman who, for a fee that ranged from $1,000 to $2,600, could provide massage therapy training certificates to anyone who wished to obtain a massage license without the required training. Rane was also willing to provide phony transcripts listing classes and grades.
Between November 2013 and March 2014, Rane provided 10 fraudulent massage therapy training certificates and transcripts to a former Westwood, New Jersey, councilman who then gave them to prostitutes working in different massage parlors located in Union, Passaic, Hudson and Middlesex Counties. Rane admitted today that he knew the documents he was producing and selling were used to disguise prostitution activities as legitimate massage services.
The charge to which Rane pleaded guilty carries a maximum potential penalty of five years in prison and a $250,000 fine. Sentencing is scheduled for Oct. 2, 2018.
U.S. Attorney Carpenito credited special agents of the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Gregory W. Ehrie in Newark, with the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea.
The government is represented by Senior Litigation Counsel Mark J. McCarren of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.
Woodcliff Lake NJ, The Trump administration through the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the District of New Jersey filed a lawsuit on Wednesday against the Borough of Woodcliff Lake, alleging that the borough and its zoning board violated the Religious Land Use and Institutionalized Persons Act of 2000 (RLUIPA) when it denied zoning approval to allow an Orthodox Jewish congregation to build a house of worship on its property and took steps to keep it from building a house of worship anywhere else in the borough.
The congregation’s troubles with the borough, the lawsuit claim, began in the early 2000s, when borough officials expressed concerns that the town would soon resemble nearby Monsey, New York, which has a large Orthodox Jewish community. Monsey is about seven miles from Woodcliff Lake.
A borough official, the lawsuit alleges, asked Valley Chabad’s chief rabbi to write a letter explaining how the congregation would differ from the Jewish community in Monsey.
According to the complaint, Valley Chabad, an Orthodox Jewish congregation located in Woodcliff Lake, spent nine years searching for a property within the area suitable to construct a house of worship. However, when Valley Chabad attempted to buy three different sites between 2005 and 2013, the borough thwarted those attempts in various ways, including expressing interest in rezoning or acquiring those properties through eminent domain after Valley Chabad entered contracts to purchase them. The borough ultimately acquired two of the properties and rezoned the third.
Unable to purchase a new property in the area that was suitable for their needs, Valley Chabad submitted a variance application to the Woodcliff Lake zoning board to construct a larger house of worship at its current location in the borough. After two years, 18 hearings, and substantial revisions by Valley Chabad to address size and transportation concerns, the zoning board denied the application.
The zoning board cited aesthetic concerns, the adverse impact on the “residential character of the neighborhood,” and safety issues that were undermined by the testimony of the zoning board’s own experts. The board also noted parking limitations that were the result of a 2016 ordinance enacted well after Valley Chabad submitted its variance application in 2014. In addition, when citing concerns that Valley Chabad would not adhere to the occupancy limits proposed in the application, the zoning board falsely characterized testimony from a Valley Chabad rabbi about prior attempts to control crowds.
“Federal law protects all religious communities from discrimination and unlawful barriers when they seek to build a place of worship,” said U.S. Attorney Carpenito. “According to the complaint, the Borough of Woodcliff Lake imposed a substantial burden on Valley Chabad’s religious freedom by repeatedly meddling in its attempts to purchase property in the area and citing subjective and misleading reasons to justify denying its zoning application.”
“The right to use land for religious exercise, free from unduly burdensome or discriminatory restrictions, is a fundamental constitutional right,” said Acting Assistant Attorney General John Gore of the Justice Department’s Civil Rights Division. “The Department of Justice remains vigilant in its enforcement of federal civil rights laws protecting religious groups’ ability to establish places of worship without improper interference.”
RLUIPA is a federal law that protects religious institutions from unduly burdensome or discriminatory land use regulations. Specifically, RLUIPA bars land use regulations that impose a substantial burden on religious exercise without a compelling justification, requires governments to treat houses of worship as favorably as nonreligious assemblies, and bars governments from discriminating among religions and from totally or unreasonably excluding houses of worship.
Glen Rock NJ, Law Enforcement agencies along the Rt. 208, 17 & 4 Corridor have been experiencing a rise in the theft of high-end vehicles. In ALL cases the vehicles were unlocked with the key-fobs left in them. If a target vehicle in unlocked, and no keys are left in the vehicle, actor(s) remove valuables left in the vehicle.
LOCK YOUR VEHICLES AND TAKE THE KEYS WITH YOU!
Englewood NJ, The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and the Englewood Police Department are requesting information from the public regarding a hit-and-run collision which resulted in a pedestrian sustaining serious injuries.
At approximately 10:50 p.m. on Monday, June 11, 2018, the Englewood Police Department received a report of a pedestrian lying in the roadway on Knickerbocker Road near the intersection of Bilmar Place. Upon arrival at the scene of the collision, officers observed a juvenile male victim lying in the roadway with serious injuries. The victim’s injuries were consistent with having been struck by a motor vehicle. He was treated at the scene and transported to Hackensack University Medical Center, where he remains in critical condition.
Evidence at the scene indicates that the striking vehicle is an early model Audi, color unknown: likely a 2000-2002 Audi A4, 2000-2004 Audi A6, or 2001-2005 Audi Allroad. The vehicle will have obvious front-end damage, including a broken grille, and possible damage to the bumper, hood, and windshield. The striking vehicle fled the scene traveling northbound on Knickerbocker Road towards Tenafly.
Anyone with information regarding this hit-and-run collision is encouraged to contact the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Fatal Accident Investigation Unit at 201-226-5595, or the Englewood Police Department at 201-568-2700.
East Rutherford NJ, For the first time in 32 years, the men’s World Cup is coming back to North America. FIFA’s 200-plus member associations gathered in Moscow on Wednesday and voted to award 2026 World Cup hosting rights to the United States, Canada and Mexico.
In a coup for the Trump administration , 60 of 80 games will be in the United States, with 10 apiece in Canada and Mexico. Those 60 include every game from the quarterfinals onward. Canada and Mexico have proposed three host cities each: Toronto, Montreal and Edmonton will stage games north of the U.S. border, while Mexico City, Guadalajara and Monterrey will be match sites down south.
The U.S. has proposed the Rose Bowl (Pasadena, Calif.) for the opener; Mercedes-Benz Stadium (Atlanta) and AT&T Stadium (Arlington, Tex.) for semifinals; and New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium (East Rutherford, N.J.) for the final , which will have a capacity of more than 87,000 for the event. Unlike this year, the United States will automatically qualify for the World Cup as a host country.
Oradell NJ, a multi-story house 3 alarm fire at 240 Kinderkamack Road became engulfed Tuesday evening. There were no fatalities reported, at least one victim was hospitalized with serious burn injuries after being pulled out by an Oradell police officer and an off-duty firefighter in the fast-moving Tuesday night house blaze.
Firefighters from Oradell, Haworth, Westwood, Paramus, Bergenfield, New Milford, River Edge, and Dumont responded.
Jim Arakelian , “It’s my understanding that the members of Company One in River Edge Fire went far and beyond the call of duty at yesterday’s horrific fire in Oradell. Congratulations and thank you for your bravery.”
Glen Rock NJ, A three (3) vehicle, Tuesday afternoon, 06/12, collision on Route 208 southbound in Glen Rock resulted in two (2) injuries that required ambulance transport to Hackensack University Medical Center’s main campus. Three (3) wrecked vehicles were removed from the highway by flatbed tow trucks. Glen Rock Police and EMS responded. A Hawthorne Police patrol unit assisted with traffic control.
Edgewater NJ, Love baseball? Love history? Step back into yesteryear when the Bergen County Historical Society hosts an old-time game in the meadow at Historic New Bridge Landing in River Edge. Featuring the Flemington Neshanocks verses the Brooklyn Eckfords.
Experience the crack of wood against leather, the cheers and jeers of the crowd, and baseball the way great-grandpa saw it, when these reenactor teams play with 19th century rules, equipment, and uniforms in an open field. A great way for the family to enjoy America’s game!
Watch for Casey at the Bat at this first big event in The Meadow, make sure to bring a hat, blanket or chair, and sunscreen. Historic New Bridge Landing, 1201 Main Street, River Edge. Admission: $10 adults, $5 students, BCHS members free.
Enter at the corner of Hackensack Avenue & Main Street. Short walking tours by BCHS interpreters available. New Bridge baseball scorecard available with each ticket, limited quantities.
Consider taking the train to HNBL. Trains traveling south & north arrive at the New Bridge Landing Station. Check NJ Transit schedule for updates on the Pascack Valley line.
Event takes place on the Meadow at Historic New Bridge Landing, 1201 Main St, River Edge, NJ 07661.
100% of your donation is tax-deductible to the extent allowed by law.
Saturday, July 7 at 11 AM – 1 PM
Bergen County Historical Society
1201-5 Main St, River Edge, New Jersey 07661
Glen Rock NJ, like Ridgewood on Friday June 8th members of the Glen Rock Police Department along with some of their family members carried the Special Olympics “Flame of Hope” through Glen Rock as part of the 35th annual Lawn Enforcement Torch Run for the Special Olympics. NJ officers run through the streets of their communities with the “Flame of Hope,’’ which culminates in the lighting of the Special Olympics New Jersey cauldron to open the 2018 Summer Games. The run travels through more than 300 towns covering 750 miles.
Special Olympics New Jersey provides year-round sports training and athletic competition in 24 Olympic type sports for more than 25,000 children and adults with intellectual disabilities, completely free of charge, giving them continuing opportunities to develop physical fitness, demonstrate courage, experience joy and participate in a sharing of gifts, skills and friendship with their families, other Special Olympics athletes and the community. Visit www.sonj.org for more information.
