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.
Ridgewood NJ, The NJ TRANSIT Board of Directors today approved a financing agreement with the New Jersey Economic Development Authority (EDA) which provides up to $600 million toward the construction of a new Portal Bridge. The commitment solidifies New Jersey’s local share of the project cost.
“We’re not going to kick the can down the road any longer,” said Department of Transportation Commissioner and NJ TRANSIT Board Chair Diane Gutierrez-Scaccetti. “The time is long overdue for a new Portal Bridge, which is the foundation of many commuter frustrations. The taxpayers of New Jersey deserve a transportation system which will drive the economy and reliably get them to jobs, schools, and recreation.”
“This funding is proof that Governor Murphy, NJ TRANSIT and the State of New Jersey are firmly committed to advancing this vital transportation infrastructure project,” said NJ TRANSIT Executive Director Kevin Corbett. “A better tomorrow for NJ TRANSIT starts today. Our customers have suffered far too long from the outdated, unreliable Portal Bridge. A new bridge can’t wait any longer.”
The resolution approved by the NJ TRANSIT Board of Directors authorizes the Executive Director in consultation with the Board Chair to execute and deliver the funding agreement with the NJEDA. The EDA will issue up to $600 million in bonds which will be paid back over a 30-year term from the state Transportation Trust Fund (TTF). This same funding structure was utilized in 1999 for the construction of the River LINE light rail system.
BACKGROUND
The existing Portal Bridge, built in 1910, is a two-track, railroad swing-type drawbridge that spans the Hackensack River in New Jersey. The project will replace the existing two-track Portal Bridge with a new two-track fixed structure that will be approximately 2.33 miles long and will have a clearance that accommodates current and forecasted maritime traffic, which will eliminate the need for a moveable span that interrupts rail operations and results in delays due to mechanical failures. When built, the new Portal North Bridge will allow for a 10 percent increase in peak hour passenger capacity.
On July 14, 2016, NJ TRANSIT entered into the Project Development phase of the FTA’s Capital Investment Grant (CIG) program. The Preliminary Design Phase for construction of the new Portal North Bridge is complete and a Record of Decision was received from the FTA in July 2017. Early Work construction, including utility relocation and Right of Way acquisition is underway. NJ TRANSIT is the project sponsor for the new Portal North Bridge project.
In September 2017, NJ TRANSIT applied for CIG funding that, if approved by the FTA and received by NJ TRANSIT, would cover a share of all project costs. The board actions by NJ TRANSIT and NJEDA will support the application for CIG funds to move forward with an improved rating.
The new Portal North Bridge is fully designed and fully permitted.
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.
Westwood NJ, Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Dennis Calo announced the arrest of TROY C. JONES (DOB: 09/23/1945; married; and employed as a bookkeeper) of 84 Westwood Boulevard, Westwood, NJ on charges of Attempted Murder, Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Assault with a Deadly Weapon, and Possession of a Weapon for an Unlawful Purpose. The arrest is the result of an investigation by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Robert Anzilotti, the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office under the direction of Sheriff Michael Saudino, and the Westwood Police Department under the direction of Chief Michael Pontillo.
On June 5, 2018, the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office received information from the Westwood Police Department that two female victims were attacked inside the residence of 84 Westwood Boulevard in Westwood.
An investigation by members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Major Crimes Unit and the Westwood Police Department revealed that Troy C. JONES had physically assaulted one female victim and inflicted multiple stab wounds to another. Both victims were transported to Hackensack University Medical Center with serious injuries.
Troy C. JONES was charged with two counts each of Attempted Murder, N.J.S.A. 2C:5-1A(1), a crime of the 1st degree; Aggravated Assault, N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1B(1), a crime of the 2nd degree; Aggravated Assault With A Deadly Weapon, N.J.S.A. 2C:12-1B(2), a crime of the 3rd degree; and Possession Of A Weapon For Unlawful Purpose, N.J.S.A. 2C:39-4D, a crime of the 3rd degree. JONES is in the custody of the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office pending a first appearance in Central Judicial Processing Court in Hackensack, NJ. 2
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 like to thank the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office and the Westwood Police Department for their assistance in this investigation.
Washington Twp NJ, A four (4) vehicle, Wednesday afternoon, 05/30, collision at the intersection of Van Emburgh Avenue and Washington Avenue in Washington Township resulted in three (3) non life threatening injuries. All three (3) victims were transported by ambulances to The Valley Hospital. Two (2) flatbed tow trucks were required to remove the wrecked vehicles from the busy intersection. Washington Township Police, EMS, and Fire Department personnel responded along with an ambulance from Hackensack University Medical Center’s north campus.
Paramus NJ, An adult male bicyclist was struck by an SUV and seriously injured Thursday afternoon, 05/24, on Paramus Road just south of West Midland Avenue in Paramus. The victim, who was knocked off of this bike and thrown against the SUV’s windshield, was rushed by ambulance to Hackensack University Medical Center’s main campus. The visibly distraught driver of the SUV remained on the scene and was also transported by ambulance to an undisclosed hospital. A flatbed tow truck lifted the SUV off of the damaged bicycle and removed the vehicle from the scene. Paramus Police and EMS, responded along with an ambulance from Hackensack University Medical Center, and a paramedic team from The Valley Hospital. Police at the scene were observed interviewing several witnesses to the incident, including an individual who was waiting for a bus at a nearby bus stop.
Ridgewood NJ, The driver of a 4-door Hyundai sedan was transported by ambulance to Hackensack University Center’s main campus after crashing her vehicle into a utility pole located in front of 414 Linwood Avenue, Ridgewood on Monday afternoon, 04/02. Ridgewood Police, Fire department, and EMS personnel responded to aid the victim. A paramedic team from The Valley Hospital assisted Ridgewood EMTs with patient evaluation and care. The wrecked Hyundai was removed from the scene by a hydraulic lift tow truck. A representative from PSE&G’s Electric Division responded to assess damage to the pole and attached infrastructure. The victim’s injuries appeared to have been non life threatening.
Ridgewood NJ, of the City of Hackensack, NJ TRANSIT bus service in that city will have slight adjustments to bus routes and/or stops which take place effective April 7.
All NJ TRANSIT bus service will be moved off of Main Street between Court and Passaic streets and will no longer operate through that area. These changes are the result of the City of Hackensack’s implementation of the next phase of their Main Street streetscape and redevelopment project.
Certain NJ TRANSIT bus routes will see some adjustments to their routes in Hackensack as the city makes improvements to enhance pedestrian safety and improve traffic flow. Customers who normally board their bus along Main Street will now board their bus along State or River streets.
The bus routes that will have slight adjustments are: 83 (to Jersey City), 165 (to Westwood), 168 (to New York and to Paramus), 751/755 (to Paramus), 752/770 (to Ridgewood/Oakland/Paterson), 753 (to New Milford/Cresskill and to Paramus), 762 (to Paramus), 772 (to Meadowlands and to Paramus) and 780 to Passaic and to Englewood). The 76 and 712 bus routes will have slight changes to a few bus stops.
Northbound bus service currently operating along Main Street will be relocated to State Street and River Street.
The trip destination signs seen on the front of the bus will not be affected.
Fares and the frequency of service will not change.
Customers are encouraged to sign up for My Transit Alerts, which provide customized notifications via email or text messages based on a customer’s preferences. My Transit alerts can be accessed by creating a free account on njtransit.com. Real-time bus arrival information is available through MyBus, using the five-digit code at the bus stop.
A “Hackensack’s Main Street’’ brochure, which highlights individual route and bus stop locations, is available in printed form and for viewing at njtransit.com.
Hackensack NJ, The Hackensack School District, as well as the mayor of Hackensack John P. Labrosse, Jr. , are working on a plan to increase security at all area schools.
Mayor John Labrosse says the town has a plan being finalized to put retired police officers in every school.The retired officers would be assigned to the middle school, four elementary schools and the pre-K program.
Hackensack High School will continue to be protected by a school resource officer, who is a current Hackensack Police Department member.
The current focus is on funding for the plan.
On March 14th Hackensack High School did not participate in the “student led walkout ” in support of the students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas H.S. in Parkland, Florida , due to a security threat.
HHS Update regarding March 14, 2018
Dear Hackensack School Community,
In response to security concerns brought to the attention of Administration at Hackensack High School earlier today, Tuesday, March 13, the walk-out planned for tomorrow has been cancelled.
Instead, student organizers will share a presentation in support of the students at Marjory Stoneman Douglas H.S. in Parkland, Florida, that will be streamed to all classrooms via the school TV Studio.
The safety of all students and staff is a critical priority. Any potential threat is taken very seriously. As a precautionary measure and to reassure students and staff, there will be an increased police presence at HHS tomorrow, Wednesday, March 14.
We ask all parents/guardians and community members that when you “see something” or “hear something” that concerns you, you need to “SAY SOMETHING.”
Beverages will not be permitted on any train, light rail vehicle or bus
March 16,2018
the staff of the Ridgewood blog
Ridgewood NJ, NJ TRANSIT will operate extra bus service on selected routes to and from the Port Authority Bus Terminal (PABT) on Saturday, March 17, to accommodate customers traveling to the annual St. Patrick’s Day Parade in New York City. Trains will operate on a regular weekend schedule. Newark Light Rail will operate on a Saturday schedule. Hudson-Bergen Light Rail will operate on a weekend schedule.
IMPORTANT NOTE: No beverages of any kind, in any type of container, open or closed, will be permitted on board trains, buses or light rail vehicles on Saturday, March 17, and Sunday, March 18. This policy will be strictly enforced.
NJ TRANSIT will have Ambassadors on hand at Secaucus Junction, Aberdeen/Matawan, Middletown, N.J., and Penn Station New York to assist customers traveling to/from the parade in New York City.
Extra trips to and from New York will be offered on the following bus routes:
To New York – PABT:
No. 163 (Ridgewood – New York) additional local trips from Hackensack (Summit Ave. and Essex St.) to PABT from 8:20 a.m. until 11:20 a.m. operating via the Boulevard in Hasbrouck Heights, Wood-Ridge, Carlstadt, and East Rutherford.
From New York – PABT:
No. 163 (New York – Ridgewood) additional local service from PABT to Hackensack (Arcola in Paramus) operating local route through East Rutherford, Carlstadt, Wood-Ridge, Hasbrouck Heights and Hackensack every hour beginning at 3:15 p.m. to 10:15 p.m.
Travel Tips
Ticketing: To speed your return, purchase round-trip tickets at the start of your trip from bus operators inbound to New York or at ticket vending machines where available. Bus customers departing Port Authority Bus Terminal (PABT) are reminded that tickets must be purchased before boarding the bus.
Allow Extra Travel Time: Traffic congestion before and after the parade may affect bus travel times to New York City. Customers should plan accordingly.
Parking: Customers traveling from Park/Rides at Allwood Road, North Bergen, Willowbrook Mall, Mothers and Wayne/Route 23 Transit Center are advised that parking fees still apply.
IMPORTANT NOTE: No beverages, in any type of container, open or closed, will be permitted on any train to and from New York/Hoboken. This policy will be strictly enforced. Beverages of any kind are prohibited at all times on board buses.
Glen Rock NJ, The driver of a dark colored SUV was transported by ambulance to Hackensack University Center’s main campus following a Harristown Road, Glen Rock crash on Sunday evening, 03/04. The vehicle slammed head on into a utility pole near 371 Harristown Road. Glen Rock Police and EMS personnel responded to aid the victim. A paramedic team from The Valley Hospital assisted Glen Rock EMTs. The vehicle was removed from the scene by a flatbed tow truck. PSE&G’s electric division was summoned to assess the struck pole’s condition. A significant fluid leak was attended to by the tow truck’s driver.
Hackensack NJ, Hackensack Police started of the New Year, with the same violations. More expired / fraudulent handicapped tags confiscated by the Traffic Bureau and Summonses issued! The Ridgewood blog reported in December of 2017 of the crack down . Following the first of the Hackensack Police picked right up where they left off.
Interestingly a Closter, N.J. resident reported to the Ridgewood Police headquarters on January 12, to report his vehicle was burglarized and an item was stolen from within. The victim reported the theft from the vehicle occurred between October 2017 and December 2017 while the vehicle was parked at 223 North Van Dien Avenue. The stolen item was reported to be a handicap placard.
Hackensack NJ, Hackensack Police ticketed 500 drivers for parking illegally in a handicapped parking spaces, and they recently confiscated hundreds of fake and expired handicapped parking tags , in Hackensack and at Riverside Square Mall .
NEW JERSEY HANDICAPPED PARKING LAWS
Prohibit parking motor vehicles in handicapped spaces without a special vehicle identification card; mandate initial and subsequent fines of $250 each and up to 90 days of community services (C.39:4-197.(3)c).
Authorize municipalities to establish handicapped spaces in front of residences, schools, hospitals, public buildings, and in shopping and business districts (C.39:4-197.5).
Authorize municipalities to establish handicapped parking zones in front of residences occupied by people with disabilities, unless such parking interferes with the flow of traffic (C.39:4-197.6).
Enable enforcement officers to enforce handicapped parking laws on both public and private property (C.39:4-138.o).
Authorize municipalities to set up parking enforcement units that concentrate on shopping centers and malls (C.39.4-197.9).
Authorize eligible people with disabilities to request law enforcement officers to arrange for the removal and storage of motor vehicles unlawfully parked in handicapped parking spaces or zones (C.39:4-207.7).
Hackensack NJ, The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office and the Hackensack Police Department are requesting information from the public regarding a hit and run collision which resulted in a pedestrian sustaining serious bodily injury.
At approximately 7:11 pm on Thursday, November 9, 2017, the Hackensack Police Department received a report of a pedestrian who was struck by a motor vehicle near the intersection of Polifly Road and Lodi Street in the city of Hackensack. The striking vehicle then fled the scene of the collision, traveling south on Polifly Road, possibly onto Route 80 East. Upon arrival at the scene of the collision, officers observed a male victim lying in the roadway. The victim suffered serious injuries consistent with having been struck by a motor vehicle, and was transported and admitted to Hackensack University Medical Center.
At this time, the vehicle is believed to be a 1992 to 1999 Buick LeSabre, Pontiac Bonneville, or Oldsmobile Eighty-Eight, light in color, with possible damage to the front bumper, hood, and/or windshield, as well as tire/wheel damage.
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 Hackensack Police Department at 201-646-7777.
South Hackensack NJ, Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino announced that a Newark man pleaded guilty today to a first-degree human trafficking charge for trafficking a girl, 16, from New York to New Jersey and making her work as a prostitute in the prostitution ring he ran, which advertised on Backpage.com.
Glen Bowman Sr., 42, of Newark, N.J., pleaded guilty today to first-degree conspiracy to commit human trafficking before Superior Court Judge Robert M. Vinci in Bergen County. Under the plea agreement, the state will recommend that Bowman be sentenced to 13 years in state prison, including five years of parole ineligibility. Bowman ran the prostitution ring with his wife, Ernestine Bowman, 33, of Orange, N.J. Ernestine Bowman pleaded guilty in December 2016 to second-degree facilitating human trafficking. She is awaiting sentencing and faces a recommended sentence of 10 years in prison, with 39 months of parole ineligibility.
Deputy Attorneys General Brandy Malfitano and Jamie Picard are prosecuting the case, and Malfitano took the guilty plea today for the Division of Criminal Justice Gangs & Organized Crime Bureau, Human Trafficking Unit.
Five defendants were indicted in April 2015, and all have pleaded guilty, as a result of an investigation by the Division of Criminal Justice and the South Hackensack Police Department. The defendants were charged with conspiring to traffic the 16-year-old from Brooklyn, N.Y., to make her work as a prostitute at motels in South Hackensack and Clifton, N.J. The couple’s son, Glen Bowman Jr., 23, of Brooklyn, N.Y., pleaded guilty to second-degree conspiracy to promote prostitution and faces a recommended sentence of seven years in prison. Jessica Copeland, 29, of Newark, N.J. – who acted as boss or “bottom” over the prostitutes in the ring – pleaded guilty to second-degree facilitating human trafficking and faces a recommend sentence of six years in prison, including three years of parole ineligibility. Tokina Williams, 33, of Raleigh, N.C., pleaded guilty to second-degree promoting prostitution.
Sentencing for Glen Bowman Sr. is scheduled for Nov. 14. The other defendants, with the exception of Williams, are scheduled for sentencing on Oct. 25.
“This man threatened to beat the 16-year-old victim if she didn’t follow his orders and perform to his expectations for clients of his prostitution ring,” said Attorney General Porrino. “This plea will ensure that Bowman serves a lengthy sentence behind bars, where he can no longer subject young women and children to an unspeakable life of brutality and sexual slavery. I commend the South Hackensack Police and our attorneys for rescuing the victim and bringing those responsible to justice.”
“Our Human Trafficking Unit will continue to collaborate with other law enforcement agencies to apprehend and convict human traffickers,” said Director Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice. “Human traffickers typically isolate their victims and remove them from any support system, so it is critical that members of the public notify us if they see a young woman or child in questionable circumstances. We will move swiftly to investigate and save victims like the teenage girl in this case.”
Attorney General Porrino and Director Honig urged anyone who suspects that individuals are engaged in sex- or labor-related human trafficking to confidentially report such activity by calling the Division of Criminal Justice’s 24-hour NJ Human Trafficking Hotline 855-END-NJ-HT (855-363-6548).
“Our department has been committed to conducting these undercover operations to flush out the criminality of prostitution and narcotics in our motels,” said Chief Joseph Terraccino of the South Hackensack Police Department. “We remain committed to rescuing these victims from the underworld and arresting the predators who are responsible.”
Deputy Attorneys General Malfitano and Picard are prosecuting the case for the Division of Criminal Justice Human Trafficking Unit, within the Gangs & Organized Crime Bureau, under the supervision of Deputy Bureau Chief Annmarie Taggart and Bureau Chief Lauren Scarpa Yfantis. The investigation was conducted for the Division of Criminal Justice by Detective Timothy Savage, Sgt. Noelle Holl, Lt. Lisa Cawley and the other detectives in the Human Trafficking Unit. Attorney General Porrino thanked the South Hackensack Police Department, under the leadership of Chief Joseph Terraccino, for their investigation and referral. Capt. Robert Kaiser, Lt. Robert Chinchar and Detective James Donatello led the investigation for the South Hackensack Police Department.
The investigation began as an undercover operation by the South Hackensack Police Department targeting a prostitution ring that advertised on Backpage.com. Such rings typically offer “escort services” and display nude or semi-nude photos of young women. An undercover officer responded to an advertisement that included a photo of a very young-looking female with her breasts exposed. The officer phoned the number in the ad on Oct. 1, 2014, and a woman told him that he could have “full sex” for $160 cash at a motel on Route 46 in South Hackensack.
The undercover officer was directed to a room, where a teenage girl answered the door. She repeated that the price of “full sex” was $160 and accepted $160 cash from the undercover officer. He asked why the bathroom door was closed and learned there was a woman in the bathroom, who turned out to be Tokina Williams. The teenage girl invited Williams to come out and told her that the client had paid to have sex with both of them. At that time, backup officers entered and arrested Williams and the teenage girl. The teenage girl was determined to be a 16-year-old who was reported missing out of New York State. She was the young female whose breasts were exposed in the photo in the ad on Backpage.com.
Further investigation revealed that the defendants had conspired to lure the 16-year-old victim into a life of prostitution. The victim met Glen Bowman Jr., in Brooklyn, N.Y., several months earlier, and he conspired with his father, Glen Bowman Sr., to traffic her to New Jersey to work in the prostitution ring. Both Glen Bowman Sr. and Copeland threatened the 16-year-old with physical violence if she did not follow their rules and perform to their expectations. The defendants drove the victim and other prostitutes to hotels and motels in South Hackensack, Clifton and other locations in northern New Jersey, where they serviced clients. At the end of the day, the defendants picked them up and collected the money they had been paid. Glen Bowman Sr. was the primary leader of the prostitution ring, but Ernestine Bowman took on a greater leadership role after her husband was arrested and imprisoned in New York in August 2014.
![glen-bowman-sr[1]](https://theridgewoodblog.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/glen-bowman-sr1.jpg "Five defendants Plead Guilty of Human Trafficking and Prostitution Out of South Hackensack Motel")
