North Jersey - Page 53 of 62 - THE RIDGEWOOD BLOG.

Posted on September 2, 2019September 2, 2019 by James — 2 Comments

UPDATE BREAKING: NBC News Reports , “Multiple small explosive devices have been found on a property near the Labor Day parade route”

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

SOUTH PLAINFIELD NJ, Authorities this morning canceled a Labor Day Parade here this morning as they undertake “an active investigation” in this blue collar Middlesex County town, according to the South Plainfield Police Department.

The event was the first scheduled stop on Governor Phil Murphy’s two-stop campaign kickoff tour today.

According to NBC news , “Multiple small explosive devices have been found on a property near the Labor Day parade route that New Jersey Gov. Phil Murphy was supposed to be marching in Monday morning, senior law-enforcement officials tell NBC 4.”

Thomas G. Kaiser, 55, of South Plainfield was arrested and charged with one count of possession of a destructive device for an unlawful purpose, according to the Middlesex County Prosecutor’s Office. It is anticipated that additional charges will be forthcoming.

An investigation began in Monmouth County when a suspicious package with a destructive device was left at Donovan’s Reef in Sea Bright. An investigation by the Sea Bright Police Department and the Monmouth County Prosecutor’s Office led to Kaiser’s residence in South Plainfield, according to the Monmouth County prosecutors Office.

During the investigation, it was learned that there were other destructive devices near his home which was located in the vicinity of the start of the South Plainfield Labor Day Parade, prompting its cancellation, according to the MCPO.

Posted on September 1, 2019August 31, 2019 by James — 5 Comments

U.S. district judge rules not to order the City of Newark to provide bottled water to residents

the staff of the Ridgewood Blog

NEWARK NJ, A U.S. district judge today ruled she will not order the City of Newark to provide bottled water to residents who are pregnant or have children age six or under in the eastern part of the city, in response to a motion filed by the Newark Education Workers (NEW) Caucus—a group of public school educators—and the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).

For more than two and a half years, Newark’s drinking water has contained levels of lead that are among the highest of any city in the nation. The groups had asked the court to take action, presenting evidence that Newark’s response to the citywide public health crisis has been inadequate and leaves many residents unprotected.

Posted on August 27, 2019August 27, 2019 by James — 2 Comments

Catholic Priest Sentenced to Four Years in Prison for Sexually Assaulting Teenager in 1990s

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First guilty plea secured by Attorney General’s Clergy Abuse Task Force

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Phillipsburg NJ, Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal and Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew C. Carey announced that a Roman Catholic priest was sentenced to prison today for sexually assaulting a teenage girl in the early 1990s. He is the first defendant to be charged and convicted by the Clergy Abuse Task Force formed by Attorney General Grewal in September 2018.

Father Thomas P. Ganley, 64, of Phillipsburg, N.J., was sentenced to four years in state prison by Superior Court Judge Diane Pincus in Middlesex County. He pleaded guilty on April 8 to second-degree sexual assault. In pleading guilty, he admitted that he engaged in sexual acts with the victim when she was 16 or 17 years old, at a time when he had supervisory authority over her. Ganley was a priest at Saint Cecelia Church in the Iselin section of Woodbridge when the criminal acts occurred and had supervisory authority over the victim as head of the Youth Ministry for the parish.

Posted on August 27, 2019August 27, 2019 by James — 2 Comments

Newark Turns a Corner , Water Protesters Hit VMA’s

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photos courtesy of Jared Caldara

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Newark NJ, last night clean water protesters hit the VMA’a and were quickly dispersed by the police .

Newark Police units with the assistance of The Emergency Services Unit, SWAT, NJ State Police, and NPD1 helicopter dispersed a gathering of about 75 protesters who reportedly became unruly during the red carpet segment of the VMA’s this evening.

According to police, officer physically restrained then arrested about a half dozen of the protesters who attempted to force their way into restricted areas around the red carpet.

Officials say, one of the men almost jumped over the barricade and came in close contact with red carpet participants at the intersection of Edison Place and Mulberry Street.

Police were able to immediately take the man into custody.

Statement by Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka:

“This morning, I was honored to join Governor Phil Murphy and Essex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo to announce that we are expediting the replacement of every lead service line in the City of Newark. Thanks to the $120 million low-interest loan, made possible by the Essex County Improvement Authority, we will be able to achieve our goal of replacing every lead service line in Newark by expediting the process tremendously and at no cost to homeowners. This is big news for the City of Newark but also sets a precedent across the country about how New Jersey is stepping up to the plate to address water infrastructure challenges for its residents.

Posted on August 25, 2019August 24, 2019 by James — Leave a comment

Lake Hopatcong Algae Getting Worse Again

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Lake Hopatcong NJ, According to NJDEP testing conducted on August 21, 2019, Hopatcong State Park Algae bloom levels increased to 45,000 cells/mL compared to last week’s count at 18,374 cells/mL. Word Port Bay also saw an increase at 60,250 cells/mL compared to last week’s count at 17,250 cells/mL. Algae levels at East of Davis Cove Mid-Lake, S.E of State Park Beach, Prospect Point, Mouth of Wood Port Bay, Bertrand Island saw decreases in cyanobacteria levels, however they remained higher than NJ Heath Guidance Levels.

“Some areas at Lake Hopatcong that were opened last week are now closed. Algae levels spiked almost 4 times last week’s count at the State Park and at Wood Port Bay. This shows that conditions at Lake Hopatcong are backsliding. Even though cyanobacteria counts have dropped in some areas, they are still above the health advisory levels, and can cause serious problems to people, their pets, and wildlife. The status of our lakes are still bad, and DEP has yet to make any progress on cleaning up and protecting our lakes and reservoirs. As we are getting towards the end of summer, our lakes still have serious problems,” said Jeff Tittel, Director of the New Jersey Sierra Club.

Posted on August 24, 2019August 24, 2019 by James — Leave a comment

More Calls For Realistic Affordable Housing Reform

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Middletown NJ, Senator Declan O’Scanlon and Assemblywoman Serena DiMaso (both R-Monmouth) issued a statement following Middletown’s decision to withdraw from affordable housing negotiations:

“We stand behind Middletown’s decision to pull out of COAH discussions,” said O’Scanlon. “They’re tired of trying to play by the rules for years and years only to be told the hundreds of units they’ve built are never enough, and I completely understand their frustrations. For people to claim Middletown doesn’t want working-class families in their town is completely misguided.”

Posted on August 23, 2019August 23, 2019 by James — Leave a comment

Snake Left at Newark Airport Checkpoint

This ringed-neck snake made an appearance at a TSA checkpoint at Newark Liberty International Airport on Monday, August 19. (TSA photo)

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Newark NJ, It appears that someone left their pet snake at a Transportation Security Administration checkpoint at Newark Liberty International Airport last night.

The 15-inch ring-necked snake, a thin black snake with a bright yellow band around the back of its neck, was spotted on the floor of the checkpoint in Terminal C by a youngster who heeded the advice, “If you see something, say something” when she spotted it and notified a TSA officer.

Posted on August 23, 2019August 23, 2019 by James — Leave a comment

FBI and ATF Arrest Morris County Man with Firearms and Bombs

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Newark NJ, A Morris County, New Jersey, man admitted today possessing bombs, precursor materials, and being a felon in possession of guns, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito announced.

Christopher Faschan, 31, of Landing, New Jersey, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Brian R. Martinotti in Newark federal court to an information charging him with one count of unlawful possession of destructive devices and one count of being a felon in possession of firearms and ammunition.

Posted on August 16, 2019August 16, 2019 by James — 1 Comment

Hepatitis Outbreak at New Jersey golf club

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Mendham NJ, according to News12 , Morris County Office of Health Management is reporting that two dozen people contracted hepatitis A last month from a food handler at a New Jersey golf club.

The 23 people contracted the virus at the Mendham Golf & Tennis Club between June 9 and June 30.

All who were exposed were notified on July 5.

The township says the outbreak was contained to the club, which is members only.

Posted on August 10, 2019August 10, 2019 by James — 3 Comments

Over 20,000 People Sign Petition to End Jersey City’s Short Term Rental Ban

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Jersey City NJ, Statement from Airbnb on Jersey City Referendum Campaign the Jersey City Clerk certified the petition submitted by the Jersey City short-term rental community, backed by Airbnb, against Ordinance 19-077.

This ordinance — passed by the Jersey City Council and signed by Mayor Fulop in June — would severely restrict residents’ ability to share their properties as short-term rentals.

The following statement can be attributed to an Airbnb spokesperson: “Today, the 20,000 individuals who stood against Mayor Fulop’s short-term rental ban by signing our community’s referendum petition have been heard. Their message is simple: The people of Jersey City will not remain silent as elected officials push through bad policy that jeopardizes the financial livelihoods of their neighbors. Now, we call on the City Council to respect the wishes of their constituents by throwing out this unpopular ordinance and starting over, collaborating with the short-term rental community and small business leaders to craft and implement common-sense regulations without destroying a thriving economy. We stand ready to work with them to find this path forward — and if not, our community looks forward to bringing this issue to the polls in November.”

Posted on August 9, 2019August 9, 2019 by James — 1 Comment

Hoboken Debates Safety Tax for New eScooter Contracts

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photo courtesy of wabc

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

HOBOKEN NJ, Following weeks of advocating by Councilwoman Tiffanie Fisher for better contracts to improve the safety of Hoboken’s nascent eScooter pilot program, the City Council voted on amended contracts that will allow Hoboken to collect additional revenue to help address growing public safety concerns. While the terms of the new agreements are a step in the right direction, they fall short in addressing the immediate and tangible safety initiatives that Hoboken needs to properly ensure responsible ridership and safety for its residents.

Posted on August 6, 2019August 5, 2019 by James — 3 Comments

Elmwood Park Fire Captain Steals Over $98,000 from Firefighter Organizations

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Elmwood Park NJ, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrest of ROBERT E. DAUBENBERGER (DOB: 06/16/1962; single; unemployed) of 69 Lincoln Avenue, Elmwood Park, NJ on charges of Theft By Deception, Falsifying Records, and Forgery. The arrest is the result of an investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Robert Anzilotti and the Elmwood Park Police Department under the direction of Chief Michael Foligno.

Posted on July 31, 2019July 30, 2019 by James — Leave a comment

Dump truck hits three NJ State troopers investigating an accident on Interstate 280 in West Orange

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the staff of the Ridgewood blog

West Orange NJ, New Jersey State Troopers reported that at 10:22 a.m., a dump truck struck two troopers outside of their patrol cars and multiple pedestrians at an accident investigation on I-280 EB MP 9.8 in West Orange. Both troopers were transported by ambulance to an area hospital.

No serious injuries reported by pedestrians. Dump truck remained on scene. All lanes closed due to the investigation. Expect delays. No additional information is available.

Posted on July 26, 2019July 26, 2019 by James — Leave a comment

Tractor Trailer Takes Out Traffic Signal in Hawthorne

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photos courtesy of Boyd Loving’s Facebook

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Hawthorne NJ, Hawthorne Police responded to investigate a Thursday afternoon, 07/25, accident in which a tractor trailer hit and dislodged a traffic signal stanchion at the intersection of Lafayette Avenue and Wagaraw Road, Hawthorne. No injuries were reported. Traffic was diverted away from a portion of Lafayette Avenue until the device could be removed from on top of the trailer.

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Posted on July 22, 2019July 21, 2019 by James — 7 Comments

Short-Term Rental Restrictions Challenged In Jersey City

the staff of the Ridgewood blog

Jersey City NJ , Today, members of the Jersey City short-term rental community, backed by Airbnb, turned in a petition with over 20,000 signatures, to challenge the ordinance — passed by the Jersey City Council and signed by Mayor Fulop last month — that will severely restrict residents’ ability to share their properties as short-term rentals.

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