Ridgewood NJ, Christie’s International Real Estate Northern New Jersey, exclusive partner of Christie’s International Real Estate, voted Christie’s Affiliate of the Year in 2017 and 2018 and the fastest growing real estate brokerage in the region, proudly announced today that several of its affiliated real estate agents received the prestigious NJ REALTORS® Circle of Excellence Sales Award® for 2021. The awards recognize NJ REALTORS® members who have demonstrated excellence in the field of salesmanship.
Hackensack NJ, Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco announces locations for the next two weeks of the Bergen County Regional Community Testing Program which is available to all county residents thanks to a partnership between the County of Bergen and Bergen New Bridge Medical Center. All testing locations this fall will offer COVID-19 saliva tests and flu vaccinations.
Hackensack NJ, Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco announces that 11,336 tests have been administered in the first five weeks of community mobile testing across Bergen County. According to results processed by Bergen New Bridge Medical Center, of the 8,147 COVID-19 saliva diagnostic tests and 3,189 COVID-19 antibody tests taken at mobile testing locations, only 2% of the saliva tests and 18% of antibody tests yielded positive results.
Next week, the community mobile testing program, which is available to all county residents thanks to a partnership between the County of Bergen and Bergen New Bridge Medical Center, will deploy to Alpine, Cresskill, Hasbrouck Heights, Mahwah, Palisades Park, Ridgefield, Tenafly, & Wood-Ridge.
Paramus NJ, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella announced the arrests of JABRI L. MOORE (DOB: 11/22/1998; single; unemployed) of 375 Gorge Road, Cliffside Park, NJ, JAMARIS GRAY (DOB: 04/09/1999; single; unemployed) of 38 Macon Street, Brooklyn, NY, JAYLEN NICHOLS (DOB: 03/16/2000; single; unemployed) of 880 Colgate Avenue, Bronx, NY, and a 17 year-old juvenile of Douglasville, Georgia on charges resulting from a series of robberies in September 2018. The arrests are the result of an eleven-month investigation conducted by the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office under the direction of Chief Robert Anzilotti.
Hackensack NJ, Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Dennis Calo announced the arrests of AASIM BOONE (DOB: 11/02/82; single; and unemployed) of 198 Waldo Place, Englewood, NJ, JOSLIN HARRINGTON (DOB: 11/13/85; single; and employed as a cafeteria worker) of 724 18th Avenue, Apt. 1, Irvington, NJ, JUSTIN DAHZY (DOB: 02/20/1999; single; and unemployed) of 44 Preston Street, Bogota, NJ, and VALERIE JOYNER (DOB: 07/08/1991; single; and employed as an aide at a residential care facility) of 19 Schirra Drive, Wanaque, NJ. The arrests are the result of a month-long investigation by a special task force comprised of members of the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office, the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office and the Englewood, Englewood Cliffs, Hackensack, Teaneck, Tenafly, Oradell, Paramus, and Rochelle Park Police Departments.
As a result of the investigation, Aasim BOONE, Joslin HARRINGTON, Justin DAHZY, and Valerie JOYNER were arrested on Monday, July 16, 2018 and charged with multiple counts of burglary and theft.
In June 2018, the Hackensack Police Department contacted the Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigations Squad and provided information that led detectives to a rental vehicle being used by BOONE and others to commit numerous residential burglaries throughout Bergen County and to the formation of the task force. After tracking the vehicle in question and using multiple law enforcement databases, a historic timeline was produced in connection with the multiple burglaries that occurred.Through witness interviews, surveillance, video and other law enforcement investigative techniques, search warrants and arrest warrants were issued.
As a result of information obtained during this investigation, several arrest and search warrants were executed for the individuals and locations involved in this coordinated criminal enterprise. On July 16, 2018, members of the task force arrested BOONE, HARRINGTON, DAHZY, and JOYNER at various locations in Bergen County and Essex County. They were charged with residential burglaries in Bergen County , in the towns of Paramus , Hackensack ,Teaneck , Tenafly, Oradell and Englewood .
Tenafly NJ, The Tenafly Police Department has received a great deal of attention over the last 72 hours after dash-cam video of our officers on a recent motor vehicle stop was released to the media. This incident has shed a positive light on law enforcement while highlighting some challenges that officers often face in the performance of their duties. In response to the interaction captured on video that afternoon, we have received hundreds of phone calls and emails from people all across the United States and Canada commenting on the professionalism, patience, and restraint exhibited by the officers. We are extremely proud of how our officers handled themselves and would like to thank everyone that contacted our agency in support of their actions. Your kind words of encouragement and praise are truly appreciated. We promise that as we move forward, we will continue to incorporate technology, progressive training methods, sound policies & procedures, and individual accountability in an attempt to maintain the highest standards of professionalism while serving the residents of Tenafly. Once again, we sincerely thank everyone all across the country for voicing their support of our officers and the entire law enforcement community.
Trenton NJ, Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino announced that the Attorney General’s Office and its state and federal partners have charged 100 criminal defendants in their unprecedented collaborative efforts to root out fraud in disaster relief programs following Superstorm Sandy. Four new defendants were charged yesterday with filing fraudulent applications for federal relief funds related to Sandy, bringing the total charged by the Attorney General’s Office with this type of fraud to 100.
“Charging 100 defendants in these relief-fraud cases is a sad milestone in that it highlights how many people are willing, in the face of a historic disaster, to dishonestly exploit an offer of aid meant for those who were hardest hit,” said Attorney General Porrino. “At the same time, we’re proud of our collaborative efforts, which have recovered millions of dollars and sent an unmistakable message that those who commit this fraud will face serious criminal charges, now and during any future disasters. The 100 defendants we have charged were responsible for diverting nearly $6 million in relief funds.”
The Attorney General’s Office is continuing its aggressive efforts to investigate fraud in Sandy relief programs, working jointly with the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs (DCA), and the Offices of Inspector General of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA), and the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS). Also assisting the taskforce is the New Jersey Division of Consumer Affairs, the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, New Jersey Office of the State Comptroller, New Jersey Department of the Treasury Office of Criminal Investigation, U.S. Postal Inspection Service, and the non-profit National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB).
The defendants are alleged, in most cases, to have filed fraudulent applications for relief funds offered by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). In many cases, they also applied for funds from a Sandy relief program funded by HUD, low-interest disaster loans from the SBA, or funds from HHS. The HUD funds are administered in New Jersey by the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs and the HHS funds are administered by the New Jersey Department of Human Services.
The following defendants were charged yesterday by complaint-summons:
Michael A. Avena, 65, of Wyckoff, N.J., allegedly filed fraudulent applications following Superstorm Sandy for FEMA assistance and state grants under the Homeowner Resettlement Program (RSP), the Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Elevation and Mitigation (RREM) Program, and the Sandy Homeowner and Renter Assistance Program (SHRAP). As a result, he allegedly received approximately $201,861 in relief funds to which he was not entitled. Avena allegedly falsely claimed in his applications that a home he owns on 5th Avenue in Ortley Beach, N.J., which was damaged by Superstorm Sandy, was his primary residence when Sandy struck. It is alleged that, in fact, his primary residence at the time of the storm was in Wyckoff and the home in Ortley Beach was a vacation home. As a result of the alleged fraudulent applications, Avena received $31,900 from FEMA, a $10,000 RSP grant, RREM grant funds totaling $150,000, and $9,961 in SHRAP funds. Avena is charged with second-degree theft by deception and fourth-degree unsworn falsification.
Charles Tuohy, 55, and his wife, Joanne Benzoni, 64, of Tenafly, N.J., allegedly filed fraudulent applications following Superstorm Sandy for FEMA assistance and state grants under the Homeowner Resettlement Program (RSP) and the Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Elevation and Mitigation (RREM) Program. As a result, the couple allegedly received $162,270 in relief funds to which they were not entitled. Tuohy and Benzoni allegedly falsely claimed in their applications that a home Benzoni owns on Lynn Ann Lane in Manahawkin, N.J., which was damaged by Superstorm Sandy, was their primary residence when Sandy struck. It is alleged that, in fact, their primary residence at the time of the storm was in Tenafly and the home in Manahawkin was a seasonal/weekend home. As a result of the alleged fraudulent applications, Tuohy and Benzoni received $2,270 from FEMA, a $10,000 RSP grant, and $150,000 in RREM grant funds. Tuohy and Benzoni are charged with second-degree theft by deception and fourth-degree unsworn falsification.
Paula Belotta, 56, of Colonia, N.J., allegedly filed fraudulent applications following Superstorm Sandy for FEMA assistance and a state grant under the Homeowner Resettlement Program (RSP). As a result, she allegedly received $12,270 in relief funds to which she was not entitled. Belotta allegedly falsely claimed in her applications that a home she owns on Fielder Avenue in Ortley Beach, N.J., which was damaged by Superstorm Sandy, was her primary residence when Sandy struck. It is alleged that, in fact, her primary residence at the time of the storm was in Colonia and the home in Ortley Beach was a seasonal/weekend home. As a result of the alleged false applications, Belotta received $2,270 from FEMA and a $10,000 RSP grant. Belotta is charged with third-degree theft by deception and fourth-degree unsworn falsification.
“Our unprecedented collaborative efforts to target Sandy relief fraud have been highly productive, as evidenced by the 100 defendants we’ve charged,” said Director Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice. “The payoff from this anti-fraud program is not only the millions of dollars we are recovering, but also the deterrent message we hammer home each time new charges are filed. Thanks to these efforts, relief administrators in future disasters may be able to spend less time policing fraud, which is a drain on resources and a distraction from the vital task of aiding those in need.”
“The State’s continued vigilance against Sandy fraud demonstrates that we won’t stand for this reprehensible behavior,” said DCA Commissioner Charles A. Richman. “As such, my Department remains as committed as ever to working with our law enforcement partners to catch anyone who misuses our Sandy recovery programs.”
The new cases were investigated by detectives of the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice and special agents and inspectors of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General, HUD Office of Inspector General, SBA Office of Inspector General, HHS Office of Inspector General and U.S. Postal Inspection Service. The National Insurance Crime Bureau assisted. Deputy Attorneys General Peter Gallagher, Valerie Noto, and Denise Grugan are prosecuting the new defendants under the supervision of Deputy Attorney General Michael A. Monahan, Chief of the Financial & Computer Crimes Bureau, and Deputy Attorney General Mark Kurzawa, Deputy Bureau Chief. Lt. David Nolan and Sgt. Fred Weidman conducted and coordinated the investigations for the Division of Criminal Justice, with others, including Special Civil Investigators Rita Binn and James Parolski.
Second-degree charges carry a sentence of five to 10 years in state prison and a fine of up to$150,000. Third-degree charges carry a sentence of three to five years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000, while fourth-degree charges carry a sentence of up to 18 months in prison and a fine of $10,000. The charges are merely accusations and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty.
On Oct. 29, 2012, Superstorm Sandy hit New Jersey, resulting in an unprecedented level of damage. Almost immediately, the affected areas were declared federal disaster areas, making residents eligible for FEMA relief. FEMA grants are provided to repair damaged homes and replace personal property. In addition, rental assistance grants are available for impacted homeowners. FEMA allocates up to $31,900 per applicant for federal disasters. To qualify for FEMA relief, applicants must affirm that the damaged property was their primary residence at the time of the storm.
In addition to the FEMA relief funds, HUD allocated $16 billion in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds for storm victims on the East Coast. New Jersey received $2.3 billion in CDBG funds for housing-related programs, including $215 million that was allocated for the Homeowner Resettlement Program (RSP) and $1.1 billion that was allocated for the Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Elevation and Mitigation (RREM) Program. Under RSP, the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs is disbursing grants of $10,000 to encourage homeowners affected by Sandy to remain in the nine counties most seriously impacted by the storm: Atlantic, Bergen, Cape May, Essex, Hudson, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean and Union counties. The RREM Program, which is the state’s largest housing recovery program, provides grants to Sandy-impacted homeowners to cover rebuilding costs up to $150,000 that are not funded by insurance, FEMA, SBA loans, or other sources.
The Small Business Administration provides low-interest disaster loans to homeowners, renters, businesses of all sizes, and most private nonprofit organizations. SBA disaster loans can be used to repair or replace real estate, personal property, machinery and equipment, and inventory and business assets damaged or destroyed in a declared disaster. Renters and homeowners may borrow up to $40,000 to repair or replace clothing, furniture, cars or appliances damaged or destroyed in the disaster. Homeowners may apply for a loan of up to $200,000 to replace or repair their primary residence to its pre-disaster condition. Secondary homes or vacation properties are not eligible for these loans, but qualified rental properties may be eligible for assistance under the business loan program.
The Disaster Relief Act provided HHS approximately $760 million in funding for Sandy victims. The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) received approximately $577 million in Sandy funding through three grant programs, including the Social Services Block Grant (SSBG) program, which received nearly $475 million to help five states (New York, New Jersey, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and Maryland). New Jersey received over $226 million for a wide range of social services directly related to the disaster. New Jersey used SSBG funds to develop the Sandy Homeowner/Renter Assistance Program (SHRAP) to assist individuals/families with expenses for housing and other related needs.
By Myles Ma | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com
on January 19, 2016 at 10:10 AM, updated January 19, 2016 at 10:47 AM
Multiple Bergen and Passaic county schools received bomb threats, Jan. 19, 2016. (File Photo)
High schools in at least nine school districts in Bergen County and Passaic County received threats Tuesday morning.
Schools in Leonia, Tenafly, Teaneck, Garfield, Fair Lawn, Hackensack, Englewood and Bergenfield received threats, Anthony Cureton, a spokesman for Bergen County Sheriff Michael Saudino, said.
Police are investigating whether the threats are related, Cureton said. It’s also possible all the calls were automated, he said.
Fair Lawn Police Sgt. Brian Metzler said Fair Lawn High School received a threat over the phone at about 9 a.m. All the students have been moved to Memorial Middle School.
Tenafly voters reject proposal to move, expand nature center
NOVEMBER 4, 2014, 10:20 PM LAST UPDATED: TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2014, 11:17 PM BY DEENA YELLIN STAFF WRITER | THE RECORD
TENAFLY — Borough voters on Tuesday decisively rejected a bitterly debated proposal to relocate and expand the Tenafly Nature Center on another part of its unbroken woodlands.
The referendum verdict of 2,107 to 1,536 was non-binding for borough officials poised to make final decisions about the proposal. But all sides in the two-year debate over the plan have already agreed to abide by voters’ wishes.
“I’m disappointed,” admitted Mayor Peter Rustin when he declared that opponents had prevailed.
Both the mayor and Mike Neus, chairman of the Tenafly Nature Center’s capital campaign, indicated in recent weeks that if the proposal is rejected, the issue of a new building would be dead. Opponents had contended that the existing building — considered by everyone now as substandard for the growing crowd of visitors that come for environment education — could be expanded somewhat. But Nature Center managers have said that would require an enormous amount of site work including rock blasting.
Roland Scharfspitz, a member of the Save the Tenafly Green Acres residents’ group that fought against the proposal, said, “We fought the good fight, and the town saw the right way. We saved a precious resource for the town.”
Two attempted child luring incidents reported in Bergen County
JUNE 7, 2014, 3:31 PM LAST UPDATED: SATURDAY, JUNE 7, 2014, 3:35 PM BY AARON MORRISON STAFF WRITER THE RECORD
Authorities in two Bergen County towns were dealing with reports of attempted child luring Saturday.
In Elmwood Park, a 10-year-old girl told police Saturday morning that a man driving a red sedan asked if she needed a ride. When she refused the offer, the man yelled at the girl and he sped off, said Sgt. Ralph Sigona of the Elmwood Park police. Detectives were reviewing security footage from a building near where the alleged luring attempt took place, added Sigona, who did not release the location of the incident.
Tenafly Schools Superintendent Lynn Trager described a similar incident, reported to police Friday evening, near the Stillman Elementary playground at Windsor and Tenafly roads. A student was approached by an “older teenager with short hair” at approximately 9:30 p.m.
The teen asked the girl to come with him, but she ran away and informed an adult, Trager wrote in an alert sent to parents.
