FRANKLIN LAKES — The borough has introduced a $23.38 million municipal budget for 2025 The amount to be raised by taxes is $15.25 million The municipal tax rate will increase from $0.32 to $0.333 per $100 assessed valuation On the average home assessed at $1,063,000 the municipal part of taxes would go up $139 Municipal expenses account for 15.55% of the property tax dollar plus another 2.25% for state-mandated library expenses Major expenses for the coming year include: Goals for the coming year are to stabilize the use of surplus Elementary schools account for an additional 39.09% of the property tax dollar The borough's share of costs for the Ramapo Indian Hills Regional High School district account for another 27.27% school budgets are under the jurisdiction of their respective boards of education and are not under municipal control A hearing and vote on the municipal budget are scheduled for May 6. For more information, a complete review of the 2025 budget is posted on the borough website, franklinlakes.org Get important news about your town as it happens Get the top stories from across our network Are you sure you want to unsubscribe from daily updates Jossy Thomas of Franklin Lakes died on Saturday, April 26, 2025, following a courageous battle with illness, according to his obituary from the Vander Plaat Funeral Home website Thomas was Head of Trading at QTrade Capital Partners where his sharp mind and strategic vision earned him respect and admiration," his obituary reads He previously worked at UBS Investment Bank Thomas earned his MBA from NYU Stern and a bachelor's degree in computer science from Stony Brook University Thomas is survived by his wife Ushma and their three sons He also leaves behind a large and loving extended family Tributes poured in as news of Thomas' passing spread "Jossy was a source of reliable positivity in my life that I often sorely needed," childhood friend Rajiv Khandpur said Jossy encouraged me when I felt challenged and cheered me up when I was down He always pushed me to be better in my professional and personal life "Jossy had one of the most generous spirits I had the good fortune to know I’ll forever be grateful for that generosity I hope to honor him by pushing myself to be better as he always pushed himself and encouraged those he loved." "Jossy was the guy that was supposed to win the guy you rooted for to win," Isaiah EsokuL said on Facebook what's even more sad is the people that never got to know him Donations in Thomas' name can be made to Brain Tumor Research at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. Click here to read Jossy Thomas' complete obituary on the Vander Plaat Funeral Home website. FRANKLIN LAKES — Eighty-eight acres of the Cigna/Express Scripts/IBM property have been formally transferred to developer SHG Franklin Lakes LLC but there is no word yet on when plans for either of the housing projects proposed on the site will be presented The borough's "Latest Buzz" April 30 newsletter announced the Englewood-based S Hekemian Group has closed on the Parsons Pond Road property with Cigna The property is zoned for 495 multi-family housing units plus 70,000 square feet of office/retail space nor has it indicated when it would do so," the newsletter states SHG had donated 3.5 acres of that site to the borough for a 71-unit 100% affordable housing project The borough has chosen the Montclair-based RPM Development Group to design and build the project borough officials would only say RPM will be presenting a preliminary subdivision and site plan to its planning board "in the coming months." Fair Share Housing Center advocated for 700 fourth round affordable housing units for the borough The NJ Department of Community Affairs calculated the borough's obligation at 497 units fourth in Bergen County behind Paramus (1,000 units) The borough’s planner calculated their fourth round obligation at 463 units The borough ultimately settled challenges to its calculation and agreed to a present and prospective need of 480 units Officials say the obligation will be further reduced based on lack of vacant and developable land The consortium filed a new lawsuit in New Jersey federal court on April 24 seeking a halt after a Mercer County judge rejected two attempts at the regional level Representatives of SHG Franklin Lakes and RPM Development Group did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the impact the suit would have on their development plans Jim and Allison McNeice turned in their badges and became dealers "Our philosophy is to welcome each customer that visits our shop consistently serve the most delicious drinks and say thanks for supporting your local caffeine dealers!" Allison says The couple's second act must be working since Pour City Roasters (807 Franklin Ave., Franklin Lakes; pourcityroasters.com; @pourcityroasters) was recently voted 'Best Local Coffee' by (201) readers “We have always loved coffee and decided to do something in retirement that our sons could do together once we were ready to move into a true retirement phase of our lives,” Allison says The Montvale couple knew they wanted to do something new when they retired but weren't sure what When the opportunity to open a coffee shop presented itself it felt like the best decision for their family and they felt that owning a business would help provide him with opportunities to flourish outside of school and within the community their son Joe passed away suddenly due to a heart attack “There are no words to explain how devastated we are but Joe's presence will always be felt at Pour City,” Allison says “There are reminders of him everywhere you look The outpouring of love and support from our Pour City family has provided us the strength to continue Sean ultimately fell in love with coffee and decided to postpone attending college in order to help his parents get the business off the ground “Sean has been integral to our success and we are excited to watch him take Pour City to the next level,” Allison says plus pastries from Despina's Cream Bakery (669-G Westwood Ave. croissants from Pierre & Michel Authentic French Bakery (38 E Ridgewood) and honey from Campgaw Bees (Ewing Ave. “All of our single-origin coffee is carefully sourced and roasted in-house by Jim and Sean,” Allison says “Every cup of coffee is exclusively made pour-over style ground and freshly brewed to order while you wait.” The couple spent months searching for the perfect location and finally found it in Franklin Lakes “We fell in love with the community on day one and we have been warmly welcomed by every local resident and business owner,” Allison says “Customers tell us we are the coffee version of the TV show Cheers and we love that Learning everyone's names and drinks is what we do but Pour City has become more than just coffee Here are a few of the McNeice family’s favorite things to do in the area but we are excited to try Farm & Flour (434-436 Pulis Ave.) once we can find the time to go together Many of our customers and employees have raved about it we have been ordering from PC Meals (19 Central Ave. We have recommended PC Meals to many customers as well we usually just run next door to the Deli Mart (809 Franklin Ave.) and grab a Rocky wrap They are the most convenient convenience store On nights when we just don't want to go home and cook I always order the squid ink linguine and Sean prefers the California burger It has been our family tradition since we opened Jim will forever swear by their Guinness Pie Our favorite place to work out is our basement and Jim works with his trainer (and loyal customer) John Khanjian owner of mobile gym Perform As Designed ((201) 739-9563 ShoppingThe hours we work make online shopping super convenient for us I have found Pazzazed (826 Franklin Ave.) and Dear Reader Bookstore (382 Main St. specialized items that make gifts feel personalized and we love to support local stores as often as we can Famous FacesFranklin Lakes has been home to several big-name athletes including New York Giants linebacker Harry Carson New York Giants quarterback Phil Simms and New Jersey Nets forward Bernard King Talk show host Kelly Ripa and Kool & the Gang singer James "JT" Warren Taylor have lived here as well also took residence in Franklin Lakes for several months in 2007 (Photo provided by Avon Old Farms School)The four teammates (Photo provided by Avon Old Farms School)FRANKLIN LAKES NJ — A teen from Franklin Lakes has helped raise $3,200 for victims of the California wildfires — including a teammate who lost his home attends Avon Old Farms School in Connecticut and plays on the varsity hockey team His teammate Sam Houston recently lost his home to the California wildfires Nothing was left of Houston’s home after the fires burned through his neighborhood in January and I love it so much," Houston said recently We’re going to try to rebuild because we don’t want to leave that place what he and his community have gone through is unimaginable We just wanted to do what we could to help." and Grossbard brought their idea of organizing a raffle fundraiser to Head of School Jim Detora as well as Director of Athletics and Assistant Varsity Hockey Coach Geoff Barlow “I didn’t ask for any of this,” said Houston recently the guys had already gotten approval from the school administration They’ve really just overwhelmed me with support during a tough time.” Prizes to be raffled off included authenticated signed items from sports legends across hockey and basketball including a signed Shaquille O’Neal basketball and signed Mike Eruzione jersey The raffle was held in mid-February and brought in several thousand dollars Proceeds from the raffle will go directly to families affected by the fires Houston says his town has created a spreadsheet compiling what each affected family needs and my dad was visiting my sister in Colorado "but we were getting updates from our neighbors." “The news of the wildfires hit close to home and they wanted to help somehow,” said Coach Barlow Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. Sunrise Senior Living has sold an 88-unit assisted living and memory care facility in Franklin Lakes after debuting the property in 2021 The listing team represented the seller and procured the undisclosed buyer in the transaction at 728 Franklin Ave. The new owner has retained Sunrise Senior Living to manage the property which consists of a two-story building with 51 assisted living units across a mix of studio plus 37 private or semi-private memory care units Amenities include activity rooms and social areas a computer room and a physical therapy gym which sits on 4.62 acres less than a half-mile from Interstate 287 Brokers with JLL’s Morristown-based capital markets team completed the sale alongside the company’s senior housing unit has been covering New Jersey commercial real estate for 13 years Many industry leaders view him as the go-to real estate reporter in the state a role he is eager to continue as the editor of Real Estate NJ He is a lifelong New Jersey resident who has spent a decade covering the great Garden State Restaurant chain Bojangles has opened along a major commercial corridor in Piscataway as part of a previously announced deal brokered by The Goldstein Group All RIGHTS RESERVED Copyright 2023 Real Estate NJ 101 Eisenhower Parkway Roseland Our site uses cookies. Learn more about our use of cookies: cookie policy JLL’s Seniors Housing Capital Markets team led the sales efforts for Sunrise of Franklin Lakes Hotels & Hospitality and Value & Risk Advisory PR Your browser doesn't support speech synthesis MORRISTOWN, N.J., Feb. 18, 2025 – JLL Capital Markets announced today that it has completed the sale of Sunrise of Franklin Lakes an 88-unit assisted living and memory care facility in Franklin Lakes represented the seller and procured the undisclosed buyer in the transaction Sunrise Senior Living has been retained as the property manager Sunrise of Franklin Lakes consists of a two-story building home to 51 assisted living and 37 memory care units one- and two-bedroom layouts for assisted living and private or semi-private memory care units physical therapy gym and weekly housekeeping and laundry Sunrise of Franklin Lakes is positioned on a 4.62-acre site at 728 Franklin Ave Franklin Lakes is approximately 25 miles northwest of Midtown Manhattan in a supply constrained market with exceptional home values and high density JLL Capital Markets is a full-service global provider of capital solutions for real estate investors and occupiers The firm's in-depth local market and global investor knowledge delivers the best-in-class solutions for clients — whether investment sales and advisory The firm has more than 3,000 Capital Markets specialists worldwide with offices in nearly 50 countries For more news, videos and research resources, please visit JLL’s newsroom insights and opportunities from global commercial real estate markets straight to your inbox 2024 at 12:16 am ETTwo pets died in a house fire in Franklin Lakes over the weekend (Franklin Lakes Fire Department)Two pets died in a house fire in Franklin Lakes over the weekend (Franklin Lakes Fire Department)FRANKLIN LAKES NJ — Two cats died and a resident was treated for smoke inhalation as a result of a house fire in Franklin Lakes on Saturday Franklin Lakes firefighters reported Saturday that 911 callers reported smoke coming from a home that morning chief of Department Chuck Bohny requested a second alarm bringing additional manpower from surrounding towns for assistance on scene and for borough coverage," the department said in a message Franklin Lakes EMS treated one resident for smoke inhalation The Bergen County Prosecutor’s Office Arson Squad is assisting in the investigation The cause of the fire remains under investigation "We thank all responding units and mutual aid for their efforts and express our condolences to the family for their loss." The Jonas Brothers are back on familiar ground — and New Jersey fans are watching every move The Jonas Brothers were spotted filming in Nutley this week and Nick Jonas — who grew up in Wyckoff — were spotted filming what appeared to be music videos across Essex County this week with several scenes captured on video in Nutley on Tuesday Footage obtained by Daily Voice shows the trio in action sparking excitement and speculation about where else they’ve been The brothers later posted a photo on social media posing along the Hudson River with the New York City skyline behind them Fans immediately launched into detective mode trying to figure out whether the image was snapped in Fort Lee According to The Montclair Girl, the group may have also visited Rita’s in Nutley and other nearby North Jersey spots The filming comes as the Jonas Brothers gear up for their upcoming album FRANKLIN LAKES — The borough is moving forward on multiple affordable housing fronts after responding to a Jan 31 deadline to comment on fourth-round quotas issued to municipalities in October by the state Department of Community Affairs The borough has taken five actions in response to the department's quotas number It first responded with a challenge to the 497 new affordable units assigned by the state offering calculations that 463 is a more accurate number The borough's assignment ranked fourth among Bergen County municipalities Story continues below Franklin Lakes photo gallery Franklin Lakes then said it would continue its association with the 26 municipalities acting as the coalition Local Leaders for Responsible Planning to legally delay the enactment of the fourth-round quotas. The group is appealing two court rejections of its proposal to the New Jersey Supreme Court The borough also announced its decision to end its association with a 12-municipality challenge to the affordable housing law's constitutionality spearheaded by the borough of Madison It issued a request for proposals for the design and construction of a 65-unit affordable housing complex previously planned for McCoy Road and now on 3.5 acres donated to the borough as part of its settlement agreement with S Hekemian Group on the development of the remaining 89 acres of the Cigna property The fifth action to be taken by the borough is to wait for a Planning Board application for development of the remaining portion of the Cigna site by S Changing uses in Franklin LakesThe 189-acre complex was built by IBM in 1971 and vacated in 1993 Medco bought the property in 1997 and sold it to Express Scripts in 2012 Express Scripts agreed to donate 100 acres of the site to the town in return for a reduced tax assessment which was bought out by Express Scripts in December 2018 announced in August 2021 that it was moving its 2,100 employees to Morris Plains REZONING APPROVED Franklin Lakes approves rezoning of Cigna property. Here's what it means Hekemian initially proposed 2,500 multi-housing units for the site The number of units varied throughout discussions during 2023 from 650 units to 305 units and 495,000 square feet of warehouse space The borough came to an agreement with SHG Franklin Lakes LLC and the Fair Share Housing Center in November 2023 to rezone the property with two options — one for residential and the other for federal use Three lawsuits were filed challenging the agreement the mayor and Borough Council adopted a new ordinance amending the 2023 zoning to settle the three legal challenges The Franklin Lakes Volunteer Fire Department along with police and EMS rescued a dog that had fallen through the ice and swum to an island about 75 feet offshore on Sunday Firefighters used a homeowner’s canoe found near the water’s edge to reach the dog while awaiting additional equipment and manpower including a rapid deployment craft from Utility 344 "With some teamwork — and a few treats to win the dog’s trust — Firefighters Jost and Chazen were able to leash the pup and bring him safely back to shore," the statement said The Franklin Lakes Police Department and the Franklin Lakes Volunteer Ambulance Corps were also at the site assisting with the rescue and providing support for the crews The dog was uninjured and reunited with its owners FRANKLIN LAKES — Anyone who has attended a Planning Board meeting can appreciate the hard work that goes into serving as a volunteer on such a board Now imagine serving for 62 consecutive years The nonagenarian served as chairman of the Planning Board for 18 of those years and 27 as vice chairman When he stepped down after more than six decades local officials said they believed he was the longest-serving planning board member in the state He was honored at the borough's reorganization meeting on Jan 2 with a volunteer award from Mayor Charles Kahwaty “Jules Lauber is an extraordinary person and personality," said Kahwaty "He is a living repository of both the ordinances and history governing decisions by the board The Paterson native and Central High School alum moved to Franklin Lakes with his parents in 1949 as he entered Lehigh University to pursue a bachelor's degree in civil engineering Lauber began working for his father's construction company then opened his own Lauber Construction Co Lauber's father served several years as a councilman and alerted his son to opportunities on the Planning Board and I just liked what they were doing," Lauber said Lauber was appointed to the Planning Board by former Mayor Richard Steves and sworn in on Jan Lauber would help oversee the borough's development as it grew from a rural municipality with 3,316 residents to a booming suburb with a population of more than 11,000 today the Planning Board oversaw some of its most challenging proposals Lauber also managed to serve as president of the Franklin Lakes Republican Club and president of the Passaic County Engineering Society "He's a fixture," Planning Board Chairman Michael Ochs said of Lauber FRANKLIN LAKES— A Mass of dedication celebrated the opening of the new $17.4 million Church of the Most Blessed Sacrament almost five years after it was destroyed by fire and two years after construction to rebuild started The new 700-person capacity sanctuary was filled with parishioners on Sept 17 for the mass conducted by Cardinal Joseph W Former mayor and building committee chairman Frank Bivona read a proclamation during the ceremonial presentation of the building's plans to Tobin “The joy of this community and its enduring perseverance is a great contribution to the archdiocese,” Tobin said The new church was designed by Foresight Architects and LAN Associates It retains the circular layout of the previous structure and includes a community gathering hall with a kitchen a 90-seat chapel and rooms for children’s classes Stained-glass windows were salvaged from the shuttered Sacred Heart Church in Jersey City Sculptor Jay Hall Carpenter created the 8-foot-tall crucifix above the altar The only part of the sanctuary to survive the fire was a brick tower holding three bells dating to 1875 cast at the Meneeley and Kimberly Foundry in Troy and moved to Most Blessed Sacrament when it was built in 1981 but the bells were removed and sent to Christoph Paccard Bell Foundry in Charleston to be cleaned and updated with new electromagnetic strikers They are now housed in a tower over the church entrance “This new church building is the result of God’s grace working through a shared vision of the people who came together to study and pray for the creative guidance of the Holy Spirit,” said the Rev leading us to this most solemn and joyful day.” The 2,000-family-member facility was destroyed by arson on Dec. 11, 2019 Parishioners have been worshipping since then in the all-purpose room of its adjacent Academy of the Most Blessed Sacrament The church membership faced innumerable challenges including planning and construction during the pandemic Church member and borough resident James Mayers was arrested at the scene of the fire in 2019 A year later he was found not guilty by reason of insanity and was ordered committed to Greystone Park Psychiatric Hospital in Morris Plains for what remains of an estimated 30-year sentence on combined charges of first-degree aggravated arson and third-degree burglary He will remain under court supervision until December 2049 For more information on masses and services, visit the church's website mostblessedsacrament.ws Two Franklin Lakes men have been charged with theft by deception and conspiracy to commit theft by deception after failing to reimburse third-party contractors hired to do construction work for a Jersey City church said Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez were arrested last week by the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Special Investigations Unit Both men are associated with the Centurion Companies construction firm of Franklin Lakes Shenouda Coptic Church on Bergen Avenue in Jersey City to perform construction work More: Would change fix traffic problem at Garden State Parkway exit in Bergen? Petition says yes The church paid the Centurion Companies more than $350,000 with the understanding that the business would pay third-party contractors for additional services Falsified records were submitted to the church indicating the third-party contractors were paid when they had not been Christopher Poppe was also charged with three counts of forgery website lists Christopher Poppe as its founder and president The website says the two previously worked for General Contractors of Franklin Lakes and Ho-Ho-Kus The two men were released pending their first court appearance A 22-year-old driver has been charged with bias intimidation and harassment after allegedly speeding through a crosswalk filled with pro-Israel marchers The incident happened at approximately 11:00 a.m following a march in support of the State of Israel Franklin Lakes Police Chief Mark McCombs said an attendee reported that a driver narrowly missed the group as they crossed at Colonial Road and Franklin Avenue before blaring the car horn Officers gathered witness statements and quickly identified the suspect as Soubany Reem Reem was charged on a summons with harassment and bias intimidation Reem was issued multiple motor vehicle summonses failure to yield to pedestrians in a crosswalk and failure to observe a traffic control device 2024 at 7:51 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Breakfast and lunch food is often comfort food Now there's a spot in Franklin Lakes where you can enjoy meals with fresh ingredients NJ — There's a new breakfast and lunch spot in town The Farm & Flour Cafe opened earlier this month at 436 Pulis Ave. in Franklin Lakes, the former spot of the Country Cafe (which moved) (Know of a restaurant opening in Bergen County? Let Patch know so we can write about it, free! Email us here.) (So does Willow & Whisk in Wyckoff.) Delicious food and good coffee!" Know of a restaurant or business opening in Bergen County? Let Patch know so we can write about it, free! Email us here. 2024 at 11:32 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Franklin Lakes police charged a resident of the town with burglary late last month NJ — Police charged a Franklin Lakes man with two offenses after they were alerted to a potential burglary in progress was charged with burglary and attempted motor vehicle theft on Sept they were "alerted to a potential burglary in progress on Packer Ave via SPEN radio Investigation revealed the suspect confronted the homeowner in the driveway while they were seated in their vehicle." Police said no physical contact was made and nothing was taken Franklin Lakes and Wyckoff police officers arrived on scene and took the suspect into custody without incident A Franklin Lakes home has been declared uninhabitable after a fire broke out on Saturday morning killing two cats and leaving a resident with smoke inhalation Click here for photos of the fire. The Franklin Lakes Fire Department was dispatched after 911 callers reported smoke coming from the house officers confirmed a working structure fire prompting Chief of Department Chuck Bohny to call for additional alarms to bring in support from neighboring towns Franklin Lakes EMS treated a resident for smoke inhalation at the scene while firefighters rescued three pet dogs from the home without injuries The Bergen County Prosecutor's Office Arson Squad is assisting with the ongoing investigation Stay with Daily Voice for updates as more information becomes available Federal authorities have charged the wife of a Bergen County celebrity house flipper with trying to obstruct an investigation into her husband’s alleged multimillion-dollar Ponzi-like real estate scheme Cesar Pina and wife Jennifer Iturralde Pina is accused of attempting to stop a witness from cooperating with investigators and destroying one of her phones as federal agents arrived to seize it The alleged obstruction is linked to an ongoing investigation involving her husband a real estate influencer better known as “Flipping NJ.”  Pina gained prominence through real estate seminars he hosted alongside DJ Envy Authorities claim he used this visibility to attract investors by promising substantial returns—20 to 45% in as little as five months But instead of delivering on those promises authorities say Pina engaged in a Ponzi-like scheme using new investor funds to pay previous investors while funding personal expenses Pina was arrested in October 2023 on federal wire fraud charges and released on a $1 million bond with electronic monitoring Iturralde allegedly asked a friend to discourage a witness from cooperating federal agents obtained search warrants for two of Iturralde’s phones As agents arrived to execute the warrants on March 5 she reportedly destroyed one of the devices Espinosa in Newark federal court and was released on a $200,000 bond The charges against Iturralde for record destruction and against Pina for wire fraud each carry maximum penalties of up to 20 years in prison and fines reaching $250,000 or twice the financial gain or loss from the offense 2024 at 6:51 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Police from Franklin Lakes and Wyckoff chased down five suspects after a woman called police saying two strangers were in her home NJ — Police chased five men through Franklin Lakes and Wyckoff early Saturday after a Franklin Lakes woman called to say two intruders were in her home Franklin Lakes police said the incident began when the Birch Road woman called 911 around 4:11 a.m Police arrived and saw a suspicious vehicle near the woman's home When they tried to conduct a motor vehicle stop Police chased the car to Russell Avenue n Wyckoff Officer Stephanie Cestaro took two suspects into custody with the help of Wyckoff police Franklin Lakes police responded to the home to conduct further investigation Franklin Lakes Police Chief Mark McCombs noticed two more suspects on Glen Place and chased them by foot resulting in the arrest of both — and recovery of a handgun A Glen Place resident also reported seeing a stranger on her property Officers headed to the spot and arrested a fifth man The first two suspects were taken to o New Bridge Medical Center for evaluation All were then brought to the Bergen County Jail Residents thanked the police for acting quickly in a dangerous situation "Thank you to our quick acting police dept and putting yourselves in the way of danger to protect our community!!!" said one commenter on Facebook Members of the Franklin Lakes police union took the opportunity to use the incident as an example of why they deserve a new contract "We risk our lives every day for the residents of this borough," said the local PBA, "and the borough refuses to fairly pay and care for your officers...demand a contract now." North Jersey football fans with a sweet tooth may have noticed a familiar location on the finale of "Hard Knocks: Offseason with the New York Giants" this week Kara Kakes a bakery that opened in Franklin Lakes in 2015 appeared briefly on screen in the series' fifth and final episode that premiered Tuesday night clipped and posted on the store's social media pages featured Giants general manager Joe Schoen visiting for his daughter's 6th-birthday party The episode leads in with a montage of Schoen meeting with team scouts for individual evaluations following the NFL Draft in late April. Three hours later, he is amid various balloons and pink decorations at The Kake Studio an event space on site that hosts birthday parties baking classes and other special occasions "Who says you can't have your cake and eat it too?" remarks actor Liev Schreiber narrator for virtually the entire run of "Hard Knocks." The show presented the festive scene — Schoen posing for a photo with his wife Harper — as a preview of the upcoming Giants season "This year will be a celebration," Schreiber said Schoen attended the Kara Kakes party wearing a Don Bosco football sweatshirt The Bergen County prep school and perennial powerhouse has produced plenty of NFL talent over the years including Giants quarterback and cult hero Tommy DeVito 'Down to earth'"Joe was extremely down to earth and just like any other customer of ours," said Kara Blum "We have dealt with 'celebrities' before and some have an air about them and make it known they are 'somebody.' Not Joe or his family has attended other birthday parties for her friends in our studio so she is now a cupcake pro!" Blum and her business are no stranger to the bright lights having appeared on reality TV shows in the past "Having cameras and lights are always fun ways to change up day to day tasks around the bakery," Blum said "Any camera crew that comes into our space always says 'Wow this clip is going to stick out' because of all the bright colors which NFL films did a great job capturing." She said some on her staff after Giants' fans and were very excited for the filming and some "even got their nails painted the Giants colors!" Being on the show has already drawn interest from some on social media "We hope that our clip will bring some new faces to Kara Kakes during our slow season this year," Blum said "Hard Knocks," produced by NFL Films and HBO traditionally focuses on an NFL team through training camp as it prepares for the upcoming season The series expanded to the offseason for the first time this year following the Giants from January through July Saturday, 10:00 amOakland, NJ 7:00 pmMetLife Stadium, 1 Dr, East Rutherford Bottagra Restaurant, 80 Wagaraw Rd, Hawthorne MIDLAND PARK FIRE DEPT. SOCIAL HALL, 45 Witte Dr, Midland Park, NJ, 07432 10:45 am830 Franklin Lake Rd, Franklin Lakes 7:00 pmPrudential Hall, Robert Treat Center, 1 Center St, Newark 11:00 amLorrimer Sanctuary, 790 Ewing Ave, Franklin Lakes The 69-year-old former chief of the Bergen County Sheriff's Department and now-private investigator has been arrested on child pornography charges Stephen Bojekian was charged after a search of his Franklin Lakes home on Thursday Investigators found that Bojekian "used the Internet to view and possess items depicting nude and/or sexually explicit prepubescent and pubescent children," Musella said He has been charged with third-degree possession of child pornography and lodged in the Morris County Jail Bojekian's LinkedIn page shows he worked for the county from August 1978 to December 2004. In 2005, he joined the NJ State Association of Chiefs of Police examination board, conducting entry-level and promotional exams across the state, his LinkedIn says Bojekian now works as a private investigator, according to his bio on the NJLPIA website Five people were charged in a botched home burglary attempt in Franklin Lakes early Saturday morning after two suspects tried to flee police in a getaway car that flipped over The wild sequence began when a homeowner on Birch Road discovered two people inside her house around 4 a.m they saw a white 2016 Ford Fusion speed away and gave chase The Fusion sped south for about two miles before it flipped over on Russell Avenue in Wyckoff Two suspects were taken into custody by Franklin Lakes Police Officer Stephanie Cestaro with help from Wyckoff police The two suspects were taken to Bergen New Bridge Medical Center in Paramus for evaluation before being remanded to the Bergen County Jail in Hackensack police from several towns swarmed the Birch Road neighborhood looking for other possible suspects using a drone and a K9 unit who were spotted by Franklin Lakes Police Chief Mark McCombs on nearby Glen Place were arrested after trying to run away from police A fifth suspect was arrested after a Glen Place homeowner saw him via a video camera walking on her property The five were charged with burglary and eluding are: All were remanded to the Bergen County Jail Route 208 northbound at Ewing Avenue in Franklin Lakes was shut down for hours on Monday as police investigated a morning crash in the area according to the Franklin Lakes Police Department both lanes on the highway were open after one lane reopened around 3:30 p.m the Franklin Lakes Police Department was alerted of a crash involving a construction vehicle on Route 208 north according to Captain Robert Grassi of the Franklin Lakes Police Department Responding officers confirmed a multi-vehicle crash involving a privately owned dump truck and two NJ Department of Transportation vehicles that were conducting sweeping operations in a work zone on the left shoulder of the roadway The two operators of the NJDOT vehicles were transported to Hackensack University Medical Center for treatment The severity of their injuries and the cause of the crash had not been released as of Monday afternoon The operator of the dump truck received medical attention on the scene and declined further assistance The northbound lanes of Route 208 at Ewing Avenue were closed from the time of the crash until about 3:30 p.m when the state Department of Transportation reported that one lane was reopened on the highway and that there was a downed utility pole The accident site is approximately 100 feet south of 684 Route 208 north police directed motorists to use the entrance ramp at Ewing Avenue as an exit ramp to bypass the accident and head north which was headed to the scene at approximately 11:03 a.m. was also redirected and used the entrance ramp to exit the highway Five burglars are in custody after a pursuit from Franklin Lakes into Wyckoff which resulted in the vehicle overturning early Saturday A Birch Road resident called 911 reporting two people inside her home Responding officers located a suspect vehicle near the home and tried to conduct a motor vehicle stop The vehicle fled and a pursuit ensued into neighboring jurisdictions The suspect vehicle overturned on Russell Avenue in Wyckoff and two suspects were taken into custody by Officer Stephanie Cestaro with help from Wyckoff police Franklin Lakes detectives responded to Birch Road to conduct further investigation of the burglarized home along with the Bergen County Sheriff’s Office assisted Franklin Lakes Police in canvassing the neighborhood for additional suspects utilizing drone Franklin Lakes Police Chief McCombs saw two additional suspects on Glen Place and initiated a foot pursuit which resulted in the arrest of both suspects and the recovery of a handgun Franklin Lakes detectives remained on scene to assist Bergen County Sheriff’s Bureau of Criminal Investigation-Crime Scene Unit during this period a Glen Place resident reported observing an unknown person on her surveillance camera walking on her property Officers converged and took the fifth suspect into custody Two suspects involved in the initial motor vehicle pursuit were taken to New Bridge Medical Center for evaluation All defendants were charged with burglary and eluding while Bradly Rosario was also charged with unlawful possession of a handgun Wilson and Rafael Rosario were also charged with conspiracy the New Jersey actress who many knew from "Young Frankenstein," died on Tuesday According to the New York Times said the cause was complications of multiple sclerosis NJ but her family settled down in Los Angeles Garr was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in "Tootsie" and also rose to fame for her roles in "The Conversation," "Young Frankenstein," "Close Encounters of the Third Kind," and more She was diagnosed with MS in the late 90s after years of experiencing symptoms Defense Secretary nominee Pete Hegseth took a break from lobbying senators on Friday night to attend a New Jersey Family Policy Center awards event in Franklin Lakes is weathering a concerted Leftist campaign to derail his nomination over everything from tattoos to a past sexual assault allegation President Trump opens the well-known media personality and military veteran can upend the Deep State’s grip on the Pentagon Three of the four GOP gubernatorial candidates were in attendance: Jack Ciattarelli Sherrill skipped a key veterans’ benefits vote to attend the League factually-bankrupt swipe at pregnancy resource centers Affordable Energy for New Jersey GunForHire.com Job Creators Network Jersey 1st Monmouth GOP Copyright © 2025 | WordPress Theme by MH Themes and wherever else amazing podcasts are found voters chose GOP county-backed candidates over challengers running for two three-year council seats in Tuesday's primary Running under the county GOP's "Republicans for Responsible Government" slogan won a spot on the November General Election ballot with 781 votes DeLuccia was first elected to a one-year unexpired term last November Newcomer running mate Constantine "Dean" Skamas also won a spot on the ballot with 730 votes Former councilman Joseph Cadicina trailed on the alternate GOP "Republicans for Franklin Lakes" column with 521 votes in his bid for a fourth term Councilman Thomas Lambrix chose not to run for a new term DeLuccian and Skamas will run uncontested in November "It showed that the voters of Franklin Lakes embraced the positive vision of our campaign," Skamas said Wednesday "We look forward to making our case again in November and would be honored to continue serving the Franklin Lakes community."  holds a bachelor's degree in English from Villanova University The stay-at-home mother of four has been appointed to two terms on the Franklin Lakes Parks and Recreation Foundation and served as a member of Mayor Frank Bivona's Community Advisory Group Her volunteer work includes the PTAs at Woodside Avenue School and Franklin Avenue Middle School FRANKLIN LAKES PRIMARY Franklin Lakes GOP will have another contested council primary. Here's who's running holds a degree in economics from Syracuse University He served 13 years as an officer in the U.S He recently retired after working more than 30 years in the financial services industry He serves as treasurer of the Franklin Lakes Parks and Recreation Foundation He is also a member of the Franklin Lakes Office of Emergency Management Some areas in Mineral King were burned in the 2021 KNP Complex Fire. Please follow these tips to reduce your exposure to danger in burned areas The elevation at the floor of the Mineral King Valley is 7500' (2286 meters) Gauge your hiking to the least fit member of your party as the purity of the lakes and streams along the trails cannot be guaranteed The hikes described below are suitable for day trips but backcountry permits are also available for many of the areas Please be aware that pets are not allowed on any trails in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks The trail to Crystal Lake (4.9 miles one-way) branches off of the Monarch Lakes Trail at Chihuahua Bowl passing the remnants of the old Chihuahua Mine near the south rim providing panoramic views of the southern part of the Mineral King Valley including White Chief Peak and Farewell Gap and the small dam on Crystal Lake were built by the Mt Whitney Power Company between 1903 and 1905 There is no maintained trail beyond Crystal Lake 1 mile past the Mineral King Ranger Station This trail follows an old mining route along Monarch Creek before branching off from the trail to Monarch and Crystal Lakes The open slopes surrounding the Mineral King Valley are kept free of trees by avalanches; Timber Gap itself is protected from avalanches and is covered with red fir which the miners in the 1800's used for fuel and to shore up their mine shafts you can see north to the Middle Fork of the Kaweah River and across to Alta Peak This trail provides many views of the rainbow-colored metamorphic rocks that attracted miners to this area in the 1870s Although the 5.4 mile one-way hike can be done as a day trip many backpackers make these lakes their first stop on their way over Franklin Pass to Rattlesnake Canyon Park at the White Chief Trailhead parking area or Sawtooth Trailhead parking area which forks from the main Mineral King Road The trail begins at the Mineral King Pack Station made Mineral King a household name among miners of that time located near the meadow beyond the junction with the Eagle/Mosquito Lakes Trail is perhaps the oldest remaining structure in the Mineral King area The 2.9 mile one-way trail to the White Chief Bowl is a steep but scenic hike up the west side of the Mineral King Valley Park at the White Chief Trailhead parking area The route to both of these lakes follows the same trail for the first 2 miles ascending steadily up the west side of the Mineral King Valley After it reaches the lower rim of Eagle Basin a glacially carved tarn 3.4 miles (one way) from the trailhead The right-hand trail ends at Mosquito Lake #1 but hikers and fishermen often continue up the drainage to the upper lakes Download the NPS app to navigate the parks on the go The third season of White Lotus may have just ended but the mystery around Season 4’s destination is just beginning one of three lifelong friends who reunited on Season 3 of White Lotus.     Actors Sam Nivola and Sarah Catherine Hook played siblings Lochlan and Piper Ratliff in the third season of White Lotus Season 3 of HBO’s smash hit satirical comedy-drama series was produced in Thailand where the ensemble cast encountered monkeys with five of those characters winding up dead in the last of the eight episodes The show explores the irony of privilege in opulent settings spotlighting the self-destructive habits of the ultra-rich Season 2 premiered in the fall of 2022 and was filmed in Sicily says several potential locations will be scouted over the summer A source told Deadline that a return to Europe could be coming but "everything is on the table," with no decisions made yet It is likely that a Four Seasons hotel will once again play a key role speculation has centered on the Grand-Hôtel du Cap-Ferrat a Four Seasons hotel located on the French Riviera Share Your Story I am writing to express my profound gratitude and admiration for the exceptional care and expertise you demonstrated during my recent hip replacement surgery you are the best orthopedic surgeon for hip replacements in the world it was clear that I was in the hands of a leading expert in the field Your detailed explanations and reassuring demeanor immediately put me at ease and I felt confident that I was making the right choice The surgery itself exceeded all my expectations Not only was the procedure executed with utmost precision but my recovery has been remarkably smooth and painless I am astounded by how quickly I have regained mobility and how minimal my discomfort has been throughout this journey Your skill and dedication are evident in every step of the process It is clear that you are at the forefront of orthopedic surgery I feel incredibly fortunate to have had you as my surgeon and to have benefited from your unparalleled expertise Thank you for your exceptional care and for making what could have been a daunting experience so manageable and successful and I am deeply grateful for the positive impact you have had on my life With sincere appreciation and many blessings Request an Appointment Tell us how HSS helped you get back in the game Share Your Story 2024 at 5:54 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}A school bus in North Jersey The Wyckoff school board has jurisdiction over the local district schools Residents of the town also elect representatives to serve on the board of the Ramapo-Indian Hills School District which oversees the two high schools that serve kids in Wyckoff residents can choose two candidates to serve on the town school board and one for a seat on the regional Ramapo-Indian Hills board Folks running for board had to file their forms and signatures by this past Monday They'll be on the ballot along with the presidential and other candidates running in the Nov. 5 General Election. (See the election schedule, including deadlines to register, here) Ramapo-Indian Hills Board Has Seen Controversy The Ramapo-Indian Hills school board has seen a lot of controversy in the past year The board recently rescinded a contract for a superintendent they had hired The board had also overturned some of the previous superintendent's recommendations in Harassment, Intimidation and Bullying cases, and disagreed with him on counseling programs in the schools. READ MORE: Ramapo-Indian Hills Superintendent To Head To Another District READ MORE: Ramapo-Indian Hills School Board Rescinds Contract For New Superintendent, Meeting Planned some in the district may be wishing for less "interesting" times Eight people filed on Monday to run for the Wyckoff or the Ramapo-Indian Hills school boards If you are among the candidates to represent Wyckoff, please email a bio to Wyckoff Patch for possible inclusion in future election coverage Also, if you have a letter, release, or something else to post on Patch, you can do it for free any time. Here are the instructions. For the Ramapo-Indian Hills Board of Education Wyckoff residents can vote for ONE of these two candidates for a board spot: you can vote for one of following for Ramapo-Indian Hills: To learn more about the Ramapo-Indian Hills board, click here. Again, if you have a letter, release, or something else to post on Wyckoff or Oakland Patch, you can do it for free any time. Here are the instructions. For additional details, visit the NJ School Board website See Inside Melissa Gorga's Brand-New Home in Franklin LakesDigital OriginalSee Inside Melissa Gorga's Brand-New Home in Franklin LakesMelissa and Joe Gorga designed the whole home together and it reflects their love of entertaining Get news and updates about your favorite shows plus 3 free credits to watch locked content Peacock is the streaming home of your favorite Bravo shows plus so much more This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page FRANKLIN LAKES — A proposal to build 585 multi-housing units on the 88.7 acres that once housed the IBM/Express Scripts office complex will be heard Wednesday night during a combined meeting of the Borough Council and the Planning Board is expected to present its concept plan for the site The developer has also proposed donating a 3½-acre portion of the site for the borough to construct a 55-unit affordable housing complex previously planned for McCoy Road The property is currently zoned for office building as well as research and laboratory use Borough officials said the proposal does not include the adjacent 100-acre Parsons Pond Park which was donated to the borough by Express Scripts in 2016 and designated a Green Acres site No vote to authorize the proposal is expected during the hearing as elected and appointed officials weigh its pros and cons The borough's print materials characterize the meeting as "one of the initial steps in the process of working with the developer to find a solution that is acceptable to all parties." ORIGINAL AGREEMENTFranklin Lakes agrees to build 87 affordable housing units in settlement if we do not reach an agreement on this proposal .. it will pursue whatever legal recourse it believes it has." The property was not included in the borough's June 2019 affordable housing settlement agreement with the Fair Share Housing Center because it was not vacant and developable at the time said Monday that the center had not yet been consulted on the proposal Future questionsBorough questions center on whether the property meets criteria to qualify as an "area in need of redevelopment." The term was once limited to blighted urban areas but it now has a wider interpretation that is still being legally debated TICE ROADGolf simulator, theater, balconies found in this luxury Franklin Lakes complex now leasing The borough has already completed the first two legal steps of this process by authorizing the Planning Board to conduct a preliminary investigation of the proposal on Dec and authorizing the borough planner to evaluate whether the property qualifies for redevelopment status on Dec The next step would be for the Planning Board to consider the borough planner's study then provide a recommendation to Mayor and Council NEW MAYORFranklin Lakes' new mayor ready to improve 'aesthetic' of downtown, 'work with everybody' Also under consideration is whether the borough should enter into a tax abatement agreement with the developer If the developer is allowed to make a payment in lieu of taxes it will be calculated using a different formula from the standard property tax assessment Currently 67% of Franklin Lakes property taxes go to its highly rated schools The meeting will be held at 7 p.m. in the multipurpose room at the Franklin Avenue Middle School, 755 Franklin Ave. There will be no remote broadcast of the meeting. For more information, visit franklinlakes.org/news Editor's Note: This story has been updated and reflects additional affordable housing units proposed for a secondary site a previously unified Republican Party is presenting voters with a contested primary election Three Republicans are running for two three-year seats in the June 4 primary Councilman Thomas Lambrix is not seeking a new term The Franklin Lakes GOP County Committee is backing incumbent Michele DeLuccia elected to a one-year unexpired term last fall with newcomer and fellow Parks and Recreation Foundation member Constantine "Dean" Skamas under the "Republicans for Responsible Government" slogan Former Councilman Joseph Cadicina is seeking a fourth term under the alternative "Republicans for Franklin Lakes" banner It is unclear what the local GOP committee's choices signify in terms of direction or goals the committee ousted Cadicina from the party line after three terms of unchallenged support along with fellow three-term Councilwoman Ann Swist The committee shifted its support to newcomers Joel Ansh and Ardith Cardenas Planning Board Chairman Gary Sheppard ran unsuccessfully as an independent in the November race Councilwoman Gail Kelly ran unsuccessfully for mayor on the alternative GOP slate with Cadicina and Swist as council candidates CIGNA REZONING APPROVED Franklin Lakes approves rezoning of Cigna property. Here's what it means Ansh and Cardenas frequently attend Ramapo Indian Hills Board of Education meetings and they speak in support of parents' rights and other educational issues the two split over the controversial Cigna property rezoning vote last November the Franklin Lakes County Committee bumped incumbent Kelly the committee tapped Sheppard to run under its banner with council President Dennis Bonagura instead electing Sheppard and Kelly to run without opposition under the GOP banner last November Sheppard voted in favor of the Cigna rezoning; Kelly voted against it Republicans for Responsible Government candidatesMichele DeLuccia is seeking her first full term after serving the one-year unexpired term of Charles Kahwaty She holds a bachelor's degree in English from Villanova University Constantine "Dean" Skamas is a 20-year resident seeking his first council term He holds a degree in economics from Syracuse University During his 13 years as an officer in the U.S he was deployed to the Persian Gulf as part of operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm and former councilman elected to full terms in 2014 he was elected to a term on the Garfield Board of Education eventually serving as vice president and president He holds a bachelor's degree in political science from Seton Hall University and a law degree from Western Michigan's Thomas M He is a member of a matrimonial and family law practice in Morristown He has served as president of the Morris County Bar Association and Foundation.