2025 at 10:15 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}A water main break near Sunset Drive in North Caldwell is expected to disrupt traffic and water pressure on Wednesday NJ — A water main break near Sunset Drive in North Caldwell is expected to disrupt traffic and water pressure on Wednesday The Borough of North Caldwell issued the following advisory at 10:08 a.m.: “Thank you in advance for your patience as repairs are made,” the advisory stated Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. North Jersey congressman gets endorsement pledges from three councilmen municipal chair and school board president Josh Gottheimer (D-Tenafly) has scored early endorsements from most of the Democratic establishment in North Caldwell grabbing a municipality represented in Congress by another potential candidate Gottheimer has the backing of three of the four Democrats on the borough council – Matthew Atlas and Stephen Weinstein – along with Democratic Municipal Chair Jann Skelton “North Caldwell is Josh’s hometown which makes our endorsement especially meaningful He learned his Jersey values right here in our community,” the local Democrats said  “Josh is the best person to be our next governor and we can’t wait to back him if he runs.” They called him a “true North Caldwell success story.” “He learned his Jersey values right here in our community,” the five Democrats stated and made clear that he cares about every single one of us We want someone who will work day in and day out to make life in New Jersey more affordable and get things done — and that’s Josh.” Last week, Gottheimer won the endorsement of West Orange Mayor Susan McCartney and former Mayor Robert Parisi; Sherrill had represented the town during her first four years in Congress Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop has also picked up support in Gottheimer and Sherrill territory John Labrosse of Hackensack and Michael Pagan former Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Englewood) former Assemblyman Tim Eustace (D-Maywood) and three former mayors: Frank Huttle of Englewood Fulop has won endorsements from South Orange Mayor Sheena Collum and Morristown Mayor Tim Dougherty; four ex-mayors are also backing Fulop: Frank McGehee of Maplewood He also has the backing of former Orange Mayor Eldridge Hawkins Gottheimer has picked off key Democratic vote-producers: Hudson County Executive/Democratic County Chairman Craig Guy Senator Frank Lautenberg to work as a Senate Page In between the University of Pennsylvania and Harvard Law School Gottheimer was a White House speechwriter for Bill Clinton where he won a congressional seat in 2016 after ousting seven-term GOP incumbent Scott Garrett (R-Wantage) in a district Republican Donald Trump carried Gottheimer played a key role in helping North Caldwell Democrats take control of municipal government for the first time in 124 years; among the winners was Weinstein In a joint campaign with his running mates making him sort of a Dollar Store Gottheimer in comparison to the fundraising prowess of his more successful cousin known nationally as the Human Fundraising Machine North Caldwell had been Republican enough to withstand the split between William Howard Taft and Theodore Roosevelt in 1912 and the 1973 and 1974 Watergate Democratic sweeps that caused other GOP strongholds to elect Democrats to municipal office Voter registration in North Caldwell is practically even Sherrill carried North Caldwell by ten percentage points and 328 votes and Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo won North Caldwell by 836 votes and a massive 63%-37% margin Joe Biden carried North Caldwell by 236 votes in 2020 Senator Cory Booker winning by 89 and Sherrill by 178 Donald Trump had a 122-vote plurality and Rep Rodney Frelinghuysen (R-Harding) won by 829  Mitt Romney outpolled Barack Obama by 790 votes in 2012 Sherrill won North Caldwell by 11 points in 2018 when she flipped Frelinghuysen’s seat In 2020, Democrats scored their first local victories in more than a century with Floria-Callori (2,260) and Atlas (2,241) ousting two Republican incumbents Chiaia (2,165) and Cynthia Santomauro (2,157) with Jack Ciattarelli winning by 165 votes against Gov Phil Murphy – a little better than Kim Guadagno’s 121-vote margin against Murphy in 2017 Republicans had carried North Caldwell by 597 votes in the 2009 governor’s race A hour-long lockdown at West Essex High School on Tuesday morning was the result of a false report of violence according to North Caldwell Chief of Police Karl W the North Caldwell Police Department received a call reporting violence at the West Essex High School Officers conducted a search of the premise and determined there was no threat to students the school reached out to the parents to confirm the false incident The lockdown lasted about an hour as a precaution Police are calling the incident a "swatting call," which the North Caldwell Police Department define as "a criminal act in which false reports of emergencies are made to law enforcement to elicit a large-scale police response." sent out an email to families saying the call to the police claimed there was a report of a shooting incident that occurred in the high school bathroom The superintendent also stated in the email that the middle school which is located on the same campus in North Caldwell also went into lockdown and no arrests have been made An investigation is ongoing to find the origin of the false report Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker 2025 at 9:24 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}North Caldwell residents may see a “slight discoloration” in their water during an upcoming wave of hydrant and water main flushing NJ — North Caldwell residents may see a “slight discoloration” in their water during an upcoming wave of hydrant and water main flushing The borough issued the following advisory at 8:47 a.m North Caldwell borough officials issued a statement about the proposal last month, noting that a public meeting was scheduled to discuss it on Jan. 28. Read More: North Caldwell Mulls Possible Projects At Mountain Avenue Field Mayor Joshua Raymond provided an update on Thursday His message to the community follows below: “This message is being sent to Borough residents to provide an update on the Mountain Avenue Field project During the North Caldwell Mayor and Council Regular Meeting held on January 28 the Mayor and Council presented virtual and in-person attendees with information related to a potential enhancement of the Mountain Avenue Field area through an $8 million investment by Essex County “The Borough Administrator and I previously engaged in discussions with the County in the hopes of improving North Caldwell via an injection of external funds as opposed to an increased burden upon our taxpayers Essex County presented the Borough with two visions for Mountain Avenue consisting of some combination of a football/lacrosse field The project would ultimately include a renovated bathroom and snack bar This initial presentation by the County of these concept plans was meant to inform our community about their preliminary ideas and solicit feedback from our community other alternative suggestions were presented and discussed “We understand the importance of open and constructive dialogue with the community following the receipt of these concept plans in early January to solicit feedback from the community and key stakeholders and to use that feedback to engage with the County in a discussion/negotiation and to decide what improvements and terms would best suit our Borough’s needs a small but vocal group of concerned citizens within our Borough promulgated negative rhetoric regarding the potential project with the County even before the governing body could present these concept plans to the Borough and engage in 2 a meaningful dialogue Essex County sent a letter informing us of its decision that it would not move forward with the project to improve the Mountain Avenue Field the majority of the Council is upset and disappointed with the loss of this potential $8 million dollar investment into our community We are likewise frustrated by the fact that the Borough was never able to negotiate with the County and directly relay legitimate concerns presented by well-intentioned residents “While we do not currently have any alternative plans to improve the Mountain Avenue Field we will nevertheless continue to seek fiscally responsible ways to make improvements to our Borough and Essex County for presenting this potentially amazing investment and hope that we can work together on future efforts to continue to make North Caldwell a wonderful place to live and raise our families.” Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com. Learn more about advertising on Patch here. Find out how to post announcements or events to your local Patch site. Don’t forget to visit the Patch Caldwells Facebook page. The North Caldwell mayor and borough council released the following message to the community last weekend: the 7.5-acre Mountain Avenue Field parcel is subject to New Jersey Green Acres restrictions that limit any current or future use of the property to recreational or conservation activities Statements that this property is “developable” or “unencumbered” are inaccurate The mayor and council said that serious considerations have been given – and will continue to be given – towards concerns such as: “The final details of any potential arrangement have not been decided but it should come as no surprise that the borough is seriously considering the possibility of partnering with Essex County to secure a multi-million-dollar investment into our community without imposing a tax impact upon our residents,” officials said we invite the public to participate in our open public meeting related to the improvement of Mountain Avenue Field on January 28,” the message concluded “We encourage you to bring an open mind and consideration for your friends and neighbors.” 2024 at 7:01 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The North Caldwell Volunteer Fire Department will hold its second annual Oktoberfest fundraiser on Saturday NJ — The North Caldwell Volunteer Fire Department will hold its second annual Oktoberfest fundraiser on Saturday Shorty Long & The Jersey Horns will be performing live between 2:30 and 4:30 p.m Tickets are available online here and cost $30 for unlimited access to the beverage trailer and Shorty Long & The Jersey Horns 2025 at 12:11 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Voters in Caldwell North Caldwell and West Caldwell will join others across New Jersey on June 10 when they head to the polls for this year’s primary election NJ — The home stretch to the 2025 primary election has begun in the Caldwells Democratic and Republican candidates will compete for their party’s nomination The winners of the primary will face off in the general election on Nov which will also include third-party and independent candidates The Essex County Clerk’s Office recently released sample ballots for each town and city, including the Caldwells. A ballot draw was held for governor and Democratic Statehouse races earlier this month Here's who is running in local races this year: Voters in the Caldwells will also get to cast ballots for governor two state Assembly members in the 40th district and county clerk (both candidates are running unopposed) The voter registration deadline for the primary election is May 20 Early voting for the primary election will take place from June 3 to June 8 in Essex County. Voting hours are Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. >> See Early Voting Locations In Essex County For 2025 Primary Election Learn how to vote by mail in Essex County here 2025 at 8:04 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}The North Caldwell Police Department is launching a “Blue Envelope” program to help support drivers with autism NJ — The North Caldwell Police Department is launching a “Blue Envelope” program to help support drivers with autism or similar conditions The initiative is designed to foster safer and more effective interactions between law enforcement and individuals with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) or similar conditions during traffic stops “Recognizing that drivers with autism may exhibit physical movements or verbal responses beyond their control the Blue Envelope Program provides a practical solution to enhance communication and understanding,” officials said The program aims to assist officers in adapting their actions to accommodate the unique needs of these drivers – promoting a safer and more supportive environment during police encounters “By equipping both drivers and officers with the necessary tools to communicate effectively we aim to create positive outcomes and reduce misunderstandings,” police said Residents of North Caldwell who wish to participate in the Blue Envelope Program can request an application from the North Caldwell Police Department contact the North Caldwell Police Department at 973-226-0800 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 Four armed burglars were arrested on Monday after a break-in led to a pursuit in North Caldwell while responding to a home on Robin Hill Road for a break-in officers saw a white BMW X3 speeding down the street  The vehicle crossed a lawn and sideswiped a North Caldwell Police patrol vehicle before continuing on and crashing into a residence on Park Avenue along with two juveniles—fled the scene on foot but were apprehended shortly thereafter All four suspects were taken into custody and charged with aggravated assault on a law enforcement officer unlawful possession of a handgun and possession of a prohibited high-capacity magazine 2025 at 3:25 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Two water main breaks in North Caldwell are expected to cause service disruptions for nearby residents on Jan NJ -- Two water main breaks in North Caldwell are expected to cause service disruptions for nearby residents on Saturday Borough officials issued the following advisory at 1:12 p.m.: "Thank you in advance for your patience as repairs are made," borough officials said Another water main break was reported at 2:59 p.m.: Several other local water main breaks have been reported in North Caldwell over the past weeks. See Related: Déjà Vu In North Caldwell, 2 Water Main Breaks Reported Send local news tips and correction requests to eric.kiefer@patch.com 2024 at 4:24 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Caldwell North Caldwell and West Caldwell residents will head to the polls this week to vote in the 2024 general election In addition to the high-profile matchup between Kamala Harris and Donald Trump there are plenty of local candidates who will be appearing on the ballot Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day, which takes place on Tuesday, Nov. 5. Find your local polling place here CALDWELL BOROUGH COUNCIL - Four candidates are on the ballot for two open seats on the Caldwell Borough Council. Barbara Ziglear Buechner and Dana Hunkele (Republican) are running against Evelyn Seijido Loesser and Steve Zisk (Democrat). See Related: Race For Caldwell Town Council Heats Up; Meet The Candidates WEST CALDWELL TOWN COUNCIL - Two Republican candidates are running unopposed for two open seats on the West Caldwell Township Council: Michael Crudele and Robert Schott CALDWELL-WEST CALDWELL SCHOOL BOARD - Two candidates are running unopposed for two open seats on the Caldwell-West Caldwell Board of Education: Julianne Grosso and Christopher D’Ambola The district serves residents of Caldwell and West Caldwell NORTH CALDWELL BOROUGH COUNCIL - Two candidates are running unopposed for two open seats on the North Caldwell Borough Council: Johanna Stroever (Democrat) and Kenneth Tilton (Republican) NORTH CALDWELL SCHOOL BOARD - Three candidates are running for two open seats on the North Caldwell Board of Education: Matthew Whitford WEST ESSEX REGIONAL SCHOOL BOARD - Two candidates are running for one open seat on the West Essex Regional School District: Joseph Sabol and Maryadele Wojtowicz A single candidate is running unopposed for an unexpired term on the board: Alicia Amil The school district includes the municipalities of Essex Fells Here are some other races that voters in the Caldwells will be asked to cast ballots for: Senate seat who will appear on the ballot include Andy Kim (Democrat) Joanne Kuniansky (Socialist Workers Party) Christina Khalil (Green Party) and Patricia G US HOUSE (10TH DISTRICT) – Voters in the 10th Congressional District Candidates on the ballot include LaMonica McIver (Democrat) US HOUSE (11TH DISTRICT) – Voters who live in the 11th Congressional District including North Caldwell and West Caldwell will cast ballots for a separate seat in the U.S Candidates on the ballot include Mikie Sherrill (Democrat) Lily Benavides (Green Party) and Joshua Lanzara (Independent) ESSEX COUNTY SHERIFF – Voters in the Caldwells will get to cast a ballot in the race for Essex County Sheriff The candidates on the ballot are Amir Jones (Democrat) and Nicholas Pansini (Republican) ESSEX COUNTY REGISTER – Voters in the Caldwells will get to cast a ballot in the race for Essex County Register >> Want more local election updates? Sign up for free Patch e-newsletters and alerts here There are three ways to vote in the 2024 general election in New Jersey. Here’s what options are available for Essex County residents, according to the clerk’s office: Early Voting – Early in-person voting for 2024 general election took place from Oct. 26 to Nov. 3. Voting hours were Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. See a list of early voting locations in Essex County here Election Day – Polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Election Day, which takes place on Tuesday, Nov. 5. Find your local polling place here Worried about voter protection in New Jersey's 2024 election See what state officials have to say about election integrity in the below video from the New Jersey Attorney General's Office 2024 at 12:24 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Early in-person voting for 2024 general election in New Jersey will take place from Oct North Caldwell or West Caldwell who want to get a jump on the 2024 election can begin heading to the polls this weekend for the start of early voting Early in-person voting for the general election in New Jersey will take place from Oct. 26 to Nov. 3. Voting hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. See a list of early voting locations in Essex County here In the meanwhile, mail-in votes continue to pile up across the state. According to an election tracker from the Associated Press New Jersey voters have already cast 548,326 mail-in ballots as of Oct Early Voting – Early in-person voting for 2024 general election will take place from Oct. 26 to Nov. 3. Voting hours are Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Sunday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. See a list of early voting locations in Essex County here CALDWELL — A homeowner was startled awake by a loud noise Sunday morning to find four masked individuals in the house Caldwell police told ABC 7 Eyewitness News that a group entered a home on Birkendene Road around 5:30 a.m When they couldn't get in the house through the doors one of the individuals pried open a window with a crowbar to climb inside and let the other three inside through a door The homeowner told ABC 7 Eyewitness News he came downstairs and encountered one of the group and the others came out to the homeowner's surprise before taking off He believes the group was looking for the key fob for a high-end vehicle parked in the driveway One of them stole a purse and backpack from the home Much of the incident was captured on a Ring security system The same group broke into another house in the same neighborhood after the incident Patrick told New Jersey 101.5 two residential burglaries are under investigation but would not disclose any details The demand for high-end vehicles is rising as they are increasingly being used to fund terrorist groups overseas The FBI's Newark office told New Jersey 101.5 that teens are often paid between $1,500 and $2,500 per vehicle by"criminal enterprises" because they would be difficult to arrest and be held accountable Legislation signed in October was designed to tighten the penalties for burglaries and home invasions committed by juveniles The law creates two new offenses: second-degree residential burglary and first-degree home invasion burglary The harsher penalties can include jail time there's a better chance of keeping accused offenders in custody pretrial Both of the new classifications are subject to the No Early Release Act which requires one to serve at least 85 percent of their prison term before becoming eligible for parole Report a correction 👈 | 👉 Contact our newsroom Gallery Credit: Dan Zarrow Gallery Credit: Judi Franco/New Jersey 101.5 Caldwell police told ABC 7 Eyewitness News that a group entered a home on Birkendene Road in Caldwell around 5:30 a.m.\nRead More Caldwell police told ABC 7 Eyewitness News that a group entered a home on Birkendene Road around 5:30 a.m The FBI's Newark office told New Jersey 101.5 that teens are often paid between $1,500 and $2,500 per vehicle by"criminal enterprises" because they would be difficult to arrest and be held accountable Legislation signed in October was designed to tighten the penalties for burglaries and home invasions committed by juveniles Report a correction 👈 | 👉 Contact our newsroom the average tax bill topped $10,000 for the first time in 2024 landing at a record-high $10,095 – which is still well below what residents of the Caldwells are paying Here are last year's figures (not including credits and deductions): CALDWELL - The average Caldwell resident paid $13,573 in property taxes on a home valued at $426,385 NORTH CALDWELL - The average North Caldwell resident paid $17,965 in property taxes on a home valued at $795,855 WEST CALDWELL - The average West Caldwell resident paid $12,271 in property taxes on a home valued at $448,558 Property taxes in New Jersey are mainly made up of three parts: school Here’s how that played out in the Caldwells for 2024 according to state data (percentages rounded up): The Caldwells aren't the only towns in the area with a tax bill that tops the state average the average Essex County property owner paid $13,900 in taxes on a home valued at $454,513 last year: the highest in New Jersey Some experts have pointed out that a high tax bill doesn't necessarily mean a homeowner is getting ripped off, however – it depends on what you get for the money “While no taxpayers in high-tax jurisdictions will be celebrating their yearly payments, it's worth noting that property taxes are largely rooted in the ‘benefit principle’ of government finance – the people paying the bills are most often the ones benefiting from the services,” researchers from The Tax Foundation recently wrote Taxes and home values have gone up steadily throughout New Jersey over the past decade regardless of what political party is in the governor's seat When former Republican Gov. Chris Christie and the state Legislature reached a historic deal for a 2 percent cap in 2011 the average property tax bill in New Jersey was at $7,759 for a home valued at $299,014 the average property tax payment had risen by 13 percent The average tax bill in New Jersey has continued to rise under Gov the average bill reached $10,095 – a 15 percent increase New Jerseyans continue to pay the highest property taxes in the nation and the state has funneled billions into programs like Affordable New Jersey Communities for Homeowners and Renters (ANCHOR) The record-high budget proposed for New Jersey's next fiscal year includes $4.3 billion for property tax relief programs, with the Stay NJ program set to start for eligible seniors in 2026. See Related: ANCHOR, Stay NJ Tax Rebates Changes In New Record-Setting Budget Other property tax relief programs available in New Jersey include the “Senior Freeze,” which reimburses eligible senior citizens and disabled persons for property tax or mobile home park site fee increases on their principal residence Learn more about each program at the following links: WEST CALDWELL — Three men from North Brunswick are responsible for an overnight home invasion in late January according to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office Officials on Monday announced the arrests of 32-year-old Joel Llanes West Caldwell police were called to a home on Lougheed Avenue the homeowner was awakened by the sound of someone breaking through a rear glass door of the home When he went to check out the source of the noise the homeowner was confronted by three armed individuals on the first floor Police said the suspects bound the homeowner's wrists and ankles with tape and held him at gunpoint while the home was ransacked the men got away with cash and collectibles and they drove away in the homeowner's Jeep Grand Cherokee The Jeep was eventually located after it had crashed The vehicle was unoccupied when officials had arrived on the scene of the crash All three suspects have been charged with first-degree robbery The suspects also face weapons and conspiracy charges Anyone with information related to this case is being asked to contact the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office tips line at 1-877-TIPS-4EC the home invasion was likely a targeted act and does not appear to be "consistent with recent home burglaries for high-end motor vehicles in the area," police said Gallery Credit: Erin Vogt Gallery Credit: Bankrate/New Jersey 101.5 The home invasion may have been targeted.\nRead More