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The joint initiative included enhanced security of collection boxes and delivery vehicles, as well as coordination with the Department of Justice for the prosecution of suspects who committed violent crimes against letter carriers It resulted in more than 2,050 arrests on charges of mail theft But authorities continue to stress that customers themselves are the first line of defense against postal fraud customers should hand it to letter carriers or use letter slots inside of post offices They should also pick up mail promptly after delivery and never leave it in their mailboxes overnight The free service allows customers to preview images of letter-sized mail before it arrives Philip DeVencentis is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com For unlimited access to the most important news in your community please subscribe or activate your digital account today Email: devencentis@northjersey.com 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 call it whatever you want—but when Dave Portnoy walked into Spinachio Pizza in North Haledon last week Zana Kaloshi and Ardiana Gashi of Spinachios with Dave Portnoy Spinachio's "skinny pie" earned an 8.1 from Portnoy but he didn't care much for their signature Spinachio pizza Portnoy visits Zana Kaloshi and Ardiana Gashi of Spinachios in North Haledon she had been trying to get the Barstool Sports CEO to come in she was literally talking about it when it happened Portnoy, whose One Bite pizza reviews can make or break a business, got his hands on Spinachio’s skinny pizza—a razor-thin bar pie—and handed out an 8.1. Not too shabby Then came the real test: their spinach pie The place is literally named after its signature pie It’s a secret family recipe passed down from Kaloshi and her sister (and co-owner) Ardiana Gashi’s grandmother but he didn’t spit it out either—so Kaloshi's calling that a win black heart reemerged for the final minute of the video," one person commented on the One Bite video The Spinachio Pie features fresh spinach marinated in garlic and extra virgin olive oil, combined with our secret Spinachio mix, pecorino romano cheese, and mozzarella, the pizzeria's website says an Albanian native who lived in Italy before coming to the U.S. and the sisters always knew they’d be next in line "People don’t think spinach on a pizza is a thing," Kaloshi said "It’s like ‘ugh.’ But when you have a slice "I always have influencers come in—they love the pizza," Kaloshi said "But I still believe we can convert anyone to like the Spinachio — unless you’re Dave… and he doesn’t like spinach." Click here to watch Portnoy's review of Spianchio's. 2025 at 8:53 am ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Thefts have been reported from several USPS mailboxes and officials are urging residents to be careful when mailing checks Postal Inspection Service are investigating a rash of mail thefts in North Haledon and a USPS mail box has been removed "out of an abundance of caution." Numerous residents have reported fraud and theft after they mailed personal or bank checks via the USPS Thefts have been reported from several USPS mailboxes The Postal Inspection Service began their own probe into the reports USPS authorities have removed the mailbox outside the North Haledon Fire Department at 568 High Mountain Road "We are aware complaints and/or thefts have been reported from other locations as well an investigation is ongoing," police said on Friday "Please continue to exercise due caution with how you send your personal and private information." who works in the Newark field office of USPIS's Philadelphia division said the agency could not share more information at this time "due to the sensitivity of the investigation and its development." Kliemisch said customers should report stolen mail to the Postal Inspection Service as soon as possible by submitting an online complaint at www.uspis.gov/report or calling 877-876-2455 The Postal Inspection Service recommends that anyone sending mail through the USPS can hand the letter or payment to a postal worker or deposit the mail inside the post office Police also suggest that residents use other ways to pay their bills North Haledon PD further shared ways to detect identity theft, which you can see in the post below or by clicking here. A former clerk at the Clifton Main Post Office also confessed to stealing more than $100,000 in sports memorabilia from packages meant for a local auction house in January Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. State senator’s now-uncontested campaign continues accruing support State Sen. Nellie Pou (D-North Haledon) has received endorsements from every Democratic municipal chair in the Passaic County portion of the 9th congressional district, marking yet another strong show of support for the senator’s now-uncontested campaign to succeed the late Rep our priority is to ensure that the families and residents of Passaic County continue to have a strong voice in Congress,” the municipal chairs said in a joint statement “We are confident that Senator Pou will be that voice and we are proud to endorse her as the next representative of the 9th congressional district.” The endorsement list includes the Democratic municipal chairs in Paterson, Passaic, Clifton, Hawthorne, Prospect Park, Haledon, North Haledon, Wayne, and Pompton Lakes. Every Democratic municipal chairperson in the Bergen County portion of the 9th district endorsed Pou earlier this week After Pascrell died last week at the age of 87 Pou was one of several Passaic County candidates who stepped up to run at the party convention to replace him on the ballot a process that under state law has to happen by today Also in the running were Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter (D-North Haledon) and other candidates considered launching campaigns as well But over the weekend, the three county Democratic chairmen in the 9th district came together to work out a compromise, and Pou emerged as their choice for the seat That put the other contenders at a heavy disadvantage Sumter and Wimberly all dropped out of the race in the last few days as Pou’s campaign gained momentum The joint statement from Passaic County’s Democratic municipal chairs acknowledges the other candidates who ran – candidates who likely would have picked up quite a bit of support among Passaic Democratic committeemembers if it weren’t for the pro-Pou deal – but says that Pou was ultimately the best option for the seat and State Senator Nellie Pou are all remarkable public servants who have contributed greatly to our community,” the statement said and vision make her the best choice to represent our district in Washington.” NORTH HALEDON — A total overhaul of the Kennedy-era veterans building on High Mountain Road is nearing completion The renovation project which has cost the borough $600,000 so far but guests who visit there Monday for a Veterans Day service will observe a lot of progress The building at 512 High Mountain Road is the headquarters of American Legion Post 428 as well as a gathering place for Girl Scouts the Golden Age Club and other civic groups and local organizations are not charged to meet there “You really can’t thank a veteran enough,” said Mayor Randy George includes a new facade — white bricks were replaced by sturdy lap siding painted blue Passaic County: Customers line up for hours to get into Amazon Fresh supermarket, now open in Woodland Park and a pitched roof was constructed for curb appeal Inside of the 2,500-square-foot building are fresh window treatments and laminate floorboards that look like real hardwood and high hat lights and speakers are recessed into the ceiling The borough spent $33,000 to furnish the meeting hall with 10 large tables and 125 cushioned chairs Half of the project was funded through Passaic County grants Some exterior work remainsWork left to be completed is limited to the building exterior and masons still have to install a fieldstone veneer below the lap siding The last step will be to put up the facade sign a Navy veteran of the Vietnam War and the commander of Post 428 said he and his fellow Legionnaires were happy with the project The post has 43 members, most recruited by the commander himself attended his sister’s wedding reception at the meeting hall six decades ago It was easy for him to remember that special occasion as it fell a year after the building opened and a year before he enlisted The old lodge was overdue for major upgrades “I just can’t let that post fail — that’s the bottom line,” Van Der Wall said George said he was inspired to improve the American Legion building after seeing a similar project on a motorcycle ride in upstate New York the borough has made recurring investments in the frequently used meeting hall “I’m trying to do the same thing here,” George said “I got the idea from them — a good idea is a good idea.” For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community The Democrat was mum on who he wants to succeed Pou as she departs for Washington Paterson Mayor André Sayegh confirmed he will not seek the state Senate seat of Rep.-elect Nellie Pou who is leaving Trenton for Washington come January Democratic Party leaders picked Pou, a North Haledon Democrat, to succeed Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-Paterson) after his death in August. The longtime state legislator’s closer-than-expected election to Congress means her state Senate seat will open by Jan Democratic leaders from Bergen and Passaic counties will hold a special convention to fill the seat until a special election is held next November The winner of the special convention will instantly become the front-runner for the Democratic primary and November 2025 special election The winner of that special election will finish out the term Sayegh told the New Jersey Globe on Tuesday morning that he was focused on Paterson and not interested in taking up a role in Trenton and I’m going to complete a lot of the projects that we’ve started,” the two-term mayor said The Paterson mayor launched a short-lived congressional campaign after Pascrell’s August death He dropped the bid when it became clear that county Democratic leaders in the 9th district were coalescing around Pou Sayegh was mum on who he might support to succeed Pou The mayor said there are a “few Assembly people” interested Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter (D-North Haledon) and Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly (D-Paterson) serve with Pou in the 35th district. Sumter and Wimberly also ran to succeed Pascrell but similarly withdrew when Pou became the favorite The 35th legislative district stretches across parts of Bergen and Passaic counties NORTH HALEDON — Voters approved a ballot question Tuesday to ensure police officers stay in local schools and that their health care benefits and salaries are covered by the K-8 district Armed police have been stationed at Memorial School and High Mountain Middle School since May 2022 but the Board of Education and borough shared the cost of that security Trustees will now bear the entire expense for two resource officers Passaic County: This high school in North Jersey embraces Italian bees and their honey Unofficial results show that 2,100 voters were not in favor of moving the expense — $525,000 for this year — from the municipal budget to the school budget The tallies do not include some mail-in ballots or provisional ballots 5,217 cast ballots in the referendum — a turnout of 70.1% voters returned incumbents for three-year terms on the school board LauraLee Harding and Valdo Panzera won the uncontested race The school board said Wednesday that it was grateful for the support of the community “The passage of this question allows the district to maintain this level of security for our students and staff while creating a savings that will be put back into the education for our children,” trustees said in a statement Voter approval of the funding measure was necessary for the district to exceed the state-mandated 2% cap on its tax levy increase who already pay for the resource officers under the agreement between the borough and school board The resource officers contribute to the district in many ways and they keep guard during field trips and at events such as eighth-grade graduation and the Halloween parade Longtime state legislator leads by five-point margin against Republican Billy Prempeh Nellie Pou (D-North Haledon) has won the race for New Jersey’s open 9th congressional district keeping the Passaic and Bergen County seat last held by the late Rep Bill Pascrell (D-Paterson) in Democratic hands – though not by an overwhelming margin That could still shift slightly as the remaining votes are counted it would be a dramatic underperformance for Democrats in a district they typically carry by high double digits a 28-year veteran of the state legislature who will soon become the first Latina to ever represent New Jersey in Washington For most of the year, Pascrell, a feisty former mayor of Paterson first elected to the House in 1996, was running for re-election to a 15th term, and there seemed to be little that could stand in his way. Pascrell had easily defeated Prospect Park Mayor Mohamed Khairullah who ran a heavily Gaza-focused campaign in a district with a substantial Palestinian American population and few believed he was in any danger of losing the general election against Prempeh But in July, the 87-year-old Pascrell was hospitalized with an illness that would ultimately prove fatal. He died on August 21 prompting an outpouring of tributes from New Jersey and Washington – and creating a thorny situation for local Democrats in the 9th district Because of the timing of Pascrell’s death, there was no time to hold a special election for his seat; instead, local Democrats had to hold a convention to choose a new nominee who would replace him on the general election ballot. And they had an incredibly short timeframe to do so with an August 29 state deadline for substituting nominees looming (Had Pascrell died just a couple of weeks later after the deadline to replace him on the ballot had passed Democrats may have been forced to campaign for his posthumous re-election.) no fewer than six candidates either launched campaigns or began telling allies they were interested in running: Pou; her two state legislative running mates Assemblymembers Shavonda Sumter (D-North Haledon) and Benjie Wimberly (D-Paterson); Paterson Mayor André Sayegh who had mulled a primary challenge to Pascrell earlier in the year; Bergen County Commissioner Tracy Silna Zur (D-Franklin Lakes); and Assemblyman Clinton Calabrese (D-Cliffside Park) Each of the candidates had real bases of support among the several hundred Democratic county committeemembers who would choose the new nominee creating the prospect of a hectic convention where longtime alliances were tested and where the Bergen and Passaic County Democratic organizations would be pitted against one another Party leaders in both counties were keen on avoiding that, creating pressure for them to find a compromise candidate all of them would be amenable to supporting. They found one in Pou a 68-year-old liberal Democrat who had made few enemies in her time in Trenton and who fit the plurality-Hispanic 9th district well Once the three county Democratic chairs in the district had endorsed Pou all of her declared and prospective opponents ended their campaigns and she won the convention to take Pascrell’s place on the ballot unopposed and the fact that Pou had just two months to build up a general election campaign before Election Day could have in theory provided an opening for Republicans to make a play for the district Prempeh had run against Pascrell in both 2020 and 2022 and his surprisingly small 11-point loss in the latter year made the 9th district the second-closest Democratic-held district in New Jersey But seeing little hope in such a historically blue district – part of the reason for Prempeh’s success in 2022 was low turnout in Paterson and Passaic that was unlikely to be replicated in a presidential year – state and national Republicans bypassed the race leaving Prempeh to fend for himself; he ultimately raised just $40,000 for his campaign while Pou raised $420,000 that may have been an unwise decision on their part A Passaic County man has been convicted for his role in a drug ring responsible for trafficking hundreds of kilograms of fentanyl and other drugs over a six-year period was convicted by a Newark jury of drug trafficking conspiracy and international money laundering conspiracy Attorney for the District of New Jersey Vikas Khanna said in a press release Eight other defendants have previously pleaded guilty in related cases According to documents and court statements Panzera and others in the drug ring imported and distributed various controlled substances Group members placed orders with a source in China and distributed the substances throughout New Jersey in bulk and via counterfeit pharmaceutical pills containing fentanyl analogues An analogue is a chemical compound that has a structure similar to that of another compound but differs from it in a certain component the organization imported more than a metric ton of fentanyl and other drugs into the United States Members of the group sent hundreds of thousands of dollars to China using wire transfers and Bitcoin to pay for the substances Real estate: You could own this 50-acre NJ farm with a cider orchard, and farmhouse Panzera faces 10 years to life in prison and up to a $10 million fine on the drug trafficking conspiracy charge and up to 20 years in prison and a maximum $500,000 fine for the international money laundering conspiracy The case was part of an operation by the Organized Crime Drug Enforcement Task Force multi-agency approach to target high-level criminal organizations in the U.S It is being prosecuted jointly by the New Jersey district of the U.S Attorney's Office and the Money Laundering and Asset Recovery Section of the Department of Justice Other agencies assisting in the investigation include Homeland Security Investigations offices in Newark and Philadelphia; U.S Customs and Border Protection in New Jersey New York and Kentucky; the FBI's Newark division; the U.S Postal Inspection Service in Newark; the IRS Criminal Investigation; the Newark Police Department and the Essex County Prosecutor's Office HALEDON — Higher powers were at work on a recent Monday when Police Chief Angelo Daniele showed up at an accident scene He was not supposed to be there at that exact moment — except he was appointment with his pulmonologist in less than 15 minutes As he walked out of the office building in Wayne he looked to his right to see that an SUV had crashed into a telephone pole extricated the driver from the vehicle and administered CPR before police officers from Haledon and Wayne arrived to render further aid to the 61-year-old man Use of force: Attorney considers civil claim against Wayne Police Department after shooting of sword-wielding man Luís Portuguez was rushed to St. Joseph’s University Medical Center in Paterson injured her arm in the accident and was also treated at the hospital The crash happened near the campus of William Paterson University just north of the T-intersection of Hamburg Turnpike and University Drive Ochoa and Portuguez sat in the front row of the municipal courtroom with their family as Mayor Michael Johnson presented a “key to the borough” award and a lifesaving citation to the chief in front of a standing-room-only audience Ochoa gently caressed Portuguez’s back with her left hand “This is a celebration of life,” the chief said “This isn’t just about honoring me — we’re bonded forever.” Four other officers were recognized for answering the call that afternoon: Haledon Detective Sgt Haledon Patrolman Steven Guzmán and Wayne Patrolwoman Alexis Losito Also acknowledged was Prospect Park Mayor Mohamed Khairullah who was driving by as the accident occurred The ceremony began with the audience viewing a six-minute video clip of the immediate aftermath of the crash from footage recorded by Rutkowski’s body camera “We feel so fortunate that the officers were there when the accident happened.” Johnson said the “chilling” video clip was a reminder of the essential role of first responders “God puts you in a certain place to do exceedingly abundant things For those who may not have accepted the spiritual explanation for Daniele’s being in the right place at the right time She kept him in bed for an extra 10 minutes that morning “It completely threw off my day,” said the chief, who has led the 23-person Police Department for eight years Once a humble commemoration of a Mexican battle victory today it’s a pan-cultural celebration of food Cinco de Mayo is as good an occasion as to toast to friends and the coming of warm spring weather That this year’s Cinco de Mayo falls on a Monday needn’t dampen your spirits; That this year’s Cinco de Mayo falls on a Monday needn’t dampen your spirits — North Jersey has a slew of Mexican restaurants tequila bars and fusion eateries at which to celebrate on Cinco de Mayo or throughout the preceding weekend visit spots throughout Cinco de Mayo weekend for live music On May 5, 1862, a young Mexican general led an undermanned battalion to victory over the French. It was reason for local celebrations in years following now many of us with no relation to (or knowledge of) its origins slam Coronas on fancy patios The holiday was relatively obscure until the 1960s when a group of Chicano activists feted it as a way to celebrate Mexican-American identity Capitalists then jumped on the money-making possibilities frat bros found another excuse to get hammered and here we are in 2025 In the central state of Puebla in Mexico — the birthplace of many Mexican immigrants to Philadelphia New Jersey and New York — Cinco de Mayo remains an important but mostly local holiday commemorated with a daytime parade attended by thousands Cinco de Mayo has morphed into an occasion for the masses to simply celebrate with food and friends So maybe the more salient question for many of us when it comes to Cinco de Mayo isn’t Nómada is celebrating Cinco de Mayo with several days of food and drink specials, raffles, games and more. On May 4, stop by for brunch from noon to 2 p.m. with Mexican bingo; on May 5, there’ll be Patrón specials, a live DJ after 10 p.m. and swag, contests and raffles; and on May 6, visit between 7-9 p.m. for a Patrón bottle-engraving event. Make reservations at nomadanj.com Go: 700 Bloomfield Ave., Verona; 908-936-4296, nomadanj.com Clifton and LindenChevy’s Fresh Mex locations in Clifton and Linden will offer food and drink specials (including tacos empanadas and margarita flights) this Cinco de Mayo Stop by on the May 3 kickoff party or the day-of celebration on May 5 Go: 365 Route 3, Clifton, 973-777-6277 and 1150 S. Stiles St., Linden, 908-862-9800; chevys.com Cinco de Mayo landing on a Monday this year needn’t harsh any vibes Pair all that drinking with Latin American staples like a Cuban sandwich or churrasco steak Go: 36-42 Newark St., Hoboken; 201-238-2594, panelahoboken.com Swing by one of Orale Mexican Kitchen’s three North Jersey locations for a celebration centered around its modern Mexican food hibiscus miso salmon or pork belly bao buns Go: 56 South St., Morristown, 973-998-8061; 341 Grove St., Jersey City, 201-333-0001; and 1426 Willow Ave., Hoboken, 201-942-3937; oralemk.com drinks and giveaways will be on the menu at Colossal Restaurant in Wharton this Cinco de Mayo Enjoy traditional Mexican fare at this newly opened spot Folks rave about the freshness of the ingredients here and the elevated execution of time-tested favorites Go: 392 N. Main St., Wharton; 908-936-2244, instagram.com/colossalrestaurant Celebrate Cinco de Mayo over three days at NOM Mexican Table food and drink specials and a tequila garden NOM’s an upscale spot with a casual vibe; you’d be wise to spend part of the weekend enjoying the festivities here curated list of excellent agave spirits and cocktails Go: 67 Morris St., Morristown; 973-267-4700, nommexicantable.com For an exceptionally festive Cinco de Mayo experience head to one of La Fortaleza’s locations in Clifton food and drink specials and a generally good vibe elongated corn-tortilla quesadilla packed with queso Oaxaca and your choice of meat or veggies and wash it down with one (or several) of La Fortaleza’s oversized cocktails Go: Clifton, Lodi, Carlstadt and Passaic; fortalezarestaurants.com This eatery serves no-frills Mexican classics like tacos as well as traditional entrees like chicken mole Go: 59 Main St., Hackensack; 201-342-4206, miranchonj.com Jalapeños is celebrating Cinco de Mayo with four days of festivities there’ll be karaoke with giveaways for every singer; on May 3 Drink specials from tequila shots to margarita deals will run all weekend Go: 930 Prospect St., Glen Rock; 201-445-5566, jalapenosmexgrill.com This popular Bayonne Mexican spot has celebrations throughout Cinco de Mayo weekend: First, a May 3 shindig with food and drink specials and a DJ set, then a May 5 celebration with a live DJ, special drinks and El Aguila Dorada’s menu of authentic Mexican eats. Reserve your spot at aguiladoradarestaurant.com Go: 412 Broadway, Bayonne; 201-331-9100, aguiladoradarestaurant.com Milagros is hosting a Cinco de Mayo party with free shots Head over on May 5 for those special offerings plus its menu of fish tacos beachy cocktails and fruity margaritas to amplify the celebration Go: 3835 Route 46, Parsippany-Troy Hills; 973- 794- 4555, milagrosnj.com Enjoy an Asian-Caribbean fusion this Cinco de Mayo at Englewood’s CZEN plus they’ll roll out special oxtail birria and nachos for the festivities Go: 36 N. Van Brunt St., Englewood; 201-431-9199, czenrestaurant.com Cinco de Mayo is an ideal spot to celebrate May 5 Stop in at this casual Mexican spot for live entertainment all weekend long large cocktails and satisfied with the traditional Go: 371 High Mountain Road, North Haledon; (973)-304-4300, cincodemayonorthhaledon.com For a more upscale Cinco de Mayo experience head to The Westfield by Casa del Rey for a celebration filled with authentic Mexican dishes and a whole lot of tequila The Westfield will bring in a live DJ and will have specials on tacos tequila and margaritas throughout the afternoon and evening Go: 147 Westfield Ave. West, Roselle Park, 908-300-5678, casadelreynj.com Blue Moon's been a local favorite for Cinco de Mayo celebrations for years. Head back for a day of varied live music (from a piano bar to mariachi), food and drink specials, giveaways and outdoor seating. And, if your plan is to stay in this year, Blue Moon has a variety of catering packages you can order to takeaway for your at-home Cinco celebration Go: 327 Franklin Ave., Wyckoff; 201-891-1331, bluemoonmexicancafe.com Matt Cortina is a food reporter for NorthJersey.com/The Record A North Haledon man died after his vehicle left the road and overturned onto a golf course in Wayne was driving a Subaru Impreza west on Parish Drive near Jacobus Avenue around 7:30 a.m struck a split-rail fence and overturned onto the adjacent Passaic County golf course property First responders found Fales unconscious and unresponsive inside the vehicle Despite efforts by the Wayne Memorial First Aid Squad the township Fire Department and paramedics from St Authorities have not disclosed the cause of the crash and the incident remains under investigation who was said to have a deep passion for cars and worked primarily at car dealerships was remembered by his family and friends for his love of classic rock music which kept him connected to his close-knit circle of friends His obituary said he is survived by his siblings Gregory Fales was also an uncle to Logan and Penelope A visitation and memorial service for Fales will be held Friday from 2 to 5 p.m at Browning-Forshay Funeral Home in Hawthorne A remembrance ceremony will be held from 5 to 8 p.m NORTH HALEDON — A development that will bring dozens of apartments plus a drive-thru coffee shop and a self-storage facility to an empty plot on Belmont Avenue was approved Thursday by the Planning Board after months of public hearings Andrew Antropow said he was concerned that the coffee shop — a Starbucks potentially — would create buildup on the busy county road from the north part of the borough to the edge of Haledon “This project just seems like a time bomb waiting to blow up,” said Antropow in addition to a 4,378-square-foot retail building the board passed the controversial application in a 7-2 vote There was considerable debate about whether the important decision should be postponed to next month Board Chairman Frank Coscia and board member William DeBlock dissented Coscia, who voiced reservations about the project since the first hearing in May said in closing remarks that the development is “too intense,” especially since it would be built on difficult terrain and “up against a mountain.” but I’m pretty sure that I’m going to see water issues,” he said he added: “I don’t find this project to be good planning I think it’s not keeping with the residential character of North Haledon said after the hearing that “we’re very pleased” the project went through who offered the motion to approve the application said in closing remarks to a crowd of some 20 people that the development fulfills a municipal obligation to provide a fair share of affordable housing there is little that officials can do to improve congestion on local roads “We live in the most densely populated area in America,” he said To say you don’t want traffic in town isn’t being realistic are trying to control development and not let it get out of control.” The application process was prolonged in this case because the board kept asking for revisions The developer and its experts complied with practically all of those requests including pushing the construction away from the nearest residential properties on Vine Street The buffer will be teeming with drought-tolerant shrubs and trees the board granted one variance for exceeding the maximum height of a retaining wall A limited portion of the tiered wall to be erected in the northwest corner of the site will stand 24 feet a planner who testified on behalf of the developer said the variance was needed because the site has such steep topography He said the slope rises 76 feet from its lowest elevation Despite that challenge, Grygiel said, the property is meant to be built on. He said the project achieves the goal of a borough redevelopment plan which prescribes diverse uses for the L-shaped lot Most of the hearing was spent discussing stormwater retention An engineer told the board that the project would feature a complex system of roadside inlets and underground pipes providing enough capacity for the present-day 100-year rain event and a future 100-year rain event said the drainage system that he designed could hold up to 4,900 cubic feet of water That volume is equal to 36,655 gallons — or twice as much as a standard backyard swimming pool NORTH HALEDON — The grainy images and video recordings of Nov have inhabited the shared consciousness of America for decades They are fixed in people’s minds the same way a microchip is implanted between the shoulder blades of a dog A Lincoln Continental convertible chauffeuring a beloved president and his elegant wife creeps down a city street with a park on the left and a seven-story brick building to the right He then starts to double over in the back seat before the abrupt and ghastly moment when something appears to strike him directly in the head wearing a pillbox hat and a raspberry-colored dress frantically crawls toward the rear of the 21-foot limousine is perhaps the most widely debated and discussed event to happen in the U.S Passaic County: Clifton schools superintendent is back to work after three-month leave The artist and researcher, who has studied the assassination since he was a teenager, visited the North Haledon Public Library this week to give a lecture and a slide show presentation that included the haunting film captured by Abraham Zapruder “It never goes out of fashion,” said Lucina who was born three months before Kennedy was killed “People always want to know something about it.” And that is why it is the subject of hundreds of books, documentaries and feature films. It continues to provide fodder for swirling conspiracies and unending calls to declassify secret files, most recently by President-elect Donald Trump, who tapped Kennedy’s nephew It has also inspired Lucina’s contemporary artwork The paintings were displayed in a little enclave at the library Tuesday afternoon as Lucina gave a synopsis of the assassination — from the minute that the alleged gunman stepped out of the house in which he was staying on West Fifth Street in Irving to his apprehension at a movie theater to his appearance He was scheduled to give a luncheon speech at Dallas Trade Mart — now called Dallas Market Center Lucina revealed new information — details that seemed unknown to many in the audience before this week whose back ailed him since a football injury at Harvard wore a brace trussed so tight it may have prevented him from bending forward to avoid the fatal shot to his head Library patrons also scrutinized the facial expression of Kennedy’s successor as he took the oath in that iconic photo aboard Air Force One And they learned the names of some lesser-known figures from the ordeal the coroner who argued that the autopsy of the president should have been handled by medical examiners in Dallas County a monthly series featuring guests who have expertise on a vast range of topics that have included gardening said she saw Lucina give the same lecture at the Pequannock Township library before inviting him to speak here Library patrons said the presentation was enlightening and that it reignited their interest in the real-life whodunit “The mystery will never be unraveled,” said Shanti Jost “We’ll continue with this speculation forever.” Lorna Noonan remembered exactly where she was the instant she discovered Kennedy died Her professor at Manhattan School of Music raced into the classroom who lives in the New Egypt section of Plumsted Township said he became absorbed with the assassination because his godparents in the Belford section of Middletown Township “It doesn’t go away,” Lucina said of society’s fascination with the subject Lucina will give the same presentation on Jan. 11 at 2:30 p.m. at Freehold Art Gallery NORTH HALEDON — Six local restaurants are giving discounts and freebies this week as part of a publicity campaign to steer more customer traffic downtown The borough is not known as a bastion for food culture But Suyen Segura said she planned Restaurant Week to showcase the wide range of eateries that people from outside of this quiet suburb have been missing That sentiment holds especially true for the enterprises just getting off their feet Most of the featured restaurants opened in the past year and a half The lineup includes Anthony & Mario’s Family Restaurant & Pizzeria formerly located on Franklin Avenue in Nutley Pag’s is offering a complimentary dessert on any order of $50 or more LAND USE: North Haledon board urges safety in multi-use development of 4.7-acre site Rows of confections displayed in its dessert cabinet rotate with the seasons which opened on High Mountain Road in April 2023 will offer a free menu item with any purchase The oldest business involved in the promotion is Anthony & Mario’s on High Mountain Road The BYOB establishment is offering a 10% discount on the price of a catering order and a 25% discount on the price of two dinners Segura said customers should call the other restaurants directly to learn more about their special offers for the event Seven-term Assembly speaker pro tempore defeats Shavonda Sumter to become the first Black senator in Passaic County history Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly (D-Paterson) will replace now-Rep Nellie Pou (D-North Haledon) in the New Jersey Senate after winning a special election convention Thursday night by one vote after a first ballot ended in a tie Wimberly defeated his longtime running mate Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter (D-Paterson) at a meeting of Democratic county committee members from the 35th district at the Paterson STEAM High School He won 87-86; Wimberly carried the in-person voting Sumter has agreed not to challenge the results of the convention in court That led Wimberly to immediately resign his seat in the Assembly so that Democrats in the Passaic/Bergen district could proceed with replacing him this evening Two candidates are seeking his seat: Paterson City Councilman Al Abdelaziz and Prospect Park Mayor Mohamed Khairullah Paterson School Board member Kenneth Simmons has withdrawn one additional ballot — which was marked for Wimberly — had fallen on the floor and was not counted Wimberly hugged Pou before the official results were announced and afterward he simply told the New Jersey Globe he was “drained.” “I will hit the ground and continue fighting for you in Trenton,” Wimberly told the crowd … these things that are important to all of us Wimberly will be out of office until the Senate next convenes to swear him in and serve until the winner of a November special election is certified Sumter must decide if she will seek re-election to an eighth term in the Assembly or take her Senate campaign directly to the voters in the June 10 Democratic primary There were 199 county committee seats filled for tonight’s election Also in the 35th district: North Haledon (14) and Garfield (23) and Elmwood Park (19) in Bergen Paterson had 83 county committee seats filled and 53 vacancies 41 new county committee members have been appointed a famed North Jersey high school football coach and former Paterson city councilman will become the first Black senator in Passaic County history Pou traded her Senate seat for one in Congress following the death of 87-year-old Rep She was elected to the Assembly in 1997 after Pascrell left Trenton to become a congressman and moved up to the Senate in 2011 He announced his candidacy for Congress following Pascrell’s death but withdrew from the race after three Democratic county chairs coalesced behind Pou Pou was also the only Hispanic legislator in the majority-Hispanic 35th legislative district a district where 52% of residents are Hispanic will now lack Hispanic representation in Trenton Wimberly and Sumter were both elected to the Assembly in 2011 As speaker pro tempore, he was the chamber’s third-in-command. He also recently co-chaired the Assembly’s Select Committee on Ballot Design, which wrote legislation to end the decades-long practice of the county line A two-year investigation into an underground gambling empire allegedly run by members of the Lucchese Crime Family has led to charges against 39 individuals sportsbook agents — and even a sitting Prospect Park councilman following multi-agency raids at 12 locations across northern New Jersey earlier in the week Among the sites: four poker clubs operating out of Totowa including two hidden behind functioning restaurants and a Paterson business storing gambling machines Authorities say the Lucchese members oversaw a highly structured criminal network that managed illegal poker games generating more than $3 million in suspected criminal proceeds Those profits were allegedly laundered through shell corporations and legitimate businesses according to the Attorney General’s Office “Romanticized versions of organized crime have been the subject of countless movies and television shows,” Platkin said It’s about breaking the laws the rest of us follow High-level managers delegated responsibilities to club managers using “rakes” from each hand to fund operations and employing dealers some of whom were working off gambling debts was managed by agents and sub-agents responsible for recruiting bettors of Prospect Park — a local councilman — accused of managing poker games and sportsbook operations as part of the criminal enterprise Authorities said $22,000 in merchandise stolen from Home Depot was tied to two defendants accused of using the items for home-flipping schemes to further launder gambling proceeds Second-degree conspiracy to promote gambling Some face additional charges including money laundering (1st degree) First-degree charges carry 10 to 20 years in prison and fines up to $200,000 “Criminal enterprises like this pose a serious threat to the safety and well-being of our communities,” said Colonel Patrick Callahan A gas leak in Haledon caused a temporary evacuation of 47 homes across three blocks on Monday The leak in the area of Morrissee Avenue and Norwood Street occurred at around 9:57 a.m after a company working in the area hit a gas line and broke it Temporary shelter was offered to those displaced at the Senior Center Community Room at the Haledon Municipal Complex the families were safe to go back into their residences according to Haledon Deputy Chief of police George Guzman The main gas leak has also been repaired as of noon on Monday according to a Facebook post from the Haledon Police Department The National Weather Service has issued winter weather advisories for all 21 counties with the exception of Jersey Shore towns While snowfall accumulations are expected to be an inch or less the primary concern is the potential for a treacherous coating of ice by early Thursday The following school districts have made schedule changes for Thursday Northern Region Educational Services Commission Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. 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All rights reserved (About Us) The material on this site may not be reproduced except with the prior written permission of Advance Local Community Rules apply to all content you upload or otherwise submit to this site YouTube's privacy policy is available here and YouTube's terms of service is available here Ad Choices NORTH HALEDON — A multi-use development on Belmont Avenue would generate an average of three vehicles each minute during peak hours an engineer told the Planning Board last week as long as a traffic light is installed at the entrance to the project Seckler was the latest expert to testify on behalf of Tulfra Real Estate He told the board at a public hearing held Thursday at Memorial School that the project would not have a significant impact on the road network His conclusion was based in part on the fact that most visitors to a drive-thru coffee shop proposed for the 4.7-acre site would come from existing pass-by traffic Those drivers would already be on the road so they would stop there out of convenience STATE OF THE PROGRAM: After lean years, Manchester Regional football team ready to be 'taken seriously' “It’s important to remember that not every person coming to this site is a brand-new person on Belmont Avenue,” he said residents attacked the research behind the traffic analysis and implored the board to ask for a study with a wider scope A couple from Squaw Brook Road stood at a lectern in the school gymnasium and took the engineer to task over his omission of their street in his study Another resident said the traffic analysis was flawed because the vehicle counts that it incorporated were conducted on certain days in December and March when William Paterson University emphasizing his conservative approach and noting that he even considered traffic to be generated by potential redevelopment of a neighboring property There is no application pending for that site owned by North Jersey Trailer & Truck Service Inc. but the engineer said he wanted to “future-proof” his study The proposed development at 987 Belmont Ave and a 74,715-square-foot self-storage facility The board also heard testimony from engineer Richard Procanik Among the most notable changes was the elimination of an access road for emergency vehicles on Peters Lane because the developer realized the narrow street is private and that obtaining easements may be impossible The footprint of the proposed apartments was altered to increase buffers on two sides nearly doubled — from 51.3 feet to 92.5 feet The modification allowed the developer to plan for tiered retaining walls and to move an amenities courtyard to the east side of the building where residents could enjoy better views The next hearing on the application is scheduled for Sept Police have identified the 29-year-old driver killed in an early-morning crash Tuesday was heading west on Parish Drive in a Subaru Impreza when he left the roadway and overturned into the adjacent Passaic County Golf Course property just before 7:30 a.m. Fales was found unresponsive and unconscious in the car before he was pronounced dead at the scene According to his obituary on the Browning Forshay Funeral Home website lived most of his life in Ringwood and Hawthorne "Gregory was what one would call an old soul in that he loved to listen to classic rock on vinyl exemplified by his working life consisting mainly of working in car dealerships," his obituary continues "His more contemporary interests included a love of video games through which his network of friends could stay connected to each other Click here for Greg's complete obituary with service details The crash is under investigation by the Wayne Police Traffic Bureau Anyone who may have witnessed this crash is asked to contact the Wayne Police Department Traffic Bureau at 973-633-3520 2025 at 3:31 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}A Passaic County man has been convicted of drug trafficking and international money laundering conspiracy for his role importing fentanyl and other substances into the United States NJ — A Passaic County man has been convicted for his role in a years-long international drug trafficking ring William Panzera, 51, was one of four men charged with buying fentanyl and other drugs from China and distributing them throughout the United States members of this drug conspiracy imported a metric ton of fentanyl and other drugs into the U.S. A jury in Newark found Panzera guilty of drug trafficking conspiracy and international promotional money laundering conspiracy Attorney Vikas Khanna announced on Wednesday Panzera and his co-defendants imported and distributed the controlled substances between January 2014 and September 2020 Members of the drug conspiracy also sent hundreds of thousands of dollars to their source in China Panzera faces 10 years to life in prison on the drug trafficking conspiracy charge The international promotional money laundering conspiracy charge carries a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $500,000 The highs were high and the lows were low for “El Presidente” at this NJ pizzeria Dave Portnoy from Barstool Sports has returned to the Garden State to judge our pizza with his famous one bite reviews The self-appointed pizza connoisseur takes one bite of a slice and judges them based on their flavor and sturdiness (or the pie he reviewed was their “skinny cheese.” He praised the lack of flop Portnoy notes that the pizza tastes like a bar pie but has hesitations about the cheese being all the way down to the crust “I wish it had a little more crust,” he says he said “I’m in between… 7.9 or 8.1 The most charming part of the video is seeing the owners react to the great review Portnoy was “bullied” by the owners and customers into trying their spinach slice all the while making it clear that he absolutely hates it I will admit I got a good laugh out of Portnoy being thrown off by an older women walking past him This isn’t Portnoy’s first rodeo when it comes to New Jersey slices take a look at some of the other pizza joints he’s reviewed: Gallery Credit: Joe Votruba Gallery Credit: Mike Brant The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5's Kylie Moore. Any opinions expressed are Kylie's own. You can follow Kylie on Instagram.Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story. “It’s edible, I don’t hate it.”\nRead More The post above reflects the thoughts and observations of New Jersey 101.5's Kylie Moore. Any opinions expressed are Kylie's own. You can follow Kylie on Instagram.Click here to contact an editor about feedback or a correction for this story. Longtime state senator proved to be the right candidate at the right time when Democrats were beginning to chatter about the possibility of having to replace the late Rep Nellie Pou (D-North Haledon) wasn’t at the top of anyone’s shortlist Pou is widely liked in her neck of New Jersey but with numerous other ambitious Democrats spread across the 9th congressional district the mild-mannered state senator didn’t seem like a top contender for the seat That assessment, as it turns out, was flat-out wrong. Upon announcing her campaign last week, Pou amassed support from all three county Democratic chairs in the 9th district, and won last night’s convention uncontested after all of her would-be opponents dropped out of the race Now the official Democratic nominee for the seat (replacing Pascrell on the ballot) assuming she beats Republican Billy Prempeh in November By being the right candidate at the right time: a middle-of-the-road Democrat who didn’t throw up any ideological red flags a Hispanic woman who was a demographic match for the plurality-Hispanic 9th district enemy-free politician who was liked by basically everyone and strongly opposed by no one which covers parts of Passaic and Bergen Counties and a small portion of Hudson County Pou was too perfect of an opportunity to pass up – and their word was gospel since the timing of Pascrell’s death didn’t allow for a proper primary where voters themselves could have weighed in Here’s the story behind the frenetic weeklong campaign that will likely lead to New Jersey’s first Latina congresswoman The first big decision in the race for Pascrell’s seat was made by Pascrell himself, when he announced in March 2023 that he would run for a fifteenth term in Congress Pascrell was 86 at the time and would have been nearly 90 by the time the next congressional term ended but he was still a feisty presence in Washington and insisted that he could continue doing the job just as well as he had been for nearly three decades but when Pascrell was hospitalized on July 13 with an undisclosed illness chatter about his seat started up again – this time with an added layer of anxiety about what would happen if things went south for Pascrell Everyone doing the chattering wanted the congressman to pull through but they also recognized that they had a very short window of time to figure out an alternate solution if he didn’t Democrats had until August 29 – yesterday – to meet for a county convention to choose a new nominee to replace Pascrell if he died or withdrew from the race the timeframe to come up with a solution if tragedy struck grew shorter and shorter and Democrats began playing through disaster scenarios What if Pascrell died in the middle of election season when it was too late to remove him from the ballot forcing Democrats to convince their voters to vote for a dead man over Billy Prempeh What if the House was decided by a one-seat margin in November and a vacancy in the 9th district prevented Hakeem Jeffries from becoming Speaker There wasn’t much local Democrats could do to avert those scenarios as long as Pascrell’s prognosis remained uncertain but they could do their best to be prepared for a sudden vacancy In Passaic County, Democrats in Clifton and Paterson began working to put people in county committee seats that had long been left unfilled Because the state primary was back in June county committee members would have complete control over who would fill Pascrell’s vacant spot on the general election ballot if he left the race in one way or another meaning that every committee seat was crucial became aware of a key mathematical fact that not all of them had realized before: even though the 9th district was seen as a Passaic district Bergen Democrats actually started out with an edge in county committee seats especially if they joined forces with the district’s small Hudson contingent Bergen Democrats probably had the votes to elect one of their own to Congress All of those maneuverings had to remain private, though, as long as Pascrell stayed in limbo. The congressman’s health went up and down for more than a month; after briefly being discharged from the hospital on August 7, he had to be readmitted a few days later in worse shape than before. On August 21, Pascrell died at the age of 87 the state’s politics shut down in mourning for the congressman who had been a legend in Paterson politics for nearly 40 years the campaign to replace him had to begin; there simply wasn’t enough time for anyone to wait any longer were seriously considering joining the race as well (Two other prospective contenders from the city of Passaic, Passaic Mayor Hector Lora and Assemblyman Gary Schaer could have also been strong candidates – the city of Passaic is more aligned with Bergen County than Passaic County for political purposes – but they decided not to go for it.) With so many formidable candidates running the August 29 convention was shaping up to be a clown car one with an impossible-to-forecast outcome But that’s not how New Jersey bosses like their races to be fought and the three county Democratic chairmen in the 9th district felt substantial pressure to come up with a deal could they agree on a candidate before time ran out From the beginning, Passaic Democratic Chairman John Currie’s top choice for Pascrell’s seat was Sumter, his goddaughter and close ally, and he endorsed her the day she launched her campaign If Passaic County were the only county in the 9th district Sumter would likely be on her way to Congress right now was seen as vulnerable on the Palestine issue making him just as much of a no-go for the Democrats who were worried about Sumter.) Given Sumter’s even-keeled answer on the Middle East at a candidate forum earlier this week they were enough to poke major holes in her campaign and they forced Currie to decide whether he wanted to wage a daunting political battle on behalf of his protégé but his organization was not set up well to handle this particular 9th district campaign Ironically, Currie was the one who appointed the members of the Congressional Redistricting Commission back in 2021 He could have insisted that the commissioners draw a map making the 9th district into a more definitively Passaic-based district – but he wasn’t yet thinking about succession plans for the then-84-year-old Pascrell were dealing with a candidate problem of their own Bergen Democratic Chairman Paul Juliano knew that his party had the county committee numbers to get its way at the convention If his entire organization had gotten behind one of them As white candidates from the far-flung corners of the 9th district neither Zur nor Calabrese was an especially good fit for the majority-minority seat Both politicians recognized that they could probably win but that they’d draw some bad headlines for doing so and would be highly vulnerable to a primary challenge come 2026 she could have been the frontrunner for the congressional seat.) there was Hudson Democratic Chairman Craig Guy Guy knew from the outset that Hudson Democrats would play third fiddle in a district dominated by Bergen and Passaic Counties and no Hudson candidate ever emerged as a serious contender for the seat Recognizing that, Guy tied himself closely with Juliano, an increasingly strong alliance that is set to play a major role in the 2025 governor’s race the two chairmen (plus their allies in the city of Passaic) commanded a clear majority of the 9th district’s county committee vote and they could advocate for what Guy most wanted out of a new 9th district candidate: a well-liked person of color who would expand Hudson County’s minority representation in Congress Guy and Juliano settled on an agreement: they would let the 9th district remain a Passaic County seat but they would choose which Passaic candidate would get the nod Sumter and Sayegh were out from the beginning due to perceptions of their Israel views and no other Democrat in the county was prominent enough to warrant much serious attention Wimberly was an appealing candidate in many ways; the seven-term assemblyman’s history as a championship-winning high school football coach made him a popular figure in Paterson and he was widely respected in the Bergen County portion of the district Wimberly was also the candidate best liked by Pascrell’s family, who remembered his tireless efforts to re-elect Pascrell during his tough 2012 primary against fellow Rep Had Pascrell himself still been alive to oversee the battle over his seat he likely would have preferred Wimberly to be his successor which could have gone a long way for the assemblyman But Wimberly wasn’t on the best of terms with Currie who had a troubled relationship with Pascrell in the years before his death as a Black man in a seat that’s just 11% Black he wasn’t the most obvious demographic fit for the seat though that certainly wasn’t an insurmountable issue and Guy met several times to figure out what to do and also interviewed many of the candidates to see where they stood on key issues most of his would-be successors were scattered around the world: Zur was in California and Sumter and Wimberly were both at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago.) The three chairmen knew that the stakes were high Because Pascrell’s death happened so late in the cycle and there wasn’t any time to schedule a special election the convention was the final word on who got to serve in Congress And while the hundreds of county committeemembers in attendance would cast secret-ballot votes and could make up their own minds a joint endorsement from all three county chairs could essentially decide the race before the vote even took place As they deliberated, the race was moving fast without them. Pou got an endorsement from Rep Rob Menendez (D-Jersey City) and was lining up support from other Hispanic members of Congress raising her own profile and the demographic stakes of the contest while Wimberly and Sumter were each starting to release their own endorsement lists from local elected officials and unions Juliano and Guy were convinced Pou was the right person for the job; Currie, who still very much wanted Sumter to go to Congress, proved resistant, but he eventually bowed to numerical reality and went along. On Monday, the three county chairs announced their joint support for Pou and Sayegh could have stayed in the race and fought it out to the convention Both Sumter and Wimberly had some notable endorsements from local elected officials and unions some of which were announced after the Pou deal was announced Their departures allowed yesterday’s convention to go from a contest to a coronation one that could be entirely focused on commemorating Pascrell and lauding Pou “I’m excited about today but even more excited about tomorrow and all the tomorrows that will follow as we unite to show the residents of our district what is possible when we fight together,” Pou said in her speech accepting the nomination Now that she’s the Democratic nominee, Pou’s next task will be defeating Prempeh to actually win her place in Congress. That shouldn’t be too difficult of an ask, since Joe Biden won the 9th district by 19 percentage points in 2020, though it’s not one where Democrats can afford to fall asleep at the wheel If and when Pou is elected, it will necessitate a special convention for her seat in the State Senate, one at which any or all of Sumter, Wimberly, and Sayegh could run. If any of them win, it would trigger a further cascade of conventions and special elections further down the chain in Passaic County; to paraphrase the New Jersey adage it’s time to begin the search for a new planning board member One question that can never be satisfactorily answered is whether Pou could have become a congresswoman through any process other than the one that just occurred Pascrell had announced his retirement last year who knows whether Pou would have embarked on a difficult months-long primary campaign to succeed him – and even if she had she might have gotten boxed out by other candidates anyways since there likely would have been much less pressure to come to a cross-county deal during the normal primary process It’s impossible to say how that hypothetical race would have played out but what is clear is that the tragic circumstances of Pascrell’s death led to something of a perfect storm for Pou (There’s a strong touch of New Jersey irony in the fact that the perfect storm leading to the state’s first Latina congresswoman was facilitated by three old-style party bosses Pou is set to join two other members of the 1997 state legislative class there Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-Ewing) and Assemblyman – probably soon to be Congressman – Herb Conaway (D-Delran) (Pou’s legislative tenure predates theirs slightly since she was appointed to succeed Pascrell in January 1997 while they weren’t elected until November.) Andy Kim (D-Moorestown)’s seat this year; the focus was instead on State Sen and Assemblywoman Carol Murphy (D-Mount Laurel) Both Conaway and Watson Coleman ended up confounding expectations proving to be savvy operators with the right message for the right point in time Now Pou has joined their exclusive club and punched her own ticket to Congress; New Jersey will soon see how she intends to use it 2024 at 2:30 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}This photo was taken from the I-80 Eastbound scenic overlook in Hackettstown )NEW JERSEY — The night sky lit up with pink and green hues in multiple New Jersey towns late Monday into Tuesday as the northern lights put on a show for skywatchers is created when energized particles from the Sun collide with Earth's upper atmosphere and the planet's magnetic field redirects the particles Plenty of residents have been posting their photos of this atmospheric phenomenon in the New Jersey Astronomy Group on Facebook Many of the photos were captured between 1 a.m though some residents also said they saw the lights early Monday morning Manahawkin and beyond shared photos of Northern Lights sightings overnight The ethereal curtains of light have been seen in multiple U.S. locations over the past several months. The Space Weather Prediction Center’s aurora dashboard is a good site to bookmark for aurora chasers the best times to see the northern lights are within an hour or two of midnight The sun is currently at or near “solar maximum,” the peak in its 11-year cycle when heightened geomagnetic storming increases the chances of seeing the aurora far south of its Arctic range Chances of seeing northern lights generally increase around the fall equinox when the sun produces a surplus of geomagnetic storms — almost twice the annual average — but this fall and the coming year should be especially spectacular as Solar Cycle 25 reaches its peak which NOAA predicts will occur from November through March 2026 Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. A New Jersey man recently released from prison has been arrested and charged with murder after a young Manhattan woman died from injuries sustained in an assault Leslie Torres, 23, was walking on West 46th Street near 8th Avenue when she was attacked by Jaheem Warren, 33, of Prospect Park, on Tuesday, Oct. 29 around 1:35 p.m., according to NBC and the NYPD Torres was left unconscious on the sidewalk in front of the Riu Plaza New York Times Square Hotel was in critical condition when she arrived at Mount Sinai West including two counts of second-degree murder The attack is believed to have been completely random Records show that Warren was released from New Jersey State Prison in November 2023 where he had served time following charges of drug possession and money laundering The NYPD continues to investigate the circumstances surrounding Torres's death and is urging anyone with additional information to contact their Crime Stoppers hotline Passaic County is seeing red for the first time since 1992 The reliably Democrat county voted for President-elect Donald Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris It was the first time Passaic County had voted a Republican for president since 1992 and the first time a Republican got 50% of the vote since George H.W The shift in Passaic County was part of a shift toward Trump statewide While Harris defeated Trump by 5 points in the Garden State A Republican has not won statewide since Bush in 1988 Here's how each Passaic County municipality voted in the 2024 election according to results posted to the county website: Haledon mayor back assemblyman for Pascrell’s seat Assemblyman Benjie Wimberly (D-Paterson) has unveiled a series of endorsements from Democratic officeholders in Passaic County demonstrating that the assemblyman has a base of support ahead of this week’s convention for the late Rep Among the endorsers are Paterson Councilmembers Lillisa Mimms and Forid Uddin; Haledon Mayor Michael Johnson; Prospect Park Councilman Robert Artis; former Passaic County Commissioner TJ Best; and a number of other former elected officials from across the county “We trust Coach Wimberly,” said Waheeda Muhammad a former Paterson school board member on the endorsement list “We know he will never stop putting our kids and our community first When we send Benjie to Congress we are sending a father and mentor who will fight for every dollar and every opportunity.” Wimberly, a seven-term state legislator and former high school football coach, is one of four candidates currently in the race to succeed Pascrell, who died last week at the age of 87. Also running are State Sen. Nellie Pou (D-North Haledon), who recently got an endorsement from Rep Rob Menendez (D-Jersey City); Assemblywoman Shavonda Sumter (D-North Haledon); and Paterson Mayor André Sayegh HALEDON — The Manchester Regional school board has approved a $31.7 million budget for next year in which the overall tax burden shared by three constituent towns will remain flat But the smallest of those communities — Prospect Park — is not deriving any benefit residents there will be hit by a hefty tax hike while those in Haledon and in North Haledon are getting their bills lowered The disparity places renewed emphasis on a debate that has raged on and off for decades: What is the most equitable way to fund operations at the regional high school one of two Prospect Park trustees on the Board of Education said she disagreed with the current approach LAND USE: North Jersey town says 'no' to marijuana shop tied to 'Real Housewives' star “The formula I see is a flawed formula,” Arrick said when the budget was introduced in March Trustees took a final vote on the spending plan this month with Arrick and her Prospect Park colleague The budget will be supported by a tax levy of $11.6 million — the same amount as this year It is the third time in five years that trustees passed a spending plan without an increase Those figures are calculated using a funding formula that was created by the state Department of Education in August 2013 half of the tax burden is based on enrollment The funding controversy was brewing for years before the formula took effect North Haledon tried to secede from Manchester Regional and to send its students to Midland Park Junior-Senior High School because it footed a disproportionate share of the tax burden the state Supreme Court ruled that its withdrawal would have upset the racial harmony of the high school Peaks and troughs of enrollment cause the tax burden to fluctuate taxpayers in Haledon and in North Haledon paid more while those in Prospect Park enjoyed a $33 decrease Prospect Park is bearing the brunt of the tax burden next year because its enrollment at Manchester Regional increased by 52 students while the number of students from Haledon and from North Haledon went down said he thinks that the formula should account for all local students — including those enrolled at Passaic County Technical Institute in Wayne More than a third of high school-age children from Haledon North Haledon and Prospect Park — a total of 465 — attend PCTI but the state doesn’t use those numbers in the formula,” Fischer said “You can’t ignore 465 kids and say it’s fair.” State Sen. Nellie Pou (D-North Haledon) released the following statement on the death of Rep. Bill Pascrell (D-Paterson): “Congressman Pascrell was the consummate public servant tirelessly working for the people of his beloved City of Paterson and the rest of the towns in his district He was a fighter for the democratic values we all hold dear the congressman was truly someone who never forgot where he came from This is a very heart-wrenching loss for my family and he will be sorely missed by those whose lives he touched NORTH HALEDON — Safety is the core issue facing a multi-use development proposed for Belmont Avenue even though the plan has been signed off by the fire chief and local police The blessings of high-ranking first responders did not stop residents and members of the Planning Board from questioning the builder at a recent public meeting about certain elements they said were lacking Board Chairman Frank Coscia asked the developer to consider a second driveway for ambulances and firetrucks and board member Eric Winkler wanted to know why there were no sidewalks And it was a fraught moment when a resident of Peters Lane suggested that those requests could be granted if the whole project was reduced in size answered by saying her client relied on emergency personnel for validation MANCHESTER REGIONAL: Taxes are flat under high school budget, but one town still sees big increase “Those are the people who we look to on every development,” Gonchar said “If there are substantial concerns for safety that’s where we expect the criticism to come from.” would include a self-storage center and a 4,378-square-foot retail building has said the retail building would accommodate two tenants and that one could be a Starbucks restaurant The 4.7-acre site would also have 90 apartments including 16 units for affordable households There would be 207 parking spots at the development a civil engineer who testified on behalf of Tulfra Procanik said there would be 520 shrubs and trees including more than seven dozen evergreens He said many of them would line the northerly border to form a buffer between the development and backyards on Vine Street Due to an anticipated crowd of concerned residents the hearing was held in the auditorium at Eastern Christian High School About 50 people were scattered across the rows of cushioned chairs in the air-conditioned room The engineer’s drawings were projected on large white screens suspended from the ceiling Board members took their seats behind a line of folding tables positioned on the stage was particularly vocal at the hearing — at times the borough may inspect the site and insist that the developer augment the buffer of evergreens even further “You’ll eventually put in all of the trees that we tell you to The next hearing on the application is scheduled for June 27 at 7:30 p.m NORTH HALEDON — More than 160 homeowners with wells have toxic compounds in their water and filed claims with the state for courtesy installation of a filter does not represent the full scope of the contamination.   Experts for the state Department of Environmental Protection said they are trying to find just how far the plume stretches below the surface Preliminary research shows that it is concentrated in the neighborhood of Graham Avenue and Tamboer Drive Further investigation could uncover the source of the contamination the experts said at an online forum Monday "I want to stress that our priority is to determine who is impacted and to make sure everyone has clean water to drink," said Alexandra Skinner The pollutants include multiple types of per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances joined by a small panel of other DEP experts, showed a map to illustrate the locations of residents who applied to the New Jersey Spill Compensation Fund Claims Program.  a homeowner is eligible for installation and upkeep of a Point-of-Entry Treatment system — a filter that removes hazardous chemicals using ion-exchange resin A claim may also cover the costs of the test to confirm that the well is contaminated and bottled water purchased before the filter was installed WATER ISSUES: High levels of PFAS chemicals found in 34 NJ drinking water systems affecting 500K+ people 'FEEL GOOD': After damage from vandals, mountaintop star shining bright again TRENDING: Why the loss of neighborhood's oak trees in Teaneck was emotional which had been advertised for several weeks The audience was not allowed to speak up during the meeting but some had presented questions to the borough in advance Many seemed to be concerned about the effect of the contamination on the value of their homes "I want to impress on everyone that this is a serious issue," said Mayor Randy George "The borough and DEP have taken it very serious." George said the borough's ultimate goal is to pursue a federal grant to pay for an extension of the water pipeline from Haledon or Hawthorne to the affected properties so that their owners would not need a filter manmade chemicals that do not dissolve in boiling water are used in applications that range from firefighting foam to greaseproof food packaging The initial contamination was detected in April when a homeowner's water was sampled during a routine test Philip DeVencentis is a local reporter for NorthJersey.com For unlimited access to the most important news from your local community, please subscribe or activate your digital account today Email: devencentis@northjersey.com New Jersey put up record-breaking numbers over the weekend as early in-person voting came to a close Joe Biden won 129,097 of Passaic County's votes The towns that voted for Trump were Bloomingdale and West Milford (see numbers below * denotes voted for Trump) Here's how each Passaic County town voted in the 2020 Election: NORTH HALEDON — The most essential tool for Detective Sgt Colleen Carver is not carried on her duty belt nor is it hooked up to the dashboard of her cruiser she said — her "natural instinct" to do right by the people And her dedication to uphold that principle has served the borough well for 21 years She teaches fifth graders about the ills of alcohol and drug abuse and she supervises a team of volunteers who support victims of domestic violence She once helped save a college student's life she eased a mother's fears when her child was hit by a car Her latest achievement is trailblazing: She became the first woman in the history of the police department to receive a promotion who is known around headquarters for her poise and humble temperament "I see myself as one of the guys," said Carver "I'm no different than the guys in the past who were promoted to sergeant." Real estate:Former North Haledon EMT building for sale after owner scraps plan for apartments 'Bad dream':NJ mother mourning loss of daughter killed in shooting outside Paterson bodega Trending:A week later, questions remain in Edgewater shooting of Bronx-born rapper Lil Tjay Yet men still outnumber women in careers of law enforcement by a considerable margin According to a report published in May by app.com just 12.7% of all sworn officers in municipal departments in the U.S That number is even lower for police forces in New Jersey Carver is among six sergeants on the 21-person force; and for many years But that will likely change this month if the Borough Council appoints Lacey Morrison to patrolwoman She is the recommended pick for one of two openings was the first female pioneer in the local department when she broke in as a grandmother at 50 years old It was a subject of nationwide curiosity when she entered the police academy for an 18-week course in August 1986 She made appearances on "Live with Regis and Kathie Lee" and "The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson." People Magazine had a spread who retired in April 2001 and moved west the next year We're the same as a man — we have to go through the same boot camp." Schein had to retire when she turned 65 due to a state pension law But she said she would be able to keep up even today Her tenure overlapped Carver's by four months Carver was paid an annual salary of $144,577 as a detective and she will now make $154,349 as a result of her promotion who is married and is the mother to 12-year-old twins was a volleyball standout at Lakeland Regional High School in Wanaque She attended Juniata College in Huntingdon and was a Division III all-American in her junior and senior years She said she initially wanted to be a physical therapist and she said it made her consider medicine as a profession when she enrolled in more college courses in criminal justice "I knew that I didn't want to sit behind a desk," said Carver also a coach of recreation basketball and softball "Being a police officer is an active job." I'm no different than the guys in the past who were promoted to sergeant Carver would come to appreciate the intensity of the role in a little more than two years A routine welfare check in February 2003 turned out to be a life-saving mission She and two other officers had to use a Halligan bar to break in a side door of a garage where a woman was attempting suicide and she was slumped over in the driver's seat said Carver deserved a promotion because she "always goes the extra mile." She is a "modest employee who doesn't like to be in the spotlight," he said "But she has done some incredible things in her career To pick one incident as exemplary would be impossible because she brings that level of detail to every call." Her response to a recent event had a lasting effect on some officials a student of High Mountain School was struck by a car as he walked across Overlook Avenue — less than 500 feet from the police station rushed to the scene to check his condition she pulled out her cellphone and called the boy's mother But she not only told her that her son was OK "She has been an asset from the day she was hired," Mayor Randy George said to an audience in the municipal courtroom on the night of her promotion but it cemented my opinion of Colleen," he then said of her spur-of-the-moment call to the boy's mother So when the chief came and asked for me to promote her Email: devencentis@northjersey.com NORTH HALEDON — An architect has been hired to design the first major renovation of the veterans’ hall since the building was constructed almost 60 years ago serves as the headquarters of American Legion Post 428 it has been a quasi-community center for other groups that hold social functions there Mayor Randy George said it is wise to invest in the meeting space because the borough gets so much use out of it “We’re trying to upgrade the look of the building to give it that curb appeal that the veterans really deserve,” he said this week is being paid a not-to-exceed sum of $20,000 to design the restoration The project will include energy-efficient windows said he agreed that the building was due a face-lift “I told the mayor we needed a paint job,” he said According to Zaccone’s proposal to officials the new roof will be pitched over the existing flat roof The facade on the north and west sides of the building will be made of red bricks as opposed to the faux white bricks that now form its exterior walls George said a contractor will be appointed for the work after the architect completes his design He said he hopes that the project will be done by the end of next year turned over the property deed to the borough in October 2011 because the maintenance of the building was too costly LAW ENFORCEMENT:North Haledon officer breaks gender barrier with promotion LAND USE:Former EMT building is for sale after owner scraps plan for apartments TRENDING:Water main break causes low pressure in six towns in Bergen County We're trying to upgrade the look of the building to give it that curb appeal that the veterans really deserve the borough opened its doors to the masses: Boy Scouts the police department hosted a blood drive there The borough’s taking over the property has also allowed officials to pursue avenues for financial aid Officials have spent $330,000 to make sure that the one-story building is accessible to those in wheelchairs Most of that money came from the Passaic County Community Development Block Grant Program which is funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development The aid covered the price of ramps at the front and rear entrances to the building as well as updated bathrooms and modified cabinets and countertops in its kitchen