A host of search and rescue teams combed wooded areas around Pompton Lakes on Saturday morning and found two youths who had been missing since the previous day West Milford's Office of Emergency Management said it received a request for search and rescue workers to respond to Pompton Lakes to assist in the search of two juveniles The pair had been missing since Friday afternoon Passaic County Sheriff Thomas Adamo said Pompton Lakes requested assistance through OEM for a missing 12-year-old girl who they believed was with another child "The Sheriff’s Office sent out Search and Rescue and requested the NJSP aviation and in conjunction with New Jersey OEM," Adamo said More: Firefighters battle Easter morning blaze at fragrance company in Norwood which also included search and rescue members from the state and from West Milford and Bloomingdale They were treated at the scene and taken by Pompton Lakes EMS to receive medical evaluation A Pompton Lakes man is facing a list of serious charges after allegedly crashing his vehicle in Wayne while intoxicated according to information released by the Wayne Township Police Department The incident unfolded on the afternoon of April 24 when officers were dispatched to the area of Terhune Drive and Alder Avenue following reports that a vehicle had veered off the road and struck a mailbox Multiple witnesses told police the driver appeared impaired and had a child in the front passenger seat The driver reportedly made a brief stop near Noreen Lane where he crawled under his vehicle in an attempt to dislodge an object stuck underneath alert bystanders stepped in and safely removed the child from the car Officers also began searching for the vehicle and soon learned of a second crash just over the town border in Oakland Responding officers located the suspect and his vehicle at that scene appeared intoxicated and failed field sobriety tests He was arrested and transported to Wayne Police Headquarters Driving Under the Influence (including with a minor) Refusal to Submit to a Chemical Breath Test Additional charges include Failure to Use a Child Safety Seat He was charged on a warrant and transported to the Passaic County Jail Intake Hub pending a detention hearing The child was safely reunited with a family member.  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 Two juveniles who had been missing since Friday afternoon were safely located following a multi-agency search effort early Saturday The West Milford Office of Emergency Management said it received a request for search and rescue support around 6:30 a.m on April 19 to assist authorities in Pompton Lakes West Milford’s Search and Rescue Team deployed 19 members to join forces with several other agencies including the Passaic County Sheriff's Search and Rescue according to a statement released by OEM officials Photos of the teens spread quickly on social media as search crews from multiple towns helped bring them home the juveniles were located,” the department said Officials did not say where the teens were found A longtime volunteer firefighter and his wife have filed a lawsuit against both the Borough of Pompton Lakes and its new fire chief active members of the Pompton Lakes Fire Department and emergency services claim in court papers borough Fire Chief Dennis Dakake engaged in years of misconduct 27 in Superior Court of Passaic County the alleged misconduct included racial slurs The couple alleges the borough failed to take action against Dakake despite multiple complaints and an internal investigation confirming some of the allegations The lawsuit claims Dakake used racist and homophobic slurs and intimidated the Sonnes after disputes over personnel decisions both Dakake and borough Administrator Michael Carelli declined to comment on the allegations in the lawsuit Dakake has been involved with the local fire department for many years both as a volunteer and in leadership roles Dakake served as the borough’s assistant fire chief from Jan receiving stipends for both the assistant chief and chief positions during his employment with the borough and works full-time as a mechanic for the New Jersey Department of Transportation The couple claims Pompton Lakes officials ignored warnings about Dakake’s alleged past violent behavior and instead promoted him to fire chief in January Dakake refused medical aid from a first responder during a fire in January 2023 allegedly using a racial slur while threatening to assault him The lawsuit also alleges that after first responder refused to meet with him privately Dakake called him a homophobic slur and a “coward.” Additional allegations include threats against Mark Sonne and his son as head of the Pompton Lakes-Riverdale First Aid Squad denied a membership request from Dakake’s daughter due to residency requirements Dakake allegedly responded by calling Sonne a “wimp,” a “motherf***er,” and by using a homophobic slur “You and your kid better watch yourself at the firehouse,” according to the lawsuit The lawsuit further accuses Dakake of physically intimidating Sharon Sonne during a fire department event in September 2023 allegedly pointing in her face and threatening “Stay the f*** away from my kids or there’s going to be problems.” The Sonnes claim the borough ignored multiple complaints about Dakake’s behavior including a 2024 internal investigation that reportedly confirmed some of the allegations and instead allowed Dakake to be promoted to fire chief in January The Sonnes are suing for violations of their civil rights and intentional infliction of emotional distress They are seeking compensatory and punitive damages ©2025 Advance Local Media LLC. 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Above: Gottheimer tours the Tilcon Quarry in Pompton Lakes Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) visited Tilcon’s quarry in Pompton Lakes to highlight a local businesses key to fixing Jersey’s roads and highways as part of the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill New Jersey is clawing back more than $8 billion from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill to fix New Jersey’s roads Tilcon employs more than 700 people across nineteen operating locations in the tri-state area essential services that help fix America’s roads will deliver more than $8 billion to help fix these roads and bridges — with the support of private sector companies like Tilcon “I truly enjoyed my visit to Tilcon’s quarry in Pompton Lakes Companies like Tilcon are key to our economy and partners in our once-in-a-generation infrastructure investment made possible by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Bill,” said Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5). “With this federal investment we will help fix the more than 500 bridges and nearly 4,000 miles of roads in poor condition here in Jersey — all without increasing the tax burden on North Jersey residents Senior Communications & Community Resident Manager Below: Gottheimer tours the Tilcon Quarry in Pompton Lakes Share onRecent PostsMay 3 2025PressRELEASE: Gottheimer Hosts Fifth District Service Academy Ceremony Celebrates Accepted StudentsAbove: Gottheimer with this year’s Fifth District students accepted into U.S Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) hosted a ceremony at the Bergenfield VFW Hall to celebrate the 19 Fifth District high school students he nominated and who were accepted to one of the four U.S PressRELEASE: Gottheimer Joins Passaic County Central Labor Council’s Future Leaders Forum Breakfast Celebrates Men and Women of LaborAbove: Gottheimer with Passaic County labor leaders PATERSON Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) joined hardworking men and women of labor from across Passaic County at the Central Labor Council’s 11th Annual Future Labor Leaders Forum Breakfast The breakfast honors emerging labor leaders who have completed continuing education programs and policymakers who have a track […] PressPHOTO RELEASE: Gottheimer Speaks with Students at Rutgers Hillel and Rutgers University Chabad to Discuss Combatting Antisemitism on CampusAbove: Gottheimer speaks at Rutgers University Hillel Congressman Josh Gottheimer (NJ-5) visited Rutgers Hillel and Rutgers University Chabad House on campus to speak with students about the alarming rise in antisemitism on college campuses across the country Rutgers University is home to more than 6,400 Jewish […] (202) 225-4465 (201) 389-1100 (973) 940-1117 (973) 814-4076 Every 1st, 3rd, and 5th Thurs, 9:30am–12pm Proudly representing the Fifth District of New Jersey. Accessibility A fire on Thursday night caused severe damage to a Chinese restaurant in Pompton Lakes but local fire departments were able to extinguish the flames without any reported injuries Golden Garden Chinese restaurant suffered severe damages and the fire caused collateral damage to surrounding shops A message left for the Pompton Lakes Fire Department seeking more information was not immediately returned Wanaque and Wayne fire departments assisted in helping put out the fire Thursday night .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Matt Cosentino | For NJ Advance MediaKacey DiPasquale went 3-for-4 with a double two RBIs and three runs as top-seeded Passaic Valley downed eighth-seeded Pompton Lakes 10-0 in the quarterfinals of the Passaic County Tournament in Little Falls The Hornets improved to 13-0 and will host either fourth-seeded West Milford or fifth-seeded Passaic Tech in the semifinals Lily Allmendinger tossed a three-hitter with nine strikeouts and six walks in the five-inning game The N.J. 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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 An officer says his career trajectory with the Pompton Lakes Police Department "came to a grinding halt" after he began exposing supervisor misconduct who had been a member of the department since 2015 said he was ousted from the department despite years of positive performance evaluations and a minor disciplinary history Borough Administrator Michael Carelli said the borough had not received a formal lawsuit from Pepe but had received a tort claim Police Chief Derek Clark did not immediately respond to a call for comment He filed a lawsuit against the borough and police department saying they violated his civil rights and the state's law against discrimination late last month The suit said Pepe was subjected to "a hostile and retaliatory work environment" by Clark and now Capt Pepe was the only African American on the force and only the second ever hired he was targeted because he wouldn't participate in Clark's alleged illegal ticket quota Pepe said he was brought into Clark's office for reprimand The suit stated Clark threatened to put Pepe on a Performance Improvement Plan because his ticket numbers were low and not meeting the quota the chief wanted Pepe said the quote was department-wide and Clark and Rodriguez said the mayor and council weren't happy with the ticket numbers and expected more revenue The pair told officers that if ticket numbers weren't approved the council could "mess with your health care" during contract negotiations He was told he had to ride with his supervisor to show he could identify motor vehicle violations which he said none of the white officers had to do nor were they penalized for not meeting the quota Pepe believed Clark thought Pepe was protecting minorities and not issuing summons The lawsuit stated Pepe was never put on an improvement plan because he threatened to expose their actions After attending an emergency PBA meeting regarding new Internal Affairs policies and rules established by Clark Pepe spoke up and said officers didn't trust Clark because "his behavior is erratic" and "vocalized his misgivings about giving Chief Clark even more unfettered power to use vindictively." this escalated the harassment against Pepe including Clark allegedly sabotaging Pepe's application to transfer to the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office He accused Rodriguez of telling Clark confidential union discussions after he said he was forced to take sick leave despite not testing positive for COVID-19 and had wanted to file a grievance The lawsuit was rife with accusations of what Pepe called "a vindictive campaign of harassment" that he said included: The lawsuit said Pepe began experiencing recurring anxiety because of the harassment which was causing his mental health to deteriorate and affecting his family Pepe's wife wrote a letter in 2022 to the former borough administrator to complain about the borough's "unfair treatment" of her husband noting that he had been approved for administrative leave and was "told everything would be taken care of." none of the white officers within the department was treated the way Pepe was including being given accommodations for light duty Rodriguez were steadfast in their plan to set him up for failure and seek a way to terminate him and had no sympathy for [Pepe]." Pepe said he began to suffer cognitive issues in January 2023 that worsened enough to need brain surgery The cause of the problems was a mass or abscess on Pepe's frontal lobe which was removed in September 2023 and Pepe was approved to be placed on light duty in October 2023 and return to full duty in January 2024 He was denied light duty and told by Rodriguez he could work day and night shifts on the dispatch desk or go on disability The suit accuses Rodriguez of intimidation tactics against other officers and that the borough failed to investigate Pepe's complaints of racial and disability discrimination Pepe said he was the target of five separate internal affairs investigations for having tattoos on his neck and hands failing to contact an on-call judge for a temporary restraining order removing a body camera during an arrest and failing to stage body worn camera videos The lawsuit said all the complaints were made up and "premised upon nonsensical infractions." Pepe said he finally resigned after he was suspended following his suspicion that the department initiated an Internal Affairs complaint against him after his response to a domestic violence incident Pepe was harassed by Clark and Rodriguez despite his resignation telling officers they couldn't be in contact with Pepe The suit even accuses Clark of firing another officer who did not admit he was speaking with Pepe .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Jason Bernstein | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comMax Gonzalez was 4-for-4 with six RBI fueling Lyndhurst’s 12-2 victory over Pompton Lakes while younger brother Jayson Bellenger went 2-for-3 with two walks Michael Longo and Johnny Chaname each went 2-for-3 with a run and a RBI Ryan Lemanowicz picked up the win after striking out three in 4.2 innings The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter) .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Matt Cosentino | For NJ Advance MediaVincent Caruso went 3-for-4 with two doubles and two RBIs and Pompton Lakes pushed a run across in the bottom of the 10th inning to earn a 5-4 walk-off win over Leonia in Pompton Lakes two RBIs and a run for Pompton Lakes (5-3) which had tied the game at four in the bottom of the fifth Caruso tossed five scoreless innings in relief to pick up the victory POMPTON LAKES — Borough officials are pushing forward with more downtown redevelopment efforts recently approving a 30-year payment instead of taxes agreement for a four-story 23-unit apartment complex at 60 Wanaque Ave Local officials reviewed the project's financial and municipal impacts in March including the PILOT or payment in lieu of taxes deal their experts tell them should bring in about $2.5 million in municipal revenue over the next 30 years The project by Pequannock-based Soojian Brothers Construction is slated for the former gas station site across the street from the Pompton Lakes Town Square retail complex and adjacent to Tatiana’s Tailor & Dry Cleaners the development was one of a handful in recent years identified by borough officials as ideal for a PILOT agreement that would provide the borough with annual revenue based on the larger of either a percentage of gross revenue or the amount of conventional property taxes a borough consultant from Phoenix Advisors said during a borough council meeting in March that the agreement would generate an estimated average of $83,000 in net revenue over 30 years With a 20-year agreement followed by typical tax revenue distribution for 10 years the agreement allows the borough to collect a 2% annual administrative fee Land taxes would continue to be distributed to the county and school district Smith & Davis representing the project developer the project would not happen and the site would remain as it is — responsible for about $5,600 in annual property taxes is one of many in a multi-year effort to revitalize downtown Pompton Lakes and establish new tax revenue sources the downtown has struggled in recent decades in comparison to its heyday in the 20th century After being granted a redevelopment plan amendment by council members the project is expected to have commercial office space on the first floor rather than retail storefronts a key component of other projects involved in the revitalization program The new retail space — as well as new residential units — included in downtown redevelopment projects have caused some concern among residents in recent years regarding parking traffic and the potential displacement of existing businesses While the PILOT agreement was approved unanimously by the borough council Councilwoman Jennifer Polidori said there were some questions that went unanswered on taxpayer impact and council members only received pertinent information on the deal the day of the vote She called the dissemination of information before the vote "an absolute disgrace." Mayor Michael Serra said the details were generally left up to the town's consultants who gave a presentation on the PILOT agreement on March 12 The town's consultants are experts in PILOT agreements and negotiated the deal "They recommended everything," he said during the council's March 26 meeting one of dozens inked in the region in recent years is set to bring the town about 95% of the site's property taxes for its duration The town's 2024 cut was about 25% of total property tax The remainder went to the county government and school district A Pompton Lakes couple are accusing the borough fire chief of "extremely volatile and violent" behavior saying he never should have been made head of the department 27 against the borough and Chief Dennis Dakake The lawsuit describes years of confrontations that grew out of disputes at the volunteer fire and EMS squads Borough Administrator Michael Carelli said he had no comment An email to Dakake for comment this week was not immediately returned and the Fire Department phone number rang before a message saying the number was not in service The lawsuit says Mark Sonne has volunteered at the Fire Department since 1984 He joined the local First Aid Squad three years later and became chief of the squad between 2021 and 2024 Sharon Sonne has worked for the Police Department for 17 years has served as a member of the Fire Department auxiliary since 2003 and has been on the First Aid Squad since 2002 Dakake replaced former Fire Chief Jason Ekkers in January after serving as assistant chief from 2019 through 2024 filed in state Superior Court in Passaic County including using a racial slur against a Hispanic EMS member A Pompton Lakes First Aid Squad member sent Mark Sonne and Ekkers a letter in February 2023 asking that Dakake be removed from both organizations after he was the subject of abuse from Dakake The member said he attempted to render aid to Dakake with Dakake calling him by a racist slur for Hispanics Dakake later called the member other derogatory names for not wanting to meet with him in person to talk about the incident Dakake also targeted the Sonnes after Dakake's daughter was told she was ineligible to join the First Aid Squad because she lived in Paterson It says Dakake called Mark Sonne by a slur and other names and threatened Sonne and his son a volunteer firefighter.The family had "better watch" themselves at the firehouse Mark Sonne said he reported the threat to Ekkers and that Dakake "disgracefully and egotistically admitted his threat" to Pompton Lakes Mayor Michael Serra Dakake's other daughter verbally accosted Sharone Sonne about an issue she had with Mark Sonne Sharon Sonne informed Ekkers of the incident and the sisters entered his office and allegedly began "verbally" attacking Sharon Sonne and Ekkers with the latter removing them from his office and asking Sonne to "memorialize the incident in writing." Dakake found Sharon Sonne alone in the town's dispatch office and "physically intimidated her by pointing in her face at close distance and verbally threatened her." Dakake told her to stay away from his kids or else "there's going to be problems," the suit says Sharon Sonne said Ekkers saw the threat but ignored it and pretended it didn't happen The borough hired an outside law firm to investigate the misconduct a process the lawsuit says was completed in early 2024 said the probe found that the incidents in September did happen and that the behavior by Dakake and one daughter "was unprofessional," but it pushed responsibility to the Fire Department to respond to the allegations The Sonnes hand-delivered a letter to the mayor borough administrator and council members in September outlining misconduct by Dakake and his daughters Carelli told them that the matter had been investigated and closed and they could not appeal the decision The Sonnes said that as Ekkers' term as chief came to a close Dakake began his campaign to be chief and was "astonishingly" approved in January This story was updated because an earlier version included an inaccuracy .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Anthony Gabbianelli | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comChristian Fokas recorded a hat trick for Boontonm in its 9-8 win against pompton Lakes in Boonton broke the all-time assists record with 132 for Boonton on an assist to Fokas in the fourth quarter The previous record was held by Mickey Norton Pompton Lakes (5-3) led 6-2 at halftime when Boonton (8-3) outscored Pompton Lakes in the second half to take the lead and win Matt Sulpy had two goals and an assist for Boonton Sean Tracy and Jeffrey Schmucker each had a goal and combined for three assists Anthony Gabbianelli can be reached at agabbianellli@njadvancemedia.com The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter) .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Will Harrigan | For NJ Advance MediaPompton Lakes’ offense woke up in a big way on Thursday the Cardinals steamrolled to a 19-0 victory over Boonton in Boonton Joelle Scala had a monster day for the Cardinals Emma Kulish and Lindsey Kulish each homered for Pompton The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now and be among the first to get all the boys and girls sports you care about, straight to your inbox each weekday. To add your name, click here Mia Soto has mastered the art of the steal doesn't take her foot off the gas on defense despite being her team's top scorer and primary ball-handler Standing at 5-foot-4 doesn't seem to bother her Soto had 14 steals last week against Lyndhurst and swiped seven in a Passaic County tournament win against Wayne Valley days later The DeSales University commit thinks she got into the 20s in an AAU game at some point So while she plans to help athletes one day as a pro or college athletic trainer her hustle and ability to read passes make her a menace to be around in the meantime even the smallest tips to slow down the pass so my teammate can get the steal." Soto has taken inspiration from some usual places Soto models her game after the former Lakers guard even though Bryant retired around the same time she picked up the sport in third grade it really affected me even though he doesn't have a clue who I am," Soto said Then there are the unlikely sources of inspiration for Soto part of the reading list for interim coach Matt Hennessy's English class "I absolutely loved Hamlet and I think that's what helped me honestly play basketball," Soto said I would go up to him and talk about the quiz we just took or what we read during class that day." Pompton Lakes has been far from a Shakespearean tragedy on the basketball court Even though Soto is often the only senior in the starting lineup the Cardinals (13-8) are rolling into Saturday's Passaic County quarterfinals Soto is averaging a career-high 15.95 points as a senior who's calling the shots again with head coach Britney Flynn on maternity leave "(Soto is) as good as a player that we've had and one of a small handful to go on to play at college Soto spent her freshman year at Immaculate Heart before returning to her hometown school as a sophomore She plays shooting guard for the North Jersey Bucks AAU team but runs the point for the Cardinals with field hockey star and fellow Athlete of the Week Krista Lilienthal out dealing with knee issues Soto won’t be the first athlete in her family to reach the college level Her brother Luis Soto played some Division III football at Springfield and her father a young Mia wanted to be a gymnast early on but fell in love with basketball when her mom signed up her for a rec league instead with her time at Pompton Lakes winding down Soto is tapping into her experience as a vocal captain – one who Hennessy said is comfortable hyping up or calling out a teammate When words aren't enough to fire up the team "I don't think about the fact that I'm leaving in a few weeks or months I just think about how can I prepare this team for next year and the years following Accomplishment: Soto finished with a double-double against Lyndhurst racking up 23 points and 14 steals to go with five assists She had 22 points and seven steals against Wayne Valley Also nominated: Noemi Simon of Passaic Tech and Gabriella Mittelman of Demarest for basketball 1/40Softball: Pequannock vs. Pompton Lakes, April 21, 2025.st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Mile Djordjiovski | For NJ Advance MediaOur HS sports photos like the ones above put you right up close with the action and the whole experience Check them out by clicking anywhere in the collage above to open the photo gallery Don’t forget to share the gallery with friends and relatives.These photos are also available for purchase in a variety of sizes and finishes – just click the “BUY IMAGE” link below any photo to see available options and make a purchase NJ.com subscribers can also get free print-quality digital downloads of any images in this gallery Note: Because we are trying to make these galleries available for viewing as quickly as possible you are probably seeing an early version and more photos will be added later Please return and refresh the page to see additions Mobile device users: For the best experience downloading high-resolution images (available free and to subscribers only) and making photo purchases it’s best to visit this page from your desktop or laptop computer The N.J. 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Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter) Share on FacebookShare on X (formerly Twitter)Share on PinterestShare on LinkedInPOMPTON LAKES (TMX) - A New Jersey teacher and a teacher’s aide are facing charges after a young student’s head was allegedly taped to a desk Lenox Elementary School teacher Todd Lewis was charged by warrant and teacher’s aide Sallyann Scala the Pompton Lakes Police Department and Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office said in a joint statement Thursday Scala was allegedly in the room and failed to intervene Lewis was charged with one count of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child He appeared in court on Thursday and was released pending trial with conditions that he be monitored and prohibited from contact with any minor children Scala was served with a summons complaint on Wednesday She was charged with one count of fourth-degree abuse and neglect of children An official website of the United States government JavaScript appears to be disabled on this computer. Please click here to see any active alerts DuPont De Nemours & Company is located at 2000 Cannonball Road The DuPont Pompton Lakes Works site (DuPont) occupies approximately 572 acres of land in Pompton Lakes and Wanaque DuPont transitioned ownership of the Pompton Lakes Works site to The Chemours Company Two parallel valleys (Wanaque River and Acid Brook) run through the site north to south Land use in the vicinity of the site is predominantly residential and commercial an interstate highway (Route 287) and state-owned forest DuPont operated at the site from 1902 to April 1994 bronze shelled blasting caps and produced metal wires and aluminum and copper shells The New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) Administrative Consent Order (ACO) and the EPA HSWA Permit require cleanup of the facility (on-site and off-site) Online Works Site Documents Available Here DuPont De Nemours & Company manufactured explosives on this 572-acre site at the north end of Pompton Lakes Land use in the vicinity is primarily residential and commercial and includes undeveloped areas Cleanup of the facility is required under a New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection (NJDEP) order NJDEP groundwater permit and an EPA permit manufacturing and waste management practices resulted in contamination of surface water Wastes disposed of on-site included lead salts waste wire drawing solution and detonated blasting caps primary contaminants in the soil and sediment are lead and mercury Lead and mercury releases have migrated off-site via a surface water feature known as Acid Brook This migration resulted in soil contamination at 140 homes near Acid Brook due to overflow from the Brook during flooding events acid Brook and the adjacent impacted homes were remediated in the mid-1990s A residential area of about 425 homes is considered the “vapor intrusion investigation area.”  This area was a result of groundwater contamination that originated from the historical operations of the DuPont facility These properties were eligible to undergo vapor intrusion testing design and installation of a vapor mitigation system and inspection and maintenance of the vapor mitigation system once installed 337 vapor mitigation systems have been installed What you need to know and the forms to complete. View More Newsletters → Join our Mailing List to receive updates on EPA's activities at this site! Sign Up Today! .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Dylan McCoy | For NJ Advance MediaAbigail Sullivan scored six goals as Fair Lawn won its second straight road game Fair Lawn (2-2) created a 5-2 lead in the first two quarters It would hold Pompton Lakes (1-4) scoreless in the second half and add five more goals to secure the win Sydney Murri recorded a pair of goals and an assist for Fair Lawn Gabriella Solis scored both goals for Pompton Lakes Fair Lawn will face another opponent on the road in its next game matching up against West Milford on Thursday Pompton Lakes will get a week of rest before traveling to play Wayne Hills next Tuesday Dylan McCoy can be reached at hssports@njadvancemedia.com The N.J. High School Sports newsletter is now appearing in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! POMPTON LAKES — The wildfire that continues to burn in the Cannonball Road area of the borough has spread to 162 acres but the New Jersey Forest Fire Service reported it had made "significant progress" on Saturday afternoon as its personnel remained on the scene with fire engines and crews as well as a service helicopter that is capable of dropping 350 gallons of water The local fire companies are protecting the structures in the area the Forest Fire Service posted on X (formerly Twitter) at about 7 a.m on Saturday that "55 structures are threatened by the fire however there are no evacuations at this time." Strong winds sent smoke in the direction of Bergen County as well as the George Washington Bridge and New York City on Saturday afternoon The cause of the fire is under investigation The fire was reported to have consumed about 75 acres as of 7 a.m on Saturday and by 10:30 it had increased to 100 acres The latest update by fire officials reported that even though the fire spread to 162 acres with smoke near the intersection with the Wanaque River posted the Forest Fire Service at 6:30 a.m emergency crews closed one of the Route 287 north lanes at exit 55 said State Police Sgt The Wanaque Fire Department is assisting the Pompton Lakes Fire Department with the Cannonball fire according to the Wanaque Office of Emergency Management Residents are asked to stay away from the Fourth Avenue dog park and not enter the woods behind Back Beach Park "Many residents have offered food and water for the fire department These items can be dropped off at the Haskell Fire Department" on 4th Avenue reads a Wanaque Police Department Facebook post Area resident Joe Sarno said the wind was around 29 mph during the night making things "pretty smokey and spooky in our neighborhood." said he saw smoke from the Pompton Lakes fire over Franklin Lakes and even in Fair Lawn He said flames had reached as far west as Route 287 north near the Wanaque River He said flames reached the fall foliage on the ground right up to the highway in that area The Pompton Lakes fire chief told NorthJersey.com on Friday night that the fire was burning on 10 to 15 acres and was 60% to 70% contained He said the local volunteer fire department remained on the scene as well The fire chief said a Forest Fire Service helicopter dropped water on the fire Friday night He confirmed the fire began at the old DuPont factory on Cannonball Road The volunteer fire department on Thursday urged everyone to beware of fire danger The department's Facebook account post reads: "The wildfire danger remains VERY HIGH Stage 3 fire restrictions are still in effect You know the saying - 'Only YOU can prevent Forest Fires!" The state is experiencing a drought situation. After more than a month of dry weather, rain is expected to return this weekend, bringing a touch of relief to parched areas across the state according to meteorologist Joe DeSilva with the National Weather Service Showers are likely to begin Sunday and continue into Monday morning with a total of a quarter to half an inch of rain This would mark the first significant rainfall in New Jersey in 35 days a stretch that has intensified drought concerns and heightened the risk of forest fires in some areas Several forest fires have been reported in the last several weeks, including one in Morris County that took days to get under control. The New Jersey Forest Fire Service was also fighting a wildfire on the Palisades in Englewood Cliffs, causing some local road closures. The service deployed fire engines and ground crews to fight the Englewood Cliffs fire which covered about 39 acres and was about 40 contained Saturday A Forest Fire Service helicopter capable of dropping 350 gallons of water worked the fire Friday morning Forest Fire Service crews anticipated that the fire was unlikely to expand significantly in size A firefighter was seen battling flames in a dense area of the park as the crews worked to contain the fire Reporters Lucas Frau and Matt Fagan contributed to this report 1/40Softball: Pequannock vs. Pompton Lakes, April 21, 2025.st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Jack McKenna | For NJ Advance MediaKiera Killion drove in four runs and came around to score once for Pequannock as it downed Pompton Lakes 13-3 in five innings in Pequannock knocking in two runs and scoring two runs while going 3-for-4 Savannah Liccardo drove in three runs and came around to score once in a 2-for-4 showing for Pequannock (3-4) POMPTON LAKES — Criminal complaints have been filed against a Lenox Hill Elementary School teacher and a teacher's aide accusing the teacher of taping a student's head to his desk and the aide for failing to intervene Valdes and Pompton Lakes Police Chief Derek Clark said in an announcement Lewis was charged by way of warrant with one count of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child Scala was charged by way of summons with one count of fourth-degree abuse and neglect of children The arrests arose from an investigation by the Pompton Lakes Police Department's Special Victims Unit detectives on Oct 31 into a report that earlier in the month a 9-year-old student at the school allegedly had masking tape placed around the back of his neck and secured to his desk by Lewis for 40 to 50 minutes Scala was in the classroom and allegedly failed to intervene Lewis appeared for Central Judicial Processing proceedings on Thursday and was released pending trial He is prohibited from contact with any minor children including the minor victim Local: North Jersey's historic churches date back to the 1700s. Where they still stand today Pompton Lakes School Superintendent Paul Amoroso stated on Thursday that the teacher and the aide had been placed on leave "Measures have been taken so that the individuals will not have any access to the school premises," Amoroso said in the statement "We trust the judicial process to address this matter appropriately and promptly." Defendants are presumed innocent unless and until proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Dylan McCoy | For NJ Advance MediaAnnabelle Lee scored six goals as Old Tappan won its first road game of the 2025 season Old Tappan (3-0) jumped out to an 11-2 lead at the end of the first half This was enough for the win as Pompton Lakes (0-3) would score once in the second half Charlotte Malady led all players with seven points scoring four goals and dishing out three assists Mia Derrico added four more goals and two assists for Old Tappan while Layla Dyer controlled a game-high five ground balls and Gabriella Solis all scored for Pompton Lakes it recorded 10 shots on goal and controlled 15 ground balls This marks Old Tappan’s first 3-0 start since 2014 It will attempt to remain undefeated when it travels to face Mount St A former detective has filed a lawsuit against a North Jersey police department and racism by top brass drove him out of the department in early 2024 the Pompton Lakes Police Department's only Black officer at the time filed the 55-page complaint (attached) in Passaic County Superior Court on Wednesday The lawsuit names the Borough of Pompton Lakes and multiple unnamed officers as defendants Borough Administrator Michael Carelli said the borough has not been served an official lawsuit and declined further comment Army veteran and former narcotics detective says his trouble started after he questioned department leadership at a union meeting in 2021 He alleges that Chief Derek Clark and Internal Affairs head Anthony Rodriguez led a campaign to punish him with illegal ticket quotas After voicing concerns over lost sick time during COVID quarantine Pepe says he was removed from the department’s prestigious Detective Bureau and reassigned to the overnight patrol shift When he shared his emotional distress with a department-appointed resiliency officer Clark  interrogated him about the private conversation—something Pepe’s lawyer claims violated state guidelines Clark later warned officers not to speak to resiliency officers at all Pepe also says the department punished him for not meeting an unofficial ticket quota “Giving out tickets is like killing people overseas but you have to do it,” Rodriguez allegedly told officers Pepe claims the department “weaponized” Internal Affairs against him launching five investigations while he was recovering from brain surgery in 2023 He says complaints were filed for minor or fabricated issues including displaying visible tattoos and not tagging video footage after his emergency surgery When Pepe confronted a supervisor about the investigations he says Clark suspended him and threatened another mental health evaluation The lawsuit outlines repeated denials of mental health accommodations and light-duty assignments that were offered to white officers It also describes the department’s alleged efforts to ban Pepe’s wife from contacting town officials after she complained about how he was being treated I need to take care of myself right now,” Pepe texted Rodriguez and civil rights violations under New Jersey law NJ Advance Media file photoJohn Jones | For NJ Advance Media .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Tyler Duffy | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comIsabella De Martinis went 2-for-3 with a double and three RBI to help give Pompton Lakes a convincing 11-0 victory over Saddle Brook in Saddle Brook Drea Bailey went 3-for-4 with an RBI for Pompton Lakes (1-0) Kylie LaCroix threw a two-hitter while striking out 12 batters in the victory Pompton Lakes led 6-0 after the fourth inning and scored three runs in the top of the sixth inning Helayna Stamm went 1-for-3 for Saddle Brook (0-1) Follow us on social: Facebook | Instagram | X (formerly Twitter) (edited) 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 1/37Boys Wrestling: Pompton Lakes vs New Milford, January 9, 2025.st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Mak Ojutiku | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comSutter Totaro came up big for New Milford by delivering a clutch pin in the final bout of the night to push the Knights to a 39-37 home win over Pompton Lakes The win kept the Knights unbeaten on the season at 6-0 while Pompton Lakes suffered its first loss to fall to 7-1 Totaro’s decisive win came in a 144-pound bout against Pompton Lakes’ Fabjo Laraku With his team in need of a bonus point win to claim the victory Totaro used a fireman’s carry to set up the match-clinching pin Jerzey Ryan recorded a pin in the 138-pound bout to put New Milford in striking distance Sebastian Lopez (1750 and Redon Xheladini (190) all won via bonus points to help Pompton Lakes take an early 20-5 lead following a New Jersey home invasion and high-speed pursuit in a stolen BMW Police were called to 6 Cambridge Road in Pompton Lakes around 2:30 a.m after residents reported three men entered their house and then stole their 2023 BMW M8 Gran Coupe from their driveway Surveillance footage showed the suspects inside and outside of the home One suspect is seen stealing a PlayStation 5 from a downstairs playroom while another entered the kitchen they foudn a Louis Vuitton satchel containing $700 in cash Police in Pequnnock spotted the stolen car speeding south on Route 23 When the driver of the stolen car saw police he cut across the highway and took off south in the northbound lanes The pursuit was ended due to the reckless nature of the stolen vehicle’s driver but the car was traced to multiple locations including Clark and Detective Edlis Zaku were contacted to assist with the investigation Zaku contacted NJSP’s Auto Theft Task Force three of the occupants of the vehicle fled on foot conspiracy to commit theft of a motor vehicle Bergen County residents who found themselves coughing wheezing — and possibly even losing their view of the George Washington Bridge — may have wondered what was happening on an otherwise bright and sunny Saturday The culprit? Not the Canada wildfires this time, it's from wildfires in West Milford and Pompton Lakes that are producing enough smoke to be seen on satellite images. so the smoke shows up very distinctly [on satellite images]," said meteorologist John O'Hara of the National Weather Service "You can see the smoke coming off the fire and heading southeast and then fades off the coast of Long Island." A high-pressure system is generating the clockwise winds and smoke pattern winds turn clockwise and come from the north or northwest So as the smoke goes up and gets caught in these currents of air it just moves from the northwest to the southeast." The pattern could continue as long as the fire burns when a new weather pattern is expected to bring the first measurable rain to New Jersey in more than five weeks Wildfire smoke can reach far away from where fires burn and can make anyone sick Officials recommend closing your windows and for people at risk to remain indoors. The Pompton Lakes wildfire continues to burn in the woods near the Cannonball Road area of Pompton Lakes has spread to 100 acres reported the New Jersey Forest Fire Service on Saturday A second even larger fire that ignited overnight Friday into Saturday morning and covering 1,800 acres in West Milford is contributing to the smoke is burning in the area of Greenwood Lake Turnpike and East Shore Road The fire is 0% contained and is threatening two residential structures as well as eight structures in the Long Pond Ironworks Historic District More: New Jersey weekend wildfires: See where they are and what you should know and do Pompton Lakes' girls flag football running back Calyc Carfi pictured before practice on April 2 2024.Julie Williams/Pompton Lakes High School .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Joe Zedalis | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comThe last time Calyx Carfi played a flag football game on the artificial turf at Pompton Lakes’ stadium — May 1 The double whammy of her right foot getting caught in the turf and two opponents trampling her at the exact same instant led to the obliteration of her right knee After significant and painful reconstructive surgery and rehab the junior running back replaced one never-to-be-forgotten moment with another Carfi took a handoff from QB Alyssa Bailey going left Carfi noted the Elmwood Park linebackers were stacked inside Carfi discovered that no injury is truly healed until an athlete but not nearly as important as the fact that Carfi didn’t fret about her knee — not once “She looked exactly the same as she did last year,” said Pompton Lakes head coach Julie Williams I wasn’t thinking about easing her mind and giving her the ball on the first play I called the play I thought would give us the best chance to get off to a good start.” and I prepared myself a little,” Carfi said Wednesday “I felt like I was running really slow and really fast all at the same time,” she explained “Until I heard the whistle and turned around It was a feel-good story right out of a Hollywood script Girl scores TD on the first play of her return a little slo-mo on the celebration and a fade to the credits The only element to spoil the story were the three interceptions Elmwood Park returned for touchdowns in the second half for a 19-12 victory it was like something out of a movie,” Williams said who had her own rooting section including her anxious mom “For the returning teammates who saw what she went through it was the Calyx we all remembered,” Williams said when Carfi went down and was unable to get up Carfi was playing defense for the first time that day “I was blocking after an interception,” she said If I hadn’t gotten hit by two Lyndhurst players I think it (her foot) may have come loose.” The force of the impact sent her body falling one way while her knee remained trapped in the artificial grass Carfi was helped off the field by a teammate and Pompton Lakes’ athletic trainer “The trainer initially thought I would be okay,” she said x-rays and an MRI days later revealed extensive damage and a sprained medial collateral ligament required surgery to repair and she told me when she came home,” Carfi said Carfi said her ACL was repaired with a piece of tissue from her patella tendon What she didn’t realize was that the severity of her injury has become more common as high school sports According to the National Library of Medicine there are approximately 400,000 ACL reconstructions every year in the United States the female-to-male ratio has been reported to be 4.5:1 Female athletes tend to get ACL ruptures at a younger age Carfi was able to be a cheerleader for the Pompton Lakes boys team She also spent the winter getting ready for the spring season She kept Williams apprised of her progress as the months passed “She is such a hard-working kid,” Williams said She never questioned why it happened to her “I’m proud of what she did to get back on the field.” Thank you for relying on us to provide the journalism you can trust. Please consider supporting NJ.com with a subscription The N.J. High School Sports newsletter now appears in mailboxes 5 days a week. Sign up now! Joe Zedalis covers the Shore Conference for NJ.com. He can be reached at jzedalis@njadvancemedia.com A fire tore through a Chinese restaurant in a Passaic County strip mall on Thursday night severely damaging the business and impacting nearby stores on April 17 at the Golden Garden Chinese restaurant on Hamburg Turnpike in Pompton Lakes according to the Pompton Lakes Volunteer Fire Department they found flames coming from several areas of the building with Chiefs Dakake and Majdanski responding to the scene The Pompton Lakes Riverdale First Aid Squad (PLRFAS) also assisted Firefighters quickly knocked down the flames and neighboring stores were also affected by the fire “Thank you to our fellow first responders from Bloomingdale Wanaque and Wayne for their support at the scene and as firehouse backfill for our town,” PLVFD said in a statement A $20 million project at a former public works depot is set to bring affordable housing earmarked for seniors and veterans to Pompton Lakes as early as next year The Passaic County Affordable Housing Corporation this month approved a $19.6 million contract with Paterson-based APS Contracting for the construction of a four-story affordable housing project at 519 Ringwood Ave The redevelopment project led by the county's Public Housing Agency caters to low- and moderate-income households with a focus on local veterans and senior citizens In addition to 65 affordable one-bedroom units the property's future residents will enjoy multiple on-site amenities laundry facilities on every floor and scenic green areas surrounding the property County Commissioner Sandi Lazzara said the building could be "a beacon of hope for those who have served our country and for our seniors who’ve given so much to this community." and that’s something that benefits us all," Lazzara added "This is about creating a lasting legacy of care Priority for the building's rental units will be given to borough residents and military veterans once the application period opens citing a multi-year waiting period for the borough’s only senior housing complex and the community's relatively high median costs for one-bedroom units building operations are due to be led by Christian Health Center the center provides services for senior living short-term rehabilitation and mental health said the project speaks volumes about Passaic County’s attitude toward seniors and veterans More: NJ approves $25M for new pedestrian bridge at MetLife for 2026 FIFA World Cup "It’s encouraging to see such a commitment to making sure our veterans and older adults have access to quality The redevelopment project at the former public works depot marks a significant achievement for agency officials who have tried to initiate affordable housing projects since receiving $3.3 million in seed funding in 2003 Past proposals for developments in Wayne and Haledon did not come to fruition The agency supports residents throughout Passaic County Pompton Lakes Mayor Michael Serra said the project could mark the start of a defining moment for the borough "We’re ensuring that our veterans and seniors have a place they can call home "It’s about more than just housing — it’s about community."  Project costs are expected to be offset by more than $2 million in federal American Rescue Plan money and $4 million in agency reserves A $20 million bond approved earlier this year to cover construction costs will also be repaid with revenues from the housing complex Vouchers from the housing agency and other subsidies are likely to cover at least 80% of what would otherwise be roughly $2,000 market-rate rent for residents officials said when finalizing the proposal in 2023 was identified for potential acquisition by the agency’s nonprofit arm after county officials chose to centralize some operations at the Department of Public Works depot in Wayne The county still owns two adjacent lots on Ivy Street to support local operations in Pompton Lakes Rutherford linebacker Nick Lora (28) celebrates his end zone interception to seal the win against Park Ridge in Friday night's NJIC Championship game in Park Ridge 10/20/2023 Steve Hockstein | For NJ Advance MediaSteve Hockstein | For NJ Advance .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Mak Ojutiku | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comNick Lora ran in a pair of touchdowns in Rutherford’s 22-15 win over Pompton Lakes in Rutherford An eight-yard touchdown by Lora gave Rutherford (3-2) a 7-0 lead at the half Nick Gioia also scored a rushing touchdown for Rutherford Allan Purcell gave Pompton Lakes (3-2) six points off a 17-yard touchdown pass in the fourth Pompton Lakes also scored off a fourth-quarter fumble return and a third-quarter safety baseball spiconScott Faytok | NJ Advance Media .st1{fill-rule:evenodd;clip-rule:evenodd;fill:#2a2a2a}By Tyler Duffy | NJ Advance Media for NJ.comRyan Miceli went 2-for-2 with a home run and two RBI to help give Pompton Lakes a 10-0 victory over Manchester Regional in Pompton Lakes Jon Popovich went 3-for-3 with a double and three RBI and Angelo Fusaro went 3-for-4 with a double for Pompton Lakes (1-1) Pompton Lakes scored four runs in the first inning and followed it up with three runs in the second and third inning Angel Gonzalez went 1-for-2 for Manchester Regional (0-2)