Wanaque police are searching for 39-year-old Kristofer Maloney nearly two weeks after this last verified sighting Though he typically resides in his hometown of Wanaque Maloney was last spotted in Union County in March He is approximately 6'3" and weighs about 200 pounds Maloney is believed to be suffering from a mental health crisis, the Wanaque Police Department said in a post on Facebook adding that anybody who comes in contact with him should not approach him as he may be scared off anyone with information about Maloney or his whereabouts is asked to contact Detective Danielle Conti of the Wanaque Police Department at 973-835-5600 Maloney has long dealt with mental health issues he was diagnosed with bipolar schizoaffective disorder Due to his unmedicated mental health issues Maloney is considered an "endangered and vulnerable individual," according to Higgins "He hasn't really done this before where he kind of takes off He has pretty much stuck to the same location for the last eight or nine years so for him to be in that area is very out of the ordinary for him The most recent verified sighting of Maloney occurred March 27 in Springfield That was also the last date that his food stamps card was used Higgins said they believe he ended up in Springfield after boarding a bus near the Willowbrook Mall that's why it's odd that he ended up there," Higgins said "But he also is in a pretty significant psychosis With nearly two weeks since her brother's disappearance She also extended her appreciation for everybody that has been looking out for him He was going to the Chubb Institute for computer programming and because we haven't been able to get him the mental health help that he needs this is what his life has become," Higgins said expressing her concerns about how mental health is handled in the state of New Jersey "What's so disheartening is the fact that there are people in our state who could be living normal lives if they were able to get the help that they need I feel like sometimes New Jersey goes so far in protecting patient's rights that they actually go full circle and end up hurting more than helping "So many times he has been sent to the hospital in New Jersey and because he is able to tell them his name and who the president is they're like 'oh he's good to go,' and they send him back to the street That's kind of the issue we've had since he was diagnosed at 22 is that there really is no place that we've found that has been able to help someone like him." 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 A young motorcyclist was killed in a crash with an SUV in Passaic County ALSO SEE: Final Ride Will Honor Cranford Motorcyclist Killed In Crash near Skyline Drive and Greenwood Lake Drive in Ringwood Valdes and Ringwood Police Chief Peter McGinty said was riding a motorcycle when he collided with a Jeep Cherokee SUV Mendonca-Lopez was pronounced dead at the scene The occupants of the Jeep Cherokee were not seriously hurt The investigation remains active and ongoing Anyone with information is asked to contact the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office at 1-877-370-PCPO or email tips@passaiccountynj.org If you're planning to relocate to New Jersey or are already house hunting in the state there are a few towns you might want to prioritize for their excellent safety records One of the first questions people tend to ask when considering a move is It's natural for families to want a community where children can play outside without worry While many factors come into play when choosing a home, safety is usually near the top of most people's lists. Property Club has compiled a list of the top 10 safest towns to live in throughout New Jersey the compared the rate of crime in each town to that of the national average READ MORE: This Is The Most Famous Person To Come From Mercer County, NJ these towns should definitely be on your radar New Jersey is one of the best places to live in the country Here are a few of the safest towns in the state, according to Property Club's most recent list (which was published on May 7, 2024).  #2 – Hasbrouck Heights#3 – River Vale#4 – New Providence#5 – Berkeley Heights#6 – Sparta#7 – Chatham Township#8 – Bernards#9 – Monroe Township#10 – Ringwood These towns have some of the lowest crime rates in New Jersey and they’re spread across the state allowing you to choose the Jersey lifestyle that suits you best Topping the list is Wanaque, located in North Jersey near New York. Its crime rates are an impressive 97% lower than the national average, Property Club says.  If you're planning a move to New Jersey consider making one of these towns your home Are you moving to New Jersey's safest town?\nRead More While many factors come into play when choosing a home, safety is usually near the top of most people's lists. Property Club has compiled a list of the top 10 safest towns to live in throughout New Jersey READ MORE: This Is The Most Famous Person To Come From Mercer County, NJ Here are a few of the safest towns in the state, according to Property Club's most recent list (which was published on May 7, 2024).  Topping the list is Wanaque, located in North Jersey near New York. Its crime rates are an impressive 97% lower than the national average, Property Club says.  In-depth analysis and commentary on today's biggest news stories as only the BBC can deliver BBC "Newshour" covers everything from the growth of democracy to the threat of terrorism with a fresh Water supplies have worsened since last week in some locations and about 40% of water providers are experiencing above-average demands for water 2024 image shows the Wanaque Reservoir in Ringwood The number of wildfires in New Jersey over the past two weeks is more than eight times greater than the same timeframe last year The Philadelphia area is facing record dry conditions Meteorologists say months of rainfall is needed The goal is to restore reservoir levels and prevent a drought emergency During a Tuesday public hearing, some environmentalists, residents and water providers urged the state to enter an emergency sooner rather than later to ensure there’s enough water supply for drinking, farming and fighting the ongoing wildfires. “I would really like to move to drought emergency so we stop people from watering their lawns,” said Tim Eustace executive director of the North Jersey District Water Supply Commission The free WHYY News Daily newsletter delivers the most important local stories to your inbox WHYY is your source for fact-based, in-depth journalism and information. As a nonprofit organization, we rely on financial support from readers like you. Please give today. Preserving Our Water: How we use our Delaware Watershed The project is funded by The William Penn Foundation forest firefighting crews have responded to far more blazes One saw flames shooting above 50-foot trees The region faces about a 10-inch deficit in rainfall Three to four inches of rain a month are typical during the winter Together we can reach 100% of WHYY’s fiscal year goal local news and information and world-class entertainment to everyone in our community WHYY offers a voice to those not heard, a platform to share everyone’s stories, a foundation to empower early and lifelong learners and a trusted space for unbiased news. Learn more about Social Responsibility at WHYY 2025 at 10:04 pm ET.css-79elbk{position:relative;}Scott Volpe is accused of sexually assaulting a teen girl at a home in West Milford earlier this year He was recently employed as a custodian at Lakeland Regional High School NJ — Police and the Federal Bureau of Investigation searched a Passaic County high school after a former custodian was charged with sexually assaulting a teenager sending the school into a shelter-in-place Officials arrested Scott Volpe of Ringwood, who recently worked at Lakeland Regional High School, last Wednesday on charges including aggravated sexual assault and manufacturing child pornography is accused of sexually assaulting a 14-year-old girl at a home in West Milford earlier this year and trying to hide evidence of his conversations with her Records show he is still being held in the Bergen County Jail Some parents and community members are calling for the removal of the district superintendent as they say they have "deep concerns about the administration's handling of the situation." responsible communication is unacceptable," the petition states Close to 200 people had signed it as of Tuesday at 10:30 a.m De Vito told News12 that the investigation and search were both traumatizing for students: "Once when the children found out that there was a predator among them and secondarily again in lock down not knowing if images of them were being shared," she said Volpe also faces charges of criminal sexual contact and child endangerment charges related to the manufacturing and possession of child pornography Anyone who may have more information about this case is asked to contact the Prosecutor's Office tips line at 1-877-370-PCPO Get more local news delivered straight to your inbox. Sign up for free Patch newsletters and alerts. A crash on Route 287 left a vehicle overturned and debris scattered across the highway causing morning traffic disruptions on Wednesday Troopers responded to the scene at milepost 55.4 around 10:03 a.m. a passenger vehicle traveling south lost control Non-life-threatening injuries were reported and no additional information about the victims or the cause of the crash was immediately available and drivers are urged to use caution while passing through the area Updates will be provided as more details emerge Months after the former superintendent decided she no longer wished to retire and sued the district alleging a hostile work environment a new superintendent for the Westwood Regional School District was hired Thursday night The nine-member Board of Education unanimously approved appointing Patrick McQueeney with a five-year contract running Nov McQueeney’s salary for the 2024-25 school year will be $250,000 who has a relative who works in the district was the sole abstention due to a conflict of interest but thanked her fellow board members who worked "so hard on this." McQueeney currently works as the superintendent of the Wanaque School District He thanked the Westwood board and said he is “beyond thrilled to lead the Westwood schools.” “Westwood is a great place that I want to be for a long time," he said "I look forward to working with the community our students and making sure they get the experience they deserve.” McQueeney has been superintendent of Wanaque since July 2021 Before that he was an assistant superintendent of curriculum and staff development for the Sparta Township school district His former experience includes being a teacher and principal McQueeney earned a bachelor's degree in physical science from Rowan University a master's in material engineering from Rutgers University and an MBA and doctorate in education from Centenary University School board President Jay Garcia said McQueeney was the person to whom the school board had extended an offer earlier this year before the former superintendent decided she was not going to leave her position Mortimer originally announced last year that she planned to retire this year, but later said in April that she intended to remain The school board had spent months doing a superintendent search before Mortimer’s abrupt reversal the board had found Mortimer's replacement but because the superintendent had never submitted a formal letter of registration Mortimer, who board members said had asked for a $1 million buyout, later sued the school district alleging a hostile work environment. The district agreed to a $400,000 settlement Westwood Regional's director of secondary education was appointed as acting superintendent during a Sept 5 meeting until the permanent replacement comes on board board member Andrea Peck said she was excited to vote for McQueeney and to see the district “move forward and come together.” Board member Loni Azzolina echoed Peck’s sentiments and said the hiring of McQueeney “represents a new and fresh start for our district that’s been sorely needed for many many years.” Board member Jorge Pertuz said the board is on the “cusp of starting something I think is really good.” Board member Kristen Pedersen said McQueeney is “a truly confident and honest very strong leader” and the fact that the board unanimously agreed on hiring him was an “absolute miracle and speaks volumes about Dr Garcia said that “it’s no secret to anybody else that we have a lot of difficulty agreeing on just about anything as a board,” but looking to hire McQueeney as the new superintendent had caused some “great discussions” that “inspired” Garcia when he saw how the board came together A North Jersey woman is facing several charges after allegedly stealing nearly $300,000 from two Morris County churches over a period of more than five years was charged Thursday with two counts of theft according to a press release from the Morris County Prosecutor's Office Officials said an investigation by the office's financial crimes unit found that Rivera while working as a bookkeeper from May 2018 to January 2024 wrote herself checks from accounts belonging to Our Lady of the Mountain Parish in Washington Township and Our Lady of Good Counsel in Pequannock Rivera was charged by summons and released pending future court proceedings WANAQUE — Borough officials are gearing up for the acquisition of the Lakeside Manor townhouse development site off Mountain Lakes Drive by eminent domain An ordinance pending adoption in October may set the stage for the condemnation of the property and its transfer to the local government for redevelopment The ordinance would usher in a new amendment for the borough's redevelopment plan for the partially improved site that establishes "the necessity and authorization for condemnation." The site's future remains in limbo due to a looming court battle between the borough and the longtime property owner A case management conference for a year-old case regarding the Borough Council's 2023 decision to condemn the site is expected in the coming week Originally envisioned as a 64-townhouse neighborhood with shade trees Although the infrastructure for water and sewers was installed development was halted in 2004 due to restrictions under the Highlands Water Protection and Planning Act A 2011 court ruling eased those restrictions Borough officials ultimately began to rescind approvals and developed a redevelopment plan for the site leading to legal appeals from the property owner The sole constructed building has since been demolished The pending amendment to the redevelopment plan would be the fourth since the plan was adopted in 2016 it would consolidate the properties and terminate the previously approved site plans The principal permitted use on the property would nonetheless remain attached multifamily residences the Borough Council voted to designate the property as a condemnation area in need of redevelopment roughly seven years after classifying it as a non-condemnation area in need of redevelopment due to its deterioration and neglect That previous action led to litigation and a settlement that allowed developer Jacinto Rodrigues of J&S Group Inc and take advantage of the borough's payment in lieu of taxes The project restarted. Roads were paved. However, the full vision never materialized. Deadlines were missed, and the borough ultimately voided the agreement safety and welfare hazard by the Planning Board in 2022 What was built was demolished to the foundation said in court filings that they were prevented by borough officials from proceeding with construction or transferring the property to another developer They have also argued that town officials have intentionally devalued the property amid valuation proceedings in federal court and failed to show why the site should be condemned 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 Meet NorthJersey.com's adoptable pets of the week for Feb Each week, NorthJersey.com would like to highlight adoptable animals from local shelters and rescues or volunteer with a North Jersey animal shelter or rescue and know of some animals who are in need of a loving fur-ever home please send a photo description and adoption information to amwallace@gannett.com to have your adoptable pets featured in the next edition This week we are featuring Jasper and Vallie from foster-based rescue organization All Humane Animal Rescue Inc. Jasper was rescued from a kill shelter when he was a puppy He has since been waiting seven months for a home Jasper is a Tennessee brindle mix that can be described as friendly If you are interested in Jasper, visit https://allhumaneanimalrescue.org/dog-application/ to fill out an application You can also reach out to 973-617-7389 for more information Vallie is a lab and hound mix that can be described as friendly Vallie was rescued from a kill shelter in Texas and has been waiting for her forever home for a year is great with other dogs and is fully vetted If you are interested in Vallie, visit https://allhumaneanimalrescue.org/dog-application/ to fill out an application 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 The unexplained sightings of drones across North Jersey's night skies have sparked curiosity and unease Reports of the hovering crafts buzzing the region have left residents wondering if they are the tools of hobbyists covert military experiments or something even more mysterious which has hosted steered flying objects in its skies since 1863 New Jersey has been home to stories of the strange and the surreal including Martian invasions and ghostly treasure guardians One of the most famous stories came on a 1966 cold, clear winter evening in Wanaque, when residents reported seeing mysterious lights hovering over the Wanaque Reservoir. The event which would later be recounted as one of New Jersey’s most famous UFO sightings including police officers and town officials glowing object moving in inexplicable ways responding to a dispatch about a glowing light spotted what he described as a pulsating orb along with Councilmen Warren Hagstrom and Arthur Barton happened to be nearby and joined Cisco at the scene steady light changing colors from white to red to green The intensity of the incident escalated as additional witnesses claimed to see the light interact with the frozen reservoir Civil Defense Director Bentley Spencer reported seeing a beam of light shoot down toward the ice which some described as "burning a hole." Reservoir worker Fred Steines confirmed the unusual activity at the dam Other witnesses described the object as disc-shaped or oval Patrolman Jack Wardlaw reported seeing a similar object near his home in Stonetown moving erratically and disappearing over nearby mountains who described a glowing object moving low over the mountains before accelerating upward Various explanations were offered in the years that followed A study by Vestigia in 1979 theorized that seismic activity near the Ramapo fault might have caused luminous phenomena while the Pentagon suggested a rare celestial alignment of Venus and Jupiter Like many of New Jersey's more unbelievable stories another UFO mystery turned out to be a hoax where five red lights appeared in the night sky Dubbed the "Morristown UFO," these lights sparked widespread speculation about extraterrestrial activity with some residents and UFO enthusiasts convinced they were witnessing a genuine sighting when they reportedly saw them hover in a triangular formation before moving across the sky However, on April 1, 2009, two young men, Joe Rudy and Chris Russo — now a Morristown councilman — revealed that the event was a carefully orchestrated hoax they had staged the "UFO" as a social experiment to highlight the unreliability of eyewitness testimony and the sensationalism surrounding UFO investigations They released videos documenting their process which debunked theories of advanced aircraft or alien visitation and underscored how easily UFO stories could gain traction without substantial evidence A witch trial in New Jersey?New Jersey's strange happenings and hoaxes date back centuries an account emerged in the Pennsylvania Gazette about New Jersey's only alleged witch trial reportedly was held in Mount Holly to determine the fate of two residents accused of casting spells on a neighbor’s livestock The spells allegedly caused the sheep to dance and the hogs to sing psalms The story ended without a definitive conclusion and its veracity was never confirmed or truly debunked have claimed that newspaper publisher and Founding Father Benjamin Franklin devised the article as a satire meant to criticize superstition and possibly poke fun at residents of Burlington County Franklin's Mount Holly hoax set the stage for New Jersey’s reputation as a fertile ground for pranks That ground in 1843 would be trodden by famous prankster P.T who with a bombardment of posters promised residents of New York City a summertime display like none other across the Hudson River The ads claimed Hoboken would host a thrilling "Grand Buffalo Hunt" on Aug Cowboys were to showcase their lasso skills on a herd of American bison brought from the untamed West described partnering with ferry operators to get half of the day's fares More than 20,000 people reportedly crossed to Hoboken attendees were greeted by a motley collection of frail buffalo that Barnum had purchased for $700 Making matters worse was weak fencing that allowed frightened bison to break through the arena holding the event and flee into the nearby swamps A legend of British loyalists burying treasure as they fled George Washington’s forces during the Revolutionary War led another hoax perpetrator to bring fright to the Morristown area arrived in the area in the late 1780s claiming he could unlock the mystery of the fabled treasure many believed was hidden on Schooley's Mountain insisting that the treasure's location was protected by a ghost as detailed in Peter Zablocki's recent book "The 1788 Morristown Ghost Hoax." This spirit could be exorcised only with his specialized skills entranced by the promise of both riches and adventure complete with staged supernatural encounters and spiritual ceremonies duped the town’s elite before it all unraveled and Rodgers fled the area Headline-making hoaxes in the 20th century generally included fake kidnappings including one involving taxicab owner William A who claimed to have been held up by three armed and masked bandits in Park Ridge in November 1939 it was Carlock's attempt to steal revenue intended for a coach company so he could pay off his debt including the one involving the fake merchant seaman hero from Dumont Jerlat left home to work odd jobs between Albany and New Orleans before returning home in April 1942 with claims he had joined the U.S the merchant freighter he was on was attacked and he went overboard with his hair on fire to save a shipmate U-boats attacked his ship and he somehow woke up in Africa The claims were later debunked and investigated by U.S Another hoax took place in April 1981 at the Veterans Administration hospital in East Orange where an alleged gunman dressed as a doctor purportedly threatened to kill state Sen claimed to have wrestled the would-be assailant to the ground an FBI investigation soon revealed that the entire incident was a hoax orchestrated by Lancellotti New Jersey played host to one of the most famous hoaxes of all time the Garden State became the epicenter of mass hysteria thanks to Orson Welles' infamous radio broadcast of "The War of the Worlds." For listeners across America the mock news reports describing a Martian invasion felt chillingly real performed by Welles and the Mercury Theatre on the Air faux news bulletins described explosions on Mars followed by a Martian landing in Grovers Mill phones rang off the hook and panic swept across the nation reportedly fired shots at a water tower in the moonlight Families packed their belongings and fled in search of safety hoping to catch a glimpse of the alien invaders recalled the surreal scene in a 2013 interview with USA Today "Fathers put their families in a car and took off for parts unknown,” Sanders said “Other people came to see what they [the Martians] looked like.” the simulated invasion seemed far too real The New York Times reported widespread disruption with households and religious services interrupted roads gridlocked and communication lines overwhelmed Welles' inspiration reportedly came from the Hindenburg disaster of 1937 His team mimicked the measured tones of news announcers and fueled the staged panic's believability Authorities have released details in connection to threats made against a Passaic County high school that had left parents and students fearful Wanaque and Ringwood officers were called to Lakeland Regional High School on Sept following reports that a student was overhead "making a threatening statement about another classmate," Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M officers remained at the school for the day members of the Wanaque Police Department met with the student and their parent A records check indicated that no firearms were registered to any family members living in the home "Based on this information coupled with conflicting and uncorroborated information collected during its investigation the Wanaque Police Department concluded that there was no credible threat to the students at the school," the prosecutor said The incident caused panic amongst the community as parents told Daily Voice they were never made aware of the incident by school administrators until Tuesday when their children showed up to school and were greeted by a large police presence Lakeland Regional HS Superintendent Hugh Beattie tells Daily Voice that parents were notified through the school's community alert system remain insistent that they were not notified until they received Beattie's email sometime after 9 a.m "There was NEVER a threat regarding a school shooting or bombing I had the Wanaque and Ringwood Police here to ensure our communities that our students are safe and able to learn," Beattie's email reads When asked by Daily Voice why his letter said there was never a threat Beattie said only to contact Wanaque police and the county prosecutor Parents expressed the desire for more prompt and clearer communication from Lakeland administrators In a Ringwood Moms and Dads Facebook group "This was handled about as poorly as possible All they had to do was send out a text this morning Something like 'there was an online threat Beattie's letter closes by saying that the threat was nothing but a rumor on social media and that his administration did their best "Please understand that social media can often cause situation for which it was not intended.. "We tried to answer calls and emails as quickly as possible to put to rest this unnecessary panic Please know that your children are my children also and that I would NEVER put them in harm's way Because many of you picked up you children you would have been well notified by now." The region saw its driest October on record this year And while wildfires burned more than 5,000 acres of Sterling State Forest and counties enacted drought warnings local farmers encountered new challenges of their own “The general public doesn’t remember – or have a good recollection – of how the weather has been,” said Orange County Farm Bureau President Jason Touw “Farmers remember because it’s our livelihood.” started taking precautions when the drought hit this fall – limiting water usage and fixing any leaks or drips in the chicken houses – to ensure his well would hold His 300-acre farm is home to a variety of crops “While we’re in a pretty serious drought right now .. we’re fortunate in one way that it happened not in the heart of the growing season,” said Touw “it is definitely going to impact winter cereal crops.” Wagon Wheel plants “cereal grains” in the winter Department of Agriculture incentivizes farmers to plant these cover crops to prevent soil erosion But they only receive the subsidy when the plants start to grow Wagon Wheel Farm alone spent $5,000 on labor seed and machinery to plant 45-acres of cover crops “And we’re not going to get paid anything until it germinates,” Touw said saw their main food and water sources start to dry up in July when summer heat scorched the grass and streams at Meadowburn Farm in Vernon “We don’t usually have to start feeding hay until October “But we were feeding hay for a period of time in July this year Clark’s herd of 30-plus cows grazes pastures on the farm have been dry since July due to a combination of heat and lack of rainfall Clark’s son has been hauling 800 gallons daily via tractor from the farm’s spring-fed pond to the herd’s troughs have been embarking on adventures of their own The dry earth also weakened barriers that normally would keep the herd contained; cows are more willing to “take the hit” from electric fences because the shock isn’t nearly as powerful when standing on dry land And river frontage in the main pasture – which is normally high with muddy barriers that the cows wouldn’t normally try to cross – was low and dry enough that livestock were able to confidently sneak through drainage ditches and under fences for a fresh roadside snack “Most people have not raised cattle and aren’t familiar with cattle really alarmed if they see a cow that’s out It doesn’t really alarm us at all; the only reason it concerns us is because it concerns our neighbors and we want to be kind to our neighbors,” said Clark You don’t find missing cow signs on telephone poles.” The drought followed a bountiful growing season for local farms Touw estimated that the growing season from May to September was the best it’s been in four years “That put us in a pretty good place for where we are right now,” he said Jeff Vander Groef was happy to see a stretch of dry weather; it made for an easy harvest for his soybeans and corn at Vander Groef Farms in Wantage We had a lot of struggles getting crops out of the fields,” he said “That’s why the drought this year didn’t really bother us Christmas tree farms appear to be surviving the drought with few consequences “This is the first time we’ve ever seen a drought in the fall like this,” said Shale Hill Farms’ Mike Garrett He and his family have owned the 100-acre cut-your-own Christmas Tree Farm since the 1960s but this spring and summer were actually the best growing season we’ve had in over 50 years.” The region finally saw significant rainfall on Nov some towns got enough snow to warrant school closures But the recent bursts of wet weather have not done much to replenish water levels A rain gauge monitored by the National Weather Service in Sterling State Forest has only seen 2.6 inches of precipitation since Nov. 21. The Wanaque and Monksville reservoirs, just over 10 miles from Sterling, are currently hovering around 50 percent capacity. but it’s not enough to say we’re out of the drought or that the reservoirs are starting to fill or that groundwater is perking up,” said New Jersey State Climatologist David Robinson “It’s a good primer that hopefully will be followed by additional rainfall and/or snow events An FBI investigation placed a North Jersey high school on lockdown last week following the arrest of a school maintenance worker Scott Volpe was a maintenance worker at Lakeland High School Lakeland High School custodian Scott Volpe was arrested on March 7 on child pornography charges Lakeland was briefly placed on lockdown as FBI agents searched the school "[FBI agents] were called in as a precautionary measure to ensure that our campus was safe for students and staff," Beattie tells Daily Voice Volpe had hidden cameras in the building." Beattie confirmed that Volpe has been suspended and will not return to the school "We have been contacted by the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office that one of our employees has been arrested in connection with a crime that occurred over the past few months involving a minor child in another town we cannot divulge any details surrounding the arrest Please know that the employee is in police custody and will not be returning to work at Lakeland we will continue to cooperate with local police and the County Prosecutor’s Office." Many parents felt the message lacked transparency and raised more questions than answers, according to a Change.org petition launched by concerned parents "Authorities were informed of the allegations on March 7 yet the community was not notified until March 13—via a vague and haphazard text message," the petition states conducted activity at Lakeland High School on March 14 at 11:30 AM—while students were in class—yet parents were not informed until 1:49 PM." accuses the district of mishandling communication and failing to keep parents properly informed during the FBI’s search of the school While some parents expressed frustration over the district’s handling of the incident "I hope you have ALL of the facts right as you blasted this guy on here," one parent wrote on social media facts and emotions are not the same thing." "There are plenty of reasons Hugh should be fired but this situation is not the hill to die on," another parent said Others simply wished the district did a better job of handling serious situations This is not the first time Beattie has faced backlash. In September, more than 850 parents signed a separate petition criticizing his response to a student threat that led to a heavy police presence at the school The latest petition also raises concerns about financial mismanagement accusing the administration of proposing 24 staff and faculty layoffs while increasing administrative hires Beattie confirmed budgetary restraints have resulted in layoffs but has not publicly addressed specific concerns regarding the petition A 39-year-old Passaic County man has been charged with sexually assaulting a child between ages 13 and 15 and manufacturing child pornography earlier this year carried out the assaults in West Milford in January and February 2025 Valdes said following an investigation prompted by reports that came in March 7 of the alleged incidents This year's presidential election is the first in which New Jersey residents can cast an early vote since the state approved the voting option in 2021 Residents can vote early in person on a voting machine for nine days before the Nov 5 general election at designated locations more than 545,000 votes were cast before polls opened — 124,197 from early in-person voting and 421,573 from vote-by-mail ballots according to the state's Division of Elections There are 6,659,963 voters registered in the state, or about 71% of the population 15 to register to vote for the general election More: Here are all the North Jersey county-level races for November elections The restaurant is celebrating its opening by offering the first one hundred guests free wings for a year US sports bar brand Buffalo Wild Wings is set to open its newest Buffalo Wild Wings GO restaurant in Wanaque The new Wanaque location’s menu will feature traditional and boneless wings sides and Buffalo Wild Wings’ 26 sauces and dry rubs The restaurant has also created employment opportunities for 30 crew members in the area the restaurant is celebrating its opening by offering the first one hundred guests free wings for a year radio station 105.5 FM WDHA of Beasley Media Group will broadcast live providing entertainment and free station giveaways to customers operated by local franchisee Bill Mulholland Don’t let policy changes catch you off guard Stay proactive with real-time data and expert analysis aims to optimise the ordering process for customers Bill Mulholland said: “We are so excited to bring the convenience and great taste of Buffalo Wild Wings GO to Wanaque frequenting Buffalo Wild Wings has been a part of our family traditions and we look forward to bringing that sense of community and tradition to the Wanaque area for years to come!” In May 2024 the brand expanded its presence in New Jersey with a Buffalo Wild Wings GO outlet in the township of Saddle Brook in Bergen County Buffalo Wild Wings operates more than 1,200 restaurants across nine countries It is a member of the Inspire Brands family of restaurants Give your business an edge with our leading industry insights View all newsletters from across the GlobalData Media network This week's rain helped refill North Jersey's drinking water reservoirs a bit and helped improve stream flows — but the region remains in a serious drought and we're not expecting a ton of precipitation to change that any time soon North Jersey will likely get some more rain starting early Monday and continuing off and on into Tuesday but it won't amount to more than a quarter to a half inch a meteorologist with the National Weather Service office in Upton That precipitation could start out as a rain and snow mixture in the northwestern corner of the state early Monday Temperatures will remain cold on Sunday with a high around 35 North Jersey had less than an inch of rain in September and the driest October on record October and November — was also the region's driest on record In November, Gov. Phil Murphy issued a drought warning advisory for New Jersey to preserve the available water supplies throughout the state and avoid shortages Here's the latest on North Jersey drought conditions for Saturday Lake Tappan: The three reservoirs on the Hackensack River operated by Veolia were at 70% capacity Friday Normally at this time of year they are at about 14% higher than they are currently and we appreciate that our customers have taken proactive steps to conserve water," she said This time last year the three reservoirs were at 98% The Veolia system supplies water to 800,000 residents in Bergen and Hudson counties.Wanaque Monksville: The two reservoirs are operated by the North Jersey District Water Supply Commission The backup Monksville Reservoir was at 76.5% Normally at this time of year they are at about 75% The Wanaque provides water to more than 100 municipalities in North Jersey from Alpine to Newark.Fire risk statusCurrent danger is low for the entire state as of Saturday the northern half of New Jersey was still in D2 status — severe drought The southern half of New Jersey was in D3 status — extreme drought 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! The government study also revealed people who are “socially vulnerable” have higher risks of facing water scarcity This story was originally published by The New Lede Nearly 30 million people are living in areas of the US with limited water supplies as the country faces growing concerns over both water availability and quality, according to a new assessment by government scientists The US Geological Survey (USGS), which is part of the Department of the Interior, issued what it said was a first-of-its-kind report last week, with USGS Director David Applegate warning of “increasing challenges to this vital resource.” The Jan examines not only water supplies but also demand patterns and water quality The report showed that most of the country had supplies that exceeded demand during the period examined “Water availability is an issue everywhere in our country and beyond,” Lori Sprague USGS national program manager for the water availability assessment “It raises the question — do we have enough water to sustain our nation’s economy Among the key findings from the new analysis was that people who are considered “socially vulnerable” have a higher risk of experiencing limited water supplies about 27 million people lived in areas where the USGS found a “high degree of local water stress.” And a higher proportion of the people living in those areas were considered socially vulnerable compared with those living in areas of more local water availability The report also added to evidence of widespread pollution in waterways across the US Midwest and High Plains regions where worrisome levels of nitrogen and phosphorus concentrations — tied in large part to large animal agriculture operations — can pose a threat to human health The USGS said that “substantial areas” of aquifers that provide about one-third of public water supplies have elevated concentrations of contaminants such as arsenic and nitrate and that low-income and minority-dominated communities and people with domestic wells as their drinking water source experience increased exposure to this type of drinking water contamination Several regions were drawing on supplies that had percentages of concentrations of contaminants that exceed human health benchmarks for safety And the USGS report reinforced concerns about climate change saying that the “steady rise in global temperature as a result of human activity is causing changes in Earth’s water cycle.” “The amount of water stored within and moving between vapor and frozen components of the water cycle is shifting with substantial consequences for water availability,” the USGS said Newly inaugurated President Donald Trump has expressed skepticism about climate change and already has started rolling back measures aimed at reducing the harmful impacts of the warming planet Climate changes that impact water availability include warmer and shorter winter seasons The USGS noted that climate change impacts water quality as well with threats to quality posed by rising water temperatures In some places the balance between supply and demand is adequate but stream flow is altered in ways that are harmful to the local ecological community The agency cited three fish species that are “of conservation concern” and said that a large percentage of their habitat has been affected by water supply and use imbalances had more than 50% of its habitat range in severe supply and use imbalance The highest “interannual variability” in precipitation during the 2010–2020 period was noted in the California–Nevada and the Southwest Desert hydrologic regions And groundwater levels were found to be low in comparison to historical averages in key aquifers relied on by millions of people from California to the northern Atlantic coast The High Plains aquifers continued to show declines which the USGS noted are part of a “long history of groundwater depletion in the region.” As well a map of increasing stress on surface water supplies shows particularly dire conditions in the Central and Southern High Plains Farmers irrigating crops remained the chief users of US water supplies accounting for over 110 million gallons used per day The USGS has been estimating water use for decades but hopes that its new modeling approaches will give it a more comprehensive understanding of water use across the US we are witnessing a terrifying array of anti-democratic tactics to silence political opposition increase surveillance and expand authoritarian reach Truthout is appealing for your support as Trump and his sycophants crack down on political speech Nonprofits like Truthout could be caught in Trump’s crosshairs as he attacks dissenting groups with bad faith lawsuits and targeted harassment of journalists these attacks come at a time when independent journalism is most needed The right-wing corporate takeover of media has left reliable outlets few and far between with even fewer providing their work at no cost to the reader Who will be there to hold the fascists to account We ask for your support as we doggedly pursue justice through our reporting Truthout is funded overwhelmingly by readers like you Please make a tax-deductible one-time or monthly donation today Carey Gillam is a journalist and author of Whitewash: The Story of a Weed Killer, Cancer and the Corruption of Science. She’s also a researcher for U.S. Right to Know As Trump and his sycophants work to silence political dissent independent media is a key part of the resistance Support our work by making a one-time or monthly donation to Truthout today A woman was shot and killed in Paterson early Wednesday morning A major police presence was reported along railroad tracks in Paterson early Wednesday morning The medical examiner's vehicle at the scene Paterson Police responded to a shots fired call near 27th Street and 19th Avenue at approximately 3:12 a.m. according to Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M Valdes and Paterson Police Officer-in-Charge Patrick Murray they found the victim with a gunshot wound Authorities have not yet identified the victim Photos by Kyle Mazza/UNF News show a major police presence along the railroad tracks The Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office said the investigation remains active and ongoing Anyone with information is urged to contact the Passaic County Prosecutor’s Office Tips Line at 1-877-370-PCPO or email tips@passaiccountynj.org Information can also be shared with the Paterson Police Detective Bureau at 973-321-1120 The landscape visible along Greenwood Lake Turnpike (Passaic County Route 511) from the bridge connecting Ringwood with the Hewitt section of West Milford is very different today than it was before that section of the Wanaque Valley was flooded to create the Monksville Reservoir in 1987 grew up on the land before it was acquired from her family by eminent domain It became part of the Two Bridges Pump Station operated by the North Jersey District Water Supply Commission and part of the reservoir system completed in 1929 Her childhood memories are of a thriving self-sufficient community that was a gateway to the Greenwood Lake resort area of the 1930s and ’40s Barbara’s maternal grandparents were Thoms Francis Xavier Creevy he was the son of Charles Welti of Switzerland who married Marguerite Bauer of Hungary Barbara Welti Van Der Sluys was the only child born to the couple “The Creevy family moved to the valley about 1934,” Barbara said “Their home was an old farmhouse that came with a riding stable business The house was in the Borough of Ringwood and the barn stood in the Hewitt section of the Township of West Milford.” Barbara’s parents lived in Bergen Country when her grandparents had the farm in Hewitt the family continued to spend weekends and summers with Dorothy’s parents until they moved to the farmhouse permanently in 1946 Barbara graduated in the Butler High School Class of 1952 She married Henry “Hank” Van Der Sluys of Glen Rock who died in 2023; Kenneth of Virginia; and Roy of Dingmans Ferry Barbara said her sons have thanked her for “a wonderful childhood growing up in the country on the family farm.” Her response: “That’s all I needed to know!” As the children grew up and moved on with their lives Barbara and Hank continued to live in the two-story farmhouse on the eight acres of land they owned on Greenwood Lake Turnpike One of her sons had a welding business there “I’d be there yet if I wasn’t told I had to move because the area was going to be flooded for the reservoir There wasn’t anything a property owner could do to stay on their land if a government order declared eminent domain status “They offer a price and you try to negotiate but in the end one can’t bargain and must take the amount officials say it is valued at.” The Van Der Sluys bought a home at Hi-Lo-Acres in West Milford and reluctantly and sadly moved on The 1930s and ’40s were an amazing time for Greenwood Lake came from New York City by train and stayed at the many luxurious hotels and traveled around the lake on a steamboat Baseball great Babe Ruth was known to enjoy staying in a cabin across from Wanaque Valley Stables He also at times was booked in Room 3 (his New York Yankees baseball uniform number) at the New Continental Hotel and at Greck’s Inn having been friends with young Teddy Greck Barbara remembered a time when she and another child started what would be a long walk from home along Greenwood Lake Turnpike to an ice cream store Ruth was in his fancy car pulling out of the parking lot of Phillips Inn (now Jessie’s at 1555 Greenwood Lake Turnpike) Barbara wasn’t sure if the car was a Lincoln or Cadillac He offered the girls a ride to wherever they were going Ruth sometimes stopped at the Wanaque Riding Stables He frequently took time with the children and donated money for local benefits and causes such as the Boy Scouts and Fire Department Barbara remembers Teddy Gleason and his Brown’s Hotel and the boxers who trained there Teddy’s son Bobby was three or four grades below her at the Hillcrest School which opened in the mid-1940s after the rural schools were closed She recalled his older brother Teddy having only one leg Parties for neighborhood children given by Teddy Gleason and his generosity to them are highlighted in Barbara’s memories dating to the late 1700s (later known as the Holy Mackerel Restaurant) the Klinger House and the summer cabins are among the places that disappeared when Monksville Reservoir was created While climate change did not cause the current drought scientists say it could be making it worse Low water levels at the Wanaque Reservoir in Ringwood The Delaware River Basin Commission has a plan for situations like this and could step up its efforts to repel the salt front if conditions worsen The notice comes after the state declared a drought warning Wednesday as the region faces record-low rainfall leading to the driest conditions in the past 120 years Using Climate Central’s rapid attribution tool for temperatures Casey estimates the high temperatures on more than a dozen days in the Philly region since the start of October were influenced by climate change “We’re seeing these … warmer temperatures becoming more likely because of carbon pollution in our atmosphere,” Casey said parts of Pennsylvania and Delaware have been caused by a persistent pattern of high pressure in the atmosphere above the eastern U.S “It can sort of act as a little bit of a force field in blocking or redirecting approaching storm systems that would bring us that much needed rainfall,” Casey said The high-pressure system keeps the skies clear but it also fends off any wet weather from coming in,” he said The data could be clouded by impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic Local climate activists rallied against Philadelphia Gas Works’ financial support to an industry group lobbying against clean energy Millions of tons of fabric waste are sent to incinerators or landfills every year where they can release climate-warming greenhouse gases Sophia Schmidt covers the environment for WHYY's PlanPhilly A 45-year-old Passaic County man is facing charges after police say he was caught taking upskirt photos underneath females' skirts and dresses in a Morris County store was seen in a Hanover business using his cell phone to record underneath the victims' skirts and dresses He then would place his cell phone in a handbasket facing up he would hold the handbasket low to the ground The store’s loss prevention assisted in identifying the victims Smith admitted to committing these acts and was charged with invasion of privacy Editor's Note: The results of the local races will be added to this file as they become available Please check back often for updated results 41,473 ballots were counted from a possible total of 326,713 and 282 of the county's 283 districts had reported Prospect Park and Wanaque had fully reported Passaic County voters on Tuesday set the stage for key battles in November's general election Democrats had a contested race for the party nomination this fall Republicans battled in Wanaque and Democrats had a contested race in Prospect Park The following list shows votes reported in each of Passaic County's contested races Prospect Park electionThree Democrats competed for two spots Elsewhere in Passaic CountyRepublicans ran unopposed in the Prospect Park primary while Democrats ran unopposed in Wanaque.In Bloomingdale the Republican and Democratic candidates for municipal office faced no primary opposition where no Republicans filed to run in the primary Republicans meanwhile were unopposed in North Haledon and Totowa where no Democrats filed to run this spring GOP candidates also went unopposed in Woodland Park the only three candidates filed to run for four open seats on the town council no Republicans filed to run unopposed in the primary to challenge Democratic Mayor James Damiano but both parties do have two candidates vying for two seats on the town council starting in 2025 No municipal offices are up for election this year in Hawthorne Passaic and Paterson are holding November elections but did not hold primaries as they operate under nonpartisan city forms of government Alexa Lee Dubiel, a 30-year-old Ringwood resident, died on Friday, Sept. 20, according to her obituary from the Kimak Funeral Home website.  who modeled clothes for RevMatch and participated in a campaign to be Inked Magazine's 2022 cover girl She is being remembered for her artistic talent love of animals and going fishing with her dad and going to the beach with her mom "The small amount of time I was blessed with your presence still is remembered fondly today," Ryan White said on Facebook To view her obituary, click here. POMPTON LAKES — The borough's recent redevelopment push may be nearing an end A report commissioned by the borough's Municipal Utilities Authority this spring is calling for a careful review of all development applications going forward due to the constraints of its wastewater treatment system The report by H2M architects + engineers of Parsippany determined that a capacity increase for the system would be vital to continuing redevelopment in the borough but there's not much wiggle room and that's going to affect the size of projects that can get approved in Pompton Lakes," Councilman Erik DeLine said during a recent council meeting DeLine and other borough officials have backed the push to redevelop and revitalize the downtown in recent years to boost ratables and quality of life Approved and ongoing projects include Capodagli Meridia's housing project at the corner of Lenox and Wanaque avenues and the redevelopment of the Towne Center building at 223 Wanaque Ave the two are expected to account for roughly a third of the MUA wastewater system's remaining reserve capacity have the potential to nearly wipe out any reserve capacity the system has left One almost sure to see completion is the Passaic County Affordable Housing Corporation's proposed conversion of the county's former public works depot at 519 Ringwood Ave into apartments for low-income individuals and county veterans Three other projects are pending approval at 60 Wanaque Ave. The last major redevelopment proposal under consideration is the Pompton Plaza project Initially pitched as a $120-million mixed-use complex with 380 apartments the proposal was downsized earlier this year after facing criticism from local officials for its size More recent talks have revolved around 210 apartments set above 50,000 square feet of commercial space in a street-level plaza The revisions reduce the height of the building by about 30 feet from a proposed 200 feet They also trimmed the overall bulk of the main residential structure which would be set back about 170 feet from the curb to limit its visual impact in the downtown area Pompton Plaza has thus far been discussed primarily in town hall by the borough's Redevelopment Agency an advisory board tasked with making recommendations to the town council and land use boards on projects in the town's redevelopment zones such a board may no longer be needed in Pompton Lakes according to Councilwoman Jennifer Polidori who has called for a review of the agency's purpose going forward Given the constraints on future projects created by the wastewater system's capacity formal redevelopment reviews may be better left to the council and Planning Board the H2M report urges local officials to keep a close watch on prospective projects and their potential impact on the MUA system capacity It also recommends regular reviews of wastewater flows strict enforcement of sewer connection regulations and a study into inflow and infiltration in order to possibly limit the impact of stormwater on the wastewater system and increase reserve capacity without major system alterations The report did not explicitly recommend an expansion of the MUA's wastewater treatment system it did say that increasing the reserve capacity is vital to continuing redevelopment in Pompton Lakes The lumpy terrain of North Jersey's Highlands is again confounding plans to develop about 35 densely wooded acres near the Interstate 287 interchange in Wanaque Passaic County Planning Board members on Thursday withheld approval for a planned 272,000-square-foot warehouse rising 48 feet between Greenwood Avenue backyards and the Passaic County Community College campus.  The proposed rock cuts and retaining walls needed to deal with the lumpy terrain need to be better defined before approval can be granted the site across from Susquehanna Avenue is approved for warehouse use the property's steep slopes have been an obstacle said he would expect the majority of the property to be undevelopable due to the terrain The site plan nonetheless proposes impervious coverage for slightly more than half of the site bringing the total from roughly 24,000 square feet to 742,000 square feet The plan still requires New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Approval No end user has been identified for the warehouse leaving county officials uncertain about the potential traffic and operational implications.  said the county will likely need a range of the warehouse's potential trip generation numbers and hours of operation before considering final approval and can range from 24-hour local fulfillment centers to business-hour depots for longer-term storage Elsewhere: NYC real estate firm wants to open ‘Amazon-like’ warehouse in Paterson And at the Shore: Where more warehouses are coming to Monmouth and Ocean, and why the warehouse would include 82 loading docks Also proposed are stormwater management facilities and a bio-retention area that doubles as a park to handle the runoff The site's redevelopment plan calls for 50-foot wooded buffers to shield neighboring homes While officials at commercial real estate firm JLL have seen a surge in demand for North Jersey warehouses of less than 100,000 square feet since 2019 they say the need for industrial space shows no signs of slowing down as e-commerce cements itself in society Before returning to the Passaic County Planning Board is expected to visit the Wanaque Planning Board on March 17 for possible final site plan approval on the municipal level the board is also expected to progress an application for a Taco Bell restaurant at an adjacent property David Zimmer 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 Thirteen families of children who either died or became severely ill from a viral outbreak in 2018 at a pediatric nursing home in Wanaque have reached settlements totaling $6.2 million with the facility's former owners and other entities the settlements mark a partial end to one of the biggest nursing home disasters in New Jersey history before the COVID-19 pandemic Eleven children died and 25 others were sickened at the Wanaque Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation from an adenovirus that spread rapidly in part because the facility had poor infection control measures "This was a siren call for what the world needed to be prepared for when the pandemic hit," said Paul da Costa an attorney who represents the 13 families "It showed that all long-term facilities needed to take their duty and obligation all the more seriously and remember it is something that should never be betrayed." The high death toll spurred the Legislature to pass a bill, which Gov. Phil Murphy signed into law in August 2019 It required nursing homes to develop plans to isolate and separate sick and at-risk residents from those who are healthy But the 8,570 resident and staff deaths at long-term care facilities in New Jersey during the COVID-19 pandemic showed the industry and regulators still have a long way to go to minimize deaths from a viral outbreak.  Investigations by federal and state inspectors found multiple failures by the Wanaque home's administration and staff including lapses in basic infection control such as hand washing and delays in hospitalizing infected children. Adenovirus is a common respiratory virus but can be deadly to people with compromised immune systems The families, whose children were severely disabled, sued last year saying negligence resulted in their children's deaths and illnesses Of the 13 children named in this batch of lawsuits Local: Wanaque officials consider plan that would clear dense forest for a warehouse along Route 287 including the center's pediatric medical director along with the center and its owners at the time Eugene Ehrenfeld and Daniel Bruckstein of Continuum Healthcare LLC Among those who sued were the parents of 4-year-old Dorcase Dolcin who was among the first to die from the outbreak said she had pleaded with the home's management to send her daughter to the hospital when Auguste discovered how sick she was. Dorcase was eventually transferred but died on Oct "No amount of money is ever enough to address what these families have been through," da Costa said.  The Wanaque Center was sold in August 2019 and was renamed the Phoenix Center for Rehabilitation and Pediatrics Scott Fallon has covered the COVID-19 pandemic since its onset in March 2020 To get unlimited access to the latest news about the pandemic's impact on New Jersey,  please subscribe or activate your digital account today Email: fallon@northjersey.com  Twitter: @newsfallon  A family-owned firm is hoping to bring modern warehouse space to a lesser-known swath of Passaic County starting with a 272,000-square-foot facility just off Interstate 287 could break ground as soon as this fall after recently securing site plan approval from Wanaque it would create a distinctive setting for an industrial building within the state’s Highlands Region a stretch of more than 800,000 acres of mountainous terrain that is largely protected from new development D4 Managing Member Nick DePaolera said the firm was marketing the project as a build-to-suit and has generated feedback that it’s exceedingly rare to find a large industrial space or development tract in the Highlands That has piqued the interest of would-be tenants in a state whose warehouse market is already vastly undersupplied the project known as The Depo would be seconds from Exit 55 of I-287 and minutes from Route 23 the most direct artery to consumers in northwestern New Jersey — and midway between Boston and Washington D.C “We’ve had a few groups that are looking to distribute to those major cities in addition to New York City,” said DePaolera who is also a Parsippany-based broker with NAI James E “And the benefit of this (location) is you’re able to access and deliver to three major cities without being caught in that major traffic and congestion in the Meadowlands.” His family is intimately familiar with the area while he and wife Pamela Bronander created Kaye Mechanical Contractors LLC in 2007 The latter spent more than two decades working with her family’s business before joining her husband full-time in 2000 along with 25 years as a director at Wayne-based Valley National Bancorp starting in 1995 said his parents formed D4 Properties in 2017 in connection with a three-story mixed-use project in neighboring Bloomingdale which redeveloped the site of a rundown two-family house into eight apartments and ground-floor commercial space The street-level section is home to the family’s four businesses joined the family business as mechanics and field supervisors while Nick joined Transwestern in 2014 as a project manager and site supervisor before moving to NAI Hanson two years later in a part-time role focused on interior design and aesthetics It was in his role as a broker that Nick DePaolera was canvassing in late 2019 when he came across the parcel at Union and Greenwood avenues He noted that the industrial market was already booming at that time but developers and tenants were still less likely to consider tertiary markets than they are now he found a prospective buyer for the property and went under contract only to have the deal scuttled by the COVID-19 crisis DePaolera and his family began to discuss the deal internally believing it could be some time before the pandemic subsided That made them comfortable with taking on the project themselves and embarking on as much as two years of due diligence and entitlements “Once we felt comfortable (with) those aspects DePaolera had the benefit of picking the brains of developers and getting their perspective on the site And he could do so without necessarily competing against them given its location and other unknowns at the time which would require solving for access to the site determining the project size and selling the plan to borough officials and residents It has largely addressed those needs in the two years since although it still requires county and state entitlements The firm was slated to appear before Passaic County in June while also engaging in a review with the state Department of Environmental Protection that could take an estimated four to six months “With all the work that has gone into it with our team that definitely contributed to the idea that this is really a viable site and it does make sense because of such a lack of opportunity in this immediate marketplace,” DePaolera said With an estimated completion date of mid-2024 its plans call for a cross-docked facility with 40-foot clear ceiling heights 82 loading docks and parking for 144 cars and 37 trailers The site is around 10 miles north of Route 46 and the nearby Fairfield submarket a well-known hub for flex and warehouse users but one that’s marked by smaller and midsized buildings That has enhanced the appeal for prospective tenants in Haskell some of which were initially skeptical but reconsidered when D4 launched a formal marketing campaign allowing them to “see that you’re 10 seconds away from an interstate highway.” The developer has also grappled with a terrain that is atypical and less than ideal for a warehouse but has managed to embrace it in its design With a team that also includes KSS Architects Michael Fitzpatrick & Sons and DMC Associates the project calls for a series of dramatic tiers that DePaolera said “(uses) the unique topography to make artistic interest while at the same time providing a functional Class A warehouse.” Aside from the remaining county and state approvals D4 plans to seek a payment in lieu of taxes agreement for the site adding that he believes the family’s local roots and its approach with the community to date have put the project on solid footing “We’re very familiar with the area and that has been well-received by the town,” he said “I think they appreciate the idea that we’re cognizant of neighboring residents and they respect the fact that we listen and try to implement as many concerns that are reasonable as we possibly can to provide a design and development that is well-received.” has been covering New Jersey commercial real estate for 13 years Many industry leaders view him as the go-to real estate reporter in the state a role he is eager to continue as the editor of Real Estate NJ He is a lifelong New Jersey resident who has spent a decade covering the great Garden State Restaurant chain Bojangles has opened along a major commercial corridor in Piscataway as part of a previously announced deal brokered by The Goldstein Group All RIGHTS RESERVED Copyright 2023 Real Estate NJ 101 Eisenhower Parkway Roseland Our site uses cookies. Learn more about our use of cookies: cookie policy A 33-year run in local law enforcement ended Thursday as Wanaque Police Chief Robert Kronyak capped his career His retirement leaves the department without a sworn-in and badged member of the Kronyak family for the first time in more than 55 years Kronyak served roughly seven years as the town's top cop before going on terminal leave Kronyak said Friday that his departure was bittersweet Although he had "checked all the boxes" on his to-do list as chief Kronyak said leaving a department he helped build was difficult "All the people that I've been there with for so long the borough's governing body appointed Capt Keith Spillane as the interim officer in charge of the Police Department A permanent replacement is likely to be named early in 2023 started in the Wanaque Police Department at the end of 1989 after nearly accepting a patrolman's position in Raleigh Previously an attendant turned mechanic at a local gas station Kronyak said he wasn't as inspired to become a police officer by his father as he was by his father's contemporaries the former head of the Passaic County Police Academy "I wasn't so much interested in it because of the lifestyle," he said "Having your father as a cop can be a little bit difficult but after listening to all those guys it kind of interested me." With GOP set to run House, could Congress restore big tax break for NJ homeowners? West Milford blocking smoke shop from getting a marijuana retail license, lawsuit claims Kronyak worked for the next eight years as a patrolman Kronyak said he never expected to be chief but knew he was well prepared As lieutenant under former Police Chief John "Jack" Reno "Chief Reno allowed me to become a better person," Kronyak said I was able to focus more on police functions to make our department a better fit for the town and get more involved in the community." Kronyak was sworn in as the borough's eighth chief in April 2016 but had effectively been in charge since Chief Thomas Norton left the office in mid-December 2015 He walked out for the final time Thursday in front of his fellow officers Former Ringwood Police Chief Joseph Walker said Kronyak is exactly the kind of community-focused personality you would want to lead a police force Kronyak has been intimately involved with the town's Golden Age seniors' club Night to Shine events and junior police academy He also championed the fundraising effort to restore the veterans' monument outside Borough Hall Kronyak was honored as 2021's Citizen of the Year during the 2022 Ringwood St International steakhouse chain planning to open at Willowbrook Mall in Wayne "I cannot say enough good things about him." Kronyak attended Lakeland Regional High School and has always been involved in his community Kronyak's father moved to the town's Haskell section in the early 1960s Army veteran and advocate for higher police salaries in the department and the county the elder Kronyak led the department from 1988 to 1995 Kronyak said he has no plans to leave the area in retirement He has seven grandchildren residing locally and will begin volunteering with the local Feed the Needy program He has also volunteered to help the town's Veterans of Foreign Wars group with building maintenance "Anything I can do in the borough I will continue to do started like any other mid-winter day in the small suburban town of Wanaque and residents of the Passaic County borough went about their usual daily routines Little did they know that before the day was over something would happen that would change the lives of many of the townsfolk forever It all started in the early evening of that Tuesday night and the winter sun was already long gone over the western horizon and behind the darkened Ramapo mountain range Wanaque Patrolman Joseph Cisco was in his cruiser when a call from the Pompton Lakes dispatcher came over his police radio possibly a fire.” Then as if right out of a sci-fi movie Cisco heard the words: “People in Oakland and Butler claim there’s a flying saucer over the Wanaque.” an open area to get my bearings,” Cisco recalls “There was a light that looked bigger than any of the stars about the size of a softball or volleyball Councilmen Warren Hagstrom and Arthur Barton and the mayor’s 14-year-old son Billy were on their way to oversee the burning of the borough’s Christmas trees when they heard the reports that something “very white and much bigger than a star” was hovering over the Wanaque Reservoir They decided to pull into a sandpit near the Raymond Dam at the headworks to meet Officer Cisco and get a better look at the “thing.” The mayor’s son Billy spotted the object at once flying low and gliding “oddly” over the vast frozen lake “like a huge star.” “But it didn’t flicker,” Billy told reporters the next day “It was just a continuous light that changed from white to red to green and back to white.” “The phenomenon was terribly strange,” Mayor Wolfe would later recall He described the shape of the unidentified object as oval and estimated it to be between two and nine feet in diameter The next thing that Officer Cisco remembers is his patrol car’s radio “going bananas,” as calls from all over a 20-mile radius flooded into the police headquarters Two teenagers came running up to his patrol car frantically pointing at the sky and shouting “Look At that moment Wanaque Civil Defense Director Bentley Spencer drove up with CD member Richard Vrooman “The police radios are all jammed up!” Spencer said excitedly Back at the sandpit Joseph Cisco’s radio crackled as another unbelievable message came across the airwaves: “Something’s burning a hole in the ice going up and down!” Then another transmission fought its way through the din: “Oh boy Something just landed in front of the dam!” Spencer and reservoir employee Fred Steines raced to the top of the 1,500-foot long Raymond Dam where they described seeing “a bolt of light shoot down a town councilman who witnessed the UFO: “I saw it 1966 - One day after the initial sightings of the UFO Patrolman Jack Wardlaw reported seeing a “bright white disk” floating in the vicinity of his home in the Stonetown section of Wanaque And then it moved down and disappeared in the direction of Ringwood to the north.” Wardlaw described the object as “definitely disc-shaped and at certain angles David Sisco said that he was on patrol at about 6:30 that evening when the UFO noiselessly hovered into view it went straight up.” After the January 1966 sightings radar was installed atop the reservoir dam 1966 - Whatever it was that visited the skies over the Wanaque reservoir in January reappeared for its most fantastic showing to date in October The first reported sighting of it came shortly after 9 p.m saw what they described as a single saucer-shaped object about the size of an automobile glowing with a white brilliance “At first I thought it was a star,” Betty Gordon recalled and then move back directly over the tower I’m quite sure it was not a star or planet.” Wanaque police Sgt Ben Thompson was driving his patrol car south along the reservoir at the time Thompson looked out of his car and to his astonishment saw the UFO heading right toward him bright like when a light bulb is about to blow It appeared to be about 75 feet over the mountain.” At this point other motorists along Westbrook Road also began to notice the strange light hovering in the sky and slowed their cars to get a better look at it Thirteen years after the 1966 UFO sightings at the Wanaque Reservoir prepared a detailed study of the strange lights that were witnessed an organization that seeks to provide plausible scientific explanations for unexplained phenomena came to the conclusion that the glowing lights that were seen over the Wanaque by hundreds of people were the result of seismic pressure from the nearby Ramapo fault did little to dissuade eyewitnesses from their belief that what they had seen was indeed a UFO Wanaque officers Jack Wardlaw and Chuck Theorora rejected the Army’s initial explanations of the mysterious lights as merely swamp gas and did likewise with Vestigia’s contention What hundreds of people had witnessed in the skies over the reservoir that January was nothing more then the planets Venus and Jupiter in a rare celestial alignment The preceding article is an excerpt from Weird NJ magazine, “Your Travel Guide to New Jersey’s Local Legends and Best Kept Secrets,” which is available on newsstands throughout the state and on the web at www.WeirdNJ.com WANAQUE — An abandoned rail line that meanders through 2.15 miles of pastoral northern Passaic County is one step closer to becoming a hiking and cycling trail.  The long-dormant New York & Greenwood Lake Railway rail bed that runs parallel to Ringwood Avenue could have a contractor as soon as fall said Passaic County Freeholder Director John Bartlett The 10-foot-wide, pancake-flat proposed trail follows the vacant rail bed from Union Avenue to Father Orechio Drive on the North Jersey District Water Supply Commission campus the trail is to run past Laurie Field and Rainbow Lake toward the Wanaque Reservoir on land almost exclusively owned by the commission The project could boost nearby property values benefit local businesses and serve a growing off-road cycling scene in a region not necessarily friendly for road cycling said Tom Hennigan of the nonprofit Jersey Off-Road Bicycle Association "It's an amenity that people seek out and go for so I think it will be a real benefit to the community," Hennigan said "I've heard it all over the place that people teaching their kids to ride bikes have a difficult time up in northern New Jersey because of the hills and the traffic." The section is one of five proposed that make up a planned 48,500-foot Highlands Rail Trail the trail could reach as far north as Ringwood State park The first section of the proposed trail secured a $1.5 milliongrant from the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority Transportation in 2018 — the Transportation Alternatives Program’s largest award last year Trail surface and signage work were expected to make up the majority of the estimated $1.65 million cost predicted in a 2017 feasibility study.  The trail is due to be open to horseback riders and motorized mobility devices BEST HIKING SPOTS: Check out these 5 North Jersey hiking trails IT'S FINALLY HAPPENING: American Dream mall will open Oct. 25 The New York & Greenwood Lake Railway was completed in 1874 running between Hoboken and Greenwood Lake Ringwood Junction diverted its rail cars for disparate roles The depot sent trains to collect ice and tourists from Greenwood Lake or iron ore from the historic Ringwood Mines The railway continued to operate in Wanaque until 1966 when it was converted into the Boonton Line and abandoned After it was closed locally for more than 50 years what remains of the abandoned rail bed consists of a sandy dirt trail that cuts through backyards and maintenance roads that hug the shoreline of a preserved watershed Further sections of the Highlands Rail Trail remain in the conceptual phase County officials are speaking with property owners about easements The design of the next phase of the project could start in early 2020 the rail trail's second section would rely on roads That section of rail bed starts with a non-existent crossing of the Wanaque River the rail bed in that area is spotted with development such as the Wanaque Elementary School and Golden Age Club presenting a variety of obstacles to a fully off-road route Phase three would hop back onto the rail bed at Westbrook Road and entirely through water supply commission property along the Wanaque Reservoir Once it reaches Greenwood Lake Turnpike and Ringwood Junction the trail could split as does the rail bed The proposed junction would send those bearing right on a fourth section to Ringwood State Park via the Ringwood municipal complex on Margaret King Avenue Others could travel section five to the Monksville Reservoir Dam on Stonetown Road An easement negotiated with the water supply commission will integrate the first section of trail into the Passaic County Park System The commission will remain owner of the property and have final say on special events The county will be responsible for trail maintenance five-section route is owned by the commission, records show The murder of a Wanaque town judge while he was hearing testimony for a local municipal court case continues to be known as one of the saddest historic tragedies to happen in North Jersey Rushed to Chilton Memorial Hospital by local ambulance corps workers he died there two hours later while a team of physicians tried unsuccessfully to save his life The .22 caliber bullet that suddenly struck him caused damage that would abruptly bring the judge’s life to a sudden and unexpected end He did not see the bullet coming or even know immediately that he had been shot A noise that sounded like a firecracker going off startled everyone in the courtroom on what had started as a quiet routine municipal court night The judge was wearing his traditional black robe Before he collapsed he was beginning to hear the usual court cases The charges usually involved alleged speeding drivers petty theft accusations and domestic problems Crescente sat at his desk facing those in the room with his back to the street Venetian blinds covered windows that were located directly behind him “What was that?” asked the judge on hearing the strange loud pop sound that broke the silence in the room Officer Joseph Cisco had just handed the judge a summons for consideration Cisco said he first thought at the time that the noise was made by one of the wise guys in the courtroom playing with a firecracker In the days before people had much in the way of television for entertainment many individuals of all ages chose to fill municipal courtrooms in towns throughout the area every night that court was held People appeared to be interested in hearing about other people’s problems Area newspapers regularly covered local court news and published names of those fined and the amount they were fined some ladies who usually sat in the back row of each court session in the former town hall (now housing the West Milford Museum) occupied themselves each week by holding their own hearing debating among themselves as to how they felt the court decisions should go After the session ended they took turns hosting “Coffee And” at rotating homes — usually trying to outdo the hostess from the previous week It was a social media time before there was social media Their husbands usually showed up for the final cup of coffee and leftover desserts that the ladies on diets avoided More often than not there were not enough seats to accommodate all those who showed up at the court sessions the crowd and spectators had taken all available seats and visitors without seats spilled into the hall They were listening as the judge heard the cases before him That was the scene on that early fall evening nearly 45 years ago The two senior ladies who always brought pillows along to cushion their backsides from the hard Wanaque courtroom benches were there in their usual seats at the left side of the room Town youths who frequently joined the crowd and acted like kids at a circus were there too disrespectful behavior had gotten them thrown out of the courtroom early in the session The two 19-year-olds who had been removed on the evening of the murder had earned themselves a reputation of being troublemakers Some reports at the time said they recently had been before the judge on charges of being drunk and fighting After raising his question as to what the sudden sound was By then the courtroom observers noticed the new hole that had appeared in the Venetian blind and the blood then visible on the judge’s robe The youths who had been kicked out of the courtroom went to a small garage across the street from the courtroom From there the judge’s shadow was visible behind the curtain Later in the evening a shot was fired from a .22 caliber rifle one of the boys is reported to have taken the weapon aimed it at the courtroom fourth window from the left where the judge’s shadow was visible and allegedly squeezed the trigger Police reports said the bullet pierced the window pane and then hit the drawn Venetian blind it glanced off Crescente’s chair and entered into an area of his body near his right shoulder blade Police immediately shut down the borough and an intense investigation got underway No vehicles were allowed in or out of town Sirens blared and searching spotlights seemed to be everywhere Mayor Frank Longo offered a $1,000 reward for anyone giving information to the police about the crime Wanaque police were dedicated to solving the murder and set out to do so under the direction of Dave Sisco Also working to solve the crime was Officer Joseph Cisco who became Wanaque Police Captain of Detectives from 1956 to 1981 He also served 18 years as North Jersey Department of Water Supply Company Security Chief the two youths were found by the investigating officers at their homes Tips supplied from various sources helped in the investigation One of the young men was sentenced to spend 28 to 30 years in jail for second-degree murder He was released in 1982 after spending seven years in state prison convicted of manslaughter and conspiracy spent three years in a detention center At the time of the shooting many believed that the young gunman never meant to kill or harm anyone and that all the kids wanted to do was to disrupt the courtroom – maybe shut it down like bomb scares do today It was not long after the shooting that borough officials saw to it that the windows in back of the judge’s bench were replaced the courtroom was relocated to the back of the building where a solid wall stood behind the judge’s bench The old borough hall has been replaced by a modern new municipal building Safety is a big factor in all the municipal courtrooms today State officials took notice and 11 years after Judge Crescente’s death a New Jersey Supreme Court task force noted the case in a courtroom security report A lesson had been learned and new regulations followed everyone going into the courtroom is checked with a wand to ensure no weapons are being carried in Had Judge Crescente lived he would have turned 100 on July 9 He was 73 when he was shot and had been considering retiring from his position as judge but never got around to taking the bar exam He was appointed Wanaque Borough Magistrate in 1953 at a salary of $2,500 per year Crescente and his wife Marie Crescente and their seven children lived in a home located behind a former butcher shop that the couple had transformed for their Ringwood Avenue insurance office business the judge had been the Riverdale railroad train station master of the Passaic County line of the Erie Lackawanna Railroad The Crescente family was well known and respected in their neighborhood The judge made it part of his ritual to stop at St Francis Roman Catholic Church every Monday evening on his way to court He was a member of the Knights of Columbus People admired the way he and Marie raised their three sons and four daughters with love and disciplined guidance teaching them to be the best people they could be Helping others was important to Crescente and it was not unusual for him to invite troubled teenagers to join him Marie and the family for meals at their dinner table NJ football: Garfield 1939 national championship recalled in book 50 years ago: Looking back at West Milford Class of 1968 Cold case solved: Bergen prosecutor files murder charge in 38-year-old Teaneck mob killing Crescente could be stern when a situation caused him to be He was also known for being able to give a look to a person that brought the immediate message to stop whatever they were doing that was not what it should be The magistrate – or judge – did not need to have earned a law degree — as is required today to be appointed to the bench Harry Cahill in West Milford did not have law degrees but they were known for giving good advice to anyone in trouble At one time earlier he had been a school teacher Chewing gum in class was not allowed in school classrooms those days Fiore continued to be a stickler to honor that rule when he was appointed judge More than once I saw him stop the court proceedings that were underway to criticize someone in the courtroom who was chewing gum He demanded that they stop chewing and they did – at least visually Wanaque Police Officers began a scholarship in Judge Crescente’s name in 1979 It has been funded largely through donations from residents and businesses and helped many young people with educational funding Inspectors initially blamed poor hygiene for the spread of a virus that killed 11 children at a Wanaque nursing home last fall but a federal report says the larger problem was that those in charge of the facility didn’t plan for such an outbreak and didn’t respond fast enough when it struck.  the report describes the pediatric medical director of the Wanaque Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation as so disengaged that he didn’t know how many children were infected That doctor — not named in the report Maged Ghaly — admitted to inspectors that he was barely aware of the burgeoning crisis until it was well underway.   “I knew we had a problem after the fourth death,” he told inspectors But it took five more weeks — and the deaths of seven more children — before one of the nation’s deadliest long-term-care outbreaks was brought under control.   The deficiencies in leadership “contributed to the delay in identification and containment of [the] adenovirus outbreak and resulted in 11 pediatric resident deaths,” the report said.  Adenoviruses typically cause only a cough but the strain that struck Wanaque — adenovirus 7 — was especially severe And patients like the children at Wanaque tubes into their stomachs for nutrition, are particularly vulnerable.  No new cases of adenovirus have been reported at the center since Nov but the state still bars new admissions to the pediatric ventilator unit pending approval of the center’s recently submitted infection-control plan.   has challenged the findings of the report by staff from the New York regional offices of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services calling them “unfounded allegations.”   federal surveyors put together a report riddled with factual inaccuracies and blatant misstatements about how viruses spread,” she said in a statement The center has appealed the report’s findings “and will vigorously dispute the allegations.”    An infectious disease specialist hired by the center at the direction of the state Health Department said the “outbreak itself was unavoidable and its scope and consequences were attributable to a particularly dangerous strain of virus that afflicted a very vulnerable population.” The statement was issued by Dr a New Jersey practice with 40 physicians.  and the facility’s plan of correction were obtained by NorthJersey.com and the USA TODAY NETWORK New Jersey.    The inspectors visited the Wanaque center Nov. 13 through 17, at the peak of the outbreak. Thirty-three children had already been diagnosed, 11 had died and an unknown number were in area hospitals being treated.    The inspectors wrote that everyone living at the Wanaque center — not only those in the pediatric ventilator unit but another 150 people — was in “immediate jeopardy of contracting adenovirus infections impairment or death.” The center has 92 beds for children and 135 for elderly residents,  The mere arrival of the federal team was unusual because surveys of long-term-care facilities are usually delegated to the states The state already had inspected multiple times and stationed a staff member from its communicable disease service at the center.   The federal inspectors found six “immediate jeopardy” citations denoting the highest level of concern for government regulators whose agencies provide most of the revenues for long-term care Such citations can result in termination from participation in Medicare and Medicaid programs if not corrected as these have been.     “That’s an extremely high number of ‘immediate jeopardies,’ ” said Richard Mollot executive director of the Long Term Care Community Coalition a non-profit based in New York that analyzes federal data and advocates for nursing home residents Only 5 percent of the deficiencies cited each year by nursing-home regulators rise to that level.    The inspectors cited the Wanaque center’s administration for systemic failings that went well beyond hand-washing and housekeeping.  a nursing home medical director is required to oversee medical policies and procedures at the institution and coordinate residents’ medical care He is the clinician responsible for medical care at the center.    When nurses notice a change in a patient’s condition and need a doctor’s orders to give Tylenol or antibiotics or transfer the patient to a hospital that doctor was the pediatric medical director.    The doctor is not required to be physically present at the nursing home even when the facility’s residents include such medically fragile children as those at Wanaque.    Medical records show that Maged Ghaly although the inspection report contains no names.  His lack of involvement in the nursing home’s operations resulted in one of the six immediate-jeopardy violations Only six nursing homes in the United States received the same citation last year.   It was not Ghaly’s first encounter with regulators Last June, Ghaly settled an investigation by the Office of the State Comptroller’s Medicaid fraud division into overbilling by his office by paying $42,000.    Ghaly declined to comment when reached by phone Friday citing the advice of his lawyers.    he told federal inspectors he had been at the Wanaque center for 11 years and had “a background” in pediatric intensive care “I was one of several pediatricians and now I’m the only one left They all bailed on me,” he said “When they asked me to be the medical director No one gave me a job description and I signed the contract.”   He said he had never been given and had never read about the responsibilities or requirements of a medical director: “I didn’t understand what medical director meant.”    “I thought the state was over-reacting,” he said That was in October.” But after learning on Oct “I agree 100 percent that we need to tighten up our process for infection control.”   The Wanaque center’s administrator conceded to federal inspectors that Ghaly had been disengaged.    “He has not been involved in the facility’s infection control surveillance,” she told inspectors “I have been here four years and have never received a monthly report from him We have not had formal meetings to discuss issues with the children on the unit.”  Even the center’s director of nursing hadn’t known until August that Ghaly was the medical director with all the responsibilities for institutional policy that involved In violation of federal regulations, the administration also failed to make plans for how it would handle a potential outbreak, the inspectors wrote Administrators weren’t ready when the infection struck: They hadn’t figured out in advance what space equipment and staff they would need in such an emergency.  They hadn’t identified what was already in place.   They are required of all 15,000 nursing homes across the country.   they might have been able to physically isolate the sick patients from those without symptoms before being ordered to do so on Nov 14, and thus prevent the spread of the virus from one roommate to another.   The absence of a plan “contributed to the delay in identification and containment” of the virus that eventually led to the hospitalization of 34 residents of the center and the deaths of 11 The uptick in respiratory infections should have triggered an institutional response. But federal inspectors cited a lack of infection surveillance and reporting that kept the staff and administration from seeing the big picture of the outbreak until it was too late.   The administrator told inspectors she had not received data about the infection rate within the facility from the “infection-control nurse.” That nurse hadn’t received certification in that specialty and spent only two to four hours a week on that task.    And the pediatric medical director told inspectors “I have not participated in the surveillance of infection control and I can’t give you any numbers.” He said he could tell when an unusually high number of his patients had pneumonia but “I have no formal method of measuring the pneumonia rate or infection rate I have never been shown the Infection Control report and I am not aware of the facility acquired infection rates.”  This “system failure” led to delays in identifying The federal report also faulted the nursing home for its failure to provide “timely interventions and care in accordance with professional standards,” and failures of two management committees that were to have been responsible for identifying problems and carrying out plans to correct them.  it detailed filthy conditions in the kitchen and described a complete lack of stimulation for five children who were left in bed for up to eight hours at a stretch during the four consecutive days inspectors observed.     State actionThe weeklong federal inspection overlapped with an inspection by surveyors from the New Jersey Department of Health for two days The state inspection focused on hand-washing and infection-control practices of nurses and certified nursing assistants and delays in cleaning the rooms of virus-stricken patients who had been sent to hospitals and died.    The state inspectors’ findings were so troubling that on Nov curtailed all admissions to the center and ordered the facility to hire two consultants: a certified infection-control practitioner and a physician specializing in infectious diseases.    He also ordered the nursing home to “cohort” the patients — separate those who were ill from those who had no symptoms which could have been included in the sort of emergency plan the facility didn’t possess, appear to have finally stemmed the outbreak; no new cases were reported subsequently.     issued a statement: “Nothing in the [state] report identifies systemic deficiencies in policies or procedures and there is no suggestion that the deficiencies identified contributed to the viral outbreak.”   Wanaque administrators gave the federal inspectors “acceptable plans” on the spot in November to fix the immediate problems the inspectors identified That eliminated the need for drastic regulatory action such as a financially crippling reduction in government reimbursements.     the center submitted a more thorough plan of correction. Ghaly had been “re-educated” about his job requirements But it added that he “was involved in clinical oversight of the viral outbreak,” and had given “medical input” and support to the administrator.   A penalty of $20,965 for each instance of infection-control deficiencies was imposed on the Wanaque center by the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services this month at the recommendation of New Jersey health officials.   “The plan of correction has been accepted and was followed by an on-site visit to ensure full implementation,” said Danielle Liss a spokeswoman for the federal oversight agency. After a January inspection the state found the center to be in compliance with state and federal regulations.   The center’s owners — Daniel Bruckstein and Eugene Ehrenfeld — have retained former U.S attorney Paul Fishman to represent them. They have never spoken publicly about the outbreak.   “While the outbreak was a tragic event that has left us all heartbroken it was not caused by any delayed treatment or any other unfounded allegation contained in the [federal] CMS report,” Bautista said Tuesday in her statement.     the infectious disease specialist who was retained as a consultant “Based upon my experience and my evaluation of the facility I believe that [its] policies and procedures in the area of infection control and quality assurance were comparable to those of other similar settings and facilities,” he wrote.   The children's deaths “were caused by an insidious and slowly incubating virus that hit a particularly vulnerable population; they were not the result of deficient policies or inadequate care by the facility,” he said. The federal report’s assertions “are not supported by any evidence and are Neither Wanaque’s owners nor its administrator attended a hearing held by the state Senate Health Committee on Dec 3 to examine the outbreak and consider possible legislative actions to prevent future tragedies like it.    One lawsuit has been filed by the family of a 15-year-old boy who was hospitalized in critical condition but survived the adenovirus outbreak and more are expected to follow.     When William’s mother entrusted his care to the Wanaque center she did so “with the sincere belief that she was doing the best thing medically for her son and that he would receive appropriate medical care from qualified medical professionals.”   “Unfortunately,” da Costa added “the Wanaque center betrayed my client’s trust.”   WANAQUE — The owner of Flip's Bar on Railroad Avenue wants permission to turn part of the building into a rooming house, but neighbors say they worry about the "type of people" the short-term rentals would bring to the area Following a housing inspection by the state, Joseph Agostino filed an application with the borough's Board of Adjustment regarding the existing residences there The initial hearing was last week and will continue Dec Agostino also has an application pending with the New Jersey Department of Community Affairs The two addresses are considered separate buildings even though they look like a single building from the outside It's a three story structure with attic that shares a brick exterior and roof. The second and third floors have identical layouts Agostino has owned the side of the building where the bar is located since 2000 The lower level on that side is currently being used as an apartment The second and third floors on each side contain four rooms and a single shared kitchen and bathroom. Agostino rents out the single rooms on the second and third floor above Flip's to eight individuals One rents out the first floor apartment on the other side and there are two sharing the second and third floors as a shared rental apartment "I was under the impression that it's a shared rental apartment until the state came in and said it's not a shared rental apartment, 'you can either do it the hard way or the easy way,'" Agostino said.  was to go before the Board of Adjustment to get the structure zoned as a rooming house He is asking the board to approve one person per room Agostino said he stopped trying to operate the space as apartments about seven years ago He said renting out single rooms gives him more control over the number of occupants "I found with apartments it wasn't the ideal place for a family to move into," Agostino said I have 10 people living in the apartment and it would take me three months to go to the state and do something about it and get those 10 people out."  It's easier to manage four people on the second and third floors he fixes up the room with new furniture Several Erie Avenue residents behind Flip's Bar raised concerns about Agostino's plans before the hearing began They will likely testify at a future hearing they say, raise safety concerns.  "People are renting rooms on a short term basis whether it be a week one night," said Erie Avenue resident Dan Huntsinger "We're not to know on any given night who is living in our neighborhood The elementary school is like three blocks away What's to stop a registered sex offender from having an incident who also lives on Erie Avenue said he was concerned with the "type of people who are going to get in there."  He pointed out that a registered sex offender lives down the street in a rooming house on Railroad Avenue "You watch the people that come out of there and they case your house as they go walking down the street," he said.  said her daughter is a new driver and he worries about her coming home.   The neighbors also said there aren't enough parking sports for bar patrons and tenants in the rear parking lot and that parking overflows onto the streets "Depending on the night of the week you can't get in and out of your driveways," said Purcella Osborn said her husband's truck has been hit four or five times by people leaving the bar and not stopping "I've had one smashed window on a car," he said "And I've had a beer truck back into one of my cars." The rental terms for the the various rooms and the apartment were not discussed at the hearing and repeated messages left for Agostino were not returned this week At the hearing last week, Agostino was asked to describe some of his tenants at 18 Railroad Ave. an elderly man in his 80s who works at ShopRite Sandy," for seven years, he said.  "She works at the monastery," Agostino said "She couldn't afford to live anywhere else She pays what she can each month because she has medical issues." Agostino also said there were no parking issues in response to some questions which drew laughter from residents in attendance Parking is expected to be reviewed by the Board Members requested information on seating and occupancy limitations in the bar to help calculate the required parking There was also some discussion between the Board and Agostino's lawyer as to whether the use of the structure may be grandfathered in as a rooming house. Agostino said members of his family erected the building in 1903