Repeat Offender Punches Disabled Man In Face For 75-Cent Bus Fare: Ridgefield Park PD Repeat Offender Punches Disabled Man In Face For 75-Cent Bus Fare: Ridgefield Park PD
Repeat Offender Punches Disabled Man In Face For 75-Cent Bus Fare: Ridgefield Park PD A repeat offender heartlessly punched a disabled man on a Ridgefield Park street and took the 75 cents he'd been carrying for bus fare, authorities said. Joshua Bendewald, 30, approached the victim near the corner of Main Street and Grand Avenue and “asked him how much money he had” around 11 a.m. Saturday, June 1, Ridgefield Park Police Lt. Justin Tress said. The 64-year-old victim said he had only the 75-cent bus fare he held in his hand, which the robber took, the lieutenant said. When the victim said he didn’t have any more, Tress said, Bendewald punched him in the face, knocking the m…
'Best Spot In America For Small-Town Carnival:' Night Of Family Fun Returns To Paramus 'Best Spot In America For Small-Town Carnival:' Night Of Family Fun Returns To Paramus
'Best Spot In America For Small-Town Carnival:' Night Of Family Fun Returns To Paramus You've likely seen the colorful ferris wheel looming over the crossroads of Route 4 and Route 17, right outside of the one of the highest performing malls in the United States. Law Enforcement Against Drugs and Violence (L.E.A.D.) founder Nick DeMauro knew what he was doing when he put the carnival there.  "It's the best location in the nation for a small-town carnival," he said. And it's back. The annual L.E.A.D. Fest Carnival is running every Wednesday to Sunday through June 9, at the Westfield Garden State Plaza. Admission is $5, while tickets for rides and games, and food purchas…
'Bittersweet:' Popular Bergen County Candy Shop Hanna Krause Closing After 65 Years 'Bittersweet:' Popular Bergen County Candy Shop Hanna Krause Closing After 65 Years
'Bittersweet:' Popular Bergen County Candy Shop Hanna Krause Closing After 65 Years Since 1959, Hanna Krause Home Made Candies located right off Route 17 in Paramus has been the go-to candy store for thousands of people, from both near and far. Anyone who's seen it knows it, and anyone who's been inside can still smell it. But in a bittersweet twist of fate, the iconic Hansel and Gretal-esque, tudor building with colorful cutouts and friendly faces will be closing its doors on Friday, June 28, after 65 years. The owner, Karen Ryan, whose grandfather opened the shop the same year she was born, is planning on retiring. And so, much to the disappointment of her cus…
STICKY FINGERS: Serial Shoplifter, Others Nabbed In Lyndhurst STICKY FINGERS: Serial Shoplifter, Others Nabbed In Lyndhurst
Sticky Fingers: Serial Shoplifter, Others Nabbed In Lyndhurst A serial shoplifter was among a number of people seized by Lyndhurst police while trying to get away with five-finger discounts. Roger Pencile, 33, of Newark was in a Valley Brook Avenue store when Sgt. Richard Jasinski and Officers Glenn Flora and Robert Litterio, showed up late Saturday morning, May 25, Detective Lt. Vincent Auteri said. Pencile -- who was wanted for three other shoplifting in Lyndhurst -- dropped two large bags full of stolen merchandise and was headed toward the door when they grabbed him, the lieutenant said. He remained held Thursday in the Bergen County Jail on…
Fast-Moving Storm Knocks Power To Thousands Across North Jersey Fast-Moving Storm Knocks Power To Thousands Across North Jersey
Fast-Moving Storm Knocks Power To Thousands Across North Jersey A fast-moving round of thunderstorm knocked power to thousands of New Jersey residents Thursday morning, May 23. PSEG was reporting approximately 2,000 outages in Bergen County (1,156 in New Milford, 398 in Paramus); 2,341 in Essex County (983 in Caldwell, 448 in West Caldwell); 1,230 in Gloucester County (1,206 in Woodbury City). JCP&L was reporting approximately 1,300 in Franklin Township, where a downed tree closed Route 57. JCP&L also said 1,000 residents in Lebanon were in the dark, as were 1,000 in Bethlehem. Knowlton, Hope, Liberty, and Independence …
SEE ANYTHING? Glen Rock Basketball Court Shooting: Authorities Turn To Public For Help SEE ANYTHING? Glen Rock Basketball Court Shooting: Authorities Turn To Public For Help
SEE Anything? Glen Rock Basketball Court Shooting: Authorities Turn To Public For Help 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: Unable to produce any solid suspects yet in the shooting of a 23-year-old Paterson man at an outdoor basketball court in Glen Rock, authorities turned to the public for help. What locals described as a larger-than-usual crowd at Wilde Memorial Park courts off Maple Avenue had gathered for what borough officials said was an unauthorized basketball tournament Tuesday evening, May 21. Shortly before 7:30 p.m., shots were fired. The victim was taken to St. Joseph's University Medical Center with a gunshot wound that responders said wasn't life-threatening. Nearly 24 hours later, Berg…
Shooting At Glen Rock Basketball Court: One Wounded, Law Enforcement Responds In Numbers Shooting At Glen Rock Basketball Court: One Wounded, Law Enforcement Responds In Numbers
Shooting At Glen Rock Basketball Court: One Wounded, Law Enforcement Responds In Numbers 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: Unable to produce any suspects in the shooting of a 23-year-old Paterson man at an outdoor basketball court in Glen Rock, authorities turned to the public for help. What locals described as a larger-than-usual crowd at Wilde Memorial Park courts off Maple Avenue had gathered for what borough officials said was an unauthorized basketball tournament Tuesday evening, May 21. Shortly before 7:30 p.m., shots were fired. The victim was taken to St. Joseph's University Medical Center with a gunshot wound that responders said wasn't life-threatening.  Nearly 24 hours later, Berg…
UPDATE: Convicted ‘Bling Bishop’ From Bergen Jailed Ahead Of Sentencing UPDATE: Convicted ‘Bling Bishop’ From Bergen Jailed Ahead Of Sentencing
Update: Convicted ‘Bling Bishop’ From Bergen Jailed Ahead Of Sentencing 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: A convicted con man from Bergen County known as the "Bling Bishop" was jailed on Monday after violating terms of his release before this summer's sentencing, federal authorities said. Federal jurors in lower Manhattan convicted Lamor Whitehead of Paramus two months ago of swindling the elderly mom of a parishioner from New Jersey out of her $90,000 life savings, among other counts. They also found him guilty of using ties to New York City Mayor Eric Adams in an attempt to extort a business owner into loaning him $500,000 and of lying to hide a second cellphone from FBI agents as the…
Scottie Scheffler Says Arrest Was 'Big Misunderstanding' After Being Charged In Cop's Assault Scottie Scheffler Says Arrest Was 'Big Misunderstanding' After Being Charged In Cop's Assault
Scottie Scheffler Says Arrest Was 'Big Misunderstanding' After Being Charged In Cop's Assault Scottie Scheffler, the No. 1 golfer in the world and a Bergen County native, has been charged with assaulting a law enforcement officer just before the second round of the PGA Championship, court records show. Scheffler, 27, was trying to drive past the scene of a fatal crash scene involving shuttle bus at the Valhalla Golf Club around 5 a.m. Friday, May 17, when he allegedly dragged an officer at the scene, as reported by ESPN. The reigning Masters champion was ultimately arrested and charged with  felony second-degree assault on a police officer, along with lesser charges of third-de…
HEAD SCRATCHER: Driver Hospitalized After Tree Crash In Paramus Jams Sedan In Tight Spot HEAD SCRATCHER: Driver Hospitalized After Tree Crash In Paramus Jams Sedan In Tight Spot
Head Scratcher: Driver Hospitalized After Tree Crash In Paramus Jams Sedan In Tight Spot A sedan careened off a busy Paramus street, onto the lawn of a single-family home and into a tree on Thursday. The male driver -- who reportedly swerved to avoid a small animal -- was taken to nearby Valley Hospital by Paramus EMS after the 11:30 a.m. May 9 crash on Paramus Road near Alpine Drive. The Nissan Altima ended up in a tight spot with another tree behind it. The Nissan Altima ended up in a tight spot with another tree behind it. Boyd A. Loving All Points Towing extricated the vehicle and removed it from the property. Boyd A. Loving took the photos and contributed to this…
Neighbor Disarms Troubled Saddle Brook Man Whose Stray Gunshot Brought Massive Police Response Neighbor Disarms Troubled Saddle Brook Man Whose Stray Gunshot Brought Massive Police Response
Neighbor Disarms Troubled Saddle Brook Man Whose Stray Gunshot Brought Massive Police Response An intoxicated Saddle Brook man experiencing an emotional crisis fired a gunshot into the air in his backyard just below Route 80, bringing a squadron of local police and fellow officers from four neighboring towns. They were headed to the Sterling Place home around 6:30 p.m. Sunday, May 5, when a neighbor approached Riste Strezoski, 35, and convinced him to hand over the 9mm handgun, Police Capt. John A. Zotollo, Jr. said. Police from Saddle Brook, Paramus, Maywood, Rochelle Park and Fair Lawn converged on the dead-ended neighborhood just off Saddle River Road and took Strezoski into cust…
Firefighters Quickly Douse Rapidly Spreading Fair Lawn House Fire Firefighters Quickly Douse Rapidly Spreading Fair Lawn House Fire
Firefighters Quickly Douse Rapidly Spreading Fair Lawn House Fire 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: Fair Lawn firefighters quickly doused a blaze that began in a basement and spread through a local home. “Basement fires can be extremely dangerous to our crews. There was a lot of smoke in the basement, making locating the fire very difficult,” Fair Lawn Fire Chief Pete Yuskaitis said after the 31st Street blaze was doused early Monday evening. “The crews did a great job fighting the heat to get to the fire and extinguish it,” the chief said. The call to the two-story home on 31st Street came in at 6:38 p.m. May 6, Yuskaitis said. The fire quickly escalated to a second alarm, brin…