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NJ Mayor Slams ICE After 2 Detained NJ Mayor Slams ICE After 2 Detained
NJ Mayor Slams ICE After 2 Detained The mayor of a quiet New Jersey town is speaking out after Immigration and Custom Enforcement (ICE) detained two people in the township.  Nancy Adams, the mayor of Maplewood said Monday, Sept. 8 that three ICE agents in unmarked cars apprehended two people four blocks from her home. "An aggressive Trump-era tactic meant to sow fear," Adams said. "This is not who we are. Our town stands for dignity, safety, and belonging—not intimidation. Our police were not notified, nor do we cooperate with ICE. I will be demanding accountability from state and federal leaders." Adams reaffirmed the …

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by Sam Barron
News
Kidnapper Led Child Into Basement At NY Mosque, DA Says Kidnapper Led Child Into Basement At NY Mosque, DA Says
Kidnapper Led Child Into Basement At NY Mosque, DA Says A homeless man was formally accused of luring a 4-year-old boy away from his grandfather during a prayer service at a Long Island mosque. Nelson Priester, 39, was indicted on kidnapping and related charges in Suffolk County Court on Tuesday, Sept. 2, following an alleged abduction at Bay Shore’s Masjid Darul Quaran. Priester was inside the mosque for several hours on Wednesday, Aug. 20, before leading the boy by the hand into the basement, according to the Suffolk County District Attorney’s Office. Once there, he took a plastic bag from a counter and locked himself in a dark room with the …

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by Michael Mashburn
News
Boy Killed In Crash Cropped Out Of Yearbook, Sparking Outrage In NJ Town Boy Killed In Crash Cropped Out Of Yearbook, Sparking Outrage In NJ Town
Boy Killed In Crash Cropped Out Of Yearbook, Sparking Outrage In NJ Town A yearbook photo has reignited heartbreak in one New Jersey community. The family of Easton Beisler, a 9-year-old student killed in a crash last fall, noticed his image was cropped out of his Upper Township elementary school’s class page. The incident was brought to light this week in a viral Facebook post, prompting emotional responses from residents and a statement from the Upper Township School District, which said it is working closely with Easton's family to address the issue. “We want to acknowledge the pain and frustration many of you are feeling,” the district said in a letter to t…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Fake ICE Raid Tip Sent Bergen County Town Into Hysteria: Police Working To Uncover Who Did It Fake ICE Raid Tip Sent Bergen County Town Into Hysteria: Police Working To Uncover Who Did It
Fake ICE Raid Tip Sent Bergen County Town Into Hysteria: Police Working To Uncover Who Did It Police are investigating a fake immigration raid warning that caused widespread panic in one Bergen County town, they said. A misinformation campaign falsely claimed that the Westwood Police Department told a local church that ICE raids would take place on Friday, June 13, the department said. The person or people responsible for the act purported that the Westwood Police Department contacted a local church, saying that immigration raids would be taking place, Westwood police said.  “This misinformation spread like wildfire and led to an unnecessary level of hysteria in our community.…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Search Teams Find Missing Juveniles After All-Night Scare In Passaic County: Officials Search Teams Find Missing Juveniles After All-Night Scare In Passaic County: Officials
Search Teams Find Missing Juveniles After All-Night Scare In Passaic County: Officials Two juveniles who had been missing since Friday afternoon were safely located following a multi-agency search effort early Saturday, April 19, officials confirmed. The West Milford Office of Emergency Management said it received a request for search and rescue support around 6:30 a.m. on April 19 to assist authorities in Pompton Lakes. West Milford’s Search and Rescue Team deployed 19 members to join forces with several other agencies, including the Passaic County Sheriff's Search and Rescue, Bloomingdale Search and Rescue, and NJ Search and Rescue, according to a statement released by OEM …

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
NJ Wife Believed Strangled By Husband Leaves 4 Young Kids Behind, Campaign Says NJ Wife Believed Strangled By Husband Leaves 4 Young Kids Behind, Campaign Says
NJ Wife Believed Strangled By Husband Leaves 4 Young Kids Behind, Campaign Says Cheyanne Juarez was a 30-year-old South Toms River mother with four young children, those who knew her said. Last week, she was strangled with a belt at the hands of her 38-year-old husband, Gustavo Juarez-Perez, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley Billhimer said. Cheyanne's death has spread shock and sadness through the community as she leaves behind four young children, loved ones say. "Cheyanne was one of the kindest, most caring, hardworking, and funniest women we had the privilege of knowing and loving," Rosaura Roustand, who is organizing a fundraiser for Juarez's children, wro…

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by Sam Barron
News
'Cancel Culture Coleslaw:' NJ Restaurant Apologizes For 'Proud Boys Burger' 'Cancel Culture Coleslaw:' NJ Restaurant Apologizes For 'Proud Boys Burger'
'Cancel Culture Coleslaw:' NJ Restaurant Apologizes For 'Proud Boys Burger' A New Jersey restaurant has found itself at the center of a controversy after a menu item titled the "Proud Boys Burger" sparked widespread outrage on social media.  Aqua Blu Kitchen & Cocktails on Route 37 in Toms River has since issued multiple apologies and taken action in response to the backlash. The burger, described as featuring “white American cheese, onion ring layers of truth, resilience pickles, freedom fries, cancel culture coleslaw, and liberty sauce,” was posted on social media by a customer, igniting immediate criticism. Many took issue with the apparent reference to…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Westwood HS Brawl: Names Released In Police Documents Westwood HS Brawl: Names Released In Police Documents
Westwood HS Brawl: Names Released In Police Documents Daily Voice has obtained the names of the 10 of the 13 individuals charged in connection with the brawls that broke out following the Westwood High School graduation ceremony last month. As previously reported by Daily Voice, two graduating students and 11 of their family members were slapped with a total of 25 charges including assault, disorderly conduct, failure to disperse, and obstruction, following the fights on Thursday, June 20, Washington Township Police Chief John Calamari said. In accordance with the Open Public Records Act, Daily Voice obtained the names of most of the individua…

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by Cecilia Levine
Schools
UPDATE: 'Inappropriate Comment' Temporarily Halts Distribution Of NJ School Yearbook UPDATE: 'Inappropriate Comment' Temporarily Halts Distribution Of NJ School Yearbook
Update: 'Inappropriate Comment' Temporarily Halts Distribution Of NJ School Yearbook A graduating Ramapo Indian Hills High School student intended "no harm or offense" with an "inappropriate comment" in the senior yearbook, the district's acting chief said Thursday night. According to parents, a graduating senior included an untoward reference to a Jewish Holocaust victim under his portrait photo. In response, Ramapo Indian Hills High School District Acting Supt. Dr. Melissa Quackenbush said officials were halting the distribution of the remaining yearbooks and were talking with the distributor about reprints. "Additionally, we are consulting with the Jewish Federatio…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
New Chaperone Policy At Garden State Plaza: So Far, So Good New Chaperone Policy At Garden State Plaza: So Far, So Good
New Chaperone Policy At Garden State Plaza: So Far, So Good It's been almost two weeks since Westfield Garden State Plaza implemented a new policy cracking down on unaccompanied minors, and according to the mall, so far so good. Wesley Rebisz, the senior general manager of Westfield Garden State Plaza said they are pleased with the community response since the policy was put in place at the end of April. “Last Friday and Saturday evening we welcomed thousands of guests who were having fun shopping, dining and experiencing everything our shopping center has to offer," Rebisz said.  "We were also very happy to see how many guests under 18 years …

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by Sam Barron
News
Update: Owner Removed Hawthorne 'Zombie House' Display On His Own Update: Owner Removed Hawthorne 'Zombie House' Display On His Own
Update: Owner Removed Hawthorne 'Zombie House' Display On His Own A beloved Hawthorne man said he removed a popular “zombie house” display from in front of his home on his own after learning that some neighbors had complained, police said Monday. "We received a few complaints regarding parking and traffic issues in the area of Mr. Rodrigues’s house," Hawthorne Police Capt. Robert King explained. An officer and supervisor went to the Lafayette Avenue house and found no issues, King said. "The officers advised Mr. Rodrigues of the complaints and asked him to avoid walking into the street to speak with people driving by and stopping due to safety concerns,"…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Social Distancing: What About The Kids? Social Distancing: What About The Kids?
Social Distancing: What About The Kids? Two things were inevitable after Americans were asked to stay home to prevent the spread of the coronavirus: Youngsters would spend more time outside with their friends and parents would spend more time on Facebook. Sure enough, exchanges among parents in large social media groups are increasing over the wisdom of large teen gatherings. It flared Wednesday in one of the dwindling number of North Jersey municipalities where public parks have remained open amid the pandemic. It was two days earlier that President Trump, speaking with alarming concern, asked the nation to avoid gathering in …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Ridgewood Girl, 4, Found Wandering In Snow Slipped Off From Siblings Ridgewood Girl, 4, Found Wandering In Snow Slipped Off From Siblings
Ridgewood Girl, 4, Found Wandering In Snow Slipped Off From Siblings RIDGEWOOD, N.J. -- More than a half-dozen Ridgewood police officers who went on a door-to-door search after a toddler walked off from home Wednesday morning found the girl wandering in the snow. The 4-year-old girl's parents had gone shopping and left her asleep with her teenage siblings, Police Chief Jacqueline Luthcke said. "Unbeknownst to her siblings, when the 4-year-old awoke, she decided to put on her jacket and boots and go look for her parents," the chief said.  A parent found the Union Street girl by herself, in a winter coat, and called police around 9:40 a.m. Officers…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
UPDATE: Principal Told Mahwah Parents Of Supposed School Shooting Threat UPDATE: Principal Told Mahwah Parents Of Supposed School Shooting Threat
Update: Principal Told Mahwah Parents Of Supposed School Shooting Threat MAHWAH, N.J. -- Mahwah Schools Supt. C. Lauren Schoen apologized to parents Saturday afternoon for the timing of an announcement the night before involving a 13-year-old boy who'd supposedly threatened to "shoot up" Ramapo Ridge Middle School. But she also said it was necessary. "It is clear from the emails received that the communication sent out on Friday evening did not meet its intended purpose and for that we sincerely apologize," Schoen wrote. "The timing of the email, late Friday, before a four-day weekend, was unfortunate but necessary to respond to increase…

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by Jerry DeMarco