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Closter, NJ

Drug Den On Wheels: Closter Officer Stops Driver With Wide Assortment, Police Say Drug Den On Wheels: Closter Officer Stops Driver With Wide Assortment, Police Say
Drug Den On Wheels: Closter Officer Stops Driver With Wide Assortment, Police Say A Closter police officer found what amounted to a drug den on wheels when he stopped a driver just before midnight. It was two minutes before the calendar turned to Thursday, April 18, when Officer Anthony Lofaro stopped 22-year-old Mexican national Rafael Guerrero Gonzalez at the BP station on Closter Dock Road just off Piermont Road, Capt. Vincent Aiello said. Lofaro immediately smelled pot, the captain said. Inside the car, Aiello said, the officer found: 100 packaged liquid THC pods; a bag of raw mushrooms; a bag of crack; joints; pot candy, mushroom candy, liquid mushrooms, marijuan…
Fired Bank Employee Steals $35,250 From Vault On His Way Out: Closter PD Fired Bank Employee Steals $35,250 From Vault On His Way Out: Closter PD
Fired Bank Employee Steals $35,250 From Vault On His Way Out: Closter PD A bank employee who'd just been fired bid goodbye to his co-workers, then walked into the vault and walked out with $35,250, Closter police said. Video cameras captured Marvin Herrera, 25, of New Milford gathering up the cash and stuffing it under his coat before leaving the PNC Bank branch in Closter Plaza last Wednesday, March 27, Capt. Vincent Aiello said. Police were called when the money was found missing, the captain said. They’d been searching for Herrera when he surrendered on Tuesday, April 2, Aiello said. He was issued a summons charging him with theft and was released pending a…
Sticky-Fingered Traveler Prompts Warning In Bergen Sticky-Fingered Traveler Prompts Warning In Bergen
Sticky-Fingered Traveler Prompts Warning In Bergen A traveler from out of state wrought some havoc in the Pascack Valley before moving on, authorities said. Mircea Catalin Petrovici, 26, of Rancho Cucamonga, CA, is wanted by several North Jersey police departments, including those in Hillsdale and Emerson, as well as in nearby Closter and in South Plainfield. A wallet that a customer left in a cart at the Shop Rite in Hillsdale disappeared along with multiple credit cards, ID and cash, Police Chief Sean Smith said. Soon after, the thief tried using a Discover card to make a $2,598.98 purchase at an Apple store in Nanuet (Rockland County), …
Nicholas Lewis, Closter Native, Dies At 41: 'True Mensch' Nicholas Lewis, Closter Native, Dies At 41: 'True Mensch'
Nicholas Lewis, Closter Native, Dies At 41: 'True Mensch' Nicholas Lewis, a native of Closter, died unexpectedly on Saturday, Feb. 4, according to his obituary.  A graduate of Northern Valley Regional High School in 2000, Lewis was a standout lineman for the Norseman, earning All-League and All-Bergen County honors as a sophomore, his obituary reads. I am sorry to share the very sad news, but the world lost a huge personality and great man over the weekend, Nick Lewis... Posted by John Shankman on Monday, February 5, 2024 A lawyer, Lewis recently had started his own law firm, Lewis Law, in Woodcliff Lake.  He is survived by his…
Illegal Border Crosser Seized By ICE After Punching Local NJ Officer In Face Illegal Border Crosser Seized By ICE After Punching Local NJ Officer In Face
Illegal Border Crosser Seized By ICE After Punching Local NJ Officer In Face A Guatemalan national who authorities said crossed the U.S. border illegally was seized by federal agents after he punched a Closter police officer in the face. Emiliano Cotzalo-Santiago, 24, was living in Palisades Park and working on a construction site in Closter when he began walking down the middle of Cedar Lane, obstructing traffic, Police Capt. Vincent Aiello said. This prompted calls to police. Cotzal-Santiago “attacked the first officer that he came in contact with by punching him in the face,” the captain said. A second officer sustained cuts on his hand as they attempted to han…
'This Is Your Final Warning:' NJ Pair Set Off Bomb In Biz Associate's Driveway, Feds Say 'This Is Your Final Warning:' NJ Pair Set Off Bomb In Biz Associate's Driveway, Feds Say
'This Is Your Final Warning:' NJ Pair Set Off Bomb In Biz Associate's Driveway, Feds Say While being interviewed by investigators, a New York resident got the following text message: "Knock knock, show up, and what do you think is next. This is your final warning.”  The text was from Damjan Stanivukovic, a Closter resident, who was later arrested for exploding a bomb in the victim's New York driveway with help from Vladamir Radunovic, who has ties to Pompton Lakes, Clifton, and Paterson, according to court documents filed with the US District Court of the Southern District of New York. Stanivukovic and Radunovic were arrested Saturday morning, Jan…
Bergen Teen Who Crashed Tesla Into Tree, Injuring 3 Classmates, Charged With Assault By Auto Bergen Teen Who Crashed Tesla Into Tree, Injuring 3 Classmates, Charged With Assault By Auto
Bergen Teen Who Crashed Tesla Into Tree, Injuring 3 Classmates, Charged With Assault By Auto A 17-year-old area boy was speeding when he crashed a Tesla into a tree in Closter earlier this month, seriously injuring three of his classmates, authorities confirmed on Wednesday. A delinquency complaint charges the driver with three counts of assault by auto in connection with the Model X crash, which occurred on Durie Avenue shortly before 6:30 p.m. Dec. 1, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said on Dec. 13. The crash comes coincidentally amid a recall of two million Tesla models Y, S, 3, and X produced between Oct. 5, 2012, and Dec. 7, 2023. The National Highway Traffic Safety Adm…
Meet Sportscaster Kenny Albert, Bergen County Resident, In North Jersey Meet Sportscaster Kenny Albert, Bergen County Resident, In North Jersey
Meet Sportscaster Kenny Albert, Bergen County Resident, In North Jersey Kenny Albert, a Closter resident, has called some of the biggest moments in sports and has plenty of stories to tell. Albert, the only sportscaster who does play by play for the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL will be signing copies of his new book "A Mic For All Seasons" at Books and Greetings in Northvale on Thursday, Dec. 14 at 6 p.m. He previously held a book signing at Bookends in Ridgewood in October. In the book, Albert discusses growing up the son of iconic sportscaster Marv Albert and calling 3,000 games, including calling the 1994 Stanley Cup Final, Jose Bautista's bat flip home run in 2015…
Repeat Embezzler Absconds To Germany With Bergen Realtor’s $600,000 Repeat Embezzler Absconds To Germany With Bergen Realtor’s $600,000
Repeat Embezzler Absconds To Germany With Bergen Realtor’s $600,000 A convicted embezzler who’d apparently made a fresh start fled to Germany with $600,000 of a Bergen County realtor and commercial property manager’s money, authorities said. Detectives in Closter were closing in on Klaus Brueggemeier, 57, of Demarest, when he absconded to Frankfurt and became a wanted man, Closter Police Capt. Vincent Aiello said on Tuesday, Nov. 21. Brueggemeier made headlines in 2009, when authorities charged him with embezzling $1.7 million from a high-end porcelain and glass company in Carlstadt. SEE: Company chief skims $1.7 million to buy himself the good life, autho…
Bergen County's Newest Diner Sets Opening Date Bergen County's Newest Diner Sets Opening Date
Bergen County's Newest Diner Sets Opening Date In the land of diners, a new concept has opened in Bergen County. Country MKT Dinner, which is offering farm to table dining, will be opening in Closter.  It appears to be replacing the shuttered Valley Diner, which occupied the space for more than 25 years. A grand opening is set for Sunday, Nov. 19.  Since we're only a month away from the big opening, here's a little teaser of what we've got going on. 😉 Posted by Corey Hennig on Thursday, October 19, 2023 While the restaurant has not shared a menu yet, they are promising to deliver the usual diner staples like burgers and eggs. MKT…
Loaded Gun Lost In Target, Ex-Con Owner Jailed: Closter PD Loaded Gun Lost In Target, Ex-Con Owner Jailed: Closter PD
Loaded Gun Lost In Target, Ex-Con Owner Jailed: Closter PD It’s not every day that a loaded gun turns up in the lost and found at Target. Surveillance video helped point Closter police to Tyshawn Culver, a 31-year-old convicted burglar from Westwood, soon after the gun was found on Tuesday, Oct. 24, Capt. Vincent Aiello said. Culver was arrested later that day in Englewood, the captain said. He was charged with unlawful possession of a handgun, possessing a handgun as a convicted felon and possession of both a large-capacity ammo magazine and hollow-nose bullets, Aiello said. Culver remained held Wednesday in the Bergen County Jail pending a firs…
Meet Sportscaster Kenny Albert In North Jersey Meet Sportscaster Kenny Albert In North Jersey
Meet Sportscaster Kenny Albert In North Jersey Kenny Albert, a Closter resident, has called some of the biggest moments in sports and has plenty of stories to tell. Albert, the only sportscaster who does play by play for the NFL, NBA, MLB and NHL will be signing copies of his new book "A Mic For All Seasons" at Bookends in Ridgewood on Monday, Oct. 9 at 7 p.m. In the book, Albert discusses growing up the son of iconic sportscaster Marv Albert and calling 3,000 games, including calling the 1994 Stanley Cup Final, Jose Bautista's bat flip home run in 2015 and the U.S. women's hockey shootout in the 2018 Winter Olympic gold medal game, acc…
Labor Day Weekend Blaze Doused In Norwood Labor Day Weekend Blaze Doused In Norwood
Labor Day Weekend Blaze Doused In Norwood Firefighters made quick work of a Labor Day weekend blaze that spread to a Norwood resident's garage. The borough's bravest responded to the call at 5 Meadow Court at 2:24 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 2, after the contents of a trash can apparently caught fire. They were assisted by their colleagues from Closter, Harrington Park, Haworth, Northvale, Old Tappan, Orangeburg and Tappan. Firefighters had the two-alarm blaze knocked down and under control in under a half hour, keeping it from spreading from the garage into the house. Colleagues from surrounding towns provided substantial mutual ai…
Multi-Million-Dollar Bergen Home Burglary: Three Captured In Celebrity Neighborhood Break-In Multi-Million-Dollar Bergen Home Burglary: Three Captured In Celebrity Neighborhood Break-In
Multi-Million-Dollar Bergen Home Burglary: Three Captured In Celebrity Neighborhood Break-In Law enforcers from several agencies helped capture a burglary trio from Delaware who authorities said targeted a multi-million-dollar home in an exclusive Bergen County neighborhood. It was shortly before 4:30 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 24, when the burglars apparently found an unlocked rear door to the Timberline Drive home off Route 9W in Alpine, in an area where Chris Rock, Lil Kim and other celebrities own estates. Police from surrounding towns, Bergen County sheriff's officers and others quickly converged on New Jersey's most affluent suburb, and the Delaware trio were all soon in custody. E…
Fast-Moving Fire Destroys Harrington Park Home Fast-Moving Fire Destroys Harrington Park Home
Fast-Moving Fire Destroys Harrington Park Home A fast-moving pre-dawn fire destroyed a Harrington Park home. A couple who bought the Maryann Lane home just last month wasn't there when the blaze broke out at around 5 a.m., less than an hour before sunrise.  It went two alarms on arrival as flames engulfed the two-story, wood-frame house. Burning electrical wires only made matters worse. Burning electrical wires made matters worse in the early-morning fire on MaryAnn Lane in Harrington Park.Harrington Park Volunteer Ambulance Corps Borough police and fire from Norwood, Northvale, River Vale, Closter, Old Tappan, Demarest, Alpine an…
Bergen Detectives Nab Colombian Nationals Posing As Deliverymen In Multi-Town Burglary Spree Bergen Detectives Nab Colombian Nationals Posing As Deliverymen In Multi-Town Burglary Spree
Bergen Detectives Nab Colombian Nationals Posing As Deliverymen In Multi-Town Burglary Spree Detectives from the Bergen County prosecutor’s office nabbed three Colombian nationals who they said posed as delivery men during a burglary rampage through no fewer than nine area towns. Santiago Camargo-Rojas, 24, Steven Rugeles, 30, and Nicholas Buitrago-Grillo, 23, have all remained held in the Bergen County Jail since their arrests on Tuesday, July 18. ICE officials obtained holds on all three so that a federal immigration judge in Newark can determine whether all or any of them are living in the United States legally or must be deported. The trio targeted homes in affluent areas, of…
Bricks 4 Kidz Uses Legos To Teach STEM In North Jersey Bricks 4 Kidz Uses Legos To Teach STEM In North Jersey
Bricks 4 Kidz Uses Legos To Teach STEM In North Jersey A new learning center in Bergen County has discovered an innovative method to help give kids a STEM education. Bricks 4 Kidz recently opened a learning center at 530 Piermont Road in Closter. The franchise has 10 locations throughout the Garden State and has learning centers nationwide.  Brandy Sharrock and Charles Tsocanos oversee the Closter location with the goal of making STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) education fun. They offer afterschool programs, as well as summer camps and birthday parties, with getting to build Legos being the main attraction. "The kids are oft…
GOTCHA! Police Converge, Burglary Duo Caught Redhanded In Northvale GOTCHA! Police Converge, Burglary Duo Caught Redhanded In Northvale
Gotcha! Police Converge, Burglary Duo Caught Redhanded In Northvale Police from neighboring towns converged Thursday afternoon to capture a pair of burglars who broke into a Northvale home. A 911 call alerted police to a burglary in progress on Snedeker Place at 1:40 p.m. May 18, Northvale Police Chief Howard Ostrow said. Ostrow’s officers and their colleagues from Norwood were the first on the scene, the chief said. Norwood police immediately grabbed a suspect in the backyard of the burglarized home, Ostrow said. Northvale police chased down the other, he said. Both were brought to a nearby medical facility for evaluations, the chief said. Neither cou…
Get Hangry: New Fried Chicken Joint Spices Up Bergen County Get Hangry: New Fried Chicken Joint Spices Up Bergen County
Get Hangry: New Fried Chicken Joint Spices Up Bergen County A fried chicken restaurant is bringing the Nashville heat to Bergen County. Hangry Joe's, a Nashville hot chicken franchise with locations in 12 states, recently opened a location in Northvale.  The franchise has been aggressively expanding in New Jersey, with another location in Florham Park and locations set to open in Closter, New Brunswick, Ridgewood and Trenton. Nashville Hot Chicken is just what it sounds like: deep fried chicken covered in spicy hot paste served on white bread, preferably with a pickle. View this post on Instagram A …
Kitchen Candle Fire Blows Through Roof Of Old Tappan Home Kitchen Candle Fire Blows Through Roof Of Old Tappan Home
Kitchen Candle Fire Blows Through Roof Of Old Tappan Home UPDATE: A candle ignited a blaze that ravaged an Old Tappan home near the Rockland County border on Friday, bringing firefighters from both sides of the state line, authorities said. The three-alarm blaze broke out in the kitchen of the 2½-story wood-frame home on Cheryll Lane near Old Tappan Road -- a little under a half-mile from Tappan, NY -- and quickly blew through the roof around 1:30 p.m. April 7, responders told Daily Voice. Firefighters had it knocked down in under an hour. Overhaul was completed by 3 p.m. Flames quickly spread, then blew through the roof of the home on Cheryl…
Retired Bank Exec Struck In DWI Hit-And-Run In Closter Dies, Charges Against Driver Upgraded Retired Bank Exec Struck In DWI Hit-And-Run In Closter Dies, Charges Against Driver Upgraded
Retired Bank Exec Struck In DWI Hit-And-Run In Closter Dies, Charges Against Driver Upgraded A 75-year-old retired bank vice president from Closter who authorities said was struck by a drunk hit-and-run driver as he walked down a local street has died. Charges have been upgraded as a result against the driver, Jesus T. Yunganaula Tenempaguay, a 36-year-old Ecuadorian national living in Hackensack. Tenempaguay was intoxicated when his 2007 Honda CRV struck Alan Friedman on Durie Avenue near Legion Place at 3:25 p.m. Sunday, March 26, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. Friedman, who'd worked for The Bank of New York Mellon for 35 years, was unresponsive but breathing, with …
Driver In Hit-Run With Pedestrian, 73, Lives In Hackensack, Works Nearby: Authorities Driver In Hit-Run With Pedestrian, 73, Lives In Hackensack, Works Nearby: Authorities
Driver In Hit-Run With Pedestrian, 73, Lives In Hackensack, Works Nearby: Authorities UPDATE: A 75-year-old retired bank vice president from Closter who was struck by a drunk hit-and-run driver on a local street has died. Charges have been upgraded against the driver, a 36-year-old Ecuadorian national and father of four living in Hackensack. SEE: Retired Bank Exec Struck In DWI Hit-And-Run In Closter Dies, Charges Against Driver Upgraded ****** UPDATE: An Ecuadorian national living in Hackensack who police said fled the scene after severely injuring a 75-year-old former bank vice president in Closter was drunk at the time, authorities said on Monday. Jesus T. Yunganaula Te…
Pedestrian, 74, Seriously Injured By Hit-And-Run Driver In Bergen, Silver SUV Sought Pedestrian, 74, Seriously Injured By Hit-And-Run Driver In Bergen, Silver SUV Sought
Pedestrian, 74, Seriously Injured By Hit-And-Run Driver In Bergen, Silver SUV Sought UPDATE: A 75-year-old retired bank vice president from Closter who was struck by a drunk hit-and-run driver on a local street has died. Charges have been upgraded against the driver, a 36-year-old Ecuadorian national and father of four living in Hackensack. SEE: Retired Bank Exec Struck In DWI Hit-And-Run In Closter Dies, Charges Against Driver Upgraded ****** UPDATE: An Ecuadorian national living in Hackensack who police said fled the scene after severely injuring a 75-year-old former bank vice president in Closter was drunk at the time, authorities said on Monday. Jesus T. Yunganaula T…
These NJ Schools Are Closed, Delayed Due To Snow Tuesday, Feb. 28 These NJ Schools Are Closed, Delayed Due To Snow Tuesday, Feb. 28
These NJ Schools Are Closed, Delayed Due To Snow Tuesday, Feb. 28 The first winter storm of the season is causing a change in plans for New Jersey schools on Tuesday, Feb. 28. Some districts have delayed openings while others are closed completely. Here's a list of which school are closed or delayed for Tuesday, Feb. 28. Check your school/district's website for details. Bedminster: 10: 50 a.m. start Bellville: Delayed Bergen County Tech: Closed Bergenfield: 2-hour delay Bernards: 2-hour delay Bloomfield: Delay Bloomingdale: Closed Bogota: Delayed Butler: Closed Cliffside Park: 10 a.m. start Clifton: Delayed Closter: Delayed Cresskill: Delayed Demarest: …
Housekeeper Hides When Burglars Break Into Bergen Mansion Once Owned By Trump Ally From Russia Housekeeper Hides When Burglars Break Into Bergen Mansion Once Owned By Trump Ally From Russia
Housekeeper Hides When Burglars Break Into Bergen Mansion Once Owned By Trump Ally From Russia Two burglars who broke into a Bergen County mansion that once belonged to a Russian billionaire barely escaped when police screamed up, authorities said. The housekeeper was downstairs when she heard the intruders a floor above shortly after 8 p.m. Friday, Feb. 17, Alpine Police Chief Christopher Belcolle said. She rushed into a bathroom, one of 10 in the joint, then locked the door and called police. Officers were familiar with the French-manor-style brick colonial, which once belonged to oligarch Aras Agalarov when he was an ally of former President Trump. Sean "Diddy " Combs also l…
Taser-Armed Target Shoplifter Cornered, Captured By Police In Bergen, Authorities Say Taser-Armed Target Shoplifter Cornered, Captured By Police In Bergen, Authorities Say
Taser-Armed Target Shoplifter Cornered, Captured By Police In Bergen, Authorities Say A possibly armed shoplifter who was confronted by police outside a Target in Closter dropped two bundles of merchandise and took off on foot, authorities said. Keith Primm, 29, of the Bronx had just exited the Closter Plaza store when the officers pulled up, Lt. Vincent Aiello said. A caller had told police that Primm, who was also carrying a backpack, was “possibly displaying a weapon,” the lieutenant added. Primm told the responding officers that he’d bought the items in the bags, then dropped them and ran towards Vervalen Street, Aiello said. Backups arrived as Primm made his way acros…
Notorious NJ Serial Killer To Plead Guilty To Murders Of Five Long Island Women: Report Notorious NJ Serial Killer To Plead Guilty To Murders Of Five Long Island Women: Report
Notorious NJ Serial Killer To Plead Guilty To Murders Of Five Long Island Women: Report The number of brutal murder confessions continues to mount for imprisoned New Jersey serial killer Richard Cottingham, who reportedly is scheduled to plead guilty to five more killings, all of women on Long Island. Cottingham, now 76, has been serving multiple life sentences in South Woods State Prison in Bridgeton, NJ, for more than four decades for killing six Garden State women between 1967 and 1980. He's spent a considerable part of that time lately claiming he's committed several other killings. “For a long time now I have been trying to understand the darkness that enveloped my soul…
Four Suffer Smoke Inhalation In Overnight Bergen County House Fire Four Suffer Smoke Inhalation In Overnight Bergen County House Fire
Four Suffer Smoke Inhalation In Overnight Bergen County House Fire Four people were hospitalized for smoke inhalation from an overnight house fire in Old Tappan, responders said. The blaze in the $1 million home at the end of a cul-de-sac on Parker Place broke out in the kitchen around 2:45 a.m. It immediately went to a second alarm on arrival, with a third alarm called roughly 20 minutes later. Old Tappan firefighters were met with heavy smoke at the Parker Place fire.OLD TAPPAN FD The Parker Place house fire in Old Tappan before dawn Saturday, Nov. 19 quickly went to three alarms.WOODCLIFF LAKE FD Firefighters had the blaze knocked down and under…
Popular Bergen County French Bakery Just Keeps Expanding Popular Bergen County French Bakery Just Keeps Expanding
Popular Bergen County French Bakery Just Keeps Expanding An authentic French bakery serving Bergen County for nearly a decade is again expanding its reach. This time, Patisserie Florentine is headed to Fort Lee, the business announced on Instagram. The Englewood-based cafe is owned by Israeli-born and classically-trained pastry chef Tomer Zilkha. He originally wanted to open his cafe in Manhattan after staring a family, he figured being closer to home was best. Plus, he said, "There was just so much of a need around here." Patisserie Florentine, which serves French-inspired fare specializing in pastries, has locations in Closter, Englewood, Th…
Man Who Lives Near Bergen Grade School Charged With Collecting, Sharing Child Porn Man Who Lives Near Bergen Grade School Charged With Collecting, Sharing Child Porn
Man Who Lives Near Bergen Grade School Charged With Collecting, Sharing Child Porn A 26-year-old college student who lives around the corner from a Closter grade school was caught trafficking child porn, authorities said. John S. Soh was charged following a warranted raid at his home just off Houmans Avenue near the PK-4 Hillside Elementary School late last week, authorities said. Soh had “used the Internet to view, download, possess, and distribute items depicting nude and/or sexually explicit prepubescent and pubescent children,” Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. Members of Musella’s Cyber Crimes Unit charged Soh with possession and distribution of child porn…
Former Bergen Man Gets Federal Prison Time For Assisting Massage Parlor Prostitution Former Bergen Man Gets Federal Prison Time For Assisting Massage Parlor Prostitution
Former Bergen Man Gets Federal Prison Time For Assisting Massage Parlor Prostitution A former Bergen County resident must spend nearly three years in federal prison for producing bogus training certificates for massage parlors that sold sex. Naresh Rane, 68, gave 10 of those certificates to a former local councilman who was later found dead of suicide along with his wife, authorities said. Rane, formerly of Closter, owned and operated the now-defunct Axiom Healthcare Academy on Kennedy Boulevard in North Bergen, which touted itself as a provider of massage therapy training. Anyone who didn't want to go through the training could pay Rane anywhere from $1,000 to $2,600 for …