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substance abuse

Sports
WWE Hall Of Famer, NJ Native Tammy Sytch Gets 17 Years For Fatal DWI Crash WWE Hall Of Famer, NJ Native Tammy Sytch Gets 17 Years For Fatal DWI Crash
WWE Hall Of Famer, NJ Native Tammy Sytch Gets 17 Years For Fatal DWI Crash The sunny days have turned dark for former wrestling manager Tammy Lynn Sytch. The Monmouth County native, who achieved fame in the then-WWF as Sunny in the mid-1990s, was sentenced to 17 years in prison after pleading no contest to driving drunk and killing a 75-year-old man in Florida last year. She will also serve eight years of probation after she's released from prison, CBS affiliate WKMG-TV. Sytch, who was inducted into the WWE Hall of Fame in 2011, has had numerous brushes with the law since her wrestling career ended, including being arrested for six DWIs in a four-year span. …

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
9/11 Victim's Son Comes To Bergen To Discuss Addiction, Depression And Redemption 9/11 Victim's Son Comes To Bergen To Discuss Addiction, Depression And Redemption
9/11 Victim's Son Comes To Bergen To Discuss Addiction, Depression And Redemption The author of the first book by a child of 9/11 is coming to Bergen County this week to talk about the consequences of opioid addiction. Little Ferry and Ridgefield Park police have partnered up to host Matthew Bocchi as part of their fight against the spreading opioid epidemic. Eight years sober, Bocchi will talk about drug and alcohol abuse as well as the fateful day in 2001 when his father was among nearly 3,000 people killed in the simultaneous attacks on America. Bocchi gained recognition for his best-selling memoir, "Sway," in which he shares his journey to wellness. His talks ampl…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Sports
Star-Crossed NJ Wrestling Couple Featured In New Vice Docuseries Star-Crossed NJ Wrestling Couple Featured In New Vice Docuseries
Star-Crossed NJ Wrestling Couple Featured In New Vice Docuseries Chris Candido and Tammy Lynn Sytch's tragic wrestling love story is the subject of a new documentary. The Monmouth County natives who were high school sweethearts at Red Bank Catholic High School were profiled in "Dark Side of the Ring: Chris and Tammy" on Vice. .@DarkSideofRing co-creators @Evanhusney and @JasonEisener break down everything you need to know about our premiere episode on Chris & Tammy.Watch tonight at 10P on VICE TV. Find your channel: https://t.co/SfgVz53gIY pic.twitter.com/du0gbtWccP — VICE TV (@VICETV) May 30, 2023 Candido grew up wanting to be a professional wr…

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by Sam Barron
News
Jersey Shore Doc Admits Sexual Contact With Drug-Abusing Patient, Cuts Deal With State Jersey Shore Doc Admits Sexual Contact With Drug-Abusing Patient, Cuts Deal With State
Jersey Shore Doc Admits Sexual Contact With Drug-Abusing Patient, Cuts Deal With State A Monmouth County physician is having his license suspended for three years for "inappropriate sexual contact" with a substance-abusing patient for whom he also prescribed addictive drugs, state authorities said. Francis Rienzo, 60, of Sea Girt, is currently "winding down" his private practice as part of an agreement with the state through which he will avoid more serious consequences, they said. Rienzo, who also is the medical director for several treatment centers across New Jersey -- and a staff physician at Jersey Shore Addiction Services and Hackensack Meridian Health in Neptune -- "ad…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Lifestyle
'He Died In His Tracks,' NJ Mom Says After Twin Son, 25, Dies Of Fentanyl Poisoning 'He Died In His Tracks,' NJ Mom Says After Twin Son, 25, Dies Of Fentanyl Poisoning
'He Died In His Tracks,' NJ Mom Says After Twin Son, 25, Dies Of Fentanyl Poisoning A New Jersey mother is opening up on social media to spread awareness of counterfeit drugs after the sudden death of her 25-year-old son due to fentanyl poisoning. Denville native and Morris Knolls High School graduate Ross Michael Kaplowitz died Dec. 13, his obituary says. The University of Vermont student had gone out to smoke in the family’s garage and was found dead hours later, his mother, Marisa, details in a public Facebook post -- which had nearly gone viral as of March 3. “There was nothing we could do to revive him, although we tried," she wrote. "He died in his tracks.” Though…

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by Valerie Musson
Obituaries
'Hudson County Hero': Beloved School Counselor Ray Ruiz Dies, 52 'Hudson County Hero': Beloved School Counselor Ray Ruiz Dies, 52
'Hudson County Hero': Beloved School Counselor Ray Ruiz Dies, 52 A Jersey City dad and substance abuse counselor who died earlier this month is being hailed a Hudson County hero.  Ray Ruiz died on Oct. 10. He was 52 years old. "There are truly no words to describe the impact of this loss," Psycho-Educational Associates wrote on Facebook.  "Ray has been nothing less than an amazing role model, mentor, and true friend to all that know him. Ray's life revolved around his family and his community. He balanced his commitment to his family with his commitment to helping individuals finding their way to emotional happiness. Ray found the time to guid…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Judge Releases Monmouth University Baseball Player After Home Burglary Judge Releases Monmouth University Baseball Player After Home Burglary
Judge Releases Monmouth University Baseball Player After Home Burglary A New Jersey homeowner was able to detain a burglar later identified as a 19-year-old Monmouth University varsity baseball player in an overnight break-in, police said. Surveillance tapes show Marlboro's Anthony Brienza entering the Old Farm Road home in Ocean Township through an unlocked door, then disabling the home security system around 4:50 a.m., Sept. 13, Detective Sgt. Paul Flammia said. Brienza was confronted by the homeowner while taking several items from the master bedroom, Flammia said. A brief struggle ensued when Brienza tried fleeing, police said. Brienza was arrested …

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
NJ Mom Who Gave Daughter, 11, Pills Causing OD Death Faces 7 Years In Jail NJ Mom Who Gave Daughter, 11, Pills Causing OD Death Faces 7 Years In Jail
NJ Mom Who Gave Daughter, 11, Pills Causing OD Death Faces 7 Years In Jail A Boonton mom is facing a seven-year prison sentence after she admitted giving her 11-year-old daughter unprescribed pills that ultimately killed her. Shay Mooney, 35, plead guilty in July to child endangerment and said that she neglected to keep her prescription medications from her daughter, Wade Richardson, Daily Record reports. Richardson died last December from a combination of lorazepam, a sedative, as well as fentanyl, a narcotic, the report says citing the child’s autopsy. The child was found unconscious in an apartment in Boonton that was trashed with pill bottles, syringes, medic…

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by Valerie Musson
Police & Fire
Lyndhurst Police: Nodded-Out Vermont Couple Had Drugs, Dozens Of Syringes In Car Lyndhurst Police: Nodded-Out Vermont Couple Had Drugs, Dozens Of Syringes In Car
Lyndhurst Police: Nodded-Out Vermont Couple Had Drugs, Dozens Of Syringes In Car A Vermont couple found sleeping in their car on a quiet Lyndhurst street had drugs and dozens of hypodermic syringes with them, authorities said. Sgt. Richard Holicki, Detective Billy Kapp and Officer Matt Giunta, responding to a call, found the couple nodded out in a Toyota Prius on Kearney Street around 7 p.m. They woke the pair and immediately spotted several syringes on the center console, Detective Lt. Vincent Auteri said. A search, Auteri said, turned up: 13 empty wax paper folds; 151 anticonvulsant pills; 1 pack of Suboxone; small amount of cocaine, including a rock of crack; 86…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Schools
Grant Helps USR-Allendale Coalition Assist Families Dealing With Drugs, Other Youth Issues Grant Helps USR-Allendale Coalition Assist Families Dealing With Drugs, Other Youth Issues
Grant Helps Usr-allendale Coalition Assist Families Dealing With Drugs, Other Youth Issues A unique program aimed at reducing substance abuse while also tackling other troubling issues among young people in Allendale and Upper Saddle River will grow even stronger, thanks to a new federal grant, organizers said. The $625,000 National Drug Control Policy grant will be distributed evenly over five years to the USRA Coalition, said Upper Saddle River Mayor Joanne Minichetti, the group’s chairperson. The money will “both sustain and broaden the USRA Coalition’s programming and education,” Minichetti said. The USRA Coalition was created in 2017 in response to the increase in substan…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Deadline To Register For River Vale Junior Police Academy: This Friday Deadline To Register For River Vale Junior Police Academy: This Friday
Deadline To Register For River Vale Junior Police Academy: This Friday Want to see a SWAT unit and bomb squad in action? Visit inmates at the county jail? See Metlife Stadium from behind the scenes? Time is running out to register for the 2019 River Vale Junior Police Academy: The deadline is this Friday, Oct. 4. Registration is ONLINE ONLY: www.RiverValeNJ.org The academy is open to River Vale residents in the 7th and 8th grades who will: learn about cyber crimes;  test your skills as an eyewitness;  participate in a mock airplane hostage rescue at the Federal Air Marshal service training center;  take a behind-the-scenes tour of MetLife …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Schools
Learn To Handle Difficult Discussions With Your Teen At Special USRA Coalition Event Learn To Handle Difficult Discussions With Your Teen At Special USRA Coalition Event
Learn To Handle Difficult Discussions With Your Teen At Special Usra Coalition Event Because talking to teens about difficult subjects sometimes requires skills some parents may not have, the USRA Coalition is sponsoring a multi-media presentation and question-and-answer session to help with the task. Parents of middle and high school students in Upper Saddle River, Allendale, Ho-Ho-Kus and Saddle River are among those invited to “How to Speak Effectively to Your Child or Teen on Difficult Subjects,” featuring the special one-hour presentation “15-Minute Child Break,” on Oct. 7. Topics include identifying risk factors, strengthening parenting and communication skills and ut…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Registration Now Open For 5K In Newark Benefiting Integrity House Registration Now Open For 5K In Newark Benefiting Integrity House
Registration Now Open For 5K In Newark Benefiting Integrity House Runners can now register for the annual Newark Corporate and Individual 5K, which will be held Oct. 2 in downtown Newark.  The run will benefit Integrity House, the nonprofit substance-abuse treatment organization that runs programs in Newark, Jersey City, Kearny, Secaucus, Morris Plains and Toms River.  This year's run is intended to help raise awareness of the nation's growing substance abuse epidemic.  The run starts at Washington Park at 12:15 p.m. and participants can run individually or in teams. Individuals can register up until race day but teams must register by Sep…

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by Paul Milo
Police & Fire
VIDEO: Massive Fire Consumes Paterson Building Housing Drug, Alcohol Rehab Center VIDEO: Massive Fire Consumes Paterson Building Housing Drug, Alcohol Rehab Center
Video: Massive Fire Consumes Paterson Building Housing Drug, Alcohol Rehab Center Flames consumed a Paterson mill that housed a substance rehab center Saturday, collapsing walls and floors and sending plumes of smoke over Route 80 that could be seen for miles -- but firefighters kept the blaze from spreading. No injuries were reported at the Straight Street commercial building, which housed the Straight and Narrow rehab center operated by Catholic Charities of the Paterson Diocese. "That's a big hit for a lot of clients and staff in New Jersey," a substance-abuse professional affiliated with the program said, noting that the program served thousands, making it one of th…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Pot Dispensaries Banned In Lyndhurst Pot Dispensaries Banned In Lyndhurst
Pot Dispensaries Banned In Lyndhurst Lyndhurst has joined the municipalities in New Jersey that have banned any type of marijuana dispensary. "We are very pleased to have this ordinance," township police Detective Vincent Auteri said. "For our township to allow marijuana dispensaries would be counterintuitive to all the drug awareness and substance abuse programs we provide. "The Mayor and Board of Commissioners, with guidance from the Lyndhurst Municipal Alliance, is sending the right message, which is that our community is focusing on health and safety and not money," Auteri said. The governing body agreed that pot dispensa…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Parent Of A Teen? Here's How To Screen For Substance Abuse, CDC Says Parent Of A Teen? Here's How To Screen For Substance Abuse, CDC Says
Parent Of A Teen? Here's How To Screen For Substance Abuse, CDC Says The Centers for Disease Control has released a guide to assist parents in helping teenagers avoid using or abusing substances such as alcohol of marijuana. According to the CDC, “substance use by teens can have a big impact on their health and well-being. The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), through a cooperative agreement with the CDC, developed a guide for implementing substance use screening in pediatric practices to help pediatricians address substance use concerns.” The AAP recommends screening for substance use in children, starting at 9 years of age. The guide states that alcoh…

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by Zak Failla
Schools
USRA Coalition: Doctors To Warn Northern Highlands Parents Of Opioid Danger USRA Coalition: Doctors To Warn Northern Highlands Parents Of Opioid Danger
Usra Coalition: Doctors To Warn Northern Highlands Parents Of Opioid Danger ALLENDALE, N.J. -- Addiction doesn't always begin at a party -- it could start in the family medicine chest. Experts will tell parents what to consider before their teens have surgery or treatment for chronic pain during a "Physician's Perspective on Drugs and Opiods" at Northern Highlands Regional High School later this month. Sponsored by the Upper Saddle River/Allendale Coalition, the boards of health from each town and Hackensack University Medical Center, the free April 25 event features panelists: Michael Kelly, the chairman of orthopedic surgery at Hackensack University M…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
UPDATE: Student Brings Pocket Knife To Northern Valley HS In Old Tappan UPDATE: Student Brings Pocket Knife To Northern Valley HS In Old Tappan
Update: Student Brings Pocket Knife To Northern Valley HS In Old Tappan OLD TAPPAN, N.J. -- A student brought a pocket knife to Northern Valley High School in Old Tappan on Thursday, authorities said. Administrators also seized an empty vape pen from the teen, who was sent for evaluation and testing as a matter of school policy, Police Chief Thomas Shine said. "The NVRHS administration requested an ambulance to provide the students transportation to a local medical group for testing," the chief said. Possession of both the knife and vape violate district policies, he noted. "The Old Tappan Police Department will assist the NVRHS administration …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Schools
Ramapo To Offer Special Housing, Supports To Students In Addiction Recovery Ramapo To Offer Special Housing, Supports To Students In Addiction Recovery
Ramapo To Offer Special Housing, Supports To Students In Addiction Recovery MAHWAH, N.J. – Students recovering from drug or alcohol addiction will soon have a safe place to turn at Ramapo College of New Jersey in Mahwah. The college received a nearly $1 million state grant to fund a new program that will include recovery housing for up to 10 students and resources such as screening and intervention services, access to confidential psychological and addiction counseling services and substance-free activities. “With access to a recovery program and recovery housing, our recovering students will find structure, direction, and self-awareness while working to maintain a…

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by Lauren Kidd Ferguson
Events
Mahwah Program Shows Opioids' Destruction Of Users, Those Who Love Them Mahwah Program Shows Opioids' Destruction Of Users, Those Who Love Them
Mahwah Program Shows Opioids' Destruction Of Users, Those Who Love Them MAHWAH, N.J. – An award-winning film that shows the devastation of opioid addiction will be screened at Ramapo College later this month. Admission is free, but pre-registration is required to attend the 7 p.m. Jan. 31 on-campus screening of "Dying in Vein — The Opiate Generation," presented by the Mahwah Municipal Alliance in conjunction with township police and the college, at the Sharp Theater (Berrie Center). REGISTER: www.mahwahalliance.org Families will “leave the theater with a better understanding of the opioid epidemic that is occurring across our nation” after viewing fo…

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by Jerry DeMarco