Tag:

Clark, NJ

Watch Officer Who Doubles As Firefighter Pull Victim From Burning NJ Home Watch Officer Who Doubles As Firefighter Pull Victim From Burning NJ Home
Watch Officer Who Doubles As Firefighter Pull Victim From Burning NJ Home A New Jersey police officer who doubles as a firefighter saved a woman from a burning home, and it was all caught on his body-worn camera. Clark Fire Capt. Thomas Sweeney was working his shift as a Millburn police officer when a fire broke out at a home on Old Short Hills Road around 2:45 a.m. Sunday morning, Oct. 26. The bodyworn camera footage shows Sweeney, a Clark firefighter since August 2020, running into the home without protective fire gear. Sweeney then finds an elderly woman trapped and pulls her to safety. Firefighters said all other occupants had already escaped and that the fi…
LA Fitness Stabbing: Boxcutter-Wielding Suspect From Union County In Custody, Cops Say LA Fitness Stabbing: Boxcutter-Wielding Suspect From Union County In Custody, Cops Say
LA Fitness Stabbing: Boxcutter-Wielding Suspect From Union County In Custody, Cops Say A 22-year-old Scotch Plains resident was arrested and charged on Monday, Sept. 9, with attempted murder after he stabbed another man with a boxcutter at an LA Fitness in Clark on Sunday, authorities said. Officers responded to the LA Fitness at 1255 Raritan Rd. and located the victim, while the perpetrator, Antonio Lampon, fled from the scene before law enforcement arrived, Clark police said in a release. The victim was transported to a nearby hospital where he was treated and released, police said. Lampon was charged with attempted murder, multiple counts of aggravated assault and multiple…
Unlicensed Motorcyclist Charged With Murder In Crash That Killed UDel Freshman From NJ Unlicensed Motorcyclist Charged With Murder In Crash That Killed UDel Freshman From NJ
Unlicensed Motorcyclist Charged With Murder In Crash That Killed UDel Freshman From NJ A 27-year-old Newark, DE man has been charged with murder in the crash that killed an 18-year-old University of Delaware freshman from New Jersey. Brian Briddle was identified as the operator of the motorcycle that an officer had tried stopping before he sped off at East Main Street west of South Chapel Street just before midnight on Wednesday, Aug. 27, city police said. Briddle struck Noelia Gomez, who was in a crosswalk on West Main Street west of North College Avenue, police said. Gomez, of Clark, was a first-year student at the university, UDel said in a statement. The motorcyclist was…
Drunk Driver Going 114 MPH Sentenced For Garden State Parkway Crash That Killed Amazon Worker Drunk Driver Going 114 MPH Sentenced For Garden State Parkway Crash That Killed Amazon Worker
Drunk Driver Going 114 MPH Sentenced For Garden State Parkway Crash That Killed Amazon Worker A 47-year-old Newark man was sentenced to 12 years in prison on Friday, July 19, for a deadly 2021 crash on the Garden State Parkway where he was driving intoxicated at 114 mph, authorities said. On Feb. 15, 2021, Rolando Godwin was driving a Range Rover when he struck a Lexus SUV driven by Christopher Meikle, a 46-year-old East Orange resident, causing his car to be engulfed in flames on the Garden State Parkway in Clark, Union County Prosecutor William Daniel said. Following the crash, Godwin requested he be transported away from the scene, indicating he was prepared to offer an unsp…
Mugshot Released, Attempted Murder Charge For 79-Year-Old Man In NJ SWAT Standoff Mugshot Released, Attempted Murder Charge For 79-Year-Old Man In NJ SWAT Standoff
Mugshot Released, Attempted Murder Charge For 79-Year-Old Man In NJ SWAT Standoff Charges have been filed against a 79-year-old Union County man who was arrested after a SWAT standoff early Wednesday, July 2. Kenneth Kutyla, of Clark, has been charged with first-degree attempted murder, second-degree aggravated assault, aggravated assault with a firearm, and possession of a firearm for unlawful purpose, local police said. At 12:31 a.m., officers responded to 9 Stanton St. on a report of shots fired, Clark police said in a release. An investigation found Kutyla had barricaded himself with a weapon inside, police said. Union County Special Weapons and Tactics responded to…
NJ Family Bakery Closing After 50 Years NJ Family Bakery Closing After 50 Years
NJ Family Bakery Closing After 50 Years A 50-year-old New Jersey bakery is days away from closing. Vaccaro's Bakery in Clark's last day in business will be Sunday, April 21, the owners announced on Facebook. "It has been an incredible journey, filled with sweet memories and cherished moments shared with each and every one of you," owners Vinny and Eileen Vaccaro said. "The decision to close comes with mixed emotions, but it is time for us, the owners, to embark on a new chapter in our lives. As we retire, we reflect on the joy and satisfaction this bakery has brought us over the years." The Clarkton Drive bakery dates back to t…
Where Is Central Jersey? Monmouth U. Poll Finds Answers To NJ's Tricky Regional Debate Where Is Central Jersey? Monmouth U. Poll Finds Answers To NJ's Tricky Regional Debate
Where Is Central Jersey? Monmouth U. Poll Finds Answers To NJ's Tricky Regional Debate Monmouth University pollsters have tried to answer a question that has been hard to solve for many in the Garden State: Where is Central Jersey exactly? The Monmouth University Polling Institute released a survey on Tuesday, Apr. 16 that asked New Jerseyans what region they live in and if they believe their region gets a fair share of state resources. The pollsters also asked people to pick their favorite convenience store. According to the poll, 41 percent of New Jerseyans said they live in North Jersey, 34 percent said they're in Central Jersey, and 23 percent said they're from South…
140 Shopping Carts Stolen From Rochelle Park ShopRite: Man, 77, Younger Pal Busted 140 Shopping Carts Stolen From Rochelle Park ShopRite: Man, 77, Younger Pal Busted
140 Shopping Carts Stolen From Rochelle Park ShopRite: Man, 77, Younger Pal Busted A 77-year-old Cuban national and a middle-aged accomplice from Newark were arrested after 140 shopping carts were stolen from the Rochelle Park ShopRite over the course of two weeks, authorities said. The carts began vanishing from the parking lot of the West Passaic Street supermarket on March 27, Rochelle Park Police Capt. James M. DePreta said.By early this week, 140 were gone, the captain said. Total value: $28,000 (or $200 per).  Reviewing surveillance video with supermarket security, Rochelle Park Detective Sgt. Jared Shatkin and Detective Nick Mercoun identified a distinctive r…
WINNERS: 3 Mega Millions Lottery Tickets Worth $10K Each Sold In North Jersey WINNERS: 3 Mega Millions Lottery Tickets Worth $10K Each Sold In North Jersey
Winners: 3 Mega Millions Lottery Tickets Worth $10K Each Sold In North Jersey Three winning Mega Millions tickets each worth $10,000 were sold in North Jersey. The third-tier prizewinning tickets from the Friday, July 28 drawing matched four of the five white balls and the Gold Mega Ball drawn winning the $10,000 prize. Those tickets were sold at: Morris County: Garden State News, 43 Main St., Madison Passaic County: Jackpocket, 355 Warwick Tpke., Hewitt Union County: Quick Chek #23, 186 Westfield Ave., Clark The winning numbers for the Friday, July 28, drawing were: 05, 10, 28, 52 and 63. The Gold Mega Ball was 18, and the Megaplier Multiplier was 05. The Me…
New Tenants Announced At Bergen Town Center New Tenants Announced At Bergen Town Center
New Tenants Announced At Bergen Town Center Some new stores are sweetening up the Bergen Town Center.  Crumbl Cookies is one of several new stores opening at the shopping center in Paramus.  The cookie shop has been expanding throughout the Garden State, with locations in Holmdel, Ocean Township, Clark and Cherry Hill. Another store coming to Bergen Town Center is Haagen Daaz. This will be the second Haagen Daaz location in Paramus, with another at the Westfield Garden State Plaza.  Also set to open at the Bergen Town Center is Journeys, which sells footwear for teens, Perfumania, a fragrance retailer and Bond V…
Ambulance Service Suspended After Patient Dies Of Injuries From NJ Crash: State Officials Ambulance Service Suspended After Patient Dies Of Injuries From NJ Crash: State Officials
Ambulance Service Suspended After Patient Dies Of Injuries From NJ Crash: State Officials A private ambulance company has been suspended from operating in New Jerse after a fatal crash last fall. The company's suspension is subject to further investigation by the New Jersey Department of Health An unrestrained patient later died of injuries from the crash on a non-emergency transport. The ambulance struck a telephone pole in the single-vehicle crash on Oct. 22, 2022, in Clark. On Oct. 31, 2022, the state Office of Emergency Medical Services (OEMS) received notification that the patient injured in the crash died of injuries from the crash, the state said in a Jan. 6 letter.…
Netflix Documentary Details NJ Killer's Fall From Fame Netflix Documentary Details NJ Killer's Fall From Fame
Netflix Documentary Details NJ Killer's Fall From Fame "Smash, smash, suh-mash" were the three magic words that gave Kai Lawrence the opportunity to turn his life around in 2013. Now, the 34-year-old Canadian nomad is serving a 57-year prison sentence for murder in New Jersey, and his story is the center of a newly-released Netflix documentary: The Hatchet Wielding Hitchhiker. Kai, whose real name is Caleb McGillvary, went viral in a 2013 news clip detailing how he saved a woman from her attacker, hitting him thrice over the head with his hatchet. Kai's heroic act and laid-back attitude made the vigilante an overnight star. News stations …
Paramus Barnes & Noble To Close Paramus Barnes & Noble To Close
Paramus Barnes & Noble To Close The Paramus Barnes & Noble will close after 28 years. The Route 17 bookstore's last day in business will be Feb. 11, but the store hopes to find a new location. "We wish we could have served the community from this location for many, many more years, but the landlord has chosen not to renew our lease and will be redeveloping the site,” the Facebook post reads. "It has truly been our honor and privilege to be your bookseller in Paramus for the last 28 years." The Clark Barnes & Noble shuttered last April. The news in Paramus left customers shocked and saddened. "I spent hundreds o…
Unique Tattoo Makes ID’ing Suspect In Tri-County Crime Spree Simple, Police In North Jersey Say Unique Tattoo Makes ID’ing Suspect In Tri-County Crime Spree Simple, Police In North Jersey Say
Unique Tattoo Makes ID’ing Suspect In Tri-County Crime Spree Simple, Police In North Jersey Say When it comes to distinguishing marks, it's tough to beat an enormous butterfly-skull neck tattoo. It helped police identify an 18-year-old Newark man charged with breaking into homes or vehicles in no fewer than three North Jersey counties. Authorities in Rochelle Park became the latest to charge Zaire Gaskins, with police in even more towns possibly following. ROCHELLE PARK: Gaskins and two accomplices tried taking a BMW from a residence on West Oldis Street on Sept. 18, Police Lt. James DePreta said. When they couldn’t find the keys inside the vehicle, one of them unsuccessfully tried t…
Buddies In Stolen BMW Tried Burglarizing Cars In North Jersey: Police Buddies In Stolen BMW Tried Burglarizing Cars In North Jersey: Police
Buddies In Stolen BMW Tried Burglarizing Cars In North Jersey: Police A pair of men have been arrested on multiple charges for trying to break into a BMW while driving another stolen BMW, authorities said. On Thursday, Sept. 22, at 6:01 p.m., a Secaucus resident called the Secaucus Police Department and reported that an individual attempted to burglarize his BMW X5 parked on Humboldt Street and Centre Avenue. The individual did not make entry into the vehicle but fled the area in a BMW 750 that was waiting in the area with several other suspects inside, according to Secaucus Police Chief Dennis Miller. During the investigation, the BMW 750 was discovere…
Seven $10K Mega Millions Tickets Sold At These New Jersey Retailers Seven $10K Mega Millions Tickets Sold At These New Jersey Retailers
Seven $10K Mega Millions Tickets Sold At These New Jersey Retailers Seven winning Mega Millions tickets each worth $10,000 were sold across New Jersey. The winning numbers from the Friday, July 22 drawing were: 14, 40, 60, 64, and 66. The Gold Mega Ball was 16, and the Megaplier Multiplier was 03. ALSO SEE: $3M Mega Millions Lottery Ticket Sold At NJ Wawa The tickets were sold at the following locations: Bergen County: 7-Eleven #33475, 357 Market St., Elmwood Park; Burlington County: Applegreen Cooper, NJ Turnpike Milepost 39 North, Mount Laurel; Cumberland County: Garden Truck Stop, 2114 W. Garden Rd., Vineland; Ocean County: Quick Chek #113, 2307 …
WINNER: $3M Mega Millions Lottery Ticket Sold At NJ Wawa WINNER: $3M Mega Millions Lottery Ticket Sold At NJ Wawa
Winner: $3M Mega Millions Lottery Ticket Sold At NJ Wawa There was one second-tier prizewinning ticket sold for the Friday, July 22, Mega Million lottery drawing. That ticket matched five of the five white balls drawn winning the $1 million prize. That ticket was purchased with the Megaplier option, multiplying the prize to $3 million, and was purchased at Wawa #457, 436 Oakshade Rd., Vincentown in Burlington County. In addition to the second-tier prize won, seven players matched four of the five white balls and the Mega Ball drawn winning the $10,000 third-tier prize.  Those tickets were sold at the following locations: Bergen County: 7…
$50K Powerball Ticket Sold At Union County ShopRite $50K Powerball Ticket Sold At Union County ShopRite
$50K Powerball Ticket Sold At Union County ShopRite A Powerball ticket good for $50,000 was sold in Union County. The ticket from the Saturday, June 18 drawing was sold at ShopRite in Clark. The winning numbers were: 10, 19, 40, 45, and 58. The Red Power Ball number was 25. The Power Play was 2X.  There were 29,255 other New Jersey players who took home an estimated $148,934 in prizes ranging from $4 to $200.  The Powerball jackpot rolls to $296 million for the Monday, June 20, drawing.
NJ Pharmacist Needed Double Lung Transplant But Insurance Denied It — Now He's Gone NJ Pharmacist Needed Double Lung Transplant But Insurance Denied It — Now He's Gone
NJ Pharmacist Needed Double Lung Transplant But Insurance Denied It — Now He's Gone John Jukić's family says he would still be alive today had his insurance company granted him the double lung transplant he needed back in April. The 46-year-old Clark dad and Colonia pharmacist suffered lung damage from COVID-19 he contracted last October, and needed a double lung transplant. His only hope was a double lung transplant, his wife Mirla said. However, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Illinois apparently denied him the life-saving treatment, and while his family was in the process of appealing the decision, John on Monday, June 13. Blue Cross Blue Shield did not immediately resp…
Class Action Suit Filed Against NJ Company Who Reported 'Forever Chemicals' In Water: Report Class Action Suit Filed Against NJ Company Who Reported 'Forever Chemicals' In Water: Report
Class Action Suit Filed Against NJ Company Who Reported 'Forever Chemicals' In Water: Report More than 60,000 homeowners may be eligible to sue a Central Jersey water company over high levels of "forever chemicals" found in their water, NJ Advance Media reported. Middlesex Water customers in Woodbridge, Clark, Metuchen, South Plainfield, Carteret, and Edison can join a class action lawsuit after high levels of Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOAs) were detected at a South Plainfield treatment plant, the outlet said. While the company advised customers to use bottled water, the lawsuit, which seeks reimbursement costs, says it neglected to adequately warn all residents, specifically tenant…
North Jersey High School Placed On Lockdown After Student Shows Up With Gun: Police North Jersey High School Placed On Lockdown After Student Shows Up With Gun: Police
North Jersey High School Placed On Lockdown After Student Shows Up With Gun: Police A Union County high school was placed on lockdown when a student brought handgun to school Friday, March 4, authorities said. The Arthur L. Johnson High School student was taken into custody and the firearm was recovered, Clark police said. Members of the Union County Prosecutor’s Office, Union County Police Department and Union County Sheriff’s Office responded to help secure the building. The juvenile student was arrested on weapons related offenses.
NJ Powerball Players Win $150K NJ Powerball Players Win $150K
NJ Powerball Players Win $150K A pair of Powerball players combined to win $150,000 in Saturday's game, New Jersey Lottery officials said. One lucky ticket matched four of the five white balls and the Powerball drawn to win the $50,000 third-tier prize. That ticket was purchased with the Power Play option, multiplying the prize to $100,000.  The winning ticket was sold at Rotundo’s Liquors Deli & Food, 1040 Lake Dr., Clark in Union County. The winning numbers for the Saturday, Jan. 15, drawing were: 03, 18, 37, 51, and 59. The Red Power Ball number was 13. The Power Play was 2X.  Double Play Results One …
NJ ShopRite Worker Stabs Coworker In Deli NJ ShopRite Worker Stabs Coworker In Deli
NJ ShopRite Worker Stabs Coworker In Deli A 57-year-old ShopRite worker is facing an attempted murder charge after she stabbed a colleague at a New Jersey store Sunday, authorities said. Melissa Prince, of Edison, stabbed the female victim multiple times during an apparent fight at the Clark store around 3:45 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 2, local police said. The victim was rushed to University Hospital in Newark where she was in critical but stable condition on Monday, authorities said. Another store employee and off-duty state trooper were among the first responders, ShopRite officials told NJ Advance Media.
Potentially Harmful Chemicals Found In NJ Drinking Water Potentially Harmful Chemicals Found In NJ Drinking Water
Potentially Harmful Chemicals Found In NJ Drinking Water A New Jersey water company warned customers of potentially toxic chemicals in the drinking water Monday. The level of Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) in the water of all its customers in Carteret, Clark, Edison, Metuchen, South Plainfield and Woodbridge had exceeded acceptable regulatory standards, Middlesex Water Company said in a notice. Chemicals in PFOA have been linked to cancer. Middlesex Water in September was notified that PFOA samples were found at the treatment facility in South Plainfield. "Because we exceeded a drinking water standard, we were required to provide notice to custo…
NJSP: Driver, 70, Killed In Labor Day Weekend Crash On Garden State Parkway NJSP: Driver, 70, Killed In Labor Day Weekend Crash On Garden State Parkway
Njsp: Driver, 70, Killed In Labor Day Weekend Crash On Garden State Parkway UPDATE: A 70-year-old driver from Middlesex County was killed in a Labor Day weekend crash on the Garden State Parkway, authorities confirmed. The mid-2000 model Ford 500 sedan driven by Rick Attanasio, ran off the road in the southbound lanes at the Exit 137 ramp in Cranford and hit a metal traffic post before slamming into a tree at noon Saturday, New Jersey State Police Sgt. Philip Curry said. A medical chopper landed on the Parkway but was dismissed after Cranford firefighters extricated Attanasio. State Police were investigating the cause, Curry said. The crash occurred around no…
Getaway Driver In 7-County North Jersey Holdup Spree Heads To Federal Prison Getaway Driver In 7-County North Jersey Holdup Spree Heads To Federal Prison
Getaway Driver In 7-County North Jersey Holdup Spree Heads To Federal Prison The wheelman in nearly two dozen gas station and convenience store armed robberies in North Jersey was sent to federal prison for at least nine years. Meshach Whagar, 31, of Newark must serve just about all of the 110-month sentence handed down in U.S. District Court in Newark on Wednesday because there’s no parole in the federal prison system. Whager admitted late last year that he drove the getaway car during the 20 predawn holdups in seven counties -- Bergen, Passaic, Hudson, Essex, Middlesex, Morris and Union -- in November and December of 2017 (see list of locations below). The gunman…
NJ Mom Who Lost Battle With Ovarian Cancer Had Unique Request For Funeral Service NJ Mom Who Lost Battle With Ovarian Cancer Had Unique Request For Funeral Service
NJ Mom Who Lost Battle With Ovarian Cancer Had Unique Request For Funeral Service A New Jersey mom of two who lost her battle with ovarian cancer at the age of 42 had a quirky request for guests attending her funeral. Melissa Anne Nancy Rhodes died May 16 after being diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 2018, according to a GoFundMe that documented her difficult journey. Born in Hoboken, Rhodes was a lifelong resident of Roselle Park, her obituary says. Rhodes earned an Associate’s degree in Liberal Arts Secondary Education from Union County College and a Bachelor’s in history from the College of NJ. Rhodes later worked in Human Resources at Target in Clark and Linden — an…
DWI Clark Driver Incessantly Honking Horn Refused To Cooperate With Officers, Hoboken PD Says DWI Clark Driver Incessantly Honking Horn Refused To Cooperate With Officers, Hoboken PD Says
DWI Clark Driver Incessantly Honking Horn Refused To Cooperate With Officers, Hoboken PD Says A Clark woman who continued wailing on her car horn even after an officer warned her to stop had been drinking, authorities in Hoboken said. Officer Tyrone Huggins was standing near 2nd and Garden Street when he heard a continuous blowing of a car horn around 6 p.m. last Friday, Det. Lt. Danilo Cabrera said. The sound was coming from a silver Mazda in bumper-to-bumper traffic, and so Huggins gave the driver -- Janet Tung, 41, a verbal warning, Cabrera said. Tung did not stop honking, though, and so Huggins approached and signaled for her to stop, police said. Tung did not immedi…
Duck Donuts Opening Paramus Store This Weekend Duck Donuts Opening Paramus Store This Weekend
Duck Donuts Opening Paramus Store This Weekend Duck Donuts is days away from opening its new Paramus store. The doughnut shop will open sometime on Saturday, March 13 in the Sprout Brook Shopping Center on Route 17 north, according to a Facebook announcement. The Pennsylvania-based company touts itself as the fastest-growing doughnut chain in the U.S. Duck Donuts has dozens of locations across the U.S., including ones in Middletown, Green Brook, and Clark, New Jersey. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Duck Donuts (@duckdonuts) The shop is known for its freshly-made vanilla…
Maria Midrano Of Clark, 47, Remembered As Devoted Mom, Loving Wife Maria Midrano Of Clark, 47, Remembered As Devoted Mom, Loving Wife
Maria Midrano Of Clark, 47, Remembered As Devoted Mom, Loving Wife Maria Midrano of Clark died on Feb. 16, 2021, surrounded by her family. She was 47 years old. Born in Plainfield and raised in Scotch Plains, Maria graduated from Seton Hall University with her Bachelor's in psychology, her obituary says. Her obituary remembers her as a devoted mom who enjoyed baking for her family, and was loved by all. Maria is survived by her husband, Ken Midrano; son Michael and Brandon; parents Pasquale and Concetta (Stramaglia) Agnone; her brothers and sister, Steve Agnone, Enzo Agone and Linda Piesco; along with a host of nieces, nephews and dear friends. Serv…
Prosecutor Details How Driver Caused Deadly Parkway Crash Then Tried To Cover It Up Prosecutor Details How Driver Caused Deadly Parkway Crash Then Tried To Cover It Up
Prosecutor Details How Driver Caused Deadly Parkway Crash Then Tried To Cover It Up A 43-year-old Newark man has been charged with causing a deadly crash earlier this week on the Garden State Parkway then trying to cover up his role in it, authorities said. Ronaldo Godwin was heading southbound behind the wheel of a Range Rover when he struck a Lexus SUV driven by Christopher Meikle, of East Orange, at a high rate of speed around 2:45 a.m. Feb. 15,  members of the Union County Prosecutors Office said. Responding New Jersey State troopers found 46-year-old Meikle's SUV engulfed in flames near the highway's center median shortly before 2:45 a.m. near mile marker 136 in …