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Obituaries
Larry Burdett, Ex-Chief And Longtime Member Of The Verona FD, Dies Larry Burdett, Ex-Chief And Longtime Member Of The Verona FD, Dies
Larry Burdett, Ex-Chief And Longtime Member Of The Verona FD, Dies Larry Burdett, who followed in his father’s footsteps and served as a firefighter in Verona for decades, has died, the township’s fire department said Thursday. Burdett, who celebrated a birthday Thursday, failed to show up for work, first responders told Daily Voice. He was found at home by police sent on a welfare check. A lifelong Verona resident, Burdett attended F.N. Brown and H.B. Whitehorne schools before graduating from Verona High School in 1969, according to his bio on the Old Verona web page. He was also an Eagle Scout with Troop 5. Burdett joined the Verona Auxiliary Fire De…

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by Paul Milo
Police & Fire
WATCH: Retiring N. Bergen Police Detective Gets Special Sendoff WATCH: Retiring N. Bergen Police Detective Gets Special Sendoff
Watch: Retiring N. Bergen Police Detective Gets Special Sendoff Members of the North Bergen Police Department held a "walkout ceremony" Wednesday for one of their own, Detective Benjamin Ortega. who is retiring after nearly a 20-year career.  Due to what the department described only as "special circumstances," however, the department added a little twist: they brought the ceremony to him, with an honor guard winding through the streets of the township. "Detective Ortega always arrived at work with a positive attitude and always gave 100 percent to his co-workers and the people of North Bergen. As a result of his dedication to duty, Detective Ortega wa…

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by Paul Milo
Police & Fire
Glen Rock Honors Police Motorcycle Unit's Founder, Retired Sergeant Turned Crossing Guard Glen Rock Honors Police Motorcycle Unit's Founder, Retired Sergeant Turned Crossing Guard
Glen Rock Honors Police Motorcycle Unit's Founder, Retired Sergeant Turned Crossing Guard Glen Rock Police Officer Adam Pyatak has made a lasting mark in the borough as the “driving” force behind the department’s motorcycle unit. In return, the borough’s governing body recently honored him, along with a retired sergeant who's become a beloved crossing guard. A Glen Rock native, Pyatak joined the borough’s auxiliary police as a volunteer in 1993, and in 1996 was promoted to sergeant. He became a full-fledged borough officer in 1999 and was assigned to the patrol division, of which he’s now the senior officer. Pyatak literally built the Motor Unit’s first ride, completely refurb…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Distinguished Heritage: Grandson Of USR's First Police Chief Promoted -- On Grandad's Birthday Distinguished Heritage: Grandson Of USR's First Police Chief Promoted -- On Grandad's Birthday
Distinguished Heritage: Grandson Of USR's First Police Chief Promoted -- On Grandad's Birthday SHOUT OUT: The grandson of Upper Saddle River’s very first police chief was officially promoted to sergeant on his late grandfather’s birthday. New Sgt. Kenneth Osborne began his career in 1997 as a dispatcher. After working briefly with the Haworth Police Department, he joined the Upper Saddle River force as a patrol officer. Chief Patrick Rotella called Osborne, who’s been a traffic officer the past five years, “an extremely dedicated and hard-working individual with an in-depth knowledge of the law enforcement profession. “His work in the field undoubtedly has helped to make our commun…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Lifestyle
Bourdain, Donovan Among North Jersey Residents Nominated For NJ Hall Of Fame Bourdain, Donovan Among North Jersey Residents Nominated For NJ Hall Of Fame
Bourdain, Donovan Among North Jersey Residents Nominated For NJ Hall Of Fame Chris Rock, Anthony Bourdain and Anne Donovan are among the many North Jersey natives nominated for the New Jersey Hall of Fame's 11th class. The organization announced its list of 50 nominees Friday. Inductees will be announced in January 2019. The five categories are Arts & Letters, Enterprise, Performing Arts, Public Service and Sports. Here are the nominees from Bergen and Passaic counties: Stephen Crane, of Paterson (novelist) Joyce Kilmer, of Mahwah (poet/writer) Anne Morrow Lindbergh, of Englewood (author/aviator) Anthony Bourdain, of Leonia and Dwight-Englewood grad …

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Final Walkout: Maywood Police Chief David Pegg Gets Raucous Send-Off Final Walkout: Maywood Police Chief David Pegg Gets Raucous Send-Off
Final Walkout: Maywood Police Chief David Pegg Gets Raucous Send-Off He tried to prevent it, but there was no way retired Maywood Police Chief David Pegg wasn't getting a stylish send-off as he left headquarters as the borough's top cop for the last time. Pegg was feted on his final walkout Friday by dozens of first-responder colleagues -- some from neighboring towns -- who clapped, rang noisemakers and tossed confetti (see photos, video above). The unassuming public servant didn't want a fuss. "They scheduled the walkout at 4:30," he said. "I told them I'll leave at 1:30 instead." A lifelong borough resident, Pegg, 62, was with the dep…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
HERO: Mahwah Police Officer's Bone Marrow Donation Saves Life Of Woman With Leukemia HERO: Mahwah Police Officer's Bone Marrow Donation Saves Life Of Woman With Leukemia
Hero: Mahwah Police Officer's Bone Marrow Donation Saves Life Of Woman With Leukemia Talk about public service: The side effects were rough, but new Mahwah Police Officer Michael Dombroski eagerly donated bone marrow for a transplant that saved the life of a woman with leukemia. Dombroski, who transferred to the department from Carlstadt earlier this year, was donating blood while attending the Bergen County Police Academy when he decided in December 2016 to submit a buccal swab for DNA testing for possible entrance into the blood donor program at Hackensack University Medical Center, Police Chief James N. Batelli said. “A short while ago he was contacted by medical profess…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Off-Duty Wayne Police Recruit, Fiancée Rescue Owner Whose Boat Caught Fire Off-Duty Wayne Police Recruit, Fiancée Rescue Owner Whose Boat Caught Fire
Off-Duty Wayne Police Recruit, Fiancée Rescue Owner Whose Boat Caught Fire An off-duty Wayne police recruit and his fiancée rescued a homeowner who was severely burned when his boat caught fire, authorities said. The Alps Road victim was taken to St. Barnabas Hospital in Livingston after trying to douse the 10:30 a.m. fire himself on Thursday, Detective Capt. Laurence Martin said. Township police recruit Al-Raheem Thomas was traveling on Alps Road with his fiancée -- Unique Zapata, who's a member of the Wayne Memorial Volunteer First Aid Squad -- when they spotted smoke, Martin said. Thomas pulled over, ran to the back of the house and found the boat ablaze, the …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Teaneck Appoints Acting Fire Chief Jordan Zaretsky Teaneck Appoints Acting Fire Chief Jordan Zaretsky
Teaneck Appoints Acting Fire Chief Jordan Zaretsky TEANECK, N.J. -- With their designee as fire chief declining the job, Teaneck officials appointed Deputy Chief Jordan Zaretsky to the position of acting chief. Browning declined hours before Tuesday's Council meeting, at which he was to be appointed. Instead, four public servants were promoted: New Deputy Chief Joseph Berchtold, new Battalion Chief Sean Mackey, new Capt. Edward Gallone and new Lt. Sergio Caamano. Zaretsky, who has a master's degree in Business Administration and Management from Montclair State University, is a 23-year veteran of the department who was appointed to the depu…

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by Jerry DeMarco