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Three Prison Officers Charged Criminally In Vicious Beating Of Inmates At NJ Women’s Prison Three Prison Officers Charged Criminally In Vicious Beating Of Inmates At NJ Women’s Prison
Three Prison Officers Charged Criminally In Vicious Beating Of Inmates At NJ Women’s Prison One of three correctional police officers charged with severely beating and pepper-spraying inmates at New Jersey’s notorious women’s prison last month punched one of them in the face 28 times, state authorities said Thursday.  And it was all caught on video, they said. Sgt. Amir Bethea, Sgt. Anthony Valvano and Officer Lisando “Luis” Garcia were all charged with official misconduct for what Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal described as a vicious and unrelenting attack on several inmates at the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility for Women in Hunterdon County beginning shortly before mid…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
SEEN THIS? Middlesex Authorities Seek Sedan Involved In Fatal Shooting SEEN THIS? Middlesex Authorities Seek Sedan Involved In Fatal Shooting
Seen This? Middlesex Authorities Seek Sedan Involved In Fatal Shooting Authorities are seeking the public's help in locating a black sedan connected to a fatal shooting earlier this month. The Dec. 1 shooting resulted in the death of Dawson Bey, 20, of Bound Brook, according to Middlesex County Prosecutor Yolanda Ciccone and New Brunswick Police Director Anthony A. Caputo. At 8:13 p.m. on Dec. 1, New Brunswick police officers responded to Suydam Street and Throop Avenue in response to a fatal shooting. A black sedan spotted in the vicinity of the shooting pictured above) is believed to be involved, they said. The …

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by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
PHOTOS: Middlesex Volunteer Firefighter Hurt Battling Auto Shop Blaze PHOTOS: Middlesex Volunteer Firefighter Hurt Battling Auto Shop Blaze
Photos: Middlesex Volunteer Firefighter Hurt Battling Auto Shop Blaze A volunteer firefighter was injured battling a two-alarm blaze that extensively damaged an automotive shop and six vehicles in Central Jersey, authorities said. Middlesex Borough Police Department received a 9-1-1 call at 1:57 p.m. on Tuesday reporting a structure fire at Stoms ABS Automotive, 770 Bound Brook Road (Route 28), police said. When police officers arrived, the one-story building was completely engulfed in flames. All of the auto shop's employees escaped without injury, police said.  The Middlesex Fire Department arrived within minutes and immediately requested a second ala…

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by Jon Craig
News
Dozen Men Who Thought They Were Meeting Teens For Sex Busted In Undercover NJ Sting Dozen Men Who Thought They Were Meeting Teens For Sex Busted In Undercover NJ Sting
Dozen Men Who Thought They Were Meeting Teens For Sex Busted In Undercover NJ Sting The president of a financial institution and software engineer were among a dozen men who thought they were meeting a child for sex but instead, were arrested on the spot in an undercover New Jersey sting, authorities announced Tuesday, (scroll down for the complete list of defendants). The 12 men in "Operation Spotlight" thought they were meeting up with children they'd met on various social media platforms, but instead, were arrested at various pre-arranged locations across Somerset County between Oct. 15 and Oct. 18, Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson and U.S. Attorney/District of …

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by Cecilia Levine
News
CANCELLED: Risky Halloween Activities Banned In These North Jersey Towns CANCELLED: Risky Halloween Activities Banned In These North Jersey Towns
Cancelled: Risky Halloween Activities Banned In These North Jersey Towns While Gov. Phil Murphy gave trick-or-treating the green light this year, some towns are giving it the red light amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Halloween activities such as trick-or-treating, trunk-or-treating, parties, carnivals, or festivals with large crowds were banned in several towns. The first to do so was Bound Brook. The borough's OEM coordinator on Oct. 7 put out a memo saying trick-or-treating, trunk-or-treating, hay rides, haunted houses, parties and large gatherings would not be permitted. Virtual activities, drive-thru events and family activities were allowed, though. The f…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
5 Fugitives Wanted For Assaulting Officer, Drugs, More Nabbed In Somerset County 5 Fugitives Wanted For Assaulting Officer, Drugs, More Nabbed In Somerset County
5 Fugitives Wanted For Assaulting Officer, Drugs, More Nabbed In Somerset County One failed to appear in court. One assaulted a police officer. Others were charged with drug possession. All five fugitives were arrested in Somerset County and being in jail, authorities said. Members of the Somerset County Prosecutor’s Office Fugitive Task Force Unit apprehended the following five individuals Aug. 19, Prosecutor Michael H. Robertson said. Victor Sierra, 41, of Bound Brook: For a violation of probation on a 3rd degree Possession of CDS offense. Donald Bush, 43, of Raritan Borough: For failure to appear in Somerset County Superior Court on a 3rd degree Possessio…

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by Cecilia Levine
Business
Ulta Beauty To Close 19 Stores Ulta Beauty To Close 19 Stores
Ulta Beauty To Close 19 Stores Ulta Beauty announced plans to close 19 stores this year. Shops slated to get the ax have not been announced, but the beauty supplies chain has shops across New Jersey that could be impacted. Ulta Beauty top officials blamed COVID-19’s economic disruption as the reason for the cuts. Even while it closes some stores, Ulta Beauty has plans to open 30 more. Efforts will be made to transfer employees from closed shops to new or already existing ones, the company said in a press release. In New Jersey, Ulta has stores in Edgewater, Clifton, Maywood, Garfield, Cedar Knolls, Wayne, Montvale, L…

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by Kristin Palpini
Obituaries
'Tragic Loss': Bound Brook Mourns Death Of Vet Tech Kimberly Hancaviz, 31 'Tragic Loss': Bound Brook Mourns Death Of Vet Tech Kimberly Hancaviz, 31
'Tragic Loss': Bound Brook Mourns Death Of Vet Tech Kimberly Hancaviz, 31 The community is mourning the loss of a 31-year-old Bound Brook woman who died Sunday, June 21. Born in Plainfield, Kimberly Hancaviz graduated from South Bound Brook High School, where she was known for her role as a cheerleader, her obituary says. After high school, Kim earned a biology degree at College of St. Elizabeth, later furthering her higher education with a veterinary technology degree from Camden County College. With a deep passion for animals, Kim worked most recently as a vet tech for Progressive Veterinary Care in Skillman. She also loved spending time with loved ones, eatin…

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by Valerie Musson
Police & Fire
Authorities Smash California-To-NJ Pot Smuggling Ring Following Hackensack Traffic Stop Authorities Smash California-To-NJ Pot Smuggling Ring Following Hackensack Traffic Stop
Authorities Smash California-To-NJ Pot Smuggling Ring Following Hackensack Traffic Stop It began with a driver who Hackensack police said they caught with three large bags of pot and some THC during a traffic stop. It ended in the takedown of a Somerset County-based operation that authorities said shipped marijuana by the pound from California to New Jersey. Hackensack police said they found a five-gallon bucket containing bags of pot, along with the THC cartridges, when they stopped Victor I. Chihimie, 22, of Madison last month for a traffic violation. City police detectives quickly found that Chihimie “was receiving multiple suspicious packages [at] a residence on Edgew…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Somerset Teen Struck, Killed By Train Somerset Teen Struck, Killed By Train
Somerset Teen Struck, Killed By Train A teenage boy from Bridgewater was struck and killed by a commuter train on Memorial Day. The boy, described only as a minor, was struck by an eastbound Raritan Valley Line train west of the Bridgewater station shortly before 4:30 p.m. Monday, responders said. Six people were aboard the train, which left Raritan at 4:16 p.m. and was due to arrive at Newark’s Penn Station at 5:15 p.m. Services was suspended for more than 2½ hours between Raritan and Bound Brook. NJ Transit police were investigating.

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Lottery Ticket Good For $50K Sold In Somerset County Lottery Ticket Good For $50K Sold In Somerset County
Lottery Ticket Good For $50K Sold In Somerset County A winning New Jersey Lottery ticket was sold in Somerset County. The winning ticket from Wednesday's Powerball drawing was sold at ShopRite, 611 West Union Ave. in Bound Brook. One ticket matched four of the five white balls and the Powerball The winning numbers were: 18, 43, 58, 60 and 68. The Red Power Ball number was 14. The winner will take home $50,000.  The Powerball jackpot rolls to $100 million for the next drawing to be held Saturday.

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by Jon Craig
Police & Fire
SEEN HIM? Bound Brook Man Wanted For Two Separate Police Pursuits, Burglaries SEEN HIM? Bound Brook Man Wanted For Two Separate Police Pursuits, Burglaries
Seen HIM? Bound Brook Man Wanted For Two Separate Police Pursuits, Burglaries Authorities are seeking the public’s help locating a Bound Brook man wanted by police in two separate vehicle pursuits and a car burglary. Bridgewater Township Police say Nigel Hill, 22, led officers on a pursuit in a stolen vehicle on Hillcrest Road Tuesday, Feb. 4 after he was identified as a suspect in other home and vehicle burglaries. Hill did not obey officers’ commands to pull the vehicle over and was speeding, police say. The pursuit was ended on Washington Valley Road, and a follow-up investigation identified Hill as the suspect. The following day, Franklin Township Police locate…

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by Valerie Musson