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Authorities: Fugitive Leader Of Crew That Burglarized Homes In NJ, Long Island, CT Captured Authorities: Fugitive Leader Of Crew That Burglarized Homes In NJ, Long Island, CT Captured
Authorities: Fugitive Leader Of Crew That Burglarized Homes In NJ, Long Island, CT Captured The accused leader of a burglary ring that stole more than $1 million in cash, jewelry, electronics and more from homes in North Jersey, Connecticut and on Long Island was captured at a Jersey City motel, authorities confirmed. Bryan Leandro Herrera Maldonado, 24, fought with his captors before being subdued, they said. Authorities in January arrested three other accused members of the elaborate Queens-based Chilean burglary crew, who they said targeted luxury homes from Long Island’s North Shore to Miami and California. They were identified as Boneek Alexander Quintero-Baeza, 33, Levy Fra…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
AG: Real Estate Company Settles Rent Discrimination Lawsuit AG: Real Estate Company Settles Rent Discrimination Lawsuit
AG: Real Estate Company Settles Rent Discrimination Lawsuit A major real estate company has settled a complaint for discriminating against a tenant based on income, according to Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal. The manager of a 237-unit apartment complex in North Jersey has agreed to pay a former prospective tenant $30,000 to resolve allegations the company unlawfully rejected him because he planned to pay with federal Section 8 housing assistance, Grewal said on Friday. Tower Management Services, L.P., which manages Ivy Lane Apartments in Bergenfield and at least 17 other apartment complexes, also has agreed to make significant policy change…

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by Jon Craig
News
'Cause For Concern': State Police Looking To ID, Charge Drivers In Parkway Trump Parade 'Cause For Concern': State Police Looking To ID, Charge Drivers In Parkway Trump Parade
'Cause For Concern': State Police Looking To ID, Charge Drivers In Parkway Trump Parade Authorities in New Jersey are working to identify and charge drivers who participated in Sunday's "Jews For Trump" caravan that backed up parts of the Garden State Parkway for miles, NJSP Col. Pat Callahan said Monday. "When [people] endanger the ways of those traveling on highways and byways, there really are no excuses for it," he said during Gov. Phil Murphy's COVID-19 briefing. "It gave us great cause for concern." The parade through Westchester, NY and North Jersey stopped traffic on the Gov. Mario M. Cuomo Bridge and for. nearly five miles along the Garden State Parkway. No cita…

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by Cecilia Levine
Lifestyle
North Jersey Native Stars In Newly Released Movie 'From The Vine' North Jersey Native Stars In Newly Released Movie 'From The Vine'
North Jersey Native Stars In Newly Released Movie 'From The Vine' A North Jersey native who won an Emmy for his role in "The Sopranos" is the lead in a new movie released this week. "From The Vine" -- out Friday, Oct. 9 -- stars Joe Pantoliano, who was born in Hoboken and raised in Cliffside Park. You may recognize Pantoliano from his role as Ralph Cifaretto on HBO's "The Sopranos," which won him the an Emmy for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series. He also appeared in "The Matrix," "The Goonies," "Bad Boys" and more. Directed by Sean Cisterna, "From The Vine" follows Pantoliano as downtrodden Marco Gentile, who returns to his hometown in …

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Elections Clerk: Machine Error Mailed Some Bergen County Voters Ballot With Wrong Candidates Elections Clerk: Machine Error Mailed Some Bergen County Voters Ballot With Wrong Candidates
Elections Clerk: Machine Error Mailed Some Bergen County Voters Ballot With Wrong Candidates New Jersey has a vote-by-mail election -- what could possibly go wrong? The same day that a North Jersey mail carrier was charged with dumping 1,800 pieces of mail including elections ballots, the Bergen County Elections Clerk issued a letter saying some residents had been mailed ballots with the wrong candidates. A programming error by an outside vendor sent some Teaneck voters ballots with the wrong candidates for the House of Representatives for the upcoming general election, according to a letter issued to residents Wednesday. "The Board of Elections has been made aware and alread…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Former NJ Catholic School Chaplain Charged With Endangering Welfare Of Students Former NJ Catholic School Chaplain Charged With Endangering Welfare Of Students
Former NJ Catholic School Chaplain Charged With Endangering Welfare Of Students A priest and former chaplain of a North Jersey Catholic school was arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of six students, authorities announced Thursday. Salvatore DiStefano, 61, who most recently resided at Our Lady of Peace Roman Catholic Church New Providence, is charged with engaging in a pattern of behavior that threatened the welfare of six Oratory Preparatory School students, acting Union County Prosecutor Lyndsay V. Ruotolo said. DiStefano -- known to students as "Father Sal" -- was placed on leave last January pending an investigation.  He is the fourth …

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Hudson 'Runner' In $3.5M Accident Insurance Fraud Scheme Gets Year And Day In Federal Prison Hudson 'Runner' In $3.5M Accident Insurance Fraud Scheme Gets Year And Day In Federal Prison
Hudson 'Runner' In $3.5M Accident Insurance Fraud Scheme Gets Year And Day In Federal Prison A Hudson County man is headed to federal prison for a plea-bargained year and a day for recruiting accident victims for an insurance fraud racket that racked up $3.5 million in bogus medical bills. Luis G. Aguirre, 57, of Kearny admitted in March that he worked as a “runner,” steering accident victims to various chiropractors, medical imaging centers and others who billed PIP insurance plans for medically unnecessary services. Health care providers gave Aguirre $500 in cash for each victim he delivered, U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito said. Aguirre and an employee from an auto body shop…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Business
Cheeseburger In Paradise Closes Last Location -- Located In North Jersey Cheeseburger In Paradise Closes Last Location -- Located In North Jersey
Cheeseburger In Paradise Closes Last Location -- Located In North Jersey Cheeseburger in Paradise has closed its last location, located in North Jersey. The eatery at 700 Plaza Dr., in Secaucus closed in March due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The restaurant's website had been disabled as of Tuesday evening. The eatery's parent company Luby's -- which also operates Fuddruckers and Luby’s Cafeteria, both to be sold -- earlier this month approved plans to have its assets sold and liquidated.

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by Cecilia Levine
Business
Rutt's Hut In Clifton Named Best Hot Dog In America Rutt's Hut In Clifton Named Best Hot Dog In America
Rutt's Hut In Clifton Named Best Hot Dog In America North Jersey residents don't have to go far for the best hot dog in the U.S. The ever-popular Ripper from the River Road eatery eatery was named the cream of the crop by food website the Daily Meal. "This iconic wiener starts as a normal hot dog that is then deep-fried, causing the crispy casing to split," the website said.  "But the key to this dish's success is in the sauce — or relish, to be exact. Rutt’s Hut has a secret recipe for the garnish, which includes a mixture of mustard and spices." The original Rutt's Hut stand opened in 1928 and quickly gained popularity for their crunchy…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Fighter Jets Intercept Planes In North Jersey No-Fly Zones During Trump's Visit Fighter Jets Intercept Planes In North Jersey No-Fly Zones During Trump's Visit
Fighter Jets Intercept Planes In North Jersey No-Fly Zones During Trump's Visit Fighter jets twice intercepted private planes that flew into no-fly zones in North Jersey during President Donald Trump's visit to the Trump National Golf Course over the weekend, according to federal officials. The North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAND) dispatched an AF-15 fighter jet to intercept a Cessna 172 that entered the restricted space set up in Morris County around 11 a.m. Saturday, NORAD spokesperson Cameron Hillier said. Then, around 10:15 Sunday morning, another private plane flew into the restricted space near Bedminster, according to a Federal Aviation Administrat…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Sheriff: Only One Bergen County Jail Inmate, 2 ICE Detainees Test Positive Since Pandemic Began Sheriff: Only One Bergen County Jail Inmate, 2 ICE Detainees Test Positive Since Pandemic Began
Sheriff: Only One Bergen County Jail Inmate, 2 ICE Detainees Test Positive Since Pandemic Began The Bergen County Jail has had only one county inmate and two ICE detainees test positive for the coronavirus since the pandemic began, Sheriff Anthony Cureton reported Tuesday. Other county jails in North Jersey have reported much higher numbers of inmates and staff infected with the virus, along with several deaths. At the Bergen County Jail, Cureton reported: A 54-year-old BCJ inmate tested positive on March 28; A 40-year-old Salvadorian national in ICE custody tested positive on March 26; A 31-year-old Mexican national was released by ICE on March 26, three days after the detaine…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
State Moves To Revoke Liquor License Of North Jersey Bar For Defying Coronavirus Closure Order State Moves To Revoke Liquor License Of North Jersey Bar For Defying Coronavirus Closure Order
State Moves To Revoke Liquor License Of North Jersey Bar For Defying Coronavirus Closure Order Authorities are working to revoke the liquor license of a North Jersey bar that twice ignored orders not to serve patrons on the premises amid the coronavirus pandemic, the state's top cop said. The action comes after the Post Time Pub in Blairstown “was twice issued criminal charges and flouted local law enforcement efforts,” Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said Tuesday. It’s the kind of activity that in ordinary incidents would get a liquor license suspended for up to 10 days, but it takes on different meaning during a state of emergency created by a health crisis. Owner Joyce Billings…

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by Jerry DeMarco