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BRUSH FIRES: GS Parkway Closed Near Shore, NJ Turnpike Threatened Near Meadowlands BRUSH FIRES: GS Parkway Closed Near Shore, NJ Turnpike Threatened Near Meadowlands
Brush FIRES: GS Parkway Closed Near Shore, NJ Turnpike Threatened Near Meadowlands UPDATE: A forest fire jumped the entire width of the Garden State Parkway from Lakewood into Brick Township while a Meadowlands brush fire stopped short of the New Jersey Turnpike amid Sunday's fierce winds.  They were among no fewer than a half-dozen large brush fires -- and nearly just as many smaller blazes -- that raged at once throughout the Garden State on Sunday, whipped by winds reported at up to 40 miles an hour and low humidity that barely cracked 20%. Several New Jersey State Police troopers gathered on the Turnpike's western awaiting word whether to close the roadway as firefig…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Wallington Detectives Arrest Local Man In Theft Of Donation Jar For Sick Kids Wallington Detectives Arrest Local Man In Theft Of Donation Jar For Sick Kids
Wallington Detectives Arrest Local Man In Theft Of Donation Jar For Sick Kids A drug user snatched a jar filled with donations for sick children from the counter of a Wallington deli before he was identified and arrested by detectives, authorities said. Adrian Siwek, 30, was wearing a gray hooded NASA sweatshirt and knit cap when he entered the Super Deli on Wallington Avenue on Monday and diverted the casher’s attention away from the plastic container, Police Capt. Shawn Kudlacik said. Detective Lt. Joseph Rock identified the borough resident by reviewing the store surveillance video after the owner reported the theft on Thursday, Kudlacik said. Detective Brian Ros…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Firefighters Battle Wind-Whipped Blaze, Water Problems, Frigid Temps In Garfield Firefighters Battle Wind-Whipped Blaze, Water Problems, Frigid Temps In Garfield
Firefighters Battle Wind-Whipped Blaze, Water Problems, Frigid Temps In Garfield UPDATE: Fierce frigid winds fanned a furious fire that engulfed one home and damaged another Monday night in Garfield, displacing 13 residents. Two cats were rescued, as well. Wires also caught fire -- with one of them falling next to an engine -- and a transformer blew shortly after the Scudder Street blaze broke out around 10 p.m. A firefighter sustained a shoulder injury that was treated at the scene, Police Capt. Richard Uram said. No other injuries were reported, he said. Flames consumed the first two floors of one home while quickly spreading. A neighboring home caught fire roughly…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
PHOTOS/VIDEO: Garfield Fire Ravages Multi-Family, Mixed-Use Building PHOTOS/VIDEO: Garfield Fire Ravages Multi-Family, Mixed-Use Building
Photos/Video: Garfield Fire Ravages Multi-Family, Mixed-Use Building UPDATE: A firefighter sustained a minor injury during a blaze that ripped through a multi-family, mixed-use Garfield building late Friday into Saturday. The fire broke out shortly before 11:30 p.m. on the second floor of the three-story Maple Avenue building, which houses the Sud's City laundry on Palisade Avenue.  It quickly blew through the attic and roof, collapsing a rear portion of the building collapsed soon after. Utility wires briefly caught fire in the stubborn blaze, which was finally brought under control at 1:49 a.m. Jeff Stang produced up-close video: At the scene.JeffS…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
NJ Thieves Snatching Snow Plows At Alarming Rate, Funeral Director Among Victims NJ Thieves Snatching Snow Plows At Alarming Rate, Funeral Director Among Victims
NJ Thieves Snatching Snow Plows At Alarming Rate, Funeral Director Among Victims With so much snow falling on New Jersey in recent weeks, funeral director Brian Warner got himself a new $7,000 plow for his 2005 monument pickup truck. And just like that it was gone. "It was locked with the keys kept inside the building," said Warner, who owns and operates Warner-Wozniak Funeral Service in Wallington. It's not just him: Privately-owned pickups with plows are being stolen at an alarming rate in New Jersey, authorities confirmed Friday. This past week, three trucks with plows were stolen out of East Rutherford alone. One owner bought his three days earlier and hadn't even…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Schools
New Jersey Schools Go Remote, Close Ahead Of Thursday's Winter Storm New Jersey Schools Go Remote, Close Ahead Of Thursday's Winter Storm
New Jersey Schools Go Remote, Close Ahead Of Thursday's Winter Storm New Jersey schools are moving to remote learning or closing entirely ahead of Thursday's winter storm. Between 6 and 9 inches of snow and sleet is expected between Thursday and Friday across much of the state. Here's a list of districts that have announced closures or a switch to remote learning for Thursday. Did we miss one? Email clevine@dailyvoice.com. Asbury Park: remote Barnegat: remote Bergenfield: remote Bernards Twp: remote Bloomfield: closed Denville: remote Dover: closed East Windsor Regional: remote Egg Harbor Township: remote Freehold: remote Hazlet: remote Holmdel:…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Fire Ravages Passaic Multi-Family Home, Displaces 18 Fire Ravages Passaic Multi-Family Home, Displaces 18
Fire Ravages Passaic Multi-Family Home, Displaces 18 VIDEO: Eight families were displaced by an intense fire that destroyed a Passaic multi-family home Friday night. No injuries were reported. Flames blew through the roof, part of which collapsed less than a half-hour after the four-alarm blaze broke out on the second floor of the wood-frame building at Hope and Highland avenues around 8 p.m. "Thank God everyone is out, safe and accounted for," Mayor Hector Carlos Lora said. Eighteen people in all received temporary food, lodging and clothing thanks to the Red Cross and the city. Most were able to find shelter with family, Lora said. Fir…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
COVID-19 Closes One Third Of New Jersey's MVC Agencies COVID-19 Closes One Third Of New Jersey's MVC Agencies
Covid-19 Closes One Third Of New Jersey's MVC Agencies Thirteen of New Jersey's Motor Vehicle Commission agencies were closed due to COVID-19 as of Thursday. The Cardiff and North Bergen agencies reopened Thursday, but then a worker in Rahway tested positive and that location closed. The following are the centers that are closed and their re-opening dates: Freehold Licensing Center - Monday, Dec 21. Toms River Licensing Center - Tuesday, Dec 22. Bayonne Licensing Center - Wednesday, Dec 23. Wallington Vehicle Center - Wednesday, Dec 23. Edison Licensing Center - Thursday, Dec 24. Wayne Licensing Center - Thursday, Dec 24. Vineland Licensing C…

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by Cecilia Levine
Schools
COVID-19: 5 NJ Schools Report Outbreaks This Week Including One With 23 Cases COVID-19: 5 NJ Schools Report Outbreaks This Week Including One With 23 Cases
Covid-19: 5 NJ Schools Report Outbreaks This Week Including One With 23 Cases Five new COVID-19 outbreaks associated with in-school transmission have been reported in New Jersey this week, state officials said Wednesday. Of those 47 new cases, 23 of were reported in one particular school in Union County -- although New Jersey officials did not specify which school that was, NJ.com reports. The other outbreaks were in Bergen, Monmouth, Ocean and Passaic County schools, according to new data on New Jersey's COVID-19 dashboard. “We knew going in that there would be cases in our schools, and the vast majority of the cases we see continue to be linked to out-of-scho…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
These New Jersey MVC Centers Are By Appointment Only Starting Monday These New Jersey MVC Centers Are By Appointment Only Starting Monday
These New Jersey MVC Centers Are By Appointment Only Starting Monday New Jersey drivers' prayers have been answered. Staring Monday, Nov. 2., the following Motor Vehicle Commissions centers will be by appointment only: Cherry Hill, Hazlet, Jersey City, Lakewood, Manahawkin, Medford, Somerville, Springfield, Turnersville and Wallington. No walk-in customers will be accepted at those locations. Designated licensing centers are only taking appointments for commercial driver's license renewals and license transfers, for drivers who recently moved to New Jersey. Click here for the full release from the NJMVC. To make an appointment, visit https://www.state…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Nearly 2 Dozen MVC Agencies At Capacity, Another Location Closes After Employee Tests Positive Nearly 2 Dozen MVC Agencies At Capacity, Another Location Closes After Employee Tests Positive
Nearly 2 Dozen MVC Agencies At Capacity, Another Location Closes After Employee Tests Positive Nearly two dozen of New Jersey's Motor Vehicle Commission agencies agencies were closed as of 11:30 Monday morning after reaching capacity. Additionally, a Newark center was closed for two weeks after an employee tested positive for COVID-19. The Newark Regional Service Center shut last Friday and is expected to reopen Oct. 16. The center handles driver's license transactions. A Jersey City agency that's been closed after an employee tested positive was expected to reopen Tuesday. Officials said the volume experienced Monday was due to since reopening during the summer. The foll…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
PHOTOS: Fierce Fire Roars Through Three Passaic Homes, Displacing Dozens PHOTOS: Fierce Fire Roars Through Three Passaic Homes, Displacing Dozens
Photos: Fierce Fire Roars Through Three Passaic Homes, Displacing Dozens An off-duty firefighter alerted residents to a gas-fed blaze that ravaged three homes Saturday morning in Passaic, displacing nearly three dozen people. More than 120 firefighters responded to the fierce four-alarm blaze, which roared across the multi-family dwellings on Oak Street after breaking out shortly after 8 a.m., responders said. An off-duty firefighter helped get the buildings evacuated, Fire Chief Patrick Trentacost said "There was a tremendous amount of fire through [two of ] the buildings, with a partial collapse," Trentacost said. Definitely one (middle) and possibly two…

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by Jerry DeMarco