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Police & Fire
UPDATE: West New York Man Beat 62-Year-Old Mom To Death, Prosecutor Says UPDATE: West New York Man Beat 62-Year-Old Mom To Death, Prosecutor Says
Update: West New York Man Beat 62-Year-Old Mom To Death, Prosecutor Says Charges have been upgraded for a 33-year-old West New York man arrested in connection with his 62-year-old mother's death, authorities said Sunday. Emmanuel Gonzalez was initially charged with aggravated assault after his mom, Irma L. Pons, was found unresponsive in a bedroom and pronounced dead Thursday afternoon, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. Members of the West New York Police Department responded to 439 66th St., unit 2 on reports of an unresponsive woman around 1:30 p.m. Jan. 14, Suarez said. Pons was pronounced dead 15 minutes later, the prosecutor said. The …

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
UPDATE: West New York Man Beat 62-Year-Old Mom To Death, Prosecutor Says UPDATE: West New York Man Beat 62-Year-Old Mom To Death, Prosecutor Says
Update: West New York Man Beat 62-Year-Old Mom To Death, Prosecutor Says Charges have been upgraded for a 33-year-old West New York man arrested in connection with his 62-year-old mother's death, authorities said Sunday. Emmanuel Gonzalez was initially charged with aggravated assault after his mom, Irma L. Pons, was found unresponsive in a bedroom and pronounced dead Thursday afternoon, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. Members of the West New York Police Department responded to 439 66th St., unit 2 on reports of an unresponsive woman around 1:30 p.m. Jan. 14, Suarez said. Pons was pronounced dead 15 minutes later, the prosecutor said. The …

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Prosecutor: West New York Woman Killed, Suspect In Custody Prosecutor: West New York Woman Killed, Suspect In Custody
Prosecutor: West New York Woman Killed, Suspect In Custody A 62-year-old West New York woman was killed and a suspect taken into custody on Thursday, authorities said. Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez confirmed in a tweet that the victim was found unresponsive Thursday afternoon at 439 66th Street, off Bergenline Avenue. Suarez said her Homicide Unit was investigating with city police. "One suspect is in custody," the prosecutor tweeted. "More info to follow." CHECK BACK FOR MORE DETAILS ****** ALSO SEE: The son of a former Union City pharmacy co-owner admitted his role Thursday in a multimillion-dollar scheme to boost prescription s…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Schools
Hudson County District Remote Since August Extends Virtual Learning Through January Hudson County District Remote Since August Extends Virtual Learning Through January
Hudson County District Remote Since August Extends Virtual Learning Through January A Hudson County school district whose students haven't been in the classrooms this year yet will have to wait even longer. West New York schools have extended remote learning until Jan. 31, 2021, Superintendent Clara Brito Herrera said in a letter to parents Dec. 7. "This decision is not one that is made lightly, but safety and instruction have been our priority during this unprecedented time," she said.  " Our comprehensive reopening plan will still be phased in throughout the second half of the school year and our goal remains to eventually enter hybrid learning in the near future."…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
TRIBUTE: Giant Of Industry, Creator Of Modern Commuter Ferry Arthur Imperatore Sr Dies At 95 TRIBUTE: Giant Of Industry, Creator Of Modern Commuter Ferry Arthur Imperatore Sr Dies At 95
Tribute: Giant Of Industry, Creator Of Modern Commuter Ferry Arthur Imperatore Sr Dies At 95 After terrorists crashed two planes into the Twin Towers, Arthur E. Imperatore Sr.’s NY Waterway ferries hustled 150,000 people out of New York. When a commuter jet made an emergency landing on the Hudson River, Imperatore’s ferries rushed to the scene, helping to rescue everyone on board. Imperatore, the “visionary entrepreneur” who is credited with inventing the modern commuter ferry system, died Wednesday at 95 following a life of massive – and at times fascinating – achievement. "Arthur E. Imperatore, Sr., [f]ounder & [p]resident of NY Waterway leaves us, but his memory will last …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Handyman Caught Masturbating Near Norwood Job Site, Police Say Handyman Caught Masturbating Near Norwood Job Site, Police Say
Handyman Caught Masturbating Near Norwood Job Site, Police Say Norwood police arrested a Hudson County handyman after two female passersby said they saw him masturbating in his vehicle. Ernesto Martinez, 34, of West New York was working a job in the area when the women told police they saw him busy doing something else while parked on Rio Vista Drive around 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, Police Chief Jeff Krapels said. Martinez drove away but was stopped and arrested by police a short time later, the chief said. They charged Martinez with lewdness and released him pending a Municipal Court hearing. ****** UPDATE: A 21-year-old Northvale driver was charged with …

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by Jerry DeMarco
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
Police & Fire
Police: Peeping-Tom Contractor Hid Video Camera In Paramus, Wayne Family Bathrooms Police: Peeping-Tom Contractor Hid Video Camera In Paramus, Wayne Family Bathrooms
Police: Peeping-Tom Contractor Hid Video Camera In Paramus, Wayne Family Bathrooms A contractor hid a micro camera that recorded video in bathrooms at homes in Paramus and Wayne, authorities said. The Paramus victim went to local police after finding the camera, with a micro-SD memory card, hidden in a bathroom wall, Police Chief Kenneth Ehrenberg said Wednesday. Detectives learned that the homeowner had hired Romeo Sanchez, 47, of West New York to replace a window, Ehrenberg said. Sanchez "had not finished the job and reported that he would return at a later date and time," the chief said. Detective Mark Pinajian examined the device's memory card and found "several vid…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Handgun, Hatchet Recovered From Suspects Arrested In Armed Secaucus Robbery Handgun, Hatchet Recovered From Suspects Arrested In Armed Secaucus Robbery
Handgun, Hatchet Recovered From Suspects Arrested In Armed Secaucus Robbery Three people were arrested after robbing two people of sneakers and several thousand dollars worth of jewelry at gunpoint in the backyard of a Secaucus home over the weekend, authorities charged. James J. Baker, 20 and James Pena, 25, both of Secaucus, were arrested on charges of armed robbery and a slew of other weapons offenses, while Jacquelin Romero, 20, of West New York, was arrested on theft, conspiracy and drug-related charges, Secaucus police said Monday. Two people walked into the Secaucus Police Department saying they had been robbed in the backyard of a house on the 700 bloc…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Palisades Interstate Parkway Pursuit: Pair Bails Out Of Stolen Car, Caught On GWB Palisades Interstate Parkway Pursuit: Pair Bails Out Of Stolen Car, Caught On GWB
Palisades Interstate Parkway Pursuit: Pair Bails Out Of Stolen Car, Caught On GWB A stolen car chase down the Palisades Interstate Parkway ended when the 17-year-old driver and a passenger bailed out on the upper level of the George Washington Bridge and were quickly captured, authorities said. Palisades Interstate Police officers began pursuing the 2019 Honda Civic hatchback down the PIP for having stolen New York license plates, Sgt. First Class Raymond E. Walter said. The driver “at first began to slow down before picking up speed and merging back into the left lane of the highway,” Walter said. The officers terminated the pursuit at the GWB toll plaza, after which t…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Driver In North Bergen Hit-Run, 20, Found Weeks Later In Delaware Driver In North Bergen Hit-Run, 20, Found Weeks Later In Delaware
Driver In North Bergen Hit-Run, 20, Found Weeks Later In Delaware The 20-year-old driver in a North Bergen hit-and-run that seriously injured a 47-year-old woman was located after several weeks in Delaware and arrested, said authorities who charged her. Diana Smith, of Elsmere, DE, was behind the wheel of a black Honda Civic that struck the West New York woman at the intersection of Boulevard East and Riverview Drive North, in James J. Braddock Park July 13 around 5 p.m., Hudson County Sheriff Frank X. Schillari said. A male passenger left the car and fled on foot through the park then south on Park Avenue, as Smith took off -- leaving the woman…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Police: Former Lyndhurst Apartment Tenant From Hudson Returns As 'Porch' Pirate Police: Former Lyndhurst Apartment Tenant From Hudson Returns As 'Porch' Pirate
Police: Former Lyndhurst Apartment Tenant From Hudson Returns As 'Porch' Pirate A former Lyndhurst resident from Hudson County returned to swipe packages delivered to several tenants at his old apartment complex, said authorities who arrested him. Juan Cuartas, 42, of West New York, confessed to stealing packages as far back as April – and most recently in June – from the mail room at the Winston apartments on Chubb Avenue, Detective Lt. Vincent Auteri said Friday. Nearly $1,000 worth of stolen items included a laptop and several pair of pricey name-brand sneakers, Auteri said. Detective Geoff Rejent identified and located Cuartas – who still has family at the Winston…

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by Jerry DeMarco