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STREET JUSTICE: NJ Vigilante Posing As Child Lures Sexual Predators Into Livestreamed Arrests STREET JUSTICE: NJ Vigilante Posing As Child Lures Sexual Predators Into Livestreamed Arrests
Street Justice: NJ Vigilante Posing As Child Lures Sexual Predators Into Livestreamed Arrests For nearly a year now a vigilante has been prowling the streets of North Jersey targeting child predators. All are drawn to public meeting places by what appears to be an underage boy or girl. They're in for a surprise, though: It's actually a Hudson County native who calls himself XK. "I'm not here to hurt you," XK tells those who show up, recording every second of the encounter on his GoPro. "I just want to have a civilized conversation with you." Ten minutes or so in, XK asks the target if he likes ice pops. "I like firecracker ice pops. That's my favorite," he tells them. That's th…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Police: Ex-Con, 73, From Hudson Jailed For Assaulting Bergen Group Home Resident With Cane Police: Ex-Con, 73, From Hudson Jailed For Assaulting Bergen Group Home Resident With Cane
Police: Ex-Con, 73, From Hudson Jailed For Assaulting Bergen Group Home Resident With Cane A 73-year-old Hudson County woman with a lengthy criminal history whacked a resident at a Bergen County home for people with disabilities with a wooden cane during a fight that got physical, authorities charged. Frieda McPherson of Jersey City has had dozens of charges brought against her over nearly three decades for shoplifting, drug possession and aggravated assault -- on both civilians and police -- among other offenses, according to court records. She’s also received a host of repeated traffic summonses over the years, the records show. Franklin Lakes police officers responding to a f…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
$1M, Sixteen $50K Powerball Tickets Sold Across NJ As Jackpot Rolls To $1.9B $1M, Sixteen $50K Powerball Tickets Sold Across NJ As Jackpot Rolls To $1.9B
$1M, Sixteen $50K Powerball Tickets Sold Across NJ As Jackpot Rolls To $1.9B A $1 million Powerball ticket and a slew of third-tier winning tickets were sold across New Jersey, as the jackpot rolls to yet another record-high. The numbers from the Saturday, Nov. 5 drawing  were: 28, 45, 53, 56 and 69. The Red Power Ball number was 20. The Power Play was 3X. The $1 million ticket was sold at Quick Stop, 940 Inman Ave. in Edison. The $150,000 ticket was sold at Township Stationary on Pascack Road in Washington Township. The $50,000 tickets were sold at the following locations: Atlantic County: New International Supermarket, 4101 Ventnor Ave., Atlan…

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by Cecilia Levine
News
Sixteen NJ Powerball Players Win $50K, One Wins $100K Sixteen NJ Powerball Players Win $50K, One Wins $100K
Sixteen NJ Powerball Players Win $50K, One Wins $100K Sixteen New Jersey Lottery tickets matched four of the five white balls and the Power Ball drawn on Wednesday, Nov 2, winning the $50,000 second-tier prize.  One of those tickets was purchased with Power Play, multiplying the prize to $100,000. Those winning NJ tickets were sold at the following locations: $100,000: Passaic County: Jackpocket, 355 Warwick Tpke., Hewitt $50,000: Burlington County: Quick Shop Food Market, 601 Beverly Rancocas Rd., Willingboro; Camden County: Acme #992, 700 Haddonfield Berlin Rd., Voorhees; Camden County: Acme #992, 700 Haddonfield Ber…

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by Valerie Musson
News
Two NJ Powerball Players Win $150K, Nine Win $50K Two NJ Powerball Players Win $150K, Nine Win $50K
Two NJ Powerball Players Win $150K, Nine Win $50K Eleven New Jersey Lottery tickets matched four of the five white balls and the Power Ball drawn on Monday, Oct. 31, winning the $50,000 second-tier prize.  Two of those tickets were purchased with Power Play, multiplying the prizes to $150,000. The Powerball jackpot now rolls to $1.2 billion for the next drawing to be held Wednesday, Nov. 2, at 10:59 pm. Those winning NJ tickets were sold at the following locations: Bergen County ($150,000): 7-Eleven #34523, 29 County Rd., Tenafly; Passaic County ($150,000): Jackpocket, 355 Warwick Tpke., Hewitt; Burlington County ($50,000): Acme #6…

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by Jon Craig
News
Hudson Felon Freed Under Bail Reform In Back-To-Back Busts Convicted By Federal Jurors Hudson Felon Freed Under Bail Reform In Back-To-Back Busts Convicted By Federal Jurors
Hudson Felon Freed Under Bail Reform In Back-To-Back Busts Convicted By Federal Jurors A Hudson County ex-con who was arrested with a loaded gun in his car after being busted and released twice for cocaine and heroin possession in the previous few months isn't going anywhere now. Federal jurors in Newark convicted Clarence Gaffney, 36, of Jersey City, of drug and weapons possession earlier this week following a three-day trial, U.S. Attorney Philip R. Sellinger announced. Police reported finding the coke and smack in Gaffney's underwear and shoe following an Oct. 5, 2019 traffic stop, Sellinger said. He was arrested again, on Dec. 26, 2019, after officers caught him selling …

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Ex-Con Dog Walker Had Pound Of Cocaine, Assault Rifle, More In Turnpike Stop: Bergen Prosecutor Ex-Con Dog Walker Had Pound Of Cocaine, Assault Rifle, More In Turnpike Stop: Bergen Prosecutor
Ex-Con Dog Walker Had Pound Of Cocaine, Assault Rifle, More In Turnpike Stop: Bergen Prosecutor An ex-con dog walker from Hudson County had more than a pound of cocaine, an assault rifle and multiple high-capacity magazines in an electronically operated secret compartment of his SUV when he was stopped near the Meadowlands, authorities said. Detectives with the Bergen County Prosecutor's Narcotic Task Force stopped a 2009 Toyota Rav4 driven by Mervin Menier, 50, of Union City for speeding on the New Jersey Turnpike in Carlstadt this past Tuesday, Oct. 18. The investigators had been tipped off by the DEA that Menier was “transporting bulk shipments” of drugs and cash int…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
NJ Woman Was Wanted By Police — So She Applied To Work For Them: Report NJ Woman Was Wanted By Police — So She Applied To Work For Them: Report
NJ Woman Was Wanted By Police — So She Applied To Work For Them: Report A fugitive who applied for a job with the Hudson County Sheriff's Office thought she was going in for an interview. Instead, she was placed under arrest, authoritie said. Zyeama Y. Johnson, 27, had a bench warrant out of Monroe County, PA, along with 10 more bench warrants for failure to appear in court on traffic violations in Jersey City, Hudson County Sheriff Francis X. “Frank” Schillari said. Finding her didn't seem to be too difficult. After confirming the validity of her warrants, Johnson was called in for a "job interview" by authorities in Hudson County — and then promptly arre…

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Port Authority Officer Who Pitched In MLB, Wrong Way Driver Both Killed In NJ Turnpike Crash Port Authority Officer Who Pitched In MLB, Wrong Way Driver Both Killed In NJ Turnpike Crash
Port Authority Officer Who Pitched In MLB, Wrong Way Driver Both Killed In NJ Turnpike Crash An off-duty Port Authority officer and the wrong-way driver who struck him were both killed in a 9/11 crash on the New Jersey Turnpike in Hudson County, authorities said. Anthony Varvaro, a 37-year-old married father of four, and former major league pitcher — was struck by Henry A. Plaras, 30, of Bridgewater, who was heading west on the Hudson Bay Extension in the eastbound lanes around 4:25 a.m. in Jersey City, New Jersey State Police Trooper Charles Marchan said. Henry PlarasHenry Plaras Facebook Plaras' Toyota Rav4 struck Varvaro in a Nissan Maxima head-on causing the Nissan to strik…

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by Jerry DeMarco & Cecilia Levine
News
‘Stolen Valor’: Former NJ EMT Who Fabricated 9/11 Involvement Smoked Out On Social Media ‘Stolen Valor’: Former NJ EMT Who Fabricated 9/11 Involvement Smoked Out On Social Media
‘Stolen Valor’: Former NJ EMT Who Fabricated 9/11 Involvement Smoked Out On Social Media A former North Bergen and Jersey City Medical Center EMT was removed as a guest speaker at a 9/11 memorial event amid a social media uproar over bogus claims that he’d been at Ground Zero as a New York City firefighter. August Johansen, 45, had his photo published along with a story about his participation in a 9/11 fundraiser in a Tennessee town that’s coincidentally named Union City. In the photo, Johansen is wearing an FDNY patch on his polo shirt. Johansen was outed by NYC Fire Wire, an online news service that also participates in fundraisers and assistance efforts for emergency respo…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
FATAL SHOOTOUT: West New York Gunman Fires Point-Blank At Police, Shot Dead In Exchange (VIDEO) FATAL SHOOTOUT: West New York Gunman Fires Point-Blank At Police, Shot Dead In Exchange (VIDEO)
Fatal Shootout: West New York Gunman Fires Point-Blank At Police, Shot Dead In Exchange (Video) Dramatic footage shows a fully-armed man shooting point-blank at West New York police, then being shot dead himself. The incident is captured in a compilation of police bodycam footage and home surveillance video released late Tuesday, Sept. 6, by Acting New Jersey Attorney General Matthew J. Platkin. Several uniformed officers responding to a domestic dispute at the 59th Street home of Kevin Colindres, 32, of West New York on June 3, 2022 had their body cameras activated, Platkin said. Home security cameras in the neighborhood were working, as well. Bodycam footage video recorded throug…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
These Are The Wealthiest Counties In NJ, Study Says These Are The Wealthiest Counties In NJ, Study Says
These Are The Wealthiest Counties In NJ, Study Says Somerset, Morris and Bergen counties rank among the wealthiest in the Garden State, according to a new study. The recent study from SmartAsset assessed wealth in U.S. counties by comparing them across three categories: the amount of investment income residents receive, median home value and per capita income.  Somerset County's per capital investment income averaged $18,409. Its median home value averaged  $510,305 And its per capita income averaged $112,825. Morris County's per capital investment income averaged $18,676  its median home value averaged $556,843 and its per c…

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by Jon Craig