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Public Service

Longtime New Jersey Rep. Bill Pascrell Dies At 87 Longtime New Jersey Rep. Bill Pascrell Dies At 87
Longtime New Jersey Rep. Bill Pascrell Dies At 87 Rep. Bill Pascrell, a Democrat who served in Congress for almost 30 years and was a former Mayor of Paterson, died on Wednesday, Aug. 21, at the age of 87, his family announced. "It is with deep sadness that we announce that Bill Pascrell Jr., our beloved husband, father, and grandfather, passed away this morning," his family wrote on social media.  "As our United States Representative, Bill fought to his last breath to return to the job he cherished and to the people he loved. Bill lived his entire life in Paterson and had an unwavering love for the city he grew up in and served. He i…
Edison Firefighter Dies As Town Mourns Loss Of Police Lieutenant Edison Firefighter Dies As Town Mourns Loss Of Police Lieutenant
Edison Firefighter Dies As Town Mourns Loss Of Police Lieutenant The Edison Fire Department has announced the death of its treasurer and longtime firefighter Howard Tarlow. The EFD made the announcement Thursday evening, July 11, one day after the police department announced the death of its lieutenant, Donald Ship. Tarlow began his fire service career when he joined the Highland Park Volunteer Fire Department in 2008, after expressing to a friend he wanted to give back to the community, the EFD said on Facebook. It wasn't long before Tarlow decided he wanted to serve the town he lived in and transferred to Raritan Engine Company 1 in 2010. Tarlow …
Video Shows New Brunswick Council President 3X Over Legal Limit After Wrecking SUV Video Shows New Brunswick Council President 3X Over Legal Limit After Wrecking SUV
Video Shows New Brunswick Council President 3X Over Legal Limit After Wrecking SUV Brand-new bodycam footage of the investigation into New Brunswick's former City Council president directly after she drunkenly wrecked her luxury SUV several hundred feet from home. Officer Taylor Tiongson-Cradic found Suzanne Sicora-Ludwig at the Edgebrook Road crash scene around 11:40 p.m. Friday, March 8, where her Range Rover had struck a tree, according to a police report shared to the city's website.  Bodycam footage shared in a 1-hour and 30-minute video by DriveThruTours shows Sicora-Ludwig's 2014 Range Rover up against a tree, with airbag deployment. Accord…
Jersey City Police Lieutenant's Cremation To Follow Saturday Funeral Mass Jersey City Police Lieutenant's Cremation To Follow Saturday Funeral Mass
Jersey City Police Lieutenant's Cremation To Follow Saturday Funeral Mass She devoted her life to those in need and put others first. She was "the glue that held her family and friends together." And at only 44 years old, Jersey City Police Lt. Marina Angelica Ugolini is gone far too soon. Ugolini died Tuesday evening, May 28. The 19-year department veteran, who was promoted to lieutenant six years ago this month, worked in the city's North District. Ugolini was an alumnus of Jersey City Medical Center and Ambucar EMS who "took pride in helping people by devoting her life to serving those in need," her obituary says. "She transported the first medical …
Bergen Executive Takes Control Of Beleaguered County Police Academy Bergen Executive Takes Control Of Beleaguered County Police Academy
Bergen Executive Takes Control Of Beleaguered County Police Academy Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco announced on Thursday that he's assumed "full operational responsibility" of the county's beleaguered police academy and given full-time oversight to retired Paramus Police Chief Kenneth Ehrenberg, effective immediately. The move followed the New Jersey Police Training Commission's lifting earlier this week of a suspension of training for new recruits, Tedesco said on Jan. 18. Ehrenberg, who's currently the county's deputy administrator, has had a long and distinguished public service career. The 36-year police veteran, who was the Paramus chief for a de…
'Champion For Women's Empowerment:' NJ Mom Theresa Hester Dies At 55 'Champion For Women's Empowerment:' NJ Mom Theresa Hester Dies At 55
'Champion For Women's Empowerment:' NJ Mom Theresa Hester Dies At 55 Support is pouring in for the family of Morris County native Margaret ‘Theresa’ (Nunn) Hester, a devoted public servant and beloved mother who died on Monday, Dec. 11 following a brief battle with cancer at the age of 55. Born in Morristown, Theresa graduated from Dover High School in 1986 before attending Centenary University, her obituary says. Theresa dedicated her career to uplifting women and families in many different capacities. She worked for the NJ state Division on Women since 1998, both with the Department of Community Affairs and the Department of Children and Families. Her wor…
CPR, Defib, Gator Used For Victim Of Medical Episode In Saddle River County Park CPR, Defib, Gator Used For Victim Of Medical Episode In Saddle River County Park
CPR, Defib, Gator Used For Victim Of Medical Episode In Saddle River County Park An off-duty nurse helped save the life of a 69-year-old bicyclist who was knocked unconscious in a fall at a Bergen County park, authorities said. Jacqueline Polentarutti was conducting CPR when Glen Rock and Paramus police and Bergen County sheriff's officers arrived at the bike path in Saddle River County Park near the Paramus border last Wednesday, Aug. 2. Glen Rock Police Officers Matt Stanislao, Sam Evans and Andrew Magro brought a defibrillator that was used in an effort to revive the victim, Police Chief Dean Ackermann said.  Members of the Paramus Rescue Squad drove the u…
NJ's Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver Mourned As Trailblazer NJ's Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver Mourned As Trailblazer
NJ's Lt. Gov. Sheila Oliver Mourned As Trailblazer Sheila Oliver, the lieutenant governor of New Jersey, died on Tuesday, Aug. 1, her family announced. She was 71 years old. Oliver, who was born and raised in Newark and lived in East Orange, had been serving as acting governor while Gov. Phil Murphy was vacationing in Italy. She was taken to a hospital on Monday, July 31 for an undisclosed medical issue. In a statement, Murphy said he and his family were "incredibly saddened and distraught" to hear of her passing. "When I selected her to be my running mate in 2017, Lieutenant Governor Oliver was already a trailblazer in every sense of…
Longtime Bayonne Councilman Joseph Makowski, 77 Longtime Bayonne Councilman Joseph Makowski, 77
Longtime Bayonne Councilman Joseph Makowski, 77 Joseph L. Makowski, a longtime public servant for the City of Bayonne died on Saturday, May 13 at the age of 77, according to his obituary. Makowski spent 16 years on the City Council and also worked for the New Jersey Division of Youth and Family Services for over 27 years. He was council president from 1994 to 1998 and served on numerous committees and clubs.  His father, Joseph E. Makowski was also a longtime public servant and in 2022, the city dedicated Makowski Park, honoring both men. "Joe was committed passionately to representing the people of Bayonne. He was a strong, independen…
Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop Runs For NJ Governor Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop Runs For NJ Governor
Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop Runs For NJ Governor Steven Fulop is officially throwing his hat in the ring. The Jersey City mayor announced on Tuesday, April 11 that he will be seeking the Democratic nomination for governor in 2025. Gov. Phil Murphy is term limited and cannot seek re-election. "My career has always been guided by a strong desire to take on difficult challenges and find solutions that help improve peoples’ lives," Fulop said in a press release.  "I’ve never backed down from a fight before, and I’m ready to work hard for all the people of our great state to deliver the results New Jersey deserves." Following the Sept. …
HERO: 'It's Time To Go,' Would-Be GWB Jumper Tells Veteran Port Authority Police Officer HERO: 'It's Time To Go,' Would-Be GWB Jumper Tells Veteran Port Authority Police Officer
Hero: 'It's Time To Go,' Would-Be GWB Jumper Tells Veteran Port Authority Police Officer "It's time to go," a suicidal man perched on the outer railing of the George Washington Bridge told Port Authority Police Officer Stephen Gryboski. Gryboski isn't just any law enforcer, however. The senior officer at the PAPD's George Washington Bridge Command Center, Gryboski is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran of Operation Desert Storm. He also proudly wears the badge of his father, retired Port Authority Police Officer Frank Gryboski, who served the department from 1959 through 1980. He also has a slow heartbeat. A few years ago, a member of the public sent the department an unsolicited mes…
Sudden Death Of Devoted EMS Chief Heather Varrasse, 42, Shocks Central Jersey Rescue Squads Sudden Death Of Devoted EMS Chief Heather Varrasse, 42, Shocks Central Jersey Rescue Squads
Sudden Death Of Devoted EMS Chief Heather Varrasse, 42, Shocks Central Jersey Rescue Squads Devoted EMS Chief, fire department volunteer member and central communications supervisor Heather Varrasse, 42, died unexpectedly on Sunday, Dec. 4, shocking rescue squads throughout Central Jersey.  Heather had been involved in various emergency services throughout Hopewell Valley for more than 25 years, a tribute from the township’s fire district said. An EMT with the fire district since 2006, Heather quickly rose through the ranks as an incredibly devoted public servant. She served as EMS Chief at Hopewell Emergency Medical Unit, Assistant Captain at Pennington First Aid Squad, and Publ…
Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco OK After Medical Episode Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco OK After Medical Episode
Bergen County Executive Jim Tedesco OK After Medical Episode Bergen County Executive James Tedesco was OK after passing out at a gathering in Ho-Ho-Kus, multiple sources confirmed. The hard-working Paramus Democrat was taken to The Valley Hospital in Ridgewood for precautionary reasons Wednesday night after he "became light-headed and briefly fainted at a private event," Bergen County Director of Communications Derek Sands said. Tedesco, 68, said Thursday that he'd spent nearly 40 hours out with the county snow plows following the weekend storm -- nothing out of the ordinary for him. "Just a little dehydrated," he said. "Need to slow down just a bit…
'Kind, Caring' Lodi Police Veteran Dies 'Kind, Caring' Lodi Police Veteran Dies
'Kind, Caring' Lodi Police Veteran Dies No matter the situation, Bobby Salerno could always make you laugh, usually with a dry -- and at times sarcastic -- humor that longtime police officers develop. Things got serious earlier this year, however. Over the past several months, when you asked how he was doing, Salerno said he was "taking it one day a time." Still, he kept up his sense of humor -- and kept working as long as he was able. Those who knew Lodi Police Capt. Robert J. Salerno roundly praised the 32-year law enforcement veteran's dedication to public service after learning that he died on Sunday. Salerno, 55, of Hasbr…
Heartbreaking Battle Ends For Beloved Bergen Firefighter Heartbreaking Battle Ends For Beloved Bergen Firefighter
Heartbreaking Battle Ends For Beloved Bergen Firefighter A career Bergen County firefighter's valiant battle with cancer ended Saturday, leaving countless loved ones, first responders, friends and others devastated. "We all ask why the great ones are taken to soon and we can't find the answer," Hackensack Fire Capt. Justin Derevyanik wrote as news of the death of Timothy Rice spread on Saturday. Timmy Rice, 42, of Emerson leaves Regina, his wife of 15 years, their daughter, Aubrey, and their son, TJ. He was "one of a kind, truly one of the nicest, most caring people I’ve ever known," Doug Habermann wrote -- just one of a rapidly growing collect…
Hackensack City Manager, Retired Police Chief Ted Ehrenberg Dies Suddenly Hackensack City Manager, Retired Police Chief Ted Ehrenberg Dies Suddenly
Hackensack City Manager, Retired Police Chief Ted Ehrenberg Dies Suddenly Hackensack City Manager Ted Ehrenberg died unexpectedly overnight Wednesday, ending a long history of public service. The 64-year-old Hackettstown resident was with the Washington Township, Morris County, police department for 28 years before retiring as chief in 2006. He later worked as the borough administrator in Bloomingdale and business administrator in Bloomfield. Ehrenberg also was the CEO of Blue Shield Consulting, a New Jersey-based firm that specialized in municipal government advisory and consultancy services. The East Orange native was graduated from the County College of Morr…
6th Newark Police Officer Who Died Of COVID-19 Was 'Good Man, Friend To All' 6th Newark Police Officer Who Died Of COVID-19 Was 'Good Man, Friend To All'
6th Newark Police Officer Who Died Of Covid-19 Was 'Good Man, Friend To All' The Newark Police Department is mourning the loss of its sixth member due to COVID-19. Det. Marcus Thomas died of virus complications Monday. “Sadly, the City of Newark has lost a truly good man who was a friend and a brother to all,” Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka said.  “Detective Thomas dedicated his life to public service and to honorably serving with an impeccable character of personal and professional dignity. Our deepest condolences are offered to Detective Thomas’ family. We share in your grief and mourning.” Thomas, 50, joined the division in 1993 and was assigned to various dep…
Resident: Paramus Firefighter Raises Fallen Stars And Stripes During Storm Resident: Paramus Firefighter Raises Fallen Stars And Stripes During Storm
Resident: Paramus Firefighter Raises Fallen Stars And Stripes During Storm They say true character is what you do when no one is watching, which is what some people in Paramus were saying Monday about one of the borough’s bravest. “Amidst the worst thunderstorm I have ever seen, multiple trees blown down across the roadway, large tree branches falling without notice, live power wires down in the street and on fire, this selfless firefighter took the time to walk over to my lawn, pick up my American flag off the ground that had fallen during the strong winds and then returned to his work,”  resident Kaitlin Cafone said. “Thank you,” she wrote in a Facebook pos…
Passion, Compassion Defined Late Saddle Brook Police Officer, 50 Passion, Compassion Defined Late Saddle Brook Police Officer, 50
Passion, Compassion Defined Late Saddle Brook Police Officer, 50 TRIBUTE: Saddle Brook Police Officer Norma Aedo carried an innate peace that could resolve almost any situation with little or no trouble, those who knew her said. "She had this calming demeanor about her,” Mayor Robert White recalled. “She could handle anything from a physical altercation to something more sensitive -- like a person grieving for a loved one.” Countless others are grieving the death of the Cuban-born former Hudson County veteran following a month-long illness. Aedo, 50, joined the Saddle Brook Police Department in 2014 – and was assigned Badge #54 -- after seven years as …
Little Ferry CFO Killed In Moonachie ATV Crash Little Ferry CFO Killed In Moonachie ATV Crash
Little Ferry CFO Killed In Moonachie ATV Crash A longtime Little Ferry official and mother of two was killed in an ATV crash in Moonachie over the weekend. Little Ferry CFO Lori Beck, 47, was gravely injured when she and her fiancé, Joseph Rose, crashed while riding a quad Sunday night behind the Robert L. Craig Elementary School off West Park Street, responders said. The couple were engaged to be married in two months. “It happened in front of both of their families,” one responder said. “His house is behind the school.” Beck was taken to Hackensack University Medical Center, where she was pronounced dead. The Ridgefield Park native…
Virtual Promotions: 24 Passaic Police Officers, Firefighters Sworn To New Posts Via Zoom Virtual Promotions: 24 Passaic Police Officers, Firefighters Sworn To New Posts Via Zoom
Virtual Promotions: 24 Passaic Police Officers, Firefighters Sworn To New Posts Via Zoom It wasn't the NFL draft, although it looked somewhat like it when two dozen promoted Passaic police officers and firefighters were sworn in to their new positions Monday via Zoom. Mayor Hector Carlos Lora presided over the unprecedented virtual ceremony, during which 19 police officers and five firefighters were officially promoted amid the coronavirus pandemic. The firefighters were delayed but made it to the show after responding to a four-alarm fire on Dayton Avenue during which they and their Clifton colleagues rescued a 4-year-old girl and her mother, Fire Chief Patrick Trentacost. S…
Bloomingdale Police Officer Dies Of Coronavirus Bloomingdale Police Officer Dies Of Coronavirus
Bloomingdale Police Officer Dies Of Coronavirus The Bloomingdale Police Department is mourning the loss of longtime officer Gary Walker, who died of COVID-19 complications. He was 53. Walker, who had served as a member of the department since March 2000, is being remembered as a selfless and dedicated officer who touched many lives. “Officer Walker will be truly missed by his BPD family, all those who served within municipal departments around him and our Borough residents he so deeply touched with his extremely unique sense of humor and unwavering dedication to duty,” the department said in a statement. “For all who have contracted Cor…
EMT's Mom Gets Meal Train Rollin' For Lyndhurst Police Emergency Squad EMT's Mom Gets Meal Train Rollin' For Lyndhurst Police Emergency Squad
EMT's Mom Gets Meal Train Rollin' For Lyndhurst Police Emergency Squad Beef stew, stuffed shells, pizza and more are headed to the Lyndhurst Emergency Squad thanks to a caring mom who’s gotten a meal train rolling. “They are very busy and do not have time to get meals when they are on shift,” RoseMarie Rubinetti-Cappiello said. “Besides, many of our local restaurants are closed or close at 8 p.m. It's time for us to do our part.” Four to five responders work each night shift from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. To keep the train rolling, go to the schedule: https://www.mealtrain.com/trains/9lg0o6 Then contact Rubinetti-Cappiello directly so meals are delivered efficiently:…
TRIBUTE: State Sen. Anthony Bucco Of Boonton Dead At 81 TRIBUTE: State Sen. Anthony Bucco Of Boonton Dead At 81
Tribute: State Sen. Anthony Bucco Of Boonton Dead At 81 New Jersey Senate Republican Conference Leader Anthony R. Bucco (R-Morris) died Monday. He was 81 years old. Bucco died of a heart attack at Saint Clare's Hospital in Denville, a spokesperson for the family said in a statement. A Boonton native, Bucco served in the New Jersey New Jersey Senate since 1998 representing the 25th Legislative District. Bucco served in the U.S. Army Reserve from 1957 to 1965. He married his wife Helen Jayne in 1959 and had one son, Anthony Mark, an attorney who followed in his father's footsteps on the political trail. Sen. Tom Keane, Jr. (R-Union) remembered B…
Retiring Orange Man Never Took Sick Day In 62 Years Retiring Orange Man Never Took Sick Day In 62 Years
Retiring Orange Man Never Took Sick Day In 62 Years Willie Sumlar of Orange retired Friday from his job as a jack-of-all-trades in Essex County’s Department of Public Works, where he has worked since 1957. During his 62-year stint with the county, Sumlar, 84, saved taxpayers thousands of dollars by recycling old office furniture and equipment. He earned several letters of commendation from supervisors and was widely recognized for going above and beyond in performing the myriad tasks he took on over his long career. But perhaps even more extraordinary than the sheer length of his career -- which spanned 12 presidential administrations -- is…