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Police & Fire
CHOPPED: Passaic, Bergen Garages Doubled As Destinations For Stolen Vehicles, Authorities Say CHOPPED: Passaic, Bergen Garages Doubled As Destinations For Stolen Vehicles, Authorities Say
Chopped: Passaic, Bergen Garages Doubled As Destinations For Stolen Vehicles, Authorities Say A group of towing and mechanic business owners in Bergen and Passaic had a lucrative moonlighting operation going before New Jersey State Police shut them down, authorities said. Workers at the off-hour chop shops in Paterson, Passaic and Elmwood Park altered stolen vehicles for resale and disassembled others to be sold as parts, state authorities said on Friday, June 2. Fourteen people in all were arrested during quick-strike raids last week by the NJSP, assisted by the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, Paterson police and several other local, county and federal law enforcement agencies. R…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
UPDATE: Yet Another Memorial Day Weekend Fire Ravages Upper Saddle River Home UPDATE: Yet Another Memorial Day Weekend Fire Ravages Upper Saddle River Home
Update: Yet Another Memorial Day Weekend Fire Ravages Upper Saddle River Home Yet another Memorial Day weekend fire in North Jersey blew through the roof of an Upper Saddle River home. The blaze in the two-story, 4,200-square-foot Carlough Road house near the Rockland County border broke out around 8 p.m. May 27, bringing firefighters from both sides of the state line. They had the fire knocked down and under control in roughly 40 minutes -- but not before it severely damaged multiple floors at one end of the house. Flames blew through the roof of the Carlough Road house near the Rockland County border in Upper Saddle River.Ethan Hayes for DAILY VOICE No injurie…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Roof Collapses In Clifton House Fire Roof Collapses In Clifton House Fire
Roof Collapses In Clifton House Fire UPDATE: The roof of a Clifton home collapsed during a fire on Saturday that brought arson investigators. The two-alarm blaze -- three bells for coverage -- ignited shortly before noon May 27 and quickly spread through the home on dead-ended Lynn Drive. Firefighters went defensive once the roof began collapsing, then returned to an offensive attack soon after. No injuries were reported. The two-alarm blaze -- three bells for coverage -- ignited shortly before noon May 27 and quickly spread through the Lynn Drive home.Victor Scrivens for DAILY VOICE A preliminary cause wasn't given. A …

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Lucky Lotto Ticket Sold In Passaic County Nets $10K Lucky Lotto Ticket Sold In Passaic County Nets $10K
Lucky Lotto Ticket Sold In Passaic County Nets $10K A New Jersey lottery ticket sold in Passaic County earned one lucky winner $10,000 in the Mega Millions drawing on Tuesday, May 23. A ticket matched four of the white balls and the Gold Mega Ball, winning the third-tier prize. The ticket was purchased at Damiano Pharmacy in Clifton. The winning numbers for the drawing were: 03, 10, 22, 65 and 66. The Gold Mega Ball was 19, and the Megaplier Multiplier was 02.  The next Mega Millions drawing on Friday, May 26 will have a $169 million jackpot. 

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
One Home Ravaged, Another Severely Damaged By Unforgiving Paterson Fire One Home Ravaged, Another Severely Damaged By Unforgiving Paterson Fire
One Home Ravaged, Another Severely Damaged By Unforgiving Paterson Fire Two firefighters were injured and at least two residents required medical attention from a fast-moving blaze Tuesday afternoon that ravaged one Paterson home and severely damaged another. Responders had assistance from neighbors who helped get some of the residents to safety after the fire ignited on the second floor of one of several wood-frame, multi-family homes on Knickerbocker Avenue around 1 p.m. May 16. Flames spread to a neighboring home, but firefighters limited the damage.  The three-alarmer was declared under control around 4:45 p.m. A bulldozer and other heavy equipment was br…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Noriega Nominated For NJ Supreme Court Noriega Nominated For NJ Supreme Court
Noriega Nominated For NJ Supreme Court Michael Noriega, a Union County resident, has been nominated to be the newest justice on the New Jersey Supreme Court. Gov. Phil Murphy formally announced Noriega's nomination on Monday, May 15. Noriega, who was born in Weehawken, will be replacing Justice Barry Albin, who reached the mandatory retirement age. Noriega, who was raised in Union City and lives in Fanwood, is Murphy's fourth appointment to the bench. Noriega, 45, is a partner at Bramnick, Rodriguez, Grabas, Arnold, and Mangan, based in Clifton, working as a defense and immigration attorney. Noriega also spent five years as…

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Patrol Units Damaged As Boy, 15, Tops 100MPH In Clifton Police Pursuit Through Several Towns Patrol Units Damaged As Boy, 15, Tops 100MPH In Clifton Police Pursuit Through Several Towns
Patrol Units Damaged As Boy, 15, Tops 100MPH In Clifton Police Pursuit Through Several Towns A 15-year-old stolen car thief damaged two Clifton police vehicles while failing to elude his pursuers, authorities said. A police chase had passed through Passaic, Nutley, East Rutherford and Secaucus – with speeds exceeding 100 miles an hour -- before heading back to Clifton, where a chain-reaction crash occurred, Detective Lt. Robert Bracken said. Officer Mohammed Rayyan was the first to spot the 2021 Ford Bronco on southbound Route 21 near Ackerman Avenue shortly after 7:30 p.m. Monday, May 15. The driver of the vehicle, which had been reported stolen out of Woodland Park earlier in t…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
GOT 'EM! Teens From Elizabeth Nabbed After Ransacking Vehicles At Clifton Condo Complex GOT 'EM! Teens From Elizabeth Nabbed After Ransacking Vehicles At Clifton Condo Complex
GOT 'EM! Teens From Elizabeth Nabbed After Ransacking Vehicles At Clifton Condo Complex A crew of late-morning teenage car burglars who infiltrated a Clifton condo development were caught in Passaic, authorities said. Officers responding to calls from Evergreen at Clifton at Main Avenue and Felton Boulevard began checking local streets shortly before noon Saturday, May 13, Detective Lt. Robert Bracken said. Sure enough, they spotted all four black-hooded suspects in the area of Brook and Dakota streets in Passaic. The teens, all from Elizabeth, apparently were carrying valuables stolen from vehicles at Evergreen that had been left unlocked. Jayden Alzate, 19, and three j…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Teen Driver, Passenger Switch Seats In Moving Vehicle During Clifton Pursuit Teen Driver, Passenger Switch Seats In Moving Vehicle During Clifton Pursuit
Teen Driver, Passenger Switch Seats In Moving Vehicle During Clifton Pursuit Two teenage drivers switched seats in a stolen vehicle while it was moving in a Clifton police pursuit, authorities said. Officer Mohammed Rayyan was on patrol on northbound Route 21 when he began following the 2018 Hyundai occupied by three juveniles shortly before 6:30 p.m. Sunday, May 14, Detective Lt. Robert Bracken said. The vehicle had been reported stolen out of Passaic days earlier, he said. The teens made it to Paterson, where "the driver and front seat passenger switched positions while the vehicle was continuing in motion," Bracken said. The driver then sped off and a pursuit b…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
Pedo 'Uncle' Again Found Guilty Of Sexually Assaulting Three Clifton Girls, 11 To 14 Pedo 'Uncle' Again Found Guilty Of Sexually Assaulting Three Clifton Girls, 11 To 14
Pedo 'Uncle' Again Found Guilty Of Sexually Assaulting Three Clifton Girls, 11 To 14 UPDATE: UPDATE: A man whose conviction for sexually assaulting three young girls from Clifton was overturned by a higher court got a new trial -- and the same result. For the second time in several years, Raelito Palao of Belleville was convicted this week of sexually assaulting three girls several years ago, when they were between 11 and 14 years old. Jurors in Paterson had found Palao, now 62, guilty of all counts at his first trial in October 2016. He was subsequently sentenced to seven years in state prison. Palao appealed the conviction, claiming that he was denied a fair tr…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Business
Stew Leonard's Opening 2nd NJ Location, Replacing Kosher Market Stew Leonard's Opening 2nd NJ Location, Replacing Kosher Market
Stew Leonard's Opening 2nd NJ Location, Replacing Kosher Market Stew Leonard's is continuing its New Jersey expansion. The grocery store chain is opening a new location in Clifton in 2024, replacing Seasons Kosher Market at 467 Allwood Road, company officials tell Daily Voice. Wine and Spirits of Clifton will be folded into the new location.  Stew Leonard's only other New Jersey location is in Paramus. Seasons, which had been in Clifton since 2016, announced it is closing this summer because the store unexpectedly lost its lease. 

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Clifton Stolen Car Chase Ends In Newark Crash Clifton Stolen Car Chase Ends In Newark Crash
Clifton Stolen Car Chase Ends In Newark Crash A stolen car pursuit that began in Clifton ended with a crash in Newark and three occupants in the wind, authorities said. Clifton Police Officer Matthew Rugel was in the area of Broad Street and Elmwood Drive when he spotted the 2020 Audi, which had been reported stolen out of Hazlet and connected to subsequent crimes, shortly after 7 p.m. Tuesday, May 2. Rugel tried to stop the vehicle, but the driver sped off through the streets of Clifton and eventually onto eastbound Route 3, Detective Lt. Robert Bracken said. Witnesses said speeds reached 120 miles an hour as the pursuit continued on…

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by Jerry DeMarco