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Police & Fire
Cigarette Butt Leads To NJ Suspect's Arrest In 2012 PA Diner Killing: DA Cigarette Butt Leads To NJ Suspect's Arrest In 2012 PA Diner Killing: DA
Cigarette Butt Leads To NJ Suspect's Arrest In 2012 PA Diner Killing: DA The alleged gunman in a deadly 2012 Reading shooting is in police custody in New Jersey, according to Berks County prosecutors.  Vallis L. Slaughter, of Jersey City, is being held in Hudson County pending his extradition to Pennsylvania, said the District Attorney's Office on Monday, March 25.  Investigators believe he killed 34-year-old Julio A. Torres on March 24, 2012. Torres was shot while sitting in his car in the parking lot of the West Reading Diner after a confrontation with suspects, the DA's Office said.  Jomaine Case was eventually convicted in connectio…

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by Mac Bullock
Police & Fire
Paradise Turns Nightmare For NJ Grandmother Brutally Attacked In Turks And Caicos Paradise Turns Nightmare For NJ Grandmother Brutally Attacked In Turks And Caicos
Paradise Turns Nightmare For NJ Grandmother Brutally Attacked In Turks And Caicos A Jersey City woman says she was attacked by a man claiming to be a taxi driver during a trip to Turks and Caicos is sharing her story. "What seemed like a place of paradise on my last day turned into a complete nightmare," wrote Sue Ramos on a GoFundMe set up for her recovery.  The Jersey City mom was at a bar and looking for a ride back to her hotel on early March 10, the day before she was set to fly back, Ramos tells Daily Voice. There were no taxis available and the island does not have Ubers, but one of the bartenders' friends said he was a taxi driver, and offered to bring her …

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by Cecilia Levine
Police & Fire
Bogus Bean Counter Gets 5 Years For $1.5M Scam That Targeted NJ Schools, Nonprofits, More Bogus Bean Counter Gets 5 Years For $1.5M Scam That Targeted NJ Schools, Nonprofits, More
Bogus Bean Counter Gets 5 Years For $1.5M Scam That Targeted NJ Schools, Nonprofits, More 𝗨𝗣𝗗𝗔𝗧𝗘: A Hoboken woman was sentenced to five years in federal prison for posing as an accountant to steal more than $1.5 million from nonprofits, private schools and religious institutions, among other victims across the state. Yezenia Castillo, 47, will have to serve at least 85% of her sentence -- a few months over four years -- because there's no parole in the federal prison system. From 2012 through 2021, Castillo "falsely claimed to be a CPA who could provide various financial and accounting services to non-profit organizations throughout New Jersey, including private schools and reli…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Politics
End Of 'The Line'?: NJ Leg Leaders Looking Into Ballot Design End Of 'The Line'?: NJ Leg Leaders Looking Into Ballot Design
End Of 'The Line'?: NJ Leg Leaders Looking Into Ballot Design New Jersey's county line ballot system continues to face scrutiny. On Tuesday, March 19, New Jersey's legislative leaders, Senate President Nicholas Scutari, Senate Minority Issue Anthony Bucco, Assembly Speaker Craig Coughlin, and Assembly Minority Leader John DiMaio issued a statement on the controversial practice, vowing to begin a public process on ballot design.  The move comes after Rep. Andy Kim, a candidate for the Democratic nomination for the U.S. Senate filed a federal lawsuit looking to dismantle the "line," and testified in court on Monday, March 18. The layout is controv…

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Parents Formerly Of Hudson Charged In 2-Year-Daughter's Tragic Death Parents Formerly Of Hudson Charged In 2-Year-Daughter's Tragic Death
Parents Formerly Of Hudson Charged In 2-Year-Daughter's Tragic Death The parents of a 2-year-old girl who died of traumatic injuries after being rushed to the hospital from what had been their North Bergen home were indicted by a grand jury in connection with the child’s death. Tracy Ruiz, 31, and Luis Larios, 35 – who both now live in the Somerset County town of Green Brook are each charged with child endangerment. Ruiz alone is charged with aggravated assault, however. Larios was arrested on Feb. 29 following the release of the grand jury indictment in Jersey Cit, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. Ruiz was arrested on March 7, the prosecutor s…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Obituaries
'Undone Melody': Funeral Held For Montclair State Freshman Found Dead In Newark Bay 'Undone Melody': Funeral Held For Montclair State Freshman Found Dead In Newark Bay
'Undone Melody': Funeral Held For Montclair State Freshman Found Dead In Newark Bay A funeral Mass was held Tuesday, March 19, for an 18-year-old Montclair State University freshman from Jersey City whose body was recovered from Newark Bay. Hayley Alvarado had been missing since just before Christmas last year. Her body was spotted and then recovered from the bay near Gregg County Park in Bayonne on March 5, according to the Hudson County Sheriff’s Department. The Filipino American teen reportedly was wearing the same blue "Delaware" t-shirt that her father said he bought her during a trip to Maryland two years ago, as well as the same pants and shoes. She was officially…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Politics
Jersey City Mayor Ditches Murphy, Endorses Kim In NJ Senate Race Jersey City Mayor Ditches Murphy, Endorses Kim In NJ Senate Race
Jersey City Mayor Ditches Murphy, Endorses Kim In NJ Senate Race Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop has seen enough from Tammy Murphy's Senate campaign. Fulop announced he is switching his endorsement to Rep. Andy Kim, saying he made a mistake in endorsing Murphy, the wife of Gov. Phil Murphy.  "Clearly I made one here and this convention season has demonstrated he is the better candidate to represent NJ," Fulop, who is running for governor in 2025 said. "The backbone of our party volunteers and activists have spoken loudly and we should listen to them." The Jersey City mayor initially endorsed Murphy last year, but said on Reporters Roundtable on Frid…

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by Sam Barron
Lifestyle
Hudson County Favorite Son Bobby Cannavale Praised In Garden State-Centric Dramedy 'Ezra' Hudson County Favorite Son Bobby Cannavale Praised In Garden State-Centric Dramedy 'Ezra'
Hudson County Favorite Son Bobby Cannavale Praised In Garden State-Centric Dramedy 'Ezra' Actor Bobby Cannavale has a heartwarming New Jersey-based film premiering this spring that those who've seen it predict could be one of his best. In "Ezra," the pride of Hudson County plays Max, a stand-up comedian from the Garden State who lives with his father, portrayed by Robert De Niro. Max pursues his career while trying to co-parent his 11-year-old son with ex-wife (and Cannavale's real-life partner) Rose Byrne. Max lands a gig on Jimmy Kimmel's show in Hollywood, but the plane fare isn't comped. So he and young Ezra -- who has autism -- embark on a life-changing cross-country trip …

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
UPDATE: One Dead, Two Wounded In Jersey City's First Homicide Of '24: Prosecutor UPDATE: One Dead, Two Wounded In Jersey City's First Homicide Of '24: Prosecutor
Update: One Dead, Two Wounded In Jersey City's First Homicide Of '24: Prosecutor UPDATE (March 27): A Hoboken man was charged with murder and aggravated assault in a triple shooting in Jersey City earlier this month. Authorities confirmed on Wednesday, March 27, that Joseph Del Valle, 36, was arrested by members of the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide Unit the day before. He remained held in the Hudson County Correctional Facility along with a second accused gunman, Francisco Salcedo, 42, of Jersey City, they said. City resident Christoph Terrero Marte, 33, was gunned down on Jordan Avenue off Mercer Street near McGinley Square shortly before 6:30 a.m. …

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Get Loud! Two Cities In NJ Named Noisiest Cities In America Get Loud! Two Cities In NJ Named Noisiest Cities In America
Get Loud! Two Cities In NJ Named Noisiest Cities In America You might need to speak up when you're in these New Jersey cities. Jersey City and Newark made the top 5 on a new list of the noisiest cities in America, compiled by Steel Guard Safety Products. Jersey City ranked 3rd, while Newark was 4th. New York City and Chicago topped the list. "There’s no way around it – Jersey City is often one big traffic jam," Steel Guard said. With 3,139 cars commuting per square per day, Jersey City was one of the higher scoring cities for traffic noise, Steel Guard said. And while Jersey City's public transportation earns plaudits for being environmental friend…

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by Sam Barron
Police & Fire
Staten Island Driver Charged In NJ Crash That Killed Theater Teacher: Prosecutor Staten Island Driver Charged In NJ Crash That Killed Theater Teacher: Prosecutor
Staten Island Driver Charged In NJ Crash That Killed Theater Teacher: Prosecutor A 28-year-old Staten Island woman has been charged in a crash that left a 31-year-old Bayonne theater teacher dead, authorities said. Amanda Rivera faces charges of aggravated assault, reckless manslaughter, and assault by auto weeks after sending her the 2019 Nissan passenger car she was driving into the back of a parked tractor trailer on Route 185 and Linden Avenue in Jersey City on Feb. 3, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. As a result, Stephanie Weymouth was killed. Rivera was arrested Monday, March 4 at the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Office in Secaucus and tr…

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by Cecilia Levine
Lifestyle
Burn-Away Cakes Are Super Hot Right Now: Here's Where To Get One In North Jersey Burn-Away Cakes Are Super Hot Right Now: Here's Where To Get One In North Jersey
Burn-Away Cakes Are Super Hot Right Now: Here's Where To Get One In North Jersey Burn-away cakes could be the hottest cakes on the market — literally. While the technique isn't a new one, burn-away cakes started going viral on TikTok in early 2024, Eater reports. Justin Ellen, a 21-year-old Passaic baker who you may recognize from Netflix, was inspired to make his "Mean Girls" themed burn-away cake after seeing Denise Steward's New Year's cake go viral. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Everything Just Baked ! (@everythingjustbaked) "It seems intimidating, but it isn't," Ellen said. "It's super, super simple."…

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by Cecilia Levine