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Four Arrested In NJ Detective's Home Invasion Killing: 'Significant Step Toward Justice' Four Arrested In NJ Detective's Home Invasion Killing: 'Significant Step Toward Justice'
Four Arrested In NJ Detective's Home Invasion Killing: 'Significant Step Toward Justice' Four people have been charged for their roles in a violent home invasion that left a Cumberland County detective dead, authorities announced. Nyshawn Mutcherson, 29, of Vineland; Jarred Brown, 31, of Bridgeton; and Richard Hawkins Willis, 32, of Gloucester City, were each charged with first-degree murder, the Cape May County Prosecutor's Office said in a news release on Monday, Oct. 28. Cyndia Pimentel, 38, of Paulsboro, was also facing charges in the case. Sgt. Monica Mosley, a detective sergeant with the Cumberland County Prosecutor’s Office, was shot and killed in her Brid…
Teen Killed In Boating Accident Was Rising Rutgers Freshman Teen Killed In Boating Accident Was Rising Rutgers Freshman
Teen Killed In Boating Accident Was Rising Rutgers Freshman More information has come to light about the 18-year-old Wayne resident killed in a boating accident over the weekend in Harvey Cedars. Zeina Mahafzah was days away from beginning her freshman year at Rutgers University, as classes start on Tuesday, Sept. 2. According to university spokeswoman Dory Devlin, Zeina was enrolled in the School of Arts and Sciences–Newark. "The Rutgers-Newark community is devastated by the news of Zeina’s passing, and we are sending our support to the Mahafzah family during this incredibly difficult time," Devlin said. In a post shared to Faceboo…
Goffle Creamery Voted Best Ice Cream In North Jersey: Meet High School Sweethearts Behind It Goffle Creamery Voted Best Ice Cream In North Jersey: Meet High School Sweethearts Behind It
Goffle Creamery Voted Best Ice Cream In North Jersey: Meet High School Sweethearts Behind It Some of Vinnie and Alyssa Penna's best childhood memories were getting ice cream at the Old Bar Milk Barn. If you grew up in Wayne, you know it: The brown barn with red and white signage. You could grab a cone at the walk-up window or sit in a booth or at a bar. The Pennas enjoyed many an ice cream cone at the Old Barn Milk Bar in their summers dating through Wayne Valley High School.  The two got married in 2012 and in August 2021, they opened Goffle Creamery 686 Goffle Road in Hawthorne. The Pennas always envisioned creating a shoppe that would be an ode to places like the…
Bayonne Mourns Loss Of DPW Worker Brian 'Julio' Ahern: 'Friend To All' Bayonne Mourns Loss Of DPW Worker Brian 'Julio' Ahern: 'Friend To All'
Bayonne Mourns Loss Of DPW Worker Brian 'Julio' Ahern: 'Friend To All' Tragedy strikes again in Bayonne. The city is mourning the loss of Brian "Julio" Ahern, a lifelong community member and supervisor for the Department of Public Works, who died Saturday, July 6. Mayor Jimmy Davis said Ahern was "a friend to everyone." "Julio never wasted time, it was too important to him," the mayor said. "Whether it was family time, work time, giving back to our community time, or play time, he gave it his all and enjoyed every minute of it. His zest for life was as big as he was. He lit up every room he walked into. He was larger than life." The Ahern family name runs de…
Storied Disappearing Dumont Donkey Is Hero Mascot At Builder's New Ice Cream Shop Storied Disappearing Dumont Donkey Is Hero Mascot At Builder's New Ice Cream Shop
Storied Disappearing Dumont Donkey Is Hero Mascot At Builder's New Ice Cream Shop It was 2017 and Matt Dagistanli was in the process of building the structure that stands today at 65 W. Madison Avenue in Dumont, when his donkey went missing. He wasn't a real donkey, of course, but a statue that Dagistanli and his former business partner had affectionately called Dumbo. Dagistanli grew quite fond of Dumbo, and wasn't ready to get rid of him at the turn of his career change. "I didn’t want to sell it or throw it away, so I took it home," said Dagistanli, 63, of Rutherford. "My wife said, 'You need to take this away.'" Dagistanli had nowhere to keep Dumbo except for …
Man Dies In 'Tragic Incident' On Grounds Of NJ High School: Officials Man Dies In 'Tragic Incident' On Grounds Of NJ High School: Officials
Man Dies In 'Tragic Incident' On Grounds Of NJ High School: Officials A community member died in what officials are calling a "tragic incident" on the grounds of a New Jersey school district on Wednesday, Nov. 15. Police responding to Highland Park High School around 6:25 a.m. found an unresponsive male, local police said. He was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital, where he was pronounce dead. "The patient was not affiliated with Highland Park Schools nor was the patient ever inside of a school building," local police said. Highland Park Schools Superintendent Kristina Nicosia said that a community member died before the school d…
Popular Hoboken Eatery Closes After 17 Years: 'This Is Brutal' Popular Hoboken Eatery Closes After 17 Years: 'This Is Brutal'
Popular Hoboken Eatery Closes After 17 Years: 'This Is Brutal' Dwight Thompson was just an employee when he began working at Hoboken's 918 Willow in 2005. It wasn't long before he was promoted to manager and, soon enough, he owned the place along with business partner Stephen Bailey. They called it "D's Soul Full Cafe," and since 2010, it's been a staple in the community, a popular hangout and late-night food stop with a focus on the arts. But Sunday, May 14 was D's last day in business. And the community is heartbroken. View this post on Instagram A post shared by D's Soul Full Cafe (@dssoulfullcafe) …
Beloved Bogota Bagel Man Dies Beloved Bogota Bagel Man Dies
Beloved Bogota Bagel Man Dies He was deeply woven into the community's fabric, so it's with deep sadness that folks are learning that Thomas Walsh died at the bagel shop in Bogota where he'd worked for as long as most could remember. Walsh, 80, of Cliffside Park kept things hummin' at Boxcar Bagels.  The general manager regularly arrived hours before sunrise so that those still asleep would have a pleasant start to their days, thanks to fluffy, jumbo-sized bagels that became the trademark of the shop in front of the train tracks. It was around 4 a.m. Tuesday, March 7, in fact, when borough police were called to the R…
Morris County Native, Dedicated Dad Of 2 Matthew Bell Dies At 38 Morris County Native, Dedicated Dad Of 2 Matthew Bell Dies At 38
Morris County Native, Dedicated Dad Of 2 Matthew Bell Dies At 38 Morris County native and dedicated father of two Matthew Robert Bell died at his home on Thursday, Oct. 6. He was 38. Born and raised in Denville, Matthew graduated from Morris Knolls High School in 2002, his obituary says. Matthew loved sports, live music, and spending time with friends. He is remembered as an endlessly generous person who embraced his role as a loving father to his two children, Alexander and Sophia Bell, his memorial says. “The loss of this wonderful person is a pain that will be felt by many, and he will always be remembered as a kind, caring man who was so full of l…
Danzig Bass Player, Wife Dedicate Bench In Mahwah Park In Memory Of Beloved Chihuahua Danzig Bass Player, Wife Dedicate Bench In Mahwah Park In Memory Of Beloved Chihuahua
Danzig Bass Player, Wife Dedicate Bench In Mahwah Park In Memory Of Beloved Chihuahua Sir Otis looked forward to his daily walks in Mahwah's Silver Creek Park. "He went to the park between 11:30 and 12:30 every day for 10 years," said Lana Grecco. "He knew whenever it was time. He was always ready." The spunky Chihuahua was at the park in the township's northeast corner near the New York State border when he passed on Dec. 21, 2021. He was 16. Lana made a vow with her husband, Steve "Zing" Grecco, who plays bass with the legendary New Jersey heavy metal band Danzig, among other acts. "We promised ourselves that we'd do something to honor his memory at the spot our little…
Shock, Sadness Spread: Young Harrison Police Officer Dies Shock, Sadness Spread: Young Harrison Police Officer Dies
Shock, Sadness Spread: Young Harrison Police Officer Dies People get to know their police officers in small towns like Harrison, where shock and sadness continued to spread with the news that one of its finest had suddenly died. Officer Elizabeth Yasmin Delacruz succumbed at the Valley Hospital in Ridgewood following a medical procedure elsewhere, said Maureen Curran Kleinman, the manager of communications and marketing for Valley Health System. A graduate of Lincoln High School in Jersey City, and a graduate student in criminal justice at John Jay College in Manhattan, Delacruz served in the U.S. Marine Corps, She was appointed to her depar…
Big-Hearted Bergen County Sheriff's Officer Dies Suddenly Big-Hearted Bergen County Sheriff's Officer Dies Suddenly
Big-Hearted Bergen County Sheriff's Officer Dies Suddenly “A big man with an even bigger heart” is how a colleague described former Bergen County Sheriff’s Officer Scott Emerson, who died suddenly this weekend. Emerson, 34, of Fair Lawn, “wasn’t feeling well, and they called an ambulance," another colleague said Sunday. The 8-year department veteran may have suffered an infection following recent surgery, friends said. He hung on throughout the day Saturday -- as family, friends and colleagues gathered at the hospital -- before he passed away, one said. "They brought him back several times," the friend said. "Then they couldn't. He went on his o…
First Day Of Kindergarten Holds Special Meaning For Lyndhurst Family First Day Of Kindergarten Holds Special Meaning For Lyndhurst Family
First Day Of Kindergarten Holds Special Meaning For Lyndhurst Family Tradition. Family values. Longevity. That's what Columbus Elementary School represents for the Restrepo family of Lyndhurst. Four generations of the family will have attended the Lake Avenue school come Wednesday, when 5-year-old Francesca Restrepo will start her first day of Kindergarten -- 100 years after her great-grandmother. "It's something to be said about our town," said Francesca's mom, Liz Restrepo, who also attended Columbus with her husband and Francesca's father, Juan. Francesca has only met some of her relatives but fully understands that she will be carrying history, mem…
Off The Chain: Dog Park Opens In Passaic Off The Chain: Dog Park Opens In Passaic
Off The Chain: Dog Park Opens In Passaic A brand new dog park is opening in Passaic. A ribbon-cutting ceremony will be held at the Armory Park on Gregory Avenue on July 21 at 3 p.m. The PetSafe® Armory Memorial Dog Park was made possible through the PetSafe® Bark for Your Park™ program, a grant program that provides funding to create safe, off-leash dog parks nationwide. Passaic is one of 13 communities across the country to receive funding through the 2018 PetSafe® Bark for Your Park™ program.  Out of more than 120 applicants, the city was awarded a $25,000 grant to fund the construction of PetSafe® Armory Memorial Do…
Community Rallies For Randolph HS Dance Teacher Recovering From Brain Tumor Community Rallies For Randolph HS Dance Teacher Recovering From Brain Tumor
Community Rallies For Randolph HS Dance Teacher Recovering From Brain Tumor Dance skirts: That was Michele Adriano de Oliveira's first thought after waking up from surgery to remove a brain tumor earlier this month. The Randolph High School dance teacher and mom of two was diagnosed with a meningioma (benign brain tumor) after several bouts of dizzy spells and severe headaches. Adriano de Oliveira feels grateful that the tumor was benign and she won't need radiation or chemotherapy. Still, she faces a long road ahead. More than $16,700 had been raised as of Tuesday morning on a GoFundMe for Adriano de Oliveira launched by her cousin Danielle Baker. Bein…
Hackensack Mourns Beloved HS Principal Harold Bloom, 89 Hackensack Mourns Beloved HS Principal Harold Bloom, 89
Hackensack Mourns Beloved HS Principal Harold Bloom, 89 The Hackensack community is mourning the loss of the high school's longtime and beloved principal Harold Bloom, who died Jan. 14 at Hackensack University Medical Center. He was 89 years old. Affectionately known as "Uncle Hal," Bloom started in the district as a history teacher in 1954. He worked his way up to become principal in 1969 and retired in 1992. Bloom went on to become a trustee for the Maywood library, playing a major role in stabilizing its finances. His name lives on not only on Hackensack High School's First Street skybridge, but in the hearts of hundreds of former colleagues…
'I Love You Papou': Grandson's Touching Tribute Honors Late Lyndhurst Diner Owner 'I Love You Papou': Grandson's Touching Tribute Honors Late Lyndhurst Diner Owner
'I Love You Papou': Grandson's Touching Tribute Honors Late Lyndhurst Diner Owner He had an unmistakable, booming voice. A magnetic and kind personality. An innate ability to make everyone feel at home. This is how longtime Lyndhurst Diner owner John Sakellaris, who died Tuesday after 48 years at the helm, is being remembered. If you didn't know Sakalleris, a touching tribute penned by his grandson -- Emanuel Logothetis -- might make you feel like you did. Or at least, wish that you did. Logothetis, who spent nearly every weekend of his childhood at the Eagle Street diner with his grandfather, published the tribute to Facebook, where it garnered hundreds of li…
Historic Alpine Church Designed By Metropolitan Opera House Architect Hits Market At $3.45M Historic Alpine Church Designed By Metropolitan Opera House Architect Hits Market At $3.45M
Historic Alpine Church Designed By Metropolitan Opera House Architect Hits Market At $3.45M Alpine's historic community church is on the market for $3.45 million. According to Zillow, two lots on Closter Dock and Old Dock roads totaling 3.19 acres are for sale: the 20,000-square-foot church and a two-bedroom, 10,000-square-foot home. The church had been on Zillow for 11 days as of Wednesday afternoon.  Founded in the 1840s, the church was designed by the same architect of the Metropolitan Opera House, J.C. Cady.  "Cady donated his time to the church after being drawn there while designing a home for Mr. and Mrs. Charles Nordhoff in 1865," the church website s…
Bergen County, Here Is Your Bible: Fashion Guru Makes Most Of Layoff Bergen County, Here Is Your Bible: Fashion Guru Makes Most Of Layoff
Bergen County, Here Is Your Bible: Fashion Guru Makes Most Of Layoff A Mahwah fashion editor, stylist and TV personality is giving Bergen County its very own bible. Heather Zwain, 34, is bringing several writers on board for the launch of her new website, Heather Zwain’s The Bergen County Bible -- live on Thursday. She says it was created out of a desire to provide the community with insider tips and behind-the-scenes looks at the professionals and personalities in Bergen County. “I was unexpectedly laid off from my job and chose to turn a negative into a positive," Zwain said, originally of Washington Township. "Starting my own website feels lik…