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Federal Judge In NJ Orders Duo To Stop Selling Supposed COVID 'Cure' Federal Judge In NJ Orders Duo To Stop Selling Supposed COVID 'Cure'
Federal Judge In NJ Orders Duo To Stop Selling Supposed COVID 'Cure' UPDATE: A federal judge has issued a final order to a retired New Jersey lawyer and formerly licensed psychiatrist from Westchester to stop selling unapproved and misbranded drugs advertised as a cure for COVID-19. Ralph Fucetola of Newton and his partner, Rima Laibow, formerly of Croton-on-Hudson, sold a product that they claimed would "cure, mitigate, treat or prevent" the coronavirus, the Justice Department said Tuesday. They claimed that anyone who ingested one capful a day of "Dr. Rima Recommends Nano Silver 10PPM" should have "no fear or concern" about the coronavirus, a complaint on …

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Sussex Man Who Spent $5.6M COVID Relief Money On Stock Market, Luxury Car, More Sentenced Sussex Man Who Spent $5.6M COVID Relief Money On Stock Market, Luxury Car, More Sentenced
Sussex Man Who Spent $5.6M COVID Relief Money On Stock Market, Luxury Car, More Sentenced A Sussex County man was sentenced Tuesday to more than five years in federal prison for spending $5.6 million in federal COVID-19 pandemic business loans for himself, authorities said. Azhar Sarwar Rana, 31, of Newton will have to serve out just about all of the 64-month sentence because there's no parole in the federal prison system. The federal Paycheck Protection Program was designed to keep struggling small businesses afloat during the pandemic. Rana used the money, instead, to invest millions in the stock market, make a payment to a luxury car dealership and send hundreds of thous…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Obituaries
Sussex County Business Owner, 'Dedicated Family Man’ Robert Misner Dies Suddenly At 34 Sussex County Business Owner, 'Dedicated Family Man’ Robert Misner Dies Suddenly At 34
Sussex County Business Owner, 'Dedicated Family Man’ Robert Misner Dies Suddenly At 34 Sussex County business owner and dedicated family man Robert James Misner died suddenly at his home on Oct. 10. He was 34. Born in Dover, Misner spent time in Netcong, Hopatcong and Sparta before moving to Newton, where he lived at the time of his death, his obituary says. Misner was the owner and operator of Misner Sealcoating of Sparta and an active member of Every Nation New Jersey Church of Morris Plains. Misner was remembered as a “quiet and dedicated family man” who loved spending time with those closest to him. Misner is survived by his mother Sheri Misner-Borg and his step father …

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by Valerie Musson
News
GOTCHA! Sixth Suspect In Ambush Execution Of Newark Man In Paterson Captured In Delaware GOTCHA! Sixth Suspect In Ambush Execution Of Newark Man In Paterson Captured In Delaware
Gotcha! Sixth Suspect In Ambush Execution Of Newark Man In Paterson Captured In Delaware A Paterson fugitive captured by U.S. Marshals in Delaware became the sixth person charged with murder in the execution of a 21-year-old Newark man who was ambushed in the Silk City earlier this year. Authorities identified Jaquan A. Thomas, 31, as one of the planners of the May 1 shooting death of Jose Figueroa. He waived extradition after federal marshals tracked him down in Delaware, then was brought to the Passaic County Jail. Thomas joined two women, a man and two boys who’ve remained held in connection with the cold-blooded killing in the area of Totowa and Redwood Avenues. Autho…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Obituaries
9-Year-Old NJ Boy Dies Suddenly 9-Year-Old NJ Boy Dies Suddenly
9-Year-Old NJ Boy Dies Suddenly Support is pouring in for the family of a New Jersey boy who suddenly and tragically died in his sleep at just nine years old. Mario C. Musolino died while sleeping in bed at his family's Hopatcong home on Tuesday, Sept. 28, his obituary says. Born in Denville, Mario was a thriving third grade student at Hopatcong Elementary School and was known for his love of animals, especially dogs, as well as music and being with his family, his memorial says. More than $12,700 had been raised as of Tuesday on a GoFundMe for Mario’s funeral expenses, putting the family more than halfway toward the $17…

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by Valerie Musson
News
Video Shows Armed Sussex Man Rushing Police Before He's Shot, Killed Video Shows Armed Sussex Man Rushing Police Before He's Shot, Killed
Video Shows Armed Sussex Man Rushing Police Before He's Shot, Killed Video footage released Monday shows police shooting and killing a Newton man as he came at them pointing what authorities said turned out to be a semi-automatic handgun. Three uniformed police officers in the Sussex County town were responding to a 911 call on July 4 from a concerned family member who said Gulia Dale, III, 61, had a gun, Acting New Jersey Attorney General Andrew J. Bruck said. The units arrived and blocked in Dale as he backed a pickup truck from the driveway of the Clive Place home around 9:30 p.m., police dashcam video shows. Dale at first complies with orders to exit t…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Police & Fire
NJ Ex-Con Charged With Murder In Stabbing Death Of 38-Year-Old Woman NJ Ex-Con Charged With Murder In Stabbing Death Of 38-Year-Old Woman
NJ Ex-Con Charged With Murder In Stabbing Death Of 38-Year-Old Woman A Sussex County ex-con was indicted on murder charges in connection with the fatal stabbing of a 38-year-old woman in Hunterdon County, authorities said Friday. Newton resident Brandon E. Petersen, 31, was indicted via a Hunterdon County grand jury for first-degree murder, third-degree possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose and fourth-degree unlawful taking of a means of conveyance, Prosecutor Renee M. Robeson said. Petersen is accused of fatally stabbing Michelle M. Carkhuff at a residence on Kingwood Stockton Road the night of Dec. 6, 2020, Robeson said. Before officers arrived, …

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by Valerie Musson
Police & Fire
Man In $1M Meth Lab Bust, Pal Put Dead Body Under NJ Family's Doghouse, Police Say Man In $1M Meth Lab Bust, Pal Put Dead Body Under NJ Family's Doghouse, Police Say
Man In $1M Meth Lab Bust, Pal Put Dead Body Under NJ Family's Doghouse, Police Say Two Sussex County ex-cons have been accused of relocating human remains found in a Hopatcong home to a doghouse underneath a deck, authorities said. Brian Cheda-Hackembruch, 25, of Andover Township (who you may remember from his involvement in a $1 million meth lab raid), and Matthew R. Thomas, 27, of Newton had found the body of an individual who died of a medical emergency in a Hopatcong home, Andover Township police said. Instead of notifying officials, the pair loaded the victim into the trunk of his or her own vehicle, then hired a towing company to move the car to a street near West L…

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by Valerie Musson
News
Handgun Recovered From Man Killed In Sussex County Police Shooting, State AG Says Handgun Recovered From Man Killed In Sussex County Police Shooting, State AG Says
Handgun Recovered From Man Killed In Sussex County Police Shooting, State AG Says A man armed with a semi-automatic handgun was killed in a police-involved July 4th shooting in Newton, the state's top law enforcement official confirmed Monday. Three uniformed police officers in the Sussex County town were responding to a 911 call when they had an encounter with the man outside a Clive Place home around 9:30 p.m. Sunday, Attorney General Gurbir S. Grewal said a preliminary investigation found. "Two Newton police officers fired their service weapons, fatally wounding the man," Grewal said. "First aid was rendered by officers. The individual was pronounced deceased at the s…

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by Jerry DeMarco
News
Feds: Sussex Man Admits Spending $5.6M COVID Relief Money On Stock Market, Luxury Vehicle, More Feds: Sussex Man Admits Spending $5.6M COVID Relief Money On Stock Market, Luxury Vehicle, More
Feds: Sussex Man Admits Spending $5.6M COVID Relief Money On Stock Market, Luxury Vehicle, More A Sussex County man who was seized by federal agents as he tried to board a flight to Pakistan admitted fraudulently collecting $5.6 million in federal COVID-19 pandemic business loans that he put to personal use, authorities said. Azhar Sarwar Rana, 30, of Newton, used the money -- designed to keep struggling small businesses afloat during the pandemic – to millions in the stock market, make a payment to a luxury car dealership and send hundreds of thousands of dollars to accounts in Pakistan, Acting U.S. Attorney Rachael A. Honig said. Rana submitted an application for a stimulus loan und…

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by Jerry DeMarco
Obituaries
21-Year-Old NJ Healthcare Worker Dies Of COVID-19 21-Year-Old NJ Healthcare Worker Dies Of COVID-19
21-Year-Old NJ Healthcare Worker Dies Of Covid-19 Sussex County high school graduate and local healthcare worker Abel Sanchez-Casas died from COVID-19 complications at Newton Medical Center on June 18. He was 21. Born in Veracruz, Mexico, Sanchez-Casas grew up in Newton and graduated from Newton High School in 2017, his obituary says. Sanchez-Casas worked in healthcare at Broad Step Willow Glen in Sparta. He was known as a loving son, brother and friend, his memorial says. Sanchez-Casas loved music, basketball and animals and had an extensive collection of sneakers. Sanchez-Casas is survived by his parents, Abel Sanchez and Francisca Cas…

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by Valerie Musson
Lifestyle
Most Popular Brunch Spots In Sussex County Most Popular Brunch Spots In Sussex County
Most Popular Brunch Spots In Sussex County Mother's Day is coming up — have you booked brunch yet? Whether it's a Bloody Mary, a sizzling side of bacon or a tall stack of pancakes you're after, there are plenty of breakfast and brunch spots in Sussex County to choose from. The spots you see on this list were top-rated on several user-generated review sites and featured in local publications. Bell’s Mansion (11 Main St., Stanhope) View this post on Instagram A post shared by Bell's Mansion (@bellsmansion) Hampton Diner & Family Restaurant (36 Hampton House Rd., Newton) Lake Ho…

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by Valerie Musson