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Passaic Man’s Excuse For Stolen Car Falls Flat In Lyndhurst, Cops Say
A Passaic man was arrested in Lyndhurst after police say he tried to pass off a stolen Toyota Camry as a friend’s, authorities said.
Quiam Barksdale, 42, was charged with receiving stolen motor vehicle property, a third-degree crime, following an incident late Thursday night, July 3, Lyndhurst Police Capt. Vincent Auteri said.
Around 11:50 p.m., officers responded to a stolen vehicle alert out of Passaic, NJ, and quickly located the unoccupied 2010 Toyota Camry parked behind a lot in the 200 block of Stuyvesant Avenue, authorities said.
Lt. Richard Holicki was the first to arrive on scene,…
Tornado Watch Issued In Ocean County; Severe Thunderstorm Watch Issued For All 21 NJ Counties
A Severe Thunderstorm Watch is in effect for all 21 counties through 9 p.m., with forecasters warning of damaging wind gusts and heavy downpours. Flash Flood and Heat Advisories also remain in place as of Tuesday afternoon, the National Weather Service said.
In Ocean County, a Tornado Warning was issued just before 6:30 p.m. and remains in effect until 7:15 p.m. Tuesday. Radar indicated potential tornadic activity over areas including Lakewood, Cassville, Pine Lake Park, Leisure Village, New Egypt, and Hornerstown.
As of 7 p.m., more than 6,800 customers were without power. According to JCP…
Runaway Garbage Truck Rolls Into New Milford Home, Driver Gets 4 Tickets: Police
A runaway garbage truck struck three parked cars and slammed into a home in New Milford after the driver stepped out to collect trash Tuesday morning, July 8, police said.
The crash happened around 7:12 a.m., in front of 245 Eagle Avenue, off Main Street, according to New Milford Police Chief Brian T. Clancy.
The unmanned truck rolled south on Eagle Avenue, hitting three parked cars. One was pushed into the structure of 247 Eagle Ave., causing minor damage.
Emergency crews from New Milford Fire Department, Oradell Fire Department, and PSE&G responded after a gas meter at the home wa…
MVC 'Bodyguard' Davidson Cruz Of Wallington Dies Days Before 24th Birthday
Davidson Elian Cruz, a Wallington husband, father, and Motor Vehicle Commission employee, died on Friday, June 27, 2025, just three days before his 24th birthday, according to his obituary on the Alvarez Funeraria website.
He was born June 30, 2001, in the Dominican Republic, the obituary says.
Davidson worked for the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission (MVC) as a Safety Specialist at the Lodi Road Test Operations team since April 2022, according to a GoFundMe campaign which appears to have been launched by coworkers.
"Davidson made a lasting impact during his time with the Commission," th…
Air Quality Alerts Issued Across NJ/NY As Temps Hit 90s, Pollution Risks Rise
It’s not just hot — it’s hazardous.
Air quality across New Jersey and New York is expected to be unhealthy for sensitive groups on Thursday, June 12, as temperatures climb into the 90s and Code Orange Alerts are in effect.
Health officials say that ground-level ozone and fine particulates will combine with heat to pose risks for children, seniors, and people with heart or lung conditions.
⚠️ Air Quality Alerts
Code Orange Air Quality Alerts issued by the NJ Department of Environmental Protection
Counties affected: Bergen, Essex, Union, Hudson, Passaic, Middlesex, Mercer, Ocean, Burling…
Woman Walks Into Clifton Hotel Room, Steals Cell Phone, Police Say
A woman from Passaic was arrested after she walked into a stranger’s unlocked hotel room and stole her phone, police in Clifton said.
Officers responded to the Howard Johnson's hotel on Route 3 West on Monday, June 2, 2025, around an undisclosed time, after a 23-year-old woman reported her phone had been stolen, according to the Clifton Police Department.
The victim told police that another woman walked into her room while the door was momentarily left unlocked. The woman grabbed the victim’s cell phone and ran off.
The victim followed the woman, later identified as Natalie Valles, 42, of …
Canadian Wildfire Smoke Drifts Into Northeast Triggering Air Quality Alerts
With summer-like heat moving in, health officials have issued a Code Orange Air Quality Alert for much of New Jersey, New York, Connecticut, and the Philadelphia metro area on Wednesday, June 4 (scroll down to check your town's air quality index).
The alerts, in effect from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., warn that ground-level ozone pollution could reach unhealthy levels for sensitive groups, including children, the elderly, and those with heart or lung disease, authorities in each state said. Click here to see today's air quality forecast.
In New Jersey, the Department of Environmental Protection iss…
M*A*S*H Star Loretta Swit Dies; Played Colorful Character 'Hot Lips' Houlihan
Loretta Swit, who starred on one of the most popular shows in television history, has died.
Swit, who played the charming and colorful head nurse Major Margaret "Hot Lips" Houlihan on the CBS smash hit M*A*S*H, was age 87 and resided in New York City, where she died early Friday afternoon, May 30. She was a native of Passaic, New Jersey.
A cause of death has not been announced.
After performing in theatrical productions, including on Broadway, Swit moved to Hollywood in 1969 and appeared on several successful TV series, including Hawaii Five-O, Gunsmoke, Mission: Impossible, and Mannix.
H…
Man With Phony License Plates Busted In Wallington: Police
A man was arrested in Wallington on Friday, April 11, while driving a car with a stolen license plate and giving police false information, authorities said.
At 10:30 a.m., a license plate reader alerted officers to a blue Hyundai Santa Cruz traveling east on Wallington Avenue, displaying a stolen license plate registered out of New York, Wallington police said.
During a traffic stop, the driver, Daniel Gatson, presented a driver’s license belong to an individual who had an active warrant in Virginia, police said.
Gatson was charged with receiving stolen property, exhibiting a false governm…
13 Fugitives Captured In Major Warrant Sweep Across Passaic County: Sheriff
Thirteen fugitives were arrested in a major warrant sweep across Passaic County, Sheriff Thomas Adamo said.
The sweep was carried out on Thursday, April 10, and included help from several divisions of the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, including the Detective Bureau, Patrol, and Courthouse Division.
“This operation was a collaborative effort involving multiple divisions, including the Sheriff’s Detective Bureau, Patrol, and the Courthouse Division,” Adamo said. “I want commend every individual who was involved in this significant operation.”
According to Adamo, the focus of the operation…
Remains Recovered From Hudson River In Hoboken ID'd As Murder Victim: Prosecutor
The body of a man who authorities say was shot dead by a Bergen County tattoo artist and then dumped into the Hudson River was identified as the remains recovered from the water last month.
Julio Torres' body was discovered in the Hudson River near Pier C Park in Hoboken on Sunday, March 23, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez said. On Wednesday, April 2, a DNA report positively identified Torres, 23, of Passaic, as the victim.
Erick Fernandez, a 26-year-old Lodi resident and tattoo artist was arrested and charged on Thursday, Feb. 6, after he shot Torres and then fled the scene wit…
‘Justice for Daniella’: Friends Rally Around Mother After Daughter’s Passaic Murder
A heartbroken Passaic mother is receiving an outpouring of support after launching a GoFundMe campaign to help bury her 31-year-old daughter who was fatally stabbed inside a Passaic home on Sunday, March 16, authorities said.
The fundraiser, started by Francesca Cwynar, has raised more than $2,800 as of press time to support Daniella Davis' grieving mother, Rose Mele. Mele's LinkedIn page shows she works as a secretary for the Clifton Board of Education.
“I am writing on behalf of a dear friend, Rose Mele, a resilient and selfless woman,” Cwynar wrote on the fundraiser. “On March 16, Rose’s…
Woman, 31, Stabbed Dead In Passaic Home: Prosecutor
A 31-year-old woman was stabbed dead inside a Passaic home Sunday morning, March 16, and authorities are actively investigating, officials said.
Passaic police responded to a residence near 4th Street and Bergen Street at 9:40 a.m. on March 16, after receiving a 911 call about a stabbing, according to Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and Passaic Police Chief Luis A. Guzman.
When officers arrived, they found the victim suffering from stab wounds inside the home, authorities said. She was taken to St. Mary’s Hospital, where she was pronounced dead. Her identity was not released.
T…
Rutherford Security Guard Guilty Of Hitting Homeless Shoplifter With Cop Car: Prosecutor
A 57-year-old Rutherford Family Dollar security guard was convicted on Wednesday, Feb. 26 of hitting a shoplifter with a police car, authorities said.
Frederic Parisi was convicted of aggravated assault, endangering an injured victim and impersonating police officer for the 2020 incident which left the victim, Hector Rodriguez with life-threatening injuries, Essex County Prosecutor Theodore Stephens II said.
On Friday, March 13, 2020, Parisi, a security guard at the Family Dollar store at 131 Clinton Ave. chased Rodriguez in a police car, struck him with the vehicle and then sprayed him in …
SNL's Joe Piscopo, Passaic Native, Returns To North Jersey For Book Signing
As "Saturday Night Live" celebrates its 50th anniversary, former cast member Joe Piscopo, a North Jersey native, is ready to tell his story.
Piscopo, who was born in Passaic and grew up in North Caldwell, is signing copies of his new book, "Average Joe: The Memoirs of a Blue-Collar Entertainer" at Bookends in Ridgewood on Wednesday, Feb. 19 at 6 p.m.
In the book, Piscopo talks about getting started in the New York standup scene where he befriended Jerry Seinfeld, Larry David and Gilbert Gottfried, according to a synopsis.
On SNL, he made millions laugh with his skits with Eddie Murph…
Bob Dylan Biopic Filmed In Hoboken Scores 8 Oscar Nominations
"A Complete Unknown," the Bob Dylan biopic that was shot throughout New Jersey, received eight Academy Award nominations, including Best Picture, when nominees were announced on Thursday, Jan. 23.
Timothee Chalamet who plays the iconic singer/songwriter as he navigates the New York music scene in the 1960s, was nominated for Best Actor while James Mangold was nominated for Best Director. Monica Barbaro, who plays Joan Baez, was nominated for Best Supporting Actress, while Edward Norton, who plays Pete Seeger, was nominated for Best Supporting Actor.
The movie also received nominations for B…
Summit's Sean Baker Nominated For Best Director For 'Anora'
The Garden State will be well represented at the 97th annual Academy Awards with natives Sean Baker, Zoe Saldaña, Sebastian Stan and Jesse Eisenberg all receiving nominations on Thursday, Jan. 23.
Sean Baker, who was born in Summit, was nominated for Best Picture, Best Director, Best Film Editing and Best Original Screenplay for "Anora," about a Russian stripper who impulsively marries the son of a Russian oligarch, only for his family to try and get the marriage annulled.
Growing up in Short Hills, Baker later attended Gill St. Bernard's School in Somerset County. Baker's films prima…
Passenger, 22, Killed In Route 80 Crash: Njsp
A 22-year-old Union City man was killed in a single-vehicle crash on Route 80 early Saturday, Jan. 18, authorities said.
A Honda driven by a 22-year-old Belleville man was heading west when it veered off the road and struck a tree in Knowlton near milepost 6.2 around 3:05 a.m., according to New Jersey State Police Sgt. Charles Marchan.
The driver sustained minor injuries in the crash, while one passenger, a 19-year-old Passaic man, suffered moderate injuries. A second passenger, age 22, of Union City, died of his injuries, Marchan said. The victim's name was not released.
The crash re…
Arctic Blast Will Follow Snow Showers Across NJ With Temps We Haven't Seen In Years, NWS Says
Light snow showers are forecast to begin Thursday afternoon, Jan. 16 across parts of New Jersey and Pennsylvania, potentially creating slippery conditions during the evening commute, according to the National Weather Service (NWS).
A Hazardous Weather Outlook has been issued for several northeast New Jersey counties, including Passaic, Hudson, Bergen, Essex, and Union, with snowfall set to begin after 4 p.m.
Most areas are expected to see less than one inch of snow, though localized accumulations of up to two inches are possible in parts of eastern Pennsylvania near and north of …
