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Bergen man found guilty in fatal road-rage case, report says

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Victim, 63, was on her way to church when she was killed

HACKENSACK -- A Saddle Brook man whose "brake checking" during what authorities described as a road rage incident led to the death of a Teaneck woman was found guilty of vehicular homicide Thursday, NorthJersey.com reported.

-5ae3a008fc5e45fd.JPGState Police closed off the Garden State Parkway in Washington Township following a fatal July 2012 crash blamed on aggressive driving. (Myles Ma | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)  

Thomas Vanderweit was travelling north on the Garden State Parkway in July 2012, when he encountered another motorist, John Emili, 20, of New City, N.Y. Also in the vehicle were Emili's girlfriend and grandmother, Annetta Billingy, 63, who was sitting in the back. Billingly was on her way to church.

RELATED: 2 charged in deadly Garden State Parkway crash 

Witnesses saw the two tailgating each other, frequently changing lanes and speeding until Vanderweit hit his brakes, touching off a chain-reaction crash in Washington Township that killed Billingy.  

Emili also faces charges in a separate proceeding.

Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @PaulMilo2. FindNJ.com on Facebook

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Take this week's NJ.com News Quiz

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Politics and lots of pizza make appearances in this week's test of how well you know New Jersey news.

It's been a busy week in New Jersey what with the president stopping by Monday, the elections Tuesday and conflicting pizza rankings that threw everyone for a loop this week. Have you got your head on straight for this week's NJ.com News Quiz? The seven questions below were culled from this week's most popular NJ.com news stories. Once you're finished, share your score in comments to see how you stack up with other NJ.com readers. And remember, we're all on the honor system here: No Googling allowed.



John Shabe can be reached at jshabe@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter and find NJ.com on Facebook.
 

Live like a villain: Home of mob kingpin for sale

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A mansion built by mob kingpin Albert Anastasia, Jr., goes up for auction that Dec. 8. The Italinate-style mansion sits on a 1.3-acre site on the Palisades Cliffs.

FORT LEE -- Is your home just not villainous enough?

You can change that Dec. 8, as long as you have a few million dollars.

A mansion built by mob kingpin Albert Anastasia, Jr., goes up for auction that day. The Italinate-style mansion sits on a 1.3-acre site on the Palisades Cliffs.

Anastasia, according to his FBI file, did not make an honest living. His business was racketeering, strikebreaking and strong-arming. His company came to be called Murder, Inc., and it was behind 63 killings between 1931 and 1940.

Born in 1902, Anastasia's career got off to an early start. He was convicted of killing another man as early as 1921, but the witness fled to Italy. Anastasia beat charges over and over again in the ensuing years, with witnesses changing their stories or worse, dying, according to the FBI.

Anastasia bought the Fort Lee property after spending two years in the Army and taking advantage of a law granting quick citizenship to servicemen.

"There he lives behind a steel fence guarded by two dogs, and spurns the subpoenas of the State Crime Commission," his FBI file says.

MORE: As new developments rise, Fort Lee girds for population boom

The file also notes that Anastasia has two Lincolns and that his son goes to college.

He could not hole up forever. Anastasia was killed in 1957 while in a barber's chair at the Park Sheraton Hotel in New York.

The subsequent owners of 75 Bluff Rd. have not been as violent. They include Del Webb, formerly a part-owner of the Yankees, and comedian Buddy Hackett. The current owner is Arthur Imperatore, another Italian-American working the waterfront, only he's on the straight and narow: He's founder and president of the NY Waterway ferry service.

The house is being auctioned by Guernsey's. The minimum bid is $5.5 million.

Myles Ma may be reached at mma@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MylesMaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Uber teaming up with Community FoodBank for food drive in 3 N.J. counties tomorrow

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The Community FoodBank of New Jersey has enlisted the help of ride-sharing giant, Uber, for an on-demand food drive in Hudson, Bergen and Essex counties tomorrow.

With the holiday season on the horizon, the push for food donations is beginning to ramp up.

The Community FoodBank of New Jersey has enlisted the help of ride-sharing giant, Uber, for an on-demand food drive in Hudson, Bergen and Essex counties tomorrow. 

Uber drivers will be dispatched throughout the three counties tomorrow between 10 a.m. and 2 p.m., collecting canned and non-perishable goods to be delivered to the Community FoodBank of New Jersey. 

"This Saturday, donating to your local food bank will be as easy as requesting an Uber ride," said Ana Mahony, Uber NJ General Manager. "We're incredibly proud to be joining CFBNJ in the fight against hunger right here in New Jersey"

To participate, open the Uber app during the four-hour window and select the "Food Drive' option. Then request a free pickup for your canned and non-perishable goods. Once the Uber driver arrives, they will collect the food and deliver them to the Community FoodBank.

Among the most needed items are canned tuna and salmon, pasta, cereal, rice, potatoes, chili, mac and cheese, peanut butter (plastic jars only) and all sizes of canned fruit. 

For more information on the Community FoodBank, visit www.cfbnj.org

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Prieto on second term as Assembly Speaker: We have unfinished business

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The 55-year-old Cuban American was first selected to the post in January 2014, and this January he will preside over an Assembly that counts 52 Democrats among its 80 members after Tuesday's elections.

With its largest majority since 1979, New Jersey Assembly Democrats this week chose Vincent Prieto of Secaucus for a second term as Assembly Speaker.

The 55-year-old Cuban American was first selected to the post in January 2014, and this January he will preside over an Assembly that counts 52 Democrats among its 80 members after Tuesday's elections.

"I am honored to again receive the support of this ever-stronger Assembly Democratic majority," Prieto said in a statement. "My goals as speaker have been to advocate for the middle-class and our most vulnerable, create jobs and decent wages, provide a quality education for all, protect our environment, ensure women's health care, reform government and build a stronger future for our state.

"Clearly, the voters agree with those Democratic values."

Prieto, who came to the United States in 1970, when he was 10, was first sworn into the Assembly in 2004. He represents the 32nd District, which includes Edgewater and Fairview in Bergen County and East Newark, Guttenberg, Harrison, Kearny, North Bergen, Secaucus and West New York in Hudson County.

"We've made great progress, but we also have unfinished business. I look forward to working with everyone in the weeks ahead and into the next session as we tackle some of the major problems facing our state."

High on Prieto's priority list is the state's transportation funding crisis. He also cited providing secure retirement savings, earned sick leave for all workers, tax relief, college affordability and the future of gaming in New Jersey as issues that must be addressed.

"New Jersey is a great place to work and call home, but we have some very difficult decisions to make if we're to build a stronger future for our state," Prieto said. "We're going to build a better New Jersey - one with a 21st century infrastructure, affordable college and middle-class families with decent jobs, good wages, modern benefits and secure retirement savings."

Prieto, who was raised in Union City, is a construction code official in Secaucus. The former plumber owned a plumbing supply business in Union City with his brother.

Before becoming the Speaker, Prieto served as the Assembly Budget chairman in 2012 and 2013. He previously had chaired the Assembly Regulated Professions Committee and was Deputy Majority Whip from 2006 to 2011.

Albio Sires, who is now a congressman, is the only other Cuban American to serve as Speaker. Sires held the post from 2002 to 2005.

Prieto will be joined in leadership by Lou Greenwald, D-Voorhees, who will return as Assembly Majority Leader; Jerry Green, D-Plainfield, who will return as Assembly Speaker Pro Tempore; Shavonda Sumter, D-Paterson, who will return as Assembly Majority Conference Leader; and Gary Schaer, D-Passaic, who will return as Assembly Budget Committee chairman.

"This is a strong leadership team that will build upon the great accomplishments of the Assembly Democratic majority and our run of success advocating for New Jersey's middle-class," Prieto said.

The Assembly's reorganization is set for Jan. 12.

Police probe Glen Rock bank robbery

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A Hudson City Savings Bank branch in the borough was robbed Friday morning, authorities said.

hudson bank.jpgA Hudson City Savings Bank branch in Glen Rock was robbed Nov. 6, 2015, authorities said. (Google Maps) 
GLEN ROCK -- A Hudson City Savings Bank branch in the borough was robbed Friday morning, authorities said.

A spokeswoman for the FBI's Newark division confirmed the case was under investigation, but did not have additional details.

Borough police Chief Fred Stahman said he could not immediately release details on the robbery.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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Man carrying machete charged in burglaries, police say

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A man arrested carrying an 18-inch machete faces charges in five commercial burglaries in the borough, police said Friday.

Sharodbenjamin.jpgSharod R. Benjamin, 24 (Photo: Fort Lee Police Department) 
FORT LEE -- A man arrested carrying an 18-inch machete faces charges in five commercial burglaries in the borough, police said Friday.

Sharod R. Benjamin, 24, of Teaneck, remained held at the Bergen County Jail in lieu of $50,000 bail after his arrest last month, according to sheriff's office records.

Police responded to a report of a man with a gun and found Benjamin, who matched a description from the call, walking in the parking lot of a Route 4 motel, department spokesman Capt. Stanley Zon said in a statement.

Detective Thomas Keelen identified himself as a police officer, the captain said.

ALSO: Police probe Glen Rock bank robbery

"As [Keelen] approached, Benjamin circled around the detective, bladed his body in a fighting stance, and refused to take his hands out of his pockets," Zon added.

Benjamin ignored repeated orders to show his hands, the captain said. He quickly put his hands to his waistband before the detective and Sgt. Cory Horton secured his arms to prevent him from grabbing a weapon.

Police Officer Dillon Turner frisked Benjamin and discovered the large knife with a black handle in his waistband, according to Zon. The search also revealed unspecified items stolen in five break-ins.

Detectives later charged Benjamin in burglaries and thefts between Oct. 19 and Oct. 26, Zon said. Those cases were all reported around 2000 Bigler Street. He was also charged with weapons offenses.

Police asked anyone who has seen Benjamin in the area or has more information about other recent burglaries to call detectives at 201-592-3510.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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Robber steals $5K from N.J. bank, police say

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A robber stole approximately $5,000 from a Hudson City Savings Bank branch in the borough Friday morning, police said.

hudson bank.jpgA Hudson City Savings Bank branch in Glen Rock was robbed Nov. 6, 2015, authorities said. (Google Maps) 
GLEN ROCK -- A robber stole approximately $5,000 from a Hudson City Savings Bank branch in the borough Friday morning, police said.

Officers were called to the Prospect Street bank around 10 a.m., according to a police statement. The robber was described as a black man, in his 20s or 30s, approximately 6-feet tall, with a thin, full beard.

The robber was last seen wearing a light blue flat brim baseball cap, a dark sweatshirt and tan pants, police said. There were no injuries.

RELATED: Police probe Glen Rock bank robbery

The FBI and Glen Rock police confirmed an investigation was underway, but did not release further details.

Anyone with information was asked to contact Detective Michael Trover at 201-670-3947 or Detective James Calaski at 201-670-3948.

Police said more information would be released on the department's Twitter and Facebook pages.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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N.Y. won't allow relocation of 'Pedals,' the injured walking bear

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New York DEC official said there's no scenario in which they would allow a state facility to take in the injured walking bear. Watch video

JEFFERSON -- "Pedals," the injured walking bear, has just had another hurdle thrown in his path -- even if New Jersey wildlife officials allowed him to be relocated to a wildlife center in New York, the Empire State environmental agency says it, too, would stand in the way of the move.

Benning DeLaMater, a public information officer with the New York State Department of Environmental Conservation, said there's no scenario in which the agency would allow the Orphaned Wildlife Center in Otisville, N.Y. to take in the bear.

According to DeLaMater, a wildlife facility is only allowed one special permit to take in a bear with special needs and the Orphaned Wildlife Center already has one such permit. He did not cite or provide to NJ Advance Media any regulations limiting the number of special needs bears a wildlife facility can house, but he has said he would provide a more detailed response next week.

DeLaMater said the facility is in good standing and the New York Department of Environmental Conservation has never received any complaints or issued any tickets to it for violations. Nonetheless, he said his agency will not allow "Pedals" to take up residence there even if New Jersey grants permission.

More than 280,000 people have signed a Care2 petition as of Friday demanding New Jersey Fish and Wildlife officials allow the relocation of the injured bear to the Orphaned Wildlife Center, a wildlife sanctuary that has offered to take in the bear and rehabilitate him.

The bear has been seen walking upright through Oak Ridge neighbors on his hind legs because of injuries to both paws.

RELATED: Have you seen the walking bear? Wildlife officials need help finding him

Sabrina Walsh Pugsley, an Oak Ridge resident, has started a GoFundMe page to help relocate the bear to New York that has raised more than $23,000.

Care2 petition author Lisa Rose Rublack, of Bloomingdale, said supporters of the bear will rally on Nov. 10 at 12:30 p.m. at the New Jersey State House and ask that the bear be captured and allowed to relocate to the Orphaned Wildlife Center. 

"It's an urgent situation, and we desperately need the state of New Jersey to act immediately to allow us to help this handicapped bear," said Rublack.


Rublack said the money raised to support the transfer of the bear to the New York facility will expire at the end of November, per the campaign's 60-day deadline.
 
Making matters more urgent, Rublack said, is New Jersey's bear hunt, scheduled for Dec. 7. Activists are concerned the bear's unique movements and notoriety will make him an easy and inviting target if he wanders into bear hunting zones.

The challenge of the bear surviving another winter in his condition also concerns supporters.

An official at the Orphaned Wildlife Center Center was surprised when told that the New York Department of Environmental Conservation would block the facility from taking in the bear.

"No. They haven't told us that," said an official at the facility who declined to give her name. "We have 12 bears here, one black bear. We currently have one special permit to keep a bear with specific needs. We would have to add another. We've never been denied a permit before.

"I don't see any grounds on which they would deny us the permit. We have the space, the facilities and a young lady has raised over $23,000 for us to build a specific enclosure for the bear. We have over 100 acres here. We have had 100-percent stellar reviews. We're certainly capable of taking in the bear if New Jersey allows it."

PLUS: Residents worry that "Pedals," the walking bear, won't survive the winter

The official at the Orphaned Wildlife Center added that even if their facility isn't  allowed to take in the bear, something should be done to help the animal.

"We feel this bear is in a bad situation," she said. "Whether he's physically fit or not, he needs help. Ultimately, he's going to hurt someone or someone is going to hurt him. He walking through neighbors. Hunting season is coming. If they can't send him to us, send him somewhere. We just want to see the bear get help."

Lawrence Hajna, a spokesman for the New Jersey Environmental Protection Agency's Division of Fish and Wildlife, said the agency's biologists believe it's best to let the bear continue to survive in the wild. The agency has asked anyone who spots the  bear or has any information on his whereabouts to call state wildlife officials at 877-927-6337 immediately.

Hajna said the agency wants to have its biologists examine the bear and determine his condition and whether he'll be able to survive the winter. If not, the agency will determine the next course of action.

Dave Hutchinson may be reached at dhutchinson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DHutch_SL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Man charged in armed robbery, loaded gun seized, police say

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A 38-year-old Lodi man was arrested and an accomplice was being sought in the gunpoint robbery of three men in the city early Friday, police said.

police lights2.pngA Bergen County man was charged with three counts of robbery in Paterson on Nov. 6, 2015, police said. (File photo) 
PATERSON -- A 38-year-old Lodi man was arrested and an accomplice was being sought in the gunpoint robbery of three men in the city early Friday, police said.

Kahseem Allah-Shabazz was charged with three counts of robbery and weapons offenses, according to authorities.

Police Officer Sweeney Melendez was flagged down at 4th Avenue and East 17th Street around 2 a.m. by someone reporting the holdup, Detective Sgt. Michael McDonald said.

Allah-Shabazz and another assailant ordered the three men to lay down and stole their cell phones, the sergeant said.

RELATED: Cab driver, 3 others hurt in string of overnight shootings, police say

The officer arrived as the robbers were walking away, but broadcast their descriptions to fellow officers, police said.

Paterson officers Taitrum Khadaroo and Cesar Heyaime soon spotted the assailants run into separate backyards on East 16th Street, McDonald added. Police arrested Allah-Shabazz, but his accomplice escaped.

Officers recovered a loaded a semi-automatic Glock .35 handgun, according to police. A search of Allah-Shabazz's nearby car also turned up suspected glassine packets of heroin in the front console.

Police identified the robbery victims as a 23-year-old man, a 35-year-old man, both of Paterson, and a 21-year-old Hawthorne man.

The arrest came amid a violent night in Paterson. Police said four people were wounded in separate shootings late Thursday into early Friday. Those cases are believed to be unrelated.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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3 drivers tried to dodge GWB tolls, police say

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One motorist had no plates, others tried to cover them, police say

FORT LEE -- Port Authority Police say three drivers Friday tried to duck the tolls on the George Washington Bridge.

police lights2.jpg 

Agency spokesman Joe Pentangelo said a Fords woman, Jacqulyn Corona, 29, was seen by Officer Juan Guzman traveling on the lower level pass through the EZ Pass lane. The car, a 2008 Ford, did not have any license plates, Pentangelo said.

When Guzman pulled Corona over he also saw that the car did not have an EZ Pass receiver and also spotted an unpaid New Jersey Turnpike toll ticket with Friday's date on the front passenger seat, Pentangelo said.

Corona was arrested and charged with toll evasion, theft of service and failure to display plates.

Later, at around 2 p.m., Guzman spotted a man on a Triumph motorcycle traveling eastbound with license plates covered with tape, Pentangelo said. Mark Archibald, 23, was arrested after he was unable to produce an EZ Pass tag, Pentangelo said.

A 48-year-old Tennille, Ga., man, Xavier Dent,  was also charged with toll evasion and theft of services after police said he was found driving a minivan with an obscured Missouri transport plate.

Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @PaulMilo2. FindNJ.com on Facebook

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Meet the coywolf, New Jersey's apex predator

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Researchers have learned that the coywolf is about twice the size of a coyote, with larger jaws and bigger muscles that allow it to kill deers

Say hello to the coywolf, the latest cool-sounding hybrid animal that researchers say now can be found by the millions throughout the Northeast.

The coywolf is actually a cross between a coyote and a wolf, and it's pretty common in the Northeast U.S., including N.J., according to several reports.

RELATED: Once unknown in N.J., coyotes have spread statewide

What used to be considered an eastern coyote is more accurately called a coywolf, according to Smithsonian Magazine, since eastern wolves interbred with western coyotes when deforestation and hunting threatened their population.

Researchers have learned that the coywolf is about twice the size of a coyote, with larger jaws and bigger muscles that allow it to kill deer, the UK Independent reports. The animals were dubbed the new "superpredators" by Field and Stream.

The extensive coywolf studies of Pepperdine University biology professor Javier MonzA3n concluded that coyote DNA dominates, but the animal is also 10 percent dog and 25 percent wolf, the Economist reported.

A 2014 PBS special on the coywolf observed that the coywolf may be taking over the region but its appearance only began within the last 90 years.

MORE: N.J.'s wily predator: 14 things you should know about coyotes

A few Bergen County residents were attacked by coyotes this past year, NJ Advance Media reported, and the coyote population in N.J. has risen.

Coyotes now exist in at least 400 towns across the state, according to the Department of Environmental Protection's Division of Fish and Wildlife, NJ Advance Media has reported.

One eastern Coyote/coywolf research site says that the animal is found from New Jersey to Maine, weighs 30 to 45 pounds on average, and ranges in color from "blonde to darker black and brown, but is usually tawny brown." While the animal may be stronger than the coyote, coywolf attacks are extremely rare, and there's no reason for "wolf hysteria," the Coywolf Association says.

Laura Herzog may be reached at lherzog@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LauraHerzogL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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St. Joseph football, community goes purple for senior battling cancer

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St. Joe fb, community goes purple for senior battling cancer

There's one cheer that gets the St. Joseph student section rocking. Spend 10 minutes at a Green Knights football game and you'll have this cheerleader-led bravado stuck in your head. 
"Yell green — green. Yell gold — gold. Green! Gold! Green! Gold! Go St. Joe's, Go St. Joe's, Go! Go St. Joe's, Go St ...

Dog rescued from burning Bergenfield home

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Police saved a dog Sunday evening from a burning house.

police lights file photo.jpgBergenfield police rescued a dog from a burning home, Nov. 8, 2015. (File Photo) 

BERGENFIELD -- Police saved a dog Sunday evening from a burning house.

Heavy smoke was coming from a home on Sugden Street when firefighters and police arrived, Bergenfield Police said in a media release.

Police forced their way inside. No one was home, but officers found a dog that wasn't breathing.

The dog, a Boxer, was evacuated. Emergency responders performed CPR and revived the dog. The dog was returned to the homeowner.

The fire caused heavy damage to the roof, leaving the single-family home uninhabitable, police said. No one was injured.

Firefighters from Tenafly, New Milford and Dumont provided assistance. The cause of the fire is under investigation.

Myles Ma may be reached at mma@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MylesMaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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Cops probe multiple stabbing, shots fired at motorcycle club's Halloween party

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Police are investigating a fight at a Halloween party thrown at the Lost Boyz Motorcycle Club Saturday in which nine shots were fired and four people were stabbed.

NORTH BERGEN -- Police are investigating a brawl at a Halloween party thrown at the Lost Boyz Motorcycle Club Saturday night in which shots were fired and four people were stabbed.

Police responded to the area of Mazzoni Place at about 11:45 p.m. on Nov. 7 on a report of shots fired where they found more than 100 members of numerous motorcycle clubs including the Lost Boyz MC, Hell's Angels, Thug Riders, Brick City Riders MC, Free Spirits MC, Hoboken MC and Lowriders MC, North Bergen police said in a news release.

North Bergen police put out a request for mutual aid and numerous officers from Cliffside Park, Fairview, Guttenberg, Jersey City, West New York, the Hudson County Sheriff's Office and the State Police responded to the scene to assist.

PLUS: Fatal shooting at Philly bar possibly tied to biker club, Eagles game

No one was shot at the Lost Boyz' Halloween party, but four people were stabbed, police said.

Nine shell casings, a handgun, numerous knives and a small amount of suspected methamphetamine and cocaine were recovered at the scene, police said.

North Bergen police and the State Police are investigating the incident.

Anyone with information on this incident or any of these motorcycle clubs can contact the North Bergen Police Department Detective Bureau at 201-392-2092 or 201-392-2100.

Justin Zaremba may be reached at jzaremba@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinZarembaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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North Jersey convenience store sells $1M Powerball ticket

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The ticket was bought at a Krauszers in in Bergen County

The $1 million Powerball ticket sold for Saturday's drawing was purchased at a Bergen County convenience store.

It matched five numbers, but not the Powerball and was bought at Krauszers on River Road in Fair Lawn, state lottery officials said Monday.

The winning numbers drawn were: 7, 16, 25, 50 and 53. The Powerball selected was 15.

Had the ticket buyer spent an extra $1 to exercise the Powerplay option, he or she would have won $2 million. No other tickets sold across the country matched at least five numbers and no one else in New Jersey won more than $200.

The jackpot for Wednesday's drawing is $50 million with a cash option of $30.5 million.

This is the first $1 million Powerball ticket sold in the state since Sept. 26.

Powerball is played in 44 states, Washington D.C. Puerto Rico and the U.S Virgin Islands.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JGoldmanNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

Aca-Jersey! Lifetime's 'Pitch Slapped' about two N.J. high school a cappella groups

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The reality show will follow The Voices from Allendale's Northern Highlands Regional and Stay Tuned from Cherry Hill High School East

vocal.jpgStay Tuned, from Cherry Hill High School East, will co-star in Lifetime's "Pitch Slapped."  

Billed as a look inside the "crosstown" rivalry of two preeminent New Jersey high school a cappella groups, the reality show "Pitch Slapped" will debut on Lifetime on Jan. 5. 

Let's hope the production is more on key than Lifetime's geography proficiency. The team are the Voices from Allendale's Northern Highlands Regional High School (that's northern Bergen County, folks), which won the International Championship of High School A Cappella competition in 2014 and are frequent regional champs, and Stay Tuned in Cherry Hill High School East, which placed second to the Voices in the 2013 semifinals, and, last we checked, outside Philly. 

The Voices director Tom Paster tells NJ Advance Media that he and the Voices parents were concerned at first about what sort of tone the series would take, but they were assured that "it wasn't going to be a sensationalistic 'Dance Moms' type of show."

The Voices will be mentored by Diana Preisler, the leader and manager of the a cappella group Blue Jupiter, and Stay Tuned will be mentored by Deke Sharon, the vocal arranger of "Pitch Perfect" and its sequel

"Glee," of course, thrust a cappella into the spotlight, followed NBC's reality competition "The Sing-Off," which lasted four seasons plus a holiday special last year, and the art form gained even more momentum with 2012's fizzy hit "Pitch Perfect."

MORE: 'Glee' and six others shows that burned bright but fizzled fast

"Glee" spawned the two-season Oxygen reality show "The Glee Project," in which the winner got an arc on the show, and the Pop network (formerly the TV Guide channel) aired another reality show "Sing It On," about five collegiate a cappella teams battling it out at the international finals. (No word on whether it will be renewed, although there has been a casting notice for season two.)  

Has a cappella peaked? "I don't really concerned myself with that," Paster says. "I love it and the kids love doing it and it's a great medium for us. The football coaches don't wonder if football has peaked. They just go out there and play football." 

The Voices: 

Stay Tuned:

Vicki Hyman may be reached at vhyman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @vickihy or like her on Facebook. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook, and check out TV Hangover, the podcast from Vicki and co-host Erin Medley on iTunes, Stitcher or listen here:


TV HANGOVER, EP. 8: Who are the most terrible people on TV? 'The Affair' has plenty

NJ.com TV critic Vicki Hyman and super fan Erin Medley predict the "Project Runway" winner, then Erin and a guest gush over the "Survivor" cast. Vicki talks good and evil on "Supergirl" with N.J.'s Laura Benanti. Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes or Stitcher.
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Man accused of sex assault has substitute teaching credential suspended

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A Union City man who has been accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl, has had his substitute teaching credential suspended.

George BolzoniGeorge E. Bolzoni, 27, of Union City 

A Union City man who has been accused of sexually assaulting a 15-year-old girl has had his substitute teaching credential suspended.

George E. Bolzoni was charged with sexual assault and child endangerment for engaging in sexual activity with the teen in both Wood-Ridge and Hasbrouck Heights, Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli previously said.

The state Board of Examiners -- the state agency responsible for licensing teachers -- formally adopted its decision to suspend Bolzoni's substitute teaching credential on Oct. 30, according to a board decision released online on Nov. 9.

RELATED: Union City man charged with sex assault of 15-year-old girl

According to the board's decision, Bolzoni was also arrested and charged in Oct. 2014 with threatening to kill, stalking, criminal sexual contact and simple assault.

Two weeks before the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office announced the sex assault charge against Bolzoni, he was arrested by Delaware State Police after a traffic stop allegedly revealed he had 10.4 pounds of marijuana in his trunk.

Bolzoni was initially stopped on Jan. 29 for speeding on the Sussex Highway in Laurel, Del., but as the trooper questioned him, he began to act suspiciously and kept changing his story about his destination, police previously said.

PLUS: More than 10 pounds of marijuana found in N.J. man's car, police say

Bolzoni allegedly agreed to a search his Chevrolet Malibu during which the trooper found three large, sealed cardboard mailing boxes in the trunk. He was unable to explain what was in the boxes to the trooper, but a drug-sniffing dog detected possible drugs in the boxes, police have said.

Inside the boxes, troopers found nine vacuum-sealed packages of marijuana labeled "Grand Daddy," police have said.

Bolzoni has not responded or filed a response to the Board of Examiners' order to show cause as to why his credential shouldn't be suspended.

Justin Zaremba may be reached at jzaremba@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinZarembaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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Bergen prosecutor to retire in January, will return to private practice

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Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli will retire from his position Jan. 9 and return to private practice at the law firm of Price, Meese, Shulman and D'Arminio in Woodcliff Lake.

John MolinelliBergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli, pictured testifying before the state Senate Judiciary Committee in 2008, has announced he'll retire in January. 

HACKENSACK -- Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli will retire from his position in January and return to private practice at the law firm of Price, Meese, Shulman and D'Arminio in Woodcliff Lake.

Molinelli told NJ Advance Media last month Gov. Chris Christie's office informed him of the governor's intent to appoint a replacement.

"(The governor) advised me that he wanted to replace me and I respect that," Molinelli said in a phone interview Monday. "I'm very proud of what I've done and I'm excited to move on to private practice."

In a statement issued Monday afternoon, Molinelli said it was "an honor to serve the people of Bergen County for the past 14 years."

He continued: "Whether the administrations were Republican or Democratic, we have strived to always maintain the highest standards here at the Prosecutor's Office and I have been blessed with what has truly been my most valuable asset through my tenure, that being the 275 people that serve this office. I have hired over 75 percent of the people that serve the office and I can say without hesitation that they are the best and the brightest and will continue to be for years and years to come."

RELATED: Governor plans (again) to replace Bergen prosecutor

Molinelli's retirement follows several high-profile losses for the prosecutor's office and recent criticism of its handling of the case against Gangaram Ragi, a Teaneck dermatologist charged with sexually assaulting several patients. Ragi has been subject to pre-trial intervention twice, The Record reported.

In June, the state Supreme Court ruled that county prosecutors improperly denied PTI to Carlstadt Mayor William Roseman, who had been charged with misconduct, theft and conspiracy over how his ex-wife stayed on borough health plans following their divorce. Justice Lee Solomon called the denial "a patent and gross abuse of discretion."

This past July, an appellate overturned official misconduct and insurance fraud convictions against former Hackensack police chief and state assemblyman Ken Zisa. The panel said statements by Bergen County prosecutors about the Zisa family's political connections were "riddled with impropriety." Molinelli has said his office was prepared to re-try the case.

Molinelli said he plans to remain working in the office on a day-to-day basis until the end of December. After taking some time off for vacation, he'll begin work at Price Meese where he'll focus on "corporate governance and compliance, including internal corporate investigations; employment and labor counseling and litigation in both police and non-police matters; e-discovery issues; white-collar and corporate criminal defense and complex commercial litigation."

"The Price Meese firm is a prestigious one with an outstanding reputation throughout the New York metropolitan area," Molinelli said. "I have known its co-founder, Gail Price, Esq. for my entire career and I am excited to be returning to the private practice of law and the next chapter of my career."

MORE: Critic calling for takeover of prosecutor's office kicked out of meeting

Molinelli said his accomplishments as the head of the prosecutor's office include centralizing criminal intelligence data sharing, jail diversion for those charged with crimes who are mentally ill and initiating a computer crimes unit and a joint gang task forces.

Christie tried to replace Molinelli in 2013 with Gurbir Grewal of Glen Rock, a Democrat and federal prosecutor, but the nomination never made it through the state Senate.

Molinelli's second term as prosecutor expired in January 2013, but he has kept serving in lieu of a replacement. Molinelli, a Democrat, was first appointed in 2002. He worked in private practice for 25 years prior to becoming a prosecutor.

Reporting by Myles Ma was used in this article.

Justin Zaremba may be reached at jzaremba@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinZarembaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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Attacker fled from Westwood sexual assault on bicycle, authorities say

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Alan Broadbent was being held at the Bergen County Jail

WESTWOOD -- A Ridgewood man has been charged in the sexual assault of a woman Friday, the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office said.

11-09-15 Alan Broadbent.jpgAlan Broadbent (Bergen County Prosecutor's Office)  

The victim told a neighbor to call 911 as she struggled with a man in front of her apartment building, authorities said. When police arrived, the victim said she had been sexually assaulted by the man and that he had fled on a bicycle.

Alan Broadbent, 48, who matched a description provided by the victim, was located shortly after and has been charged with sexual assault and sexual criminal contact, authorities said. He was being held at the Bergen County Jail on $200,000 bail with no 10 percent option. His arraignment has been scheduled for Nov. 18.

Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @PaulMilo2. FindNJ.com on Facebook

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