North New Jersey

Breaking news and local stories from Bergen, Passaic and Sussex Counties, NJ

MONTCLAIR -- One New Jersey charity will cash in on a state lawmaker's plan to have residents collect his campaign signs. Assemblyman Thomas Giblin (D-Essex) said today that he will donate 10 cents to Eva's Village -- a Paterson-based, nonprofit social services agency that helps needy residents -- for every lawn sign from this year's election that's brought to... Full story »

RAMSEY -- A jury rejected a Florida man's claims that he was too fat to have run up and down a flight of stairs and killed his former son-in-law, convicting him today of murder. Edward Ates looked down and shook his head in court as he was found guilty of murder and weapons counts for killing Paul Duncsak, a 40-year-old... Full story »

RIDGEFIELD -- A water main break has forced officials to temporarily shut down a New Jersey Turnpike rest area in northern New Jersey. The break occurred Friday at the Vince Lombardi rest stop in Ridgefield, which is located between Exits 18E and 18W and the George Washington Bridge. The site was expected to be closed until at least 7 p.m.,... Full story »

TRENTON — The lengthy deportation case of an influential New Jersey Muslim leader has been sent back to an immigration judge for a rehearing. In a 12-page ruling made public this week, the Board of Immigration Appeals rejected some arguments the U.S. Department of Homeland Security made in the case against Imam Mohammad Qatanani, the 45-year-old spiritual leader of the... Full story »

Judges cite Supreme Court decision which said voter approval not needed for out-of-state loans Full story »

HARDYSTON -- Newton Memorial Hospital unveiled plans today to build an $8 million health and wellness center in Hardyston officials say will make health care more accessible in northern Sussex County. Construction of the new facility, which will be located on Route 94 at the foot of the Crystal Springs Country Club, is expected to start late next year.... Full story »

NEWTON -- A 26-year-old Sussex County man was sentenced to four years in state prison for following a woman and her 12-year-old daughter to the woman's vehicle parked at a shopping mall and stealing her purse during a violent struggle, the county prosecutor’s office said today. The woman and her daughter on Oct. 14, 2008 were walking to their vehicle... Full story »

HACKENSACK -- Jury deliberations got under way today in New Jersey in the trial of a Florida man who claims he was too fat to have killed his former son-in-law. Edward Ates said he didn't have the energy to accurately shoot Paul Duncsak and make a quick getaway. The 62-year-old was 285 pounds when Duncsak was killed in 2006. The... Full story »

HACKENSACK — A woman accused of illegally hiding her daughter in Spain from her ex-husband is on trial in New Jersey. Maria Jose Carrascosa has been held in jail for contempt of court for three years. Ex-husband Peter Innes says when the couple signed an agreement when they separated in 2004 that neither of them would take their daughter, Victoria,... Full story »

WOODLAND PARK -- After a tight vote, the chairman of the citizen's group calling for changing the borough's name back to West Paterson congratulated the group advocating to keep the new name, all but conceding defeat, a report in The Record said. Including polling numbers and mail-in ballots, the borough rejected changing the name back to West Paterson by a... Full story »

St. Clare’s health system is instituting a temporary ban on visits for those 18 years old or younger at all of its sites as a way to combat the flu. The policy began on Tuesday at St. Clare’s four facilities in Morris and Sussex counties, said St. Clare’s spokesman Ben Martin. “This is one portion of our larger influenza response... Full story »

VERNON TWP. -- Five people were hospitalized today after inhaling toxic fumes that emanated from food steamer tables in the Vernon Township High School cafeteria, authorities said. Superintendent John Alfieri said the mishap occurred shortly after 8 a.m. when a cafeteria worker lighted several steamer tables not knowing that a household cleaning product used to remove water stains had been... Full story »

Lawyer of Florida man claims client is too heavy to execute former son-in-law Full story »

RAMSEY -- Attorneys are set to make closing statements today in the trial of a Florida man who claims he was too fat to have killed his former son-in-law. Edward Ates said he didn't have the energy to accurately shoot Paul Duncsak and make a quick getaway. The 62-year-old was 285 pounds when Duncsak was killed in 2006. Duncsak and... Full story »

WOODLAND PARK -- You could say that the town immediately west of Paterson has had something of an identity crisis. Residents in the town that was known as West Paterson until January of this year — when it became known as Woodland Park — have had five votes over two decades to determine whether to change the town name. Woodland... Full story »