Westfield Man Indicted After 14-Hour SWAT Standoff: Prosecutors Westfield Man Indicted After 14-Hour SWAT Standoff: Prosecutors Westfield Man Indicted After 14-Hour SWAT Standoff: Prosecutors
Westfield Man Indicted After 14-Hour SWAT Standoff: Prosecutors A 41-year-old Westfield man has been indicted on 14 counts after a 14-hour standoff with police in July, prosecutors announced  Around 3:40 p.m. on Wednesday, July 5, police responded to a 9-1-1 call from his residence at The Boulevard for a dispute, Union County Prosecutor William Daniel said.  When officers arrived, they were met at the front door by Michael Ward, who was brandishing a large kitchen knife, Daniel said. Ward refused to drop the knife and retreated back into his residence, Daniel said.  The other members soon exited the residence and Ward barricaded himself …
Middle Finger Traffic Stop: Viral Video Sparks Investigation In North Jersey Town Middle Finger Traffic Stop: Viral Video Sparks Investigation In North Jersey Town Middle Finger Traffic Stop: Viral Video Sparks Investigation In North Jersey Town
Middle Finger Traffic Stop: Viral Video Sparks Investigation In North Jersey Town It's become the middle finger seen around the world. A traffic stop on Westfield is under investigation after a man said he was pulled over after flipping off a police officer. The traffic stop was recorded on Sunday, Aug. 6 and shared on YouTube where it has generated more than 370,000 views. In the video, posted by LackLuster, a channel dedicated to police accountability, Officer Ayad Taha claims the driver, identified as "Nathan", was going 48 mph in a 35 mph zone, though this is disputed by Nathan's GPS. Nathan refuses to answer any of the officer's questions, while dashcam footage…
DRUG FRAUD: Crimebusters Smash Statewide NJ Ring That Stole, Forged Prescriptions For Codeine DRUG FRAUD: Crimebusters Smash Statewide NJ Ring That Stole, Forged Prescriptions For Codeine DRUG FRAUD: Crimebusters Smash Statewide NJ Ring That Stole, Forged Prescriptions For Codeine
Drug Fraud: Crimebusters Smash Statewide NJ Ring That Stole, Forged Prescriptions For Codeine An elaborate drug fraud ring operating in more than half the counties in New Jersey stole doctors’ prescription pads as part of a scheme to stock up on opioid-boosted cough syrup, authorities charged. Medical offices in various parts of the state – including Wayne, Morristown and Bridgewater – were broken into by Divinete Jeffries, 30, of East Orange, Attorney General Matthew Platkin said. Jefferies snatched prescription pads that were then forged and given to accomplices who submitted them to various pharmacies using stolen IDs and bogus driver’s licenses, according to an indictment return…
Coyote Attack, Sightings Close Two North Jersey Parks Coyote Attack, Sightings Close Two North Jersey Parks Coyote Attack, Sightings Close Two North Jersey Parks
Coyote Attack, Sightings Close Two North Jersey Parks In the wake of a coyote attack and coyotes being spotted on the prowl, two North Jersey parks are closed to the public. On Saturday, July 1, the Town of Westfield announced it is closing Brightwood Park after an aggressive coyote was spotted. The Westfield Police Department and Westfield Regional Health Department are investigating and no injuries have occurred, the town said. Residents are advised to report any coyote sightings to the Westfield Police Department.  On Friday, June 30, a 13-year-old girl was hospitalized after being attacked by a coyote at South Mountain Reservation in…
These NJ Celebs Will Get Stars On Hollywood Walk Of Fame These NJ Celebs Will Get Stars On Hollywood Walk Of Fame These NJ Celebs Will Get Stars On Hollywood Walk Of Fame
These NJ Celebs Will Get Stars On Hollywood Walk Of Fame The Garden State continues to show why it's so star-studded. Three celebrities with New Jersey roots were among a number of entertainers selected to receive stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame by the Walk of Fame Selection Panel of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce.  They are Kevin Feige, Jim Nantz and Jane Krakowski. Feige was raised in Westfield and graduated from Westfield High School. As the producer of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Feige is the highest grossing producer of all-time. Combined, the MCU has grossed more than $29 billion worldwide, with no signs of slowing down…
Mass-Born Marvel Maestro, Producer Gets Star Hollywood On Walk Of Fame Mass-Born Marvel Maestro, Producer Gets Star Hollywood On Walk Of Fame Mass-Born Marvel Maestro, Producer Gets Star Hollywood On Walk Of Fame
Mass-Born Marvel Maestro, Producer Gets Star Hollywood On Walk Of Fame The Hollywood Walk of Fame is expanding its list of honorees, and one Massachusetts native with a superhero-studded resume made the cut.  Kevin Feige, the producer behind every Marvel Cinematic Universe movie since Iron Man, was among the newest batch of Hollywood Walk of Fame honorees announced on Monday, June 26 by the Walk of Fame Selection Panel of the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce. Feige, who is also the president of Marvel Studios, was born in Boston in 1973 and started his Marvel career in 2000 with "X-Men," according to Rotton Tomatoes. The newly-minted Walk of Fame honoree is kno…
Former Arts Foundation Director, Devoted North Jersey Mother Hillary Cooper-Piputtana Dies, 47 Former Arts Foundation Director, Devoted North Jersey Mother Hillary Cooper-Piputtana Dies, 47 Former Arts Foundation Director, Devoted North Jersey Mother Hillary Cooper-Piputtana Dies, 47
Former Arts Foundation Director, Devoted North Jersey Mother Hillary Cooper-Piputtana Dies, 47 Condolences and heartfelt tributes are pouring in for Hillary Catherine Cooper-Piputtana, the former events director of an arts foundation and a devoted mother who died at her Bernardsville home on Sunday, June 11 aged 47. Born in Atlanta, Georgia, Hillary was raised in Westfield and experienced many years in New York City before settling in Bernardsville in 2018, her obituary says. Hillary graduated from Kent Place School in Summit and New York University, where she earned a BA in sociology. She worked as the Manager, Artist Development for Island Records at Island Def Jam Music Group in …
CHOPPED: Passaic, Bergen Garages Doubled As Destinations For Stolen Vehicles, Authorities Say CHOPPED: Passaic, Bergen Garages Doubled As Destinations For Stolen Vehicles, Authorities Say CHOPPED: Passaic, Bergen Garages Doubled As Destinations For Stolen Vehicles, Authorities Say
Chopped: Passaic, Bergen Garages Doubled As Destinations For Stolen Vehicles, Authorities Say A group of towing and mechanic business owners in Bergen and Passaic had a lucrative moonlighting operation going before New Jersey State Police shut them down, authorities said. Workers at the off-hour chop shops in Paterson, Passaic and Elmwood Park altered stolen vehicles for resale and disassembled others to be sold as parts, state authorities said on Friday, June 2. Fourteen people in all were arrested during quick-strike raids last week by the NJSP, assisted by the Passaic County Sheriff’s Office, Paterson police and several other local, county and federal law enforcement agencies. R…
Famed Brat Pack Member To Drop By Northvale Bookstore Famed Brat Pack Member To Drop By Northvale Bookstore Famed Brat Pack Member To Drop By Northvale Bookstore
Famed Brat Pack Member To Drop By Northvale Bookstore Now all your burning questions about "Mannequin" can be answered. Andrew McCarthy, who rose to fame in the 1980s as a member of the Brat Pack, is hosting a meet and greet at Books and Greetings in Northvale to celebrate his new book, "Walking With Sam," on Thursday, June 1 at 6 p.m.  McCarthy was born in Westfield and grew up in Bernardsville, attending Bernards High School and Pingry School. In the book, McCarthy chronicles the time he and his son, Sam, walked 500 miles across Spain's Camino de Santiago over five weeks. During the trek, the two have honest conversations about divorce…
fresh&co: New Fast Casual Restaurant Opens In Newark fresh&co: New Fast Casual Restaurant Opens In Newark fresh&co: New Fast Casual Restaurant Opens In Newark
fresh&co: New Fast Casual Restaurant Opens In Newark Newark is becoming a food destination. fresh&co. announced it is opening its 14th location in the dining hall at The Junction at Gateway Center. This is fresh&co's second location in New Jersey, having opened a location in Westfield earlier this year. fresh&co. will be open Monday to Friday from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. and closed on weekends. View this post on Instagram A post shared by fresh&co (@freshandcousa) The fast casual chain has Jersey roots. Its co-founder and CEO, George Tenedios is an Englewood Cliffs resident. fresh&…
Popular Breakfast Spot Opens In Paramus Popular Breakfast Spot Opens In Paramus Popular Breakfast Spot Opens In Paramus
Popular Breakfast Spot Opens In Paramus Breakfast lovers in Bergen County have a new place to call home. Turning Point, which serves breakfast, lunch and brunch, recently opened its 24th location in Paramus at 65 Route 4 West. This is the restaurant's third location in North Jersey, joining Hoboken and Westfield.  The restaurant has locations throughout New Jersey along with Pennsylvania and Delaware and recently celebrated its 25th anniversary. "We are super excited to be a part of the Paramus community," Kerri Dwyer, district manager for Turning Point said. "Paramus was the right spot at the right time." Dwyer said at their …
Akai Lounge Teams Up With Blue Moon In Englewood Akai Lounge Teams Up With Blue Moon In Englewood Akai Lounge Teams Up With Blue Moon In Englewood
Akai Lounge Teams Up With Blue Moon In Englewood Fans of Mexican food and Japanese restaurant have their ultimate dream concept in Bergen County. The owners of Akai Lounge, which has locations in Englewood, Westfield and Westchester County, NY, have purchased the Blue Moon Café, a Mexican restaurant that has been an institution in Englewood for 27 years. James Du and Lillian Pien, who purchased Blue Moon, plan on keeping the restaurant open, while also combining it with Akai Lounge, creating two restaurants in one, with one room serving Japanese food and the other serving Mexican food.  While Blue Moon remains open, the Akai Lounge …