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I was defamed in book that called my father a Nazi, N.J. lawyer says in suit

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Attorney says books listed him as a contributor, though he was only interviewed

9780547669199_lres.jpgA book about Nazis in the United States is at the center of a defamation lawsuit filed by a New Jersey attorney. 

A New Jersey attorney says he was defamed in a book written about Nazis living in the United States, according to a report on NJLawJournal.com.

Aslan Soobzokov, who practices in Paterson, says the book, "The Nazis Next Door: How America Became a Safe Haven for Hitler's Men" listed him as a contributor even though he merely agreed to be interviewed for it.

Soobzokov also alleges the book's author promised to be objective, but instead painted his deceased father Tscherim Soobzokov as a Nazi war criminal.

The suit, filed in U.S. District Court in Newark, accuses publisher Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and author Eric Lichtblau of two counts each of defamation and false light invasion of privacy as well as one count of intentional infliction of emotional distress.

According to the book, Nazis came to the United States after Word War II and worked as spies and scientists with help from the FBI, CIA and the military. It also asserts that the U.S. government tried to conceal the Nazis' pasts.

Tscherim Soobzokov also once sued a publisher after a 1976 book "Wanted: The Search for Nazis in America," wrote that he was a Nazi. That suit was settled in 1983, the New Jersey Law Journal reported.

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

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N.J. man accused of gunning down 63-year-old, report says

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The city has seen 12 homicides this year.

paterson policeA Paterson man was arrested on Sunday for allegedly shooting and killing a 63-year-old on Saturday. 

PATERSON--A Paterson man was arrested on Sunday for allegedly shooting and killing a 63-year-old, the Paterson Press reported.  


RELATED: 1 dead, 1 wounded after Paterson shooting, police say

Treivon Huntley, 21, faces charges of murder, attempted murder and weapons offenses in connection to shootings that killed Michael Hogan, 63, and injured another man, police told the newspaper. The arrest comes less than two days after Hogan was shot. Police received a call reporting gunfire at 87 Auburn St. at 12:31 a.m. Hogan was found dead at the scene, police said.  

The city has seen 12 homicides this year.

Kathryn Brenzel may be reached at kbrenzel@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @katiebrenzel. Find NJ.com on Facebook

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Police investigating weekend robberies in Paterson

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Police were investigating four robberies in the city reported Friday morning through Sunday.

paterson police carPolice were investigating several robberies in Paterson reported between Friday and Sunday (File photo) 

PATERSON - Police were investigating four robberies in the city reported Friday morning through Sunday.

In the first incident, a man told officers he was lost and driving near Dixon and Garret Streets when the assailant flagged him down around 7:30 a.m. Friday, according to police. The robber pulled a handgun, pistol-whipped the man and demanded cash.

A man on Saturday said he was robbed at gunpoint around 5 a.m. outside 22nd Avenue and East 22nd Street, according to police.

Later on Saturday, police responded to a report that a woman was robbed of her cell phone while waiting for her food at an unnamed Broadway eatery around 3 p.m., authorities said.

In a robbery Sunday, police said a man told officers he was robbed at gunpoint by two men while sitting in his car at Union Avenue and West Broadway around 7 p.m. Police said the pair stole the victim's wallet and ran away.

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

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Rally calls for cop's firing over racist remarks, report says

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Mayor Alex Blanco told NBC New York the city's internal affairs office is reviewing the incident.

PASSAIC -- Hundreds rallied in front of Passaic City Hall Tuesday night to protest racist comments allegedly made by a city police officer and called for the dismissal of the officer, according to a report by NBC New York.

Jasmine Vidal and her boyfriend told NBC New York they were sitting on a porch with a friend in February when the officer drove up in a patrol car and began speaking to them. When they told the officer to get out of his car, he reportedly became angry and began cursing and threatening to call immigration. The couple, however, recorded the incident with the officer.

Mayor Alex Blanco told NBC New York the city's internal affairs office is reviewing the incident.

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

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Judge accused of making vulgar, sexual comments

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A family division judge in Passaic County has been accused of making vulgar and sexually suggestive comments in front of lawyers and witnesses.

GavelA family division judge in Passaic County has been accused of making vulgar and sexually suggestive comments to lawyers and witnesses. 

PATERSON -- A family division judge has been accused of making vulgar and sexually suggestive comments in front of lawyers and witnesses.

A complaint lodged against Judge Joseph A. Portelli by the Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct alleges he breached judicial ethics by saying he liked it how a deputy attorney general "rams (the case) up" a legal guardian's posterior and by repeatedly complimenting a witness' appearance while she was testifying including writing a note saying "you look nice today."

According to the complaint, Portelli's comments in the first incident "impugned the integrity of the judiciary" while his complimenting the witness demonstrated a bias in favor of the state.

In another incident, Portelli invited a child to sit on his lap while he was seated on the bench and then told the deputy attorney general trying the case "you can't come sit on my lap next." The judge often invited children behind the bench, engaged in small talk with them or let them use his gavel in order to put them at ease, according to the complaint.


RELATED: Judge accused of improperly using 'booze tax' funds is suspended

Portelli's comments in this incident in the presence of a child and others were "inappropriate, offensive and sexually implicit" and "demonstrated poor judgment and a lack of dignity and respect for his office," according to the complaint.

Portelli, who is assigned to the children in courts docket in the family law division, often presided over guardianship cases in which the court was seeking to terminate the rights of a parent or guardian to a child or children. Portelli, however, allegedly told a deputy attorney general he "hated" guardianship cases because they were "so boring and long."

Portelli's attorney, Ralph Lamparello, told the Paterson Press the judge planned to file a response to the committee's complaint and that he did not violate judicial ethics.

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

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Drought watch issued for 12 counties, 6 million people as N.J. water worries worsen

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Without any rain, reservoir levels have fallen below normal, spurring fears of the state's first drought in a decade.

A drought watch has been issued in parts of 12 New Jersey counties, encompassing more than two-thirds of the population, after months of dry, warm weather that have driven the state's water supply to worryingly low levels. 

Rainfall totals in parts of northern and central New Jersey have been just over 50 percent of average over the last three months, and long-term forecasts show little chance of significant rain into the first weeks of October. Streamflow and ground water levels have dipped significantly as a result and a warm September has extended the peak water usage season, allowing the state reservoir levels to dip well below average in recent weeks.

"We have been carefully tracking precipitation, stream flows, groundwater and reservoir levels since the spring and over the course of the very dry summer," DEP Commissioner Bob Martin said. "While it is not uncommon to see reduced stream flows and ground water levels by the end of the summer season, we are beginning to observe signs of stress in our water supply indicators, and this warrants closer scrutiny and public cooperation."


MORE: No drought about it, N.J. publishes faulty drought data


The drought watch, issued by the Department of Environmental Protection Wednesday, is the first formal action taken by the state and acts as a warning to the public and local officials that mandatory water restrictions could be in the offing if conditions worsen further.

The watch includes all or parts of 12 counties, including Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset and Union. It includes about 6.2 million state residents. 

While the drought watch itself does not enact mandatory water restrictions in the affected regions, local officials often use such declarations to do so on a municipal level. The state is urging residents in these counties to be mindful of how they are using water and to follow mandatory actions taken by their communities, should they occur.  

"There are two ways we can avoid mandatory water restrictions in this situation --  voluntary conservation and rain," said Dan Kennedy, the DEP's commissioner of water resources. "Obviously, we can't control whether or not it rains, but we can ask our residents to be part of our solution ... This step is being taken to avoid mandatory restrictions in the area we can control." 

The watch comes two weeks after an NJ Advance Media analysis found that the DEP had been publishing erroneous drought information on their website, understating the severity of dry conditions in the state's worst affected regions. While acknowledging the error, the DEP said it had no bearing on their decision to enact a drought watch.  


RELATED: Fall begins with a delightful day


A potential drought beginning at the start of fall can be deceptive, experts say. Water usage naturally ebbs as winter approaches, allowing reservoirs to naturally replenish. But dry conditions through the fall and winter can hinder that process, putting the state in a serious situation as the spring growing season approaches.

"When we come to the end of August, usually we see the peak demand stop. This year, because we've had such a warm September, it didn't," said acting State Geologist Jeffrey L. Hoffman. "We cant wait around for rains that might occur.  From a planning point of view we have to assume it is not going to rain.  We have to assume that this is the start of a major drought."  

Stephen Stirling may be reached at sstirling@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @sstirling. Find him on Facebook.  

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Judge denies appeal of man accused of attacking 22-year-old

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He was sentenced in March 2003 to 36 years in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of 17 years.

Jermaine JacksonJermaine Jackson 

PATERSON--An appellate court on Wednesday denied a Paterson man's claims that his attorney botched his trial on charges that he tried to kill a man 15 years ago.

Jermaine Jackson, 44, argued that his attorney didn't adequately represent him in the 2002 trial and that the court wrongfully denied his petition for post conviction relief without first having an evidentiary hearing. Judge Thomas Sumners agreed with a previous judge's ruling that Jackson didn't prove that his attorney was ineffective. Judge Raymond A.

Reddin initially ruled that the attorney's decision to not call a certain witness during trial could actually be considered "a sound trial strategy," since the witness' credibility was questionable, according to Wednesday's opinion.


PLUS: Police investigating weekend robberies in Paterson

His attorney hasn't yet returned calls seeking comment. 

Jackson and two other men were indicted for the attempted murder of 22-year-old Maurice Giles. The men attacked Giles--a fellow drug dealer--in May 2000 over a money debt, according to court documents. The beating left Giles with permanent brain damage. Jackson was sentenced in March 2003 to 36 years in prison with a mandatory minimum sentence of 17 years.    

Jackson, who didn't attend the trial, filed a petition for post conviction relief in 2010, alleging that he received inefficient assistance from his defense attorney. He claimed the attorney failed to subpoena an important witness and didn't bar prosecutors from identifying him as a drug dealer to the jury. Reddin denied the petition.  

Kathryn Brenzel may be reached at kbrenzel@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @katiebrenzel. Find NJ.com on Facebook

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N.J. man arrested in child pornography case, sheriff says

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A 34-year-old Hawthorne man faces child pornography charges after a months-long investigation by the Passaic County Sheriff's Office, authorities said Wednesday.

Matthew KneisMatthew Kneis, 34 (Passaic County Sheriff's Office) 

PATERSON -- A 34-year-old Hawthorne man faces child pornography charges after a months-long investigation by the Passaic County Sheriff's Office, authorities said Wednesday.

Matthew Kneis was accused of seven counts of possessing child pornography and six counts of distributing the illicit images, Sheriff Richard H. Berdnik said in a statement.

"Using various tools available to law enforcement, detectives were able to learn that Kneis was utilizing his computer to transmit and receive these files," the sheriff said.

Detectives recovered approximately 50 files of child pornography in the case so far, Berdnik added.

Kneis was being held at the Passaic County Jail, the sheriff said. Bail information was not immediately available.

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

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New Jersey remembers Yogi Berra as baseball legend and local guy (VIDEO)

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Watch as New Jerseyan's remember Yogi Berra, a baseball icon and local resident, who was active in his community. Watch video

LITTLE FALLS -- Dozens of people from New Jersey, as well as people from the tri-state area, placed flowers and keepsakes around the Yogi Berra statue outside of the Yogi Berra Museum and Learning Center to pay tribute to the Yankees legend. 

Berra, who passed away of natural causes on Tuesday at the age of 90, was not only a Hall of Fame catcher and baseball icon, he was a New Jersey local.   


RELATED: Remembering Yogi Berra. A life in pictures


David Secor, of Riverdale, recalled playing racquetball at the Yogi Berra's Fitness & Racquetball in Fairfield, as well as meeting Berra at the Montclair Country Club.  

Bob Groder, of Springfield, made a special trip to his almamater Montclair State Univeristy to pay tribute. He recalls the first time he met Berra at Pals Cabin which no longer exists in West Orange, New Jersey for his mother's birthday.

"He was such a gentleman and so kind" said Groder. "He was a character and the time we met him, he was so funny."

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Amanda Marzullo may be reached at amarzullo@njadvancemedia.com .Follow her on Twitter @amanda_marzullo. Find NJ.com on Facebook

Arrests made after string of burglaries, prosecutor says

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Two Woodland Park men broke into more than 24 businesses in three counties over four months, authorities said.

BERGEN COUNTY -- Two Woodland Park men broke into more than 24 businesses in three counties over four months, authorities said.

Police arrested Jose L. Cardona, 30, and Woodrow Garcia Jr., 21 on Wednesday. The two share the same address on Sunset Drive in Woodland Park.

Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli said members of 22 police departments formed a task force in July to investigate a series of commercial burglaries in and around Bergen County. Investigators found similarities among more than two dozen burglaries over four months in Bergen, Passaic and Hudson counties.

The burglars generally targeted gas stations and repair shops in the early morning hours, when they were closed, Molinelli said. They used special lock-picking tools to gain entry. They stole diagnostic equipment, cash and equipment.

Task force detectives linked Cardona, Garcia Jr., and a third unnamed person who is still at large to more than two dozen burglaries in Lodi, Elmwood Park, Saddle Brook, Fair Lawn, Ridgefield, Fort Lee, Rutherford, Glen Rock, Waldwick, South Hackensack, Lyndhurst, Rochelle Park, Ramsey, Palisades Park, Wyckoff, Hawthorne and Kearny, Molinelli said.


RELATED: 'James Bond Gang' co-founder arrested in high-end burglary spree, prosecutor says

Police arrested Cardona Wednesday at an apartment building on East 23rd Street in Paterson. Garcia turned himself in at the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office in Paramus.

Cardona and Garcia were charged with multiple counts of burglary and theft. They were both lodged in Bergen County Jail. Bail was set at $250,000 for Cardona and $100,000 for Garcia. They're scheduled to appear in court Thursday afternoon.

Aside from the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office, the task force included members of the Bergen County Sheriff's Office, the Passaic County Prosecutor's Office and police departments in Saddle Brook, Lodi, Elmwood Park, Fair Lawn, Paramus, Ridgefield, Fort Lee, Rutherford, Glen Rock, Waldwick, South Hackensack, Lyndhurst, Rochelle Park, Ramsey, Wyckoff, Palisades Park, Kearny, Paterson and Woodland Park.

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

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The message of new N.J. bill: 'Don't feed the bears'

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A new bill require residents in certain areas of New Jersey inhabited by black bears to use bear-resistant trash and food storage containers and would prohibit them from feeding the bears or deposing of food in a way that would attract the animals Watch video

TRENTON -- Feed a bear, get a fine -- even if you do so inadvertently. 

Such is the gist of a new bill that began advancing in the state Legislature this week. 

The measure (S687) -- which the state Senate's economic committee approved Monday -- would require residents in certain areas of New Jersey inhabited by black bears to use bear-resistant trash and food storage containers and would prohibit them from feeding the bears or deposing of food in a way that would attract the animals.

The bill would also ban intentional baiting practices in the municipalities located in the areas.

First offenders who violate the ban would be fined $50. The fine for second offenses would be $50 to $250, followed by $250 to $1,000 for subsequent violations.

"Food is the biggest factor when bears are drawn to residential communities or businesses," said state Sen. Raymond Lesniak (D-Union), the main sponsor of the legislation. "Our waste is their food. They come to eat, but it brings them too close to people. Eliminating the attraction will reduce the risks, making it safer for humans and the bears."

Agricultural operations that inadvertently lead to bear feedings would be exempt from the ban.

Lesniak added that the measure could eliminate the need for the state's controversial bear hunt -- something critics say is cruel but advocates say is needed to keep the bear population down.

"This is a smarter and more humane way of managing the bear population in a heavily populated state that includes wildlife and natural resources," the senator said.

The measure still needs to be passed by the full state Senate and full state Assembly and then signed by the governor to become law.

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Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

2 girls hit by car, seriously hurt, report says

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Authorities on Thursday were seeking witnesses to a crash that reportedly left two girls with serious injuries in the borough.

NORTH HALEDON - Authorities on Thursday were seeking witnesses to a crash that reportedly left two girls with serious injuries in the borough.

The two juveniles were struck by a vehicle on High Mountain Road around 7:20 p.m. Wednesday, borough police said in a statement on Facebook.

Both girls were in serious, but stable condition, NorthJersey.com reported.

The Passaic County Prosecutor's Office was investigating, according to police.

Representatives from the prosecutor's office and police did not immediately respond to messages seeking further information.

Anyone with information was asked to call Detective Sgt. David Parenta at 973-423-1111.

 

The Passaic County Prosecutor's Office is investigating a motor vehicle crash that occured last night, September 23rd at...

Posted by North Haledon Police Department on Thursday, September 24, 2015

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

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Girlfriend mourns Jersey City man who was found dead on sidewalk

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The girlfriend of a Jersey City man found dead on a city street last week said today that she has not yet been told the cause of his death but said the morning he was found, her bell rang and no one there.

JERSEY CITY -- The girlfriend of a city man found dead on a city street last week said that the morning he was found, her doorbell rang, but no one there when she opened the door.

Sandra Rios is sure it was the spirit of Juan A. Calo, her boyfriend of 10 years, coming home.

"I swear to you my doorbell rang and no one was in the hallway," Rios said of the 50-year-old Calo.

"He's here, I know he's here," said Rios, who noted that authorities have not told her yet how Calo died. "He is not laid to rest yet. He is here. I know he is here."

Calo was found around 5:30 a.m. on Sept. 18 on Fulton Avenue just east of Kennedy Boulevard, not far from the Terhune Avenue apartment the couple shared since 2006.

Police and EMTs arrived quickly and confirmed that he was dead. Calo's body remains at the state Regional Medical Examiner's Office, and authorities have not told her how Calo died, she said. Jersey City spokeswoman Jennifer Morrill said today that police are waiting on the medical examiner's autopsy report.

Rios said the Paterson native worked at National Retail Wholesale warehouse in North Bergen for eight years, but was laid off a year ago. She said he collected unemployment until around March.

She described him as religious, funny, very intelligent and and like a father to her 17-year-old son. She has no idea what could have happened to him. 

Rios, who works for the Jersey City Parking Authority and at Tommy's restaurant in the Heights, said Calo was a sports fanatic and loved the Minnesota Vikings football team, the New York Yankees baseball team and the New York Knicks basketball team.

He played baseball in high school in Paterson.

She said the evening before he was found, he ate dinner at home after 8 p.m. She said he loved to take long walks, often with their pit bull Skyla, and the pair would trek as far as the Heights on occasion. That night she asked where he had gone and a family member told her "He said he will be right back."

Rios said she believes Calo was walking home when he died. She cried as she shuffled through a stack of photos of Calo with family members.

"My family is here every single day and they know how much I loved him," she said. "I don't know what happened to him. I don't know why he left me. I don't know why. 

"He was a really good guy," Rios said. "He had billions of friends and he never bothered anyone. He would walk Skyla and everyone would know him and the white dog with the eye like Petey from The Little Rascals. My kids called him Gordo (Spanish for "fat") because when he was a child, he was a little fat. I called him babe."

Looking around her living room, she said "He walked here every day."

When found, Calo did not have any identification on him and there were no signs of trauma, police said. Calo still had $60, a cell phone and three keys on him when police found him.

Homicide detectives from the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office did not respond because Calo's death is not considered suspicious.

Rios said funeral arrangements for Calo have not been made, but she expects a funeral home in Paterson to handle the wake and funeral.

5K to honor Clifton cop killed during traffic pursuit

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The eighth annual John Samra Scholarship Memorial 5K Run/Walk will be held Oct. 11.

JOHN SAMRAOfficer John Samra (File Photo) 

CLIFTON--A 5K run/walk next month will honor a Clifton officer who was killed while pursuing a suspect during a traffic stop.

The eighth annual John Samra Scholarship Memorial 5K Run/Walk will be held Oct. 11 at city hall. Samra was killed in November 2003 while pursuing a driver who had a revoked driver's license and was high on cocaine and heroine, authorities said at the time.

The driver, Luis Hernandez, crashed his van into the officer's motorcycle and then tried to flee on foot, authorities said. Hernandez was sentenced to life in prison in 2005. 


PLUS: Pascrell bill to help catch suspects who shoot police goes to Obama 

The 5K benefits the John Samra Memorial Scholarship fund. The application fee is $20 and should be postmarked by Oct. 5. For more information, visit the Clifton PBA's website. 

Kathryn Brenzel may be reached at kbrenzel@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @katiebrenzel. Find NJ.com on Facebook

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State Police warn about unusually deadly 'brand' of heroin

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'Mega Millions' linked to fatal overdoses in Bergen, Morris and Passaic counties

TRENTON -- The State Police have issued a warning about an especially lethal batch of heroin being sold under the name "Mega Million."

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Heroin packaged in folds stamped with this "brand name"  has been implicated in "several fatal and non-fatal overdoses" in Bergen, Morris and Passaic counties, the agency said in a statement. The Mega Million heroin contains adulterants that make it especially hazardous, expedited testing of samples revealed.


RELATED: N.J. heroin death rate three times national average 


In its statement, the State Police stressed that their warning should not be taken as an endorsement of any drug use but "it is important we release this important, possibly lifesaving information" on the Mega Million batch. 

Heroin use is exploding nationwide but especially in New Jersey, whose death rate from the drug of 8.3 per 100,000 in 2013 was far higher than the already elevated national figure of 2.6 per 100,000. There were 781 heroin-related deaths in the state last year.

For more information on addiction and abuse, visit KnowAddiction.nj.gov.

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

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N.J. lawmakers say hotel tax hike, new county spending caps would ease prop taxes

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A package of legislation New Jersey lawmakers said would ease some of the pressure on county governments includes an expansion of the 2 percent spending cap and an increase in the hotel tax for property tax relief.

TRENTON -- State lawmakers on Thursday said an increase in the hotel tax and new limits on how much some county offices can spend would help save property taxpayers money and ease some of the pressure on New Jersey's 21 county governments. 

State Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester), a former freeholder and likely 2017 candidate for governor, said he and other lawmakers developed a package of bills through meetings held throughout the state with county leaders.

The bills in the package have Republican and Democratic sponsors, said Sweeney, who, flanked by local and state lawmakers, rolled out the plan at a Statehouse news conference Thursday.

"Everyone doesn't agree with every bill, but as a whole I think we have something we can go forward with that will help the taxpayers of the state," he said.


ALSO: Will N.J. lawmakers override Christie on gun bill?


The six bills take aim at the counties' purses by closing a loophole that exempted autonomous county offices from the state's 2 percent cap on local budget increases and imposing a $5 court fee to pay for courthouse security.

Currently, certain independent offices, like prosecutors and superintendents of elections, who aren't constrained by the spending cap but those costs are paid by property taxes. Sweeney, state Sen. Kevin O'Toole (R-Essex) and state Sen. Linda Greenstein (D-Middlesex) are sponsoring a bill that would impose the same limits on these offices. 

Another bill spurred by a dispute in Passaic County, in which a superintendent of elections, a state employee, gave her employees 9 percent pay increases and bonuses over the objections of the county board, would make those offices throughout the state subject to a county's administrative code.

The package also includes a bill, sponsored by state Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen), that would allow counties to impose a 1 percent hotel tax dedicated to property tax relief. The idea, she said, originated with the Bergen County Board of Freeholders.

County officials were distressed by an order from the courts that they must put an officer in every courtroom, and a $5 fee that would be tacked onto every civil and criminal court case would defray the costs, they said.

"I don't have the manpower to do that because I don't have the money in my budget to do that," Middlesex County Sheriff Mildred Scott said. "I don't know how Middlesex County government would be able to afford this without the state stepping forward."

Security costs Essex County, which hosts the state's largest court system, $20 million a year, county Executive Joe DiVencenzo said.

The state judiciary raised and created new fees last year to pay for bail reform, legal services for the poor and digital upgrades.

Another measure would allow counties to assign expensive "class two" law enforcement officers, who aren't full-time and don'y receive benefits, to those duties.

Yet another bill would require municipalities that enter into tax abatement agreements to file those agreements with the appropriate county government so it can collect its 5 percent share of the charge paid by developers.

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Samantha Marcus may be reached at smarcus@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @samanthamarcus. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

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3 shootings in Paterson occur within hours of each other

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Victims include man accosted while riding scooter, another hit while riding in car

PATERSON -- A series of shootings over the course of a half a day has left three people wounded, including one victim in critical condition, Lt. Patrick Murray of the police department's Ceasefire Unit said.

Police Lights.jpg 

A 30-year-old man was brought to St. Joseph's Regional Medical Center around midnight Thursday, Murray said. The victim told police he was a passenger in a vehicle travelling south on Rt. 20 near East 36th and 37th streets when another vehicle pulled alongside and someone opened fire. The victim suffered a gunshot wound to the face and was in stable condition.


RELATED: Two wounded in midnight Paterson shootings 


About two hours later, someone walked up to a group of people gathered near Cobb Memorial Park and began shooting, firing off several rounds and striking a 35-year-old man in the stomach. The man was listed in critical condition at St. Joseph's, Murray said.

The investigation into these incidents is ongoing. Anyone with information is urged to contact detectives Francisco Brito or Rolando Polio of the Ceasefire Unit at 973-321-1342. Information can also be forwarded anonymously via the Paterson Police website,  patersonpd.com.

A 22-year-old man was shot later in the day, at around 9:20 a.m., near Governor and Paterson streets, Murray also said. Police responded to a report of shots fired and located the suspected crime scene near a vacant lot.

Shortly afterwards, St. Joseph's staff reported that a gunshot victim had been transported to the hospital in a private vehicle. He later told police he was travelling on his motorized scooter when a male approached and pointed a gun at him. As the victim tried to flee on foot, he heard several rounds before being hit in the upper leg.

Anyone with information is asked to contact detectives Christopher Ravallese or Edgar Torres of the Ceasefire Unit at 973-321-1342. or at  patersonpd.com.

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

 

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Bramnick coddling wealthy by trading gas for estate tax, disappointment with Paterson schools | Letters

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New Jersey Assembly Minority Leader Jon Bramnick (R-Union) says he now recognizes the need for an increase in the state's gas tax. However, Assemblyman Bramnick says the gas tax increase should be offset by a decrease in the estate tax. The estate tax is paid by people whose estates are valued at more than $675,000. So, Assemblyman Bramnick wants to...

New Jersey Assembly Minority Leader Jon Bramnick (R-Union) says he now recognizes the need for an increase in the state's gas tax.

However, Assemblyman Bramnick says the gas tax increase should be offset by a decrease in the estate tax. The estate tax is paid by people whose estates are valued at more than $675,000.

So, Assemblyman Bramnick wants to give the well-off a break on their estate tax if they pay a higher gas tax. He has not said what offset or break he would be willing to give the poor.

That sounds like a caricature of the stereotype of a rich-coddling Republican.

Ken Carlson

Morristown

Disappointment with Paterson schools

I was outraged by last week's admission by Paterson's state-appointed superintendent of schools that far more immigrants have moved into the city than recent projections by a professional demographer expected.

In a meeting at the end of the school year, superintendent Donnie Evans claimed the report made by the hired demographer was the basis for the reduction in workforce and the replacement of teachers retiring. Class sizes were accounted for with the layoffs in place.

The superintendent's failure to account for growth in student enrollment this year is irresponsible, especially considering a warning from the N.J. Department of Education of a projected increase of 1,000 students. In addition, Paterson is a diverse community which sees an influx of new citizens annually and a growth of school enrollments as a result. This is a standing reality for the city and should not have been overlooked by the district superintendent and his staff.

I sponsored legislation as part of this year's budget that would have given the school district $19 million in additional funding. The bill was vetoed by Gov. Chris Christie. Now, due to the superintendent's reckless miscalculations and the lack progressive accountability by the administration, Paterson needs that funding more than before.
Our children should no longer suffer under the mismanagement of state-appointed officials who should be improving their education not impeding it.

Shavonda Sumter is a Democrat representing the 35th Legislative District in the New Jersey Assembly.

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Raid nets $2K in heroin, child support arrest, sheriff says

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A city man faces drug charges after investigators raided his apartment and seized more than 300 envelopes of heroin, authorities said Friday.

Passaic County sheriff carA Paterson man faces drug charges after a raid at his apartment Sept. 24, 2015, the Passaic County Sheriff said. (File photo) 

PATERSON - A city man faces drug charges after investigators raided his apartment and seized more than 300 envelopes of heroin, authorities said Friday.

Detectives with the Passaic County Sheriff's Office Bureau of Narcotics and Warrant Division arrested 32-year-old Javier Dealba on Thursday, according to Sheriff Richard H. Berdnik.  

A week-long investigation revealed that Dealba was peddling drugs from his Warren Street residence, the sheriff said in a statement. Detectives stopped Dealba as he left the apartment with 40 glassine envelopes of heroin.

Berdnik said a search of Dealba's home turned up another 349 packets of heroin and $11,899 in suspected drug proceeds.

In total, the seized heroin has an estimated street value of about $2,000, the sheriff said.

Dealba was held on drug charges and two child support warrants for more than $11,000, Berdnik added.

"Once again detectives arrested not only a drug dealer but a deadbeat father," the sheriff said. "This one week investigation took a significant amount of drugs and drug proceeds off our streets."

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

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Ex-Assemblyman may go on trial in March on theft, misconduct charges

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Former Assembly allegedly stole more than $1.8 million from people who loaned him money and wrote more than $3.4 million in bad checks.

robert-schroederFormer Assemblyman Robert Schroeder (File photo) 

SOMERSET -- Former state Assemblyman Robert Schroeder, who is accused of stealing nearly $1.9 million from people who loaned him money and writing more than $3.4 million in bad checks, is tentatively set to go to trial in March 2016.

Schroeder, who was denied a pre-trial motion to have his charges dismissed in February 2014 by Superior Court Judge Julie M. Marino, was back in court on Friday morning before Marino during a brief status conference.

The former Assemblyman, who is due back in court for another status conference on Dec. 11, was also fingerprinted.

Schroeder, 55, of Washington Township in Bergen County, served two terms representing the 39th Legislative District, which now includes parts of Bergen and Passaic counties.


RELATED: Ex-Assembly's bid to dismiss millions in bad check charges denied

Schroeder, a Republican, is facing a three-count indictment charging him with issuing bad checks, theft by deception and misconduct by a corporate official.

Schroeder allegedly wrote at least 47 bad checks totaling at least $3.4 million to 12 people who loaned him money for business ventures and to two companies that provided him with goods or services. He allegedly knew he didn't have the funds to cover those checks.

Schroeder also is accused of stealing nearly $1.9 million from at least five individuals who loaned him money for a business venture meant to provide housing for an oil-drilling project in North Dakota. He allegedly used those funds for personal expenses and other debts not associated with the project.

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

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