Judge Rules In Favor of Blue Law Suspension

Paramus Mayor Richard LaBarbiera states that although he and borough residents disagree with the ruling the borough will abide it and hopes this will be the final weekend for Blue Law suspension.

A Bergen County Superior Court Judge ruled in favor of suspending Blue Laws —meaning Paramus stores will be open Sunday —despite the mayor's efforts to protect the law, claiming it favors the quality of life of borough residents. Mayor Richard LaBarbiera stated Friday that "although the residents of Paramus and I strongly disagree with this ruling we will of course abide it." "The County Executive says that this will be the last Sunday without the Blue Laws and I intend to hold her to that," said LaBarbiera in a statement.  "The Blue Laws are absolutely essential to keeping Paramus livable and I will never stop fighting to make sure they are always here to protect our quality of life. I thank the many Paramus residents who expressed their …

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Bergen Blue Laws Battle Headed to Court

Paramus seeks to enforce Blue Laws after Christie ordered them suspended.

It's been a week since Gov. Chris Christie issued the order to suspend Bergen County's Blue Laws so that residents most impacted by Hurricane Sandy could purchase necessary repair items. And while Paramus has the strictest Blue Laws on the books, County Executive Kathleen Donovan may take the borough to court this week to keep local officials from limiting what stores can be open. Bergen County Executive Kathleen Donovan had asked the state last Saturday to suspend the county’s Blue Laws as the County struggled with numerous power outages. Christie gave the order on Sunday, Nov. 4 to allow for retail stores to open. The Executive Order is meant to allow the sale of clothing and wearing apparel, building and lumber supply materials, …

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County Police Officers Accused of Lying, Tampering with Crime Scene

Two county officers indicted Monday on official misconduct charges for alleged cover-up following six-town police chase.

Two Bergen County police officers were indicted Monday on charges they worked to hide evidence and lied to investigators following a six-town car chase where one officer allegedly opened fire on a burglary suspect in Bogota.  The seven count indictment alleges Bergen County Police Officer Saheed Baksh, 37, removed shell casings from a crime scene after he fired two shots at Francesco Piserchia, who authorities said led officers on a chase from Paramus to West Shore Avenue in Bogota.  Although Baksh fired, Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli said the casings "which were originally observed at the shooting scene on West Shore Avenue" later went missing.  Another county officer who responded, 52-year-old Jeffrey Roberts, failed to "…

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Man Accused in Synagogue Firebombing Pleads Not Guilty in Prosecutor Murder Plot

Aakash Dalal, the former Lodi man allegedly behind the anti-semitic arsons earlier this year, has pleaded not guilty to additional charges that he plotted to murder the assistant prosecutor in the case.

The former Lodi man who allegedly played a guiding role in the firebombings of Jewish synagogues earlier this year has pleaded not guilty to new charges that he conspired to kill the assistant prosecutor handling his case, authorities said Thursday.  Aakash Dalal, 20, who had been attending Rutgers University and has a New Brunswick address, plotted to obtain a gun and murder Assistant Prosecutor Martin Delaney after he made bail, Bergen County Prosecutor John L. Molinelli said in a statement. Dalal, who was scheduled to be released from jail this week after arranging to post $1 million bail, was charged with conspiracy to commit murder, conspiracy to possess a weapon for unlawful purposes and terroristic threats. In early May, FBI agents …

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Residents Bemoan Losing Post Offices

Local residents and business owners agree that losing the post offices on Broadway and River Road would hurt the community

Around The County

Fatal Hit-and-Run in Teaneck, Glen Rock Assault Investigation Continues

This week's Bergen news also includes the FBI coming close to identifying Fair Lawn bank robber

Welcome to "Around The County," a weekly column that highlights stories in Bergen County Patch communities. This week, a woman died after being hit by up to four cars in Teaneck, a woman lost control of her vehicle in Ridgewood hitting a home, Glen Rock police are investigating an assault and robbery of a 67-year-old woman, the FBI may be close to catching a Fair Lawn bank robber and more. Check out our list of some of the top stories on Patch sites this week:

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Earthquake Felt in Parts of Fair Lawn

Fair Lawn Police Department reports no injuries, no structural damage and no building evacuations

Fair Lawn residents have taken to Facebook and Twitter to discuss the 5.9-magnitude earthquake centered in Mineral, Va. that shook the Washington, D.C. area just before 2 p.m. Tuesday, and registered 2.2 on the Richter scale in parts of Bergen County, according to the United States Geological Survey. Fair Lawn police said they received only a few calls following the quake, mainly from residents asking what had happened. No one called in to report injuries, building evacuations or structural damage to buildings, police said.  The social media response to the quake in Fair Lawn has been split. Residents living near the southern and eastern borders of the borough have generally reported feeling the quake. “Bookcases, etc. were swaying - the …

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Burned Body Found In SUV Identified As Brooklyn Rapper

Body found in parked SUV along Village Circle West in Paramus early Tuesday morning; case being treated as homicide, prosecutor says.

The man whose body was found burned inside the back of a Sport Utility Vehicle at Village Circle West in Paramus Tuesday has been identified as 33-year-old Brooklyn resident Rhian H. Stoute, authorities said Tuesday night. Stoute, known as Kampane, was a rapper who toured with Roc-a-Fella in 2000, according to his online bio. The case is being treated as a homicide, Prosecutor John L. Molinelli said in a statement released late Tuesday afternoon. An early-model black Chevy Tahoe with New York plates was discovered early Tuesday morning with Stoute's burned body in the rear cargo area, Molinelli said. Molinelli said investigators do not believe the death occurred on the Paramus street where the body was found. "At this time we have no …

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