Suspect in hit-and-run identified by police
According to a press release, the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office has identified Rogelio Chavix-Tacen as the alleged driver of the 2010 red Nissan Rogue that struck Union City brothers Michael and Adrian Viruet on Kennedy Boulevard in North Bergen on Friday, Nov. 14. Both brothers remain in critical condition. Michael had to have his right leg amputated and Adrian suffered severe head trauma and was left impaled on an iron fence the night of the crash.
After an intense investigation, the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office announced that Chavix-Tacen purchased plane tickets to his native Guatemala but never boarded the flight. The Hudson County Sheriff’s Office, The United States Marshall’s Service, The North Bergen Police Major Case Squad, and the Hudson County Prosecutors Municipal Task Force have been tracking every lead and an intense manhunt has been underway 24/7 since the suspect was identified early Thursday morning. Charges for Aggravated Vehicular Assault and Leaving the Scene of an Accident with Critical Injury have been filed.
Rogelio Chavix-Tacen is about 38 years old, between 5’ 5” and 5’ 7” tall, with brown eyes and black hair. He was last seen in Fairview, N.J. and is believed to be traveling by car or public transportation. The Hudson County Sheriff’s Office is asking the public to keep a look out for Chavix-Tacen. Please call the Hudson County Sheriff’s Office at (201) 915-1300 or the North Bergen Police Department at (201) 392-2100 with any information regarding his location.
The family of the victims has established a fundraising page at http://www.gofundme.com/michaelandadrian to help pay for medical expenses. According to the site, 11-year-old brother Adrian is responsive and has been taken off the ventilator. His leg and wrist suffered fractures and he had surgery earlier this week for the arm injury from being impaled on the fence. His 20-year-old brother Michael is still in a medically induced coma to facilitate healing after his leg amputation.
Santa to attend tree lighting ceremony in UC on Dec. 4
Mayor Brian Stack and the Board of Commissioners announce that the City of Union City will hold a tree lighting ceremony on Thursday, Dec. 4 at 4 p.m. at the front steps of City Hall, 3715 Palisade Ave.
Present at the event will be the mayor and the commissioners, children caroling, and a visit from Santa Claus. Everyone in the community is invited to attend and celebrate the holidays together.
Search ended for Union City boy after father’s arrest
An Amber Alert issued by New York State Police for a 3-month-old boy has been cancelled after authorities say the child was found safe in New Jersey, according to media reports. Police say the boy’s father, a 21-year-old man from Union City, has been arrested and is in custody on first-degree burglary charges.
State troopers responded to a 911 call at about 10:45 Sunday night on Fairview Avenue in the town of Greenport in Columbia County, N.Y. Authorities say the man allegedly entered the home with the intent of taking his twin 3-month-old boys, Adam and Steven, from their mother.
During the abduction, he allegedly struck the children’s grandfather in the face and left with one of the children, Steven, according to police.
Family members were able to prevent the man from taking Steven’s twin brother prior to him fleeing the home. The children’s grandfather was transported to Columbia Memorial Hospital by the Greenport Rescue Squad where he was treated for a laceration to the eye.
An Amber Alert was issued giving a vehicle description and a possible direction of travel, and a warrant was issued for the man’s arrest.
An investigation led police to his Union City home, where police say he surrendered at about 6:30 a.m. Monday. The child was unharmed.
Miftaahul Uloom Academy present theater production based on immigrant experiences
Miftaahul Uloom Academy will present a theater production titled “Their Story, Our Story” for the local community at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, Dec. 6. Written collectively by a group of 80 elementary school students, it is based on stories they gathered from their family members. The production will be held at Miftaahul Uloom Academy, 501 15th St., sharing tales from a diverse community of families reflecting on struggle, sacrifice, triumph, and defeat during the process of migration.
“This project has opened a treasure chest of rich stories from our diverse community of families,” said Principal Fatima Abbasi of the Miftaahul Uloom Academy. “Not only has the project enriched students academically, but it has allowed students to experience the power of the arts in understanding themselves and the struggles that have shaped the opportunities they enjoy today. It has given them a platform to tell their own narrative as American Muslims and the stories that shape them.”
The artist-in-residence program at Miftaahul Uloom Academy is funded by the Artists in Education Residency Grant Program, a cosponsored project of the New Jersey State Council on the Arts and Young Audiences New Jersey and Eastern Pennsylvania, with support from the National Endowment for the Arts. Additional support has been provided by the Parent Association of Miftaahul Uloom Academy. Through this residency, students explore the creative process and learn firsthand from a professional artist. In addition to sessions with students, the artist serves as a resource for teachers and the community.
Miftaahul Uloom Academy, a 501(c)(3) organization, was established in 1994 and is a co-educational preschool through 12th grade independent Islamic day school. Literally translated, the name Miftaahul Uloom means “The Key to Knowledge.” The school is home to a unique population of students from across varied cultures and socioeconomic levels. For more about Miftaahul Uloom Academy, visit www.muanj.org. For more information on the event, contact Faatimah Yanes at (201) 223-9920 or email events@muanj.org.
Union City to hold annual Senior Citizens’ Christmas Party on Dec. 13
Mayor Brian Stack and the Board of Commissioners announce that the City of Union City is holding the annual Senior Citizens’ Christmas Party on Saturday, Dec. 13 at noon at Colin Powell School, New York Avenue and 15th Street. The event will consist of a delicious lunch, entertainment, and live music.
Admission is free to all seniors. For further information, call the Union City Senior Affairs Office at (201) 348-5701.
Santa Claus is coming to town!
The 15th Annual Santa Parade is coming to Bergenline Ave. on Sunday, Dec. 14. The parade starts at noon at 85th St. and proceeds to 32nd St.
The parade is presented by the firefighters and fire officers of North Hudson Regional Fire and Rescue, in conjunction with the towns of North Bergen, West New York, Union City, Guttenberg, and Weehawken.
Donate old cell phones, provide free calls home to troops overseas
Mile Square Early Learning Center in Hoboken and nonprofit Cell Phones for Soldiers Inc. are asking Hudson County residents to help troops call home by donating gently-used cellular phones. Although the military landscape is ever changing, as many as 200,000 troops are serving in the United States military overseas around the world. By donating to Cell Phones for Soldiers, residents can provide troops with that precious connection to loved ones back home.
Phones can be donated at Mile Square Early Learning Center locations in Hoboken, including the St. Francis site at 310 Jefferson St., the Rue site at 301 Garden St., and the Demarest site at 158 4th St.
Cell Phones for Soldiers was founded in 2004 by teenagers Robbie and Brittany Bergquist at the ages of 12 and 13. The charity has since provided more than 210 million minutes of free talk time to servicemen and women stationed around the world through its calling card program, Minutes that Matter. Funds raised from the recycling of cellular phones are used to purchase prepaid international calling cards. On average, Cell Phones for Soldiers distributes 3,200 calling cards each week to bases around the world, care package programs, deployment ceremonies and VA hospitals.
Donated phones are sent to Mindful eCycling for recycling. For every donated phone valued at $5, Cell Phones for Soldiers is able to provide two and a half hours of free talk time to deployed troops. Approximately half of the phones Mindful eCycling processes are reconditioned and reused. Phones and components that cannot be refurbished are dismantled and responsibly recycled to reclaim materials, including gold, silver, and platinum from circuit boards; copper wiring from phone chargers, nickel, iron, cadmium, and lead from battery packs, and plastic from phone cases and accessories.
For more information, contact cdiaz@mselc1979.org or visit www.cellphonesforsoldiers.com.