North Hudson men sentenced for mozzarella, beer theft
Acting Attorney General Robert Lougy has announced that two North Bergen and three Union City men were among seven defendants sentenced to state prison and jail terms June 10 for conspiring in a $1.5 million series of thefts involving tractor-trailers loaded with cargo, including clothing, beauty products, auto parts, cheese and beer, which the defendants stole and fenced.
A total of 12 men were charged in a June 4, 2015 indictment stemming from Operation Midnight Run, a long-term investigation by the New Jersey State Police Interstate Theft North Unit, the New Jersey Division of Criminal Justice Specialized Crimes Bureau and the U.S. Department of Homeland Security Border Enforcement Security Task Force. Nine defendants have pleaded guilty to date.
1. Sentenced by Superior Court Judge James J. Guida in Bergen County were Yoanny Justiz, 33, of North Bergen, to nine years in state prison, after pleading guilty on Feb. 29 to second-degree conspiracy; and Horacio Llerena-Martinez, 55, of North Bergen, to eight years in state prison, after pleading guilty on Nov. 30 to second-degree conspiracy.
2. Also sentenced were Luis Marin, 47, of Union City, to nine years in state prison, after pleading guilty on Feb. 29 to second-degree receiving stolen property; Angel Dominguez, 44, of Union City, to seven years in state prison, after pleading guilty on Nov. 30 to second-degree theft; and Hector Rivas, 38, of Union City, to 270 days in the county jail as a condition of three years of probation, after he pleaded guilty on Nov. 30 to third-degree receiving stolen property.
Two other Union City defendants have already pleaded guilty in the case, according to a release. Wilson Ferrer-Reyes, 51, pleaded guilty on Jan. 4 to third-degree receiving stolen property and was sentenced on April 22 to 364 days in the county jail as a condition of three years of probation. Carlos Toriac-Almira, 36, pleaded guilty on Jan. 25 to fourth-degree receiving stolen property and faces a recommended sentence of 18 months in state prison. He is scheduled for sentencing on Sept. 9.
In a release, the attorney general’s office said the members of the cargo theft ring worked together in various combinations to steal tractor-trailers containing cargo from the tri-state area of New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania.
“These thieves stole whatever cargo proved to be an easy mark, driving off with tractor-trailers loaded with everything from beer, to mozzarella cheese, to auto parts,” said Acting Attorney General Lougy. “Their crime spree was a real road show, but our prosecutors joined with the New Jersey State Police and U.S. Department of Homeland Security to track them across three states and bring them to justice.”
Author holds local reading and book signings
The public is invited to meet and greet author Theresa “Terrie” Borrelli as she signs her new book titled “A Mountain Always Climbed,” which she describes as “a flow of charismatic poetry ranging from nature, friendship, love, philosophy and much more.” The first reading will be held at the West New York Public Library, Saturday June 18, 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. The next reading will be at The Union City Public Library, 43rd Street and New York Avenue, Saturday July 2, 1 to 3 p.m.
Borrelli, a poet, writer, and former DJ and college professor, has lived in West New York, North Bergen, and Weehawken, and has written about bullying and other issues.
Free outdoor concerts on Weehawken waterfront begin June 29
A diverse and eclectic program of summer concerts returns to the Weehawken waterfront as the Hudson Riverfront Performing Arts Center, Inc. (HRPAC) presents Summer Concerts on the Hudson 2016. This series of free evening concerts starts on Wednesday, June 29 at 7 p.m. and will feature top artists from many different musical genres, including big band hot jazz, a cappella vocal, classic jazz, Latin, and Broadway.
“For over a dozen years, Summer Concerts on the Hudson has had the honor of presenting world class artists, free of charge, to the public,” said Bruce Sherman, HRPAC’s executive director. “We consider it a privilege to present great and diverse music in a spectacular riverfront setting for all to enjoy.”
All performances take place at Lincoln Harbor Park and begin at 7 p.m. Rain dates, if necessary, will occur the following night after each scheduled performance. The public is requested to bring a lawn chair or blanket and encouraged to pack a picnic and enjoy the pastoral setting of Lincoln Harbor Park.
The Hudson Reporter is a co-sponsor of this series.
The Summer Concerts on the Hudson 2016 lineup includes:
Wednesday, June 29 – Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks. Grammy winner Vince Giordano and his renowned eleven piece band.
Wednesday, July 13 – The Persuasions. This legendary vocal group is one of the greatest a cappella ensembles of all time.
Wednesday, Aug. 3 – Centennial Tribute to Billy Strayhorn. Billy Strayhorn was a genius composer and arranger and right hand to Duke Ellington.
Wednesday, Aug.17 – The David L Band. David Lopez is a rising star and singing sensation in Panama, playing Latin Caribbean Funk.
Monday, Aug. 29 – Broadway on the Hudson. Join some of Musical Theater’s best (including Tony winners and nominees) performing some of Broadway’s most beloved tunes. Cast to be announced. This is a one-night-only event created just for Summer Concerts on the Hudson.
North Bergen teen wins scholarship from Center for Italian & Italian American Culture
One of the recipients of The Peter Cocoziello, Sr. Scholarship for 2016 is Vincenzo Luciano Guido of North Bergen. With the scholarship, he will attend Cornell University in the fall, majoring in Industrial Labor Relations (pre-law).
While in Regis High School in New York City he studied Latin and participated in a speech and debate team called the Hearn Society. He’s also the Co-President of the Young Democrats & Republicans Fencing Team as a Sabre Fencer, a staff writer for “The Crow” (political opinion journal), and many other activities.
The Center for Italian & Italian American Culture is a scholarship fund created by Peter Cocoziello Sr. to choose the winners and administer the distribution of the funds. They award scholarships to deserving students of Italian or Italian American ethnicity who meet the criteria of this scholarship.
Interested seventh and eighth graders may join police academy
The North Bergen Junior Police Academy for township children entering the seventh or eighth grade will once again be held in conjunction with this year’s Summer Fun program. But the clock is ticking: applications must be submitted by June 20.
The Junior Police Academy is not a “boot camp” for troubled youth, but a camp designed to operate like an actual police academy for those interested in law enforcement and for students that show they have leadership skills. The objective of the Junior Police Academy is to educate the cadets with various police procedures and the history of the North Bergen Township Police Department, to sponsor tours of the Police Headquarters and a field trip to the NJ State Police Museum and Learning Center and/or to the 911 Memorial & Museum, and give students a comprehensive understanding of what it takes to succeed in the profession of law enforcement.
Cadets are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Classes will not exceed 30 cadets. For more information, visit northbergenpolice.com and click on the “News Room” link at the bottom of the page.
See over 300 vehicles for free at the Classic Car & Bike Show on June 26
Come out to see more than 300 vintage vehicles at the first North Bergen Classic Car and Bike Show on Sunday, June 26 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
Sponsored by Hudson County Freeholder Anthony Vainieri and the North Bergen Police Department, the event will take place along Bergenline Avenue from 79th to 89th Streets in North Bergen. Attendance is free, with music provided by DJ Lady Star. There will also be a 50/50 raffle.
The registration fee for vehicles is $20. All proceeds will be donated to the 2016 New Jersey Special Olympics.
For more information contact hrosa@northbergenpd.com. For car and bike registration, contact Felix Velez at (201) 589-0941.
Summer program registration, ice cream party at the public library
On Wednesday June 22 those who register for the library’s summer reading club can enjoy an ice cream party. This event is open to grades pre-k to high school. The event starts at 1:30 p.m. at both library locations. You must be a resident of North Bergen or Guttenberg to join.
The Main Library is located on 8411 Bergenline Ave. The Kennedy Branch is on 2123 Kennedy Boulevard.
On Monday June 27, registration for summer programs begins at 9 a.m. The programs begin Tuesday, July 5. Registration is open to North Bergen and Guttenberg residents. Register in person at both the main library and the Kennedy Branch. Proof of residency and a library card is required. Proof of age is required for children. Registration is limited. For more information call (201) 869-4715 or visit www.nbpl.org to view the program listings.
Braddock Park Arts Festival 2.0 is even bigger and better
Thousands of residents and visitors spent a gorgeous Sunday afternoon enjoying the second annual Braddock Park Art Festival, held on June 12. Among the hugely popular activities were an artist market, live artist demos in graffiti alley, audience participation projects/lessons, hands-on fun for kids, a community mural project, steamroller woodcuts, and much, much more.
Art installations and booths covered the sprawling lawn at the southwest end of the lake around the lake house, while musicians and singers entertained on the grass and in a bandshell stage. Attendees also enjoyed delicacies from an array of unique and exotic food trucks ringing the traffic circle.
Freeholder Anthony Vainieri and North Bergen Mayor Nicholas Sacco, along with numerous town commissioners and local officials, spent the afternoon welcoming residents to the daylong celebration of the arts.
The event was organized and coordinated by Guttenberg Arts, and sponsored by Hudson County Executive Thomas DeGise, Freeholder Vainieri and the Hudson County Board of Chosen Freeholders, the Hudson County Office of Cultural & Heritage Affairs/Tourism Development, and The Hudson County Division of Parks.
HackensackUMC Palisades adds new fingerprint identification system for convenient patient registration
HackensackUMC Palisades patients can now experience a modern, convenient registration process that protects against identity theft, and the creation of duplicate medical records. Using the state-of-the-art system, called SafeChx, patients are now able to register using their fingerprint to instantly secure their medical information.
Enrolling in the system for the first time takes each patient less than 30 seconds. No fingerprints are stored by SafeChx. In follow up visits, registration using SafeChx will take just seconds and provide an additional layer of identity protection.