In top county news this week: A 71-year-old Oakland man was killed along with his dog in a house fire Monday evening. Hackensack University Medical Center’s plan to reopen the former Pascack Valley Hospital as a new 128-bed facility received approval from the state health commissioner this week.  The move was praised by Governor Chris Christie who visited Westwood Thursday. What was described as a “large water main break” left an unknown number of Fort Lee residents with little or not water pressure Wednesday. A celebration was planned this week at Paramus’ 35 Plazaa in honor of Wyckoff’s …

In top county news this week: Several dozen students walked out of Bergen County Technical school Thursday at noon to protest what they saw as a lack of recognition for a lance corporal with the Marines who was killed in Afghanistan last week, as flags on campus had not been flown at half staff in his honor. Bergen County residents packed the Bergen County Freeholders meeting Wednesday to protest a proposal to cut 25 percent of the county’s spending towards its mental health programs.  Ridgewood Police charged a village post office mail carrier with DWI charges Thursday. The 26 year USPS …

In top county news this week: U.S. Senator Robert Menendez came to Ridgewood this week touting the impact a new federal bill would have for state commuters in clearing congestion and cutting red tape to initiate transit development while preserving and creating jobs. Former Bergen County Improvement Authority chairman Ronald J. O’Malley was sentenced to two years in prison for a mortgage fraud scheme that falsely claimed mortgage borrowers worked at the county’s public financing agency, according to a U.S. Attorney. Glen Rock police say a Paterson man eyed by authorities for allegedly …

In top county news this week: Ramapo College will hold a remembrance ceremony Monday for a student, Jacob Halle, who passed away Wednesday after sustaining critical injuries from a car accident two days earlier on Route 202 near the college in Mahwah. Prosecutors said Anthony Graziano, the 19-year old Lodi man accused of arson at synagogues in Rutherford and Paramus confessed to the crimes, however his attorney says his client’s admission should not be taken seriously, citing his mental health. Friends and family of a murdered Teaneck resident Robert Cantor rallied outside the Bergen County …

In top county news this week: A Lodi teen accused of firebombing synagogues in Rutherford and Paramus pleaded not guilty in Superior Court in Hackensack this week. Earlier in the week police held a press conference where they reported that a soda bottle led them to the alleged arsonist. Fort Lee voters said ‘yes’ to the Board of Education’s $30.2 million bond referendum this week after two previous failed attempts. The sale of bonds would finance various maintenance and renovations in the school buildings. Lyndhurst High School football coach Scott Rubinetti was arrested this week on sexual …

In top county news this week: An Edgewater police car stolen after an attempted jewelry store burglary was found in Teaneck on Palisade Avenue later that morning. Reports say one of the men charged in the Edgewater case is part of a New York burglary ring.   Two custodians at a Lodi elementary school were arrested this week on drug charges. A man believed to have used stolen credit cards to purchase gift cards at area CVS pharmacies was arrested Wednesday by Glen Rock Police. Tenafly police have arrested a New Milford man suspected in the recent string of luring incidents reported in Tenafly…

In top county news this week: Bergen County Prosecutor John Molinelli asked residents to be extra vigilant after someone attacked a Rutherford synagogue with incendiary devices Wednesday morning.  County residents, business owners and postal union representatives attended a forum Wednesday night in Little Ferry in opposition of the United State Postal Service’s plan to shut down the Teterboro plant. A 27-year-old Ridgewood man was arrested early Wednesday after a night of drinking led him to illegally enter a Wyckoff home to find a warm place to sleep, according to police. Preliminary results…

In top county news this week: An argument between two brothers resulted in a slashing early Saturday at the Highlands Apartment complex in Westwood.  The Paramus School District community was in mourning Friday following the death of high school junior Eric Micheo on Thursday. Two unrelated incidents in Fort Lee school buildings had administrators and buildings and grounds working late Wednesday. Governor Chris Christie came to Fair Lawn this week to swear in Republican Mayor Jeanne Baratta  during the annual reorganization meeting this week. Sandy Moscartolo became the first Democratic River…

Top county news this week includes: Area residents gathered Wednesday outside the Teaneck Armory to welcome home American forces from Iraq and call for an end to the war in Afghanistan.  Tom Locicero was sworn in to the Paramus borough council this week to serve the last year of Councilman Alan Brundage's term. Congressman Steve Rothman said he would move from Fair Lawn to Englewood in order to run against fellow Democrat Bill Pascrell Jr. in the June primary for the newly configured 9th District. An attempted Christmas Eve burglary led to five arrests and the seizure of illegal drugs and $34…

This week in top county news: A former Hasbrouck Heights police officer was charged with first degree murder in the killing of John Amendola of Wood-Ridge. Scott Smith pleaded not guilty to all charges in his first court appearance Thursday. Family and friends will gather this weekend to remember Amendola. A Washington Township woman was charged with drunk driving early Thursday when Glen Rock police found her and a passenger unconscious in her automobile covered in vomit and excrement. Nineteen-year-old Malik Williams was fatally shot by police last weekend following a chase through a …

Welcome back to Around the County, a weekly feature that highlights some of the top stories from Bergen County. Some of the top news this week includes an off-duty Fair Lawn police office spotted two men taking items from a local which led to their arrest, the K-mart in Westwood was evacuated due to a bomb threat, protestors of the proposed virtual charter school in Teaneck protested Gov. Christie's press conference and Paramus Police Officer Rachel Morgan, who was shot earlier this year, was promoted to detective. Check out some of the top stories from this week: Masked men held up a …

Welcome back to Around the County a weekly feature on Patch that highlights some of the top stories throughout Bergen County. This week Hackensack University Medical Center got one step closer in its plan to bring a hospital back to the Westwood area at the former Pascack Valley Hospital site, meanwhile the Ridgewood council stopped Valley Hospital's plan to double in size, New Milford residents affected by the flooding of Hurricane Irene heard from United Water representatives and several Bergen County towns experienced power outages Tuesday. Check out some of the top stories from this week…

Welcome to "Around The County," a weekly column that highlights stories throughout Bergen County. This week, shoppers from all over flocked to North Jersey malls for Black Friday shopping, a man from Hasbrouck Heights locked himself in a Sunflower Avenue, Paramus office for three hours after allegedly pulling a replica gun on his manager, Girl Scouts in Franklin Lakes received the highest honor, hundreds come out to witness live music in New Milford and Teaneck town officials continue to fight the claims made by a councilwoman. Check out our list of some of the top stories in the county this …

Welcome to "Around The County," a weekly column that highlights stories throughout Bergen County. This week,  and more. Check out our list of some of the top stories in the county this week: Kelly Creegan, 6, died early Monday night after she was struck by a vehicle near her home in Ridgewood. Police identified the driver Thursday as Mirjam Kaiser, 24, of the village. More than 60 protesters came out in the rain Thursday to bring the message of Occupy Wall Street to suburbia, at Votee Park in Teaneck. Police said Wednesday that a 73-year-oldFort Lee man who died last week from a head injury …

Welcome to "Around The County," a weekly column that highlights stories throughout Bergen County. This week, a New Milford man was arrested for allegedly having inappropriate sexual contact with a girl, the Teaneck public school district has to budget $15 million for a proposed charter school, a science teacher was arrested for allegedly using his students to help steal items from Mahwah, Hasbrouck Heights students got a visit from an actor and alumn of the high school, 20 people were arrested on drug related charges and more. Check out our list of some of the top stories in the county this …

Welcome to "Around The County," a weekly column that highlights stories throughout Bergen County. This week, two Teaneck residents died in a house fire, a Mahwah woman was arrested and accused of threatening police with a knife, an underground transformer fire broke out in Fort Lee, a Ridgewood DPW employee was hit by a car, a Teaneck supermarket handed out free meals to residents without power, a PSE&G representative attended a Ridgewood council meeting to explain what went wrong and more. Check out our list of some of the top stories in the county this week: An elderly man and his …

Welcome to "Around The County," a weekly column that highlights stories throughout Bergen County. This week, a Lyndhurst woman allegedly made arrangements with a man she thought was a hitman in Mahwah to kill her ex-boyfriend's new girlfriend, the Teaneck community remembered a fallen police officer and renamed the driveway to police headquarters in his honor, a Ridgewood business owner is organizing a clothing drive to help those affected by the earthquake in Turkey, officials are promising New Milford residents they're working on flooding problems, Washington Township emergency personnel …

Welcome to "Around The County," a weekly column that highlights stories throughout Bergen County. This week, several Teaneck police sergeants must retake promotional exams and could face demotion, a piece of steel from the World Trade Center made its way to River Edge, hundreds flocked to Westwood High School for a public hearing about a proposed new hospital in Westwood, the man accused of murdering a woman in Teaneck was brought back to Bergen County from Florida, the principal of Ridgewood High School claims there is a serious problem with drugs and alcohol, burglars allegedly stole $11,…

Welcome to "Around The County," a weekly column that highlights stories throughout Bergen County. This week, police are investigating burglaries in Hasbrouck Heights, a teen hit a landscaping truck trialer in Ridgewood while on his bike, a Mahwah teen was arrested for allegedly supplying alcohol to minors, a New Milford native planned a religious service at Occupy Wall Street, Governor Christie visited Paramus, Paula Deen and Michael Moore visited Bookends in Ridgewood, Korean language ballots are coming to Bergen County and more. Check out our list of some of the top stories in the county …

Welcome to "Around The County," a weekly column that highlights stories throughout Bergen County. This week, a New Milford man was arrested in connection with the murder of a Teaneck woman, a Paterson man allegedly sexually assaulted a Fair Lawn teen in Paramus, two Brooklyn women were charged with stealing from a Mahwah CVS, a Garfield teen was struck and killed by an NJ Transit train and more. Check out our list of some of the top stories in the county this week: Investigators believe a Teaneck woman was killed by her estranged husband over a pending divorce, Bergen County Prosecutor John …