Protests, Accidents, Arrests and Fires Top County Headlines This Week

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 veteran allegedly was driving while intoxicated with an open container of alcohol in the postal vehicle, police said.

A criminal case against Mahwah resident Jay Patel, accused of illegally cutting down 221 trees on his neighbor’s vacant property to get a better view of the Ramapo Mountains, was transferred to the Bergen County Superior Court this week.

An investigation conducted by the Wyckoff Police Department resulted in the recovery of a family’s sentimental jewelry that police say had been stolen by a troubled former doctor who was trying to pawn it on the Internet.

The Glen Rock community has come together to help two residents with the rebuilding of their home which burned to condemnation Sunday night.

The Hasbrouck Heights community is coming together in support of their friend, a widowed mother of two who is now battling stage four breast cancer, with a fundraiser.

PSE&G detailed plans at a public workshop in Teaneck this week to upgrade a power substation on the Teaneck-Bergenfield border, in order to increase the reliability of the township’s electrical supply.

The Fort Lee community marked the 130th birthday on Wednesday of legendary actor and former resident John Barrymore with an annual fundraiser in his name with proceeds going towards the high school spring production of the musical, “Mack & Mabel” to be performed this May.

A potentially environmentally hazardous site – the Borden Chemical site located at 8-10 22nd Street, Fair Lawn - was left off the Environmental Protection Agency's Superfund National Priority List, according to a statement released by the Public Employees for Environmental Responsibility this week.

New Milford has become the first municipality in the county to pass a resolution condemning anti-Semitism.   

River Edge Mayor Sandy Moscaritolo is supporting the efforts of resident John Fugazzie in the creation of an off-leash dog park at Van Saun Park by creating an online petition for county residents.

A tractor-trailer truck hauling blueberries overturned on the ramp to Route 80 West from I-95 in Teaneck Wednesday afternoon, snarling traffic during the busy rush hour commute. 

Paramus school administrators and Board of Education members reacted with a mixture of disappointment and indifference to the council’s decision to move the school board election to November.