Highland Lakes-Vernon, NJ
Police & Fire
Vernon PD: Officer Who Shot 'Aggressive' Dog Dead Tried Giving Commands First Vernon PD: Officer Who Shot 'Aggressive' Dog Dead Tried Giving Commands First
Vernon PD: Officer Who Shot 'Aggressive' Dog Dead Tried Giving Commands First A Vernon police officer who fatally shot a loose dog tried giving him commands when he charged at him aggressively, authorities said. ** STORY UPDATE: Vernon Police Release Body Cam Footage Of Officer Fatally Shooting Dog ** The person who called the incident into police told Vernon Officer Rivera that the Labrador "Hiro" was on his property and growling at him Saturday afternoon, Township police said in a statement. Rivera was walking down the street to speak to a neighbor when Hiro ran onto the road, charging toward the officer, police said. "Ptl. Rivera then began to give the dog comma…

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by Cecilia Levine
Highland Lakes-Vernon, NJ
Police & Fire
Outrage Spreads After Vernon Police Officer Shoots, Kills Dog 'Hiro' Outside His Home Outrage Spreads After Vernon Police Officer Shoots, Kills Dog 'Hiro' Outside His Home
Outrage Spreads After Vernon Police Officer Shoots, Kills Dog 'Hiro' Outside His Home Shock and outrage spread through Vernon after a police officer shot and killed a dog outside of his home. ** STORY UPDATE: Vernon Police Release Body Cam Footage Of Officer Fatally Shooting Dog ** The Labrador named "Hiro" -- who was previously a rescue dog with "Eleventh Hour Rescue" -- had gotten loose in the Scenic Lakes community when an officer came to help capture him late Saturday afternoon, Buddha Dog Rescue & Recovery wrote in a Facebook post detailing the shooting. Police told a BDRR official the dog was foaming at the mouth when he charged at the officer -- who was "scared …

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by Cecilia Levine
Highland Lakes-Vernon, NJ
News
Hamburg Motorcyclist Killed In Rockaway Crash Was Doting Dad, Loving Husband Hamburg Motorcyclist Killed In Rockaway Crash Was Doting Dad, Loving Husband
Hamburg Motorcyclist Killed In Rockaway Crash Was Doting Dad, Loving Husband A 34-year-old father of two was killed in a motorcycle crash in Rockaway. A resident called 911 after a black 2009 Harley-Davidson driven by James Reddy of Hamburg crashed on the front lawn of a Green Pond Road home around 8:30 p.m. Tuesday, authorities said. Reddy, who was underneath the cycle when police arrived, was pronounced dead at the scene, they said. What caused the crash wasn't immediately clear. Born in Hackensack, Reddy grew up in Kinnelon and lived in Highland Lakes before settling in Hamburg with his wife, Celeste, a few years ago, his obituary says. He was known for …

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by Cecilia Levine
Highland Lakes-Vernon, NJ
Obituaries
Mountain Creek Pool Technician Justin Lazier, 32, Was 'Never Without A Smile' Mountain Creek Pool Technician Justin Lazier, 32, Was 'Never Without A Smile'
Mountain Creek Pool Technician Justin Lazier, 32, Was 'Never Without A Smile' Justin K. Lazier of Vernon died unexpectedly on Monday, July 15 at St. Anthony’s Community Hospital in Warwick, N.Y. He was 32 years old. A Newton native, Justin graduated from Vernon High School and was a pool technician for Mountain Creek Resort in Vernon, his obituary says. He loved being outdoors, particularly in the snow, and was remembered for his positivity. "He had a heart of gold and I never saw him without a smile," Karen Robinson Lynch‎ wrote on his Facebook wall. "We loved working with him and consider ourselves blessed to have known him." Justin's brother Tyler said…

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by Cecilia Levine
Highland Lakes-Vernon, NJ
News
Attorney: Driver In Gas Station Crash That Killed 3 Didn't Know Heroin Was Laced With Fentanyl Attorney: Driver In Gas Station Crash That Killed 3 Didn't Know Heroin Was Laced With Fentanyl
Attorney: Driver In Gas Station Crash That Killed 3 Didn't Know Heroin Was Laced With Fentanyl The drugged Sussex County driver accused of killing a father, son and gas station attendant in a fiery Route 23 crash didn't know that his heroin was laced with fentanyl, his lawyer said. Defense attorney John Latoracca said if the case goes to trial he'll argue that Jason Vanderee was passed out behind the wheel because of the fentanyl, News12 reports. Vanderee, 29, of Vernon, said he doesn't remember the February crash. Jon Warbeck and his son, Luke, both of Lincoln Park, were getting gas the morning of Feb. 19 when the speeding Honda Pilot with an overdosed Vanderee behind the wheel lit…

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by Cecilia Levine
Highland Lakes-Vernon, NJ
Obituaries
Chris Minter Of Vernon Leaves Behind Expectant Wife, 5 Children Chris Minter Of Vernon Leaves Behind Expectant Wife, 5 Children
Chris Minter Of Vernon Leaves Behind Expectant Wife, 5 Children Christopher Minter of Vernon died at St. Anthonys Hospital on June 5. He was 50 years old. A Rhode Island native, Minter was remembered on a GoFundMe page for his humor, always able to light up any room. "There was not one person he couldn’t put a smile on," the page says, "which is on of the reasons why his wife Megan fell in love with him and his big personality." Minter leaves behind his wife, expecting their sixth child, along with their other children: Zack, Hailey, Emily, Christopher and Clayton. He was the vice president of sales at Components Corporation in Denville for 25 ye…

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by Cecilia Levine
Newburgh, NY
Lifestyle
Girls’ Night Out Raises Funds To Benefit St. Anthony Community Hospital Women’s Health Services Girls’ Night Out Raises Funds To Benefit St. Anthony Community Hospital Women’s Health Services
Girls’ Night Out Raises Funds To Benefit St. Anthony Community Hospital Women’s Health Services St. Anthony Community Hospital, a member of the Westchester Medical Center Health Network (WMCHealth), recently held its second annual Girls’ Night Out fundraising event. Nearly 250 local women, healthcare staff and friends of St. Anthony Community Hospital came together at the Red Tail Lodge at Mountain Creek in Vernon, New Jersey to support the hospital’s women’s health services. More than $30,000 was raised during the event. Keynote speaker Patricia Pollio, MD, OB/GYN at Advanced Physician Services in Goshen and Suffern, discussed impacts and offered solutions for the effects of hormon…

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Content Partner: St. Anthony Community Hospital
Highland Lakes-Vernon, NJ
News
Vernon Family Displaced By House Fire: 'They Lost Everything' Vernon Family Displaced By House Fire: 'They Lost Everything'
Vernon Family Displaced By House Fire: 'They Lost Everything' A Vernon family was displaced over the weekend in a house fire. The Keough family lost everything in the Saturday evening blaze that spread quickly from the garage to the rest of the house around 9:20 p.m. Neil Keough's adult son and his girlfriend safely made it out of the house, which had partially collapsed and was deemed too dangerous to enter when firefighters arrived. Seven fire companies responded with Vernon police, the Sussex County Prosecutor's Office and fire marshals on scene Sunday morning investigating. "All I care about is my kids," Neil Keough apparently told Sue Jensen, w…

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by Cecilia Levine
Highland Lakes-Vernon, NJ
Police & Fire
Flames Shoot Out Front Door Of Hardyston House Flames Shoot Out Front Door Of Hardyston House
Flames Shoot Out Front Door Of Hardyston House A Hardyston townhouse was damaged in a fire Saturday night. Flames were shooting out the front door of the Sugar Maple Lane home (in Crystal Springs) when firefighters arrived around 8:40 p.m. The townhouse was damaged as a result of the fire. Details were not immediately available as of Sunday morning. Companies from Hamburg, Franklin, Ogdensburg, Vernon, Mcafee, Pochuck Valley, Sparta, Sussex and Montague also responded.

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by Cecilia Levine
Highland Lakes-Vernon, NJ
Obituaries
Vernon Dad Adam Secola Dies, 33 Vernon Dad Adam Secola Dies, 33
Vernon Dad Adam Secola Dies, 33 Adam A. Secola of Vernon died peacefully on May 9, surrounded by his family. He was 33 years old. A life celebration starting with a memorial gathering will be held on May 15 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., with sharing words offered at 6:30 p.m. at the Leber-Lakeside Funeral Home in Landing. A Boonton native, Adam was a pipe fitter with local union #274 in Parsippany, his obituary says. He lived in Byram before moving to Vernon nine years ago. He enjoyed golfing, hiking, riding motorcycles and spending time with his family. Adam is survived by his daughters Grace and Rosie; wife, Ryann; his fathe…

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by Cecilia Levine
Mahwah-Ramsey, NJ
News
Standout Don Bosco Running Back Dillon Romain Dead At 28 Standout Don Bosco Running Back Dillon Romain Dead At 28
Standout Don Bosco Running Back Dillon Romain Dead At 28 Former Don Bosco running back Dillon Romain has died at 28 years old. The cause of death had not been made public as of Tuesday afternoon. “Dillon was one of the best to ever run the ball for us," Bosco Football wrote on Twitter Monday. "The DBP Football Family sends its condolences to the Romain family." A Vernon native, Romain was a three-year starter under former head coach Greg Toal during the school’s six-year consecutive Non-Public Group 4 winning streak from 2006 to 2011.  He scored 26 touchdowns and dashed 1,436 yards for the Ironmen. Romain was named the New Jersey Ga…

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by Cecilia Levine
West Milford, NJ
Police & Fire
West Milford HS Gym Teacher Charged With Trying To Get Pornographic Videos From Student West Milford HS Gym Teacher Charged With Trying To Get Pornographic Videos From Student
West Milford HS Gym Teacher Charged With Trying To Get Pornographic Videos From Student A West Milford High School gym teacher was arrested Friday by authorities who said he tried to get a student to send him pornographic videos. Christopher Shenise, 32, of Vernon, "engaged in inappropriate sexual behavior with a 17-year-old teenage victim in November of 2018, specifically by asking for sexual videos in exchange for money," Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes and West Milford Chief Timothy Storbeck said in a joint release. The victim "was a student at the school during the time period," the release said. The investigation "stemmed from in…

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by Jerry DeMarco