Rutherford Police Chief Refuses To Leave Residents Behind In Assuming Statewide Leadership Role Rutherford Police Chief Refuses To Leave Residents Behind In Assuming Statewide Leadership Role
Rutherford Police Chief Refuses To Leave Residents Behind In Assuming Statewide Leadership Role John Russo never intended on becoming a police chief. He was going for an FBI agent, but while growing up in Rutherford and meeting his friends' parents and coaches who were police officers, he decided to switch gears. Twenty-six years into his law enforcement career, and 11 years in his role as Rutherford Police Chief, Russo has been sworn in to a one-year term as the New Jersey State Association of Chiefs of Police's 109th president. The ceremony happened during the association's 112th annual training Training Conference & Police/Security Expo in Atlantic City last month. …
'Quick But Powerful' Storm Displaces Rutherford Family; Downs Dozen+ Wires, Trees (UPDATE) 'Quick But Powerful' Storm Displaces Rutherford Family; Downs Dozen+ Wires, Trees (UPDATE)
'Quick But Powerful' Storm Displaces Rutherford Family; Downs Dozen+ Wires, Trees (Update) Thousands of New Jersey residents were without power as temperatures spiked and storms swept through on Saturday, June 22. In Rutherford, a "quick but powerful" storm took down five trees including 14 significant limbs and 13 power lines, Police Chief John Russo said. One family was displaced due to a tree impacting their home and most of the 3,500 residents that PSE&G said lost power were on the west side of town, according to Russo. Six PSE&G crews were on scene as of press time "PSEG mobilized very quickly as usual and quickly had half of those without power back up and running,…
Storied Disappearing Dumont Donkey Is Hero Mascot At Builder's New Ice Cream Shop Storied Disappearing Dumont Donkey Is Hero Mascot At Builder's New Ice Cream Shop
Storied Disappearing Dumont Donkey Is Hero Mascot At Builder's New Ice Cream Shop It was 2017 and Matt Dagistanli was in the process of building the structure that stands today at 65 W. Madison Avenue in Dumont, when his donkey went missing. He wasn't a real donkey, of course, but a statue that Dagistanli and his former business partner had affectionately called Dumbo. Dagistanli grew quite fond of Dumbo, and wasn't ready to get rid of him at the turn of his career change. "I didn’t want to sell it or throw it away, so I took it home," said Dagistanli, 63, of Rutherford. "My wife said, 'You need to take this away.'" Dagistanli had nowhere to keep Dumbo except for …
Late-Night Drunken Assault Near Meadowlands Sends One Man To Hospital, Other To Jail Late-Night Drunken Assault Near Meadowlands Sends One Man To Hospital, Other To Jail
Late-Night Drunken Assault Near Meadowlands Sends One Man To Hospital, Other To Jail A drunken man was hospitalized and another jailed for assaulting him at a private industrial garage in Rutherford, authorities said. The 40-year-old victim from Cranford approached an East Rutherford police officer who was fueling his patrol vehicle at the Rutherford DPW garage on Highland Cross -- just off northbound Route 17 near the Meadowlands -- around 11:30 p.m. Saturday, June 8, Police Chief John Russo said.  He was bleeding from a head wound, the chief said. "It was determined he was assaulted by an acquaintance at a private industrial garage where both were at that eveni…
COP & CIRCUMSTANCE: Stolen Long Island Motorcycle Chase Gets NJ High School Senior 21 Tickets COP & CIRCUMSTANCE: Stolen Long Island Motorcycle Chase Gets NJ High School Senior 21 Tickets
COP & Circumstance: Stolen Long Island Motorcycle Chase Gets NJ High School Senior 21 Tickets A Lyndhurst High School senior who tried to elude a township police officer on a stolen motorcycle received 21 summonses -- and was charged criminally -- after he finally stopped, authorities said. Rozario Ymeraj, 18, was charged with eluding and receiving stolen property following the broad daylight chase into Rutherford last week. Lyndhurst Police Officer Michael LeStrange was directing traffic at Ridge Road and New York Avenue when he saw the motorcycle blow by several vehicles stopped at a light around 1 p.m. last Thursday, May 23, Detective Lt. Vincent Auteri said. Driving without a l…
John Zisa, Legendary Fair Lawn Football Coach, Dies At 61 John Zisa, Legendary Fair Lawn Football Coach, Dies At 61
John Zisa, Legendary Fair Lawn Football Coach, Dies At 61 John Zisa, a football coach throughout North Jersey, died on Sunday May 19, at the age of 61, according to his obituary. Zisa was born and raised in Paterson and moved to Fair Lawn in 1974, his obituary reads. He coached for more than 26 years at Paterson Catholic, Paramus Catholic, Rutherford and Westwood, according to his coaching biography. R.I.P. John Zisa words can’t express how much you will be missed. No single person has had a more profound impact on my... Posted by Nick Campanile on Monday, May 20, 2024 In 1980, before his senior year of high school, Zisa dove into a pool,…
Route 3 Pileup: Trio Survives Wrong-Way DWI Crash, But Second Collision Injures 6 Route 3 Pileup: Trio Survives Wrong-Way DWI Crash, But Second Collision Injures 6
Route 3 Pileup: Trio Survives Wrong-Way DWI Crash, But Second Collision Injures 6 A pair of overnight chain-reaction crashes on Route 3 began when a suspended drunk driver heading west in the eastbound lanes slammed head-on into another vehicle, authorities said. It ended with a police car and a private vehicle being struck by another car moments later, sending six people to the hospital. It was shortly before 3:30 a.m. Sunday, April 7, when a 2022 Toyota Highlander being driven the wrong way collided with a 2019 Nissan Rogue on eastbound Route 3 near Route 120, East Rutherford Police Capt. Jeff Yannacone said. The driver of the Rogue, a 23-year-old Secaucus man, d…
Ex-Con Charged By FBI With Igniting Explosive Outside Passaic County ATM Ex-Con Charged By FBI With Igniting Explosive Outside Passaic County ATM
Ex-Con Charged By FBI With Igniting Explosive Outside Passaic County ATM A career criminal from Passaic County who's been busted dozens of times in North Jersey in just the past few years used an explosive device to damage an ATM, federal authorities charged. Nicolas Torres, 41, of Passaic, has amassed a lengthy rap sheet over much of his adult life, mostly involving business break-ins that local police and county prosecutors have dealt with. This time, though, the FBI's got him. Torres was captured on surveillance video igniting the device in front of the Chase Bank ATM on North 6th Street in Prospect Park in the early morning hours of July 5, 2022, U.S. Attor…
Ramy Youssef Celebrates NJ Roots In 'SNL' Promo Ramy Youssef Celebrates NJ Roots In 'SNL' Promo
Ramy Youssef Celebrates NJ Roots In 'SNL' Promo It took several tries, but Ramy Youssef said he was thrilled to be the first Egyptian man named Ramy from New Jersey to host "Saturday Night Live." In a promo "SNL" released on Wednesday, March 27, the Rutherford comedian said he was honored to be the first ever Arab to host the show, airing on Saturday, March 30. Not so fast as longtime "SNL" cast member Kenan Thompson pointed out he was not the first Arab to first the show. Youssef immediately pivoted and said he was honored to be the first Egyptian to host the show.  Thompson corrected him again but Youseff had an ace up his sleeve…
Winner! Rutherford Powerball Player Scores $50K Winner! Rutherford Powerball Player Scores $50K
Winner! Rutherford Powerball Player Scores $50K Three North Jersey Powerball players kicked off their week with a bang. The trio, two in Bergen County and one in Passaic County, matched four numbers plus the red Powerball in the drawing held on Monday, March 25, winning $50,000. The tickets were sold at Leprechaun News in Rutherford, ShopRite in Elmwood Park and Stop and Shop in Ringwood.  The winning numbers were 7, 11, 19, 53, 68 and the red Powerball was 23.
HEROES: Firefighters Free Trapped Driver After Tractor-Trailer, Pickup Collide On Route 17 HEROES: Firefighters Free Trapped Driver After Tractor-Trailer, Pickup Collide On Route 17
Heroes: Firefighters Free Trapped Driver After Tractor-Trailer, Pickup Collide On Route 17 Firefighters extricated a heavily trapped driver after a tractor-trailer and pickup truck collided on Route 17. Hasbrouck Heights firefighters were assisted by their Wood-Ridge colleagues in freeing the female pickup driver following the crash behind the Bendix Diner shortly before 9:30 p.m. Sunday, March 17. The driver was taken to Hackensack University Medical Center. Nick’s Towing removed the vehicles. Northbound Route 17 was temporarily closed at Franklin Avenue during the operation. Mutual aid was provided by, among others, firefighters from Carlstadt, Lodi, Rutherford and Wallingto…
New Bergen County Pizzeria Homage To Popular Owner's Late Grandmother New Bergen County Pizzeria Homage To Popular Owner's Late Grandmother
New Bergen County Pizzeria Homage To Popular Owner's Late Grandmother The owner of a popular Bergen County pizzeria that shuttered in August 2022 is weeks away from reopening a new shop. Dave Ligas, who owned Tavolino in Wallington, will be opening Casano's Pizza Parlor at 8 Highland Cross — formerly home to Top That! Donuts — in Rutherford, this spring, he tells Daily Voice. The pizzeria is named after Ligas' late grandmother: Marie Rene Casano, an "avid cook" who for years worked as a waitress at Mama Lucia’s in Newark, he said. Marie Rene died in the 1970s, and Casano's Pizza Parlor is retro-themed, in her honor, her grandson said. Follow Ligas as "…