Arrests, Burglaries and Meetings Top Local News

Verona Teen Charged With Eluding Police

A 17-year-old Verona youth was arrested Thanksgiving night when he sped off as police attempted to stop his car for speeding, Cedar Grove police said.

The driver and three 15-year-old passengers were on Pompton Avenue (Route 23) around 10 p.m. Nov. 22, police said, when an officer turned on his lights and siren to stop the car.

Serial Burglar Suspected in 150 Burglaries Across North Jersey

A man suspected in more than 150 commercial burglaries in four New Jersey counties over the last two years has been caught on surveillance tape by the West Orange Police Department.

The video of the serial burglar's last known job, on Nov. 18 at 4:30 a.m., at the #1 Chinese Kitchen on Main Street, depicts the man breaking into the restaurant by smashing the lower half of a glass door, crawling through the opening, and rummaging through the cash register. He found the register empty and left 15 minutes later, police said. 

Cedar Grove Police Busy During Thanksgiving Weekend

Cedar Grove’s police and fire departments were busy during the holiday weekend with a shoplifting arrest early Monday, Nov. 26 and a transformer fire Friday, Nov. 23, officials said.

Police arrested a 49-year-old Rutherford man after he fled from the CVS Pharmacy located at 387 Pompton Ave. in Cedar Grove after he allegedly ran out of the store with $166.85 worth of cigarettes and candy without paying for it.

The Cedar Grove Board of Education finalized and approved a contract with the district's teacher's union during its public meeting on Tuesday, Nov. 27.

Since June 2011 when the contracts expired, the board of education had been involved in negotiations with the Cedar Grove Education Association, which represents the district's teachers, therapists, counselors, therapists, psychologists and social workers.

Opposition Continues Against Bloomfield Avenue Development

After an almost four-hour meeting Tuesday night involving expert testimony, the Verona Board of Adjustment concluded they will need to reconvene Dec. 13 to further discuss a developer’s application for a Bloomfield Avenue mixed retail and residential property.

More than 50 Verona residents attended the meeting to oppose the application from developer DMH2 LLC.

Verona Schools Generate Long List of Needed Improvements

The Verona School District has made extensive improvements to its facilities and grounds, but there is still much work to be done and little money with which to do it.

During the Tuesday, Nov. 27 meeting, Verona Director of Facilities Paul McDevitt provided an update for the Verona Board of Education on the status of buildings and grounds, including previous improvements and a laundry list of what still needs to be done.

Runners Raise Money for Zoey

The annual “Miles of Hope” Turkey Trot returned to Verona Park on Saturday, Nov. 24 to raise money for a Verona child suffering from a rare, fatal disease. 

Team Zoey is a chapter of the Progeria Research Foundation, which seeks to develop treatments and find a cure for the progeria, a disease that causes rapid aging at about seven to 10 times the normal rate in children.

Zoey Penny was diagnosed at five months and her family has been working to find a cure ever since.