Verona Dark Knight Connection Tops County News

Dark Knight Shooting Hero Grew Up In Verona

One of the heroes of the Dark Knight mass shooting, a 24-year-old man who threw himself on top of his girlfriend when the shooting began, lived in Verona until he was 13.
Teves was with his girlfriend Amanda Lindgren when the shooting began and he threw himself on top of her when gunman James Holmes opened fire during the premiere of the latest Batman film.
Mitch Martin, who bought Teves' Verona house when the family moved to Phoenix 11 years ago said  “They were very nice people and seemed like very good parents.”

Man Shot Sunday Was Athlete, Academic

Brian Schiavetti, 21, was shot and killed in w in Montclair, an area not known for violent crime.

Schiavetti's body was found on a first floor hallway of a three-story apartment building. He had been shot multiple times and was pronounced dead at the scene after Montclair police and the prosecutor's office responded to the scene.

Police do not yet have a motive for the shooting.

District Hires Assistant Superintendent

The South Orange Maplewood Board of Education approved the appointment of Dr. Lydia Furnari as the district’s new Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction on Wednesday. Furnari is currently Director of Curriculum in the Montclair Public Schools.

Nutley Forms Group to Tackle Roche Departure

Nutley commissioners and the town's tax assessor talked about Monday about a plan to respond to Roche Pharmaceuticals decision to leave and take more than $9 million in tax revenues.

A month after the news that the town's biggest employer known for its groundbreaking research was leaving the iconic 127-acre campus partly in Clifton on Route 3 by the end of 2014, Commissioner Mauro Tucci said the governing body and town's professionals are uniting to ensure the best outcome for residents.

The resolution passed July 17 outlines the commissioners plans to use town attorneys, planning and zoning officials, and tax professionals and possibly outside tax counsels to tackle lost tax revenues, possible contamination of the site and how best to use the property.

Essex Trio Among 11 Charged in Mortgage Scam

Three men — one from Bloomfield, one from Belleville and one from Millburn — were among 11 people who have been charged in a $15-million mortgage fraud scam in five states, the U.S. attorney's office announced Thursday. 

Willie W. Richardson, 64, of Bloomfield, Dwayne K. Onque, 44, of Belleville and Larry L. Fullenwider, 61, of Millburn were among the group that has been charged with conspiracy to commit wire fraud, U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman said.  Richardson and Onque were additionally charged with conspiracy to commit money laundering.

The group allegedly drafted false documents and used "straw buyers" to defraud lenders. The lenders provided $15 million in mortgages based on the fraudulent documents and straw buyers, Fishman said.

One of the eleven defendants,Kinard J. Henson, 40, of Alabama, is also charged with the attempted murder of a straw buyer who authorities say was a witness to the mortgage fraud scheme.

A Jersey City girl believed to have run from a center for troubled youth in Newark was safely returned late Sunday afternoon.

At roughly 5 p.m. Sunday, Brittany Navarro, 14, emerged from a Newark police car at 284 Broadway, the headquarters of Youth Consultant Service (YCS). YCS is the state's largest provider of services for troubled youth.

Navarro had been missing from the residential group home since Thursday night when she broke off from a group of friends at Branch Brook Park at about 11:45 p.m. A search effort was conducted by authorities from the Essex County Sheriff's Department, Newark Police and Navarro's family.

Mayor: $5 Million for Garage Will Reduce Debt 

The Bloomfield township council approved a resolution seeking to appropriate $5 million to help pay for the new town center parking garage – rather than $3 million, as previously requested. 

Parking Authority Attorney Joe Baumann, who introduced the resolution, said it included an amendment that promised one hundred percent of the annual excess revenues of the Parking Authority would go to Bloomfield taxpayers to prove "we're all on the same team.” 

The resolution was approved by the council, with Councilman Nicholas Joanow being the only dissenting vote. 

Livingston Responds to Pension Abuse Charges

On July 17, New Jersey State Comptroller Matthew Boxer issued the findings of an investigation of 58 municipalities and school districts that found 57 of them -- including the Township of Livingston -- failed to remove private and independent contractors from the pension system.

Livingston issued a response on their website this week that read in part:

"Upon investigation, the Township Manager learned that the State was questioning the status of one Township employee making less than $24,000 that Livingston had classified as an employee and the OSC considered an independent contractor.  At issue is the Township’s determination that a professional service position meets the definition of an “employee” contrasted with the OSC suggestion that an individual’s engagement in a private professional practice is a strong indication of independent contractor status." 

Officials turned spades of dirt at 60 Lister Ave. to kick off construction of the 17-acre facility, which is being built through a partnership between the city and The Morris Companies of Rutherford. About 800 will be employed during the construction phase while another 200 and possibly as many as 400 jobs will be created once the facility opens in 18 months, said Mark Bava, executive vice president of The Morris Companies. 

A 57-year-old man was recently robbed of $500 at gunpoint after struggling with his assailant in West Orange, police said. 

The man was walking on Harrison Avenue near Chestnut Street at around 9:30 a.m. Sunday, when a black teenager with a handgun came up behind him. The man said he grabbed at the handgun and struggled with the teenager. However, the teenager eventually pushed the gun into the man’s stomach, causing him to fall to the ground. 

The teenage boy reportedly took the man's wallet, which contained $500 in cash.

West Caldwell Soldier Heads to Afghanistan

U.S. Army Private Matt O’Hern of West Caldwell is in Mississippi this week preparing for his first deployment to Afghanistan. 

The 19-year-old O'Hern boarded a bus at 2 a.m. from Teaneck Armory to McGuire Air Force Base last Thursday his mother, Leanne O’Hern, said. She said he will be in Afghanistan for nine months, but isn’t privy to exact details.

Kohl Angelo Dies After Fight With Cancer

On Tuesday morning, 12-year-old Kohl Angelo, a Maplewood Middle School student, soccer player died after a long battle with cancer, according to a representative from the HK Community Fund.

Kohl was diagnosed last winter with a rare brain tumor, D.I.P.G. or Diffuse Intrinsic Pons Glioma. He had been receiving treatment at St. Jude's Children's Hospital in Memphis, Tenn. and more recently, at NYU Cancer Institute.

Overlook Elects Short Hills Man to Board

James C. Kellogg, 73, who was born at Overlook Hospital, has been appointed to a three-year term on the board, officials announced Wednesday.

Kellogg served previously as president of the NJ Community Foundation, a position which he left in 2002.

His position on the board will have him working to ensure the hospital is adequately funded and able to continue to provide the best possible service to its patients.