Thursday, May 17, 2012
Todd P. Halpern is charged with stealing the identity of a deceased tax preparer and redirecting returns into his own personal bank account.
A Livingston man was arrested this morning for allegedly filing hundreds of phony federal income tax returns. Todd P. Halpern, 46, is accused of using the identity of a dead return preparer, whose business he bought in 2008. U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced that Halpern was charged by complaint with one count of tax fraud and one count of identity theft. He was arrested at his home this morning by agents of the FBI and IRS. From 2009 through 2010, Halpern allegedly prepared and filed 657 fraudulent federal income tax returns with the IRS using the Electronic Filing Identification Number of a deceased tax return preparer. In court documents, the deceased tax returner is only referred to as “V.R.” Halpern prepared and filed the …
Monday, May 14, 2012
One winds up on the train tracks, another on a front lawn.
Each week, Patch takes a peek at some of the more surprising, shocking, stunning and occasionally silly police-related incidents reported throughout New Jersey for "OMGs from NJ PDs." On the Wrong Track: Contrary to popular belief, there is no "wrong side of the tracks." Well, not unless you count the top side. A driver who made a wrong turn wound up on the train tracks paralleling Route 17, leading authorities to shut down New Jersey Transit traffic on the line, according to Hasbrouck Heights Police. It took police about an hour to remove the vehicle from the tracks. We're not sure how long it took onlookers to remove their palms from their faces. Not Quite a Smoking Gun, But Close: You think smoking's bad for you? It's even worse if you'…
Dozens of Police and Public Safety agencies come to the Essex County Police and Public Safety Expo at the Livingston Mall.
On Saturday, dozens of police departments and public safety agencies from all over the state came together to discuss and demonstrate public safety techniques at the 2012 Essex County Police and Public Safety Expo. Sponsored by the Essex County Crime Prevention Officer's Association, the goal of the event was to raise public awareness about the services offered by local, state, county, and federal agencies. In addition, it gave the different departments a chance to share ideas. “One of our goals is to get everybody on board and to increase information sharing,” said Livingston Police Officer Gary Mankowitz, who also serves as president of the association. Attending this year’s expo at the Livingston Mall were representatives from the …
Saturday, May 12, 2012
The annual Essex County expo will be held on May 12 at the Livingston Mall.
- POLICE & FIRE
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Saturday, May 12
On May 12, the Annual Essex County Police and Public Safety Expo will be at the Livingston Mall, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. This funfilled event will feature live demonstrations, and displays throughout the Mall from local, county, state, and federal agencies. The Expo will also present numerous safety programs including the Kid Care Child ID Program, sponsored by the Kiwanis Club of Livingston, which provides parents with an opportunity to have their child fingerprinted by the Livingston Police Department as well as obtain photos for identification purposes. “The Expo is hosted and sponsored by the Essex County Crime Prevention Officer’s Association” reported Gary Mankowitz, President of the Association. “This event not only helps inform the …
Thursday, May 10, 2012
Kareen Barrett of West Orange and a toddler were struck as they were crossing Route 10.
A West Orange resident is listed in serious condition after being hit by a car while crossing Route 10 in front of Mount Pleasant Middle School this morning. She was holding a toddler at the time. Kareen Barrett, 42, was crossing the intersection of Tiffany Drive and Route 10 with a 2 1/2-year-old boy in her arms when a woman driving a Honda Odyssey van struck the two, said police. The driver has been identified as Cuifang Nie, 40, of Livingston. Paramedics and the Livingston First Aid squad responded to the scene and brought the two pedestrians to University Hospital, according to Livingston Det. Sgt. Anthony Dippold. As of 3:30 p.m., Barrett was listed as being in serious, but stable, condition with multiple broken bones and possible …
Wednesday, May 9, 2012
A bear first spotted on Chestnut Street yesterday reappeared this morning in a tree behind town hall, was safely tranquilized and removed.
Residents in nearby Union had a special visitor to their Town Hall as they arrived to work this morning: an 18-month-old, 187-pound male black bear had climbed a tree behind the building and settled in. The bear was previously spotted by a resident on Chestnut Street yesterday, but when police arrived, the bear had disappeared. (Though initial reports stated the bear was sighted near Connecticut Farms Church Nursery School, police told Patch yesterday that the bear was actually in a resident's yard and not near the school.) But today the bear came out of hiding once again, spotted by employees around 8:30 a.m. Police kept an eye on the bear while waiting for a bear rescue team, according to Union Township Media Technician Natalie DaSilva…
Tuesday, May 8, 2012
Also, someone made off with a whole lot of cooking oil. Slick.
Each week, Patch takes a peek at some of the more surprising, shocking, stunning and occasionally silly police-related incidents reported throughout New Jersey for "OMGs from NJ PDs." Big Wheels Keep on Turning: A runaway van veered into oncoming traffic on the White Horse Pike, crashed against a guard rail and nearly struck a small gathering of people at the edge of Newton Lake in Camden County (our title for this section would have worked better if it was a river onto which the van was almost rollin').Amazingly, no one was hurt, but police say an intoxicated driver may have been asleep at the wheel. At Least it Wasn't a Cow: Scotch Plains Police say a horse escaped from Watchung Stables. After a brief chase, he was cornered by Scotch …
Monday, May 7, 2012
Werner Franz and Werner Doehner are the last two living survivors.
Though separated by thousands of miles, history has connected Werner Franz and Werner Doehner. Both men, now in their eighties, are the last living survivors of the Hindenburg, the airship that crashed at New Jersey's Lakehurst Naval Air Station 75 years ago on May 6, 1937. At the time, Franz was a 14-year-old cabin boy serving the wealthy passengers as the great airship, the pride of Germany, made its first Atlantic crossing of the 1937 season. Doehner was eight years old and was travelling with his parents, Hermann and Matilde, and his siblings, 10-year-old Walter and 16-year-old Irene. The Doehner boys were the youngest of the 36 passengers on board during that flight. Today, Doehner lives a quiet life as a retiree in Colorado. He …
Saturday, May 5, 2012
Yash Khanna faces a maximum of five years in prison if convicted.
A federal grand jury has returned an indictment charging Yash Khanna, 69, of Livingston with soliciting and receiving kickbacks from Orange Community MRI LLC (OCM) in return for referring patients there for services that were paid for in part or in whole under the Medicare and Medicaid federal healthcare programs. Khanna is one of the 13 doctors charged in December with receiving monthly bribes from OCM. The four page indictment details the kickback scheme that started in early 2010. It accuses Khanna of receiving the payments from OCM in exchange for referring the Medicare and Medicaid patients to OCM for diagnostic tests. Khanna is alleged to have negotiated the value of each test. In October 2011, Khanna received an envelope …
Monday, April 30, 2012
Also, the infamous train fighter gets a ticket to jail.
Each week, Patch takes a peek at some of the more surprising, shocking, stunning and occasionally silly police-related incidents reported throughout New Jersey for "OMGs from NJ PDs." Special Delivery: A Hopatcong man had almost a pound of pot from California delivered to his home through the post office, police said. We assume that little buzz from licking the stamp just wasn't doing it anymore. Da Bears: Two black bears were seen fighting each other outside a Bloomingdale residence last week, and they reportedly damaged two vehicles before leaving the scene. Police didn't get there until after the scuffle was over, so we may never know what caused the fight. Unless one of them was really a Packers fan. Mi Casa No Es Su Casa: There are …
Marian Allegrino
1:03 am on Saturday, May 19, 2012
A standing ovation for your response, Thirty Four. Someone finally gets it, I'm guessing you're in law enforcement or insurance. I didn't know there was a name for those two awful blind spots, but I have complained about it in my last three cars, it's worse in the crossovers and SUV's and if you're short. You are exactly right, it is an automobile flaw, one which needs to be corrected by the … more ›