Sunday, December 30, 2012
Here's a look at some of the stories that made headlines throughout Union County for the week of Dec. 23 to 29.
- LOCAL CONNECTIONS
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Sunday, December 30, 2012
Clark Kara Alongi Investigation Ongoing, State Police Release Her 911 Call There are still more questions than answers when it comes to Kara Alongi, the 16-year-old Arthur L. Johnson junior who tweeted "There is somone in my hour ecall 911" before leaving her home voluntarily on Sept 30. Alongi was found two days later when she called 911 from a rest stop near exit 1 on the Turpike. In that call (which Patch recently obtained from State Police), Alongi maintains she had been abducted, stating a black man forced her from her home. Clark Police are still investigating where Alongi went and why and have yet to close the case. Regardless of Alongi's claims, Clark Police Chief Alan Scherb says the department stands by its assertion that …
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
Communities to meet with existing dispatchers, equipment vendors in January; engaging consultant for proposed timeline for dispatch center's construction, implementation.
New Providence and Summit continue to inch closer to a shared emergency dispatch center, which could be up and running in 12 to 18 months. At their most recent meetings, New Providence Borough Council and Summit Common Council approved identical ordinances and resolutions that lay out the groundwork for this shared service, which will be housed in the New Providence Municipal Center where the Rescue Squad was formerly located. Members of the center’s project committee met on Tuesday afternoon to discuss the next steps toward making this shared service a reality. Members of that committee include: Chris Cotter, City of Summit Administrator; Doug Marvin, New Providence Borough Administrator; Robert Weck, City of Summit Police Chief; Anthony …
Tuesday, April 10, 2012
Merger could save 1,700 hours of police work and $43,000 of general expenses for the borough's civic services.
New Providence Borough Administrator Doug Marvin presented Council with a $1,197,450 joint dispatch center proposal Monday night, which would merge emergency services between the borough, Summit, Millburn and Berkeley Heights. After more than a year of discussion between the four towns, the newly-named Watchung Ridge Emergency Squad would shift 1,700 hours of dispatching to police work. Marvin said each town would pay an even $205,000 for capital improvements, including $452,550 for renovations to the dispatch center that would be housed in New Providence Municipal Center. The cost also includes $100,000 worth of consultation for technology and usage. Technology will be paid through a $1.6 million grant conjured by the Summit Police, with…
Monday, April 9, 2012
Fire officials confirm tree limb fell, pulling wires from electrical box and triggering blaze on Gallinson Drive.
Berkeley Heights firefighters battled a smoky electrical blaze at 231 Gallinson Drive around 9:40 a.m. today, caused by a tree limb that snapped due to heavy winds and fell onto power lines, which were knocked out of the home’s electrical box. Berkeley Heights Fire Chief Anthony Padovano said the homeowners were home when the electrical box in the home’s right wall caught fire and spread into the attic. Heavy winds played a factor in extinguishing the fire, which was placed under control around 10:30 a.m. “We couldn’t open any windows because the wind would have fueled the fire behind the walls and it definitely could have been worse,” Padovano said. Before firefighters could fully extinguish the fire, they had to wait for a Jersey Central…
Saturday, February 4, 2012
Red cross assists 11 residents with relocation.
A late-night, two-alarm fire on Friday injured one resident and damaged a home at 50 Ashwood Avenue. Nearly a dozen residents were displaced and required relocation assistance from the Red Cross, according to a fire official. The Summit Volunteer Ambulance Squad took an unidentified resident to Overlook Hospital with minor injuries, according Summit Fire Chief Joseph Houck. Eleven residents were waiting to be relocated by the Red Cross before the fire was brought to a complete end. "I thank god my family got out safely," said Jose Garcia who lives with his wife and six children. He was hoping to get access to his home to see what he could retrieve. Despite the damage, Garcia said that everything was fine and the fire was handled well. …
