Bergen County, Your Favorites Need You! Readers' Choice Voting Is Open
The nominations are in, the finalists have been chosen, and voting is NOW OPEN for Daily Voice's 2026 Readers' Choice Awards!
From the neighborhood bagel shop that knows your order by heart to the hair salon that always gets your cut just right, Bergen County is full of businesses that deserve a little love.
And this is your chance to show them just how much they mean to the community.
Finalists are competing in 40 categories across Food & Drink, Self Care, Small Business, and Entertainment.
Whether it's your favorite pizza place, a go-to gym, a trusted local tradesperson, or a m…
Eatontown Woman Accused Her BF Of Trying To Burn Her Alive, Now She's Charged With Lying
A New Jersey woman who claimed her boyfriend tried to burn her alive in a wooded area, leading to his arrest on attempted murder charges, is now accused of lying to police about what happened, authorities said.
Chelsea Villano, 33, of Eatontown, was charged with two counts of falsely incriminating another on Friday, Oct. 23, after investigators determined she provided false information about how she suffered her burns and who caused them, Ocean County Prosecutor Bradley D. Billhimer said.
Her accusations had led to the arrest of Justin Martin, 36, of Saddle Brook, who was charged with attem…
Loose Dogs Lead Cops To Loaded Gun, Ammo, Arrest In Park Ridge: Police
A call about two loose dogs in a Bergen County neighborhood led police to a handgun, ammunition, and the arrest of a South Carolina man, authorities said.
Park Ridge Officers Charles Davies and Thomas Arcaro responded to Kinderkamack Road around 8:07 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21, after receiving a complaint about dogs running loose, Police Chief Joseph Rampolla said.
While trying to contain the two small dogs, Arcaro noticed two backpacks, a disassembled tent, a laptop, dog leashes, and toys near some bushes.
Believing the items might have been abandoned, Arcaro looked inside an unzipped backpa…
Fair Lawn Man, 43, Vanishes After Walking Out Of Parents' Home, Leaving Phone Behind
A 43-year-old Bergen County man has been missing for more than three weeks after walking out of his parents' home, leaving behind all his belongings, including his cellphone, authorities said.
Enver Messano was last seen leaving his parents' home in Fair Lawn between 6 and 7 a.m. Monday, Sept. 28, according to a missing-person alert shared by Fair Lawn police.
He was wearing blue jeans and a black hoodie when he left and has not returned. Messano is described as 5 feet, 8 inches tall, weighing approximately 180 pounds, with brown hair, blue eyes, and a scar on his abdomen.
Police are …
Dumont Burglar Who Ransacked Bergenfield Car Dealership Captured In Stolen Mazda: Police
A routine traffic stop led police to a Dumont man accused of stealing a $22,000 car and breaking into a Bergen County dealership, where several vehicles were found with damaged steering columns, authorities said.
Mohamed Eltoukhy, 33, was arrested in Bergenfield early Monday, Oct. 19, after an officer discovered he was driving a Mazda reported stolen the previous day, according to a Bergenfield Police Department release issued Wednesday, Oct. 21.
The investigation began around 2:23 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 18, when officers responded to a burglar alarm at AA Discount Auto Sales at 230 S. Washing…
Family, Prosecutor Give Different Accounts Of Woman's Final Moments On Route 17
A GoFundMe has been set for the family of a Bronx woman who was killed on Route 17.
Krisiann Reyes Rivera was a passenger in a 2015 Buick involved in a collision with a 2024 Acura towing a U-Haul trailer on Route 17 south near Westfield Garden State Plaza around 5:09 p.m. Monday, Oct. 19, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said. Following the initial crash, Rivera got out of the Buick, approached the Acura and struck one of its windows, Musella said.
The Acura's driver, Estuardo G. Rodriguez, 31, of Tarrytown, NY, then accelerated, striking Rivera and knocking her to the ground bef…
USR Mansion Owner Hired Arsonists To Set 4-Alarm Inferno: Officials
A Bergen County man hired two others to torch a local home using an accelerant and a homemade ignitor, setting off a fire that engulfed the residence, authorities said.
Emad E. Gerges, 66, of Upper Saddle River, allegedly hired Anthony V. Coviello, 54, and Joseph Vulpis, 62, both of Rumson, to set fire to the home at 18 Lake Rd., in May 2025, Bergen County Prosecutor Mark Musella said Monday, Oct. 19.
Records show that Gerges owns or previously owned 18 Lake Rd., which was listed in February 2026 and sold for $825,000 four months later, property records show.
The fire broke out …
NJ Transit Bus Nearly Plunges Off Ridgewood Cliff, Driver Escapes Through Window
An NJ Transit bus nearly plunged over a steep, rocky embankment in Bergen County on Friday afternoon, Oct. 16, but a steel guardrail and several large boulders stopped it from going over the edge, incident photographer Boyd A. Loving reports.
The out-of-service bus was traveling down a steep hill on Glenwood Road in Ridgewood, just above NJ Transit's Ho-Ho-Kus train station, when the incident occurred, Loving said.
The driver, who was the only person aboard, managed to escape through an emergency window before firefighters arrived and was not injured.
Out of an abundance of caution, NJ Tra…
Bogus Missing Baby Report Ends With Cops Assaulted, Death Threats In PalPark: Police
A report of a missing 4-month-old baby in Bergen County turned violent when the caller attacked two police officers and threatened to kill one of them, authorities said.
Obel E. Simon-Lopez, 23, a Guatemalan national living in Palisades Park, was arrested following the Thursday, Oct. 8 incident, Police Chief George Beck announced Monday, Oct. 12.
Officers responded to the area of Broad and Henry avenues around 3:33 p.m. after receiving the missing baby report, Beck said. Police initially could not find the caller at his apartment but later located Simon-Lopez outside on Broad Avenue, w…
