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Dover Det. Lt. Corona Sues Town, Mayor, and Officials
Five-count lawsuit stems from wiretapping case dismissed by Morris County Prosecutors Office. Dover Police Det. Lieutenant Oxmani Corona has taken legal action in response to actions that he claims were taken against him by Mayor Dodd and town officials over false wiretapping claims. Dover Police Detective Lieutenant Oxmani Corona has filed a lawsuit against Dover Mayor James P. Dodd, CFO Dr. Edward Ramirez, and the Town of Dover, claiming that he was targeted as part of a 20
David Chmiel
3 days ago2 min read


Norwescap Seeks Ideas to Help Dover
North Jersey organization's next steps depend on resident feedback to create an action plan. Story and photos by Heath Rumble Jason Rowe and Fabi Soto addressed the people who came to The Amp Arts to explain how Norwescap can help Dover get assistance. Fabi Soto and Jason Rowe wanted to hear suggestions from Dover residents on how to revitalize Dover. The pair from Norwescap gained valuable insights from community members already connected to local helpers. Norwescap, short f
Heath Rumble
4 days ago6 min read


Dover Library Hosts Free School Supply Event
Mutual Morris offers Solidarity Market event on Saturday, August 22. The kids in our homes might not want to hear it, but it's almost time to get back in the classroom. With virtually every local household facing some form of financial challenge, parents are learning how to find solutions for stretching their dollars. Enter Mutual Morris and the Dover Free Public Library. From 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Saturday, August 22, Mutual Morris, a local mutual aid group that frequently ho
David Chmiel
Aug 212 min read


Parking, Development, Finances Dominate Dover Council Meeting
Four-hour meeting marked by heated comments from Mayor Dodd, residents about a variety of topics. Dover Town Council member Chris Almada listens to attorney John McDonough discuss redevelopment of the Harry Loory site. (Photo/DOVERNOW.com) The Dover Town Council meeting Tuesday evening featured the usual topics: residential and business-district parking, development, financial challenges, and development without adequate parking. The 51-page agenda should have tipped off atte
David Chmiel
Aug 203 min read


CCM Brings Joe Kubert School to Campus
Monday ceremony will celebrate new chapter for legendary program after one-year move to Madison . Joe Kubert had his hand in creating many comic-book storylines of heroic feats and dramatic comebacks for iconic brands. Then he and his wife, Muriel, moved to Dover in 1976 and opened The Joe Kubert School of Cartoon and Graphic Art, Inc. Forty-nine years later, a pair of former students of the world-renowned school bought the school and moved from its weathered former home to s
David Chmiel
Aug 133 min read


Help Support Colombian Earthquake Victims
Club Colombia is accepting donations to help those in need. Monday's powerful earthquake in Western Colombia has caused significant death and destruction in dozens of cities and towns in the region. President Abelardo de la Espriella says the death toll is at more than 180 people and rising, with more than 4,000 people missing, and more than 1,500 buildings and homes destroyed or damaged. This devastating event has left the significant Colombian population in Dover searching
David Chmiel
Aug 111 min read


Dover Family Reunited After Detention
Margarita Cielo Balbuena released after two months in Elizabeth Detention Center. Margarita Cielo Balbuena (left) is reunited with her sons,Saul and Osmar Ruiz, and husband, Filemon Ruiz Cielo. After two months of incarceration in the Elizabeth Detention Center, Margarita Cielo Balbuena was back where she feels at home -- Tres Hermanos, the Rockaway Mexican restaurant she owns with her husband, Filemon Ruiz Cielo. The couple, detained in a harrowing traffic stop by ICE agents
David Chmiel
Jul 251 min read


Community Invited to ICE and Immigration Workshop
Town Council members Wittner and Mendez are hosting a 'Know Your Rights' event on Wednesday, June 15. Dover Town Council members Sandra Wittner and Daniella Mendez are hosting a workshop for local residents and members of the local business community to address issues regarding ICE incidents and immigration awareness. They are hosting a "Know Your Rights" workshop to help community members better understand their rights. The goal of this workshop is to provide information and
dovernow.com staff
Jul 142 min read


'Immigrants Make Everything Great.'
Hundreds rally at JFK Park to oppose ICE activity in Dover. The no-ICE rally drew a multi-generational crowd. (Photos by DOVERNOW.com) At 11:45 Sunday morning, a young man standing at the southeast corner of JFK Park was managing to coax a semi-melodic tune from a small air horn. He waved a sign that read, "IMMIGRANTS MAKE EVERYTHING GREAT." He motivated passing drivers on Route 46 to honk their horns in solidarity. "I am here to support the community," he said. He didn't wan
David Chmiel
Jul 133 min read


Judge's Ruling Backs Chief Delaney
The decision says Mayor James P. Dodd's efforts to reorganize the department violated the Chief's contract. Dover Police Chief Jonathan Delaney sued Mayor James P. Dodd for, among other things, defamation and harassment in 2025. (Photo/DOVERNOW.com) Dover Police Chief Jonathan Delaney won a partial victory in his lawsuit against Mayor James P. Dodd in his battle to fight a reorganization of the Police Department leadership. In a dispute that's spiked higher than the 4th of Ju
David Chmiel
Jul 22 min read


Filemon Ruiz Cielo Released from Elizabeth Detention Center
He and his wife, Margarita Cielo Balbuena, were arrested by ICE agents in Dover on May 23. Filemon Ruiz Cielo and Margarita Cielo Balbuena were sent to Elizabeth Detention Center after being stopped by ICE agents on May 23 in Dover. A Dover man taken into ICE custody with his wife on the way to their Rockaway restaurant was released Monday after more than a month in the Elizabeth Detention Center. Dover residents Filemon Ruiz Cielo and Margarita Cielo Balbuena were taken into
David Chmiel
Jun 302 min read


The Last Cobbler of Blackwell Street
In a Dover shop, Sal Lepre preserves a disappearing craft, a life defined by purpose rather than profit. By Mariana Simioni | Photos by Karen Fucito When Sal Lepre isn't fixing footwear, he's reading the paper and watching the world go by from his chair. Entering Sal's Shoe Repair is like stepping through a portal into post-WWII Naples, Italy, where a nine-year-old boy is learning the trade that would shape his future. Snapping back to Dover 2026, Sal Lepre's shop smells of
David Chmiel
Jun 254 min read


Dover Shade Tree Commission Has Deep Roots
Group celebrates 52nd anniversary with first tree study, community engagement program. Hurd Park is a perfect place to find a leafy spot to enjoy nature. (Photo/DOVERNOW.com) The first year of Kim Phillips’ tenure as the chair of Dover’s Shade Tree Commission is shaping up to be full of firsts for the town. For the first time since it was founded in 1974, the commission has contracted experts to conduct a research study of the trees and vegetation living on town-owned propert
Mario Marroquin
Jun 244 min read


Dover Library Kicks Off Summer Program
'Unearth a Story' activities and reading challenge runs through August 7. When children read, they get the chance to let their imaginations run wild. (Photo/Liliana Drew) The Dover Free Public Library is opening its doors to all community members interested in a variety of free weekly summer programs. From the Summer Reading Challenge to engaging weekly programs for children, teens, adults, and family-friendly special events, you don't even need a library card. “This summer’s
dovernow.com staff
Jun 233 min read


Barrios Attorney Denies Voter Fraud Charges
Former Parking Enforcement Director facing allegations in the 2025 Town Council election. Fernando Barrios hasn't worked at Dover Town Hall for months. (Photo/DOVERNOW.com) Former Dover Parking Enforcement Director Fernando Barrios is facing charges of “attempted election fraud through false voter registration” in the 2025 First Ward general election. According to the investigation and a complaint filed by the New Jersey Attorney General’s Office of the Public Integrity & Acc
David Chmiel
Jun 123 min read


Dover Schools' Balancing Act
The loss of 2026-27 state funding forces Superintendent Luis Jaime, the school board, and taxpayers into difficult decisions. The school budget issues will still force some of Dover's youngest students to be bused to out-of-town schools. (Photo/DOVERNOW.com) Dover Schools Superintendent Luis Jaime said the nearly $2 million cut in state aid to the district’s budget for the 2026-27 school year left him in shock. “I was expecting a reduction. I was not expecting a $2 million re
Therese Jacob
Jun 106 min read


The Food Truck Pioneer
Big D’s Hot Dog truck has been a community staple for 20 years. Dominick Angelone shares stories from his room with a view. Dominick Angelone has been feeding Dover and making friends for 20 years. (Photos/Jon Esquivel) Dover’s open doors make everyone hungry. From the smell of Colombian coffee and fresh pastries mixing in the morning mist to hot tacos and empanadas in the afternoon or grilled fish and meat, the streets are full of delicious restaurants. But some days you jus
Jon Esqivel
Jun 93 min read


Dover Skies Will Light Up on 4th of July
Town Council approves fireworks budget, tax hike, and plan to sell lots. Dover Council approved the fireworks budget, so the only concern is whether the skies will be clear on the 4th of July. (Photo/Jobert Enanmo) There were fireworks at the May 26 Dover Town Council meeting – just not the kind that have been set off at past sessions. Council approved a contract to pay $38,084 to Schaefer’s Fireworks for the town’s annual fireworks display to celebrate the 4th of July. The c
Mario Marroquin
May 273 min read


Update: Dover Couple In ICE Custody
Photos show agents struggling with Filemon Ruiz Cielo and Margarita Cielo Balbuena on Saturday morning. Osmar Ruiz reaches for his father, Filemon Ruiz Cielo, who is held down by three ICE agents. (Photo/Karol Ruiz) Dover residents Filemon Ruiz Cielo and Margarita Cielo Balbuena were taken into ICE custody around 10 a.m Saturday near the intersection of Park Avenue and Hillcrest Avenue. Margarita Cielo Balbuena, right, records her husband, Filemon Ruiz Cielo, being restra
David Chmiel
May 243 min read


Proposed Roxbury ICE Center On Hold
Township, state, and federal officials demand environmental review for former warehouse. Protestors voiced their opposition to the proposed conversion of a Roxbury warehouse into an ICE detention center. (DOVERNOW.com photo/Karen Fucito) The proposed use of a 470,000-square-foot Roxbury Township warehouse by the Department of Homeland Security for an ICE facility has been put on hold pending a review of the environmental impact of housing up to 1,500 detainees in the region.
dovernow.com staff
May 131 min read
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