Death in the water tank: nightmarish case remains unsolved 10 years later

It was ink-black in the vast underground water tank. And biting cold. The only escape, a panel in the ceiling, loomed 5 feet above the water level, far too high to reach. Worse, there was no ladder. In that frigid subterranean cavern at the Passaic Valley Water Commission in Totowa, Geetha Angara — scientist, wife and… Read the rest of this entry »

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Ocean Grove fire destroys businesses and apartments; displaces residents

NEPTUNE TOWNSHIP —A fire that broke out in a downtown block of the historic Ocean Grove section of Neptune Township destroyed a three-story building housing apartments and shops, and displaced at least seven people, authorities said. The fire, which is still under investigation, broke out at 3:27 p.m. on Friday at 50 Main Ave. in the… Read the rest of this entry »

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N.J. pension fund earned 7.3 percent in 2014, but it remains in a big hole

TRENTON — New Jersey’s pension fund earned 7.3 percent on its investments last year, which state officials said beat market expectations. But those gains didn’t live up to the 7.9 percent annual rate experts say is needed to keep troubled pension fund from adding to its liabilities. The investments returned 7.27 percent, but were hurt largely… Read the rest of this entry »

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All That Hoppy Beer You Hate Might Save Your Brain From Dementia

Many a beer drinker has heard about the health benefits of red wine over the past few years. In fact, there have been so many studies on the supposed elixir of life that there’s a good chance some beer drinkers, looking to confer the same benefits, have converted into wine connoisseurs. But convert not my fellow… Read the rest of this entry »

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Study blames Craigslist for rise in HIV infections

 

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‘There Had Been a Death in the Family’

On the anniversary of the 1986 Challenger disaster, revisit Mike Pride’s tribute to teacher Christa McAuliffe, who perished in the explosion. This story was originally published in the February 10, 1986, issue of Newsweek. In the journal I keep, the entry for July 20, 1985, begins: “Yesterday was an incredible day to be editor of the… Read the rest of this entry »

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Mercedes USA leaving New Jersey for Atlanta; 1,000 workers affected

MONTVALE, N.J. — In the latest in a string of corporate departures from northern New Jersey, Mercedes-Benz USA Tuesday confirmed rumors that after 43 years here, it is moving its headquarters to Atlanta to achieve the “profitable growth and efficiencies we require for the decades ahead.” Mercedes-Benz USA CEO Stephen Cannon said in a statement that… Read the rest of this entry »

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Ex-Port Authority head ends suit over ethics probe

TRENTON — The former chairman of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey has dropped his lawsuit against New Jersey’s state ethics commission. Court documents show David Samson filed paperwork dropping the suit in U.S. District Court on Wednesday. His decision was first reported by The Philadelphia Inquirer. Phone calls to Samson’s lawyers were… Read the rest of this entry »

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Christie and Cuomo Enact Port Authority Reforms, Encourage Legislative Concurrance

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie and New York Governor Andrew Cuomo released and endorsed a report issued by the Bi-State Panel on the Future of the Port Authority which calls for reforms to the agency that the governors called “comprehensive and wholesale changes” in a joint statement this evening.

In accepting the report by the panel comprised of three current commissioners of the Port Authority and the chief counsels of each governor, Christie and Cuomo said they are reorganizing the overall operations, leadership and management of the multi-billion dollar organization.  They said that the reorganization will “return the Port Authority fully to its original mission – developing and maintaining the world’s largest transportation system and infrastructure.”

Additionally, the governors each vetoed identical legislation approved by the New York and New Jersey Legislatures which calls for increased transparency of the Port Authority. The governors said they “accept and endorse the transparency legislation” “but with some sensible changes to eliminate confusion that would be caused by the bill as currently drafted.” The changes are included in Christie’s Conditional Veto message to the New Jersey Legislature.   New York’s governor does not have conditional veto powers.

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Bellew’s Campaign Manager Gets PTI

Texas Gov Rich Perry and Dwayne Horner. Oct 2014 via facebook

Dwayne Horner, campaign manager for Leigh-Anne Bellew’s 2013 Bayshore Tea Party backed primary campaign against State Senator Joe Kyrillos, received an early Christmas present earlier this month when he was admitted into the Pre-Trial Intervention (PTI) Program.

The 45 year old resident of Little Elm, Texas woke up thousands of Monmouth County voters with a 4 am robo call on June 4, 2013 the morning of the primary election.  The call purported to be from the campaign of Kyrillos and his running mates Assembly members Amy Handlin and Declan O’Scanlon, informing Repbulican voters that the still had four hours to vote.  The calls were caller ID spoofed to falsely indicate that they came from a phone number owned by the Monmouth County Republican Organization.

Here is a recording of the call:

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