Archive for June, 2011

ELIZABETH -- A Union County Jury convicted an Elizabeth man earlier today of murder and weapon possession for his role in a 1989 homicide, Prosecutor Theodore J. Romankow announced. »

TRENTON - Three men and the companies that they operated have been indicted on first-degree conspiracy and money laundering charges for allegedly defrauding five freight brokers out of $2.6 million through an elaborate shipping scam, Attorney General Paula T. Dow and Criminal Justice Director Stephen J. Taylor announced. »

TRENTON – A suspended New Jersey Department of Transportation (DOT) senior engineer and an alleged accomplice have been indicted on charges that they solicited a railroad company to fraudulently inflate the cost of a state-funded railroad repair project by more than $700,000 and pay them $325,000 in bribes, Attorney General Paula T. Dow and... »

Three-quarters of high school students have smoked cigarettes, drunk alcohol or used another drug, and nearly half have done so within the past 30 days, according to a new report by the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse at Columbia University. High school students were most likely to have tried alcohol, with 72.5... »

TRENTON – Juveniles caught sending sexually explicit photographs via their cell phones would not face criminal prosecution but rather intense education on the ramifications under a bill that’s headed to the governor’s desk. »

TRENTON – In party-line votes, the Legislature passed a Democrat-sponsored state budget proposal yesterday that Republicans criticized and Gov. Chris Christie has no plans to sign. »

SEASIDE HEIGHTS – State officials remind motorists not to leave animals behind to swelter in their parked cars this summer. »

PERTH AMBOY -- Designed to promote the benefits of having a cleaner community, the Perth Amboy Business Improvement District (BID) has launched a community outreach and social marketing campaign that includes the "hiring" of a new city employee: the Litter Critter. »

UNION -- The Children’s Department of the Union Public Library has scheduled the following programs at the Main Library during the month of July: »

HIGHLAND PARK – Mete Mavus wants to do right by Highland Park. His new restaurant, Meeting Point, in the former Charlie Brown’s Steakhouse building at 247 Raritan Avenue, had a soft opening Monday and will have a grand opening in about a month. Mavus, who owns nine restaurants in Turkey, said he just wants to... »

MILLTOWN -- Jewish Family and Vocational Service of Middlesex County is offering computer training classes this summer. Classes begin the week of July 11. »

LINDEN – State Sen. Nicholas P. Scutari and other members of Linden’s Yellow Ribbon Committee gathered recently to finish decorating the plaza in front of City Hall in honor of American soldiers stationed abroad. »

Dear EarthTalk: Coastal areas here in the U.S. have taken a real beating in recent years due to natural disasters that many would argue are due to changing climate. What’s being done to safeguard these communities for when, say, the next Katrina hits? -- Helen Kelman, Troy, NY »

CAP DRAA, Morocco - The sun barely peeked over the horizon when the stillness was shattered by the roar of artillery. The son of a Roselle Park couple crawled out of his tent into the southern Moroccan morning to begin another day. »

CRANFORD -- Cranford High School student and senior class president Colleen Jones was honored with a barbecue and party at Atria Cranford on Tuesday, June 14. »

DURHAM, N.H. – Two Elizabeth sudents have been named to the Dean's List at the University of New Hampshire for the spring semester of the 2010 - 2011 academic year. »

TRENTON – The state Senate approved a $30.6 billion state budget proposal sponsored by Democrats, 23-15 this afternoon. »

FREEHOLD -- A Monmouth County grand jury indicted a 34-year-old Plainfield man yesterday, charging him with shooting his ex-girlfriend outside a Hazlet diner in February. »

BERGEN COUNTY – A 31-year-old Avenel man was arrested Monday after traveling to Bergen County, where he allegedly planned to engage in sexual activity with someone he believed was a 14-year-old girl, authorities said. »

(StatePoint) In recent years, many cities and towns across the nation have made the tough choice to scale back or cancel longstanding Fourth of July traditions, due to stretched budgets »