New Jersey News

Local NJ news from The Star-Ledger

• Prosecutors: That 'vacation' was jihad training
After spending time at a rifle range, the Duka brothers and their guests gathered at their Pocono Mountain rental house to watch videos on a laptop.

• Looking to fast-track building of schools
Hoping to blunt the effects of the national recession, the leaders of New Jersey's $12.5 billion school construction program yesterday announced plans for a streamlined building process that would step up the pace of construction of at least six new schools next year.

• $11M in crystal meth seized in bust on Route 80
Authorities yesterday said they seized an $11 million shipment of crystal methamphetamine that was intercepted in West Paterson and lends evidence, they say, that the highly addictive drug is taking hold in New Jersey.

• Expert links slain girl's DNA to Zarate home
Jennifer Parks' blood was on blue jeans found in Jonathan Za rate's bedroom, on a metal pole he admitted beating her with, on a bandanna he shoved in her mouth and on the carpet where she died, but was not detected on a knife found in the jeans or another discovered outside his Randolph home, forensic scientists testified yesterday.

• Newark's next bright vision
The northern stretch of Newark's downtown is dotted with crumbling industrial buildings, auto shops, fenced-in parking lots and a soon-to-be-demolished public housing complex.

• FBI agent says investigation linked suspects to bank robberies
An FBI agent testified yesterday her investigation into a string of Central Jersey bank robberies revealed a pattern that prompted the FBI and local police to follow three men to a Hunterdon County bank, where a fellow agent was killed during the attempt to arrest the suspects.

• A new door opens for women seeking quality prenatal care
State Health Commissioner Heather Howard traveled to Paterson yesterday to participate in the official opening of a prenatal clinic that will provide medical care, as well as educational, nutritional and social service counseling, for as many as 600 women a year.

• Charities can provide hope to keep families functioning
From the outside, Emma seemed to have it all: two children, a beautiful apartment and a job she enjoyed as a certified nursing assistant.

• Judge backs N.J. on imposing limits on pay for school chiefs
A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by New Jersey's school administrators that sought to block new state limits on their employment contracts, ruling that the regulations are in the state's "perfectly legitimate" interests.

• For commuters, sharing a ride has new rewards
In a bid to woo more commuters to carpool, the state has increased incentives offered to people who triple or quadruple up.

• Ex-Turnpike worker pleads guilty to laundering money
A former New Jersey Turnpike Authority employee pleaded guilty yesterday to money laundering in connection with a long-running federal loan-sharking sting.

• Insurer to get a say in rate-setting case
A state appeals court says GEICO must be allowed to intervene in a case in which a state senator is seeking information about how the auto insurer determines what drivers should pay.

• New witness in terror trial tells jury, 'I was scared'
Besnik Bakalli, an illegal immi grant, was awaiting deportation to Albania two years ago when the FBI made him an offer: Become an informant and stay in the United States.

• Studying justice, inside and out
Students in Drew University professor Kesha Moore's Thursday afternoon class must follow an unusual list of requirements: no weapons, sharp objects, cigarettes, cell phones, condoms, candy or cosmetics.

• CITY KIDS DON UNIFORMS
Note to those Newark Public School youngsters who for one reason or another have yet to wear their uniforms to class -- time is up.

• The last shall be First Night around Morristown Green
The famed Harlem Wizards basketball team and Morristown's rocking Blaire Reinhard Band are among the New Year's Eve treats on tap for the 17th annual First Night Morris County.

• TO END VIOLENCE IN NEWARK
Despite a chilling rain, several hundred people marched from City Hall to Lincoln Park in Newark yesterday to denounce crime and violence, and press for change in the state's largest city.

• One killed, two hurt in Irvington shooting
One man was killed and two women injured in a shooting in Irvington, the Essex County Prosecutor's Office said yesterday.

• Keeping a roof over their heads
When the 57-year-old woman took on the responsibility of raising her cousin's two children, she was determined to give them a stable place to call home. Although she lives on a fixed income, she saved enough money through hard work and frugal living to buy the family a small house in Essex County.

• Mourning a life cut short
Nevin Alummoottil used to tease his older cousin, Dennis John Malloosseril, that he would make a "funny speech" at his wedding.

• Governors' club: Hard times make good friends
They seem like an unusual pair -- an Illinois farmer's son turned Wall Street titan and a longtime Harlem legislator who has broken barriers for the legally blind.

• Jersey's disabled wait years for homes
BysBY SUSAN K. LIVIOAlthough she knew the letter from the state was coming, Elaine Buchsbaum was not prepared for how devastating it would be.

• Five-county region sees relative advantage in Einstein name
California has Silicon Valley. North Carolina, the Research Triangle.

• What mom did for love of her son
The mother of the man convicted of murdering a Sussex County college student in 2003 changed her name, dressed in sexy outfits and dyed her hair blonde -- all in an elaborate ruse to gain the affections of a male juror in the case and obtain information that could free her son, according to an article in the January issue of Vanity Fair.

• Arson not suspected in fatal E. Orange fire
Authorities are continuing to investigate Friday's three-alarm fire in East Orange that killed a woman and her daughter, but said yesterday they do not believe it was suspicious.

• Woman's accused killer free on bail
Rosario DiGirolamo, the man accused of killing his girlfriend in Hightstown last year and dumping her dismembered body in a Staten Island pond, has been released on bail.

• A diner is made finer by giving
In one booth in the mirror-walled, neon-lit Alexis Diner in Denville, Seshu Das was leaning toward the prime rib; Sue Cygon, her dining companion, had already decided on turkey. Meanwhile, at another booth, Eve Reinhart was singing hosannahs to the hollandaise.

• For pregnant moms, a pleasurable thought
For most moms, childbirth is loud and sweaty, with a big payoff at the end. But orgasmic? That's not the word that normally springs to mind.

• Motorcyclist dies in crash on Parkway
An unidentified man was killed when his motorcycle ran off the southbound lanes of the Garden State Parkway and crashed into a stand of trees yesterday in Wall Township, State Police said.

• Day Center helps many stay on track
The Newark Day Center is where the 67-year-old woman goes when she needs to clear her mind.

• Thoughts on reason behind the season
Book: "From Holidays to Holy Days, A Benedictine Walk through Advent" (Morehouse Publishing, $16, paperback)

• Parents' car abandoned in pond after boy's joyride
A 16-year-old boy with a learner's permit but only six hours of driving experience went for a joyride in his parents' Mercedes in Mercer County early yesterday, but accidentally drove the car into the pond at nearby golf course, police said.

• Cardboard 'man' keeps cops at bay
A cardboard figure of a person inside a Somerset County bank kept police at bay for 90 minutes last night, authorities said.

• Neighbors mourn two victims of auto crash
A 10-year-old boy died yesterday from injuries he suffered in a car crash in Newark caused by a stolen vehicle that had been involved in a police chase 15 minutes earlier in neighboring East Orange, said Essex County Prosecutor Paula Dow.

• Cranberries get a big boost
When it comes to scientific research on new varieties, the cranberry is the Rodney Dangerfield of fruit. It gets no respect.

• Family of fallen soldier grateful for church's special Mass
A year ago, Luigi Marciante was heartbroken. He lived through the worst nightmare of any father, attending the burial of his youngest son, 25-year-old Luigi Marciante Jr., killed in Iraq.

• Assault case against Bergen leader dropped
The Hudson County Prosecutor's Office has decided not to press assault charges against Joseph Fer riero, the political power broker in Bergen County who is on leave from his post as county Democratic chairman.

• Happy ending for mom with health woes
Vivianne always treasured her independence.

• Firefighters find slain woman in apartment believed set afire
A West New York woman was found stabbed to death inside her burning apartment yesterday afternoon, and authorities believe the fire may have been set to cover up what they have labeled a homicide, officials said.

• Cop tells of being tipped off by Fort Dix terror suspect
One of the most perplexing chapters of the FBI investigation of five alleged Muslim terrorists from South Jersey started two years ago when a North Philadelphia beat cop stopped for coffee at his local 7-Eleven.

• Report says 267,000 Jersey children uninsured
More than a quarter-million New Jersey children lack health insurance and that number is likely to grow as the economy deteriorates, a report released yesterday predicted.

• Insurer settles on lawsuit for anorexia
The state's largest health-insurance provider has agreed to cover claims stemming from eating disorders, settling a class action lawsuit brought by parents of children suffering from anorexia.

• Doctors send in the clowns
It won't be found on the medical charts at the foot of any hospital bed, but ample doses of it are being administered regularly to young patients by a team of crack -- er, make that cracked -- "physicians" at Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston.

• Veterans Helpline: Walking, and talking, in soldiers' shoes
On a typical day, the callers counselor Heather Altman speaks to on the New Jersey Veterans Helpline range from slightly stressed to full-blown panicked.

• Dix plot prosecutors direct jurors back to key evidence
For most of the past two weeks, prosecutors at the trial of five suspected South Jersey terrorists watched defense attorneys hammer away at their star witness, an FBI informant who infiltrated the group.

• Assembly panel asks for updates on Rutgers reform
In the wake of a highly critical report on Rutgers University last week, the leaders of the Assembly Higher Education Committee said yesterday they want to see additional efforts to tighten fiscal controls at the state university.

• Fund helps put a devastated family together
Sharice's downward spiral began with her son's murder three years ago.

• Poor districts lack qualified math teachers, group finds
WASHINGTON -- Math can be hard enough, but imagine the difficulty when a teacher is just one chapter ahead of the students.

• Group warns of toys' dangers
A consumer advocacy group is warning of the dangers of toys on the market this holiday season.

• Pension chief vows to map investments
Under fire from lawmakers who criticized their actions as too secretive, managers of New Jersey's pension fund will now disclose any emergency investments immediately, even if they fall below the $50 million threshold for public review, officials said yesterday.

• Ex-aide in Newark admits he took bribes
The former chief of staff to the Newark city council president ad mitted in court yesterday he ac cepted $10,000 in bribes for himself and on behalf of Irvington Mayor Wayne Smith.

• ID theft ring targeted N.J. home equity lines of credit
Four men were arrested yesterday in connection with an international identity theft scheme that siphoned at least $2.5 million from home equity lines of credit at dozens of banks, including at least 11 in New Jersey, authorities said.

• A tot toddles along, thanks to the Fund
One-year-old Ann toddles around on chubby, sturdy legs. Her gurgling baby laugh charms her foster parents and everyone else who meets her.

• Bill mandates coverage for kids' hearing aids
Health insurance companies would be required to cover the cost of hearing aids prescribed for children 15 and younger under a measure approved by the Senate yesterday.

• Corzine and Senate take aim at economy
Gov. Jon Corzine and the Senate yesterday took action on eight of the 11 bills that comprise his $245 million economic recovery package for New Jersey.

• Train strikes, kills woman in Fair Lawn
An unidentified woman was struck and killed last night by an NJ Transit train in Fair Lawn.

• Newark argument leaves one dead, two injured
Authorities say the argument began at Afrique House, a Newark nightclub where a private party continued into the pre-dawn hours yesterday.

• Hindus find new faiths in marriage
The perfect man for Aparna Kachalia, who was born to Hindu parents from Bombay, will be one who loves the 20-year-old Edison resident and treats her well.

• ISLAMIC FOOD BANK
A group of Muslims gathered yesterday outside a Plainfield mosque to give away bags of food and dispel stereotypes about their religion.

• If you run this red light, say 'Cheese'
Broad Street and Raymond Boulevard is one of the busiest intersections in Newark with more than 45,000 vehicles per day passing through two of the downtown's major arteries. Over the last seven years, the crossroads also have been one of the city's most dangerous with 110 accidents -- 30 percent of them fatal.

• Tough winter lies ahead for single mom
It's been two years since Susan received an alimony payment from her ex-husband, who has since disappeared without a trace.

• After toasting Obama triumph, they plan to keep on chugging
When Barack Obama captured the presidency, there was one group primed to toast his victory.

• Woman is held in fatal stabbing of 86-year-old Raritan Twp. man
Authorities have charged a woman with killing an 86-year-old man in a botched theft that left the victim stabbed and beaten in his Raritan Township condominium.

• Catching the bus may be a lifesaver for students
It was one of the coldest days of the year as 28 Central High students climbed onto a yellow school bus for a ride that would take them closer to home. Some said it was too cold to walk, others didn't want to pay to ride the NJ Transit bus.

• Bank sells state bonds, then warns of default
After making millions selling New Jersey bonds to investors, Wall Street giant Goldman Sachs told other wealthy clients they could profit by betting the Garden State may not be able to pay off its bonds as scheduled, according to a confidential presentation made two months ago.

• Educators convene and cogitate about a curriculum on Sept. 11
Bunkered in a Trenton hotel conference room on a rainy Saturday afternoon, the conversation among an eclectic mix of New Jersey educators soon turned to terrorism.

• State lacks financial incentives to sell concept of school mergers
Local school officials always grumble about top-down proposals when the state says their districts should merge to save money.

• At long last love -- and pictures, too
Since marrying last January, Seth and Stefanie Kriegel have done what many newlyweds do. They bought a new house. They gave birth to a baby girl, Sofia.

• Bouncer guilty in club shootings
When Julian Cuadros recalls the moments after he and his brother were shot outside a Manhattan nightclub more than two years ago, he doesn't remember any pain.

• RU sports critic puts onus on McCormick
The head of the commission that harshly faulted Rutgers University's management of its athletics department said yesterday the responsibility for fixing the problem lies with president Richard L. McCormick.

• Major effort for minimalist art
Some South Orange residents can still remember when Tony Smith would build plywood prototypes of his massive geometric sculptures in the backyard of his Stanley Road home.

• Informant in Fort Dix terror case leaves jury with a choice to make
Mahmoud Omar had endured 14 days on the witness stand at the trial of an alleged South Jersey terror cell -- explaining, defending or evading questions about his life and his work as a wire-wearing, jihad-supporting informant.

• Beach replenishment plan gets go-ahead
For more than a decade, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has been under fire for a multibillion-dollar program that seeks to turn back the ravages of the sea.

• Corzine says state workers face givebacks and possibly job cuts
With the state budget shrinking by more than 10 percent, state workers face a daunting menu of furloughs, wage givebacks -- and possibly job cuts, Gov. Jon Corzine said during the League of Municipalities convention in Atlantic City yesterday.

• How you can put a baby in a loving home
The mother refused to name her infant before she walked out of the hospital, leaving the baby behind. The nurses named the newborn Precious.

• Some see dire results if Horizon becomes for-profit insurer
State regulators must press Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield to demonstrate how senior citizens and working-poor families will benefit if New Jersey's nonprofit insurance company of last resort becomes a for-profit entity, a new advocacy group closely monitoring the deal said yesterday.

• Waldwick crash kills teen, 15, and seriously injures 2 others
A 15-year-old Bergen County boy was pronounced dead late Wednesday after he was ejected from a car in a Waldwick crash that left the vehicle's 17-year-old driver and a 14-year-old passenger seriously injured, authorities said.

• Actual terror plan? Witness wavers
A defense attorney for one of the five South Jersey Muslims charged with conspiring to attack Fort Dix asserted yesterday that the government's key witness had confided to a friend that the defendants were "all talk" and were unwilling or unable to carry out a strike.

• All the right moves
Thirty minutes before the final moves were made, the outcome was already certain.

• 2 Bloods face new charges in hit plot
Two of three alleged gang members convicted earlier this week of murdering a barbershop patron in Lakewood in broad daylight ordered the execution of a trial witness and two other people, authorities said yesterday.

• Town debt to be deferred under a plan of Corzine's
In a move aimed at avoiding big property tax increases during the economic downturn, Gov. Jon Corzine today will offer municipalities a half-billion-dollar break on their payments into the state pension system, an administration official said last night.

• Training load to grow for 'alternate' teachers
Thousands of new teachers coming into the classroom as a second career will need to take many hours of additional training under rules approved by the state Board of Education yesterday.

• Plea deal for man who dealt fatal blow
A Trenton man faces five to 10 years in prison for punching a bicyclist in the face, a blow that knocked him off his bike and killed him.

• There's room at the inn, but no bed
Johnny dedicated his life to his community. A church pastor, the 65-year-old spent decades serving those in need.