Re: Van Vorst Shooting on Wayne Street
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Posted on: 2009/9/24 6:57
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Re: New Jersey Policy Perspective Report on Tax Abatements in Jersey City
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All That Glitters Isn't Gold - Property Tax Abatements in Jersey City
Mayor Healy and the City of Jersey City issued these findings in response to the NJPP Tax Abatement Report:
Mayor Healy's letter to the City Council
Tax Abatements in Jersey City: A Vehicle for Growth & Prosperity
Tax Abatements in Jersey City
Posted on: 2009/9/23 15:27
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Re: Jersey City man dies after trying to dive out first floor window while high on PCP
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This topic has been moderated and will stay moderated.
Posted on: 2009/8/14 20:09
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Re: Small plane and helicopter crash over river
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Posted on: 2009/8/9 5:51
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NEWS - Corruption scandal in Jersey City - Updated 10-9-2009
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This topic contains news on the arrests and Federal criminal charges against Jersey City public servants. Replies are not permitted.
Webb-Washington pleads guilty to accepting bribes from informant
By Ron Zeitlinger/The Jersey Journal
October 08, 2009, 1:06PM
Former Jersey City City Council candidate LaVern Webb-Washington, 61, pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right in federal court in Newark.
Webb-Washington wiped tears from her face throughout the short hearing where she admitted she conspired with former Jersey City Housing commissioner Edward Cheatam, political consultant Jack Shaw and others to receive $15,000 in bribes.
Cheatam pleaded guilty last month to accepting bribes and passing them along to Mayor Jerramiah Healy's campaign. Shaw was found dead in his Jersey City home on July 28, less than a week after being charged in the massive corruption sting that netted Webb-Washington, Cheatam and dozens of others.
Webb-Washington faces 12 to 18 months in prison when she is sentenced at 11 a.m. on Jan 12.
Webb-Washington, wearing a brown sweater, brown pants and a leopard skin-pattern vest, asked the judge if she could sit during the hearing because she had a bad knee. The judge allowed her to sit.
On Tuesday Jersey City Ward B Councilman Philip Kenny pleaded guilty to taking $5,000 in bribes. He is the sixth Hudson County public official to plead guilty in the investigation revolving around informant Solomon Dwek. The others are Guy Catrillo, Maher Khalil, Edward Cheatam, Denis Jaslow and Jimmy King.
At its Sept. 15 board meeting, the Jersey City Redevelopment Agency asked Webb-Washington to step down as president of a not-for-profit community organization that is involved with an affordable housing project being overseen by the JCRA.
Webb-Washington stepped down as president, but named her son, Wali A. Washington, president of Webb-Washington Community Corp.
Not sufficiently impressed with the change, JCRA Executive Director Robert Antonicello said he wanted the organization removed as a partner in the development and wanted the developer of the project, Gene O'Connell of JP Affordable Housing, to find a new not-for-profit to serve as general partner for the 39-unit Fred W. Martin Houses being built on Martin Luther King Drive.
As general partner, Webb-Washington Community Corp. is in charge of making sure social services are available to building residents and generally serves as a liaison between the developer and the community.
For that service, Webb-Washington Community Corp. received a one-time fee of $100,000, which is to be used to fund the organization's community programs, O'Connell said.
Antonicello said he hoped to have the situation "resolved" before the JCRA's next board meeting on Oct. 20.
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Shake-up on Jersey City's council
Wednesday, October 07, 2009
joe ryan STAR-LEDGER STAFF
Mariano Vega, the Jersey City Council president arrested in this summer's massive corruption sting, stepped down from his leadership post yesterday after a surprise guilty plea by a fellow councilman who had not previously been charged in the case.
Vega, who for months has resisted calls to leave office over allegations he paid bribes to a government informant, issued a one-sentence letter announcing he was "temporarily" relinquishing his position as council president until he is "completely exonerated." He will remain on the City Council.
Vega's resignation came hours after Philip J. Kenny, a fellow Democrat on the council, told a federal judge in Newark that he had accepted $5,000 from an informant who posed as a crooked real estate developer.
Kenny, 53, was elected to the council in May, running with Vega on a ticket headed by Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy. Kenny was not among the scores of public officials and operatives arrested in July, and he surprised colleagues yesterday by becoming the case's 45th defendant.
"I am just as stunned as everyone by this news. I had always known Phil Kenny to be an honest person who was dedicated to his city and his community," Healy said in a statement announcing Vega's resignation.
Vega's lawyer, Peter R. Willis, said his client stepped down to end infighting on the council and insisted the move was unrelated to Kenny's guilty plea.
"It was absolutely coincidental," Willis said.
Meanwhile, two other Jersey City political figures -- Louis Manzo and his brother, Ronald -- were indicted yesterday on charges of conspiracy to commit extortion in connection to the case. Louis Manzo ran against Healy in May; his brother is a political adviser and was a leading donor to former governor Jim McGreevey.
More than a dozen elected or appointed officials from Hudson County were caught up in the sting. Six of them, including Kenny, have pleaded guilty.
The investigation revolved around a single informant: Solomon Dwek, a once-millionaire developer who began cooperating with the FBI after being charged with bank fraud in 2006. He spent more than two years wearing a wire, targeting public officials who allegedly took bribes, and rabbis who supposedly laundered money.
Because of his guilty plea, Kenny is required under law to resign from the council. A former operations coordinator for the Hudson County Board of Freeholders, Kenny grew up in Jersey City and has been active in local politics for more than a decade. He has worked for the Jersey City Parking Authority, served as a ward committeeman and spent eight years as chief of staff to William O'Dea, a Hudson County freeholder.
As he confessed in court yesterday, Kenny acknowledged accepting the bribe from Dwek at a Jersey City restaurant in March, one week before taking office. In exchange for the money, Kenny said he promised to help secure zoning approvals for a luxury condominium Dwek claimed to be building.
Kenny faces up to two years in prison under the terms of his plea deal, said Christopher J. Gramiccioni, an assistant U.S. attorney. U.S. District Judge Jose L. Linares set sentencing for Jan. 12. Kenny was released on $50,000 bail.
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Jersey City Councilman Phil Kenny pleads guilty in massive NJ corruption case
By Michaelangelo Conte/The Jersey Journal
October 06, 2009, 12:50PM
Reena Rose Sibayan/The Jersey Journal
Jersey City Councilman Phil Kenny pleaded guilty today in the massive New Jersey corruption case. Jersey City Councilman Philip J. Kenny pleaded guilty in federal court in Newark this afternoon to accepting $,5000 in bribes as part of the massive New Jersey corruption case that broke over the summer.
Kenny, who represents the city's West Side, Ward B, hadn't been charged in the original roundup of suspects.
In pleading guilty to conspiracy to commit extortion under color of official right, Kenny admitted that in March he met with a government informant posing as a developer wanting to grease the wheels for a fictitious development project on Garfield Avenue.
Two meetings were cited -- both in Jersey City restaurants and both attended by Kenny, the informant and an unnamed "Jersey City Official.''
At the first meeting, Kenny agreed to accept $5,000 broken down into two $2,500 contributions from "straw donors'' for his Friends of Phil Kenny war chest in exchange for future official favors in getting zoning and other approvals.
At the second meeting, he accepted the money, knowing it was illegal to do so.
Kenny is out on $55,000 bail until his Jan. 12 sentencing when he faces 12 to 24 months in prison.
Kenny has been in office only since the spring.
He was appointed to the Ward B seat on April 6 after Councilwoman Mary Spinello resigned, just weeks before the May 12 election. She had left to head the Jersey City Parking Authority, and the council voted to replace her for the short stretch in what some deemed an inappropriate attempt to give Kenny the "incumbent'' advantage come Election Day.
Kenny ran on Mayor Jerramiah Healy's ticket and was elected on the first ballot.
Before Kenny's appointment, Council President and fellow Healy running mate Mariano Vega sang his praises.
"He's been a strong activist for a long time,'' Vega, who has since been charged in the corruption sting, said. "It's an appointment of someone I think people can trust.''
In addition to his council post, Kenny is the office manager for Hudson County Board of Freeholders and has been a state Democratic committeeman; West Side ward leader for
Obama presidential campaign; trustee of the Lincoln Park Little League, and an usher and Eucharistic minister at St. Aloysius Church in Jersey City.
He is the sixth person -- all from Jersey City -- to plead guilty in the sweep that netted 44 men and women from New Jersey and New York on a variety of charges that ranged from political corruption to the sale of body parts.
On Sept. 24, unsuccessful Ward C candidate James "Jimmy" King pleaded guilty to accepting bribes from a government informant posing as a developer.
Before that, former Jersey City Housing Authority commissioner Edward Cheatham, former Hudson County Superintendent of Elections investigator Denis Jaslow, and former Jersey City municipal employees Maher Khalil and Guy Catrillo also pleaded guilty to their roles in the scandal.
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Council Report: Villagers at the Gate, a New Council President (Pro Tem) and More
Click on link above for The Jersey City Independent article - By Shane Smith ? Jul 31st, 2009
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N.J. corruption case could expand as prosecutors seek to turn defendants
by Ted Sherman and Josh Margolin /The Star-Ledger Posted by mrispoli July 30, 2009 21:59PM
NEWARK -- More than a week after 44 people were rounded up in a massive federal corruption and money laundering sting, there has been little said publicly about what happens next in the far-ranging investigation.
Veteran prosecutors, however, say it's not hard to guess what's going on behind the curtain of radio silence -- and it's no small undertaking, even by the standards of those expert in sprawling, complex investigations.
"They're trolling the defendants, looking for more cases," said Gary Cutler, a former Assistant U.S. Attorney for the New Jersey District.
Like fishermen trailing long lines from a slow-moving boat among schools of fish, the usual routine in such cases is to see which of those charged will quickly "flip," or cooperate with investigators, Cutler said.
Basically, investigators are widening the inquiry and looking to strengthen the case against those who maintain their right to remain silent.
"Obviously they have worked this case for many years. It's going to take tremendous effort to prosecute it," said Cutler, who prosecuted Charles Curliari, known as "Chuckie the meat man," in an $80 million pyramid scheme in 1990s.
Other than a flurry of recent subpoenas, the U.S. Attorney's office has kept a low public profile in the ongoing criminal probe. The case continues to spark speculation and rampant rumors among political players waiting for the next shoe to drop or seeing gain or loss to the fortunes of their opponents. Some are looking to see yet another roundup in the coming days. Talk abounds about who may be targeted next -- much of it wrong. One political aide said to have been taken in by federal agents was seen on a golf course not 10 minutes later.
Officials in the U.S. Attorney's office say only that there will be little public developments anytime soon, and would not comment on the subpoenas, other than to note they were being prepared in conjunction with the arrests.
EPA/Justin LaneActing U.S. Attorney Ralph Marra Jr., center, stands with Weysan Dun, right, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI in Newark, and Julio LaRosa, Acting Special Agent in Charge of the IRS Criminal Investigation Division, during a press conference last week following the arrests of 44 people in a sweeping corruption and money laundering probe.
Those subpoenas -- seeking tax information, election records and other municipal documents -- were not requested before the arrests in order to maintain the secrecy of the undercover operation, two sources with knowledge of the investigation said.
Even before the arrests, the sources said, federal agents were approaching a couple of key suspects they thought might quickly cooperate and provide evidence against others. The sources would not be named because they are not authorized to publicly discuss the government's case.
Cutler, now a partner with Harris, Cutler, Cash & Houghteling LLP, expects there will be more search warrants.
Meanwhile, the clock is ticking. Prosecutors have just 30 days to decide whether to return an indictment or work out a plea deal, said Robert Mintz, who spent almost nine years as an assistant U.S. Attorney in New Jersey. He said defense attorneys for those arrested are likely trying to see exactly what they may be up against.
"What's happening right now is that prosecutors are dealing with an army of lawyers trying to determine who is looking to cut a deal and who is going to fight these charges for the time being," he said. "They are getting bombarded by defense lawyers trying to figure out the strength of the cases, so they can make decisions on how to proceed as to whether to take the government on, or strike a deal."
Investigators are using the time to continue working the case, said Mintz, now an attorney with McCarter & English, LLP.
The strength of the case is likely on full display in the blunt language of the surveillance tapes contained in the criminal complaints that led to the arrests.
In one of the complaints, for example, Jersey City building inspector John Guarani is caught on tape receiving a $20,000 payment from Solomon Dwek, an informant working for the FBI under the guise of being a developer seeking building projects in Hudson County.
"Take care of me, I'll take care of you," Dwek said.
"Absolutely," Guarani says, according to the complaint.
U.S. Attorney, FBI hold press conference on corruption arrests
Prosecutors often put their most compelling evidence in the complaint, and later an indictment, said Lori Grifa, a former special Assistant District Attorney in the homicide investigation unit of Manhattan District Attorney's Office.
Not only does it put their cards on the table, she said, but the indictment itself is read to the jury when the case goes to trial.
"If you have a strong case, you let them know," she said. "If you own their guy, they see the paper right away."
The strength of the defense will in large part depend not on attacking the informant -- who is awaiting trial on a $50 million bank fraud and has been cooperating with authorities ever since his arrest -- but rather on the nature and quality of the surveillance tapes, said Grifa, now a partner at Wolff & Samson PC.
But, she said, the quality of surveillance technology is so improved, that arguing over what may have been said is no longer the issue it once was.
"They don't really know at this point what their options are, in terms of the viability of asserting a defense, but they will be so limited because of their words," Grifa said.
For his part, Acting U.S. Attorney Ralph Marra Jr. has little to say about what comes next.
"The element of surprise was very much built in to the investigative plan in this case," he said.
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Posted on: 2009/8/1 2:34
Edited by Webmaster on 2009/8/1 18:51:29
Edited by Webmaster on 2009/8/2 7:55:23 Edited by Webmaster on 2009/8/6 7:29:06 Edited by Webmaster on 2009/10/7 5:42:41 Edited by Webmaster on 2009/10/9 6:02:40 |
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Re: RALLY/PROTEST WEDNESDAY, 29TH CITY HALL AT 9:00AM
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July 29, 2009 Jersey City, NJ Municipal Council President Mariano Vega Jr. makes opening statement at the Council meeting, he refuses to resign.
Posted on: 2009/7/30 1:46
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Re: Jack Shaw found dead!
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I removed FOURTY posts from this topic today. When posting (especially in serious topics such as this one) make sure you follow the rules that appear above the text entry box when you submit your Reply.
The 40 posts I removed were off topic.
Posted on: 2009/7/29 20:40
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Re: City Council to Renegotiate Abatement For Developers
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Jersey City, NJ Council vote on amending tax abatement agreement with the real estate developer of Crystal Pointe. The audio system in the council chambers is awfull and needs to be fixed.
Posted on: 2009/6/19 14:45
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My choice for Mayor and Council on May 12, 2009...
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Post your choices for mayor and/or council; in this election you can vote for: One mayor
Posted on: 2009/5/11 1:00
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Guy Catrillo for Council
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You may reply to this topic if:
1. You have at least 50 prior posts 2. You post only legitimate, sincere, positive facts and opinion about this candidate This topic is intended to promote this candidate and will be moderated. All negative posts, complaints, criticisms, off topic posts, repetitive posts, non constructive posts, cut and paste advertising, and news articles not written by you will be removed.
Posted on: 2009/5/2 6:24
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Re: Mayoral Debate 4.23.2009
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A story about the debate should air on NJN News Friday.
http://www.njn.net/newspublicaffairs The full debate, edited into segments, should appear on this site next week.
Posted on: 2009/4/24 5:37
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MAYOR DEBATE - Thursday April 23, 2009
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This will be the final Mayor Debate before the May 12th election.
Posted on: 2009/4/20 17:05
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VIDEO - AT LARGE COUNCIL CANDIDATE DEBATE April 14, 2009
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Andrew Hubsch, Noemi Velazquez and Lori Serrano speak. As part of the Riverview Neighborhood Association forum, held April 14, 2009. Peter Brennan, Andrew Hubsch and Mariano Vega speak at the Riverview Neighborhood Association forum, April 14, 2009. Emilio DeLia, Lori Serrano and Ronnie Greco speak at the Riverview Neighborhood Association forum, April 14, 2009. Betty Outlaw, Noemi Velazquez and Ronnie Greco speak at the Riverview Neighborhood Association forum, April 14, 2009. Peter Brennan, Joseph Cassidy and Betty Outlaw speak at the Riverview Neighborhood Association forum, April 14, 2009. Mariano Vega, Emilio DeLia and Abdul Malik speak at the Riverview Neighborhood Association forum, April 14, 2009.
Posted on: 2009/4/17 20:07
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Re: Healy declines debate
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The April 2 Mayor Forum video can be viewed here:
http://jclist.com/modules/newbb/viewt ... =&topic_id=16964&forum=11
Posted on: 2009/4/16 15:51
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VIDEO of the Mayor Forum - April 2, 2009
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Jersey City Mayoral Hopefuls -- Opening and Closing Statements at Heights Coalition Forum from The Jersey City Independent on Vimeo. Jersey City Mayoral Hopefuls Talk Open Space and Parks from The Jersey City Independent on Vimeo. Jersey City Mayoral Hopefuls Talk Zoning and Construction Code Enforcement from The Jersey City Independent on Vimeo. Jersey City Mayoral Hopefuls Talk Taxes and Tax Abatements from The Jersey City Independent on Vimeo. Jersey City Mayoral Hopefuls Talk Mass Transit from The Jersey City Independent on Vimeo. Jersey City Mayoral Hopefuls Talk Education from The Jersey City Independent on Vimeo.
Posted on: 2009/4/12 20:36
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Philip Webb for Mayor
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You may?reply to this topic?if:1. You have?at least 50 prior posts
2. You post only legitimate,?sincere,?positive?facts and?opinion?about this candidate This topic is?intended to promote this candidate and will be moderated.? All negative posts, complaints, criticisms, off topic posts, repetitive posts, non constructive posts, cut and paste advertising, and news articles not written by you?will be removed.?
Posted on: 2009/4/5 2:22
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L. Harvey Smith for Mayor
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You may?reply to this topic?if:1. You have?at least 50 prior posts
2. You post only legitimate,?sincere,?positive?facts and?opinion?about this candidate This topic is?intended to promote this candidate and will be moderated.? All negative posts, complaints, criticisms, off topic posts, repetitive posts, non constructive posts, cut and paste advertising, and news articles not written by you?will be removed.?
Posted on: 2009/4/5 2:21
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Dan Levin for Mayor
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You may?reply to this topic?if:1. You have?at least 50 prior posts
2. You post only legitimate,?sincere,?positive?facts and?opinion?about this candidate This topic is?intended to promote this candidate and will be moderated.? All negative posts, complaints, criticisms, off topic posts, repetitive posts, non constructive posts, cut and paste advertising, and news articles not written by you?will be removed.?
Posted on: 2009/4/5 2:19
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Louis Manzo for Mayor
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You may?reply to this topic?if:1. You have?at least 50 prior posts
Posted on: 2009/4/5 2:17
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Jerramiah Healy for Mayor
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Webmaster
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You may?reply to this topic?if:
1. You have?at least 50 prior posts 2. You post only legitimate,?sincere,?positive?facts and?opinion?about this candidate This topic is?intended to promote this candidate and will be moderated.? All negative posts, complaints, criticisms, off topic posts, repetitive posts, non constructive posts, cut and paste advertising, and news articles not written by you?will be removed.?
Posted on: 2009/4/5 2:14
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Re: Heights: Woman found dead in Tonnelle Ave. hotel room
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Yesterday I removed several insensitive posts here started by: nightgownposse. This is not the site for insensitive comments about someones death whom you do not know.
My apologies to TammyD and the family of the victim.
Posted on: 2009/3/30 1:08
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Re: Fox Watching the Hen House
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could someone please suggest a more descriptive subject line, or lookup the headline that the star ledger used, then I will change it. Thanks.
Posted on: 2009/3/17 23:02
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Re: He's Back! Manzo running for Mayor - hopes the fifth time's the charm.
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jmanny, omar, samual, and newguy are all posting from the same IP address.
Posted on: 2009/1/19 18:40
Edited by Webmaster on 2009/1/19 21:16:46
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Re: Cops: Halloween mischief maker arrested on charges he spread false reports of gang violence
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A few weeks ago I asked jillianp in a PM if he/she wanted to be banned because he/she seemed to be ignoring the rules. Now they Finally managed to get banned from JCLIST because they posted on this topic with a different username pretending to be a different person.
I am sure both usernames are the same person because: *Both logged in today within 4 minutes of each other *Both had the same IP address from a school in New York *Both had similar email addresses; ex: TJones@, TomJones@ I dont see this as a big deal, no laws were broken and I am sure the police will not be arresting anyone else. The posts about this person being banned are off topic and may be eliminated.
Posted on: 2008/12/13 5:38
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Re: Cops: Halloween mischief maker arrested on charges he spread false reports of gang violence
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jillianp who started the Halloween mischief topic and rraaakkkk are the same person.
I am banning both those usernames today.
Posted on: 2008/12/12 20:14
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Re: Any thoughts? Most of California's Black & Latino Voters Backed Gay Marriage Ban
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I was thinking the same thing because the policy on this site is to keep NOT Jersey City New Topics to a minimum. The policy is subjective and is meant to keep this site on the topic of Jersey City, not to be judgmental.
In this case GrovePath who has contributed 6000 posts of mainly important news and information has earned the privilege of posting whatever he wants. I appreciate his time and effort and cannot thank him enough for his contribution. Heights, I would have challenged GrovePath if I did not think this to be an important topic of interest. I am not saying that your Manhattan topic was not interesting, could you remind me about the subject matter on that?
Posted on: 2008/11/8 5:06
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Re: Gang Initiation Tonight...Is this real?
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Some of the information in this topic is false rumor. This topic is locked and may be removed.
Posted on: 2008/11/4 7:17
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Re: JCList Site Search
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The best way to search our Message Forum is to click the "Advanced Search" link at the BOTTOM of this page. It will bring you here: http://jclist.com/modules/newbb/search.php
This "Advanced Search" link is displayed once you enter the Message Forum and does not appear on the front page. Our front page displays recently replied topics on our message forum, at the bottom of the list there are 3 links "Posts, Topics, Forums". If you click on "Topics" you will get the same list again with page numbers at the bottom and the top. This is an easy way to browse the Message Forum. Here is a link to the Google Advanced Search page: http://www.google.com/advanced_search?hl=
Posted on: 2008/7/29 19:16
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Re: Problems With RobinsOak Management
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rompride AND investwme are posting with the same IP address.
Posted on: 2008/4/22 18:45
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