There are a lot of folks in the Symes camp who are - and one Solowsky is worth three Habibs, four on a good day. You don't need the mayor's endorsement when you are handed a lot of his infrastructure. Also - egress into high rise buildings to roam and knock on doors that is not available to other candidates does lend credence to the notion that Symes is the developer's candidate.

Quote:

I guess I missed the part about Solomon being a woman.

Please.

There are all sorts of ways to support a candidate without endorsing. The fact that there was a $300k contribution from Dixon to the Fulop super PAC probably makes the optics rather poor for an endorsement.

Rather, the Solowskys, Habibs and Bertolis (and whatever gets spent from independent expenditure accounts) can accomplish as much or more as an endorsement.

MrRogers is a paid political operative who lives far from Jersey City. He does not visit JCList to provide or seek neighborly advice or weigh in on the latest pizza shop, as a perusal of his posting history demonstrates. His participation in this thread is by far the most cynical aspect of this entire conversation.

Separately - how do the expressions "Not for Sale James Solomon" and and "Unbought Unbossed James Solomon" necessarily demean Rebecca? It is possible to say those things and merely be pointing out positive attributes about yourself rather than it being an attack on someone else.

The other side is smart enough to know you bury opposition research in your polling firm, or call it "social media" or whatever... You don't actually expect anyone to believe Symes hasn't done opposition research on Solomon. Probably being done by an IE, right?

Quote:

Yes. Much discussion. No action. That department needs a strong leader with a vision (or at least awareness of what the world looks like in the 21st century.)

There are very few mobility problems in Jersey City that couldn't be solved in a year. Many require little or no money.

Quote:

Candice has been effective at getting things done - but I'd rather see the city hire a forward-thinking traffic planner than have someone on council pushing for ad hoc fixes. Like so many other things, the streetscape is dealt with in isolation - oh, there was an accident here? Put up a stop sign or speed bump. (Don't get me wrong - I'd love to see a whole lot more stop signs... along with enforcement.)

Bike lanes (in traffic, alongside traffic, protected), speed bumps, stop signs, restricted turns, turn lanes, pedestrian crossings, bump outs, traffic circles, car-free zones, express bus lanes - all of these things should be done thoughtfully, as part of an overall plan. Does anyone get the sense that this is how the city operates?

HGTV's 'Kitchen Cousins' to restore former Jersey City police headquarters

By Anthony J. Machcinski/The Jersey Journal
on March 15, 2013 at 2:16 PM, updated March 15, 2013 at 3:16 PM Print

A "dilapidated" three-story building on Erie Street that until last July was the Jersey City Police Department headquarters will soon be transformed into 16 residential units and a market by HGTV "Kitchen Cousins" stars Anthony Carrino and John Colaneri.

"This is a building that's going to be enjoyed by everyone
in the city," Alfonso Carrino, Anthony's father, said today to a crowd that included Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah Healy.

The 30,000-square-foot building, Anthony Carrino said was built in the mid-1800s, was formerly the home of New York/New Jersey Telephone Switching Station before becoming police headquarters. The "Kitchen Cousins" company, Brunelleschi Construction, bought the building last year with grand plans to refurbish the structure.

"It's about respecting the building that's here," Anthony Carrino said. "There are large volumes spaces with lots of light that we want to take advantage of."

The building, which the cousins hope to have completed by spring of 2014, is scheduled to have a public gym, a restaurant and 16 residential units, ranging from 1-3 bedrooms.

For Anthony Carrino, the highlight of the building will be the Erie Street Market, which will feature several vendors selling different meats, cheeses, and produce.

"All these great cities have great markets and this is a building that can handle (having a market)," Anthony said, referencing Philadelphia's Reading Terminal Market and Chelsea Market in Manhattan. "If there's one thing in this building that I'm really excited about, it's that market. "

The idea of refurbishing the building excited Healy, who praised the project's benefits.

"This will be a building that will produce revenue Downtown," Healy said. "This was a needed cause and I'm really excited about it."

For Anthony Carrino, a big goal of the project is to restore the building's history and share that history with area residents.

"This is a historic building and we want people to see and share its historic aspects," Anthony said. "It was embarrassing to see what a building like this turned into. We would love to give it a new life."

Two Officials Hid Contaminant in Jersey City?s Water


The two top officials of a public water authority serving two communities in northern New Jersey have been indicted on charges they hid elevated levels of a contaminant in the drinking water supply.

New Jersey?s attorney general says the indictment was handed up Tuesday against 58-year-old Harry Mansmann of Lawrenceville, the executive director of the East Orange Water Commission, and 51-year-old William Mowell of Wyckoff, his assistant.

The two are accused of shutting down contaminated wells prior to monthly water tests to hide elevated levels of an industrial solvent used for dry cleaning and other purposes. The chemical, tetrachlorethene, is classified as a probable carcinogen.

The charges against them include conspiracy, official misconduct, records-tampering and violating New Jersey?s Safe Drinking Water Act.

The East Orange Water Commission serves about 71,000 customers in East Orange and 17,000 in South Orange.

(Copyright 2013 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)

Opposition growing to state plan to close Pulaski Skyway lanes

By Terrence T. McDonald/The Jersey Journal, updated January 31, 2013




Opposition is growing to the state Department of Transportation's plan to close northbound lanes on the Pulaski Skyway for two years starting in 2014.


Assemblyman Ruben Ramos, of Hoboken, announced today that he wants a special legislative hearing in Hudson County to discuss the proposed closure, which the DOT has said is the most cost-effective way to make improvements to the 80-year-old roadway.


Jersey City officials are also getting involved. Ward E Councilman Steve Fulop, who is running for mayor in the May 14 city election, urged his supporters to sign a petition seeking alternatives to the DOT's plan.


Shutting down the northbound lanes on the Skyway, which connects Newark and Jersey City and is used by more than 30,000 drivers daily, would create a "traffic nightmare" in the region, Fulop said in a statement.


"I firmly support repairs on the Pulaski Skyway to ensure our aging overpass meets today's safety standards," Fulop said. "However, I am concerned that suspending all northbound traffic on the Skyway will negatively impact Jersey City's roads and residents, especially in the event of an unfortunate emergency," Fulop said.


When DOT officials on Jan. 22 announced the closure, set to begin next February the Super Bowl, they said that some alternatives for drivers include the NJ Turnpike Extension, Route 3, the Lincoln Tunnel, and the George Washington Bridge.


Shutting down the northbound lanes will help save the state an estimated $216 million and four years of work, DOT officials said. The Skyway renovation is expected to cost $355 million, they said.


Hudson County businesses are also concerned, according to Hudson County Chamber of Commerce President Maria Nieves. Shop owners are worried about their employees getting to work on time, and about possible shoppers skipping Hudson County altogether to avoid traffic related to the Skyway closure, Nieves said.


"One of my concerns is there didn't appear to be any type of economic-impact study done prior to this decision," she said. "Nor did there seem to be any outreach with the community here."

Property-service workers union endorses Councilman Steve Fulop for Jersey City mayor

A property-service workers union representing about 9,000 New Jersey office cleaners, security guards and others yesterday endorsed Jersey City City Councilman Steve Fulop?s bid for mayor.

32BJ, which calls itself one of the state?s fastest growing unions, said Fulop ?has fought tirelessly? for working families.

?Steven brings new ideas to ensure that Jersey City has a flourishing economy to benefit all its residents,? said Kevin Brown, the union?s New Jersey director. ?Our members are proud to support leaders who will make sure the voices of working people are heard.?

The union rallied with Fulop last year in support of the so-called ?living wage? ordinance, a measure adopted by the council on July 18 that boosts minimum pay for low-level workers in city-owned and some city-leased buildings and in developments that receive city subsidies.

Fulop is competing for the mayoralty with Mayor Jerramiah Healy and former basketball star Jerry Walker. The election, which finds all nine council seats up for grabs as well, is set for Tuesday, May 14.


LINK

Foe challenges Jersey City mayor's assertion that all money from Dwek donated to charity

By Terrence T. McDonald/The Jersey Journal The Jersey Journal
on January 15, 2013 at 8:00 AM, updated January 15, 2013 at 8:10 AM Print


Where?s the money?

Four years ago, Mayor Jerramiah Healy, smarting from a federal sting that landed a number of Healy loyalists in prison on charges that they accepted corrupt campaign cash from a confidential informant, pledged to donate the dirty money to charity.


After inquiries by The Jersey Journal, the mayor said in August 2009 that his campaign determined it received $17,600 from informant Solomon Dwek and would give away that amount to charity to ?make sure there is not even a hint of uncertainty and to ensure the confidence we have in ourselves is shared with our contributors and the public at large.?


But campaign documents filed with the state Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC) in the months following Healy?s pledge contain no evidence that the mayor followed through with that promise, while the total number of charitable donations from the Healy campaign made between the July 23, 2009 corruption sweep and today amount to only about $16,000.


Two reports filed in October and December 2009, the only post-election reports filed that year, have zero entries for charitable donations. The four reports filed in 2010 have only about $7,000 in charitable donations, while the four 2011 reports list about $5,000, almost all donations in small amounts of a few hundred dollars each.


It?s no secret that mayoral aspirant Steve Fulop, the Downtown councilman, plans to tie Healy to Dwek, whose secretly recorded meetings with such officials as former deputy mayor Leona Beldini captivated Hudson County and helped to send Beldini, former councilman Mariano Vega and others to prison.


Dwek handed over FedEx envelopes filled with cash to the officials in exchange for promises that they would assist him for his purported real-estate ventures, and some of the cash was then funneled to Healy?s campaign.


Fulop is now hammering the mayor?s campaign over Dwek?s donations, saying in a statement that the mayor has shown ?how little he cares about the caustic effect of pay-to-play in our city.?


Healy?s camp insists it did indeed donate Dwek?s contributions it now says the total it received from Dwek was only $16,000 in small amounts over the course of several years instead of in one lump sum after Healy?s 2009 pledge.


Campaign spokesman Joshua Henne provided a list of 43 charities, including various Little Leagues and the Puerto Rican Heritage Festival & Parade, that he said received donations ranging from $50 to $1,100 each. Dates of the donations were not provided.


?Mayor Healy said he?d donate the money to charitable organizations in Jersey City, he made good on that promise, and ELEC reflects this fact,? said Henne. ?Shame on Steve Fulop for another one of his patented, desperate attacks with zero merit. Once again, Fulop confirms he?ll do or say anything to seize power at all costs.?

Fulop campaign spokesman Bruno Tedeschi responded by saying it?s ?now clear Healy never gave back the money.?

?Using Dwek?s tainted money to promote himself politically is not the same as giving back the money like he promised to do four years ago,? Tedeschi said. ?His cleansing donations were the same after he received Dwek?s bribe money as they were before. It is just one more example of a Healy lie.?


http://www.nj.com/jjournal-news/index ... nges_jersey_city_may.html

Team Fulop opens campaign office for May 14 Jersey City election

By Rafal Rogoza / The Jersey Journal

Jersey City mayoral candidate Steven Fulop and his running mates for May 14?s city election celebrated the official opening of their campaign headquarters with hundreds of supporters Saturday morning.

?We?re here today to kick off a very exciting campaign to move Jersey City forward,? said Hudson County Freeholder Bill O?Dea during the opening remarks at the new headquarters at 2175 Kennedy Blvd., on the corner of Morton Place.

Fulop, a councilman representing Ward E, is competing for the city?s top job against Mayor Jerramiah Healy, who is running for his third full term in office.

The hour-long event began at 11 a.m. with roughly 200 supporters crowding the inside of the single-story building that was staffed by volunteers collecting the required signatures ??needed by ?Team Fulop? candidates to be eligible to run in the citywide election.

Following O?Dea?s opening, Fulop took the stage and rallied his supporters before introducing the other candidates running on his ticket.

?Our goal is not to be better than this administration but to be the best administration in the city?s history,? he said.

Fulop?s remarks were followed by brief remarks from each of his eight running mates seeking council seats: Rolando Lavarro, Daniel Rivera and Joyce Watterman, for at-large; Frank Gajewski, for Ward A; Khemraj Ramchal, for Ward B; Sean Connors, for Ward D; Candice Osborne, for Ward E; and Diane Coleman, for Ward F.

The lesson: don't order seafood at a steakhouse...

Jersey City man and Outback Steakhouse settle after jury selection
By Sarah Nathan/ The Jersey Journal
on November 27, 2012 at 2:30 PM

Hours before opening statements were slated to begin this morning in the case of a Jersey City man who had sued a Secaucus Outback Steakhouse, a settlement was reached.

The man said in a lawsuit that he found a metallic object in an appetizer he ate there and it caused him severe injuries.

According to the lawsuit, John Rosello found a metallic object in a crab cake appetizer he ordered at the steakhouse's Secaucus location during a family dinner to celebrate his son's 18th birthday.

Hours after consumption, Rosello went to a doctor complaining of stomach pains. Rosello suffered from "internal and external bleeding" and still suffers "severe and debilitating injuries," according to the suit.

Calls to Rosello's attorney, Donald Gardner, were not immediately returned.
Details regarding the nature of the settlement were not immediately available.

Wittpenn Bridge and Pulaski Skyway among Hudson County road projects to receive $551 million in state funding

Published: Friday, March 25, 2011, 2:45 PM
Terrence T. McDonald/The Jersey Journal By Terrence T. McDonald/The Jersey Journal The Jersey Journal

The state of New Jersey has announced that nearly two dozen road projects in Hudson County will share $551 million in state funding.


The funding, from the $3.5 billion 2012 Transportation Capital Program, includes some of the $3 billion in Port Authority money that had been earmarked for the now-canceled ARC tunnel.

The new Route 7 Wittpenn Bridge in Kearny and Jersey City will receive $174 million, with $150 million for rehabilitation of the Pulaski Skyway. The proposed Bergen Arches project in Jersey City will receive $13.4 million.

North Bergen projects include $61.6 million for repairs to the Route 495 and Route 1&9/Paterson Plank Road viaduct and $10 million to advance the new 69th Street bridge over the North Bergen Railroad yard.

Other projects include:

* $87.5 million for the advancement of the Port Authority transfer bridge replacements in Jersey City
* $14 million to advance the third contract for the Route 139 viaduct in Jersey City
* $10 million for improvements to the Route 280 interchange with Route 21 in Harrison and Newark
* $5.3 million for NJ Transit Hudson-Bergen Light Rail
* $5 million to extend Route 1&9 along the railroad right-of-way in Jersey City
* $3.6 million for a proposed Secaucus connector between Route 1&9 and the Turnpike
* $2.3 million for improvements to the Route 440/Turnpike interchange in Jersey City
* $1.9 million for improvements to Route 280 in Harrison and Kearny
* $1.8 million for improvements to Riverbank Park bike trail in Kearny
* $1.8 million for improvements on Hoboken Observer Highway
* $1.4 million for improvements at the Peninsula at Bayonne Harbor
* $755,916 for a new parking garage at McGinley Square in Jersey City
* $639,991 for engineering on a proposal to convert Route 400/Routes 1&9 in Jersey City to an urban boulevard
* $215,977 for safety improvements on Newark Street and First Street in Bayonne.

Charged in 2009 sting, former Jersey City health officer now accused of pocketing money paid food vendors for licenses, officials say

Published: Thursday, October 21, 2010, 12:59 PM
Michaelangelo Conte/The Jersey Journal Michaelangelo Conte/The Jersey Journal

Former Jersey City Health Officer Joseph Castagna already has federal corruption charges pending against him and today he surrendered to the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office on new state charges, officials said.

Castagna, 54, of Wales Avenue in Jersey City, surrendered at noon on the theft charge based on allegations he was pocketing license fees he collected from food venders, Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Karyn Darish.

Castagna was arrested as part of a massive federal probe in July 2009 based on allegation he and former Hudson County Superintendent of Elections investigator Dennis Jaslow, 46, accepted a $5,000 bribe from FBI informant Soloman Dwek.

Federal authorities charged the pair with passing the money along to failed Jersey City council candidate and Jersey City Fire Department Arson Investigator Michael Manzo. Jaslow and Manzo have already pleaded guilty to the federal charges and

Castagna is pending trial on the charges.

Manzo admitted he accepted the $5,000 from Dwek in exchange for his official helping advancing a development project on Garfield Avenue which Dwek was touting but did not really exist.

Castagna is expected to make his first court appearance on the new charges this afternoon in Central Judicial Processing Court in the Hudson County Administration Building in Jersey City.

Very strange. Lots of questions. Seems something like that would cost quite a bit. Do people running for sheriff have that kind of money?

Judge postpones sentence of ex-Jersey City candidate charged in N.J. corruption sting
By Joe Ryan/The Star-Ledger
May 25, 2010, 7:06PM

JERSEY CITY ? A federal judge in Newark today indefinitely postponed the sentence of a former Jersey City council candidate who pleaded guilty to extortion charges similar to those recently dismissed against two others arrested in last year?s massive FBI sting.

U.S. District Judge Jose Linares issued an order suspending the June 7 date LaVern Webb-Washington, 61, was supposed to begin serving her one-year sentence. She pleaded guilty in March to extortion, saying she took $15,000 in illegal campaign contributions in exchange for promising to support a development project if she were elected.

Webb-Washington?s lawyer had asked Linares to put her sentence on hold after the judge dismissed extortion charges last week against former Jersey City mayoral candidate Louis Manzo and his brother, Ronald Manzo.

The judge ruled they cannot be charged under a federal extortion statute because they did not hold public office at the time of the alleged offense. Federal prosecutors have said they will appeal Linares? ruling, which may apply to several other defendants in the case.

All told, 46 people were charged in the sprawling money-laundering and bribery sting. Seventeen have pleaded guilty, and two were convicted by juries.

Jersey City gears up to host Red Bull championship airplane race's spectators at Liberty State Park
Wednesday, May 26, 2010
By MELISSA HAYES
JOURNAL STAFF WRITER

NEW YORK - Wearing his red and white jumpsuit, Canadian pilot Pete McLeod stood in Times Square taking in the sights.

It was his first stop in New York City and he described the experience as "pretty amazing."

At 26, McLeod is the newest and youngest pilot flying in the Red Bull Air Race World Championship, having joined the competition last year. He stopped in New York yesterday with four other pilots to officially kick off the race's first East Coast event.

The race, in which 15 pilots will attempt to fly through an obstacle course floating on water, will be held over the Hudson River June 19 and 20. The New York skyline will serve as a backdrop for the race, which is expected to bring 30,000 spectators to Liberty State Park in Jersey City.

"This is a long time coming," Race Director Jim DiMatteo said. "It has been almost three years that we have been working on this project."

Red Bull Air Race officials joined Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy and New York City officials in celebrating the event and 100 years of air races in New York and the United States. The first East Coast air show was held at Belmont Park in October 1910.

"It's going to be a spectacular event, take place in a majestic venue with the greatest pilots on Earth doing things you can't believe," Healy said.

Members of the Friends of Liberty State Park viewed the course map, which was part of a standing display on the 100 years of air shows that Red Bull opened to the public yesterday.

Pilots are timed as they traverse the obstacles and the fastest racer wins. Points are accrued at each leg of the race. The next stop is June 5 and 6 in Ontario, Canada. Then the race comes to Jersey City before heading to Germany and Hungary in August and ending the season in Portugal in September.

Paul Bonhomme, of Great Britain, won the race last year and is the overall points leader so far this year. He said while the pilots get along, the Red Bull Air Race is "100 percent competition."

"When we're on the track, it's all out war," he said. "We're there to win."

The Jersey City course will be between the historic rail terminal and Ellis Island. Sam Pesin, president of Friends of Liberty State Park (FOLSP), said the event would help raise revenue for the park through ticket sales and would attract people to the park who don't normally visit.

Pesin added that the race will make a donation to the FOLSP for future park improvements and must return the park to the way it was after the event is over.

Pilot Kirby Chambliss' aerobatics airplane was displayed at Military Island in Time Square yesterday during the press kick-off. While Chambliss, of Arizona, doesn't race that plane, he will be flying it during a Memorial Day weekend show in Jones Beach.

Chambliss said he is looking forward to racing in Jersey City.

"It's always nice to race in your own country," he said.

County Executive letter: Don't abandon two bus routes, including Liberty State Park shuttle
By The Jersey Journal
May 26, 2010, 7:00AM

Route 305 is a shuttle serving Liberty State Park visitors from the Light Rail station just outside the park's confines. This bus service is the only mass transit option into the park. Hundreds of seniors and a large number of families rely on the 305 in order to visit the park on weekends. It is now slated to cease operation June 1.

Route 981 serves commuters, with stops at Port Liberte, the Daily News Plant, Sysco Foods, the Light Rail Station, the Jersey City Medical Center and Grove Street in Jersey City. This line would cease operation May 28.

Both routes are privately run services subsidized by New Jersey Transit. They are both "one-zone" routes and, according to NJT, do not meet a threshold of acceptable financial loss. Thus the decision to hastily eliminate them -- a decision that will have unfortunate consequences that we believe must be addressed.

After discussions about this matter with our freeholders and the Hudson County Transportation Management Association (TMA), we believe that Route 305 can be reduced to a weekend, summer-only service and still effectively carry out its mission to deliver seniors and families to points of destination within Liberty State Park. This compromise is supported by the Friends of Liberty State Park.

Such a change would replace the current, limited seasonal schedule stretched over 12 months. The switch to simply offering the 305 as a weekend-only summer service would greatly reduce the cost of the route to New Jersey Transit.

We estimate costs would fall $378,000 annually, down from the current $408,000, to about $30,000 annually. It might also be possible to use fewer vehicles, additionally reducing NJ Transit's costs.

Regarding Route 981, we simply seek more time, at least three months beyond the current shutdown date, to allow the Hudson TMA an opportunity to seek out a private carrier willing to take the route without the subsidy. At the very least, this will give riders who depend on the 981 more time to figure out how they will get to work each day.

We face difficult economic times and service cuts are unfortunately part of what is necessary to deal with them. However, New Jersey Transit's decision to shut down Routes 305 and 981 will hurt seniors, families and workers. We are asking to keep little more than 7 percent of the current funding of the 305 subsidy and a brief delay in the removal of the subsidy for the 981. NJ Transit needs to realize it is a mistake to throw out the proverbial "baby with the bathwater" in their rush to meet their new service reduction targets.

TOM DeGISE
HUDSON COUNTY EXECUTIVE

Councilman Fulop calls for restructuring after 5 firefighters promoted
By The Jersey Journal
May 26, 2010, 10:08AM

Ward E Councilman Steven Fulop, released a statement Monday saying the fire department should consider restructuring instead of promotions.

"The City Council cannot afford to fund this next slate of promotions," Fulop said.

Five Jersey City Fire Department captains became battalion chiefs on Tuesday. Jersey City Mayor Jerramiah T. Healy said the promotions would reduce overtime costs.

"Jersey City Fire Department is the best in the country," Healy said during a ceremony in City Hall Monday.

"These promotions are necessary," Healy added. "All five of these men have demonstrated skill, knowledge, integrity, bravery and are well able to fill these positions which are much needed."

Jersey City man is beaten, stabbed on way home after quarrel with trio at bar
By Michaelangelo Conte/The Jersey Journal
April 06, 2010, 7:00AM

An intoxicated Jersey City man was stabbed and beaten by three men after he argued with them in a Newark Avenue bar early Saturday, reports said.

The 21-year-old Grand Street man said he was at Reflexions, 646 Newark Ave., when he met three men and they started arguing about an incident that happened a year earlier, reports said.

When the victim left the bar after 2 a.m., the men followed him to Summit Avenue and Montgomery Street, where they punched and kicked him and one of the men took out a small knife and cut the victim's wrist, reports said, adding that the men also took his cell phone.

The Grand Street man told police his attackers live in the Montgomery Street area and said he knew their first names but then became uncooperative, reports said.

An ambulance responded to the West District Police Station to check on the victim, but he refused medical attention.

Jersey City man knifed in stomach when trying to stop a couple fighting

By Michaelangelo Conte/The Jersey Journal
April 06, 2010, 6:00AM

A Jersey City man was stabbed in the stomach with a 12-inch knife on Saturday when he tried to intervene in an argument between a man and woman at the Montgomery Gardens housing complex.

Police responded to the housing complex after the 3:15 p.m. stabbing but couldn't find the victim so they went to the Jersey City Medical Center, where they found the 29-year-old Montgomery Street man being prepped for surgery, reports said.

The victim said he came across the arguing couple in a parking lot and got between them, reports said, adding that the man stabbed him in the left side of his stomach. He said he was driven to the hospital by a Bayonne woman and his wound was not life threatening, reports said.

Anyone with information about the stabbing is asked to call the Jersey City police tip line at (201) 547-JAIL.

Officials: Man accused of grabbing girl off street hangs himself in county jail

By Michaelangelo Conte/The Jersey Journal
April 06, 2010, 5:00AM

A Jersey City man charged with kidnapping and trying to take the pants off a 12-year-old girl is dead after hanging himself using sheets in the Hudson County jail in Kearny this past weekend.

Luigi Pandolfo, 33, of Colgate Street, was indicted on Jan. 27 on the charges of kidnapping, aggravated assault and endangering the welfare of a child and had been held at the jail since his arrest on Sept. 18, officials said.

Pandolfo's death is being investigated by the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office and the Hudson County Correctional Center's Internal Affairs Unit, but Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio said yesterday it appears to be a "suicide."

After Pandolfo's arrest, police said a search of his home turned up lots of pornography, sex paraphernalia, handcuffs and a body bag. The items, particularly the body bag, triggered a search of the area using cadaver dogs, but no bodies were found. The body bag was likely related to a fetish, authorities said.

Pandolfo was arrested after the girl told police he grabbed her off the street, handcuffed her and held her captive for two hours. She said she escaped by slipping out of the handcuffs and climbing down a fire escape, officials said. The victim was later treated at the Jersey City Medical Center for bruises on her wrists consistent with having been handcuffed, police said.

After Pandolfo's first appearance on the charges, his 68-year-old mother, Maria Pandolfo, told The Jersey Journal police had the story wrong. She said her son was trying to give away three cats and the girl was interested so she went into the house to see which one she liked best.

Speaking in Italian, the mother said the girl was in the house only five minutes. Maria Pandolfo said her son had never been in trouble and prosecutors confirmed he had no criminal record.

After his arrest, Pandolfo's bail was set at $500,000 cash or bond and he was sent to the jail.

Former Jersey City coach pleads guilty to illegally distributing pain killers

By Michaelangelo Conte/The Jersey Journal
April 01, 2010, 3:38PM

A former Jersey City Little League coach was sentenced to six years in prison today as the first of 15 people who have pleaded guilty in a probe into a Hudson County pain killer distribution ring that led to 32 arrests, including doctors and pharmacists.

"He worked with children and I applaud that, but on the other side, he was a role model for children and he was a Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde," Deputy Attorney General Debra Conrad said at the sentencing of Raymond Bremner, 42, of Laidlaw Avenue, this morning. "That is not a role model we want our children to look up to."

On Feb. 8, Bremner admitted to distributing OxyContin May 14, Oct. 13 and Oct. 12. All three crimes were within 1,000 feet of a school and in October he was within 500 feet of Sergeant Anthony Park on Palisade Avenue.

The October incidents occurred while he was out on a $50,000 bail following his first arrest, Conrad said at today's hearing before Hudson County Superior Court Judge Kevin G. Callahan.

When informed that a Jersey Journal photographer would be photographing the sentencing, anger flared in Bremner who shook his head and rocked side to side while standing behind the defense table with his hands cuffed behind his back.

The judge quickly scolded him saying, "I did not put you where you are. You put in motion the events leading to this day."

Defense Attorney Alfonso Robinson said Bremner has been involved in baseball most of his life, playing in his youth and coaching afterward. He said he often took children to Yankee games at his own expense. The attorney said Bremner's use of pain killers began out of medical need but became an addition.

"Unfortunately he just could not get the monkey off his back," Robinson said of his client who must serve 33 months before becoming eligible for parole.

Prior to meting out the sentence, Callahan asked Bremner if he wanted to say anything and although Bremner said he did, all he managed was "I can't find the words..."

The judge wondered aloud at why Bremner would throw away decades of good work with children at a time when he could begin to see the fruits of his work in the successful lives of his grownup players.

"Why do they have to see you now in handcuffs?" Callahan asked him.

Jersey City's response to Census count is dismal; less than third of forms mailed back; today is deadline

Thursday, April 01, 2010
By ROHAN MASCARENHAS

THE STAR-LEDGER

Fewer New Jerseyans are sending back their Census forms compared with the rest of the nation, triggering alarms among U.S. Census Bureau officials.

And Jersey City in Hudson County is one of the laggards.

"We're concerned about the relatively low response from parts of New Jersey," said Robert Groves, the bureau's director.

The problem seems most acute in urban areas. In Newark, only 27 percent of residents have mailed in their forms, compared with less than a third of residents in Jersey City and Paterson. Groves also singled out Elizabeth, where 33 percent of residents have responded.

The low response could become an issue for the state because the U.S. Census, conducted once every decade, determines the number of seats states have in the House of Representatives and affects the apportionment of political districts. It also affects the distribution of funding for schools, roads and neighborhood improvements.

Nationally, about half of the country has already answered the forms, which include 10 questions and should take about 10 minutes to complete, Groves said.

Today is the deadline for mailing back the questionnaire to the Census Bureau in the postage-paid envelope that arrived with the form. If the form isn't mailed back, Census workers will visit beginning in May until they are able to complete a questionnaire.

The forms were mailed to residents this March. More information on the Census can be found at 2010.census.gov.

Jersey City district is investigating whether a principal had worker do home renovations

By Melissa Hayes/The Jersey Journal
March 31, 2010, 9:00PM


The Jersey City school district is investigating whether a principal had a maintenance worker from her school renovate her home.

Superintendent of Schools Charles T. Epps Jr. confirmed that allegations were made against a principal and others who may also be involved.

?It?s only been alleged,? he said. ?An investigation is ongoing right now.?

Deputy Superintendent Flavio Rubano is conducting the investigation into whether the principal had a maintenance employee she supervises work on her home and her daughter?s home.

The principal allegedly recommended the employee to another principal and district supervisor.

Besides investigating if the employee actually did the work, officials are investigating if the alleged work was performed during the worker?s school work time.

Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio said the school district has not contacted his office about the matter.

He said if the employee was doing work for the principal while he was being paid for the district, his office could become involved.

Speaking generally, he said such a case could result in theft by deception or official misconduct charges.

?But that?s very preliminary,? DeFazio said. ?You have to really investigate and look at the specific facts.?

Jersey City felon faces up to 40 years in prison for sexual assault
By Michaelangelo Conte/The Jersey Journal
March 30, 2010, 6:13PM

A Jersey City felon faces up to 40 years in prison after his conviction in a 2006 Greenville rape during which he bled on the victim and DNA recovered by detectives led to his arrest, officials said.

"This defendant is a very dangerous character and the jury obviously returned a just verdict," Hudson County Prosecutor Edward DeFazio said today about Steven Wright, 26, formally of Whiton Street, who was convicted of aggravated sexual assault and burglary Thursday.

"He is a persistent offender," DeFazio added.

During the trial, the 20-year-old victim testified that she believed her attacker entered her Arlington Avenue home through a window at about 4 a.m. on Nov. 19, 2006 before raping her, Hudson County Deputy First Assistant Prosecutor Debra Simon said.

The victim called police and reported the rape at about 6:30 a.m.

Police found the window broken and the victim's boyfriend testified at trial that it was not broken when he left the apartment, officials said. The rapist was apparently injured as he came through the window and while assaulting the woman he bled on her camisole, Simon said.

The victim recognized her attacker and gave police what she thought was the street name he went by, but the crime remained unsolved until November 2007 when DNA recovered from the rapist's blood matched Wright's DNA profile that was on file in the FBI's database.

A sample of Wright's DNA had been taken after his conviction on a gun offense in 2005, Simon said, adding that when police zeroed in on Wright following the DNA hit, they also found that he used the street name the victim had talked about.

Wright took the stand during the trial and told the jury he knew the victim and that they had consensual sex. Because he testified, Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Matt Troiano was able to inform the jury that Wright was currently serving a prison term for robbery.

Aggravated sexual assault carries a sentence of 10 to 20 years in prison but because of Wright's prior convictions he is eligible to be sentenced to an extended term of 20 to 40 years, Simon said. He will have to serve 85 percent of the sentence before becoming eligible for parole.

On January 9, 2009 Wright began serving a 10-year-sentence for robbery and he remains in custody.

In 2006 Wright was tried for aggravated assault and found not guilty, DeFazio said. That same year he faced another aggravated assault charge but the grand jury chose not to indict him and the charge was dropped, DeFazio said.

Wright is scheduled for sentencing on June 17 by Superior Court Judge Joseph Isabella.

Jersey City man pleads guilty to sexual assault of young children
By Michaelangelo Conte/The Jersey Journal
March 30, 2010, 8:50PM

A 72-year-old Jersey City man has pleaded guilty to having sex with two young children over a period of years while the girls were between the ages of 8 and 11, officials said.

Renato Gomez pleaded guilty today to two counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault and under the terms of the plea deal will face 15 years in prison when sentenced, said Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Jane Weiner.

"If you molest a child in Hudson County, even if they don't tell right away, when it is finally reported, this office will prosecute the offender to the fullest extent of the law," Weiner said.
"The Special Victims Unit detectives did a great job with this investigation."

Gomez admitted forcing the girls to perform oral sex on him from January of 2003 to December of 2008 in the case of one victim, and from January 2006 through October of 2009 in the case of the other, Weiner said.

One of the girls saw Gomez fondling the other victim in September 2009 and called police, finally bringing the matter to the attention of the authorities, Weiner said.

At first, Gomez denied everything, but under questioning by detectives he finally admitted to molesting the girls, Weiner said.

Gomez said he began molesting the girls because his wife stopped having sex with him, Weiner said, adding that he has no prior criminal record.

The prosecutor said the victims' parents knew nothing about the sexual abuse they were suffering and the parents have been very supportive of the girls. She said the girls are doing as well as can be expected.

Jersey City gets federal job training grant
By Melissa Hayes/The Jersey Journal
March 31, 2010, 11:59AM

The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development is giving Jersey City $105,310 to provide job training to low-income residents.

Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan announced $1.6 million in grants to New Jersey municipalities and the state Department of Community Affairs. Nearly $50 million was awarded nationwide.

Jersey City was the only Hudson County municipality to receive funds from the Housing Choice Voucher Family Self-Sufficiency Program, which allows public housing agencies to work with welfare agencies, schools, businesses and other groups to provide training to low-income residents in hopes of helping them secure employment.

"In today's economy, this program is needed more than ever to help families obtain the skills that lead to jobs," Donovan said in a prepared statement.