Vella Trial Begins Next Week

ELIZABETH—A close political associate of Mayor J. Christian Bollwage will begin a criminal trial in federal court with jury selection starting Monday, Jan. 12 before U.S. District Judge Anne E. Thompson in Trenton.
Ray Vella, 32, of Elizabeth, owner of Pavel Construction, was charged by federal grand jury with five counts of mail fraud, one count [...]

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Special Delivery

 

Special Delivery—Solymar Herrera, daughter of Edith Fass and Antonio Herrera of Perth Amboy, was the first baby of the New Year born at Raritan Bay Medical Center. Solymar, the couple’s fourth child, arrived at 12:44 a.m. on Jan. 1, weighing 6 lbs, 15.5 ounces. From top left is; maternity pavilion nurse [...]

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Fallen Firefighter Remembered At Funeral

ELIZABETH – More than 1,000 firefighters and law enforcement officers assembled for Monday’s funeral for Elizabeth firefighter Gary Stephens. The 28-year veteran was struck by a fire truck after he responded to an early-morning call on Jan. 2.
Firefighters from around the state dressed in their crisp dark-blue dress uniforms to line South Broad Street by [...]

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South Brunswick Official Named To Replace Crabiel

MIDDLESEX COUNTY – County Democrats have chosen South Brunswick Deputy Mayor Carol Barrett to replace the late David B. Crabiel on the county Board of Chosen Freeholders.
A special convention was held Sunday at East Brunswick Vo-Tech High School to choose Crabiel’s successor. Barrett won with 353 votes, beating former Edison Councilman [...]

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Man Charged In Perth Amboy Stabbing Pleads Not Guilty

NEW BRUNSWICK – A Keyport man charged with stabbing a 25-year-old Perth Amboy man to death pleaded not guilty and is being held on $1 million bail.
Jose Rodriguez-Cuevas, 25, was charged with the weekend murder of Gerardo Ramos-Balico and the attempted murder of the victim’s brother, Freddy, 28.
Perth Amboy police responded to the [...]

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Man Driving Stolen SUV Killed In Collision

CARTERET – An 18-year-old Carteret man driving a stolen SUV was killed when the vehicle collided head-on with a tractor trailer early Saturday morning, authorities said.
Dwain Allen was driving south in the northbound lane of Industrial Avenue early Saturday morning, when his 2003 Lincoln Navigator collided with a 2005 Kenworth tractor trailer, officials said.
Allen was [...]

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Former PTA Treasurer Charged With Theft

LINDEN – A former Linden PTA treasurer has been charged with stealing approximately $8,000 of the organization’s money, officials from the Union County Prosecutor’s Office say.
Dawn Wagner, 38, has been charged with one count of theft and one count of misapplication of entrusted property, according to the Union County Prosecutor’s Office. The former treasurer of [...]

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Celebrate In The Garden State!

STATE—The Central Jersey Democratic Leadership Committee is hosting an Inaugural Ball at the Grand Marquis in Old Bridge from 6-11 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 20 to celebrate the inauguration of Barack Obama as America’s 44th president.
Tickets are priced at $200 per person, but patrons who purchase in advance can save $50 off the door [...]

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Corzine’s Secret Cuts Prompt Lawsuit

STATE—Gov. Jon Corzine says that the deficit in this year’s budget is much larger than $1.2 billion previously identified by State Treasurer David Rousseau.
Consequently, Corzine will be cutting the current state spending plan of $32.9 billion by a staggering $2.1 billion and there are signs that the $5 billion deficit projected for next year’s budget [...]

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NJ Is Tops In Taxes

STATE—Seven counties out of the top 10 in the country with the highest property tax rates are in New Jersey.
The same tabulation showed that Garden State homeowners paid the highest property taxes in 13 out of the nation’s 20 top-taxed counties.
Union County’s median property tax bill of $6,727 earned the dubious distinction of making [...]

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Conservative Counting Campaign Cash

STATE—A strategist for former Bogota Mayor Steven Lonegan, the leader of the conservative wing of the New Jersey GOP, says the campaign has qualified for matching funds in his expected primary for the Republican nomination for Governor against Christopher Christie, the former U.S. Attorney.
Two other candidates, Assemblyman Richard Merkt and Franklin Township Mayor Brian D. [...]

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International Gymnasts To Compete In Rahway

RAHWAY—The best rhythmic gymnasts from three countries will be competing in the Winter Stars Rhythmic Gymnastics Invitational at the Rahway Recreation Center this weekend. Among participating teams are clubs and junior olympics teams from Russia, Brazil and the United States.
This two-day event will take place on Saturday, Jan. 10, from 7:30 a.m. – 6:15 [...]

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