Elizabeth Man Pleads Guilty To Role In Multi-Million Dollar Prescription Drug Ring

TRENTON –An Elizabeth man pleaded guilty to racketeering for his role in a Newark-based ring that distributed millions of dollars a year in illegal prescription painkillers such as OxyContin, Attorney General Anne Milgram and Criminal Justice Director Deborah L. Gramiccioni announced today. 

According to Gramiccioni, Will T. Jordan, 38, of Elizabeth, pleaded guilty to second-degree racketeering and second-degree conspiracy to distribute narcotics before Superior Court Judge Michael J. Nelson in Essex County on April 30.  He admitted he acted as a runner, filling fraudulent prescriptions.  He faces up to 16 years in state prison.  Jordan was on trial with the alleged leader of the ring, Mohamed Hassanain, 43, of West Orange, and three other defendants: Woodrow Newton, 47, of Newark, Ian A. Burrowes, 33, of Union, and Aaron Burrowes, 29, of Union.  The trial is continuing for the other defendants. 

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Five Confirmed Cases Of Swine Flu In New Jersey

TRENTON –Five New Jersey residents have confirmed cases of H1N1 influenza, which has been commonly referred to as ‘swine flu,’ according to test results from the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). All five individuals were listed as probable cases as a result of testing conducted at the New Jersey Public Health and Environmental Laboratories in Trenton.

All five individuals had a mild case of H1N1 influenza.  None were hospitalized and all are recovering at home. The individuals with confirmed cases of H1N1 influenza are:

• A 43-year old Monmouth County female
• A 22-year old Bergen County female
• A 14-year  old Burlington County male
• A 10-year old Burlington County female
• A 47-year old Burlington County male

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New Jersey Air Quality Gets Failing Grade

STATE –   Over 8.5 million New Jerseyans – everyone except residents of Cape May County – live in metropolitan areas that received failing grades in the American Lung Association’s tenth annual State of the Air report, released Tuesday.  

The report ranks cities most affected by three types of widespread and dangerous pollution: short-term (24-hour) particle pollution, year-round particle pollution and ozone pollution. Counties are graded “A” through “F” for each category when sufficient validated records exist over the three-year period 2005 through 2007.   Science shows that the air quality in counties earning “F’s” is dirty enough to endanger lives.

Middlesex County earned an “F” for ozone pollution and a “C” for particle pollution, while Union County earned an “F” for particle pollution and did not have sufficient data to receive an ozone pollution grade.

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NJ Transit Riders Won’t Face Fare Increase This Year

TRENTON—New Jersey Transit riders won’t face a fare increase this year, despite a cutback in state operating support for the agency, Executive Director Richard Sarles said Tuesday.

The agency will balance its budget by cutting administrative expenses by $22.5 million to partly offset the shortfall, as well as benefit from federal funds made available from the Department of Transportation, Sarles said.

“NJ Transit is a vital component of our transportation network and we want to encourage continued ridership growth on the mass transit system, which relieves congestion and reduces fuel emissions,” said Department of Transportation Commissioner Stephen Dilts.

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Woodbridge Walks To Defeat ALS Sunday

 WOODBRIDGE—The ALS Association Greater New York Chapter will host the Walk to Defeat ALS fund raiser in Woodbridge on Sunday, May 3, starting at 11 a.m. at Alvin P. Williams Memorial Park (Sewaren Peninsula off Cliff Road).

The walk is wheelchair and stroller accessible. Before and after the walk there will be family friendly activities such as face painting, live music, mascots refreshments and other fun and games.

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Linden Resident Inducted Into NJSCA Hall Of Fame

Bill Reichle

LINDEN—Pingry boys’ varsity swimming head coach Bill Reichle, a resident of Linden, has been inducted into the New Jersey Scholastic Coaches Association’s (NJSCA) Hall of Fame. He was one of 38 inductees on March 29, out of almost 8,000 head varsity coaches in the state. 

He has been coaching swimming for more than 40 years. For the past 22 years, he has coached at Pingry, where he also teaches Algebra. His teams have won six state group championships and four county titles, among other championships, and he was honored by The Star-Ledger as state “Coach of the Year” in 2008. 

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NJ Business Flips The Switch On 1.7 MW Rooftop Solar Panel System

SUMMIT– Schering-Plough Corporation welcomed local and state officials, and a class of fifth graders, to celebrate the completion of a 1.7 megawatt solar energy system on Wednesday. With panels located atop seven buildings at the company’s Summit site, the system is one of the largest photovoltaic rooftop installations in New Jersey and North America.  Chairman and CEO Fred Hassan symbolically activated the system by flipping a 6-foot light switch.

“Three years ago Schering-Plough initiated a global strategic energy management initiative to build a foundation for an energy-efficient future,” Hassan said.  “This project is a major achievement of that initiative.  It represents the achievement of three objectives – savings, sustainability and societal benefit – and significantly moves us closer to our goal of reducing energy use worldwide by as much as 10 percent by 2013.”

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