02 October 2011

New Jersey Newsroom News for the Die Hard New Jerseyan

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ABOUT US
On a cold winter's day, Jan. 25, 2009, NewJerseyNewsroom.com was founded when over 40 journalists came together at the Montclair Public Library and decided to create a news site — unlike any other — to address the growing journalism void. All we possessed was determination, experience and vision. 


Despite a lack of financial backing, we pushed forward and a unique news organization was born. Our news organization invites everyone to join the mission of telling stories important to the people of New Jersey. Tell stories that shine a light on the dark places. This is journalism not funded by or beholden to corporations or wealthy individuals. We aim for a balanced, insightful take on the news and our goal is to provide a fresh, independent voice.

 

 

Join us at our social media web sites:

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The majority of our founding journalists spent decades at The Star-Ledger of Newark. Combined, our experience adds up to over 1,000 years. We have won every award and distinction from the Pulitzer Prize to the New Jersey Press Association Journalist of the Year. Our contributing writers, driven by passion and purpose, contribute as volunteers who believe in the cause. 

Their experiences are impressive, and without them we would fail.

NewJerseyNewsroom.com's goal is to provide high-quality news for New Jerseyans and not just about New Jerseyans. We will do our best to gather all the stories you want, regardless of the original sources. If it is of interest to you, we will write it or link to it. We know how to get to the facts, get it right, and, when necessary, provide analysis. We will strive to provide unique content and news you can use.

We welcome and encourage intelligent debate. We will not shy away from controversy or criticism, but we will remove any comments that are deemed inappropriate.

Above all, NewJerseyNewsroom.com provides a home for journalists and writers who want to serve the people. Our goal is to inform ... to inspire ... and to ignite change for the common good. If you would like to join our newsroom as a contributor, offer insight, a news tip or want to contact us offline we can be reached at comments@newjerseynewsroom.com This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .

Our Newsroom Staff   (click on a name to read about the journalist)

27 September 2011

Former NJ Postal Employee Guilty in $69,850 Embezzlement

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By Alicia Cruz
The New Jersey Newsroom


U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced the guilty plea of a former New Jersey Postal Service employee charged with embezzling more than $50,000 of postal funds.

Thea Sisler, of Flanders, admitted before U.S. District Judge Jerome B. Simandle in Camden federal court to intentionally misappropriating monies belonging to her employer at the Stockholm post office. In addition to those funds, Sisler admitted to embezzling approximately $69,850 more money beginning in June 2009 and lasting through September 2010.

The 31-year-olds guilty plea carries a statutory maximum prison sentence of
10 years and a $250,000 fine, or twice the gross gain or loss of the offense. Sisler's sentencing is tentatively scheduled for Jan. 20, 2012.

Fishman lauded the investigative work of special agents of the U.S. Postal Service – Office of Inspector General (Jane Hughes) for Monday's guilty plea.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Jacques S. Pierre of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Health Care and Government Fraud Unit represented the government. Attorney John Whipple, of Chatham, acted as Sisler's defense counsel.

Divorce Letters (Humorous)

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Hilarious Repost. I wonder how true it is

DIVORCE LETTERS FROM HUSBAND AND WIFE (AT BOTTOM)


Dear Wife,
I’m writing you this letter to tell you that I’m leaving you forever. I’ve been a good man to you for 7 years & I have nothing to show for it. These last 2 weeks have been hell. ... Your boss called to tell me that you quit your job today & that was the last straw.
Last week, you came home & didn’t even notice I had a new haircut, had cooked your favorite meal & even wore a brand new pair of silk boxers. You ate in 2 minutes, & went straight to sleep after watching all of your soaps. You don’t tell me you love me anymore; you don’t want sex or anything that connects us as husband & wife. Either you’re cheating on me or you don’t love me anymore; whatever the case, I’m gone.
Your EX-Husband
P.S. don’t try to find me. Your SISTER & I are moving away to West Virginia together! Have a great life! ----



Dear Ex-Husband,
Nothing has made my day more than receiving your letter. It’s true you & I have been married for 7 years, although a good man is a far cry from what you’ve been. I watch my soaps so much because they drown out your constant whining & griping Too bad that doesn’t work.
I DID notice when you got a hair cut last week, but the 1st thing that came to mind was ‘You look just like a girl!
Since my mother raised me not to say anything if you can’t say something nice, I didn’t comment.
And when you cooked my favorite meal, you must have gotten me confused with MY SISTER, because I stopped eating pork 7 years ago. About those new silk boxers: I turned away from you because the $49.99 price tag was still on them, & I prayed it was a coincidence that my sister had just borrowed $50 from me that morning. After all of this, I still loved you & felt we could work it out.
So when I hit the lotto for 10 million dollars, I quit my job & bought us 2 tickets to Jamaica But when I got home you were gone..
Everything happens for a reason, I guess. I hope you have the fulfilling life you always wanted. My lawyer said that the letter you wrote ensures you won’t get a dime from me. So take care.
Signed, Your Ex-Wife, Rich As Hell & Free!
P.S. I don’t know if I ever told you this, but my sister
Carla was born Carl. I hope that’s not a problem.

23 September 2011

GW Bridge Suicide Comes on Anniversary of Tyler Clementi Suicide

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BY ALICIA CRUZ
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

An unidentified man abandoned his car in the westbound lane near the New Jersey Tower on the George Washington Bridge at 8 a.m., Wednesday morning, the anniversary of Tyler Clementi's suicide, and plunged to his death.

A Port Authority spokesperson confirmed that a Harbor Unit from the New York City Police Department recovered the body from the water near 155th Street in Manhattan after a 45-minute search. Witnesses say the man drove his vehicle midway across the span, then climbed over the railing and jumped. His car remained on the bridge, surrounded by police cars, as the investigation continued. The accident forced the closure of the westbound lane, NorthJersey.com reported.

Tyler Clementi
Several times a year, distraught individuals choose to end their lives aboard the 4,760-foot long bridge, which crosses the Hudson River connecting Fort Lee to the Washington Heights section of Manhattan. According to NYMag.com, the George Washington Bridge sees approximately 10 suicides per year.
FULL ARTICLE at NEW JERSEY NEWSROOM

NJ Native, SD Charger Antonio Garay Slapped with $15K Fine

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BY ALICIA CRUZ
NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM

NFL officials have penalized Rahway native and San Diego Chargers defensive tackle Antonio Garay for an illegal hit against New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady last Sunday.

The towering former New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association 1998 state and national wrestling champion was slapped with a $15,000 fine for hitting Brady below the knee with his arm just as Brady was throwing a pass during the third quarter of the Patriots' 35-21 victory, ESPN reported.

The hit left the three-time Superbowl winning quarterback on the ground, his back arched and legs bent. The 34-year-old Brady escaped serious injury thanks to a knee brace he was wearing.

"He got me in a good....FULL ARTICLE HERE

22 September 2011

NYPD: Number 4 IRT Slasher is Woman

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By Alicia Cruz
The Black Urban Times

Suspect in Bronx subway slashings. Have you seen her?

NYPD officers are on the hunt for an IRT slasher whose knifing spree sent two women to local hospitals.

The knife wielding suspect is being described as a woman who approached a 19-year-old subway rider on September 6 around 4:00 p.m. as the victim rode the northbound 4 train at E. 170th Street in Mount Eden. The suspect sliced the woman's face then fled on foot. The victim's injury required stitches.

Six days later, investigators say a woman fitting the same description as the September 6 slasher lashed out at an 18-year-old woman riding a southbound 4 train at the Mount Eden station before fleeing.

A composite sketch of the attacker describes her as being 17 to 25 years old, standing 5-foot-4 and weighing 160 pounds. During the second slashing, the suspect donned a black hooded sweatshirt and plastic gloves. Anyone with information is asked to call the NYPD's Crime Stoppers hot line at (800) 577-TIPS. Or Share331

Rikers Island Inmate Recaptured After Fingerprint Room Bolt

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By Alicia Cruz
The Black Urban Times

Freedom was short lived for a Rikers Island inmate who gave a corrections officer aboard the 413.17-acre prison facility the slip.

Daniel Sanchez was in custody, without bail, on a first-degree murder charge when he bolted while CO's were trying to fingerprint him. Earlier in the day, the slippery inmate was charged with tampering with a window in his cell at the George Motchan Detention Center aboard the Island.

Three captains and six corrections officers were treated for minor injuries sustained while attempting to subdue the 24-year-old wanna-be Houdini. I'm sure Sanchez can add attempted escape and assault on government officials to his murder and tampering charges.

Back in July, a fire forced the evacuation of 200 inmates on the Island after smoke was detected coming from a heating unit in the George Motchan Detention Center. The two-alarm blaze destroyed several inmate dormitories, said Correction Department spokesperson Sharman Stein.

Bronx Teen Witnesses Boyfriend's Murder

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By Alicia Cruz
The Black Urban Times


A Bronx teen watched in horror as her boyfriend of four years lay dying in her arms after he was shot by a thug who approached the victim asking him if he was "gunning."

Soon after uttering those fateful words, a shot is fired hitting José Webster in the chest.

Aniik Wallace, 16, said she and Webster were a couple. Her boyfriend had been in some trouble but was straightening out his life. The teen said the two did everything together and described Webster as an extroverted person. Wallace said her last words to Webster were, "Don’t leave me. I love you."

The couple were taking a stroll along Teller Avenue in the Bronx at the time of the 8:50 p.m. shooting. It is not clear if Webster knew his assailant. Police have not identified any suspects at this time. If you have information on this shooting, you are asked to call 1-800-577-TIPS or, for Spanish speakers, 1-888-57-PISTA, to provide information anonymously.

Georgia Man Loses Fight to Halt Execution in Cop Killing

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By Alicia Cruz
The Black Urban Times

The last words of a condemned man, setnenced to die for the shooting death of an off-duty Georgia policeman in 1989, asked that God have mercy on the souls of those about to take his life.

Troy Davis sat on death row in Georgia for the past 20 years as lawyers, Jesse Jackson, former President Jimmy Carter and even Pope Benedict XVI all fought to save his life. Witnesses recanted earlier statements, several things cast reasonable doubt about Davis' guilt, but in the end, that did nothing to spare the 42-year-old's life.

After several stays of execution, the latest coming just four hours before Davis was put to death by lethal injection at 10:53pm EDT. The Butts County, Georgia native was declared dead at 11:08 p.m., 15 mintues after he was injected with a lethal cocktail of narcotics in the execution chamber in Jackson.

Davis remained defiant up until the end. He refused a last meal, an anti-anxiety drug and would not partake in a final prayer before the execution. Davis stoiclly maintained his innocence in the murder of Officer Mark MacPhail, saying he did not have a gun on the night of August 19, 1989.

"I'd like to address the MacPhail family. Let you know, despite the situation you are in, I'm not the one who personally killed your son, your father, your brother. I am innocent. The incident that happened that night is not my fault. I did not have a gun. All I can ask ... is that you look deeper into this case so that you really can finally see the truth. I ask my family and friends to continue to fight this fight. For those about to take my life, God have mercy on your souls. And may God bless your souls."

The night before the cop's murder, as Davis and some friends left a pool party in Savannah the occupants of a passing vehicle allegedly hurled obscenities Davis and his friends. Someone in Davis' camp fired a bullet into the car, striking Michael Cooper in the face. Police say the shooter was Davis. After leaving the scene of the Savannah shooting, Davis and friend, Darrell Collins arrived at a Burger King Restaurant in Yamacraw where they saw Sylvester "Redd" Coles. Media reports state Coles was arguing with a homeless man over a beer.

It was here that MacPhail, a former Army Ranger and the son of a U.S. Army Colonel, was working a second job as a security guard. When the father of three observed the homeless man being pistol whipped and attempted to intervene, he was shot once in the heart and face. The man responsible for both the assault, and shooting death of officer MacPhail, was Davis, according to prosecutors.


MacPhail never drew his service revolver. The only evidence police recovered from the crime were bullets and shell casings, which were determined to have come from a .38-caliber pistol. At his trial, four witnesses, including Coles testified that it was Davis who beat the homeless man with a pistol and then shot MacPhail.

Despite many legal wranglings, several retraced statements and other questionable acts, Davis lost his battle, but said he hopes his family continues fighting to prove his innocence. Supporters of the condemned man even urged prison workers to stay home in an attempt to stop the execution. President Obama reportedly deflected calls requesting that he intervene on Davis' behalf, Yahoo News reported.

Ga. Executes Davis; Supporters Claim Injustice by associatedpress

Read Trial Proceedings Here

(Video) Martina Correia sister of Troy Davis