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TRENTON -- Gov.-elect Chris Christie and his transition aides are compiling plans to slash New Jersey state spending and state programs by as much as 25 percent in response to the continuous flow of dim financial news from the New Jersey Treasury Department, according to an internal document obtained by The Star-Ledger. Even before he takes office next month, his team is looking for programs that can be eliminated entirely and calling on state administrators to find untapped federal funds to cover whatever they possibly can.

NEWARK -- Among the more than 700 firearms turned in for cash at last week’s gun amnesty buyback program in Newark, East Orange and Irvington were: an M-16 assault rifle, a Streetsweeper rifle that resembles a "Tommy Gun" and shoots multiple shotgun shells, scores of revolvers, semi-automatic handguns, rifles and shotguns. Hundreds of the weapons were on display today during a news conference with Essex County Prosecutor Paula Dow, county Executive Joseph DiVincenzo, Newark Mayor Cory Booker and others on hand to tout the program’s success. "I think that the best thing money can buy is saving a life," Dow...

In this season given to tidings of comfort and joy, word has come that we New Yorkers are the sad sacks of the United States. This is something of a surprise. Sure, we complain a lot. Grumbling could qualify as the official state sport. But are we really the unhappiest of them all? It seems so, judging from a study by two economics professors, newly published in Science magazine. The academics — Andrew J. Oswald, of the University of Warwick in Britain, and Stephen Wu, of Hamilton College in Clinton, N.Y. — examined piles of data, tossed them into a...

18 states allow for recall votes on US Senators. The 18 states allowing for recall are as follows: Alaska, Arizona, California, Colorado, Georgia, Idaho, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nevada, New Jersey, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, Washington and Wisconsin. The Senate oath of office is: I do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well...

In a three-sentence press release e-mailed to the Verona-Cedar Grove Times last week, the Essex County Prosecutor's Office announced a gun buyback program. Today and tomorrow, residents who are in possession of illegal handguns can turn them in and receive up to $200 – no questions asked. It's the county's Gun Amnesty Buyback Program, held in high crime areas such as East Orange, Newark and Irvington. No such programs are being held in Verona or Cedar Grove, presumably because the crime rate is lower here and residents obtain their firearms the legal way, with permits. The programs are typically held...

TRENTON -- Gov.-elect Chris Christie is to begin introducing his cabinet today by announcing Essex County Prosecutor Paula Dow as the state's next attorney general, according to an official familiar with Christie's decision.

Her parents say a New Jersey elementary school teacher told a third-grader the Bible was inappropriate reading material for quiet time.

Gov.-elect Chris Christie is to begin introducing his cabinet today by announcing Essex County Prosecutor Paula Dow as the state's next attorney general, according to an official familiar with Christie's decision. Christie is scheduled to introduce Dow during a noon news conference at the Statehouse. Along with Dow, Christie has also selected three top assistants for the next AG. And he will be announcing that Dow's office in Trenton is to have a structure similar to the setup of the U.S. Attorney's Office that Christie ran for more than six years. The incoming governor has kept his personnel deliberations incredibly...

NEW BRUNSWICK -- Bruce Springsteen doesn't share Chris Christie's views on gay marriage and he won't play at the governor-elect's inauguration, but Christie says there's no hard feelings about the Boss' politics or his State Street freeze out.   "Obviously, two bad decisions on his part," Christie joked Monday after a meeting at Rutgers University with the leaders of several New Jersey colleges and universities. "Bruce and I don't agree on certain things politically -- big shock," the Republican added. "But it doesn't diminish at all my enjoyment of him as an artist and a performer."   For the record, Springsteen is...

The letter extols Giovanni DeMaio’s "love and understanding," his efforts to raise money for a young girl with cancer, his propensity for treating others "as he treats his own children." The gushing note was one of more than 90 written on behalf of DeMaio, a reputed organized crime associate facing sentencing for possessing a trove of illegal weapons. What caught the attention of federal prosecutors, however, was the name signed at the bottom: John Pinzone, police chief in the Bergen County community of Fairview. Odder still, prosecutors say: Pinzone didn’t mention he was dating DeMaio’s daughter. That omission drew an...

In research sponsored by the U.S. Department of Justice, in which almost 2,000 felons were interviewed, 34% of felons said they had been “scared off, shot at, wounded or captured by an armed victim" and 40% of these criminals admitted that they had been deterred from committing a crime out of fear that the potential victim was armed. Allowing law-abiding people to arm themselves offers more than piece of mind for those individuals -- it pays off for everybody through lower crime rates. Statistics from the FBI’s Uniformed Crime Report of 2007 .....

 TRENTON, NJ — The New Jersey Senate’s health committee on December 7 passed a bill that would require fluoride to be added to public water supplies throughout the state, The Star-Ledger reported December 8. Environmental advocates, utility companies and some parents object to the bill (A3709/S2856), which would require public and private water utilities to start adding fluoride within a year of the law’s enactment. Some lawmakers say the bill would be too costly to the consumer, yet the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee voted 6-0 with three abstentions to approve the bill. There are more than...

Zaarephath, N.J.—The line of patients usually forms long before the clinic doors are opened. This night is no different: Nearly 40 people are waiting for their turn with two volunteer doctors at a cottage turned clinic on the campus of a local church. Once inside one of two examining rooms at the Zarephath Health Center, the patients, many of them repeat customers, frequently utter the same two words: I'm miserable. There are Sabine, 51, who lost her job as manager of a craft store her first workday back from surgery, and Jessica, 22, who no longer can afford the $88...

CAPE MAY COURT HOUSE – The county plans to sell the home of a Dennis Township man, the subject of one of the largest stolen property scams in local history, according to Prosecutor Robert Taylor. Thomas Moran, 48, of Furlong Drive in South Seaville, was sentenced last month to six years in prison, part of a plea agreement for crimes in Cape May and Atlantic counties. “When you add up all the amounts, it’s a tremendous amount of money this man took,� said Taylor. “This is one the largest cases, if not the largest case, of this nature for this...

New Jersey Marriage Vote Canceled By DAVID KOCIENIEWSKI Published: December 9, 2009 TRENTON — The battle over a bill that would legalize gay marriage in New Jersey shifted locations unexpectedly late Wednesday as sponsors of the legislation canceled a vote scheduled for Thursday in the State Senate, where the measure appeared headed for defeat. The sponsors, Senators Raymond J. Lesniak and Loretta Weinberg, both Democrats, withdrew the bill from the agenda in the Senate session, saying they wanted to first allow a hearing in the General Assembly, where support for same-sex marriage is believed to be stronger. But opponents were...

Bruce Springsteen posted a statement on his Web site urging support of the gay marriage bill that's up for a vote in New Jersey's Senate on Thursday. Springsteen wrote that he's long believed in and has "always spoken out for the rights of same-sex couples." A state Senate committee approved the bill by one vote on Monday. Democrats concede the measure may fall short of the 21 votes needed to pass the Senate.

Electronic cigarettes look like the real thing. And in New Jersey, lawmakers want to treat them the same way. That's why the Assembly voted unanimously today to ban the sale of e-cigarettes to people under 19, and prohibit adults from smoking them at work and in public places. The Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee also gave unanimous backing to the legislation. E-cigarettes look like the actual cigarettes but don't contain tobacco. A metal tube with a battery heats up a nicotine solution allowing smokers to breathe in vapor. They have not been approved by the Food and...

MYFOXNY.COM - A vote to legalize marriage for same-sex couples in New Jersey has been postponed. Fox 5 News has learned that Democrats backing the measure don't have the votes they need to pass it. The bill is being sent to the Assembly Judiciary Committee instead to move toward a vote in the lower house. The Senate vote was expected to take place on Thursday. It would have been the first time lawmakers in New Jersey had voted on the issue. The Senate Judiciary Committee approved the bill 7-6 late on Monday night. Lawmakers took the committee vote after nearly...

NJ Vote on Gay Marriage Could Shape Battles Ahead REUTERS December 9, 2009 TRENTON (Reuters) - The legalization of same-sex marriage faces a critical test in New Jersey this week that advocates on each side of the controversial issue argue will shape the fate of gay-marriage battles across the nation. If the proposal to legalize gay marriage passes the state Senate vote on Thursday, New Jersey could be on its way to joining five other U.S. states that allow gay couples to wed. Advocates hope to pass the bill in the legislature so Governor Jon Corzine, a supporter, can sign...

Trenton, N.J., Dec 8, 2009 / 07:32 am (CNA).- As the New Jersey legislature considers whether to recognize same-sex “marriage” before a sympathetic governor leaves office, the New Jersey Catholic Conference has testified that the “great truth” about marriage as a union of husband and wife is not a religious doctrine but “a fact of human nature.”The New Jersey Senate Judiciary Committee on Monday was open for an expected six hours of testimony on the proposal.Patrick Brannigan, executive director of the New Jersey Catholic Conference (NJCC), sent to CNA a copy of the testimony he intended to deliver before...

The current treatment of young-age creationists in the scientific community and society at large is unfair and unwise. Scientists and philosophers of science, including old-age creationists and naturalists, should respect youngage creationists as legitimate contributors to science. Young-age creationists offer to the current origins science establishment a competing rational viewpoint that will augment fruitful scientific investigation through increased accountability for scientists, introduction of original hypotheses and general epistemic improvement...

·11250 Waples Mill Road ·   Fairfax, Virginia 22030    ·800-392-8683   New Jersey: Two Gun Bills Move Out of Committee!   Friday, December 04, 2009   On December 3rd the New Jersey Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee heard A4308, A4304, and A4301. Thanks to your calls the New Jersey Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee decided to hold A4308 until bill language can be agreed upon. The Committee also voted unanimously to approve A4304, clarifying the original language by exempting the “transfer of handguns among licensed retail dealers, registered wholesale dealers and registered manufacturers; or transfers of handguns from any person...

We converged on the House of Representatives in November with our Congressional House Calls – both in Washington, D.C. and their home districts – to let them know we don’t want this brand of health reform. We want reform that puts patients first. That bill passed by an extremely narrow margin, showing Congress is divided on this issue. Now the fight has turned to the Senate, and it’s down to the wire. We face hundreds of billions in escalating costs, new taxes, and government-forced health insurance backed by penalties of fines and jail time. We face the possibility of spending...

In one week, President Barack Obama will travel to Copenhagen, Denmark for the United Nations (UN) Climate Change Conference. It is almost certain the President will commit the United States to an energy rationing scheme that makes us accountable to U.N. bureaucrats, kills jobs here, dramatically raises the price of gasoline and electricity, and infringes on our personal and national freedoms -- all in the name of an unproven radical global warming ideology. As part of Americans for Prosperity’s ongoing Hot Air Tour, we will be hosting a viewing party in King of Prussia, Pennsylvania at the Radisson Hotel Valley...

Dear Friends of Marriage, On Monday, at 1pm, the New Jersey Senate Judiciary Committee will hold a hearing and vote on same-sex marriage. If passed out of committee, the bill could be voted on by the full Senate as early as Thursday.Please make time to call the Senate Judiciary Committee members today. And if there’s any way you can make time to attend the hearing on Monday, your presence will be GREATLY appreciated!Our opponents are organizing “the most massive crowd ever.” They know this is a do or die moment for same-sex marriage in New Jersey — at least for...

 Click here to send your NJ legislators a message. NJCCTake action here for NJ and here for other states  National Organization for MarriageVote NO in this survey  Leader Newspapers, it's also important that you vote here because this paper is in the district of the state senator in charge of the Judiciary Committee, Sen. Paul Sarlo, a 4th-degree member of the Knights of Columbus who is in favor of Embryonic Stem Cell Research, Civil Unions and not too sure about homosexual marriage.  The heat is on.  E-mail Sen. Sarlo HERE Should New Jersey legislators legalize same-sex marriages? Yes 98.24% (4814)...

Senate Democrats will offer an amendment this weekend to curb the pay of executives at health insurance companies that benefit from federal subsidies, fueling the growing feud with the powerful industry. Sens. Blanche Lincoln (D-Ark.), Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) and Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) have sponsored an amendment that would prohibit health insurance companies from deducting more than $400,000 in executive compensation per individual. The cap would apply to companies that earned 25 percent or more of their income from Americans who buy insurance from government-created exchanges.

"LAMBERTVILLE: Restaurant owner jailed on attempted homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault and other charges" 14 May 2009 | Uncategorized LAMBERTVILLE — SNIPPET: "Khalid Altawarh, 36, who also goes by the name David Shookby, took the woman’s Jeep Wrangler and fled the scene when she escaped into the arms of a friend who had stopped by to see if she was all right. She had failed to show up for work that morning, May 8, police said. Plumstead Township, Pa., police Chief Duane E. Hasenauer said Mr. Altawarh has been charged with attempted homicide, rape, robbery, aggravated assault and other related...

Members of Blessed John Paul II Chapter Knights of Columbus joined by their Chaplain, Monsignor Michael T. Mannion, National Life Center president and founder, Denise Cocciolone, and other friends of the NLC celebrated the groundbreaking of the Knights of Columbu NLC ultrasound project. The 882-square-foot, two-story addition to the NLC building at 686 N. Broad St. in Woodbury will provide space for an ultrasound exam room, a handicapped accessible bathroom, an exterior concrete ramp, additional office space, and much needed storage space for items to assist babies and young mothers. Monsignor Mannion blessed the addition and the staff from NLC...

Gay rights activists in New Jersey pressing lawmakers to approve a same-sex marriage law while there is still a governor in office who would sign it won assurances Thursday that the legislation would be posted for a vote. Sen. Paul Sarlo, chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said he would keep a promise to gay marriage proponents by posting the marriage equality act on Monday. But, he said he'd vote against the bill, underscoring the proposal's uncertain outcome. Senate President Richard Codey said he'd bring the bill to the full Senate next Thursday — if it clears Judiciary. A similar...

Wade Rathke, founder of the much besieged and scandal-plagued activist group ACORN, will be speaking at a Blue Wave NJ event this Saturday (12/5) in Montclair. From Blue Wave's website: Learn about the history of the organization and its massive voter registration drives and why the organization became the target of Fox News and other right-wing commentators. Participate in a frank discussion on the organization's recent scandals and possible lessons for other community organizations and concerned citizens that want to build a strong progressive movement. The event will be moderated by longtime ACORN chronicler John Atlas, who has a book...

Senator Frank R. Lautenberg (D-NJ) yesterday introduced a new measure, ostensibly designed to assist law enforcement in tracking gun purchases by suspected terrorists. Critics, however, suggest that it is yet another measure aimed at the eventual total disarmament of all law-abiding Americans. In a press release issued yesterday, Senator Lautenberg's office described the act that he calls the PROTECT Act. This is by no means the first Act of Congress named by that acronym. The current measure's full title is "Preserving Records Of TErrorist and Criminal Transactions." However, the only transactions that the measure is designed to preserve are gun...

NJ Democratic legislators are busying themselves this holiday season with a last minute attempt to tie the hands of incoming Republican governor Chris Christie. From the moment the votes were counted on Election Day, these folks have been foaming at the mouth about how “important” and “urgent” it was that this bill get passed before Jon “Speedy” Corzine leaves office. At issue is the way in which the NJ governor deals with a potential U.S. senate vacancy. Under the current system, the governor can appoint a replacement for the open seat or call a special election. Or both. The new...

General Growth Properties Inc. said Wednesday that it has filed its reorganization plan, and its lenders have agreed to restructure about $9.7 billion in shopping mall mortgage loans, more than previously planned. Last month the mall operator, which earlier this year filed the largest U.S. real estate bankruptcy case in history... The company had about $27 billion in debt piled up at the time. General Growth, based in Chicago, is the second-largest U.S. mall operator.

I'm sure many folks here got the last minute email from either the NRA, ANJRPC, or both; New Jersey Firearms Task Force Legislation Sticks it to Honest Gun Owners - Again! Please Immediately Call Members of the Assembly Law & Public Safety Committee On Thursday, December 3 at 2:00 pm in State House Annex Room 12, the New Jersey Assembly Law and Public Safety Committee will hold a hearing on three bills of importance to New Jersey's law-abiding gun owners. It is important that members of the Assembly Law & Public Safety Committee hear from you on Thursday. A4308 and...

just got this info and wanted to Pass it on to my fellow Patriots. Please tell everyone you know about this rally please. We have to stop this madness. December 1, 2009 Exclusive: Rally in Foley Square: Stop the Terror Trial in NYC! The Editors For Americans angry about the decision to try terrorists in civilian court, the chance to make our voices heard has arrived. A rally will take place on Saturday, December 5th at Foley Square in New York City to protest the administration’s decision to try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed (KSM) and four other masterminds behind the 9/11...

If you are fed up with Barack Obama and Eric Holder’s constant attacks on what is good and right about America come to New York City’s Foley Square Federal Courthouse on this Saturday December 5, 2009 at 12 noon and let your voice be heard. The “Stop The Terror Trial in NYC Rally” is being sponsored by TEA Party 365 and the 9/11 Never Forget Coalition. Those on hand beside the 9/11 Families will be brother and sister New York City Firefighters and Police Officers representing the 343 Firefighters and 40 Police Officers who died that day. Moreover there will...

SOURCES: N.J. Gay Marriage Vote Planned for Thursday Matt Rooney | December 2, 2009 According to Save Jersey sources, N.J. Senate Democrats plan to hold a gay marriage vote next Thursday. Expect a session vote on Monday. The rationale? Gay marriage faces a steep uphill climb in the legislature, but Democrat leaders may feel the need to appease powerful liberal constituencies within their own party. Ahead of next Thursday's vote, Republican support is solidifying against a gay marriage provision. From the New Jersey Family Policy Council: New Jersey Family Policy Council Founder & President, Len Deo issued the following statement...

MAHWAH — An assistant pastor at a Mahwah church has been arrested, accused of sexually assaulting an underage girl on at least three occasions about six years ago, authorities said. Curtis Franklin, 44, of Mahwah was taken into custody on Tuesday, a day after the victim reported the alleged abuse to police, said John L. Molinelli, the Bergen County Prosecutor. Molinelli declined to give a detailed account of the alleged abuse, saying only that it occurred at a residence in Mahwah. Franklin is the assistant pastor at the Mahwah Full Gospel Church on Grove Street. Molinelli said Franklin met the...

Get ready for more appointment drama, because Democrats in New Jersey want to strip Gov.-elect Chris Christie (R) of the right to appoint a Republican to a Senate vacancy. The proposal is significant because 85-year-old Sen. Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.) has five years left in his term (not to mention the fact that he has already retired once). Those close to Lautenberg insist he's as driven and vibrant as ever, but Democrats are privately worried it could put them in a situation where Christie would fill a vacancy with a member of the GOP. State assembly Majority Whip John McKeon (D)...

The purpose of the Christmas holiday is to celebrate the birth of Christ. Yet, the U.S. Third Circuit Court of Appeals has upheld the Maple-South Orange school district’s ban on all religious Christmas music including instrumentals, which had been part of the school district Christmas program for years — until one parent complained. In the ruling the Third Circuit approved the school policy that prohibits Christmas selections such as “Silent Night,” “Joy to the World,” “Oh, Come All Ye Faithful,” and “Hark the Herald Angels Sing.” However, the Third Circuit approved concert selections of “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer” and “Frosty...

www.catholicnewsagency.com N.J. bishops encourage faithful to stand up for marriage Archbishop John Myers of Newark / Bishop William Skurla of Passaic Newark, N.J., Nov 30, 2009 / 07:31 pm (CNA).- The New Jersey bishops asked pastors to read a statement to their parishioners last weekend which explained the Catholic Church's teaching on marriage and encouraged the faithful to pray that New Jersey will not pass a same-sex “marriage” measure.  Same-sex “marriage” advocates are working to put the bill before the current governor who has promised to sign it before he leaves office in January. His successor has promised to...

Dobbs Says He Now Backs Amnesty Wednesday, November 25, 2009 By: Dan Weil In a little-noticed interview last week, Lou Dobbs announced that he now supports amnesty for the estimated 12 million illegal immigrants living in the United States Since he left his job as a CNN commentator two weeks ago, Dobbs’ has been bandied about as a Senate candidate in New Jersey. And now he is indicating that he might run for president. But Dobbs became famous for his strong views on illegal immigration and foreign trade. Now that he’s a would-be politician, those views appear to be softening....

DALI, China — Justin Franchi Solondz, an environmental activist from New Jersey who spent four years evading charges of ecoterrorism in the United States by hiding out in this backpacker haven, was convicted by a Chinese court on Friday of manufacturing drugs. After serving a three-year sentence, Mr. Solondz, 30, who is on the F.B.I.’s most wanted list, will be deported to the United States, where he faces charges stemming from what the authorities say was his role in an arson rampage that destroyed buildings in three western states as a member of a group related to the environmental extremist...

DALI, China — Justin Franchi Solondz, an environmental activist from New Jersey who spent years evading charges of ecoterrorism in the United States by hiding out in China, was sentenced to three years in prison by a local court on Friday on charges of manufacturing drugs in this backpacker haven. After serving his time, Mr. Solondz, 30, who is on the F.B.I.’s wanted list, will be deported to the United States, where he faces charges stemming from what the authorities say was his role in an arson rampage that destroyed buildings in three western states as a member of a...

Note: The following text is a quote: Department of Justice Office of Public Affairs FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASEMonday, November 23, 2009 Arrests Made in Case Involving Conspiracy to Procure Weapons, Including Anti-Aircraft Missiles Arrests were made today in a case involving a conspiracy to procure weapons, including anti-aircraft missiles. A criminal complaint, unsealed today, charged Dani Nemr Tarraf with conspiring to acquire anti-aircraft missiles (FIM-92 Stingers) and conspiring to possess machine guns (approximately 10,000 Colt M4 Carbines). In addition, Tarraf and other defendants — including Douri Nemr Tarraf, Hassan Mohamad Komeiha, and Hussein Ali Asfour — were charged with conspiring to...

Catholic bishops in the state are instructing priests to read or distribute a letter this weekend asking Catholics to pray that lawmakers in New Jersey not allow same-sex marriage in New Jersey.It remains unclear whether legislators will vote on the issue during the current lame-duck session. Gov. John Corzine favors same-sex marriage, but Gov.-elect Chris Christie opposes it, and supporters realize that unless it passes before Christie assumes office, prospects of passage in the foreseeable future would be bleak.The bishops’ letter restates Catholic teachings that marriage should be allowed only between a man and a woman. It says prayer is...

The state-to-state attempt to legalize gay marriage across the left-leaning Northeast has lost more momentum since a setback three weeks ago at the ballot box in Maine. Since then, legislatures in New York and New Jersey have declined to schedule long-expected votes on bills to recognize the unions in those states. "If they are unable to pass gay marriage in New York and New Jersey, combined with the loss in Maine, it will confirm that gay marriage is not the inevitable wave of the future," said Maggie Gallagher, president of the National Organization for Marriage, which mobilizes social conservatives to...

The Lou Dobbs-for-Senate rumor had barely crested when the Lou Dobbs-for-president rumor suddenly overtook it this week. Mr. Dobbs, the former cable television anchor of the sonorous voice and tough-talking immigration politics, parted ways with CNN on Nov. 11, reportedly receiving an $8 million severance payment, and immediately stirred questions about his plans. His name was quickly floated as a potential challenger in 2012 to United States Senator Robert Menendez, the New Jersey Democrat, an ardent advocate for immigrants’ rights and the chamber’s only Hispanic member. (Mr. Dobbs, 64, lives on a horse farm in rural Wantage, N.J.) Then, on...

The two men haven't seen each other since the Soviet Army liberated Ostra Mogila, Poland, in 1944A Holocaust survivor and the Polish Christian who risked his life to save him are especially grateful this Thanksgiving season: The two men were reunited for the first time in 65 years. Joseph Bonder, 81, went to John F. Kennedy International Airport on Wednesday afternoon to welcome Bronislaw Firuta, 83, from Wroclaw, Poland. "My dear, beloved Joseph, we both outlived Stalin and Hitler, and I can't believe we are here today," said Firuta as the two men embraced in an airport press room, recognizing...