Category Archives: New Jersey News

A Union County, New Jersey, man admitted today to conspiring to commit bank fraud by soliciting U.S. Postal Service (USPS) employees to steal check books from the mail and depositing fraudulent checks. Brian Previlon, 28, of Elizabeth, New Jersey, pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Kevin McNulty to an information charging him withContinue reading “Elizabeth man says he conspired with Postal Service employees to commit bank fraud”

Bayer-Monsanto announced today that the company will no longer sell glyphosate-based herbicides to U.S. consumers as of 2023, following a costly litigation battle over their cancer-causing weed killers. Friends of the Earth and allies have been campaigning to remove Roundup and other glyphosate-based weedkillers from garden retailers based on science linking glyphosate to cancer and other serious health concerns as well asContinue reading “Bayer will stop selling cancer-causing herbicide in Roundup to U.S. consumers”

Billions of dollars in climate spending have been cut from the bipartisan infrastructure deal agreed to by the White House, drawing fire from critics who say much more is needed to repair the environment to address climate crisis, provide economic justice and create good jobs for American workers. Described as a $1 trillion package, theContinue reading “‘Pathetic’ infrastructure deal reduces climate rescue”

A state grand jury has voted not to file any criminal charges at the conclusion of its deliberations regarding the death of Jamahl Smith, 46, of Newark, N.J., who was fatally shot in July 2019 by an officer of the Orange Police Department. Orange Police responding to a violent domestic incident that involved a manContinue reading “No charges against Orange Police in fatality”

Representative Carolyn Bourdeaux (D-GA) introduced a bill that would close the Medicaid coverage gap and ensure over 2.2 million uninsured people in 12 states can access health coverage. The bill, a companion to one proposed by Senators Raphael Warnock, Jon Ossoff and Baldwin, would create a federal direct coverage option to people with incomes atContinue reading “Closing Medicaid coverage gap may aid 2.2 million uninsured Americans”

Tuesday was the first day of the long-awaited trial of the Roman Catholic cardinal who was once a close ally of Pope Francis is on trial in the Vatican, accused of misusing Church funds in a ruinous London property venture. Cardinal Angelo Becciu, 73, is the most senior cleric in modern times to face trialContinue reading “Trial begins in Vatican financial scandal”

The National Cyber Scholarship Foundation (NCSF) awarded 63 New Jersey high school students with the coveted “National Cyber Scholar” designation following its 48-hour National Cyber Scholarship (NCS) competition. The annual nationwide event for high school students is designed to evaluate aptitude in combating cyber threats and encourage them to become part of the next generationContinue reading “63 New Jersey high school students named “National Cyber Scholar””

The Port Authority has added at least 220 electric vehicles to its light duty fleet, marking a significant milestone in the agency’s efforts to electrify 50 percent of the fleet by 2030 and underscoring the agency’s commitment to sustainability. “It’s a huge accomplishment,” said Kevin Niranjan, an auto engineer with the agency. “We still have more to go but we plan on having, atContinue reading “Port Authority now has 220 electric vehicles”

The Biden administration is making a new push to expand business ties between U.S. companies and Africa, with a focus on clean energy, health, agribusiness and transportation infrastructure on the continent. The diplomatic and economic outreach is a stark change from the isolationist policies that allowed China and Europe to gain influence across the continentContinue reading “United States sent $199 million to Somalia”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommended that vaccinated Americans wear masks indoors in certain circumstances, citing the highly transmissible delta variant of the coronavirus. The new guidance reverses the CDC’s May 13 recommendation that vaccinated people did not have to wear masks indoors or outside because of the protection afforded by coronavirus vaccines.Continue reading “CDC says vaccinated people should resume wearing masks”

US Capitol Police Sergeant Aquilino Gonell battled an angry mob at the Capitol building in January, but today he broke down in tears as he told a panel investigating the attempted coup d’état that he has lingering physical difficulties caused by the attack, as well as emotional traumas associated with that day. Sergeant Harry Dunn,Continue reading “Police testify in probe of attempted January 6 coup d’état at the US Capitol”

An Atlantic County man who was previously employed by the New Jersey Department of Child Protection and Permanency (NJDCP&P) was sentenced today to 250 months in prison for producing images of child sexual abuse, but there is ple. Kayan Frazier, 29, previously pleaded guilty by videoconference before U.S. District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez to oneContinue reading “Child protection specialist gets 20 years in prison for child sexual abuse pornography”

Frito-Lay workers in Topeka voted to ratify a 2-year contract, ending their 3-week strike with a contract that guarantees one day off a week and does away with requirement to work so-called “suicide shifts,” which involve 12-hour stretchs with just 8 hours in between. “BCTGM Local 218 members employed at Frito Lay in Topeka, KansasContinue reading “Frito-Lay workers ended a 20-day strike in Kansas after winning one day off per week”

The Port Authority of New York and New Jersey and South Jersey Port Corporation will share $53 million from the U.S Department of Transportation (USDOT). Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg announced that the Biden-Harris administration is awarding $905.25 million to 24 projects in 18 states under the Infrastructure for Rebuilding America (INFRA) discretionary grant program. TheContinue reading “Transportation funds heading to New Jersey”

About 600,000 Americans have died of COVID-19 since the coronavirus outbreak began. But behind that huge figure is a more nuanced one that brings the human toll of the virus into even sharper relief. In addition to the overall number of deaths from a given cause, researchers can estimate the number of “life years” lost due toContinue reading “COVID-19 cost Americans more years of life in 2020 than all accidents in a typical year”

Late civil rights icon Emmett Louis Till’s 80th birthday is Sunday, July 25th and to commemorate it, New Jersey’s leading progressive Democrat will read the names of America citizens who were killed while Till is the black Chicago teen who was brutally tortured and murdered by white racists Roy Bryant and J. W. Milam inContinue reading “Emmett Till’s 80th birthday”

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is announcing a stewardship program to encourage the voluntary withdrawal of previously granted low volume exemptions (LVEs) for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS). PFAS are toxic chemicals known that have been in the news for the last several years due to their harmful health impacts and widespread contamination ofContinue reading “EPA seeks voluntary exemption surrenders”

The Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC) announced last week that it will propose rescinding the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) rule issued by the Trump administration in May 2020, reversing changes that were widely criticized by investors, financial institutions and community advocates. The OCC said it is committed to working with the FederalContinue reading “Biden team untangling Trump econo-mess”