Reporter holiday ad deadlines, office closings
Due to the Christmas holiday on Thursday, Dec. 25, and New Year’s Day the following week, advertising and editorial deadlines for the Hudson Reporter newspapers have changed.
Instead of the regular Secaucus Reporter, North Bergen Reporter, Union City Reporter, West New York Reporter, Hoboken Reporter, Jersey City Reporter, and Weehawken Reporter for Sunday, Dec. 28, the Hudson Reporter will publish our annual countywide “Year in Review” on that date. That special edition will not contain letters to the editor. The classified and display advertising deadlines are Monday, Dec. 22, at 12 noon.
The offices of the Hudson Reporter newspapers will be closed Wednesday, Dec. 24 through Friday Dec. 26 in observance of the holiday. The office will reopen Monday, Dec. 29.
The following week, the offices will be closed Wednesday, Dec. 31 and Jan. 1, 2015, in observance of New Year’s Day. The office will reopen Friday, Jan. 2, 2015. Regular editions of the newspapers will be published on Jan. 4, 2015.
The classified advertising editorial deadline for all Sunday, Jan. 4, 2015 editions is Monday, Dec. 29 at 12 noon. The display advertising and editorial deadlines for the Sunday, Jan. 4, 2015 editions of the Secaucus Reporter, North Bergen Reporter, Union City Reporter, West New York Reporter, , and Weehawken Reporter are Monday, Dec. 29 at 12 noon. The display advertising and editorial deadlines for the Sunday, Jan. 4, 2015 editions of the Hoboken Reporter and Jersey City Reporter are Tuesday, Dec. 30 at 12 noon.
Keep up with breaking news at www.hudsonreporter.com. Happy holidays!
‘Conrail Boyz’ leader and nine others arrested in cargo train thefts
JERSEY CITY — Hudson County Acting Prosecutor Gaetano Gregory announced Friday that a highly sophisticated, multi-jurisdictional, cargo theft operation was dismantled this week when alleged members of the organization were arrested by the Hudson County Prosecutor’s Special Investigations Unit, Homeland Security Investigations, Norfolk Southern Railroad Police, and CSX Railroad Police.
The alleged leader of the group, Edward Mongon, 40, of Jersey City, is well known for his involvement in raiding cargo trains while leading the “Conrail Boyz” Gang more than a decade ago. Mongon was the subject of a television documentary later done depicting the activities of the enterprise.
The group is allegedly responsible for the theft of large amounts of merchandise taken from shipping containers on freight trains. The group, according to Gaetano, was well-studied in various train schedules and practices and utilized specific access points to CSX and Norfolk Southern rail lines throughout northern New Jersey. The group would allegedly profile certain shipping containers and cut the locks and cable seals off with various tools including bolt cutters. Once inside the containers, they would allegedly asses the type of cargo inside and either move on to another container seeking more valuable merchandise or begin unloading boxes for pick up, Gaetano said.
The containers of stationary train cars were often opened and parts of the shipment removed in a matter of minutes before the train would begin moving again. On other occasions, the group would allegedly unload goods as the train was moving, sometimes riding moving trains for miles.
The group allegedly stole merchandise including high end clothing, designer shoes, sneakers, watches, cologne, liquor, and electronics. They would allegedly load cargo vans with the stolen merchandise in dark, remote areas along the rail lines and then transport the goods to various storage garages and “fences” in Jersey City and North Bergen, Gaetano said.
Investigators tracked the group for nearly four months, following the stolen goods and monitoring deliveries to the fences. The fences would then distribute the goods to various customers, which included a variety store known as JRichard located in Paterson.
Investigators executed a number coordinated search and arrest warrants early this morning at locations in Hudson, Passaic, Morris, and Bergen Counties. During the searches, investigators seized large amounts of stolen property, which required a shipping container to transport, as well as sums of US currency.
Charged with being leaders of a cargo theft network, burglary, cargo theft, theft, and fencing were Mongon, John V. Forcum, 37, of Parsippany, and Elie Kammo, 30, of Union City. Charged with cargo theft, theft, and burglary (second degree) were Dion Groomes, 40, of Hoboken, and Denis Ford, 40, of Jersey City. Charged with theft, fencing, and receiving stolen property (second degree) were Marciano Vasquez, 63, of Jersey City, Amparo Diaz-Cruz, 45, of Jersey City, Andres Gonzalez, 56, of Cliffside Park, Ramy Darwiche, 25, of Jersey City, and Richard Gutierrez, 60, of Fairview.
The charged individuals have not yet entered a plea.
Former police dispatcher charged with murder
Kevin Montone, 34, of Jersey City, was charged last week with the Aug. 18 murder of his wife, Monica Montone, said Hudson County Acting Prosecutor Gaetano T. Gregory.
The Medical Examiner’s office concluded that the cause of death was asphyxia allegedly caused by her being strangled. Montone, a former civilian Jersey City police dispatcher, was arrested without incident at his home.
Originally, Montone was charged only with possession of heroin and intent to distribute within 1,000 feet of a school as a result of the original investigation. The son of a police sergeant, Montone was terminated by the city on Aug. 9, according to city spokesperson Jennifer Morrill.
Forbes is reported to be moving into its new digs in downtown Jersey City next week
Forbes Media announced last January it would move to Jersey City after receiving a $27.1 million grant from the New Jersey Economic Development Agency program, “Grow New Jersey.” Forbes will move out of its historic Greenwich Village facility to a building at 499 Washington Boulevard. The company estimates that this will bring about 350 jobs with a median wage of $80,000 to Jersey City.
“The Forbes announcement bringing 350 jobs to our city, on the very same day we broke ground for the tallest residential tower in the history of New Jersey, speaks to the great things happening in Jersey City and helps toward our goal to lead the state in private and construction job creation,” said Mayor Steven Fulop.
The new space in Jersey City will have 93,000 square feet in a 14-story building constructed in 2000.
The grant will span 10 years and the state estimates the positive impact on the local economy at about $72 million over 20 years.
Forbes is the publisher of a magazine best known for its lists of the world’s richest people.
Kids get Target gift certificate, go shopping with cops
Jersey City Police East District Police Officers have volunteered in the “Shop With A Cop” program at the Jersey City Target. As a result of donations of corporate sponsors and private individuals, officers were able to shop with 150 Jersey City children ranging in age from 4 to 14. Each child was given a $100 Target gift card and were able to purchase any items to make their Holiday wishes come true.
The event was sponsored primarily by Target, which holds events like these at Target stores in more than 200 communities across the country in November and December through the Heroes & Helpers program. Part of the Target & BLUE effort, the events pair police officers with in-need children for a day of holiday shopping, and a chance to form strong relationships in the process. Local law enforcement selects kids and families to participate, and the kids receive donated funds from Target and other local organizations, businesses and individuals to help them get gifts and other items they need.
Jersey City gets $2.25M Bloomberg grant to focus on crime, other mayoral priorities
Mayor Steven Fulop announced that Jersey City is one of 12 U.S. cities selected to participate in the $45 million expansion of Bloomberg Philanthropies’ Innovation Teams program. The i-teams program aims to improve the capacity of City Halls to design and implement new approaches that improve citizens’ lives – relying on data, open innovation, and strong project and performance management to help mayors address pressing urban challenges. Jersey City will receive up to $2.25 million to create an innovation team, or “i-team.”
Innovation teams function as in-house innovation consultants, moving from one mayoral priority to the next. Using Bloomberg Philanthropies’ tested Innovation Delivery approach, i-teams help agency leaders and staff through a data-driven process to assess problems, generate responsive new interventions, develop partnerships, and deliver measurable results.
In Jersey City, the new i-team will initially focus on violent crime, positive youth development, and economic development in commercial areas not located near the waterfront.