Alleged acomplice rejects plea, will now stand trial
Krystal Riordan, the remaining co-defendant in the Jennifer Moore murder case, turned down a plea deal last week.
Riordan and her co-defendant Draymond Coleman, 38, were charged with the 2006 murder of Jennifer Moore, 18, of Bergen County, in the now-defunct Park Avenue Hotel in Weehawken. The teenager’s body was then stuffed in a suitcase and dumped in a West New York garbage container.
Coleman pleaded guilty last month and incriminated Riordan in his statement. He now faces up to 50 years in prison when he is sentenced on May 6.
In addition to murder, Riordan is also charged with tampering with evidence, hindering apprehension, and prostitution. Under the plea deal, those charges would have been dropped.
Riordan, a 24-year-old from New York, might have been released within 10 years if she had pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter and kidnapping, but she will now face a trial that will begin on June 8.
Township clerk reminds voters to register
The Township Clerk’s office will be open from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. on April 19 and 20 for voters’ registration. The last day to register to vote for the upcoming municipal elections, which will take place on May 11, is April 20. Mayor Turner and a slate of commissioners are running unopposed to keep their seats.
Woman’s club hosts a pub
The Woman’s Club of Weehawken will be holding a new event, “Pub Night,” on May 1 in St. Lawrence Parish Center at 7 p.m. The donation price of $35 per person includes a night of trivia contests, beer, wine, soda, delicious pub food and desserts.
All proceeds from the evening will go to local area charities supported by the Woman’s Club. For tickets or information please contact Eileen at (201) 965-1408 or Elizabeth at (201) 867-8033. Interested participants can also email eiltur@optonline.net, hollyp@optonline.net or michellejperry@verizon.net.
NJ Transit fares going up, but some good news
Last week, NJ Transit’s board of directors approved far increases and service cuts throughout the system. However, some increases that had been planned were scaled back.
Rail fares will go up by 25 percent, while bus and light rail fares will see a 10 percent increase.
The cuts and fare hikes are part of the transit agency’s plan to close a $300 million deficit. About 200 transit employees also will be terminated under the budget-cutting measure.
The changes, which will take effect on May 1, will generate about $140 million in revenue, according to a statement from NJ Transit.
Fundraiser to be held for Autism Awareness
Hudson County Community College’s Beta Alpha Phi chapter of the Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society will hold a luncheon, “Raise Your Fork Against Autism,” on April 24 from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. at 161 Newkirk St. in the College’s Culinary Arts Institute/Conference Center. New Jersey has the highest autism rate in the country.
All proceeds will benefit the nonprofit organization, Autism New Jersey. Founded in 1965, the organization provides several services, awareness building, and community outreach partnerships.
For more information on Beta Alpha Phi’s “Raise Your Fork Against Autism Luncheon” and to secure tickets, please contact the Hudson County Community College Foundation office at (201) 360-4006 or email Dr. Lloyd Kahn at lkahn@hccc.edu.