147
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News & Events -
Somerset County
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Written by Carmine DeMarco
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Tuesday, July 6, 2010 11:22 am |
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 With temperatures expected to reach nearly 100 on Tuesday and Wednesday, the New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) urges residents to take steps to avoid heat exhaustion and heat stroke.
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146
(1 vote, average 5.00 out of 5)
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News & Events -
Somerset County
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Written by Somerset County NOW
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Tuesday, June 22, 2010 11:35 pm |
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 Everyone loves being outside in the summer, and whether you are vacationing at the Jersey Shore, biking in a state park, or just relaxing in your backyard, you need to safeguard you and your family from West Nile virus.
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145
(1 vote, average 5.00 out of 5)
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News & Events -
Beyond Somerset
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Written by Carmine DeMarco
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Tuesday, June 8, 2010 11:32 am |
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NEWARK, N.J. – A Newark, New Jersey man who ran a prostitution business that operated in Newark, Irvington, Elizabeth, and Atlantic City, New Jersey, pleaded guilty yesterday to sex trafficking and firearms charges, United States Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Kasiem Brown, 36, of Newark, New Jersey pleaded guilty before United States Senior District Judge Joseph H. Rodriguez to two counts of an Indictment: sex trafficking of a minor girl by force, fraud, and coercion (Count Two), and conspiring to deal in firearms without a license (Count 19).
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, Brown operated an illegal prostitution business in New Jersey and elsewhere from July 2005 to October 11, 2006. During his plea hearing, Brown admitted to recruiting, enticing, harboring, providing, obtaining, and transporting seven minor girls and nine adult women victims to various cities within New Jersey to engage in prostitution.
Brown transported the girls and women to various venues to engage in prostitution for him, including strip clubs, sex parties in private homes, and various "tracks", locations known for prostitution activity.
Brown also admitted that he forced his victims to engage in prostitution by force – including by hitting, kicking, punching, beating them with belts, and sexual violence. He took the money the girls and women made and in turn, provided them with housing, food, clothing, cell phones, hotel rooms, and all other items necessary to work as prostitutes. Brown also stated that he obtained and provided false and fraudulent identification documents to the girls and women.
Brown said at his plea proceeding that at various times during the period from July 2003 to October 11, 2006, he illegally possessed firearms in order to protect himself, his victims, and the cash proceeds generated from his prostitution business. He also admitted to paying for 13 firearms in Alabama using two different straw purchasers, and transporting the firearms to New Jersey.
At sentencing, Brown faces 20 years in prison, lifetime supervised release, registration as a sex offender, restitution, forfeiture, and the notice to victims of his offense.
Brown is detained pending sentencing, scheduled for September 21, 2010, at 11:00 a.m.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited special agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation's Atlantic City Resident Agency, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael B. Ward in Newark, and special agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) Newark Field Division, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Matthew W. Horace, for the investigation leading to today’s guilty plea. He also thanked special agents of the ATF Atlanta Field Division, the ATF Nashville Field Division, and officers from the numerous local police departments who assisted in the investigation – including the Egg Harbor Township Police Department, Atlantic City Police Department, East Orange Police Department, Newark Police Department, Irvington Police Department, and Elizabeth Police Department.
The Government is represented by Assistant U.S. Attorneys Diana Carrig and Deborah Prisinzano Mikkelsen of the United States Attorney's Office Criminal Division in Camden.
 NEWARK, N.J. – A Newark, New Jersey man who ran a prostitution business that operated in Newark, Irvington, Elizabeth, and Atlantic City, New Jersey, pleaded guilty yesterday to sex trafficking and firearms charges, United States Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
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144
(1 vote, average 5.00 out of 5)
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News & Events -
Beyond Somerset
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Written by Carmine DeMarco
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Monday, June 7, 2010 3:41 pm |
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PLAINFIELD, N.J. – The former operations manager of a transfer and recycling station in Plainfield, New Jersey was sentenced today to five months in prison and five months of home confinement for violating the Travel Act in connection with a commercial bribery scheme which yielded him more than $30,000 in cash bribe payments, United States Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Michael A. Mongelli, 52, of New Hyde Park, New York, pleaded guilty on February 16, 2010, before United States District Judge Dickinson R. Debevoise to a one-count criminal Information charging him with traveling and causing travel in interstate commerce to promote and facilitate the commercial bribery scheme. Judge Debevoise also imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court.
According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court, in his capacity as the operations manager of the transfer and recycling station, Mongelli had the authority to contract with hauling companies that would dispose of waste and other materials for recycling and transfer. From October 2007 to February 2009, Mongelli repeatedly accepted cash payments from an individual who was contracted to transport recyclable material and waste from the transfer station to an incineration facility in Pennsylvania.
Mongelli stated during his plea that the payments started at approximately $20 per load transported and graduated to approximately $100 per load. In exchange for these payments, Mongelli ensured that the individual continued to receive hauling business from the transfer station where Mongelli was employed.
In total, Mongelli admitted that he received in excess of $30,000 in cash payments from the individual over time.
In addition to the prison term, Judge Debevoise ordered Mongelli to serve two years of supervised release and pay a fine of $25,000.
Fishman credited Special Agents of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Michael B. Ward, for the investigation leading to today’s sentence. The Government was represented by Assistant U.S. Attorney Christopher J. Gramiccioni of the U.S. Attorney’s Office Special Prosecutions Division in Newark.
UNION COUNTY NEWS LOCATION: Plainfield NJ, Plainfield New Jersey
 PLAINFIELD, N.J. – The former operations manager of a transfer and recycling station in Plainfield, New Jersey was sentenced today to five months in prison and five months of home confinement for violating the Travel Act in connection with a commercial bribery scheme which yielded him more than $30,000 in cash bribe payments, United States Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
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142
(1 vote, average 5.00 out of 5)
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News & Events -
Beyond Somerset
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Written by Carmine DeMarco
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Sunday, June 6, 2010 10:27 am |
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NEWARK, N.J. – Two New Jersey men have been arrested and charged in a federal criminal complaint with conspiring to kill, maim, and kidnap persons outside the United States, United States Attorney Paul J. Fishman, Newark Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Michael B. Ward, New York Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly, and New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness (OHSP) Director Charles B. McKenna announced today.
The defendants – United States citizens Mohamed Mahmood Alessa, 20, of North Bergen, New Jersey, and Carlos Eduardo Almonte, 24, of Elmwood Park, New Jersey – were taken into custody at JFK International Airport in New York on Saturday, where they intended to take separate flights to Egypt on their way to Somalia to join designated Foreign Terrorist Organization Al Shabaab and wage violent jihad.
Waiting for the defendants at the airport was a law enforcement team holding arrest warrants issued by the United States District Court in Newark.
Al Shabaab is tied to Osama bin Laden's Al Qaeda terroristic network.
The defendants are expected to appear on Monday, June 7, 2010, at 11:00 a.m. before United States Magistrate Judge Madeline Cox Arleo in Newark federal court.
According to the Complaint unsealed today, in October 2006, the FBI received a tip concerning the defendants' activities. As the investigation continued, an NYPD Intelligence Division undercover officer recorded numerous meetings and conversations with them, during which the defendants discussed and prepared to carry out their plan.
Those preparations included saving thousands of dollars, physically conditioning themselves, engaging in paintball and other tactical training, acquiring military gear and apparel for use overseas, and purchasing airline tickets to Egypt with the intent to then travel to Somalia.
The defendants also discussed their obligation to wage violent jihad and at times expressed a willingness to commit acts of violence in the United States. For example, on November 29, 2009, Alessa stated to Almonte and the UC: "They only fear you when you have a gun and when you – when you start killing them, and when you – when you take their head, and you go like this, and you behead it on camera . . . We'll start doing killing here, if I can't do it over there [Italics indicate translation]."
The next day, Alessa stated to the undercover officer: "I leave this time, God Willing, I never come back. I'll never see this crap hole. Only way I would come back here is if I was in the land of jihad and the leader ordered me to come back here and do something here. Ah, I love that."
On April 25, 2010, Almonte stated that there would soon be American troops in Somalia, which was good because it would not be as gratifying to kill only Africans.
The defendants also watched and played for the undercover officer numerous video and audio recordings that promoted violent jihad, including lectures by Anwar al-Awlaki and videos featuring attacks by Al Shabaab and other terrorist groups.
U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman stated: "This case demonstrates the seriousness with which our Office and our law enforcement partners regard those who seek to join the ranks of violent extremists. When Alessa and Almonte schemed to engage in violent jihad, we were listening. When they attempted to leave the country, we were waiting. We will continue to be vigilant and to protect against terrorism no matter where its adherents intend to do harm."
Special Agent in Charge Michael B. Ward said, "This case exemplifies the close coordination of resources between the New Jersey JTTF and NYPD Intel. During the course of this investigation, the subjects were confirmed to be committed individuals with operational intent. Their planned travel overseas to link with a Foreign Terrorist Organization precipitated their arrests."
"I want to commend United States Attorney Paul J. Fishman and his assistants, along with the Newark JTTF and our other Federal and New Jersey partners who worked closely with the NYPD’s Intelligence Division in this important case. As in gun trafficking and narcotics investigations, the NYPD cannot acknowledge publicly individual undercover police officers who have infiltrated suspects. Nonetheless, we are indebted to them. Even when individuals plan to support terrorist activity abroad, we remain concerned that once they reach their foreign destinations they may be redirected against targets back home, as we've seen in the past. We are also concerned that should they remain undetected and fail in their foreign aspirations that they might strike domestically, as was discussed as a possibility in this case. The New York City Police Department has long been concerned about the threat posed by individuals radicalized in the United States, and welcomes its emphasis in the President's National Security Strategy published last month," said Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly.
"The radicalization of our youth, like gang recruitment, is real and continues to pose concerns," said Director Charles B. McKenna. "We must be vigilant in stopping our young men and women from being co-opted and trained to do us harm."
If convicted of the charge, the defendants face a maximum potential penalty of life in prison.
U.S. Attorney Fishman praised the work of the FBI and Newark Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF), the NYPD, and the New Jersey OHSP in conducting the investigation and apprehension of the defendants. He also thanked the FBI in New York for its assistance in making the arrests.
The JTTF is made up of agents and officers of the Department of State, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Immigration and Customs Enforcement, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Customs and Border Protection, New Jersey State Police, Jersey City Police Department, Bayonne Police Department, the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and other law enforcement agencies.
The Government is represented by Assistant Unites States Attorneys Andrew Kogan and L. Judson Welle of the United States Attorney's Office National Security Unit, and Alamdar S. Hamdani, Trial Attorney, Counterterrorism Section of the Justice Department’s National Security Division.
 NEWARK, N.J. – Two New Jersey men have been arrested and charged in a federal criminal complaint with conspiring to kill, maim, and kidnap persons outside the United States, United States Attorney Paul J. Fishman, Newark Federal Bureau of Investigation Special Agent in Charge Michael B. Ward, New York Police Department (NYPD) Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly, and New Jersey Office of Homeland Security and Preparedness (OHSP) Director Charles B. McKenna announced today.
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134
(1 vote, average 5.00 out of 5)
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News & Events -
Beyond Somerset
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Written by Carmine DeMarco
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Monday, August 3, 2009 5:09 pm |
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 TRENTON, N.J. - Members of the New Jersey State Police Cyber Crimes Unit arrested a Union County man on July 30 on charges of stealing an Internet domain name, the first known arrest for this crime in New Jersey and perhaps in the country.
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News & Events -
Beyond Somerset
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Written by Carmine DeMarco
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Thursday, July 23, 2009 2:57 pm |
 NEWARK, N.J. – The mayors of Ridgefield, Hoboken, and Secaucus, the Jersey City deputy mayor and council president, two state assemblymen, numerous other public officials and political figures, and five rabbis from New Jersey and New York were among 44 individuals charged today in a federal investigation of public corruption and a high-volume, international money laundering conspiracy. |
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News & Events -
Beyond Somerset
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Written by Carmine DeMarco
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Tuesday, June 23, 2009 6:49 pm |
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 NEWARK, N.J. – A Newton, New Jersey man who moderated a website devoted to child pornography and sex with children was sentenced on Tuesday to 90 years in federal prison for his convictions on six counts of advertising child pornography, one count of receipt of child pornography and one count of possession of child pornography, Acting U.S. Attorney Ralph J. Marra, Jr. announced.
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News & Events -
Beyond Somerset
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Written by Gina Kim
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Tuesday, June 23, 2009 5:06 pm |
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 BAYONNE, N.J. - The New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services announced on Tuesday a fifth death of a New Jersey resident with novel H1N1 influenza.
The individual was a 79-year old Hudson County woman, who died on Friday, June 19 in Bayonne Medical Center. |
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News & Events -
Beyond Somerset
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Written by Gina Kim
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Sunday, June 21, 2009 10:59 am |
 TRENTON, N.J. - The New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services announced on Friday a fourth death of a New Jersey resident with novel H1N1 influenza. |
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News & Events -
Beyond Somerset
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Written by Gina Kim
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Thursday, June 18, 2009 5:57 pm |
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TRENTON, N.J. - The New Jersey Department of Health and Senior Services announced on Thursday a third death of a New Jersey resident with novel H1N1 influenza. The individual was a 10-year old Sussex County boy who died yesterday in Morristown Memorial Hospital. The child was last in school on June 11 and had no symptoms. He became ill on June 12, was hospitalized two days later with cough and fever. |
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111
(1 vote, average 5.00 out of 5)
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News & Events -
Beyond Somerset
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Written by Karen DeMarco
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Wednesday, June 17, 2009 5:05 pm |
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TRENTON, N.J. - The New Jersey State Department of Health and Senior Services announced on Wednesday the second death of a New Jersey resident with novel H1N1 influenza. |
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News & Events -
Beyond Somerset
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Written by Carmine DeMarco
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Wednesday, June 17, 2009 3:09 pm |
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 NEWARK, N.J. - A series of motions made today by former New Jersey State Senator Joseph Congilio were all denied by U.S. District Court Judge Dennis M. Cavanaugh in Newark, New Jersey.
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105
(1 vote, average 5.00 out of 5)
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News & Events -
Beyond Somerset
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Written by Carmine DeMarco
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Monday, June 15, 2009 2:46 pm |
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TRENTON, NJ - New Jersey State Health and Senior Services Commissioner Heather Howard and State Epidemiologist Dr. Christina Tan will hold a press conference on Monday at 3:00 p.m. to answer questions and provide information on New Jersey's first H1N1 influenza death.
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104
(1 vote, average 5.00 out of 5)
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News & Events -
Beyond Somerset
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Written by Karen DeMarco
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Friday, June 12, 2009 2:33 pm |
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 NEWARK, N.J. – An Indictment was unsealed on Friday against three individuals - including one linked to Al Qaida - who allegedly hacked into the telephone systems of large corporations and entities in the United States and abroad and sold information about the compromised telephone systems to Pakistani nationals residing in Italy.
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News & Events -
Beyond Somerset
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Written by Carmine DeMarco
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Thursday, May 28, 2009 10:00 am |
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NEWARK, NJ – A long time soldier in the Gambino crime family pleaded guilty yesterday to a federal racketeering charge, Acting U.S. Attorney Ralph J. Marra announced. Charles Muccigrosso, 69, a.k.a. "Buddy Musk", of Toms River, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Stanley R. Chesler, to Count One of an Indictment that charges him with RICO conspiracy. |
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53
(1 vote, average 5.00 out of 5)
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News & Events -
Beyond Somerset
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Written by Carmine DeMarco
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Friday, May 22, 2009 4:17 pm |
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 TRENTON, NJ – A second member of a bank robbery gang whose spree included an attempted robbery during which an FBI Special Agent was tragically killed was sentenced today to 85 years in federal prison, Acting U.S. Attorney Ralph J. Marra, Jr., announced.
U.S. District Judge Anne E. Thompson also ordered 30-year-old Wilfredo Berrios, aka "Robo Cop", to pay $90,445 in restitution to the banks he and the other members of the gang robbed between February and March 2007. |
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47
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News & Events -
Beyond Somerset
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Written by Karen DeMarco
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Wednesday, May 20, 2009 4:00 pm |
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 NEWARK, NJ – New Jersey criminal defense attorney and former federal prosecutor Paul Bergrin was arrested this morning, on an indictment charging him with being the leader of a racketeering conspiracy that included murder of a witness in a drug case, the attempted hiring of a hitman in another drug case, wire fraud, and money laundering, Acting U.S. Attorney Ralph J. Marra, Jr. announced today.
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50
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News & Events -
Beyond Somerset
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Written by Gina Kim
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Monday, May 18, 2009 9:48 am |
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 NEWARK, NJ — The NJ TRANSIT Board of Directors advanced the nation's largest new public transportation project into the construction phase last Wednesday by unanimously approving the first of numerous contract packages for the multi-billion-dollar Mass Transit Tunnel (MTT) initiative.
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