Daily Dispatch News

By Alicia Cruz Yahoo! News Contributor A New Jersey woman who aided in the robbery of a bank customer was sentenced to 41 months in prison last week. Stephanie Jordan worked as a bank teller at TD Bank in Deptford, New Jersey and tipped off co-conspirator, Donnell Cheek about a customer who owned several gas stations and made large deposits to the bank. Cheek plotted, along with his brother Dashawn Cheek and friend Jamaine Levi, to rob the business man on June 11, 2010. On the day of the robbery, the Cheek brothers and Levi staked out the gas station owner's home before following him to several of his businesses and finally, the TD Bank. Once the man was arrived at the bank, Donnell and Dashawn Cheek exited their vehicle, approached the victim and snatched his blue Sunoco money bag and ran back to the car where Levi was waiting. The deposit bag contained "tens of thousands of dollars" in proceeds from the victim's gas station sales. After the robbery, the suspects spl...

Onyango Obama, the uncle of President Barack Obama was arrested last week in Framingham, Massachusetts on an alcohol charge after he failed a field sobriety test. Lt. Ronald Brandolini told CNN News the man was arrested August 24 and charged with operating a vehicle under the influence of alcohol. Onyango Obama is reportedly the half brother of the President's father. An immigration official told CNN that Onyango Obama was not in the United States legally and has been previously ordered removed from the country. READ MORE

Hurricane Irene washed away Prattsville, New York. Rescuers extracted 21 people in the town using a State police helicopter, but all are safe now. Schoharie Creek rose more than 15 feet in less than 12 hours thanks to intense rainfall from the Catskills, which sent an overwhelming amount of water --greater than that of Niagara Falls both the American and Canadian sides-- crashing through Prattsville. READ MORE

CNN : LA Times reporters explains why porn studios temporarily shut down operations following recent HIV scare. A performer, who has not been identified, tested positive at an out-of-state facility. The moratorium was self-imposed and porn execs jumped into action to ensure the performer's partners were tested. Watch the video below:

How Irene's forecast missed the mark and why it could happen again They know they missed it. Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center in Miami say when it comes to the strength of Hurricane Irene as it approached North Carolina. They know they were off. Way off. “At least in the guidance we were looking at there was no indication of anything that would cause the storm to weaken. So, we thought we would have a Category 3 at landfall,” said Bill Read, the director of the Hurricane Center. Irene came in at a Category 1, the weakest. Read said there’s good reason they were so far off. ** READ : Tropical Storm Katia Next Threat ?** The science of forecasting how strong or weak a storm will become is simply not very good. With Irene, forecasters say they weren’t even as good as their five-year average. “Every storm comes up with a surprise,” Read said. “In this case it was one where it went downhill. Charlie a few years ago is one that went uphill. Neither case did we see...

BY ALICIA CRUZ NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM Tropical Depression 12 upgraded to Tropical Storm Katia at 4:53 a.m. carrying maximum sustained winds of 40 miles per hour as she swirls west-southwest of the southern portion of the Cape Verde Islands and moving West near 17 mph. CNN forecasters say they expect to see Katia “develop explosively” as her current track will take the system over warm ocean temperatures and light shear. Katia’s track, at the current time, is just north of Irene. Weather.com forecasters Dr. Rick Knabb, and Kevin Roth say Katia is no threat to land for the next several days, but will very likely become a hurricane by Wednesday or Thursday night. Hurricane models are predicting the system could reach... MORE

BY ALICIA CRUZ NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM Newark Liberty International airport was open for business at 6 a.m. this morning after officials cancelled all departing and arriving flights from Newark and four other major airports Friday afternoon in anticipation of hurricane Irene. John F. Kennedy, LaGuardia and Newark Airports have resumed flights, though the airlines are now scrambling to reposition planes to relieve a backlog of travelers, at least 1 million of who were stranded by cancellations, and return flight operations to normal. Departing flights reportedly left at.... MORE

BY ALICIA CRUZ NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM With all but one of New Jersey Transit's commuter train lines suspended this morning, commuters, like Rosa Carrasquillo, looking to travel by New Jersey Transit were shocked to find service still unavailable. While some New Jersey commuters experienced a smooth ride to work via bus and light rail, many others remained stranded, wondering how and when full rail service would return. The New Jersey Transit website gave no set day for service to resume, but did say it would happen when "it was safe to do so." Officials said there is still "significant damage to many portions of the Metro- FULL ARTICLE

Murder in Memphis By Alicia Cruz Yahoo News-Associated Content Story Highlights * The State of Tennessee's definition of Reckless Homicide * Snapped Videos of Monique's Version * A jury of 7 women and 5 men took 5 hours to find Monique not guilty of First Degree murder * Comments on Monique Johnson's conviction A NEW LOVE In April of 2005, 36-year-old Monique Johnson , a matron at the Shelby County men's jail in Memphis, Tennessee, met Tony Hayes, a handsome young Memphis police officer while he was moonlighting as a security guard in her old apartment complex in East Memphis.  The euphoria in their relationship began to fade as quickly as it started when Monique says that Tony began acting very jealous and possessive. She became suspicious of his behavior and began checking him out.  She learned that Tony had not lied about how many times he had been divorced, but he was lying to her about his current marital status. Tony Hayes had married his third wife only three mo...

BY ALICIA CRUZ NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM The Professional Standards Bureau of the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office is investigating a shooting involving a Hudson County corrections officer and an escaped prisoner, Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray announced today. Robert Martin, a man with 14 felony convictions, was being transported to East Orange General Hospital for treatment when he began struggling with the corrections officer as he exited the vehicle at the hospital. Martin, jailed on a variety of State and Federal charges, was shot once and pronounced dead at 10:38 a.m. at East Orange General Hospital. U.S. Marshals were holding Martin, 40, for a... Full Article at NJNewsroom

By Alicia Cruz Yahoo News-Associated Content Christopher 'Dudus' Coke  A legal battle to toss out damaging wiretap evidence in the trial of Christopher 'Dudus' Coke , has ended with a 14-page ruling by New York Judge Robert Patterson against the once notorious Jamaican drug overlord saying prosecutors can use the wiretaps during Coke's tentatively scheduled September 12 trial. Steve Rosen, one of Coke's attorneys, filed a motion in June arguing that the Jamaican police violated the Jamaican Constitution as well as criminal sanctions of the Jamaican intercept law by "acting in concert" with U.S. officials to capture and record Coke without notifying the Jamaican Supreme Court. Rosen added that the taps were illegally acquired by U.S. officials. and would violate Coke's Fifth Amendment Rights . Patterson disagreed. Coke being extradited under heavy armed guard The prosecution countered that the evidence obtained was done so legally and by way o...

Officials have issued a mandatory evacuation of Cape May beginning at 8a.m. Friday By Alicia Cruz The New Jersey Newsroom As New Jerseyans await the arrival of Hurricane Irene, a significant cold front will move through the region bringing heavy showers and thunderstorms that could make for catastrophic conditions to the region once Irene makes landfall. Rutgers University climatologist David A. Robinson says rain and wind from Irene could have a devastating impact on southern New Jersey, an area among the hardest hit by August rains, which more than doubled rainfall amounts for the state and caused several dams to fail during a storm two weeks ago, NJ.com reported . READ: CAPE MAY EVACUATION PLAN That, coupled with significant flooding the eastern portion of the state may see from Irene, makes the system an even more serious threat to already saturated areas with above average river levels. These factors prompted Governor Chris Christie to declare a state of emergency today. During th...

By Alicia Cruz More than a month after his latest release from prison, Rapper and sometime actor DMX has been arrested again. An Arizona State Trooper clocked the New York born rapper going 102 mph in a 65 mph zone in Mesa, Arizona a small suburb outside of Phoenix. DMX, whose real name is Earl Simmons, was cited on Wednesday for criminal speed, driving on a suspended and revoked license and reckless driving. According to Arizona Department of Public Safety spokesman Carrick Cook, Simmons was released from the clink Thursday morning after posting bond. Simmons' probation was revoked in Maricopa County on November 19, 2010 and he was sent to an Arizona Prison after he failed a drug test and was caught driving on a suspended license. In December 2010, the hardcore rapper was transferred to the Prison's mental health unit for unknown reasons. In July 2010, Simmons turned himself in to the Los Angeles Metropolitan Court on a reckless driving charge stemming from a 2002 traffic inci...

By Alicia Cruz The New Jersey Newsroom A Kinston, North Carolina man pleaded guilty last week to robbing six New Jersey businesses and a bank in Monmouth and Middlesex Counties between January 29, 2011 and February 12, 2011, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced. Timothy Lester Johnson, also known as "Amiri Allah," pleaded guilty to one count of Bank Robbery and two counts of commercial robbery in Trenton federal Court. During his court hearing, Johnson admitted to robbing the following New Jersey establishments: Jan. 29, 2011 Dunkin Donuts 231 Third Avenue Long Branch, N.J. Feb. 3, 2011 Burger King 139 Highway 35 Eatontown, N.J. Feb. 4, 2011 Quick Chek 3607 Highway 33 Neptune, N.J. Feb. 6, 2011 Dunkin Donuts 587 Fayette Street Perth Amboy, N.J. Feb. 8, 2011 McDonalds 588 Shrewsbury Avenue Tinton Falls, N.J. Feb. 11, 2011 Dunkin Donuts 2112 Highway 35 South Ocean Township, N.J. Feb. 11, 2011 Dunkin Donuts 4060 Asbury Avenue Tinton Falls, N.J. After his last Dunkin Donuts ro...

The man who paralyzed New Yorkers with fear during the summer of 1977, David "Son of Sam" Berkowitz announced he would not seek parole in 2012. Known as the .44 Caliber killer after he embarked on killing spree that targeted young women with long, brown hair, Berkowitz claimed the lives of six and injured seven. Since his June 1978 conviction he has been serving six life sentences or a maximum sentence of 365 years in prison originally starting out at Attica.

I've had a lot of you write me asking about some of the cool Sopranos hits I've played on my page. I decided to place a link for you to find all your favorite Soprano tunes just like I did. Three of my all-time favorites: Tindersticks  "Running Wild" (Instrumental), Material Ft. William S. Burrough " Seven Souls "   and " Certamente " Madreblu. Enjoy!   Music on The Sopranos "Guy Walks into a Psychiatrist's Office..." "Time Is on My Side" Irma Thomas 15 "Do Not Resuscitate" "Goodnight My Love" Ella Fitzgerald 16 "Toodle Fucking-Oo" "Viking" Los Lobos 17 "Commendatori" "Con te partirò" Andrea Bocelli "Piove" Jovanotti "Certamente" Madreblu 18 "Big Girls Don't Cry" "White Mustang II" Daniel Lanois 19 "The Happy Wanderer" "The Happy Wanderer" Frankie Yankovic & His Yanks 20 "...

Millions of people took to their cell phones, Twitter, and Facebook pages after Tuesday's earthquake along the East Coast. Within 30 minutes Twitter was flooded with #Earthquake hashtags followed by whatever State the Tweeter was in when they felt the tremor. It was unbelievable. READ MORE HERE

By Alicia Cruz A former New Jersey Turnpike toll collector, John Filippine pleaded guilty today to looting his employers of at least $10,000 during a scheme in which he took toll tickets from interchanges three and five, then substituted them for tickets from motorists who paid larger tolls and pocketed the cash. Filippine, who had more than 20 years on the job, was caught with his hand in the toll cookie jar after an internal audit system found suspicious activity in March 2011. Filippine and two other toll collectors, William Fagan, of Clementon and Glenn Huryan, of Magnolia were arrested on the job and charged with theft. All three were immediately suspended from their $66,000 a year positions. Fagan, 62, and Huryan, 55, pleaded guilty in July. When Filippine saw New Jersey State Troopers arresting his cohorts, the 58-year-old Mansfield Township resident attempted to run from the Exit 5 toll plaza, but was captured a short time later. The veteran employee tried to toss some of the a...

BY ALICIA CRUZ NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM While Hurricane Irene's path remains uncertain on Wednesday, the state Office of Emergency Management has advised New Jersey residents to prepare—top off your gas tanks, stock up on canned goods, batteries, other necessities and tune in for weather updates—for the storm, which forecasters are saying will affect the entire eastern seaboard from South Carolina to Massachusetts. Irene, the Atlantic’s first major hurricane of the 2011 season, intensified into a well-organized category 3 system today and forecast models are now predicting that she will make landfall along North Carolina’s Outer Banks Saturday before moving up the East Coast on Sunday.... FULL ARTICLE

By Alicia Cruz The New Jersey Newsroom Newark police are investigating the shooting death of an East Orange man found fatally wounded last night inside of his vehicle, Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray announced today. The preliminary investigation indicates the 10:54 p.m. murder occurred near 9th Avenue and South 15th Street. Detectives say 39-year-old Michael Johnson was shot multiple times and may have been targeted. He was taken to University Hospital where doctors pronounced him dead 30 minutes later... FULL ARTICLE

By Alicia Cruz For the Black Urban Times He asked a woman for directions, when she refused, he opened his jacket to display his service issued 9-mm. pistol and told her she was going with him. From there, the defendant -- an off-duty New York City Police Officer-- took the victim to the courtyard of building on 217th Street and began raping her at gunpoint. An observant tenant called police and the cop was arrested. In the State of New York, the legal definition for kidnapping per S 135.25 reads:   A person is guilty of kidnapping in the first degree when he abducts another person and when:   (a) Inflict physical injury upon him or violate or abuse him sexually; or   (b) Accomplish or advance the commission of a felony. Lawyers for the disgraced cop, Michael Pena, who is reportedly engaged to be married, say he did not intend to hurt anybody. Pena says he was intoxicated at the time of the incident, and that he is confident the truth will eventually come out. At his lawy...

The rumor mill kicked into high gear Tuesday with a report seen on sites such as Blackplanet.com and In Touch Weekly that mega-star actor Will Smith and actress wife Jada Pinkett Smith were calling it quits. The Hollywood power couple issued a joint statement through their publicist that read, "Although we are reluctant to respond to these types of press reports, the rumors circulating about our relationship are completely false." The reports alleged that a recent episode of Pinkett-Smith's TNT drama "HawthoRNe," may have sparked the break-up after the Baltimore native and Boricua singer Marc Anthony engaged in a steamy love scene. Pinkett-Smith's "bonus" son, Trey Smith, called the rumor "false" via Twitter saying, No they did NOT split! False information." The dynamic couple met in 1990 when Pinkett-Smith auditioned for a role on "The Fresh Prince of Bel Air." Citing Pinkett-Smith's lack of height, producers passed on...

Drug use and sales forced the closure of a Southeast Memphis nightspot last week following a nuisance complaint filed by the District Attorney General's Office. Seven men have been charged with one count of conspiracy to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine at the establishment, which was raided by federal agents and members of the Shelby County Sheriff's and Memphis Police Departments..... MORE

By Alicia Cruz The New Jersey Newsroom An earthquake centered in Virginia was felt as far as Eastern North Carolina today. The quake's epicenter struck in Mineral, Virginia, registering a magnitude 5.8, and was 3.7 miles deep, the National Earthquake Center said, Residents in Jacksonville, North Carolina reported feeling the tremor around 1:53 p.m., which lasted a mere 60 seconds. Triangle area residents called 911 immediately after vehicles, and buildings began to sway, prompting evacuations in downtown Raleigh, North Carolina. There are no immediate reports of injuries or severe damage. The White House and Pentagon were not evacuated and reported no damages. Read More

By Alicia Cruz A 40-year-old North Carolina woman who killed both her parents in April 1986, when she was 15-years-old is up for parole, but she won't be leaving Tennessee prison walls if her family members have any say in the matter. Ginger Turnmire was found guilty January 28, 1987 of shooting both her parents, J.W. and Velma Turnmire in their Greene County, N.C. home. After the murders, the young teen reportedly went to a nearby arcade where she boasted about the crime to friends. Officer John Huffine, now a detective with the Greene County Sheriff's Department, later found the couple's bodies and arrested the daughter whom he claims admitted to him that she killed her parents. Despite Turnmire testimony that a motorcycle gang member named "Papa Smurf" actually shot her parents then threatened to kill Ginger Turnmire and her adopted sister, a jury returned a guilty verdict on first-degree murder. Her uncle, Danny Carrier, says Turnmire was into drugs and devil...

By Alicia Cruz The New Jersey Newsroom A Pearl River, New York woman was arrested last week, accused of embezzling nearly $30,000 from her employer, Rockland County District Attorney Thomas P. Zugibe announced. On August 16, Lynn M. Kavanagh, of 131 North Main Street, Apartment 1-D, was charged with one count of third-degree grand larceny at the Orangetown Justice Court and released on her own recognizance by Judge Richard Finning. According to a press release, between April 2008 and June 2010, Kavanagh worked as a bookkeeper for the Griffith Insurance Agency in Pearl River. An investigation by the Rockland County Special Investigations Unit discovered that 48-year-old woman was using company monies to pay for her personal insurance and stole an undisclosed amount of cash that customers paid towards insurance premiums, which left many people uninsured or under-insured. If Kavanagh is convicted of the charge, a class "D" felony, she could face up to seven years in prison. Her ...

By Alicia Cruz The New Jersey Newsroom Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray and Newark Police Director Samuel DeMaio announced today the arrest of Maurice Mosley in connection with the murder of 29-year-old Douglas Brown. Newark police found Brown wounded from a gunshot July 16 around 5:30 a.m. He was taken to University Hospital where he later died of his injuries. Investigators say the Orange and Gray Streets shooting was the result of a robbery attempt against the victim. The Essex County Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force followed several leads which culminated in Mosley's capture Monday morning at a North 11th Street home by members of the Newark Fugitive Apprehension Team and the U.S. Marshals. DeMaio, who commended the task force for their commitment and dedication in helping rid Newark streets of the dangerous criminal element, said several anonymous leads and other factors aided the Task Force in developing Mosley as a suspect in the shooting. Mosley's arraig...

Obviously there's a huge difference between New York City, anywhere in Virginia and cities like Seattle, Washington (for the record, I absolutely adore the Emerald City). I mean New York is in a world of its own. There's no place like my hometown the "Big Apple." I love New York but I hate the cost of living. I mean it's bad enough there's wall-to-wall people, rats as big as cats, deviants blending in with "regular" New Yorkers and the cost of a piece of fruit, but add in the price of renting a one-bedroom apartment the size of college dorm room and you're talking mucho dinero. Five hours down Interstate 95 sits Norfolk, Virginia. I spent a minute there and I hate to say it, but I'd rather be somewhere else. No offense. Virginia Beach was breathtaking, but Norfolk left a lot to be desired. The rent, however, didn't seem that bad...for what you got. Now let's take Seattle: You have Mount Rainier, Mt. Saint Helen, peaceful lakes, Seattl...

Toxic air forces New York City school officials to close a Bronx school not far from the Tracey Towers in North Bronx. Since January, several air monitoring tests have revealed unsafe levels of toxic chemicals, primarily trichloroethylene (TCE), which is a possible carcinogen. MORE

Lawyers for the maid who accused Dominique Strauss-Kahn of sexual assault said Monday they will oppose any attempt by the Manhattan District Attorney to drop the controversial case. "We are asking the court to not let them dismiss the case tomorrow," lawyer Kenneth Thompson said. "One they dismiss the case, double jeopardy attaches." That means "no one in America would then be able to charge" the philandering Frenchman with attacking Nafissatou Diallo, said Thompson. Thompson said he and legal partner Douglas Wigdor have filed a formal motion with the court asking for a special prosecutor to take over the case. They drew up the.... MORE

Hurricane Irene now is forecast to strengthen into a major hurricane with winds of about 115 mph when it draws near Florida on Thursday. The good news: The projected path has been shifted to the east, keeping the core over the Bahamas and... More at Chicago Tribune

BY ALICIA CRUZ NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM A Saturday morning car crash claimed the lives of four Mainland Regional High School athletes and injured four others, all members of the school’s football team, near exit 38A on the Garden State Parkway. On Sunday, a sunset candlelight vigil was held at the school's football field. All eight of the teenagers were heading to the annual team breakfast at the Old Country Buffet in Mays Landing when the SUV they were riding in spun out of control, flipping over several times around 11:45 a.m. Mainfield’s.... Full Article

BY ALICIA CRUZ NEWJERSEYNEWSROOM.COM Police have arrested three people they believe are responsible for the brutal murder of rising New York rap star, Kampane Stoute, including a woman reported to be the girlfriend of the alleged shooter. The artist, whose real name is Rhian Stoute, was shot several times in the head and torso before his body was set afire in a vacant home in Englewood last week. Full Article Here