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In a stunning turnaround this morning, the sentencing hearing for former Hoboken IT manager who was expected to see a reduction in the 15 years he was originally charged – completely fell apart when a disagreement over his restitution emerged canceling this morning’s hearing.

Federal plea deals are typically agreed upon in advance of any sentencing date. The cancellation of Ricciardi’s hearing is sure to put the whole Data Theft Ring Conspiracy front and center in Hoboken as residents await further developments. Read More...

Monday officially enters the second half of 2013 bringing the July 4th holiday and the unofficial summer  season. For some it will be a momentous day, for others the beginning of closure and the changing of the guard.

Can you wear orange if you think your “Get out of Jail Free” card is good?  What if the Feds cash in their chips?

Patrick Ricciardi, former IT manager at City Hall will be sentenced this morning for his part in the massive Data Theft Conspiracy Ring.

The rest of this story is MSV subscriber content.

The question has been raised since it appeared on Hoboken Patch as the first comment on a story HHA residents would protest against its commissioners Dave Mello and Greg Lincoln for not backing Executive Director Carmelo Garcia’s appointing powers.

Did Councilwoman Terry Castellano tell people to go protest at the mayor’s home?

Did Councilwoman Terry Castellano tell HHA residents to protest at the mayor’s home?

Many people couldn’t or didn’t want to believe it but the comment stood as the first on the story as authentic into today and has not been taken down, convincing some Castellano has gone rogue nasty blogger. Back in 2009, then mayor Peter Cammarano saw a protest of Hoboken residents rise up and protest on his block when he refused to resign after the FBI released details of his comments when he accepted $25,000 in illegal campaign contributions from a phony developer. The seriousness of the charges and Cammarano’s arrogance who refused to resign after he said opposition to him would those people “ground into powder” nevertheless saw a small vocal minority complaining residents were acting inappropriately in having a protest on upper Bloomfield Street.   In that instance, Cammarano had left town with his family but yesterday the announcement of a protest by a spokeswoman from the HHA office was a clear sign the action was directed by Executive Director Carmelo Garcia. The Sky Club home to the families of both Mello and Lincoln did not see a large protest in the end scheduled for late afternoon.  A group of several dozen HHA residents appeared two hours later to no great effect.  Residents of the Sky Club off the record found it less than amusing but several reportedly inquired to Dave Mello about the matter finding it grossly inappropriate. Terry Castellano is somewhat infamous for her efforts saying almost a million dollars in parking meter quarters was “cleared up,” three times back in 2007 when then director of the Parking Utility John Corea looted the bounty and sent it to a south jersey mob connected firm.  Questions as to why both she and her cousin, Councilman Michael Russo fought to cover up the missing million dollars has never been satisfactorily answered although they’ve upgraded their answers in council meetings last year blaming former Mayor Dave Roberts for misleading them with inaccurate information. John Corea was sentenced to a seven year stretch last year for his role in the theft. 

Councilwoman Terry Castellano urged HHA residents to protest outside the mayor’s home if a comment appearing first out of the gate on Hoboken Patch is accurate.

=&0=&: This is a shocking development by Terry Castellano who has submitted a defense of the Mason family lawsuit against Hoboken people to appeal the legal appointment of Jim Doyle early this year to the Mason sponsored cybersewer Hoboken411. Unlike Hoboken411, Hoboken Patch does not have a Nazi like censor to protect the Old Guard’s misinformation.  Castellano’s remark was not received well with one commenter replying in response, “Just when we all thought you couldn’t disgrace your elected office any further, you make a liberlous remark against citizens on an unpaid board and recommend that a mob go to the mayor’s house.”

Office of the Mayor announces:

=&0=&=&1=&=&2=& Mayor Thanks Senator Sacco and Assemblyman Prieto for Amending Pier Legislation

“Today the State Senate passed legislation that will enable Hoboken to protect our treasured waterfront. I want to give a huge thank you to Senator Sacco and Assemblyman Prieto for listening to my concerns about waterfront development in our City and working with my Administration to craft an amendment that would give Hoboken a right to decide about future waterfront development. Under the new legislation that passed both the Assembly and Senate, but still needs Governor Christie’s approval, municipalities will be permitted to opt into a State law that would permit municipalities to develop on existing piers. Read More...

Better late than never, the word is that a band of Carmelo Garcia’s finest have arrived on the scene to protest at the Sky Club.

Word is there are several dozen Carmelitos and they are demanding the Sky Club be turned over to them immediately or Carmelo Garcia will come down and order Tim Occhipinti to have the police empty the building.

Okay, well the last part is only farce but the several dozen Carmelitos are actually true.

Here’s exclusive video from a Sky Club resident of the protest.  Of the approximately 4,000 HHA residents, we have a rather small, tepid band of Carmelitos. Read More...

The scene at the Sky Club about an hour into the scheduled Hoboken Housing Authority protest shows zero protestors and a number of Hoboken police on the scene.

Not a Carmelito was stirring not even anonymouse?

Who pulled the plug on Carmelo Garcia’s protest? Was it Boss Brian Stack?

Talking Ed Note: C’mon Brian, turn’em loose!

Based on a story by the Old Guard friendly Hudson Reporter, a group of HHA residents will be holding a protest at the SkyClub at 5:00 pm later today.

The protest is against the “political hijacking” of the Hoboken Housing Authority’s Board according to the story.  Reform oriented members currently hold four of the seven seats and under former chairman Jake Stuiver efforts looked to rotate new professionals for legal counsel and auditor.

The attempt to do so outside of Executive Director Carmelo Garcia’s insistence no such change occur became an almost year long struggle with current legal counsel Charles Daglian failing to win approval on a new contract after five attempts. Read More...

Office of the mayor announces:

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“Last night the Hoboken City Council adopted our 2013 budget. I am very proud that my Administration has reduced municipal taxes by approximately 10 percent since 2009, despite the financial upheaval that has caused property taxes to increase in many other New Jersey municipalities. While I do not agree with the City Council’s choice to defer important projects, this is an excellent budget consistent with the budget my Administration introduced in March. A special thank you to Council President Cunningham for his statesmanship and Budget Chair Giattino for leading the budget process to a successful completion.” Read More...

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Last night’s budget hearing hearing held little drama.  More of the usual attempts at a gotcha moment by Councilman Michael Russo who thought he had his golden moment when he said insurance costs to the City were $400K more than the year prior, not the $1.5 million quoted by the Administration.

Shown where the other $1.1 million in insurance costs resided ended his effort but not the Old Guard noise that followed as Tim Occhipinti pretended refusing to pay 900K in terminal leave to retiring members of the fire department members was a noble poison pill to force into the budget rather than pay over five years as allowed by State law.  Lots of misinformation by the bucket load with prepared remarks by Councilwoman Terry Castellano followed with mythology about the mayor’s introduced budget raising taxes. Read More...