Record setting weekend for New Jersey's gun buyback program in wake of Newtown massacre

AP

Guns cover tables at a press conference in New Jersey where Camden, NJ Mayor Dana Redd and New Jersey Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa announced a record breaking weekend for the state's gun buyback program.

CAMDEN, NJ — Residents of New Jersey's most impoverished and murder-prone city turned in a record number of weapons in a recent gun buyback program, and officials on Tuesday surmised that the Connecticut school shooting could have something to do with that.

"A lot of people said they don't want the guns around the house now," said state Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa as he announced the result of the program held Friday and Saturday at two Camden churches.

The state brought in 1,137 guns, surpassing the previous record of 700 weapons from a 2009 Essex County event. Among them were scores of rifles, shotguns and pistols, sawed-off shotguns, a century-old antique weapon, a rifle used for hunting elephants and five fully automatic weapons. Some 90 percent were in working condition. Many were illegal weapons under state laws; some were so-called community guns stashed around neighborhood. Nearly all are to be destroyed.

The shooting at a Newtown elementary school on Friday left 26 people dead, including 20 children, ages 6 and 7. Twice as many firearms were turned in Saturday, the day afterward, than on Friday, Chiesa noted.

The state had $110,000 in cash to give to those who turned in guns, along with $6,000 in gift cards left over from a previous program.

"At 2 o'clock," he said, "we were out of money."

Workers offered IOUs worth nearly $40,000 to people who brought in guns after the money ran out.

Individuals were allowed to turn in up to three weapons and were paid up to $250 for each of them.

"There's 1,137 less guns than there were the day before we started this initiative," Chiesa said.

It leaves an untold number of weapons in the city, though.

Camden, with a population of 77,000, has had 67 homicides in 2012. That is also a dismal record, well above the 58 killings in the city in 1995.

AP

Guns cover tables at a press conference in New Jersey where Camden, NJ Mayor Dana Redd and New Jersey Attorney General Jeffrey Chiesa announced a record breaking weekend for the state's gun buyback program.

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Stone-crab season suffers in the Keys

Despite rocketing prices for stone-crab claws, many Florida Keys commercial fishermen have nearly given up on the season only 2 months old.

"We may see record prices but also record pain," said Gary Graves, general manager of Keys Fisheries in Marathon. "Prices don't mean anything if you can't catch anything."

Harvests since shortly after the season opening Oct. 15 have been "as bad as I can remember during my 45 years in the business," Graves said. "It's just bleak."

Keys Fisheries, one of the state's leading wholesalers for stone crabs, has laid off half of its production staff, maybe 20 people, Graves said.

"We hate to do it to our people but we're probably not finished," he said. "Right now, a big day for us is 1,000 pounds [of claws]. It should be around 15,000 pounds. We're doing nothing."

Keys Fisheries has raised its dockside prices paid to fishermen several times to encourage fishermen to keep their traps in the water.

Graves said it costs a fisherman about $1,200 in fuel, labor and other expenses to make a day's trip. The fish house's current prices are $9 per pound for medium-size claws and $17 per pound for the coveted jumbos.

"Our wholesale sales prices are higher than that and retail is through the roof," Graves said. "But we can't fill the orders we have."

A Marathon community group recently canceled the organization's annual stone crab feast for members because no claws were to be found.

The season runs until May 15.

Last season, Monroe County produced about 1.1 million pounds of legal-size claws, accounting for a large portion of Florida's total 2.67 million-pound harvest worth an estimated $23.6 million to the commercial fleet.

About 1,000 people statewide are licensed to fish traps for stone crabs. Only the claws are kept. Historically, stone-crab harvests have topped three million pounds of claws.

"The last two years were good and the recruitment looked normal," Graves said. "The first round of trap pulling was fine but it went downhill from there — like falling off a cliff."

Fishermen and researchers are baffled.

"Blame it on global warming, blame it on BP [Deepwater Horizon oil spill], blame it on Mother Nature," Graves said. "Everybody's got an idea but nobody can say why. It's probably a combination of a bunch of things."

News reports from stone-crab fleets farther up the Florida Gulf Coast suggest an octopus population explosion. Crabs are a favorite food of octopus, which are smart enough to get into traps.

"We've seen more octopus in the 6- to 8-pound range, which is abnormal," Graves said. State experts have suggested warm winters may have triggered the octopus boom.

"Things could turn around," Graves said, "but realistically the chances of it happening this season are slim."

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Miami owner of mental health chain pleads guilty to stealing millions from Medicare

Kept behind bars because of fears he might flee to Cuba, Armando “Manny” Gonzalez has pleaded guilty to stealing tens of millions of dollars from Medicare by fraudulently billing the taxpayer-funded program through a mental health chain in Miami and North Carolina.

Gonzalez, 50, a convicted cocaine trafficker who joined the Medicare rackets in the mid-2000 era, had opened a pair of mental health clinics in the Kendall and Cutler Bay areas. By 2008, Gonzalez suspected the feds were on to him, so the one-time Miami-Dade resident exported himself and his business to North Carolina.

Before his arrest last May, he was planning to open another psychotherapy clinic in Tennessee.

Gonzalez was indicted with others on charges of conspiring to defraud $63 million from Medicare. He was ordered held without bail after prosecutors argued that because he faces 30 years to life in prison, he could be a “flight risk” to his native Cuba.

Dozens of Cuban immigrants charged in South Florida with trying to bilk the federal healthcare program for seniors have fled to the island nation, which historically has turned a blind eye and doesn’t return the fugitives to the United States.

On Monday, Gonzalez pleaded guilty to one count of conspiracy to commit healthcare fraud and one count of conspiracy to commit money laundering before U.S. District Judge Cecilia Altonaga. Under the terms of his plea agreement, Gonzalez agreed to forfeit property valued at several million dollars, including $987,910 seized in July as well as a one-acre home, vehicles and other assets in Hendersonville, N.C.

According to court records, Gonzalez’s company, Health Care Solutions Network, billed both Medicare and the Florida Medicaid program for purported mental health services that patients did not need.

Gonzalez’s three clinics — accused of entertaining patients with TV and movies instead of providing actual group psychotherapy sessions — collected $28 million in Medicare payments from 2004 to 2011. Justice Department lawyers said in court papers that the “vast majority" of the money “disappeared” with a “substantial portion ... laundered through shell corporations.”

Gonzalez was initially indicted along with eight codefendants, including a registered nurse, John Thoen, and other employees of his shuttered company, Health Care Solutions Network.

Thoen has pleaded guilty to healthcare fraud, and so have three other employees, Alexandra Haynes, Serena Joslin and Sarah Da Silva Keller.

Also charged in the scheme: Daniel Martinez, Raymond Rivero, Ivon Perez and Alba Serrano, operators of three assisted-living facilities in the Homestead area called Mi Renacer, God Is First and Kayleen and Denis Care.

The ALF operators were accused of taking bribes from Gonzalez in exchange for supplying a steady stream of patients, many of whom suffered from dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. They could not have benefitted from the therapy, prosecutors said.

All four defendants have pleaded guilty to health care fraud and related charges for their roles in the scheme.

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Jennifer Aniston Were The Millers Photos

Jennifer Aniston has clued into the benefits of starring alongside a dazzling comedic ensemble over the last few years, starting with 2011's Horrible Bosses (Kevin Spacey, Colin Farrell, Jason Bateman, Jamie Foxx, Jason Sudeikis) and 2012's Wanderlust (Paul Rudd, Alan Alda, Justin Theroux, Malin Akerman, Ken Marino, Lauren Ambrose). For her next film, Aniston is once again starring alongside an array of amazing actors in 2013's We're The Millers.

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Co-starring Jason Sudeikis, Emma Roberts, Nick Offerman, Kathryn Hahn and Ed Helms, We're The Millers tells the story of David Burke (Sudeikis), a small-time pot dealer who is forced to work for a major cartel and import a massive shipment of drugs from Mexico.

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In order to make it across the border, David enlists the help of his neighbors: cynical stripper Rose (Aniston) and tatted teen Casey (Roberts) to pretend to be one happy family on a roadtrip south of the border for a Fourth of July weekend.

We're the Millers opens August 9, 2013.

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Westchester County won't host gun show

Westchester County will not host a gun show early next year in the wake of the massacre in Newtown, Conn.

County Executive Rob Astorino said it would be inappropriate for the county to hold the event.

Former County Executive Andrew Spano had banned the show after the 1999 Columbine school shootings in Colorado. The ban remained in effect for more than a decade.

Astorino brought back the show in 2010.

His decision comes after Greenburgh Town Supervisor Paul Feiner called on the county to cancel the show at the government-owned building.

Westchester Board of Legislators Chairman Ken Jenkins said banning such shows at the County Center was part of the answer to curbing gun violence.

The show's promoter, Westchester Collectors, didn't return respond to calls for comment.

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American Airlines adds new agreements, flights in South America

In a nod to the importance of Latin America for its business, American Airlines on Monday announced new codeshare agreements with airlines in the region as well as new routes.

American has agreed to codeshare with TAM Airlines, based in Sao Paulo, and LAN Colombia, both part of LATAM Airlines Group.

The airline also said that it will add new routes in late 2013 between Miami and two destinations in Brazil: Curitiba and Porto Alegre. American also plans to add service between Dallas/Fort Worth and Bogota late next year.

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Rilya Wilson legal guardian testifying in murder trial

The lover of the woman charged in the murder of foster child Rilya Wilson is on the stand Monday morning.

Pamela Graham, who was also the child’s legal guardian, is so far the most high-profile witness to appear in the 4-week-old murder trial of Geralyn Graham. The two are not related.

Geralyn Graham, 66, is on trial for the death of the 5-year-old foster child whose disappearance a decade ago roiled the state’s child welfare agency and led to a series of reforms. Rilya’s body has never been found.

Charged with first-degree murder, kidnapping and aggravated child abuse, Geralyn Graham faces life in prison if convicted.

Born to a drug-addicted woman, Rilya was under the supervision of the Florida Department of Children and Families nearly her entire life. In 2000, the agency placed her in the home of Pamela and Geralyn Graham, who were already caring for Rilya’s little sister.

Because a case worker failed to properly supervise the child for more than a year, DCF did not realize Rilya was missing until April 2002. Geralyn Graham has long insisted that a DCF employee, in January 2001, whisked Rilya away for mental health treatment, never to return.

Graham was not indicted for murder until 2005 after she allegedly confessed to a cellmate that she smothered the girl and dumped her body in a South Miami-Dade waterway. The cellmate, Robin Lunceford, may testify this week.

With no body, eyewitnesses to the slaying or confession, Miami-Dade prosecutors have spent weeks weaving a circumstantial case portraying Geralyn Graham as a lying, manipulative caregiver who gave multiple stories of how Rilya disappeared and appeared unconcerned that DCF supposedly took the child and never returned her.

Defense lawyers have laid blame on the DCF case worker who failed to properly supervise the child, and pointed to a lack of forensic evidence and questioned whether the child is even dead.

Pamela Graham, 48, agreed to cooperate with prosecutors, pleading guilty to child neglect and child abuse with no harm.

Prosecutors say that Pamela Graham, who was the legal custodian of the child, was cowered into lying by her dominating lover.

In her sworn statement, Pamela Graham told police that Geralyn never revealed to her what happened to the child, but forced her to lie to authorities.

“We were up like all night and I just kept asking her, and I was crying because I didn’t know what to do,” she said in a statement, adding: “I kept telling her that I was responsible for this child, and, you know . . . that eventually someone was probably going to come out [to check on Rilya], and then what? That’s when she told me, you know, just tell them someone from DCF came.”

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Modern Etiquette: A bit of netiquette will keep Christmas real

LONDON (Reuters) – Christmas is a convivial time of year when people get together for celebrations and conversation. It’s all about human contact so it’s important that you’re discriminating about how you use your digital devices.

It’s fine if they’re used to facilitate get-togethers and spread seasonal cheer. But Christmas is a real, not a virtual event, so it’s important to discard the phones, tablets and computers and enjoy festive celebrations in the real world.

Christmas cards are still an invaluable and personal way of keeping in touch with far-flung friends and relations.

In these straitened times, however, you might want to cut down the number of cards you send, so it’s fine to explain to your nearest and dearest that you won’t be sending them cards – a personalized seasonal message by text, phone call or email, sent out to individuals, is quite acceptable.

Avoid sending out generic e-cards. They’re lazy and impersonal, and many people will find them lacking in Christmas spirit or just baffling.

If you’re emailing instead of sending a Christmas card, make sure that you send out unique – and individual – messages to each of your recipients. Group emails, like round robins, are to be avoided.

It’s fine to put general seasonal messages on social networking sites, but avoid posting compromising photos.

This is the time of year when we all let our hair down, but not everyone will appreciate the evidence being posted for all to see in cyberspace.

Don’t get too carried away with seasonal cyber-cheer. Spamming your friends and followers with endless Christmas wishes and updates will soon get tedious.

Christmas Day is all about socializing with family and friends, and enjoying good food and good conversation. So don’t spend the big day glued to your phone, rather than interacting with your family.

Ban all phones from the Christmas table.

Eating together is all about sociability and it’s a real insult to the host and/or cook to be transfixed by your texts rather than the turkey and table talk.

Be a good digital host.

Technology is part of our everyday life and Christmas is no exception. If you have friends or family staying in your home, make sure that you have your WiFi password to hand. Offer them access to your network, and hope that everyone adheres to good festive netiquette.

Christmas is the perfect time to make a video call, but choose your timing carefully. Nobody wants to be talking to virtual visitors during lunch or present opening.

Remember the power of the written word.

If you are the lucky recipient of a generous present or lavish hospitality, then hand-writing a proper thank you letter is a much more elegant gesture than texting or emailing, and will be noted and appreciated. It is fine to email or text your thanks for small presents.

(This story has been refiled to fix dateline)

(Jo Bryant is an etiquette advisor and editor at Debrett’s, the UK authority on etiquette and modern manners (www.debretts.com). Any opinions expressed are her own. Debrett’s “Netiquette” is a definitive guide to digital dilemmas and outlines a code of manners for modern communication.)

(Editing by Paul Casciato)

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Lady Gaga Gimme Shelter With The Rolling Stones

On December 15, Lady Gaga watched (along with millions on Pay-Per-View) her dream come true as she performed Gimme Shelter with The Rolling Stones at their 50th Anniversary Concert in Newark, NJ's Prudential Center.

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"I had a life dream to be transported in a time machine to 1973 NJ, beer + badboys. Someone heal me it happened + then I sang with the Stones," she Tweeted after the performance. Clad in a Ray Brown jumpsuit, which made Gaga feel "like a star," the Born This Way hitmaker strutted all over the stage as she and Mick Jagger delivered a dynamic duet.

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The performance aired on Pay-Per-View, but in case you missed the magic, watch The Rolling Stones and Lady Gaga tackle Gimme Shelter!

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Boozed-up man drives wrong way on SI Expressway, leaves 1 dead: cops

Wayne Carrington

A drunken driver drove the wrong way on a Staten Island highway this morning and crashed into a car -- leaving one person dead, authorities said.

The boozed-up driver took a wrong turn near Richmond Road and wound up on the Staten Island Expressway just before 2 a.m. heading against the flow of traffic, police said.

He then collided with another car -- killing his own passenger, police said.

The two people in the other car suffered non-life threatening injuries, cops said.

All victims and the driver responsible for the accident were taken to either Richmond University Medical Center or Staten Island University North Hospital, cops said.

Charges are pending against the driver, police said.

Wayne Carrington

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