NJ TRANSIT in land battle with mobster's family

NEWARK, N.J. — NJ TRANSIT is in the midst of a court battle with the family of Carmine Franco, a Genovese crime family member nicknamed “Papa Smurf,” over a two-acre parcel of land near the northern New Jersey waterfront that was to have been used for the roughly $9 billion Access to the Region’s Core (ARC) transit project, reported CBS New York.

NJ TRANSIT acquired the land in early 2010 by condemnation for about $1.6 million, but the Franco family went to court seeking higher compensation. In 2012, a jury said the family deserved $8 million, and the transit agency is appealing the award. ARC was scrapped in 2010 by Gov. Chris Christie over fears of cost overruns. For the full story, click here.