Just when I thought I was out...

Good morning!

John Alite made waves when he joined the Englishtown council last year because of his past as a murderous mob enforcer for the Gambino family.

He started his new career as a New Jersey politician, Alite said, because he wanted to change his life.

State prosecutors say he hasn’t changed too much: They arrested him Friday, alleging he made loans at excessive rates and threatened violence to obtain property and money from victims. Kevin Shea at NJ Advance Media reports authorities say Alite threatened to take a baseball bat to someone’s head as part of his loansharking operation.

“Our office is dedicated to ensuring that all businesses conduct themselves fairly and lawfully. The conduct alleged in this case was anything but, and we will work to hold those who cheat and steal accountable,” Attorney General Jen Davenport said.

Alite’s lawyer said his client is innocent.

“John has lived a law-abiding life since leaving behind ‘that’ life almost two decades ago,” attorney Douglas Santon said. “John is outspoken politically and fights tirelessly for what he believes in. This sometimes draws the attention of differing viewpoints which, in modern times, could lead to people in power taking positions that may not be genuine.”

Health: Lilo Stainton looks at a new Rutgers initiative that aims to better understand the female brain and how it effects the Alzheimer’s disease gender gap, among other things. Rutgers researcher Ioana Carcea told Lilo the more we can learn about the brain changes that accompany puberty, pregnancy, motherhood, and menopause, the better our chance of treating mental disorders, degenerative brain diseases, and even brain injury in women, she said. “There’s a lot we can discover from investigating what increases or decreases the risk for certain brain disorders in women,” she said.

World Cup: The third World Cup match to be played here in New Jersey kicks off at 8 p.m. today at MetLife Stadium, meaning soccer fans will be hogging NJ Transit resources during the hours before the match. If you’re a regular commuter by train into NYC and you can work from home today, best to do that and avoid the headache.

Voting: Fewer and fewer teens are deciding to drive, which translates into fewer teens getting registered to vote automatically when they get their driver’s licenses.  Some civic groups are pushing for more in-person voter registration drives, including in high schools, which may help offset the effects of fewer trips to motor vehicle agencies. Without significant action, they fear registration rates for 18 year olds will drop even further.

Crime: Tracey Tully at the New York Times dives deep today into the case of Ricardo J. Santos, a lieutenant with the New Jersey State Police who authorities say killed his ex and her new boyfriend in Hunterdon County last August.