What's the deal this weekend? How about monster trucks, Irish dancing, Seinfeld, and a Birch Hill reunion.

MONSTER JAM AT METLIFE STADIUM

10,000 pounds of turbocharged steel will be flying through the air and crushing the competition as Monster Jam returns to MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford on Saturday. The monster truck series will see the likes of Gravedigger, Madusa, Diablo, Metal Mulisha, and The Mad Scientist (driven by New Jersey native Lee O'Donnell). This event will also see a huge stunt as Tom Meents, driver of Monster Jam truck Max-D, will attempt to jump six 12-by-12 foot Monster Jam trucks at one time. Before the race, from 1:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., there will a "Party in the Pits" where audience members can meet the drivers, and get an up-close look at these massive monster trucks. $10-$268. Saturday, 1:30 p.m. (Party in the Pits), 7:00 p.m. (show). One MetLife Stadium Drive, East Rutherford. 201-559-1300.

Saturday, April 23 at 7:00 PMMonster JamMetLife StadiumSEE FULL EVENT DETAILSnj.com

TITANIC ARTIFACT EXHIBITION

More than 100 years ago, the tragic sinking of the RMS Titanic took place in Atlantic Ocean. The Liberty Science Center is currently running a special exhibit titled "Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition." The exhibit, which ends on May 30, features 100 authentic artifacts from the Titanic itself, as well as recreations and replicas of various parts of the ship, including cabins and state rooms. When you enter the exhibit, you will receive replica boarding pass and you'll assume the role of a passenger (ranging from a VIP guest to a poor traveler making his or her way across to America). You will then tour the lifespan of the Titanic from construction to its tragic end -- you will even get a feel of just how cold the water was when it sank. This exhibit is a premium exhibition and is available with the all-access pass or a combination ticket. $27.75-$31.75. Everyday. 9 a.m.-4 p.m. (weekdays), 9 a.m.-5:30 p.m. (weekends). 222 Jersey City Boulevard, Jersey City. 201-200-1000.

Thursday, April 21 All Day Event"Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition"Liberty Science CenterSEE FULL EVENT DETAILSnj.com

Visitors to the Titanic exhibit at the Liberty Science Center will be given a boarding pass as they enter so they can have an understanding of what it was like to be a passenger on the doomed ship.NJ Advance Media

5TH ANNUAL RED BANK INTERNATIONAL BEER, WINE & FOOD FEST

The White Street parking lot in Red Bank will become the epicurean epicenter of the Jersey Shore on Sunday as the 5th Annual Red Bank International Beer, Wine and Food Fest takes place. The festival will be a gathering place for cuisine from Red Bank restaurants, imported beer (the fest is sponsored by Heineken), and live music from all over the world. If you're coming for the food, you'll find selections from 10th Ave. Burrito Company, Gaetano's, Temple Gourmet Chinese, Runa, Siam Garden, and The Windmill. Musically, it's going to be pretty eclectic. You'll have an ABBA tribute band, the fantastic Remember Jones doing a Joe Cocker tribute, an oompah band, reggae from Random Test, Irish music from Daddy O'Pocketful, and classic covers from The Nerds. This event is for charity with proceeds going to the Red Bank Education Foundation and the Red Bank Rivercenter. $5. Sunday, 12-7 p.m. White Street Parking Lot, Red Bank.

Sunday, April 24 at 12:00 PMRed Bank International Beer and Food FestivalDowntown Red BankSEE FULL EVENT DETAILSnj.com

BIRCH HILL REUNION AT THE STONE PONY

The Birch Hill. For many, the name holds a near and dear place in their hearts. The venue, owned by iconic Jersey nightlife magnate Art Stock, the Old Bridge-based venue hosted everyone from Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons and Bo Diddley to Metallica and Bon Jovi to Kid Rock and Limp Bizkit. During its final years, if a band was in the hard rock, heavy metal, or punk scene, The Birch Hill was a rite of passage. On Friday night The Stone Pony will hold a special Birch Hill reunion show featuring artists who were regulars at the famed venue -- Jester, American Angel, and Sinopoli. This is an all-ages show, but of course you have to be 21 or older to drink. $12. Friday, 7:30 p.m. 913 Ocean Avenue, Asbury Park. 732-502-0600.

A weekend of Irish dancing, music, and arts will be on display at The Wildwoods Convention Center this weekend.Photo Courtesy of Suasion Communications Group

IRISH DANCING IN WILDWOOD

Do you miss St. Patrick's Day? Do you yearn for the sound of the bagpipes, a tin whistle, and the sight of a cable knit sweater? This Saturday, all that can change as the Wildwoods Convention Center will host the annual "Feis at the Beach" on Saturday. This event, presented by the Cummins School of Irish Dance, is a celebration of all things Irish. There will be a massive Irish step dancing competition (1,000 competitors), which will be filled with crazy energy. Outside of the competition space, there's going to be vendors selling all sorts of Celtic swag, and there will even be an Irish soda break making contest. Free. Saturday, 10 a.m. - 5:30 p.m. 4501 Boardwalk, Wildwood. 609-729-9000.

MEGA MEZCLA AT THE ROCK

Lovers of Latin music unite as the epic "Mega Mezcla" concert will take place this Friday at the Prudential Center in Newark. The concert, hosted by Mega 97.9 FM, will feature appearances by Gente de Zona, Cosculluela, Yandel, J Blavin, Reykon, Ken-Y, Karol G, Nicky Jam, Farruko, Maluma, Zion y Lennox, Messiah, El Mayor, Mark B, Yunel Cruz, Valentino, and many more. $25-$185. 25 Lafayette Street, Newark. 973-757-6600.

JERRY SEINFELD IN ATLANTIC CITY

What's the deal with ...? This intro can only mean that Jerry Seinfeld is returning to New Jersey. The stand-up comedian and sitcom icon will return to the stages of The Borgata on Saturday night. Despite his legendary sitcom being off the air for quite some time, the comedian has kept crazy busy with touring, books, albums, and his fantastic web series "Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee" which is currently in its seventh season and being distributed by Crackle. If you happen to miss out on this show, he will return for a two-night stand in August. $95-$165. Saturday, 8 p.m. 1 Borgata Way, Atlantic City. 609-317-1000.

Saturday, April 23 at 8:00 PMJerry SeinfeldBorgata Hotel Casino and SpaSEE FULL EVENT DETAILSnj.com

Bill Bodkin can be reached at bodkinwrites@gmail.com.A Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook.

A pitbull lunged at a smaller dog's neck in the most recent incident, Nutley police said.

Police are investigating a second dog attack in Nutley. (File photo)
 

NUTLEY -- For the second time in three weeks, township police say they are investigating a "vicious" dog attack.

According to Nutley Police, a brown pit bull was found attacking a smaller dog and the dog's owner near the intersection of Centre Street and Ravine Avenue on April 15 at about 2:40 p.m. The larger dog, police said, had grabbed the smaller dog's throat and would not let go.

When a nearby police officer, Peter Sandomenico, heard the dog owner screaming, he intervened to help the owner wrestle the larger dog off of the smaller one, authorities said. Though the larger dog fought releasing his grasp on the smaller dog, the two were eventually able to pry him off, police said.

What will happen to the dog?

The smaller dog was transported to an animal hospital to be treated for puncture wounds to its neck and a lacerated ear, police said. The owner was treated at a local hospital for bites she suffered to her hands and legs while trying to protect her dog, police said.

The larger dog, authorities said, was staying with a Nutley family on a trial basis after his owner in Midland Park reported that he was involved in a biting incident there. The Nutley owner was issued several summonses in relation to the incident, including unlicensed dog and vicious animal tickets, pending a court date, police said.

"It's a good thing Officer Sandomenico was in close proximity to the incident and able to stop the attack before the smaller dog was killed or the owner more seriously hurt," Police Chief Thomas Strumolo said in a statement about the attack. He also added that there are currently no laws prohibiting residents from having certain breeds of dog in the township.

The attack comes several weeks after an 11-month-old was seriously injured during an unrelated dog attack in Nutley. Town officials say the back-to-back incidents should serve as a warning to pet owners.

"One attack is one too many," Police Director and Mayor Alphonse Petracco said in a statement.

"Dog owners need to be responsible for the actions of their pets. This includes licensing them and keeping them confined to a secure area so that they cannot access smaller dogs and children."

Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The moves come less than a week after Essex County College received subpoenas from the U.S. Attorney's office

Editor's Note: This story has been updated with a statement from Essex County College.

NEWARK - Less than a month after being suspended from their positions, Essex County College's president and top attorney are officially out of a job.

The school's Board of Trustees voted to terminate President Gale Gibson and General Counsel and Vice President for Human Resources Rashidah Hasan at a meeting Wednesday night, board attorney Juan Fernandez confirmed.

In a statement, the school said it was prohibited from commenting on personnel decisions because both Gibson and Hasan had not opted to hold hearings on their employment status in open session.

"The board invited Dr. Gibson, Dr. Hasan and their attorneys to attend the Board of Trustees meeting to discuss their employment and to present any information to rebut the stated reasons for their discharge," the school said. "However, Dr. Gibson, Dr. Hasan and their attorneys chose not to attend yesterday's meeting."

Gibson and Hasan were each informed of their paid suspensions on March 25. Specifics behind the move took more than a week to surface, but the board eventually revealed both were suspected of overstepping their authority by raiding employee hard drives and blocking colleagues from lodging complaints or otherwise communicating with school trustees.

Gibson's attorney Alan Zegas issued a statement following the decision, saying she had become the unfortunate victim of politically-motivated retribution.

"Dr. Gibson's name has been wrongly dragged through the mud and she has been relieved from her employment by persons with a political agenda," he said.

Both Gibson and Hasan have maintained that their suspensions came after raising concerns about financial irregularities at the school, and just one week after recommending that a number of employees, including former Essex County administrator Joyce Harley, be disciplined for their alleged roles in an athletic department spending scandal.

Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo had publicly backed Harley as his choice to head the school prior to Gibson's arrival in 2013, but has insisted he played no role in Gibson's suspension.

Zegas has also complained about a lack of due process for Gibson, who earned a salary of approximately $295,000, saying she has been denied any access to the board's report that led to her suspension and another critical documents.

He has also said he suspects various materials that would prove her innocence may have been either deleted or shredded in the days following her suspension.

Feds now eyeing embattled Essex County College

Zegas added that Wednesday's termination came despite having provided written responses to the board's allegations, and requesting a closed hearing to offer a defense for the board's charges, which never materialized.

The controversy has widened in the weeks following the suspensions, attracting attention from both the state attorney general's office and federal authorities, both of which have served the college with subpoenas.

The state comptroller's office is also reviewing a host of records from the school, though that apparent probe dates back to at least August.

Eugene Kim, an attorney representing Hasan, said he was not surprised by the vote, but called the vote a "difficult situation."

Hasan had been employed by Essex County College since 1992, originally as an adjunct professor. She joined the school's legal staff in 1999, and state pension records indicate she earns an annual salary of $184,824.

"Any time someone loses a job it's hard, but especially when you've been with a place for so long," Kim said.

"Ultimately I think the truth behind what's really going on is going to come out. We're confident that her name will be vindicated."

According to the college, A. Zachary Yamba, a president emeritus who returned on an acting basis following Gibson's suspension, will remain in his role until a new president has been chosen. The board is expected to begin discussing the process of conducting a "national search" in the coming weeks, it said.

Dan Ivers may be reached at divers@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanIversNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Ever wonder why someone in the ER would agree to be filmed for a TV show? It turns out some of them didn't - leading to a big fine for a New York hospital.

New York Presbyterian Hospital allowed the privacy of two patients to be violated during the filming of the popular television documentary seres, "NY Med," the federal government said.

As a result, the hospital has agreed to pay a $2.2 million fine, the U.S. Health and Human Services Office of Civil Rights announced Thursday.

The hospital "allowed the ABC crew to film someone who was dying and another person in significant distress, even after a medical professional urged the crew to stop."

Episodes of the ER-based docu-drama were filmed at Presbyterian, as well as at Newark's University Hospital. No privacy violations at that site were included in the federal settlement.

The settlement also says the prominent Manhattan hospital "failed to safeguard protected health information and allowed ABC film crews virtually unfettered access to its health care facility," thereby putting the privacy of patient health records at risk. 

In addition to the fine, the hospital will be monitored for two years for its adherence to regulations that protect patient privacy.

The hospital was sued after a widow of a man who died there after being struck by a garbage truck happened to see the episode - months after her husband's death. Even though his face was blurred, she could recognize him. The show had not obtained his consent to be filmed, she said in her suit.

Kathleen O'Brien may be reached at kobrien@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @OBrienLedger. Find NJ.com on Facebook.  

The union that certifies the food as kosher looked the other way because it feared the company would stop working with them Watch video

Manischewitz hasn't been playing by the rules governing kosher foods, a rabbi alleges in a lawsuit.

Rabbi Yaakov Horowitz, who was a kosher supervisor for the Newark-based maker of matzo, wine and other foods, alleges the company stopped being as rigid about what was and wasn't kosher around 2009, according to NYDailyNews.com.

The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, which is enlisted to certify the foods produced by Manischewitz meet kosher guidelines, didn't enforce the bylaws because it feared the New Jersey company would stop working with it. Horowitz inspected food for the union for more than 20 years, according to NYPost.com.

He said he had to take a long leave of absence after being pressured to help the Union stay on Manischewitz's good side "even if this meant compromising his personal religious principles." Horowitz's complaints are outlined in a lawsuit filed in New York State Supreme Court in Lower Manhattan.

"The allegations in this suspiciously-timed lawsuit are entirely without merit, and we will contest this matter vigorously," the Orthodox Union Kosher Division said in a statement emailed to NJ Advance Media. "We certify that the Kashrut of Manischewitz is today, and has always been, at the highest level. Consumers can confidently rely upon the integrity of the Kashrut this Passover and throughout the year."

Passover begins at sunset Friday.

NJ Advance Media also sent requests for comment to a spokeswoman for Manischewitz.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook. 

The state Senate judiciary committee is holding a hearing on Walter Timpone, Christie's pick for the state Supreme Court.

TRENTON -- Gov. Chris Christie's latest nominee to the state Supreme Court is being grilled Thursday morning in a confirmation hearing before the state Senate's judiciary committee -- the first hurdle before he can serve on New Jersey's highest court. 

Walter "Wally" Timpone -- a Democrat whom the Republican governor has picked to fill a six-year vacancy on the bench -- would need to be approved by the panel before the full Senate votes to confirm him. The committee is set to vote later in the day, and the Senate is scheduled to hold its hearing Tuesday.

Timpone told the panel it is a "humbling honor" to be considered for the job.

"I believe I am well prepared for the enormous responsibilities," said Timpone, a lawyer and former assistant U.S. attorney in New Jersey. 

Is Christie's high court nominee on fast track?

But Timpone, also a member of the state Election Law Enforcement Commission, has already faced repeated questions about his decision to recuse himself on a controversial vote by the commission last year. 

ELEC was considering a complaint that alleged Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo, a Christie ally and leading north Jersey Democrat, violated campaign finance rules. Timpone's decision to sit on the sidelines, however, caused the investigation to ground to a halt. 

Timpone explained Thursday that years ago, he asked DiVincenzo to give his nephew -- then a recent college graduate with an interest in politics -- a job, which he did.

After two years of working for DiVincenzo, Timpone said, his nephew had a falling out with the executive and resigned. 

Timpone told the committee that he should recuse himself when the complaint against DiVincenzo surfaced.

"You're kind of darned if you do and darned if you don't," he said. "If I voted for the complaint, I was doing it out of malice because of my nephew's resignation. And if I voted against it, I was doing it because I owed him a favor."

"I didn't want to damage my personal ethics or the reputation of ELEC," Timpone added.

State Sen. Gerald Cardinale (R-Bergen) said "the effect of you withdrawing was essentially to give that person a pass."

"Did that go through you mind?" Cardinale asked. 

Timpone replied that his "ethical obligation overpowered any of that."

Meanwhile, Sen. Nia Gill (D-Essex) criticized how quickly Timpone was appearing before the committee. 

Christie nominated Timpone less than two weeks ago, and Gill said she received the nominee's questionnaire only Wednesday. She said she'd prefer more time to "vet" Timpone.

The seat has been vacant since Christie ousted Justice John Wallace, a Democrat, from the Supreme Court in 2010. The governor had vowed to reshape the court in a more conservative fashion. 

Since then, state Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) led the effort to block five of Christie's nominees, and the governor ousted another justice.

But the two broke the stalemate earlier this month when Christie nominated Timpone -- who despite being a Democrat is a longtime friend who even donated $2,700 to the governor's unsuccessful presidential bid in August, according to filings.

At the time of his nomination, Timpone was also a partner in the Morristown office of the law firm of McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter -- a politically connected firm with close ties to Christie that received more than $8.1 million from the state since the governor took office through the end of last year.

If confirmed, Timpone would bring the makeup of the court to three Democrats, three Republicans and one independent.

Follow NJ.com/Politics for an update on the committee's vote.

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

Tina Lunney is serving a 40-year state prison sentence for the 2009 strangling death of her 81-year-old mother

NEWARK -- A state appellate panel on Thursday upheld the murder conviction of a woman for strangling her elderly mother to death with a necktie in 2009 at their Fairfield home and then staging the scene to look like a suicide.

Citing "significant, admissible incriminating evidence," the appeals court rejected Tina Lunney's bid to overturn her conviction on murder and weapons offenses in the July 22, 2009 killing of her 81-year-old mother, Marie Zoppi.

Lunney, 48, was convicted at her trial on May 24, 2013 and she was sentenced on Aug. 13, 2013 to 40 years in state prison. She will be eligible for parole in July 2043, when she will be 75 years old.

One of the key pieces of evidence in the case was Lunney's videotaped confession to the police.

In that statement - which Lunney gave after waiving her Miranda rights - she said she was applying cream to her mother's neck on the morning of July 22, 2009 when she grabbed a tie and started strangling her, according to the appellate decision. Lunney said she left her mother's body in the home and went to work, the decision states.

Later that day, authorities said Lunney used her mother's credit card to pay PSE&G, debts with a collection agency, and for a vacation to North Carolina's Outer Banks.

Lunney told police that, the morning after the murder, she wrote a note on her mother's stationary to suggest Zoppi had committed suicide, the decision states. The note read, "tell the kids I love them, you don't need me," according to the decision.

After placing the note on a couch, Lunney said she released the necktie from her mother's neck and placed a blanket over the body, the decision states. Lunney said she then called her husband and told him to come home, the decision states.

When her husband arrived, Lunney said she told him her mother had "passed away" and she showed him the suicide note, the decision states. He called 911, and the couple gave statements to the police later that day, the decision states.

On July 24, 2009, Lunney said she fled the area, hitchhiking and taking a bus to the Bloomfield Shopping Center and later to Atlantic City, the decision states. Three days later, Lunney's neighbor reported to police that Lunney was walking near her home, the decision states. Lunney was picked up by police and later gave her confession, the decision states.

Zoppi lived with Lunney, Lunney's husband and the couple's two children for 14 years, authorities said.

At her trial, a psychiatrist testifying for the defense said Lunney suffered from "bipolar I disorder, with psychosis," and claimed she did not voluntarily waive her Miranda rights, the decision states. Another psychiatrist testified for the state about how Lunney "exhibited no symptoms of psychosis," and voluntarily waived her rights, the decision states.

As part of her appeal, Lunney argued a Superior Court judge should not have permitted her statement to be used as evidence at the trial, saying her mental illness led her to involuntarily waive her Miranda rights and provide a false confession. She also claimed police coerced her during the interview, according to the decision.

Marie Zoppi, in this undated photo, was killed in July 2009. A jury today found her daughter, Tina Lunney, guilty of strangling the elderly woman with a necktie.Essex County Prosecutor's Office

But the appellate panel affirmed the judge's findings that Lunney's waiver was knowing, intelligent and voluntary, and the panel said there was no evidence of coercion.

"The record does not indicate that the police employed coercive or improper tactics," the decision states. "Defendant has not adduced credible evidence of specific police conduct rendering her statement involuntary."

The appellate judges rejected Lunney's assertion that the trial judge improperly allowed evidence at the trial that she had been considering an insanity defense, saying there is "no reasonable possibility that the evidence concerning defendant's consideration of an insanity defense 'might have contributed to the conviction.'"

Lunney also challenged the admissibility at the trial of a letter she wrote to her husband from the Essex County jail, the decision states. In that letter, Lunney said she confessed "everything" to the police and expressed feeling suicidal after killing her mother, the decision states.

But the panel found that letter was properly admitted as evidence.

"Her statements regarding her post-crime thoughts of committing suicide and feeling remorseful for what she had done demonstrated consciousness of guilt," the decision states.

"Also in the letter, defendant said she had confessed everything to the police, which suggested she had not given a false confession. The letter included defendant's internal debate about whether she experienced temporary insanity or diminished capacity at the time she killed her mother, which was also probative to the central issue in the case of whether she actually had committed the murder. We, therefore, conclude the admission of the letter was not in error."

Bill Wichert may be reached at bwichert@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BillWichertNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

An investigation into Brown's death by the Essex County Prosecutor's Office Homicide Task Force is ongoing.

EAST ORANGE -- Officials have identified the victim in an April 17 fatal shooting on Warwick Street as a 40-year-old city man.

Gary A. Brown was gunned down in the 100 block of Warwick at approximately 8:30 a.m., said Essex County Prosecutor's Office spokeswoman Katherine Carter.

Additional details of the killing are not immediately available, Carter added.

http://www.nj.com/essex/index.ssf/2016/04/first_quarter_sees_14_percent_reduction_in_newark.html

An investigation into Brown's death by the Essex County Prosecutor's Office Homicide Task Force is ongoing, Carter said.

Vernal Coleman can be reached at vcoleman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @vernalcoleman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Creative food in a homey setting offers an experience that can be appreciated by young and old at this cute BYOW

Growing up in Millburn, Karen Rozansky used to drop in at the Glenwood Luncheonette, a half-century-old hangout frequented by kids on lunch break from the high school down the street.

She never dreamed that someday the building would be completely transformed to house her own restaurant, Tillie's, the type of environmentally conscious yet family-friendly place that wasn't on her horizon as she looked ahead to majoring in theater at New York University. At that time, her dream was starring on Broadway.

"I tripped and fell into the food and wine business," she chuckled, explaining that like so many in the acting field, she worked in dining establishments to make a living before she "slowly but surely fell in love with the restaurant business."

She switched gears to attend the Institute of Culinary Education in New York City, where she fell in love again, this time with chef-to-be Wirt Cook, who became her husband. After spending years working for others, the couple wanted their own business, and that became the new dream.

In November, the Cooks opened the intimate 48-seat Tillie's, offering up-to-date food in the Short Hills building that was the Glenwood before they took it down to the studs and redid it. A list of farms in New Jersey, Connecticut and Pennsylvania is displayed prominently on the menu, headlining the owners' commitment to sustainability and being "as farm-to-table as possible."

Chilled beet salad with Valley Shepherd cheese, hazelnuts and white balsamic vinaigrette from Tillie's.Alex Remnick 

It's likely that many of the distinctive dishes at Tillie's will break fresh ground for those who try them. Sunchoke soup ($9), for instance, smooth and vaguely nutty in its demeanor, is enhanced by just the right amount of Parmesan and truffle oil. It goes well with the warm cornbread nestled in the bread basket. A duck and pork terrine ($11) is brought up to speed with brandied cherry jam and bourbon mustard, a winning combination, all for slathering on grilled bread.

The chef lived around the country, gaining a fondness for regional cuisine. He spent time in New Orleans, so it's no surprise to discover his Cajun shrimp and grits ($29) getting good play among the entrees. We asked for mild spicing, and the dish was made exactly to order, with just enough of a kick to balance the sweetness of the grits. Brandy, herbs and roasted garlic come together beautifully to make this a must-have dish.

Wirt Cook likes to bring in seafood from nearby waters, particularly New Jersey, Rhode Island and New York. Sea trout, ($27) a seagoing brown trout from Long Island in a stunning beurre blanc, is artfully paired with beluga lentils (dark, like their caviar namesake) and kale. Maine mussels ($13) are paired with bits of smoked trout, with an undercurrent of white wine and garlic.

Cook has a hand as captivating with poultry and meat as he does with seafood. Hudson Valley duck breast ($30) becomes more charming with the addition of braised cabbage, sweet potato, apples and thyme, elements that blend together effortlessly. Slow-cooked beans with rice, bacon and Brussels sprouts add to the appeal of a Berkshire pork porterhouse ($29).

Berkshire pork porterhouse with slow cooked beans and bacon, rice and Brussels sprouts.Alex Remnick|NJ Advance Media for NJ.com 

For the children, there's grilled cheese ($8), while the burgers and chicken fingers ($10 each) come with vegetables to make the experience healthier than the usual kiddie fare. Youngsters are welcome, but those seeking a more adult atmosphere should count on arriving after 7 p.m. or so, when a family evening that begins noisily at 5 p.m. migrates into a quieter date night/couples night.

Wirt Cook has quite a resume, working at the Waverly Inn in Manhattan (where he picked up the burnt onion slaw that is a menu regular with slab bacon and caraway mustard, $12) and at Alex Guarnaschelli's restaurants, Butter and The Darby, in New York City. You may have seen him on "Iron Chef," where he and Alex Merriman were sous chefs for Guarnaschelli when she won the competition.

He is inspired by getting to know the farmers and working with what the season offers.

Karen Cook has experience in managing the front of the house, but also spent six years as a wine buyer and educator. Ironically, Tillie's does not have a liquor license, but the Cooks are hoping to have wine dinners there featuring outside distributors, which is permitted for these special occasions. In addition to management duties, Karen Cook is also the pastry chef, often rolling out dough as her 16-month-old twins, Audrey and Elizabeth, sit in high chairs beside her "bashing pots and pans, growing up in the restaurant business."

Karen Cook's desserts are as expertly prepared as her husband's dishes. I am a longtime connoisseur of Key lime pie ($9), and hers is the among the best I've had, including the many versions I've eaten in Florida over the years. Properly pale yellow (if someone serves you green "Key lime" pie, send it back; Key limes are not green) and just tart enough, it blended flawlessly with its fresh whipped cream topping. Layer cakes, cobblers and pies, the type of things people eat when sitting down with their families, tend to rotate on and off the menu

The restaurant is named after Matilda "Tillie" Hennessey, Wirt Cook's maternal grandmother, who emigrated from Ireland as a child.

"She was this amazing family matriarch who had 10 kids and countless grandkids. She managed to put a hot meal on the table every night for dinner, nothing too fancy, but always homemade and always delicious," Karen Cook said.

"Wirt spent a lot of time at her house and in her kitchen. She never really taught him to cook exactly -- but she was a very strong example of how the heart of the home is truly the kitchen."

Service in that vein is appropriately folksy, efficient but not standoffish.

"We both grew up in families centered around the kitchen and with great importance put on the family dinner table, which is where the best conversations were always had," Karen Cook noted.

"This is very much how we want people to feel when they are at Tillie's, like they are having dinner in our home."

IF YOU GO

Tillie's

519 Millburn Ave., Short Hills. 973-564-9700. tilliesonmillburn.com.

Hours: 5-9 p.m. Wednesdays-Thursdays and Sundays; 5-10 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays. Closed Mondays-Tuesdays. BYOW

Cody Kendall may be reached at CodyDine@aim.com. Follow Cody on Twitter@CodyDine. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook.

During closing arguments this morning, the state stressed an abundance of evidence presented at trial and the defense accused the state of concocting the case.

During closing arguments this morning in the trial of a Newark man charged with killing a 12-year-old Jersey City boy in 2013, the state stressed an abundance of evidence presented at trial, while the defense accused the state of concocting the case.

"Gywan Levine Sr. lost a son, it was tragic, but nothing was more tragic than the death of Gywan Levine Jr., the death that was caused by this, a .44 caliber bullet. A bullet fired by this man," Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Leo Rinaldi told the jury while holding the bullet the state says was fired by Farrarhd H. Gunter on Rutgers Avenue on May 17, 2013.     

"A bullet that tore through his chest," Rinaldi continued. "Took him away from a mother, a father. Took him away from other siblings."

The state alleges that on the night the boy was killed and his father wounded, Janice S. Everett, 28, of Rahway, Shawn Harris, 36, of Irvington and Gunter Jersey City were in Everett's black 300 Chrysler to commit robberies. They pulled over on Wade Street, and the two men walked to where the father and son were playing basketball and announced a robbery. Gunter then shot the pair, robbed the father and kicked him in the face.

Minutes later, they drove to Kennedy Boulevard near Woodlawn Avenue and pulled over again.

Everett testified for the state at the trial that she drove the men to both locations that night. One witness on Rutgers Avenue identified Gunter as the man who shot the father and son. Another witness said Harris was with the gunman. Everett said when they returned, she smelled gunpowder and saw Gunter had a gun.

A woman who was at Kennedy Boulevard near Woodlawn Avenue that night testified that she saw a Chrysler 300 pull over with a woman behind the wheel. She identified both Harris and Gunter as being the men who got out of the car and walked down Woodlawn Avenue.

She said she turned the corner and watched the men shoot, and she heard screams before they got back into the car. She said the car made a U-turn and fled. Everett, too, testified that she made a U-turn and fled.

Police zeroed in on Everett after one of Gywan Sr.'s credit cards was used for an online sneaker purchase, and the transaction included her address and email address. Police then found Gywan Sr.'s credit cards in her car. She gave up Harris and said she only knew the other man as "Slim" at first. Later, they said the third man was Gunter.  

On the witness stand, Gunter said Harris had a grudge against him because Gunter may have fathered one of Harris' children.

"Why would Everett put your name in this?" Hirschorn asked Gunter.

"She is (Harris') girlfriend," said Gunter, adding that Everett is not the woman involved in the potential paternity issue. Gunter said the day he appeared in court with her at some point after his arrest was the first time he ever saw Everett. He said he'd last seen Harris about two months before the shooting, and that he had nothing to do with the charges he faces.

Harris and Everett were charged in the homicide but have pleaded guilty to lesser charges and agreed to cooperate in Gunter's prosecution. Both were on the witness list for Gunter's trial, but only Everett took the stand.

Hirschorn suggested they provided the state with information the state wanted to hear in order to get plea deals.

The defense attorney noted there was testimony that Levine Sr. was a drug dealer and a member of the Crips street gang. He said Gywan Jr. may have been shot by a member of the group he was with that fired back at robbers.

While on the stand, Gunter said he has an eye problem and must wear glasses all the time. Hirschorn told the jury that not one person testified that either of the men were wearing glasses. He said aspects of the investigation were handled poorly, some of the testimony was inconsistent and noted identifications made via a photo array are not always reliable.

During cross examination, Rinaldi questioned Gunter about his 10 criminal convictions, which include drug possession within 1,000 feet of school property, two counts of receiving stolen property, two counts of possession with intent to distribute and three counts of drug possession. He is on probation for a 2014 weapons offense.

Currently, the jurors are being instructed on aspects of the law pertinent to their deliberations. It is possible deliberations will start this afternoon.

Walter "Wally" Timpone is one step away from becoming a justice on the state Supreme Court.

TRENTON -- Gov. Chris Christie's latest nominee for the state Supreme Court is now one step away from filling a six-year vacancy on New Jersey's highest court.

The state Senate Judiciary Committee unanimously voted, 13-0, to approve Walter "Wally" Timpone to become an associate justice on the seven-member court.

Now, Timpone -- a veteran attorney and Democrat who has been friends with Christie, a Republican, for years -- faces his final hurdle: a confirmation hearing Monday before the full Senate. 

If he's confirmed, it will end a battle Christie and state Senate President President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) have waged since 2010 over the makeup of the Supreme Court. Christie nominated Timpone, a fellow former federal prosecutor, last month in a deal to break the stalemate.

Thursday's hearing lasted only two hours, although Timpone was grilled on a few issues -- including a controversial meeting he had with former U.S. Sen. Robert Torricelli more than a decade ago and his role in a much-scrutinized case before the state Election Law Enforcement Commission last year.

Timpone, 65, of Cranford, told the committee the notion he "would be recommended for a seat on one of the greatest courts in this country is beyond anything I could have imagined."

"My independence and integrity, which I've strived hard to build and maintain in 30 years of practice, will never be compromised," he added.

Christie ends 6-year battler over N.J. Supreme Court

Timpone described how he grew up poor in Brooklyn, spent time teaching emotionally disturbed children in New York City, and earned his degree from Seton Hall Law School at night. 

Later, Timpone worked as a federal prosecutor in New Jersey's U.S. Attorney's Office for a decade.

He was repeatedly asked Thursday about how he was in line to be the first assistant when Christie became the state's U.S. attorney in 2001 but never was appointed because of a meeting with Torricelli, then a U.S. senator under federal investigation.

At the time, Timpone was the attorney for former Hudson County Executive Robert Janiszewski, whom federal authorities planned to use as a witness against Torricelli.

Timpone said Thursday that he was simply asking Torricelli to sign off on his possible post under Christie and that he was never alone with the senator during their meeting.

"And at no time did we discuss anything other than my desire to become first assistant U.S. attorney and be back at my old office," he said.

Timpone said federal Justice Department officials later asked him about the meeting, and he voluntarily withdrew his name from the first assistant U.S. attorney post.

Timpone is also the vice chairman of the state Election Law Enforcement Commission and has faced repeated questions about his decision to recuse himself on a key vote last year. 

ELEC was considering a complaint that alleged Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo, a Christie ally and top north Jersey Democrat, missed thousands of dollars in campaign money. Timpone's decision to not participate in the vote caused the investigation to ground to a halt. 

Timpone explained Thursday that years ago, he asked DiVincenzo to give his nephew a job. And after two years of working for DiVincenzo, Timpone said, his nephew fell out with the executive and resigned. 

Timpone told the panel that he felt compelled to recuse himself when the complaint against DiVincenzo surfaced.

"You're kind of darned if you do and darned if you don't," he said. "If I voted for the complaint, I was doing it out of malice because of my nephew's resignation. And if I voted against it, I was doing it because I owed him a favor."

Timpone is also a partner at Morristown law firm McElroy, Deutsch, Mulvaney & Carpenter, which has received more than $8.1 million from the state since Christie took office through the end of last year.

In addition, Timpone donated $2,700 in August to Christie's unsuccessful presidential bid, according to filings.

The seat has been vacant since Christie ousted Justice John Wallace, a Democrat, from the Supreme Court in 2010. The governor had vowed to reshape the court in a more conservative fashion. 

Since then, Sweeney led efforts to block five of Christie's nominees, and the governor ousted another justice.

If confirmed Monday, Timpone would bring the makeup of the court to three Democrats, three Republicans and one independent.

Timpone's term on the court would last about five years because there is a mandatory retirement age of 70 for judges and justices in New Jersey.

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

Men were arrested on drug and weapons charges, authorities said.

NEWARK -- Two men were arrested this week after authorities say undercover officers witnessed an illegal drug transaction outside a Newark deli.

According to Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura, detectives conducting an undercover operation near Weequahic Park Tuesday saw an apparent drug deal between a man and woman in front of a deli on Elizabeth Avenue.

Sharif "Sean" Vines, 22, of Newark, the alleged dealer, was found carrying 23 vials of crack cocaine, Fontoura said in a release.

While Vines was being arrested on various drug charges, detectives saw another man in the area take off his jacket and attempt to hide it under a nearby fence, authorities said. Detectives arrested the man, Johnathan Smith, 19, also of Newark, after finding a loaded .38 caliber revolver in the jacket, authorities said. It's unknown if the two men are related, officials said.

Vines was also found to be wanted o several other warrants, authorities said. The woman who detectives believed bought drugs was never located, authorities said.

Both men were remanded to the Essex County jail, Vines on $50,000 cash bond, and Smith on $100,000, officials said.

Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Jamie Guaman is serving a 35-year state prison sentence for the 2003 attack in Newark

Jamie GuamanNew Jersey Department of Corrections 

NEWARK -- A man serving a 35-year state prison sentence has lost an appeal of his conviction on charges related to the 2003 kidnapping and gang rape of a flight attendant in Newark.

A state appellate panel on Thursday upheld Jamie Guaman's conviction at a 2006 trial on kidnapping, aggravated sexual assault and related offenses, and rejected his arguments of receiving ineffective legal assistance. The panel affirmed a 2014 order denying Guaman's petition for post-conviction relief.

At the time of the Feb. 24, 2003 incident, the victim was attacked shortly after midnight as she was coming home from the Grammy Awards in New York City, authorities said.

After leaving Newark Penn Station, the woman was walking home when Guaman and his two co-conspirators - Antonio Ochoa and Edgar Yepezmorocho - forced her into a van near Ferry Street, authorities said.

The attackers then drove to a desolate location on Amsterdam Avenue in Newark, where they sexually assaulted the victim for 90 minutes, authorities said.

When city police officers were in the area on an unrelated assignment and came upon the van, the victim ran out half-naked and screamed that she was raped, authorities said. The officers drew their weapons and arrested the three suspects, authorities said.

The three men, who were all illegal aliens, were later released on bail and fled to Ecuador, authorities said. Yepezmorocho, who remains at large, was convicted in absentia in January 2004, authorities said.

Guaman was arrested in Los Angeles in November 2004, authorities said. Following his conviction in January 2006, Guaman was sentenced in June 2006 to 35 years in state prison. He will be eligible for parole in August 2034.

Ochoa, who was arrested in Spain in November 2009, pleaded guilty in October 2011 to aggravated sexual assault and conspiracy charges and he was sentenced in February 2012 to a 10-year state prison sentence.

At Guaman's trial, he claimed the victim voluntarily entered the van, drank beer with him and the two other men, and agreed to have consensual sex with them in exchange for $100, according to the appellate decision.

In his appeal, Guaman argued his trial attorney was ineffective for failing to secure beer bottles from the van as evidence, the decision states. Guaman asserted that DNA testing of the bottles would support his version of events, the decision states.

But the appellate judges rejected Guaman's argument, saying his attorney "vigorously advocated for defendant's theory of the case at trial," the decision states.

"Rather than recovering three-year-old beer bottles and perform testing, which may or may not have revealed the victim's DNA, defendant's counsel chose to cast doubt on the credibility of the investigation," the decision states.

"During cross-examination of one of the police officers involved with the investigation, defense counsel elicited testimony revealing that the police failed to complete any investigation or analysis of the beer bottles at all."

The panel said "this line of questioning, as well as the decision not to secure the beer bottles, are matters of trial strategy, and should be accorded great deference on review."

The panel also rejected Guaman's assertion that his attorney failed to conduct an adequate pretrial investigation, because Guaman did not provide any evidence to support that claim.

Bill Wichert may be reached at bwichert@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BillWichertNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

A plainclothes operation was launched in response to complaints of drug activity.

NEWARK -- A plainclothes surveillance operation led to the arrest of four city residents on drug and weapons charges Thursday, Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura said.

The Bureau of Narcotics carried out the operation at 14th Ave. and S. 16th Street in response to complaints from neighbors.

"Tony Dorch, 26, was observed making alleged illegal narcotics sales in front of the Jiminez Gabino Grocery store, located at 310 14th Avenue, at 2 p.m. today," Fontoura said.  "Dorch would engage with passersby and signal to an accomplice, later identified as Devin Hawkins, 33, who was stationed at an open window of a vacant third floor apartment over the store.  Hawkins would then deliver the drugs to Dorch."

Officers retrieved 21 vials and eight bags of crack cocaine, six envelopes of heroin and 22 grams of marijuana, Fontoura said.

Tywaun Hedgesteth, 34, who was allegedly loitering in the area, was arrested after he was seen adjusting a gun in his waistband."

"Hedgesteth was found to be in possession of a fully loaded, .45 caliber, Hi Point semi-automatic and 14 bags of 'crack' cocaine," Fontoura said.

A fourth suspect, Shaquan Wiley, 30, pulled up to the scene in a 2006 Toyota Corolla, authorities also said.

"Wiley exited his vehicle, opened the hood, removed a brown paper bag and stuffed items from that bag into his waistband," Fontoura said.   "A search of Wiley and the bag yielded 64 vials and 10 bags of 'crack' cocaine.

The four were being held at the Essex County Jail pending arraignment.

Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@PaulMilo2. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Brag on your score in comments.

Time to see how well you remember New Jersey's biggest news stories of the past week. Take NJ.com's weekly news quiz below. All of the questions are based on the most popular stories of the week, stories you probably saw. Take the quiz and then share your score in comments. And remember, no Googling allowed.

There's a new NJ.com Local News Quiz Thursday evenings on NJ.com.

John Shabe can be reached via jshabe@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter and find NJ.com on Facebook.

Omar Sullivan spent 27 days in jail after the Essex County Sheriff's Department did not correct a mistake in personal identification that led to his arrest.

Each day, before he drives to work, Omar Sullivan sits in his car and says a little prayer.

He crosses his fingers, keeping them that way the entire ride for good luck - and for good reason.

Sullivan, a manager for a moving company, doesn't want to be stopped by the police.

"I do it unconsciously,'' said the 35-year-old Bloomfield resident. "It makes me feel good.''

The last time he was stopped, Sullivan spent 27 days in jail trying to convince authorities in Atlanta and Newark that he wasn't Steven Sylvester, the man authorities had been looking for on gun and drug charges.

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Does this synopsis jar your memory? Sullivan's alarming mistaken identity story, which appeared in this column in 2014, explained how the Essex County Sheriff's Department goofed up.

As expected, Sullivan's attorney, Patrick Metz,  filed a lawsuit in Superior Court. And because the case involves the sheriff's department, the state Attorney General's office is representing the agency. Paul Loriquet, a spokesman for the Attorney General's Office, said his office would not comment.

But Metz is ready for depositions, saying the sheriff's department violated his client's civil rights when it did not correct a mistake in personal identification that led to Sullivan's detention.

The drama began after Sullivan lost his wallet and didn't know that Sylvester had gotten hold of his identification and used it during a traffic stop on Jan. 3, 2007, in East Orange.

Of course, Sylvester never appeared in court, but authorities believed he was Sullivan and issued a warrant for his arrest.

Sullivan was clueless about the situation until he received a letter from Essex County authorities in 2008. Somehow, he was wanted for Sylvester's mess -possession of a .22-caliber gun, heroin, steroids and 27 vials of cocaine.

He beat a path to the Essex County Courthouse, where authorities took his fingerprints and realized they did not match Sylvester's.

Kim Branch, a court service supervisor, gave Sullivan a letter that said the charges did not involve him.

Sullivan left, thinking everything was fine. He relocated to Atlanta  in 2013 and found a job as a manager for a storage company. He had a dog and was about to move into an apartment.

Life was good -until Atlanta police scanned his license plate as he drove past them on Jan. 27, 2014. 

You guessed it. The warrant and those charges popped up, and Sullivan was arrested.

His mother, Valerie Murphy, had the letter he needed. She left her home in Kearny and took it to the Essex County Sheriff's Department, but no one would help her.

The letter wouldn't have made a difference because the sheriff's department never removed the warrant from the system. And most importantly, Sullivan's State Bureau of Identification number, a number that is issued when someone is arrested and fingerprinted, got mixed up with Sylvester's SBI number and fingerprints.

"They didn't switch my SBI number to match my fingerprints,'' Sullivan said.

Every time that Sullivan claimed his innocence, he showed up in the system as Sylvester.

It remained this way for 12 days, while he sat in the county lockup in Atlanta and during his extradition, a four-day trip through eight states before he arrived in Newark and was held for another 11 days.

This gross flaw didn't get cleared up until his mother hired an attorney, who requested a bail hearing. By this time, Valerie Murphy was flustered.

She couldn't reach Branch, the court service supervisor who gave her son the letter. A sheriff's officer couldn't help her. At the hearing, the prosecutor's office dug into the files and retrieved a picture of Sylvester.

He's Hispanic and weighs 190 pounds. Sullivan is black and weighs 145 pounds.

The judge dismissed the case on Feb. 21, 2014, and ordered Sullivan to be released. Getting out of jail was still problematic.

Sullivan's name wasn't on the discharge list, so he had to wait several more hours before he was permitted to walk out at midnight with a bus card, but no money and no apology.

"I still feel like they owe me at least that,'' he said.

Sullivan returned to Atlanta, but life wasn't the same. He got his job back, but lost his apartment. His dog, which was home alone while he was in custody, died. Sullivan never readjusted.

He didn't want to drive to work, fearing he'd be pulled over again. His cousin played chauffer for a bit, until Sullivan established a bleak new normal.

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Work. Therapist. Home.  Depression medication became part of this cycle, too.

"I felt stuck,'' he said. "I just couldn't get back on track.''

Sullivan is back in New Jersey now, living with his mom in Bloomfield and working two jobs.

Employment keeps him busy, but he'd sure like to see Sylvester in a courtroom. It won't happen, unfortunately. Sylvester received the ultimate get-out-of-jail-free card when the charges against him were dismissed.

"I want to see somebody held responsible for what I went through,'' he said.  "I still have freaking dreams about when I was in jail.''

Authorities have said that Sullivan's record has been corrected, but the only thing he can count on now is crossing his fingers.

Barry Carter: (973) 836-4925 or bcarter@starledger.com or nj.com/carter or follow him on Twitter @BarryCarterSL

Winslow is described by volunteers as a playful and energetic dog.

Winslow 

MONTCLAIR -- Winslow is a mixed breed dog, approximately 6-year-old, in the care of PAWS Montclair.

Found abandoned in a garage by local animal control officers, he has been described by volunteers as a playful and energetic dog who gets along well with other canines.

Winslow weighs 50 pounds; he has been neutered and is up-to-date on shots.

For more information on Winslow, call 973-746-5212 or go to pawsmontclair.org. PAWS is a nonprofit rescue group serving the Montclair area, currently caring for more than 100 cats and 10 dogs.

Shelters interested in placing a pet in the Paw Print adoption column or submitting news should call 973-836-4922 or email essex@starledger.com.

Greg Hatala may be reached at ghatala@starledger.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find The Star-Ledger on Facebook.

 

A former associate dean allegedly was involved in a plan to use the university's name for online classes given by a correspondence school.

NEWARK -- A Pennsylvania man who allegedly schemed with former officials at Caldwell University was charged Thursday with plotting to defraud a program that funded the education of veterans who served in the armed forces following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

According to a criminal complaint, the fraud involved tricking veterans into thinking they had enrolled in accredited university classes when they actually were taking courses developed and taught by an online correspondence school.

David Alvey, of Harrisburg, Pa., appeared before U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie A. Gallagher in the Baltimore Division of the Maryland District Court Thursday afternoon, according to the office of U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman. 

Alvey, 49, is charged with one count of conspiracy to commit wire fraud, Fishman's office said. 

Alvey is the first individual to be charged in the alleged scheme, Fishman's office said, adding that the investigation is ongoing.

Caldwell is the unnamed university referenced in the criminal complaint, said its attorney, Henry E. Klingeman.

The university, he said, has been cooperating in the investigation. 

"Caldwell University was made aware today of the charges against ED4MIL's former President and owner," he said in a statement. "More than five years ago, Caldwell began a contractual relationship with ED4MIL, a relationship Caldwell ended in 2013. Neither Caldwell University nor its current administration or staff is accused of wrongdoing."

He said the university would not issue any further statement "out of respect for the ongoing criminal process."

According to the criminal complaint, this is how the alleged scheme worked:

Alvey is the founder and president of ED4MIL, a Lewisberry, Pa. for-profit firm that marketed and sold educational materials to members of the military. 

Feds use fake college in visa fraud sting

Alvey, the complaint said, pitched the idea to university employees, who are identified as unnamed co-conspirators in the complaint, to partner with the university as a money-making plan for the school beginning in 2007.

In 2009, Alvey proposed to the co-conspirators an online non-credit "GI Bill Program" that would be offered through the university, but taught and administered by the correspondence school and other private entities contracted by Alvey, the complaint said. 

The cost of the courses would be paid through the Post 9/11 GI Bill.

An unnamed co-conspirator, identified as an associate dean no longer with the university, worked with Alvey to sell the plan to the school. That person, the complaint says, left the university to work for ED4MIL. 

A second university employee, also identified as a co-conspirator, signed off on the program, knowing that Caldwell would not be providing the education, the complaint says. 

During the application to participate in the tuition benefit program, administered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, Alvey and co-conspirators did not disclose the involvement of ED4MIL or the correspondence school to the VA. 

On Feb. 4, 2011, the university submitted an application falsely stating that the classes were primarily taught by university faculty who teach on campus, and that courses "are the same as those courses offered on campus with the same learning outcomes," the complaint says.

The application was approved Feb. 24, 2011, it said.

Salesmen then went to military bases throughout the U.S. and pitched the classes, wearing t-shirts and handing out pens emblazoned with the university's name. 

Those who enrolled had their information sent to a third alleged university co-conspirator who nominally enrolled the veterans in the university, but simultaneously enrolled them in the correspondence school, the complaint said. 

The complaint says the university charged the VA prices that were 10 to 30 times higher than equivalent correspondence courses. It says, for example, that most of the correspondence school's classes cost between $600-$1,000, but the university billed for courses costing $5,000 to $26,000 per course.

By December, 2011, veterans were complaining, with one individual complaining that the VA was being charged $8,000 for a course that normally cost $749, the complaint said.

From 2011 through August 2013, the VA paid out about $35 million in tuition and other benefits for thousands of veterans, it said. 

It did not specify how or if the university made any money in the alleged scheme.

"The allegations of fraud committed by David Alvey are extremely serious because not only did his scheme potentially harm the Department of Veterans Affairs, it also victimized our nation's deserving veterans and their families," said Jeffrey G. Hughes, special agent in charge of the VA's Office of Inspector General's Northeast Field Office.

The wire fraud conspiracy count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine, Fishman's office said. 

Fishman credited special agents of the VA's Northeast field office, the FBI and the U.S. Department of Education, Office of Inspector General, with the investigation leading to the arrest.

The Newark-based school received the subpoenas as part of a newly launched investigation by the U.S. Attorney's office

NEWARK -- Federal authorities are seeking various records from chaos-stricken Essex County College, even some they suspect may no longer be in one piece.

A subpoena, obtained by NJ Advance Media and delivered by U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman's office to the Newark school on April 14, ordered the school's custodian of records to turn over "all shredded materials" from the A. Zachary Yamba building, which includes administrative offices.

A separate subpoena from Fishman's office is dated April 11, and requests copies of all employee timekeeping records dating back to 2011.

The U.S. Attorney's office has declined comment on the orders, citing a policy that forbids it to discuss the status of any investigation. The investigation, however, mirrors concerns shared by the college's recently fired president, Gale Gibson.

Gibson's attorney Alan Zegas has repeatedly stated he has been denied access to critical documents that could be used to disprove the accusations of tampering with emails and other communications that led to her firing, potentially due to shredding efforts by school employees.

Among his claims are that Joyce Harley, the schools vice president for finance and administration who Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo has openly backed to become president of the college, was given access to Gibson's office and the college's email system was taken off line for three hours in the days following her March 25 suspension.

The actions, according to Zegas, fly in the face of a state investigation into the misuse of school-issued credit cards for its athletic department. Gibson and former General Counsel Rashidah Hasan, who was also fired Wednesday, had recommended Harley and several other employees be disciplined for their roles in the matter prior to their suspensions.

"Even if the shredding were completely legitimate, for it to occur while the state is conducting a criminal investigation into conduct that was discovered by Dr. Gibson, creates a terrible appearance," Zegas said.

N.J. college fires president, top attorney amid mounting controversy

A. Zachary Yamba, a president emeritus at the school who returned on an acting basis following Gibson's suspension, said he had issued a directive to preserve all documents after coming aboard April 4, and had no knowledge of any shredding or other destruction. He also denied that any Harley or any other employee had been allowed inside Gibson's office.

"We have the lock and key," he said. "Nobody can go in there until we hear from the attorneys."

Harley declined to comment, saying school staff had been instructed not to speak to reporters about the ongoing issues.

While investigations by the U.S. Attorney and state Attorney General's office appear to be recent developments, the college has also been the subject of a more lengthy and wide-ranging probe.

According to documents obtained through a public records request, the New Jersey comptroller's office has requested a trove of materials from the school since August, ranging from third party vendor agreements and payroll records to credit card spending statements and receipts for an EZ Pass assigned to Gibson.

The office has been critical of the school before, issuing a 2012 report on statewide county college spending that criticized various perks granted to then-president Edythe Abdullah.

Despite the bevy of inquiring eyes, however, Zegas said he was confident Gibson welcomed whatever they might uncover.

"Dr. Gibson hopes that the authorities fully pursue all avenues of investigation," he said. "Those who have wrongly sullied Dr. Gibson's good name and reputation will ultimately be held accountable for their conduct."

Dan Ivers may be reached at divers@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanIversNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Whitney Houston graduated from Mount Saint Dominic Academy in 1981.

nj.com archive photo 

CALDWELL -- Whitney Houston had this photo taken at her senior prom at Mount Saint Dominic Academy in Caldwell in 1981.

The Billboard Book of Number One Hits points out that in her teenage years, Houston went to nightclubs where her mother Cissy was performing and would occasionally get on stage and sing with her.

"In 1977, at age 14," the book notes, "she became a backup singer on the Michael Zager Band's single "Life's a Party."

If you would like to share a photo that provides a glimpse of history in your community, please call 973-836-4922 or send an email to essex@starledger.com. And, check out more glimpses of history in our online galleries Thursdays on nj.com.

Greg Hatala may be reached at ghatala@starledger.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find The Star-Ledger on Facebook.