Experts weigh in on how people should prepare their properties for the impending storm.

Homeowners surveying their properties in advance of what may be a catastrophic storm next week are too late to take down trees that might not fare well in the potential surge of strong winds, experts say. However, thanks to Hurricane Sandy, there may not be as much tree trimming necessary in the Garden State.

"I hate to say that it helped anything, but Sandy did help to clear out perhaps the most dangerous trees," David Robinson, the state climatologist at Rutgers University, said in a phone interview Wednesday about the impending Hurricane Joaquin.

Tree experts said that because of the time that has passed since the superstorm, trees that did not come down have likely recovered from any damage they may have sustained during Sandy.

"If these storms had been in quick succession, you would have had a higher chance that trees could be damaged in the first one, and come down in the second one," said Dirk Vanderklein, a Montclair State University assistant professor of biology who specializes in plants and their environments.

"But, it's been a couple of years...if a tree made it through (Sandy), it probably has a good chance of making it through another storm."

Tens of thousands of trees across the state were uprooted or blown over during the October 2012 storm. Weather experts say it is too soon to know if Hurricane Joaquin will have the same effect.

The latest model for the storm Thursday has it making landfall in New Jersey at the beginning of next week. However, meteorologists say there are still many possible variations in the storm's track that make predictions difficult.

And, Robinson said, the path it takes in N.J. will determine whether it is a rain-heavy or wind-heavy event, which will effect whether or not it takes down a large number of trees.

"It's something we have to watch really closely," he said.

TREE PREPARATION

There is not enough time before Joaquin potentially hits to take down weak trees, experts said.

"The time to check your trees was about three weeks ago," Judith Stark, the director of the Environmental Studies Program at Seton Hall University, said Wednesday.

"Don't trim them now on your own...it is much better to be proactive than reactive."

In addition to the dangers of homeowners attempting to take down their own trees in advance of the storm, experts advised against disrupting the current environment this soon before Joaquin hits.

Trees, Vanderklein said, adapt to the conditions they regularly encounter. So, the exterior trees in a grouping are likely stronger, and more able to withstand the brunt of heavy winds, than those on the interior of a cluster, he said.

Taking down the exterior trees so close to a heavy wind event "would leave the more vulnerable trees exposed," he said.

PREPARE IN ADVANCE

Tree experts recommended residents call in professionals once a year to survey the trees in their yards. The annual evaluation process, they said, can help determine which trees are healthy, and which may be affected by disease.

"The idea is to analyze the situation, and decide well ahead of time what needs to be done to make the situation safer," said Rick Close, the district manager of Davey Tree's New Jersey office.

"There are many properties in New Jersey with very large, very old trees on them." An annual check-up can determine whether or not they are alive, or see if their roots have been damaged or cut, he said.

In the days leading up to Joaquin, experts said that aside from cleaning up large branches that have already fallen and other debris in the yard that could blow around in heavy winds, residents would be best off leaving the trees as they are.

But, Robinson said, surveying the property to take note of where the trees are located, could be helpful before an emergency situation. "Remind yourself where the trees are relative to the rooms in your house" when deciding where to bunker down during a severe storm, he said.

The good news, he said, is that people have Sandy as a reference point.

"I would think that people learned many lessons (during that storm) that they still retain today."

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

 

The supermarket held a grand opening in a neighborhood once dubbed a 'food desert.'

NEWARK -- ShopRite is officially open in the city's Central Ward.

Officials gathered in Newark Wednesday morning for a ribbon-cutting ceremony at the 70,000 square foot supermarket, which developers say will serve as the anchor for the new "Springfield Marketplace." Once finished, the mixed-use development will include retail shops, restaurants, and apartments.

The apartments and other retail developments should be finished in the next several months, the site's developers have said. The new supermarket is owned by the Greenstein family, which owns and operates the nearby Brookdale ShopRite in Bloomfield.

"We are very excited to bring our second ShopRite store to Essex County, with this brand new location in Newark, where we will be a vital part of the community and a good neighbor," Neil Greenstein said in a statement about the grand opening.

"We are privileged to be part of this community and all the great new development that is happening in Newark right now."

City officials have lauded the opening as a big win for Newark. The store is set to bring about 360 jobs to the city, 85 of which will be full-time. In addition to groceries, the location includes an in-store cafe, pharmacy, and on-site dietician, who will offer shoppers free one-on-one consultations.

The store is one of several high-profile developments coming to the city, including a Whole Foods now being built in the former Hahne & Co. department store building.

"This development will address several critical needs in the city: eliminating a 'food desert' in its neighborhood; providing jobs, job training, career development, and prosperity to our residents," Mayor Ras Baraka said in a statement about the ShopRite.

After about two years of construction, the official opening Wednesday included the unveiling of the location's community mural, painted by Newark students, and a donation from the Greenstein family to the Community Food Bank of New Jersey.

In statements released prior to the opening, city officials said they expect the store's impact on the community to only grow.

"Neil has been a genuine community partner, giving of his time, money and team to make ShopRite an essential part of the city of Newark before the cash register even rings up the first dollar," Central Ward Councilwoman Gayle Chaneyfield Jenkins said in a statement.

"(It's) a prime example of how businesses should operate in communities."

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

 

Woman was allegedly assaulted in July, police said.

Anthony Johnson. (Courtesy Montclair Police) 

MONTCLAIR -- Police have arrested a man who they say assaulted a woman he met one night in July.

A 41-year-old Newark woman was attacked with an "unknown cutting weapon" at the intersection of Cedar Ave. and High St. at about 10:45 p.m. on July 23, police said in a release Wednesday. Police said she suffered "severe lacerations" to her back and neck during the attack, and was treated for non-life threatening injuries.

Anthony Johnson, 37, of Belleville, was arrested on Sept. 18 in connection with the attack, police announced Wednesday. He was charged with aggravated assault, as well as weapons offenses, and is being held on $300,000 bail, authorities said.

Johnson had met the alleged victim that night in Newark, and the two went to Montclair together, police said. It is unclear what prompted the alleged attack, officials said.

Montclair police thanked the Newark Police Department for assisting in the investigation.

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

 

The store at 697 Broad Street opened its doors for the first time Thursday morning

NEWARK - A new Nike factory store has set up shop on Broad Street, becoming the latest addition to a rapidly developing portion of the city's downtown.

The outlet, which opened its doors for the first time Thursday morning, sells sneakers, athletic apparel and sports equipment at discounted prices.

It is located at the corner of Broad Street and Cedar Street across from Military Park, on the same block as the newly opened Prudential Tower and a recently completed Starbucks. Property records indicate that the building is owned by Prudential, which purchased it in June 2012.

The area is attracting a glut of attention from developers, with plans for a nearby mixed-use retail and residential building anchored by a Whole Foods supermarket, a new hotel and a high-rise apartment building already in the works.

A Nike spokesman was unable to confirm how many employees the store had hired.

On Thursday morning, dozens of customers browsed through the store's racks, many toting bright orange shopping bags as they filtered back out onto Broad Street.

Among them was Julio Moreno, a Newark resident and self-described "sneakerhead" who said he had no idea the store was on its way to the city until he walked by it late this morning. While he was excited to have another outlet to help build his shoe collection, he said he also felt a sense of possibility in the neighborhood.

"It's nice that it's here. It's something that can make us feel good," he said. "I just got to make sure I don't spend all my money."

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

 

Prudential's new tower officially opened this week.

NEWARK -- About 3,000 Prudential Financial employees are working in a new 20-story tower the company officially opened in a ribbon-cutting ceremony this week.

The 309-foot tall building includes several unique architectural features that company executives say reflect the culture of the 140-year-old company.

"Prudential's culture (is not) ostentatious," Senior Vice President of Enterprise Services and Financial Systems Richard Hummers said at the building's official opening. "We wanted (the building) to be current, contemporary, and state-of-the-art. We wanted it to be iconic, but we didn't want it to be...flashy."

Some of the building's most standout features include:

1. All that glass

The new tower is covered in glass from bottom to top. According to Prudential, there are about 400,000 exterior windows, and 800 more in the interior atrium. Altogether, the building has about 300,000 square feet of glass outside, and 10,000 square feet inside.

The outside glass, Prudential said, is a low-iron variety with a low-E energy efficiency coating, a part of the company's plan to apply for a federal building certification for energy efficiency.

The north and south sides of the building are connected by a large glass atrium containing 32 bridges workers can use to travel back and forth.

The building's green wall. (Patti Sapone | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
 

2. Work it out

In addition to offices and meeting rooms, the building is equipped with several workout areas. A 3,700 square foot gym includes treadmills and other machinery, and the tower's 50,000 square foot rooftop terrace includes a jogging path that overlooks the city.

3. Zen gardens

The tower's got three zen gardens - two inside and one outside. They are designed, Prudential representatives said, to represent "the connection and friendship (between) our international businesses and the USA, (and) our past and our future."

4. The green wall

It's art meets a logo meets a piece of environmental appreciation. The building's plaza features a 60 by 30-foot green wall made of eight different types of plants. The piece depicts Prudential's Rock of Gibraltar logo. Plants in the mix include pachysandra, sedum ternatum (also called the three-leaved stonecrop), carex "morrowll," phlox subulata, heuchera Americana, heuchera "purple palace," euonymus "green and gold," and euonymus "kewensis."

Sharif was the longtime former president of Newark's Board of Education, and helped elect mayors including Kenneth Gibson and Cory Booker

NEWARK — Carl Sharif, a former city school board president and famed political strategist, has died.

The longtime South Ward power broker, former mayor Cory Booker once called his "political sensei", had battled a lengthy illness. He was 72.

Sharif's deep roots in city politics dated back decades, beginning with a job on the staff of an aide to Mayor Hugh Addonizio in the 1960s. The civil rights movement was in full swing, and before long, long-simmering racial tensions would thrust the city into full-blown chaos.

Longtime local organizer and attorney Junius Williams said that while others in his age group hoped to spur change through outspoken demonstrations, Sharif largedly preferred to work in the background, soaking up knowledge from early black politicians like Larrie West Stalks, Calvin West and Irvine Turner.

"He sat with people in that generation, to learn how to put together campaigns. He was familiar with how they came to power as elected officials," he said.

Sharif used that knowledge to turn himself into one of the city's premier campaign architects, helping Kenneth Gibson become its first black mayor in 1970.

He accepted a job in Gibson's administration, serving as an aide and trusted advisor, and was appointed to a seat on the city's school board. His tenure hit a rough patch in 1981, when he, a brother and three of his sons were charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault and weapons charges in connection with attacks on two men. All were eventually acquitted, and Sharif publicly alleged that his arrest was politically motivated.

Sharif eventually left his appointment with Gibson to focus on campaign work, cultivating an image as a powerful political force, unafraid to tap his distinctive baritone to speak truth to power.

"He was always the kind of person against the machine. He was the one kind of always on the outside, organizing," said Shavar Jeffries, who tapped Sharif to manage his unsuccessful mayoral campaign against Ras Baraka last year.

"He had a critique that he felt often times, many of the people in political power, they ended up serving themselves and not the people."

In more recent years, Sharif was best known as the architect of Booker's swift rise to power, helping him build name recognition during his campaign for Central Ward councilman, and managing the now-U.S. senator's successful 2006 mayoral run.He was also the father of Darin Sharif, who represented the Central Ward from 2010 to 2014.

Muhammed Akil, the executive director of Newark-based education reform group Parent Coalition for Excellent Education, issued a statement saying Sharif had been instrumental while serving as an advisor during the organization's early days.

"After listening to others, Carl was often the last person to speak - and had a special way of incorporating different points of view into one overall vision," Akil said. "For someone who was so deeply involved in so many campaigns, Carl was not political - he was straight forward, he was honest, he was bold and he truly cared."

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

Attorneys presented their closing statements in the trial of Rutgers-Newark professor Anna Stubblefield, who is charged with sexually assaulting a disabled man

NEWARK -- In closing statements on Thursday at Rutgers-Newark professor Anna Stubblefield's trial on charges of sexually assaulting a disabled man, her attorney summed up the case in one word - weird.

With the evidence presented at the trial, attorney James Patton said it was weird for such a large amount of information about a couple's relationship to be exposed for public view in a courtroom.

But Patton argued there was nothing weird about the relationship itself. Stubblefield and the man, known as D.J., had fallen in love and were in a consensual romance, Patton said.

"There's nothing weird about this relationship," Patton told the jurors, later adding that "the evidence in this case is overwhelming that this was a consensual, mutual, loving relationship."

Essex County Assistant Prosecutor Eric Plant, however, argued the evidence shows Stubblefield, 45, of West Orange, sexually assaulted the 34-year-old D.J. in her Newark office in 2011.

D.J., who suffers from cerebral palsy, does not speak beyond making noises, and experts have found he has intellectual disabilities and cannot consent to sexual activity, according to Plant. Due to his cognitive impairments, D.J.'s mother and brother have been designated as his legal guardians, Plant said.

Plant attacked Stubblefield's credibility, saying she had been dishonest with D.J.'s family, her colleagues and her then-husband about the nature of her relationship with D.J. Plant told jurors Stubblefield should have known better before abusing D.J., and said whether she loved him is irrelevant to the case.

"She should know better," said Plant, repeating a phrase he used frequently throughout his closing statement. "It's ridiculous and she should know better."

Within that phrase lies one of the elements to be considered by jurors when they resume deliberations on Friday. The jury deliberated for less than two hours on Thursday.

In order to convict Stubblefield on the two counts of aggravated sexual assault she is facing, prosecutors must prove D.J. was mentally defective or physically helpless to the point where he could not consent, and that Stubblefield knew or should have known he suffered from those conditions.

Sorting through those issues will largely depend on how the jury evaluates a controversial technique known as "facilitated communication," which Stubblefield claims to have used to communicate with D.J.

Advocates of the method claim facilitators provide physical support to assist users with typing on a keyboard. But critics have said the method is ineffective in light of studies showing facilitators influencing the users' messages.

Stubblefield has claimed D.J. is not intellectually impaired and that he was able to consent through facilitated communication.

Stubblefield worked with D.J. through that technique for roughly two years after she was first introduced to him in 2009 through his brother.

D.J.'s brother, then a Rutgers student, was taking a course of Stubblefield's during which the professor showed a video about the method. The brother later asked her for more information about the method to see if it might help D.J.

Over the following two years, Stubblefield said D.J. communicated through the typing method. She said he wrote papers that were presented at conferences and wrote essays for a literature class he took at Rutgers.

Stubblefield said she and D.J. fell in love and ultimately disclosed their sexual relationship to his mother and brother in May 2011.

After the sexual assault allegations surfaced, Rutgers placed Stubblefield on administrative leave without pay and stripped her of the title of chairwoman of the philosophy department.

Anna Stubblefield, 45, a Rutgers-Newark professor from West Orange, who is facing two counts of aggravated sexual assault for allegedly abusing a severely mentally disabled man in 2011 testifies in court. The trial is being heard before Superior Court Judge Siobhan Teare at the Essex County Courthouse in Newark. 9/23/15 (Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com 

In his closing statement, Patton pointed to various examples that he claimed shows D.J. was the author of the messages he typed while Stubblefield was using facilitated communication with him.

Patton noted how D.J. sometimes made mistakes in his typing and that he conveyed information Stubblefield was unaware of.

In one instance after the sexual relationship was disclosed, Stubblefield was facilitating D.J. and he correctly answered questions posed by his brother about a relative, but Stubblefield had no idea what the correct answers were, according to Patton.

Those answers show the communication between Stubblefield and D.J. was "valid communication," Patton said.

"All of the evidence demonstrates that this was a mutually, loving relationship, that they were able to converse and that they made conscious decisions before going ahead," Patton said.

Patton also argued that even if jurors believe D.J. was mentally defective or physically helpless to the point where he could not consent, they could not find Stubblefield should have known about those conditions.

To support that argument, Patton noted how a state expert testified facilitators may be unaware they're moving users' hands as part of the dynamic also seen in the use of the "Ouija board," the classic board game supposedly used to connect players to the spirit world.

MORE: Professor rejects claim she 'raped' disabled man

But Plant dismissed Patton's examples of the technique working with D.J. He challenged the claim that Stubblefield was unaware of the answers regarding D.J.'s relative.

Plant stressed how every methodologically sound study of facilitated communication have determined it does not work. He claimed Stubblefield lied in her testimony about studies involving the method.

"Just because the facilitated communication community is over in the corner shouting does not mean that the issue is not settled," Plant told the jurors. "She should have known better. That's not how law-abiding citizens act."

Plant repeatedly noted how Stubblefield was the only witness to claim D.J. is not mentally defective and can consent to sexual activity, but he claimed she does not have the expertise to reach such a conclusion.

"She doesn't have the knowledge. She doesn't have the degrees. She doesn't have the experience, and she doesn't have the legal right to tell you that," Plant told the jurors.

Meanwhile, two psychologists evaluated D.J. and completed a total of three reports that found D.J. is mentally defective, according to Plant. Plant highlighted those findings as well as an evaluation by a speech pathologist, who determined D.J. is intellectually impaired. Those three experts testified on behalf of the state.

But Patton argued the psychologists did not make an effort to determine whether D.J.'s communication problems were physical or cognitive in nature. Patton said the examinations required verbal responses when D.J. cannot speak and required him to write down answers when he cannot hold a pencil.

Patton also challenged the credibility of D.J.'s brother over whether there were abrasions on D.J.'s back, and noted how D.J.'s family is suing Stubblefield.

D.J.'s brother testified he saw those injuries, but Patton said the brother did not mention those allegations before the trial in speaking with law enforcement or during prior legal proceedings.

"He has a million-dollar lawsuit," said Patton, referring to D.J.'s brother.

Plant said Patton's allegations that D.J.'s mother and brother were trying to deceive the jury were "preposterous." He pointed out how they initially did not contact the police or Rutgers, and how they just wanted Stubblefield to stay away from them after learning about the sexual relationship.

"Are those the actions of money-hungry people?" Plant asked.

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

Lieutenant engaged in online conversation in which city's African-American mayor is compared to a gorilla

Robert Sciarrino 

NEWARK -- A veteran police lieutenant was fired Wednesday for disparaging Ras Baraka, the city's African-American mayor, in a Facebook exchange this summer, department spokesman Sgt. Ron Glover said Thursday. 

MORE: Camden County corrections officer fired for racist text messages 

"As we continue to improve our community relations and to develop police legitimacy, we will not condone the type of behavior that Lt. [Anthony]  Caruso displayed while referring to a member of our city administration as a gorilla," Police Director Eugene Venable said in a statement.

RELATED: Cop under investigation for post comparing mayor to gorilla

Attempts to reach Caruso for comment were unsuccessful. According to state records, the 23-year police veteran leaves behind a $133,528 annual salary.

The department launched an investigation in late July after a member of the public sent  police officials a screenshot of a Facebook conversation between Caruso and what is believed to be a retired officer. The retired officer posted a photo of a gorilla captioned ""Lmfao....How's your mayor?"

"Exactly!!!!", Caruso replied, touching off a brief exchange between the two.

Glover said that while the department does not actively monitor employees' social media activity, a "general order" is in place governing online conduct that prohibits  " employees from making any comment or opinion that defames the department or is derogatory in nature towards the City of Newark or any of its employees."

In explaining Caruso's termination, Venable said the lieutenant "wilfully" violated the policy and that the exchange was seen by "numerous persons."

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

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

 

Take this week's NJ.com News Quiz and find out.

Take a break from Hurricane Joaquin prep and take this week's NJ.com News Quiz. Surely answering seven questions based on local news stories of the week gone by will take your mind off the weather forecast for a few minutes. Once you're done, post your score in comments to see how you stack up with other NJ.commers. Is this the week you get a perfect seven? Good luck, and remember that there's no Googling, even under a state of emergency.

John Shabe may be reached at jshabe@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johndshabe. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

East Orange resident was found with a stolen gun, police also said

NEWARK -- A 16-year-old from Newark and an East Orange man were both arrested on weapons charges Wednesday night, police spokesman Sgt. Ron Glover said.

 

A "concerned citizen" notified police that the teen, who was identified by name and with a description, was armed as he sat on a porch near Renner Avenue and Huntington Terrace around 7 p.m., Glover said. Personnel from the FBI, State Police, Essex County Sheriff and State Parole, along with city police, were operating as part of the city's Violence Reduction Initiative and conducted surveillance of the area.  

Officers spotted the youth as his back was turned to them shortly before he turned while holding a gun, Glover said. When he was ordered to drop the weapon, the teen fled but was quickly caught, he added. He was charged with unlawful possession of a handgun after police retrieved a 38-caliber automatic and was being held at the county's youth detention facility.

Another unit, the Rapid Response Intelligence Team, were looking for a shooting suspect on S. 17th Street about an hour later when they spotted a man standing outside a car speaking with the driver. The man outside the car was holding a bag with an ammunition magazine sticking out of it, Glover said.

Jamil Williams, 25, began walking away when he noticed police, Glover added, and was detained as he quickly placed the bag in a white Jeep. Inside, officers allegedly found a loaded .9mm handgun. Police later learned the gun had been stolen in Georgia and that Williams was wanted on an outstanding warrant. He was additionally charged with several offenses, including receiving stolen property and unlawful possession of a handgun.  

Police ask that anyone with information about this or any other crimes call the department's 24-hour Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at 877 NWK-TIPS (877 695-8477) or NWK-GUNS (877 695-4867).

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

 

Firefighters were still putting out spot fires Thursday morning, officials said.

#BREAKING: Multiple car fires in #Fairfield #NJ at the Skyline Auto Auction. @AlexDenisTV @CBSNewYork pic.twitter.com/W3DccFBlSS

-- Yan Kaner (@Ykaner89) October 1, 2015

FAIRFIELD -- At least 20 cars were destroyed Thursday morning by a fire that authorities say struck a New Jersey car auction lot.

A Skyline Auto Auction security guard first reported cars in the lot were on fire at about 5:30 a.m. Thursday, Fairfield Police Deputy Chief Anthony Manna said. About 20 cars were damaged in the blaze, he said.

The Fairfield Fire Department was still putting spot fires out at 7:30 a.m., Manna said.

The car lot, located on Route 46 in Fairfield, contains thousands of cars, Manna said. The portion of the lot affected by the fire was sizable, but "not the entire property," he said.

Most of the burned cars had been returned leases that were about to go up for auction, police said.

Authorities are investigating what started the fire, Manna said.

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

BREAKING: More than a dozen vehicles on fire on Route 46 in Fairfield #NJ auto auction facility. #GDNY pic.twitter.com/FX77NMJpQJ

-- Fox5NY (@fox5ny) October 1, 2015

 

The man born Earl Best has been traveling with Baraka on a tour of city schools and correctional facilities to discuss job opportunities, training and other positive outlets for young people

NEWARK - The Street Doctor is in session, both on the pavement and behind the pillars of City Hall.

The community organizer, born Earl Best, was hired to a $43,402 position as a special events program coordinator on Aug. 17. NJ Advance Media learned of the hire through a public records request last month.

In an interview earlier this week, Best, 67 said he had largely been working alongside Mayor Ras Baraka as he visits local schools, prisons and juvenile detention centers to discuss job opportunities, training and other positive outlets for young people. The mayor kicked off the tour at Malcolm X Shabazz High School on Sept. 10.

"It's a tour, I love it because this is what I do as the Street Doctor," Best said. "The mayor is the highlight of it, and I give it more meat to the bone."

In a statement, the city said Best had already been working for the city on a grant, and had simply been transferred to its Office of Workforce, Reentry, Youth and Affirmative Action to continue helping young people seek and find jobs.

The city said it had no "boilerplate" for employees, and demonstrating through its hiring practices that local businesses to do the same "can thrive if they follow our model by opening their employee rolls to citizens who offer a wealth of experiences and innovative skill sets."

Best is one of the city's most famed community advocates, appearing everywhere from shooting scenes and Thanksgiving turkey giveaways to preach against violence and the pitfalls of poverty. A Newark native, he served 17 years in prison, including 10 in solitary confinement, after being convicted of a 1983 bank robbery.

After his release in 2000, he founded Street Warriors, a Newark-based group of ex-offenders hoping to discourage violence by creating other outlets for youth, and has been a vocal presence around the city ever since.

He appeared in both seasons of the Sundance documentary, "Brick City," was a panelist at 2011's Newark Peace Summit alongside the Dalai Lama, and makes regular appearances at Municipal Council meetings to spread his message. In 2012, he announced his intention to run for mayor, though the campaign failed to gain much traction.

In its statement, the city said Best's myriad contributions throughout Newark's neighborhoods made him a deserving candidate for a public job.

"He has demonstrated his commitment to this community through his work and through his intense volunteer efforts," it said.

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

 

MILLBURN — Butterscotch is an 8-week-old kitten in the care of the Montclair-based Homeless Animal Rescue Team. She and two siblings were found in an apartment after the tenant vacated. Butterscotch and her sister, Tootsie, still need homes. The kittens, who do not have to be adopted together, are spayed and up-to-date on shots. HART will hold an adoption...

Butterscotch 

MILLBURN -- Butterscotch is an 8-week-old kitten in the care of the Montclair-based Homeless Animal Rescue Team.

She and two siblings were found in an apartment after the tenant vacated. Butterscotch and her sister, Tootsie, still need homes.

The kittens, who do not have to be adopted together, are spayed and up-to-date on shots.

HART will hold an adoption event with Butterscotch, Tootsie and other cats and kittens today and Oct. 10 from 1:30 to 4:30 p.m. at the Pet Adoption Center, 187 Millburn Ave. in Millburn.

For information on adopting, call 908-337-0477 or go to petfinder.com/shelters/NJ384.html.

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.

The Compassionate Sciences Alternative Treatment Center will open Monday, introducing a medical marijuana competitor to the south Jersey market as participation in the state's slow-going program continues to climb.

BELLMAWR -- The Compassionate Sciences Alternative Treatment Center will open Monday, introducing a medical marijuana competitor to the south Jersey market as participation in the state's slow-going program continues to climb. 

Dispensary employees were weighing and stuffing four strains of cannabis in air-tight bags Thursday in anticipation of the 40 patients scheduled to make the first purchases on opening day, dispensary manager Gretchen McCarthy said. Appointments are required for the first week of operation, she said.

So far, 100 patients have selected Compassionate Sciences in Camden County to be their dispensary, many switching their affiliation from either Greenleaf Compassion Center in Montclair, Compassionate Care Foundation in Egg Harbor, or Garden State Dispensary in Woodbridge.

RELATED: 4th N.J. medical marijuana dispensary will open in October

Compassionate Sciences is prepared to serve 1,800 patients purchasing an ounce, and as many as 4,000 when all 12 strains they intend to offer are available, Michael Nelson, the general manager said. 

The wide reception area painted dark blue and off-white and lined with leather chairs, faces a counter with roped-off aisles, so patients can form multiple lines waiting their turn. 

Operating since December 2012, the state program has 5,500 participants, most of whom are patients and a smaller number of caregivers licensed to buy cannabis on a patient's behalf when they are too sick to make the trip.

During a media tour of the indoor growing facility and retail site, Nelson and McCarthy say they'll compete by offering overall lower prices, as well as a 20 percent discount for patients who receive Medicaid, Social Security disability benefits and other public assistance programs. Veterans will get a 10 percent discount, McCarthy added.

Compassionate Sciences will charge $120 for a quarter-ounce of cannabis and $480 for an ounce, including sales tax, Nelson said. Prices elsewhere are as much as $500 to $560 an ounce with tax, making New Jersey the most expensive program in the nation, according to a Star-Ledger analysis.

McCarthy said for patients, "the biggest question is are you going to be lower than the other dispensaries? We are getting mostly transfers right now from other dispensaries."

State rules allow patients to buy a maximum of 2 ounces a month, but dosages are dictated by their doctors. 

Nelson said they have an application pending with the state to produce two topical marijuana products and a cannabis lozenge. If approved, they would be the first non-smokable products available in the state.

The managers also touted their professional experience running medical marijuana operations in other states - McCarthy in Maine, and Nelson in Illinois, Montana, Washington and Colorado. The strains they sell are "proven from a patient point of view," Nelson said. 

Two strains that have helped children with epilepsy in other states will be available in the weeks to come, he added.

It's been a slow march to opening day. The state Health Department selected Compassionate Sciences and five other newly-formed nonprofit groups to produce marijuana for the program 4-1/2 years ago. 

First, they could not find a community willing to host a medical marijuana operation, Nelson said. "We got turned down in Maple Shade. That was six months worth of work to show up at the planning and zoning (boards), only to find out they were not truly supportive."

"It's the most challenging part of the business wherever you go," he said. "You have landlords who don't like it or if you find one willing, they don't own the building free and clear so then you have a problem with the bank, because they don't want to underwrite a building that's involved in it."

At the state level, "the background investigations were very thorough and that probably accounted for the longest length of time," said Nelson, a senior vice president for the parent company, Palliatech, which was also subject to financial review.  

Peter Rosenfeld, a 60-year-old registered patient from Collingswood, is among the first people scheduled to visit the dispensary on opening day. He said he was pleased with the discounts and that he no longer has to make the trek to Garden State Dispensary. 

"i work with patients, driving them up to the other dispensaries. It's a three-hour round trip and many of these people are not in good shape," Rosenfeld said. They started using the Egg Harbor dispensary when it opened, he said, but "in the early days they had trouble with quality and they never got used to using it, even though i think it has improved quite a bit."

"I'm also very excited about the discounts," Rosenfeld said. "The vast majority are living on disability and simply cannot afford the prices here."

Rosenfeld, who toured the facility, added: "They looked very professional in my walk-through. I just hope they are able to maintain quality and supply."

Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

Mattea Conforti is one of four young girls who share the role of Matilda, a quick-witted youngster, with the gift of telekinesis

Mattea Conforti caught the Broadway bug at an early age.

The 9-year-old from West Caldwell spent her first night on the Great White Way earlier this year when her grandmother bought her tickets to see "Matilda The Musical" at the Shubert Theatre.

The tickets were a Christmas gift from her grandmother, who thought it would make for a fun girls' night out. So there went Mattea, with her mother, grandmother and sister in January. 

As Mattea watched the show from their orchestra seats, though, she couldn't help but feel a tinge of disappointment. While Mattea was impressed by the acting and dialogue -- especially that of the precocious lead character -- she could so easily see herself in the starring role.  

"I could have done that," Mattea told her family at the musical's end. "Why didn't they pick me?"

Mattea had auditioned for "Matilda" at an open call in September 2014, at the encouragement of a family friend, but had not received a call back. 

Less than two months after she saw the show, however, the call came -- and her journey from the audience to center stage began.

"Because she is a dancer, we naturally assumed that they wanted to see her for an ensemble role, because those kids do a lot more dancing than (the character of) Matilda," said Mattea's mother, Nicole Conforti. 

"But we were confused, because she is so small, and (we) knew that she was not tall enough for any of those roles." 

Mattea Conforti, one of four young girls who share the title role in "Matilda The Musical," poses in front of the Shubert Theatre. (John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
 

Actually, the role Mattea landed was much bigger. She is one of four young girls who share the title role of Matilda, a quick-witted youngster, with the gift of telekinesis.

Mattea did not have any formal training in acting or singing before being cast in "Matilda," although she does take classes now. Before "Matilda," her only experience on stage was as a performer with the Essex Dance Academy in Fairfield.

The musical is based on the children's novel by Roald Dahl. "Matilda" follows a young girl who loves to read and excels in her studies, despite being neglected by her parents. Matilda's gift ultimately helps her teacher to reclaim her life.

"As soon as I stepped on stage, my nerves went away, and I didn't need to worry anymore," Mattea said. "That's when I knew that I could do it."

Marie Fischbach, director of the Essex Dance Academy, describes Mattea as "naturally very funny, animated, smart and witty."

Fischbach said Mattea's talent and huge personality were apparent from the time she joined the dance school at age 3.

From left: Mattea Conforti, Mimi Ryder, Alexandra Vlachos and Rileigh McDonald, who share the title role in "Matilda the Musical" on Broadway. (Joan Marcus)
  

In the eight weeks Mattea spent preparing for the role, she relied on advice from her instructors -- on Broadway and back home in New Jersey -- who told her that nervousness and excitement are the same thing.

Mattea is the smallest -- just 4 feet tall -- and youngest of the girls who play Matilda, so joining the show was a big adjustment. Mattea is on stage for 105 minutes of the 135-minute musical.

From the time she was cast in May to her debut in July, Mattea rehearsed six days a week, working with everyone from choreographers to vocal coaches and diction teachers, who helped develop the "nearly British accent" required of her character.

Mattea said she tried to picture the scenes in her head as she studied the script, which helped her to memorize the lines. During the rehearsal process, she would also get homework for the show every night. 

Because the show can be demanding on its young performers, Mattea's parents have made some adjustments, too. On performance nights, at least one of them always attends the show. They also try to drive Mattea into the city, so that she can sleep on the way home, her mother said.

Mattea performs in two shows each week and is on standby for two other shows. On the days that she works, Mattea leaves Jefferson Elementary School in Caldwell, where she is now a fourth grader, about 2:45 p.m. and returns home between 10 and 11:15 p.m., depending on curtain time. 

The family always leaves room for Mattea to enjoy downtime at McCaffrey Playground near Times Square. The small park is a popular hangout for Broadway child stars. 

"The show spends a lot of time trying to keep the kids kids," Nicole Conforti said. "Which is why they're not allowed to take pictures or sign autographs after the show." 

None of the children wear makeup and Mattea spends about five minutes getting her hair done before each show. 

"They tease it a lot," she said. "It's supposed to look like a mess, because her (Matilda's) parents don't care about her." 

It is unlikely that Mattea will play Matilda for long, because of the age and height requirements for the starring role. 

But until her contract expires in January, there will always be a couple of familiar faces looking up at her when she performs. 

"It's still so emotional," Nicole Conforti said. "I don't think it's ever going to get old." 

Janelle Griffith may be reached at jgriffith@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @janellefiona. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook.

Newark teen's body was found on July 6, authorities said. Watch video

NEWARK -- Police are asking for the public's help in identifying a "person of interest" who was caught on surveillance video with a city teenager days before the teen's murder.

The body of 17-year-old Yusef Perez, Jr. was found in a Littleton Avenue backyard on July 6, according to authorities. He had been reported missing four days earlier, authorities said.

Authorities investigating after Perez's body was found on Littleton Avenue in Newark. (Paul Milo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
 

The Prosecutor's Office released surveillance video Friday showing Perez (the boy with the afro) with an unidentified male on July 2. After leaving his home in the Georgia King Village at about 9:40 p.m. that night, the video shows Perez and the man in the area of Littleton and 12th Avenues in Newark, officials said.

At about 10:05 p.m., the man, who is wearing a baseball cap and white shirt, can be seen walking back on Littleton Avenue, officials said. Authorities called the man "a person of interest believed to have information regarding (Perez's) murder."

Authorities previously offered a $5,000 reward for information that would help lead to an arrest in the case. Anyone with information is asked to call 1-877-TIPS-4EC or 1-877-847-7432.

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

 

One of the men allegedly tried to flush the narcotics down the toilet after police arrived at the 99¢ Zone on Clinton Avenue Wednesday

NEWARK - A trio of city men were arrested Wednesday after being caught dealing drugs out of a South Ward discount store, authorities said.

Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura said officers with his Bureau of Narcotics teamed with Irvington to police to conduct surveillance outside the 99C/ Zone store at 303 Clinton Avenue.

They looked on as James Harris, Fabian Daniels and Clifton Darby rotated in shifts outside the store. A woman eventually approached Harris around 1 p.m., and before long Darby had emerged from the store to hand her a small package in exchange for cash.

Officers quickly moved in, sending Harris running into a fortified room in the back of the store, buying him time to get rid of narcotics the trio had stashed inside, according to Fontoura.

"It took a full five minutes to ram the door open. All the while our officers could hear the continuous flushing of a toilet," he said.

When the officers finally barged in, they allegedly found 27 Zip-Lock bags of marijuana, along with various drug packaging and processing materials. All three men were taken into custody, and officers found Darby carrying five envelopes of heroin, Fontoura said.

Harris, 48, Daniels, 51, and Darby, 46, were all charged with various drug possession and distribution charges, as well as conspiracy and maintaining fortified premises.

James Harris stands outside the 99AC/ Zone convenience store on Clinton Avenue in Newark in July 2014. (Dan Ivers/NJ Advance Media)

A city man and police officer each suffered gunshot wounds in July 2014 after police attempted to break up an apparent armed robbery at the 99C/ Zone. In an interview with NJ Advance Media the following day, Harris and Daniels praised the officer, saying he may have saved their lives.

The trio were arraigned in Essex County Superior Court on Thursday, and remain in custody at the county jail.

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

 

Construction recently wrapped on the Saint Rose of Lima Church in Short Hills.

SHORT HILLS -- Members of a small New Jersey community have gotten used to seeing a 163-year-old steeple towering above the town. But, with each passing year, area residents say they'd need to tilt their heads just a bit more to view the town landmark.

Locals say the steeple atop the Saint Rose of Lima Church in Short Hills has been slightly tilted for at least 40 years. Founded in 1852, the Roman Catholic church is one of the oldest in northern New Jersey, according to Joan Schultz, Saint Rose's pastoral associate for ministries and development.

Saint Rose, she said, contained some unique features that have attracted worshippers to it for years, including a number of art pieces from New York's famed Schwab Mansion.

Despite a structural overhaul of the building on its centennial anniversary and a major repair project in the 1980s, an improper drainage system caused the church's crowning steeple to tilt.

"About three years ago, we were getting very concerned (about the tilt)," Schultz said. "The steeple really wasn't straight, so we called in a structural engineer."

The process to fix the lean, she said, is three years in the making. Architects and engineers designed a process that raised the steeple above the church, suspending it while construction went on below, and then repositioning it back on its perch, straight-up. After years of planning, construction was carried out over the summer, with the topper just rejoining the church last month.

"We basically had to come up with a way to lift this tower up...(and) keep it floating for the entire summer," said David Strauss, of Dajon Associates, the contractor for Saint Rose.

The steeple was not in immediate danger of falling, according to Walter Sedovic, the project's architect. But the three-degree, or about 18-inch, lean was poised to continue getting worse over time, he said.  The work, according to those who carried it out, was especially sensitive because of the history of the building, and the steeple's meaning to its 7,000 parishioners.

"We wanted to honor the heritage and do the right thing when it came to the history," Sedovic said. The construction, he said, salvaged as much of the original material used in the building as was safe to do, and replaced deteriorated material with locally sourced supplies.

"We wanted to make sure that we kept (the steeple) completely in tact, so that it could continue to be seen and appreciated for years to come," Sedovic said.

The $250,000 repair project did not interrupt services, church officials said. And the about 2,200 families who attend its services were kept abreast of the construction's progress and the retention of the structure's history.

"We wanted to make sure we could (restore) the beauty of this building," Schultz said.

"The steeple has a lot of meaning to us...symbols are an important part of how we express our faith."

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

Edgewater man was charged on 14 counts of animal cruelty by the NJSPCA.

File photo of a deer. (Rob Swanson | Associated Press)
 

BLOOMFIELD -- A New Jersey animal control officer has been charged with animal cruelty after allegedly slashing the throat of a baby deer, killing it.

According to a release from NJSPCA Captain Rick Yocum, the agency charged Vincent Ascolese, 48, of Edgewater, with 14 counts of animal cruelty. Ascolese serves as the director and supervising animal control officer at the North Jersey Humane Society Shelter in Bloomfield, the NJSPCA said.

Ascolese is accused of killing an injured fawn in June of this year via exsanguination, or blood draining, which is not an approved method of animal euthanasia in New Jersey, Yocum said in the release. Ascolese allegedly cut the fawn's throat with a knife, he said. The director is also charged with "needlessly killing a living animal" and "failure to provide necessary care," he said.

He is also facing cruelty charges for allegedly failing to provide proper shelter and food, and necessary care, to animals at the Humane Society, the release said.

Acting Bloomfield township administrator Sam DeMaio said Friday that the town does not run its own shelter, but contracts animal control services with Ascolese's agency.

Town officials will be watching the outcome of the accusations, DeMaio said.

"We will not tolerate animal cruelty," he said. If Ascolese is convicted of the accusations, "we will move immediately to terminate (Bloomfield's) contract" with the North Jersey Humane Society Shelter, he said. 

Ascolese also serves as the director of the Bergen County Protection and Rescue Shelter in Cliffside Park, officials said. Both agencies he heads service multiple areas in Bergen and Essex Counties, they said.

The shelter acknowledged, but did not immediately respond to, a request for comment Friday afternoon.

An investigation into the accusations is ongoing, the NJSPCA said. Ascolese is set to face the charges in Bloomfield Municipal Court on Oct. 14.

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

 

Suspects, including a 16-year-old, wanted on outstanding warrants

NEWARK -- City police, U.S. Marshals and Immigration and Customs Enforcement officers Friday arrested four people wanted on outstanding warrants.

 

The sweep, which was carried out Friday morning, began at 6:30 a.m. in the 700 block of S. 20th Street, a city police spokesman, Sgt. Ron Glover, said.

A woman at a building there allowed the officers into a first-floor apartment and told them Messiah Arrington, 20, was in the front bedroom. Arrington, who dived under a bed when officers entered,  was arrested and a bag containing drugs and paraphernalia were also seized, Glover said. Arrington was being held on $44,100 bail for various offenses, including drug violations brought in connection with the drugs recovered Friday.

A half-hour later, officers arrested a 16-year-old wanted on an Essex County Sheriff's warrant at a home in the 100 block of Broad Street.

Naim Stewart, 21, who was wanted on a $5,000 Newark warrant from January, was caught by surprise when officers arrived at a 1st Street home and took him into custody, Glover said.

Another 21-year-old, Al-Kabir Hinton, was arrested on a $20,000 warrant after police responded at a Pennington Street around 9:30 a.m.

"With all the tools in our arsenal, with the help of our partners in law enforcement as well as our citizens, the police department is doing everything possible to rid our city of those insistent upon a life of crime. We will work around the clock and non-traditional hours to surprise and arrest these criminals as we did today in this early-morning operation to that end," said Newark Police Director Eugene Venable.

The Newark Police Department asks that anyone with information relevant to any crimes contact the 24-hour Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line at 877 NWK-TIPS (877 695-8477) or NWK-GUNS (877 695-4867).

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