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Newark man admits role in distributing heroin throughout city

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NEWARK — A Newark man admitted in federal court Wednesday that he conspired with others to sell large amounts of heroin around downtown Newark. Jarez Baron, 28, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Jose L. Linares to a charge of conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, according to prosecutors. Baron and others sold "large quantities" of...

NEWARK -- A Newark man admitted in federal court Wednesday that he conspired with others to sell large amounts of heroin around downtown Newark.

Jarez Baron, 28, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Jose L. Linares to a charge of conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin, according to prosecutors.

Baron and others sold "large quantities" of heroin and oxycodone out of a downtown Newark store called Ballas Boutique between February and August 2013, said the office of U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman. 

Baron and others sold drugs out of the store more than 35 times to a confidential informant, according to court records. Most of those sales, prosecutors said, were audio and video recorded.

The recordings revealed that Baron and others sold drugs for Lamont Vaughn, also of Newark, according to court records.

New dad sentenced for heroin sales

Vaughn was arrested in 2013 and charged with conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and oxycodone after a search of his home recovered dozens of oxycodone pills, firearms and a large amount of cash, prosecutors said.

Vaughn pleaded guilty June 22 to conspiracy to distribute 100 grams or more of heroin and oxycodone and to being a felon in possession of two firearms, Fishman's office said. He is scheduled to be sentenced Oct. 5, court records say.

The conspiracy charge Baron faces carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $1 million, Fishman's office said.

Baron is scheduled to be sentenced Nov. 21. 

Fishman credited special agents from the FBI and the New Jersey State Police's Street Gangs North unit for the investigation leading to the arrests and guilty plea.

Tim Darragh may be reached at tdarragh@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @timdarragh. Find NJ.com on Facebook

 

Search continues for man who jumped into Passaic River after Harrison traffic stop

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Authorities are continuing their search this morning for a man who jumped into the Passaic River after a traffic stop in Harrison.

UPDATE: Man may be trapped in sewer pipe, cops say

Authorities are continuing their search this morning for a man who jumped into the Passaic River after a traffic stop in Harrison yesterday.

At about 1 p.m. yesterday, the man, who has not yet been identified by police, apparently jumped into the river and swam to a support beam on the Bridge Street Bridge before escaping through a storm drain. 

Demitri Merced, an attendant at a nearby gas station, told WABC the man's escape looked like a scene from a movie.

"Like a scene out of a movie, which is crazy, three helicopters. I felt like I was in Miami Vice, literally," Merced told the news station. 

According to WABC's report, the search was suspended last night and resumed again this morning. 

The Harrison Police Department was not immediately available to comment on the driver's identity, what initiated the traffic stop, or what may have led to the running from police. 

 

VOTE: N.J. Olympian Sydney McLaughlin a finalist in national athlete of year poll

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The 16 year-old McLaughlin, the youngest U.S. track and field Olympian since 1972, smashed several N.J. records and the national record in the 400 hurdles in one of the greatest season in U.S. high...

High School phenom Sydney McLaughlin, the youngest U.S. track and field Olympian since 1972, has received several prestigious awards for her remarkable season, but the rising senior at Union Catholic High School needs your help to add another big honor to her collection.

McLaughlin, who will turn 17 this Sunday, has already been named the N.J. and the National Gatorade High School Girls Athlete of the Year. Now she's a finalist in MileSplit's poll for National High School Girls Athlete of the Year.


Vote here for McLaughlin 


McLaughlin currently leads the fan poll, but is locked in a very close battle with Sammy Watson of New York, and Christina Aragon of Montana for the to spot. Voting ends on Thursday, Aug. 4 at 11:59 p.m.


MORE: Watch McLaughlin train for the Olympics


McLaughlin qualified for the U.S. Olympic Team when she ran a World Junior record 54.15 to place third in the women's 400-meter hurdles at the Olympic Trials last month in Eugene, Oregon. McLaughlin will run in the first round of the 400 hurdles at the Olympic Games in Rio on Aug. 15.

5 things to know about PATH's 33rd Street line weekend shutdown

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The weekly suspensions are necessary while signal upgrades are made to the system. Watch video

The calendar has turned to August, which means one thing for PATH riders: the dreaded 33rd Street line shutdown is almost here. 

Beginning this Saturday at 12:10 a.m., weekend service on the 33rd Street line will be temporarily discontinued until the following Monday each week.

The weekly suspensions, which are necessary while upgrades are made to the system, will affect commuters, late night revelers, tourists and anyone else who uses PATH on the weekends. 

To get you prepped for the shutdown, here are the essential things to know about the upcoming service changes:

1. The work is federally mandated

The service suspensions will allow crews to install the federally-mandated Positive Train Control and Communications Based Train Control. The new signal system will allow PATH trains to safely run closer together, increasing the number of trains that can fit on the system during peak times, the Port Authority has said. PATH has largely been able to install PTC on the rest of the system without major service outages, but officials say the tunnel layout on the 33rd Street line makes this impossible while maintaining regular service.

2. The 33rd Street line suspension will last until mid-December

The Port Authority has said the service changes will be in effect until Dec. 19, with the exclusion of major holidays. Normal weekend service will resume on Labor Day (Sept. 3-5), Veteran's Day (Nov. 11-13), and Thanksgiving (Nov. 24-27).

3. Weekend service between Hoboken, WTC added

Special weekend train service will operate directly between Hoboken and World Trade Center. There will also be supplemental train service from Journal Square to WTC, to be adjusted on an ongoing basis to best suit ridership needs, PATH officials said.  

4. Port Authority will offer bus service from WTC

Here's an interesting wrinkle: A free weekend shuttle bus service will operate between World Trade Center and 29th Street along Sixth and Seventh avenues between midnight Saturdays and 5 a.m. Mondays.

PATH Weekend Outage MapPATH is offering free shuttle service from World Trade Center on weekends. 

Shuttles will operate every 10 minutes from 7 a.m. to midnight, and every 20 or 30 minutes between midnight and 7 a.m. 

Uptown-bound buses stop on Sixth Avenue at the following stops:

  • 125 Church Street -- Church Street and Warren Street (pick-up stop)
  • Minetta Playground -- West Third Street and Sixth Avenue (drop-off stop)
  • 546 Sixth Avenue -- West 15th Street and Sixth Avenue (drop-off stop)
  • 832 Sixth Avenue -- West 29th Street and Sixth Avenue (drop-off stop)

Downtown-bound buses stop on Seventh Avenue at the following stops:

  • Fashion Institute of Technology -- West 28th Street and Seventh Avenue (pick-up stop)
  • 56 Seventh Ave. -- West 14th Street and Seventh Avenue (pick-up stop)
  • 84 Seventh Ave. South -- Barrow Street and Seventh Avenue South (pick-up stop)
  • 107 Church St. -- Church and Murray streets (drop-off stop)

5. You'll need a voucher to ride the shuttle

However, riders must obtain a round-trip shuttle bus voucher from a PATH representative prior to exiting the turnstiles at the World Trade Center station and before boarding the buses. Vouchers are only available at the World Trade Center station.

Dozens arrested in organized crime crackdown, FBI says

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Suspects were taken into custody in Newark, New York City and elsewhere along the East Coast

UPDATE: 4 N.J men charged in multi-state mob takedown


As many as 50 people suspected of having ties to organized crime were taken into custody Thursday morning in several cities along the East Coast, including Newark.

The FBI and the New York Police Department made the arrests in New Jersey's largest city as well as New York City, Boston, Miami and New Haven, Conn., WABC-7 reported.

Authorities said the arrests of reputed members of the Bonnano, Genovese and Columbo crime families came after an investigation that spanned several years.

The crime families allegedly combined forces to conduct business, CBS New York said.

Among the charges against the so-called East Coast Enterprise are racketeering, health care fraud, firearms trafficking, arson, extortion and assault. 

An indictment also says illegal poker and dice tournaments took place at the Yonkers Club. 

One of the men arrested is former Philadelphia mob boss Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino, according to PhillyMag.com. Merlino, 54, has spent more than 20 years in prison following on a variety of charges, including racketeering. He now lives in the Miami area.

Diego Rodriguez, head of the FBI's New York office, said in a statement that the indictment "reads like an old school Mafia novel, where extortion, illegal gambling, arson and threats to 'whack' someone are carried out along with some modern-day crimes of credit card skimming."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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

 

 
 

9 great N.J. mini golf courses to get your putt putt on

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No summer is complete without at least one maddening round trying to get past the windmill.

It's an August evening in New Jersey, and you've already hit the beach, imbibed ice-cream and gone for a leisurely, sun-dappled stroll with your sweetheart. What's left to do to complete the perfect summer day? 

Miniature golf, natch. The sport if not of champions than at least of kids, kids at heart and first daters everywhere, mini golf can be exciting, challenging and sometimes maddening. (Why is that pesky windmill so hard to get past?) It's also perfect for an outing with family or friends (provided you leave your hyper-competitive cousin at home).

And unlike actual golf, you're not constantly getting shushed and you get to use a brightly colored ball. (We'll take the orange one, thank you.)

Lucky for Garden State residents, New Jersey boasts a considerable number of mini golf optionss. From castles guarded by fire-breathing dragons to glow-in-the-dark monster golf, there is no shortage of options plenty of options.

Some of our favorite courses are perfect for beginners or small children, while others are better suited for more seasoned mini golfers looking for a challenge. Nearly all of them are intricately detailed -- you might even forget you're in New Jersey when you're golfing on a gigantic wooden pirate ship.

In the gallery above, we've highlighted nine mini golf outlets, including one with multiple locations. By no means is this list comprehensive, so if you have other suggestions, please add them in the comments section below. And remember, take your time on that 18th hole -- a free game might very well be at stake!

Sydney Shaw may be reached at sshaw@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @ShawshankSyd. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

A home in N.J. costs how much? Test your knowledge in our real estate quiz

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Can you guess which towns these on-the-market properties are from with a picture, the asking price and the estimated property tax bill?

From budget-conscious abodes asking less than $175,000 to high-end estates with price tags that reach nearly $50 million, homebuyers in New Jersey have a range of options from which to pick and choose their next property. 

The price tag, however, is just one of the factors that influence purchasing decisions in the Garden State, where residents pay among the highest real estate taxes in the nation

Where should you live in N.J.? Take this quiz to find out

Settling down in one part of the state versus another may mean the difference between paying $4,000 a year in property taxes to shelling out $10,000 a year or more.

This quiz provides those two facts -- the listing price of a property and the estimated property tax bill -- as well as a photo of the property for sale and asks readers to determine where the property is located in New Jersey.

Do you think you know the Garden State real estate market well? Test your knowledge and let us know how you did in the comments.

Erin O'Neill may be reached at eoneill@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LedgerErin. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

Fugitive who fled police in Passaic River sewer pipe may be trapped, cops say

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Newark authorities said a robot equipped with a camera was used to search the sewer system overnight Watch video

NEWARK - The man who fled police in Harrison Wednesday by jumping into the Passaic River and climbing into a sewer pipe may be trapped by rising water in the sewer system, police said.


"It was a rescue effort, but unless he got out - and right now no one has seen him get out - now it'll be a recovery," Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said during a press conference Thursday morning near the river.


Ambrose said the rising tide of the Passaic River may have filled the pipes and that the man faced other dangers.

"There's gases, there's 8 feet of water in there," Ambrose said. "There's high tide. So I hope for his sake he did make it out."

Harrison police identified the man Thursday as Keith Jean, 31, of Roselle. He was a passenger in the car that police saw stopped in front of a fire hydrant near Second Street and Cleveland Avenue, Harrison Police Lt. David Doyle said in a news release.

Jean and the driver Arbrey Tucker, 29, of Bloomfield, were acting suspiciously near a parking lot that has been the subject of recent car burglaries, police said. Officers stopped the car after it pulled out of the area, police said.

Tucker was arrested on outstanding warrants, but when police questioned Jean, he bolted and jumped in the Passaic River, police said.

Jean swam to the Newark side and climbed onto a support for the Bridge Street span, police said. He then swam to the drain pipe and climbed inside.

"He held on to some pilings for a while, then at that point, he swam into a sewer basin," Ambrose said. "That is when the police called Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission."

The sewerage commission's executive director, Greg Tramontozzi, said a crew from his plant was back at the scene on Wednesday shortly before 4 p.m., at the the request of Newark police, lowering cameras down into the system to look for signs of the missing man.

"We camera'd at three separate manholes, with no result," Tramontozzi said.

Caitlin Mota of The Jersey Journal contributed to this report.

Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveStrunsky. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
 


N.J. drought watch continues, some areas remain in danger zone

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Heavy rain in July helped the drought situation in some areas of New Jersey, but others remain extremely dry.

A series of rain storms that drenched New Jersey during the last two weeks of July helped ease the drought conditions in some parts of the state, but other areas continue to be unusually dry, according to the federal agency that monitors drought conditions.

The latest map released by the U.S. Drought Monitor Thursday morning shows fewer areas of New Jersey with "abnormally dry" conditions and a slightly lower chunk of the state with "moderate drought" conditions.

Over the past seven days, the percentage of New Jersey that was considered to be abnormally dry dropped from 68 percent to 36.5 percent and the area designated as having moderate drought conditions dipped from 38 percent to 24.4 percent.

NJ Drought Watch - Aug 4.jpgAreas of New Jersey shaded in tan have moderate drought conditions, and areas shaded in yellow are "abnormally dry." (U.S. Drought Monitor) 

Last Thursday, the state Department of Environmental Protection issued a drought watch for the northern half of New Jersey, urging residents to voluntarily conserve water. The watch covers Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren counties.

The DEP has kept the drought watch intact this week, despite the recent rainfall and subsequent increase in stream flow and reservoir levels.

"The rainfall we experienced was a very big help, helping to reverse the downward trend in northern New Jersey's reservoirs," DEP spokesman Larry Hajna said Thursday morning. "But we still have to monitor the situation, as August and early fall can be be pretty dry, which could drive demand for water up again. So we're continuing to encourage residents to be mindful of their water use."

Fall weather outlook: Good for football, not foliage

Hajna noted the storms last weekend dumped torrential rain on some counties, such as Mercer, Middlesex, Hunterdon and Passaic, and very little rain on others, including Atlantic, Cumberland and Cape May. 

The DEP is asking residents in northern New Jersey to voluntarily conserve water and residents in the rest of the state to "practice wise water use." 

Water conservation tips

These are among the water conservation tips recommended by the state DEP, which says millions of gallons of water could be saved each day if everyone follows these practices. 

  • Do not over-water lawns and landscaping. Two times per week for 30 minutes in the morning or late evening typically is sufficient.
  • Use a hose with a hand-held nozzle to water flowers and shrubs.
  • Avoid watering lawns and plants during the heat of the day, since much of this water will evaporate without helping the lawn.
  • Use a broom to sweep the sidewalk, instead of using a hose.
  • To save water at home, fix leaky faucets and pipes.
  • Turn off the faucet while brushing your teeth and shaving.
  • Run washing machines and dishwashers only when they are full.

Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @LensReality or like him on Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

Passaic man charged in bank robbery spree over 2 months

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Quentin Morales was on the FBI's Most Wanted list until his arrest Tuesday, officials said.

NEWARK -- A Passaic man made his initial appearance in federal court this week on charges that he attempted to rob five banks since June. 

Quentin Morales, 25, made his initial appearance before U.S. Magistrate Judge Joseph A. Dickson Wednesday, court records show. 

morales.jpgQuentin Morales (Courtesy of FBI Newark)
 

Morales was arrested earlier in the week in Newark, according to officials at the FBI's office in the city.

According to a criminal complaint, Morales allegedly robbed the Wells Fago Bank branch in Kearny on June 24, taking $2,500. 

He then allegedly attempted to rob the Capital One Bank branch in Elizabeth on June 27, but left empty-handed, it said. 

Morales then allegedly robbed the Wells Fargo branch in Kenilworth on June 30; the Wells Fargo branch in Linden on July 6 and the Wells Fargo branch in Clifton on July 13, the complaint said.

At each bank, Morales presented a note demanding cash from bank tellers, according to the office of U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman. During the July 13, robbery, it said, Morales handed the teller a note saying, "You are being robbed. Give me all your large bills. No alarms. No dye packs. You got 10 seconds."

On at least two occasions, Morales said he had a gun, the complaint says. 

Man admits robbing 6 banks

The FBI issued a public alert asking for help in finding Morales on Tuesday, and he was arrested that day. He was arrested by officers of the New Jersey State Parole Board, Fishman's office said. 

Morales was charged with four counts of bank robbery and one count of attempted bank robbery, the complaint says.

Each count carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison and a fine of $250,000, Fishman's office said.

Fishman credited the FBI for its investigation and cited the cooperation of the officers of the state Parole Board, the Essex County Prosecutor's Office and police departments from Kenilworth, Newark, Kearny, Elizabeth, Linden, Clifton and Union Township.

Tim Darragh may be reached at tdarragh@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @timdarragh. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

4 N.J. men charged in multi-state mob takedown, FBI says

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The FBI and local police departments arrested 46 people for their alleged roles in a long-running racketeering ring

NEWARK -- Four New Jersey men who federal officials say had ties to organized crime were arrested in a widespread East Coast bust Thursday.

The Federal Bureau of Investigation and local police departments arrested 46 people for their alleged roles in a long-running racketeering ring that authorities say was connected to the Genovese, Gambino, Luchese and Bonanno crime families, as well as Philadelphia organized crime families of La Cosa Nostra.

The following men were listed among those in custody, according to the U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara, Southern District of New York:

  • Daniel Marino Jr., 49, of Short Hills 
  • Anthony Cirillo, 51, Englewood Cliffs
  • Anthony Cassetta, 48, of Belmar
  • Marco Minuto, 80, of Upper Saddle River

Authorities allege that the New Jersey men were part of a criminal enterprise involved with loan sharking, gambling, trafficking cigarettes and guns, extortion, fraud and assault. 

An indictment also says illegal poker and dice tournaments took place at the Yonkers Club. 

The four men were charged with racketeering. They all face up to 20 years in prison. 

Authorities made arrests in Newark, Boston, New York, New Haven, Conn., and Miami. It was unclear where the New Jersey men were arrested. 

Also arrested was former Philadelphia mob boss Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino, police say. Merlino, 54, has served more than 20 years in prison on a several charges, including racketeering. He now lives in the Miami area.

Diego Rodriguez, head of the FBI's New York office, said in a statement that the indictment "reads like an old school Mafia novel, where extortion, illegal gambling, arson and threats to 'whack' someone are carried out along with some modern-day crimes of credit card skimming."

NJ Advance Media reporter Jeff Goldman contributed to this report.

Craig McCarthy may be reached at CMcCarthy@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @createcraig. Find NJ.com on Facebook.   

 

N.J. man told cops he's 'not going back to jail' after jumping into Passaic River: police

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The 31-year-old man who jumped into the Passaic River following a traffic stop yesterday afternoon was the passenger in a vehicle police said was engaging in "suspicious activity."

HARRISON -- The 31-year-old man who jumped into the Passaic River after a traffic stop yesterday was the passenger in a vehicle police said was engaging in "suspicious activity."

At about noon yesterday, police noticed a Chevy Impala with two men inside -- 29-year-old Arbrey Tucker, of Bloomfield, and 31-year-old Keith Jean, of Roselle -- parked in front of a fire hydrant near Second Street and Cleveland Avenue, Harrison Police Lt. David Doyle said in a news release. 

Doyle said both men were "in and out of the car watching a parking lot" that has been the subject of several car burglaries. Tucker then drove out of the neighborhood with Jean as his passenger. Police stopped their vehicle on Passaic Avenue in East Newark near Johnson Avenue, cops said. 

Police questioned Tucker about the suspicious activity and found he did not have a license. He was arrested on open warrants out of Newark, according to the release. 

But when officers went to ask Jean for his information, he took off on foot and jumped into the Passaic River "in an effort to escape." Police officers from Harrison and East Newark tried to retrieve Jean from the river, but the 31-year-old told officers he wasn't going back to jail and refused their assistance, Doyle said. 

Jean swam deeper into the river and was "under continuous observation" until marine units arrived at the scene, police said. 

Minutes before a State Police boat arrived to the location with members of the Newark Police Department's Tactical Response Team, Jean swam in  to a storm train near NJ Transit's Newark Drawbridge. 

Police still have not yet been able to locate Jean. During a news conference this morning in Newark, authorities said the search is more of a "recovery" effort at this point and do not think Jean could have survived through high tide and gases. 

Jean was being sought by two other jurisdictions, but it was not immediately known where or for what he is wanted. He is not currently listed on the state's Department of Corrections website, which provides records of offenders who are incarcerated or recently released from prison. 

Newark man, 82, blames shoes for crash that downed traffic light, injured 1: police

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One person was injured in a crash on Kearny Avenue yesterday afternoon that took down a light pole and traffic light, police said.

KEARNY -- One person was injured in a crash on Kearny Avenue Wednesday afternoon that took down a light pole and traffic signal, police said. 

At about 4 p.m. 82-year-old Lucas Bernardin, of Newark, was driving his 2006 Nissan Altima south on Kearny Avenue near Johnson Street. As the traffic light at the intersection changed from green to yellow, Lucas collided with the Toyota Camry stopped in front of him, Kearny Police Lt. John Taylor said. 

Bernardin told police the shoes he was wearing caused him to mistakenly accelerate his car instead of brake, Taylor said. 

Witnesses, however, told police that Bernardin tried to avoid stopping at the red light by passing the Toyota, which was driven by a 54-year-old Edison woman. Bernardin's Nissan ricocheted off the Toyota and struck a traffic signal, light pole, control box, and trash can before crashing into a tree, Taylor said. 

After the crash, shattered glass and debris littered the ground while the traffic light was in the middle of the street. Police shut down a section of the roadway while they conducted the investigation. 

The Edison woman was treated at a hospital for her injuries, while Bernardin was issued summonses for reckless driving and failure to obey a traffic signal, Taylor said. 

Jersey City women charged in retaliatory shooting, authorities say

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Shooting was in retaliation for earlier incident, according to police.

newark police (File photo) 
NEWARK -- Two Jersey City women were arrested Wednesday on charges stemming from a shooting on Ferry Street, authorities said.

Jessica Velasquez, 37, and Tatyana Rodriguez, 27, each face charges of aggravated assault and weapons offenses, according to a statement from the Newark Department of Public Safety. The city's Fugitive Apprehension Team arrested both women in Jersey City.

Around 7 p.m. Monday officers were called to reports of shots fired from a vehicle occupied by several people, police said.

2 men wanted for shooting at each other, police say

"After an intense investigation, members of the Cease Fire Shooting Response Team developed evidence that both Velasquez and Rodriguez were occupants in the vehicle that fled the shooting," the department's statement said.

According to authorities, the shooting was retaliation for an earlier incident that led to aggravated assault, burglary and weapons charges against Jennifer Castillo, 21, and Porfirio Rivera, 30, both of Jersey City. Police did not release further details about what led to the alleged retaliation. 

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahycFind NJ.com on Facebook.

See how many questions you get right in the local news quiz

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These seven questions are based on NJ.com's most popular stories of the past week. So basically you have no excuses.

Each week when it's time to create NJ.com's local news quiz, I look back at the past week to see what stories were the most popular with NJ.com readers. It just seems fair to use stories that most readers were likely to see. I weed out the stories that aren't local, stories that aren't appropriate for a quiz and stories that don't have enough details to make a good quiz question. Then I re-read the stories from the most popular on down and create the seven-question quiz. I try to use important information from each story to create the quiz questions.

Here are the stories that I used to create this week's quiz. Better study up now: I think this week's quiz is pretty tough.

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

 

Teen on bus had gun, Newark cops say

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Elizabeth boy faces weapons charges

NEWARK -- A 17-year-old from Elizabeth was arrested Wednesday after he was spotted with a gun, Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said. 

Officers from the 5th Precinct on foot patrol near Clinton Avenue and S. 11th Street were approached by a member of the public around 5 p.m. who told them an armed boy was on a nearby bus. Police boarded the bus and arrested the youth. 

He has been charged with unlawful possession of a handgun and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. 

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

 

No distance is too far for N.J. Big Sister of The Year

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No distance is too far Amanda Ballate to show a little girl that she cares. As New Jersey's Big Sister of the Year, Ballate takes two trains and sometimes she drives more than an hour to be a mentor.

Amanda Ballate has some kind of commute, and it has nothing to do with her job as a real estate broker.

The two trains she catches from her Brooklyn apartment to Newark Penn Station bring her to a 14-year-old girl from Union.

The girl's name is Nia and Ballate is her mentor. But four years of spending time together has brought them closer and changed their relationship in ways they couldn't have imagined. The soon-to-be high school freshman hasn't been Ballate's mentee for a relatively long time.

 MORE: Recent Barry Carter columns

"I've always told her that we are sisters, forever,'' Ballate said.

This is what happens when a Big Brothers Big Sisters match works out the way it's supposed to. The connection they have is a bond that began when the Newark-based chapter that covers Essex, Hudson and Union counties put these two together in 2012.

This pairing, however, is special for Ballate's bi-state commitment to stay in Nia's life.

Brooklyn is not exactly around the corner. Still, the distance is no deterrent to Ballate, who moved to the New York City borough two years ago from Edison, the central New Jersey community in which she was raised.

"Some people would have given up,'' Ballate said. "But for me, I'm never going to give up on this girl.''

Her sincerity jumped off the page in essays written by Ballate and Nia that were submitted to BBBS State Association of New Jersey. Every year, the organization looks to honor a Big Brother and Big Sister who exemplify what it means to be a mentor.  

Last month, Ballate was named Big Sister of the Year, a title she graciously appreciates but doesn't revel in.

"I don't do it for fame,'' Ballate said.  "I do it for Nia.''

The young girl realizes that, too, and said as much in her essay.

"Spending time with her (Amanda) and her family helps me not miss mine so much and gives me hope,'' Nia wrote. "I love Amanda because she is easy to talk to, sweet and caring.  She is someone I can tell my problems to and feel safe when I am around her. When it comes to Amanda, she is my 'go to' and constant.'' 

Everyone needs somebody in his or her corner. Nia has Ballate to look up to and to lean on, knowing that her big sister is going to be there through all of the uncertainties that life brings.

When the two were first matched, Nia, who has lived in several foster homes, had to move to another home before she could contact Ballate. She didn't have cell phone, but with help from the Newark Big Brothers and Big Sisters chapter, Ballate was able to find her again.

"For me, I'm going to find you through hell or high water,'' Ballate said. "I want her in my life.''

Now, that's a big sister if you ever met one. She's a rock, a protector and a caring soul.

 MORE CARTER: Forgotten Puerto Rican heroines are remembered

"Amanda has been the anchor in the unsettled life of one child - a constant positive presence,'' said Joanna Jusis, a mentor manager for the local Big Brother Big Sister chapter.

Nothing gets in Ballate's way, even though the times they see each other take planning.

When Ballate arrives at Newark Penn Station, Nia is waiting for her with a caseworker, so they can turn around and head back to Brooklyn for the weekend. On other visits, Ballate will drive an hour from her parents' home in Hunterdon County, then scoop up Nia and return to Hunterdon County, where Nia is part of the family.

She calls Ballate's dad, "Daggy''; her mother is "Mummy."  Ballate goes by "Burrito.'' Even the family dog, Boo-boo, gets some love.

On outings, Ballate and Nia make the most of their time together. They've been to the zoo, the beach, parks and museums in New York, a memorable trip that was Nia's first time outside of New Jersey. 

The quiet little girl that Ballate met is outgoing now, and watching Nia develop, Ballate said, has been an honor. She was in the audience at Nia's eighth-grade graduation in June and promises to be with her through high school, college and life.

This journey, on a smaller level, takes the 30-year-old Ballate back to her college days at the University of Pennsylvania. She was a big sister who tutored kids at a local school in Philadelphia, an experience she never forgot and wanted to replicate after graduation. Ballate is sold on the merits of mentorship.

"I had this nagging sense that you have to spread good in the world,'' she said. "If you have time and love to give, why not give it to a child who is looking for somebody who cares?''

Four hours a month is what the organization requires. Ballate does that in one weekend. 

The long commute has never fazed her, and having lost touch with Nia in the beginning didn't, either.

"I was going to do whatever it took,'' Ballate said.

Whatever it took to let Nia know she has a sister who's not going anywhere.

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

Here's what a fugitive swimmer faced inside Newark's cramped, putrid sewers

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After entering a concrete tunnel, the man would enter a chamber with access to manholes and the street. Beyond that, raw sewage. Watch video

UPDATE: The search for the man resumed at 9 a.m. according to Newark police.


1PVSC rendering.jpgThis diagram illustrates linked sections of the Newark sewer system, where a man fleeing police disappeared Wednesday. 

NEWARK -- Whatever punishment he thought he was fleeing, a man who swam across the Passaic River and into the Newark sewer system to escape police on Wednesday subjected himself to what officials said would be unsanitary, unsafe and possibly deadly conditions.

Greg Tramotozzi, executive director of the Passaic Valley Sewerage Commission, which operates the massive system that treats Newark and 47 other communities' waste, said the 31-year-old fugitive from Roselle had entered into a warren of dark, cramped spaces, with deadly gases hanging in the air, harmful bacteria and chemicals lining every surface, and the flow of human waste.  

"Let's put it this way: That is not an environment you would want to be in for 24 hours," Tramotozzi said Thursday afternoon, more than a full day after Keith Jean had entered the sewer from a point near the Bridge Street Bridge.

Harrison Police say Jean was a passenger in a car that officers saw stopped at Second Street and Cleveland Avenue, near a parking lot where several car break-ins had been reported recently. Police said that officers pulled the car over after it began to move, and subsequently arrested the driver, Aubrey Tucker, 29, of Bloomfield, on outstanding warrants, but that Jean ran the two of blocks to river and jumped in.

Jean then swam toward the Newark side, and after briefly clinging at midstream to a support of the Bridge Street Bridge. Police said they offered to help Jean, but he refused, telling them he was "not going back to jail." 

Police said Jean then swam to the Newark riverbank, where he climbed into a pipe and disappeared. That was about 1 p.m. on Wednesday, and despite a search using a robot and cameras to plumb the system's putrid depths, as of Thursday evening Jean had not been found. 

Based on where the police said Jean climbed into the system, Tramontozzi said it had to have been at the Clay Street Outflow, a 9'4" X 7' pipe-like tunnel where a mixture of storm water and sewage spills out into the river on rainy days. Newark is one of several cities with combined sewer systems where storm water and sewage share some passageways, so outflows are necessary to prevent heavy volumes of storm water from overwhelming the treatment plant and literally washing away the bacteria that consumes waste.

Fortunately for Jean, Wednesday was sunny, and Tramontozzi said there would have been little if any storm or wastewater flowing out here he went in. That might have allowed Jean to make his way, through the darkness, up a slight grade, over a distance of two blocks or so, on surfaces covering with filthy residue, to the next area of the sewer system, the regulator chamber.

The chamber is a kind of reservoir, a concrete box that uses gravity to separate stormwater from sewage, allowing the storm warter (and some sewage) to spill down the outflow, while directing the heavier sewage toward the PVSC's interceptor tunnel, or main sewer line.

While Tramontozzi said drowning in the chamber is a possibility -- he did not know its dimensions -- he said there are many other dangers, including gases that form from the breakdown of organic materials.

One is hydrogen sulfide, which has the smell or rotten eggs and is poisonous to inhale, as well as corrosive and highly flammable. Another is methane, which is not poisonous, but can act as a deadly asphyxiant in confined spaces because it displaces oxygen.  

Of course, there are the bacteria found in waste, including Echerichi, or E. coli. 

And because Newark is a combined sewer system, it is a depository for the chemicals and carcinogens that discharged onto the streets and into the air by automobiles and industry, then carried into storm drains by runoff.

Of course, there is every other vile substance, apart from waste, that is flushed down the toilet by household and commercial users. 

Any cut, sore or orifice on Jeans body would be a magnet for infection, said Tramontozzi, is not a doctor, though he is a lawyer.

Late Thursday afternoon, at the request of Newark police, a PVSC crew lowered a camera down three manholes on a block of Division Street that runs along Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium. The manholes were in the middle of the street, a few hundred feet up a slope from the river bank where Jean went underground, right about where the regulator chamber for the Clay Street OUtfall would be located below ground. The crew found nothing.


That same block is where authorities set up a mobile command post, and where Newark PUblic Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said during a late Thursday morning news conference that what had begun as a rescue mission to find Jean alive was becoming a recovery effort in the hope, at least, of finding his body. 

"Unless he got out," Ambrose said. "And right now no one has seen him get out."

Finally, the regulator chamber is connected to the sewer system's heart, or more aptly, it's main artery, the interceptor tunnel. The tunnel is a 21-mile concrete subway that runs from Paterson's Great Falls to the PVSC treatment plan in Newark, carrying more than 100 million gallons a day of the digested and expelled remains of everything that 1.5 million households and commercial and institutional users consume, digest, expel and flush.  

The diameter of tunnel ranges from a large intestine-like 13' to a much smaller 3.5-feet. There is always some flow of waste moving through it, Tamontozzi said. It seems inconceivable that Jean would venture into the interceptor tunnel voluntarily But even if he had, and even if he were not drowned, asphyxiated, poisoned or too sickened to go on, Tramontozzi said he would not get far because he would be blocked by intermittent sets of heavy iron bars intended to prevent large objects from flowing into the treatment plant and causing damage.

Tramontozzi noted that the regulator chamber would offer Jean what might be his only escape, other than heading back down the outfalll and into the river.

"There's a possibility that he gets out a manhole going out of that chamber," he said.

Man holes, after all, are how workers access sewer systems, though typically from outside in, rather than the other way around. Workers also have each other, as well as pick axes or other heavy tools, to remove the steel manhole covers that typically weigh 90 to 150 pounds.

Still, by planting himself on one of the steel rungs that protrude from the brick chute-like passageway up from the chamber to the manhole, Jean might be able to shoulder the edge of a cover above the rim of the manhole, then work the cover over far enough to exit.

If he did emerge from a man hole, on Division Street, police stationed at the mobile command center would be waiting.

For him to emerge from any other manholes, linked to any other chamber seems remote. The only way to get from one chamber to another without leaving the system, Tramotozzi said, is through the interceptor tunnel. 


Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveStrunsky. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Affectionate dog needs quiet home

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Shelter workers describe Knuckles as a "pure joy."

ex0807pet.jpgKnuckles 

BLOOMFIELD -- Knuckles is a young mixed-breed dog at the Bloomfield Animal Shelter who volunteers describe as a "pure joy."

He is affectionate and walks well on a leash and should go to a calm home without other pets. He has been neutered and is up-to-date on shots.

To meet Knuckles and other adoptable pets, visit the Bloomfield Animal Shelter at 61 Bukowski Place in Bloomfield. The shelter is open every day from noon to 5 p.m. (Wednesdays until 7 p.m.) For more information, call 973-748-0194 or visit the shelter's website at njhumane.org.

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.

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Fugitive unit arrests accused shooter, Newark authorities say

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Shots fired after argument, according to police.

James BrittJames Britt, 25 (Photo: Dept of Public Safety) 
NEWARK -- A 25-year-old Newark man was charged with firing several shots at another man after an argument in the city, authorities said in a statement Friday.

Officers with the city police division's fugitive unit and U.S. Marshals arrested James Britt in Irvington Thursday morning, according to Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose.

Britt faces charges of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon, possession of a handgun and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.

2 men wanted for shooting at each other, police say

The victim said Britt fired several shots at him June 12 on the 200 block of Hunterdon Street, but he was not hurt, according to authorities. Britt was ordered held in lieu of $75,000 bail.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahycFind NJ.com on Facebook.

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