The West New York man was arrested Friday night, officials said.

Molina-Haro. (Courtesy Port Authority Police) 

NEWARK -- Authorities have arrested a West New York man who they say flew into Newark airport with more than four pounds of heroin.

According to a release from Port Authority Police, David Molina-Haro, 39, had concealed about four-and-a-half pounds of heroin in packages he carried inside his bag on board a flight into Newark from Ecuador at about 10:30 p.m. on Aug. 19.

They were hidden in packages labeled "cafe" and "Nestle Recacao," and were discovered during a "routine inspection," police said.

Molina-Haro was arrested without incident on drug charges, police said.

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

The victim, who was attacked from age 9 to 15, secretly made a video of one of the attacks.

Korynn Hunt, 39, was sentenced to 50 years in prison for raping a girl over a period of eight years.

ESSEX -- A 39-year-old man was sentenced Monday to serve at least 40 years in prison after admitting he repeatedly raped a girl for eight years.

Superior Court Judge Russell J. Passamano sentenced Korynn Hunt to 50 years in prison and ordered him to serve at least 40 years and seven months before he could be eligible for parole.

The prison term is less than a prosecutor has requested.

Assistant Essex County Prosector Amber Loughran, in her statement before the sentence was announced, asked that Hunt receive an 80-year term. "Ten years for each of the eight years of abuse that he inflicted on her," Loughran said.

Loughran read a portion of a letter from the girl, who the assistant prosecutor said was present in court but too nervous to speak. Authorities say the attacks began when she was 9 years old and continued until she was 15.

"He would always want me naked. He said it was normal," the victim said in the letter. She said Hunt constantly demeaned her, causing her at one point to take one of his guns from his home. "I held it to my head and desperately wanted to pull the trigger."

She called Hunt a monster who will continue to affect her relationships. She is still being treated by a therapist, she said.

The girl's mother, who had known Hunt for many years, also addressed the judge, fighting back tears as she admitted failing to protect her daughter. About 15 other people sat in courtroom wearing pink tee shirts with the words "Justice For (the victim)."

Loughran said the victim made a video recording of one attack that occurred when she was 15. In a brief portion of the video that was played in court, the girl is heard pleading for the Hunt to stop, and he is seen yelling at her.

"Why do you always resist? What's wrong with you? This is not that bad. You turn something good into something that is bad," Hunt says in the video.

In court, Hunt, a U.S. Marine veteran with no prior criminal record, apologized for the assault.

"That image disgusts me," Hunt said, referring to the video. He said that for a long time, he had previously been in therapy for problems he was unable to handle.

According to Loughran, Hunt sexually abused the girl twice a week for eight or nine years.

In May, Hunt pleaded guilty to a 26-count indictment, that included 17 counts of first-degree aggravated sexual assault and nine counts of second-degree endangering the welfare of a child.

Passamano ordered concurrent sentences for most of the charges, but consecutive sentences for three of the sexual assault charges.

The maximum penalty for each first-degree crime is 20 years in prison and the maximum term for each second-degree term is 10 years.

"What this defendant did to this girl is reprehensible,'' Loughransaid in the statement. "He stole her youth and destroyed her innocence. Yet, in the midst of all he did, she was able to confront him. And, today I hope she is able to begin the process of healing and reclaiming her life.'' 

Tom Haydon may be reached at thaydon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Tom_HaydonSL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Roger Brown was a 'central character' at Wayne Street bar Pint.

JERSEY CITY -- If Pint were Cheers, Roger Brown would have been its Norm.

The East Orange man was a regular at the Downtown Jersey City pub, where he could be found sitting on the third stool down from the entrance, drinking a vodka-and-cranberry with slices of orange and lemon and playing trivia game Buzztime, often on multiple controllers at once.

Some of his Buzztime usernames were Bozo and No Bra.

"On the running sitcom that was this bar, Roger was a central character," Pint regular Russell Presgraves said.

Brown's stool at Pint was empty on Thursday night, when the bar's regulars gathered to memorialize the avid sailor, who died on Aug. 6 when he drowned after falling from a boat in Liberty Harbor Marina. Brown -- his full name was Roderick Roosevelt -- was 64.

The open-mic memorial was a chance to give Brown's Pint family a chance to honor him with memories and stories, said bar owner Wolf Sterling. Brown was "a part of this place," Sterling said.

"If you sat next to him, he would be your instant best friend," he said. "He would talk to anybody. And he would laugh."

The memorial attracted about 30 people to the tiny Warren Street bar. A few tears were shed, but the mood was rarely mournful. The crowd laughed as Brown's friends remembered his catchphrases, how he'd gripe that no women worked at the gay-friendly bar, that Halloween he dressed up as the Mad Hatter.

Hazel Smith, of New York City, called Brown "incredibly inappropriate" -- eliciting knowing guffaws from Brown's friends -- "but a good guy." The two became pals when Smith lived in Jersey City and was struggling with some personal issues. She would "hide out" at Pint, she said.

"He gave me a lot of peace when I was going through a lot of heartache," Smith said.

Authorities began searching for Brown in the early morning hours of Saturday, Aug. 6, after a man spotted an unattended sailboat with its motor running floating in the water at Liberty Harbor Marina. Authorities say Brown, whose body was recovered the next day, suffered a head injury before falling into the water. His death was classified as accidental.

Brown was buried Thursday morning at Rosedale Cemetery in Orange. Friends who attended described it much like the Pint memorial: a celebration of his life, with many jokes and little crying. Brown died what he loved doing best, they said.

"Here's to Roger," Moses Jones said as he raised a glass inside Pint, "who is now sailing in the skies."

Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.

The formula, unveiled in June, would dole out precisely the same amount of aid per pupil — $6,599 — to all New Jersey school districts.

NEWARK -- The superintendent appointed by Gov. Chris Christie to run Newark's state-controlled school district said a 60-percent cut in aid projected under a new funding formula proposed by the governor would be "catastrophic" for the district. 

"I don't mind saying explicitly that a reduction in our budget of 60 percent would be catastrophic," said Superintendent Christopher Cerf, a former state education commissioner under Christie, who appointed Cerf to run the state's largest district last year.

Cerf's comment was in response to a reporter's question about the impact on the district of a projected 60 percent cut in aid under the new Fairness Formula proposed by Christie.

The formula, unveiled in June, would dole out precisely the same amount of aid per pupil -- $6,599 -- to all New Jersey school districts, regardless of affluence, resulting in a savings for 85 percent of the state's property taxpayers, while translating into dramatic cuts in aid to poor districts that rely on the state to fund a much higher proportion of their school budgets. 

An analysis by NJ Advance Media found that aid to Newark and some other poor districts would be cut by 60 percent or more under the governor's proposed formula.  

The formula has been criticized by Democratic lawmakers and advocates for poor districts, who argue that the state's current funding formula grew out a state Supreme Court decision, Abbot v. Burke, requiring New Jersey to provide a thorough and efficient education for all students under the state constitution.

Cerf was asked about the funding formula while appearing at a City Hall press conference on the release of a report by a panel appointed by Mayor Ras Baraka suggesting Newark schools were close to meeting all criteria for the city to regain control of the district.

Asked to comment on Cerf's remarks, Christie's office referred to statements by the governor during a forum in Fair Lawn last month, when he said a formula providing equal aid for each student was fundamentally fair, but that it would be phased in over three years to soften the blow to any districts receiving cuts. 

"It gives them the opportunity to plan and to make their changes," Christie said at the time. "Those changes have to be made, so we'd give them a three-year phase-in on it, and that's the way we would do it."

The new formula would also discourage under-performing districts from spending as much as $33,699 per pupil, in some cases twice as much as districts that perform well.
 
"We can do better and we must, in educating all of our children and in bringing fairness to taxpayers like you," Christie told his audience in Fair Lawn.

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

People flock to the the Waterfront in West Orange to enjoy the milder temperatures.

WEST ORANGE -- With the refreshing weather change that has finally swept across the Garden state, people are getting out and enjoying the milder temperatures.  

The Waterfront at South Mountain Recreation Complex in West Orange was buzzing with activity on Monday.  

Some people paddled along the Orange Reservoir in swan-shaped paddleboats, others enjoyed the 1.7 mile reservoir walking path.

According to Drew Luckenbach the paddleboat manager, on nice days they have more than 275 people rent boats on weekdays. Rentals tend to drop during heat waves.

"Today has been very active because of the break in the weather," he said.

Visitors can choose between either a white or black swan-shaped paddleboat or a tiger-striped paddleboat.

The paddleboats can be rented for 30 minutes for $15 for two-person boat and $19 for four-person boat. 

Patti Sapone may be reached at psapone@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @psapone. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The unidentified man was killed near the train station Monday

EAST ORANGE -- Authorities are investigating after a man was killed near the NJ Transit station in East Orange, a spokeswoman for the agency said Monday night.

The man, who was not immediately identified, was a trespasser on the track area when he was struck by train No. 441 out of Hoboken at around 7:30 p.m. It was not known Monday night if that was the cause of death or if he had suffered some other injury immediately before being hit, the spokeswoman said.

None of the 118 passengers and crew aboard the train were hurt. NJ Transit buses cross-honored passengers' rail tickets as the rail line was closed for the investigation.

The Morris and Essex line was open as of 9:50 p.m. but was experiencing delays of about an hour, the agency also said.

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

Late historian Stan Myers hosted Tuesday Jazz Jam for 19 years

The logo at The Crossroads club in Garwood is a man on a sax, his hair flying straight back. The artwork over the two emergency exits is of a jazz trio. If you look up in the rafters, a statue of Satchmo sits over the bar.

Crossroads is primarily known as a rock club, but jazz is in its DNA.

For 19 years, Crossroads held a Tuesday night Jazz Jam, hosted by Stan Myers.

"Fasten your seatbelts, the night is about to take off," was one of Myers opening catchphrases as the Crossroads' "All-Stars" jazz band took the stage.

Guitarists George Benson and Stanley Jordan once fronted the house band in guest appearances. Etta Jones and Connie Francis once sang there. Those were some of the big names. But the jam was also a showcase for up-and-comers and local talent, including teenagers, as long as they could play. This was no amateur hour or open mike night. The house band, led by organist Radam Schwartz, was top shelf. Sitting in with them was by invitation only.

Myers, a noted jazz historian and deejay was "the soul of the jam," according to club owner Lee Frankel.

His warm smile and affable manner complimented the smooth music. His knowledge and stories added substance. He had his own following, attracting the audience as much the musicians.

"He would introduce the players, and interact with them and them audience all night," Frankel said.

MORE: Recent Mark Di Ionno columns

"He was a jazz aficionado and certainly had the history of Newark jazz in his head," said Dorthaan Kirk, the community relations and special events coordinator at WGBO-Jazz 88. "Almost everything I learned about Newark and jazz history was from him."

Myers had a show at WBGO for several years in the 1990s and was one of the legendary jazz station's first and longest-serving volunteers. He also hosted a show  at Seton Hall University station WSOU, in South Orange, and, most recently, at WPSC at William Paterson University in Wayne.

To say he was the venerable authority of the New Jersey jazz scene is as understated as a warm bass line during a hot sax solo.

Myers died in March at age 88.

Two weeks ago, the final Jazz Jam was held at Crossroads.

"It was the most painful decision I've had to make here," said Frankel. "It was piece of our soul. We had top-quality musicians. But to have a great jam, you not only need the musicians, you need an audience that wants to watch."

Frankel said that audience has waned for several years, so much so that he talked with bandleader Schwartz about ending the show well before Myers passing.

"It was an amazing run," Frankel said. "For a Tuesday night at 9:30 (showtime), we did okay for a while."

That was during the jazz resurgence of the 1990s when it seemed every downtown in suburban New Jersey had at least one jazz night in a local restaurant, if not a full-blown jazz club.

"We outlasted everyone else for, I'd say, a good 10 years," Frankel said. "I loved the jam so much, it didn't matter that I was losing money. I always wanted to have the best, and we did. But a few years ago, I had a conversation with the Radam about ending it and coming up with something else on Tuesday nights."

They didn't tell Myers and the jam held on until this month.

"I couldn't imagine doing it (telling Myers)," Frankel said. "Nineteen years. It's the longest relationship I've ever had."

After Myers' death, the regulars still came.

"We've had people coming here since the start, some for more than a decade," Frankel said. "Believe me, it was just as hard to break the news to them as it was to the musicians. They were just as invested in it."

It was also tough breaking the news to Myers' daughter, Khabirah Myers-Roberts.

"The jam sessions were apart of my father's legacy, but that legacy will endure beyond the Crossroads," Myers-Roberts said. "My father touched so many lives through the lessons he taught on jazz music. Every time he stepped on stage, every time he touched a microphone he used that moment as an opportunity to teach the world about jazz and its history. My father believed that jazz was a metaphysical art that had the power to transform lives and make the world a better place.

"I am incredibly grateful to the owners of the Crossroads for allowing my father to use their facility as a platform to educate and spread the message of jazz to so many people for so many years," she said. 

Frankel says jazz at Crossroads isn't dead, it's just evolving along with the business.

The club is entering what Frankel calls full-service production of recording and video. One of the videos being used to market is pure jazz, featuring Jason "Malletman" Taylor, a protege of Lionel Hampton.

Jazz Jam is being replaced by Phat Tuesday Jam Throwdown, with Secret Sound & Friends.

Guitarist Kevin Hill is bandleader and he was also in the jazz All-Stars. Schwartz was his mentor and teacher.

"It will be a little more inclusive to other kinds of musicians," Hill said. "But jazz will certainly be represented."

Mark Di Ionno may be reached at mdiionno@starledger.com. Follow The Star-Ledger on Twitter @StarLedger and find us on Facebook.

From 315-pound people movers to 165-pound, make-people-miss scatbacks, the returning All-State football players from are a talented group.

The man told an officer at the stop he was an "Essex County constable," police said.

SPARTA -- A 26-year-old Elizabeth man is facing charges after he allegedly posed as an officer when he was pulled over on Sunday, police said.

Juan Genao was pulled over by Officer Tom Snyder at 12:15 p.m. for equipment violations, Sparta police said in a news release.

Genao, during the stop, identified himself as an Essex County constable and provided a gold badge and "a poorly constructed ID card," police said. He was placed under arrest after police determined Genao was not a constable.

Medical pot user sues Sparta cops over alleged false arrest

Genao was charged with fourth-degree impersonating a law enforcement officer, fourth-degree providing false documents and two disorderly persons offenses -- hindering and obstruction.

Genao was also issued summonses for driving with a suspended license, maintenance of lamps and unclear license plates. He was released pending a court appearance.

Justin Zaremba may be reached at jzaremba@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinZarembaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Trio allegedly robbed security guard who was heading home from work

Najee Taylor, 19 (Photo: Essex County Corrections) 

Essex County Sheriff's patrol officers were working a quality of life operation near Riverbank Park when the victim flagged down the officers near Raymond Boulevard and Somme Street shortly after midnight, according to Sheriff Armando Fontoura.

The 42-year-old man, a private security guard in East Orange, told officers he was heading home from work when three assailants punched him in the back of his head, knocked him down and went through his pockets, Fontoura said. They stole a smartphone, Apple iPod, wallet and $50.

Detectives seize 'Mad Monkey' heroin, arrest 4

Sheriff's officers drove around with the victim and soon spotted his attackers, Fontoura said in a statement. Najee Taylor, 19, a 16-year-old and a 17-year-old, all city residents, were arrested and charged with robbery.

Taylor was being held at the Essex County jail in lieu of $100,000 bail, according to jail records. The teens were sent to the Essex County Youth Detention Center ahead of a Family Court hearing. Authorities did not release the names of the juveniles because of their ages.

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

BGR The Burger Joint is slated to open in South Orange this fall.

SOUTH ORANGE -- A chain that's been named the best burger place in Washington, D.C. is planning to open its first location in New Jersey.

BGR The Burger Joint will open in The Gateway complex in South Orange in the early fall, the restaurant's owner Chanticleer Holdings announced in a release earlier this month. Chanticleer partnered with SanFam, LLC to open the N.J. franchise, which will be run by longtime restaurant operator Phil Sannitti and his sons, the release said.

A rendering of the Gateway complex, where the eatery will be located. (Submitted photo)
 

"We are very excited to open our South Orange restaurant, which is our first BGR location in New Jersey," said Rich Adams, President and Chief Operating Officer of American Burger Company, parent company of BGR.

"Awareness of the BGR brand is growing throughout the U.S. and we look forward to expanding our loyal customer base as we bring BGR's excellent service and award-winning menu items to the New Jersey area."

Most of the chain's 21 locations are in the greater Washington, D.C. area, but it has restaurants open in seven states, including one in Yonkers, N.Y.

Contest winner revealed: Best burger in N.J.

Near the nation's capital, BGR has gained a reputation for its dry-aged meat burgers and seasonal menu. Last year, MSN named BGR the best burger in D.C. The distinction adds to mentions on the best D.C. burger lists compiled by the DC-ist and D.C. Eater.

The move to New Jersey should instroduce a whole new population to the brand, executives said in the release.

"In addition to bringing BGR to the residents of South Orange, we're looking forward to introducing this innovative burger concept to Seton Hall students," said Ed Kelley, BGR's President of Franchising.

The college and South Orange train station are nearby the Gateway development, which is comprised of 57 luxury apartments and 9,000 square feet of retail space. The recent $32.77 million sale of the complex set a county record for the highest sale price per unit of an apartment building.

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

Detectives recovered a gun

Thomas Damico, 23 (Photo: Dept. of Public Safety) 

NEWARK -- An Elizabeth man was charged with a weapons offense after he shot himself in the hand and showed up at a Newark hospital, authorities said Monday night.

City police responded to Newark Beth Israel Hospital around 1 p.m. last Friday for a report of man with a gunshot wound, according to a statement from the public safety department. 

Thomas Damico, 23, was being treated for a wound to his right hand and told officers he shot himself in the area of Lyons Avenue, the department said. Detectives recovered the weapon and charged Damico with unlawful possession of a weapon.

The shooting was not believed to be a suicide attempt, a police spokeswoman added. 

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

Savion Glover's 'Chronology of a HooFer,' set for October, will pay tribute to his influences, from Jimmy Slyde to Gregory Hines

Newark tap prodigy Savion Glover will debut an autobiographical multimedia solo show that will also pay tribute to his greatest influences at NJPAC in October.

The Tony-winning choreographer known for "Bring in 'Da Noise, Bring in 'Da Funk" and "Shuffle Along Or The Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed" (currently playing), became a Broadway sensation with 1984's "The Tap Dance Kid." (Fun fact: He actually replaced Alfonso Ribeiro, the future Carlton of "The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air," who originated the role).

"I'll be sharing a journey with the audience -- the span of my journey and my career," Glover says in a statement. "How the dance has transitioned me and how it has transitioned itself."

Among the tap legends he will pay tribute to: Jimmy Slyde ("King of Slides"), Dianne Walker, Sammy Davis Jr., Lon Chaney, James "Buster" Brown, Ralph Brown and Gregory Hines, with whom Glover co-starred in Broadway's "Jelly's Last Jam." 

Tickets to "Chronology of a HooFer," at 8 p.m. on Oct. 8, are $65-$85 and are available here. Glover, NJPAC's Dance Advisor, this summer also helped create "Club Bring Time Back @NJPACZ, an original song-and-dance piece with children ranging in age from 6 to 18, which will be performed Sept. 18 at 6 p.m. at NJPAC's Victoria Theater. 

Vicki Hyman may be reached at vhyman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @vickihy or like her on Facebook. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook, and check out TV Hangover, the podcast from Vicki Hyman and co-host Erin Medley on iTunes, Stitcher or listen here.

Williams was part of a panel discussion on women in business.

NEWARK -- She's a business "Survivor," and now she's telling female entrepreneurs how they can stay ahead, too.

Michelle Williams, who rose to fame as one of the members of superstar pop trio Destiny's Child, was in Newark on July 26 as part of The BOSS Network's "Ladies that Lead" panel discussion. About 200 entrepreneurs attended the talk, which featured women who spoke about their experiences in business.

Since her DC days, Williams has launched a bedding and home goods line, "Believe at Home."

"It was truly a remarkable evening connecting with so many beautiful, powerful women in Newark," Williams said in a statement about the event.

"Ladies that Lead" is part of a four-city BOSS tour, which makes stops in Dallas Tuesday and Charlotte, N.C. on Sept. 20. This marks the second year that BOSS, an online platform based in Chicago that launched in 2009, has run the tour, and the first time it has a stop in New Jersey.

BOSS founder Cameka Smith said attendees got information and inspiration from the event.

"Having a powerhouse like Michelle Williams...who is also a woman of color...she is someone people can connect with," Smith said.

The event was held at the new Prudential tower in Newark, and also featured local businesswomen from Prudential, RWJ Barnabas Health, and more as guest speakers.

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

Officers were chasing armed robbery suspect

NEWARK -- Officials are investigating claims that Newark police officers pulled their guns on a 10-year-old boy after they allegedly mistook the child for an armed robbery suspect.

"They tried to shoot me...the cops," the boy, 10-year-old Legend Preston, says in response to questions from his mother in a widely-shared video posted on Facebook. According to Legend's mother, Patisha, officers said her son matched the description of a man they were pursuing for a robbery.

Patisha Preston posted a series of messages on her Facebook page urging others to share the video and demanding an apology.

Legend Preston told WABC-TV he was playing basketball when he went to chase after the ball that rolled into the street. The fifth-grader said he first thought police were chasing him for running into the street without looking, according to the television station, which first reported the story.

Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose on Tuesday said the investigation was turned over to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office, which was standard protocol. City internal affairs investigators launched their own probe after seeing video of the boy on Facebook.

A preliminary investigation by internal affairs found "that at no time did officers point a weapon at any child in the area," of the Aug. 11 chase, according to an earlier account from police.

Newark Fraternal Order of Police President James Stewart Jr. said an investigation would reveal the officers acted appropriately.

"The FOP is aware of the situation apparently involving Newark Police Officers, and the investigation surrounding it, and we are confident that once the investigation is completed, including the review of all video and cell phone evidence, it will show our officers acted properly for the situation they were in," Stewart said.

The incident began when a 40-year-old man flagged down an officer around 4:45 p.m. and reported that he was robbed at gunpoint by an assailant who took off running on Stuyvesant Avenue, police said. Officers chased after the suspect to an area where children were playing and "briefly detained" a 10-year-old boy at the scene, they said.

Police arrested Casey Joseph Robinson on Stuyvesant Avenue for the robbery, according to authorities. The 20-year-old Newark resident was charged with robbery, possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.

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

The two children were treated and ok, police said.

(File photo of syringes)
 

NEWARK -- A young child allegedly found a syringe outside his city daycare center, and stuck two other kids with it, police confirmed Tuesday.

Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose confirmed that the two children who were stuck were "checked and ok." The syringe was also checked, and found to have no substance inside of it, Ambrose said.

The 5-year-old child apparently found the needle outside a fence at the edge of the Elizabeth Avenue's daycare's playground, according to CBS 2, which originally reported the story. The two poked children were picked up by ambulance last Thursday and treated at University Hospital, the report said.

Neighbors told CBS drug users are often seen lining the streets of the area.

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

Newark shootings killed 6 people within about 72 hours

NEWARK -- Officials have identified the man gunned down in Newark early Tuesday, the sixth person slain in the state's largest city in approximately 72 hours.

Sirree Samod Scales, 26, of Raleigh, North Carolina, was fatally shot on the porch of a house in the 100 block of Seymour Avenue shortly after midnight Tuesday, the Essex County Prosecutor's Office said. A 23-year-old woman from Newark, who is 9-months pregnant, was also shot and survived. 

On Monday, Kazimir Jones, 20, of East Orange, was shot and killed near Rose and Livingston streets in Newark, according to prosecutor's office spokeswoman Katherine Carter.

Jessica Tosco, 27, of Flemington, died Sunday after being hospitalized and critically injured in a late Friday shooting, the spokeswoman said. The shooting, in the 100 block of Willoughby Street, also claimed the life of Robert Harrison, Jr., 24, of Irvington.

Newark triple shooting leaves 1 in serious condition

The prosecutor's office said Akbar J. Scott, 42, of Newark, was shot in the 600 block of Irvine Turner Boulevard around 9:45 p.m. Saturday and later died.

Also late Friday, authorities said a Schuyler Avenue shooting killed Kevin Baker, 19, of Newark. The shootings late Friday came as Newark hosted its "24 Hours of Peace" event designed to curb violence in the city. Last year, the effort was also marred by two killings during the peace event. 

According to an NJ Advance Media count, 66 people have been killed in city homicides this year.

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

Man allegedly caused $5,000 in damage

FAIRFIELD -- Police say a groom was arrested on his wedding night for allegedly trashing a room at the Crowne Plaza on Route 46 because he was reportedly angry the newlyweds were put in the wrong hotel room.

Officers responded to the hotel around 12:45 a.m. Sunday after management called about a disturbance on the third floor, according to Chief Anthony Manna. In a room, police found "extensive" damage," including holes punched into the wall, a broken lamp thrown into a window and a broken room phone.

Police learned Eric Rebisz, 25, of Hopatcong, became upset after he arrived at the hotel with his new bride and the couple was sent to a regular guest room instead of the suite booked, Manna said in a statement. Rebisz made a stop at the hotel's bar before returning to his room and becoming more unhappy when knocked on the door and didn't get an answer, authorities reported.

Cops allegedly find poolside pot farm in Fairfield

"It is alleged that [Rebisz's] wife then came from down the hallway to tell him that the hotel had moved the couple to the suite they were supposed to have, however Rebisz was still upset [and] allegedly damaged the room because of it," the chief's statement added.

Police arrested Rebisz without incident on a criminal mischief charge, the department said. He was released on his recognizance ahead of an appearance in Essex County Superior Court.

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

Commenters on nj.com were divided over Newark's state-appointed schools superintendent saying a 60-percent cut in state aid would be a catastrophe for the district

NEWARK -- Readers offered hundreds of comments from a range of perspectives in response to an assertion by Newark's state-appointed schools superintendent that a 60-percent cut in state aid under Gov. Chris Christie's proposed school funding formula would be "catastrophic" for his poor district.

The assertion by Superintendent Christopher Cerf was noteworthy, in part, because Christie is the one who named Cerf to the Newark job, after Cerf had also served as Christie's state education commissioner. 

Christie's proposed "Fairness Formula" would award the same per-pupil education aid -- $6,599 -- to every New Jersey school district, regardless of its affluence or other conditions that can diverge widely among districts. Christie says the plan is fundamentally equitable and discourages waste among poor districts that now spend up to $33,699 per pupil.

But the proposal has been opposed by Democrats who control the legislature, and by the Education Law Center, which has successfully fought in court for extra state aid to poor districts based on the New Jersey constitution's requirement of a "thorough and efficient" education system.

Comments posted on the story have also been divided, ranging from defenses of the current funding system, to criticism of poor districts for wasteful spending, to a call for more charter schools, to support of an income tax-based school funding scheme.

kmop Cities like Camden don't have the ability to raise enough from property taxes alone, whereas that is not the case in wealthier areas. Hence the need for state aid to make up the gap in order to satisfy the state constitution.

TheStupidFix 8 hours ago Time to amend the state's constitution to undo the failure that Abbott has become.  We need to equal out the spending on all students, this over spending on failure hasn't worked for 30+ years and continuing down this broken path is only going to cause more taxes, which New Jersey cannot afford. 

Of course someone who has been eating steak and caviar at the buffet provided by taxpayers is upset that the status quo is changing and their buffet might have to serve pizza like everyone else, but that's life.

Shamus44 Maybe this will help; if 2 towns both had 8,000 students and the one town had an average home value of $750,000 while the other had an average value of $150,000 ; the wealthy town could raise $15,000 q home with a 2% tax; the other town would need a 10% tax to raise the same amount.  Is it reasonable to think both communities have the same ability to pay?  It is blatantly unfair and the governor knows it.

When Chris Cerf was commissioner he did whatever the governor wanted regardless of the impact on districts.  Now he sees it from the other side.  He should have been in Newark before being commissioner.  Christie has made the DOE a bureaucracy without a conscience, much like he is.

rollaroundtheworld The next governor should scrap the whole school finance system and start over . Finance schools with a increased income tax and other public revenue streams . Turn the State into 21 Consolidated School Districts. CSD's . The public sector wants pensions funded , NJ needs to retain empty nestors . The State needs more revenue to maintain our roads . This is where the money is . Raising taxes is not viable given the demographics of NJ. By the early 2020's NJ will really need problems solved , lets start now.

njovertaxed Charter schools and privatization is the only way to save our failing schools in NJ. Let's look at Michigan before 80% of their schools went private. The average teacher was making an average $55,000 and $22,000 in benefits. The average school non-teaching employee made $35,000 and $19,000 in benefits. After charter schools and privatization the average teacher makes $35,000 and $10,000 in benefits and most non-teaching positions have been outsourced and those employees make an average of $22,000 and $7500 in benefits for full time workers. That number is lower because most custodial and food service positions are part time making an average of $10 an hour. The remaining public school teachers in Michigan have taken cuts in order to keep their schools instead of them being converted. We need to take a new tack for staffing to use the services we need and not fund political patronage jobs.

We simply cannot afford to continue funding education at this level, something has to give.

PeanutButterJellyTime 10 hours ago

This proposed plan would be catastrophic to Newark, that is, to all of the six figure salaried administrators in this bloated town.  Cut away this fat. Whatever happened to that $100 million from Zuckerberg??

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

An Elizabeth man has been charged in the weekend shooting

NEWARK -- An Elizabeth man has been charged in a shooting that left another man wounded Saturday.

Jahmeen Stallings (Newark police)  

Jahmeen Stallings, 36, allegedly shot the 30-year-old man in the 800 block of S. 18th Street. The victim was taken to the hospital after showing up at 5th Precinct headquarters aroud midnight.

Boy, 10, allegedly mistaken for robber

Police arrested Stallings and charged him with aggravated assault, possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. He was being held on $150,000 bail.

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