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Blue Acres a win for open space, owners of flooded homes | Opinion

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New Jersey Blue Acres program is buying up flood-prone property around the Garden State, helping create an open space buffer to absorb water.

Like many residents along the Delaware Bayshore, Natalie and Don Fisch of Downe Township worried about the future of their community after Superstorm Sandy devastated New Jersey's coastline.

They saw that street flooding was increasing during high tides, full moons and rainstorms, making it hard for residents to get in and out of their homes. They were concerned that the neighborhood's water and sewer infrastructure would be compromised. Uncertainty about the future of their community weighed heavily on their minds.

Fortunately, the New Jersey Blue Acres program was there to offer a solution to the Fisch family and other residents of flood-prone areas around the state.

The Fisch family recently became the 500th homeowner to sell their property to the Blue Acres program. Their house will be demolished to create an open space buffer to absorb water, and proceeds from the sale allowed them to buy a new home in Tuckerton. About a dozen additional Downe Township families are accepting Blue Acres buyouts, and more are considering it.

Blue Acres, a program of the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection, has been moving families out of harm's way since 1995.

Blue Acres closes first buyout in Delaware Bayshore

After Superstorm Sandy hit in October 2012, Blue Acres shifted into high gear. With an infusion of federal funding, the post-Sandy buyout program was launched in May 2013 and is still underway.

The 500-plus properties purchased by Blue Acres after Sandy come in addition to the 126 properties acquired between 1995 and 2012. The program is now at a grand total of 632 acquisitions and counting.

The pace of Blue Acres buyouts won't slow down anytime soon.

After Sandy, the administration set an ambitious goal of purchasing up to 1,000 homes in tidal areas affected by the storm, and another 300 in other communities that have flooded repeatedly.

With the four-year anniversary of Sandy approaching, the Blue Acres program is well on its way toward its goals. So far the program has:

  • Secured funding for 846 properties;
  • Made offers on 811 homes;Completed 506 closings; and
  • Demolished 371 houses.

"The Christie Administration's effort to protect lives and property from dangerous flooding has not wavered since Superstorm Sandy struck New Jersey," said New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin.

The Blue Acres program looks for clusters of homes - or even entire neighborhoods - that have experienced flood damage from Superstorm Sandy or previous storms. Owners must be willing, there must be an opportunity to improve the environment or public health and safety, and there must be local government support for the buyouts.

7 things to check out at Delaware Bayshore

In addition to Downe Township, buyouts have occurred, or are in the process, in East Brunswick (Middlesex), Lawrence Township (Cumberland), Linden (Union), Manville (Somerset), Newark (Essex), New Milford (Bergen), Ocean Township (Monmouth), Old Bridge (Middlesex), Pompton Lakes (Passaic), Rahway (Union), Sayreville (Middlesex), South River (Middlesex) and Woodbridge (Middlesex).

Kudos to the Blue Acres program on its post-Sandy milestone!

Retreating from flood-prone areas is a wise move as our climate becomes more unpredictable, sea levels rise and strong storms become more frequent.

The Blue Acres program is sure to provide a lasting benefit to this state we're in, and it has just received a new source of funding through New Jersey's corporate business tax dedication.

There's more information on the Blue Acres Program online, as well as information on Sandy recovery.

And to learn more about preserving New Jersey's land and natural resources, visit the New Jersey Conservation Foundation.

Michele S. Byers is executive director of the New Jersey Conservation Foundation.


Rutgers' Chris Ash makes strong impression on N.J. coaches at NJSFC media day

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It's clear Rutgers head coach Chris Ash is making it a priority to continue to build strong relationships with New Jersey high school programs.

Uber unveils new perk for its 13K N.J. drivers

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The independent contractors will now be able to sign up for free robo IRA accounts, the company announced.

Uber announced a new partnership Wednesday that it says will make life better for its some 13,000 drivers in New Jersey.

The partnership with Betterment - which it is piloting in four markets across the country, including New Jersey - will allow drivers to open free retirement accounts, the two companies announced during a phone conference Tuesday afternoon. Betterment, an online investment and wealth management platform, will offer its "robo advisor" services to Uber drivers for free for one year, executives from the two companies said.

"We're doing this in response to what we've heard from our drivers," said Rachel Holt, Uber's general manager in North America.

"It's part of a broader effort for us...how do we make driving with Uber more rewarding?"

Cabbies file suit over $10M Newark-Uber deal

The hundreds of thousands of Uber drivers across the country are all independent contractors, she said, who make their own hours, and many of the other logistical decisions about their work schedules. About 60 percent of drivers work fewer than 10 hours a week, she said.

Whether driving as a supplemental income or full time, Holt said the flexibility of managing their Uber careers through an app is what attracts many drivers to the field. Signing up for and managing the Betterment IRA accounts will be done through the Uber driver app, too.

"We are uniquely suited to deliver (financial advice to Uber drivers in the four test cities) and to scale," said Jon Stein, the CEO and founder of Betterment. After the pilot in New Jersey, Seattle, Miami, and Boston, the companies hope to roll it out to all Uber drivers.

"We want to deliver better retirement to everybody. ... (It's a) great benefit for the drivers," he said.

The timeline for the expansion of the service has yet to be determined, Holt said. But, it joins a lineup of driver services like Instant Pay, a mobile banking portion of the app that allows users to cash out at any time, and Fuel Finder, which directs drivers to the nearest and cheapest gas options.

The news is a break from the controversy that Uber and other ride sharing services have created in New Jersey over their regulation and an ongoing feud with traditional cab drivers.

Lorianna Ferrara, one of Newark's 2,000 Uber drivers who provides rides from Newark airport five days a week, said she'd be signing up for an IRA account.

"I think it's a great idea," she said in a phone interview. "I just wish they would have started it when I started working (last October). I would have saved a lot of money by now."

Ferrara's suggestion to Uber for its next driver incentive initiative? Health insurance offerings, she said. The company does offer an insurance management component of its app, it does not offer insurance to its drivers.

"It would be really beneficial if they did that."

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

Football: 2015's Top 20 in 2016 - Who's up, who's down

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NJ.com is looking back at last season's NJ.com Top 20

Nearly $250K in drugs, shotguns seized in Essex County raid, sheriff says

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Two face more than 30 charges after shotguns, drugs and thousands of rounds of ammunition of seized at residence, authorities say

NEWARK -- Essex County law enforcement officers arrested two men, seized nearly $250,000 worth of prescription medications and illicit drugs along with two loaded shotguns in a North Ward raid, authorities said Wednesday.

Ramon 'Tone' Vega, 57, and his alleged accomplice Adalberto 'Pepsi' Garcia, 36, both of Newark, were arrested on 32 charges, including drug possession, conspiracy to violate drug laws and weapons offenses, Sheriff Armando Fontoura announced. The two men were ordered held at the county jail in lieu of $850,000 cash bail.

Sheriff's detectives and officers from the Bloomfield and Irvington police departments surrounded Vega's Clifton Avenue home Tuesday afternoon to serve a search warrant after investigators spotted him making what appeared to be drug sales near the residence, Fontoura said.

Authorities spotted Vega interact with people in front of his house before escorting the suspected drug buyers down his driveway, the sheriff added. Officers said they found Garcia and Vega in a backyard shed.

Sheriff's officers arrest 3 teens in attack on man headed home from work

Vega handed off a black bag to Garcia, who tossed the stash in a nearby trash bin, according to the sheriff. In the bag, police found "significant quantities" of cocaine, marijuana, the painkiller Endocet, Xanax and ecstasy.

A search of the home turned up 1,800 grams of cocaine, approximately 3,000 grams of marijuana, 1,850 ecstasy tablets, 25 grams of Oxycodone, 175 grams of Xanax and 21 grams of Tramadol, another pain medicine, according to the sheriff.

"The exterior of the house was monitored by surveillance cameras and inside the residence we seized an incredibly wide variety of drug processing materials, along with a sawed-off Savage Arms shotgun, a second fully loaded shotgun and thousands of rounds of ammunition," Fontoura added.

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

2 charged with inserting skimming device in QuickChek ATM

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Two men have been charged with installing a skimming device to an ATM at QuickChek that would give the men access to multiple user's personal banking information, officials said.

skimmerAn example of a skimming device. (Linden PD)

KEARNY -- Two men have been charged with installing a skimming device to an ATM at QuickChek that would give the men access to users' personal banking information, authorities said. 

Alejandro Gonzalez-Scott, 34, of Lyndhurst, and David Herrera-Rodas, 24, of Newark made their first court appearance on multiple fraud charges Monday afternoon for the incident on Aug. 10. 

According to a criminal complaint, the two men installed a skimming device and camera inside the ATM at QuickChek -- which is located on the corner Kearny and Bergen avenues -- that would "provide access to several victims' accounts without their knowledge." 

The skimming devices have been found at several convenience stores across the state this year, including locations in Linden and Waldwick

The Kearny Police Department could not immediately be reached to provide additional information on the fraud charges.

In a police blotter published in The Observer, police said they believe the skimmer was inserted earlier in the day on Aug. 10. Police were called after the machine appeared to have been tampered with. Officers set up surveillance in the store and arrested Gonzalez-Scott and Herrera-Rodas when they returned back to the ATM, the blotter states. 

Both men were charged with computer criminal activity, forgery, intent to defraud an authorized user of a payment card, and conspiracy, the complaint states.

Anyone who may have used the ATM is encouraged to contact their bank to ensure their account information was not compromised.  

Caitlin Mota may be reached at cmota@jjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitlin_mota. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.

Leasing underway to find retail, office neighbors for Newark's Whole Foods

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The rehab of the historic Hahne's building on Broad Street is ongoing.

NEWARK -- When the city's first Whole Foods opens, it will not be alone.

Construction is still underway at the former Hahne & Co. Department Store building on Broad Street in Newark, which is being rehabbed after remaining a shuttered, empty sign of urban plight for about three decades.

A 30,000 square foot Whole Foods - the city's first - and 160 apartments, will anchor the in-the-works development. This month, commercial real estate firm JLL signed on to lease out the remaining 25,000 square feet of office space available in the building.

Redevelopment an example for 'legacy' cities

"This exciting project will bring to life one of Newark's most historic buildings," JLL's Jonathan Meisel said in a release about the leasing contract.

"Located across the street from redesigned Military Park and adjacent to Prudential Insurance Company's new headquarters, Hahne's is situated in area that is fast becoming a hot location in Newark, especially for business looking to grow."

So, just what is in store for the 400,000 square foot building? Representatives of JLL and L+M Development Partners, one of the building owners, broke down what commercial, retail, and office projects have signed on, so far.

Office

  • City National Bank's headquarters will take up about 11,000 square feet
  • Community space for all renters, including a two-story atrium and a second floor courtyard
  • About 25,000 square feet of second floor space remains to be rented.

Community

  • 'Express Newark,' 50,000 square feet of art studio, classroom, and gallery space in which Rutgers will collaborate with local artists.

Residential

  • 160 studio, one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments that take up about 240,000 square feet.

Retail

Though officials say leasing companies are in discussions with other retailers, they declined to mention specifics. The companies are actively seeking renters, the representatives said. Retail stores in the building could begin to open next year.

"The Hahne's building will offer a one-of-a-kind experience for residents, visitors and workers alike. We are excited to be able to offer tenants the type of large, contiguous office space that innovative companies and entrepreneurs desire without sacrificing historic aspects of the building, like the signature glass skylight," said Jonathan Cortell, vice president of development for L+M.

The rehab of the building, which is on the state and national registers of historic places, was named an example for "legacy cities" looking for ways to redevelop old buildings.

"Hahne's not only represents the revitalization of downtown Newark but also the type of live, work, play spaces that are in great demand in today's market," Cortell said.

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

Here's how you can help Italy earthquake victims

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New Jersey Italian organizations are accepting donations to aid the relief effort after the devastating earthquake in central Italy.

New Jersey Italian organizations are working to raise money to help victims impacted by the devastating earthquake in Central Italy early Wednesday that left at least 50 dead and hundreds injured.

The UNICO National branch in Fairfield said in a statement that UNICO -- the nation's largest Italian-American service and charitable organization -- is accepting donations through its relief fund, which it has used in the aftermath of other disasters and tragedies.

"Our hearts and prayers go out to the victims and survivors," said Dominick Nicastro, national president of UNICO in the statement. "We are saddened by the loss of lives and the many injured, homeless and severely impacted people of that area."

Donations to the UNICO Foundation Disaster Relief Fund can be sent to 271 U.S. Highway 46 West, Suite F-103, Fairfield, N.J. 07004.

Nicholas Schaefer, manager of the New Jersey Italian Heritage Commission who also has Italian citizenship with countless friends in the country, was heartbroken when he learned of the destruction caused by the 6.2 magnitude earthquake that hit the central region of the country at around 3:30 a.m., according to the Associated Press.

"I immediately thought, 'Are they OK?'" Shaefer said.

He had reached out to them soon after hearing about the earthquake. Though he hasn't heard back, he said he assumes they are all fine, as they live more north of the affected area.

Regardless, he said, he remains devastated by the destruction.

Shaefer, an Italian-American, had lived in Italy, teaching English in Milan.

The NJIHC has been promoting on its Facebook page ways to donate to help the relief effort.

One of the ways is through the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF), which has a donation page at www.niaf.org.

The Red Cross is also accepting donations. Visit www.ammado.com.

Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find the Find NJ.com on Facebook.


Newark promotes largest group of police officers in more than decade

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Public safety director says city is "rebuilding" its police force

NEWARK -- Sixty-eight members of the city's police force were promoted Wednesday in what officials say is the largest group elevated to higher ranks in more than a decade.

The promotions, which included two deputy chiefs, 12 captains, 35 lieutenants and 19 sergeants, came as the police division boosts its ranks after the loss of hundreds of officers, and carries out reforms across the approximately 1000-member agency. 

"We are now rebuilding the police department, which had been depleted in 2010," said Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose.

"The people that study hard are rewarded, but we do expect a lot out of you once you get promoted," Ambrose added. 

The newly-minted managers would be deployed in assignments around the city, Ambrose said. The need for added supervision and accountability among the ranks was also a component of the federal consent decree covering the department. 

"The new promotions increase accountability and supervision within our ranks, which had also been lacking," the public safety director said. "There's a common denominator among the choices we made in selecting the men and women who will be promoted; outstanding leadership."

More than 70 sworn in as Newark police officers, firefighters

"I am about improving efficiency and effectiveness," Ambrose said. "This will help me do that."

The ceremony at St. Lucy's Church in the city's North Ward brought a large contingent of local, state and federal law enforcement officials. Mayor Ras Baraka, Ambrose and police Chief Darnell Henry presided over the event. 

Newark officials in July welcomed 135 police academy recruits, the city's largest class in at least a decade. A group of 40 police officers graduated from training and began patrol assignments in June. Layoff and attrition led to the loss of about 400 officers since 2010. 

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

Worker in N.J. doctor's office indicted for medical fraud

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The 27-year-old man from Monmouth County worked for a Belleville ophthalmologist.

Opthamologist.pngAustin B. Mongiello, 27, of Manalapan, an employee in an ophthalmologist's office, has been indicted for submitting phony medical claims and pocketing the cash, state Attorney General Christopher Porrino announced Wednesday. Authorities said. 

TRENTON -- An employee in an ophthalmologist's office has been indicted for submitting phony medical claims and pocketing the cash, state Attorney General Christopher Porrino announced Wednesday.

Authorities said Austin B. Mongiello, 27, of Manalapan, who worked for a practice in Belleville, submitted $4,155 in fraudulent claims to VSP, an insurance company specializing in vision care, from September 2012 and March 2013, according to Porrino's announcement. 

The insurance carrier cut a check for $1,456, from which Mongiello stole $842, the announcement said.

Mongiello also submitted a fake $687.28 claim and cashed the check from Davis Vision, IPA, another insurance carrier specializing in vision care.

Mongiello was indicted on insurance claims fraud, theft by deception, theft by unlawful taking, and forgery.

"Individuals working in doctors' offices are expected to respect the integrity of the insurance process, not exploit it for their own gain," according to  statement from acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Christopher Iu. "Those who do so will face serious consequences."

Suspended cop, sister indicted for insurance fraud 

People may anonymously report suspected insurance fraud by calling the toll-free hotline at 1-877-55-FRAUD, or visiting the website www.NJInsurancefraud.org. Rewards are paid for information that leads to an arrest, prosecution and conviction for insurance fraud.

Deputy Attorney General Thomas G. Tresansky, Jr. presented the case to the grand jury. Detectives Eric Flickinger and Brian Bunn led the investigation with assistance from Analyst Marie Beyer.

"Defrauding an insurance carrier and stealing from your boss is not a way to make easy money in New Jersey, it's a way to get yourself locked up," Porrino said. "We will not tolerate anyone who puts their own greed above the law, as we alleged Austin Mongiello has done."

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

 

What Uber and the Catholic Church's N.J. lawsuits have in common | Opinion

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It's not liberty, religious or economic, regardless of the arguments made in court or on the street. It's all about fair competition in business, whether its selling monuments or providing car services.

Taxi drivers are suing the city of Newark over its $10 million deal with Uber, the online ride-hailing company; they are losing riders and income from the competition.

The Newark Archdiocese is suing the state of New Jersey over the state's alleged protection of private grave-diggers; the church wants to provide its own monuments (and to generate income).

The two actions have much in common: Uber and the Catholic Church want to promote their own sales and services and they oppose efforts to "protect" those against whom they compete. And both allege that their constitutional rights are being violated.

For the archdiocese, its lawsuit is about nothing less than the preservation of the separation of church and state. What the archdiocese wants, though, is the right to compete with private cemetery stone-makers. That's fine as far as it goes, but those monument men pay taxes on what they earn (income tax) and on the property they hold to showcase their stones (property tax) and the services they deliver (sales and business taxes).

The church is tax-exempt, so it pays none of these taxes. If it is going to engage in profit-making activities -- and selling gravestones certainly is expected to turn a profit -- then the status of the church, or certainly this activity, is up for "taxable" grabs.

The church seems to want to have its cake and eat it, too, protecting both its tax-exempt status and the freedom to do whatever it pleases, including engaging in certain profit-making activities. And it is lucrative.  

Indeed, Archbishop John Myers goes so far as to play the religious liberty card.  

He waged a public relations campaign, including an essay in The Star-Ledger, asserting government intrusion into religious freedom.  He encouraged parishioners to fight against the legislation, ahem, by contacting their lawmakers:

"We cannot stand by and watch the Legislature ignore the religious freedom we enjoy in this country as they attempt to insert themselves into the religious practice of Christian burial."

LAW STOPS CHURCH

The Legislature was unmoved. Despite church opposition, the Senate and Assembly passed a law to prohibit religious entities from engaging in certain practices involving cemeteries, funeral homes and mortuaries, memorials, mausoleums and burial vaults. Gov. Chris Christie, after amending it to provide a year for the church to "transition," signed the law shortly after.

The archdiocese then filed suit in the U.S. District Court in New Jersey in July 2015. It is joined by the Institute for Justice a libertarian group based in Virginia that frequently defends cases that its lawyers see as challenges to "economic liberty." In challenging the constitutionality of the law, it seeks "to vindicate the rights of the Archdiocese and its parishioners, and to establish the principle that the government cannot pass a law solely for the private financial benefit of politically connected insiders."

Further, it asserts that New Jersey violates the 14th Amendment because the sole purpose and effect of the contested law is to protect the economic interests "of the moneyed and well-connected monument dealers, to the detriment of the Archdiocese and without any public benefit."

States often engage in protecting industries, though, so it's not surprising to see the issue rearing its head in New Jersey. (A good analysis and discussion of the issue is here.)

Whether private economic protectionism is a legitimate use of government power is certainly a contested area. Indeed, this case may well find itself before the U.S. Supreme Court. It's on the district court's docket, but no hearing date has been set. So, stay tuned.

STIFFENING DRIVING RULES

Which brings us to Newark, the ride-hailing services and the cab and taxi industry. The taxi drivers and their owners contest the uneven regulatory environment in which they have to operate with their road rivals. They want economic protection or, certainly, they want Uber and Lyft drivers to be subject to the same terms that they have with respect to regulations and requirements, licensing, insurance and background checks. That's understandable. And, many labor unions and politicians agree with them.

Accepting contributions from Uber for the city's treasury, as Newark has done, only exacerbates the problem.

But it's not just Newark. Other cities are drawing up their own rules and requirements, which makes it difficult for alternative ride-hailing services to function. Uniform standards for operating ought to apply statewide.

So, it's a positive development to see New Jersey legislators paying attention. But a bill that was introduced in the Assembly in late May -- requiring ride-hailing service drivers to pass background checks and obtain insurance, and their companies to obtain permits to operate from the state Motor Vehicle Commission ($25,000 annual fee), maintain records for years and pass state inspections -- is being criticized by the industry. The bill has the support of the taxi and limousine industry. Stay tuned on that one as well.

EQUALITY IS KEY

In both camps, the discussion should be about ensuring fair competition. Protectionism distorts markets and stunts growth. Leveling the playing field ought to be the objective -- letting apples compete with apples -- not winning a battle for or against protections for any industry, whether it involves Uber and the taxi industry or private gravestone sellers and the Catholic Archdiocese of Newark.

From the plaintiffs' argument in Newark Cab Association and Newark Taxi Owner Association's lawsuit against Newark: "The rules governing the activity should be substantially the same for all."

That's it, that simple, that sane, that fair.

Linda Stamato is co-director of the Center for Negotiation and Conflict Resolution at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy and a faculty fellow at Rutgers University in New Brunswick.

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Influential black leader leaving N.J. to head the AME church in Georgia

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The former pastor of St. Matthew AME Church and executive director of the New Jersey Black Ministers Council, Jackson was a major power player in the state both on social issues and in politics.

ORANGE--Bishop Reginald T. Jackson, the former executive director of the Black Ministers Council of New Jersey and a leading figure in the state's black community, has been named to lead the more than 500 African Methodist Episcopal churches in Georgia.

Jackson, 62, who served as pastor of St. Matthew AME Church in Orange for 31 years, will oversee the AME's Sixth District, with 100,000 members.

"Bishops get reassigned every four years," he said. "It was time for me to be reassigned."

The AME church has a council of 21 bishops from around the world, led by a president.

Despite the move, Jackson said he still has some work to continue in New Jersey, including the reorganization of the Black Ministers Council.

"I hope the council will continue to be an influence in New Jersey. They have to be," he said.

Jackson had long been an influential player in the state.

Reginald Jackson on Chris Christie...

A key figure in the fight against racial profiling by the State Police, he said New Jersey continues to struggle with challenges over education in urban school districts, equal justice and the quality of life.

Jackson's career in the ministry began in Atlanta, where he attended Turner Seminary at the Interdenominational Theological Center. It was there, he said, where he first saw the sway and political clout that could be wielded by influential black ministers.

He said when he arrived in New Jersey, he couldn't figure out why in a city like Newark, which was 85 percent black and why in Essex County which was two-thirds black and the most populous county in the state, the black community had so little political clout and influence.

Jackson took on an increasingly vocal role, not only on social justice issues, but in politics as well, transforming the Black Ministers Council into a political force. His endorsement--which went to both Democrats and Republicans over the years--was always highly sought. He is married to Christy Davis Jackson, who ran Jon Corzine's U.S. Senate campaign in 2000.

"There's always something going on in New Jersey," he remarked, "I'm going to miss that."

In Georgia, he said he plans to hit the ground running. In his new position, he will also serve on the Board of Trustees for Morris Brown College and was recently elected its new chair.

"Georgia is a wonderful district," he said.

Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. Facebook: @TedSherman.reporter. Find NJ.com on Facebook

Mayor's 'heart goes out' to boy, his family at center of police gun probe

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Mayor Ras Baraka said he takes allegations that Newark Police officers pointed a gun at a 10-year-old boy "very seriously"

 

NEWARK -- Mayor Ras Baraka said that his "heart goes out" to a young boy who says Newark Police officers drew their guns on him while searching for a robbery suspect, and that he will take "appropriate actions" once an investigation is completed.

"My heart goes out to 10-year-old Legend Preston, his mother, his family, and his neighbors for their ordeal," Baraka said in a statement Wednesday. "We are concerned about the allegations and we take them very seriously."

After the Aug. 11 incident, the fifth-grader told WABC-TV he had been playing basketball and went to chase a ball that rolled into the street, when he was accosted by officers with their guns drawn.

On a widely circulated Facebook post, the boy said in response to questions from his mother that, "They tried to shoot me...the cops."

The boy's mother said officers told her he matched the description of a robbery suspect they were pursuing. Police later arrested 20-year-old Casey Joseph Robinson of Newark on Stuyvesant Avenue in connection with the robbery, which had been reported by a 40-year-old man.

A preliminary investigation by the Newark Police internal affairs unit found "that at no time did officers point a weapon at any child in the area," according to an inital police account. But Baraka said the case had been referred to the Essex County Prosecutor's office, "to ensure a fair and transparent process."

The president of the Newark Fraternal Order of Police, James Stewart Jr., said he was confident an investigation would reveal that the officers, "acted properly for the situation they were in."

Meanwhile, Baraka said he would wait, "with all Newarkers" for the investigation's findings.

"I am determined to have all of the facts about this matter and, based on those facts, I will take the appropriate actions," Baraka stated. "This kind of situation is why Newark is in the process of initiating America's strongest Civilian Complaint Review Board."

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

 

N.J. family reportedly has frightening encounter with intruder

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A man in a hood an a cap was discovered inside a Belleville home before dawn last week.

BELLEVILLE -- Police are searching for a man who is believed to have entered as many as three homes, including one home where he crept around young children as they slept in their beds.

Michael Maldonado told WNBC 4 of his encounter with a man in a hood around 4 a.m. Aug. 17.

Maldonado became aware of the intruder's presence in their Smallwood Avenue home after receiving a FaceTime message from his frightened 12-year-old daughter on the second floor, who saw the man leave her brother's room and enter her sister's room.

2 charged in home-invasion robbery

Maldonado ran upstairs and confronted the man, asking him what he wanted. The man replied "I was just upstairs," then Maldonado ordered him outside, where he tried to tackle the stranger. The man fought back and ran off, Maldonado said.

The family later discovered the man had only taken $40, leaving behind easily accessible valuables including phones and tablets. He also tracked muddy footprints through nearly every room in the house.

"He went into my room while we were sleeping. He was in my daughters' room while they were sleeping. He had stepped over my daughters,"  Maldonado told the station.

Police believe the man may also have entered or tried to enter homes on Fairway Avenue and Elena Place over the last 10 days.

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

Vintage photos of schools and students in N.J.

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Plenty has changed in the classroom over the last several decades.

When I was a student, a tablet was a pad of writing paper. For today's school-age individuals, however, the word "tablet" means something entirely different.

Ah, plenty has changed in the classroom over the last several decades. Okay, it's not as though a classroom would be an unrecognizable place for those of us who attended school in the '60s and '70s, but there is no denying that much has been lost to history.

I offer just a handful of examples for your consumption:

*  Internet videos have replaced film strips and movie presentations of yesteryear.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

*  The end-of-day task of clapping the erasers has all but vanished; chalkboards have been displaced by write-erase whiteboards.

etsydotcom.jpgThere will be a test on this on Throwback Thursday. 

*  An item that has completely disappeared from the 21st-century classroom is the five-line chalk holder. Barely changing in design from the 1800s to the 1980s, it held five pieces of chalk and allowed a teacher to draw parallel lines on the blackboard for teaching cursive writing.

*  The first handheld digital calculators appeared in Japan in 1970, and shortly thereafter became available at reasonably affordable prices in the United States, replacing slide rules and pencil-and-paper calculations for students.

Here's a gallery of classic photos on the subject - there won't be a pop quiz, though. Make sure captions are enabled to read all about these vintage photos.

Can't get enough? Here's a link to last year's gallery.

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


For Newark schools, strange bedfellows could help put state control to rest

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Mayor Ras Baraka, a Democrat and former school principal, and Superintendent Christopher Cerf, an appointee of the Republican governor, have forged a constructive, even cordial working relationship that may help regain local control Watch video

NEWARK -- As a controversial former education commissioner under Gov. Chris Christie, Christopher Cerf was viewed with some skepticism in Newark after being named by the governor as the latest in a string of state-appointed superintendents to run New Jersey's largest school district while it remained under state control.

Among those skeptics was Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, a former teacher and school principal who had worked in the district before and after the state took control in 1995 with the intention of improving chronic poor performance by students as well incompetence and corruption among district officials.


Since the takeover, some locals have been suspicious even of the motives of state control, mindful that administrating the education of 50,000 students offered ample opportunity to award patronage jobs and lucrative contracts to friends and supporters.

"I was one of them," Baraka said in a recent interview.

Some suspicions have been fueled by the racial undertones of a situation involving a white-dominated state Department of Education essentially telling a predominantly black and Latino school district how to educate its children.

But in the year since the state Board of Education approved Christie's nomination of Cerf to replace Cami Anderson following her tumultuous 3-year tenure, he and Baraka have forged a constructive, even cordial relationship that was apparent during a City Hall news conference this week. The event involved the release of a report asserting that the district could be ready to revert to full local control by the 2017-18 school year. 

The panel, known as the Newark Education Success Board, of NESB, was appointed jointly by Christie and Baraka, and includes Cerf.

"I was extremely skeptical at first," Baraka said in an interview, referring to Cerf's appointment as superintendent. "But I have been surprised at his efforts to get us local control.

"While we certainly disagree on some key issues," added Baraka, 46, "there has been more than enough opportunities for us to agree and to work together on some common goals."  

For his part, Cerf said he had "great respect" for the mayor.

"While some may have predicted that we would not work well together - we've been able to focus on the common goals that unite us," Cerf, 61, said in an email. "We both believe that the primary goal in our work is to make sure that every child in Newark has access to a free, high quality public education - and we agree that a stable and orderly transition of control back to the citizens of Newark will help us do that." 

The mayor and superintended will appear together again on Thursday, during a 6 p.m. presentation of the district's 3-year strategic plan at Science Park High School.
 
Cerf, who lives just a few miles from Newark in Montclair, is a former history teacher who served as state education commissioner from 2011-2014, before he stepped down to take a consulting job. During his tenure as commissioner, Cerf brokered a 2012 law linking tenure to teacher performance, and encouraged the proliferation of charter schools.

In his year as superintendent, Cerf has insisted his main goal is to restore Newark schools to local control.

The 45-page report released Monday includes an assessment of the district's current operations, plus hundreds of recommendations for continued reform efforts before and after the state hands over the reins to the locally-elected school board and the new superintendent it will hire. Since the state takeover, the board has acted in an advisory capacity only, with real power still vested in the state-appointed superintendent.

The report, A Pathway to Local Control, is posted on the city's web site.

To be sure, the mayor and superintendent disagree on some things, including the spread of charter schools in the district, which Cerf supports but Baraka sought unsuccessfully to limit. But in terms of reversion to local control, both say they have worked together to achieve it.

During Monday's press conference, Baraka and Cerf praised each other and thanked other NESP members for their work.

Referring to Cerf, Baraka said, "This superintendent was focused on getting us the scores that we needed, an so, here we are."

Cerf, in turn, said, "This has truly been a collaborative process," adding that he had "enjoyed" working with the mayor, who later said the feeling was mutual, and at one point during the press conference, winked mischievously at the superintendent. 

Cerf had told attendees that his goal was to put himself out of a job as the state's main representative in the district. And reflecting the jovial mood of Monday's event, he joked that a reporter asking him to comment on the governor's proposed school funding formula, which could cut Newark's state aid by 60 percent, was trying to "accelerate" his departure. 

But in a serious response to the reporter's question that seemed to express both Cerf's allegiance to the district and his independence from the governor who had appointed him, he said, "I don't mind saying explicitly that a reduction in our budget of 60 percent would be catastrophic."

The governor's so-called Fairness Formula would award every district the same amount per-pupil, $6,599, which the governor asserts is fundamentally fair and would discourage wasteful spending, while noting that any cuts would be phased in over three years.  

Cerf's tenure has already been marked by real progress in achieving local control. On Aug. 3, the state Board of Education voted to return the district's personnel matters to Newark's hands, a decision that will now be followed by development of a detailed transition plan.

Personnel is the third area the state board has voted to return to local hands, and the first since Cerf was named superintendent, after operations in 2007 and fiscal management in 2014.

Progress in administering personnel, operations and fiscal management are among five areas evaluated by the state under the system for monitoring districts, known as the New Jersey Quality Single Accountability Continuum, or NJQSAC.

Governance and instruction & program are the other two. And Monday's report asserts that progress in those areas should be sufficient for a return to local control by the 2017-2018 school year.

Mary G. Bennett, a retired librarian and longtime activist who chaired the NESB, said cooperation between Cerf and Baraka is critical to the process.

"Mayor Baraka and Superintendent Cerf are learning that collaboration is most often more productive than confrontation," Bennett said in an email.

"The QSAC process requires the superintendent and his staff to plan for and implement specific improvements and have evidence to that end. The mayor is holding the superintendent to fulfilling his responsibilities. When that is done, the mayor must acknowledge what is accomplished and the persons involved. In this instance, that is the superintendent, his staff, the advisory board and others."

Willie Rowe, an activist and grandfather of three Newark school children who had opposed Cerf's appointment to the job, said he remained skeptical of the superintendent, noting that in his career Cerf has closed under-performing regular public schools while supporting the growth of charters.

Rowe also warned not to be too impressed by appearances, and said it was likely Baraka and Cerf, both veteran public figures, would want to present the appearance of cooperation at least in part for public relations purposes. But Rowe said he trusted the mayor's judgement, and was hopeful that Cerf's cooperation was real.

"I think they have come to an understanding and found common ground that, hopefully," Rowe said, "will benefit the school community."

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


 

N.J.'s 12 National Park sites: How many have you visited?

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The National Park Service is celebrating its 100th birthday this week with free admission to many of its parks and sites around the nation.

The National Park Service is celebrating its big birthday this week with a nationwide celebration.

One hundred years ago Thursday, President Woodrow Wilson signed the act creating a federal bureau to oversee the nation's growing number of parks and monuments.

A century later, there are more than 400 National Parks covering 84 million acres across the country. More than 300 million people visit the sites every year, according to federal statistics.

Historians use 650+ images to tell state's history

To celebrate its 100th birthday, the National Park Service is offering free admission and fee waivers at many of its parks from Thursday to Sunday. The New Jersey sites waiving fees this week include Thomas Edison National Historic Park in West Orange and Morristown National Historic Park, the park service said.

New Jersey is home to a dozen parks, trails and other sites that are either overseen by or considered part of the National Park Service. The New Jersey sites had more than 4.2 million visitors last year and contributed $135.8 million to the local economy, according to federal estimates.

The National Park Service sites in New Jersey are:

Appalachian Trail National Scenic Trail

Part of the 2,180-mile trail passes through New Jersey. The 72-mile stretch begins at the Delaware Water Gap, continues along the Kittatinny Ridge to High Point and along the New York border. Visitor can take day hikes or walk the entire New Jersey portion.

Delaware Water Gap National Recreation Area

The 70,000-acre park is along the Delaware River on both the New Jersey and Pennsylvania sides. Visitors can paddle on the river, fish in the trout streams or hike the ridges and valleys.

Ellis Island (Part of the Statue of Liberty National Monument)

Nearly 12 million immigrants passed through Ellis Island on their way to a new life in the United States. The island now serves as a museum and a monument to the immigrant experience.

Sandy Hook/ Gateway National Recreation Area

The Gateway National Recreation Area includes 27,000 acres along the ocean and bays in New Jersey, Brooklyn, Queens and Staten Island. New Jersey's portion is Sandy Hook, the popular swimming, hiking and biking park at the northern end of the Jersey Shore in Monmouth County.

Great Egg Harbor River

Designated a federal park site in 1992, the National Park Service helps oversee the 129-mile river system in the Pinelands National Reserve.

Lower Delaware National Wild and Scenic River

The lower part of the Delaware River became part of the National Park System in 2000.

Morristown National Historic Park

George Washington and the Continental Army spent the winter of 1779 and 1780 encamped in Morristown. The site includes a museum and library devoted to pre- and post-Revolutionary America.

New Jersey Coastal Heritage Trail

The trail stretches 300 miles along the Jersey Shore and includes stops at lighthouses, historic villages and boardwalks. Designed for driving, the trail stretches from Raritan Bay in Perth Amboy, along the shore to Deepwater near the Delaware Memorial Bridge.

New Jersey Pinelands National Reserve

The Pinelands includes over a million acres of forests, wetlands and farms in seven of New Jersey's southern counties.

Paterson Great Falls National Historical Park

New Jersey's newest National Park site is the towering waterfall in one of the state's largest cities. The falls are surrounded by the remnants of mills and factories in the industrial city.

Thomas Edison National Historical Park

Thomas Edison's home and laboratory in West Orange are preserved to mark the site where one of the nation's greatest inventors lived and worked.

Washington-Rochambeau National Historic Trail

In 1781, the George Washington and the Continental Army joined forces with General Jean-Baptiste de Rochambeau and the French Army joined forces and marched from Rhode Island to Virginia to fight the British. Their route was designated a National Historic Trail in 2009. The New Jersey portions pass through most of the counties in North and Central Jersey before crossing into Pennsylvania.

Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KellyHeyboer. Find her at KellyHeyboerReporter on Facebook.

 

17 indicted in auto-theft ring that targeted Craigslist sellers

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Two New Jersey residents and a Florida man are accused of heading a auto-theft ring

TRENTON -- Two New Jersey residents and a Florida man are accused of running an auto-theft ring that recruited 14 others to scam people trying to sell cars on Craigslist, authorities said.

The trio -- Luther Lewis, 38, of Piscataway, Tyisha Brantley, 36, of Scotch Plains, and Justinas Vaitoska, 39, of Palm Beach Gardens, Fla. -- were indicted Wednesday by a grand jury in Mercer County, Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino said in a release.

Authorities said the operation used fake bank checks to buy cars from online sellers and flip them at car dealerships in New Jersey. The scam netted $107,250 from 10 vehicles, which had a total value of $248,650, according to authorities.

Lewis, Brantley, Vaitoska are accused of running the scheme from May to November of 2015. They sent others to pose as buyers for a payout of $300 to $1,000 per car, authorities said.

Theft suspect has been arrested more than 50 times

The sales were typically set up in the late afternoon, so the title could be changed  before the owner discovered the Bank of America cashiers checks were counterfeit, the release said. 

The three alleged ringleaders were indicted on charges of first-degree promotion of organized street crime and second-degree charges leader of an auto theft network, second-degree conspiracy and theft by deception. They all face up to 20 years in prison and fines up to $500,000. 

"These alleged con artists trolled the Internet in a quest for cars they could steal through their fraudulent scheme," said Porrino. "We will not let their predatory conduct go unpunished."

Four others, three of whom are New Jersey residents, were charged with second-degree conspiracy and theft by deception. The following people all face up to five years in prison and up to $15,000 in fines:

  • Milagros Jimenez, 54, of Haines City, Fla.
  • Heather Cater, 20, of Woodbridge
  • Saint Hardy, 32, of Elizabeth
  • Deborah Rodgers, 32, of Carteret

In addition, the nine New Jersey residents who contacted sellers and arranged the purchases face charges of fourth-degree falsifying records. They face 18 months in prison and a fine up to $10,000. The nine are:

  • Nikisha Goodman, 20, of Avenel
  • Stephen Hester, 48, of Orange
  • Chester Kinder, 62, of Newark
  • Tassan Howard, 32, of Newark
  • Kamilla Bunn, 20, of Elizabeth
  • Tanika Arrington, 30, of Newark
  • Javairia Jihad, 29, of East Orange
  • Yvonne McBride,38, of Newark
  • Marixa Medina, 31, of Newark

Nakita Savage, 28, of Newark, was previously indicted on charges of third-degree conspiracy, receiving stolen property, and fencing, authorities said. Savage also allegedly acted as one the intermediaries. 

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

Statue dedicated to heroic dogs

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The bronze canine statue is four feet tall, with its base designed to resemble the rubble at Ground Zero.

ex0828pet02.jpgEssex County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr., left, with his granddaughter Hailey Root, Congressman Donald Payne, Jr., Homeland Security Director Jeh Johnson, and Freeholders Leonard Luciano and Lebby Jones at the dedication of the Essex County Search and Rescue Dog Statue at the Essex County Eagle Rock September 11th Memorial in West Orange. 

WEST ORANGE -- Officials joined together at the Essex County Eagle Rock September 11 Memorial to dedicate the Essex County Search and Rescue Dog Statue on Aug. 17.

"Today we pay tribute to the roughly 350 search and rescue dogs that worked tireless hours trying to locate survivors amid the twisted pile of steel beams, concrete and ash where the World Trade Center once stood," said state Attorney General Christopher Porrino.

"During those harrowing efforts, various handlers stated they were so grateful to have a canine partner just to help the get through it."

The bronze canine statue is four feet tall, with its base designed to resemble the rubble at Ground Zero. It was created by sculptor Jay Warren of Oregon while artist Harry Gordon of Lambertville designed the base.

Warren has worked with Essex County in the past to produce statues including depictions of Rosa Parks, Althea Gibson, Gov. Brendan Byrne and Justice William Brennan, among others.

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

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Back again: Returning football statewide stat leaders, 2016

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We introduce the players that put up huge numbers in 2015 that are back once again to lead the state in production and help their teams win.

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