FBI agents are meeting with county officials to discuss HUD grants that passed through county offices on their way to the city

ORANGE -- In evidence of a widening federal probe, Essex County has turned over to agents documents related to a grant it distributed to the Orange Public Library, NJ Advance Media has learned.

The FBI raided the library last month in connection with an investigation into its alleged misuse of government funds, according to federal warrants obtained by NJ Advance Media.

About a week ago, officers from the FBI and the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development's investigative arm came to the Essex County Division of Housing and Community Development, requesting documents related to grants and loans to the city and its library, county officials confirmed.

Essex Inspector General Dominic Scaglione said in a phone interview Tuesday that after providing the documents, the county office requested additional meetings with the federal agencies this week, because the Division of Housing and Community Development's director was on vacation during the probe.

"We want to see if there's anything else we can do," Scaglione said.

Mysterious raid linked to extortion investigation

The $48,000 grant in question, county officials said, was a federal HUD grant to the library that was processed and handed out through the county office.

Essex officials said they previously questioned the use of the grant money, which was awarded in 2014. Through what Scaglione called an "ongoing series of negotiations," Orange returned the entire sum to the county, he said.

The city had spent about $18,000 of the grant, which it repaid from its own budget, officials said. The rest of the grant money had not been spent, and was returned, officials said. The county has since repaid HUD the full $48,000, officials said.

"We weren't satisfied with what was (happening at the library)," Scaglione said of the county's push to have the funds returned. "I think the Orange Public Library people also realized it needed to be returned, because, to the best of my knowledge, it had really not been used."

It is not clear what specifically in the library the grant money was intended for, or what the $18,000 was spent on.

The county, Scaglione urged, is not a target of the federal investigation. It is not involved, other than to provide information related to grant money that passed through its offices, to Orange, officials said.

"The City of Orange Township continues to cooperate with authorities regarding the matter concerning the Orange Public Library," said city spokesman Keith Royster. "The matter has been referred to legal counsel for full cooperation. City government continues to operate, serving the residents of the City of Orange Township."

The FBI and U.S. Attorney's Office have acted on at least two search and seizure warrants this summer related to an investigation of library spending. Agents seized files concerning multiple projects and programs at the library as part of an investigation into a long list of potential violations, including theft of federal government funds, accepting corrupt payments from an agency that receives federal funds, wire fraud, extortion, and money laundering.

The library closed one day earlier this summer during the FBI raid, but has since reopened.

New Jersey's science and business majors have settled in the middle of the state, while the surrounding areas are dominated by liberal arts majors

Want a property in a top-ranked district? Prepare to pay more.

When Marjon Dean started searching for a new home in the New Jersey suburbs, she first armed herself with data on the top-ranked public schools in the state.

Taking that information into account, as well as access to public transportation and commute times to New York City, Dean narrowed the list of options for her family's move to four towns: Summit, Chatham, Millburn and Westfield.

Dean and her husband bought a property that was built in the 1920s and that needed work in the Short Hills section of Millburn in October. The price was $814,000, roughly the same amount the couple received in the sale of their similarly-sized but newer home in the Boston suburbs, Dean said.

"There's definitely a trade-off there," she said, but added that buying in one of the state's best school districts is an investment that will pay off for her teenage daughter's education and for the long-term value of her home.

See what homes $500K buys in these 10 N.J. towns

Many homebuyers looking for real estate in New Jersey are, like Dean, deciding where to buy based on school rankings, a move that is driving demand and prices in the state's high-performing school districts, real estate agents say. Those who place a premium on living within the boundaries of one of the state's best school districts are willing to spend more money and forgo a larger house, a larger yard or up-to-the-moment amenities in order to do so, said Shannon Aronson, a real estate agent with Keller Williams Realty who covers Millburn and surrounding communities.

"For people who place a high value on that, it's completely driving the price because they are not even looking at towns where they can get more value for their money," said Aronson, who is also a member of the Board of Trustees for the Education Foundation of Millburn-Short Hills, a nonprofit group that raises money for the township's public schools.

Home values in the top 10 school districts in the state as ranked by the Pittsburgh-based company Niche range from half a million to nearly $1 million, U.S. Census data shows, with Millburn topping the list at $978,000. By contrast, the median home value is $358,100 in Essex County and $319,900 statewide.

The quality of public education isn't solely responsible for increased home values in the best school districts, which are located in wealthier communities within commuting distance to New York City, but schools play a "very big role," said Lori Ann Stohn, a broker associate with Gloria Nilson & Co. Real Estate's Princeton office.

Clients with children typically prioritize schools when buying a home, she said, but "even if they don't have a family, they are looking at school districts for resale purposes."

There are school districts in New Jersey with higher than average home values and lower-rated schools, such as Hoboken, but that's not common in the state, and two recent studies show that a well-regarded school district boosts local real estate markets.

A Realtor.com analysis released in August found that homes for sale in top-rated public school districts were, on average, listed at higher prices and sold faster than properties nationwide in the first half of this year . The difference between prices and time on market was even greater when compared to homes in lower-rated school districts.

"To put this in perspective, our findings show that, in most markets, families are willing to pay more for a highly-ranked school than an extra bedroom, a shorter commute, and even big home features such as a swimming pool, higher ceilings, sport courts, and even a private dock," the Realtor.com analysis said.

It pays to own a home in a great school district...by this much https://t.co/MBQ2zs1fBq

-- realtor.com (@realtordotcom) August 15, 2016

Victoria Carter, a sales associate for Weichert Realtors's Short Hills office, agreed homeowners will downsize in order to buy a home in a top school district.

"They will sacrifice house," she said. "They will buy something much smaller, much more modest in order to get into the school system."

ATTOM Data Solutions, the parent company of RealtyTrac, also released a report in August that found homes located in a zip code with at least one high-performing elementary school were worth more to start and gained value faster than homes in areas without good schools.

Princeton holds the title of the best school district in the state -- and fifth-best in the country -- in Niche's rankings, which consider test scores, graduation rates, student and parent reviews and other factors.

(Niche excluded school districts for which it did not have enough data, and less than half the state's districts are represented in the ranking. But the top 10 districts are also highly ranked elsewhere and offer a glimpse into what it costs to buy in top-tier districts.)

Princeton is sandwiched between two other districts that also rank near the top in the state: West Windsor-Plainsboro Regional School District and Montgomery Township School District. Each of those districts has a median home value that surpasses $500,000, with Princeton leading the pack at $760,800.

But another one of Princeton's neighbors, Lawrence Township School District, has a home value of $282,600. The township's school district ranked as the 73rd best in the state, per Niche's list.

Stohn attributed that price difference largely to the quality of the schools.

"I can have $550,000 home in Lawrence and that same home go for $650,00, $700,000 in West Windsor," she said.

While Stohn said she has had clients who chose to buy in Lawrence because they could get more for their money and planned to send their children to private school, homebuyers who are "looking for public school education, most of them are coming here and looking for the West Windsor-Plainsboro, Princeton or Montgomery school districts."

Of course, not everyone can afford to buy into one of the state's top districts -- or even a good school district.

Laura Waters, a member of the Lawrence Township Board of Education who writes about public education on her blog, NJ Left Behind, said "a family's ability to buy into a zip code has a direct link with the education their kid is going to receive," raising concerns about equity and access in the state's public education system.

The Interdistrict Public School Choice Program and charter schools offer students the opportunity to opt out of attending their local public school, but those initiatives only serve a small fraction of New Jersey students, leaving most families to rely on their local public school system.

"One way to say it is to say that your house comes bundled with granite countertops and great schools," Waters said. "You have to buy your way into the best district."

Dean, who works in sales for Microsoft and who moved to New Jersey because of her job, said she considered living in nearby towns but ruled them out because "the schools weren't as good or you would have to send your child to private school."

"As much as we were investing in a home and as much taxes as we were paying," she said, "it wasn't a good use of money."

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

Man shot early Saturday

NEWARK -- Officials on Tuesday identified the man shot to death on a Newark street as a 43-year-old city resident.

Curtis Thomas was found shot on Belgium Street, according to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office. Authorities did not report any arrests and additional details were not immediately released.

The killing came hours after a separate shooting that stemmed from a dispute at a Domino's Pizza. Newark police arrested a 23-year-old woman in that attack, which left a man hospitalized in stable condition.

1 dead in 2 shootings in Newark, police say

Sixty-six murders were reported in the state's largest city this year, according to law enforcement records. There were 62 slayings within the same span in 2015.

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

Fire reportedly sparked when man was working on lawn mower

WEST ORANGE -- A township resident was seriously injured in a basement fire at an Elm Street home Wednesday morning, officials said.

The 56-year-old man suffered third-degree burns to his hands, feet and back, according to officials. He was being treated at St. Barnabas Medical Center.

Township spokeswoman Susan Anderson said the man was reportedly working on a lawn mower in the basement when the two-alarm fire broke out around 10 a.m. Firefighters declared the incident under control about 25 minutes later.

No firefighters were hurt, Anderson said.

Neighbor Mary Clark said she just left her house when a blast went off next door. 

"As soon as I put the key in the door there was an explosion," Clark said. "It just blew everything out. It was very loud."

Clark said she saw the windows on her neighbor's home damaged and debris scattered near the building.

"Luckily, none of the debris hit me," she added. 

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

'Filmmakers from around the world used to come here to do their projects. The goal is to bring that back.'

New Jersey claims a number of film festivals, but a new entry in the festival scene draws on some pretty significant local history -- Newark's roots as the birthplace of celluloid film. 

The Newark International Film Festival, set to premiere with an opening reception on Sept. 8 and screen films for three days across various city locations, was also organized to advertise Newark as a destination for film and TV crews. 

In 1887, the Rev. Hannibal Goodwin, an Episcopal priest in Newark, filed a patent for celluloid photographic film, besting Eastman Kodak by two years. After challenging Kodak's patent, Goodwin ultimately got his patent through in 1898.

The festival's Hannibal Goodwin Award for Innovation in Filmmaking will recognize "especially innovative filmmakers." 

The Newark festival joins other local film festivals including the New Jersey Film Festival at Rutgers in New Brunswick, the Montclair Film Festival, Jersey City's Golden Door International Film Festival and Garden State Film Festival. Screenings and events span Essex County College, NJPAC, the Prudential Center, CityPlex, Newark Museum, Rutgers Newark and NJIT.

Screened works will encompass narrative features, documentaries, short films and films from young filmmakers. Screening blocks carry themes that include LGBT, Caribbean and Latinx films. Other festival events will include filmmaking workshops -- one is dedicated to drones -- and a comedy show.

The festival will host speakers including Gregory Allen Howard -- screenwriter for "Remember the Titans," and "Ali" -- as well as brothers Larenz, Larron and Lahmard Tate and John Gibson of the Motion Picture Association of America for a talk about diversity in Hollywood. 

Kenneth Gifford, director of the Newark Office of Film and Television, first envisioned the festival three years ago. His goal, he says, is "to make this an anchor location to filmmakers all around the world." He wants independent and major film studios to know that the city welcomes their productions.

The Rev. Hannibal Goodwin, inventor of celluloid photographic film. (Newark Public Library) 

"This is an untapped beauty," says Gifford of Newark.

In 2011, Gotham City Police Department cars filled Newark streets when the Batman film "The Dark Knight Rises" used several locations, including the light rail and city hall, for the movie.

"Filmmakers from around the world used to come here to do their projects," Gifford says. "The goal is to bring that back." 

The festival received more than 800 submissions from 50-plus countries, he says. 

On Sept. 10, a scavenger hunt offering cash prizes will ask festival-goers to identify specific spots where movies were filmed in Newark.

Actors can get free headshots and go on auditions at the festival, which is also aimed as promoting accessibility to local talent. 

"You won't get lost in the celebrity Hollywood scene," Gifford says. "You're actually coming here to hone your craft to get the resources you need to make a bigger and better project."

Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AmyKup or on Facebook.

Christie instructed the state health commissioner to find $200,000 to help pay for clean syringes and other supplies.

TRENTON -- Gov. Chris Christie Wednesday signed legislation that saves five locally run needle exchange programs from running out of money, and permits other cities to launch their own efforts to prevent the spread of HIV and Hepatitis C among intravenous drug users.

The governor also instructed state Health Commissioner Cathleen Bennett to find $200,000 in her budget to supply clean syringes and other supplies for the programs in Atlantic City, Camden, Jersey City, Newark and Paterson for the next year. Atlantic City, Camden and Paterson had already run out of private donations and grants, or were close to doing so.

"These programs not only distribute clean syringes to intravenous drug users, but also deliver lifesaving education, treatment, and testing to their participants," according to Christie's bill-signing statement.

"This bill is another step in my Administration's continued efforts to prevent the transmission of blood-borne diseases, such as HIV and Hepatitis C, through intravenous drug use and to encourage treatment for those suffering from substance abuse," Christie's statement said.

Program operators have used the overdose prevention drug, Naloxone (commonly known as Narcan) to save more than 40 lives, the governor noted.

Georgett Watson, chief operations officer for the South Jersey AIDS Alliance who earlier this month created a gofundme account to raise money to buy syringes, said she was "over the moon excited" with the governor's decision. The account has netted only $2,713 of its $95,000 goal.

"Staff and clients will be as well, as they do not have to worry about whether or not we will not be able to provide syringes to those who need them," Watson said. "This will definitely help keep the transmission rate of HIV and Hepatitis C down in the state of New Jersey for sure."

Last year, these programs supplied nearly 6,000 IV drug users with more than 1 million clean needles, Watson said.

The number of people who contracted HIV by sharing or using dirty needles declined from 7,592 in 2011 to 6,805 in 2015, according to the health department.

A 2012 report by the state Health Deparment declared the program a success for helping to stem the spread of HIV and hepatitis, and drawing 2,160 drug users into treatment.

Sen. Joseph Vitale, (D-Middlesex), one of the bill's sponsors, said he always found it unfortunate that state law allowed municipalities to operate a needle exchange program but the state never spent any money to support it.

The state's arms-length distance from the programs date back to mid-1990s and early 2000s, when Gov. Christie Whitman withheld her support, saying she thought it condoned drug use. Gov. Jon Corzine signed the bill allowing up to six cities to run the experimental programs in 2006.

Needle exchange program deemed a success

"It's good the state is finally stepping up after all these years, but I am going to continue to seek private funding, because it gives funders a level of comfort that the state is invested in this as well," Vitale added. "It's not political any longer - it's a real harm-reduction program and leads many people into treatment."

Christie vetoed a $95,000 budget line item in June to help the syringe programs buy supplies. In his bill-signing message, he explained he did so because it would not have been enough money.

"We are ecstatic.  Our hearts are bursting," said

Roseanne Scotti, director of the New Jersey chapter of the Drug Policy Alliance, a fierce advocate for the program, said she was "deeply grateful" for the law's passage.

"These programs have been doing such amazing work yet they have struggled for so long, owing to lack of funding.  Now they will have the support they need to keep doing their life-changing and life-saving work," Scotti said.

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

Labor Day is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Labor Day is "dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country."

The Department also notes that Labor Day, which grew out of local and state initiatives, became a national holiday through an act of Congress in 1894.

My dad, John Hatala Jr., designing something that would go completely over my head at Struthers-Dunn in Pitman in 1967. In fact, it likely did go over my head; he designed relays for, among other things, F14 fighters and the Titan rocket.Courtesy of Struthers-Dunn 

We post this gallery in celebration of the hard working people in the Garden State.

Here, we pay homage to people working in a broad range of occupations -- oyster shuckers, glassware packers, linemen and builders, beer brewers and pear pickers.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

Here, you will see photos of factory workers and hospital employees, embroiderers and farmers, piano makers and toll takers.

We salute them all. Be sure captions are enabled to read about each picture.

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.

Prosecutors said they overheard three jurors discussing a sex assault case outside the courtroom, which led to it being declared a mistrial.

NEWARK -- A juror who denied discussing the details of a sexual assault trial with other jurors outside the courtroom has been ordered to pay a fine ten times the amount of summonses paid by his chatty cohorts, who admitted to talking about the case while the three were having lunch together.

Superior Court Judge Michael Ravin has ordered Richard Beam to pay $1,000 after finding that he compromised the trial by discussing it in the courthouse cafeteria, a spokeswoman for the Essex County Prosecutor's Office confirmed Wednesday. The two jurors he was talking to, John Lipari and Eddie White, were fined just $100 each after pleading guilty on June 22 to contempt charges related to discussing the case.

The three were jurors in the 2015 trial of Donovan Cunningham, who was charged with sexually assaulting a 16-year-old girl. After 12 days of testimony, the case was declared a mistrial after Essex County assistant prosecutors said they overheard the three jurors discussing the case in the cafeteria at the Essex County Courthouse.

2 of 3 chatty jurors plead guilty

The jurors had been told specifically not to talk about the case during breaks, prosecutors said.

Ravin heard testimony about the contempt charge against Beam in four hearings this year, and considered written submissions from the prosecutor's office and Beam's attorney, the spokeswoman said.

Beam's attorney, Dennis Durkin, had argued that Beam could not be found in contempt of court because there was no proof that he intended to violate a court order. He also asserted that "the mere fact of speaking cannot itself be a violation," citing Beam's First Amendment rights.

Durkin could not immediately be reached for comment on the judge's decision Wednesday.

Cunningham was later tried and acquitted of the charges, the spokeswoman said. 

Ani Ramen House is where the local chefs hang out on their nights off.

Courtesy of Ani Ramen House 

ANI RAMEN HOUSE

401 Bloomfield Ave. Montclair
(973) 744-3960 
aniramen.com

Even on a steamy summer night, the crowd outside persists, waiting for a table and a $12 bowl of ramen.

Inside Ani Ramen House, the steam rarely subsides. The air conditioning fails to keep pace with all that hot soup and so many customers in such a small space. The room is elbow-to-elbow, nearly 40 people, sitting on metal chairs at wooden tables.

One wall is decorated with a graphic black-and-white cityscape; the other is papered with the pages of a Japanese magazine. Dr. Dre and Snoop Dogg are on the sound system. The mood is celebratory, an urban picnic. Babies are here, entertained by Sesame Street via smartphone. Couples are here, a BYOB date of noodles and Instagram. Loud families are here, with Dad pretending that the spicy food he's ordered is not too intense.

Fortunately, the staff keeps pace with chilled bottles of water on each table.

Ani Ramen House is where the local chefs hang out on their nights off. Should you need more of an endorsement, read the testimonials in the notebooks that come with the check. These notebooks are like pocket-sized bibles for the restaurant, full of customer signatures, affirmations, smiley faces and, occasionally, a pretty impressive caricature.

On one page: "This is like my 99 millionth time I have been here. I love it." On another page: "I heart ramen." And this: "Can I live here?"

Montclair is a restaurant-saturated town, and Bloomfield Avenue boasts one stop after another, yet here is where the line forms. Perhaps, in part, it's the simplicity. The menu is nearly stark -- it's all about ramen and pork buns. Plus a few small bites, such as edamame, chicken wings, shishito peppers.

And who doesn't love ramen? If only for the carefree college nostalgia it brings?

Yet these bowls hardly resemble college fare. They are big and robust, with squiggly noodles fresh from Sun Noodle, a small-batch maker. The selections -- there are six, including a vegetarian option -- are chock-full of rich, intense homemade broth and topped with an abundance of fresh ingredients, such as scallions and bean sprouts. No one in the kitchen is scrimping on the pork belly either.

This may be ramen nirvana, though listen to your server when he suggests that the chicken (No. 1) is the meekest of the bunch and that the pork belly, with spinach and scallions, is far more satisfying.

Pork buns ($6) are perfect, no exaggeration. (Save for the fact there are only two, so just order more.) The steamed bun is as white as pure snow, soft and doughy. Inside, supple pork is shocked to life by sweet, sweet pickled cucumber and a spicy miso mayo. Other small bites on the specials list -- the pulled pork buns and smoked sausage buns -- are more Americanized and not quite as nuanced, but disappear just as quickly.

The homemade broths, the fresh noodles, the cucumbers pickled in-house -- these are the reasons that chefs love Ani Ramen. You'll appreciate the unpretentious fraternity of customers. Come to think of it, the chefs likely appreciate that, too.

MORE FROM INSIDE JERSEY MAGAZINE

Muhammad is bringing home a bronze medal to New Jersey.

MAPLEWOOD -- Bronze medal-winning Olympian Ibtihaj Muhammad is getting a hometown hero's welcome.

On Saturday, Sept. 10, Maplewood will host a parade in honor of the Olympic fencer, and opportunities for locals to meet her and talk about her third place finish at the Olympic games in Rio, Mayor Vic DeLuca announced Wednesday.

"We are very proud of our bronze medal winner and are bringing the community together to celebrate her achievements," DeLuca said of the parade plans.

"The event will give young girls and boys, and all of us, the opportunity to meet and be inspired by our local (Olympic) champion."

N.J. boxer hailed as Olympic hero

The parade is set to take off at 10:30 a.m. at the NJ Fencing Alliance on Burnett Avenue, and proceed through various areas of the township, while stopping several times for meet and greets and autograph sessions.

Muhammad made headlines throughout the Olympics not only for her athleticism, but for being the first Muslim woman to compete for Team USA while wearing a hijab.

She is the latest Olympic athlete to be welcomed home to New Jersey with fanfare. Last weekend, silver medal-winning boxer Shakur Stevenson was presented a key to the city during a parade in his hometown of Newark.

The plan for the parade. (Courtesy Maplewood township)
 

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

Condos will place pond at foot of Watchungs

On paper, the development began as "The Pond at Mountainside."

Introduced five years ago to the borough planning board, the proposal featured the small lake on the property not just as a selling point, but the focal point of the design.

The new plan, approved in the spring, is now called "Alpine at Mountainside." The pond is no longer featured in the design. In fact, it won't even exist. Once building starts, the pond will be drained and filled in, and either condos or the parking lot for 113 cars will take its place.

And this is what has neighbors in the flood-prone area concerned. With no pond, they're afraid run-off from torrential rains will wind up in their basements and backyards.

"My sump is already working constantly when it rains," said Dottie Unchester, whose Force Drive property abuts the planned development.

First, a little history. The development of 30 age-restricted condominiums - 24 will have $800,000 price tags and six will be set aside for low-income seniors - is on a stretch of Route 22 that was last in the news two years ago when a lingering  microburst rainstorm left cars along the highway in water up to their rooftops.

Unchester's sump pump was overwhelmed during that one, and neighbors on her street were also flooded.

Unchester has lived in her house for 35 years and escaped damage through hurricanes Floyd, Irene and Sandy, but the neighbors on adjacent South Fork Road weren't as lucky.

"Those houses flood all the time," said Nick Barbera, who lives across the street from Unchester.

MORE: Recent Mark Di Ionno columns

Now, for a little geography.  A stream that tumbles out of the Watchung Mountains above and through the neighborhood is the south feeder fork of the Nomahegan Brook, hence the name "South Fork Road." The stream cuts through the proposed condominium development and joins the brook on the south side of Route 22. The brook gathers in water from a series of other mountain streams, then flows through Echo Lake and becomes a main tributary of the Rahway River.

The streams that fall from the high rocks of the Watchungs have caused massive flooding along the Route 22 corridor for decades. Floods in the early 1970s - including a 1973 flood in which six people died - forced the government to develop the Green Brook Flood Control Project.

The south feeder of the Nomahegan runs underground through the Mountainside neighborhood of Force Drive and South Fork Road, but several culverts and drains along the stream path show that the water often surfaces. In the backyards of the homes that abut Alpine at Mountainside, the erosion scars of water cascading down the slopes are evident. And sometimes, it ends up in cellars.

"When we moved in, we had water in our basement," said Julie Wright, who has lived on the street for two years. "One of our neighbors moved because she was tired of the flooding."

River flooding in New Jersey is an eternal problem. The state's Blue Acres program has bought entire blocks of homes in Lincoln Park, Wayne and Little Falls, along the Passaic River floodplains (caused by the northern ridges of the Watchungs), and in Manville, Bound Brook, Woodbridge and Sayreville, in the Raritan and Millstone basin, to name a few.

So, while the state buys out flood-prone properties on one hand, in the case of Alpine at Mountainside, it declassified the pond on the property as wetlands, despite its close proximity to the stream and the evidence of erosion from its overflow.

A 2009 letter from the Department of Environmental Protection, during Gov. Jon Corzine's administration, denied a request by property owner Joe Sinisi to fill in the pond, citing "a connection between pond and the stream" and calling it a "riparian zone."

A year later, under the Gov. Chris Christie administration, that decision was reversed.

"In 2010, the DEP determined that a flood hazard permit was not required for the property in question because the only water features on the site were an isolated pond and ditch," said DEP spokesman Lawrence Hajna. "The total drainage area is less than 50 acres and is not in a riparian zone. In 2015, we issued another letter affirming the earlier determination, re-stating that the Flood Hazard Area Control Act is not applicable to the site for the same reasons as in 2010."

So Alpine at Mountainside has moved forward.

"Our clients have all the necessary permits," said Donna Jennings, a land use attorney from Wilentz, Goldman & Spitzer in Woodbridge. "There is no issue here."

Asked about the residents' concerns, Jennings repeated her statement. "That's all I'm going to say."

When the project was approved in May, Barbera feared it "was a done deal."

"We talked to them (the planning board) about our flooding concerns, the displacement of wildlife from the pond and the noise levels from Route 22 once they cut down all the trees," he said. "None of it mattered."

Barbera even produced aerial photographs taken with a drone to show the size of the pond relative to the full acre of property and its proximity to the stream.

"It was going through," he said. "It didn't matter. What's especially troubling is they (the developer) admitted they didn't know if the pond was spring-fed or stream-fed, or even how deep it is. What's going to happen if it keeps filling up?"

It was a rhetorical question. He knows the answer. The pond at Mountainside - once it is drained and capped by the concrete and asphalt of Alpine at Mountainside -- will end up in their basements and backyards.

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

Who will be the Players of the Year, Coach of the Year, Team of the Year? Find out who we think could end up holding those titles.

Ahmad Manley, 30, of Summit, who was charged with double murder in connection with a March 2014 shooting, was arrested Wednesday

NEWARK  -- Federal authorities say they have arrested a Grape Street Crips member who was charged in a double murder during rush-hour two years ago.

U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman also announced Wednesday additional charges against 15 alleged gang members and associates that authorities said link the leaders of the Newark-based gang to five murders and three attempted murders during feuds with rival gangs over the last decade.

A federal grand jury in Newark handed down the indictment related to the bust of the gang in 2015, which charged 71 in connection with alleged drug operation that peddled cocaine, crack and heroin in housing projects throughout Newark. More than 50 people were arrested in May 2015 as part of the federal take down.

Ahmad Manley, 30, of Summit, who was charged with two kilings in connection with a March 2014 shooting, was arrested Wednesday, Fishman said in release.

Manley also faces racketeering and drug trafficking charges as part of the recent indictment. 

Manley's first court appearance is scheduled for 2 p.m Thursday before U.S. Magistrate Judge James B. Clark III in Newark federal court.

The fifth indictment in the case charges two alleged leaders of the Grape Street Crips -- Kwasi Mack, 27, of Belleville, and Corey Batts, 31, of Newark --  in the 2006 shooting of a rival gang, which left one dead and another wounded. 

Two additional attempted murder charges were brought against an another alleged gunman, Tony Phillips, 25, of Newark, and Batts in connections with a May 2013 shooting.

The indictment also added a count of murder in aid of racketeering against the alleged long-time leader of the gang Corey Hamlet for the same 2013 shooting.

Hamlet, 39, of Belleville, is accused of ordered "brazen" daytime shootings while acting a kingpin of the drug ring, authorities said.  

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

The complaint represents the first public squabble between Murphy and Fulop.

JERSEY CITY -- The gubernatorial campaign of former Goldman Sachs executive and U.S. ambassador to Germany Phil Murphy is asking state election officials to investigate Mayor Steve Fulop, alleging Fulop is financing a gubernatorial campaign of his own with funds intended for his mayoral re-election "in clear defiance of New Jersey law."

Fulop is widely believed to be gunning for the Democratic nomination for governor next year but he has not declared his candidacy. The Murphy camp wants the state to force Fulop to make that declaration, citing recent Fulop moves like paying the city chief of staff to act as a political consultant, hiring a team of political operatives widely believed to be focused on a statewide campaign and emailing a news article about the 2017 governor's race from his re-election campaign account.

The allegations are detailed in an eight-page complaint the Murphy campaign filed this morning with the state Election Law Enforcement Commission.

"This is gubernatorial campaign activity, plain and simple," the complaint reads. "Mayor Fulop's actions undermine ELEC's disclosure rules, state contribution limits and spending caps imposed by the state's public financing system."

Murphy's campaign is asking ELEC to investigate Fulop's political spending as well as those who it believes may be spending their own campaign cash on Fulop's expected run for governor, like Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who is hosting a Sept. 8 event in Newark intended to boost Fulop's chances statewide. Murphy also wants ELEC to force Fulop to register a campaign committee meant specifically for a gubernatorial campaign and penalize the mayor if ELEC determines any laws have been broken.

State law requires candidates seeking two or more offices to set up a campaign account for each office they are seeking, and for now Fulop only has one campaign account, for his mayoral re-election next year. The state Election Law Enforcement Commission's compliance manual for candidates says individuals who engage in pre-candidacy activity -- "testing the waters" moves Murphy's camp says Fulop is making -- are defined by law as candidates.

Fulop is on an overseas vacation until next week. Fulop adivsor Michael Soliman, formerly state director and chief of staff to U.S. Senator Bob Menendez, responded on the mayor's behalf, calling Murphy's complaint "frivolous." and saying Fulop would announce when he decides on his plans for next year.

"Murphy is using the Jon Corzine playbook, trying to buy an election by creating fake organizations, hiring lawyers, hiring consultants and negative campaigning," Soliman said in an email. "This shows desperation by Phil, as he learns that New Jersey is not for sale."

An ELEC spokesman said he could not confirm or deny that the complaint had been filed. 

If Fulop is required to declare himself a candidate for governor, state campaign spending caps would take effect, causing Fulop to burn through cash much sooner than some of his expected rivals. Candidates who accept public financing for the 2017 gubernatorial race -- Fulop has said he would -- can spend only up to $6.4 million in the primary campaign.

It's unclear what ELEC can do with Murphy's complaint. A report in The Record last month detailed how vacancies on the agency's board of commissioners have kept it from holding meetings and punishing election law violators. 

The Murphy campaign's complaint represents the first public tussle between the Democratic former ambassador and Fulop, who was first elected mayor in May 2013 after serving for two terms on the City Council. Though other Democrats are expected to seek the nomination -- including Senate President Stephen Sweeney and Sen. Ray Lesniak -- Murphy and Fulop each believe they are the top two contenders to succeed Gov. Chris Christie.

Murphy's ethics complaint also cites Coalition for Progress, a federal super PAC linked to Fulop that reported a $3.2 million war chest in July. Fulop hosted a fundraiser for the PAC in November in Jersey City, which Murphy's complaint says "further established that he is a 'candidate' for governor."

Fulop's re-election campaign has reported raising a total of $1.32 million and spending $1.25 million as of July 14. That campaign paid city Chief of Staff Mark Albiez's MMA Consultants $29,000 since January, those records show. Albiez's annual city salary is $119,384.

Murphy announced his candidacy in May, an unusually early announcement compared to those in recent gubernatorial races. Non-incumbent candidates have generally waited until the year of the election to declare, though most spent the preceding months taking actions that made it clear they would run.

In 2009, Christie formally announced his run for governor in February. Republican Doug Forrester announced his 2005 candidacy in November 2004, while Democrat (and eventual winner) Jon Corzine declared his run the next month. In the 2001 race, Democrat Jim McGreevey announced his candidacy in January, followed the next month by Republican Bret Schundler, Jersey City's then-mayor (McGreevey won).

Craig Holman, a campaign finance advocate with Public Citizen, said regulations on non-declared candidates raising campaign money on the federal level have been "shattered" because of inaction on the part of the Federal Election Commission, leading to presidential candidates spending millions of dollars on campaigns that are exploratory in name only. One of the intents of campaign finance laws is to set up criteria to determine when someone is obviously a candidate, Holman told The Jersey Journal.

Fulop's actions show that he is "running full-fledged for governor of New Jersey and doesn't have to follow the campaign finance laws," he said.

Brigid Callahan Harrison, a professor of political science and law at Montclair State University, has a different take. Harrison said Fulop's steps aren't different from moves other possible gubernatorial hopefuls have taken, including Sweeney. The senate president's statewide appearances are "clearly on the uptick," Harrison said.

If Fulop is forced to declare his candidacy for governor, she said, the standard "needs to be applied universally."

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

A panel in Philadelphia on Tuesday upheld the dismissal of a lawsuit charging that the Waterfront Commission had improperly encroached on a hiring process involving a dockworkers union and port employers.

NEWARK -- A Federal appeals panel ruled Tuesday that bi-state port regulators have the authority to block discriminatory hiring on the docks in Newark, Elizabeth, and elsewhere around the bi-state region.

Judges from the 3rd Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia on Tuesday upheld a 2014 ruling by a federal judge in Newark dismissing a 2013 lawsuit filed jointly by the dockworkers' union and the region's main shipping industry group against regulators at the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor.

The International Longshoremen's Association union, or ILA, and the New York Shipping Association, which represents container terminal operators and other port employers, and related groups, sued the Waterfront Commission, charging the bi-state regulatory agency had exceeded its authority by demanding the union and shipping group certify that job applicants had been hired based on non-discriminatory criteria.

Under a decades-old process, port job applicants become union members upon being hired by a shipping association member, once they are cleared by the commission of having ties to organized crime or other disqualifying traits.

The ILA and shipping association appealed the Judge Susan D. Wigenton's dismissal of the suit two years ago, leading to the panel's decision on Tuesday affirming the dismissal. 

"The District Court ruled that the Appellee, Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor (Commission or Waterfront Commission), was within its statutory authority
to require shipping companies and other employers to certify that prospective employees had been referred for employment pursuant to federal and state nondiscrimination policies," Tuesday's decision stated.

"The District Court also rejected claims that the Commission had unlawfully interfered with collective bargaining rights, holding that such rights were not completely protected under the language of the Waterfront Commission Compact (Compact), which was entered into by the states of New Jersey and New York in 1953," the panel added. "We will affirm."

The commission applauded the ruling, while the shipping association expressed disappointment, and the union declined to comment.

The commission was created by the legislatures of New York and New Jersey 63 years ago to prevent port labor abuses on the docks of both states chronicled in a series of newspaper articles, and later fictionalized in an early Marlon Brando film shot on location in Hoboken. The panel cited the articles and the film in its decision.

"Years of criminal activity and corrupt hiring practices on the waterfront were first brought to light in 1949 in a series of 24 articles published in the New York Sun by journalist Malcolm Johnson," the panel wrote. "Entitled 'Crime on the Waterfront,' these articles won Johnson the Pulitzer Prize, and formed the basis for the 1954 film 'On the Waterfront.'"
   
While the bi-state compact creating the commission provides for collective bargaining rights between the union and shippers and does not specifically mention race, the district court judge had found that the Manhattan-based commission could include racial discrimination among the types of unfair hiring practices it policed.  

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka has organized protests asserting that too few of his mostly minority constituents have been hired at the port into lucrative longshoremen's jobs.

The ILA and the shipping association have accused the waterfront commission of impeding the hiring process, which they say has threatened to cause a labor shortage that would endanger the financial health of shipping terminals Newark, Elizabeth, Jersey City, Bayonne, Staten Island and Brooklyn, known collectively as the Port of New York and New Jersey.

With backing from the two groups, Sen. Raymond Lezniak (D-Union) introduced a bill to withdraw New Jersey from the bi-state commission, which is made up of one commissioner each from New York and New Jersey, with a staff of lawyers, investigators and others, funded by a surcharge on containers that pass through the East Coast's busiest port. Gov. Chris Christie vetoed the bill, but recommended that lawmakers craft a new one refining the commission's role to prevent excessive interference in hiring.

The bi-state Port Authority of New York and New Jersey acts as a landlord to the shippers, and its police force patrols the docks, but the Port Authority does not regulate waterfront hiring, as the commission does.

The shipping association issued a statement saying it was disappointed with the ruling, but that it would not "hurt" waterfront hiring.

"While the lawsuit was pending, it was the industry, not the Commission, that adopted and implemented a new hiring plan. For the Commission to suggest that the industry promotes discriminatory hiring practices is belied by the fact that this plan brought into the industry 900 new workers of which about 60% are minorities and over 400 are veterans."

An ILA spokesman, Jim McNamara, said the union had no comment on Tuesday's decision.

The commission issued a statement applauding the ruling, while criticizing the union and shipping association.

"This lawsuit was just one more desperate attempt to attack the Waterfront Commission's efforts to ensure that hiring on the waterfront is done in a fair and non-discriminatory manner. Today's decision once again sends the clear and unmistakable message to the ILA, NYSA and MMMCA that their attempts to institutionalize discrimination through collective bargaining agreements will not be tolerated. This decision is a significant victory for the Waterfront Commission and, more importantly, for the Port."

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

43-year-old man remains in critical condition

NEW BRUNSWICK -- A Newark man faces two counts of attempted murder in a double shooting that left two people wounded on a New Brunswick street, authorities announced Thursday.

Demetrius Lee walked up to a 23-year-old woman and a 43-year-old man at Throop Avenue and Delavan Street and started shooting Aug. 22, Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew Carey and New Brunswick Police Director Anthony Caputo said in a joint statement. The woman was listed in stable condition while the man remained hospitalized in critical condition.

Lee, 33, was also charged two counts of aggravated assault and one count of unlawful possession of a weapon in the shooting, according to prosecutors. He was being held without bail at the Middlesex County Adult Corrections Center.

Man, woman critically injured in New Brunswick shooting

Police arrested Lee three days after the shooting as he sat in a car on Chester Circle in New Brunswick, the prosecutor's office said. He was charged with having a stolen handgun in his car at the time. That weapon is not believed to be the one used in the earlier shooting, according to authorities. A prior unspecified conviction bars Lee from having a weapon.

Lee is also facing charges in an unrelated case at the same intersection as the shooting, the prosecutor's office said.

Police charged Lee with attempted murder and leaving the scene of a crash for allegedly intentionally driving into and running over a 37-year-old woman at Throop Avenue and Delavan Street Aug. 9. The woman was treated and released from an area hospital.

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

The federal investigation alleges extortion, conspiracy and the corrupt use of public money.

ORANGE -- As FBI agents continue to dig into suspected extortion, conspiracy and the corrupt use of government funds at the historic Orange Public Library, details about the investigation have become more clear.

Here's a rundown of what we know so far, and what questions still need to be answered:

Probe widens to include federal grants

WHAT WE KNOW

• The suspected violations: A search warrant obtained by NJ Advance Media revealed the crimes authorities are intending to prove with the evidence seized. They include theft of federal government funds, theft and accepting corrupt payments concerning an organization receiving federal funds, conspiracy to commit theft and accept corrupt payments, wire fraud, conspiracy to commit wire fraud, extortion under color of official right and conspiracy to do the same, and money laundering.

• The cast of characters: Officials have requested documents involving 10 people and eight companies, as well as the library's heating and cooling system, Saturday literacy program, and janitorial services, and the city's senior health and wellness program, and purchase of the YWCA building on Main Street. The people mentioned include previous assistant business administrator Willis Edwards III and Tyshammie Cooper, who has served as Mayor Dwayne Warren's Chief of Staff, and is a councilwoman in nearby East Orange.

• The size of the net being cast: Federal officials requested documents dating to Dec. 1, 2013, and information about certain city employees and vendors going back to July 1, 2012.

• The focus of the feds: Grant money awarded to the library. County officials have confirmed they met with investigators to hand over documents related to a federal Housing and Urban Development grant that was given to the library, and then returned.

• Another controversy with Edwards: He's already battling the city over his appointment by the mayor as assistant business administrator. The council contested the move, and a judge ruled this year that he owes the city the $268,000 he earned in the job. Edwards is fighting that decision, and says he did nothing improper when serving in the role.

WHAT WE DON'T KNOW

• The involvement of politicians: Warren is not mentioned in either warrant. And, no Orange Council member is, either. However, Warren did appoint several of the people named.

• The big picture: Investigators are digging into financial goings on at the library and YWCA, but it's not yet clear if the probe extends beyond that to overall city spending. Public officials have denied rumors that city hall was raided around the same time the library was.

• The bottom line: Aside from a $48,000 HUD grant distributed by the county, officials have not indicated which grants and other expenditures are being called into question. The city has received some high profile grants over the past four years, including a $1.5 million federal Hurricane Sandy recovery grant, a matching $750,000 state grant to renovate the library in 2013, and a $2.5 million state grant that allowed for the purchase and renovation of the YWCA.

• The timeline: When, and if, charges will be handed down in connection with this investigation remains to be seen.

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

Cops, firefighters praised for handling of summer emergencies

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose thank first responders during a ceremony Aug. 31 in Newark (Photo: Dept. of Public Safety) 

The ceremony held at Newark's 5th police precinct recognized members of the city public safety department for outstanding service from June through August, officials said. Mayor Ras Baraka, and Public Safety Anthony Ambrose held the event along with Police Chief Darnell Henry and Fire Chief John Centanni.

"Mayor Baraka and I wanted to personally thank the men and women who heroically risk their lives on a daily basis for the good of the people of Newark," Ambrose said in a statement. "Public safety can sometimes be a thankless job, but the police and firefighters of this city should be reminded that they are both appreciated and respected for the sacrifices they make to preserve the safety and quality of life in our city."

Fourteen firefighters, who were injured containing an electrical fire at Essex County College, were credited for their efforts to bring the flames under control June 12, according to officials.

"Firefighters responded and removed all the occupants inside the location and extinguished the fire," Ambrose previously said.

Among those honored were members of the police division's tactical unit, called the Emergency Response Team. The officers arrested a man who authorities say stabbed his wife several times and barricaded himself inside an apartment on Dillard Court July 29.

Man subdued after allegedly stabbing wife, ending 4-hour police standoff

The ERT officers fired what was called a "less lethal" weapon at the 64-year-old man and subdued him after an approximately four-hour standoff. At the time, Ambrose told NJ Advance Media the officers intervened just as the man tried to stab himself. The couple's 9-year-old grandson was in the apartment, but escaped uninjured.

Police said the woman survived the knife attack after undergoing emergency surgery for critical injuries.

Thirteen ERT officers were honored for rescuing four adults and a 14-year-old boy from a gunman who held them hostage in an apartment on the 200 block of South Street early Aug. 6, according to officials. Yucef Shabazz Rogers, 32, of Newark, was charged in that incident. Police say they recovered an AK-47 assault weapon in the residence.

1 in custody after reports of armed man at Newark building

Officials honored 11 members of the SWAT team for rescuing two men from the roof of a Victoria Street industrial building Aug. 5 after the pair encountered what they initially thought was a gun-toting squatter. The weapon, police said, later turned out to be a realistic-looking BB gun.

Five police officers also earned accolades for seizing guns, drugs and making an arrest at a building on Muhammad Ali Boulevard Aug. 1. Three officers were recognized for a robbery arrest Aug. 8 after the injured victim showed up at the 3rd Precinct and police quickly chased down the assailant.

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

The 76-year-old city man died Aug. 15

Fred Walker, 76 (Photo: Dept. of Public Safety) 

Fred Walker died Aug. 15, according to a police statement. Walker lived on Runyon Street.

Anyone you can provide information about Walker's next-of-kin was asked to contact Newark police division Detective Richard Warren II at 973-733-4418 or warrenr@ci.newark.nj.us.

Police did not immediately release further details about Walker's death.

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