Restaurants in historic train stations, racetracks, and golf courses, along with waterfront restaurants, and craft beer houses top our list this month.

Welcome to NJ.com's monthly feature, "Where to eat now in N.J.," highlighting the most exciting restaurants of the moment, including places new to the scene and ones that have been here a while but are still firing on all burners. If you'd like to recommend a restaurant to be considered for a spot on a future "Where to eat now in N.J." list, let us know in the comments section below, or e-mail: bodkinwrites@gmail.com.

DINKY BAR & KITCHEN: The Dinky Bar & Kitchen adds a new wrinkle to the already eclectic Princeton culinary scene. The restaurant is located at the original 1918 stone station house of Princeton's "Dinky Line" (which took passengers from Princeton to Princeton Junction). Dinky Bar prides itself on being a "welcoming and simple bar" whose menu is based around snacks and small plates created with locally sourced ingredients. Diners can choose to snack on charcuterie ($9-$21), or cheese plates ($7-$19), or they can dive into the unique menu. How unique? There's not that many places were you can find warm bar nuts ($4), fried sage leaves ($11), and salt and vinegar fingerling chips ($5) sharing menu space with organic turkey and zucchini meatballs ($11), sesame wings ($12), or a hot pot of steamed mussels ($13). 94 University Place, Princeton. 609-681-2977.

SEABRA'S MARISQUEIRA: If you're going to do Portuguese food right, Seabra's Marisqueira should at the top of your list. Since 1989, Seabra's has been a cornerstone in the Newark dining scene. The restaurant is known for its seafood, so if you are fan of Neptune's bounty, then you may find a little slice of heaven in the Ironbound. Signature dishes include acorda de marisco ($20.95), a traditional "dry soup" consisting of shrimp, clams, mussels, a poached egg, and cubed Portuguese bread topped with garlic, oil, and coriander sauce; and carne de porco a Alentejana ($16.95), which is cubed pork and clams braised in garlic, white wine, and coriander sauce. The restaurant serves up monkfish, lobster tails, paella, prawns, Alaskan king crab legs, and jumbo shrimp for those who are pescetarian-ly inclined. If seafood is not your thing, there's always costela de vaca na grelha (beef short ribs, $16.95), escalopes de vitela fritos ao Madeira (fried veal cutlets, $21.95), and bife a Portuguesa (steak topped with ham and an egg, $20.95). 87 Madison Street, Newark. 973-465-1250.

Klein's on Main is the latest venture for the iconic seafood restaurant located in Belmar.Bill Bodkin | For NJ Advance Media 

KLEIN'S ON MAIN: The name "Klein's" has been a staple in the Jersey Shore seafood scene since Ollie Klein Sr. sold fish from the back of his truck in 1924. This summer the owners of Klein's opened up a new location, Klein's on Main in Belmar. This family-friendly restaurant (which is mere steps from the original Klein's) serves breakfast, lunch, and dinner. If you're looking for a delectable way to kick off your morning, the breakfast here is no joke. The 5th Avenue Delight ($7.50) is a Kleins-influenced play on the traditional eggs Benedict, as it replaces the ham with a piece of beautifully smoked salmon. The dill hollandaise sauce complements the richness of the egg and smokiness of the fish perfectly. If you're looking for a filling breakfast, then go for the breakfast burrito ($4.75), filled with eggs, meat, and pico de gallo. For lunch and dinner you can either opt for a laid-back meal of burgers ($10), lobster rolls ($16), hot dogs ($5), or a classic Jersey Shore seafood dinner, a 1-pound lobster ($18), 1-pound snow crab clusters ($16), or lobster mac & cheese ($13). 501 Main Street, Belmar. 732-556-6571.

Chef/owner C.J. Reycraft Jr. is bringing upscale hamburgers to Westfield with his latest venture, Butcher Block Burgers.Courtesy of Butcher Burgers 

BUTCHER BLOCK BURGERS: You can find a burger on the menu at nearly every chain restaurant, fast food joint, or American restaurant in the state. But it takes special love and care to create a burger that stands out from the rest. Chef C.J. Reycraft Jr., who some may remember from his French restaurant Amuse, returns to Westfield with his latest venture, Butcher Block Burgers. The menu is teeming with burger innovation -- the duck burger ($21) has a 6-ounce duck patty, spiced mango compote, and butter lettuce, and the Mangalitsa pork burger ($17) has smoked gouda, red onions, and habanero mayo on a pretzel bun. You can build your own burger too, choosing from wide variety of meats, cheeses, breads, and toppings.  If you're not feeling a burger, you can order up a duck and foie gras sausage ($18), fish tacos ($12), or grilled cheese ($8). 39 Elm Street, Westfield. 908-317-2640.

MIDLAND BREW HOUSE: The sprawling upscale sports lounge celebrates its first year anniversary this month. If you love sports and a good libation, MBH has more than 60 TVs, more than 48 beers on tap (including New Belgium, Carton and Kane to name a few), and an extensive whiskey list. On the food side of things, don't assume because this a beer-centric venue that all the restaurant's creative juices are focused on which little-known craft beer to put on tap. The menu here is bursting with creativity (and mouth-watering options). Start at the top of the menu and you'll find appetizers like Brew House Bacon (thick applewood-smoked bacon with three sauces, $11), Thai peanut lamb ribs ($14), and ahi tuna and Scottish salmon Napoleon ($14). You've also got mini tacos, artisanal pizzas ($10-$19), crab cakes ($23), and the 40-ounce Midland Tomahawk Steak ($55), which serves two people. 374 North Midland Ave, Saddle Brook. 201-797-0070. 

RED HOT & BLUE: The Memphis-style barbecue chain (which has locations in Maryland, Virginia, North Carolina, Texas, and Missouri) has planted its first set of roots in New Jersey. Located at The Holiday Inn on Route 70 in Cherry Hill, Red Hot & Blue's mission is to serve up soul-stirring barbecue, ice cold libations, and red hot live blues music. Red Hot & Blue serves up St. Louis-style ribs ($14.99-$22.99) which are hickory-smoked and slow cooked for hours. You can order them up dry (Memphis-style), wet (slathered in Mojo Mild sauce), or sweet (covered in its Sufferin' Sweet sauce). If ribs aren't your thing but you love that barbecue flavor, you can also get pulled chicken, pulled pork, brisket, or sausage. And if you just aren't into barbecue, there are also burgers, sandwiches, or Southern specialties such as fried catfish ($12.99), or fried Gulf shrimp ($12.99). 2175 Route 70, Cherry Hill.  856-665-7427.

The ahi tuna at Jakeabob's Bay in Union Beach is one of the many surprises you'll find on the menu at the newly reopened restaurant and bar.Bill Bodkin | For NJ Advance Media 

JAKEABOB'S BAY: Four years ago Jakeabob's Bay, a thriving waterfront restaurant and bar in Union Beach, was devastated by Hurricane Sandy. Four years later, the restaurant has re-opened. Sadly, the brick and mortar restaurant that stood on the waterfront of Union Beach is no longer there, but in its place is a fantastic tiki bar and expansive waterfront patio. The menu at Jakeabob's has retained some of its former favorites, including ribs ($18.95), wings ($8.95-$10.95), burgers ($11.95), and bar food. But just because this is a tiki bar, don't think you can't get some serious eats here. Clams ($6.95-$13.95), sesame ahi tuna with wasabi aioli ($12.95), buckets of steamers ($22.95), and crab cakes ($27.95) are just a few of the seafood dishes that go perfectly with the sea air. If you're more of a landlubber, you cannot go wrong with the bourbon-marinated hanger steak ($25.95) or clever chicken parm lollipop appetizer ($11.95). Desserts, particularly the cheesecake in a glass and the homemade cannoli dip (both $5.95), are delightful ways to end your meal. 525 Front Street, Union Beach. 732-264-3730.

IRON PIER CRAFT HOUSE: The Iron Pier Craft House, which opened earlier this year above the popular Cabanas on Beach Avenue, is Cape May's only gastropub. The word craft in the name of the restaurant isn't just in reference to its affinity for serving craft beer. Its chefs have taken a lot of time to craft the menu to stand out from your usual pub fare. There are a number of shareable plates served here such as cheese curds and marinara ($9), Bavarian pretzels with an IPA jalapeno cheese sauce ($9), a Kobe burger flight ($18), or Cape May Pearls (sour cream, vodka, caviar, mignonette sauce, $16). Iron Pier has also has sizable entrees, such as hanger steak ($18) and colossal crab on a bed of gnocchi ($22). The restaurant has a sushi bar where chef Harry Setiyaki creates marvels using tuna, mackerel, octopus, and squid. 429 Beach Ave, Cape May. 609-884-1925.

The peaches and squash at Restaurant Latour is one of the many epicurean delights found in this highly rated restaurant. Julian Huarte | Courtesy Restaurant Latour 

RESTAURANT LATOUR: The restaurant, located at the picturesque Crystal Springs Golf Resort, was just named as one of 100 Best Wine Restaurants by Wine Enthusiast Magazine. This is no small feat, as Latour is the only restaurant from the Garden State to make this list. If you're wondering, Latour has more than 6,000 labels on hand. This is an upscale restaurant, so if you're heading there (reservations are essential), make sure you have the proper attire -- no jeans, and gentlemen should wear a jacket. Chefs Anthony Bucco and Martyna Krowicka pride themselves on highlighting some of the best New Jersey's farmers and foragers have to offer. Latour has two distinct dining options, the 5-course "anthology" menu, and the 7-course "chef's tasting" menu. The anthology menu is more of an a la carte dining option, while the chef's tasting puts your dining experience directly in the chef's hands. 3 Wild Turkey Way, Hamburg Township. 844-225-4957.

BLU GROTTO RISTORANTE: Monmouth Park is more than just a racetrack. It runs food, cultural, and beer-based events throughout the summer, and now it has opened a fabulous new Italian steakhouse, Blu Grotto. The restaurant sports an expansive dining room, three decks and an open air biergarten. Chef James Corona has prepared the classics when it comes to the soup, salad, antipasto, and entree sections of the menu, but the most tantalizing part of the menu comes from the steak section. The steaks here are just mouth-watering, even on paper. You can order up a 14-ounce bone-in filet ($46), a 28-day aged, 28-ounce tomahawk steak ($48), a 28-day dry-aged New York strip steak ($34), and the granddaddy of them all, the 40-ounce bistecca Fiorentina ($100) which serves two people. 200 Port Au Peck Avenue, Oceanport. 732-571-7900.

Bill Bodkin can be reached at bodkinwrites@gmail.com. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook.

Goodwin was awarded the patent for flexible film on Sept. 13, 1898.

NEWARK -- Rev. Hannibal Goodwin of Newark is shown in this 19th-century photo.

According to Linda Barth, writing in "A History of Inventing in New Jersey," the Episcopalian minister used glass slides to show Bible scenes to his Sunday school students -- but kept breaking them. In 1887, he started experimenting with celluloid in the attic of his rectory.

Goodwin was awarded the patent for flexible film on Sept. 13, 1898, when he was officially declared the inventor by a judge's decision after a legal tussle with George Eastman, founder of the Eastman Kodak Co., who claimed flexible film was his brainchild.

If you would like to share a photo that provides a glimpse of history in your community, please call 973-836-4922 or send an email to essex@starledger.com. And, check out more glimpses of history in our online galleries Thursdays on nj.com.

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

 

Without fail, one of the best things HS football is the throng of cheering students pulling for their classmates: The student section. They're loud. They can get wild. Sometimes, they're superorgan...

Without fail, one of the best things HS football is the throng of cheering students pulling for their classmates: The student section.

They're loud. They can get wild. Sometimes, they're super organized, with leaders, coordinated themes and a playbook of chants. The costumes can be elaborate. The rituals can be passed down for decades. Some fan sections even travel well on road games.

So we want to know - which N.J. school has the best student section? Here's how you can tell us. NJ.com is opening up nominations for the best student section. 

Nominating your school is a piece of cake. Just snap a photo of your school's student section, preferably in an excited state. Then upload your photo and answer a few questions using the form below. We'll add your photo to the gallery above and count your school as nominated - but after that, things get interesting.

Nominations will be open through Tuesday, Sept. 27. We will split the nominations into three N.J. regions - North, Central and South - and launch a poll for each region. Your voting in the regional polls will determine the schools that move on to an elimination bracket, with week-long head-to-head voting matchups to determine regional champs.  Champs from each region will compete in a three-way poll to determine THE best student section in New Jersey football. The whole thing will wrap up right around the beginning of November.

Additional notes:
• The form below will work with your cell phone - you can nominate your school at halftime!
• NJ.com staff will also make nominations with our own photography.
• Only upload photos you have shot or that you personally received permission to use. We can't use photos from other media outlets. Please don't grab and submit photos from other websites.
• Multiple nominations for a school are OK, but we may not use every photo.

So start talking and sharing - rally the troops to nominate, vote and make your student section officially the best in N.J.

The Rutgers University police officer was suspended following an internal affairs investigation sparked by citizen complaint

NEWARK -- The state appeals court has denied a Rutgers police officer a third-party review of a two-week suspension. 

The university officer, who was not named, was suspended following an internal affairs investigation sparked by citizen complaint, according to the ruling. The appeal was filed by the Fraternal Order of Police Lodge 62 on behalf of the officer in February seeking an independent review of the 80-hour suspension after the officer filed three grievances internally.  

The Appellate Division of Superior Court of New Jersey ruled Thursday that Rutgers police officers are not eligible for binding arbitration in disciplinary reviews under the New Jersey Employer-Employee Relations Act.

Tyler Clementi case has bias convictions overturned

The court's decision affirmed the Public Employment Relations Commission's interpretation of the act to only allow the dispute resolution to public state employees. 

"[Rutgers University] and its police department are not the State of New Jersey," the court's opinion said. "Rutgers has been described as a 'hybrid institution - at one and the same time private and public, with the State being granted a major voice in management, and the designation 'State University.'" 

The officer said in the appeal that the state labor agency's decision was based on an "erroneous interpretation, which 'flies in the face of the express language of the statute and the statute's legislative intent.'" 

PERC previously granted Rutgers' petition to restrict the binding arbitration and cited in its brief a 1993 state case that prevented State Police troopers from entering a third-party review of discipline.

"(Rutgers) has a managerial prerogative to impose major or minor discipline," PERC wrote in its brief. 

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

Vote in our poll and share your thoughts on the controversial Seth Boyden elementary school policy.

MAPLEWOOD -- How should schools dismiss kids at the end of the day?

That's a question swirling around at least one New Jersey town after an elementary school instituted a new policy on the first day this year that required parents and any one else picking children up at dismissal to present an ID before the child was released to them.

After what Seth Boyden elementary school Principal Damion Frye called "delays and frustration" caused by the new procedure, it was reversed after just one day in place.

Controversial policy reversed after 1 day

NJ.com readers were split on the ID policy, with some arguing that it's a valid way to increase school safety, and others saying it's not practical.

"The policy seems sensible," jbigjake said. "Everyone driving to school should have a driver's license on them."

But, user UF said it would never work out.

"Ever see an elementary school at dismissal? The lines of cars waiting," UF wrote.  

"It would take about two hours to match each child up with the proper parent and to look at every individual ID."

Vote in our poll and comment below to share your views on the idea. Should other schools across New Jersey try something similar?

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

The 27-year-old has been charged with three counts of homicide by vehicle while driving drunk. Watch video

A 27-year-old New Jersey man who was behind the wheel in a crash that killed three passengers in Bethlehem Township was charged Friday with three counts of homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence, township police said.

Terrell Barclay, of Orange, New Jersey, was on fire after he crashed a rented 2015 Chrysler 200 sedan into three parked vehicles at 1:22 a.m. May 6 in the 1800 block of Willow Park Road, police said.

Chief: Driver in crash that killed 3 was DUI

His injuries were severe and he was kept for months in a medically induced coma at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Salisbury Township, but as of about 10 days ago he was no longer there, police Inspector Anthony Stevens said.

With a warrant issued by District Judge Patricia Broscius for Barclay's arrest, Stevens said he is beginning the process of finding the wanted man.

Three people -- Amanda Martin, 26, of New Ringgold, Schuylkill County; Ashlee Mosher, 29, of Easton; and Joshua Edwards, 28, of Easton -- died in the crash. Police said they didn't know the trio were in the car until after the township fire department put out the intense flames sparked by the crash.

A Freemansburg police officer estimated the car was going 100 mph moments before the wreck.

Barclay is also charged with four counts of DUI -- general, highest rate, controlled substance drug and alcohol combination and Schedule 1, according to court records. His blood-alcohol level was 0.19 -- penalties begin for most drivers at 0.08 -- and he had the marijuana intoxicant THC in his blood, police sad. Marijuana was found on him as police helped him remove his burned clothes, police said. He is charged with possession, court papers say.

His driver's license was suspended in New Jersey and Pennsylvania -- the latter due to DUI, police said, leading to four more related charges.

A stolen gun found near the car was sold to Barclay, police said. He was charged with prohibited possession of a firearm.

Freemansburg police officer Jeff Farneski reported the car drove north past him on Freemansburg Avenue in the borough "at a significant high rate of speed and driving erratic," township police said. Farneski turned on his emergency lights and began to follow that car, police said.

When the officer reached the crest of the road near the borough baseball fields, he saw the Chrysler turn onto Willow Park Road, police said. When the officer reached the crash scene, the car and a pickup truck were burning, police said.

Township police officer Mark Demetrovic arrived soon after and found Farneski trying to aid a screaming Barclay, who was rolling on the ground and under the red Chevrolet truck, police said.

Demetrovic tried to get close enough to the Chrysler to check if anyone was inside but it was engulfed in flames and he couldn't see inside, police said.

The officers tried to help Barclay get his burned clothes off, but he was "uncooperative and combative and kept attempting to get up and leave the area," police said. A plastic bag containing marijuana was found on Barclay at that time, police said.

A .40-caliber Taurus Millennium, model PT140, was found near where Barclay left the car, police said. Based on the serial number, the gun was eventually traced to an April 20 theft in Plainfield Township, police said. Jacob Csilinko, who was charged with stealing the weapon, reported he sold the gun to Barclay -- aka "Russ" -- for $100 in Room 273 at the Scottish Inn in Hanover Township, Lehigh County, police said. The people in the car were later traced to the hotel, where drugs and cellphones were seized, police said.

Once the flames were out, Northampton County Coroner Zachary Lysek declared the three victims dead as a result of the crash, police said.

Stevens said Barclay was at a Good Shepherd rehabilitation hospital when "good information" indicates the suspect signed himself out.

While it's been four months since the wreck, township police were working with several agencies in the investigation -- including state police (who did an accident reconstruction), the coroner's office and medical facilities, Stevens said. The final bits of information were not available until the past few days, Stevens said.

Asked if some charges could have been filed earlier -- it was announced in late June that Barclay was drunk at the time of the crash -- Stevens said, "We were waiting for the investigation to be complete."

Barclay was out of the hospital by that point, Stevens said. Since Barclay wasn't charged with a crime, the hospital did nothing wrong in allowing him to leave, Stevens said.

"There was no obligation," Stevens said. "We had no charges. The investigation wasn't complete."

If anyone knows where Barclay is, they're asked to call Inspector Stevens at 610-814-6473.

Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.

The group will travel from East Orange through Newark, Irvington, Hillside, Elizabeth, Linden, Roselle, Garwood, Cranford, Westfield, Fanwood, Scotch Plains, and end in Plainfield. Watch video

PLAINFIELD -- To take back their streets, anti-violence marchers will literally take to the streets on Saturday in a 15-mile, 13-city trek from East Orange all the way to Plainfield.

The walk has become an annual event organized by Salaam Ismial, director of the Elizabeth-based National United Youth Council.

This year's walk will begin at noon in front of East Orange city hall. Some will walk, while others will ride bikes, motorcycles, or drive their cars, carrying signs and chanting along the way, Ismial said.

The group will travel from East Orange through Newark, Irvington, Hillside, Elizabeth, Linden, Roselle, Garwood, Cranford, Westfield, Fanwood, Scotch Plains, and end in Plainfield for a 6 p.m. prayer rally.

This week the Plainfield Anti-Violence Coalition and Ismial held a rally decrying gun violence and announcing the march at the site of Plainfield's eighth homicide of 2016. Marcus Corey Ellis, 25, was killed on Aug. 31 in a shooting on the 700 block of Hillside Avenue.

"Gun violence continue to plague cities like Newark which is on track of a far worse murder rate than last year," Ismial said. "East Orange is seeing a uptick in killings this year. Community leaders, clergy, politicians and the media have a responsibility to not let this crisis be ignored."

Jessica Remo may be reached at jremo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessicaRemoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The city's fire division has four new deputy chiefs, three battalion chiefs, and five captains.

NEWARK -- A dozen firefighters were lauded by city officials celebrated promotions Friday.

"These newly-promoted firefighters excelled in their duties, studied hard for their tests, and are now earning the ranks they deserved," Mayor Ras Baraka said in a statement about the four deputy chiefs, three battalion chiefs, and five captains who were sworn in.

PD promotes largest group in decade

These ranks make them our fire division's leaders, role models, and mentors. I call upon each of them to lead by example, not just for the fire division, but for our entire city, to inspire our residents, youth, and entire nation."

The ceremony comes about three months after 34 new firefighters were sworn into the department, and nine months after a reconfiguring of the fire and police bureaus combined them into one public safety department.

"The City of Newark's Fire Division is one of the greatest in the nation, and it's important that we continue building upon that success," said Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose.

"The addition of these new supervisors will strengthen the division's leadership and is a testament to the invaluable service provided by our firefighters in keeping our city safe."

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

About 2 percent of New Jersey school children got religious exemptions from vaccines.

TRENTON -- The number of New Jersey school children who skipped vaccines for religious reasons topped 9,500 in the 2015-16 school year, according to the state health department. 

That number has been steadily climbing but represents just 2 percent of New Jersey's the 506,000 preschool, kindergarten, first and sixth graders in the state, according to state data. It's nearly 600 percent higher than the 1,641 whose parents requested a religious exemption a decade ago. 

Medical exemptions have steadily declined, with 1,303 requested in the 2014-15 school year compared to 1,592 the previous year.

Under New Jersey's religious exemption policy, parents and guardians can submit a signed statement indicating "immunization interferes with the free exercise of the pupil's religious rights." No other documentation is required. 

The American Academy of Pediatrics recently issued a statement saying that as a last resort, it's OK for doctors to stop seeing patients who refuse their shots. The Academy also urged states to repeal laws that have allowed parents to use religion as an excuse for not getting their children inoculated, saying this poses a health risk. 

Why some docs may not treat those who refuse shots

An attempt to make it tougher for New Jersey families to get the religious exemption by requiring they explain how vaccines "would violate, contradict, or otherwise be inconsistent" with their religion failed in the last legislative session. It was opposed by the New Jersey Coalition for Vaccination Choice, which said lawmakers should not judge a parent's religious beliefs.

Among New Jersey counties, Hunterdon had the highest percentage of religious exemption requests (4.8 percent), while Hudson had the lowest (0.9 percent). 

Here is a county-by-county breakdown of how many school children have been granted exemptions from vaccines: 

Atlantic: 264, representing 1.8 percent of all students 

Bergen: 1,367, 2.5 percent

Burlington: 397, 1.6 percent

Camden: 343, 1.2 percent

Cape May: 115, 2.8 percent

Cumberland: 145, 1.5 percent

Essex: 770, 1.5 percent

Gloucester: 244, 1.6 percent

Hudson: 349, 0.9 percent

Hunterdon: 294, 4.8 percent

Mercer: 247, 1.1 percent

Middlesex: 545, 1.2 percent

Monmouth: 1,189, 3.5 percent

Morris: 783, 2.7 percent

Ocean: 715, 2.5 percent

Passaic: 520, 1.7 percent

Salem: 42, 1.3 percent

Somerset: 410, 2.2 percent

Sussex: 226, 3.4 percent

Union: 402, 1.2 percent

Warren: 139, 3.0 percent

State total: 9,506, 1.9 percent

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

The new art storage and transport company will keep the 1 Star-Ledger Plaza address in Newark.

NEWARK --  The vast expanse of well-worn carpeting has been replaced by a shiny, white epoxy finish, and the drop-ceiling has been removed to create more space overhead, exposing the steel support girders, now freshly painted.

Those and many other changes to the building that once housed The Star Ledger newsroom and business offices give the big, wide open areas the eager, if still-unfinished look of a new box store waiting to be stocked.

And stocked it will be, but not with the toys, clothes or patio furniture of a Walmart or Target. Rather, the space is being remade into an energy efficient, climate-controlled and hushed warehouse for works of art.

Manhattan-based Crozier Fine Arts, which stores, maintains and transports paintings and sculpture around the world, bought the building in June 2015 for $7.5 million from Maddd Equities of Floral Park, N.Y., the real estate firm that had purchased it from The Star-Ledger's owner, Advance Publications, a year earlier for an undisclosed sum. 

The 177,000-square-foot grey brick building at the corner of Washington and Court streets, was the newspaper's headquarters and main location from 1966 to 2014.

(The Star-Ledger remains New Jersey's largest-circulation newspaper. The Star-Ledger still maintains a presence in downtown Newark, at the Gateway Plaza complex near Penn Station. The newspaper's publisher, other executives and some editorial employees work in that location.)

Crozier is now spending another $10 million to $12 million to knock out old walls and erect new ones, revamp the air circulation system and surfaces, and otherwise remake the building to suit its needs. It will be Crozier's third facility in New Jersey, after two other Newark locations, on Johnson Avenue and Irvine Turner Boulevard.

"We want to make it as secure and air-tight a facility as possible," said James Pantoleon, Crozier's director of facility maintenance and engineering. "We have custom climate control systems we install in the spaces. We maintain 70 degrees and 50 percent relative humidity. And we do it with very little real energy."

People and portraits are not the same, and it's more demanding to accommodate a large workforce than a large collection.

"The building was constructed to house 1,200 people and keep them comfortable. Art storage is a different concept in itself," Pantoleon added. "We don't bring in a lot of outside air. Whereas for people you need a lot of oxygen, we don't want a lot of oxygen in our air." (Oxygen degrades a variety of materials, and is unwelcome in many storage environments.)

Crozier said about 50 people will work in the facility once it's fully operational later this fall. And it's that modest human traffic and occupancy that will allow the building to remain at a constant temperature and humidity with little effort by the heating and air conditioning system, Pantoleon explained, because there will be relatively little walking -- or breathing -- in and out.

Mayor Ras Baraka welcomed Crozier's reuse of the building, noting it will provide employment including entry-level jobs, as well as tax revenues.

"It's great," Baraka said. "It actually speaks to whats going on in the city of Newark in bringing in terms of warehousing and manufacturing."   

Crozier's clients include artists, galleries, museums, private collectors and others who need their valuable works stored in a secure place, under precise atmospheric conditions, and handled with the utmost care.

Newark was an ideal location for the company, located just 5 miles west of Manhattan, the world's main intersection of art and commerce, and with easy access to several major highways and Newark Liberty International Airport.

"It takes me 22 minutes from Chelsea to get here," on the PATH train, Pantoleon said, referring to the Manhattan neighborhood where Crozier's headquarters are located.

The Newark building's size, its large, open spaces, high ceilings and its availability for immediate occupancy, made the old Star-Ledger building attractive to the company.  
In addition to its larger storage areas, the facility will include smaller spaces that can be leased and controlled by individual galleries or artists, doubling as viewing areas to show pieces to potential buyers.

A bar-code system will track every work that enters the building, allowing it to be retrieved in a matter or minutes.

Crozier declined to identify any recognizable artists or institutions among its clients, citing confidentiality agreements. Company officials said they could not provide even a range of dollar values for individual pieces they store, because their clients don't tell them. 

Like Observer Highway in Hoboken or Journal Square in Jersey City, the newspaper's name will outlast its physical presence on the spot. The address of the building, at the intersection of Court and Washington streets, a few blocks from City Hall and the Martin Luther King Jr. Federal Courthouse, will continue to be 1 Star-Ledger Plaza, said Simon Hornby, Crozier's president and CEO.

"Star-Ledger Plaza holds a special place in the heart of Newark, and we want to maintain that," said Hornby, the Louisiana-born son of Britains whose dual citizenship and posh accent reflect the international art world he trades in.
 
Hornby said Crozier makes a point of hiring locally. Apart from corporate public relations, he said, it's simply good business to have your workforce handy. 

Many employees are artists themselves. Andrew Deock, a Newark native who is director of storage operations in New Jersey, is a painter. Shoshanna Weinberger, Crozier's director of administrative operations, is a multi-media artists with pieces in the permanent collection of the Newark Museum. 

"There's an affinity for the product their dealing with," Hornby said.
   
Angel Rodriguez and Ralph Austin are both local hires, Newark natives who still live in the city. The two were installing electrical lines in the old newsroom, a space Crozier people have dubbed, "the loft," because it will be filled with stacks of oil paintings, lithographs, silk screens and other works. 

"It's exciting," Austin, 32, a Star-Ledger reader, told a reporter. "It's a big transformation, going from being used for news to a big art site. It's interesting. And fun for me. I enjoy it."

"It's pretty interesting, the history here," added Rodriquez, 31, who also reads the Ledger. "We found some old papers from you guys."

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

The third phase of the Walter G. Alexander affordable housing development replaces dilapidated structures that were occupied by drug dealers and squatters, housing authority officials say.

ORANGE -- In the midst of a federal probe into grant money spending by at least one city entity, another is celebrating the fruits of $3.5 million in federal Sandy funding.

State and local officials gathered this week at the ribbon cutting of the Walter G. Alexander, Phase III development of 42 affordable housing units on Parrow Street in Orange.

The Orange Housing Authority financed the new development - the third in a series of affordable units it is building throughout the city - using a $7.4 million tax credit from the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency, and $3.5 million from the Community Development Block Grant Sandy Disaster Recovery funds.

FBI probe: What we know, what we don't

"The need for affordable housing is absolutely incredible," Walter D. McNeil, the OHA's executive director, said in a phone interview about the grand opening. For spots in the development's 42 units, the authority received about 1,400 applications, he said.

The opening of the third Walter G. Alexander complex comes as city officials and others are being investigated by the federal government in connection with the alleged misuse of funds at the public library and in the city's purchase of a YWCA building. That probe has focused on the use of federal grant money.

But, McNeil says that the OHA, which operates independently, has not been served with warrants in connection to any investigations.

"We haven't been impacted at all by that," he said of the federal investigation, and the OHA's use of federal Sandy money to build new complexes.

Officials at the ribbon cutting commended the authority for using the money to improve the neighborhood. In addition to building on previously vacant land, the new development replaces about seven homes that McNeil said were in disrepair, and being used by drug dealers, prostitution operations, and squatters. Kids attending the Oakwood Avenue Elementary School next door, he said, previously had to walk through the blighted area to get to class.

"I am glad to see some of my efforts in the fights that we had in Washington - and they were difficult around Sandy dollars - have come to fruition and come into fruition in my district," said U.S. Rep. Donald Payne (D-10th Dist.).

A rending of the Walter G. Alexander developments. (Courtesy OHA)
 

"It warms my heart to know that the fight was not in vain and this is the result of some of those dollars."

The design of the new Walter G. Alexander  project - made up of 54,300 square feet of living space in a three-story building on Parrow Street, four-story building on Wilson Place, and 4,500 square foot community room - is designed specifically to deter criminal activity, McNeil said.

There are limited communal spaces, dozens of security cameras throughout the complex, and it is marketed as "affordable workforce housing," for working families, he said.

The OHA's developments throughout the city's East Ward are meant to replace the Walter G. Alexander Village originally built in 1952, which had fallen into disrepair, housed criminal activities, and has since been demolished, officials said.

The authority, McNeil said, is now focusing on building a fourth phase of the new development, a 44-unit structure between South and Hickory Streets.

"This area is completely cleaned up," McNeil said. "It's making the community safe...and improving the quality of life."

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

The 31-year-old fencer has used her international platform to advocate for Muslim women in athletics.

MAPLEWOOD -- The line for autographs wrapped around the room, through the building, out the door and across the street.

Olympic fencer Ibtihaj Muhammad greeted fans inside the Burgdorff Center for the Performing Arts on Saturday after a parade and a ceremony at the township library as the community welcomed her back to her hometown of Maplewood.

Muhammad, who won a bronze medal in the team sabre event last month, has used her popularity in Rio to insist that in a time of divisive political rhetoric, a Muslim woman in a hijab can represent the United States as well as anyone else. 

The 31-year-old athlete repeated that message outside Maplewood Library's main branch Saturday in front of hundreds of cheering fans. Throughout her whole life in Maplewood, Muhammad said, she has always felt welcome.

"Even in those moments when I'm on the road and I'm fencing and I was told that I didn't belong or that I shouldn't fence because I was a girl or because I was black or because I was Muslim, I want everyone here to know that I've never felt that here at home," she said. 

Muhammad's Olympic story was a universal one

Wearing a U.S. Olympics team T-shirt and her bronze medal around her neck, Muhammad told the crowd she hoped to serve as an example to people who feel limited by some aspect of who they are. 

"For all the children out there who've ever been told that they don't belong, that there are things that they can't do, know that I'm a testament to hard work and faith and knowing that God has a plan for you," she said. "You can do whatever you want if you're willing to work hard for it." 

Several of Muhammad's relatives stood among the crowd outside the performing arts center as the fencer greeted people. Her aunt, Judy Bey, said Muhammad has been overwhelmed by support since she returned from Rio. 

Among her biggest fans is her nine-year-old cousin Amwar Bey, who showed off a poster and postcard signed by Muhammad. He said he had watched her and her teammates on TV throughout the Olympics.

His favorite moment? 

"Her winning," he said. 

Eight-year-old Maya Ezell wore fencing pants to the parade and autograph signing. She went to the same elementary school as Muhammad and now fences at the New Jersey Fencing Alliance, where Muhammad trained. 

She was excited when she first joined the gym and learned they were training a soon-to-be Olympic athlete. Now, Muhammad serves as an example for her.

"I'm really happy for her and inspired by her," Maya said. 

In the eyes of Charles Ezell, Maya's dad and an assistant principal at Columbia High School, the school's now-famous alumna is an ideal national ambassador. 

"She is America's promise realized in one person," he said of Muhammad. "She's everything that we could all be." 

Marisa Iati may be reached at miati@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @Marisa_Iati. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The 27-year-old had been hospitalized prior to being released and charged in the Bethlehem Township crash.

Police in Pennsylvania's Northampton County have spoken with the New Jersey man believed to have been driving the car involved in a May crash that killed all three passengers in the vehicle.

Terrell Barclay, 27, of Orange, and his legal counsel are arranging for his surrender to Bethlehem Township police, said Cpl. Shaun Powell with the department.

Bethlehem Township police Investigator Tony Stevens has been in touch with Barclay via telephone, Powell said.

"Right now he's in New Jersey, as far as we know," Powell said Saturday afternoon. "So far all the arrangements are still in the process basically."

Barclay could turn himself in to police as early as next week, according to police.

Cops looking for alleged driver in crash that killed 3

Barclay was the lone survivor when he allegedly crashed a rented 2015 Chrysler 200 into three parked vehicles at 1:22 a.m. May 6 in the 1800 block of Willow Park Road in the township. He emerged from the sedan on fire, and was so severely injured that he remained in a medically induced coma for months at Lehigh Valley Hospital, Salisbury Township.

Killer in the crash were Amanda Martin, 26, of New Ringgold, Schuylkill County; Ashlee Mosher, 29, of Easton; and Joshua Edwards, 28, of Easton.

Barclay left the hospital prior to charges being filed Friday. He faces 16 charges, including three counts of homicide by vehicle while driving under the influence.

Blood testing put Barclay's blood-alcohol content 90 minutes after the crash at 0.19, according to court records. Penalties begin for most drivers at a BAC of 0.08. He allegedly also had THC, the intoxicant in marijuana, in his system. Responders trying to help him remove his burnt clothing found on him a bag of marijuana, police said.

Stevens in court records sad Barclay at the scene was "being extremely uncooperative and kept attempting to get up and leave the area."

Barclay was driving while his New Jersey and Pennsylvania licenses were both suspended, police said. A .40-caliber Taurus Millennium handgun found in the road where Barclay had exited the burning car was found to have been stolen from Plainfield Township, according to police; Barclay had bought it for $100 in Room 273 of the Scottish Inn in Hanover Township, Lehigh County.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.

Train service suspended late Saturday

MAPLEWOOD -- A woman was struck and killed by a train on the Morris and Essex line near the Maplewood station late Saturday, an NJ Transit spokeswoman said.

Train No. 6940 was heading to Penn Station in New York when it hit the woman around 10 p.m., transit agency spokeswoman Lisa Torbic said. None of the train's 175 passengers and crew were injured.

The Morris and Essex line was suspended in both ways between Maplewood and East Orange shortly before 10:45 p.m. Saturday, according to NJ Transit.

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

At least 703 New Jerseyans died on Sept. 11, 2001. Here, for the first time, are all of their photos

Fifteen years ago, nearly 3,000 Americans lost their lives in the worst terrorist attack in our nation's history. More than 700 of those victims were from New Jersey. Most perished at the World Trade Center. Others were on hijacked planes. At least two worked at the Pentagon.

Their memories live on.

With today's anniversary, NJ Advance Media presents a tribute in photos to 703 victims known to have lived in or grown up in the Garden State.

Viewers can navigate through the entire gallery or jump to names using the alphabetical links below.*

For desktop users who would prefer to read the captions beside the photos, the gallery can be viewed here.

Acquaviva to Apollo* [?] Arczynski to Basmajian [?]  Bauer to Betterly

Bharvaney to Brady [?] Brandemarti to Callahan [?]  Calvi to Charette

Cherry to Colbert [?] Coleman to Cramer [?]  Crant to D'Ambrosi

Darling to D'Esposito [?] Devitt to Dudek [?]  Duger to Etzold

Evans to Ferrugio [?] Fersini to Fraser [?]  Frederick to Gilbey

Giordano to Grazioso [?] Green to Hargrave [?]  Harris to Horning

Houston to Jensen [?] Jerath to Keane [?]  Keene to Koo

Kopiczko to Lassman [?] Laszczynski to Lilore [?]  Lin to Maddison

Magnuson to Mattson [?] May to McHeffey [?]  McLaughlin to Mirpuri

Molisani to Murphy [?] Murphy to Niedermeyer [?]  Nimbley to Parandkar

Parker to Pham [?] Picarro to Pullis [?]  Pykon to Rescorla

Reynolds to Rodriguez [?] Rodriguez to Rowe [?]  Ruben to Schlag

Schlissel to Silverstein [?] Simmons to Stahlman [?]  Starita to Takahashi

Talhami to Tobin [?] Todisco to Vanacore [?]  Vandevander to Walsh

Warner to Woodwell [?]  Wortley to Zisa

* Joao A.D. Aguiar, 30, of Red Bank, and Jean A. Andrucki, 43, of Hoboken, were unintentionally omitted from the first photo collage and can be found on the final collage. 

Mark Mueller may be reached at mmueller@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MarkJMueller. Find NJ.com on Facebook. 

Join the NJ.com football writers for their first chat of the season, Sunday, 7:30-8:30 p.m.

WOODBRIDGE -- The first full week of high school football is in the books and there's plenty to talk about.

The NJ.com football writers -- Jermey Schneider, Pat Lanni, Bill Evans, Braulio Perez and Joe Zedalis will host their first Sunday night chat, 7:30-8:30 p.m. right here. Come prepared with questions, comments, thoughts.

MORE: Results and links for Sat., Sept. 10

The newest NJ.com Top 20 will be released at 6 p.m. Could there be another new No. 1?

What about the upsets, the big performances, Player of the Year candidates, the Week 2 games? It is all on the table and open for discussion.

Just enter your opinions or questions in the comments box below and be part of the conversation.

The NJ.com football writers will be here at 7:30 p.m. We hope you will be, too.

Joe Zedalis may be reached at jzedalis@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @josephzedalis. Like NJ.com HS sports on Facebook.

He is in stable condition.

NEWARK -- A man was shot Sunday morning on Garside Street, police said.

Police in the area heard a gunshot at about 6:26 a.m., Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said.

They found a man with a gunshot wound, Ambrose said. The man is in stable condition and his injuries are not life-threatening.

Detectives are investigating. They have not identified a motive or suspect.

Myles Ma may be reached at mma@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MylesMaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

She was 45.

MAPLEWOOD -- NJ Transit identified the woman killed by a train Saturday night near the Maplewood station.

Kara Beloreshka, of Springfield, was 45.

A New York-bound train struck Beloreshka at about 10 p.m., Lisa Torbic, a spokeswoman for NJ Transit, said. No one on the train was hurt.

The Morris and Essex line was suspended for about two hours. Beloreshka's death is under investigation, Torbic said.

Myles Ma may be reached at mma@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MylesMaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

A ceremony was held at Eagle Rock Reservation, where people gathered on Sept. 11, 2001, to watch the New York skyline.

WEST ORANGE -- A father, a sister, a widow and a survivor. 

They were among a crowd that gathered Sunday morning for a remembrance ceremony at Eagle Rock Reservation, where thousands of people converged 15 years ago today to watch the New York City skyline from a distance.

Each of them lost something precious on Sept. 11, 2001, when airplanes crashed into two of the country's most iconic buildings, smoke enveloped a city and people clutched their phones, praying to hear a loved one's voice on the other end.

A monument, centered on a bronze bald eagle and a book with the names of 57 Essex County residents lost that day, now marks where people stood to look out at the unfolding terror.

Elisa Charters, who escaped from her office on the 20th floor of the World Trade Center, lost 84 colleagues in the attacks.

On Sunday, she recounted what she now considers miracles from that day: being able to connect with her husband by phone as she was considering whether to leap into the Hudson River, one leg already over the railing; encountering two cousins on a Jersey City pier; being able to see and hug her parents hours later. 

She remembered meeting three people visiting from Los Angeles on business. To this day, she doesn't know their names.

"But there we stood, tightly embracing each other, hugging each other, clinging for dear life, for survival, as tower one collapsed just three or four blocks away," Charters said. "Although we were strangers, we were together." 

Helman Correa said he remembers watching his son, Danny, walk out of their house for work 15 years ago. He hasn't seen him since.

The saying that "time heals all wounds" doesn't apply to their family, Correa said. For them, time has simply numbed the pain. 

Maria DeRosa, whose sister Antoinette Duger did not escape the North Tower, told the crowd her relatives have supported Duger's then eight-year-old daughter as well as they could. But, DeRosa said, it has never been enough. 

And to Susan Rossinow, who lost her husband that day, simply surviving the past 15 years has been a fight. She comes to the memorial at Eagle Rock to visit her husband, Norman Rossinow. He has no grave. 

U.S. Attorney for New Jersey Paul Fishman said since 2001, the country has seen several other acts of hatred, born of the same impulse: attacks in Orlando, Fla.; San Bernardino, Calif.; and Paris. 

But, he said: "We are now cowed. We are not deterred. We are not stopped by their actions." 

Law enforcement and government employees are committed to doing everything that the law and the Constitution allow to protect the nation, Fishman said. At the same time, he said, the U.S. Department of Justice is dedicated to protecting all people and not casting blame where it is undue. 

Bells tolled at 8:46 a.m. to mark the time the first jet hit the North Tower. They rang again 17 minutes later in remembrance of the second strike. 

Marisa Iati may be reached at miati@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @Marisa_Iati. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Newark Police say a sergeant on patrol heard shots, then tried to pull the suspects over after seeing their vehicle speeding, only to have a gun pointed at him by the passenger

The Newark Police Department is looking for two men charged with pointing a gun at a police sergeant who tried to pull them over.Newark Police Department

NEWARK -- Investigators are trying to track down a pair of Newark men they say aimed a gun at a police sergeant during a pursuit after refusing to pull over early Sunday morning.

A warrant has been issued for Alexander Marfisi, 26, and Adam Aquino, 27, on charges of aggravated assault against a police officer and weapons possession, the Newark Police Department announced.

Police are asking for the public's help in locating the suspects, asking anyone with information to call a 24-hour Crime Stopper tip line at 1-877-NWK-TIPS (1-877-695-8477) or 1-877-NWK-GUNS (1-877-695-4867). All information tips are confidential, and could result in a reward, police say.

It was about 2:15 a.m., when a Newark Police sergeant who had been canvassing the area heard gunshots and then saw a black, 4-door Honda Civic speeding on Grafton Avenue, police said. The sergeant tried to pull the Honda over, but the occupants refused, police said.
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The passenger then pointed a gun at the sergeant, and the Honda got away in the area of Ridge Street and Ballantine Parkway. The sergeant did not fire his weapon, police said.

"The sergeant showed great restraint when faced with an imminent threat to his life," Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said in a statement.

Police said the Honda was later found abandoned at Ridge Street and Elwood Avenue, and the handgun was also recovered.