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The NJ.com Top 20 for Sept. 18: Finally some consistency

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After weeks of volatility, the NJ.com Top 20 started to settle down in Week 2.


Special education consultant gets 10 years for sexually assaulting kids, fraud

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Troy Leonard, 31, of Franklin Lakes, pleaded guilty to sexual assault and health care claims fraud in May

NEWTON -- A special education consultant who pleaded guilty in May to touching the genitals of eight children and submitting fraudulent insurance claims, was sentenced Friday to 10 years in prison, New Jersey Herald reported.

Troy Leonard, 31, of Franklin Lakes, pleaded guilty on May 10 to eight counts of second-degree sexual assault and one count of second-degree health care claims fraud, the Sussex County Prosecutor's Office previously said. Leonard, in his plea, admitted to having sexual contact against eight children under the age of 13 while he served as their behavioral therapist. Leonard also admitted to billing insurance companies for treatment he didn't provide.

Leonard, in a statement read by his attorney at his sentencing, said he was "a monster who took advantage (of these children) in their time of need," according to the New Jersey Herald. The abuse occurred multiple times between 2011 and 2015 in Wantage, West Milford, Ringwood, Lafayette and Verona.

Leonard advertised himself online as a life coach, a family counselor and an Applied Behavior Analysis therapist, but records with the Behavior Analyst Certification Board show he was not a credentialed behavior analyst. His license as a marriage and family therapy counselor is currently suspended, according to records with the Division of Consumer Affairs.

Leonard received a five-year term for the multiple counts of sexual assault, and a five-year consecutive sentence for the health care fraud charge as of part of the plea. Assistant Prosecutor Seana Pappas told New Jersey Herald that Leonard faced a maximum term of 110 years in prison but he was offered significantly less time for reasons such as his cooperation with the investigation and for the sake of the victims.

"While the agreed upon sentence is less then what the defendant would be exposed to if he were found guilty of all counts after a trial, it is an appropriate recommended sentence upon admission of guilt so early in the judicial process," Pappas previously told NJ Advance Media.

Pappas has said Leonard was not accused of nor did he admit to penetrating the victims and that the prosecutor's office took into account "many factors" in its plea offer, "particularly the fact that the child victims will now not have to testify in any pre-trial hearings or a trial itself."

"This coupled with the defendant's admission of the acts he committed upon the minors and closure of the matter will help the children to heal," she has said.

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

Want a shorter commute? These 10 homes for sale are all near NJ Transit stations

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If you travel into the city daily, a home conveniently located to a train station could be the ultimate investment.

Buying a home in the New Jersey suburbs can come with perks like more space and better schools

But for those who still have to cross the Hudson River to get to work, setting up your life in a residence away from the city means a daily trek to and from the office that can easily stretch to an hour or more. One way to cut down on traveling time is to find a place close to public transportation, making the trip to the train station less of a hassle in the morning.

This NJ Transit train line is the worst at getting you to work on time

Want to walk out your front door and arrive at the train station in about six minutes? Consider purchasing a four-bedroom home on Highland Place in Maplewood with an asking price of $850,000.

Budget a bit tighter? A Victorian home on the market in Rahway puts you within a similar distance to a rail stop for less than half the price

Check out those properties and eight others for sale that may be a perfect fit for people who want a life in the suburbs but the ability to walk to the train from their home in the gallery above.

The estimated commute times represent the best-case scenario for traveling from each property to Penn Station in New York City by train on a weekday morning. Obviously, the best-case scenario is not always what plays out for commuters every morning.   

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

 

Boys soccer videos: NJ.com Top 10 plays from week 1

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A look at the top plays from opening week of soccer season.

A ridiculous catch and more: How N.J. alums fared in college football, Week 3

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A look at 25 big N.J. performances in college football this weekend.

PATH service resumes at 23rd Street station after explosion, Port Authority says

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PATH trains are continuing to bypass the 23rd Street station while authorities continue to investigate Saturday's explosion that injured more than two dozen people.

PATH service has resumed at the 23rd Street station in Manhattan for the first time since Saturday's explosion that injured more than two dozen people. 

The Port Authority said in a 10:55 a.m. PATHAlert that service to 23rd Street has resumed in both directions. 

Residents in New Jersey and New York are on high alert Monday morning after bombs and explosives were found in Seaside Park, Manhattan and Elizabeth this weekend. 

Police are searching for 28-year-old Ahmad Khan in connection to at least the Seaside Park and New York City bombings. 

Shuttle bus service along Sixth Avenue was suspended over the weekend while officials continued to investigate the Manhattan explosion. 

Authorities investigated a suspicious vehicle parked in a residential neighborhood of Secuacus this morning after police reported that wires were sticking out of it, Mayor Michael Gonnelli said. The vehicle was deemed safe and not a threat following the investigation. 

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

Bridgegate prosecutors: Wildstein to testify he told Christie of lane closings

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NEWARK — In opening arguments in the criminal trial of the George Washington Bridge lane closure scandal, federal prosecutors said Monday morning that David Wildstein would testify that he told Gov. Chris Christie about the scheme to close lanes at the bridge at the very moment traffic was at a standstill in Fort Lee. Assistant U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna said Wildstein...

NEWARK -- In opening arguments in the criminal trial of the George Washington Bridge lane closure scandal, federal prosecutors said Monday morning that David Wildstein would testify that he told Gov. Chris Christie about the scheme to close lanes at the bridge at the very moment traffic was at a standstill in Fort Lee.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Vikas Khanna said Wildstein will testify that he and defendant Bill Baroni made Christie aware of the plan while they were attending Sept. 11 commemorations in Manhattan.

"The evidence will show that ... they bragged about the fact that there were traffic problems in Fort Lee and that Mayor Sokolich was not getting his calls returned," Khanna said.

Wildstein's attorney once suggested "evidence exists" Christie knew about the traffic jams. The former Port Authority executive, who was second in command at the bi-state agency, pleaded guilty last year.

Since then, photographs emerged showing Christie talking to Wildstein and Baroni during a Sept. 11 memorial ceremony.

Khanna also told jurors Wildstein, who pleaded guilty to federal crimes and turned cooperating witness for prosecutors, would take the stand in the trial and "admit that he was the one who came up with that idea."

"He will also tell you that (Bridget Anne) Kelly instructed him to take that action and Baroni blessed it," he said.

Bridgegate trial predictions

On trial are Kelly, the governor's former deputy chief of staff, and Baroni, once a close associate and deputy executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which operates the bridge. They are charged with nine counts of conspiracy, fraud and related charges in connection with the September 2013 toll lane shutdowns at the bridge -- an incident that caused massive traffic problems in Fort Lee in what prosecutors called an act of political retribution targeting Mayor Mark Sokolich for his refusal to endorse Christie for re-election.

Calling the plan as "mean spirited and vindictive," Khanna said Christie's former allies not only caused a "crushing traffic jam" in the city of Fort Lee, but broke federal laws.

Khanna described for jurors the alleged vengeful scheme put in motion by Kelly and Baroni.

"Punishing the mayor was exactly what was on Bridget Kelly's mind," Khanna said, at the beginning of the trial that could put Baroni and Kelly behind bars for up to 20 years.

Khanna argued the two "worked hand in hand" to put pressure on a local elected official they hoped would endorse Christie's re-election bid. The pair -- along with Wildstein -- had their sights set on Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich.

Sokolich was a coveted endorsement for Christie's re-election, but he later caught the ire of Kelly and Wildstein after it became clear the Democratic mayor wouldn't back the incumbent Republican governor.

"In 2013, Wildstein took political directions from Gov. Chris Christie's office ... and in doing so, he took directions from Bridget Kelly," Khanna said.

"Wildstein had told her those lanes could be used as leverage against Mayor Sokolich," he said. "Punishing people by using traffic was exactly what was on Kelly's mind at this time."

Khanna described the chaos of the traffic jam that wreaked havoc on Fort Lee for four days in September 2013, painting Kelly and Baroni as public officials who put their ambitions over their primary duties as stewards of the public.

"The defendants abused their powers," Khanna said. "The chose personal and political revenge over the safety of the people of Fort Lee."

Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Matt Arco may be reached at marco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MatthewArco or on Facebook. Follow NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

 

Newark buildings evacuated after underground transformer fires

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Three buildings, including 2 Gateway Center, were emptied after police said smoke rose into them from below. Market Street was closed from Mulberry Street to McCarter Highway

1 Fireman's Insurance Co building.jpg10 Park Place, the Fireman's Insurance Company building, was one of three buildings in Newark evacuated Monday morning after what police said was a series of underground transformer fires.  

NEWARK -- A series of underground transformer fires in Newark on Monday morning forced the evacuation of three buildings and closed part of a major downtown thoroughfare, police said.  

Buildings at 10 Park Pl., 18 Rector St., and 2 Gateway Plaza were evacuated at about 9 a.m., after smoke rose into the buildings from the transformers below, Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose announced.

No injuries were reported, Ambrose said.

"This incident does not appear to be related to any suspicious activity," Ambrose said in a statement. "Police, Fire and Office of Emergency Management personnel are on scene along with PSEG personnel."

Ambrose's reference to suspicious activity followed several incidents over the weekend now under investigation: a bomb that injured 29 people in Manhattan on Saturday night; a pipe bomb explosion in Seaside Park Saturday morning, in which no one was hurt; and the discovery of what turned out to be an explosive device found near the Elizabeth train station Sunday night, which officials said was detonated without injuring anyone early Monday when police used a robot to try and open it.

The transformer fires forced the closing of Market Street between McCarter Highway and Mulberry Street, and commuters were advised to use alternate routes.

Ambrose said the buildings experienced a temporary loss of power, but a spokeswoman for PSE&G said there was no power outage.

"At around 8:30 am, there was a transformer fire on Rector St in Newark," the spokeswoman, Lindsay Politi, said in an email. "The cause is under investigation. No customers lost power. PSE&G is currently on site making repairs."
 
Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveStrunsky. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 


Man shot by Kearny police in Walmart parking lot was driving stolen vehicle, court doc states

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The Newark man shot by a police officer while allegedly fleeing in a stolen vehicle after shoplifting at Walmart in Kearny Friday had his arm in a sling when he made his first court appearance on the charges in Jersey City today.

JERSEY CITY -- The Newark man shot by a police officer Friday in the Kearny Walmart parking lot was behind the wheel of a stolen vehicle when he was struck in the arm by a bullet, court documents indicate. 

Wearing a sling on left his arm, Ramon L. Martinez, 43, of Lexington Avenue made his first court appearance on the charges today in Central Judicial Processing from Hudson County jail in Kearny. He is charged with eluding police by failing to stop his vehicle after receiving a signal from the officer to stop, and placing the officer at risk of death or serious injury, the criminal complaint states.

Martinez, who court officials said has 28 prior arrests, is also charged with receiving stolen property - the 2012 Honda he was driving at the time of the incident. The officer fired multiple shots at him in the Walmart parking lot, striking him in the arm through the windshield. Finally, he is charged with shoplifting, the complaint says.

Authorities say Martinez had shoplifted at the Walmart and was fleeing the scene when the officer arrived and commanded him to stop. 

Probable cause for the charges is listed as the statements of witnesses and video surveillance footage that shows he "eluded a uniformed Kearny police officer after receiving multiple commands to stop his vehicle while creating a risk of injury to the officer," the complaint says.

Martinez, who had a passenger in the vehicle, fled the parking lot but was arrested hours later in Newark by Kearny police. The passenger, Diego C. Dosreis, 28, also of Newark, was charged with receiving stolen property, officials said.

The officer was not injured but he was evaluated at a local hospital, which is standard procedure when an officer fires his weapon, Kearny Mayor Al Santos said. He was later released. The mayor added that the officer had been nearby at the time of the incident and responded immediately.

"The suspect is believed to have been a fleeing shoplifter and he threatened the officer with his vehicle," Santos said Friday. "The officer had to respond. He shot at the suspect because he was threatened by the suspect's vehicle as he tried to get away from the police officer trying to apprehend him."

The shooting is being reviewed by the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office, as is the case in all instances when a law enforcement officer discharges his weapon in Hudson County.

Martinez was informed that his bail has been set at $40,000 cash only when he appeared in Central Judicial Processing court in Jersey City this afternoon via video link from Hudson County jail in Kearny.

Martinez said little at the hearing but did mention that his arm hurt.

Dosreis did no appear in CJP today. 

N.J. girl behind #1000BlackGirlBooks gets dream job

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Marley Dias is just 11 but she's already an editor for a major media outlet Watch video

When Marley Dias started her #1000BlackGirlBooks social media campaign to collect books featuring black girls as main characters, she didn't expect to exceed her goal of a thousand books. 

Dias, an Essex County middle-schooler, came up with the campaign last year after becoming frustrated with the lack of black, female main characters in books she had to read for school, the ones filled with "white boys and their dogs." 

But the effort drew a surplus of books -- more than 7,000 so far -- and a significant amount of attention from national media. Marley wound up a guest on "The Ellen DeGeneres Show" and later got to meet Oprah Winfrey and Michelle Obama. 

Now the 11-year-old from West Orange has been made an editor-in-residence for Elle.com, which on Monday launched Marley Mag, a zine of her very own. 

"When you see a character you can connect with, if they learn a specific lesson, you're more likely to apply that to your life," Dias told NJ Advance Media in January when talking about the impetus behind her book campaign. Dias, then a sixth grader at Thomas A. Edison Middle School, said her ultimate goal was to edit her own pop culture and lifestyle magazine. 

"In the blink of an eye, I've gone from being a book nerd in West Orange, New Jersey, to an Editor-in-Residence in New York City," Dias wrote in a welcome letter for Elle.com. "I've always said that books have taken me on many adventures, but none of those adventures have been quite like this one. This isn't a dystopian novel or a fantasy. It's my real life. I, Marley Emerson Dias, have gotten the chance of a lifetime. I'm creating a brand-new zine for one of the most-read magazines in the world."

Dias, who interviewed writer-director Ava DuVernay and ballet dancer Misty Copeland for her Elle zine, ran a pitch meeting at the magazine this past summer. She was also interviewed by Melissa Harris-Perry, Elle's editor-at-large. 

"Every story needs to be told, in every way possible, so that everyone can get the information that they need," she told Harris-Perry. "And that's very similar to what I do with my campaign."

The Essex County tween donated the first 1,000 books she collected to the Retreat Primary and Junior School and library in Jamaica, where her mother grew up. Extra books went to Dias' old school, St. Cloud Elementary in West Orange. 

Drawing on all the book donations Dias received, her mother, Janice Johnson Dias, president of the GrassROOTS Community Foundation -- a West Orange-based social action organization co-founded by Black Thought, emcee for The Roots -- whose mission it is to improve the health and well-being of women and girls, created a "1,000 Black Girl Books" resource guide for parents, teachers and students, which details the reading level of each title. 

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

 

Shooting leads to arrest of Newark man on gun charge

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No one was injured but a vehicle was damaged during the weekend incident

NEWARK-- A city man turned himself in after being identified as a suspect in a shooting incident over the weekend in which no one was hurt, Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said in a statement Monday.

Shots were fired around 5 p.m. Saturday at Eastern Parkway and Sanford Place, where police found a parked vehicle pocked with bullet holes, Ambrose said. The vehicle is registered to Akish S. Hughes, 29, police also said.

Police carried out a search of Hughes' home after he was identified as a suspect, where they allegedly found a loaded .45-caliber handgun.

After turning himself in, Hughes was arrested and charged Sunday with being in possession of a weapon while prohibited from doing so.

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

 

 

Late night horror as men break into home, sexually assault woman, cops say

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Three men broke into the home of a Fair Lawn woman on Sunday and two of them sexually assaulted her, the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office alleged on Monday.

FAIR LAWN - Three men broke into the home of a Fair Lawn woman on Sunday and two of them sexually assaulted her, the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office alleged on Monday.

burg-sexassault.jpgEugeny Cango, 21, and Daniel Amador, 19, both of Newark, face aggravated assault and other charges. (BCPO) 

Eugeny Cango, 21, and Daniel Amador, 19, both of Newark, face aggravated sexual assault and other charges in connection with the early morning attack, Prosecutor Gurbir S. Grewal said in a statement.

Also arrested was Angel Luis Vega, 19, of Newark, who was charged with burglary and released on a summons.

Fair Lawn police received a 911 call at 3:13 a.m. on Sunday reporting a strange male in a home. Officers responded and found the three men inside the woman's house.

The three were detained and taken to the police department.

"A victim reported that three men broke into her home and two of them sexually assaulted her," Grewal said. "The Fair Lawn Police Department notified the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office, Special Victims Unit and a joint investigation ensued."

Lawsuit in Park Ridge pedestrian death

As a result of the investigation, Cango and Amador were both arrested and charged with aggravated sexual assault with a weapon, aggravated sexual assault during the commission of a burglary, aggravated assault with a co-defendant, burglary with a weapon, making terroristic threats and weapons possession.

Cango, whose occupation was listed as "party planner," was held on $525,000 bail.

Amador, a restaurant worker, was also held on $525,000 bail.

Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

How did N.J. alums fare in Week 2 of NFL action?

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A look at how each New Jersey native suiting up in the NFL played over the weekend.

Hockey fan wants Prudential Center to pay up after off-ice brawl

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A New Jersey man is suing the Prudential Center and others after allegedly being hurt in a fight outside the Newark arena.

NEWARK -- A New Jersey hockey fan is suing the Prudential Center, the city of Newark, and a handful of others, claiming he has had to undergo thousands of dollars worth of plastic surgery after being beaten up outside the arena.

Screen Shot 2016-09-19 at 5.32.13 PM.pngMalley after the altercation. (Courtesy Brian Schiller)
 

John Malley has filed a civil suit stemming from an alleged altercation after a Dec. 23, 2014 Devils' game. According to the suit, Malley was leaving the Prudential Center with two friends when one of them got into a verbal fight with two fellow game attendees, a father and son from Oak Ridge.

It is unclear what prompted the fight, but Malley's attorney, Brian Schiller, said it turned physical in the arena's parking deck after Malley's friend threw a slice of pizza at one of the men.

When Malley tried to intervene, one of the men "picked John up, body slammed him backwards onto the ground, struck him in the face several times with a closed fist and then kicked him in the face...(and later) delivered the final knockout punch," Schiller said.

Pru Center ex-prez sues former Devils' GM

According to the filing, Malley suffered serious injuries, including several fractured facial bones, blocked nasal passages in both nostrils, a concussion, and a deviated septum.

After a police investigation, which the suit claims included a video of the altercation, the father and son were not charged criminally in connection to the incident, Schiller said. Malley's suit claims the arena, its security, and the city were negligent in preventing and responding to the fight.

Spokespeople for the city and the Newark police department did not return requests for comment on the suit and investigation into the fight.

A spokesman for the Prudential Center declined to comment on the suit. The father and son allegedly involved in the fight, who are also named as defendants in the filing, could not be reached for comment.

Schiller declined to release the video of the altercation, saying juveniles are in the video. He also said Malley is seeking an unspecified sum in damages tied to his medical bills and "emotional trauma" stemming from the incident.

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

 

$5K reward for info on passenger killed while driving in Newark

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Authorities are investigating the shooting death of Raymond Arias.

NEWARK -- Authorities are seeking the public's help in identifying the person responsible for the April killing of a city teenager.

Essex County Sheriff Armando B. Fontoura's Crimestoppers Program announced a $5,000 reward Tuesday for anyone with information leading to an arrest and conviction in connection with the April 27 murder of Raymond Arias.

Newark man charged in fatal shooting

According to authorities, Arias, 19, was a passenger in a car driving on Nairn Place in Newark at about 8:50 p.m. when someone started shooting at the car.

Arias was shot, and pronounced dead from his injuries at 9:26 p.m., authorities said.

The Essex County Prosecutor's Office and Detective's from the Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force is investigating the homicide, and is asking "friends" of Arias to reach out to them.

Anyone with information can call 1-877-TIPS-4EC or 1-877-847-7432.

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


Heavy rain not enough to end drought watch in N.J.

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South Jersey got soaked with several inches of rain on Monday, but that area of the state is not under a drought watch.

The heavy rain that drenched New Jersey on Monday helped boost the already high precipitation totals in southern sections of the state, but it wasn't enough to erase the large rainfall deficit and persistent drought conditions in northern and central sections.

As much as 3 to 4 inches of rain fell in Cape May, Cumberland and Atlantic counties on Monday, with some spots -- like Wildwood Crest and West Cape May -- getting nearly 5 inches. That's more rain in one day than the region normally gets in the entire month of September.

Monday's drenching rain flooded streets and hampered drivers in several cities, including Atlantic City, Cape May and Surf City.

Although the rain fell hard at times in northern and central New Jersey, most weather reporting stations in those areas collected about an inch of rain throughout the day on Monday. Those areas are running the biggest precipitation deficit this year and have been under a drought watch since late July.

The drought watch, issued by the state Department of Environmental Protection, covers Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Morris, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren counties and urges residents in those areas to voluntarily conserve water until conditions improve.

"It's going to take a number of good soakings like yesterday's to pull the area out of drought watch status," said Larry Hajna, a spokesman for the DEP.

So far this year, the Essex County region has received only 25 inches of liquid precipitation -- rain and melted snow -- which is 8.6 inches less than the normal amount of 33.7 inches, according to data from the National Weather Service. In Mercer County, the deficit is almost 7 inches, with that region getting only 26.5 inches of precipitation this year instead of the normal amount of 33.5 inches.  

Down south in Atlantic County, about 35 inches of precipitation has fallen so far this year, which is almost 5 inches above normal.

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

Who has the best football student section? Lots of new pics in final week to nominate

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It's easy - just send a pic

Update, Sept. 19, 10:30 a.m.: Over a dozen schools sent nomination submissions over Week 2 weekend. We will be processing those nominations as well as adding some more of our own based on what we saw out there.  Check back later for the updated photo gallery.

But there are still many, many schools who haven't joined the party.  Nominations are only open for one more football weekend and close Tuesday, Sept. 27.

Are you ready to nominate your school? You should be - it's a piece of cake. Just snap some pics of your student section - at home or on the road - have a quick look at our "Additional notes" below and upload those pics. You can do it all from your phone at the game.

There's only one sure way to be a part of the fun in the weeks to come, and that's to send in a pic and get your school nominated.


Without fail, one of the best things about 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.

Contest format:

Nominations will be open through Tuesday, Sept. 27. We will then 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 welcome, but we may not use every photo.
• Submitted photos will be added to the gallery after some processing time; nominations will be compiled and listed on top of this post after the weekend's play.

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

Jurors at murder trial shown bloody room where prosecutors say victim was beaten

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Jurors in the murder trial of a Newark man charged with participating in the homicide of a man whose body was found behind a North Bergen gas station in 2011 were shown images today of blood stains in a Newark apartment where prosecutors say the man was beaten.

JERSEY CITY -- Jurors in the trial of a Newark man charged with participating in a 2012 homicide were shown images today of blood stains inside an apartment where prosecutors say the victim was beaten before he was dumped behind a North Bergen gas station.

During testimony from a homicide detective in the murder trial of Mark Browne, jurors were also shown a pillow recovered from a Newark apartment that matched the blood-soaked pillow case found over the head of Darryl Williams' body when he was found dead behind the gas station on Tonnelle Avenue near Route 3.

Six people have been charged in Williams' death. One has been convicted, another pleaded guilty and three others are awaiting trial.

On the stand today, Hudson County Prosecutor's Office Homicide Unit Det. Erin Burns used the photos to identify blood on the walls of one of the apartment's bedroom, on boots in the room, on a dresser and on a television screen.

She also identified blood on the apartment's front door, in a hallway and on the back steps, where a blood splotch and a bloody paper towel were also found, according to her testimony.

According to prior testimony, Williams was still alive when he was left in North Bergen, under a mattress that was weighed down with cinder blocks, with his hands bound behind his back and duct tape around his mouth.

Burns held up the pillow case with an image of a football player running down the gridiron and said it was identical to the one found on William's head after he apparently crawled out from under mattress and left a crisscross of blood trail to the location where he died.

As he crawled, the pillowcase became more and more saturated with blood and eventually suffocated, authorities said.

Burns also testified that portions of the apartments' floor and walls appear to have been cleaned, and she displayed a photograph of the kitchen table which was missing one leg. Prosecutors say Williams was beaten with a table leg. 

When Daeshawn Jennings was sentenced last year for his part in the killing, authorities said Jennings was asking for money outside of a Newark chicken restaurant when people inside the restaurant offered to pay him to help with a "cleanup." 

Jennings said he got into a car with the people who had been in the restaurant, drove to the victim's home, and attacked him with a table leg. After Williams was beaten, he was tied up and driven to the gas station, officials said.

Jennings was sentenced to 18 years in state prison for aggravated manslaughter, while Kathleen Jones was sentenced to 12 years in prison in July after pleading guilty to the same charges.

Also charged in the Williams case were Qudeera Adams, Nydia Mozee, and Latoya Mozee, all of Newark. 

9,600 and counting: Newark expands municipal ID program

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More than 9,600 photo IDs allowing resident to obtain city services, enjoy local cultural offerings and even open bank accounts have been issued in the program's first year, officials said

NEWARK -- After issuing more than 9,600 identification cards in the program's first year, Newark is again expanding a municipal ID program that allows residents without a passport, driver's license or other forms of federal or state identification to obtain city and financial services, and access cultural and other institutions.

"We want to help all citizens and residents to engage with the city and its resources," Mayor Ras Baraka said in a statement about the ID program. "We want them to feel comfortable contributing positively to Newark socially, culturally and economically."
 
On Tuesday morning Baraka and other city officials were at the opening of the third and latest location where residents can obtain the ID's, at the Vince Lombardi Center of Hope, 201 Bloomfield Ave. The Lombardi Center, which mainly offers youth programs, is in a section of the city's North Ward populated largely by Spanish speakers, many of them immigrants.  

Kevin Brown, president of Local 32BJ of the Service Employees International Union, Ari Rosemarin of the state ACLU, and Alix Nguefack of the Immigration Alliance, joined officials at the opening in support of the municipal ID program.

The photo IDs, available to anyone at least 14 years old, serve as proof of identity and residency for anyone living in Newark, regardless of immigration status. Applicants must show proof of residency, in the form of a utility or phone bill, lease agreement or other paperwork.

The IDs allow access to schools, libraries and cultural institutions. Officials said the ID's also serve as valid identification during encounters with Newark Police, for example while complaining of a crime or being stopped.

A total of 9,640 IDs have been issued since the program was launched in August 2015, underscoring the demand for proof of identification among people who have been marginalized due to their youth or old age, economic situation or immigration status, said Crystal Rosa, a city spokeswoman. 

Officials say the city is also working with financial institutions to get the ID's accepted for services including opening checking or savings accounts and obtaining credit or debit cards, though only a limited number of banks have agreed to accept the cards so far.

One reason undocumented immigrants and others without standard ID's are at a high risk of being robbed, official say, is that they have to carry cash for their purchases and other transactions.  

The city began issuing the IDs a year ago at the Newark Health Department office at 394 University Ave., where officials said 1,493 IDs were given out in the first two weeks. In December, the city opened a second location, at Councilman Augusto Amador's East Ward office, at 113 Monroe St., known as "Little City Hall."

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

2 charged with armed robbery of Newark grocery store

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Arrests made in July 27 holdup

Newark robbery arrests 2(Photo: Dept. of Public Safety) 
NEWARK -- Two men face robbery and gun charges in the armed holdup of a grocery store in the city, authorities said Tuesday.

Lewis Hankerson, 45, of Irvington, was arrested Tuesday for the July 27 robbery at Morel Grocery Store on South 14th Street, Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose announced. Hankerson was ordered held in lieu of $150,000 bail on charges, including robbery, conspiracy and weapons offenses.

Police arrested Hankerson's accomplice, Shawn Ward, 45, of Newark, on Monday, Ambrose said in a statement. Ward also faces robbery, conspiracy and weapons charges. His bail was set at $150,000.

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

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