Double power points awarded to North Jersey teams leave some teams incapable of achieving top seeds.

St. Augustine Prep football coach Mark Reardon’s goal is to compete against – and defeat – the power Non-Public Group 4 teams up North.

He knows as well as any how talented they are, having been sent home from the playoffs the last four years by one of those teams.

Reardon has wholeheartedly supported a rule change this year that gave automatic entry to the playoffs for the nine teams in the Super Football Conference Red and White Divisions. Last year, a 3-5 Paramus Catholic team didn’t qualify for the eight-team Non-public Group 4 field.

But the change to the power-point system – one that caught many in South Jersey off-guard – this year where teams were awarded 2x or 1.5x power points for playing a team from one of the two divisions isn’t one Reardon supports. The problem with the system, according to Reardon and many in South Jersey, is that teams are receiving points for winning even when they lose and receiving double power points for playing each other.

POWER POINTS: Through Week 3

While the proposal was voted on and approved after last season as a way to encourage non-power teams to play one of the top teams – and not force them to go out of state for games – members of South Jersey’s West Jersey Football League balked in September when finding out some of the rules they said had been slipped into the proposal without their knowledge.

Currently, DePaul has 90 power points to lead the entire state, which is 53 more than Camden Catholic, the second-highest point-getter in Non-Public Group 3. But the Spartans – who won the state Group 3 title as a seventh seed and finished just 6-6 last year – are  0-3 with losses to Paramus Catholic, Bergen Catholic and Don Bosco.

Paramus Catholic received 13.5 points for beating DePaul, while DePaul has received 32 points for losing the game.

St. Augustine, which is 4-0, is sitting in fourth place in Non-Public Group 4 with 60 power points – four behind 0-3 Seton Hall Prep, which is not considered one of the state’s powerhouse teams but does play some of them. And after all the power points are handed out in the next few weeks, the Hermits could run the table and still finish no better than the seventh seed.

Using last year’s formula, DePaul would have five points currently and Seton Hall Prep would have four.

“My thing with it is if a public school wants to play them and get double points win or lose, that’s fine,” said Reardon. “If Montclair agrees to play St. Joe’s, then that’s fine. But to give it to teams within the conference when they’re already playing each other …. When Seton Hall Prep is 0-3 and has more power points than us, when DePaul is 0-3 and has 90 and we have 60, how does that make sense? I had no idea they were getting double power points for playing each other.

“I do agree, their schedule is daunting. When Bosco has three out-of-state games, then plays St. Peter’s, St. Joe’s (Montvale) and (Paramus Catholic) back-to-back I have no problem with you getting them in. But giving a team double power points for losing. … I don’t know the specifics of how this got in there, I don’t want to question anybody’s integrity, but I’m starting at a 7 or 8 seed and I don’t love it. At this point, there’s no reason to look at the power points any more. There’s no variables to the system. It’s done.”

Last year, St. Augustine was the No. 1 seed in Non-Public Group 4 but lost in the first round to St. Joseph (Mont.). Reardon agreed the Hermits probably shouldn’t have been No. 1. But he sees no reason they shouldn’t be in the mix for a home game with a perfect record over a team which is sub-.500.

There was plenty of discussion at the League and Conferences meeting about revisiting the proposal once everyone knew what they were voting on, but NJSIAA assistant director Jack DuBois said this week there won’t be any changes this season.

The West Jersey Football League will likely continue to seek a complete North-South split of the playoff system for non-public schools this winter, a proposal that was first presented but shot down after the rule awarding automatic qualification was put in place last year. Under that format, a 6-2 Paul VI team would have been left out of the postseason last year in place of 3-5 Paramus Catholic.

“We can’t change it mid-stream, so we’ll see how it plays out and take a look at it at the end of the season,” said DuBois. “But if the WJFL legislative proposal passes, it’s probably a moot point.

Reardon said the system has put his Hermits in an unfair situation with no ability to secure a coveted home game. He dismisses the argument he has heard that St. Augustine should go play one of the powerhouse teams and get in on the double-power-point bonanza.

“I don’t need to go play them, I need to get in that division,” said Reardon. “One game isn’t going to do me any good. I need to be in that division and get double power points four or five times. But I’m not driving 2 ½ hours every week for a conference game.

“Everybody should be playing by the same rules and we’re not. This system had no regard for St. Augustine or anybody in South Jersey. I don’t care if I’m 1, 2, 3 or 4. If I’m one of those seeds, I’m at home (the first round). To go on the road three straight weeks and beat one of those teams Is rough. It was great last year for the community, for the kids, for people to come see them play win or lose in the playoffs.”

St. Augustine is the team most affected by the changes but they trickle down through the other non-public groups – and to some of the North Jersey publics for the few teams that agreed to take on a game against a White or Red Division team.

St. Joseph (Hamm.) has won seven straight small-school non-public titles but will likely finish behind Hudson Catholic – the team it beat for the non-public Group 2 title last year – because the Hawks play White Division teams DePaul and Pope John.

Wildcats coach Paul Sacco said he didn’t know Hudson Catholic was going to be affected by the rule, believing it just impacted the bigger schools. He added, though at this point, it’s not really his concern.

“I’m just trying to play for a home game,” admitted Sacco. “When you’re talking about Immaculata, Hudson Catholic, (Montclair Kimberley) … Normally at this point I’m following those teams up North, but this year I’m not. I have a tough game against Pennsville this week, then I have Oackrest, Cedar Creek, St. Augustine. We need to win some football games.”

Asked if the system seems fair to him, Sacco said he always believed the problems were all in North Jersey.

“From the word go, I thought it was their problem, let them take care of it,” said Sacco. “But you look at it and you have St. Augustine, who is probably going to be undefeated, and they’re going to end up in a bad way with a lower seed.”

And that is exactly what has Reardon so upset on the rare occasions he glances at the power points, which shows the inevitability of his team’s fate.

“This is about the kids. It’s not about the adults, it’s about the kids,” said Reardon. “And my kids lift weights, practice hard and work their butts off and all they want is to be able to reap some of the rewards but the system is set up against them.”

Bill Evans can be reached at bevans@njadvancemedia.com or by leaving a note in the comments below. Follow him on Twitter @BEvansSports. Find the NJ.com High School Football page on Facebook by following this link.

Through Week 4, the East Orange native is making a strong case.

Envy said his car was rammed by a police impersonator one early morning before a man opened fire Watch video

After being criticized for supporting stop-and-frisk, DJ Envy opened up about a recent incident during which he says he was shot at by a police impersonator while driving one early morning last week on Route 3.

Envy, a co-host of "The Breakfast Club" morning show on 105.1 FM who owns a home in Kinnelon, was reacting to social media criticism of his comments on Wednesday's radio show, saying the violent episode encouraged him to endorse the use of stop-and-frisk by police. 

Envy, 39, said that he was driving in northern New Jersey on his way to work at about 3 a.m. on Sept. 22 when an SUV pulled up behind him with flashing, police-style lights.

"Something doesn't feel right about this," he remembered thinking.

"The police light was all blue and in New York and New Jersey, the police lights (are) red and blue," he said. 

He didn't pull over and continued to drive in what he called "one of the worst areas in New Jersey." During the radio show, Envy's co-host, Charlamagne Tha God, said the area Envy was talking about was Newark, but Envy declined to specify. 

"The whole Newark ain't bad, but in that little bit of area, that's where crime is at one of the highest points," Envy later said. A manager for Envy on Thursday told NJ Advance Media that the incident did not occur in Newark and happened on Route 3 where the highway meets the Garden State Parkway, possibly in Clifton. 

Envy said that after he continued to drive, the SUV with the blue "police" lights rammed into the back of his car. He began driving faster, he said, going from 60 or 70 mph to 100 mph, he said, before the car rammed him again. Envy again sped up until he had to slow down to go through a toll plaza.

"I look over and I could see it's not a cop," he said. He said he then braked, putting the other car in front of him. Envy said he began reversing his car when a man wearing a black mask and hoodie got out of the SUV and fired three shots at his car, he said. 

"I'm driving backwards down the highway as they're shooting at the car," he said. Two shots hit the front of his car, he said, and one hit the tire. Envy, who said he had driven backwards for about a mile on the highway, first called friends in the area, then police. 

"Five minutes later, they robbed somebody else, right on the highway," he said. 

"I've got five kids and a family and they could've killed me over what, a car?" Envy asked. 

Envy, born Raashaun Casey, initially said he supported stop-and-frisk during a news segment the morning after the first presidential debate, where Donald Trump called for implementation of the practice in Chicago.

"I feel that had a turning point in me where I said, 'We need to get these guns off the streets,'" Envy said of the early-morning highway incident. 

"And that's where your energy came from with the whole stop-and-frisk thing," Charlamagne said. 

"Absolutely," Envy said. "And anything that has to get these guns off the streets, whether it's a buyback program, whatever it is, we need to get the guns off the streets."

Envy added that he had in the past been personally subject to stop-and-frisk policy. 

"If I have to balance it out, I'd rather get stopped and frisked than shot at any day," he said, adding that if the person who shot at his car had been stopped and frisked, maybe he wouldn't have been shot at. He said he doesn't think that the policy, which has fallen out of favor with authorities in New York, worked "well," but believes it could possibly be altered to become a successful law enforcement practice. 

But Charlamagne, who argued with Envy about the issue on Tuesday alongside co-host Angela Yee, again pushed back. 

"If stop-and-frisk was a fair and balanced practice that targeted everybody equally across the board, then I could understand the extra precautions being taken, but since it's a practice that targets blacks and Hispanics, and gives the police the right to lawfully profile us, I'm not with it," he said. "And we can't just go around taking away people's civil liberties because of situations like this." 

Cell phones, wallet stolen in two holdups, according to police.

(Photo: Dept. of Public Safety) 

Christian Crowell, 22, and Kenneth Johnson, 23, were charged with robbery, conspiracy and weapons-related offenses.

Officers responded around 7:35 p.m. to Roseville and 3rd avenues, where a 45-year-old man had his wallet and other items stolen at gunpoint, according to police. A second robbery call came in about 10 minutes later at Roseville and 4th avenues

In the second holdup, police said two assailants robbed a 29-year-old at gunpoint and took his cell phone. In both cases, authorities learned the attackers escaped in a 2009 Hyundai Sonata.

Police uncover cigarette sales scheme in Newark, authorities say

After an extensive search, city police said they arrested Crowell and Johnson near Sussex Avenue and North 6th Street. A loaded .28 caliber handgun was also recovered from the wanted car, authorities added.

Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose commended officers for making the quick arrests.

"Their quick actions likely prevented the two suspects from continuing to victimize other residents," Ambrose added in a statement.

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

The carjackings occurred in September of 2013

NEWARK -- Two Newark men admitted on Thursday to carrying out two armed carjackings and an attempted carjacking over the course of five days in September of 2013, authorities said.

Dino Hines, 23, and Roosevelt Robinson, 25, each pleaded guilty to charges of attempted carjacking, carjacking and using a crime of violence in U.S. District Court in Newark, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.

Authorities say Hines, Robinson and another man approached a Mercedes-Benz sedan at about 10:30 p.m. on Sept. 22, 2013 that was parked in a residential driveway in Newark.

Hines brandished a silver revolver during this carjacking and ordered the driver out of the vehicle. The trio pulled on the driver's side door but the driver resisted. 

Robinson, during this exchanged, said, "Shoot that (expletive)," according to the U.S. Attorney's Office. The driver eventually got out of the car and Robinson sat in the driver's seat.

After Robinson got into the car, Hines and the other man fled on foot. The driver, however, pulled Robinson from the Mercedes-Benz, got back into the car and reversed it.

Hines then returned, fired two shots at the car, hitting the rear driver's side door. The trio then ran down the block, jumped into a car waiting nearby and tried to flee but the driver of the Mercedes-Benz pursued them.

The Mercedes-Benz struck both Robinson and the getaway car before Robinson was able to get back into the getaway car. A car chase then ensued during which Hines fired another two shots at the Mercedes-Benz, authorities said.

A few days later -- at about 9:25 p.m. on Sept. 26, 2013 -- Hines approached another parked vehicle near a Newark residence. When the driver exited the vehicle, Hines pointed a black revolver at the driver, saying "Give me your car keys or I'll shoot."

While he was holding up this individual, another driver who had just parked a late-model Acura sedan in the parking lot, walked over to where Hines and the other victim were standing. Hines then pointed the gun at the owner of the Acura and demanded the keys. The Acura owner handed over the keys and Hines got into the car and fled, authorities said.

The next day, a dark-colored sports utility vehicle driven by an unknown individual pulled in front of a Range Rover stopped at an intersection in Belleville, blocking the Range Rover's path, the U.S. Attorney's Office said. Hines then jumped out of the passenger side of the SUV and pointed a black handgun at the victim, while, Robinson, who followed the SUV in a separate vehicle, pulled over and stood watch.

Hines approached the driver's door of the Range Rover, pulled the driver out of the car and demanded the car keys. The driver complied and Hines got into the Range Rover and fled, following by the SUV and Robinson's vehicle.

Later that day, the Range Rover was located by law enforcement officials in Newark, and a car chase ensued. The Range Rover rammed several police vehicles before it was trapped and stopped. 

Officers surrounded the vehicle with guns drawn, and Hines and Robinson exited the Range Rover and ran. They were taken into custody a short time later. A third individual, who was also in the Range Rover, was taken into custody immediately after the car was surrounded by officers. 

Police discovered a loaded black revolver in the Range Rover when they searched the vehicle. 

Hines, who pleaded guilty to two counts of carjacking, and Robinson, who only pleaded guilty to one count of carjacking, each face a potential maximum penalty of 15 years and a $250,000 fine for each count of attempted carjacking and carjacking when they're sentenced next year. They also face a mandatory minimum of seven years in prison for using a firearm during a crime of violence. 

Sentencing for Hines has been scheduled for Jan. 11, 2017, and for Robinson, Jan. 12, 2017. 

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

Authorities have confirmed that city police have been involved in a shooting

NEWARK -- Newark police were involved in a shooting Friday morning, officials confirmed.

The shooting occurred just before 7 a.m. near North 7th Street and Abington Avenue, according to Newark's Department of Public Safety.  

No further details have been made available. 

Newark police have referred all questions to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office, which is handling the investigation. 

Newark police have taped off roads in the immediate area, as residents watch from their front porches.

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

Auggie's eye could not be saved, but he has healed nicely.

Auggie 

BLOOMFIELD -- Auggie is a 12-week-old kitten in the care of A Purrfect World Rescue.

Area residents found him as a stray with a badly infected eye. The eye could not be saved, but Auggie has healed nicely.

Auggie, described as a typical "cuddly and playful kitten," is FIV/FeLV negative, neutered and up-to-date on shots.

For more information on Auggie, call Kristina at 201-965-9586, email info@apurrfectworld.org or go to apurrfectworld.org. A Purrfect World is a nonprofit group in Bloomfield that places stray and abandoned cats in permanent homes and is currently caring for more than 100 cats.

Shelters interested in placing a pet in the Paw Print adoption column or submitting news should call 973-836-4922 or email essex@starledger.com.

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

 

Festivals, dance and theater events are on tap.

The 10th annual Harvest Fest will be held Oct. 1 and 2 at the New Jersey Botanical Garden in Ringwood State Park, Ringwood. There will be hayrides, pumpkin painting, applesauce making, garden tours, an autumn plant sale and more, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day. Admission and parking are free. Visit njbg.org.

***

WheatonArts in Millville holds its annual Festival of Fine Craft on Oct. 1 and 2, and will feature more than 130 artists and craftspeople displaying functional and sculptural works in ceramics, glass, metal, wood and mixed media. Visit wheatonarts.org.

***

Step back in time when Cape May holds its annual Victorian Weekend from Oct. 7 through 10. Attractions include tours of historic homes, Victorian parlor games and a Chocolate Lover's Feast and Chocolate Tour. Visit capemaymac.org.

***

Your toes will be tappin' to Savion Glover's Chronology of a HooFer on Oct. 8 at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark. The tap master tells the story of his career through photos, words and rhythmic percussion in a one-man show at 8 p.m. in the Victoria Theater. Tickets are $65 to $85; there is an 8-ticket limit. Visit njpac.org.

***

Small acts of kindness between a priest and a young woman grow into love in "Bathing in Moonlight" -- a Nilo Cruz play being staged through Oct. 9 at McCarter Theatre Center in Princeton. Showtimes are Tuesdays through Thursdays, at 7:30 p.m.; Fridays, at 8 p.m.; Saturdays, at 3 and 8 p.m.; and Sundays, at 2 and 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $25 to $80.50. Visit mccarter.org.

MORE FROM INSIDE JERSEY MAGAZINE

With nearly a dozen interstates and the third-largest port in the nation, as many as 55,000 trucks pass through N.J. daily — all battling for less than 3,000 legal parking spots.

At night they're where they aren't supposed to be -- on the shoulder of the interstate, by highway on-and-off ramps, tractor-trailers parked in illegal spots.

In Mahwah, officials say they are at their wit's end with trying to stop tractor-trailers from lining up daily on a stretch of Route 287.

With nearly a dozen interstates and the third-largest port in the nation, as many as 55,000 trucks pass through the Garden State each day -- all battling for less than 3,000 legal parking spots.

"This problem is far too common," said Scott Grenerth, regulatory affairs director for the Owner-Operator Independent Drivers Association. "You can't find a driver who doesn't want a safe place to rest."

Yet there is only one less-than-adequate truck stop on I-287 in New Jersey. It's a similar situation at the truck stop on I-80 in Allamuchy Township -- few parking spots, reeking port-o-potties and garbage spilling out of trash cans.

Drive further west, however, and just before the Pennsylvania border you'll find the Norman Knight Travel Center run by TA in Columbia. There are multiple restaurants at the trucking oasis, including a country buffet, a laundry room, auto-mechanics and even a movie room.

Inside Mahwah's illegal truck stop

By 8 p.m. on a recent weeknight, there were only a handful of spots left out of the available 200 at the expansive TA truck stop. 

"There are spots here but we are a long way from the congestion, this isn't the bad part," Trucker Micki Maurer said referring to areas closer to NYC. "I don't even come to the Northeast if I can avoid it."

Trucking continues to dominate the freight industry, with three million trucks moving goods across the nation. In 2015, trucking accounted for more than 80 percent of the nation's freight bill and brought in more than $720 billion, according to the American Trucking Association.  

While trucking is projected grow more than 40 percent over the next 30 years, new parking spots for those trucks is lagging far, far behind.  

"Truck parking shortages are a national safety concern," reads a federal report dubbed the Jason's Law Study, named after Jason Rivenburg, a trucker who was robbed and murdered in 2009 when he parked in an abandoned gas station when he couldn't find a spot.

Nine out of 10 of drivers interviewed for the Jason's Law Study reported struggling to find safe and available parking during night hours.

While the issue of truck parking affects the entire country, New Jersey might be the worst offender. Over 7,000 independent truck drivers listed the state as the worst for truck parking, according to the Jason's Law Study.

"In a state like New Jersey it's a very tough issue, even if you had the local support, the cost of real estate is too high," said Thomas J. Phelan, an engineer and New Jersey resident who played key roles in two truck parking studies. "When they do find the appropriate land, they decide it's better for other use like malls or residential developments."

In 2008, Phelan worked on a study with the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority to look at the issue of truck parking in Northern New Jersey.

The study identified four areas that had the biggest need for parking -- the interchange of I-78 with the NJ Turnpike,  I-287 corridor, the area around the Vince Lombardi rest area and in Newark.

A sample facility in the study looked at a 40-acre parcel of land in Newark between Route 1 and 9 and by the NJ Turnpike. The study found that a truck stop built there with a retail convenience store, full service restaurant, fast food, truck maintenance facility, fuel pumps, and 200 truck parking spaces would generate 120 jobs and $13.5 million in sales for the city and Essex county.

Often the development of truck parking falls to private companies due to struggling DOT budgets and a growing list of demands, such as asphalt and bridge repairs. Of more than 300,000 parking spots nationwide noted in the Jason's Law Study, only 36,000 were public.

Even when companies like Pilot and TA try to build truck parking, residents in local communities fiercely oppose them. In Ramsey, residents have stalled the construction of a Wawa due to possible truck traffic.

In Mahwah, residents fought and won to limit the size of a now-packed Pilot truck stop while it was being built.

"Local communities need to identify where they keep having this problem, I always get stuck in the same spots," said Desiree Wood, trucker and President of Real Women in Trucking. "(The Mahwah stop) is a horrible place, but there is nowhere else to go. That area is a staging area for New York and New Jersey and for 70 miles there's nowhere to park."

State Assemblyman Daniel R. Benson (D-Mercer/Middlesex) reintroduced a bill this year that would examine truck parking in the state.

"The bill has two main purposes: To examine where the trucks can park now and to look at the lack of parking and where we can build," Benson said.

Benson was alerted to the issue after a number of accidents and concerns with truck parking, most notably the 2014 death of three Mercer County teens after a drunk driver plowed into a truck parked on the shoulder of an off-ramp.

Benson said the bill is set to go nowhere soon due to the current transportation funding crisis, since the bill is dependent on stalled DOT studies.

The trucking industry, however, is making an effort combat the problems themselves.

Englewood-based Unilever, one of the biggest consumer goods companies in the world, which produce products like Dove soap, Breyer's ice cream and Lipton teas, recently partnered with trucking company Kriska to allow drivers to park overnight at their facilities.

"The single biggest thing that can be done is for shippers and receivers to allow space for parking overnight," said Grenerth, also a member of a national coalition that is looking for a solution to truck parking. "Even if they allowed one or two trucks to park in the facility, that frees up other parking spaces."

But the state stalls on solutions to the truck parking issue, the problem is likely to grow with the recent completion of Panama Canal Expansion that will allow larger ships through the canal and in turn increase trucking on the East Coast and in New Jersey.

The bustling Port of New York and New Jersey, which saw record growth last year and handled 11,000 trucks a day, is spending billions to accommodate the expansion. Upgrades include giant cranes in Bayonne and increased container space in Newark.

An interview request with state Transportation Commissioner Richard T. Hammer on the issue was denied. Instead, spokesperson Steve Schapiro said the state is working on the issue.

"It's a challenging issue, particularly in New Jersey with the state's high population density, lack of available rights-of-way, and truck rest areas have been met with local opposition," Schapiro wrote.  "NJDOT is in the initial stages of developing a freight plan that will encompass the issue of truck parking."

The Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration made the issue of truck parking worse when they revised the rules on required resting for drivers, industry officials said. Before 2005, a trucker could split up the amount of hours they worked and rested however they saw fit.

The revised rules, however, called for a continuous eight hour rest period to mimic a natural rest cycle. The result was more truckers pulling over at night when they hit their required rest period.

Fausto Giovanny Pinto may be reached at fpinto@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @FGPreporting. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The NJ.com high school football reporting staff takes an inside look and provides predictions for the upcoming weekend.

The program is focused on providing students with a four-year path to an undergraduate degree

RANDOLPH -- The County College of Morris has entered into an agreement with Montclair State University to allow students who receive associate degrees at the county college to transfer automatically to the university and pursue their bachelor's degree in selected programs.

"Access to high-quality, affordable higher education should be available to anyone with the desire to pursue and the capacity to benefit by it, and this agreement will provide that opportunity for many students," Montclair State University President Susan A. Cole said in a news release. "This partnership expands on a long and successful transfer relationship between the two institutions."

The program formalizes a "two-plus-two model" designed to promote student success, and ensures a guaranteed four-year path to an undergraduate degree from one of New Jersey's most affordable public universities, according to a joint statement released by CCM and Montclair State.

"We're delighted to provide CCM students with this seamless pathway for earning their bachelor's degrees from Montclair State University," CCM President Anthony J. Iacono said. "By starting at CCM and then transferring to Montclair State, students can more affordably meet their goals of obtaining a higher education, while also establishing lasting relationships with two quality institutions."

CCM students must complete or be currently pursuing the Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degrees offered by the school to be eligible for the transfer program. Students who applied to Montclair State as first-time, full-time freshmen for the fall 2016 semester but were not granted admission and are enrolled at CCM are also eligible for the program, provided they are pursuing either of the associate degree tracks, according to the statement.

Program participants will choose one of 25 pre-approved majors at Montclair State including visual arts, psychology, chemistry and economics. Additional programs are expected to be added in future academic years.

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

Stories, features, schedules and everything you need for Week 4.

Below is NJ.com's high school football mega-coverage guide, your one-stop shop for everything you need to get ready for Week 4. Check back throughout the week as the page gets filled with new links and stories. 

WEEK 4 CONFERENCE SCHEDULES/SCOREBOARDS
Pages automatically update with links as scores come in
• Greater Middlesex Conference
• North Jersey Super Football Conference
• North Jersey Interscholastic Conference
• Mid-State 38
• Shore Conference
• West Jersey Football League 

WEEK 4 ESSENTIALS 
• Friday: LIVE updates, results & links (still to come)
• Saturday: LIVE updates, results & links (still to come)
• Bold Predictions for Week 4 (Still to come)
• 13 can't-miss games in Week 4
• Statewide group and conference rankings
• Statewide stat leaders through Week 3 
• How did N.J. alums fare in Week 3 of the NFL | NCAA 
• Top 20 for Sept. 25

BEST STUDENT SECTION: Voting begins on Thursday

WEEK 3 PICKS 
• Top 20 picks (still to come)
• Picks by conference (still to come)
• Quick picks: Our selections for every game in N.J. (still to come)

TOP FEATURES 
• What we learned from around the state
• 1 year later, community still healing from death of Evan Murray
• 3 players added to Player of the Year watch
• St. Peter's Prep breaks in new 15,000-square-foot facility
• Watch and vote for the top plays in N.J. 
• Who has the best student section? Voting begins Thursday
• Bergen Catholic cracks MaxPreps' National Top 25 with SJR meeting looming
• Jabrill Peppers did what? Weekly look at Michigan's Heisman hopeful

GAMES OF THE WEEK 
• Star-Ledger: Bergen Catholic vs. St. Joseph (Mont.) 
• Trenton Times: Princeton at WWPN
• South Jersey Times: Lawrence at Princeton

OTHER MUST-READ STORIES 
• 4-star DT Dalyn Wade-Perry has Rutgers in Top 6, will he take official visit?
• Buoyed by support, Woodrow Wilson football team still kneels for national anthem
• Newark superintendent: ‘I respect and support’ football team’s national anthem protest
• Can Rutgers flip Michigan commit and N.J. native Brad Hawkins?
• Decision could be coming soon for 4-star Rutgers OT target Carter Warren
• 10 teams that missed the cut of the NJ.com Top 20
• Top performers: Helmet stickers for Week 3 

Braulio Perez may be reached at bperez@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BraulioEPerez.

One person has been arrested, acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray said in a release. Watch video

NEWARK -- Two city men were shot and killed by Newark police officers and a teenager was arrested in a Friday morning shooting, according to authorities.

The shooting occurred at about 6:30 a.m. in the 500 block of North 7th Street near the intersection of Abington Avenue, the Essex County Prosecutor's Office confirmed. 

Police arrested a 17-year-old city resident after he got out of a vehicle and ran from police, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said during an afternoon press conference. A gun was found on the teenager, police said.

Police were responding to a call of criminal activity in the area, according to Baraka, who said the two men and teenager matched the complaint's description.

The age of the two men who died was unknown.

James Stewart Jr., president of the Newark Fraternal Order of Police, said the officers were attempting to arrest three people suspected of being involved in multiple robberies around the city when the shooting occurred.

"Those guys were not interested in surrendering," Stewart said. "Our officers responded to that threat and Newark is a safer place today because of them."

Stewart said six officers involved in the shooting were being evaluated at University Hospital in Newark. No injuries were reported.

It was unknown if the suspects fired on police, Baraka said.

"We are prayerful and hopeful that what happened was a tragic situation but was lawful," Baraka said. "If we get any information that says otherwise we will act in the confines of the law to do what's necessary to make sure that justice is here in this issue."

City officials and clergy plan to go talk to parents in the neighborhood.

The Essex County Prosecutor's Office is investigating the shooting. The U.S. Attorney General Office has been notified of the incident.

Newark police taped off roads in the immediate area of the shooting this morning, while residents watched from front porches.

NJ Advance Media reporter Jessica Remo contributed to this report.

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

The word "knit" is derived from the Old English "cnyttan."

ROSELAND -- A group of women knit in this photo taken in Roseland in the 1950s.

During World War I, randomhistory.com notes that "vast quantities of knitted socks, scarves, mittens, and helmet liners were sent to soldiers in France. Knitting gave emotional comfort to the women who were at home waiting for news from the front."

The word "knit" is derived from the Old English "cnyttan" which means "to knot."

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.

 

United Airlines had to temporarily stop serving alcohol at the airport because the company failed to renew its liquor license

NEW YORK -- Airlines often frustrate road warriors with delays and cancellations. But this week United Airlines did something more egregious: it temporarily stopped serving free booze at two of its lounges.

This wasn't the result of some cost-cutting measure or attempt to rein in drunk, unruly passengers. It was an administrative error: somebody at the airline never renewed its liquor license.

So on Wednesday and Thursday the two United Clubs in Terminal C of Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey couldn't serve any beer, wine or spirits until the matter was resolved with Newark City Hall. (The club in Terminal A sits in Elizabeth, New Jersey, but is closed for construction. But if open, it could have served liquor.)

The license issue was resolved by Friday morning and travelers were once again able to get free cocktails before jetting off.

"We resumed service this morning and apologize to our customers for the inconvenience," said United spokesman Rahsaan Johnson.

The Chicago-based airline has spent the last year trying to win back once-loyal business travelers who abandoned the airline over frequent delays.

It has made progress by improving its on-time performance, unveiling new lounges and business class seats and reaching new labor contracts that are expected to increase employee morale and service.

But this week's hiccup -- at one of the airline's most important and busiest airports -- just shows how many obstacles it still needs to overcome.

A renewal package for the liquor license was sent to United Airlines in May but it was never returned, according to Marjorie Harris, press secretary for the City of Newark. The license expired on June 30 but United and its vendor who runs the lounge, Sodexo, didn't notice the lapse until this week. The two clubs immediately stopped serving liquor.

Membership in the clubs can cost up to $550 a year, although many passengers get in for free through certain United-branded credit cards. Passengers who pay for expensive international business class tickets or premium cabin tickets on transcontinental flights are also allowed into the club. There are snacks, a quiet place to sit, free Wi-Fi and -- a favorite of business travelers -- a long bar with basic drinks for free.

The airline has to pay two separate fees to obtain a liquor license: one to New Jersey state government and one to Newark's Alcoholic Beverage Control Division. The check to the state was cashed but the check to the city was not, Harris said, "because the paperwork was not completed."

Harris said United was utilizing its license from the City of Elizabeth for the Terminal A lounge to serve liquor in Terminal C in the City of Newark. Neither the airline nor Harris could explain how United was legally using a license from one municipality to serve liquor in another.

The next hearing of the Newark's Alcoholic Beverage Control Board is on Oct. 17. If United gets its paperwork and payment in and processed, its renewal can be heard during that hearing.

Three of the schools will open in 2017, pending a final review.

TRENTON -- The Christie administration on Friday advanced four charter school applications to the final round of state review but denied a proposal in Montclair that had stirred strong resistance in the community. 

The following four schools were cleared to open as long as they pass a final review next year:

• College Achieve Greater Asbury Park Charter School (Asbury Park, Neptune Township
• College Achieve Paterson Charter School (Paterson)
• Ocean Academy Charter School (Lakewood)
• Ailanthus Charter School (Franklin Township, New Brunswick)

All of the schools, except Ailanthus Charter School, plan to open in the fall of 2017. Ailanthus plans to open in 2018. 

The approvals on Friday give the groups permission to move forward with their schools, though they must still pass a final review of their financial and academic plans. 

Meanwhile, the state Department of Education rejected three other proposals, including a proposed French immersion charter school in Montclair. School district officials and parents in Montclair had campaigned against the charter school, saying it isn't needed in a district with a reputation for good schools. 

The state said the denied applications had deficiencies but did not elaborate on those problems in the rejection letters sent to applicants.

Along with the school in Montclair, the proposed Elite Academy Charter School in Jersey City and Innovation STEM Charter School in Newark were also rejected. 

If the four schools that advanced Friday win final approval, they will bring the total number of charters schools in New Jersey to 92. 

Adam Clark may be reached at adam_clark@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on twitter at @realAdamClark. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Authorities remained on the scene Friday night of the early morning shooting that killed two men.

NEWARK -- A city neighborhood was still reacting Friday evening to a police chase and shooting as investigators continued to scan the area near the intersection of North 7th Street and Abington Avenue, where two men were shot and killed by police earlier in the day.

About 12 hours after the fatal shootings, police were walking a K-9, which was sniffing the area. Two children wearing backpacks looked at a broken street sign lying on the sidewalk outside St. Francis Xavier Elementary School, one of two school buildings on the block. The sign had been barreled over and broken off its post by suspects in a red minivan that had attempted to flee the early morning scene.

Chrys Fernandez, who lives on North 7th Street, was in his living room when, at around 6:30 a.m., he said he heard 10 or 15 gunshots. He ran to open the front door, and saw one of the suspects running past his house, he said.

2 shot, killed by Newark officers

"I saw a person running, he ran that way," he said, pointing down the street. He said moments later, he saw the man running past his house again, this time in the opposite direction.

Almost simultaneously, he said, a red minivan was trying to escape, but was unsuccessful.

Rui Teixeira, who lives across the street from Fernandez, said he had also heard the gunshots, and when he rushed and opened the door, he said he saw an armed officer running down the street after the man.

"Then I heard screaming, 'Get down, get down!'" Teixeira recalled. "I saw a red minivan. It backed up into reverse. If (this had happened at) 8 or 8:30 a.m., a lot of kids would've got hurt."

Police were attempting to arrest three people suspected in multiple city robberies, authorities have said. Six officers were reportedly involved in the shooting.

A police union representative told NJ Advance Media the men being chased "were not interested in surrendering."

At a press conference Friday, Mayor Ras Baraka said the city is "prayerful and hopeful that what happened was a tragic situation but was lawful. ... If we get any information that says otherwise we will act in the confines of the law to do what's necessary to make sure that justice is here in this issue."

A teenager has been arrested in connection with the incident, Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray said. The six officers were taken to University Hospital in Newark for evaluation. The prosecutor's office is investigating the shooting.

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

Newark police arrested the two teenagers Friday morning.

Newark police arrested two of the three people in the car. (File photo)
 

NEWARK -- Police arrested two teenagers after they allegedly stole a car, drove it the wrong way down Broad Street, and crashed it into a parked car.

According to a release from police Friday, a 16-year-old boy, a 13-year-old girl, and another person were driving a 1999 silver Mitsubishi that had been reported stolen from Irvington near Broad Street and Lincoln Park at about 1:45 a.m. Friday. Police patrolling in the area saw the car drive down the roadway in the wrong direction "at a high rate of speed," authorities said in the release.

The car then spun out of control and crashed into a parked car, police said. All three people in the car got out and ran, police said. Authorities caught up with two. The third is still at large, police said.

2 shot, killed by police in Newark

Authorities said they also found a handgun on the 16-year-old boy, who was charged with receiving stolen property and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. The girl was charged with receiving stolen property, police said.

Police did not report any injuries as a result of the crash.

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