A Newark man is wanted for allegedly beating a woman and shooting at a group of people.

Akim Fairley, 26, of Newark(Courtesy of the Newark Department of Public Safety) 

NEWARK -- Police are seeking a city man wanted for allegedly beating a woman on Friday and then shooting at a group of men that authorities believe filmed the assault.

Akim Fairley, 26, is wanted for allegedly punching a woman near the intersection of Thomas and Brunswick streets, according to a statement from the Newark Department of Public Safety.

After noticing a group of men in a parked car who "appeared to be filming the assault with their cellphones," Fairley reportedly "drew a gun and fired at the men" and then quickly fled in a vehicle, authorities said.

Officials noted there was no evidence to indicate the gunfire struck any of the men or the vehicle.

Investigators were later able to determine Fairley was the gunman.

Police have issued a warrant for his arrest on charges of aggravated assault, possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes.

His bail has been set at $100,000.

Authorities are also asking for the men at whom Fairley allegedly fired the shots to contact police, as officials said they may be able to assist in the ongoing investigation.

Anyone with information on Fairley's whereabouts or about the investigation can contact the Department's 24-hour, toll-free Crime Stopper tip line at 1-877-NWK-TIPS (1-877-695-8477) or 1-877-NWK-GUNS (1-877-695-4867).  All Crime Stopper tips are kept confidential and could result in a reward, police said.

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

Police are searching for a missing 38-year-old Newark woman.

Mudith Hettiarachchi , 38, of Newark(Courtesy of the Newark Department of Public Safety) 

NEWARK -- Authorities are asking for the public's help in finding a missing 38-year-old Newark woman.

Mudith Hettiarachchi was last seen on Thursday around 7 p.m. at her residence in the 600 block of North Fifth Street, police said in a statement.

Anyone with information on Hettiarachchi's whereabouts can contact the Newark Department of Public Safety's 24-hour Crime-Stoppers' tipline at 877-NWK-TIPS (877 695-8477) or 877-NWK-GUNS (877-695-4867). 

All anonymous Crime Stopper tips are kept confidential and could result in a reward, police said.

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

No injuries reported at Saturday night blaze

MAPLEWOOD -- Two families were displaced after a fire ripped through a Ostwood Terrace home Saturday night in the township, officials said.

There were no injuries in the fire, according to Mayor Victor DeLuca. The Red Cross was helping the families with temporary housing.

Officials were also investigating what sparked the blaze. Fire officials were not immediately available to provide further details late Saturday. 

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

Event included state troopers, Newark responders and medics

NEWARK -- Scores of law enforcement officers, firefighters and other first responders were honored at a special Mass Friday night in Newark.

The Fourth Annual Novena Mass included members of the Newark police and fire divisions, state troopers, Essex County Sheriff's officers, county corrections officers, emergency medical technicians from University Hospital and other emergency responders.

The service was hosted at St. Lucy's Church. Acting Newark Fire Department Chief Rufus Jackson and Deputy Fire Chief Raul Malave were among officials who spoke at the service.

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

No one was injured in either incident but officials described the incidents as uncommon collisions.

NEWARK -- This past week was a bit odd statistically at Newark airport, and this time it wasn't over delays.

Two set of planes this week clipped wings in separate incidents in less than 24 hours apart.

The first happened Tuesday evening when an empty Lufthansa plane in tow hit a United plane that had just landed. The second collision occurred Wednesday afternoon involving another United plane as an Austrian Airlines flight pushed back from the gate. 

Both were minor accidents, and no one was injured in either incident, but officials described the incidents as uncommon. The FAA and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating both accidents.

According to the Federal Aviation Administration, there have only been two such accidents at Newark Liberty International Airport over the last 22 months.

Big changes coming to Newark airport

One occurred in January when two Delta planes, one of which was being towed, clipped each other on the ramp. The other happened in December 2015 when two United planes clipped wings at the gate. 

None the eight planes involved in the collisions over the last two years were under air traffic control, agency officials said. 

According to the FAA, once a plane lands, the air traffic controllers give the pilot instructions to taxi to a gate and hand off communications to ramp controllers, which hired are hired by the airlines.

Port Authority and airline employees give instructions to planes while at the gate or on the airport's ramp, the FAA said. 

"These incidents happen very rarely," Maddie King, a spokeswoman for United, said in an email. 

The planes were inspected by maintenance teams following the incidents before being used for flights, according to King. "Safety is our top priority," she said. 

At the end of this month, Newark airport will be reclassified as a Level 2 airport, lifting the current 81 flights per hour cap. The FAA has said the new designation will increase competition between airlines at an airport where United has had a stronghold for year. Three new airlines will add services out of the New Jersey location, Allegiant Air, Spirit Airlines and WOW Air.

Delays have been a concern to experts since the announcement was made in the spring, specifically in the New York City skies that has been described as a "big bottleneck."

The FAA will have an average of 575 flights during the week in December after the change, which will be less than the peak summer schedule of around 600 per weekday. However, there are historically less flights offered in the winter, according to the agency. 

It was unclear if the flights per hour would increase at the airport. 

The FAA said in a statement, the agency "works with airlines to voluntarily reach agreement on schedule times to limit airport congestion. During the winter 2016 review, the primary issues to resolve were in the late afternoon and early evening hours."

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

Richard Meier's current projects include the Teachers Village mixed use development in downtown Newark

NEWARK -- Before moving to Maplewood and going on to achieve international acclaim as an architect whose designs include the Getty Center in Los Angeles and Spain's Barcelona Museum of Contemporary Art, Richard Meier was born in Newark.

Meier's life and work come full circle this fall with an exhibition of his art and design in Newark at the same time that one of his biggest building projects is underway in the city of his birth.

Meier, who turned 82 on Wednesday, is known for his abstract painting, sculpture and word collage as well as his designs.  

His work is the subject of an exhibit at New Jersey Institute of Technology's School of Architecture and Design, which opened last month and is tied to coincide with Newark's Open Doors Art Festival.

"This show has a little bit of everything that he's done," said Matthew Gosser, the show's curator, who is also an adjunct professor at the architecture school and an alumnus. "And that shows the students that they don't have to be locked into one particular discipline." 

Meier's current project in Newark is the Teacher's Village mixed use development in an area of downtown Newark along Halsey Street south of Market. The $150-million project includes three charter schools, a daycare center, retail and restaurant space, and multiple apartment towers where teachers are given preference.

The project, now in its residential phase after completion of the three schools, features signature elements of Meier's design work, including intricate grid-like patterns and the color white. When Meier joined developers from the RBH Group and fellow Newark native Gov. Chris Christie for a groundbreaking in 2012, he called Teachers Village, "more than a homecoming, it is a dream come true."

A graduate of Columbia High School in Maplewood, known to this day for its progressive art education, and then Cornell University's School of Architecture, Meier worked for architectural giant Skidmore, Owings and Merrill, then Marcel Breuer, before launching his own practice, Richard Meier & Partners Architects.

Meier, who lives and works in Manhattan, won the Pritzker Architecture Prize, the discipline's highest honor, in 1984. His design of the Getty Center, a museum complex and headquarters of the Getty Foundation, fueled his fame upon its opening in 1997. 

Meier maintains a gallery of his work, including architectural models of his buildings, at the Mana Center in Jersey City.

"I believe that architecture has the power to inspire, to elevate the spirit, to feed both the mind and the body. It is for me the most public of the arts," Meier states on his firm's web site. 

The NJIT exhibit, "Richard Meier - Newark Architect and Artist" will be open to the public through Nov. 20. Hours are 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday through Friday, or by appointment. The gallery is in Weston Hall, which houses the College of Architecture and Design, at the corner of MLK Boulevard and Warren Street, on the NJIT campus.

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

On Friday, NJ.com provided its readers with 11 hot takes for weekend action. Were we spot on or way off?

She was shot early Sunday.

NEWARK -- A shooting early Sunday left a woman in critical condition, police said.

Newark Police responded to reports of shots fired on Schofield Street at about 3:30 a.m., according to a statement from the city's Department of Public Safety.

Police found the 30-year-old with a gunshot wound. She was taken to University Hospital.

Police are still in the early stages of an investigation. They have not identified a motive.

Anyone with information should call (877) NWK-TIPS.

No motive has been established for the Schofield Street shooting, and no arrests have been made.

Newark Police are trying to determine a motive and identify the shooter in an early morning shooting on Sunday that left a 30-year-old woman critically wounded. (NJAM file photo) 

NEWARK --  Police in Newark are searching for a gunman who shot and critically wounded a 30-year-old woman Sunday.

It was about 3:30 a.m. Sunday when officers responded to reports of shots being fired on Schofield Street, Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said in a statement.

Ambrose said the officers found the victim nearby suffering from a gunshot wound. She was taken to University Hospital in Newark where Ambrose said she was listed in critical condition.

Ambrose said investigators were pursuing leads, though no motive was established for the shooting and no arrests have been made.  

He urged anyone with information on the shooting to call the department's confidential tips line at 1-877-NWK-TIPS (1-877-695-8477).

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

A police spokesman said no gun was found, but a 28-year-old Newark man is charged with weapons possession because his victims believed he was armed.

Newark Police say a Newark man was charged with the armed robbery of this supermarket on Lyons Avenue Sunday morning. Google 

NEWARK -- A man was charged with the armed robbery of a Newark supermarket on Sunday after police said he led store employees to believe he had a gun in his coat.

Police charged 28-year-old Jwuan Bowles of Newark with robbery, possession of a weapon, and possession of a weapon for unlawful purposes, Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said.

Police say Bowles entered a supermarket on Lyons Avenue at about 7 a.m. and announced the robbery.

An employee of the supermarket activated a alarm, which drew police to the store.

Jwuan Bowles Newark Police 

When the officers arrived, they saw Bowles running from the store and caught him after a brief chase on foot, said Ambrose.

The director commended the officers for their quick response and apprehension of Bowles.

Capt. Derek Glenn, a department spokesman, said no gun or any other weapon was recovered.

Glenn said Bowles was charged with the possession and use of a weapon for unlawful purposes because he led his victims to believe, falsely or otherwise, that he was armed. 

"They believed he he had a weapon," Glenn said. "They thought he had a gun in his coat," Glenn said.   

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

After crashing a stolen SUV Friday in Newark, the boy was released to the custody of a relative. He was arrested again Sunday in Maplewood and charged with carjacking

Newark Police charged a 13-year-old boy with carjacking on Sunday, after he was turned over by Maplewood police, who had arrested him that morning on other charges.NJAM file photo 

NEWARK -- A 13-year-old boy arrested in Newark in connection with a carjacking on Friday, and then ordered released to the custody of a relative, was arrested again on similar charges Sunday, this time in Maplewood, police said.  

The boy, whose name has not been released because he is a juvenile, was arrested Friday on charges of receiving stolen property and resisting arrest, after police said he crashed a stolen SUV to end a police chase.

He tried to flee on foot, but officers caught him, and found key bobs from the SUV and two other cars that had recently been the target of carjackings, in Orange and Maplewood, said Capt. Derek Glenn, a Newark Police spokesman. 

Following his arrest Friday, Glenn said a judge ordered the boy released to the custody of a relative, though detectives continued to investigate the boy's link to the three carjackings.

On Sunday morning, Glenn said the same boy, and an older associate, 22-year-old Justyn Knight of Newark, were arrested in Maplewood, after officers there spotted them on 19th Street in possession of an object reported stolen during the carjacking of a BMW in town earlier in the day.

Glenn said the the boy and Knight were standing near the carjacked BMW when the Maplewood officers spotted them with the stolen object, which was not identified. 

Meanwhile, Glenn said Newark detectives working on the case since Friday had established a link between the boy and the Newark carjacking, and had obtained a warrant for his arrest on a carjacking charge.

After the two were processed in Maplewood on Sunday for the stolen property charges, Glenn said they were turned over to Newark police, who arrested the boy on the carjacking charge and arrested Knight on a warrant for an unspecified court violation.

Glenn said detectives continued to investigate any links between the boy or Knight and the carjackings in Orange and Maplewood.

Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose issued a statement Sunday commending the Newark and Maplewood officers, while expressing frustration over the boy's release Friday.

"It is disheartening to our officers and their victims that individuals are allowed to go free where they can continue to pose a threat to our society," Ambrose stated.   

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

Dogs and cats in New Jersey in need of adoption.

If you're interested in helping homeless animals but aren't able to adopt one, there are a number of other ways you can be of assistance.

Realistically, not everyone can adopt. People who live in apartments or developments that have no-pets policies fall into that category, as do people with allergies or disabilities that will not allow them to care for pets of their own. Adoptapet.com offers these suggestions for ways people who want to help can participate in caring for homeless animals.

* Help out at a local shelter. It's not glamorous work by any means, but it's vital and will be very much appreciated. You can do anything from help walk dogs to bottle feed kittens, help clean kennels or cat's cages or even help with bathing and grooming. Contact your local shelter to find out their policies regarding volunteers.

* If you're handy, you can lend a hand in many ways. Shelters usually need repairs of many kinds, so fixer-uppers can help out like that. If you sew, quilt or crochet, you can make blankets for your local shelter.

* Help out at an adoption event. Many shelters and rescue groups participate in local events by hosting a table with pets available for adoption. They also hold these program at malls, pet supply stores and banks, and can always use a helping hand.

* For galleries like this one and for online adoptions sites, often a shelter or rescue group doesn't have the time or equipment to shoot good photos of their adoptable pets, Something as simple as making yourself available to shoot and provide digital files of pet photos can be a big help.

* Donate. It doesn't have to be money; shelters need cleaning supplies, pet food, toys for the animals and often even things we don't think twice about getting rid of like old towels and newspapers. Every little bit helps.

If you don't know where your local animal shelter or rescue group is, a quick online search will reveal a number of results. It doesn't take a lot of time or effort to get involved but it provides immeasurable assistance.

Here's a gallery of homeless pets from northern and central New Jersey. Make sure captions are enabled to be able to see all their information.

More homeless pets can be seen here and here.

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

Joseph Micalizzi was shot in the head and hand during a struggle at the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity house

NEWARK -- Two men accused of fatally shooting a New Jersey Institute of Technology student during a burglary gone wrong are expected to be arraigned Monday on murder charges.

Nafee Cotman, 19, of Irvington, and Taquan Harris, 22, of Newark, were indicted by an Essex County grand jury earlier this month on charges of murder and felony murder in the May 2 shooting of Joseph Micalizzi, 23, of Freehold, at the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity house on Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard.

The two men -- who are also facing burglary, robbery and weapons charges -- are slated to appear before Judge Ronald Wigler at 9 a.m.

Prosecutors said neither Cotman or Harris knew Micalizzi, and were apparently searching for money before they encountered him inside the house.

Micalizzi, who had transferred to NJIT from Brookdale Community College, was shot in the head and the hand during the ensuing struggle, police sources have told NJ Advance Media.

Micalizzi was the second Newark-area university student to die in shootings this year.

Rutgers-Newark student Shani Patel, 21, was killed and his 23-year-old roommate injured in a shooting this April that law enforcement sources described as a possible drug robbery. Marcus Feliz, 25, has since been charged with Patel's murder.

Thomas Moriarty may be reached at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Authorities say a cause of death is pending an autopsy.

NEWARK -- Authorities are investigating what caused the death of a person whose badly decomposed body was found in the city Friday night.

The death is being investigated, officials said. (File photo)
 

The body was found behind a house on Wainwright Street Friday night, Essex County Prosecutor's Office spokeswoman Katherine Carter said Monday.

The person's cause of death has yet to be determined, she said. An autopsy is being performed, she said.

The prosecutor's office is considering the death a "special investigation," Carter said.

The body has not yet been identified. No additional details were immediately available.

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

A look at which NJ natives had strong showings in NFL action over the weekend.

Students celebrate a "Week of Respect" and "School Violence Awareness Week."

WEST ORANGE -- October is a busy month for New Jersey students. As mandated by the state, the first Monday in October marks the beginning of the "Week of Respect" in New Jersey Schools while the third week of the month is "School Violence Awareness Week." Both weeks are observed with age-appropriate activities for students that stress self-respect, respect for others and bullying prevention to create a safe environment at school.

In West Orange, several programs were implemented. At the high school, "safe zones" were set up for students to go when they feel stressed or not safe and a Teen Dating and Abuse workshop was held for ninth-graders. At the elementary school level, students chose a color to wear as a sign of solidarity against bullying. Other activities included a play on tolerance and kindness presented by actors from the George Street Playhouse at St. Cloud Elementary School; a Pledge of Respect taken by students at Mount Pleasant School; and, a Respect Dance for students at Kelly Elementary School. The Week of Respect coincided with International Walk to School Day. At Kelly Elementary School, more than 200 students, parents and teachers walked to school on Oct. 5.

To submit school news send an email to essex@starledger.com.

The Glen Ridge Board of Education reportedly intervened after a group of students raised money to buy the tickets for one of their teachers.

GLEN RIDGE -- A pair of tickets to Broadway's hottest show reportedly spurred a controversy at a New Jersey school district over what is considered an appropriate gift from a student to a teacher.

The gift was for a history teacher at Glen Ridge High School, the report said. (Jessica Mazzola | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
 

The Glen Ridge Board of Education recently voted on a controversial pair of "Hamilton" tickets a group of students bought for a history teacher last June, according to NorthJersey.com.

After the students started an online fundraising campaign to raise the money to pay for the pricey tickets, the board intervened, saying the gift violated a district policy barring teachers from accepting items of significant value from students, the report said.

The board recently ruled, however, that the teacher could accept one of the tickets, so long as the students returned the other, making the cost less extravagant, NorthJersey.com reported.

It is unclear exactly how much the tickets went for, but the fundraiser reportedly raised $1,600 toward the purchase. The hit Broadway show has made headlines for its hard-to-get and high-priced tickets.

Should school districts set present spending limits, or should parents and students be allowed to buy whatever they'd like? Vote in the poll and share our thoughts in the comments section below.

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

Few details were immediately available about the Sunday night Belleville shooting.

BELLEVILLE -- A father has been arrested in connection with the Sunday night shooting of his 23-year-old son, officials said Monday.

Belleville police are investigating the shooting, officials said.
 

According to Capt. Daniel Ward of the Belleville Police, 56-year-old Robert M. Jones was charged with aggravated assault and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose in connection with the shooting of his adult son inside their Mallone Avenue home Sunday night.

Ward said police do not know what prompted an altercation between the two, but that after the shooting, the son went to a neighbor's house, who called police.

The son was still hospitalized Monday, but was in stable condition, Ward said.

Jones is being held on $150,000 bail, Ward said.

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

A look at 20 big N.J. performances in college football this weekend.

The $10,000 reward is for information leading to an arrest.

NEWARK -- Authorities are offering $10,000 to anyone who can provide information leading to an arrest in the slaying of a man outside a city park more than a year ago.

Loren Stokes, 27, was found fatally shot on New Fairview Avenue, near Nat Turner Park in Newark, on Oct. 7, 2015, authorities have said. He was rushed to University Hospital, where he was later pronounced dead, authorities said.

Officials Monday announced a $10,000 reward from Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura's Crimestopper's Program for information leading to an arrest and conviction in the murder.

Authorities have not named any suspects in the fatal shooting.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Essex County Prosecutor's Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force tips line at 877-TIPS-4-EC or 877-847-7432.

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