Prosecutors said the offenses range from plotting to murder a fellow gang member to drug dealing

NEWARK -- Six members of the MS-13 street gang have been sentenced to federal prison terms ranging from six to nine years for their roles in what prosecutors have described as a violent push to consolidate the gang's nationwide activities.

The Martin Luther King U.S. Courthouse in Newark, where six members of the MS-13 street gang were sentenced this week to federal prison terms of varying length.Star-Ledger file photo 

Prosecutors have described all of the defendants as members of Mara Salvatrucha, also known as MS-13, which grew out of the Salvadoran immigrant community in Southern California.

The six MS-13 members sentenced Monday and Tuesday in Newark had been implicated in crimes ranging from extortion to drug dealing, and some were involved in a 2013 plot to murder a fellow gang member and his brother, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Those sentenced include:

• Marvin Garcia-Cruz, 33, of West New York; nine years in prison for conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering and conspiring to possess firearms in furtherance of a crime of violence.
• Amilcar Romero, 47, of Los Angeles; five years in prison for racketeering conspiracy.
• German Lisandro Benites-Moreno, 23, of Houston; five years in prison for racketeering conspiracy and conspiring to ship firearms while an illegal alien.
• Hector Carranza-Soliz, 32, of West New York; five years in prison for conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering.
• Luis Lopez-Guzman, 26, of Union City; five years in prison for conspiracy to commit murder in aid of racketeering
• Rudy Gutierrez, 24, of Union City; five years in prison for racketeering conspiracy.

The defendants were among a dozen alleged gang members indicted in 2014 on racketeering and conspiracy charges. The U.S. Attorney's Office said those charges stemmed from criminal activities led by Jose Juan Rodriguez-Juarez, an MS-13 leader who court papers describe as also being a senior leader in the Mexican Mafia.

Prosecutors say Rodriguez-Juarez and his deputies, Romero and Joel Antonio Cortez, were involved in attempts to organize the gang's various local subsets, or cliques, under a single national leadership structure.

Lopez-Guzman, Carranza-Solis and Gutierrez were members of the Hudson Locotes Salvatruchas clique, while Garcia-Cruz led the Pinos Locos Salvatruchas Clique, also based in Hudson County.

All four admitted involvement in the 2013 murder plot, the statement says.

The six remaining defendants from the 2014 indictment, including Rodriguez-Juarez and Antonio Cortez, also have pleaded guilty to various charges and are scheduled to be sentenced later this year, court records show.

Romero will begin serving his sentence on the federal racketeering conspiracy charge only after he completes a 44-year state prison sentence for murder in California, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

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

Grant, forfeiture money to help fund cameras Watch video

NEWARK -- Newark will deploy police car and body cameras to officers across the approximately 1,000-member department by 2018 as the state's largest municipal police force carries out widespread reforms, officials announced.

The cameras will help build trust between police and the community, ensure an accurate record of encounters involving officers, help identify areas where police need more training and prevent costly lawsuits, city Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said.

"The public will have more confidence and trust in the police knowing that their encounters with the police are being recorded," Ambrose added. 

Cameras will also help capture evidence to investigate claims made against police officers, officials said. 

"By recording police-citizen encounters, a permanent and accurate account of what transpired is memorialized," he said. 

In-car and body-worn cameras were among a host of measures stemming from a settlement with the federal government and city. A 2014 Department of Justice investigation uncovered unconstitutional policing practices, including improper searches and stops, leading the department to be placed under a federal monitor.

N.J. AG announces $550K for police body cameras

A $382,000 grant will help offset the cost of the cameras, according to Ambrose, who was tapped in 2015 to lead the city's overhauled Department of Public Safety. The city will also use forfeiture funds to cover the approximately $2 million cost, he said.

Each uniformed officer and supervisors will be assigned a body camera as part of their normal duty gear and the footage automatically downloaded to a server, according to Ambrose. Dashboard cameras will also be installed in marked patrol cars that do not already have the devices. 

Newark Fraternal Order of Police President James Stewart Jr. welcomed the cameras and said the union has long advocated for using the technology.

"The State FOP has been out in front of the body camera issue in Trenton as well, testifying before committees to ensure everybody is aware that it is more than just buying cameras, but determining what can be released to the public, what jobs can't be recorded (including in private homes and with juveniles) things like that," Stewart added.

Newark's deployment of cameras faced earlier delays. With the department under a federal monitor, the agency must get approval for its body camera policies and seek bids to supply the cameras, officials said. The department will also launch a pilot program to test the devices before rolling them out to all officers. 

After accusations of bias, Bloomfield cops to wear a body camera

Stewart called the delay "disappointing" but added "we look forward to their implementation because it is our absolute belief that they will aid, not hinder, the great work our cops do out there in the street, day in, and day out."

Last month, the state Attorney General's Office announced more than half a million dollars to fund body cameras for departments around the state. Some police officials have raised concerns over the costs of body cameras, including system to store large digital video files.

Civil liberties groups have also questioned if the public will have access to the footage and if the cameras are used for surveillance.

West Orange, Bloomfield, the Essex County Sheriff's Office and the Rutgers University police are among area departments that have announced plans to use body cameras.

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

The My Very Own Library program will expand to more city schools thanks to the private donation.

NEWARK -- Students at three more Newark schools will be going home from book fairs with at least 10 free books, thanks to a $4.7 million donation meant to foster child literacy in the state's largest city.

The donation will add the program to three Newark schools. (Courtesy Newark schools)
 

The private donation will be carried out through the United Way of Essex and West Hudson, which will administer Scholastic Book Fairs at the schools. 

The money will expand the "My Very Own Library" program, an international initiative that provides free books to needy children. Kids will be able to choose their books at several book fairs that will be held at the schools.

"My Very Own Library gives students the opportunity to explore books by selecting those they are interested in reading. Self-choice and voice is critical to students' learning and MVOL provides students the ability to build their own home libraries," said Catherine Wilson, the president and CEO of the UWEWH.

"There is no better way to foster a love of reading than to allow students to choose the books they want to read during their free time."

The grant will expand the program, which has been running in the district since 2011. With the addition of the newly participating schools, about 16,500 kids at 26 schools in the district will take part in MVOL. About 165,000 books will be given out throughout the district this year.

50 people you didn't know were from Newark

The grant will also fund children's book author visits at the schools, and three family literacy events at each participating school building.

"My Very Own Library and the United Way of Essex and West Hudson are helping to create a new generation of enthusiastic readers in Newark children," Newark Superintendent Christopher Cerf said in a statement.

"By giving our young people access to valuable reading materials, we are instilling a love of reading that will help them both inside and outside the classroom."

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

Relative allegedly tossed gun in Passaic River

NEWARK -- Two men were arrested after they shot each other in a dispute over the price of marijuana, authorities said Wednesday.

(Photos: Dept. of Public Safety)

Angelo Tolentino, 21, of Belleville, and Edgar J. Delgado, 18, of Newark, were each charged with aggravated assault and weapons offenses in the Monday night shooting, according to city Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose.

Police rushed to the scene of the shootout near Emmet Street and Avenue C around 7 p.m., Ambrose said in a statement. Officers found Tolentino wounded near Goble and Thomas streets while Delgado was discovered injured on Orchard Street.

Both men were treated for injuries not believed to be life-threatening at University Hospital, according to authorities.

Body cameras are on the way for police in state's largest city

The two opened fire on each other after an argument over the selling price for marijuana, Ambrose said. Tolentino was armed with a 9mm handgun while Delgado was toting a .32 caliber gun, police said.

Investigators were continuing to search the Passaic River after learning that a relative of Tolentino's allegedly tossed his gun in the water, Ambrose said.

Authorities said additional charges were pending.

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

The fiery wreck happened in the early morning of May 6 on Willow Park Road in Bethlehem Township.

A police officer testified Wednesday that he was stunned when he saw a man in flames emerge from the burning wreckage of a car on Willow Park Road in Bethlehem Township.

"I didn't think he was going to make it," Freemansburg police Officer Jeff Farneski said. "The defendant was fully engulfed in flames. Initially, I didn't think anybody was alive."

Terrell Barclay, 27, of Orange, N.J., was the lone survivor of the May 6 crash that killed three passengers.

At a preliminary hearing Wednesday, Barclay's attorney asked a district court judge to dismiss all charges, arguing testimony provided was mostly hearsay and didn't prove his client was the driver.

Barclay suffered severe wounds and is disfigured as a result of his injuries. Attorney Timothy Prendergast entered a not guilty plea on his behalf.

Dressed in blue pants, a white long-sleeved thermal shirt and sneakers, Barclay showed little emotion and didn't speak unless addressed by the judge. He wore a neck brace, shackles and gauze covering on his head. Seated at the defense table, he occasionally placed his hand on his head and turned around once to see a handful of supporters sitting behind him.

Besides three counts of vehicular homicide, Barclay is charged with two counts of drunken driving, possession of marijuana, possession of a firearm, accidents involving death without a proper license and other vehicle and traffic violations.

What we know about driver in fiery crash that killed 3

Farneski and three Bethlehem Township law enforcement officers provided testimony about what they saw following the 1:22 a.m. crash.

Terrell Barclay places a newspaper over his head Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016 as he leaves district court in Bethlehem Township. Barclay is the lone survivor in a May 2016 crash that killed three passengers in Bethlehem Township. (Pamela Sroka-Holzmann | For lehighvalleylive) 

Barclay, the driver with a suspended driver's license, allegedly struck three parked cars while speeding in the 1800 block of Willow Park Road. Killed were Amanda Martin, 26, of New Ringgold, Schuylkill County, Pa.; Ashlee Mosher, 29, of Easton; and Joshua Edwards, 28, of Easton.

Police said Martin was the front-seat passenger; Edwards was the right back-seat passenger; and Mosher was the left back-seat passenger.

'Flash in the air'

Farneski said he spotted Barclay driving at speeds of 80 to 90 mph and erratically down Pembroke Road while he was on patrol and parked in the lot of Spiro's Restaurant in Freemansburg.

He enacted emergency lights, but never caught up to the rented sedan -- about a quarter mile ahead of him, he said. Barclay later turned onto Willow Park Road in the township, struck a parked pickup truck and a Ford Mustang, and the sedan burst into flames.

"I saw a flash in the air," Farneski said, describing the scene as he arrived.

Farneski said Barclay emerged from the wreckage through a back passenger-side door, fell out and began yelling. The officer told Barclay to stay put as he went back to the police cruiser to retrieve a blanket, but Barclay got to his feet and started running, Farneski said.

Other officers who arrived tried to get Barclay to take off his smoldering clothes as he rolled on the grass. In doing so, a wallet and a bag of marijuana fell onto the ground, Bethlehem Township Officer Mark Demetrovic testified.

A .40-caliber Taurus Millennium handgun found in the road where Barclay had emerged from the burning car was stolen from Plainfield Township, officers said. A written statement was provided by the seller of the stolen gun who told police he sold it to Barclay in exchange for heroin.

Prendergast was quick to question Bethlehem Township Inspector Tony Stevens if any DNA or fingerprints were taken from the pistol, in which Stevens replied, "No."

Barclay was "extremely uncooperative" and "combative" with officers and emergency workers, officers said, noting he kept attempting to get up and leave. Barclay eventually was sedated by emergency medical technicians just to get him to lay flat, Demetrovic testified.

By the time officers arrived at the Bethlehem DUI Center, blood was already drawn from Barclay. Blood testing put Barclay's blood-alcohol content 90 minutes after the crash at 0.19; penalties begin for most drivers at a BAC of 0.08. He allegedly also had THC, the intoxicant in marijuana, in his system.

Barclay was later placed into a medically-induced coma at Lehigh Valley Hospital  in Salisbury Township before being moved July 27 to the Easton Health & Rehabilitation Center, according to Stevens.

Barclay was charged on Sept. 9 and a warrant was issued for his arrest.

Officers testified Barclay was driving while his New Jersey and Pennsylvania licenses were both suspended. Additionally, he had a prior rap sheet of convictions that made him unable to possess a firearm, they said.

In Essex County, New Jersey, he was charged in 2006 with robbery; in 2007 for possession of a controlled substance with intent to deliver; in 2008 for burglary; and in 2009 possession of a controlled substance. He also has six warrants for traffic violations, authorities said.

Lone survivor of fiery crash jailed in wreck that killed 3

'Not the driver'

Prendergast asked the judge to dismiss all charges, pointing to what he called hearsay testimony and no proof that Barclay was behind the wheel.

Barclay, he said, was only was seen getting out a back passenger-side window and never observed in the driver's seat. All the seats were melted by the time firefighters put out the blaze.

"There has been no testimony placing this individual in the driver's seat of this vehicle," Prendergast said.

Prendergast also argued officers did not have a warrant or Barclay's consent to take a blood sample. The handgun, he said, cannot be proven was ever in Barclay's possession.

"The firearm found outside -- there was no DNA or fingerprint evidence to tie this firearm to Mr. Barclay," Prendergast said. "There's no (evidence) that Mr. Barclay ever possessed a firearm."

Northampton County Assistant District Attorney Joseph Dominic Lupackino argued the three people killed were found in passenger-seat positions and the driver's seat was empty following the crash.

A warrant is not needed by hospital staff to administer a blood draw requested by government officials, he said.

"Circumstantial evidence shows he was in possession of the gun," Lupackino argued. "There's a written statement (by the seller of the handgun), saying he did sell that same gun found at the scene to Terrell."

In the end, Broscius determined there was enough evidence to send all the charges to Northampton County Court.

"I took careful consideration of the evidence and all the testimony," Broscius told Barclay. "I believe that the offenses have been committed and you are the person who committed those offenses."

Family members of the deceased victims in a May 2016 fiery crash in Bethlehem Township embrace Wednesday, Oct. 19, 2016 outside district court. (Pamela Sroka-Holzmann | For lehighvalleylive) 

Following the hearing, family members of the dead expressed sorrow and embraced in the parking lot outside.

Tiffany Barclay, Terrell Barclay's sister, said facts were inconsistent in the case and she hoped a clearer depiction would come out during her brother's trial.

Barclay placed a newspaper over his head as he walked with law enforcement to an awaiting vehicle.

He is being held at Northampton County Prison in lieu of $250,000 bail. Formal arraignment is scheduled Dec. 20 in Northampton County Court.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.

An Essex County man who was one of Hudson County's most wanted for two years before his arrest on a carjacking charge last week has now been charged with bail jumping for missing a court hearing while he was on the lam.

JERSEY CITY -- An Essex County man who was one of Hudson County's most wanted for two years before his arrest last month is now facing charges stemming from a missed court hearing in 2014. 

Clarence Dabney, 30, of Newark, is charged with missing a hearing related to a drug charge on Oct. 17, 2014. Dabney, who is already facing charges of attempted murder and carjacking, had his bail set at $50,000 cash only when he appeared on the new charge in court today. 

Gaffney, who served three years in prison for drug possession and has been arrested numerous times, was picked up in Newark on the outstanding attempted murder warrant on Sept. 23, officials said.

The warrant was issued on Oct. 17, 2014, but Gaffney, who is formerly of Jersey City, was never apprehended. He had been on the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office's most-wanted list for nearly two years prior to his arrest on the attempted murder charge last month.

According to a police report, Gaffney shot a Jersey City man twice in the back on Martin Luther King Drive on Aug. 28, 2014. The victim, who was 21 at the time, was taken to the hospital in critical condition and underwent surgery for the gunshot wounds.

Following his arrest on the attempted murder charge, he was released from jail Oct. 7 after posting a $150,000 bail, but was arrested several days later on a carjacking charge.  

Gaffney allegedly removed vehicle keys from a woman's hand as she exited a vehicle in Jersey City and then took the vehicle, a criminal complaint states. He was charged after she identified him in a photo array, authorities said. 

During the arrest, Gaffney allegedly refused to be handcuffed, injured one police with a kick to the ribs and struggled with another officer, causing back and spine injuries, the complaint says.

It's that time of year again!

When I was a boy, some children wore homemade Halloween costumes while others wore the store-bought variety - just like kids today.

In my house, my parents believed we shouldn't pay for something that we could make ourselves. That thrifty -- and, I think, admirable attitude -- sent me into the neighborhood to collect candy wearing a hobo costume made from old clothes and a burnt-cork beard and the classic Charlie Brown-like bedsheet ghost, to name just two.

My sister was a homemade pumpkin one year; it was a gorgeous costume my mom carefully sewed. And to fill it out, she stuffed it with newspapers. Now imagine the little girl walking around with three feet of newspaper insulation on all sides. A hot time on Halloween, for sure.

Rats! I could've been Ringo Starr with rotten teeth!courtesy of metv.com 

For other kids, the desire to dress like Batman (or Snow White, or Spiderman or Wonder Woman) was worth begging and pleading with mom to purchase a store-bought costume; a costume that featured a sweatbox of a plastic mask held in place by an ear-cutting rubber band.

Either way, kids were discharged into the neighborhoods in the hopes of filling pillowcases full of treats.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

Here's a gallery of vintage photos from New Jersey showing the variety and creativity of costume wearers and makers in the state through the years; some are celebrating Halloween while others had another occasion to don a costume. Be sure to have captions enabled to read all about these classic photos.

Can't get enough? Click here for last year's gallery.

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

Here's the latest look at the top ranked teams in N.J.

A woman claims she was assaulted after telling her hairdresser that she did not like the haircut she received.

BLOOMFIELD -- Call it a really bad hair day.

Police are looking for a Craigslist hairdresser accused of pepper spraying her client after the woman complained that she didn't like her haircut.

The stylist, who offers her mobile services via Craigslist, was in the woman's Broad Street apartment on Oct. 13 to cut her hair, Bloomfield police said. The two allegedly started arguing after the woman said she did not like the stylist's work.

After the woman tried to throw the hairdresser out of the apartment, the stylist allegedly sprayed her client in the face with pepper spray, police said. She fled the scene before police arrived, authorities said.

The woman's injuries were treated at the scene, police said.

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

Robert Hayes, 20, was found beaten and naked in Newark in July 2015. He later died of his injuries.

NEWARK -- Three men who have admitted to their involvement in the beating death of a New Jersey City University student last summer are expected to be sentenced Thursday in state Superior Court.

Robert Hayes, a 20-year-old New Jersey City University student was found unresponsive, beaten and naked in Newark's North Ward on July 9, 2015. He was pronounced dead at University Hospital later that day. (File photo)
 

Eric Santiago, Edgardo Mendez and Jonathan Tejada were indicted in January on murder charges in connection with the death of 20-year-old Robert Hayes.

All three are expected to appear before Judge Ronald Wigler in Newark for sentencing on charges of manslaughter and aggravated assault.

A passerby found Hayes unresponsive, beaten and naked on July 9, 2015 near the intersection of Highland Avenue and Verona Avenue in Newark.

Hayes, of Newark, was pronounced dead later that day at University Hospital.

Tejada was arrested later that month, and Mendez was arrested in September 2015. Santiago wasn't arrested until December, when he was captured in Florida and extradited back to New Jersey.

On July 22, just over a year after Hayes' death, Santiago and Tejada both pleaded guilty to manslaughter. Mendez pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of aggravated assault, according to court records.

Prosecutors have said Hayes knew both Santiago and Tejada, and that the events leading to his death began with a fight between the three. Santiago and Tejada later returned with Mendez and attacked Hayes, who sustained fatal injuries, prosecutors said.

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

The town of Maplewood banned leaf blowers over the summer; on Tuesday evening the residents weighed in with their opinions on how it worked out

The Maplewood Township Committee meeting Tuesday evening began with the unveiling of a plaque designating the town hall as having been placed on the National Register of Historic Places.

A leaflet had photos of the town hall, which was completed in 1932, and its predecessor. In both cases, the photos showed nicely manicured grounds.

How the heck did they do that without leaf blowers?

That was the subject of the Great Leaf Blower Debate that was the main topic on the evening's agenda.

On the one side were the residents who work in the city and want to come home to a neatly manicured lawn. On the other side were people who work at home and can't concentrate amid the factory-level din those wretched devices produce.

Let me state up front that I am with the anti-blower forces. The fallacy of the other side, if I may presume to deduce it, comes from a belief that anything any manufacturer cranks out must by very virtue of its existence be good.

In fact many such objects are dreadful. Think of a giant stereo system in the hands of a rap music fan - or even worse a Barry Manilow fan (see horrifying example below).

If said fan mounted that system on his lawn and let it blast 100 decibels of pure noise at his neighbors for hours on end, the gendarmes would soon show up at his door. Why should leaf blowers be any different?

That was the topic that made up the main subject of the evening.

The Township Committee had banned commercial leaf blowers for the summer and the hearing was called to get opinions on how the ban had worked out.

Before the meeting I decided to take a tour of the town with the deputy mayor, Nancy Adams. The ban was lifted for fall clean-up so we got to see lots of leaf blowers in action.

Nancy Adams at her home: Lots of leaves are still on the trees but that doesn't stop the landscapers from coming back every week to use leaf-blowers on the few that fall.Paul Mulshine 

Most of the leaves were still on the trees but that didn't stop the landscapers from attacking the few that had fallen with amazing ferocity and few results.

At one house, two guys with blowers managed to spend 15 minutes pushing around a pile of leaves that could have been raked up in five minutes. I could see a cloud of crud drifting onto the neighbor's porch and onto the sidewalk, where a lady who was walking with a kid had to go through it.

At another house a lone leaf-blower pushed the same tiny pile of leaves around a yard for five minutes, again with little effect. The lady and the kid had to dodge that as well.

"They do it every week," Adams said of the landscapers. "The lawn's not growing either, but they have to justify their charges."

The homeowners don't care. They're almost never home.

That was the battle line for the evening's fight. One by one, the homeowners advanced to the lectern - which was coincidentally enough decorated with the town emblem, a maple leaf.

One woman who works at home as a writer told of how difficult it is to concentrate amid the din. I couldn't hear most of what she said because she was playing a recording of the racket for our listening pleasure.

Another woman said she moved to Maplewood 14 years ago to a home with a nice porch. But she can't use the porch because of the racket.

"Why should they be able to disrupt my quality of life as a taxpayer so my neighbor can have a few blades of grass blown around?" she asked.

Those taxes aren't cheap. The typical bill in Maplewood is $15,000 a year or so. For that kind of money you should be able to expect peace and quiet.

Not according to the homeowners who opposed the ban. Several argued that it would be impossible to clear the areas around swimming pools without a blower.

Huh? I have a pool. The big problem is the leaves that fall inside the pool, not outside. I have to fish them out with a net.

The leaves outside I can easily rake up. Just like the leaves that fall on my driveway. Driveways were another big problem, the blower advocates insisted. They didn't explain why their rakes don't work on pavement. Mine does.

One guy objected that landscapers might start charging more if they can't blow the leaves. At that point Mayor Victor DeLuca put the question in the language used by economists: What about the externalities?

In economics, an "externality" is a side effect of an activity that is not reflected in the price. In the ideal world the person creating a negative externality also pays for it.

"The externality is my neighbors are getting noise and dust," DeLuca said of leaf-blower use. "How would you put a price on that?"

The resident didn't have an answer, but I do. If you can't afford to hire someone to rake up your leaves, then maybe you should get off your butt and rake them up yourself.

Even the landscapers who testified admitted that leaf blowers are obnoxious.

"To be honest with you, those blowers drive us nuts too," one said.

The landscapers argued they shouldn't be singled out. If a ban is going to be imposed, then homeowners should also be prohibited from using them, they said.

That makes perfect sense to me. Let's level the playing field.

And let's keep it clean with rakes.

COMMENTS - SPARE US THE 'NANNY-STATE' NONSENSE.

Many defends of leaf blowers make the nonsensical argument that banning them is an example of the nanny-state mentality. 

I dismissed that silly idea in my prior piece on Maplewood.

Please read it before making that same tired assertion once again.

Also read the Atlantic's James Fallows citing of my argument.

(Below: Imagine this coming at you all day. )

An a cappella face-off, a Greatful Dead member's art exhibit and more this week.

Find 25 exhibits in 4 buildings on 1 block for 1 night -- tonight -- during Market Street Convergence II in Newark. The Oct. 21 event runs from 5 to 9 p.m. Check out artwork that includes "Kea's Ark of Newark: a Life in Works," at 73 Market St.; Portrait of Newark: 350 Selections from the Gallery Aferro Mobile Portrait Studio, at 77 Market St.; Locus Labs, a makerspace pop up, at 85 Market St.; and Speak My Mind, curated by Brick X Brick Collective, at 93 Market St. The event is presented by Gallery Aferro and the the Newark Arts Council for the Open Doors citywide arts festival. Visit facebook.com/GalleryAferro.

* * *

A cappella fans, two of the Ivies face off in a choral showdown tonight during Harvard at Princeton: The Football Concert in Princeton University's Richardson Auditorium. The annual concert between the Princeton and Harvard glee clubs, presented on Oct. 21 at 7:30 p.m., features choral classics, traditional college songs, skits and more. Tickets are $15 for adults and $5 for students. Visit princetongleeclub.com.
 
* * *

Looking to dress up for Halloween? The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey is holding its annual costume and prop sale on Oct. 22, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., in Florham Park. Find props, jewelry, masks, hats, wigs, coats, scripts, furniture, fabric and more at its facility at 3 Vreeland Road. Visit facebook.com/ShakespeareTheatreNJ.

* * *

Calling all art lovers and Deadheads! On Oct. 22, Grateful Dead percussionist Mickey Hart will visit Wentworth Gallery, in The Mall at Short Hills, where Vibrational Expressionism: The Art of Mickey Hart is on exhibit. Hart will be at the gallery to meet visitors and discuss his artworks from 5 to 8 p.m. The event is free, but RSVP is required. Call (973) 564-9776 or email shorthills@wentworthgallery.com. Visit wentworthgallery.com.

* * *

Go back to the '70s with Three Dog Night on Oct. 22 at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank. From "Joy to the World" to "Mama Told Me (Not to Come)," the legendary rockers will perform their 21 consecutive Top 40 hits. The show begins at 8 p.m. Tickets are $30 to $69. Visit countbasietheatre.org.

* * *

Take the controls of a jetliner, a helicopter or a rescue-and-fire truck during Open Cockpit Weekend at Teterboro Airport. The Aviation Hall of Fame event will be held Oct. 22 and 23, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Visitors can sit in the cockpit of several aircrafts, including a TWA Convair 880 jetliner, an HH-52A Coast Guard helicopter, the hall's "Little-Cut-Up" aircraft control demonstrator and the control cab of a real Airport Rescue and Fire-Fighting truck to learn how flight systems work. Admission is $10 for adults; $8 for seniors and children younger than age 12; free for ages 2 and younger. Visit njahof.org.

* * *

Red Bank Battlefield in National Park will host an 18th Century Field Day on Oct. 23, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. The event features Revolutionary War re-enactors, Colonial-related exhibits and tours of the historic Whitall House on the Delaware River. Visit friendsofredbank.weebly.com/18th-century-field-day.html.

* * *

Showcasing instruments, costumes and rugs, the "Sounds of India" exhibit explores classical Indian music through Oct. 23 at the Morris Museum in Morristown. Museum admission is $10 for adults; $7 for senior citizens, students and children, ages 3 to 12; and free for children younger than 3 and museum members. Visit morrismuseum.org.

* * *

Start the Halloween escapades early with "Something Wicked This Way Comes" from the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. The one-night-only event -- a staged reading of "Frankenstein" -- will be held Oct. 24 at 7:30 p.m. at the F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre in Madison. Tickets are $35. Call (973) 408-5600 or visit ShakespeareNJ.org.

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Teachers, grab your garden gloves and your trowel for So You Want to Start a School Garden at the Greater Newark Conservancy. The Oct. 26 event, from 4 to 5:30 p.m., offers information on how to plan and design a garden, basic gardening skills, outdoor classroom management and more. Located at 32 Prince St., Newark. Cost is $5. Visit citybloom.org. 

MORE FROM INSIDE JERSEY MAGAZINE

NEWARK — Kindergarteners at the Chancellor Avenue School in Newark are shown wearing bakers hats they made in class in this photo from 1948. The history of Chancellor Avenue School dates back to 1784 and, according to the Newark Public Schools website nps.k12.nj.us, it is the oldest standing school in the city. If you would like to share a photo...

NEWARK -- Kindergarteners at the Chancellor Avenue School in Newark are shown wearing bakers hats they made in class in this photo from 1948.

The history of Chancellor Avenue School dates back to 1784 and, according to the Newark Public Schools website nps.k12.nj.us, it is the oldest standing school in the city.

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.

 

The Four Seasons frontman, now 82, will play eight nights on Broadway starting Friday

If he had grown up anywhere but Newark, Francesco Castelluccio -- the man everyone knows as Frankie Valli -- would probably be cutting hair for a living. Instead the young man who grew up singing on street corners in Stephen Crane Village in the 1940s would cut class at Central High School at least once a week and head to downtown Newark's Adams Theatre. 

"I saw just about every Big Band there ever was," says Valli, in a recent interview with NJ Advance Media. "I saw the greatest players back in the day when I was a kid in Newark. On the little back streets were great jazz players and singers, I would go down and listen to all the people that inspired me." 

And not just jazz -- Newark was also home to some great country singers, including a self-described hillbilly singer named "Texas" Jean Valli who invited Castelluccio on stage one night. She introduced Castelluccio to her music publisher, and Castelluccio borrowed her last name. Frankie Valli was born. 

Valli's potent falsetto and budding partnership with wunderkind singer-songwriter Bob Gaudio took the Four Seasons (with founding members Tommy DeVito and Nick Massi) to the top of the charts.

The lineup changed -- as chronicled in the Broadway smash "Jersey Boys," which Valli and Gaudio co-produced -- but Valli and the Four Seasons return to Broadway for an eight-night run starting Friday.

When we caught up with him, the singer talked about retirement (probably not gonna happen), his upcoming Christmas album "'Tis the Seasons," produced by Gaudio, and how he feels about the end of "Jersey Boys" on Broadway: 

Q What drives you to get back on stage on every night? Why not enjoy retirement? 

A I'm just not ready to retire. There's not thing really that drives me. I'm doing something that I absolutely love.... Sometimes I look at my career as being against all odds, because there was no formal education musically.

Q What do you think you would have done had you not had the opportunities that you've had?

I did go to school in Newark to become a hairdresser, the American College of Cosmetology. I probably would be doing hair, because it's another outlet for me that is creative. Not that I would start doing hair tomorrow morning.

Q Do you ever get tired of singing your classics?

A First of all, you're not really performing for yourself. You're performing for an audience who may see you once or twice a year. It's all fresh and new to them. Many people related to those songs in different ways. People have gotten married and used one of the songs that we might have recorded, [used the songs] for all the various things that happened in your personal life. 

Q Your falsetto -- and of course, Bob Gaudio and producer Bob Crewe's songs -- made the band. It's a very challenging part of the vocal range. At 82, is it more difficult to keep your voice in top form to perform on Broadway? 

A I think that in order to keep your voice in top form, you have to kind of live a clean life to a great degree. I mean, I don't carouse. I don't go out late at night. I'm not a heavy drinker. I don't smoke, I don't do substances.

Q How do you feel about "Jersey Boys" finally closing on Broadway?

A Everything that goes up comes down, eternally. I'm not surprised. It got better than 10 years on Broadway, and I think that's pretty terrific. I think this will be a little rest, and I wouldn't be surprised to see it back on Broadway in a couple of years. 

Q You're coming out next week with your first solo Christmas album, and of course you're working again with Bob Gaudio. What's the secret of your partnership?

A There's really no secret. Over 50 years ago, when we first met, there was something very unique about his playing and his writing that captured my ears immediately. He thought there was something unique about my singing. He had the same work ethic that I did. He was very relentless in his pursuit to a way to become successful, as I was. It was a great partnership, and still is.

Q I don't know how much popular music you listen to today, but is there anyone out there performing now whom you think will have the kind of staying power that the Four Seasons have had?

A If he does all the right things, he's on the way to do it: Bruno Mars is one of the most brilliant of anybody that I've seen out there. He's straight-ahead music, and he's incredibly talented, and those are the ingredients that it actually takes. 

Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons on Broadway!

Lunt-Fontanne Theatre

205 W. 46th St., New York

Tickets: $65-165 through Oct. 29. Available online at ticketmaster.com.

Vicki Hyman may be reached at vhyman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @vickihy or like her on Facebook. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook, and check out TV Hangover, the podcast from Vicki Hyman and co-host Erin Medley on iTunes, Stitcher or listen here. 

Ep. 54: When Broadway fails on TV

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Which freshman have made their impacts felt in 2016?

Undercover officers responded to an East Orange neighborhood after reports of drug deals.

EAST ORANGE -- A city man was arraigned Thursday after authorities say they saw him dealing crack cocaine and marijuana from an abandoned car.

Taji Whitaker, 27, was arrested Wednesday after officers allegedly saw him conduct a deal from an abandoned 2001 Honda Accord parked on Mapes Avenue in East Orange, Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura said in a release. Sheriff's officers were in the area responding to neighborhood complaints about open air drug deals, Fontoura said.

In the car, authorities found 78 plastic jugs of crack and 98 grams of marijuana, authorities said.

Whitaker, who was arrested on various drug charges, is being held at the Essex County jail on $100,000 bail, officials said.

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

The Newark woman went missing on Oct. 13, authorities said.

Muditha Hettiarachchi is missing. (Courtesy Newark police)
 

NEWARK -- A city man is offering a reward for help locating his missing wife.

Janarthan Velupillai has offered $5,000 for anyone who can help locate his wife, Muditha Hettiarachchi, 38, of Newark, city police announced in a release Friday.

Hettiarachchi, who was reported missing by her husband, was last seen near Bloomfield and 1st Avenues on Oct. 13.

She is four-feet-eight-inches tall, about 150 punds, has brown eyes and black hair, has a mole on the bridge of her nose, and was wearing a black sweater the last time she was seen.

Police said they are also working to find the woman.

Anyone with information on her whereabouts is asked to call 877-695-8477 or 877-695-4867.

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

A look at the latest results in New Jersey football.

KEY LINKS
• Schedule/scoreboard: Full | By conference
• Week 7 Mega-coverage football guide
• Our picks: All games | Top 20
• Picks by conference
• Latest NJ.com Top 20 | Next 10
• Group and conference rankings
• Statewide stats leaders
• Best PHOTOS from Week 7

FEATURED GAMES

No. 4 Toms River North 41, No. 6 Middletown South 21
• Complete coverage
• Watts electric as TRN rolls 
• TR North defense turns out the lights on Midd. South
• Pregame ceremony honors Linden officer
•  Photo gallery
• Look back at live updates
• Box score

No. 3 Paramus Catholic 26, No. 1 Don Bosco Prep 17
• Complete coverage
• Another No. 1 upset by Paramus Cath
• 7 takeaways from PC's victory
•  Photo gallery
• Look back at live updates
• Box score

Cranford 49, Gov. Livingston 7
• Oblachinski, Cranford roll past GL
•  Video: Oblachinski scores 1 of 4
• 5 takeaways from Cranford's win
•  Photo gallery
• Look back at live updates
• Box score

West Deptford 48, Haddonfield 14
• WD blasts northern rival 
•  Photo gallery
• Look back at live updates
• Box score

Moorestown 7, Bishop Eustace 3
• Game recap
•  Photo gallery
• Box score

Hillsborough 48, North Hunterdon 17
• Shaun O'Hara pregame speech motivates Boro
• Lions fall short after fast start
•  Photo gallery
• Box score

Phillipsburg 14, Montgomery 6
• Boures runs Liners with big 2Q
•  Photo gallery
• Box score

Holy Cross 49, Robbinsville 0
• HC's complete performance lances Ravens
• Photo gallery
• Look back at live updates
• Box score

Schalick 31, Clayton 16
• Cougars 6-0, clinch division title
•  Photo gallery
• Look back at live updates
• Box score

Bound Brook 34, Brearley 7
• Game recap
•  Photo gallery
• Box score

Saddle Brook 14, Secaucus 0
• Game recap
•  Photo gallery
• Box score

Hightstown 36, West Windsor South 35 (OT)
• Rams capture OT thriller
• Box score

Northern Burlington 42, Princeton 27
• Greyhounds race to first victory 
• Box score

Woodstown 38, Deptford 32
• Wolverines hold off late rally 
• Box score

Millville 54, Bridgeton 0
• Clay Scott runs rampant as Bolts beat Bridgeton
• Box score

WEEK 6 FEATURES
• Air it out: N.J.'s 28 top QB-WR duos
• 16 wrestling stars thriving on gridiron
• 6 major high school sports topics for October
• No. 4 Toms River North trying to fix defense before showdown
• Middletown South has to stop Toms River North's "Superman"
• 13 under-the-radar players to watch in No. 3 Paramus Catholic vs. No. 1 Don Bosco
• Top 20 cross-sport rankings for Bergen County
• Two added to Player of the Year Watch
• WATCH: Heartwarming video of special needs manager scoring TD
• Which N.J. school got a shout-out on Sunday Night Football?
• Helmet sticker winners for Week 6

COMPLETE SCOREBOARD

Jeremy Schneider may be reached at jschneider@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @J_Schneider. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The shooting of the unidentified victim occurred Friday afternoon

NEWARK -- A fatal shooting occurred around 4:30 p.m. Friday, the Essex County Prosecutor's Office confirmed. 

No information was immediately released on the male victim pending notification of next-of-kin, but the prosecutor's office did confirm the shooting occurred at 110 William St., where the city's Department of Health and Welfare is located. 

The victim was rushed to University Hospital, where he died at 6:10 p.m., Chief Assistant Prosecutor Thomas Fennelly said. 

A city spokesman referred questions to the prosecutor's office when reached Friday night. 

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

The arrests were part of Operation Cross Country X, an FBI-led nationwide crackdown on human trafficking.

FAIRFIELD -- Seven people are facing prostitution-related charges stemming from busts made in Fairfield this month as part of a nationwide FBI operation targeting human trafficking activities.

In a statement Thursday, Fairfield Police Chief Anthony Manna said the seven were arrested Oct. 13 in an operation that also involved police from North Caldwell, West Caldwell and Essex Fells, along with investigators from the Essex and Hudson County prosecutors' offices and the FBI.

Police identified those arrested as the following: 

• Ezabella Aspilaire, 35, of Orange, on charges of engaging in and promoting prostitution. 
• Charday S. Stephens, 27, of Oakland, California, on charges of engaging in and promoting prostitution.
• William Fabricio Avila, 36, of Newark, on a charge of promoting prostitution.
• Belays Brito-Echavarria, 34, of Bronx, New York, on a charge of engaging in prostitution.
• Marvin Castillo, 53, of North Bergen, on a charge of promoting prostitution.
• Miguel Rivera, 27, of North Bergen, on a charge of promoting prostitution.
• Rechi Marei Robles, 26, on a charge of engaging in prostitution.

Police said the arrests were part of Operation Cross Country X, an FBI-led human trafficking crackdown that involved state and local law enforcement agencies across the country. Authorities said 29 people were arrested in New Jersey alone as a result of the operation.

"The Fairfield Police Department will continue to join with the FBI in helping them bring to justice anyone engaged in human trafficking," Manna said in the statement.

Police said all seven were released on their own recognizance pending future court appearances.

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