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Closing arguments in Kearny jewelry store murder trial expected Wednesday

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DeRosa faces 30 years to life in prison if convicted of murder.

JERSEY CITY -- Closing arguments are expected tomorrow morning in the murder trial of the Bloomfield man charged with fatally shooting a father of two during the robbery at the victim's Kearny jewelry store in 2009.

John DeRosa, 58, of Bloomfield, is charged with murdering Xavier Egoavil, 47, of Kearny, on Aug. 18, 2009, in the man's Rachel Jewelers on Kearny Avenue. The victim was survived by his wife, Gina, and two children: a son who was 10 years old at the time and a daughter who was 6.

DeRosa's co-defendant Elvis Feratovic, 30, of Bloomfield, testified during the trial that he was the getaway driver on the morning of the robbery, and that he drove co-defendant Edmir Sokoli, 29, of Bloomfield, to Kearny where they picked up DeRosa near the jewelry store.

Sokoli testified that DeRosa was armed with a pistol when they entered the store and as he cleaned out jewelry racks Egoavil became aggressive with DeRosa and DeRosa shot him.

Sokoli and Feratovic testified that they met DeRosa at the Guitar Bar in Newark were the pair worked as security and DeRosa presented them with the plan for the robbery

This afternoon, DeRosa's attorney, Scott Finkenhauer, attempted to put a waitress from the bar on the witness stand who had said the bar's manager told her he got a call from Sokoli telling him about the robbery and shooting.

The waitress had given a statement to investigators saying under oath that the manager told her Feratovic and Sokoli had gotten into a shootout in Kearny and that they killed a guy in a jewelry store and stole all the jewelry.

But the manager was called to the stand out of the presence of the jury and he said he had no recollection of getting a phone call or having a conversation with Sokoli in which he was told any such thing.

When the former waitress took the stand today -- also out of the presence of the jury -- she said the manager told her that he got a call from Sokoli, who said "Eddie and Elvis were involved in a shooting and they wouldn't be coming in. That's what I can remember now."

Finkenhauer asked the witness if she asked the manager who had killed the person and she replied "Yeah."

Finkenhauer continued by asking, "And did he tell you he thought Eddie had killed the person?"

"Yeah," the former waitress replied.

In the end, Hudson County Superior Court Judge Patrick Arre ruled that the waitress could not testify before the jury, saying, in part, that her testimony was double hearsay.

Feratovic and Sokoli were charged with felony murder but both pleaded guilty to robbery and agreed to testify against DeRosa. Each faces up to 20 years in prison when sentenced. Both have been in jail since not long after the fatal shooting.

Feratovic testified for the state during the trial as part his plea deal and Sokoli testified for the state as well. DeRosa's former girlfriend, Marissa Fuzio, also testified for the prosecution. The state rested this morning and the defense is expected to rest tomorrow morning after some legal matters are hashed out.  

DeRosa faces 30 years to life in prison if convicted of murder.


1 dead after shooting in Irvington

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Shooting occurred Tuesday afternoon

Irvington shootingThe Essex County Prosecutor's Office was investigating a fatal shooting on Myrtle Avenue in Irvington Oct. 25, 2016 (Google Maps) 

IRVINGTON -- A shooting in the township left one person dead Tuesday afternoon, law enforcement officials confirmed.

The male victim was found on the 300 block of Myrtle Avenue, according to Chief Assistant Prosecutor Thomas Fennelly, of the Essex County Prosecutor's Office homicide unit. The shooting occurred around 4:30 p.m.

Police closed Myrtle Avenue, near the University Elementary School as detectives investigated the killing.

Investigators appeared to be focused on a truck parked with its door open on the block. Authorities placed a black shield, sometimes used to obstruct the view of a body from bystanders, around an area outside the truck's open door and illuminated the truck with a spot light.

This historically violent town has reduced killings - Here's how

Homicides and shootings in Irvington have declined sharply this year, according to law enforcement records. Township officials recently credited the deployment of new investigative units with driving down killings.

Last year, there were 14 homicides reported in the township. The prosecutor's office was set to release further details later.

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

10 of top 24 commercial toll cheats in Pa. are N.J. businesses

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New Jersey businesses comprised three of the top 5 spots on the list, made public Tuesday.

The top two commercial toll violators on the Pennsylvania Turnpike are New Jersey businesses, with eight others making the list of offenders owing $20,000 or more, which the agency made public Tuesday.

On top is Green Coast Logistics, LLC in South Plainfield, which has racked up 7,631 violation notices and owes the Pennsylvania Turnpike Commission $678,483, the agency said.

By comparison, number two violator Natural Stone Wholesalers, LLC, in Williamstown, owes $79,659 for 927 violations.

"The top 24 violators together owe the (turnpike) more than $1.5 million in unpaid tolls and fees," Turnpike Chairman Sean Logan said in a statement.

"Shockingly, a single New Jersey trucking firm owes the (turnpike) almost $700,000 in unpaid tolls and violations," Logan said.

The commission has filed civil actions against some of the companies, and recently made the decision to publicize the top offenders in an effort to persuade lawmakers - and the public - that stronger consequences are needed for violators.

"We are doing all we can to collect every penny, but it is simply not enough," Logan said in the statement "Without support from state lawmakers for tougher consequences, a growing number of violators from every state will continue to cheat both the Turnpike Commission and the commonwealth as a whole."

The other Garden State businesses on the list, their violations and amount owed:

#4 - SalSon Dedicated, Inc. of Newark, 214 violations, $56,390

#8 - Schweikert trucking, LLC, of Pine Beach, 571 violations, $43,776

#14 - YMS Express LLC, of Manalapan, 209 violations, $29,698

#15 - Export Transport, of Newark, 286 violations, $27,481

#17 - Kaars, Inc., of Trenton, 527 violations, $24,444

#19 - Rucorr Logistics, LLC, of Garfield, 223 violations, $22,248

#21 - River Road Trucking, LLC, of Camden, 154 violations, $20,976

#23 - Lubana Road Corp., of Carteret, 168 violations, $20,316

NJ Advance Media reached out to all 10 companies and only talked to representatives from two - Lubana Road and YMS - who declined to comment on their placement on the list.

The commission also made public the violations currently due by all motorists, broken down by state. New Jersey finished second on that list, with 64,103 violations that owe just over $7 million. (Pennsylvania topped the list.)

"Not surprisingly, most of the states in the top 10 are states with which (Pennsylvannia) shares a border," Logan said. "But many will be surprised that we have mailed toll violations to every U.S. state and territory, including Hawaii and Alaska."

Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

5 photos that make you believe Newark can be a greener city

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Volunteers have started planting trees, in celebration of the city's 350th birthday.

NEWARK -- By the end of next year, the state's largest city will be 350 trees greener, thanks to a planting initiative meant to celebrate Newark's 350th birthday.

A group of volunteers from Horizon Blue Cross Blue Shield of New Jersey kicked off the massive planting effort Saturday, placing three dozen 12-footers in Jesse Allen Park. The rest of the trees will be planted by other volunteers across the city as part of an effort organized by the Newark Celebration 350 Committee and the New Jersey Tree Foundation.

These photos of the about 75 volunteers at the planting might just make you believe in the future of a greener Newark.

1. The volunteers consider the city "home."

IMG_0793.jpgHorizon volunteers plant a tree in Newark. (Courtesy NC 350)
 

"Newark has been Horizon's home for 84 years and our employees not only work here but many live here and all share a commitment to making the city's parks and neighborhoods more beautiful," said William J. Caster, vice president of Corporate and Regulatory Affairs.

2. The planting is meant to leave a green legacy.

IMG_0860.jpgVolunteers at Jesse Allen Park. (Courtesy NC 350)
 

The groups are calling this effort - one of hundreds of events the committee has organized to celebrate the landmark anniversary this year - a "legacy" gift, which will have a lasting impact on Newark.

Before the planting, the city's tree canopy cover stands at about 17 percent, significantly shy of the recommendation from conservationist group American Forest, which says urban areas should be covered by 30 to 35 percent tree canopy.

3. The trees have a lot of benefits.

IMG_0651.jpg(Courtesy NC 350)
 

In the past 10 years, the New Jersey Tree Foundation, a nonprofit that promotes urban forestry, has planted 2,555 trees in Newark.

Inner city greenery, the groups said, provide some pretty sizable benefits, including:

  • Providing fresh oxygen to city dwellers and visitors
  • Tempering summer heat and harsh winter winds
  • Absorbing storm water that can lead to flooding

4. Trees ain't cheap, but donors are footing the bill.

IMG_0701.jpg(Courtesy NC 350)

The new planting initiative is being funded by donations, including $25,000 from Horizon, $45,000 from the PSEG Foundation, $5,000 from the Community Foundation of New Jersey, and $10,000 from individual donors.

5. Planting a tree (literally) ties volunteers to the city

IMG_0721.jpg(Courtesy NC 350)
 

"We welcome Horizon's generous support for making our neighborhoods greener and more welcoming," said Junius Williams, Chair of Newark Celebration 350.

"I believe that everyone who helps put a new tree in place here will feel that they have a personal stake in Newark's future."

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

Girls Soccer: NJ.com Top 20 for Oct. 26 - County tourney changeups

Thousands could have died in N.J. without life-saving drug

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Data shows that New Jersey's emergency officials have deployed opioid overdose reversal drug Narcan more than 18,000 times since 2014.

New Jersey emergency officials have deployed a drug that halts the effects of an opioid overdose more than 18,000 times since its widespread implementation in 2014, new data shows. 

So far in 2016, the life-saving drug has been deployed an average of 21.8 times a day, putting it on pace to be utilized nearly 8,000 times by year's end. That's more than one use per county, every day.

While data on New Jersey's still growing heroin and opioid epidemic remains difficult to pin down, the use of Narcan in the field provides one of the clearest indications of how widespread opioid abuse is in the Garden State.  

Welcome to Herointown, population 128,000

Narcan, also known as Naloxone, is typically administered as a nasal spray when someone is suffering from an opioid overdose. The drug immediately blocks opioid receptors in the brain, allowing someone -- even if they aren't breathing -- to recover in seconds. 

The figures aren't exact -- in severe cases Narcan is deployed multiple times per patient and the data does not include information from hospitals -- but it shows that emergency officials are responding to a constant flood of patients who are suspected to be overdosing on heroin or prescription opioids every day. 

Not everyone survives. And while the figures certainly reveal the effective use of a drug that has undoubtedly saved the lives of thousands, it also underscores the fact that thousands have needed their lives saved in the last two and a half years.

Last year, an NJ Advance Media investigation revealed there were at least 128,000 people addicted to heroin or prescription opioids in New Jersey, which have claimed the lives of at least 5,000 people in the last decade

Little data has emerged to suggest the situation has gotten any better in the months since. 

State data shows that as of Tuesday, 31,714 people have sought treatment for heroin or prescription opioids in 2016. It will likely eclipse 2015's total in early November. 

Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid up to 50 times as powerful as heroin, has proliferated the drug market as well, and is being blamed for a skyrocketing number of deaths.

According to the Narcan data, deployment rates have been highest in southern New Jersey, where some of the highest per-capita death rates have also occurred.  

 

Stephen Stirling may be reached at sstirling@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @sstirling. Find him on Facebook
 

Pepper-spraying Craigslist hairdresser arrested, cops say

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Belleville woman is accused of assaulting an unsatisfied customer, police said.

BLOOMFIELD -- An allegedly feisty hairstylist who police say pepper-sprayed a dissatisfied client has been arrested, police said.

Screen Shot 2016-10-26 at 9.30.26 AM.pngMaryam Simpson. (Courtesy Bloomfield Police)
 

Maryam Simpson, 35, of Belleville, was charged with aggravated assault and unlawful possession of a weapon in the alleged incident, Bloomfield police said.

Simpson, who goes by "Freddy" on Craigslist to advertise her hair-cutting and styling services, was in the township apartment of a client on Oct. 13 when the woman expressed she was unhappy with her haircut, police said.

During the ensuing argument between the two women, Simpson pepper sprayed the client's face, and fled before police arrived, authorities said.

After a police search for Simpson, she was arrested by Bloomfield police on Oct. 24, authorities said. She was released after posting bail, which was set at $35,000, with a 10 percent option, officials said.

The client was treated at the apartment for injuries sustained during the incident, police have said.

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

See what $2M buys in these 10 N.J. towns

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Among the choices: a nearly 330-acre historic farm and a French Normandy-inspired estate with its own chapel.

A nearly 330-acre historic farm in the northern reaches of New Jersey that dates back to the late 18th century is looking for a buyer.

So is a nearly 11,000-square-foot French Normandy-inspired estate with its own chapel in the Philadelphia suburbs and a more than 4,000-square-foot home at the Jersey Shore with views of the SS Atlantus, a concrete ship that ran aground off the coast of Lower Township in 1926.

The price tag on all of three of those properties? Around $2 million.

A homebuyer with a multimillion-dollar real estate budget can afford a wide selection of properties in New Jersey, including residences with personal theaters, billiards rooms and in-home fitness centers. (But also be prepared to pony up tens of thousands of dollars in property taxes every year.)

See what $675K buys in these 10 N.J. towns

Want a private tennis court? Practice your game at any time of day at a home in the East Hill section of Tenafly that's up for sale for $1.995 million. 

Rather settle into a home with hand-painted murals, custom chandeliers and faux painted and Venetian plaster walls? Check out this six-bedroom home that sits on more than seven acres of land in Tewksbury. The asking price for that home is a flat $2 million.

Take a look at those properties, as well as homes in Hoboken, Kinnelon, Princeton and elsewhere, in the gallery above, which features 10 homes for sale for around $2 million in 10 different towns in New Jersey.

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

 

10 arrested in Secaucus prostitution sting; man accused of trafficking 16-year-old girl

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An undercover child exploitation and prostitution investigation in Secaucus has led to the arrest of 10 people including a Carteret man who was charged with promoting the prostitution of a 16-year-old girl who had been reported missing.

VernonBrooks.jpgVernon T. Brooks, 25, of Carteret, is charged with promoting the prostitution of a minor and endangering the welfare of a minor, regarding a 16-year-old girl.  

JERSEY CITY -- An undercover investigation into prostitution and child exploitation in Secaucus has led to the arrest of 10 people, including a Carteret man accused of promoting the prostitution of a 16-year-old girl who had been reported missing.

In the probe conducted by the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office and the Secaucus Police Department, an undercover officer contacted several escorts via website advertisements on Thursday made arrangements to meet them, Hudson County Prosecutor Esther Suarez announced. 

During each meeting, the undercover officer and escort negotiated a price for a sexual act and when the deal was made, the escorts were arrested on the charge of prostitution, Suarez said.

A total of $1,400 was also seized during the probe, the prosecutor added. . 

During the investigation, the 16-year-old girl was identified as an escort and negotiated the price of a sexual act with an undercover officer. But authorities determined she had been involved in human trafficking in Union County in the past and was treated as a victim, Suarez said, adding that she was not charged with any offenses. 

Vernon T. Brooks, 25, of Carteret, was charged with promoting the prostitution of a minor and endangering the welfare of a minor. His bail was set at $100,000 cash or bond.

Ray Marlon Owens, 37, of Baltimore; Leia Alliston, 41, of New York City and Kevin William, 26, of Orange, were charged with promoting prostitution. 

Arrested and charged with prostitution were: Carolina Barhena, 32, of the Bronx; Lisa Bengtson, 33, of Baltimore; Jaran Elizabeth-Ellen Reid, 21, of Newark; Jennifer Crisp, 37, of South Dakota; Pa Lee, 43, of Flushing, NY and Tahinah Borgella, 28, of West Orange. 

Union City inspector gets 20 months in prison for bid-rigging

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Johnny Garcia admitted he submitted phony bids from competitors and fictitious companies

NEWARK -- A former inspector for the Union City Community Development Agency was sentenced Wednesday to more than a year and a half in prison for conspiring with agency contractors to rig the bidding process for federally funded projects.

11865788-mmmain.jpgFederal agents carry out boxes as the FBI raids the Community Development Agency office at City Hall in Union City, NJ, on Wednesday, November 14, 2012 

Johnny Garces, 53, previously admitted in March 2015 that he submitted phony bids, purportedly from the contractors' competitors, which were higher than those submitted by the contractors, according to a statement from the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Prosecutors say Garces, of Union City, also fabricated high bids from fictitious companies as part of the scheme to ensure his co-conspirators received the contracts.

The scheme resulted in the loss of approximately $307,000 in U.S. Housing and Urban Development funds administered by the agency, according to prosecutors.

Two of the contractors, Joseph Lado, 68, and Leovaldo Fundora, 55, also have pleaded guilty to criminal charges in the bid-rigging scheme. Lado, of Fort Lee and Fundora, of Guttenberg, were each sentenced in August to three years of probation, the statement says.

Garces was one of several people snared in an FBI investigation into the fraudulent awarding of the so-called Community Development Block Grants.

A former compliance officer for the city development agency, Washington Borgono, also was sentenced in September to three years of probation after pleading guilty to a charge of fraudulently obtaining government funds.

Judge William H. Walls sentenced Garces to three years of supervised release in addition to the prison term.

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

Read like Philip Roth: Famed author's books coming to Newark Library

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The Pulitzer Prize-winning author and library announced the 3,500-volume gift Wednesday.

NEWARK -- It's a fitting new home for the about 3,500 books that make up famed author Philip Roth's personal collection.

Roth, a Newark native and Pulitzer Prize winner, has gifted his entire private collection to the Newark Public Library, in a move that he said was partly a way to have the books preserved and appreciated by the public, and partially a way to say "thank you" to the city.

"My decision to locate my personal library in Newark and, specifically, in the Newark Public Library, was determined by a longstanding sense of gratitude to the city where I was born," Roth said in a statement about the donation.

50 people you didn't know were from Newark

"During (my) first year (as a student) at (the then-called) Newark Rutgers, during the many hours each day when I didn't have classes, the stacks and the reference room and the reading rooms of the main library were where I camped out when I wanted a quiet place to be alone to read or to study or to look something up. It was my other Newark home."

The volumes, many of which are annotated with Roth's personal notes and underlinings, have never before been seen by the public. As such, the library is planning an unveiling befitting the impact it hopes the collection will have on library patrons.

Screen Shot 2016-10-26 at 1.37.59 PM.pngA rendering of the new room at the Newark Library that will house Philip Roth's personal collection. (Courtesy Newark Library)
 

It is currently building out a new second floor room, designed by architect Henry Myerberg, that will be the dedicated home of Roth's books. In addition to the texts, Roth is donating his custom-made writing desks, reading chairs, and large refectory table. So, library visitors there to read Roth's books can also experience where he read them, and where he wrote his own novels.

In celebration, the library is also launching the "Philip Roth Lecture," an annual public lecture series meant to honor Roth and his legacy. The inaugural event, happening Thursday night at 7 p.m. at the library, will feature acclaimed British novelist Zadie Smith, who will talk about Roth's influence on her writing.

"The Philip Roth Personal Library is an extraordinary gift that will touch vast numbers of people now and in the future," said Timothy Crist, the library's board president.

"Just as Mr. Roth found inspiration for his writing at the Newark Public Library, we know that his extraordinary gift will inspire others to do the same."  

Roth has often credited his childhood in Newark, and his time at the library, with fostering his passion for writing. The protagonist in his first novel, "Goodbye, Columbus," is a Newark Library employee. And, Roth conducted much of the research for his award-winning "American Trilogy" books in the library's New Jersey Room.

"I'm 83, and I don't have any heirs," Roth told the New York Times, which first reported the story of his donation, of why he chose to give the books away now.

"It's not a huge library, but it's special to me, and I wanted it preserved as it was, if only for historical interest: What was an American writer reading in the second half of the 20th century," he told the Times.

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

M&M's to turn Newark neighborhood into 'Halloween wonderland'

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M&M's partners with Newark to transform one of the city's neighborhoods into a "Halloween wonderland

NEWARK -- From the time you first start dressing up and trick-or-treating, the real objective of Halloween is clear: Get candy. And, for the second year in a row, a candy company is bringing the holiday to life for Newark kids.

M&M's is partnering with the city to transform one of the its neighborhoods into a "Halloween wonderland," a release from Mars, Incorporated, said Wednesday.

It goes without saying the candy will be free, but the company will also dole out 4,000 free costumes to kids under 12.

And, for the second year in a row, celebrities will be on hand at the event. Last year, singer Kelly Rowland gave out costumes and spent time with attendees.

This year, Randy Foye, of the Brooklyn Nets, and Taylor Hall, of the New Jersey Devils, will be helping give out the haunted looks and sweet treats, the release said.

Diverse school cancels Halloween...again

M&M's traces its history back to Newark, where the chocolates and their thin candy shells were first manufactured in 1941. The company stayed in the city until 1958, when it shut down its factory in the Clinton Hill section of the South Ward and moved to Hackettstown.

All Newark residents are invited to attend the event, being held Oct. 27 from 3 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the John F. Kennedy Recreation Center and surrounding blocks.

The catch, kids? You have to be accompanied by an adult. But, that doesn't mean you have to share your candy with them.

Michael Anthony Adams may be reached at madams@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MichaelAdams317. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Boys Soccer: 2016 NJSIAA state tournament brackets

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Where is your favorite team playing in states?

The NJSIAA seeded the 2016 state tournament on Wednesday morning. NJ.com was on hand to provide live coverage from the seeding meeting and posted the brackets for each section.

SECTIONAL BRACKETS

North 1, Group 1
North 1, Group 2
North 1, Group 3
North 1, Group 4

North 2, Group 1
North 2, Group 2
North 2, Group 3
North 2, Group 4

Central, Group 1
Central, Group 2
Central, Group 3
Central, Group 4

South, Group 1
South, Group 2
South, Group 3
South, Group 4

North, Non-Public A
North, Non-Public B

South, Non-Public A
South, Non-Public B

Teen girls among 4 wounded in Newark shootings

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Police urge anyone with information call city tip line.

Newark shooting imageVideo shows the man and vehicle sought in a shooting on South 20th Street in Newark Oct. 25, 2016  

NEWARK -- Three separate shootings left four people wounded -- including two teenage girls -- within less than 24 hours around the state's largest city, authorities said Wednesday.

Around 2:15 p.m. Tuesday, a 36-year-old man was shot by a driver who pulled up in a car and appeared to speak to the victim before he got out and fired several times at the man on the 600 block of South 20th Street, according to Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose.

In security camera footage of the attack, the assailant chases after the injured man until he collapses on the sidewalk. The man underwent surgery and is expected to survive his injuries, police said. 

Shortly after 6 p.m. the same day, two girls, 16 and 17, were shot near Lincoln Street and Eagles Parkway, authorities said in a statement. The teens were treated for non life-threatening injuries at University Hospital.

Officials ID man killed in Irvington shooting

That attack is believed to have stemmed from an ongoing dispute between the girls and other teens they know, Ambrose added.

The third shooting came around 8 a.m. Wednesday on the 100 block of Pennington Street, according to authorities. A 23-year-old man was shot and underwent treatment for non life-threatening injuries.

Detectives were in the early stages of the investigations and few details were immediately available on what motivated the shootings as they pursued leads, police said.

Ambrose urged anyone with information to call the Newark police division 24-hour Crime Stoppers tip line at 877 NWK-TIPS (877 695-8477) or NWK-GUNS (877 695-4867). Authorities said all anonymous tips would be kept confidential.

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

Police seek man accused in carjacking, assault

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Driver was attacked after he stopped to greet a friend Sunday, according to police.

Omar WrightOmar Wright, 32 (Photo: Dept. of Public Safety) 

NEWARK -- Authorities on Wednesday asked for the public's help to find the man suspected in a weekend carjacking in the city.

A 31-year-old man pulled his 2006 Chevy Monte Carlo over to greet a friend Sunday night near Clinton Avenue and South 11th Street when one suspect assaulted the motorist, according to Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose. A second assailant got out of a parked blue Dodge van and pointed a gun at the driver.

The driver was robbed of personal items and the car, Ambrose said in a statement. Detectives identified the wanted suspect as 32-year-old Newark resident Omar Wright, who also goes by "Dirty O" or "Ox." A warrant was issued for his arrest.

Academy to offer inside look at public safety in Newark

Ambrose urged anyone with information about Wright to call the Crime Stoppers tip line at 877 NWK-TIPS (877 695-8477) or NWK-GUNS (877 695-4867). Authorities said all anonymous tips would be kept confidential.

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


$450K grant will introduce Newark students to NJPAC

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Newark students, teachers to benefit from grant awarded by the Community Foundation of New Jersey.

NEWARK -- A grant awarded to the New Jersey Performing Arts Center will "significantly increase" the number of Newark students invited to attend performances and assemblies, allowing them to experience the arts in their home city, NJPAC officials announced Wednesday.

njpac.jpgThe inaugural "NJ Spotlight on Cities" event will be held at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark on Friday, Oct. 16, 2015. (Star-Ledger file photo)
 

The two-year grant, taken from what's left of the $100 million donation given to Newark Public Schools by Mark Zuckerberg and Dr. Priscilla Chan in 2010, seeks to boost performance and assembly from about 15,000 to 24,000 participants, the release said.

"Our district's partnership with NJPAC is a pivotal step toward ensuring that all Newark students are able to explore a variety of learning opportunities that will enhance their educational journey," NPS Superintendent Christopher D. Cerf said in a statement. "Our students will have the opportunity to experience real-world applications of their artistic explorations in the fields of performing and fine arts."

In addition to helping students, the release said, the grant will also provide professional development programs for 183 arts teachers from 64 schools throughout the district. The eight-day training will include sessions on instructional strategies, led by professional artists and other teachers.

How $100M donation was spent

On Wednesday, teachers gathered for their first professional development training experience with NJPAC, which included curriculum workshops in the morning and arts discipline workshops on the "Creative Process" in the afternoon.

"It's been proven time and again that an immersion in the arts is essential to a child's journey of self-discovery and is a strong factor in developing many other academic skills," said NJPAC President and CEO John Schreiber.

"This important and essential new grant will ensure that the arts take a more central place in the education of the students who need it most."

Michael Anthony Adams may be reached at madams@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MichaelAdams317. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

Jurors in Kearny murder trial told co-operating witnesses were liars

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Jurors in the trial of a man charged with murdering a man during the robbery of his Kearny jewelry store were asked today if they should believe the man's co-defendants who testified after getting plea deals to lesser charges.

Jurors in the trial of a man charged with murdering the owner of a Kearny jewelry store during a robbery were asked today if they should believe the man's co-defendants who testified after getting plea deals to lesser charges.

The question was posed during closing statements by defense attorney Scott Finckenauer, whose client, John DeRosa is charged with fatally shooting Xavier Egoavil the morning of Aug. 18. 2009 during the robbery at Rachel Jewelers on Kearny Avenue.  

Finckenauer told jurors that three witnesses who testified for the state had "every incentive in the world to lie. So when you are trying figure out what's the truth and what's not the truth, the truth is there is nothing but these three lying witnesses that say John DeRosa had anything to do with this. The truth is he didn't have anything to do with it."

But Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Leo Rinaldi said video, phone records and the testimony of other witnesses corroborated the testimony of DeRosa's co-defendants Elvis Feratovic, the admitted getaway driver, and Edmir Sokoli, who said he entered the store with DeRosa and saw the shooting, proved beyond a reasonable doubt that DeRosa was guilty of the murder.

Both co-defendants had been charged with felony murder but pleaded guilty to robbery and face up to 20 years in prison when sentenced, based on plea deals which required their cooperation in the prosecution of DeRosa.

Finckenauer was also referring to testimony given by DeRosa's former girlfriend, Marissa Fuzio, who admitted she had a 40-bag-a day heroin addiction at the time of the robbery and was facing several burglary charges for which she later received only probation.

The defense attorney also noted some inconsistencies in the statements made by the three witnesses. He noted that in statements given by Fuzio, she asks detectives, police "Did I do good?" "did I pick out the right photo?" and "did I give you what you want?"

Rinaldi noted that testimony from the victim's mother, who witnessed her son's fatal shooting, was that Sokoli, Feratoic and Fuzio were virtually identical in their description of events on the day of the robbery that turned fatal when the victim was shot four times. 

"How would Edmir Sokoli know that Sylvia (Egoavil) said that?" Rinaldi asked the jury.

Feratovic and Sokoli said they met the older DeRosa at Guitar Bar in Newark where they worked as security and DeRosa proposed the robbery in July of 2009.

Rinaldi noted that phone records show the first calls between Sokoli and DeRosa were in July of 2009. He said that a week before the robber,y there were a flurry of calls between the pair and noted that Ferotic said he had backed out of the robbery on two occasions.

There were several calls between the pair the day before the murder at a time Sokoli and Feratovic said they had cased the store and Feratovic's BMW was captured on security video there. There was another flurry of calls between the pair the night before the robbery and the next day before and after the time of the robbery. After two weeks, all calls ceased.

Rinaldi noted video that showed DeRosa's SUV leaving his home on the morning of the robbery and video that showed it afterward as it drove 13 seconds behind Feratovic's BMS after the robbery. He said phone records show Sokoli and DeRosa were on the phone with each other at the time.

The prosecutor also noted that Fuzio gave a statement saying she and DeRosa had gone to New York to buy wigs and fake beards prior to the murder and the next day investigators went to the store and recovered a receipt which a store employee said corresponded to the items she said were purchased. He asked jurors how investigators could go to the store Fuzio named and find the receipt if she was not giving true information.

During the trial, the jury was shown a video recorded statement in which Fuzio stated that on the day of the robbery DeRosa "left early in the morning that day, on Tuesday, and then a couple hours later he called me and he was like, he was telling me there was a bag hanging from the front door and to go throw it away but not in the garbage can."

She said the bag contained trimmings from a fake beard and a bottle of glue used to attach the beard. She said she discarded it at a convenience store. 

Fuzio also said that when DeRosa returned home on the day of the robbery he told her "he had robbed a jewelry store and it want bad. She said he had a bag and "he just pulled out handfuls of jewelry."

The girlfriend said he told her, "they were thinking there was just going to be an old man in the store that day but when they got in there was this big guy, his son I think, and when he came at him he shot at him," Fuzio told investigators. "He wasn't sure if he killed him but he shot him like four times."

Tomorrow morning, the jurors will be instructed on the law regarding the charges against DeRosa and they will then begin deliberating. 

Man was snoozing behind the wheel on Newark bridge, cops say

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Samuel Loften was charged with resisting arrest and other offenses

NEWARK-- An Elizabeth man faces several charges after he allegedly parked on the Port Street bridge and tussled with Port Authority police who tried to rouse him, the agency said in a statement.

Port Authority officers saw a 2005 Envoy GMC on the eastbound side around 11:30 a.m. Tuesday. Vehicles are not permitted to park in the area, the Port Authority said.

No Halloween celebration at this N.J. school 

When officers approached, the driver, Samuel D. Loften, 57, was motionless behind the wheel with his eyes closed, the agency said. Police were unable to wake him and opened the driver's side door, which is when Loften allegedly began to resist. Additional officers were called to subdue the 6'5" Loften, who was placed into custody, police said.

Loften, whose license is suspended, also failed a blood-alcohol test, registering .11, police said. He has been charged with resisting arrest, assault, DWI and driving with a suspended license. He has also been charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance after police said an oxycodone bottle was found in his vehicle.

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

 

 

 

Vintage photos of N.J. landmarks

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Some are still here, others are a memory.

New Jersey, according to nj.gov, covers 7,417 square miles; only four other states are smaller in area. Yet in that relatively small area, there is a plethora of landmarks, historic sites and places of interest.

There are 11 sites designated as national parks in the Garden State and 1,693 locations in the state are listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

And those are just the "official" places of interest. From the Great Falls of the Passaic River in Paterson to the concrete ship off Cape May Point, the state is full of interesting, unusual and fascinating stops, many of which will never make the National Register, but will register an impression in your memory.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

_90368171_uniroyal_blackwood.jpgThe Uniroyal lady in Blackwood 

In this gallery, you'll find just some of the state's landmarks. Some are still there to visit; others can only be remembered through old photos and the occasional plaque or marker. All of them are part of the state's rich history.

Don't see one you'd like included? Send along a pre-1986 photo and we'll use it in our next installment. And be sure to have captions enabled to read all about these classic photos.

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

Gov. Christie needs to give N.J. downtowns a break | Editorial

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Gov. Chris Christie has nixed a measure that would extend the Urban Enterprise Zone program, leaving it to be phased out here starting in early 2017.

Barring a miracle - or an override of Chris Christie's conditional veto, which is essentially the same thing - Trenton and four other cities are about to lose a vehicle for economic prosperity.

The state's Urban Enterprise Zone (UEZ) program, now three decades old, provides sales-tax breaks to lure customers to downtown shopping areas struggling to survive.

The program, under the direction of the state Department of Community Affairs, also offers incentives such as breaks on energy taxes and a business-to-business tax exemption.

In addition, participating business owners are eligible for free marketing services and networking opportunities.  

Statewide, the program has grown to 32 designated zones in 37 municipalities, NJ Spotlight reports.

In Trenton, the UEZ covers a 2.5-mile commercial and industrial area; the city's web site calls it "a business success in the heart of the Capitol City," and merchants sing its praises.

Remaking Trenton: Does the city have what it takes?

More than 900 local businesses have signed on, leading officials to boast that the program's financial benefits have allowed for significant improvements in the city's business district.

But now the governor has nixed a measure that would extend the program. It will be phased out here starting in early 2017, as well as in Bridgeton, Camden, Newark and Plainfield.

The remaining cities across the state would see their UEZ designations go belly up gradually over the next 10 years.

Mindful that the Legislature has not once succeeded in overriding one of the governor's vetoes during his more than six years in office, a group of concerned lawmakers is working on a compromise to keep the program alive and vital.

Sponsored in part by Assemblywoman Elizabeth Maher Muoio (D-Mercer), the proposal would permit a two-year extension for the immediately affected cities. It would also create a study to determine if other types of economic-development efforts would eventually be a better way to go.

Muoio told NJ Spotlight last week that the tax benefits the UEZs provide are crucial for cities like Trenton. Contractors from other parts of New Jersey - and even from other states - come here to buy bulk items such as countertops and electrical supplies, she said.

In his State of the City address earlier this month, Trenton Mayor Eric Jackson thanked members of the Senate and Assembly who are advocating for the compromise, and underlined the program's vibrancy.

"The Urban Enterprise Zone program needs to be extended, especially for cities like Trenton that need every tool to attract commercial activity to our local businesses," he said.

We're not ready to say goodbye to an initiative that's provided a boost to our cities' economic energies. Let's hope the governor can be persuaded to feel the same way.

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