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Bystander shot, robber attacked by pit bull in holdup attempt, police say

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Police seeking suspect after merchant fights back

IRVINGTON -- A bystander was shot in a struggle between an auto shop owner and a gun-toting robber, who was also attacked by a guard dog, authorities said Tuesday.

Irvington auto shopPolice were seeking a suspect in the robbery at Izmok Auto on Clinton Avenue in Irvington Oct. 31, 2016 (Google Maps)

A masked gunman threatened the owner at Izmok Auto on Clinton Avenue in an apparent robbery attempt late Monday, according to Irvington police Deputy Chief Michael Tomich.

A fight ensued when the merchant tried to disarm the assailant.

During the struggle, a round fired from the robber's gun and hit a wall at the shop, said Tomich, a spokesman for township Public Safety Director Tracy Bowers. The shop's guard dog, a pit bull, also bit the robber on the arm and leg.

The struggle spilled outside, where another shot went off and hit a 51-year-old man in the foot, according to the deputy chief. The bystander was treated for the gunshot wound. At that point, the attacker dropped his gun and fled south on foot on Maple Avenue.

Township police were investigating and anyone with information was asked to call Detective Andres Lebron at 973-399-6603.

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


Driver allegedly rammed police car in stolen vehicle chase

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Man faces aggravated assault charge

WEST ORANGE -- A 19-year-old Orange man driving a stolen vehicle was arrested after he rammed a police car in a brief pursuit Monday afternoon, officials said.

Anquan Holmes was charged with eluding, aggravated assault, receiving stolen property and other offenses, according to jail records.

A West Orange police officer spotted Holmes behind the wheel of the vehicle that was reported stolen from Newark before a pursuit ensued on High Street, township spokeswoman Susan Anderson said. Holmes rammed an unmarked police cruiser and fled.

Bystander shot, robber attacked by pit bull in holdup attempt, police say

The chase ended near Washington and William streets in East Orange, authorities said. There were no injuries.

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

 

These are the best (and worst) N.J. colleges for poor students, new data says

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State officials have begun collecting data on how many low-income students graduate from New Jersey colleges within four years.

EWING -- Grace Sandel aced high school.

The Pemberton resident said she was the type of student who could study for five minutes and still get an "A" on her exams. The daughter of a truck driver and a retired music teacher graduated in the top 10 percent of her class.

But when the 18-year-old freshmen arrived at The College of New Jersey this summer, she said she wasn't sure how she was going to do. Sandel qualified for a five-week program for low-income students that offered her a chance to arrive on campus weeks before other freshmen to take summer classes and learn study skills she would need.

Supersized: N.J.'s 25 largest high schools

She was grateful for the help. Sandel said she has seen friends and classmates scramble to keep up once they got to college.

"They definitely struggled more than I thought they would," Sandel said. "It's hard to tell how you are going to do."

New Jersey has long had one of the most generous financial aid programs in the country to help low-income students afford college. But some critics say colleges need to provide more support for low-income students once they get on campus.

TCNJ EOF graduationFreshman Grace Sandel, right, graduates from the Educational Opportunity Fund summer program at The College of New Jersey in August. She stands with Tiffani Warren, the college's EOF director. The school has begun to boost its graduation rate for low-income students by offering a five-week summer program to help students learn study skills and get ready for the school year. (Anthony Caruso | The College of New Jersey)  

Many of the students, who are often the first in their families to go to college, fall behind in classes because their high schools did not prepare them for college-level work. Others face financial problems in their families that may delay them from finishing their degrees on time or force them to drop out.

Last year, state officials began tracking how many low-income students make it to graduation at New Jersey colleges. The state Higher Education Student Assistance Authority began requiring colleges to report the graduation rates for low-income students who receive taxpayer-funded Tuition Aid Grants - or TAG - to help them pay for college.

The maximum TAG awards range from $2,680 at county colleges to $12,438 at private colleges. There are no income limits on which students are eligible for TAG awards. The state hands out the money based on students' financial need, the cost of their school and the amount available in the fund.

New Jersey taxpayers invest $404 million in the TAG program every year and state officials want to make sure students are actually completing their degrees after receiving the grants, HESAA officials said.

"High graduation rates demonstrate that the state's investment in the TAG program is paying off by helping students to graduate well prepared for successful careers," said Marcia Karrow, a HESAA spokeswoman.

The first batch of data collected looks at TAG students who began college in 2007 and should have graduated by 2011, if all went well.

An NJ Advance Media analysis of the data collected by the HESAA found the four-year graduation rate for TAG students at the state's traditional four-year colleges ranged from 12 percent at New Jersey City University to 100 percent at Princeton University. (The analysis excluded Thomas Edison State University, religious colleges and other schools with non-traditional formats.)

At New Jersey City University, a public college in Jersey City, the graduation rate for the 441 low-income TAG students who enrolled as freshmen in 2007 was the same as the four-year graduation rate for the rest of the undergraduate population, which was also about 12 percent, according to the data.

Though Princeton had the highest graduation rate in the state for low-income students, it also had one of the smallest numbers of TAG students. Just nine students receiving TAG grants started as freshmen at the Ivy League school in 2007, according to the data. All nine graduated within four years.

Rutgers University, which has the largest number of TAG students in the state, enrolled 1,912 freshmen with TAG grants in 2007, according to the report. Less than 41 percent of the low-income students graduated within four years. By comparison, about 50 percent of Rutgers' general student population graduated within four years.

The slideshow above shows the four-year graduation rates for TAG students at all of New Jersey's traditional four-year colleges and universities.

The state is also collecting data on how many TAG students graduate within six years or transfer to other schools.

For now, state officials are only using the new data to help policy makers understand how state financial aid is being spent. The data, published on the HESAA website, can also be used to help TAG students decide which colleges provide them with the best chance of graduating.

In the future, state officials may flag colleges that are doing a poor job of getting low-income students to graduation.

"Depending upon what the data shows as more years are collected, HESAA may use the data in the future to assist institutions where TAG students are not achieving graduation rates at acceptable levels," Karrow said.

The College of New Jersey had one of the highest graduation rates for low-income students, according to the state data. But the public college also had one of the widest gaps between four-year graduation rates for TAG students and the general undergraduate population. Of the students who entered as freshmen in 2007, 55 percent of TAG students graduated in four years compared to 71 percent of the school's general population.

Officials at The College of New Jersey are already stepping up efforts to get extra help for low-income students. In recent years, the public college in Ewing has expanded its summer program for students in the Educational Opportunity Fund program, a state program that offers financial and support services for students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

This year, EOF students attended a five-week summer program on campus before their freshman year. The free program ran from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. each day and included advanced coursework in math, science and writing. Students also got lessons on using the campus library and adapting to life away from home. Students stayed in the campus dorms for free for the summer.

The College of New Jersey will continue to offer help and counseling for EOF students during the school year.

"Our goal is to graduate them in four years," said Tiffani Warren, the college's EOF director. "This is just the tip of the iceberg."

The summer program is not cheap. The College of New Jersey spent more than $500,000, including $217,000 in state funding, to offer the summer program for free to about 80 EOF students, Warren said.

But, the efforts are paying off, Warren said. Graduation rates for low-income students have been rising steadily since The College of New Jersey began focusing on providing extra help for the students in 2014.

Sandel, the freshman from Pemberton, said she feels like she is a step ahead of her classmates thanks to the extra preparation she got in her summer program before classes started.

"I feel like I'm going to be the top freshman," Sandel said, laughing. "I just love this program. I'm so happy I got to be part of it."

Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KellyHeyboer. Find her at KellyHeyboerReporter on Facebook.

Where are the most LGBT-friendly towns in N.J.?

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These Garden State communities are particularly welcoming to LGBT people, residents and activists say. Watch video

When Randy Rabney and her wife, Fran Lichtman, decided it was time to pack up their lives in Manhattan more than a decade ago, they only had one New Jersey town on their list of possible destinations: Maplewood.

As native New Yorkers, Rabney said they drove to the town "to rule it out," never expecting to take the plunge into the New Jersey suburbs, but the couple quickly decided that's the place they wanted to raise their son, who was two and a half at the time.

"For us, what we were looking for was a community where we could truly be integrated into the fabric," Rabney said, a place where people would look at their son and say, "There's Zan," not, "There's that Jewish boy with two mothers."

For them, Rabney said, Maplewood -- and neighboring South Orange -- has been that community.

While the Garden State is not home to historic gay meccas like the Castro District in San Francisco or Chelsea in New York City, there are towns throughout the state that many describe as havens for LGBT -- lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender -- people and families. Though there has been considerable progress in recent years, LGBT issues are still at the forefront of political discourse, and gays don't necessarily feel comfortable in every community -- even in one of the most diverse and left-learning states in the nation.   

Towns like Maplewood, South Orange, other suburbs of New York City, some Jersey Shore communities and the state's second largest city, are particularly welcoming to the gay community and particularly progressive on issues affecting that community, residents and activists say.

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

The diversity of the LGBT community makes compiling a definitive list of gay-friendly towns in New Jersey a difficult task -- as each person places different priorities in choosing a place to call home -- and a comprehensive analysis of how the hundreds of municipalities in New Jersey stack up against one another on LGBT issues does not exist. 

But when determining a town's friendliness toward its LGBT community, Christian Fuscarino, the executive director of Garden State Equality, said public displays of gay pride, including flag-raising ceremonies, show the municipality is "proactively inclusive of their LGBT residents."

Hoisting a rainbow flag high in the air in front of City Hall, however, is just one of many actions Fuscarino would consider when rating a town on this topic, adding that he'd also factor in whether the town had established an LGBT police liaison and provided equal health care benefits to LGBT employees.

The Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest LGBT rights organization, releases a rating of towns throughout the country every year based, in part, on those issues. A dozen towns in New Jersey were rated by the Human Rights Campaign this year, with Jersey City netting a perfect score from the organization for the fourth year in a row.

Fuscarino believes the same community would take top honors if a New Jersey-centric ranking were done.

"I think Jersey City probably takes the cake when it comes to being the most friendly LGBT town," he said.

Beyond the city's large population of LGBT residents, annual pride festival and community center dedicated to LGBT people, Fuscarino pointed to efforts spearheaded at the municipal level to embrace the LGBT community.

The city has established an LGBT community liaison in the mayor's office and an LGBT police liaison. Jersey City also expanded health care options for its employees last year to cover transgender medical care, including gender reassignment surgery.

None of the 12 New Jersey cities included in the Human Rights Campaign's Municipal Equality Index, scored as high as Jersey City, though Lambertville came close, with a score of 98 out of 100. 

Asbury Park received the third-best rating in New Jersey from the Human Rights Campaign, with a score of 83, followed by Princeton at 74. Ocean Grove, Trenton, New Brunswick, Newark and Elizabeth each received scores between 60 to 70, while Hoboken and Paterson fared the worst among the towns rated, with a score of 51 and 48, respectively.

The average score, nationwide, was 55. Scores were capped at 100, even if towns scored more than that amount with bonus points.

Paul Amatuzzo, a lifelong Jersey City resident and a real estate agent with Armagno Agency, said gay people, like himself, are attracted to Jersey City because they want to be "able to live the life that we live and not be ridiculed."

"Jersey City has proven to be a great place for gay people to live because it's very accepting and it's always been a diverse city," he said.

Amatuzzo also identifies Asbury Park, where he owns a home, as an "extremely gay-friendly" town and one that celebrates the LGBT community every year at Jersey Pride, an annual parade and festival that marked its 25th year this summer

The Jersey Shore town has a history of gay bars and clubs going back to the 1970s and an active gay business community today, said Amy Quinn, the deputy mayor of Asbury Park. She noted that city officials authorized a marriage between a same-sex couple in 2004 -- nine years before gays and lesbians would legally be allowed to wed in New Jersey.

"I have never lived in a town that has been so welcoming to the LGBTQ community," said Quinn, who married her wife on the boardwalk in Asbury Park in one of the first same-sex weddings performed in New Jersey.

Other Jersey Shore communities, like Ocean Grove, Atlantic City and Cape May, are known as welcoming to the gay community, as are suburban communities like Montclair, Plainfield and Princeton. The LGBT-interest magazine The Advocate earlier this year listed Edison -- the home of New Jersey's Lesbian and Gay Havurah and gay-friendly Temple Emanu-El -- as one of the queerest cities in America.

The federal government doesn't survey people about their sexual orientation or gender identity as part of the Census, making it difficult to determine where the largest population of LGBT residents reside. The Census does, however, track same-sex couple households by state and found 16,875 same-sex couples were living together in New Jersey in 2010.

The Williams Institute, a think tank at UCLA Law that conducts research on sexual orientation and gender identity law and public policy, analyzed the Census data to determine the cities in New Jersey with the largest number of same-sex couples per 1,000 households. Ocean Grove topped the list, followed by Lambertville, Asbury Park and Collingswood. Montclair, Plainfield, Brookdale, Highland Park, Jersey City and Metuchen filled out the top 10.  

While Maplewood and South Orange weren't included on that list, residents there say that lesbian and gay families are completely enmeshed in the community. Rabney -- who works as a real estate agent with her wife for Lichtman-Rabney Group at Keller Williams Mid-Town Direct Realty -- said, "people are coming here because they want to be in a community where they can just be who they are."

"We want nice houses that we can afford. We want a community that's open minded. We want schools that are good for our children," she said. "All of those things make it LGBT friendly because it's people friendly."

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

 

2 arrested after woman carjacked at gunpoint

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Masked suspect aimed gun at 22-year-old woman

NEWARK -- An 18-year-old Bloomfield man and a 16-year-old boy were arrested after city detectives found them riding in a carjacked vehicle, authorities said Tuesday.

The carjacking occurred around 7:15 p.m. Monday near Hillside Avenue and West Bigelow Street, where a masked gunman approached a 22-year-old woman as she got into her 2009 Toyota Matrix, police said.

The assailant pointed the gun at her, demanded she turn over the keys and fled in her car.

Newark police Special Enforcement Bureau detectives tried to stop the stolen Toyota near West Runyon and Jeliff avenues, authorities said. The driver took off while three others in the car bailed out and fled on foot.

Bystander shot, robber attacked by pit bull in holdup attempt, police say

Detectives arrested an adult, identified as Samir Farrar, and the juvenile, according to police. They were each charged with receiving stolen property and resisting arrest.

"I commend the dedication of the Special Enforcement Bureau detectives for ensuring that these suspects were quickly apprehended," Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said in a statement. "Because of the proven commitment of these detectives, Newark residents can enjoy a safer city today."

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

 

Let's talk about Dr. Ruth: Sex therapist, 88, coming to N.J.

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Dr. Ruth is giving a free talk at Montclair State University next week.

MONTCLAIR -- Famed sex therapist Dr. Ruth is coming to New Jersey next week for a free event focusing on - what else? - sex.

Dr. Ruth Westheimer, the psychosexual therapist who rose to prominence via her 1980s radio show "Sexually Speaking" as one of the first professional women to speak publicly and frankly about sex, will give a free talk at Montclair State University on Nov. 9, the school announced on its website this week.

The event, co-sponsored by multiple departments on campus, will allow students and community members to push forward conversations Westheimer started more than 30 years ago, university officials said.

Jill Stein to host pre-election rally in N.J.

"In her 88 years, Dr. Ruth has seen many changes in the way sexuality is talked about," said Raul Galoppe, the chair of MSU's Department of Spanish and Italian, who translated the play based on her life, "Becoming Dr. Ruth," into Spanish.

"As a pioneer in the field, she opened the door to healthy discussions of difficult topics. Her visit to Montclair State University is an excellent opportunity for our students and our community to continue this conversation with the legendary radio and TV personality."

Westheimer, who has penned 41 books, plans to discuss sex, education, and her life, at the event. A Watchung Booksellers book signing will follow her talk.

Those interested in attending the event at 6:30 p.m. on Nov. 9 in the seventh floor Conference Center of Montclair State's University Hall, can RSVP here.

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 Nov. 2 - New No. 1 takes throne

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A new team leads the Top 20 this week.

Police seek tips from public in deadly Newark hit-and-run

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Rahway man died late Tuesday night

NEWARK -- A 26-year-old Rahway man was struck and killed by a car that fled the scene late Tuesday in the city, authorities said.

hit-and-runA man was killed in a hit-and-run at 18th Avenue and Bergen Street in Newark late Nov. 1, 2016 (Google Maps)

Brandon L. Lawson was hit by a Nissan Altima near 18th Avenue and Bergen Street around 10:30 p.m., acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray and Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said in a statement.

Lawson died at the scene about 15 minutes later.

The Nissan Altima did not stop and sped away heading westbound on 18th Avenue after hitting Lawson, according to authorities. No arrests have been made.

Anyone with information was urged to call Essex County Prosecutor's Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force tips line at 1-877-TIPS-4EC or 1-877-847-7432.

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


Protesters take concerns over Paterson police shooting to council meeting

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The group want information released in the Oct. 29 shooting and also asked for reforms withing the department.

PATERSON -- Protestors with the local chapter of the Black Lives Matter movement took to the Paterson council meeting Tuesday night demanding answers and reform after a recent police-involved shooting. 

BLM PatersonMembers of the city's Black Lives Matter movement took to Tuesday's council meeting over a recent police-involved shooting.

Members of the group asked the council to join their request to release the name of the officer involved in the weekend shooting.

They are also seeking video of the confrontation that led to the shooting in front of the police department that left a man wounded.

Protestors have identified the man as Larry Bouie. They say he suffers from mental illness and was unarmed when he was shot.

"If we have an incident where people are being shot down in a matter of seconds because they seem to appear emotionally disturbed, we need people who are going to take care of those people in those situations, people who are skilled to handle that," said Alexis Miller, a member of the group. "And right now it doesn't appear the Paterson Police Department is equipped to do so."

On Monday, the group took to the streets demanding the release of information in the shooting. Members of the group marched from police headquarters to the council meeting Tuesday, which was quickly filled with officers to diffuse the situation. 

Police Director Jerry Speziale told the group that current Attorney General guidelines over police-involved shooting, which transfer the investigation to the prosecutor's office to avoid a conflict of interest, prevent Paterson police from releasing information. 

"It's not that we don't want to give you information, it's not that we want to withhold information from you," Speziale said. "We want to be as transparent as we can."

Passaic County Prosecutor Camelia M. Valdes has yet to release new information in the shooting that occurred Saturday night. On Sunday, Valdes said the man was "acting erratically" when he was shot Saturday in the abdomen by a female police officer, Valdes said.

On Tuesday, officials said they had put forth a plan before the public safety committee to set up a Citizens Access to Police Board and were working with the council to move it along as quickly as possible. 

Members of the group asked to be included in the creation of the review board so that it can resemble the one established in Newark, which they called one of the strongest.

Council President William McKoy said he sympathized with the group, but Paterson was restricted by AG guidelines in releasing information. He applauded the group for their social activism and said he would work to set up the CCRB.

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

Holiday bazaar to benefit homeless pets

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UPPER MONTCLAIR — Paws Montclair will hold its annual holiday bazaar on Nov. 12 at the Commonwealth Club in Upper Montclair. The sale will include a selection of holiday and gift items, pet gifts, jewelry and baked goods. A tricky tray auction also will be held, with all proceeds going toward the care of animals rescued by the nonprofit group....

Pet Adoptions 

UPPER MONTCLAIR -- Paws Montclair will hold its annual holiday bazaar on Nov. 12 at the Commonwealth Club in Upper Montclair.

The sale will include a selection of holiday and gift items, pet gifts, jewelry and baked goods. A tricky tray auction also will be held, with all proceeds going toward the care of animals rescued by the nonprofit group.

The Commonwealth Club is located at 26 Northview Ave. For more information, go to pawsmontclair.org.

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

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

Gallery preview 

WATCH: Aerial view shows N.J. reservoirs amid drought concerns

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The New Jersey Highlands Coalition has released a video of flyovers of the Round Valley and Spruce Run reservoirs in Hunterdon County and the Wanaque and Monksville reservoirs in Passaic County showing how the drought has impacted these sources of drinking water. Watch video

As the severe drought continues, the New Jersey Highlands Coalition has released a video of flyovers of the Round Valley and Spruce Run reservoirs in Hunterdon County and the Wanaque and Monksville reservoirs in Passaic County.

The video shows how the drought has impacted these reservoirs, which supply water to millions of New Jersey residents and businesses. Water levels at all of the reservoirs have gone down; at Wanaque, some sections are completely empty. The drought is the worst in the state in 14 years, many environmentalists and state officials have said.

"These four Highlands reservoirs represent the water supply of two of the four major water providers of the state," said Elliott Ruga, policy director with the New Jersey Highlands Coalition. "All told, the reservoirs located in the Highlands supply water to 70-percent of New Jersey's population. All are similarly stressed. Water levels are far lower than the lows expected at this time of year."

N.J. faces worst drought conditions in 14 years

The state Department of Environmental Protection declared a drought warning for 14 New Jersey counties on Oct. 21, including Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Morris, Ocean, Passaic, Somerset, Sussex, Union and Warren counties.

A drought watch remains in effect for Burlington, Camden, Gloucester and Salem.

Ruga was critical of the DEP, stating it has not provided many updates since the warned was issued in October. In response, the DEP said it continues to provide updates at njdrought.org. The DEP also maintains a site that lists the current drought status of each of the six regions in New Jersey.

Round Valley and Spruce Run reservoirs are part of the New Jersey Water Supply Commission system, while Wanaque and Monksville are part of the North Jersey District Water Supply Commission.

The video was released as both Round Valley and Spruce Run are about to eclipse records for lowest capacity.

As of Wednesday, Round Valley was at 37 billion gallons, or 67.3-percent capacity, while Spruce Run is at 3.69 billion gallons, or 33.5-percent of capacity. For Round Valley, the lowest level was recorded on Nov. 28, 1982, with 36.95 billion gallons of water (67.2-percent). Spruce Run's lowest level was recorded on Oct. 18, 1993, with 3.1 billion gallons of water (28.2-percent) of capacity.

Round Valley releases between 30 and 60 million gallons of water each day, while Spruce Run releases about 14 million gallons per day.

The Wanaque Reservoir is at 271.6 feet; the lowest elevation on record is 256.06 feet, set on Dec. 26, 1964.

The ongoing drought is also causing salt water to travel further up the Delaware River in southern New Jersey, according to a NJ Spotlight report.

When the drought warning was issued on Oct. 21, DEP Commissioner Bob Martin said if the conditions worsen the next steps would be a water emergency, with mandatory restrictions on water use. The DEP has also posted information on ways to conserve water.

Craig Turpin may be reached at cturpin@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @NJeditor. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Week 9 football: Double-digit can't-miss games in final week of regular season

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A look at more than 10 intriguing matchups on the schedule this weekend.

Retired firefighter sent child porn for 'shock value,' complaint says

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The former New Jersey firefighter was arrested on child pornography charges in Wisconsin, where he now lives, according to a criminal complaint.

KENOSHA, Wis. -- A retired Bloomfield firefighter is facing multiple charges after allegedly admitting to keeping videos and images of child pornography on his computer, and attempting to share the files with his girlfriend, according to a criminal complaint filed in Kenosha County, Wis., where he now lives.

WEB 728 Donald JervisDonald Jervis' initial court appearance last month. (Courtesy Kenosha News)
 

Law enforcement officers in the complaint say they began investigating Donald M. Jervis, 52, after being alerted by AOL that his email address had attempted to send child pornography videos to another AOL email address.

According to the complaint, Jervis admitted to investigating officers that he had been collecting and sending child pornography for about five years. The married father had attempted to send several videos to his girlfriend's email account for "shock value," he told investigators, according to the complaint. AOL locked and shut down his account as a result, authorities said in the complaint.

Jervis handed over a computer on which investigators said they found hundreds of sexually explicit photos and multiple videos featuring "prepubescent" children engaging in various sexual activities, the complaint says.

Pepper-spraying stylist arrested, cops say

According to state pension records, Jervis retired from the Bloomfield Fire Department in August of 2015, the month the complaint says he moved to Wisconsin. Jervis earned $144,166 a year as a firefighter in New Jersey, and has received more than $70,000 in pension payments so far this year, records show.

According to a report from the Kenosha News, Jervis made an initial court appearance on the charges of possession of child pornography and attempted sexual exploitation of a child on Oct. 26. If convicted, Jervis faces a "significant period of incarceration" in Wisconsin, the report said. He is being held on $100,000 bond.

Jervis's attorney did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

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

Hillside man accused of killing girlfriend pleads not guilty

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A Hillside man is accused of killing his 20-year-old girlfriend in the apartment where he lived with his parents.

ELIZABETH -- The Hillside man accused of killing his 20-year-old girlfriend last month pleaded not guilty to a murder charge Wednesday, but a judge refused to lower the $1 million bail keeping him in jail.

Christa Capers, of Jersey City, was found dead Oct. 20 in the apartment of her boyfriend Emmanuel Dike, 22, on the 1500 block of Schley Street in Hillside. Dike was not home when officers arrived.

He was arrested a week later after Hillside police officer found his car parked in a lot at hotel on Routes 1&9 in Newark, authorities said.

Dike's attorney sought to lower his $1 million bail during a hearing Wednesday before Judge Brenda Coppola Cuba. Public defender Neal Doughterty said his client has no prior criminal record and he lives with his parents.

"He's gainfully employed," Dougherty said, noting that he works for an automotive dealership.

Union County Assistant Prosecutor Robert Rosenthal argued that bail should be kept at $1 million and the judge agreed, citing the severity of the charge.

Dike gave a statement to police, and his statement was part of the probable cause for his arrest, according to a criminal complaint filed in Superior Court.

The search for Dike spanned multiple states before he was arrested at the hotel in Newark.

The cause of death for Capers is still under investigation, authorities said. No weapons charges were filed against Dike.

Tom Haydon may be reached at thaydon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Tom_HaydonSL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

N.J. woman reportedly hit by stray bullet at album promo party

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East Orange woman was hit by a stray bullet outside Bronx, N.Y. bar

NEW YORK -- A 25-year-old New Jersey woman was shot and wounded early Wednesday at a party to promote her cousin's rap album, according to a report.

The East Orange resident was struck by a stray bullet outside the 718 Lounge and Tapas Bar in the Fordham section of Bronx around 1:20 a.m., the report said.

The woman, who was there to see her cousin Steven "Snubbs" Armstrong launch his album, ran before collapsing. Her condition has been upgraded from serious to stable, the report said.

The gunman fled on foot.

Witnesses told police there were nor problems during the party, but people began arguing as the crowd spilled outside the bar on the corner of Webster Avenue and East 180th Street.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook

 

Girls soccer playoffs, Rd. 1: Statement wins, upsets, surprises

Feds say Crips member had gun, drugs during arrest in murder case

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Ahmad Manley, 30, of Summit, was indicted Wednesday on the additional charges. He's out on bail for double-murder charges

NEWARK  -- Federal authorities have brought drug and weapon charges against an alleged Grape Street Crips member arrested this summer in connection with a double-murder two years ago.

Ahmad Manley, of Summit, was indicted at the end of August for his alleged role in a March 2014 shooting during rush-hour that left two dead. 

The recent indictment accuses the 30-year-old of having a loaded handgun and heroin on him when he was arrested, the U.S. Attorney's office said in a release Wednesday.

This is the sixth indictment in the case against the street gang in which federal authorities have charged 71 people in connection with an alleged cocaine, crack and heroin ring that pushed drugs in Newark's housing projects.

Authorities say they've also linked the leaders of the Newark-based Crips gang to five murders and three attempted murders of rival gangs over the last 10 years. 

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

 

Newark Fiber brings high-speed, low-cost internet to city's buildings

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The Newark Fiber service would provide high-speed, low-cost internet access to tenants of Newark office buildings, under Mayor Ras Baraka's 'Newark 3.0' tech renaissance campaign

NEWARK -- Mayor Ras Baraka joined other city officials and business leaders at the 2 Gateway Center office tower on Wednesday in announcing Newark Fiber, a high-speed, low-cost internet access for Newark buildings and their tenants.

It's the latest initiative under Baraka's "Newark 3.0" campaign aimed at remaking Newark into a high-tech hub.

"We're not Silicon Valley, but right here next to the Passaic, trying to make things happen in this city that puts us far ahead of New York, puts us far ahead of Philadelphia, puts us far ahead of Baltimore, Maryland, Virginia, all those areas," Baraka said. "We're here to take Newark into the next century."

Officials said Newark Fiber will be able link customers directly to the large fiber optic facilities in the city, whose locations are not publicly disclosed for security reasons.

Newark Fiber makes those links available on a kind of wholesale basis to entire buildings, whose owners pay a one-time fee for the connection.

Those building owners can then offer high-speed access to individual tenants at capped rates ranging from $100 to $500 month for 1 gigabit of capacity, well below the typical $3,000 monthly cost for the same capacity in New York.

In addition, officials said Newark Fiber's capacity far exceeds what is typically available in other cities.  

Newark Fiber has been shepherded by the city's chief information officer, Seth Wainer, a former Obama administration technology analyst.

Last month, Wainer unveiled plans for dozens of highly visible internet "kiosks" located around the city. The 10-foot-tall glass-and-chrome pillars include digital message boards for public announcements and advertising, free touch-screen internet browsers, and free wifi.

Wednesday's event was held at 2 Gateway because it's Newark Fiber's first commercial client, and attendees included Ben Korman, the CEO of C&K Properties, the building's owner.

"It makes the building attractive to tenants that are dependent on the internet," said Korman.

Newark Fiber is a public-private partnership involving the Newark Community Economic Development Corporation and a Massachusetts-based firm, Gigxero, which helps communities establish high-speed networks.

"This is big," Gigxero's Chris Pacunas said. "And it's fun. And I'm proud to be part of it." 

Besides office buildings, officials said Newark Fiber would also wire schools and other public institutions.

"Internet access floats all boats," said Scott Blow, the development corporation's president.

After the announcement, 2 Gateway hosted a tech expo in a vacant space at 2 Gateway, with participants including AeroFarms, a vertical farm in Newark, and "Fownders," an internet start-up incubator.

Fownders owner Gerard Adams, a 31-year-old former financial blogger and entrepreneur who grew up Belleville, is the founder of Elite Daily, a news and entertainment website that bills itself as "The Voice of Generation Y."

Last year, he sold the site to The Daily Mail for $50 million, and started Fownders with some of the proceeds. Adams, whose father is from Newark, said he shares the mayor's vision of the city as a tech hub.

"I'm passionate about building start-up ecosystems in major cities," said Adams, "starting with Newark."

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

 

N.J.'s Buzz Aldrin -- to the moon and beyond

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The astronaut has remained grounded in Montclair, the town in which he was raised.

IN 1969, Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong and Michael Collins piloted Apollo 11 to the moon. On July 20th of that year, Aldrin walked on the lunar surface -- the second human to do so. Despite traveling into space twice, Aldrin has remained grounded in Montclair, the town in which he was raised. Last year, the middle school Aldrin attended as a boy was renamed after him. Aldrin's latest book, "No Dream Is Too High," was published in April by National
Geographic.

1 | Many kids have grown up wanting to be the next Buzz Aldrin. When you were a kid in Montclair, no one had been to space. What were your aspirations?

I am from a family with an aviation background. My father was an early aviation pioneer and I was a teenager during World War II, so my focus was not particularly on the Wright brothers or Howard Hughes, but instead on Jimmy Doolittle, who commanded the air raid on Tokyo shortly after Pearl Harbor. Aviation was paramount. My father served in the South Pacific and his experience suggested I apply for the Naval Academy. However, my preference was to get into aviation through the Army. So after graduating from Montclair High, I attended West Point.

2 | Do you remember the first time you flew?

It is mostly related by those around me. I was 2 years old, so it is rather difficult to remember exactly. My father was flying a high-wing Lockheed Vega, of the Standard Oil Company of New Jersey. As I recall, I ended up feeling uncomfortable and got sick. At one point, my father flew us in that plane from Newark airport to Miami, but that might have been a later trip. I had relatives in aviation. My aunt was one of the first stewardesses for Eastern Airlines.

take5B.jpgBuzz Aldrin, in July 1969 
3 | From the moon's surface, you described your view looking out into space toward Earth as "magnificent desolation." What were you feeling at that moment?

It was not scripted. I was not expected to make any particular symbolic remarks when I reached the lunar surface -- that was up to the commander ... and, to me, the most significant words were "Houston, Tranquility Base (here), the Eagle has landed." On the surface, I did gather an observation from Neil that used the word beautiful. I think that started my mind working. I frequently describe in contrasts, and perhaps that was subconscious in observing the history-making event as being a magnificent testimony or a magnificent expression of human beings, not just in exploration but in a demonstration of total advancement. But looking out at what was available to us to see, I couldn't think of anything on Earth that I'd ever seen that was so desolate. Of course, there was no life that we knew and we didn't expect to find any. We knew what we were looking at had not changed in hundreds of thousands of years. The stark contrast of the sunlit surroundings going off into the very distinct horizon because of the lack of air and the black sky contrasting it -- it was so absent of any indication of life or previous activity.

4 | When you gaze at the moon, do you go back to the vantage point you had, looking out at Earth?

It's there all the time and I'm looking at it again under different conditions -- how much of it is lit, never recognizing the features -- it doesn't bring back a particular location (that) we visited. It's really a totally different world that we approached. It got bigger and bigger. There are particular views we remembered of approaching and having the sun, behind the moon, being eclipsed by a much, much larger sphere. It gave a remarkable indication of the outward rays of the sun behind the moon. It was just a beautiful image of a black circle, with rays coming outward evenly. I couldn't have imagined looking at something like that. The moon, having been such an important part of our lives, we are not there anymore. We are not going there anymore. It's a bit of history.

5 | This summer, we saw coverage of the Juno spacecraft sent by NASA. The Curiosity rover has been studying Mars for a few years now. We are learning plenty from these robotic missions to space, but you have long advocated more trips to space involving human pilots, particularly to Mars. What is to be gained from that?

The scientific and technical achievements of spacecraft and robots excite a narrow group of technically concerned and scientifically aware people. In general, it assures the public that we are still involved in things of the future. But I think the attention it has given to fellow human beings being active somewhere gives a sense of participation. When Neil and I went around the world following our flight, we remarked upon several signs we saw at parades that said, "We Did It!" That implies the sense that people around the world felt that they had participated in humans being on the moon for the first time. It would cost billions of dollars to send someone to Mars, but that would be compensated because that individual who went there now can relay feelings, a sense of humanity through high-definition television coming back from Mars that will be of the highest consumption for humans -- forget the Super Bowl, that will be the key attraction. The people here would gain an identification that will be immeasurable.

Next issue: Ron Murdza, Burlington County holiday lights aficionado


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A chance to tell your real Sandy story | Di Ionno

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Activists launch hurricane damage survey to get better handle on big picture

George Kasimos felt bad about cursing at the governor.

"For about a minute," he said. "Then I figured, 'He's the governor. He should know better.' "


At issue was the number 1,700.

That was how many people Gov. Chris Christie said remain displaced by Hurricane Sandy when he spoke last week in Seaside Heights on the fourth anniversary of the storm.

Christie's exact quote during the news conference at Jimbo's Bar and Grill on the  boardwalk went like this:

"It truly is something to highlight that, in four years, we've helped to restore the households of nearly everyone affected by the storm that impacted nearly 365,000 homes and we're down to 1,700 left of people who are not back in their homes."

Kasimos' exact quote went like this:


"That's a bull(----) number and you know it," Kasimos shouted.


"When he said that, I went through the roof," Kasimos said this week. "I mean, I personally know a few hundred people still out, just in my organization alone."

That group is Stop FEMA Now, started by Kasimos and others in January 2013 in response to new federal flood maps that forced homeowners to elevate their houses and raised their insurance premiums.


"In Toms River alone, we still have about 600 to 700 homes substantially damaged," he said. "That's just Toms River! What about the rest of the state?"

 
Good question. From Moonachie to Newark's Ironbound to Union Beach, to Ortley Beach to the lagoon areas of the Metedeconk and the Toms rivers, there are still pockets or swaths of vacant homes. Some are under construction and some are just the way Sandy left them, except for the plywood boards nailed over the windows or doors.

MORERecent Mark Di Ionno columns


At the Friday event, Christie hadn't even finished saying "1,700" when Amanda Devecka-Rinear yelled out, "That's not true, governor!"

Devecka-Rinear is the head of the New Jersey Organizing Project (NJOP), formed on the second anniversary of Sandy to give a unified voice to storm victims.


Devecka-Rinear not only objects to the number 1,700, but also to the nearly "365,000" homes the governor obliquely claimed the state helped make whole.


That number has often been kicked around, but when the state's umbrella agency for the recovery, the Department of Community Affairs (DCA), applied for federal Sandy aid, it said "40,000 owner-occupied homes in the state (were) severely damaged or destroyed."

That does not include second homes, which are ineligible for government recovery aid. A ride through Ortley Beach and other parts of the barrier island north of Seaside Heights proves many vacation homes are still boarded up or under construction.

According to the DCA website, a total of 7,995 homeowners entered the state's Reconstruction, Rehabilitation, Elevation and Mitigation (RREM) program and Low-to-Moderate Income Homeowners Rebuilding (LMI) program.

The state website suggests 4,115 of those homes are still being worked on.

"We just don't know the real numbers," Devecka-Rinear said. "We know, at one point, the state said there were 15,000 people who applied for RREM grants, which means 7,000 dropped out. What happened to them?"


Another good question.


That's why NJOP is developing a statewide survey of storm damage called the "Sandy Truth Project."


While the research may not be all-encompassing, Devecka-Rinear said she hopes it will "record the stories of what the recovery actually looks like.


"This is more than just about the numbers," she said. "It's about the impact of the storm on people's financial and mental health, and all the other elements of adverse impact."


That includes the frustration of dealing with insurance claims and government recovery programs, or quantifying the problems people had with insurance companies and contractors.


Part of the point is to understand what help victims of Sandy still need. For instance, NJOP pushed for legislation which would have staved off foreclosure for people still out of their homes, but that bill was vetoed by Christie earlier this year.


"We're still pushing that bill," Devecka-Rinear said. "That's a good example though of what you learn when you hear people's stories."


The idea for the survey came from a summer-long tour of Sandy-impacted areas by NJOP and other nonprofit groups looking to help storm victims.


Part of the tour was a portable "Sandy wall" that displayed photos, messages and other remembrances of the storm and the recovery.


"We had so many people come out and tell us their stories, we wanted to do something more comprehensive," Devecka-Rinear said.


The group is training volunteers to conduct surveys in several impacted communities, with help from Rutgers and Stockton State universities. 

Sign-ups for the survey are available online at newjerseyop.org. Devecka-Rinear knows many of the people most impacted might not be internet savvy, so they can also call NJOP at (609) 312-3899 to participate. 

"We certainly want to reach the older people and people who might not have access to the internet," she said. "That's the only way to a get a complete picture."

Mark Di Ionno may be reached at mdiionno@starledger.com. Follow The Star-Ledger on Twitter @StarLedger and find us on Facebook. 

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