Newark and state officials said the groundbreaking of a 22-story residential building marked one more step in the revitalization of the city Watch video

NEWARK -- City and state leaders Monday joined in a ceremonial groundbreaking on a 22-story residential high-rise that was first proposed more the a decade ago, and is designed to expand on the success of the New Jersey Performing Arts Center.

One Theater Square, a $116-million project under construction across the street from the arts center, will have 245 apartments, and 12,000 square feet of ground-floor retail space, along with a fitness center, meeting rooms and an outdoor deck with televisions and fire pits.

Former Gov. Tom Kean, speaking at the ceremony, said that when the arts center was first proposed for the city, there were plans to use it as a starting point for revitalizing the area.

"Everybody who came on board understood that this was a building block to bring back the greatest city in the state," Kean said.

Showtime for stalled NJPAC development

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who praised arts center president and CEO John Shrieber for getting construction started, said the high-rise building would bring back the downtown.

"I think that this project is going to turn this area completely around. It is the first step of many steps to (finally) make Newark the place that we want it to be,"  Baraka said.

First proposed in 2005 to have 28 stories, the project was revised to reach 44 stories, and then re-drawn again for 22 stories.

Shreiber said many obstacles were overcome to get all the financing and contracts for construction.

"We announced this (construction project), and about two years later there was the great recession-depression, and a lot of projects were put on hold," Schreiber said.

While other cities, such as Hoboken, enjoyed development, "it took a long time coming to Newark," Schreiber said.

Carl Dranoff, president of Dranoff Properties of Philadelphia, which is developing the 1.2-acre project, said it will be first high-rise building in Newark in 50 years. He said the building will be close to Military Park and the Prudential Center arena, and a short distance from the airport.

The building will have mostly one- and two-bedroom apartments, as well as studios and three-bedroom units, ranging in size from 585 to 1,700 square feet. Rents are expected to start at $1,250 for a studio, $2,000 for one-bedroom, $3,150 for a two-bedroom and $4,500 for a three-bedroom.

There will also be 26 affordable housing units that officials said could be used by artists-in-residence working at the Performing Arts Center. There will be a 285-space parking garage.

Officials have said they hope to open One Theater Square by the summer of 2018.

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

Bowens was remembered at New Hope Baptist Church, where his funeral included an impassioned plea by Mayor Ras Baraka for residents to help catch the killer Watch video

NEWARK -- Hundreds of family, friends and fans of street dancer and Newark personality Eric "Uggie" Bowens turned out Monday for a funeral that also became a passionate rally for justice, with Bowens' killer still on the loose after a week.

"When you were around him, you just felt happy," said Arturo Neal, 59, a friend, who was among 600 people crowded into the New Hope Baptist Church on Sussex Street just before the 11 a.m. service.  

Hundreds more who could not get into the church congregated outside.

Bowens, 44, died on Monday, Nov. 7, after authorities said he was found with a gunshot wound lying in front of an empty house on Bergen Street, near Fourteenth Avenue, at about 10:40 p.m. He died a short time later at University Hospital.

A spokeswoman for the Essex County Prosecutor's Office, Kathy Carter, said Monday that the case was under investigation, and no arrests had been made.

He could often be seen dancing at a dizzying pace on city sidewalks, in parks, clubs or at cookouts, often working up a sweat to the House music he played loudly on his boom box.

Bowens, who lived with family, took part in the 2d Home of Newark program, which provides medical services. He walked with a limp, his movements slightly jerky.

He was described as a friendly, "gentle soul," eager to celebrate any occasion. 

He would sometimes square off in competition with a rival street dancer known as "DDogg" a.k.a., Shawn Gregory, who was among the Monday mourners.

His popularity was underscored by the overflow crowd at the same spacious, red brick church that hosted the 2012 funeral of another Newark-born entertainer, Whitney Houston.

The pastor of the church, the Rev. Joe Carter, told mourners: "He brought us together." 

"I thank God for his life," Carter said.

There was a eulogy by Pastor Ron Burgess, tributes read by family members Nyisha and Kahlim Jones, and poetry readings by Saleemah Jones and Theresa Brown. 

Nakiya Brown, an 8-year-old cousin of Bowens' and student at the Stars Performing Arts Dance School in Hillside, where she lives, performed a modern dance routine directly in front of the silver casket that held the remains of her dancing cousin.

Elected officials included Councilman John James, who told mourners, "I never heard a negative word out of his mouth."

Mayor Ras Baraka said he last saw Bowens in late August, during the annual 24 Hours of Peace celebration at one of Newark's key downtown intersections. 

"He was down at Broad and Market dancing on the stage," Baraka recalled, as the crowd laughed knowingly. "I have to tell you he wasn't on the program. But he did it anyway. He did what he wanted to do, because of who he was and what he represented."

Responding to a shout from the pews imploring him, "Mr. Mayor, we want justice," Baraka admonished mourners to help police catch the killer.

"There was a time in our community, when you couldn't do these kinds of things. There was a time that you couldn't hide in our community, because the community would be after you," Baraka said, with the fervor and the cadence of a clergyman. "So if you want justice for Uggie, yo go out and you bring him in. I'm not telling you to do something illegal, something to get you in jail. But what I'm telling you is, when you get your hands on him, you bring him to the precinct, alive."

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

Students play in a powderpuff football game to raise money for the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

Liberty Middle School students and staff members prepare to play football. West Orange Schools 

WEST ORANGE -- At Liberty Middle School, football is not just for boys. On Oct. 26, female teachers, students and staff members participated in a powderpuff football game to raise money for the Susan G. Komen Foundation in honor of their teacher, Kim DeMeo. DeMeo was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015 and returned to work in September after a year's absence to fight the disease.

At the game, two teams of teachers and students faced off in a friendly battle while the all-male cheerleading squad rallied the crowds on the sideline.

"The gamed ended in a 21-21 tie," said science teacher Sue Zaccaro, who organized the event. "We raised $508.50 to donate to Komen for the Cure. It's the second year we've raised money to make a donation in Kim's name."

"I am so happy to be back at work with my LMS family," said DeMeo. "Our Liberty kids are incredible! They have shown love and empathy throughout all of this. Their support has been truly amazing. I'm so proud to say that I am a West Orange public school teacher."

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

George A. Jones is alleged to have fired a gun into the ceiling and threatened to shoot a bank teller during one of the heists.

NEWARK -- A city man has been indicted on federal bank robbery charges stemming from two alleged heists at the same bank in 2014.

Court records show Gregory A. Jones was arrested in January in connection with the May 6, 2014 and and Sept. 19, 2014 robberies of the Capital One Bank in Newark.

A new indictment, filed Thursday in the U.S. District Court in Newark, charges Jones, 60, with one count each of bank robbery, armed bank robbery and the use of a firearm during a crime of violence.

During the September 2014 robbery, Jones allegedly fired a gun into the ceiling of the bank and threatened to shoot a bank teller, according to a criminal complaint filed by an FBI agent.

No gun was displayed during the May 2014 robbery, according to the complaint, but Jones is alleged to have passed a bank teller a note saying he was armed and would shoot if he had to.

Jones allegedly made off with approximately $6,250 between the two robberies, the complaint states.

Bank robbery suspect arrested

Jones was identified from surveillance video and witness statements as the suspect in both robberies, according to a criminal complaint filed by an FBI agent, who wrote that DNA evidence also tied Jones to the May robbery.

No date has been scheduled for Jones' arraignment on the indictment.

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

A look at soccer players from New Jersey in the NCAA touranament

The 49-year-old had five guns and more than five pounds of pot in his Newark apartment, State Police say

NEWARK -- A Newark man accused of concocting an armed robbery story after accidentally shooting himself over the weekend is now facing a slew of gun and drug charges.

Darron ShiversNew Jersey State Police 

A search of Darron Shivers' apartment turned up a semi-automatic handgun, a revolver, a black powder handgun, two shotguns and numerous boxes of ammunition as well as more than five pounds of marijuana, State Police said in a news release Monday.

Shivers, 49, also had packaging material and a small amount of cocaine and heroin, authorities said.

Police began looking into Shivers after he allegedly told officers he was attacked by an armed man who shot him during a struggle near 1st and Orange streets in Newark on Friday night.

Investigators determined Shivers actually shot himself while in his car after exiting the New Jersey Turnpike near the Interchange 14 toll plaza. He was charged with filing a false report.

Shivers is being held on $500,000 full cash bail at the Essex County jail on the other charges. Newark police and State Police worked together on the investigation and the arrest.

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

These are the players that reached the 1,000-yard milestone in 2016

Police in Bloomfield say they are investigating the incident, allegedly spurred by a decked-out pick-up.

BLOOMFIELD -- Authorities are investigating an incident in which a township resident says the tires on his pick-up truck were slashed because of all of the pro-Donald Trump paraphernalia he had displayed on the vehicle.

Larry LoSchiavo, Jr., of Bloomfiled, had parked his truck in front of a diner on Broad Street at about 8 p.m. Thursday when it was allegedly vandalized, police said.

LoSchiavo said he left the diner to find two of the tires on the car slashed, police said. Three men were seen by the truck shouting profanities about the president-elect, police said.

Trump T-shirt sparked attack, man says

The truck was decked out with "numerous" Trump support signs and flags, police said.

LoSchiavo did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the alleged incident Tuesday morning, but has made several social media postings about it.

In the posts, the Trump enthusiast said his car has been vandalized 11 times, and estimates the cost of fixing the tires to be about $650.

Police said they are investigating the incident, which comes a few months after another attack in Bloomfield allegedly inspired by political differences.

In August, police investigated an alleged incident in which a man claimed his Trump t-shirt prompted a passerby to beat him with a crowbar. 

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

Officers seized a loaded handgun, according to police.

NEWARK -- Police arrested a 17-year-old carrying a loaded gun after he ran from officers Sunday night in the city, authorities said.

According to Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose, members of the Special Enforcement Bureau saw the teen adjust a gun in his waistband near Parker Street and Park Avenue around 7:40 p.m.

The teen ran when police approached and he threw the gun during the chase, Ambrose said in a statement. Officers caught up to the teen and recovered the loaded .45 caliber handgun.

Authorities did not release the teen's name because of his age. He was charged with various weapons offenses.

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

We're on hand in Robbinsville

Wayne Hills' playoff fate hangs in the balance. 

A whirlwind week for the Patriots may come to an end this afternoon following an eligibility hearing with the NJSIAA to determine if the three players in question -- seniors Hunter, Tyler and Jaaron Hayek -- violated the association's transfer rule. 

RELATED: Wayne Hills FAQ for Tuesday's hearing - what you need to know

If the players are ruled eligible, Wayne Hills will be be reinstated in the North Jersey Section 1, Group 4 playoffs. If they are ruled ineligible, the Patriots will be disqualified from the postseason and stripped of its eight wins. 

The hearing is a closed-door session, but we're on hand, here in Robbinsville awaiting the decision. 

We'll be popping in and out of the comments section below to keep you updated on the latest. 

Pat Lanni may be reached at planni@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @PatLanniHS. Like NJ.com High School Sports on Facebook.

Officials announced a deal between the city, county, and a New York developer has been finalized.

NEWARK -- The sale of an ill-fated stadium once touted as a saving grace for a Newark neighborhood is now final, and plans are underway for a redevelopment that officials say will really revitalize the city's downtown.

Newark and Essex County have closed on a deal to sell the vacant Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium to the Lotus Equity Group, Mayor Ras Baraka and County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo announced last week.

The $23.5 million sale will mark the end of the stadium, which was built in 1998 for about $34 million, and has been mostly empty since the minor league Newark Bears baseball team folded in 2014.

The stadium was owned by the Essex County Improvement Authority, which owned and managed the stadium on behalf of the city and county.

Lotus plans to turn the stadium and about 7.5 acres of surrounding land into a mixed-use development that includes 2.3 million square feet of residential, office, retail and cultural space, city and county officials said.

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"The Lotus development project will bring jobs, housing and new opportunities to Newarkers," Baraka said in a statement.

"This project anchors our downtown development activities and brings new living and working options to current residents, students and those looking to make Newark their home."

The exact details of the deal and plans for the project were not immediately released, but city officials previously told NJ Advance Media Lotus would be eligible for a tax abatement on the project, as long as it hires Newark residents in the construction and operation of the development.

It is unclear when demolition of the stadium and construction on the new development will begin, but Lotus CEO Ben Korman said the finished product will be both "dynamic and sustainable."

The development, which officials have said could include as many as 1,500 apartment units, "will create a pedestrian-friendly and vibrant atmosphere for existing and new residents to live, work, and play," Korman said.

"This truly is a premier site offering unparalleled connectivity in the heart of a culturally rich and diverse community, and we look forward to collaborating with the city to realize its transformation into a 24/7 neighborhood destination." 

The site's proximity to NJ Transit, major highways, and University Heights, will make it marketable to commuters and students, officials said.

The sale ends the tumultuous 18-year history of the stadium, which struggled to attract a fan base.

Despite two league championships and a rotating roster of high-profile players, the Newark Bears rarely filled the park.

After declaring bankruptcy, going through ownership and league changes, and a series of failed rejuvenation attempts, the team officially folded in 2014. Since then, the stadium has hosted NJIT, Rutgers-Newark, and high school games and tournaments.

Though it has remained empty for much of the time since the team went under, the stadium has continued to cost taxpayers in Newark and Essex County $2 million a year.

DiVincenzo praised the finalized sale as a good thing for residents.

"The project brings new energy to Newark and Essex County and will create business, residential and entertainment opportunities and much needed activity to that area of the city," he said.

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

Drivers urged to avoid streets with high water

NEWARK -- Heavy rain caused flooding around the city Tuesday, leading officials to warn motorists to avoid multiple streets.

"The Department of Public Safety is coordinating responses to burglar alarms, flooding conditions and other weather related incidents through the combined use of police, fire and Office of Emergency Management personnel," city officials said in a statement.

Officials urged motorists to avoid the streets listed below and not to drive through high water.

•   Clay Street and McCarter Highway
•   South Street and VanBuren Street
•   Jefferson and Chestnut Streets
•   State Street near Broad Street
•   Jabez and Backus Streets
•   357 Wilson Avenue
•   Manufacturers Place and Hyatt Street
•   Magazine Street and Avenue L
•   Avenue L and Wilson Avenue
•   Ferry and Foundry Streets
•   Norfolk Street
•   Orange Street
•   Nesbitt Street
• McClellan and Frelinghuysen Avenue

ROUTE 21 NORTH - All lanes closed and detoured due to flooding near East 3rd Ave. in Newark.

-- NJDOT (@NJDOT_info) November 15, 2016

Help on rte 21 north newark.
Highway flooding
Traffic stopped@CBS2ThisMorning
Send help.
North of 3rd Ave S of Chester Ave. pic.twitter.com/PYF05XWcJM

-- J N Hahn (@HatHunter) November 15, 2016

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

A 25-year-old Newark woman being placed in a Secaucus police holding cell on a shoplifting charge racked up additional charges after allegedly trying to block police from locking the cell door, assaulting an officer and spitting in the face of another.

JERSEY CITY - A Newark woman accused of shoplifting racked up additional charges yesterday when she assaulted a Secaucus police officer and spit in the face of another as she was being put in a holding cell, authorities said. 

Makeedah S. Hayes, 25, is charged with shoplifting, escape, aggravated assault on a police officer, throwing bodily fluids at a law enforcement officer, resisting arrest and obstructing a government function, the criminal complaint says.  

When police were putting Hayes in a cell she allegedly ran at the cell door to prevent officers from closing and locking it. She then charged at a police officer and grabbing onto his uniform, and spit in an officer's face, the complaint states.

She was in police custody after being charged earlier in the day with attempting to steal $600 in merchandise from Marshalls, according to the complaint. 

There are warrants for Hayes' arrest out of municipal courts in five cities with bails totaling about $3,000, a court official said.

Her bail was set at $15,000 with a 10 percent cash option when she made her first appearance on the charges this afternoon in Central Judicial Processing court via video link from Hudson County jail in Kearny. 

Local first responders are gearing up to give back in a unique way this holiday season.

Officer Danny Rivera with the trophy that will be awarded to the winning team of the charity football tournament. Courtesy photo  

SECAUCUS -- Local first responders are gearing up to give back in a unique way this holiday season.

Ten football teams made up of law enforcement officers and firefighters from Hudson, Bergen, Union and Essex counties, and the New York Police Department will be participating in a charity football tournament on Nov. 26. 

Hudson County Sheriff's Officer Danny Rivera first organized the event in 2009 as a way to raise money for the family of Mark DiNardo, a Jersey City police officer killed in a 2009 shootout with two robbery suspects. 

After a successful fundraiser, Rivera and Jersey City Police Officer Marvin Ramos decided to host the event each year to raise money for charity. 

Each group will contribute $500 that will be awarded to a charity of the winning team's choice. 

The tournament, sponsored this year by "Blue Lives Matter," will be held at Laurel Hill Park in Secaucus, starting at 9 a.m. with food, games, and music for spectators to enjoy throughout the day. 

Departments participating include the Hudson County Sheriff Office, the Jersey City Police Department, the Jersey City Fire Department, the Hoboken Police Department, the Essex County Sheriff's Office, Essex County Corrections, the North Bergen Police Department, the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office, and Union County Corrections.

Caitlin Mota may be reached at cmota@jjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitlin_mota. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.

The Patriots are searching for their ninth title in school history

Wayne Hills is back in the playoffs -- for good this time. 

A whirlwind week for the top seed in the North Jersey, Section 1, Group 4 playoffs officially came to a close at 4:32 p.m. Tuesday afternoon following an eligibility hearing at the NJSIAA headquarters in Robbinsville.

The NJSIA's eligibility committee -- comprised of five members -- determined that Wayne Hills did not violate any transfer rules and the players in question -- Tyler and Hunter Hayek -- are residents in Wayne. 

Wayne Hills, No. 14 in the NJ.com Top 20, was restored as the No. 1 seed while the rest of the bracket was restored to its original format. First-round games will be played Friday and Saturday this week. 

The controversy centered around whether or not Wayne Hills standouts Hunter and Tyler Hayek transferred to the school last year with a "bona fide change of residence." According to attorney Stephen Edelstein, Vic Hayek, the boys' father, moved from Woodland Park to Wayne in October of 2015 with his sons "due to personal family circumstances."

Edelstein and another attorney representing the boys, Darren Del Sardo, said they provided evidence Tuesday such as utility bills, leases, checks and testimony from at least five witnesses describing the Hayek home in Wayne.

Meanwhile, the NJSIAA argued the boys did not have a bona fide change of residence because their driver's licenses' have a Woodland Park address and Vic Hayek's voter registration has a Woodland Park address, according to the attorneys.

"The evidence was overwhelming that they are in fact residents [of Wayne]," Del Sardo said. "There wasn't one scintilla of evidence on the other side that would suggest otherwise. The evidence was overwhelming on our side. I hope we had a fair hearing today."

The outcome marks the end of a tumultuous week for Wayne Hills, which was initially banned from the postseason last Tuesday for using the ineligible players, then granted a stay and allowed back into the playoffs Thursday by Acting Education Commissioner Kimberly Harrington.

As the hearing unfolded, several Wayne Hills parents and media members waited out the proceedings in a meeting room adjacent to the hearing.

Sunil Modak, whose son, Jason, is a junior on the Wayne Hills team, made the trip to Robbinsville Tuesday “just for support,” he said. 

“I couldn’t sit still at home just waiting,” Sunil Modak added. “It’s been a rollercoaster. It’s been difficult. I’m just looking for closure today. Either we’re in or we’re out — let’s just move on at this point.”

Pat Lanni may be reached at planni@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @PatLanniHS. Like NJ.com High School Sports on Facebook.

A retired All-Pro running back and the NFL commissioner joined officials of Habitat for Humanity and the Aaron's national furniture chain to turn over a new home to a single mother and her two children

NEWARK -- When retired All-Pro running back Warrick Dunn was a teenager in Louisiana, his mother, Police Officer Betty Smothers, was shot and killed escorting a businesswoman on a night deposit, never to realize her dream of owning a home or to see her son play in the NFL.

So after beginning a 12-year career in which he gained over 15,000 total yards rushing and receiving with Tampa Bay and Atlanta, Dunn started his own charitable foundation to help single moms like his achieve the stability and security of home ownership.

And on Tuesday, Dunn joined NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to welcome Beatrice McKay and her two adolescent children into a fully furnished 3-bedroom condominium in Newark that she will own and occupy, thanks to some help from Warrick Dunn Charities, Habitat for Humanity of Newark and Greater Elizabeth, the Aaron's retail furniture chain.

"This program is very near and dear to me, losing my mom at an early age," Dunn said on Tuesday, before leading McKay, her daughter, Joshina, and reporters on a tour of the Hawthorne Avenue apartment. 

At one point, Dunn handed McKay an oversized check for $5,000, a contribution from his foundation to offset the down payment on the apartment. 

McKay's jaw dropped as Dunn led her into her newly furnished bedroom, with matching bedding and a half-dozen pillows arranged just so, and plush bathrobe -and- slippers set hung on the door.

Goodell was accompanied by his wife, former Fox News anchor Jane Skinner, after the Westchester couple had personally helped decorate the apartment. And Goodell gave McKay's daughter, Joshina, a tour of her new room, done up with salmon-colored rug and bedding, with matching metallic-hued night stand and dresser.

Son Richlue's room was done in blue, with details including a miniature drum set on the end table.

The kitchen was stocked with food, and the washroom with detergent and other essentials. The coffee table in the living room had a copy of Dunn's 2008 autobiography, Running For My Life.

It was the 150th home that Warrick had helped families acquire under the Homes for the Holidays program, which also involves Habitat for Humanity and the Aaron's chain. Habitat built the apartment, one of a total or nine units in Phase I of the non-profit developer's Harmony Point project on Hawthorne Avenue, said Jeffrey Farrell, CEO of the Newark and greater Elizabeth branch. 

McKay, a Liberian immigrant who has lived in Newark since 2005, works as a counselor at SERV Behavioral Health Systems, a non-profit that serves people with developmental disabilities. She said a friend told her about Habitat for Humanity after the moldy apartment she was renting in Newark began aggravating her daughter's asthma.

Farrell said McKay will be responsible for paying off the $55,000 interest-free mortgage. Thanks to grants and contributions that paid for much of the project, Farrell said the size of the mortgage is far less than the true cost of the unit's construction, and only about a third of the estimated market value of the unit.

"I just want to say thank you to everybody at Habitat," said McKay. "Even at the Habitat office, everybody is like family."

At one point, Dunn had McKay sit at her new dining table to sign some paperwork. She paused when one of the forms asked for her home address.

"What's the address?" she asked.

Dunn executed a perfect comic double-take.

"This is the address!" he said. 

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

Rutgers President Robert Barchi assured students that they don't need worry about their safety at Rutgers.

NEW BRUNSWICK -- After a nationwide call by college students to protect unauthorized immigrants from possible deportation under President-elect Donald Trump, Rutgers University has pledged to do everything in its legal power to keep its students safe. 

The university police department does not check student's immigration status unless a serious crime has been committed, and Rutgers will not share private information about its students unless required to do so by a court order, President Robert Barchi said in a message to students. 

"No matter your political view, ethnicity, religious beliefs, race, gender identity, sexual orientation, or nationality, you are first and foremost a Rutgers student," Barchi said. "You are owed our respect, our support, and our best efforts to keep you safe and secure as you express your opinions and pursue your studies." 

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The message comes as activists and student groups from at least 80 colleges and universities across the country are planning student walkouts or protests Wednesday to demand protection and respect for unauthorized immigrant students if Trump  follows through with deportation plans after he takes office.

In New Jersey, students at Rutgers, Seton Hall, Princeton, William Paterson, Bloomfield College, St. Peter's University and Bergen County Community College are among those who have said they will hold walkouts or protests, according to posts on social media. 

Rutgers students are also circulating a petition calling on the state university to become a "sanctuary campus."

On a sanctuary campus, the administration, faculty, and staff establish a welcome climate for minority students, Muslims, LGBTQ students, and women, the petition stated.

"Campus police and managers of data also should refuse to cooperate with federal agents wishing to deport undocumented students," the petition said.

Since Trump won the presidential election last week, college campuses have become a hotbed for fear and unrest. Students protested at both Rutgers and Princeton last week, with some saying they were scared for their safety. 

Early in the campaign, Trump said he wanted to deport all of the more than 11 million unauthorized immigrants in the country. More recently, he said his focus will be deporting "the people that are criminal and have criminal records -- gang members, drug dealers." 

Without specifically addressing Trump's proposals, Barchi assured students that they don't need worry about their safety or privacy at Rutgers. He also encouraged students to continue civil discussions and embrace the university's political diversity. 

"Our university is and must be a safe place for all people to live and learn, where students and others of all viewpoints may express their ideas with the full expectations that they will be heard and respected," Barchi said. 

Under New Jersey law signed by Gov. Chris Christie in 2013, immigrants living in the country illegally can attend state colleges at the same in-state tuition rate as other New Jersey residents.

Unauthorized immigrants, dubbed DREAMers, previously paid out-of-state tuition, which was often double the in-state rate.

Students must sign an affidavit saying they have either applied to legalize their immigration status or will apply when eligible, according to state law. 

NJ Advance Media Reporter Kelly Heyboer contributed to this report. 

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

The suspect is also one of three people believed responsible for a downtown robbery last month

Police said they are seeking this man in connection with the robbery 

NEWARK -- Police are searching for a man who allegedly took part in two armed robberies two weeks apart, including one in which the suspect and a police officer exchanged gunfire, Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said.

Around 6:44 p.m. Oct. 27, police responded to the Fallas Discount Store, 131 Market St., on a report of a robbery. Witnesses told police three armed men held the store up at gunpoint, grabbing cash and merchandise before fleeing onto West Market Street.

Cop fires on suspect in Newark robbery 

On Friday, another robbery took place at the Kids Clothing Store at 715 Broad St. Three armed suspects entered the store and demanded cash, but a passing police officer identified the suspect inside. The suspect allegedly fired at the officer, who also fired, authorities said. No one was injured.

Two suspects have already been identified. An award of up to $10,000 has been offered for information leading to the pictured suspect by the Essex County Sheriff's Crime Stoppers program, according to Sheriff Armando Fontoura.

Anyone with information is being asked to call the NPD 24-hour tip line at 1-877- NWK-TIPS (1-877- 695-8477) or 1-877- NWK-GUNS (1-877- 695-4867).  All tips are kept confidential.

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

Torrential rain causes flooding on many streets but helps cut into big rainfall deficit.

A slow-moving storm system that tracked up the eastern seaboard saturated the Newark area with nearly 3 inches of rain on Tuesday, flooding streets and breaking a daily rainfall record for Nov. 15.

Newark ended up getting 2.79 inches of rain, shattering the city's previous record of 1.48 inches, set on Nov. 15, 1983, said Pete Wichrowski, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service's regional office in Upton, N.Y., which covers northeastern sections of New Jersey.

"We had some heavier showers and some isolated thunderstorms" in Bergen, Essex, Hudson and Passaic counties, Wichrowski said. "It wasn't even a real powerful system, but it was slow moving."

Flooding blocks streets across Newark

More than a dozen roads in Newark, including parts of McCarter Highway and Broad Street, were temporarily closed because of flooding, city officials reported. Some drivers posted photos on social media showing cars trying to navigate through high water on Newark streets.

Although it may have frustrated motorists, the heavy rain helped to trim the huge rainfall deficit that has led to severe drought conditions in Essex and 13 other counties across New Jersey.

"Any rainfall is welcome. We're still running with a lot of deficits," Wichrowski said. "Every little bit helps." 

Flooding blocks streets around Newark #JerseyCity https://t.co/Loc7x3XiAE pic.twitter.com/o5YEUBZeBG

-- Jersey City (@JerseyCity_News) November 15, 2016

Prior to Tuesday's deluge, Newark had a precipitation shortfall of more than 11 inches this year. From Jan. 1 to Nov. 14, Newark received 29.18 inches of rain and melted snow, according to climate data from the National Weather Service. The city usually gets 40.41 inches of precipitation during that time-frame.

In the entire month of November, Newark usually gets 3.65 inches of precipitation, Wichrowski said. With Tuesday's heavy rain included, the city now has 2.99 inches so far this month. 

That's almost the same amount of rain that fell in October and almost as much as what Newark received in the two previous months combined -- 2.17 inches in September and 0.93 inches in August. 

The storage capacity in many major reservoirs in New Jersey has been steadily dropping, prompting the state to declare a drought warning in 14 counties on Oct. 21.

Help on rte 21 north newark.
Highway flooding
Traffic stopped@CBS2ThisMorning
Send help.
North of 3rd Ave S of Chester Ave. pic.twitter.com/PYF05XWcJM

-- J N Hahn (@HatHunter) November 15, 2016

Among the other places across New Jersey that got a heavy dose of rain on Tuesday were Harrison (2.31 inches), Holmdel (2.16 inches), Wayne (2.01 inches), Kearny (1.96 inches), Hawthorne (1.78 inches), North Arlington (1.75 inches), Wall (1.74 inches), Brick, Haworth, Lyndhurst and Ramsey (1.73 inches), Middletown (1.68 inches) and Jersey City (1.65 inches).  

Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @LensReality or like him on Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook.