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

Assemblyman McKeon: Bipartisan lawmakers will meet Wednesday in Trenton to discuss a broad range of approaches to avoid a looming water infrastructure crisis.

By John F. McKeon

New Jersey's drinking water infrastructure is rapidly approaching the end of its useful life. Of the state's largest utility's 8,700 miles of pipeline, over half was installed between 1870 and 1960, and 15 percent of the pipes are between 100 and 140 years old.

In less than 10 years, the majority will have reached their reasonably expected life span.

Failure to replace these lines could result in an unreliable supply of safe drinking water; increased service interruptions; insufficient water flow; and more frequent and costly emergency repairs.

These are not just potential future problems. In Hoboken, consultants found that some of the city's water system pipes were put into place in 1857, 1869, and 1897. Since 2000, the city has experienced an average of 20 water main breaks per year. A pressure change caused by one main break can cause additional breaks elsewhere. Main breaks have led to road detours, water boil advisories and inadequate water pressure for nearby residents and businesses.

In addition, as water infrastructure ages, the amount of water that is lost to leakage rises substantially. On average, New Jersey water suppliers lose 22 percent of treated water annually. Some suppliers have reported losing as much as 33 percent, and an audit of one municipality found that 45 percent of its drinking water could not be accounted for -- a rate akin to that of cities in developing countries.

Leaks raise water prices for everyone. Moreover, wasted water is a serious issue in the northern part of the state. Last week, watchdog groups called on the Gov. Chris Christie to declare a drought emergency for northern and central New Jersey after the state's largest reservoir fell to its lowest level ever recorded.

The Federal Environmental Protection Agency estimates that New Jersey will require an investment of $7.96 billion by 2027 to cover improvements needed to continue to provide reliably safe water to the public.

That is a staggering sticker price. However, the state's economic vitality depends on our ability to deliver water safely. Our urban areas and their surrounding towns are growing faster than ever before. These areas will harbor 20 percent of the state's population and employment growth over the next 30 years.

Of course, this assumes that infrastructure will be able to accommodate these new residents and businesses.

There isn't an easy fix for this complex and expansive challenge. A bicameral, bipartisan committee of lawmakers is meeting in Trenton on Wednesday to discuss a broad range of approaches. My co-chair on the Joint Legislative Task Force on Water Infrastructure, State Sen. Linda Greenstein (D-Middlesex), has noted

 the first hurdle will be getting a better understanding of priorities. 

If there is a crisis with our water infrastructure, the crisis is in our lack of knowledge. There is no comprehensive data system or report for understanding the current status of utility improvement plans.

The legislative task force plans to generate consensus on how good or bad our systems are. The next step will be crafting viable financing options, in a responsible manner, for the most pressing projects.

John F. McKeon (D-Essex and Morris) is a New Jersey Assemblyman. He is the author of the 2004 Highlands Preservation Act, and serves as co-chairman of the Joint Legislative Task Force on Drinking Water Infrastructure.

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Male victim found shot on the building's upper floors Tuesday night, according to authorities.

NEWARK -- Authorities on Wednesday asked for information from the public as they investigate a deadly shooting at a Central Ward high-rise apartment complex.

Police responded to reports of shots fired at the Garden Spires building on the 100 block of First Street shortly before 8 p.m. Tuesday, the Essex County Prosecutor's Office said in a statement. Officers found a male unresponsive and suffering from a gunshot wound on an upper floor of the complex.

He was pronounced dead at the scene, according to Chief Assistant Prosecutor Thomas Fennelly, who would not release the victim's name before next of kin could be informed. Authorities did not immediately disclose further details on the killing.

A large crowd formed outside the complex Tuesday night as investigators and city police entered the building. Residents in the area said they didn't know what happened inside.

Former N.J. high school basketball standout dies after shooting

The building's management could not be immediately reached to comment Wednesday.

Newark city officials in July 2015 conducted a mass inspection of the complex, where residents said they have long complained of issues, including apartments infested with insects and limited lighting in hallways.

City, county and federal authorities raided the building in 2010 to target what officials called a large drug market operating at Garden Spires.

Three people have been killed in separate shootings around the state's largest city since Sunday night.

Anyone with information can call the prosecutor's tip line at 877-847-7432.

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

Paulsboro resident faces weapons charges

NEWARK -- A Paulsboro man was arrested Wednesday after he lied about being the victim of a robbery and shooting in the city, authorities said.

Police were called for a gunshot victim at the University Hospital emergency room around 10:45 p.m. Tuesday, Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said in a statement.

Zachary T. Scott allegedly told detectives a group of men shot him during a robbery attempt near Livingston and West Kinney streets.

City detectives learned Scott actually shot himself near Lincoln Street and Doby Place, according to Ambrose. He was arrested after being treated.

Cops seek tips after deadly high-rise shooting

Police charged Scott with unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. Authorities did not say why Scott allegedly lied about his injury. Police officials have said the department does not publicize suicide attempts and similar cases often stem from illegal activity.

Earlier this month, police charged another man with making a false report that he was wounded in a shooting after he allegedly accidentally shot himself on the New Jersey Turnpike. Authorities said the arrest led to the discovery of guns and drugs in the man's city apartment.

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

Marcus Samuelsson's new concept will be part of a new development anchored by the city's first Whole Foods.

NEWARK -- A celebrity chef is coming to the state's largest city.

Marcus Samuelsson, the Harlem-based chef and restaurateur known for his frequent television appearances, will open a new restaurant as part of the ongoing redevelopment of the former Hahne's department store, a spokeswoman for the site's developer confirmed.

The exact concept for the eatery is still being developed, but it's expected to take up about 2,250 square feet of the rehabbed Hahne's building, which will also include the city's first Whole Foods supermarket, 160 apartments, community arts space developed by Rutgers, and additional retail and office space.

Hahne's prepping for Whole Foods neighbors

Samuelsson is hoping to open the restaurant sometime next year, the spokeswoman said.

Samuelsson told the Wall Street Journal that he hopes the restaurant can help contribute to a revitalization effort in the city.

Marcus Samuelsson. (Submitted photo)
 

"I'm always fascinated with historically African-American communities that are all going through a journey of transformation," he told the publication.

In addition to judging spots on multiple Food Network shows and frequent "Today Show" appearances, the chef is known for his many cookbooks, Harlem restaurant Red Rooster, and for his many other restaurant concepts throughout the world.

The new concept joins the highly anticipated overhaul of the Hahne's building, which has been vacant for more than 30 years.

The redevelopment will keep in tact many original features of the building, which is on the state and national registers of historical places.

"We are very excited to bring Marcus Samuelsson to Hahne's and to offer everyone who lives in, works in or visits Newark a dining experience from one of the best chefs in the world," said Jonathan Cortell, Vice President of Development at building owner L+M Development Partners. 

"We believe that food and restaurants help anchor our communities and view this restaurant as another step in the transformation of the city," Cortell said.

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

Arrest made in afternoon attack on 49-year-old man, police say

NEWARK -- Police arrested a 16-year-old boy for assaulting and robbing a 49-year-old man in a weekend attack, authorities said Wednesday.

The robbery occurred shortly before 3 p.m. Sunday near Chapel Street and Raymond Boulevard, where the teen assaulted the man and demanded his money, according to authorities. The teen was with an unspecified number of other juveniles during the attack.

Members of the city police division's Fugitive Apprehension Team arrested the teen without incident, authorities said in a statement. He was charged with robbery and conspiracy.

Authorities did not release the teen's name because of his age.

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

A look at the top plays from 2016.

Jeremy Arrington has been charged in the fatal incident, which left a 23-year-old woman dead and three others injured, including the children's 29-year-old mother.

NEWARK -- "It makes no sense," Rev. Edward Allen said to a crowd of close to 200 family, friends and community members Wednesday morning at New Hope Baptist Church.

Steps below the pulpit, sat two open white coffins, each around 5 feet long with gold trim, holding a young brother and sister. The caskets were flanked by floral arrangements of carnations and lilies.

The 11-year-old boy, Al-Jahon Whitehurst, clutched a football with two hands, placed on his stomach. His 8-year-old sister, Ariel Whitehurst Little, laid in the coffin on the right, hands grasping a basketball. 

"She wanted to play in the WNBA," the mother's cousin Wanda Robinson said outside the church. "He wanted to play football professionally."

Rev. Allen started the service by reading in a reserved tone from the Book of Psalms as dozens walked down the aisle of the church -- some stopping to embrace others.

Family, teachers and community members shuffled solemnly passed wooden pews with scarlet cushions, keeping pace with an electric organ and drum set being played in the background. The Reverend read passages for 20 minutes before everyone had found a seat.

"No amount of explanation can ever convince the rational mind that little children could ever intimidate, could ever hurt, could ever encourage such a lashing out," he said during his eulogy. "It makes no sense."

"So I must confess, I'm not here to make any sense out of this nonsense," he said.

Al-Jahon and Ariel were stabbed to death on Nov. 5 in Newark's South Ward, along with 23-year-old Syasia McBurroughs. 

Jeremy Arrington has been charged in the fatal incident, which left three others injured, including the children's 29-year-old mother, who was still in the hospital Wednesday and did not attend the services.  

Authorities believe the incident was sparked by someone in the Hedden Terrace house reposting a Facebook alert from police. City police had issued the message in their search for Arrington in connection with an October shooting and sexual assault. Arrington allegedly went to the South Ward home that Saturday to confront the residents, Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray said previously. 

Without naming anyone, Allen likened the family's loss to a biblical account of a thief.

"He stole from Al-Jahon, those touchdowns he intended to make," Allen said in cadence. "Stole from Ariel, a chance to try out for the WNBA. He stole their smiles and their laughter. He robbed them of their graduations, of their proms, of their college administrations."

"Hell yeah we're angry," he said, which was met with a resounding applause. "But in anger, we must direct it toward the problems and not a few people."

Al-Jahon's fifth-grade teacher said the young boy was a hugger who loved to help out a school.

"He was just a great student," said Aleica Adams, his BRICK Peshine Academy teacher. "I'm not just saying that because that's what you're supposed to say. He was brought up well."

Al-Jahon's younger sister Ariel was a second grader at KIPP Seek Academy. Principals from both schools, Toni O'Sullivan and Chaleeta Hines, spoke at the service and said the children will be missed.

Pastor Joe Carter asked the community and relatives to offer their support to Asia over the next few days, weeks and years. 

"This family is going to need your help," Carter said. 

In the days after the fatal encounter, more than 200 students, teachers and faculty gathered to say goodbye to the young students. The schools also launched an online fundraising campaign to help pay for the funeral expenses. 

As of Wednesday, the campaign had raised more than $33,000. The goal was $25,000. 

Jeremy Arrington was in court facing three murder charges among other offenses when he appeared before Essex County Superior Court Judge Ronald Wigler in Newark, NJ. (Ed Murray | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) 

The mother, Asia, is a food service worker at BRICK.

Arrington was arrested the day after the stabbing following a standoff with police. The 26-year-old pleaded not guilty earlier this month to murder charges in connection with the incident. He also faces charges on a separate shooting and sex assault.

Arrington is being held on $5 million bail as a grand jury reviews his charges for a possible indictment. 

"In our schools, we celebrate these lives," Erskine Glover, a principal with Newark public schools, said. "Please never forget that. Too often we have these funerals, these celebrations of life, and in about two or three weeks we forget about those young scholars. These families, this community, this city need you to remember these children and the tragedy they experienced."

From one of the last pews, a single "Amen" echoed through the church. 

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

The Fuel Up to Play 60 program launched in Newark schools.

NEWARK -- City kids got a sweet taste of the healthy life Wednesday, thanks to $20,000 in grant money to start up the "Fuel Up to Play 60" program at the Oliver Street School.

Former New York Giants Punter Sean Landeta was at the school Wednesday to help celebrate the grant, donated by the nonprofit Dairy Council Health Foundation, ShopRite, and Fuel Up, a program of the American Dairy Association and the NFL.

Fuel Up to Play 60 is a school wellness initiative aimed at getting kids moving, and eating healthier foods. Thanks to the program and grant money, the Oliver Street School welcomed Wednesday a new build-your-own yogurt parfait bar in its cafeteria, and an NFL flag football program.

The ShopRite of Newark is also leading a nutrition education campaign that will include dietician visits to the school, and in-store field trips.

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

The people and events from and in New Jersey that helped shape history.

The December installment of the "This month in N.J. History" gallery includes firsts in transportation and technology; military events; birthdays of politicians, poets and pop; and extreme weather events.

If there are dates you don't see on our timeline but believe should be remembered, let us know in the comments section.

And, be sure to enable captions for the gallery so you can read all the information associated with each day in New Jersey history.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

Here are links to previous "This month in N.J. history" galleries:

November     October     September     August     July

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

Led by a pair of outstanding head coaches, Shabazz and Weequahic will square off in the Soul Bowl 2.0 Saturday at Kean with a state title -- and city-wide bragging rights -- on the line.

The 2008 and 2009 seasons were some of the darkest times for Newark high school football. Those years, none of the city’s six public schools that play the sport finished with a winning record, and all combined the teams won just 33 games against 87 losses.

Interest in football was plummeting, athletes were opting for other sports and promising players were flooding to private schools outside of Newark, coaches say.

But change was coming.

RELATED: 2016 football finals: Everything you need to know

In 2010, Darnell Grant took over as head coach at Shabazz High, where the program had gone 7-33 the previous four seasons. The next year, Brian Logan moved over to Weequahic High, inheriting a team that was 16-23 over the four years before.

Since the changes, the football teams at Shabazz and Weequahic have made astounding turnarounds, combining for a 95-48 record, seven trips to the state sectional title game and one elusive state championship.

And now, Newark’s football resurgence has reached a crescendo with Shabazz and Weequahic meeting in Saturday morning’s North Jersey, Section 2, Group 1 state championship game at Kean University after both teams steamrolled through the bracket and trounced opponents by an average of 31 points.

“It’s a testimony to my staff and a testimony to Brian’s staff to be able to build something here where people say that you can’t,” Grant said. “Both of us, that’s the biggest legacy: Building programs and building consistent winners with consistent success.”

Even more incredible, Shabazz and Weequahic both are located in Newark’s South Ward, where the schools are among New Jersey’s most historic — and bitter — rivals. In an unusual twist, the teams also faced off a week ago in their annual Thanksgiving Day matchup dubbed “The Soul Bowl,” where Weequahic prevailed, 22-8.

RELATED: Brian Logan aims to save Newark's youth from all angles

Newark’s football renaissance even has Mayor Ras Baraka — who will honor both coaches Thursday morning during a ceremony at City Hall — following along closely.

“It absolutely has a great impact in city pride,” Baraka said in a phone interview with NJ Advance Media. “It improves the program, gets people interested in the school, makes a lot of young people want to try out and play football, which is very beneficial because of the discipline and structure of playing on a football team. It goes a long way in the community. It unites parents, it unites whole blocks.”

Baraka, who served as principal of Newark Central High before becoming Mayor, also said having winning programs such as Shabazz and Weequahic helps infuse the student bodies with positive reinforcement.

“It gives them pride, a feeling of success, accomplishment, of being a part of an organization that’s winning, the team effort,” said Baraka, who also formerly served as a vice principal at Weequahic. “It just lifts the entire morale of the student body population and gives them a reason to want to come to school, a reason to be in the school.”

The climb to the top at Shabazz and Weequahic came quickly under Grant and Logan, respectively. Grant moved over from nearby Irvington High, where he had built the Blue Knights into a state power, seeing the potential to resurrect a once-proud Shabazz program that had fallen on hard times but had strong facilities and a beautiful stadium.

RELATED: Weequahic downs Shabazz in Soul Bowl

In seven seasons, Grant has led Shabazz to three state title game appearances, including a North 2, Group 1 state championship crown in 2014 — the first in school history.

Logan, meanwhile, captured one of Newark’s four overall state football titles since 1974 as head coach at West Side High in 2007, but seized the opportunity to take over his alma mater at Weequahic.

His Indians teams have been nothing short of dominant, winning nine games or more four times and making the state finals three years in a row from 2011 to 2013 but falling short each time.

Logan said the success at both schools is a product of Grant and himself “being more than just an average football coach in the suburbs.”

“It’s a 12-month a year job for us,” said Logan, who also credited his staff for his team’s success. “Football season can’t end and we go home and take a break. It doesn’t work like that with us. You have to constantly know what your players are doing, try to do the best you can to monitor them. When they know somebody’s concerned about them, they’re going to do every effort to try to do right.”

Other Newark schools also are having success in football. Barringer went 8-2 in 2015, Central finished 7-3 in 2014 and West Side was 7-3 in 2013.

East Side, however, has never made the playoffs and finished 0-10 this season.

WATCH: Breaking down Shabazz vs. Weequahic state final

“We play good football in Newark,” Logan said. “We have just as much talent as anybody around the state.”

The success at Shabazz and Weequahic is even impacting the youth level, where coaches say Newark kids are eager to play football again. This fall, several Pop Warner teams such as the Brick City Lions, Southeast Stallions and Central Ward Blue Devils have qualified for national and regional championship tournaments.

“A ton of kids after this week are going to want to flood to Shabazz and Weequahic just to get that opportunity that these guys are having on the big stage,” said Al Hillman, coach of the Stallions. “The kids feel like, ‘I can actually play on this field and do this.’”

Newarkers say the only downside to Saturday’s championship game is that one of the teams will lose.

The good news? With Grant and Logan leading the charge, Newark’s football future appears bright.

“It would be cool for Newark to have an opportunity to get two titles,” Grant said. “But at the end of the day, Newark’s going to have a champ no matter what this year and that’s a good thing.” 

Matthew Stanmyre may be reached at mstanmyre@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattStanmyre. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Kathleen Fable, who served on the Northern Valley Regional Board of Education, claims a couple libeled her on Facebook.

OLD TAPPAN - A former board of education member who wrote on Facebook that some parents who oppose random drug testing "smoke pot with their kids" is suing a married couple for allegedly smearing her name, according to a lawsuit.

Kathy Fable claims in a lawsuit parents slandered her at board of education meetings and on Facebook. (Photo courtesy of Kathy Fable) 

Kathleen Quinn Fable, who served for three years on the Northern Valley Regional Board of Education in Old Tappan claims in court papers that Dennis Doros and Amy Heller of Harrington Park made statements that injured her reputation and adversely affected her advertising business.

The issue stems from an Aug. 5, 2013 Facebook post Fable made about parents who oppose suspicion-based, random drug testing in Bergen County schools.

"Should we be acting on the demands of the parents who smoke pot with their kids?" Fable wrote in the post, which appeared in a closed Facebook group for Old Tappan moms.

Fable claims she made the comment as "a mother of three children and not as a board member."

The defamation suit, filed recently in Bergen County Superior Court, claims Doros and Heller attended a September 2013 meeting where the school board was to vote on a proposal for random drug testing. The couple publicly mischaracterized Fable's Facebook remarks, the suit claims.

"Doros and Heller accused school board members and (Fable) of slandering and cyberbullying them and their son," the suit states.

The couple stated "Kathy Fable said that anyone who opposes random drug testing smokes pot with their kids," the lawsuit alleges.

After a lengthy debate, the school board voted to research alternative drug-prevention techniques, according to the suit. The proposal was later voted down.

Six days after the meeting, The Record of Bergen County published an opinion piece about Fable and her Facebook comments.

"The article mischaracterized (Fable's) statement on the closed Facebook forum," the suit states.

The opinion piece asked Fable and the board to apologize.

"Fable should at the least apologize publicly to all Northern Valley Regional parents," The Record stated. "The board should apologize to parents and pass a motion condemning Fable's remarks."

The lawsuit, however, claims Doros and Heller planted the opinion piece and later posted a link to the article on Facebook.

The opinion piece, which the suit claims is defamatory, "continues to remain at the top of the Internet browsers when (Fable's) name is searched," the suit states.

The lawsuit claims the publicity has injured Fable's reputation and caused her to lose opportunities and clients in her personal business, Quinn Fable Advertising, Inc. in New York City.

The Record is not named as a party to the suit.

In an interview on Wednesday, Fable said Doros and Heller tried to thwart her efforts to curb a serious drug problem in the district.

"We had kids dying of heroin overdoses," Fable said. "The claims (Doros and Heller) made against me and the board were horrific."

Fable said Dennis Doros once live-streamed a board meeting on Facebook, making derogatory comments about the members as they spoke.  

An attorney for Doros and Heller on Nov. 17 filed a motion to dismiss the suit, claiming the statute of limitations on the case has run out. New Jersey's "Single Publication Rule" holds that reprinting or reposting an article, even with minor changes, does not trigger a new statute of limitations period.

"All my clients did was repost that article," the attorney, Stephen R. Katzman of Edison, said in an interview on Wednesday.

The attorney accuses Fable of seeking to punish his client and other parents for opposing random drug testing and for speaking out at a public meeting.

Fable's suit alleges defamation, slander and libel. She is asking a judge to order the removal of all defamatory statements about her from the Internet, and to award her with compensatory and punitive damages.

Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Grant money the Carnegie Corporation recently awarded the Newark Public Library will allow it to digitize collections and expand literacy efforts, the library said.

NEWARK -- Explaining the history of the African American and Latino experience in America takes more than books. It takes photos, historical documents, oral history recordings, newspaper clippings, and archives full of information and artifacts.

And now, representatives of the Newark Public Library say they have the funding to preserve and share the institution's thousands of materials representing those histories.

A child receives recognition during a Summer Reading Challenge Ceremony at the library. (Courtesy Newark Public Library)
 

The Carnegie Corporation of New York recently announced a $1 million grant to the library that will allow it to digitize its collections on the Great Migration of African Americans and the Latino Immigration Experience.

Once digitized - a process that the library says will take about two years to complete - the materials will be more broadly available to Newark residents at the library, at home, and in Newark schools.

The grant will also fund additional programs that build on the library's initiative to bolster literacy in the city.

"Our founder, Andrew Carnegie, believed that a library outranks any one thing a community can do to benefit its people. In the case of the Newark Public Library, we couldn't agree more," Vartan Gregorian, President of Carnegie Corporation, said in a statement.

"This grant will empower the library to expand the remarkable work it is doing to improve family literacy."

According to library statistics, the adult illiteracy rate in Newark is about 52 percent. About 44 percent of families who live in the city speak a language other than English at home.

Newark Library Board President Timothy Crist said he believes using the grant money to make the collections on African American and Latino history more widely available to residents will play into increasing literacy rates.

"There is a lot of power in affirming the stories of Newarkers," Crist said in a phone interview about the grant. "Focusing on material in the library that tells their story - we think it could make a difference."

Philip Roth's personal collection coming to Newark Library

The grant builds on literacy programming the library has been offering, in coordination with the city, for years, he said.

The grant, which he called a "huge vote of confidence in what we are doing," will allow for more people to experience the library and its collections. The main library and its seven branches currently serve about 10,000 people a week, it estimates.

"The Newark Public Library is an anchor institution in our city and one that has enriched the lives of our residents for nearly 130 years," Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said in a statement.

"This grant from Carnegie Corporation of New York is powerful because it will help the library foster literacy where it is most needed - in families." 

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

This holiday, some furry companions may be treated better than you Watch video

After a few spirited minutes of trotting on a small treadmill designed for dogs, tail bopping around like a busy lambswool feather duster, a bright-eyed, snow-white pup gets a sweet reward in the form of a treat.

Then it's time for some rest ... and a bedtime story. 

But this dog, a 6-year-old American Eskimo named Angie, isn't ready for sleep and doesn't seem to care all that much about the woman sitting on the dog bed with a storybook. She barks loudly, seemingly more interested in any potential morsels still in the human's pocket.

Angie isn't at home, but she might as well be. On days when no one's in the house to take her out and give her attention, she spends most of her time here in Morristown at Morris Animal Inn, a sprawling space dedicated to pet care and one in New Jersey's expanding fleet of upscale pet boarding facilities.

Often called "pet resorts" or "hotels," these businesses, a far cry from the dull, sad kennel pens of yore, offer the usual grooming, training and daycare, but also sell pet owners on luxury suites, swimming pools, in-room TVs, massage and gourmet meals.

A family or pet owner who wants to keep their dog busy while they head off on a five-day vacation could spend upwards of $400 for a luxury suite at a pet resort, but at many such businesses, there is little in the way of a ceiling for what they could shell out for "extras," like bonus playtime ($42 at one resort) or a turn on the canine treadmill ($19.95 per session at the inn).

While some may scoff at the notion of luxury experiences for animals, pet owners who have the money to do so will board their dogs or cats at these high-end facilities when they're away for weekends, holidays and vacations. And for dogs like Angie, boarding can be a daily affair. Some say these upscale pet escapes are less about boarding pets than pampering them, which may help assuage any guilt owners may feel for leaving their companions behind.

Paying a premium for pet care 

The American Pet Products Association estimates that in 2016, people in the United States will spend more than $62 billion on pets, with pet services, including grooming and boarding, accounting for $5.4 billion.

After 48 years in business, Morris Animal Inn, which can house up to 250 dogs and 50 cats, was rebranded as a luxury pet resort in 2008. Amenities include special daycare for puppies, a fitness program and turkey on Thanksgiving. Lodging rates run from $44.95 to $62.95 per day for dogs and $35.95 to $57.95 for cats. Premium dog activity and fitness packages that include bedtime tuck-ins, group play and swimming can cost up to $99.95 per day.

Of course, there are a-la-carte options, too. In a cat playroom, staff ploy Vigo, a 5-year-old American shorthair, with a tablet computer on which a digital mouse runs around the screen ($12.95). Cat owners can also get a "painting" of paw movements to take home and display on the refrigerator, like a children's art project ($15.95), or have their beloved furball wheeled outside in covered strollers ($21.95).  

"At the end of the day we want them to go home tired and happy," says Debora Montgomery, marketing manager at the inn.

A cat guest relaxes in a private suite at Morris Animal Inn. (Andre Malok | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
 

Sound like too much? For the inn's staff and clientele, all the fuss is warranted. 

"Ethically and emotionally, you want to make sure that people are caring for your pets as if they were their own," says Abigail Stuttard, manager of daycare and training.

Tracey Jennings of Basking Ridge boards her dog Tallulah, a 4-year-old pug "diva," and her cat Jolie, 16-year-old American shorthair, at the inn.

"I have great faith in knowing that they're just going to be fawned over, well taken care of," she says. Tallulah can eat snacks like yogurt with pumpkin and banana chips and Jolie can munch salmon consomme and tuna tartar and watch a tiny TV screen that plays video of a squirrel. Jennings brushes aside criticism for such attention to detail as being over-the-top. 

Denise Hancock of Morristown, who calls herself "the craziest mom dog ever," boards her dog Mickey, 15, a smooth fox terrier, at the facility.

"To look at him you'd never known he's 15 and I'm absolutely certain it's because he spends time there getting socialized," she says. Since Mickey is a picky eater, he can get hand fed. Hancock buys him the "prince package," which, at $49.95 per day, includes two "pampered pet" sessions (private playtime, pool wading, petting and TLC), two "business" walks and a luxury suite with raised bed and blanket.

"They do all that stuff and they do it without a hint of irony," Hancock says. "They spoil him as badly as I do." 

Pets as family 

We've long seen the impact of the humanization of household pets -- the reason why people buy dogs clothes and keep pet photos handy to show friends and strangers, like people once only did with their children. But Hancock can lavish attention (and spend more money) on Mickey, in part because she doesn't have children, a fact that speaks to a larger trend in American demographics, says Hal Herzog, an expert in human-animal relations and psychology professor emeritus at Western Carolina University.

Camp Bow Wow, a dog boarding and daycare facility franchise that has eight locations in New Jersey, offers luxury suites and other amenities like webcams from which owners can monitor their pets throughout the day. (Camp Bow Wow)
 

Though the group with the highest rates of pet ownership tend to be people with children at home, they aren't the ones who are most attached to their pets, Herzog says -- leave that to those don't have children. 

"These are people that are really deeply attached to their pets but really don't have kids at home so they're probably traveling more," Herzog says. Pair that with an increase in anthropomorphism and you get things like duck confit cat food and bedtime stories for dogs, he says. 

Yet Morris Animal Inn isn't the only facility to approach cats this way, too. Janry Pet Resort in Stewartsville in Greenwich Township, feline luxury suites have four-level staircases, memory foam mattresses, little four-poster beds and a screen that plays DVDs of swimming fish. 

"If they touch it with their paw, it'll change to a different station," says owner Jane Dancosse, who opened the boarding facility in 1982 and changed it to a "resort" in 2010 after a compete remodel including imported porcelain tile and glass doors.  

Inside K9 Resorts Daycare & Luxury Hotel in Fanwood, which was modeled after the look of Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. (Amy Kuperinsky | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

The first shift was from "kennel" to "boarding," then from "boarding" to "hotel" or "resort," says Carmen Rustenbeck, CEO of the International Boarding and Pet Services Association in Colorado Springs, a trade association for the pet care industry. While pet hotels in the Midwest might not always have the amenities of a New York City business, modernization -- a departure from "the old wire cage look" -- is now often the norm even at traditional boarding operations, she says. 

"As the consumer pushes for that in their area, then the facilities respond," Rustenbeck says.

At Camp Bow Wow in Bridgewater, part of a national franchise with eight locations in New Jersey, suites embrace a rustic log cabin motif. Helicopter pet parents, who put down $48 per night, are often "addicted" to live webcam feeds of their dogs, which they often monitor on their phones, says co-owner Randy DeFazio.

While some may see high-end boarding as the domain of the wealthy, DeFazio says that's also changing. 

"Now people are just budgeting," she says. "It's part and parcel with dog food and grooming."

Amenities at Green Leaf Pet Resort & Hotel in Millstone ($53 to $85 per night) include doggie massages that cost $1.10 per minute. Owner Donna Leibowitz says the approach is a function of changing attitudes toward dogs. 

"Back in the day you used to just tie your dog up outside," she says. "Now it's inhumane."  

Steven Parker, co-founder and CEO of K9 Resorts Daycare & Luxury Hotel in Fanwood, with his Rottweiler, Enzo, who stays in a group play area while he works. (Amy Kuperinsky | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
 

Wrought iron Italianate doors open up to a chic lobby and hall designed to resemble Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills. The air is heavily perfumed to obscure any dog smell (luxe packages are $55 to $81 per night). It's a "Real Housewives of New Jersey" kind of dog hotel -- or, as owners Steven and Jason Parker say, "the Peter Luger Steak House" of dog boarding facilities.

In 2011, they franchised the business and now have five facilities in northern and central New Jersey, another opening in Mercer County in February, one in Horsham, Pa. and more coming in California. 

The Parkers say Manhattan high rollers have sent dogs to the hotel by chauffeur. A customer with an unlimited budget for upgrades could spend as much as $1,500 for a two-week stay. Whatever the request, they're game. 

"They'll be in Hawaii and they'll want to FaceTime the dogs," Steve Parker says.

The ultimate endorsement? One customer's dog ran away from home. Turns out he wanted to come back and see his friends at daycare. 

Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AmyKup or on Facebook.

The central coverage guide for football championship weekend

NOTE: Please continue to check back into Friday morning as we add more feature previews.

This is the place to start for everything you need for the 2016 NJSIAA football sectional championships, Friday-Sunday, Dec. 2-4, 2016, at four venues across N.J. - 23 games in all.

We'll add to this collection of videos, previews, logistical info and more all the way through game day, including info on the 13 finals NJ.com will offer as LIVE VIDEO webcasts.

Check back often, as we fill in the gaps!

ESSENTIAL LINKS
• LIVE VIDEO for 13 championship games on NJ.com
• Brackets for every section
• Schedule by day & venue | Parking info
• Full semifinals coverage | Thanksgiving week
• Finals week Top 20 | Next 10

KEY FEATURES
• All-Newark state championship revives city football pride
• Year of the tailback? 1,000-yard rushing club has 26 additions
• Will N.J.'s top recruit be back from ACL tear and play the final? 
• NJSIAA backtracks on total tailgating ban
• Hospital to MetLife? PC captain Bolds working his way back
• 2,000-yard passing club grows to 20 QBs
• Is Wayne the best football town in N.J.?
• Lucky 13: The last remaining unbeaten teams
• WATCH: Top 10 videos from the semifinals
• A look back at final chat with NJ.com FB writers

INDIVIDUAL GAME FEATURES
• Sophomore QB leads DePaul into NPG3 final
• Wall coach: Beating Delsea will be challenge of the year 
• Weequahic downs Shabazz in Soul Bowl, preview of N2G1 final 

PREVIEWS (WITH VIDEO), PREDICTIONS & MORE
NON-PUBLIC
• Group 4 - St. Peter's vs. Paramus Cath.: Preview & more | 10 things to know
• Group 3 - DePaul vs. St. Joseph (Mont.): Preview & more | 10 things to know
• Group 2 - Holy Spirit vs. Mater Dei: Preview & more | 10 things to know

NORTH JERSEY, SECTION 1
• Group 5 - Passaic Tech vs. Ridgewood: Preview & more | 10 things to know
• Group 4 - Wayne Hills vs. Wayne Valley: Preview & more | 10 things to know
• Group 3 - River Dell vs. Old Tappan: Preview & more | 10 things to know
• Group 2 - Westwood vs. Mahwah: Preview & more | 10 things to know
• Group 1 - Hasbrouck Hts. vs. New Milford: Preview & more | 10 things to know

NORTH JERSEY, SECTION 2
• Group 5 - Westfield vs. Bridgewater-Raritan: Preview & more | 10 things to know
• Group 4 - Sayreville vs. Middletown North: Preview & more | 10 things to know
• Group 3 - Parsippany Hills vs. Morris Hills: Preview & more | 10 things to know
• Group 2 - Lenape Valley vs. Madison: Preview & more | 10 things to know
• Group 1 - Weequahic vs. Shabazz: Preview & more | 10 things to know

CENTRAL JERSEY
• Group 5 - Piscataway vs. Manalapan: Preview & more | 10 things to know
• Group 4 - Allentown vs. Brick Twp.: Preview & more | 10 things to know
• Group 3 - South Plainfield vs. Rumson-Fair Haven: Preview & more | 10 things
• Group 2 - Manasquan vs. Bernards: Preview & more | 10 things to know
• Group 1 - Asbury Park vs. Keyport: Preview & more | 10 things to know

SOUTH JERSEY
• Group 5 - Toms River North vs. Millville: Preview & more | 10 things to know
• Group 4 - Lenape vs. Timber Creek: Preview & more | 10 things to know
• Group 3 - Delsea vs. Wall: Preview & more | 10 things to know
• Group 2 - Cedar Creek vs. West Deptford: Preview & more | 10 things to know
• Group 1 - Paulsboro vs. Salem: Preview & more | 10 things to know

The second man to walk on the moon, who is from New Jersey, was part of an Antarctic tour group.

Famed astronaut and New Jersey native Buzz Aldrin was medically evacuated from the South Pole Thursday, a tourist group he was visiting the continent with announced.

Aldrin, 86, was in the South Pole as part of a White Desert luxury tour group when his "condition deterorated," the International Association of Antarctica Tour Operators announced in a release on its website Thursday.

A ski-equipped LC-130 aircraft at NSF's Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station in a 2015 photo. The cargo planes, flown by the 109th Airlift Wing of the New York Air National Guard, fly between the two South Pole stations, the NSF said. (Mike Lucibella, NSF)
 

He was evacuated on the first available flight out of the South Pole to McMurdo, a United States Antarctic research center, where he was placed under the care of a United States Antarctic Program doctor, the post said.

The National Science Foundation, which described Aldrin as an "ailing visitor," provided the plane to fly Aldrin from the Amundsen-Scott South Pole Station to McMurdo, the organization said in a release.

He will then be flown to New Zealand, the post said.

Aldrin was in "stable" condition when he was turned over from a White Desert doctor to a USAP medical team, the announcements said.

According to the astronaut's website, he has been on the South Pole trip since Nov. 25, and was slated to stay there until Dec. 12. He recently posted several images on Twitter expressing excitement about the trip.

Aldrin, the second man to walk on the moon, is originally from Montclair. He returned to his New Jersey hometown most recently in September, to celebrate the renaming of his childhood middle school in his honor.

South Pole here I come! #antarctica #WhiteDesert #GYATAntarctica pic.twitter.com/PPjfmKvanZ

-- Buzz Aldrin (@TheRealBuzz) November 29, 2016

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

Police responded to reports of a car crash and found the driver unresponsive, according to authorities.

ORANGE -- A 55-year-old livery cab driver was found shot to death after his vehicle crashed on a city street late Wednesday, authorities said.

Police responded to reports of a crash around 11 p.m. on the 200 block of Snyder Street, where they found the wrecked cab with the driver unresponsive, acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn Murray and Orange police Director Todd Warren said in a joint statement.

Authorities discovered the driver, identified as Jonas Larose, of East Orange, had been shot, officials said. Larose was declared dead at the scene.

The Essex County Prosecutor's Office Major Crimes Task Force and Orange police were handling the ongoing investigation.

The prosecutor's office said additional details were not immediately available. 

Anyone with information was urged to call the prosecutor's tip line at 877-847-7432.

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

Enjoy the music from 'The Muppet Christmas Carol' -- sans puppets -- at NJPAC Dec. 3 with Broadway stars replacing Kermit and the gang.

Comedian Judy Gold, who plays Scrooge in NJPAC's Saturday afternoon production of "Broadway Sings The Muppet Christmas Carol," predicts audiences will be so busy enjoying themselves that they won't notice Jim Hensen's famous creations aren't on stage.

"There's so much negativity in the world right now but here's a place where you can be together and enjoy a classic story and great entertainment with great talented people like Judy Gold," said Gold, a two-time Emmy winner.  "And no phones. Imagine coming to a place and your kids aren't looking at their phones."

Gold and the star-studded cast -- which also includes Julia Murney, Ryann Redmond, Bret Shuford, Joshua Morgan, Kevin Zak, Will Porter and Gretchen Wylder -- will perform songs from the 1992 film and its accompanying soundtrack, including "Thankful Heart" and "When Love is Found." All of the songs were written Paul Williams, who is perhaps best known for co-writing "Rainbow Connection."

As with "A Christmas Story" and "It's a Wonderful Life," "The Muppet Christmas Carol" was a disappointment for producers when it debuted but is now seen as a must-see classic.  In the movie version, Michael Caine played Scrooge while Kermit the Frog and Miss Piggy took on the role's of Scrooge's long-suffering employee Bob Cratchit and his wife, Emily. Robin the Frog, Kermit's nephew in Muppet lore, played Tiny Tim.

Gold said that, given the chance, she would have enjoyed playing opposite the frog and the pig. "I like original thought. I like to eat," she reasoned. She also played Scrooge in the 2015 production of "Broadway Sings The Muppet Christmas Carol" at NJPAC and described tapping in to "what makes me" -- that is, the character of Scrooge -- "so miserable."

"How hard is it when you're a 54-year-old Jewish woman on the Upper West Side? Not that hard," she said. "No one loves Christmas more than the Jews."

What's not hard, she said, was choosing to be part of this production again.

"There's a lot of hard work in this business and sometimes it's not that fun. This is really fun. The whole cast is great and I get to work with people I don't usually work with."

Among those co-stars is Julia Murney, who plays the role of Belle, Scrooge's one-time fiancee. Murney believes people will enjoy the show because "it lets us all feel a little light."

"In a world that's very fractured, here's the idea that anything is possible as long as there is love and hope," she said. "It's not trying to change the past. It's trying to give an hour and a half of joy."

Murney, who said she realized she bears an uncanny resemblance to blond muppet guitarist Janice after a friend pointed it out,  has never met a muppet. But, she said, she did meet Grover from "Sesame Street" when she was part of a concert that also included one of The Beatles.

Said Murney, "My freakout over meeting Sir Paul McCartney and my excitement over the chance to have a conversation with Grover were pretty much equal."

Broadway sings the The Muppet Christmas Carol

Featuring Judy Gold, Julia Murney, Joshua Morgan and Kevin Zak

December 3, 3 p.m.

NJPAC's Victoria Theater, Newark

Tickets: $39-49, available on www.ticketmaster.com.  

Natalie Pompilio is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia. She can be reached at nataliepompilio@yahoo.com. Find her on Twitter @nataliepompilio. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook.

Holt will be at Montclair State Friday to accept the recognition.

MONTCLAIR -- Journalism students at Montclair State University will get to flip the script on longtime broadcaster Lester Holt when they interview him during an event to honor the "NBC Nightly News" host as the broadcaster of the year.

The college's School of Communication and Media has named Holt 2016's recipient of the Allen B. DuMont Broadcaster of the Year Award, an annual recognition it has doled out to prominent journalists every year since 1985.

"We are proud to honor Lester Holt with the DuMont Award," said Merrill Brown, director of the school of communication and media.

"The constant in his work in local media, cable and broadcast news is a clear commitment to quality journalism no matter the locale, platform or story whether domestic or international," Brown said

MSU's Women Entrepreneurship Week goes global

As a part of his visit to the New Jersey campus Friday, he will be interviewed by "Carpe Diem," the school's half-hour news magazine show, and give a speech to students and faculty.

Known for his longtime hosting gigs on "Dateline NBC" and "Weekend Today," Holt took over as anchor of the nightly news last year, in the wake of a reporting scandal involving previous host Brian Williams.

Holt comes to the communications school as it is preparing to unveil its new 60,000-square-foot home, a state-of-the-art facility that includes a newsroom with HD cameras, an oversized presentation hall, broadcast studios, an integrated media lab, and a film screening room.

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

A stage adaption of "It's a Wonderful Life" features one actor playing all 30 roles, including the one made famous by Jimmy Stewart

In the 1946 American Christmas fantasy "It's a Wonderful Life," it takes some divine intervention for Jimmy Stewart's George Bailey to realize his importance to the people around him. His interactions with his wife and children, neighbors, and even his enemy prove to him that life is worth living.

Now imagine one actor playing all of those roles and you have "This Wonderful Life," a one-woman show starring Erica Bradshaw, opening at the Luna Stage Dec. 1. Casting Bradshaw, an African-American woman, in the part Stewart made famous -- and about 29 other roles -- is "slightly left of ordinary,"  said director Daryl Stewart.

Which is good, because that's exactly how the Luna crew likes to do things, he said. 

"It's a unique evening of theater, a nontraditional work," said Stewart, an actor and teacher, who has also directed local productions of "The Wiz," "Fame," and "Seussical." "It'll be a cool way to spend the holidays."

Casting Bradshaw was an easy choice, said Stewart (who is not related to the legendary actor who starred in the original movie). The actress, who's taken on small roles on various television series including "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit," is the star and creator of an ever-changing one-woman show called "White America Hero." The show tells the story of a  young black girl growing in the 1980s who asks God to change her into a white super hero -- Rocky, Superman, maybe Luke Skywalker? -- so she can be accepted by society.

"Erica is really fantastic. She magically turns into every character in Bedford Falls," he said. "We've stepped out and reimagined the show and it's so creative to see what we've done wit the set and costumes."

In some scenes, Bradshaw plays as many as four characters, requiring Stewart to play with direction and levels to make the story clear, he said. There are times when she breaks the fourth wall and address the audience. The sets are minimal. 

Those familiar with the movie know some of the ways Bailey has impacted life in his small town: He rescued his younger brother from a frozen pond, allowing him to grow up to save dozens of lives during World War II. He stopped a pharmacist from accidentally mixing poison into prescription pills. He saved his family's business. 

But having advance knowledge of the Frank Capra classic is not required, Stewart said. 

"I was not someone who grew up watching the movie and I was able to follow the story," Stewart said. "But if you know the movie, you'll be able to pick up more of the jokes and one-liners."

For those wanting advance guidance, Luna Theatre routinely opens a "Context Room" for audience members one hour before productions begin. The exhibit will include information about the history of the film, audio and visual elements and, most uniquely, information about how to obtain a home loan. The latter is a nod to the show's antagonist, who makes money renting sub-par properties while George, the hero, is an advocate for home ownership.

"It makes for a good fun short evening," said Stewart, who said the running time is just over an hour. "The show is a feel good holiday classic with an important message about seeing and celebrating the good in all the ordinary heroes around us each and every day. In our country and in our world, we need to be reminded of that."

This Wonderful Life

Luna Stage 555 Valley Rd., West Orange. 973-395-5551

Dec. 1 - 18

Tickets: $22-37 (with discounts for those 65+)

Natalie Pompilio is a freelance writer based in Philadelphia. She can be reached atnataliepompilio@yahoo.com. Find her on Twitter @nataliepompilio. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook.