Darryl L. Green, a morgue photographer, was fired and faces theft charges, authorities say.

TRENTON -- A lab worker for the state Medical Examiner's Office was fired and criminally charged for allegedly stealing cash from a dead man's body, authorities said.

Darryl L. Green, 48, is accused of taking $1,120 from a 28-year-old man killed in a Newark car crash on December 18, according to the state Division of Criminal Justice.

Authorities say the man died following a single-car crash on Sherman Avenue around 3:15 a.m. Law enforcement and medical examiner staff at the scene noted the large sum of cash in the man's pocket before placing him in a body bag.

But when he was removed from the body bag the next day at the Northern Regional Medical Examiner's Office in Newark, police say, the cash was gone.

Trooper pulled over women to ask them out, AG says

State investigators claim Green removed the cash from the man's clothing sometime before the autopsy.

Green, of Piscataway, was a forensic morgue technician at the office, where his duties included making photographic records of autopsies. He has worked there since 2014 and made an annual salary of $52,000, according to public records.

After the discovery, authorities said Green was fired and charged with third-degree theft by unlawful taking. He faces three to five years in state prison and a fine of up to $15,000.

He could not immediately be reached for comment and it was not clear whether he had retained an attorney.

S.P. Sullivan may be reached at ssullivan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Police say they stopped the man after witnessing a foot chase on the station's main concourse.

NEWARK -- Two men were arrested at Newark Penn Station on Wednesday after Port Authority police say they intercepted a foot chase that began with the theft of an illegal ninja sword.

Port Authority police seized this katana-type sword on Wednesday after stopping a foot chase between two men at Newark Penn Station. (Port Authority Police Department)
 

Officers on the station's main concourse around 11 a.m. saw Leon E. Cureton, 61, running with a long black object away from Fernando Pellot, 29, who was chasing after him while shouting, according to Port Authority spokesman Joe Pentangelo.

Fernando Pellot (left) and Leon E. Cureton. (Essex County Correctional Facility)
 

After officers stopped the two men, police say, they discovered the object Cureton was carrying was a katana-type sword  wrapped in a black garbage bag.

Cureton was charged with theft by unlawful taking and receiving stolen property, and was taken to the Essex County Correctional Facility on an outstanding bench warrant out of New York City.

Man caught with loaded gun at airport, police say

Pellot was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon. He's scheduled to appear in court on the charge Dec. 28, according to police.

Police say the katana was vouchered into evidence for safekeeping.

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

"Rot in hell forever" was the message from the victim's family at today's sentencing of Mark Browne to 18 years in prison for the homicide of a man who was beaten, tortured and dumped in North Bergen under a mattress weighted down by cinder blocks.

JERSEY CITY -- Darryl Williams' family had a short, but stern message for Mark Browne today in court. 

"Rot in hell forever," Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Mike D'Andrea said, relaying the heartbroken family's message to Browne. "You killed my son, you killed my brother."

Browne was sentenced to 18 years in prison for his role in the grisly homicide of Williams, who was beaten, tortured and then dumped in North Bergen under a mattress weighted down by cinder blocks in 2012. 

"It is probably, in my years as an attorney and a judge, the most horrific conduct I have ever seen put on another human being,"  Hudson County Superior Court John Young said to Browne, 46, of Newark.

During an assault inside a Newark apartment, Williams was gagged, taped, hooded, bound with electrical cord and other items, and shot with a BB gun. He was also beaten with a table leg, struck with an object that left gashes and puncture wounds all over his body and somehow he remained alive, Young said.

Young added that Williams was thrown in the back of a vehicle, and "driven in the dead of night in temperatures below freezing to an isolated area, removed from the vehicle, thrown on the ground (on Dec. 1, 2012), covered with a mattress and then had cinder blocks thrown on him -- all while he was alive," Young said. 

"He somehow manages to get out of under that, get himself upright and get within feet of the roadway before he succumbed," Young said. "He was tortured, it's plain and simple... It went on for hours."

The jury found Browne guilty of reckless manslaughter, but not guilty of murder or aggravated manslaughter. He faced five to 10 years for the reckless manslaughter conviction, but his criminal background made him eligible for an extended sentence of 10 to 20 years.

Browne was one of six people arrested and charged in connection to the fatal attack. Daeshawn Jennings was sentenced to 18 years in state prison for aggravated manslaughter, while Kathleen Jones was sentenced to 12 years in prison in July after pleading guilty to the same charges.

Also charged in Williams' death are Qudeera Adams, Nydia Mozee, and Latoya Mozee, all of Newark. Latoya Mozee pleaded guilty to endangering an injured victim, and Nydia Mozee pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit aggravated assault, according to the transcripts of the plea hearings. At the time of Browne's conviction, Adams was awaiting trial. 

In his rambling statement during today's hearing, Browne did say that "I turned my head. I should have done more."

Brown has been in jail for 1,182 days. He was arrested in Virginia where they found his Cadillac Escalade had been wiped down with bleach. However, the victim's DNA was still found inside.

At trial, jurors were shown video of the vehicle believed to have been used to dump Williams in North Bergen, as well as video footage of Browne buying cleaning products at a supermarket afterward. 

Federal prosecutors say the pilot was designated as "low-risk" under the Global Entry program

NEWARK -- A commercial airline pilot previously designated as "low-risk" under a U.S. Customs and Border Protection program admitted in federal court Thursday to smuggling more than $195,000 in cash into the United States.

Federal prosecutors say airline pilot Anthony Warner was caught trying to smuggle more than $195,000 in cash past customs at Newark International Airport this January. (U.S. Department of Justice file photo)

Anthony Warner, 55, pleaded guilty in the U.S. District Court in Newark to a charge of bulk cash smuggling under an agreement with prosecutors, according the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Prosecutors say Warner, of Dallas, Texas, was a participant in Global Entry, a U.S. Customs and Border Protection program intended to speed up the process of entry into the country for low-risk, pre-approved travelers.

But the Global Entry terminal at Newark International Airport wasn't functioning when he arrived on Jan. 10, according to prosecutors, so Warner instead presented his customs declaration to a CBP officer.

Inside a laptop bag, customs officers found $195,736 in U.S. bills wrapped in newspaper, according to the U.S. Attorney's Office.

Prosecutors say Warner, who was arrested by agents from Homeland Security Investigations, also had 10 rings, four sets of earrings and various jewelry of undetermined value.

Couple admit roles in $1.5M drug ring

Warner, who is scheduled to be sentenced on April 18, 2017, faces up to five years in federal prison and forfeiture of the seized property, according to prosecutors.

The U.S. Attorney's Office, whose narcotics units prosecuted the case, did not identify the origin of the seized funds.

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

He's been to your place dozens of times, but have you ever taken the time to really get to know Santa Claus? Time to check your Santa Claus IQ.

These days, it seems that you can't have a Christmas without Santa Claus. The man in red is almost everywhere this season from TV commercials to malls, and finally sliding down your chimney on Christmas Eve. It wasn't always this way, though.

Legend has it that Santa Claus become strongly associated with Christmas in the 1800s. Washington Irving's "A Knickerbocker's History of New York" portrayed St. Nicholas, a beloved Christian figure, as a jolly gift giver. In 1823, the poem "A Visit From St. Nicholas" mentioned his iconic red suit. reindeer team and prodigious belly. Beginning in 1866, political cartoonist Thomas Nast drew the images of Santa Claus we still know today.

How much do you know about Santa Claus? Take the quiz below and then share your Santa Score in comments.

John Shabe, who has been known to impersonate Santa from time to time, can be reached via jshabe@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter, and find NJ.com on Facebook. 

The blaze broke out at a three-story home on Grand Avenue

NEWARK - Firefighters are on the scene of a large house fire on Grand Avenue in Newark, according to a city official.

It was brought under control in about an hour, according to Newark public safety director Anthony Ambrose. No one was hurt and the cause is under investigation, he added.

The blaze broke out just before 4:30 a.m. in a three-story home and spread to two neighboring houses  

Newark U/D 3rd Alarm 92 96 98 Grand Ave Fire in (3) 2.5 wood frames. Interior lines have fire K/D. Trucks opening up. Overhauling. pic.twitter.com/1BYlX7wqDL

-- NorthJersey FireNews (@NJFires) December 23, 2016

A famous Newark monument that was missing for more than 10 years has been returned the grounds where it was first installed in 1916.

One of Newark's most famous monuments, which seemingly disappeared more than 10 years ago, has been returned to its rightful place -- facing the Passaic River.

The next time you're at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center, walk toward the grassy area and the trees that are close to McCarter Highway.

You won't be able to miss "The First Landing Party of the Founders of Newark,'' one of four city sculptures created by Gutzon Borglum, an artist known for his work at the Mount Rushmore National Memorial.

But the tribute to Newark's founders didn't simply pop up again. This is the incredulous story of how it became part of the yearlong celebration of Newark's 350^th anniversary.

Ready?

MORE: Recent Barry Carter columns 

The sculpture had been gone from Newark's public art scene for many years when I wrote about it in this column two years ago. It was in bad shape.

Remember that?

Liz Del Tufo, president of the Newark Preservation and Landmark Committee, does.

During an unveiling ceremony of the restored monument at NJPAC on Monday, she took a few moments to explain that she had been surprised to learn from me in 2014 that the artwork was not in Lombardy Park on McCarter Highway.

The 9-foot-tall monument, which weighs 13,000 pounds, was lying on its back underneath a tattered blue tarp in a city lot at the city's Division of Traffic and Signals. Without further inspection, you'd think it was discarded junk.

The marble base was detached. The wooden pallet that held the monument was in standing water between a trash bin and a gaggle of inoperable traffic lights.

Not exactly what Newark's stakeholders had in mind when they gave it to the city in 1916 to celebrate its 250^th anniversary.

After reading my story, Del Tufo and Richard Grossklaus, a member of the Newark Landmark and Historic Preservation Commission, began a campaign to resurrect the piece.

"How could we ever have misused that trust the way we did?'' Del Tufo asked.

Neither the city of Newark, nor its preservation community could explain how this artwork, which is listed on state and national historical registers, was abandoned.

The monument was originally in Landing Place Park on Saybrook Place, a street near McCarter Highway. It remained there until NJPAC was built in the 1990s. Sometime during those years, the landmark was moved two blocks away to Lombardy Park on McCarter Highway -- until construction began on the NJ Transit Light Rail in 2002.

Then, the monument was on the go again. According to the city of Newark, a construction crew moved it from Lombardy Park to the traffic and signals division out of necessity. The city, however, never explained what that meant.

And that brings me to John Abeigon, president of the Newark Teachers Union. He's a history buff, who wanted to know what happened to the monument that he would see while driving to work along McCarter Highway.

He tracked down the piece in the winter of 2013, then told me about it in March 2014 and the rest is -- well, history.

With $60,00 in funds raised by Newark's 350^th Anniversary Committee, Del Tufo's group was able to have the sculpture brought back to its historical grandeur.

"I tried to recreate what was originally there,'' said Andre Iwancyk, an artist from Somerset, who was commissioned to do the work. "I only tried to imagine what was his (Borglum's) intentions, what he wanted to achieve, what he wanted to show.''

Borglum had sculpted the monument in bas-relief, a technique in which design elements and figures are barely prominent. There are several small images representing the founders along the top of the monument. Two Puritans are carved into the center, facing each other. At the bottom is a fountain basin. The founders' names are listed on the back of the monument.

Reclaiming this piece is a good artistic look for the city and the Newark350 Committee is glad that Del Tufo was persistent about conveying its importance.

"She (Del Tufo) cares so much about the city and its public art,'' said Irene Cooper-Basch, who served as fundraiser chairwoman for Newark350. "We listened to her and we should have listened to her.''

MORE CARTER: Newark social agency on the brink of closing

Now that it's not hard to find, the monument is also not far from Borglum's three other works in the city.

You can walk to The "Indian and the Puritan'' in Washington Park; the "Wars of America" in Military Park; and the "Seated Lincoln,''  which is in front of the Essex County Courthouse.

Much like the others, the founders' monument is now in a prominent and appropriate location. It's close to where the founders came ashore in 1666.

"I'm happy to see that it's back where it belongs -- overlooking the Passaic River, honoring the founders,'' Abeigon said. "It's in a more public area, where people can see it.''

That's probably what the 250th anniversary committee wanted, too.

"The people of 1916 expected that their gift to the city would last forever,'' Del Tufo said.

The people of 2016 just made sure it does.

Barry Carter: (973) 836-4925 or bcarter@starledger.com or nj.com barry carter or follow him on Twitter @BarryCarterSL

Francine Green Roston, who served at a South Orange congregation, now lives in a Montana town at the center of a clash with so-called 'alt-right'

SOUTH ORANGE-- A former rabbi at Congregation Beth El is among the Jews in a Montana community that have been subject to an online anti-Semitic campaign spearheaded by a white supremacist website, New Jersey Jewish News reported.

Francine Green Roston (via Facebook)  

Francine Green Roston, who moved to Whitefish, Mt., with her family in 2014, belongs to Love Lives Here, a local anti-discrimination group, and has also spoken out against the effort by the white supremacist Daily Stormer.

The website is urging its members to target Jewish residents of the town of 6,000 after the mother of Richard Spencer, a prominent member of the alt-right, said her business has been hurt by her son's activities.

Spencer was caught on video leading a group in a Nazi-style salute during a meeting last month in Washington, D.C. Spencer's group, The National Policy Institute, was celebrating the election of Donald Trump. 

The Daily Stormer is urging its readers to refrain from making threats but has published the names and phone numbers of Jewish residents and is encouraging readers to send anti-Semitic messages.

"He's not powerful," Roston said of Spencer during a recent CNN interview. "He's just spreading a message of hatred. And we have to keep calling that out, and showing that that is not representative of this country, certainly not representative of this community."

Elected officials in Whitefish and elsewhere in Montana have strongly denounced the Daily Stormer campaign.

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

WEST ORANGE -- Haywood and Ambrose are 9-month-old kittens in the care of West Orange Trap Neuter Vaccinate and Return. Volunteers say the sibling cats are happy to get attention when not energetically playing. A home together for these two would be ideal; both are FIV/FeLV negative, neutered and up-to-date on shots. For more information on Haywood and Ambrose and...

Haywood and Ambrose 

WEST ORANGE -- Haywood and Ambrose are 9-month-old kittens in the care of West Orange Trap Neuter Vaccinate and Return.

Volunteers say the sibling cats are happy to get attention when not energetically playing.

A home together for these two would be ideal; both are FIV/FeLV negative, neutered and up-to-date on shots.

For more information on Haywood and Ambrose and other adoptable felines, email wotnvr@gmail.com or go to wotnvr.petfinder.com.

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

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

 

Our Lady of Mount Carmel members want parish restored

Nothing seems out of the ordinary at Our Lady of Mount Carmel Church in Montclair.

Christmas lights ring the high shrubs around the statue of the blessed mother, the wreaths are up on the heavy wooden doors and the bell tower is illuminated by spotlights.

Inside, poinsettias plants decorate the altars, and garland and evergreens are streaming from columns.

Even the statue of St. Sebastian is back in its rightful place.

But beneath the pretense of joyousness is a fear that this will be the final Christmas celebration at the 109 year old church.

"We're not sure if this going be our last Christmas, said church member Maryann Zecchino, who organized the decorating. "We hope not."

"They say they're going to keep us open, but we've only heard through February," said Frank Cardell, the former business manager at OLMC.

In May, the archdiocese of Newark announced it would merge the Montclair parishes of Our Lady of Mount Carmel (OLMC) and the Church of the Immaculate Conception into a new parish called St. Teresa of Calcutta.

Not that the people of OLMC have anything against Mother Teresa. Who does? But they felt swallowed up in the process.

"They (the archdiocese) wanted to be first to name a church after her when she was canonized," said Cardell. "We were the sacrificial lambs."

The news was broken to the OLMC parish during a raucous meeting last spring in the church basement. Four hundred people showed up to hear that a study by the archdiocese showed a lack of participation at Masses and in the sacraments. The people said they never had a chance to increase the numbers.

"This parish can do anything it sets its mind to," said Elsa Napolitano at the time, and repeated it again Wednesday night during an impromptu rally to send a message to incoming archdiocesan leader, Cardinal Joseph W. Tobin.

About 70 people showed up, as temperatures dipped into the high 20s, to talk about the history of the church and its place in the neighborhood.

MORE: Recent Mark Di Ionno columns

It was "the Italian church" in the immigrant section of Montclair, "down the hill" from the wealthier constituency of Immaculate.

For those not familiar with the parlance of Montclair, the Oranges, Millburn, Summit and the other wealthy suburbs set on the Watchung Mountains, "down the hill" was the literal geographic description of the neighborhoods for the immigrants who did the work for the rich people "up the hill."

The Pine Street neighborhood around OLMC has changed in some ways, but in others it hasn't. While it is no longer almost exclusively Italian, it remains a gateway neighborhood for new Americans.

"This congregation welcomes everyone," said Raffaele Marzullo, one of the leaders of OLMC's "Save Our Church" movement, which has grown, not waned since the May announcement.

"Our attendance is up, our interest is up," said Marguerite DeCarlo. "We're not done fighting. There are many legitimate reasons to keep this parish. For one, we made money. And this neighborhood is growing. And we have very active societies that are 100 years old. We hope the cardinal (who replaces Archbishop John J. Myers in January) will restore us."

Renee Baskerville is a Montclair councilwoman who represents the fourth ward where the church is located. She grew up in the neighborhood and has fond memories of the festivals and social events at OLMC.

"This church opened its doors to everyone," she said. "It is part of the history and heritage of this neighborhood. To see that being lost is tearing my heart apart."

At issue now is not whether the church will remain open, but whether it will remain OLMC in spirit as well as in name.

Jim Goodness, spokesman for the archdiocese, said that while the parish name has changed, the church names have not -- and Mount Carmel will be "open for the foreseeable future." 

"There's been a new organization of the parishes, but the worship element remains the same," Goodness said. "We want there to be a presence at the church and it will stay as Our Lady as Mount Carmel."

But for the people of OLMC the change goes deeper than the name. Their church is now being administered by Immaculate.

"We have to ask them permission for everything we do," Marzullo said. "We've got traditions that go back 100 years, and now we have to beg them to let us continue."

Marzullo said two recent events planned by OLMC members were not approved by Immaculate, including a toy drive in conjunction with Montclair police and a gift drive for senior citizens.

"They said our events conflicted with things they had planned," he said.

The OLMC members are now without their own assigned priest. Members complained that after the Masses are celebrated, they are whisked out and the doors locked behind them.

"It's freezing out here tonight and we can't get into our own church," said Napolitano. "If you want to stay after Mass and just sit and pray or reflect, you can't. They throw you right out."

The members complained they get a rotation of priests, rather than having a regular priest, "and they can't wait to get out of there," said Carla Maine.

"This is a church where so many of us were baptized, got married, had our parents' funerals. We have so many memories in there and now we can't get in," Maine said.

In August, the St. Sebastian Society, which dates back to 1926, held its annual feast. They paraded the St. Sebastian statue through the streets, then brought it to their club headquarters near the church.

"We weren't going to return it until we saw what was going on with the church," said Joseph DiBella, the president of the society.

On Thursday, when church members were allowed inside to decorate for Christmas, the statue was returned - for now.

"We'll keep it here until Jan. 20^th (St. Sebastian Day), then we'll see what's what," DiBella said.

 "We're not done fighting this," said Cardell. "We're hoping the new guy will at least listen to us."

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

MONTCLAIR -- Third grade students from the Watchung School in Montclair are shown caroling with music teacher Anne Chisolm in Watching Plaza in this 1976 photo. In an article from Dec. 2, 2014 in Time Magazine, Chris Wilson noted that the Christmas song that has been recorded by more different artists that any other is "Silent Night," written in 1818...

MONTCLAIR -- Third grade students from the Watchung School in Montclair are shown caroling with music teacher Anne Chisolm in Watching Plaza in this 1976 photo.

In an article from Dec. 2, 2014 in Time Magazine, Chris Wilson noted that the Christmas song that has been recorded by more different artists that any other is "Silent Night," written in 1818 and having 733 different copyrighted recordings.

If you would like to share a photo that provides a glimpse of history in your community, please call 973-836-4922 or send an email to essex@starledger.com. And, check out more glimpses of history in our online galleries Thursdays on nj.com.

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

 

Yusuf Brown of Hillside is charged with aggravated assault.

Yusuf Brown 

NEWARK - A 22-year-old Union County man was arrested in connection with a shooting Tuesday that left another man in critical condition, authorities said Friday.

Yusuf Brown of Hillside is charged with aggravated assault and weapons possession in connection with a 6 p.m. shooting in the area of Bergen Street and Lyons Avenue, according to Newark Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose.

Ambrose said Brown and the 21-year-old victim got into an argument before the shooting.

The victim was taken to University Hospital, where he was in critical but stable condition on Friday.

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

Armani D. McPhall, 19, of Newark was shot to death in the 900 block of South Orange Ave.

NEWARK - A teenager was shot and killed Thursday night outside a liquor store in the 900 block of South Orange Avenue, police said.

Armani D. McPhall, 19, of Newark was found with gunshot wounds near the entrance of the store as officers responded about 8 p.m.

Police had been called to the area on a report of shots fired.

McPhall was pronounced dead at the scene.

Police said they are investigating a motive.

This incident is being investigated by the Essex County Prosecutor's Major Crimes Task Force, which includes detectives from the Newark Police Department.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Essex County Prosecutor's Office at 877-847-7432.

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

Mickey Vanderpool, 61 of Elizabeth, charged with attempted murder, kidnapping and endangering an injured victim.

NEW BRUNSWICK -- An Elizabeth man is accused of kidnapping a Newark woman, beating her and dumping her in a business park, officials said. 

Mickey Vanderpool, 61, of ElizabethMiddlesex County Prosecutor's Office 

The 61-year-old, Mickey Vanderpool, allegedly picked up the 30-year-old in June when police say he repeatedly hit the woman in the head and body before abandoning her at the Raritan Center in Edison.

Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew Carey said Vanderpool left the woman "for dead."

The unidentified woman wasn't found until at least a day later when a utility worker found her wandering around the complex, Carey said in a release. 

Vanderpool has been charged with attempted murder, kidnapping and endangering an injured victim, the prosecutor's office said. 

The woman was taken to JFK Medical Center in Edison for her injuries. 

Police are still investigating the incident. 

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

The train was evacuated Friday due to electrical issues

NEWARK -- The AirTrain rail link connecting NJ Transit rail lines to Newark Liberty International Airport was shut down Friday afternoon as travelers were making their holiday weekend getaway, the Port Authority confirmed. 

Four people had to be evacuated.

The train was shut down due to an electrical issue, the agency said. 

AirTrain service has been partially restored between Terminal C and the Newark Airport  Station. Connecting bus service is being provided between Terminal C and Terminals A and B.

Additional supplemental bus service is being operated to/from the Newark Airport Station to alleviate crowding.

#BREAKING: Electrical problem suspends AirTrain service at Newark Airport on busy travel day https://t.co/ajut4P3aS9 pic.twitter.com/tWHUL8B4YI

-- NBC New York (@NBCNewYork) December 23, 2016

#AirTrain at #NewarkAirport stopped working. We are stranded outside in the cold in a secure area w no way to get to the terminals. GAH!!!

-- Kennedy (@KennedyNation) December 23, 2016

AirTrain connects the airport to the Northeast Corridor and North Jersey Coast rail lines. 

A stranded commuter posted a photo to Twitter showing a large crowd gathered at the AirTrain rail platform. 

@MikeWaterhouse I did and yes you may. More people now and still no solution. Here's another: pic.twitter.com/xB93de4qtZ

-- Tyrus Emory (@TyrusEmory) December 23, 2016

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

Well in excess of 5,000 toys were given away Friday

NEWARK-- Santas wearing badges and traveling in fire trucks spent Friday handing out more than 5,000 presents to city children.

The Newark fire and police departments teamed up to hand out the dolls, games and other goodies to city youth. Truckloads of the toys were stored at the NFD's Orange Street facility before the first-responders headed out into the city.

Police officers, stationed at the ShopRite on Springfield Avenue, at Broad and Market streets and other locations, set up "traffic stops," pulling over cars with children inside. But instead of a ticket, the young passengers each received a gift.

Police precincts and firehouses also identified families in need. Firefighters were seen delivering packages to those homes in the city Friday.

A number of fire and police organizations donated to the effort, as did the U.S. Marine Corps Toys for Tots program.

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

Over 100 families were given hot meals, clothes, toys and other items at Weequahic High School.

NEWARK -- Mayor Ras Baraka and Hollywood actor Delroy Lindo teamed up with the city's Homeless Coalition Friday to give out meals, clothes and other necessities to the homeless.

Lindo, best known for his roles in "Crooklyn," "Malcolm X" and "A Life Less Ordinary," helped serve food inside Weequahic High School's gym alongside Baraka and other volunteers. 

"This is what the holiday season is all about," said Lindo as he manned a hot tray. "I tell my son it's about giving, not receiving." 

Lindo, who said he makes an effort to give back and feed the needy, brought along his son, who helped pass out plates to visitors. 

Newark native J.D. Williams, known for his role on HBO's "The Wire" joined Lindo in helping to serve food. 

"This is my city and I'm always looking forward to giving back," said Williams.

Local eateries like Central Dinner, 27 Mix and Burger Walla provided the food to over 100 families. 

"The food is awesome," said Shanique Davis. "This really helps because I didn't know what we were going to eat for dinner tonight."

Davis, 28, said thanks to the event she was able to provide her three children with Christmas gifts.

"We're partnering together to help the less fortunate," said Baraka. "This is beneficial to many people."

Stacie Hillsman, Baraka's special assistant said she helped bring Lindo, a good friend, to the Brick City. 

Although turnout was lower than expected, Hillsman said food and other items would be given to local shelters.

Residents were also given free health screenings, winter accessories and haircuts.

"This motivates me and makes me feel better about myself." said Robert Jones, a homeless resident. "It makes me look forward to having a better year in 2017."

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

From furry friends and adorable little girls to police officers breaking down with emotion, these stories made us shed tears. Watch video

From furry friends and adorable little girls to tough police officers breaking down with emotion, these stories got the waterworks flowing this year.

Get your tissues ready.

These stories made us cry, weep or moved us to tears in 2016 - mostly tears of joy.

Hero Cop Tears Up

Linden Police Officer Angel Padilla had visited Linden school children before to talk policing or shoot some hoops with kids. And he's active in the PTA at School No. 5.

But just three days after he took a bullet to the torso during a shootout with alleged terrorist bomber Ahmad Khan Rahami, Padilla was back at the elementary school to thank the children for the cards they sent him thanking him and other officers for protecting them.

Padilla was overcome with emotion - as were many others present - and choked out a "Thank you," to each student who praised him as a hero, and lined up to give him hugs.

"I Got This"

Pick your teary moment with Laurie Hernandez, the 16-year-old breakout gymnastics superstar from Old Bridge - who's also been called the Human Emoji.

Was it when she won a gold medal at the Rio Olympics? Or the individual silver she nabbed as well? Or when footage of her confidently mouthing to herself, "I got this," before starting a beam routine in Rio?

Or when she displayed professional-like dancing moves in winning the mirror ball trophy on "Dancing with the Stars" in November? 

A Piece of Her Comes Back

John Wyckoff has found many things left behind by visitors to his tree farm in White Township, but never a valuable wedding ring like the one David Penner lost there 15 years ago.

In early December, Wyckoff spotted the band in the dirt from a tractor. He asked the public for help in getting back to its owner, describing its inscription, "To David. Love, Nancy."

Days later, Wyckoff was reuniting it to an astounded Penner, who had been back to the farm many times and never found the ring - which he had never replaced.

"I thought it was a miracle," said Penner, who is 68 and lives in Great Meadows. His wife Nancy Penner passed away in September, and they were married for 42 years. He said the ring's return makes him feels like his wife is back with him. "This was a piece to come back to me, in her absence," he said.

Small Note with a Big Response

Princeton school bus driver Cindy Clausen consistently saw a brother and sister on her bus helping a classmate with a disability. Touched, she wrote a short note to their parents describing the helpful and compassionate acts she witnessed.

She ended the note saying, "I know you know how wonderful your children are, but I wanted you to know that it shows!"

The note wound its way online, first posted on Lovethispic.com, and went viral, with people saying how moved they were by Clausen's letter.

Can They be Any Cuter?

The McClure twins of West Orange are already stars of their family's YouTube channel/vlog, where their parents post adorable interviews of 3-year-old identicals Alexis and Ava, and rack up impressive Internet traffic.

In October, a video titled, "Twins realize they look the same!" went viral and you might cry from laughing at their pouty disappointment.

During the interview, Alexis has a meltdown when realized Ava is 1-minute older and later Ava has a meltdown when told Alexis is taller. The video of extreme cuteness is closing in on 2 million views.

Teen who 'Died' Returns to Hospital

In October 2015, Florence teen TJ Drahuschak was so badly injured in a crash in Trenton that a trauma team had to revive the broken 16-year-old from death three times in just a few hours.

Capital Health Dr. Michael Kelly was skeptical the Notre Dame High School student and football player would live through the night.

Drahuschak survived, ("I died three times," he said with grin), and in August, the teen walked into the Trenton trauma center, put his crutches to the side and personally thanked Kelly and the team of nurses and specialists who put him back together.

"I want to to thank them immensely for keeping me alive," he said.

Is Pedals the Famous Upright Bear Dead?

In 2014 and 2015, videos surfaced online showing a bear walking upright like a human as it scampered through backyards in the Oak Ridge and Jefferson areas.

The bipedal bear, suffering an apparent injury to his front legs, got the name Pedals. State wildlife officials asked for help locating him, and residents worried he would not last through upcoming winters.

But Pedals likely did not survive this fall's state bear hunt. On Oct. 10, officials said, a bear with injured limbs was brought to a weigh-in station.

The state it would never really know, because Pedals was never tagged or had a DNA sample taken, but the bear weighed on Oct. 10 appears - from his paws to the blaze on his chest - to be Pedals.

Man Wins Freedom after "Half A Life" Behind Bars

In July, Duquene Pierre walked out of a New Jersey jail into the jubilant arms of family members - freed from a one-time 60-year sentence for murder.

He smiled, they cheered and mobbed the 44-year-old, who spent exactly half his life behind bars for a crime he did not commit.

A few days later, he described the rollercoaster ride he took through the state judicial system. It started with the dungeon-like prison in Trenton where he was first incarcerated - "It felt like everything was closing in."

To the moment last year when he found out the state Supreme Court would look at his case. "I jumped up like a kid," he said. At a new trial this year, a judge dismissed the charges, and Pierre broke down in tears.

"I'm with my family. I'm moving on with my life," he said.

From Hoarding Home to Loving Home

The scene and numbers were staggering. Investigators on the scene of an "extreme hoarding" situation found nearly 300 dogs in 10 hours after searching a one single-family home in Howell. 

The smell was overwhelming, the excitable sounds of barking dogs everywhere and authorities said some were just 15 minutes old when taken from the home. Officers even used firefighters' thermal imaging cameras to locate dogs in holes in the walls.

But from the hoarding came several adoptions, as people stepped up gain a new furry friend. The first adoption was Elena, a bulldog mix, who joined the family of Alaina Casha, an SPCA volunteer.

"Yesterday she had just come out of surgery and I saw her laying there and she just came right up to me and there was something in my heart," Casha said. "We can't wait to bring this dog in and give (her) the best love and all the attention we possibly can give."

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

The Essex County Prosecutor's Office says the 32-year-old man was shot in the 100 block of Parker Street.

NEWARK -- Authorities are investigating an early morning shooting that left a 32-year-old man dead in Newark on Christmas Day, according to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office.

Hassan Q. Cobb-Jones was pronounced dead at 1:06 a.m. after being shot on Parker Street, according to a statement from Acting Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray and Newark Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose.

Police investigating teen's shooting death

The shooting occurred on Parker near the intersection of Park Ave. in Newark. Authorities say the investigation is active and ongoing, and that additional information will be released as it becomes available.

Authorities have asked anyone with information about the shooting to call the Prosecutor's Office tips line at 1-877-TIPS-4EC.

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

Some 300,000 children adopted in New Jersey may finally be able to learn who their birth parents' identities.

TRENTON -- The clock is ticking for the thousands of birth parents of children given up for adoption who want to remain cloaked in anonymity.

In six days, New Jersey will finally allow adults who were adopted to learn the names of their birth parents, something previously available only with a court order. And the birth parents of some 300,000 children given up for adoption in New Jersey have until next Saturday to request their names removed from their child's original birth certificate if they wish to remain anonymous.

Birth parents of children adopted on or after Aug. 1, 2015, cannot seek to have their identifying information redacted.

The now-past social stigma associated with unwed motherhood, unplanned or unwanted pregnancies caused authorities to cloak birth parents identities in secret for fear they might be blackmailed.

As of Dec. 19, 244 parents have requested anonymity, while 734 adoptees have asked for their birth certificates bearing the names of their birth parents, Health Department spokeswoman Donna Leusner told the Associated Press.

Birth parents who redact their names can always reverse their decision at a later date to have their identities revealed.

Desire for privacy was one of the arguments opponents made during the 34-year struggle to keep birth records closed without a court order.

However, the New Jersey Coalition for Adoption Reform & Education pressed to open the records, arguing adults had a right to know the truth of their origins, particularly as it relates to family medical histories.

Those birth parents who decide they do want to be contacted may request they be approached directly, or can designate an intermediary, such as adoption agency.

However, in order for the contact preference form to be accepted, birth parents must also submit a completed family history form, which includes medical, cultural and social history information.

As of Dec. 19, 199 birth parents had supplied their medical histories.

Birth records of adopted children to be revealed

The New Jersey Catholic Conference says its worried birth parents may have moved out of the state may not be aware of the change in privacy law. It is spreading the word through member churches and has established a helpline number for affected birth parents to call: 609-989-4809.

Any birth parents who wish to preserve their privacy, must submit a redaction request form to the New Jersey Department of Health no later than December 31, 2016.  The form can be downloaded here.

Come January, New Jersey will join Alabama, Alaska, Colorado, New Hampshire, Oregon, Rhode Island, Hawaii, Kansas and Maine in offering adoptees access to their birth certificates without restrictions.

The Associated Press contributed reporting to this article.

Claude Brodesser-Akner may be reached at cbrodesser@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ClaudeBrodesser. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.