Prosecutors say the man, who was shot on Dec. 21, remains hospitalized in intensive care

NEWARK -- A man shot by a Belleville police officer last week has been charged with assault, prosecutors announced Tuesday.

According to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office, Cesar Delgado faces two counts of second-degree aggravated assault, two counts of third-degree possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose, fourth-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, harassment and contempt.

Delgado, 33, remains hospitalized in intensive care following an encounter with police on Dec. 21, after township officers went to a home in the 300 block of Joralemon Street to escort a person removing personal property after a dispute.

Police shoot, wound suspect, authorities say

Delgado's wounds are not life-threatening, authorities have said.

The Prosecutor's Office Critical Incident Response Team is still investigating the case, authorities said.

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

Former Super Bowl champion checks out some high school hoops.

Victor Cruz was back in his hometown of Paterson when Montclair Immaculate, No. 17 in the NJ.com Top 20, took on No. 15 Gill St. Bernard's in the Jingle Bell Jubilee at Paterson Arts and Science Charter School on Tuesday.

The Giants' wide receiver was there to support Montclair Immaculate coach Jimmy Salmon, who is Cruz's godfather.

"I'm always giving back," Cruz said. "I always want to be involved in Paterson. I know how everything is in Paterson. I'm checking out some basketball and my godfather coaches (Montclair Immaculate)."

Tuesday was Cruz's first time seeing Montclair Immaculate this season, but he has seen Salmon in action before.

"I came last year, but this is my first time this year," Cruz said.

Cruz felt a bit of nostalgia when he walked the halls of Paterson Arts and Science Charter School. The school was previously Paterson Catholic, which is where Cruz attended high school. He earned All-State honors as a senior in 2003 after leading his team to a 11-0 season and a NJSIAA Non-Public Group 1 championship.

"Being back at my former high school is always a good feeling," he said.

Richard Greco may be reached at rgreco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @RichardGrecohs. Find NJ.com on Facebook

The arrests came after an officer on patrol heard a gunshot, authorities said

NEWARK-- Two city men were arrested early Tuesday morning after one of them allegedly fired a shot from a gun, Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said.

A traffic bureau officer on patrol at Yates and Seymour avenues heard the shot around 12:25 a.m. and spotted Corey Davis, 27, and his brother Ralph, 31, near the source of the gunfire, police said. 

Newark police  

Police heard Corey Davis throw the .32 caliber handgun to the ground and saw Ralph Davis trying to hide an imitation firearm in a wheel well of a parked SUV, police said.

Corey Davis has been charged with unlawful possession of an imitation firearm and his brother has been charged with unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of a defaced firearm and discharging a weapon within city limits.

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

The Livingston resident and his son died after their pickup truck was rear-ended by a tractor-trailer

NEW YORK -- A 51-year-old New Jersey man and his adult son were among three people killed in a multi-vehicle crash on the Cross Bronx Expressway Tuesday morning, according to a report on WABC-7.

Police officers direct traffic away from the scene at a fatal multi-vehicle crash on the eastbound side of the Cross Bronx Expressway on Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2016. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) 

Henry Walker, of Livingston, and Khalil Walker, 21, of Tobbyhanna, Pa. were killed when their Ford pickup truck was hit by a tractor-trailer.

A 58-year-old man traveling with them was also pronounced dead. His identity hasn't yet been released.

Two others in the pickup truck were seriously injured.

Walker stopped his pickup behind a tractor-trailer that had stopped in the center lane near Jerome Avenue around 5:45 a.m. Tuesday.

Police say a second tractor-trailer failed to stop in time and rear-ended the pickup, wedging it underneath the stopped truck.

The driver of a Toyota Corolla also struck by the second tractor-trailer was also seriously injured, WABC-7 said. The Corolla came to a rest on top of the concrete center median.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

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

The $8 million gift will be used in the school's Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry.

SOUTH ORANGE -- An anonymous donor has given Seton Hall University one of the largest gifts it has ever received.

The $8 million donation - a combination of $2 million previously committed to the school as an anonymous estate gift and $6 million recently added to it - will help fund several new initiatives in the school's Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry, Seton Hall announced.

The donation will endow a faculty chair in the department, fund research, and contribute to scholarships for students, as well as fund other initiatives, college officials announced.

The anonymous benefactor has also promised additional annual donations that will support the chemistry chair position on an ongoing basis.

$1.75M to set up new doctoral program

"This truly generous gift will allow Seton Hall to sustain and enhance its status as a leading center of scientific inquiry and learning in the fields of chemistry and biochemistry," Seton Hall President A. Gabriel Esteban said in a statement. The donation is the largest the school has received during Esteban's tenure.

"It will allow us to continue to attract the best and the brightest students and faculty to our university," he said.

The school has already named its founding endowed faculty chair - Nicholas Snow, a Seton Hall professor who is also the director of the University's Center for Academic Industry Partnership and interim director of the Office of Grants and Research Services.

The donation comes about eight months after another high-profile gift to the university -- $5 million from the chair of Seton Hall's Board of Regents, Patrick M. Murray, and his wife, Mary Ann Pfaff Murray - and two months after a $1.75 million donation from late alum Henry F. Roman, and his late wife, Maryann.

The money from those donations helped create scholarships, a faculty chair at the Stillman School of Business, athletic facility renovations, and a new doctoral program in the College of Communication and the Arts.

Leave the crossbow at home, but feel free to bring the alligator head on your next flight Watch video

NEWARK -- Wallet? Check. Airplane ticket? Got it. Seven-inch vice grips? 

At Newark Liberty International Airport, more than four tons of knives, tools, bats, toys and other prohibited items are confiscated in security lanes at the airport each year. 

With less frequent travelers taking to the skies during the holidays, the end of the year is an especially busy time for security officers at airports.

"Fifteen years after 9/11, too many people are still showing with these items," said Lisa Farbstein, a spokeswoman for the Transportation Security Administration. The agency was created in the wake of the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks to protect America's transportation networks from a future incident. 

While many are pocket or keychain knives, officers have confiscated everything in security check lines from a toy set of bow and arrows to a replica hand grenade. Farbstein said replicas can trigger a bomb squad so urges fliers to ship those instead.

"This takes TSA officers from their core task," she said. 

Box cutters, which the terrorist used to hijack the planes on Sept. 11, are still found on fliers or in their carry-ons, Farbstein said. 

Simply put, Farbstein said don't pack anything in a carry-on that could be used as a weapon, including anything that has a knife -- even nail clippers with the flip out blade -- or items larger than 7 inches that can bludgeon someone. 

In case you were wondering, though, alligator heads are OK, as long as they're not still attached to a live alligator.

Passengers can check most of the items frequently confiscated but many chose to surrender them then head back to the airline counter or try and pass it off to a non-traveling friend. 

If you are unsure if you can bring something, the agency has set up a Twitter handle @AskTSA, where fliers can even Tweet of a photo of what they want to bring and the agency's social team will respond. Fliers can also head to TSA's website for a more detailed idea of whether something should be packed or left at home. 

So what happens to these items after they are taken at airports?

They are sorted in the agency's office in Union County and put into cardboard boxes, weighed and dated. Most states will take the items and try to turn a profit, but Farbstein said New Jersey wants nothing to do with the leftovers from security lines.

"But Pennsylvania doesn't mind taking them," she said.

The Garden State's neighbor will take the dozens of 50-pound boxes filled with knives, tools or whatever other confiscated or surrendered items and sell them at a government surplus store. They are either packaged by the pound to move online or listed at bargain prices in the brick-and-mortar locations. The agency does a pick-up from Newark airport quarterly. 

"They've probably make a few hundred thousand dollars off them," Farbstein said, referring to Pennsylvania's surplus stores.

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

The FBI says all of the cases have suspicious elements, and is in some cases offering cash rewards for information.

NEWARK -- It's been more than 10 years since anyone saw or heard from Carla Vicentini.

The 22-year-old native of Brazil was last seen in the early morning of Feb. 10, 2006, leaving Adega Bar and Grill in Newark with an unknown man after telling a friend she was going to his car to look at a photograph.

She never returned. And she's not the only one.

It's been seven years since anyone saw John T. Weisbecker. Twenty-five years since Mark Himebaugh disappeared. Just over 64 years since William Ebeneezer Jones Jr. vanished from his neighbor's front yard.

But rather than disappear into the rolls of the thousands of people reported missing across the country, the cases are among a number in New Jersey to have drawn the attention of the nation's top law enforcement agency: the FBI.

According to Assistant Special Agent in Charge Bradley Cohen in Newark, the common factor in all of the cases is some sort of suspicious circumstance that allows the bureau to get involved.

If a person is believed to have been abducted and taken out of state, the bureau gets jurisdiction under federal kidnapping statues.

The agency also takes an active role in the disappearance of children under 12 years old, although Cohen says that age "doesn't necessarily have to be fixed."

In many cases, the FBI simply functions as a "collaborative partner" for local agencies, providing support for complex investigations.

While Cohen declined to go into detail about specific investigative techniques, he says resources the bureau can provide to local agencies range from its crime lab in Quantico, Va., to cadaver dogs to search for human remains.

Cohen says it's a misconception that a person has to be gone for more than 24 hours before law enforcement can consider them missing, and take action.

"The 24-hour period has mostly gone away," he says. "We pretty much get involved right away."

In cases where foul play is suspected and local departments can't afford to post a reward themselves, he says, the FBI is often able to work with them to obtain the needed funds.

In Vicentini's case, the agency is offering a $20,000 reward for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person responsible for her disappearance.

While Cohen says "every little thing helps" when it comes to building these investigations, there are often specific times and dates from which information would be particularly useful to investigators. 

In one case, the 25-year-old disappearance of Himebaugh, then 11, that time is around 4 p.m. on Nov. 25, 1991.

That was when a park security guard, who Cohen says is now deceased, reported seeing Himebaugh and a girl his age walking in Cape May County Park South in Middle Township.

The only trace of Himebaugh that's been found since is his left sneaker, found not far from where he was last seen.

Vigil to mark 25th anniversary of disappearance

Cohen says anyone who thinks they have information about the cases can contact either their local law enforcement agency or the FBI directly (the Newark Division's number is 973-792-3000).

"Ultimately, an investigator will get that information," he says.

Scroll through the gallery at the top of the page to view photos of the missing persons currently sought by the FBI's Newark Division.

Jeff Goldman contributed prior reporting. Thomas Moriarty may be reached at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty. Find NJ.com on Facebook

A cause of death is pending a toxicology report, officials said.

NEWARK -- Authorities have identified the man whose body was found in Vailsburg Park on Dec. 26.

Darin Henry, 34, of East Orange, had been reported missing by a family member before his body was found in the park, Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray announced in a release Wednesday. He was identified by his fingerprints, authorities said.

Though his death was initially considered suspicious, Murray said Wednesday that does not appear to be the case. His body showed no signs of trauma or injuries, she said. His cause of his death is awaiting a toxicology report, authorities said.

Still, an investigation into his death is ongoing, officials said. Anyone with information on Henry's death is asked to call the Essex County Prosecutor's Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force tips line at 877-TIPS-4EC or 877-847-7432.

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

A panel of judges found that the university is an arm of the state and can't be sued in federal court.

MONTCLAIR -- One of New Jersey's largest public colleges can't be sued for discrimination in federal court because its an arm of the state, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit ruled Tuesday.

The ruling shields Montclair State University from a federal lawsuit filed by a former spokesperson who says she was fired after taking time off to be treated for breast cancer. 

Paula Maliandi, who began working at the university in 2007, took time off in 2013 under the federal Family Medical Leave Act, according to the lawsuit. When she returned, she was offered an inferior job to her old position, a violation of the FMLA terms, she argued in the lawsuit. 

Maliandi refused to accept the new position and was fired, the suit alleges. 

The university countered that it is exempt from the lawsuit because it's an arm of the state and the 11th amendment protects states from being sued in federal court. 

A lower court rejected the university's stance, but the Third Circuit ruled in Montclair State's favor.  

A panel of three judges applied a balancing test and weighed the fact that Montclair State is not primarily funded by state dollars against other factors, such as the university not being entirely autonomous, according to the ruling. 

In the end the panel determined that, "while a close case, (Montclair State) is an arm of the state." 

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

The man had allegedly been keeping stolen power tools in an abandoned home, police said.

NEWARK -- A man living in an abandoned Newark home has been charged in a string of burglaries in the city.

Efrain Guzman. (Courtesy Newark police)
 

According to a release from police Wednesday, the burglaries, which all occurred between Dec. 16 and Dec. 27, include:

* The theft of tools and a customer's car radio from Felito and Brothers Auto Repair on Park Avenue at about 3:51 a.m. on Dec. 16

* Two separate burglaries at AmCare Rx Pharmacy on Park Avenue, one on Dec. 22 at 6 a.m. in which cash was stolen from the cash register and medications were taken from a drawer, and one on Dec. 23 at 7 p.m. in which a door to the basement was broken and cash was stolen from the register.

* A burglary at a home on Park and Mount Prospect Avenues in which jack hammers, nail guns, air compressors, electric saws, and other power tools were stolen from a broken-into shed.

After a nearby resident reported to police someone living in an abandoned home near Cutler and Crane streets, authorities said they found Efrain Guzman, 38, of Newark, there with many of the stolen power tools. He was arrested and charged with burglary, receiving stolen property, theft, criminal trespass, and theft of lost or mislaid property, police said.

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

Mayor Wayne D. Warren condemned the shooting of Orange teenager Christopher Terry

ORANGE -- The fatal shooting of a 17-year-old in broad daylight on Main Street in Orange on Monday was gang-related, the mayor said Wednesday. 

Christopher Terry, of Orange, was shot to death at 1:20 p.m. and his killer remains at large, authorities said.

Authorities say a teenager was fatally shot on this stretch of Main Street in Orange on Monday afternoonGoogle

"A cowardly act of gun violence by a criminal took the life of a 17-year-old rival gang member in Orange," Mayor Dwayne D. Warren said in a statement condemning the violence. "The killer fled to another city and remains at large."

Terry was shot on the 100 block of Main Street. Warren's statement did not name a suspect in the shooting.

"Our police department, in conjunction with other law enforcement authorities, is pursuing this killer," Warren said. "The Essex County Prosecutors Office is taking the lead in this investigation, and further inquiries should be directed to their office." 

A spokeswoman for the prosecutor's office, Katherine Carter, declined to comment Wednesday on the mayor's statement attributing Terry's killing to gang rivalry.

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

The ride-sharing company Lyft recently announced its 2016 Lyftie Awards, honoring the most visited destinations in New Jersey.

Ride-sharing enthusiasts in New Jersey are, it seems, always thankful it's Friday.

The ride-sharing service Lyft identified the TGI Fridays on U.S. 9 in Old Bridge as the top destination for its users in the Garden State in 2016. Never underestimate the appeal of Jack Daniel's ribs and a Drinksicle, apparently. 

Lyft, which serves areas such as Atlantic City, Cherry Hill, Jersey City, and Newark, calculated the most passenger drop-offs throughout the year to come up with its annual Lyfite Awards.

Most of the other winners were no-brainers: the Prudential Center in Newark was the most visited event space, and the most visited transit stop was the PATH station in Hoboken. The top-searched destination in New Jersey was Borgata Hotel Casino and Spa in Atlantic City. The most visited bar was the giant Bar Anticipation in Lake Como, which ranked eighth on FourSquare's list of most popular bars in New Jersey in 2016. 

Ann Ferracane, the general manager of Lyft New Jersey, says the winning businesses are "core to what makes the community so unique."

Nationally, San Francisco International Airport was the number one airport drop-off location and Washington D.C.'s Union Station the top transit destination, while the MGM Grand in Las Vegas was the most requested hotel destination and Los Angeles' iconic gay bar the Abbey topped the list of bar drop-offs. For more information, check out the Lyfie Awards website here. 

Kelly Roncace may be reached at kroncace@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @kellyroncace. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook.

Two Newark men and one Bloomfield man were arrested and charged in connection with a trio of robberies on Dec. 23, police said.

BLOOMFIELD -- Authorities arrested three men in connection with a trio of robberies in Bloomfield and Belleville that happened on Dec. 23, police said Wednesday. 

Lee Jones, 23, of Newark, Isaiah Hayes, 21, of Newark, and Worthy Shannon, 18, of Bloomfield were charged with robbery, receiving stolen property, conspiracy and possession of a controlled dangerous substance, police said. 

The three men allegedly robbed a Bloomfield woman at the intersection of Lexington and Florence Avenues around 6 p.m. on Dec. 23. The woman said two men exited a small car and pushed her to the ground, choking her before taking her money and identification, Bloomfield police said. She was treated for minor injuries, authorities said. 

The same day, Belleville police reported a robbery on Harrison Street involving similar suspects and the same car, police said. A Bloomfield man was also reportedly robbed of his money and cell phone on Willard Avenue around 5 p.m. 

The three men were pulled over by an Essex County Sheriff's Patrol Unit on Watsessing Ave. The missing items were inside the vehicle, Bloomfield police said.

Jones and Shannon are being held on $75,000 bail with no 10 percent option. Hayes is being held on $50,000 bail with no 10 percent option.

Karen Yi may be reached at kyi@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @karen_yi. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

It was the second time this month that Transportation Security Administration screeners reported finding a gun that a passenger was trying to take onto an aircraft in Newark

The TSA said screeners found this gun loaded in a carry-on bag at Newark airport Wednesday TSA 

NEWARK -- Screeners at Newark Liberty International Airport seized a loaded gun from a passenger who took it to a security checkpoint Wednesday morning in a carry-on bag, officials said.

It was about 10:30 a.m., when the loaded .25 caliber handgun was spotted while the bag was being X-rayed at a checked-in in Terminal C, said Lisa Farbstein, a spokeswoman for the Transportation Security Administration. 

Farbstein said the male passenger told screeners he hadn't realized the gun was in the bag.

The passenger was detained while screeners called Port Authority Police, who arrested the man on weapons charges. 

Peter Russell, 59, of Giblberts, Ill., was arrested at Checkpoint 1, in Terminal C, Port Authority Police spokesman Joe Pentangelo said.

"Port Authority police arrested him without incident, there was no interruption to airport operations," Pentangelo said.

It was the second time this month that a man was arrested at Newark Liberty after TSA screeners detected a loaded weapon.

On December 19^th, a man was charged with trying to take a .40 caliber semi-automatic handgun through a checkpoint in a knapsack, the TSA said. 

"As a reminder," the TSA stated, "weapons--including firearms, firearm parts and ammunition--are not permitted in carry-on bags. Travelers who bring firearms to the checkpoint are subject to criminal charges from law enforcement and civil penalties from TSA of up to $12,000."

Details on how to travel with a firearm are posted on the TSA website. 

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

The male victims were shot Wednesday night, police said

NEWARK-- Police are investigating a shooting that left two male victims seriously wounded Wednesday night, police said. 

The shooting occurred at the Reservoir Apartments at South Orange Avenue and S. 9th Street around 7:30 p.m. 

No motive has been established and no suspects had yet been identified in the ongoing investigation, police also said. 

The victims were both listed in critical condition at University Hospital. 

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

As we conclude another year of posting our "Vintage New Jersey" photo gallery, we humbly present what we think were the "best of the best" from 2016. This year, we posted 51 galleries and shared photos from all areas of the Garden State. We covered topics such as holidays, shops and favorite spots, seasonal snapshots and "things we survived"...

As we conclude another year of posting our "Vintage New Jersey" photo gallery, we humbly present what we think were the "best of the best" from 2016.

This year, we posted 51 galleries and shared photos from all areas of the Garden State. We covered topics such as holidays, shops and favorite spots, seasonal snapshots and "things we survived" We also introduced new concepts, including classic New Jersey music venues and "This month in N.J. history."

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

But even though we call this collection "our favorite photos," our absolute favorites are the ones our readers share.

If you're a regular reader, you know the topics we cover, from all four seasons and all corners of the state. Send in your snapshots (scanned as .jpg files) to the email address shown below, and we'll do everything we can to get them into a future gallery. Photos must have been taken in New Jersey at least 30 years old to be considered.

So here's a farewell to 2016 through vintage photos; help us get 2017 off to a great start with your own submissions of vintage photos.

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

Lt. Bill Fearon, of Cedar Grove, was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in May 2015

A State Police lieutenant who was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in 2015 attributed to his response to the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center died Thursday from cancer, the State Police announced. 

State Police Lt. Bill Fearon died Thursday. (State Police) 

Lt. Bill Fearon, of Cedar Grove, served 22 years with the State Police, most recently as a tactical instructor, according to his LinkedIn profile.

Fearon was diagnosed with a brain tumor on May 3, 2015 and underwent surgery three days later. While undergoing treatment, he returned to work on a limited basis in July 2015, according to a story by NorthJersey.com.

The Cedar Grove community rallied around the trooper during his illness and raised funds to cover medical expenses as he underwent chemotherapy treatment. A GoFundMe account started in May 2015 raised nearly $60,000 and a local fire department hosted a chili cook-off.

The State Police, in a Facebook tribute to Fearon posted late Thursday, cited his enduring positive attitude during the ongoing treatment. He handed out "No Fear" wristbands throughout his battle with cancer, the State Police said.

"Every day I put my feet on the ground and I look forward to winning," Fearon said, according to the State Police post. "This is the mindset that I have, it's about living without fear."

Fearon is survived by his wife Janice, and their three children, Ryan, Elyse and Jessie.

State Police Lt. Bill Fearon in a photo posted on a GoFundMe page dedicated to covering his medical expenses. (GoFundMe)

Jessica Remo may be reached at jremo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessicaRemoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Authorities have yet to identify the third victim of the Cross Bronx Expressway crash Tuesday.

NEW YORK -- Family members are mourning the loss of an Essex County general contractor and his adult son Thursday, as police have shared few details about the crash that killed them.

Henry "Hank" Walker, 51, of Livingston, and his 21-year-old son Khalil, of Tobbyhanna, Pa., were two of the three people killed in a Tuesday crash on the Cross Brox Expressway, police have confirmed. The NYPD Thursday declined to identify the third victim of the crash, a 58-year-old Orange man, who was travelling with the father and son when their Ford pickup was hit by a tractor-trailer.

Police officers direct traffic away from the scene at a fatal multi-vehicle crash on the eastbound side of the Bronx Expressway in the Bronx section of New York, Tuesday, Dec. 27, 2016. (AP Photo/Seth Wenig) 

It remains unclear how the Orange man knew the father and son, or why the three were traveling together.

According to the business's website, the elder Walker owned and operated NJ Finest General Contractor, a company that provided contracting work and renovations to Essex County homes and commercial spaces for more than 20 years.

The younger Walker, a 2017 graduate of the University of Pittsburgh-Bradford who had studied broadcast communications, worked for his father, his LinkedIn profile indicates.

Authorities have said Walker stopped his pickup behind a tractor-trailer that had stopped in the center lane of the highway near Jerome Avenue around 5:45 a.m. Tuesday. Another tractor-trailer rear-ended the pickup, wedging it underneath the stopped truck, police have said.

It is unclear whether or not charges have been filed against any of the drivers involved.

Those who knew the two took to social media this week to mourn the loss.

"Today heaven gained two more angels," Hank's sister, Nicole Lewis, posted on Facebook. "I'm completely speechless and I hurt beyond what any words could ever convey."

Rest in Peace Khalil Walker [?] one of the nicest people I have met at UPB. You will be missed

-- Colleen Babjak (@coll_babjak) December 28, 2016

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

Polar bear plunges, stand-up comedy, close-up magic, and band reunions headline New Year's weekend in New Jersey.

MONSTER JAM: The smell of gasoline and the roar of massive engines will fill the Sun National Bank Center in Trenton this holiday weekend. Some of the biggest names on the monster truck circuit -- Grave Digger, MonsterMutt, Stone Crusher, Max-D, and others -- will be crushing cars and performing insane stunts Thursday and Friday. "The Party in the Pits" takes place Friday from 10:30 a.m. to 12:00 p.m. where fans can score score autographs and get up-close views of the massive trucks. $18-$53. Thursday 7 p.m., Friday 1 p.m. and 7 p.m. 81 Hamilton Ave., Trenton. 609-656-3200.

Thursday, December 29 at 7:00 PMMonster JamSun National Bank CenterSEE FULL EVENT DETAILSnj.com

ASBURY PARK POLAR PLUNGE: Start off 2017 with charity and insanity in Asbury Park. On New Year's Day, the Sons of Ireland will be holding the annual Asbury Park Polar Bear Plunge. The plunge will benefit the Shore House and Stephy's Place. Plungers can register and sign in from 10 a.m. to noon at Convention Hall. At 12:45 p.m. they will be led from the Hall to the beach by a bagpiper. After the national anthem is performed at 1 p.m., it's into the Atlantic for the plunge. There will be post-plunge party with music by Brian Kirk & the Jirks. Register here. Sunday, 10 a.m.-3 p.m. 1300 Ocean Ave., Asbury Park. 

FIRST NIGHT IN MORRISTOWN: Morristown won't be rocking on New Year's Eve just because of the nightlife scene. First Night is an all-ages, family-friendly, alcohol-free celebration of the arts that will present the city of Morristown as a "stage" for art of all types. There will be nearly 200 artists and more than 85 events ranging from dance to music to theater to performance art at 26 venues across the city. If you have little ones, get there early for the two hours of kid-oriented programming starting at 4:45 p.m. There will be live entertainment and games at the Morristown Green, which will serve as one of the central hubs of First Night. $17.50-$25. Saturday, 4:45 p.m.-midnight. Morristown. 973-539-8008.

Saturday, December 31 at 4:45 PMFirst Night MorrisMayo Performing Arts CenterSEE FULL EVENT DETAILSnj.com

THURSDAY AT STARLAND BALLROOM: Thursday will perform its first New Jersey shows since reuniting earlier this year. The band, which dominated the early-to-mid 2000s with its aggressive and emotional post-hardcore sound (including the amazing "War all the Time" record), called it a day a few years back with one of the final shows held at Starland Ballroom. Now Thursday returns with a screaming vengeance. Opening up for the band will be Hotelier and Primitive Weapons. The Thursday night will also be 89.5 WSOU's 30th anniversary celebration. $35. Thursday, Friday 7 p.m. 570 Jernee Mill Road, Sayreville. 732-238-5500.

Thursday, December 29 at 7:00 PMThursdayStarland BallroomSEE FULL EVENT DETAILSnj.com

ATLANTIC CITY POLAR BEAR PLUNGE: There will be plenty of people down in Atlantic City for New Year's Eve, but what kind of hangover cure do they have? Hair of the dog? A hearty breakfast? A run on the boardwalk? Well, a dip in the Atlantic for a good cause actually might be the best hangover cure. The Atlantic City Polar Bear Club will hold its annual New Year's Day plunge in front of Resorts Casino starting at 11 a.m. The official plunging begins at noon, but you should arrive early to register and get your place in line. The admission fee is a donation to the Multiple Sclerosis Association of America. Now be warned, the A.C. Polar Bear Club takes plunging seriously, and if you want to receive an official Polar Bear certificate, you must go completely underwater. There's no wading in to the waist -- it's all or nothing. Donation. Sunday. 11 a.m.-1 p.m. 1133 Boardwalk (in front of Resorts), Atlantic City.

UNCLE FLOYD'S NEW YEAR'S EVE EVE PARTY AT UNCLE VINNIE'S: Uncle Floyd, one of New Jersey's most beloved entertainers, performs a special "New Year's Eve Eve" show at Uncle Vinnie's Comedy Club in Point Pleasant Beach on Friday. Uncle Floyd brings his blend of music and comedy to Uncle Vinnie's, a club he's performed at numerous times over the past few years. $25-$53.95. Friday, 8 p.m. 518 Arnold Ave., Point Pleasant Beach. 732-899-3900.

Friday, December 30 at 8:00 PMUncle FloydUncle Vinnie's Comedy ClubSEE FULL EVENT DETAILSnj.com

MICHAEL CARBONARO AT NJPAC: Prepare to be amazed by the visual wizardry of Michael Carbonaro this weekend. The star of TruTV's "The Carbonaro Effect" brings his blend of audience interactions, video clips and magic to NJPAC on Friday. The Long Island-born actor and magician got his start with bit roles on "Chappelle's Show" and "Law & Order: SVU" before breaking out with his "Magic Clerk" segments on "The Tonight Show with Jay Leno." $44-$90. Friday, 7 p.m. 1 Center Street, Newark. 1-888-GO-NJPAC.

Friday, December 30 at 7:00 PMMichael CarbonaroNew Jersey Performing Arts CenterSEE FULL EVENT DETAILSnj.com

Bill Bodkin can be reached at bodkinwrites@gmail.com. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook.

State Police Lieutenant William G. Fearon was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor attributed to his response to the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center.

Gov. Christie has ordered all state buildings to fly flags at half-staff on Saturday in honor of State Police Lieutenant William G. Fearon, who died yesterday.

State Police Lt. Bill Fearon died Thursday. (State Police)

Fearon was diagnosed with a malignant brain tumor in 2015 attributed to his response to the Sept. 11 attacks on the World Trade Center.

Fearon was born in Kearny, graduated from Seton Hall Prep in West Orange and lived in Cedar Grove, according to officials.

He graduated from the police academy in Sept. 1994 and served for 22 years, including as an assistant division operations officer and as an assistant station commander.

"Lieutenant Fearon was a loving and devoted husband, son, and father, whose memory will live in the hearts of his family, friends, and fellow members of the New Jersey State Police," said Christie. "He served his state with courage, professionalism, and commitment to the finest ideals and traditions of the New Jersey State Police. It is with deep sadness that we mourn the loss of Lieutenant Fearon, and we extend our sincerest sympathy to his family and loved ones."

Fearon was diagnosed with the tumor on May 3, 2015 and underwent surgery three days later. While undergoing treatment, he returned to work on a limited basis in July 2015, according to a story by NorthJersey.com.

The State Police, in a Facebook tribute to Fearon posted late Thursday, cited his enduring positive attitude during the ongoing treatment. He handed out "No Fear" wristbands throughout his battle with cancer, the State Police said.

"Every day I put my feet on the ground and I look forward to winning," Fearon said, according to the State Police post. "This is the mindset that I have, it's about living without fear."

Fearon is survived by his wife Janice, and their three children, Ryan, Elyse and Jessie.

State Police Lt. Bill Fearon in a photo posted on a GoFundMe page dedicated to covering his medical expenses. (GoFundMe)

Jessica Remo may be reached at jremo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessicaRemoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.