Three Newark teens stand charged with multiple drug and weapons-related offenses in the wake of a Monday narcotics sting.

Kareem Chalmers (left) and Jihad Anderson (right) were hit with multiple drug-related charges following a Monday drug sting (Essex County corrections). 

NEWARK -- Three city teens have been charged with multiple drug and weapons-related offenses in the wake of a Monday narcotics sting conducted by Essex County Sheriff's Department investigators, authorities said Tuesday.

Kareem Chalmers, 18, and Jihad Anderson, 19, were arrested Monday after they were observed allegedly selling marijuana and heroin by investigators from the department's Bureau of Narcotics, said Sheriff Armando Fontoura.

Authorities also arrested a third 17-year-old male suspect, he added. Authorities are withholding the suspect's name due to his age.

The threesome was observed allegedly conducting hand-to-hand sales of narcotics from in front of a residence located in the 100 block of Norfolk Street, authorities said.

After detaining the two men, investigators recovered small black bag containing 13 plastic bags filled with crack cocaine, 30 bags of marijuana, and two envelops filled with heroin and stamped with 'WHITE CASTLE' in blue ink, Fontoura said. Investigators also recovered a fully-loaded 9mm handgun from the scene, he added.

Chalmers and Anderson were each remanded into custody at the Essex County Correctional Facility on of a cash bond of $50,000, authorities said.

The juvenile was placed at the Essex County Youth Detention Center where he awaits a hearing on the charges in Family Court.

Vernal Coleman can be reached at vcoleman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @vernalcoleman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

President Obama will visit Newark on Monday to discuss criminal justice issues, the White House announced

WASHINGTON -- President Obama will visit Newark on Monday to discuss criminal justice issues, the White House announced.

Obama will be joined by U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) and Newark Mayor Ras Baraka to highlight former prisoners trying to return to society.

The president and Booker have helped lead efforts to find alternatives to prison for nonviolent offenders and ways to allow those released from prison to find jobs.

RELATED: On N.J. visit, President Obama tells troops: 'Welcome home' 

"The epidemic of mass incarceration in America is costing taxpayers billions of dollars, disproportionately affecting communities of color, and isn't making us any safer," Booker said. "I look forward to continuing to work with President Obama in restoring integrity and fairness to our criminal justice system. The time to act is now."

Booker was part of a bipartisan group of U.S. senators who agreed on compromise legislation Oct. 1 that reduced some mandatory sentences and provided federal inmates with job training, drug treatment and a chance to be released from prison early. The measure also limited solitary confinement for juveniles and allowed them to erase certain convictions for non-violent crimes.

Gov. Chris Christie also has talked about overhauling the criminal justice system during his campaign for the Republican presidential nomination.

This will be Obama's third visit to New Jersey in the last 11 months. He previously visited Joint Base McGuire Dix Lakehurst to mark the end of U.S. combat operations and Camden to discuss community policing.

After leaving Newark, the president will travel to New York City to attend fundraising events for the Democratic National Committee and Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee.

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

Edison man, 57, killed in shooting at Irvington gas station, authorities say.

IRVINGTON  --Authorities have identified the man shot to death Monday night at a township gas station as Ashiwin Patel of Edison.

The 57-year-old was an employee at the convenience store attached to the Getty station, confirmed Essex County Prosecutor's Office spokeswoman Katherine Carter.

The incident occurred shortly before 8 p.m. at the station in the 1,000 block of Stuyvesant Avenue, Carter said. Following the shooting, several members of the Irvington Police Department could seen investigating at the scene.

Additional details of the shooting were not immediately made available.

No arrests have been made, and no suspects identified, Carter said.

An investigation into the killing by the Essex County Prosecutor's Office Homicide Task Force is ongoing.

Vernal Coleman can be reached at vcoleman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @vernalcoleman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

In light of a recent decision renaming his hometown middle school for him, the famed astronaut returned to Montclair Tuesday.

MONTCLAIR -- It was one giant leap into the past.

"My sister actually got married just around there," Astronaut Buzz Aldrin said, pointing to a side yard while touring the house he grew up in Tuesday. Walking further into the backyard and peering into a detached garage, he said he has a "lot of interesting stories from in there...but I can't tell you them all."

Aldrin moved out of the Princeton Place home in Montclair years before he became the second man to walk on the moon. But, the Montclair Board of Education's recent decision to rename the township middle school Aldrin attended after him drew him back to the Essex County community.

Aldrin was in the area to pick up a lifetime achievement award from the New Jersey Chamber of Commerce Monday. He returned to his hometown Tuesday for a day of activities commemorating the renaming, including a visit with town and school officials, a private tour of the STEM magnet school that will be named for him, and the visit to this childhood home.

"It's always great to come back here," Aldrin said of Montclair.

MORE: Buzz Aldrin's hometown middle school renamed for him

The first time Dolores Kelly - the current owner of the former Aldrin residence - saw Buzz in the house, she was watching him walk on the moon on her family's television set.

"We actually have a photo of us watching the moon landing from (inside this house)," she said.

Since then, Aldrin has been back to visit several times. His favorite spot in the house, Kelly said, is the third floor room that used to be his bedroom. The Kelly family still uses it as a bedroom, though they have closed off a small cubby that Buzz has said he used to climb into as a child.

"It's exciting," Kelly said of living in the home. "Before we bought this house, I always told my husband that I wanted our home to have something special about it. At the time, I was thinking of something more like a swimming pool, but this is much, much better...It's like holding a piece of history."

With the decision to rename Mt. Hebron Middle School, "Buzz Aldrin Middle School," the whole town may soon be apt to have a greater appreciation for the astronaut's history.

"Montclair and Buzz Aldrin are now permanently linked together," Katie Severance, president of the Man on the Moon Committee that advocated for the school's renaming, said outside Aldrin's former home Tuesday.

ALSO: 9 things you probably didn't know about Buzz Aldrin

The group said it is working with the Montclair school district to plan an official renaming ceremony with Buzz. A district spokeswoman did not respond to a request for comment on his Tuesday visit.

Aldrin said the school is part of a legacy that he is still building. When asked what he wants to be remembered for, he said he's still got more to do before he could answer.

"The best is yet to come," he said.

Bloomfield Police Officers Sean Courter and Orlando Trinidad are charged with official misconduct and related offenses in connection with a 2012 arrest on the Garden State Parkway

NEWARK -- On the witness stand Tuesday at his official misconduct trial, Bloomfield Police Officer Orlando Trinidad broke down in tears while testifying about his involvement in a 2012 arrest on the Garden State Parkway.

Superior Court Judge Michael L. Ravin immediately ordered the jurors to leave the courtroom. Before the jury returned to the courtroom, the judge consulted with the attorneys, and asked Trinidad whether he could continue testifying without losing his composure or needed more time.

"I think I should be fine, your honor," Trinidad told Ravin. "I can't guarantee it. I'm very emotional about my job and that I did my job that night."

When the jurors returned to the courtroom, the judge said they could consider Trinidad's demeanor, but instructed them that "you cannot decide the merits of the case based on bias, passion, prejudice or sympathy."

Trinidad maintained his composure during the rest of his testimony.

Trinidad, 34, of Bloomfield, and his co-defendant, fellow township police officer Sean Courter, 35, of Englishtown, have been on trial on official misconduct and related charges in connection with the June 7, 2012 arrest of Marcus Jeter.

Prosecutors have alleged the officers made false statements in police reports about the incident when they claimed Jeter tried to grab Courter's gun while Courter was trying to remove him from the vehicle, and that Jeter had hit Trinidad.

Jeter, 31, has testified he had his "hands up" the whole time and said he never tried to disarm Courter and did not strike Trinidad.

During Trinidad's testimony on Tuesday, he maintained that he saw Jeter trying to grab Courter's gun, and that Jeter hit him. Trinidad also said he was justified in hitting Jeter since he was resisting arrest.

"I struck him because he was resisting. I was trying to get him to comply," said Trinidad, adding that "I didn't do it out of malice or to hurt him."

MORE: Ex-officer admits to false reports at fellow cops' misconduct trial

The series of events leading to Jeter's arrest began when Courter and a third officer, Albert Sutterlin, responded to a domestic-related call at Jeter's Bloomfield home.

Soon after the officers arrived, Jeter left the residence. Courter has claimed Jeter was drunk and fled the scene after he ordered him to stop, but Jeter has said he was not drunk and that Courter indicated he could leave.

After Courter later stopped Jeter on Parkway, followed by Sutterlin, the officers approached Jeter's vehicle with their guns drawn and ordered him to get out.

Trinidad arrived at the scene and struck the front of Jeter's car with his patrol vehicle. After getting approval from his supervisor, Courter ultimately broke the driver's side window and removed Jeter from the vehicle.

Jeter was ultimately charged with eluding, attempting to disarm a police officer, resisting arrest and aggravated assault.

Prosecutors initially only had the police dashboard video from Courter's vehicle. After prosecutors later reviewed the video from Trinidad's vehicle, they determined that video was inconsistent with the officers' police reports.

As a result, the charges against Jeter were dropped and Courter and Trinidad were charged with official misconduct, conspiracy, tampering with records, and false swearing. Trinidad also is charged with aggravated assault for striking Jeter during the incident.

Sutterlin, who retired in May 2013, pleaded guilty in October 2013 to falsifying or tampering with records, and is awaiting sentencing. Under a plea deal, Sutterlin is expected to receive probation.

During his testimony last week, Sutterlin admitted to including information in his police reports that Jeter tried to grab Courter's gun and that he struck Trinidad, even though Sutterlin had not witnessed those events. He said he received those details from Courter and Trinidad.

Bill Wichert may be reached at bwichert@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BillWichertNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Multiple agencies looked for 90 minutes before search terminated

FAIRFIELD -- A report of a boat capsized Tuesday on the Passaic River, which is currently just inches deep in places, has been "deemed a hoax," Deputy Chief of Police Anthony Manna said in a statement.

File Photo 

The U.S. Coast Guard received a radio transmission just before 4 p.m. from someone claiming that the boat overturned in the Lincoln Park-Fairfield area with an adult, three children and a dog aboard. The Coast Guard contacted the State Police, who called Fairfield, Manna said.

Local police as well as officers from Wayne and Lincoln Park searched the banks and then requested boats from the Little Falls and the other communities' fire departments, while a State Police boat and helicopter also arrived in the area.  

The extensive search was ended in about 90 minutes, however, after no sign of a boat was found in the river, whose current was weak Tuesday afternoon and where the water was no more than six feet deep.  

Manna said a similar incident occurred three years ago this month, when the Coast Guard station in Staten Island received a radio transmission from someone reporting that an occupied boat was sinking in the Passaic River. That report was also unfounded, Manna said.  

"Unfortunately, incidents like this one need to be thoroughly investigated in the event what was reported was true. We are happy that no one was in fact in need of assistance. But once it is verified and deemed a hoax, it is an absolute waste of taxpayer money and it tied up emergency resources from several municipalities and the state for no reason," Manna said.

Anyone with any information is asked to call police t at 973-227-1400.  Calls remain confidential.

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

 

Edward Turner, 28, is accused of killing Papa Khaly Ndiaye in the March 23, 2013 shooting

NEWARK -- Papa Khaly Ndiaye had come to the United States from his native Senegal to make a life for himself, Essex County Assistant Prosecutor Eric Plant said. Ndiaye was recently married and he was happy to have become a manager at an IHOP restaurant in Newark, Plant said.

But around 3 a.m. on March 23, 2013, Ndiaye found himself in the middle of a melee among customers at the Bergen Street eatery, Plant said. As Ndiaye was trying to break up the fight and get people outside, gun shots rang out and he was killed with a bullet to the head, Plant said.

In a Newark courtroom on Tuesday, Plant told jurors the investigation ultimately revealed Edward Turner was the shooter.

During opening statements at Turner's trial in the fatal shooting, Plant said a witness named Wendell Robinson has told police that Turner fired the weapon. Turner tried to get Robinson to not talk to the police or to lie to the police, according to Plant.

Plant said he expects "the evidence to show beyond a reasonable doubt that Edward Turner was the person who fired the shots that night."

Turner's attorney, Richie Roberts, however, argued detectives cajoled Robinson and told him to identify Turner as the gunman. The detectives threatened Robinson about him going to jail before the case goes to trial, Roberts said.

"'Tell us Eddie did it,'" Roberts told jurors, referring to what the detectives allegedly told Robinson. "That's what you're going to hear and that's what they did."

Roberts also claimed surveillance video footage of the incident proves Robinson is a liar. While Robinson claims he saw the weapon, the footage shows the shots were fired from inside the shooter's coat, according to Roberts.

"A picture's worth a 1,000 words," Roberts added. "He's lying."

MORE: Newark man to face trial in killing of IHOP manager

Turner, 28, of Newark, is facing murder, attempted murder, witness tampering and weapons offenses.

The circumstances leading to Ndiaye's death was "a series of really bizarre and random situations that all came together at the same time," Plant told the jury. The case also deals with people who had been drinking alcohol and "a love triangle," Plant said.

Plant said those random situations involved three separate groups.

One group, including Robinson and Turner, arrived at the IHOP to celebrate Robinson's birthday, Plant said. The second group, including a man named Marcus Jones, had been drinking and stopped at the restaurant after getting a flat tire, Plant said.

As Turner's group was leaving the restaurant, those two groups exchanged words during a brief dispute in the IHOP parking lot, according to Plant. Turner's group then leaves and Jones and others go inside the restaurant, Plant said.

Inside the restaurant, a woman in Jones's group has an argument with her girlfriend, who was with a third group there, Plant said. The woman was surprised to see her girlfriend, whom she believed was working, Plant said.

As that dispute became physical, Jones punches and kicks other individuals, Plant said. At some point, Plant alleges Turner returned to the restaurant and called Jones to come outside.

Turner then allegedly opened fire in the direction of Jones, striking him numerous times, Plant said. Ndiaye was struck behind his left ear and another man was shot in the arm, Plant said.

Ndiaye, 30, of Middlesex Borough, was pronounced dead several hours later at University Hospital.

But Roberts told jurors the surveillance video footage shows the shooter wearing a jacket that was different than what Turner had been wearing. Roberts suggested Turner was not present at the time of the shooting.

Roberts said everyone should feel sympathy for Ndiaye's death, but he told jurors that sympathy "should not override and should not take over what your job is, which is to see if the state has proven that case."

Bill Wichert may be reached at bwichert@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BillWichertNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

New Jersey ranked fifth best in the nation for having the safest hospitals, including eight that earned straight A's since the Leapfrog Group started the biannual survey in 2012.

TRENTON -- New Jersey scored fifth best in the nation for having the safest hospitals, including eight that have earned straight A's since the Leapfrog Group started its biannual survey hospital performance in 2012.

Once again, New Jersey ranked near the top, behind Maine, Massachusetts, Virginia and Florida. Of the 67 Garden State hospitals that were graded, 32 received A's according to Leapfrog's latest report released Wednesday morning.

EARLIER COVERAGE: N.J. ranks 5th highest in hospital safety

The straight-A hospitals for all eight report cards are Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, Hackensack University Medical Center, Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston, Jersey City Medical Center, Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville, Saint Clare's Hospital in Denville and Dover, and JFK Medical Center in Edison.

"Consumers should use this data when making decisions about where to seek care for themselves and their families," said Linda J. Schwimmer, president & CEO of the New Jersey Health Care Quality Institute and a Leapfrog board member. "These scores reflect how well hospitals work to keep patients safe -- from falls, infections, medication mistakes and other errors that kill or harm tens of thousands of Americans each year."

Schwimmer also noted that New Jersey has the fourth highest participation rate the Leapfrog survey. She attributed that to insurance companies that began using Leapfrog data a decade ago, even before the report card system began, as part of their pay-for-performance program.

Leapfrog began the scorecard following a national report that found hospital errors are the third leading cause of death in the country, behind heart disease and cancer. Leapfrog recruited medical experts to develop a 28-point grading system to measure hospital safety based on largely Medicare data, measuring the rate of preventable falls, infections.

No hospital in New Jersey scored lower than a C.

"Number five in the nation for patient safety is a nice place to be, but our hospitals are committed to ongoing quality improvement," Betsy Ryan said, president of the New Jersey Hospital Association, the state's largest hospital trade group.

"Hospitals across the state have worked closely with NJHA over the last three years through the Partnership for Patients-NJ initiative, which was funded by the Affordable Care Act," Ryan added. "That initiative targets complications that can develop in a hospital, like infections, pressure ulcers or patient falls. We've had tremendous results statewide in that program - 13,730 cases of patient harm averted and $120 million in related cost savings. I think we're seeing that hard work reflected in these new safety scores."

Some hospitals in the aggressively competitive New Jersey market, that also spills over into New York and Philadelphia, were quick to call attention to their scores.

"The team at CarePoint Health works hard every day to ensure the safety of our patients," said Nizar Kifaieh, chief medical officer for CarePoint Health, the for-profit system which includes Bayonne Medical Center, Chris Hospital in Jersey City and Hoboken Medical Center. "From the doctors and nurses to administrative and support staff, we consider it everyone's responsibility to strive for the highest levels of quality and patient safety.   These three "A" ratings are a validation of that effort."

Virtua President and CEO Richard P. Miller attributed the straight A's his three hospitals in Marlton, Mount Holly and Voorhees earned to the staff's "rigorous" training and monitoring activities.

"This excellent rating is a much deserved recognition of the exceptional care and commitment Virtua physicians and staff provide every single day," Miller said.

Saint Peter's University Hospital in New Brunswick pointed out it was the only hospital in Middlesex County to receive an A, scoring high in "teamwork training and skill building," hand hygiene, and care of the ventilated patient among other measures.

"Our employees deserve enormous credit for this achievement, reaffirming once again that Saint Peter's is among the safest hospitals in New Jersey and in the nation," said Leslie D. Hirsch, president of Saint Peter's Healthcare System. 

 

For more information on the Hospital Safety Score or the grades for specific hospitals visit www.njhcqi.org and www.hospitalsafetyscore.org.

Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

 

Don't miss "The Price Is Right Live!" on Oct. 30 and 31 at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark.

"COME ON DOWN!"

If those three words are magic to your ears, you won't want to miss "The Price Is Right Live!" on Oct. 30 — or its "Spooky Edition" on Oct. 31 — at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark.

Be in the audience for the interactive game show, and/or register for the chance to be a contestant. Contestants play classic "The Price is Right" games, from Plinko to Cliffhangers to The Big Wheel and the fabulous Showcase.

The Oct. 30 event is at 8 p.m., with registration for the opportunity to become a contestant beginning at 5 p.m. The Oct. 31 event is at noon, with contestant registration starting at 9 a.m. Contestants are selected at random from all eligible people who have registered. For a complete list of rules and regulations, click here.

Ticket holders for the "Spooky Edition," who arrive at 11 a.m. in costume, have a chance to win an Apple iPod.

There is no purchase necessary for those who register to try to be contestants, but audience members must purchase tickets, which cost from $39.50 to $59.50. NJPAC is located at 1 Center St. Visit njpac.org.

WHAT'S IN YOUR CABINET?

Get a glimpse of the many kinds of things that New Jersey collectors amass when New Jersey Collects: A Cabinet of Your Curiosities opens today at the Morris Museum in Morristown.

Morris Museum offers "New Jersey Collects: A Cabinet of Your Curiosities." 

These cabinets, which were the start of museums in the mid-16th century, were places for people to display objects that they had collected from around the world. The Morris Museum began as such a cabinet in 1913. It was a repository for artifacts and specimens found throughout the world that were used to help educate children at the Morristown Neighborhood House.

This exhibit is a modern-day Cabinet of Curiosities, featuring the collections of Garden State residents.

The museum is open Tuesdays through Saturdays, from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; and Sundays, from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is $10 for adults; $7 for seniors and children 3 to 12 years old; free for museum members and children younger than 3. Located at 6 Normandy Heights Road, Morristown. Visit morrismuseum.org.

AND MORE ...

• Take a midday break and hear live music performed by visiting artists as part of the Mallery Concert Series at Rutgers University-Camden. Violinist Kinga Augustyn performs today at 12:15 p.m., in the Mallery Room (FA 224). The hourlong concert is free. Located at 314 Linden St., Camden. Visit finearts.camden.rutgers.edu.

• In North Jersey, the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart offers "Wednesdays at Noon" — a series of free half-hour concerts followed by an optional tour of the cathedral. The Rev. Frank Fano, of St. Helen's Church in Westfield, performs today. Located at 89 Ridge St., Newark. Visit cathedralbasilica.org.

• Florida pop-punk journeymen New Found Glory team up with genre-mates Yellowcard for a date tonight at the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville. Doors open at 6:30 p.m. Tickets are $33. Visit starlandballroom.com.

• Who better to celebrate on the eve of Halloween than the master of the macabre? Tales of Edgar Allan Poe will be presented Oct. 30 at 8 p.m. at the Pax Amicus Castle Theatre in Budd Lake. Tickets are $20 for adults; $18 for seniors, 65 and older; and $15 for students, with school ID. Located at 23 Lake Shore Road, Budd Lake. Visit paxamicus.com.

MORE FROM INSIDE JERSEY MAGAZINE

Follow Inside Jersey on Twitter. Find Inside Jersey on Facebook and Google+

At least three members of the Newark School Advisory Board have been hired to positions at City Hall or another public agency since Mayor Ras Baraka took office last year

Though it has retained little to no decision-making power since the state seized control of Newark schools in 1995, the 9-member board has emerged as a prominent voice, vocally opposing controversial decisions such as the "One Newark" open enrollment system and reorganization plan championed by former superintendent Cami Anderson, and the lack of direct input from parents over their children's education.

Mayor Ras Baraka, widely considered a leading voice against state oversight of the schools, backed more than half of the board as members of his annual "Children First" slate, dating back to his tenure as South Ward Councilman.

Since he took office in July 2014, at least three of those have been hired by the city or one of its agencies - including two of the three members he campaigned for in 2015, Marques-Aquil Lewis and Dashay Carter.

Lewis, a minister and community activist who had been working as an enforcement officer for the Newark Parking Authority, was hired in July 2014 for a $54,319 position as a Senior Community Development Specialist, a job essentially equivalent to a mayoral aide.

Despite his close ties to Baraka, however, Lewis defended his political independence by citing his longtime loyalty to public schools and opposition to charter growth throughout his seven years on the board.

"My record speaks for itself. Before I ever worked for the mayor, this was my position," he said. "When people support you they think that that person owns you, but that's false. The mayor supports us because we have our own minds. We're not politically bought by anybody."

Carter, an aviation specialist with the Army Reserves who served as a coordinator for Baraka's campaigns in the city's South Ward, was brought on board as a grants specialist in July 2014, nine months before winning a school board seat in April. She has since taken an $80,000 position as a senior human resources relations manager at the Newark Housing Authority.

She could not be reached for comment.

Advisory Board Chair Ariagna Perello, who was reelected to a second term with Baraka's backing in 2013, was hired as a customer service representative with the Newark Parking Authority in September 2014, earning $33,732.

She stressed that the authority operates independently from City Hall, and said it had no bearing on her political positions.

"I applied, like a regular person. I received a letter of acceptance. I went through the entire process," she said. "There was no kind of deal."

Baraka defended the hires in a statement, noting that Lewis and Perello were already members of the board prior to his becoming mayor, and calling each of the members "independent and strong minded individuals."

"There was never a promise of anything. I understand the cynicism that is centered around politics and the desire to make every move seem nefarious," he said. "We are going to align ourselves with folks that think similarly to us politically, naturally, and those that genuinely want the best for our children."

One other member of the board, Phil Seelinger, is currently employed by the city, earning $61,876 as a member of the Newark Fire Department's community relations division. He has held the position since 2008, according to state pension records.

Brigid Harrison, a professor of political science and law at Montclair State University, said that even in the absence of any intent to influence votes, the hiring of school board members and political allies provided ample fodder for critics.

The impending return of local control, which would gives the board new powers and allow it to leave its advisory status behind, makes each of its decisions all the more impactful, she added.

"Particularly given the tricky history with education, and it being such a key issue in the mayoral campaign, it lends to an appearance of a conflict of interest," she said. "I think that there should be the expectation of very, very serious scrutiny."

Dan Ivers may be reached at divers@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanIversNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

Ex-Newark cop fired over controversial Facebook post is named in a 2010 gender discrimination complaint, according to documents obtained by NJ Advance Media.

Female officer alleges pattern of harassment following 2010 complaint against since-fired police lieutenant. (File photo)

NEWARK -- A former Newark police lieutenant fired last month for his alleged role in a series of Facebook postings that appeared to compare the city's mayor to a gorilla is named in a 2010 gender discrimination complaint by a female city police officer, according to documents obtained by NJ Advance Media.

In an August 2015 tort claim notice, police officer Justine Branham accuses department officials of engaging in a pattern of harassment and retaliation she says began after she filed a discrimination complaint against Lt. Anthony Caruso in 2010.

PREVIOUS: Cop fired over Facebook comments to seek reinstatement

According to the tort claim, Branham in 2010 accused Caruso of changing her daily assignments so as to prevent her from participating in police union activities, the claim says. Adverse changes to her schedule by supervisors friendly with Caruso have continued in the years since, the tort claim documents say.

Caruso's attorney Anthony Iacullo denied the allegations against Caruso referenced in the claim.

"Lt. Caruso never directed any officer, let alone a superior officer, to retaliate or discriminate against anyone," he said in an emailed statement. "Lawsuits are filed against officers for a variety of reasons which are later found to be unsubstantiated or settled by a City or municipality for cost efficiency and anticipated legal fees to defend against an action. That is exactly what occurred previously with respect to this officer's 2010 claim against Lt. Caruso."

Reached via phone, Branham declined to comment on the 2010 claim. Gina Mendola Longarzo, her current attorney, also declined comment, saying she did not represent Branham proceedings relevant to the 2010 claim.

According to Branham's more recent claim, the 2010 complaint was settled. Attempts to obtain records relevant to it were unsuccessful.

Branham is now seeking $2.5 million from the New Jersey Department of Labor over the alleged retaliation she claims began with Caruso, according to the tort claim documents. Caruso has not been named as a defendant in the pending suit.

A spokesman for the City of Newark law department could not be reached for comment. A spokeswoman for the office of Mayor Ras Baraka declined to comment.

Meanwhile, Caruso is seeking to be reinstated to his post. The former cop filed an appeal with the Office of Administrative Law in Newark and the Civil Service Commission following his termination, his lawyer told NJ Advance Media.

"Needless to say, we are extremely disappointed by the aggressive actions taken by the City of Newark and its administration to terminate Lt. Caruso," Iacullo said.

The department launched an investigation into the Facebook postings that led to Caruso's firing in late July, after a member of the public sent police officials a screenshot of the conversation between Caruso and what is believed to be a retired officer.

The retired officer posted a photo of a gorilla captioned, "Lmfao....How's your mayor?"

"Exactly!!!!" Caruso replied, touching off a brief exchange between the two.

Through his lawyer, Caruso has denied the comments referred to Baraka's race.

"Any remarks made during the conversation have absolutely nothing to do with race," Iacullo said in a recent interview. "The people who know Lt. Caruso and the people who serve with him can attest to that fact."

Vernal Coleman can be reached at vcoleman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @vernalcoleman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

An overnight shooting in the city's South Ward left a man killed, authorities confirmed Wednesday.

Authorities discovered the victim near Bergen Street and Hawthorne Avenue. (File photo) 

NEWARK -- An overnight shooting in the city's South Ward left a man killed, authorities confirmed Wednesday.

Police were called to the area of Bergen Street and Hawthorne Ave. at approximately 10:30 p.m, when they found the victim wounded from an apparent gunshot, officials said.

The victim's name has not yet been released by authorities.

Additional details were not immediately available, said Essex County Prosecutor's Office spokeswoman Katherine Carter.

An investigation into the killing is ongoing.

Vernal Coleman can be reached at vcoleman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @vernalcoleman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

The Mall at Short Hills announced a Peanuts theme to this year's holiday attraction.

The ice palace. (Courtesy The Mall at Short Hills)
 

SHORT HILLS -- Can Charlie Brown and Snoopy compete with Elsa and Anna?

Shoppers at the Mall at Short Hills will soon find out. The upscale shopping center announced Wednesday its plans for this year's holiday wonderland attraction. Coming off a crowd-grabbing 'Frozen' movie theme last year, this year's winter wonderland will be Peanuts-themed.

The mall announced Wednesday that its annual "ice palace" - which will run from Nov. 6 through Dec. 24 - will be decked out with scenes and characters from "The Peanuts Movie.". In addition to the 30-foot indoor palace, falling snow, and chance to see Santa, visitors will be able to check out life-size Peanuts graphics, see clips from the movie, and create ice handprints, the mall said.

About an hour into last year's opening day, about 150 people had lined up to see the "Frozen" attraction. That compared to a typical line of 20 or 30, mall representatives said.

Janet Cesario, the mall's marketing and sponsorship director, said in a statement she hopes N.J. families similarly enjoy this year's Peanuts theme.

"These lovable characters are synonymous with the holidays and what better way to bring the, to life than through this memorable experience," she said.

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

 

 

A backyard maze, a two-story terror, a farm of frights and more Watch video

Are you afraid of the dark? 

How about a maniacal clown with blood-stained teeth? A swarming pack of nuns with ghoulish faces? Or maybe a headhunter. Not the kind that finds you a job -- the kind that lobs your skull right off.

We found all this and more in our trip to five different haunted Halloween attractions in New Jersey. 

This year, we asked readers to nominate their favorite haunts. Then we put the nominees to a vote and visited the top five vote-getters.

RELATED: New Jersey's haunted houses: 6 places to find zombies, clowns and chainsaws

Reader picks, spanning five counties in northern, central and southern New Jersey, ranged from a family-friendly backyard maze to a series of elaborate, traditional haunted houses. 

Some haunted houses excel in startling visitors, while others are best at disorienting them, or creating a spellbinding scene. Upon review, it turns out that our top-ranked haunt for 2014 has pulled a repeat performance for 2015. 

Here's the full ranking of our experiences at each haunted attraction, along with details for each location so you can plan your own visit. In the comments, tell us which other haunts you like to visit, and why. 

5. The Stewart family's Halloween Maze, Ridgewood

Nancy and Gregory Stewart have been putting on a Halloween maze in their Bergen County backyard for 21 years. It all started when their youngest son, Tyler, was 4. He asked his parents for an obstacle course, but Gregory had another idea -- a labyrinth constructed of burlap. 

Now 25, Tyler is the one who designs the maze every year at the family's home on Sheridan Terrace in Ridgewood. By day it's a Halloween romp -- by night, a circuitous puzzle haunted by an evil clown (Gregory sometimes plays the part). 

You can find the Stewarts' maze as 'Ridgewood Halloween Maze' on Facebook. (Amy Kuperinsky | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
 

The maze is both free and a safe bet for children. On Halloween night, the line goes all the way up the driveway, the Stewarts say. 

"The maze is definitely harder this year," says Katie Schultz, 11, a neighbor of the Stewarts who estimates she's been to the homegrown attraction "50 times."

But word has traveled beyond the Stewarts' immediate neighborhood -- on the night we visited, a school bus full of children (yes, they took an actual yellow bus to get there) tried the maze as guests of a birthday party. 

The evil clown is pretty much the only detail of the maze that is a little bit scary, though there are plenty of little touches -- like plastic appendages and mechanical emissaries of the undead -- to keep things interesting.

The strongest element, however, is the maze itself. Leave a good 30 to 45 minutes to make it through if you're a first-timer, which should be enough time to conquer all the false doors and repeating pathways.

RELATED: N.J. companies under fire for sexist girls' Halloween costumes

And don't worry, if you (or your child) get lost, the Stewarts are always looking out over the top of the attraction, sending messages with a megaphone. Extractions can and will be done. 

The Stewart family's Halloween maze, at 124 Sheridan Terrace in Ridgewood, is open 4 to 9 p.m. Oct. 28 and 29; 3:30 to 9 p.m. Oct. 30 and noon to 9 p.m. Oct. 31. The maze is closed for the season on Nov. 1; check for updates at facebook.com/RidgewoodHalloweenMaze

4. Devil's Theater, Rahway

This is the inaugural year for Devil's Theater, a haunted house set up in the Union County Performing Arts Center theater in Rahway. And considering all the space Chainsaw Productions -- the Elizabeth-based outfit behind the haunt -- had to fill when designing the scare, the results are commendable. 

One of the many psychotic clowns we encountered during our journey. This one lives at Devil's Theater at the Union County Performing Arts Center in Rahway. (Chainsaw Productions)
 

Big points for making good use of the theater setting in one of the opening scenes. Real-life ghoul actors are interspersed among dummy goons in the audience, and stay dormant in their seats until you walk down the aisles. You move on to a series of dressing rooms where various horrific scenes await, but the best is the room with the priest and nuns. The hollow-faced women go crazy on cue -- moving towards you menacingly as the priest chants something sinister-sounding. 

RELATED: Halloween costumes 2015: From Ant-Man suits to Donald Trump wigs

This haunted theater directs you through stairwells and back out to the lobby, but not before some close encounters with a bear-headed man and an usher of the undead. Not a long haunt, but definitely one that can claim some theatric originality. 

Devil's Theater is at the Union County Performing Arts Center, 1601 Irving St. in Rahway, open 7:30 p.m. to 11:30 p.m. Oct. 29 through 31 and 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Nov. 1. Admission $22; visit devilstheater.com

3. Night of Terror at Creamy Acres, Mullica Hill

By day, Creamy Acres is a dairy farm in pastoral Mullica Hill, in Harrison Township, Gloucester County. By night, it's Night of Terror, a six-ring circus of haunted happenings celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. If you want variety in your haunts, this is the place to be.

"We put our heart and soul into it," says owner Ron Ambruster, who first brought haunts to the farm in 1995.

Maybe someone in your group is scared by growling zombies; maybe someone else can't tolerate a pitch-black hallway. Or maybe you just appreciate a really well-designed scene. You can cover it all in one evening (though in that case, you should probably plan to arrive early, since the lines fill up quick).

Outside Head Hunters, a new attraction at Night of Terror in Mullica Hill. (Brandy Speas/Night of Terror)
 

New for 2015 is a haunt called Head Hunters, which revolves around the Indigo tribe and the threat of -- yes -- the removal of one's head. There's tribal music, a scenic walkway over water, a witch doctor and numerous headhunters -- the last of whom carries a menacing (human?) bone. There's also Dark Dreams, a haunted house with the look of an actual house, and plenty of hallways without any whisper of light. You'll inexplicably emerge from this haunt with bubbles on your shoes, thanks to an explosion of suds.

RELATED: Halloween 2015: An epic guide to N.J.'s trick-or-treating, parades and more

Old standbys at Night of Terror include Zombie Mayhem, Slaughter Cave -- where "the tunnels echo with deafening screams" and the walls are "wet and warm with blood" -- the Ride of Terror hayride, Cornfield Maze, and the Haunted Paintball Ride, where you can pelt moving zombie targets to your heart's delight. 

Night of Terror is at Creamy Acres Farm, 448 Lincoln Mill Road in Mullica Hill. Open 6 to 9 p.m. Oct. 29 through 31. Combo VIP passes that include paintball are $75; general Night of Terror admission $30. VIP Night of Terror admission $60. Call 856-223-1669 or visit nightofterror.com

2. Haunted Scarehouse, Wharton

Billed as "two floors of fear," Morris County's Haunted Scarehouse starts with a story about the mysterious Hayden family. The tale is told by a scientist in his time-machine lab as you wait to enter the haunt. You're transported to 1971, after a hurricane has apparently laid waste to the Hayden home.

The dragon-in-residence at Haunted Scarehouse in Wharton. (Haunted Scarehouse)
 

The origin story -- and the method of delivery -- is as random as it gets, though all that is forgotten as soon as you encounter a menagerie of startling creatures, including a dragon that pops out of a wall, an E.T.-like figure and the front bumper of a honking car that comes at you as an accident victim emerges. Extra points for the moving floor.

A second floor, the "attic," is supposed to be hell. There's a schoolroom fronted by a spectral teacher, where a decrepit student shadows you. "Can I join your group?" he asks. For those who like a bit of a challenge with their haunt, new this year at Haunted Scarehouse is a room escape game version of the Hayden story called "Trapped." 

Haunted Scarehouse is at 105 W. Dewey Ave. in Wharton. Admission $25; "R.I.P." VIP admission $40. Open 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Oct. 29, 7 p.m. to 11 p.m. Oct. 30 and 31 and 7 to 10 p.m. Nov. 1. Both Oct. 29 and Nov. 1 are "touch nights," during which customers allow actors to touch them. Nov. 1 is also "lights off night," when customers are given one flashlight to navigate a completely darkened haunted house. Call 862-244-4454 or visit hauntedscarehouse.com

1. Bane Haunted House, Livingston

Having visited this haunt in 2014, there was much that felt familiar -- namely the showstopper of a finale, a claustrophobic, spin-you-around gag that is repeated from last year.

Even so, BulletProof Productions' Bane remains the most disorienting haunt of the bunch we saw. Each visitor is separated from their haunted house partner pretty much upon entry (only two people are allowed in at a time), and while you may reunite several times during the haunt, part of the power of this attraction is derived from the feeling of facing the demons alone.

Prepare to slide, crawl and shimmy at Bane in Livingston. (Bane Haunted House)
 

There are no automated ghouls -- everyone is a real, live/dead actor. But it's the scenery that is the most imposing -- expect to push through impossible crevices, to careen down a slide into darkness and to navigate a jungle of obstacles at every turn. It's a true sensory experience for those who want to be completely immersed in a haunt. 

If you haven't pre-purchased a ticket, you can expect to wait a very long time to even get inside (where, on crowded nights, there's yet another line). Organizers say to be prepared to stand around for two-plus hours.  

RELATED: N.J. town named No. 3 place to trick-or-treat in the U.S.

So it's best to buy a ticket before you get to Bane, which will allow you to skip the outside line and go straight to the inside line. As with many of the haunts we visited, VIP tickets are available for this one. This type of entry, while expensive, allows you to completely bypass the longest lines. 

If you manage to visit when the place is empty -- last year, a late-Sunday night visit netted us no crowd; this year, going earlier proved to be a bad choice -- all the better, since the scare will seem more authentic when you can't hear anyone else screaming. Most haunts are rife with booms and bangs, but well-timed silence can often provoke the deadliest fright. 

Bane Haunted House is at 630 W. Mount Pleasant Ave. in Livingston. Open 7 p.m. to 9 p.m. Oct. 28; 7 to 10 p.m. Oct. 29; 7 to 11 p.m. Oct. 30 and 31; "happily haunted" (lights on) option for children 3 to 5 p.m. Oct. 31; "lights out" haunted house 7 to 10 p.m. Nov. 1. General admission $24; VIP $38; "happily haunted" $8. Call 973-369-7677 or visit banehauntedhouse.com

Two alleged local members of a notorious street gang have admitted to participating in conspiracies to sell narcotics, authorities say.

Tauheed Satchell (Essex County Corrections)

NEWARK -- Two alleged members of a notorious street gang have admitted to participating in conspiracies to sell narcotics, federal authorities said Tuesday.

Larry Coleman, 28, of Newark, pleaded guilty to charges he conspired with others to sell heroin throughout the city, said a spokesperson for the office of Paul Fishman, U.S. Attorney for the District of New Jersey.

Coleman admitted that from December 2014 through May 2015, he conspired with others to distribute 20 bricks of heroin, authorities said.

Tauheed Satchell, 26, also of Newark, admitted to participating in a conspiracy to sell crack cocaine, authorities said. Satchell also admitted to charges that he was found in possession of an illegal weapon.

Both men were arrested as part of a long-running investigation by federal, state and local law enforcement authorities of local members of the Los Angeles-based Grape Street Crips. 

MORE: Crips drug gang used social media to scare rivals

Using phone-taps and various other means to investigate the group's alleged activities, investigators arrested and charged 50 alleged members and associates of the gang on charges of drug-trafficking, physical assaults and witness intimidation, court records indicate.

Satchell was arrested in May, along with dozens of other alleged members of the gang. According to court documents, Satchell on multiple occasions allegedly purchased "distribution" amounts of crack cocaine from others involved in the conspiracy.

Authorities ultimately accused him of intending to distribute approximately 28 grams of crack cocaine in and around Newark, according to court documents.

Investigators confiscated several illegal firearms found in the possession of the alleged participants in the conspiracy, according to court documents. On March 19, 2014, Satchell was observed by investigators attempting to hide a 280-caliber pistol at a Newark residence, the documents say.

Coleman now faces a maximum potential penalty of 20 years in prison and $1 million fine, authorities said.

After opting to plead guilty, Satchell is facing a mandatory minimum of five years in prison, along with a maximum potential sentence of 40 years in prison and $5 million fine.

Sentencing hearings for Coleman and Satchell are set for Feb. 16 and Feb. 1, 2016, respectively.

Vernal Coleman can be reached at vcoleman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @vernalcoleman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

The department and the FBI had been searching for James Glenn, 59, after identifying him as the suspect last week.

UNION -- The serial bank robber behind three recent robberies in Union and two others in Essex County was found and arrested Tuesday night, Union Police said Wednesday.

The department and the FBI had been searching for James Glenn, 59, after identifying him as the suspect last week.

On Tuesday night, detectives received a tip that Glenn was staying at a motel in Elizabeth, according to police.

Union Police said eight officers responded to the Airport Hotel Inn at 853 Spring Street in Elizabeth. The officers determined that there were multiple occupants in the room, but no one would answer the door, police said. They said the officers later entered the room and arrested Glenn, who was found hiding in the bathroom.

RELATED: Have you seen this man? He's a serial bank robber, the FBI says

Glenn surrendered and was arrested without incident, according to police. Police said he was sharing the room with another man, Jeffrey Myers from East Orange.

Glenn is charged with three bank robberies in Union: on Aug. 28 and Sept. 28 at the Connect One Bank at 356 Chestnut Street and on Oct. 16 at the Santander Bank at 324 Chestnut Street.

Myers was also arrested for obstruction of the investigation. He was interviewed and later released after police determined he was not involved in the bank robberies.

Glenn is being held at Union Police Headquarters pending transfer to the Union County Jail. Bail has yet to have been set.

Police said the department is coordinating their investigation with the FBI and other police agencies.

Detective Lieutenant Robert Perez and Sergeant Victor Correia, plus Detectives Patrick Bradley, Anthony Lagoa and Matt Sakala, and Street Crimes Unit Officers Kurt Carter, Rob Kiselow and Mike Theissen were involved in the arrest, police said.

The bank robberies are being investigated by Detectives Ken Gruener and Patrick Bradley. If anyone has any information, please contact the Union Police Department Detective Bureau at 908-851-5030.

MORE UNION COUNTY NEWS

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

Bloomfield Board of Education member Kent Weisert was running unopposed.

Bloomfield Board of Education member Kent Weisert was running unopposed. File photo of Bloomfield High School. (Jessica Mazzola | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
 

BLOOMFIELD -- A member of the board of education who was planning to seek reelection next week has died, school officials confirmed.

Kent Weisert, a one-term member of the Bloomfield Board of Education, died last week, officials said. According to Weisert's obituary, he was 66.

Weisert was seeking reelection, along with other incumbent board members Daniel Anderson and Ruth Hidalgo. The race was unopposed. School and county officials confirmed that Weisert's name will remain on the ballot.

According to a representative from the Essex County Clerk's Office, the board of education will likely appoint someone to fill the position through next November, when an election for the two years remaining on the term can be held.

PLUS: Complete N.J. election coverage

Weisert was a graduate of Rutgers, and a labor and employment lawyer, his obituary says. He had lived in the same house in Bloomfield for his entire life, it says.

In a Patch.com interview about the 2012 school board election, Weisert said he wanted to serve on the board as a way to give back to a community he loved.

"I received a first rate education in Bloomfield," he said in the interview. "I want to contribute to continuing this fine tradition for our children currently in the school system and in the future."

A memorial service for Weisert will be held at the First Presbyterian Church of Rutherford at 10 a.m. on Thursday.

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

 

Great Oaks Charter School recently opened its high school building on Crawford Street in the Central Ward, at the former home of the Marion P. Thomas Charter School

NEWARK -- Since Nigeroll Echols started the seventh grade at Great Oaks Charter School, he's had 19 teachers, five tutors and two principals. Over that time, the school called no fewer than four buildings home.

Now a high school junior, Echols can be sure future classes won't need to follow the same nomadic path.

Great Oaks held a ribbon cutting ceremony Wednesday for its new high school building on Crawford Street, which most recently housed the Marion P. Thomas Charter School.

For students and employees alike, the event marked the end of a lengthy road to permanence.

"We're finally in our own space, and I couldn't be happier about it," said math teacher Juanita Greene.

The school traces its beginnings back to 2011, when it opened with about 100 sixth and seventh graders in an aging downtown building. A full middle school opened at Teacher's Village on Halsey Street in 2013, and the newly leased facility will serve as a full high school for its 231 students in grades 9-12.

While the building represents a new beginning for the school, its opening comes amid renewed controversy over the relationship between charters and their traditional public counterparts in Newark.

Recent announcements that the KIPP charter network plans to open as many as five additional TEAM facilities and the Central Planning Board's decision to allow the construction of a six-story NorthStar Academy at a former Star-Ledger property have angered many parents and advocates who claim the growth of charters further siphon sorely needed resources from public schools.

New charters lure students, and most of the per-pupil state funding that accompanies them, away from district schools. The district keeps 10 percent of the state dollars to cover administrative costs, transportation and other considerations, though public school advocates say the shifts have created a persistent budget deficit and continuously poor conditions.

While Great Oaks' has no further plans for new buildings or to enroll new students beyond the roughly 540 it expects to serve next school year, Executive Director Jared Taillefer said he understands the perception of inequity between the two systems.

"I would say there is inequity, but it brings flexibility to allow us to try something that works," he said.

Those differences were on prominent display at Wednesday's ribbon cutting, where students sung the praises of tutors who provide them with two hours of individualized teaching each day, and rattled off extracurricular activities that included everything from step teams to a tea tasting club.

Among them was Nisly Baez, who said she was "falling behind" when she arrived at Great Oaks, but is now taking classes like pre-calculus, running for senior class president and filling her afternoons with basketball practice and meetings of the tea tasting club.

"I have come a long way," she said.

Taillefer said those options were not the result of more funding, but simply an educational model that would likely not be available to public school students due to union contracts and other red tape. For example, class sizes at Great Oaks often exceed 30 students --something administrators are willing to concede in order to employ more tutors.

"We're creating an innovative model. What we should be doing (with public schools) is sharing best practices," he said. "I think there's a lot of political fray at the top that sadly is getting a lot of parents and families caught up...we've got to find a middle ground to work together."

Dan Ivers may be reached at divers@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanIversNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

A series of surveillance operations on Tuesday led to the arrests, authorities said

NEWARK - A total of six men were arrested on various drug charges during a series of operations by the Essex County Sheriff's Office on Tuesday, authorities said.

According to Sheriff Armando Fontoura, the arrests came during four separate investigations by his Bureau of Narcotics, beginning in the early morning hours, when plainclothes officers watched 46-year-old Dwight Davis pull up at the corner of South 16^th Street and 15^th Avenue in Newark.

Davis allegedly exchanged cash for a small plastic bag with another man, who took Davis' keys and drove off in his silver SUV.

Fountora said Davis then "furtively scanned the location" before taking inventory of the bag. Detectives moved in to seize it, and arrested Davis after finding 103 envelopes of heroin stamped 'TURN UP' inside.

Another operation led to a series of arrests at noon, when undercover officers watched Andre Francis and Bernard White, both 37-year-old Newark residents, loitering in the area of South 15^th Street and 14^th Avenue.

They were approached on foot by a man who handed over cash for an item stashed down a nearby alley, Fontoura said.

Detectives followed the man as he left, and discovered the item he had purchased was heroin. They returned to the scene to arrest Francis and White, and found another 57 decks of the drug stashed inside a cigarette box in the alley, according to the sheriff.

The arrests continued around 5 p.m., when 23-year-old Aljamar Dickerson was allegedly caught selling a single envelope of heroin to a man in a pickup truck near the intersection of South 19^th Street and Avon Avenue.

Officers seized the drug from the buyer, and returned to the corner to arrest Dickerson. He attempted to flee on foot, according to Fontoura, but was eventually caught along with 44 decks of heroin.

The final bust came later that evening, when Jahquill Turner of Newark and Laquan Martin of Irvington were observed making a cash transaction with a passerby on Frelinghusen Avenue, Fontoura said.

Officers moved in, and a search of both men allegedly led to the seizure of 82 plastic bags of 'crack' cocaine and Martin was found to possess 2 methamphetamine-filled capsules.

All six suspects were charged with various drug distribution and possession offenses, and Dickerson was charged with resisting arrest. They were arraigned in Essex County Superior Court Wednesday morning and ordered held on bonds ranging from $30,000 to $75,000.

The two buyers were issued summonses to appear in court.

Dan Ivers may be reached at divers@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanIversNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Democratic members of the New Jersey congressional delegation are supporting new gun control efforts.

WASHINGTON -- A spate of mass shootings has led to a spike in efforts by congressional Democrats to enact new gun control legislation.

U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) joined 12 colleagues on Wednesday in proposing legislation to tighten background checks for gun purchasers. U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.) attended a separate press conference earlier this month as Senate Democrats offered several gun safety proposals. At the same time, three U.S. House members from New Jersey were among those asking the White House to use its own authority to limit criminals' access to firearms. 

The Democratic efforts followed a series of mass shootings. In recent months, nine people were killed at an Oregon community college in October; five at two military locations in Chattanooga, Tenn. in July; and nine at a church in South Carolina in June.

RELATED: N.J. church rallies in prayer in first service after South Carolina shooting

"First, it is important election issue," said Julian Zelizer, a professor of history and public affairs at Princeton University. "Much of the country wants this so there is value in Democrats showing they favor control and in showing that Republicans in Congress don't. Second, it is simply about continuing to build pressure, create coalitions and be prepared for moment when a window does arrive."

The Senate bill presented Wednesday would not allow someone to buy a gun from a licensed dealer until a background check is completed. Currently, a dealer can go ahead with the transaction unless told otherwise within three business days. Among the gun buyers who obtained a weapon because the gun dealer was not notified within the allotted time: Dylann Roof, accused of killing nine worshippers in a black church in Charleston, S.C., in June.

"The tragic event in Charleston took place 64 days after the federal background check was run," said Lars Dalseide, a spokesman for the National Rifle Association, the powerful gun rights lobby. "The problem was a lack of communication between federal and state agencies and not the amount of time that passed."

Dalseide said the senators "should focus on solving those problems instead of using a tragedy to attack the constitutional rights of law-abiding citizens."

When Democrats controlled the Senate in 2013, they failed to overcome a Republican-led filibuster and advance legislation to also require background checks for sales at gun shows and over the Internet, despite the killing of 20 elementary school students just months earlier in Newtown, Conn. Republicans now control both houses of Congress, making it unlikely any gun legislation will come up for a vote.

Other proposals by Senate Democrats include requiring background checks for online and gun show purchases, and passing a federal law prohibiting someone from buying a gun and giving it someone who could not legally purchase the weapon.

Separately, U.S. Reps. Donald Payne Jr. (D-10th Dist.), Albio Sires (D-8th Dist.) and Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-12th Dist.) joined three dozen of their House Democratic colleagues in asking President Obama's administration to look at what it can do without congressional approval "to address the epidemic of gun violence that continues to profoundly impact communities of color," including "stronger enforcement efforts directed at the relatively small number of dishonest dealers who sell the vast majority of firearms used in crimes."

They made their request in a letter to U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch.

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.