Michael Conway stole more than $4.5 million from an individual investor and a financing company

A Verona man who admitted he forged the signature of Mets chief operating officer Jeff Wilpon and others as part of an office furniture leasing scheme was sentenced to four years in prison on Wednesday.

Michael Conway, 41, previously pleaded guilty to wire fraud for stealing more than $4.5 million from a financing company and an individual investor.

Conway admitted to creating fake lease agreements indicating that Choice Office Solutions LLC, where he is president, had lucrative contracts with more than 50 companies to lease office equipment.

The sentence was announced by the U.S. Attorney's Office for the Eastern District of New York in a news release.

Conway showed the investor leases from approximately 58 companies, including law firms, universities, hospitals and hotels. That person then paid Conway approximately $3.1 million to purchase office equipment.

Conway allegedly forged Wilpon's signature on one of the phony authorization letters. Conway then used that letter to try to obtain financing from De Lage Landen Financial Solutions Partner, according to officials.

On one of the letters, Conway misspelled Wilpon's first name as "Jeffery," according to Reuters. 

He ran the scam from April 2014 through August 2015.

Conway was also ordered to pay restitution -- $3,555,493.40 to the individual investor and $1,203,516 to DLLFSP. Reuters identified the investor as David Rich.

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

Azim Brogsdale is alleged to have shot and killed Khalil Williams during a robbery in Irvington in February 2012.

NEWARK -- There won't be talk of DNA in Azim Brogsdale's murder trial, Assistant Essex County Prosecutor Justin Edwab told the jury Wednesday. 

While a ballistics expert and a medical examiner are expected to testify about the gunshot that claimed Khalil Williams' life, Edwab said jurors' decisions will ultimately come down to testimony from witnesses -- including one of Brogsdale's alleged co-conspirators.

"This is an identification case," the prosecutor said during opening arguments in Judge Alfonse J. Cifelli's Newark courtroom.

Brogsdale, 21, is charged with first-degree murder, among other charges, under an indictment for the Feb. 17, 2012 slaying of Williams, 16, during an armed robbery near the intersection of Orange Avenue and Orange Place in Irvington.

Williams was one of four teenagers allegedly cornered that night by Brogsdale and another man, who ordered the teens to empty their pockets at gunpoint. 

When one of the teens started to back away, Marquise Hawkins, who had accompanied the men to the scene in a waiting vehicle, ordered the men to "get the one in the yellow jacket."

Authorities have said the two men then opened fire with handguns they were carrying, striking Williams. 

Hawkins was convicted at trial before Cifelli in March 2015, and sentenced to 55 years in prison.

Irvington Police Officer Tonya Marino, who was on patrol in the area the night of the shooting, testified Wednesday she received a call around 10:34 p.m. of shots fired near the intersection.

As she approached the scene, she said, people tried to flag her down. "They were telling me a man was down, so I radioed it in," she told the court.

Marino said she found Williams lying face up with a gunshot wound to his chest. "I unzipped his jacket to check for a pulse," she said. She found a faint one.

Williams was taken to University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 11:07 p.m., she said.

Davon Arrington, who was 16 at the time of the crime, testified he was one of the three other teenagers walking with Williams that night when the two men approached them from a car parked on Orange Place.

Arrington, who told the court Williams was a "very close friend," said he took off running after the two men opened fire. When he came back a short while later, he said, the men were gone, but Williams was still there, on the ground.

Defense attorney Raymond Beam Jr., who told the jury in openings that "some of those (prosecution) witnesses won't tell the truth," grilled Arrington over what he said were inconsistencies in his statements to police and those made in court.

After Arrington, pointing, identified Brogsdale in court as one of the shooters, Beam asked him why he had given a very different description of his assailants to police just hours after the shooting, before picking Brogsdale's photo during another interview with investigators that March.

"Everything was so shocking," Arrington testified, saying he wasn't thinking about the questions the first officer who interviewed him was asking.

Edwab said Haroon Perry, who he said drove Williams' killers to the scene of the robbery, will testify later in the trial to Brogsdale's role in the conspiracy behind the crime.

Man gets 48 years in prison for Irvington slaying

Perry has since taken a plea deal with prosecutors, according to Beam, who in opening arguments portrayed the man as a less than credible witness.

"He had to minimize his own role in the case to get the best deal he could get," Beam said, explaining Perry will likely see 17 to 20 years in prison, instead of the rest of his life behind bars.

The trial will continue at 9 a.m. Thursday. 

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

The girls basketball NJ.com Top 20 for Jan. 12

The new regulations target nepotism, high salaries, luxury cars and other spending at private schools that educate students with autism and severe disabilities at the expense of New Jersey taxpayers.

TRENTON -- State officials are proposing new rules to crack down on spending, high salaries, luxury cars and nepotism at New Jersey private schools that educate students with disabilities at taxpayers' expense.

The new regulations were discussed last week at the state Board of Education meeting in Trenton, where several private school officials addressed the board to say the changes were unnecessary and would hurt some of the state's most vulnerable students.

"To say that our members are frustrated and deeply disappointed is an understatement," said Gerard Thiers, executive director of ASAH, an association representing the private schools.

There are 159 approved private schools for students with disabilities teaching about 9,900 students statewide, state education officials said. Many of schools teach K-12 students with autism, severe physical or mental disabilities or other learning or behavior challenges that public schools are unable to handle.

Some N.J. private schools cashing in on taxpayers

The proposed rule changes come more than three years after an investigation by The Star-Ledger found many of the private schools spend taxpayer money in a way that would never be tolerated in public schools.

The newspaper's review of 8,000 pages of financial audits from private schools found some school directors were paid more than $225,000 a year. Some school officials were driving luxury vehicles - including BMW, Lexus and Mercedes cars - charged in part to taxpayers.

The report also found nearly one-fifth of the schools had instances of nepotism, including cases were multiple relatives held high-paid administrative positions or the schools did business with food, bus rental or other companies controlled by family members or associates.

Under New Jersey's current system, public school districts can pay the approved private schools to take students they are not equipped to teach. The school districts pay an average tuition of $65,000 per student in taxpayer funds to the private schools each year, state officials said.  

The revised regulations would cap salaries for the private school employees, limit the amount of money schools could charge for food and travel and set new rules for when school officials can get cars funded by taxpayers.

The state will also require private schools, which are often small and family owned, to disclose when relatives are working at or doing business with the school.

"It's a disclosure. It's not a prohibition," Kevin Dehmer, chief financial officer for the state Department of Education, told the state Board of Education last week. "What we're trying to prevent is bringing in a family member and paying them double a similarly compensated person in the school."

Among the regulation changes proposed by the state:

• The private schools must disclose when relatives work for the institution or when they do business with "related parties." Schools also must develop a nepotism policy similar to those in public school districts.
• The maximum allowed salaries for employees at the private schools will be frozen for seven years. Under the current system, the maximum salaries are based on the top salaries in the state or the country, depending on job title.
• The maximum travel budget for a school will be $20,000 a year. That includes money for sending teachers to conferences and training sessions.
• The maximum percentage of a student's tuition used to cover administrative costs would be lowered from 25 percent to 22.5 percent in 2021.
• Limits will be placed on how much taxpayer money can be used to pay sick benefits, administrative positions, retirement pay and student meals.

State officials said the new regulations would create more transparency and place reasonable limits on how taxpayer money is spent at the private schools.

Bruce Ettinger, executive director of Spectrum360, was among the private school officials who asked the state board to reject the new rules at the board's Jan. 4 meeting.

"You need to realize there's some serious consequences," said Ettinger, whose school has locations in Livingston and Verona serving students with autism and other severe disabilities.

Ettinger objected to the proposed salary caps in the new regulations. Spectrum360 is already struggling to hire occupational therapists and physical therapists under the current cap of $72 and $74 an hour.

The school often has to pay specialists more than the cap because of the severe disabilities of its students, Ettinger said. He cited a case where he had to pay a specialist $135 an hour to work with a student who had severe problems swallowing.

The new limits on the school's travel budget would also make it difficult to send staff to conference and specialized training sessions annually. Other private school officials echoed his concerns, saying students with the most severe disabilities will not get the services they need.

"This is hurtful to the children. This needs to be looked at. It's unrealistic. It doesn't apply to public schools. You have to be able to competitively get the specialists you need," Ettinger said.

ASAH, the non-profit group representing the private schools, is asking the families of students with disabilities to write to the state Board of Education or come to the Feb. 1 board meeting to speak out against the proposed regulations.

The state Board of Education has not scheduled a vote on the new rules.

Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KellyHeyboer. Find her at KellyHeyboerReporter on Facebook.

City resident needs medication, police say.

Bennie Williams (Photo: Dept. of Public Safety) 

NEWARK -- Police are seeking the public's help to find a missing 66-year-old Newark man, who they said has the early signs of dementia and takes medication.

Bennie Williams, a city resident, was last seen Tuesday around 12:15 p.m. near Schley Street and Hawthorne Avenue in Newark, according to authorities.

Williams weighs 195 pounds, is 5-foot-9 with black hair, and was last seen wearing a black hooded jacket, black boots and blue jeans, police said.

In a statement, Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose urged anyone with information to contact the police division's 24-hour tip line at 1-877-NWK-TIPS (1-877-695-8477) or 1-877-NWK-GUNS (1-877-695-4867). Authorities said tips could lead to a reward and are kept confidential.

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

Chlorine levels were too low more in more than 5 percent of samples tested between June and October last year

BELLEVILLE -- The water in Belleville wasn't adequately chlorinated for part of last year and township officials suggest anyone with a weakened immune system to see a doctor.

Water samples tested between June and October showed that disinfectant residual was undetectable more than 5 percent of the time, according to a notice posted on the township website.

The standard is that disinfectant may be undetectable in no more than 5 percent of samples each month for two months in a row. Disinfectant residual is the amount of chlorine or related disinfectant present in the pipes of the distribution system, the notice said. If the amount of disinfectant is too low, organisms could grow in the pipes.

Officials cautioned that there is no emergency or residents would have been notified within 24 hours of the discovery. There is also no need to boil water.

Infants, pregnant women and the elderly might also be at risk.

Belleville gets its water from the Newark Water Department, but no similar notice was issued there.

Disinfectant residual levels have improved since November, officials said.

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

Demetrius Lee, 33, of Newark, faces two indictments, including attempted murder counts, in two separate incidents in New Brunswick

NEW BRUNSWICK -- A Newark man accused of running down a woman with a car in New Brunswick and shooting two people in the same intersection weeks later has been indicted on multiple charges including attempted murder.

Middlesex County Superior Court file photo.File photo

Demetrius Lee, 33, was arrested in August three days after he opened fire on a 23-year-old woman and a 43-year-old man at Throop Avenue and Delavan Street, authorities have said. The man was critically injured and both were hospitalized.

Two weeks earlier on Aug. 9, Lee ran over a 37-year-old woman with a vehicle at the same spot, Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew Carey said. The woman was not seriously injured.

Authorities said the two incident were not connected.

When Lee was arrested on Aug. 25 in New Brunswick, he had a stolen .40 caliber Smith & Wesson semi-automatic in his car, authorities said. Police do not believe that gun was the one used in the shooting, but Lee's prior conviction prohibits him from carrying a firearm, according to the prosecutor's office.

Lee faces counts of attempted murder, aggravated assault and weapons charges in the indictment filed last week.

Ayesha White was also named in the indictment on one count of hindering another's arrest, according to the court documents. 

Lee is being held in the Middlesex County jail on $500,000 bail, corrections officials said.

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

Who are the most highly-recruited football prospects in New Jersey as we move into the 2018 recruiting cycle? Find out inside.

NJ Advance Media presents the Jan. 12 update of the NJ.com Top 50, a ranking of the top 50 high school football recruits in New Jersey. Although the list encompasses the state's most highly-recruited prospects, grades 9 through 12, it is not specifically a list of the state’s top players, as that distinction is better reflected in our all-state and all-group teams, released in December of each year.

With so many talented players competing for just 50 slots, there is always a ton of competition for each and every spot. There is usually a good amount of movement in the year-end installation as on-field production and achievements play a factor in separating recruits clumped together throughout certain areas of the list, as well as breaking ties.

See below for a complete explanation of how we derived our selections. And click through the gallery above for updated photos of members of the NJ.com Top 50.

Breaking down the top 5

It's a senior affair as upperclassmen boast the top five spots in the 2016-17 season-ending NJ.com Top 50. This is the last hurrah for the 2017 class as they will be removed from the list moving forward, allowing the state's top underclassmen to fill the void vacated by college football's soon-to-be freshmen.

But the following seniors have truly left their mark and established themselves as a handful of the country's truly elite recruits.

Micah Clark — a 6-5, 270-pound four-star offensive tackle — led St. John Vianney (Holmdel, N.J.) the to a 10-1 record and berth in the Non-public Group 3 semifinals, where the Lancers fell to N.J.'s eventual team of the year, the St. Joseph (Mont.) Green Knights.

Clark set a firm edge, protecting both a pro-style and a dual-threat quarterback and pancaking opposition from his right tackle post throughout his senior campaign. He also displayed versatility in his situational defensive tackle role, accumulating 49 tackles, two sacks and two forced fumbles, while drawing double and triple teams, allowing fellow defenders to make plays.

His contributions earned him a first-team all-state selection and the distinction of the Shore's top offensive lineman. But best of all, it enabled him retain the top spot in the NJ.com Top 50, despite a number of strong performances by elite company throughout the state.

Also an explosive volleyball player, Clark went from the gridiron to the wrestling mat, although forced to cut short his season — currently 5-1 — as he's already signed his Big Ten letter and will ascend to Rutgers on Jan. 15 as an early enrollee.

"It's a dream come true just to see everyone support me through this process. I couldn't have asked for a better family than my SJV family and my own family and everyone coming out to support me," Clark said. "Just going to Rutgers on constant visits, getting a feel for the coaches and the players and really getting to connect with them and building that family bond. And with the fans of Rutgers, they really did it, too."

Paramus (N.J.) Catholic linebacker Drew Singleton — the state's top player two quarters ago — held on to the No. 2 spot despite missing all but one game in 2016 due to a torn ACL. But instead of holding his head, the four-star Michigan commit flourished in his leadership role and showed great determination to return to the field prior to the season's end. Although he'd never again play an active on-field role for the Paladins, the inspiration he provided played a role in PC attaining the 2016 Non-public Group 4 crown — defeating St. Peter's Prep 33-28 in the final — just one season after the team missed the playoffs altogether.

Meanwhile, The Hun's (Princeton, N.J.) Fred Hansard whipped himself back into shape and barely left the field in 2016. Now standing 6-3 and 305-pounds, the disruptive defensive tackle returned to his dominant ways after playing valiantly through injury as junior. Hansard accumulated 51 total tackles, 14 tackles for loss, 8.5 sacks, three forced fumbles and two fumble recoveries en rout to his third consecutive first-team All-Mid Atlantic Prep League selection, third consecutive MAPL title and second straight undefeated season. Also a Times of Trenton all-defense selection, Hansard further showcased his athleticism by running for a touchdown against rival Peddie School. Hansard, who flipped from Florida to Penn State since the last top 50 reshuffle, was also voted MAPL Defensive Player of the Year.

Cedar Creek's (Egg Harbor City, N.J.) Bo Melton fought through an injury-plagued start to the season to produce one of the stronger finishes the state has seen from a skill player over the years. The four-star and first-team all-state selection will leave for Rutgers this summer, coming off a campaign in which he led his team to a 10-2 record and  South Group 2 finals berth, where his team fell to West Deptford, 19-13. In 2016, the 6-1, 185-pounder caught 51 passes for 766 yards and nine receiving TDs to go along with 451 rushing yard and seven scores on the ground, leaving a strong legacy at Creek, which just began its program in 2011.

Rounding out the top five is 6-3, 205-pound athlete Markquese Bell who recently committed to Maryland during the 2017 Under Armour All-American game (which he participated in). After choosing to remain at Bridgeton his senior year, despite having an offer to transfer to IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.), Bell ended up a second-team all-state selection in 2016, accumulating 885 rushing yards and 7 rushing TDs, 210 passing yards and two passing TDs (5 INTs), 44 receiving yards, 76 tackles (three for loss), two INTs, one forced fumble, three pass break-ups and a 96-yard kickoff return TD in 10 games in which the Bulldogs went 2-8. Bell projects to a number of positions on bot sides of the ball, and although a bit raw, projects to play on Sundays.

Breakdown by position

There are six quarterbacks, four running backs, eight wide receivers, no tight ends, nine offensive linemen, nine defensive linemen, seven linebackers, six defensive backs and one athlete on the list.

FBS breakdown

There are 29 players on the list currently committed to FBS schools. The Big Ten leads the way with 16 players committed to schools within the conference.

From the collegiate level, Rutgers leads the way with the most selections overall, as 10 players on the list have committed to the school. Penn State, Pitt and Boston College boast three commitments, apiece. Meanwhile, Notre Dame has two commitments in the Ademilola twins.

High school breakdown

St. Peter's Prep and Peddie School lead the way with five selections apiece, while St. Joseph (Mont.) has four. And Don Bosco Prep has three, while Bergen Catholic, Paramus Catholic, Cedar Creek and Mater Dei boast two, apiece.

Class breakdown

The list is composed of 32 seniors, 16 juniors and two sophomores.

The next 10 (in no particular order)...

PG-Sr. T.J. Rayam, DT, Peddie; Sr. Marcus Valdez, DE, Don Bosco; Sr. Zach Feagles, P, Ridgewood; Jr. Elijah McAllister, TE, Rumson-Fair Haven; Jr. Vinny DePalma, LB, DePaul; Jr. Evan Stewart, S, St. Joseph (Mont.);  Jr. Tajadin Harris, WR, Palmyra; Jr. Matt Alaimo, TE, St. Joseph (Mont.); So. Joshua McKenzie, RB, Bergen Catholic; Fr. Jalen Berger, RB, Don Bosco

Honorable mention

PG Sr. Ryan Van DeMark, OT, The Hun; Sr. Liam Fornadel, OL, Don Bosco; Sr. Pete Nestrowitz, OL, Paramus Catholic; Sr. Javon Turner, WR, Paramus Catholic; Sr. Brendan Devera, LB, Wayne Hills; Sr. Jordan Scott, ATH, St. Joseph (Mont.); Sr. Devin Miller, TE, Metuchen; Sr. Rob Saulin, DL, Pennsville; Sr. Naijee Jones, CB, Timber Creek; Sr. Justin Davidovicz, K, Bridgewater-Raritan; Sr. Tony Brown, Jr., LB, Timber Creek; Sr. Chris DiTommaso, DT, Ramapo; Sr. Owen Kessler, DE, Westfield; Sr. Ja'Sir Taylor, ATH, Brick Township; Sr. Edward Isaiah Wingfield, WR, Lawrenceville; Sr. Chris Chukwuneke, RB, St. John Vianney; Sr. Elijah Barnwell, RB, Piscataway; Sr. L'Jeron Holder, WR, Manalapan; Sr. Tyler Parsons, CB, Woodrow Wilson; Sr. Jelani McCargo, LB, Woodrow Wilson; Sr. Jamaal Beaty, OL, St. John Vianney; Sr. Ryan Dickens, LB, Raritan; Sr. Jadan Blue, WR, Peddie; Sr.; Sr. Tyler Hayek, WR, Wayne Hills; Sr. J.P. Roane, WR, Deptford Township; Sr. Mike Ruane, LB, Rumson Fair-Haven; Jr. Lancine Turay, DL/OL, Irvington; Jr. Nick Dennuci, LB, Pope John; Jr. Evan Lovell, OG, Peddie; Jr. Clayton Scott, RB, Millville; Jr. Jackson Parham, WR, Hillsborough; Jr. Henry Pearson, TE, Paramus Catholic; Jr. Bartek Rybka, DT, Paramus Catholic; Jr. George Pearson, QB, Mater Dei (Middletown, N.J.); Jr. Kevin Brennan, ATH, Don Bosco; Jr. Shelton Applewhite, ATH, DePaul; Jr. Daniel Webb, ATH, Montclair; So. Rahmir Johnson, RB, Bergen Catholic ; So. Nyquee Hawkins, DB, Orange; So. Stanley King, TE, Woodrow Wilson

Scroll up for the Top 50 chart.

Methodology

The NJ.com Top 50 rankings take into consideration collegiate potential as reflected in FBS (formerly known as Division 1A) scholarship offers, the number and caliber of interested schools and prospect's potential at the highest level of competition. Hence, participants must have at least one FBS offer (better known as Division 1A) to qualify for the list.

Updates to the order of the list are made quarterly, each placing weight on different factors most relevant at the time of the update.

The final update representing the 2016-17 season (this one ) occurs following the football season, where individual and team success some of the top prospects in the state have attained on the gridiron plays a but more of a factor than in other updates.

The first update of the 2018 recruiting cycle occurs a couple months after National Signing Day (around April), and is a preliminary list of the top projected recruits in the state, following the departure of its top seniors.

The next update occurs at the conclusion of the spring evaluation period and is based on the caliber of recruiting attention and offers prospects receive, as well as off-season performances — the volume of camps and combines attended and outcome of those events.

The next succeeding update occurs at the conclusion of summer, as the high school football season commences. Most of the weight for this list is placed on the players’ accomplishments throughout the entire off-season – the offers they receive, camp/combine results and the overall improvements they've made leading into the season.

Todderick Hunt may be reached at thunt@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TodderickHunt. Find NJ.com Rutgers Football on Facebook.

Recent snowstorms and rain showers have been beneficial, but state DEP says a lot more help from Mother Nature is needed.

New Jersey needed rain the past few weeks, and got some. New Jersey needed snow the past few weeks, and got some.

All that precipitation has helped to elevate the state's drinking water supply to higher levels. But it's still not enough to knock out the drought warnings in 14 counties and the moderate to severe drought conditions plaguing two-thirds of the Garden State, officials said.

"The recent rain has helped and is certainly welcome. It has been coming in steady, soaking waves but we still need more periods of sustained rainfall or snowmelt," said Larry Hajna, a spokesman for the state Department of Environmental Protection. 

Winter takes a break, but for how long?

Hajna said the DEP won't even consider lifting the drought warnings unless the region gets "multiple precipitation events over a sustained period."

Precipitation down, then up

Climate data from the National Weather Service show that despite getting a good dose of precipitation in December, all three regions of the state ended the month with totals below average.

• Newark received 2.91 inches of precipitation (rain plus melted snow), which is almost an inch below normal for the month.
• Trenton received 2.65 inches of precipitation, which is 1.05 inches below normal for the month.
• Atlantic City received 3.29 inches of precipitation, which is 0.40 inches below normal for the month.

So far this year, thanks to the snow and rain that fell during the past week, all three regions are running slightly above normal in precipitation totals, the weather service stats show. 

• During the first 11 days of January, Newark received 1.67 inches of precipitation (rain plus melted snow), which is 0.37 inches above normal. 
• During the first 11 days of January, Trenton received 1.28 inches of precipitation, which is 0.04 inches above normal.
• During the first 11 days of January, Atlantic City received 1.96 inches of precipitation, which is 0.79 inches above normal.

Reservoir levels

New Jersey's reservoir systems are still a mixed bag, according to the DEP. The Combined Northeast Reservoir System -- 12 reservoirs operated by four water suppliers serving the state's most densely populated region -- has been trending upward the past few weeks.

"This is good news because this is our largest system, and this is what we would expect to see in the winter," Hajna said.

However, the combined reservoir system's storage is still below its long-term average. As of this week, its storage level is about 66 percent, compared to a normal of about 78 percent for this time of year.

New Jersey's Combined Northeast Reservoir System -- 12 reservoirs operated by four water suppliers serving the state's most densely populated region -- has been gaining capacity (red dots on chart) during the past few weeks. (NJ Department of Environmental Protection) 

Three other reservoirs -- Newark, North Jersey District and Jersey City -- have all made slight gains during the past week, according to DEP tracking charts. As of Jan. 9:

• The Newark Reservoir was at 56 percent of its capacity; it is normally at 78 percent capacity this time of year.
• The North Jersey District Reservoir was at 68 percent of its capacity; it is normally at 80 percent capacity this time of year.
• The Jersey City Reservoir was at 77 percent of its capacity; it is normally at 91 percent capacity this time of year.

The Suez Reservoir system, which serves Bergen County, has trended downward during the past few weeks. Its three reservoirs are now at about 62 percent of their capacity, 6 percent below  their normal capacity of 68 percent this time of year.

The latest U.S. drought map shows 72 percent of New Jersey continues to have severe or moderate drought conditions. This map was released on Thursday, Jan. 12. (National Drought Mitigation Center)  

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

Which teams are still undefeated?

The thefts occurred in the late spring and early summer of 2016

HANOVER -- A delivery driver for a local appliance store was charged last week with stealing about $39,000 worth of merchandise from the store over a five-week period, police said. 

Max Urena-Cordero, 34, of Bloomfield, admitted to stealing several appliances from the store's warehouse when he was interviewed by detectives in connection with the investigation, police said in a news release.

The thefts occurred in the late spring and early summer of 2015, police said. 

Urena-Cordero allegedly sold many of the items and shipped several items overseas to relatives. 

Urena-Cordero was charged on Jan. 6 with theft of movable property and conspiracy to commit theft, police said.

Police haven't yet indicated what specific items were stolen, but they did say some of the items have been recovered and that other individuals are believed to have been involved in the thefts. 

Investigators are also attempting to recover more items. 

Justin Zaremba may be reached at jzaremba@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinZarembaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

New Jersey's high school graduation rate improved again in 2016. See how your school or district compares to the state's best.

TRENTON -- New Jersey's high school graduation rate improved again in 2016, despite a graduation scare in the wake of new requirements for standardized testing. 

Statewide, 90.1 percent of students graduated within four years, a slight increase over the 89.7 percent graduation rate for the Class of 2015. New Jersey has improved its graduation rate every year since 2011, when 83 percent of students graduated, the state Department of Education said. 

"We commend the efforts of our students and educators in achieving this tremendous accomplishment," acting Education Commissioner Kimberley Harrington said.

Click here to use the search tool to find the graduation rate in any public high school, charter school or school district and compare it to others across the state.

County vocational schools with selective enrollment or special academies for a school district's top students posted some of the state's highest graduation rates, including more than a dozen schools with 100 percent.

The Class of 2016 was the first to graduate under new requirements for standardized testing. Students were asked to prove their proficiency in English and math on the new PARCC exams or through a variety of other tests, including the SAT and ACT.

Dismal passing rates on the computerized PARCC tests left some seniors scrambling to take alternative tests during the second half of their senior year to prove they were ready to graduate. By the end of the year, 91 percent of graduating seniors used at least one test other than PARCC to meet the state graduation requirements, in some cases because they weren't enrolled in a course that required a PARCC test. 

Future high school students, beginning with current eighth graders, will be required to pass PARCC, fueling concern that many students may miss the mark. 

The new requirements will "more honestly demonstrate a graduate's preparedness for college, career and community experiences beyond high school," Harrington said. 

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

Carla Astudillo may be reached at castudillo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @carla_astudi. Find her on Facebook.

A 16-year-old was killed and three others hurt after shooting at housing complex in city's East Ward.

NEWARK -- Grief counselors were on hand Thursday after a 16-year-old boy who attended East Side High School was killed and three other Newark school district students were wounded in a shooting at a public housing complex, officials said.

In a statement, Newark Public Schools officials said the district was "extremely saddened" by the deadly shooting, which occurred around 5 p.m. Wednesday at the Newark Housing Authority-run John Hyatt Court complex near Hawkins and Christie streets.

"In support of the affected school communities, grief counselors were on site this morning and will remain in place as long as necessary to help students and staff during this difficult time," school officials said in a statement Thursday. "The district will also work with school administrators to identify additional ways to support the victims' families and school communities in the coming days."

Herbert Waldron said his grandson, Kevin Barber, was killed in the attack. 

Speaking at the crime scene Wednesday night, Waldron added he didn't know what happened and was told his grandson had been shot to death.

"I don't want no more violence. I don't want that," Waldron said. "I just want justice for my grandson."

East Ward Councilman Augusto Amador told NJ Advance Media the shooting apparently stemmed from a ongoing dispute. 

"From what I understand there was a family feud that started when one of the families moved from the Terrell Homes into Hyatt Court. And that feud escalated once they moved," Amador said. 

The Millard E. Terrell Homes, another East Ward housing complex, was slated to close and families were being moved to Hyatt Court, the councilman added. 

The three other shooting victims, identified as 15, 16 and 19 year old males from Newark, remained hospitalized Thursday, according to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office. 

The slaying was the first murder of the year in Newark, records show. 

There were no arrests in the shooting. Anyone with information was urged to call the prosecutor's tip line at 1-877-TIPS-4- EC or 1-877-847-7432. 

Reporter Karen Yi contributed to this report. 

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

Papa brings his stand-up routine, which he considers comedy's purest form, to the South Orange Performing Arts Center Jan. 14

Tom Papa compared stand-up, which he considers the purest form of comedy, to sourdough bread. Somehow it made sense.

"Sourdough is bread in its simplest form. Nothing's added, not even store-bought yeast. It just comes from you wanting to do it," he said. "That's very similar to stand-up. You create this thing out of nothing and you perform it."

The versatile comedian who has found success not only on stage but on film, TV and radio will bring his stand-up act to the South Orange Performing Arts Center Jan. 14. He may also bring some bread. Papa enjoys baking -- someone even added "baker" to his wikipedia page's "occupation" section -- and he and his two daughters have been experimenting with different recipes, moving from bread to waffles to pretzels to pizza dough. 

"It's really meditative in a way, like stand-up," he said, furthering the comparison. "You have a little craft, you do it all the time, you get pretty good. One night it all falls apart and then you start again. You start all over again."

During his 20 year career, Papa has been a frequent guest on late night television, starred on film opposite Matt Damon  and Robert De Niro, and had a range of roles on television shows like "Inside Amy Schumer" and "The Knick." His Sirius XM show, "Come to Papa,"  features interviews with comedians including Jerry Seinfeld Carl Reiner, Mel Brooks and Ray Romano.

Still, he said, stand-up remains his preferred form of comedy.

"There's something cool about being in a movie," he said. "But it's more fun to tell people you're in a movie than to make a movie."

Papa recently released his third stand up comedy special, "Human Mule," which was recorded in Cleveland. He chose the oft-derided city for a reason: He grew up in New Jersey, so he knows what's it like to live in a place outsiders target for jokes.

"New Jersey has a good sense of humor. Cleveland is the same way. We laugh at the same jokes," he said. "I perform in New Jersey, I know these people. ... It's who I am."

Cities like San Francisco? Crowds there are less likely to get the joke, he said. 

"You need places that know they're a little funny looking," he said. 

Papa does a lot of observational humor, talking about his wife -- after 16 years, he's ready to tell her he needs a girlfriend, advising her to   "think of her as your assistant" -- and the pressure people put on themselves to achieve higher and higher status. 

"People are walking around with this overwhelming feeling that they're not good enough or doing enough. People see the media and walk around feeling like they're failing, but they're not," he said. "I haven't met any of your readers, but I know they're doing the best they can and they're doing fine. We have to break out of this philosophy that everybody has to live like a Kardashian."

In Papa's view, if you get your kids to school on time, if you have dinner with your family at night, if you're with people you love, you're winning. 

His life is pretty simple, he said, even if he does work or travel often.

And if it all falls apart? Papa knows what he'd like to do next: Move to the Jersey shore and work in a bagel shop.

"That just sounds very nice to me," he said. "You go to work early, meet some people, close up around two o'clock and go to the beach after."

Tom Papa

Jan. 14, 8 p.m.

South Orange Performing Arts Center, South Orange

Tickets: $35

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

With highs reaching the mid- to upper 60s across New Jersey Thursday afternoon, new records have been set.

Just a few days ago, we were bundled up against the single-digit temperatures, and kids were playing in the snow.

Today, it hit 70 degrees in Toms River.

Highs have soared into the mid- to upper 60s in many spots around the Garden State -- high enough to shatter previous record temperatures for Jan. 12 in Atlantic City and Newark, as well as across the Hudson River in New York City.

On Thursday afternoon, the mercury at Atlantic City International Airport in Pomona rose to 67 degrees, breaking the site's previous record of 63 degrees, set in 1913, said Lance Franck, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service's regional forecast office in Mount Holly. On the grounds of the weather service office in Burlington County, the temperature hit 67 degrees at 2 p.m.

The reading at Newark Liberty International Airport reached 66 degrees at about 1:30 p.m. Thursday, breaking Newark's old daily record high of 61 degrees, set in 1975, according to meteorologist Joe Pollina at the weather service office in Upton, N.Y.

Across the river, in Central Park, the Big Apple's previous record for Jan. 12 of 64 degrees was tied at about 1 p.m., then broken at 1:43 p.m. as the mercury rose to 65. New York's previous record high for Jan. 12 had survived since 1890. 

As of mid afternoon, Trenton is a few degrees short of matching or breaking its daily record high. Trenton reached 65 degrees at 1 p.m., then dropped to 64 at 2 p.m., according to climate data from the weather service. The city's record high for Jan. 12 is 68 degrees, set way back in 1890.

Other warm spots

Among the other warm temperatures reported Thursday across the region:

• 70 degrees in Toms River
• 69 degrees in Berkeley Twp.
• 69 degrees in Cream Ridge
• 69 degrees in Hammonton
• 69 degrees in Howell
• 69 degrees in Oceanport
• 69 degrees in Wall
• 69 degrees in Wrightstown
• 68 degrees in Cape May Court House
• 68 degrees in Cherry Hill
• 68 degrees in Holmdel
• 67 degrees in Jersey City
• 67 degrees in Millville
• 67 degrees in Mullica Twp.
• 67 degrees in New Brunswick
• 67 degrees in West Deptford

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

Azim Brogsdale's defense attorney spent the second day of his client's murder trial grilling the state's witnesses to the 2012 killing of Khalil Williams in Irvington.

NEWARK -- More than four years after Khalil Williams was gunned down on an Irvington street corner, defense attorney Raymond Beam Jr. spent much of Thursday grilling two of the state's eyewitnesses on just how good their memory was -- and is.

Beam, who is representing Azim Brogsdale in his murder trial for the killing of Williams, 16, pressed both Naeem White and Krishna Nesbeth on what he portrayed as inconsistencies in their previous statements to police and testimony in court.

Essex County Assistant Prosecutor Justin Edwab told the jury in opening arguments Wednesday that Williams was shot during a robbery gone wrong the night of Feb. 17, 2012 at the intersection of Orange Place and Orange Avenue.

White and Nesbeth -- two of three then-teenagers with Williams at the time of the shooting -- took the stand in Judge Alfonse J. Cifelli's Newark courtroom Thursday to recount the night they were confronted by two armed men who ordered them to empty their pockets.

Both White and Nesbeth corroborated core testimony given Wednesday by the third eyewitness, Davon Arrington: The men ordered the boys to empty their pockets, Nesbeth began to back away, a voice yelled out from a waiting car and shots were fired.

White and Arrington both later identified Brogsdale in police photo displays as one of the robbers.

But when it came to the men who fired the shots, that's where the testimony seemed to diverge.

Arrington said both men were wearing hoodies. Nesbeth testified they were wearing hoodies and ski-mask-type masks over the lower halves of their faces. White said the men had T-shirts pulled up over their faces like masks.

On cross examination, Beam asked White whether the men were also wearing hoodies.

"I don't remember," White said.

"You don't remember much today, do you?" Beam responded, prompting an objection from Edwab that Cifelli quickly sustained.

In previous statements, Beam said, White had indicated he was able to identify Brogsdale from his eyes alone.

Nesbeth, who was backing away when the robbers opened fire, testified he was paying more attention to the guns in the shooters' hands than their faces when he started running.

Arrington on Wednesday had testified the two assailants seemed to come from a black car that was "like a Toyota." On Thursday, White described the same vehicle as "like a Honda."

The attorneys' examination of Essex County Prosecutor's Office Lt. Randolph Root, who collected surveillance video of the vehicle near the scene, revealed what was ultimately seized by investigators: a silver two-door Honda Civic.

Both White and Nesbeth acknowledged they're currently facing criminal charges from other incidents in Morris County, a fact Beam used to probe whether they had been offered favorable treatment by prosecutors in exchange for testifying.

White initially told Beam, who pointed out he could face more than 30 years in prison on his pending charges, that he didn't want the Prosecutor's Office to help him, but later conceded he would like help with his legal troubles if it were possible.

On redirect examination, Edwab pointed out that all of the pending charges against White were filed after he picked Brogsdale's picture out of a police photo display, making favorable treatment from prosecutors an unlikely consideration in his initial cooperation with authorities.

Witnesses key in trial of Irvington teen's alleged killer

Marquise Hawkins was previously convicted at trial in March 2015 of being the man called out for the shooters to "get the one in the yellow jacket," an order Edwab described at the time as being effectively a death sentence. Cifelli later sentenced Hawkins to 55 years in prison.

Haroon Perry, who also was charged in William's killing but later agreed to a plea deal with prosecutors, is expected to testify against Brogsdale later in the trial.

Proceedings are expected to resume Jan. 18, as Monday is a legal holiday and the first day of the week isn't typically used for trials.

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

Emergency crews responded to wreck Thursday.

NEWARK -- Sixteen people reported minor injuries in a crash involving a New Jersey Transit bus and a car in the city's Central Ward Thursday, authorities said.

The commuter bus collided with the other vehicle shortly after noon at Littleton Avenue and South 16th Avenue, according to Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose. Fifteen passengers and the other driver went to University Hospital after complaining of pains.

City police, firefighters and emergency medical services responded the scene. The cause of the crash was not immediately clear.

In August, two people were killed in an NJ Transit bus crash at Broad Street and Raymond Boulevard.

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

Seven questions, all based on this week's top stories.

It was a busy week in New Jersey news. Were you paying attention? Time to show how well you know local news in NJ.com's weekly quiz. There are seven questions below, all based on popular stories you saw on NJ.com since last Friday. Answer each question and then share your score in comments, on Facebook and Twitter. I did you a favor this week: One of these questions is a total gimme.

John Shabe can be reached via jshabe@njadvancemedia.com. Follow John on Twitter and find NJ.com on Facebook.

CALDWELL -- Adelaide is a 4-year-old American Staffordshire terrier/shar pei mix in the care of Ferndog Rescue. Rescued from a city shelter, volunteers say she was "clearly used for breeding and then abandoned." Described as "a lap dog at heart and a great feet warmer," Adelaide is shy at first but warms up quickly. She has been spayed and is...

Adelaide 

CALDWELL -- Adelaide is a 4-year-old American Staffordshire terrier/shar pei mix in the care of Ferndog Rescue.

Rescued from a city shelter, volunteers say she was "clearly used for breeding and then abandoned."

Described as "a lap dog at heart and a great feet warmer," Adelaide is shy at first but warms up quickly. She has been spayed and is up-to-date on shots.

For more information on Adelaide, email ferndogadoptions@gmail.com. The rescue foundation is a nonprofit group that rescues dogs from animal shelters and provides foster care until they are adopted.

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

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

 

The percent of students graduating within four years continues to climb, education officials said.

NEWARK -- The city's public schools saw an overall increase in the percent of graduating high schoolers -- continuing a steady rise since 2011, according to numbers released by the state Department of Education Thursday. 

In Newark, 73.5 percent of traditional public school students graduated in four years, compared to 69.6 percent in 2015. Statewide, 90.1 percent of students graduated within four years, a slight bump up from the 89.7 percent graduation rate in 2015.

Among the highlights:

• Barringer Arts High School's graduation rate soared from 35.7 percent to 60 percent. 
• Central High School jumped from a 71.6 percent to 80.9 percent graduation rate in 2016. 
• Bard Early College High School improved its graduation rate from 86.8 to 95.6 percent 
• Science Park High School (97.4 percent), Technology High (96.9 percent), and University High (96.1 percent) were among the top performers in the district.
• Some of Newark's charter high schools, too, saw significant increases, like North Star Academy College Preparatory High School which boosted its graduation rate from 86.7 for the Class of 2015 to 95.3 in 2016. 

"It illustrates how much potential and possibility exists in Newark when kids have access to schools that are filled with teachers who are committed to helping them succeed," said Mike Mann, who heads North Star Academy High. "Already, our students graduate from college at five times the rate of low-income students across the country, and we're eager to keep pushing that number higher."

The Class of 2016 was the first to graduate under new requirements for standardized testing. Students were asked to prove their proficiency in English and math on the new PARCC exams or through a variety of other tests, including the SAT and ACT.

"This progress, along with substantial increases in reading and math scores in recent years, makes it very clear that the arrow is pointed up here in Newark, and that students have a much better chance at success after they leave our schools then they did just a few years ago," said Christopher Cerf, Superintendent of Newark Public Schools. 

Not all schools saw boosts. Marion P. Thomas Charter School had a 75 percent graduation rate compared to 88.6 percent the prior year. At Barringer Academy of S.T.E.A.M., 67.5 percent of students graduated, versus 81 percent in 2015. Neither school responded to a request for comment.

"While we still have a ways to go, you cannot underestimate the difference a high school diploma makes in a young person's life," said Brad Haggerty, Chief Academic Officer for Newark schools.

"When you examine these numbers, the important thing to understand is that this means that over the last few years hundreds more individuals here in Newark were eligible to continue their education in college, or were able to enter the workforce with a credential that nearly all employers view as essential," he said.

To see how your school performed compared to another district click here.

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