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N.J. Turnpike, Parkway traffic jams slow morning commmute

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The delays are mainly in Essex and Union counties

Traffic is heavier than normal on Tuesday morning on the New Jersey Turnpike and Garden State Parkway this morning.

The eight-mile northbound backup on the Turnpike begins near Exit 12 in Carteret and continues to about Exit 14 in Newark, according to 511nj.com, the state department of transportation's traffic website.

Parkway drivers are also dealing with pockets of delays and heavy traffic. A four-mile northbound delay begins around Exit 135 in Clark and stretches to Exit 138 in Kenilworth.

The traffic is due to volume and accidents, 511nj.com says.

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

 

Perfect start: 13 girls basketball still undefeated at the month mark

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A look at New Jersey's undefeated girls basketball teams through Sunday, Jan. 8.

NJ.com Wrestling Top 20 for Jan. 18: 2 new teams join the field

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A couple of huge upsets broke the ice for two programs

Gov. Christie declares opioid drug abuse public health crisis

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Gov. Chris Christie signed an executive order Tuesday declaring the epidemic a public health crisis which will create a new task force to address the issue.

NEWARK -- Upholding his promise to combat heroin addiction in New Jersey during his remaining days in office, Gov. Chris Christie Tuesday declared opioid drug abuse a public health crisis, signing an executive order that grants him additional resources to battle the epidemic.

"There's going to be lots of different pieces to try and solve this problem," Christie said at Integrity House, a substance abuse center, where he met with former and recovering drug addicts after signing the order. "I know it's fixable, we can fix this."

Nearly 1,600 people died of drug overdoses in 2015, about a 22 percent increase from the year prior. NJ Advance Media estimates at least 128,000 in the state are addicted to heroin. 

"It's a disease; we're doing this because it could be anybody," Christie said, as he shared a heartfelt discussion with those battling addiction.

"You have saved my life," former heroin addict Vanessa V. told Christie as tears welled in her eyes. "I want you to know that." Vanessa, 31, who graduated from Integrity House's drug treatment program last summer, said she became addicted to heroin after she was prescribed opioid-based pain medications for her illnesses.

For privacy reasons, former and current clients of the Integrity House declined to give their last names. 

The executive order marks Christie's first-ever declaration of a public health crisis and, among other actions, creates a task force on drug abuse control. The group will come up with ways to fight drug addiction -- whether by changing regulations, amending statutes or recommending new laws -- and consist of eight members. Charlie McKenna, executive director of the New Jersey Schools Development Authority, which oversees school construction, will head the task force. 

"We must take aggressive action to get this insidious crisis under control so I am calling together all resources of state government in order to save lives," Christie said. 

The order also:

  • Directs the state Attorney General to limit the initial prescription of opioids and set guidelines so any additional prescriptions require further medical consultation.
  • Ensures 18- and 19-year-olds with substance abuse problems can fill any vacancies in existing treatment facilities. 
  • Directs the state Commissioner of Education to develop a new curriculum for each grade to education students about the dangers of substance abuse. 

Sen. Joseph Vitale (D-Middlesex), chairman of the Senate Health, Human Services and Senior Citizens Committee, said he will continue to assemble his own task force on opioid addiction, which he said he announced about two weeks ago.

Vitale said his task force will bring "the best policies informed by scientific evidence" and include experts in pain management, opioid and heroin addiction and recovery.

"What is being overlooked is the value of medicine-assisted treatment and how we manage pain," Vitale said. He also wanted to delve into the pharmaceutical industry's "practice of selling these drugs and advocating for their use, which has not changed," despite the ongoing opioid abuse epidemic.

Reporter Susan K. Livio contributed to this report.

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

 
 

NYC law firm opens Newark office for expansion into N.J.

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The venerable New York firm Cullen and Dykman opened an office at the Legal Center in November after acquiring Sokol Behot, which had offices in Princeton and Hackensack

Newark Legal Center Matrix photo.jpgThe Newark Legal Center 

NEWARK -- A lease on 9,300 square feet of existing office space in downtown Newark may seem like a modest real estate transaction compared to the city's recent boom in construction of whole new office and residential buildings.

But in this case, the new tenant is the 167-year-old Manhattan-based law firm Cullen and Dykman, whose top manager said its newly opened office in the Legal Center at One Riverfront Plaza is crucial to the success of the firm's recent acquisition and expansion in New Jersey.

"Not only is it important because our New York clients do business there and a lot of our clients are headquartered there, but because a lot of our clients have to physically come into our office," said Christopher H. Palmer, Cullen and Dykman's managing partner.

The new space at the Legal Center, which will accommodate lawyers Cullen and Dykman, was picked up from the firm's acquisition last August of Sokol Behot LLP, a 42-year-old New Jersey firm with offices in Princeton and Hackensack. The Newark office will join Cullen and Dykman locations in Manhattan, Brooklyn, Long Island, Albany, N.Y., and Washington, D.C.

Cullen began moving into the new space in November, and Palmer said it will eventually house 10 full-time lawyers and five part-timers, whose clients will be mainly in the banking and utility sectors. Newark is home to both the state Board of Public Utilities and PSE&G, the one client Palmer would name publicly.

The Legal Center, owned by the Matrix Development Group in Monroe, is connected to an enclosed, elevated walkway that links the Gateway office complex, the Newark Hilton, and Newark Penn Station. 

The building is 90 percent occupied, with rates starting at about $34 per square foot, Matrix said, adding that 65 percent of the tenants are law firms. 

Beyond Cullen and Dykman, Matrix said in a statement, "We are experiencing an interest from Jersey City/New York City tenants that want a Class A building, ease of access location, but more reasonable lease terms." 

Penn Station's PATH, NJ Transit and Amtrak trains provide access to Manhattan, areas throughout New Jersey, and points up an down the Northeast Corridor. Palmer said Newark's highway makes the city accesible to his lawyers and the people they represent.  

"We found ourselves doing more and more New Jersey work for our clients," Palmer said. "They strongly encouraged us to grow and expand with them."

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

City man arrested in Newark shooting, police say

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The shooting victim was treated for non-fatal injuries, authorities said.

NEWARK -- Authorities have arrested a man in connection with a Jan. 10 shooting that left a man injured.

Davis.jpgDavis. (Courtesy Newark police)
 

Thomas Davis, 35, of Newark, was arrested Tuesday on aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon, and other related charges, police announced. Davis had been wanted in connection with the shooting of a 44-year-old man near Roseville and 7th Avenues at about 10:08 p.m., police said.

The man was transported to University Hospital and treated for non-life threatening injuries, authorities said.

Police did not immediately respond to questions about how the two men knew each other, or what may have prompted the shooting.

The arrest comes in the midst of several high-profile shootings recently in the city, including the killing of a teenager in a suspected family feud, and a daytime shooting that killed a man and injured his sister.

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

Newark replenishes school crossing guard staff after layoffs

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The city welcomed 28 new crossing guards and plans to hire another 40 this year.

City welcomes new crossing guardsNewark Mayor Ras Baraka welcomes 28 new crossing guards on Tuesday. (Newark Police Department) 

NEWARK -- The city made strides toward re-staffing its ranks on Tuesday, welcoming 28 new school crossing guards -- each donning bright yellow caps.  

The new crossing guards will replenish the force after about 60 guards were lost due to layoffs or attrition in 2010. Another 40 crossing guards will be hired later this year, city officials said. 

"The safety of our children is paramount," Mayor Ras Baraka said in a statement. "The number of crossing guards had dwindled through the years because of budgetary restrictions. The level of vacancies was unacceptable. Not hiring additional crossing guards needlessly put children at risk, so we made it a priority to bring the crossing guards back."

Crossing guards, trained and supervised by the metro unit of the Newark Police Division, help students and parents cross the street on their way to and from school. They also direct drivers on the road. 

The city has 163 crossing guard posts, of which 95 are filled. 

"This group of public safety personnel serves Newark's most precious resource, our children," Anthony Ambrose, public safety director said. "No matter the weather, no matter the traffic conditions, they dutifully work to safeguard the next generation and I proudly welcome them into service."

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

N.J. man accused of killing 2 women must provide hair samples, judge rules

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Prosecutors say they need hair samples from Khalil Wheeler-Weaver to compare to trace evidence they say was found in his car, believed to have been used in one of the killings

NEWARK -- Over the objections of a defense attorney, a Superior Court judge on Tuesday ruled prosecutors can obtain hair samples from an Orange man charged with the killings of two Essex County women this fall.

Assistant Prosecutor Adam Wells told Judge Ronald D. Wigler that while investigators took cheek swabs from Khalil Wheeler-Weaver following his arrest, they needed actual hair samples to compare to trace evidence found in his car.

Wells indicated that investigators believe that car was used in the slaying of Joanne Brown, 33, the second woman Wheeler-Weaver has been accused of killing.

Wheeler-Weaver, 20, was first arrested Dec. 6 on charges of murder and disturbing human remains in connection with the death of Sarah Butler, 20, whose body had been found six days earlier buried beneath leaves and debris at the Eagle Rock Reservation.

Brown's body was found Dec. 5 inside a vacant house on Highland Avenue in Orange.

Authorities said both women were first reported missing and later discovered strangled.

Khalil Wheeler-Weaver's attorney, Shevelle McPherson, argued the oral swabs taken at the time of his arrest made the hair samples unnecessary.

"We believe that what they already recovered is sufficient," she said. "This is a little more intrusive."

N.J. man pleads not guilty to second murder

Wells argued that investigators specifically needed hair samples from Wheeler-Weaver to compare to any hair evidence that was found in the car.

Wigler previously forwarded charges in both cases to a grand jury for consideration. 

Wheeler-Weaver is currently being held in the Essex County Correctional Facility in lieu of $5 million bail.

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


Orange residents asked to conserve water in wake of main breaks

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Suez said in an alert there had been a series of leaks and breaks

 

ORANGE-- City residents have been asked by the Suez water company to take shorter showers, turn off the taps while shaving and other measures to conserve following "seasonal" problems with the supply system. 

In an alert Tuesday, the company said the city's water supply is low due to leaks and water main breaks likely related to abrupt changes in temperature. In the alert, the company said it was working "as quickly as possible" to restore full service but did not provide a precise time frame. 

The company did not immediately respond to an email seeking additional information. 

Residents with questions were urged to contact the company or the city's MyOrange hotline at 973-280-1621. 

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

 

Child-luring incidents under investigation in Montclair

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The incidents occurred less than a week apart

MONTCLAIR -- Police are investigating two incidents occurring less than a week apart in which a man in a car attempted to lure children.

In the first incident, around 4 p.m. on Friday, someone in a blue or black sedan approached a 9-year-old boy at Norwood Avenue and Marion road and began honking his horn. The driver asked the boy to follow him, police said, but the youth ran away.

Luring Composite.jpgThis sketch was based on a description provided by a 9-year-old boy who said the suspect tried to get the boy to follow him Friday, Jan. 13, 2017. A similar incident occurred in the township Tuesday but police were unsure if they were related. (Montclair police)  

The driver is described as a white male in his 50s with regular length, wavy white or gray hair and a white mustache and beard. He was wearing a black shirt.  

On Tuesday shortly before 7 p.m., a dark sedan pulled up next to a 16-year-old girl near Park Street and Claremont Avenue as the girl was walking alone south on Park. The driver repeatedly instructed the girl to get into the car but the girl fled. The girl described the driver only as a man.

In neither incident did the driver leave the vehicle. Police are also unsure whether the incidents are connected.

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

 

N.J. man gets 20 years for fatal 2015 shooting in Newark

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The man's brother, also arrested near the scene with a firearm, was sentenced to seven years in state prison.

NEWARK -- An Irvington man was sentenced Tuesday to 20 years for shooting a man to death on a Newark street after a drug deal in October 2015.

Rayquan Tubbs, 20, pleaded guilty in November to charges of first-degree aggravated manslaughter and second-degree possession of a handgun in the killing of Angelo Lorenzi, 33.

At the sentencing hearing, Tubbs asked Lorenzi's family for forgiveness, saying he wished things had turned out differently.

A statement read to the court on behalf of Lorenzi's family said his death resulted in a "pain that is never forgotten."

Tubbs' brother, Khalil Thomas, also was arrested near the scene of the shooting and later pleaded guilty to possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose. Superior Court Judge Martin G. Cronin sentenced Thomas to seven years in prison on Tuesday.

Man pleads guilty to manslaughter in fatal shooting

Assistant Prosecutor Adam Wells, who handled the case with Assistant Prosecutor Amani Abdellah, said Lorenzi was shot after Thomas, accompanied by Tubbs, had purchased a small amount of marijuana from him.

Wells said Thomas had just completed the transaction when Tubbs pulled out a gun and shot Lorenzi, who was pronounced dead at the scene on South Orange Avenue.

Prosecutors had sought a 25-year prison sentence for Tubbs, but Cronin ultimately cited Tubbs' relatively young age at the time of the crime -- 19 -- and his "genuine expression of remorse" in imposing the 20 year term.

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

N.J. sending 300 buses to Women's March on Washington as ticket prices soar

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Some marchers have been paying nearly $200 each to secure a spot on a charter bus from New Jersey to Washington. Watch video

NEWARK -- New Jersey will be sending nearly 300 buses to the Women's March on Washington Saturday, but don't expect to score a cheap last-minute ticket.

Nearly all of the buses are completely sold out, and many have waiting lists, according to local organizers. Some marchers report paying nearly $200 each for round-trip tickets on the charter buses as prices have soared due to high demand in New Jersey.

"We've been really overwhelmed and moved by the outpouring of interest we've had here," said Felicity Crew, co-coordinator of the march's New Jersey chapter. "There are simply not enough buses."

Crew estimates there are between 275 and 300 New Jersey buses carrying at least 13,500 people who have registered with organizers. Other buses not registered with organizers also might be headed to Washington from N.J., she said.

"What I'd love to do is add more buses, but at this point, we can't," Crew said.

Rally, an online travel company, added new charter bus routes to the march from Morristown, Princeton and East Brunswick this week. Round-trip seats were selling for $150 to $170 on Tuesday, according to the company's website.

More than 150,000 people from around the country are expected to attend the Women's March on Washington, which is scheduled for the day after President-elect Donald Trump's inauguration. The event, which is attracting a long list of celebrities, began as a grassroots movement to send a message to Trump on his first day in office about women's rights and other causes.

Women's March on D.C.: What you need to know

New Jersey groups said efforts to add more buses have been stymied by high prices from charter companies, which say they need to bring in buses from out of state to meet the demand.

When the activist group New Jersey Citizen Action began booking buses immediately after election day, companies were charging about $2,500 for the trip to Washington and back, said Phyllis Salowe-Kaye, the organization's executive director.

More recently, charter companies have quoted prices of about $8,000 per bus, Salowe-Kaye said.

"It's clearly gouging," she said.

The Newark-based group is sending 14 buses to the march.

Some of the buses headed to the march from New Jersey are charter buses organized by local groups, including BlueWave NJ and Rutgers University's faculty union. Others are buses provided by Rally, Skedaddle and other online services that provide on-demand transportation through their websites to big events, including concerts and marches.

The online bus-booking services have a business model that includes offering low-price tickets to the first people to reserve seats, then raising the price as the buses or routes get more crowded.

So, some marchers say they were able to book round-trip charter buses for as little as $30 to $50 a seat a few weeks ago. But prices on the same buses rose to $150 to $200 each seat as they began to fill.

Rally's website shows some of the last marchers to book seats on their buses paid $195 each for a bus from Sparta, $180 from Teaneck, $175 from Montclair and $150 from Cape May.

Nearly all of the buses are expected to leave early Saturday morning and return later that night. A list of the New Jersey buses is available on the Women's March on Washington's website and the New Jersey chapter's website and Facebook page.

Most of the charters have secured parking at RFK Stadium, which is located about two miles from the start of the march near the U.S. Capitol building. Marchers are expected to either walk to the start of the march or take the Metro.

Amtrak reports most trains that would get people from New Jersey to the nation's capital in time for the 10 a.m. march also are sold out.

With limited transportation options, organizers said, many New Jerseyans are planning to drive.

"We're getting phone calls and emails every day from people who can't find a bus to get on," Salowe-Kaye said. "They're driving. They're carpooling."

However, march organizers are warning drivers that parking is limited near the Capitol. Instead, they are being directed to find parking near Metro stations in Maryland or Washington, then walk or take mass transit into the city.

Because of the large number of people expected, marchers were asked to pre-purchase tickets for the Metro online to cut down on lines at ticket machines.

New Jersey marchers can meet before the event in Washington at the New Jersey Avenue entrance to Spirit of Justice Park, at the intersection of New Jersey Avenue and Avenue D SE, organizers said. The group will make the 10-minute walk together to the starting point on Independence Avenue near the U.S. Capitol.

For those who can't make it to Washington, more than 300 satellite marches are scheduled for every state in the nation and several cities around the world.

New Jersey's "sister" march is in Trenton on Saturday at 10 a.m. It starts with a rally at the Trenton War Memorial. Then, participants will march a half mile to the State House.

The Women's March on New York will be held Saturday at 11 a.m., starting at Dag Hammarskjold Plaza at 48th Street at First Avenue in New York City. The march will end at Trump Tower on Fifth Avenue.

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

Mark Mueller may be reached at mmueller@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MarkJMueller. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

The deadliest N.J. counties for motorists in 2016

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As traffic fatalities increased last year, the deadliest counties in the state are not the places people would immediately think of.

The counties that had the most fatal crashes last year aren't in the densely populated northern part of the state. And the crashes don't always happen on the largest, fastest highways. 

Burlington and Monmouth counties proved to be more deadly than Hudson, Union and Middlesex, based on an analysis of State Police fatal crash statistics for 2016.

Burlington led the state in both fatal crashes and the number of people killed, making it the deadliest of all 21 counties. While I-295 crosses the county, smaller highways such as Route 70 and 130 had more fatal collisions last year. 

In Hudson County, a county road rather than a state highway claimed the title of being the most deadly. County Route 501, also known as Kennedy Boulevard, had five fatal crashes in 2016, more than some of the bigger and busier toll roads and highways that criss-cross the county.

The state ended 2016 with 607 people killed in 575 crashes, which State Police said was an 8 percent increase over 2015. 

The deadly data is used for more than just record keeping, officials said.

Fatality statistics can result in highway projects to improve conditions if a trend is seen in the crash data over several years, said Stephen Schapiro, a state Department of Transportation spokesman.

"NJDOT looks at several criteria for a given location or segment of road including the number of crashes, the type of crash, the severity of the crash, and the cause of the crash," he said. "The Department compiles three years of data for a given location and uses the information to prioritize projects."

A state police analysis of 2015 fatal crashes, released earlier this month, showed a continuing trend where distracted driving was the leading factor in deadly collisions, followed by alcohol use and speeding. 

Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @commutinglarry. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

 

N.J. January weather pattern in N.J. may be extreme, but is it unusual?

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Forecasters say temperatures will be running about 10 degrees warmer than usual for mid- to late January.

January continues to feel like a weather roller coaster ride in New Jersey, with temperatures rising and dropping every few days before shooting back up again to unseasonable warmth.

Although that might mess up everyone's routine, big temperature fluctuations in the month of January are not uncommon, according to New Jersey State Climatologist David Robinson, who teaches at Rutgers University and oversees the New Jersey Weather & Climate Network.

"It's nothing exceptional, with winter having opportunities for huge swings in temperature just about as often as in fall or spring," Robinson said, noting that those two seasons tend to have wider daily temperature variations than winter.

"When you have a progressive weather pattern and it involves some significant storms associated with it, you will see wide day-to-day swings," Robinson said. "Storms to our west will help pull warm air up into the area, followed by cold fronts as the storms move off to the north and east. And sometimes you can still have cold air in place before the next shot of warm air comes in."

The big temperature swings the state has been seeing this month are "quite volatile," Robinson added, "and certainly one involving outer wear of all sorts."

The new year got under way with four straight days of warm temperatures, ranging from 5 to 12 degrees above normal for early January, according to climate data from the National Weather Service. That was followed by a wave of Arctic air that sent temperatures plunging into the teens and single digits for a few days -- even sub-zero in some parts of the Garden State.

Last week, the mercury shot back up again, reaching spring-like highs of 68 to 70 degrees on Jan. 12 and breaking daily temperature records in several towns, including Atlantic City, Newark and Toms River.

After a chilly weekend, New Jersey finds itself amid another warming trend this week, with temperatures averaging about 10 degrees above normal for mid- to late January. A big factor is the shifting of the curvy atmospheric jet stream further north, keeping colder Arctic air in Canada and warmer air in a big chunk of the United States.

The warmer air has also kept most of this month's precipitation as rain instead of snow. Long-range forecasts show this trend is likely to continue for another week, before colder air works its way back to our region in late January and early February.

New Jersey isn't alone in the unseasonable warmth.

"No arctic air will be present across the lower 48 states until late January," said Jack Boston, a senior long-range meteorologist for AccuWeather. As a result, it will feel more like March than January in the Northeast, as well as in the Midwest. Down in the South, AccuWeather said, temperatures will be more in line with the warmth that normally occurs in April and May.

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

 

Look inside: Rutgers-Newark opens arts incubator in old Hahne's building

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The building will also be the site of Newark's first Whole Foods, apartments, and a host of other retail spots.

NEWARK -- After years of anticipation, the rebirth of one of Newark's most historic buildings has started.

Express Newark - the 50,000 square foot arts incubator that Rutgers-Newark officials say will connect the school with the greater community - opened quietly Monday, in conjunction with the start of the school's spring semester.

It is the first major tenant to open inside the renovated Hahne's building, which once housed the department store but has been empty since the 1980s. Plans for the major ongoing renovation include Newark's first Whole Foods, 160 apartments, and other retail and commercial spaces, all set to open this year.

With Express Newark, Rutgers officials have said the school hopes to build on the other institutions in the area, like NJPAC and the Newark Museum, to grow the city's arts hub.

Facility co-director Victor Davson said the key is a collaboration between students and residents. Its aim is to show the college is "of Newark, and not simply in Newark," he said in a statement.

The facility includes spaces for artists in residence, a print shop, a 3D printing studio, video production and portrait studios, smart classrooms, and more. The school has been working on the project since its Board of Governors approved a $33 million plan to lease three floors of the building in 2014.

Whole Foods opening in Newark this winter

In addition to classes beginning there, the first exhibition in the space's new public art gallery, showcasing Rutgers' jazz archive, opened Monday. Organizers said they hope the public arts spaces will draw residents in.

"We want people who walk past the building to feel included, to feel, 'That place is for me,'" said Express Newark co-director Anne Schaper Englot.

L+M Development, the company behind the $174 million renovation of the 500,000 square foot Hahne's building, plans a ribbon cutting at the building next week.

In addition to the highly anticipated 30,000 square foot Whole Foods, which is slated to open this winter, the building will also include City National Bank's headquarters and a new restaurant concept from celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson, among others.

See a full list of the facilities inside Express Newark here.

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

Newark officials blast controversial axing of South Ward PATH station

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Newark's mayor called for the Port Authority to delay voting on its capital plan until it restores a proposed South Ward station to a proposed PATH extension to Newark Airport.

Newark officials are taking aim at the Port Authority's decision not to build a PATH station in the city's South Ward as part of a proposed extension of the rail line from to Newark Airport.

Mayor Ras J. Baraka called on the authority's board to not vote on a proposed $32 billion capital plan, which would fund the PATH extension, unless it contains the South Ward station. The board is scheduled to vote on the plan on Feb. 16.

Port Authority officials told a Legislative Oversight Committee on Tuesday that building the station wasn't financially feasible because it would require moving lanes of McCarter Highway to make room for it along the Northeast Corridor line, which the $1.7 billion extension would parallel.

"I do not accept the testimony of Port Authority officials at yesterday's state legislative hearing as the final word on this issue," Baraka said in a statement. "From the very beginning, an important part of the rationale for building the PATH extension to Newark Airport has been the increased jobs and economic revitalization will be created by a station in the South Ward."

South Ward Councilman John Sharpe James called the decision "a travesty" to bypass the highest populated region of the city, one that ignores recommendations of a Regional Plan Association study.

"I am appalled that the Port Authority would throw aside this extensive study at the twelfth hour," James said in a statement. "We must make every effort to ensure the station is included."

Port Authority officials said they informed city and community leaders of the decision in the summer, but added there could be an opportunity to build a South Ward station at a later date.

Some lawmakers said at the hearing that they weren't sure if they could support the PATH extension without the South Ward station. Baraka urged Port Authority officials to work with federal and state lawmakers to finding funding for the station.

Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @commutinglarry. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

Essex sheriff's officers charge 4, seize drugs in Newark

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Two alleged heroin and crack cocaine dealers arrested this week, according to authorities.

NEWARK -- Essex County Sheriff's officers arrested two alleged drug dealers and seized heroin along with crack cocaine after separate narcotics investigations this week, authorities said Wednesday.

In a surveillance operation Tuesday, detectives were watching the area near Frelinghuysen Avenue and Whitter Place when they saw Newark resident Shariek Morgan, 21, loitering, and engage in a suspected drug transaction with Luis Vazquez, 63, of Colonia, according to Sheriff Armando Fontoura.

After a brief conversation with Vazquez, Morgan went to the side of a building and took items from a plastic bag, Fontoura said. Morgan traded the suspected narcotics with Vazquez for cash.

Officers pulled over Vazquez nearby and found he had heroin packets stamped with "Northface," according to the sheriff, who said Vazquez was charged with drug possession.

Security cut before shooting that killed Newark teen, sources say

Back on Frelinghuysen Avenue, authorities found 138 decks of heroin and 10 grams of crack cocaine in the plastic bag, Fontoura added. Morgan was charged with various drug distribution-related offenses.

As officers were arresting Morgan, Johnathan Quaterman, 48 of Newark, tossed a single heroin packet on the ground and was also arrested on a drug possession charge, according to authorities.

Fontoura said another drug dealer was arrested early Wednesday after narcotics detectives and the sheriff's tactical team raided a Stone Street residence. Authorities found plastic sandwich bags with 16 grams of crack cocaine, seven grams of heroin and various drug packaging paraphernalia, the sheriff added. The drugs have an estimated street value of around $2,000.

The target of the investigation, Jeneffer Morfa, 30, was charged with offenses, including possession of drugs with the intent to distribute the narcotics near Benjamin Franklin School and the Wynona Lipman Gardens housing complex.

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

 

 

Union man wounded in shooting outside Irvington bar

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Man treated and released from area hospital after early morning shooting.

IRVINGTON -- A 29-year-old Union Township man was shot in the arm outside an Irvington bar around midnight Wednesday, authorities said.

The shooting occurred after a dispute at Marlos Cocktail Lounge on Lyons Ave, according to township Public Safety Director Tracy Bowers. A shooter fired at a group and struck the man in his arm.

It was not immediately clear if the wounded man was involved in the dispute, police said. He was not cooperating with township investigators.

Bowers said the wounded man was later treated and released from the hospital.

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

 

 

Wanted man arrested after chase ends with crash, Cedar Grove police say

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Man sought on eluding charge before crash, according to police.

CEDAR GROVE -- A 24-year-old man was arrested after he led police on a short car chase and crashed in the township Wednesday, authorities said.

Cedar Grove police tried to pulled over Najee Brown for having a suspended driver's license around 8:30 a.m., according to a police news release. Brown led the officer on a brief chase, which ended when the fleeing driver crashed at Little Falls Road and Bowden Road, police said.

Brown was not hurt in the crash and he was arrested without further incident, according to police. He remained in custody while charges stemming from the Cedar Grove pursuit were pending.  

Authorities released a photo that appeared to show the vehicle had struck a fire hydrant. 

Brown was already wanted on an eluding charge for a Dec. 31 incident in Bloomfield, according to police. 

Bloomfield police tried to stop Brown for driving with a broken side window and speeding on North 13th Street, but he fled from officers, a department spokesman said. Police got his license plate and issued complaints for an eluding charge. 

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

 

Company exposed employees to chemical compound, OSHA says

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The company is facing about $89,000 in fines.

EAST ORANGE -- A New Jersey company is facing nearly $90,000 in fines after authorities say it exposed two of its employees to the chemical compound silica.

The U.S. Department of Labor's Occupational Safety and Health Administration recently issued three citations to County Concrete, of East Orange - the result of a July follow-up inspection to the company, which received safety violation citations in 2013, as well, OSHA announced in a release Tuesday.

According to the administration, the company failed to complete several safety precautions, including providing medical evaluations for employees required to wear respirators while cleaning concrete mixers. The citations come several years after the company was fined $153,900 for 18 safety violations in 2013.

"Our follow-up inspection found that two County Concrete employees were exposed to silica above the permissible limit as they cleaned concrete mixers," Kris Hoffman, director of OSHA's Parsippany Area Office, said in a release.

"Employers must bear the responsibility of fully complying with respiratory protection requirements to protect the safety and health of their workers."

County Concrete did not respond to a call for comment on the citations, which carry a $88,544 penalty.

The company has 15 days to respond to the citations, OSHA said.

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

 
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