Weapon loaded with hollow point rounds, authorities say.

NEWARK -- A reputed Bloods gang member was arrested with a loaded handgun near West Side Park in Newark, the Essex County Sheriff's Office said Thursday.

Sheriff's narcotics detectives were near the park Wednesday night when they encountered Iqill Edwards, 20, of Newark, according to Sheriff Armando Fontoura. Edwards allegedly started running away when he saw the investigators.

Detectives followed Edwards to a backyard on South 18th Street, Fontoura said. After seeing a large bulge in his waistband, sheriff's investigators frisked Edwards for their safety and discovered a loaded 9mm Hi-Point semi-automatic handgun, loaded with hollow-point bullets, the sheriff said. 

Edwards was charged with weapons-related offenses and sent to the Essex County jail ahead of a first court appearance.

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

The Newark Housing Authority has plans to close down Terrell Homes because it's too costly to make necessary improvements.

NEWARK -- Long a fixture in the East Ward community, Millard E. Terrell Homes is expected to close its doors, as the agency in charge of public housing says it's too cash-strapped to maintain it. 

The Newark Housing Authority, an autonomous city agency, says it plans to shutter the complex and help its residents transition to new homes. NHA, which receives federal funding, must ask the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for permission to close and demolish the building. 

"We know that each day that site is getting worse," Keith Kinard, executive director of the Newark Housing Authority told NJ Advance Media. "We don't have the funds to deal with even a fraction of those issues right now. That's a result of many, many years of HUD cuts."

Kinard said it'll cost $64 million to repair Terrell Homes and bring its 275 units up to code. NHA announced plans to close the site last October; the agency will submit its demolition application to HUD by April, he added. 

Terrell Homes residents crowded last week's city council meeting asking council members to support them through the transition and expressing concerns about the closure. Others said they were eager to get out. 

"Terrell Homes is not just a building, it's not just concrete, it's my home," said Rosemary Horsely, who moved into the complex when she was 3 years old. "Yes, there's crime -- but there's crime everywhere."

Other residents wore blue shirts that read: "We are ready to move out" and said they were ready to leave, citing problems with mold and disrepair. Terrell Homes was built in the 1940s. 

"I have mold, I have a bathroom sink that is off the wall," said resident Donayle Webb. She said she doesn't feel safe in the building and, after living there for five years, wants to move elsewhere. 

East Ward Councilman Augusto Amador said he would work to make sure residents are taken care of. 

"We need to provide the support for those tenants of Terrell Homes if the decision is finalized and everybody has to move, to make sure everybody is treated with dignity and stays in the East Ward," he said last week.

Felicia Alston-Singleton, a tenant advocate, disagreed with how NHA handled the process and said the agency failed to inform the building's residents of its plan on a timely basis. She added that residents who want to leave can still transfer to another housing development without needing Terrell Homes to close. 

"What happened to the money that was supposed to repair these places?" Alston-Singleton asked. "Those issues did not happen overnight," she said of the crumbling infrastructure. 

Kinard said NHA has lost about $6 million a year in federal funding for the last 12 years.

"This isn't just a Terrell homes issue," he said. "This is an-across-the-country issue. We're dealing with older stock that needed a certain amount of capital preservation over the years."

Kinard estimates demolishing the building could cost between $3.5-5 million but it's not clear what, if anything, will be built on the property once its knocked down. 

"We simply want to make sure the residents are in decent, safe and sanitary conditions," he said. 

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

Man apparently knew his attacker, police say.

MAPLEWOOD -- A 23-year-old Newark man was slashed during an altercation in Maplewood Wednesday night, township police said.

The man suffered minor injuries and was not hospitalized after the attack around 7:45 p.m near Coolidge Road and Irvington Avenue, according to a statement from Maplewood police.

Police said the victim apparently knew his attacker and the pair were previously in a dispute. The assailant pulled a knife out of his pocket and slashed at the Newark resident during the latest argument.

Anyone with information was asked to call the Maplewood Police Department Youth Aid Bureau. No arrests were reported.

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

Syed Qasim Abbas admitted he knowingly made false visas to draw students to a fake college in Cranford.

NEWARK -- A New York man on Monday admitted to accepting false visas in a scheme that has seen 22 people charged with recruiting foreigners to a fake university in New Jersey. 

Syed Qasim Abbas pleaded guilty in Newark federal court to one count of visa fraud as part of an operation that drew foreign nationals to the University of Northern New Jersey, a fake college federal officials set up as a sting operation.

The scheme gave foreigners visas and full-time work authorizations without requiring them to attend classes, according to federal prosecutors. The fake university, which had an office in Cranford, was meant to catch people who recruited mostly Chinese and Indian nationals. 

Abbas owned Fastnet Software International, Inc., an information technology staffing and consulting company in Northport, N.Y., according to court documents. Prosecutors said he falsely made visas from early 2014 through late 2015. 

The plea agreement, entered before Judge Madeline Cox Arleo, carries a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $250,000 - twice the amount Abbas gained or twice the amount lost by the victims. 

At least three other people have pleaded guilty in the operation. 

Marisa Iati may be reached at miati@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @Marisa_Iati or on Facebook here. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Schools Superintendent Christopher Cerf said the district's universal enrollment system will prioritize pairing students in their neighborhood schools.

NEWARK -- Schools Superintendent Christopher Cerf announced two key changes to the school registration process that he said will make it easier for parents, and prioritize keeping kids -- who want to -- stay in their neighborhoods. 

The universal enrollment system was rolled out under the district's former schools chief to create a central hub for students to apply for and rank their schools of choice, whether traditional or charter.

Under the changes this year, parents will be able to submit applications at any school. And K-8 students who live in the neighborhood will be given priority over those who do not. 

"If you live in the neighborhood, you will have an opportunity to go to the neighborhood school," Cerf said during a School Advisory Board meeting Tuesday. 

But critics say universal enrollment is flooding some schools with students while emptying others.  

"We're catering to particular schools while we're hurting other schools," said School Advisory Board member Dashay Carter. "This system isn't working; this system is unfair."

She said while schools in the East Ward are overenrolled, others are significantly underenrolled. 

Cerf said decisions about how many students are allowed in a school are separate from the universal enrollment system. Those decisions are made by the district, along with school principals.

"I would love every school to be equally attractive to every family in this city," Cerf said, adding: "I do not want to place that student in a school that has low demand just because it has low demand."

Teacher Al Moussab said echoed some of the board members' concerns.

"What we're doing is shuffling around students because we don't have the resources to give them what they need where they are," he said. 

Last year, 10,995 students, out of 50,000 in the district, participated in universal enrollment. Students rank their schools by preference and spaces are first given to those with siblings in the school and then to those who live in the area. Remaining seats are awarded through a lottery system. 

Fourteen of the city's 19 charter schools have agreed to participate in the universal enrollment system, which debuted in 2014. 

Cerf said the system was a "way to encourage schools to take their fair share of students with the greatest level of need" and "take control of the enrollment process of charter schools."

Universal enrollment, though, has become a symbol for former Superintendent Cami Anderson's turbulent tenure and the controversial school overhaul initiative called "One Newark." 

"The morale in this district is low and it's all because of this enrollment process," School Board Advisory member Marques-Aquil Lewis said.

The student registration window is open through Feb. 28.  

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

Authorities said the man left his house with a gun and fired numerous rounds down the street after his roommate told him someone else was shooting outside.

NEWARK -- A former state corrections officer pleaded guilty Thursday to aggravated assault in the shooting of a 17-year-old girl on Leslie Street in June 2015.

Aaron L. Milliner. (Essex County Prosecutor's Office)
 

Aaron L. Milliner faces a recommended sentence of five years in prison, of which he must serve 85 percent under state law and the terms of the plea, according to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office.

"We believe that this guilty plea and the recommended sentence is an appropriate resolution given the senseless act of violence perpetrated by Milliner that could have easily killed the juvenile victim,'' Assistant Prosecutor Alex Albu said in a statement.

Authorities said Milliner was at his apartment, off duty, when his roommate told him someone had fired a gun in the street. Milliner then left the house with his gun and walked down the street, firing numerous times at the person he believed had fired the shots, according to the Prosecutor's Office.

The 17-year-old was one of a number of other people present in the street, and was struck in the back by one of the rounds Milliner fired, according to prosecutors.

The girl survived her injuries, authorities said.

Milliner is no longer employed as a corrections officer, the prosecutor's office indicated.

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

Let's see how well you know New Jersey news.

So much has happened in New Jersey news in the past week. Do you remember it all? Time to find out with our local news quiz. Below are seven multiple-choice questions all based on NJ.com's biggest stories of the past week. Take the quiz and then share your score in comments: We want to know who aced the quiz and who didn't. Which questions tripped you up?

If you whiff this week, don't worry. There's a fresh NJ.com news quiz and a chance to redeem yourself every Thursday evening.

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

The driver then went to the hospital to be treated for a non-life threatening injjury

NEWARK -- Police shot a man early Friday after authorities say the driver attempted to run over an officer following a traffic stop, according to a report on WABC-7.

The man fled and drove himself to University Hospital, where he was treated for a gunshot wound that was not considered life-threatening, according to ABC. A bullet hole was found on the driver's side window of the vehicle when authorities found it parked outside the emergency room, the report said.

The police officer was not hurt, NBCNewYork.com said.

Officers had initially stopped the car on South 11th Street at 1:30 a.m.

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

Two factions of residents at Terrell Homes, a Newark public housing development, are divided About whether the complex should closed.

The 32 residents of the Millard E. Terrell Homes wearing blue T-shirts with bold white lettering that read: We Want Out, listened as some of their neighbors told Newark City Council, that they want in.

Many who spoke during the meeting said they have lived at Terrell for as long as 50 years, raised their families there and don't want the Newark Housing Authority to close the public housing complex, despite its severe deterioration.

They simply don't want to leave, even though the housing authority says it will submit an application for demolition by March or April to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

The residents in the blue We Want Out shirts, arrived too late to sign-in for an opportunity to speak at the meeting. So they held a silent protest, walking down the side aisle of council chambers, across the front and back up the center aisle past the podium with a microphone.

MORE: Recent Barry Carter columns  

"I'm sure we got our point across,'' said Chakeya Martin, a Terrell resident for eight years.

The group says it made a last-minute decision to show up when they heard that long-time residents were going to attend the council meeting and request the complex remain open.

While one side speaks about Terrell being a family-oriented community in which they've grown accustomed, the residents who want to leave say their neighbors and the Ironbound Community Corporation, a nonprofit organization that provides an array of social services to residents, are just delaying the inevitable.

"It's the living conditions,'' said Chakeya Martin.  "Nothing is meant to last forever.''

The Terrell Homes are falling apart. The electrical and boiler systems are antiquated. Apartments don't have showers. There are stubborn cases of mold that keep returning. Lead was removed by the EPA from the soil of the playground a few years ago. And, most concerning, the complex is rife with violent crime.  Resident Valtina McRae was so concerned for the safety of her two children, she sent them to live with her sister.

"Somebody got shot in the building that I live in,'' she said. "I don't know why they want to stay there.''

NHA Executive Director Keith Kinard has said the 275 apartment complex is too expensive to maintain and that it would cost some $60 million to repair.

"The objective is to shut the community down because we can't afford to provide a decent, safe, sanitary environment,'' Kinard said.

It's a grim picture, and those ready to leave would be pleased if the housing agency could relocate them now. But they can't move until HUD approves the demolition application.

Tenant President Rita Fortenberry said residents shouldn't be divided on this issue. Even though she would like to stay, Fortenberry said, she wants all residents to have the best relocation options if the development is closed.

"We should all be one voice,'' she said. "I don't think we're being dealt with fairly. We're not going quietly.''

The Ironbound Community Corporation has called on the housing authority to make sure all residents have decent housing.

If HUD gives the okay to demolish the site, Kinard said, residents have the option to move to another housing authority property or receive section 8 vouchers, which would allow them to live anywhere they'd like.   Either way, they would be reimbursed for moving expenses.

"But are those quality housing options?'' asked ICC Executive Director Joseph Della Fave.  "The people of Terrell deserve better housing conditions regardless of where that may be.''

Residents are concerned that if they move to another public housing development, the agency could decide to shut it down one day for the same reasons that Terrell is being closed. Should that happen, both Fortenberry and Della Fave said, residents would find themselves back in the same predicament.

The die-hards say they want to remain in the Ironbound community, and Councilman Augusto Amadore said he would fight to help them remain in the East Ward.

"We need to provide the support for these tenants and make sure they are treated with dignity,'' he said at the council meeting.

MORE CARTER: Reopening of the Hahne's property in Newark brings back memories

Residents bent on staying believe the housing authority has allowed the property to fall into disrepair to the point where it can't be fixed. They speculate that once the Terrell Homes are gone, new homes will be constructed, and they won't be a part of the resurgence.

"They're just trying to get us out of this place,'' said Dorothy Brazell. "Somebody is going to buy this place.''

Kinard said there aren't any plans for redevelopment of the complex, which was built in 1946 and first called the Franklin D. Roosevelt Homes. It was renamed in 1986 after Millard E. Terrell, a housing commissioner and civic leader in Newark.

If history is any indication, it doesn't look good for the complex.

HUD has consistently approved the housing authority's demolition requests for its other aging complexes across the city.

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

The Newark school district partnered with Montclair State University to offer an in-house certification program for bilingual teachers.

NEWARK -- The city's public school teachers won't have to travel very far to learn how to teach an ever-diverse student population in multiple languages. 

The Newark school district partnered with Montclair State University to offer an in-house bilingual certification program for teachers who already speak a foreign language and need to learn to teach in that language. 

"It's not a problem that's specific to Newark that it's difficult to find bilingual teachers," said Larisa Shambaugh, Chief Talent Officer for the district. She said it's a national problem a lot of districts face. "We are all in competition for a small pool of teachers."

Shambaugh said there's not a lot of bilingual preparation programs around, which means there's "not a huge pipeline coming from our universities." The district employs 137 bilingual teachers; 12 newly certified teachers are expected to graduate from the program in the spring. 

Montclair State University developed the four-course program, which is offered at Luis Munoz Marin Elementary School and online. Teachers who successfully complete the 12-credit, full-year program will be reimbursed for the costs by the district. 

"In today's increasingly global society, bilingual education is integral to student achievement," said Maria Ortiz, principal at Luis Munoz Marin Elementary School.  "This program makes it convenient for our hardworking educators to become certified in bilingual education by bringing the program right here."

The program is only open to current or future employees of traditional public schools in the district. 

Shambaugh says the two main languages spoken by students other than English are Spanish and Portuguese. But the district is also looking for French Creole speakers.

Those interested in the program can email teach@nps.k12.nj.us.

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

The Board of Education in the embattled city of Orange is questioning the validity of an overwhelming vote in November.

ORANGE -- A referendum vote passed overwhelmingly last November by the residents of a New Jersey town under FBI investigation might be squashed before it actually sees the light of day.

The Orange Board of Education at a meeting Monday night voted in favor of retaining special counsel to attempt to nullify a vote that would switch the Board of Education from one made of members appointed by the mayor, known as a "Type I" school, to one of those elected by the people, known as "Type II."

Nearly 80 percent of voters in Orange passed the measure in November.

Board of Education President Cristina Mateo said one of the main motivating factors behind the decision to challenge the referendum was a $2.5 million bond for capital improvements to several school buildings in the district. The city council approved the bond last year, but it has not yet been paid out.

According to the New Jersey School Boards Association, because the bond was put before the council on Nov. 14, and approved on Dec. 20 -- both after the referendum vote -- it is invalid. Now that the school district is Type II, it must follow a different procedure to get capital funding.

"We don't care if (the board) is elected or if it's appointed," Mateo said in a phone interview. "But, now we are talking about financial issues where the school is losing." 

If the board reverts to a "Type I," with an appointed board, the funding could remain.

The question as it appeared on the ballot, as taken from a sample ballot provided by the Essex County Clerk's Office.
 

According to Stephen Edelstein, one of the attorneys hired to petition the referendum vote, the Board of School Estimate - which was made up of members of the Board of Education and the city council - had a final say on annual budgets and on bonds used for capital improvement projects. 

Switching to a "Type II" school, there would be no Board of School Estimate, and bonds would need to be voted on by the public, he said.

"We're not sure that people understood that," he said. "We don't think it was explained."

The move to reverse the referendum vote would be based on the wording used in the referendum question, he said.

"We don't dispute the vote," Edelstein said.

"It's about the process...whether or not the (ballot question) was framed correctly...and whether or not the public had a fair understanding of what they were voting on."

According to Edelstein, the repercussions of the vote were not explained in the language used on the ballot people voted on in November.

By next week, Edelstein said he plans to file a motion in either state Superior Court or with the commissioner of education seeking a declaratory judgment on whether or not the wording used in the referendum was valid.

But, residents and elected officials in the city question the board's motivations behind the move.

"The language was clear and concise," said Councilman Kerry Coley. "The people who voted knew that they wanted to vote for an elected board over an appointed one."

A New Jersey School Boards Association spokesperson was not aware of any other similar referendum vote in other towns being overturned. Language used on ballots in other towns that have switched from Type I to Type II districts over the past five years was similar to that used in Orange. 

Why FBI raid was a long time coming

According to Edelstein, if the referendum is declared null and void, the appointed board would remain in place. It would be up to the city council to decide whether or not residents would vote on the measure again this year, he said.

In the meantime, the city clerk's office has been moving to hold a special election in March to fill two new elected seats on the board. According to the county clerk's office, 21 people filed petitions to fill those two unexpired terms before Monday's filing deadline.

If the referendum vote stands, residents will vote in board members a few at a time, until the entire board is made up of elected members in 2019.

A spokesman for Mayor Dwayne Warren did not respond to a request for comment. After the vote in November, Warren said he was looking forward to switching the board to one that was popularly elected.  

"I'm disgusted by this," said Karen Wells, who said she was one of about 25 residents who attended Monday's meeting to speak out against the board's vote.

"We keep doling out (tax dollars)...city hall is a mess, and now this with the school board," she said, referring to an ongoing federal investigation into government spending in Orange.

The vote from the Board of Education, which is not being investigated, comes only a few weeks after the FBI raided city hall, seeking documents related to several of Warren's appointees there.

As a result of the November vote, there are only 15 non-special school boards in New Jersey that are made up of appointed, not elected, members.

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

BLOOMFIELD -- Jack and Tigger are 8-week-old male kittens in the care of A Purrfect World Rescue. Volunteers describe them as "typical kittens -- playful and affectionate." Jack and Tigger are closely bonded and must be adopted together; they are FIV/FeLV negative, neutered and up-to-date on shots. For more information on Jack and Tigger, call Kristina at 201-965-9586, email info@apurrfectworld.org...

Jack and Tigger 

BLOOMFIELD -- Jack and Tigger are 8-week-old male kittens in the care of A Purrfect World Rescue.

Volunteers describe them as "typical kittens -- playful and affectionate."

Jack and Tigger are closely bonded and must be adopted together; they are FIV/FeLV negative, neutered and up-to-date on shots.

For more information on Jack and Tigger, call Kristina at 201-965-9586, email info@apurrfectworld.org or go to apurrfectworld.org. A Purrfect World is a nonprofit group in Bloomfield that places stray and abandoned cats in permanent homes and is currently caring for more than 100 cats.

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.

 

Who is going to win and who is going to shine?

Which divisions have the most talent and provide the biggest challenge?

A total of 81 people have been charged since March 2014, the state attorney general's office said.

Five more people have been charged with filing false applications for relief for Hurricane Sandy damage to homes that were not primary residences, authorities said.

The charges are a part of the state attorney general's crackdown on Sandy relief fraud. A total of 81 people have been charged in Sandy-related fraud since March 2014.

Carmela Longo, 54, of Westerly, R.I., received about $192,000 in funds for filing claims for a home she owns in Ventnor that she said was her primary residence when Sandy hit, authorities said.

She was actually living in Rhode Island at the time and the Ventnor home was a seasonal property, authorities said. Longo is charged with second-degree theft by deception and fourth-degree unsworn falsification.

Michael McCrone, 64, of Bayville, is alleged to have received more than $72,000 for claiming his primary residence in Bayville was damaged, authorities said.

His primary residence was discovered to be in Newtown, Pa., authorities said. He is charged with second-degree attempted theft by deception, third-degree theft by deception and fourth-degree unsworn falsification.

Keith Bowden, 69, of North Plainfield, received more than $27,000 for claiming a rental/secondary property in Lavellette as his primary residence, authorities said. Bowden faces charges of third-degree theft by deception and fourth-degree unsworn falsification.

Marcy Gendel, 65, of Verona, claimed that a rental property in Point Pleasant Beach damaged by the storm was her primary residence and received $12,270 in grants, authorities said. Gendel was charged with third-degree theft by deception and fourth-degree unsworn falsification.

Randolph Colson, 65, of Netcong, allegedly filed an application for a summer/weekend home he owns in Sea Bright and claimed it was his primary residence, authorities said. He withdrew his federal application, but received a $10,000 state-issued resettlement grant, authorities said. Colson is charged with third-degree theft by deception.

In many cases, applications have been made to the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), SBA loans, as well as a HUD-funded Sandy relief program and HHS funds -- both at the state level.

"We charge that these defendants stole from disaster relief programs and by extension from the victims who were hardest hit by the storm," Attorney General Christopher Porrino said in the statement.  "We'll continue to charge every cheat we identify who diverted funds from these recovery programs and from victims in need."

Rajeev Dhir may be reached at rdhir@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @googasmammoo. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Police from several jurisdictions chased two drivers in separate incidents on Route 17 on Wednesday.

PARAMUS - Three people face charges after drivers fled police in two harrowing chases Wednesday on Route 17.

The first occurred shortly after 2 p.m. when a police officer tried to stop a 2000 Audi with New York plates in the 400 block of Route 17 South. The car had a defective brake light, according to Paramus Police Chief Ken Ehrenberg.

When the officer activated his lights and sirens, the vehicle carrying two occupants fled on Route 17 South, turning onto the Garden State Parkway South at Exit 163, police said.

"A short time later the Audi attempted to merge onto Route 80 west where it spun out and hit a guard rail," Ehrenberg said in a statement.

As the driver pulled back from the guardrail, his car hit the police car, Ehrenberg said.

From left, Nicholas Vizzone, Steven Pena, Andre Felix. (Paramus PD) 

Police arrested two suspects: Andre Felix, 18, and Steven Pena, 20, both of Paterson. Felix was charged with eluding police and illegal possession of prescription drugs. Pena was charged with illegal possession of prescription drugs, Ehrenberg said.

Less than two hours later, the Oakland Police Department issued an alert for a black, Volkswagen Jetta whose driver was wanted for questioning in a suspicious incident at a Walgreens store.

When officers tried to speak with the driver, he fled the scene, Ehrenberg said.

"Paramus Police Officer Thomas Holden observed the suspect vehicle on Route 17 south in the area of Midland Avenue," Ehrenberg said.

When the officer tried to stop the Jetta, the driver sped south on Route 17. When the car reached Farview Avenue, it jumped a curb and struck a car, Ehrenberg said.

"The Jetta then turned into the Coach USA bus yard located on Pleasant Avenue," Ehrenberg said. "It then fled into a storage yard belonging to Paramus Honda also located on Pleasant Avenue."

While in the Honda lot, the Jetta struck three parked cars belonging to the business, Ehrenberg said.

The driver then rammed two patrol cars, causing significant damage to one, Ehrenberg said.

One officer was injured and taken to Hackensack University Medical Center for neck and back injuries and released, Ehrenberg said.

After striking the cars, the suspect drove through a chain-link fence and locked gate, back onto Pleasant Avenue where it fled onto Passaic Street into Hackensack, Ehrenberg said.

Hackensack police and New Jersey State Police followed the Jetta on the New Jersey Turnpike, where it fled south, according to Ehrenberg.

The driver struck another car in the area of Exit 15W, Ehrenberg.

Drunk ditches car on tracks

It was after the 15W crash that state police, with assistance from East Rutherford police, took the man into custody.

The suspect was identified as Nicholas Vizzone, 24, of Roseland. He was charged with reckless endangerment, eluding police and criminal mischief. He was also wanted for violation of parole, Ehrenberg said.

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

Facts and FAQs about this year's event.

Three face charges after sheriff's office investigations Thursday.

NEWARK -- Essex County Sheriff's detectives seized guns and heroin with separate arrests in Orange and Irvington Thursday, officials said.

Narcotics investigators were working on a "quality of life" patrol near 15th Avenue and South 20th Street in Irvington, where they saw a group of men gathered at the intersection, according to Sheriff Armando Fontoura.

One of the men, Stephon Bunion, 26 of Newark, saw the detectives and tried to hide behind a parked van, authorities said.

Bunion also took an item, which police later found was a loaded .25 caliber Titan semi-automatic handgun, from his jacket pocket and tossed it under the van, authorities said.

Shootings leave 4 wounded in 4 days in Orange, source says

Bunion had a 9mm Walther semi-automatic handgun loaded with illegal hollow point rounds stashed in his left sock, Fontoura said. He was charged with various weapons offenses and sent to the Essex County jail.

In another investigation earlier Thursday, sheriff's narcotics detectives setup surveillance near Central Avenue and Central Place in Orange after reports of open-air drug dealing in the area, according to the sheriff.

Investigators saw Saladine Johnson, 43 of Little Egg Harbor, at a Central Place residence, where he met with Robin Brock, 55 of Orange, authorities said. He exchanged an item with Brock for cash.

Sheriff's detectives arrested Brock and found she was carrying one heroin packet stamped "TV GUIDE," Fontoura said. In a hallway of the Central Place home, authorities said they found 92 similarly marked decks of heroin. Johnson was also arrested with $395 and charged with various drug distribution-related offenses.

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

NEWARK -- Employees of the Krueger Brewing Co. in Newark get together after work to sample the fruits of their labor in this photo taken in 1955. Founded in 1858 by Gottfried Krueger and John Laible, the brewery's final location at 75 Belmont Ave. operated from 1934 to 1961 and was ultimately purchased by Ballantine and Sons. The Krueger brand...

NEWARK -- Employees of the Krueger Brewing Co. in Newark get together after work to sample the fruits of their labor in this photo taken in 1955.

Founded in 1858 by Gottfried Krueger and John Laible, the brewery's final location at 75 Belmont Ave. operated from 1934 to 1961 and was ultimately purchased by Ballantine and Sons.

The Krueger brand itself was also sold and was produced by Narragansett in Rhode Island.

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

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

 

A Chinese new year celebration, a night of symphonic hip hop and a classic rock band are among this week's listings.

Ladies Night at NJPAC

Grammy Award-winning Rapper Nelly -- whose hits include "Hot in Herre" and "Just a Dream" -- brings a unique concert experience combining hip hop and symphonic music to NJPAC Jan. 27. For "A Night of symphonic hip hop featuring Nelly," the singer is backed by his own band and members of the NJ Symphony Orchestra. Critics have called the concept, which Nelly premiered last summer, "a surprise winner."

$29 - 195, Ladies Night with Nelly/An Evening of Symphonic Hip-Hop, Jan. 27, 8 p.m., NJPAC, 1 Center St., Newark. 888-GO-NJPAC.

Come laugh at the Mayo

"America's Got Talent" show judge Howie Mandel returns to his stand-up roots at the Mayo Performing Arts Center Jan. 27. The adults-only show will feature Mandel's trademark observational humor and off-the-cuff quips as he interacts with the audience. Comedian John Mendoza opens the show.

$49-99, Howie Mandel, Jan. 27, 8 p.m.Mayo Performing Arts Center, 100 South St., Morristown. 973-539-8008.

Rock out with Southside Johnny

It's been 40 years since Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes recorded their first album and this Jersey Shore favorite continues to rock hard like their pal Bruce Springsteen. They'll bring that energy -- and material from 30 albums -- to Bergen Performing Arts Center Jan. 28. "Rolling Stone" magazine voted the band's third album, 1978's "Hearts of Stone" one of the top albums of the 1970s and 80s and included it on its list of the 500 best albums of all time.

$22 -79, Jan. 28, 8 p.m. Bergen PAC, 30 N. Van Brunt St., Englewood. 201-227-1030.

Celebrate Chinese new year with dance

The Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company ushers in the "Year of the Rooster" at NJPAC Jan. 28 and 29. This vibrant, lively show combines Chinese traditions --  dancing lions and dragons -- with American modern dance. Pre-performance activities include dance demonstrations. 

$15-37, "Year of the Rooster: The Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company," Jan 28 and 29, 2 p.m. NJPAC, 1 Center St., Newark. 888-GO-NJPAC.

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