The demolition of the old Science High School in Newark leaves a trail of memories for alumni.

The elevator at the old Science High School in Newark didn't work most of the time. Seats in the auditorium were broken. Ceiling plaster fell on students during class, and when it rained outside, it rained inside.

Despite the ramshackle conditions dedicated teachers and motivated students were not deterred. They built a reputation as the tough-minded, scrappy little school on Rector Street that did more with less.

"It was a hot mess, but we loved it,'' said Altericke Brinkley, a 1982 graduate and Newark resident.

Teachers knew their students names, even if a kid wasn't in their class.  It was a serious place of learning, a top-flight city school, where everyone felt safe, where everyone cared.

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There were enough good times to fill a scrapbook for its alumni, but they'll settle for having visited 40 Rector Street one last time.

During the past two weeks they came to see their alma mater being demolished to make way for new development.

The old Science High School in Newark has been demolished. Some of the terra cotta tiles on the art deco entranceway have been removed to be incorporated in the design of a new luxury high-rise that will be built.(File Photo)r 

Some alumni took pictures. Many snagged a brick. Others did both, as the landmark building that was once the Ballantine Brewery Malt House came down piece by piece.

Margaret Adjoga-Otu, a former student who is now the school's librarian, hasn't made the trip yet but couldn't believe it when she heard the news that the building was being torn down.

"A co-worker showed me a picture. It took my breath away,'' she said.

Coming to the site will be a 23-story, 169-unit apartment building, among the city's first residential high-rise since 1962, the result of a partnership between NBA Hall of Famer Shaquille O'Neal and Boraie Development, of New Brunswick.

By the end of the month, all the debris should be gone and another chapter of Newark's history will be just that - history.

This includes the school's distinctive art deco entranceway, which appears to have been destroyed despite an agreement with the developer that it would be saved. Only some of the decorative tiles surrounding the entrance, which were removed before demolition, remain intact.

"It's a shame,'' said Matthew Gosser, vice president of the Newark Landmark & Preservation Committee. "It was not supposed to be touched in the demolition.''

Phillip Scott, the city's director of engineering, said the facade was supposed to be preserved based on approvals from the Newark Landmarks & Historic Preservation Commission. But bricks started falling from the building in November, and his department gave the developer permission to move up the demolition date, which had been scheduled for some time in the spring.

"As they tried to preserve the building, the building was basically falling apart," Scott said.

But Scott also said he's not aware if the facade or entranceway was saved, but the art deco terra cotta tiles featuring symbols of education were removed and will be incorporated into the design of the new building.  

The building, which was constructed around 1860 as a brewery malt house, became home to many important institutions, including Dana College in 1933, created when the New Jersey Law School and Seth Boyden School of Business merged.

It later became the University of Newark in 1935. Then, Rutgers University took it over 10 years later, to use as a chemistry lab. In 1963, Essex County College began leasing the building until 1976, when The Newark Board of Education took over and converted the building to house Science High School.

The school stayed for 30 years, enduring less-than-stellar conditions. In June 2006, students marched through city streets because of delays in the construction of their new Science Park High School, which eventually opened in the fall of that year.

In spite of everything, students remained committed to their education in the old building. Gym classes were held around the corner on Broad Street at the YMCA, but students never skipped out afterward.

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"They could go home if they wanted to,'' said Branden Rippey, a history teacher for 19 years.  "That's the testament to how good our kids were.''

They were 600 strong. But a missing student would have been easily noticed because everyone knew each other.

It's still that way among alumni. When news spread that the building was being razed, the Science High School alumni Facebook page lit up with posts.

"Get a brick, take a pick.''

There was a line of cars one day. Brinkley, a management analyst at the Veteran Affairs Health Care System in East Orange, sent her son to get three.

Her niece, brother and cousin are graduates.

'"It was a family thing,'' Brinkley said.

Jonathan Alston, who was Adjoga-Out's English teacher, says he plans to get a souvenir brick, but that's as sentimental as it gets for him. He remembers the mold, asbestos removal and flooded locker rooms in the basement.

"I'm not going to glorify giving kids unsafe resources,''  Alston said.

Instead, he holds onto the education that took place there. Teachers, he said, were socially conscious. Literature was presented with flair. The debate team that he now coaches, became nationally known.

"We were a small school that was more like a club of people who really cared,'' Alston said.

For Luis Soto, 45, of Greenbrook, Science High was an escape from the poverty and crime in his Newark neighborhood.

"It (school) was a sanctuary. It was a safe zone,'' said Soto, a 1989 graduate, who is a major with the New Jersey Department of Corrections.

But now it's gone.

Kiyan Williams, who was part of the last class before the school closed, didn't' take a brick on his visit.

"It was devastating to see a place being demolished that was so central to who I am as a person,'' said Williams, 25, an artist who lives in Oakland, Calif.

As he stood there, watching machinery chip away at the building, Williams said it was moment for him to reflect and see a bigger picture.

Science High is part of a "ripple effect," that Newark is changing.

Look for construction to begin in the spring.

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

WEST ORANGE -- Amelia and Buff are 9-month-old kittens in the care of West Orange Trap Neuter Vaccinate and Return. The kittens have a strong bond and must be adopted together. Amelia has been spayed and Buff has been neutered. Both kittens are FIV-positive; they are up-to-date on shots. For more information on Amelia and Buff and other adoptable felines,...

Amelia and Buff 

WEST ORANGE -- Amelia and Buff are 9-month-old kittens in the care of West Orange Trap Neuter Vaccinate and Return.

The kittens have a strong bond and must be adopted together.

Amelia has been spayed and Buff has been neutered. Both kittens are FIV-positive; they are up-to-date on shots.

For more information on Amelia and Buff and other adoptable felines, email wotnvr@gmail.com or go to wotnvr.petfinder.com.

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.

 

They are state-ranked showdowns, rematches or the kind of bouts with plenty of juice.

Surveillance came in response to "complaints of open-air drug trafficking" at the complex, according to the Essex County sheriff.

NEWARK -- Essex County Sheriff's detectives arrested a drug dealer and seized heroin along with crack cocaine at Newark's Stephen Crane Village, marking the second day in a row that investigators made a drug distribution arrest at the public housing complex, officials said Friday.

Charlevester Anthony, 22, of Newark, was arrested Thursday after detectives stopped him with 88 decks of heroin, 11 Ziplock bags of crack cocaine and $159, according to Sheriff Armando Fontoura.

As investigators were watching the area, they saw Alis Ortiz, 41, of Newark, buy drugs from Anthony, the sheriff said.

Man found shot in the head after Belleville wreck, authorities say

Detectives stopped Ortiz blocks away from the transaction and he admitted that he just bought two glassine envelopes of heroin, stamped with "Call of Duty," according to Fontoura, who said Ortiz was charged with drug possession.

Authorities charged Anthony with the sale, possession and distribution of drugs.

Sheriff's detectives launched the surveillance operation at the Franklin Avenue apartments in response to "continuous neighborhood complaints of open-air drug trafficking" at the complex, Fontoura added.

Narcotics detectives on Wednesday also arrested a suspected drug dealer at the North Ward apartments. 

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

BELLEVILLE -- This photo from the 1950s captured the ice being "groomed" by a municipal employee on a temporary outdoor skating rink in Belleville. A basketball court was intentionally flooded with water and allowed to freeze for skating. If you would like to share a photo that provides a glimpse of history in your community, please call 973-836-4922 or send...

BELLEVILLE -- This photo from the 1950s captured the ice being "groomed" by a municipal employee on a temporary outdoor skating rink in Belleville.

A basketball court was intentionally flooded with water and allowed to freeze for skating.

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 small group of students at Maplewood Middle School are involved, reports say.

MAPLEWOOD -- Officials at a New Jersey middle school are reportedly investigating a "Nazi gesture" used by a small group of students at school.

According to a Village Green report, Maplewood Middle School Principal Dara Crocker Gronau sent a letter to parents Wednesday addressing the incident.

"Today we became aware that in one of our classrooms, an incident involving the use of the Nazi gesture and verbal salute occurred between a small group of students," Gronau reportedly said in the letter. The incident is being investigated as "Harassment Intimidation and Bullying," the report said.

The school is implementing a series of responses, the Maplewoodian.com blog reported, including anti-bias discussions with students and professional development sessions for staff. Reports do not indicate whether or not the students involved will face disciplinary actions.

School officials did not return a request for comment on the incident Friday, as the district is closed for a winter break.

The district has faced other issues of bias with students over the past year, including a string of allegedly racist and anti-Semitic social media posts last May. 

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

U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance (R-7th Dist.) has town hall events planned for Feb. 22 and 25 at Raritan Valley Community College.

U.S. Rep. Leonard Lance (R-7th Dist.) is extremely popular this week. The five-term congressman has filled a more than 900-seat auditorium and an overflow room at Raritan Valley Community College for a town hall meeting on Feb. 22.

A second meeting was added for Feb. 25, and constituents who tried to register for that meeting said Friday they were told that session was also filled. Lance's spokesman John Byers, however, said the Feb. 25 event had open seats as of Friday afternoon.

Many of those who said they were shut out of the sessions questioned if the congressman was trying to pack the meetings with loyal Republicans. Many others said Lance may just not have realized the level of interest and mismanaged the organization process. 

"I'm disgusted, and I'm a little furious, too," Michael Houston, of Clinton, said. "We don't want to blame him (Lance) for misleading people when it may be a matter of them not realizing how many people were going to want to go."

In a statement, Byers denied that any aspect of the sign-up system for the town hall meetings was politically motivated. 

"That is a complete falsehood," Byers said. "Any person who has attended any of Congressman Lance's 40 in-person town halls or his 45 telephone town halls knows he takes questions from Democrats, Republicans and Independents alike."

The tension comes amidst a nationwide string of heated town hall meetings by Republican Congress members facing a riled up political left, as well as their own constituencies in moderate districts. 

Lance was considered a moderate when he was elected in 2008 to a district that President Barack Obama won. His district has changed to encompass more conservative areas, and Lance has become more conservative as well, several constituents said.

Progressive groups, Democrats and some moderate Republicans have not welcomed the change. Nearly continuous protests have occurred at Lance's office since January.

Dozens of constituents said they planned to question Lance on his voting record and ask him about his stance on repealing the Affordable Care Act, funding for Planned Parenthood, abortion rights and other issues before Congress resumed.

Those eager to question the congressman said they responded to an RSVP on his Facebook page last week. But on Wednesday and Thursday, they got emails asking them to re-register for the Feb. 22 event. When they tried to register, they said they were told the session was full.

Although a second session was added for Feb. 25, several people said they couldn't change their session because of child care or other conflicts.  

More than 2,000 people have signed up for both events, according to Byers.

"Ninety-nine percent signed up and got their tickets without a hitch," he said in a statement. "Those with hitches are getting assistance."

Gabriel Olochwoszcz, of Hillsborough, said he first signed up for the town hall on Feb. 10. He saw friends posting on social media Wednesday that they had gotten a re-registration email, sent through the ticketing platform Eventbrite. 

Olochwoszcz said his email came Thursday at 4:30 a.m., and when he tried to sign up around 9 a.m., he also got messages that both live events were full. He said one of Lance's staffers told him EventBrite was supposed to send out the re-registration emails in roughly the order in which people originally registered, but he said he wasn't sure whether that had happened. 

"My personal read on the situation is that they're just way in over their heads," said Olochwoszcz, who usually votes for Republicans but chose Lance's opponent, Peter Jacob, last November. "I know a lot of people are perceiving it as malice, and I don't think it is. I think they're just that overwhelmed."

Byers declined to comment on the order in which Eventbrite sent out the invitations.

He said in a statement that Lance had wanted a second town hall added to accommodate as many people as possible and that everyone who RSVP'd to the original event got an email asking them to choose either the auditorium or the overflow room for one of the two dates. 

"The response was strong, and we want to make sure constituents get in and that constituents get to ask questions," Byers said. "The ticket system will make sure that as many as possible are accommodated through the two town halls and that seats in the theater are not taken by out-of-staters."

Michelle Regan, of Tewksbury, said she and her husband signed up for the Feb. 22 town hall weeks ago but didn't get an email asking them to re-register for one of the two events. She said when she called Lance's Washington, D.C., office, a staffer told her neither she nor her husband was in their database and so couldn't register for either town hall. 

"It's probably not hard to identify me as someone who's not sympathetic with the way Leonard Lance tends to vote," Regan, a registered Democrat who said she emails Lance's office almost weekly to express concern about his voting record, said Thursday. "It could either be a big technical glitch because the system got flooded, or it could be something more systematic or intentional, which, to me, would mean obstruction of the constituents."

Regan said Friday that she and her husband received Eventbrite emails letting them sign up for the event after they contacted Lance's office, and she believed their exclusion from the invitation had been an honest error. 

Tewksbury resident Albert Macchi, too, said the Feb. 22 meeting was full when he tried to re-register for it Thursday. He eventually signed up for the Feb. 25 event. 

Macchi said he wondered if Lance's office might have implemented the re-registration system to split registered Democrats and Republicans evenly between the two events. 

Houston, who ultimately signed up for the Feb. 22 live-stream event, said he expected constituents opposed to Lance's views to "show up in numbers" to the congressman's town halls. 

"I think there will be people rallying even outside the venue if they couldn't get into either one," Houston said. "We want to show him (Lance) it's not just a couple of disgruntled Democrats. It's a lot of people who are upset."

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

Patrol vehicles had to pull in front of the slow moving vehicle to stop it, at which point the driver finally awoke, authorities said.

FORT LEE -- Police arrested a man who fell asleep behind the wheel of a car, illegally taken from his job, while driving on the George Washington Bridge, authorities said.

Anibal Rivera (L.) and Brandon K. Eckhardt (R.)PANYNJ 

Anibal Rivera, 28, of Newark, was arrested early Friday morning after Port Authority Police had to pull in front of the slow moving four-door Mercedes to stop it, according to a press release.  

Patrol vehicles first spotted the car around 1:20 a.m. on the eastbound upper level of the bridge going at a very low rate of speed and causing traffic to snarl. 

When the marked patrol vehicle pulled next to the car, the driver appeared to be asleep, authorities said. 

The car struck the rear of the patrol vehicle when it pulled in front, slowed and then came to rest against a guardrail, at which time the driver finally awoke, authorities said. 

After noticing a strong order of marijuana, police found a marijuana cigarette at the feet of a passenger, Brandon K. Eckhardt, in the car. Rivera subsequentially failed a sobriety test, officials said. 

Both men denied ownership of the car, authorities said. Police later determined that Rivera had illegally taken the car from his job at an auto detailing business.

Rivera was charged with numerous drug and car theft offenses including reckless driving. Eckhardt, 26, of Jersey City was charged with similar offenses. 

Fausto Giovanny Pinto may be reached at fpinto@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @FGPreporting. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Sgt. Juan Gonzalez plunged into the river to rescue a 24-year-old suspect who appeared to be drowning.

Sgt. Juan Gonzalez 

NEWARK -- Newark police Sgt. Juan Gonzalez knew time was running out as the suspect flailed and went under the frigid waters of the Passaic River.

Minutes earlier on Tuesday night, police say Amir Sinclair Copeland, 24, of Newark, jumped off a 6-foot wall into the river after fleeing from officers who chased him in a stolen minivan.

Gonzalez said the man who ran from police appeared to be drowning approximately 40 feet from the shoreline, near McCarter Highway and Center Street.

"[Copeland] turned around and started heading back toward our direction, and he just started flailing in the water," Gonzalez said in an interview Friday. "He went under once. We were coaxing him back in, telling him to come back. He took a couple more strokes and went under again."

The sergeant took off his boots, his police belt, emptied his pockets and plunged into the murky river after Copeland.

"I knew by the time you get a boat out there it's going to be too late," he added.

With the suspect becoming submerged in the river, Gonzalez explained how he immediately swam toward a spot where he saw bubbles.

Man found shot in the head after Belleville wreck, authorities say

"We saw the bubbles coming up so I just made my way toward the bubbles and that's how I was able to grab him," the sergeant said.

When he reached Copeland, the sergeant said he found the man in desperate need of help.

"I could literally hear the water in his lungs and his mouth, it was coming out of his nose and his mouth," Gonzalez added. "His eyes were as white as saucers."

"I've been doing this job for 20 years and I've seen a lot of things. I've seen a lot of people die," the sergeant said. "You could just see the life going out of his eyes. You just knew that any longer there he would have went under and he would have stayed under."

Gonzalez initially tussled with Copeland, who pulled on him in the water, according to police.

"I think it was just basic survival instincts. He just grabbed me," Gonzalez added. "He wasn't being combative or anything."

Police units converged on the shore and lit up the water with flashlights as a fast-moving rescue effort unfolded. Copeland, grabbed by his belt, was shoved up to safety. Someone threw out a detective's tie as a help line to the water.

Gonzalez, who served in the U.S Marine Corps, considered himself a good swimmer, but admitted the Passaic River, with overnight surface temperatures in the mid-30s, was a challenge. He felt cramps throughout his body during the five to eight minute rescue, battled the currents covered in river muck and was treated for hypothermia and pneumonia.

"When I jumped in the water it was just a big shock," said Gonzalez. "Like sticking your finger in wall socket, it took everything from me."

The police division's Emergency Services Unit lowered a ladder as part of the rescue and an officer dangled over the edge while Gonzalez managed to grab an officer's arm.

Both Copeland and Gonzalez were taken to University Hospital, where they were briefly reunited when the sergeant stopped in for a visit. Copeland, he said, at first didn't know who saved him.

"He just wanted to thank me, he seemed very genuine when he thanked me," Gonzalez added. "He said that he would die and he didn't know why he did it, he apologized and was just really thankful."

The sergeant also said he took a thank you call from Copeland's mother at the North Ward's 2nd police precinct.

Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose commended Gonzalez for his "courageous and selfless" actions.

"Jumping into the icy Passaic River, swimming out to save the suspect and pulling him to safety is nothing short of heroic," the public safety director said.

For Gonzalez, the fact that Copeland was a fleeing suspect with a history of arrests made no difference, and the sergeant credited fellow officers with helping by relaying information over the police radio.

"It wasn't about me going out there and him being a suspect. None of that crossed my mind at the time," the sergeant said. "I was just watching this kid go under. Somebody had to do something."

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

Bold picks for the weekend in New Jersey hoops.

A councilman caught making racially offensive comments in a text conversation has apologized, but says they were made public as a political attack.

ROSELAND -- Council members in a small New Jersey borough are reeling after political infighting among them erupted this week when their group text message containing racially and religiously-charged comments went public.

The private text conversation, in which all six Republican members of the Roseland borough council and the mayor were included, but not all participated, was an ongoing group chat that started in May 2016.

In a part of the conversation over Memorial Day weekend, Councilmen Thomas Tsilionis and David Jacobs exchange several race-based texts.

An edited screenshot of the text conversation.
 

"David how do I become Jewish? I want to be half Jewish (cheap) and half African American (endowed)," Tsilionis writes in the string.

"First the Rabbi needs to take a bigger cut," Jacobs replies, apparently referring to a Jewish bris ceremony.

"I am legally changing my name to ShwartzNigga," Tsilionis replies.

Tsilionis then goes on to discuss the penis sizes of council members and candidates.

The texts surfaced this week in a report in The Progress, a local Roseland newspaper. Councilman Richard Leonard said he has, over the past two months, shared his concerns about the conversation with others in the community, and turned over the conversation to the newspaper after a reporter requested it.

Tsilionis, who also posted a response on his Facebook page, told NJ Advance Media Friday that the comments he made in the text conversation were "really, really stupid."

"It was just a silly, stupid, senseless joke," he said. "I regret ever using it. ... There's no defending it. I apologize."

The councilman said he meant the comments as a joke. "Guys sometimes bust around with each other," he said. "There's nothing behind it."

An edited screenshot of the text conversation.
 

Reached Friday, Jacobs also apologized for his role in the conversation.

"Tom shouldn't have sent it. I shouldn't have responded," he said of the messages.

"I apologize for it."

But, both also say Leonard's release of the messages was an act of political retaliation. It followed, Tsilionis said, about a year of his questioning Leonard's actions on the council. In January, when Leonard made a bid to become council president, Tsilionis and three other councilmen refused to support him, and Leonard lost the bid.

"Anytime (Leonard) doesn't get his way, he attacks," Tsilionis said. "These are the attacks that are coming my direction."

Jacobs, who was Leonard's running mate last year but then did not support him for council president, called the move "some type of political move on (Leonard's) part to get even."

The two also questioned why Leonard waited until January to share comments that were texted in May of the previous year. Leonard said he couldn't remember whether or not he saw the texts last May, but that he brought them up to friends once he was aware of them.

He denied that his actions were retribution.

"I wanted it this time," he said of the council president position. "I didn't get it ... and that's ok."

The other council members did not respond to requests for comment Friday.

Mayor John Duthie said he found the comments made in the text conversation "offensive, inappropriate, and I don't condone it."

But, Duthie said he approached the two councilmen involved about it, and they apologized. "I believe they are very sorry for their actions," he said.

The controversy has also sparked a debate about whether or not private conversations between council members should be subject to public scrutiny.

Councilman Tom Tsilionis. (Submitted photo)
 

Leonard argued that because all of the council members were included in the group, it may be considered a meeting between them. Tsilionis said that because no borough business had been discussed prior to the exchange of the racially-charged messages, it was just a private conversation.

Sen. Richard Codey (D-Essex), a Roseland resident who represents the borough, said regardless of the status of the conversation, Tsilionis and Jacobs should resign.

"You have to be repulsed by this kind of talk," he said. "This gives the town a bad name."

Tsilionis said that if the comments had been made in a public forum, he would consider resigning. He said under the circumstances, the appropriate thing to do was apologize.

"It wasn't done in a demeaning way," he said.

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

Five people in the car were injured after early morning wreck, authorities say.

BELLEVILLE -- A man found shot in the head after the car he was driving crashed into a utility pole in Belleville remained in critical condition Friday, officials said.

Two other passengers in the car, a 27-year-old and 19-year-old, were also still hospitalized, according to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office. The remaining two passengers were treated for unspecified injuries and released.

The five Newark residents were riding in a red Pontiac that slammed into a pole on Franklin Avenue, near Mill Street by Branch Brook Park, in the predawn hours Thursday, according to authorities.

A preliminary investigation revealed the Pontiac was in Newark and followed by another vehicle just before the single-car crash and shooting, according to the prosecutor's office. The exact location of the shooting remained unclear.

'Selfless' cop thanked by suspect after frigid river rescue

Reached Thursday morning, Belleville Police Chief Mark Minichini confirmed detectives were investigating a shooting in the township. Local police previously said a shooting incident occurred near Newark Avenue and Clara Maass Drive.

In Bloomfield, a police spokesman said reports of shots fired around 8:30 p.m. Wednesday near Newark Avenue and Baldwin Place were the result of gunfire in Belleville. Details on that investigation were not immediately available.

The Belleville shooting came amid an overnight string of separate shootings Thursday in nearby Newark, where one man was killed in the city's West Ward and four were others were wounded.

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

Prosecutors say killer was close to victim's family.

Fateem Moses (Photo: ECPO) 

NEWARK -- An Orange man was sentenced Friday to 23 years in state prison for the fatal shooting of a Newark man whose frozen remains were found in a driveway, prosecutors said.

Fateem Moses, 36, pleaded guilty in December to aggravated manslaughter and unlawful possession of a handgun stemming from the Feb. 14, 2016 slaying of Omar Faines, 31, of Newark, Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray announced.

Moses shot Faines, of Newark, in a car and dumped his body on Rose Terrace in the city's South Ward, according to Assistant Prosecutor Adam Wells, who handled the case. The victim was found the following morning.

'Selfless' cop thanked by suspect after frigid river rescue

"Mr. Faines was brutally killed and dumped like trash in a driveway by a man who was close to him and his family,'' Wells said in a statement. "That man will now spend more than two decades in a New Jersey State Prison for his crimes."

Prosecutors said a motive for the killing was unclear but Moses was close with the victim's family.

Moses must serve 85 percent of his prison term before being eligible for parole under the state's No Early Release Act, Wells added.

He was arrested in March and initially charged with murder, according to authorities. Moses has a history of convictions for drugs-related offenses, theft and assault that spans Georgia, West Virginia and New Jersey.

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

According to police, a 25-year-old was shot in the area of Clinton and Chadwick Avenues at 10 p.m. on Jan. 29.

NEWARK -- A 17-year-old male from East Orange was arrested on Friday in connection with a shooting in Newark, police said on Facebook.

The teen was charged with aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon, and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, police said.

According to police, a 25-year-old was shot in the area of Clinton and Chadwick Avenues at 10 p.m. on Jan. 29.

The victim, who was not identified, received a non-life threatening injury.

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

A longtime congressional staffer has some dos and don'ts. Hint: Call frequently, be polite, and punctuate this civility with targeted protests. Watch video

For four years, Emily Ellsworth worked as a staffer for two congressmen, spending an inordinate amount of time screening calls and addressing concerns of constituents.

She knows how to get a lawmaker's attention. She knows how they want to keep the district denizens happy. She knows how the lines of communications should work between the two. And she is an expert at recognizing why they break down.

Just days after the 2016 election, the 30-year-old Utahn began to offer snippets of advice to ordinary citizens, protesters, budding activists, and chronic irritants. It caught fire on Twitter, and she has since published a how-to guide for congressional engagement entitled "Call the Halls: Contacting your representatives the smart way," which is available at her website for whatever price you want to pay.

We spoke with her Wednesday.

You're a Republican from a neon red district. Why are you helping people push back against a GOP-dominated government?

After six years in government I was burned out, but the election sucked me back in. Since Trump won the nomination, I recognized we had a huge problem - not just a party problem, but one that affected everyone nationally. So joined Republican Women for Hillary, and started a local chapter here in Utah. When that didn't work, the idea of living in the shadows wasn't going to happen anymore. So I tweeted some ideas, it went viral, and actually, my advice is non-partisan. It doesn't matter which side uses it. I'm just passionate about people taking charge.

You handled constituent services for Reps. Jason Chaffetz and Chris Stewart, so you took countless phone calls. Do you think the calls you took then are similar to the ones being placed around the country today?

They are probably larger in volume now. But I began in 2009 in a deeply red state after Obama's inauguration, so I took a lot of angry calls from conservatives. I'm sure it's similar to that, and I'm not comparing the two presidencies. But I feel that the outcome is probably similar - it's changing the ways they're doing phone systems in congress.

So people are wondering, how do I get my congressman's attention, besides having the right zip code?

That's the big one. But the 3 things I always mention are that your approach needs to be organic, authentic, and timely. Your rep should be able to verify you're from the district, and you have to know what you're talking about - articulate the problem you want to discuss, and stick to an issue that is timely and actionable. You have to be sure you know exactly what you want, your desired outcome, and that it's clearly expressed in your message.

Phone calls trump emails and letters?

It depends. Phone calls to the district office are very effective, because someone has to answer your question right then. So if it's a timely issue, make the phone call. If you want a lengthy response, sending a letter or email is good - but make sure they are written by you. Don't use pamphlets or forms or emails generated by activist groups. Just write it from the heart.

You said that Tweeting or Facebook posts are largely ineffective. Why?

It's not possible for the staff to tell whether the writer is from their district from a social media profile. A Tweet takes 10 seconds to write, and that's about how much time they'll give to read it and process it. The social media process moves so quickly it's really out of sight, out of mind.

Is protest as effective as direct engagement with the person on the phone?

That depends on what your goal is. I would never discount people who protest and do that kind of activism, especially if they really understand what they're doing and have a clear ask. However, if your goal is to have a meeting with a representative or staffer, showing up at a district office or having a loud protest isn't going to accomplish that particular goal. It will get attention on local media, it will get attention on social media, and it will generate some buzz. But as far as getting through the door to your representative's office, that's probably not going to be received very well. So the first thing you must determine is your goal: If it's to meet with the representative then you'd have to take a different strategy.

Emily Ellsworth, who was a constituent manager for two Congressmen from Utah, now gives advice to citizens who want to engage their representatives (Courtesy of Emily Ellsworth).Dave D'Alessandro | Star-Ledger Editorial Board 

That will take a lot of people in New Jersey by surprise - no wonder town halls are as rare as the dodo here.

It's tricky. Every representative runs their office a little differently. I'm not saying don't protest - it's important - but it won't get you in the door because it goes back to what I said about having an organic and timely message. You have a clearly defined agenda.

For example, I'd meet frequently with groups that didn't agree with us on anything. But it was as small group, they wanted to talk about immigration reform or DREAMERS, and we're not going to turn away three or four constituents who brought along a group of kids under the DACA program who say, "We have stories we want to share with you." We knew going in they didn't appreciate our policy on this. But at the same time, knowing exactly what they wanted to talk about, knowing they were constituents, and knowing they had a story to tell, we absolutely met with them.

So it's about getting a small group of people on one specific issue, and that issue shouldn't be, 'I want to yell at you about President Trump.' It should be specific and timely, even if it is, 'I want to talk to the Congressman about investigating Trump's conflicts of interest.' That would be an OK ask there.

The margin for success seems thin, because it's based more on finding a sympathetic ear of a staffer than the rep's engagement philosophy.

To be honest, when I started, I went in with this idea that I'd educate everyone - that people would come in and I'd tell them what they should know. That strategy backfired on me pretty quickly. I realized that the best thing I could do is just sit there and listen. People wanted to be heard, first and foremost; they didn't want to listen to what I had to say. And they just wanted a chance to speak to the representative. And as a local staffer, you take that incredibly seriously. The staffers do care about their districts. They are part of the community.

But it seems that the goal of the vast majority is to hold a town hall - or public flogging.

A town hall is not a bad thing. But to demand it in that way is probably not going to work, given the temperament of the town halls. I can't imagine any members are too excited about doing them, and frankly, not many of them have the skills to face down an angry room. But if your ultimate goal is to get in that room and have a conversation, you start with the staffer.

How do congressmen feel about coming back to their districts?

It varies. Remember when the ACA was passed, this was flipped - a lot of Democrats found themselves in very angry rooms. There are times when it's more difficult to go home, and this is certainly one of them. But I am incredibly impressed and energized by the number of people who are really showing up to have their voices heard. Yes, even if it's manifested in anger now, I'm hopeful that it's going to continue and lead to real progress.

 What did you think of the Chaffetz town hall spectacle last week?

 I saw the video, and I was proud of the people who showed up and are having their voices heard - some for the first time. In some cases, you have local chapters of the ACLU holding activist training and they are packing rooms with thousands of people. We have a group here called Real Women Run who provide training for women to run for office. Hundreds are registering for these trainings and want to take it to the next level, and I can't be more excited by that.

Is it important for citizens to call representatives they actually agree with?

Absolutely. We found that in our calls it was always nice to have people give support, and good for members to take those stories back to Washington, just so they can say 'I received thousands of calls in support of this' or use a story that illustrates why it's important what they're doing.

Is it productive to call representatives who do not represent you?

I'd say no. And pretty much every congressional staffer would say no. If someone calls from out of state or out of district, you tend to want to get them off the phone as quickly as possible. Unfortunately, the staff and system is just not built for that kind of thing. So if you want to reach out to party or committee leadership, first call your own representative and let them know your feelings; then you call the committee or leadership office, and those staffers are better able to handle those types of requests.

Have you ever seen a congressional opinion turned around by a town hall or phone campaign?

Absolutely, there are ways conversations with your rep can change opinions. The best example was the SOPA and PIPA legislation about internet piracy and privacy. It was poorly crafted, and it was kind of a bill nobody had on their radar. But Reddit and others put out calls and said, 'This is a bill we're concerned about.' And hundreds of thousands of people emailed or called that reps. That caused a 180, and it was remarkable - even people on the committee didn't understand the mechanics of the internet or privacy.

Didn't the Tea Party show us all how this is done? It's all Civics 101, except sometimes they carried guns.

The lessons are similar. What I want is for people to have a stake in their government. People felt apathetic, and feel their numbers are small and that government doesn't listen to them. And everyone else thinks that money moves the needle more. I think that does a disservice to harnessing the power your vote and your pressure can create. It's not one voice that makes a difference, it's thousands of them combined, carrying the same message. It has immense impact. That happened with the Tea Party.

How do you think your methods differ from the Indivisible group?

I can't really say. I just know that I'm trying to give context to the situation, and empower people by explaining some of the mystification. Here's what I mean: For many people I talk to, it was scary to call their representative the first time. But now they do it regularly, and it feels routine. Hopefully it means in the future they'll run for office, or help out on a campaign, or just take that to the next level. But never stop the phone calls.

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Lyell Harris, of Vineland, was indicted on Wednesday on nine counts in connection with an interstate dog ring, according to court documents.

NEWARK -- A federal grand jury has indicted a Vineland man and a man from New Mexico for their alleged roles in an interstate dog ring, according to court documents.

Lyell Harris, of Vineland, was indicted on Wednesday on nine counts including conspiracy to sponsor and show a dog in an animal fight and possession of a dog for use in an animal fight, the documents said.

The claim named Robert Arellano, of Albuquerque, New Mexico, as a co-conspirator, who was indicted on one count of conspiracy to sell, buy, transport, deliver or receive dogs for animal fighting.

Nine people were charged -- including Lydell and four others from New Jersey -- in June.

An undercover operation using pit bull-type dogs helped uncover the ring, which officials said went as far back as October 2015 and spanned from New Jersey to New Mexico. 

Fighting dogs, or keeping them to train, sell, deliver, receive or transporting them for use in dog fights is a felony under the federal Animal Welfare Act.  

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

The accident happened around 6:30 a.m. on Feb. 18, 2017, in Newark, causing the SUV carrying the two firefighters to roll over.

NEWARK -- A city deputy fire chief and another firefighter were taken to the hospital Saturday morning after an accident on their way to a local call, authorities said.

The accident happened around 6:30 a.m. at Central and First streets, causing the SUV carrying the two firefighters to roll over, Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said.

Both were taken to the hospital for injuries that did not appear to be serious, he said. The driver of the other vehicle involved also suffered minor injuries. 

The accident remains under investigation. 

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

PSEG gave Newark the gift of the 100 People Project in which photographer Carolyn Jones profiled 100 people of the city to represent the story of Newark.

NEWARK -- Their voices emanate from the walls of the remodeled Hahne & Co. building and one by one tell the story of this city -- a story of resilience and hope. 

There's Natasha Rogers, born to a heroin-addicted mom, who worked her way to Goldman Sachs and has come back to help Newark rebuild. 

There's Debi Hall-Dean who helps her neighbors with no address stay warm on cold nights. And Al-Tarik Onque, who is trying to end senseless gun violence on the streets. 

They are all part of the "100 People of Newark" project that photographed and interviewed 100 Newark residents who represent the city. Each person's picture and story is displayed along the walls of the Hahne building. 

"The thing that rose to the surface immediately for me was this kind of scrappy, we're going to fix it, we're Newarkers but we're really proud of it," said Carolyn Jones, founder of the 100 People Foundation that put together the exhibit. "There's something about Newark that draws people back."

The PSEG Foundation funded the project as a gift to Newark for the city's 350th anniversary.

"You can't view the 100 pictures and read the stories behind them without being struck by the breadth and depth of talent here," PSEG chairman Ralph Izzo said in a statement. 

The project began more than a year ago after the foundation reached out to community groups and leaders seeking nominations for the 100 people who would represent the city. 

In selecting the finalists, Jones, 59, said they made sure Newark's demographics were proportionately represented -- by age, race, gender and ward of residence. Jones said they also picked people who embodied some of the city's most pressing issues. 

"These are all change agents," Jones said. "I found the people really vibrant and determined and absolutely committed to making Newark what they believe it could be."

On a recent day on the ground floor of the Hahne building, people frequently stopped to stare at the portraits. Some looked through a few and moved on; others took the time to stop at each frame and read each person's story.

"My dream is that we can look at people differently, that we can be less judgmental, that we could read something about someone that we never would have thought that person did that," Jones said. "These are the people that keep the wheels of the city turning."

The photographs along with video interviews are also on display online at www.100people.org/newark. 

If Newark were 100 People, this would be the breakdown: 

• 51 women, 49 men
• 74 adults (9 of whom are 65 and older), 26 children
• 52 African Americans, 34 Hispanics, 11 European or white Americans, 2 Asian Americans, 1 Native American
• 20 from the Central Ward, 19 from the West Ward, 20 from the South Ward, 21 from the East Ward, 20 from the North Ward

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

The three men were arrested in two separate incidents on Friday, authorities said

NEWARK -- Newark police arrested three men in two separate incidents for allegedly having guns on Friday.

The first incident occurred at 1:20 p.m., when police were called to the Family Dollar Store on Bergen Street on a report of a person with a weapon, said city Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose.

The caller reported two men with guns entered the store and began shoplifting, he said.

The two suspects later returned to the store and were arrested without incident, he said.

They were identified as Joshua Lugo, 19, of Easton, PA, and Raheem Peebles, 27, of Newark. Both men were charged with unlawful possession of a loaded .22 caliber handgun and shoplifting, Ambrose said.

In the second incident, Victor Lopez, 36, of Newark was charged with possession of a loaded .38-caliber handgun, Ambrose said.

He said a concerned citizen alerted police around 10:50 p.m. that two men in Zeyne Unisex Salon on Mount Prospect Avenue had handguns.

When police arrived, they found Lopez there with the gun, he said. Lopez was charged with unlawful possession of a weapon, possession of prohibited weapons and certain persons prohibited from weapon possession.

The second suspect remains at large, Ambrose said.

Ambrose urged anyone with information about this incident or any other crime to call the department's 24-hour Crime Stopper tip line at 1-877-NWK-TIPS (1-877-695-8477) or 1-877-NWK-GUNS (1-877-695-4867).  All anonymous Crime Stopper tips are kept confidential and could result in a reward.

MaryAnn Spoto may be reached at mspoto@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @MaryAnnSpoto. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

U.S. Rep. Donald Payne, Jr. met with residents and health care leaders to talk about the impact of repealing the Affordable Care Act on Saturday.

NEWARK - Repealing the Affordable Care Act would be "devastating" for New Jersey residents and put hospitals at risk, too, health care leaders said Saturday during a roundtable discussion organized by U.S. Rep. Donald Payne Jr.

"We are very concerned that at the end of the day that 30 million Americans who have benefited from this Affordable Care Act will find themselves without health care once again and that is frightening," said Payne (D-10th). "This is not just an urban, underserved, uninsured issue, this is an issue across my district."

Payne said he was one of more than 80 Democratic members of the House of Representative who held discussions with their constituents across the nation on Saturday on the impact of repeal and ways to oppose it. 

Healthcare workers said they worried about their patients and whether they would have access to the same level of treatment. Hospital leaders said any Medicaid rollbacks would put them at financial risk. And residents worried about how family members with pre-existing conditions or who receive no insurance from their jobs would find affordable coverage. 

"We keep hearing repeal and replace. Why not keep and improve?" asked Montclair resident Phoebe Del Boccio. "That's the direction we should be going in."

The uninsured rate in New Jersey dropped to 4.3 percent from 12.3 percent, said Tatiana Castrillon, a patient care advocate manager for Alliance Community Healthcare/Horizon.

"The American people need this, they want this," she said. Repealing Obamacare "is going to bring down the overall well being of our community." 

Newark Beth Israel Medical Center had about 20,000 more Medicaid patient visits in 2016 than 2014, said Chief Financial Officer Douglas Zehner. States were allowed to expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act. 

"What does having access to Medicaid mean? It means access to doctors, it means access to care," he said, adding: "40,000 people in Newark alone could be affected if it's repealed."

Industry leaders and even residents acknowledge the law had its flaws - like raising premiums for some. But they agreed those areas could be fixed, rather than the whole system overhauled. 

"We have seen the premiums go up for us and it totally sucks," said South Orange resident Susan Hyon. "But I feel like it's important and we're willing to take a hit for the team by dealing with higher premiums."

Payne agreed and said Democrats would fight repeal, especially because the GOP had not proposed a detailed replacement plan. 

"If you've railed against something for eight years you would think you would have some idea of what you want to do," Payne said. "Anything of this size or magnitude is going to have problems. It is a system that is supposed to evolve over time and become part of the fabric of this country."

During his weekly news conference, House Speaker Paul Ryan said Republicans would introduce a replacement bill for Obamacare once lawmakers return from next week's break. 

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