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Frelinghuysen to meet constituents again only by invite, only by phone

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U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen has been the target of protests outside his district office

MORRISTOWN -- U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinguyhusen will hold an invitation-only "telephone town hall" Monday, his third in four weeks.

Frelinghuysen, R-11th District, has been the focus of widely-publicized, weekly protests outside his district office over President Donald Trump and Republican plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act. Frelinghuysen has been a strong advocate of repealing and replacing the health care program, also known as Obamacare.

Frelinghuysen has been criticized for not holding in-person town halls or showing up at events organized by the protesters. Hundreds of protesters have attended rallies outside his office.

At his Feb. 28 invitation-only, telephone town hall, Frelinghuysen continued to denounce the ACA, however, he has created some distance between himself and Trump, though he supported Trump's presidential bid.

Frelinghuysen said Trump should release his tax returns, challenged his views on Russia and said his administration needs to "step up its game" responding to a national wave of anti-Semitic harassment.

"I don't think he chooses his words carefully," Frelinghuysen said of Trump.

Elected in 1994, Frelinghuysen's profile on Capitol Hill surged in January, when he became chairman of the House Appropriations Committee.

Monday's town hall will start at 5 p.m.

Frelinghuysen's office outlined the process for getting an invite.

To gain access to the call, call either his Washington office (202-225-5034) or Morristown office (973-984-0711) and provide a telephone number, or use a button at https://frelinghuysen.house.gov.

The 11th Congressional District includes most of Morris County and parts of Essex, Sussex and Passaic counties.

Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @RobJenningsNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook

 


Best on the mats: NJ.com's wrestling postseason honors for 2016-2017

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A look back at a memorable season.

WRESTLING SEASON IN REVIEW, 2016-2017 

STATEWIDE HONORS
Delbarton's Pat Glory is Wrestler of the Year
John Gagliano of Howell is Coach of the Year
Bergen Catholic is Team of the Year
Complete list of state medalists 

FINAL RANKINGS
NJ.com Top 20 for 2016-2017
Pound for pound: The 50 toughest in N.J. 
Team rankings: Group and conference 
Way-too-early Top 20: A look at 2017-2018

CONFERENCE REVIEWS 
Delran's Phil Rogers is the Burlington County Scholastic League Wrestler of the Year
Don Bosco's Eric Chakonis is the Big North Conference Wrestler of the Year
Buena's Jake Maxwell is the Cape-Atlantic League Wrestler of the Year
Gateway's Antonio Mininno is the Colonial Conference Wrestler of the Year
Union City's Elyezer Oliviery is the HCIAL Wrestler of the Year
Bryan McLaughlin of Woodbridge is the GMC Wrestler of the Year
John Burger of New Milford is the NJIC Wrestler of the Year
Pat Glory of Delbarton is the NJAC Wrestler of the Year
Camden Cathlic's Lucas Revano is the Olympic Conference Wrestler of the Year
Ocean's Benner, Howell's Keosseian are the Shore Conference Wrestlers of the Year
Stephan Glasgow and Mekhi Lewis are the Skyland Conference Wrestlers of the Year
Seton Hall Prep's Aidan Monteverdi is the Super Essex Conference Wrestler of the Year
Delsea's Billy Janzer is the Tri-County Conference Wrestler of the Year
• Sam Wustefeld of Scotch Plains-Fanwood is the UCC Wrestler of the Year 
Dylan D'Amore of Montgomery is the Trenton Times Wrestler of the Year

CHAMPIONSHIP WRAPS 
Full coverage from the State Wrestling Championships in Atlantic City 
Results, stories and coverage from Regions
Results, stories and coverage from Districts 
Full coverage from the State Group Championships in Toms River 

Pat Lanni may be reached at planni@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @PatLanniHS. Like NJ.com High School Sports on Facebook.

Elementary students hold mock slave auction during class

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The incident comes soon after another school in the district came under fire for a slave auction poster assignment.

MAPLEWOOD -- A debate over how to educate students about the history of slavery in America was reignited last week when South Orange Maplewood school district officials say elementary students held a mock slave auction while under the supervision of a substitute teacher.

SlaveAuction.jpgA photo of one of the slave auction posters previously displayed in the South Mountain School. The South Orange Maplewood school district is now responding to another incident in the Jefferson School surrounding the unit in which elementary students are taught about slavery. (Submitted photo)
 

According to a note sent home to parents in the Jefferson School class, the teacher was out after a dental surgery when some students "used creative license" to present a project on the Triangular Slave Trade, a topic in the class's colonization unit.

The students orchestrated a mock slave auction, asked classmates to participate, and filmed the project, the note said.

"While I understand the creative effort, and the impact it had upon the students who viewed this, I used it as a teachable moment to elaborate on the gravity of this part of our history," the teacher, who viewed the video after returning to school, wrote in the letter to parents.

"I was concerned about the students who viewed and participated in this re-enactment and would like to convey this event to you so we can address the students' perceptions as a whole," she wrote.

The students had been tasked with researching various aspects of a colony and presenting a PowerPoint to the class.

A spokeswoman for the district, Suzanne Turner, said administrators will look into "training and improved supervisory protocols" for substitute teachers in light of the incident, but praised the teacher's response when she returned to school.

Slave auction poster assignment draws concern

"The activity was not part of the curriculum, not part of the teacher's assignment, not condoned by the teacher, not authorized by the district," Turner said.

"Upon hearing about the impromptu re-enactment and video while she was out, the teacher proactively reached out to parents to inform them not only of what had happened, but also how she was addressing this with students."

The letter last week was on the heels of a controversial project at the South Mountain School, another elementary school in the district, that allowed students to draw slave auction posters as part of their colonization project.

Some parents who saw the posters hanging in the schools' hallways came out against the project, prompting the district to plan for a community discussion about social justice, race relations, and the social issues and impacts of educating kids about slavery and other topics.

The school has since taken the posters down, but says parents remain split on whether or not they were an appropriate assignment.

The town hall meeting on the issues has not yet been scheduled, Turner said last week.

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

 

Delayed by snow, N.J.'s oldest St. Patrick's Day parade to mark 82nd year

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Newark will host the 82nd St. Patrick's Day parade on March 24.

NEWARK -- Organizers of Newark's annual St. Patrick's Day parade say it's not just the oldest celebration in the state - it's also the best. 

"A high concentration of Irish-American immigrants first settled in Newark," said Michael Byrne, chairman of the St. Patrick's Day Parade Committee. "As they continued to spread out throughout the state, parades were established in other communities. But Newark's parade is the original and is still the best."

This year, the late season nor'easter forced organizers to delay the 82nd annual parade by a week. It will now start at 1 p.m. Friday. The committee said it decided to hold off for a week given the condition of the roads and sidewalks. 

The day's schedule will be similar, but those details are still being finalized.

Rev. Edwin D. Leahy, headmaster of St. Benedict's Preparatory School, will be the 2017 Grand Marshal and Elizabeth "Betty" Teevan will be Deputy Grand Marshal.

The newest leader of the Archdiocese of Newark, Cardinal Joseph Tobin, will preside over a memorial mass in the morning and inaugurate the Grand Marshal and Deputy Grand Marshal. The mass will take place at the St. Patrick's Pro-Cathedral.

Organizers say the 2017 parade is dedicated to Robert "Bob" H. Largey and the late Marguerite "Marge" Quinn Largey. Both belonged to several Irish associations and clubs. Marge Largey, born in Orange, died in August from a rare respiratory condition. 

The parade will also feature a high school band competition, drawing student representatives from every school in Newark and other school districts around the state. 

"We know that Irish-Americans from across New Jersey will come out to support and celebrate this important tradition," Byrne said. 

The parade kicks off at 1 p.m. The route begins at the Prudential Center on Mulberry Street and will pass by the Gateway Center, NJPAC, Military Park, St. Patrick's Pro-Cathedral, the Newark Museum, and Washington Park.

Visit newarkparade.com for more information and to see the entire route. 

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

Cop's lawsuit against chief is taxpayer 'shakedown,' town says

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The borough of Caldwell plans to fight a lawsuit filed against its police chief.

CALDWELL -- The borough will fight a lawsuit filed against its police chief, saying an officer's claims of harassment and discrimination are a "shakedown" of its taxpayers.

"Caldwell Police Officer Candace Marinaro has filed a lawsuit against the Borough of Caldwell and Police Chief James Bongiorno," borough attorney Gregory Mascera told NJ Advance Media in a statement last week. "In the interest of public safety and trust, the Borough and Chief Bongiorno are compelled to communicate the facts to all Caldwell residents."

Marinaro filed suit in February, claiming the chief has made racist and vulgar comments about and to her throughout her 12-year tenure in the department.

"The Borough became aware of Officer Marinaro's allegations prior to the filing of the lawsuit. An internal investigation and a subsequent independent outside investigation of Officer Marinaro's allegations, at a cost of $11,000 to the Caldwell taxpayers, found those allegations to be specious and without merit," Mascera said in the statement.

"Despite having been made aware of the results of the investigations, Officer Marinaro, through counsel, decided to file suit against Chief Bongiorno and Caldwell."

Lieutenant alleges discrimination, plans lawsuit

Marinaro, who is seeking unspecified damages, was born in Trinidad.

In the statement, Mascera said the town plans to fight the claims.

"The investigations revealed no wrongdoing by Chief Bongiorno or any other member of the police department. The borough therefore has no intention of settling the suit and is prepared to defend the attempted shakedown of the borough taxpayers and Chief Bongiorno until the matter is concluded at trial," he said.

Marinaro's suit came after another department employee, Lt. Mike Geary, an Asian American, filed an intent to sue notice, making similar claims against Bongiorno and the department.

Both Geary and Marinaro are represented by Patrick Toscano. The attorney on Friday rebuffed the town's assertion that the officers' accusations are baseless, saying the town's comments on the suit "will be realized to have been both exceedingly disingenuous and wholly reckless on Caldwell's part."

Mascera declined to comment on Geary's case, since the actual lawsuit had not yet been filed.

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

 

Secaucus cops make arrest in parking deck lewdness incident

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Police have arrested a 24-year-old man they say sexually harassed a woman in a parking deck earlier this month.

SECAUCUS -- Police have arrested a 24-year-old man they say sexually harassed a woman in a parking deck earlier this month. 

Jason Rosario, of Nutley, is charged with criminal sexual contact and lewdness in the March 1 incident near LA Fitness, Capt. Dennis Miller said in a release. 

The 33-year-old victim said she was on the fourth floor of the deck when Rosario grabbed her while he was committing a lewd act. A week later police released a sketch of the suspect based on the description the woman provided. 

Rosario was arrested Saturday after the victim saw him in the same area of the shopping complex and called police, authorities said. 

Rosario was released on a summons. 

Caitlin Mota may be reached at cmota@jjournal.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitlin_mota. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.

11-year-old was holding gun when it fired, killing boy, Newark mayor says

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The 10-year-old boy had recently moved to Pennsylvania but returned to Newark this weekend for a family party when he was shot

NEWARK -- An 11-year-old was holding a gun Saturday when it accidentally fired in a Newark residence and killed a 10-year-old boy, Newark Mayor Ras Baraka said in a statement Monday.

Baraka also became the first official to identify the boy killed in the accident as Josiah Coleman. The child's grandfather and neighbor had previously identified the boy at the scene of the shooting on Saturday, but investigators had declined to comment.

"Last week, an 11-year-old was holding a gun in a private home in Newark when the gun discharged accidentally, killing Josiah Coleman, just 10 years old," Baraka said in a statement Monday.

Josiah was apparently visiting the home on the 800 block of South 19th Street for a family party when he was shot around 1:20 a.m. Saturday, relatives and a friend of the boy's family said.

They said Josiah had previously lived at the home, but had since moved to Pennsylvania, and was back in Newark for his sister's birthday.

On Sunday, officials from the Essex County Prosecutor's Office described the shooting as a "tragic accidental discharge."

The shooting prompted Baraka to issue a call for tighter gun control - an issue he has championed in the past.

"How many more tragedies must we endure, before Congress gets the courage to enact strong national gun controls?" Baraka said in the statement.

The ownership of the gun in the accidental shooting has not been revealed by investigators. It has also not been revealed how the 11-year-old gained access to the gun.

Newark Mayor Baraka talks about how they are prepared for the blizzardNewark Mayor Ras Baraka, shown at an event last week, cited Saturday's fatal shooting of a 10-year-old boy by another child to urge Congress to pass tougher gun control laws. (Aristide Economopoulos | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

"Despite the work of the Newark Police Division to take 500 guns off our streets last year, guns of all kinds continue to flow into Newark along the interstates and back roads," Baraka said. "These guns are being purchased in other states, and the fact that New Jersey has the strongest gun controls in America is not enough to stop them. We need strong national gun control. There are too many guns in too many hands in Newark and across America."

Baraka previously cited an accidental shooting involving children in his calls for tighter gun laws. During an impassioned speech at an NAACP event in Jersey City in November 2014, Baraka lamented the shooting of 9-year-old girl critically wounded by her 12-year-old brother, who was playing with a stolen gun he found in a bedroom of their apartment.

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

Man gets life in prison for broad daylight murder at Newark housing project

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The Prosecutor's Office said he fatally shot another man following a fistfight at Stephen Crane Village in April 2015.

NEWARK -- An Essex County judge has sentenced a 31-year-old city man to life in prison following his murder conviction in the fatal shooting of another man at the Stephen Crane Village housing project.

A jury in February found Sadot Council guilty of first-degree murder, possession of a handgun for an unlawful purpose and unlawful possession of a handgun in the April 28, 2015 slaying of Anthony Mayse, 32, of Newark.

Under the life sentence imposed by Superior Court Judge Richard T. Sules, Council will have to serve 63 years and nine months in prison before he's eligible for parole, according to the county Prosecutor's Office.

Authorities said that Council and Mayse had been involved in a fistfight just prior to the murder, which occurred in broad daylight around 1 p.m. After the fight was broken up by bystanders, authorities said, Council left on a bike to retrieve a handgun, before returning to fatally shoot Mayse in the chest.

The Prosecutor's Office said Council has seven prior felony convictions, five of which are for acts of violence.

In a statement, Assistant Proscutor Adam Wells said Council has "demonstrated time and again that he is incapable of living in a civilized society.

"He is beyond rehabilitation," said Wells, who credited Detective Bruce Branch and the county homicide task force with the investigation leading to Council's conviction. "The best we can do at this point is lock him up for the rest of his life to keep the public safe.''

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


State swears in 194 new corrections officers (PHOTOS)

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The officers include 71 who have college degrees, 41 from law enforcement families and 12 who served in the military.

TRENTON --  The state Department of Corrections presented badges to 194 new officers from 19 of the state's 21 counties Monday.

During the ceremony at the Patriots Theater at the War Memorial in downtown Trenton, the department also celebrated 58 recent officer promotions.

The new officers, graduates of Class 239, include 71 who have college degrees, 41 from law enforcement families and 12 who served in the military.

25 photos of DOC officer awards, promotions

Union County boasts the highest number of graduates from the class, with 22, followed by 21 from Ocean County, 18 from Middlesex County and 16 from Bergen County.

Camden and Essex counties are each home to 15 officers, 13 hail from Mercer County and 12 each are from Hudson and Monmouth counties.

The other counties and their representation: Burlington, 8; Sussex, 8; Cumberland, 7; Atlantic, 6; Passaic, 6; Gloucester, 5; Morris, 3; Warren, 3; Somerset, 2; and Hunterdon 1.

Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

Judge denies new trial for Newark 'schoolyard killer' sentenced to 212 years

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Alexander Alfaro, one of six men sentenced prison for the 2007 murders of three college-aged friends behind the Mount Vernon School in Newark, had argued his lawyers failed him.

NEWARK -- An Essex County judge has ruled one of six men sentenced to lengthy prison terms in the brutal 2007 killings of three college-aged friends in a city schoolyard isn't eligible for a new trial, rejecting claims the man's lawyers failed him his first time before a jury and during the appeals process.

Superior Court Judge Michael L. Ravin's March 10 decision followed oral arguments in January regarding a post-conviction relief petition filed by Alexander Alfaro, who Ravin previously sentenced to 212 years in prison for his role in the murders of Iofemi Hightower, 20, Dashon Harvey, 20, and Terrance Aeriel, 18, behind the Mount Vernon School in Newark.

Ravin previously denied a similar petition by Rodolfo Godinez, one of five other men sentenced to lengthy prison terms for their roles in the attacks. Authorities said the men were members of Mara Salvatrucha, a violent street gang from El Salvador commonly known as MS-13.

Alfaro's petition argued his trial attorney, Raymond Morasse, erred in failing to secure a plea deal, not pushing for the removal of a juror who failed to disclose a criminal conviction and declining to call a witness who could have testified about the timing of an alleged gang tattoo he received, which prosecutors had argued was symbolic of the murders.

But in his written decision, Ravin wrote there was no evidence to "support petitioner's claim that witnesses could have provided exculpatory testimony" in Alfaro's defense.

"Likewise, there was no evidence to support the viability of a duress defense," the judge wrote. "There was no evidence that the state made any plea offers for trial counsel to communicate to (Alfaro)."

Even if the juror in question had been removed, Ravin wrote, the trial's outcome would not have been any different.

"These claims are without merit," he wrote.

Alfaro had similarly argued his lawyer during the appeals process, Michelle Adubato, should have challenged questions about the tattoo during the appeals process, and also that she should have asked the state Supreme Court to review whether a decision in a related appellate case could have been retroactively applied to his own.

But had Adubato raised the related decision in Alfaro's petition to the state Supreme Court, the judge said, there wasn't a "reasonable probability" it would have changed the outcome, as the high court had previously passed on two other opportunities to hear arguments regarding the decision's applicability to older cases.

Four of the other defendants in the murders -- Melvin Joel, Godinez, Jose Carranza and Gerardo Gomez -- received sentences ranging from 155 to 245 years in prison. Shahid Baskerville pleaded guilty to robbery charges and the sexual assault of a surviving victim, and was sentenced to 30 years in prison.

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

Mayor Ras Baraka touts a 'Newark forward' in state of the city

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Mayor Ras Baraka spoke at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center Monday night for his third state of the city address.

NEWARK -- Taking the stage at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center Monday night, Mayor Ras Baraka spoke of a Newark transformed -- how a city often defined by its violence was emerging as a place for growth and innovation. 

"This is our time to show the world what we can do, how to rise out of fire -- all of us -- every religion and every nationality," Baraka, 46, said before a packed crowd. "This is our Newark, Newark 3.0, Newark forward."

In his third state of the city speech since taking office in 2014, Baraka outlined the contours of his changing city -- a new Whole Foods at the remodeled Hahne & Co. building, a coming 22-acre public park in the downtown and a 13 percent reduction in overall crime.

"This has always been the thing that we have allowed others to define us by ... we have had decades of intractable and stubborn crime and violence in our community," Baraka said. "But I am happy to say that we are moving in the right direction."

In a wide-ranging speech, spanning about an hour, Baraka touched on the city's most pressing issues: public safety, development and jobs. 

"We are cutting ribbons and doing groundbreakings almost every week," he said before a screen that read "Newark Forward." "We have over $2 billion of construction happening or in the pipeline right now." 

With millions of square feet of commercial, residential and industrial development Baraka said change would not come at the expense of current residents. 

"We know that there is a cry for affordable housing in this city which is why we are working on Newark's first inclusionary zoning ordinance to ensure that new housing development includes affordable homes and apartments," he said. 

'Our city is a sanctuary city'

Baraka took a stab at President Donald J. Trump's immigration policies and reiterated the city's status as a sanctuary city. 

Sanctuary cities generally limit their cooperation with immigration officials and Trump has vowed to cut federal funding from such jurisdictions. 

"Our commitment to democracy will make us safer and more prosperous, not fear and division," he said. "We are a sanctuary city because it is who we are, our essence, a maker city, full of immigrants and ex-slaves escaping terror in the south."

Among one of the night's highlights, Baraka touted the city's diversity in Spanish and promised to protect undocumented immigrants as the crowd stood in applause and residents representing different cultures joined him on stage.  

'This is Newark moving forward'

Photos of cranes, renderings and ongoing construction flashed behind Baraka as he rattled off coming retail and housing developments: A new poetry cafe, apartments for those with special needs and veterans transitional housing for women.

"I can go on and on and on," he said, listing more coming projects in once-abandoned buildings. But he said that the city would also ensure residents could afford to live in a changing Newark. 

"We are focused on affordable housing," he said. "So when somebody tells you this is the next Brooklyn you say no, this is the next Newark."

Baraka said the city had provided 404 new affordable apartments and an additional 800 were in the pipeline. 

He planned to convene a panel of developers and community representatives to make sure the city's development is inclusive and "that this renaissance that all of us have been waiting for, leaves the station with Newarkers on the train."

'Hire. Buy. Live'

With less than 20 percent of jobs in Newark going to city residents, Baraka underscored training programs and partnerships with companies to boost this number and raise living wages. 

He said 1,000 construction and permanent jobs were coming to the city and announced a new partnership with businesses, medical institutions, higher education, clergy and workforce development programs called "Hire. Buy. Live. Newark" that would find full-time jobs for 2,020 unemployed residents by 2020. The plan would also push companies to procure locally and spur population growth. 

Baraka said the plan was "an unprecedented collaboration for an American city."

'Forward ever, backward never'

Speaking before a crowd of nearly 3,000, that included former governors, state senators and assembly members, Baraka said the city was making strides to reduce crime and be a model for other major cities in the U.S.

He announced a new initiative to put street-level cameras in at least 125 "hot spots" in the city that will allow neighbors to monitor their own blocks -- on their phones and computers -- and make anonymous tips to police. 

Baraka said police removed 500 guns off the street last year, as officers rolled out some of those weapons on the stage. 

"This is why we need national gun reform policy now in this country," Baraka said pointing to the dozens of guns. He also mentioned the fatal shooting of a 10-year-old boy Saturday when an 11-year-old child was holding a gun that accidentally fired. 

As he wrapped up, the crowd was electrified as Baraka talked about moving forward, not backward. One woman chanted, "best mayor in the United States!" Others, led by Baraka chanted, "forward ever, backward, never."

"We have the ability today to chart a path for ourselves that has been the least traveled," Baraka said."We are not letting up, we have just begun and we have so much more to do."

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

 

3-alarm blaze rips through abandoned Newark school

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The blaze re-ignited after being brought under control

NEWARK -- A three-alarm fire that ripped through an abandoned school in Newark re-ignited before being contained early Tuesday, authorities said.

The blaze began at 11:27 p.m. at the William H. Brown Academy and was reported under control before the mid-section of the building again caught fire just after 2:30 a.m., Newark Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose said.

Firefighters were still at the scene when the second fire began. Smoke and flames shooting from the building on the 700 block of Bergen Street could be seen as far away as Interstate 78.

A firefighter was treated at the scene for a cut to the forehead while battling the blaze, Ambrose said. 

The school closed in 2010. The cause of the fire remains under investigation. 

Anyone with information is asked 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).

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

From Brazil to Newark with love

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Solange Paizante is a life line for Newark's immigrant community in the Ironbound.

Solange Paizante is a problem solver in Newark's Ironbound community.

Need a refrigerator? done. A wheelchair? No problem. Hungry? She calls restaurants to ask if they would allow someone to eat for free. Homeless? She can get a welcoming family to open their doors for the night.

"She's more than an angel,'' said Margarida Chagas of Newark. "She means everything.''

Born with osteogensis imperfecta, a condition that weakens her bones, Chagas, 50, needed around the clock home care following three surgeries in 2013 that required her to wear a medical halo brace on her head.

MORE: Recent Barry Carter columns   

Paizante, 50, raised enough money to hire a nurse for two years. She made it happen.

She always does, seven days a week. Working from a former firehouse on Ferry Street, Paizante oversees Mantena Global Care, a grass roots community organization that provides social services to Newark's immigrant population in the East Ward.

"Everyone is put on earth with a mission,'' said Paizante, who is executive director of the organization.

Hers is helping people, as many as she can. And she does it for free.

"I love my job,'' she said.

Many who walk through the door are Brazilians like her, but people from Colombia, Peru, Ecuador and elsewhere look for Paizante when they hear that she can get things done.

Last week was no different.

A lady needed to talk to someone at Mantena about her marital problems. A man sought help for a friend, who needed to make funeral arrangements on how to transport a deceased family member to Brazil.  A woman called and asked for help on how to send a package to a friend in prison.

"It's every day, all the time,'' said Patricia Palkoski, the secretary at Mantena and only person in the organization who earns a salary.

The others, about 60 members, are volunteers. But it is Paizante who is the face of Mantena, which was named for her tiny hometown in Brazil.

She rarely, if ever, turns down a request. She says it's too upsetting if she can't deliver. That's why she works so hard.

Murillo Monteiro, 25, had only been in Newark for a week last year when he arrived from Brazil and met Paizante.  Needing a job, he walked into Mantena's building on a whim. And she made it happen.  

Paizante picked up the phone and made a call. She's always on the phone. Texting, too.

Viviane Wilkens, a Mantena volunteer and board member, needed someone to do billing for her psychotherapist practice. The young man was hired.

"She never thinks about herself,'' Wilkens said. "She's amazing.''

And selfless, insightful and encouraging.

Marta Lopez, 51, of Rahway, can testify to all three.

She was diagnosed in 2013 with stage three breast cancer and had to leave her job as an engineer for treatment. Through word of mouth, Lopez heard about Paizante after she had undergone chemotherapy and radiation.

She enrolled in a course at Mantena to become a concrete estimator, because the position would allow her to work from home. Lopez, however, couldn't afford the course. Paizante made it happen again. She let her take the class for free, and continues to check in with the woman about her health.

"Now I have another opportunity for life,'' Lopez said.

Paizante, who has a degree in economics, said she fell into this type of altruistic work gradually. Her penchant to serve was inspired by her grandparents, who always helped others in Brazil.

Paizante continued to evolve while volunteering with her church in Brazil's poor mountainous neighborhoods, teaching children to sing, and reading them Bible stories.

Mantena, as an organization, wasn't even a thought until Paizante visited her brother in Elizabeth in 2001.They talked then of sending clothing, toys and shoes to poor families in Brazil.

The idea didn't take hold until 2003, when she returned from Brazil to New Jersey with her husband of 30 years, Renato.  While she takes care of the community, he repairs air-conditioning and heating systems.

When Mantena finally launched, Paizante said, many of the items distributed to people in need had been discarded by people who didn't want them any longer.

She gets emotional talking about it, lowering her head and covering her watery eyes as tears fall anyway.

"There were so many wonderful things that people could use,'' she said.

Shipping items to Brazil didn't last long, when volunteers there began to lose interest.  Mantena decided to focused its work on helping immigrants in Newark when the operation moved in 2006 to a building on Monroe Street in the Ironbound.

Thirteen years later, Mantena operates on donations and funds from leasing office space and fees from its programs.

One such program is a Portuguese-language class for English-speaking Brazilian children, so they can communicate with older family members.

Sarah DaCosta, 8, said she used to rely on her dad to talk to her mother. Now, "I translate everything,'' she said. "My progress reports, my report card. I do everything.''

On other days at Mantena, there is a support group for cancer survivors, meetings for domestic violence victims, health screenings, blood drives, citizenship classes. The Brazillian Consulate in New York comes once a month to assist residents with passports, birth certificates and legal documents.

MORE CARTER: A Newark man and his street of 56 years

The place is always jumping. Paizante's energy level matches the need, making those who know her look on in awe.

"I've never seen anybody like her,'' said Everton Oliveira, president of the Indian Knights motorcycle club in Newark, which has worked with Mantena.

"She's unbelievable. She's non-stop,'' Oliveira said.

 As far as Chagas is concerned, Paizante is irreplaceable. She made her feel normal when others didn't. Because of her condition, Chagas, who is  just 4-feet-2 inches tall and walks with a forearm crutch, often gets stares from strangers.

"I don't want to see this area without Solange,'' Chagas said.

You won't. In Brazil, the name Mantena means good soil.

Paizante must have brought it with her to Newark, where she has put down roots among a grateful community.

Barry Carter: (973) 836-4925 or bcarter@starledger.com or http://connect.nj.com/user/bcarter/posts.html

or follow him on Twitter @BarryCarterSL

Father of boy, 10, killed in shooting charged with assaulting officer

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A grandmother, grandfather and aunt of Josiah Coleman say the boy was accidentally shot in the living room of his father's Newark apartment by an 11 year old

NEWARK -- The father of a 10-year-old boy killed in an accidental shooting in Newark on Saturday was arrested during the investigation on charges he assaulted an officer who responded to the scene, authorities said.

William Lowther remained held Monday at the Essex County jail. He was also charged with criminal mischief, said Katherine Carter, spokeswoman for the Essex County Prosecutor's Office.

Josiah-Coleman.jpgJosiah Coleman, who died early Saturday in Newark when authorities say another juvenile accidentally shot him. (Photo courtesy Clarence Jamaal Coleman) 

Lowther is the father of 10-year-old Josiah Coleman, who died early Saturday in the shooting at a home on the 800 block of South 19th Street.

An 11-year-old was holding a gun when it fired, killing Josiah, according to Newark Mayor Ras Baraka.

Authorities have not revealed how the 11-year-old gained access to the gun.

"We can't discuss right now who owned the gun and whether it was owned legally," Carter said. "That's part of the investigation."

Josiah had recently moved to Pennsylvania but was visiting his father in Newark on Friday night in advance of a birthday party planned for Saturday evening for Josiah's sister, family members said.

Outside the house on Monday, Josiah's maternal grandfather, his paternal grandmother and an aunt recalled the 10-year-old as a loving child, filled with life, who smiled frequently. His passions included basketball, his fifth-grade studies, and gaming.

"He loved video games, he played video games all day," his grandfather Clarence Jamaal Coleman said. "And school."

Coleman said his daughter and Lowther were never married, and that Josiah used his mother's last name, not his father's.

Lowther lives in a third-floor apartment above his mother's residence, the family said. His mother and Josiah's aunt declined to provide their names while speaking with NJ Advance Media.

Josiah's family said Lowther's girlfriend and her son were visiting the home.

Lowther's mother said she was asleep when the shooting occurred around 1:20 a.m. She and the other family members did not know what happened or why the two boys were up at that hour. They said Lowther's girlfriend was up with the boys.

Lowther's girlfriend was also outside the house briefly on Monday, though she did not elaborate on what happened the night of the shooting, except to say that her son would never hurt anyone. She did not give her name.

Carter, the spokeswoman for the prosecutor's office, declined to comment on the 11-year-old's relationship to Josiah. She also declined to say whether additional charges could be filed against Lowther.

"All I can say is the investigation is ongoing," Carter said. "We can't say we're looking at a particular person for a particular thing until we're ready to charge them."

The prosecutor's office had issued a statement on Sunday saying the 10-year-old victim was accidentally shot inside the home by another juvenile.

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

Frelinghuysen says Trump wiretapping claim has no basis

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The 12-term congressman again sought to put some distance between himself and Trump

MORRISTOWN -- U.S. Rep. Rodney Frelinghuysen, facing a spate of criticism for supporting President Trump, again sought to distance himself from Trump on some key issues Monday night.

During Frelinghuysen's third "telephone town hall" in four weeks, the 12-term congressman continued to advocate for repealing and replacing the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare.

But he also refuted Trump's claim that he was wiretapped, prior to the Nov. 8 election, at the behest of former President Obama.

"I've heard of no evidence, public or private, that would back up this notion," Frelinghuysen said during the 5 p.m. call, just hours after FBI Director James Comey offered a similar rebuttal.

"The president has put a lot of credibility into his position, which I think is an incorrect one," Frelinghuysen said.

Frelinghuysen, R-11th District, has been the focus of widely-publicized, weekly protests outside his district office over President Donald Trump and Republican plans to repeal the Affordable Care Act. He has not changed his stance on this issue.

Participants were asked to register with his office to participate in the hearing. The process for selecting questioners was not explained during the call.

He has been criticized for not holding in-person town halls or showing up at events organized by the protesters. Hundreds of protesters have attended rallies outside his office.

Trump's unfounded assertion was initially made via Twitter, and Frelinghuysen dismissed his recurring tweets on a wide range of topics as "totally out of control."

Frelinghuysen also said he remains unsold on Trump's signature issue, building a wall along the Mexican border.

"I'm not sure the wall is the answer," Frelinghuysen said.

Frelinghuysen sought to assert that the Republican-controlled Congress might serve as a check on the Republican president and his budget proposals, including proposed cuts to the Meals on Wheels program.

"The power of the purse continues to lie with Congress," said Frelinghuysen, who offered praise for the program.

Reiterating what he said during his last telephone town hall March 1, Frelinghuysen said Trump should release his tax returns, but defended his refusal to support a parliamentary maneuver from Democratic Rep. Bill Pascrell Jr. that might have forced the president to do so.

In response to a question on that subject, from a caller identified as Michael from Rockaway, Frelinghuysen said, "Do I think he ought to release his taxes? I think he should."

"I think the president ought to release his tax returns as everyone has done before him," Frelinghuysen said.

The telephone town hall lasted more than 50 minutes and Frelinghuysen took about a dozen questions. 

Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @RobJenningsNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook

 


NJ.com boys basketball final Top 50 teams for 2016-17

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Who is the top team in the NJ.com Top 50?

12 key moments from Newark Mayor Baraka's state of the city

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Mayor Ras Baraka gave his third state of the city address on Monday, highlighting new development, job-training programs and efforts to curb the crime rate.

Downtown Newark office tower bought for $17.2M

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The 447,000-square-foot building at 33 Washington Street is only about 11 percent occupied, though the new owner expressed confidence it would lease up quickly

33 Washington St Newark Berger Org.jpgThe Berger Organization expanded its Newark real estate portfolio with the acquisition of 33 Washington St., for $17.2 million

NEWARK -- An 18-story office tower in downtown Newark that for years has been more vacant than occupied was bought by the Berger Organization, a firm that has contributed in other ways to Brick City's recent development boom.    

Berger announced last week it had acquired 33 Washington St., a 447,000-square-foot office tower originally built in 1970 to house Blue Cross/Blue Shield, at the northern end of the city's downtown office district, just off Broad Street, near the Newark Museum and across from Washington Park. 

A spokeswoman for  Berger, Evelyn Weiss-Francisco, said the firm acquired the building for $17.2 million from 33 Washington St. LLC.

A total of 50,000 square feet of the building are occupied, Weiss-Francisco said. But the new owner's chairman and CEO, Miles Berger, was confident of its potential.

"The demand for high-quality office space in the city continues to grow and 33 Washington's excellent location and amenities make it a highly attractive address," Berger said in a statement.

For example, the building is within walking distance of the Newark Penn and Broad Street rail stations, with access to New York and the Northeast Corridor.

The building is within a few blocks of several high-profile downtown real estate projects and locations: the Hahne & Company residential and commercial complex; the Prudential Financial tower; Berger's own TRYP by Wyndham Hotel project, a makeover of the old St. Francis Hotel on East Park Street; and the 1 Theater Square apartment tower under construction near NJPAC, adjacent to the Robert Treat Hotel, which is owned by Berger.

The building is also just down Washington Street from the Second Presbyterian Church, now undergoing an interior makeover to expand the headquarters campus of Audible, the audio entertainment company. 

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

 

Prominent breast cancer doctor struck, killed by vehicle in Essex Fells

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Officials identify vascular and breast surgeon fatally struck Tuesday.

ESSEX FELLS -- A prominent Essex County doctor who provided breast cancer care to uninsured women died Tuesday after she was hit by a vehicle outside her Essex Fells home, officials said.

JanHuston.jpgDr. Jan Huston Pryor (Star-Ledger file photo)

Dr. Jan Huston-Pryor, 66, of Essex Fells, was struck in the 200 block of Devon Road around 9:25 a.m., authorities said.

Emergency crews brought Huston-Prior to Mountainside Hospital, where she was pronounced dead about 15 minutes later, according to authorities.

The driver, who officials declined to identify, remained at the scene and was not charged, acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray and Chief William Theilacker, of the Essex Fells police, said.

The stretch of Devon Road where the accident includes the entrance to the Essex Fells County Club.

Huston-Pryor, a vascular and breast surgeon, most recently served as medical director of the Breast Health Program at HackensackUMC Mountainside in Glen Ridge and a Mountainside Medical Group physician.

"Dr. Huston was a beloved colleague and a strong advocate for women's health throughout the community. Among her many attributes, Jan was kind-hearted and enthusiastic, always bringing laughter and a smile to those around her," John Fromhold, chief executive officer at HackensackUMC Mountainside, said in a statement. 

Fromhold said the surgeon "positively impacted thousands of lives through her skill, dedication and commitment to her patients."

"Her affiliation with HackensackUMC Mountainside was a constant source of pride for myself and all of her colleagues at the hospital," Fromhold added. "Jan's immeasurable commitment to her family, to her patients and to the community at large ensures that while she will be greatly missed, she will never be forgotten."

She previously held a similar role at the Connie Dwyer Breast Cancer Center at Saint Michael's Medical Center in Newark and at practices around the area, and founded Summit Breast Care with a focus on providing complete and affordable breast care.

"My group accepted people without insurance, and I give them my home and cell phone number," Huston-Pryor told The Star-Ledger in a 2009 interview.

In the article, patients and colleagues credited Huston-Pryor with taking time to explain the surgery and always working to find solutions. One patient described the surgeon as a ""calming presence."

"I remember as an intern, thinking it was a privilege to be a doctor," Huston-Pryor said. "And I've never lost that feeling of compassion and respect."

The daughter of a cardiologist, Huston-Pryor became a nurse in the 1970s and worked in hospitals before she decided to pursue medical school at 28.

Huston-Pryor, who married Jonathan Pryor in 1998, was the mother of 12 children, including several who were adopted from around the country and overseas.

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

 

Person struck, killed by Morris & Essex line train

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Delays reported in the area Tuesday afternoon.

EAST ORANGE -- A person was fatally struck by an NJ Transit train at the East Orange station Tuesday afternoon, an agency spokeswoman said.

Morris and Essex Train No. 6644 from Dover to New York hit the person around 2 p.m., according to NJ Transit spokeswoman Lisa Torbic. The person, identified only as a male, was standing on the tracks when he was struck.

The 361 passengers and crew members were not hurt, the spokeswoman added. They were transferred to other trains.

Two other tracks remained open at the station and NJ Transit reported delays of up to 30 minutes.

NJ Transit Police were investigating the fatality. Additional details were not immediately available.

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

 

 

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