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Corrections officer arrested days before retirement, officials say

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New York officer allegedly pointed gun at two people in Newark.

NEWARK -- A New York City Department of Correction officer was charged with pointing a gun at two people during a dispute in Newark Wednesday, just days before he is set to retire from the agency, officials said.

cuffy.jpgRawlston Cuffy (Photo: Dept of Public Safety)

Police were on patrol near South 18th and Winans avenues when a man and woman alerted officers that a motorist pointed a handgun at them during a dispute over one driver being cut off in traffic, authorities said.

When officers stopped the vehicle, they saw a handgun and arrested the other driver, who was identified as Rawlston Cuffy, 61, according to police. The Bronx resident was charged with two counts of aggravated assault.

Cuffy, who joined the New York City Correction Department in November 1996, is retiring effective Monday, officials said. He is currently on leave from the agency.

"The vast majority of Department of Correction staff perform their duties with the highest level of integrity and Commissioner [Joseph] Ponte has zero tolerance for those who don't," department spokesman Peter Thorne said.

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

 


Guttenberg weighs sending 7th and 8th graders to North Bergen

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Guttenberg teachers oppose the proposal, which would cost the district $2M in tuition and the union a dozen jobs, all amid building project by both districts

GUTTENBERG -- Wednesday night's meeting of the Guttenberg Board of Education drew an unusually large crowd for the modest district of 1,015 students in grade pre-K though 8.

And while the main order of business was a public hearing on the district's $18 million budget for the 2017-18 school year, that's not what drew most of the 30 attendees to the cafeteria of the Anna L. Klein School, the district's one and only building.

Rather, several people in the crowd were opponents of a proposal now being weighed by the board to send the district's 7th and 8th graders to North Bergen, at a cost of about $2 million a year in tuition.

"Don't do it," former student Diana Sanchez, a 31-year-old molecular biologist at Montclair State University, urged the board, recalling the middle school science teacher who inspired her to become a scientist.

The proposal came from North Bergen school officials, and would correspond to a  district-wide reconfiguration in North Bergen scheduled to take effect in September 2019. That reconfiguration includes a move into a new North Bergen High School, configured for students in grades 10-12, and the creation of a new junior high school for grades 7-9.

North Bergen's new high school will be housed in the old Hudson County High Tech High School, which the township will purchase for about $20 million, reimbursed by the school district.

Guttenberg students already end up in North Bergen, though not until high school, under a sending-receiving relationship that dates back to the 1960's. The current proposal amounts to an expansion of that relationship by two additional grades.

But the proposal is opposed by some members of the Guttenberg school community, including the Guttenberg Federation of Teachers union, whose membership could lose a dozen jobs or more under the plan.

 

"We are concerned about how economically feasible this is to pay tuition to North Bergen to send our middle schoolers and pay for the addition to the  Anna L. Klein School," the union's president, Elaine Heflich, said in a statement.

Heflich added that parents were concerned about the prospect of their middle school-age children having to cross Kennedy Boulevard.

Opponents include Guttenberg's own superintedent of schools, Michelle Rosenberg, who questioned why the district would want to shed about 225 students -- and pay North Bergen millions to do it -- just as the Klein school is nearing completion of a $20 million addition that contains a new gym and a dozen new classrooms, including three science labs specifically for 7th and 8th graders.

The board was not scheduled for any action on the proposal Wednesday night, and none was taken. But its president, William Holkien, read a statement he had prepared in order to "clarify" opponents' concerns.

"We were approached by North Bergen regarding the possibilities about moving our 7th and 8th graders to their school system. This is why I formed a committee to gather all the information and analyze what would be in the best interest academically and the fiscal impact on our school and the town."

North Bergen's director of elementary and secondary education, Nicholas Sacco, who also serves as the township's mayor and state senator, said his district would have been "remiss" not to have made the offer, which he believes makes sense educationally and financially for Guttenberg.

Sacco said Guttenberg students would benefit from enhanced facilities and broader opportunities at the newly created North Bergen Junior High School. And, Sacco said, Guttenberg taxpayers would save on the high cost of special education services, which Guttenberg contracts for, but which North Bergen provides in-house.

"We made the offer," Sacco said, adding that North Bergen would not see a net benefit from Guttenberg's tuition money. "It's their decision whether the want to come here."

With a total of 7,800 students in grades pre-K through 12, North Bergen is huge compared to Guttenberg. And the proposal has been opposed by fans of the Klein school's family-like atmosphere, who say many of Guttenberg teenage students already complain of feeling lost at North Bergen High School. They say sending students to the larger district at an even younger age would be more traumatic.

Jenna Lanzaro, an 8th grade language arts teacher who spoke at Wednesday's board meeting, recalled her first year on the job, when she was watching some of her students play in a youth soccer game on a weekend, an entirely unofficial activity she did on her own time, but one common among Guttenberg teachers. While at the game, Lanzaro said she got a call from her surprised mother. 

"'It's Saturday. Is that normal?'" Lanzaro, who lives in Jersey City, recalled her mother asking. And it was, Lanzaro said, at least in Guttenberg. 

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

Getaway driver pleads guilty in 2015 Christmas Day bar robbery

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Man faces up to 20 years in prison.

Cortez.jpgOscar Avalos-Cortez. (Hawthorne Police)
 

NEWARK -- A New York man is facing up to 20 years in prison after admitting to driving a getaway car from a Hawthorne bar robbery on Christmas Day in 2015.

Oscar Avalos-Cortez, 22, of New City, N.Y., pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to conspiracy to commit robbery, Acting U.S. Attorney William Fitzpatrick announced in a release. According to authorities, Avalos-Cortez drove at least six people to a Hawthorne bar on Dec. 25, 2015. The group "forcibly" stole about $200 in cash from the bar, and fled in Avalos-Cortez's car, Fitzpatrick said.

Local authorities previously said the group was armed when it robbed RD Benders Tavern, and also stole an employee's cell phone and charger.

Avalos-Cortez is set to be sentenced on Aug. 2, officials said.

Three of the other men - Guillermo Carrillo-Iraheta, 19, Juan Chiliseo-Vega, 20, both of Suffern, N.Y., and Jostin Reyes, 21, of Waldwick - previously pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit robbery, as well as the brutal carjacking and kidnapping of a taxi driver in Paterson the next day, Fitzpatrick said.

Avalos-Cortez was not involved in the carjacking and kidnapping, authorities said.

Balmore Carrillo-Iraheta, 19, of Suffern, N.Y., was indicted earlier this month for his alleged role in the robbery, and robbery, carjacking, and kidnapping charges are still pending against Wilbur Jonathan Barahona, 21, of Ridgewood, authorities said.

Authorities have said Barahona, Reyes, Guillermo Carillo-Iraheta, and Juan Chiliseo-Vega are alleged members of the 18th Street gang.

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

3 charged in murder of man gunned down leaving Newark bar

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Man, 23, found shot in the head in parking lot, authorities say.

NEWARK -- Three men were charged with murder in the slaying of a man who was fatally shot as he left a bar in Newark's Central Ward, authorities said Thursday.

Rashan Jackson, 30, Hakeem Maloney, 37, both of Irvington, and Naim S. Jones, 40, of Newark, also face charges of conspiracy to commit murder and weapons offenses in the early Friday killing of William Porter, according to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office.

Porter, 23, was shot in the head around 2:30 a.m. in a parking lot on Oliver Street as he left a nearby bar on Mulberry Street, according to authorities and law enforcement documents. A possible motive for the attack was not disclosed.

Man shot, killed by police pulled gun, document reveals

An investigation by the Essex County Major Crimes Task Force, which includes Newark detectives, led to the charges, Acting Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray and city Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said in a statement.

The three men were all being held at the Essex County jail ahead of a court hearing, according to prosecutors. Authorities did not release more details on the case.

Newark has reported 16 murders this year compared to 26 killings in the same span last year, police records show.

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

 

Penn Relays 2017: Complete results, photos and links for Thursday (Day 1)

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Full coverage from Franklin Field in Philadelphia for the 123rd running.

PHILADELPHIA — The countdown is over, the 123rd Penn Relays Carnival has officially begun, and NJ.com will be on hand here at Franklin Field from the first hurdle until the final baton exchange Saturday night. 

We'll have all of our content landing on this page (so be sure to REFRESH OFTEN).

We also have LIVE UPDATES below in the comments section throughout the day, so keep it here for everything you need. 

To get you started, check our extensive preview package as well as today's schedule of events with the links below. If you have any questions, feel free to post them in the comments section, and we will answer them as they appear.

Keep in mind, only girls compete on Thursday. Boys action will begin on Friday. 

RESULTS/STORIES
Girls 4x400: McLaughlin's historic run puts Union Catholic in CoA
Girls shot put: Wilson breaks own Penn Relays record but eyes much more
Girls 3000m: Aldridge gets the timing right for third-place finish
Girls 4x100: Winslow leads the way as 4 teams qualify for finals
Girls 4x800: Ridge wins heat, advances to CoA
• Girls DMR: North Hunterdon is 4th, breaks target time
Girls high jump: N.J. frosh, state champ clears 5-7 1/4
Girls 400 hurdles West Essex's Richards makes strong first impression 
Girls triple jump: Fosam relies on experience to take sixth place
Girls mile: Vick is top N.J. finisher
Girls pole vault: Rubinetti tops local competition
Girls long jump: Winslow's Tobias places 13th as lone state representative
• Girls discus: Palmyra's Tomara Carmichael represents N.J. 

SCHEDULES 
• Day 1 - Thursday, April 27
• Day 2 - Friday, April 28 
Day 3 - Saturday, April 29 

PREVIEWS 
Meet records
N.J.'s full list of qualifiers  
Previewing all 28 H.S. events
N.J.'s 21 best chances to win 
Meet Team USA and the other international stars
A look back at N.J.'s 44 greatest performances 

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

Smartphone app connects residents to Bloomfield police

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Crime maps, alerts among features of free phone app.

app.jpgThe Bloomfield police app includes a crime map feature (Screenshot) 

BLOOMFIELD -- Officials on Thursday launched a new Bloomfield police smartphone app designed to keep residents updated on alerts from the department and submit crime tips anonymously.

The free app's features include a map that displays crimes posted by police, public alerts from the force and the ability to sent tips to authorities. Apple iPhone and Android users can download the software by searching for "Bloomfield PD" on the device's app stores.

"Our Bloomfield Police Department is constantly working to stay on the cutting edge of law enforcement and this new app will help them meet that goal while continuing to make our community safer," Mayor Michael Venezia said in a news release.

"I encourage all Bloomfield residents to download the BPD app and to always let our officers know if they see anything suspicious, because community participation is the key to continuing to lower crime here in Bloomfield," the mayor added.

Cops charge 3rd man in attack over $500 sneakers

Officials also announced a text message service that allows police to receive anonymous information. Tipsters can text "BloomfieldPD" followed by the information and send the message to 847411.

"We are looking forward to receiving more information from residents and using these new technologies to continue making our community safe," Bloomfield Police Director Samuel DeMaio said.

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

 

Newark's public housing complex won't be demolished - for now

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The Board of Commissioner did not approve submitting an application to the federal government for permission to knock down Terrell Homes after resident pleaded for it to stay open.

NEWARK -- The Board of Commissioners at the Newark Housing Authority failed to vote on an application Thursday to demolish Terrell Homes, a public housing complex that has prompted passionate pleas from residents who want it to remain open

The move came after a standing-room-only meeting in which residents demanded the board stop the building's closure.

"I know where I'm at, I don't know where I'm going," 20-year Terrell Homes resident Linda Jones said during the meeting. "We are a community, please don't take that away from us."

The housing authority has said it's too cash-strapped to maintain the aging facility that needs more than $60 million in repairs.  

The agency, which receives federal funding, must ask the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for permission to close and demolish the building. The application needs approval from the board and a letter of support from the mayor before being submitted. 

Mayor Ras Baraka submitted a letter of support on Feb. 2, writing that "the physical buildings of Terrell Homes have outlived their useful lives, given the crumbling infrastructure, lack of quality amenities, physical isolation of the complex and outdated systems" and that the "demolition of the buildings is the most cost-effective measure."

But on Thursday, commissioners did not vote on a resolution authorizing the application. No commissioner seconded the motion to move it for a vote.

"This may take us back to the drawing board," Keith Kinard, NHA executive director told NJ Advance Media. "The housing advocates, Board of Commissioners, staff and residents need to come together and figure out what the future of Terrell Homes will be."

He said challenges at Terrell Homes -- like flooding, environmental contamination, high crime and disrepair -- remained. The complex was built in the 1940s. 

NHA employees also crammed the meeting Thursday, criticizing the agency-wide furloughs set to begin on Friday. All 340 employees will be furloughed for 12 days for the remainder of the year.

Kinard said the furloughs will save $1.2 million and avoid layoffs of full-time staff as federal funding continues to decrease. 

But employees Thursday blamed fiscal mismanagement and unnecessary political hires.

"If you don't have money, why are you still hiring?" asked Marvin Bowman, vice president of Local 617, which is representing some NHA workers. "They're giving us furloughs but they're still hiring and the hiring is coming from City Hall."

A spokesperson for Baraka did not immediately return a request for comment. 

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

2 dead, 5 wounded in violent night of shootings in Newark

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The first shooting occurred just blocks from where police shot and killed a suspect earlier this week.

NEWARK -- Two people were fatally shot and five others were wounded in multiple shootings in Newark overnight, authorities said.

The first fatal shooting occurred around 8 p.m. in the 1100 block of South Orange Avenue, Chief Assistant Prosecutor Thomas Fennelly said. Three people were wounded, one critically, according to a law enforcement source in that incident. 

A woman was found dead when police arrived at the second shooting on North 9th Street around 1:30 a.m., Fennelly said.

No additional information was immediately available on the shootings, which are under investigation by the Essex County Prosecutor's Office, Fennelly said. 

The first shooting occurred just a few blocks west from where Newark police were investigating robberies in the area shot and killed a 23-year-old man Tuesday night. 

Also Thursday, two people were wounded in a shooting on the 300 block of 6th Avenue, police said. That shooting occurred shortly before 10 p.m. 

The second and third shooting were just three blocks apart, though it is unclear if they are related. 

Jeff Goldman contributed to this report. Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@PaulMilo2. Find NJ.com on Facebook.  


2 suspected in series of Newark burglaries arrested

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About a dozen businesses were hit this month, police said

NEWARK-- Two city men have been arrested and charged in connection with a spate of burglaries at several businesses this month, Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said.

Screenshot (152).pngNewark police  

Nathaniel Hartwell, 27, is accused of burglaries between April 14 and 19, while 56-year-old Ernest Reeder hit businesses between April 16 and 23, police said.

Hartwell allegedly burglarized the following businesses: Zap Car Wash, 1196 Broad St., on Friday, April 14, 2017 and Saturday, April 15; Dr. Shack Chicken, 649 Market St., on Sunday, April 16; Dollar Tree, 189 Springfield Avenue, on Tuesday, April 18; Popeye's, 857 Frelinghuysen Avenue, on Wednesday, April 19; and Burger King, 306 Elizabeth Avenue, on Wednesday, April 19.

He was arrested on April 21 and charged with six counts of burglary, five counts of criminal mischief, four counts of theft and two counts of possession of burglary tools.

Reeder allegedly burglarized Westrock Warehouse, 2013 McCarter Highway, on Sunday, April 16; JFC Motors, 508 Broadway on Wednesday, April 19 th , Saturday, April 22 and Monday, April 24; Roman Asphalt, 14 Ogden Street, on Thursday, April 20; and DCI Signs & Awnings, 110 Riverside Lane, on Sunday, April 23.

Reeder was arrested on April 24 and charged with six counts of burglary, one count of receiving stolen property and one count of possession of burglary tools. He was released from custody Wednesday.

"I congratulate the members of the Newark Police Division who work extremely hard to identify suspects and then to gather the necessary evidence to arrest them," Ambrose said.

A street sign for Uggie, Newark's beloved dancer

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Eric "Uggie" Bowens, one of Newark's most popular residents who loved to dance, will have his name added to a city street sign known as Eric Uggie Bowens Way. Uggie, who had a developmental disability, was shot and killed last November. His death angered an entire city because Uggie never bothered anyone.

Five months after his senseless death, Newark still misses one of its favorite citizens: Eric "Uggie" Bowens.

People want to know who took his life last November, leaving him on Bergen Street, near 14th Avenue, with a gunshot wound in front of an empty house, hours before his 45th birthday.

Better yet, why? Uggie -- and that's what everybody called him, from City Hall to the streets -- didn't bother anyone.

He had challenges from a developmental disability, but his strength was dancing and an irrepressible personality.

We'd smile and forget our troubles whenever we saw him jamming to House music at a cookout, a park, a basketball game or festival.  The dude was everywhere.

 MORE: Recent Barry Carter columns  

 The Essex County Prosecutor's Office doesn't have any answers yet.

Until an arrest is made, there is good news: Uggie's memory will be soon be commemorated with a street sign, at Bergen Street and Winans Avenue, identifyinhg the site as Eric Uggie Bowens Way.

The City Council is expected to approve the honor after Central Ward Councilwoman Gayle Chaneyfield Jenkins was asked by Newark resident Earl Best, aka "Street Doctor," to recognize Uggie in some fashion.

"Uggie epitomizes the citizens of Newark,'' Chaneyfield Jenkins said. "There are people who have graced us, that when we see them they just epitomize love. They bring people together from every socioeconomic background.''

uggietrainIMG_2145[1].JPGEric "Uggie" Bowens, one of Newark's most popular residents who loved to dance, will have his name added to a city street sign known as Eric Uggie Bowens Way. Uggie, who had developmental disability, was shot and killed last November. An entire city was angry because Uggie never bothered anyone  

That's Uggie.

The street dedication, scheduled for 1 p.m. on May 10, could encompass all the Uggies of the world.

Everyone knows someone like him. He's the guy you don't bother, don't make fun of or take advantage of. You accept him for who he is, appreciating how he makes you feel.

"A guy like that deserves, this,'' said Stanley McElroy Uggie's longtime friend, who looked after him for many years when he lived in Newark.

McElroy, who now resides in Easton, Pa., said Uggie touched many lives, including his own.

"It's still rough dealing with it," said McElroy, a retired corrections officer, of Uggie's death.  "I'm still getting calls from people: 'Have you heard anything yet?' "

Tianna Hayes of Irvington said she is pleased that the city is putting up the sign for her cousin, but not knowing who killed him is taking its toll on family members.

"That's the hard part for the family," she said.

Manny Loureiro, owner of Ideal Lounge in Newark, is having a hard time with the death as well. He often stares at a few pictures of Uggie that hang on the wall. In one of them, Uggie wears a mixed martial arts T-shirt and boxing gloves from the time Loureiro's daughter took him to the gym where she trains.

Louriero befriended him one night eight years ago, and looked after him, too. When Uggie needed a place to stay, he lived in an apartment above the lounge..

"At nighttime, we look up to see if he's coming through that door,'' Loureiro said.

The customers do, too, talking about their friend Tuesday night.

"We loved Uggie down here,'' said Ottie Green, a Newark resident, who was playing pool. "This was his spot.''

Greg Harris, who had just finished a game, said he thinks of how he and Uggie met. Harris missed a pool shot and Uggie shouted, "You suck.''

Harris wasn't offended. More than anything, he was amused and they became friends, greeting each other with those two words, then always laughing afterward.

"It's so unbelievable that somebody would do that to him,'' he said.

On the day of his funeral, the viewing line started to form three hours before the service. It stretched from the Dey Street entrance of New Hope Baptist Church and turned the corner at Central Avenue.  Mayor Ras Baraka spoke at the funeral.

"When you were around him, you just felt happy, and whenever I pass Bergen and Winans, I'll see the Uggie street sign and be filled with sweet memories of what he meant to me and to all Newarkers,'' Baraka said Wednesday.

Al Wicks, a club member, said he's ecstatic about the street sign, wishing it could be erected under different circumstances.

"I hate to see violence bring us together,'' he said.

MORE CARTER: Bowling for the ages - 93-year-old Montclair resident continues her streak

Uggie's name will be on that street pole, across the street from where his late mother, Lula Bowens, once lived with him in a townhouse development that is now vacant.

She was just as popular as her son. Everyone called her the Katydid Lady, who sat on the corner in a chair and sold the chocolate caramel candy at Bergen Street and Muhammad Ali Avenue.

Sometimes Uggie would be out there, too, dancing to House music. In another month or so, if he were here, Uggie would be gearing up for the summer dance scene with the House head crowd.

"The summer is not going to be right without Uggie being here,'' McElroy said.  "It's not going to be the same because they're going to be looking for Eric.''

At least they will be able to look at the sign at Bergen Street and Winans, think of Uggie dancing -- and smile.

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

or follow him on Twitter @BarryCarterSL

 

The 50 N.J. school districts paying their teachers the most

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See if your district made the list.

Shepherd would make a 'great family dog'

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MILLBURN -- Nala is a 6-year-old purebred German shepherd in the care of the Sedona Shepherd Sanctuary. Volunteers describe her as "a great family dog" who has lived with children including infants. Nala gets along with other dogs, but not cats; she is playful, knows basic commands and walks well on a leash. Nala, who is happiest when she is...

ex0430pet.jpgNala 

MILLBURN -- Nala is a 6-year-old purebred German shepherd in the care of the Sedona Shepherd Sanctuary.

Volunteers describe her as "a great family dog" who has lived with children including infants.

Nala gets along with other dogs, but not cats; she is playful, knows basic commands and walks well on a leash. Nala, who is happiest when she is the only dog in a home, has been fully vetted.

For more information about Nala, call 646-228-5494 or email contact@sedonashepherd.com. Sedona Shepherd Sanctuary finds homes for adult and senior German shepherds throughout the northeastern U.S.

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.

Gallery preview 

A walk-off grand slam, top strike-throwers, hot takes and hot topics in N.J. baseball

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The biggest moments in HS baseball, plus the hottest players and teams from April 21-27

Kenny Anderson, former Nets All-Star, searches for redemption in new film

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In 'Mr Chibbs,' screening at the Montclair Film Festival, NBA All-Star Kenny Anderson reflects on his career and mistakes

Kenny Anderson sits on the edge of a hotel pool, his legs in the water, when a woman on an upper floor notices a cameraman filming him. 

"Are you somebody famous?" she shouts.

"Used to be," he says.

At the time of the filming, Anderson was a decade out of the NBA, where he spent 14 years as a point guard, the first five with the Nets, then still in Jersey. In 1991, he was the No. 2 pick in the NBA draft. And 26 years later, Kenny Anderson is still a hallowed name in the tri-state area.

But to hear Anderson, now 46, tell it, life after his star-making turn on the basketball court has been markedly less glamorous -- a cloud of dashed opportunities, tangles with darkness in his past and a daily struggle to keep going. 

"I'm a walking mistake," Anderson says in "Mr. Chibbs," a documentary screening at the Montclair Film Festival (Clairidge Cinema) on April 29 and 30 and opening at the IFC Center in New York on May 3. In the film, the NBA veteran tries to reckon with his missteps and find a post-basketball calling.

Mr-Chibbs-Kenny-Anderson-documentary-Nets.jpgKenny Anderson drives towards the basket in the first quarter of a Nets game against the 76ers in January of 1996. (Star-Ledger file photo)
 

Mr. Chibbs is a nickname coined by Anderson's mother when he was still a newborn in the hospital -- she had been eating and tried to say "cheeks" but everyone heard "chibbs." The name followed him as a standout high school point guard in Queens as he started on the road to becoming a NBA All-Star in 1994, later serving as one third of the so-called "Lethal Weapon 3" crew that made it to the NCAA Final Four at Georgia Tech in 1990. 

For someone who was plucked out of Queens as a teenager and sent almost directly to the big time, a career in the NBA often proved to be a destabilizing force. But it's only now, looking back, that Anderson can appreciate the whirlwind for what it was.

Talking about the film, Anderson, who suffers from depression and goes to therapy every week, speaks as plainly and frankly as he does in the documentary. 

"I wanted to tell the truth," he tells NJ Advance Media. "I think we got that across."

"Mr. Chibbs," which premiered at the DOC NYC film festival in November, covers Anderson's ascent to basketball greatness and lingers on the theme of faded glory. Clips from his '90s heyday, when he was in peak physical condition, are interspersed throughout, but the resounding image is of Anderson getting his kids off to school, trying to be a better father and retracing his steps in search of his next gig.

Living in Pembroke Pines, Fla., Anderson, still mourning the 2005 death of his mother, Joan, is also haunted by the DUI that left him jobless in 2013. After filing for bankruptcy in 2005, despite making $63 million over the course of his career, he found it difficult to find coaching work at the college level and took a job as a basketball coach at a Jewish day school.

"When I had that job, I felt good," Anderson says in the film. "I ain't felt the same since." 

Then there was the trip to North Korea for Kim Jong Un's birthday with Dennis Rodman in 2014, a move for which Anderson and several other former players were heavily criticized.

His wife, Natasha, who calls him a "hurt, lost soul" and "damaged," says there's reason to question their relationship, hinting at recent infidelity. But she sticks with him for their family, including son Kenny Jr., a budding basketball player, and Anderson's stepdaughter, Tiana. (Anderson, who has been married twice before, has eight children from relationships with five women.) 

Jill Campbell, a former Westfield resident, worked on the documentary -- executive-produced by Jersey local Barry Greenstein and picked up by film distributor Abramorama in March -- over the course of three years. A longtime basketball fan, she had followed Anderson's career, but was curious to know more about his motivation and the story behind his legacy.

"It was clear he was in the middle of a midlife crisis," Campbell says of Anderson, who she first met through the film's producers. Her brother had played basketball in college -- "Basketball was like the music in my family," she says.

"I just got Kenny," Campbell adds. "I just got the whole world." 

Though his wife was initially hesitant to let cameras in, Anderson was game to allow Campbell to follow him as he made appearances at schools and basketball clinics, visiting his old coaches and mentors and trying to network in search of a coaching opportunity.

Kenny-Anderson-Mr-Chibbs-Georgia-Tech.jpgKenny Anderson in his Georgia Tech days, before he was drafted by the Nets. (Courtesy of Abramorama/BMG Brokers) 

Anderson wanted to be open in service of the the story he could tell for younger generations -- "That you still can make it, with all the obstacles and the all the negativity in your life," he says.

A heavy piece of information lands like a thud in the film's third act: a man who lived down the street from Anderson's grandfather sexually abused him when he was young.  

"It's like you're peeling an onion, unraveling these layers," the director says.

For his part, Anderson says he's happy how friends, including actor Michael Rapaport, have received the film. "He said, 'Hey man, you've got something special here'," he says. "So that gave me a lot of encouragement." 

In one sense, not that much has changed for Anderson since the cameras started following him in 2014. He hasn't landed the full-time coaching job of his dreams, but he's made progress on the route to self-improvement, encouraging his son on the basketball court, sometimes coming off as a bit of a sidelines parent. 

"It's really beautiful to see," Campbell says. "He didn't have that. Now, he has it." 

"I'm still a work in progress," Anderson says. "I'm just trying to work on myself. You can't knock nobody if they're trying." 

Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AmyKup or on Facebook. 

Glimpse of History: Rub-a-dub-dub, three boys and a tub

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SOUTH ORANGE -- John Connelly is in the tub while John Edelen and Billy McArdle provide the propulsion for an impromptu boating trip on flooded Cameron Field in South Orange in 1971. 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...

SOUTH ORANGE -- John Connelly is in the tub while John Edelen and Billy McArdle provide the propulsion for an impromptu boating trip on flooded Cameron Field in South Orange in 1971.

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 on nj.com.

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

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ICE agents arrest man after they say N.J. jail ignored detainer

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The Somerset County jail released the Mexican citizen on Tuesday

NEWARK -- Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents have arrested a man living in the U.S. without permission after they say a New Jersey county jail ignored a request to detain him.

ICE says it filed an immigration detainer with the Somerset County Jail in 2014 to hold 61-year-old Savino Castro-Pena. But the agency says the jail released the Mexican citizen on Tuesday.

ICE: rule of engagement have changed

Immigration officers arrested him in Somerville, pending removal proceedings.

The agency says Castro-Pena faces sentencing after he was convicted of criminal aggravated assault, obstructing the administration of law and possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose.

Enforcement and Removal Operations Newark field officer director John Tsoukaris says county jails that fail to work with ICE by releasing "criminal aliens" put their communities at serious risk.

 

Come on down! 'The Price is Right' is returning to NJPAC

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A popular interactive stage show of 'The Price is Right' will land in Newark in October

A stage show of "The Price is Right" -- no Drew Carey, but the same classic games and an even greater chance to win big -- is returning to Newark's NJPAC in October.

The interactive "The Price is Right Live!" gives audience members, many of whom come decked out in themed costumes, a chance to play Plinko, Bunch-A-Punch and Cliffhangers among other games, to spin the Big Wheel and to compete in the Showcase Showdown, perhaps for a Brand! New! Car!

The producers swap out audience members in Contestant's Row more often than on the TV show, so more people get to play. At the last "Price is Right Live!" in Newark, about 60 people won prizes. The stage show has given away more than $12 million in cash and prizes since it started touring more than a decade ago. 

No purchase is necessary to compete -- not including the price of tickets, which sell out quickly. Tickets for the 8 p.m. show on Oct. 13 are $39-$49 and will go on sale May 5 here. You have to be 18 to compete for prizes, but not to attend the show. Those who want to play must complete a separate registration form before the show. Registration begins three hours before the show starts.

"The Price is Right" premiered on NBC in 1956 and ran through 1965, with a revamped version debuting in 1972 on CBS with Bob Barker as its host and the Showcase Showdown introduced when it was expanded to an hour in 1975. Barker retired after 35 years, and the show has been hosted since 2007 by Carey. 

Vicki Hyman may be reached at vhyman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @vickihy or like her on Facebook

Man, woman victims of fatal shootings, 5 hurt within 5 hours in Newark

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Authorities identify two killed in overnight shootings.

NEWARK -- A man and woman were killed and five others, including a 15-year-old girl, were wounded in a string of shootings within a five hour span in Newark, officials said Friday.

The overnight outburst of gun violence began around 8:30 p.m. Thursday when Newark police rushed to reports of several people shot on the 1100 block of South Orange Avenue, Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray and Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said in a statement.

At the scene, officers found four people wounded, authorities said. One of the victims, Derron Roane, 25, of Elizabeth, died minutes later at University Hospital.

The quadruple shooting also left a 29-year-old man in critical condition and a 35-year-old man and a 15-year-old girl with non-life threatening injuries, according to Chief Assistant Prosecutor Thomas Fennelly, of the county's homicide unit.

The killing occurred about a mile from Seton Hall University's South Orange campus. Campus public safety officials issued an alert warning students of police activity in the area, but a spokeswoman said no one associated with the school was involved in the shooting.

Authorities said the second deadly shooting occurred around 1:30 a.m. Friday. Police responded to a shooting at a residence on the 200 block of North 9th Street where they found 37-year-old Virdia Beard shot multiple times on the porch, the prosecutor's office said.

Man shot, killed by Newark police pulled gun, document reveals

Beard, of Newark, was declared dead at the scene a short time later, according to Fennelly.

Ambrose and Murray said the deadly shootings were unrelated, but did not disclose a possible motive for the attacks. Essex County's Major Crimes Task Force, included city detectives, were investigating the killings.

Two people suffered non-life threatening injuries in another shooting around 10 p.m. on the 300 block of 6th Avenue, according to police.

Authorities urged anyone with information on the fatal shootings to call the Prosecutor's Office tip line at 877-847-7432.

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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The flute steals the show at latest NJSO concert: review

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The main attraction was violinist Stefan Jackiw, but the orchestra's talented flutist stole the show.

If you hear light, wafting melodies in Newark this weekend, they are likely reverberating from the New Jersey Symphony at NJPAC, where the orchestra is playing a program that puts the flute front and center. 

Sonically speaking, that is. Officially the headliner of these programs is Stefan Jackiw, a talented young American violinist making his second appearance with the Jersey band. But at the opening night performance at bergenPAC in Englewood Thursday night, it was the sounds of principal flutist Bart Feller that grabbed my ears.

The main reason for this is the program's curtain-raiser, a suite from Walter Piston's "The Incredible Flutist." Piston's 1938 ballet isn't danced much these days, but the American composer's 15-minute mash-up of the ballet's themes still does grace the stages of concert halls from time to time.

It's a piece that meanders between various twentieth century styles (dissonant piano, eerie woodwinds, even a castanet-infused fandango), but that keeps wandering back to patch of lush, romantic string themes that pad out the suite. 

NJSO music director Xian Zhang has shown herself this season to be a wizard at whipping these frothy compositions into something sonically substantial, but she was not on the podium Thursday night. In the hands of guest conductor David Danzmayr, the orchestra appeared to be having fun, especially in the "circus march" passage, where the score has musicians shout and scream to simulate a crowd. (The one band member who believably barked like a dog, merits particular praise.) But the orchestra didn't necessary make much of a case for the music. 

The one exception in the Piston piece was the minute-long flute solo that comes after the circus madness.  Feller played this passage with beauty and poise. Equally incredible was his less than-a-minute-long flute solo in Dvorak's 8th Symphony, the piece that closed the program on Thursday. It's a brief solo in the fourth movement of the epic 8th Symphony, but whereas Piston lets the flute simply emote, Dvorak makes the flute dance. It's a true virtuoso run, and Feller delivered the goods. 

Sadly the rest of the 8th Symphony didn't shine with this same luster. Concert master Eric Wyrick played with grace in another brief solo passage for violin in the 2nd movement, but due to a combination of rough acoustics at bergenPAC and some sluggish tempi, the piece rarely crackled with excitement. 

Dvorak's evocations of pastoral settings, wood sprites and other romantic tropes were all audible -- and the trumpets blazed in the 4th movement setting up Feller's solo -- but the larger impact of the symphony was unfelt.

Similarly, the pairing of Danzmayr and Jackiw in Prokofiev's Violin Concerto No. 2 didn't quite come to life. Jackiw was dressed in black slacks and shirt that, which combined with his nonchalant stage presence, suggested he was hanging out at a tech conference rather than performing. But the 32-year old artist's technique impressed; despite his low-key demeanor, his playing produced passionate sounds.

The lack of cohesion heard in most of the piece did work in the 2nd movement "Andante assai," where the orchestra plays an almost minimalist, rhythmic pizzicato beat and Prokofiev has the violin playing an utterly tender melody. Here the opposites attracted -- and Jackiw's expressive phrasing contrasted nicely with the cool pulse of the orchestra.   

In the third movement that closed the concerto, there were big sounds and more castanets -- but no real pulse. Feller and his flute can be heard Saturday night and Sunday afternoon at NJPAC -- and in your ears for days to come.

New Jersey Symphony Orchestra

Dvorak's Cheerful Eighth Symphony

April 28, bergenPAC, Englewood

Additional performances: 

April 29, 8 p.m., April 30, 3 p.m., New Jersey Performing Arts Center, Newark

Tickets: $20-$88; available online at www.njsymphony.org

James C. Taylor can be reached writejamesctaylor@gmail.com. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook.

N.J. native at center of Fyre Festival fiasco says organizers were 'overwhelmed'

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The 25-year-old co-organizer, Billy McFarland, told Rolling Stone Friday they were "overwhelmed" and "a little naive" in trying to pull off the botched luxury festival in the Bahamas

One of the people at the center of the Fyre Festival fiasco, Billy McFarland, is a New Jersey native and college dropout, who's been referred to as Ja Rule's "tech partner."

The 25-year-old co-organizer told Rolling Stone on Friday the planners were "overwhelmed" and "a little naive" in trying to pull off the botched luxury festival in the Bahamas, which promised a genre-spanning lineup of bands.

The Fyre Festival was advertised as "a cultural moment created from a blend of music, art, and food" and promoted through hundreds of Instagram influencers and models. Concert-goers paid between $1,000 and $13,000 for the event, with VIP packages costing up to $250,000 with boat tours and private planes. 

But the festival collapsed quickly. A storm hit Thursday morning, causing infrastructure issues. The luxury accommodations turned out to be tents. One of the headlining bands, Blink 182, backed out at the last minute.

Six from New Jersey were among the thousands of people left stranded when the the two-weekend festival organized with rapper Ja Rule was canceled.

McFarland, who grew up in Short Hills, explained to Rolling Stone: "Guests started to arrive and the most basic function we take for granted in the U.S., we realized, 'Wow, we can't do this.' We were on a rush job to fix everything and guests were arriving and that caused check-in to be delayed. We were overwhelmed and just didn't have the foresight to solve all these problems."

The festival was ultimately canceled amid a firestorm of backlash from fans on social media. 

Friday afternoon, Ja Rule issued a statement to fans assuring people that the festival was not a scam and said he was working on getting people refunds. 

McFarland, a tech entrepreneur and a Bucknell University dropout, started a content-sharing company, Spling, as a freshman in college. He started a credit card company at 22, pushing a card with a $250 annual fee.

He was sued in 2015 by a West Village townhouse owner, who claimed McFarland trashed the rental in alleged raucous parties. The suit claims he caused $100,000 in damages. McFarland said the claims were "not valid."

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

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