A tow truck was on the side of the road hooking up a disabled ambulance when a car veered off the highway and crashed into it, authorities said

WEST ORANGE -- A Newark man was killed Friday night and his three passengers were injured when his car veered off the highway on I-280 in West Orange and slammed into a tow truck, authorities said Saturday.

Orlando Velez, 26, was pronounced dead at the scene of the crash at mile marker 8.2 on I-280, said Trooper Lawrence Peele, a New Jersey State Police spokesman.

Peele said Velez was driving a Chevrolet Impala westbound on the highway at 5:30 p.m. when it veered off the right side of the road and struck a flatbed tow truck that was on the shoulder hooking up a disabled ambulance.

That impact made the tow truck lurch forward into a pedestrian, who suffered minor injuries, Peele said. He said he did not immediately know whether the pedestrian was the tow truck operator, the ambulance driver or someone else.

Three other occupants in the car suffered "moderate" injuries and were taken to University Hospital in Newark, Peele said.

He said investigators are still trying to determine why the driver veered off the road.

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

The accident occurred about 3 a.m. Saturday near the intersection of Ferry and Foundry streets.

NEWARK -- Two men are dead after their car collided into a utility pole early Saturday morning on Ferry Street, the Essex County Prosecutor's Office said. 

No other cars were involved in the accident, which occurred shortly after 3 a.m. near the intersection of Ferry and Foundry streets, Assistant Essex County Prosecutor Thomas Fennelly said.

The 29-year-old driver of the car was pronounced dead at University Hospital, and the 20-year-old passenger died at the scene, Fennelly said. Both men are from Hudson County. 

More information about the men was not immediately released pending notification of their family members. 

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

Prosecutors say the woman is "suffering severely" and has a long road toward recovery.

NEWARK -- A 56-year-old man on parole for a prior manslaughter conviction has been charged in the "brutal attack" of a woman in Branch Brook Park.

John T. Wilson was charged with attempted murder and aggravated assault, Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura said Saturday. Wilson was arrested Friday at a halfway house on Fulton Street in Newark, Fontoura said.

John T. Wilson, 56, was arrested and charged with aggravated assault and attempted murder in the attack of a 34-year-old woman at Branch Brook Park. (Courtesy: Essex County Correctional Facility)Karen Yi | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com 

The attack took place early July 8 near the entrance of the park, feet from the New Jersey Light Rail Station on Heller Parkway. Fontoura said surveillance camera footage showed Wilson walking with a 34-year-old woman before "viciously" attacking her.

Fontoura said passing bicyclists appeared to spook Wilson and "may have saved her life." She was later found by a dog-walker and taken to University Hospital. The woman has not been identified, but Fontoura said she's still recovering in the hospital.

"She's suffering severely, lots of trauma," he said in an interview. "It was a brutal, brutal attack from someone who has a violent history. She has a long road ahead of her, hopefully she'll be OK."

Wilson was previously sentenced to 17 years in prison on a 1999 manslaughter conviction, authorities said.

Branch Brook Park is the largest park in the city and draws thousands of visitors during the annual spring Cherry Blossom Festival. Fontoura said authorities would ensure it remains a safe sanctuary for passers-by.

"Our department took this crime personally and invested every resource at our disposal to solve this vicious attack," he said. 

Wilson is being held at the Essex County Correctional Facility awaiting a bail hearing. It wasn't immediately clear whether Wilson had an attorney.

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

Antonio Callahan, 19, of Newark, and Fritz Sammy, 20, of Bloomfield, were arrested early Saturday morning

NEWARK -- Police say they've busted two men with $3,500 worth of weed. 

Antonio Callahan, 19, of Newark, and Fritz Sammy, 20, of Bloomfield, were arrested early Saturday morning in the area of McWhorter of Vessey streets, Newark Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose said in a statement. 

When the officers approached the two, who were in traffic at about 2:30 a.m., they said they noticed a strong smell, which they believed to be marijuana, Ambrose said. 

The officers said they found a pound of pot on the pair and $910 in cash, according to the release. 

Callahan and Sammy were charged with possession, distribution and distribution within 1,000 feet of a school.

Craig McCarthy may be reached at 732-372-2078 or at CMcCarthy@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @createcraig and on Facebook here. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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To find out if the stigma attached to Newark after the 1967 riots is still prevalent 50 years later, NJ Advance Media hit the road.

The city this year revived a festival meant to celebrate African culture, and renamed it Afro Beat Fest. It was held in Military Park on Saturday.

NEWARK -- Bright hues of green, red and yellow dotted Military Park on Saturday as hundreds -- many donning traditional African garb -- gathered for the city's Afro Beat Fest. 

"This is what inner cities need, they need culture programs like this to stop crime," said Obalaji Baraka, who works for the city's recreation department and helped coordinate the event. "We need to revolve ourselves back to culture, history and all the fine foods that are out here."

The day-long festival featured performances by Grammy-nominated French duo Les Nubians, English-born Nigerian singer/songwriter Ayo Jay, and Ghanaian singer Bisa Kdei. More than 100 vendors filled the sidewalks selling food, clothing, jewelry and other accessories. 

The city used to hold a festival to celebrate African culture since the 1980s called "Africa Newark." But the festival stopped in 2006 after it lost city support, Mayor Ras Baraka said. He said this year the city worked with local organizers to bring it back and rebrand it as "Afro Beat Fest."

"We used to have fun as children involved in it so we thought it'd be something that we do now," he said. "Culture is very important to revive the city ... it gives people something to do and it gives you a chance to connect with your roots and your culture at the same time."

Linda Jumah, one of the organizers of the event, whose father co-founded Africa Newark, said the city has always been welcoming to all cultures and embraced its diversity.

"It's important to celebrate who we are. They have cultural festivals all over the city and this one was the one that was lacking," she said. 

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

Frank Di Ionno is racing through the mountain roads outside of San Bartolomeo, Italy, like a young Mario Andretti. He is 67 but has the energy and sense of immortality of a man one third his age. I look over at the speedometer. It bounces between 110 and 120. I realize its kilometers but it sure feels like miles...

Frank Di Ionno is racing through the mountain roads outside of San Bartolomeo, Italy, like a young Mario Andretti. He is 67 but has the energy and sense of immortality of a man one third his age.

I look over at the speedometer. It bounces between 110 and 120. I realize its kilometers but it sure feels like miles per hour to me. I am in the passenger seat, belted in. I notice Frank is not. I understand that. I admit I don't normally belt up when I'm driving, either. We both ride motorcycles. That speaks for itself.

 Frank rides a Ducati (what else?) and is clearly skilled. The hairpin turns, continued curves and abrupt elevational changes of the mountain roads demand it. They are a relentless thrill ride, demanding constant and intense concentration. I know those roads made Frank a better rider than me. The evidence? I limp; Frank does not.

When Frank has four wheels under him, he tames these roads to the point of recklessness. I find myself gripping the overhead handle as he dives into turns, as if that will save me during a multi-rollover down a steep, rocky hillside.    

In the back seat, are two of Frank's friends, Mike D'Andrea and Benito Pacifico. I thought they yielded the front seat to me out of politeness because I am Frank's American guest. Now I'm not sure. The suicide seat, and all that.

Pacifico, 77, speaks some English and is working as the translator. D'Andrea, 40, is keeping up. Frank has no interest. When Pacifico chides him, "Frank you must learn to speak English," Frank waves a dismissive hand followed by a stream of lyrical Italian with inflection that ranges from defiant to apologetic. But he makes either Pacifico or D'Andrea join us for most of what we do over the next few days, including a visit to the family crypt.

Frank Di Ionno is my second cousin, though I had never communicated with him until an hour before this ride.

Our fathers, Antonio and Anthony, are first cousins. Antonio is 97 now, my dad is 93.

When my father was a very young boy, his father took him to San Bartolomeo several times and he and Antonio played together.

Fifteen years ago, on a trip to Italy with my sisters, my father wandered into Garibaldi Square in San Bartolomeo and asked if anyone knew where Antonio Di Ionno lived. They pointed him in the right direction and my father found him living in the same place he had visited as boy.

Before I left for my trip, my father could only describe the house as "right near the square." Unfortunately, that also describes hundreds of others in this typical Southern Italian mountain village, where two- or three-story homes are clustered side-by-side around ancient plazas and Catholic churches.

Before leaving, I sent Frank several Facebook messages but apparently Frank holds Facebook and learning English in the same regard.

So I landed in Naples and, in a rented Opal, found my way to San Bartolomeo, 90 kilometers northeast. The use of "found my way" is purposeful because there were many times when I was lost, especially where the highways end at the soaring gateways to remote mountain villages that existed long before Columbus discovered America.

A map of Southern Italy reads like a phone of North Jersey. The names are familiar, from Abate to Zuppino. Alfano, Battaglia, Castellano, DelVecchio, Fabrizio, Gallo ... you get the idea.

The surnames of my mother's family -- Brienza, Caggiano and Tricarico - are all names of villages near Potenza, where my maternal grandparents came from and where much of the family still resides. (See next Sunday's story.)

On my father's side, both of my grandparents came from San Bartolomeo. There were two waves of immigration -- at the turn of last century and for an extended period after World War II. It's safe to say there are more people in New Jersey "from" San Bartolomeo than are people in San Bartolomeo.

"We had 20,000 people after the war," D'Andrea said. "Now we have only 3,000."

And this is what brought me to Italy, specifically to San Bartolomeo, a typical mountain top village of a few thousand people, and Potenza, a city of 70,000 and the capital of the province of Basilicata.

This is my first trip here and rather than going to the artistic and cultural capitals of Rome and Venice, I opted to explore Southern Italy, exclusively. I am, after all, a New Jersey columnist.

MORE: Recent Mark Di Ionno columns

My search for Frank Di Ionno began in the local Farmacia. I parked my car in a random neighborhood in the town, chosen because it was the only available spot among the chaotically strewn Fiats, Peugeots and Opals.

In the Farmacia, the pharmacist asked if I was English.

"No, American," I said. "From New Jersey."

"Ahh, New Jersey," he said.

Everyone in San Bartolomeo knows New Jersey. The Italians who left San Bartolomeo seemed to go mostly two places: Newark and its suburbs, and Brockton, Mass. That's why there is a street named after Rocky Marciano in the town. The old heavyweight champ's mother was from San Bartolomeo.

I told the pharmacist my father's family was from the village. I told him my last name.

"Ahh, Francesco. Frank."

"You know Frank?

Si, Si. I know Frank. He lives not far from here."

I soon discovered everybody knows Frank.

The pharmacist wrote down the name of Frank's street but in the maze of small streets and alleys I was soon lost, unsure of even how to find my car. I approached two men fixing a World War II Memorial fountain slightly up the hill from the square.

"Scusi ..." I said, exhausting my knowledge of Italian ... dove a Frank Di Ionno?"

"Ahh, Frank, Frank. Si si," one of the men said.

After a broken English and Italian conversation that included mostly hand gestures, it was understood that I was Frank's cugino from New Jersey. The man took out a flip cell phone. It turns out he was a cugino of Frank's wife, Giovanna.

Once again, I got directions I had no chance of following, not knowing my sinistra (left) from my a destra (right). The only thing I really understood were the words "Palio Bar," one of the dozens of cafes where mostly men sit and talk or play cards.

At this point, I began walking up the steep hill as directed but found no Palio Bar. Instead I got a panoramic view of the adjacent mountains and valleys below. There is no describing the beauty, so I won't try. Like they say, you had to be there.

Walking down the hill in another direction, I heard the sounds of boys playing soccer on the concrete court. I was parked across the street, so I was relieved to know I would at least find my car - which, by coincidence was parked not 15 meters from the Palio Bar. I went in, ordered a Peroni and asked the bartender if he knew Frank Di Ionno.

"Frank. Si. Si.," He gestured me to the back window and pointed to a row of homes. "Frank. First house."

I walked down and called in through the beaded doorway, which serve as screens in Southern Italy. An elderly couple came to the door. It was Antonio Di Ionno, right where my father had found him, and his wife Anna.

I was in town less than an hour and I had found my famiglia.

I thought it was miraculous until I discovered that everyone knows Frank. He's gregarious, fun, and loves to talk and talk.

"Me and you, we the same," he would come to say, touching his index fingers together.

Antonio was unclear of exactly who I was, except a Di Ionno, but he rang the bell at Frank's apartment and Giovanna appeared on the balcony.

"Who are you?" she asked.

I explained and she understood enough English to welcome me.

A minute later I was in their living room meeting Frank. We went back downstairs to explain to my parents and their eyes teared. They stared at me with fixed smiles, and with Giovanna acting as an interpreter, I answered their many questions about my family and my life.

We would have talked all night, but there was tomorrow. For now, Frank had plans and he insisted I come along. That's how I found myself strapped into his Peugeot blasting through the Italian countryside on the way to a feast of baccala and potatoes in a place called Piscina Ristorante, 50 kilometers away near the highway to Campobasso.

We walked in and the waiter said, "Ciao, Frank."

This is how it was during my two-and-half days in San Bartolomeo. Knowing Frank brought privilege.

As I strolled through the streets on the second day in one of the rare few hours I had alone, I came to the Church of San Bartolomeo, started in 1533 and finished in 1647. The rounded, green-tiled steeple appears like the lone candle on a cake of red terra cotta roofs. The church was locked and I asked a man outside when it would be opened. Then I explained why I was in town.

"Ahh, Frank. Frank Di Ionno. Si. L'aspetta (wait)," he said, which in the Southern Italian accent sounds like aashpet.

He disappeared into a house and came back with keys and I was allowed into the sacred space of the patron saint. Another man joined us.

"A cugina a Frank Di Ionno," the first man explained.

Ahh, si. Frank," he said and took me proudly onto the altar to see the gold and silver statue of San Bartolomeo behind the glass.

Then they gestured for me to follow them up the narrow stone and plaster steps to the bell tower. On the way, I asked their names. The first man, the caretaker, was Alberto Castello. The second man was Tonino Dariano.

Dariano was my paternal grandmother's maiden name and she, too, was from San Bartolomeo. I explained this to Tonino, who understood despite our language differences.

After taking pictures of the view and of each other, we headed down. There, Tonino met an old woman and told her I was a Di Ionno and a Dariano, from New Jersey.

"Ahh, Dariano. Si. New Jersey. Capire."

A few minutes later I sat outside a cafe on Garibaldi Square, drinking a 2-liter bottle of Leggera bottled water. As people wandered by, I realized I'd seen them all before. In Summit, where I grew up. In Millburn, my father's town. In the Oranges and the North Ward of Newark. In Verona, Bloomfield, Belleville and Nutley, and all the other New Jersey towns San Bartolomeo lost people to. The good hair, the olive skin, the quick smiles and the lyrical sounds of the language engulfed me. Something lost in my soul was found. I felt grounded. This was home, at least to my DNA.    

And at that moment a man inched by in a car on the narrow square road. He could have been the identical twin brother of my friend Eddie Spallone, who I have known since I became cognizant of my surroundings. We nodded at each other.

"Ciao."

Mark Di Ionno may be reached at mdiionno@starledger.com. Follow The Star-Ledger on Twitter @StarLedger and find us on Facebook.

Workers bake more than 3,000 treats each day, including croissants, bagels, macaroons,and chocolate bars.

Celebrity chef Jacques Torres' gourmet menu has made a smooth landing into Newark Liberty International Airport.

The renowned chocolatier held an official grand opening Tuesday for Melange Bakery Cafe, a high-end shop that mirrors the Jacques Torres' fine chocolates and pastries found in its New York City locations.

The eatery, which opened its doors in June, runs 24 hours a day and all food is cooked at the location. Workers bake more than 3,000 treats each day, including croissants, bagels, macaroons, doughnuts and chocolate bars.  

In a statement, Torres said he hopes the new location "surprises and delights" customers who are preparing to board planes or recently touched down after a long flight.

"You would not normally think of a world-class round-the-clock bakery being located in an airport, but that is exactly what we do for United customers every day," Jacques said in a statement. 

The scent of pastry fumes filling the terminal can be credited to OTG, which owns and manages the restaurants in United's redesigned Terminal C. The company has 350 business operations in 10 airports nationwide.

Like other high-end stores signed to the new terminal, the Melange bakery aims to indulge customers, aid Gavin Molloy, United's vice president of corporate real estate. 

"There is nothing like the smell of fresh baked goods coming out of the oven to bring a smile to your face," Molloy said. 

It joins a number of luxury restaurants, including Tacquila, the self-proclaimed "best-stocked bar" in the state.

OTG is investing $120 million toward upgrading the terminal. When complete, it will feature 55 restaurants, retail and 6,000 iPads in 20 different languages that allow customers to pay for concessions using United Mileage Plus Award Miles. 

Avalon Zoppo may be reached at azoppo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @AvalonZoppo. Find NJ.com on Facebook. 

Sanders Martin Gomes was charged with carjacking and endangering the welfare of a child.

NEWARK -- A 40-year-old man has been arrested for stealing a vehicle with a 2-year-old girl sleeping inside, city police said Sunday.

Sanders Martin Gomes. (Photo provided by Newark police)

Sanders Martin Gomes was charged with carjacking and endangering the welfare of a child after he stole the unattended and running vehicle on Monday, Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said.

At about 2:27 p.m., police were called to 146 Ferry Street for a carjacking. A 24-year-old woman from Union told authorities she parked her car with her 2-year-old daughter sleeping inside to unload groceries at a relative's house.

When she returned from one of her trips, her car was missing, officials said. 

Police found her car with her child, who appeared to be unharmed, still inside less than 400 feet away on Adams Street. The girl was taken to University Hospital to be examined.

The woman's cell phone was stolen during the incident, police said. 

Detectives with the department's Major Crimes unit received a tip from a citizen that Gomes, who was wanted on outstanding warrants, was getting a haircut at a barbershop at Broad and South streets. 

Two busted in Newark with pound of pot, police say

Gomes was also charged with possession of CDS. Police said he was found in possession of six glassine envelopes of heroin, a vial of crack cocaine and a small container of cocaine when taken into custody.

In a statement, Ambrose thanked concerned citizens who provide crime tips to his detectives. 

"When our residents assist us by providing tips that identify suspects and offer information about their whereabouts, we can be more effective in quickly arresting them and removing them from our streets," he said. 

Luke Nozicka may be reached at lnozicka@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @lukenozicka. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Nevaeh Blaine was last seen by friends at 9:45 a.m. Sunday, police said.

NEWARK -- An 8-year-old girl who went missing Sunday morning has not been seen for at least six hours, city police said.

Nevaeh Blaine. (Photo provided by Newark police)
 

Nevaeh Blaine was playing outside with other children at 9:30 a.m. at the Bradley Court Housing Community at 78 S. Munn Ave. before she went missing, her mother told authorities.

About 15 minutes later, she was seen by friends leaving the playground to head toward a grocery store in the area of Maybaum and Tremont avenues, police said.

Nevaeh was described by authorities as a thin girl who stands at about 4-feet tall. She has dark brown eyes and hair, and was wearing a white T-shirt, blue jean shorts and purple sandals.

The girl's hair is styled in three ponytails, with two in front and one in back. She is of good mental and physical condition, police said.

During a press briefing near the housing community, Ambrose said officers from the Essex County Prosecutor's Office and the Essex County Sheriff's Office are assisting in the search.

Authorities on a city police helicopter were also looking for her from above in nearby parks, cemeteries and rooftops, he said.

Investigators are reviewing surveillance video from nearby cameras, Ambrose said. Nevaeh could be seen on the tapes in the area where her mother said she was playing Sunday morning, he said. 

Police are asking anyone who sees her to call them at 973-733-6000 or 973-733-7273, or email Detective Maysa Washington at washingtonm@ci.newark.nj.us. 

Luke Nozicka may be reached at lnozicka@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @lukenozicka. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Investigators learned the dog was not seriously injured after tracking down and speaking to the men.

MONTCLAIR-- Authorities say a dog shown in video on social media being thrown out of a car during a brawl on Bloomfield Avenue on Wednesday is recovering. 

In the video posted online on Sunday on Streamable, two individuals shove one another in the middle of Bloomfield Avenue in Montclair next to a parked white Toyota and red Honda. One then reaches into the others' car and hurls a black dog onto the sidewalk. 

"The dog is gonna die," a woman recording the incident inside of another vehicle says before driving away. As the video circulated the Internet over the weekend, viewers questioned whether the dog survived.

But investigators learned the dog was not seriously injured after tracking down and speaking to the men, Montclair Sgt. Michael Mongiovi said. The license plates of both vehicles were clearly visible in the clip. 

"The dog is well," he said. "We've spoken to both parties involved."

Mongiovi declined to comment on whether either driver would face charges or the circumstances that led to the argument on the township road. 

Michele Shiber, a Montclair animal control officer and investigator, first saw the video online Sunday afternoon and spent the evening trying to track down the drivers shown in the clip.

"It's pretty intense video to begin with," she said. "But sometimes social media is a blessing."

Avalon Zoppo may be reached at azoppo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @AvalonZoppo. Find NJ.com on Facebook. 

Nevaeh Blaine was found at Newark Penn Station, police said.

NEWARK -- An 8-year-old girl was found more than 12 hours after she went missing Sunday morning, police said. 

Nevaeh Blaine, who went missing at about 9:45 a.m. from the Bradley Court Housing Community, was found at about 11 p.m. Sunday at Newark Penn Station, city police Capt. Derek Glenn said. 

After she was reported missing, authorities dispatched officers from the city police department, the Essex County Prosecutor's Office and the Essex County Sheriff's Office to assist in the search. 

Police used a helicopter to search for her from above in nearby parks, cemeteries and rooftops, Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said.

No other information was immediately available about how authorities found the child as of Sunday night. 

Luke Nozicka may be reached at lnozicka@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @lukenozicka. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Dogs and cats await adoption throughout New Jersey.

A few more summertime tips for pet owners.

Don't let your pet eat your trash.  Make no bones about it: your pet will eat discarded BBQ bones, corn cobs, and anything else you leave lying around. Clean up your trash to reduce the risk of human foods getting stuck in your pet's GI tract and causing pancreatitis.

Beware of fleas and disease.  If you're taking your pet camping, make sure they've got their flea and tick preventative meds. Topical meds don't require an office visit; pick it up before your trip.

Remember that your pet is as thirsty as you are. 85 degrees might be fine for you, but it's too hot for your pet. Keep cool water around, and steer clear of hot pavement. If it burns your hand when you touch it, it's too hot to walk your pet.

Some school chiefs are earning well beyond the state's salary cap.

After a contractor took her money and ran, an 83-year-old woman says she's been taken advantage of by another contractor.

Gwendolyn Dixon, 83, hasn't been able to live in her East Orange home since it was severely damaged in a fire in March 2016.

She says she was Bamboozled by not just one, but two contractors hired to repair her home. One could be headed to jail. The other still has a chance to make it right.

The first contractor -- Michael Solise of Clean Air USA -- once did work on Dixon's roof, so Dixon figured he was reputable. She hired him to fix the fire damage.

Solise agreed to do the job for the insurance payout of $84,200, according to the contract. He said the job would be done in two weeks, Dixon said.

Solise received the first insurance check for nearly $30,000, and he told Dixon he would start the work, she said.

Gwendolyn Dixon in her kitchen before any work was done by contractors. Her home was severely damaged in an electrical fire. Andrew Miller/for NJ Advance Media 

But after delays, Dixon got suspicious. She learned Solise never applied for the required permits, and his business address was a furniture store where Solise used to work.

And he stopped answering her phone calls.

Dixon filed a police report and a complaint with Consumer Affairs.

When we reached Solise, he made some excuses and hung up the phone.

Then he disappeared.

Consumer Affairs investigated, and prepared a Notice of Violation against Solise in December 2016. It assessed $29,579.35 in consumer restitution and $6,250 in civil penalties for acting as an unregistered contractor and other violations of New Jersey's Consumer Fraud Act, Contractors Registration Act and Home Improvement Regulations, a spokeswoman said.

She said the division hasn't served Solise because despite multiple attempts, investigators have been unable to locate him. But they'll keep trying, she said.

Then we learned Solise came to the attention of the Essex County Prosecutor's Office.

Dixon received a request to appear before a grand jury to tell her story about Solise.

"He has been charged with third degree theft by deception and we are preparing the case to go to the grand jury," a court spokeswoman said. "He is a fugitive."

THE SECOND CONTRACTOR

What's happening to Solise should be of interest to Dixon's new contractor -- Sulaimun Jenkins, whose business goes by Y&N Construction and 5 Star Restoration Services.

A redacted page from the contract between the homeowner and the contractor. Gwendolyn Dixon 

He agreed to take the Dixon job for $58,900, just a few thousand dollars more than the remaining insurance money, documents show.

According to Dixon, Jenkins, who has a valid Home Improvement Contractor registration with the state, has been dragging his feet since October, even after receiving all the money in the contract.

"At first he said he was putting his own money into it, bringing in one man here and there to do a little bit of this and that," Dixon said.

Dixon, not wanting to get fleeced again, was reluctant to sign over any insurance checks.

"I called the insurance company and said he didn't complete the work, but they said I had to sign the check," Dixon said.

So Jenkins got paid.

There was no end date on the contract -- something required by law -- but Dixon said Jenkins promised the home would be ready in December.

"He was bringing people in off the street to do work," Dixon said.

Come December, there was more left undone than was completed, Dixon said.

Among the problems, she said: Windows and doors weren't replaced, a bathroom was missing a plumbing hookup for the toilet, gas lines were closed in behind sheet rock, electrical work was incomplete and more. Dixon said there was a mess of trash and tools in her basement, backyard and on her front porch.

The new kitchen counter top in Gwendolyn Dixon's home is too short. Ed Murray/NJ Advance Media 

Jenkins did replace the kitchen counter top, but it was well over an inch too short. One can see directly into the cabinet below.

Dixon said she had to hire someone else to board up the windows to protect the home from the winter weather.

Throughout the winter, Dixon said, Jenkins often didn't answer her calls or show up when he said he would.

At one point, Jenkins said he was waiting for an inspection, Dixon said.

Dixon called the building inspector and learned there had been one inspection, but the work wasn't complete so the town was waiting for the contractor to call for another inspection.

Exasperated, Dixon asked Bamboozled to help.

We reviewed photos of the home, the contract and other records. We also checked public records on Jenkins, finding bankruptcy filings and state and federal tax liens.

We contacted Dixon's mortgage company, Financial Freedom, and her insurer, National General.

Both pointed fingers at each other, but National General sent the adjuster to the home.

"He was shocked," Dixon said.

Gwendolyn Dixon stands in her home, damaged by fire.Ed Murray/NJ Advance Media 

She said the adjuster told her that when he met the contractor previously, Jenkins said he was only supposed to fix two rooms and that the job was 99 percent finished.

The insurance company apparently okayed the release of money based on a lie told by the contractor, Dixon said, noting no one called her to confirm the job was near complete.

While Dixon filed a new complaint with Consumer Affairs, we asked several insurance organizations if it's common practice to take the word of a contractor and not ask the homeowner if the homeowner is satisfied with the job before paying money out.

"It is customary for the adjuster to deal with the homeowner rather than the contractor," said Jim Whittle of the American Insurance Association. "Situations can differ and there may be instances when an insurer deals with the contractor but most of the time, an adjuster deals with the homeowner."

We told Dixon to file a complaint with the Department of Banking and Insurance (DOBI), seeing that the adjuster may have made a grave error.

Either way, Jenkins was far behind on the job.

We gave him a call to share Dixon's concerns.

Jenkins said the to-do list "was not significant" and he promised to "rectify anything that needs to be fixed."

He said he would return to the home later in the week -- by then it was the middle of June.

Jenkins promised to call with an update the following week.

He never called us, but he did -- sort of -- stay in contact with Dixon.

Gwendolyn Dixon sits outside her fire damaged home. Ed Murray/NJ Advance Media 

"I've been trying to give him the benefit of the doubt," she said. "He said he would have it in order in three days."

That didn't happen.

What followed was a series of days when Jenkins was a no-show, Dixon said. Other days, Dixon said, Jenkins brought a worker or two but Jenkins would leave, and the workers didn't accomplish much of anything, she said.

For example, on July 5 at 9 a.m., Dixon said, Jenkins dropped off a worker who said he was supposed to paint a bathroom. He ran out of paint. The worker waited on the front porch until 8:55 p.m., which is when Jenkins picked up the worker, Dixon said.

Then on July 10, Jenkins dropped two workers at the house, Dixon said.

"One was sitting on the porch all day while the other was fumbling to try to install a door," Dixon said.

Another day, Dixon said, Jenkins and a worker took garbage cans filled with tools and other items to a rented truck.

"The place is a wreck. He hasn't even made a dent in what needs to be done," she said. "Every day he actually comes, he leaves to get something and then he doesn't come back except to pick up the workers."

Through the weeks, we called Jenkins multiple times for an update, but he never returned our calls.

We let Consumer Affairs know it might have an opportunity to chat with Jenkins if an investigator wanted to stop by the home.

Someone came by last week, Dixon said, taking photos and helping Dixon finalize her complaint.

Jenkins was not there at the time.

That same day, Dixon received a letter saying she was to testify before a grand jury in the Solise matter -- a pleasant surprise.

"They don't have him yet," Dixon said. "But [the prosecutor's office] said this will mean when they do catch him, they will be able to get him."

If they get an indictment, that is.

On Friday, Dixon said, she was surprised again, this time by a call from Jenkins. He promised to work through the weekend and on Monday to complete the job. On Sunday, Dixon said it seemed like Jenkins was keeping his word.

Why the sudden change?

Turns out he got a call from Consumer Affairs late last week. We don't have the details of the conversation, but we hope investigators motivated Jenkins by sharing what's happening to Dixon's first contractor.

We'll let you know how this story ends.

The six suspects were caught on surveillance footage running from the shooting scene

NEWARK -- City police have asked for the public's help in identifying six men  wanted in the shooting of three people earlier this month.

Officers responded to a report of shots fired on Duryea Street around 1 a.m on July 8 and found three people had been shot after a fight broke out at a party, Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose said in a statement.

Six suspects, captured on surveillance footage, were seen running north toward Orange Street, police said.

The victims were treated at University Hospital and released.

Police have asked anyone with information about any of the suspects to call the 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).  

The department said anonymous tips may also be made using the police division's website at: www.newarkpdonline.org or through the Newark Police Division smartphone app, available on iTunes and Google Play.

Thomas Moriarty may be reached by email at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. For confidential tips, you can use ProtonMail to send him encrypted messages at tmoriarty@protonmail.com.  Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The New Jersey woman gained notoriety after allegedly taking her daughter into a tanning bed with her -- an accusation she has denied.

NUTLEY -- The New Jersey woman who gained notoriety as the "Tan Mom" is reportedly considering legal action against her daughter's school district for, among other things, letting the girl get a sunburn while at school.

Patricia Krentcil told the New York Post her lawyer is building a potential neglect case against the Nutley school district for the sunburn incident.

It was nurses at the district who five years ago reported Krentcil after her daughter, who is now 11, told them of a tanning trip with her mom. The district declined to comment in the article.

Krentcil was arrested in 2012 on child endangerment charges after allegedly letting her child, then 5, share a tanning bed with her. She has denied the accusation, and a jury declined to indict her on the charges - but she did gain a certain amount of reality and internet stardom from the incident.

Krentcil also told the Post she and her family have been harassed since gaining notoriety for her tanning habits, and the stress of that even caused her to start drinking. She did a stint in rehab in 2013.

Since the incident, though, Krentcil reportedly said she is tanning less often -- about three times a week, as opposed to everyday -- and is hoping to become part-owner of an area tanning salon.

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

Members of the class of 2017 receive a plethora of scholarships.

ESSEX COUNTY -- Several Essex County high school seniors have received scholarships from area organizations and businesses to be used for their post-secondary school education. Among those receiving scholarships were:

- Jacqueline Smith from Mount Saint Dominic Academy in Caldwell, Max Prince of West Essex Regional High School and Thomas Salandra from James Caldwell High School, who received the Nancy and Robert Eskow NCJW Volunteer Awards from the National Council of Jewish Women, Essex County Section. The $500 awards are given to high school students for their "outstanding contributions" to a variety of causes.

- Vytas Belzer of Millburn High School received the inaugural Dr. Rosa Hagin Scholarship from the Learning Disabilities Association of New Jersey, given to a student with learning and/or attention issues. Belzer will attend Colorado State University.

- Isabelle Catabran from the Newark Academy in Livingston is one of five New Jersey students to receive the 2017 National Merit Allergan Foundation Scholarship from The Allergan Foundation, a private charitable foundation, given to children of Allergen employees. She will attend Swarthmore College.

- Zoe Stern of Essex Fells, a June graduate of West Essex Regional High School, received a 2017 Essex County 4-H Scholarship for her participation in 4-H.

- Cedar Crest Retirement Community presented 28 scholarships totaling $8,000 to members of the Class of 2017. Among those receiving scholarships were Joseph Cayemitte from West Orange High School and Julia Fischer from Mount Saint Dominic Academy.

- Comcast presented 88 New Jersey high school seniors with Leaders & Achievers Scholarships. Among the recipients are June graduates Craig Jackowski of Belleville High School; Magdalena M, Botrous, Mount Saint Dominic Academy; Jamila Osborne, East Orange Campus High School; Rardnina Brown, Immaculate Conception High School in Montclair; and Elissa Bonilla, James Caldwell High School.

To submit school news send an email to essex@starledger.com.

Police say the suspect made his way behind the counter and pulled out a handgun.

BLOOMFIELD -- Police are investigating the armed robbery of a gas station on Bloomfield Avenue, township police said Monday morning.

A man entered the Exxon gas station at 491 Bloomfield Ave. at 3 a.m. and pulled out a handgun as he made his way behind the counter, police said.

After the cashier handed over money from the register, the man -- described as 5-foot-10 and weighing between 150 and 170 pounds -- fled the scene in an older model red Oldsmobile, police said.

Police said the car's license plate matched a vehicle listed by Hillside police as stolen earlier in the evening. The robbery is still under investigation, according to the police department.

Thomas Moriarty may be reached by email at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. For confidential tips, you can use ProtonMail to send him encrypted messages at tmoriarty@protonmail.com.  Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Newark teachers recognized at awards breakfast.

NEWARK -- Last month, 21 Newark teachers were honored for their work with Newark students and families during the 2016-2017 school year at the 2017 NPS Teacher of the Year Award Breakfast, held at the Robert Treat Hotel.

The Teachers of the Year were nominated for the honor by their school principals and chosen by a committee made up of administrators, special assistants and human resource leaders.

Brian Klasner, a world history and financial literacy teacher at East Side Big Picture Academy, a learning academy within East Side High School, was named the 2017 "Newark Teacher of the Year."

Honored as 2016-2017 Teachers of the Year finalists were Nancy Pais, Ann Street School; Marc Harris, B.R.I.C.K. Avon Academy; Cynthia Reeder-Thomas, B.R.I.C.K. Peshine Academy; Lori Donovan, Belmont Runyon School; Tameika Garrett-Ward, Camden Street School; Elizabeth Pecota, Chancellor Avenue School; Dina Stadnicki, Elliott Street School; Rasheedah Muhammad, First Avenue School; Daniel Lu, Harriet Tubman School; Nancy Francois, Lincoln Elementary School; Timothy Blackmon, Louise A. Spencer Elementary School; Rachael Safier Luis Munoz Marin School; Bernavela Valera, McKinley Elementary School; Marcela Palma, Miller Street School at Spencer; Vera Caetano, Oliver Street School; Alicia Wiltshire, Quitman Street Community School; Michelle Queirga, Rafael Hernandez Elementary School; Pamela Marolakos-Manfro, Ridge Street School; William Gaines, Speedway Academies; and Amanda Grossi, Sussex Avenue Renew School.

"It is an honor to have the opportunity to celebrate Newark's exceptional educators and recognize each of them for their significant impact and achievements over the course of this school year," said Christopher D. Cerf, Newark Public Schools superintendent.

To submit school news send an email to essex@starledger.com.