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Short Hills mall carjacking informant's ID to remain secret

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Superior Court Judge Michael L. Ravin has denied a defense motion to reveal the identity of a confidential informant in connection with a fatal carjacking at the mall Watch video

NEWARK -- Based on information from a confidential informant, authorities were led in December 2013 to Karif Ford, who later allegedly confessed that he and his three co-defendants were involved in a fatal carjacking at The Mall at Short Hills, court documents state.

But the identity of the informant will remain secret, a judge has ruled.

Superior Court Judge Michael L. Ravin on Friday denied a motion by the four defendants - Ford, Basim Henry, Hanif Thompson and Kevin Roberts - to reveal the identity of the informant.

Attorneys for the defendants argued the informant should be disclosed, because the information provided by that person could be used to challenge Ford if he testifies against his co-defendants, court documents state.

But since Ford has not yet decided to testify against the other three men, the judge said in his written decision that the motion was premature and he dismissed it without prejudice.

"The presumption favoring the informant's privilege still stands," Ravin wrote, referring to the court rule allowing an informant's identity to remain confidential.

Henry, 34, of South Orange, Thompson, 31, of Irvington, and Ford, 33, and Roberts, 37, both of Newark, are each facing murder, felony murder, carjacking and weapons charges in connection with the Dec. 15, 2013 fatal shooting of 30-year-old Hoboken attorney Dustin Friedland at the upscale mall in Millburn.

Friedland's widow, Jamie Schare Friedland, is pursuing a lawsuit against the mall's owners and other defendants in regard to the killing. She also was present at the time of the incident, but she was not injured.

Dustin-Jamie-Schare-Friedland.jpgDustin Friedland and his wife, Jamie Schare Friedland. She is pursuing a lawsuit over the Dec. 15, 2013 fatal shooting of her husband at The Mall at Short Hills. (Facebook)

As the criminal case has been proceeding, attorneys for the four defendants have questioned whether Ravin is treating their clients fairly, because the judge has not allowed the lawyers to make oral arguments about motions in court. Ravin has instructed them to present those arguments in writing.

But the judge has said such oral arguments are not required in criminal cases, and that written submissions are better, because they allow him to deliberate on the legal writings.

"Whoever wants a fair trial, they're in the right place," Ravin said during a hearing on Friday.

According to court documents, Ford became a person of interest in the case based on information provided to investigators by the confidential informant.

In a subsequent interview with law enforcement, Ford allegedly admitted that he and his three co-defendants were involved in the fatal carjacking, court documents state.

Ford said the four men drove in a GMC Suburban from Newark to the mall and circled through the mall parking lots, according to the arrest warrant issued for the four men.

Based on Ford's interview, the warrant states that Roberts and Thompson got out of the vehicle and approached Dustin Friedland as he was walking around the rear of his Range Rover.

"A struggle ensued and Friedland was struck in the head with a handgun and subsequently suffered a gun shot wound to the head," the warrant states. "Ford, Thompson, Henry and Roberts then fled the mall utilizing the carjacked Range Rover and the GMC Suburban and returned to Newark."

MORE: With victim's parents watching, Short Hills mall defendants claim they're not being treated fairly

The motion to reveal the informant's identity was initially filed in September by Thompson's attorneys. The other three defendants later joined in the motion.

In a brief filed in support of the motion, Thompson's attorneys said they have not been provided with either the informant's identity or the content of the information provided by that person.

The attorneys argued they are entitled to both the identity and the information, saying the information could be used to impeach Ford if he testifies against his co-defendants.

"Considering that the DEA informant's information did not lead to other defendants in this case becoming persons of interest, what Karif Ford told the informant must be different than what he told the Essex County Prosecutor's Office," the brief states.

"As a consequence, the information provided by the Confidential Informant can be used to impeach Karif Ford should he decide to testify against Mr. Thompson in accordance with the statement that he gave to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office."

In response to the motion, prosecutors argued "this motion is premature unless and until Ford agrees to cooperate and testify against Thompson," according to a brief filed by the prosecutor's office.

But even if Ford decides to testify, prosecutors said they would still oppose disclosing the informant's identity.

Bill Wichert may be reached at bwichert@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BillWichertNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.


Court upholds firing of Irvington officer caught sleeping on the job

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Lawrence Reynolds had been the subject of 51 internal investigations during his 17-year career before being caught sleeping at a Burger King in 2012

Irvington-police.jpgA state appeals court on Monday upheld the firing of an Irvington police officer caught sleeping on the job in 2012. (Star-Ledger file photo)

IRVINGTON - The state has upheld the 2012 firing of a township police officer who was caught sleeping on the job at a local fast food restaurant.

A pair of appellate judges on Monday rejected arguments from Lawrence Reynolds claiming he had merely been "closing his eyes", and that an internal probe had turned up insufficient evidence to prove otherwise.

According to court records, the alleged nap took place on Jan. 7, 2012, when the 17-year-veteran was working an extra-duty assignment to provide security at a Burger King restaurant.

Just before 11 p.m., two police sergeants happened upon his cruiser, and found him snoozing for about five minutes before tapping him on the arm to rouse him. They later submitted a report to department administrators.

MORE: Newark cop fired for controversial 'gorilla' Facebook post

An Burger King assistant manager corroborated the sergeants' claims, and surveillance video showed Reynolds sleeping in his uniform on four different occasions between 9 p.m. and 10:38 p.m., court documents state. The following month, Reynolds was charged with various departmental offenses, which led to his firing in April 2012.

He appealed the decision to an administrative law judge, claiming that he suffered from "dry eye syndrome", the effects of which could be remedied by closing one's eyes for brief periods of time.

The judge was unconvinced, however, and upheld the firing in September 2012, saying that Reynolds had not only neglected his duties, but "presented a danger to himself and the public" by sleeping with his service weapon clearly exposed.

Reynolds' arguments that the firing had been unduly harsh were also rejected, with the judge noting that he had been the subject of 51 separate internal affairs investigations during his 17-year career, resulting in various suspensions, reprimands and mandatory counseling sessions. According to court records, at least two of the internal probes were spurred after earlier incidents where he was caught sleeping on the job.

An appeal followed, but the state judges ruled Monday that they saw "no factual or legal basis" to overturn the earlier decision.

"The blatant fact that he was asleep while on duty, coupled with his prior disciplinary record, are alone sufficient grounds to justify his removal from office," they wrote.

Irvington Police Director Tracy Bowers said he had no immediate comment on the decision.

Reynolds' Newark-based attorney, Annette Verdesco, could not immediately be reached.

Dan Ivers may be reached at divers@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanIversNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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Poll: What is N.J.'s worst traffic bottleneck?

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The American Highway Users Alliance listed four New Jersey highways among its 50 worst bottlenecks? Do you agree?

WASHINGTON -- The Lincoln Tunnel, Interstate 95 in Fort Lee, the Pulaski Skyway, and Routes 1 and 9 in Newark house five of the 50 worst bottlenecks in the U.S., according a report issued today. The American Highway Users Alliance, the advocacy group that issued the report, blames N.J.'s clogged highways for $197 million in wasted time each year.

When asked about New Jersey's contributions to the top bottlenecks list, AAA New Jersey Automobile Club spokeswoman Cathleen Lewis said, "I'm surprised there's only five."

We want to know which of New Jersey's bottlenecks that appeared on the top 50 list gets your vote as the absolute worst. Vote in our informal, unscientific poll below (note two of the worst bottlenecks are on the Pulaski Skyway, so we combined them in our poll). If we left out any bottlenecks that you think should be on the list, post them in comments.

New Jerseyans have been talking about some of the other traffic nightmares they face daily. Here are some of the comments that caught our eye this morning.

Brendan317 made this list of N.J. traffic hot spots:

Route 280 East through the Newark area. Route 17 South by Garden State Plaza. Route 3 West into the Route 46 merge.

Thanksgiving travel forecast gets messy as you head west

McGillicuddy wrote:

Perhaps instead they should have included the merge on the 78 Extension as one of the most congested. People try to cut around in front essentially creating a 12 lane merge into 2 instead of a 3 or 4 lane merge into 2.  Every damn day.  You'd think people would realize they're contributing to the problem, but I guess that's asking too much.

On NJ.com's Facebook page, Viji Janakiraman wrote:

That's easy. Just name all the highways in NJ. Definitely more than 5.

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Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

Man pleads guilty to police chase after fatal shooting

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Rondell Riddell, 27, formerly of Newark, pleaded guilty to an eluding charge for leading police on a chase after his two co-defendants were involved in a fatal shooting

Rondell RiddellRondell Riddell 

NEWARK -- A South Carolina man pleaded guilty on Friday to an eluding charge for leading police on a chase through four Essex County towns in 2013 after his two co-defendants were involved in a fatal shooting.

Rondell Riddell, 27, formerly of Newark, entered the plea in connection with the March 29, 2013 shooting of Craig Pinckney, Jr. in East Orange.

After his co-defendants - Rashi Finch, 21, formerly of Irvington, and Tarik Ford, 22, formerly of East Orange - participated in the shooting, they left the scene in a vehicle driven by Riddell, authorities said. Riddell was only charged with eluding offenses and not charges related to the killing.

Under a plea agreement, prosecutors are recommending a three-year prison sentence for Riddell, according to Katherine Carter, spokeswoman for the Essex County Prosecutor's Office. His sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 15 before Superior Court Judge Ronald Wigler.

Finch and Ford were sentenced on Oct. 20 to seven years and five years in state prison, respectively, after pleading guilty on Sept. 9 to charges related to Pinckney's death.

MORE: N.J. men plead guilty in fatal shooting before police chase

Finch pleaded guilty to reckless manslaughter and unlawful possession of a weapon, and Ford pleaded guilty to conspiracy to commit aggravated assault and unlawful possession of a weapon.

In pleading guilty, Finch admitted to fatally shooting Pinckney after the parties got into a struggle on Springdale Avenue.

While driving a patrol vehicle on North Maple Avenue towards Springdale Avenue at around 5 p.m., an East Orange police officer heard shots being fired in the area of Springdale and Roosevelt Avenues, authorities said.

As the officer approached the scene, he saw Finch and Ford running away from Pinckney, who was laying on the ground in front of 267 Springdale Avenue with apparent gunshot wounds, authorities said. Finch and Ford ran to a Saturn that was parked in front of 10 Roosevelt Avenue, authorities said.

The officer activated his lights and sirens to stop the vehicle, but the vehicle sped off, authorities said.

The officer chased the vehicle throughout East Orange, Irvington and Newark before entering the Garden State Parkway and then Interstate 280 West, authorities said.

The vehicle ultimately stopped near exit 8 on Interstate 280 West in West Orange, and Finch, Ford and Riddell were taken into custody, authorities said.

Bill Wichert may be reached at bwichert@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BillWichertNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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Gunfire strikes man, NJ Transit bus in Newark's West Ward

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A bullet shattered the windshield of the bus on South 11th Street, though no passengers were injured

newark cruiser 1.jpgNewark police are investigating after gunshots injured a man and damaged an NJ Transit bus in the city's West Ward Monday. (Star-Ledger file photo)

NEWARK — A burst of gunfire struck a man and an NJ Transit bus in the city's West Ward this afternoon, according to police.

Newark police spokesman Sgt. Ronald Glover said officers were dispatched to the 200 block of South 11th Street shortly after 1 p.m., where they found the victim suffering from a gunshot wound to the leg.

A stray round had also shattered the windshield of a nearby NJ Transit bus, though no passengers were injured. The unidentified victim was taken to University Hospital, where he was listed in stable condition as of around 4 p.m.

MORE: Police capture N.Y. man wanted for killing of Newark 64-year-old, officials say

Glover said detectives from the department's Major Crimes Unit discovered several shell casings near the corner of South 11th Street and 11th Avenue.. An investigation into the incident is ongoing, though no motive or suspects have been identified.

An NJ Transit spokesman said that passengers on the bus were unloaded and boarded another bus to take them to their destinations.

Anyone with information regarding the incident is asked to contact the department's 24-hour tip line at (877) NWK-TIPS or (877) NWK-GUNS.

Dan Ivers may be reached at divers@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanIversNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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'Mythbusters' live: Check out these photos from Sunday's NJPAC show

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The special effects duo turned quasi scientists put their bodies on the line for the sake of entertainment.

NEWARK -- Adam Savage and Jamie Hyneman, best known for their critically-acclaimed television show, "Mythbusters," performed live at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center Sunday night as part of their tour, "Mythbusters: Adam & Jamie Unleashed."

The special effects duo turned quasi scientists put their bodies on the line for the sake of entertainment. In one stunt, Adam hung thirty feet in the air, held up only by two phonebooks with interlaced pages. In another, Adam lay on a bed of nails, explaining how he was being kept safe by a redistribution of force. (Okay, so it was mostly Adam putting his body on the line.)

The Mythbusters also stressed the importance of scientific curiosity and wonder, with Adam urging kids in the audience to search for the unusual and unexplainable.

"Remember, the true phrase of scientific discovery isn't 'eureka,' it's 'hmm, that's odd.'"

The program, while packed with fun, also took on a somewhat bittersweet tone. The tour is being marketed as "Jamie's Farewell Tour" -- in October, Savage and the crew announced the show would be concluding next year after fourteen seasons.

Alex Remnick can be reached at aremnick@njadvancemedia.com or on Twitter @AlexRemnick. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Man indicted in murder of Belleville man, 85, during home invasion

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Ray Cooley, 25, of Nutley, was indicted on Nov. 13 on charges related to the death of William Fitzsimmons

Ray CooleyRay Cooley 

NEWARK -- A Nutley man has been indicted on murder, robbery and related offenses for allegedly killing an 85-year-old Belleville man during a home invasion attack in May.

Ray Cooley, 25, was indicted on Nov. 13 on charges related to the death of William Fitzsimmons. In addition to murder and robbery, Cooley was charged with felony murder, kidnapping, burglary, theft and possession of cocaine, court records show.

Cooley remains in custody at the Essex County Correctional Facility in lieu of $750,000 bail. He is scheduled to be arraigned on the charges on Dec. 14 before Superior Court Judge Ronald Wigler.

Cooley is accused of breaking into Fitzsimmons's township home on May 16 and assaulting him during a robbery. Fitzsimmons died from his injuries about two weeks later.

Authorities have said an investigation by the county medical examiner's office determined that Fitzsimmons died as a result of blunt force trauma.

MORE: 85-year-old Belleville man succumbs to home invasion assault injuries, authorities say

According to a NorthJersey.com report, two passers-by discovered Fitzsimmons outside his Cedar Hill Avenue home on the morning of May 17 with his face was bloody, bruised and swollen. The passers-by contacted Belleville police, the report states.

Fitzsimmons, who lived alone, later told police he had gone downstairs at about 7 p.m. the night before to answer a knock on his front door, the report states. Fitzsimmons was then struck from behind inside the home and knocked unconscious, according to the report.

After regaining consciousness the following morning, Fitzsimmons went outside and was found by the passers-by, the report states.

The report states that, during the incident, Cooley allegedly disabled Fitzsimmons's phones and bound his hands with household materials before ultimately cutting him loose. During the break-in, the house was ransacked, and costume jewelry was allegedly stolen, the report states.

Township police believed Cooley entered the house through an unlocked door, the report states.

Cooley has allegedly admitted to his involvement in the incident and also said he had previously shoveled snow at Fitzsimmons's house, the report states.

A resident of Belleville for more than 60 years, Fitzsimmons had been a manager with Wakefern Food Corporation in Secaucus, before retiring, and he previously worked for Breyer's Ice Cream in Newark, according to his obituary. He also was a retired Army National Guard captain, the obituary states.

Bill Wichert may be reached at bwichert@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BillWichertNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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Baraka talks relationship with Christie, says governor 'lives in his own mind'

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The mayor's comments came during an appearance on progressive radio program "Democracy Now!"

NEWARK - Mayor Ras Baraka had strong words for Gov. Chris Christie during an appearance on a progressive radio program Monday, saying Christie "lives in his own mind" and lacks understanding about the problems facing New Jersey's cities.

In the conversation with Democracy Now!, Baraka was asked about Christie's 2014 characterization of him as a "kind of hostile guy" - which he dismissed as little more than rhetoric aimed at rallying his conservative base.

"Well, you know, Christie, I think lives in his own mind," he said. "The reality is, the meeting we had was nothing close to hostile. I think that was to play out to his supporters, and which is what he does every day -- every time he says something on the TV, on the radio."

The two politicians have managed to work together over the last year, notably by agreeing to begin the process of returning Newark's schools to local control after more than two decades of state oversight.

Baraka called their relationship "transactional", saying they had been able to cordially converse about economic development and other "needs" either might need to communicate.

Those conversations, however, have left the mayor with the impression that Christie remains "out of touch with what needs to happen in these inner cities," he told the program.

"I think he's completely has no idea what to do in these communities. As a matter fact, I think the things that he has done has inhibited growth in these cities for the most part," he said.

Christie spokesman Kevin Roberts did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Listen to Baraka's full interview with Democracy Now! here.

Dan Ivers may be reached at divers@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanIversNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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2 killed in back-to-back Newark shootings

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Murders occurred just a few miles apart; three murders in Newark within 24 hours Watch video

NEWARK -- In shootings occurring a little more than three miles from each other, two people were killed Wednesday night, Chief of Detectives Anthony Ambrose of the Essex County Prosecutor's Office confirmed.

The night's violence were the second and third murders in less than 24 hours in the city.

RELATED: City man, 27, killed on S. 15th Street

Little information was immediately available about the shootings, including information on the victims. The first murder occurred on Mapes Avenue near Bergen Street sometime around 9 p.m. A witness who lives on the street said he came out of his house after a brief burst of gunfire ended, finding an acquaintance who had been shot and wounded. The witness was unaware of the second, murdered victim.

Ambrose could not immediately confirm a second victim from the Mapes incident.

About an hour later, gunfire claimed a second person, near 18th Avenue and Alexander Street. Police had cordoned off the area, a residential neighborhood with a closed gas station on the corner.

Witnesses at that scene said the victim had been found in a car, but that information could not immediately be confirmed Wednesday.

Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@PaulMilo2. FindNJ.com on Facebook

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Glimpse of History: A place to stay in Irvington 125 years ago

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In 1924, the Irvington Hotel was demolished to make way for the Drake Building.

IRVINGTON -- This photograph, taken in 1890, shows the Irvington Hotel, which stood at the northwest corner of Springfield and Clinton avenues in Irvington for more than 50 years.

Information available from the Irvington Historical Society shows that the hotel replaced an inn and stagecoach stop that stood on the site since the 1700s.

Cattle auctions were held in sheds at the rear of the Irvington Hotel until 1915.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

Mug Fagin, a part-time Irvington police officer, can be seen sweeping the sidewalk leading to the township's liberty pole. The Clinton Avenue School, built in 1870, can be seen in the distance along with several of the mansions that lined Clinton Avenue.

In 1924, the Irvington Hotel was demolished to make way for the Drake Building, the home of Canadian Furs, a clothing and fur store for women. Today, the site is used as commercial space.

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

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

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The poet of Thanksgiving: Arlo Guthrie brings 'Alice's Restaurant' to N.J.

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Fifty years ago, the singer tried to help his friend Alice get rid of a pile of trash on Turkey Day.

It is, without a doubt, the most celebrated case of littering in history.

Fifty years ago, Arlo Guthrie tried to help his friend Alice get rid of a pile of trash on Thanksgiving Day. The absurdity that followed has become the quirky legend commemorated in the 18-minute song "Alice's Restaurant Massacree."

First performed in 1966 on WBAI in New York, the song -- the story of the litterbugs, the hapless Sheriff Obie, a blind judge and the silly bureaucracy of a Vietnam-era draft board -- made Guthrie an insouciant antihero for the 1960s.

http://www.nj.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2015/11/2015_nj_holiday_concert_guide_24_fantastic_shows_t.html#incart_river_home

A bouncy, fingerpicked blues tune accompanied by Guthrie's laid-back humor, it became an unlikely sensation: the centerpiece of Guthrie's 1967 debut album, which rose to number 17 on the Billboard album charts; the inspiration for a Hollywood movie that starred Guthrie himself; and a Thanksgiving Day perennial on classic-rock radio.

Asked in a recent interview with NJ.com whether the song has an enduring message, he said: "Looking back to another time creates a link to the past. Even if that were all there was to it, it'd be worth doing. Hopefully, there's more to it than that."

Over the years, the demand for the lengthy song at Guthrie's concerts became burdensome -- and eventually announced he was retiring the song from his concerts. But he vowed to revive it every ten years, and so this week he brings the 50th anniversary tour to the area with upcoming shows at Carnegie Hall (on Saturday) and NJPAC (on Sunday). A filmed version of the concert, taped at a Pittsfield, Mass. performance last May, is airing on PBS on Thanksgiving at 8 p.m. 

"The response at the shows has been way more than I expected," he said of the tour. "There are thousands of notes and messages I get from people who were thrilled to rekindle the old spirit.... There are young people who relate very closely to that era -- in music, in politics, and in philosophy. So it's not merely nostalgia -- it's also an introduction."

For Guthrie, now 68, music has been an inextricable part of his entire life. His mother, Marjorie Mazia Guthrie, was a dancer with the Martha Graham Company. His father, Woody Guthrie, wrote the iconic "This Land is Your Land," and was one of a handful of performers who revived traditional folk songs in the 1950s, leading the way for a new generation of folk musicians, such as Bob Dylan.

Guthrie's current band includes his son Abe, while his daughter Sara Lee will perform as the opening act with her husband, Johnny Irion.

The singer says that he has been seeing a renewed interest in traditional, acoustic music, even if it has been re-branded by the music industry as Americana.

"It's like a virus infecting everything," he said. "People seem to enjoy songs that are more than fluff, no matter how it's branded."

Guthrie added: "Folk music, for me, has never been a genre. It's how you learn the music you're playing. You get an instrument, sit around with friends, and keep getting better at it until you're worth listening to. It doesn't matter if you're doing that playing some old dance tune like "Old Joe Clark" or some Lightning Hopkins. It's the same process, which I call the folk tradition."

arlo1.jpgArlo Guthrie plays at Carnegie Hall on Saturday and NJPAC on Sunday.  

Being the son of Woody Guthrie meant that Arlo grew up in a heady mix of music and famed musicians. Guthrie initially did not play songs written by his famous father, but eventually began to include some in his performances.

"His main message," Arlo Guthrie said of his father, "was that everybody counts. He got that right. We are all in the same boat, and the more we learn to work together and quit fighting among ourselves, the easier it'll be to get somewhere."

As for his own next steps, Guthrie isn't in too much of a rush to make big plans. Asked what happens in May when the 17-month anniversary tour ends, he said said, "I get on my big motorcycle, grab my cameras and follow the bumble bees."

Arlo Guthrie 

When: Sunday, November 29th, at 3 p.m.

Where: New Jersey Performing Arts Center, One Center Street, Newark

How much: $39.50 - $79.50. Call 888-466-5722 or visit www.njpac.org.

Marty Lipp may be reached at martylipp@hotmail.com. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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N.J. sheriff doles out 300 turkeys to needy Newarkers (PHOTOS)

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The Essex County sheriff's office's 26th annual drive was Tuesday.

NEWARK -- More than 300 needy families in New Jersey will sit down to Thanksgiving dinner Thursday, thanks to a turkey hand out from a New Jersey sheriff's office.

Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura was joined by officers from his department Tuesday for its annual Thanksgiving Food Drive for Needy Families and the Homeless. This year's drive marked the 26th year that the department handed out holiday meals to St. John's Soup Kitchen in Newark and 15 other area food pantries.

Altogether, the department handed out more than 300 donated turkeys and about a ton of Thanksgiving food.

"We want to bring attention to these folks," Fontoura said during the handout. "This is a year-round need."

St. John's provides more than 700 meals to hungry locals each day, which is collects mostly from donation drives and doles out via a volunteer work force.

Fr. Bismarck Chau, the pastor at St. John's, called the sheriff's office food drive a "blessing."

"(I see) so many people coming in here needing comfort...and this is it."

Patti Sapone may be reached at psapone@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @psapone. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Authorities ID victim following back-to-back killings in Newark

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Authorities have identified the victim in one of Wednesday night's back-to-back fatal shootings as a 27-year-old Irvington man.

NEWARK -- After a deadly night in Newark that saw back-to-back fatal shootings, authorities have identified one of the victims as a 27-year-old Irvington man.

Fuquan Johnson was shot and killed at around 9:30 p.m. Wednesday in the Valisburg section of the city's West Ward, Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn Murray and Newark Police Department Director Eugene Venable announced.

A male victim in an earlier shooting in the city's South Ward has yet to be identified, said Anthony Ambrose, Essex County Prosecutor's Office Chief of Detectives.

The shootings, which occurred a little more than three miles from each other, do not appear to be related, Ambrose said.

An investigation into the killings began around 7 p.m., when Newark police were summoned to the 100 block of Mapes Avenue after receiving reports of gunshots, Ambrose said.

http://www.nj.com/essex/index.ssf/2015/11/2_killed_in_back-to-back_newark_shootings_bringing.html

After arriving, officers found two males suffering apparent gunshot wounds, Ambrose said. Emergency officials transported one to University Hospital to be treated for non-life threatening injuries, he added.

The second victim was found unresponsive and pronounced dead at the scene, Ambrose said. His identity has yet to be determined, he added.

Hours later, Newark police were called to the intersection of 18th Avenue and Alexander Street, where at approximately 9:30 p.m officers found Johnson suffering an apparent gunshot wound. Authorities later pronounced him dead at the scene, Ambrose said.

Authorities have yet to identify suspects or motives in either killing, Ambrose said. An investigation into the shootings by the Essex County Prosecutor's Office Homicide Task Force is in its early stages, he added.

The killings bring Newark's 2015 homicide total even closer to its 2014 tally. According to Ambrose, the city's 2015 homicide total stands at 89 following the Wednesday night shootings. Authorities recorded 93 homicides in Newark in 2014.

Vernal Coleman can be reached at vcoleman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @vernalcoleman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Give thanks for this week's NJ.com News Quiz

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Take a break from Thanksgiving to see how well you know New Jersey news.

You've probably completed your Thanksgiving feast, watched your fill of football and exhausted the list of non-incendiary topics to talk about with your family. Your options are now limited to plotting late-night pre-Black Friday shopping, grazing Thanksgiving leftovers or taking NJ.com's News Quiz.

The correct choice is obvious: The seven questions below will not add to your soaring cholesterol count, max out any credit cards or further strain frayed family relationships. For extra fun, challenge your Thanksgiving guests to see who gets the highest score. The loser does the dishes. Share your scores in comments, and remember that there's no Googling allowed.


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

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3 arrested on weapons, drug charges in Newark

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Search of apartment turned up crack, heroin, police say

NEWARK -- Three city residents were arrested Wednesday when police executed a search warrant and found drugs and a loaded weapon, department spokesman Sgt. Ron Glover said.

police lights file photo.jpg 

Detectives responded to the 50s block of 11th Avenue and saw two men outside the address. One of them, Carlos Fernandez, 50, ran inside when officers arrived, Glover said.

Emergency Response Team members then entered the building and a first-floor apartment, where they secured Fernandez and two other people, Anthony Baker, 50, and Rhonda Gilmer, 49.

Police allegedly found a loaded 9-mm handgun, 31 envelopes of heroin and 4 grams of crack cocaine. Gilmer, Fernandez and Baker were all arrested.

"I commend these detectives who day after day are doing everything possible to rid our city of these individuals who insist on breaking the law," stated Police Director Eugene Venable.

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Crumbling jail complex in Newark may be facing wrecking ball

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The old Essex County Jail, once considered a monument to America's penal system, is an unsafe structure that Newark wants to demolish.

The old Essex County Jail sits along Newark and New streets, hidden by tall weeds and brush, surrounded by new development that makes one forget it is even there, unless you're a preservationist or history buff.

In 2010, there were plans to demolish most of the 10-building complex, closed since 1970, to make way for two technology buildings. But members of the Newark Landmarks & Historic Preservation Commission - the jail is on the state and national registers of historical places, and Preservation New Jersey's list of "Most Endangered Places" - thought the project, proposed by a non profit University Heights Science Park, was too broad.

The commission believed the jail's architecture was worth saving, so it rejected the proposal. Since then, the facility - built in 1837 by John Haviland, one of America's famed penitentiary architects - has sat idle.

Soon, that may not be the case. Demolition plans are on the table again. The city, which took over the facility from the county in 2001, is recommending that the jail be torn down. According to Phillip Scott, Newark's director of engineering, the city is in the process of ceding control of the property to University Heights Science Park, although the group's plans for the site are still unknown.

Bill Mikesell, chairman of the preservation commission, said city construction official Neil Mitgard told him last week that he had inspected the property and determined it is not safe, and also noticed homeless people living in the complex.

MORE: Recent Barry Carter columns

I went along when Mikesell and commission member Robert Hartman toured the jail on Tuesday with community stakeholders who are interested in what happens to the buildings, which once housed up to 368 prisoners.

A lot has changed since 2009, when University Heights Science Park hired an engineer to issue a structural report on the jail. It was in bad shape then, but Mikesell observed that it obviously has gotten worse, as he walked through the buildings once considered a monument to America's penal system.

Mikesell said that since the buildings have such historical importance, he is seeking a consensus from the commission members and a new structural report on the facility before any decision is made on demolition.

Scott plans to ask University Heights Science Park to submit a revised structural report to the commission. "For the most part, all of the buildings are in bad shape,'' he said. "It's way beyond repair. You can stand inside the building and see the sky.''

Since the building is on historic registers, both Mikesell and Scott said University Heights Science Park has to submit an application to the Landmark Commission if it wants to demolish the property. The nonprofit could not be reached for comment about its plans for the site.

Hartman said the commission and community members came out to look at the building first-hand because the preservation community was not aware of the city's desire to demolish the facility.

"We said, 'We've got to get the preservation community here, so they can see the state of the buildings.' ''  

The concern moving forward is that if the jail is taken down, what happens next? What becomes of the site? Once it's gone, that's it.

Matt Gosser, a member of Newark's Preservation & Landmarks Committee, said he could see community gardens or a park built around what's left of the jail complex. Not much can be saved, he said, except for a sturdy exterior wall facing Newark Street and some wall sections inside the jail.

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"The footprints can be saved, and you can still bring people on tours in here and people can get a sense of the history,'' Gosser said.

"You should be able to go in here and tour it, see what the footprints were like, get a sense of what the jail was like, maybe observe one or two cells.''

Inside the jail, streaks of light stream through broken windows and the crumbling roof. The cells are marked by graffiti. Sections of the jail tiers, rusted by time, were cut away years ago when Spike Lee filmed "Malcolm X." "Turk 182!," another motion picture, was filmed there, too.

As we moved through the buildings, walking over debris, planks of wood and piles of rubble, pieces of history turned up.

There was a registration sheet, dated Feb. 6, 1965, with one person's name - Samuel Ward.  Faded and worn pages from jail binders lay matted together on the floor. The warden's house was in better shape six years ago. Now, the floors are gone; the roof, too. Yet in the hospital wing, sections of porcelain walls are still intact.

You can still see the levers that closed the jail cells. There are shower stalls and small cubbies - about four of them - where prisoners talked with visitors.

At the corner of New and Newark streets, Gosser said tall weeds growing there are on land on which the warden's wife harvested a garden. It was filled with flowers and vegetables that were cooked for the prisoners' meals.

The afternoon excursion was rather sad. Another part of Newark's physical history may be gone without a trace - its existence only found if you do some research and reading.

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

Stray chow chow was never reclaimed

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NEWARK — Rusty is an adult male chow chow at the Newark Humane Society. Rescued as a stray, shelter workers say he was certainly someone's pet, but he was never reclaimed. Rusty has been described as a friendly dog who should make a nice addition to any family. He has been neutered and is up-to-date on shots. To meet Rusty...

ex1129pet.jpgRusty 

NEWARK -- Rusty is an adult male chow chow at the Newark Humane Society.

Rescued as a stray, shelter workers say he was certainly someone's pet, but he was never reclaimed.

Rusty has been described as a friendly dog who should make a nice addition to any family. He has been neutered and is up-to-date on shots.

To meet Rusty and other adoptable pets, visit the Humane Society at 124 Evergreen Ave. in Newark. The shelter is open Monday through Friday from noon to 5:30 p.m. and weekends from noon to 5 p.m. For more information, call 973-824-7080 or go to petfinder.com//pet-search?shelter_id=NJ01.

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.

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Head of Newark woman found decapitated remains missing, sources say

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An investigation is ongoing into the death of Newark mother Pamela Davis, authorities said.

NEWARK -- More than a week after her decapitated body was discovered by police,  the specific circumstances of the death of Newark mother Pamela Davis remain unclear.

The cause and timing of Davis's death have yet to be determined, pending the results of an autopsy, authorities have said. Officials with the Essex County Prosecutor's Office, the agency charged with investigating her death, have declined to say whether its investigators have identified suspects in connection to it.

But as the department's investigation continues, authorities are also working to recover Davis's severed head, NJ Advance Media has learned.

Multiple sources familiar with the investigation, but who were not authorized to speak, said that Davis's head was not recovered from the Newark residence where her body was found. Its current location is unknown, the sources said.

http://www.nj.com/essex/index.ssf/2015/11/newark_woman_found_decapitated_was_friendly_quiet.html

It remains unclear whether Davis's body was dismembered before or after she died. What affect, if any, the body's mutilation has had on the investigation into the cause of her death is also unclear.

Asked for official statement, a spokeswoman for the Essex County Prosecutor's Office declined to comment on the condition of Davis's body.

According to residents, Davis, 50, was reported missing by members of her family after leaving her home on Oct. 30.

Newark police discovered Davis's remains on Nov. 9 inside at a South 11th Street residence after authorities received reports of a foul smell emanating from the garage.

Davis herself did not live in the home, but instead at another residence on South 11th street, authorities said following the discovery.

Sources familiar with the investigation told NJ Advance Media that Davis' body had been found wrapped in a blanket and decapitated.

Officials have yet to classify Davis's death as a homicide, pending a determination on the cause of her death, authorities said.

The discovery of Davis's remains cast a pall over the neighborhood, some residents said. Davis was a quiet, but friendly, presence in the neighborhood, some said.

"You could see her out here all the time, walking her dog or bringing home groceries after work," said one resident. "She would always stop and talk to me and my family when we were out on the porch. It's just very sad."

Attempts to reach members of Davis's immediate family for comment were unsuccessful.

Vernal Coleman can be reached at vcoleman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @vernalcoleman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

N.J. man charged with killing girlfriend's baby, authorities say

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The 29-year-old Orange resident allegedly shook 4-month old boy to death

800px-NYPD_Ford_Police_Interceptor_2013.jpgAuthorities in New York City have charged an Orange man with killing a four-month old baby in his care. 

NEW YORK -- A New Jersey man faces murder charges for allegedly killing his girlfriend's baby in her New York apartment.

Jhalil Williams, 29, of Orange shook the four-month-old to death earlier this year, the Queens District Attorney said in a news release on Wednesday.

The boy's mother, Ashely Durett, 28, left her son Javion Durett in Williams' care when she left her apartment in Jamaica at about 10 p.m on Jan. 24. The baby died sometime between midnight and 3:15 a.m. the next day, authorities said. 

Williams is charged with second-degree murder and first-degree assault. He is being held without bail and will make his first court appearance on Friday, the district attorney's office said. If convicted, Williams could receive 25 years to life in prison.

Queens District Attorney Richard Brown called the case "truly horrific and disturbing," and termed Williams' actions "totally incomprehensible."

The child was already dead by the time Williams called 911, according to NYDailyNews.com. 

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

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How a license plate became a driving factor in fatal Short Hills mall carjacking

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A Superior Court judge has rejected a challenge made by the four defendants in regard to a detective's claims about surveillance videos capturing a license plate number Watch video

NEWARK -- At the start of the investigation into a fatal carjacking at The Mall at Short Hills, authorities in December 2013 obtained warrants for phone records showing communication between two of the four alleged killers in the days surrounding the incident.

Those warrants were based in part on a detective's claim in affidavits that surveillance video footage from the mall captured a vehicle with a specific license plate number that had been used by one of the suspects.

That license plate, however, is not visible in the videos.

Given that discrepancy, the four defendants - Karif Ford, Basim Henry, Hanif Thompson and Kevin Roberts - argued the phone records should be inadmissible at their trial, because the affidavits contained the false statement that the license plate could be seen in the video footage.

But in a Nov. 20 written decision, Superior Court Judge Michael L. Ravin denied the defendants' motion to suppress the records.

Ravin found the language in the affidavits was consistent with the state's assertion that the license plate number was provided by a confidential informant.

The judge's decision states that a "literal reading" of the statement in question "does not imply that the license plate number was visible in the surveillance video."

"Rather, it is consistent with the implication that the license plate number could have been discovered from other sources, which is the State's claim, and that the license plate number was included in the affidavits for descriptive purposes," according to the decision.

The judge also indicated there was other evidence that established probable cause for the warrants.

MORE: Short Hills mall carjacking informant's ID to remain secret

Henry, 34, of South Orange, Thompson, 31, of Irvington, and Ford, 33, and Roberts, 37, both of Newark, are each facing murder, felony murder, carjacking and weapons charges in connection with the Dec. 15, 2013 fatal shooting of 30-year-old Hoboken attorney Dustin Friedland at the upscale mall in Millburn.

The four men are accused of arriving at the mall in a GMC Suburban and carjacking Friedland's Range Rover in a parking deck at the mall.

Friedland's widow, Jamie Schare Friedland - who also was present at the time of the incident, but was not injured - is pursuing a lawsuit against the mall's owners and other defendants in regard to the killing.

Among the evidence in the criminal case, Ford made a statement to police in which he admitted that he and his three co-defendants were involved in the fatal carjacking, court documents state.

The motion to suppress the phone records was initially filed in September by Thompson's attorneys, and the other three defendants later joined in the motion. The motion challenged the admissibility of the phone records connected to Henry and Thompson.

The phone records allegedly involve communications among the defendants related to the carjacking and the records also involve the location information of the defendants when the incident occurred, according to a Sept. 28 brief filed by Thompson's attorneys.

Dustin-Jamie-Schare-Friedland.jpgDustin Friedland and his wife, Jamie Schare Friedland. She is pursuing a lawsuit over the Dec. 15, 2013 fatal shooting of her husband at The Mall at Short Hills. (Facebook) 

In affidavits to support the warrants for the phone records, Detective Miranda Mathis of the Essex County Prosecutor's Office wrote that surveillance video footage from the mall captured a GMC Suburban bearing the license plate number and speeding out of the parking deck, followed by the carjacked Range Rover.

The affidavits indicate an informant provided the license plate number, identified the female owner of the vehicle and said Henry was the primary operator of the vehicle. The owner was the significant other of Henry's mother, court documents state.

One set of warrants granted access to two phone numbers registered to the vehicle owner, court documents state. One of those numbers was allegedly Henry's cell phone number, court documents state.

Authorities later determined Henry's number had "101 contacts" with a number allegedly belonging to Thompson in the days after the carjacking, court documents state. That number was activated on the morning after the homicide, court documents state.

Detectives then found a second number that had allegedly belonged to Thompson and that also had "79 contacts" with Henry's number between Dec. 11, 2013 and Dec. 16, 2013, court documents state.

The specific nature of the contacts is not outlined in the court documents.

The detective included the claim regarding the surveillance video footage and the license plate number in the affidavits for the phone numbers connected to Henry and at least one of Thompson's numbers, court documents state.

In court documents filed as part of their motion, Thompson's attorneys argued that, without that false statement, there would have been no finding of probable cause to support the warrants.

The attorneys' brief asserts that, without that statement, there would have been no probable cause established "as there was nothing observed on the surveillance videos that linked Basim Henry to the GMC Suburban."

The brief notes that the informant, who provided information on the vehicle, "said nothing about Basim Henry being involved in the murder of (Dustin) Friedland so this statement by itself does not establish probable cause."

Since the records for Henry's number were "illegally obtained," the attorneys claimed the judge should not consider the information obtained from those records to determine whether there was probable cause to obtain the phone records allegedly connected to Thompson, the brief states.

"Furthermore, defense counsel has been unable (to) find any case law where merely having telephonic contacts with someone who is implicated in a crime has been found sufficient to establish probable cause for issuance of a warrant," the brief states, adding that another informant's alleged tip about Thompson was "insufficient to establish probable cause."

But in a Nov. 6 brief, prosecutors claimed that, even if that statement is set aside, the affidavits sufficiently established probable cause, given the other evidence in the case.

Prosecutors noted how police verified the informant's information about the vehicle by confirming it was registered to the vehicle owner and then locating it at the woman's residence, according to the brief. That informant also said Henry and a person named "Sniff" may be involved in criminal activity, the brief states.

As for Thompson's alleged phone numbers, prosecutors noted the contacts with Henry's number and the fact that a second informant had said one of Thompson's numbers belonged to a person named "Niff" who was involved in the homicide, the brief states.

"Clearly based on the numerous contacts, pre- and post-murder, over different phones, and the two separate informants, there was more than enough probable cause to justify the issuance of the warrants for Thompson's phones," the brief states.

Bill Wichert may be reached at bwichert@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BillWichertNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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