The defense countered that there's no proof.

JERSEY CITY - A Jersey City man strangled the mother of one of his children after he'd been caught cheating on the mother of another of his children, prosecutors charged today during opening statements in the man's trial.

Nathan Williams III, 36, is accused of killing 33-year-old Marilyn Albizu on June 17, 2014, in the Old Bergen Road home they shared although they were no longer a couple. He became enraged, prosecutors say, because Albizu told the other woman about the third woman.

The defense countered that there's no proof.

"Nobody saw what happened," defense attorney Max Novel told jurors in his opening statement. "You will not hear testimony from a single witness who can tell you with absolute certainty that Mr. Williams is the one that committed this murder. ... If he wanted to murder her, he would have done it that morning."

On the witness stand this afternoon, the mother of one of Williams' children, Lanisha Murray, laid out the events of that day.

Murray's daughter had spent the previous night with her father and told her she had shared a bed with Williams and another woman, Murray said, prompting her to call Albizu to find out what was going on.

Albizu, she said, told her Williams was indeed seeing another woman.

Murray went to the Old Bergen Road home with the intention of beating Williams up, she said, and found him and the third woman in bed.

Williams then went to the kitchen, where Albizu was, and Murray said she heard a scuffle and Albizu saying, "Don't hit me."  

Albizu came out of the kitchen with a bump on her forehead, Murray said.  

Albizu called 911 and Williams took off, Murray testified.

Officials have said Albizu told responding police that Williams had assaulted her but she refused both medical attention and a restraining order.

Police issued a warrant for Williams' arrest and when they returned for a welfare check around 6:30 that night, they found Albizu's body.

Murray testified that later that night she received a text message from Williams saying "Sorry" and another asking her to apologize to her daughter. 

During cross examination by defense attorney James Lisa, Murray said Williams' apologetic message text may simply have referred to the fact that he cheated on her. 

She had replied with a text the night saying, "What the f--- is wrong with you?" and "Nate, what did you do?" She said she tried to call Albizu and on one attempt a man answered saying, "Ain't no need to call this number anymore. That b---- is dead."

On the night of the murder, Murray told police it was Williams' voice, officials said. On the witness stand today, she said it did not sound like him.

Williams was arrested later that night after a police chase that ended with him jumping off an overpass, breaking his legs and one hip.

Williams is already serving eight years in prison for federal gun charges filed after his arrest and for charges in Essex County, including eluding police.

Testimony is to resume at 9 a.m. tomorrow with a 911 operator scheduled to take the stand before Superior Court Judge Vincent Militello in the Hudson County Administration Building on Newark Avenue.

A 6-year-old Newark boy who was shot this summer has found his dimpled smile and childhood again.

The icebreaker was my fedora sitting on the dining table at his aunt's home in Newark.

Nicholas Benjamin, 6, wanted to try it on as I started to ask him about things he likes to do. His cornrow hairstyle disappeared underneath the crown, the brim settled just above his eyes.

"Let me take a picture,'' I asked. He was about to let loose with an adorable smile that he flashed later in a selfie we took with his mother, Kyna Benjamin.

That dimpled smile, the one he can't hide when his mother tickles him, is back. His bubbly personality has returned, too. Both had disappeared this summer, dimmed from senseless gunfire as he walked home with his 13-year-old sister, Kayla Hull.

MORE: Recent Barry Carter columns  

They were on Central Avenue near Third Street, a few blocks from his aunt's home, when the shots came, striking him and two other people on July 8.

The bullet pierced his large and small intestines, leaving him with a colostomy bag next to an entry wound.

"I don't want to talk about it,'' he said.

I don't blame you, 

His mother, however, did. Benjamin said her daughter called, frantic, by cellphone. Nicholas was moaning. His movements had slowed as Kayla tried to get him to run with her, not knowing who was shooting. She saw a red spot on his shirt as the  boy  bled.

"When I got there, he was already in surgery,'' Benjamin said.Kayla tried to go to her aunt's house, but a resident nearby had Nicholas lie on a grassy area until an ambulance took him to University Hospital.

Weeks later, Benjamin said, Nicholas didn't want to pass by that section of Central Avenue. He was unnerved by loud noises: a passing truck, construction crews working.

"He would think that it was happening again,'' Benjamin said. "I had to tell him that he's safe with me.''

See what you did?, whoever you are.

Police are still looking for you, and the car you were riding in. Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose announced an award of up to $10,000 for information leading to your arrest.

The shooting angered Baraka, who held a citywide men's meeting at a local church. He challenged them to help him fix this problem hurting the community.

"What has happened to us that we kill and shoot 6-year-old babies with no regard for life. And then we put out a $10,000 reward and you don't even got the courage to tell the person to turn themselves in," the mayor fumed. "Baby can't even walk the damn street without getting shot in the stomach. We can't live in this condition.''

Activists were upset, too, and held a rally that Benjamin attended. She didn't know much about Newark, having moved here in April for a new start with Nicholas and his three siblings to be close to her relatives.

Nicholas' innocence took a hit that day, but he's not broken. He's a talkative and active kid again who has gradually regained his sense of security. Last week, he told his mother that he's not nervous anymore, although he's cautious.

"Sometimes I feel safe,'' he said. "Sometimes I don't.''

It was a safe day when I met him at his aunt's house on Central Avenue, several blocks from where he lives with his mom, his 9-year-old brother, Jaiden; Kayla; and Nathan, his fraternal twin.

He didn't take long to warm up with conversation and push the smile button. It lights up when he's playing Splatoon,' a video game. Or when he's on the sliding board at the park, or eating Neapolitan ice cream or chicken legs, his favorite part of the bird.

"I can eat them so fast,'' he said.

Benjamin said her boy is recovering nicely. His surgical incision has healed, a scar Nicholas had no problem showing.

"Wanna see it?'' he said.

Before I knew it, he was pointing to the staple marks, asking his mother, "Why couldn't they tape it while I was sleeping?''

Now, they're waiting for the doctor to remove the colostomy bag, so he can return to school. Until then, Nicholas will be taught at home when the Newark Public Schools assign an instructor to visit.

This is a lot for his mother  to handle -- "It's overwhelming,'' she concedes -- but  Benjamin is doing her best to keep it together.

Nicholas couldn't attend summer school. Her job search stalled because he had weekly doctor appointments.  His fraternal twin, Nathan, was born with cerebral palsy, he's developmentally delayed, in a wheelchair, nonverbal and totally dependent.

"I have to do everything for him,'' Benjamin said.

The first week of school added to her stress when the transportation company didn't pick up Nathan. She put him and Nicholas in a cab, so she could meet Nathan's teacher.  Benjamin and her two sons took two buses home to avoid another $12 cab ride.

MORE CARTER: A crucial 'First Step' for Newark's wheelchair gunshot victims

After his mother tells this story, Nicholas and I exchange a fist bump before I get ready to leave. We pulled our closed hands away from each other quickly, spreading our fingers open widely as if we were about to release some magical dust.

"Boom shakalaka,'' he said.

Nicholas Benjamin, 6, and Star-Ledger columnist Barry Carter pose for a selfie picture.Barry Carter | The Star-Ledger 

That's the sound you hear when someone makes an awesome slam dunk. And hanging with him was indeed a slam dunk.

Nicholas wanted to take another picture. This time, of me.

"Put on your hat,'' he said.

"Ready."

"Gotcha."

He inspects his work, sticking his thumb up for approval. Then we take a selfie and he flashes his version of a peace sign.

"Peace out,'' he said.

Peace to you, too, my friend. 

Barry Carter: (973) 836-4925 or bcarter@starledger.com or

nj.com/carter or follow him on Twitter @BarryCarterSL

The Newark museum will be open in Newark in October, officials announced.

A new collection of teams make the jump into the Top 20.

Highlighting the rivalry games and big-time matchups in Week 2.

University officials say it is the most technologically advanced broadcast facility in a university setting anywhere

Who has been crushing it on the pitch to start 2017?

Control of Newark public schools will fully return to the school district after the state took over in 1995.

NEWARK -- A new chapter is beginning for the state's largest public school system. 

The state Board of Education voted Wednesday to end its takeover of the Newark school district and begin the transition to return control to the locally-elected school board after 22 years.

"Today it ends," said Sen. Teresa Ruiz, D-Essex. "And local control returns. And what does that mean? It means a lot of work."

The move comes after decades of fierce battles with the state and boiling frustrations among Newarkers who had little leverage over their schools.

Key in the power shift: The local school board will now have the ability to hire and fire its own superintendent. 

"This is really a historic moment," state-appointed Schools Superintendent Christopher Cerf said Wednesday, citing major improvements. "The Newark public school students have indeed made great progress as reflected in virtually every measurable statistic that one cares to look at."

In a packed room, filled with education advocates, political leaders and the local school board, the state board voted Wednesday to begin a months-long transition plan to hand over the reins of the district. 

"All of our institutions are ready for this," Mayor Ras Baraka said. "Today is a great day for me, I'm excited."

Under state control, a revolving door of state-appointed superintendents with veto power over school board decisions have rankled residents and further angered a community eager for better-performing schools.

The district's last schools superintendent, Cami Anderson, was an embattled figure during her four turbulent years at the helm. Politicians at all levels -- including Baraka -- and activists called for her removal, criticizing her drastic reform efforts and failure to engage the community.

Cerf, appointed in 2015, has struck a more collaborative tone with the city, earning praise from Baraka and other city leaders.

Under his tenure, student scores on the state standardized exam known as PARCC have risen, as have graduation rates. The district increased its retention rate of effective and highly-effective teachers to 96 percent, submitted a balanced budget and sold closed school buildings to plug the deficit.

"Newark's leaders are uniting around the common goal of sustaining and improving these opportunities for students," Cerf said. "There's a lot of work that lies ahead."

Cerf's $255,500 three-year contract expires June 30, 2018 but allows for changes during the transition to local control. It's unclear how long he'll remain with the district.

Baraka, a former high school principal, has called for a national superintendent search though did not exclude the possibility of a Newarker earning the job.  

School Advisory Board Chair Marques-Aquil Lewis previously told NJ Advance Media the board, too, has prepared to shed its "advisory" title.

"This board has not been taking this lightly at all, we have been training to prepare ourselves for local control," he said. "The public needs to understand that at the end it's not just about the board members, we're going to need the public to be our partners."

A different district

The state board vote was widely-praised and anticipated by city leaders and school officials who have clamored for return to local control for years.  

District leaders say student performance has markedly improved and the district is far from the one that prompted the state's seizure in 1995.

A state probe back then accused school officials in a 1,798-page report of mismanagement, neglect and corruption.

"Children in the Newark public schools are victimized by school and district leaders who force them to endure degrading school environments that virtually ensure academic failure,'' the report charged. It found conflicts of interest, crumbling school facilities and inequitable distribution of resources.

Over time, the district has regained control of some of the five areas evaluated and controlled by the state. Personnel, fiscal management and operations have all been returned to the district and on Wednesday the state board agreed to give back the remaining two -- instruction and program, and governance.

Moving forward

With the OK from the state Board of Education, Education Commissioner Kimberley Harrington and the the district will create a transition plan detailing the transfer of power and the process for finding a superintendent. 

Once the commissioner presents the plan to the board, it will officially receive control of the district. The board will then have the power to pick a superintendent who is in charge of the day-to-day management of the schools. 

The district must also hold a referendum next year to let the public vote on whether they want an elected board or one appointed by the mayor. 

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

Joe Montalvo of Jersey City developed EZ Swag, a holder for your EZ Pass that attaches to your windshield.

One Jersey City native saw a void in an emerging market, with highway authorities nationwide moving toward cashless tolls.

Joe Montalvo, who grew up Downtown and attended Ferris High, created a product for car connoisseurs like himself who want a sleek look for their vehicles, without an unsightly E-ZPass transponder ruining the image.

"E-ZPasses are an eyesore on cars," said Montalvo. "I wanted to find some way of disguising it."

After trying several prototypes about a year ago, the 57-year-old came up with a sticker that wrapped around the E-ZPass. People liked the idea of having a design to cover the pass, but it was difficult for them to apply it correctly.

With that feedback, Montalvo went to work on a new way to implement his idea. That is when he came up with EZ Swag.

EZ Swag is a plastic holding case for an EZPass transponder with suction cups to stick to the windshield. On the front of the case is a design that fits your style, from emojis, to police badges, sports designs and more.

"We are starting off with these designs, but we are working on creating customizable EZ Swags and getting a deal to use professional sports teams' logos," said Montalvo.

The product has been on the market for two months now and can only be purchased online. Montalvo, who lives in West Orange, said his plan is open kiosks at malls throughout the area.

Before creating this product, Montalvo also created stickers that worked as cell phone covers. The cases were sold at kiosks in malls across the country, he said.

Along with his entrepreneurship, Montalvo owns MVN Logistics, which is the trucking company for Costco wholesalers in the area.

A home health-care worker injured after he was bitten by a client's dog has agreed to a $1.75 million settlement, according to New Jersey Law Journal.

HACKENSACK - A home health-care worker injured after he was bitten by a client's dog has agreed to a $1.75 million settlement, according to New Jersey Law Journal.

Howard Kraft, a physical therapist employed by Valley Hospital Home Care, was leaving the Hillsdale home of Aret and Meri Tasciyan on Feb. 5, 2014 after caring for their elderly relative, according to the lawsuit filed in Bergen County Superior Court.

Suddenly, the couple's two-year-old, 30-pound Schipperke-Corgi mix bit Kraft on the left hand, according to the suit.

Kraft, who was 59 at the time, suffered three deep puncture wounds of the index finger that required drainage and "delayed primary closure," the suit alleged.

Complications from the bite resulted in complex regional pain syndrome with swelling and decreased range of motion. Kraft had an infraclavicular catheter implanted for pain control and "operations to implant temporary and permanent spinal cord stimulators," the suit claimed.

Kraft contended he was a lawful invitee on the premises, which made the couple liable for his injuries under the New Jersey Dog Bite Statute.

New Jersey law states the owner of a dog that bites a person who is in a public or lawfully in a private place shall be liable for damages in nearly all instances.

Man found dead in RV

The Tasciyans settled with Kraft on Aug. 10 during mediation in Roseland, the suit states.

Jeffrey O'Hara, the Newark attorney who represented the Tasciyans, was not immediately available for comment Wednesday.

Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The trio is accused of hazing their colleagues on a table in Terminal C of Newark airport, authorities said.

NEWARK -- Three Customs and Border Protection officers at Newark airport are now facing charges that they hazed their colleagues with attacks that authorities say subjected the workers to "senseless physical abuse."

Officers Tito Catota, 38, of Newark, Parmenio I. Perez, 40, of Paterson, and Michael A. Papagni, 32, of West Orange were arrested Wednesday morning on charges they forcibly assaulted and intimidated two of their colleagues, acting U.S. Attorney William Fitzpatrick announced in a release.

The men attacked two fellow customs officers on top of what they referred to as a "rape table" in an office inside Terminal C at Newark Liberty International Airport, authorities said.

In one instance, authorities allege Papagni, Catota, and others held one victim down on the table, while Perez grinded his genitals up and down the victim's body. In another, authorities said the three men held a second victim down on the table while rubbing up and down against his leg.

The men and their alleged victims remained clothed during the incidents, authorities said.

"The defendants, who were members of a unit responsible for identifying dangerous contraband and threats to national security, allegedly subjected their own colleagues to senseless physical abuse, all while on duty at Newark Liberty International Airport," Fitzpatrick said in the release.

"This behavior would be abhorrent in any environment, especially one serving a critical law enforcement function. The hard working men and women who protect our borders deserve better."

Authorities began investigating the abuse allegations earlier this year, after several officers spoke out about them in an NBC News report. The alleged victims said the abuse had been going on for years.

Mark Tasky, the special agent in charge of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, Office of Inspector General in New York, said in the release the office is conducting a thorough investigation of the alleged attacks.

"DHS employees pledge to maintain the highest standards of conduct and the OIG ensures those employees are held accountable when they violate that obligation," he said.

If Papagni, Cotota, and Perez are found guilty, each of the two counts they face could cost them up to eight years in prison, and $250,000 in fines, officials said. The three are scheduled to appear in Newark federal court Wednesday afternoon.

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

A woman nicknamed "China White" pleaded guilty Wednesday to prostituting a 16-year-old girl -- reported missing from Brooklyn -- in North Jersey motels

HACKENSACK - A woman who went by the nickname "China White" pleaded guilty Wednesday to prostituting a 16-year-old girl -- reported missing from Brooklyn -- in North Jersey motels, authorities said.

Jessica Copeland 

Jessica Copeland, 29, of Newark, pleaded guilty in Bergen County Superior Court to second-degree facilitating human trafficking, according to N.J. Attorney General Christopher S. Porrino.

Under a plea agreement, prosecutors will recommend at Copeland's Oct. 25 sentencing that she serve six years in state prison with no parole for three years.

Copeland acted as a boss over prostitutes in a ring, which offered escort services and displayed nude or semi-nude photos of young women on websites such as Backpage.com, Porrino said.

The teenage victim appeared on a Backpage.com sex ad with her breasts exposed, Porrino said.

"This defendant threatened a 16-year-old girl with violence to keep her trapped in a hellish life of sexual slavery," Porrino said in a statement.

"This is a classic case of human trafficking in which the perpetrators isolated and intimidated a vulnerable victim so they could exploit her for their profit," Porrino said.

Copeland was one of five people indicted in April 2015 following an investigation between the state and South Hackensack police. The five were accused of trafficking the girl from Brooklyn to North Jersey, where they made her work as a prostitute in South Hackensack and Clifton, Porrino said.

Man gets $1.75M payout for dog bite

Glen Bowman Sr., 42, of Newark, and his wife, Ernestine Bowman, 32, of Orange, allegedly ran the ring. 

In December, Ernestine Bowman pleaded guilty to second-degree facilitating human trafficking. She faces 10 years in prison with 39 months of parole ineligibility, Porrino said. 

Glen Bowman Sr. awaits trial on charges of conspiracy, human trafficking and promoting prostitution of a minor, Porrino said.

The couple's son, Glen Bowman Jr., 23, of Brooklyn, previously pleaded guilty to second-degree conspiracy to promote prostitution and faces a recommended sentence of seven years in prison, according to Porrino. 

Tokina Williams, 33, of Raleigh, North Carolina, pleaded guilty to second-degree promoting prostitution, Porrino said.

The investigation began on Oct. 1, 2014 when an undercover officer with the South Hackensack Police Department called a Backpage.com advertisement with the 16-year-old victim's semi-nude photo, Porrino said.

After learning they could have sex for $160, undercover officers went to the motel and arrested the teenager and Tokina Williams, who was hiding in a bathroom, Porrino said.

"The teenage girl invited Williams to come out and told her that the client had paid to have sex with both of them," Porrino said.

At that point officers entered the motel room, taking both the girl and Williams into custody.

Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The woman was left in the hands of United staff who are supposed to accompany people in wheelchairs to their flights.

NEWARK -- A 77-year-old woman who uses a wheelchair was left alone and stranded at a gate at Newark airport for 12 hours after United Airlines bumped her from her London-bound flight, the woman's son alleges, according to a report.

The woman's son, Steven Williams, had left his mother in the care of United Airlines staff on Friday at Ronald Reagan National Airport in Washington, D.C., where she then flew to Newark airport to catch a connecting flight to London, Williams told WUSA 9.

The United Airlines staff, Williams told WUSA 9, help customers in wheelchairs through the airport and to their flights.

At Newark airport, however, Williams told the station that United staff left his mother stranded and alone in her wheelchair for roughly 12 hours after she got bumped from her flight to London.

Williams told the station that he wants an apology from the airline, saying that he had entrusted his mother to the care of the staff members who are supposed to assist customers in wheelchairs get through airports and onto their flights.

Williams -- who does still not know why the airline bumped his mother from her flight -- said he only learned his mother never made it to London after receiving a text from the driver hired to pick her up.

United issued an apology to the family, adding that it was actively working to learn what occurred to ensure such an incident never happens again.

Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find the Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Two employees face bribery and misconduct charges, authorities said.

Royal (left) and Williams. (Courtesy Attorney General's Office)
 

NEWARK -- Two city employees are facing stiff jail sentences after authorities said they solicited and accepted bribes from a nightclub owner.

Tajji Williams, 41, and Qaadir Royal, 36, both of Newark, were charged in separate indictments Wednesday after a State Police investigation found they had allegedly accepted bribes in separate instances from the same club owner, Attorney General Christopher Porrino announced in a release.

Authorities say Williams, who was working as a code enforcement officer for the city, solicited a $5,000 bribe from the club's owner in late 2016. Officials claim he accepted three $500 payments, allegedly in exchange for giving the man advance notice of police action at the club, and priority in filing and granting building permits. The club owner notified State Police, Porrino said.

Royal, a clerk in the code enforcement office, is accused of separately soliciting and accepting a $1,000 bribe from the owner in December 2016. He allegedly agreed to alter the owner's certificate of occupancy, so it falsely appeared that he was legally able to operate a retail establishment, even though he wasn't, Porrino said.

Both men are charged with bribery and official misconduct, and Royal is additionally charged with tampering with public records, officials said.

Williams faces up to 10 years in prison, and Royal faces up to 15 years, authorities said. Both men were suspended from their jobs in the city.

"When public employees like Williams and Royal allegedly take bribes from people seeking to evade the rules or garner special treatment, good government and public trust are completely undermined," Porrino said in the release. 

Royal earns $44,620 a year, according to public employee data. Williams's salary data was not immediately available.

When reached by phone Wednesday, an attorney representing Royal declined to comment. It was not immediately clear who was representing Williams. Both men will be scheduled to appear in court in Essex County.

NEWARK -- Level 2 at Terminal C of Newark Liberty International Airport was closed after a suspicious package was discovered Wednesday night, the Port Authority said.  The Essex County Sheriff's Bomb Disposal Unit was also called to the scene, the Port Authority said shortly after 7 p.m.  Some #EWR roadways are congested. Use all levels at the Terminals to pick-up passengers....

NEWARK -- Level 2 at Terminal C of Newark Liberty International Airport was closed after a suspicious package was discovered Wednesday night, the Port Authority said. 

The Essex County Sheriff's Bomb Disposal Unit was also called to the scene, the Port Authority said shortly after 7 p.m. 

Some #EWR roadways are congested. Use all levels at the Terminals to pick-up passengers. [94]

-- Newark Airport (@EWRairport) September 13, 2017

The Port Authority said via Twitter that there was congestion on roadways leading to terminals Wednesday night. 

Authorities determined the package did not present a threat, the Port Authority said shortly before 8 p.m.  

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

NEWARK-- A 21-year-old Belleville man was arrested Wednesday in connection with a shooting last week, police said. Police responded Sept. 7 to the 200 block of Verona Avenue on a report of shots fired. No one was injured in the shooting, which is believed to have occurred following an argument. An investigation led police to identify Angel Tirado as a...

NEWARK-- A 21-year-old Belleville man was arrested Wednesday in connection with a shooting last week, police said.

Angel Tirado (Newark police)  

Police responded Sept. 7 to the 200 block of Verona Avenue on a report of shots fired. No one was injured in the shooting, which is believed to have occurred following an argument.

An investigation led police to identify Angel Tirado as a suspect. He was arrested by members of the Fugitive Apprehension Team.

Tirado has been charged with two counts of aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.

NEWARK-- A male and a female suspect are wanted in connection with an arson Sept. 3 at a newly completed apartment building, Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said. Arson detectives were called to the Cherry Park apartments at 170 Sylvan Avenue around 8:30 p.m. The small fires inside an apartment were extinguished by the building's fire suppression system before...

NEWARK-- A male and a female suspect are wanted in connection with an arson Sept. 3 at a newly completed apartment building, Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said.

The people pictured are wanted by Newark police in connection with an arson in the city Sept. 3 (Newark police)  

Arson detectives were called to the Cherry Park apartments at 170 Sylvan Avenue around 8:30 p.m. The small fires inside an apartment were extinguished by the building's fire suppression system before they caused significant damage.

The two suspects entered through the front door and left through a side exit, police said. The male suspect was wearing black clothing and sneakers, and the female suspect was wearing a black hijab with black sneakers. She was also carrying a black bag.

Anyone with information about the identity of the pair is being asked to call the 24-hour Crime Stopper tip line at 1-877- NWK-TIPS (1-877- 695-8477) or 1-877- NWK-GUNS (1-877- 695-4867).  All anonymous Crime Stopper tips are kept confidential and could result in a reward.

Palate-pleasing places from around the Garden State.

Southern Kitchen, Chestnut Ave., Vineland, 1960 ... your mouth is watering too, admit it. 

We all have a "go to" place to eat.

That place that solves the problem of everyone answering "I don't care" when asked where they'd like to go for a meal. The place you don't have to worry about a reservation or getting "dressed up" ... where the food is always great and the price is always right.

And, we in New Jersey have tons of such places to choose from.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

Last summer, while spending some time in south Jersey, I met some out-of-state construction workers who were in town building a warehouse. I was told that the company that builds these warehouses has regular crews who travel around the country; they're put up in local accommodations and spend weeks on the jobsite.

The workers I met were electricians from Oklahoma. They said there's good money to be made if you can accept living away from home for long stretches. And, they also said their favorite place to work is New Jersey ... because of the limitless choices of places to eat.

They literally raved about the state's eateries, commenting on how the food was always good and there was usually more than they could finish. And all I could do was offer a knowing nod, because we in the Garden State most certainly don't take our eateries for granted.

Here's a gallery of establishments that provide foods for every taste in New Jersey. And here's a link to last year's gallery.

Vintage photos of eclectic eats in N.J.

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

Iowa's Akrum Wadley is one of college football's most exciting and best players and a potential top-round NFL draft pick, thanks in large part to the influence of his mom.

She arrived at the field for the first football scrimmage of her son's life and immediately saw a huge problem: Her boy was crouched over in the middle of the offensive line, playing center of all positions.

This must be a joke, Sheronda Phelps thought. Her boy, Akrum Wadley, was the fastest 7- or 8-year-old on the field in Willingboro, a small town in Burlington County, already capable of spinning away from the other boys and juking them out of their tiny cleats. But Phelps kept her lips pursed, watching intently as the minutes ticked away.

"The game was over and he never touched the ball," Phelps remembered. "I went up to the coach and I said, 'Hold up. I didn't send my son here to be no center.' Long story short: That was the first and last time he ever played center."

It would not, however, be the last time Phelps made her indomitable presence felt in her son's life.

Although she rarely meddled in coaching decisions beyond that youth scrimmage, Phelps would continue to be the guiding light for Wadley, now a redshirt senior running back at Big Ten power Iowa. This season he has emerged as a preseason candidate for both the Doak Walker Award (given to the nation's premier running back) and the Maxwell Award (best all-around college player), and through two games he's leading Iowa (2-0) in rushing and second in receiving yards.

Whether it was deciding where to play high school football (Weequahic in Newark), how to generate more college recruiting interest (mailing out highlight DVDs herself) or choosing a girlfriend (not the one who skipped school and couldn't hold a conversation), Phelps has had a hand in every aspect of Wadley's life.

In an age of the Helicopter Dad hovering over his son and pulling all the strings, this is a story about a Mom who played the leading role.

"Everything goes through my mother," Wadley said during a recent phone interview from Iowa City, Ia. "She always guided me. Every little thing she was on my back about -- and she still is."

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Wadley now stands ready for what could be a life-changing final season of college football, one made even sweeter after navigating a series of challenges, including sitting No. 7 on the depth chart as a freshman and nearly getting kicked out of school for poor grades. His mom was there every step, texting the same words of inspiration each morning: "Work hard, pray for what you want."

Wadley heaps praise on his mom for the messages.

After all, if it wasn't for Phelps, Wadley wouldn't even be playing for Iowa.

'A STAR IN THE MAKING'

After the discussion between Phelps and the coach at Wadley's first scrimmage, his days at center were long over. Next game, he switched to running back and promptly rushed for a 60-yard score.

"He was a star in the making," said Arnold Carmichael, one of the team's coaches.

The position change was nearly the only time Wadley's mom interjected on coaching decisions, Carmichael recalled. She mostly lingered in the background and let the coaches do their jobs, always keeping a close eye on things. But she demanded Wadley perform off the field first -- making good grades, finishing his homework and behaving at home and school.

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"There were days we would be pleading with her to let Akrum play in a game, and maybe he only played in two quarters because of him failing to meet his academic responsibilities in elementary school," Carmichael said. "She would hold him out of practice and hold him out of games. She was very much the disciplinarian."

Phelps knows from experience what it takes to succeed as a young student athlete. She grew up in Newark and played basketball at Shabazz High, where her team won four straight Essex County and city titles and three state championships between 1981 and 1985. She went on to graduate from Montclair State and earn a Master's degree in education leadership from Concordia (Ore.) University.

Meanwhile, Wadley's father, John Wadley, also served a major role. He played sports growing up in Trenton, then served in the Army before spending a long career working as a senior corrections officer at Trenton State Prison (now called New Jersey State Prison). John Wadley and Phelps are separated but raised Akrum and his three brothers together and maintain a close relationship.

It helped Akrum Wadley's development that he had an innate ability to listen to instructions, whether from his parents or coaches.

"You tell him once and he got it," Carmichael said. "He would say, 'I got you coach.'"

Wadley said it wasn't hard to trust his parents and coaches.

"There were a couple times I thought, 'Maybe I should do it this way. Maybe they're old-fashioned,'" Wadley said. "After a point, I started to realize that I'm the dumb one, I don't know anything. They know more than me. They've been here longer than me. So, I just always listened."

'SHE HASN'T BEEN WRONG YET'

In eighth grade, Wadley moved to Union with Phelps, who was teaching in Newark and coaching. Also a talented basketball player, Wadley started high school at St. Anthony High in Jersey City, then left after his freshman year because of the commute and cost of tuition. Wadley enrolled at University High in Newark, but the school does not offer football, so he needed to find a team.

Again, Phelps led the way, selecting Weequahic because head coach Brian Logan, and several of his assistants, are Newark police officers.

"I'm thinking, 'I don't have to worry about him because they're all working with guns,'" Phelps said. "I said to Coach [Logan], 'I'm going to leave him here and you better protect my son.' And I said, 'And don't be babying him. I want my son to be a man.'"

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Wadley only played half of his junior year because of a lingering injury from basketball season, but exploded as a senior. He finished with 1,548 yards on only 105 carries (14.7 yards per attempt) and scored more than 30 touchdowns while being named Essex County player of the year and second team all-state. He also led Weequahic to a 9-3 record and the state championship game.

"His mother's a coach, so she understands the business," Logan said. "She pretty much let us handle him. She liked the direction he was going in, so she didn't bother us."

Despite his success on the field, Wadley was lightly recruited, so Phelps took matters into her own hands. She made DVD copies of his highlights and mailed them to coaches at Pittsburgh, Clemson, Georgia Tech, Miami and Rutgers. Still, Wadley received only one offer -- from Temple -- which he excitedly accepted.

Meanwhile, legendary former Barringer coach Frank Verducci, a close confidant of Logan, personally contacted Iowa coach Kirk Ferentz to tell him about a hidden gem in Newark. Verducci had an impeccable relationship with Iowa dating to the 1970s, when he sent a string of Newark players to the school, including NFL Hall of Famer Andre Tippett, Keith Hunter, George Person, Norm Granger, Cedric Shaw and former Houston Astros manager Bo Porter.

Ferentz took Verducci's word and arranged to meet Wadley in person at Weequahic. There was only one problem -- Wadley wasn't interested.

"I decided I didn't want to talk to Iowa because I was committed to Temple," Wadley said. "I'm like, 'No, I got my D1 scholarship. They believe in me.'"

His mother set him straight. Wadley was hanging out with friends before practice down the street from the high school when his cell phone rang. It was Phelps.

"She's like, 'Get up here! Are you stupid?!'" Wadley said. "She spent, like, 10 minutes cursing me out."

Wadley grudgingly made his way to Weequahic and walked in the school, where his mother was waiting. Of all things, he was wearing a Temple hoodie. Phelps yanked her son in the bathroom, stripped the hoodie and made him put on a jacket.

The meeting with Ferentz proved to be life-changing and convinced Wadley to keep an open mind. A few weeks later, he went on an official visit to Iowa and verbally committed. Less than a week after that, he signed his National Letter of Intent.

"My mother, she told me: 'This is the school. This is big time. This is the Big Ten. You can showcase your talents on the highest level,'" Wadley remembered. "She hasn't been wrong yet about anything, and she had a great feeling about it."

'I WAS BURIED'

At first, it seemed like Phelps might have finally gotten one wrong. At Iowa as a freshman, Wadley was seventh on the depth chart.

"I was buried, man," Wadley said.

He also struggled adjusting to the classroom workload and said he was placed on academic probation and nearly kicked out of school. After redshirting as a freshman and finally getting his books in order, he still was an afterthought. At one point, the coaches even briefly tried switching him to cornerback.

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Phelps was there constantly to offer encouragement. One issue was Wadley's weight -- he entered Iowa only 175 pounds -- so his mom reminded him every day to eat.

"I said, 'You put the weight on or I'm going to put the weight on and then I'll come down there at 350 pounds and see how you like that,'" Phelps said.

Wadley considered transferring, but lowered his head and thought of the words Phelps texted each morning: "Work hard, pray for what you want." The players in front of him started graduating, transferring themselves, getting in trouble or injured.

Suddenly, Wadley, as a redshirt sophomore, was thrust into a prominent role against Northwestern. He seized the opportunity, rushing for 204 yards and tying a school single-game record with four touchdowns on the ground. His efforts netted Big Ten offensive player of the week honors.

Last season, Wadley broke out again, rushing for 1,081 yards and 10 scores. Now in the beginning of his final season, Wadley is expected to be one of the nation's most explosive players and shooting up 2018 NFL draft boards.

"My mom always talked about, 'You get out what you put in. It's up to the man above,'" Wadley said. "That's what always kept me motivated. I can only control what I can control. I'm just going to stay focused on achieving my goals and see what happens next."

Phelps, John Wadley and the rest of the family make it to as many games as possible. Phelps has been extra busy these days, after being named girls basketball coach at Shabazz last year. But there is one game she absolutely won't miss: Senior Day, Nov. 18 against Purdue.

She plans to soak in the atmosphere and enjoy being close to her boy. Then, she'll walk out onto the field with her son, their arms interlocked.

Together, like always.

Matthew Stanmyre may be reached at mstanmyre@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattStanmyre. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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