Defiance and shopping: the American way

Kelly Nugent is a brave woman. The fact she was wearing a New England Patriots scarf in New York Giants country is the least of it.

In the face of the U.S. State Department's heightened terror alerts, here's how Nugent spent her week in defiance of fear.

Monday night, she went to the Patriots-Buffalo Bills game in Foxborough, Mass.

On Thanksgiving, she went to the Macy's parade.

On Black Friday she was at Newark Penn Station, boarding an Amtrak train for Baltimore because she had to work.

Her job?

Flight attendant.

Nugent lives in New Hamphire - the land of Live Free or Die - but was in New Jersey after visiting her children and grandchildren in the area for Thanksgiving.

Of course, the specter of terror attacks "concerns" her. Concerns, not frightens. That's not just semantics. There's a Webster's difference.

"We can't live in fear," she said as she lugged her carry-ons through Penn Station at dawn. "We have to be aware of our surroundings, but we can't be scared out of our freedom."

Concerned, not frightened. Maybe even a little defiant.

The American way.

MORE: Recent Mark Di Ionno columns

That seemed to be how everyone felt as they traveled or shopped over the holiday weekend just days after the state department's "global terror alert" following attacks in France, Nigeria, Denmark, Turkey and Mali.

The alert said ISIS, Al Qaeda, Boko Haram and other Islamic groups "continue to plan terrorist attacks in multiple regions" and warned that people should "avoid large crowds or crowded places" including "large sporting events."

"Exercise particular caution during the holiday season and at holiday festivals or events."

The alert is in place until the end of February and coincided with the busiest American travel days of the year. In fact, the air travel trade group, Airlines for America, estimated that 25.3 million people would be flying during Thanksgiving weekend, the highest total since the Recession hit in 2008.

These colors don't run. They fly. Or ride trains.

Ashley Owens of Philadelphia was traveling with her father from New Jersey to Virginia via Amtrak early Black Friday and her travel thoughts echoed Nugent's. Concern, not fear.

"We are not living in fear," she said. "I'm not going to let fear stop me from doing the things I want to do, like seeing my family."

At Penn Station at rush hour, there was the usual, small cadre of New Jersey Transit police rousting the overnight guests, nothing heavier. No militarized, SWAT-types carrying automatic weapons, no bomb sniffing dogs, no other evidence of "heightened alert."  

In New Jersey shopping malls, Black Friday isn't what it used to be, but that's because of Thanksgiving night shopping and the internet, not fears of terrorism.

"My wife does all her shopping on the internet," said Brad Davidson of West Caldwell as he stood on line about 200 other people at Best Buy in Woodland Park, waiting for the 8 a.m. opening. "I've already been to Willowbrook, so for me it's a typical day-after-Thanksgiving."

Like the travelers, he said the terrorism threat "concerned" him, but wouldn't keep him from "daily life."

But Melissa Piombo, who was in the same line, admitted she would make a few changes this year.

"I'm a little more nervous about going to larger places," said Piombo, who lives in Essex County. "I'm going to stay out of the malls and go to mom-and-pop shops, which is probably good anyway. And I probably won't go into New York (Rockefeller Center) to see the tree this year."

At the Rockaway Mall, Gina Miller of Oak Ridge emerged with two handfuls of bags before the sun was up. She, too, said the terror warning made her nervous. But they didn't stop her.

"I think we all think about it," she said. "I came early and got done quickly. I just feel safer that way."

Jose Martinez of Flanders, shopping with his son Jonathon, likened his Black Friday excursion to "defiance."

"We're just going to go about our lives," he said.

At the Best Buy in Woodland Park, Jamal Williams and Briana Dismukes of Newark, too, were in and out early.

"I'm a little worried," Dismukes said. "I was pretty happy the cops (four Passaic County sheriffs) were here," Dismukes said.

"Living in the tri-state area, you definitely have to be concerned," Williams said. "You have to keep an eye open. But I feel safe."

Muhammed Shahiduzzaman of Paterson and his family were also at the Best Buy. They are Muslim immigrants from Pakistan and their son, Muhammed Abu, 16, did the talking for them since his parents speak no English.

"We're not afraid. There shouldn't be a problem," he said, before his mother interrupted in their native language.

"I have to go," she said. "She wants to start shopping."

Defiance and shopping.

 The American way. 

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

A man was shot while sitting in his car, neighbors at the scene said.

NEWARK — Authorities are on the scene of an early morning fatal shooting, officials confirmed Friday.

Wilbert Jones, 47, of Leslie Street in Newark, was shot and killed outside of his home at about 9:32 a.m. Friday, Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn Murray and Newark Police Director Eugene Venable confirmed.

Jones was shot multiple times, said Anthony Ambrose, Essex County Prosecutor's Office Chief of Detectives.

According to neighbors who declined to be identified, Jones was sitting behind the wheel warming up a tan sedan parked in the driveway of the home when a unidentified gunman walked up a fired multiple shots through the window.

Jones was later pronounced dead at the scene, authorities said.

Following the shooting, dozens of neighborhood residents and family members stood beyond the police barriers cordoning off the crime scene and on the porches of the stately homes that line Leslie Street, watching as investigators gathered evidence and spoke with witnesses.

Hours after the shooting, authorities removed the sedan from the driveway where the shooting occurred. The car's driver's side window appeared cracked with multiple bullet holes.

Two women at the scene who identified themselves as Jones' cousins declined to comment.

One neighbor who declined to be identified said that he was sitting inside his home Friday morning when he heard at least five gunshots ring out.

Another resident, who also declined to be identified, said that Jones killing is the first that he can remember after living in the neighborhood for 50 years.

An investigation by the Essex County Prosecutor's Office Homicide Task Force is ongoing, officials said. They have not yet identified a motive for the killing, or any suspects, they said.

No other information was immediately available.

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

Two men and a teen struck by gunfire Friday

NEWARK -- Two men and a 17-year-old boy were shot Friday night in Newark, department spokesman Sgt. Ron Glover said.

Alex Napoliello | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com 

The shooting occurred just after 6 p.m. on Avon Avenue, where responding officers found the victims. The three are listed in stable condition at University Hospital.

No suspects have yet been identified. Police Director Eugene Venable asks that anyone with information call the 24-hour Crimestoppers Tip Line, 877-NWK-TIPS (877-695-8477) or 877-NWK-GUNS (877-695-4867).

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

 

The Glen Ridge Country Club, built in 1894, is bucking a national decline in country clubs, members say.

GLEN RIDGE -- One of the oldest country clubs in New Jersey is getting an upgrade that managers say will strike a balance between the club's history, and the changing country club landscape.

The Glen Ridge Country Club's 40,000 square foot clubhouse still retains some of the original structure from when it was built in 1894, according to Jim Kirkos, the club's president.

"Over the years, we have upgraded, but not in a long-term, strategic way," Kirkos said.

"We want to preserve (the club's) history, but we also need to modernize for our members."

After putting together a master plan for the design of the club - which includes an 18-hole golf course, tennis courts, fitness center, and pool facilities - the membership broke ground Nov. 8 on an $11 million renovation project set to start next month.

Glen Ridge managers and members say the club is bucking a national decline in country club memberships - a trend across the country that they say is forcing many clubs to close their doors. Glen Ridge, Kirkos said, has survived by adapting to the country-clubber of today, who is interested in more diversified offerings. Adding in family-based activities outside of golf, and a casual dining options, he said, has appealed to the club's younger members.

It currently has more than 500 members, and expects that number to go up when renovations are complete.

ALSO: Saying farewell to Woodbury Country Club 

"The club really feels like an extension of your home," Debra Lienhardt, who joined the club with her husband and two daughters when they moved to Glen Ridge in 2010, said in a phone interview.

"We've made friends and we use all of the facilities...(the board) made it affordable and enjoyable for families."

Still, members say the overhaul, which will take place throughout all of 2016 and include an update of its two main buildings and the construction of a new pro shop, is necessary.

Steve Palm, whose family of five joined 10 years ago, said they use most of the aspects of the club - his three kids are on the swim team, he and his wife play tennis, and he and his son play golf. The upgrade, he said, will allow them to do more, like hold larger events at the club's banquet hall, but won't lose the property's historic charm.

"Golfers are very thoughtful to their history," Palm said.

"They want to maintain the quality and the mission of the (club's) founders and the members who came before them."

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

The second victim in back-to-back Wednesday fatal shootings in Newark has been identified as a 20-year-old city man, authorities say.

NEWARK --The second victim in back-to-back Wednesday fatal shootings in Newark has been identified as a 20-year-old city man, according to an announcement by Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn Murray and Newark Police Department Director Eugene Venable.

Christopher Daniels was shot to death in the 100 block of Mapes Avenue near Beth Israel Medical Center sometime around 9 p.m., said Anthony Ambrose, Essex County Prosecutor's Office Chief of Detectives.

Law enforcement authorities responding to the scene discovered Daniels in the driveway of a Mapes Avenue residence suffering from an apparent gunshot wound, according to a police report obtained by NJ Advance Media. Daniels was later pronounced dead at the scene, the report states.

A second victim in the shooting was transported to University Hospital in Newark with gunshot wounds to the left leg and buttocks, the report states.

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

An hour after the shooting that killed Daniels, gunfire erupted near 18th Avenue and Alexander Street in the city's Valisburg section, claiming the life of a second victim.

The man identified Thursday as Fuquan Johnson, 27, of Irvington, was shot and killed at around 9:30 p.m., authorities said. Law enforcement officials responding to the scene discovered him lying behind a double-parked vehicle suffering an apparent gunshot wound to the head, according to a police report.

Johnson was later pronounced dead at the scene, Ambrose said.

Authorities have yet to identify suspects or motives in either killing, Ambrose said. The killings do not appear to be related, he added.

The deaths of Daniels and Johnson continued a bloody week in Newark that saw four reported homicides. Donovan Younger, 27, of Newark was shot and killed at approximately 12 a.m. Wednesday morning in the 700 block of South 15th Street, authorities said.

The latest occurred Friday morning, when Wilbert Jones, 47, of Newark, was shot to death while sitting in the driver's seat of a car parked in the driveway of a Leslie Street home.

Investigations into all four shootings by the Essex County Prosecutor's Office Homicide Task Force are ongoing, Ambrose said.

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

Firefighters were battling a large fire at a residential building on Belmont Avenue late Saturday.

BELLEVILLE -- Firefighters were battling a large fire at a residential building on Belmont Avenue late Saturday.

The fire reached two alarms as of around 9 p.m., according to a WABC-TV report.

Photos posted on social media from the scene showed flames and smoke shooting from the upper floors of a corner structure.

Additional details were not immediately available.

PHOTO: Firefighters battling massive Belleville house fire: https://t.co/IXCBdpYnNw pic.twitter.com/yeifaibJkN

-- Eyewitness News (@ABC7NY) November 29, 2015

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

Five years following its troubled 2010 marriage with Continental, the airline that boasts of flying the friendly skies continues to find itself in increasingly turbulent ones.

NEWARK--Shortly after 11 a.m., United Airline's Flight 71 inbound from Amsterdam settled gracefully on Runway 22L at Newark Liberty International Airport.

Within minutes, it was followed by a succession of United arrivals on the same runway from Denver, Miami and Paris.

More than seven of 10 planes taking off or landing at Newark Liberty on any given day have United painted on their sides. By far the most dominant player there, the airline last year brought nearly 25 million passengers in and out of Newark.

But five years following its troubled 2010 marriage with Continental, the airline that boasts of flying the friendly skies continues to find itself in increasingly turbulent ones.

United is on its third chief executive in three months. The carrier's dirty laundry and clumsy political dealmaking spilled across front pages this year. Its employees contractually can't work together. And the U.S. Justice Department just sued, claiming the largest airline at Newark Liberty has grown too big.

But that's nothing to many travelers.

They focus on everything from the lousy coffee on board, to the way it is served once they squeeze in their seats. And the real problem, they say, is that United just doesn't get it.

At the same time the airline has been racking up record profits (boosted by those much-hated baggage fees no one wants to pay), United's performance and customer satisfaction ratings are dragging at or near the bottom of the industry. There are entire websites and social media campaigns devoted to dropping nastygrams whenever there's a hiccup, lost bag or delay.

Which is more often than ever.

It wasn't supposed to be this way five years ago when United, the established giant of the Midwest, struck a bold deal to combine with the scrappy Continental, which had survived bankruptcy and largely won over the flying public.

So what happened?

"You can't attribute it to anything other than management failure," said Brent Bowen, dean of the College of Aviation at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University in Prescott, Ariz. "They were not focusing on the traveling public."

Richard May of Belleville, a recent United passenger, said the airline seemed tone-deaf to its customers.

His troubles began when his Oct. 9 trip from Newark Liberty to Tampa was cancelled while passengers were boarding. He was told the crew had exceeded their allowable flight hours.

"I am a physician and know about duty hour regulations," he said. "But we have backups in place for emergencies such as this. It was amazing to see that there was no crew available to bring us to Tampa. I thought Newark was some major hub for United in the New York metropolitan area."

It got worse. Placed on standby the next day, he said he and his wife Rita were told to retrieve their luggage. But after waiting two hours, they learned the bags had gone on vacation to Tampa without them. The next morning, the couple finally boarded as standby passengers--only to be kicked off the plane after a regular ticketed passenger arrived late.

"I know from experience that yelling doesn't do anything. It's not their fault," he said of the United employees. "But all they told me was to go to the United website and provide 'feedback.' I probably would have been satisfied if someone had just listened to us."

For his part, Oscar Munoz, United's CEO, acknowledged the airline's troubles head-on shortly after taking over in September, and has promised change.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2015/09/united_airlines_ceo_resigns_over_port_authority_pr.html

"I recognize that the journey hasn't always been smooth and it won't be fixed in a day," Munoz said in a letter to employees, days after replacing Jeff Smisek in the top job.

It has already been a rocky road for him. Now recuperating from a heart attack he suffered in October, Munoz, 56, is not expected to return to United until early next year.

A difficult marriage

The story of United Airlines today is the story of an airline that still hasn't digested its complicated merger -- and all airline mergers are complicated.

Nowhere does this play out as dramatically as at Newark Liberty, where approximately 600,000 United passengers will pass through the terminals this Thanksgiving holiday week.

A United Airlines jet takes off as other aircraft are prepared for departure at Newark Liberty international Airport, where more than seven out of every 10 planes are United flights. (Robert Sciarrino | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

For evidence of the struggles to integrate even as United dominates Newark Liberty, look no farther than the two 777 jets sitting on the tarmac this summer.

To the casual observer, they appeared virtually identical.

On their tails, both carried the former blue-and-gold logo of Continental Airlines, while the United name was emblazoned in blue and white along the sides.

It looks nice. In practice, it has been a struggle on many levels.

One plane had a pair of Pratt & Whitney PW4000s mounted under the wings, revealing its United lineage.

The other Triple-7 -- which came from Continental's fleet -- was powered by a set of General Electric GE90 engines. In the maintenance area on the other side of the airport, mechanics must keep spares and parts in storage for both engines.

Like the engines, the cabin crews on those planes also cannot be interchanged. While all flight attendants for United wear similar uniforms, those who came from Continental are not allowed to mix with those who worked for pre-merger United. Every flight has either all United or all Continental cabin crews, requiring the now-combined airline to keep several flight attendants from both sides of the arranged corporate marriage on standby to fill in when someone is sick, late or fails to show up.

Based on past performance, there also was a good chance at least one of the planes would fail to reach its destination on schedule. According to federal Department of Transportation reports, nearly one in four United flights arrives late--an on-time record placing it 10th among the 12 top U.S. airlines.

Long before the forced resignation in September of Smisek -- one of the chief architects of the problem-plagued merger -- the airline seemed to have become every traveler's favorite target, while its failure to reach new labor agreements has infuriated its unions. (In Newark alone, there are approximately 12,000 employess, most of them unionized. The airline is Newark's second-largest employer after Prudential Financial, according to city officials.)

And now the federal government has gotten into the mix, seeking to block the airline from acquiring additional takeoff and landing slots at Newark Liberty.

Major airports such as Newark have a limited number of takeoff and landing authorizations, known as slots, allocated by the Federal Aviation Administration to manage congestion. But the U.S. Department of Justice, charging United's airfares at Newark are among the highest in the country --while its service "ranks among the worst" -- filed a civil antitrust lawsuit earlier this month against the airline, which is consolidating its operations at EWR by moving its flights out of Kennedy International to its hub at Newark.

The government argued that United's efforts to lease additional slots at Newark fortify what has become a monopoly, weakening its rivals' abilities to challenge that dominance.

"A slot is essentially a license to compete at Newark," said Assistant Attorney General Bill Baer of the Justice Department's Antitrust Division in a conference call with reporters. "United already holds most of them, and as a result, competition at Newark is in critically short supply."

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2015/11/feds_seek_to_block_united_airlines_deal_at_newark.html

United has rejected the claims, calling the New York/Newark area "the most competitive air transportation market" in the country.

"Newark is an important United hub and principal transatlantic gateway, yet United has not increased its slots at Newark in many years," said spokesman Rahsaan Johnson. "United has essentially the same share of slots that the FAA provided to Continental when slots were first created at Newark."

But it's also a more expensive gateway. A roundtrip ticket next month from Newark to Orlando on United will set one back $386. The same nonstop flight out of John F. Kennedy International Airport at about the same time on JetBlue or Delta was priced at $224.

George Hobica, a travel expert who operates Airfarewatchdog.com, said the Department of Justice is right to be concerned.

"Travelers in Northern New Jersey do have alternatives. Many fly from JFK or even White Plains; others fly from Philly and Trenton on Frontier," he said. "But Newark is one of the most dominant 'fortress hubs' in the U.S."

In addition, United continues to find itself in the crosshairs of an ongoing federal criminal investigation by the U.S. Attorney's office in New Jersey over its dealings with the Port Authority, the regional bi-state agency that operates Newark Liberty.

Federal prosecutors are looking into whether Smisek in a secret meeting in 2011 with David Samson, the former chairman of the Port Authority, agreed to schedule a money-losing direct flight from Newark to South Carolina, where Samson owns a vacation home.

The twice-weekly flight from New Jersey was put into service while United was negotiating with the Port Authority to expand service to Atlantic City and a $1.5 billion extension of the PATH train to Newark Airport. The flights ended three days after Samson, under fire over the public contracts given to his politically powerful law firm, abruptly resigned in March 2014.

The U.S. Attorney's office has subpoenaed records from the Port Authority and United, but an internal investigation by the airline itself led to the unexpected resignation of Smisek in September, along with two other high-level airline executives who had also been at the meeting with Samson.

Good pizza...

Talk about United and many talk of the days of Continental, fondly recalling its charismatic former CEO, Gordon Bethune, who turned a bankrupt airline around by focusing on customer service, as well as tying bonuses to on-time performance.

It wasn't that the food was great (steamed chicken burritos or burgers in plastic bags, anyone?), or that its planes were any better. But the airline ran on time, its crews were friendly, and the airline was thought by many to be better connected with customers.

Bethune, who would not respond to repeated requests to be interviewed, has said the focus of Continental was to become America's most on-time airline.

"If you're in the pizza business, eventually you've got to make good pizza," Bethune said at the airline's annual meeting in 1995.

Kevin Mitchell, who heads the Business Travel Coalition, an advocacy group, said Continental enjoyed an excellent reputation among business travelers, attributing that largely to Bethune.

But United he said, "enjoyed a toxic employee-management environment" even before the merger.

"United's culture prevailed, with disgruntled employees not eager to please customers in call centers, at airport counters and on board aircraft," he remarked.

United always had contentious labor issues, agreed George Hoffer, a transportation economist at the University of Richmond. And that did not change after the merger.

"You would have expected that the United-Continental merger would have had the most trouble over union confrontations, and they did," he said.

The new company still does not have a joint labor agreement with its 24,000 flight attendants, which is why the former Continental cabin crews do not fly with legacy United crews. It just recently came to a tentative agreement with mechanics in the first joint labor contract since the merger, reached after Smisek's departure. And only this month did it finally announce an agreement in principle had been reached with the Air Line Pilots Association for a contract extension covering the airline's more than 12,000 pilots

Hoffer, though, said it's more than outstanding labor agreements. The company's fleet has also aged and it depends on a "hodge-podge of regional contract carriers" to feed its main hubs, like Newark.

"Their reliability and service went south," he said.

Behinds the scenes at Newark Liberty

Any way you figure it, running an airline that, together with United Express, operates an average of nearly 5,000 flights a day to 352 airports across six continents is a complex business--even if everything works the way it should. Several days spent behind the scenes at Newark Liberty illustrate just how complicated.

From his perch in a control center overlooking the runways, Harel Magaritz, 40, United's managing director of EWR Station Operations Control, watches it play out daily, making sure his airline's fleet of steady arrivals all have a place at the terminal, while pre-positioning planes for departures.

Inside the United Airlines Operations Tower and its view of the runway and gates at Newark Liberty International Airport. (Robert Sciarrino | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Super tugs link up with big wide body jets, hauling them from one end of the terminal to another, or sometimes from one end of the airport to the other. At least 10 aircraft sit in a triangular area still known as "the ballpark," from the days when Newark's airport was a far sleepier place and crews with downtime used it to play softball.

As planes come in, they need to have a gate waiting, and if not immediately being turned around, positioned where they will be ready when needed.

"We always have to anticipate the next move," Margaritz said.

Asked if he was good in chess, Margaritz smiled. "I play Tetris," he said, referring to the fast-paced video game, where geometric tiles must be quickly rotated, shifted or placed in a line.

On a daily basis, the airline's hub operation at EWR sees close to 430 flights come and go to far-ranging destinations, ranging from LAX to CDR and HKG to ROC.

The control center, with its dark carpeting and angled glass, is lined with glowing ground radar displays, flat screen displays of arrival and departure schedules, as well as weather maps and closed circuit TV screens keeping a watch on gates. The flow is constant. Planes are dispatched, catering trucks are directed, mechanics sent to fix a balky cockpit gauge or faulty toilet, and baggage carts are given traffic directions.

Those baggage trains emerge from the dark bowels of the terminal, where another choreographed ballet is continually underway amid a noisy labyrinth of rapidly moving conveyor belts that whisks bags from one end to the other.

From the time a passenger's bag disappears at the check-in gate, it heads down a chute and is directed through security inspection screening and then onto a series of belts that take it to the proper plane, helped by laser readers that scan bag tags.

A red Calvin Klein bag comes hurtling down one chute and its barcode is scanned. With scarcely a pause, it is sent to Houston.

"It's a game-changer," said Stefan Mayden, 57, of the system. Head of airport operations for ramp service and cargo, Mayden remembered when so much of the baggage was moved by hand. Now he can track it all from a small control room, where flat screens display neon green schematics of every conveyor belt and loading point.

The busiest road at Newark Liberty is the two-lane stretch of asphalt directly under terminals, where baggage carts attached to white tractors whiz by like trucks on a freeway, moving luggage to the planes, or bringing back bags that will end up on carousels in the terminal.

So far this day, 14,000 bags have moved through the system. And it's only 1 p.m.

Luggage is moved from a United plane to the baggage sorting area at Terminal C at Newark Liberty International Airport. (Robert Sciarrino | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Recent U.S. Department of Transportation reports show United's baggage complaints were average for the industry this year. Through the first nine months ending in September, United had 3.29 mishandled baggage reports per 1,000 passengers--better than American Airlines, but behind Delta, JetBlue and Virgin America.

On the other side of the airport, Robert Ruzich, is United's fix-it guy. As the airline's managing director for technical operations at Newark, his mechanics service the planes and make sure they're ready to fly.

The planes begin "talking" to maintenance when they are within an hour of the airport, reporting any trouble that need attention. It all shows up on a computer screen. Click on an icon for a plane parked at Gate 137 and a series of messages will pop up.

Engine maintenance work at a United hanger at Newark Liberty Airport. (Ted Sherman | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

A spoiler checklight is out. The toilets don't flush or a coffee maker needs work. Other planes might be reporting a trouble with an engine or more serious issues.

"We're a recovery station. We find out what's wrong and get it back into the air," Ruzich said.

It's not all high-tech. Old-style delivery tricycles with baskets and pedals to supply the power are parked around the inside of one huge maintenance hanger to bring parts and supplies from storage to various jets that wait for attention.

Aircraft needing more extensive work may be ferried to the airline's "heavy" maintenance and overhaul facility in San Francisco.

One of United's maintenance hangers at Newark Liberty International Airport, where planes begin "talking" to mechanics before they even land. (Ted Sherman | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com

Like other U.S. airlines, United also has outsourced some of its heavy maintenance to repair facilities overseas to save money--a practice that has drawn criticism by those who question whether there is sufficient FAA scrutiny of foreign contract stations. The Department of Transportation's Inspector General has raised the issue repeatedly, most recently in a July report regarding the FAA's oversight of repair stations used by American carriers in Europe.

Johnson said the airline contracts with facilities in various worldwide locations, including in China, to perform heavy maintenance, cabin reconfigurations and major overhauls.

"All maintenance work, whether here or abroad, is completed to FAA and United's high standards," said the airline spokesman.

Profits and complaints growing

United is making more money than ever--it reported third-quarter net income of $1.7 billion, up from $1 billion the same period last year

It has been working to upgrade passenger amenities (including a total transformation of Newark's Terminal C, where one can now order sushi, drinks and designer tacos by iPad and have it delivered by a wait staff while they wait for the next flight to Chicago).

The old moving sidewalks at United's Terminal C have been replaced with new bars, restaurants and chef-inspired food offerings that can be ordered through iPads mounted at seats within steps of the terminal gates. (Ted Sherman | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

Still, the carrier remains unloved by many frequent flyers. On-time performance has dropped, while flights have been repeatedly delayed or cancelled because of the airline's failure to integrate its computer systems since the merger, say critics, pointing to a series of computer system crashes this past summer. In July, all United Airlines flights were grounded for almost two hours due to a "computer hardware problem." The airline had a similar grounding in June because of automation issues and Munoz has conceded that technology "is not our shining light."

Mitchell said the integration of the two airlines' computer systems, policies and operations has not gone well.

"Many customers of United's simply do not feel valued," he said.

And many of those passengers have taken to social media sites like "I hate United Airlines" to complain. The administrator of the site asked not to be identified:

"I'm sadly an all too frequent flyer on UA logging 100's of thousands of miles a year for business. I am hesitant to be public. Don't want flight attendants making my life worse!" the blogger texted in response to questions.

Bowen, who co-authors an annual airline quality survey, said United ranked near the bottom in its most recent report. It found on-time arrival performance declined from 79.3 percent in 2013 to 76.0 percent in 2014, mishandled baggage rates went up, as did with customer complaint rates. United fared no better on other customer satisfaction surveys by JD Power and Consumer Reports.

"Twenty years ago, United was in the top tier of the ratings," said the noted Embry-Riddle dean. "Since the merger with Continental, they've been at the bottom. I have not seen any initiatives to improving customer service."

Bowen said he now avoids United himself because of what he sees as a lack of focus on the customer.

"I was loyal to United. But it became personal and I stopped," he remarked.

An analysis of the most recent air travel consumer report by federal Bureau of Transportation Statistics does not give high marks to United when it comes to getting passengers to their destinations on time.

For the 12 months ending in September, just 76.5 percent of United's flights arrived on time -- 10th among U.S. airlines. Delta had an on-time arrival record of 85.6 percent.

The number of complaints filed against the airline, meanwhile, is increasing. The airline had 3.1 complaints per 100,000 boardings in September, up from 2.34 the same month in 2014. Delta had less than 1, and Southwest had .54 complaints per 100,000 boardings for the same period.

United's numbers, though, were not the worst. American Airlines had 4.15 complaints in September, and low-price carrier Spirit Airlines was at the very bottom, with 11.57 per 100,000 boardings.

Changing its flight path

Before he was grounded by his health issues, Munoz acknowledged in interviews that United still had post-merger problems.

"This integration has been rocky. Period," the CEO said in an interview with The Wall Street Journal. "We just have to do that public mea culpa. ... The experience of our customers has not been what we want it to be."

He recalled in other interviews a conversation he had with a flight attendant who was near tears as she told him she worked for the airline for 25 years. "I'm just so tired of having to tell people I'm sorry,'" she told Munoz.

Not expected to return until early next year, Munoz has been temporarily replaced by Brett Hart, the airline's executive vice president and general counsel.

United, in the meantime, says it is making changes.

Johnson noted the airline has added 200 new aircraft in the past five years, including a mix of Boeing 787 Dreamliners, shorter-range 737s and Embraer E175s. He added that October saw one of its best operational months in company history. Customers satisfaction numbers were up, computers disconnect problems were down and United marked "consecutive days with zero cancels in October for the first time in company history."

Oh, and the lousy coffee? United says it is brewing up changes there as well.

The airline, which serves more than 72 million cups of java on board its flights each year, announced last week that Italian premium coffee brand Illy will become its new coffee of choice next year.

Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Three residents who were home at the time the blaze escaped without injury, according to Belleville Fire Capt. Frank Papaianni.

BELLEVILLE -- Three residents safely escaped a township house fire this weekend but a dog died in the blaze, an official said.

Belleville Fire Capt. Frank Papaianni said the fire in a two-story home on Belmont Avenue started around 7:30 p.m. on Saturday night. The fire started in a couch in the rear of the home and extended to the second floor, Papaianni said.

Fire crews battle Belleville blaze (PHOTOS)

One of the two men upstairs escaped through the first floor, while the other exited onto an awning from the second floor and came down a ladder with the help of police, Papaianni said. 

An elderly woman on the first floor who had been sleeping was helped out of the building by neighbors, Papaianni said.

Papaianni said firefighters tried to save the dog, a Rottweiler mix, on the second floor of the home but those attempts were not successful. 

Erin O'Neill may be reached at eoneill@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LedgerErin. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The Saturday night shooting left Najee Daniels, 22, of Newark, dead, according to Essex County's chief assistant prosecutor.

NEWARK -- A 22-year-old man died following a late-night shooting near Newark police headquarters on Saturday night, authorities said.

Police officers responded to reports of gunfire near Bergen Street and Clinton Avenue around 11:50 p.m. and found Najee Daniels, 22, of Newark, wounded, according to Essex County's chief assistant prosecutor, Thomas Fennelly.

Second victim ID'd after back-to-back Newark killings

Daniels was taken to University Hospital in Newark, where he was pronounced dead at 1:30 a.m., Fennelly said.

Fennelly said the investigation is active and ongoing.

NJ Advance Media staff writer Vernal Coleman contributed to this report. 

Erin O'Neill may be reached at eoneill@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LedgerErin. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

The Ports of New Jersey and New York are on track to beat 2014's record breaking year for the number of containers handled, but increased truck traffic is the by-product of that success

If drivers have noticed more container trucks on the road lately, it may be because 2015 is on pace to break record for the number of containers shipped into and out of the Port of New York and New Jersey.

Merchandise purchased by holiday shoppers this past weekend, likely arrived in one of the 311,992 containers handled at the port in October. That broke the record of October 2014 when 306,805 containers were handled, Port Authority of New York and New Jersey officials said. 

October's container traffic represents a 1.7 percent increase over the October 2014 number, said Lenis Rodrigues, a Port Authority spokeswoman. The number of containers topped 300,000 in March and July saw the highest numbers with 339,601 containers handled at six metro area facilities, according to Port Authority statistics.

While 2014 was a record breaking year, with two months to go, 2015 is only 252,992 containers away from beating that record.

But there is a price to be paid and it comes in the form of more highway traffic when those containers are trucked to their destinations. Traffic to the ports average 11,000 truck a day, Rodrigues said.

About 85 percent of those containers are shipped out of the port by truck, she said. The remaining 15 percent are moved on ExpressRail trains, and that number is increasing, Rodrigues said. That number has increased from 12 percent handled by rail in 2012 and authority officials have set a goal for ExpressRail to handle 20 percent of the overall port volume.

RELATED: N.J. bucks national trend of spike in fatal crashes

Back-ups of truck traffic to the port became an issue in April and again in late August and early September, as container trucks lined up during weekday mornings on the New Jersey Turnpike Extension waiting for the Port to open in Bayonne.

A plan was implemented to have those  trucks line-up on local streets to avoid having them back-up on the turnpike extension's eastbound lanes  during the morning rush hour.   

Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @commutinglarry. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Yael Averbuch has won championships, scored the fastest goal in NCAA soccer history and even developed her own signature move, 'The Jersey Turnpike.'

By Paul Brubaker | The Backgrounder

For many soccer players, setting an NCAA record, playing on a national championship team, and representing their country on a U.S. national team would be crowning achievements of a respectable career.

Yael Averbuch

But to Yael Averbuch, these achievements have been stops along the way of her long journey in pursuit of her dream to play in the Olympics or the World Cup.

"I remember at 9, I said I wanted to be a professional soccer player. I didn't really know what that meant," said Averbuch on the latest edition of The Backgrounder podcast.  "But I saw with my parents that if you really want to do something, and that's who you are, you chip away at it every day."

Averbuch credits her parents for getting her started. Her father, she said, once placed fifth in Boston Marathon. And her mother is an avid runner who writes about running, health and fitness.

Today, Averbuch has gone from being a Montclair kid with a dream to a national soccer champion. She's a midfielder for the 2015 National Women's Soccer League Champions FC Kansas City and she plays midfield for the U.S. Women's National Soccer Team.

When she played for the University of North Carolina, Averbuch captured the NCAA record for the fastest goal ever scored. She has even developed her own signature move, the Jersey Turnpike, and has blogged about soccer for nytimes.com.

You can hear about Averbuch's journey as well as her thoughts on women in sports today and her advice for parents of young athletes on The Backgrounder podcast. To listen to it immediately, simply click on the orange play button at the top of this page.

Paul Brubaker, former journalist and congressional spokesman, keeps it real with the people who make New Jersey the most fascinating place on Earth. Check back every week for a new episode of 'The Backgrounder.'

The Orange public school district recently announced it was one of 211 schools to gain accreditation.

ORANGE -- While many New Jersey school districts are struggling to meet new testing requirements and Common Core standards, the schools in Orange have opted to take part in an accreditation program that is not mandated by the state. And, officials say, it may be indicative of a trend among urban public schools in New Jersey.

The Orange school district announced earlier this month that it has received accreditation from the Middle States Association Commissions on Elementary and Secondary Schools. Previously, only the high school had received accreditation, but thanks to a new Middle States program that allows for the accreditation of entire districts instead of just individual schools, Orange added its 10 other schools to the list.

In order to become accredited, districts must perform a self-evaluation of its practices (that generally takes about a year or longer to complete); demonstrate that it is meeting the association's 12 standards in areas like finance, educational program, and facilities; and complete a school improvement plan with action plans that lay out how the district will implement changes.

Are kids better off after $100M? Newark power players talk Facebook donation

According to Hank Cram, the association's president, the improvement plan is the key component that has allowed for a higher number of urban and other low-performing districts to seek and obtain accreditation.

"We are seeing more of it," Cram said of public schools in New Jersey's cities seeking accreditation. In addition to Orange, Middle States, which often works with private and parochial schools, accredited the Pemberton school district in 2012, and is now in talks with Paterson schools, Cram said.

Accreditation "is not so much a performance assessment, as it is (a look at) a district's decision-making process," Cram said.

"The accreditation process examines schools and school systems in a holistic way, supplementing student testing data to provide a more complete measure of performance and chart a strategic and realistic course for continuous school improvement," he said.

Each year, Cram said Middle States, an independent organization, accredits 80 to 90 new schools in its region, which includes five states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico, and the Virgin Islands. About one-third of the schools in N.J. are accredited, Cram said.

Many struggling districts have opted to seek accreditation as a way to reform because its cost - about $5 to $6,000 initially and a $5 to $600 annual membership fee after that - is lower than what consultation firms and other reform efforts may cost, he said.

Orange has been identified as a lagging district by the state's report card system, reporting lower test scores and graduation rates than many of its peer school districts across the state. Superintendent Ronald Lee said the accreditation process allowed school administration to both highlight the current initiatives happening to improve the school system, and outline its plans for the future.

"We basically developed a roadmap for what we are going to do for the next several years," Lee said of the accreditation, which will last seven years.

The main focus, Lee said, will be to expose students of all ages to experiences they may not have had otherwise. The district, he said, has been working to create vocational training for students, as well as opportunities to work in college environments and visit major corporations.

"Especially in urban areas, we want to expose our students to as much as we can," he said.

"We want them to be able to make a choice when they leave high school, and realize that (those choices include) more than just what they may see in the community around them."

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

 

The surge of violence marks the second straight year four people were killed over the Thanksgiving holiday in the state's largest city

NEWARK - For the second straight year, the long holiday weekend around Thanksgiving was marred by a surge of violence in the state's largest city.

A total of four men have been killed in Newark since the late hours of Wednesday, according to authorities. Several others were wounded in separate shootings, though an exact count was not immediately available.

The first victim, 20-year-old Christopher Daniels, was pronounced dead around 9 p.m. after a shooting on Mapes Avenue in the South Ward. Less than half an hour later, 27-year-old Fuquan Johnson of Irvington, was gunned down in the city's Vailsburg section.

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

The bloodshed continued Friday morning, when 47-year-old Wilbert Jones was shot and killed outside his home on Leslie Street, according to police.

The final victim came late Saturday night, when Najee Daniels, 22, was found suffering from a gunshot wound near the intersection of Clinton Avenue and Bergen Street in the South Ward - just steps from city police headquarters. Daniels was rushed to University Hospital, but was pronounced dead around 1:30 a.m. Sunday.

No arrests have been made in the string of killings, and authorities have released no information on potential motives or suspects.

Katherine Carter, a spokeswoman for the Essex County Prosecutor's Office, said the city's homicide total for the year now stands at 91 - two fewer than it recorded during all of 2014.

Last year, four people were killed and at least eight others wounded over the long weekend, prompting Mayor Ras Baraka to declare a "state of emergency" to combat the wave of violence. At the time, the surge pushed the city's homicide total for the year to 85.

City officials have yet to comment after this weekend's string of incidents.

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

 

The mother of a man charged with attempting to murder someone with an ax in a Jersey City mall on Thursday collapsed, struck her head and was knocked out cold when he made his first appearance on the charges today.

JERSEY CITY -- The mother of a man charged with attacking three people inside a mall earlier this month collapsed, hit her head and was knocked out cold during her son's first appearance on the charges last week.

Nelson Lizardi-Moreno, 24, of Newark, is charged with aggravated assault for using an ax on two men and a woman at the Newport Centre mall on Nov. 19, as well as stalking and attempted homicide in connection to the same incident, according to criminal complaints. 

When he appeared in Central Judicial Processing court on Nov. 23 via video link from the Hudson County jail in Kearny, his mother appeared to faint as the charges were being read. A sheriff's officer who rushed to the woman's aid said she was unresponsive.

A sheriff's officer who is also an EMT responded, and the courtroom benches were moved to give the woman and those treating her more room. Her husband held her hand, and an ambulance was called.

By the time the ambulance had arrived, the woman was moving, but she remained flat on her back. She was lifted into a wheelchair and rolled out of the Hudson County Administration Building courtroom.

She was to be taken to Christ Hospital, but some minutes later she reappeared in court and seemed to have recovered.

Meanwhile, Lizardi-Moreno's bail was set at $450,000 cash or bond, $150,000 for each of the alleged victims, court officials said, adding that bail was to be reviewed by a Superior Court judge. He was arrested Friday, Nov. 20, after being found hiding in a closet in Newark.

Police said Lizardi-Moreno went to the Downtown Jersey City mall at around 9 p.m. that night intending to attack his ex-girlfriend, but he was stopped from entering the store where she works by her boss, a 30-year-old Elizabeth woman.

Lizardi-Moreno attacked the Elizabeth woman, leaving her with a serious head injury, and a 24-year-old Carteret man who wrestled the ax away from Lizardi-Moreno, cops said.

He is charged with striking the man and woman with the ax, and also approaching another man threateningly while holding the weapon, which constitutes a count of aggravated assault, the complaint states.

Finally, he is charged with stalking another woman -- his ex-girlfriend -- by sending her unwanted text messages and going to her workplace four times. 

 

November has been unusually warm in New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia this year. But are the temperatures high enough to break any records?

With one more day to go, November 2015 is shaping up to be one of the Top 10 warmest Novembers in more than 100 years, and possibly the warmest ever in Newark and New York City, according to the National Weather Service.

"A lot of places are running up there," James Connolly, a meteorologist for the National Weather Service, said in a telephone interview Monday. 

"It will possibly be the warmest November on record" for Newark and also for New York City, based on Central Park data, said Connolly, who works in the weather service's office in Upton, N.Y.

In Newark, the high temperature in November usually averages 53.7 degrees, but this month it has averaged 60.9, not including Monday. Newark's low is usually 39.1 degrees, but this month it has averaged 44.1.

Dry Monday, but rainy days ahead in N.J.

Newark's overall historic average for November -- factoring in the average high and the average low -- is 46.4 degrees, but this month it has averaged 52.5 degrees, Connolly said.  

A similar picture is emerging for Atlantic City and Philadelphia, said Lance Franck, a meteorologist in the weather service's Mount Holly office, which covers central and southern New Jersey as well as the Philadelphia region.

Without all the numbers crunched for the full month, Franck said he was not in a position to provide definitive historic rankings, but the data so far indicates this: "We're predicting a Top 10 warmest November for a lot of locations in New Jersey and eastern Pennsylvania."

Preliminary numbers compiled by the office of state climatologist David Robinson at Rutgers University show the average temperature across New Jersey was 49.4 degrees in November, which is 3.8 degrees above average. If those numbers are confirmed, this would be the fifth warmest November in the Garden State in 121 years, Robinson said. 

Here's a look at the normal average temperature for Atlantic City, Newark and Philadelphia and the actual average temperature for November 2015, projected by the National Weather Service. (Click on the blue bars to see the specific numbers.)

Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @LensReality. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

Shazam Meighoo, 38, of Newark, pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter and related charges in the June 20, 2012 fatal shooting of 21-year-old Sanithia Jones-Meighoo

NEWARK -- A Newark man admitted on Monday to fatally shooting his wife in front of her young daughter more than three years ago inside their city home.

Shazam Meighoo, 38, made that admission in a Newark courtroom when he pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter and related charges in the June 20, 2012 killing of 21-year-old Sanithia Jones-Meighoo.

"You shot her mother in front of her, right?" Essex County Assistant Prosecutor Naazneen Khan asked Meighoo during Monday's hearing.

Meighoo replied, "Yes."

In addition to aggravated manslaughter, Meighoo pleaded guilty to endangering the welfare of a child and unlawful possession of a weapon.

Under a plea agreement, prosecutors have agreed to recommend an 18-year prison sentence for Meighoo. He would have to serve slightly more than 15 years before becoming eligible for parole.

His sentencing is scheduled for Jan. 11 before Superior Court Judge Ronald Wigler. During Monday's hearing, Wigler noted that, since Meighoo is not a U.S. citizen, he will likely be deported after completing his sentence.

The girl who witnessed the shooting was a child of Jones-Meighoo from a prior relationship, according to Katherine Carter, spokeswoman for the Essex County Prosecutor's Office. Meighoo and Jones-Meighoo were legally married, but did not have any children together, Carter said.

MORE: Newark man to plead guilty to killing wife

The day after the incident, Meighoo fled to Trinidad, Carter said. Meighoo was ultimately arrested there and extradited to the United States by U.S. Marshals in December 2014, Carter said.

During Monday's hearing, Khan noted how Meighoo initially told a detective that he came to the couple's home at 56 Stone Street in Newark and discovered his wife had been shot.

In pleading guilty, Meighoo admitted to shooting Jones-Meighoo in the residence after the couple got into an argument and she struck him with a laptop computer. Although Meighoo said his wife hit him, he admitted he did not act in self-defense and that his life was not in danger that day.

"You weren't in fear for your life though, were you, at that time?" Wigler asked Meighoo.

"No," Meighoo ultimately said.

While answering questions from his attorney, Martin Goldman, Meighoo said on Monday that the three-year-old child was in the next room at the time of the shooting and that the girl was not in danger.

But when pressed by Khan, Meighoo acknowledged the child told police she saw the shooting, and he admitted to picking up the gun and shooting his wife in front of the girl.

"You went and got it, you went and shot her in front of the child, correct?" Khan asked Meighoo.

"Yes," he replied.

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

While a few readers took issue with the problems highlighted in a NJ.com story on the airline, saying their experience on recent flights was trouble-free, many more travelers voiced dissatisfaction over everything from uncaring service representatives, to being unable to get to their destinations.

NEWARK--United Airlines casts a big shadow at Newark Liberty airport, and a lot of people have stories to tell.

More than seven of 10 planes taking off or landing there have United painted on their sides--a number that could grow if the airline gains approval to pick up additional landing and takeoff slots.

But in the five years following the airline's 2010 merger with Continental, many travelers have expressed increasing frustration with United. While racking up record profits (boosted by those baggage fees and reaping the savings of cheap fuel prices), United's performance and customer satisfaction ratings are dragging at or near the bottom of the industry.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2015/11/unfriendly_skies_how_united_became_the_airline_fly.html

Internally, United is now on its third chief executive in three months, many of its employees can't work together because of contractual issues still unresolved five years since the merger with Continental, while the U.S. Justice Department has gone to court to block the airline from expanding at Newark Liberty, charging United's airfares at Newark are among the highest in the country, while its service "ranks among the worst."

While a few readers took issue with the problems highlighted in a NJ.com story on the airline, saying their experience on recent flights was trouble-free, many more travelers--and even some employees--voiced dissatisfaction over everything from what they said were rude or uncaring service representatives, to being unable to get to their destinations.

Here's just a sampling of the comments, some of which have been edited for clarity:

Matt Casey commented on NJ.com's Facebook page:

United is HORRIBLE and they completely RUINED Continental Airlines. When economically feasible, I fly a different airline out of Trenton or Atlantic City - its so much easier and much more pleasant.

brklynrider on NJ.com has gone to other airlines.

Daybyday on NJ.com complained about service:

United Customers or Passengers want good service tell United (to treat employees better) . Fact: It's certainly easier to get better service if employees are paid well, cared for, and respected for what they do. 

TMac Mcalister on NJ.com said he has flown United from Las Vegas-Newark and each time the planes had no on-board entertainment system.

They expect you to use your own tablet to stream a movie or TV program. BUT - here's the beauty part - both times there were no electric outlets at the seats. In first class, no less. The flight attendants were apologetic, they claim the planes are being "retrofitted". But who is the genius at United that not only thought making passengers use their own tablets would be a good idea - of course, not everyone has one - but then doesn't provide power for them on a five-hour flight. Way to go, United.

Dasil F Mustafa on NJ.com's Facebook page likes flying United out of EWR:

United is my favorite airline from Newark to San Diego direct flight (ten-minute) drive from jersey city. Flight go 5x it's the best keeps me going to see my lil ones

Ronnie Fink, also on Facebook, said she always flies United:

Have never had a problem and the flight attendants are always really friendly.

Lorraine on NJ.com, who identified herself as a United customer service agent, said those missing the pre-merger days of Continental should look at who now runs United.

Please just google all the "top brass" of United Airlines and you will find that the majority of them are/ were pre-merger top management FROM CONTINENTAL led by a lawyer (Smisek).  Obviously they didn't have the same mindset as their beloved Gordon Bethune because they certainly didn't carry it over at the merger

What do you think? Continue the conversation below:

Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The 60-unit building at 416-426 Broadway will also include nearly 6,400 feet of retail space

NEWARK - The former home of the Boys & Girls Club in the city's North Ward is set to be demolished to make way for a new retail and apartment building.

Last week, the Municipal Council approved a new financing agreement for the sale of the property at 416-426 Broadway to Carrino Plaza Apartments LLC for $800,000.

The Ardsley, N.Y.-based developer will put an $80,000 down payment to secure the sale, and pay the balance off over a 42-year term, according to documents filed with the city. The council had approved the sale of the building in 2013, but a recent appraisal of the property and changes to the agreement required a new vote, officials said.

MORE: Artist housing, studios planned at dilapidated former Newark bank

The $27.5 million project would be financed with low-income housing tax credits from the New Jersey Housing and Mortgage Finance Agency and private bank loans. No timeline for construction has been offered, but the former clubhouse is set to be demolished to make way for a four-story building complete with 60 affordable housing units and nearly 6,400 square feet of retail space.

"It's going to change that whole area," said At-Large Councilman Luis Quintana.

The facility will be named after Anthony Carrino, a former city councilman who represented the North Ward for 28 years until departing in 2002.

The brick building across from Mount Pleasant Cemetery has been vacant for several years, since the Boys & Girls Club began downsizing amid financial struggles, and has since turned into an prominent eyesore on one of the North Ward's major thoroughfares. The national non-profit also shut down its West Side facility on Littleton Avenue, leaving its Avon Avenue clubhouse as its lone remaining presence in Newark.

North Ward Councilman Anibal Ramos Jr., however, said that the club's departure could have a silver lining through the new project.

"This is taking a neglected and abandoned former Boys & Girls Club and converting it into housing in an area that definitely needs it," he said.

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

 

New Jersey, a leading state for using renewable energy sources, features one of the nation's top cities for use of solar power per capita, according to a new study.

Think of cities across the country where solar power is booming, and some obvious sunny spots come to mind: Las Vegas, Phoenix, Los Angeles, San Antonio. 

There's another city, however, that beats them in solar energy production. Try sunny Newark, N.J.

Newark, in fact, ranks eighth in a survey of 65 large U.S. cities in terms of solar energy produced per capita, according to a study released Monday by Environment New Jersey Research & Policy Center. 

The report, "Shining Cities," was released to coincide with the opening of the United Nations' Conference on Climate Change in Paris. Nearly 200 nations will be meeting in the Paris -- known as "The City of Light" -- for the next two weeks to draft an agreement to reduce carbon emissions across the world. 

"I think clearly the message of the Paris climate talks is, we need action on reducing carbon pollution now," said Doug O'Malley, director of Environment New Jersey. Switching to solar power, he said, is the cleanest and fastest way to reduce fossil-fuel dependence.  

Organizers and supporters announced the findings on the roof of the New Jersey Institute of Technology, which holds 160 solar panels producing 50 kilowatts of power, saving the school more than $300,000 over the past decade, the center said.

"Achieving a sustainable world is one of NJIT's core missions, and we view new forms of energy production as central to that goal," Donald Sebastian, president of NJIT's New Jersey Innovation Institute said in a statement.

Newark has been leading the way across the state, added Mayor Ras Baraka in the statement. 

"Having witnessed the installation of renewable energy systems at five of our Newark Public Schools, several at the Newark Housing Authority in our communities, and through the city among our private sector partners, there's still more work to be done," he said. "We will use the energy of solar power to help transform Newark into an example for the nation and a city we can all believe in."

Related: Christie administration joins effort to block Obama's Clean Power Plan

The report noted that solar panels at the Camden Street School and Barringer High School/STEAM Academy produce 750 and 647 kilowatts of power, respectively. Solar panels at the Newark Farmers Market generate 1.1 megawatts of power, or enough to power several hundred homes in New Jersey.

Other New Jersey cities that have facilities producing significant amounts of solar-generated power include Elizabeth (14.1 megawatts), Jersey City (13.9 megawatts) and Perth Amboy, (12.9 megawatts.)

"Clearly, we need to ensure that we're continuing to have a leadership role and our cities are a good way to do that," O'Malley said.

Environment New Jersey said local governments are important in pushing solar power development, since the Christie administration has diverted more than $1 billion from ratepayer payments for renewable energy programs. The administration in October also joined other states in a lawsuit seeking to block President Obama's Clean Power Plan, calling it "fundamentally flawed" and costly to New Jersey. House Republicans are expected to vote against the plan this week. 

Nevertheless, the report indicated that the market for solar energy is soaring, with the top 65 cities installing more solar power collection capacity than the entire country did in 2009.

The top solar-producing cities per capita are Honolulu, Indianapolis, San Jose, San Diego, Wilmington, Del., New Orleans, Denver, Newark, Phoenix and San Antonio, according to the report. 

 

The appellate judges rejected the argument made by Shaheed Ervin that he had received ineffective legal assistance before pleading guilty in connection with the 2006 fatal shooting of Brian Hodges

Shaheed ErvinNew Jersey Department of Corrections 

NEWARK -- A state appellate panel on Monday upheld the conviction of a man serving an 18-year prison sentence for killing another man in a 2006 shooting at a Newark bar.

The appellate judges rejected the argument made by Shaheed Ervin that he had received ineffective legal assistance before pleading guilty in 2008 in connection with the fatal shooting of Brian Hodges, 20, of Irvington.

Ervin, 29, formerly of Newark, claimed his attorney "failed to prepare for trial" and "that he was otherwise forced to plead guilty," according to the appellate decision.

But the appeals court noted that, when Ervin entered the guilty plea, he "indicated to the judge he was guilty and stated at the plea hearing that he wanted to avoid additional prison time," the decision states.

"Defendant also testified at the plea hearing that no one threatened or coerced him to plead guilty, he was doing so voluntarily, and he was satisfied with the legal services of his plea counsel," the decision states.

The appellate panel also dismissed Ervin's claim "that if he had met with plea counsel more frequently, namely more than three times, the result would have been different," according to the decision.

"However, defendant produced no competent evidence to demonstrate with 'reasonable probability' that the result would have been different," the decision states.

MORE: 4 dead after shootings mar holiday weekend in Newark

The shooting occurred on April 24, 2006 at the Oasis Bar on South Orange Avenue in Newark, where another fatal shooting occurred about a year ago.

At the time, police said Hodges and his friend, Eddie Grady, had just finished a game of pool when the gunman entered the bar and opened fire. Hodges was struck in the upper torso and died at the scene.

Police said officers found Grady outside the bar with gunshot wounds to the right hand and left leg. He survived his injuries.

Ervin was later arrested at his Pomona Avenue home, police said. Police at the time did not disclose a motive in the shooting.

Ervin pleaded guilty on Sept. 9, 2008 to aggravated manslaughter, aggravated assault and unlawful possession of a weapon. When he pleaded guilty, Ervin "testified he walked into a bar and fired five shots using a 357 revolver," according to the appellate decision.

"He admitted during the hearing that he knew by firing the gun there was a probability of death," the decision states.

On Nov. 7, 2008, Superior Court Judge Michael L. Ravin sentenced Ervin to the 18-year prison sentence recommended by prosecutors under a plea agreement. Ervin will be eligible for parole in January 2024.

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