He spent campaign funding on airfare to Puerto Rico during Super Bowl week, tickets to the U.S. Open and a gym membership. After fighting an ELEC enforcement action for four years, Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo has agreed to settle the case.

For four years, Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo waged a court battle against charges he failed to disclose thousands in campaign spending and misused thousands more on trips to Puerto Rico, tickets to sporting events, a gym membership and other expenses.

On Wednesday, the powerful Democratic unexpectedly ended his fight with an agreement to settle the long-standing state enforcement action by paying $20,446 in penalties to resolve the case first brought by New Jersey's Election Law Enforcement Commission in 2013.

The settlement brings an end to the longest-running case in ELEC's history.

DiVincenzo's efforts to challenge the ELEC action and have the case dismissed were finally rejected by a state appeals court in September, reopening a matter that had been tossed out earlier on a legal technicality.

In the settlement finalized on Wednesday, the county executive neither admitted nor denied the violations alleged. Attorney Angelo Genova of Newark, who represents DiVincenzo, said his client was pleased to have mutually resolved the matter with the commission.

"This has been a textbook case on how the rules on permissible campaign fund expenditures for all candidates and public officials remain gray and not black or white," Genova said in a statement. "The county executive believes this settlement is fair under all the circumstances and avoids the expense of further litigation."

Jeffrey Brindle, ELEC's executive director, said the commission was satisfied with the outcome and credited his legal staff for litigating the case.

"It's good to have this matter resolved," he said.

The county executive's prolific campaign spending first came under scrutiny in 2011, after Marilynn English, a frequent critic and political foe, filed a formal complaint with ELEC regarding his alleged lack of disclosure on mandatory election finance reports.

In a separate examination of his campaign filings, The Star-Ledger found over one four-month period in 2012 DiVincenzo had used money from campaign donors to pay for more than 100 meals, 28 golf games and airfare for a planned trip to Puerto Rico. Those reports also showed he amassed about $250,000 in charges to his personal credit cards, paying off those bills with campaign account funds without disclosing the nature of any of the charges.

The election commission filed a complaint in October 2013, charging DiVincenzo-- one of New Jersey's most powerful Democrats and a close ally of Republican Gov. Chris Christie-- with misusing more than $16,000 in campaign funds and failing to disclose nearly $72,000 in campaign spending over a two-year period.

DiVincenzo was charged with improperly spending more than $9,000 for airfare, hotel stays and food for two trips to Puerto Rico during Super Bowl weekends in 2011 and 2012 that had been described as a political retreat for Essex County Democrats.

The complaint also charged that DiVincenzo used his campaign account to pay for tickets to the U.S. Open, Devils games and a Houston Astros game; a $676.94 tuxedo at Joseph A. Bank; a $97.25-a-month gym membership; and more than $100 in parking tickets in Nutley.

It also alleged that he did not disclose 614 campaign expenditures valued at $71,810 from 2010 to 2012.

However, attorneys for DiVincenzo challenged the complaint, arguing that no Democrats had participated in the enforcement proceeding.

By law, the four-member election commission cannot have any more than two members of the same party-- historically two Democrats and two Republicans. However, open seats on the election watchdog agency left unfilled for years by Christie, and a recusal by former commissioner Walter Timpone-- now a Supreme Court justice-- meant that no Democrats participated in ELEC's vote to bring action against the county executive.

DiVincenzo argued that absent a bipartisan vote, ELEC could not act and an administrative law judge agreed.

In September, however, a state appellate panel rejected the argument, resurrecting the case.

In its final decision on Wednesday, Brindle said commission agreed to drop some of the charges, and DiVincenzo filed amended reports itemizing expenditure information for 169 credit card transactions. The county executive also reimbursed his account for a number of expenses deemed to be impermissible, including the tuxedo, the gym membership and a parking ticket. Some of the airfare costs for staff members to attend a conference were found to be permissible expenses and those counts were dropped.

However, Brindle said expenses for a number of concert tickets and sporting events, including the U.S. Open, were disallowed.

There is no bar to DiVincenzo paying the settlement through his campaign finance account. According to ELEC officials, the only time a candidate's campaign funds cannot be used to write the check for an enforcement penalty is if that penalty resulted from a criminal case.

Genova said the commission recognized the county executive's representation that he possessed a "good faith belief" that the expenditures at issue were permissible by withdrawing a number of violations, by not requiring reimbursement of those disputed expenditures and by imposing a modest fine.

"We encourage the commission to address the vagueness of these rules in the future through new rule making and public comment to lend clarity to public officials and candidates," Genova said.

The 55-year-old is charged with burglary and theft

A 55-year-old Newark man buzzed into a Catholic school in Old Bridge by an employee was arrested Tuesday after allegedly stealing an envelope from a teacher's bag in an empty classroom, police said.

Quentin C. Hunt is charged with stealing from a teacher's bag at a Catholic school in Old Bridge. (Photo courtesy Old Bridge police) 

Quentin C. Hunt is charged with burglary and theft, Old Bridge police said. 

Hunt entered St. Thomas the Apostle on Route 18 around 10:45 a.m. Monday, and walked into an unoccupied classroom before leaving with the envelope, police said.

The envelope contained "miscellaneous, non-personal items," but not money, according to police. Hunt never came into contact with any students and didn't know the teacher from whom he allegedly stole, according to Capt. Steven Daroci.

Hunt was taken into custody in Elizabeth around 1 p.m. Tuesday.

In March, Hunt was arrested and charged with stealing $6,000 from a rectory safe at St. Mary's church in Lyndhurst.

St. Thomas Principal Joanne Kowit apologized for the "unfortunate" incident in a letter posted on the school's website. 

Man stole from church twice in week, cops say

"I am not trying to minimize the seriousness of this incident, but I would like you to know that at no time were your children confronted by this man or left unattended," Kowit said. "The teachers were quick to respond to the alert, sheltered in place, and kept the students calm and safe."

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

The Devils will host a toy drive during home games on Dec. 8 and Dec. 12.

The Devils and the city of Newark will host a toy drive during home games on Friday, Dec. 8 and Tuesday, Dec. 12 at the Prudential Center.

Newark Mayor Ras J. Baraka and the city's Department of Recreation, Cultural Affairs, and Senior Services will run the toy drive.

Fans in attendance will be able to bring new, unwrapped toys to either game, where Devils' wives and girlfriends will be on hand to collect them.

In exchange for a donation, fans will receive a voucher for two free tickets to a future 2017-18 Devils home game.

How Devils got back to identity

"It's been said that the holiday season is when prosperity rejoices and want is felt most keenly," Baraka said in a statement. "This important partnership between our city and our state's premiere sports franchise enables us to share the joy and love of this special season with residents in need and maintain our commitment to them. I applaud the New Jersey Devils for joining our effort to ensure that every child receives a gift over the holidays. I would like to urge our residents and Devils fans to support this program by providing toys. This is a game-winning goal for all of Newark."

The Devils host the Columbus Blue Jackets on Friday before the Los Angles Kings visit the Prudential Center on Tuesday. Friday's game is also Star Wars Night at the Prudential Center, and it kicks off a stretch where the Devils play eight of 10 games at home.

Chris Ryan may be reached at cryan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ChrisRyan_NJ. Find NJ.com Devils on Facebook.

More than one person suspected in deadly robbery attempt. Watch video

Authorities on Wednesday announced a reward of up to $10,000 for tips leading to an arrest and conviction in the killing of a man who was gunned down in front of his wife and 8-year-old son during an apparent robbery attempt outside his Irvington apartment.

Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura's Crime Stoppers program offered the reward in the murder of Marco Angamarca-Yupa, 29, according to officials.

A man was killed outside this Irvington apartment building Monday night, authorities said. (Taylor Tiamoyo Harris | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) 

Two assailants apparently confronted Angamarca-Yupa around 11 p.m. Monday after he arrived at his apartment in the 800 block of Grove Street, family members previously said. Angamarca-Yupa's wife and young son were with him when he was shot. 

Angamarca-Yupa, who is from Ecuador and moved to the area about four years ago, was fatally shot, according to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office. The circumstances surrounding the slaying remained unclear.

Prosecutor's office spokeswoman Katherine Carter said the agency had no updates on the investigation Wednesday afternoon. Investigators believe more than one person was involved, but did not confirm accounts provided by the slain man's family or area residents. 

"The child, he saw everything happen," said Pedro Qubzada, the family's landlord.

Candles were left at the scene of the shooting in the apartment driveway Tuesday and police stationed officers near the home.

The killing marked Irvington's sixth homicide of the year compared to four murders in 2016, according to records.

Irvington reported 227 robberies, including 123 holdups that involved a firearm, as of October this year, records from the New Jersey State Police show. Last year, the township of approximately 54,000 people logged 128 gunpoint holdups out of 236 robberies in the same period.

Anyone with information on Monday's killing was urged to call the prosecutor's office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force tips line at 1-877-847-7432 or 1-877-TIPS-4EC.

Taylor Tiamoyo Harris and Karen Yi contributed to this report.

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

Have information about this story or something else we should be covering? Tell us: nj.com/tips

Brian K. Anglin of Rahway is accused of stabbing and robbing the veteran nurse in a parking lot at University Hospital

University Hospital in Newark, where a nurse was stabbed in a parking lot on Nov. 26.Star-Ledger file photo 

A Rahway man admitted he stabbed a nurse after trying to rob her in a parking lot outside a Newark hospital last month, a prosecutor said in court Wednesday.

The revelation came during a detention hearing when Brian K. Anglin, 56, was ordered held on aggravated assault, robbery and weapons charges stemming from the Nov. 26 attack at University Hospital on South Orange Avenue.

Superior Court Judge Siobhan Teare granted a motion by the Essex County Prosecutor's Office that Anglin remain at the Essex County Correctional Facility pending presentation of the case to a grand jury.

Assistant Essex County Prosecutor Jamel Semper told the judge that Anglin was captured on surveillance video near the scene a short time after the Sunday night attack, and that Anglin later acknowledged it was he on the tape and that he had stabbed the nurse. 

Anglin entered a not guilty plea during his initial appearance following his arrest last week, according to the prosecutor's office.

Semper said Anglin approached the nurse and demanded money, then stabbed her in the upper abdomen before she had a chance to comply with his demand.

The nurse, a 25-year veteran of University Hospital who is in her 60's, was headed to her car after working a shift in the hospital's labor and delivery unit. She survived the attack and staggered to the hospital's emergency room for treatment.

Semper said Newark police arrested Anglin near the scene the following day, when he was found with a box cutter. He said Anglin had an extensive criminal record that included burglary and drug possession convictions in New Jersey, as well as prior offenses in the State of Georgia.

The attack prompted a call for increased security by the Health Professionals and Allied Employees, the nurse's union. Rutgers officials said they would boost patrols.

The Rutgers University Police Department, which patrols University Hospital, was working with hospital officials to enhance security for staff and visitors, a university spokesman said after the incident.

Anglin's public defender for the hearing in Newark, Donna Scocozza, had told the judge that her client was living in Rahway with his sister. Scocozza said Anglin was employed with a local company, helping to support the household, and that keeping him behind bars would be a hardship on the family.

The judge was unmoved, however, and ordered her client held.

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

Have information about this story or something else we should be covering? Tell us: nj.com/tips

Michael Garland was caught in the act, according to police

A burglary suspect was arrested Wednesday morning as he was leaving a home near the Newark-Bloomfield border, Newark's Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said.

Police say Michael Garland, 44, of Scotch Plains, entered a home on N. 13th Street through a side door. People inside fled through the front door.

Garland was captured shortly afterwards and charged with burglary and criminal mischief, Ambrose said.

"I am grateful to Director Samuel DeMaio and the Bloomfield Police Department for their invaluable partnership, aimed at enhancing the quality of life for our residents and neighbors along the borders of our cities," Ambrose said.

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

Worthy of a museum or gallery

As you can imagine, I look at thousands of photos each year for these galleries. There are always some that simply stand out.

Close, but not eggs-zactly. 

Not because they were taken by professional photographers who've had years to perfect their craft, but because they were taken by folks like you and me, usually using the basic cameras we had available to us back in the day.

Sometimes it's the composition, perhaps an unintentional balance of shapes or lines. It could be the lighting, or perhaps the contrasting shades.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

But what makes them truly works of art in my mind was that for the most part, they just ... happened. People going about their daily lives, inanimate objects positioned just right.

Here's a selection of some vintage New Jersey photos that we think qualify as works of art. And here's a link to last year's gallery.

Vintage photos from N.J. that are works of art

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

Officials could not say if the 23-year-old man was killed in the Newark park or elsewhere

The Essex County Sheriff's Crime Stoppers program is offering up to $10,000 for information that brings an arrest and conviction in the killing of a Newark man who was found fatally shot in Vailsburg Park, officials said Wednesday. 

Richard Culver, 23, was discovered dead Saturday night in the approximately 30-acre county park, located in Newark's West Ward, according to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office.

A prosecutor's office spokeswoman, Katherine Carter, could not say if Culver was killed in the park or elsewhere. Officials did not disclose information about the circumstances leading up to the killing or comment on a possible motive.

Anyone with information was asked to call the prosecutor's office tip line at 1-877-847-7432 or 1-877-TIPS-4EC.

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

Have information about this story or something else we should be covering? Tell us: nj.com/tips

Rutgers is among 15 large universities in a competition run by the prestigious James Beard Foundation. Watch video

After extensive taste tests and on-campus research, Rutgers University thinks it has built a better burger.

The new signature hamburger -- which blends ground beef, mushrooms, onions, celery, parsley, miso paste, egg and other ingredients -- has been getting high marks in campus dining halls.

Now, the Rutgers burger, dubbed the Sizzling Scarlet Knight burger, is competing against burgers at 14 other large universities to see which campus has the best healthy hamburger in the nation.

University officials are encouraging students, faculty and staff to vote online for the Rutgers entry in the "Blended Burger" competition run by the James Beard Foundation, a prestigious culinary arts organization.

The contest is promoting the idea that traditional hamburgers can be replaced with tastier and more eco-friendly versions that swap out some or all of the ground beef for mushrooms and other healthier ingredients.

"Winning would be an honor that would bring more notoriety to Rutgers and give us the bragging rights to having the best blended burger in the country," said Peggy Policastro, director of behavioral nutrition at Rutgers' New Jersey Institute for Food, Nutrition and Health and nutrition specialist for the university's dining halls.

The two universities that receive the most online votes before Dec. 15 will face off at the James Beard House in New York City in April to cook their signature burgers.

Anyone, even if you are not affiliated with the university, can vote once a day. As of Wednesday afternoon, Rutgers University was in third place among the 15 universities in the competition.

The top two vote-getters were the University of Massachusetts Amherst (with its Chicken Tikka Masala Burger with eggplant raita, cilantro and red onions) and North Carolina State University (with its Carolina Style BBQ Blended Burger made with smoked Cremini and button mushrooms that are ground with chuck steak).

The Rutgers burger was developed as part of the university's efforts to offer healthier food in its dining halls.

The university, which is best known for the calorie-laden "Fat Sandwiches" served at campus food trucks, recently joined the "Menus of Change" movement led by Stanford University and the Culinary Institute of America that encourages dining halls to offer food that uses less resources and is more environmentally friendly.

Rutgers Dining Services introduced the Sizzling Scarlet Knight burger last spring after testing the idea of a blended burger on students. The version of the burger that used 50 percent white button mushrooms and 50 percent ground beef with added spices got the highest marks, campus officials said.

"What better vehicle to introduce stealth health into the student body than through the iconic burger,'' said Ian Keith, a Rutgers chef who is leading the effort to redesign campus menus.

The 8-ounce Rutgers burger, which is seared in sunflower oil and served on a whole wheat kaiser bun, has half the fat of a traditional burger, Keith said. The mushrooms and other vegetables add fiber and reduce the amount of red meat needed.

"Cows produce 500 million tons of manure each year, releasing more greenhouse gasses than 22 million cars,'' Keith said. "Americans eat 50 billion burgers a year. By taking four ounces of red meat in an 8-ounce burger and replacing it with mushrooms, we are helping to cut that number in half.''

The burger is currently served on Rutgers' New Brunswick-Piscataway and Camden campuses. It is on the daily menu at Livingston Dining Commons and Henry's Diner on the Piscataway campus and is available for takeout at the Neilson and Busch dining halls in New Brunswick.

It is not available at Rutgers-Newark, where an outside contractor oversees the dining hall food, school officials said.

Awards, honors and more to recap the 2017 boys soccer season.

BOYS SOCCER SEASON IN REVIEW, 2017

• Jose Escandon of Kearny is the NJ.com Player of the Year

• Delbarton is the NJ.com Team of the Year

• Duncan Swanwick of Morris Catholic is the NJ.com Coach of the Year

ALL-STATE TEAMS

• First, second, third team all-state

• All-Group 4

• All-Group 3

• All-Group 2

• All-Group 1

• All-Non-Public

FINAL RANKINGS

• The NJ.com final Top 50

• Final group and conference rankings

CONFERENCE REVIEWS

• Sebastian Varela of Ramapo is the Big North Conference Player of the Year

• John Strohlein of Delran is the Burlington County Scholastic League Player of the Year

• Shadrach Asadu of Atlantic City is the Cape-Atlantic League Player of the Year

• Jack Dugan of Haddonfield is the Colonial Conference Player of the Year

• Andrew Beamer of Princeton is the Colonial Valley Conference Player of the Year

• Matt Hoyt of Monroe is the Greater Middlesex Conference Player of the Year

• Jose Escandon of Kearny is the Hudson County Interscholastic Athletic League Player of the Year

• Omar Sowe of Harrison is the North Jersey Interscholastic Conference Player of the Year

• Tommy Scalici of Morris Knolls is the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference Player of the Year

• Matthew Pattison of Bishop Eustace is the Olympic Conference Player of the Year

• Anthony Arena of Holmdel is the Shore Conference Player of the Year

• Owen Wolfson of Pingry in the Skyland Conference Player of the Year

• Maurice Williams of West Orange is the Super Essex Conference Player of the Year

• Sinan Tuzcu of Glassboro is the Tri-County Conference Player of the Year

• Mark Walter of Westfield is the Union County Conference Player of the Year

Brian Deakyne may be reached at bdeakyne@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BrianDeakyne. Richard Greco may be reached at rgreco@njadvancemedia.com.  Follow him on Twitter @RichardGrecoHS . Find NJ.com on Facebook.

There are many reasons why Amazon should open its second headquarters in Newark. First, accessibility. By air, sea or highway, a multitude of roads that emanate from the city like strands in a spider web, guaranteeing that Amazon's stuff will get from here to there in short order. Second, Amazon is already here. It is the parent company of Audible, which sells and produces spoken audio programming and has...

There are many reasons why Amazon should open its second headquarters in Newark.

First, accessibility. By air, sea or highway, a multitude of roads that emanate from the city like strands in a spider web, guaranteeing that Amazon's stuff will get from here to there in short order.

Second, Amazon is already here. It is the parent company of Audible, which sells and produces spoken audio programming and has operated its headquarters in Newark since 2007. 

Amazon has seven distribution centers and warehouses along the Turnpike, a newly opened 1-million-square footer in Carteret, and two of equal size planned for Edison and Florence. The company already employees 13,000 people in the state.

Then there are the seven billion other reasons. That's the number of dollars the state ($5 billion) and city ($2 billion) are promising Amazon in tax breaks and incentives.

But perhaps Newark's most alluring attribute is an intangible -- a social element. It's an opportunity for Amazon founder Jeff Bezos to single-handedly help shape the future of the city.

MORE: Recent Mark Di Ionno columns 

Places like New York and Philadelphia can't offer that kind of appeal. They are complete cities. In Newark, Amazon could see itself, like Prudential, as the company that helped formed and forged a new future for a rebounding city.

Newark could be Amazon's company town. In recent weeks, when Bezos surpassed Bill Gates as America's wealthiest man, there were comparisons of each man's philanthropy. Bezos came in a distant second. Not even second. But far below the likes of Mark Zuckerburg and Warren Buffet. Making a huge investment in Newark might take the sting out of that criticism.       

On a bus tour of the several potential sites in the downtown Newark area yesterday, Mayor Ras Baraka and two of the city's economic development leaders were armed with lots of facts and figures about what Amazon wants and what the city can provide.

"We can check all the boxes," said Aisha Glover, president and chief executive officer of the Newark Community Economic Development Corp.

Some are obvious.

Transportation. Check.

Infrastructure. Check.

Room to expand? Plenty.

Access to a tech-savvy workforce? The New Jersey Institute of Technology is on the doorstep and Stevens Institute is up the road. Not to mention Rutgers.

Properly wired? Newark's fiber optics were built into information carrier hotels 20 years ago and have been improving steadily since. Audible CEO Don Katz lauded Newark's "lightning fast Wi-Fi."

A healthy corporate culture? Prudential, PSE&G, IDT, Panasonic, and they keep coming. Broadridge Financial Solutions arrived in October, and Mars Wrigley Confectionery is coming soon.

There are many more boxes that can be checked.

Culture. The Prudential Center. The New Jersey Performing Art Center.

Downtown life. New residential developments are popping up as fast as new restaurants.

But with all that said, Newark is still very much a work in progress. And the hope is that Bezos will see that his company can be an integral part of that transformation.

"They will have a chance to define the narrative of this city," said Carmelo Garcia, the city's deputy mayor of housing and economic development.

Amazon is asking potential host cities to be able to provide 500,000 square feet of office space immediately, with room for as much as an additional 8 million square feet. That's one advantage Newark has over built-out cities - that kind of room is available.

At 33 Washington St., the modern building next to the Newark Museum and down the street from Audible, 250,000 square feet are currently under renovation. At 520 Broad Street, another 350,000 square feet are immediately available. The Gateway Center has 655,953 square feet of vacancy.

That's the easy part.

If Amazon comes, it will need real space. Millions of square-feet worth.

On the bus tour yesterday, the officials showed off the 15.5 acres across the street from the Prudential Center and stretching east into the Ironbound. That area, now called Mulberry Commons is where Mars is coming, into a gigantic former rail freight warehouse. The 500,000-square-foot behemoth towers over Route 21 and the tracks into Penn Station.

Another site is the 11.5 acres near Riverfront Stadium, soon to be torn down and replaced with a 2,000-unit residential building and commercial space. Then there's a 5.6-acre area next to the FBI building on the waterfront and surrounded by the newer glass-and-steel office buildings  downtown, off McCarter Highway.

But perhaps most intriguing is the area officials are calling "South of Market." This is the Halsey Street business area of hair salons and clothing stores, in tired  structures from Newark's century-old building boom. In the parking lots are several abandoned garages and warehouses. But across the street is the new Teacher's Village - nationally recognized as a model for urban, business-district residential development for people of moderate incomes.

Baraka pointed out that part of the selling strategy to Amazon is to get them to see that anywhere they build in Newark will be an extension of "great things already happening."

"I grew up in Newark," the mayor said. "I've been hearing about 'The Renaissance' my whole life. It's been the longest Renaissance in history. But now it's here. Even our detractors can see it.

"Amazon can be a big part of it," he said. "We hope that appeals to them ... that we can help them and they can help us."

Baraka said the Newark he envisions - and that is coming to fruition - is a place where there "is equitable affordability in housing."

"We want to create real neighborhoods in the downtown," he said. "Where there are opportunities to live and go out for all people. That is part of our overall narrative.

"We think that's something they want to be a part of, too. To invest in a community, and make a real difference."

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

One Newark Center towers over the city's burgeoning downtown.

A Chinese firm is investing in Newark.

Beijing Ideal Group, a investment and development company, purchased most of One Newark Center, a 22-story building on Raymond Boulevard near Military Park and Newark Penn Station, commercial realtor JLL announced this week.

The financial details of the company's purchase from its previous owners, Mack-Cali Realty Corp. and The Praedium Group, were not disclosed. But, Cushman and Wakefield, a real estate services firm, announced earlier this month it had secured $66.58 million in financing for the Chinese company to buy the sixth through 22nd floors of the building. The first five floors will remain Seton Hall Law School, and were not part of the sale.

Morgan Stanley put up the 10-year, fixed rate financing for the sale, Cushman and Wakefield said.  

The portion of the building sold includes 423,028 square feet of office space, and an attached 10-story, 945-space parking deck connected to the building. The building long housed the swanky Newark Club, which shut its doors earlier this year, with news that the building's owners were putting it up for sale.

"Spurred by Newark's progressively transforming landscape, One Newark Center was one of New Jersey's most sought-after investments in 2017," JLL Managing Director Thomas Walsh said in a release about the sale.

"Prospective buyer profiles ran the gamut, and included institutional investors, regional operators and even foreign funds."

The sale marks what may be a trend of foreign investment in the state's largest city. In December of last year, a Kuwait-based investment fund bought Two Riverfront Plaza in Newark. Earlier this year, the city's mayor, Ras Baraka, launched a campaign aimed at Chinese investors, asking them to consider Newark as the "logical next step" for investment, as prices continue to rise in Manhattan and Brooklyn.

"The fact that another international buyer has invested in a Newark office building speaks volumes about the evolution of the market," said Brian Lindenberg, vice president of asset management at Praedium.

"The perception of the city continues to improve in the eyes of international investors, attracted by Newark's connectivity to New York and the rest of the tristate region."

Mack-Cali and the Praedium affiliate have been trying to sell the property since 2012 to pay off a $91.7 million loan on the property, dropping the asking price several times since then, according to a March report in Commercial Real Estate Direct, a subscription website.

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

Congratulations to these 65 recipients.

The 2017 New Jersey high school football Mini Max Award recipients were announced Wednesday by Maxwell Football Club president Mark Dianno.

According to club’s press release, players were nominated by their coaches throughout the season and were evaluated based on football performance, academics and community service.

The recipients will be honored at a dinner held Jan. 28 at St. David the King located in Princeton Junction. The dinner is open to the public and tickets are available on the club’s website www.maxwellfootballclub.org.

At the dinner, the Maxwell Football Club will also name one Mini Max winner the New Jersey Player of the Year.

The winner -- along with the Players of the Year from Pennsylvania and Delaware -- will be the candidates for the Jim Henry Award, which is given to the region’s Outstanding Player. The winner of the Jim Henry Award will be announced as part of the Maxwell Football Club’s National Awards Gala on March 19 at the Tropicana in Atlantic City.

Below are the 65 Mini Max award winners listed in alphabetical order by school.

Marcus Manning, Bayonne
Joseph Emerson, Becton
Charles Schuller, Bernards
Andrew Klitchko, Bishop Eustace
Joseph Pentz, Bloomfield
Justin Bryant, Bridgewater-Raritan
Jimmy Browne, Burlington City
Elias Tadros, Butler
James Miller, Caldwell
Joseph McCarthy, Cedar Grove
Will Anderson, Delbarton
Vinny DePalma, DePaul
Noah Castar, Ewing
Mark Pacini, Florence
Dan Allegro, Franklin
William Ciemmy, Haddonfield
Chad Musilli, High Point
Serge Felizor, Hightstown
Charles Amankwaa, Hillsborough
Christian Branch-Young, Hillside
Josh Zamot, Holy Spirit
Matt Lynch, Immaculata
Jasiah Provillon, Irvington
Joseph Turek, Johnson
Joel Scerbo, Kingsway
Coleton Klaus, Lacey
Joshua Lezin, Lakewood
Sean Mclaughlin, Lawrence
Matt Lajoie, Lenape
Troy Dupont, Lenape Valley
Daniel Weiss, Livingston
Kaymar Mimes, Long Branch
Javis Hanks, Shabazz
Luke Corcione, Manalapan
Ryan Rodriguez, Matawan
Jermer Downing, Millville
Tarrin Earle, Montclair
Grant Papa, Montgomery
Mitchell Lisa, Moorestown
Kyle Frimel, New Egypt
Zachary Thomas, Old Bridge
Henry Pearson, Paramus Catholic
John Donegan, Paul VI
Nicholas Josselyn, Phillipsburg
David Kohler, Pinelands
James Fara, Point Pleasant Borough
Zach Bair, Red Bank Catholic
Peter Lucas, Rumson-Fair Haven
Zaire Jones, Salem
Cooper Heisey, Scotch Plains-Fanwood
Cameron Carti, Seton Hall Prep
Ryan Kovacs, Somerville
Felix Quinones, South Brunswick
Andrew Silver, St. Augustine
Shayne Simon, St. Peter’s Prep
Devin Leary, Timber Creek
Jose Taveras, Union City
CJ Lavery, Verona
Colin Tong, Voorhees
Robert Kuna, Wallington
Peter Orio, West Deptford
Max Bruno, West Windsor-Plainsboro South
Nate Lopez, Wildwood
Nick Adinolfi, Williamstown
Albert Nah, Willingboro

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

Alan Faynzilberg wept as he asked the judge to take two years off the sentence recommended by prosecutors. The judge refused.

A Belleville man was sentenced to eight years in prison Thursday, in a drunken head-on collision that took the life of a young father of two in May 2016.

During a somber afternoon hearing in Superior Court in Newark, the judge said he had seen other victims' family members express forgiveness toward their loved one's killer. But none, he added, had ever done what Pietro Davila did following the death of his son, 33-year-old Luis Davila.

"I've never had a victim's family member come before me and request that he be put on the defendant's visitation list," said Superior Court Judge Ronald D. Wigler. 

And while Wigler wished defendant Alan Faynzilberg, 20, success in eventually turning his life around, the judge was not as forgiving as Davila's family, and refused to reduce the 8-year sentence recommended by prosecutors in a deal that led to Faynzilberg's guilty plea on June 26.

Faynzilberg was jailed following the incident, then released, but had been back in custody since last week, when he turned himself in on what was his original scheduling date.

Pietro Davila, 59, of Jersey City, was one of three people who made victim impact statements. But rather than condemning Faynzilberg, DaVila expressed compassion for the young defendant, who stood to the side of the courtroom in prison garb, with his hands cuffed.

"I feel content, because we are Christian," Davila said through an interpreter. Turning to Faynzilberg, he added, "This young man, Alan, on my behalf I forgive him."

The victim's sister, Giselle Davila, was equally compassionate, telling Faynzelberg, "I hope that when you complete your sentence, you change your life for the better."

It was about 8:30 p.m. on May 27, when authorities say Faynzilberg crossed into oncoming traffic on Belleville Avenue and struck Davila's car head-on. Authorities said Davila was pronounced dead around 9:40 p.m. at Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville. A passenger in Faynzilberg's car, his 21-year-old girlfriend, was injured.

Wigler said Faynzilberg would have to spend at least 85 percent of his sentence behind bars, minus 304 days for time served. The judge also ordered him to serve three years probation following his release, and to pay the Davila family $18,629 in restitution for burial and other costs related to his death.

Assistant Prosecutor Betty Rodriguez said during Thursday's hearing that Faynzilberg admitted using alcohol, marijuana and the tranquilizer Xanax prior to the crash. She told the judge that in that and prior arrests for drug-related offenses, Faynzilberg had repeatedly shown "a complete disregard for the law."

With his lawyer, William Fitzsimmons, at his side, Faynzilberg made an emotional plea for leniency.

"Let me express my deepest and most sincere apologies for May 27, 2016," Faynzilberg said, sobbing at that point and others during the hearing.

"I'm sure it was sincere," said Wigler, the presiding criminal judge in Essex County.

That said, Wigler told Faynzilberg that, under his plea deal, the prosecutor's office had already agreed to downgrade the vehicular homicide charge against him from first degree to second degree, sparing him several years in prison under sentencing guidelines.

Wigler added that Faynzilberg's prior record included two drug arrests, one in which he avoided a criminal conviction by being accepted into a pre-trial intervention program, or PTI, on April 15, 2016 -- just six week before the drug-fueled crash that killed Luis Davila.

"What's concerning is you don't learn from your past mistakes," Wigler told Faynzilberg. "And a family was destroyed."

A friend of the Faynzilberg, Alexandra Roth, made a statement on his behalf, assuring the court that he would have the loving support of his family to help him overcome his drug dependence and reintegrate him into society upon his release.

"The level of remorse that he felt was not of the kind, 'What's going to happen to me?' but truly of the magnitude of what happened," Roth said.

But a friend of Davila's, Franklin De Los Santos, was in no mood to accept Roth's defense of Faynzilberg.

"Honestly, I'm not interested in hearing that he's sorry,"  De Los Santos told the judge. "He's sorry for himself."

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

An intensive Newark job readiness program has changed the lives of residents in the city.

Kaiyah Taylor didn't know if she had the motivation to get past two devastating, painful setbacks.

In April, her great-grandmother Mary Louise Kelly, whom she called nana, died. Three months later, the Newark resident had to close her hair salon after learning that the owner of the property was renting to her illegally.

Having sunk her life's savings into her entrepreneurial dream, Taylor didn't know where to turn or who to trust.

"Feeling discouraged and defeated, I was at my breaking point," she said. "What was left for me?"

Enter a job-readiness program that takes unemployed Newark residents and turns them into desirable job candidates in four weeks. For the fourth time in two years, Hire Newark has worked. The latest class, of 27 participants, graduated Monday, and the majority of them have jobs.

Guess who was the class speaker during the ceremony at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center?

It was Kaiyah Taylor.

MORE: Recent Barry Carter columns  

She was the right choice as someone who overcame personal and professional pain and then skepticism about the program when she started it in October.

27 Newark residents who were chronically unemployed graduate at the Hire Newark Employment Ready Boot Camp Class IV Graduation Ceremony at Newark Beth Israel Medical Center in Newark.Andrew Miller* 

"I didn't trust them," she said. "I didn't trust myself. I was in a broken space."

Job coaches filled that void with confidence, humility and love. Then they gave Taylor and her classmates a toolbox for how to interview and how to land a job and keep it.

She let her guard down to get the win in life that she needed. Taylor is now employed. Her first day as a secretary at Clara Maass Medical Center in Belleville was Wednesday.

Her classmates have started working, too, or they are about go to orientation, thanks to a program that shouldn't be called a program. It's a journey that changes lives.

Alfred Elliott said he never liked going on job interviews. He was nervous and stumbled over his answers to questions. To avoid that route, he preferred employment with temp agencies that sent him to work sites without inquiry.

After a month with Hire Newark, Elliott walks with his chest out and his head held high.

"I know what to say and know how to respond to questions accurately," he said.

He has been hired as an inventory specialist for RWJBarnabas Health and expects to start soon.

Sasha McCullough has a new attitude, as well. She's excited about a full-time position at the greenhouse in Essex County's Branch Brook Park and forever indebted to the job coaches, who taught the class how to cope with personal problems and offered nuggets of information that will help them on the job.

Things like knowing what to do at a work site, when to observe, when to speak up, all the while learning the culture of their employer.

"It's amazing how they break it down,'' she said.

This life-altering experience for Newark residents was started by Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and RWJBarnabas Health in collaboration with Mayor Ras Baraka's Centers of Hope initiative.

Including the most recent job candidates, 83 residents have completed the free training that puts them on the path to careers.

"Not only is it the socially conscious thing to do, it's actually the economically prudent thing to do," Baraka said at the graduation. "If all of these corporations could take the lead of Beth Israel, the city would be a lot further ahead."

Newark Beth Israel hired V. Randolph Brown Consulting, a Cincinnati-based company, and it created Hire Newark, which is designed to be transformational. The sessions, one-on-one coaching, delve into the lives of participants, who often become emotional when they open up and share their stories.

It's that close and personal. At the graduation, Wayne Miller, a job coach, couldn't keep his eyes from reddening before reading a poem that he wrote to the class. He told them how someone took time to invest in him the way he's giving back to them.

Some say Hire Newark should be replicated, and it should. Vincent Brown, president of the consulting company that created the program, doesn't know how that can happen if there aren't committed corporations such as Newark Beth Israel.

He doesn't know how it happens without loyal job coaches, who stay in touch with Hire Newark alumni, who, in turn, come back to inspire others going through the training.

"We have a better understanding of what impact we're having on people's lives," said Darrell Terry, president and chief executive officer of Newark Beth Israel Medical Center and Children's Hospital of New Jersey in Newark.

"You can feel it."

It not only touches the graduates, but their families, too.

MORE CARTER:Treasured star's light in Newark keeps on burning | Carter

Marc Berson, chairman of the Board of Trustees of  RWJBarnabas Health, said Hire Newark affects the city's bottom line, which is to have residents employed and contributing to the economy.

"The mayor had a vision, and I really believe it was our responsibility to try and figure out a way to implement that," Berson said.

Moving forward, employment opportunities in Newark are expected to increase substantially. Newark Beth Israel has pledged to hire 350 city residents as part of Baraka's 2020 initiative to have Newark companies hire 2,020 residents by the year 2020. Anyone interested in applying should go through the Newark2020 website at https://www.hirebuylive.com/hire-newark/  

Shaun King is at the head of the employment wave, now that he has graduated and will start working in the housekeeping department at Newark Beth Israel. Until this week, he said, his wife had been financially supporting the household, but now he can take the lead again.

"She doesn't have to worry no more," he said. "It's my turn."

Taylor no longer has to wonder how she will recover. The loss of her great-grandmother and business has made her a stronger woman, who trusted her faith and a caring team of committed professionals.

"When God is in the midst, things begin to happen, things begin to shift," Taylor said.

Nothing can stop her now.

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

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

NEWARK -- Matilda is an adult female Staffordshire bull terrier at the Associated Humane Society in Newark. Shelter workers say she is perky and pulls a bit on a leash, but she takes treats gently and would do well in a home with another dog or dogs but without small children. She has been spayed and is up-to-date on shots....

Matilda 

NEWARK -- Matilda is an adult female Staffordshire bull terrier at the Associated Humane Society in Newark.

Shelter workers say she is perky and pulls a bit on a leash, but she takes treats gently and would do well in a home with another dog or dogs but without small children.

She has been spayed and is up-to-date on shots.

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

Shelters interested in placing a pet in the Paw Print adoption column or submitting news should call 973-836-4922 or email essex@starledger.com.

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

Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo will be surrounded by other big-name Democrats while officially announcing his reelection bid.

Essex County Executive Joseph DiVincenzo is looking for another four years.

The Democratic heavy hitter is expected to announce Monday his reelection bid to a fifth term in the county's top seat.

"It is humbling and an honor to have received the public's confidence to serve as Essex County Executive all these years," DiVincenzo said in a brief release announcing his campaign kickoff.

"With their support, we have transformed Essex, but there is still more that I would like to accomplish to benefit our residents. 'Putting Essex County First' has been more than just a slogan. For me, it is a reminder of why I became an elected official and an inspiration to continue our work on behalf of our 800,000 Essex County residents."

DiVincenzo's fifteen years in office have been marked by focuses on improving the county's park system and once-ailing financial health, as well as several scandals, like criticism over his dual-pension double-dipping, and a now-settled legal battle over campaign spending.

Other heavy hitters in the New Jersey Democratic Party are expected to be on hand Monday to endorse DiVincenzo, including U.S. Senators Robert Menendez and Cory Booker, Congressman Donald Payne, Governor-Elect Phil Murphy, Lt. Governor-Elect Sheila Oliver and State Senate President Steve Sweeney.

It's unclear who DiVincenzo's opponents in the race will be.

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

There are 179 on display at the Frelinghuysen Arboretum through Dec. 10.

Santa has a ski chalet -- and a library, and a workout room and many other places and items, all made out of gingerbread and other sweets. 

The Gingerbread Wonderland, with 179 exhibits, is on display at the Frelinghuysen Arboretum.

For 26 years, people have created gingerbread houses for the annual exhibit and visitors get a chance to vote on their favorite house. 

"We have 15,000 visitors each year," said Lois McClellan-Wnek of the Morris County Parks Commission. "Everything on the board has to be edible," she added.

Entries can not exceed 24 inches by 24 inches and must be built on a board.

The arboretum and the Morris County Parks Commission run the event and offer classes on how to build with gingerbread.

Entries are divided by categories: adult, family, child, school group, scout group and special needs.

There are tree houses, a Hanukkah house, balloons, Hogwarts castle and many more. 

The exhibit runs through Dec. 10 and has a $2 admission charge.

Houses that aren't picked up by the owners are donated to hospitals, soup kitchens and people in need, said McClellan-Wnek.

Ed Murray may be reached at emurray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow Ed on Twitter at @EdMurrayphoto. Find NJ.COM on Facebook.

NEWARK -- A photograph of workers on the steeple at Newark's Trinity Church became a work of art in the 1930s. MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey If you would like to share a photo that provides a glimpse of history in your community, please call 973-836-4922 or send an email to essex@starledger.com. And, check out more glimpses of history...

NEWARK -- A photograph of workers on the steeple at Newark's Trinity Church became a work of art in the 1930s.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

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

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

The flight is again en route to Cancun