She is charged with shoplifting $1,200 worth of merchandise from Marshalls in Kearny and $135 in items from the nearby ShopRite.

JERSEY CITY -- A Newark woman was arrested on Christmas Eve after authorities say she went on a shoplifting spree at two stores in Kearny and bit an employee at one of them.

Tawana Edwards, 48, of Georgia King Village, is charged with shoplifting $1,200 worth of merchandise from Marshalls in Kearny and $135 in items from the nearby ShopRite. 

Officers responding to the Passaic Avenue grocery store on a report of a disorderly shoplifter found the apparently intoxicated Edwards being detained by store employees, according to a criminal complaint.

One employee told police that Edwards bit his hand while she was being stopped but he had not suffer a serious injury, the complaint says. The use of force during a theft raises the charge to robbery, a more serious offense.

A second complaint states Edwards was captured on security video taking items at the nearby Marshalls and leaving the store without paying on the same day.

During a search at the police station, Edwards was found to be have a pipe and she was additionally charged with possession of drug paraphernalia, the complaint says.

She made her first appearance on the charges Tuesday in Criminal Justice Reform Court in Jersey City via video link from Hudson County jail in Kearny.

The best of 2017.

We reach the end of another year and the end of another series of galleries featuring vintage photos from New Jersey; here's a group of our favorites snapshots from 2017.

Why these? There really isn't any criteria - they're just the photos that touched an emotion as we sorted through thousands throughout the year.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

I know our readers have countless wonderful photos that would be perfect for the galleries we do. And, I invite you to submit them for possible publication.

At times, people will ask what types of photos we look for. The answer is rather simple - any picture taken in New Jersey prior to 1988.

Having said that, I will add that we especially like un-staged photos of people going about their daily lives at school, at work, relaxing outdoors or kicking back inside. Photos from going down the shore or enjoying recreational activities in the summer and winter; photos of and from the great bars and taverns around the state. Pictures of patriotic celebrations and observances, photos from proms and graduations.

The best answer? We're looking for photos that you think others would enjoy seeing. All you need to do is scan them and send them to me at ghatala@starledger.com with as much background information as you can provide, such as the names of the people in the photo, where and when it was taken and memories you have about it.

Help make 2018's galleries even better than this past year's - send in your vintage New Jersey photos. And here are some favorites from past years.

Our favorite photos: 2016

Our favorite photos: 2015

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

A wedding brawl, a botched getaway and a cop and a pig together.

Residents are prepaying their property taxes before new deduction caps set in on Jan. 1 as part of the GOP tax bill. Watch video

The last week of the year inside the Montclair tax collector's office is usually a quiet one, interrupted by the occasional shuffling of old paperwork. 

But this year, the six-member staff is all hands on deck. Residents, worried about the impact of a tax bill championed by President Donald Trump are rushing to prepay their property tax bills, hoping to cash in on full deductions before new caps set in.

The blitz is happening across New Jersey -- the state with the nation's highest property taxes.

"We are getting a ton of phone calls, a ton of emails and a lot of traffic in person," Montclair's tax collector Lidia Leszczynski said Wednesday. "Absolutely nonstop."

To assist property owners, Gov. Chris Christie on Wednesday issued an executive order directing municipalities to accept pre-payments from taxpayers for at least the first and second quarters of 2018. The tax payments must be postmarked before the end of the year Sunday.

Those who prepay hope they will be able to claim the payments on their 2017 federal income tax returns, before the new law kicks in on Monday. However, it's not yet clear whether the IRS will allow all who prepay to take advantage of the deductions. 

The Republican-passed Tax Cuts and Jobs Acts caps the total deduction for state and local property taxes and income or sales taxes at $10,000-- less than half of what an average New Jersey homeowner claims, according to the Institute on Taxation and Economic Policy.

Currently, there is no limit on how much New Jersey homeowners can claim in property taxes on their federal income tax returns. 

Leszczynski said at least 50 people a day are showing up in her Montclair office, and all six of her staff members are chipping in to help process tax payments.

"Usually, it's nothing at all like this. It's quiet toward the end of the year, we start setting up for next year and filing stuff away," she said. "This has been maybe even busier than the tax quarter."

Rumson's tax office said its phones have not stopped ringing all week. Offices in Loch Arbour, Alphine, Deal, Tenafly, Middletown and Princeton all confirmed an increase in people coming to prepay their property taxes. An Essex Fells official said twice as many people are prepaying their taxes, compared to last year.

"The lines have been out the door and we're taking in a few million (dollars) more this year," said Summit spokeswoman Amy Cairns.

Mike Cerra, assistant executive director of the New Jersey League of Municipalities, said while prepaying is not common, it's not unprecedented.

"Snowbirds often do it," he said. "They want to take care of it in advance and not have to think about it until they get back." He said media attention has prompted more questions from residents and municipalities.

"I think when all is said and done, the universe that's able to take advantage of this is probably relatively small," Cerra said.  

Montclair resident Sharyn Taylor told NJ Advance Media she paid her 2018 property taxes in full on Wednesday. Taylor said her accountant sent an email to her clients last week recommending they prepay their property taxes if they exceed $10,000.

"I'm hoping to take the most advantage, I'm hoping to pay fewer taxes and be able to take the deduction this year," said Taylor.

Officials in Millburn and Old Tappan said they, too, have had residents pay property taxes for the entire year, not just the first two quarters. Millburn Business Administrator Alex McDonald said the prepayment spike was a result of tax code overhaul.

"That could be the only explanation there is," McDonald said. "I think they're just being cautious in case they have the ability to deduct some of their property taxes from 2017."

While McDonald said while his office can't give tax advice, it is telling residents to seek guidance from their tax consultants or other appropriate people.

The Montclair tax collector's office is extending its hours to Saturday and will be open from 10 - 3 p.m.

"We've never been open on Saturday before, it's never happened before," Leszczynski said.

NJ Advance Media staff writers Claude Brodesser-Akner, Brent Johnson, and Samantha Marcus contributed to this report.

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

Taylor Tiamoyo Harris may be reached at tharris@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @ladytiamoyo.

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With sub-zero wind chills, N.J. feels like an ice box. The frigid air will likely stay around into the first week of January, and light snow is possible this weekend.

So, just how cold did it get in New Jersey as the deep freeze firmed up its grip Thursday morning?

Climate stations in eight counties in northern and central parts of the state reported temperature readings in the single digits -- not factoring in the wind chill. 

And nearly two dozen climate stations had brutal sub-zero wind chills, including High Point in Sussex County, which reported a wind-chill reading of 14 degrees below zero. 

As of 11:30 a.m. Thursday, air temperatures remained in the teens across most of New Jersey, and wind-chill readings were slightly below zero in a few spots, including Morristown, Sussex Airport and Teterboro Airport, according to climate data from the National Weather Service.

The air temperature in Caldwell and Somerville was in the mid-teens at 11 a.m., but a steady breeze made it feel as cold as zero.

That's the type of day it's been in the Garden State, as a large mass of frigid Arctic air from Canada remains in place, pushing daily temperatures 10 to 20 degrees lower than normall for this time of year. In fact, this cold spell could continue into much of next week -- which would be a rare stretch of consecutive days with below-freezing temperatures in late December and early January.

The longest streak of days below 32 degrees at Newark Liberty International Airport -- the main climate station in northern New Jersey -- is 16 days, from Jan. 19 through Feb. 3 in 1961, the National Weather Service said.

The current streak began on Tuesday, so it's only been three days with high temperatures stuck below 32 degrees. However, this cold snap is expected to continue through next Wednesday and could extend as far as Friday, Jan. 5, according to forecasters from AccuWeather.

Too cold for polar plunge

The frigid forecast has already led to the cancellation of at least one Polar Bear Plunge in New Jersey. Officials in Ventnor in South Jersey say the event's organizers recently contacted them with concerns about the safety of those who would be jumping into the Atlantic Ocean.

They noted the forecast calls for a high of about 20 degrees on Monday while the ocean temperature is expected to be in the mid-40s.

City officials agreed the event should be postponed, telling the Associated Press they would rather "err on the side of safety." It's not clear if the annual fundraising event will be rescheduled.

Not a huge storm Saturday, but a coating to an inch of snow could cause some slippery travel, especially since road surfaces will be so cold. I'll have details on Eyewitness News at 4, 5, and 6. See you then! #abc7ny pic.twitter.com/NDsBU3a8jX

-- Jeff Smith (@JeffSmithABC7) December 28, 2017

Some snow possible

With cold air locked in, any storm systems that head this way are likely to bring snow instead of rain. Forecasters say a small clipper system could drop an inch or two of snow over the Garden State early Saturday, but no major storms are expected during the next several days.

Saturday's storm system -- which involves a small disturbance that could provide energy to a weak low-pressure system over the Great Lakes -- could bring a light dusting of snow to New York City and 1 to 3 inches of snow to Long Island, N.Y., and eastern sections of Connecticut, the National Weather Service said.

Forecasters are watching the potential development of a weak coastal storm system late Saturday afternoon, which could bring additional snow to Long Island and eastern Connecticut. As of now, that storm is not expected to impact New Jersey.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @LensReality or like him on Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Desi S. Lee was in possession of cocaine, according to police

Police arrested a man wanted in connection with a shooting that left one person dead and another wounded, Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said in a statement.

Desi Lee (Newark police)  

The Essex County Prosecutor's Homicide Task Force issued a warrant for Desi S. Lee, 37, following the shooting that occurred just after midnight Oct. 28 at Voorhees Street and Fabyan Place.

Lee was arrested Wednesday night following a report of a suspicious person near 12th Avenue and 11th Street. Lee was allegedly in possession of three cocaine vials.

He faces a number of charges, including contempt of court, obstruction of justice and narcotics possession.  

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

WEST CALDWELL -- Violet is a 2-year-old female tabby in the care of Orphaned Pets. She is a small cat who volunteers describe as "a bit shy but very gentle." Violet should make a good pet in most any home; she is FIV/FeLV negative, spayed and up-to-date on shots. For more information on Violet, call 973-882-8363 or email smattbutler814@aol.com. Information...

Violet 

WEST CALDWELL -- Violet is a 2-year-old female tabby in the care of Orphaned Pets.

She is a small cat who volunteers describe as "a bit shy but very gentle."

Violet should make a good pet in most any home; she is FIV/FeLV negative, spayed and up-to-date on shots.

For more information on Violet, call 973-882-8363 or email smattbutler814@aol.com. Information is also available by going to orphanedpetsinc.com. Orphaned Pets is an all-volunteer fostering group serving the Essex County area for 25 years.

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.

A total of 166 law enforcement agencies in the state have received grants for DWI patrols over the holidays, authorities said.

As New Jerseyans gear up to ring in the new year this weekend, state and local law enforcement officials say they'll be on the lookout for anyone who gets behind the wheel while impaired.

Three of the four motor vehicle deaths in the state during last year's holiday involved impaired driving, according to New Jersey State Police statistics. Authorities are making clear that's something they just won't tolerate.

Grant-funded patrols underway statewide

As part of the state Division of Highway Traffic Safety's "Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over Program" campaign, a total of 166 law enforcement agencies in all 21 of the state's counties have received more than $850,000 in grants for DWI enforcement patrols over the holidays, according to the state Attorney General's Office.

The program, which began this year on Dec. 8 and runs to New Year's Day, resulted in 1,605 arrests for DWI during its 2016 campaign, authorities said.

Bloomfield police setting up a check point

The Bloomfield Police Department, one of the 166 agencies that received grants as part of statewide program, is also planning to operate a DWI checkpoint in the township the day before New Year's Eve.

The checkpoint, scheduled to operate between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m. on Saturday, will be established at the intersection of Bloomfield Avenue and North 16th Street, police said.

Morris Plains checkpoint runs through the end of the month

Morris Plains police and the Morris County Prosecutor's Office are conducting a DWI checkpoint at undisclosed locations in the borough through the end of the month, according to a statement from the prosecutor's office.  The grant-funded checkpoint follows previous checkpoint operations conducted in Chester, Denville, Jefferson, Mount Olive, Randolph, Roxbury and Washington Township, authorities said.

Thomas Moriarty may be reached at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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The bizzarre, offbeat stories that could only happen in the great Garden State.

Though it will be as low as 13 degrees Friday, outdoor workers are enduring the bone-chilling day for their jobs.

This list includes those facing charges ranging from murder to terroristic threats. This selection of New Jersey's most wanted is sourced from the FBI, New Jersey State Police and most wanted lists from the top five most populous counties across the Garden State.

Sherwin Shayegan, of Washington State, handed the boy a note with money inside, police said.

A 14-year-old boy told an airline employee Friday that a man had approached him at a Newark Airport luggage carousel, massaged his back without permission and handed him a note with money inside. 

Port Authority Police said the man, later identified as Sherwin Shayegan, known as the "Piggyback Bandit," touched the boy's back at a carousel in Terminal A around 3:10 p.m. and gave him a message that read, "This is money for letting me give you a massage. Thank you." 

Sherwin Shayegan (Courtesy of Port Authority Police)

The note also contained additional, unspecified "alarming content," police said. 

Armed with a detailed description of the suspect's clothing, including a Seattle Seahawks hat, police said they found that Shayegan, of Bothell, Washington, had taken a taxi to the Marriott Hotel at the airport.

Shayegan, 34, had disturbing notes and money in envelopes with the names of U.S. airports written on them, similar to the one given to the 14-year-old boy, police said. 

He was arrested and charged with endangering the welfare of a child. He remained in custody Saturday morning, police said. 

In 2015, Shayegan was convicted of assault and battery in Loudon County, Virginia, after he unlawfully touched high school athletes at sporting events across the country, NBC reported. 

He has been banned from schools in five states, according to a profile in Grantland. His mother has said Shayegan has Asperger's syndrome and is compulsively reliving his time as a high school sports team manager. 

Marisa Iati may be reached at miati@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @Marisa_Iati or on Facebook here. Find NJ.com on Facebook. 

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Federal officials said Friday they were not honoring a previous agreement struck under President Obama to fund half of the multi-billion dollar project.

A crucial infrastructure deal to fund a multi-billion-dollar rail tunnel under the Hudson River suffered a major setback Friday, after the Trump Administration announced the project relied on a "non-existent" agreement to secure federal funding. 

The tunnel is part of the larger Gateway Project and would build a two-track commuter tube for Amtrak and New Jersey Transit trains traveling between New Jersey and New York Penn Station -- among the busiest transit hubs in the country.

But the Federal Transit Administration said Friday it did not recognize the agreement struck under former President Obama that would have the federal government kick in half of the bill, according to a letter sent to New York and New Jersey officials.

"There is no such agreement," FTA Deputy Administrator K. Jane Williams wrote. "We consider it unhelpful to reference a non-existent 'agreement' rather than directly address the responsibility for funding a local project where 9 out of 10 passengers are local transit riders."

A copy of the letter was published online by Crain's New York. 

Williams wrote she had "serious concerns" about the first phase of the project that asked for $11.1 billion from the federal government. "Your proposal also overlooks that 50% would be considerably higher than much existing precedent for past 'mega projects,'" she said. 

The Gateway project also calls for other infrastructure improvements, including the replacement of the 107-year-old Portal Bridge over the Hackensack River, a Penn Station New York Annex, two extra tracks between Newark and the tunnels and a loop for Bergen County trains to access the tunnels. 

Officials involved in with Gateway remained optimistic a new deal could be struck.  

"There is no doubt the Administration understands the economic significance of the Hudson Tunnel Project, and the urgency of moving this forward for the Boston-Washington corridor," Christie spokesman Brian Murray said Saturday. "We are confident that, as the White House advances an infrastructure proposal this year, federal funding for the most important transportation project in the United States will be addressed."

Christie has previously expressed confidence that the federal government would follow through on its promise to fund the $30 billion project. 

"I am confident this will be one of his (Trump's) priorities. He's lived here ... he knows how important it is," Christie said in October. 

Gov. Andrew Cuomo's office deferred comment to the Gateway Program Development Corporation. 

"There is no more urgent infrastructure project than Gateway, and posturing aside we are confident that the Trump Administration will engage with us as the President turns to infrastructure in 2018," according to a spokesman for the corporation, which oversees the project.

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

Blaze continued to burn Saturday night.

A firefighter was seriously injured in a blaze at a building in Newark's North Ward late Saturday, officials said.

The firefighter was hospitalized in critical condition, according to Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose, who was at the hospital.

Emergency crews remained at the scene, near Park and Bloomfield avenues, shortly before 11 p.m. The blaze was not yet declared under control, a public safety department spokeswoman said late Saturday night. 

The building that burned was listed online as Velez Tire and Auto Repair.

Wind chill values reached between zero and 5 degrees as crews worked at the scene.

More information was not immediately available.

Hope everyone is okay [?] @CityofNewarkNJ @NewarkNJPolice @News12NJ pic.twitter.com/9ZwZuxYfzw

-- STEF the Gem (@LaaBellaaVita) December 31, 2017

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

Authorities said he became trapped inside a burning building during a fire in the city's North Ward. Watch video

Authorities in Newark have identified the firefighter critically injured in a blaze in the city's North Ward on Saturday as a 10-year veteran of the department.

In a statement, Newark Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose said Paul Leber, 38, became trapped inside 8 Park Ave. after responding around 9:12 p.m. to a two-alarm fire at the building.

The building is listed online as the address of Velez Tire and Auto.

Police said Leber was in the tire shop with other members of Engine 7 -- including a probationary firefighter -- when they were ordered out of the building as conditions worsened.

Leber became disoriented as he was exiting, and other members of Engine 7, Rescue 1, went back into the building to rescue him, authorities said. He was subsequently taken to University Hospital, where he was listed in critical condition before being moved to Jacobi Medical Center in the Bronx for further treatment, authorities said.

Leber, a graduate of the Bergen County Fire Academy who was born in Passaic, joined the department after serving in the U.S. Navy aboard the USS Theodore Roosevelt, a Nimitz-class aircraft carrier, The Star-Ledger reported in 2008. 

In separate statements, Ambrose and Mayor Ras Baraka praised the firefighters who went back into the building to ensure Leber got out.

"They should be commended on the job they do every day," Ambrose said. "They are willing to risk their lives by entering burning buildings to ensure that others survive."

Baraka asked the public to keep Leber in their prayers, and to pray for his full recovery.

Police said the fire is under investigation by members of the department's arson division.

Thomas Moriarty may be reached at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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2017 marked the 20th season of the Newark performing arts venue.

New Jersey has plenty of beautiful spots, but here are the top 15 posted on Instagram.

A 53-year-old man was killed over the weekend in a shooting in Newark.

A 53-year-old man was killed over the weekend in a shooting in Newark.

Arthur Ruff, from Newark, was pronounced dead at 12:30 a.m. on Sunday, about 30 minutes after the shooting took place near 2nd Street and Central Avenue in Newark, Essex County Prosecutor's Office spokeswoman Kathy Carter said.

Additional information was not immediately available.

No arrests have been made and no suspects have been identified. The investigation is considered active and ongoing, Carter said.

Sara Jerde may be reached at sjerde@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SaraJerde.

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

A new year to find homes for dogs and cats throughout New Jersey.

What can responsible pet owners do to make sure they are keeping their pets safe from frostbite and other winter dangers?

Here are some tips from BluePearl Veterinary Partners to help pet owners protect dogs and cats in winter.

* Limit time outside for your dog or cat. A dog might spend all day in a doghouse or the backyard on some spring or fall days, but definitely not in the freezing cold. Animals can experience hypothermia; they also can get frostbite.

* It's fine to let your dog outside to do his business, or to go on a walk, even in the snow. But don't make it an 8-hour hike, even if you're up for it yourself. And don't let a dog run off a hiking trail into the snow; you never know how deep the snow is going to be.

* When pets are outside, make sure to give them plenty water. Staying well hydrated is important to circulation, and good circulation helps keep the body warm.

* If a de-icer is used on your driveway or the sidewalk outside your apartment, make sure it is a pet-friendly variety. Many types are toxic to dogs, who will lick the salt from between their toes after getting back inside. Talk to your landlord about this if necessary.

* Winter creates a range of hazards for pets. Cats love to find a warm auto engine to curl up in - which can be tragic when starting the car. Antifreeze, which sometimes pools on the garage floor, seems tasty to pets but is deadly. If possible, don't leave pets unattended in the garage.

The temperature at Newark Airport dipped below the previous record low temperature set in 1997.

New Jersey woke up to a temperature of 6 degrees at 7 a.m. at Newark Airport this morning, well below the record low for New Year's Day, as the state shivered into 2018.

The lowest recorded temperature for Jan. 1 was previously 11 degrees in 1997, according to the National Weather Service.

A wind chill advisory for North Jersey and South Jersey remains in effect until 10 a.m., according to a National Weather Service alert. 

"The cold wind chills will cause frostbite in as little as 30 minutes to exposed skin. Expect wind chills to range from 10 below zero to 20 below zero," the alert said.

Temperatures are expected to climb to nearly 20 degrees Monday with bright sun, the forecast said. Evening temperatures will dip back to 10 degrees with wind chills between 0 and 5 degrees.

It is expected to remain below freezing throughout the week, with a chance for snow on Thursday.