Who had the best showing at the first of the state championship meets?
Top performances at the 2018 Indoor Relay Championships -- Our picks, your votes
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Boys basketball: Players of the Week for all 15 conferences, Jan. 15-21
Who shined this week in #NJHoops?
West Side #4 James Bell drives to the basket as Newark East Side beats West Side at Weequahic High School in the boys' basketball final of the Newark Public Schools Tournament. 12/30/17 Newark, N.J. ↧
Conference rivalries, cup upsets, and other hot topics in HS ice hockey
Check out the biggest stories in N.J. ice hockey from this week.
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Wrestling Top 20, Jan. 23: Group 1 emergence, state champ out, new teams in
Check out the NJ.com statewide rankings for Jan. 22.
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N.J. officials take a step back in controversial port fight
Facing a possible restraining order, New Jersey asks for a temporary delay in a court battle over the Waterfront Commission
New Jersey officials have agreed to temporarily back off on efforts to pull the state out of the Waterfront Commission of New York Harbor, pending a federal court hearing next month.
The watchdog agency is seeking a restraining order to stop New Jersey from unilaterally withdrawing from the interstate compact that first created the commission.
In a stipulation filed in court in Newark on Tuesday, New Jersey said it would take no action to implement or enforce the legislation signed last week by outgoing Gov. Chris Christie aimed at killing the Waterfront Commission, until a hearing before a federal judge next month.
That legislation in question directs the governor, on behalf of New Jersey, to notify the Congress and the governor of New York of New Jersey's intention to immediately withdraw from the agreement that established the Waterfront Commission.
It would turn over responsibilities for policing the port in New Jersey to the State Police.
But the commission went to federal court last week after Christie signed the legislation into law on his last full day in office, seeking an injunction against the state and its new chief executive, Gov. Phil Murphy.
"New Jersey cannot simply decide for itself that it no longer wants to honor its obligations under a bilateral compact ratified by Congress," said lawyers for the commission in court filings. "Congress and the legislatures of New York and New Jersey established the commission to eliminate corruption and racketeering at the Port of New York and New Jersey. The threat of corruption persists."
U.S. District Court Judge Susan Wigenton had set a hearing for later this week on the request for an injunction, but New Jersey asked for a delay in the matter. The state agreed not to take any action on the new law until after the judge makes a ruling on temporary restraints next month.
The Waterfront Commission, which has its own police force, has jurisdiction over all the region's piers and terminals--including the ports in Newark and Elizabeth.
However, the unions that represent the longshoremen, along with the shipping industry, have long complained about the commission's tough licensing regulations and mandatory background checks of those who work in the port, and have been pushing in Trenton for years to eliminate the commission.
Legal experts, though, question how New Jersey can unilaterally withdraw from the interstate accord with New York that first set up the commission more than 50 years ago to fight crime and corruption on the docks of New York Harbor.
That bi-state compact was approved by Congress, transforming the agreement into federal law, and a similar bill to pull New Jersey out of the accord was vetoed previously by Christie, who had initially questioned its legality.
New York officials have made no move to similarly withdraw from the compact.
Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. Facebook: @TedSherman.reporter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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Boys basketball state group and conference rankings for Jan. 23
NJ Advance Media staff releases its latest group and conference rankings of the season.
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$2.5M in fake UGG boots gets counterfeiter 2 years in prison
Prosecutors said he arranged for shipping containers of the counterfeit goods to evade inspection by customs personnel.
A Staten Island man caught importing more than $2.5 million worth of fake UGG-brand boots through the Port Newark-Elizabeth Marine Terminal will spend more than two years in prison for his trouble, a federal judge ruled Tuesday.
U.S. District Judge John Michael Vazquez sentenced Shi Wei Zheng, 42, to a total of 30 months in prison and two years of supervised release for trafficking counterfeit goods, according to a statement from the office of U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito.
Zheng, who was represented by New York-based defense attorney Scott Tulman, had previously pleaded guilty before Vazquez in Newark under an agreement with the U.S. Attorney's Office.
Agents from Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations said that beginning in September 2016, Zheng had asked two confidential informants to remove shipping containers of the counterfeit boots from the port before they could be inspected by customs personnel.
Zheng paid the informants more than $50,000 to deliver the containers to him, prosecutors said, but investigators ultimately intercepted the containers before he could distribute the fake boots.
The U.S. Attorney's Office said Zheng trafficked more than 15,000 pairs in total.
Thomas Moriarty may be reached at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
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Girls basketball: 21 can't-miss games this week
The best girls basketball games in N.J. for the week of Jan. 22
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Individual wrestler rankings for Jan. 23: Who's up and who's down?
There were plenty of shakeups.
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Sexual encounter preceded Jersey City murder, prosecution says
Bailey, a Newark resident, is charged with the March 25, 2015 murder of Karl Revis, 40, of East Orange.
JERSEY CITY - The son of a retired Newark police officer was shot dead in 2015 after a sexual encounter with the man who killed him, the prosecution alleged Tuesday in the murder trial of Ibn Bailey.
Bailey, a Newark resident, is charged with the March 25, 2015 murder of Karl Revis, 40, of East Orange. He was arrested in Virginia five days after the homicide where he was incarcerated on a drug charge, officials said.
In her opening statement Tuesday afternoon, Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Jane Weiner told the jury that Bailey - who was 29 at the time - initially told investigators he and Revis met in Jersey City for a drug deal on the day of the fatal shooting on Pacific Avenue in Jersey City.
But Weiner said text messages show the meeting was for a sexual encounter and security video shows them entering the victim's East Orange home earlier in the day and leaving a short time later. It shows the clothes they were wearing, Weiner said, adding that Bailey identified both himself and Revis in the video.
Another security camera shows Revis' vehicle pulling over on Pacific Avenue while yet another shows a man running and he appears to be wearing the same clothing Bailey had on in the East Orange video. The man is seen going through the pockets of a green jacket. Revis was wearing a green jacket in the footage taken in East Orange, Weiner said.
Revis was found dead, slumped over the steering wheel of the still-running vehicle, on Pacific Avenue.
The prosecutor said investigators found Bailey's fingerprint on the interior of the vehicle's passenger side door and recovered cell phone records showing the pair were in communication in the hours before the shooting. She said records show Bailey made calls from the area of the shooting that evening.
Weiner also insinuated that Bailey fled to Virginia to avoid arrest and that police have a recorded phone conversation in which Bailey admits he was in the area of the homicide.
But defense attorney Chanel Hudson told the jury the prosecution had no motive for the murder, recovered no weapon and simply did not have enough evidence "to bring you to this room and prove to you within a reasonable doubt that Ibn Bailey is guilty of killing Karl."
Hudson said the pair hung out together and noted that the fingerprint in Revis' vehicle does not indicate when he was inside the car. She also said her client had been planning for some time to visit friends in Virginia and people knew he had been planning a trip.
The defense attorney also said the prosecution will put numerous witnesses on the stand during the trial, but asked jurors to consider the quality of the testimony, not the quantity. She said the phone call in which he says he was in the area doesn't mean he is guilty of anything.
"You don't need to be a judge, you don't need to be a lawyer, you don't need to go to law school," Hudson said. "You can watch one episode of 'Law and Order' to know that mere presence at a crime scene doesn't make you a killer - doesn't make you a murderer."
Bailey is also charged with felony murder, armed robbery and weapons offenses. He faces up to life in prison if convicted.
Testimony in the trial will begin Wednesday at 9 a.m. before Hudson County Superior Court Judge Sheila Venable in the Hudson County Administration Building in Jersey City.
Also on the defense team is attorney Katie Kronick. Working with Weiner is Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Andrew Baginski.↧
The top 50 schools in New Jersey's new state ratings
New Jersey has a new way of grading it public schools. See if your school rates among the state's best.
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NJ.com boys ice hockey Top 20, Jan. 24: Another public team cracks Top 10
How did your team fare in the latest edition of the rankings?
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Boys basketball's best ever? The 42 N.J. McDonald's All-Americans
Who has represented the Garden State in McDonald's All-American games?
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Halfway heroes: NJ.com's girls basketball midseason awards
Who is standing out midway through the season.
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NBC talk show staffer, bookkeeper died in weekend head-on crash
The couple, married for 32 years, died in the accident Sunday in Gloucester County.
Police have identified an Essex County husband and wife killed in a head-on collision Sunday in South Jersey.
Daniel T. Espy, 61, and his wife, Barbara, 64, of Essex Fells, were traveling eastbound on Mullica Hill Road/Route 322 near Cedar Road in Harrison Township shortly before 5 p.m. when a Camaro traveling westbound crossed the centerline and collided with the Espys' Ford Fiesta.
The Ford rolled on its side and ended up against a utility pole.
Daniel Espy was pronounced dead at the scene and his wife died on the way to the hospital, police said.
The driver of the Camaro, Robert Fox, 71, of Media, Pennsylvania, was transported to Cooper University Hospital, Camden, with serious head and leg injuries and remained hospitalized Wednesday.
No charges have been filed, but the crash remains under investigation, Lt. Ronald Cundey reported. Authorities aren't certain why Fox crossed into the oncoming lane.
Funeral services for the Espys will be held at 11 a.m. Friday at St. Peter's Episcopal Church in Essex Fells. Visitation is Thursday from 3 to 8 p.m. at Farmer Funeral Home in Roseland.
Daniel Espy was employed as a video operator for NBC-Universal, working on several talk shows, including Maury Povich and Jerry Springer programs, according to the couple's obituary. He also served with the National Guard and as a volunteer firefighter.
Barbara Espy was employed by Verizon for more than 30 years and was currently working as a bookkeeper for a West Orange landscaping business.
The couple married in 1985.
Matt Gray may be reached at mgray@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattGraySJT. Find the South Jersey Times on Facebook. Have a tip? Tell us: nj.com/tips.
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New HQ is symbol of a school district 22 years in the making
The new headquarters for Newark public schools debuted on Wednesday as the district readies to assume local control.
The new headquarters for Newark public schools was inaugurated Wednesday -- lauded by school and city leaders as not just a new space but a symbol of a new school district.
After 22 years, Newark will resume full control of its schools next month, including to power to hire its own schools chief.
"The narrative of failure is disappearing and it's replaced by one of progress and promise," Christopher Cerf said in his last public remarks before stepping down as the city's last state-appointed superintendent next week. "The people of Newark have control of their schools."
The district relocated its administrative offices to 765 Broad Street -- a $42.5 million 16-year lease -- from its old office on 2 Cedar Street. The move will save more than $2 million a year, district officials said.
.@NPSvoices state-appointed Superintendent Chris Cerf unleashed (he's leaving Feb. 1). Calls old district building "decaying" w/ overpriced lease pic.twitter.com/9BO6d69lce
-- Karen Yi (@karen_yi) January 24, 2018
Cerf said the district has leased the Cedar Street office since 1990 and called the space "a decaying, obsolete and terribly overpriced building."
"It was a lease that some would say had been continued over the years as much for political reasons as anything else," he said.
More than 50 people packed the family center for the debut of the 97,000 square-foot building, including state and local politicians and Mayor Ras Baraka.
The first-floor family center is adorned with murals of pink flower trees; sleek gray and red cubicles are set up for more than 300 workers on the upper floors.
The state Board of Education seized control of Newark's public schools in 1995 after a state probe accused district officials of mismanagement, neglect and corruption. That reign will come to an end on Feb. 1, when the Newark School Board will shed its advisory title and have the power to hire and fire its own superintendent, who will no longer have veto power over the board.
A new superintendent will be selected in May by a search committee. Deputy Superintendent Robert Gregory will take over as interim superintendent.
"Today we celebrate a new school district, a new city, a new hope," Gregory said. "It is our time."
Karen Yi may be reached at kyi@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter at @karen_yi or on Facebook.
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Stats attack: 61 boys basketball players leading the way in roles they play
Which players reside at the top of the major statistical lists in NJ?
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Port Authority: Throw the book at CNBC crew for 'fake bomb' at airport
The nine men have been charged with indictable offenses for allegedly trying to smuggle a fake bomb through security.
Top Port Authority officials have urged the forceful prosecution of nine CNBC TV crew members arrested last week at Newark Liberty International Airport, calling their alleged attempt to smuggle a fake bomb through security "intolerable."
What the TSA says was a "fake bomb" discovered in a roller bag at the Newark airport. (Transportation Security Administration) The comments Tuesday by Port Authority Chairman Kevin J. O'Toole and Executive Director Rick Cotton, in a letter to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office, came a day after the production company that employed the TV crew publicly described the case as a "misunderstanding."
In their letter to Acting County Prosecutor Robert D. Laurino, O'Toole and Cotton said the discovery of the fake bomb by Transportation Security Administration personnel caused large numbers of Port Authority police officers to be pulled away from security duties "to deal with a threat that was, simply, made up."
Officials have said the nine men were filming the reality show "Staten Island Hustle," which follows a group of friends looking for ideas for products and investments. The show is scheduled to debut in the spring.
The TSA said that while some of the crew had attempted to bring through security a roller bag containing a motor, pipes and wires -- "all indicators of an improvised explosive device" -- while other members covertly filmed the encounter.
In addition to Port Authority police officers and TSA personnel, officials said, FBI bomb technicians had to respond to the scene to deal with the suspected threat.
"Intentionally wasting law enforcement time and resources, and casually stoking fear in the traveling public -- these are serious actions and intolerable ones," the letter said. "Undertaken by nine people acting together in a conspiracy -- these actions took forethought and planning and coordination; they should be punished in a forceful manner."
In a statement Monday, the production company, Endemol Shine North America, apologized for "any disruption caused" by what the company said was a misunderstanding over an invention - vacuum compression luggage, which is designed to allow travelers more room for clothing.
TSA officials last week said that although the men claimed to be working for the network, none of them had press credentials.
"We expect that an appropriately aggressive prosecution will, among other things, deter others who might diminish the security of our airports -- in the guise of journalism or a prank or anything else," Tuesday's letter said.
Each of the nine defendants has been charged with conspiracy and creating a false alarm, as well as interfering with transportation -- a disorderly persons offense. All are expected to make first appearances in state Superior Court next month in Newark.
A spokesperson for the Port Authority said Wednesday it was considering "all potential legal remedies" separate and apart from the criminal prosecution.
Thomas Moriarty may be reached at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
Have a tip? Tell us. nj.com/tips
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Who's lighting it up? Girls basketball season stats leaders
See which girls basketball players are among the stat leaders.
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State ice hockey rankings: Groups and conferences, Jan. 24
Take a look at how your team stacked up in the latest rankings.
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