Gov. Phil Murphy signed an executive order related to the issue Monday. Watch video

Gov. Phil Murphy on Monday unveiled his latest effort combatting President Donald Trump's administration: two moves he said will help protect "open" internet access for New Jerseyans in the wake of the federal government's controversial decision to repeal net-neutrality rules.

Murphy signed an executive order making New Jersey the third state that requires internet service providers "adhere to the principles of net neutrality" if they want to do business with the state.

The Democratic governor also said New Jersey is joining 21 other states and Washington, D.C., in a lawsuit challenging the Federal Communications Commission's decision late last year to roll back the rules.

"Our intent is clear: New Jerseyans deserve free, open, and equal access to the internet," Murphy said during a news conference in Newark. "The internet is no longer a curious plaything available only to a select few. It is now a vital part of everyday life."

FCC ends net-neutrality rules for internet providers. What the vote means

"Net neutrality" refers to the idea that all internet service providers -- or ISPs -- should treat all web traffic as being equal.

The FCC enacted the rules in 2015 under President Barack Obama's administration to prevent major telecom companies from charging customers extra for premium "fast lanes" with better internet access.

But the FCC repealed the rules in December. Ajit Pai, the FCC chairman appointed by Trump,  argued that the "heavy-handed" regulations hindered broadband internet expansion and competition. He added that the commission was simply "restoring the light-touch framework that has governed the internet for most of its existence."

The broadband industry said people's internet experiences won't change, even though companies lobbied to overturn the regulations. 

Murphy said New Jersey cannot "unilaterally regulate net neutrality back into law" or "cement it" in state regulation. 

But he noted the state is a major purchaser of internet services and thus can "exercise its power as a consumer to make our preferences known."

Murphy's executive order applies to all state contracts that are awarded or renewed on or after July 1 of this year.

It follows similar orders that New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo and Montana Gov. Steve Bullock enacted in their states.

Murphy said he has already met with many internet companies who say they will "adhere, as a matter of honor, to net neutrality."

This is Murphy's ninth executive order in 20 days as governor. Most have been efforts to either reverse policies put in place by his predecessor, Republican Chris Christie, or to fight Trump. 

Meanwhile, New Jersey will join the lawsuit initiated by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, another Democrat who has been critical of the policies of Trump, a Republican. 

The suit argues that the FCC repealed the rules without justification and "while either misinterpreting or ignoring evidence in the record of potential harm to consumers and businesses," according to the New Jersey attorney general's office. 

State Attorney General Gurbir Grewal said in a statement that New Jersey is "committed to taking whatever legal action we can to preserve the internet rights of New Jersey consumers, and to challenge the federal government's misguided attack on a free and open internet."

Murphy held Monday's news conference at InCharged, a Newark company that promotes cell-phone charging stations.  

CEO Jessica Gonzalez said net neutrality "levels the playing field" to protect smaller companies like hers. 

"Without net neutrality, businesses and communities around New Jersey will suffer," Gonzalez said.

NJ Advance Media staff writer S.P. Sullivan and the Associated Press contributed to this report.

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

Northern half of New Jersey could get nasty weather, with a wintry mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain on Wednesday, as the latest winter storm moves through the region, forecasters say.

Four army chaplains who gave up their life vests to save others were remembered during the 75th anniversary of the sinking of the Dorchester, a military transport ship that was torpedoed by a German submarine during World War II.

It's an enduring story from World War II that should never be forgotten.

Four Army chaplains leaned heavily on their faith, invoked courage, then embraced brotherhood to give their lives for others when death was certain. A few years after the war ended, Saint Stephen's Church in Kearny began celebrating a special Mass to remember the sacrifice of Rev. John Washington, a former priest at the church and his fellow chaplains: Rabbi Alexander D. Goode, Rev. George Fox and Rev. Clark Poling.

Sunday was no different, when the church marked the 75th anniversary of the men's death on the Dorchester, a military transport ship that sank under enemy fire.

MORE: Recent Barry Carter columns  

"We honor the four chaplains not because we can do something for them beyond our prayers for their rewarded souls, but so we might learn to imitate their charity,'' said Rev. Timothy Broglio, archbishop for Military Services, who celebrated the Mass. "We want to learn from them how to use our gifts and talents to serve others."

Veteran military posts and parishioners filled the sanctuary. Seated in the same front pew were family members of Washington and Goode, who are familiar with the story of their relatives' bravery in the early morning hours of Feb. 3, 1943.

The chaplains were aboard the ship that was traveling in the North Atlantic, from New York to Greenland with the 76th Artillery Division. A German submarine saw the convoy off Newfoundland and fired three torpedoes. One found its mark and struck the Dorchester below its waterline, a fatal blow that caused the ship to rapidly sink.

Based on accounts from survivors, the chaplains comforted those who were scared. They handed out life jackets, then directed soldiers and civilian passengers to life boats waiting in arctic temperatures.

Goode is said to have given up his gloves, telling a soldier that he had two pairs when he had only one.

"I've heard that story from survivors,'' said Paul Fried, Goode's son-law, who lives in Monroe.

When they ran out of life vests, the chaplains took the ones they wore and gave them to those in need. As the boat sank, the men could be seen, arms locked, praying on the deck of the ship. They were among the 672 of 902 men on board who died.

As death closed in, the chaplains didn't hesitate. Humanitarian conviction took over, a selfless attribute society can use more of these days.

"I don't know if I could do it,'' said 93-year-old Gene Swarbrick, of Daytona Beach, Florida, who was an altar boy for Washington and a member of the Army Air Corps. "They didn't say, are you a Catholic? Are you Jewish? Are you Methodist? Are you Dutch Reformed? They just said, here, take a jacket."

Brian Hoffman of Ocean Township, a World War II history buff, said it's an honor for him and his family that the church keeps the chaplain's memory alive.

One of them, Rev. Washington, was his great-uncle. His mother, Joanne Hoffman, is a niece he baptized and named.

Sunday was their third Mass. His son and nephew were with them, too.

Sarah Rose, a granddaughter of Goode, thought it was so important that she flew in from San Francisco with her three children.

"It's humbling to be a part of this incredible legacy and this story of love, respect for all of humanity,'' Rose said. "It's a lesson that I hope to pass on to my children and I hope that they pass it on to theirs as well.''

The clerics in this story were built to serve, having already left indelible impressions on the communities where they lived.

Goode, who was born in Brooklyn and grew up Washington, D.C., integrated the Boy Scouts in York, Pennsylvania, in the 1930s. A school in that town is also named after him.

Versed in ancient languages, including Aramaic and Arabic, Goode was ecumenical in his thinking and engaged people of different religions, family members said.

His love of country became evident as early as 10 years old when he walked 7 to 8 miles behind the processional of the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier that passed by his childhood home in Washington, D.C.

"It's a reflection of the patriot and American he was as well as a sense of duty,'' said his grandson and namesake, Alexander David Goode, a Glen Rock resident.

MORE CARTER: Residents have a brighter future at Newark's aging Terrell Homes | Carter

Washington, a popular priest at Saint Stephen's, had athletic and artistic talents beyond the pulpit. He was known to have been quite the boxer, poet and singer, who often organized musical productions at church.

A Newark native, Washington was assigned to St. Patrick's Pro-Cathedral in the city in 1935.  Next, he served at St. Genevieve's Church in Elizabeth; St. Venantius Church in Orange and five years at Saint Stephen's before he went to war.

He was close to many families and visited them at their homes, or if someone was in the hospital.

Teresa Corcoran, of Sea Girt, had appendicitis when she was 7 years old and remembers Washington checking on her.

In high school, she gave him a "money belt" gift as he was about to leave for the service, providing him with this sentiment: "You're 1-A (classification) in the Army, but you're A-1 in our hearts.''

He touched people. The other chaplains did, too. And they will be eternally remembered for what they did that morning during the 20 minutes it took their ship to disappear into the depths of the Atlantic Ocean.

That sacrifice demonstrates the unmistakable link between responsibility and service, said Archbishop Broglio.

"The four chaplains understood that relationship and gave of themselves,'' Broglio said. "They were authentically men for others to the last ounce of their strength.''

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

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

Where does your favorite private school land in the latest Niche.com rankings? Click here to see the best of the best when it comes to private school sports programs in the state.

A tall timber tower is coming to Newark -- and could be among the largest such structures in the nation.

The site of the old Newark Bears Stadium will be anchored by an 11-story tall timber tower -- the beginnings of a new vision for sustainable construction and modern architecture in the city.

Plans for the 500,000 square-foot building were revealed Monday by Manhattan-based Lotus Equity Group, which is redeveloping the 11.8 acre site now known as Riverfront Square. 

"Good buildings are good neighbors and we envision a sustainable, efficient and architecturally-stunning future for Newark," said Michael Green, founder of Michael Green Architecture, which designed the building.

The wood skyscraper is part of the estimated $1.7 billion mixed commercial and residential space planned for the old stadium and surrounding land. An additional 2 million square feet of offices, 2,000 residential units and public open space are planned for the area, which is being pitched as 24/7 downtown destination in the heart of the Broad Street corridor.

Empty Bears stadium, in a 2014 photo. (Aristide Economopoulos/The Star-Ledger)
 

The Newark Bears and Eagles Riverfront Stadium has been largely unused since the Bears minor league baseball team folded in 2014. The stadium was built in 1998 for about $34 million using public financing.

Lotus purchased the property from Essex County for $23.5 million in 2016. The property is adjacent to NJ Transit's Broad Street station.

"Newark is a growing business community, already home to noteworthy companies like Audible, Panasonic and Prudential, and Riverfront Square represents an opportunity for companies growing in or moving to the New York metro area to enter a highly desirable live, work, play development unlike any other," said John Picco, executive director of Cushman & Wakefield, the commercial brokerage firm working with the developer. 

Once an anchor tenant is found for the building, construction will take about 20 months. The wood-structure skyscraper could be among the largest such office buildings in the nation, Lotus Equity Group said. Though the base of the building will still be cement, the use of mass timber panels in the structure will provide better light and acoustics inside the building and produce a smaller carbon footprint, the company said.

Timber towers are growing in popularity as companies seek more environmentally-friendly ways to build, and engineering advances have allowed for taller wood-based structures.

Lotus Equity Group CEO Ben Korman said they're looking to build the "most environmentally sustainable office tower that enhances the health of tenants and the surrounding communities through efficient planning and green design."

"When you merge these benefits with Newark's emerging technology sector, Riverfront Square is primed to help companies attract and retain valuable talent," he added. 

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

This year's Signing Day is Feb. 7, but who are the best recruits since 2003?

Who shined in the past week on the basketball court?

A 28-year-old woman was found dead in Newark Tuesday morning, authorities say.

UPDATE: Murder suspect was set free twice in domestic violence cases, records show

A suspect in the fatal shooting of a woman in Newark shot himself as city police chased him in Summit on Tuesday morning, authorities said.

Tiffany Wilson, 28, of Newark, was found shot to death around 8:20 a.m. Tuesday on Scheerer Avenue, according to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office.

Newark police spotted a vehicle believed connected to her killing and a chase ensued on Route 78 eventually to local roads in Summit, authorities said.

Kareem Dawson, 31, of Irvington, shot himself and was rushed to a hospital, where he was being treated Tuesday afternoon, authorities said. Dawson has been charged with murder.

Authorities said Dawson and Wilson were previously in a relationship. Additional details were not immediately available.

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

Newark Mayor Ras Baraka reacted publicly and angrily to the incident

A man charged with shooting his former girlfriend dead Tuesday morning in Newark had been arrested twice recently on domestic violence charges and let free, according to court records.

The incident drew a response form Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, who issued a written statement Tuesday afternoon blaming bail reform laws for putting Kareem Dawson back on the street. 

"What happened this morning is a sobering example of why the flaws in bail reform must be fixed," Baraka said.

Kareem Dawson, jail photo

Dawson, 31, of Irvington, shot himself as Newark police officers chased him into Summit after officers spotted a vehicle they suspected was connected to the shooting death of Tiffany Wilson, 28, of Newark.

Wilson was killed at about 8:20 a.m. on Scheerer Avenue.

Dawson, who has since been charged with murder, was rushed to Morristown Medical Center for treatment. His condition is unknown.

Authorities say Dawson and Wilson were previously in a relationship.

It's unclear if his prior domestic violence charges involve Wilson. 

Superior Court records, however, show that Dawson was first charged in October with aggravated assault in a domestic violence case, but that a judge declined the Essex County Prosecutor's Office's motion for pre-trial detention.

Records show that in December, Superior Court Judge Peter Ryan again declined to keep Dawson jailed following his arrest on a weapons charge in another alleged domestic violence incident outside a Maplewood daycare.

Baraka, in his statement, said:  "We can't go on losing lives like this. In the wake of this murder, I am calling for all parties involved in criminal justice in Newark and Essex County: legislators, police, prosecutors, and judges to come together and collaborate to review criminal justice reform.

"Together," the mayor said, "we need to look at the downgrading of charges by prosecutors, especially in cases of domestic violence, and to fix the serious flaws in bail reform."

Baraka, whose own sister was killed in an act of domestic violence, said he is "deeply moved" by Dawson's killing and "determined to do everything possible to prevent these senseless killings."

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

Who is the state's best sophomore? Check out our list, then make your voice heard.

A wintry mix of precipitation is in the forecast for Wednesday morning, Feb. 8, with several public and private schools planning delayed openings or closures. Below is a list of affected schools, which will be updated through the night Tuesday and early Wednesday:  DELAYED OPENINGS:  CLOSURES:

A wintry mix of precipitation is in the forecast for Wednesday morning, Feb. 8, with several public and private schools planning delayed openings or closures. Below is a list of affected schools, which will be updated through the night Tuesday and early Wednesday: 

DELAYED OPENINGS: 

CLOSURES:

• Caldwell University 

Meet Isadora Williams, who came to Montclair State to train for Pyeongchang 2018 while pursuing her college degree. Watch video

Floyd Hall on the Montclair State campus was packed as usual on a recent weekday afternoon, with dozens of kids shuffling along on a sheet of ice as their parents prepared, inevitably, to help pick them up when they fall.

Few bothered to look behind the closed doors to a second rink, where the tango music on the speaker system and the unmistakable sound of sharpened skates on the ice -- chh-chh-chh-chh! -- immediately let visitors know that the sport was taking place on a much different level here.

If they stepped inside that rink and pressed their faces against the plexiglas, they would have found a figure skating pioneer. Isadora Williams blushes a bit at that description -- she is, after all, a normal college student at Montclair State trying fit an activity into a full schedule of classes.

But, when that activity is chasing figure-skating glory for a nation of more than 200 million people that has never won a single medal in the Winter Olympics, you tend to stand out in a crowd.

"I used to be just like one of these guys out here right now," Williams said as she looked out a window at the toddlers and teenagers learning to skate at the popular Essex County complex.

And that's what makes her story so interesting.

Williams was born in Atlanta but lived in Brazil for two years as a young child, giving her dual citizenship. She picked up a love of skating from a birthday party in Georgia, and when she became good enough to compete against the best in the world, she had a decision to make.

Would she skate for the United States, a powerhouse in the sport? Or would she skate for her other homeland, a country that doesn't even have a regulation-sized ice rink inside its massive borders?

"The biggest question I get is, 'Why don't you represent the U.S.?'" she said. "Well, the U.S. has a million and one skaters and they already have a very established program. You can't have five major powers compete and have no one else. It's not fun.

"A country like Brazil needs representation, too."

Williams is that representation. She became the first figure skater from Brazil to qualify for the Olympics when she made it to Sochi four years ago as a teenager, and this month in Pyeongchang, South Korea, she'll still be the only participant from the entire South American continent. 

Who are the greatest Olympians from N.J.?

So how did a 21-year-old who gets recognized in the Rio de Janeiro airport end up training in New Jersey? That part of her journey started with a dilemma. Williams, whose family now lives in Northern Virginia, wants to pursue a career as a dietician when she hangs up her skates, and no university within three hours of her house offered a suitable program.

Her mom was talking to the mother of another Brazilian skater, who also trains at Floyd Hall, about the dilemma when they stumbled upon a solution. Montclair State has an extensive program in nutrition and food sciences. Williams could move her training up the I-95 corridor and still pursue the degree she wanted.

She changed coaches, moved into a dorm on the university's campus and began juggling both of her goals. Her fellow students were mostly unaware of her other life until she started missing classes for competitions. Now her photo is tacked to a bulletin board celebrating all of the Montclair State Olympians over the years, and her roommate is planning a watch party when she skates in the short program on Feb. 21. 

But Williams knows she can make a bigger impact in her other home country. She wants to improve on a performance she described as "jittery" in Sochi to inspire others because, while Brazil isn't exactly a destination for winter sports, the passion in the country for athletics was on display 18 months ago when the world came to Rio de Janeiro. 

"(Sochi) was the first time that figure skating was broadcast on public television in Brazil," Williams said. "A lot of little girls supported me, and my mom got messages saying how inspired they were to skate. Brazil has advanced a lot in four years. I'm very happy about that."

She is a longshot to win a medal in Pyeongchang, but anything close to a top-10 finish would be a major breakthrough for a country where a ninth-place in snowboarding eight years ago stands as the best-ever performance.

No matter how she does, Williams will return to Montclair State as a two-time Olympian for a country without a single fullsize rink to call its own. The figure skater who quietly went about her business behind the closed doors on the Essex County campus is a pioneer.

Steve Politi may be reached at spoliti@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @StevePoliti. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Chad Brown helped obtain account numbers and make withdrawals from 2 banks

A 21-year-old man admitted to his role in a scheme that defrauded two banks out of $1.5 million.

Chad Brown, of Orange, pleaded guilty Monday in a federal courtroom in Newark to bank fraud conspiracy, the U.S. Attorney's Office for New Jersey said in a statement.

Brown and others got their hands on account numbers and personal identification number of some customers at the two banks, according to authorities.

Wig-wearing thief caught with help of alert bank employees, cops say

Members of the conspiracy then posed as bank employees, called tellers at the banks and tricked them into crediting funds into the stolen accounts. Brown and his cohorts then used debit cards to withdraw money from the accounts at ATM machines or to buy postal money orders, officials said. 

The conspiracy took place from September 2015 through May 2017. The banks are not named in the criminal complaint. Court papers don't explain how the account numbers or PIN numbers were obtained. 

Brown faces up to 30 years in federal prison when he is sentenced May 15. 

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

Activist Larry Hamm has been on the protest scene for 50 years

Larry Hamm was the first to arrive for the Rosa Parks birthday commemoration, his first event of many for Black History month.

It was his party, and he was carrying a sign that included the famous mug shot of the Civil Rights heroine, with the words "Our Freedom Fighter."

Underneath was the name of Hamm's organization: People's Organization for Progress.

Hamm placed the sign at the base of the Rosa Parks statue at the Essex County Veterans Courthouse in Newark. He then made a second trip to his car, to get a portable, public address system.

This was optimistic. It was Super Bowl Sunday; the snow was beginning to fall, and the wind was howling.

It felt much colder than the 32-degree temperature. Hamm, dressed in layers topped by a yellow People's Organization for Progress hooded sweatshirt, was not deterred.

"We'll see who shows up," he said.  "Somebody always shows up."

And those words remain at the heart of what Larry Hamm has been doing for nearly 50 years.

He shows up.

He shows up to protest police brutality.

He shows up to rally against street crime.

And economic disparity. And other forms of social ills and injustices.

Hamm led his first march at 17 and was a protege of the late Amiri Baraka, the writer/activist who helped shape Newark's modern history.

Now he's 64. 

One of the people who showed up for Hamm's Rosa Parks ceremony was Baraka's wife, poet/activist Amina Baraka, the mother of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka.

"My husband even had a name for Larry," Amina Baraka said. "He called him, 'Adhimu Changa.' It meant 'important.' "

"He was like another son to Amiri and me," she said. "We thought he'd go into politics, but it worked out fine. We got a mayor in City Hall (Baraka) and a mayor in the streets (Hamm)."

Hamm's story begins during the 1967 "rebellion" as he describes it. He was in middle school at the time.

"Before then, race was never discussed in my family," he said. "It didn't have to be. We were black people, surrounded by other black people. But after the rebellion I began to ask questions."

He found the answers in two places, education and activism.

"Oh, I remember Larry when the Committee for Unified Newark used to meet up at Krueger Mansion, which was owned by my mother," said Rev. Louise Scott-Rountree. "He was a teenager then, and I was, say, 8. They used to come in their dashikis and (kufi) hats.

Rountree's mother was Louise Scott, a South Carolina native who settled in Newark and became a successful entrepreneur and cornerstone of the city's black culture. She operated a beauty school in the mansion and also used it for civic events.

"Larry is one of those people who never, ever comes off the wall (of activism) and never, ever lets us forget our history," Rountree said.

As such, Hamm made history himself.

In 1971, he led 700 fellow Arts High students to takeover two floors of the then Gateway Hotel downtown.

"This was during the long Newark teachers' strike and we heard if we were out so many days, we couldn't graduate," he said.

The students demanded better facilities and books, and that the city settle the strike. Mayor Ken Gibson came to hear their demands. Impressed with their student leader, he appointed Hamm to the Newark School Board, making him the youngest school board member, at 17, in the United States.

That put Hamm in a tough spot. He had been accepted to Princeton University, and had to decide whether to start college or help his community. He chose to stay home and served on the board for three years, then ran for city council and lost. He went to Princeton in 1974 and graduated with a degree in politics, a certificate in African-American studies, and a certificate to teach social studies.

But he never doubted he would return to Newark.

"I felt we needed a strong, non-electoral force," he said. "I felt we needed an aggressive grassroots movement to defend the interests of the grassroots community."

He formed the People's Organization for Progress in 1983 as an extension of his youthful activism and has been a persistent voice ever since.

During the ceremony Sunday, Hamm told the audience of about 20 people that he didn't "know a lot about the Civil Rights movement" growing up.

But in 1971, he was given a youth leadership award by the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, founded by Martin Luther King, Ralph Abernathy, Fred Shuttlesworth, Bayard Rustin and Joseph Lowery, all names engraved in Civil Rights history.

The letter was signed by Coretta Scott King.

When he went to a New Orleans conference to accept the award, he was brought to meet Rosa Parks, who was arrested in 1955 for not moving to the back of a Montgomery, Ala. city bus. Her action began a year-long boycott that ended with a U.S. Supreme Court ruling that Alabama's segregationist bus policy was unconstitutional.  

"We didn't have a long conversation because I was star struck," he said. "I froze in place. And I didn't even think to ask her for her autograph."

The Rosa Parks statue depicts her sitting on a bench seat. 

Her overcoat is buttoned to her neck and her handbag hangs off her wrist.

The look on her face is placid -- not at all defiant -- but with a hint of a Mona Lisa smile. It speaks to the moment.

"She was an activist," Hamm said. "She knew exactly what she was doing. She was the secretary of the NAACP in Montgomery.

"She didn't get up because she was too tired. She didn't get up because she was determined to challenge the segregation laws."

For Hamm, the challenges to create a just society never go away. 

The goal of his activism, he said, is "a redistribution wealth" advocated by Martin Luther King and Malcolm X.

"The fight against poverty never ends. The fundamental transformation of the system hasn't happened, but we keep fighting," he said.

"I get discouraged. But I don't quit. You never just quit."

Not only has he not quit, Hamm hasn't even slowed down. A serious car crash, during which he was hit from behind while parked, injured his body but not his spirit.

"There is a great expression by the writer John Oliver Killens that said, 'Black folks need long distance runners," said fellow activist Zayid Muhammad, who has known Hamm for 40 years, first meeting at an anti-apartheid rally at Rutgers.

"Larry was a track star in high school, a miler, and that metaphor has played out in his public character," Muhammad said. "He has those kinds of lungs. And he has the sincerity and passion and heart to go with those lungs. He is a real, working class son of this town."

In December, Gorga's former business partner, Jackie Beard Robinson, sued for defamation, emotional distress and harm to her business Watch video

The latest season of "The Real Housewives of New Jersey" wrapped up in January, but that didn't mean an end to the drama. 

On Monday, "RHONJ" star Melissa Gorga; NBCUniversal, parent company of the show's Bravo network; Andy Cohen, executive producer of the show; and Dorothy Toran, producer of the show for Sirens Media, filed a motion in federal court for the Southern District of Florida to dismiss a $30 million lawsuit brought by Gorga's former business partner. 

Jackie Beard Robinson, Gorga's former partner in the Montclair boutique Envy, who has appeared on the reality series, filed the lawsuit on Dec. 6. She sued for defamation, intentional infliction of emotional distress and harm to her "professional, business and personal reputation and livelihood." 

In their motion to dismiss, which also asks that the case be sent to arbitration, Gorga, Cohen, NBCUniversal and Toran say Robinson signed two release forms for the show -- one in October of 2015 and another in February of 2017, before the start of the latest season -- that stipulate that any "controversy, dispute or claim" relating to the show be resolved by arbitration or confidential mediation in New York. 

In her lawsuit, Robinson takes issue with Gorga, a Montville resident, for saying Robinson "snuck in in the middle of the night and took all the clothes" from the boutique. Gorga made the remark during the eighth season premiere of the show on Oct. 4. Robinson was also unhappy with Gorga's comments during an episode of "Watch What Happens Live" hosted by Cohen that aired the same night.

"Wow, so, that lady (Robinson) wound up kinda ripping you off?" Cohen said to Gorga, who replied in the affirmative, again claiming that Robinson had snuck into the store in the middle of the night to steal merchandise.

Robinson and Gorga were business partners until December 2016. Their work in opening the boutique, which started in October of 2015 with Robinson as manager of the store, was a plot point on "RHONJ." Robinson, who formerly owned a clothing store called Ginjer in Delray Beach, Florida, has said she met Gorga in 2014, when she gave her free clothes to wear on "RHONJ." 

While Gorga says Robinson lifted clothes from the store in the middle of the night without telling her, Robinson says she had already parted ways with Gorga on Jan. 1, 2017, before she went to the boutique "in broad daylight" to gather "her belongings," meaning merchandise that belonged to her.

Another plot point in the eighth season of the show focused on Gorga talking about how Robinson teamed up with Kim DePaola -- who has been a nemesis of sorts for Gorga on the show -- to liquidate the Envy merchandise at Posche, DePaola's boutique in Allendale. 

Robinson says Gorga's lawyer had emailed her to say that she could sell merchandise from the boutique and that Gorga would assume ownership of the store on Jan. 1 of that year. She claims Gorga had "misappropriated over $37,000 from Envy without authorization, among other things."

Gorga's former business partner also claims that since January 2017, after Gorga allegedly made "slanderous statements" about her, Gorga had been put "on actual notice" not to defame her. Robinson says her representatives sent a similar warning to NBCUniversal in February of 2017.

Amy Kuperinsky may be reached at akuperinsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @AmyKup or on Facebook.

Which boys have already given their verbal commit to play men's basketball?

The nature of investigators' interest in the housing authority was not immediately clear.

Agents from the FBI Newark Division conducted law enforcement activity at the Newark Housing Authority on Tuesday, an agency spokesperson confirmed.

The spokesperson did not elaborate on the nature of agents' visit to the housing authority's offices on 500 Broad Street, telling NJ Advance Media only that agents were there on "official business."

Victor Cirilo, executive director of the Newark Housing Authority, said he was not aware of the FBI action.

"No one from the FBI has contacted the housing authority, its officials or myself," Cirilo said. "We welcome any inquiries and provide any information to law enforcement agencies that wish to assess our work."

The Newark Housing Authority receives federal funding to operate 52 public housing sites in the city. Mayor Ras Baraka appoints a majority of its Board of Commissioners. 

Board chairman Edward Osborne, who is also a Newark Councilman-At-Large, said he had no immediate comment. Frank Baraff, a spokesman for the city, said the NHA was an agency independent of the city and declined to comment further. 

While the nature of federal investigators' interest in the housing authority was not immediately clear, the public corruption unit of the U.S. Attorney's Office in New Jersey has in recent months obtained guilty pleas from two former consultants to the city and Baraka's campaign as a result of investigations by the FBI, the Internal Revenue Service, and Housing and Urban Development's Office of Inspector General.

Kiburi Tucker, the son of state Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker, and Linda Jumah will be sentenced this month after pleading guilty before U.S. District Judge Jose Linares to tax evasion charges.

Tucker, a previously convicted felon, also pleaded guilty to a wire fraud charge that carries a maximum potential sentence of up to 20 years in prison. 

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

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

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Top 20 before the postseason

Winter storm continues to drop snow in northern New Jersey, but most of the state has already seen a transition from snow to freezing rain to rain.

A fast-moving winter storm system continues to drop snow over northern New Jersey, but most of the Garden State has already gone through a transition from light snow to freezing rain to plain rain during the late morning and early afternoon.

Forecasters say Wednesday afternoon commuters can expect roads that will be more wet than white, with steady rain falling across most of New Jersey and some lingering snow and freezing rain eventually turning to plain rain in northern counties like Morris, Passaic, Sussex and Warren.   

The dividing line between the rain and the snow has been steadily moving north and west from southeastern New Jersey up through central and northern New Jersey during the past few hours, said Lance Franck, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service's regional office in Mount Holly.

As a result, most areas of South Jersey have been getting all rain, while counties in central New Jersey received some light snow that turned to freezing rain and plain rain.

The weather in New Jersey has been nasty on Wednesday, thanks to a winter storm that has brought a mix of snow, sleet, freezing rain and plain rain to the region. Pictured is a bird perched on snow and sleet in Greenwich Township in Warren County. (Dave Dabour | LehighValleyLive.com) 

With temperatures remaining in the upper 20s in the northern counties, snow continues to fall, with very light accumulations so far. Parts of Bergen, Essex and Mercer counties have been getting freezing rain during the past two hours, according to the National Weather Service.

Freezing rain was reported at 11 a.m. and again at noon in Newark, Teterboro and Trenton, where surface temperatures were hovering between 31 and 33 degrees. Freezing rain was reported in Caldwell and Morristown at 1 p.m.

Just like regular rain, freezing rain starts out as frozen precipitation high in the atmosphere, then melts into rain drops as it passes through layers of warmer air. And, just like regular rain, it falls to the ground as rain -- except it freezes when it hits cold surfaces or objects, such as roads, cars, trees and power lines.

Roads are snow covered as the snow continues to fall in Hackettstown. @GarySzatkowski @wrnjradio @WeatherWorks pic.twitter.com/WQVpGhCcLo

-- Jay Edwards (@JayEdwardsWrnj) February 7, 2018

More wet than white

Similar to the Super Bowl Sunday storm system, most of New Jersey is getting far more rain than snow from today's storm system.

Forecasters said a big factor has been the storm track, with both systems moving very close to the Garden State or staying just west of the state -- with colder air remaining on the west side of the storms and warmer air pushing in from the ocean on the east side.

Steven DiMartino, a forecaster who operates the NY NJ PA Weather company, based in Freehold, said today's storm had the potential to be a significant snowstorm and ice storm for all of New Jersey, if cold air had stayed in place throughout the day. 

DiMartino said a large high pressure system moved too far north and east of our region, allowing warm air to flow in from the ocean. If that system had remained farther west, it would have pushed colder air from Canada and New England down into New Jersey.  

As a result, the Garden State would have received more snow and ice, he said.

The storm system that is generating today's snow and rain has been tracking from the Tennessee River Valley to southeastern Pennsylvania, DiMartino said. The center of the storm should reach New Jersey by about 5 p.m. and quickly move north and east to southeastern New England by Wednesday night.

[?] Just got a quick burst of snow in Edison during the past 15 minutes. Quarter-inch of snow fell, now changing to sleet. Temp is 30 degrees. @NWS_MountHolly @JamesGWeather pic.twitter.com/knJgGia1Hc

-- Len Melisurgo (@LensReality) February 7, 2018

Colder air to arrive tonight

After the rain ends tonight, temperatures across New Jersey are expected to drop into the 20s, creating a threat of some icy roads overnight into Thursday morning, the National Weather Service said.

A winter storm warning remains in effect in Sussex County through 7 p.m. Wednesday, with 2 to 5 inches of snow expected, along with a thin coating of ice. 

In western Passaic County, a winter storm warning was downgraded to a winter weather advisory shortly before 11 a.m. Wednesday. The advisory remains active through 10 p.m. Total snow accumulations of 2 to 4 inches are expected, along with a thin layer of ice. 

Winter weather advisories have already expired in Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth and Salem counties.

Advisories are active through 2 p.m. in Hunterdon and Somerset, through 3 p.m. in Hudson County, eastern Bergen, eastern Essex, eastern Union and New York City, through 5 p.m. in eastern Passaic, western Bergen, western Essex and western Union, and  9 p.m. for Morris and Warren counties.

@nynjpaweather moderate sleet here in Cherry hill. pic.twitter.com/9C6XSxGB4x

-- Badjers Redux (@Badjers) February 7, 2018

Snowing over the Musconetcong River in Hackettstown,#NJ. @JimCantore @wrnjradio @Evansweather @GarySzatkowski @WeatherWorks pic.twitter.com/TiEYGdOJPJ

-- Jay Edwards (@JayEdwardsWrnj) February 7, 2018

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

Both women were selected, in part, because they are strong female role models, according to the university.

Rutgers University has landed two high-profile women to speak at its Newark and Camden commencement ceremonies. 

Queen Latifah, a Newark native who became an actress and hip-hop icon, will deliver the keynote address at Rutgers-Newark. 

Anita Hill, the law professor thrust into the national spotlight after she accused Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment, will speak to graduates at Rutgers-Camden. 

The speakers, who will also receive honorary degrees, were approved at a university Board of Governors meeting Wednesday. Both women were selected, in part, because they are strong female role models, according to the university.

"Queen Latifah is inspiring to us as students because she always projects herself through her work as a strong woman," said Adebimpe Elegbeyele, a Rutgers-Newark student who served on the commencement selection committee. "She shows young women that we can do that too and young men that they need to respect that." 

Along with her work in music and acting, Queen Latifah founded a scholarship foundation for low-income youth and has worked to prevent home foreclosures in disadvantaged neighborhoods.

She was also an advocate for Let Girls Learn, a campaign by former First Lady Michelle Obama to provide support to 62 million girls around the world who do not have access to education.    

Rutgers-Newark will award Queen Latifah a honorary Doctor of Fine Arts degree at its May 14 ceremony at the Prudential Center. She will not receive a speaking fee.    

Hill is now a professor of social policy, law, and women's, gender, and sexuality studies at Brandeis University. Her 1991 allegations against Thomas, then a Supreme Court nominee, sparked national conversations about sexual harassment,  workplace misconduct, inequality, and discrimination.      

Now a leading figure in the #TimesUp movement against sexual harassment and assault, Hill remains one of the nation's most powerful voices in addressing equality and discrimination, Rutgers-Camden Chancellor Phoebe Haddon said.

"She is the ideal role model to charge graduating students to take what they learned at Rutgers-Camden and work to improve their communities and world," Haddon said.  

Hill will receive an honorary Doctor of Laws from Rutgers-Camden. She will not receive a speaking a fee. 

Rutgers has yet to name a commencement speaker for its New Brunswick campus. 

Adam Clark may be reached at adam_clark@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on twitter at @realAdamClark. Find NJ.com on Facebook.