City National Bank, founded in Newark in 1973, will lease 13,000 square feet in the former Hahne's department store space when it opens in 2017

NEWARK - The much anticipated arrival of a Whole Foods supermarket at the former Hahne & Co. department store building has been called a symbol of a new era in downtown Newark.

The building's newest confirmed tenant, however, is something of a nod to the city's past.

City National Bank, established in Newark in 1973, has signed an agreement to lease 13,000 square feet in the Broad Street complex when it opens in 2017, according to developers L+M Development Partners.

"It is appropriate that this iconic building will now include a local banking institution that has been, and will remain, a vital part of the Newark community," L+M Vice President of Development Jon Cortell said in a statement.

With branches in Newark, Paterson and New York City, City National is one of the largest African-American-owned banks in the country. Though it experienced significant difficulties during the financial meltdown that began in 2008, it recently completed a $20 million recapitalization that helped it acquire its new space.

"With this move, we are able to reaffirm our commitment to mission and place, as well as, support significant redevelopment efforts in our city," said Preston Pinkett III, the bank's chairman and CEO.

L+M and its partners broke ground on the $174 million Hahne's project in June. In addition to the Whole Foods and City National, it will eventually include three floors of space for Rutgers-Newark art students, including studios, classrooms and gallery venues.

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

A bomb squad determined there was no threat after searching East Orange Campus High School, according to CBS New York

East Orange Campus High School was evacuated after a bomb threat Thursday morning. (File photo)

EAST ORANGE - East Orange Campus High School was briefly evacuated Thursday morning after a bomb threat.

According to CBS New York, police cleared the Prospect Street school around 10:15 a.m. A bomb squad was called to the scene, which quickly declared the threat to be without merit.

Linden High School was also evacuated around 10 a.m. after students and staff noticed a strange odor, police told the station.

No injuries were reported as a result of either incident.

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

 

Catherine Wilson had worked for years to improve education, health and income opportunities for people in Newark and elsewhere in N.J., and now she is getting recognized for it.

Pictured, Wilson at work. (Courtesy of United Way) 

NEWARK -- Catherine Wilson had worked for years to improve education, health and income opportunities for people in Newark and elsewhere in N.J., and now she is getting recognized for it.

Wilson, as the Acting Chief Executive Officer of United Way of Essex and West Hudson, has helped provide families in 13 municipalities with backpacks, books, reading programs, health workshops, and savings "matching" opportunities with TD Bank -- allowing families that save $1,000 to get $4,000 in return if they take financial literacy courses.

Earlier in December, Wilson was announced the recipient of the 2015 Fairleigh Dickinson University Emerging Nonprofit Leader Award.

Nearly 1M people live in poverty in N.J., new Census data shows

"I was just very, very honored when they called me. I started crying and then I ran to the CFO's office and I was like 'oh my God, oh my God, I won the award!'" she said. "It was just really surprising, I guess, because I never win anything. For me, it's not really about winning the award... For me, it was about the recognition of the work being important."

Wilson, who already holds a bachelor's degree in communication and a master's in social work, said she will receive $2,500 for any Spring/Fall 2016 certificate program offered by the FDU Center for Excellence. She plans to explore education on fundraising efforts, she said.

For 15 years, Wilson also held various roles working in Newark, she said, not just for United Way, but also for Essex CASA (Court-Appointed Special Advocates) for Children, and as a state child protection worker.

"I actually came to Newark in Oct. 2001," she said. "I was a reporter, actually, when I was in college... My dad was like, you know, kid, there's this Internet thing. You may not be able to have a job in 10 years. I got a job working for DYFUS." 

When she began that work, she said, she saw "every kind" of poverty, including families without electricity or hot water.

Since then, she has also seen major success stories: one single mother of four in Newark used the United Way match-savings program money for school, eventually getting her master's in social work, Wilson said. 

Wilson said that she was born in Illinois before moving all around N.J. after she was 6, so she felt like she never really had a hometown.

When she told people she was going to work in Newark, they said she was "insane," she recalled.

"Newark has a bad reputation, but Newark is a wonderful city that has so much to offer," she said. "I fell in love with the people, because Newark is a very proud city, and the people who lived there and grew up there are really proud. There's something about people who have a passion for their hometown, it resonated with me."

Laura Herzog may be reached at lherzog@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LauraHerzogL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

It's part of the 8-year-old church's efforts to remain relevant in modern society. Watch video

MORRISTOWN -- Pastor Tim Lucas was 6 years old when the first Star Wars movie came out, and he remembers, in the Christmases that followed, replacing the tiny figures in his mother's Nativity scene with Han Solo, Princess Leia and R2D2.

"I didn't care about the star of Bethlehem," said Lucas, the lead pastor at Morristown-based Liquid Church. "I cared about the Death Star."

Now, Lucas -- no relation to George, sadly -- is doing the same thing on a wider scale as a new installment of the franchise is about to hit theaters. Services in the coming Sundays at Liquid Churches around New Jersey will weave the Star Wars story together with Biblical theology in what they're calling a "Cosmic Christmas."

This Sunday, Lucas will deliver his second weekly sermon dressed as Han Solo, reading from the Bible and playing Star Wars clips that are thematically similar (instead of a choir, dancing Storm Troopers; instead of Santa, Darth Santa).

And on Christmas Eve, Cosmic Christmas is culminating in a live, Star Wars-inspired live performance with costumed characters; at the end, instead of lighting candles, congregants will wield glow sticks shaped like light sabers. 

http://www.nj.com/entertainment/index.ssf/2015/12/star_wars_the_force_awakens_review_chewie_theyre_h.html

The parallels between the Bible and Star Wars, Lucas said, are striking, particularly in the good vs. evil cosmology, the story of the resurrection, and a savior of dubious parentage.

Even that famous phrase -- "may the force be with you" -- is cribbed from Christian theology.

"It's going to be a real fun way to take a fresh look at the greatest story ever told," Lucas said.

The church has locations in Morristown, Mountainside, New Brunswick, Somerville and Nutley. Lucas expects the live Christmas Eve performances to draw 7,000 people, a high water mark for the 8-year-old church.

"People hear the name Liquid Church and assume they're either a cult or a drinking fraternity," Lucas said. "And of course they're completely wrong on the first one."

The name, rather, is a nod to a church that is trying to be refreshing -- the opposite of the dry services that might keep contemporary Americans from attending services, Lucas said. The Star Wars gambit is just one part an attempt to be culturally relevant in an increasingly secular world.

It's a nondenominational Christian church, and they welcome "Protestant, Catholic, Jewish, Jedi knight -- it doesn't matter, they're welcome at Liquid."

The Star Wars: The Force Awakens film, the latest in the series, will be released Thursday night.

Of course, Lucas will be there.

"Star Wars changed my life," Lucas said. "Second only of course to Jesus Christ."

More information about the church's Star Wars services can be found on the church's website.

Brian Amaral may be reached at bamaral@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @bamaral44. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

We've detailed the reality of the heroin crisis in N.J. Today, we ask you — what do we do about it?

On Tuesday, we opened the door to the reality of the heroin crisis in New Jersey.  

At least 128,000 people are enslaved today by heroin's grip. More than 5,200 have died since 2004, a figure that's grown exponentially with each passing year.  Hundreds of thousands more feel the effects of heroin second-hand, and our ever-growing "living wall" documents hundreds of stories about the fallout the drug can cause beyond the user. 

Today the question becomes -- what now? Next week NJ Advance Media will take a comprehensive look at what's been done, what hasn't and what is planned to stem the tide of heroin use in New Jersey.  

But as it stands today, clearly the problem remains unencumbered and growing. We want to hear from you. What do you think can be done?  Where should the primary solution come from?  

Take our anonymous survey below to let us know. Once we have received enough responses, we will create an interactive graphic on this page showcasing them and use them to support our report next week on where New Jersey stands in the fight against heroin.

SEE THE RESULTS

While we wait for enough responses to come in, you will be able to see the current results of the survey in summary form once you have submitted your response. 

Results

Click or tap on each icon for more information about each user's answer. Use the buttons to sort by an individual category. This page will be updated periodically as new results come in. 

Last updated: 10:30 p.m., Dec. 17

Stephen Stirling may be reached at sstirling@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @sstirling. Find him on Facebook.

 

Authorities are investigating the early morning death of man found suffering apparent gunshot wounds outside of a township residence.

(File photo)

WEST ORANGE -- Authorities are investigating the early morning death of man found suffering apparent gunshot wounds outside of a township residence. 

Emergency personnel arriving at a home in the 100 block of Joyce Street Thursday morning discovered a man believed to be in his 20's unresponsive and suffering multiple apparent gunshot wounds, said Essex County Prosecutor's Office spokeswoman Katherine Carter.

Officials pronounced the man dead at the scene at 6:30 a.m., Carter said. The victim's name will be released pending notification of his family, she added. 

County officials will conduct an autopsy to determine the victim's exact cause of death, Carter said.

Authorities have yet to make any arrests in connection to the victim's death, Carter said. An investigation into the incident by the Essex County Prosecutor's Office Homicide Task Force is ongoing.

Additional details were not immediately made available.

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

 

New Jersey reacts to the the premiere of the 'Star Wars: The Force Awakens' at the AMC Loews theatre in New Brunswick. Watch video

Some fanatics were even dressed in costume. Princess Leah, Hans Solo and R2D2 were spotted waited online at the concession stands to grab a popcorn and soda at the AMC Loews New Brunswick. 

Before the start of the film, we decided to have some fun with movie-goers. Equipped with two red Darth Vader lightsabers, we let fans shows us their best moves. Some even dueled with their friends.

To keep the force going, we asked people to give us a one sentence review of the movie without any spoilers, their rating from 1 to 10 and a sound effect from the film.  

Did you see the movie on opening night? Let us know what you thought in the comment section below. NO SPOILERS ALLOWED! 

 

Amanda Marzullo may be reached at amarzullo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @amanda_marzullo. Find NJ.com Multimedia on Facebook.

Littleton Avenue was once a dreary street beset with drugs. Now it's vibrant and thriving after the Urban League helped residents reclaim their neighborhood.

The outreach worker from the Urban League of Essex County was polite and sincere, but Marie Parfait had a hard time swallowing her spiel. 

The social agency planned to take a section of Parfait's block - Littleton Avenue, between South Orange and 13^th   avenues - and turn it into a model neighborhood in Newark.

There would be new sidewalks landscaped with white flowering dogwood ornamental trees and an assortment of shrubbery such as red twig, oak leaf and beach plum. Money also was available to help homeowners fix up their property and each front lawn would get decorative lampposts.

The best part was that it wouldn't cost residents in the Fairmount Heights section of the West Ward a penny. That's right, free.

Was this too good to be true?

MORE: Recent Barry Carter columns

"When I heard that, I didn't believe it,'' Parfait said, of the pitch made several months ago.

 The only thing that homeowners had to do was sign up. Parfait, who has lived on the block 47 years, agreed to participate - even though she didn't think anything was going to happen.  

"I said, 'Okay, I'll try my luck,' '' she said. "We'll see.''

Many other homeowners were skeptical, too. The Urban League could only get seven or eight of them to sign up, even after community meetings that were held in addition to knocking on doors.

But once the agency started doing the work, including construction of four new homes on the block, residents quickly became converts.

A total of 23 out of 28 homeowners jumped at the project,  funded with a grant totaling nearly $200,000 from the state's Neighborhood Revitalization Tax program, which is administered through the Department of Community Affairs.

As the project progressed, Littleton Avenue - a mix of Victorian and two- and three-family wood-frame homes - was changing from a neighborhood that Newark police said was a "hot spot" for drugs to one in which people want to live.

And it only took seven months for this experiment to take hold after the Urban League teamed up with Newark's Local Initiatives Support Corporation, another community group. The goal: Reconstruct this section of the West Ward and then continue the improvements on nearby streets.

"What we've done, it's no longer considered a hot spot,'' said Urban League president Vivian Fraser. "We're excited by the impact of the work we're doing with residents.''

The result has been huge. Since the improvements, Newark police said property crimes such as auto thefts and burglaries have gone down to levels that are hardly noticeable.

"In my opinion, they have disappeared,'' said Detective Anthony Williams.  "I don't hear the calls of service we used to have over there.''

A once dreary-looking street is now vibrant. At dusk, it is well-lighted, with uniform decorative lampposts that stand in a single line across front yards.  During the day and on weekends, it's quiet, except for the occasional ambulance siren or the sounds of contractors hammering away on homes they're renovating.

MORE CARTER: Former Newark boxer doesn't pull punches with youths in court and in the ring

Homeowners say they take pride in the block, spending time to talk to one another, choosing not to put up with nonsense anymore. Landlords also fixed up their properties, once they saw what was taking place.

"They're (residents) taking the initiative to keep up their property and sweep up in front of their place,'' said Pastor James Bailey, whose church - Vineyard Baptist Church - is on the street. "The mood is uplifting.''

There's less litter, if any, especially those shopping circulars that used to stay on the sidewalk. Passersby walking from the corner store are hesitant about throwing trash on the ground because, as Parfait said, everything looks so nice now. Even dog owners carry plastic bags to scoop up after their pets and motorists remember to park their cars on the proper side of the street so the city can breeze through with a street sweeper.

"I've been on the block and I've seen it go up and down,'' said homeowner Wade Tapp. "But this is the best that it has ever been in 30 years. It's like going back to how it used to be years ago, when everybody looked out for one another.''

When he's out and about on the block, Tapp said, residents from other streets stop by, wanting to know how their block can be a part of the improvement program. Or he'll just see people drive down the street, gazing at the workmanship.

The Urban League kept its word, and plans to do more.

"We're going to try to keep repeating this on other blocks,'' said Leonard Robbins, director of real estate project management for the Urban League.

Residents now have to do their part, by maintaining what has been started. They'll get a chance to prove their commitment by showing up at a meeting to celebrate the change that was needed. Do you live in a neighborhood where people hardly know one another, or in a community where they care and keep an eye on the block?

Hint, hint everyone.  

That means a lot of people should attend the noon celebration at Pastor Bailey's church on Saturday. 

Barry Carter: (973) 836-4925 or bcarter@starledger or nj.com/carter or follow him on Twitter @BarryCarterSL

Ashley L. Frabizzio, 30, of Butler, was arrested last Saturday and has been suspended from her teaching job in Elmwood Park.

An attorney for Ashley L. Frabbizio says the suspended teacher is innocent of child-abuse charges. (Bergen County Prosecutor's Office) 

ELMWOOD PARK - An attorney for a special education teacher charged with child abuse is calling the accusations "perplexing," saying any contact between the woman and the 9-year-old alleged victims in her care was in line with school policy.

Ashley L. Frabizzio, 30, of Butler, was arrested last Saturday and charged with two counts each of child abuse and simple assault.

The married mother of one young daughter is free on $2,500 bail and has been suspended from her $47,000-a-year job with pay.

Frabizzio's attorney, Timothy Smith of Fairfield, said Thursday the allegations are untrue and that his client plans to fight them in court.

"To the extent that there was any physical contact, it was non-injurious, incidental, and in strict conformance with protocols established for addressing the behaviors germane to this type of classroom setting," Smith stated in an email to NJ Advance Media. 

According to criminal complaints, the abuse is alleged to have occurred earlier this fall at the Sixteenth Avenue Elementary School:

• Sometime in November, Frabizzio is accused of "forcefully grabbing Z.R. (a 9-year-old child) by the arms and forcefully pushing Z.R. into a chair."
• On or about Dec. 3 or 4, Frabizzio is accused of grabbing a 9-year-old child identified as J.L. and "pushing J.L. to the floor, causing him to hit his head on a piece of furniture" and causing bodily injury.

The warrants state that Frabizzio was responsible for the care of both children.

A school administrator reported the alleged abuse to authorities, as required by state law.

Frabizzio's attorney, however, suggested the charges are politically motivated.

"How these events resulted in charges of this nature (is) perplexing," Smith said.  "It reeks of retaliation, politics, and vendetta - dynamics that will be exposed when Ms. Frabizzio is vindicated."

The attorney also criticized the release of the teacher's mug shot, which appears to show Frabizzio in a fragile state after her arrest.

"The real tragedy is that we currently live under a system which allows for the indelible association of her name and face with these charges, at a time when she is supposed to be presumed innocent," Smith said.

A spokeswoman for the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office did not respond Thursday to a request for comment on the attorney's statements.

Frabizzio waived a first-appearance scheduled for Tuesday in Elmwood Park Municipal Court. The case has been forwarded to Bergen County Superior Court in Hackensack for review and possible indictment.

A court date has not been set.

Sen. Ron Rice isn't entirely wrong - most felons should have voting rights. But he's wrong to undermine the Democracy Act. Watch video

State Sen. Ron Rice is moving the goalposts again, and it's hard to tell why he would play political games that hurt the constituents he purports to serve.

The Democrats in the Legislature were poised to put the Democracy Act on the ballot in 2016 as a constitutional amendment - which, if the voters adopt it, would provide automatic voter registration when you apply for a driver's license, online registration, and expand early voting.

It's a comprehensive modernization package, and for a state that is 39^th in voter registration - with a dismal 22-percent turnout last month - we could use some modernization.

But Rice isn't hearing it - again.

In June, he managed to get same-day registration scrubbed from the original bill (which Gov. Christie vetoed on Nov. 9), because he believes it exposes the system to fraud. And as someone who claims to have had three elections stolen from him, he's inflexible on that provision.

More: Same-day registration will boost turnout

Now he is telling the Black Caucus to withdraw support of the package unless it restores voting rights for everyone who is incarcerated, on parole, and on probation.

And time is short: If this isn't resolved by Tuesday, the opportunity to place the Democracy Act on the 2016 ballot will likely pass.

"It needs to be full restoration," Rice said. "Other than that, many of my (caucus) members can't vote for it."

More: Take voting rights out of Christie's hands

But full restoration won't fly. Most in his party are on board with "partial" restoration, which would return the franchise to 65,000 people currently on probation, something allowed in 19 other states.

Perhaps Senate President Steve Sweeney can introduce this as a separate ballot question or as legislation.

But he should also remind his colleague that he voted for the original bill without the restoration provision, and convince Rice that intransigence is a poor excuse to torpedo a chance to bring New Jersey's electoral process into the 21^st Century.

More: Recent Star-Ledger editorials.

Follow NJ.com Opinion on Twitter@NJ_Opinion. Find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.

Currently, the United States has military personnel deployed in about 150 countries. DVIDS, a service paid for by the Department of Defense, via the Department of the Army, Third Army/US Army Central (ARCENT), has provided video greetings from members of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines who will not be home for the holidays. Enjoy this first installment...

Currently, the United States has military personnel deployed in about 150 countries.

DVIDS, a service paid for by the Department of Defense, via the Department of the Army, Third Army/US Army Central (ARCENT), has provided video greetings from members of the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines who will not be home for the holidays.

Enjoy this first installment of messages sent by service members who hail from, or, who have family in the Garden State.

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

Blue was surrendered to a high-kill shelter when his owner could no longer care for him.

Blue 

MONTCLAIR -- Blue is a young mountain cur/retriever mix in the care of PAWS Montclair.

He was surrendered to a high-kill shelter when his owner could no longer care for him.

Blue has been described by volunteers as great with children and other dogs and happy to go for walks.

He weighs 50 pounds, has been neutered and is up-to-date on shots.

For more information on Blue, call 973-746-5212 or email pawsanimalshelter@verizon.net. PAWS is a nonprofit rescue group serving the Montclair area.

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 The Star-Ledger on Facebook.

 

The food is classic and authentic Italian cuisine.

On Day 25, among our best choices in Italian cuisine, we offer ...

OSTERIA GIOTTO

The owners met in the kitchen of San Domenico. In Imola, Italy.

Osteria Giotto co-owners and chefs Robert Pantusa, left, and Luca Valerin Cathy Miller 

And if you know the story, philosophy and legacy of San Domenico, one of the most esteemed restaurants in Italy, you need know nothing more.

PLUS: More of 30 Best Meals in N.J. 2015

For that is enough to explain the soft, gentle layers of pasta that are the lasagna Bolognese at Osteria Giotto, made with nine layers of pasta and bechamel.

This is lasagna genteel and refined, a joy and a pleasure - and an embarrassment to the American concept of lasagna, like comparing a velvety, aged Barolo to a flabby, sweet California cabernet.

Osteria Giotto opened in 2003 on Montclair's Midland Avenue.Cathy Miller 

Osteria Giotto opened in 2003, and the food is classic and authentic Italian cuisine. "We try to stick to what we know," says Robert Pantusa, who runs the always busy restaurant with Luca Valerin.

Complementing the food is the attitude; talk to anyone in Montclair and the first thing they mention about Osteria Giotto is the friendliness. How they bring olives and homemade bread immediately, how you feel the love.

Reservations are particularly tough on weekends; Pantusa guesses they serve about 300 people on a summer Saturday.

He doesn't use a computer to reach that tally. "I just know how tired I am at the end of the night."

• Osteria Giotto | 21 Midland Ave., Montclair | (973) 746-0111 | giottomontclair.com

MORE FROM INSIDE JERSEY MAGAZINE

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NJ.com's best pictures from the week Watch video

Woodbridge - The holidays are just around the corner, but it didn't feel like it this week, as the Garden State enjoyed a stretch of very warm spring like temperatures. 

Pete Genovese announced live on NJ.com that New Jersey's best diner was the Broad Street Diner in Keport. 

Earlier in the week, NJ Advance Media published the result of a yearlong project, called "Welcome to Herointown, New Jersey's Fourth Largest City," which exposed heroin and opioid addiction in New Jersey.

Rutgers wrestling surprised Nebraska with a 17-16 upset during their Big Ten wrestling meet. 

The New Jersey Devils treated loyal fans to a unique Star Wars-themed night at the Rock. Fans could meet Star Wars characters and pose for photos with them and took home Star Wars-themed T-shirts and posters, as the team celebrated "Star Wars: The Force Awakens," which opens today.  

Make sure to look through the gallery above and leave a comment about your favorite picture this week. 

Saed Hindash can be reached at shindash@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @saedhindash. On Instagram at @Throughthecameraeye. Find NJ.com on Facebook

During his 200-plus days in space since March, Scott Kelly has seen a lot. Here are some of the stunning shots the New Jersey astronaut has shared from space this year.

In 2015, New Jersey's homegrown astronaut Scott Kelly embarked on an out-of-this-world quest: a year-long stint in space to study how a human ages in zero-g.

During his 200-plus days in space since March, Kelly has seen stunning swirling hurricanes, dust storms that dominated a large swath of the earth's surface, amazing views of the aurora and, if you believe some, alien life. 

Kelly has continually kept us down on third rock from the sun updated on his status by sharing a number of gorgeous aerial shots from International Space Station.

It also appears that Kelly is a pretty big football fan, tweeting out a handful of true nose-bleed seats at NFL stadiums on game day.

In August, Kelly -- the NASA astronaut who broke records this year by spending more time in space than any other American -- got the rare opportunity to snap a photo of his hometown West Orange for the first time in his 15-year career.

Another milestone for Kelly this year was his first space walk. 

Above we've put together some of our favorite photos from Kelly's year at the ISS. Below is a more comprehensive collection of a number of his photos that includes lit up cities at night from around the world, elegant earth photos that could be confused with modern masterpieces of art and many many more  otherworldly views.

Craig McCarthy may be reached at CMcCarthy@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @createcraig. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

In 1947, a white Christmas was not likely a dream as Santa's feet were buried in the white stuff

MONTCLAIR -- Santa's sleigh may have a one horsepower motor instead of eight reindeer, but children appear to be just as happy on Woodmont Road in Upper Montclair in this photo from 1947.

That year, a white Christmas was not likely a dream as Santa's feet were buried in the white stuff. This year .... no such chance.

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 Thursdays on nj.com.

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

 

Newark police are searching for two men suspected in several early morning gas station robberies, authorities say.

NEWARK -- Police are searching for two men suspected of committing a series of gunpoint robberies across Newark early Friday morning, authorities confirmed.

The suspects, one of whom is believed to be armed with a handgun, allegedly held up several local gas stations, said Newark Police Department spokesman Sgt. Ronald Glover.

Authorities believe the pair may be driving a black sedan, which witnesses reported seeing leave the scene following a number of the robberies, he added.

Authorities are asking anyone with information about the robberies contact the department via Crime Stoppers anonymous tip line.

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

 

Jonathan Jeff Garrett, who played semi-professional basketball in New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Michigan, admitted he brought his 7-year-old son along when he delivered a prostitute to a Bethlehem Township hotel.

A semi-pro basketball player admitted he brought his 7-year-old son along while dropping off a prostitute at a Lehigh Valley hotel.

Jonathan Jeff Garret, 30, of Freemansburg, was sentenced to nine to 23 months in Northampton County Prison for the crime in August at the Courtyard by Marriott hotel on Emrick Boulevard in Bethlehem Township.

Standing 6-foot-10 and weighing 320 pounds, Garrett towered over defense attorney Vivian Zumas in court Friday.

She said he's taken anger management classes and a healthy relationships course while in prison. He knows what he did was wrong, she said.

"Bringing a child is what makes it extraordinary," said Northampton County Judge Emil Giordano.

"Thank God the child never left the vehicle," Zumas added.

Garrett apologized for wasting the court's time. Giordano was glad he realized he made a serious mistake.

Garrett went to St. Anthony's High School in New Jersey, a prominent school for basketball, before transferring to Liberty High School in his senior year.

He played for various teams including the Harrisburg Horizon, New Jersey Express and a team in Michigan. He hopes to play in Canada when he's put on work release.

"I don't know if they'll let you out to do that," the judge said. Garrett has spent four months in prison already. He will serve two years on probation once his prison and parole time expires.

He pleaded guilty to promoting prostitution and endangering the welfare of a child.

Rudy Miller may be reached at rmiller@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @RudyMillerLV. Find Easton area news on Facebook. 

 

A new ramp will be in place this weekend, officials said Friday.

A new ramp will be in place this weekend, officials said Friday. (Larry Higgs | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
 

NEWARK -- An ongoing $93 million road construction project that will see the demolition and refiguring of structurally-deficient bridge decks will close a busy Essex County exit ramp.

Starting Saturday at 6 a.m., the existing exit ramp from Route 21 southbound to Spring Street will be closed, the state Department of Transportation announced Friday. To access local roads off of the exit, drivers will be directed to a new ramp about 200 feet in front of the existing one, the DOT said.

The relocation will allow for a bridge deck replacement, officials said.

The federally-funded project, which plans various construction stages to improve the Interstate 280 interchange at Route 21, started in September and is slated to run through 2019.

Get ready for years of detours around I-280 in Newark

The project, which should be completed in four stages, also involves building new bridges and putting a new deck on the bridge over Broad Street.

DOT officials said they are coordinating with local officials to implement the detour.

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

 

 

The victim in an early morning shooting on Madison Avenue was pronounced dead Friday, authorities confirm.

NEWARK -- Authorities are investigating a fatal early morning shooting that occurred in the 300 block of Madison Avenue.

The victim, whose name has not been released, was pronounced dead Friday after being transported to a hospital for treatment, confirmed Essex County Prosecutor's Office spokeswoman Katherine Carter.

Additional details of the killing are not currently available, Carter said.

Police sources and neighborhood residents confirmed that the shooting occurred outside of an after-hours social club located near the intersection of Madison Avenue and South 16th Street.

One resident, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, confirmed that the building located near where the victim was discovered is a social club.

Police and other emergency officials could be seen blocking off the scene early Friday morning, the resident said. Whether the victim was a patron of the club is currently unclear.

Attempts to contact the owners of the property that houses the social club were not immediately successful.

http://www.nj.com/essex/index.ssf/2015/12/multiple_fatal_shootings_shake_newark.html

The killing is the second in Newark so far this week. Ulysses Murphy, 44, was shot to death Tuesday morning in an incident in the 100 block of Columbia Avenue.

According to police statistics, the Madison Avenue shooting brings the city's 2015 homicide total to 98.

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