Born in South Korea and adopted by a Verona family, Samantha Futerman co-directed the documentary about finding her identical twin sister, who had been adopted by French parents

"Twinsters" is an incredible, only-through-the-Internet story of a Jersey girl who connects with an identical twin sister she never knew she had.

That the film got made is another only-through-the-Internet story. Samantha Futerman, the Verona-raised actress who co-stars in the documentary with her sister Anais Bordier, who was adopted by a French couple, raised a total of $129,082 through two Kickstarter campaigns to make and produce, and now it's available on Netflix. 

In February 2013, friends of Bordier spotted a woman who looked exactly like Bordier in a YouTube video by the American comedian known as KevJumba. After what is described as "a few light Google stalking sessions," Bordier tracked down Futerman, by then living in Los Angeles, via Facebook. The two women discovered they were both born on Nov. 19, 1987, in Busan, South Korea, and put into foster care.

Futerman was adopted by a couple from Verona who already had two biological sons; always dramatic, she graduated from the Professional Performing Arts School in New York City and received a BFA in Theatre Arts from Boston University. Her acting credits include "Memoirs of a Geisha," "21 and Over," and "Kroll Show."

Bordier was adopted by a French couple who had no other children, and grew up in Belgium and in the suburbs of Paris. She loved to draw and earned a degree in textiles before attending the famed Central Saint Martins College of Arts & Design in London. She now works in the fashion industry. 

After the two connected on Facebook and then Skype, they raised money through Kickstarter to meet in London with both their families (and a small film crew, of course). They also reunited in Los Angeles and eventually traveled to Seoul, where they attended the International Korean Adoptee Associations conference, learned more about the land of their birth, and search for their biological mother. 

The sisters also wrote a book, "Separated @ Birth: A True Love Story of Twin Sisters Reunited," published by Penguin.

"Twinsters," co-directed by Futerman and Ryan Miyamoto and the winner of a 2015 special jury award at SXSW, had a small theatrical release in July, with enthusiastic reviews from the New York Times, the Hollywood Reporter and Variety, which wrote, "Watching 'Twinsters,' you get the sense that it's merely one in a multitude of astonishing narratives that have emerged (or are waiting to emerge) from this particular diaspora; even when the film ends, it's clear this particular story has only just begun."

Vicki Hyman may be reached at vhyman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @vickihy or like her on Facebook. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook, and check out TV Hangover, the podcast from Vicki Hyman and co-host Erin Medley on iTunes, Stitcher or listen here. 

TV HANGOVER, EP. 14: Teresa Giudice's release from prison, Steve Harvey's blunder and Showtime finales

 

A victim was hit near 247 Frelinghuysen Avenue Friday morning, according to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office.

NEWARK -- A sport utility vehicle struck and killed a man walking on a city street Christmas morning, authorities said.  

The crash occurred near 247 Frelinghuysen Avenue around 7 a.m., as a 27-year-old Newark resident was attempting to cross the roadway, according to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office.

Christmas Eve stabbing leaves one man dead in Newark

The man, whose name was not released pending notification of his family, was pronounced dead at the scene at 7:26 a.m., authorities said.

The driver of the SUV remained on the scene, according to the county's chief assistant prosecutor, Thomas Fennelly.

Fennelly said the investigation is ongoing and no charges have been filed yet.       

Erin O'Neill may be reached at eoneill@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LedgerErin. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The group was concerned about the "demonizing" of immigrants when it decided to reach out to the newly arrived Syrian families living in Elizabeth

MONTCLAIR -- It was a traditional Jewish Christmas dinner -- Chinese food. But the guests at the synagogue in Montclair were neither Jewish nor Christian. They were recently arrived Muslim Syrian refugees.

Feeling concern over the "demonizing of immigrants," members of Bnai Keshet, a Reconstructionist congregation, invited 10 refugee families in Elizabeth to join them Friday night--which also happens to be the start of the Jewish Sabbath.

"They were very enthusiastic," said Kate McCaffrey of Maplewood. "We really have no idea what their experiences with Jews are or what their feelings are. They accepted the invitation overwhelmingly."

The event came about because "members of our congregation and people throughout the Jewish community have really felt called to help the refugees," said Rabbi Elliott Tepperman, the leader of Bnai Keshet.

"As Jews, we all come from refugee families and we know in our bones what it's like to have hateful rhetoric directed toward us," Tepperman said. "Many of our parents were Holocaust refugees."

To make sure everyone's dietary restrictions were met, the meal included vegetarian food catered by Woxx, a Kosher Asian restaurant in West Orange.

Because it is Friday evening, the start of the Jewish Sabbath, the meal started with blessings over candles and challah bread.

And despite the political hostilities between Jews and Muslims in the Middle East, that did not arise as an issue when the Syrians were invited, said the event's organizers. In addition to the 10 families living in Elizabeth, a Syrian refugee family living in Paterson also accepted the congregation's invitation.

In Paterson, where there are many Muslims, that family has been settling in comfortably. But the newly arrived refugees are having "more trouble" in Elizabeth, where there aren't as many Muslims and the schools are less capable of dealing with Arabic-speaking students, McCaffrey said.

The congregation's link to the Syrians in Elizabeth was Rana Shanawani, a woman of Syrian descent living in Short Hills who has been helping the refugees get settled in Elizabeth.

Shanawani said she found it "wonderful" and "amazing" when the Jewish group approached her with an emailed request to arrange an invitation for the refugees. "We reached out to the families and asked how they felt about it," she said, admitting she was "nervous" and didn't know what to expect.

But the reaction "was very favorable," she said. "Everyone agreed to go."

One family had visitors from out of town, and two days ago, they decided they couldn't attend the dinner, but their children complained so vigorously that they decided to go, Shanawani said.

She said the Syrians have been "strategizing on how to give as good an impression as possible. They're bringing flowers and trying to be as harmonious as possible."

"It's so wonderful, I'm so happy there is so much enthusiasm on both sides," Shanawani said.

While there has been some growing anti-Muslim, anti-immigrant sentiment in the country, Shanawani said the pendulum has swung the other way for a lot of people.

"They want to show their support, they want to show that they don't feel that way," she said.

And although some have cautioned that even asylum seekers might have terrorist sympathies, McCaffrey said, "We're trying to show a positive model of sharing, of breaking bread."

She said the event would be just the start of an ongoing relationship between the congregation and the refugees.

"We really intend this as solidarity, not charity," she said.

Ben Horowitz may be reached at bhorowitz@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @HorowitzBen. Find NJ.com on Facebook. 

 

Shakur Stevenson, of Newark, is on the cusp of fulfilling his dream to join the men's USA Olympic Boxing team at the Summer Olympics this summer in Rio de Janeiro.

The kids at Newark's Boylan Street Recreation Center gathered ringside for an unexpected treat on Tuesday.

Shakur Stevenson was slipping and throwing punches with Willie "Wali'' Moses, one of his trainers - who also happens to be his grandfather - in the city's gym on South Orange Avenue. After a few rounds, he hit the heavy bag in another room before getting back in the ring to spar with a few fighters, which included a playful scrap with his 15-year-old brother, Ibn Guyton.

"He's nice,'' said Quasin Lee, 14. 

Nice means "good," as in very good. As in good enough to be in the Olympics.

"He's going to make it," said Knowledge Artis-Jones, 11. "I'm confident.''

Stevenson, 18, of Newark, is on the cusp of fulfilling his dream to join the men's USA Olympic Boxing team this summer at the Summer Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.

He did so by going undefeated, 4-0, at the Olympic trials held in early December in Reno, Nev. His performance in the 123-pound bantam weight division was so complete that he was named the outstanding boxer of the tournament. 

MORE: Recent Barry Carter columns

"I did it,'' he said. "It's finally over. I did it. I finally did it."

Just about.

To get the nod to be on the final team,  Olympic rules require that he win one of three international qualifying tournaments, which start in March in Buenos Aires, Argentina.

It shouldn't be a problem for Stevenson. He is 17-0 in international competition, but most important, he has the character to get it done.

The young man loves to box. He throws punches all the time. In the store, the mall or walking down the street.

"His mentality is different,'' said Julie Goldsticker, public relations consultant for USA Boxing, the national governing body for Olympic-style boxing.

"He shines when the lights are the brightest and in the way he deals with pressure situations.''

The Olympic trials were the tournament he had to win in a promising career that has taken him to places such as Bulgaria, Ukraine, China and now South America.

Isn't that something?

He's "Just a kid from Newark,'' a phrase written in gold letters on a black T-shirt that he was wearing at the recreation center.

That's Stevenson - a Newark kid, the oldest of nine brothers and sisters, who showed interest in the sport at age 2. He'd imitate fighters while watching boxing matches on television with his grandfather, whom he calls "Pop-pop."

Under his grandfather's guidance, Stevenson started learning the craft at age 5 in a Newark boxing program known as COMBATT - Community Organization Making Better Alternatives Today for Tomorrow.

"We could see he had the skills and abilities as a youngster,'' said Larry Hazzard Sr., who is the founder of the program and commissioner of the New Jersey Athletic Control Board.

Stevenson has worked hard since his youth, holding back tears when the referee raised his hand in victory in Reno. From the time the Olympic trials started, Stevenson said he was focused on seizing opportunity. He said his favorite fighter, Andre Ward, had him pumped following a telephone call.  The advice: Own this tournament.

"He went back to being himself,'' said Moses.

And that was to hit and not be hit.

"The most amazing thing is seeing him go from a little kid and actually dreaming this and wanting this to happen and making it come true,'' Moses said.

At the trials, two of the four bouts he won avenged losses against Ruben Villa of Salinas, Calif., who beat him twice this year.  Stevenson said the setbacks had him doubting his talent.

"I'm not used to defeat,''he said. "I don't take it very well.''

After all, Stevenson hadn't lost since 2012. He was racking up wins, including the Junior World Championships in 2013, making him the third American boxer ever to win that prestigious competition. AIBA, the international boxing association, topped his accomplishment by naming him the best Junior Male Boxer for that year.  

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

His success continued through last year, with international titles at the Youth Olympic games, Youth World Championships and Youth National Championships.

Now, he has the Olympic trials to add to his resume. And here comes Brazil.

"Dang,'' he said. That's all he could think about after winning - and not crying.

When's the last time you've heard such an utterance, if at all, from a young person?  He's not corny. He's just humble, grounded and not a braggart.

But he has every right to celebrate.  His 24-hour smile is automatic, and so are the dimples that he gets from his mother, Malikah Stevenson.

"I'm happy for him,'' she said. "It's been something he's wanted for a long time.''

He's home this week to be with family until he heads to Alexandria, Va., where he lives and trains with his coach, Kay Koroma. 

But for a few hours on Tuesday, Stevenson was in familiar territory at the recreation center. City officials and family friends took pictures with him. His achievement, they said, is certain to inspire Newark youth.

"It should spur them to be excited about the possibilities of what can happen in their community,'' said Patrick Council, the city's director of Neighborhood and Recreational Services.

You'll get no argument from Isaiah Gaffney, 13. He believes Stevenson is one of the best and what he's done proves that kids this town can make it.

"I feel like I'm going to win gold,'' Stevenson said.

You know what?

I do, too.

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

Authorities are investigating a fatal shooting in East Orange where a 65-year-old city man was killed early Saturday morning

EAST ORANGE -- Local and county authorities are investigating a fatal shooting in East Orange where a 65-year-old city man was killed early Saturday morning.

Jacke K. Bush was found unresponsive by officers on Essex Street with apparent gun shot wounds when responding to a report of gunfire at 1:20 a.m., according to Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn A. Murray.

Bush was pronounced dead at the scene 30 minutes later, said Chief Assistant Prosecutor Thomas S. Fennelly.

Essex County Prosecutor's Major Crimes Task Force is investigating the shooting, Fennelly said. 

Anyone with information is asked to call (877) 847-7432 or (973) 621-4586.

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

 

 

Paul G. E. Clemens, a veteran Rutgers history professor, is marking the university's 250th birthday with a new book looking at the school's recent history.

NEW BRUNSWICK -- When Rutgers University celebrated its 200^th birthday in 1966, beloved campus history professor Richard P. McCormick released a book chronicling the New Jersey school's complex history.

McCormick's book was considered the definitive account of Rutgers' history.

Fifty years later, Rutgers is preparing to celebrate another big birthday and another history professor is taking a fresh look at the state university.

Paul G. E. Clemens, a veteran Rutgers history professor, is picking up where his late friend and mentor McCormick left off. His new book, "Rutgers since 1945: A History of the State University of New Jersey," marks the university's 250^th birthday by looking at the school's recent history.

Clemens traces the university's transformation from a mid-size private college to one of the country's largest public universities. The book chronicles Rutgers' academic and research triumphs and the school's entry into big time athletics.

Surprise! See Rutgers' unusual birthday present

The history also recounts Rutgers' low points, including the firing of professors accused of being communists in the 1950s and a national scandal involving President Francis Lawrence's comments about race and intelligence in the 1990s.

Clemens spoke to NJ Advance Media reporter Kelly Heyboer about Rutgers' past and future.

Rutgers has been around for 250 years. Has there been much written about its history?

Actually, there are quite a few histories. Various college presidents and college historians have had a hand in it. There was a classic study that was done right around the time of World War II. But the most important one was the 200^th anniversary history that Richard P. McCormick did. He was the outstanding historian of the university.

I won't call this new history an update. But it's a book that continues the story that Richard P. McCormick started when he wrote the bicentennial history.  His bicentennial history, like my new work, were both published by Rutgers University Press.

Rutgers University history professor Paul G.E. Clemens (right) during a book signing for his new book, "Rutgers since 1945." Clemens sits with English professor Barry Qualls (left) and Linda Stamato (center), co-director of Rutgers' Center for Negotiation and Conflict Resolutions. Qualls and Stamato contributed to "Rutgers: A 250 Anniversary Portrait," a new coffee table book about the university. (Carl Blesch | Rutgers University) 

You start the book at the end of World War II, as Rutgers was transitioning from a private college to New Jersey's state university. What was Rutgers like at that time?

Rutgers was really two schools and a couple of professional schools in 1945. It was the New Jersey College for Women and Rutgers College. There were professional schools here, including the engineering school and the agricultural school. But, it was a very small college. It looked sort of like a modern high school in terms of the number of students. The building that we associate with the campus in New Brunswick and Piscataway had not occurred.

The skeleton of the university was almost entirely on College Avenue and on the other side of New Brunswick where the New Jersey College for Women, later renamed Douglass, were. Everyone was able to walk around campus and meet people they knew. It was a very closed world, a very comfortable world for people.

There are seven Rutgers presidents profiled in your book, from Robert Clothier during World War II to current president Robert Barchi. Which president had the biggest impact on the modern Rutgers?

That's an easy question. It was Edward Bloustein. He served longer than anyone else after World War II - almost two decades. He is far and away the most dynamic president of this post-war period. He made the major changes that moved Rutgers forward as a research institution, as an institution that gets national recognition with the likes of the University of Wisconsin and the University of North Carolina. He put more emphasis on graduate education. He worked vigorously to get government grants for programs at Rutgers.

Bloustein was also the one who launched Rutgers on the path to big time athletics, which increased its public visibility.

How did the entry into NCAA Division I athletics impact Rutgers?

That's a pretty hard question to answer. As the school has grown, the athletic program has become more nationally known. But the athletes themselves have become a smaller part of the student experience here. We start after World War II with a large number of male students playing intercollegiate athletics. At the same time, everybody took physical education and everybody took ROTC, which in turn occasioned more physical activity. So, this was a campus in which physical education was a very large part of education.

As we moved more and more to a specialized athletics program, more of those features drop out--including mandatory physical education.

The program has always been important to the public perception of Rutgers. Spending the amount of money any university spends on athletics is projecting a certain image to the alumni, the residents of the state and nationwide. That has become increasingly important because universities like Rutgers are driven increasingly by their ability to enroll large numbers of students and have them pay high tuitions. It is a competitive world. It's a response to the diminishing state revenues that are being used to support the school directly.

In your book, nearly every Rutgers president complains the university is not getting enough funding from the state. Why does Rutgers always seem to be in a financial crisis?

State funding here has never been all that good. If you went to any state, you would find complaints from nearly every president that they never get enough money. Part of it is you always want more. With that said, New Jersey ranks badly behind most states in terms of college financing. Part of that story is New Jersey didn't have an income tax after World War II. There wasn't income tax to draw on for higher education funding.

When state income tax comes in, state aid improves a little bit. But still, it's a diminishing part of running an ever-expanding university. That's had pretty serious consequences. But, that is a national trend. It's why public college tuitions are going up everywhere. The state has sort of turned off the tap.

Rutgers is one of the most racially diverse universities in the nation. But, it wasn't always like that. How did the 1969 takeover of Rutgers-Newark's Conklin Hall by African-American students change the university?

To me, that is one of the two or three most important events in the long history of Rutgers. It was a student-led revolt. It is a dramatic event.

There were very few African-American students at Rutgers, as there were very few Puerto Rican students, which is the general term used at that time for Latino students, and very few Asian students. It was a school that was not diverse. What the Newark takeover did was it put more pressure on the administration than it had ever had before to change admissions policies and hire more staff and faculty of minority backgrounds.

One of the remarkable things is how positively Rutgers-Newark vice president Malcolm Talbott and Rutgers President Mason Gross acknowledged that the students were doing something that was important by giving their university a kick and getting them to move in the right direction. It was exactly what the university needed.

In the 1960s, women at Douglass College still had a curfew at their dormitories. Rutgers didn't become fully co-ed until the 1970s. Was Rutgers slow to fully integrate female students into the university?

That's a tricky question. Rutgers College very much wanted to bring women students into its classes. The faculty at Rutgers College very much wanted women students. They saw that having women at Rutgers College would be an enormous benefit both for enrollment reasons and for the quality of classroom education.

The resistance came from Douglass College, which saw that as a threat to its autonomy and its actual existence. There were heated debates. In the end, it took at least the threat of legal pressure to get the Board of Governors to agree to admit women to Rutgers College. It's worth keeping in mind that both Rutgers-Camden and Rutgers-Newark had already had women in their schools as had all of the professional colleges. What stood out was Rutgers College as a men's college and Douglass College as a women's college. There were fights about it, fierce fights.

Rutgers has grown into a major hub for research over the last 50 years. What is Rutgers' biggest discovery or its biggest impact on research?

Coming out of World War II, most of the research was in the agricultural school. It is where Selman Waksman comes in. He was a microbiologist who was working there and comes up with the drug that would be used in the early stages of battling tuberculosis. His work leads to the founding of the Waksman Institute, which goes on to do remarkable work, including cancer research. That is one of the areas that Rutgers becomes known for very quickly.

If you go from that to asking what Rutgers has contributed across the board in the arts, the humanities, the sciences or other fields--you'd have an almost endless list. That's what a research university is all about.

What is next for Rutgers, based on its history?

The university faces a lot of challenges. The importance of its two urban campuses, Camden and Newark, is going to become even more evident to the people who run the administration from a base in New Brunswick. The growth of those campuses is probably going to become one of the defining features of Rutgers in the 21^st century.

Figuring out how the university most benefits from having medical schools is going to be a major challenge and opportunity for the university. Integrating the medical schools (acquired when Rutgers absorbed most of the University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey in 2013) and making sure all the linkages work is a big problem. That's a huge challenge for the university.

Based on past experience, how Rutgers handles the very large deficits in athletics matters too. As athletics budgets have grown and become a larger part of the university budget, they pose larger financial concerns for the university. The cost of running big time athletics is not going to go away for the university.

Students complete a Citizen Schools Learning Time program.

Chancellor Avenue Elementary School middle-school student Herbert McNeil, right, demonstrates the robotics project he made in the Citizens School Expanded Learning Time program as classmate Jeffrey Warren, left, and teachers, "citizen teachers," and parents look on.

NEWARK -- The middle school students at Chancellor Avenue Elementary School recently completed a 10-week Citizen Schools Expanded Learning Time program with an interactive demonstration at school for students, parents and teachers called "Wow!"

The program taps the talent of volunteer "citizen teachers," who bring their professional expertise into the classroom for an extended day of learning for students in low-income communities.

During this latest session, the students explored the field of engineering and received lessons on robotics and building circuits. The program included engineers from Lockheed Martin, Cognizant and Mondelez International.

To submit school new send an email to essex@starledger.com.

A city man was killed early Sunday in a shooting, authorities said.

Newark Police found a man suffering from a gunshot wound, Dec. 27, 2015. (File Photo)File photo 

NEWARK -- A city man was killed early Sunday in a shooting, authorities said.

Newark Police found Marquise Ragland, 35, with a gunshot wound at about 1 a.m. on Whittier Place, Essex County Chief Assistant Prosecutor Thomas S. Fennelly said.

He was taken to University Hospital and pronounced dead at 4:23 a.m., Fennelly said.

The prosecutor's office Major Crimes Task Force is investigating the killing. Anyone with information should call task force detectives at (877) 847-7432 or (973) 621-4586.

Myles Ma may be reached at mma@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MylesMaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Two teenagers were fooling around and one seized the steering wheel, causing the car to veer off the road and land between two unoccupied vehicles, police said.

Photo courtesy of Fairfield Police 

FAIRFIELD -- A car veered off Route 46 Saturday night when two teenagers were fooling around and one grabbed the steering wheel, police said.

Police found the 2012 Hyundai sandwiched between an unoccupied Chevrolet Blazer and a vacant dump truck on the rear property of 47 Fairfield Road around 8:35 p.m., said Dep. Chief Anthony Manna. 

The car had been traveling east on Route 46 and left the roadway around mile marker 53, Manna said.

The four occupants of the Hyundai got out of the car before police arrived, according to Manna. 

He said the car was driven by a 17-year-old male from Pompton Lakes. The other passengers were a 16-year-old male from Pompton Lakes and two 16-year-old females from Boonton, Manna said. 

The males were messing around when the front-seat passenger grasped the steering wheel, and the driver lost control of the car, according to Manna. The car then slid on the grass, hit two snow plow blades that were on the ground and came to rest between the Chevrolet Blazer and the dump truck, he said. 

The West Essex First Aid Squad responded. All of the car's occupants complained of pain but refused further medical treatment, Manna said. 

The driver received a summons for careless driving, for having too many passengers in a car operated by a provisional driver and for a provisional driver not assuring that passengers were wearing seatbelts, Manna said. 

"The fact that no one was seriously injured in this incident is truly a holiday miracle," Manna said in a press release. "However, the accident only accentuates the reason why regulations are placed on provisional drivers and just how serious the operation of a motor vehicle actually is." 

MORE ESSEX COUNTY NEWS

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

A 2015 survey of how much dog owners will spend on their pets this Christmas shows Garden State dog lovers coming in first at $30.01.

According to thenoseprint.com, a pet-focused online hub for major pet product brands, New Jersey is the most generous state in the U.S. when it comes to buying gifts for their dogs.

The 2015 survey of how much dog owners will spend on their pets this Christmas shows Garden State dog lovers coming in first at $30.01. New York ($29.55) and Pennsylvania ($28.75) came in second and third, making the tri-state area a good place to be a dog. The national average, by the way, is $23.10.

The survey went on to note that the top five reasons dog owners say they spoil their pets:

* "to express love to my dog"
* "because it's fun for me"
* "to help my dog feel included like a family member"
* "to give my dog a moment of happiness"
* and, "to feel closer and bond with my dog"

Many pets throughout New Jersey won't be receiving any gifts this holiday season, though, because they don't have homes. Here's a gallery of homeless pets from northern and central New Jersey. Make sure captions are enabled to see all the information needed to adopt one of these pets.

You can see more pets in need of adoption here and here.

Zulu Al-Israokwa, 53, was pronounced shortly after being found inside his Hawthorne Avenue apartment Nov. 20

Newark police are asking for help finding the family of a man found dead in his home last month. (Star-Ledger file photo)

NEWARK - Police are asking for the public's help in finding the family of a man found dead inside his apartment last month.

Zulu Al-Israokwa, 53, was located in the Hawthorne Avenue home Nov. 20, after a neighbor who had not seen him in several days contacted authorities, Newark police said in a statement. He was found motionless in bed, and rushed to a nearby hospital where he was pronounced dead.

A medical examiner has yet to determine the exact cause of death, though no signs of foul play were discovered, police said.

In the weeks since, authorities have visited several addresses with links to Al-Israokwa, but have unable to find any family members. He is believed to have a brother, John Porter, who they have also been unable to locate.

Police are asking anyone with information on Porter or any other family members' whereabouts to contact Detective Richard Warren at (973) 733-4418.

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

 

Kyieem Newsome of Easton, Pa. was charged with several weapons-related offenses

Kyieem Newsome (Essex County Correctional Facility) 

NEWARK - An anonymous tip led to the arrest of an armed Pennysylvania man on Christmas night, according to police.

Kyieem Newsome, 31, of Easton, Pa., was pulled over for a traffic violation in the city's West Ward after a tipster reported seeing a man with a gun near the intersection of South Orange Avenue and Brookdale Avenue, Newark police spokesman Sgt. Ronald Glover said in a statement.

As officers approached his vehicle, they saw Newsome toss an object into its rear seats, which they later identified as a loaded .45-caliber automatic handgun, according to Glover.

PLUS: Suspect in Newark college student's beating death captured in Florida

After police retrieved the weapon, Newsome was booked for unlawful possession of a handgun, as well as other weapons and motor vehicle offenses.

In a statement, Newark Police Director Eugene Venable said an investigation into the incident is ongoing, and additional charges could still be filed.

"I thank the public for its continued support of the department via the anonymous tip line. It has become an invaluable tool in helping our officers remove illegal guns from our city streets," he said.

Anyone with information about this incident or any other crimes is asked to call the Newark police's 24-hour "Crime Stoppers" anonymous tip line at (877) NWK-TIPS (877-695-8477) or (877) NWK-GUNS (877-695-4867). 

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

 

East Orange is working to revitalize the 'Teen Streets.'

EAST ORANGE -- In the Greenwood neighborhood of East Orange - a 0.16 square mile residential area bordering Newark off of I-280 - there are 255 vacant properties. A map of the neighborhood, commonly referred to by residents as the "Teen Streets," shows sporadic spotting of homes that have been abandoned, and left vacant for years.

The city estimates that only 50 to 60 percent of the properties in the 20-block neighborhood are occupied.

But, city officials say the fortune of the area is primed for a reversal, thanks to a partnership with development corporation La Casa de Don Pedro, which broke ground this month on four new affordable townhomes.

Can N.J. town split down the middle by Route 280 reconnect?

"Our goal is to restore and preserve the neighborhood, Valerie Jackson, East Orange's Director of Policy, Planning and Development, said in a phone interview.

"We are partnering with nonprofits, and with private developers...it's the opportunity to turn a whole neighborhood around. We are excited about it."

Don Pedro and city officials gathered at the corner of Eaton Place and 15th Street on Dec. 16 to break ground on the $1.4 million project. Though officials have not released what the exact cost of the homes will be, they said the new development will combine with other home-buying programs in the city to promote sales to first-time homebuyers.

The city, for example, will offer grants of up to $25,000 to income-qualifying buyers. The longstanding city program awards about 50 grants each year, officials said.

N.J. city hopes to turn 700 abandoned homes into a bright future (PHOTOS)

"The affordable single family homes will have three bedrooms and (two-and-a-half) baths with an attached garage," said Alle Ries, Community Economic Development Director at La Casa de Don Pedro.

"We pride ourselves on building affordable homes with high quality, durable finishes that are perfect for first time homeowners who want a comfortable home that fits the family budget."

East Orange is also working to finish a 'Neighborhood Plan' charting out the development of the area, which it can then use to receive state funding and tax credits to continue revitalizing efforts, officials said. The hope, they said, is to mimic the projects carried out in the lower Broadway portion of Newark and ValleyArts district in Orange.

Mayor Lester Taylor said the initiative will increase the number of home owners in the city.

"Homeownership strengthens communities and builds wealth for our families," he said in a statement.

"I am excited to work with La Casa de Don Pedro to renew this area."

The redevelopment effort also builds on a clean-up program East Orange launched over the summer to remove blight from 700 abandoned properties across the city. The effort combined code-enforcement initiatives with the city claiming and redeveloping abandoned properties. Overall, officials said they hope to work with about 10 different developers on projects throughout East Orange.

"The perfect ending, for me, would be to have 95 percent of these homes occupied by families," Jackson said of the Teen Streets. "We want it to be a vibrant neighborhood with kids (playing outside) and plenty of activity."

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

In general, the most dangerous driving spots are expected in Bergen, Morris, Sussex, Warren and western Passaic counties. Watch video

For New Jersey commuters, the December fun is over -- at least for one day.

Drivers could face slick, and dangerous, road conditions Monday night and early Tuesday morning in northern and western counties, thanks to a storm that will be delivering a nasty mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain before changing to all rain as temperatures rise from the low 30s to the upper 30s. Added to the mix are steady winds that could gust as high as 29 mph in some parts of the Garden State.

Areas shaded in purple have a winter weather advisory in effect from Monday night through Tuesday morning. (NewJerseyWeather.com) 

Depending on where you live or travel, the conditions will vary. In general, the most dangerous driving spots will be in Bergen, Morris, Sussex, Warren and western Passaic counties, according to the latest winter weather advisory issued by the National Weather Service.

Although some snow or sleet could mix in with plain rain in northern sections of central New Jersey, driving conditions in that region aren't expected to be hazardous because the snow and sleet isn't likely to accumulate, the weather service said Monday morning.

Here's a look at the weather service forecasts for different sections of New Jersey. 

WESTERN PASSAIC COUNTY (updated 4 p.m.)

ADVISORY: Winter weather advisory in effect from 8 p.m. Monday to 11 a.m. Tuesday.

WHAT TO EXPECT: A prolonged period of sleet and freezing rain is expected during these hours, leaving 1 to 2 inches of sleet on the ground, along with a trace of ice.

HAZARDS: The National Weather Service says roads and sidewalks could be slippery, especially in higher elevations. "Be prepared for slippery roads and limited visibilities," the weather service said in its advisory. "Use caution while driving."

BERGEN COUNTY and EASTERN PASSAIC COUNTY (updated 4:30 p.m.)

ADVISORY: Winter weather advisory in effect from 3:20 p.m. Monday to 6 a.m. Tuesday.

WHAT TO EXPECT: A wintry mix of sleet and freezing rain is expected during these hours, leaving up to 1 inch of sleet and a trace of ice on the ground. All precipitation is expected to change to rain Tuesday morning, sometime between midnight and 6 a.m. 

HAZARDS: The National Weather Service says roads and sidewalks could be slippery, especially in higher elevations.

PLUS: Warm temps hurting area ski resorts

SUSSEX COUNTY (updated 4 p.m.)

ADVISORY: Winter weather advisory in effect from 3:40 p.m. Monday to 11 a.m. Tuesday. 

WHAT TO EXPECT: Some light sleet could start falling late Monday afternoon, possibly mixing with snow for a brief period. The wintry mix will change over to freezing rain overnight. Freezing rain could linger until the late morning on Tuesday. Accumulations of up to 1 inch of sleet is possible, along with about a tenth of an inch of ice.

HAZARDS: Roads and sidewalks could be slippery, especially in higher elevations.

MORRIS COUNTY and WARREN COUNTY (updated 4:30 p.m.)

ADVISORY: Winter weather advisory in effect from 7 p.m. Monday to 7 a.m. Tuesday. 

WHAT TO EXPECT: Some light sleet might begin late this afternoon, then sleet is expected to overspread the area tonight, possibly mixed with rain. Precipitation will change to freezing rain and rain through the overnight hours, becoming all rain by sunrise Tuesday. Less than a half inch of sleet could accumulate, along with "a very light glaze of ice," according to the latest weather service advisory. 

HAZARDS: Roads and sidewalks could be slippery, especially in higher elevations.

SOMERSET COUNTY (updated 4 p.m.)

ADVISORY: No advisories issued for Somerset County. However, some sleet could mix in with rain Monday night.

WHAT TO EXPECT: Rain and sleet expected Monday night, with sleet possibly accumulating up to a half-inch. Precipitation will become all rain after 1 a.m., with the low temperature about 35 degrees. Winds may gust as high as 25 mph. Rain, possibly heavy at times, is likely Tuesday morning before noon, followed by showers in the afternoon, with a high near 47. 

HUNTERDON COUNTY (updated 4:30 p.m.)

ADVISORY: No advisories issued for Hunterdon County. However, some sleet could mix in with rain Monday night.

WHAT TO EXPECT: Rain likely Monday night, with sleet mixing in. Precipitation is expected to change to all rain after midnight. Rain may be heavy at times Tuesday morning, and winds could gust as high as 25 mph. 

MIDDLESEX COUNTY (updated 4 p.m.)

ADVISORY: No advisories issued for Middlesex County. Sleet was in the earlier forecast, but it is no longer expected in this area.

WHAT TO EXPECT: Rain is likely Monday night, with temperatures dipping to the upper 30s and wind gusts up to 30 mph. Rain is expected Tuesday morning, followed by showers in the afternoon and highs in the lower 50s. 

MERCER COUNTY (updated 4 p.m.)

ADVISORY: No advisories issued for Mercer County. Sleet was in the earlier forecast, but it is no longer expected in this area.

WHAT TO EXPECT: Rain is likely Monday evening, mainly after 9 p.m., with winds at 14 mph to 18 mph and a low of 37 degrees. Rain, possibly heavy at times, is expected Tuesday morning, followed by showers in the afternoon.

ESSEX COUNTY and UNION COUNTY (updated 5 p.m.)

ADVISORY: No advisories issued for these counties, as of 5 p.m. Monday. However, some sleet and freezing rain could mix in with plain rain Monday night.

WHAT TO EXPECT: A mix of rain and sleet is likely Monday evening, then plain rain after midnight. Little or no sleet accumulation is expected. Rain should continue Tuesday morning and through most of the afternoon. 

HUDSON COUNTY (updated 5 p.m.)

ADVISORY: No advisories issued for Hudson County, as of 5 p.m. Monday. However, some sleet could mix in with rain Monday night.

WHAT TO EXPECT: Rain and sleet likely before midnight, followed by plain rain and some areas of fog. Wind gusts could get as high as 29 mph. Rain should continue on Tuesday, mainly before 3 p.m. Winds could gust as high as 29 mph. Up to three-quarters of an inch of rain is possible.

COASTAL NEW JERSEY (updated 5 p.m.)

ADVISORY: No advisories issued for this region, as of 5 p.m. Monday. 

WHAT TO EXPECT: Rain expected Monday night, mainly after 10 p.m., with steady winds of 15 to 25 mph, and gusts as high as 35 to 40 mph, especially near the coast. Rain will continue in the early morning, heavy at times, followed by showers in the afternoon.

SOUTHERN NEW JERSEY (updated 5:15 p.m.)

ADVISORY: No advisories issued for this region, as of 5 p.m. Monday.

WHAT TO EXPECT: Rain is likely Monday night, with thunderstorms possible after midnight and Tuesday morning, followed by showers Tuesday afternoon. Rain could be heavy at times.   

It's been awhile since we discussed wintry weather, so here is guide to different precipitation types. pic.twitter.com/qEZ7QgKSI5

-- Gary Szatkowski (@GarySzatkowski) December 27, 2015

HIGHWAYS BEING TREATED

In advance of the storm, the state Department of Transportation has been pre-treating roads with brine in Sussex, Warren, Morris, Passaic, Bergen, Essex, Union and parts of Hunterdon, transportation spokesman Kevin Israel said Monday afternoon. 

Brine is a salt water mixture that prevents road surfaces from freezing, and helps melt snow and sleet that falls on the surface.

"We obviously ask drivers to plan their trips accordingly," based on the latest weather forecasts, Israel said. "Weather conditions can change at a moment's notice, so (drivers should) be careful."

NJ TRANSIT INFO

NJ Transit is keeping a close eye on the storm forecast and has already announced that bus tickets will be cross-honored at the Tuxedo, Sloatsburg and Harriman train stations, agency spokesman Jennifer M. Nelson said.

"As with all inclement weather situations, NJ Transit will monitor conditions as they develop and will take all precautions necessary - including watching for ice build-up along catenary wires and roadways - and act accordingly," Nelson said. "We have already established that bus tickets/passes for Bus Route Nos. 196 & 197 will be cross-honored at Tuxedo, Sloatsburg and Harriman stations on Monday, December 28, beginning at 5 p.m., due to expected winter weather conditions." 

"Customers should be aware that additional bus, rail and light rail service may be subject to delays should the situation warrant," she added. For the latest rail and bus updates, customer can check the NJ Transit website.

Staff writer Larry Higgs contributed to this report. Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @LensReality. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The veteran Essex County lawman will officially take over as the city's first public safety director early next month

NEWARK - Anthony Ambrose has spent the better part of the last three decades in law enforcement around Newark.

Still, when he officially takes over as the city's public safety director early next month, his primary task will be one many others before him have struggled to accomplish - making the streets safe in a metropolis that, for right or wrong, is routinely referenced as one of the most dangerous in the country.

In an interview last week, Ambrose acknowledged that the assignment was a tall order, though one he was more than prepared for.

"I can't say that we're going to eliminate every homicide, every crime. There's always going to be crime. It's a tough job," he said. "But we're at the table, we see the real problems, and how can we act."

Ambrose's return to the city police after eight years heading investigations for the Essex County Prosecutor's Office was spurred at least partially by a concerning spike in homicides and shootings this year.

As of Monday, the city had totaled 103 homicides - 10 more than in all of 2014. Shootings, meanwhile, have increased more than 15 percent.

Ambrose warned that the police department's success should not be judged solely by the oft-mentioned homicide rate, and that he planned to attack all violent crimes by using strategies both tactical and interpersonal.

Anthony Ambrose

He promised to have a plan to fight the perennial summer spike in crime by March 15, and said he would use his deep history in North Jersey law enforcement circles to engage both federal and state agencies to help combat the drugs and gangs that fuel most of the city's bloodshed.

He also pledged to continue efforts to increase transparency in the department, and institute citizens surveys and other means to forge closer bonds with residents.

"I think its important we build the trust up in the citizens, and also let the police know that they're well deserved of the job they do," he said.

While many supporters tout Ambrose's long history with the department as an asset, not everyone agrees. His aggressive style during his tenure as police chief and director between 1998 and 2006 led some officers to complain about favoritism for well-connected officers and the alleged targeting of those who fell out of favor.

After the city announced his hire last week, several officers privately groused that they were bracing for a return of what they felt was an often-vindictive figure heading the department.

Ambrose, however, said he felt his time at the prosecutor's office had allowed him to grow as a manager, and promised that every member of the force would start fresh in his eyes, regardless of their previous history.

Baraka taps Essex County chief of detectives to lead Newark police, fire operations

"I can say that in our positions you're never going to get everybody to love you," he said. "Not only did I lose my hair (since leaving), I lost my memory. They all have the same score."

He also brushed off much of the criticism, saying it was coming from officers who had become complacent in their roles, and promised to continue to demand maximum effort from employees.

"I will be fair, I will be consistent and I will also be firm," he said. "People can say I'm brash and I'm heavy handed. I favor workers.....If you work, you have nothing to be afraid of. But you have to work."

Newark Fraternal Order of Police President James Stewart Jr. said an hour-long meeting with Ambrose following last week's announcement left him with high hopes for his tenure.

"I think Director Ambrose is a man that is going to transcend the entire government here in Newark," he said. "I don't think its just going to be police and fire. I think he has the ability to get things accomplished on a larger scale."

In the public safety director role, approved by the Municipal Council just last week, Ambrose will also oversee both the city's emergency management and fire departments, the latter of which has had to endure several criminal investigations and controversies over the last two years.

While the new director acknowledged he had never managed a fire department before, he said the principles of management and leadership there bore many similarities to a police force, and noted that he would depend on his newly named deputy director, longtime fire battalion chief Raul Malave, to help him learn the ropes.

"I've never met a person that dislikes a fireman. But I tell you what, the fireman has their work cut out," he said.

Chuck West, president of the Newark Firefighter's Association, said he was also feeling upbeat about the change.

"I'm really optimistic it can be a good thing," he said.

While Ambrose's plans are grand, his latitude to impose his own policies will at least be somewhat limited due to the presence of a federal monitor assigned to correct policing issues identified by the U.S. Department of Justice.

The new director said he was prepared to manage those dynamics, suggesting that the city hire an attorney to oversee the department's internal affairs unit and other procedures to ensure it is complying with a soon-to-be delivered consent decree outlining the reforms.

"It's every police executive's nightmare, but it also can work in favor of the police executive," he said. "We'll be expeditious about it, and then move on, stand on our own two feet."

North Ward Councilman Anibal Ramos Jr., who chairs the council's Public Safety Committee, said he believed the city had found the right man to manage the challenges both on the corner and the conference room.

"I believe the mayor right now, by setting up this department of public safety, is taking a very bold step to streamline and make our police and fire department more efficient," he said. "But at the time same time, create the kind of energy that's needed to better protect the residents."

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

 

John Arnold was able to chase the pit bulls off before they killed the small Shih-Tzu mix, officials said

John Arnold (File photo)

NEWARK - Deputy Police Director John Arnold is being hailed as a hero after saving a woman and her small dog from an attack by a pair of pit bulls on Christmas Eve.

According to Newark police spokesman Sgt. Ronald Glover, Arnold was in the area when the two dogs escaped from a yard on the 100 block of Wilbur Avenue around 8 a.m. and began mauling the small Shih-Tzu mix. In an attempt to stop the attack, the woman fell to the ground, injuring herself.

Arnold rushed over and was able to chase off the pit bulls, and stayed to aid the woman as police and medical responders rushed to the scene, Glover said.

The woman was treated for minor injuries at the scene, though the dog was seriously hurt and had to be taken to a local veterinary hospital. After being treated, it is expected to survive, according to Glover.

PLUS: Young Newark boxer is ready to be an Olympic champion

Police located the owner of the pit bulls shortly after, and advised her about their escape and the subsequent attack.

Arnold, a former candidate for Essex County Sheriff, was not available for comment Monday, but did respond to a Facebook post praising him for his response Christmas Day.

"I don't consider myself a hero, just a servant," he wrote. "I did what every officer I serve with in the NPD would do and that is put myself between our citizens and the danger their facing. My acts were instinctive and based upon years of training and experience."

In a statement, Police Director Eugene Venable said Arnold's quick decisions may have saved the woman from serious injury.

"I expect my officers to perform to a higher standard and as you see here we lead by example," he said.

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

 

The annual parade will create flower portraits of 60 organ donors from across the country.

PASADENA, Calif. -- Three late New Jersey residents will be among 60 honored in flower form on the 2016 Donate Life float in the Rose Bowl parade on New Year's Day.

Each year, the organ donation organization and the affiliated NJ Sharing Network create the likenesses of donors from across the country out of flowers, petals, and seeds. 2016 will mark the 127th annual Rose Parade, which Donate Life has participated in for the past 13 years. Its float features "flora graph" portraits of late donors, and riders include living donors and organ recipients.

"The act of organ and tissue donation weaves together a tapestry of donors and recipients, of hope and remembrance, and beloved family and friends who live on through the most miraculous of gifts," Tom Mone, Chairman of the Donate Life float committee, said in a release about the event.

The New Jersey honorees include:

• Betsy Niles: A Montclair mom and children's book author who died in March 2011 after being struck by a van while on her way to the Montclair train station. Niles's kidney was donated to Valentine Samuels, 53, of Newark.
• Andrew Jova: The Brick Township 17-year-old was killed in a 2008 car accident. His organs were donated to five people.
• Robert McCullion: A Toms River dad and tech industry professional who became a tissue and cornea donor when he died in 2014 at age 68.

Friends, family members, and donation recipients have gathered over the past several months to help put together the floragraphs, and many will travel to Pasadena to take part in the parade.

"My son is a hero," Jennifer Jova said in a statement about her son, Andrew.

"To me, it means so much that Andrew will not be forgotten. I know my son is being remembered and thought of and thanked."

In addition, two others from New Jersey - living donor Donna Albanese, of Scotch Plains, who donated her kidney to her mother and Mark Meade, a heart donation recipient from Princeton Junction - will take part in the parade, as well. The floragraphs will be accompanied by 24 organ recipients and 12 living donors.

The process, recipients said, is a good way to thank the families of the people who saved their lives.

"I wanted them to know how grateful I am for the kidney and how it has changed my life," Samuels said in a release.

"They have given me new life."

The Rose Parade kicks off at 8 a.m. on Jan. 1.

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

The shooting occurred in Newark around 7 p.m Monday in the area of South 11th Street and 11th Avenue West

NEWARK -- Authorities are investigating a city shooting where one man was gunned down Monday night.

The fatal shooting occurred in Newark around 7 p.m Monday in the area of South 11th Street and 11th Avenue West, according to Thomas Fennelly, Essex County's chief assistant prosecutor. 

Essex County Prosecutor's Major Crimes Task Force is investigating the shooting. 

No further information was released.

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

 

Traffic back-ups appeared normal Tuesday morning as commuters dealt with rain and the remnants of a wintry mix Monday night.

ESSEX COUNTY -- The county got by mostly unscathed from the first winter weather event of the season Monday night.

PSE&G was reporting few outages across the state Tuesday morning, with only one in Essex County affecting fewer than five customers in Newark. The company cited an estimated restoration time of 9:45 a.m. JCP&L reported an outage in Livingston affecting fewer than five customers Tuesday morning, with an estimated restoration of 11 a.m.

According to 511nj.org, morning commute traffic Tuesday did not appear abnormal, with slow-downs on the Garden State Parkway northbound near Exits 147 through 150, the New Jersey Turnpike Eastern Spur in both directions near Interchange 15E, and on U.S. 1 & 9 northbound approaching the Pulaski Skyway.

The National Weather Service reported rain would continue until about 1 p.m. Tuesday, with patchy fog. Between a quarter and a half inch of rain is expected to fall in Essex County Tuesday, it said.

Temperatures are expected to remain in the mid-40s.

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

 

Man was killed Monday night, authorities said.

A 20-year-old was shot and killed in the city Monday, officials said. (File photo)
 

NEWARK -- Authorities have identified the 20-year-old who was shot an killed in the 200 block of South 11th Street Monday night.

Tyquan Rogers, of Newark, was found unresponsive on a sidewalk suffering from gunshot wounds at about 7:15 p.m., Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn Murray announced Tuesday. Rogers was transported to University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at 8:14 p.m., officials said.

Rogers's death marks the 104th homicide in the city so far this year, according to an NJ Advance Media count, 11 more than were recorded in Newark in all of 2014. City officials recently announced the formation of a new public safety department in part to combat a spiking rate of shootings.

Drug trade turf disputes at center of spiking Newark homicide rate, officials say

The investigation into Rogers's killing is ongoing, authorities said. No suspects or motives in the shooting have been released.

Anyone with information is asked to call (877) 847-7432 or (973) 621-4586.

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