N.J. Institute of Social Justice: Generational discord, trauma, and conflict have undermined the relationship between law enforcement and the community. This must change. Watch video

By Andrea McChristian

Fifty-one years ago today, the Newark Rebellion was sparked by police abuse of a black cab driver. At that time, the police force was overwhelmingly white in a city with a substantial black population. Newark residents took to the streets to protest law enforcement abuse and the oppressive conditions under which they had been forced to live. 

Fifty-one years later, and on the second anniversary of the Newark Police Division Consent Decree, this story of policing is part of a broader national conversation. 

In today's America, on any given day, there is another police-involved shooting. Another unarmed black person. Another failure to indict the officer responsible. The tragic shooting of black people, from city to city, has become our status quo.

In the face of this endless wave of violence, numerous solutions have been advanced to stem the tide. More policies and practices! Better training! Increased oversight! Transparent accountability! 

But underlying this discussion are two threshold questions: Who polices? And what does it mean to police?

A constant refrain that I have heard time and time again in response to this second question is that "the police are a paramilitary force." 

Instead of seeing New Jersey police departments as agencies that treat communities as enemy combatants in war, how do we instead build a relationship of trust between law enforcement and the communities it serves?  

To that point, much has been made of the concept of community policing. According to the U.S. Department of Justice's Office of Community Oriented Policing Services, community policing is "a philosophy that promotes organizational strategies that support the systematic use of partnerships and problem-solving techniques to proactively address the immediate conditions that give rise to public safety issues such as crime, social disorder, and fear of crime."

Yet, to me, community policing is so much more. A true vision for community policing is one in which, far from being a paramilitary force, law enforcement joins together in partnership with the community; police officers are held accountable for their misconduct; and there is a recognition of the historic broken relationship between law enforcement and the community in building the way forward.

In short, effective community policing must bring together law enforcement and the community to problem solve and strengthen understanding. And it would stand to reason that ensuring law enforcement represents the community it serves would be of paramount interest in carrying out these goals.

New Jersey has significant work to do in this area. A 2015 Governing report found that New Jersey police departments are characterized by some of the greatest underrepresentation of people of color vis-a-vis communities served among the country's largest police departments. And a 2017 survey assessment of 1,050 Newark Police Division officers and 42 non-officers found that 37.9 precent identified as black in a city that is 50.2 percent black; even more stark, 40 percent of those surveyed identified as white, while just 24.4 percent of Newark is white.

Importantly, the work to create a community policing model cannot be done until law enforcement agencies first grapple with the harsh reality that generational discord, trauma, and conflict have undermined the relationship between law enforcement and the community. Police must take a step back and listen to what the community wants and needs. What they need to police. Who they want to police. And why they should police.

But what could such a community policing model look like in practice?

First, law enforcement agencies should look to the community to put forth recommendations on potential recruits from their own neighborhoods. Since community members are the ones policed, they are in the ideal position to recommend which of their own members would do the job well. In addition to the selection of potential recruits, community members can also be asked their top priorities for policing in the neighborhood -- a dialogue that should ultimately frame policing strategy.

In this way, community members have ownership over the policing of their communities, increasing police legitimacy and community-police relations. Law enforcement agencies should also commit themselves to funding and implementing these community recommendations.  

And second, to supplement these community proposals, law enforcement agencies must do more to increase community recruitment, including by developing positive relationships with local schools to identify students who exhibit the necessary skills to become effective and respected officers, strengthening mentoring opportunities between current officers from the local community and potential recruits, and providing comprehensive support and resources to prepare local applicants for the civil service exam and any other requirements. 

With this, we can eventually reach a point where the police are unequivocally and uniformly not a paramilitary force policing the community.  Instead, they will be the community. 

Andrea McChristian is Associate Counsel at the New Jersey Institute for Social Justice. 

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Family and friends of a Newark woman found dead with a mechanic in her garage say her name has been tarnished.

Tameka Hargrave had just made the dean's list at Essex County College and was two semesters away from getting a degree in sociology.

In the Newark neighborhood where she lived at Pilgrim Baptist Village, an apartment complex adjacent to Nat Turner Park, Hargrave was also the community mom who looked after the children as if they were her own.

A mother of two daughters - one 13 and the other 23 - Hargrave often gave out snacks to the kids after school and inquired about their day.  If it was getting late into the evening, she'd round them up from the park and made sure they got home.

Tameka Hargrave. (Courtesy Shaquayan Hargrave)
 

"She was like a second mom to kids around here,'' said her daughter, Shaquayah Hargrave, 23. "She made sure everyone was safe.''

This is the Tameka Hargrave that family and friends know. She's not the woman, whose name they believe has been tarnished in reports surrounding her tragic death Monday night. 

According to a source, Hargrave and a 56-year-old mechanic died of possible carbon monoxide poisoning while having sex in a running car inside a closed garage at the apartment complex.

They were both pronounced dead at the scene after officers responded to a call of "sick or injured persons'' before 8:45 p.m. 

"That person that put that out there is just trying to tarnish her name and I don't want that to be the last thing people read about her,'' said December Thomas, her childhood friend, who lives in New York.

"She shouldn't be known as the girl who died in the garage. That's not who she was.''

Kahali Johnson, who was not married to Hargrave, said he is "livid'' about the information that has been put out there over his long-time companion of 13 years. Authorities said he discovered the two in the car.

Shaquayah Hargrave said detectives told her that the mechanic was found by the hood of the car.

"There was work being done on the car,'' she said. "There was no foreplay, misplay, none of that. They said my mother was fully clothed.''

An intimate crowd gathered by the garage Wednesday evening. They brought white balloons, lit candles and left messages on a placard taped to the door. It was emotional. Friends and family hugged one another, some crying more loudly than others.

They shouted her name, "Tameka," then released the balloons. As the balloons drifted away, the crowd clapped for Tameka, showering their memory of her with applause. Music from Beyonce was playing, too. The song, titled "Heaven," captured the tender moment.

"She was my world," Tameka's mother, Violet Hargett said. "We did everything together.''

They talked every day, went shopping and ran errands. She said her daughter loved jeans and sneakers. Nike and Jordan footwear filled her closet, not pumps or high heels.

The last memorable outing they had was a three-day junket to Embassy Suites Hotel in Paramus on July 4.  It was an annual summer holiday ritual for mother and daughter, whose relationship was more akin to two sisters hanging out.

"She was always checking on me,'' Hargett said.

They talked last on Monday when Hargrave told her mother that she made the dean's list at Essex County College.

"They sent her a letter and she read it to me,'' Hargett said.

Thomas was never out of the loop, either.

Both spoke on Monday, too, about a cookout they were planning to have at the complex this weekend.

Hours later, Hargrave was dead, leaving Thomas heartbroken about the friend who always made her laugh.

"We still had a lot of goofy to put out in to the universe,'' Thomas said. "She would make me laugh until my ribs hurt.''

Hargrave's death hurts even more.

"I feel her,'' Hargett said, standing in the driveway of the complex. "I'm coping with it, but for how long I don't know.''

Thomas, however, is disgusted. She said her friend from the sandbox has a stain on her name and cruel comments on social media are "making a circus" of her death.

"It's not funny,'' she said. "It's ugly and I don't like it. That's not her legacy.''

The brief vigil on Wednesday was the first of the remembrances for Hargrave. A viewing for her is from 4 to 8 p.m. July 19 at Whigham's Funeral Home in Newark. The funeral is at 10 a.m. the next day on July 20.

Barry Carter: bcarter@starledger.com or nj.com/carter or follow him on Twitter @BarryCarterSL

There have to be more nice New Jerseyans out there, right?

The man's family was shocked by the tragic Saturday morning crash

A New Jersey family is in shock following the death of Jeffrey Scott, the Vauxhall man who was struck by a car while riding his bike through Maplewood on Saturday.

Scott's cousin Clifton Walker said he remembered Scott as humble and family-oriented.

"He was a family guy, fun-loving," Walker said Thursday morning. "There was never anything negative with him. He was all about life and living it to its fullest."

The sudden tragedy took Scott's family by surprise, and they're still feeling shaken, Walker said.

Scott's father, Jeffrey Scott Sr., described his son as a "respectful and lovable young man."

Scott, 29, was hit by a car around 2 a.m. Saturday while riding on the the 1600 block of Springfield Ave. He was pronounced dead at the scene.

The Essex County Prosecutor's Office had no additional updates on the collision Thursday afternoon.

The incident is still under investigation, Thomas Fennelly, the chief assistant prosecutor, said.

No charges were filed against the driver, who authorities have not identified. The prosecutor's office said Saturday that the driver stayed at the scene after the crash.

"All we can do is pray," he said. "We take it as it comes."

Walker, who said he lives around the corner from the scene of the crash, said he "heard something that morning" but never went outside to see what it was.

Scott's family is preparing to hold a funeral for him on July 16. They started a GoFundMe page to assist with the funeral and burial costs.

By Thursday afternoon, the page had raised more than $3,000 of its ultimate $9,500 goal.

"We all want to go before our kids," Walker said. "We never think that our kids might be gone before us."

Gianluca D'Elia may be reached at gdelia@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @gianluca_delia. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The councilman had demanded the bribes to ensure the township purchased a local business owner's property. Watch video

Telling the one-time Bloomfield councilman his actions "created severe harm to public trust in elected officials," a Superior Court judge on Thursday handed Elias Chalet five years in state prison for bribery, capping a saga that began almost three years ago when state detectives raided Chalet's real estate office.

Chalet, flanked by defense attorney Peter Till, apologized to the township, and to his family as he told Judge Martin G. Cronin: "I've led them through hell the last three years of my life."

"I can tell you now it was the darkest day of my life," he said, describing his behavior as a "freak of nature."

As sheriff's officers placed handcuffs around Chalet's dress shirt-clad wrists, Cronin rejected a request by Till to delay his client's surrender to correctional authorities.

Till had asked for a 10- to 14-day delay to allow him time to meet with the Department of Corrections regarding Chalet's cardiac issues, but Cronin said there was a public interest in the Chalet's "prompt commencement of sentence."

Chalet's sentencing had been rescheduled numerous times, coming more than a year after he accepted a plea bargain that saw him plead guilty to second-degree bribery and forfeit his council seat.

The state Attorney General's Office said Chalet had solicited $15,000 from a local business owner to ensure the township purchased the man's property.

Unbeknownst to Chalet, the business owner promptly went to the authorities, who outfitted the man with recording devices to capture his delivery of the payments, according to state officials.

When law enforcement descended on Chalet's office after the final payment was made in November 2015, the councilman locked himself in the bathroom and flushed the illicit cash down the toilet, prosecutors said.

Prior to his May 9, 2017, guilty plea, Chalet had rejected similar offers from the state's prosecutors and appeared ready to take his case to trial.

The five-year sentence Chalet received was mandatory under state law, though Till argued the state Attorney General's Office should have agreed to a downward departure because of assistance Chalet had provided investigators regarding other matters.

Till declined to specify the nature of Chalet's assistance in open court.

In the end, Deputy Attorney General Brian Faulk confirmed to the judge, the help the former councilman provided the state wasn't enough to merit a variance from the minimum sentence under the law.

"He betrayed the public trust for a bag of cash, and that's the bottom line," Cronin said.

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

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Three years after the Feds brought murder and conspiracy charges against gang leader Corey Hamlet, the head of Newark's Grape Street Crips is found guilty.

The head of one of Newark's most violent street gangs, whose previous trial ended with a deadlocked jury, was convicted Friday on charges of murder and racketeering.

Corey Hamlet, the long-time leader of the local Grape Street Crips gang, was found guilty by a federal jury in Newark in a wide-ranging crime spree that included the ordering of daytime shootings, drugs sales, extortion and robbery that prosecutors said had terrorized Newark neighborhoods.

Convicted with him in the two-month trial was co-defendants Tony Phillips, 27, of Newark, and Ahmad Manley, 32, of Summit.

Sentencing is scheduled for October before U.S. District Judge Madeline Cox Arleo. All three face a mandatory sentence of life in prison 

Known as "C-Blaze" and "Castor Troy," Hamlet, 41, of Belleville, was linked to four murders, three attempted murders and a host of other criminal acts. Facing a different jury earlier this year, the case ended in a mistrial in April when the panel could not reach a verdict.

On Friday, he was convicted of RICO conspiracy, murder and other crimes in aid of racketeering, using firearms during crimes of violence, and conspiracy to distribute 28 grams or more of crack-cocaine.

 "The jury's verdicts are the culmination of this office's investigation and prosecution of more than 60 members of the Grape Street Crips, a violent criminal organization that committed murders and other acts of violence in order to maintain control of a large portion of the illegal drug trade in Newark," said U.S. Attorney Craig Carpenito.

The Grape Street Crips, with roots in Los Angeles, have long controlled much of the heroin trade in northern New Jersey, using violence and intimidation--and sometimes threats through social media, according to prosecutors. One member was charged with plotting to murder and FBI special agent investigating the gang.

Hamlet was arrested on the charges more than three years ago, along with dozens of other alleged Crips members and a number of high-ranking individuals. Among them was Rashan Washington, who pleaded guilty in October to five counts charging him with murder and attempted murder, as well as conspiracy to distribute crack-cocaine. A co-defendant, Kwasi Mack, also pleaded guilty in October to murder and other charges, including the fatal shooting of a rival gang-member and the attempted slaying with an assault rifle of a Crips member thought to be disloyal.

According to the U.S. Attorney's office, Hamlet's control of the gang continued even while he was serving a nearly 6-year-long prison sentence through 2012, when he was able to communicate orders to gang associates.

In testimony leading up to Friday's verdict, prosecutors focused on a series of murders and murder attempts committed by Crips members, which targeted other rival gangs and or those they said Hamlet perceived to be a threat to his position.

The jury also heard evidence showing that the Crips controlled drug-trafficking at several Newark public-housing complexes, including Oscar Miles, Riverview Court, Pennignton Court, Wynona Lippman Gardens, Kemsco Village, John W. Hyatt housing complex, and the former Baxter Terrace public-housing complex.

The money was laundered through Smiles II strip club on Route 46 in Roxbury, authorities say.

A retired dentist from Livingston and his associates were indicted Thursday for funneling $12 million stolen from phony gift cards through a Roxbury strip club.

Kevin Lipka, 63, co-owned Smiles 2 gentlemen's club on Route 46 with his wife, Shelly Lipka, 62. 

They were both indicted on charges of racketeering, conspiracy and money laundering in the elaborate scheme, which led to the arrests of nine people. 

The now shuttered Smiles 2 strip club in Roxbury. (Google maps) 

The state Attorney General's Office alleges Kevin Lipka's associates would use fake credit cards with stolen information to buy pre-paid gift cards from Master Card, Visa, American Express and retailers like Target and Home Depot. 

The gift cards were then converted to cash through phony transactions at Smiles II, authorities say. The proceeds were then allegedly divided among the associates who supplied the cards. 

Authorities claim Lipka and Smiles 2 management received 20 percent of the cut.

Lipka, authorities say, also obtained nearly $400,000 from returning high-priced stolen items, mainly power drills, to Home Depot.

The Roxbury Police Department initiated the investigation, which became known as "Operation Smiles," in 2015 and then enlisted the help of the state Attorney General's Office. The Livingston Police Department also assisted with arrests and searches. 

Most of the defendants were arrested in July 2016. 

Along with the Lipkas, the remaining defendants are: Kevin Bae, 30, of Edgewater; Eric Olsen, 49, of Roxbury; Peter Vasilipous, 73, of Elizabeth; Kevin Rodriguez, 25, of Whitehall, Pennsylvania; Jordan Turner, 25, of Jamaica, New York; Chintan Patel, 34, of Edison; Adam Ferguson, 26, of Bronx, New York. 

Each defendant was charged with racketeering, conspiracy and money laundering. Racketeering carries a prison sentence of 10 to 20 years in state prison. 

Attorneys for most of the defendants were not immediately available to comment. 

An attorney representing Olsen, Marcy McMann, said her client has "maintained his innocence" through the legal process, but that she had not reviewed the indictment yet. 

"We intend to litigate the matter," she said. 

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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Don't feel bad about your low Twitter follower count -- these New Jersey celebrities may have had inflated totals because of bots. Now they're losing them.

To submit your renovation for consideration, email home@starledger.com with your full name, email address, phone number and town/city.

N.J. home makeover is a regular feature on NJ.com that showcases designer, contractor and DIY renovations, large and small. To submit your renovation for consideration, email home@starledger.com with your full name, email address, phone number and town/city. Attach "before" and "after" photos of what you renovated.

Kevin and Shelly Photiades made a home of their 1923 Maplewood Colonial by improving it in phases.

They've lived in the four-bedroom, two-and-a-half bathroom house for 8 years, and they wanted to make the most of a living space they expect to enjoy for about 10 more.

The couple loved a sunroom full of natural light and sturdy wooden surfaces on the first floor, but their home's previously renovated kitchen did not suit them. So they began house reform with a 2014 kitchen makeover that improved placement of cabinetry, opened the kitchen to the sun-filled room and made it easier to enjoy an outdoor deck.

With their kitchen reconfigured, they decided last year to take on the second floor. While the primary goal was to create a master bedroom suite, the project also would solve a few overall problems.

First, there was only one full bathroom in a house with four bedrooms. Additionally, all the closets were small.

"Typical for old homes, there was poor closet space," said Shelly Photiades. "We each stored clothes in multiple rooms."

So for the second phase of their home renovation, they called back CBH Architects, who had worked on their kitchen, and hired contractor Mike Davis of South Orange.

The three second-floor bedrooms were small, and two of them were equal in size. The smallest bedroom was being used as a home office.

With no clear master bedroom, the plan was to use one of the rooms to make a larger suite that would include square footage taken from a nearby second-floor sunroom.

"The sunroom was across the whole side of the house," said architect Bob Barnett.

It was accessed only by doors from two of the second-floor bedrooms. The doorway was eliminated in the room that would become a bedroom for the couple's 13-year-old son.

"We took a bedroom and a sunroom and created from that a bedroom, bathroom and closet," Barnett said. "The shape we were dealing with was an 'L.' We made the master bedroom the long part of the 'L' and made the bathroom the short part."

The new master bathroom would give the house a second full bathroom. And it gave Shelly Photiades her dream of a spa-style bathroom within a small footprint.

In addition to a shower, the bathroom features a compact round tub inspired by the soaking tubs of Japan. "You are actually sitting in it," she said. "It has a little seat." She enjoys soaking while looking out a nearby window on their backyard landscape. "When you sit and look out of the window at all the trees, it's so serene for such a highly populated area. It's just lovely."

To control costs on a home they did not intend to live in more than a decade, the couple decided to work within their home's existing footprint by simply reconfiguring the renovated spaces.

"We located the new bathoom right behind the wall of the existing bathroom," Barnett said.

The original plans were altered to relocate the master bedroom so they could site the new bathroom for the view as well as to easily tie into existing plumbing. Doing so spared the expense of a new plumbing stack, he said.

"It's not so much the plumbing itself, the expense is in the length of the pipe," he explained. "By tying into the existing plumbing, you can really isolate the work to one area."

A load-bearing wall was removed as part of the project, and that required installation of a structural beam in the ceiling. It helps support an attic bedroom that spans part of the third floor.

The floors also were updated as part of the project.

"They were the original floors," said Shelly Photiades, noting that the house is nearly 100 years old.

The second floor was sloping in one area, and installing a new floor required skill and creativity on the part of their contractor, she said.

"We had to use the main floor as a subfloor. A laminate floor was installed on top of the existing floor," she said. The installation also minimized the sloping. "So it's now all one seamless floor. It looks like planks, but it's a thinner floor."

Barnett said there are several advantages to tackling a renovation project in phases. One is that the owner can often remain in the house while work is done. A full gut-renovation requires moving out with the prospect of added costs in the rental of a temporary dwelling.

Living in a home for a few years before doing any work, as the Photiades family did, also allows owners to learn what doesn't work.

"Sometimes when people buy a house, they do a few things before they even move in," Barnett said. "Other times it's done with the stages of their family. It's a lot easier to make over bedrooms and bathrooms when children are younger."

Not so with teens who tend to need their own space. Still, most owners start with renovating a kitchen or bathroom.

"These are the rooms everyone uses," he said.

Fortunately, the Photiades home has a spacious attic bedroom where they slept during the first part of their second-floor renovation.

A phased renovation also allows an owner to learn more about the process, Barnett said.

"They've learned so much in the first project that they know what they are dealing with in the second," he said.

Shelly Photiades says working with an architect who already knew their home made a difference in the project's relatively quick completion.

Barnett explained: "We always ask, 'What's your five- or 10-year plan?' If there are things that are going to happen, we try to plan for them so we don't do any throw-away work."

Shelly Photiades says that paid off in a house that is not only updated for modern living but as a unified space that meets their needs.

"It's like a whole new upstairs with much more continuity," she said. "We are most proud of transforming and updating the second floor by simply using the existing space better. There was no need to expand."

What they renovated

The second floor of 1923 Maplewood Colonial

Who did the work?

Design by Bob Barnett of CBH Architects in South Orange; construction by general contractor Mike Davis of South Orange

How long it took

About four months. Demolition began in April 2017. Work was completed by August 2017.

What they spent

About $85,000 including new fixtures, lighting and floors

Where they splurged

The bathroom includes large format and stone tiles from Porcelanosa, a cedar paneled accent wall and a small Japanese-style soaking tub.

How they saved

"We designed and assembled our walk-in closet system from IKEA, and we did all the interior painting for the remodel, said Shelly Photiades. "We sanded, primed and painted all trim, walls and ceilings."

What they like most

"We love our very spa-like master bathroom. We moved to New Jersey from Maine and look for ways to bring that natural, peaceful vibe into our Maplewood home, she said.

What they'd have done differently?

"Now that we know more about the large format tile and how to use it, I would have researched less expensive suppliers," Shelly Photiades said.

Kimberly L. Jackson may be reached at home@starledger.com. Find NJ.com Entertainment on Facebook.

Most districts in New Jersey will get more state aid. But not everybody will.

Rent control ordinance applies to all senior citizens regardless of income, and those deemed '100 percent disabled.'

New Jersey seniors looking for affordable housing may want to consider an apartment in East Orange.

The Essex County city just passed ab ordinance that prohibits landlords from increasing the rent of all senior citizens, ages 65 or older, or disabled persons by more than 2 percent each year.

Only four states -- California, Maryland, New York and New Jersey -- and Washington D.C., allow for rent control. It is not, however, controlled at the state level, but is instead set by individual municipalities. 

East Orange says its law is the first in New Jersey to apply to all senior citizens, regardless of income. It also covers people who are deemed "100 percent disabled" by the United States Government, according to the ordinance.

"Seniors have a fixed income and it's not fair for their rent to increase when their income isn't increasing," said Mayor Ted R. Green. "We don't want to push our seniors out of their community."

First Ward Councilwoman Amy Lewis first introduced the legislation over a year and a half ago, when she was the chair of the Housing, Licensing and Inspection Committee. Current committee chair Tyshammie Cooper sponsored the ordinance.

"In our building, people were really very happy because the landlords know they're entitled to a four percent increase when your lease is up, it's never not done, so you prepare for the impact of adding four percent onto rent each year which makes getting this break a really good thing," said Rebecca Doggett, 77, President of her building's Tenant's Association.

The ordinance went into effect June 13 and only applied to lease renewals following that date.

"People elect us to represent them," said Green. "We have to be the voices for them and we are very proud to bring some relief to our seniors and the disabled. We want to do the best we can to keep them here and let them know we're fighting for them."

Delaney Dryfoos may be reached at ddryfoos@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @delaneydryfoos. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Bodies have turned up floating in bags in the Hackensack River and stuffed in the trunk of a car.

Dogs and cats throughout New Jersey await adoption.

We accept dogs and cats to appear in the gallery from nonprofit shelters and rescues throughout New Jersey.

If a group wishes to participate in this weekly gallery on nj.com, which is completely free of charge for qualified groups, please contact Greg Hatala at greghatalagalleries@gmail.com.

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

New Jersey's summers have been getting warmer, but experts say warming nights are more dangerous than hot days

The temperature in Newark didn't drop below 75 degrees this month until early in the morning on July 6. 

That's about 125 hours with little relief. 

New Jersey was gripped by a heat wave, but it's those sweltering nights that give experts the most concern. 

"It makes it tough for people to catch their breath," said David Robinson, the state climatologist at Rutgers University in a recent interview. 

Jersey summers are getting warmer, which is no news to most.

But the temperature isn't dropping as low as it used to either, which, during particularly hot stretches like the heat wave that began July, can be dangerous. 

During heat waves, the elderly, infirm and young children can be particularly vulnerable if the nights don't cool adequately. If someone doesn't have access to air conditioning, their bodies don't get a chance to recover, which can lead to compounding health problems and even death. 

In Quebec, officials say as many as 70 people may have died due to the recent heat. New Jersey does not keep statistics on heat-related deaths.  

An analysis of climate data shows nights are warming faster than days in places like Newark.  From 1935 to 1965, Newark averaged less than two nights where the temperature stayed above 75 degrees. During the past 30 years, it has averaged more than 8.  

Newark is particularly susceptible to unusually warm nights because of a phenomenon known as the urban heat island effect. Abundant asphalt and brick trap heat, making it more difficult for cities to cool down at night. 

Still, climate data shows the average minimum temperature is increasing elsewhere, too, like Atlantic City, which has the moderating element of the ocean.   

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

An agency in Irvington filed a lawsuit accusing Newark of discrimination against homeless veterans.

A multi-service agency from Irvington is not going quietly in its fight to house homeless veterans in Newark.

Independence: A Family of Services Inc. has filed a lawsuit in federal court, accusing Newark and the Central Planning Board of discrimination against veterans when the board rejected its application in April.

The lawsuit, filed last month, said the veterans, including some with disabilities such as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, are a protected class of citizens under the Fair Housing Act, Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act.

The City of Newark, which supported the plan, could not be reached for a comment.

In the lawsuit, IFS says the planning board had "no legal basis" to deny its project to serve 40 veterans in a building that IFS owns on Van Buren and Elm streets in the Ironbound section of the city in East Ward. Under its proposal, the veterans would live in the three-story building for 60 to 90 days and receive help with finding permanent housing. During their stay, they would also receive behavioral mental health counseling and life skills.

"The board's decision was not based on merit of the application,'' said IFS President Margaret Woods. "I don't know what the planning board was thinking. We felt we had no recourse but to bring a complaint.''

Woods said the location of the building is a permitted use, even though variances would have to be approved for its operation.

She said the variances, such as not enough lot size and not enough setback from the street, should not have gotten in the way because IFS has used the building for other programs over 50 years.

"Those variances should have been grandfathered in because it's a condition of the building that we can't correct other than tearing the building down.''

The issue has been contentious from the outset when residents first heard about it last year in September. Residents said they are not against veterans, but they worry about those suffering from PTSD, saying the building is across the street from a preschool and blocks away from East Side High School. They questioned if the facility would be just for veterans, and wanted to know what happens to veterans if IFS is unable to find permanent housing for them in 60 to 90 days.

A subsequent meeting was held this year, but residents were still not convinced, as they disagreed with a study from an engineer hired by IFS that said there was ample parking in the area.

The planning board couldn't be convinced, either, voting down the plan, 8-0.

East Ward Councilman Augusto Amador acknowledges the need for veteran services, but he still maintains the IFS building is not suitable for what the agency wants to provide.

"My position has not changed,'' Amador said. "I don't think this is the place for the program. It's not appropriate for them (IFS) to go against the will of the community.''

Paula Vieira, an Ironbound resident, agrees with Amador and is not pleased that IFS has made this a legal issue. She rejects the agency's allegation of discrimination, saying Woods' organization didn't have a credible plan that residents could support.

"They went to the planning board and the people said, 'no,'' Vieira said. "Why would you go against the people. That's disrespectful. We're all for veterans, but that (plan) is not for veterans.''

Woods is not backing off, either, saying there is support from the Veterans of Foreign Wars post in the Ironbound. She said the board's decision is a disservice to homeless veterans.

"It is unconscionable to say vets are not worthy to live next door to you.''

Barry Carter: bcarter@starledger.com or

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

Linda Daniels, 68, died July 5, hours after her power was disconnected. Her family blames PSE&G for disconnecting her service even though she relied on an oxygen machine.

An outside lawyer hired by PSE&G will conduct an independent investigation into what happened when the utility company shut power to the home of 68-year-old Linda Daniels, who died hours later. 

PSE&G announced Friday it hired Ted Wells of the law firm of Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton & Garrison, to investigate the company's actions that prompted Daniels' service to be disconnected. 

Wells will share his findings with the state Board of Public Utilities, which is also probing the incident. 

"The tragic loss of Linda Daniels has left everyone at PSE&G with a heavy heart," Dave Daly, PSE&G's president and chief operating officer said in a statement.

"We again extend our sincere condolences to her family. Our priority now is to understand exactly what happened. We are confident that Ted Wells' review will provide us with an objective review of the facts surrounding this tragic event."

Daniels suffered from congestive heart failure and was on hospice care, relying on an oxygen machine to survive, her family said. She died July 5, about six hours after PSE&G disconnected her power.

PSE&G has said it would not have disconnected the service if it knew that Daniels relied on an oxygen machine.

The company said Daniels owed money on her account and made 26 attempts, including two in-person visits, to reach Daniels before shutting off her power. 

Daniels' family said it was making consistent payments on her account to pay off the debt since April and made a $500 payment two days before her service was disconnected. 

While state rules allow utility companies to suspend services for overdue bills, there are exceptions for weather conditions or medical issues.

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

The lucky tickets were sold in Clifton and Newark

The holders of two Jersey Cash 5 tickets will split Friday's $1,675,204 prize -- the largest jackpot of the year.

Both tickets were sold in North Jersey -- one at Mayfair Wine & Liquor on South Orange Avenue in Newark, the other at Welsh Farms on Main Avenue in Clifton, state lottery officials said Monday. Each winner will get $837,602 before taxes.

Friday's winning numbers were 1, 11, 30, 34 and 42. The XTRA number was 2.

The Mega Millions jackpot is at $375M. See latest results, 'luckiest' Mega Millions numbers

The jackpot soared after eight straight daily drawings were held without a ticket matching all five numbers. The previous biggest Jersey Cash 5 payout this year was March 22 when someone who bought a ticket at Family Food Market on Route 57 in Hackettstown won $1,273,72. 

Retailers sold 1,281,709 tickets for Friday's drawing. 

After Friday's big win, no one hit the jackpot on Saturday or Sunday, pushing Monday's top prize to $245,000.

The odds of a $1 ticket matching all five numbers are 962,598 to 1. 

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

Nellie Marquez was found with bruises caused by a beating, police said.

A woman found badly beaten in her Newark apartment Saturday has died, police said.

Nellie Marquez, 55, was pronounced dead in her home in the 100 block of Dayton Street at 3:21 p.m. A family member called for help after finding her, officials said.

She apparently died from blunt force trauma, according to Acting Essex County Prosecutor Robert D. Laurino and Newark Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose. But an autopsy will officially determine her cause of death.

No arrests have yet been made and no suspects have been identified, police said.

Officials ask that anyone with information about the crime call the Essex County Prosecutor's Office Homicide/Major Crimes tips line at 1-877-TIPS-4EC or 1-877-847-7432. 

Robin Wilson-Glover may be reached at rglover@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @RobinGlover. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The driver refused to stop in Union before slamming into a tree in Irvington

3 injured in fiery crash in NJ that split car in half https://t.co/NQpB9gnErN pic.twitter.com/gSzkfAlxIG

-- Eyewitness News (@ABC7NY) July 16, 2018

Two teenage boys were seriously injured Monday when they crashed in Irvington after earlier leading police on a chase that started in Union County, authorities said. 

The driver refused to stop when Union Township police attempted to pull over a car around 2:18 a.m., the Essex County Prosecutor's Office said. 

The teen managed to elude police "for a period of time" before crashing into a tree near Lyons and Union avenues in Irvington, spokeswoman Kathy Carter said.

What are New Jersey's rules on police pursuits?

The teens are being treated for their injuries at University Hospital in Newark. Neither has been charged yet but the investigation is continuing. 

No other police agencies were involved in the chase. Carter said she didn't have information about how long the teens were driving around before crashing or why police tried to stop them.

Anyone with information is asked to call the Essex County Prosecutor's Office Homicide/Major Crimes tips line 1-877-847-7432.

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

Gov. Phil Murphy and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker both say this part of the recent federal tax overhaul will help New Jersey. Watch video

Gov. Phil Murphy has never been shy about denouncing the federal tax overhaul that President Donald Trump signed into law this past December. He's called it a "scam" that leaves New Jerseyans "screwed."

But there's one thing he likes about it. 

Murphy and U.S. Sen. Cory Booker -- both Democrats and both vocal critics of the Republican president -- on Monday praised the Economic Opportunity Zone program, which encourages investment in troubled communities across the country. 

Booker and U.S. Sen. Tim Scott, R-S.C., worked to make sure the law included the bipartisan program It allows investors to pump money into new projects and developments in low-income areas in exchange for having federal capital gains taxes deferred. 

"It's the only darned part of the federal tax bill we like," Murphy said during a panel discussion at Rutgers-Newark. "We're head over heels in love with this."

Opinion: Opportunity zones could spur urban revitalization

There are 165 zones across 75 municipalities in New Jersey, including at least one in every county. 

Murphy called it a "potential game-changer and up down the state," in both urban and rural areas -- although "more urban than rural."

Booker, D-N.J., said the program will pour in "billions of dollars not usually invested" in these communities, leading to economic growth. 

He said it could end up being "the greatest economic development in the Unite States of American in a generation."

Trump praised the program in February, saying it will be "a great opportunity." 

Booker -- considered a potential challenger to Trump in the 2020 presidential election -- noted Monday that the president "bragged" about the program.

"I think he was told the Russians like the project," Murphy jokingly interjected.

The federal tax law -- sponsored by Republicans and passed by Republican-controlled Congress -- hurt New Jersey mostly because the law caps how much state and local taxes you can deduct to only $10,000.

New Jersey has the highest property taxes in the country, averaging $8,690 last year. The state and local tax deduction helped soften the blow.

NJ Advance Media staff writers Samantha Marcus and Jonathan D. Salant contributed to this report.

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