Authorities on Tuesday arrested three and confiscated approximately $100,000 in narcotics following a Tuesday afternoon raid on a Newark apartment, officials say.

NEWARK -- Authorities on Tuesday arrested three and confiscated multiple quantities of narcotics following a Tuesday afternoon raid on a North Ward apartment, Essex County Sheriff Armando Fontoura announced.

Acting on a search warrant, investigators from the sheriff's office and Irvington Police Department raided the Clifton Avenue basement apartment and found two laundry bags containing medicine bottles and plastic envelopes filled with various quantities of illegal and prescription drugs, Fontoura said.

http://www.nj.com/essex/index.ssf/2016/01/woman_arrested_dealing_drugs_out_of_dodge_dart_aut.html

In all, authorities found 523 grams of cocaine, 1,561 grams of marijuana, 165 grams of ecstacy and other narcotics, Fontoura said. The drugs have an estimated street value of $100,000, he added.

The raid came on the heels of a plainclothes surveillance operation near the apartment, where officers observed a group of four men participate in what investigators later said was a drug transaction, Fontoura said.

Believing they had just witnessed a drug buy, investigators moved in and detained all four men in order to execute the search warrant, Fontoura said.

http://www.nj.com/essex/index.ssf/2016/01/mobile_drug_bazaar_operator_punched_spit_on_cops_d.html

As the officers entered the apartment, one of two off-the-leash pit bulls found inside the apartment charged an officer, Fontoura said. The dog was shot by an officers at the scene and later died, Fontoura said. 

Following the raid, Aldaberto 'Pepsi' Garcia, 35,  Ramon Vega, 56, and Sonia Diaz, 49, were arrested and arraigned on multiple counts of drug possession and distribution, Fontoura said. Diaz, who was discovered inside the apartment during the raid, was also charged with conspiracy and possession of drug paraphernalia.

The three suspects were each ordered held at the Essex County Correctional Facility on a cash bonds of $650,000.

Andy Ravert, 26, of North Arlington, and Dennis Nunez, 24, of Newark, were both issued court summonses after investigators found each in possession of a small bag of marijuana following the alleged drug transaction that kicked off the raid, Fontoura said.

Both will be arraigned at a later date, authorities said.

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

Amber Brooks, 21, of Newark, is accused of killing Michael Brown on Feb. 3, 2013 when she was shooting at someone else on Elizabeth Avenue in the city

NEWARK -- On Elizabeth Avenue in Newark on the night of Feb. 3, 2013, Jennifer Prophet said she wrapped her hair in a bun to get ready to fight Amber Brooks.

But as Phophet and Brooks walked toward each other, Phophet said Brooks pulled out a gun and pointed it in her face.

"Like I could have kissed the nozzle, that's how close it was to my face," Prophet said.

A man took the gun away from Brooks, but she snatched it back and opened fire in Prophet's direction, ultimately killing an innocent bystander who was leaving a nearby restaurant, according to Prophet.

"It could have been me," Prophet said.

Prophet recalled those moments during her testimony on Wednesday at Brooks's second trial on murder and related charges in the fatal shooting of Michael Brown, 49, of Newark, at about 8:15 p.m.

At her first trial in 2014, the jury found Brooks, 21, of Newark, not guilty of an attempted murder charge, but could not reach a verdict on the remaining charges.

The case hinges in large part on the eyewitness accounts of Prophet and her uncle, Eugene Prophet, both of whom have identified Brooks as the shooter. But Brooks's attorney, Janelle Cleary, on Wednesday repeatedly noted how some areas of Elizabeth Avenue were poorly lit at the time of the shooting.

On the witness stand on Wednesday, Prophet said she had interacted with Brooks at multiple times in the past. Prophet indicated Brooks was a friend of her niece and had visited their home.

"I used to kid and joke with her," said Prophet, referring to Brooks.

But on the night of the incident, Prophet said she, her uncle, Eugene Prophet, and another man walked over to Elizabeth Avenue to find Brooks, because Prophet believed Brooks was responsible for an earlier break-in at her Milford Avenue residence.

Brooks, then 18, soon arrived at the scene with two men, Prophet said. After snatching the gun back from one of the men, Brooks said "you better look out" and then opened fire, Prophet said.

Prophet indicated Brooks first pointed the gun at her on the sidewalk, and then fired the weapon after Brooks had backed up into the middle of the street. 

Eugene Prophet also testified on Wednesday that he saw Brooks fire the weapon at the time of the shooting, saying "an innocent man lost his life."

"I know she's the shooter," Prophet said.

But citing a transcript of a prior hearing, Cleary, Brooks's attorney, confronted Prophet about how his testimony in the current trial was inconsistent with previous statements he had made.

Cleary noted how Prophet testified he saw Brooks's face while they were on the sidewalk and that a tree was not blocking a street light, but he previously said he did not see Brooks's face and that the tree was blocking the light.

"That's inconsistent with what you just told us seconds ago," Cleary told Prophet, referring to the tree issue.

Bill Wichert may be reached at bwichert@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BillWichertNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Authorities have arrested a Newark man for allegedly threatening violence against two women and their families if they did not have sex with him.

Salaam Leeks (Courtesy of the Essex County Prosecutor's Office)

NEWARK -- Authorities have arrested a city man for allegedly threatening violence against two women and their families if they did not have sex with him.

Salaam Leeks, 29, was taken into custody Tuesday evening by officers with the Special Victims Unit of the Essex County Prosecutor's Office, said department spokeswoman Katherine Carter.

Investigators have alleged that Leeks told two women, whose names have not been disclosed, that they had to have sex with him in order to make up for the actions of their respective boyfriends, Carter said.

According to investigators, Leeks allegedly threatened to kill the women, their children and other members of the family if they did not comply.

Additional details of the investigation were not immediately made available.

Leeks now stands charged with conspiracy, criminal coercion, sexual assault and threatening violence, Carter said. Following an arraignment, he was transferred into custody at the Essex County Correctional Facility, where he's currently being held on $750,000 bond, she added.

The Newark Police Department and New Jersey State Parole Board assisted in the investigation, Carter said.

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

 

The building still stands, with the pictured sign remaining but relettered.

Photo courtesy of Tommy Raw 

NEWARK -- The sign outside Studio One in Newark is shown in this undated photo.

The club was located at 88 Verona Ave. and featured both live bands and DJ entertainment.

The building still stands, with the pictured sign remaining but relettered to show the site's current occupant, a church known as "Temple Rock of My Salvation."

If you would like to share a photo that provides a glimpse of history in your community, please call 973-836-4922 or send an email to essex@starledger.com. And, check out more glimpses of history in our online galleries Thursdays on nj.com.

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

 

Ask anyone who came of age in New Jersey in the 1970s and 1980s about what bands they saw and what music venues they frequented.

Courtesy of Distejon 

Ask anyone who came of age in New Jersey in the 1970s and 1980s about what bands they saw and what music venues they frequented and you're sure to hear some great stories.

In those days, going to concerts meant much more than purchasing tickets for stadium or arena shows at places such as the Meadowlands, Madison Square Garden or the Spectrum; local venues were a big part of the picture.

Local bars and clubs were the places where people became regulars, where cover charges, if any, were cheap. And, while some of the big names of the period regularly played at these places and always drew crowds, you were also likely to experience some great music from local bands, which you then might follow around the state as they played the various venues included here.

People will share their memories of seeing Springsteen at the Stone Pony and the Wonder Bar before he hit it big; they will tell stories of revelry at The Dunes in Egg Harbor Township that stayed open until 6 a.m. leading to the T-shirts reading 'Dunes 'til Dawn.'

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

Questions like "Hey, did you ever go to Zaffy's to see Twisted Sister?" will be posed. For clarification, Zaffy's was a bowling alley in Piscataway that also staged concerts, and while I must have driven by that sign in Piscataway promoting 'the Sister' a couple of dozen times, I never went to see them in their pre-stardom days. My bad.

'Comps' weren't just for the casinos.courtesy of Tommy Raw 

But any number of other venues will elicit tales of bands seen when they weren't famous, adventures had while clubbing at the numerous bars in Middlesex County or fond memories of concerts at the venerable Capitol Theatre in Passaic.

In putting together this gallery, I surprised even myself by locating a photo and then recalling for the first time in decades that I had actually gone to that place. Every section of New Jersey had its locations that could guarantee a night's entertainment without going into hock.

New Jersey is by no means unique in having had a large number of music venues to choose from to see a headline act or an up-and-coming one. Every state had its "go-to" places, but New Jersey sure had some great ones. And, certainly I haven't been able to cover every one. Just a partial list of venues that don't appear here includes Dirty Nelly's in Elmwood Park, Sundance in Wildwood, the Malibu in Scotch Plains, Big Man's West in Red Bank, Giulio's South in Asbury Park, The El Greco Rock Club in Brick, The Club Bene in South Amboy, the Union Jack Lounge in South River ... and on and on.

I owe a huge debt of gratitude to Tommy Raw, who runs a blog titled "Tommy Raw ... No Way That Just Happened" and was an invaluable source of photos and information on the state's rock clubs. So with his help, here's a gallery of vintage clubs and music venues in New Jersey.

Can't get enough? You can see some more vintage photos of bands and artists performing in New Jersey here and here.

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

With Christmas and New Year's Day traditionally being busy for ski resorts, warm temperatures kept resorts closed this past year and pushed the start of the season into 2016.

VERNON -- After an unseasonably warm December that had some celebrating 70-degree days in shorts, ski resorts are rejoicing colder temperatures and looking forward to a wicked winter.

"It was one of the weirdest fall's and December's in history," said Bill Benneyan, President of Mountain Creek Resort. "But having a ski resort is like being a farmer, you have to be tenacious and patient."

December 2015 was the warmest December ever in the Garden State, according to New Jersey State Climatologist David Robinson at Rutgers University.  

While most people relished lower home-heating costs and postponement of wearing a winter coat, ski resorts in the area were reeling due to the lack of business.

"We're frustrated, so are our guests," Jim Dailey, general manager of Blue Mountain ski resort in Pennsylvania's Pocono Mountains told NJ Advance Media in December.

With Christmas and New Year's Day traditionally being busy for ski resorts, warm temperatures kept resorts closed this past year and pushed the start of the season into 2016.

But ski resorts are looking forward to a volatile winter, as predicted by meteorologists. 

"The rest of January and February look stellar with the polar vortex," said Benneyan. "I'm excited about the snowstorms."  

Both Benneyan and John Underfer, director of client experiences at Campgaw Mountain, also in Vernon, said they wisely used December downtime to complete projects on the slopes.

"We added more railings, completed some projects we had saved and put our (snow) guns in position," said Underfer.

Underfer said the delay at the start of the ski season, which began last week, was not uncommon since business doesn't pickup until after the start of the new year.

He said the unseasonably warm weather did affect season pass holders and temporary staff.

"It affected our college students who work when they come home," said Underfer.

On the plus side, Benneyan said, it was the first time in years staff were able to spend the holidays at home with family. 

Ray Fallon, owner of Ski Barn, which has three locations in the state, said business was down 35 percent for the month of December.

"Everyone should come out and buy, everything is on sale," said Fallon. "There's a lot of inventory. It's a buyer's market."

Fallon said even though snow and cold weather is inevitable, the warm weather prevented customers from buying skis and snowboards as holiday gifts.

But as the temperatures dropped, skiers and snowboarders swamped Ski Barn's locations Friday and Saturday looking for new gear.

Underfer said there was also an excellent turnout at Campgaw on Saturday.

After hosting a couple of hundred ski and snowboard first-timers for a world record attempt on Friday, Benneyan also expected a great crowd this past weekend.

One person looking to put on his skis already was 10-year-old Alexander Mueller. As a member of youth race team at Campgaw Mountain, Mueller eagerly checked the forecast last week.

"I was checking the weather constantly," said Mueller, a Ridgewood resident. "I want it to drop below freezing."

Luckily for Mueller, he and his family got to vacation in their native Canada in December.

"In Canada, there was lots of snow," said Mueller. "Here, I'm disappointed."

Ultimately, no matter how cold it gets and how much the snow machines turn, people in the ski industry eagerly await that white twinkle in the sky.

"All we need is one good snowfall," said Underfer. "Once (customers) see that snow in their backyard, they come out."

Underfer shouldn't have to wait long, a light dusting is expected to hit parts of the state Tuesday night. 

Fausto Giovanny Pinto may be reached at fpinto@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @FGPreporting. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

The Newark mayor held court before a crowd of house of about 200 in the city's East Ward

NEWARK - Mayor Ras Baraka kicked off a series of Town Hall meetings Wednesday night before a packed house of about 200 at in the city's East Ward.

Joined by new Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose, Police Chief Anthony Campos, East Ward Councilman Augusto Amador and other officials at St. Stephan's Grace Community Church, the mayor took on issues ranging from parking to pollution in what many residents clearly consider a neighborhood in flux.

He also shared news on a number of initiatives and projects he hopes to introduce in the weeks and months to come.

Here are five of the most important things we learned during the two-hour affair:

1. Parking problems

If there was one consensus among speakers at Wednesday's meeting, it was this: parking in the Ironbound is a Portugal-sized pain in the posterior.

Neighbor after neighbor complained about new apartment buildings bringing in out-of-town to an already densely populated area, adding new competitors to an already furious race for spaces. Others bemoaned the presence of tractor-trailers and other commercial vehicles parked outside the district's many warehouses and factories, blocking sidewalks and occupying valuable space.

Baraka said the city's Parking Authority was currently developing a plan to bring permit-only parking zones to new areas of Newark, and the East Ward ranked atop its list. As complaints continued to pour in, however, he said he could not help but be grateful the discussion had largely strayed away from violence, gang activity and other systemic issues.

"I'm glad the problem is parking," he said.

2. Completing the Triangle

After nearly a decade of delays, the city has finally closed on a deal with Edison Properties and landowner Jose Lopez that will soon put shovels in the ground on the long-awaited Triangle Park.

The work is expected to be completed by mid-2018, and will include the construction of new mixed-use construction in what are now parking lots surrounding the Prudential Center, as well as a walking bridge similar to New York City's High Line that will connect Newark Penn Station with the Ironbound's Peter Francisco Park, according to Baraka.

"We finally got them to sign on the dotted line," he said.

Newark approves tax breaks aimed at spurring development outside downtown

3. Parlay at the Port

The mayor is continuing his tough stance when it comes to the city's share of profits at its seaport.

He told the crowd at Wednesday's that officials had issue an official request for information to feel out what kind of businesses might have interest in taking up residence at the city's 259 acres along Newark Bay. The move is aimed at forcing the Port Authority's hand to increase its lease payments for the land, which Baraka has maintained is a pittance when compared to the agency's profits.

Though he acknowledged the move was a negotiating tactic, he said he would not hesitate to sell the land "out from under" the Port Authority if it failed to offer a deal that would bring the cash-strapped some new revenue.

"That's bringing them to the table to have a discussion," he said.

4. Safer Newark Council

A study compiled by the Safer Newark Council - a recently created group that includes city officials and Rutgers-Newark Provost Todd Clear - will soon be revealed to the public, Baraka announced.

The mayor described the report as an in-depth study of crime and quality-of-life issues around the city. He declined to discuss the findings in depth, but said it determined that 80 percent of the city does not experience direct contact with violent crime over the course of a year. The report is expected to help the city prioritize its crime-fighting efforts after what Baraka described as a "rough" 2015 that included 105 murders - and he said he was anxious to put the new intelligence to good use.

"It's like being locked in the supermarket and starving to death," he said. "For the most part it will be...empowering for us to say what's happening in our community."

5. A New Look For Ferry Street

The Ironbound's most famous thoroughfare is set to undergo a series of changes aimed at increasing foot and bike traffic in the iconic neighborhood.

With the aid of a $2.7 million grant from the North Jersey Transportation Planning Authority, city engineers will design and install bike lanes, curb extensions, new stoplights and intersection modifications aimed at protecting pedestrians and easing the flow of traffic.

According to Baraka, the plan will not only help attract residents who rely on trains and other mass transit to live, shop and work, but will help cut down on overall traffic and ease the ever-present parking crunch in the area.

"I think it will help tremendously," he said.

After the meeting, Baraka said the concerns expressed at the meeting were indicative of a neighborhood bracing for the possibility of wholesale change in an area many have called home for decades.

"People are concerned about not having enough parking because people are moving in, and people are concerned about the type of development (going in), and they should be. That's what communities are going to do," he said.

"They're not going to be happy with every type of development that comes in. We've got to do our best to try to balance between development and people's lives."

With less than two weeks officially on the job, Ambrose expressed some relief at the less than life-threatening problems many Ironbound residents were facing relative to their neighbors in other violence and poverty-plagued areas. During the meeting, he promised residents officers would begin enforcing all parking regulations, and said he was developing a plan to help reduce street robberies and other crimes.

"It's a breath of fresh air to hear some of the issues down here," he said. "But they're still issues that matter to (residents)."

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

 

TSA agents reported the stolen wallet and found its owner, the agency said.

Newark airport (File photo) 

NEWARK -- Along with performing safety checks, Newark airport TSA agents are also reuniting travelers with their lost items - which paid off for a New York man who left behind a wallet with $5,000 in it.

A wallet containing no ID, several credit cards, and $5,000 in cash was turned in to the TSA lost and found office at Newark Liberty International Airport after the man left it behind at a Transportation Security Administration checkpoint on Dec. 11, the TSA said in a release this week.

Using the credit cards in the wallet, agents were able to track down the wallet's owner, a Yates County, N.Y. man.

He was catching a connecting flight in Denver on his way to the west coast when he got a call from TSA officials about the missing wallet, the agency said. The man had not even realized the wallet was gone, it said.

Why everything travelers lose at Newark Airport checkpoints ends up in Union

"I figured he was going to have a heart attack when he reached for his wallet and it wasn't there. I knew I had to act fast," said TSA Customer Service Manager Ofelia Ruiz, who oversees the Lost and Found Office in Newark.

"He probably took his ID out of his wallet when he came to the checkpoint and didn't slip it back into his wallet."

To verify that he was the owner, the man described to Ruiz what the wallet looked like and had in it, and sent a photo of himself to the TSA, which was compared with security camera footage of when he went through the checkpoint, the TSA said.

TSA officials praised the employees involved in the wallet return, noting that items are left at airport security checkpoints everyday that the agency attempts to return.

"The return of a wallet with such a large amount of cash goes to the integrity of our TSA officers," said TSA's New Jersey Federal Security Director Tom Carter.

"We were all quite pleased that we were able to identify the rightful owner so quickly and make arrangements to get his cash and credit cards back to him."

According to an NJ Advance Media report last year, about 90 percent of items lost at the airport go unclaimed.

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

 

The event is tied to a celebration of the 350th anniversary of Newark.

NEWARK -- Famed singer and activist Harry Belafonte will headline an event Thursday night that kicks off a weekend of celebrations meant to honor both Martin Luther King, Jr., and the 350th anniversary of the founding of the city of Newark.

The 28th annual "Sing in Praise of King" at Newark Symphony Hall Thursday night will feature Newark Mayor Ras Baraka and Belafonte as keynote speaker. The event has been added to a long list meant to commemorate the historic city anniversary that has been dubbed "Newark Celebration 350."

Celebration of Newark's 350th anniversary will be as diverse as city's history, future

In a statement on the event, Baraka said he was "humbled" to welcome Belafonte, a New York native, to the city.

Ras Baraka at the kickoff to the yearlong Newark Celebration 350. (Courtesy NC 350)
 

"For decades, Harry Belafonte has been one of America's and the world's great entertainers, artists, civil rights activists, and humanitarians," Baraka said.

"Many recall his close friendship with Dr. King and the role that he played in galvanizing other artists during the Civil Rights Era...He continues to encourage those in the entertainment industry to work with communities to achieve social change."

In conjunction with NC 350, the city is hosting a handful of other events over the long weekend to honor King, including a Dance Theater of Harlem performance at NJPAC Friday and "Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Day" at the Newark Museum Saturday, the group announced.

NC 350 has so far announced hundreds of events happening this year, and has solicited ideas from Newark residents to plan for more. Committee members have called the anniversary a "once in a lifetime opportunity" to celebrate the city's past, present and future. Events range from free Devils games and live shows to a new opera and film festival.

"This development is a major part of our efforts to attract residents, business, and visitors to Newark," Baraka said.

"This is a time for all of Newark's private and public communities to join together, a time for Newark's diaspora to return to its roots, and a time for our entire city to celebrate."

See a full list of NC 350 events here.

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

 

The assault took place at the corner of Broad Street and Market Street, one of the city's busiest intersections Watch video

NEWARK - Days after video of a brutal beating surfaced online, officials say they are stepping up crime-fighting efforts at one of the city's busiest intersections.

The disturbing footage surfaced Sunday just hours after a man was left visibly bloodied by several attackers at the corner of Broad Street and Market Street - the heart of the city's "Four Corners" historic district.

Though the incident occurred in broad daylight and carried on for several minutes, no police can be seen on the video, despite the presence of a mini-precinct less than a full block away.

Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose called the incident "unfortunate", and said he planned to add reinforcement to the city's metro division - which patrols the areas in and around downtown - as a reorganization of police, fire and emergency management personnel allows for more officers to shift from desk duty to the street.

"I think that it's a systemic problem down Broad and Market," he said. "We have to make that a priority, because that is our central business district."

5 things we learned at Baraka's Newark Town Hall meeting

The history of Broad and Market is as old as the city itself. It served as a focal point as settlers began populating the area in the 17^th century, and it remained the heart of the city's business district as booming industry fueled its growth through the 1800s and early 1900s.

An article published by the Newark Museum Quarterly in 1975 cites it as being, at one time, the busiest intersection in the United States.

As the city has declined, however, so has the once-mighty Four Corners. While signs of reinvestment are plain to see outside the Prudential Center just a block east, today much of the intersection is often rife with loiterers, many of whom offer drugs or loose cigarettes to passersby.

"From Branford Place down, I hear they're selling pot, they're selling pills," said Ambrose. "We can do more enforcement."

Police have tentatively identified many of the assailants in Sunday's beating, and Ambrose said detectives visited the victim at a local hospital earlier this week to assist with the investigation.

In the meantime, officials say they hope to prevent similar incidents in the future as downtown continues to attract steady interest from developers.

Mayor Ras Baraka said the city has several projects in the works around the vacant Riverfront Stadium and other parts of Broad Street, and will need to rely on police to ensure both residents and workers can feel safe on the streets.

"(Police) have to do better. We're going to put more walking patrols on Broad and Market, and enforce the laws down there," Baraka said. "Hopefully we get it done."

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

No one was hurt in the Montclair incident, police said.

Montclair police file photo. (Jessica Mazzola | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
 

MONTCLAIR -- An alleged robber made off with a sum of money after threatening a township cafe worker with a hatchet and demanding she lay on the floor Tuesday, police announced in a release.

At about 8:03 p.m., police responded to Cafe Clair on Watchung Avenue after a man entered the store brandishing a hatchet and demanding money, authorities said Wednesday. The man demanded the cashier, who was the only one in the store at the time, to lay down on the floor, and fled after taking an unknown amount of money, Montclair police said. The employee was not injured, police said.

The man was described as being 5-feet-8-inches tall with a medium build, and wearing a black jacket, black hood, dark pants, white gloves, black boots, and a black face mask, authorities said.

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

 

Andre Higgs, 43, of Watchung, was sent to the Essex County jail on Thursday after a judge modified his $1 million bail in a murder case in light of charges he caused a drunken crash while he was released on bail

NEWARK -- As a result of charges he caused a drunken crash on Christmas while released on $1 million bail in the fatal shooting of his child's mother in May, a man was sent to the Essex County jail on Thursday after a judge imposed a more stringent bail requirement in the murder case.

Andre Higgs, 43, was released from custody in August after posting the $1 million bail in large part with a property bond covering about $706,000 in equity from his Watchung home.

But since Higgs has been charged with driving drunk and crashing into a minivan on the New Jersey Turnpike, Superior Court Judge Ronald Wigler on Thursday granted the state's application that Higgs must post the entire $1 million bail in cash.

Following the judge's ruling, Higgs was immediately taken into custody.

Given the murder charge against Higgs and his prior criminal record - which includes convictions for aggravated assault and drug offenses - Wigler found Higgs's case met the requirements for a full cash bail.

In seeking the full cash bail for Higgs, Essex County Assistant Prosecutor Justin Edwab said Higgs "continues to be a danger." As other options, Edwab also asked Wigler to increase Higgs's bail or revoke it.

"He got behind the wheel. He drove drunk, and he crashed and almost killed another person," Edwab told the judge, later adding that "in the interest of justice, he has to be stopped.

"The only way the state believes that we can dispel the dangers of Mr. Higgs is to either revoke the bail or make it a full cash bail," Edwab said.

But Higgs's attorney, Thomas Ashley, argued against any change in Higgs's bail, saying he was presumed innocent in both cases and that there is no clear evidence that he was intoxicated at the time of the crash. Higgs denies he was drunk, Ashley said.

Ashley said Higgs was not administered a Breathalyzer test and his blood was not drawn until several hours after the collision. Ashley said the court documents about the case do not indicate the results of the blood test.

Ashley argued Higgs failed field sobriety tests as a result of injuries he sustained when he was shot by a police officer at the time of May's fatal shooting.

"This was an accident," Ashley said. "There's no clear proof that he was drunk at all, and I think that the court should recognize that."

Ashley said there is nothing that "demonstrates he's a danger to himself or a danger to the community."

Wigler noted that police reports on the crash indicate that a state trooper smelled alcohol on Higgs and observed that his eyes were watery and bloodshot.

The collision occurred shortly after midnight on Dec. 25 on the Turnpike in Cranbury when Higgs allegedly crashed a Dodge Ram into the rear of a Dodge Caravan that was parked on the right shoulder.

The driver of the Caravan - who had stepped out of the vehicle and was assisting a family member in the back seat - was thrown into the middle of the highway as a result of the crash and suffered two broken hip bones, according to Edwab.

Higgs was ultimately charged with assault by auto and driving while intoxicated and he was released after posting $75,000 bail.

In the murder case, Higgs is accused of shooting Latrena May, 27, outside her East Orange home on May 1 while their four-year-old daughter was inside the residence.

Latrena MayFile photo 

Authorities have said Higgs and May were arguing on the porch of her Tremont Avenue home. As May flagged down a police officer patrolling the area, Higgs shot her three times and the officer then shot Higgs, authorities said.

After the shooting, Higgs went into the house and threw the gun on the floor of a hallway before he was ultimately apprehended, Edwab previously said. The girl, who lived with May, was in their first-floor apartment at the time of the shooting, and then ran to the second-floor apartment afterward, Edwab said.

A teacher at Pride Academy Charter School in East Orange, May was pronounced dead at the scene. She has been remembered as a dedicated and passionate educator who showed "unconditional kindness" to others.

Higgs was treated at University Hospital in Newark and transferred on May 11 to the Essex County Correctional Facility, where he remained until posting the $1 million bail. He was released from custody on Aug. 14.

Ashley has indicated that part of the defense will be that Higgs was intoxicated at the time of shooting.

Bill Wichert may be reached at bwichert@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BillWichertNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Proposed one-size-fits-all legislation shortchanges Newark and other cities that are home to nonprofit hospitals

Gayle Chaneyfield Jenkins is a councilwoman representing Newark's Central Ward. Newark is once again getting the shaft. This time it comes in the form of state legislation that was so well lubricated it's sliding through the lame-duck Legislature like a greased pig at the Cowtown rodeo. This particular piece of legislation purports to help communities like...

Gayle Chaneyfield Jenkins is a councilwoman representing Newark's Central Ward.

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The university's Board of Governors on Thursday approved eight projects across the school's three campuses, contingent on Rutgers winning state grant money.

NEW BRUNSWICK -- The chase is on for $98.5 million that Rutgers University says will allow it to check off a list of overdue renovation projects, including one that has vexed students for decades. 

The university's Board of Governors on Thursday approved eight projects across the school's three campuses, contingent on Rutgers winning state grant money.

The projects include $35 million for the administrative services building in Piscataway and $17 million for the clinical academic building at Robert Wood Johnson Medical School in New Brunswick. 

Without a grant, the university won't be able to move forward with the projects, said Antonio Calcado, Rutgers' senior vice president for institutional planning and operations.

"We are going to have to find other ways to do these projects, and it will delay us getting these done," Calcado said Wednesday. 

Rutgers will be competing against other New Jersey colleges for $180 million New Jersey is offering in its latest round of grants for higher education construction and renovation. Applications for the money are due Friday. 

The state in 2013 approved more than $1.3 billion in grants to New Jersey colleges to upgrade their buildings, classroom and laboratories, including funds from $750 million in voter-approved borrowing. 

The cost of Rutgers' eight projects range from $3.5 million to $35 million. 

The administrative services building, which carries the highest price tag, would get an interior renovation and infrastructure upgrades. Plans also include a small addition to the building, creating a new student entrance near a bus stop and transportation hub, according to the university. 

Students currently have to go to different buildings across the sprawling New Brunswick campus for registration, financial aid, dining services, residence life and other matters, Calcado said. The new building would create a central location for all of those needs, he said.

"It's always been the bane of Rutgers' existence that we do this to students, that we make them go to so many different places," Calcado said.  

Details about all eight projects are available online. 

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

Defense attorney Janelle Cleary challenged the witness account of Jennifer Prophet at the murder trial of Amber Brooks

NEWARK -- At Amber Brooks's trial on charges of fatally shooting an innocent bystander on a Newark street in 2013, her attorney, Janelle Cleary, on Thursday posed a seemingly unusual question to one of the state's key witnesses.

"You can't see through trees, right?" Cleary asked Jennifer Prophet.

"No," Prophet replied.

That exchange came as Cleary challenged Prophet about her claims that she saw Brooks open fire in her direction on Elizabeth Avenue at about 8:15 p.m. on Feb 3, 2013, and shoot Michael Brown, 49, of Newark, as he was leaving a nearby restaurant.

Prophet has claimed Brooks first pointed the gun at her on the sidewalk, and then fired the weapon after Brooks and two boys accompanying her had backed up into the middle of the street.

During her cross-examination of Prophet, Cleary questioned whether a tree was blocking Prophet's view of the three people she claims were Brooks and the boys as they moved into the street.

Cleary also pointed out how, when the group was moving into the street, there were cars between Prophet and them. Cleary also asked Prophet about "a distance between you and that group before the shots began."

But Prophet maintained that her gaze was fixed on Brooks and the others throughout the incident.

"My eyes never left none of them," Prophet said. "The whole time, everywhere they went, my eyes went."

In what represents her second trial in the case, Brooks, 21, of Newark, is facing murder and related charges in Brown's shooting death. At her first trial in 2014, the jury found Brooks not guilty of an attempted murder charge, but could not reach a verdict on the remaining charges.

The state's case is based in large part on the accounts of Prophet and her uncle, Eugene Prophet, both of whom testified at the trials that Brooks was the shooter.

On the night of the incident, Jennifer Prophet said she, Eugene Prophet, and another man walked over to Elizabeth Avenue to find Brooks, because Prophet believed Brooks was responsible for an earlier break-in at her Milford Avenue residence.

Brooks, then 18, arrived at the scene with two men and ultimately pointed a gun in Prophet's face, according to Prophet. One man took the gun away from Brooks, but she snatched it back and opened fire in Prophet's direction, ultimately killing Brown, Prophet said.

Eugene Prophet also has claimed Brooks snatched the gun back from the man and then fired the weapon.

During her testimony on Thursday, Jennifer Prophet, who was friendly with Brooks in the months before the incident, grew emotional and began crying as she discussed the break-in and the shooting.

Referring to Brooks pointing a gun in her face, Prophet said: "So why would she do it to me when I've only been nice to her?"

But Cleary has disputed the Prophets' claims by noting the poor lighting conditions on Elizabeth Avenue at the time of the shooting, and pointing out inconsistencies between their testimonies and previous statements they made.

For example, Cleary noted that while Jennifer Prophet testified she did not know the two boys accompanying Brooks, she identified one of the boys in her statement to police on the day after the incident.

Prophet also previously said she had never seen one boy beforehand, but she testified she had seen him, according to Cleary.

Cleary also confronted Prophet about how she did not seek any medical attention for Brown immediately after the shooting.

"You never stopped to help him, correct?" Cleary asked Prophet, who acknowledged she did not assist Brown.

But when Cleary asked Prophet whether she "could have prevented him from dying," Superior Court Judge Carolyn Wright told Prophet not to answer the question.

"Strike that," the judge said. "That's absolutely inappropriate."

Bill Wichert may be reached at bwichert@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BillWichertNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Police on Thursday asked for the public's help to find a city man wanted in a shooting that left a Bloomfield man in critical condition.

Dahmir Bethea (Photo: Paterson Police Department) 

Dahmir Bethea, 20, of Paterson, was charged with attempted murder and weapons offenses in the Tuesday afternoon attack, according to a police statement.

"Paterson police detectives will hunt this individual down vigorously to ensure justice is served," Police Director Jerry Speziale said. "It's in the best interest for this dangerous individual to turn himself in to the authorities immediately."

The 32-year-old victim was still listed as critical, but his condition was improving, the police director said. He was shot multiple times just after leaving his vehicle near 19th Avenue and East 33rd Street around 1:50 p.m.

Speziale previously described the shooting as an "isolated incident" and said the victim was targeted.

Anyone with information was urged to call city Detectives Jay English, Todd Pearl, Rolando Polio, or Passaic County Prosecutor's Detective Michael Boone at 973-321-1342 or 973-321-1120. Tips can also be submitted anonymous at patersonpd.com.

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

Can you get a perfect score this week?

How well did you pay attention to this week's New Jersey news? Find out in the news quiz below. All seven questions are based on this week's top local news stories. Take the quiz and then share your score in comments to see how you stack up with other NJ.com users. And as always, no Googling, please.

If you didn't do well this week, there's always next Thursday's news quiz.

Mama Gwen never gave up on thousands of homeless and runaway youth at Convent House, a Newark agency where she helped them get off the street and navigate life.

There was something about the woman's voice on the phone that made Janice Salazar call back for the help she was seeking five years ago.

If you ever met Mama Gwen - the woman behind the voice - you'd know there's no doubt she was encouraging and comforting. Her reassuring motherly cadence was probably what Salazar needed to hear as her life was unraveling.

She was 19 and homeless when she dialed the telephone number for Covenant House, an agency in Newark that helps homeless and runaway youth get on their feet.

Salazar, now 24, has never forgotten that day. You could see it in her tear-filled eyes Tuesday as she clung to Mama Gwen, who has never given up on thousands of young people she has helped navigate life.

Everyone is going to miss this agency matriarch, whose real name is Gwendolyn Ross. Two weeks have passed since the 69-year-old Newark resident retired on Dec. 31, but the Covenant House family, her relatives and friends took time this week to shower her with adoration during a retirement celebration.

 "It's hard to imagine a body without its heart,'' said Salazar, describing the loss.

MORE: Recent Barry Carter columns 

There were flowers and Mama Gwen stories, and a video tribute. It was a timeline of memorable pictures, set to the lyrics of a Celine Dion ballad. The song, "Because You Loved Me,'' best defines how Mama Gwen affected those she met.

"You were my strength when I was weak.

You were my voice when I couldn't speak."

They gathered for the festivities at Covenant House, where Mama Gwen worked 15 years and often stayed late to talk with young people about their problems.

Operation specialist may have been her title, but what Mama Gwen did can't be measured in overseeing programs that helped young people ages 18 to 21.

"I would never go home,'' she said. "I would stay right there and listen to see what was going on in their lives.''

And they would bend her ear, sharing their darkest secrets. And she would hug them, making them feel special, as if they belonged exclusively to her.  She never judged, seeing only potential that needed to be nurtured.

"She just loves everybody up,'' said Anne Bruce, a staff member.

She's the mama we all want, the one who tickles our feet to wake us up in the morning, doling out kisses and warm embraces when our eyes open to see a smiling face.

"You gave me wings and made me fly.

You touched my hand I could touch the sky."

Mama Gwen did this on her watch at Covenant House, getting to work before sunrise to carry out her pleasant ritual.

"I like to wake them up the way that I like to be awakened,'' she said.

After the sleep fell from their eyes, she made sure they were on time for work, job interviews or vocational classes that prepared them for life.

They each were going to be on their own one day, and Mama Gwen wanted them to understand that they had to be responsible. She could be tender with her wisdom or scathing with the truth. But they listened to her, because she cared.

"She was always real with me,'' said Alaizha Clay 20, who is about to enlist in the U.S. Army. "She always tells you the right way.''

Working with young people in crisis is not an easy undertaking,  unless you're Mama Gwen. For her, it's downright joyful.  She has a compassion and faith that allows her to connect with young people and show others how they should be treated.

"When she meets young kids, she is not trying to diagnose them,'' said Jim White, executive director of Covenant House. "She just wants to know you and, in knowing you, there's this reverence that she has for young people.''

MORE CARTER:  Young Newark boxer is ready to be an Olympic champion

Satrice Thomas, 26, of Newark couldn't thank her enough, telling Mama Gwen at the retirement celebration that she has been the shoulder everybody could lean on for support.

Mama Gwen was with Thomas when she found her first apartment. She took her grocery shopping for the first time and to purchase a bed.

"And she's still helping me,'' said Thomas, who works for the city of Newark as a telephone operator.

"You were always there for me, 

the tender wind that carried me."

Lenwood Brown, 32, of East Orange made sure he was there for Mama Gwen after he left Covenant House in 2004. When he learned that she was going to be baptized, Brown said he didn't have money to catch the bus, so he walked more than two miles to get to the church in Newark.

"That's how much she means to me,'' said Brown, an accounting clerk.

There are many more Covenant House alumni who want to repay Mama Gwen, but they can't.

She won' let them.

"They're just starting out,'' she said. "I don't want to take nothing from them."

Just like a mama.

Anyone who meets Mama Gwen is taken with her sincerity. And her genuine concern is not limited to the staff and the youth. Volunteers and donors call her a blessing from God.

The last line of the song says so, too.

"I'm everything I am because you loved me."

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

Ariel is described as a dog who would be a nice addition to any household.

Ariel 

WEST CALDWELL -- Ariel is a 3-year-old female dog in the care of Orphaned Pets.

Rescued as a pregnant stray, all five pups in her litter have been adopted and now Ariel needs a home of her own.

She has been described by volunteers as a dog who would be a nice addition to any household.

Ariel, who gets along with other dogs, has been spayed and is up-to-date on shots.

For more information on Ariel, call Rosemarie at 973-865-6421 or e-mail her at rdogsnpups@aol.com. Information is also available by going to awos.petfinder.com/shelters/op.html. Orphaned Pets is an all-volunteer fostering group serving the Essex County area for 25 years.

Shelters interested in placing a pet in the Paw Print adoption column or submitting news should call 973-836-4922 or email essex@starledger.com.

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

 

State Sen. Kevin O'Toole will have served 22 years in the state legislature when he steps down in January 2018

TRENTON -- Republican state Sen. Kevin O'Toole of Essex County announced Friday morning he will not seek reelection after his term ends in two years, capping a 22-year tenure in the New Jersey Legislature. 

"It has been an incredible honor and privilege to serve the people of New Jersey. I can never repay the debt of gratitude I owe the voters and constituents for having entrusted me to represent them," O'Toole said in a statement.

O'Toole has served on two of the most influential committees, Senate Budget and Appropriations and Judiciary, which vets judges, prosecutors, cabinet members and justices serving on the state Supreme Court. He said his proudest accomplishments include sponsoring the 2 percent cap on property taxes, tougher penalties for child predators and a ban on dual office-holding.

"When I first ran for office in 1989, at age 24, I never dared dream that I would be fortunate enough to serve the public for 29 years -- when my term ends," O'Toole said in his statement.

"As when I voluntarily left the Cedar Grove town council after 7 years, the party chairmanship after 12 years, and now 22 years in the Legislature, I believe it is time to create opportunities for the next -- younger -- generation of dedicated public servants to have their chance to make a difference," he said. 

O'Toole did not immediately return calls seeking comment.

O'Toole is known for his outspoken style and has been a fierce defender of Gov. Chris Christie. The governor behind the scenes backed O'Toole to replace Tom Kean Jr. as Senate minority leader in 2013, but the attempt failed.

Not business as usual in Trenton: How Republican senators bucked Christie

He was among the minority members of the legislative committee investigating the "Bridgegate" scandal involving the politically motivated lane closures to the George Washington Bridge in 2013. Often he was the most critical voice at the table blasting Democrats for politicizing the committee's work.

Although never directly implicated in the matter, O'Toole's name was mentioned in one of the emails obtained by a subpoena sent by David Wildstein, the Port Authority's director of interstate capital projects who has since pleaded guilty for his role in the lane closures.

Wildstein thanked Christie's then-Press Secretary Michael Drewniak "for all of your sound advice last night, I always appreciate your friendship. Spoke with O'Toole this morning and he will talk with you later today." Wildstein resigned the next day, in December 2013.

O'Toole also chaired the Essex County Republican Committee for a dozen years, ending in 2011, according to his statement.

Kean issued a statement praising his colleague for his "admirable" public service.

"The senator has always come to Trenton with enthusiasm and tenacity to do whatever it takes to accomplish the needs of New Jerseyans and the 40^th legislative district," Kean said. "I know he will continue serving the remainder of his term with that same outstanding vigor and success that has endeared him to the people, his colleagues on both sides of the aisle, local officials and community leaders."

O'Toole, of Cedar Grove, is a defense attorney and managing partner of his multi-state law firm, O'Toole Fernandez Weiner Van Lieu.

He and his wife Bethany have two children, Kevin Jr. and Ryan Marie. "I first became an elected official as a single man," he said. "Now I am a proud husband and father, and as I begin the next chapter of my life, I look forward to spending much more time with them." 

The 40th district includes parts of Bergen, Essex, Morris, and Passaic counties.

Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.