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300 flights scrubbed Monday at N.J., N.Y., Philadelphia airports

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Many passengers who switched their flights to Monday may be out of luck as airlines struggle to get back on schedule after the storm. Watch video

NEWARK -- Area airports were plowed and ready for business Sunday afternoon, but airlines continued canceling flights as they struggled to recover from the weekend storm that crippled the region.

Newark Liberty International Airport expected to have its first flight land around 3 p.m. Sunday, said officials with the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which oversees the airports.

John F. Kennedy International had its first arrival at 7:10 a.m. and its first departure around 10 a.m, the Port Authority said. LaGuardia Airport's first departure was scheduled for noon and Atlantic City International Airport had its first arrival around 9:30 a.m.

Baby boom 9 months after a snow storm: Fact or fiction?

"We remind all airline passengers to confirm flight times, departures and arrivals with the airline carriers before traveling to the airports," Port Authority officials said in a statement.

At Philadelphia International Airport, officials posted photos on the airport's social media accounts Sunday afternoon showing plows clearing runways of snow.

There were more than 2,200 cancellations of flights in and out of New Jersey, New York and Philadelphia on Sunday.

Many passengers who switched their flights to Monday may be out of luck. As of 2 p.m. Sunday, more than 300 flights scheduled for Monday were cancelled at the New Jersey, New York City and Philadelphia airports, according to FlightAware, a flight tracking service.

The cancelled Monday flights include 100 at Newark Liberty, 68 at Philadelphia International, 47 at JFK and 112 at LaGuardia, according to the flight tracker.

United Airlines, the largest carrier at Newark Airport, said it is slowly restoring service after the weekend storm disrupted travel nationwide.

Though the New Jersey and New York airports recovered relatively quickly, the Washington airports continued to have a high percentage of cancellations Sunday and Monday. United officials said the airline will begin flying out of Washington, D.C., again Monday.

"The company is planning for extended operational delays and cancellations," United officials said in a statement.

Airlines continue to offer fee waivers for passengers who need to switch their flights to later in the week.

Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KellyHeyboer. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
 

Essex County school closings and delayed openings (Monday, Jan. 25, 2016)

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Many districts have already cancelled school and other activities after the record-setting winter storm

ESSEX COUNTY - After a reportedly record-setting winter storm dropped more than two feet of snow over large portions of the county, residents are beginning to dig themselves out.

Travel remains difficult, however, and many school districts have already declared closures or delayed openings for Monday.

Here is a list of those who have already made such announcements:

Belleville Public Schools - Closed

Bloomfield Public Schools - Closed

Cedar Grove Public Schools - 2-hour delayed opening

East Orange Public Schools - Closed

Essex County Vocational Technical Schools - Closed

Glen Ridge Public Schools - 90-minute delay

Great Oaks Charter School - Closed

Good Shepherd Academy (Nutley) - Closed

Irvington Public Schools - Closed

Livingston Public Schools - Closed

Millburn Public Schools - Closed

Montclair Public Schools - Closed

Newark Public Schools - Closed

Nutley Public Schools - Closed

Orange Public Schools - Closed

Saint Vincent Academy (Newark) - Closed

South Orange-Maplewood Public Schools - Closed

Verona Public Schools - Closed

West Orange Public Schools - Closed

East Orange Child Development Corp - Closed

Essex County College, Newark - Delayed opening, noon

Washington Academy, Belleville - Closed

Gramon School & Glenview Academy, Fairfield - Closed

KIPP New Jersey, Newark - Closed

Lacaordaire Academy, Montclair - Closed

Marion Thomas, Newark - Closed

Montclair Public Schools - Closed

NJIT, Newark - Delayed opening, noon

New Beginnings, Fairfield - Closed

Newark Prep Charter, Newark - Closed

Newark Legacy, Newark - Closed

Newark Educators, Newark - Closed

People's Prep, Newark - Closed

Philips Academy, Newark - Closed

Pride Academy, East Orange - Closed

Robert Treat, Newark - Closed

Roseville Community, Newark - Closed

Rutgers-Newark - no morning classes

St. Francis Xavier, Newark - closed

University Heights, Newark - close

Westbridge Academy, Bloomfield - closed

Caldwell-West Caldwell Public Schools - delayed opening, click here to find individual school's start time

See anything we missed? Let us know via email at divers@njadvancemedia.com.

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

Millburn High School takes home Science Olympiad title

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MHS wins the top prize in the high school division.

 

MILLBURN -- Millburn High School took first place in the high school division at the New Jersey Science Olympiad NJIT Regional Tournament held Jan. 11 in Newark.

Nearly 700 middle and high school students from Northern New Jersey competed in 13 science-related contests that ranged from bridge building and food science to forensics and geologic mapping. Prizes were awarded to the overall winners as well as to winners of each event.

Other top winners in the high school division were Morris Hills High School, which finished second overall, and Hillsborough High School, which finished third. Montgomery Upper Middle School took first place in the middle school contest followed by Thomas Edison EnergySmart Charter School in Franklin, which took second, and Rising Star Academy in Union City, which finished third. Millburn High School will now compete in the statewide Science Olympiad taking place March 8 at Middlesex County College in Edison.

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

Newarkers: Side streets have not been cleared since storm

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Residents reported not being able to leave their homes Monday morning. Watch video

NEWARK -- Though city officials said major roadways were clear Monday morning, residents were complaining that they couldn't leave their homes to get there, thanks to snow-filled side streets.

Newarkers took to social media Monday morning to complain about many side streets that appear unplowed since Saturday's record-breaking storm. Residents sent virtual pleas to city government officials and news organizations to prompt the clean up of many streets that they say are impassable.

After Mayor Ras Baraka posted a message on Facebook Sunday evening thanking residents for their patience, and assuring them the city will continue to work until the snow is plowed, he was berated by dozens of commenters complaining about the lack of progress made in their neighborhoods.

"Twenty-five hours and still waiting for my street to be plowed," one user, Leslie Bradley, commented on the post.

"When the trucks do plow, it will take me several hours to shovel the snow left in front of my driveway. Yes Newark was hit hard by the storm but so were other towns that manage to clear the snow from their streets."

School was canceled and many city services like garbage pick-up and street cleaning were suspended Monday as the city continues to plow its snowy side streets. In a statement released Sunday, city officials asked residents not to complicate the clean-up efforts by adding trash to the accumulated mounds of snow.

Screen Shot 2016-01-25 at 9.41.03 AM.pngGarside Street in Newark. (Submitted photo)
 

"As the city continues to shovel itself out from a near record-breaking snowstorm, we appreciate the spirit of cooperation we have received from most Newark residents," Baraka said in a statement.

"We have heard your concerns and we ask for your continued patience as we continue to shovel our way out and make it easier for citizens to move around the city again." 

A city spokeswoman did not immediately respond to a request for comment Monday morning.

In a video recorded press conference Sunday, Baraka scolded drivers who did not heed the travel ban he had placed on the city during the storm, noting that street clearing was delayed by the need to remove cars stuck in the middle of Newark streets.

Residents told WABC-TV the delay has led to a lot of frustration Monday morning.

"We pay taxes, and our little side streets need help," one resident told ABC. "Just help us clean...so we can move forward. We can't move."

The city has also activated its online storm tracker, which officials say reports in real-time where plow trucks are located.

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

Is your street unplowed after the blizzard? Share your pics

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We want to see the spots that the plows haven't reached: No blacktop allowed. Watch video

New Jersey is still digging out from Saturday's epic winter storm. While highways might be clear, there are plenty of streets that look like they haven't been touched by plows. We want to see the unplowed streets you are seeing today.

Tweet your photo @njdotcom with the hashtag #plownj, or Instagram it using the same hashtag. Include the name of the street and the New Jersey town where it is located. Photos of poorly plowed streets you post will appear below.

John Shabe can be reached via jshabe@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter and find NJ.com on Facebook.

Steve Adubato explains difficult relationship with his dad | The Backgrounder Podcast

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We turn the tables on Steve Adubato, the man who has interviewed so many movers and shakers in New Jersey, and ask him the difficult questions.

By Paul Brubaker | The Backgrounder

Before Steve Adubato, Jr. began his 29 years in public broadcasting, he was elected as the State Assembly's youngest member in 1983 -- an accomplishment that might be expected from a candidate who would have the full faith and confidence of his father, Steve Adubato, Sr., one of the state's most influential political power brokers.

Except Adubato didn't have that from his dad.

Steve AdubatoSteve Adubato

"He told me I was an absolute guaranteed loser," said Adubato, who had decided to run outside his father's Newark sphere of influence for a Republican-held seat representing towns including Nutley, Cedar Grove and Montclair. "He laughed and he said, 'You're going to get killed.'"

On the latest edition of The Backgrounder podcast, Adubato speaks candidly and personally about life with his father, which, at times, fell far from a Norman Rockwell ideal.

And yet, in Adubato's latest book, "Lessons In Leadership" (Rutgers University Press), he honors Steve Sr. in the dedication by recalling his father's opposition to Newark's mob-controlled Democratic leaders in the late 1960's, and writing that one of the most significant lessons in leadership he learned from his father was one of personal courage.

You can hear the entire interview with Steve Adubato in which he talks about his political experience, how he came to launch the Caucus Educational Corporation, and he names the one person in his entire career who stands out as his favorite interview.

Simply click on the orange play button at the top of this page.  

Paul Brubaker, former journalist and congressional spokesman, keeps it real with the people who make New Jersey the most fascinating place on Earth. Check back every week for a new episode of 'The Backgrounder.' 

Getting around snow-buried Newark: Can you do it?

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What you need to know about how to travel in the state's largest city Monday. Watch video

NEWARK -- Getting into, out of, and around in the state's largest city proved difficult Monday as it struggled to deal with the aftermath of a weekend storm that dropped a record-breaking amount of snow.

While residents were complaining that side streets had not yet been cleared, motorists reported that even plowed streets were tough to pass, given the snow build-up on the sides of the roadways.

What you need to know about your post-blizzard commute

"It is really just a big mess," Pat Gonzalez, a cardiovascular scientist who recently received his doctorate from Rutgers New Jersey Medical School, said Monday of his commute from Jersey City to the Newark school. While sidewalks were clear at the train station in Hoboken and NJ Transit ran on time, the streets near Newark's Broad Street station delayed his commute about half an hour, he said.

A nearby roadway that usually sees Rutgers shuttles picking up students and faculty had not been plowed, and narrowed streets delayed the buses even more, Gonzalez said.

Traffic delays were reported throughout the city Monday. Reported delays include:

  • Delays on Route 21 south of Exit 5
  • Delays on U.S. 1 & 9
  • NJ Transit reported system-wide delays of 20 minutes, with many Morris-Essex Line routes reporting longer delays
  • NJ Transit buses reported detours and delays in the city
  • No PATH service to Newark
  • Flights into and out of Newark airport are delayed
  • Residents are reporting many side streets are impassable

Locals who would have otherwise been trapped in their homes said they are finding creative ways to get to work Monday. One North Ward resident who asked not to be identified said that after helping his neighbors clear out their cars and the sidewalks, his block, Parker Street, had still not been plowed. To get to work, he and his wife walked over snow mounds to get to the nearest cleared avenue, where his brother's friend, who drives an SUV, picked them up.

The trucks that officials say are out on the roads "have not put a dent in a city this big," he said. And, of the roads that have been cleared, travel remains difficult, due to what he called "snow mountains."

"Snow removal means just that, removal," he said.

"It doesn't mean pushing it around making mountains that are hard (to drive by)."

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

As frustration mounts, Baraka says Newark streets to be cleared by Tuesday morning

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More than 30 hours after a record-setting snowfall in the state's largest city, secondary roads around the city have still yet to see a plow Watch video

NEWARK - The skies over Newark may be clear, but for Joe Valente and his neighbors on East Kinney Street, the weekend's snowstorm is alive and well.

More than 30 hours after the last flakes fell, the residents of the city's Ironbound District are still waiting for help with the nearly three feet of snow blanketing their block.

"We haven't really gotten any help from the city. They didn't come around spraying salt or anything," Valente said. "We have a woman here, eight and a half months pregnant. She goes into labor, it's going to be a problem."

The situation on East Kinney Street was far from unique around the state's largest city, which is still working to clear a record-setting 28 inches of snow from residential streets. Complaints have flooded social media since Sunday, complete with pictures of impassable streets and trucks hopelessly mired in snowdrifts.

Is your street unplowed after the blizzard? Share your pics

In an interview late Monday morning, Mayor Ras Baraka said officials were hard at work dealing with the aftermath of the unprecedented storm, but were being hamstrung by dozens of disabled vehicles and streets too narrow for normal plows.

A total of 48 bucket loaders, front loaders and plows have been deployed on the more than 4,000 miles of city roads, with more expected to be contracted, according to city officials. Baraka said he expects every block to be cleared by late Tuesday morning.

"We're going to come to get every street," he said. " We are in the command center, we've been here all night and night before. A lot of that depends on us trying to get cars out of the road."

The city's Department of Neighborhood and Recreational Services is charged with coordinating snow removal plans, though Baraka said all operations have since been turned over to the city's Office of Emergency Management.

Though sympathetic to residents' frustrations, he denied that the city had been lax in preparing for what turned out to be one of the most severe weather events in recent history.

"I think we were prepared as we should have been. Always in hindsight you wish you had more," he said. "I think how we're doing it is all right. I just think the amount of time that it's taking is more than anticipated."

Back on East Kinney, however, the city's assurances did little to calm residents' anxieties.

Valente said he was worried about being disciplined for failing to report to his job at Northern State Prison, where employees are required to report during states of emergency.

"These charges, we go up at our hearings and they stick," he said.

A neighbor, Alex Areias, questioned why multiple plows were seen at nearby City Hall Sunday night - hours after officials announced it would be closed the following day.

"If they're closed today, why were those resources being put to that instead of being put to cleaning the wards like they're supposed to?" he said. "We haven't seen a plow even before at any point during or before the storm."

City Communications Director Frank Baraff said the area had to be claered in order to allow police access to the municipal court next door, where prisoners were being processed around the clock.

Baraka, who was set to hold a press briefing with Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose early Monday afternoon, said emergency contractors would be brought on board to help clear streets. Primary roads took first priority, followed by those drawing complaints and streets where cars were impeding emergency vehicles.

Officials have also taken steps to house about 100 homeless people at the city's YMCA, and multiple dialysis patients have been taken to area treatment centers - all part of a process that, while lengthy, the mayor promised would soon be complete.

"It's not if we're going to come, it's when we're going to come," he said.

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

 

Newark man shot during dispute over shovel

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The 38-year-old victim told police he was using the shovel to help clear an elderly neighbor's driveway Watch video

newark cruiser 1.jpgA Newark man was shot in the buttocks Sunday after an argument over a shovel, according to police reports. 

NEWARK - A man was shot Sunday morning after a dispute over the shovel he was using to clear an elderly neighbor's driveway.

According to Newark police reports, the 38-year-old victim told officers he found the shovel on the ground outside the neighbor's Lindsley Avenue home in the city's West Ward. As he dug away at the more than two feet of snow around 10:15 a.m., however, he was confronted by a female neighbor confronted him claiming it belonged to her.

The man returned the shovel, but not before "words were exchanged", according to the police report.

As frustration mounts, Baraka says Newark streets to be cleared by Tuesday morning

While walking back to his home, he was again accosted by the woman and three men, one of whom pointed a gun at the victim's head. At the woman's command, the assailant fired a single shot at the victim, striking him in the buttocks, the report said.

The victim attempted to grab the gun, but was struck in the mouth by a second woman during an ensuing struggle. He then fled back to his home, while the group of attackers filed into a green vehicle and fled east on Lindsley Avenue, the report said.

Newark police spokesmen did not return a request for additional details, and the victim's condition as of Monday was unclear. No information on arrests in the case has been made public. 

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

United still struggling to get storm-delayed passengers out of Newark

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More than 300 flights have been scratched for Tuesday nationwide, including more than 170 at Newark Airport as airlines struggle to recover from the storm. Watch video

NEWARK -- United Airlines is flying in additional employees from around the country to help frustrated travelers still trying to reschedule flights after the weekend blizzard, company officials said.

The additional employees are arriving Monday at Newark Liberty International Airport, Dulles International Airport and Philadelphia International Airport, United officials said.

The 128 United workers are coming from Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles, Maui and other cities, said Jonathan Guerin, a United spokesman.

The workers will help rebook passengers at United's counters and help work behind the scenes getting planes ready for departures, Guerin said.

"We get it. We understand people are frustrated. Our teams are working hard," Guerin said.

United is struggling to get back on schedule after the blizzard shut down Newark, its hub, and other East Coast airports for much of the weekend.

Flight canceled? Here's how you can fly out of N.J. for $9K

Though the runways have been plowed, airlines need to get their airplanes to the correct airports before they can resume their regular schedules. Many passengers say they are also having trouble rebooking flights because of difficulty using airline websites and long waits on the phone.

United passengers have been turning to social media to express their frustrations.

"After five days and more than twelve hours on hold, I still can't rebook," said one passenger on Twitter.

Dozens of other passengers turned to United's Facebook page to ask for help rebooking flights after waiting hours on hold or getting disconnected.

"We're doing our best to reply as quickly as we can," a United representative responded on Facebook early Monday.

United officials said their focus at Newark Airport remains removing snow from the gates, so planes can get in and out.

Nationwide, nearly 9,600 flights in and out of the U.S. have been canceled since Saturday, according to FlightAware, a flight tracking service. That includes more than 1,500 flights Monday.

Newark Airport continues to be one of the airports struggling to get back on track. More than 480 flights were canceled Monday, including about half of all outgoing flights, according to FlightAware.

Another 64 Newark flights were delayed as of 1 p.m. Monday, the flight tracker said.

United, Newark's largest carrier, began flying out of Newark again Sunday afternoon. It did not resume operations at Dulles until Monday.

The company is offering fee waivers to allow customers to change flights at no cost. However, United officials warned passengers to be patient.

"Customers with mid-Atlantic and Northeast travel should expect delays and cancellations," United said in a statement Sunday.

Passengers who rescheduled their flights for Tuesday, assuming the bad weather would have passed, may be out of luck.

More than 300 flights have been scratched for Tuesday nationwide, including more than 170 scheduled to fly in and out of Newark Airport, according to FlightAware.

Other area airports have fared better. John F. Kennedy International Airport, LaGuardia Airport and Philadelphia International Airport appear to be getting back on schedule. Less than 15 flights have been cancelled at the three airports for Tuesday, according to FlightAware.

Atlantic City International Airport reported no cancellations Monday or Tuesday.

Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KellyHeyboer. Find NJ.com on Facebook.
 

N.J. man pleads guilty to staging accident for insurance money

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Irvington man admitted Monday to staging a 2012 car accident in Newark

TRENTON -- An Irvington man admitted Monday to staging a 2012 car accident in Newark and collecting more than $25,000 in insurance payouts, authorities said.

Jerry Previlon pleaded guilty to a single count of second-degree insurance fraud before Superior Court Judge Michael Ravin in Essex County, according to a statement from the state Office of the Insurance Fraud Prosecutor.

Authorities say Previlon was in the passenger seat of a 1999 Pontiac Grand Prix driven by his girlfriend, Yasmeen Louis, when the car was struck from behind.

Louis later said in a sworn statement that the driver of the other car, allegedly one of Previlon's acquaintances, got out of the car and fled the scene in a third vehicle, authorities claim.

Over the next several months, the two filed 28 medical claims with Liberty Mutual totaling $25,100. They were indicted last year on a host of charges including insurance fraud, conspiracy and records tampering.

"Staging accidents, as this defendant admitted doing, is not only a crime, it poses a serious danger to the well-being of every driver, passenger, and pedestrian in the vicinity of the crash,' said acting Insurance Fraud Prosecutor Christopher Iu.

Under a plea deal, Previlon faces five years in state prison. Louis is seeking pre-trial intervention, authorities said. Their attorneys could not immediately be reached.

S.P. Sullivan may be reached at ssullivan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Baraka apologizes to snowed-in Newarkers

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During a press conference on the city's clean up from the storm, Baraka denied poor response planning. Watch video

NEWARK -- City Mayor Ras Baraka apologized to residents who remained in their homes Monday, unable to leave because of unplowed streets, but stopped short of taking the blame for the city's response to the record-breaking storm at a press conference Monday afternoon.

"I apologize to those folks who were not able to get to work today or (who) had any other inconvenience because of the snow storm," he said during the conference, held at the city's office of emergency management.

"But, trust and believe that we are working hard around the clock to make sure that you're able to do what you're supposed to do."

Residents have been complaining loudly about side streets that have yet to be cleared, days after the storm dumped nearly 30 inches on the city.

Baraka cited residents being out during the storm and abandoning cars in the streets, competing with other municipalities for resources, and the intensity of the storm as some of the reasons for the long clearing process.

Getting around snow-buried Newark: Can you do it?

"We didn't get a snow storm, we actually got a blizzard, and we are responding to that with all of the forces that we have," he said.

Baraka also reiterated a message he gave NJ Advance Media earlier Monday that all roads in the city will be cleared of snow by Tuesday morning.

Though closed Monday because "we were not ready," city hall office buildings will be reopened Tuesday, Baraka said. District officials said Monday that schools would close once again Tuesday.

Locals have shown little understanding for the plowing delays, blaming them for missed work days, and traffic back-ups throughout Newark.

During the press conference, newly-appointed Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose asked for resident understanding as the process continues.

"I think that the residents have to be patient," he said. "I know it's hard. We're just as frustrated as the residents."

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

 

Email me not: Virtual break-up caused cop to ram councilman's car, court docs allege

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Monique Smith, 44, of Irvington, is facing aggravated assault, criminal mischief and weapons charges for allegedly trying to run down Newark Councilman John Sharpe James with her car in January 2015

NEWARK -- After dating Irvington Police Capt. Monique Smith for roughly two months, Newark Councilman John Sharpe James sent her an email on Jan. 5, 2015 that said he wanted to end their relationship, court documents state.

But the breakup allegedly did not go smoothly.

About five hours after he sent the email, James has claimed Smith confronted him outside his residence and started yelling at him, court documents state. James drove off, but Smith allegedly followed James and struck his vehicle with her car three times, court documents state.

The chase allegedly ended after James drove to his parents' residence, where his father, former Newark Mayor Sharpe James, intervened on his behalf, court documents state. After Smith spoke with the father, she returned to her vehicle and drove off, court documents state.

Now Smith, 44, of Irvington, is facing aggravated assault, criminal mischief and weapons charges in connection with the incident.

In the latest twist in the case, Superior Court Judge Michael L. Ravin has denied Smith's motion to dismiss her indictment.

In regard to the grand jury presentation, Ravin found "at least 'some evidence' was presented by the State to prove each element of the crimes charged," according to the judge's Jan. 11 written decision.

As part of the motion, Smith's attorney, Anthony Pope, acknowledged that she followed James, but he rejected prosecutors' claims that Smith's Honda Accord collided with James's Nissan Xterra, the decision states.

In a Dec. 28 brief sent to the judge, Pope indicated that allegation is refuted by a report that determined the paint chips found on Smith's vehicle do not match the paint found on James's car. The report "directly negates" James's testimony before the grand jury about the incident, the brief states.

That report, which was done by the New Jersey State Police's Office of Forensic Sciences, was not completed until after the grand jury handed down the indictment, the brief states. Since the report was not presented to grand jurors, Pope argued the indictment should be thrown out.

"Thus, by failing to obtain confirmation of the physical evidence - the State fatally impaired the judiciary function of the Grand Jury," Pope wrote in his brief.

Referring to James's testimony about Smith's car hitting his vehicle, the brief adds: "With no physical evidence of the cars ever coming into contact, a reasonable Grand Jury could have concluded that the veracity of the testimony is questionable and the alleged charges highly improbable if not entirely impossible."

But according to the judge's decision, the state has claimed the test results in the report are "problematic."

"The State argued that according to the lab technician, the results of the paint chip test could be a result of poor sample recovery or that the sample was not taken from the appropriate point of impact," the decision states.

Ravin pointed to that argument in upholding the indictment, saying the test results were not reliable. The judge also cited James's testimony as among the evidence presented to the grand jury to support the indictment.

john-sharpe-jamesJohn Sharpe James 

In his testimony, James said he had been dating Smith for about two months, according to the judge's decision. Although Smith owned a home in Irvington, James said he had given her a key to his Newark apartment, the decision states.

After the couple had an argument on Jan. 2, 2015, James said he decided to break up with Smith, the decision states. When they slept in his apartment that night, James testified he slept on the couch, the decision states.

James said he left the apartment the following morning and did not return home until Jan. 5, the decision states. During that time period, James said Smith called him and sent him text messages, but he did not respond to her, the decision states.

On Jan. 5, James testified he knew Smith would be attending a ceremony at 5 p.m. for her promotion to police captain, the decision states.

James said he met his building superintendent at his residence at 4:45 p.m. for him to change the locks at James's apartment, the decision states. Around that time, James also said he gathered most of Smith's belongings from his apartment and placed them in a shed outside her Irvington house, the decision states.

Around 5 p.m., James testified he sent Smith the email, telling her that he wanted to end their relationship, the decision states. In the email, James also informed her about her belongings in the shed and told her to return his apartment key by putting it in his parents' mail slot, the decision states.

After sending the email, James said he received text messages from Smith, asking him where he was, and he responded by directing Smith to read her emails, the decision states. James said he then received emails, phone calls and text messages from Smith, as well as phone calls and text messages from her friends' phones, the decision states.

"The messages asked Mr. James to get together with Defendant, to communicate with her and to try to work things out," the decision states.

RELATED: Newark councilman no longer afraid of Irvington cop accused of trying to run him down

At about 10 p.m., James said he was sitting in his car outside his residence and talking to a neighbor when Smith showed up and began yelling at him, the decision states. As Smith then followed him, James said she struck his vehicle with her car three times, the decision states.

As they got out of their cars at his parents' house, where his father was waiting outside, James testified Smith said to him, "I love you, where are you going?," the decision states.

James said she tried to grab him before he went inside the house and ultimately called the police, the decision states. By the time the police showed up, James said Smith had already spoken with his father and drove off, the decision states.

Irvington Mayor Tony Vauss said on Monday that Smith remains suspended without pay as a result of the alleged altercation.

After the alleged incident, James received a temporary restraining order against Smith.

James dropped the temporary restraining order in February after he and Smith entered into a civil agreement that requires her to not contact him, according to James's attorney, Toni Belford Damiano.

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

280 'incidents' over 28 inches: Newark's snow response by the numbers

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A quantitative look at Newark's response to the first snow storm of 2016.

NEWARK -- Twenty-eight inches of snow plus 30 accidents and 60 plow trucks equals a day and counting of time before all city streets are cleared.

During a press conference about Newark's response to a record-setting weekend snowstorm Monday afternoon, city officials unleashed some statistics about the snow's impact in the city.

According to officials, the storm by the numbers in Newark, as of about 1 p.m. Monday:

  • 28.1: Official (probably record-breaking) number of inches of snow that fell in the city 
  • 0: Storm-related deaths in the city (Statewide, the count stands at 5 possibly related to the weather)
  • 20: The number of car fires the city responded to from people being stuck or overheating in their cars
  • More than 30: The number of accidents city personnel responded to
  • 280: The number of "weather-related incidents," like digging out stuck cars, Baraka said the city responded to
  • 5,000: Miles of road plowed as of 1 p.m. Monday
  • 50-60: Number of plow trucks on the streets in Newark
  • 1: The number of storm-related shootings in Newark, according to police reports

The rundown came as a seemingly endless number of residents and commuters complained about poorly cleared and impassable roads in the city Monday.

Mayor Ras Baraka said all streets should be cleared by Tuesday morning.

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

Newark schools to be closed for second straight day after snowstorm

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The city is still struggling to clear its road system after a blizzard dropped more than two feet of snow on the area

NEWARK - The city's public schools will be off for a second straight day Tuesday as the aftermath of a weekend blizzard continues to cripple much of the city.

The district issued a statement shortly before 5 p.m. indicating that "weather conditions" had forced the closure of all schools and its Family Support Center. The district's central office will be open for its regular business hours.

A regular meeting of the city's School Advisory Board originally scheduled for Tuesday night has also been cancelled.

Baraka apologizes to snowed-in Newarkers

Newark was one of more than a dozen towns in Essex County to cancel school Monday after a record-setting storm dropped more than two feet of snow on much of the area over the weekend.

To the chagrin of residents, however, the city has struggled to clear its approximately 40 miles of roads, and travel in many residential neighborhoods remains difficult.

Mayor Ras Baraka has estimated that all roads would be cleared by sometime late Tuesday morning.

As of around 5 p.m., none of the city's charter, magnet or private schools had officially declared closures of their own.

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

Livingston man files suit over Amtrak derailment injuries

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Joshua Pearlstein filed suit in federal court alleging he suffered permanent injuries and incurred significant medical bills from the derailment.

NEWARK -- A Livingston man Monday became the latest victim of the Amtrak derailment last year in Philadelphia to sue over his injuries. 

Joshua Pearlstein of Livingston filed the lawsuit in New Jersey federal court, saying he sustained "serious, painful and permanent injuries" during the derailment, which occurred May 12, 2015, in the Port Richmond section of Philadelphia.

Pearlstein was a passenger on the Northeast Regional train traveling from Washington to Boston when it derailed.

Eight people died in the crash, which also injured about 200 others. 

Pearlstein's complaint also says his injuries required "significant medical treatment," but did not elaborate on the nature of the injuries or what treatment was required. 

The suit notes that Amtrak officials already have conceded that the train was traveling in excess of the allowable speed when it derailed. 

According to Bloomberg News, Amtrak in court filings has said it will admit liability for compensatory damages, covering wrongful deaths, medical expenses, pain and suffering and lost wages. 

Amtrak may have to shell out more for derailment

Pearlstein's suit also seeks punitive damages to punish Amtrak for its "wanton disregard and reckless indifference" to safety when the derailment occurred. 

Investigators said the train accelerated on a section of track where it should have been decelerating, causing the incident. Amtrak has since completed installation of an automatic train control system in the Philadelphia area that, if it had been in place, would have automatically slowed the train. The train was traveling over 100 mph in a section of track where it should have been going no faster than 80 mph. 

Dozens of lawsuits have been filed against Amtrak over the crash. 

The cases are being consolidated and are being assigned to one federal judge in Philadelphia. 

Amtrak officials did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment. 

Tim Darragh may be reached at tdarragh@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @timdarragh. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Fourth person wanted in brutal downtown Newark beating arrested

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Man's attack Jan. 10 was caught on video Watch video

NEWARK -- The fourth of five men wanted in connection with a daytime assault of a man caught on video earlier this month has been arrested, Acting Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose announced Monday.

U.S. Marshals and members of the Newark Police Department's Fugitive Apprehension Team found Corey Sabb, 21, hiding under a bed at a N. 6th Street home Monday morning, police said. He has been charged with robbery, aggravated assault and conspiracy.

Authorities say Sabb was one of five men who attacked the victim at Broad and Market streets Jan. 10, video of which was uploaded to social media. Three other men have already been arrested in connection with the case: Jahid Smith of Irvington, 18,  and Newark residents  Joshua Craig, 18, and Julio Pendola, 28. Trevone Craig, 22, of Irvington, remains at large.

Police asks that anyone with information about Trevone Craig's whereabouts or any other crime to please call the department's 24-hour "Crime Stoppers" anonymous tip line at 877 NWK-TIPS (877 695-8477) or NWK-GUNS (877 695-4867).

Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@PaulMilo2. FindNJ.com on Facebook

The day Newark stood still. No plows. No work

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Newark residents express outrage that local streets remained impassable two days after a record breaking storm dumped 28 inches of snow on the city. Watch video

"Not a plow truck in sight. You had to surmise that it was going to be bad,'' Newark resident Deborah Coy said yesterday.

She was just one of many city residents who were venting yesterday - to anyone who would listen - about the snow that continued to make local streets impassable, created traffic logjams and kept people from getting anywhere, especially their jobs.

Coy, who lives on Goldsmith Avenue, between Aldine and Hobson streets, said she knew there would be trouble when she didn't see the city pretreat the streets with salt or melting solution before the weekend blizzard.

MORE: Recent Barry Carter columns

Her confidence slipped further when a truck had not come by once there was enough snow on the ground to plow. By Sunday morning, well after the snow stopped, she was livid. "They didn't start the process correctly in terms of planning and execution. It's evident (that) did not occur," Coy said.

The record-breaking storm dropped 28 inches of snow on Newark. Many streets still could not be navigated yesterday,with cars entombed by mounds of the white stuff, and residents trapped at home. City schools remain closed today, too, because of the cleanup.

What the city found out - and it had to be expected- was that angry residents could hit just as hard as the blizzard.

They lit up social media with their displeasure, a diatribe that continued despite the city's effort to share updates on its progress to get to secondary streets that had not been cleared.

The criticism went from the city being unprepared to underestimating the size of the storm, to getting a late jump on this thing and, particularly, instituting a ban on travel late Saturday - after the storm had been raging all day.

Mayor Ras Baraka apologized to residents at a news on conference on Monday, but said the delay in getting streets cleared was because of motorists who abandoned their cars, a lack of resources and the overall monstrosity of the storm. He said all streets would be cleared by this (Tuesday) morning.

The city disagrees that it wasn't ready, saying it had a plan, which was to take care of main thoroughfares before the secondary streets.

Baraka expressed his frustration Sunday during a briefing, saying motorists ignored the travel ban and wound up getting stuck on the streets. In some cases, the snowbound cars blocked police and emergency vehicles, which then also got stuck as they responded to calls. As many as 18 police cars had to be freed from the snow, officials said.

"You are preventing our cars, our plows from getting through,'' Baraka had said. "It's becoming very difficult for us to do our job.''

MORE CARTER: Newark's Covenant House will miss Mama Gwen

The city extended the travel ban from Saturday into Sunday, vowing to tow cars that were in the way. During an afternoon snow update Monday, the city said it had plowed 4,777 miles of street with 61 trucks -and more contractors were being hired. I'm not sure how many side streets that covers, but it's a number officials want everybody to know.

Jacqueline Johnson understands how the city can be annoyed with hardheaded people getting on the road when they shouldn't.

What she and so many others don't buy is that nary a plow truck had showed up since Friday. It was a mess on her street - Norman Road, between Ivy Street and Woodbine Avenue - and it remained that way yesterday.

"It's unacceptable,'' Johnson said.

The same was true most of yesterday for Pamela McElveen, treasurer of the Palm Street Block Association.

Alas. Finally, at 3:30 p.m.,a plow truck. She said the city has been through storms before, including a 1996 blizzard, but she always saw a plow truck making its rounds.

"We always had the streets plowed, even if they came through once,'' said McElveen, a resident for 33 years. "This has never happened.''

She was pleased to see some action and it was enough movement for her to make hot chocolate for the workers, who planned to be in her neighborhood a long time.

Still, the late snow removal caused many to grumble about missee work, because they couldn't drive or make it on foot to the bus stop.

Derrick Crawford is going two days without pay after not being able to leave his neighborhood - Sixteenth Street, between Eighteenth and Nineteenth avenues. That's the kind of job he has - he drives a truck. No work, no pay.

Crawford couldn't get out to make deliveries Sunday or yesterday, having first "tested the waters" on foot to see if he would be able to get down his street.

No dice. It was hopeless.

Crawford said he saw several cars unable to gain traction. They were spinning their wheels and he found himself helping four motorists struggling to get off the block.

Residents on Monticello Street were fed up waiting for a plow and decided to pick up their own shovels and hit the streets.

That's right. They removed enough of the snow, getting down to the blacktop, so residents at one of the end of the block could make their way out.

Jonnie Cannon, a Monticello Street resident, was impressed by their efforts.

"Oh my goodness,'' Cannon said. "That was so awesome.''

That's the kind of review the city could only dream about getting.

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

Give Hispanic seniors the care they deserve in N.J. | Opinion

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Nearly 30 percent of Hispanics in New Jersey are uninsured. Assisting these citizens in getting the care they deserve needs to be a higher priority for our health system — especially here.

By Yanira Cruz

Nobel Laureate economist Angus Deaton has drawn new attention to the so-called "Hispanic Paradox": the fact that, despite higher rates of poverty and lower levels of education, Hispanic Americans -- who make up nearly 20 percent of New Jersey's population -- tend to live longer than non-Hispanic whites.

Not only does this disparity persist, but it is actually widening among middle-aged Americans. 

However, there's a dark side to the Hispanic Paradox: Latinos are living longer, but not healthier. In fact, Hispanics are much more likely to suffer from a whole range of chronic diseases, including Alzheimer's. 

Making matters worse, older Hispanics are generally ill-equipped to manage their health conditions due to low levels of health literacy  and limited access to long-term care, among other challenges.  In short, our health system is failing Latinos in their later years. Addressing these issues requires policies that empower Hispanics to remain healthy as they age.

New Jersey especially must play its part, since the state has one of the highest Hispanic populations in the country.

These seniors are especially underserved when it comes to health care, according to a new report from the National Hispanic Council on Aging, an organization I lead.

The national diabetes rate among Hispanics is 11.3 percent, compared to only 7.8 percent among whites, according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Latinos are also twice as likely to suffer from HIV, and 1.5 times more likely to develop Alzheimer's. 

At the same time, this population faces distinct challenges when it comes to managing their health. Among patients with Alzheimer's, for instance, Latinos are less likely to be diagnosed than white patients, which makes coping with this debilitating illness substantially more difficult. 

Even those Hispanics who are diagnosed often struggle to find the sort of long-term care required to manage the illness. Indeed, Latinos are underrepresented in everything from residential care communities to nursing home services and hospices, the NHCOA report notes.  

In New Jersey, Hispanics, who are the state's largest minority population, make up only 7 percent of nursing home residents.  

Unable to find professional long-term care, many older Latinos must rely on the generosity of their families and loved ones. A recent survey from Evercare and the National Alliance for Caregiving found that over a third of Hispanic households include an unpaid caregiver. 

This lack of access to suitable care is compounded by low levels of education and health literacy among Hispanics. The U.S. Department of Education found that only 4 percent of Latinos qualify as sufficiently health literate. Older Hispanics, meanwhile, have significantly lower rates of high-school graduation than whites.  

These factors make it far more difficult for Hispanics to acquire health insurance, access federal health benefits, or secure long-term care. Indeed, nearly 30 percent of Hispanics in New Jersey are uninsured, compared to 8 percent of Whites and 16 percent of Blacks. 

Fortunately, a number of federal reforms could go a long way towards facilitating healthy aging in the Hispanic community. For one, programs and benefit schemes could be far more user-friendly for older Latinos.

This means, for instance, establishing senior call centers where older Americans of diverse backgrounds can receive information about federal programs in their native language. Similarly, an education initiative staffed with bilingual volunteers should be created to assist seniors in accessing their health benefits. 

Another valuable reform would create an early notification system that would inform Hispanic Americans about programs like Medicare and Social Security as they approach eligibility age. Just as important are policies that encourage medical progress on conditions that disproportionately affect Hispanics. 

A far more aggressive research effort is required if the American healthcare system is to avoid bankruptcy from this single condition.

The extraordinary longevity of Hispanic Americans is a testament to the population's resilience. But for too many Latinos, these added years of life bring serious, unmanageable illness. Assisting these citizens in getting the care they deserve needs to be a higher priority for our health system -- especially here in New Jersey.

Yanira Cruz, PhD, is the president and CEO of the National Hispanic Council on Aging (NHCOA).

This N.J. community college could win $1M

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The college was named Tuesday as one of the 150 colleges eligible for the 2017 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence.

NEWARK -- One of the state's largest community colleges is among 150 colleges competing for $1 million. 

Essex County College was named Tuesday as one of the 150 colleges eligible for the 2017 Aspen Prize for Community College Excellence.

The prize, awarded every two years, recognizes high achievement and performance among America's community colleges. It focuses on student outcomes if four areas: student learning, certificate and degree completion, employment and earnings and access and success for minority and low-income students.

"There are exceptional community colleges across our country providing students with a high-quality, affordable education that leads to good careers and strong economic opportunity," said Josh Wyner, executive director of the Aspen Institute College Excellence Program. 

The Aspen Institute is an educational and policy studies organization based in Washington, D.C.

Essex County College has a $69.1 million budget this year. Its graduating class in 2015 had 1,516 members. 

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

 
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