Best entertainment events through the weekend

 

The focus is on marriage in a new production from the New Jersey Repertory Company. On March 10, the company debuts "For Worse," about a man who's having an affair but can't get his wife to divorce him, while his girlfriend issues an ultimatum on their relationship. Performances are Thursdays and Fridays, at 8 p.m.; Saturdays, at 3 and 8 p.m.; and Sundays at 2 p.m. Located at 179 Broadway, Long Branch. Tickets are $45. Call (732) 229-3166 or visit njrep.org.

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Guitarist Sean Harkness performs March 11 as part of the NJ Guitar: Experiences in Music & Art series at the Barron Arts Center in Woodbridge. The show begins at 7:30 p.m. and reservations are required; call (732) 634-0413. Admission is free ($5 donation is suggested). Located at 582 Rahway Ave. Visit twp.woodbridge.nj.us and click on departments.

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The Centenary Stage Company celebrates St. Patrick's Day a bit early when The Prodigals take the Sitnik Theater stage on March 12. The Celtic band's show begins at 8 p.m. Located in the Lackland Center, at 715 Grand Ave., Hackettstown. Tickets are $25 for adults and $17.50 for children younger than 12 in advance; ticket prices are an additional $5 on the day of the performance. Call (908) 979-0900 or visit centenarystageco.org.

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All you need are a pair of running shoes and a plastic cup to take part in the third annual Guinness Run on March 12 at 2 p.m. in Highlands. The race, which benefits the St. Patrick's Day Parade, begins at the Claddagh Irish Pub, 297 Bay Ave., where contestants will fill their cup, then run to Miller Street and back to the finish line at the pub. The runner with the most liquid remaining in his or her cup at the end of the race -- all cups will be weighed -- is the winner. Prizes will be awarded, and food and drinks provided to all registered participants. Runners must be 21 and older, with ID. Registration is $25 and will be held in the pub parking lot, beginning at 12:30 p.m., on the day of the race. Visit highlandsnj.com. 

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WheatonArts in Millville will present its annual A Garden of Quilts show on March 12 and 13. The show runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. each day in the Event Center. There will be a quilting competition and quilters will be selling their colorful creations. Admission is $5; free for WheatonArts members. Located at 1000 Village Drive. Call (800) 998-4552 or visit wheatonarts.org.

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Grammy winner Patty Griffin joins Sara Watkins and Anais Mitchell in a "singers-in-the-round" style show March 13 at Kean University's Enlow Recital Hall in Hillside. The three artists come together on the stage, sharing songs and accompanying each other throughout the show, which begins at 3 p.m. The recital hall is located at 215 North Ave. Tickets are $35 and $45. Call (908) 737-7469 or visit keanstage.com. 

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An organ recital with musician Nicole Keller will be offered March 13 at the Cathedral Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Newark. The 4 p.m. performance, featuring works by Bach, Vierne and Wilson, is part of the 60th anniversary celebration of the dedication of the cathedral's Shantz organs. Located at 89 Ridge St. Doors open one hour before the concert. All events are open seating and available on a first come-first serve basis. There is a suggested donation of $15. Visit cathedralbasilica.org.

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It's the final days for two shows at the Monmouth Museum: "Member Miniatures" is a juried exhibit of small works displayed in the Nilson Gallery, while the 37th annual Juried Art Exhibition is being presented in the Main Gallery. Both shows continue through March 13. Hours are Tuesdays through Thursdays and Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Fridays, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sundays, from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is $8; free for children and museum members, as well as Brookdale Community College students and staff, with valid ID. The museum is located on the Brookdale campus, 765 Newman Springs Road, Lincroft. Visit monmouthmuseum.org. 

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Ethan is a writer and Olivia is a teacher with a stalled writing career. "Sex with Strangers," a just-opened George Street Playhouse production, explores what happens when they find themselves snowbound at a bed and breakfast. Performances are Tuesdays through Fridays, at 8 p.m.; Saturdays, at 2 and 8 p.m.; and Sundays, at 2 and 7 p.m.; with Thursday matinees, at 2 p.m. on March 17 and 24. The show runs through March 27 at the New Brunswick theater, 9 Livingston Ave. Tickets are $39 to $65. Call (732) 246-7717 or visit GSPonline.org.

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The history of the St. Patrick's Day Parade is the urban Irish becoming the suburban Irish, said Seton Hall University Professor Dermot Quinn. the whole history of the St. Patrick's Day Parade is the urban Irish becoming the suburban Irish," the professor said. "It showed they established themselves."

The city of Newark is completing its first class of trainees in web coding.

WASHINGTON -- When President Barack Obama visited Newark in November to discuss criminal justice issues, he brought along the announcement that a technology training program would be expanded to Newark.

The first class in Newark's TechHire program, which involves the New Jersey Institute of Technology and local employers, including Amazon.com's Audible Inc., Prudential Financial and Panasonic Corp. is about to graduate, and the city is readying some new classes.

"The designation does not expire," Jacob Leibenluft, deputy director of the National Economic Council, said Tuesday on a conference call with reporters. "We're continuing to work with the communities."

5 things about Obama's trip to Newark

Newark's program to teach coding for the web brings in unemployed youths and adults, as well as individuals with criminal records, according to the White House. Of the 15 students who enrolled in January, 13 are on track to complete the program and the city plans to try to find them jobs or internships.

About half of the existing class is comprised of women and/or persons of color, the White House said.

U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), a former Newark mayor, said program is "creating pathways to lift residents up and diversify the faces working in this vital industry."

Wainer said the program is part of the mayor's effort to establish Newark as a high-tech hub, and it provides a "pipeline for people who do not have the traditional resume of a technology worker in Silicon Valley," said Seth Wainer, head of Newark Mayor Ras Baraka's Office of Information Technology. "We're very excited about this being a pathway to success." 

The city plans to use existing funds from the U.S. Labor Department to continue the training and is seeking a federal grant under a new program to expand it.

"We can ultimately drive entrepreneurial job creation in the city," Wainer said. "We can get them the skills they need to be successful."

The city is providing free wifi, and its location near a major airport, port and train line could help drive the growth of a high-tech industry, he said.

"This is how Newark emerges as a dynamic force," Wainer said. "The city has had a lot of challenges. This has been a long time coming."

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

Schools are temporarily using alternative water sources while state officials investigated the source of the lead, the DEP said. Watch video

UPDATE: Officials say Newark water situation 'urgent,' but no Flint

NEWARK -- Thirty school district buildings in Newark are temporarily using alternative water sources after recent testing found elevated levels of lead in the schools' drinking water, Department of Environmental Protection officials announced in a joint release with Newark Public Schools Wednesday.

According to the announcement, Newark schools notified the DEP on Monday that 30 buildings recorded elevated levels during annual testing that was recently conducted in the district. Some levels were found to be higher than the Environmental Protection Agency's "action level" for lead, which is a threshold requiring additional testing, monitoring and remediation, the DEP said. The lead action level is 15 parts per billion, state officials said.

Newark schools has temporarily shut off all drinking water fountains at the affected schools, and is posting notices not to drink water from faucets, the DEP said. Replacement drinking water, and cooking water, is available from water coolers and bottled water at all of the affected schools, officials said.

School is remaining in session.

11 N.J. cities with lead-affected kids

According to the DEP, it is working with the state department of health and the district to sample the water and its entry points at every public and charter school in the district.

"Parents should have no concerns about students' water and food consumption at the school while the situation is addressed," the DEP said in a release.

A school spokeswoman deferred comment on the situation to state officials Wednesday morning.

A teacher at Weequahic High School who asked not to be identified Wednesday expressed concern at the announcement.

"They gave us bottled water, (and) told us don't use the water for lunch," the teacher told NJ Advance Media. "They're saying we could wash our hands with it, but I don't trust that, the kids don't trust that...This is crazy."

Elevated lead levels have not been found within the Newark Water Department's source water, state officials said.

"In the vast majority of cases where lead is found in drinking water, it enters through the water delivery system itself when it leaches from either lead pipes, household fixtures containing lead, or lead solder," the DEP said.

At an unrelated press conference Wednesday morning, city officials indicated Mayor Ras Baraka was still being briefed on the situation, and did not have an immediate comment. Baraka announced at 11:30 a.m. that he, Newark Public Safety Director Anthony F. Ambrose, and Director of Water and Sewer Utilities Andrea Adebowale will hold a press conference to discuss the elevated levels of lead at 1 p.m.

An advocacy group recently cited Newark as one of the 11 municipalities in New Jersey in which children reported higher lead levels than those in Flint, Mich. Those elevated levels, the group said, arise mostly from young children ingesting lead from paint found in older homes.

Though officials said Wednesday drinking water alone does not usually result in elevated lead levels in children's' blood, parents can have their children tested for lead at the Newark Health Department.

Parents Wednesday were split on the district's handling of the elevated levels.

One parent who asked not to be identified said she was dissatisfied when she called one of the affected schools with questions, and did not get many answers.

"The (school's) water was off, and they didn't know why," she said. "The children should not be in school during this time."

But, Nichole Donnell, the parent of a kindergartener at Louise Spencer said she was happy with the information she had received from the district.

"I'm happy with the administration here, and I haven't had any problem with them making me aware of what's going on," she said.

As news of the levels spreads, organizations are sending bottled water to schools in Newark.

The Community Food Bank of New Jersey has already sent 120 cases of bottled water to the Roberto Clemente school, and is working to connect with other schools to provide more water, said the organization's director of public relations Julia Kathan.

"We stand ready to offer whatever assistance we can in the hours and days ahead," she said.

Parents, too, said they would be sending their kids to school prepared to deal with the water issue.

"I'll probably just send some bottled water until it's all taken care of," Donnell said. 

According to lead level results released by the DEP Wednesday, the following school buildings are affected:

• 14th Avenue School
• Abington Avenue
• American History High School
• Bard High School
• Barringer Academy STEM/Arts and Humanities
• Benjamin Franklin
• Branch Brook
• Cleveland
• Early Childhood School - Central at Berliner
• Early Childhood School - West at Old Speedway
• George Washington Carver (includes Bruce Street and KIPP Seek Academy)
• Hawthorne Academy
• Ivy Hill
• John F. Kennedy School
• Louise Spencer (includes Miller Street)
• Luis Munoz Marin
• Mount Vernon
• New Jersey Regional Day
• Newark Evening High School (Vocation at West Side)
• Newark Leadership at Newark Vocational
• Newton Street (includes Fast Track Success Academy)
• Quitman Street
• Ridge Street - Annex (Grades K-1)
• Ridge Street - Main Building
• Roberto Clemente
• South 17th Street
• South Street
• 13th Avenue
• Weequahic (includes Eagle Academy for Young Men and Girls Academy of Newark)
• Wilson Avenue

Staff reporter Dan Ivers contributed to this report.

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

According to the ruling, from March 2012 to August 2012 former Irvington police chief Michael Chase allowed on-duty police detectives to transport his wife's car to or from an auto-shop on four separate occasions while using department equipment.

IRVINGTON -- A hearing officer has ruled that former township police chief Michael Chase violated multiple department rules by allowing on-duty Irvington police detectives to run his own personal errands, according to a report obtained by NJ Advance Media.

In the 32-page document, Shelia Ellington, the Mt. Laurel attorney hired by the township to act as arbiter of the host of administrative misconduct charges levied against Chase, recommends that the former chief be removed from office for permitting the detectives to transport his wife's car to a mechanic for repairs.

"In this case, I am satisfied based upon all of the evidence that Chase's conduct was egregious and that removal from office is the appropriate action," Ellington wrote.

http://www.nj.com/essex/index.ssf/2016/02/irvington_police_chief_out_amid_police_and_fire_de.html

According to the February 24 ruling, from March 2012 to August 2012 Chase permitted Det. Sgt. Frank Piwowarczyk to transport his wife's car to or from a Harrison auto-shop on four separate occasions.

Chase permitted Piwowarczyk to enlist the aid of Detective Melvin Shamberger, allowing the officers to use a department vehicle while transporting his wife's car despite rules he had himself previously instituted barring department personnel from driving civilian vehicles while on duty, the ruling states.

Ellington also found that Chase violated department rules by demanding reimbursement from Piwowarczyk after the officer incurred an EZ Pass violation while transporting his wife's car, the documents state.

Both Shamberger and Piwowarczyk have filed lawsuits against Chase, alleging they were the victims of threats and other retaliation for prompting a misconduct investigation against the former police chief.

Chase has not been criminally charged. Attempts to reach the former police chief and his attorneys for comment were unsuccessful.

The ruling is the latest step in a scandal that reaches back to 2013, when NJ Advance Media reported that details of an Essex County Prosecutor's Office investigation into allegations against Chase.

Chase, a 40-year veteran of the department, was ultimately accused of more than 130 violations of the Attorney General's guidelines and township police department rules and suspended by former Irvington police director Joseph Santiago.

As the administrative hearings into the allegations wore on, Chase was returned to active duty by Mayor Tony Vauss, who cited the fact that Chase had during 19-month suspension continued to collect his $154,272 annual salary.

Chase's tenure as police chief came to an end last month, as the town council eliminated the police chief position, permanently transferring oversight of the day-to-day operations of the township police department to recently appointed township public safety director Tracy Bowers.

While not on active duty, Chase, who will turn 65-years-old in 2016, remains on the township payroll. Barring any changes to his employment status, he will continue to receive his current annual $166,020 salary until his scheduled retirement on July 1.

Whether the township will act to alter Chase's employment status in the wake of the hearing officer's ruling remains unclear.

"We have not made a determination as far as next steps," said township attorney Ramon Rivera. Rivera declined further comment, citing rules against commenting on personnel matters.

Reached Tuesday, Vauss also declined to comment in detail. "We have to make a decision based on what's the best benefit for the township," he said.

On January 28, Chase filed a lawsuit against Vauss, Bowers, and a host of other township officials, claiming $1,000,000 in damages over the legislative maneuverings he said led to the elimination of his position. 

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

New Jersey's U.S. senators, Cory Booker and Bob Menendez, lauded Kelly for his achievements Wednesday after the resolution passed. Watch video

The Senate has passed a resolution honoring New Jersey native Scott Kelly on his record-breaking stint in space. 

U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-NJ) -- who sits on Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, which overseas NASA -- introduced the resolution on March 1 just hours before the astronaut closed the hatch on the International Space Station to return home. 

Scott Kelly gives a thumbs up after his landing in Kazakhstan Tuesday returning from his yearlong mission. NASA TV 

Kelly, who was raised in West Orange, spent 340 days in space over the past year as part of NASA's plan to put a man by the end of the 2030s. He safely landed on the steppes of Kazakhstan last week and returned to America the next day. 

New Jersey's U.S. senators lauded Kelly for his achievements and contributions to humankind Wednesday after the resolution passed.

"Kelly's safe return is a proud moment for this outstanding New Jerseyan, for our whole state, and for the ongoing advancement of science and exploration," Booker said. 

"It's important that we, as a nation, stand up and recognize greatness in order to inspire youngsters and future generations of what is possible when we push ourselves to excel," said Sen. Bob Menendez (D-NJ). "Scott Kelly is a source of pride and inspiration for all New Jerseyans."  

In his time at the ISS, Kelly broke the record for time spent in space by any American; he conducted his first spacewalk, and shared hundreds of images, updating the world on his daily adventures.

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

The Newark native will be part of the U.S. Postal Service's Music Icon Series, which includes Elvis Presley, Ray Charles and Johnny Cash

Jazz legend Sarah Vaughan is being honored with a U.S. Forever stamp, which will be released March 29 with a free concert at her hometown's Newark Symphony Hall.

Vaughan, who sang in the Mt. Zion Baptist Church Choir and attended Arts High School, joins the ranks of Elvis Presley, Ray Charles, Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix and Johnny Cash, all part of the Postal Service's Music Icons stamp series. The stamp is an image of a Bart Forbes oil painting based on a 1955 photograph by Hugh Bell of Vaughan in performance. 

The Grammy- and Emmy-winning singer nicknamed "The Divine One" and "Sassy" died of lung cancer in 1990 at 66. A member of the Jazz Hall of Fame and the New Jersey Hall of Fame, her hits include "Misty," "Broken-Hearted Melody," and "Send in the Clowns." 

19 celebrities you forgot are from N.J.

The 11 a.m. ceremony will be held in Symphony Hall's Sarah Vaughan Conert Hall, and will include performances by Melba Moore, the Mt. Zion Baptist Church Choir, the NJPAC Jazz for Teens Ensemble, 2013 Sarah Vaughan Jazz Vocalist Competition winner Jazzmeia Horn, and Newark singer Carrie Jackson.  

To obtain your free tickets, go to the Newark Symphony Hall Box Office, 1030 Broad Street, Monday through Friday, noon to 5 p.m., Saturday 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., or reserve by phone at 973-643-8014.

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

Hall of Fame basketball coach Bob Hurley Sr. will serve as the keynote speaker at the Seton Hall University's annual business ethics breakfast later this month.

Hall of Fame basketball coach Bob Hurley Sr. will serve as the keynote speaker at the Seton Hall University's annual business ethics breakfast later this month.

Hurley, the president and boys basketball coach at St. Anthony High School in Jersey City, will speak on the themes of ethics, leadership and the importance of teamwork during the Micah Center for Business Ethics Breakfast on March 23. 

A 2010 inductee into the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame, Hurley has established himself as the nation's premier boys basketball coach over the course of his 44-year career at St. Anthony. Hurley has led the Friars to more than 1,100 victories, 25 state championships and four national titles in that time. 

After being named president of the small Catholic school in Downtown Jersey City in June 2015, Hurley took on even greater fundraising role for the cash-strapped school.

The breakfast will be held in the University Center Chancellor's Suite from 8 to 10 a.m. 

The event is open to faculty, students, alumni, and friends of Seton Hall University. Space is limited. RSVP by Friday, March 18 to Janet Fenton at 973-761-9207 or email janet.fenton@shu.edu.

Shawn Custis is scheduled to go on trial later this month on charges in a 2013 home invasion attack Watch video

NEWARK -- At Shawn Custis's upcoming trial on charges of beating a Millburn woman in a 2013 home invasion attack caught on a "nanny-cam," prosecutors may present four witnesses to testify about how they spoke with the police and identified Custis as the assailant in the video, a judge ruled on Wednesday.

After listening to the witnesses at a hearing last month, Superior Court Judge Ronald Wigler said he would permit their testimony at the trial, in part because they had interacted with Custis and were familiar with his physical appearance around the time of the incident.

"They were all able to identify his physical features," Wigler said during Wednesday's hearing. "They each expressed in their own individual, unique way how they were familiar with Mr. Custis."

Jury selection in Custis's trial is scheduled to begin on March 22.

Custis, 45, of Newark -- who has a lengthy criminal record -- is charged with attempted murder, aggravated assault, endangering the welfare of a child, robbery, burglary, criminal restraint and theft in connection with the June 21, 2013 incident.

Custis is accused of breaking into the victim's house and kicking, punching and throwing the woman down the basement stairs as her 3-year-old daughter sat on the living-room couch. Her 18-month-old son was asleep in an upstairs bedroom, authorities said. Custis also stole various jewelry items and a cell phone from the residence, authorities said.

A week after the incident, Custis was arrested as he was leaving the New York City apartment building of a then-girlfriend at the time.

Inside that woman's apartment, authorities later seized a pair of jeans belonging to Custis that allegedly contained the victim's blood. Authorities have said a DNA analysis of the jeans shows the victim's blood was on the jeans.

In the days after the attack, authorities released the "nanny-cam" video to news organizations. In their statements to the police, the four witnesses in question said they saw the video on TV news broadcasts and they identified Custis as the attacker, court documents state.

The four witnesses include another girlfriend of Custis at the time, her daughter, and two other women who had personal relationships with Custis, court documents state.

The witnesses' testimony at the trial is a critical part of the state's case, because the video does not clearly depict the assailant's face, and the victim identified another man as the possible culprit when she reviewed photos of Custis and other potential suspects.

But Custis's attorney, John McMahon, indicated during Wednesday's hearing that he would cross-examine police officers at the trial about the "lack of investigation into other possible suspects," saying officers failed to investigate calls made to the police from people identifying the assailant in the video as someone other than Custis.

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

More 'nado is slated for summer

Actors Tara Reid, who grew up in Wyckoff, and Ian Ziering, who hails from West Orange, will be back for "Sharknado 4" this summer on the Syfy channel, this time with Gary Busey, Tommy Davidson and Cheryl Tiegs in tow, according to the Hollywood Reporter. 

"Sharknado 3: Oh Hell No!" left the fate of Reid's character hanging in the balance, asking fans to tweet whether she should live or die. The movie also saw Ziering shooting into space to do battle with fearsome sharks with the assistance of a laser-powered/light saber-like chainsaw. 

Tiegs will replace Bo Derek as the mother of Reid's character, April, and David Hasselhoff is returning to play father to Ziering's character, the chainsaw-wielding Fin. Busey will play Wilford, April's father, a scientist who specializes in robotics. Tommy Davidson also enters the cast as the CEO of the company where Wilford works. 

The Syfy movie will be set five years after "Sharknado 3." That film began in Washington D.C. and was set up and down the East Coast, with scenes filmed at Universal Studios and Cape Canaveral in Florida. "Sharknado 2: The Second One" was based in and around New York City, with cameos from the Statue of Liberty and Citi Field. 

"Sharknado 4" will premiere on Syfy in July. The schlocky movie is sure to be chock with cameos -- last year "Sharknado" featured a guest slaying of "Game of Thrones" scribe and Jersey guy George R.R. Martin. 

Gabriel Strassman of West Orange hit 21 out of 25 foul shots to secure himself a first-place win in the Elks Hoop Shoot Boys 8-9 Division at the State Championship on Feb. 14 in South Plainfield.

Gabriel Strassman, the West Orange Elks Hoop Shoot champion and New Jersey North Central District Champion, won the Elks Hoop Shoot Boys 8-9 Division at the State Championship.Liz Robertson 

WEST ORANGE -- Gabriel Strassman of West Orange hit 21 out of 25 foul shots to secure himself a first-place win in the Elks Hoop Shoot Boys 8-9 Division at the State Championship on Feb. 14 in South Plainfield.

He will now represent New Jersey at the Northeast Central Region 5 Hoop Shoot Semi-Finals which will take place March 19 in Wilkes-Barre, Pa.

Strassman, a fourth grade student at St. Cloud Elementary School, qualified for the state championship by first winning the local Elks Hoop Shoot contest at Roosevelt Middle School over Thanksgiving break.

He advanced to the New Jersey North District contest where he hit 20 out of 25 foul shots to get him to the state tournament.

A win at the Semi-Finals in Pennsylvania would advance him to the Hoop Shoot National Finals in Chicago in April.

For more information on the contest, visit elks.org/hoopshoot.

To submit an achievement, please send an email to essex@starledger.com.

Mike Romano may be reached at mromano@starledger.com. Follow him on Twitter @mromano26. Find The Star-Ledger on Facebook.

It remains unclear how long students and staff at 30 schools were drinking water with unsafe levels of lead Watch video

NEWARK - Officials say they do not know how long students at nearly half of the Newark's schools may have been drinking water with elevated levels of lead, but cautioned that they do not believe the contamination is likely to pose any serious health risks.

Superintendent Chris Cerf, Mayor Ras Baraka and Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin were among those on hand at a City Hall press conference Wednesday, hours after news broke that annual testing revealed the problems with water at 30 of the state-controlled district's schools.

Cerf told reporters that the district was first tipped off to a potential problem on Thursday, when staff at Louise A. Spencer Elementary School noticed discoloration in the school's water supply.

Officials then ordered for testing of the district's water, performed in December of each year, to be expedited. By Monday, they began to discover the elevated lead levels at schools across the city.

Parents and teachers were not notified until Wednesday morning - a delay Cerf and Martin said was necessary to allow them to fully assess the issue and devise a response.

Elevated lead levels in Newark schools

"We have a difficult needle to thread here. In an abundance of caution we are going the extra mile here," Cerf said. "I don't mean to make this sound anything less than urgent."

Mayor Ras Baraka said he was sympathetic to residents who may have panicked due to national headlines surrounding dangerous water levels in Flint, Mich. - another poor, post-industrial city with aging schools and infrastructure. However, he and others attempted to assure the public that the levels in Newark in no way compared.

The school with the highest measured levels, Louise A. Spencer, tested at about 550 parts of lead per billion, or about 5 percent the water found in Flint.

"I understand in the Flint environment any sight of elevation is going to make everyone go haywire. It's still safe, still drinkable," Baraka said. "It is irresponsible to say (to compare Newark to Flint). That is absolutely not the case."

Newark Director of Water and Sewer Utilities Andrea Adebowale said that all city water remained safe for all purposes, and that the issues at the schools appeared to have originated in sinks, fountains or piping in the mostly aging buildings.

"A lot of our buildings are old," said Baraka. "That speaks to infrastructure, the reason why we need new schools."

While local and state officials preached calm, many in the city said they were immediately concerned about what they viewed as neglect of students and facilities in the state's largest district.

Rev. Ronald Slaughter of Newark's Saint James AME Church said that while hew as encouraged to hear the lead levels did not approach those in Flint, their presence signaled a larger issue in poor, urban communities.

"I think that's a way out of the importance of this issue to always compare it to Flint,' he said. "It can get to the level of Flint without the level of attention it needs."

Slaughter also lobbied for the state to test every student in the affected schools for potential lead poisoning. The state had previously recommended that concerned parents visit the city's health department to have their children tested.

"These parents do not have the resources," he said.

Cerf and Martin said they were still receiving information on the contaminated water and their causes at each building, and were in the midst of formulating a plan to remediate all of the issues.

It remains unclear how long that process may take, and each of the 30 affected schools will rely on bottled water until their own supply is deemed safe for drinking and other use. Drinking fountains in each of the schools have been turned off, and food will not be prepared using tap water.

Officials are requesting that anyone wishing to donate water take them to designated recreation centers in each of the city's five wards.

The water drop-off locations are:

South Ward: St. Peters (Green Acres) Recreation Center

East Ward: Sharpe James/Kenneth Gibson Aquatic Center

North Ward: Vince Lombardi Recreation Center

West Ward: Boyland Street Recreation Center

Central Ward: John F. Kennedy Recreation Center

The decision comes three years after Prime Healthcare Services announce plans to buy the hospital

TRENTON -- Acting Health Commissioner Cathleen Bennett Wednesday approved a for-profit hospital chain's request to buy Saint Michael's Medical Center in Newark, saving the nearly 150-year-old bankrupt institution from closing.

The decision comes three years after Prime Healthcare Services announced its intentions to buy the struggling hospital as well as several other cash-poor community hospitals in the state.

For a while the deal appeared doomed, as the state health department puts its review on hold and hired a consultant in 2014 to study the hospital market to determine the health care needs in the greater Newark area.

The consultant's report released last year recommended closing the hospital, saying there were too many hospital beds in the area to be economically feasible. Navigant Consulting recommended the site should be run as same-day health care facility, in keeping with the national trend of focusing ton preventive and outpatient services. 

That report galvanized community religious, community and elected officials to support the sale in order to protect the jobs and medical services in the city's central ward.

"I agree that the proposed transfer of ownership, as opposed to closure of St. Michael's, will preserve appropriate access to health care services for the community, including the medically indigent and medically underserved population," according to Bennett's approval letter dated March 7 and released Wednesday.

Sale of Newark hospital gets green light

Bennett wrote that she was persuaded to approve the sale partly because the hospital provides critical psychiatric and addiction treatment services that are already in short supply and causing delays in treatment.

Bennett also highlighted Prime's willingness "to consider the expansion of outpatient services as well as the consolidation or reduction of inpatient beds and services, both of which are in line with what the Navigant Report recommends." 

Prime has agreed to pay $62 million to reduce some of the hospital's debt and invest $50 million to modernize the 149-year-old hospital. Prime has committed to keeping the facility operating as a hospital for a minimum of five years. and retain "substantially all" 1,400 employees. Prime also pledges a $50 million investment in technology and other services.

"We have all been waiting a long time for this moment and while there remains much to do before the transaction is completed, we have crossed the most important milestone," said David Ricci, president and CEO of Saint Michael's. "Today is a great day for the employees and medical staff of Saint Michael's as well as for the community we serve in Newark and beyond."

Saint Michael's sought bankruptcy protection from its creditors last summer to keep the operation running until the state approved the sale.

The approval gives Prime a significant foothold in New Jersey's lucrative health care market, having already acquired Saint Mary's Hospital in Passaic and Saint Clare's medical centers in Dover, Denville and Boonton.

Catholic Health East bought Saint Michael's in 2008, in a deal that led to the closure of two other city hospitals, Columbus and Saint James.

"This is a major victory for the residents of Newark," Central Ward Councilwoman Gayle Chaneyfield Jenkins said. "It means that 1,400 jobs in Newark will be preserved, it means residents of Newark will continue to have a choice in health care and it means $50 million in private capital will be invested in the heart of our city."

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

Not too long ago, shopping was pretty much "either/or." You went to a department store, or you went to a specialty store.

I understand, of course, that in 2016 there are specialty stores all over New Jersey. The modern day merchants who cater to niche markets typically set up shop in malls, strip centers or downtown shopping districts.

This gallery offers a glimpse of a time when a niche retailer's primary competition was the department store. These were the days before the "big box" store; one-stop shopping at its most extreme. The big box store is a concept that was incomprehensible in my youth -- one store, one floor, with everything. Department store stuff ... check. Supermarket stuff ... check. Electronics, auto repairs, appliances ... check, check and check.

This gallery focuses on a time when the shopping choice was pretty much "either/or." That is, either you went to a department store, or you went to a specialty store.

Personally, I thought that was very cool. When you entered these shops, there wasn't any time wasted looking for something; the item you wanted was either right smack dab in front of you, or, a simple inquiry to the proprietor led you directly to it.

You want records? Go to a record shop. One foot inside the door and ... boom, records! Shoes? No wearing out your own traipsing to the back of a 250,000 square-foot super store; shoe stores had what you needed and nothing but.

LPs were far easier for us nearsighted folks to buy back then too.Courtesy of Dennis Jaslow 

In a television or radio shop, not only did the proprietor have whatever you asked for, but there was also the fascinating sight of the owner being able to immediately locate what you wanted from what looked like complete chaos.

In my youth, there were specific places you went for specific things. Everyone who attended St. Francis of Assisi School went to Robert Hall for the obligatory brown blazers. Once in high school, everyone went to Bernie's Army-Navy for gym uniforms. There was a millinery shop on Delsea Drive (the name of which has escaped me) where my mother would go that utterly fascinated me. In this Delsea Drive shop, which was once a house, everything related to sewing could be procured.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

There were places you had to go to because they had that "thing" that was all the rage. When I was in the fourth grade, somehow having a really wide rubber band to strap around your bookbag was cool. And, there was only one place that carried them, a stationery store off the Boulevard near Landis Park whose name has also leaked out of my aging brain.

The thing that stood out most to me was the level of customer service provided. I'm sure that most employees of retailers these days are terrific, but those of us who grew up at a time when the folks who ran a store were also absolute experts on what they sold will feel a little less-than-satisfied today.

Here's a gallery of specialty stores from days gone by in New Jersey. Be sure to have captions enabled to read the information about these stores.

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

From Irish celebrations to Shakespeare's works in short, there's something for everyone.

Celebrate Celtic Pride -- an afternoon of Irish culture told through stories, dance and song -- on March 13 at the Union County Performing Arts Center in Rahway. The 2 p.m. event will be presented on UCPAC's Mainstage, 1601 Irving St. Tickets are $20 and $25. Call (732) 499-8226 or visit ucpac.org.

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The Reeves-Reed Arboretum and The HAT Tavern will debut "A Quiet Man ... at the Crossroads," a collection of 35 works from artist and Summit resident Tony Crowe, on March 17. The exhibit, which runs through June, includes paintings of Ireland, Summit and the world. All of the works, to be displayed on the walls of the tavern, will be for sale, with the artist donating 30 percent of all purchases to the arboretum. The HAT Tavern is located a 570 Springfield Ave., Summit. Visit reeves-reedarboretum.org.

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It's time for a garden party! So don't miss the Springfest Garden Show from March 17 to 20 at the Sussex County Fairgrounds in Augusta. Visitors will find everything from topiaries, garden tools and seeds to arborists, plant societies and master gardeners. Hours are 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily. Tickets are $12 for adults, $1 off with coupon (printable online); $9 for seniors, 65 and older, with a special senior day on March 17 when tickets are $8; free for children younger than 12. Located at 37 Plains Road. Call (973) 948-9448 or visit springfestgardenshow.org.

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"Danielle Austen: Echoing Cascades," an exhibit of portraits of the environment, opens March 18 at the Monmonth Museum in Lincroft. Austen is a fine art photographer, whose work will be shown as part of the museum's New Jersey Emerging Artists Series through April 17. In August 2014, she was the co-creator and curator of the "NJ350 Elements" exhibit, celebrating New Jersey's 350th anniversary. An opening reception for the new show will be held March 18, from 6 to 8 p.m.; a gallery talk will be offered April 6, from 7 to 8 p.m., at the museum. Hours are Tuesdays through Thursdays and Saturdays, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Fridays, from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m.; and Sundays, from noon to 5 p.m. Admission is $8; free for children and museum members, as well as Brookdale Community College students and staff, with valid ID. The museum is located on the Brookdale campus, 765 Newman Springs Road, Lincroft. Visit monmouthmuseum.org.

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The ninth annual Singer/Songwriter weekend returns to Cape May on March 18 and 19. More than 150 artists will perform at venues around the city, and workshops on the music business will be held. Among the performers will be Jill Sobule, appearing March 18, and Ben Arnold, appearing March 19, both shows will be held at 8 p.m. in the Congress Hall Grand Ballroom. Tickets are $10 for each show. Visit sscapemay.com.

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Want to give the kids a taste of the classics? Then take them to Short Shakespeare performances staged by the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey. The 70-minute productions include "Romeo & Juliet" (ages 10 and older) on March 18, at 7:30 p.m., and March 19, at 2 p.m.; and "A Midsummer Night's Dream" (ages 6 and older) on March 19, at 11 a.m. Both plays also will be offered April 23 -- Shakespeare's birthday. The performances will be staged at the F.M. Kirby Theatre, on the campus of Drew University, 36 Madison Ave., Madison. Tickets are $16; patrons receive one free child's admission for every adult ticket purchased to performances at the Kirby Theatre in March. Call (973) 408-5600 or visit ShakespeareNJ.org.

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What does a woman do when she's done being a full-time mom? Deb Maclean will take you on that fun journey with her original one-woman show, "Losing It and Taking It Back." She performs March 18 at 8 p.m. at Mint's Place, 74 Morse Ave., Bloomfield. Tickets are $20 for adults and $15 for students and seniors. For reservations, call (973) 429-1527.

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Cape May will be the site of a Sherlock Holmes Weekend from March 18 to 20. Participants can play amateur sleuth and walk the streets to solve a mystery -- and win cash and other gifts. Call (800) 275-4278 or visit capemaymac.org.

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Symphony in C, performing at Rutgers-Camden Center for the Arts in Camden, presents an All Beethoven Program on March 19. Pianist Drew Petersen will play three pieces: Coriolan Overture, Op. 62; Piano Concerto No. 5 "Emperor," Op. 73 in Eb Major; and Symphony No. 3 "Eroica," Op. 55 in Eb Major. The performance begins at 8 p.m. in Rutgers' Gordon Theater, 303 Cooper St. Tickets are $24 to $51; student rate is $10 at the door, with valid student ID. Call (856) 240-1503 or visit symphonyinc.org.

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Stephen Colbert is helping Craig Newmark get the word out on DonorsChoose.org, a crowd-funding site to raise money for stressed schools in New Jersey.

By Craig Newmark

A strong country relies on an educated populace -- a populace with access and expertise to sophisticated technology, whose educators get the respect and pay that they've earned and deserve. That's not happening. Teachers don't get no respect.

The least we can do, I believe, is to help our teachers out a little -- person-to-person, classroom-by-classroom, and show our support.

Here's the deal: 9 out of 10 public school teachers across the U.S. routinely pay for basic supplies from frequently meager salaries. That's "basic," not like iPads and big-screen interactive TVs, chemistry equipment or boxing gear. I'm talking about paper, pencils, paint and textbooks.

All in all, teachers spend about $1.6 billion of their own money annually on school supplies. That's in the United States of America.

New Jersey is a microcosm of what's happening around the country.

According to a new report by the Education Law Center, this school year, New Jersey's highest wealth school districts had access to $2,850 per pupil more than poor districts. Over six years, 2008-09 to 2004-15 funding increased in the Garden State's high wealth districts by 11 percent, while funding in low wealth districts declined by 3 percent.

Thirty years after courts mandated more equitable distribution of resources, poorer school districts are still hurting. The state's fifth largest, the Toms River Regional School District, for example, is in a fiscal crisis, and district officials have pleaded with Gov. Chris Christie for a financial bailout.

The Paterson Public School District, the state's third largest, is also one of its poorest and struggling. Stefanie Lupo, a first-grade teacher in Paterson, teaches kids who've been diagnosed on the Autism spectrum. She has no textbooks, so she's forced to borrow books from the local library.

I'm a proud product of public education! I'm so honored to sponsor schools in Chattanooga on #BestSchoolDay https://t.co/gB6wrXDcTU

-- Samuel L. Jackson (@SamuelLJackson) March 10, 2016

Marilou Weber teaches in the Haleyville-Mauricetown Elementary School in Port Norris. It's part of the rural Commercial Township School District, close to the Delaware Bay, whose families, are ranked as among the poorest in the state. Many of her students, whose parents are fishermen and crabbers, are struggling to achieve, handicapped by poverty and limited access to technology.

As a 1950s-style nerd who's spent a career finding ways for people to connect and get stuff done, hearing about Ms. Lupo and Mrs. Weber, I wanted to help.

I was born and raised in Morristown, N.J., and went to public schools. I was raised in a family that hovered somewhere between poverty and lower middle class. My playground was a junkyard down the street. Years after we moved away, our house became a crack house and will be demolished soon.

RELATED: Giving N.J.'s poor kids a leg up in school

I think back about teachers like my history teacher, Anton Schulzki, who motivated me to understand that "the [trustworthy] press is the immune system of democracy," an idea that inspired me and that I'm acting upon, via work with TheTrustProject.org, the Poynter Institute, the Columbia Journalism School, and others.

Back then, I didn't get that teachers were sometimes badly respected and underpaid, and it seems much worse nowadays.  Teachers and schools are in trouble.

We can't rely on others to fix the problem for us, but we can work together to support our schools, which is why I've stepped forward and encouraged others to do so.  There are new web-based technologies that are now enabling communities to self-organize -- to improve our lives.

Ashton Kutcher (@aplusk) announces he's funding all @donorschoose projects in Iowa! #BestSchoolDayhttps://t.co/h3QZOERowM

-- CBS This Morning (@CBSThisMorning) March 10, 2016

A good example is DonorsChoose.org, which provides a web platform where individual donors can make a person-to-person connection with individual teachers and classrooms. It allows donors to see the immediate and direct impact of our giving. Through this platform alone, 17.5 million kids have benefitted.

This morning, DonorsChoose.org announced that it would be the #BestSchoolDay ever for classrooms-in-need across the state of New Jersey and in communities spanning over 30 states, thanks to a "Flash Fund" spearheaded by the organization. This effort brought together some prominent people in tech, sports and Hollywood, and we quickly raised more than $10 million for classrooms across the U.S.

(Special credit to Stephen Colbert: He's also motivated me to help fund a lot of classroom projects in schools that serve military families.)

I'm a huge fan of these "self-organizing communities," which in a flash can make stuff happen. Real, sustainable connections make a difference in changing people's lives. We have the tools to help make it the #BestSchoolDay every day.

Craig Newmark is an internet entrepreneur, philanthropist, and founder of craigslist and craigconnects. He's seriously an old-school nerd, not all that social, but who helps people who are doing good work that matters.

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

A judge has ordered Montclair to reinstate a former cop who was fired over an alleged domestic dispute

NEWARK -- A Superior Court judge on Monday ordered Montclair officials to reinstate a former township police officer with back pay after he was fired in connection with an alleged domestic dispute.

In handing down the ruling, Judge Vicki A. Citrino found "not a scintilla of evidence" to support the township's disciplinary charges against Officer Joselito Nebiar, who was suspended without pay in June 2013 and ultimately terminated in December 2014.

The officer's dismissal came more than a year after the alleged victim recanted her claims and an Essex County grand jury declined to issue charges against Nebiar in regard to the incident, according to the judge's written decision.

Following the grand jury's determination, the township violated Nebiar's rights in terms of when disciplinary charges must be filed and hearings must be held, the judge said.

"The actions of the Township of Montclair were patently skewed against Officer Nebiar," Citrino wrote in her decision.

The judge's opinion was issued in a lawsuit Nebiar filed against the township last year. In addition to Nebiar's reinstatement, Citrino directed township officials to provide back pay starting from the date of his suspension.

Nebiar's attorney, Patrick Toscano, said on Wednesday that the officer is owed about $270,000 in back pay.

"It need not be said that we are exceedingly pleased with the judge's decision," Toscano said in a statement. "Why the former Chief of Police and the Township illegally terminated Officer Nebiar only he can answer. The action Dave Sabagh took against our client from day one remains both bemusing and quizzical."

Joseph Hannon, an attorney who represented Montclair in the matter, said on Wednesday he needed to discuss the judge's ruling with township officials and he declined further comment.

The series of events leading to Nebiar's termination began in February 2013, when he was charged in a domestic violence complaint filed by a woman, according to the judge's decision. The woman later dismissed the complaint, the decision states.

Nebiar and township officials entered into an agreement in April 2013 where no disciplinary charges were filed against him regarding the woman's allegations and he agreed to follow the recommendation of a psychologist for treatment and counseling, the decision states. The psychologist, Daniel Schievella, had conducted a "fitness for duty examination" of Nebiar, the decision states.

On June 5, 2013, Nebiar and the woman were involved in an alleged domestic dispute, and Nebiar was charged with aggravated assault and weapons offenses, the decision states.

The woman recanted her statements on June 6 and Nebiar was placed on unpaid suspension on June 7, the decision states. On Sept. 27, 2013, the Essex County Prosecutor's Office notified Montclair that the grand jury decided to not indict Nebiar in connection with the incident, the decision states.

Schievella conducted a second examination of Nebiar in October 2013 and ultimately determined he was unfit for duty and recommended his termination, the decision states.

In January 2014, then-Montclair Police Chief David Sabagh filed disciplinary charges against Nebiar in connection with the alleged domestic dispute in June 2013, the decision states. A disciplinary hearing was held over three days between June and August of 2014, the decision states.

Based in large part on Schievella's findings, the hearing officer in December 2014 recommended Nebiar's termination after finding him guilty of the charge of "incompetency or inefficiency," the decision states.

But in Citrino's decision, the judge was critical of Schievella for not contacting the alleged victim, saying the psychologist accepted the woman's allegations as the truth. The judge also noted how the woman was not called as a witness at the disciplinary hearing.

"Officer Nebiar was convicted of violating the department rules based upon allegations of domestic violence without having the opportunity to confront or cross-examine his accuser," the decision states.

The judge said she was impressed with the testimony of another psychologist, Donald Franklin, who testified on Nebiar's behalf at the disciplinary hearing. Franklin, who determined Nebiar was fit for duty, cited problems with the tests administered by Schievella, court documents state.

Citrino also credited the findings of a third psychologist, John Rotondi, who was treated Nebiar around the time of Schievella's second examination and determined Nebiar "was doing very well with his therapy," the decision states. Rotondi told township officils in November 2013 that Nebiar was fit to return to duty, the decision states.

"This Court is persuaded by the reports of the treating psychologist, Dr. Rotondi and the testimony of Dr. Franklin," the decision states.

As for the timing of the disciplinary charges against Nebiar, Citrino said that, under state law, they should have been filed within 45 days of Sept. 27, 2013, when prosecutors told Montclair the grand jury declined to file charges, and then hearings should have been held within 30 days after he was served with a copy of the complaint against him.

But Nebiar's charges were filed 105 days after prosecutors notified the township about the grand jury's decision and his hearings were held several months later, the decision states.

"As such, this Court finds that the Township of Montclair violated Officer Nebiar's rights in failing to comply with the statutory provisions in failing to timely a Complaint against him and in failing to hold the hearings," the decision states.

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

Click through the slideshow to find your county's unemployment rate.

A small airplane made an emergency landing Wednesday shortly after taking off from the Essex County Airport.

FAIRFIELD -- A small plane made an emergency landing Wednesday shortly after taking off from the Essex County Airport, authorities said.

The 1979 Piper Aerostar began experiencing engine problems shortly after reaching an altitude of 2,000 feet, said Fairfield Police Chief Anthony Manna in a released statement.

http://www.nj.com/essex/index.ssf/2016/03/businesses_closed_warned_over_alleged_code_violati.html

While the plane was still in the air, police and fire units were dispatched to the airport. Once the plane landed, Fairfield Fire Department doused the disabled engine with water. No one was injured during the incident, Manna said.

The plane was being piloted by Herme Bloom of Willmington Delaware. There was one other passenger on board.

"It is my understanding that the pilot had nearly 40 years of experience, which most certainly helped to resolve this malfunction safely," Manna said.

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

Very warm air continues to invade the Garden State, making it feel more like summer than winter. Watch video

The calendar says it's still winter for another week and a half, but Mother Nature clearly doesn't pay attention to calendars.

During the past week, New Jersey's weather jumped from winter to spring to summer, with a slew of temperature records getting smashed along the way. And forecasters say more records will be erased from the weather history books before the sun goes down on this very mild Thursday.

Among the places that set new daily high temperature records on Wednesday were Newark (81 degrees), New Brunswick (82 degrees) and Trenton (80 degrees), while Atlantic City tied its March 9 record high of 78 degrees. Those readings are 30 to 35 degrees above the normal high of 47 for this time of year.

New records were also set Wednesday in Central Park in New York City (77 degrees), Philadelphia (82 degrees), Allentown (80 degrees) and Reading (80 degrees), according to the National Weather Service, which has weather monitoring stations in each of those cities.

For many places across New Jersey, including New Brunswick, Wednesday was the earliest day of the year that the temperature rose above 76 degrees, said New Jersey State Climatologist David Robinson at Rutgers University. Prior to this week, the latest reading of 76-degrees-plus in New Brunswick was in 1990, when the mercury hit 83 on March 14.

Everyone's a winner today! Our climate sites tied or broke daily record highs. Enjoy, it's extraordinary out there! pic.twitter.com/ZE0hlQe5gt

-- NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) March 9, 2016

As for Thursday, some new records were set even before lunchtime.

The National Weather Service said several places recorded their highest minimum daily temperatures for March 10 in the morning, including Atlantic City (55 degrees), Philadelphia (57 degrees) and Allentown, Pa. (54 degrees). A whole bunch of maximum daily temperatures are expected to set new records later in the day. 

All this warm air has been flowing in from the south because of a big ridge of high pressure that's planted itself off the coast of the southeastern United States, near South Carolina.

Robinson said the atmospheric setup this week is similar to what New Jersey saw in December 2015, when spring-like weather invaded the state and scores of daily and monthly temperature records were broken.

The state climatologist isn't certain how long this trend will last, but said it's possible New Jersey could get a  "a persistent period of above-average temperatures that even remain close to or above average when some cooling occurs."

If past history is any indication, New Jersey could end up with a cooler and wetter than usual April and May, according to a Rutgers analysis of spring weather conditions during years when a strong El Nino weather pattern is in play, as it is this year. 

El Nino, a long period of substantial warming of surface temperatures in the eastern Pacific Ocean, is known to wreak havoc on weather patterns around the world.

Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @LensReality. Find NJ.com on Facebook.