According to a new report, sea-level rise along the Jersey Shore and low-lying urban areas could force hundreds of thousands from their homes by 2100

Rising seas could force hundreds of thousands of New Jersey residents from their homes by the end of the century, a new report found.

The report, published in Nature Climate Change, analyzed the impact that sea-level rise will have on 22 states and Washington D.C. by 2100.

It paints a grim picture, projecting incessant flooding in coastal counties affecting up to 13.1 million people in the United States.

According to the study, up to 827,449 people in the Garden State would have to relocate due to sea-level rise, most notably on barrier islands, but also in low-lying urban areas, such as Hoboken and Newark.

N.J. receives disaster declaration for Jan. storm

While New Jersey's counties appear to fare significantly better against rising seas than some of the other 319 coastal counties in the study -- 94 percent of residents in Tyrell County, North Carolina, would be affected for example -- even under the low projections, more than 300,000 people could be forced from their homes. 

Three counties in the Tampa and Miami area would account for a quarter of the projected 13.1 million affected by sea-level across the country, according the report.

In Cape May County, 38.9 percent of projected residents in 2100, or 79,345 people, would experience the result of climate change. The highest concentration of residents with homes inundated by rising seas would be in Ocean County, with 176,360 people affected.

"This [study] can help inform decision-making in deploying critical infrastructure," said one of the authors of the study, Mathew Hauer, an applied demographer at the University of Georgia. 

The study ran two possible scenarios -- a three-foot and six-foot sea-level rise -- using data from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration to estimate the 2100 population.

"They're both plausible," Hauer said when asked the which scenario he thought was more likely. "That's one of the big questions: how much are sea levels going to rise? 

"We wanted to create a range of scenarios so we get a good range for high and medium results," said Hauer.

William Sweet, a NOAA oceanographer with the Center for Oceanographic Products and Services, told NJ Advance Media "it was important to note" that this report only focuses on high tide levels and does not take into account the impact on these areas from "recurrent tidal flooding or larger storm surges."

"Such tipping points will occur much before high tide itself becomes problematic and much before the year 2100 as presented in this paper," Sweet said.

In a 2014 report, NOAA said it expects most of the U.S. coastal areas to see 30 days of flooding or more each year by 2050. 

Dr. Benjamin Strauss, an expert on sea-level rise, said it is "very reasonable" that the coastal waters in New Jersey will rise by three to four feet by the end of the century, but also that the six-foot scenario is not impossible.

"Even if we put the brakes on carbon emission, we're going to see one to two feet," he said.

Under the three-foot sea-level rise scenario, a projected population of 308,662 people in New Jersey may have to relocate by 2100.

"If the sea level is three feet higher, Atlantic City is basically not viable," said Strauss, who is also the vice president for sea level and climate impacts at the research group Climate Central. "And the same is probably true for Cape May.

"All of the barrier islands are too low and too developed to handle three-foot sea-level rise."

Hauer noted that the study doesn't take into account for any future strategies to manage rising seas, such as barriers, levees, seawalls, elevated developments or coastal wetland restoration. 

"Trying to account for those would be speculation," said Hauer, who hopes reports such as these can help identify where flood prevention will be needed over the next several decades.

According to the report, the infrastructure need to protect the coastal areas from rising seas would cost roughly $421 billion by 2100.

Strauss said he believes the population projections to be on the high-end, he agreed with the looming consequences of sea-level rise in the costal areas of the country -- something the Garden State is already experiencing, he said, noting the January flooding in South Jersey.

The population projections were calculated using Census data from 1940 to 2010 similar to two recent published studies, which also analyzed the long-term effects of climate change on communities, according to Hauer.

Hauer emphasized the need for projected populations in these types of studies. He noted since population numbers are dynamic, if the current Census data was used it would produce near pointless results. 

"The coastal population is most rapidly growing area in the U.S.," said Hauer, explaining that these areas are the most vulnerable and must prepare for eventual rising seas.  

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

Relatives claimed firefighters took too long to respond to the early-morning fire on High Street Watch video

ORANGE -- Family members of the three people killed in an Orange house fire on Monday are criticizing township firefighters for taking too long to respond to the blaze and then not rushing into the residence to save their relatives.

But Orange Fire Director Kenneth Douglas said firefighters arrived at the scene within three minutes and could not immediately enter the house, because the building was fully engulfed in flames.

The early-morning blaze took the lives of three members of a family that was living in the High Street residence, according to the Essex County Prosecutor's Office. The fire remains under investigation, but it does not appear to be suspicious, authorities said.

Authorities have not released the names and ages of the victims, but relatives have said two young boys and a man died in the fire.

The fire also spread to the two adjoining homes on each side of the house, but no one was injured in those homes, authorities said. The American Red Cross said it assisted ten people in four families who were displaced by the fire.

Standing across the street on Monday morning from the charred remains of the residence, family members were sharply critical of what they said was a delayed response by the township fire department to the incident.

"I'm upset," said James M. Liles Jr., one of the relatives. "Why would these police officers or fire department take so long to get here?"

Another relative, Chante May, also claimed firefighters took a long time to arrive at the scene.

"It took a long time for them to get here and when they got here, nobody tried to go in and save them," said May, who said she ran to the scene from her nearby home after her sister called her about the fire.

Iminah May, who also is a member of the family, criticized firefighters for not going inside the house to save her relatives, because "if you take an oath to protect and serve, you're supposed to protect and serve."

But in a phone interview on Tuesday, Douglas said the response time wasn't long, saying firefighters arrived at the scene within three minutes of receiving the initial call about the fire. A response time of about two to three minutes is the average in the township, Douglas said.

When firefighters showed up, they could not immediately enter the house, because of the heavy volume of fire throughout the residence, according to Douglas.

"You have to put the body of fire down. Nobody's going in the building till that heavy fire is down," Douglas said. "That volume of fire....had to be knocked down before you can make an attempt to go inside."

Douglas said the overall performance of the firefighters was "excellent" and "they did everything possibly they could do" to extinguish the blaze and protect lives and property.

"They fought this fire with guts," Douglas said.

The firefighters are upset about the three lives lost in the blaze, Douglas said. The township is a close-knit community and some of the firefighters knew the family that lived in the house, he said.

"They took it pretty hard when they knew that there was fatalities in the building," Douglas said.

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

Authorities are searching for the alleged undie thief.

Authorities are looking for a woman who they say swiped 160 pairs of underwear from an N.J. store. (AP file photo)
 

MILLBURN -- Somewhere in between g-strings and granny panties, police are looking for a thief who they say made off with nearly $2,000 worth of underwear from a New Jersey Victoria's Secret.

According to Millburn Police, employees at the store in the Mall at Short Hills reported on March 13 that a woman hid about 160 pairs of panties in a bag and stole them from the store. Altogether, the unmentionables are worth about $1,680, police said.

The alleged thief is described as a black woman wearing a white turtleneck, silver necklace, and black jacket, police said.

The woman is not the first to make off with a big bounty from a Garden State VS. Earlier this month, Paramus police arrested a woman who made off with $24,000 worth of merchandise from the store in the Westfield Garden State Plaza.

The Millburn Police Detective Bureau is investigating the incident.

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

City officials have threatened to ticket or tow the ride-sharing services drivers until they can be properly regulated

NEWARK — It appears the city may be on its way toward resolving its more than month-old stalemate with Uber and other car-hailing services.

Mayor Ras Baraka's administration has begun crafting amendments to a city ordinance that would regulate drivers working for the services much the same way it does their yellow cab counterparts.

A draft copy of the legislation would require them to pay a $750 annual license fee, submit to drug testing and background checks and pass a vehicle inspection every two years. A final version of the changes could be passed by the City Council as early as next month.

Newark ban on Uber at airport, train station back on

The move marks the latest chapter in a battle that dates back to February, when the city sent California-based Uber a letter warning that drivers were violating city statues, and any caught operating at Newark Penn Station or Newark Liberty International Airport would be ticketed and towed.

Baraka has insisted that the city was merely trying to create parity between its cab drivers, which must apply and pay for permits to operate, and their new competitors.

Uber has remained defiant, saying it would reimburse its drivers for any fines or towing fees incurred as a result of the crackdown. In a statement, company spokesman Craig Ewer called the new proposal an indication that Baraka "cares more about pleasing his taxi donors than doing what’s best for Newark residents."

"There is no reason why drivers should be subject to a patchwork of varying municipal regulations, especially when so many trips take place across city lines," he said. "New Jersey needs modern, statewide regulations for ridesharing as soon as possible.

Unions representing taxi drivers have been lobbying the state to regulate car-hailing services since they rose to prominence in cities around the country over recent years, though no such measures have been passed.

Hector Corchado, a lobbyist representing the drivers in their fight, said he was glad to see Newark taking action where state legislators have not.

"This is something that we've been asking even the state for well over a year already, just to give us the opportunity to have a level playing field," he said.

"Looking at how long it took. I'm glad (the city) is taking the first step."

New regulations would also help to ease tensions between the city and the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, which has refused to assist with enforcing any ban at the airport.

A draft version of the ordinance was introduced to the City Council on Tuesday, and while its specifics had yet to be ironed out, many expressed support for the spirit of the measure.

"I believe if we have the Taxi Commission and the taxi drivers in Newark abiding by some regulations, everyone should be abiding by them and governed by the same regulations," said At-Large Councilman Carlos Gonzalez.

Council President Mildred Crump echoed the sentiment, saying the city should also benefit from the new wave of businesses operating within its borders.

"The city doesn't make any money, not a dime, from these networks," she said.

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

A city man is facing multiple drug-related charges after police discovered him in possession of nearly $10,000 in heroin, police say.

(Essex County Corrections)

NEWARK -- A city man is facing multiple drug-related charges after police discovered him in possession of nearly $10,000 in heroin, Acting Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose announced. 

Micki S. Parker, 34, was taken into custody and charged Saturday, according to a Newark Police Department news release.

At approximately 8:30 p.m., two plainclothes Newark officers patrolling in the area of Irvine Turner Boulevard and West Alpine Street confronted Parker in the hallway of an apartment building where police say drug sales are known to occur, the release states.

http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2016/03/top_prison_official_reassigned_for_failing_to_repo.html

According to the release, Parker initially asked the officers what they wanted while pulling a package packages of what appeared to be narcotics from his pockets.

The officers then identified themselves and detained Parker, the release states. Upon search, the officers allegedly found him in possession of over 965 envelops of heroin and $500 in alleged drug sale proceeds, the release states.

Parker now faces charges of possession of a controlled dangerous substance and several other related narcotics offenses.

Following his arrest, Parker was transferred to the Essex County Correctional Facility on $200,000 bail.

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

Emmanuel Ruiz Pagan, 31, of Newark, had pleaded guilty to a 2012 robbery at a city restaurant

Emmanuel Ruiz PaganEssex County Correctional Facility

NEWARK -- A Newark man was sentenced on Monday to 15 years in state prison for attempting to rob patrons at a city restaurant in 2012 and opening fire on an off-duty police officer before the cop shot him.

Superior Court Judge Verna Leath issued the sentence recommended by prosecutors in exchange for Emmanuel Ruiz Pagan's guilty plea on Feb. 2 to a robbery charge and a weapons offense in connection with the Sept. 11, 2012 incident.

"It was a brazen crime, more in the fashion of a High Noon at the O.K. Corral, committed in a manner shown utter disregard for the safety or sensibilities of the public," said Leath, according to an audio recording of the hearing.

Ruiz Pagan, 31, said through a Spanish interpreter he was "asking for forgiveness" and that he was "sorry for the stupid action that I committed."

"There are many people who have been traumatized due to this," Ruiz Pagan said. "I am going to do the time because I made this mistake."

Ruiz Pagan must serve nearly 13 years before becoming eligible for parole and he will receive credit for about three and a half years of time served. Ruiz Pagan also had been charged with attempted murder, three additional robbery charges, a conspiracy charge and another weapons offenses, but those charges were dismissed as part of the plea agreement.

The incident occurred at the El Bachatipico Restaurant at 850 Summer Avenue in Newark after Ruiz Pagan and another man entered the restaurant and announced a robbery, according to Katherine Carter, spokeswoman for the Essex County Prosecutor's Office.

When an off-duty police officer, who was one of the patrons in the restaurant, attempted to stop the robbery, Ruiz Pagan fired in his direction, but did not strike anyone, Carter said. The officer then returned fire and shot Ruiz Pagan, she said.

Ruiz Pagan and his accomplice fled the restaurant, but Ruiz Pagan was later located, authorities said. The other suspect was able to escape and has never been identified, according to Carter. Nothing was stolen during the incident, Carter said.

Essex County Assistant Prosecutor Carlo Fioranelli, who handled the case, said during Monday's hearing that "miraculously the victim and none of the other patrons in the restaurant got hurt."

In handing down the sentence, Leath noted that Ruiz Pagan served eight years in prison for a robbery in Puerto Rico and then committed the Newark robbery within one year after being released from prison.

The judge said "the plea agreement appears to be fair and in the interest of justice."

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

Joseph A. Ferriero was found guilty of bribery, fraud and racketeering charges last April.

Joseph A. Ferriero (File photo) 

NEWARK - Former Bergen County Democratic Party leader Joseph A. Ferriero is asking a federal judge to allow him to delay reporting to prison in three weeks, according to northjersey.com.

 in what federal prosecutors called a "politics for profit" scheme. He has been granted two reprieves, according to the report.

The report states Ferriero is asking for a 21-day extension of his surrender date.

Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

State's healthiest county is also its wealthiest

TRENTON -- For the seventh consecutive year, Hunterdon County tops the list of New Jersey's healthiest counties, thanks in large part to its highly-educated population, access to doctors, and low crime and premature death rates, according to a report released Wednesday by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Also for the seven consecutive year, Cumberland County ranked at the bottom of the list. This poor and rural county recorded the highest number of premature deaths, as well as smoking, teen birth and obesity rates, the report said.

The Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the University of Wisconsin Population Health Institute create the rankings by collecting the most recent data on 35 factors that measure quality of life and "quantity" of life -- the percent of the population that lives to 75 and older. The analysts examine education and income levels, crime rates, proximity to grocery stores, parks and community recreational facilities, the availability of health care, and tests that monitor water and air quality.

Hunterdon is NJ's healthiest county 

Besides being New Jersey's healthiest county, Hunterdon is also its wealthiest county. Last year, it ranked second, behind Morris County, as the best place to raise a child, according to the annual Kids Count report.

Hudson County showed the most progress from last year, moving from 16th to 12th in the rankings, the report said. This largely urban county improved because the number of preventable deaths and hospital overnight stays declined, the pool of uninsured people also declined while the number of people screened for diabetes rose, according to the report.

Nearly 6,400 premature deaths could be avoided a year if every New Jerseyan had the same access to a healthy lifestyle, according to the report. The highest premature death rates were estimated in Essex and Cumberland counties, based on the how many people were unemployed, obese, habitual smokers and binge drinkers, among other factors. 

Researchers want to see health officials and elected leaders use the analysis to identify ways people can be helped to live longer and healthier.

"The rankings data are only as valuable as the action it inspires and the lives it improves," said Bridget Catlin, co-director of the County Health Rankings. "Whether it's addressing health gaps between counties or the concentration of poverty in rural or residentially segregated communities -- targeting resources to the people and places in greatest need is essential to building a culture of health. The rankings are an important springboard for conversations on how to expand opportunity for all to be healthy." 

Acting state Health Commissioner Cathleen D. Bennett said said her office will hold a symposium next month focusing on health challenges in rural counties, noting that the least populated and developed counties fall to toward the bottom of the rankings. "Improving population health through prevention and wellness is the top priority of the New Jersey Department of Health in 2016," she said.

The healthiest counties in New Jersey are:

1. Hunterdon County

2. Morris County

3. Somerset County

4. Bergen County

5. Sussex County

6. Middlesex County

7. Monmouth County

8. Union County

9. Burlington County

10. Warren County

11. Ocean County

12. Hudson County

13. Mercer County

14. Passaic County

15. Cape May County

16. Gloucester County

17. Salem County

18. Atlantic County

19. Camden County

20. Essex County

21. Cumberland County

More information may be found at countyhealthrankings.org.

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

Ras Baraka addressed the city's issues, plus Donald Trump, Chris Christie and the media. Watch video

NEWARK -- Newark Mayor Ras Baraka's second "State of the City" address on Tuesday night took aim at the presidential race and the media, while emphasizing what he said were numerous positive strides Newark has made, despite a legacy of poverty.

3 takeaways from Newark's first state of the city speech

The event took place March 15 at 6 p.m. at the the New Jersey Performing Arts Center's Victoria Theatre.

While Baraka touched on many topics, here are six key aspects of the speech:

1. Newark is adding counseling to policing, among other efforts to help troubled youth, and not alienate the community. While Baraka acknowledged a rash of killings, carjacking and shootings starting around March 2015, he said that "80 percent" of Newark's blocks did not experience a violent crime in a year, and most of the homicides in 2015 happened in the south and west wards. Because robberies, an "entry-level" crime, were generally carried out by 16-24 year olds, he said that for every 25 police officers hired, the city will hire a trained social worker to the robbery task force. He said he secured $1 million in grant funding for a crime reduction plan.
2. Unemployment is a priority. According to Baraka, of 40 or more anchor stores in the city, Newarkers have only 18 percent of their jobs. He also said that Newark's 50,000 college students include a "woefully insufficient number" of Newarkers. He touted movements like the Newark City of Learning Collaborative, which he said has a goal to increase the number of residents with degrees from 17 to 25 percent by 2025. He said he is authoring legislation that will give payroll tax abatements to businesses with more than 50 percent Newarker employees. Also, he said he had given a $1 billion "comprehensive jobs plan" to create 17,000 jobs to the president and presidential candidates.
3. He is pledging to improve services for residents. "We have to respond to every resident even if we can't help them," the mayor said. "Tonight I pledge to make a very visible improvement in that area." He also referred to a snow-plowing disaster this winter saying "I can't complain that we don't have (snow) trucks. I have to find a way to get some." He pledged to improve the response time of police and fire officials by revamping the entire communications department.
4. His pet-peeves: namely Gov. Chris Christie, the Republican presidential race, and the media. He took aim at Donald Trump ("there is no king!") and Christie's Bridgegate scandal ("This is Newark, not Fort Lee, and you can't just stop traffic here without repercussions"). He also blamed the media for allegedly creating a false perception of Newark. Baraka said that a Newark's public magnate school's PARCC success was overlooked by "journalists trying to drive traffic to their sites." Murder coverage by The Star-Ledger and News 12 New Jersey was also a point of contention, since Baraka claimed the media chased Newark's violence but not its poverty.
5. He thinks Newark should get back control of its schools, now. "Newark had more children in 'beating the odds' schools than many cities around the nation," Baraka claimed, both district and charter. "Though we are constantly forced to shoulder the blame for the performance of the district, it has not been under our control for 20 years." He said the governor gave Newark $27 million for its schools to offset the expansion of charters, and that Newark is creating "street academies" to for 16- to 24-year-olds who are not in school and unemployed.
6. He wants Newark's downtown to be developed into a "24-hour community." He noted that the city broke ground on a development with a Whole Foods, and close to 1,000 units of residential space are under construction downtown.

Laura Herzog may be reached at lherzog@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LauraHerzogL. Find NJ.com on Facebook

Monday drug surveillance operations in Newark led to charges against two city men, officials said.

Charles Bellina (Essex County Corrections) 

NEWARK -- Monday drug surveillance operations in Newark led to charges against two city men, officials said.

Charles Bellina, 22, was arrested after Essex County Sheriff's Office detectives found him in possession of 50 envelopes filled with heroin and 47 bags of crack cocaine, said county sheriff Armando Fontoura. 

Travis Manley, 33, was observed by detectives exchanging cash for items in a known open-air drug market near Brookdale Avenue and Abinger Place, Fontoura said. Upon search of his car, detectives found him in possession of 39 containers of crack cocaine, he added.

http://www.nj.com/essex/index.ssf/2016/03/newark_man_arrested_with_10k_in_heroin_police_say.html

Both Manley and Bellina now face multiple narcotics-related charges.

Following their arrests, both men were transferred into custody at the Essex County Correctional Facility. Bellina's bail was set at $45,000, while Manley's bail was set at $35,000.

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

Will the luck of the Irish be enough to keep rain away from the big parade?

If you're heading into New York City on Thursday to watch the 2016 St. Patrick's Day parade, you should probably bring along an umbrella or a rain poncho, just in case Mother Nature doesn't cooperate.

Although it's likely to be dry and partly sunny when the parade kicks off at 11 a.m., the risk of rain showers -- or possible thunderstorms -- will rise as the day of green goes on, according to the National Weather Service.

The temperature is expected to be about 54 degrees when the parade starts and should rise to 59 by 1 p.m. and into the low 60s in the late afternoon. According to the current weather service forecast, there's a 20 to 30 percent chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m. Thursday, and "some of the storms could produce small hail and gusty winds."

St. Pat's parade: Best viewing spots, more info  

AccuWeather is predicting slightly warmer temperatures for New York City on Thursday, ranging from 56 degrees at 11 a.m. to 66 degrees at 3 p.m. 

As for the chances of getting rained on, AccuWeather lists the probability at less than 10 percent before 2 p.m., then 43 percent to 51 percent between 2 p.m. and 4 p.m. before dropping to 19 percent at 5 p.m. (The parade is scheduled to end at 4:30 p.m.)

One positive note, aside from the partial sunshine in the morning: The predicted afternoon temperatures on Thursday will be 10 to 15 degrees above the city's normal high of 50 degrees for March 17. 

And, in case you're wondering, the warmest St. Pat's Day in New York City was in 1945, when the mercury rose to 75 degrees. No such Irish luck this year.

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

Shawn Custis is preparing to go on trial on charges in a home invasion attack caught on a "nanny-cam" Watch video

NEWARK -- As he prepares to go on trial on charges in a 2013 home invasion attack in Millburn caught on a "nanny-cam," Shawn Custis allegedly admitted to committing that offense last week when he spit in the faces of two Essex County Sheriff's officers, authorities said.

The incident allegedly occurred on March 9 while Custis was in the holding cell area outside the courtroom of Superior Court Judge Ronald Wigler, according to Katherine Carter, spokeswoman for the Essex County Prosecutor's Office.

During the altercation, Custis used expletives and threatened a female sheriff's officer, saying he would "bash your face in like I did to that (woman) in Millburn," Carter said. Custis also said he was "already getting thirty years" and that he was not worried, Carter said.

Custis then spit in the faces of the officer and her male partner, Carter said. The incident took place after Custis had appeared before Wigler for a hearing in the "nanny-cam" case, Carter said.

For that alleged incident, Custis has been charged with two counts of throwing bodily fluids on a law enforcement officer and one count of terroristic threats, according to Carter.

Custis, 45, of Newark, remains in custody at the Essex County Correctional Facility in lieu of $1 million bail. 

The state is seeking to introduce Custis's statements to the sheriff's officer as evidence at his trial in the "nanny-cam" case, Carter said. A hearing on that matter is scheduled for Monday before Wigler.

Jury selection in the trial is set to begin on Tuesday.

Custis 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.

Authorities have said Custis broke into the victim's house and kicked, punched and threw 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.

On June 28, 2013, 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. A DNA analysis of the jeans shows the victim's blood was on the jeans, authorities said.

Over the last month, Wigler has ruled that those jeans may be presented as evidence at the trial and that four witnesses who know Custis may testify at the trial about how they spoke with the police and identified him as the assailant in the "nanny-cam" video.

The judge has previously said that, due to Custis's lengthy criminal record, he could be sentenced to 40 years in state prison if he is convicted at the trial.

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

The change will be in place by the end of his term, Ras Baraka said.

NEWARK — Residents and officials cheered when Newark Mayor Ras Baraka announced Wednesday morning that he would ensure a $15 minimum wage by 2018 for all full- and part-time city employees.

The mayor made his statement at a press conference during which he and four other politicians representing urban areas spoke out in support of a minimum wage increase.

Baraka, who previously asked Port Authority to raise its minimum wage for airport workers, did not immediately know how many city workers make less than $15 an hour. But, he told NJ Advance Media those that did were mostly part-time workers.

He pledged to institute the change by Jan. 2018, the end of his term.

"I think that we ended in a surplus. We have a few dollars to help people," he said, when asked how the city would budget for the change. The exact budgetary impacts of the wage increase were not immediately available.

The rally also included speeches from Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop; Perth Amboy Mayor Wilda Diaz, who heads the Urban Mayors Association; Plainfield Mayor Adrian Mapp, whose city recently passed a paid sick leave ordinance; and Assembly Speaker Vince Prieto, who has been pushing the 80 percent minimum wage increase statewide.

Fulop already issued an executive order Feb. 29 to raise the minimum wage to $15 for his city's 500 workers who were making less. East Orange and Bloomfield have also passed resolutions to bring their workers up to the $15 minimum wage, according to Connie Jackson, a spokeswoman for East Orange.

Baraka, meanwhile, is the chair of the New Jersey Black Mayors Alliance for Social Justice. The event took place in front of Newark City Hall at 9:30 a.m.

The rally was organized by New Jersey Working Families, an advocacy group which also asked several workers from the area, all making less than $15 an hour, to tell their stories.

New Jersey Working Families is currently advocating for the new minimum wage by 2021, as well as a phase-out the $2.53 minimum wage for tipped workers, and strengthened wage theft laws.

One woman at the rally said she cleans airplanes at Newark International Airport for $10 an hour; another man said he makes $12 an hour, thanks to his union, working at a distribution center for Donna Karan. A second man said he has to work 12 hour days at a pizza place just to make ends meet.

"I don't see any future right now," said Newark resident America Hernandez through an English translator. The Ecuadorian immigrant, who has lived in the United States nearly 30 years, cleans United Airlines airplane interiors and has four children and four grandchildren that she is helping support.

The $15 minimum wage issue has been in the press since fast food workers began to advocate for the raise over a year ago.

Officials emphasized that people making the minimum wage often have to work two or three jobs to make ends meet, which takes time away from their children.

In September, officials said, Essex County's freeholders made their county New Jersey's first to endorse the wage, followed by Hudson and Mercer. Prieto and Senate President Stephen Sweeney have since agreed on a merged proposal to gradually raising the state's minimum wage to $15.

Fourteen U.S. cities and states have approved a $15 minimum wage, according to the National Employment Law Project.

Laura Herzog may be reached at lherzog@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LauraHerzogL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

David Tepper has moved his business, registered to vote and filed paper work to become a resident of Florida, Bloomberg reports.

New Jersey's wealthiest man may be making a common Northeast move: a relocation to the tax-friendly state of Florida, a report says.

File photo David Tepper.Jerry McCrea/The Star-Ledger 

According to Bloomberg, David Tepper has shifted the base of his Appaloosa Management to the Sunshine State as of Jan. 1 after registering to vote and declaring citizenship in Miami at the end of 2015.

Taxes were reportedly an important part of the 58-year-old's decision, but also, quality-of-life played big part in his choice to move, according to the article.

Tepper has been a resident of the Garden State for more than two decades and has continually appeared on NJ Biz's 50 wealthiest people in New Jersey and Forbes list ranking the world's billionaires. His business was headquartered in Short Hills.

Tepper, who own a home in Livingston and a condo in Miami, has a net worth of $11.4 billion and is the 85th wealthiest person in the world, according to Forbes.

It appears now that Donald Newhouse, the 86-year-old co-owner of Advance Publications, the parent company of NJ.com, The Star-Ledger and dozens of other media outlets across the country, is the wealthiest resident of New Jersey. 

Newhouse's net worth is $9.5 billion, according to Forbes.

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

Daevon Davis, 26, is accused of killing 44-year-old Irvington resident Christopher Graham

Daevon DavisEssex County Correctional Facility 

NEWARK -- A Newark man has been indicted on charges of fatally shooting another man on a city street last summer.

Daevon Davis, 26, was indicted on March 4 on murder and related offenses in the July 13 killing of 44-year-old Irvington resident Christopher Graham.

In addition to murder, Davis was indicted on charges of conspiracy to commit murder, unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose.

Davis is scheduled to be arraigned on the charges on April 4 before Superior Court Judge Ronald Wigler.

Authorities have said the shooting occurred shortly before 5 p.m. in the 100 block of Isabella Avenue in Newark. Graham was transported to University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead at about 5:15 p.m., authorities said.

Davis remains in custody at the Essex County Correctional Facility in lieu of $800,000 bail.

Court records indicate Davis has a previous conviction in Essex County on theft and conspiracy charges. As part of a plea agreement, Davis pleaded guilty to those charges in 2011 and was later sentenced to four years of probation.

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

Angel Carlo, 30, of Newark, was convicted of shooting the victim multiple times on a city street in 2014

Angel CarloEssex County Correctional Facility 

NEWARK -- A Newark man was convicted on Wednesday of attempted murder and related offenses for shooting another man multiple times on a city street in 2014, authorities said.

Angel Carlo - who goes by the nickname "Rage" - was convicted by a jury in connection with the Oct. 29, 2014 incident, according to a news release from the Essex County Prosecutor's Office.

In addition to attempted murder, Carlo, 30, was found guilty of aggravated assault, unlawful possession of a handgun and possession of a weapon for an unlawful purpose, authorities said.

Carlo is scheduled to be sentenced on April 25 by Superior Court Judge John Zunic. He faces up to 30 years in state prison.

"We believe the jurors got it right when they convicted this defendant on all counts," Essex County Assistant Prosecutor Allison Korodan, who tried the case with Essex County Assistant Prosecutor David Feldman, said in the release.

"He demonstrated a callous disregard for human life when he decided to resolve a petty dispute with a handgun,'' Korodan added.

On the day of the shooting, Carlo and the victim got into an argument earlier in the day that led to a fistfight, authorities said. Later that night, they ran into each other in the 600 block of Broadway in Newark and Carlo shot the victim multiple times, authorities said.

The victim survived his injuries. Two days after the incident, Carlo was charged with attempted murder, authorities said.

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

While dozens of new officers have joined the force in the last year, a significant increase in manpower remains elusive.

NEWARK -- While dozens of new officers have joined the Newark Police Department in the last year, a significant increase in manpower remains elusive.

Due to years of attrition, and the sweeping 2010 layoffs that cut more than 160 officers from the department, the total number of superior and rank-and-file officers continues to hover just below 1,000.

Currently, the department employs 982 officers, officials said. That's down from the 1,337 officers employed just prior to the layoffs. 

City officials have partially blamed diminished ranks for everything from increasing numbers of shootings and homicides to longer police response times.

At Tuesday night's State of the City address, Mayor Ras Baraka spoke at length of the strides made toward rectifying those and other entrenched public safety issues, touting the recent police hires. 

Asked if a net increase in the department's ranks is on the horizon, Baraka said the city does have the resources to keep the hiring spree going, pointing to additional classes of police officers scheduled to enter academy training in the next year.

But the process is slow, Baraka acknowledged. "We don't have our own academy, so we've had to ration our recruits out throughout the state and haven't been able to hire officers in large numbers," he said. "We need to be able to push 150 officers through at a time."

According to police records, the department lost 100 officers to retirement from 2011 to 2013.

Since the thaw of the 2010 hiring freeze, new hires have managed to offset annual retirements. Eighty-six Newark police officers retired from Jan. 1, 2014 to March 1 of this year, records indicate. The city hired 130 new officers over the same span.

City officials hope to hire an additional 80 officers by June of 2016. But as more officers become eligible for retirement, it's unclear whether the gains will continue.

James Stewart Jr., Newark Fraternal Order of Police president, said that dozens of city police officers will become eligible for retirement in the coming months.

"The new hires are great, and from City Hall on down everyone is really happy that we're hiring again," Stewart said. "But I think everyone also recognizes that we still need more bodies. Right now, we're just treading water."

Increasing the ranks is becoming more difficult as more officers opt to retire early, said Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose.

"A lot of them would normally stay until they reach their 30-years, but they're leaving at 25-years because of the rising cost of health and pension benefits," he said.

Despite the losses, Ambrose said the department welcomes any additions to capacity. "Without the 130 hired, we would have had that much less officers on the street," he said. "And we definitely needed them."

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

A school will be renamed in honor of astronauts Scott and Mark Kelly

WEST ORANGE -- Long before they were world-famous astronauts, Mark and Scott Kelly were students at Pleasantdale Elementary on Pleasant Valley Way. Now the school will permanently honor its illustrious alumni.

The Board of Education Monday voted unanimously to rename the school in honor of the twin brothers. Students and staff will come up with potential new names for the school and Joanne Pollara, the principal, will present five candidates to the board for approval. A ceremony is planned for May 19 to unveil school's new name. The school serves about 400 students in Pre-K through fifth grade.

"It is not often that a community is able to recognize and honor native sons who both fit the definitions of "Hero and Pioneer" in perpetuity so that generations to come will know where such accomplished individuals had their beginnings," said Board of Education President Laura Lab said in a statement.

The brothers have maintained ties with their Essex County hometown, including while on the job. Scott Kelly, who recently returned from a record-setting stay aboard the International Space Station, chatted with students from orbit in January and his brother Mark visited the school in October.

Twin astronauts' mom a trailblazer too

"Renaming the elementary school where it all began will personify how proud we are as a school district and community. The Kelly brothers' achievements remind our children of the importance of passion, hard work, and dedication. My hope is that many students are inspired by Mark and Scott's accomplishments," said West Orange Superintendent Jeffrey Rutzky.

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

School officials released some statistics about past tests indicated elevated levels of lead in drinking water at 30 schools in the state's largest city.

NEWARK -- Lead levels have been elevated in Newark schools since at least 2012, officials announced Wednesday. The announcement comes after the revelation earlier this month that water in 30 of the district's schools tested as high as 35 times above the federal action limit for lead.

Out of 2,067 water quality samples collected from taps at Newark school buildings between 2012 and 2015, about 12 percent reported being above the Environmental Protection Agency's "action level" of 15 parts per billion, the district announced. About 10 percent of the taps tested in 2015 showed elevated levels, officials said.

MAP: Which schools have elevated lead levels?

Though officials said they will not release the specific levels for the past three school years until Thursday morning, those "results are generally consistent with this last round of testing," which recorded levels ranging from 16 to 558 ppb, the school said.

In response to allegations by the Newark teachers union last week that the district knew about the lead levels for more than 10 years, the district said it is in the process of obtaining testing results dating back to 2004.

"Documentary evidence suggests that schools have been tested and remedial actions undertaken" since 2004, it said.

Over the past several weeks, the teachers union has released internal memos and dated photos suggesting that the district knew about elevated lead levels, and that remediation filters were not being properly maintained.

In a statement, Superintendent Chris Cerf called the photos "unauthenticated" and said that "the dates on the filter housing do not necessarily correspond to the dates of the filter replacement."

Cerf said he learned of the elevated levels last Monday, and coordinated with the state Department of Environmental Protection to conduct additional testing, and alert the public to the issue.

"(T)he District has handled this issue in the same way - via remediation protocols - since 2004. It was only this year, under my direction, that NPS changed course by bringing the matter to the public directly and by convening state and local experts to design appropriate remediation strategies."

Cerf said he did not mean to criticize the three superintendents who headed the state-controlled district before him, but chose to be more public with the results of the testing. The district has turned off all drinking taps at the affected school buildings, and students have been drinking bottled water since news of the elevated levels broke.

The school is also coordinating with the city to test 17,000 school children for elevated blood lead levels.

The DEP will begin re-testing taps at all of the district's 67 school buildings Saturday, officials said.

The "sampling plan also gives Newark Public Schools an opportunity to fully document comprehensive, baseline information across the entire district, and to easily refer to it for future testing and remedial actions going forward," DEP Commissioner Bob Martin said in the district's release.

Officials have said that the elevated lead levels are likely caused by infrastructure in the aging school buildings, and do not originate from the city's drinking water itself. Health experts backed city officials' assertions that the detected levels are not likely to cause serious harm to Newark students, and that the district is taking the proper precautions.

Past remediation practices carried out by the district include faucet replacement and filtering systems, the schools said.

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

Newark's first citizen complaint review board was originally created by executive order in April, 2015.

NEWARK -- With a unanimous vote, the Newark municipal council today codified into law the city's first citizen complaint review board -- a move advocates say will ensure lasting public oversight of the city's police force.

Created by executive order of Mayor Ras Baraka in 2015, the board's 11 members are empowered to review police misconduct allegations and make sure that discipline is administered when it occurs.

Speakers at the council meeting, noting that citizens had been pushing for civilian oversight of the police department for nearly 50 years, called it essential to the rebuilding of trust between law enforcement and the public.

Rick Robinson of the Newark branch of the NAACP joined other longtime advocates of the review board in thanking city officials, including Mayor Ras Baraka.

The review board will be a boon for the city, enhancing cooperation between the police force and residents,  Robinson said.

However, James Stewart Jr., president of the Newark Fraternal Order of Police, said the board with its sweeping powers, is illegal and the union plans to challenge it in court.

"The passage of the CCRB by the council doesn't finalize the matter," Stewart said. "It just brings us closer to having our day in court."

Conceived in the wake of a damning report released by the U.S. Department of Justice in July 2014, the board is designed to provide additional civilian oversight of a beleaguered police department that federal investigators found routinely engaged in acts of excessive force and violations of residents' constitutional rights.

It would grant citizens the option of directing their complaints to the board or to the police department's internal affairs unit. Board members would then conduct an independent investigation on cases brought before them, and would be able to summon the officers facing the allegations to a formal hearing.

The board will issue a determination as to whether an act of misconduct occurred, which will be forwarded to the city's police chief, who can issue a final decision on punishment using a so-called "discipline matrix" that creates guidelines for certain offenses and their severity.

The provisions are key to ensuring that the Newark board is capable of increasing police accountability, power that civilian review boards in some other cities do not have, Ofer said ACLU Executive Director Udi Ofer.

"All these organizations seem to be doing cartwheels over how far reaching this CCRB is as constituted with its investigatory and subpoena powers," Stewart added. "Maybe they should be wondering why it's the first of its kind in the nation.

"We will not allow our member's rights to simply be rolled over," Stewart said after the council vote. He said the union contract in addition to state law are being violated with the creation of this board and the union prefers to "let a judge decide what is permitted and what is not, and who is allowed to do it."

The board will consist of an inspector general appointed by the mayor, three members of the Municipal Council or their designees, and one chosen each of six community organizations -- the American Civil Liberties Union, NAACP, Newark Anti-Violence Coalition, People's Organization for Progress, Ironbound Community Corporation, La Casa de Don Pedro and a local clergy member.

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