Saturday, September 29, 2012

Parsippany students protest federal lunch program

MORRIS PLAINS (WABC) -- Some students who usually buy hot lunches are now brown bagging it instead. They are upset over the schools smaller portions and higher prices.

"We're all for healthy foods..but if the portion is smaller the price should be smaller," Brandon Faris, a senior, said.

The majority of students at Parsippany Hills High School made their feelings clear. Barely a customer bought lunch from the Farm Stand, the Solar Grill and the Pizza Zone in the high school's cafeteria.

"No one was buying food, they had this Chinese food set up, nobody got any," senior Joe Hunt said.

Mark Vidovich says he understands. He is president of Pomptonian, the food company providing the school spread.

"They say it's not personal, and they want to make a statement," Vidovich said.

A statement about the federal healthy hunger free kids act of 2010 to make school lunches more nutritious. Pomptonian, serves more than 80 districts that must abide by new rules.

"They introduced the new max on bread, entrees shrank by 33 percent," Vidovich said.

Like a smaller pizza, more carrots, less pasta, more salad and green beans, and no bread. The government raised lunch prices, Vidovich says, because it costs more to serve more fruits and veggies. But you're talking about high schoolers.

"At the end of the meal, you're not full," one student said.

"For $4.50, I can go to Wendy's and get a full meal," said another.

Vidovich says his company raised the concerns to the government. The kids want to make sure it's heard loud and clear.

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Soldier from NJ killed in Afghanistan

AP  Eyewitness NewsNEW JERSEY -- Relatives of a 28-year-old soldier from Lakehurst, New Jersey say he has been killed in an attack by a suicide bomber in Afghanistan.

The family of Sgt. Jonathan Gollnitz says they were notified Wednesday that the Fredonia, NY native had been killed.

The Pentagon hasn't released information on his death yet, but NATO officials in Afghanistan say that two service members in the U.S.-led coalition were killed in a suicide attack Wednesday during a patrol in an eastern province.

Gollnitz enlisted in the Navy after graduating from a private high school in the Jamestown area in 2003.

After five years in the Navy, he joined the Army. He was deployed to Afghanistan earlier this year.

Funeral arrangements are pending.

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PATH fares going up on Monday

  Eyewitness NewsJERSEY CITY, N.J. (WABC) -- PATH riders should add cash to their fare cards.

It will cost more to ride the trains beginning 3 a.m. Monday.

The price of a one-way ride will increase 25 cents to $2.25.

PATH riders will also pay more for multi-day passes. The seven-day Smart Link pass will cost $3 more or $24. The 30-day Smart Link pass will be $73, up $8.

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National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day underway

  Eyewitness NewsNEWARK, N.J. (WABC) -- Saturday is National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day.

It's the latest in an ongoing program that lets people anonymously drop off expired or unused medications.

People on Staten Island can drop prescription drugs off at Staten Island University Hospital, Richmond University Medical Center and the three police precincts.

Municipalities across New Jersey are also participating.

Federal, state and local officials are urging people to bring their unwanted or unused prescription drugs to local drop off sites across the state.

The event will take place from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

A National Prescription Drug Take-Back Day held in April collected 276 tons of unwanted or expired medications nationwide.

Authorities safely dispose of the collected medications.

New Jersey law enforcement officials also recently announced a new drug prescription awareness public information campaign.

A list of sites is available at the U.S. Department of Justice website:

http://www.deadiversion.usdoj.gov/drug_disposal/takeback/index.html

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Search New Jersey Divorce Records Online

Dog goes missing at grooming shop

Web produced by Jennifer Matarese, Eyewitness NewsUNION CITY, N.J. (WABC) -- A woman in New Jersey is desperate to find her missing dog.

She dropped off her beloved Maltese at the pet groomer earlier this week and hasn't seen her since.

"She's just in the streets. She could get hit by a car. She doesn't know how to eat in the streets. She's never been out there," said Tania Parker, dog owner.

Tania Parker is beside herself.

The thought of little four pound Pearly wandering the streets, or worse, is just too much to take.

"She can't make it out there. She doesn't even know what the streets are. She's only been out there for her daily walks," Parker said.

Tania dropped the $2,000 Maltese tea cup off at Bow Wow Care in Union City on Tuesday at noon.

An hour and a half later there was no sign of Pearly.

"They called and said we have bad news, your dog is missing," Parker said.

Tania panicked and rushed back to the store.

Pearly was gone and owner Adrian Gonzalez couldn't tell her how.

"What can you tell them? You know I feel bad about this whole situation, you know I'm really sorry about it you know?" said Adrian Gonzalez, Bow Wow Care.

On Tuesday it was humid. Gonzalez says he opened the door to get the dogs some air. He put up a gate so you can see there were two gates. He thinks someone jumped over and stole Pearly, because she couldn't have gotten out under there.

"Now I dropped off three dogs that day. My dog, my cousin's dog, and my brother in laws dog. The most valuable dog is the one that's missing," Parker said.

She thinks Pearly might have even been hurt by another dog at Bow Wow, and they are covering it up.

Gonzalez has put up these missing posters and is offering a reward of a couple hundred dollars and even says he will buy Tania another dog.

But holding onto little Pearly's outfits, Tania says none of that matters to her and her 2-year-old son.

They miss their dog and they worry too because Pearly is diabetic and needs her medication.

"I don't want another dog, I want my dog," Parker said.

But with each passing day, Tania knows that is less likely.

A dog who fits into a tiny dress cannot survive on her own.

If you know anything about were Pearly might be please call the police.

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New Jersey Whole Life Insurance Vs New Jersey Term Life Insurance

Friday, September 28, 2012

New Jersey Transit bus hits, kills pedestrian

One of New Jersey Transits new multilevel trains arrives for the first time on a regularly scheduled run at Newarks Penn Station Monday, Dec. 11. 2006. (AP Photo/Mike Derer) One of New Jersey Transit's new multilevel trains arrives for the first time on a regularly scheduled run at Newark's Penn Station Monday, Dec. 11. 2006. (AP Photo/Mike Derer)

  Eyewitness NewsPASSAIC (WABC) -- A New Jersey Transit bus struck and killed a pedestrian in Passaic Thursday morning.

Police say the victim was struck at around 7 a.m.

The pedestrian was pinned under the bus and later pronounced dead at the hospital.

The bus, on route 74U, was going south to Newark at the time of the crash.

It had 48 to 50 passengers on board and was headed south on Main Avenue.

The passengers were transferred to another bus and the driver was removed.

The Passaic County Prosecutor's Office is investigating.

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The New Jersey Medicaid Program

Jet skids off runway at Teterboro

  Eyewitness NewsTETERBORO (WABC) -- A Lear jet skidded off a runway at Teterboro Airport on Friday afternoon.

The incident happened on runway 24 at Teterboro just after noon.

The plane ended up in the dirt.

No injuries were reported and there was no damage to the plane

The airport was closed for 20 minutes for the investigation.

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Gas prices down slightly in New Jersey

  Eyewitness NewsTRENTON, N.J. (WABC) -- After several months of gas prices going up, we're seeing a new trend starting to settle in with lower prices.

Gas prices dropped six cents from $3.82 to $3.76 a gallon along the New Tersey Turnpike and the Garden State Parkway Friday morning.

Analysts say the lower prices at the pump are mostly due to falling crude oil prices and stations switching over to less expensive winter blends.

The price of regular unleaded gasoline along New Jersey toll roads dropped for the second straight week after 10 straight week of price hikes. That followed 10 weeks of decline leading up to summer.

The highways offer some of the cheaper gas in the area, and motorists are taking note.

"I live on Staten Island, but I try to fill up in Jersey every chance I get," driver Tony Ablavskiy said.

Gas prices only increase once a week on the two highways, maintained by the New Jersey Turnpike Authority. The Authority surveys 100 gas stations, located off the highway, every Wednesday and Thursday to determine an average statewide price, and implements the increases Friday morning. The service area per-gallon cost cannot be more than 3 cents above that average price.

CLICK HERE TO FIND CHEAP GAS PRICES NEAR YOU

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Arrest made in Newark restaurant shooting

  Eyewitness NewsNEWARK (WABC) -- Three people were shot, one fatally, when gunfire erupted inside a Newark restaurant late Thursday morning.

Police arrested 32-year-old Mark S. Melvin later on Thursday. According to investigators, Melvin walked into the L.C.'s Place on 18th Avenue in Newark and shot two men eating breakfast. The restaurant is located across the street from Westside Park.

One of the men was killed.

An 81-year-old woman, the mother of the owner of the restaurant, was struck by a stray bullet.

She was hit in the shoulder and rushed to University Hospital with a non life threatening injury.

The suspect fled the scene, and police officers chased them in vehicles and on foot.

39-year-old Fuquan Mosley was killed. A 42-year-old man is in critical condition. the 81-year-old woman suffered non-life threatening injuries.

Chief Assistant Prosecutor Thomas Fennelly said Newark police responded to the restaurant on a call of a shooting and received information that the suspect fled in a Dodge Magnum. Other officers observed a car fitting that description. The car was stopped at Avon Avenue and South 18t Street. A foot chase ensued. Melvin was arrested. He has been charged with murder, attempted murder, aggravated assault and weapons offenses.

Bail has been set at $1 million by the Honorable Michael L. Ravin, J.S.C. Melvin is currently being held at the Essex County Correctional Facility.

A second man was detained and has been arrested for outstanding unrelated warrants.

The motive remains under investigation by the Newark Police Department and the Essex County Prosecutor's Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force.

From the preliminary investigation it appears the male victims were targeted by the shooter.

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Driving in New Jersey

Thursday, September 27, 2012

1 in custody after shots fired in Newark

  Eyewitness NewsNEWARK (WABC) -- Newark police have one person in custody after shots were fired on a quiet street overnight Thursday.

Police say the suspect may have been using a tow truck to steal a car.

That person apparently spotted a squad car and took off.

Officers caught up with the suspect near Barbara and Magazine streets just after 2 a.m.

Shots were fired, but it's still unclear who fired them and whether anyone was hit.

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New Jersey Reverse Phone Lookup - How Easy is It?

Woman arrested, accused of faking cancer

  Matt Kozar, Eyewitness NewsDELRAN, N.J. (WABC) -- A woman in New Jersey is charged with faking cancer, and collecting thousands of dollars in donations for her "treatment."

Authorities say 40-year-old Lori Stilley from Delran, New Jersey played the part of a sick cancer patient and had everyone fooled, even her sister.

"She was good. She convinced a lot of people that she was sick," said Lisa DiGiovanni, Stilley's sister.

Lisa DiGiovanni says she was heartbroken when she heard the news.

So, she did what she could to help including fundraisers, T-shirt sales and raffles.

She even helped plan and pay for a wedding between her sister and her boyfriend to grant her dying wish.

"I just felt like I was doing something even though I couldn't help fix her. I tried to be there as much as I could," DiGiovanni said.

DiGiovanni says things just didn't add up.

Like when her sister was preparing for hospice care, but all of the sudden started feel better and canceled the care.

"She came to my daughter's playoff field hockey game and it was very dramatic, in a wheelchair and she was supposed to go in hospice the next day and I was staring at her saying, she doesn't look sick," DiGiovanni said.

She told her friends and family members she had stage three bladder cancer.

Investigators say Stilley even published an e-book about her struggle with the disease.

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Racetracks in New Jersey

Tow truck crashes into store in West Orange

  Eyewitness NewsWEST ORANGE (WABC) -- Two people suffered injuries when multiple vehicles crashed and a tow truck ended up smashing into a store in West Orange, New Jersey.

The accident happened at Main and Washington Streets in West Orange just after 2:00 p.m. are still being sorted out.

Officials said a tow truck lost its brakes, causing the multi-vehicle accident. The tow truck went out of control and crashed into the store. The driver of the tow truck and one person inside the store suffered injuries, police said. Those injuries were described as minor.

The building was badly damaged. Police say there are obviously structural concerns and the upper floors are residential, which have been evacuated.

They also say if it were not a holiday, this block would have been very crowded with school children.

CLICK HERE TO SEE PHOTOS OF THE ACCIDENT FROM NEWSCOPTER 7

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Wednesday, September 26, 2012

What to Look for in a Full Coverage Automobile Insurance Quote in New Jersey

Gay couple sues over engagement photo use

AP  by IVAN MORENODENVER -- A gay couple from New Jersey is suing a group that used their engagement photo in an attack mailer against a Republican Colorado state lawmaker who supported civil unions this year.

The Southern Poverty Law Center said it will file a federal lawsuit against the Virginia-based Public Advocate of the United States on behalf of the couple Wednesday. In the photo, Brian Edwards and Tom Privitere hold hands while facing each other and kissing with a New York City skyline as a backdrop.

The photo was used in mailers in a June primary election involving Sen. Jean White, one of a handful of Republicans who supported a civil unions bill that was blocked in the state House. The mailer, which replaced the Manhattan skyline with a snowy background, read: "State Senator Jean White's Idea of 'Family Values?'"

White lost the primary against a fellow Republican in a northwestern Colorado district.

Public Advocate of the United States did not respond to two emails seeking comment.

The Southern Poverty Law Center on Tuesday issued a release announcing its plans to take legal action, saying Public Advocate of the United States "used the couple's personal engagement photo without permission and altered the image to include anti-gay propaganda."

The law center declined to comment further but said it would issue statements during a news conference Wednesday in front the federal courthouse in Denver. It wasn't immediately clear what relief the couple is seeking.

Edwards and Privetere didn't immediately return a message. Law center spokeswoman Apreill Hartsfield said the two also would comment Wednesday.

The photographer who took the photo is a plaintiff in the lawsuit.

The couple also is suing over a Public Advocate mailer that used the same photo in another northern Colorado state legislative race. That race involved a Republican candidate who was not in the Legislature when civil unions were considered.

The mailer, which changed the New York background to Colorado plains, used the couple's photo with the caption: "Jeffrey Hare's vision for Weld County?" Hare also lost his primary.

Civil unions were among the most contentious proposals considered by state lawmakers this year. A bill that would have let Colorado couples enter civil unions passed the Democratic-controlled Senate but was defeated in the Republican-led House with a GOP filibuster. Republicans have a 33-32 advantage in the House, but Democrats said enough GOP lawmakers supported the bill to send it to the governor if there was a full House vote.

Democratic Gov. John Hickenlooper supported the legislation.

The measure would have granted gay couples rights similar to those of married couples, including letting partners make medical decisions for each other. The protections also would enhance parental and inheritance rights.

Republicans argued gay couples already have some of the rights they are seeking, and said the bill was too similar to traditional marriage.

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How to Save Money and Get Discount Health Insurance in New Jersey

New Jersey toll enforcement nets $3.2 million

Cars drive up to the Raritan toll plaza northbound on the Garden State Parkway. Cars drive up to the Raritan toll plaza northbound on the Garden State Parkway.

  Eyewitness NewsWOODBRIDGE TOWNSHIP (WABC) -- Highway officials in New Jersey are cashing in on their crackdown on chronic toll cheats.

New Jersey Turnpike Authority officials announced Tuesday that stepped-up toll enforcement efforts have resulted in an additional $3.2 million in revenue.

The Asbury Park Press reports exact-change lane violations on the Garden State Parkway have been reduced by 50 percent. Meanwhile, authority officials say 35 percent of the 150 drivers who face suspension of their vehicle registration privileges for unpaid tolls have contacted the authority to settle up.

The authority, which also runs the parkway, has collected more administrative fees in the first eight months of the enforcement program. And it has seen a record number of customers buy E-ZPass tags.

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Hurricane devastated home fixed for couple

Web produced by Jennifer Matarese, Eyewitness NewsPARLIN, N.J. (WABC) -- A New Jersey couple whose home was badly damaged during Hurricane Irene received a special gift.

They haven't been able to go home since then, but Tuesday there was a big step toward getting them back in their home.

"I didn't think I'd ever come back here, I really didn't," said Alice Best, a homeowner.

Alice Best and her husband Charlie raised their three children in the home and they have almost five decades of memories there.

Tuesday, they watched dozens of volunteers give it a much-needed makeover as part of the Home Depot's "Celebration of Service", which helps military veterans like Charlie repair their homes.

"They understand your problem and they're here to help. Just like when I was 17 and I joined the Navy, to help," said Charlie Best, a homeowner.

During Hurricane Irene last summer, the Bests had to be rescued from their home when the basement foundation wall crumbled and officials feared the whole house would collapse.

"It was devastated, at any point it could have been a condemned property, thousands and thousands of dollars in damage," said Tracey Burke, Home Depot Manager.

The Bests' homeowners insurance didn't cover floods, so they feared they would lose their beloved home.

But then Home Depot stepped in, offering to donate the materials and volunteer labor that contractors had estimated could have cost the Bests more than $100,000.

During the storm, the kitchen was flooded with six inches of water.

Now it's been completely redone and 48 years after she moved in, Alice Best is getting the dream kitchen she's been waiting 48 years for.

"We went one day and picked everything out and it was heaven to not have to go to the cash register," Alice Best said.

For the last year, Charlie and Alice, who have been married 63 years, have been living first in a shelter, then with their daughter and now in a church apartment.

Volunteers say they'll be able to return to a home that is beautiful, clean and safe by next week.

"The smile on their faces, that was enough payment for me today," said Mark Boyko, of MCB Landscaping.

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Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Fighter jets scrambled over UN airspace violations

AP  Eyewitness NewsOfficials scrambled fighter jets over central New Jersey after two aircraft violated airspace restrictions in place because of the U.N. General Assembly meeting.

Two F-22 fighters under the direction of the North American Aerospace Defense Command intercepted both planes around 11:00 a.m.

The planes had entered the temporary flight restricted area and were out of radio communication. Both aircraft landed at the Central Jersey Regional airport without incident.

FAA spokesman Jim Peters says the temporary restrictions in the New York City metropolitan area were imposed Tuesday as part of the General Assembly's annual gathering.

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New Jersey Health Insurance Online Quote - Instant Online Quotes

Paterson may declare state of emergency over crime

AP  Eyewitness NewsPATERSON, N.J. -- Paterson's City Council is set to vote on a resolution calling on Gov. Chris Christie to declare a state of emergency to deal with street crime.

Backers of Tuesday's vote are hoping it would free up financial aid to pay for additional police officers and social programs.

Christie says Paterson isn't getting money from the state until the city is managed better.

City Council President Anthony Davis tells The Record newspaper Mayor Jeffrey Jones' administration is to blame.

Jones tells the newspaper Davis is overstepping his bounds and the situation is embarrassing.

Paterson receives $21 million from the state.

The city saw more than 100 shootings last year, when it laid off 125 police officers.

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Snooki law would let towns regulate reality TV

AP  WAYNE PARRYATLANTIC CITY -- A bill introduced on Monday would give towns where reality TV shows are being filmed more control over The Situation. (Not to mention Snooki and JWoww, too.)

State Assemblyman Ronald Dancer, an Ocean County Republican, introduced the legislation for the "Snookiville" Law, which would let towns license and regulate the filming of reality television shows and impose conditions including requiring TV crews to pay for additional police officers needed to assure public safety.

Dancer said in a statement that New Jersey has a tradition of being a desirable setting for reality shows such as The Situation, Snooki and JWoww's "Jersey Shore," ''The Real Housewives of New Jersey" and "Cake Boss."

"These shows can attract crowds, which can benefit local businesses and challenge a community's resources," said Dancer, whose district includes parts of Ocean, Burlington, Middlesex and Monmouth counties. "This bill will permit local officials to make sure taxpayers don't get 'Snook'-ered or public safety is compromised when reality stars such as Snooki or J-Woww come to town."

Dancer named the law after Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi, the most famous cast member of MTV's "Jersey Shore," which recently ended its three-year run in Seaside Heights, 20 miles east of Dancer's district.

During the cast's time in Seaside Heights, cast members were involved in scuffles and drunken behavior in public, and police officers routinely were assigned to areas where they were taping. But the borough made its own arrangements with the show's producers to cover those costs.

The final season of "Jersey Shore" will begin airing on Oct. 4.

Snooki and co-star Jennifer "JWoww" Farley have been filming a spinoff series in Manchester, a few miles inland from Seaside Heights. Authorities there have reported no problems with the filming.

An MTV spokesman had no immediate comment on the bill's introduction.

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New Jersey's Foreclosure News Has A Silver Lining - Sort Of

How To Find A Good Lawyer In New Jersey

Cheap New Jersey Homeowners Insurance - How to Find It

Monday, September 24, 2012

New Jersey Banquet Halls - New Jersey Reception Sites - Banquet Halls New Jersey

How to Get Really Cheap Car Insurance in New Jersey

Minimum wage hike may be decided by voters

AP  By ANGELA DELLI SANTITRENTON, N.J. -- The Democrat who leads the New Jersey Senate plans to introduce a measure Monday that would put a minimum wage increase before voters next year.

The resolution will ask voters to increase the wage by $1, to $8.25 per hour, and tie future yearly increases to national economic data, known as indexing, Senate President Steve Sweeney of Gloucester County told The Associated Press.

Gov. Chris Christie indicated that he would not sign a bill with for indexed adjustments, Sweeney said. He said that's why he hasn't advanced the bill the Assembly passed in May hiking the minimum wage to $8.50 per hour and creating annual adjustments based on the Consumer Price Index. Sweeney said his 2005 minimum wage legislation was approved only after he agreed to remove such a provision.

Assembly Speaker Sheila Oliver, the prime sponsor of the Assembly version of the bill who made an impassioned plea for its passage on the floor of the chamber this spring, told the AP in a statement she hopes the Senate will put the bill up for a vote and send it to Christie.

Increasing the minimum wage was identified as a Democratic legislative priority for the year, and the different approach being taken by the Senate leader could bubble over into a feud between the legislative leaders.

New Jersey's minimum wage, which has been $7.25 per hour since 2010, is the same as the federal minimum and that of 23 other states. A minimum wage earner who works 40 hours grosses $290 per week.

If the wage had been indexed annually since the state began statutorily setting the rate in 1968, New Jersey's minimum wage today would be $9.20, according to a calculation provided by Senate Democrats.

Of the states that index their minimum wage, all have wage floors equal to or greater than New Jersey's. The highest is Washington state, where the minimum wage is $8.67 per hour.

Anticipating backlash from some who will object to amending the state Constitution over a wage issue, Sweeney said, "it's important enough to raise the standard of living for everyone."

His proposal requires legislative approval to get the question on the ballot, and voter approval at the polls, but would not require approval from Gov. Chris Christie, a Republican.

Business groups oppose a minimum wage increase, saying it will have a domino effect on other wage earners who will also expect a raise, leading to less hiring or layoffs.

Sweeney said he's convinced people will spend the little extra money they earn - on clothes, food, appliances or entertainment - providing a much-needed jolt to the local economy and possibly boosting New Jersey's sales tax collections.

He said tying future increases to the CPI is "non-negotiable" because it's the only way for low wage earners to be assured their raises aren't at the mercy of politicians.

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Springsteen brings mom onstage in rain-delayed concert

AP  Eyewitness NewsEAST RUTHERFORD, N.J. -- Bruce Springsteen celebrated his 63rd birthday onstage until nearly 2 a.m. Sunday, joined at the end by his hearty mom.

Adele Springsteen danced and sang background to "Twist and Shout," walking offstage with her son and his band at nearly 2. Her only concession to age was a pair of hastily made earplugs.

She watched as her son cut a giant birthday cake in the shape of a guitar, passing out pieces to some audience members.

His show in the open-air MetLife Stadium was delayed three hours Saturday by authorities because of a downpour and worries about lightning. Thousands of fans clustered on indoor ramps waiting for the rain to stop.

When it did, Springsteen and his E Street Band took the stage at 10:30 p.m. to the strains of Wilson Pickett's "In the Midnight Hour," a song they performed when the clock hit that mark. They also covered Creedence Clearwater Revival's "Who'll Stop the Rain," and it worked.

"Thank you for your patience," Springsteen told the audience. He said it had been a long time since he had performed on his birthday.

It was the third of a three-night stand at his home state arena.

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Saturday, September 22, 2012

Gas prices down slightly in New Jersey

AP  Eyewitness NewsTRENTON, N.J. -- Motorists are seeing slightly lower prices at the pumps in New Jersey.

AAA Mid-Atlantic says the average price of regular gasoline in New Jersey on Friday was $3.80, down 4 cents from last week.

But that's still much higher than the price from a year ago, when motorists were paying $3.49.

Meanwhile, the national average price also fell by 4 cents to $3.83.

That's also much higher than the national average from a year ago, which was $3.57.

Analysts say the lower prices at the pump are mostly due to falling crude oil prices and stations switching over to less expensive winter blends.

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Man killed, 3 others wounded in Trenton shooting

AP  Eyewitness NewsTRENTON, N.J. -- One man was killed and three other people were wounded when shots rang out at a home in New Jersey's capital city.

Trenton police say two men and two women were "hanging out" on the porch of a city home when two people walked up to them just before 3 a.m. Saturday and started shooting.

The two women and one of the men all ran into the home, while the other man - who was shot in the chest - went to another nearby home, where he soon collapsed and died.

The three wounded victims were shot in the legs, feet and ankles, but their injuries were not considered life-threatening.

A motive for the shooting has not been determined.

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Princeton's first female president to retire

AP  BRUCE SHIPKOWSKIPRINCETON -- Shirley Tilghman, a noted educator and administrator who became the first woman to serve as president of Princeton University, has decided to leave her post at the end of the academic year.

Tilghman, 66, announced her intentions in an email Saturday to students, faculty, staff and alumni. She informed university officials of her plans a day earlier.

"There is a natural rhythm to university presidencies," Tilghman wrote in her statement to the university community. "With the major priorities accomplished or well on their way to being realized ... it is time for Princeton to turn to its 20th president to chart the path for the next decade and beyond."

Tilghman, who became the Ivy League school's 19th president in 2001, will leave office in June. She then plans to take a year's leave before returning to teaching at Princeton. She is considered a leader in the field of molecular biology.

A search committee - led by Kathryn A. Hall, chairwoman of the university's Board of Trustees - will be named to choose Tilghman's successor. A time frame for its decision has not been determined. The panel will include several board members and four faculty members, as well as student and staff representatives.

"Shirley Tilghman has provided exceptional leadership for Princeton over these past 11 years, building on its distinctive strengths and pioneering important new initiatives in areas ranging from neuroscience, energy research and the arts to internationalization and campus life, while also providing national leadership on a broad range of issues," Hall said. "We are deeply grateful for her service as president, and we are very pleased that she will remain a member of our faculty."

A native of Canada, Tilghman came to Princeton in 1986 as a professor and later chaired the university's Council on Science and Technology, which encourages the teaching of science and technology to students outside the sciences. University officials also honored her with the President's Award for Distinguished Teaching in 1996.

When Tilghman's predecessor, Harold T. Shapiro, announced his intentions to step down, she initially was elected by faculty members to serve on the search committee that was to pick his successor. But she was eventually asked to leave the committee so she could be considered for the presidency. She was chosen for the post in May 2001, and assumed office the following month.

During Tilghman's tenure as president, the school greatly increased the number of students on financial aid and more than doubled the average aid they receive. She also is credited with overseeing the advancement of several major initiatives, including expanding the undergraduate student body, the construction of new performing arts, neuroscience and library facilities and drafting a master plan to chart the future development of the school.

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New Jersey Refinance Loans - Refinancing to Improve Credit

Bruce Springsteen once again rocks New Jersey

AP  Eyewitness NewsEAST RUTHERFORD -- Bruce and the boys are back in Jersey.

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band performed their first concert at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford Wednesday night.

The Boss told 60,000 fans that they were glad to be home and the stadium was "pretty nice."

The performance was the first of three "Wrecking Ball" shows at the stadium.

Springsteen and the band will play on Friday and Saturday.

Springsteen turns 63 on Sunday.

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Burglaries on the rise in Teaneck, New Jersey

  Eyewitness NewsTEANECK, New Jersey (WABC) -- A warning for people in one New Jersey community after police say they have seen a big jump in the number of burglaries over Rosh Hashanah and other religious holidays.

The police call it the third quadrant of Teaneck, but it's prettier than its name.

Lovely homes on tree lined streets, family homes, and in the area with the burglaries, many of the families are Jewish.

In just a three block area last week during Rosh Hashanah, three homes were burglarized, that's more than happened in all of September last year in the third quadrant.

All of them in broad daylight, brazen burglaries while some neighbors were outside.

Neighbors are worried because there are so many children in the neighborhood.

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Jesus statue topples over at New Jersey school

ORANGE, New Jersey (WABC) -- A statue of Jesus Christ has fallen over on the rooftop of a school in Orange, New Jersey causing students to be moved to a different school.

A fixture in Orange since 1892, the massive statue of Jesus knocked over by a strong wind, dangling 60 feet off the ground.

"You don't usually see the lord on his back," said John Buonanno.

Buonanno is the city construction official. He rushed to the Saint John Church school building when he heard, evacuated the day care inside, so no one would get hurt.

"It would bounce off the roof and land in the street. That's why we got it closed off," he adds.

The diocese of Newark says the original statue of Jesus was blown over and destroyed about 20 years ago in a violent storm.

This one was an exact replica.

And so the very delicate painstaking task of up righting and then bringing the statue down began.

All eyes to the sky.

The statue's arms outstretched.

First straps are hoisted over.

Then the crane begins to move and a few tense seconds later, and the statue is free.

The man who is savior to so many, getting the help he needed on this day.

Now that the statue is down you can see its about 13 feet long and a couple hundred pounds. Here at the base it's easy to see why it gave way.

The newly elected mayor of Orange hopes we have not seen the last of this statue.

"My daughter used to go here so we used to see it all the time. It's a symbol of hope to so many.. I'm sure the diocese will do something with it about can continue to be a symbol of hope," said Mayor Dwayne Warren.

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New York area cleans up after strong storms

  Web produced by Bill King, Eyewitness NewsNEW YORK (WABC) -- Residents and municipalities across the New York viewing area are cleaning up after a September storm.

A strong line of thunderstorms roared through the Tri-State Area Tuesday, bringing heavy wind and rains, causing flooding and leaving a soggy mess in its wake. The storm also knocked out power for tens of thousands of residents.

In Monroe, Orange County, one driver got trapped in a car until a tow truck driver pulled it out of knee-deep waters. And the Hutchinson River Parkway is cleared and open after downed trees and flooding brought it to a crawl.

Also hit hard were Queens and Long Island, where winds gusted as high as 50 miles per hour. Flooding stranded vehicles in both Nassau and Suffolk counties. In Manhasset, Northern Boulevard had to be shut down in both directions.

The band of storms on Tuesday prompted the National Weather Service to issue a tornado warning for southwestern Suffolk County. The warning was in effect until 10 p.m. A tornado watch expired at 11 p.m. for Suffolk and Nassau counties.

There was a different kind of mess in College Point, where a tree splintered in half and fell onto a front yard. In Hollis, a tree brought down more power lines on 191st Street. The tree came down so hard that residents say it shook the entire neighborhood.

"All the sudden, I heard a big boom, and the house shook," resident Gregory Spivey said. "And when we peaked out, that (tree) was there."

The storm also pummeled New Jersey communities as it headed east. Early Wednesday, there's chainsaw and crane work to clean up and restore power.

In Teaneck, utility crews had a tough time working high up to get the juice back on, with high winds rocking them while they worked. There seemed to be power lines down everywhere.

"It was brighter than daylight out here when that thing was on," one witness said.

In Paramus, a police officer was lucky to escape unharmed, when a burning power line began arcing. An eyewitness snapped a photo that seemed to show the police car engulfed in flames.

"I thought the guy might have died, because there was so much up there," witness Joe Puso said. "I was just hoping that the cop got away clean."

The officer did escape harm, and his car was just singed as it was towed away.

For homeowners, the big problems after the storm were lurking power lines and fallen trees, stretched across lawns and roads and plunging through rooftops.

"Branches went right through the ceiling, so in several rooms there's branches through the ceilings and into the attic," one homeowner said.

Wind gusts ripped a facade from a tattoo shop on the Wildwood boardwalk, while falling debris also damaged the boardwalk. And the top of an old oak tree landed on the roof of a home in Ridgewood.

The weather also caused trouble on the tracks, especially for Metro-North commuters. Riders on the New Haven line found themselves stranded for an hour or more during the evening rush.

Heavy rain soaked those waiting on platforms for trains that never seemed to arrive. The reason was because the powerful winds knocked trees onto the tracks.

The storm system also knocked out power to thousands of homes and businesses in Connecticut.

Heavy rain also led to some flooding. State police said they had to close Interstate 95 in Norwalk in both directions for a time Tuesday night because of the high water on the highway.

At the peak of the storm, more than 40,000 customers of Northeast Utilities and United Illuminating were without power, mostly due to falling tree limbs that took down power lines. More than 20,000 customers remained without electricity Wednesday morning.

No serious injuries were reported, though police in West Haven say they had to help two people get out of a car on Winslow Drive after a tree fell on it.

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Fashion, Beauty Academy In New Jersey

Top of tree falls on house in Ridgewood

  Eyewitness NewsRIDGEWOOD (WABC) -- No one was injured when the top of an old oak tree fell on a home in Ridgewood, New Jersey, early Tuesday.

The tree fell around 6:30 a.m., and the branches poked holes in the roof.

Homeowner Susan Stanek said it sounded like thunder and felt like an earthquake, and that the inside of the house looks like a forest with all the branches. Fire officials say an engineer will inspect the dwelling to determine if it is structually sound. It is believed the tree was rotting on the inside and may have been weakened in the fall snowstorm last October. Officials also say it was likely weighed down by leaves and acorns.

Elsewhere, strong winds are causing damage throughout parts of New Jersey.

Wing gusts ripped a facade from a tattoo shop is Wildwood Tuesday, and there were reports of falling debris damaging the boardwalk there.

A wind advisory is in effect from noon until midnight. Forecasters say southerly winds of 15 to 25 mph could pack gusts up to 45 mph.

The National Weather Service says a strong cold front could produce heavy rain and there's a slight risk for strong thunderstorms Tuesday.

A coastal flood advisory is in effect from 1 p.m. until 6 p.m. along the Delaware River.

(The Associated Press contributed to this story)

LINK: VIEW PHOTOS FROM THE INCIDENT

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Man rescued by stranger on NJ Turnpike

Web produced by Jennifer Matarese, Eyewitness NewsNEW BRUNSWICK, N.J. (WABC) -- A man was rescued by a stranger when he was struck on the side of the New Jersey Turnpike while waiting for help after the car he was in broke down.

"Do you remember what was going through your head?" Eyewitness News asked.

"I was going to die," said Gregory Jackson, victim.

No one knows how close he came to death except for his cousin and a stranger.

Gregory Jackson is heavily medicated, now recovering from cuts and burns.

He and his cousin had broken down on the Turnpike near Exit 9, waiting for his grandmother to come.

He didn't see the car speeding towards the shoulder.

"Next thing I know I was being pulled out of a burning car," Jackson said.

"Do you remember the car hitting you?" Eyewitness News asked.

"No I don't," Jackson replied.

"But you remember the flames?" Eyewitness News asked.

"I remember the flames," Jackson said.

Greg Jackson knows only that stranger's name, Doug.

"He probably was an angel sent by God because if it had not been for this gentleman and others who stopped to help, that, my God, we wouldn't be standing here talking to him, and we want to thank him from the bottom of our hearts," said Lynn Williams, a family member.

His cousin was treated and released.

Doctors at Robert Wood Johnson Medical Center haven't said yet when this 29 year old semi-pro football player gets to go home.

That he has that option at all, he says is a gift from a man who was for a critical moment in his life a guardian angel.

"Thank you, thank you very much. I don't think I would be here if it wasn't for him," Jackson said.

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The Greatest New Jersey Nets of All Time

PATH service resumes after smoke condition

AP  Eyewitness NewsHOBOKEN -- PATH has resumed service between Hoboken and 33rd Street in New York City following a smoky condition on a train.

Port Authority spokesman Steve Coleman says the train became disabled just before reaching Hoboken at 7:22 a.m. Tuesday.

Coleman says there were reports that some passengers had pulled the emergency cord to open doors and jump off the train.

Coleman says officials had to shut down power to check the tracks.

No passengers were found and PATH service resumed at 8:05 a.m.

There were no reports of injuries and officials haven't determined what caused the problem on the train.

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T-Mobile store allegedly robbed in Linden, New Jersey

  Eyewitness NewsLINDEN, New Jersey (WABC) -- Linden police are investigating an armed robbery of a T-Mobile store on West Edgar Road.

Police say two men, described as being younger, barged into the store at around 4pm.

They were both allegedly wearing hooded sweatshirts pulled tightly around their faces, sunglasses and gloves.

One was armed with a gun.

Police say they tied up three employees and stole an undetermined amount of merchandise and cash.

The suspects fled in a white SUV, possibly a Range Rover, possibly with NY plates.

The employees were not injured.

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Stray bullet tears through home in Jersey City

Web produced by Jennifer Matarese, Eyewitness NewsJERSEY CITY (WABC) -- A woman with her children and grandchildren was sitting around watching television in their home in New Jersey when they heard a gunshot. They found a bullet hole right above their TV.

"We just heard it and saw the dust, splattered everywhere," said Shawonda Clairsin, a Jersey City resident.

The paint chips and sheetrock have been cleaned up, but there are two bullet holes in the walls of the Clarsin's living room on Armstrong Avenue in Jersey City.

"When the cops came we found out there are two more bullet holes outside in the hallway," Clairsin said.

All of the holes came from one single bullet that was fired from a gun outside of the 2nd floor apartment Monday night just before 10pm.

"I got down, called the cops," Clairsin said.

That one bullet went clean through three walls; the exterior wall, the one in the stairwell, and then it went through into the apartment next to the TV, landing in the wall across the room, just next to the sofa where the two sisters, their mother, and Francios' two daughters were sitting at the time.

"We were watching TV, they're shooting, they're shooting, get down, get down," Marie Francios, a Jersey City resident said.

An upstairs neighbor told Eyewitness News he saw a group of guys run down the street after the gunshots.

Jersey City Police recovered five shell casings and say they're reviewing surveillance video in their search for suspect.

But that one bullet is still lodged in the wall, only a few feet away from where the Lord's prayer is hangs over their sofa, and where they family miraculously walked away without a scratch.

"I was especially scared for the baby, she would have got hit," Francios said.

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Residents concerned over stinky water in New Jersey

AP  Eyewitness NewsJERSEY CITY -- Water might taste and smell different to residents in Jersey City, Hoboken and Weehawken.

United Water says lab tests show the water is safe to drink.

General Manager Jim Glozzy says the change in taste and smell can be caused by turnovers in the reservoir when surface water cools and sinks to the bottom.

The company says customers might find the taste improves if they keep their water in an open pitcher in the refrigerator.

United Water says it's working to resolve the issue.

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Police-involved shooting at Paterson shopping center

  Eyewitness NewsPATERSON, N.J. (WABC) -- Authorities in New Jersey are investigating a police-involved shooting during an undercover drug investigation Thursday night.

Police say a New Jersey State Police detective was approaching a car in the parking lot of the Chamberlain Avenue Shopping Center, located at Chamberlain Avenue and West Broadway, in Paterson around 9:30 p.m.

The driver allegedly took off, hitting the detective.

The trooper opened fire and shot one person inside the car in the shoulder.

Three people were arrested.

Both the suspect and the officer were taken to St. Joseph's Medical Center with non life-threatening injuries.

The New Jersey Attorney General's shooting response team is handling the investigation.

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Dog survives 70-foot fall from New Jersey bridge

AP  Eyewitness NewsURLINGTON TOWNSHIP -- A beagle named Brandi survived a 70-foot fall from a New Jersey bridge.

The dog got away from its owner during a walk along the Burlington Riverfront Promenade Friday night.

Bridge officer Rob Bittner saw Brandi walking up the Burlington-Bristol Bridge toward Pennsylvania.

Bittner tells The Courier-Post of Cherry Hill he turned on his emergency lights to slow traffic and followed the dog. Bittner says Brandi was doing fine until she got to the top of the span and her paws felt a steel grate.

The officer says Brandi jumped into the Delaware River as motorists tried to grab her.

The beagle's owner recovered her and took her to a veterinarian. Brandi was bruised around the abdomen, but didn't have any broken bones.

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Negotiating Your Way To Your Perfect New Jersey Property

14 busted in alleged tax refund fraud scheme

  Eyewitness NewsNEWARK, N.J. (WABC) -- Federal officials in New Jersey have arrested 14 people in what they say was a long-running tax refund fraud scheme.

U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman says the scheme is one of the largest ever uncovered and involved more than 8,000 bogus income tax returns seeking more than $65 million in illegal refunds.

The defendants are charged with conspiracy to defraud the U.S. and theft of government property. It's estimated the scheme created $11 million in losses.

Fishman says many of the bogus tax returns were filed using identities stolen from residents of Puerto Rico. The co-conspirators also allegedly bribed mail carriers who delivered the refund checks.

The defendants come from New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, North Carolina and Michigan.

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Vineyards of New Jersey

New Jersey's Affordable Housing Council Abolished

New Jersey toll stop leads to arrest of fugitive

AP  Eyewitness NewsFORT LEE -- Police in New Jersey who stopped a trucker suspected of trying to evade paying a toll say he unknowingly had picked up a person of interest in a Tennessee murder.

Port Authority police spokesman Al Della Fave says officers stopped Manuel Velasco's truck at the George Washington Bridge toll on Thursday.

Officers discovered his passenger, 52-year-old Charles Kelly, was wanted on forgery and theft charges and is a person of interest in the May murder of man in White Pine, Tenn.

The trucker told police Kelly had asked for a ride at a gas station off Interstate 81 in Tennessee on Sunday. Velasco said he had taken Kelly on deliveries and even to his home in Valley Stream, N.Y., for dinner.

Kelly is awaiting extradition.

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Hackensack, New Jersey: 300 Years of Modern History

New Jersey state Senator fights for longer yellow lights

Web produced by Jennifer Matarese, Eyewitness NewsLINDEN, N.J. (WABC) -- Drivers may get some extra time to get through those controversial red light cameras in New Jersey.

Lawmakers proposed the bill Wednesday.

Critics have long complained the cameras are riddled with flaws that keep drivers at the disadvantage while local governments rake in millions.

The state senator at the center of all this fought hard to shut down all of the red light cameras completely.

When he realized he didn't have enough votes in Trenton for that, he proposed what he says is the next best thing, making the yellow lights longer and the fines smaller.

"The yellow light is too short, they need to give more time to get through the intersection," said Gary Capone, a driver.

It's the number one complaint from drivers about the red light cameras; the light switches from yellow to red far too quickly.

"They don't give you enough time to stop, then someone winds up hitting you in the back," said Gayle Borget, a driver.

At the intersection of Stiles Avenue and Routes 1 and 9 in Linden, the light stayed yellow for almost four seconds, but a bipartisan group says it should be even longer.

"We should be trying to improve people's lives, not bang them out with a gotcha," said New Jersey State Senator Nicholas Scutari, (D) Union County.

State Senator Nicholas Scutari wants to give drivers an extra one and a half seconds before they are ticketed.

Currently, the light stays yellow for one second for every 10 miles an hour traveled on average through the intersection. So six seconds in a 60 mile per hour zone.

Under Senator Scutari's plan, drivers would have 7.5 seconds.

"We hope people will get less tickets and there will be fewer accidents," State Sen. Scutari said.

Senator Scutari and his co-sponsors also want to reduce the fines for people who fail to come to a complete stop on red before making a right turn.

Under his plan, they'd pay $20, down from $85 now.

"If you get stuck in an intersection then you get a ticket, and you're not going to fight it, everyone pays the $85," said Don Denisco, a driver.

New Jersey has 85 red light cameras recently certified that yellow lights were long enough.

The cameras raise millions of dollars for towns and cities looking for new revenue sources.

Some drivers have said they'd rather the town get money from these cameras then from raising property taxes.

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Jersey City mom accused of leaving kids home alone

AP  Eyewitness NewsJERSEY CITY -- Child endangerment charged have been filed against a Jersey City woman who allegedly left her five young children home alone for at least two hours.

Twenty-seven-year-old Shanna Robinson was arrested early Wednesday after she went to a hospital where authorities had taken her children as a precaution.

Robinson told officers she had gone to the store at 10 p.m. Tuesday to buy milk and lost track of the time.

The children, who range in age from 3 months to 8 years, were discovered when police responded to their home around 10:20 p.m., after someone called there 911 and hung up.

Officers say all the children appeared to be in good health. The kids will be in foster care until a judge says they can return home.

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Monday, September 17, 2012

Newark negotiating merit pay, four-tiered rating system

  Eyewitness NewsNEWARK (WABC) -- Teacher evaluations are coming to the state-controlled school system in Newark, New Jersey, and it will have a big impact on teachers' paychecks.

The state and the Newark Teachers Union are negotiating a form of merit pay that would rely on a four-tier rating system.

Teachers rated as effective or highly effective would be eligible for pay increases based on their experience.

Lower rated teachers would get smaller pay hikes.

The current system bumps annual salaries based solely on years of experience.

The pay scale would be groundbreaking in New Jersey if it is approved. Teachers unions there are among the strongest in the country. The state's largest teachers union is opposed to merit pay.

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New Jersey Holiday Vacations - Things to Do in the Winter

Affordable New Jersey Health Insurance For Families and Individuals

Boy rejoins football team after dispute over pink gloves

AP  Eyewitness NewsEGG HARBOR CITY, N.J. -- A New Jersey boy who briefly quit his youth football team when his coach told him he couldn't wear pink gloves is back on the squad.

Julian Connerton wanted to wear the gloves to support his mother's fight against breast cancer. And when the 12-year-old returned to the field Saturday, he wasn't the only one wearing pink.

The Press of Atlantic City (http://bit.ly/UZ6tI4) reports all of Connerton's teammates on the Egg Harbor City Crusaders and the team's cheerleaders donned pink socks to raise awareness about breast cancer.

The dispute over the gloves began when Connerton wore them to a recent game and his coach told him to take them off.

The coach later said he simply forgot why the boy wanted to wear the gloves and apologized for the misunderstanding.

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Call for bodega workers to wear bulletproof vests

  Eyewitness NewsNEWARK (WABC) -- There is a call for area bodega workers to receive and wear bulletproof vests.

The idea comes after Jamil Bader Junior was killed during an attempted robbery at his family's store in Newark on Thursday.

Bodega Association Spokesman Fernando Mateo met with Newark Mayor Cory Booker Sunday about the proposal.

Mateo also said that bodega owners should be encouraged to own firearms.

Members of Bader's family joined Mateo at the meeting at Newark City Hall.

The mayor did not make any public comments.

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Shooting threat delays high school football game

  Eyewitness NewsTEANECK (WABC) -- One day after a "credible shooting threat" forced the postponement of their game, two northern New Jersey high school football teams finally squared off on the gridiron.

The game between Northern Valley Regional High School and Teaneck was scheduled for 7 p.m. Saturday in Teaneck. But it was called off 15 minutes before the opening kickoff and rescheduled for 1 p.m. Sunday, and Northern Valley Regional came away with a 34-14 victory.

Teaneck police said they are still working to determine who made the threat and why it happened. Extra police officers were on duty at the school on Sunday, but no problems were reported during the game.

Details on the threat and its target have not been released, but Teaneck athletic director Todd Sinclair called it "credible."

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