People who consumed the product are advised to get antibiotics to thwart a potentially dangerous germ

Federal officials are warning anyone who has consumed raw milk in the past six months to see a doctor.

The warning issued by the Center for Disease Control came a week after the New Jersey Department of Health ordered Udder Milk stop selling its raw milk in the state.

Whole Food expands recall of raw milk cheeses

A New Jersey woman came down with Brucella RB51, a rare but potentially serious germ after drinking raw milk delivered by Udder Milk in late September, officials said. She has since recovered. A person in Texas was sickened by raw milk in July but the cases aren't related, according to the Center for Disease Control.

The CDC said people who drank raw milk should see a physician to obtain antibiotics.

Pregnant woman are particularly at risk. 

Udder Milk has been distributed in New Jersey, New York, Connecticut and Rhode Island, but officials haven't determined where the milk was produced. The company is a "co-op on wheels" that makes deliveries

People who have consumed the milk and other products made from Udder Milk raw milk should check themselves daily for fever for one month after they last drank the milk and watch for other brucellosis symptoms for six months. Symptoms include muscle pain, lasting fatigue, arthritis, depression, and swelling of the testicles.

Untreated Brucella RB51 infection can result in long-term health problems like arthritis; heart problems; enlargement of the spleen or liver; and, in rare cases, nervous system problems like meningitis. RB51 can cause severe illness in people with weakened immune systems and miscarriages in pregnant women.

The Associated Press contributed to this report. Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

November weather roller coaster continues this week, with temperatures making a run for 60 degrees, then dropping again.

December is only a few days away, but a wave of mild air will be sweeping into New Jersey on Tuesday and Wednesday, pushing temperatures up into the mid-50s and possibly as high as 60 degrees before the thermometer cools down once again.

Despite a chilly morning, Tuesday will be a bit warmer than it was on Monday, when afternoon highs were stuck in the upper 40s to low 50s in North Jersey and reached the mid-50s in South Jersey. Forecasters say a bigger warmup will occur on Wednesday, with mostly sunny skies and temperatures rising into the the upper 50s in many areas of New Jersey, along with New York City and eastern Pennsylvania.

Atlantic City, Newark, Trenton and Philadelphia all could hit 60 degrees on Wednesday afternoon, according to the National Weather Service. That would be 9 to 11 degrees warmer than normal for Nov. 29.

Temperatures in the upper 50s to low 60s in the Garden State are far from record territory, but they are more typical of afternoons in early November than late November.

Here's a look at the normal highs for Nov. 29 compared to the forecast highs and record highs on that date.

Looking ahead

The November weather roller coaster will continue on Thursday, with afternoon temperatures dropping back down to the upper 40s to low 50s, with increasing clouds and a 40 to 50 percent chance of rain showers Thursday night.

On Friday, skies will remain mostly cloudy, with a 30 to 40 percent chance of showers in the morning and temperatures climbing to 48 to 50 degrees in North Jersey and about 54 degrees in South Jersey. 

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

The Trenton City Clerk is having a candidate information session on Dec. 6 at City Hall

The race is on.

Eleven candidates have either filed financial forms to run for Trenton City Council, or announced their intention to run for the office. The election is in May.

West Ward Councilman Zachary Chester, the current council president, was scheduled to announce his candidacy Monday night at Grace Community Church on West State Street.

Also in the West Ward, Shirley Gaines has filed candidate with the Election Law Enforcement Commission (ELEC), the state agency that monitors campaign contributions and spending.

In the North Ward, incumbent Marge Caldwell-Wilson has filed with ELEC.

In the East Ward, incumbent Verlina Reynolds-Jackson and Gino Hernandez have filed with ELEC.

Jackson hasn't declared for mayor, but he has the most money

In the South Ward, incumbent George Muschal and Damien Malave have filed with ELEC.

For the three at-large council seats, incumbent Phyllis Holly-Ward, and challengers Lee Ingram, Matthew Estepp and God-Is Ike have filed with ELEC. (Ingram is also scheduled to publicly announce his candidacy Tuesday, he said.)

Candidates for Trenton City Council don't have to officially file anything with the city clerk's office until the new year.

Clerk Dwayne M. Harris said Monday his office is having a candidate information session on Dec. 6, at 5:30 p.m. in the council chambers in City Hall, where information, forms and deadlines for the municipal race in May will be discussed. The office can be reached at 609-989-3187.

Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

According to its Trulia listing, the taxes are estimated at about $14,787.

In this week's "On the market" property, we feature a home in Toms River with nearly 4,900 square feet of living space.

The home is listed for $1.35 million. According to its Trulia listing, the taxes are estimated at about $14,787.

The home features four bedrooms, four full bathrooms and one partial bath.

The median sale price for homes in the area is $326,000.

Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find the Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Authorities ruled out bias as a motive after arresting a former congregant at one of the churches

MORRISTOWN -- A pastor who was among those raising the alarm after five predominantly black churches were vandalized said he took some criticism after it turned out not to have been a hate crime, as initially feared.

Pastor Sidney Williams, of Bethel A.M.E. Church, responded via a series of Facebook posts after authorities on Sunday charged a former congregant at one of the churches with five counts of criminal mischief stemming from shattered signs and other damage.

Bethel A.M.E. Church Pastor Sidney Williams, on left, inside the church in Morristown, Nov. 26, 2017Rob Jennings / NJ Advance Media for NJ.com 

"People felt there was a rush to judgment about hate crimes. I would rather err on the side of caution," Williams told NJ Advance Media on Monday.

"If we had dismissed it as just some random mischief, I would not have had peace on my soul -- had I not erred on the side of caution, and something went wrong, and lives were lost," Williams said.

Williams, pastor of Bethel A.M.E. Church for seven years, said he does not know the suspect -- Zuri C. Towns, 45, of Morristown.

Authorities said Towns was a childhood member at one of the churches. Four are located within walking distance in Morristown, and a fifth is in Morris Township.

In a statement Monday night, the African American Clergy Council of Morris County said the initial concern of congregants was understandable.

"With the racial climate as it is in our country and recent acts of violence and killings nationwide in houses of worship, there is great concern and fear with many who attend church on a regular basis," the statement read.

The clergy association's president, Rev. Jerry Carter, is pastor of Calvary Baptist Church on Morristown, which was among the vandalized churches.

The damage at the five churches drew widespread attention upon being discovered Saturday morning. The Morris County prosecutor's office said it was being investigated as a possible bias crime and Gov.-elect Phil Murphy tweeted his condemnation of what had occurred.

Disgusted by reported vandalism of African-American churches across Morristown. These cowardly acts will not shake our faith. They will renew our determination to come together as one NJ. -PM

-- Phil Murphy (@PhilMurphyNJ) November 26, 2017

On Sunday morning, Williams said some members of his church told him they were staying home from the service. He alluded to the 2015 shooting at the Emanuel A.M.E. Church in Charleston, S.C., in which nine African American church members were killed by a white supremacist.

Eight hours later, authorities announced Towns' arrest and discounted bias as a motive.

"I think we had the right initial response. I'm thankful that, through the investigation, we identified who it was and de-escalated it. If I had to do it over again, I would make the same decision," Williams said.

He posted to Facebook a "Monday mediation" that read, "Many will rush to speak during a crisis, but are unprepared for the criticism and confrontation that follows."

In another post, Williams expressed concern for Towns and questioned whether churches were dong enough for those in trouble.

"Now we have a challenge. We have a member of our community struggling," Williams said.

"I've encouraged my colleagues, who know his family, to be in touch with his family," he said.

Morristown Mayor Tim Dougherty, on Monday, also urged help for Towns and praised the response to what occurred.

"The outpouring of support from our residents for our local churches has been astounding, and I believe that the residents of Morristown and Morris Township are taking this act of vandalism and using it as a way to show that our communities cannot be easily broken," Dougherty said.

Williams moved to Morristown from South Africa upon becoming Bethel A.M.E.'s pastor seven years ago.

Founded in 1843, the church has about 400 members. Most are African American, he said, but there are a few whites and Latinos.

Williams, who said said his church had yet to repair its damaged sign, joined Dougherty in praising the quick response to what had occurred.

"This community rallied in ways we ought to be thankful for. We came together," Williams said.

Rob Jennings may be reached at rjennings@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @RobJenningsNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook

The man was allegedly offered money to change his story

Three Monmouth County residents tried to bribe the victim of an Asbury Park robbery in an attempt to get the victim to change his story, authorities said. 

James Williams, 32, of Red Bank, who is facing charges in an armed robbery, arranged for Hideia Bouie, 21, and Ameer Washington, 27, to approach the victim and offer him money to say the incident never happened, the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office said.

Williams, Bouie and Washington are charged with second-degree witness tampering. That charge carries a possible maximum sentence of 10 years in prison.

Accused gang member convicted of armed robbery, witness intimidation

The three will appear at a detention hearing Wednesday to determine whether they can be held until trial. Bouie and Washington are Neptune Township residents. 

Williams has been already been indicted on a charge of first-degree armed robbery following the Feb. 18. incident. He could be sentenced to up to 20 years in prison if convicted.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Deanna Joseph is facing manslaughter and other charges in connection with the death of her daughter, Kayley, 2.

The woman whose little daughter was found dead, still strapped dead in her car seat, took the child on two trips that day that to buy drugs, a prosecutor said.

On the last of Deanna Joseph's alleged visits to Salem, not long before Kayley Freeman, 2, was found unresponsive, the child was seen in the car by a witness "moving at the time," according to Salem County First Assistant Prosecutor William Brennan.

Joseph, 39, of Alloway, was in Superior Court in Salem Monday for a post-indictment hearing before Judge Linda Lawhun.

Joseph did not speak, but her defense attorney, Peter Alfinito, entered a not guilty plea on her behalf on all of the charges in connection with the incident Aug. 26 in which her daughter died.

At the hearing Brennan presented to the court with new details in the case.

He said the day Kayley died the child's father tried "many times" to contact Joseph throughout the day while he was at work and when he returned back home.

The two lived together at Joseph's Timberman Road home, but were not married, according to authorities.

Around 9 p.m., the father saw the white Mercedes that Joseph drives at the end of their driveway and her passed out inside. The father "knocked on the window several times" to get her attention and asked "where is the baby?" Brennan said and Joseph allegedly said the baby was in the house.

The father said she wasn't, but went to look again anyway.

By that time Joseph had pulled the car up to the house and the father went to the back seat and found Kayley still in her car seat "blue, unresponsive," Brennan said.

When medics arrived, Kayley had been taken into the house and was on the living room floor and she was shortly pronounced dead.

An autopsy determined that the child died of positional asphyxiation, meaning the way she was positioned didn't allow her to breathe properly.

I don't know what happened, mom says

Brennan said when Joseph was questioned by state police she gave different stories of what happened that day.

In one she said that she had gone out to buy cigarettes, "lost consciousness" pulled over to the side of the road for an unknown amount of time.

She ultimately admitted she ingested drugs that day and blood tests showed drugs in her system, Brennan said.

Phone records, Brennan said, helped authorities to find witnesses who helped them piece together what happened that day.

Brennan said one witness interviewed claimed she and Joseph "used cocaine together on several occasions."

That witness said Joseph allegedly told her she "needed more drugs," but rejected the idea of driving to Camden for them because she had Kayley with her.

Another witness, Brennan said, told police that he and Joseph had "shot up together on several occasions in the past several months."

The result was Joseph allegedly visited Salem late in the afternoon and then again on the night of Aug. 26 to buy drugs.

In her last alleged visit to Salem that day, one witness told investigators that they saw Kayley moving in her car seat.

"We have her twice on the day of the incident in Salem City purchasing drugs," Brennan said.

Brennan said when search warrants were executed for Joseph's car and house investigators found bags with trace amounts of cocaine, heroin and fentanyl.

They also found a defaced handgun and eight to nine rounds of ammunition in her Mercedes' trunk, Brennan said. It is the same gun she allegedly used to fire a bullet into a wall inside the house about a week before.

On Nov. 15, a Salem County grand jury indicted Joseph on a second-degree manslaughter charge, second-degree endangering the welfare of a child, fourth-degree possession of a weapon by a convicted person, second-degree unlawful possession of a weapon, two counts of third-degree possession of a controlled dangerous substance (heroin and cocaine) and a fourth-degree charge of defacing firearms, according to court records.

In the hearing Monday, Brennan said that prosecutors had offered Joseph a plea deal that includes 10 years in state prison on the endangering charge, 10 years on the manslaughter charge which would be served concurrently with the endangering sentence and five years on the possession of a weapons charge which would be served consecutively with the other two sentence.

There was no indication in court whether Joseph was considering the offer. Brennan said the state was prepared to move the case to trial if she didn't.

Records show a long history of child neglect and drug abuse by Joseph. Among those are 10 prior felony convictions, Brennan said. 

Joseph remains held in the Salem County Correctional Facility, Mannington Township.

Her next court appearance is scheduled for Jan. 22.

Firefighters brought the blaze under control in about 45 minutes

A tractor-trailer, a car and building materials caught fire in the rear yard of a Newark business on Tuesday morning, authorities said.

Firefighters were called to the 400 block of Raymond Boulevard at 6:08 a.m. and brought the two-alarm blaze under control at 6:55 a.m, Newark police Capt. Derek Glenn said.  

The fire also spread to an adjacent commercial property. 

No one was injured and Raymond Boulevard has since been re-opened in the area. Earlier traffic was backed up through the area as the Route 1&9 exit to Raymond Boulevard was closed while firefighters worked. 

Smoke and flames were visible in the rear of the one-story building, video from WABC-7 shows. 

The cause of the fire is under investigation. 

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JeffSGoldman. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The Glassboro sisters were inspired while watching the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show last year when they realized they didn't "fit the mold."

While the fashion industry portrays "beautiful" as 5 foot 10, leggy blondes with 24 inch waists, not every woman fits this mold.

Real life "angels" come in all shapes and sizes and that's the message sisters Alyse and Alexis Scaffidi wanted to prove when they threw an anti-Victoria's Secret fashion show over the summer that has since made headlines around the world after video of the show was shared last month. 

The Scaffidi sisters of Glassboro were inspired last year while watching the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show on TV. They recalled being mesmerized by the outfits and dreamed of being angels themselves, cat walking like queens down the brightly lit stage and runway.

"We know that wouldn't be possible since we don't fit society's mold of beauty," they said.

But that didn't let that stop them.

The Gloucester County sisters -- who run the BiteSizedFitness brand to promote the idea that healthy bodies come in all shapes and sizes -- put their personal savings and free time to work for months, planning and preparing for their version of the show. The two worked tirelessly, creating set pieces in the basements, recruiting angels, and planning every detail. It was a labor of love to spread the message of shattering beauty standards. Because of that, they had to make sure everything was perfect.

With high hopes for the event and its message to reach women everywhere, the two called on professionals to bring their expertise in video, hair and make-up.

With a crowd full of families, supporters and other angels, 21 women took to the stage at The Hill Theatre Studio in Paulsboro to have their dreams of being a Victoria's Secret angel come true. The women varied in age, body type and all came with their unique backgrounds and stories.

"Every girl in our show has had to overcome some sort of challenge, whether it was bullying, illness, genetic disorders or a lack of self-acceptance," said Alexis.  

Some of the angels were picked from the sisters' friends and family. The rest, however, were complete strangers the girls recruited by searching fitness and self-love hashtags on social media.

"We didn't have any physical criteria for the models, but again wanted women who embodied confidence and self-acceptance. We followed up with a direct message asking if they'd like to be a part of something that could positively impact young women everywhere," Alexis said.

"Fortunately, most were ready to jump right in," she added. "It's amazing how social media and a common passion can bring together total strangers to create something so powerful."

Each "angel" was decked out in a glamourous outfit that they themselves designed. The Scaffidi sisters sent the models images from previous Victoria's Secret fashion shows as reference but gave them free reign to make it their own. The only goal the angels had to keep in mind was confidence and ferocity while accentuating parts of their bodies that they love.

The result -- feathers, glitter, tiaras and gorgeous lingerie. 

Tessa Snyder was one of the angels to take the stage, nearly two decades after battling cancer. 

"I am proud to say that almost 18 years after beating cancer and losing my leg, I feel beautiful, comfortable and I'm the most confident that I have ever been in my own skin," she said.

Her sentiment was shared by many of the angels who exuded confidence throughout the show.

"I've been told I was too big, too thin, and all kinds of comments in between. Through it all I learned to love my body and treat it with respect because life is too short to be at war with yourself," said Kate Tobin, another runway angel.

For one angel, though, the show wasn't just about self-confidence, it was about teaching a lesson to all those watching and setting an example for her daughters. 

Cindi Scaffidi, the 60-year-old mother of Alyse and Alexis donned her fabulous angel-wear and strutted herself down the runway. 

"Having raised two daughters, I've realized the importance of teaching body confidence and self-acceptance from a very young age. As a 60-year-old woman, I want to prove that you are never too old to feel beautiful and glamorous."

According to the sisters, who also walked in the show, every single person was happy, excited and helpful, which made the day's events even more enjoyable.

"It was definitely one of the best days of our lives and one that we will never forget," the sisters said.

With the help of some sponsors, the sisters hope to host the show again next year but a once-a-year event is not the end-goal for their mission.

"We'd love to start a non-profit dedicated to spreading the message that there is no one size fits all for beauty," said Alyse. "We want to help girls around the world change the way they feel about themselves and their appearance. In doing so, we want to help them embrace beauty in their uniqueness and differences, which will inspire them to chase after their dreams - regardless of society's opinions."

Family and friends of the the two victims of Sunday's crash reflect on the lives as family members and parents

Two sets of friends, families and children were affected by a head-on crash that killed 34-year-old Thomas Hughes and 30-year-old Michelle Wolf on Sunday. The accident, which occurred on Mauricetown Road in Maurice River Township around 10 p.m., took the lives of what family and friends say were goodhearted, outgoing, funny people.

'The guy that loved everyone'

July 13, 2018, was going to be a special day for Tabitha Gifford. Gifford and her fiancee Thomas Hughes had set the July date to commit to one another that they would be spending the rest of their lives together. However, instead of using the coming days to talk to Tom about their upcoming wedding, she is planning on saying goodbye to the man she fell in love with.

"He was the guy that everyone loved," Gifford said. "He would give the shirt off his back and the last dollar in his pocket to help someone and expect nothing in return."

One example that Gifford gave was Gifford said that Hughes moved in with her to help take care of her sick grandmother.

"He loved the Lord and made sure God was the center of our family," added Gifford. "If you needed a hug, he as a gentle giant would make it happen."

Gifford and Hughes had a 3-year-old son Julian who Gifford said was very important to him.

"He loved his son and me more than life itself. He called him Papa Bear.  Julian made our world complete."

Less than a half mile away from the site of the crash is the Wawa convenience store where Hughes worked. His coworkers shared the same sentiments as Gifford. Employees from other stores came to the store to cover for employees who were taking the loss of Hughes hard. One person who worked with Hughes at the store who knew him well was Kevin Green. Green and Hughes had worked at Wawa together for more than 10 years. 

"He was a great guy who would do anything for anybody," Green said. "He was always high-spirited. No matter what holiday was coming up, he always had some crazy get-up on that would make customers crack up whenever they came in, including this past Thanksgiving as 'Tom the Turkey.'"

Aubree's Mom

Jessica Wolf was the opposite of her older sister. She is the quiet sister while Michelle was the more outgoing one.

"She was funny and the life of the party," Jessica Wolf said. "She was also really energetic. She could talk to anybody. It didn't matter where she was; she could have a conversation with somebody she didn't even know. That was her."

Wolf said the Port Norris resident was also outgoing, willing to help out anyone, whether it was her family, friends or a stranger she had just met.

"She honestly would do anything for anybody" Wolf added. "She would stop to help anybody, even talking to people, she was that kind of person who just didn't care who you were, she would go and help you. She loved her family more than anything."

Jessica said Michelle was also a mother to 4-year old daughter Aubree.

"Aubree loved her mom more than anything in the world. She was a great mom."

Two substantial losses

Now situated on both sides of the narrow, wooded section of Mauricetown Road are makeshift memorials to remember and honor both Wolf and Hughes. The crash is under investigation by New Jersey State Police. 

Chris Franklin can be reached at cfranklin@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @cfranklinnews. Find NJ.com on Facebook

'

Lobbying groups are weighing in on both sides on the Republican tax legislation.

State Senate President Stephen Sweeney has feuded with investor Carl Icahn in the past.

TRENTON -- New Jersey's highest-ranking lawmaker is calling for a state agency to reject billionaire Carl Icahn's request for millions in state money to help demolish a closed casino that now-President Donald Trump once owned in Atlantic City. 

State Senate President Stephen Sweeney -- who has feuded with Icahn in the past -- said Monday the investor is "no friend to Atlantic City" and there are "serious questions" about Icahn seeking $5.6 million to cover some of the cost to tear down the shuttered Trump Plaza.

"He has a track record as a profiteer who denies fair pay and benefits to workers," Sweeney, D-Gloucester, said in a statement.

"This Icahn plan seems like another scheme in keeping with his well-earned reputation of exploiting the financial problems of others for personal gain," Sweeney added.

Icahn's company did not respond to a request seeking comment. 

Billionaire could get $5.6M in state funds for Trump Plaza demolition

Icahn is asking for the money from the state's Investment Alternative Tax, a 1.25 percent tax on Atlantic City casinos' gross gaming revenue.

It would help fund the $13.2 million cost to demolish Trump Plaza, one of four Atlantic City casinos that Trump once owned. Icahn, a Trump friend, bought the property out of bankruptcy court last year.

The Casino Reinvestment Development Authority gave preliminary approval to the request last week. But it still needs final approval. 

Trump Plaza -- which Trump owned from 1984 to 2014 -- sits in a prime location: at the foot of where the Atlantic City Expressway funnels into the city's downtown district. It's one of the first things visitors see when they drive into the seaside resort town.

Authority officials say the demolition could bring in millions of dollars in new development in the city, which has been trying to recover from financial struggles in recent years. They also say it will eliminate an eyesore.

A lawyer for Icahn said one of the casino's two hotel towers and a bridge would be taken down. Still, no official plans for redevelopment of the property have been unveiled.

Sweeney said there should be a plan that "explains how the property will be used and what the project will contribute to Atlantic City's economic revival" before the authority approves the money. 

Spokespeople for the authority did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment. 

Sweeney and Icahn have a history of bad blood. Earlier this year, Sweeney sponsored a bill that would have punished Icahn for closing another former Trump property in Atlantic City, the Trump Taj Mahal casino. 

Icahn shuttered that casino in 2016 amid a dispute with labor unions. 

Gov. Chris Christie, a longtime Trump friend and fellow Republican, vetoed the bill in February.

Icahn responded by announcing he was selling the Taj and blamed Sweeney for his decision, saying the Senate president has caused "irrevocable damage to Atlantic City specifically and New Jersey in general."

"I believe other large investors will similarly have no interest in investing significant amounts in Atlantic City or New Jersey as long as Sweeney is in control of the Senate," Icahn said at the time. 

Icahn later sold the Taj to Hard Rock International, which plans to renovate and reopen the casino under the Hard Rock brand.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Brent Johnson may be reached at bjohnson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johnsb01. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

The deal is expected to be completed by next year.

Arby's, the popular quick-service restaurant chain, has agreed to buy Buffalo Wild Wings for $2.4 billion, company announced Tuesday.

The purchase also comes amid continued struggles for Buffalo Wild Wings, which has been affected by rising chicken prices and struggles to attract customers.

There are 12 Buffalo Wild Wings restaurants and 41 Arby's locations in New Jersey.

Arby's, owned by Roark Capital Group, will also assume Buffalo Wild Wings' debt, which would bring the total cost of the deal to about $2.9 billion. The deal is expected to be completed by the first quarter of next year.

Closing shop: N.J. restaurant chains shutter as industry shifts

"Buffalo Wild Wings is one of the most distinctive and successful entertainment and casual dining restaurant companies in America," said Paul Brown, CEO of Arby's Restaurant Group Inc. "We are excited to welcome a brand with such a rich heritage, led by an exceptionally talented team.

The agreement has been unanimously approved by both companies' boards of directors.

In a statement, Sally Smith, CEO of Buffalo Wild Wings, said, "We are confident that the strength of our two industry-leading brands ... will enable us to capitalize on significant growth opportunities in the years ahead."

Spencer Kent may be reached at skent@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SpencerMKent. Find the Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The $1.7 billion project would create a "one-seat" mass transit ride from the World Trade Center to Newark Liberty International

NEWARK -- The public can weigh in on a plan to extend PATH service to Newark Liberty International Airport at two informational meetings this week in Newark.

The first meeting is scheduled for Tuesday from 5 to 8 p.m, at the Weequahic Park Sports Authority Community Center, 92 Carmichael Drive, Newark. The second is set for the same time on Thursday night, also in Newark, in the Garden State Ballroom of the Hilton Newark Penn Station, at 1048 Raymond Boulevard.

The meetings will be hosted by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey to provide details of the project, take public input and answer questions. Comments on the project can be emailed to PATHextension@panynj.gov by Dec. 20.

The Port Authority operates the PATH system as well as the airport, and is leading the $1.7 billion project, which began planning in 2012 and is projected for completion in 2026.

The project would extend PATH service about 2 miles west from its current terminus at Newark Penn Station to an existing rail station near the airport along the Northeast Corridor line that now links NJ Transit trains from Newark and New York Penn Stations to the Newark AirTrain monorail. 

The project would also provide Newark's South Ward with a new PATH station that local officials hope would open up commuting and job opportunities, attract new businesses, and encourage economic growth in the area.

Additional project information is available on the Port Authority website.

Proponents of the extension say it would create a "one-seat" mass transit ride between the World Trade Center PATH station in lower Manhattan and the airport, sparing riders from having to change from PATH to NJ Transit trains at Newark Penn Station.

Riders would still have to change from PATH trains to the Airtrain at the so-called Newark Liberty Rail Link Station to access airport terminals or parking garages. 

Some have questioned the project, including truckers and other motorists whose Port Authority tolls subsidize PATH service. They have asked why the agency should spend close to $2 billion to provide one more layer of airport rail service already available via NJ Transit.

The Port Authority authorized spending $1 billion of its own revenues on the project, and will rely on $700 million in grants to pay for the rest.

In addition to the new South Ward PATH station, the project also calls for construction of a new rail yard and modification of existing platforms at Newark Penn Station. 

A commuter parking garage also could be constructed using a potential public-private partnership, to provide park and ride access to PATH for commuters.

The project's supporters include Mayor Ras Baraka, South Ward Councilman John Sharpe James, and state Sen. M. Theresa Ruiz (D-Essex), as well as the Global Gateway Alliance, a Manhattan-based airport advocacy group.

They and others envision the new station as a key to redevelopment of the South Ward's Dayton/Seth Boyden neighborhood, just east of Weequahic Park, where Frelinghuysen and Haynes avenues meet.

Steve Strunsky may be reached at sstrunsky@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @SteveStrunsky. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The 43-year-old man was walking on Route 206 just north of Partridge at 7:39 p.m, officials said

HILLSBOROUGH -- Township police identified the pedestrian who was fatally struck by a car Friday as Miguel Martinez Cuellar of Manville. 

The 43-year-old was walking on Route 206 just north of Partridge Road at 7:39 p.m, officials said. Responding units found Cuellar unresponsive in the roadway. 

The driver of the car remained on the scene. No charges have been filed. 

The investigation of the fatal crash is ongoing, police said. 

Hillsborough Township Police, Somerset County Prosecutor's Office Collision Analysis Reconstruction Team, Robert Wood Johnson Emergency Medical Services, Hillsborough Fire Co. 2, and the state Department of Transportation responded to the scene. 

Sophie Nieto-Munoz may be reached at snietomunoz@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her at @snietomunoz. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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Voters head to the polls on Dec. 5 in four council runoffs.

JERSEY CITY -- In the final week of campaigning in the Dec. 5 Downtown council race, a group with ties to a politically powerful labor union is starting to spend big money in support of Rebecca Symes.

Stronger Foundations Inc., which has spent hundreds of thousands this year to back pols like Sen. President Stephen Sweeney and Hoboken Mayor-elect Ravi Bhalla, paid for a 30-second spot on behalf of Symes that started circulating on Facebook this week and will also air on television.

The spot calls Symes "an attorney and a strong woman who will stand up to the Trump agenda."

While not unprecedented for an independent group to attempt to influence a local race -- one spent more than $250,000 to support Mayor Steve Fulop in 2013 -- this is the only one that has spent money in this year's municipal contest.

Stronger Foundations is not required to list its donors.

Symes, 36, came in first place out of five Ward E council hopefuls on Election Day, but landed in a runoff because she failed to win more than 50 percent of the vote. Her opponent is the second-place finisher, James Solomon, 33, who teaches about politics and government at two local colleges.

The Ward E race has been an expensive one. The two candidates' most recent filings show Symes raised about $92,000 and spent $58,000 on the first round of campaigning, while Solomon raised $125,000 and spent $116,000. Solomon's fundraising haul includes a personal $25,000 loan.

Solomon has made reform of the city's real-estate development process a central promise of his campaign, and he has highlighted Symes' prior work as general counsel for real-estate investment firm Dixon Advisory to cast her as the candidate who would be beholden to big-money donors tied to that industry.

Stronger Foundations' ad, he told The Jersey Journal today, shows "one candidate is independent of outside special interests and the other candidate is not."

Symes' campaign has expressed irritation at Solomon for attempting to draw this contrast, noting that his campaign finance reports show maxed-out contributions from wealthy, out-of-town donors. Speaking by phone to The Jersey Journal today, Symes responded to Solomon's criticism of the Stronger Foundations ad by repeating her campaign pledge to pursue publicly financed local elections in Jersey City.

"It's not a surprise that someone who has an extra $25,000 and a national network of donors doesn't care about locally funded elections," she said. "He doesn't need them."

Stronger Foundations is an independent expenditure group, and is permitted by state law to raise unlimited sums and spend money on behalf of candidates. It is not allowed to coordinate with Symes' campaign.

It has reported spending hundreds of thousands of dollars this election cycle, largely in legislative races, on behalf of Democrats and Republicans. On its campaign finance reports it says it spent $50,520 to support Bhalla, who won a six-way race on Nov. 7 to become Hoboken's new mayor.

The group, which has a Rahway P.O. box, says its money comes entirely from the labor management fund of the International Union of Operating Engineers Local 825. Its registered agent is Christopher Lalevee, whose brother Greg is that union's business manager. Greg Lalevee was named to Gov.-elect Phil Murphy's transition team as a co-chair of the labor and workforce development committee.

IUOE Local 825 represents nearly 7,000 operating engineers throughout New Jersey and New York. Its members work on transportation infrastructure.

"Stronger Foundations, Inc. is an independent organization that was created to inform voters and the public about the importance of infrastructure and economic development investments throughout New Jersey, as well as provide information regarding the positions of legislators and other elected officials on these very same issues," Stronger Foundations spokesman Michael Makarski said. "Because it is an independent organization, it does not coordinate its efforts with candidates or their campaigns."

Makarski also works for public relations firm MWW. Stronger Foundations has reported paying only two companies, MWW and pollster McLaughlin and Associates.

Makarski previously worked for Vision Media, a politically connected Hudson County public relations company that is working for Symes' campaign.

Symes and Solomon, both Democrats, are vying to succeed Councilwoman Candice Osborne, who did not seek a second term on the nine-member council (Osborne has endorsed Symes). The Ward E race is one of four runoffs facing Jersey City voters next week.

Polls are open from 6 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Tuesday.

Terrence T. McDonald may be reached at tmcdonald@jjournal.com. Follow him on Twitter @terrencemcd. Find The Jersey Journal on Facebook.

He either presented a note demanding cash from bank tellers or verbally demanded money.

A Newark man who admitted to robbing five North Jersey banks in 2016, including several in Hudson County, was sentenced today to more than six years in prison.

Acting U.S. Attorney for New Jersey William E. Fitzpatrick announced that Jermaine Mason, 40, was sentenced to 79 months in prison after previously pleading guilty to five counts of bank robbery. 

According to documents filed in this case and statements made in court:

Mason, who's also known as "Asim Harris" robbed banks in Harrison, Jersey City, Newark, and Kearny in October and November 2016. Mason admitted that during each of the robberies, he either presented a note demanding cash from bank tellers or verbally demanded money.

He has been in custody since being arrested by state authorities on Nov. 30, 2016. Prior to his arrest, he was on federal supervised release for a federal bank robbery conviction after robbing several banks in 2006 and 2007, authorities said. 

U.S. District Judge William J. Martini imposed the sentence today in Newark federal court. In addition to the prison term, Mason was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and must pay $16,429 in restitution, authorities said.

Mason's string of bank robberies began Oct. 21, 2016 when he fled the Kearny Federal Savings Bank in Harrison with $1,500 in cash. He struck again Nov. 3 when he robbed a PNC Bank in Jersey City and followed up two weeks later by robbing a Poplar Community Bank in Newark on Nov. 17, 2016. 

Mason then robbed a pair of Provident Bank branches in Jersey City and Kearny on Nov. 18 and Nov. 29, respectively. He was arrested one day after the Kearny robbery. 

Police say a man forced his way into a Henry Drive home while the homeowner was present.

Chatham Township police were investigating a home invasion burglary on Henry Drive Tuesday morning. 

Chatham Township Police Chief Steven Hennelly said a heavy-set man with a shaved head between the ages of 35 to 40 years old forced open the front door of the home while the homeowner was present.

The homeowner and the burglar then struggled before the burglar fled the residence in a dark blue Chrysler Pacifica minivan with no rear license plate, Hennelly said. The minivan, he said, had been parked across the street. 

Police haven't yet said whether they believed the alleged burglar was armed or if he stole anything from the house.

Anyone with more information on this incident can contact the Chatham Township Police Department at 973-377-0100.

Justin Zaremba may be reached at jzaremba@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinZarembaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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A survey of leading economists warns that it will leave us with crippling debt and a sputtering economy. But Trump, at least, will win a fortune.

The University of Chicago recently asked 38 of the nation's most respected economists to assess the Republican tax plan, and to predict its impact on our national debt and our rate of economic growth.

The debt will explode, they said. The economy will sputter.

Republicans are rushing this bill, just as they did with the Obamacare repeal, without asking for feedback from experts like these. They want to muscle this through because they know honest analysis will expose its monstrous flaws.

Imagine the questions: Why increase taxes on families earning $75,000 or less? Why drain money from states like New Jersey that already pay heavy subsidies to other states? Why reserve the bulk of benefits for the nation's richest?

The Republicans really have only one argument: Give more money to corporations, and they will invest it in new jobs and grant raises to their workers. That boom will generate enough extra revenue to cover the cost of the $1.5 trillion in cuts.

It's an economic theory that just won't die.

So, the University of Chicago surveyed economists from the nation's top universities, and took care to include conservatives and liberals.

Will economic growth be "substantially higher" under this plan? Just 2 percent agreed, while 51 percent said they "disagree" or "strongly disagree."

So much for those middle-class pay hikes. The problem with the trickle-down theory is that business leaders don't have to spend this new money on their workers. They can give it to their shareholders, or increase the obscene salaries they pay themselves.

Gary Cohn, Trump's top economic adviser, recently asked a group of 60 business leaders whether they would use this new bounty to create jobs. Five hands went up. Awkward.

In a second question, the economists were asked if this plan would lead to "substantially higher" debt.

They responded with a primal scream, as if the ship of state were about to hit an iceberg. Of the 38 surveyed, 37 warned that the debt would balloon. And the one who disagreed, Stanford University's Liran Einav, said later that he misread the question, and changed his vote.

The Republican Party has achieved something remarkable: They are cutting taxes, the political equivalent to serving a chocolate dessert. But their plan is so bad that most people hate it.

Polls show that Americans oppose this plan by wide margins. Realtors warn it will lead to big plunges in home values. A national survey of small business owners found that even they opposed it. In New Jersey, the Chamber of Commerce opposed it, as did all our Republicans in Congress, with the exception of Rep. Tom MacArthur (R-3rd).

Keep in mind, too, that this is just Stage One. Republican leaders like Speaker Paul Ryan say the next step is to cut spending, especially on entitlement programs. The Congressional Budget Office warned recently that, as drafted, this plan would force automatic cuts in Medicare next year of $25 billion.

Trump still won't release his taxes, but he was asked in September what he stands to gain: "I don't benefit," he said. "In fact, very very strongly, as you see, I think there's very little benefit for people of wealth."

It becomes tiresome to say this again, but he's lying, and we cannot ever treat that as normal. Forbes puts his net worth at $3.5 billion, which means the cuts in the estate tax alone would save him more than $1 billion. That's just the start.

This is obscene. And it exposes the dark influence of wealthy donors in Washington. With this bill, they are making their move, pinching the rest of us so that they squeeze even more juice from the orange.

The only hope now is that at least a handful of Republicans in the Senate step up to this moment in history. It could go either way, and that is both sad and scary.

More: Tom Moran columns 

Tom Moran may be reached at tmoran@starledger.com or call (973) 836-4909. Follow him on Twitter @tomamoran. Find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.

Steven Anderson, 17, and David Williams, 12, went missing in April 1975 from the New Lisbon State School in Burlington County

FBI agents combed a wildlife refuge area along the Jersey Shore in Stafford Township on Tuesday as part of a decades-old missing persons' case involving two boys who were roommates, officials said.

Steven Anderson, 17, and David Williams, 12, went missing in April 1975 from the New Lisbon State School in Burlington County. The boys, who both had developmental disabilities, wandered off into the woods surrounding the campus and were never seen again.

The case was recently brought back into the spotlight after the FBI, which joined the investigation in August, held a press conference in October asking the public for help in the 42-year-old case.

In a statement, FBI public affairs specialist Doreen Holder said: "the FBI and our law enforcement partners are conducting investigative activity in the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge as part of an ongoing investigation."

No additional information was available.

The 47,000-acre wildlife area is located along the coast in Stafford Township, just west of Long Beach Island across the Manahawkin Bay.

At the press conference in October, FBI officials said recent developments have provided promising information. However, detectives did not elaborate on what new information has been collected.

"We've made incredible progress," Special Agent Jessica Weisman said, noting that the international reach of the FBI is an invaluable source. "We're trying to get the word out and get as much information as we can." 

NJ Advance Media reporter Caitlyn Stulpin contributed to this report.

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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