IRVINGTON, NJ — The spirit of D. Bilal Beasley, the former Municipal Council president and Essex County freeholder was in the air on Saturday, Jan. 17, during the 20th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Commemorative Committee’s Legacy of a Dream ceremony inside the Irvington High School Auditorium.

“We are here today to honor the life and legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., a man whose life and life’s work were dedicated to uplifting and empowering people of all races, colors, creeds and religions,” said Superintendent of Schools Neely Hackett on Saturday, Jan 17. “I am also standing here because of another great man, D. Bilal Beasley. D. Bilal Beasley truly believed in giving opportunities to all people, especially the people of Irvington.”

Mayor Tony Vauss said this year’s Legacy of a Dream event “truly is a very emotional day for us here as we remember our mentor D. Bilal Beasley.”

Irvington Housing Authority Executive Director David Brown also said the ceremony was “an important day for me, when you think about Martin Luther King Jr. and D. Bilal Beasley.”

“The question today is: where do we go from here?” asked Brown on Saturday, Jan. 17. “We’ve already started doing some of those things, by the presence of the people that have gathered here today.”

Pastor Delores Watson of First Congregational Christian United Church of Christ was the keynote speaker at this year’s event. She said the answer to Brown’s question was to focus on the creating a better future by focusing on children and education.

“I do have a message but, pardon me, it’s for the children,” said Watson on Saturday, Jan. 17. “I’m glad to see the children, because it’s at that age that they’ve got to learn because our children are the future. We need to look backward to know who we are and where we come from.”

Watson also said she wanted all the children in attendance on Saturday, Jan. 17, to know they are beautifully made. She said this message was extremely important in her own life and she believes it is relevant to current and future generations as well, because the dominant society doesn’t always see virtues when they look at and think about people of color, especially African-Americans such as King and Beasley.

“When you look at how Dr. King lived his life, he has a fabric of principle running through him,” said Watson. “You are who you are and you are beautifully made and Dr. King knew that. Racism says you cannot and sexism says you will not. I was born different, but I was not born deficient. And neither were you.”

Watson said that instead of living down to the stereotypes, prejudices and low expectations of others, children and adults of today and beyond need to do as King and Beasley did by practicing the principle of reverse.

“Reverse what you’re thinking and you’ll reverse how you’re acting,” said Watson. “We need to teach our children. If they act that way, it does not mean that I have to act that way. Teach yourself, then teach your children, because if you don’t, then someone else will teach them what they want them to be.”

Watson said this was why events such as the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Committee Legacy of a Dream are so important. She ended her speech by reminding everyone in the audience, “We need to be proud of who we are.”

“It’s a God-given right,” said Watson. “Understand that who you are does not depend on how others are toward you. Be who you are and know how others act toward you.”

Essex County Freeholder Lebby C. Jones, who hails from the South, where King and the members of the Civil Rights movement waged their struggles for justice and equality, agreed with Watson.

Jones came north after college and became a teacher in the Newark public schools, where she met Beasley, who became her friend, mentor and partner in forming groups such as the Martin Luther King Jr. Committee and the Team Irvington social and political organization that have been forces in town for more than 25 years. She was there with Beasley when he first ran for elected office and she was also there when he came up with the idea for Team Irvington.

Together, Jones and Beasley implemented the team and, in many ways, Beasley has been credited with being as influential in Irvington as King was nationally. Democrats such as Sen. Robert Menendez came to town to participate in the Legacy of a Dream ceremony. Assemblywoman Cleopatra Tucker, Assemblyman Ralph Caputo and many more also came to pay their respects to two men who they described as visionaries and great leaders.

“The only way we’re going to make a difference in the lives of our children is through you parents,” said Jones on Saturday, Jan. 17. “You are their first teachers.”

Photo by Chris Sykes
Irvington Housing Department Director and East Orange 3rd Ward Councilman and City Council Vice Chairman Ted Green, center, stands atop a mound of earth and uses a shovel to fill in former Municipal Council President and former Essex County Freeholder D. Bilal Beasley’s grave on Friday, Jan. 26.

IRVINGTON, NJ — More than 1,000 people showed up at the Robert Treat Hotel in downtown Newark on Friday, Dec. 26, to pay their respects, say their final farewells and whisper words of prayer for former Irvington Municipal Council President and former Essex County Freeholder D. Bilal Beasley. The traditional Muslim janazah was organized by Imam Wahy ud Deen Shareef of Masjid Waarith ud Deen, or the Waris Cultural Center.

On Saturday, Jan. 17, that same outpouring of love, respect and loss were on full display again at the annual Legacy of a Dream Commemorative ceremony in the Irvington High School Auditorium. Every local official, including Mayor Tony Vauss and the contingent of invited guests headlined by Sen. Robert Menendez, said honoring Beasley at the same event as the one dedicated to Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. was the right thing to do.

“Today is very emotional, simply because it is in recognition of Dr. Martin Luther King, and connecting that to the life of D. Bilal Beasley is particularly significant for me because, I guess for me, it’s been roughly almost maybe 20 years that I’ve been coming to these ceremonies and it was only at the invitation of D. Bilal Beasley that I began to come and offer some words, hopefully, that have been significant and contributing to the development of those who heard what it is that we had to share in regard to the life of the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King,” said Shareef on Jan. 17.

“I think it’s important to understand that, when we look at both of those lives — Dr. King and D. Bilal Beasley — they were men that were recognized as public servants, but first they were servants of God. And I think that’s what made them good public servants, because it’s the consciousness of a person and the conscience of a person that enables them not only to serve God but to serve people.”

Shareef said he believes the one word that best sums up Beasley is “dedication.” And he said that was reflected in everything he ever said and did.

“Bilal chose that name; he was not born with that name. It is the name of the African slave who was chosen by the Prophet Muhammad to call the people to prayer,” said Shareef on Saturday, Jan. 17. “I think Bilal Beasley was a dedicated person. He was dedicated to his family and that love for his family and that dedication for his family spilled over to a larger, broader family that he recognized within community. He wanted to not only see his family grow and develop, but he wanted to see the community grow and develop.”

Professor Akil Khalifani, who heads the Africana Institute at Essex County College, said the entire community paying their respects to Beasley at his janazah Dec. 26, was understandable. And he agreed with Shareef that it was the right thing to do.

“We have to support those who came before us,” said Khalifani outside the Robert Treat Hotel on Dec. 26. “As
someone who also ran for public office, I think that, looking at what brother Bilal’s done over the years … what shows someone’s commitment is that they were willing to stick through the tough times and willing to lead by example. And so, as a young scholar, activist and politician myself,

it’s important to have our elders who we follow in the footsteps of. And so I think that brother Beasley was someone who myself and others can follow in the footsteps of.”

Khalifani said he was also at the janazah to show his support to the family and the community.

Cynthia Brown, the East Orange city clerk, said she is an observant Muslim, like Beasley, and had been to many janazahs in the past. But for many non-Muslims present, Beasley’s going-home ceremony was a first. She said, however, that any first-timers should not judge all janazahs by Beasley’s.

“That was a little different,” said Brown said on Tuesday, Jan. 13. “We don’t have all that talking. Usually, we go and the imam says a prayer and that’s it.”

Brown and Irvington Housing Department Director Ted Green said the Islamic ethos Muslims adhere to is “Hurry to the grave.” And she said Shareef said as much on Friday, Dec. 26.

“He said we should be swift in burying people,” said Brown.
Green noted another difference between the way Muslims and non-Muslims handle funerals is the interment of remains, a difference clearly on display for those who went to Beasley’s gravesite at Rosedale Cemetery in Orange. There, Green, Shareef and the other Muslim and non-Muslim men performed an obligation to Beasley.

“It gave the community an opportunity to see what a burial was for a Muslim, but it’s not my first time; I participated in many of them,” said Green on Saturday, Dec. 27, at the 3rd Ward holiday party. “In the Muslim faith, what it says in the Koran is all of us as human beings have to stay reminded that we’re going to leave here, so at the burial, the men actually participate in the burial by shoveling handfuls of earth on to the casket. It really reminds you that I’ve got to get my life together; I’ve got to get my council together. And if you look at the people who showed up yesterday at the janazah and the burial, that shows the kind of man that Bilal was and the kind of impact that he had on a whole lot of people’s lives.”

Leroy Jones, chairman of both the Essex County Democratic Committee and the East Orange Democratic Committee, said he’s one of those people Green was talking about. He said Beasley had a profound impact on his life and he intends to make sure this continues to be the case, even after his death.

“I’ve been to janazahs before, but when we talk about multicultural and diversity, it’s never been as diverse as that was yesterday and that is a testament to the reach of Bilal Beasley and the depth of Bilal Beasley,” said Jones on Dec. 27, at the 3rd Ward holiday party at a restaurant in Orange, which also doubled as a county Democratic Committee event.

“He transcended race, culture and ethnicity. That brother was a person that was worldly in his own community and he is somebody that I am going to sorely, sorely miss.

“I loved that brother. And I’m going to miss that brother.
“He was the conscience of the Democratic Party.”

IRVINGTON, NJ — Mayor Tony Vauss is scheduled to give his first State of the Township Address on Thursday, Jan. 29, at 5:30 p.m. in the Christian Pentecostal Church on Clinton Avenue.

“I am eager to share with the residents, business owners and other interested stakeholders my vision and what my administration has accomplished in the first six months of my tenure as mayor,” said Vauss on Tuesday, Jan. 20. “I look forward to presenting to them, my goals for 2015 and to seek their assistance in creating a joint effort to make our town safer and cleaner. A special tribute to the life and legacy of the late Freeholder and Councilman D. Bilal Beasley will be presented at the event.”

But before Vauss discusses his plans for Irvington’s future, NAACP Vice President Kathleen Witcher is asking stakeholders in town to participate in the Municipal Council meeting Tuesday, Jan. 27, at 7:30 p.m. In an email dated Thursday, Jan. 15, Witcher urged the township’s taxpayers, homeowners and others to come out and speak up.

“The Irvington Town Council voted to double their salaries last month, from $20,000 to $40,000, and added to that $5,000 each for stipends, plus added benefits annually,” said Witcher in the email. “The Irvington Town Council voted the mayor a $36,000 increase in salary last month. And, on top of that, there are township directors of departments receiving six-figure salaries now.”

Witcher added, “The costs of legal fees and settlements continue to rise in Irvington. All of this we foot in our tax bills. When expenses go up, so do our taxes. Help to stop rising taxes!”

But township business Administrator Musa Malik, who said he had received a copy of Witcher’s email, responded to what he labeled as misinformation in an email of his own.

“I want to make sure that no statements made with respect to this administration are colored by personal opinion or motivated by the intent to create panic and fear among our residents,” said Malik in an email dated Saturday, Jan. 17. “This administration has always welcomed the participation of the public in the meetings we hold and I personally ensure this administration maintains transparency with the residents of this township. As a part of that participation and transparency, I encourage individuals who make claims related to the actions taken by this administration or who may hear the claims made to confirm whether their beliefs are true through documented evidence, rather than believing my statements or the statements of others.”

Malik listed the facts, as the Vauss administration sees them, saying residents should feel free to contact him directly about them at MMalik@irvingtonnj.org or call 862-400-1117.

“The stipend increase received by council members was in order for them to cover expenses related to holding more events for the public; none of those funds are pocketed by the council members; and the council did not receive any other ‘added benefits annually,’” said Malik in the email.

“In fact, there are only two directors that make over $100,000 and both made over $100,000 before the mayor took office — the police director and the director of revenue and finance. The municipal clerk also makes over $100,000 and he also was employed before the mayor took office. These positions were making over six figures before the mayor took office, so the statement that this is happening ‘now’ is not accurate. This has been happening for years prior but, for some reason, this administration is being blamed for their salaries.”

Malik said no other director makes six figures or more than six figures, other than police Director Tracy Bowers, Revenue and Finance Director Faheem Ra’Oof and township Clerk Harold Wiener. And when it comes to taxes, he said there is only one pertinent fact for all Irvington taxpayers, including Witcher.

“This administration has taken no action to raise the taxes of any resident or commercial business owner in Irvington,” said Malik in the email. “When this administration took office, we faced a very unpopular revaluation on all properties within the township that occurred prior to the election of Mayor Vauss. Since taking office, the administration, in conjunction with the council, has made efforts to ease the impact of the changes in property taxes by extending the time periods to pay and waiving penalties and interest. In addition, this administration has no plans to raise taxes for 2015.”

IRVINGTON, NJ — Despite the heavily hyped snowstorm that dumped several inches of snow on Irvington and the rest of the Newark area Monday, Jan. 26, Mayor Tony Vauss said his first State of the Township Address is still on for Thursday, Jan. 29, at 5:30 p.m. at Christian Pentecostal Church on Clinton Avenue.

“We’re really looking forward to rolling out all of our plans for 2015,” said Vauss on Tuesday, Jan. 27. “The handling of this snowstorm was a testament to our resolve in making Irvington a safer, better place to live. Our residents deserve services and that is what we displayed in the past 48 hours.”

Vauss said he is still eager to share his vision for Irvington with the interested stakeholders of the township and the State of the Township Address is going to give a full accounting of what his new administration has accomplished in the first six months of his tenure as mayor.

And Vauss said tonight’s event will feature a special tribute to the life and legacy of the late freeholder and councilman, D. Bilal Beasley.

“The State of the Township Address has as many as 10 mayors coming in support of my administration,” said Vauss. “I look forward to presenting my goals for 2015 to them and the residents, business owners and other interested stakeholders in town. And I’m seeking their assistance in creating a joint effort to make our town safer and cleaner.”

A township spokesperson said the list of invited guests, elected officials, and dignitaries from around New Jersey who have confirmed their appearance at Vauss’s address includes Newark Mayor Ras Baraka, Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, Hillside Mayor Angela Garretson, East Orange Mayor Lester Taylor, Orange Mayor Dwayne Warren, Bloomfield Mayor Michael J. Venezia, West Orange Mayor Robert Parisi, Roselle Mayor and Irvington Department of Public Works Director Jamel Holley and Maplewood Mayor Victor DeLuca.

“All of our state senators and Assembly people, Essex County Executive Joe DiVincenzo, and New Jersey state Senate President Stephen Sweeney all have confirmed,” said Vauss. “All seven Irvington Municipal Council members are also participating in the event.”

Anyone interested in learning more about tonight’s State of the township Address can contact the Mayor’s Office in the Municipal Building in Civic Square at 973-399-6640.

IRVINGTON – Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn Murray and Irvington Police Director Tracy Bowers announced that the Irvington Police Department and the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force are investigating the murder of Alikhan Garland, 22, of Newark.

Garland was shot in the 100 block of 19th Avenue in Irvington on Jan. 23 at approximately 9:19 am. He was transported to University Hospital in Newark. He died from his injuries on Jan. 27 at 3:30 p.m. The investigation is active and ongoing. At this time no arrests have been made and no motive has been determined.

Anyone with information is asked to contact the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide/Major Crimes Task Force tips line at 877-TIPS-4-EC or 877-847-7432.

Photo by Chris Sykes Irvington’s Department of Public Works was on the job on Monday, Jan. 26, and Tuesday, Jan. 27, removing the 3 to 4 inches of snow that had been left behind in the township, after the blizzard failed to live up to its billing.

IRVINGTON, NJ — Mayor Tony Vauss declared a State of Emergency in town moments after Gov. Chris Christie declared a State of Emergency across New Jersey, in anticipation of the winter snowstorm that hit the area Monday, Jan. 26.

Vauss’s declaration could be found at the township’s official website, www.irvington.net, on Monday, Jan. 26, and Tuesday, Jan. 27, directing residents to “Please tune in to TV 34 or TV 35 Verizon for latest details.” It further asked anyone with an emergency to dial 9-1-1. For nonemergency situations, residents were instructed to contact the Fire and Police departments.

An emergency announcement video featured Vauss, fire Director John Brown, business administrator Musa Malik, Public Works Director Jamel Holley, and police Director Tracy Bowers, giving out public safety warnings and information.

“We declared a State of Emergency in Irvington after the governor declared a State of Emergency,” said Vauss on Tuesday, Jan. 27. “Once we declare a State of Emergency, police officers and firefighters are now working straight through to keep our residents safe and secure as well as other personnel and town hall. The business administrator and several directors spent the night here in Town Hall to insure the operation was successful.”

Television and broadcast media had predicted as much as 24 inches of snow in Pennsylvania and the Tri-State Area, with higher accumulations likely in places such as Long Island. The storm was projected to last from early evening on Monday, Jan. 26, to the evening on Tuesday, Jan. 27, and Christie and top officials in New York City and elsewhere issued travel bans, telling residents to stay off the roads and in their homes for the duration of the storm that was expected to reach blizzard conditions.

Fortunately for Irvington, the storm was not nearly as severe as most experts predicted, at least in Pennsylvania and New Jersey. Irvington only received a few inches of snow, and Christie’s travel ban was lifted before noon Tuesday, Jan. 27.
However, Vauss said that it’s always better to be safe than sorry.

“The safety of all our residents and children was my No. 1 priority,” said Vauss. “Declaring a State of Emergency gives us an opportunity to properly clean the streets. And it allows us to move people and equipment into place. It also reduces the risk of people getting injured moving about and going back and forth to work.”

Based on the number of positive comments about the township’s handling of the snowstorm that Vauss received on his Facebook page, many people in town were very pleased with the way his administration handled the first big snowfall of the New Year.

TRENTON – Acting Attorney General John Hoffman announced that 18 men were indicted by a state grand jury for allegedly operating a major weapons trafficking ring based in Newark that was illegally selling numerous guns, including high-powered assault rifles.

The primary target of the investigation faces many counts of first-degree unlawful possession of a weapon. The indictment, which was handed up late yesterday afternoon, is the result of an investigation by the New Jersey State Police Weapons Trafficking North Unit and the Division of Criminal Justice Gangs & Organized Crime Bureau.

The investigation focused on Louis Boggs, 31, of Newark. Boggs and his associates used his residence in the first block of 3rd Avenue and a residence in the 700 block of South 15th Street as bases of operation where they allegedly planned their crimes, met prior to gun sales and conducted some sales.

From August to December 2013, State Police detectives allegedly orchestrated 22 controlled purchases of guns from members of the ring. In these transactions, Boggs and his associates allegedly sold 11 illegal assault weapons – eight of which were equipped with illegal large-capacity magazines – as well as a rifle and 12 handguns, some with illegal hollow-point bullets.

Two of the handguns were stolen, and a third, which had a defaced serial number, was linked by ballistic testing to a murder in Newark.

Boggs allegedly was directly involved in most of the sales, and Joseph Maisonet, 25, a key associate, allegedly participated in about half of them. They face numerous counts of second-degree conspiracy and second-degree unlawful possession of an assault weapon or handgun.

They are among eight defendants charged with second-degree possession of a weapon as a convicted felon, which carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years without parole.

All defendants except one are charged with one or more counts of second-degree conspiracy and various second-, third- and fourth-degree weapons offenses.

Because Boggs has a prior conviction for robbery, which falls under the No Early Release Act, he is subject to first-degree gun possession charges. He faces 18 counts of first-degree unlawful possession of a weapon – one for each gun he allegedly sold – each carrying a sentence of 10 to 20 years in prison.

McKenny Dixon, 46, who has a prior aggravated assault conviction, faces three counts of first-degree unlawful possession of a weapon. He allegedly conspired in sales of three assault firearms.

The State Police executed search warrants at the two residences listed above on Dec. 3, 2013. Most of the defendants were arrested on that day or soon after. The detectives seized a revolver in Boggs’ home, as well as numerous rounds of ammunition.

“We allege that Boggs and his associates always had illegal guns for sale, and their wares included assault weapons comparable to those used in the mass shootings in Newtown, Connecticut, and Aurora, Colorado,” said Hoffman. “They allegedly were selling these deadly weapons to people who – like many of them – have criminal records and cannot legally purchase guns. Putting such guns in the hands of career criminals is a formula for murder and mayhem.”

“As this case demonstrates, we are aggressively targeting the gun traffickers responsible for the proliferation of lethal firepower on our streets,” said Director Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice. “We will continue to work closely with the State Police and utilize every resource available to protect the people of New Jersey by eliminating these black-market sales of illicit firearms.”

“The importance of keeping illegal weapons out of the hands of those who seek to circumvent the system cannot be overstated,” said Colonel Rick Fuentes, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police. “Illicit trafficking networks help fuel the violence that plagues communities nationwide. We will continue to work with our partnering agencies to aggressively target this black-market trade.”

Deputy Attorney General Amy Sieminski presented the case to the state grand jury for the Division of Criminal Justice Gangs & Organized Crime Bureau, under the supervision of Deputy Attorney General Annmarie Taggart, Deputy Bureau Chief, and Deputy Attorney General Lauren Scarpa Yfantis, Bureau Chief. The investigation was conducted for the New Jersey State Police by Detective Sgt. Michael Gregory and the Weapons Trafficking North Unit, under the supervision of Lt. James Hollar.

The following is a full list of the individuals charged in the indictment. All of the defendants, with the exception of Andrew Lopez, are charged with one or more counts of second-degree conspiracy and various second-, third- and fourth-degree weapons offenses. Andrew Lopez is charged with fourth-degree conspiracy to unlawfully dispose of a weapon. Eight defendants are charged with possession of a weapon as a convicted felon, as indicated with an asterisk.

*Louis Boggs, 31, of Newark.
*Joseph Maisonet, 25, of Newark.
Alejandro Fawcette, 33, of Newark.
Nathan Nieves, 24, of Newark.
Raheem Brison, 22, of Newark.
Andrew Lopez, 21, of Newark.
*Lee McLendon Jr., 35, of Newark.
*Reginald Dawsey, 25, of Newark.
*McKenny Dixon, 46, of Newark.
Marquise Clyburn, 22, of Newark.
Justin Caban, 24, of Saylorsburg, Pa.
*Ardnas Lopez, 27, of Newark.
*Tyheed Brison, 34, of Elizabeth.
Mark Jones, 47, of Newark.
*Rujohn Hutchins, 24, of Irvington.
Alquan McLendon, 31, of Wilkes Barre, Pa.
Antwon Graham, 31, of Newark.
Muhammad Abdul Salaam, 37, of Irvington.

First-degree charges carry a sentence of 10 to 20 years in state prison and a fine of up to $200,000. Second-degree charges carry a sentence of five to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $150,000.

The second-degree charge of possession of a weapon as a convicted felon carries a mandatory minimum sentence of five years without parole, and the other second-degree weapons charges carry a mandatory minimum term of parole ineligibility of one-half of the sentence imposed or 3 ½ years, whichever is greater.

Third-degree charges carry a sentence of three to five years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000, while fourth-degree charges carry a sentence of up to 18 months in prison and a $10,000 fine.

The indictment is merely an accusation and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The indictment was handed up to Superior Court Judge Pedro Jimenez Jr. in Mercer County, who assigned the case to Essex County, where the defendants will be arraigned in court at a later date.

Photo by Chris Sykes Mayor Tony Vauss, third from left, and West Ward Councilman Vernal Cox, second from left, stand with police Chief Michael Chase and Irvington Police Department PBA Local President Maurice Gattison and members of the Irvington Fire Department and International Association of Firefighters Local 305 member Alex Lima on Thursday, Jan. 29, at the mayor’s State of the Township Address at Christian Pentecostal Church on Clinton Avenue. Cox presented proclamations of commendation and appreciation to the Irvington police and fire departments at the State of the Township Address.

IRVINGTON, NJ — Mayor Tony Vauss gave his first State of the Township Address on Thursday, Jan. 29, at Christian Pentecostal Church on Clinton Avenue, and it was different from the standard address.

Instead of featuring the mayor standing at a podium discussing what his administration has done during the course of the previous year and upcoming plan, Vauss’s address featured musical performances by the Augusta Street School Pre-School Choir, the Chancellor Avenue School Choir and the Florence Avenue School Choir; presentations of proclamations to the Police Department, Fire Department and the Irvington Chamber of Commerce; remarks from Municipal Council President Charnette Frederic and North Ward Councilman David Lyons; a dance performance by the Irvington Dance Theater and Educational Center with the direction of advisor Mozell Anderson and choreographer Kamille King; and a few words from two developers currently engaged in projects at the old Irvington General Hospital site on Chancellor Avenue and a landscaping job at a public building and adjoining property at the intersection of Union and Nye avenues, just off Springfield Avenue.

The highlight of Vauss’s State of the Township Address was a special video tribute to former Municipal Council President and former Essex County Freeholder D. Bilal Beasley, who founded the Team Irvington social and political organization that dominated the town for years, before being succeeded by the current Team Irvington Strong group led by Vauss. Afterward, Vauss and Essex County Freeholder Lebby C. Jones presented a special proclamation to Beasley’s widow, Baseemah, and his surviving children and family members.

“I don’t have to read what’s on this proclamation because we all know what it says,” Jones said with tear-filled eyes on Thursday, Jan. 29. “He was a hero to all of us. He was also very dear friend. He did so many things for so many people and we’re never going to forget that.”

Jones helped Beasley form the old Team Irvington organization. East Ward Councilman Paul Inman was once a member of Team Irvington, too, although he is not affiliated with its successor group Team Irvington Strong.

But Inman echoed Jones when he said that many people, including himself, owe a tremendous debt to Beasley, and asked everyone to join him in a round of applause in honor of Beasley’s life and legacy.

“There was a gentleman that paved the way for all of us,” said Inman on Thursday, Jan. 29. “He helped all of us. He really made it easier and better for a lot of lives here in Irvington and Essex County. Let’s have a round of applause for D. Bilal Beasley.”

Vauss said Inman’s remarks about Beasley were right on point.

“Like Councilman Inman said: ‘One Man is responsible for all of our futures,’ ” said Vauss on Thursday, Jan. 29. “He lives on in the memory of his family with his wife, Baseemah Beasley. Not only has she decided to further her husband’s legacy, she is now the chairperson of the Irvington Democratic Party, just like her husband was.”

Baseemah accepted the proclamation from Jones on behalf of her entire family. She also said she accepted it in honor of all the other people who loved, honored and respected her husband throughout both his public and private life.

“He was my little hero,” said Baseemah on Thursday, Jan. 29. “On behalf of my family, I just want to say thank you to everyone for all the love and support that you have given us since Bilal passed away. It has really meant a lot to all of us. And we appreciate it. And we won’t ever forget it.”

Despite the emotion and energy in the air at Vauss’s State of the Township Address, there were some who believed it was long on style and short on substance.

“I am still waiting for the transparency and communication that has been talked about by the town administration since last year,” said former Irvington NAACP President Kathleen Witcher in an email blast she sent out Saturday, Jan. 31. “On Thursday, I spent about three and a half hours through the song, dance and show waiting for the township address by Mayor Vauss. The program was elaborate and well-rehearsed. The students performed well.”

Witcher said she wanted much more substance from Vauss’ first State of the Township Address than what she got, but attendee Clifton Beckley disagreed.

“I’m impressed,” said Beckley on Thursday, Jan. 29, after the address had ended. “He seems to have hit the ground running. Of course, we are optimistic about the future. It seems like he’s headed in the right direction. I actually see stuff being done, instead of promises being made. So that’s a good thing. He seems to have organized the council. They seem to speak in one direction now.

“I understand the newness of things and that, at the beginning, everybody is really enthusiastic. But I’m hoping that we stay the course this time.”

IRVINGTON, NJ — The Irvington NAACP will be hosting a Tax Appeals Workshop on Thursday, Feb. 5, at 7 p.m. at Greater New Point Baptist Church on Paine Avenue, in conjunction with the Peoples Organization for Progress and other community action and government watchdog groups.

“The homeowners, business owners and taxpayers in Essex County deserve tax breaks,” said Irvington NAACP President Merrick Harris in an email blast Tuesday, Jan. 20. “While property taxes are something we all must pay, the rising costs are often draining our already limited budgets. Come to the Tax Appeals Workshop that is open to all. Learn more about how you can save on this year’s property tax bill.”

Irvington NAACP Vice President Kathleen Witcher said there is a sense or urgency to the workshop, which is taking place in the wake of the Municipal Council’s meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 3. That meeting was originally scheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 27, but canceled due to inclement weather.

Previously, Witcher had called on all the stakeholders in town to come out for that meeting to learn more about taxes, tax increases and other hot-button issues. Witcher said the time is now for a tax appeal education workshop in a town where taxes are already sky high.

“Many property owners, homeowners and businesses have saved hundreds of dollars by filing for relief in Essex County,” said Witcher said in an email blast on Friday, Jan. 30. “You, too, can learn how to save on your property taxes. Come out with your families, neighbors and friends. Don’t miss this opportunity to save money.”

Witcher said all are welcome to attend the meeting on Thursday, Feb. 5, and Harris agreed.
“You will be able to hear from a number of homeowners who have save thousands of dollars by filing property tax appeals,” said Harris said on Tuesday, Jan. 20. “Please share this invitation from the Irvington NAACP.”

Mayor Tony Vauss said he also urges any property owner in town who is eligible for a tax appeal to file one, but he and business administrator Musa Malik both said they don’t know to which tax increase Witcher and Harris were referring.

Malik made his remarks in an email blast on Saturday, Jan. 17, citing fiscal facts in response to Witcher’s email on Thursday, Jan. 15, in which she listed issues she thinks every stakeholder in town should be concerned about.

“The legal department has literally save the township thousands of dollars in legal fees that we inherited from the previous administration,” said Malik on Thursday, Jan. 29, at Vauss’s first State of the Township Address at Christian Pentecostal Church on Clinton Avenue.

At the State of the Township Address, Vauss reiterated his points by producing a “Ready For 2015” information booklet, boldly emblazoned with the words “No Tax Increases For 2015,” which he handed out to everyone in attendance.
“The year 2014 has quickly come to a close and the goal and objective for the Calendar Year 2015 is to keep the taxes flat for the township of Irvington,” Vauss said in the “Ready For 2015” booklet.

“As our objective is clear to obtain this goal, the township will implement the following: Complete the (Calendar Year) 2015 budget by the end of the first quarter; continue the policy of tight controls on spending that so that no department overspend their final budget allocation; fully implement the reorganization of the Recreation Department, with reduction in its operating budget by approximately $200,000 for 2015; monitor and control overtime for all the departments to make sure they stay within the budget allocation; continue to secure quality bids for all of the township services over the required dollar amount for the best price and services; monitor and review current township contracts to make sure all of the township funds are being spent effectively and efficiently such as telephones, supplies, utilities, etc.; and look to outsource various services that will be better delivered and more cost-effective.”

Vauss said the other way to ensure no tax increase for 2015 is to increase other revenue in town.

“By implementing all of the above, along with other strategies, the township will achieve its goal of keeping the taxes flat.”

IRVINGTON, NJ — Those who went to the Greater New Point Baptist Church on Thursday, Feb. 5, to attend the Irvington NAACP’s Tax Appeal Workshop were in for a surprise. The workshop was postponed about six hours before it was set to take place. It was rescheduled for today, Feb. 12, at 7 p.m. at Greater New Point Church, and will be combined with an expanded Black History Month program.

In an email blast, Irvington NAACP President Kathleen Witcher said, “Irvington NAACP invites homeowners and business owners and all interested throughout Essex County to its Thursday, Feb. 12, meeting at 7 p.m. at Greater New Point Missionary Baptist Church, 60 Paine Ave., Irvington.

“The law firm of Esposito and Spiotti will detail how hundreds of property owners have already saved on their taxes. The tax appeal workshop will explain how to get the savings earned by homeowners and businesses in the past. The appeal process is now open.”

Witcher also said, by special invitation, Ron Alston of the My Father Knows Best nonprofit organization had arranged for a presentation by renowned scholar and lecturer Leonard Jeffries at the meeting. Jeffries is a former CUNY professor who made waves in the 1990s with his lectures on race, race relations and American history from the African-American point of view.
“Jeffries is an historian on African and African-American history who also offers annual tours of African countries,” said Witcher. “He will present on Thursday. Share this invitation with friends, family, and neighbors.”

In addition to the appearance by Jeffries, Witcher said Alston had also volunteered to provide free haircuts for any senior citizens who show up for the workshop and Black History Month event.

“Let’s look at this clearly,” said Witcher in an email blast Monday, Feb. 2. “We do care about our homes. We do care about our town. Our first-quarter taxes on our homes are now due. We already had an increase last quarter in our property taxes. This is not a numbers game.”

Mayor Tony Vauss and township Business Administrator Musa Malik agreed with Witcher that the subject of taxes in town is not a numbers game, but said she was misrepresenting the facts to the public, apparently to cause a false sense of alarm among Irvington taxpayers.

In an email blast sent by Malik on Saturday, Jan. 17, he cited “fiscal facts” in response to Witcher’s email sent on Thursday, Jan. 15, in which she listed a number of issues and fiscal questions concerning taxpayers.

Vauss also made his own remarks on Thursday, Jan. 29, at his first State of the Township Address at Christian Pentecostal Church on Clinton Avenue.

“Ready For 2015” information booklets were handed out by the Vauss administration at the State of the Township Address with “No tax increases for 2015” emblazoned on them.

Vauss said in his address, “The goal and objective for the calendar year 2015 is to keep the taxes flat for the township of Irvington” by increasing other revenue in town and implementing specific, targeted fiscal policies.

“As our objective is clear, to obtain this goal, the township will implement the following: complete the CY 2015 budget by the end of the first quarter; continue the policy of tight controls on spending, so that no department overspends their final budget allocation; fully implement the reorganization of the Recreation Department, with reduction in its operating budget by approximately $200,000 for 2015; monitor and control overtime for all the departments, to make sure they stay within the budget allocation; continue to secure quality bids for all of the township services over the required dollar amount for the best price and services; monitor and review current township contracts to make sure all of the township funds are being spent effectively and efficiently, such as telephones, supplies, utilities, etc.; and look to outsource various services that will be better delivered and more cost effective,” said Vauss on Thursday, Jan. 29.

“By implementing all of the above, along with other strategies, the township will achieve its goal of keeping the taxes flat.”
To learn more about the Tax Appeal Workshop, call 973-393-0399 or send an email to kwitcher2000@yahoo.com.

IRVINGTON, NJ — The Rotary Club of Irvington’s annual Dictionary Project, which promotes reading, writing and creative thinking to third-graders, occurred in February.

Each third-grader enrolled in the parochial, charter and public schools within the township of Irvington received his or her own dictionary.

Educators have determined that third grade is the “dividing line between learning to read and reading to learn.” That is why the Rotary Club of Irvington chose to give the gift of words and their meaning to approximately 727 third-graders.

Members of the Rotary Club of Irvington visited each of the elementary schools with third-grade students to present the dictionaries on Wednesday, Feb. 4, through Monday, Feb. 9, between the hours of 9 and 11 a.m.

Thanks to the generosity and support of Rotarians and various volunteers, these dictionaries are free to the students.
The Rotary Club of Irvington meets every Tuesday at 6 p.m. at the Irvington Public Library.

TRENTON – A Newark man yesterday admitted his role in an armed carjacking and subsequent involvement in a scheme to bribe a corrections officer to smuggle contraband, including marijuana and cell phones, into the Essex County Correctional Facility, a federal pretrial detention facility, U.S. Attorney Paul Fishman announced.

Quasim Nichols, 30, pleaded guilty before U.S. District Judge Mary Cooper to an information charging him with one count of committing an armed carjacking and one count of conspiring with others, including Essex County Corrections Officer Stephon Solomon, 27, of Irvington, to commit extortion under color of official right. Nichols is being held without bail.

According to the documents filed in this case, other cases, and statements made in court: On May 28, 2012, Nichols and three men were traveling in a gray Dodge Magnum toward Elizabeth. Nichols was driving the vehicle.

Upon arriving in Elizabeth, the three men exited the car and approached a 2005 BMW 645. The men pointed handguns in the direction of the BMW’s passengers and ordered them out of the car. Two of the men then entered the BMW and drove it away.

The third man re-entered the Dodge Magnum driven by Nichols. The third man was carrying a black Taurus Millennium semi-automatic handgun and a cell phone that had been stolen from one of the occupants of the BMW. Nichols and the third man drove away and followed the stolen BMW.

While driving away from the scene, multiple police vehicles activated their overhead lights and turned on their sirens in an effort to stop Nichols. Nichols continued to drive the Dodge Magnum at a high rate of speed from Elizabeth into Newark, drove through a red light and struck a vehicle at the intersection of Martin Luther King Boulevard and Market Street.

The driver of the other vehicle suffered serious injury. Nichols and the other man then attempted to flee the area on foot.

Subsequently, while detained at the Essex County Correctional Facility on the armed carjacking charge, Nichols conspired with others, including Solomon, Dwayne Harper, 31, of Newark, and Darsell Davis, 29, of Newark, to pay cash bribes to Solomon so that he would smuggle contraband – including cell phones, tobacco, and marijuana – into the Essex County Correctional Facility.

After Davis and Harper collected the contraband, Davis delivered the items and cash bribes to Solomon, who then smuggled the contraband to Nichols. Nichols ultimately sold the marijuana and cell phones to other inmates.

The inmates purchasing marijuana and cell phones had their friends and family pay for the items by sending Western Union money transfers to Nichols, who enlisted Davis and others to retrieve those payments. Davis obtained at least $4,300 in Western Union payments for Nichols.

Solomon pleaded guilty Oct. 1, 2014, to conspiring to commit extortion under color of official right and is scheduled to be sentenced March 25. Davis pleaded guilty Oct. 21, 2014, to conspiring to commit extortion under color of official right and awaits sentencing.

Dwayne Harper pleaded guilty Oct. 21, 2014, to conspiring to smuggle marijuana into the Essex County Correctional Facility and awaits sentencing. Davis and Solomon have been released on bail. Harper is being held without bail in New Jersey.

The armed carjacking charge carries a maximum penalty of 25 years in prison. The conspiracy charge carries a maximum penalty of 20 years in prison. Each charge also carries a maximum fine of $250,000. Nichols agreed to forfeit $4,300 consisting of his proceeds from the contraband smuggling conspiracy. His sentencing is scheduled for May 20, 2015.

Photo by Chris Sykes A man studies the artists representations of the redevelopment projects that Mayor Tony Vauss mentioned during his State of the Township Address on Thursday, Jan. 29. Vauss said the projects involve the Hilltop Project on the old Irvington General Hospital site on Chancellor Avenue and the streetscape upgrade to the Nye Avenue and Union Avenue area behind Springfield Avenue and the Irvington Center main shopping district.

IRVINGTON, NJ — Two redevelopment projects — the old Irvington General Hospital site on Chancellor Avenue and a landscaping job at a public building on the corner of Union and Nye avenues behind the Irvington Center shopping district — were discussed in detail at Mayor Tony Vauss’s first State of the Township Address on Thursday, Jan. 29.

The old Irvington General Hospital site project, known as the Hilltop Project, is being redeveloped by Adinah Bayoh, the owner of the International Hospital of Pancakes restaurant on Springfield Avenue, and Patrick Terborg.

“Just like Mayor Vauss, I’m so optimistic about the possibilities for this community,” said Bayoh on Thursday, Jan. 29, at the State of the Township Address. “We, as a people, can be better.”

Terborg spoke briefly about the specifics of the Hilltop Project on Thursday, Jan. 29, saying, “I’m happy to say that we’re going to commence demolition of the site in March. We’re moving forward with our tax credit application. We anticipate receiving our application and closing on the first phase in November.”

Terborg said the Hilltop Project would not have been possible without the support of former Municipal Council President and Essex County Freeholder D. Bilal Beasley, who died in December. He said Beasley was the one who named it the “Hilltop Project.”

Vauss said the streetscaping project on Union and Nye avenues is being managed by Scott Seale of Novus Equities. He introduced Seale and his partner, Stephen Hess, to the audience at the State of the Township Address and allowed them to speak briefly about their plans.

“We are so thankful to have started the project on the health centers,” said Seale on Thursday, Jan. 29. “They have stood since the mid-70s. Stephen and I are very excited about doing new landscaping and really redeveloping these buildings.”
Seale said his company has done similar projects in Jersey City, East Orange, Paterson and other municipalities and “we’ve never gotten the kind of help and support as we’ve gotten here in Irvington.” He said his working relationship with the Vauss administration has been wonderful.

“It’s like coming into Mayberry,” said Seale. “We’re spending on buildings at Nye and Union avenues over to Springfield Avenue. It’s something to truly be proud of.”

Vauss said he was happy to have Seale and Hess and Bayoh and Terborg working with his administration to redevelop Irvington.

“We met with them and they said they have money to spend,” said Vauss on Thursday, Jan. 29. “I surely want them to spend that money in Irvington.”

Despite the discussion about the redevelopment projects during the State of the Township Address, Irvington NAACP President Kathleen Witcher said not enough was being revealed.

“I am still waiting for the transparency and communication that has been talked about by the town administration since last year,” said Witcher in an email blast sent Saturday, Jan. 31. “I share in the comments made by several people seated near me in the church. We came to hear about how the town will move forward. And that did not happen on Thursday.”

Witcher said she did like some aspects of the State of the Township Address, but those moments were few and far between.
“It was good to see some people awarded for years of service to the town,” said Witcher. “But on one or two notes, questions arose in the audience about the presence of one police officer now under scrutiny and about another police officer who came under scrutiny earlier for a video considered out of taste. People want to know what is going on in Irvington.”

Witcher said she would have liked to have more relevant information discussed at the event.

“I think perhaps the next meeting will focus on actual activities, actual data, and offer time for questions and responses. That, to me, will be more like what we expect of transparency and communication.”

IRVINGTON, NJ — Haiti Life, a nonprofit organization based in Irvington, is launching a major fundraising campaign to provide medical equipment and supplies to the health clinic in Desdunes, Haiti. The Rev. Ancelot Cherilus, a senior board member who was born and raised in Desdunes, explained, “We believe we are the lucky ones and we want to reach out for the others.”

Haiti Life is the fundraising and programmatic arm of Association Desdunienne Pour Le Développement d’Haiti, an organization of Haitian-Americans that was founded 30 years ago in Essex County. In the past three decades, the group has dedicated itself to improving the lives of residents of their hometown by funding roads, schools, and the health clinic.

Desdunes is a town of approximately 26,000 residents — 40,000, including surrounding areas — located in the Artibonite region of Haiti. Due to its geography and poor infrastructure, the Artibonite region has some of the most dire needs in Haiti.The infant mortality rate is almost 10 times that of the Unites States and the maternal mortality rate lags even further.

With the long-term goal of bringing a hospital to Desdunes, Haiti Life partnered with Group i&i Consultancy, a nonprofit advisory firm, to craft a strategy. The result is Campaign: Clinic, a targeted effort to provide equipment and supplies to the existing clinic, so the dedicated doctors and nurses have the tools they need to treat patients. This new healthcare focus has already paid dividends: Haiti Life has succeeded at partnering with Haiti Air Ambulance to offer emergency transport to Desdunes.

Campaign: Clinic kicks off this holiday season, with the goal of raising at least $30,000 this winter. To donate, visitwww.haitilife.org. For additional information regarding the needs in Desdunes, please watch Haiti Life’s video at: http://youtu.be/OZdL53UYAHc.

Haiti Life, www.haitilife.org, was founded 30 years ago by 12 Haitians who had moved from Desdunes to Port-au-Prince. Originally named Association Desdunienne Pour le Développement, the organization expanded to include Haitian-Americans and Haitians immigrants. Today, Haiti Life is a thriving nonprofit organization headquartered in Irvington. Group i&i Consultancy, www.groupi-i.com, is a strategic advisory firm that helps organizations broaden their impact through grant funding, evaluations, and organizational development support.

Founded by Toufic Hakim in 2009, the firm has helped secure more than $35 million in federal grant awards, evaluated multi-year federally grant-funded initiatives and clarified strategy and operational needs for nonprofits and social enterprises.

Photo by Chris Sykes
Irvington NAACP President Kathleen Witcher, center, addresses the crowd of roughly 70 people that gathered in front of the Municipal Building in Civic Square on Sunday, Jan. 19, to have a protest rally against police brutality and the mindset that led to the shooting death of Abdul Kamal last year during a domestic violence incident on Stanley Street. Kamal was shot at least 10 times by officers that responded to the domestic violence call allegedly following a standoff where he refused to remove his hands from inside his pockets.

IRVINGTON, NJ — Friday the 13th proved bad luck for the family of Abdul Kamal, who was shot and killed two years ago by police responding to a domestic violence call at his estranged wife’s residence on Stanley Street in Irvington. Acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn Murray announced last week that a grand jury had decided not to pursue criminal charges against the three Irvington police officers who had killed Kamal.

“An Essex County Grand Jury has declined to indict three Irvington police officers in connection with the fatal shooting of Abdul Kamal, 30, of Irvington,” said Murray on Friday, Feb. 13. “This is truly a tragic case, but the grand jury has concluded that there is no probable cause to return an indictment. We respect that decision. This ends our role in this case.”

Murray said Kamal was shot during the early morning hours of Nov. 11, 2013. Although there was a restraining order barring all contact with his estranged wife, Murray said Kamal went to her Stanley Street home at about 2 a.m. and broke into her apartment.

“The wife fled through a back door and called 9-1-1,” said Murray. “When officers arrived, they tried unsuccessfully to reason with Kamal as he stood with his right hand in his pocket. Kamal became increasingly agitated and refused to take his hands out of his pocket. The officers used pepper spray to subdue Kamal, but he still would not comply with their commands. As he began to remove his hand from his pocket, while verbally threatening to shoot the police, three of the six officers at the scene discharged their weapons.”

Murray said police fired 15 shots at Kamal.
“Autopsy results show 13 hit Kamal,” Murray said. “He died at the scene. After he was subdued, the officers realized Kamal was not armed. He had a cell phone in his pocket.”

Murray said the names of the officers involved in the Kamal shooting are not being released “because of concern for their safety.”

She said, “They are currently on active duty with the Irvington Police Department. The action by the grand jury ends the criminal investigation by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office.” Murray also said that, at the time of the shooting, one officer had 18 years on the job, another had nine years and a third had almost four years. Although she declined to give the officers’ names, Kamal’s stepmother, Nadida Matin, already released them to the public on Jan. 27, 2014, in an email blast she sent out to members of the media and law enforcement.

In a letter to the Irvington Herald on Jan. 28, 2014, Matin said, “Allegedly, these officers were there during the crime and may have participated in it. Lastly, and most importantly, what protocol, policy or procedures with respect to ‘use of force’ did the police follow during this incident and any other, especially those officers that are involved?”

Police Chief Michael Chase was suspended from duty with pay when the Kamal incident happened in 2013. But he said, as far as he is concerned, it was a tragic situation all around.

“If the county did an investigation and the facts support that no one should be charged and the grand jury made up of civilians says that no one should be charged, then I’m going to have confidence in the judicial system,” said Chase on Tuesday, Feb. 17. “I know those officers are relieved. Two years is a long time to hang in the balance. Once you have discharged your weapon in the line of duty, you have been changed, too. A cop is a normal individual with a very difficult job.”

Chase said nobody is happy about what happened on Stanley Street in 2013 or what happened on Friday, Feb. 13, when the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office announced that a grand jury had decided not to indict his three officers. He also said he’s not happy about their names having been released in advance of the grand jury decision by Kamal’s family.

But Chase said he understands the surviving family members only did it because they wanted answers to their questions about Abdul’s death. He said he also understands they wanted justice for what they considered to have been his unjust death, and some closure on the whole situation.

“The family has my deepest condolences,” said Chase.
“No one can comfort you when you have a loss like that. No one can understand it. All we can do is give our condolences.”

Photo by Chris Sykes
Two men pause for a moment in front of the makeshift shrine to the memory of slain Roseway Liquor Store clerk Amit Patel that sits outside of the business on Lyons Avenue on Tuesday, Feb. 17, after he was shot and killed by an unknown suspect while working in the store on Sunday, Feb. 15. Patel’s shooting death was the second homicide of the year in town. The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office has set up a mobile sign outside of the store on Lyons Avenue directing anyone with information about this homicide to contact the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Tip Line.

IRVINGTON, NJ — It was another day in the office for Musa Malik on Sunday, Feb. 15, when he and acting Essex County Prosecutor Carolyn Murray announced that a homicide had occurred at a Lyons Avenue liquor store.

The only difference is that when Malik issued this statement, he did so in the role of acting Irvington police director, since police Director Tracy Bowers has temporarily resigned while he formally retires from the Irvington Police Department.

Bowers took a leave of absence from the Irvington Police Department, where he has the rank of captain, in order to become Mayor Tony Vauss’ police director. The police director’s job is a civilian post, so Bowers could not hold it while continuing to work for the Irvington Police Department. But now that he is retiring from the force, this should be a moot point.

“Tracy retired,” said Vauss on Tuesday, Feb. 17. “He got his 25 years now.”

Malik, an attorney, is now serving as the acting police director in addition to serving as Vauss’ business administrator. But, according to sources within the Irvington Police Department, Malik will only be in his new job for the next six months, which is how long New Jersey law requires a police officer to wait after retirement before he can take up employment in another police- or law enforcement-related job.

Malik came on board just in time for the investigation of last weekend’s fatal shooting.
“The Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide-Major Crimes Task Force and the Irvington Police Department are investigating the fatal shooting of Amit H. Patel, 28, of Edison,” said Murray on Sunday, Feb. 15. “At approximately 4 p.m. today, Irvington police responded to a report of a shooting at 701 Lyons Ave. When they arrived at Roseway Liquors and Deli, they discovered Patel suffering from what appeared to be a gunshot wound. The victim was pronounced at the scene.”

Murray said Patel was the son of the owner of the business and the investigation is active and ongoing, although no suspects have been arrested.

Anyone with information about the homicide is asked to call the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office Homicide-Major Crimes Task Force at 877-847-7432. Police Chief Michael Chase said the county has jurisdiction over all homicides in Essex County but this doesn’t mean the Irvington Police Department isn’t involved in the case.

“This was the second homicide of 2014,” said Chase on Tuesday, Feb. 17. “It’s a homicide, so the county homicide squad has the lead on this. At this point, it’s under investigation.”

Nevertheless, Chase said he did want to reassure the local business community and the rest of the township that everything possible is being done to find and arrest the perpetrators of the homicide. He also gave his condolences to Patel’s surviving family members.

“My condolences to the family,” said Chase. “We’re asking any citizen that has any information about this crime to come forward. They can do it in confidence or through the county hotline.”

Chase said anyone who does come forward would be doing themselves and their community a great service. He also said he hopes this incident won’t sour the rest of the local business community on Irvington.

“It’s a tragic situation,” said Chase. “A businessperson is here to render service to the community. People need service. If the people that provide the services don’t want to be in town, that would greatly disrupt the quality of life. Your community store not being there or your gas station not being there — how would that affect you?”

TRENTON – Acting Attorney General John Hoffman announced that three people were indicted today on first-degree charges of conspiracy and money laundering for allegedly stealing $700,000 from various banks through a counterfeit check scheme.

The Division of Criminal Justice Corruption Bureau obtained a seven-count state grand jury indictment charging the following defendants with first-degree conspiracy, two counts of first-degree money laundering, second-degree theft by deception, and third-degree forgery: Harold Stephens, 31, of Elizabeth; Michael Caldwell, 39, of Irvington; and Janilyn Roman, 31, of Orlando, Fla.

Stephens, the alleged ringleader, also is charged with a third count of first-degree money laundering and a second count of third-degree forgery. The indictment is the result of an investigation by the New Jersey State Police, the Division of Criminal Justice and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service.

Between January 2012 and September 2014, Stephens, Caldwell, Roman and other participants in the scheme allegedly deposited roughly 300 counterfeit checks in amounts totaling over $1.6 million into numerous third-party bank accounts at branch offices of five major banks in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware and Florida.

Stephens, Caldwell and Roman then allegedly stole more than $700,000 by withdrawing funds from the deposit of the counterfeit checks before the banks discovered the fraud.

“This trio allegedly used a computer graphics program to create counterfeit checks, which they quickly converted to cash by taking advantage of banks with customer-friendly policies on fund availability,” said Hoffman. “They were essentially printing money. Fortunately, as financial fraud has become more sophisticated, we have kept pace, bringing con artists like these to justice through cutting-edge investigations.”

“Financial fraud costs banks, credit card companies, retailers and private citizens many millions of dollars every year,” said Director Elie Honig of the Division of Criminal Justice. “With cases such as this one, we’re putting offenders on notice that the more they steal, the longer they’ll spend in prison. These con artists face up to 20 years in state prison for being so prolific in their alleged crimes.”

“Most large-scale financial crimes cross numerous jurisdictional lines as criminals seek to wash their cash through seemingly legitimate means. The strength of our partnerships with other agencies therefore determines the level of our success in tracking down the ringleaders and the networks they create,” said Colonel Rick Fuentes, Superintendent of the New Jersey State Police.

“Postal Inspectors, along with other law enforcement agents, unraveled a sophisticated counterfeit check scheme that resulted in thousands of dollars in losses,” said Inspector in Charge Maria Kelokates, Newark Division of the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. “Postal Inspectors will continue to aggressively pursue investigations in which Postal Service products and the U.S. Mail are used to facilitate a crime.”

Stephens allegedly purchased legitimate checks from people for a small price, often targeting customers entering check cashing businesses. He then allegedly used a computer graphics program to print counterfeit checks which matched the legitimate checks but which were written for large sums payable to other persons.

Stephens allegedly used individuals, including Caldwell, as “recruiters” to obtain bank account information, debit cards and pin numbers from people willing to be named as payees on the counterfeit checks. The defendants would then use the payees’ bank accounts to deposit the checks and withdraw the proceeds, a process Stephens allegedly referred to as “washing” the checks.

The recruiters and payees allegedly were paid by the defendants for their roles in the scheme. Roman allegedly was involved in depositing counterfeit checks and withdrawing funds in Florida.

The defendants allegedly targeted banks that allow funds from deposited checks to be withdrawn by their customers the next day. In some instances, the payees would open a new account that would be used to “wash” counterfeit checks.

However, in at least one instance, the payee’s bank account information and debit card were stolen for use in the scheme. It is alleged that, to further launder the stolen funds, Stephens would use them to purchase money orders and gift cards for various stores.

Stephens and Caldwell were arrested at their homes on Aug. 6, 2014, by members of the investigating agencies. Roman was arrested the following day, Aug. 7, by the Orlando Police Department. She was extradited to New Jersey with the assistance of the U.S. Marshals Service.

Stephens is free after posting $250,000 bail. The other two defendants remain in the Middlesex County Jail, with bail set at $250,000 for Caldwell and $150,000 for Roman.

The case was presented to the state grand jury by Deputy Attorneys General Cambridge Ryan and Jeffrey Manis of the Division of Criminal Justice Corruption Bureau, under the supervision of Deputy Attorney General Anthony Picione, Bureau Chief.

The investigation was led by Detective Sgt. Robert Wronski of the New Jersey State Police Official Corruption North Unit, Detective Katelyn Sake of the Division of Criminal Justice Financial & Computer Crimes Bureau, and U.S. Postal Service Inspector Brian MacDonald. Acting Attorney General Hoffman thanked the Piscataway Police Department for providing valuable assistance in the investigation.

The first-degree money laundering charge carries a sentence of 10 to 20 years in state prison, including a mandatory minimum term of parole ineligibility of one-half to one-third of the sentence imposed. That charge also carries a criminal fine of up to $500,000, and an additional anti-money laundering profiteering penalty of up to $500,000 or three times the value of any property involved.

The first-degree conspiracy charge carries a sentence of 10 to 20 years in prison and a fine of up to $200,000. Second-degree charges carry a sentence of five to 10 years in prison and a fine of up to $150,000, while third-degree charges carry a sentence of three to five years in prison and a fine of up to $15,000.

The indictment is merely an accusation and the defendants are presumed innocent until proven guilty. The indictment is posted with this press release at www.njpublicsafety.com.

The indictment was handed up to Superior Court Judge Mary Jacobson in Mercer County, who assigned the case to Middlesex County, where the defendants will be ordered to appear in court at a later date for arraignment on the charges.

Photo by Chris Sykes
Irvington Housing Department Director and East Orange City Council Vice President Ted Green, left, stands with longtime friend Ron Alston, the founder of the non-profit My Father Knows Best organization, on Saturday, Feb. 21, at the 16th annual Jersey’s Best of the Champions Open Martial Arts Tournament inside the East Orange Campus High School gymnasium. Alston is facing home mortgage foreclosure in Irvington by his lending bank, so groups such as New Jersey Communities United, SEIU 1199 of New Jersey, the Irvington NAACP and the People’s Organization for Progress are hosting a rally on Friday, Feb. 27, at 3:30 p.m. outside of the Municipal Building in Civic Square in Irvington to pressure the bank into modifying his mortgage so he and his wife, Youver, can stay in their home.

IRVINGTON, NJ — Sometimes, the people that are best known for helping others could use some help themselves.
Such is the case for Ron Alston and his wife, Youver, who founded My Father Knows Best, a nonprofit organization that conducts annual back-to-school book bag and school supply giveaways, in addition to drives for coats, toys, food and other items for local people in need. Unfortunately, the tables have turned on the Alstons.

“We want to stay in our home,” said Youver Alston on Saturday, Feb. 21. “Our son grew up here. We bought this house to give him stability and we love it. We’ve put all our hearts and our money, everything we had, into this house.”

This is why members of Communities United New Jersey, Service Employees International Union 1199 of New Jersey, the Irvington NAACP, the People’s Organization for Progress and other grassroots organizations are coming together Friday, Feb. 27, at 3:30 p.m. at the Municipal Building in Civic Square to rally to save the couple’s home from foreclosure by the Wells Fargo bank.

“This is not a fundraiser; it’s a rally,” said Irvington NAACP Vice President Kathleen Witcher on Monday, Feb. 23. “We have a foreclosure rate of 47 percent in Irvington now. That’s half the town. There’s no longer a moratorium, so people are going to be evicted. The only hope for most homeowners is to get their banks that hold their mortgages to modify or refinance. It’s either that the bank will give the loan modification or they won’t. It’s a case-by-case basis.”

Paul Karr, the communications director for New Jersey Communities United, said Witcher was right. He said the fact that the Alstons, who have done so much through the years for so many, are now facing home foreclosure is just more proof of how broken the system is.

“We’re stepping in where Gov. (Chris) Christie has failed and his attorney general has failed,” said Karr on Tuesday, Feb. 24. “There has been no real effort to help homeowners. We have tens of thousands of homeowners across New Jersey that are struggling that could be addressed by Gov. Christie and his attorney general, but they’re not, so we’re stepping in where they are failing.”

Karr said the goal for the rally on Friday, Feb. 27, is simple.

“We’re hoping to save their home,” said Karr. “That’s not going to happen because of a rally. It’s going to happen from pressure from people on the banks like Wells Fargo. We saved Paulette McQueen’s home from foreclosure last year. She’s an Irvington resident and we were able to pressure Wells Fargo to modify her home loan on terms that were sustainable for their family.”

Karr said the success in McQueen’s case is proof positive that it can be done, and agreed with Witcher that it is taking place on a case-by-case basis.

“We actually have dozens of homeowners at different stages of the process,” said Karr. “We have helped families stay in their homes by stalling the process or pressuring the banks to modify their mortgages.”

Witcher said she is hoping the recent success of New Jersey Communities United in the McQueen case can be duplicated for families such as the Alstons. She said, despite all the couple has done for at-risk people in Irvington and elsewhere through the years, they are not immune from the financial and fiscal woes brought on by the recession of 2007-2008, undermined the U.S. economy and the home housing market in particular.

According to Witcher, the NAACP has stepped into the fight against home mortgage foreclosures in Irvington and other parts of the country. She said Americans’ basic right to be protected from predatory lending practices has been violated and economic justice is just another front in the ongoing civil rights and social justice fight. She said that’s why local groups such as the Irvington NAACP started having workshops on home mortgage foreclosure and the tax appeal process.

Unfortunately, Witcher said, the national and local NAACP efforts have not been enough to keep people such as the Alstons from becoming victims.

“When the workshops started in 2010, I wish the people would have come then,” said Witcher. “They did know then that we were having workshops on foreclosures and predatory lending. But nobody thought they had a problem then. The window of two years means that the two years that they might have worked against the foreclosure and predatory lending has brought them up against the window when they are facing eviction now, rather than loan modification or any other remedies.”

Sadly, Witcher said, the Alstons’ story has become more and more common in Irvington.

“My opinion is we should try to keep people in their homes, because you can’t collect any taxes on houses that have no tenants,” said Witcher. “In Irvington, to see half the town is up for foreclosure, that means more people will be out of their homes shortly. It’s one of many stories that are like that.”

People’s Organization for Progress Chairman Larry Hamm said this just means people and groups such as the NAACP, NJ Communities United and SEIU 1199 have to step up and do whatever they can to help people such as the Alstons. He said that’s why they’re taking it to the streets at the rally, on Friday, Feb. 27.

“We’re definitely going to be supportive of that rally,” said Hamm on Monday, Feb. 23. “Ron Alston is a wonderful man. It’s outrageous that they should be forced to give up their home. It’s outrageous that millions of people in the United States have lost their homes because of a crisis that was precipitated by Wall Street and the banks. They got a bailout from the federal government and gave themselves raises. Meanwhile, the masses of people are having to find shelter in any what that they could.”

Hamm said, “It’s disgraceful how regular folks get the short end of the stick every time there is some kind of economic crisis.”

IRVINGTON, NJ — The Irvington Public Library is celebrating 100 years on Sunday, March 1. The theme for a year-long celebration of events is “Serving with excellence for 100 years.” The library’s Centennial Committee consisting of selective members of the board of trustees and staff are announcing a series of special programs with the goal to bring greater visibility to the library and to raise funds.

The library was transformed from merely a depository of books approximately 20 years ago to a place of destination for 20,000 community residents and others every month. Irvington Public Library is described as the “star in Irvington’s crown.”

It has long been the hub of the township because anyone is able to enter its doors to find help for a variety of reasons. The facility is clean and attractive, bright and lively and supports the needs and demands of its changing community.

The mission of the library is to be the cultural and educational resource center for residents of the township of Irvington and its neighboring communities. Cutting-edge technology is provided to all customers. It’s a wireless hotspot with a computer lab, public access internet center and a laptop center. The library currently offers an array of public programs including daily free computer classes, literacy programs, book club, summer reading programs, cultural diversity events, college fairs, art shows, reading festivals, celebratory parties and more.

The series of centennial celebratory events will begin on Monday, March 2. The centennial committee is preparing a pictorial history scrapbook of the library; a brick garden highlighting names of library lovers will be created; an art show, Facebook contest, prizes and awards and honors will be given to organizations and individuals and a gala dinner dance will be on Saturday, Sept. 19.

The library’s board of trustees and staff anticipate an exciting and productive year. They encourage all residents, whether avid library users or not, to join in the celebrations. They also thank the elected officials, loyal friends, advocates and volunteers, previous members of the board and staff who have contributed to the success of the library.

For more information, call the library at 973-372-6400. They welcome your participation and support.

Photo by Chris Sykes
Members of the Irvington Fire Department leave the house at 95 Chancellor Ave. on Monday, March 2, after inspecting the building where a fatal fire broke out in the early morning hours of Saturday, Feb. 28.

IRVINGTON, NJ — According to Deputy Chief Bill Mulligan of the Irvington Fire Department, a group of firefighters returned to the house at 95 Chancellor Ave. on Monday, March 2, to inspect the structure that had been the scene of a fatal fire on Saturday, Feb. 28.

“What we do is we use the site to do what we call a ‘post-fire analysis,’ in which many of the companies will stop by and use it as a training tool to look at the layout of the building, the location and the extent of the fire,” said Mulligan on Monday, March 2. “It also spurs us to review our tactics and go over building construction and hydrant locations. It’s a tremendous training tool.”
Mulligan said constant training is part of all firefighters’ jobs, saying they could even learn something valuable by examining the scene of a fatal fire, such as the one on Saturday, Feb. 28.

“We have scheduled training sessions six days a week, from Monday through Saturday, that are pre-scheduled, which include any number of tactics, from any fire ground tactics to use of tools; use of equipment and maintenance of equipment,” said Mulligan. “The most important training is district familiarization — knowing the types and locations of buildings in your district; the types and ways we can access them or the construction features and how fire spreads. That’s why we use a post-fire analysis for.”

Mulligan said all this training has just one purpose: “It’s to keep us up to date and prepared.”
“Buildings are constantly changing,” he continued. “People move in, people move out. Sometimes they do renovations on the buildings, sometimes with a permit and sometimes without. We’re just trying to learn more about the buildings in our districts in our town.”

Mulligan said all that training and information comes in handy on the job, especially when it comes to dealing with fires such as the one at 95 Chancellor Ave.

“At 1:19 in the morning on Feb. 28, we received a telephone alarm reporting a house fire at 95 Chancellor,” said Mulligan. “Our units arrived on the scene at 1:24 a.m. and found that it was an occupied, three-story, wood-frame house with a heavy fire condition and heavy smoke showing from both the second and third floors in the rear. A second alarm was transmitted.Maplewood Fire Department and Orange Fire Department, along with the Newark Fire Department, provided mutual aid. The fire was brought under control at 2:31 a.m., a little bit over an hour after we received the alarm.”

However, Mulligan said despite the Irvington Fire Department’s quick response time to the fire and the firefighters’ alacrity in putting it out, there was one fatality.

“During the incident, we had one confirmed civilian fatality,” said Mulligan. “The cause of the fire is still under investigation. We’re unable to release any of the victim’s information at this time.”

Mulligan said, in addition to the mutual aid the Irvington Fire Department received from other departments in neighboring towns, it also received a helping hand from the Red Cross and Irvington arson investigators. He also said the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office has become involved.

“That’s standard procedure when there’s a fatality,” said Mulligan. “The cause of the fire is under investigation at this time. Fire deaths are also handled by the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office. They take over and are the lead investigators. The Irvington Fire Department investigators are there to support them and to assist with the determination of the cause of the fire.”
Mulligan said as routine as this might sound, the reality is there is “nothing routine” about a fire-related fatality in town, which is never a good thing.

“Our No. 1 priority is the safety of the residents and the firefighters of course,” said Mulligan. “It’s always a sad occasion for us. We never become comfortable with it. We never get used to it. On a certain level, we take it personally. We recognize that it’s our job. We accept whatever risks we have to in order to help people.”

And sometimes, Mulligan said, those acceptable risks become all too real for the firefighters themselves. Fortunately, he said, they were able to minimize the risks of this fire and keep any injuries among the Irvington Fire Department personnel to a minimum.

“We had three minor injuries, none of which required any hospitalization,” said Mulligan. “Three minor injuries.”
Neither Mayor Tony Vauss nor fire Director John Brown could be reached for comment about the fatal Chancellor Avenue fire by press time this week. But Diane Concannon, the spokesperson for the American Red Cross North Jersey Region, discussed the role her organization played in assisting the surviving fire victims.

“We assisted the families,” said Concannon on Tuesday, March 3. “We have had several fires recently. We were there to assist. A family of four was provided with Red Cross Emergency Assistance. That would include temporary lodging and assistance for food.”