Mother and Daughter Arrested in Drug Bust

Maplewood Police detectives arrested a mother and daughter after searching their Academy Street home and seizing more than a half pound of marijuana, prescription narcotic pills, and an undisclosed amount of cash last week, according to Police Chief Robert Cimino.

Police discovered the drugs and cash while serving a search warrant for the house, on the 500 block of Academy Street, near Columbia High School.

They arrested Michele Alphonso-Nutter, 43 and her daughter Chavier Alphonso, 19. The pair were charged with drug possession, possession near school property and possession with the intent to distribute, along with possession of drug paraphernalia.

Arrest Warrant Issued for Newark Clergyman

An arrest warrant has been issued for the pastor of a Camden Street church after the cleric failed to appear in court Aug. 24 on fraud and other charges, the Essex County Prosecutor’s Office said Tuesday. 

The Rev. Amir Natson, 29, the pastor of Ebenezer Baptist Church at 119 Camden St., had been indicted for second-degree insurance fraud, second-degree conspiracy and third-degree wrongful impersonating. 

Mom Takes Her Three Kids Shoplifting

A Brooklyn women was arrested, while with her three children, for attempting to steal $1,099 worth of merchandise from Bloomingdales in the Short Hills Mall, Millburn police said. 

The Brooklyn resident, Mei S. Yip, was seen by Bloomingdales employees picking up 14 items while walking around the store on Aug. 24. 

Yip then entered a fitting room with the merchandise. Upon leaving the fitting room, she was seen with a full Bloomingdales's bag. Employees said she didn't have the bag when she went into the dressing room.

Livingston Shuttle Could Begin By Next Month

On Sept. 4, the Livingston Town Council will vote on whether to award the contract to provide a bus service.  If approved, the non-stop, round trip express service from the from the Livingston Mall to the South Orange train station can possibly be in service by the end of September, according to Alan Karpas, Chairman of the Town’s Vision 20/20 Committee.

Now titled the Livingston Primetime Shuttle, the shuttle will operate two round trips per hour, Monday thru Friday, from 5:30 a.m.–9:30 a.m. and from 4 p.m.–9 p.m.  The fare for the non-stop service will be $2 each way or a monthly pass for $70.

Two Men Arrested for Pills, Pot and Cash

Two Bloomfield men have been arrested after being found with illegal prescription drugs. They face additional charges after police found more prescription drugs and narcotics in their home.

Bloomfield Police said in a news release, that Jesus Guzman, 34 and Dawshawn Outcult, 29 were arrested last week after police conducted a surveillance of their home.

Africk: Montclair Is No Livingston, Millburn

In an op-ed piece, former Councilor Cary Africk writes about residents' concerns Montclair doesn't seem to be keeping itself up when compared with Livingston, Madison and Millburn.

Snooki Gives Birth in Livingston

Nicole “Snooki” Polizzi, one of the stars of 'Jersey Shore,' gave birth Sunday morning at Saint Barnabas Medical Center in Livingston. 

Lorenzo Dominic LaValle was born just before 3 a.m., NJ.com reports. The baby boy weighs 6 pounds, 5 ounces and is healthy according to a report by MTV.

Water Utility Ordinance to Face Newark Vote

The Newark Municipal Council is expected to vote on an ordinance next month that would bar the city from placing water and sewer utilities under control of a public utility authority without direct voter approval. 

Mayor Cory Booker, as well as his predecessor, Sharpe James, have pushed for the creation of a municipal utility authority, or MUA, as the most cost-effective way to operate and overhaul the water system, which serves a half-million customers in Newark and nearby cities and towns. 

Nutley School Officials Outline Course Changes

New teachers in the Nutley School District will get together before school starts to go over changes in curriculum, the school board said this week.

In addition, the district presented curriculum goals that included asking the teachers to collaborate more this year.

Gina Villani, director of Curriculum and Instruction for the Nutley School District, led a presentation at Monday’s Board of Education meeting about changes to curriculum for the upcoming school year.

Millburn Board of Ed Discusses Recent Ranking

Millburn's Board of Education members addressed the recent ranking of the high school, falling from number one to eight, in its meeting this week, saying achievement has never been higher.

"To me these surveys really mean nothing," vice president of the board, Dr. Eric Siegel, said. "These kids did outstanding. We had a 100-point higher average on SAT scores than the highest school. Our students are achieving. Our students are doing well at the next level. What more could we ask for?"

Caldwell Police Release Sketch of Assailant

Caldwell Police have released a sketch of a man believed to have assaulted a gas station employee and robbed an Exxon gas station on Aug. 13.

Caldwell Det. Brad Palatucci said the man is described as a man, aged 30 to 35, who is 6 feet 1 inches to 6 feet 4 inches tall, with a medium build and a medium brown complexion.

The Monday afternoon robbery sent the gas station employee to the hospital with a head injury. The employee was apparently struck in the head in the gas station office before being robbed of cash and cartons of cigarettes.

Nutley School Officials Want Test Scores to Rise

Nutley school officials want student test scores to rise this school year and are making it a priority, school officials said this week.

Superintendent of Schools Russell Lazovick presented graphs of students’ test scores to the school board and a small audience at the Monday’s Board of Education meeting.

Lazovick said that overall test scores "settle in the middle of the pack," including the New Jersey Assessment of Skills and Knowledge, or NJASK test for grades three and eight, and the High School Proficiency Assessment, all part of federal No Child Left Behind standardized tests.

"These tests are not a single tool to evaluate students, but it does give us numbers comparable to other schools," Lazovick said.

Town Hall Deli Will Make Way for 7-Eleven

The owner of the Town Hall Deli confirmed Thursday night that the deli will move to a new location, effectively making way for a 7-Eleven to open up at the 60 Valley Street location in South Orange.

What is still unknown is whether or not the deli will remain in South Orange or move to a different town.

“We are continuing to review a variety of options, both here and in other nearby towns,” said owner Tony Wonski in a statement emailed to Patch.

New Vice Principal for James Caldwell High

As Charles Ezell watched from the audience, the Caldwell West Caldwell Board of Education (BOE) unanimously approved his appointment as the new vice principal at James Caldwell High School.

Ezell replaces James "Jim" Brown who was appointed at a previous board of education meeting to become the new principal at Grover Cleveland Middle School. 

Bloomfield School District Has Changes in Store

Bloomfield students will see many changes in the district this fall, according to Superintendent Jason Bing, with the introduction of iPads and tablets, Rosetta Stone language software, new testing and waterbotics as well as computer labs and new placement courses.