The Sports and Exposition Authority votes Thursday on a $1.1 billion bond plan

LYNDHURST -- The developers of American Dream Meadowlands will look to clear another hurdle Thursday on the way to completing the troubled project.

The Sports and Exposition Authority plans to vote on whether to authorize a package of $1.15 billion in bonds to support the construction of American Dream.

The state Local Finance Board approved the bonding plan earlier this month. The public bonds will ultimately be sold far from New Jersey, by the Wisconsin Public Finance Authority.

$4B road to a runaway American Dream

The bonds will help support $2.7 billion in construction planned at the site, bringing the cost of the project over its years-long history to nearly $5 billion.

Union officials say the project will mobilize hundreds of construction workers. However, the New Jersey Alliance for Fiscal Integrity, a nonprofit advocacy group opposed to the mall, has criticized the state-backed bonding plan, saying the deal was unfair to businesses that don't get special financing deals.

Triple Five aims for the bonds to hit the market in September and for American Dream to open in late summer 2018.

The Sports Authority meets at 1:30 p.m. at its headquarters in Lyndhurst.

Myles Ma may be reached at mma@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MylesMaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

This years Marauders' team holds commits headed to Rutgers, Boston College and more.

We introduce the players that put up huge numbers in 2015 that are back once again to lead the state in production and help their teams win.

The man had been trying to cut a tree with a chainsaw when it snapped and fell onto him, police said

MOUNT OLIVE -- A 63-year-old man suffered a broken arm and leg after being trapped under a fallen tree for nearly 10 hours at a remote location in Mount Olive, police said.

The Palisades Park man, who was not named, was cutting a tree with a chainsaw around noon Wednesday when it fell on him, said Mount Olive Police Sgt. Eric Anthony.

Police received a 911 call at 9:51 p.m. and the man's son helped direct emergency responders to the residential property located on Stephens State Park Road, outside the park, Anthony said.

The man was treated at the scene for his injuries by the Budd Lake First Aid Squad and was then airlifted to Morristown Medical Center, Anthony said.

The delay in getting treatment likely escalated the victim's injuries, Anthony said.

Ben Horowitz may be reached at bhorowitz@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @HorowitzBen. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Thousands of alumni of Paramus Catholic High School and their friends and family have signed a strongly-worded open letter to school officials chastising the school for firing a female dean who married a woman

PARAMUS - Thousands of alumni of Paramus Catholic High School and their friends and family have signed an impassioned open letter to school officials chastising the school for firing a female dean who married a woman.

The letter, written to President James P. Vail and school administrators, was issued days after a judge refused to throw out the suit brought against the school by former Dean Kate Drumgoole, who was terminated because she is in a same-sex marriage.

It demands the school apologize and enact policies against sex and gender discrimination following the firing of a gay woman who has filed a lawsuit. Nearly 4,000 people had signed the letter by Thursday morning.

The alumni say they are disappointed with the school's decision to terminate Drumgoole.

"By your decision, you perpetuate misinformed hate against individuals on the basis of their gender and sexuality," the letter states. "From your position of power and privilege, you deny lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer students a psychologically safe learning environment."

A woman who answered the phone in Vail's office referred all questions about the letter to the Archdiocese of Newark. Jim Goodness, a spokesman for the Archdiocese, said officials there would have no comment because of the pending litigation.

Drumgoole filed suit in Superior Court in Hackensack alleging that Paramus Catholic, Vail and the Archdiocese of Newark violated discrimination laws and inflicted emotional distress.

In court, the school has conceded it fired Drumgoole because she married a woman, but said the school did not violate New Jersey Laws Against Discrimination because it is not unlawful for churches to require that employees subscribe to their beliefs.

'We fired dean because she married a woman'

The letter writers point to a passage written by Vail in the school's 2017 yearbook:

"Paramus Catholic's diversity enhances our standards as a college preparatory school. You can become a citizen of the world here, which will prepare you for the real world of college and career. You can only learn so much in a school where everyone is just like you."

"Mr. Vail, the real world is here. The real world is in the hallways just outside your office," states the letter. "The real world is made of human beings who find themselves at the intersection of complex social identities. The real world has heard your decision and bears the consequences of your decision."

The letter urges Vail to apologize to Drumgoole and to all students at Paramus Catholic and to enact policies against discrimination based on "biological sex, sex assigned at birth, gender identity, gender expression, sexual attraction, romantic attraction, and marriage status."

The alumni also ask the school to develop diversity workshop training for administrators, teachers, and students "so as to empower them to become citizens of the real world."

"Empower them to create a world that accommodates and builds on our diversities," states the letter, which is signed "Concerned Alumni of Paramus Catholic High School."

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

Maks Chmerkovskiy  joins his brother Val, and other top dancers like Witney Carson and Sharna Burgess on the 23rd season of the ABC reality show competition 'DWTS.' He last appeared in season 18 opposite ice dancer Meryl Davis. 'Dancing with the Stars' season 23 premieres on ABC on September 12.

After a four-season hiatus, "Dancing with the Stars," Maksim Chmerkovskiy -- or Maks, as his fans call him -- is returning to the dance floor as a pro in the upcoming "DWTS" season 23. 

ABC has been rolling out the cast for season 23 since earlier this week. Maks' fiancee Peta Murgatroyd, who snagged the mirror ball last season with Nyle DiMarco, is expecting their first child and will be taking the season off. The celebrity cast will be announced Aug. 30, and the season premieres Sept. 12.

The popular and often fiery Maks, a Ukrainian native who settled in Fort Lee, joined the show in its second season but had never won the coveted mirror ball until the 18th season, when he and ice dancer Meryl Davis were crowned champions. That was his last season as a pro, though he has been a guest judge in recent seasons.

Maks is just coming off a dance tour with his brother Val, who won the 20th season with partner Rumer Willis and is also returning to the show. "I feel great," Maks said Thursday morning on "Good Morning America. "I just wanted this to continue, the feeling, the positivity, so much love out there." 

The brothers run a Fort Lee-based chain of dance studios called Dance with Me with fellow pro Tony Dovolani. 

Vicki Hyman may be reached at vhyman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @vickihy or like her on Facebook. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook, and check out TV Hangover, the podcast from Vicki Hyman and co-host Erin Medley on iTunes, Stitcher or listen here.

TV HANGOVER SHOW: Ep. 47: Battle for the best show of Summer 2016

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The R&B singer and actress, who recently split from her husband and manager Kendu Isaacs, has had the home on the market since 2015

The newly separated Mary J. Blige has knocked a cool $1 million off the asking price of her French Country estate in Saddle River, the Trulia.com listing shows. It's now listed at $10.9 million.

The R&B star and actress, who filed for divorce from her husband and manager Kendu Isaacs in Los Angeles in July about 12 years of marriage, reportedly bought the estate for $12.8 million in all-cash deal in 2008. She put the house on the market in 2015 for $13 million and reduced the price in April to $11.9 million.  

This 18,250-square-foot home on 4 gated acres features two formal dining rooms, an enormous kitchen with double center islands, two refrigerators and a circular breakfast room with vaulted ceiling, a master suite with vaulted ceilings and a separate sitting room with double-sided wood-burning fireplace and a patio overlooking the pool and pool house, a home gym, a sauna and steam room, an indoor basketball court and a wine cellar.

Photos show that Blige has already decamped; she owns another, more modest home in Cresskill. Joshua Baris of N.J. Lux Real Estate has the listing. 

Records show she paid $98,547 in property taxes on the Saddle River estate last year.

Other celebrities who call the wealthy Bergen County suburb of Saddle River home: rapper and reality show star Rev Run, hip hop's Wyclef Jean, and comedian Rosie O'Donnell, whose English County estate is currently on the market for $6.495 million. 

Vicki Hyman may be reached at vhyman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @vickihy or like her on Facebook. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook, and check out TV Hangover, the podcast from Vicki Hyman and co-host Erin Medley on iTunes, Stitcher or listen here.

TV HANGOVER SHOW: Ep. 47: Battle for the best show of Summer 2016

Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, Stitcher, TuneIn, SoundCloud or Spreaker.

Developer Triple Five expects construction activity to return to American Dream in September

LYNDHURST -- American Dream Meadowlands took a step toward completion Thursday when a state board approved a $1.1 billion financing plan for the troubled project.

The New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority voted to authorize a bond sale to the Public Finance Authority of Wisconsin, which will then sell bonds to investors.

The $1.1 billion bond sale, coupled with $1.5 billion in private financing, should help developer Triple Five resume work on American Dream as early as September, executives say. The site has sat idle since April, when the developer ran into trouble securing funding.

Triple Five will repay the bondholders in revenue from the completed mall. The state is allowing American Dream to forgo up to $350 million in money that would otherwise go toward paying sales tax to instead repay the bonds.

The mall will repay the other $800 million to bondholders through a payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) agreement with East Rutherford.

The same agreement will see American Dream pay East Rutherford more than $150 million over the first 20 years of the project, including $23 million up front.

"From an East Rutherford standpoint we'll be seeing the benefits right away," Mayor James Cassella said.

The bonds are non-recourse, meaning New Jersey taxpayers won't be on the hook if American Dream fails, Robert Tudor, bond counsel for the sports authority, said. However, critics of the deal said the state would be responsible for additional traffic, emergency and infrastructure costs and no extra revenue to cover those costs.

"Instead, all those future PILOTs and sales taxes are going to be mortgaged to bondholders," Bruno Tedeschi, a spokesman for the New Jersey Alliance for Fiscal Integrity, said.

The non-profit advocacy group was formed to oppose taxpayer backing for American Dream.

The project has received the backing of union officials, who say construction will put thousands of laborers back to work.

"We need this done, we need this done now so the members of the Bergen County Building trades can get back to work," Rick Sabato, president of the Bergen County Building and Construction Trades Council, said.

Tony Armlin, senior vice president for development for Triple Five, expects construction activity to return to American Dream in September. Financing should wrap up by the end of the month and the work is expected to finish in summer 2018.

Armlin said the Wisconsin Public Finance Authority, which Triple Five has worked with before, would approve the bond deal next week and would issue bonds quickly after that.

Triple Five has spent $600 million on the project to date, while prior developers spent $500 million each. Combined with a $1 billion state investment in land, highway improvements and tax breaks, the total cost of the project will push $5 billion upon completion.

Myles Ma may be reached at mma@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MylesMaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The company is heading to Montvale

MAHWAH -- Sharp Electronics is leaving Mahwah after spending three decades in Bergen County's largest municipality.

The company isn't moving far. It plans to relocate to an office in Montvale by early next year, said Susan Osgood, vice president of human resources for Sharp.

All 350 employees at the Mahwah office will make the move, Osgood said. The new office, at 85,000 square feet, is smaller than Sharp's 140,000-square-foot building on Route 17.

Jaguar USA had asked Sharp if they were interested in leaving the Mahwah office, which prompted the move, Osgood said. Sharp wanted to stay within 10 to 15 miles of the office, a radius that included Rockland County, N.Y., but a $6.9 million tax credit from New Jersey led the company to stay in Bergen County.

Sharp is moving to 100 Paragon Drive, close to a planned shopping center anchored by Wegman's. Construction has already started at the new office, Osgood said.

Myles Ma may be reached at mma@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MylesMaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Among the albums to come out of Van Gelder's Hackensack and Englewood Cliffs studios were 'A Love Supreme,' 'Monk,' 'Moanin' and 'Working'

Rudy Van Gelder, a renowned recording engineer who captured jazz greats Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk, John Coltrane and many others in his parents' Hackensack living room and later in his eponymous Englewood Cliffs studio, died Thursday at the age of 91, according to jazz writer Nate Chinen. 

The location and cause of death were not announced.

Van Gelder, a lifelong New Jerseyan, recorded quintessential albums of the genre: John Coltrane's "Blue Train" and "A Love Supreme," Miles Davis' "Workin'" and "Steamin'," Thelonious Monk's "Monk," Art Blakey & the Jazz Messengers' "Moanin'," and Lee Morgan's "The Sidewinder." 

"I would say they learned how to record jazz together," says T.S. Monk, the son of the jazz legend and an esteemed jazz drummer in his own right. "He really, really got it right. You can list to a Rudy Van Gelder from the 1950s that sounds like it was recorded today."

In an interview Thursday with NJ.com, Monk recalls sitting in on his father's sessions at Van Gelder's Hackensack studio, and the awe he felt years later, stepping in to the Englewood Cliffs studio to record his own music. "I felt like I was working with a giant."

An established optometrist with an office in Teaneck, Van Gelder had a sideline recording friends and local musicians in his parents' house. (His parents eventually added a separate entrance to their bedroom to avoid walking in on the recording sessions, he told the Wall Street Journal in 2012. "My parents and the neighbors never complained. Only once my mother left me a note asking me to do a better job tidying up.")

Word of his talent eventually reached Alfred Lion, the co-founder of Blue Note Records, and -- in his late twenties -- Van Gelder's jazz recording career began to flourish.

Van Gelder made his Blue Note debut with Gil Melle in 1953. According to a 2001 Jazz Times profile, he may have made his Prestige debut with Thelonious Monk's "Hackensack" in 1954. Five years later, he opened the Englewood Cliffs studio and became a full-time engineer.

Vicki Hyman | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com 

In a 2014 interview with Inside Jersey about the 1964 recording of "A Love Supreme," Van Gelder spoke about the special synergy in the Englewood Cliffs studio. "While I was building the new studio, the neighborhood had no idea what kind of structure it was. As it came together, everyone assumed it was going to be a church with a peak in the center of the room. The look and feel was very church-like," he adds.

"As I look back and realize where his music was going, I can see his music had a spiritual quality, which matched perfectly with the atmosphere of the new studio."

Ashley Kahn, the author of the 2002 book "A Love Supreme: The Story of John Coltrane's Signature Album," told Inside Jersey, "It was his near geek-like dedication to his craft, always upgrading his equipment, trying out new ideas, approaches to get the best sound possible, and taking it to the very end as far as mastering his own session recordings."

In later years, Van Gelder remastered much of his original work for the Rudy Van Gelder Series for Blue Note, as well other jazz classics, including "Mercy, Mercy, Mercy!" by Cannonball Adderly and the original Miles Davis sessions for "The Birth of Cool," according to Jazz Times. 

"The idea of listening to old tapes that I made, another chance to transfer them ... this is my opportunity to present my version of how things should sound," Van Gelder said in a 2011 interview with Blue Note. "What a great job this is." 

Van Gelder was predeceased by his wife Elva. 

Vicki Hyman may be reached at vhyman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @vickihy or like her on Facebook. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook, and check out TV Hangover, the podcast from Vicki Hyman and co-host Erin Medley on iTunes, Stitcher or listen here.

Thursday's show was four hours flat — his lengthiest U.S. gig ever!

EAST RUTHERFORD -- Virtually every stadium-sized concert now ends in a blast of fireworks, but in the Meadowlands Thursday night, Bruce Springsteen and company had legitimate reason to celebrate.

First, there was the anniversary many Boss diehards assumed he'd mention -- "Born to Run" was released precisely 41 years ago, Aug. 25, 1975.

A few tunes into his colossal set -- more on the gig's heft in a moment -- Bruce yelled "it's 'Born to Run' birthday day!" and kicked into a vibrant rendition of "Night."

But forget about this show, the second of three MetLife Stadium dates this month, being remembered as a "Born to Run" tribute, or even a nod to "The River" -- he only played a quarter of the album to which the current tour is dedicated.

Springsteen Night 1: Highlights from Tuesday's marathon

No, Thursday's performance will soon become storied for its length, as the last notes of closer "Jersey Girl" rang out at 12:02 a.m. -- four hours flat from when Springsteen first took the East Rutherford stage (by our watches, at least). That's a new U.S. record for Bruce, breaking the max set by Tuesday's MetLife performance, which clocked in at 3:52:01, according to the Boss experts at Backstreets.com.

The tone and pace of this monster show was markedly different from Tuesday's set, considering largely altered song list, fewer stories told between tunes, new fan-participation wrinkles, and a banner guest appearance.

As this was special night, and a brag-worthy performance for the 55,000 fans in attendance, we forego the usual narrative review for a track-by-track breakdown. Let's get into it!

TRACK-BY-TRACK NOTES

• "New York City Serenade"

As they did Tuesday, Springsteen and E Street chose to open with the 10-minute "Wild" beauty -- fittingly, his longest track -- complete with a striking, eight-piece string section. Pianist Roy Bittan again provided the fluttering, classically-tinged intro, and the band immediately displayed its full strength, as a mighty, 18-piece unit (with the strings) ready to ascend.

• "Prove It All Night"

A screaming solo from Bruce, a better, crunchier and longer one from Steven Van Zandt perked up the crowd.

• "Night"

One of the few "Born To Run" tracks Springsteen can get away with playing so early in the set. Fun nonetheless.

Bruce Springsteen on stage as he and the E Street Band perform the second of three shows before his hometown New Jersey crowd at MetLife Stadium. 8/25/16 (Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) 

• "No Surrender"

Always a little self-derivative for my taste -- Springsteen trying too hard to be Springsteen -- but the crowd loved it, and provided the deafening "la's."

• "Wrecking Ball"

Springsteen's most recent anthem seems to be steadfast in his sets now. The sound mix didn't seem quite right here, his guitar was low and stole some punch from the intro.

• "Sherry Darling"

The night's first "River" offering -- the only one for the first 90 minutes or so -- introduced us to Little Girl, who Springsteen spotting singing in the front row, and exclaimed "she knows the words!" More on Little Girl soon.

• "Spirit in the Night"

"Can you feel the spirit?!" Springsteen screamed again and again, eyes closed, hand to the sky like a zoned-in reverend. He sang some of the tune to a young woman, likely in her 20s, who swooned heartily.

Bruce Springsteen and Max Weinberg perform with the E Street Band during the second of three shows before his hometown New Jersey crowd at MetLife Stadium. 8/25/16 (Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) 

• "My City of Ruins"

Springsteen initially dedicated "Ruins" to "our friends in Italy," after an earthquake Wednesday killed more than 200 people. Soon after, he revisited the song's origins -- as much as he spoke to the crowd all night -- explaining how it was written for once-shabby Asbury Park, but now, he said, "it's having a nice little renaissance, people on the beach, on the boardwalk, in the street, it's good!" Glad to see he's paying attention to his old homebase. Hearing the immense crowd sing the "rise up" refrain was powerful stuff.

• "Waitin' on a Sunny Day"

This one was a request from a fan's sign, the parents of Little Girl, asking if the 3-year-old could come up and sing with Bruce. He acquiesced, and the brave little nugget in her "Born in the U.S.A." t-shirt sang the chorus a cappella. The crowd roared and Bruce hoisted her up on his shoulders. A cute moment for sure, "She's got guts!" he yelled afterward.

• "Darkness on the Edge of Town"

Another fan request, pretty straightforward.

• "Lost in the Flood"

The last fan request, from someone who'd seen 150 shows and never heard "Flood" live, and this was a goodie. Springsteen was all grimaces and conviction, pounding through his "Greetings" oldie's post-Vietnam disillusion and questioning religion. It felt like he was truly excited to revisit this one.

• "Hungry Heart"

The usual, Bruce strolled a lap around the general admission section. All told, you'd never know this set was a "River" tour -- only five tracks were played, of 33 total.

Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band perform the second of three shows before his hometown New Jersey crowd at MetLife Stadium. 8/25/16 (Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) 

• "Out in the Street"

Always fun, but on such a mammoth night, it was forgettable.

• "Death to My Hometown"

Jake Clemons on bass drum, touring keyboardist Charles Giordano on accordion and -- oh, hey! It's Tom Morello on guitar! The virtuosic shredder, who's recorded with Springsteen since "Wrecking Ball," would be back.

• "Youngstown"

Nils Lofgren rips a killer solo on this "Tom Joad" album track, but for many, this was a trip-to-the-bathroom song. A steady stream filed out here (no pun intended).

• "Jack of All Trades"

The string octet returned for "Jack," and added incredible warmth and depth to the folksy number's simple construction. Springsteen on harmonica bolstered it that much more.

• "American Skin (41 Shots)"

Welcome back Morello, this time with a sweeping solo that seemed to re-energize a sweat-soaked Springsteen during the set's more solemn stretch.

Guitarist aEU~Little StevieaEU Van Zandt escorts Patti Scialfa out on stage as Bruce Springsteen and the E. Street Band prepare to perform the second of three shows before his hometown New Jersey crowd at MetLife Stadium. 8/25/16 (Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) 

• "The Promised Land"

Also straightforward. Meh.

• "Cadillac Ranch"

As with most of the twangy roadhouse jams on "The River," "Cadillac" is infinitely better in the live setting.

• "I'm a Rocker"

Same goes for "I'm a Rocker," the night's last "River" jam.

• "Tougher Than the Rest"

A solid deep cut off "Tunnel of Love," with added tenderness as much of it was Springsteen and wife Patti Scialfa facing one another, strumming along.

• "Because the Night"

The crowd never tires of this one, even if Bruce seemed to be. Another terrific solo from Lofgren, complete with his spinning-on-one-leg gimmick.

• "The Rising"

Expectedly uplifting.

• "The Ghost of Tom Joad"

So, "Tom Joad" was pumped up and revamped for 2014's "High Hopes" LP, with Morello providing a seething, extended solo, which he ran through again, mostly lick-for-lick Thursday night. This was a sight to see, his fingers flying around the fret so quickly, the frame rate of the stadium camera barely captured all he was doing. Morello was super-jazzed by the end, thrashing and screaming "yeah!" to the crowd over and over. It was also interesting to hear him and Springsteen trade lead vocals throughout.

• "Badlands"

The stadium rocked hardest -- physically shaking -- for "Badlands."

Fans in the parking lot at MetLife Stadium as Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band prepare to perform the second of three shows before a hometown New Jersey crowd. 8/25/16 (Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) 

Encore:

• "Backstreets"

Late in the tune, which played mostly to the recording, Springsteen stood hands up, eyes closed, building some drama for the end.

• "Born to Run"

House lights were on from this point going forward, with tramps like us lit in near daylight, despite the clock approaching midnight.

• "Dancing in the Dark"

Per tradition, fans were brought on-stage to dance, and a young boy and teenage girl were each given guitars to strum alongside Springsteen. Another family-friendly moment.

• "Rosalita (Come Out Tonight)"

All smiles for the band's consummate party song, some of the band down off the main stage, hanging out closer to the fans.

• "Tenth Avenue Freeze-Out"

A video montage/tribute to Clarence Clemons and Danny Federici played during "Freeze-Out," to coincide with the "and the Big Man joined the band" line. A nice touch.

• "Shout" (Isley Brothers cover)

A LITTLE BIT LOUDER NOW!

• "Thunder Road"

We all love the iconic ballad and all, but when as the show approached its fifth hour, the languid pace was a little tiresome. Earlier in the set might have been more welcome.  

• "Jersey Girl"

A couple who just became engaged were brought on stage, the new fiance professed his love to both his soon-to-be bride and Bruce, and about 25 miles north of the shore, everything was all right. Fireworks flew. The end.

The Boss Out In The Street!!! MetLife Stadium The River Tour Night2. #brucespringsteen #theboss #springsteen #therivertour

A video posted by Carmine Marinaro (@carmine_marinaro) on Aug 25, 2016 at 10:51pm PDT

Bobby Olivier may be reached at bolivier@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @BobbyOlivier and Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

New Jersey, which already has opened the door for unauthorized immigrant students to attend Garden State colleges, needs to also give them access to financial aid.

Three years ago, Gov. Chris Christie signed legislation that allows children who were brought to the U.S. illegally to pay in-state tuition at New Jersey's public colleges and universities -- but denied them the ability to help pay for it.

For the families of the half million unauthorized immigrants residing in the Garden State, it must have felt like getting tantalizing close to a college education, only to see the doors slammed shut in their faces.

In the 2013 legislation, the Legislature agreed to allow immigrants without proper documentation who had lived in New Jersey for three years to qualify for in-state tuition -- a significant savings.

But then the catch: The legislation initially involved two parts: one guaranteeing tuition equity for unauthorized immigrants, the other allowing these students to benefit from financial aid available through the state's Higher Education Student Assistance Authority.

N.J. eases college aid rules for kids of unauthorized immigrants

In an unfortunate piece of political choreography, the governor rejected the second component of the bill, forcing Democrats into an awkward position. To ensure that at least one portion of the bill would see the light of day -- that is, in-state tuition rates -- the lawmakers agreed to scuttle the other.

The move essentially puts college out of reach to some of New Jersey's brightest young men and women, products of our state's educational system who even at the lower rates cannot scrape together the money for a four-year college degree.

The average unauthorized-immigrant family living in New Jersey earns $34,000 a year, while the average yearly cost at in-state colleges runs roughly $13,000.

But now a North Jersey Assembly member belatedly wants to set things right.

As NJ Spotlight reported last month, Democrat Gary Schaer of Passaic has introduced a bill that opens up financial aid programs to immigrant students who qualify for in-state tuition.

This accommodation makes sense on so many levels.

Rutgers holds fair for unauthorized immigrants

For the 22-percent of New Jersey residents who were born in other countries, it means their children have a shot at a brighter future. For the state's taxpayers, it means the investment they made by seeing these children through public elementary and high school will yield higher returns in terms of a productive, well-educated workforce.

Some states, such as California and Texas, already have laws on the books making unauthorized immigrants eligible for state financial aid programs. In Massachusetts last year, the presidents of all nine state universities endorsed a similar measure.

For the students who were brought to New Jersey when they were quite young, this is their home. They have much to offer in return -- talent, energy, innovation -- if we give them the chance.

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The unionized workers in five N.J. districts say a strike is not out of the question.

NEWARK -- They are joining fast food, airport, and thousands of other workers in what has become known as the "fight for $15."

School cafeteria workers are the latest group to demand $15 an hour pay, which representatives from their 32BJ food service workers union say would be a significant jump from the $9 to $13 an hour most of them make now.

Negotiations started this week for the first master contract between cafeteria workers in five New Jersey school districts - Orange, Hackensack, North Brunswick, South Brunswick, and Woodbridge - and one in Stroudsburg, Penn., and Chartwells, the contract food service provider that employs them, the union announced.

"It's a public fight," said Kevin Brown, 32BJ Vice President and NJ State Director.

Newark jumps on $15 wage band wagon

The group, he said, is planning a rally in Essex County next month. And, though the negotiating workers plan to be in their cafeterias when school starts in September, they may not stay there.

"There is always the possibility of a strike," Brown said. "But, that would be our last resort."

Brown said the workers are willing to discuss phased-in raises similar to those that have been implemented in other industries.

Gene Sanchez, the regional vice president at Chartwells, said the company is willing to work with its employees.

"We have enjoyed a positive relationship with SEIU 32BJ NJ Region for over 16 years and appreciate all they do especially now when welcoming students back to school," Sanchez said in a statement to NJ Advance Media.

"We respect their position, and as we continue scheduled negotiations, we are committed to a collaborative and productive process."

According to Brown, whose union represents workers employed by seven major school food services contractors like Chartwells, about 70 percent of the schools in New Jersey contract out food service responsibilities. The Chartwells employees are the first to engage in bargaining for $15 an hour on such a large scale, Brown said.

But, he thinks those who works for other similar companies will soon follow suit. Most of the thousands of cafeteria workers in New Jersey make less than $20,000 a year, he said.

"I take pride in my job because I know I am there for students--providing nourishment and encouragement," said Leslie Williams, a food service worker in the Orange School District.

"But I don't make enough money to feed my own family.  Bargaining for a new four year contract will give me and hundreds of other food service workers the opportunity to fight for a living wage and good benefits so we can continue to keep doing the job we love and also provide for our families."

David Rocco of Allendale claims the jail and prison healthcare provider Corizon violated his rights.

HACKENSACK - A former jail inmate who is hearing impaired has sued Bergen County, claiming jailers and medical staff violated his rights by failing to address his medical issues.

David Rocco, 47, of Allendale, says staff at the Bergen County Jail and jail healthcare provider, Corizon, failed to provide "appropriate and reasonable auxiliary aids" to ensure the inmate could communicate with his attorneys, family and medical staff.

In addition to deafness, Rocco claims he is a kidney transplant recipient and has other conditions that require him to communicate with others about his treatment and diet.

Rocco, 47, was arrested May 21, 2014 by Allendale police and charged with lewdness, according to the lawsuit, which was filed earlier this month in U.S. District Court.

Electronics giant leaving North Jersey town

The lawsuit claims Bergen County and Corizon discriminated against Rocco in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which states that government entities cannot exclude the disabled from receiving benefits of services, programs or activities.

About two weeks after his arrest, Rocco claims he was transported to the jail "where he was classified and incarcerated without a qualified sign language interpreter present."

The lawsuit claims medical staff treated Rocco "without interpreters and the ability to effectively communicate."

Rocco "remained extremely upset as he struggled to understand what was happening throughout his incarceration," the lawsuit states. "In addition, there were no videophones that plaintiff could use to contact his family or his attorney as all other non-disabled inmates could."

The lawsuit claims jailers and medical staff failed to "provide any reasonable accommodation" for the deaf inmate throughout his incarceration from June 6 to Dec. 12, 2014.

After his arrest, Rocco's sister, Cynthia, along with medical staff at Bergen Hypertension and Renal Associates contacted the jail via fax and letter seeking interpreters for Rocco. The requests were denied, according to the lawsuit.

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The lawsuit claims jail records contain several requests for interpreters but that jailers and medical staff refused or ignored all requests.

In addition to unspecified compensatory and punitive damages, the suit seeks to end the jail's alleged discrimination against "deaf or hard-of-hearing inmates" and to ensure policies and procedures are set in place to accommodate deaf inmates.

Bergen County officials did not respond to requests for comment.

Rocco's attorney, Clara R. Smit of Hamilton, did not return a call seeking comment.

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

Everything you need to follow the 2016 football season can be find right here on NJ.com

The gridiron is heating up, and NJ.com is your place for everything you need to follow the high school football season. 

Over the last two weeks, we've been putting together plenty of previews to get you up to speed, and we will continue to do so until every team in the state kicks offs its 2016 campaign. 

Check out what we have so far and also get ready for what's still to come. 

You'll also want to like NJ.com's High School Football Facebook page and follow all of our beat writers on Twitter for updates throughout the season (you can find out accounts below). 

BIG-TICKET ITEMS STILL TO COME 
• Players to watch by position
• Conference previews
• Sectional previews
• NJ.com's preseason Top 20 

STATEWIDE ESSENTIALS 
• Essential links for the 2016 football season
• 2015's Top 20 in 2016: Who's up, who's down? 
• Back again: Returning football statewide stat leaders, 2016 
• Returning All-State Players: A quick look  
• 25 can't-misses scrimmages for 2016

MUST-READ NEWS 
• NJIC announces football conference playoff, bolsters small school identity 
• Super Conference releases official schedule for 2016  
• NJSIAA announces championship sites, 2 games added to MetLife
• Middletown South star LB-RB injured in recruiting-visit drill, out for season
• Timber Creek football program under investigation for illegal recruiting
• Transfer denied enrollment to Timber Creek, school district says 
• Superintendent posts open letter on residency probe of Timber Creek  

INTRODUCING THE BIG 6 
• Features, previews & everything you need to follow the NJSFC's "Big Six" non-public powers

BLOOPERS AT THE BIG 6
• WATCH: Don Bosco players impersonate their hard-nosed coach
• WATCH: Bergen Catholic's Crusader Crazies gear up for 2016
• WATCH: The songs of summer that have Paramus Catholic livin'
• WATCH: St. Joseph players let loose on media day

PRESEASON COVERAGE 
• Players embracing changes ahead of NJSFC's inaugural conference 
• Greater Middlesex Conference alignment and analysis for 2016
• Rutgers' Chris Ash makes strong impression on N.J. coaches at NJSFC event
• Haddonfield football looking for cohesion, continued success
• Former St. Peter's star Minkah Fitzpatrick to play a big role for Alabama in 2016 
• Former PC star Jabrill Peppers focused on defense...for now 
• After "straight disappointment of playoff loss, St. Augustine re-loading for another shot 
• WJFL's top new matchups

RECRUITING 
• Next-level ready? St. Peter's Prep boasts double-digit Division 1 football recruits
• 'All about recruiting:' Rutgers' Chris Ash skips practice to speak at NJSFC Media Day
• Is DePaul's Shelton Applewhite Rutgers' No. 1 QB target for 2018? 
• Former 4-star WR Ahmir Mitchell to transfer from Michigan following suspension 
• 3-star Rutgers commit Bryce Watts of Toms River North stars in scrimmage  
• 3-star WR Jahmin Muse has Marylan on top, talks Elizabeth coaching change
• Watch N.J.'s top FB recruit Drew Singleton on Rutgers: 'I love the new staff' 
• PC star DL Corey Bolds sets Top 9, Rutgers make the cut 

Pat Lanni may be reached at planni@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @PatLanniHS. Like NJ.com High School Sports on Facebook.

Don Bosco Prep cancelled its scrimmage against Pope John on Friday due to an outbreak of the Coxsackie virus within its team.

Don Bosco Prep cancelled its scrimmage against Pope John on Friday due to an outbreak of coxsackievirus within its team.

About 15 Ironmen have been infected by the virus, according to NorthJersey.com. As a result, Don Bosco Prep will not hold team activities until Monday, while the school and Bergen County health officials sanitize to the locker room and turf field.

WATCH: Don Bosco players impersonate their hard-nosed coach

“We are pretty confident that it was a locker room issue,” Don Bosco Prep principal John Stanczak told NorthJersey.com. “The locker room couldn’t have gotten a better sanitation job, so we will give it some time to air out, and we have talked to our kids about how to avoid having the infection spread.”

Coxsackievirus is commonly associated with hand, foot and mouth disease, which often causes mouth sores and fever, according to the Centers for Disease and Control and Prevention website. Treatment is limited to symptom relief. Transmission can be reduced with hand washing and disinfecting.

The Ironmen will begin their state title defense on Sept. 2 in Florida with a game against American Heritage. That game will not be affected by the outbreak, according to NorthJersey.com.

Matt Stypulkoski may be reached at mstypulkoski@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @M_Stypulkoski. Like NJ.com High School Sports on Facebook.

Officials first found the tombstone near the fire department in 2005, where it remained until recently.

ENGLEWOOD -- "Absent from the Body, Present with the Lord."

That's the inscription on a 19th Century tombstone, absent from a body, found in a culvert near the Englewood police station.

Englewood officials have spent more than a decade trying to find the final resting place of the body that belongs to the stone, the body of James H. Prentice.

They've searched through records, reached out to distant relatives and even had the prosecutor's office scan the ground with radar, but the mystery remains.

"We don't know where he is," said Assistant City Manager Wendy Weibalk, who spent time this year trying to solve the mystery.

James H. Prentice was born on January 29, 1817 and died on April 24, 1891.

Department of Public Works employees found his tombstone in 2005, when a lot near the police station was cleared, according to a police report. 

Searches for Prentice at the nearby Brookside and Mt. Caramel cemeteries turned up nothing. With no relatives found and no other leads, the stone was left as is -- in the culvert.

When a new fire station opened this year, near the police station and in front of where the tombstone lay, the case of the missing body received new attention.

"It was not an honorable or appropriate spot for a tombstone," Deputy Fire Chief Erik Enersen said. "I do wonder where he is, we were all left scratching our heads where the body could be."

Through the internet, Weibalk, the assistant city manager, was able to put one of the first cracks in the case when she found a quilt, made by Prentice's mother, Jemima Parmalee Prentice, that had been donated to the Colonial Williamsburg Museum by distant relatives.

Later, Wiebalk determined Prentice had lived in Brooklyn, where he invested millions into the fur, hat and paper businesses, according to the an obituary posted in the Brooklyn Daily Eagle on April 21, 1891. 

The obit fails to mention where he was buried, but some think he might be buried in Brooklyn, somewhere.

Weibalk contacted the relatives, scattered across the nation, and found out more information on James Prentice, but not where his body might be. 

"I was surprised, it was unusual," said Jonathan Lusk, Prentice's great-great grandson. "It's clear that something went wrong somewhere and who knows when it happened." 

Lusk, a Maryland resident, said he and his siblings checked old family books for clues on where Prentice could be buried, but came up unsuccessful. 

Searching through town history Wiebalk learned that one of Prentice's nine kids, James Howard, moved to Englewood. He opened a lumberyard and was prominent in local politics. He died in 1931 and was buried at Brookside Cemetery, as mentioned in the "The Book of Englewood," which documents city history. 

The lumberyard owned by James Howard was located near where the tombstone was found, a possible explanation for how the tombstone wound up where it did. 

Weibalk worked with Brookside Cemetery to finally move the tombstone near his son's grave earlier this month.

"It's the wildest thing," said Stephen Huber, Superintendent at Brookside, "Could be a million different things that happened."

With the stone moved and no more leads to probe, the city put the issue to bed, but the mystery remains. 

"I think the end result that the stone ended up with family is a great idea and I'm happy for the solution," said Lusk.

Fausto Giovanny Pinto may be reached at fpinto@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @FGPreporting. Find NJ.com on Facebook. 

There is an existing policy at the state-run Veterans Memorial Homes that has residents pay for transportation to some outside medical care providers.

A policy at state-run Veterans Memorial Homes that charges residents for transportation to certain health care providers is under scrutiny by lawmakers, who argue that the current policy causes undo aggravation for the veterans.

Under the policy, residents are responsible for transportation to and from the facility unless they must travel to an outside medical specialist that was recommended by a doctor. If the resident is being transported to a health care provider that is not available at the veteran's home and is not recommended by their doctor, they must pay for the transportation.

"We made a request to the department this week to reverse this policy, and hope it does so quickly," said state Sen. Jeff Van Drew (D-1), in a statement. "However, I am also going to also work with my colleagues to provide the state funding needed to reinstate free transportation for veterans at the Vineland facility and the other two veteran's homes in the state. This is just the right thing to do for the men and women who have served our country and now are depending on us to ensure they get the right care."

According to the New Jersey Department of Military and Veterans Affairs, the policy has existed for years at the three state-run veteran's homes -- Vineland, Menlo Park and Paramus -- but has not been as enforced as it should.

Bergen first county to house all of its homeless vets

"In order to make sure we have the money we do receive to provide care for our veterans we want to make sure we are spending the money properly," said Kryn Westhoven, spokesman for the department. "It's why we are looking a little more at the transportation requests that are not covered under the administrative code."

Van Drew sent a letter on Aug. 23 to Department of Military and Veterans Affairs officials -- Brig. Gen. Michael L. Cunniff and Deputy Commissioner Raymond L. Zawacki. In the letter, Van Drew outlines complaints he received from families and local veterans organizations about the transportation policy at Vineland Veterans Memorial Home in Cumberland County. Veterans may be discouraged from seeking outside medical help due to the policy, Van Drew states in the letter, or end long-standing, previously existing relationships with doctors they trust.

In the senator's proposed legislation, the state will pay for the transportation to medical offices for veterans at the facilities. The projected cost will be under a million each year.

Take a look at Bergen County's top five returning players in six major offensive and defensive statistical categories.

Regardless of the legal question in this case, one thing is certain: The archdiocese has acted abysmally.

A New Jersey Catholic high school is being sued for firing a beloved guidance counselor and basketball coach because of her "odious" gay lifestyle.
 
This was the revealing word choice of Rev. Thomas Nydegger, second-in-command to Archbishop John J. Myers. We'll get to that. First, though, there is a church v. state debate.

The Newark Archdiocese argues Kate Drumgoole wasn't fired from Paramus Catholic because she was gay, but because she violated church tenets by entering into a same-sex marriage. It says this falls under an exception to the state's anti-discrimination law that protects religious freedom, and that the First Amendment also guards religion against government meddling.

Suit against high school in gay-marriage firing can proceed, report says
 
Drumgoole says this isn't a First Amendment issue because she wasn't involved in teaching religion. She says she was fired not because of her marriage but because of her sexual orientation, which is discrimination under state law.

How far we allow religion to go is a genuinely difficult legal question. What if a religion holds that races should not mix, as many Christian churches once did? Should that church have the right to fire teachers based on race? When does a claim of religious freedom become an excuse to justify bigotry?

Regardless of the legal debate, though, one thing is certain: The archdiocese has acted abysmally. Since learning that Drumgoole is gay, after photos of her 2014 wedding were circulated by a vindictive relative, the archdiocese has referred to her as "a poor role model."

Newark Archbishop Myers' departure is a true blessing | Editorial

That's rich. Countless teachers, parents and students at Paramus Catholic have vouched for her admirable leadership. Drumgoole was once a two-time captain and star player of the Paramus Catholic girls' basketball team. She had risen through the ranks at her alma mater, and recently been promoted to an administrative role.

Myers, meanwhile, was protecting pedophile priests and using church money to build himself an opulent retirement mansion, while removing a popular gay priest from Seton Hall against the will of parishioners, accusing him of having an "agenda." Right.

Myers' second-in-command, Rev. Nydegger, wrote that Drumgoole's former work as a guidance counselor "makes her gay marriage and gay lifestyle (whether overt or covert) particularly odious."

Odious, as defined by Merriam Webster online, is "deserving hatred or repugnance." So what Nydegger said is, quite literally, hateful.

Contrast that with what Pope Francis said about gay priests: "Who am I to judge?" The Pope argues the first purpose of the church is to proclaim God's merciful love for all people, and says it should seek forgiveness from gays for the way it has treated them.

Drumgoole's firing is the perfect example. Thousands of Paramus Catholic alumni expressed outrage in a letter to school administrators: "You institutionalize the kind of oppressive worldview that leads students to bully and verbally abuse other students based on their sexual orientation," their petition says.

More than 50 gay or lesbian people across the nation have been fired or had employment offers rescinded since 2010, New Ways Ministry, an advocacy group for gay, lesbian and transgender Catholics, told the Bergen Record.
 
The church's hypocrisy is striking. Other faculty members at Paramus Catholic are divorced and remarried, at least one has a child out of wedlock, some cohabitate with members of the opposite sex, at least one other teacher is gay, and nude photographs of another teacher have been circulated online, according to Drumgoole's lawsuit.  
 
None of those teachers have been fired for violating church tenets. Drumgoole, apparently, was singled out. Her lifestyle is not "particularly odious" because of church tenets -- it's because of church bigotry.

MORE: Recent Star-Ledger editorials

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