With a ruling on a series of final defense and prosecution motions, a federal judge clears the way for trial in the George Washington Bridge scandal to open as scheduled in less than two week and jury selection to start. Watch video

NEWARK--A federal judge Wednesday set the final ground rules for New Jersey's biggest political corruption scandal in recent memory--including what evidence the jury will be allowed to hear--paving the way for openings in the high-profile Bridgegate trial to begin in less than two weeks.

Potential jurors, meanwhile, have been summoned to report on Thursday to fill out a lengthy questionnaire seeking to determine if any have conflicts, biases, or other issues that would preclude their serving on what could be six- to eight-week trial. The selection of a jury in the high-profile case will begin next week, with trial set to begin on Sept. 19.

Charged in the case are two former members of Gov. Chris Christie's inner circle--William Baroni, who served as deputy executive director of the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey, and Bridget Anne Kelly, who was the governor's deputy chief of staff. The two are accused of conspiring to shut down several local toll lanes at the George Washington Bridge in September 2013 to cause massive traffic tie-ups in Fort Lee, in what prosecutors say was an act of political payback targeting Mayor Mark Sokolich after he declined to endorse Christie for re-election.

The two face nine counts that they misused the resources of the Port Authority, which runs the bridge, as well as violating the public's right to be allowed to travel freely.

A third figure in the scandal, David Wildstein, a political appointee to the Port Authority who orchestrated the lane shutdowns, has already pleaded guilty in the case.

The secret of 'John Doe' to remain a secret

In a series of rulings on motions by both the prosecution and defense over whether any evidence should be kept out of the trial because of the potential prejudicial impact on the defendants, U.S. District Judge Susan D. Wigenton ruled mostly in favor of the U.S. Attorney's office.

The judge said she would allow the introduction of a video of Baroni's testimony before a state legislative committee, at which prosecutors claimed he lied when he told the panel the bridge lane closures were part of a traffic study.

She also said she will allow testimony that Christie aides retaliated as well against Jersey City Mayor Steve Fulop, another Democrat who declined to endorse Christie and subsequently found scheduled meetings with Port Authority officials being cancelled. Prosecutors argued the cut off of talks was evidence of a pattern of retaliation.

And a series of messages between Wildstein and Kelly joking about a prominent rabbi, in which Kelly asked: "We cannot cause traffic problems in front of his house, can we?" and Wildstein responded: "Flights to Tel Aviv all mysteriously delayed" will also be allowed.

The messages came shortly after Kelly, upon learning that Sokolich would not be endorsing the governor, reached out to Wildstein with a message that to many represented a smoking gun in the belief the lane shutdowns were an act of political vengeance. "Time for some traffic problems in Fort Lee," she wrote.

The exchange involving the rabbi, argued assistant U.S. attorney David Feder, used the same phrases that showed intent.

"It says we are on the same page here. That they were serious," he told the judge.

Attorney Michael Baldassare, who represents Baroni, fought strongly against allowing the video testimony of the former Port Authority executive before the legislature. He suggested the hearing was little more than political drama, where those already at odds with the Port Authority, were itching for a fight with Baroni.

"Bill's demeanor is in no way indicative of anything other than he knew what was coming, and what was coming was an attack by the legislature always at war with the Port Authority," he said.

Feder said the intent of the testimony was to disguise the true motive for the lane shutdowns.

"He was asked to give testimony and the government alleges that he lied," he said.

Ted Sherman may be reached at tsherman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TedShermanSL. Facebook: @TedSherman.reporter. Find NJ.com on Facebook. 

 

Michelle Cantatore also stole hundreds of thousands from an elderly man.

NEWARK -- A New York woman who donned a red wig before robbing a Glen Rock bank last year and who also bilked an elderly man out of nearly $200,000 was sentenced Wednesday to 162 months in prison, the office of U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman said in a statement.

Michelle Cantatore is seen on surveillance video during a stickup at a Glen Rock bank in 2015. On Wednesday, Sept 7, 2016, she was sentenced to 13 years in prison. (Glen Rock police)  

Michelle Cantatore, 53, of White Plains, walked into the Glen Rock Savings Bank Feb. 15, 2015, wearing the wig and dark sunglasses. She produced a paintball gun and shouted "Put your hands up. This is for real. This is a robbery. I have a gun."

Bank employees complied with Cantatore, but she demanded they enter the vault and give her more money. She eventually made off with $112,000, according to court documents.

She was seen leaving the bank in a Porsche Cayenne belonging to her father, a vehicle she had been known to use before.

Bank robber in red wig fled in Porsche 

Cantatore, who also admitted robbing two other banks in Connecticut last year, was later found in an Atlantic City hotel. She was seen on surveillance video at the Borgata casino the night of the Glen Rock robbery, according to court documents.

Cantatore, who previously pleaded guilty to bank robbery and wire fraud, also stole $198,750 from an ailing, elderly man by taking his checks and writing amounts made out to accounts she controlled, authorities said.

In addition to her prison term Cantatore was also sentenced to three years of supervised release and was ordered to pay $406,703 in restitution.

Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@PaulMilo2. Find NJ.com on Facebook.  

Some of the people spotlighted are responsible for inventions that changed our lives.

Here is the third installment of our monthly gallery, "This month in N.J. History," which appears on nj.com near the start of each month.

This gallery supplements our Glimpse of History feature as well as our regular vintage photo galleries, offering a snapshot of significant events in Garden State history.

Courtesy of Distejon 

We will highlight N.J. politics, music, literature, sports, crime, entertainment and disasters - both natural and man-made. We will share N.J.-timestamped events, from earth-shaking to simply amusing.

For September, there are people who made their mark in education, sports and entertainment. Some we've spotlighted are responsible for inventions that changed our lives.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

If there are dates you don't see on our timeline but believe should be remembered, let us know in the comments section.

And, be sure to enable captions for the gallery so you can read all the information associated with each day in New Jersey history.

Click here for previous galleries on N.J. history in July and August.

Greg Hatala may be reached at ghatala@starledger.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find The Star-Ledger on Facebook.

About 500 people in 240 units lost their homes in the Jan. 21, 2015 fire, which started when maintenance workers accidentally sparked it while using a blowtorch.

EDGEWATER -- AvalonBay presented plans Wednesday to rebuild an apartment building destroyed in a massive blaze, this time with beefed up fire safety features.

About 500 people in 240 units lost their homes in the Jan. 21, 2015 fire, which started when maintenance workers accidentally sparked it while using a blowtorch.

AvalonBay plans to use the same lightweight wood-frame construction, with the same number of units on the same footprint as the building that burned down, said Robert Kasuba, an attorney representing the company in its zoning board application.

And while state legislators have not toughened fire safety regulations since the fire, AvalonBay plans to go "above and beyond" existing code to protect the building from future blazes, he said.

Stuart Lachs, the architect for AvalonBay, said the new building would use a more comprehensive sprinkler system than the original. The new system includes sprinklers in concealed spaces, covers a larger area and discharges water faster.

AvalonBay also proposes to add concrete masonry firewalls to the building, running up to 30 inches over the roof. Lachs said the building would add more fire department connections in addition to the six hydrants on the streets.

Edgewater fire: One year later

Members of the board and public questioned way AvalonBay proposed hollow masonry firewalls rather than filling them, which might slow down a fire even further.

"We have selected what we believe are appropriate measures," Lachs said, adding that AvalonBay consulted with Edgewater fire officials.

Kasuba said the new building would mostly conform to the original site plan, first approved in 1998. That building burned down in 2000, just as construction was about to finish.

Fire officials blamed the lightweight wood-frame construction of the building for allowing the 2015 blaze to spread so quickly. In the wake of the fire, lawmakers called for changes to state construction codes to either ban or better protect such structures, but those measures have thus far gone nowhere.

Assemblyman John Wisniewski (D-Middlesex), chair of the state assembly's fire safety commission, has proposed legislation to require more widespread sprinklers and masonry firewalls in multifamily buildings constructed with lightweight materials. Wisniewski said he hopes to see the bill progress this fall.

Build With Strength, a coalition backed by the concrete industry, released a poll Wednesday showing that the vast majority of voters want limits to wood-frame construction. The poll, conducted by Axis Research, of Virginia, surveyed 400 registered voters in New Jersey.

Mayor Michael McPartland, who had spent only a few days in office when the fire broke out, said more sprinklers would have made a difference.

"It's something that would have stopped the fire in its tracks and I'm looking forward to legislation," he said.

Jack Murphy, a deputy fire coordinator for Bergen County and former Leonia fire chief, said firefighters had called on builders and public officials to examine lightweight construction since the 1980s.

"The industry has to say, 'We saw what happened here. We've got to step forward,'" Murphy said.

The zoning board meeting Wednesday stretched until past 10 p.m. AvalonBay's hearing is scheduled to continue Oct. 5.

As the debate over how to fund road projects in New Jersey continues with no end in site, dozens of projects remain stalled in Bergen County.

As the debate over how to fund road projects in New Jersey continues with no end in site, dozens of projects remain stalled in Bergen County.

These include over $13 million to repair or rebuild the 8th Avenue Bridge between the Passaic and Wallington, which the state classified as structurally deficient in 2013.

Where does TTF money go?

Other projects include over $4 million to repair a rail bridge over Overpeck Creek in Ridgefield Park, thousands to upgrade Department of Transportation facilities and the dredging of a contaminated pond in Franklin Lakes. 

Hundreds of road projects across New Jersey were shut down in July when Gov. Chris Christie signed an executive order to suspend $3.5 billion in "nonessential" road construction.

The work is on indefinite hold as lawmakers battle over a plan to replenish the nearly-insolvent Transportation Trust Fund.

Municipal projects that include the repaving of local streetsmake up many of the stalled projects on the list.

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

A breakdown of every Top 20 game.

NJ.COM TOP 20 PICKS

WEEK 1

St. John’s (D.C.) (2-0) at No. 1 St. Joseph (Mont.) (1-0)
Saturday, 2 p.m.
A win will vault the Green Knights into the national Top 25, but New Jersey’s newly appointed top-ranked team will have its hands full. St. John’s boasts a bevy of Division 1-bound players including Texas A&M-bound DE Tyree Johnson, two players headed to Maryland and five-star OT Calvin Ashley, an Auburn commit. St. Joe’s needs its pass rush to be aggressive and its offense to play mistake free in a game that could come down to the last play. St. Joseph 21, St. John’s 20

Tampa Catholic (Fla.) (0-0) at No. 4 Bergen Catholic (1-0)
Saturday, 2:30 p.m.
BC’s season-opening win against Archbishop Wood was a great learning experience for a team that only returned six starters. While they’re young, they’re talented, and Bergen Catholic should have no problem moving to 2-0 against a team ranked 36th in Florida. Bergen Catholic 34, Tampa Catholic 10

No. 5 Middletown South (0-0) at Red Bank Catholic (0-0)
Friday, 7 p.m.
The assembly line continues at Middletown South where the Eagles will have new faces in key starting spots, but that same old dominating look. Kevin Higgins leads a solid defensive unit. RBC plays its first game under Frank Edgerly, who returns to his alma mater after a stint in the NFL. RBC is young but massive up front. Middletown South 21, Red Bank Catholic 7

No. 14 DePaul (1-0) at No. 6 Paramus Catholic (1-0)
Friday, 7 p.m.
This here is a showdown for two North Jersey elites. Paramus Catholic cruised to a big win over St. Frances last week, while DePaul did not play. The Spartans kick off the season Friday night, but will do so at a tough venue. PC's offense looked sharp with QB Andrew Brito leading the way and it'll be tough for DePaul to contain the Paladins. Paramus Catholic 28, DePaul 17
 
Southern (0-1) at No. 7 Toms River North (0-0)
Friday, 7 p.m.
Toms River North has been a slow starter in recently seasons, but North’s speed and versatility on offense should be at warp speed early in this one. QB Mike Husni is a four-year starter, he has a 240-pound tailback and two big-time wide receivers. Toms River North 28, Southern 7

Atlantic City (0-1) at No. 8 St. Augustine (1-0)
Friday, 6 p.m.
The Hermits opened the season with a nice win over one of Southeastern Pa’s top teams in Malvern Prep. Kyle Dobbins and True Robinson combined for nearly 400 rushing yards against the Friars. St. Augustine should have too much firepower for the Vikings. St. Augustine 42, Atlantic City 13

No. 9 Phillipsburg (0-0) at Franklin (0-0)
Friday at 7 pm.
The Frank Duffy era begins for the Stateliners, with the first-year head coach taking the sidelines on the road. With running back JaQuan Jones and quarterback Danny Fisher back from last season, Phillipsburg is in position to start of the season right. Phillipsburg 35, Franklin 14

No. 16 Ramapo (0-0) at No. 10 Wayne Hills (1-0)
Friday, 7 p.m.
The 49th showdown between these two public school rivals should be a great one. Last year, Ramapo had one of the best offenses in the state with playmakers at every position. That sounds an awful lot like this year’s Wayne Hills team that has three Division 1-bound players at WR and a 1,200-yard back in Luca Gravé. The NJ.com/Star-Ledger Game of the Week will live up to the billing but give the edge to the home team. Wayne Hills 30, Ramapo 21

Raritan (0-0) at No. 11 Rumson-Fair Haven (0-0)
Friday, 7 p.m.
This game features the reigning Central Jersey Group 2 champ and the CJ 3 champion. Jerry Schulte makes his return to the head coaching ranks after being elevated from defensive coordinator. There will be few changes for the Purple Bulldogs, who will put the ball in the hands of three-year starting QB Mike O’Connor and let him make plays. Raritan made a memorable march to the sectional title last season, but Rumson-Fair Haven has a little too much in the season opener. Rumson-Fair Haven 28, Raritan 13

No. 12 Timber Creek (0-0) at Delsea (0-0)
Friday, 7 p.m.
A matchup between the defending South Jersey Group 3 and Group 4 champions highlights the opening night slate in New Jersey. Quarterback Devin Leary leads the Chargers’ potent passing attack, while the Crusaders will lean on fullback Rashaad Williams and a bruising running game. Last year, the Crusaders won, 35-31. Can this rematch live up to last year’s epic? Timber Creek 27, Delsea 24

Old Bridge (0-0) at No. 13 South Brunswick (0-0)
Friday at 7 p.m.
Two of the top teams in the Greater Middlesex Conference face off in a rematch of last season's Central Jersey, Group 5 final that South Brunswick won. Quarterback Josh Liao and wide receiver Justin Shorter give the Vikings a potent offensive attack, while Old Bridge quarterback Artur Sitkowski is explosive in his own right. South Brunswick 35, Old Bridge 21
 
No. 15 Cedar Creek (0-0) at Absegami (0-0)
Friday, 6 p.m.
The Pirates arrived as a program last year, knocking off Haddonfield and West Deptford on the way to its first sectional championship. Can they back it up? With state Player of the Year candidate Bo Melton, fourth-year starting quarterback Jesse Milza, Rutgers-bound lineman Owen Bowles and more we think so. Cedar Creek 38, Absegami 7
 
Shawnee (0-0) at No. 17 Cherokee (0-0)
Friday, 7 p.m.
It’s a battle between a pair of the top programs in South Jersey. Last year, QB Mike Welsh and the Renegades dominated the Chiefs. Welsh is gone and Shawnee could be rebuilding a bit, while the Chiefs seem primed for a run at the South Jersey Group 5 title behind Rutgers-bound running back John Lovett. Cherokee 24, Shawnee 14

Somerville (0-0) at No. 18 Cranford (0-0)
Friday at 7 p.m.
The Cougars begin their North Jersey, Section 2, Group 3 title defense against a team it beat convincingly last season. The big question for Cranford this season is how they'll replace quarterback Jack Schetelich. But even without him, the Cougars have the edge in this one. Cranford 28, Somerville

Blair at No. 20 Pope John
Saturday, 3 p.m.
The Lions and its tenacious defense are ready to hit the turf. Pope John's strong D features national recruit Dalyn Wade-Perry. With the defense strong and the offense ready to roll, they'll be tough to bring down. Pope John 35, Blair 21

Jeremy Schneider may be reached at jschneider@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @J_Schneider. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Check out NJ.com's complete guide to the 2016 cross-country season

With the opening weekend of the N.J. XC season fast approaching, NJ.com wanted to give you a place to go to find all the info you need for the 2016 season on the trails.

Lots of previews, predictions, key dates, early season news and more are just a click away. Just hit the link you want and check out all the info.   

PRESEASON RANKINGS

• Boys Top 20 teams
• Boys Top 20 runners
• Girls Top 20 teams
• Girls Top 20 runners

PREDICTIONS

• Boys picks to win Groups and M of C team titles
• Girls picks to win state Groups and M of C team titles

PRESEASON POLLS 

• Results from each Group and Meet of Champions poll

BIG CHANGE

• Wild cards have been added to Group meets and Meet of Champions

EARLY COVERAGE

• Super sophomore Acasio Pinheiro transfers
• Hope Tiboni returns to the Mendham girls team
• CBA ranked No. 4 in the nation in preseason poll 
• Rey Rivera announces some college visits 
• CBA legend Mike Mazzaccaro returns to alma mater as assistant coach

KEY LINKS

• Pubic and Non-Public classifications for the 2016 season 
• NJSIAA regulations, dates, sites, schedules for NJSIAA Championship meets

REWIND

• Boys 2015 XC Season in Review
• Girls 2015 XC Season in Review

Jim Lambert may be reached at jlambert@njadvancemedia.com . Follow him on Twitter @lambo2126 . Like NJ.com cross-country and track on Facebook

The victim was identified Thursday as Valeriya Vezhdel, 36, who lived in the Elmwood Park apartment building. Watch video

ELMWOOD PARK - New video shows the challenges firefighters faced Tuesday night as they battled a blaze in an apartment building that killed a 36-year-old woman from Russia.

Valeriya Vezhdel (Facebook) 

Valeriya Vezhdel, who according to online directories worked in the United States as a housekeeper, died inside the Miller Avenue home after a late-night fire consumed her apartment.

Flames and a roof collapse forced firefighters out of the structure, as seen in a video posted online.

"First responding officers discovered the house fully engulfed in flames and thick, heavy smoke emanating from the building," Elmwood Park Police Chief Michael Foligno said. "Officers attempted to force entry into the residence but were held back by the intense heat and thick heavy smoke."

According to her Facebook page, Vezhdel attended Tula State University, which is one of the largest universities in Central Russia. She later moved to the tri-state area and worked as a housekeeper.

The fire, which began about 11:30 p.m., was under control in about 30 minutes. Firefighters and other first responders found Vezhdel's body on the floor of the bedroom, next to the kitchen.

 

Investigators suspect the fire began in a kitchen appliance and quickly spread through the apartment.

Messina Costa, 90, who is listed in property records as the owner of the building, was in her apartment on the second floor when she awoke to smoke alarms sounding, police said.

Costa escaped the blaze and officers later found her safe in a neighbor's home.

Firefighters from Elmwood Park, Saddle Brook, Garfield, Fair Lawn and Clifton fought the blaze.

Police said an investigation into the exact cause of the fire continues.

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

The Green Wave has been seeking to leave the newly formed Super Football Conference, taking a hard-line stance that had dragged through the spring and summer.

With its last-ditch appeal to leave the North Jersey Super Football Conference still up in the air, Delbarton announced Thursday the school will move forward with its new NJSFC schedule and play powerhouse St. Joseph (Mont.) on Sept. 17 “under duress,” according to a statement released by the school.

Delbarton, which has been challenging its inclusion in the new league since April, said in the statement it is “playing St. Joseph under duress because of the threat of unspecified and potentially serious sanctions by the NJSIAA and NJFSC and without prejudice to the positions it has taken in its appeal to the [State Education] Commissioner [David Hespe].”

RELATED: Delbarton appealing decision, still wants no part of Super Football Conference

Hespe, who announced his resignation as Education Commissioner Thursday morning after 30 months on the job effective at the end of September, still has not rendered a decision regarding Delbarton’s appeal.

Not long after the Super Football Conference was formed this offseason, Delbarton announced it was challenging its inclusion in the new league, citing a hesitance to play one of the toughest schedules in the state against national powerhouses Don Bosco Prep, St. Joseph (Mont.), Paramus Catholic and DePaul Catholic.

“We don’t want to have to play all the big guys,” Delbarton athletic director Dan Whalen said April 12. “That’s an unfair schedule for us. We’re not like those guys. We’re not like them in philosophy. We’re not like them — the whole deal.”

Delbarton sought to leave the league and play an independent schedule and was denied earlier this year by both the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association’s Leagues and Conferences Committee and Executive Committee.

It left the school with only one option: An appeal to Commissioner Hespe. 

PHOTOS: Delbarton football through the years

The process was drawn out over the summer as Delbarton waited for a decision. The school even formulated a back-up schedule without some of its new powerhouse opponents, holding out hope the Commissioner would rule in its favor.

"Delbarton sincerely regrets having to cancel its previously scheduled commitment to the football team at the Brunswick School,” the school added in its statement, citing the team it had scheduled in place of St. Joseph.

The wait for a decision from Hespe now continues, but in the meantime the Green Wave will play their new schedule of games.

Matthew Stanmyre may be reached at mstanmyre@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattStanmyre. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Green Wave officials remain disgruntled with tough schedule against national juggernauts

Delbarton begrudgingly announced Thursday it’s agreed to move forward with its North Jersey Super Football Conference schedule and play powerhouse St. Joseph (Mont.) next weekend, but the elite private school from Morris County isn’t hiding its disdain with the decision.

In an email sent to the New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association and the NJSFC obtained Thursday by NJ Advance Media, Delbarton athletic director Dan Whalen wrote that the school will “maintain our position that this schedule threatens the health and safety of our student athletes and places them in the indefensible position of being overmatched in order to accommodate teams which, through the regular practice of recruiting, have outgrown almost all local competition.”

RELATED: Disgruntled Delbarton agrees to play super conference powerhouse 'under duress'

Whalen also wrote the school will “retain the right to hold responsible all the parties who have placed our student athletes in this position should this ‘experiment’ prove to have deleterious consequences.”

Delbarton has appealed its inclusion in the newly formed NJSFC and awaits a final decision from outgoing State Education Commissioner David Hespe, who announced his resignation Thursday morning, effective at the end of September.

The Green Wave has maintained it cannot compete in the new league playing a difficult schedule against state and national non-public school powers St. Joseph, Don Bosco Prep, Paramus Catholic, DePaul Catholic and others.

Last season, Delbarton played seven of its 11 games against public schools, outscoring its public school counterparts by a combined score of 260-75.

PHOTOS: Delbarton football through the years

Delbarton released a statement Thursday saying it will move forward with its new schedule and play St. Joseph “under duress.”

Whalen declined to comment about the email or Delbarton’s decision to move forward with the new schedule when reached by phone Thursday, citing the school’s statement released earlier in the day.

Here is a transcript of the email:

Dear Mr. Timko & Mr. Piro,

Our Headmaster, Br. Paul Diveny, OSB, has asked me to inform you that Delbarton School will abide by the rules stated in the Constitution and By Laws of both the NJSIAA and NJSFC and play the game on Saturday, September 17 against St. Joseph, Montvale that has been forced upon us. Because no ruling has been made by the Commissioner of Education on our petition, we find that we have no choice but to make this decision, albeit reluctantly. The prospect of the penalties and sanctions outlined in the NJSIAA Constitutions and Bylaws would have such a negative impact on our student athletes that we feel this is lesser of two evils. As we await the decision on our petition before the Commissioner, we will play this game and the rest of this season’s schedule without conceding our position and without prejudice to our petition. We still maintain our position that this schedule threatens the health and safety of our student athletes and places them in the indefensible position of being overmatched in order to accommodate teams which, through the regular practice of recruiting, have outgrown almost all local competition. We retain the right to hold responsible all the parties who have placed our student athletes in this position should this “experiment “prove to have deleterious consequences.

Respectfully,

Dan Whalen

Matthew Stanmyre may be reached at mstanmyre@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattStanmyre. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

River Oak Farm displaces a beachfront home in Long Branch as the second most expensive listing

There is a reshuffling in New Jersey's real estate stratosphere: River Oak Farm, a 45-acre estate on the Ramapo River, has entered the open market at $35 million, becoming the second most expensive listing in the state.

The 10-bedroom English Country mansion, which last changed hands in 2009 for $19 million, features an indoor pool and spa, wine cellar, an English-style pub with elaborate woodwork, a massage room, gym, elevator, a master bedroom with massive stone fireplace and private spa, 10 full bathrooms and four half-baths.

Outside, there is a soccer field, basketball court, infinity pool with a three-tiered stone terrace, outdoor kitchen, a 20-stall horse barn, indoor riding arena, paddocks and trails, and a guest house.

According to state Division of Taxation records, property taxes for the estate -- which partially classified as farmland -- are $106,494. 

Vicki Gaily of Special Properties Christie's International Real Estate in Saddle River, who is handling the listing, would not comment on it.  

Alpine's Stone Mansion remains the most expensive listing in New Jersey, with a $48.8 million list price. River Oak Farm is now the second priciest listing, followed by Belle Mer, the oceanfront estate in Long Branch that recently dropped its $39 million asking price to $34 million.  Englewood's Gloria Crest, at $20 million, a Colts Neck French country-styled estate at $16 million round out the top five. 

That doesn't include homes that are being marketed privately as a "pocket listing," off the state's multiple listing service, as River Oak Farm was initially. 

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. 49: Explosive fight spices up 'Real Housewives of New Jersey'

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

Will you get a perfect seven this week? Probably not, but it's worth a try.

The dawn of a new school year brings with it the promise of a clean slate. Time to start fresh, right? Your prior failures in NJ.com's weekly local news quiz are the stuff of the past. Start afresh with the seven questions below. I'll even give you the stories that the quiz is based on. You're going to do better than pass this test ... you're going to ace this test. It's the start of a great year ahead for you, I can feel it. Share your score proudly as if the comments section below is your refrigerator door. It's gold-star time.

Quiz questions based on these stories:

• Online retailer's return policy singles out 2 N.J. towns
• N.J.'s least and most expensive 4-year colleges
• Improper passing puts driver in really tight spot
• N.J. man's precious stolen item returned
• Christie declares N.J. state of emergency
• N.J. driving tests just got a little easier
• Drive-through chain coming to N.J.

John Shabe can be reached via jshabe@njadvancemdia.com. Follow him on Twitter and find NJ.com on Facebook.

Police believe Junior Santana-Delacruz may have had more victims

ROCHELLE PARK-- An anonymous tip about suspicious activity led to the arrest of a Totowa man on charges he was overseeing a scheme to fraudulently obtain cell phones, police spokesman Det. Sgt. Jim DePreta said in a statement Thursday.

Junior Santana Delacruz (Rochelle Park police)  

The tipster called police Sept. 1 and reported seeing someone parked in a remote corner of the parking lot at 218 Rt. 17 North, where a delivery driver pulled up, delivered a package and left.

Police later conducted surveillance of the delivery driver and the parking lot, watching as the driver of a Porsche followed the delivery truck and then received a package, DePreta said. .

Police pulled the Porsche over and found packages containing five cell phones, none of which were addressed to the driver, Junior Santana-Delacruz, 25, DePreta also said.

An investigation in conjunction with the Bergen County Prosecutor's Office revealed that Santana-Delacruz had allegedly filed insurance claims on the cell phone accounts of unwitting victims. The phones were shipped to an area along the delivery driver's route, according to police. Authorities allege the phones were then sold.

A search of Santana-Delacruz's home turned up personal information of a large number of people as well as $26,000 in cash believed to be proceeds from phone sales, DePreta said.

The identity of the delivery driver was not released. Authorities said the investigation is ongoing and may turn up additional victims and participants in the scheme.

Santana-Delacruz was charged with theft by deception, trafficking of personal identifying information and computer facilitated theft. He was being held in the Bergen County Jail on $20,000 bail.

Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@PaulMilo2. Find NJ.com on Facebook.  

Palisades Park last month became the latest Bergen County town to ban short-term rentals.

PALISADES PARK -- The borough in late August became the latest eastern Bergen County town to ban short-term rentals, barring residents from listing their homes on services like Airbnb and and Homeaway.

Palisades Park joined Cresskill and Englewood Cliffs in banning short-term rentals, while Fort Lee and Leonia are weighing bans of their own. Meanwhile, Newark and Jersey City have reached agreements to impose hotel taxes on Airbnb rentals.

Mayor James Rotundo said short-term renters threatened already scarce parking spots in his town of about 20,000. Many renters are drawn to Palisades Park and other towns with easy access to New York City.

The ban takes effect 30 days after Aug. 23, but there were at least three listings still on Airbnb as of Thursday. Two of the owners declined to comment when NJ Advance Media contacted them through the website.

Airbnb does not display the exact locations of homes on its websites, but Palisades Park residents living near listed homes said they were unaware of any short-term rental activity.

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Airbnb encourages hosts to be aware of local regulations, but can't prevent people in towns that ban short-term rentals from listing their homes on the site, a spokesman said. The company has battled controversy before. On Thursday it announced plans to address complaints from hosts and guests that they were being discriminated against.

Josh Meltzer, regional head of public policy for Airbnb, asked towns to work with the company rather than banning it.

"Instead of shortchanging their communities with drastic measures like wholesale bans on short-term rentals, we urge elected officials across New Jersey to engage in a constructive dialogue about how smart regulations can foster responsible home sharing that stimulates the local economy," he said.

Representatives from the company recently attended a work session of the Fort Lee Mayor and Council, where elected officials are also considering a ban on rentals lasting less than 30 days. Parking is also difficult in Fort Lee, where hundreds of residential units are under construction.

Fort Lee Mayor Mark Sokolich said the town has received complaints for the past four months about short-term renters making noise and shuttling in and out of particular addresses. It's difficult to enforce parking ordinances because the renters are from out of state, he added.

"It's a general quality of life issue," he said. "It becomes disruptive."

Sokolich said Airbnb proposed measures to address complaints, including stricter vetting of guests and more monitoring of hosts, but that Fort Lee would likely move forward with a ban.

"At the end of the day, the single most important part of our job is the safety and quality of life of our residents," he said. "These short-term one-night, two-night, four-night rentals certainly don't promote that."

Sokolich and Rotundo both said the rentals could pose a safety issue. Town officials don't know what condition the home is left in from rental to rental.

"Without having a [certificate of occupancy] every time someone moves in we don't know," Rotundo said.

Englewood Cliffs was among the first towns to ban rentals of less than six months in 2012. Mayor Mario Kranjac said town officials have no regrets and have heard no pushback from residents.

"I think it's better for the community as a whole," he said. "We're not a transient community."

Assemblywoman Valerie Vainieri Huttle (D-Bergen) has co-sponsored legislation that would tax short-term rentals booked through Airbnb and similar websites like hotels. However, the mayors said the issue should be handled town-by-town.

"I have never used Airbnb or any of the other services," Rotundo said. "They seem to be a very nice way for people to travel and stay in other areas. I just don't think it's right for Palisades Park."

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

Check the status of the 42 ex-N.J. stars playing on Sunday

Think you missed any of the football previews and coverage this week? NJ.com's mega coverage guide will catch you up in and instant

Here is our mega-coverage guide for Week 1 to help get you ready for the first exciting weekend of gridiron action. Make sure to check back as we'll be adding more stories, previews, polls, live update posts and our predictions for every game this weekend as we get ready for games Friday and Saturday.

WEEK 1 CONFERENCE SCHEDULES/SCOREBOARDS
(Pages automatically update with links as scores come in)
• Greater Middlesex Conference
• Mid-State 38 Conference
• North Jersey Interscholastic Conference
• North Jersey Super Football Conference
• Shore Conference
• West Jersey Football League

RELATED: Who has the best student section? Nominate your school now

WEEK 1 PICKS, RANKINGS, STANDINGS 
• Top 20 for Sept. 4
• Our Week 1 Top 20 picks
• Our Week 1 picks by conference
• Our predictions for every Week 1 game
• 15 Can't miss games in Week 1
• What you should know heading into Week 1
• NJ.com's regional Game of the Week winners
• NJSIAA Power points through Sept. 4

SEASON PREVIEW
• NJ.com's first Player of the Year watch
• Top 10 players by position
• 12 key changes to N.J. high school football in 2016
• Previews of all 54 conference divisions
• FULL NJ.com season preview

OTHER MUST-READS

• Delbarton blasts opponents’ ‘recruiting’ in email agreeing to play powerhouse
• Disgruntled Delbarton agrees to play super-conference powerhouse 'under duress'
• Ramapo vs. Wayne Hills is always 'must see' football
• Preview: Lawrence at Hamilton West in Times of Trenton GOW
• Gun fire ends football practice early in Paterson
• Former Kingsway, Navy RB Sean Samuels to visit RU
• Former Rowan players making mark as HS coaches
• South Jersey teams ready to compete under WJFL umbrella
• Struggles in the classroom have former N.J. star Kareen Walker sidelined at UM
• Where was Jabrill Peppers playing vs. Hawaii? MLive examines his role
• Chris Ash on Michigan transfer Ahmir Mitchell: Rutgers did its "homework" on suspension
• NJ alums who made an impact on college football opening weekend
• Labor Day special: NJSFC players who worked hard to earn their spot

Joe Zedalis may be reached at jzedalis@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @josephzedalis. Like NJ.com HS sports on Facebook.

David Thomas Jr. 22, of Lodi faces 20 years when he is sentenced Dec. 9.

HACKENSACK - The alleged ringleader in more than a dozen armed robberies in North Jersey pleaded guilty Thursday to 13 charges, including attempted murder, reports NorthJersey.com.

David Thomas Jr. (File photo) 

David Thomas Jr., 22, of Lodi is expected to be sentenced to 20 years on Dec. 9.

In a plea deal, Thomas told a Bergen County Superior Court judge that he pistol-whipped two people and shot a gas station attendant during crimes in Teaneck, East Rutherford, Wallington, Garfield, Ridgefield Park, Lodi, Carlstadt and Hackensack from March 2014 to January 2016, according to the report.

Thomas was one of six people arrested in February and accused of participating in holdups and attempted holdups.

As part of the deal, prosecutors will recommend Thomas serve 10 years for a Delta Gas Station robbery and 10 years for shooting a Ridgefield park gas station attendant. Those terms would run consecutively, according to the report.

In the Ridgefield Park robbery, Thomas shot the attendant in the torso and then went through his pockets, prosecutors have said.

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The other defendants charged in connection with the robberies have not yet been indicted, according to the report.

The Bergen County Prosecutor's Office identified the other suspects as: Louis Rendon, 18, of Moonachie; Cainan Samuels-Wallace, 18, of Lodi; Jordyn Moses, 19, of Lodi, a 17-year-old from Moonachie; and Chaz Q. Johnson, 20, of Orlando, Florida.

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

Randy R. Brandau allegedly submitted a forged letter to a Bergen County court.

CLIFFSIDE PARK - A borough man facing eviction was charged with forgery after he allegedly signed his landlord's name to a letter stating he had permission to remain in his apartment and submitted the document to Bergen Superior Court, authorities say.

Randy R. Bandau (BCPO) 

Randy R. Brandau, 32, testified in July at landlord-tenant court "that he had received permission from his landlord to postpone eviction proceedings," Acting Bergen County Prosecutor Gurbir S. Grewal said in a statement.

"To support his testimony, Mr. Brandau presented a letter to the court stating that he had permission  to remain in the apartment and the letter purportedly contained the landlord's signature," Grewal said.

Investigators who looked into the matter later determined the letter was neither drafted nor signed by the landlord, Grewal said.

Brandau was arrested last Friday at his home in Cliffside Park. He was charged with uttering a forged document and tampering with public records.

Bail was set at $15,000, the prosecutor said.

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

The ring used Social Security numbers and other data to obtain the money, authorities said.

NEWARK-- A 47-year-old Demarest native admitted he deposited $4.7 million in tax refund checks fraudulently obtained using the personal information of Puerto Rico residents, the office of U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman said in a statement Thursday.

Roberto Diaz, now of Miami, was part of a ring that used birth dates and Social Security numbers to fill out 1040 tax forms in such a way as to secure refunds. The U.S. Treasury Department was then directed to deliver the funds to locations in their control or to which they had access.

Duo allegedly filed fake returns, got real refunds

Diaz admitted during a plea hearing that he obtained more than $4.7 million in refunds and that he tried to bribe a mail carrier to grab refund checks destined for people whose identities had been stolen.

Diaz was one of 14 people charged in September 2012 for their alleged roles in the far-reaching, $65 million scheme, which involved 8.000 fraudulent returns and $12 million in losses to the U.S. government, authorities said. The scheme was uncovered when authorities learned that the multitude of returns were associated with just a handful of individual computer IP addresses.

Diaz, who admitted to one count of conspiracy to commit theft of government funds, one count of theft of government funds and a count of aggravated identity theft, is facing up to 17 years in prison and a $500,000 fine when he's sentenced in January 2017.

Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@PaulMilo2. Find NJ.com on Facebook.  

The court also rejected the prosecution's argument seeking a stiffer sentence against Dharun Ravi.

NEWARK -- Former Rutgers student Dharun Ravi has won his appeal seeking to overturn his convictions in the Tyler Clementi webcam case.

The appellate court sided with Ravi's attorneys who had argued he never should have been charged with bias crimes and his convictions should be reversed. The court also ordered a new trial saying Ravi could not have received a fair trial as the bias evidence "permeated the trial." 

"It's far from over," Ravi's attorney Steven Altman said Friday morning. "I'm extraordinarily pleased with the decision. I haven't spoken with the Ravi family yet, but I can only imagine they're pleased as well." 

The appellate decision arrives four years after Ravi's conviction on several counts of bias intimidation and other charges following a highly publicized trial in New Brunswick, which put a national spotlight on cyber bullying.

Clementi, of Ridgewood, who was Ravi's dorm mate at Rutgers University when the two were freshmen, jumped off the George Washington Bridge several days after the bullying incidents in September 2010 in which Ravi set up a remote webcam that spied on Clementi while he was having an intimate encounter with another man.

Ravi was not charged in Clementi's death and his defense maintained the webcam incidents had nothing to do with Clementi's decision to commit suicide. He was sentenced -- and has already served -- his 30-day sentence, three years of probation and 300 hours of community service.

After Ravi's conviction in 2012, the state Supreme Court in a separate case struck down part of the state's bias crime statute that focused on the victim's state of mind. According to that case, it is the defendant's state of mind and intent that is important, not the victim's.

The appellate court said the prosecution conceded in its oral arguments four of Ravi's bias convictions should "be void as a matter of law," and, accordingly, dismissed those charges with prejudice. The court also dismissed Ravi's conviction on hindering his own apprehension and tampering with witnesses.

Altman previously said the Supreme Court's decision on the anti-bias statute directly strikes down one of Ravi's convictions and also brought into question decisions made by the trial judge, Superior Court Judge Glenn Berman, who is now retired. Berman permitted the prosecution to produce evidence of Tyler Clementi's state of mind to the jury.

"The State used evidence revealing the victim's reserved demeanor and expressions of shame and humiliation as a counterweight to defendant's cavalier indifference and unabashed insensitivity to his roommate's right to privacy and dignity," the appellate court said in its ruling. "The prosecutor aggressively pressed this point to the jury in her eloquent closing argument."

It continued: "It is unreasonable to expect a rational juror to remain unaffected by this evidence."

The court also rejected the prosecution's argument that Ravi should have received a stiffer sentence. 

Altman said the prosecution now has 20 days to decide whether or not to appeal to the state Supreme Court. Depending on what the prosecution decides, he said, it will then be a matter of whether "we can work something out in a mutually acceptable way."

Messages placed to the Clementi family and the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office Friday have not yet been returned.

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