The complaint comes almost two months after the judge was reinstated following a nearly five-year suspension.

After five years, Superior Court Judge Carlia M. Brady is free and clear of criminal charges and back on the bench in Middlesex County.

But the state Supreme Court's Judicial Conduct Committee says she still needs to be held accountable for hindering the efforts of Woodbridge police to arrest her boyfriend on a robbery charge.

In a complaint filed against Brady last week, the committee said she "demonstrated an inability to conform her conduct to the high standards of conduct expected of judges and impugned the integrity of the Judiciary." The committee has also accused Brady of using her status as a judge to advance her personal interests.

In a statement to NJ Advance Media on Monday, Brady's attorney Timothy R. Smith said he and his client were confident "that when the esteemed members of the committee become fully versed in the salient facts, Judge Brady will resume her status as a rising and shining star within the New Jersey judiciary."

"She is honest to a fault and lives her life by one creed -- always do the right thing," Brady said. "The circumstances surrounding her unlawful arrest should enhance, not diminish, her value as a judge in that she can now personally relate to the plight of the oppressed.

"She is a model of integrity and exactly the type of person who should be serving in a position of public trust in this state."

Brady, the state's first Superior Court judge of Filipino descent, was arrested in 2013 after police said she failed to notify officers that her boyfriend Jason Prontnicki -- who was wanted for the robbery of a pharmacy in Old Bridge -- was in her home.

Woodbridge police said Brady had originally reported her car missing on June 10, 2013, after her boyfriend borrowed it and loaned it to another person without her permission. She also passed up repeated opportunities to inform police when Prontnicki returned twice her home, officials said. 

A grand jury in Somerset County -- where the case was transferred to avoid a conflict of interest -- indicted Brady in 2015 on charges official misconduct and hindering, but the former of which was later dismissed by a state appeals court.

After a separate appeals court ruling found Prontnicki couldn't be forced to testify against Brady and thus incriminate himself, the Somerset County Prosecutor's Office in March dropped the two remaining hindering charges against her.

Brady, who had been suspended following her arrest, was reinstated less than a week later.

Prontnicki is serving a 10-year state prison sentence after being convicted of the robbery.

A hearing on the complaint has not yet been announced.

Thomas Moriarty may be reached at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty.

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The New Jersey Department of Corrections has an entire prison dedicated to treating inmates with addictions.

The day of firearms safety training is being offered to Lacey High School student - the same school where students were suspended for posing photos of guns at a private range

A New Jersey gun rights group is hosting a free firearm training safety day for students from Lacey Township High School, where controversy erupted in March when two students were suspended over a photo taken at a gun range.

The suspension of the boys, who were never named, ignited an uproar on social media and led to the district changing its policy on student possession weapons off-campus. The students were at a private range with parents when the photo was taken.

The suspensions drew the attention of a New Jersey gun advocacy group -- the Association of New Jersey Rifle & Pistol Clubs -- which sent a cease and desist letter to the district threatening a lawsuit if its policy remained unchanged and the suspensions was not overturned.

The New Jersey Second Amendment Society announced this week it is holding a training session later this month at a gun club. The NJ2AS said its president recently spoke at a Lacey board of education meeting and offered to teach gun safety.

When students brandishing guns are 'none of your damn business' | Editorial

"After speaking to the superintendent several times, the school board and the principle, NJ2AS is confident we are going to develop a long standing relationship to work together and not against each other," the NJ2AS said in a statement. "This is why it is important to not always come out guns blazing and threaten costly litigation as an initial reaction."

The high school's student handbook originally said "any student who is reported to be in possession of a weapon of any type for any reason or purpose whether on or off school grounds," would be subject to penalties including up to a one-year suspension. 

It now omits any mention of possessing a weapon off school grounds and doesn't mention a specific suspension length. It also includes a note on buses. 

"Students are forbidden to carry any type of weapon or simulated weapon to school," the revamped policy states. "Strict disciplinary action and legal actions will result if this occurs. Any person who knowingly has in his possession any imitation firearm in or upon any part of the building... without the written authorization of the governing officer of the institution, or while on any school bus is a disorderly person."

The photo of four rifles, magazines and a gun duffel bag was shared by one of the students on the social media app Snapchat with the caption "fun day at the range," according to Lacey resident Amanda Buron, a family friend of one of the students.

A screen capture of the image made the rounds among other students and later brought to the attention of Lacey High School officials. Buron said the students received a five-day, in-school suspension for violating the school's policy on weapons possession.

District officials never acknowledged that the students were suspended. 

The free training day will be held May 20 at the Union Hill Gun Club on Union Hill Road in Monroe, Middlesex County from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Registration is limited to 100 students.

"NJ2AS turned a negative into a positive without any litigation and/or waste of gun owner resources," the gun group said on its website, adding that the outcome is a "best case scenario."

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

It is unclear how the sophomore business major died, though foul play is not suspected, Rutgers officials said.

For the second time in less than a week, a Rutgers University student has been found dead on campus -- though foul play is not suspected in either case, school officials said Tuesday.

Kyle R. Gotchel, a sophomore business major, was found outside Hardenbergh Hall on the New Brunswick campus Monday, university officials said in statement.

Campus police are investigating the death, though it is not considered suspicious, school officials said. They gave few details about the incident and it is unclear if Gotchel may have fallen or jumped from his second-floor window.

"This tragic incident remains under investigation, but foul play is not suspected. The university extends its sincerest condolences to Kyle's family and friends," Rutgers officials said in a statement.

Hardenbergh Hall, a six-story building, is one of Rutgers' "River dorms" overlooking the Raritan River. Because there is a lobby level, the second floor is three stories above the ground.

Residents of Hardenbergh Hall received an email about Gotchel's death Monday, according to a report in the Daily Targum, the student newspaper. Rutgers counselors are available for students, the email said.

Gotchel was a 2016 graduate of West Deptford High School.

Last week, another Rutgers student was found dead on the Busch campus in Piscataway. Akash S. Taneja, a graduate student in medicinal chemistry from India, was found dead Friday morning, though the location was not disclosed.

Taneja's death is not considered suspicious, though it is being investigated by the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office, school officials said.

Kelly Heyboer may be reached at kheyboer@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @KellyHeyboer. Find her at KellyHeyboerReporter on Facebook.

Nadir Barnwell, 22, was previously given pretrial intervention in an assault in New Brunswick involving five Rutgers football players.

A former Rutgers player who had been given another chance at wiping his record clean after a street brawl three years ago is now facing an attempted homicide charge after an alleged drunken assault on a woman in Nashville.

Nadir Barnwell, 22, allegedly grabbed a woman by the throat while on a city pedestrian bridge early Monday morning, shook her and dropped her on her head, fracturing the woman's skull, according to the arrest warrant from Nashville Metro Police. 

Nadir BarnwellNashville Metro Police 

Barnwell played cornerback for Rutgers under the Kyle Flood regime but transferred to Tennessee Tech last year after a highly publicized fight over a parking spot in New Brunswick in 2015, in which four other ex-Scarlet Knights were charged.

The Piscataway native was accepted into the pretrial intervention program to clear his criminal record over the prior assault and allowed to continue the program last May despite failing a drug test.

He was listed as a participant in Tennessee Tech's commencement ceremony on Saturday, according to university spokesman Dewayne Wright, who was unsure if Barnwell had obtained a diploma. Wright said the former college footballer was no longer listed as a student.

In the Nashville incident, according to the police warrant, Barnwell could be seen on video surveillance just before 3 a.m. agitated and pacing near the woman, who was sitting on the bridge. Barnwell then takes his shirt off, charges at the woman and assaults her, according to police's review of the video.

Barnwell can be seen pacing again while the woman lies on the ground and makes a phone call before trying to wake her. He then picks her up and walks off camera. About 40 minutes later, he calls for medical help, police said. 

The woman, who had her right arm in a splint and bruises on her neck, was taken into surgery to stop "significant" brain bleeding and may have a broken right arm, according to the warrant.

Barnwell told police he didn't remember the incident. 

The woman's uncle, John Betancourt, who shared an image of the woman in the hospital with NJ Advance Media, said his niece just finished a doctorate degree in sociology.

"He destroyed her," Betancourt wrote to the news outlet. 

Barnwell is being held on $300,000 bond and is set to appear in court Wednesday afternoon. 

News of the recent alleged assault comes a day after the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office released a video of the violent assault on Delafield Street in 2015. 

The New Brunswick incident also included Tejay Johnson, 26, who accepted a plea deal over the assault and a string of armed robberies earlier this year. 

While at Rutgers, Barnwell was involved in a DUI during his freshman year. His coach, Kyle Flood, tried to convince a professor to change Barnwell's grades, which played a significant part in Flood's firing as coach.

Barnwell left the Tennesse Tech football team in November, Wright said. His last game was November 4, according to the team's statistics. 

Barnwell's younger brother, Elijah, is a redshirt-freshman on Rutgers University's football team.

Note: The university previously provided incorrect information on Barnwell's graduation. This story has since been updated to reflect the changes.  

Craig McCarthy may be reached at CMcCarthy@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @createcraig and on Facebook here. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

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Looking for property tax bargains? These towns had the lowest average property tax bills in each of New Jersey's 21 counties.

Find out which schools rank in the top 500 nationally.

'The Nerd' plays at George Street Playhouse through May 20

About once per season, a sitcom shows up at George Street Playhouse. All the familiar tropes are there: outsized characters, rim-shot worthy jokes, fledgling romance, and a happily-ever-after conclusion. The current iteration of the New Brunswick theater's urge for the zany is "The Nerd," a comedy by Larry Shue that ran on Broadway for over a year and more than 450 performances in the late eighties. Heavy on hijinks and thin on plot, the show's success speaks to its primetime-ready mold of whacky jokes and simple characters.

In Terra Haute, Indiana, 1981, affable Willum (Colin Hanlon) finds himself depressed on his 34th birthday. He has the companionship of his two friends Tansy (Kate Reinders) and Axel (Zach Shaffer), but he is overworked and under-appreciated at his job, and just so happens to be hopelessly in love with Tansy, who plans to move to Washington D.C. and out of his life forever next week. Willum's spirits lift when he receives a surprise voicemail: Rick Steadman (Jonathan Kite), the mysterious good Samaritan who saved his life in Vietnam--but whom Willum has never seen or met in person--is coming to visit. Also joining the crew for some birthday drinks are Mr. Waldgrave (Stephen Wallem), the big-fish client Willum is bending over backwards to satisfy, along with his wife Clelia (Ann Harada) and son Thor (Hayden Bercy). And so, from strained romance to high-pressure socializing with the boss and his family, all our comic pins are in place, and just await a bowling ball to knock 'em over.

Rick is happy to oblige. Barney Fife or Steve Urkel by any other name, Rick turns out to be our title character, replete with nasally voice, high-wasted pants, taped-together glasses, and near complete social obliviousness. Rick's antics stir the festivities into a frenzy, but Willum is bound and determined to be a good host to the man that saved his life. It is not long before Rick moves in with Willum and--boy howdy!--do things go haywire then.

Of course, from the vanilla everyman at the play's center to the dry, wisecracking neighbor, to the gruff boss, to the beautiful love interest, to the problem child, all these characters grow directly out of the sitcom playbook and do little to find anything that is original or unique within that mold. Axel sipping a drink and slinging witticisms in the opening scene sets us up for Rick later emerging from the bathroom with toilet paper on his shoe and stodgy old Mr. Waldgrave to get a face splattered with food.

From "I Love Lucy" through "The Big Bang Theory," the mold to which "The Nerd" gives itself over entirely has proven successful and lasting, so who's to blame George Street for looking to the safe and secure? Director Kevin Cahoon and his cast embrace the play wholeheartedly: we may have a thin plot and stock characters, but at least we've got an enthusiastic performance. Not a play intent on exploring any ideas about what theater or comedy can do, "The Nerd" commits itself completely to the sitcom paradigm.

If your cable is out and you're jonesing for some Nick at Nite, George Street might have just the thing for you.

THE NERD

George Street Playhouse

103 College Farm Road, New Brunswick

Tickets online www.GSPonline.org or by phone (732) 246-7717. Running through May 20^th.

Patrick Maley may be reached at patrickjmaley@gmail.com. Find him on Twitter and Instagram @PatrickJMaley. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook.

The uncle of a woman who suffered life-threatening injuries as a result of an alleged beating at the hands of Nadir Barnwell isn't happy with the justice system.

The uncle of the woman who suffered life-threatening injuries as a result of an alleged beating at the hands of Nadir Barnwell had a message for the former Rutgers and Tennessee Tech football player: You're better off in jail.

But now he's backing off the threat.

After blaming a justice system that allowed Barnwell a second chance following a highly publicized street brawl, John Betancourt admitted his Twitter rant in a series of tweets appeared "threatening," but he said he would present no danger if Barnwell gets out on bail.

"I'll be honest, I (tweeted) it that way (because) I was so angry that I felt like going over there and breaking his head. But then I have to think about my family,'' Betancourt said in a phone interview with NJ Advance Media. "It's just venting. ... He has to see justice served.''

This monster was created by his schools, colleges, and Kistice System. Just because he was a good football player, today my nice is close to lose her life, and I hope this guy is kept in jail. For his sake! https://t.co/Sr8LTLqyIH

-- CSM (@JaniBetancoirt) May 8, 2018

This asshole ain't even working in what he took his major, Criminal Justice, he will abuse the system!

-- CSM (@JaniBetancoirt) May 8, 2018

This monster was created by the colleges and schools, they cover for his drug used, change his grades, let him out on a program he failed, and now the love of a young girl is on the line. Someone should reach to him at the jail in Tenia and tell him not to bail out

-- CSM (@JaniBetancoirt) May 8, 2018

The life of a young girl is on the line

-- CSM (@JaniBetancoirt) May 8, 2018

Barnwell, a 22-year old Piscataway native who played at Rutgers for two seasons before getting dismissed following an arrest for an assault, is facing an attempted homicide charge after allegedly assaulting Betancourt's niece in Nashville.

Barnwell, who was granted pretrial intervention program to clear his earlier criminal record, allegedly grabbed her by the throat while on a city pedestrian bridge early Monday morning. He shook her and dropped her on her head, according to the arrest warrant from Nashville Metro Police.

The alleged assault left the woman in the hospital with a fractured skull, a broken arm and multiple contusions, according to Betancourt.

While Barnwell is set to appear in court Wednesday afternoon, Betancourt said "it's too early to tell'' regarding his niece's long-term prognosis.

"She is awake,'' he said. "We don't know yet what's going to happen. She has a broken skull. It is a miracle that she's alive because if you have a brain hemorrhage for more than 10 or 15 minutes, you can have a stroke. According to what the warrant says by the time she went to the hospital it was more than an hour. She's lucky to be alive.''

An Army Ranger veteran who resides in Orlando, Fla., Betancourt said he spent the days after learning of his niece's injuries reading about Barnwell's background.

"I get angry because other people saw this and never stopped it,'' he said. "If you sit and think, the harm that this kid has done, he has done it under the eye of adults protecting him because perhaps he's a star.''

As a freshman at Rutgers, Barnwell was charged in October 2013 with driving while intoxicated and careless driving in Piscataway by Rutgers University Police. He served a one-game suspension as a result of the DWI charge.

Barnwell also was at the center of the Kyle Flood academic scandal after a university-led investigation found the now-deposed Rutgers football coach pressured an instructor to get Barnwell academically eligible in the spring of 2015.

In September 2015, Barnwell was dismissed from Rutgers along with four teammates after they were charged with aggravated assault and conspiracy to commit a riot. Middlesex County prosecutors said the "unprovoked attack'' on April 25, 2015, in New Brunswick left a 19-year-old male student with a broken jaw.

Barnwell pleaded guilty to the offense in order to enter pre-trial intervention, a probationary program for non-violent first-time offenders. When he originally failed to meet the program's requirements, he was given a second chance at wiping his record clean.

Betancourt, 64, said reading about Barnwell's past issues prompted his string of angry tweets.

"This little girl grew up with me. I saw her birth, I saw her growing. She's part of my life,'' he said. "I have to blame somebody, and I blame those who let that happen. Because that could've been stopped.

"Yeah, (the tweets) sound threatening but I'm angry at the system. I'm angry at the judge that (Barnwell) broke the system. (It's) the only way I can vent that anger. The thing is, as a father -- my daughter is 35 years old right now -- if that happened to my daughter, I would lose it. Put yourself in that position.''

Betancourt said his niece "comes from a good Christian family'' and aspires to be a doctor after recently graduating from Tennessee Tech.

"She's damaged,'' he said. "She's broken because (Barnwell's) been hitting her. It is just crazy. It's very sad, but I hope that justice plays out honestly. I hope that justice plays out and they separate them far away. Because if that's not done there will be a catastrophe. This is a ticking bomb. I know that. Anyone who has two ounces of brain knows that something bad will happen. This is a signal, and I hope that she recovers fully.

"She's very fragile. She has her dreams. She's a very smart woman. She's just a little lady. Beautiful.''

Keith Sargeant may be reached at ksargeant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @KSargeantNJ. Find NJ.com Rutgers Football on Facebook.

Firefighters found the woman unconscious on the kitchen floor.

Firefighters pulled a 62-year-old woman from her burning Sayreville home Tuesday night, but she later died from her injuries at a hospital, authorities said.

The woman, whose name was not released pending notification of her family, lived alone on the house on Amherst Place, police said. Firefighters found her unconscious on the kitchen floor of the house after being called to the blaze at 8 p.m., police said.

Firefighters performed CPR and she was taken to Hackensack Meridian Health Raritan Bay Medical Center in Perth Amboy, where she was later pronounced dead.

Police said the fire chief also suffered a minor hand injury and was treated at the scene.

The cause of the fire is under investigation by the Sayreville Police Department and the Sayreville Fire Marshal.

Caitlyn Stulpin may be reached at cstulpin@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @caitstulpin. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Sometimes a double-take isn't enough.

In the 1984 film "Revenge of the Nerds," the character Booger, played by Curtis Armstrong, is a college student who loves to eat and isn't particularly concerned about appearances. He wears a Greasy Tony's T-shirt in the film, with the slogan "No charge for extra grease" clearly visible.

screencap courtesy of Jay Riback 

The original Greasy Tony's restaurant was located at the intersection of Easton Avenue and Somerset Street in New Brunswick. I saw the movie shortly after it came out. At the time, I was living in New Brunswick. Still, I didn't notice the shirt.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

Photographs, like films, often have interesting elements that go unnoticed. Sometimes, a second look reveals something interesting, unique, humorous or unusual. Sometimes, a closer look at a picture leads to more questions than answers.

Here's a gallery of vintage photos from New Jersey you'll want to take a closer look at. And here are links to other similar galleries you'll enjoy.

Vintage photos from N.J. that might make you do a double-take

Vintage N.J. photos that deserve a second look

More vintage N.J. photos that deserve a second look

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

The State Theatre has new leadership -- and for the first time ever, the organization's CEO is female.

The next step in Sarah Bartlo-Chaplin's theater career, one that has spanned more than two decades, brings her to New Jersey.

The Utah native was named the CEO and president of State Theatre New Jersey on Thursday, after spending three and a half years at The National Theatre Corporation in Washington, DC as the executive director.

Bartlo-Chaplin will take over duties full-time in New Brunswick Aug. 6, and becomes the organization's first-ever female CEO.

"We are elated to have an individual with Sarah's experience join us as we look to begin the next chapter in the State Theatre's exciting history," Scott Fergang, chair of the State Theatre New Jersey Board of Trustees said. "It is Sarah's arts management skills, her deep understanding of building community, and her work with renowned national and international artists that will propel State Theatre New Jersey to a new level of success."

After a decent amount of turnover in the theater's leadership in recent years, Bartlo-Chaplin believes she has what it takes to provide stability and long-term leadership for the organization.

"I have a tendency to be a really collaborative team-builder in all the organizations I've worked for, I value teamwork and stability and support a great deal. That's really what I'll look to bring to State," Bartlo-Chaplin said. "I know that there has been some transition particularly in the last little bit, but I am confident. That staff, it became very clear when I met with almost everyone, it's very clear that this staff and the board are very committed and passionate about the State Theater. So I think they just need someone to have their back. And I can do that for them."

Bartlo-Chaplin took over at The National Theatre in 2015, where she revitalized the historic venue and increased income by 40 percent, which included the first major grants from the DC Commission on Arts and Humanities in the organization's history. With her at the helm, the theater's operational budget was in the black in 2017 for the first time in almost a decade. Bartlo-Chaplin also led capital improvement projects, which included a $1.5 million replacement of the theater's rope and sandbag rigging system during the summer of 2017.

While Bartlo-Chaplin hasn't spent a lot of time in New Jersey, she's excited to connect with the Garden State and help the theater continue its important role in the state's cultural and educational landscape.

"A commitment to the education program and the outreach is truly inspiring to me and I'm looking forward to being a part of that," Bartlo Chaplin said. "I would also like to really connect with the university, I think there are some great opportunities. I've talked to the board already about maybe a student advisory committee and how can we connect the Rutgers students when what we're doing."

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

The Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office has identified the man killed in a Piscatway crash as a 27-year-old Woodbridge resident.

The man killed Sunday when the car in which he was a passenger struck a concrete barrier and burst into flames has been identified as a Woodbridge resident.

Tahir Jamile, 27, was pronounced dead at the scene on Stelton Road in Piscatway during the "early morning hours" of May 6, according to a release from the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office.

The driver of the Toyota Camry was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick with serious injuries and underwent surgery, authorities said. The prosecutor's office did not provide an update on the driver's condition on Thursday.

The release also did not say if another car was involved.

The investigation by the Piscataway Police Department and the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office is "active and ongoing."

Anyone with information about the accident can call Piscatway Police Sgt. Constance Crea at (732) 562-2340, or Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office Det. Erik Larsen at (732) 745-3263.

Chris Sheldon may be reached at csheldon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrisrsheldon Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The Pulitzer Prize-winning author had recently been elected incoming chairman of the board. He has resigned from the role and consented to the review.

In the wake of allegations of misconduct against Junot Diaz, the author has resigned his leadership position on the board of the Pulitzer Prizes as the board announces an independent review of the allegations. 

Diaz, 49, an acclaimed author who was born in the Dominican Republic and moved to Parlin when he was 6, won the Pulitzer Prize for his 2007 novel "The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao."

On May 4, author Zinzi Clemmons ("What We Lose") accused Diaz of cornering her and forcibly kissing her at a college workshop where she had invited him to speak when she was a 26-year-old graduate student. 

"I'm far from the only one he's done this 2, I refuse to be silent anymore," she tweeted. Other women -- National Book Award finalist Carmen Maria Machado and author Monica Byrne -- followed her lead, accusing Diaz of abusive behavior and misogynistic comments. Byrne claims Diaz shouted the word "rape" in her face.

"Junot Diaz is a widely lauded, utterly beloved misogynist," Machado tweeted. "His books are regressive and sexist. He has treated women horrifically in every way possible. And the #MeToo stories are just starting."

"The Pulitzer Prize Board has authorized an independent review of allegations of misconduct against one of its members, Junot Diaz," Dana Canedy, administrator of the Pulitzer Prizes, said in a statement on Thursday. 

"Mr. Diaz said he welcomed the review and would cooperate fully with it," she continued. 

In April, Diaz, the senior member of the board, had been elected the incoming chairman of the board.

"He has asked to relinquish this role, and the board has accepted his request," Canedy said, adding that Diaz would remain on the board. She said Eugene Robinson, the board's former chairman, will serve as interim chairman. 

On April 9, the New Yorker published an essay from Diaz titled "The Silence: The Legacy of Childhood Trauma," in which he revealed he was raped as a child. 

"I was raped when I was eight years old," Diaz wrote. "By a grownup that I truly trusted." 

Diaz said that the trauma and his inability to talk about it made him suicidal as a teenager and later put a wedge between him and women he had relationships with over the years, contributing to breakups.

After the allegations surfaced, some charged that the timing of the New Yorker essay had been suspect, that the author had intended to provide cover for his alleged misconduct. 

Diaz dropped out of the Sydney Writers' Festival in Australia after Clemmons confronted him on May 4 about the alleged misconduct in a Q&A session while asking about his New Yorker essay. 

A federal grant puts ferry service between Middlesex County and New York City the closest its been to happening since it was proposed in 1996.

Ferry service between Middlesex County and New York City, talked about since the 1990s, could set sail soon now that federal officials have awarded a $6 million grant to purchase a boat.

The Federal Transit Administration awarded the grant this week to NJ Transit to purchase a 299-seat ferry for a proposed Carteret to Manhattan route. NJ Transit applied on behalf of Carteret , which will receive the money.

The ferry route from Carteret's Waterfront Park, along the Arthur Kill to midtown, could transport passengers to the city in 54-minutes.

Ferry service from Middlesex County and Staten island was first studied by the Port Authority of New York and New Jersey in 1996, which recommended Carteret because of its location along the Arthur Kill.

The grant is the most significant recent step since a ferry was brought in to conduct test runs in 2015. That route took the Arthur Kill to the Kill Van Kull through New York Harbor, and ended at Pier 11 in New York. 

Work to get federal funding for various stages of the project started when now U.S. Senator Robert Menendez, D-N.J., was a congressman and Carteret was part of his district. 

"It was 22 years ago, that the Port Authority first found this would be an ideal place for ferry service into Manhattan," Menendez said.  "So, I've long known what a new ferry would mean for this community - faster commutes, greater access to jobs, and better quality of life."

The $6 million FTA  grant builds on several earlier grants, including a $2.4 million earmark in 2005 to build a dock, terminal building, a 350-space parking lot and drop off area north of Waterfront Park. Menendez was also instrumental in changing federal regulations so Carteret could use the funds remaining from other federally funded projects for the ferry.

Ultimately, Carteret officials hope to redevelop the area around the ferry terminal and some mixed-use residential and retail developments have been proposed.   

Larry Higgs may be reached at lhiggs@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @commutinglarry. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Volunteers say Daisy is energetic and would love a fenced yard.

Daisy 

SOUTH PLAINFIELD -- Daisy is a 1-year-old female beagle/terrier mix in the care of Happy Paws Rescue.

While she is leash trained, volunteers say "she is energetic and would love a fenced yard for some off-leash play."

A home with a canine companion would be ideal for Daisy, who has been spayed and is up-to-date on shots.

For more information on Daisy, complete an application form at happypawsrescue.org or leave a voice message at 732-597-4524. Happy Paws is an all-volunteer group based in South Plainfield currently caring for 12 dogs.

Shelters interested in placing a pet in the Paw Print adoption column or submitting news should call 973-836-4922 or email middlesex@starledger.com.

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

Two 24-year-olds were arrested and charged

Two people were arrested and 24 pound of cocaine and marijuana were seized during a drug bust at a Hilton in East Brunswick, authorities said.

Jonathan Reyes, 24, of Kendall Park and Alyssa Ugarte, 24, of Brick were charged with distribution and possession or cocaine and marijuana, East Brunswick police said in a statement. 

Investigators said the pair had 11 pounds of cocaine and 13 pounds of raw marijuana with a street value of about $450,000.

Dealer admits role in 10-person Camden cocaine ring

The arrests followed an "extensive" investigation by East Brunswick police with the help of the Middlesex County Narcotics Task Force, Middlesex County Sheriff's Office K9 unit and hotel security.

The arrests took place in February at the hotel at near the intersection of the New Jersey Turnpike and Route 18 but weren't announced until Friday morning. 

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

OLD BRIDGE -- The Old Coach House in Old Bridge is shown in a photo from the 1930s. MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey Owners claimed that George Washington had slept there, but definitely not in this condition, where it appears to be standing with the help of a single board. If you would like to share a photo that...

OLD BRIDGE -- The Old Coach House in Old Bridge is shown in a photo from the 1930s.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

Owners claimed that George Washington had slept there, but definitely not in this condition, where it appears to be standing with the help of a single board.

If you would like to share a photo that provides a glimpse of history in your community, please call 973-836-4922 or send an email to middlesex@starledger.com. And, check out more glimpses of history in our online galleries on nj.com.

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

What's hot on the diamond from the past week.

Eddie "Oatmeal" Constable Jr., will be allowed to remain free until the start of his sentence next month - even though he was late to court

An 25-year-old Edison man was sentenced to eight years in prison Friday for providing the heroin that caused the overdose death of another Edison man. 

Middlesex County authorities say Eddie "Oatmeal" Constable Jr., 25, sold 10 bags of heroin to Aniq Ali, 23, with each bag containing about a gram of heroin.

Ali died on Feb. 24, 2016  after ingesting the combination of fentanyl and heroin. The next day, police arrested Constable on a drug charge.

An investigation by Edison police and the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office later led to a strict liability for drug induced death charge for Constable.

Constable pleaded guilty in January to strict liability. 

In addition to his eight year sentence, Constable was also sentenced to a three year prison term for possession of heroin with intent to sell. Both sentences will run at the same time.

Constable, on Friday, was allowed to remain free until the start of his prison term on June 8, a ruling to which the prosecutor's office objected, and occurred after the defendant show up late for his sentencing, the prosecutor's office said.

Taylor Tiamoyo Harris may be reached at tharris@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @ladytiamoyo.

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