Lucky must go to a home without small children or teenagers.

Lucky 

OLD BRIDGE -- Lucky is a 5-year-old chow mix at the Old Bridge Animal Shelter.

According to shelter representatives, he is house trained, walks beautifully on a leash, knows several commands and would make an excellent jogging or hiking partner.

Lucky is loving and playful with adults, but must be adopted to a home without small children or teenagers. He also should be an only-pet.

He has been neutered and is up-to-date on shots.

To meet Lucky and other adoptable pets, visit the Old Bridge Animal Shelter at 1 Old Bridge Plaza. The shelter is open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to noon and 1 to 3 p.m. For more information, call 732-721-5600,  ext. 6300 or go to oldbridgeanimalshelter.petfinder.com.

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 The Star-Ledger on Facebook.

 

The money is part of a $37.5 billion energy and water appropriations measure.

WASHINGTON -- An energy and water development spending bill approved by the U.S. Senate Thursday includes $11 million in federal funding for New Jersey communities imperiled by flooding.

The $37.5 billion legislation includes funding for Army Corps of Engineers projects and Energy Department programs. The House passed its own version earlier this month.

"Our state is routinely in the path of severe storms that can destroy neighborhoods and wreak havoc on people's lives," said U.S. Sen. Robert Menendez (D-N.J.) "This funding is vital to moving these communities closer to a long term flood mitigation solution that will protect residents and property."

Unfinished project could not protect Somerset

Most of the funds -- $10 million -- will be spent in the Green Brook sub-basin and is designed to reduce flooding in Middlesex, Somerset and Union counties. The project includes floodwalls, levees, gates pump stations and rerouting water flows.

There also is $575,000 to study the impact of tidal flooding from Hurricane Sandy and other major storms in Jersey Shore bays and estuaries; and $379,000 y0o complete a study of how to reduce flooding along the Rahway River Basin in Essex, Middlesex and Union counties.

"New Jersey families deserve to have the peace of mind that they are out of harm's way and don't have to live in constant fear of the next storm," said U.S. Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.). "These federally funded projects make an important investment in the safety and well-being of New Jerseyans by helping to mitigate the impact of flooding and making us more resilient in the face of future storms."

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

Use this list of 13 haunted locations in New Jersey to plan your own spooky Friday the 13th ghost tour. Watch video

Some say if you cut your hair on Friday the 13th, someone in your family will die.

Wow. Harsh.

Others claim that if a funeral procession passes you on Friday the 13th, the death will be yours. Many people just stay home when the last day of the work week falls the day after the 12th.

But why sit inside and miss all the fun? If you want to try to experience the paranormal yourself, use this list of 13 allegedly haunted spots in New Jersey to plan out on your own tour of spooky spots across the Garden State.

1. Paper Mill Playhouse, Millburn, Essex County

In 1795, an actual paper mill stood where this theater stands today. With a 300-year history that includes two devastating fires, it's not surprising that cast and staff members have heard disembodied footsteps and voices, and seen full-bodied apparitions here. During a March 2013 investigation, Jersey Unique Minds Paranormal Society (JUMPS, of which I'm a member) captured several EVPs (electronic voice phenomenon) of a woman saying "Don't touch" and "How about you?" in the second floor bar area. 

2. Proprietary House, Perth Amboy, Middlesex County

Built in 1762, Proprietary House was commissioned by the Board of Proprietors of East Jersey for Royal Gov. William Franklin -- Benjamin Franklin's son. It has been two hotels, a Civil War hospital, and an apartment building, but today, is a museum. Both staff and visitors have reported hearing footsteps and voices, seeing apparitions and being touched by an invisible being. For more information about planning a visit, go to theproprietaryhouse.org.

There are many superstitions associated with Friday the 13th.

3. The Spy House / Seabrook-Wilson Homestead, Port Monmouth, Middletown, Monmouth County

The Seabrook-Wilson Homestead, aka The Spy House, was built on the shore of Sandy Hook Bay in the 1650s. British soldiers allegedly frequented the tavern and shared military secrets with innkeeper Thomas Seabrook who passed the information to Colonial forces. Sightings include a boy looking out an upstairs window, a rocking chair that moved on its own, and a man in period clothing sitting in that rocking chair. Experts have declared it the "most haunted house in America." The Spy House is located in Bayshore Waterfront Park which opens at 7 a.m. daily. Call 732-787-3033 for more information.

4. Essex and Sussex Hotel, Spring Lake, Monmouth County

The Essex and Sussex was a grand hotel in the early 1900s, but began to decline in the 1970s, and shut its doors in 1985. It was recently remodeled into an adult condo community, but spirits of the past still seem to linger. In 1982, a carpet installer came face to face with a ghostly female on the fifth floor. A caretaker has also heard parties taking place in the ballroom, with music, talking and, and glasses tinkling, while the hotel was closed during winter. Check into a condo on Ocean Avenue in Spring Lake.

N.J.'s 10 creepiest places: Don't read if you scare easily

5. Hindenburg Hangar, Lakehurst, Ocean County

When the German airship Hindenburg exploded over Lakehurst Naval Air Station in 1937, 35 people died. Hangar No. 1 served as a morgue and, according to witnesses, may be haunted by the spirits of those who died in the disaster. Visitors have seen shadows, been touched, and felt "bad vibes" throughout the air station. SyFy's "Ghost Hunters" witnessed a figure running up a stairwell in Hangar No. 1, heard a door slam and heard a male voice was grunt near a stairwell. Hangar No. 1 is visible from Route 547 north of Lakehurst, but air station access is restricted. For information about group tours, visit usnasw.org.

6. Burlington County Prison Museum, Mount Holly, Burlington County

Built in the early 1800s, Burlington County Prison housed maximum-security inmates in the "dungeon" cell. Legend says the ghost of Joel Clough, a murderer who spent his final night alive in the dungeon before being hung, haunts that cell. During restoration in 1999, workers heard unexplained noises and voices, and museum volunteers have reported seeing apparitions walking through the courtyard near a reproduction of the original gallows. Burlington County Prison Museum is open Thursday to Sunday. For hours and more information, call 609-265-5858 or visit prisonmuseum.net.

7. Harper's Pub, Clementon, Camden County

Harper's Pub has been part of Clementon's history for nearly 200 years. Originally Clementon Hotel, it burned to the ground in 1911, before being rebuilt by the Gruber family who opened a pub on the main floor, and hotel rooms on the upper floors. Owner Mark Shernoff purchased the pub in 2009 and it didn't take long for him to realize there's more to his new restaurant than meets the eye. While moving in, Shernoff placed a box in the center of his office, and then left, pulling the door shut behind him. When he returned, the box had been moved and was blocking his way into the office. Harper's Pub is open daily. Visit harperspubnj.com.

View from 16-inch guns on the Battleship New Jersey. Friday, Jan. 18, 2013 (Staff Photo by Lori M. Nichols/South Jersey Times)Lori M. Nichols 

8. Battleship New Jersey, Camden waterfront, Camden County

Not only is the Battleship New Jersey known as America's Most Decorated Battleship, it's also known for spirit activity. In April 2013, the JUMPS team boarded the ship to search for lingering spirits. I recorded my own EVP response while investigating outside one of the ship's latrines. I asked if there was "anyone in the potty." When I listened to my recorder later, I heard a male voice answer, "No." It was good to know I wasn't disturbing anyone's privacy. Battleship New Jersey is open everyday through Sept. 5. For more information, visit battleshipnewjersey.org.

9. Olde Stone House Village, Washington Township, Gloucester County

Olde Stone House Village consists of the 1730-era Olde Stone House, the Quay House, Blackwood Train Station, Turnersville Post Office, and Bunker Hill Presbyterian Church. There have been many claims of paranormal activity throughout the grounds. Visitors and staff have reported seeing a soldier wandering the ground, both a little boy and a little girl playing, and an older man who stays on the second floor in the Quay House. Several paranormal research groups have investigated the village and captured EVPs, seen figures on the Kinect system, and had many personal experiences that all support the legend that the park and it's buildings could be haunted. For more information about the village, call 856-589-3227.

10. Barretts Plantation Bed and Breakfast, Mannington, Salem County

Barrett's Plantation House Bed and Breakfast dates back to 1735 and is said to be inhabited by more than just the owners, Gaynel and Craig Schneeman, and many guests they have hosted. While the Schneemans have never seen him with their own eyes, many guests have asked if the little boy they saw wandering around the plantation -- inside and out -- was their grandchild. Gaynel has done much research to try to find who the boy may be, but to no avail. If you're interested in spending the night in a haunted bed and breakfast, call 856-935-0812 or visit BarrettsPlantationHouse.com.

In May 1997, spree killer Andrew Phillip Cunanan murdered cemetery caretaker William Reese in the basement of the caretaker's house shown here. (File photo)File photo 

11. Finns Point National Cemetery, Pennsville Township, Salem County

Finn's Point National Cemetery, established in 1863, is the resting place for more than 2,000 Confederate prisoners and 135 Union soldiers. In May 1997, spree killer Andrew Phillip Cunanan found the cemetery and murdered caretaker William Reese in the basement of the caretaker's building. During a ghost tour in October 2013, I took a K2 meter and went to stand outside the exterior door to the basement where Reese was murdered. As I spoke, the K2 meter reacted. I asked if Reese was there, but got no response. I asked if the spirit was someone else, and the lights came to life. Finn's Point is open to the public every day from sun up to sun down.visit cem.va.gov. Finn's Point National Cemetery is open to the public every day from sun up to sun down.

12. Emlen Physick Estate, Cape May, Cape May County

Known as Cape May's original haunted house, the Emlen Physick Estate was built in 1879. Several spirits including the Dr. Physick's Aunt Emilie, his mother Frances Ralston, her sister Isabella and several dogs have been detected in the building by psychic medium and author Craig McManus. Today, the estate is Mid-Atlantic Center for the Arts and Humanities (MAC) headquarters, and staffers have reported hearing spirits in the main house and Carriage House for many years. Physick Estate hosts ghost tours and other events throughout the year, and now offers self-guided tours on select days throughout the summer. For more information, visit capemaymac.org.

13. Blueplate Restaurant, Mullica Hill, Gloucester County

The building that houses Chef James Malaby's Blueplate Restaurant dates back to the 1800s and reportedly has a few lingering spirits. Malaby sees apparitions walk past his basement office and hears footsteps above him when he is in the building alone. Employees have also heard noises and seen figures in the kitchen. The activity doesn't stop when everyone leaves. A neighbor called police early one morning because the "radio was blaring" in the restaurant. When police arrived, the restaurant was empty and quiet. For more information, visit blueplatenj.com or call 856-478-2112.

New Jersey Envirothon brings together 185 students from 36 high school teams representing 16 counties.

BRIDGEWATER - The 23rd annual New Jersey Envirothon, a natural resources problem-solving competition for high school students, takes place Saturday at North Branch Park in Somerset County.

The competition brings together 185 students from 36 high school teams representing 16 counties. The Envirothon tests the students' knowledge of natural resources-related topics, including soils, forestry, aquatics, wildlife ecology and a current environmental issue, according to a news release.

This year's theme is "Invasive Species: A Challenge to the Environment, Economy and Society."

The students on the winning team will receive college scholarships, other awards and will go on to represent New Jersey at the 2016 North American Envirothon at Trent University-Peterborough, Ontario, Canada, on July 24- 29.

I-78 wreck blamed for 'devastating' fish kill

The Envirothon is sponsored by the New Jersey Department of Agriculture, State Soil Conservation Committee; New Jersey Association of Conservation Districts; United States Department of Agriculture, Natural Resources Conservation Service; New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection; 15 soil conservation districts; and Rutgers Cooperative Extension.

The teams include:

• Arthur L. Johnson High School, Clark
• Boonton High School, Boonton
• Camden Catholic High School, Cherry Hill
• Cape May County Technical School, Cape May Courthouse
• Cedar Creek High School, Egg Harbor City  
• Clearview Regional High School, Mullica
• High Tech High School, North Bergen
• Hightstown High School, Hightstown
• Kittatinny Regional High School, Newton     
• Livingston High School, Livingston
• Marine Academy of Science and Technology, Highlands
• Marine Academy of Technology and Environmental Science, Manahawkin
• Metuchen High School, Metuchen
• Millville Senior High School, Millville
• Montgomery High School, Skillman
• Moorestown Friends School, Moorestown
• New Providence High School, New Providence
• Princeton High School, Princeton
• Stuart Country Day School of the Sacred Heart, Princeton
• Trinton Regional High School, Runnemede
• West-Windsor Plainsboro High School, Plainsboro

Regular gasoline was selling for 26.9 cents a gallon.

CARTERET -- An unidentified youngster gasses up his go kart in Carteret in this photo from the 1960s.

Regular gasoline was selling for 26.9 cents a gallon at the time.

Go karts of the era, like this one, were very often home-built models; the one pictured appears to have once been a soap box derby racer modified with an engine in the rear.

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 Thursdays on nj.com.

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

 

Robbinsville contractor Charles L. Johnston Jr. is the subject of a complaint by state that says he cheated 75 customers

The state Division of Consumer Affairs has filed a complaint on behalf of 75 customers of a Robbinsville contractor for providing shoddy work, damaging homes and never completing work, authorities said Friday. 

Acting director of the Division of Consumer Affairs Steve Lee in this file photo. 

The complaint names Robbinsville resident Charles L. Johnston, Jr., and his companies, Basements 4 Less Inc., Choice Home Improvements, LLC, and C.L.J. Home Improvements, Inc., and says the companies ripped off customers in Monmouth, Mercer, Ocean, Somerset, Middlesex and Burlington counties, according to a release.

The complaint seeks to get customers' money back, plus court costs, and civil penalties. It also seeks to dissolve his current businesses and ban him from owning or operating a home improvement business in the state.

"When consumers spend money on home renovations, they rightfully expect to add value to their homes and gain pleasure from the upgrades," acting Attorney General Robert Lougy said. "They don't expect to have their homes damaged by a contractor who then abandons the project and runs off with their money. We will not tolerate contractors that disregard the rights of homeowners and our consumer protection laws."

The complaint alleges that between Jan. 2012 and April 2016 Johnston:

• Accepted payments, starting home improvement projects, and then abandoned them.
• Provided consumers with contracts that didn't represent the true and final cost of the project.
• Did substandard work and failed to make necessary repairs.
• Performed work that failed to pass inspection.
• Charged consumers for additional work and/or materials not specified in the contract without notice.
• Took money for project permits he never got.

The complaint says Johnston tried to hide his prior business practices from new customers by registering and operating multiple businesses under different names.

"It's bad enough when a contractor leaves a trail of unfinished projects and unhappy victims in his wake, but it's particularly egregious when he deliberately registers and operates under multiple names to continue defrauding customers without detection," Steve Lee, acting director of the state Division of Consumer Affairs, said.  "We are pursuing every legal avenue to make sure that victimized homeowners are made whole and that significant civil penalties are imposed against dishonest contractors that violate the law."

Construction debris caught fire on the metal and concrete roof

NEW BRUNSWICK -- A fire at a building under construction on Rutgers University's College Avenue Campus in New Brunswick has been extinguished.

The fire began when a roofer finishing the flat roof on the new Rutgers academic building ignited some construction debris, said Christopher Paladino, president of the New Brunswick Development Corporation, or DEVCO, which is overseeing the construction.

"The roof was metal and concrete. No apparent structural damage," said Paladino, who was on the scene inspecting the damage.

There were no injuries and fire inspectors are allowing construction to continue on the building, Paladino said.

Officials responded Friday to a fire on the roof of the new Rutgers academic building under construction in New Brunswick.Craig McCarthy/NJ Advance Media for NJ.com 

Three ladder trucks and two EMS vehicles were on scene as well as police officers keeping foot traffic away from the area.

The New Brunswick fire department will investigate how the fire began, Rutgers spokesman E.J. Miranda said.

The 200,000-square-foot Rutgers academic building between Seminary Place and Bishop Place  will have classroom space for 2,500 studentswhen it opens this summer.

Workers broke ground on the building in September 2013 as part of a $330 million project that has transformed the university's College Avenue Campus.

NJ Advance Media staff writer Craig McCarthy contributed to this report.

Bail has been set for $1 million for a Newark man charged with severely beating a Rutgers student on the New Brunswick campus.

Michael P. Knight, 37, of Newark was charged today with attacking and severely beating a female student in New Brunswick last week. (Photo courtesy of Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office)Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office 

NEW BRUNSWICK -- Authorities are looking for a Newark man who was charged Friday with attacking and severely beating a female student on the Rutgers University campus in New Brunswick last week.

Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew Carey said Michael Knight, 37, was charged with aggravated assault, attempted aggravated assault, aggravated sexual contact, kidnapping, and endangering an injured victim during the May 4, 2016 attack.

Carey said Knight, who may be armed and is considered dangerous, also was charged with making terroristic threats for threatening to kill a man who attempted to follow Knight as he fled the scene of the attack.

Knight is described s having shoulder length dreadlocks that may be tied at the back of his head. He is 6-feet, 2-inches tall and weighs between 220 and 250 pounds. He also has tattoos, including one on the left side of his neck. That tattoo consists of the letter "D," but the remainder of the tattoo is unclear.

The prosecutor said bail has been set at $1 million for Knight, who remains at large. A warrant has been issued for his arrest.

Michael P. Knight, 37, of Newark.Photo courtesy of Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office 

Carey said the investigation determined that Knight followed the woman  and attacked her near College Avenue and Seminary Place on Rutgers' New Brunswick campus at 3:30 a.m.

He said Knight struck her on the head, severely beat her, dragged her to the side of a building and was attempting to sexually assault her when a group of individuals intervened.

The prosecutor said as Knight fled, he said he had a gun and threatened to shoot one of the men who attempted to chase him.

The woman was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick where she was treated for her injuries. She has since been released.

The investigation is continuing, Carey said. Anyone with information  is asked to call Detective Sgt. Carlos Rodriguez of the Rutgers University Police Department at (848) 932-8025 or county Detective George Stillwell at (732) 745-8675.

Sue Epstein may be reached at sepstein@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @susan_epstein. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

More than 52,000 people are expected to pack Rutgers' football stadium for President Obama's commencement speech in Piscataway.

PISCATAWAY -- Rutgers University's annual commencement ceremony always causes major traffic jams around New Brunswick and Piscataway.

But, this year a visit from President Barack Obama is expected to bring traffic in the area to a standstill on Sunday.

Obama is scheduled to speak at the 12:30 p.m. ceremony at Rutgers' High Point Solutions Stadium on the Busch Campus in Piscataway under heavy security. Approximately 52,000 people, including 12,000 graduates on the field, are expected to pack the stadium.

15 times celebrities stole the show at graduation

Road closures will begin Saturday when Sutphen Road on the Busch Campus will close to all traffic except vehicles associated with commencement setup.

On Sunday, Exit 9 (River Road) on Route 287 will be closed from 6 a.m. until 2 p.m. Vehicles should use Exit 8 instead, Rutgers officials said.

"Travelers should expect delays on local streets and on Route 18 in the vicinity of New Brunswick and Piscataway," Rutgers officials said in a traffic advisory. "Roadways including College Avenue, George Street, River Road, Hoes Lane, Metlars Lane and the John Lynch and Landing Lane bridges all will experience heavy traffic."

The final day of the popular Greek Festival at St. George Greek Orthodox Church will be held at the same time a few blocks away on River Road in Piscataway, further complicating traffic in the area.

Rutgers students and guests, who need tickets to attend the commencement ceremony, will be able to take shuttle buses from New Brunswick and Piscataway to get to the stadium. Some attendees will also be walking across the John Lynch Bridge, which links New Brunswick and Piscataway, to get to the ceremony.

Gates to the stadium open at 8 a.m. for the 12:30 p.m. ceremony. The commencement is expected to conclude at 2 p.m. But, traffic will remain heavy in the area as convocations and other graduation ceremonies and receptions are held across Rutgers' Piscataway and New Brunswick campuses.

Jurors deciding the 25-year-old case will hear the testimony on Monday, when deliberations continue. Watch video

NEW BRUNSWICK -- The jurors in the trial of Michelle Lodzinski, charged with the 1991 murder of her 5-year-old son, Timothy Wiltsey, deliberated for about two hours Friday after hearing the testimony of two witnesses played back to them, but then asked to hear four other witnesses' testimony.

The jurors heard recorded conversations between Lodzinski and her former boyfriend, Fred Bruno, made in June 1991, played back Friday afternoon and will hear the other recordings on Monday, when they return to continue their deliberations.

The jury wants to hear again the testimony of a former carnival worker, a woman who stood in line behind Lodzinski at the carnival in Kennedy Park in Sayreville the evening of May 25, 1991, a neighbor of Lodzinski's in South Amboy, and one of the girl's who helped Lodzinski search for her son the night she reported him missing.

Lodzinski reported her son missing at the carnival about 7 p.m. May 25, 1991. She originally told police she turned around to pay for a soda at the concession stand and when she turned back, he was gone.

But, within a few weeks, she gave different versions of her son's disappearance, including one in which he was abducted by a woman named Ellen she knew from a bank where she used to work and two men who were with the woman.

The jury began its deliberations Thursday afternoon. They must decide among the charges of murder, aggravated manslaughter and manslaughter. Here's how the charges differ: 

-- Murder is punishable by up to life in prison, and the state has to prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Lodzinski purposely and or knowingly caused the death or serious bodily injury resulting in the death of her son.

-- Aggravated manslaughter is punishable by up to 30 years in prison, and the state must prove that Lodzinski recklessly caused Timothy's death under circumstances manifesting extreme indifference to human life.

-- Manslaughter is punishable by up to 10 years in prison, and the state must prove that Lodzinski recklessly, or in the heat of passion, caused Timothy's death as a result of reasonable provocation.

Lodzinski was charged with her son's murder in August 2014 after the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office reopened the case in 2011.

Sue Epstein may be reached at sepstein@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @susan_epstein. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Panicked Rutgers graduates will have another chance to get their tickets Saturday.

PISCATAWAY -- Frustrated Rutgers University students who failed to get their tickets in the mail to see President Barack Obama's speech at Sunday's commencement ceremony will get another chance.

Students can go to the Rutgers Athletic Center in Piscataway between 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Saturday to inquire about missing tickets, said Greg Trevor, a Rutgers spokesman.

Students can also email tickets@scarletknights.com if their commencement tickets did not arrive in the regular mail at their houses or dorm rooms by Friday afternoon.

Roads to avoid during Obama visit

"They can get the tickets emailed to them and print them out," Trevor said.

It is unclear how many Rutgers graduates and their families failed to get their commencement tickets and parking passes. University officials said the commencement envelopes containing the tickets were expected to arrive via regular mail by Friday.

Some frustrated students have taken to social media to complain about missing tickets and parking passes and long waits to speak to representatives at the university's commencement office.

"What happens if the parking pass doesn't arrive by Saturday? I spent 4 hours on the phone trying to reach the commencement ticket office," one student said on Rutgers' Facebook page.

Obama is scheduled to deliver the commencement address at High Point Solutions Stadium in Piscataway at 12:30 p.m. Sunday. He is the first sitting president to deliver a graduation speech at Rutgers, which is celebrating its 250^th anniversary.

More than 52,000 people are expected to attend the ceremony, including 12,000 graduates from Rutgers' New Brunswick and Piscataway campuses.

The president's visit prompted unprecedented ticket and security restrictions for Rutgers' commencement ceremony. Graduates were limited to one ticket for themselves and three tickets for guests, whose names had to be given to Rutgers several weeks ago.

Graduates from Rutgers-Newark and Rutgers-Camden were allotted one ticket each to sit in the stands at the ceremony. Rutgers also held a lottery last week for students to get one extra ticket each.

Gates to the stadium open at 8 a.m. Sunday. Rutgers officials are recommending graduates and their guests allot at least two hours to park and get through security into the stadium before the ceremony.

A man is accused of driving drunk, hitting and fatally injuring a pedestrian in Plainfield, then fleeing and crashing into a car.

A Somerset County man was indicted on a vehicular manslaughter charge for a fatal hit-and-run accident in which he allegedly was driving drunk. (NJ Advance Media file photo) 

ELIZABETH -- Shortly after midnight on Nov. 7, 2015 a man driving drunk fatally struck a pedestrian in Plainfield and fled the scene, only to crash into another vehicle blocks away, authorities said.

Now the driver, Erixon Velasquez-Maldonado, 26, of North Plainfield, faces indictment on charges of vehicular homicide and leaving the scene of an accident, acting Union County Prosecutor Grace Park announced Friday.

Park said Velasquez-Maldonado was driving on the 700 block of West Front Street when he struck Maynor Pena, 45, of Piscataway.

Officers responding to reports of the hit-and-run accident found Pena suffering from serious injuries, said Union County Assistant Prosecutor Jillian Reyes, who is prosecuting the case.

She said Pena was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick, where he was pronounced dead a short while later.

Minutes after that accident was reported, police received reports of a motor vehicle collision on Park Avenue near East 5th Street in Plainfield, Reyes said. She said officers found Velasquez-Maldonado at that crash and arrested him.

Officers determined that Velasquez-Maldonado had a blood alcohol level  approximately three times the legal limit of 0.08, Reyes said.

Velasquez-Maldonado is being held at the Union County jail on $150,000 bail.

The charges of vehicular homicide and leaving the scene of an accident are both second-degree crimes, each punishable by a maximum of 10 years in prison upon conviction.

MORE UNION COUNTY NEWS

Tom Haydon may be reached at thaydon@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @Tom_HaydonSL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

More than 100 supporters attended each of Chelsea Clinton's events on Friday in Metuchen and Bloomfield Watch video

BLOOMFIELD -- Hillary supporters packed a Metuchen pub and a Bloomfield housing complex to hear Chelsea Clinton as she stumped for her mother on Friday.

Clinton, who is pregnant with her second child, said voting as a mother now has made the election more personal for her and railed against "hateful rhetoric" from Republicans.

"I never thought in my lifetime I'd see the normalization of hate speech from the Republican party," Clinton said. "The daily diet of racism, sexism, Islamophobia, homophobia, anti-immigrant rhetoric, anti-worker's rights rhetoric, rhetoric against Americans with disabilities - and the policy proposals that flow from that. To build a wall around our country. To keep a list of Americans based on religion. To have discriminatory policing of certain neighborhoods. None of that is the country I want to live in or have my children grow up in."

Clinton spoke passionately about her mother's early work on the Arkansas early childhood education program HIPPY and her recent work with the state department's office of Global Women's Issues. She also highlighted her mother's efforts for universal healthcare in 1993, her work on the Children's Health Insurance program, overhauling the adoption and foster care system, extending the Veteran's Administration to include the National Guard, and increasing federal funding for early head start programs. 

"I think what someone has done is a pretty good indicator of what they will or won't be able to do in the White House," Clinton said.

More than 100 supporters attended each of Chelsea Clinton's events on Friday, while her father former president Bill Clinton, also on the Jersey campaign trail, appeared in Paterson and Ewing.

Brandi Hudson, a Clinton fundraiser who took the day off from work to attend the Metuchen rally, said she feels this year's election is especially important.

"I can't imagine what eight years under anyone else would be like," Hudson said. "New Jersey needs a lot of help because we've had Chris Christie for as long as we have. I don't feel like we have a governor right now, and we need someone advocating for us and Hillary advocates for everyone."

In Bloomfield, Mayor Michael Venezia said most special to him is Hillary Clinton's work for 9/11 responders.

"One of the big things that's near and dear to me, having a brother that's a firefighter, is the 9/11 Zadroga bill, which Hillary fought for and got done," Venezia said.

"Seeing Chelsea helped me see the more human, family-oriented side of Hillary - not just Hillary as a politician, but as a mother," said Eileen Guillermo at the Bloomfield event.

Helene Ilg, a Bloomfield resident, said she came into the event leaning towards Bernie Sanders, but left as a Clinton supporter because of Chelsea's comments on her mother's proposal for debt forgiveness of student loans. 

"I couldn't miss the opportunity to see the child of my favorite president and child of my next president," Ilg said. "Chelsea was lovely. Very sweet and very down to earth. I was leaning toward Sanders until today. Free college would be good, but debt forgiveness would be even better."

Bloomfield Councilman Carlos Pomares said he likes that Hillary is "self-made."

"I really appreciate that," Pomares said. "Self-made is hard for anybody, but in America, certainly for a woman. I saw that with my own mother. I think it's time in America to have a woman president. It's long overdue, frankly."

Jessica Remo may be reached at jremo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessicaRemoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Only one of the two officers fired his gun, said the Grant family attorney.

FRANKLIN -- Pauline Grant had a pain in her stomach and a hole in her heart on Mother's Day. Her oldest son, Diahlo Grant, who was trying to get his life back on track, was dead and a month later there remained more questions than answers.

Diahlo Grant, 27, a father of six with another on the way, was shot and killed by two uniformed Franklin Township police officers on April 9 at approximately 1:30 a.m. after a foot chase from the township into New Brunswick that early  Saturday morning. Police say the officers exchanged gunfire with Grant.

Diahlo Grant and one of his five daughters. (Courtesy of the Grant family)

"That day was really odd," said Pauline Grant, shaking her head and fighting back tears as she spoke in her attorney's Princeton office this week. "I felt this pain in my stomach all day. All I could say is 'My God. My God.'

"The week Diahlo died was the week of my birthday. And Mother's Day came right after that. It was like double jeopardy. I'm always thinking he's not really dead. That one day he's going to ring the doorbell. This is heartbreaking for me."

Police haven't said who fired first, how many shots were fired, who the officers involved were or why they were chasing Grant.

"I just want people to know that my son was a good person with a big heart," said Pauline Grant. "As much as he made some mistakes in his life, he was trying. What they are saying about him isn't what it is."

UNANSWERED QUESTIONS

Diahlo Grant's younger brother, Dashawn Grant, 13, was distraught at the funeral on April 25, which was attended by nearly 300 people. As they mourned, they asked for answers as to why they were saying goodbye to a loved one who died way too young.

Grant's close friend, Cameron Willis, and his cousin, Brian Robinson, each remembered Grant with stories that made his family and friends laugh and cry. The Rev. DeForest "Buster" Soaries gave a moving eulogy. It was an emotional farewell.

Cedric Ashley of the Princeton-based Ashley Law Firm, who is representing the family, said he understands that investigations into shootings where police are involved can take time.

"I don't have a timetable," said Ashley. "My timetable is what will permit a fair and impartial investigation of how a non-violent father of six or seven children could wind up dead after a police encounter in which the basis of it isn't clear."

Ashley is a former Manhattan assistant prosecutor and close confidant of Soaries. The reverend has befriended the family since the shooting, even holding Grant's funeral at First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens in Somerset, where he serves as senior pastor.

Family calls for restraint

On the day of the shooting, Grant was with a friend earlier that evening, said Ashley. He was walking home after stopping for pizza when the shooting occurred. He was living on Ball Street, just off Somerset Street, with his pregnant girlfriend and the two children they had together.

Hours after the shooting, the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office issued a news release stating that Grant had warrants out on him for non-payment of child support in Middlesex County and for violation of probation on a drug charge in Somerset County.

Ashley said there is no official statement as to why police would have stopped him. He said if uniformed patrol officers were on the look out for Grant that night for his active warrants there should be information supporting that they seeking to pick him up.

Two unnamed relatives of Grant initially told NJ Advance Media the day after the shooting that he was shot six times, three times in the head and three times in the chest. But his sister, Camille O'Sullivan, 25, said the family isn't sure how many times he was shot.

Those same relatives said they didn't believe Grant had a gun; O'Sullivan said she didn't know if he had a gun.

Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew Carey has said that police recovered Grant's gun. The two officers involved were immediately placed on leave following the shooting. They have since returned to duty, Franklin Township Police spokesman Sgt. Phil Rizzo confirmed Thursday.

Nine days after the shooting, the family had a lengthy meeting with the senior investigative staff of the prosecutor's office. On May 3, O'Sullivan said she spoke with Detective Lt. Paul Miller. She said Miller told her it could be a while before any information is released.

James O'Neill, a spokesman for the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office, said his office will not comment on the status of the investigation.

"We're grateful that the prosecutor's office was willing to meet with us," said O'Sullivan. "The frustrating thing is they're not willing to release any information regarding the investigation. Information like why they pursued Diahlo and who pursued him.

"My mom had to bury her son not knowing who killed him and why. All we want to know is what happened. It's been so frustrating. It's been over a month and we don't know what happened. We can't even grieve properly. There are all these unanswered questions."

O'Sullivan, who described her older brother as a "peacemaker" and "not aggressive," said the family would at least like to know why Grant was stopped.

"I don't know why that's so hidden," said O'Sullivan. "You can't even tell us that? I understand things could've gotten heated but at least tell us why he was stopped."

'SO MUCH POTENTIAL'

"(The) Rev. DeForrest Soaries literally brought tears to my eyes during his eulogy," said O'Sullivan. "He talked about potential and what Diahlo could've been. He had so much potential. He was just dealing with issues from his youth that we all have.

"I just think about what Diahlo could've been if he had had the opportunity. He could speak well. He was intelligent. He could work with his hands. He was trying to go somewhere in life, but it was difficult for him to get a good job because of his past. My husband was even trying to help him find a good job."

Grant was a doting father trying to better himself, his sister said. He was working as a presser at Executive Shirt Laundry in New Brunswick while searching for a better paying job, she said.

Leaders urge open dialogue

Nearly every weekend, Grant and his children would gather at his mother's Franklin Township home to spend time together. The failed relationships with the children's mothers, who would each drop their kids off, didn't interfere with his devotion to his children, his mother said. And the children adored him in return.

"It was all about his kids," said Pauline Grant. "He was a good father."

Born in Jamaica, Grant, the second-oldest of four children, including two sisters and a brother, moved with his family to the United States when he was 2. His father, Ian Grant, came to the United States briefly, but returned to Jamaica in 2003 and has not been in his son's life then, said Grant's mother.

WAITING FOR ANSWERS

Ashley said he feels encouraged that the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office is investigating the case because he believes it removes the potential for a bias. The shooting was by an officer from Franklin Township, which is located in Somerset County.

"Giving them the benefit of the doubt, I'm comfortable that the case is getting a fair and unbiased review," said Ashley. "If there was an answer before eight weeks I would be more concerned of it being rushed. There's nothing right now that bothers me with the way things are going. I'm satisfied with the transparency."

The Grant family has shown restraint and patience. Shortly after the shooting, they were contacted by "Black Lives Matter," a national activist movement that campaigns against violence towards black people. The family declined the organization's offer to stage a protest march.

"We never had an issue with Black Lives Matter," said O'Sullivan. "We appreciated the support. We were just trying to process what was going on, just trying to deal with things from an emotional aspect. Black Lives Matter was like, 'Let's march. Let's march.' At the time, we weren't ready. We still welcome their support."

Dave Hutchinson may be reached at dhutchinson@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @DHutch_SL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Extreme traffic jams are expected when President Obama speaks at Rutgers commencement Sunday.

PISCATAWAY -- Rutgers University plans to close one of the major arteries on its Piscataway campus Saturday as the school prepares for a visit from President Barack Obama.

Obama is scheduled to speak at the 12:30 p.m. ceremony at Rutgers' High Point Solutions Stadium on the Busch Campus in Piscataway under heavy security. Approximately 52,000 people, including 12,000 graduates on the field, are expected to pack the stadium.

Celebs at N.J. graduations

Road closures begin Saturday when Sutphen Road on the Busch Campus will close to all traffic except vehicles associated with commencement setup.

Rutgers officials said the areas to avoid Sunday include:

Exit 9 (River Road) on Route 287: The exit will be closed from 6 a.m. until 2 p.m. Sunday. Vehicles should use Exit 8 instead, Rutgers officials said.

Route 18: Avoid the highway in the vicinity of New Brunswick and Piscataway. It is the major feeder road into the Busch Campus.

Raritan River bridges: The John Lynch Bridge and the Landing Lane Bridge will experience heavy traffic. Some graduates and guests will be walking over the Lynch Bridge, though foot traffic on the smaller Landing Lane Bridge is discouraged.

Local roads: Heavy traffic is expected on local roads on and near the Rutgers campus, including College Avenue, George Street, River Road, Hoes Lane and Metlars Lane.

The final day of the popular Greek Festival at St. George Greek Orthodox Church will be held at the same time as Sunday's commencement a few blocks away on River Road in Piscataway, further complicating traffic in the area.

Rutgers students and guests, who need tickets to attend the commencement ceremony, will be able to take shuttle buses from New Brunswick and Piscataway to get to the stadium.

Gates open at 8 a.m. for the 12:30 p.m. ceremony. The commencement is expected to conclude at 2 p.m. But, traffic will remain heavy in the area as convocations and other graduation ceremonies and receptions are held across Rutgers' Piscataway and New Brunswick campuses.

The private security company employee will not be allowed to carry.

TRENTON -- A New Jersey man who works for a private security company cannot get a permit to carry a handgun because of his driving record.

An appeals court on Thursday upheld a lower court that found allowing Rahman Idlett to carry a weapon was "against the interest of the public health, safety and welfare" even though Perth Amboy police said he could.

The judge found Idlett's license was suspended 15 times in the 15 years that he's been driving. He received 16 speeding tickets, two careless driving citations and other charges.

The judge found Idlett had "one of the worst driving records" the judge had ever seen.

Idlett represented himself and did not dispute his driving record or explain how the court had erred.

A 37-year-old Newark man surrendered to police hours after being named a suspect in the beating of a Rutgers University woman.

Michael Knight, 37, of Newark, faces charges of attacking a Rutgers University woman on the New Brunswick campus and severely beating her and attempting to sexual assault her. (Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office) 

NEW BRUNSWICK -- A Newark man surrendered to police early Saturday, one day after he was identified as the attacker who severely beat a female Rutgers University student and attempted to sexually assault her in New Brunswick, authorities said.

Michael Knight, 37, turned himself in to police in Newark and was charged with  aggravated assault and attempted aggravated sexual assault, Middlesex County Prosecutor Andrew Carey said in a joint statement with Rutgers police Chief Kenneth Cop and New Brunswick police Director Anthony Caputo.

They said Knight is also charged with aggravated sexual contact, kidnapping and endangering the welfare of the victim.

Knight additionally faces a charge of making terroristic threats for allegedly saying he would shoot a man who attempted to follow Knight as he fled from the attack on the woman.

Knight is being held on $1 million bail.

In a separate and unrelated incident, South Brunswick police said Knight is also charged with a May 2015 burglary in that municipality. No details of the burglary were immediately available.

Authorities said the attack on the woman occurred about 3:30 a.m. on May 4 near College Avenue and Seminary Place on the New Brunswick campus.

The assailant struck the woman on the head, severely beat her and was attempting to sexually assault her when a group of people intervened, authorities said. They said that as the attacker fled, he yelled that he had a gun and threatened to shoot one of the men who attempted to chase him.

The woman was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital in New Brunswick where she was treated for injuries and later released, authorities said.

On Friday afternoon, Middlesex County authorities issued an announcement saying Knight was being sought for the New Brunswick assault.

They said the investigation is continuing and ask that anyone with information about the case to call Rutgers University police Detective Sgt. Carlos Rodriguez at (848) 932-8025, or Detective George Stilwell of the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office at (732) 745-8675.

His wife wanted a room where he could enjoy drinks with the guys and watch TV.

N.J. Home Makeover is a new feature on NJ.com. To submit your renovation for consideration, email home@starledger.com with your full name, email address, phone number and town/city. Attach "before" and "after" photos of what you renovated.

Some homes have one well-styled room that goes largely unused, with a rule that no human or animal resident should press themselves into the sofa cushions or tread on light-colored carpeting to avoid disturbing this pristine receiving area for unexpected guests.

An East Brunswick couple decided to exchange this sort of living room for one that would actually encourage happy living. To enhance their 5-bedroom, 6-bathroom home of 12 years, the wife envisioned a man-friendly makeover for a room where her husband could enjoy drinks with the guys, have some laughs and watch TV.

"Her husband enjoys cigars and wanted to have his own space to spend time with his peers," says Gail Whiting, owner of Design Consultants, a Bedminster interior design firm. The wife had seen Whiting's work at an area designer show house and hired her to redesign the room.

The challenge, Whiting said, was to make the 12-by-15-foot room a masculine, comfortable and functional space within the 4,500-square-foot home, built in 2004.

The makeover

"The room was nothing but white sheetrock walls with this odd-looking soffit going around," she said. "It had no architectural detail. There was a fireplace in the room, but it was an old-fashioned one," she said." Poor lighting made matters worse.

The renovation was to be a birthday gift for the husband, and Whiting wanted to give it a clubhouse feel. She had the room gutted, removing the soffit that dominated the ceiling line but served no useful purpose (it did not conceal wiring, plumbing or any other essential household works). She brought in Victorian-era elegance, covering three walls with walnut paneling and built-in shelving stained in a cherry finish.

Those shelves are now lined with books, a collection of football helmets and assorted decorative accessories and artworks. On a pedestal, an artistic allusion to the room's function is displayed in a cigar-smoking "Royal Frog" by sculptor Frank Meisler.

Whiting crowned the room with a coffered ceiling, with inset leather panels to enhance its rugged features. The original oak floors were refinished to complement the new woodwork, and the fireplace wall was refaced with split stones, leaving a more contemporary horizontal opening for the fires.

Above the fireplace is a large flat-screen television. To shield it from heat when the fireplace is in use, Whiting used a granite mantel. "I picked a slab that blended with the stone so it didn't become an obvious feature on the wall."

One essential feature is a tall cabinet that complements the room's paneling as it conceals bar tools and bottled spirits behind hand-crafted doors. At the cabinet's bottom is a cigar humidor that was set into the cabinet after its arrival from Italy.

In addition to the plush, chenille-covered sofa sized for cozy napping, the room has two swiveling recliners. Near them, a round table has a hydraulic mechanism that allows it to be lifted with ease from coffee table height at 17 inches to a dining height of 30 inches or anywhere in between for card game or other uses.

While the room was designed as a man's space, it has become an area enjoyed by the entire family, including the couple's older children. "He's okay with sharing it," Whiting said. "It really was about making the room feel warm and inviting. You walk into this room, close the French doors and you are in your own world."

What they renovated

The living room

Who did the work

Design Consultants of Bedminster and various subcontractors

How long it took

From May 2012 to January 2013

How much it cost

$150,000

Where they splurged

"Everywhere, but in particular on the Italian cabinet that was retrofitted for the humidor," interior designer Gail Whiting said.

What they like most

The entire ambience. "The Oriental rug, dark hardwood floors, fabulous linen draperies mixed with wonderful accessories and a warm terracotta palette invite you to relax," Whiting said.

Kimberly L. Jackson may be reached at home@starledger.com. Find NJ.com Entertainment on Facebook.

Rutgers-Camden students will have their own trains — a River Line train from Camden and an NJ Transit train from Trenton — to see Obama speak at

CAMDEN -- They've got a ticket to ride.

On Wednesday and Thursday, Rutgers University-Camden will graduate more than 1,400 students in four ceremonies at the BB&T Pavilion on the Camden Waterfront.

But before that, about 300 Rutgers-Camden students will take their own personal trains early Sunday to New Brunswick for President Obama's keynote commencement speech. What's more, the River Line train that will pick them up in Camden will be festooned in Rutgers colors and slogans.

The students will then transfer to their own NJ Transit train in Trenton for the second half of the trip. The ride will be free, thanks to an agreement between the university and transit officials. There won't be a dedicated train home, but free tickets will be offered to the students.

"The announcement came out three days before our university president was scheduled to visit for a student leader meeting," said Mary Beth Daisey, vice chancellor of student affairs at Rutgers-Camden. "Of course our students wanted to know if they could attend. The NJ Transit police and other officials met with us and they were all very kind. They were terrific to work with."

The Camden students won't be donning their caps and gowns, bringing guests or receiving their diplomas at the New Brunswick ceremony. They'll simply be listening to the speech like any other spectators. Although some New Brunswick students expressed displeasure that graduates from the Camden and Newark campuses were invited, two Camden grads who spoke to NJ Advance Media had nothing but positive things to say.

Evin Robinson, a graduating business major, has wanted to see Obama in person since he was first elected. Robinson, a former Marine, originally hails from Mississippi, but ended his military career in New Jersey. He wanted to stay in the area, so Rutgers-Camden seemed like an obvious choice. He will start graduate school this summer.

"I'm looking forward to the whole experience," said Robinson. "I've seen [Obama] visiting around the area but I've never had the opportunity to go. So I feel privileged to be able to go now. It makes it a little more real -- it doesn't feel real yet that I'm graduating, but going to see the president speak and taking a special train, that feels good."

Samantha Muller, a dual applied anthropology and history major as well as a mother of five, first started college 20 years ago.

"I'm pleased with the administration's decision to allow students from other campuses," she said. "If we are one school, as we're often told, then we are one student body." 

She doesn't agree with Obama's politics, but says she's happy to hear a sitting president speak.

"My president has a message for me and my fellow future alums, so I want to be there to hear what he has to say," Muller said. "After leading our country for the past eight years I am sure he has some wisdom and experiences to share that I can learn from. I can admire the man and not agree with him. If after 20 years Barack Hussein Obama wants to congratulate me, I'll take it."

Andy Polhamus may be reached at apolhamus@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @ajpolhamus. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The new name, which is effective immediately, comes as the private school is celebrating its 150th anniversary.

HACKETTSTOWN -- Centenary College ended its commencement ceremony Saturday with big news - the school is now a university.

Centenary College was granted university status by the state's Secretary of Higher Education, campus officials announced. The 2,200-private college becomes Centenary University, effective immediately.

Barbara-Jayne Lewthwaite, the college's outgoing president, helped announce the name change before more than 500 graduates at the commencement ceremony on the Hackettstown campus. The school surprised cheering graduates by unveiling a "Centenary University" banner at the end of the ceremony as confetti was thrown on the stage.

The university designation comes as the school is preparing to celebrate its 150^th anniversary.

Centenary College announced Saturday it was granted university status by the state Secretary of Higher Education and the school immediately changed its name from Centenary College to Centenary University. (Courtesy of Centenary University)Kelly Heyboer | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com 

"I was very determined that this goal came to fruition before I completed my tenure as Centenary president," Lewthwaite said before the ceremony.  "Centenary has been functioning as a university for many years. The state's approval has made this designation official. Being re-named Centenary University is reflective of Centenary's continued progress and excellence."

Centenary joins a growing list of New Jersey colleges becoming universities. Thomas Edison State College, Felician College, Caldwell College and Saint Peter's College are among those that gained university status and changed their names over the last few years.

New Jersey began relaxing its rules in the 1990s to allow more of the state's smaller colleges to become universities if they added graduate degrees and expanded other programs. Schools apply to the state Secretary of Higher Education to request an upgrade to university status.

How many N.J. students graduate in 4 years?

Centenary, which was founded as a tiny United Methodist college in Warren County in 1867, is now one of New Jersey's smallest universities. In addition to its main campus in Hackettstown, it has satellite campuses in Iselin and Parsippany and an equestrian facility in Washington Township in Morris County.

The school's name change comes as Centenary is expanding its graduate degree program to add a doctorate in educational leadership. The university is also considering adding a second doctorate in counseling, school officials said.

"Centenary College has continued to reinvent itself, demonstrating remarkable resilience in the face of various challenges as it meets the higher education needs of the surrounding area and the state," said Wolfgang Gstattenbauer, a Centenary graduate and chairman of the university's board of trustees. "As the only bachelor's and master's degree-granting institution for three-and-a-half counties in northwestern New Jersey, our mission is indeed special."

Though Centenary officially changed its name Saturday, campus officials said it will take about six months for the school to roll out its new logo, website, signs and branding to reflect the new identity. This year's graduates are expected to still have Centenary College printed on their degrees.

Amanda Deppa, incoming president of Centenary's Student Government Association, said she will be part of the first graduating class under the Centenary University name next year.

"The fact that Centenary is becoming a university should be exciting to all students who will witness this transition," said Deppa, of Wayne. "This is the beginning of a new journey for Centenary."