Latest New Jersey news, sports, business and entertainment at 3:20 p.m. EDT
TAKEOVER !! AUDIBLE-ABANDONED CHURCH
Abandoned church reborn as office space combining old, new
NEWARK, N.J. (AP) — When audio book company Audible wanted to expand its headquarters in New Jersey's largest city, it went one block south and 200 years in the past.
The company is unveiling its new, 80,000-square-foot (7,432-square-meter) office space in Newark's former Second Presbyterian Church on Friday.
The church was built in 1811 and had been unused since 1995. It was in disrepair when Audible began seeking to expand in 2013.
Employees have a sleek, new work space and can take advantage of a free coffee bar, fireplace and bowling alley against a backdrop of soaring ceilings, dazzling stained glass and a historic pipe organ.
Audible moved to downtown Newark in 2007.
LAMP CORD STRANGLING
Woman gets prison term for strangling husband with lamp cord
BAYONNE, N.J. (AP) — A woman convicted of strangling her husband with a chain link lamp cord has been sentenced to eight years in prison.
Michelle Hurley apologized to her husband's family when she was sentenced Thursday, saying she never intended to kill him during a September 2015 argument in the Bayonne home.
David and Michelle Hurley were going through a divorce but continued to live in the same home. He died in a hospital a few weeks later.
Defense lawyers argued that David Hurley was very drunk when they argued and his wife claimed she acted in self-defense.
She was convicted of aggravated assault and weapons offenses during her first trial, but the jury deadlocked on a homicide charge. She was then convicted of reckless manslaughter at her second trial last March.
SINGING SLAYING SUSPECT
Man who sang about woman's slaying sentenced to prison
SOMERVILLE, N.J. (AP) — A New Jersey man who ordered pizza and posted a video of himself singing after killing a woman is going to prison.
A judge on Thursday sentenced 20-year-old Tamar Reaves of Franklin Township to 27 years behind bars. He must serve 23 years before he'll be eligible for parole.
Reaves pleaded guilty to aggravated manslaughter in the 2017 slaying of 18-year-old Chamari Webb. Prosecutors say Reaves followed Webb from a convenience store and shot her in the back of her neck.
Prosecutors say Reaves then went to his grandmother's, ordered pizza and posted a video of himself on social media singing lyrics to a song which mirrored the shooting.
FATAL I-78 CRASH
Driver killed, child hurt when car rear-ends tractor-trailer
CLINTON, N.J. (AP) — State police say a driver was killed when his vehicle rear-ended a tractor-trailer on a major highway in northwestern New Jersey, a crash that also left a child injured.
The accident occurred around 8:45 a.m. Friday in the westbound lanes of Interstate 78 in Clinton. The vehicle was crushed underneath the truck, and the driver was pronounced dead at the scene.
The child was a passenger riding in the car's backseat. But further information about the youth and their injuries were not disclosed.
Troopers shut down all westbound lanes on the highway in the area of the crash, causing travel backups that stretched for about five miles at times. Authorities said rubbernecking delays were also occurring on the eastbound side.
PRINCIPAL-CHILD SEX ASSAULT CHARGES
Prosecutors: Principal tried to lure, assault former student
DENVILLE, N.J. (AP) — Authorities say a New Jersey middle school principal tried to sexually assault a 16-year-old former student.
Paul Iantosca was suspended from his post at Valleyview Middle School in Denville following his arrest, which was announced Friday. It wasn't known if he's retained an attorney.
Morris County prosecutors say the 52-year-old Randolph resident "engaged in acts" with the girl, but did not disclose further details. He's charged with luring, child endangerment and attempted sexual assault.
Denville school officials say none of the alleged activities occurred on school grounds and did not involve any students who currently attend township schools. They say Iantosca is barred from school property and cannot have contact with any staff or students.
UCONN-COLE
Point guard RJ Cole to transfer to UConn from Howard
STORRS, Conn. (AP) — The University of Connecticut says R.J. Cole will join its men's basketball as a transfer from Howard University.
The 6-1 point guard from Union, New Jersey, will sit out next season per NCAA transfer rules and will be eligible for competition with UConn beginning in the 2020-2021 season.
Cole played two seasons at Howard, where he averaged 22.5 points, 4 rebounds and 6.2 assists per game. He was honored as the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference Rookie of the Year in 2017-18 and the conference player of the year in 2018-19.
UConn coach Dan Hurley said he expects Cole will have an impact for the team beginning next season as a member of the practice squad.
UConn said Friday it has received a signed athletics aid agreement from Cole.
MISSING MAN FOUND DEAD
Body found in New Jersey river is missing Maryland man
HOBOKEN, N.J. (AP) — Authorities say a body found in the Hudson River this week has been identified as a 27-year-old Maryland man who went missing earlier this month while visiting friends in New Jersey.
Hudson County prosecutors say Jaime Kwebetchou's body was found around 3 p.m. Wednesday near the Lackawanna Ferry Station in Hoboken. But a cause of death has not been determined.
Authorities say it's not yet known how long Kwebetchou had been in the water before he was found or how he ended up there.
An Air Force veteran, Kwebetchou was last seen May 4 at two bars in Hoboken. His family reported him as missing on May 9.
SWEENEY-FISCAL PROPOSAL
Top Democrat unveils plan to revamp pensions, merge schools
TRENTON, N.J. (AP) — New Jersey's top Democratic legislator has unveiled a plan he says would restore fiscal health to New Jersey and save an ailing pension system.
Among the package of bills proposed by Senate President Steve Sweeney are measures that would revamp pension plans for teachers and non-uniformed public employees, merge elementary school districts into regional K-12 school systems and require analyses of long-term tax abatements.
Sweeney and Democratic Assembly Majority Leader Lou Greenwald announced the legislation Friday with Democratic Senate Budget Chair Paul Sarlo and Republican Senate Budget Officer Steve Oroho.
The legislation was developed by the bipartisan Economic and Fiscal Policy Workgroup of economists, academics, government experts and legislators.