Philip Lombardo was reported missing by a mental health provider on Wednesday after not being seen or heard from since last Saturday, Aug. 29.

HAMILTON - Hamilton police are still searching for Philip Lombardo and on Monday made a public a photo of the 64-year-old.

Lombardo has been missing for over a week. 

Philip LombardoKevin Shea | For NJ.com 

He was officially reported missing by a mental health provider on Wednesday after not being seen or heard from since last Saturday, Aug. 29, police said.

Lombardo suffers from severe depression, personality disorder, hypertension, and renal failure, police said. 

Lombardo is 5-feet, 7-inches tall, weighs 100 pounds, has brown eyes and gray hair.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Detective Daniel Inman at 609-581-4035 or the Hamilton police tip line at 609-581-4008.

Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.

 

During the month of September, DeLorenzo's Pizza on Sloan Avenue is offering free meals to local uniformed police officers

HAMILTON -- The owner of a Hamilton pizzeria is dishing out his thanks and appreciation -- one slice at a time.

During the month of September, DeLorenzo's Pizza on Sloan Avenue is offering free meals to local uniformed police officers.

Rick DeLorenzo, the second-generation owner of the family-owned business, said he had grown tired of hearing about cops being targeted and woke up wanting to do something to counter the hate and violence.

"I never experienced anything but good things from the police officers that I've known," he said. "I wanted to do something to change the flow, give them a little positive reinforcement."

The response from supporters on social media and customers has been overwhelming, DeLorenzo said. He appeared on "Fox and Friends" Sunday and was given a shout-out on Twitter by Republican presidential candidate Texas Sen. Ted Cruz.

Everyone can show their support and #ThankACop in different ways. This just happens to be one of the best tasting: https://t.co/oqbUGBgNdl

-- Ted Cruz (@tedcruz) September 6, 2015

Over the weekend, a few State Police troopers who had come in were unaware of the deal but appreciative.

For years, the restaurant has given police and firefighters a 25-percent discount.

"I'll see how it goes," he said about possibly extending the free offer. "I didn't really figure it out financially. It just came out of my heart."

Cristina Rojas may be reached at crojas@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @CristinaRojasTT. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.

 

Witkin's insights into how bacteria cells manage to recognize and overcome damaged sections of DNA paved the way for research on genetic therapies for humans.

A 94-year-old retired Rutgers University geneticist is one of the winners of the 2015 Lasker Award for her pioneering research on how DNA manages to repair itself.

Evelyn M. Witkin, of Princeton, shares the Albert B. Lasker Medical Research Award with a Boston geneticist who took her pioneering work on bacteria and applied it to humans.

The Lasker Award is often a forerunner of the Nobel Prize; 44 recipients in the last three decades have gone on to be awarded a Nobel.

Witkin worked with bacteria to discover the "SOS response" cells devise to recognize and overcome damage to their genetic coding. She discovered that more than 40 previously dormant genes swing into action to create an emergency copier that can bypass the damaged portion of the DNA strand.

Without that back-up copier, the DNA would be like a faulty zipper that got stuck on a single broken section, she said. "That's lethal," she said. "The cell would die if it couldn't replicate."

Witkin was born in New York City, and came to Rutgers after earning her doctorate at Columbia University. She began her research in 1941 - at the age of 20 - before science even knew genes were made of DNA. She continued that research for another 50 years, moving to Douglass Collage at Rutgers University in 1971. She retired in 1991, after eight years on the faculty of the Waksman Institute. 

In 2002, President George W. Bush awarded her a National Medal of Science.

In all that time, she never became bored with the focus of her research, or doubted its worth. 

"I found that what I was doing was so compelling and interesting it never occurred to me I could do something else," she said. "I realize it was a long time to stay in one area, but it was continuously fulfilling, and it kept me happy, so I stayed with it."

When asked if she had encountered obstacles because of her gender, she said that on the contrary, she was lucky to have clear-thinking bosses who allowed her to devise a schedule that would accommodate becoming a mother.

She was given a generous maternity leave when she was pregnant with her first child in 1949. Having asked for a bit of time off, her boss simply asked what kind of arrangement she needed to make the job work for her.

"I was astounded by his attitude," she said, noting such profound understanding remains rare even now for women in the workplace.

She ended up working part-time until her younger son graduated from high school. She was able to do that because she had research grants that paid her salary, and because she had a full-time assistant, she said. Witkins would set up the experiments, analyze the data, and write up the results; the assistant would attend to the day-to-day monitoring of the bacteria.

The Lasker winners were told of their awards back in June, but sworn to secrecy until today's announcement. She and her fellow award-winner, Stephen J. Elledge, 59, from Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston, will share a $250,000 honorarium.

 

Police are looking for the owner of about two dozen beer mugs found lined up along Village Road

WEST WINDSOR - West Windsor police are looking for the owner of nearly two dozen beer mugs that were lined up along a township road Tuesday, authorities said.

The 21 mugs are emblazoned with logos from various fire departments and were in an intentionally set row along Village Road Tuesday morning. The mugs were "lined up along the road as if it as a prank,'' police said.

"We would like to return these to their owner,'' police said.

Anyone with information is asked to call Detective Bill Jones at (609) 799-1222.

Keith Brown may be reached at kbrown@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @KBrownTrenton. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.

The playgrounds will remain closed until they are deemed safe by the report or repairs are made

HAMILTON -- The swings, slides and seesaws are off-limits at Hamilton's elementary schools after officials decided to close the playgrounds over safety concerns.

File photo of a playground (Christopher Rossi) 

"While the decision to close the playgrounds was a difficult one, it was the only option available at this time to ensure the safety of our students and all Hamilton residents who use these facilities," the district posted on its website.

The decision came after an inspector found hazardous conditions on the playgrounds at Klockner Elementary School. The district, which has 17 elementary schools, also took into consideration the age and condition of the remaining playgrounds and decided to close them until the rest of the inspection reports come in.

The playgrounds will remain closed until they are deemed safe by the report or repairs are made, officials said.

Interim Superintendent Thomas Ficarra was unavailable for comment Tuesday.

PLUS: Test your New Jersey back-to-school IQ

In the 56-page inspection report, attention was called to the inadequate protective surfaces, lack of wheelchair access and unsafe wear and tear.

The report found that all three areas were in desperate need of additional safety surfacing. This is important, the report noted, because 68 percent of playground injuries are caused by falls, according to the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission.

"Immediate attention is needed to reestablish proper safety surfacing depth and adequate use zones for the playground equipment," the report said.

A spiral slide was cracked and damaged and bolts were protruding inside.

The bottom of the spiral climber showed signs of rust and the stairs and decks had several areas where the metal coating was missing and metal was exposed.

Elsewhere, a panel was "under stress and could break," leaving exposed sharp edges or leading to a situation where a child could unexpectedly fall to the ground.

In another area, there was equipment that risked trapping a child's head and on a two bay swing, some of the parts had become worn and needed to be replaced.

Some repairs were made following the safety inspection, but problems still remain.

Cristina Rojas may be reached at crojas@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @CristinaRojasTT. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.

The Hamilton and Trenton school districts announced that all schools will be dismissed early Wednesday

The Hamilton and Trenton school districts announced that all schools will be dismissed early Wednesday due to the excessive heat expected.

In Hamilton, the high schools will be let out at 12:16 p.m., the middle schools at 12:50 p.m. and the elementary schools at 1:30 p.m. Both afternoon pre-K and vocational school are canceled.

MORE: N.J. district shuts down playgrounds over safety issues

In Trenton, students and staff at Daylight/Twilight Alternative High School will be dismissed at noon, Trenton Central High School at 12:30 p.m., the middle schools at 12:45 p.m. and the elementary schools and Stokes Early Childhood Learning Center at 1 p.m.

The central administrative offices will remain open as normal.

The National Weather Service is forecasting a high around 90 and a slight chance of showers and thunderstorms after 2 p.m.

Cristina Rojas may be reached at crojas@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @CristinaRojasTT. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.

The National Weather Service has forecasted that temperatures will climb into the 90s again Wednesday.

As summer lingers in New Jersey bringing record-breaking heat, some school districts have announced early dismissals for Wednesday.

The National Weather Service has forecasted that temperatures will climb into the 90s again before rain rolls into the state at night giving residents a brief relief from the heat.

As of 10 p.m., the following school districts have called for early dismissals:

• Trenton Public Schools will have a reduced day Wednesday due to the heat. 
• Clifton schools will dismiss students early. 
• Hamilton Township School District announced it will have an early dismissal Wednesday.

QUIZ: Test your New Jersey back-to-school IQ

Is your school district closing early? Let us know in the comments. 

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

 

Philip Lombardo was spotted in the area of Kuser Plaza at about 3:45 p.m. by a person who called police.

HAMILTON - The 64-year-old man reported missing by a mental health provider last week was found safe Tuesday afternoon at a township shopping plaza, Hamilton police said.

Philip Lombardo 

Philip Lombardo was spotted in the area of Kuser Plaza at about 3:45 p.m. by a person who called police, Capt. James Stevens said.

Lombardo was taken to Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital at Hamilton for treatment. 

It was unclear where Lombardo had been for over a week, but he was dehydrated, hungry and wearing a long winter coat, Stevens said.

Lombardo was reported missing last Wednesday after not being seen or heard from since Aug. 29, police said.

Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.

 

Both cases point up the often bewildering patchwork of gun laws from state to state. What is legal in one state can be illegal in another.

Brian Fletcher had no idea that he was committing a felony when he came from North Carolina to New Jersey to help with emergency storm-related utility repairs in June.

His crime? In his truck was a handgun that he was legally allowed to carry in his home state but not here.

When he was stopped by a Hamilton police officer in a parking lot where he was resting, Fletcher volunteered that he had a gun in his vehicle as required by North Carolina law.

He was promptly cuffed and put into the back of the police car and taken to the township lockup, where he spent the night.  He now faces possible jail time for running afoul of New Jersey's tough gun laws.

Fletcher's case mirrors that of Elizabeth J. Griffith of Daytona Beach, Fla., who was arrested by U.S. Park Police on July 14 during a visit to Liberty State Park in Jersey City and charged with unlawful possession of a firearm. She could face a 10-year prison sentence because her Florida state-issued permit to carry a gun is not recognized by New Jersey.

Both cases point up the often bewildering patchwork of gun laws from state to state. What is legal in one state can be illegal in another.

Gov. Chris Christie has vowed to pardon Griffith and Fletcher. We think that is the right thing to do.

While some would argue that ignorance of the law is no excuse, here is a situation where law-abiding citizens are being caught up in a web of contradictory laws.
We need some uniformity in gun laws and that is where the federal government has to take the lead.

But, sadly, that has not happened. The powerful gun lobby has thwarted repeated attempts at firearm reforms, even after a host of horrific shootings have pointed up the crying need to stem gun violence.

Washington's inaction has left the task of gun control up to the states. Some, like New Jersey, have strict gun laws while others, like Alabama, make it easy to own and carry a firearm.

Currently, 37 states have firearm permit reciprocity agreements with at least one other state. New Jersey is not one of them.

So, if you legally own a gun in another state, leave it at home if you are traveling through New Jersey. You may land in jail.

The driver of the minivan, Divya Seshadri, 21, attempted to make a left turn onto Denow Road around 9:04 p.m.

HOPEWELL - Five people were injured when the driver of a minivan made an illegal left turn in front of an an oncoming pickup truck on Pennington Road Tuesday, police said.

File photo of a Hopewell Township Police vehicle.Michael Mancuso/The Times 

The driver of the minivan, Divya Seshadri, 21, attempted to make a left turn onto Denow Road around 9:04 p.m. Her 2015 Toyota Sienna was struck by a 2014 Dodge Ram pickup truck driven by Michael McCann, 55, police said.

Five passengers in the minivan, all 18 years old, suffered minor injuries or had complaints of pain. All were taken to area hospitals for treatment, police said.

Seshadri, of Dayton, Middlesex County, and McCann, of Colonial Beach, Va., were uninjured, police said.

Left turns are illegal on that section of Pennington Road and Seshadri was ticketed for the violation, police said.

The crash is under investigation by Patrolman James Klesney, police said.

Keith Brown may be reached at kbrown@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @KBrownTrenton. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.

 

Hamilton and Robbinsville police blotter for Sept. 1-7

HAMILTON

Sept. 1

Criminal Mischief - 100 block Shady Lane
Criminal Mischief - 1500 Elizabeth Ave.
Criminal Mischief - 100 block Collier Ave.
Burglary/Auto - 100 block Sparrow Ave.
Burglary - 1900 block South Broad St.
Burglary - 200 block Tipton St. 
Shoplifter - 2700 S. Broad St. - Arrested Marvin T. Williams.

 

Sept. 2

Criminal Mischief - 200 block Princeton Ave.
Criminal Mischiefs - 100 block Rutgers Ave.
Criminal Mischief - 100 block Shady Lane
Criminal Mischief - 700 block Estates Blvd.
Criminal Mischief - Lawton Avenue
Theft - 300 block Marketplace Blvd.
Theft - 2000 block Nottingham Way
Thefts - Berrel Avenue
Theft - 500 block Lalor St.
Burglary/Auto - 100 block Reeger Ave.
Burglary - 1100 block Klockner Rd.

Sept 3

Criminal Mischief - 800 block Norway Ave.
Criminal Mischief - 100 block Parkinson Ave.
Criminal Mischief - Sherwood Avenue
Theft - 3800 block South Broad St.
Theft - 200 block Julia Ave.
Assault - 100 block Brook Lane
Burglary/Auto - 1600 block West McGalliard Ave.
Burglary/Auto - Julia Avenue
Burglary - 100 block Wilson Ave.
Burglary - California Avenue
Burglary - 3700 block Quakerbridge Rd.
Burglary - 800 block Sloan Ave.
Burglary - 1600 block Klockner Rd.
Burglary - 700 block Independence Ave.

Sept. 4

Criminal Mischief - Locust/Whitehorse avenues
Theft - 2400 block Kuser Rd.
Burglary/Auto - 2000 block Nottingham Way
Robbery - 1000 block Whitehorse/Mercerville Rd. - Arrested: Willie J. Griffin, Lavonia Scott
Shoplifting - 2600 block South Broad St. 

Sept. 5

Criminal Mischief - Paxson Avenue
Burglary/Auto - 2800 block Klockner Rd.
Burglary - 100 block Bunting Ave.

Sept. 6

Criminal Mischief - Chambord Court
Criminal Mischief - Longwood Drive
Theft/Auto - Morton Avenue
Robbery - Scammell Avenue
Shoplifter - 700 block Rt. 130. - Arrested: Justin P. Farrell, Morgan N. Beer

Sept. 7

Criminal Mischief - Adams Court
Graffiti - Hempstead Rd. /Martha Drive
Theft - 900 block Arena Dr.
Assault - Klockner/Whitehorse-Hamilton Square roads
Attempted Burglary - 300 block Massachusetts Ave.
Burglary/Auto - 200 block Fenwood Ave.
Burglary/Auto's - Elizabeth Avenue
Burglary/Auto - 100 block Donald Dr.
Burglary - 500 block Tindall Ave.

ROBBINSVILLE

Sept. 1

Narcotics -- Route 130 - Arrested: Mary Dolison, Jermaine Muir

Sept. 4

DWI/Narcotics -- Route 33 - Arrested: Antoine Mcinnis, Devon Mcinnis

Sept. 5

Narcotics -- Route 130 - Arrested: Jose Estrada, Jeffrey Rios

DWI/Narcotics -- Route 130 -- Jose Velez

DWI -- Route 130 - Arrested: Joey Radley

Sept. 6

DWI/Narcotics -- Route 33 - Arrested: Jenifer Taylor

DWI -- Route 526 - Arrested: Damen Eyman

Sept. 7

Narcotics -- Stratton Court - Arrested: Christoph Hartz

Keith Brown may be reached at kbrown@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @KBrownTrenton. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.

 

Local students are studying from southern California to New England and everywhere in between.

Last month, we asked NJ.com readers to tell us where New Jersey college students are matriculating this semester. Lots of you answered our call, and we plotted the info you gave us on the map below.

Each point on the map shows where a New Jersey high school grad is studying. Click the points to find out a little about each student, including their college and major.

If you're in college and you're not on our map, we want to see you there. Fill out the form below to get us your information.

John Shabe may be reached at jshabe@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johndshaber. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

ACLU, community leaders demand investigation into the "illegal and immoral'' release of Hearn's juvenile record

TRENTON - Angered by the release of her son's juvenile police record to a local newspaper, the mother of Radazz Hearns on Wednesday called for an investigation into how Hearns' juvenile history was released by a Mercer County police department.

"Just because you are the law doesn't mean you're above the law,'' Jackson said.

Flanked by members of the United Mercer Interfaith Organization and the state chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union, the group announced that letters to seven different police agencies were being delivered Wednesday, demanding that an investigation into the "illegal and immoral'' release of Hearn's juvenile record.

"The law is clear,'' said Alexander Shalom, of the New Jersey ACLU. "It's a punishable, criminal offense for law enforcement officers to disclose that information.''

Last month, the Hopewell Township Police department released to a Trenton newspaper copies of Hearn's juvenile record showing that the teen had been arrested three times on simple assault and minor drug possession charges prior to his encounter with police on Aug. 7, when he was shot seven times by officers investigating a report of gunfire in the are of Louise Lane near Calhoun Street.

RELATED: Trenton 14-year-old shot by police among 5 injured in gunfire 

The shooting is under investigation by the state Office of the Attorney General because it involved a State Police trooper as well as a Mercer County sheriff's officer, who were in the city as part of to supplement the Trenton Police Department.

The two officers and another State Police trooper saw Hearns and two other males as they were walking along a street. The three officers got out of their vehicle and confronted the trio, and Hearns fled around a townhouse.

The State Police trooper and Mercer sheriff's officer opened fire as they gave chase, according to the Attorney General's Office. Witnesses told authorities the teen reached for his waistband before the officers opened fire, the Attorney General's office has said.

Hearns spent a week at Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton before he was released. He was charged with aggravated assault on a police officer and weapons offenses.

Hearn's lawyer, Samuel A. Anyan Jr., has said Hearns was unarmed when officers opened fire. The Attorney General's office has said Hearns had a .22 caliber handgun that he pointed at police officers before he was shot.

The Attorney General's Office has not named the two officers involved in the shooting.

Rev. Lukata Mjumbe, of the United Mercer Interfaith Organization, said the letters were being hand-delivered Wednesday to the Attorney General's Office, the U.S. Attorney's Office, the State Police, Mercer County Prosecutor's Office, the Mercer County Sheriff's Office, the Trenton Police and the Hopewell Police Department.

Hopewell Township police arrested Hearns three times in town, where he attended an alternative high school. The newspaper also published three separate mug shots, which the paper said were received by an anonymous police source.

"We believe that a wrong has been done," Mjumbe said. "We believe the law has been broken. We are calling for an internal affairs investigation of all the departments that potentially may have provided information."

Keith Brown may be reached at kbrown@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @KBrownTrenton. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.

The 14th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks is Friday

MERCER COUNTY -- The 14th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks is Friday. Here are the commemoration events planned throughout Mercer County.

East Windsor

9/11 Wreath-Laying Ceremony, 5:15 p.m. Friday, East Windsor Municipal Building, 16 Lanning Blvd.

Hamilton

9/11 Remembrance Ceremony, noon Friday, September 11th Memorial Grove, Veteran's Park, 2206 Kuser Rd.

Lawrence

9/11 Memorial and Flag-Lowering Ceremony, 8:45 a.m. Friday, Rider University, campus mall, 2083 Lawrenceville Rd.

Princeton

9/11 Service of Remembrance, noon Friday, Princeton University, 9/11 Memorial Garden between Chancellor Green and Nassau Hall

Robbinsville

9/11 Memorial Ceremony conducted by Robbinsville Professional Firefighters Association, 9:45 a.m. Friday, Memorial Tree on Lake Drive in Town Center, near Hutchinson Road intersection

West Windsor

9/11 Remembrance Ceremony with Mercer County and Mercer County Community College honoring the 30 county residents killed in the 2001 attacks, 11 a.m. Friday, MCCC, Commemorative Garden adjacent to Student Center, 1200 Old Trenton Rd.

9/11 Memorial Ceremony, 7 p.m. Friday, Twin Ponds in the Ron Rogers Arboretum, Princeton-Hightstown Road

Cristina Rojas may be reached at crojas@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @CristinaRojasTT. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.

Shari Abend, 39, Dennis Barbour, 52 and Darrell Cosey, 38, all of Trenton, were arrested and charged with burglary and theft

TRENTON - Three people were arrested and charged while burglarizing a house on Rivere Avenue late Tuesday, police said.

Shari Abend, 39, Dennis Barbour, 52 and Darrell Cosey, 38, all of Trenton, were arrested and charged with burglary and theft after police found them stealing couches out of a house on the 900 block of Rivere Avenue around 11:30 p.m., Lt. Stephen Varn said.

Police were alerted by a tip that a burglary was taking place at a vacant house. Police arrived and found a truck with a couch inside that was backed up to a Rivere Avenue house. A second couch, matching the first, was found on a rear stairwell and a third, also matching was found inside the house, Varn said.

The three were arrested and charged without incident, Varn said.

Keith Brown may be reached at kbrown@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @KBrownTrenton. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.

 

Volunteer K-9 search teams located Christine Rosie at about 4:30 p.m. on the western side of Interstate 295, near a fence that separates the highway from power lines.

HAMILTON - The 44-year-old woman who disappeared in Hamilton last week was found alive in a secluded, wooded area off Kuser Road near where her car was discovered idling on the side of the road last week, officials said.

Volunteer K-9 search teams located Christine Rosie at about 4:30 p.m. on the western side of Interstate 295, near a fence that separates the highway from power lines, police Capt. James Stevens said.

She was dehydrated, weak and showed signs of being exposed to the elements for several days, like numerous insect bites on her body, but she could speak, Stevens said.

Christine RosieKevin Shea | For NJ.com 

Rosie was being treated at Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton Tuesday night. Her condition was not immediately known.

Sandy Cawley, a volunteer with Greater Philadelphia Search & Rescue, called out Rosie's name after another volunteer located her.

Cawley said Rosie answered to her name, "And she blinked her eyes."

Once located, Hamilton Detective Leonard Gadsby, the lead investigator who was at the search's command post, went into the woods and confirmed it was Rosie.

"Gadsby called out her name, and Rosie responded to her name," Stevens said.

The circumstances of Rosie's disappearance were under investigation Tuesday evening and detectives will wait until she has time to heal before taking a formal statement from her, Stevens said.

The captain declined to theorize if Rosie had been in the area the whole time. He did say there was some reports to police last Wednesday of people seeing Rosie on the Kuser Road bridge over the interstate.

Stevens said the area where Rosie was found had been searched, and he described Tuesday's efforts as "secondary searches."

The area is heavily wooded and difficult to navigate on foot, Stevens said.

The Greater Philadelphia volunteer who located Rosie, a man named Bill, declined to comment on the discovery, saying only: ""I just hope she does well."

Another volunteer team, Burlington County K9 Search and Rescue, also assisted in Tuesday's search for Rosie.

Members of the Greater Philadelphia Search and Rescue pack up their gear shortly after finding missing woman Christine Rosie off Kuser Road in Hamilton. (Kevin Shea | For NJ.com)Kevin Shea | For NJ.com 

Rosie was last seen a week ago at the Hamilton home of her estranged husband, Thomas Rosie.

She left at about 8:30 p.m. that Tuesday and said she'd be back the next morning to walk the couple's 8-year-old daughter to school on the first day, Thomas Rosie said earlier Tuesday.

The next morning, police found Rosie's black Chevrolet Cobalt idling on the eastbound shoulder of Kuser Road near the Route 295 overpass.

Rosie's personal belongings were found in her car, but Rosie was nowhere in sight. Police said an initial search of the area found nothing.

Thomas Rosie had said earlier Tuesday that his wife would not have missed walking her daughter to school, and her disappearance was baffling. "It's very out of the ordinary. She's not that type of person."

Thomas Rosie said despite being estranged from her husband and two children, Christine Rosie called them constantly and was involved in their lives.

"We're pretty close, as a family still," he said.

Rosie was officially reported missing by a family member on Thursday night.

Thomas Rosie said his wife has been living in Trenton for about a year and dealing with personal problems.

Christine Rosie is a principal clerk typist with the state Division of Administrative Services in the Department of Labor and Workforce, where she started working in 2002, the department said.

Thomas Rosie had said his wife is employed, was involved in her children's lives and no recent issues would have led him to believe she would be missing so long.

Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.

Christopher Brand is homeless and frequents the area of North Clinton Avenue in Trenton, as well as the Roebling Market, Rescue Mission

HAMILTON - One day after two people were found safe after being missing for a week, a third person has been reported missing from Hamilton, police said.

Christopher Brand Jr., 34, was last seen on Aug. 25 by his mother, Denise Brand, of Hamilton. 

Christopher Brand 

Christopher Brand is homeless and frequents the area of North Clinton Avenue in Trenton, as well as the Roebling Market, Rescue Mission, Trenton Area Soup Kitchen and the Trenton Train Station, police said.

Brand stands 6-feet, 2-inches and weighs 220 pounds. He has brown eyes and hair and is of medium complexion, police said.

RELATED: Woman missing from Hamilton found alive in woods

He was last seen wearing a white t-shirt, khaki cargo shorts and blue sandals. He has several tribal tattoos on both arms and has a full beard and longer hair than shown in the picture, police said.

Anyone with any information regarding this incident is asked to contact Detective Salvatore Vaccaro of the Hamilton Police Division's Criminal Investigations Section at 609-689-5825 or the Hamilton Police Crime Tip Hotline at 609-581-4008.

On Tuesday, Christine Rosie was found in a wooded area near where her idling car was found a week earlier.

Also Tuesday, Philip Lombardo, 64, was found in a shopping center dehydrated, hungry and wearing a long winter coat in 90-degree heat. He also was missing for a week.

Keith Brown may be reached at kbrown@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @KBrownTrenton. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.

 

Negron Drive in the state police's Troop C headquarters in Hamilton was named in 2005, but was never officially dedicated.

HAMILTON - Hamilton Mayor Kelly Yaede joined representatives of the New Jersey State Police and a police survivors group Wednesday to formally dedicate a street sign to slain Trooper Carlos Negron.

Negron Drive in the state police's Troop C headquarters in Hamilton was named in 2005, but was never officially unveiled, so Yaede said a dedication ceremony was in order.

"Each day here this road bearing the name Negron Road is a reminder to us all, a reminder of the sacrifices all of our state troopers make, a reminder that there is a price they pay for the safety that we all enjoy," Yaede said.

Yaede said since Negron's 1984 death, 14 state troopers have been killed on duty.

Negron, a Trenton native, joined the State Police on Feb. 11, 1982, only two years and three months before he was killed in a gun battle on the New Jersey Turnpike.

RELATED: Thousands say goodbye to State Trooper Anthony Raspa

"I'm very pleased even after 31 years, the New Jersey State Police do not forget their fallen troopers," said Michelle Carroll, president and co-founder of the Survivors of the Triangle New Jersey chapter. The group assists families of police officers who have been killed in the line of duty.

Carroll said she did not know Negron personally but remembered him fondly as her husband, Trooper William C. Carroll, Jr., worked with him on the turnpike and spoke highly of him.

Just the day before Negron died, he assisted Carroll's husband in translating for a Spanish-speaking suspect., she said.

"The morning Carlos was shot, Billy's mom heard and called and asked if Billy was OK," Carroll said of her husband. "I assured her he was but she insisted on talking to him herself."

Only 66 days later, on July 12, 1984, Trooper Carroll was fatally struck by a tractor-trailer on the turnpike.

Carroll said she was only married to her husband for six weeks when he was taken from her.

A scholarship has since been set up to assist the children of police officers pursuing a higher education degree called the Negron-Carroll Scholarship Fund, which Carroll chairs and has served 84 students.

Lt. Col. Patrick Callahan said he remembers being a child and watching sadness overcome his father, a retired state police major, whenever he "was shining his gear at the kitchen table because he had to go to the funeral of a fallen trooper."

Although Callahan was not the one to report of Negron's death to his family years ago, he had that grim duty when State Trooper Anthony Raspa, 24, died on duty May 30 on Route 195 in Upper Freehold.

"I thought of myself as a little boy when my father would come home with such horrible news," Callahan said. "I thought on my way to (Raspa's) house of how I was going to ring their doorbell and change their lives forever."

Martin Flynn, Hamilton's Department of Health, Recreation, Seniors and Veterans director, helped Yaede organize Wednesday's ceremony.

"We hold these heroes in the highest esteem," Flynn said. "Negron's memory lives on and that memory is marked here."

Lindsay Rittenhouse may be reached at lrittenhouse@njadvancemedia.com. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Preliminary tests showed the presence of polychlorinated biphenyl and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

PRINCETON -- Construction of the 280-unit AvalonBay project in Princeton has screeched to a halt after the presence of toxic chemicals was found on site, town officials announced this week.

AvalonBay, which cleared the former University Medical Center to make way for housing, has covered stockpiles of materials with plastic sheeting and is wetting down the area daily for dust control until additional test results are reviewed.

In likely anticipation of removing excess materials from the site, the developer conducted preliminary tests, which showed the presence of polychlorinated biphenyl, or PCBs, and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs.

MORE: AvalonBay files lawsuit against Princeton over affordable housing

PCBs were widely used in construction materials and electrical products in many buildings until they were banned in 1979, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. In high doses, they have been shown to cause cancer in animals and are listed as a probable human carcinogen.

Meanwhile, PAHs, a form of pollution caused by burning gasoline, coal and garbage, have been shown to cause tumors in laboratory animals, the EPA says.

AvalonBay took additional samples and the results are expected within two weeks, officials said.

"Until the results of AvalonBay's secondary testing are received and reviewed, the municipality will not speculate about the conditions of the stockpiled materials," the town stated. "Princeton will, however, monitor the site daily to ensure that until such time as more information is available, AvalonBay continues to keep the stockpiled materials covered and continues to wet down the site for dust control."

Cristina Rojas may be reached at crojas@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @CristinaRojasTT. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.

Miriam Luna-Ruiz is charged with aggravated arson and aggravated assault for allegedly setting fire in three separate locations inside her home Friday afternoon.

TRENTON - A 32-year-old woman has been charged with setting fire to her own residence on South Clinton Avenue last week, police said.

Miriam Luna-Ruiz is charged with aggravated arson and aggravated assault for allegedly setting fire in three separate locations inside her home in the 1200 block of South Clinton Avenue Friday afternoon, police said.

Miriam Luna-Ruiz 

The 12:45 p.m. fire eventually grew to two alarms, spread to the attached home next door and displaced 12 people, including Luna-Ruiz.

The teams of firefighters who extinguished the fire were immediately suspicious since they found the three separate starting points. 

Arson investigators questioned Luna-Ruiz at the scene, and later at police headquarters Friday night and found she allegedly started the fire due to a dispute with a male resident of the home, officials said.

Luna-Ruiz was arrested and charged following the interview with investigators.

Detectives also located surveillance footage nearby that shows a woman matching Luna-Ruiz's description leaving the house moments before the fire started, police said.

Next-door neighbor Sarenah McFadden, 13, was the first to dial 911 after the teen smelled something burning and spotted smoke seeping into her house through every crevice.

McFadden made sure her younger sister Anastasia, 8, and three other family members got out of the house.

Trenton firefighters fought the fire on a particularly hot day and were assisted by four Hamilton fire companies at the scene.

Trenton detectives Thomas Brophy and Charles Steever, Mercer County Prosecutor's Office Detective Peter Fiabane and Trenton Chief Fire Marshal Mike Oakley investigated the fire.

Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.