The latest snowstorm has been a little late in arriving, but it's still coming.
The National Weather Service is still calling for up to eight inches of snow to fall across parts of New Jersey today. The highest inch counts will be in the southern half of the state with totals gradually decreasing further north. Expect about 2-3 inches in extreme northwestern New Jersey, and 4-6 inches across a large swath of northern and Central Jersey.
"It did slow down somewhat, but the forecast is still on track," said Jim Bunker of the National Weather Service. Earlier reports indicated snow would start at around 2 am.
Areas seeing light snow falling now can expect it to intensify as the morning moves along, the NWS says. It will continue through the early afternoon and be heavy at times.
"Things are transitioning as we speak," Bunker said shortly before 7 a.m.. "Cold air is definitely moving in from the northwest."
Temperatures are in the low 30s as of 7 a.m. across much of New Jersey, but expected to drop into the low to mid 20s by around noon.
The snow isn't expected to taper off until about midnight, according to Bunker.
Temperatures are expected to fall even further through the evening, though. Lows tonight will dip to single digits and and a stiff wind out of the northwest will make wind chill values below zero in some spots.
Forecasters are calling for sunny skies Friday with temperatures in the 20s -- well below the mid 40s that are typical highs in early March. Wind chill values will be at or below zero.
In the meantime, travel today is expected to be heavily impacted -- hundreds of flights have already been delayed or canceled at Newark Liberty International Airport and NJ Transit is cross-honoring across all modes of transportation.
Most schools are also closed around the state. State offices will also be closed today.
The good news for the winter weary is that temperatures will warm up this weekend. Look for highs in the mid 30s on Saturday, the low 40s on Sunday and then the mid 40s on Monday, according to Bunker. The sun should be out all three days, too.
"Temperatures are looking quite good for the start of the work week."
Road conditions are going to get worse before they get better, said State Police, who advised drivers not to wait out the storm because the snow fall isn't expected to stop until after the evening commute.
While Gov. Chris Christie's declaration of a State of Emergency and closing of non-essential state offices helped keep traffic volume down, commuters hoping to wait the storm out until this evening are in for a disappointment, said Capt. Stephen Jones, a New Jersey State Police spokesman.
"If you went to work and hope to wait it out, you will be disappointed," Jones said. "The storm will be dumping heavy amounts of snow and I don't think we'll see a clearing of roadways until late."
State Department of Transportation officials said 2,300 plows and spreaders are deployed on state highways and interstates. Drivers should slow down and keep their distance from plows and spreaders to let them do their job, said Stephen Schapiro, a DOT spokesman.
"Conditions will get much worse during the day, we expect the evening commute to be difficult," he said.
Officials are hoping that employers will release workers early and on a staggered schedule to avoid the regular traffic volumes typically seen during the evening rush, Jones said.
"It got worse rapidly," Jones said, about his morning commute north on I-295 this morning. "The accidents are not as bad as they could be, we've seen some spin outs and crashes."
A jackknifed tractor-trailer truck on I-287 north in Mahwah at Route 17 is still blocking traffic. Jones said the north and southbound left lanes of the highway are closed.
DOT officials are expecting five to eight inches of snow in south and central Jersey, three to six in the north and 2 to 4 inches in the upper northwestern part of the state, Schapiro said.
"This storm is more concentrated in the central and south and close to the city," he said.
Speed limits have been dropped twice on the New Jersey Turnpike, which is now down to 35 mph from 45 mph for the entire length of the highway. A large section of the Garden State Parkway between Exit 52 in Bass River to the New York State line has been reduced to 35 mph.
NJ Transit reported 45-minute delays to trains in and out of Penn Station New York due to Amtrak overhead wire problems, which were resolved shortly after 10 a.m. NJ Transit will cross honor tickets between bus, rail and light rail lines all day, which includes private bus carriers. PATCO trains are now running on a snow schedule.
Union County, New Jersey Youth Organization Leader Charged with Possessing Images of Child Sexual Abuse
NEWARK, NJ—A Linden, New Jersey, man who was a leader in a boys youth organization and a religious education teacher was charged today with possessing images of child sexual abuse, U.S. Attorney Paul J. Fishman announced.
Gregory J. Aker, 45, is charged by complaint with one count of possessing child pornography. He is currently in state custody and is scheduled to appear in Newark federal court on March 12, 2015 before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark Falk.
According to the complaint filed in court today:
Aker was a leader with a boys youth organization and a religious education teacher with his church. On Feb. 22, 2014, Aker was arrested by the Linden Police Department for sexual assault and endangering the welfare of two minor children. After his arrest, law enforcement obtained multiple computers and electronic storage media from Aker’s residence. These devices contained approximately 1,240 images and 43 videos of child pornography, including images of prepubescent children being sexually abused.
The charge of possession of child pornography carries a maximum potential penalty of 10 years in prison and a $250,000 fine.
U.S. Attorney Fishman credited Special Agents with the FBI, under the direction of Special Agent in Charge Richard M. Frankel in Newark, the New Jersey Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory, the Union County Prosecutor’s Office and the Linden Police Department with the investigation.
Three Florida Men and a Corporation Convicted of Running illegal International Gambling Enterprise
A federal jury in Oklahoma City attainted three Florida men and a Florida corporation today for their participation in an illegal international gambling and money laundering enterprise, announced Assistant Attorney General Leslie R. Caldwell of the Justice Department’s Criminal Division and U.S. Attorney Sanford C. Coats of the Western District of Oklahoma. "In the age of the Internet, what used to be a crime conducted by bookies on street corners is now an international criminal enterprise," said Assistant Attorney General Caldwell. "Operating on-line but off-shore, the individuals convicted in this case raked in more than a billion dollars in illegal gambling proceeds. But as these convictions demonstrate, no matter where or how organized criminals operate, the Criminal Division will bring them to justice."
"This is a great result in this important case," said U.S Attorney Coats. "I applaud the tremendous, collaborative efforts of our law enforcement partners and the prosecution team." Paul Francis Tucker, 50, of Mount Dora, Florida, Luis Robles, 50, of St. Beach, Florida, and Zapt Electrical Sales Inc., a corporation registered in Florida and owned by Tucker, were found guilty of engaging in a racketeering conspiracy, conducting an illegal gambling business and conspiracy to commit money laundering. Christopher Lee Tanner, 58, of Sarasota, Florida, was found guilty of conducting an illegal gambling ring. A sentencing date will be set by the court in approximately 90 days, and the hearing will take place before U.S. District Judge Stephen P. Friot of the Western District of Oklahoma.
According to evidence presented at trial, from 2003 to 2013, Tanner, Tucker, Robles and Zapt Electrical Sales conspired with others to operate Internet and telephone gambling services from Panama City, Panama through an enterprise known as Legendz Sports. The international gambling enterprise took more than $1 billon in illegal wagers, almost exclusively from gamblers in the United States on American sporting events. The evidence demonstrated that Tanner and Tucker worked as bookies in Florida, and illegally solicited and accepted sports wagers and settled gambling debts. Tucker also used Zapt Electrical Sales and its bank account to launder gambling proceeds collected from losing bettors. The evidence showed that Robles worked as a runner for the enterprise, delivering cash to Legendz Sports bookies to make payouts and picking up cash profits from the bookies. According to the evidence at trial, bookies and runners for Legendz Sports transported millions of dollars of gambling proceeds in cash and checks from the United States to Panama. The checks were made out to various shell companies created by Legendz Sports all over Central America to launder gambling proceeds.
The case was investigated by the FBI and also by Internal Revenue Service-Criminal Investigation, with the assistance of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement’s Homeland Security Investigations and the U.S. Marshals Service. The case is being prosecuted by Trial Attorney John S. Han of the Criminal Division’s Organized Crime and Gang Section and Assistant U.S. Attorneys Susan Dickerson Cox and Travis D. Smith of the Western District of Oklahoma.