Mayor Ras J. Baraka signed into law a municipal ordinance that bans smoking within municipal parks and recreation facilities and within 50 feet of a municipal building’s entrance, exit, windows, or ventilators, today, at Kasberger Field, in the City’s West Ward.

At the ceremony, he was joined by the Municipal Council sponsors of the legislation, North Ward Council Member Anibal Ramos, Jr., and Council Member-at-Large Carlos M. Gonzalez, community members, and tobacco-free activists.

I was saddened to learn Professor Clem Price has passed away. Today, all of Newark mourns for a man who was thoughtful and wise, sincere and kind. I want to offer my condolences to his wife, Mary Sue Sweeney Price, his family and friends and his colleagues at Rutgers University. As my professor and senior advisor at Rutgers, Dr. Price had a great influence on my life and imbued me with a desire to stay in Newark and give back to the city. I owe him a debt of gratitude.

North Ward Councilman Anibal Ramos Jr. issued a statement regarding Newark Police Chief’s order directing police officers to refer victims of crimes such as simple assault, criminal mischief and harassment to file complaints in municipal court, rather than compile an incident report themselves.

The order has since been corrected by Police Director Eugene Venable, who told nj.com that Newark Police Department is still taking incident reports of all nature. "There have not been any policy changes," Venable said. "Policy is set by the Police Director."