M E R RY C H R I ST M A S F R O M $ 1 / E SSE X C OUN TY EDITION T H U R S D AY, D E C E M B E R 2 5 , 2 0 1 4 A F F I L I AT E D W I T H Jersey drivers: They’re not as bad as you think. PAGE 12 HOLLYWOOD Sony puts ‘Interview’ online Breaking new ground, the studio has released on digital platforms the controversial film depicting the assassination of the North Korean leader, which had spurred threats and a hacking attack. By Lindsey Bahr Associated Press HEALTH Her life’s calling Elaine Deigmann of Edison has delivered nearly 5,000 babies since she began practicing as a midwife 34 years ago, including two very special arrivals, her two grandsons. Diegmann, a recognized expert in her field, notes that midwifery is more than just delivering babies. / Page 37 In an unprecedented move, Sony Pictures broadly released “The Interview” to digital platforms Wednesday, a reversal of its previous plan not to show the film after hackers released thousands of documents online and threatened violence at theaters showing the comedy that depicts the assassination of North Korean leader Kim Jong Un. The move means easier access for viewers — and may further erode the studio’s symbiotic relationship with theaters: A day earlier, Sony and independent theaters agreed to release the movie in over 300 venues Thursday. The three largest theater chains have been largely silent since deciding not to show the film, which was originally set to On the big screen A look at area theaters that will be showing “The Interview.” / Page 16 open on Christmas on up to 3,000 screens. “It has always been Sony’s intention to have a national platform on which to release this film,” said Sony Pictures chair and CEO Michael Lynton in a statement Wednesday. “It was essential for our studio to release this movie, especially given the assault upon our business and our employees by those who wanted to stop free speech. We chose the path of digital distribution first so as to reach as many people as possible on opening day, and we continue to seek other partners and platforms to further expand the release.” “The Interview” became available for rental on a variety of digital platforms Wednesday afternoon, including Google Play, YouTube Movies, Microsoft’s Xbox Video and a separate Sony website, Sony Pictures announced. The movie, released at 1 p.m. SEE SONY, PAGE 16 SADDLE BROOK Together at Christmas: ‘It’s the best gift you could ask for’ By James Kleimann NJ Advance Media for The Star-Ledger W hen Jenny and Josiah Nolan wake up on Christmas morning, they’ll have already provided their sons the greatest gifts they could ever offer — freedom from a life of terror and neglect. 2014 YEAR IN REVIEW Sports triumphs, trials New Jersey sports fans had a range of memorable sports moments to savor in 2014. From farewells to Yankees’ Derek Jeter and Devils’ Martin Brodeur, to the arrival of the Super Bowl in Jersey, the past year will be one fans in the Garden State will never forget. / Page 47 ENTERTAINMENT ‘Frozen’: Entertainer of the year winner Disney’s hugely popular animated film “Frozen” has been crowned Associated Press Entertainer of the Year. No one was ready to let the film go. The movie earned more than $1.27 billion worldwide and its signature song won an Oscar. / Page 32 Today’s Weather This will be the first Christmas Jenny and Josiah Nolan of Saddle Brook will spend with the two specialneeds children they adopted from Ukraine. (COURTESY NOLAN FAMILY) Cloudy, then gradually becoming mostly sunny, cold and breezy. High: 53° Low: 31° / Forecast, Page 2 Index Advice / 31 Business / 19 Classified / 52 Comics / 35 Drink / 33 Editorial / 22 Health / 37 Lottery / 2 New Jersey / 21 Obituaries / 25 Puzzles / 31 Sports / 45 It’s a far stretch from where Oliver and Andrew were a year ago, restrained in their cribs in a Ukrainian mental institution — malnourished, drugged and forgotten by the world around them — two orphans with little hope for a better tomorrow. “Last Christmas I cried not knowing if Oliver was alive, not knowing if we would have our boys this Christmas,” says Jenny Nolan, a former preschool teacher. “I just didn’t feel we were complete as a family. Having them this Christmas is just surreal. ... they’re here. I can touch them, I can hold them. Our boys are safe — they’re loved and taken care of. It’s the best gift you could ask for.” Driven by their strong Christian faith, the Saddle Brook couple have set aside creature comforts and material pursuits, instead dedicating their lives to caring for two 7-year-old orphans who face extraordinary medical challenges — among them blindness, dwarfism, brain damage and autism. And on Christmas morning, huddled around the tree with their children beside them, it will be an affirmation that living life for others is immensely rewarding. It was July 11 when Jenny Nolan Today / 30 Towns / 24 TV Grid / 34 SEE ADOPT, PAGE 3 =5+2+4+b+e