GETTING READY

Newark Preps for Whitney Funeral

Huge crowds expected Saturday.

The city of Newark, N.J., is manning up for what is expected to be a massive crowd outside of Whitney Houston’s funeral on Saturday, held at the church she grew up in. The ceremony itself will be private, meaning throngs of fans and media are expected to surround the six-block area that law-enforcement officers are planning to cordon off. An all-star cast of celebrities are expected to attend, meaning worries over paparazzi and news cameras have been stressed. A family-only viewing was held on Friday afternoon in Newark prior to the invitation-only funeral that is said to include only 1,500 people. Gov. Chris Christie ordered flags to fly at half-mast Saturday in the state of New Jersey to honor Houston, a decision that has drawn the ire of critics.