The letter, sent from the Foreclosure Fraud Prevention in Fort Lee, warned the resident that his or her home was in danger of foreclosure, and that they should contact the company for further information.

A letter sent from Fort Lee-based Foreclosure Fraud Prevention is a scam, officials said. (Courtesy of the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office).

BRICK -- Authorities are warning residents to be on alert after a resident recently received a fraudulent foreclosure notice.

The letter, sent from the Foreclosure Fraud Prevention in Fort Lee, warned the resident that his or her home was in danger of foreclosure, and that they should contact the company for further information.

"If you ignore the demand, it can cause the process of losing your property to accelerate," the letter states. " ... You should contact us so that we can guide you on the correct actions to take when faced with foreclosure."

The resident who received the letter quickly contacted the Provident Bank, who assured the resident they were not affiliated with the Foreclosure Fraud Prevention, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said in a news release

"The bank's research found the telephone numbers shown do not appear to be registered to the sender of the notice and when placing a call to the numbers shown, the call goes directly to voicemail," the release said.

The prosecutor's office asked that anyone in the Ocean County area who has received a similar letter to contact authorities at 732-929-2027 or Provident Bank officials at 732-590-9200.

"Protect yourself and never accept anything as true without doing your homework," the release said.

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

The snappers are common in the Caribbean but rare north of Florida.

TRENTON - Mike Szabo was fishing for sharks on Island Beach State Park Sunday evening when he reeled in another fish known for large, strong teeth: a cubera snapper.

Szabo's catch, which he displayed on his Facebook page, was reported by On The Water, which described the fish.

ALSO: N.J. boy lands 600-pound fish in 'nearly impossible feat'

Szabo, a Trenton city firefighter, used fresh bunker head as bait and his line had been soaking for about 20 minutes when the rod went off. The fish made three good runs and fought hard for 15 minutes before Szabo was able to get it on shore, On The Water reported.

It weighed in at 25 pounds.

The snappers are common in the Caribbean but rare north of Florida.

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

 

Accident occurred around 10 p.m. near Rt. 9 and Edgewood Court

LAKEWOOD -- Little information was immediately available Monday night on an accident that sent three people to the hospital, police said. 

(File photo) 

The three were struck by a vehicle near Rt. 9 and Edgewood Court around 10 p.m., a department spokesman said. The spokesman did not have information on the victims or their condition. He also said there's "no indication" the driver left the scene. 

The Asbury Park Press reported that 2 of the victims are children struck as they and a woman crossed the highway. 

Rt. 9 was partly closed down for an accident investigation, police also said. 

Jersey Shore University Medical Center, where at least one of the victims was taken, also did not immediately release any information. 

Paul Milo may be reached at pmilo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @PaulMilo2. FindNJ.com on Facebook

 

A portion of Route 9 will remain closed for several hours Tuesday as authorities continue to investigate a serious motor vehicle crash that involved three pedestrians late Monday night, police said.

EDITOR'S NOTE: This story has been updated to reflect a clarification from police regarding the duration of the road closure.

LAKEWOOD - A portion of Route 9 was closed for several hours as authorities investigated a serious motor vehicle crash that involved three pedestrians late Monday night, police said.

At approximately 10 p.m. on Monday, three people were struck by a vehicle near Route 9 and Edgewood Court, a Lakewood Police Department spokesman said. The spokesman did not have information on the victims or their conditions, as of Monday night.

He also said there was "no indication" the driver left the scene. 

The Lakewood Scoop reported that a mother was pushing a baby in a stroller across Route 9 with another child next to her when they were struck.

Police said Route 9 would be closed in both directions between Central Avenue and Pine Street "for several hours" as the Lakewood Police Department's Traffic Safety Unit investigated the "very serious motor vehicle accident."

Motorists were advised to take alternate routes while traveling in the area. 

Jersey Shore University Medical Center, where at least one of the victims was taken, did not immediately release any information. 

Rob Spahr may be reached at rspahr@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheRobSpahr. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

He is the No. 1 rated wrestler and football player in the U.S. He has 10 specialized trainers, his own PR guy and has made incredible sacrifices. Is it all worth it? Watch video

He is 15 years old, 5-foot-9 and 185 pounds of cartoonish muscles on top of muscles. He had six-pack abs when he was 6. Today, he bench-presses one-and-a-half times his body weight and can leap from a standing position to the top of a car. He averages four touchdowns per game and hasn't lost a wrestling match since 2012, making him the nation's top-ranked football player and wrestler for his grade. And even though he doesn't begin high school for another two weeks, he already is one of the most talked about athletes in New Jersey.

His name is Josh McKenzie.

But people just call him Man-Child, D-Train, Animal, Machine or Beast, and he is a once-in-a-lifetime physical specimen who looks like he was engineered in a lab, each piece meticulously sculpted, tested and refined.

Josh also embodies the runaway free-for-all youth sports have become. Specialized training. High school coaches lining up to woo players. Working out to the point of total exhaustion. Repeating a grade for athletic advantage. Bouncing from team to team. It's all part of his family's all-in, college-scholarship-or-bust gamble.

Sound extreme? Consider:

This past year, Josh's family spent more than $15,000 on specialized training and thousands more to parade him around at showcases, tournaments and all-star events from Florida to California.

Most of the 10 specialized personal trainers he will see during the year -- that's right, 10 trainers -- rely on state-of-the-art techniques and put Josh through futuristic workouts. He takes it a step further by wearing a Darth Vader-like elevation mask to restrict breathing and simulate training at elevations.

Josh's stable of experts includes a mindset coach, an isokinetic performance trainer, a nutritionist, three sprinting specialists and a power-lifting guru. He also has a family friend who acts as his public relations guy, although Josh already speaks like someone who has had extensive media training.

Even his most mundane activities are meticulously planned and closely monitored. So, for example, he will record every morsel he eats in his iPhone app or log book, making sure to consume exactly 4,500 calories and 175 grams of protein each day.

"In this stage of my life, football's my main focus," Josh says. "My friends and all that partying can take a side seat for now."

Josh's family granted NJ Advance Media extraordinary access during the past year, revealing a remarkable, pressure-packed world in which everyone wants a piece of the Man-Child. When he wasn't visiting schools, making his lunch or doing his own laundry at his family's home in Monmouth County, Josh bounced from school to practices, competitions and workouts. At each nausea-inducing session -- be it in a yoga studio, someone's basement, a sprawling athletic facility or a strip mall gym -- Josh left behind puddles of sweat and any chance someone might outwork him.

When those sessions finished, Josh would return home and torture himself in his family's garage, hanging 10 minutes some nights on an inversion table in an effort to stretch himself taller and erase the one possible Achilles' heel on his path to stardom.

He does this and more -- all before his braces have come off.

Josh McKenzie throws a football on the Fourth of July 2014 in South Beach. (Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) 

'A BUSINESS DECISION'

Just after 3 on a humid afternoon 15 months ago, Josh and 316 eighth-grade classmates from Wall Intermediate School take their seats in the high school gym. The graduates, wearing royal blue gowns, tap their phones and crane to find their families.

Josh, 14 at the time, strides confidently across the stage when called. He wears a pink shirt with a black-and-silver striped tie and stylish blue-tinted Ray Ban glasses. He takes his diploma, smiles, hugs a teacher and steps off stage.

Three months later, Josh returns to the eighth grade.

The controversial choice to voluntarily re-enroll at a new school and repeat is based mostly on athletic benefit, and Josh calls it another "business decision."

Josh's uncle and legal guardian, Bill Green, is the mad scientist behind the Man-Child. He says an extra year of middle school will help Josh "grow mentally and physically," and hopefully "get him noticed" by college recruiters. Green also says Josh, with a March birthday, is young for his current grade.

Countless high-profile athletes across the nation repeat, too, but Josh's decision stokes his mostly anonymous critics because he is clearly ready to play in high school. In fact, Josh has been competing against older kids for years and still dominating. Bill, who is 6-foot-3 and 240 pounds, thick with muscles and a demeanor that flips quickly, doesn't back away.

"It was kind of my choice, but I did bring it up to him," Bill explains. "I mean, I gave him an option. I told him, 'Look, this is what I want to do. Are you OK with it?' He usually doesn't fight me on much."

Josh admits "it was embarrassing to tell people that I was staying back in eighth grade." But adds, "I just don't really care what other people think. It's, like, my career."

It is a career that has been carefully plotted.

Bill has told Josh and his older brother, Matt, their college money is being spent on training and travel. And Josh knows the smoothest path to his NFL dream is to be recruited to a big-time college program -- a process that can begin in the eighth grade or earlier.

The family is anxious for Josh to receive his first offer, even if there is always that one nagging concern: his height.

During an interview last summer, Josh was asked his biggest fear. For once, he abandoned the carefully scripted responses and admitted he worries that he won't grow to 6 feet tall, roughly the average height of defensive backs in the NFL.

It was the only peek into his soul he revealed during dozens of interviews, but hardly the only question that will arise as he prepares to enter high school.

What if he gets hurt? What if he picks the wrong high school? Can he meet Bill's expectations? How can he hold onto the few remaining shreds of normalcy in his life?

And the big one: What if, after all the money and training and the extra year before high school, he simply isn't good enough?

Bill Green reaches out to shake Josh McKenzie's hand at his eighth grade graduation in June of 2014. (Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

FOR THE FAMILY

The long stretch of grass is sandwiched between two rows of trees and makes the perfect workout field, right there in the family's Wall Township backyard.

When Josh was 5 and Matt 7, the boys took turns lugging each other 50 yards each way. They did buddy carries (over the back), wedding cakes (carrying in front), fireman carries (over the shoulders), squats (while still holding the other) and pushed each other in a wheelbarrow. When the little boys weren't carrying each other, they mixed in pushups, situps and Russian twist abdominal exercises, using a basketball for the weight.

A family picture from a year later shows Josh shirtless in the backyard, leaning forward and flexing, his abdominal, biceps and shoulder muscles rippling like a miniature bodybuilder. Matt is also bulging out of his skin. It's an image that stays with you.

"We thought we were just having fun, but after a while we kind of understood," Josh says. "(Bill) tried to make it fun, but he really knew we were, like, putting in work."

For Matt and Josh, just having a backyard was something.

They had lived in the gritty Munroe Towers in Asbury Park until 2004. Their mom and Bill's sister, Debra Burgos, was addicted to drugs and alcohol, the family says. Josh says his and Matt's father was in and out of their lives, leaving Bill's mom to raise Josh, Matt and Ashley, their older sister.

The apartment, Bill says, had bed bugs and roaches, and the boys slept on air mattresses. Burgos, as Josh remembers, would come home drunk and start fights with his grandmother or sister.

"We would go in another room and just hope and pray they would stop," Josh says. "We would cry. It was hard to see our mom, like, deteriorate the way she did."

Bill, then single, says he was disgusted by the conditions, so he moved the boys and his mother into his house. That was 11 years ago, and family and friends say it was a courageous decision that forever changed the boys' lives.

"I knew I was taking on a big responsibility, but they're family," Bill says. "It's my flesh and blood. I just couldn't see them -- my mother and these kids -- living like that."

Josh remembers initially being scared of his uncle, but feeling better after Bill took everyone to dinner at Nino Jr.'s in Oakhurst, telling them to order anything. They watched the movie "Elf" over the first sleepover and the boys had the run of the refrigerator.

"He treated me like I was his own son," Josh says.

A 2006 cell phone photo of brothers Matt (left) and Josh McKenzie when they were 8- and 6-years old. (Photo courtesy of Bill Green) 

THE CENTER OF EVERY UNIVERSE 

At 10:45 on a warm September morning, Josh sits in Algebra class at Seashore Day Camp and School, the private school in Long Branch where he's repeating eighth grade. Rob Schnoor, the teacher, talks about number sequences and patterns, and hands out quizzes to 13 students sitting at tiny desks.

Schnoor knows all about the athletic machine in the back of his classroom.

Not that Josh could blend in.

He has broad shoulders, bulging muscles and scraggly facial hair around his upper lip and chin -- the Man-Child hulking over a room of boys and girls.

"So who do you play this weekend?" Schnoor asks.

"Matawan," Josh says.

"Are they still tough?" Schnoor asks. "I'll have to come to a game."

Everyone is friendly and Josh says he is learning, but the situation is awkward, especially early in the school year. Josh had a ton of friends at Wall Intermediate but doesn't know anyone here at his new school, which Bill says will cost $12,000 for the year. He had a girlfriend last summer, but they broke up because "that's a distraction at the moment," Josh says. At his new school, where there are 105 students in grades kindergarten through eighth, he misses being around other serious athletes.

"They're not on a mission like I am," explains Josh, who will finish the year with straight A's, a 98.72 overall average and a nearly perfect behavior report. "So school's kind of, like, just a business day now."

About an hour into algebra, Josh leaves the classroom and returns with a bottle of water and a plastic container of protein powder. He mixes and shakes until the concoction is thick and brown. Then he swigs the drink as he checks his math book.

Later, at lunch, he sits with classmates but hardly says a word.

September also means football, and Josh already has started practicing with his new team, the River Plaza - Lincroft Chargers, the most dominant program in American Youth Football's Jersey Shore Conference.

When Josh walks onto the field for his first practice at Nick Trezza Park in Middletown, his new teammates follow every move. They've seen his YouTube highlights. Now, suddenly, he's one of them and Josh has something to prove -- specifically why he is the highest-rated eighth-grade player in the country.

"People are a lot more intimidated by us because we have Josh McKenzie," teammate Kenny McCarthy says. "Everybody knows about him."

Throughout the season, Josh will be treated more like an idol than a teammate.

The other Chargers ask him what type of touchdown dances he has planned. They offer to share their pre-game snacks. They beg him to pose in their photos. They claw over one another to high-five him after his highlight-worthy scoring plays. And after Josh leads the team through a cheer, one teammate turns to another and says, "You wanna know what makes that chant so cool? Josh does it."

Josh McKenzie (right) folds himself into a lunch table with other students at Seashore Day Camp & School in Long Branch. (Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) 

'SUPER-HUMAN'

Another specialized training session begins at Hawk Sports Performance in Neptune Township, and Josh is moving with purpose and focus. His sports performance trainer, Kevin Hawke, explains they're working on posture, low abs, internal and external hips, lower back, balance, coordination, flexibility and more.

Josh leans forward on his knees, holding a 5-pound weight in each hand, then explodes in one motion onto his feet. He squats a weight bar with thick metal chains draped over the sides and several massive plates piled on each end.

Hawke knows he's seeing something otherworldly, asking, "You ever seen a 14-year-old who looks like that?"

The next week, Josh visits professional strength trainer Joe McAuliffe. A year ago, McAuliffe was thinking Josh might be able to bench press 200 pounds by the start of football season. Josh hit 225. By this spring, he blows past 250.

"This is a super-human being," McAuliffe says.

A few days later, Josh works on linear speed and hard sprint starts with Matt Bernardo, another of his 10 trainers and coaches. Toward the end of their session, Josh straps on an electronic belt that catches his time when he crosses a stick 10 yards away.

On his first try, he makes it in 1.7 seconds.

"How fast is the NFL?" Josh asks. "Like, 1.5?"

Bernardo nods.

Josh McKenzie picks up and carries his brother Matt while wearing resistance bands during a workout in Eatontown. (Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) 

TURNING HEADS

On opening night of football season, Josh races a quarter of the field for a touchdown, scoops a fumble and returns it for another score, then brings back a punt 75 yards for his third touchdown.

Several former Chargers watching from the sideline can't hide their amazement.

"What do you do to make yourself faster?" asks Chaz Alessi, a freshman at Middletown South High.

"I just run," Josh says.

Minutes later, after Josh smashes an opponent with a monster tackle, Justin Noah, a Red Bank Catholic freshman, says, "He just killed someone."

"Wrote on his tombstone: 'Sorry, Josh McKenzie,'" Alessi says.

River Plaza leads 26-0 a minute into the second quarter. There's no mystery about the outcome or whether Josh needs to be on the field any longer. By mercy rule, the game clock runs without stopping the rest of the game.

Fans head for the parking lot, some jokingly asking Bill for gas money since Josh's night was so brief. Bill smiles.

The next game is another bloodbath. In the first quarter, Josh drills a ball carrier and the boy crumples to the grass. After being helped off the field by his mom and several coaches, the boy sits on the sideline, crying with an ice pack against his forehead.

Josh's teammates know the feeling. During an early practice, Josh's hit during a one-on-one drill gave teammate Gavin Goldbaum a concussion. "It literally feels like you're getting hit by a thousand pounds," teammate Jack Tedeschi says. "It's like you're getting hit by a bus."

At halftime of the second game, Rich Hansen, the head coach of national powerhouse St. Peter's Prep in Jersey City, shows up with his son, Rich Hansen III, who is also the team's defensive coordinator. Bill wanders over and the coaches hand him a St. Peter's brochure. Josh comes by and chats. They're all smiling.

Not everyone is a fan.

In a blowout a few weeks later, Josh scores and begins to head off the field when an opposing coach starts screaming and shouting obscenities toward Josh. The coach is upset that Josh isn't playing in high school. Josh stops and stares back, in shock. Once he gets to the sideline, Josh tells Rob Fischer, the Chargers' head coach, who reports the incident to the league.

"This isn't something that should happen, for an adult coach to be yelling at a 14-year-old," Fischer says. "I've been coaching 35 years, I've never yelled at a kid on another team." (Despite repeating the eighth grade, Josh meets the league's age requirements.)

Later in the season, after the Chargers win the conference semifinals, River Plaza's cheerleaders form a line for pictures -- with just Josh.

"You're the bomb!" one gushes.

"Can I have a hug?" another asks.

River Plaza cheerleaders line up to snap photos with Josh McKenzie. (Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
 

EVERYONE WANTS A PIECE

The stately Lawrenceville School campus is showing off in the warm morning light. The red brick and brownstone buildings are flawless, a fact not lost on Josh as he passes through the rotunda, Woods Memorial Hall, Cleve House and the Jigger Shop.

The place oozes Ivy League.

Josh and Bill are joined by tour guide Priyanka Chodhari, assistant football coach Chris Malleo and head coach Danny O'Dea.

At one point, Chodhari asks, "So, are you interested in the newspaper, yearbook, science?"

The group smirks before Malleo, an old friend of Bill's, interjects. "All those things," he says.

"Uh, he's a student athlete," Bill says.

The tour ends at the admissions office after 80 minutes and Chodhari leaves. Josh, Bill, Malleo and O'Dea sit at a round table under a high, domed ceiling. O'Dea leans forward and begins his pitch.

"If you come here, you'll get the best of everything," he says.

O'Dea boasts about the school's top-notch academics, the state-of-the-art weight room and plays up Josh's opportunity to put Lawrenceville football on the map.

"I'm not going to tell you, you can come in here and you're going to play right away," O'Dea says. "But looking at your film, you're going to come in here and probably play right away."

Malleo chimes in throughout, playing off his relationship with Josh and Bill.

"I'm invested in you because I care about you and I want to see you do well," Malleo says. "There's going to be people who pretend to care. But people who genuinely care, it's a close circle."

After the visit, Josh calls the day "pretty amazing" and Bill says, "I don't know how you turn that down." Later, Bill says there was no discussion of cost or any type of scholarship. (Lawrenceville is not a full member of the state's governing body for high school athletics, so it does not abide by recruiting rules.)

Josh takes other visits -- to Bergen Catholic, St. John Vianney, St. Peter's Prep, Don Bosco Prep, the Peddie School, Blair Academy, DePaul Catholic and St. Joseph of Montvale. The feeling is similar after each trip.

"It's kind of confusing, really, because you go to one school, you fall in love with them," Josh says. "Then you go to the next school, you fall in love with them."

Visits are just the beginning.

High school coaches and others are texting often, as a look at Josh's phone reveals. And after a Chargers scrimmage, two parents and a River Plaza assistant also playfully make pitches.

"He's going to look good in gold and black," says a parent decked in St. John Vianney gear.

"What are you talking about? Orange is his color," says a parent connected to Middletown North.

"No, navy," counters the River Plaza assistant, referring to Middletown South's colors.

Josh shares a Facebook message from an alum of a prominent North Jersey Catholic school that reads, "Big fan of yours. Hope to see you in (our school colors) someday! If there's anything I can do for ya let me know."

In the fall, Josh says the student section at a St. John Vianney football game he attends spontaneously chants his name: "Josh Mc-Ken-zie! Josh Mc-Ken-zie!"

He says the same thing happens at a Bergen Catholic wrestling match.

Josh doesn't seem to get too wrapped up in all the adulation, but experts in the field of sports psychology worry about the long-term effects of hero worship and families going all-in on sports at such a young age.

Charlie Maher, a professor emeritus of applied psychology at Rutgers University who has consulted for the Jets and Cleveland Browns, does not know Josh or the Green family, but the situation concerns him.

"They're taking a risk putting their child through this -- putting all the eggs in one basket," Maher says. "What happens if he doesn't continue being the exceptional athlete? If he does get injured? If he comes to the conclusion, 'Hey, I just can't keep doing this, day in and day out, year after year.'"

Bill counters and says Josh "understands this isn't just about sports. He knows that he has a purpose here in life; it goes above and beyond sports." Bill points to Josh's near-perfect grades, the way he greets people with a smile, handshake and eye contact, and his goal to attend a strong academic college to pursue a career as an entrepreneur.

"A lot of people would be like, 'I don't understand how he does it. There's no fun in it,'" Josh says. "But I enjoy it. I like the regimented plan and I enjoy getting better and working hard. I like seeing the results."

The family's Christian faith is also "a big part of Josh's life," Bill says. He and Josh talk often about praying for guidance and asking God for signs during trying moments, such as the high school decision process. And Bill is quick to credit God's blessing -- and not training or coaching -- for Josh's athletic abilities.

"We talk about leaving a legacy, making an impact, making a difference in other people -- and not just through sports," Bill says. "He's a smart kid. He gets it."

Bill Green (lower left) and Josh McKenzie (lower right) sit down with assistant coach Chris Malleo (top left) and head coach Danny O'Dea after a visit to the Lawrenceville School. (Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) 

JUST ... 3 ... MORE ... INCHES

At the end of another long day of training, Josh heads for his family's two-car garage, sidestepping a weight rack and strapping his ankles into an inversion table. Josh presses a button and the table dips back until he's almost upside-down.

"It's hard because the blood rushes to your head," Josh says. "You can, like, feel your back stretching."

Will it make him taller? Can it help? It doesn't matter. He refuses to not try.

The relentless pursuit of greatness -- and three more inches -- doesn't end on the inversion table. Josh tries downing a disgusting concoction of red cabbage, fava beans and tomato. He read it could spark growth.

It's one of the gems from his nighttime reading: "Grow Taller 4 Idiots."

Josh also follows a supplement program drawn up by sports nutritionist Tom Bilella. He typically downs a protein-rich weight gainer in the morning called "Up Your Mass," followed by a pre-workout carbohydrate drink and a post-workout 3-to-1 mixture of carbohydrates and protein. He also takes a daily multivitamin packet.

He eventually begins carrying a small cooler to workouts, filled with protein bars, apples and peanut butter, so he can fuel his body after training. He logs everything in his iPhone and then by hand in a black, spiraled journal -- detailed entries that include breakfast, lunch, dinner, snacks, supplements and training, along with how much fat, protein, fiber, carbs and calories are consumed.

As the school year drags on, Josh does get bigger, stronger, faster. But the one thing he can't control -- his height -- has stayed about the same.

"If I don't (grow) I'll just play with my heart," Josh says. "It will just make up for my size."

Josh McKenzie straps himself into an inversion table inside the garage of his Wall Township home. (Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) 

'HE'S DEFINITELY THEIR DAD'

Like most of his childhood friends in Asbury Park, Bill, now 47, says he wanted to play in the NFL. But he says he was only an "average athlete" -- a starting linebacker on the high school football team and a bench player during basketball season.

After high school, Bill went to Kean College (now University), where he says his focus shifted from "sports to girls." Then, he partied hard for a while after college. He doesn't divulge much about those years, but says, "I had more bad times than good times."

Bill works as vice president of sales at Atlantic Business Products, an office product and technology solutions company, working from home and the road, logging roughly 55,000 miles a year. His second job is building Josh and Matt into college scholarship material.

When asked why he chose this all-or-nothing college route for Josh, Bill says there wasn't any single reason. He wants Josh to earn a scholarship and to support his passion for sports. But Bill also says emphasizing a commitment to training and putting in more effort than the competition teaches a lifelong lesson that hard work pays off, whether in sports or in life. Josh's around-the-clock dedication doesn't concern Bill because he says it's what Josh wants.

And it's hard to argue with the results.

Matt plays football and wrestles at Wall High. This winter, as a sophomore, he placed sixth overall at the New Jersey State Wrestling Championships.

But Josh is a uniquely gifted athlete, and Bill is fiercely protective. He cuts a familiar figure on the sidelines, almost always in a Southern California ball cap and sunglasses, nervously pacing and puffing on an electronic cigarette. He fumes when people criticize Josh.

During an early season game, another River Plaza parent scolded Josh for standing off to the side and talking to the St. Peter's Prep coaches.

"Your team's over there," the parent said, pointing to the sideline.

Bill is told about it and stalks over to the parent.

"Don't say anything to my kid," Bill warns the man. "You don't know him. You don't know me." Bill later apologizes, but admits the fuse is short when it comes to family.

Bill's wife of six years, Tricia, says her husband has a strong personality but is good-natured and will do "anything for anyone."

Tricia and Bill have three children of their own: Will, 9; Sasha, 4; and Uriah, 3. From time to time, Will joins Josh and Matt for their workouts -- running hills and drilling on the beach. Will plays organized basketball, football and lacrosse, and Bill is devoting similar time and financial resources to his training.

Bill's mother, Marian, also lives with the family. Their home is comfortable but hectic, the wooden front door constantly swinging open to get another kid to another practice or workout.

Josh and Matt's mom, Debra, is now clean and living in Brooklyn, where she works as an administrator/office manager at Brooklyn Teen Challenge, a nonprofit organization supporting youths in need. She is again involved in her boys' lives, but praises Bill for raising them.

"Bill may not be their biological father, but he is definitely their dad," Debra says in an e-mail. "He has sacrificed his own life for their sake."

Tricia says there are few differences between Josh and Matt and their biological children. Josh and Matt have been a breeze to raise, she adds. They never talk back, they do their own laundry and make their own lunches.

When asked what makes Bill happiest, Tricia finds the answer quickly.

"He's so incredibly proud of the accomplishments that Josh and Matt have had," Tricia says. "You can hear it when he talks to people about it. He's so, so happy."

Josh reveres Bill and says his main objective is "just to make him proud." From a young age, Josh recalls being able to please Bill through sports. "I remember (Bill) cheering," Josh says. "He would invite his friends to my games and they were just, like, amazed, he had this nephew who came out of really nowhere."

Still, Josh is often quiet around him. Bill admits it's hard for him to know what Josh is thinking. Josh says he considers Bill his father, but for reasons he can't explain, he has never called him "Dad" -- even in a touching Facebook post that Josh writes this past Father's Day.

"It's just kind of weird," Josh says. "He basically is my dad. (But) I can't, like, call him, 'Dad.' There's just something about it."

Bill Green (left) and Josh McKenzie have a moment together during a River Plaza Chargers scrimmage in Middletown. (Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) 

'HE TOOK A BEATING'

River Plaza makes it to Orlando, Fla., in early December for the national championship tournament and Josh is a rock star in shoulder pads. Before the first game against a team from Oregon, he paces the field in full uniform.

"Who is that?!" one parent asks.

"He's in eighth grade?" another says. "God damn!"

Everyone constantly asks Josh where he's going to high school. One coach says, "Forget high school; I want to know where he's going to college!"

Fischer, the Chargers' head coach, says the trip is probably the easiest Josh has had it in months, "like a vacation," because "he's not working out 10 times a day."

Fans push against the fence once the game begins and Josh morphs into a highlight reel. He runs for three touchdowns and passes for two more -- in the first half. River Plaza coasts, 38-0, setting up a huge matchup two days later against the defending AYF national champion, the Winston-Salem, N.C., Rams.

THE PROJECT

Matthew Stanmyre and Andrew Mills began reporting this story in June of 2014, after Bill Green granted total access to chronicle Josh McKenzie's preparation for high school. The story would examine Josh's life on and off the field as the nation's top young athlete repeated eighth grade and eventually made his widely anticipated high school choice. It also set out to examine the personal and financial sacrifices Josh and his family made as a way to detail the new level of commitment required of elite youth athletes. The story would end before Josh started high school. Over the next 15 months, Stanmyre and Mills made several trips to the family's home in Wall Township and attended dozens of workout and training sessions, high school tours, games, practices and tournaments. In addition to their reporting in New Jersey, they accompanied Bill and Josh on trips to Miami and Orlando, Fla. In addition to the family, dozens of other interviews were conducted with coaches, trainers, friends, teammates, opponents, talent evaluators, state athletic officials and a sports psychologist.

ANDREW MILLS is a lifelong New Jersey resident. He has been a staff photographer at The Star-Ledger and NJ Advance Media for two decades. His assignments have taken him across the world, and he was part of The Star-Ledger team that was awarded the Pulitzer Prize in 2005 for breaking news coverage. He may be reached at amills@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @AndyMills_NJ.

MATTHEW STANMYRE has been a staff writer at The Star-Ledger and NJ Advance Media since 2009. His primary focus is feature and enterprise stories, with an emphasis on local and high school sports. He has won 10 national writing awards from the Associated Press Sports Editors for beat writing, project reporting, feature writing and breaking news coverage. He also has won local prizes from the New Jersey Press Association and the Virginia Press Association. He may be reached at (973) 943-3739 or mstanmyre@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattStanmyre.

One of the most physical teams in the tournament, the Rams also have the size of a high school team.

Josh shrugs. "They're nothing special."

Once the game begins, the Chargers rely on Josh for everything -- rushing yards, tackles, special teams coverage, even punts. River Plaza's coaches try to conserve Josh, but the team can't move the ball if it's not in his hands.

The game is one violent collision after another. Every time Josh touches the ball, Rams converge and crunch. By the second half, Josh has blood on his forearm and jersey, and the eye black on his face is smeared.

Bill watches from the sideline, screaming after nearly every play, like the other parents. He yells advice, encouragement and criticism. He also begs players to "HOLD ONTO THE BALL!" when someone other than Josh carries.

Late in the fourth quarter with the game tied at 14, Josh plows through the middle, bounces outside, shakes a defender and tip-toes down the sideline for a big gain, with 15 more yards tacked on for a face-mask penalty. A few plays later, Josh spills into the end zone, and River Plaza goes on to win, 20-14.

Afterward, Josh's entire body throbs from the punishment.

"He took a beating," River Plaza assistant coach Tom Fischer says. "But he kept on telling us he wanted the ball. If he lost a leg, he was going to keep on going."

The Winston-Salem coaches are impressed but concerned.

"They put the ball in his hands too many times," defensive coordinator Kelvin Gwyn Sr. says. "The body can't take but so much of a beating. If they continue to do that to him, they're really doing him an injustice."

Later that night, Josh takes an ice bath in his hotel room, squeezing his bruised body into a tiny tub and soaking, even though the two, 10-pound bags quickly melt. Bill relaxes and sips a cup of Johnnie Walker Blue. Josh has only one day of rest before River Plaza faces the tournament's premier team, the Inland Empire Ducks from southern California.

The Ducks have a team filled with Joshes -- 12 players repeating the eighth grade, according to their coach.

River Plaza has no shot, losing 55-6. The beating is so bad Josh is expressionless when it's all over.

He's already thinking about getting back to Jersey, working out and wrestling season.

Josh McKenzie runs through a would-be tackler during a game against a team from Oregon in Orlando, Fla. (Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) 

WHEN THERE IS NO OFF-SEASON

The first wrestling match of the day ends in 45 seconds, the second in 28. Just like that, Josh is in the finals of the "War at the Shore" at the Wildwood Convention Center in early February.

The final match is anti-climactic. Josh tortures his opponent, 18-3, and doesn't sound the least bit upset that he has missed a pin.

"I kind of beat him up," Josh says. "Made him cry. That was good."

After the tournament, Josh hops in a coach's car and rides 122 miles up the Parkway to his football team's banquet in Hazlet. He has been asked to speak.

Wearing a light colored collared shirt and bow tie, he walks confidently to the lectern in the packed, dimly lit ballroom. The crowd falls to a hush. Inspired by Seattle Seahawks running back Marshawn Lynch's reticence for speaking obligations a week earlier during the build up to Super Bowl XLIX, Josh clears his throat and begins.

"I'm only here so I won't get fined," he says into the microphone.

The crowd bursts into laughter.

Josh McKenzie flattens and pins his opponent during the "War at the Shore" 2015 Wildwood Duals. (Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
 

THE DECISION

"Where are you going to high school?"

Josh says he has been asked the question nearly every day, in some form, for the past year.

But as winter gives way to spring, Josh and Bill have narrowed the list to four: Bergen Catholic, St. John Vianney, St. Peter's Prep and the Peddie School. That hasn't stopped others from trying. Bill says he still speaks with coaches at St. Joseph of Montvale, DePaul Catholic, Don Bosco Prep, Blair Academy and Immaculata.

Josh struggles to make up his mind.

At St. John Vianney, a group of girls knew about Josh and asked to take pictures, leaving an impression. He's always loved Bergen Catholic and has a close relationship with assistant wrestling coach Joe Trause and other Crusaders coaches. At St. Peter's, he likes the urban campus in Jersey City. And Peddie is now coached by Malleo, the close family friend and former Lawrenceville assistant.

The decision comes down to whether Bill is comfortable with Josh going to high school 72 miles away at a place such as Bergen Catholic. Bill calls the process "one of the most difficult things I've ever done."

Eventually, Josh and Bill narrow the choices to Bergen Catholic and St. John Vianney, which is 21 miles from home. Bill says Josh will make the final call.

On the big night, April 6, Josh sits at the dining room table wearing an AYF hoodie, playing up the decision for a video camera, like a high school senior picking his Division 1 college.

Bill, Tricia, Matt, Will and Larry Musico, the family friend and PR guy, stand in the background.

Josh stares into the camera.

"All right," he says. "After a long, thought-out decision, I finally decided to attend ..."

Josh, smiling sheepishly, peels off his sweatshirt, revealing the winning school's T-shirt.

"... the school in Oradell and become a Crusader of Bergen Catholic!"

Bill grins and claps. Musico bellows, "Yeah!"

Moments later, Josh calls Bergen Catholic football coach Nunzio Campanile. He pretends it's bad news.

"It's just really a hard phone call to make," Josh says, stammering. "But I know we have a really good relationship. But, you know, just, Bergen's kind of way too far. But, you know, I'm willing to make that sacrifice, and I'm glad I'm a Bergen Catholic Crusader!"

It takes a second for Campanile to process the news.

"Oh, that's awesome, man!" Campanile says. "That is great. All right, time to get to work then, huh? We have a friggin' state championship to win."

Josh beams, but the decision will mean huge sacrifices. In the fall, Bill says, Josh will live with a Bergen Catholic teammate's family three or four nights each week. The school's tuition also costs $15,725 annually, according to Bergen Catholic's website, and Bill says he may have to pay in full. Per state athletics rules, any monetary assistance would have to take the form of financial aid or a merit-based academic scholarship.

"We're still working on that," Bill says. "I'm still trying to get them to help me a little bit."

Bergen Catholic will begin the 2015 school year with one of the nation's best high school wrestling teams, and a football squad that will face seven opponents that finished 2014 ranked among the top 100 nationally. The Crusaders also will play on national television at least once.

Josh believes he has found the perfect school.

Josh McKenzie speaks with Bergen Catholic wrestling coach Dave Bell after Josh announced he will attend the school. (Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) 

ONE MORE THING TO PROVE

It has been two months since Josh has made his decision to attend Bergen Catholic -- two months of criticism on social media and in online comment sections. People are ripping him for repeating eighth grade and taunting him about his height -- which holds steady at 5-9.

Bill does not let go of the criticism. He is livid, puzzled and deeply hurt. "I've never seen more negative publicity in my life for a 15-year-old," he says.

Josh calls it "a little crazy, but comical," and says it drives him.

On the first Thursday in June, Josh is back at McAuliffe's gym in Eatontown.

It's his second workout of the day and he's looking forward to finishing his second year of eighth grade in less than 24 hours.

The mood is light as he and Matt put in their work.

Josh shows off his progress, bench-pressing 135 pounds 35 straight times.

Matt then lights a fire, challenging his little brother's claim that he can bench 275 pounds, reminding him that his best is 265.

Josh wastes no time.

He loads 275 on the bar, then turns to Matt, who spots him, and warns him not to help. He wraps his chalky hands around the bar. Others stop to watch.

Josh heaves the bar off the rack, then draws it quickly to his chest and fires it back up.

The load stops abruptly halfway between his chest and the cradle. Josh's arms and body quiver.

Josh grunts.

"Don't touch it! Don't ... touch it," he warns Matt.

Just when it looks like Josh is doomed, he draws a final surge to push the 275 pounds up and back onto the rack.

He hops from the bench, eyes bloodshot, a sly grin on his face. He reaches for a drink and looks at his brother and others who were firm on the 265 number.

"You can change that now," Josh says, sounding every bit like the proud little brother who has something to prove.

Portrait of Josh McKenzie, the nation's top ranked incoming freshman football player and wrestler. (Andrew Mills | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
 

Matthew Stanmyre may be reached at mstanmyre@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MattStanmyre. Find NJ.com on Facebook

Shortly before 10 p.m., officers responded to a report of a motor-vehicle crash involving three pedestrians in the area of Route 9 and Edgewood Court, Detective Sgt. Greg Staffordsmith said.

Shortly before 10 p.m., officers responded to a report of a motor-vehicle crash involving three pedestrians in the area of Route 9 and Edgewood Court, Detective Sgt. Greg Staffordsmith said. (File photo).

LAKEWOOD -- A 27-year-old township woman is in stable condition and her two children, ages 4 and 1, are in critical condition after the woman was hit by a car Monday night while they tried to cross Route 9, police said. 

Shortly before 10 p.m., officers responded to a report of a motor-vehicle crash involving three pedestrians in the area of Route 9 and Edgewood Court, Detective Sgt. Greg Staffordsmith said.

Staffordsmith said a 1998 Lincoln Towncar, operated by a 50-year-old Toms River man, was traveling north on Route 9 when it hit a woman as she crossed the roadway with her two children, who are ages 4 and 1.

Staffordsmith could not clarify whether the children were also struck by the vehicle, saying in an email that the "investigation is still active." 

The woman received a cut on her face while the two children sustained serious head injuries, Staffordsmith said. They were taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune.

As of Tuesday morning, the woman is listed in stable condition, while the two children are in critical condition, Staffordsmith said. 

Route 9 was closed between Central Avenue and Pine Street for approximately four hours Monday night for the accident investigation.

Leading the investigation is assisting officer Dennis Dowden of the Lakewood police Traffic Safety Unity. The New Jersey Department of Transportation, Ocean County Sheriff's Office, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office and multiple emergency medical service units responded to the scene.

Police asked that anyone with information is asked to contact officer Dowden at 732-363-0200 ext. 5322.

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

At around 8:10 p.m., Manchester police responded to the area of Route 70 and the NJ Self Storage facility for a report of an overturned motor vehicle, Capt. Todd Malland said in a news release.

Michael Cruz's Nissan Maxima came to a rest on its side after striking a utility pole Monday night on Route 70 in Manchester, police said. (Photo provided by the Manchester police). 

MANCHESTER -- A 46-year-old Brick man was injured Monday night after he struck a utility pole with his car, forcing the vehicle to turn over on its side, police said.

At around 8:10 p.m., Manchester police responded to the area of Route 70 and the NJ Self Storage facility for a report of an overturned motor vehicle, Capt. Todd Malland said in a news release.

When officers arrived, they found a black, 2000 Nissan Maxima on its side and the driver, Michael Cruz, laying near the eastbound side of the road, Malland said.

An initial investigation determined that Cruz was driving his Maxima eastbound on Route 70 when he left the roadway and hit a utility pole, Malland said. The force from the impact caused Cruz's car to overturn, coming to a final rest on the driver's side in the shoulder on the eastbound side of the roadway.

Malland said a passer-by helped Cruz out of the vehicle prior to the police arriving at the scene. Cruz said he had pain in his left leg, left arm and neck, according to Malland. He was taken to Community Medical Center in Toms River.

Patrolman Patrick Cervenak is leading the investigation.

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

 

The Lakewood man allegedly broke 11 of the woman's ribs after punching and kicking her

An Essex Fells woman says she was punched a kicked by a home health aide last year, according to a lawsuit.Ed Murray| NJ Advance Media for NJ.com 

A woman is suing the company that employed a home health aide who badly beat and burned her last year.

Joan Hughes-Slakter, now an Essex Fells resident, said the aide broke 11 of her ribs when he punched and kicked her after verbally confronting her on May 16, 2014, Courthousenews.com reported.

The aide, Christopher Iwaniuk, also poured boiling water on Hughes-Slakter's head during an attack that lasted 45 minutes, the suits says. The beating left her with severe burns, a concussion and chipped teeth.

Iwaniuk, 48, is serving a five year sentence in New York after being convicted of attempted murder and assault. 

He continued attacking Hughes-Slakter until a massage therapist entered the home through an unlocked door, Courthousenews.com said.

Iwaniuk began working as an aide for Hughes-Slakter's husband Edmund Slakter in early 2013, the report said. 

Iwaniuk worked for Zoe International Homecare, which says it "specializes in the placement of private pay caregivers to work in the homes of celebrities, top executives and professional families."

The defendants in the suit are Zoe International Homecare, its parent company Celebrities, Inc. and Iwaniuk.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JGoldmanNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

By Jane Meggitt for Horse News Anna Lia Sullivan, representing Burlington County, will serve as this year's 4-H New Jersey Equestrian of the Year. The 16-year-old junior at Seneca High School is a member of the Silver Spurs 4-H Club, as well as the 4-H Teen Council and Equine Science Clubs. She won the competition held during the New Jersey...

By Jane Meggitt for Horse News

Anna Lia Sullivan, representing Burlington County, will serve as this year's 4-H New Jersey Equestrian of the Year.

The 16-year-old junior at Seneca High School is a member of the Silver Spurs 4-H Club, as well as the 4-H Teen Council and Equine Science Clubs. She won the competition held during the New Jersey State 4-H Championship Horse Show, held August 21-23 at the Horse Park of New Jersey.

Sullivan has been involved in 4-H for seven years, and belongs to three different clubs. When asked about how 4-H has benefited her, she replied, "The way that 4-H has benefited me most is in my public presentation skills. Beginning 4-H as a shy 9-year old, 4-H has pushed me to improve my presentation skills." Sullivan started out giving club presentations, and worked her way up to county presentations." After a few years, I qualified and attended state presentations, and I even received grand champion in my division. I give to credit to 4-H for being able to give presentations in school, and being able to speak to a crowd of people with ease," she said.

RELATED: New Jersey 4-H equestrians' knowledge put to the test

Her accomplishments in 4-H are indeed impressive. In 2010, she won the "most improved rider" award, which 4-H had pushed her to win. For the past six years, she competed in the 4-H State Horse Show. During that time, Sullivan won four state titles and three reserve state titles, in English, Western, and the Very Small Equine divisions. She also attended the State Equine Art Show for the past four years. Last year, one of her photographs earned her the title of Senior Grand Champion. In 2012, Sullivan attended the Equine State Presentations for the first time, receiving Grand Champion. In 2013, she placed second at the State Horse Judging competition, receiving the honor for her oral reasons presentation. That was a huge confidence booster for her. As a result, Sullivan decided to attend the Texas A&M University Horse Judging Clinic in 2014, as well as compete at the American Junior Paint Horse Association World Show Horse Judging Competition.

Sullivan still has plenty of 4-H goals. She hopes to qualify for the National Round-Up team for presentations, horse bowl, hippology or judging. Meeting new 4-H members and making new friends is also high on her list.

Sullivan owns two full-size equines and one miniature horse. She got her first horse, Sassy -- formally known as Will Ya Button Me Up, in 2009. The mare is a tobiano paint, registered with the American Paint Horse Association (APHA). Sullivan shows her in showmanship, English and Western divisions.

Her second horse, Breezy, or Special This Time, is an overo APHA-registered mare. Sullivan and Breezy show at APHA Zone 7 shows, which includes New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Delaware, New York, Virginia and North Carolina. In addition to showmanship, English and, Western classes, the pair have started showing over fences. Sullivan's American Miniature Horse, 31.5-inches-tall Tishena -- also a paint -- shows in halter, in-hand jumping, and in-hand trail. Sullivan said her proclivity for paints stems from the fact that no two are the same. "All the different coloring and markings make each horse unique, and each one different in their own way. Paint horses are also very versatile, and can compete in all different disciplines and classes," said Sullivan.

While she competes in various disciplines, and loves them all, her favorite is Western. "It involves a lot of trust and communication with your horse, and I really enjoy it," she said. Her future plans include attending a school with a pre-vet program, as she intends to become a veterinarian. Sullivan also wants to attend a school with a riding program to further her riding skills.

During her one-year term as Equestrian of the Year, she'll attend or assist at county awards programs and other significant events. She'll serve as the youth representative on the Horse Project Advisory Council, and chair the Horse Project Teen Council. Sullivan will be responsible for the "youth page" in the state horse program's electronic newsletter.

Mary Alice Goss, Freehold, who served as a judge for the first time at this year's 4-H Equestrian of the Year competition said, "I was very impressed with all the candidates. They were well prepared and very passionate about the horse industry and of course the horses they either owned or cared for themselves.

"It was very difficult to judge this contest since all of them were excellent candidates. I love the 4-H program and came away from this event even prouder than before of the members of this great program. A big thank you to the leaders who put so much of their time and expertise into 4-H. You do make the best better."

The honor is well-deserved according to her trainer, Amy Freeman. "As a student Anna Lia is very driven. She commits herself to the tasks she has on hand, always striving to be a better rider and horsewoman," said Freeman. "She always leaves lessons with new elements and skills to perfect and she improves on them between lessons."

Freeman calls her student a versatile horsewoman who has grown immensely and learned to interpret various kinds of horses. "She expanded her horizons and has dabbled in the various facets of the horse world. Anna Lia has also grown as a person through her years of horse riding and is learning to give back to her community. She volunteers every week at the equestrian therapy program located at the Dream Park. This says a lot about hers strength of character and who she is as a young woman in the horse world. I am very proud to have been her trainer and mentor all these years. It's been very fulfilling watching her grow into the young woman she is today."

it is the second year in a row that a Burlington County member will serve as the state EOY. Kirsten Jeansson earned the honor last year.

Results of the 2015 New Jersey 4-H State Championship Horse Show

Equestrian of the year: Anna Lia Sullivan, Burlington County; 1st Runner-up: Pier Semanchik, Warren County; 2nd Runner-up: Claudia Marie Morgan, Ocean County; 3rd Runner-up: Kelly Suter, Cape May County

Mary and Fred Kossatz Scholarship

Pier Semanchek, Warren County and Kirsten Jeansson, Burlington County

Gerry Leonarski Memorial Scholarship

Grayson Link, Gloucester County

Dressage Division: Champion: Gloucester County; Reserve Champion: Burlington County

Games Division: Champion: Gloucester County; Reserve Champion: Salem County

VSE Division: Champion: Burlington County; Reserve Champion: Cumberland

Driving Division: Champion: Cumberland County; Reserve Champion: Gloucester

English Division: Champion: Burlington County; Reserve Champion: Gloucester County

Western Division: Champion: Cumberland; Reserve Champion:Gloucester

Complete results: 2015 New Jersey State 4-H Championship Horse Show.pdf

For more information on the New Jersey 4-H program see www.nj4h.rutgers.edu

For current equestrian news see Horse News or check out the online version of the print edition.

Horse News covers everything equestrian in the mid-Atlantic area and can be reached at horsenews@hcdemocrat.com

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At around 4:45 p.m., the female victim and witnesses told authorities that Ronnie U. Lacy committed an act of criminal sexual contact against the girl as he stood behind her on the line for Batman: The Ride, Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph Coronato said.

Ronnie Lacy, 21, of Manhattan, N.Y. (Ocean County Jail).

JACKSON -- A 21-year-old Manhattan man was arrested and charged with committing a criminal sexual act against a 13-year-old female on Sunday at Six Flags Great Adventure, authorities announced Tuesday.

At around 4:45 p.m., the female victim and witnesses told authorities that Ronnie U. Lacy committed an act of criminal sexual contact against the girl as he stood behind her on the line for Batman: The Ride, Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph Coronato said.

According to the state's judiciary website, "sexual contact means an intentional touching by (name of victim) or by the defendant, either directly or through clothing, of (name of victim's) or defendant's intimate parts for the purpose of degrading or humiliating (name of victim) or sexually arousing or gratifying defendant."

After an investigation by Ocean County Prosecutor's Office Special Victims Unit detectives, Lacy was arrested later that day, at 10 p.m., and charged with criminal sexual contact and endangering the welfare of a child, authorities said.

Lacy was taken to the Ocean County Jail in lieu of $100,000 cash bail with no 10 percent option. Lacy was ordered by Superior Court Judge Wendel Daniels to not have contact with the victim. 

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

A day after being released from the hospital following a drug overdose, Arthur Haskoor, 56, was in court where prosecutors said they would seek to increase his $1 million bail in the fatal Aug. 25 attack on his wife, Susanne Haskoor.

TOMS RIVER -- Gruesome details emerged on Tuesday afternoon in an Ocean County courtroom where a Plumsted man accused of killing his wife before barricading himself in his home formally faced murder charges.

A day after being released from the hospital following a drug overdose, Arthur Haskoor, 56, was in court where prosecutors said they would seek to increase his $1 million bail in the fatal Aug. 25 attack on his wife, Susanne Haskoor.

Supervising Assistant Ocean County Prosecutor William Porter called Haskoor "a danger to the community given the circumstances of this crime" and said authorities would be "concerned" if he was able to post bail.

Appearing without an attorney, Haskoor, his arms heavily tattooed, was brought into the Toms River courtroom by sheriff's officers who pushed him in a wheelchair. He took a few short steps to his seat in the jury box and stood shakily during the brief proceeding.

His stoic demeanor did not change when Superior Court Judge Wendel E. Daniels mentioned Haskoor's wife or their two teenaged sons.

Daniels said Haskoor is accused of stabbing and slashing his wife "multiple times" with a knife used to skin and cut animals. She sustained wounds to her face, neck, chest and torso, he said.

Porter said the couple's younger son found his mother in the driveway of their Evergreen Road home.

"This crime was a particularly personal, angry and heinous crime," Porter told Daniels.

He said Susanne Haskoor, 47, was a woman of "financial means" and that authorities are concerned Haskoor would have access to those assets to allow him to post bail.

Daniels said he would conduct an informal review of Haskoor's bail by Wednesday for a possible reduction, but Porter asked that Daniels consider increasing the bail or requiring it to be cash only. Daniels said a formal bail hearing is scheduled for next week.

At Porter's request, Daniels ordered Haskoor not to have any contact with either of his sons or Susanne Haskoor's mother and sister, who is caring for the younger son.

Authorities have not said what led to the killing but have said the couple was in the process of divorcing after 20 years of marriage. Their sons are 17 and 18.

Officials from New Egypt High School, which is across the street from the Haskoor home, called 911 shortly before 10 a.m. on Aug. 25 to report a domestic incident occurring at the Haskoor home, authorities have said.

When Plumsted police arrived, they found Susanne Haskoor dead in the driveway and a note on the front door of the home warning authorities that the occupant had weapons and would use them if necessary.

SWAT teams surrounded the house for more than four hours before a robot equipped with a camera found Haskoor lying unresponsive near the garage of the home. Sources told NJ Advance Media that he took a drug overdose.

Haskoor was rushed to Capital Health Medical Center in Trenton where he remained until Monday when he was discharged.

Yosaf Laskin, 43, and his wife, 42-year-old Gila Neger, were each charged with theft by deception following an investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office and New Jersey State Comptroller's Office, Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato announced Tuesday.

LAKEWOOD -- A township couple was arrested Tuesday and charged with failing to provide accurate income information in order to get more benefits from Medicaid and food stamp assistance, authorities said.

Yosaf Laskin, 43, and his wife, 42-year-old Gila Neger, were each charged with theft by deception following an investigation by the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office and the New Jersey State Comptroller's Office, Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph D. Coronato announced Tuesday.

Coronato said in a news release that Laskin "failed to indicate accurate income information on applications made by him for Medicaid benefits."

As a result, Coronato said, Laskin and his family received unlawful benefits in excess of $145,000.

Meanwhile, Neger failed to provide accurate income information on her food stamp application, Coronato said. She received benefits in excess of $5,500, Coronato said.

The couple was arrested at around 7:30 a.m. at their home on South Lake Shore Drive without incident.

They were taken to the Ocean County Jail in lieu of $75,000 cash bail with no 10 percent option for Laskin and $5,000 with no 10 percent option for Negen.

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

Here in New Jersey, 781 people lost their lives to heroin in 2014, marking the fourth straight year the total has increased, state data shows.

Heroin-related deaths in the United States and particularly in New Jersey have reached alarming proportions.

Consider these stark figures: Nationally, more than 8,000 people died from heroin use in 2013, a nearly four-fold increase since 2002, according to a tally by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Here in New Jersey, 781 people lost their lives to heroin in 2014, marking the fourth straight year the total has increased, state data shows.

If you factor in overdose deaths from other drugs, the toll is much higher.

But the scourge of heroin is rightfully gaining more attention because its use has exploded and the fallout touches not only those who become slaves to the drug but those who witness its destructive nature.

The war on drugs, heralded with great fanfare by President Richard Nixon in 1971, has largely been a bust. It has become patently obvious that we can't "arrest" our way out of this problem.

Thankfully, prevention and treatment are now playing a bigger role.

RELATED: N.J. towns with highest rates of heroin treatment

Earlier this year, Christie signed three bills into law dealing with heroin and opioids, the first of a package of 21 introduced by legislators led by state Sen. Joseph Vitale (D-Middlesex) last fall.

Last month, the White House announced a new strategy proposed by the New York/New Jersey High Intensity Drug Trafficking Area Program that calls for pairing law enforcement officials with public health workers. The program also touts treatment over jail.

Unfortunately, the demand for treatment greatly exceeds the services available.

Many treatment facilities in New Jersey have waiting lists dozens of people long, frustrating many seeking help. Worse yet, very few addicts ultimately have the means or insurance to pay for treatment, according to substance abuse experts.
Private insurance was used to cover just 10 percent of all treatment admissions in New Jersey in 2014, down from 22 percent the year before.

There clearly needs to be a greater financial commitment to match the rhetoric for treatment.

One of the bright spots in the prevention of heroin overdose deaths has been the opiate antidote naloxone, commonly known by the trade name Narcan.

It proved to be very effective in a pilot program started in April 2014 in Ocean and Monmouth counties, where law enforcement agencies were equipped with Narcan.

Officials reported a 90 percent success rate with Narcan. Two months later, Christie announced he would be expanding the program statewide.

But the price of Narcan has doubled due to rising demand. So a special shout-out of thanks needs to go to Barnabas Health-affiliated hospitals, CentraState Medical Center and Meridian Health-affiliated hospitals that have agreed to replenish Narcan free of charge for law enforcement officers in Ocean and Monmouth counties.

Officials, however, are quick to point out that while Narcan is a lifesaver it does not cure addiction. That's where we still need treatment that is accessible.

Six Flags Great Adventure announced it would welcome a new 4-D, free-fly coaster named Total Mayhem in 2016. Watch video

JACKSON - Six Flags Great Adventure is no stranger to pushing the envelope with its extreme rides.

On Thursday morning, however, Six Flags officials announced that the theme park would welcome its "most unique" and "most insane" coaster in its history in 2016.

Total Mayhem - a 4-D, free-fly coaster - will lift riders straight up a 12-story, 90-degree hill before flipping them head-over-heels at least six times along a weightless journey. 

Riders will be strapped into churning "wing seats" with no track above or below them as they experience leaps and dives along a horizontal plane, as well as unexpected drops as they tumble from one level to the next.

Six Flags Great Adventure President John Fitzgerald said the park is thrilled to unveil Total Mayhem, which features one of the newest concepts in roller coaster engineering.

 "Six Flags Great Adventure's world-renowned coaster collection will expand into the realm of insanity - or spinsanity - with this new, vertical coaster that delivers gravity-defying somersaults with utter unpredictability," Fitzgerald said in a release. "It is the perfect addition to our dynamic line-up of award-winning roller coasters because this ride delivers next generation, cutting-edge thrills."

The Total Mayhem's design features:

• Massive, imposing, floating and twisting I-box track frame in a unique two-tone design.
• One-of-a-kind onboard magnetic technology featuring smooth head-over-heels free-fly flips providing guests the feeling of weightlessness as they soar outside the confines of a traditional track.
• 4-D wing vehicles that seat up to 8 per vehicle with a total of 5 vehicles.
• Face-off seats that allow riders to face each other as they tumble head over heels.
• A 120-foot-tall, 90-degree hill that is ascended by an elevator-style, chain link lift
• Two beyond 90-degree "raven" drops giving the sensation of free-falling.

Total Mayhem is expected to open in the Spring of 2016.

This was the latest announcement for Six Flags Great Adventure, which unveiled it's 13th coaster - a looping coaster named "El Diablo" in May. And this summer, theme park guests also had the opportunity to experience Batman: The Ride in reverse.

On Thursday, Six Flags Great Adventure also announced the start of its 2016 Season Pass sales with its special Flash Sale through Labor Day weekend, which features savings up to 65-percent off on 2016 passes.

From Sept. 3 through Sept. 7, every guest who purchases a season pass will receive a free upgrade to a Gold Season Pass, which includes admission to Six Flags Great Adventure, Hurricane Harbor, any other Six Flags theme park, free parking and other special admission offers. 

 

Rob Spahr may be reached at rspahr@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheRobSpahr. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The vice chairman of Little Egg Harbor Township's Zoning Board of Adjustment has been charged with possession of child pornography,

LITTLE EGG HARBOR - The vice chairman of the township's Zoning Board of Adjustment has been charged with possession of child pornography, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office announced Thursday.

On Wednesday, members of the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office High Tech Crime Unit and the Stafford Township and Little Egg Harbor Township police departments arrested Issat Farat "Joseph" Yusif , 84, of Little Egg Harbor, and charged him with third-degree possession of child pornography.

Issat Farat "Joseph" Yusuf , 84, of Little Egg Harbor, was charged with third-degree possession of child pornography. (Ocean County Prosecutor's Office) 

The arrest was the result of an investigation by Stafford Township Patrolman Joseph Luna and Detective Drew Smith, with assistance from the aforementioned partnering agencies, into the alleged possession of child pornography by Yusif.

Authorities executed a search warrant Yusif's Kansas Road home as part of that investigation, the prosecutor's office said.

A forensic preview of a computer seized in the home discovered several hundred images of adults engaged in sexual acts with pre-pubescent children, the prosecutor's office said.

Authorities seized several additional items from the residence pending further examination.

Supervising Assistant Prosecutor Hillary Bryce approved Yusif being charged with third-degree possession of child pornography signed by Patrolman Luna based on the recovered evidence. 

He was transported to the Ocean County Jail in Toms River in lieu of $50,000 bail with no 10-percent option as set by Judge Damien Murray.

Yusif is vice chairman of Little Egg Harbor Township's Zoning Board of Adjustment, the prosecutor's office said.  

Rob Spahr may be reached at rspahr@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheRobSpahr. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

In his first court appearance before Judge Joseph L. Foster, Sheerer's lawyer, Robert L. Tarver, Jr., argued that bail should be reduced to $20,000 with a 10 percent option.

TOMS RIVER -- A judge declined to reduce bail Monday afternoon for the Barnegat man found last week with Rosie O'Donnell's runaway daughter.

Steven M. Sheerer, 25, is currently being held at the Ocean County Jail in lieu of $40,000 cash bail. He was arrested on Friday and charged with distribution of obscenity to a minor and endangering the welfare of a child, Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph Coronato has said.

Sheerer's lawyer, Robert L. Tarver, Jr., declined to discuss the details of the allegations facing his client but suggested there is more evidence that will show Sheerer did not engage in "some sort of predatory behavior."

"Our position is that we have some information that quite frankly the prosecution has not had the chance to consider," Tarver said. "... We're looking forward to the chance to present that evidence both to the prosecution and any other parties that we have to.

"The laws in the state of New Jersey don't allow me to comment on any matters involving a juvenile and there is an allegation here of endangering the welfare of a child," he said. "So I can't comment as to the nature of the victim or the identity of the victim."

Chelsie O'Donnell was found Tuesday night at Sheerer's Village Drive home in Barnegat Township just hours after her mother publicly announced her daughter was missing.

When Sheerer was arrested on Friday, authorities seized from his home a computer and other digital equipment as part of the ongoing investigation, Coronato said.

He said detectives from his office's High Tech Crime Unit and the Barnegat Police Department retrieved the girl's cell phone. The High Tech Crime Unit's examination of the phone show evidence of "inappropriate communications over the last several weeks" between Sheerer and the girl, he said.

In his first court appearance before Judge Joseph L. Foster, Tarver argued that bail for Sheerer, who appeared via videoconference, should be reduced to $20,000 with a 10 percent option.

"While he does have a criminal history, the record shows that he's always appeared (in court)," Tarver said. "I don't believe that he's a risk, he's shown himself not to be a risk."

Tarver said Sheerer has earned the trust of the court because he's always appeared in court.

Assistant Prosecutor Hillary Bryce argued against reducing Sheerer's bail, noting that he is currently on probation for possession of a controlled dangerous substance and possession of a controlled dangerous substance with the intent to distribute. He was sentenced to two years probation in December 2013, Bryce said.

Tarver noted that Sheerer has complied with the terms of his probation, and said his client is a Barnegat High School graduate who is currently employed by a moving company.

"He isn't a flight risk," Tarver said.

Foster declined to reduce Sheerer's bail and maintained his no contact order with the victim or her family.

Alex Napoliello may be reached at anapoliello@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @alexnapoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

During the burglaries, which occurred overnight between Aug. 5 and Aug. 23, Alfred Oliveri targeted the cash registers, authorities said.

 

BRICK TOWNSHIP -- A homeless man was arrested on charges he broke into five businesses in Brick Township over three weeks, authorities said.

Alfred Oliveri, 58, was arrested on Monday by Lacey Township police who were investigating a commercial burglary there, said Brick police Sgt. Larry Petrola.

Petrola said township detectives Daniel Waleski and Robert Shepherd determined that the same suspect was on the surveillance video of the targeted businesses. Besides sharing that similarity, in some of the cases the suspect smashed the front glass door to the business or pried them open with a crowbar, Petrola said.

During the burglaries, which occurred overnight between Aug. 5 and Aug. 23, Oliveri targeted the cash registers, he said.

Brick police officer Jay Halley identified Oliveri from previous police encounters, Petrola said.

Waleski initially issued a warrant on Aug. 20, for Oliveri for the burglary of the Yo Fresh Yogurt store, Petrola said.  On Aug. 31, the Lacey Police Department apprehended Oliveri on that active warrant.  Oliveri was also suspected of burglarizing a business in Lacey, Petrola said.

Charged with burglary, Oliveri is being held in the Ocean County Jail in Toms River in lieu of $50,000 bail.

Beside Yo Fresh Yogurt, Oliveri is accused of burglarizing Via Veneto Italian Restaurant, Mr. Alan's Original Florist, Il Boccone Italian Restaurant and Terrigani's Bagels, Petrola said.

MaryAnn Spoto may be reached at mspoto@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @MaryAnnSpoto. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

It's the first time anyone has matched all the winning numbers in more than 2 months

A lucky lottery player hit Thursday's $4.3 million Pick 6 jackpot. (New Jersey Lottery) 

For only the fourth time this year, a jackpot winning ticket has been sold for the twice-weekly Pick 6 lottery drawing.

It was purchased at Stop & Shop on Lacey Road in the Whiting section of Manchester, state lottery officials said Friday morning.

The prize $4.3 million, but if the winner chooses the cash option he or she will get $3,169,057 before taxes are deducted.

The winning numbers drawn Thursday evening were: 3, 7, 9, 25, 29, 39.

No one has hit the jackpot since a Clifton liquor store sold a $6.2 million ticket for the June 25 drawing. The Pick 6 was also won in back-to-back drawings in March.

The odds of a single ticket matching all six numbers for the state-wide game are 13,983,816 to 1.

Jeff Goldman may be reached at jeff_goldman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JGoldmanNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

Jersey Shore towns are hoping Labor Day Weekend will provide a fitting end to a "record" season.

Perhaps when Belmar Mayor Matt Doherty temporarily halted all incoming traffic from Route 35 one day in June, it was a premonition of what was to come.

It was the first time in nearly a decade such a closure was enforced in the borough, and it was partly due to a record-breaking influx of visitors to the popular Jersey Shore summer destination on that day.

And as the Summer of 2015 winds down, Doherty and officials from other popular Shore towns hit hard by Hurricane Sandy are touting record-breaking revenue numbers this season.  

Belmar beachgoers enjoyed the sun, sand and surf the Thursday before Labor Day Weekend 2015. (Rob Spahr | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) 

"It could not have been better," Doherty said by phone last week. "Our beach revenues are at record-levels and our businesses are doing great. ... We've had more business now than before Sandy." 

Through Aug. 23, Belmar earned a total of nearly $3.4 million from beach badges, parking and beach lockers, Doherty said. By comparison, the borough made $3.2 million for the entire summer season last year. 

"We've already exceeded the entire revenue from last year and we still have two weekends to go, including one of the big three -- Labor Day weekend," Doherty said.

MORE: Chance of rain Friday, but beautiful Labor Day weekend ahead

Doherty said the visitors who come to Belmar during the summer help boost the community as it continues to rebuild from Sandy. 

"There are still people fixing homes and businesses paying off debts," he said. "There's still a lot of work that needs to get done. So this really helps our town really continue to recover from Sandy."

Friends Rachel Nessler, of Bensalem, Pa., and Gwendlyn Heirling, of Bristol, Pa., spent Thursday afternoon on the beach in Belmar with their 2-year-old sons Chase and Bristol.

They said this summer there has been more enjoyable than summers of years past.

"It's been a great summer," Heirling said. "I usually came to the beach on the weekends when it was more crowded, but this year I was hear a lot more during the week. And my son loves it here, it's his favorite place."

Nessler said she thinks crowds were able to spread their beach visits out more, instead of cramming them into fewer days, because the weather was nicer.

"I think the weather was warmer and less humid, but I still think there have been a lot less people on the beach when we're here," she said.

Long Branch hasn't yet fully recovered since the hurricane, with a portion of its boardwalk at the southern end under construction.

Mayor Adam Schneider said that stretch of beachfront had restricted access because, but that it didn't stop hoards of people from enjoying the beaches.

Belmar beachgoers enjoyed the sun, sand and surf the Thursday before Labor Day Weekend 2015. (Rob Spahr | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) 

"It's going great," he said last week in a phone interview. "We have two weekends to go and we're going to have our best summer ever, in terms of beach revenue. And that's with our boardwalk under construction, so we're very pleased."

He said the town is receiving a lot of great feedback from the public on the boardwalk's progress, not complaints.  

The proof is in the numbers, he added.

The revenue from beach badges alone was at $1.8 million through Aug. 23, according to Schneider. Last year, the town earned $1.9 million in revenue from beach badges in the entire summer.

"We're ahead of where we were last year, and we have two weekends left to go. And with our parking revenue, we'll get more," he said.

About 20 miles south of Long Branch, in Point Pleasant, Mayor Vincent Barrella says it's been another busy summer. 

"I think the summer was a great one," Barrella said. "We developed some momentum after Sandy, because we were the first town to be up and running in our area of the shore." 

Barella didn't have the revenue figures on hand, but said, "The crowds were there."

"The place was busy, and people seemed to be behaving themselves," he added. "Unless they find a way to move the beach inland to Manchester, it's always going to be there."

Howell resident Nick Truisi spent Thursday on the beach with a group of friends, which is how he said he plans to spend his holiday weekend.

"I'm not going to lie, it's been a great summer," said Truisi, 16. "I had a good time, I was here a couple times a week. I was able to get more beach time because the weather was a little better and there was a lot more sun, so I got a lot more tan."

Colts Neck residents Vanessa Ciasulli and Michaela Lind, both 15, spent Thursday on the beach in Belmar and said they're hoping to spend more time there throughout Labor Day Weekend.

"We want to spend as much time here as possible before school starts," Lind said.

--NJ Advance Media's Rob Spahr contributed to this report.

Rob Spahr may be reached at rspahr@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TheRobSpahr. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Currently, the service will be offered between Decatur Avenue and North Street on the sand and the boardwalk, according to the borough's website.

Looking to connect with those who can't disconnect from the inter-webs, Seaside Park is now offering free wifi for the first time from the surf to the boards, the borough announced. 

Currently, the service is available between Decatur Avenue and North Street on the sand and the boardwalk, according to the borough's website.

Eventually, the free wifi will be offered at the Seaside Park Marina, the 14th Avenue Pier and the Fifth Avenue Pier, the Seaside Park Mayor Robert W. Matthies said during a press conference Tuesday, according to New Jersey 101.5.

"The beach is great, and having Wi-Fi is just another advantage to choosing Seaside Park as your destination," Matthies said.

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