Many pets throughout New Jersey won't be receiving any gifts this holiday season because they don't have homes.

According to thenoseprint.com, a pet-focused online hub for major pet product brands, New Jersey is the most generous state in the U.S. when it comes to buying gifts for their dogs.

The 2015 survey of how much dog owners will spend on their pets this Christmas shows Garden State dog lovers coming in first at $30.01. New York ($29.55) and Pennsylvania ($28.75) came in second and third, making the tri-state area a good place to be a dog. The national average, by the way, is $23.10.

The survey went on to note that the top five reasons dog owners say they spoil their pets:

* "to express love to my dog"
* "because it's fun for me"
* "to help my dog feel included like a family member"
* "to give my dog a moment of happiness"
* and, "to feel closer and bond with my dog"

Many pets throughout New Jersey won't be receiving any gifts this holiday season, though, because they don't have homes. Here's a gallery of homeless pets from northern and central New Jersey. Make sure captions are enabled to see all the information needed to adopt one of these pets.

More animals in need of adoption can be seen here and here.

Greg Hatala may be reached at ghatala@starledger.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find The Star-Ledger on Facebook.

With enrollment down 24 percent between 2009 and 2014, the university became the latest in a string of New Jersey colleges hit with a credit rating downgrade.

LAKEWOOD -- With enrollment dwindling, Georgian Court University administrators faced a difficult decision in 2012. 

The small Catholic university could have stayed true to a century-old tradition and remained a women's college, or it could have started admitting men with the hope of raising enrollment. 

Georgian Court decided to open its doors to men, but going co-ed wasn't enough to convince Wall Street that the college has turned around its finances.  

With enrollment down 24 percent between 2009 and 2014, Georgian Court last week became the latest in a string of New Jersey colleges hit with a credit rating downgrade. 

Moody's Investors Service on Friday dropped Georgian Court from a Baa2 to a Baa3 rating, citing a material decline in enrollment. The downgrade means borrowing money could be more expensive for Georgian Court in the future. 

http://www.nj.com/education/2015/12/why_wall_street_is_skeptical_about_an_nj_colleges.html

Moody's called Georgian Court a "highly tuition-dependent" school, and said the negative outlook is tied to the expectation of continued financial pressures as the university tries new ways to attract more students. 

The university wasn't surprised by the downgrade, President Joe Marbach said. Georgian Court took another enrollment hit this fall, attracting only 150 students, 100 fewer than it had hoped, for its freshman class. The school's total enrollment is now at about 1,700, he said. 

Still, the school remains hopeful that revamped efforts to recruit students will bolster the enrollment. Georgian Court has ratcheted up its outreach to Catholic high schools and is responding to applications more quickly than it has in the past, Marbach said. 

"We have become much more aggressive in both our marketing and communication plans," Marbach said. 

The university has received about 900 applications so far for 2016, up from close to 600 at this time last year, he said. Tuition and fees are currently $30,998. 

As Georgian Court tries to turn around its enrollment trends, it isn't alone in facing challenges with finances or in being hit with a credit downgrade. 

Stung by declining enrollment, Rider University, in Mercer County, announced plans to slash more than a dozen academic programs and layoff professors in October. The school was able to avoid the cuts only after negotiating more than $2 million in concessions from its faculty union.

Drew University, also struggling with enrollment, was downgraded by Moody's last week. Rutgers University, the College of New Jersey, New Jersey Institute of Technology and several other New Jersey colleges have also been downgraded in 2015. 

Adam Clark may be reached at adam_clark@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on twitter at @realAdamClark. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Nearly a week had passes since someone matched all five numbers

A Jackson store sold a Jersey Cash 5 ticket worth more than $929,000 for Monday's drawing.New Jersey Lottery 

After six days without a jackpot winner, a lucky Jersey Cash 5 player matched all the numbers in Monday's drawing.

The $922,455 ticket was sold at Krauszers, a convenience store on Brewers Bridge Road in Jackson, state lottery officials said Tuesday.

The winning numbers were 7, 8, 14, 41 and 43.

No one had matched each of the five numbers since Dec. 15 when three winning tickets split a $653,415 prize.

Meanwhile, the jackpot for this evening's multi-state Mega Millions drawing has swelled to $94 million with a cash option of $58 million.

Wednesday's Powerball jackpot is much larger -- $227 million with a cash option of $141 million.

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

 

The start of the final phase of the $86 million federally funded beach replenishment project in Monmouth County was celebrated at Deal Casino on Tuesday afternoon.

DEAL - The start of the final phase of the $86 million federally funded beach replenishment project in Monmouth County was celebrated at Deal Casino on Tuesday afternoon.

U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone, Jr. was joined by Col. David Caldwell, of the N.Y. District of the Army Corps of Engineers, and other local, state and federal officials at the beach club on the rainy December afternoon to kick off the final phase of the project.

The first phase of the project, which began earlier this year and is currently wrapping up, pumped approximately 1.4 million cubic yards of sand on 1.6 miles of beaches in Loch Arbour, Allenhurst and southern Deal from a site in the ocean off Sea Bright.

The second phase will pump another 1.4 million cubic yards of sand on two miles of beaches from Phillips Avenue in Deal to Lake Takanassee in Long Branch.

The $86.7 million price tag for the project was funded federal through Sandy relief funding.

"We do it to project the upland infrastructure. If we don't do it, it costs a lot more after a major storm to come back fix the infrastructure, whether it's the roads, utilities, boardwalks or anything else," said Pallone, adding the funding was the result of a cost benefit analysis. "It's hard for people to believe that we save money in the federal government, but we actually do."

Officials previously told NJ Advance Media that the trouble spots in Deal had anywhere from no beach to strips of sand 20 feet wide. By the end of the work, all the beaches will be 100 feet wide.

 The Army Corps of Engineers also initially planned to notch six groins, or jetties, between Elberon and Loch Arbour.  However, due to concerns from fishermen, surfers and recreational users in the area, the Army Corps agreed to only notch three groins within the project area. 

The project also includes lengthening 10 existing stormwater outfalls.

Caldwell said preliminary work and staging for the final stage of the project would begin in the coming weeks, but that the actual pumping of sand would not begin until the spring and would continue through the summer.

"Obviously there will be some impacts to recreation during this period, but those impacts will be short term and would definitely be offset by the large increase in resiliency of the (beaches)," said Caldwell, adding that only small sections of the beaches in the work area would be closed at one time while the project is ongoing.

During the first phase of the project, pieces of WWI-era projectiles - known as boosters - were found in the sand on the newly replenished beaches .

"Public safety is and will always be the Corps of Engineers top priority. We'll be working closely with our contractor to minimize the potential impact of historic ordinance discovered during dredging operations like we saw in the first contract," Caldwell said. "If this happens again, we'll have the right measures in place to safely continue to dispose of any ordnance to avoid it being placed on any beaches during construction."

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

Several tips generated after pic posted to Facebook

STAFFORD -- Police said they have identified a suspect hours after a photo of the man was posted to social media, the department said in a Facebook post.

 

Police say the man walked out of Walmart Monday afternoon carting two televisions he did not pay for. When a still from surveillance video was posted to Facebook, police received more than two dozen responses, all of them identifying the same person, police said.

Does anyone recognize this guy? He walked out of WalMart with 2 TVs. Pls contact Ptl. Luna 6095971189x8464 w info. pic.twitter.com/OkSD5UywWC

-- Stafford Police NJ (@StaffordPolice) December 22, 2015

"The photo referencing the WalMart TV theft has led to a suspect. Thank you all for your assistance. Have a happy and safe Holiday Season," the agency also said.

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

 

Winter has arrived in New Jersey, but it hardly feels like it.

You may not be able to find Santa or Rudolph on Christmas Eve, but plenty of other animals will be frolicking about around Christmas time this year.

Experts say the warmer weather is causing some animals that normally would have hidden away for the winter to stick around.

"Some animals are still active because it hasn't gotten very cold yet," Emile DeVito, manager of science for the NJ Conservation Foundation, said. "Animals that normally would be very inactive by now are still active."

Winter has arrived in New Jersey, but it hardly feels like it. Temperatures could reach record highs in the 70s on Christmas Eve.

Mammals that den up will be milling around the neighborhood more frequently gathering food. Migratory birds will hang around a bit longer. Reptiles may venture out for a few hours to warm up, according to wildlife officials.

Water fowl don't need as many calories in warmer weather, which could improve winter survival rates.

Christmas 2015 traffic, transit, travel, weather outlook

For wildlife such as bears, warmer temperatures could postpone hibernation.

"Things are just a little easier," DeVito said. "Instead of holing up in their dens burning away their stored fat, they're able to continue to find food so they'll have better survivorship in the wintertime."

Overall, DeVito expects impacts to be short-term. Some animals will remain active for longer, and have an easier time surviving the winter.

Going through the hard winter isn't necessarily a bad thing, DeVito said. It culls the weak members of a species, which might make it stronger long-term.

POLL: Would you rather a warm or snowy Christmas?

The impact on the environment overall shouldn't be too damaging, DeVito said. For example, it won't push any rare species into extinction.

"A warm winter is not going to overcome the reason that they're becoming rare," DeVito said. "It only impacts common, everyday backyard species in terms of what we see, how often we see them. But it's not of any important conservation interest."

Check our gallery for more on how the weather affects various New Jersey species.

Myles Ma may be reached at mma@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MylesMaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Police responded at around 11:45 p.m. to an apartment on Martin Luther King Drive for a report of a shooting.

Police responded at around 11:45 p.m. to an apartment on Martin Luther King Drive for a report of a shooting. (File photo). 

LAKEWOOD -- One man was shot after two men broke into an apartment Tuesday night, police said.

Police responded at around 11:45 p.m. to an apartment on Martin Luther King Drive for a report of a shooting.

Initial information gathered by police found that two men, who were wearing ski masks and sweat suits, forced entry into an apartment where they were met with two male residents, Lakewood police Lt. Steven Allaire said.

Allaire said a struggle ensued and one of the residents was shot in the rear end.

The two men who broke into the apartment fled on foot while the two male residents fled through the back window, Allaire said. A third woman who was in the apartment but was sleeping in the bedroom didn't see the incident happen and was not injured, the lieutenant added.

The resident who suffered a gunshot wound called a taxi, which took him to Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus in Lakewood. He was later transferred to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune where he is listed in critical but stable condition, Allaire said.

No arrests have been made.

Allaire said the victims were targeted. 

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

 

Officials sharply criticized a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' contractor over its plans to remove dredging equipment from an ongoing beach and dune construction project on Long Beach Island. Watch video

TRENTON - Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin and other officials sharply criticized a U.S. Army Corps of Engineers' contractor Wednesday over its plans to remove dredging equipment from an ongoing beach and dune construction project on Long Beach Island and send it to projects in other parts of the country.

The criticism comes weeks after the Illinois-based Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co., informed the Army Corps that its two dredges currently working on LBI would be heading to other jobs in January.

Great Lakes Dredge & Dock Co. does not plan to return the dredges to New Jersey until April, which would most likely prevent it from meeting the May 22, 2016 completion deadline set in the $128 million contract to construct engineered beaches and dunes for 13 miles Long Beach Island, officials said.

On Wednesday, Martin called the planned action "unwarranted and irresponsible."

"By suspending its Long Beach Island work, this company will expose lives, homes, businesses and infrastructure to severe winter storms. Their decision shows a callous disregard for the people of New Jersey," Martin said in a release. "I am calling on the Army Corps to step up to the plate and take strong action to ensure that all equipment remains on-site, and that this work moves forward as quickly as possible to protect the barrier island."

U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo (NJ-2) said he shared in the "deep disappointment" at Great Lakes' decision, which he said would leave the LBI project half-completed, subject to the winter weather and storm surges common this time of year.

"I have made clear on several occasions to Great Lakes' leadership of my immense frustration at this self-serving business decision that leaves the residents and properties of LBI at risk," LoBiondo said in a release. "I will continue to press the importance of finishing this project as planned, ensuring adequate winter storm protection and ample time to plan for the summer tourism season." 

U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker (both D-N.J.) each also released statements stressing the importance of the project continuing in a "timely and efficient manner" and that the contractor meets its "contractual obligation to have work completed by Memorial Day."

The project involves construction of a dune system with a top elevation of 22 feet. The beach and dune system being constructed will range from 300 to 400 feet wide and have an elevation of eight feet above sea level, which officials say will better protect the island against storm surge.

Long Beach Township Mayor Joseph Mancini said that Holgate, on southern portion of the island, would be particularly vulnerable to winter nor'easters.

"Our public works crews have pushed up as much sand as possible and right now at high tide, the ocean is right at the toe of the dunes," Mancini said in a release. "For Great Lakes to leave without replenishing this section of beach is frightening. We feel there is no excuse for them to pick up and leave in the middle of the project."

This marks the second delay for the project on the southern end of the island, where Hurricane Sandy reduced narrow beaches to a thin strip of sand. Holgate residents, still recovering from Sandy, have been eagerly awaiting the project. 

Work on the southern section was first set to start in the fall but was delayed until January to give Long Beach Township more time to obtain the oceanfront property easements needed for the work.

"There is no reason whatsoever that the beach and dune construction work cannot continue at the southern end of the island," Commissioner Martin said. "Furthermore, work can and must continue while the state wraps up its legal action to secure the outstanding easements needed in the northern part of Long Beach Island."

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

Tradition is what makes the yuletide season "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year," a song, FYI, written by Edward Pola and George Wyle in 1963 and released that year by Andy Williams.

According to information available from Billboard Magazine, there have been a total of 446 Christmas-themed songs that have cracked the top 100 on the Billboard charts since 1955.

Courtesy of Distejon 

I'm in no way ashamed to admit that my personal favorite has always been "Snoopy's Christmas" by the Royal Guardsmen, first released in 1967 as a follow-up to their hit "Snoopy vs. the Red Baron" the previous year. The problem is, I rarely - if ever -- hear it on the radio stations that play non-stop Christmas music from Halloween clear through New Year's Day.

Thankfully, I can drag out an old 45-rpm record player, drop the record on the turntable and listen to it. Playing that song is a Christmas tradition that I enjoy year after year.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

In my opinion, it's tradition that makes this "The Most Wonderful Time of the Year" (FYI: that song was written by Edward Pola and George Wyle in 1963 and was released that year by Andy Williams).

I'll leave you with what I must say was the most memorable Christmas, for me, of all time.

Courtesy of NASA 

It didn't involve the music, the presents or the decorations or even the annual homemade ravioli. It was 1968; we had attended midnight Mass, which I served as an altar boy, and returned home just in time to turn on the television for reports on the Apollo 8 astronauts, the first human beings to travel to orbit another celestial body. And we heard the three men (three wise men? Who'd traveled from afar? I'd say the symbolism was far too much for me to grasp at the time) read from the Book of Genesis.

At the time, it was the most-watched telecast in the history of television. And after they finished reading, Frank Borman, Jim Lovell and William Anders finished with "and from the crew of Apollo 8, we close with good night, good luck, a Merry Christmas - and God bless all of you, all of you on the good Earth."

I still get chills thinking about it. And I and writers all over the world could sit at a keyboard for decades and not come up with a better wish for Christmases past, present and future than that.

Here's a gallery of vintage photos of people celebrating Christmas in New Jersey. Be sure you've clicked on the caption button to read more about these classic photos.

Still in the holiday spirit? Here's a link to last year's gallery.

Greg Hatala may be reached at ghatala@starledger.com. Follow him on Twitter @GregHatala. Find The Star-Ledger on Facebook.

Derik Groom, 23, was on his way home from work at around 4:15 a.m. when he struck the pole while driving southbound on Route 539, police said.

Police said there's no indication alcohol was a factor in the crash. (File photo). 

BARNEGAT TWP. -- A 23-year-old township man died Thursday morning after his car hit a telephone pole, police said.

Derik Groom, 23, was on his way home from work at around 4:15 a.m. when he struck the pole while driving southbound on Route 539, police said.

Groom, who was wearing his seatbelt, was pronounced dead at the scene. There were no other occupants inside the car.

Preliminary information gathered by police shows that Groom was driving a 2011 silver Chevrolet Cavalier when it left the roadway to the west of Route 539. Police said Groom hit a couple trees before crashing into the pole. 

There is no indication alcohol played a factor in the crash, police said.

The crash is under investigation by the Barnegat Township Police Department's Traffic Safety Unit and the Ocean County Medical Examiner.

Barnegat's Volunteer Fire Company and Volunteer First Aid Squad responded to the scene, along with the Manchester police, Ocean County Prosecutor's Office and the Ocean County Medical Examiner. 

Route 539 was closed in both directions for several hours. 

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

At issue are plans by the Great Lakes Dredge & Dock to remove its dredging equipment from an ongoing $128 million beach and dune construction project on Long Beach Island. Watch video

LONG BEACH TOWNSHIP — A delay in the ongoing beach replenishment project could threaten the island's "profitable beach season," officials said in a formal letter issued Wednesday.

The letter, penned by U.S. Senators Bob Menendez and Cory Booker and U.S. Rep. Frank LoBiondo (NJ-2), adds pressure to the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to complete the project by its May 22, 2016 deadline.

At issue are plans by the Great Lakes Dredge & Dock to remove its dredging equipment from an ongoing $128 million beach and dune construction project on Long Beach Island. The Illinois-based company informed the Army Corps its equipment would be heading to other jobs in January and wouldn't return to New Jersey until April.

State and local officials Wednesday blasted the company for its decision. State Department of Environmental Protection Commissioner Bob Martin called the plan "unwarranted and irresponsible."

"By suspending its Long Beach Island work, this company will expose lives, homes, businesses and infrastructure to severe winter storms. Their decision shows a callous disregard for the people of New Jersey," Martin said. "I am calling on the Army Corps to step up to the plate and take strong action to ensure that all equipment remains on-site, and that this work moves forward as quickly as possible to protect the barrier island."

The letter from Booker, Menendez and LoBiondo goes a step further to say the delay could dampen tourism on Long Beach Island.

"Local municipalities are planning roadway and pedestrian improvement projects following the completion of the contractor's work," the letter states. "If the project is not completed by its previously agreed upon deadline in May, communities risk losing valuable time from the profitable beach season."

The project involves construction of a dune system with a top elevation of 22 feet. The beach and dune system being constructed will range from 300 to 400 feet wide and have an elevation of eight feet above sea level, which officials say will better protect the island against storm surge.

READ THE FULL LETTER BELOW:

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

Roseann Riley, 77, of Manchester, suffered significant injuries to her head, legs, and right shoulder, police said.

MANCHESTER -- A 77-year-old woman is in serious condition after she was struck by a vehicle in the intersection of Route 70 and Route 571 on Thursday night, police said. 

Roseann Riley, 77, of Manchester, was walking southbound inside the crosswalk when she was struck by a 2004 Nissan Sentra traveling westbound on Route 70 around 11 p.m., according to a news release from Manchester Township Police Capt. Todd Malland.

23-year-old man dies after car crashes into telephone pole

The vehicle had the right of way, according to the release, which said that "fog and wet roads were determined to have played a factor in the visibility of the pedestrian."

Riley suffered "significant injuries" to her head, legs and right shoulder, according to police. She was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center and she is listed in serious condition, police said.

The driver of the car, and a passenger traveling with her, were not injured in the crash, police said.  

Erin O'Neill may be reached at eoneill@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LedgerErin. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

A Point Pleasant man who lost his wedding ring while fishing off Long Branch earlier this month has it back on his finger.

LONG BRANCH -- A Point Pleasant man who lost his wedding ring while fishing off Long Branch earlier this month has it back on his finger.

Jay Bradford's ring fell into the ocean while he was pulling anchor during a frustrating search for blackfish, The Asbury Park Press reported.

His wife, Meagan, 29, said he texted her that his day "was going wrong" and told her it wasn't about the lack of fish, but that he lost his ring. "I nearly threw up," she said. The couple was married in June.

Bradford, 27, and boat captain Nick Barsa returned to the spot four days later with salvage diver Mark Thompson.

http://www.nj.com/monmouth/index.ssf/2015/12/sheriffs_office_k-9_dogs_enjoy_the_holidays_too.html

Barsa steered the boat using GPS coordinates to the exact spot where the ring was lost, while dealing with 35-mile-per-hour winds and a big southeast swell.

Thompson dove in and searched rock ledges and sifted through thousands of mussels. He said he found the ring resting on a rock in 10 minutes.

Megan Bradford said she was "ecstatic" when she learned they found the ring and called it a "Christmas miracle."

Jay Bradford said next time he goes fishing he'll wear a cheap metal or rubber ring.

Sue Epstein may be reached at sepstein@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @susan_epstein. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

A teenager from Brick went out fishing, and wound up needing to be rescued by authorities Saturday afternoon, police said.

A Brick teen found himself stuck in the mud on Saturday afternoon, police said. A file photo of mud footprint tracks. (Amanda Marzullo | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com) 

BRICK -- A Brick teenager who went fishing had be rescued after finding himself stuck in thick mud with the tide coming in on Saturday, authorities said.

The teen, who was under 17 years of age, found himself stuck in mud up to his knees around 3:15 p.m. in a Manasquan River tributary near Godfrey Lake, according to Brick police.

The boy called police for help from his own cell phone, and was freed from the mud by 3:32 p.m., thanks to the help of Brick police and the Herbertsville Fire Company, said Brick Police Sgt. Bill Ruocco.

Fire officials were able to "lower a ladder down to him, get somebody down across the ladder to him, and kind of pull him out," Ruocco said.

30-foot-deep sinkhole opens up in Hawthorne driveway

According to police, the boy was wearing fishing waders when he was found, and he was not injured.

"He was wading out in low tide to see if he could do some fishing. He went into an area where the mud was really thick and deep (about 100 yards in)," Ruocco said. "It's not like cement, but when you get that wetness, it creates that vacuum."

The boy is now with his family, the sergeant said.

"I can imagine that he was probably shaken up, because the tide started coming in," Ruocco said.

Police said while many people fish in this area, people don't normally get stuck in the mud there.

"It's the first time I've heard of it there in my career," observed Brick Lt. Joe Forrester.

Laura Herzog may be reached at lherzog@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LauraHerzogL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Friends and family members are searching for Tristan Clinger, who went missing last week, according to multiple reports.

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST --  A marine who went missing from Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst last week still hasn't found, despite authorities attempts to locate him, NBC10 reports.

File photo
 

Marine Sgt. Tristan Clinger, 28, who has served in the military for five years, was last seen around 4 p.m. on Dec. 20 at the joint base, NBC10 reported.

ALSO: Christmas day car fire sends one to the hospital

Clinger's wife told the Philadelphia news station that Clinger seemed upset before he left the area on foot. She said there's a concern for his safety, NBC10 reported.

The marine is a white man who's around 5-feet, 10-inches tall with some facial hair and light brown hair, according to the news station.

On Wednesday, Clinger's wife, Rachel Self Clinger, took to Facebook to beg for help.

She wrote that her husband was last seen wearing a red hat, a plaid button-down shirt and jeans.

Rachel Schaffer, a representative with the group Missing in America, which conducts searches for missing people, said members and people who know Clinger convened in Burlington County Saturday for a search.

Schaffer said around 47 people got together Saturday afternoon and searched the area but, with only a short amount of time, they were unable to find any trace of Clinger.

She said they may hold another search in the future, if he is not found.

Anna Merriman may be reached at amerriman@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @anna_merriman Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.

A 68-year-old pedestrian was struck Saturday night in Lakewood, police said.

A pedestrian was struck in Lakewood Saturday night, police said. (File photo).  

LAKEWOOD -- A 68-year-old man was seriously injured after being hit by a car Saturday night, police said.

The pedestrian was struck around 6:40 p.m. near the intersection of Cedar Bridge Avenue and Dr. Martin Luther King Drive, according to Lakewood Township Sgt. Erik Miick.

The driver, who stayed at the scene, appeared to have been traveling straight on Cedar Bridge Lane, moving westbound, Miick said.

It is unclear whether or not the pedestrian was in a crosswalk when he was struck, Miick said.

N.J.'s 12 deadliest highways of 2014

As of 7:20 p.m., the intersection was still shut down for the ongoing police investigation, the sergeant said, and no charges had yet been filed against anyone.

The cause of the accident, the extent of the pedestrian's injuries, and other details about the driver and pedestrian are currently unavailable, Miick said.

Laura Herzog may be reached at lherzog@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @LauraHerzogL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The unidentified man was struck on Cedar Bridge Lane around 6:40 p.m. Saturday

A Lakewood man died after being struck in the township Saturday night, according to the Asbury Park Press.File Photo 

LAKEWOOD - A township man who was struck by a vehicle while crossing Cedar Bridge Lane Saturday night has died, according to the Asbury Park Press.

Police did not identify the man, but told the paper that he succumbed to his injuries at Monmouth Medical Center Southern Campus after the accident around 6:40 p.m.

Sgt. Erik Miick told NJ Advance Media Saturday that the man was on foot when he was struck by a westbound vehicle near the intersection of Cedar Bridge Lane and Dr. Martin Luther King Boulevard.

The driver has not been charged in the incident, though an investigation by township police and the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office is ongoing.

Dan Ivers may be reached at divers@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @DanIversNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

A 2015 survey of how much dog owners will spend on their pets this Christmas shows Garden State dog lovers coming in first at $30.01.

According to thenoseprint.com, a pet-focused online hub for major pet product brands, New Jersey is the most generous state in the U.S. when it comes to buying gifts for their dogs.

The 2015 survey of how much dog owners will spend on their pets this Christmas shows Garden State dog lovers coming in first at $30.01. New York ($29.55) and Pennsylvania ($28.75) came in second and third, making the tri-state area a good place to be a dog. The national average, by the way, is $23.10.

The survey went on to note that the top five reasons dog owners say they spoil their pets:

* "to express love to my dog"
* "because it's fun for me"
* "to help my dog feel included like a family member"
* "to give my dog a moment of happiness"
* and, "to feel closer and bond with my dog"

Many pets throughout New Jersey won't be receiving any gifts this holiday season, though, because they don't have homes. Here's a gallery of homeless pets from northern and central New Jersey. Make sure captions are enabled to see all the information needed to adopt one of these pets.

You can see more pets in need of adoption here and here.

Fire department officials said the hoverboard went up in flames while it was charging. Watch video

LACEY -- A popular holiday gift that has had problems with catching on fire struck a home in the Lanoka Harbor section of town on Sunday.

Fire department officials said the hoverboard went up in flames while it was charging -- which is consistent with reports of hoverboard fires across the country.

"Be careful when charging up (hoverboards)," reads a post on the Lanoka Harbor Fire Department Facebook page. "We responded to a call today due to a hoverboard catching fire." 

The fire didn't cause any severe damage and the homeowners were present when it occurred. A photo posted by the fire department shows one side of the hoverboard completely charred with a carpet burn underneath. 

The fire is under investigation by the Ocean County Fire Marshal's Office.

This problem isn't isolated to Ocean County, however. Media reports show faulty hoverboards are to blame in fires across the United States. And a quick search on YouTube turns up several videos of the popular holiday gift going up in flames.

The United States Consumer Product Safety Commission is currently investigating to find the root cause of the safety defect.

"CPSC field investigators are actively investigating hoverboard-related fires across the country and will open new cases as they come to our attention," Chairman Elliot Kaye said in a statement. "We have purchased boards in the marketplace and we have taken possession of boards that caught fire."

Experts told Wired that the problem can be traced to the batteries in certain models.

"There are a lot of factories in China that now make Li-ion batteries, and the reality is that the quality and consistency of these batteries is typically not as good as what is found in top tier producers such as LG or Samsung," Jay Whitacre, a professor of Materials Science & Engineering at Carnegie Mellon University, told the website.

A hoverboard was to blame for a house fire in Lafitte, La., according to a local media report. And PIX11 reported on Dec. 9 that a hoverboard went up in flames at a home in Westchester, N.Y.

In both cases, according to the news outlets, the hoverboards were charging when they caught fire. 

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

Officers Sean Ward and John Pederson found the man, identified by police as Miguel Rivera, after responding Dec. 24 to his Laguna Lane home to check on him.

Police found the body of Miguel Rivera after responding to his home on Christmas Eve. (File photo).

LAKEWOOD -- Police are investigating the "suspicious death" of a 45-year-old man whose body was found lying face down at his home on Christmas Eve.

Officers Sean Ward and John Pederson found the man, identified by police as Miguel Rivera, after responding Dec. 24 to his Laguna Lane home to check on him. 

Police had received a call from Rivera's family reporting that they hadn't heard from him in a few days.

When officers entered the home at around 8 p.m., they found Rivera's body lying face down in the hallway, police said. He appeared to have suffered trauma to his head.

"At this time, the details surrounding his death are suspicious and an investigation has been underway," Lakewood police said on Saturday.

According to a report in The Lakewood Scoop, someone gained entry into Rivera's home through a rear window and then beat him to death. Police did not confirm that report. 

A neighbor, Brad Zibowsky, told the Asbury Park Press that Rivera, 45, was a seasoned car mechanic who worked at a garage on Route 9. 

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