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N.J. counties ranked highest to lowest in debt

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SmartAsset, a New York financial technology company, recently released a study uncovering the counties across America with the lowest per capita debt or lowest debt on average, per person.

How bleak is your debt picture?

If you live in Hudson or Mercer counties, there's a chance that you may have less debt than if you lived elsewhere in New Jersey.

SmartAsset, a New York financial technology company, recently released a study uncovering the counties across America with the lowest per capita debt or lowest debt on average, per person. They studied debt-to-income ratio across three categories: credit cards, auto, and mortgage.

Relying on information from the Federal Reserve of New York and the U.S. Census bureau, the counties were analyzed by the amount of debt residents held across those categories. The debt was then compared to local income.

In New Jersey, Hudson County residents have, on average, the lowest debt-to-income ratio in the state. Mercer County is second.

Residents in Hudson County earn an average income of $32,641, carry a credit card debt of $3,210 a year, giving them a credit card debt-to-income ratio of 9.8 percent.

Hudson County residents each carry, on average, an auto debt of $2,055 and a mortgage debt of $35,404, which is 108.5 percent of their annual income.

In Mercer County, the average resident's income is $37,465, they carry a credit card debt equal to about 9 percent of their income and an auto debt of 7.5 percent. The average mortgage debt carried each year is $46,028.

Further down the New Jersey list are:

  • Morris County, where residents have an average income of $48,814 a year and carry $4,310 a year in credit card debt, $70,152 in mortgage debt and $3,620 in auto debt;
  • Somerset County, where residents have an average income of $47,803 a year and carry $4,210 per year in credit card debt, $72,094 in mortgage debt and $3,495 a year in auto debt.
  • Atlantic County, where residents have an average annual income of $27,391, carry an annual credit card debt of $3,140, an annual mortgage debt of $38,044 and an auto debt of $2,749.

Among the least desirable places for debt in New Jersey are Ocean, Sussex and Passaic counties, where residents carry a credit card debt of $3,360 to $4,460 a year and carry an average mortgage debt of $43,043 to $53,706 a year.

Passaic County ranked the lowest overall debt-to-income rank in New Jersey, with the average resident's income at $27,152 a year and an auto debt-to-income ratio of 10.5 percent and a mortgage debt of $43,043 a year.

Nationwide, Connecticut was the state with the highest per capita income at $36,209, and New Jersey was second at $35,504.

"What this shows is the diversity of the people who live within the arbitrary lines that make up our counties," said Marc Pfeiffer, assistant director of the Bloustein Local Government Research Center at Rutgers University.

Pfeiffer said Hudson County residents probably fared better in the study because many of them are renters who have no mortgage to pay and no auto debt because they use mass transit.

"Also, you have a phenomenal mix of incomes in Hudson County," he said.

Densely populated Passaic County may have more residents deeper in debt because of lower income overall, the need to own a car and purchase a home, he said.

"When you own homes and have to have a car, it's going to drive up your debt," he said.

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Anthony G. Attrino may be reached at tattrino@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyAttrino. Find NJ.com on Facebook.


Beachcomber finds 10,000-year-old clue to N.J.'s history

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What Audrey Stanick found nearly two weeks ago was much more out of the ordinary – a flint arrowhead more than 10,000 years old.

SEASIDE HEIGHTS -- When Audrey Stanick was out looking for sea glass on the beach in Seaside Heights after a recent nor'easter, her trained eye zeroed in on a dark object in a pile of broken clamshells.

Her sister, who is also a beachcomber, had always instructed her how to spot sharks teeth, which aren't too uncommon at the Shore.

But what Stanick found nearly two weeks ago was much more out of the ordinary - a flint arrowhead more than 10,000 years old.

"My sister, who collects sharks teeth, taught me to look for dark colored objects," said Stanick, who lives in the Lanoka Harbor section of Lacey Township. "So when I saw what I initially thought was an arrowhead, I picked it up."

Stanick's find isn't rare - there have been a number of arrowheads found at the Jersey Shore - but Gregory Lattanzi, assistant curator of archaeology and ethnography at the New Jersey State Museum, said it is significant. Discoveries like these, he said, help scientists understand more about New Jersey's early inhabitants and may even help them locate ancient settlement sites.


RELATED: Boy finds 10,000-year-old arrowhead on N.J. beach

"I'm trying now to plot these finds on a map to see if these finds are all from the same time period meaning possibly from the same site," said Lattanzi, who inspected the arrowhead along with David Parris, curator of natural history at the State Museum. "There may be a buried site somewhere that we have to keep an eye out for."

Lattanzi determined Stanick had found an arrowhead between 10,000 and 11,000 years old from the Middle Paleoindian period. Made of flint, the arrowhead now has smooth edges, indicating it had been tumbled in the ocean for some time, he said.

The mystery is how the arrowhead got there. It could have been unearthed by recent beach replenishment, which dredges the ocean floor from miles offshore and pumps the sand onto beaches. There's an ongoing project on Long Beach Island father south. Or it could have been uncovered by the normal action of storms, Lattanzi said.

"It's really hard to tell," Lattanzi said. "You can't discard the fact that she did this right after the storm - that the storm churned it up."

Last year, Lattanzi identified an arrowhead from the same period found by a 10-year-old Virginia boy vacationing on Long Beach Island. Since then, he's identified quite a few more arrowheads found by beachcombers, including a woman in Cape May around the same time as Stanick's discovery, he said.(The boy boy donated his to the Smithsonian; Stanick is keeping hers.)

Unlike Stanick's find, the boy's arrowhead had sharper edges and was made of jasper. And the Cape May discovery was only about 4,000 to 6,000 years ago.

arrowhead.jpegThis arrowhead found by a beachcomber in Seaside Heights is between 10,000 and 11,000 years old, state archaeologists said. (Courtesy of the New Jersey State Museum) 

The type of stone used to make arrowheads varied, depending on the type of cobble in riverbeds and streams. And that varied by location, Lattanzi said. In the Middle Paleoindian period, arrowheads were typically shorter than those in the Early Paleoindian period and were fluted to accept a wooden shaft, which most likely was fastened to the stone with the sinew of whatever animal was available, Lattanzi said.

The shafts were expendable, but the arrowheads were not because of all the work that it took to make them, Lattanzi said. For that reason, arrowheads would have been passed from generation to generation, he said.

Flint and other stones usually were heated to make it easier to chip into an arrowhead, he said. So it's possible there are undiscovered hearths - possibly even under the ocean floor - that have yet to yield their secrets about the state's early inhabitants, Lattanzi said.

After all, New Jersey's coastline extended 125 miles farther east 10,000 years ago, leaving a lot of unexplored territory under water, Lattanzi noted.

So for every arrowhead found, Lattanzi figures, scientists may get closer to understanding the earliest settlements on the shore and identifying potential sites threatened with destruction in natural disasters.

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

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Explosives training at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst on Saturday

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The training is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Sat. Oct. 17

JOINT BASE MCGUIRE-DIX-LAKEHURST -- The 421st Explosive Ordnance Disposal unit will be training with explosives on Fort Dix ranges Saturday, the joint base said.

The training is scheduled from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

The base warned that residents in the area may experience ground shaking and considerable noise coming from the ranges. 

The 421st's mission is to deliver combat support training to over 5,000 U.S. Air Force and NATO personnel annually.

The base routinely issues the advisories when artillery and demolitions training is scheduled. The base said in a statement that the training is essential for military readiness and base officials routinely work to minimize the impact it has on its surrounding communities.

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

4 N.J. weekend events filled with food and family

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Cranberries, Italian food, wine and food trucks make up the menu for a delicious Saturday and Sunday.

THE CHATSWORTH CRANBERRY FESTIVAL

This 32nd annual event celebrating New Jersey's cranberry harvest is the third largest of its kind in the United States. Free-to-attend, the festival will take place 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Saturday and Sunday, with more than 160 arts and crafts vendors expected. Assorted jams, jellies, breads, baked goods and cranberry ice cream are all on the menu for a weekend that also includes as antique and classic car show. Downtown Chatsworth, Route 563.

FALL FOOD TRUCK FIESTA

Like food trucks? Well, the Mercer County Festival Park Grounds is where you are going to want to be, as nearly 30 are expected this weekend for the Fall Food Truck Fiesta. Among the offerings will be  French crepes, Brazilian barbecue, brick oven pizza along, gourmet beef, pork and crab sliders and much more. The event is taking place rain or shine, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Saturday. Admission is $5 with 50 percent of the proceeds benefiting One Simple Wish -- a nonprofit that makes wishes come true for children who have been victims of abuse, neglect and abandonment. Food and drink are pay as you go, but children's activities, fire pits, music and free giveaways are included in the entry fee. Old Trenton Road in West Windsor.  


RELATED:< 8 best things to do in N.J. this weekend


STRAFFORD TOWNSHIP FALL WINE FESTIVAL

With the word "wine" in the event name, some may be questioning the family-friendly factor. No worries, as there will be plenty for the underage crowd to do, including hayrides, a Halloween parade, scarecrow making, a costume contest and pumpkin picking. The adults will be able to check out the food and craft vendors along with the jalapeno eating contest, if they dare. Wine tasting tickets are $12 in advance and $15 at the gate. Noon to 5 p.m., Saturday and Sunday. Manahawkin Lake Park, Route 9 and Lakeshore Drive. 

ITALIAN FESTIVAL

Wine and Italian food make a perfect pairing, so it seems the Bellview Winery Italian Festival, which is taking place noon to 5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday would be a delicious combination. Food vendors will provide samplings of local fare, and there will be a wine tasting tent along with live music. Tickets are $15 (which includes wine tasting); designated drivers pay just $10. (20 and under are free.) 150 Atlantic St., Landisville. 

Contact Bill Gelman at bkgelman@hotmail.com. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook. 

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Used car dealer gets prison time for withholding sales tax from N.J.

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Under the sentence imposed on Friday, Gennaro Dicecilia, 58, must also pay $220,797 to the state Department of Treasury as restitution for the dodged sales tax, penalties and interest, acting to authorities.

gennaro dicecilia.pngGennaro DiCecilia (New Jersey Attorney General's Office) 

TRENTON -- A Toms River used car dealer was sentenced to three years in prison for pocketing more than $220,000 in sales tax that he should have paid to the state over four years, authorities said.

Under the sentence imposed on Friday, Gennaro Dicecilia, 58, must also pay $220,797 to the state Department of Treasury as restitution for the dodged sales tax, penalties and interest, acting state Attorney General John J. Hoffman said in a press release.

Dicecilia, owner of Automation LLC on Route 9 in Toms River, pleaded guilty on July 14 before Superior Court Judge Timothy Lydon in Trenton to one count of failure to turn over collected New Jersey sales tax. He admitted he collected $156,564 in sales tax from customers and that he purposely did not turn the money over to the state.


RELATED: N.J. used car dealer admits pocketing $156K in sales tax

Dicecilia's activities came to light in November 2011 when the state Division of Taxation conducted a routine canvas of car dealerships in Ocean County to identify those that were not properly licensed or registered, Hoffman said. Authorities determined that Dicecilia had not paid any sales tax to the state since he opened the auto dealership in 2007, Hoffman said.

When he was given a chance to remit the sales tax, Dicecilia underpaid what was actually owed, authorities said. He filed sales tax returns claiming he owed $48,593, but further investigation based on vehicle title transfer records kept by the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission showed that he actually owed $205,157 in sales tax, Hoffman said.

Dicecilia was eventually charged in a November 2013 indictment.

"Even after the Division of Taxation confronted him about his failure to turn over sales tax, Dicecilia tried to deceive the state about how much he had collected," Hoffman said in a prepared statement.  "We won't tolerate dishonest merchants who defraud the state of New Jersey and its honest taxpayers."

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

 
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Woman hit by car in Manchester in critical condition, police say

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Christine Culp was attempting to cross Ridgeway Road just west of Quick Check shortly before 10 p.m. when she was struck by a 2014 Fiat 500L, Capt. Todd Malland said in a news release.

police lights file photo.jpgManchester police responded to the area of Ridgeway Road near the entrance of Quick Check for a report of a pedestrian struck shortly before 10 p.m. (File photo).

MANCHESTER -- A 54-year-old township woman is in critical condition after a car hit her Saturday night, police said.

Christine Culp was attempting to cross Ridgeway Road just west of Quick Check shortly before 10 p.m. when she was struck by a 2014 Fiat 500L, Capt. Todd Malland said in a news release.

Ronald D. Pinkham, 67, of Somerset, was driving the Fiat with his wife, Virginia, Malland said. Both were wearing their seat belts and did not receive any injuries as a result of the collision, the captain said.

Culp, however, hit her head on the front windshield, Malland said. She was flown to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune where she is in critical condition as of Sunday morning.

Traffic was detoured around the scene for approximately three hours.

The Ocean County Prosecutor's Office Fatal Accident Support Team, Ocean County Sheriff's Office Crime Scene Investigations (CSI) Unit, and members of the Ridgeway and Manchester volunteer fire departments responded to the crash.

The crash is under investigation by Officer Douglas Higgins of the Manchester Township police Traffic Safety Unity.

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

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All smiles at Point Pleasant breast cancer walk, largest in the state

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Organizers anticipated more than 20,000 people would come out to Point Pleasant boardwalk for the annual Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5K walk.

POINT PLEASANT  -- Breast cancer survivor Amanda Barrett admits she was afraid to attend her first Making Strikes Against Breast Cancer 5K walk in Point Pleasant.

Still going through treatment, Barrett, a then 30-year-old Manahawkin resident, was bald and didn't know what to expect. She thought the event would be very solemn and sad. Instead, Barrett found quite the opposite was true. 

"I did what I had to do and I was still going through treatment when I came here, and I was so empowered, just seeing close to 1,000 survivors," said Barrett. "... As you can see, it's very energetic and celebratory and very uplifting."

That was in 2007, the first year the walk hit the $1 million mark in money raised. Barrett, a mother of two who is now 38, is a community manager for ACS' Relay for Life and was assisting others at the walk.

From high school cheerleaders to dogs draped in pink, 20,000 people braved the crisp air flowing off the ocean at the Point Pleasant boardwalk Sunday morning for the annual American Cancer Society Making Strides Against Breast Cancer 5K walk. Organizers said the walk is the largest in the state.

"It feels good to give back," Barrett said, her blond hair flowing as she stood beneath the survivors tent. "American Cancer Society was definitely there for me as a participant, so now I'm able to be part of giving back to people who are fighting and celebrating."


RELATEDThousands participate in ACS walk in Jersey City to fight breast cancer

The walk raked in $1.23 million, slightly more than the $1.1 million raised in 2014. Those figures show a vast improvement from when the walk used to take in just $200,000 in 2000, said Frank P. Mascia, vice president of the New Jersey division.

"It's a celebration of survivorship in so many ways," he said. "We're also cognoscente of the fact that remembering those that we lost. This is the embodiment of the work we do at the American Cancer Society."

Mascia said events like the 5K walk help build awareness, raise money for resources to put towards the fight against cancer, to better serve those going through "the fight," and to support biomedical research in New Jersey and across the country.

"In a way, this walk represents another year of progress, another year of survivorship for those who are with us today," Mascia said.

According to statistics provided by the ACS, more than 230,000 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015. What's more, 40,290 will die from the disease this year, the data show.

In New Jersey, an estimated 7,310 women will be diagnosed with breast cancer in 2015, with around 1,300 who will die as a result of the disease.

Since 1993, more than 11 million supporters have raised more than $685 million.

Point Pleasant's walk was one of six held in New Jersey on Sunday. Other walks happened in Parsippany, Ridgefield Park, Newark, Jersey City and Ocean City. Next week, there are two scheduled, in Edison and Pennsauken.

Dakota Boylan, 24, of Woodbridge, was at the walk on Sunday to support a friend who lost an aunt to breast cancer. Boylan herself is a cancer survivor -- she had a brain tumor when she was 16 years old.

"I'm here to support all the survivors and all the people who passed away," Boylan said.

She, too, had an aunt who died from breast cancer and also lost a close friend to brain cancer.

"I'm lucky enough to be cancer free, to enjoy my life, take the risks that my friends and family can't take because they passed away," Boylan said.

In all, nearly 1,000 survivors were at the Point Pleasant walk on Sunday. Mascia said the large crowd gathered at the event represents the great strides in breast cancer research and treatment.

"To have that final day when you can say, not only for breast cancer but for all cancer, that we've put it behind us," Mascia said. "We've come so far but we're certainly not waiving the full victory flag just yet."

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

Teenage boy hit by vehicle in Toms River, police say

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Officer Ralph Stocco, a Toms River Police Department spokesman, said the boy was hit in the area of Route 70 and Yale Avenue.

police lights file photo.jpgA teenage boy was hit by a vehicle Monday afternoon in Toms River, police said. (File photo).

TOMS RIVER -- A teenage boy was hit by a vehicle Monday afternoon, police said. 

Officer Ralph Stocco, a Toms River Police Department spokesman, said the boy was hit in the area of Route 70 and Yale Avenue. 

The boy was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune, Stocco said. 

Stocco had no additional information on the incident, including the extent of the boy's injuries. 

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

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Kearny man, 25, killed in Parkway crash

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A Hudson County man was killed early Monday morning after the car he was driving crashed into a tree off the Garden State Parkway

LITTLE EGG HARBOR TOWNSHIP - A Hudson County man was killed early Monday morning after the car he was driving crashed into a tree off the Garden State Parkway, New Jersey State Police said.

Shortly before 3:15 a.m., a Chevrolet Cavalier being driven by Ryan Steel, 25, of Kearny, was traveling south on the Garden State Parkway when it left the roadway near milepost 57.1 in Little Egg Harbor Township and struck a tree, State Police spokesman Sgt. Gregory Williams said.

police lights file photo.jpgA teenage boy was hit by a vehicle Monday afternoon in Toms River, police said. (File photo). 

A preliminary investigation determined that Steel was traveling in the left southbound lane when he left the right side of the roadway for unknown reasons and struck a tree, Williams said.

Steel sustained undisclosed severe injuries and was unresponsive when first responders arrive, Williams said, he was pronounced dead at the scene at 4:55 a.m. by a doctor from the Ocean County Medical Examiner's Office.

The Little Egg Harbor Township Fire Department, EMS and EMT squads, as well as the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office and the New Jersey State Police's fatal accident and crime scene south units responded to the scene.

Next of kin was notified by the Kearny Police Department, Williams said.

The cause of the accident was still under investigation as of Monday afternoon.

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

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State asks homeowners to help save Barnegat Bay from jellyfish

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DEP launched a pilot program Monday to curb the spread of sea nettles

TOMS RIVER  -- The state Department of Environmental Protection Monday launched a pilot program to combat the rise in the population of sea nettles, a stinging jellyfish that wildlife officials said are not just a painful nuisance for beachcombers but can also disrupt the ecology of Barnegat Bay.

The "Barnegat Bay Bulkhead Blitz," rolled out in the Silverton section, is an effort to encourage property owners to regularly scrub down their bulkheads and docks as a way to control the population of the nettles, which often appear in polyp form and adhere to hard surfaces. They then blossom into buds and enter the water in springtime, where they grow into the final form of the predatory animal.

Officials said detergents are not necessary for removing the polyps, but powerwashing bulkheads below the high-tide line, as well as removing floating docks and scrubbing them down, are effective ways to combat the creatures' spread.

"Sea nettle populations can become very problematic, especially in areas where the flow of water is restricted, such as lagoons," said Dan Kennedy, DEP's Assistant Commissioner for Water Resources Management. "Research conducted by Montclair University in partnership with the DEP shows that the need to control stinging sea nettles is becoming increasingly important - and that all property owners need to be part of the solution."

The pilot program is the result of a three-year, $283,000 study directed by Paul Bologna, director of Marine Biology and Coastal Sciences at Montclair State University. The study revealed that an already high concentration of the nettles in the northern Barnegat Bay could eventually spread south. Large populations are now seen in Brick and Lavallette as well as Toms River. The hardy animals, who can still thrive in less than ideal conditions, are best removed in the fall and winter months, experts said.

"Worldwide, jellyfish are becoming more abundant and, in Barnegat Bay, the stinging sea nettle, although historically present, is becoming much more widespread," said Thomas Belton, DEP Barnegat Bay Research coordinator.

"Sea nettles are very tolerant of high nutrients, low dissolved oxygen, higher water temperatures and brackish waters, allowing them advantages over other aquatic animals. Preventative measures can be employed to assist in limiting available habitat for sea nettle settlement, which can help reduce their numbers."

A forum on the ongoing effort and on Bologna's research is scheduled for Nov. 17 from 9 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. at Ocean County College, 1 College Drive. For more information, email Lynette Lurig at lynette.lurig@dep.nj.gov.

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

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Teen suffers head, internal injuries after being hit by car

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A 16-year-old Toms River resident was hospitalized Monday after being hit by a car on Route 70.

TOMS RIVER - A 16-year-old township resident was hospitalized Monday after being hit by a car on Route 70, police said.

At 12:40 p.m. Monday, a 2006 Honda Civic being driven by Vincent Marsala, 38, of Jackson, was traveling west on Route 70 when it struck a pedestrian, police said.

ambulance 

The pedestrian - a 16-year-old male from Toms River - walked into the roadway and was attempting to cross Route 70 near Yale Avenue when the collision occurred, police said.

The teen, whose name was not released, suffered head and internal injuries and was taken to Jersey Shore University Medical Center in Neptune where he was listed in stable condition as of Monday evening, police said.

Traffic Safety Officer Robert Westfall is conducting the investigation, along with investigators from the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office and the Ocean County Sheriff's Department CSI Unit.

However, no charges were expected to be filed against Marsala as of Monday evening, police said.

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

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Oh the horror! 'Dracula' at the ballet

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The famed vampire story is told through dance, music and spoken work.

FEAR! RAGE PASSION! All will be part of the Roxey Ballet production of Bram Stoker's "Dracula" at the Canal Studios Theater in Lambertville.

The famed horror story of the vampire Dracula and the havoc he wreaks in 18th-century
England is told through dance, music and spoken work in this show, which includes original ballet choreography.

Performances are Oct. 23, at 6 and 8 p.m.; Oct. 24, at 4 and 7 p.m.; Oct. 25, at 2 and 4
p.m.; Oct. 30, at 6 and 8 p.m.; Oct. 31, at 4 and 7 p.m.; and Nov. 1, at 2 and 4 p.m.

The theater is located at 243 N. Union St. Tickets are $30 in advance and $35 at the door. Call (609) 397-7616 or visit RoxeyBallet.org.


TIME FOR TEA

teapic.JPG

Tea Traditions from Around the World explores tea customs and rituals celebrated from China to Russia to the British isles. The Oct. 22 event, from 1 to 3 p.m., will be hosted in the McAuley Heritage Center of Georgian Court University, Lakewood.

Participants will learn how various cultures enjoy teatime, and will be served tea and light refreshments. Tea accessories, including a Russian samovar (circa 1900), Chinese Gong Fu tea set, a Turkish teapot and Tibetan tea bowl, will be on display.

Cost is $20 and reservations are required. Georgian Court University is located at 900
Lakewood Ave. Call (732) 97-2263 or visit georgian.edu.


AND MORE ...

• Carve a pumpkin and decorate it on Oct. 23 from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Montclair Art Museum. Cost is $25 for nonmembers and $20 for members. Pumpkins, art supplies and tools provided. Parent or guardian must accompany children. Visit montclairartmuseum.org.

• Jersey horror-punk veterans Misfits ramp up the Halloween season with an Oct. 24 show at the Starland Ballroom in Sayreville. Visit starlandballroom.com.

• Alt-rock more your style? Check out Young The Giant on Oct. 24 at the Wellmont Theater in Montclair. The California band is touring in support of its 2014 release "Mind Over Matter." Visit wellmont.theater.


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15-year-old treated for smoke inhalation after Lakewood house fire, police say

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Shortly before 4 a.m., the homeowner of a residence on Williams Street was awoken by the sound of a fire alarm, Lt. Steven Allaire said.

$$ga1018spillA 15-year-old was taken to the hospital for further evaluation after a fire started in home's basement early Tuesday morning. Here, a Lakewood Township ambulance is pictured in 2013 file photo. (Russ DeSantis | For The Star Ledger). 

LAKEWOOD -- A family of nine safely escaped their home early Tuesday morning after a fire started in the basement, police said. 

Shortly before 4 a.m., the homeowner of a residence on Williams Street was awoken by the sound of a fire alarm, Lt. Steven Allaire said.

The homeowner smelled smoke and gathered his wife and seven children and exited the residence, Allaire said.

The homeowner's 15-year-old son, however, was treated for smoke inhalation by Lakewood first aid personnel. He was taken to Monmouth Medical Southern Campus in Lakewood for further evaluation and eventually released.

The Lakewood Fire Department arrived and extinguished the fire, Allaire said. Flames could be seen shooting out of the basement windows.

The family was able to return to the residence, Allaire said.

An investigation by the Ocean County Fire Marshal determined that the fire started as a result of clothing leaning against a furnace and hot-water heater.

Lakewood police Officer John Ganley was the first to arrive at the scene. 

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

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Let's see N.J.'s best Halloween decorations

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Tweet your pics #JerseyWeen

You see them around your neighborhood at this time every fall: The house that goes overboard for Halloween. A strand of orange lights and a creepy spider aren't enough for some people. Motorized skeletons, creepy music and homemade headstones hit the spot during Halloween season. Do you go overboard decorating your house for October 31, or have you seen a ghastly display nearby? We want to see them too.

Post pics of New Jersey Halloween decor in comments below. Make sure you tell us where in New Jersey the picture is from, and give us details about the best parts of the display. You can also tweet Halloween decor photos @njdotcom with the hashtag #jerseyween. We'll highlight the best decorations on NJ.com next week.

John Shabe can be reached at jshabe@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @johndshabe and find NJ.com on Facebook.

2-year-old baseball prodigy is a big hit with a bat (VIDEO)

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Pint-sized slugger Michael Riley dazzles crowds with his flawless hitting. Watch video

CLARK -- Sure, Michael Riley is still in diapers, but put him in coach, he's definitely ready to play.

This 2-year-old, pint-sized slugger is obsessed with baseball, rarely misses a pitch and regularly dazzled beachgoers in Lavallette this summer with his hitting, his mother Nicole Riley said.

"He'd draw crowds," she said. "They would stand around and watch him and cheer, and he would just think that was the best. Or he'd go up to someone and hand them the ball, asking them to pitch. It made me so happy to see complete strangers rooting him on. The first thing they always ask me is how old he is."


MORE: Teenage Springfield baseball blogger has major league reach

In the spring, when Michael turned 2, they bought him a T-ball set. But the real magic happened when dad started to pitch to him.

"All my husband really did was show him how to plant his feet and to keep his eye on the ball," she said. "He naturally had this swing, and you can see the focus in his eyes and how intensely he's watching ball come toward him."

After all the fanfare on the beach, Riley's sister-in-law put together a highlight reel of Michael hitting.

"I wanted us all to have a memento of Michael at this age enjoying baseball," said Joanna Riley. "I hope that he continues to love to play."

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And yes, the Rileys play ball just about every day.

"Watching him play always makes us smile and we hope his love of baseball continues to grow," she said. "Every time we get home, he asks if he go can hit. And then he hits the balls over our neighbors' fence, and we have to keep going over to get them."

There's still three years of ball retrieving ahead for mom and dad: Riley can't wait to get Michael onto a team, but he won't be able to join until he's 5. And she's a little worried about how that will go...

"I know Clark Rec starts with T-ball, and, well, I don't think Michael is going to want to play that!" she laughs. "I don't know what we'll do then."

For now, the curly haired dynamo is taking on potty training and Halloween, when he'll dress as a player from his favorite team, the Yankees. He hasn't been to a game yet, but always watches on TV, often yelling at hitters to "Run, run, run!"

He's still working on catching, and doesn't quite have running the bases down, though he does know home plate, mom said.

"He thinks daddy's gardening gloves are his own batting gloves, and he always likes to do practice swings like the players on TV," she said.

He even taught himself a like-the-pros pitching stance with a leg kick - "No one showed him how to do that. He got that from TV," Riley said - and he makes a decent umpire, too.

"He yells safe when he slides, calls himself when he misses and says strike," she said. "And if he hits a home run, he'll yell 'BOMB!'"

Whether the big leagues are in his future, only time will tell, but after one of Michael's beach fans asked for his baseball card, Riley's father-in-law had one made.

"The front has his picture and the back has all his 'stats,'" Riley laughs.

Ht. 3'0, Wt. 27 pounds. Bats: left. Swings for the fences.

MORE UNION COUNTY NEWS

Jessica Remo may be reached at jremo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessicaRemoNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.


Ocean Gate mayor sued over his multiple jobs

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A borough resident is suing Mayor Paul Kennedy \and the council in an attempt to force him to relinquish those posts – and possibly even his mayoralty – and return the annual $50,000 in stipends.

Paul Kennedy.pngOcean Gate Mayor Paul Kennedy (center) with council running mates Alex Martinez (left) and Mark Haug (right). Kennedy and the borough council are being sued over Kennedy's holding of four other positions in the borough besides mayor. (Regular Republican OrganIzation of Ocean Gate) 

OCEAN GATE -- Ocean Gate Mayor Paul Kennedy refused to quit four borough jobs even after a government watchdog agency said he illegally appointed himself to those posts.

And now a borough resident is suing him and the council in an attempt to force him to relinquish those posts - and possibly even his mayoralty - and return the annual $50,000 in stipends.

Irene Merlin, a member of the Committee to Elect Ocean Gate Democrats, filed the suit in Superior Court in Ocean County earlier this month against Republican Mayor Paul Kennedy, who won reelection last November in the midst of this controversy.

"Mayor Kennedy has continued to serve in incompatible and conflicted positions within the municipal government of Ocean Gate and has continued to collect $50,00 per year in improper and illegal stipends - in violation of the public trust and to the detriment of the residents and taxpayers of Ocean Gate," the lawsuit contends.

Kennedy and several members of the six-person council held a meeting in December 2013 without any prior advertisement to the public as required by law when they discussed the possibility of his formally filling the posts in an acting capacity for administrator, personnel director, coordinator of Americans with Disabilities and insurance administrator.

At its Jan. 1, 2014,  reorganization meeting, the council voted to put him in those jobs with a total annual stipend of $50,000. The mayor and council in Ocean Gate, a town with 2,000 residents on the Toms River, do not receive an annual salary but Kennedy also draws a $40,000 annual salary from his job as a carpenter for Ocean County.

Calling the arrangement a violation of state law because of its potential for conflicts of interest, the state Local Finance Board in July 2014 fined Kennedy $700 for accepting those positions and for filing financial disclosure statements in 2012 and 2013 that omitted his county and borough salaries.

In November, despite Democrats making this an election issue, Kennedy narrowly won a third term as mayor.

He has appealed the Local Finance Board finding and his case is pending at the Office of Administrative Law.

Neither Kennedy nor borough attorney James Gluck could immediately be reached for comment.

Gregory Cannon, a Morristown attorney, said he took the case free of charge for Merlin because as a councilman in Aberdeen, he finds it "mind-boggling" that Kennedy would think he is entitled to hold those positions.

Kennedy told the Berkeley Patch that he held those positions for several years without compensation and the workload only increased after Hurricane Sandy in October 2012.

"It's pretty much black-letter law," Cannon said. "You can't do that. You're not allowed to hold all those positions at the same time, let alone pay yourself for it."

The jobs were not advertised to the public, nor was the December 2013 meeting when Kennedy and the council discussed compensation, Cannon said. 

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

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Former N.J. abortion doctor turns over clinic records, avoids hearing

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An abortion doctor who lost his license last year has avoided a court hearing Wednesday by finally turning over records subpoenaed by the state Attorney General to determine whether he has relinquished control of his clinics.

TRENTON -- An abortion doctor who lost his license last year will avoid a court hearing Wednesday because he finally turned over records the state Attorney General subpoenaed in June showing whether he had relinquished control of seven clinics.

State Division of Consumer Affairs spokesman Jeff Lamm confirmed Tuesday that Steven C. Brigham submitted annual reports and contracts associated with the abortion clinics he was expected to forfeit when the board of Medical Examiners revoked his license a year ago for gross negligence, deception and official misconduct.

Brigham also turned in records pertaining to his four corporations: American Healthcare Services, Advanced Professional Services, Alpha Real Estate and American Wellness Services, Lamm said.


RELATED: N.J. medical board revokes abortion doctor's license


Lamm said the records were not public because they are tied to a "pending matter" before the attorney general. He declined to comment on what the records said.

Deputy Attorney General Bindi Merchant sent a letter to Superior Court Judge Walter Koprowski, Jr. asking the hearing be cancelled, Lamm said.

When Brigham and his attorney, Joseph Gorrell failed to provide the records, Merchant asked the judge to order Brigham to appear in court.

Gorrell did not return calls and emails seeking comment.

Brigham has not been allowed to practice since 2010, when the state Board of Medical Examiners found he had skirted state law by starting late-term abortions with five women. He administered a drug that killed the fetus in his South Jersey office, and ordering them to drive to his Maryland clinic, where the surgical procedure was completed.

Last year, Brigham lost an appeal and the board revoked his license.

Without his license, Brigham was required by state law to divest himself from the clinics he owned in Elizabeth, Mount Laurel, Paramus, Phillipsburg, Toms River, Woodbridge and Voorhees. He turned over the business to the company's medical director, Vikram Kaji.

But when an investigator from the Division of Consumer Affairs performed an unannounced inspection at a clinic in Hamilton April 22, Kaji denied he was the owner. During a closed-door hearing of a committee of the board on May 5, Vikram Kaji "repeatedly testified under oath that he was not the owner," according to state records.

Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

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WATCH: Humpback whale spotted near the Shore

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A juvenile was seen close to the beach in Ocean City, Point Pleasant and elsewhere early this week

POINT PLEASANT BEACH -- Whale-watching usually involves buying tickets, clamboring on a boat, and hoping for a little luck.

But for some delighted beachcombers this weekend, the whale, obligingly, came to them.

Point pleasant beach today! By max Gepp.

Posted by Bill Gepp on Monday, October 19, 2015

Witnesses saw what is believed to be a baby humpback feeding and cavorting  in shallow water at various Shore locations early this week, including off Ocean City, Island Beach State Park and Point Pleasant Beach. Video posted to social media shows the large but still not fully mature mammal having what looks like a grand old time rolling in the surf and flapping its fins.

Screen Shot 2015-10-20 at 8.08.28 PM.png 

The Marine Mammal Stranding Center noted that is it common for the whales to feed off the Shore. The center also advised watchers to keep their distance, since the animals are protected under the Marine Mammal Protection Act.

Humpbacks, which can grow to more than 60 feet and can weigh 40 tons at maturity, are famous for their complex songs, which are believed to be a method of communication among pods as well as a way to attract mates. They often travel from their summer feeding grounds near the poles to warmer equatorial waters for the winter, according to National Geographic.

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

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Weddings, Jersey style: A home run for romance

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What happens when baseball fans decide to marry? They take themselves out to the ballgame.

In 2015, NJ.com launched a new series celebrating New Jersey nuptials. If you would like to be considered for a feature, email weddingsjerseystyle@gmail.com


A love of baseball lead an Ocean County couple to throw the first-ever wedding reception at FirstEnergy Park in Lakewood, the home of the minor league baseball team, The Lakewood BlueClaws.

Kate MacHugh, 26, and C.J. Ecke, 34, met like many couples do these days -- on a dating website, this one called Plenty of Fish. On the morning of Sept. 30, 2012, MacHugh and Ecke had their first conversation, and by that evening were already on their first date. According to MacHugh, the couple has been together every day since.

It only took two more days for MacHugh, a social worker who has penned three books on social curriculum for students K-8, to realize that Ecke was the one for her. "On our third day of hanging out, I went to his house to watch a movie," she says. "When I got there he had a bag of Butterfingers and a package of Oreos waiting for me -- which are two of my favorite things. I knew that I was going to marry him right then and there." 

Baseball Wedding at Blue Claws Home Park, 10/10/15Buster the Blue Claw mascot was on hand for the festivities. Katie MacHugh and Christopher Ecke were married at First Energy Park, Lakewood, NJ, home of the Lakewood Blue Claws, on Saturday, October 10, 2015. / Russ DeSantis | For NJ Advance Media 

For Ecke, who works at the Lakehurst Naval Base as an engineer for the U.S. Department of Defense, his realization was decidedly less food-based. "I knew that Kate was the one when I couldn't picture my life without her in it. Everything I wanted to do in the future, I saw her by my side," Ecke says. "I knew that I had to marry her."

The wedding date

Ecke surprised MacHugh with the proposal during a trip to Paris, but not before playing a few mind games with his future bride first. "Our first day there we went to the top of the Eiffel Tower, and C.J. pretended to propose," MacHugh says. "He got down on one knee and when I started to cry, he tied his shoe. I was mad at him for tricking me like that."

Instead, Ecke opted for a scenic, but slightly less touristy spot, the Luxembourg Gardens. "C.J. took me to a secret fountain," MacHugh says. "He gave me a quarter and told me to make a wish ... I wished we could spend the rest of our lives together."

After she made her wish, MacHugh opened her eyes and found Ecke on one knee, this time not tying his shoes this time but holding an engagement ring. When they returned to the U.S., the couple decided on October 10, 2015, for their wedding date for fairly simple reasons. Fall is MacHugh's favorite season, and 10/10/15 was an easy anniversary date for Ecke to remember.

The venue

The couple was married, in front of 255 guests, at Cathedral of the Air in Lakehurst, which is located on the grounds of the naval station. 

While the ceremony was to be traditional, the couple wanted something different for their reception. So Ecke, a lifelong baseball fan and player, suggested FirstEnergy Park, located about 20 minutes down the road from the base. The couple was sure their request would be denied, so they were quite surprised when the stadium agreed to be their venue, and hold the reception at the stadium's concourse.

What they splurged on

A non-traditional wedding calls for the most money to be spent on something completely non-traditional.

"We splurged on T-shirts to shoot out of T-shirt cannons instead of a traditional bouquet/garter toss," McHugh says. "C.J.'s groomsman Chris Schalnat designed a custom logo for us. The front said 'I went to the #EcktoberWedding' and the back said, 'And All I Got was this CLAWESOME T-shirt.'"

Where they saved

With T-shirt cannons, a live band, and a wildly eclectic menu, the couple decided to rein in the options at the bar. "We saved by doing beer, wine and signature cocktails instead of a full open bar," MacHugh says.

How they made the wedding special

A wedding reception in a baseball stadium immediately made this wedding special, but it was the details that made it special for both the couple and their guests, including the tablescapes. "We began collecting vintage china for the wedding when we realized how expensive renting was going to be," MacHugh says. "Some of our guests gifted us china from their families as well."


RELATEDThursday weddings? More couples saying 'I do' at off-peak times

However, it was what the guests ate off that china that seemed to be the biggest hit. The menu included cheesesteaks, a mac and cheese bar, quesadillas, kabobs, tacos, a funnel cake bar, mini-melts ice cream and cotton candy. "It was a huge hit," MacHugh says.

Most memorable moments

The couple's plan to replace the traditional bouquet/garter toss worked as the guests, according to MacHugh, "went crazy" when the T-shirt cannon started firing.

Musically, the couple booked not one, but two acts.

Baseball Wedding at Blue Claws Home Park, 10/10/15"Elvis" performed at the reception. Katie MacHugh and Christopher Ecke were married at First Energy Park, Lakewood, NJ, home of the Lakewood Blue Claws, on Saturday, October 10, 2015. / Russ DeSantis | For NJ Advance Media 

"We surprised our guests with an Elvis impersonator, which C.J.'s dad loved," MacHugh says. "Our band, The Goodfellas, rocked the stadium all night and the guests were chanting, 'One more song!' long after we had planned to end the reception."

For Ecke, a memorable moment came when he recreated the childhood fantasy of many a baseball fan -- doing a home run trot inside the stadium.

For MacHugh, the most memorable moment came away from the field, when she and C.J. exchanged vows they had written. "I loved hearing his promises to me as my husband."

Bill Bodkin can be reached at bodkinwrites@gmail.com. Find NJ.com/Entertainment on Facebook.

N.J. man's pot brownies land his parents, 4 others in hospital, police say

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Seven people were treated after getting sick

FOOD BROWNIES 1 TCBrownies, presumably not containing any ingredients found in marijuana, are shown in a file photo. A Jackson man allegedly baked drug-laced brownies and served them to his parents and four other adults. (Lui Kit Wong/Tacoma News Tribune/MCT) 

A 29-year-old Ocean County man baked pot-laced brownies for his parents, aunt, uncle and two other adults, according to published reports.

Steven E. Mazurek of Jackson is expected to be charged by police in Locust Township, Pa. after he and six others fell ill while consuming the sweet treat in a cottage in Knoebels Amusement Resort, NewsItem.com reported Wednesday morning.

The charges have yet to be filed because police have been waiting for tests on the brownies to be finished.

All of the sickened adults knew Mazurek had spiked the brownies with THC oil but ate them anyway on the night of Oct. 10, the report said. 

Mazurek baked the brownies at home and brought them to the cottage, the report said. He and the six others were treated and released from two area hospitals, PennLive.com reported.

Marurek's parents live in Jackson. Two of the other adults are from Howell, while two others reside in Pearl River, N.Y.

Five others at the cottage didn't try the brownies, NewsItem.com said.

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

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