NJ.com releases the 2016 preseason football Top 20. Share the preseason rankings with your scholastic football-loving friends.

New Jersey's science and business majors have settled in the middle of the state, while the surrounding areas are dominated by liberal arts majors

Forecasters say Jersey Shore visitors should be prepared for possible swimming restrictions and perhaps even some beach closures during Labor Day weekend because of storms in the Atlantic.

A hurricane headed out to sea and two tropical depressions -- including one that is expected to strengthen into a tropical storm along the Gulf coast of Florida -- could spell trouble for New Jersey beach-goers during the upcoming Labor Day weekend.

Although the storms are not projected to have a direct impact on our region, forecasters say they will likely be close enough to the Atlantic coast to generate big swells and life-threatening rip currents along the Jersey Shore.

If the surf conditions get really bad, some beaches in New Jersey could face swimming bans this weekend or, in a worst-case scenario, be closed, according to the National Weather Service.

"Anyone with plans for the Shore this Labor Day weekend should prepare for possible beach closures or restrictions," the weather service's New Jersey regional office said in a beach hazards statement issued Wednesday morning. "The highest swells, possible 6- to 8-foot breakers, are outlooked to arrive along the New Jersey and Delaware coasts Sunday, with rough conditions lingering Labor Day."

5 things to remember about Hurricane Irene

During the past few days, big ocean swells from Hurricane Gaston -- now more than 800 miles east of Bermuda and moving further out to sea -- and a small tropical depression about 135 miles off the coast of North Carolina have been causing dangerous rip currents and rough surf conditions, prompting the weather service to issue alerts to swimmers. 

The weather service says there's a moderate risk of dangerous rip currents again on Wednesday and although the rough conditions are expected to ease on Thursday and Friday, they likely will worsen again over Labor Day weekend because of the tropical system that's targeting Florida.

The system, currently called Tropical Depression 9, is swirling in the Gulf of Mexico and it expected to strengthen into a tropical storm, push through northern and western Florida by Thursday night, then move up along the southeastern Atlantic coast on Friday. If the storm strengthens into a tropical storm, it will be named Hermine.

Forecasters say Tropical Depression 9, currently in the Gulf of Mexico, will likely strengthen into a tropical storm and cross through northern and western Florida by Thursday night before moving into the Atlantic Ocean on Friday. (National Hurricane Center) 

Update: At about 1 p.m. Wednesday, the National Hurricane Center upgraded the status of Tropical Depression 9 to a tropical storm, so it is now called Tropical Storm Hermine. The storm was about 415 miles west-southwest of Tampa and was packing maximum sustained winds of 40 mph as it continued its trek north at 2 mph. 

"There's a  lot of activity out in the Atlantic right now, and there could be big swells," said Jim Bunker, observing program leader at the weather service office in Mount Holly. "Folks need to be aware of the situation with rip currents out there."

Bunker advises beach-goers to monitor the latest storm tracks and advisories by checking the National Hurricane Center's Atlantic activity web page. Local weather alerts and conditions can be found on the National Weather Service's website.

This satellite image from late Wednesday morning on Aug. 31 shows the location of Hurricane Gaston, Tropical Depression 8 off the coast of North Carolina and Tropical Depression 9 in the Gulf of Mexico. (National Hurricane Center) 

On Wednesday, rough surf along the Ocean Avenue Beach in Manasquan led to more than one rescue, a lifeguard said. And on Tuesday, lifeguards in Harvey Cedars on Long Beach Island reported getting several rescue calls after lifeguards had finished their shifts for the day.

The ocean in Harvey Cedars was rougher Wednesday than it was on Tuesday, according to Randy Townsend, captain of the Harvey Cedars Beach Patrol. That prompted the beach patrol to impose swimming restrictions, allowing beach-goers to wade in water only up to their knees, Townsend said.

The restrictions appeared to pay off, with no water rescues reported in Harvey Cedars as of 4 p.m.  

Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @LensReality or like him on Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Authorities said Alfred Parchment, 53, inappropriately touched a female patient.

BRICK -- A Toms River gynecologist was charged Tuesday with harassing a female patient, authorities announced.

Alfred Parchment, 53, was arrested after an investigation found that he inappropriately touched a woman following a medical examination at the Brick Women's Physicians, Obstetrics and Gynecology office, Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph Coronato and Brick police Chief James Riccio said in a joint statement.  

Parchment was charged with harassment and was released on a summons to appear in Brick Municipal Court at a future date.

Authorities described the harassment as offensive touching.

Authorities notified the New Jersey Board of Medical Examiners of the charge.

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

Driver Thomas A. Swanic, 50, of Ocean County, died at a Trenton hospital following the crash.

HAMILTON -- Township police identified the man who died in a two-car crash last week as Thomas A. Swanic, of Ocean County.

Swanic, 50, was involved in a crash with Brett E. Marini, 31, of Hamilton, at the intersection of Arena Drive and Hempstead Road on Aug. 22.

Marini was not injured.

Swanic was a senior copier technician with Heritage Business Systems in Moorestown and previously worked for Samsung Electrics Co. and once owned and operated a small company with a friend, his obituary says.

He lived in Jackson for many years before moving to Toms River five years ago, the obituary said.

Hamilton police said the crash remains under investigation.

Police said Swanic's car was southbound on Hempstead Road when it collided with Marini's pickup truck, which was heading west on Arena Drive. Swanic was pinned his car following the crash.

Swanic died at Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton. He is survived by two daughters and a former wife.

Any witnesses o the crash are asked to contact the Hamilton Police Traffic Unit at 609-581-4024.

Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The woman was laying in the sand when the truck struck her and then stopped on top of her, authorities said.

SHIP BOTTOM - A 38-year-old woman from Toronto, Canada was hospitalized Wednesday after being struck by a Ship Bottom Public Works vehicle while vacationing on Long Beach Island.

Shortly before 8 a.m. on Wednesday, the Ship Bottom Police Department responded to the area of 3rd Street Beach for a reported pedestrian struck.

When police arrived they learned that a Ship Bottom Public Works Ford F Series truck - being operated by 42-year-old Brian Archer - was making morning trash pickups on the beach when it struck a woman who was laying in the sand, the Ocean County Prosecutor's Office said.

The woman - identified as Megan Fabieniak, 38, of Toronto, Canada - sustained injuries to her arm and leg, and was transported to Atlantic City Medical Center where she was listed as being in stable condition as of Wednesday afternoon, authorities said.

A subsequent investigation, with the assistance of Ocean County Prosecutor's Office Accident Investigation Detectives and the Ocean County Sheriff's Department  CSI Unit, preliminarily determined that Fabieniak was reading on the beach when the front wheel of the vehicle struck her and then the truck then stopped on top of her, authorities said.  

She was removed from under the vehicle and treated on scene before being taken to the hospital, the prosecutor's office said.

Archer was transported to Southern Ocean County Hospital in Stafford Township where he consented to submit blood samples for chemical testing and agreed to provide a taped statement, the prosecutor's office said.

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

Forecasters say it's still early to predict the track of Hermine, but New Jerseyans should monitor the storm's progress and be prepared in case it moves in this direction.

The weather outlook for Labor Day weekend in New Jersey became more complicated Wednesday evening as the latest forecast models show a tropical storm named Hermine shifting west, with the potential to bring drenching rains to the state on Saturday or Sunday.

Hermine, which strengthened from a tropical depression to a tropical storm Wednesday afternoon as it swirled in the Gulf of Mexico, is expected to sweep across the Florida Panhandle late Thursday and continue moving north and east through Georgia, South Carolina and North Carolina on Friday and Saturday, according to the National Hurricane Center.

After that, the storm -- or remnants of the storm system -- could push its way into Virginia, Delaware and New Jersey, bringing heavy rain and strong winds to the Garden State on Saturday and Sunday, said Lee Robertson, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service's regional forecast office in Mount Holly.

This map shows the projected track of Tropical Storm Hermine during the next several days. (National Hurricane Center) 

"We do have potential for some heavy rainfall and gusty winds across the area," Robertson said. "There could also be some coastal flooding, but that really depends on the track."

Robertson noted the storm's track remains uncertain at this time, which is typical for any weather system that is more than 1,000 miles away from our area.

"It's still pretty early, so there still can be some variance with the track. It can move further out to sea, or it could move further inland," he said.

Jersey Shore swimmers could face rough surf

Robertson said if the storm moves offshore, hugging the Atlantic coast, there's a potential for coastal flooding in New Jersey. If the storm tracks further west and stays over land, it would likely get weaker but could still bring pockets of heavy rain and gusty winds to the area.  

Either way, these are long-range projections and they could easily change between now and the weekend, Robertson noted. But he advises New Jerseyans to monitor the latest forecasts and any advisories that may be issued.

Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @LensReality or like him on Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The theme park is expected to unveil a multi-sensory, interactive dark ride in the spring of 2017. Watch video

JACKSON - Six Flags Great Adventure announced Thursday morning that it will add a new interactive ride to its lineup of thrill rides in 2017.

The theme park is expected to unveil Justice League: Battle for Metropolis - a multi-sensory, interactive dark ride that has already received high praise, including being named "Best New Attraction" by Theme Park Insider and "Best New Product" by the International Association of Amusement Parks and Attractions.

Guests on the ride will become members of the Justice League Reserve team and engage in a journey to save the city of Metropolis as they battle alongside Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, Green Lantern, The Flash, Supergirl and Cyborg against Super Villains Lex Luthor and The Joker.

The ride features:

• 4D ride experience with wind, fire, mist and fog effects, and animatronic characters.
• Six-passenger, motion-platform cars that twist, tilt and spin while going through hairpin, 360-degree turns, all synched to the action on the screens.
• Virtual loop and barrel roll, giving riders the head-over-heels feeling.
• High definition, 3D animation that immerses riders into the city of Metropolis.
• State-of-the-art, real-time gaming elements including 600 virtual and tangible targets.

"This ride is a game-changer and without question one of the most innovative, interactive and exciting attractions we have ever undertaken," Six Flags Great Adventure's new president Neal Thurman said in a release. "The world-class game play and cutting-edge technology will have guests fully engaged in non-stop action."

The ride is expected to open to the public in the late spring of 2017.

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

Labor Day is dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor, Labor Day is "dedicated to the social and economic achievements of American workers. It constitutes a yearly national tribute to the contributions workers have made to the strength, prosperity, and well-being of our country."

The Department also notes that Labor Day, which grew out of local and state initiatives, became a national holiday through an act of Congress in 1894.

My dad, John Hatala Jr., designing something that would go completely over my head at Struthers-Dunn in Pitman in 1967. In fact, it likely did go over my head; he designed relays for, among other things, F14 fighters and the Titan rocket.Courtesy of Struthers-Dunn 

We post this gallery in celebration of the hard working people in the Garden State.

Here, we pay homage to people working in a broad range of occupations -- oyster shuckers, glassware packers, linemen and builders, beer brewers and pear pickers.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

Here, you will see photos of factory workers and hospital employees, embroiderers and farmers, piano makers and toll takers.

We salute them all. Be sure captions are enabled to read about each picture.

Can't get enough? 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.

The current bill would cement into law that projects that receive public money — including beach replenishment projects — be consistent with the public trust doctrine.

By Tim Dillingham

Fishermen, surfers and the public in New Jersey face a gauntlet of hurdles to get to the water's edge in many places. Despite a 2,000-year old public trust legal doctrine guaranteeing the rights of the public to access tidal waters, and a long history of support from New Jersey's Supreme Court, politics, weak state regulatory policies over coastal development and aggressive measures by some towns to keep "outsiders" away create inaccessible waterfronts throughout the state.

Sens. Bob Smith (D-Middlesex) and Kip Bateman (R-Somerset) have introduced a bill (S-2490) regarding public access to tidal waters and waterfronts. The challenge of protecting, promoting and enhancing the public's ability to take advantage of their right to access waters and waterfronts is one of the most contentious issues in the state.

The proposal would cement into law that projects that receive public money -- including beach replenishment projects -- be consistent with the public trust doctrine. These are critical steps towards meaningful public access to the shore. This proposed bill provides for needed policies and direction to the state.

Today, public access to the state's waters and waterfronts continues to be lost. Mantoloking and Deal continue to adopt restrictive parking ordinances near traditional access ways such as street ends in attempts to make beaches private, beaches rebuilt with taxpayer dollars; beautiful summer days bring early closures of Island Beach State Park and Sandy Hook because they are full. Towns give street ends near the water to neighboring property owners in Sea Bright, Deal and Long Branch, preventing public access.

Seaside Heights is selling its beach to a developer. Despite millions of dollars of taxpayer support for beach restoration projects, there is no parking, insufficient access and no stairways over seawalls, an issue facing Atlantic City where great fishing opportunities could help the struggling city. Existing fishing spots such as the jetties of Elberon are sacrificed to beach nourishment projects without replacement.

In North Jersey, obstructions are created to public spaces by adjacent property owners, enabled by a lack of enforcement from the Department of Environmental Protection.

A recent report found that only 9 percent of the Hudson estuary waterfront in areas determined as "highest need" is publicly accessible; areas where higher percentages of youth and people of color live, and median household incomes are 53 percent lower than the region in general.

Lastly, along the Shore, high beach fees raise concerns about discriminatory impacts and increased safety risk, as people use the beaches after lifeguards have left, in order to avoid the costs.

The legislation draws on the consensus findings of a task force that was created by the Senate Environment Committee. The task force's report provided a comprehensive compilation of the significant issues surrounding public access, and reflected the positions of many of the state's organized stakeholders in the debate.

The bill establishes that the state has a "duty to promote, protect and safeguard the public's rights" in tidal waters, waterfronts and formerly filled tidelands, and "to ensure reasonable and meaningful public access to tidal waters and adjacent shorelines."

It provides goals for the DEP:  

"Make all areas of the coast and tidal waters and waterfronts available to the public to the greatest extent possible; protect existing access; provide access in all communities equitably; maximize different experiences offered by the diversity of New Jersey's tidal waters and waterfronts; ensure that public expenditures and investments maximize public use and access where such investments are made and that (sic) remove physical and institutional impediments to the maximum extent possible."

These goals would shape regulations to control coastal development, fund beach nourishment programs and enforce violations of the public's right to access the water.

It is clear from the ongoing and chronic conflicts around public access to the water that a clearer direction from the Legislature is needed, and that the DEP needs to be more aggressive in protecting the public's rights of access. Smith and Bateman's proposal is a good and much needed start.

Tim Dillingham is the executive director of the American Littoral Society, a coastal conservation organization based in Highlands. 

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Keep the fun going at the Jersey Shore.

Though summer is surely winding down, we've got a few Shore events to keep the fun going into September.

Times and dates are subject to change. Please call or check website before attending an event.

1

Thursdays by the Sea, Long Branch

Labor Day weekend kicks off with a concert featuring Brian Kirk and the Jirks, from 7 to 8:30 p.m., at Pier Village at Ocean Avenue. Fireworks to follow. For information, visit jsjbf.org.

* * *

4

Wildwood Block Party and Music Festival

An end-of-summer event at Fox Park, located at Ocean Avenue, between Burk and Montgomery avenues, will run from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. This family festival will include crafts, games, rides, food and continuous live entertainment. For information, call (609) 522-2444 or visit WildwoodNJ.org.

* * *

5

Courtesy of ocnj.us  

OCNJ Labor Day Race, Ocean City

This 5-mile beach run and 1-mile fun run/walk will benefit Ocean City recreation scholarships and programs. Entry fees are $20 prior to race day and $25 on race day; $10 for participants ages 14 and younger. For information, call (609) 399-6111 or visit ocnj.us/RaceEvents.

* * *

8 to 11

Roar to the Shore Motorcycle Rally, Wildwood

Cape Classics Motorcycle Club hosts a four-day biker extravaganza, featuring bike shows, stunt shows and live entertainment. Activities will surround the Wildwoods Convention Center and the area around Oak and Atlantic avenues. The event will run Thursday, Friday and Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For information, call (609) 729-8870 or visit RoarToTheShoreOnline.com.

* * *

9 to 11

Courtesy of seaislecity
food.com 

Sea Isle City Food Truck Festival

The rain-or-shine festival will be held at Kix McNutley's, at 63rd Street and Landis Avenue. It features food vendors, crafters, family entertainment, live music and drinks. Times are Friday and Saturday, from noon to 8 p.m.; and Sunday, from noon to 5 p.m. For information, call (609) 318-4504 or visit seaislecityfood.com.

* * *

11

Morey's Piers "Going to the Dogs," Wildwood

Canines are welcome to paddle in the pools of the Raging Waters Water Park at Morey's Piers. Registration opens on July 1. Dogs can swim from 5:30 to 7 p.m. (check-in begins at 5 p.m.). Water bowls and free dog treats will be available. The event also will include a "doggy swimsuit competition," starting at 6:15 p.m. Tickets are $20 per pooch and $10 per person. For information or to purchase tickets for the event, which benefits the NJSPCA, call (609) 522-3900 or visit MoreysPiers.com.

* * *

16 to 18

Eighth annual "QUE by the SEA" BBQ Festival and Competition, Seaside Heights

The event is billed as a "BBQ lover's weekend," with food specialties, all-day musical entertainment, artists and crafters, and the annual Seaside Heights BBQ Competition on Grant Avenue. The free festival will be held on Friday, from 5 to 10 p.m.; on Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.; and on Sunday, from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Visit exit82.com.

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Forecasters say Jersey Shore is likely to face rough surf and some rain during Labor Day Weekend, but the exact track of the storm will determine the timing and severity.

The projected track of Tropical Storm Hermine has shifted eastward again, with the brunt of the storm more likely to remain farther away from New Jersey than the westward track that forecasters had projected Wednesday night.

However, the Garden State still remains in the so-called "cone of uncertainty" on the latest forecast maps released Thursday morning by the National Hurricane Center.

As a result, New Jersey could still be in line for heavy rain and gale-force winds from the remnants of Hermine during the Labor Day weekend, forecasters said. The severity of those effects will not be known until the storm moves past Florida and the Carolinas late Thursday night into Friday morning.

UPDATE: Tropical storm watch issued for N.J.

If the storm maintains an offshore track, southern and eastern sections of New Jersey would get some rain, and it's possible many parts of northern and western New Jersey would remain dry this weekend, the National Weather Service said in its morning forecast discussion.

However, the agency cautioned that even a minor change in the track of the storm could dramatically change its impact. "A shift in the track of even 20 miles will make a big difference," the weather service said.

Forecasters, however, are confident that any track of the storm is likely to produce rough surf and very strong rip currents along the Jersey Shore throughout most of the Labor Day weekend.

With the storm still more than 1,000 miles away from the region at this time, forecasters have less confidence in the amount of rain that could fall across the state.  

Storm track

On Thursday morning, Tropical Storm Hermine continued to drift slowly toward the Florida Panhandle, with maximum sustained winds of 65 mph. Forecasters from the National Hurricane Center expect the storm to strengthen into a low-level hurricane when it makes landfall near Apalachee Bay, in the Big Bend section of Florida, late Thursday night or early Friday morning.

After that, the storm is expected to move north and east over Georgia, then hug the coasts of South Carolina and North Carolina on Saturday.

The hurricane center then expects the storm to drift offshore, farther into the Atlantic Ocean on Sunday. But it might slow down or stall out in the ocean, east of Delaware and New Jersey, and could remain there on Monday and Tuesday, according to the morning projections. 

If the storm system plants itself in that area, the biggest threat of torrential rain and strong winds would remain offshore in the Atlantic Ocean instead of over land, forecasters said.

Regardless of the storm's future track, it's very likely the Jersey Shore will be in for rough surf and dangerous rip currents, according to the National Weather Service's regional forecast office in Mount Holly.

"Definitely, rip currents are a concern for this weekend," said Lance Franck, a meteorologist at the weather service. "Not only that, but there's a concern for mariners," with elevated seas expected off the Jersey coast.

Franck added it's important for residents to pay attention to the cone of uncertainty, because as of now New Jersey remains within that cone. So there's still a chance, even if it's small, that the center of the storm could move over the state.

UPDATE: Shortly before 2 p.m. Thursday, Tropical Storm Hermine's maximum sustained winds strengthened to 75 mph, so the storm was upgraded to a hurricane. The storm was moving 14 mph to the north-northeast and was about 115 miles south of Apalachicola, Florida, and about 175 miles west of Tampa.

Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @LensReality or like him on Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Karen Gruen is a speech therapist with the Lakewood School District in Ocean County. Watch video

HOWELL -- A woman accused of leaving her baby inside her car on a sweltering day in a department store parking lot is a teacher with the Lakewood School District, police said.

Karen Gruen, 33, of Lakewood, is a speech therapist in the district, Howell police Detective Sgt. Christian Antunez said.

Steve Eckel and the infant police say he pulled from a hot car in Howell Monday, Aug. 30, 2016. (Courtesy of Steve Eckel)  

Gruen is a tenured teacher who earns a salary of $57,636, according to a Board of Education agenda dated May 11, 2016. 

It's unclear what will happen to Gruen's employment with the Lakewood School District. An attorney representing the township's Board of Education, Marc Zitomer, declined to comment on Gruen's status with the district.

Gruen could not be reached for comment.

She is charged with endangering the welfare of a child, a second-degree crime, and was released with a summons.

The case, however, was turned over to the Monmouth County Prosecutor's Office, a spokesman, Charles Webster, confirmed.

Gruen is accused of leaving her 4-month-old baby inside her blue 2006 Nissan Sentra with all the windows up for approximately 40 minutes on Monday at the Kohl's parking lot on Route 9, authorities said. Temperatures on that day were just below 90 degrees.

Steve Eckel, a 53-year-old retired Middlesex County sheriff's officer, was alerted to the infant in the vehicle when he heard the baby crying. Eckel grabbed a sledgehammer from his vehicle and used it to break the front passenger's side window.

Eckel unlocked the Sentra and removed the baby from the car with the assistance of Sarah Mazzone, a patron who happened to be walking by the car the same time as Eckel.

While Howell police officers were speaking to Eckel and Mazzone, they saw Gruen arrive at her vehicle and start to panic. They told her that her baby was in the store and being treated by Howell First Aid.

The baby was turned over to the father, police said.

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

Authorities said information about Vincent Spataro was a referral from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children

Vincent Spataro(Ocean County Jail) 

BERKELEY -- A Berkeley Township man was arrested Thursday on charges he distributed images of child pornography from his home computer, Ocean County authorities said.

Vincent Spataro, 63, was charged with possession of child pornography and distribution of child pornography after investigators executed a search warrant on his Carlisle Road home in the Silver Ridge Park West neighborhood, said Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph Coronato.

The prosecutor's High Tech Crime Unit teamed up with the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement's Homeland Security Investigations and Berkeley Township police to seize computers and hard drives from Spataro's home, the prosecutor said.

Investigators found videos and images of prepubescent children engaged in sexual acts, Coronato said.

He said information about Spataro was a referral from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children through the Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force. 

Spataro was being held on $50,000 bail with no 10 percent alternative.

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

Ocean County authorities say they will prosecute the theft of political signs Watch video

BERKELEY -- Authorities in Ocean County are looking for suspects who stole a Donald Trump campaign sign Monday night from the lawn of a home in the Bayville section of Berkeley Township.

Ocean County Prosecutor Joseph Coronato said he's taking the theft of campaign lawn signs seriously and will prosecute these cases because they are violations of victims' property and of their freedom of speech.

The prosecutor's office on Thursday released a video that shows a sedan-type car pull up to a home on Bowsprit Drive at 9 p.m. In the video, a person is seen getting out of the passenger's side and running around the front of the car to grab the sign, which is on the driver's side of the car. As the suspect crouches down to rip the sign out of the lawn, the sedan moves forward slightly as if to give the alleged thief more cover and put him closer to the car door. After pulling the sign out, the suspect jumps into the back seat behind the driver and the car pulls away quickly.

Coronato said there have been reports of several Trump signs stolen from homes in this neighborhood.

He asked anyone with information about these thefts to call local police or the prosecutor's office 732 929-2027. All tips are kept confidential.

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

The proposed increase, which would go into effect the summer of 2017, was the subject of an open house at Sandy Hook on Wednesday night

SANDY HOOK -- National Park Service officials defended a proposed increase in parking fees starting next summer at Sandy Hook at an open house Wednesday night that attracted few people but a slew of questions about how the additional money would be used.

As one of the three parks in New Jersey and New York making up what is known as Gateway National Recreation Area, Sandy Hook needs the increase to fund existing programs, repair buildings and restore natural habitats, among other initiatives, parks officials have said.

But the plan also has its detractors who say that while that additional money may be destined for worthy projects, it could backfire and discourage patrons from visiting the 7-mile peninsula bordered by Sandy Hook Bay and the Atlantic Ocean. 

U.S. Rep. Frank Pallone said he was concerned that a jump from $15 to $20 per car per day and from $75 to $100 for a season pass could put the beach out of reach for many residents. Senior passes would be half of the daily or seasonal fee.

Pallone noted the hike would amount to twice as much as the fees from five years ago, when the charge for parking was $10 a day per car.

"I don't want to see it become less affordable by doubling the fees," Pallone said.

He questioned why parking fees were more expensive at Sandy Hook than at one of Gateway's other beaches, Jacob Riis Park in Queens, New York, and said he was concerned that although Sandy Hook would generate the majority of the parking fees at Gateway's three sites, it wouldn't get its fair share of the revenue for repairs and improvements.

Sandy Hook's proposed parking fee hikes come under fire

Atlantic Highlands Mayor Rhonda LeGrice questioned whether the added revenue would be used to replace the food trucks that are servicing beach patrons after Hurricane Sandy in 2012 badly damaged or destroyed the concession stands at the beach centers.

"The food trucks are great but they're not a replacement," LeGrice said.

Park officials said the proposed parking fees are based on prices that would not undercut other beaches in New Jersey. Michal Wisniewski, business management specialist for the park service, said the proposed $15 parking fee at Riis Park is lower than Sandy Hook because other nearby beaches - Robert Moses State Park and Jones Beach on Long Island - charge $10 per car in the summer.

Wisniewski said that while it's difficult to compare per-person fees  -- as most beaches in New Jersey are based - with Sandy Hook's per-car fee, park officials based their decisions on beaches such as Seaside Heights, which charges $7 per person on weekdays and $8 on weekends, and Avon-by-the-Sea, which charges $9 a day.

"While municipal beaches are increasing their rates, Sandy Hook must also not undercut those beaches at the same time," Wisniewski said.

But Pallone and LeGrice said the park service should have considered the fees at beaches closer to Sandy Hook, such as Asbury Park and Long Branch - which charge less than Seaside and Avon.

File photo 

Richard McCormick, a Hopatcong resident who's been going to Sandy Hook for more than four decades, said he wouldn't object to the proposed parking fee increase if all park patrons were charged to get in and if rangers cracked down on enforcement of existing park policies, such as no littering and no glass beverage containers.

McCormick said the park could reduce the proposed increase by extending the hours parking fees are charged by two hours - until 7 p.m.

Daphne Yun, a spokeswoman for Sandy Hook, said any changes in hours or in the areas where parking fees are effective would have to come from the U.S. Department of Interior, which oversees the park service.

She said some of the projects planned for Sandy Hook that would be funded partially through the proposed increase include improvements to the former Nike missile radar site and new restrooms at Guardian Park.

Sandy Hook, which attracts nearly 2 million visitors annually, charges parking fees at all its beach centers but does not charge a fee for patrons who park in the non-beach center lots north of the former Nike missile radar site, such as at Guardian Park, a popular spot for barbecues near Fort Hancock.

The open house was part of the public comment period that opened on July 29 and runs through Sept. 5. The park service set up tables last month outside two beach centers to take comment from beachgoers.

Members of the public may also submit written comments online atGateway_Fee_increase@nps.gov, or at the following address:

Office of the Superintendent
Gateway National Recreation Area
ATTN:  Proposed parking fee increase
210 New York Ave., Staten Island, New York 10305

Hermine will likely be a tropical storm or a nor-easter-type storm by the time it reaches the New Jersey coast, but forecasters say it will still pack powerful winds and heavy rain.

The National Hurricane Center has issued a tropical storm watch for the entire New Jersey coast, from Sandy Hook down to Cape May, with Hurricane Hermine expected to slam into the Florida panhandle late Thursday night, then push its way up the Atlantic coast toward the Garden State late Saturday into early Sunday.

The watch essentially puts New Jersey's coastal counties on alert that tropical storm-force winds could hit the region during the next 48 hours.

Although uncertainty looms over the precise track and intensity of the storm, forecasters say Hermine will likely weaken to a tropical storm or a nor'easter-type system after crossing through Florida and Georgia and hugging the coasts of South Carolina and North Carolina.

Then it's expected to slow down as it makes its way further north and east, off the coast of Delaware and New Jersey by Saturday night. 

This map shows the projected track of Hurricane Hermine, which is expected to hit the Florida panhandle before moving up the Atlantic coast during Labor Day weekend. (National Hurricane Center)  

Here are the latest projections from the National Weather Service on the storm's timing, path and impact on New Jersey:

TIMING: Winds are expected to increase around mid-day Saturday, then continue through the Labor Day weekend. Rain is expected to begin on Saturday, then continue through Sunday, heavy at times, with as much as 3 to 5 inches possible in southern New Jersey. The weather service said gusty winds could knock down trees and power lines.

RIP CURRENTS: "A moderate to high risk for the formation of dangerous rip currents will continue through at least Labor Day, and may continue into Tuesday," the weather service said in a storm briefing Thursday evening. "As is always the case, people at the beach should enter the water only if lifeguards are present. Most rip current deaths occur on beaches when and where no lifeguards are on duty."

STRONG WINDS: The weather service says much of the New Jersey region could be hit by tropical storm-force winds -- sustained winds of 39 mph or stronger. "The highest chance is along the Delaware beaches and the southern New Jersey Shore," the weather service said. "Even with an off-shore track, gusts of 30 to 35 mph are expected along the coast."

HEAVY RAIN: Based on the latest storm track projections, the highest risk of heavy rain is along the coast and coastal plains of New Jersey. "The primary flooding hazard will be street and flash flooding," the weather service said. "The recent dry weather will lessen but not eliminate the risk of river and stream flooding. There is expected to be a sharp cutoff in the heavy rain dependent on the track of Hermine. A track further off the coast lessens the threat for heavy rain."

TIDAL FLOODING: The weather service said minor tidal flooding is likely along the Jersey Shore, starting with the high tide cycle Saturday evening and continuing through the high tide cycle Sunday night and perhaps into Labor Day. "Moderate tidal flooding is possible with the Sunday high tide cycles," the weather service added. "Given multiple rounds of tidal flooding, water in the back bays will have a hard time draining between tidal cycles, which could lead to prolonged flooding in these locations."

STORM TRACK: Shortly before 2 p.m. Thursday, Tropical Storm Hermine strengthened into a hurricane, with maximum sustained winds of 75 mph. As of 8 p.m., the storm was moving 14 mph to the north-northeast and was about 45 miles south of Apalachicola, Florida, and about 105 miles west of Cedar Key, Florida.

UPDATE: At about 6 p.m., the Ocean Prediction Center issued a tropical storm warning for the ocean waters along the entire New Jersey coast because of the likelihood of high wave heights and strong winds throughout the weekend.

Len Melisurgo may be reached at LMelisurgo@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @LensReality or like him on Facebook. Find NJ.com on Facebook. 

The changes were intended to help North Jersey powerhouses like Don Bosco and Bergen Catholic, but now some athletic officials are questioning how the tweaks came to be.

The New Jersey State Interscholastic Athletic Association released a revision to its football tournament regulations this afternoon, including an apparent change to the power points calculations that could provide significant boosts to teams that play North Jersey power programs.

According to the regulations, teams that play North Jersey Super Football Conference United Red and White Division teams will receive two times the quality, group and residual points against Red Division teams and 1.5 times the points against White Division teams. Also, “in either case, points will be calculated as though the opponent had won, regardless of the actual outcome of the game,” the regulations say.

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Before the change in calculations, an opponent who lost to a United Red or White Division team would have earned no quality points. Under the new changes, the losing team would earn 12 points regardless of the outcome.

The change could drastically affect which teams make the playoffs — and how teams that do make the playoffs are seeded.

“A team with a better record can win the game against a team with a poorer record, and the team with poorer record would get more power points than the winning team — how can that be?” said West Jersey Football League president and Ewing athletic director Bud Kowal, whose teams could be hurt by the calculations change. “First, you’re giving points for losing, and then you’re giving the team that lost more points than the team that won.”

Earlier this year, the NJSIAA Executive Committee approved two proposals aimed at enticing teams to play NJSFC power programs. The first proposal granted bonus power points to schools that play teams from the United Red (Don Bosco, Bergen Catholic, Paramus Catholic, St. Peter’s and St. Joseph Regional) and White (Pope John, Delbarton, Seton Hall and DePaul) divisions, and the second allowed all nine teams in both divisions to automatically qualify for the state playoffs.

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However, the initial proposals did not appear to include granting quality bonus points regardless of outcome. It’s unclear how or when the extra line was added to the regulations.

Jack DuBois, the NJSIAA assistant director who oversees football, did not immediately return phone messages seeking comment Thursday night.

“That’s not what I remember voting on in the Executive Committee,” said Paul VI athletic director Tony Mitchell, who sits on the Executive Committee. “I don’t know how that suddenly happened. If I go to play Don Bosco, I just have to show up and I get all those points? That’s not what I thought we voted on. That’s not how I remember it being explained in the meeting.”

Meanwhile, NJSFC president and Nutley athletic director Joe Piro said there should not be any confusion about the new calculations, adding the changes were made clear earlier this year.

"The Commissioner of Education says we have to provide [the power programs] with full and fair schedules and that's what we're trying to do," Piro said. "In order to do that, we have to put incentives in place for teams to play them. Those incentives were more power points. We've been talking about this since the inception of the Super Football Conference."

Mitchell said he plans to raise the issue at the Sept. 14 Executive Committee meeting in Robbinsville.

“We’ll see what happens there,” he said. “Someone may bring it up and ask for an explanation how that came to be because everyone I spoke to had no idea that’s what it was. That’s a new line just added.”

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