Police are looking for a man involved in an alleged ATV hit-and-run in Newark.

NEWARK -- Authorities are looking for an ATV driver who struck and critically injured a 76-year-old man Sunday as he was walking on a city street.

The man riding the ATV hit the pedestrian near Broad and Bridge Streets at about 4:03 p.m. Sunday, Newark police said. Witnesses told police the ATV rider fled southbound on Broad Street, with a group of other motorcyclists and ATV drivers.

Pepper-spraying hairdresser arrested, cops say

The pedestrian was taken to University Hospital, where police said Sunday night he was in critical but stable condition.

Anyone with information about the hit-and-run is asked to call Newark police at 877-695-8477 or 877-695-4867. 

Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Complete guide to the first round of the state tournament.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

• The first round of the NJSIAA state tournament gets underway on Monday. Check out the statewide schedule/scoreboard. 

Who do NJ.com's reporters think will get it done on the pitch in the state tournament? Check out the X-Factors heading into the state tournament.

• NJ.com previewed every single bracket of the state tournament. See them all right here.

• Check out every state tournament bracket, which will be updated throughout the tournament.

• NJ.com has a loaded coverage schedule for Monday and will have coverage from Lenape at No. 13 Rancocas Valley, Old Bridge at New Brunswick, Somerville at West Morris, Pleasantville at Robbinsville, Edison at Trenton, Jackson Liberty at Allentown, Pennsville at Schalick and Bordentown at West Deptford.

• Check out NJ.com's 10 biggest takeaways from the state tournament seeding meeting.

• On Sunday No. 6 Newark East Side knocked off No. 1 Seton Hall Prep for its first Essex County Tournament championship since 1978.

• Six county tournament champions were crowned on Saturday. Check out the results and links for coverage from them all.

• Who are the top sophomores in the state? Check out NJ.com's list of sophomore standouts for the 2016 season.

• Also check out NJ.com's fab freshmen from this season.

Richard Greco may be reached at rgreco@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @RichardGrecohs. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

A look at 20 big N.J. performances in college football this weekend.

The agreement was the latest in a reported string of settlements made in lawsuits filed against a former Belleville schools superintendent by disgruntled employees.

BELLEVILLE -- The township school district has paid out a $90,000 settlement to a former secretary who sued alleging she was fired because of a history of mental illness, according to a report.

The settlement is the latest from a series of lawsuits filed after an ex-superintendent stepped down from the position four years ago.

Belleville schools reached the settlement with Maria Notare, the former secretary to Superintendent Joseph Picardo, according to NorthJersey.com

Notare alleged that she was told in June 2012 that her contract was not being renewed because of budgetary constraints, but she was actually fired because of her history of mental illness, the report said.

Notare accused Picardo of making negative comments to other employees about her condition, which she argued did not affect her job performance, NorthJersey.com reported.

The settlement marks the latest in a tumultuous legal period for the district.

After less than two years in the role, Picardo stepped down as superintendent in 2012 after a sexual harassment lawsuit was filed against him by the district's former curriculum director.

In the suit, Michael Meyers claimed multiple sexual abuses and bodily injury. That suit reportedly ended in a $475,000 settlement paid out to Meyers last year.

According to NorthJersey.com, the district has since settled at least two other suits filed against Picardo by former employees totaling more than $100,000.

Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

High school seniors are the winners of the Wendy's High School Heisman.

MILLBURN -- Matthew Grossman of Millburn High School and Allison Monstroianni of Bridgewater-Raritan Regional High School are the 2016 New Jersey state winners of the Wendy's High School Heisman.

The award is presented each year to one high school senior male and one female in each state for their "dedication to never cutting corners."

To be considered, students must maintain a GPA of at least 3.0, be leaders and role models at school and in their community, and participate in a sport.

Grossman and Monstroianni were among 20 New Jersey high school seniors to make it to the state finals. They will receive a $1,000 college scholarship, a silver medal, and will compete against 100 other state winners from across the country for one of the 10 National Finalist spots.

The National title winner will be announced Dec. 9 in New York City.

To submit school news send an email to essex@starledger.com.

Newark police are seeking the public's help in locating the woman.

NEWARK -- Authorities are seeking the public's help in locating a city woman who they say shot at another woman during an altercation Sunday evening.

Latesha Bittle. (Courtesy Newark police)
 

Newark police say Latesha Bittle, 27, is wanted in connection with an incident at around 5 p.m. Sunday near Johnson Avenue and Stratford Place in which a 28-year-old woman was shot at.

Police have issued a warrant for Bittle's arrest as a suspect in the shooting, authorities announced Monday.

"While police are actively searching for Bittle, we seek the public's assistance in quickly locating and removing her from our streets," police said in a release.

Anyone with information about her whereabouts is asked to call 877-695-8477 or 877-695-4867.

Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The passenger in the vehicle which allegedly struck and killed a 7-year-old girl in West New York as she crossed a street with her mother on her way to school has been accepted into the pretrial intervention program but the prosecutor's office says no way.

JERSEY CITY - A Newark woman who authorities say was the passenger in a vehicle that struck and killed a 7-year-old girl in February has seen her bid for pretrial intervention rejected by the Hudson County Prosecutor's Office. 

Prosecutors say Johana Rosas-Alvarez, 26, was riding as a passenger in the SUV driven by her husband, Fabian Rodriguez, 33, also of Newark, when it struck Shaila Pichardo, 7, just after 8 a.m. on Feb. 29. The girl and her mother were crossing VanBuren Place at 61st Street, authorities said. 

Authorities say Rosas-Alvarez tampered with evidence by allegedly lying to police and saying the car was stolen at the time of the incident, as well as having the car washed and stickers removed from it. She is also charged with endangering an injured or helpless victim - the girl's mother - by leaving the scene.

Pretrial intervention provides a route for first time offenders charged with lesser crimes to undergo a period of supervised release. It the person fulfills their obligation in the program, the charges are wiped from the defendant's record.  

When Rosas-Alvarez and Rodriguez appeared in court today, Hudson County Assistant Prosecutor Leo Hernandez said his office has rejected Rosas-Alvarez's application to enter into the PTI program, saying it was due the nature and circumstance of the incident.

Rosas-Alvarez's lawyer said he will file an appeal of the rejection with Hudson County Superior Court Judge Mark Nelson. The judge will then rule on whether the PTI application will be granted or rejected. 

Meanwhile, Rodriguez is charged with leaving the scene of an accident resulting in death, hindering apprehension for reporting the car stolen and endangering an injured victim - the girl's mother. The mother suffered injuries to her legs and was treated at Palisades Medical Center that day and at another hospital afterward.

Rodriguez is a native of Ecuador and an undocumented alien in the United States. He is being held in the Hudson County jail.

Rosas-Alvarez's lawyer asked Nelson for a few weeks to file the PTI rejection appeal. 

The blaze broke out in a home on Valley Road after 6 p.m, according to reports

WEST ORANGE -- No one was hurt in a house fire in West Orange on Monday night, according to reports.

Smoke and flames began pouring from the home on the 500 block of Valley Road after 6 p.m., according to CBS-2.

Firefighters appeared to have brought the blaze under control before it re-ignited in the attic, according to TapInto.Net. A portion of the roof and the home's first floor collapsed before the fire was completely knocked down around 10 p.m.

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

The department's Office of Internal Affairs is no longer in a police building.

NEWARK -- For the first time in city history, the Newark Police Department's internal affairs unit has been moved to a non-law enforcement building.

Officials said the move is intended to create a more welcoming environment for residents to report police wrongdoing. The new Office of Internal Affairs is located on the first floor of a building at 494 Broad Street, the department recently announced.

"I had pledged to relocate Internal Affairs as part of my 45-day initiative shortly after being named the Public Safety Director," Anthony Ambrose said in a statement, referencing a reform plan he put in place after being named to the top law enforcement post in the city earlier this year.

"With the assistance of Mayor Baraka, we have completed the final piece of my 45-day plan and moved Internal Affairs away from any police facility."  

Courts OK federal deal to oversee NPD 

The building is designed to be inviting to residents, with on-site parking, and new furniture and computers, officials said.

The change comes in the wake of ongoing reforms in the police department after a scathing 2014 Department of Justice review that found sweeping wrongdoings within the Newark police department. The department has been under a federal monitor since earlier this year.

In addition to reporting issues at the new IA building, people looking to lodge complaints about police officers can do so:

• Online, at www.newarkpdonline.org, click on the "police divison" tab, then on "complaint against personnel."
• In person, at any police facility in the city, ask for the highest-ranking supervisor on duty.
• By mail, via a "citizen complaint form" picked up from a police facility and mailed to the Office of Internal Affairs, 494 Broad Street First Floor, Newark, N.J. 07102.
• By telephone, at 973-733-6171, from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Off hours, people can call 973-733-6000, or sending a fax to 973-353-8469.

Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

We ranked the smallest municipalities by area in New Jersey using data from the NJ Department of Environmental Protection and found out how they became so small.

New Jersey hospitals are better than the national average at protecting patient safety, according to a national look at their records.

New Jersey hospitals collectively saw a slight improvement in their safety "report card," in data released Monday, bringing their grades up from a drop last spring.

Although the hospitals are tied for 17^th nationally, that still puts them above the national average as a group, as about a third of the 68 hospitals that share data with a non-profit group received an 'A' grade.

Three hospitals - down from five - maintained their bragging rights by keeping their streak of straight As alive from 2013, when the grades were first issued: Englewood Hospital and Medical Center, Saint Barnabas Medical Center, and Jersey City Medical Center.

The safety grades are compiled by the Leapfrog Group, which was formed by employers and public health experts who were concerned about the number of avoidable safety problems at hospitals - infections, medication errors, an ill-trained staff.

The group measures safety based on how likely patients are to get a hospital-acquired infection, have to return to the hospital after high-risk surgery, or be given the wrong medication.

In New Jersey, 25 hospitals received an A, 15 received a B, 25 received a C, and three were given a D.

"There's nothing dramatic in terms of changes from the Spring report - 11 hospitals improved at least one grade, eight received a lower grade, and 47 remained the same," said Aline Holmes, senior vice president of clinical affairs for the New Jersey Hospital Association. "We continue to be proud of the work being done in our members' hospitals to provide the best care possible."

The Leapfrog group's website, www.leapfrog.org, lets prospective patients research the safety scores of hospitals in their region.

Englewood's chief population health officer, Kathleen Kaminsky, said the hospital achieves its high score by emphasizing safety with  everyone from the board of trustees to all its employees.

"This is not a couple people trying to make it happen," she said. "It's not the survey that's twice a year. It's something that we focus on every day."

Three hospitals in the state received a 'D' grade - two of which were in the process of changing ownership when they were evaluated:

• HackensackUMC at Pascack Valley reopened in 2013 after being acquired by the parent company of neighboring Hackensack University Medical Center. The hospital chose not to submit data to the Leapfrog survey from those opening years, according to Emily Holliman, CEO of the hospital.

"Unfortunately, not submitting the data skewed our results ultimately resulting in the "D" rating," she said. Noting that in other rating systems the hospital is above the national average, she predicted the hospital's next Leapfrog grade would be better.

• Saint Michael's Medical Center in Newark was sold to Prime Healthcare, a for-profit company, this past May. That meant some of the information submitted to Leapfrog reflected the hospital's operation before the sale. 

"In the areas of the Leapfrog report that cover a more recent period under Prime Healthcare's ownership, the report shows we have made vast improvements in our processes in a short period of time," said Dr. Claudia Komer, the hospital's chief medical officer.

• A second Newark hospital, University Hospital, dropped from a 'C' to a 'D' in this report.

"The Leapfrog letter grades are based on data that is one year outdated, and are based on a methodology that is controversial," said a statement released by the hospital's spokeswoman. "While the high quality work and outstanding outcomes of University Hospital are not reflected in the Leapfrog scores, the executive leadership team is revamping the way our data are documented, coded, captured and measured so that the Leapfrog scores more accurately reflect the high level of clinical excellence at University Hospital."

Kathleen O'Brien may be reached at kobrien@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @OBrienLedger. Find NJ.com on Facebook. 

Jim Johnson, a former Treasury official and federal prosecutor, is mounting a primary challenge.

Former Treasury official and federal prosecutor Jim Johnson says he's running for governor of New Jersey. Courtesy Jim Johnson 

TRENTON -- A former U.S. Treasury official and federal prosecutor has announced he's running for governor, wading into a Democratic primary that many considered over before it officially began. 

Jim Johnson, of Montclair, has opened a campaign office in his hometown, looking to mount a challenge against banking executive and former U.S ambassador Phil Murphy, who kick-started his campaign with $10 million of his own money and is considered the odds-on favorite for the governorship.

Johnson told NJ Advance Media on Monday that he's running on a platform of rebuilding the state's economy, restoring bonds in the community and renewing trust in government. 

"I believe that elections, at the end of the day, are about the people who go to the voting booth," he said.  

Johnson is a former undersecretary for enforcement at the Treasury Department, where he oversaw the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms, the Secret Service, U.S. Customs and other agencies during President Bill Clinton's administration.

He also headed up New Jersey's Advisory Committee on Police Standards, which was formed during the late 1990s when the State Police was under federal monitoring for racial profiling, and has helped shape recent reforms including the Attorney General's Office's policy on the use of body-worn cameras.

While respected in law enforcement and police reform circles, he faces an uphill climb to raise his statewide profile and dismantle the infrastructure of support Murphy has already built. 

He'll also have to raise a significant amount of money to keep pace with his main opponent. 

Patrick Murray, the director of the Monmouth University Polling Institute, had a grim assessment of any upstart candidate's chances. 

"Phil Murphy's the Democratic nominee -- barring a scandal," he said.

Just weeks ago, the field of 2017 Democratic candidates was crowded, with leading state lawmakers and Jersey City Mayor Steven Fulop all considered contenders for their party's support. But one by one, those top Democrats fell behind Murphy, whose considerable resources and vigorous early campaigning won him the backing of many powerful county party chairs. 

5 things to know about Phil Murphy

Matthew Hale, a professor of political science at Seton Hall University, said New Jersey is a state that is "still run in many ways by county political bosses," calling their support crucial to candidates seeking either party's nomination. 

"Phil Murphy's done quite a masterful job of signing up all these county leaders," he said, adding a caveat: "In politics you never say never."

Johnson said he has "started to reach out to party leaders" as well as "many people who have, quite frankly, checked out of the process of government and turned away from the system."

Like Murphy, Johnson is a state political outsider with a record of public service but no experience in elected office, running on a platform of reform. His campaign staff includes political consultants who have worked for candidates including New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, former Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick and President Barack Obama.

"There is a lot of work that all of us need to do to re-engage people in this process, and I plan to be about that work," he said. 

He said revelations about the inner workings of the governor's office made during the federal trial over the George Washington Bridge lane closure demonstrate a need to re-earn the public's trust.

"We need to have a serious conversation about the lessons that have come out of Bridgegate," he said. "And those lessons don't start and end with either punishing people for political purposes or trading goodies for political purposes. They go to the core of what government's relationship ought to be to the people it serves."

On the Republican side, Assemblyman Jack Ciattarelli has formally announced he's running, along with Ocean County businessman Joseph Rullo. Lt. Gov. Kim Guadagno and a host of leading GOP legislators are also considered likely contenders. 

S.P. Sullivan may be reached at ssullivan@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

Male shot and killed, according to prosecutor's office

NEWARK -- A shooting Monday night left a 36-year-old man dead in the city, the Essex County Prosecutor's Office said. 

The shooting occurred on the 100 block of Ridgewood Avenue, according to prosecutor's office spokeswoman Katherine Carter. Authorities identified the victim as Michael J. Waters, of Newark.

Waters was shot around 7:20 p.m. and died at University Hospital approximately 30 minutes later, according to the prosecutor's office. There were no arrests and no suspects have been identified in the slaying. 

Newark has reported 77 murders this year, according to police records. There were 82 slayings during the same period last year.

Additional details were not immediately available.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

NJ.com picks all 32 sectional boys champions

No one was injured in the Tuesday morning blaze, officials said.

NEWARK -- City firefighters responded Tuesday morning to a multi-alarm blaze that broke out inside a home undergoing renovations, Newark Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose said.

No one was injured in the fire, which hit a Wainwright Street home that is under construction, but was vacant Tuesday morning, Ambrose said.

The cause of the fire is unknown and remains under investigation, authorities said. No other information about the fire was immediately available.

Jessica Mazzola may be reached at jmazzola@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @JessMazzola. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Here's a look at properties that closed within that price range in the Garden State.

Thousands of real estate deals closed in the Garden State in the last month -- from sprawling multimillion-dollar suburban estates to tiny row homes in the city with a sales price similar to other homes' property tax bills. 

But let's put aside the extremes of the New Jersey home market for now and explore what has recently sold for between $400,000 to $500,000, a range that secured a Jersey Shore cottage two blocks from the beach and a North Jersey home with lake views.

The 10 hottest real estate markets in N.J. this year

A homebuyer working within that budget in October also bought a five-bedroom home in North Brunswick with a wood-burning fireplace in the kitchen and a walk-out basement with a recreation room and wet bar. That home sold for $500,000, $25,000 less than the asking price

A four-bedroom, two-bathroom property in Parsippany-Troy Hills listed at $400,000, meanwhile, sold for more than it was listed at last month. That bi-level home, which has two decks overlooking a pond, closed at $410,200, three months after it came on the market.

Those residences, as well as homes in Shrewsbury and Sparta and Branchburg and Berkeley Heights, that recently sold for $400,000 to $500,000 are featured in the gallery above. Click through to find out how much each property was most recently listed for, as well as the final sales price.

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

Raheem Brison is charged with murder and weapons offenses in the Oct. 23 shooting of Lewis Griffith.

NEWARK -- A Newark man charged in the fatal shooting of another city resident last week pleaded not guilty Tuesday in state Superior Court.

Raheem Brison, 24, was arrested last week by the Essex County Prosecutor's Office and the FBI Fugitive Task Force in the Oct. 23 shooting death of Lewis Griffith.

Griffith, 29, was shot at around 8:30 p.m. on Peabody Place and pronounced dead at the scene soon after.

Brison, who is charged with murder, possession of a weapon for unlawful purpose and unlawful possession of a weapon, entered not-guilty pleas to all charges through his attorney, John McMahon.

Brison previously was among 18 people indicted in a 2015 gun-trafficking case investigated by the New Jersey State Police. Authorities said the group had been offering a variety of firearms for sale from two homes in Newark, and repeatedly made sales of illegal assault weapons and handguns to undercover investigators.

Authorities have not specified an alleged motive for Griffith's killing.

Judge Ronald D. Wigler said Brison's charges will be referred to a grand jury, and set his bail at $750,000.

Thomas Moriarty may be reached at tmoriarty@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @ThomasDMoriarty. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Cash, other items stolen in afternoon robbery

NEWARK -- Police are seeking the public's help to identify the two gunmen who robbed an auto repair shop in the city.

The holdup occurred around 2:30 p.m. Oct. 20 at the business at 65 Goble Street, according to police. The armed robbers stole cash and other items from two men in the shop before fleeing in different directions.

One assailant walked toward Avenue C and the other headed north on Goble Street, authorities said.

1 dead after Newark shooting

Police described one robber as approximately 6-foot, 3-inches with dreadlocks, wearing a red hoodie jacket and blue jeans. The other suspect was 5-foot, 7-inches, about 150 pounds, and last seen wearing a gray hooded jacket and blue jeans. Police also released security camera images of the pair.

Anyone with information was urged to call Newark's 24-hour Crime Stopper tip line at 1-877-NWK-TIPS (1-877-695-8477) or 1-877-NWK-GUNS (1-877-695-4867). Anonymous tips are kept confidential and could lead to a reward, according to police.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Man underwent surgery after being shot several times on city street, authorities say.

Lamar Jenkins (Photo: Dept. of Public Safety) 

NEWARK -- Authorities on Tuesday identified a man wanted for allegedly shooting a Newark resident several times on a city street.

Lamar Jenkins, 30, of Irvington, remained at-large after a warrant was issued for his arrest, according to Public Safety Director Anthony Ambrose. Detectives identified Jenkins as a suspect in the Oct. 25 shooting, Ambrose said.

Jenkins pulled up next to a man on the 600 block of South 20th Street, got out of the car and shot the 36-year-old victim several times, according to authorities. The injured man underwent surgery and was listed in stable condition at University Hospital. Police did not disclose a motive for the shooting.

Cops release photos of duo wanted in gunpoint holdup

The attack was one of three separate shootings within less than 24 hours on Oct. 25.

In a statement, Ambrose urged anyone with information about Jenkins to contact the 24-hour Crime Stoppers tip line at 1-877-NWK-TIPS (1-877-695-8477) or 1-877-NWK-GUNS (1-877-695-4867). Authorities said anonymous tips are kept confidential and could lead to a reward.

Noah Cohen may be reached at ncohen@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @noahyc. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

A new city ordinance aims to hold developers accountable for their environmental impact.

NEWARK -- Two New Jersey congressmen toured a handful Newark neighborhoods Tuesday that have been hit hardest by harmful levels of industrial pollution months atter the city passed an ordinance to target contamination, the two announced in a release.

Donald M. Payne, Jr. at a press conference following a tour of the Port of New York and New Jersey and surrounding neighborhoods, including the Ironbound and South Ward.  

In July, the Newark City Council passed legislation that required developers requesting environmental permits to inform the city of any environmental impacts. 

Congressmen Donald M. Payne, Jr. (D-10th Dist.), who attended the neighborhood tour, said the ordinance is an "important step in the right direction toward sustainability, and is a testament to the city's commitment to the health of every member of our community."

"Every single day, children in Newark are exposed to harmful levels of pollution from the port and other sources that rob them of their health, just because of where they live," Payne said.

"As a parent and a lifelong resident of Newark, this is personal to me. Low-income and minority residents are being denied the basic right to clean air, and it's harming lives."

Which county has the worst pollution?

According to officials, the city is overburdened with concentrated environmental pollution due to multiple sources, including port traffic, waste facilities, and industrial plants. Exposure to the pollution, officials said, can result in increased risk for cancer, more hospital visits and missed school days.

"A New Jerseyan's zip code and the community they live in should not determine their ability to breathe clean air and live in a safe environment," said Congressman Frank Pallone, Jr. (D-6th Dist.), who also took the tour.

"We need to make sure that low-income and minority children are able to grow up in pollution free communities and I am glad we are taking a look at the port's impact."

Kim Gaddy, an environmental justice organizer who accompanied the congressmen Tuesday, said, as a parent of three children with asthma, she understands the importance of clean air and the reduction of diesel pollution impacting the health of children in Newark and surrounding port communities.

An investigation by the Village Voice in May found that "one in four Newark children suffers from asthma, and the hospitalization rate is 150 percent greater for kids living in the city than in the rest of the state, and more than thirty times the rate nationwide."

The investigation also revealed that asthma attacks have become the leading cause of school absenteeism in the region.

"Sixteen-thousand trucks enter the Port of NY-NJ on a daily basis, and thousands of these trucks travel on our neighborhood streets," Gaddy said. "We can't escape port diesel. It's everywhere--our homes, schools, and parks."

Michael Anthony Adams may be reached at madams@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MichaelAdams317. Find NJ.com on Facebook.