The 30-year-old is wanted on a charge of credit card theft.

John M. Fitzsimmons (Courtesy photo) 

John M. Fitzsimmons, 30, is wanted on a charge of credit card theft under a warrant dated Oct. 6, 2016, according to the Warren County Prosecutor's Office.

Fitzsimmons, whose last-known address was in the first block of Starlite Hill Road in Knowlton Township, is described as 6 feet 1 inch tall and 180 pounds with brown hair and blue eyes.

The prosecutor's office asks anyone with information about Fitzsimmons to contact investigators via a tip line at 908-475-6643, the fugitive unit at 908-475-6272 or via fugitive@co.warren.nj.us.

Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.

State officials will head to Washington Township to start the choose-and-cut season.

As the food hangover wears off, thoughts turn from turkey to tannenbaums.

And if you're looking for the perfect Christmas tree, the Evergreen Valley farm in Washington Township is a good place to start.

The tree farm at 77 Jackson Valley Road has the best Christmas tree in New Jersey this year, as determined by the New Jersey Christmas Tree Growers' Association, and will host state officials Monday for the annual symbolic start of the choose-and-cut season.

New Jersey Secretary of Agriculture Douglas H. Fisher will chop a tree and donate it to the "Christmas Trees for New Jersey Military Families" campaign, a joint program of the agriculture department, the growers association and the New Jersey Agricultural Society, according to a department news release.

Tree-growers from around the state will donate trees to be delivered to New Jersey troops on Wednesday.

Evergreen Valley officially opens for the season on Friday.

Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.

It took fire crews five hours to get the blaze under control early Sunday, but no injuries were reported.

Fire crews from multiple departments early Sunday battled a lingering blaze for nearly five hours that engulfed a Washington Township home.

The fire broke out at 12:25 a.m. at the home in the first block of Pinewood Lane outside Washington. A man and woman who were the homeowners escaped safely and called 911, said Washington Township Fire Chief Mitch Tobin.

The couple were treated by medics at the scene, Tobin said. A dog also escaped safely.

The fire is believed to have started somewhere in the garage, but the cause remains under investigation, Tobin said. The chief said the home is likely a total loss and has been deemed uninhabitable.

A tanker task force was requested when firefighters found difficulty finding fire hydrants in the neighborhood. The blaze was brought under control by 5:10 a.m. and crews cleared by 6:30 a.m., Tobin said.

Fire companies from Warren and northern Hunterdon counties responded to the call.

Some included Washington Township, Washington Borough, Oxford Township, Pohatcong Township, Greenwich Township, Hackettstown, Hampton, Harmony, Franklin Township, Mansfield, Glen Gardner, High Bridge, Mountain Lake, Huntington, Tri-County and Quakertown.

Rescue squads were dispatched from Washington Township, Mansfield, Hampton and Clinton. There were many fire departments called in as backup for the departments fighting the blaze.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.

Police said the teen used a knife to vandalize property.

A teen is facing weapons possession and burglary charges following a break-in in Washington Borough.

Charged is Zachary Tanis, 19, of Hackettstown.

Washington Township officers shortly after 11 a.m. Saturday were dispatched to a home in the 100 block of Route 31 South in the borough. Police said there was an ongoing dispute at the home.

Tanis at some point allegedly gained entry into the home without the owner's consent. Police said he used a knife to vandalize the homeowner's property, then fled.

A police dog was dispatched and found Tanis hiding under a work trailer a short distance away, according to police.

Tanis is charged with burglary, criminal mischief, obstruction of the administration of justice, weapon possession, unlawful possession of a weapon, resisting arrest and simple assault.

Tanis was processed and sent to Warren County jail in lieu of $7,500 bail.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.

A gallery of dogs and cats in New Jersey in need of adoption.

From television shows to the internet to specialists for hire, there are a myriad of sources a pet owner can select from on the topic of dog training. How can they tell who's right and who's wrong?

While there are many opinions out there, one trainer, Alyona DelaCoeur of whydoesmydog.com, addressed some of the more common - and misleading - training beliefs.

* You can't teach an old dog new tricks. False! Sometimes it's actually easier to teach mature dogs tricks because they're less distracted. Certainly some unwanted behaviors will take longer to stop because the dog has had longer for them to become habits, but they can be retrained. Bear in mind, though, that older dogs will need more frequent rest breaks in training.

* Bribe your dog with food to get results. Positive reinforcement through motivation works best in dog training; the use of treats and food should not be the main focus. While treats and toys can be helpful, building a strong connection with your pet is the most important part of training.

* Dogs misbehave because they are mad, stubborn or need to be dominant. Dogs do not have an agenda behind what they do. He peed on the floor because he had to go and didn't get let out; she tore up a cushion because she was bored. Only a handful of dog breeds exhibit 'dominance;' assuming human personality traits to dogs doesn't help in training at all.

* Training is guaranteed for life. One way dogs are like humans is that they can forget their good manners and learn new bad habits throughout their lives. One way to avoid this is to not introduce major changes into a dog's life; a dog who never begged before may start if someone gives him food from the dinnee table, for example.

In dog training, simple common sense is usually the best approach; the proven methods are usually the best methods. Bear in mind that some trainers are promoting different methods solely for the sake of being different; approaches that have worked for generations still work today.

Here is a gallery of dogs and cats in New Jersey in need of adoption. More adoptable pets can be viewed here and here.

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

Mylestone Equine Rescue, located in New Jersey, is the state's oldest all-breed horse rescue, saving horses for more than 20 years. Mylestone's horses are chosen from among the toughest cases -- victims of neglect, starvation and cruelty, abandonments, the auction, and in most cases, those bound for slaughter. These horses are often older and/or have multiple medical issues. They arrive...

Mylestone Equine Rescue, located in New Jersey, is the state's oldest all-breed horse rescue, saving horses for more than 20 years. Mylestone's horses are chosen from among the toughest cases -- victims of neglect, starvation and cruelty, abandonments, the auction, and in most cases, those bound for slaughter. These horses are often older and/or have multiple medical issues.

They arrive at Mylestone often depressed and in great need of proper food and veterinary care. Mylestone is where they find it. They are usually vetted within 24 hours of arrival, sooner if needed, and fed whatever they need to start them on their road to health, even if that means eight small meals of mash a day. All Mylestone residents are fed four times daily for optimum health.

Perhaps most importantly, they are loved. Volunteers give them the attention they've often been missing for a long time -- kind words, gentle hands, and consistent care. Some of the horses participate in a brushing program with special needs students from three local schools. In addition, Mylestone's dedication to horses continues behind the scenes as they help place horses in need and assist other rescues.

What is characteristic of most of Mylestone's residents is that they are adoptable only as companion horses. Due to lameness, age, or ongoing medical conditions, the majority are not able to carry a rider. With the current state of the economy, adoption of companion horses has become increasingly difficult; most are becoming permanent residents.

Holiday shoppers can help care for the Mylestone horses by purchasing a Mylestone calendar -- only $15 plus $5 Priority Mail shipping. The outstanding photography by Rein Photography/Jennifer Wenzel shows the rescue horses at their finest. Find ordering details at www.mylestone.org.

Or show your love for your recipient and the rescue horses with a unique present, a Mylestone Gift Sponsorship for donations of $35 or more. The recipient of your gift will receive a holiday photo card, a certificate of sponsorship, a short biography of their rescue horse and, of course, that you have sent this wonderful gift. Gift sponsorships must be received by Dec. 15 to guarantee delivery before the holidays.

For more information, visit mylestone.org.

For more equestrian news see Horse News

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

Find Horse News on Facebook

Hackettstown police made the arrest.

A 23-year-old Monroe County man said he was an undercover police officer when he was pulled over early Thursday morning in Hackettstown, town police report.

But while the man, who smelled of alcohol, said he was Shawn Potter who worked for Pennsylvania State Police and Scranton police, he turned out to be Luis Blass Jr., of Pocono Summit, who was intoxicated but not a police officer, according to a news release.

MORE: Flames engulf Warren County home

Blass was stopped due to a traffic violation at 2:19 a.m. on Route 517, police said.

A front-seat passenger, Jessie Dawson, 22, of Pocono Summit, who was holding a can of Budweiser, was cited with possession of an open container and released, police said.

Blass was sent to Warren County jail in lieu of $5,000 bail after a handbag in his possession was found to contain two clear plastic bags with suspected drugs, police said.

Blass was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance, impersonating a police officer, possession of drug paraphernalia, proving false information to law enforcement, DWI, careless driving, possession of a controlled dangerous substance in a motor vehicle, improper lamps and improper safety glass, police said.

A Mansfield Township police dog assisted at the scene.

Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.

We asked readers to determine the most attractive counties in the state. More than 3,000 responses poured in, ranking each county from 1 to 5.

After we wrote about data from the USDA on the state's most naturally attractive counties, plenty of commenters weighed in. 

It's no surprise, given that any kind of computer-generated rating of beauty is going to run into some issues. So to help get a better idea of what counties are actually the nicest, we asked readers for their picks on the prettiest counties in New Jersey. 

The most beautiful places in N.J.

More than 3,000 responses poured in, ranking each county from 1 to 5.

Northwestern and Shore counties, which tend to have more open space compared to concrete-centric urban areas, fared best overall.

Erin Petenko may be reached at epetenko@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @EPetenko. Find NJ.com on Facebook.  

Hackettstown police made the arrest.

A 23-year-old Monroe County man said he was an undercover police officer when he was pulled over early Thursday morning in Hackettstown, town police report.

Luis Blass Jr. (Courtesy photo) 

But while the man, who smelled of alcohol, said he was Shawn Potter who worked for Pennsylvania State Police and Scranton police, he turned out to be Luis Blass Jr., of Pocono Summit, who was intoxicated but not a police officer, according to a news release.

MORE: Flames engulf Warren County home

Blass was stopped due to a traffic violation at 2:19 a.m. on Route 517, police said.

A front-seat passenger, Jessie Dawson, 22, of Pocono Summit, who was holding a can of Budweiser, was cited with possession of an open container and released, police said.

Blass was sent to Warren County jail in lieu of $5,000 bail after a handbag in his possession was found to contain two clear plastic bags with suspected drugs, police said.

Blass was charged with possession of a controlled dangerous substance, impersonating a police officer, possession of drug paraphernalia, proving false information to law enforcement, DWI, careless driving, possession of a controlled dangerous substance in a motor vehicle, improper lamps and improper safety glass, police said.

A Mansfield Township police dog assisted at the scene.

Tony Rhodin may be reached at arhodin@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TonyRhodin. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.

Big rainfall deficit continues, but we could get some help with two rain storms this week.

With very little rain falling during the past three months, the New Jersey region continues to run a precipitation deficit of 9 to 12 inches this year, according to climate data from the National Weather Service.

The Trenton area has the biggest deficit -- 12.41 inches below normal as of Monday morning. The area has received 29.93 inches of rain and melted snow so far this year, and the normal amount is 42.34 inches between Jan. 1 and Nov. 27.

Despite a heavy soaking in mid-November, the Newark area is still running a rainfall deficit of 9.63 inches this year. Newark has received 32.41 inches of rain and melted snow this year, and the normal total is 42.04 inches.   

Other parts of the region are not far behind in the deficit column: Allentown, Pa., is 9.69 inches below normal, 

New York City is 9.16 inches below normal and Philadelphia is 6.77 inches below normal, weather service stats show. 

South Jersey is the one exception to the rainfall deficit trend, with the Atlantic City area getting 41.09 inches of precipitation this year. That's 3.38 inches above the normal total of 37.71 inches from Jan. 1 through Nov. 27.

Good soaking on the way

Two storm systems that are expected to move across our region from the west and southwest this week could drop a decent amount of rain, forecasters said.

Most areas of New Jersey will likely get 1 to 2 inches of rain out of these systems on Tuesday and Wednesday, and some places could get a total of 2.5 to 3 inches, said Dean Iovino, a meteorologist at the National Weather Service's regional forecast office in Mount Holly.

Will that be enough to help with the region's serious drought situation?

"It'll make a little dent," Iovino said. "It will help, but it won't pull us out of the drought conditions. We need a few more types of these events to alleviate the problem."

On top of helping with New Jersey's low stream flow and shrinking water supplies, there's another good thing about the upcoming storm systems: They'll be accompanied by unseasonably warm temperatures, which could reach the low to mid-60s.

That means these will be all-rain events, Iovino said, with no threat of snow or freezing rain, even in the chillier sections of northwestern New Jersey.

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

Police said both were intoxicated during the argument.

A drunken 42-year-old man is accused of chomping down on a teen's fingers during an argument at a Hackettstown home, police said.

Officers at 3:05 p.m. Friday were dispatched to the home in the 100 block of Main Street. Police found the 18-year-old male, who was not identified, with cuts to his fingers.

Police said the teen was in the bathroom when the man, who also wasn't identified, walked in and bit his fingers. The teen then followed the man into the living room and punched him in the face, according to police.

Officers determined both the man and teen were intoxicated, police said.

Both were charged with simple assault. They were sent to Warren County jail in lieu of $2,500 bail each.

Assisting at the scene was the Hackettstown Rescue Squad.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.

Folks gathered at Shappell Park on South Main Street on Monday night for annual Christmas tree-lighting festivities.

Phillipsburg rang in the Christmas season on Monday night.

Folks gathered at Shappell Park for the annual tree-lighting ceremony, organized by the Phillipsburg Area Chamber of Commerce.

It's one of several holiday events in the region and one of two set for Phillipsburg.

On Friday, Dec. 9, the Phillipsburg Area Historical Society will hold its Holiday Yule Celebration at the Roseberry Homestead, 540 Warren St.. An open house is slated for 5:30 to 8 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 11.

Jim Deegan may be reached at jdeegan@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @jim_deegan. Find lehighvalleylive on Facebook.

The incident occurred last week at a New Jersey Quick Chek store.

A Washington man was arrested after exposing himself at a Quick Check convenience store, police said.

William O'Keefe Jr., 38, at 8:50 p.m. Nov. 25 allegedly ex

posed his genitals at the store, 30 Belvidere Ave., Washington Borough. Police did not provide any further information about the crime and it's unclear how many people were at the store at the time of the incident.

O'Keefe was charged with lewdness and disorderly conduct, as well as violating a borough ordinance of maintaining a nuisance. O'Keefe was processed and released with a pending court date.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.

More than $3,000 was stolen from St. Phillip & St. James Church in Phillipsburg.

A maintenance worker at a Phillipsburg church is accused of stealing more than $3,000 by forging the pastor's name on checks.

Robert Cummings, of the 300 block of Chambers Street in town, faces three counts each of forgery and theft after writing himself three checks from St. Philip & St. James Church, according to an indictment by a Warren County grand jury.

All three checks -- totaling $3,250 -- were written Oct. 6 under the forged name of Father John Barbella, the indictment says.

Warren County Prosecutor Richard Burke said the church quickly discovered the fraudulent checks and called town police. Cummings confessed and said he had a drug habit, Burke said.

Fugitives of the week Nov. 26, 2016

Each count carries a potential sentence of three to five years in state prison.

A current phone number for Cummings could not be found. Father Barbella deferred any comment to law enforcement.

Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.

The Attorney General wanted the board to suspend Kramer's license while the investigation into the alleged sexual misconduct offenses plays out.

TRENTON -- A chiropractor in Warren County accused of fondling two female patients must stop treating women until a monitor can be assigned to chaperone him, state Attorney General Christopher Porrino announced Tuesday.

The New Jersey Board of Chiropractic Examiners imposed the limitations last week on Edward Kramer Jr., who operates Kramer Family Chiropractic in Blairstown.

But Porrino's office wanted the board to impose a harsher penalty and suspend Kramer's license immediately while the investigation into the alleged sexual misconduct offenses continues.

In a rare display of disagreement between the attorney general's office and a licensing body it oversees, Porrino said he was "disappointed" with the chiropractic board's decision.

"Two female patients have alleged that Dr. Kramer inappropriately touched them under the guise of providing chiropractic treatment. We believe the information they provided warrants an immediate and full temporary suspension of his license until these allegations are resolved. We're disappointed that the Board did not agree with us," according to Porrino's statement. "The Board instead has required Dr. Kramer to have a female chaperone in the office overseeing his treatment of female patients until this matter is heard in an administrative court of law."

N.J. chiropractor suspended for allegedly fondling patients

David Allen, a chiropractor in West Orange who is the board's president, declined to comment on Porrino's statement.

Steve Lee, director of the Division of Consumer Affairs, also expressed concern about the board's decision.

"The Division relies on patients to come forward with information to help us identify and protect the public from doctors who abuse their patient's trust for their own personal satisfaction," Lee said. "The allegations against Kramer by two former patients describe an egregious and violative abuse of this trust."

Kramer could not be reached for comment.

The monitor, approved by the board and paid for by Kramer, will oversee his interaction with female patients until an administrative law judge holds a hearing, on the allegations and renders a decision, Porrino said.

The board will have the final say on what happens to Kramer's license.

Patients may file complaints against licensed health care professionals online with the State Division of Consumer Affairs by visiting its website or by calling 1-800-242-5846 or 973-504-6200.

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

These are the players that reached the 1,000-yard milestone in 2016

The thief also threw a hypodermic needle on the ground during a chase, police said.

A Warren County man wanted for burglary was arrested after stealing cigarettes from a Hackettstown porch, police said.

Charged is Tyler Doyle, 20, of Allamuchy Township, who officers found after a 9:35 a.m. Tuesday call reporting a suspicious male on a Hackettstown porch. Doyle allegedly ran up Center Street by the time officers arrived.

Police found Doyle, but he allegedly continued to flee, with officers in pursuit. He eventually was arrested at Madison and West Plane streets.

Police said Doyle was found in possession of the cigarettes stolen from the porch and he threw a hypodermic needle on the ground during the chase.

He was wanted by the Warren County Prosecutors Office on a prior burglary charge and had a $250 Hackettstown municipal court warrant.

Doyle is charged with theft, resisting arrest, possession of a hypodermic needle and being under the influence of a controlled dangerous substance in the most recent case.

Doyle was turned over to the Warren County Sheriff's Department and was taken to the Warren County jail, according to police.

Pamela Sroka-Holzmann may be reached at pholzmann@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow her on Twitter @pamholzmann. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.

Bored of green Christmas trees? This farm has a solution. Watch video

You might be dreaming of a white Christmas, but Wyckoff's Christmas Tree Farm is throwing a few extra colors into the mix.

This year, the White Township farm is painting a portion of their live trees for anyone looking to swap the natural green for some glitz. Across 65 acres of thousands of Christmas trees, about 150 trees far have been sprayed purple, silver, pink, and blue.

After first coloring the trees on a recent Saturday evening, the farm's owner John Wyckoff found that people were immediately intrigued.

"Sunday morning, there was traffic stopping and people taking pictures," said Wyckoff, a third-generation grower at the Warren County farm. He said he has already gotten suggestions for additional colors, like orange and lime green.

Warren County-grown tree is N.J.'s best

He's not spraying just any paint from the hardware store onto his crops. The fireproof, latex-based paint is specifically designed for Christmas trees by a Christmas tree company.

"When I saw the product applied to the trees, I scratched my head and I really was a little apprehensive," said Wyckoff, who will be sticking with a regular tree in his own home. "But after I thought about it a little bit, I said, 'You know what, I'll try a little bit and see what happens.'"

Wyckoff's sells its regular trees for $8 a foot. The painted variety will go for $3 more.

The White Township farm has established itself as a destination for the area's top quality Christmas trees. In 2013, a few of Wyckoff's trees decorated the White House after the farm won that year's National Christmas Tree Association's annual contest. The Wyckoffs got the chance to meet the first family when the trees were presented.

For more information about the farm, check out its website.

Andrew Doerfler may be reached at adoerfler@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @adoerfler or on Facebook.

The Rotary Club presented the award at Flynn's on the Hill in Phillipsburg.

The Phillipsburg Rotary Club 2016 Phillipsburg/Easton Thanksgiving Day Football Game Outstanding Lineman Award went to Phillipsburg High School student Blaise Santini, No. 53.

From left to right are Rotary President Eric Simons; committee Chairman Todd M. Tersigni; Santini; and Phillipsburg football coach Frank Duffy.

Not pictured is Vice Chairman Brian Grace. The award was given and the photo was taken at Flynn's on the Hill in Phillipsburg.

The accident happened on the westbound entrance from Hope Township.

A westbound ramp onto Interstate 80 was shut down early Wednesday afternoon in Warren County after a tractor-trailer jackknifed, the New Jersey State Police and department of transportation report.

The DOT posted an alert on 511nj.org at 1:36 p.m., saying the ramp from Route 521 in Hope Township was closed in that direction. Traffic on the highway appeared unaffected.

State police at the nearby Hope barracks said the vehicle brought down a tree. The driver was taken to Hackettstown Medical Center with undisclosed injuries.

There was no immediate estimate when the ramp would reopen.

Steve Novak may be reached at snovak@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @type2supernovak and Facebook. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.