The senior guard reached the milestone on a layup with two minutes left in the game.

Senior guard Johnny Bamford scored 23 points including the 1,000th of his career Saturday afternoon to lead the Warren Hills Regional High School boys basketball team to a 63-56 victory over host Immaculata.

Bamford went into the game with 981 points and now has 1,004 for his career. He reached the milestone on a layup with two minutes left in the game.

Freshman James Jordan added 12 points for the Blue Streaks.

Brandon Yu tallied 22 points for Immaculata.

Neighboring Lopatcong considered delaying bonds for intersection improvements, needed for the school to open in the fall.

Lopatcong Township said it wants Phillipsburg to pay up for road improvements needed for a new high school.

Phillipsburg Mayor Stephen "Rogie" Ellis (lehighvalleylive.com file photo)

Phillipsburg says not only is it good for the promised $100,000, it has already started using it on the project.

The Lopatcong council on Thursday considered delaying a borrowing measure for intersection improvements necessary for the new Phillipsburg High School to open in the fall until they saw money from the neighboring town.

On Saturday, Phillipsburg Mayor Stephen "Rogie" Ellis said his town budgeted the money some time ago and is using it toward buying property on his town's side of Belvidere Road and Roseberry Street, as agreed with Lopatcong.

Show us money for new school's roads, Lopat tells P'burg

Under the agreement reached last year between Lopatcong, Phillipsburg and the school district, each entity assumes a share of the costs for improvements. The intersection is on the municipal border, but because the school is physically in Lopatcong, the township has lead on the road project.

The agreement holds Lopatcong and Phillipsburg to each put in $100,000, the school district to contribute $150,000 and each entity assumes an equal share of the balance, less a $300,000 grant from the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

Lopatcong Township Mayor Tom McKay (lehighvalleylive.com file photo) 

After lengthy discussion Thursday, Lopatcong's council unanimously agreed to begin the process of bonding $850,000 to cover the entirety of the project. The bond must go through a second reading and public discussion, and a 20-day waiting period following a vote before any money is actually borrowed.

Mayor Tom McKay previously said he would not support the bond until he was convinced of its need. Others on council said it was necessary to at least start the process to avoid delaying the project and possibly impacting the start of school.

Work is planned to begin in April and finish in August. Ellis said everything is proceeding on his town's end.

"It's going to be done in the end, for sure," Ellis said.

Phillipsburg schools Superintendent George Chando on Friday said the district appreciates Lopatcong taking the lead on the project, and that the district is working with the others to make sure all funding is secured.

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

Temperatures in the upper 50s are expected Sunday.

Spring-like weather will continue Sunday, but savor it -- a large storm is headed our way by the middle of the work week.

Temperatures are expected to be in the upper 50s Sunday for most of New Jersey, according to the National Weather Service. Skies should be partly sunny, with a slight chance of rain Sunday afternoon.

Sunday will be warm for the season, but not as toasty as Saturday. Light rain is likely Sunday night.

How crazy has our winter been? Just look at these charts

Temperatures in the upper 40s are expected Monday, but stiff winds should make it feel colder.

A large storm system forming in the southern U.S. will likely affect New Jersey Tuesday night, but forecasters expect it to bring mostly rain and very little snow.

While forecasters were originally concerned that the storm could move up the Atlantic coast and possibly dump heavy snow, most computer models are now projecting the storm to stay far west of New Jersey -- near the border of Ohio and Pennsylvania -- bringing mostly rain to our region from late Tuesday through Thursday.

"With the western track of the low, the region is in the warm sector and the current expectation remains that most areas will see plain rain," the National Weather Service said in a forecast discussion Sunday morning. "Across the extreme northern and western areas (of New Jersey), temperatures will be cold enough at the onset and continuing into Tuesday night, for some wintry precipitation -- snow and/or ice -- but accumulations would be light, before a changeover to rain." 

As the low-pressure system moves away to the Northeast, some wrap-around snow showers could affect New Jersey Thursday night, but those would be confined primarily to the northern and western counties, the weather service said.

Staff writer Len Melisurgo contributed to this report. Myles Ma may be reached at mma@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MylesMaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Green Street School students in Phillipsburg will put on the show next weekend at the high school.

Students at Green Street School in Phillipsburg are preparing for their annual musical production.

This is the 16th year for a show by the elementary school's drama club, founded by teacher Darlene Noel in 2001.

The students on Sunday held a dress rehearsal at the Phillipsburg High School auditorium. Green Street School covers grades three through five.

P'burg teacher honored by state

Community performances of the show are set for 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday, Feb. 26-27, in the high school auditorium. Tickets are $4.

Students are also scheduled to perform at Monday night's school board meeting and in a special free performance at 4 p.m. Wednesday for senior citizens, Scout groups and families of the Phillipsburg Police Department.

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

Many dogs and cats have never known a real home, rescued as stray puppies and kittens or born in shelters.

These are just a small sampling of the thousands of homeless animals currently being cared for by shelters and rescues in New Jersey.

Many lost their homes due to an owner's illness or having to relocate where pets were not allowed. Others have never known a real home, rescued as stray puppies and kittens or born in shelters.

In almost every case, however, they share one thing in common: the desire to become a loving pet for someone willing to adopt them.

Click on the caption button to see information on these adoptable animals and the organizations and groups caring for them. More pets in need of adoption can be seen here and here.

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

Some sections of the Garden State could get a coating of snow and ice from freezing rain on Tuesday, but after that heavy rain will saturate the entire state. Watch video

Sorry snow lovers, but a big snowstorm is not in the cards for New Jersey this week. Instead, we'll be getting hit with a big rain storm, with just a touch of wintry weather for several hours in some locations. 

Rain is expected to start moving into the Garden State on Tuesday afternoon, but temperatures in northern New Jersey will likely be cold enough for some light snow as well as a thin coating of ice to develop, forecasters said.

The ice threat appears to be the greatest for all of Sussex County, northern Morris County, the northern half of Passaic County, the northwestern corner of Bergen County, the northern tip of Warren County, and the Lehigh Valley region of eastern Pennsylvania, according to the National Weather Service.

"We're looking at pretty much an all-rain event here, except for the far northern counties," said Mitchell Gaines, a meteorologist at the weather service's regional office in Mount Holly. Those areas, he said, could get coated with up to 1 inch of snow and up to a tenth of an inch of ice from sleet and freezing rain late Tuesday into early Wednesday before all the precipitation changes to plain rain.

The heaviest rain should occur Wednesday night, accompanied by strong winds possibly gusting as high as 40 mph, Gaines said, adding there's a risk of minor flooding and ponding on roads. Some areas of New Jersey could get as much as 2 inches of rain from this storm, which is expected to clobber the Great Lakes region with heavy snow and large parts of Pennsylvania with a sloppy mix of snow, sleet and freezing rain.

How crazy has our winter weather been?

A weaker storm system moving up to New Jersey from the South is what's going to bring the threat of ice to northern counties on Tuesday, forecasters said, reminding drivers that it only takes a thin layer of ice to create hazardous road conditions.

"If you have freezing rain, if you just get a glaze, it could make a big difference," said Jay Engle, a meteorologist at the weather service's New York regional office.

For New Jersey's northern counties, ice could develop any time from the late afternoon on Tuesday through 3 a.m. Wednesday, Engle said. After that, temperatures in that region will be rising into the mid- to upper-30s, so any precipitation that's falling should turn to all rain.

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

Officials are getting iPads, and screens and a printer will be set up for residents to follow along with town business.

Paperless council meetings mean a little more to Phillipsburg Mayor Stephen Ellis, who recently retired from the state park service.

"No more cutting trees down," he said.

It hopefully will also mean improved communication and more information immediately available at officials' fingertips as they make decisions behind the dais.

Phillipsburg's mayor, council and clerk this week are to receive iPads that will replace their usual meeting packets, which can be more than 30 pages each, Clerk Victoria Kleiner said.

It is part of a broader technological effort for meetings that will eventually see screens directly connected to the clerk's tablet to help residents follow along, and a printer to fulfill information requests as they're made.

"No more of this 'I'll get it to you,'" Ellis said.

P'burg says it has money for new school's roads

The iPads mean a town officer won't have to deliver meeting packets to officials, and that the council will have the entire town code immediately available if they need to look something up during a session, Kleiner said. The council also will have access to their official email accounts.

The tablets and keyboards cost about $3,000, which comes from the town's budget line for office technology, the clerk said.

"It will be an adjustment but I believe it will be liked," Kleiner said.

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

Monday's accident remains under investigation by New Jersey State Police in Washington.

The driver of a Honda Pilot escaped serious injury when the vehicle left the roadway and rolled over into the parking lot of a White Township bowling alley.

Emergency workers and New Jersey State Police troopers in Washington were dispatched shortly before 8 a.m. Monday. A witness at the scene reported the SUV leaving Route 519 at Lommasons Glen Road.

The SUV then flipped over in the parking lot of Bel Pike Lanes Bowling Alley, where it came to rest, according to the witness.

The driver escaped serious injury and was treated by medics at the scene, the witness said. A state police trooper handling the investigation was not immediately available to provide additional information.

Also responding were the Belvidere Fire Dept., Belvidere Rescue Squad and paramedics from Hunterdon Medical Center in Raritan Township. The accident is being investigated by New Jersey State Police in Washington.

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

The teen had swerved to miss two deer in the roadway, which led to the crash, according to Hackettstown police.

A family has been displaced and a home has been deemed uninhabitable after a teenage driver crashed a BMW into a home along Lawrence Drive in Hackettstown.

A 17-year-old male driver, who police didn't identify because he's a juvenile, was driving in a 2014 BMW shortly after 9:30 p.m. Feb. 19 in the first block of Lawrence Drive. The driver spotted a deer in the roadway and another deer attempting to cross the street, police said.

Car careens into occupied Hackettstown home

The driver attempted to avoid the deer by swerving, which led to the BMW jumping a curb, traveling across the lawn of a residence, striking a deck and eventually, crashing into an occupied home, police said.

The house has since been deemed uninhabitable by fire officials and has displaced a family.

When the car crashed into the house, it launched a computer and nearly missed a male resident sitting in the room, according to police.

The Hunterdon County Technical Rescue Task Force responded for shoring the home. There were no reported injuries to the driver, passenger Sandra Davies, 49, of Dover, or anyone inside the occupied house.

The driver was issued a summons for careless driving.

Also assisting at the scene was the Hackettstown Fire Dept., Hackettstown fire police, Hackettstown rescue squad, Hackettstown Office of Emergency Management, Hackettstown Municipal Utility Authority, JCP&L and Elizabethtown Gas Company.

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

Matthew Mundy, 47, faces seven years in prison under a plea agreement.

A Greenwich Township man who admitted sexually touching a 10-year-old girl in 2012 faces up to seven years in prison, according to the Warren County Prosecutor's Office.

Matthew M. Mundy, 47, of the 700 block of South Main Street, pleaded guilty Thursday to sexual assault, possessing or viewing child pornography and endangering the welfare of a child, the prosecutor announced Monday. The victim was known to Mundy, the news release said.

Another endangerment count was dropped for the plea.

Under the agreement, Mundy faces seven years in prison with just under six years before he is eligible for parole, the prosecutor said. Mundy is also subject to a lifetime of parole supervision, must register under Megan's Law and undergo a psychiatric evaluation, according to the news release.

Sentencing is scheduled for April 8.

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

With training costs covered, Jax and human partner Greg Zytko should be on the streets by May.

With the community's help, Mansfield Township will soon have some new paws on patrol.

Officer Greg Zytko and partner Jax, a Dutch shepherd/Belgian Malinois mix, will begin K-9 training next week after township police raised $12,000 in donations, the department announced Monday.

Patrolman Greg Zytko and Jax are expected to complete K-9 training in April. The department raised $12,000 in donations to cover startup costs. (Courtesy photo)

"We are overwhelmed by the support we have received from our community, local businesses, organizations, the Mansfield Township Committee and individuals as far away as Ocean County," the department said. "The majority of police K-9 programs are funded solely through grants and community donations and our program would not have been possible without all of your help."

On Facebook, the department specifically thanked 13 business, some of which donated specific necessities for Jax like veterinary care and a lifetime supply of food.

Mansfield Township K-9 officer-in-training Jax is Dutch shepherd/Belgian Malinois mix. (Courtesy photo)

Jax was purchased from Progressive K-9 Academy in Walnutport, Zytko said last fall when the fundraising campaign was launched. Training is to begin there Feb. 29 with an April 22 graduation anticipated, the department said.

The donations will cover costs of training and equipment. The department will continue to raise funds and seek grants to cover the unit's operation, the news release said. Some costs will be defrayed by drug busts -- including the seizure of drug-related money -- in which the K-9 assists.

The unit will also be used in searches for people and evidence, protection and public appearances, the department said.

"We are very excited to get our program off the ground and will provide updates throughout the academy," the department said, promising photos of the team in action.

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

Thomas Sequine Jr., of Phillipsburg, was arrested on Feb. 19, and charged with official misconduct and third-degree sexual assault.

CLINTON TWP.-- A 33-year-old senior corrections officer for the New Jersey Department of Corrections has been charged with sexually assaulting a female inmate the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility in Clinton Township, Hunterdon County Prosecutor Anthony Kearns announced Monday.

Thomas Sequine, Jr. of Phillipsburg was arrested on Friday and charged with official misconduct and third-degree sexual assault following a joint investigation by the Hunterdon County Prosecutor's Office Bureau of Professional Standards and the New Jersey Department of Corrections Special Investigations Division.

Changes being made at N.J. prison

Sequine allegedly engaged in a sexual relationship with an inmate. The age of the victim was not released, and Kearns said the investigation is still ongoing.

"It's an abuse of the public trust and his authority," Kearns said. "We take this very seriously. When someone perpetrates an offense and is serving time they have every right and expectation that that should be done in a safe environment, and he violated that."

Sequine was lodged at the Somerset County Jail with bail set at $50,000. He is scheduled for his first court appearance on Friday.

Emily Cummins may be reached at ecummins@njadvancemedia.com Follow her on Twitter @EmilyACummins and Facebook.

Thomas Sequine, Jr. of Phillipsburg was arrested on Friday, Feb. 19, and charged with official misconduct and third-degree sexual assault.

CLINTON TWP.-- A 33-year-old Senior Correction Officer for the New Jersey Department of Corrections has been charged with sexually assaulting a female inmate the Edna Mahan Correctional Facility in Clinton Township, Hunterdon County Prosecutor Anthony Kearns announced Monday.

Thomas Sequine, Jr. of Phillipsburg was arrested on Friday and charged with official misconduct and third-degree sexual assault following a joint investigation by the Hunterdon County Prosecutor's Office Bureau of Professional Standards and the New Jersey Department of Corrections Special Investigations Division.

Changes being made at N.J. prison

Sequine allegedly engaged in a sexual relationship with an inmate. The age of the victim was not released, and Kearns said the investigation is still ongoing.

"It's an abuse of the public trust and his authority," Kearns said. "We take this very seriously. When someone perpetrates an offense and is serving time they have every right and expectation that that should be done in a safe environment, and he violated that."

Sequine was lodged at the Somerset County Jail with bail set at $50,000. He is scheduled for his first court appearance on Friday.

Emily Cummins may be reached at ecummins@njadvancemedia.com Follow her on Twitter @EmilyACummins and Facebook.

The change is the result of a study with local police and the state.

Drivers need to pay extra attention when they drive through Hackettstown.

Town police on Monday announced new speed limits on Route 46 as signs were being posted, with the limit dropping to 25 mph through the center of town.

The road runs a little more than a mile through Hackettstown, from Independence Township to the Morris County line at the Musconetcong River. It is now divided into four speed zones from west to east as follows:

• 35 mph from the Independence Township line at Canal Lane to Prospect Street.
• 30 mph from Prospect Street to Bergen Street.
• 25 mph from Bergen Street to Route 182/Mountain Avenue.
• 30 mph from Route 182/Mountain Avenue to the Musconetcong River bridge.

Family displaced after car crashes into home

The limits had been 35 mph from Independence to Bergen Street and 30 mph from Bergen Street to the county line.

Police said the change is the result of a study involving them and the New Jersey Department of Transportation.

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

Here's a list of must-read conservation books from members of the New Jersey Land Trust Network.

The State We're In

By Michele S. Byers

Executive Director

New Jersey Conservation Foundation

Steven Dondero, a Centenary College student with an interest in conservation, wanted to know: What books should I read to learn about the environment, nature and land conservation?

Students seeking extra reading should instantly get an A for effort! But Steven took it further by contacting members of the New Jersey Land Trust Network for recommendations and then creating an online book list for the public.

His 100-plus title list includes everything from inspirational writing to factual guides. There's children's literature, books by and about famous conservationists, outdoor adventure tales, and books describing the animals, plants and landscapes around us.

Here are some top picks:

Any conservation reading list starts with a trio of classics. "Walden" by Henry David Thoreau (1854) describes the author's immersion into nature in the woods around Walden Pond in Concord, Mass. "A Sand County Almanac" by Aldo Leopold (1949) chronicles the passing of seasons in the Wisconsin countryside. "Silent Spring" by Rachel Carson (1962) warns of the impacts of indiscriminate pesticide use and is credited with starting the modern environmental movement.

Memorably read audio books

A lesser-known classic is "Man and Nature: Or, Physical Geography as Modified by Human Action" by George Perkins Marsh (1864). Marsh was one of the first writers to document the effects of human activity on the environment, arguing that environmental degradation caused the collapse of ancient Mediterranean civilizations.

Peter Matthiessen was an extraordinary American novelist and nature writer. Two of his books were staff favorites. "The Snow Leopard (1978)" is an award-winning account of his two-month search for the elusive cat on the Tibetan plateau in the Himalayas, and "Shadow Country (2008)" is an epic novel set in the untamed Florida Everglades of the late 19th century.

"The Sea around Us" by Rachel Carson (1951) is another favorite for its ability to impart scientific insights into ocean life in a literary and even poetic manner.

"Reading the Landscape of America" by May Theilgaard Watts. This 1957 natural history classic shows how to read the stories of the land, interpreting plants, animals and geography.

"The Pine Barrens" by John McPhee (1968). If you live in New Jersey, your environmental education isn't complete without McPhee's essays about the people, landscapes and events shaping our unique Pine Barrens region.

"Last Child in the Woods" by Richard Louv (2005). A piercing look at the "nature deficit disorder" that comes from kids spending too much time indoors playing on electronic devices and not enough exploring the outdoors.

"Wilderness Warrior: Theodore Roosevelt and the Crusade for America" by Douglas Brinkley (2009). Our "Naturalist President" loved wild lands and went on a mission to preserve the best of them for future generations.

Group: Preserve 20 acres on Princeton Ridge

"Ring of Bright Water" by Gavin Maxwell (1960). One of the most popular wildlife books ever written, this is an autobiographical account of raising an otter on the coast of Scotland.

"Desert Solitaire" by Edward Abbey (1968). This collection of essays was written during the author's employment as a seasonal park ranger living in a trailer at Arches National Park in Utah.

"The Beast in the Garden" by David Baron (2004). A true story of what happened in the Rocky Mountains in the late 1980s when mountain lions, driven out decades earlier, began repopulating in suburban neighborhoods.

"A Walk in the Woods" by Bill Bryson (1998). Written with self-effacing humor, this book tells the author's adventures and misadventures hiking the 2,190-mile Appalachian Trail (which includes 72 miles in New Jersey).

"Two Coots in a Canoe" by David Morine (2009) - Old friends canoe the 400-mile length of the Connecticut River, from the Canadian border to Long Island Sound, relying on the kindness of strangers and gaining a unique perspective on the land.

"Where the Wild Things Were" by William Stoltzenberg.  What would happen if Earth's top predators were to disappear? This 2008 book looks at the "life, death and ecological wreckage" in a land devoid of predators.

"The Lorax" by Dr. Seuss (1971). For young, budding ecologists, this is an illustrated fable about the impact of corporate greed on the environment. The Lorax "speaks for the trees" and against those who cut them down for profit.  

"My Side of the Mountain" by Jean George (1959). A novel about a city boy's experiences learning to survive on his own on an abandoned farm in New York state, with his falcon for company.

"Anthill" by E.O. Wilson. A 2010 coming of age novel about an Alabama boy - a modern-day Huck Finn - driven by an extraordinary love of the natural world, especially ants.

These are but a small sampling. To check out the complete list, go to the New Jersey Land Conservation Rally webpage and click on the "Share your favorite conservation book or movie" link. If you have a favorite that's not on the list, please add it.

For more information about preserving New Jersey's land and natural resources, visit the New Jersey Conservation Foundation or contact me at info@njconservation.org.

Police said the men ignored orders from an officer to stop.

Hackettstown police cited two men allegedly arguing over a ride for disturbing the peace.

(file photo) 

Shortly before 2 p.m. Feb. 19, an officer found Jordan Harrison, 22, of Hackensack, and Aaron Sarmiento, 20, of Jersey City, yelling at Washington Street and Grand Avenue. Police say the dispute was over whether to walk or get a ride to Centenary College.

The officer tried to speak with the men, but they ignored the officer and began walking in the other direction, police said. They refused to stop even after the officer identified himself, according to police.

Aside from disturbing the peace, Harrison and Sarmiento also were charged with disorderly conduct. Both were released pending a court appearance.

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

Winter weather advisories are in effect for northern sections of Garden State early Tuesday afternoon through early Wednesday morning.

The first of two storm systems that will be pestering New Jersey and Pennsylvania this week is already dropping light rain over southern and central counties Tuesday morning. But forecasters say the biggest threat is likely to come just in time for the evening commute.

That's when light snow could mix with sleet and freezing rain in northern counties, creating a thin layer of ice on some roads, bridges, sidewalks and parking lots.

"Periods of snow, sleet or freezing rain will cause travel difficulties," the National Weather Service said in a winter weather advisory posted for most of northern and western New Jersey. "Be prepared for slippery roads and limited visibilities, and use caution while driving," particularly north and west of the Interstate 95 corridor.

Winter weather explained

Salt trucks from the state Department of Transportation are already out patrolling state highways in northern and central New Jersey looking for any signs of slick conditions, said Dan Triana, an agency spokesman. In addition, warning messages are being posted on electronic message boards advising drivers to reduce their speed because of the expected winter weather conditions.

Here's a look at the advisories that have been issued by the weather service for specific regions, and the anticipated timing of the nasty weather:

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY - BERGEN AREA

Region: This advisory affects western Bergen County, as well as Rockland and northern Westchester County in New York.

Winter weather advisories have been posted for areas shaded in purple. (National Weather Service) 

Effective: 1 p.m. Tuesday to 9 a.m. Wednesday

Precipitation: Snow, sleet and freezing rain expected

Accumulation: Up to 1 inch of snow and a very thin coating of ice expected

Timing: Light snow expected to develop Tuesday afternoon, then mix with and change to sleet and freezing rain Tuesday night, then plain rain Wednesday morning.

Impact: Roads, especially those that are elevated or untreated, will become slippery, making travel hazardous, the weather service said. "This wintry mix will impact the Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning commutes."

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY - MORRIS & WARREN AREA

Effective: 1 p.m. Tuesday to 6 a.m. Wednesday

Region: This advisory affects all of Morris County and Warren County, as well as Northampton County in Pennsylvania.

Precipitation: Snow, sleet and freezing rain expected

Accumulation: A coating to 1 inch of snow and sleet expected, along with a light glaze of ice

Timing: A period of snow is expected primarily Tuesday afternoon. It will mix with sleet before changing over to areas of freezing rain and rain late Tuesday afternoon and Tuesday evening, as temperatures hover around 30 degrees. Any lingering freezing rain Wednesday morning is expected to change to plain rain as temperatures rise.

Impact: "Untreated surfaces will become slippery due to some snowfall and then some icing," the weather service said. "Remember, bridges and other elevated surfaces tend to ice up first."

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY - PASSAIC AREA

Region: This advisory affects western Passaic County, as well as Orange and Putnam counties in New York and northern Fairfield and northern New Haven counties in Connecticut.

Effective: 1 p.m. Tuesday to 9 a.m. Wednesday

Precipitation: Snow, sleet and freezing rain expected

Accumulation: Up to 1 inch of snow and a up to one-tenth of 1 inch of ice expected

Timing: Light snow expected to develop Tuesday afternoon, then mix with and change to sleet and freezing rain Tuesday night, then plain rain Wednesday morning.

Impact: Roads, especially those that are elevated or untreated, will become slippery, making travel hazardous, the weather service said. "This wintry mix will impact the Tuesday evening and Wednesday morning commutes."

WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY - SUSSEX AREA

Region: This advisory affects all of Sussex County, as well as Carbon and Monroe counties in Pennsylvania.

Effective: 1 p.m. Tuesday to 9 a.m. Wednesday

Precipitation: Snow, sleet and freezing rain expected

Accumulation: 1 to 2 inches of snow, and up to one-tenth of 1 inch of ice expected

Timing: A period of snow is expected primarily Tuesday afternoon. It will mix with sleet before changing over to areas of freezing rain Tuesday evening, as temperatures hover around 30 degrees. Any lingering freezing rain Wednesday morning is expected to change to plain rain as temperatures rise.

Impact: "Untreated surfaces will become slippery due to some snowfall and then some icing," the weather service said. "Remember, bridges and other elevated surfaces tend to ice up first."

The rest of New Jersey can expect plain rain, although some snow flakes could mix in at the start, forecasters said.

Then on Wednesday, a more intense storm system will be bringing batches of heavy rain, along with strong winds and the possibility of thunderstorms, to the entire state. 

A stretch of unsettled weather starts today. Graphic has some details. #njwx #pawx pic.twitter.com/YHhsaaYgjo

-- NWS Mount Holly (@NWS_MountHolly) February 23, 2016

Winter weather advisory 1pm today until 9am Wed interior Lower Hudson Valley, & interior SW CT. See graphic for more pic.twitter.com/WU3vtZl0FH

-- NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) February 23, 2016

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

The daycare center was not open during the time of the incident.

A New Jersey pair are facing drug related charges after police caught them preparing a marijuana blunt while seated in the parking lot of a Hackettstown daycare center.

(file photo) 

Christine Perez-Wood, 25, of Nutley, and Mark Harwanko, 25, of Chester, were found by an officer shortly after 11:30 p.m. Feb. 18 in the back parking lot of Sunny Days Early Childhood Learning Center, 178 Route 46.

The daycare center was not open during the time of the incident.

The officer found Harwanko preparing a tobacco leaf/blunt wrapper while Perez-Wood was breaking apart marijuana buds to go into the wrapper, police said.

Also found in the vehicle were drug paraphernalia, three bags containing marijuana and five THC/marijuana "gummies." 

Perez-Wood and Harwanko each were charged with possession of under 50 grams of marijuana and possession of drug paraphernalia. Both were released pending a court appearance.

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

Trees will be removed to prevent rock slides on the eastbound ramp to Main and Broad streets.

A $1.1 million project to prevent rock slides in Phillipsburg will cause detours for some Route 22 drivers starting Monday.

A Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission contractor will begin removing trees on the steep, rocky slope over the exit to Main and Broad streets from 22 East, the first exit in New Jersey, the commission said in a news release.

That ramp will be closed during off-peak daytime hours for two weeks, the commission said. A commission spokesman previously defined off-peak hours as 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

To get to Main and Broad, eastbound drivers will be detoured farther up Route 22, where they can make a U-turn to the westbound lanes and take the last exit before the toll bridge.

How a $65M Route 22 project will affect traffic

The commission said it expects detours won't be needed after Clinton Township-based Merco Inc. finishes removing approximately 40 diseased or hazardous trees, loose rocks and other debris.

Two levels of rock-catching fences are to be installed over the rest of the three-month project.

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

The Warren County department on Tuesday issued a call to help the family with donations, from children's clothing to gift cards.

The Hackettstown Police Department on Feb. 23, 2016, issued a call to help the family of a police officer with donations, from children's clothing to gift cards, a they lost all their belongings in a fire the day before. (Lehighvalleylive.com file photo) 

The Hackettstown Police Department on Tuesday put out a call to help one of its own.

Police officer Jimmy Laoudis' house caught fire as he and his family slept early Monday morning, department spokesman Sgt. Darren Tynan said Tuesday night.

Laoudis and his wife, son and daughter escaped injury, but the family lost all their belongings, according to police.

The family can use any donations from clothing for the children, girls size 3T and boys 5T, to gift cards, Tynan said.

MORE: Family displaced after crash into home, police say

Donations can be dropped off 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. weekdays at police headquarters, 215 W. Stiger St., and 8 a.m. to noon Saturday, Feb. 27, at the Hackettstown Municipal Building, also at 215 W. Stiger St.

"Thank you for keeping them in your prayers and for any support you can provide them during this difficult time," Tynan said in a statement.

Kurt Bresswein may be reached at kbresswein@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @KurtBresswein. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.