The man was flown to Morristown Medical Center, police say.

A motorcycle rider said an animal jumped out in front of the bike, causing it to crash into a guardrail about 7:30 a.m. in Independence Township, according to police.

The motorcyclist was flown by medical helicopter to a hospital, police report.

The man was riding near near 61 Shades of Death Road when he crashed into the guardrail, township police said. The road has a slight incline but is straight at that point, police said.

The man had a laceration on his leg, police said. A landing zone was set up in a nearby field and the man was flown to Morristown Medical Center, police said. The man's injury did not appear to be life-threatening, police said.

The man was wearing a helmet, police said.

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

Look back at some of the top moments of the year

NJ.com's best athletes turned heads this season. Take a look back on the 2016 season with our post-season honors.gs

NJ.com's best athletes turned heads this season. Take a look back on the 2016 season with our post-season honors.gs

NJ.com's best athletes turned heads this season. Take a look back on the 2016 season with our post-season honors.

NJ.com's best athletes turned heads this season. Take a look back on the 2016 season with our post-season honors.

Two males entered a Hackettstown home and made off with cash and valuables, police said.

Two men forced their way into a Hackettstown home after an occupant answered a knock at the door, police said.

The robbery took place at about 10:30 p.m. Sunday in the 200 block of Sharp Street. Once the victim answered, two men forced their way inside and one of them beat the victim, according to police.

There were items stolen from the home, along with an undisclosed amount of cash, police said. The suspects then fled the scene.

The victim was taken to to Hackettstown Medical Center by the Hackettstown Rescue Squad for a facial injury.

Police Sgt. Darren Tynan said the detective bureau currently is working on leads in this case. Assisting at the scene was the Hackettstown Detective Bureau, Mansfield Township police, Independence Townsip police and Washington Township, Morris County police.

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

A group of three men and a woman were kicking the ball across traffic, police said.

A soccer ball being kicked around a Home Depot parking lot led an officer to a man in possession of heroin, Mansfield Township police said.

At 12:37 p.m. June 7 the officer found three adult men and an adult woman walking across the Home Depot parking lot through traffic and kicking the ball. The trio continued to kick the ball across the road until it landed near a fence and they left it there, according to police.

An officer stopped the group and found Dylan A. Grieco, 24, of Mansfield, was in possession of a hypodermic needle and heroin. Grieco was arrested and charged with possession of a hypodermic needle and possession of heroin.

He was 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.

Authorities say Washington Township police officer William McCarthy III was involved in a DWI crash in Hazelton, Pa. on Thursday.

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP -- The Washington Township police officer who was accused of crashing into several cars in Pennsylvania last week while intoxicated, was busted for DWI in Blairstown nearly a year ago to the day.

Authorities say Washington Township police officer William McCarthy III was involved in a DWI crash in Hazelton, Pa. on Thursday. Pictured, McCarthy's Nissan Armada SUV.Courtesy of WNEP-TV 

William McCarthy III, 45, of Great Meadows, was arrested on June 20, 2015 after an officer approached his 2008 Nissan SUV while it was parked on the shoulder of Route 94 and found McCarthy with his head down and an open bottle of Jose Cuervo tequila between his legs, according to arrest reports obtained by NJ Advance Media from Blairstown police.

Blairstown Police Officer Brandon Sebastian initially saw the vehicle parked on the shoulder about 15 to 20 minutes before he pulled over. The driver's head was down at that time, as if he was on his cell phone. When he arrived back on the scene, the driver was in the same position so Sebastian decided to check on the status of the driver and vehicle.

Sebastian knocked on the window and eventually roused McCarthy who was in an apparent daze. The tequila bottle had a significant amount of liquid missing, the officer noted.

While being interviewed by the officer, McCarthy repeatedly spoke about seeing "dead people" and asked the officer whether he, too, saw dead people.

McCarthy refused to submit to field sobriety tests and when brought to headquarters refused to provide samples of his breath for testing. Police, however, noted in the report McCarthy was unable to stand or walk, and his speech was slow, slurred and incoherent.

McCarthy was released into the custody of Lt. Jeffrey S. Almer last year, who told Blairstown police he would take McCarthy to Newton Medical Center. Almer has since been promoted to police chief of the Washington Township Police Department.

In connection with McCarthy's arrest in Blairstown, his wife told police he'd been "kicked out" of the house the night before and asked officers to return the garage door opener from his vehicle. She also confirmed family issues at home, that he'd been drinking heavily since 2002 and that they tried to get him help before. McCarthy denied having a drinking problem, according to Blairstown police.

According to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, McCarthy's license was suspended for 90 days this past August for a first-time DWI violation in connection with his DWI in Blairstown. At the time of his arrest on Thursday, his driver's license was valid.

This past Thursday, McCarthy was arrested by police in Hazelton, Pa. after police set up a roadblock for a Nissan Armada SUV that hit several vehicles. Based on witness statements, two of the vehicle struck by his SUV were occupied and on the roadway when they were hit while others were parked.

When stopped, the SUV was found to have heavy front-end damage and its airbag had been deployed, police said.

McCarthy was charged with DUI, resisting arrest, reckless driving, accidents involving damage to attended vehicles and duty to give information and render aid.

He was remanded to Luzerne County Correctional Facility on the charges after his arrest. It's not yet clear whether he posted bail.

Pennsylvania, unlike New Jersey, charges DWIs as a misdemeanor as opposed to a motor vehicle offense.

McCarthy's been suspended without pay from the Washington Township Police Department pending the outcome of the investigation, Almer said in a statement on Friday. Washington Township police have referred additional comment to the Morris County Prosecutor's Office.

Washington Township police spokesman Lt. Douglas Compton said the Blairstown DWI was subject to "an Internal Affairs investigation and handled as directed by Attorney General Guidelines."

Justin Zaremba may be reached at jzaremba@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinZarembaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The union cited GOP Rep. Scott Garrett's vote against legislation that included aid for 9/11 first responders.

WASHINGTON -- The union representing 33,000 New Jersey police officers endorsed Democratic challenger Josh Gottheimer over Rep. Scott Garrett on Monday, blasting the GOP incumbent's vote against aiding 9/11 first responders.

Garrett (R-5th Dist.) voted against a $1.1 trillion spending bill for the current fiscal year that included the Zadroga Act, making permanent a program providing health care and compensation for first responders responding to the 9/11 terrorist attacks.

The bill was named for James Zadroga a New York City police officer from North Arlington who died of a respiratory disease attributed to him breathing in dust at the World Trade Center site.

"It was simply unconscionable that he voted against health care for law enforcement and first responders in the wake of the horrific Sept. 11 attack," said Patrick Colligan, president of the New Jersey State Policemen's Benevolent Association, at a press conference in Paramus. "Quite simply, there is no excuse."

The New Jersey State Firefighters Mutual Benevolent Association gave the same reason when the union announced its support of Gottheimer last month.

How Congress helped N.J.

Gottheimer, a former speechwriter for President Bill Clinton, called Garrett's opposition to the Zadroga Act "un-American."

Garrett said last December that he supported the Zadroga provision but not the entire "bloated" spending bill.

"This bloated $1.1 trillion spending bill doesn't do enough to address our nation's crippling debt, protect civil liberties, nor strengthen our national security and, therefore, I could not support it," Garrett said at the time.

Garrett co-sponsored the Zadroga Act with the entire New Jersey congressional delegation and campaign manager Sarah Neibart said that protecting first responders has been one of his "top priorities."

"Any assertion that he has been less than a full-throated champion for first responders is absurd and offensive," Neibart said. "Distorting the congressman's record is a campaign tactic that is so typical of a political insider like Josh Gottheimer -- shocking, yet not surprising."

Gottheimer welcomed the police endorsement by calling for a ban on people on the terrorist watch list from buying weapons, for stronger efforts to shut down Internet sites used to entice those living in the U.S. to commit terrorist acts, and for additional training resources for local law enforcement authorities. 

The focus on terrorism came after a gunman murdered 49 people at a gay nightclub in Orlando, Fla., after pledging allegiance to the Islamic State.

Garrett is considered the only vulnerable N.J. House incumbent so far and the race between he and Gottheimer could be one of the most expensive in the U.S.

Jonathan D. Salant may be reached at jsalant@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JDSalant. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

New York Life recognizes volunteer service among its employees and agents with charitable contributions.

The Pohatcong Township PTA was awarded a New York Life Foundation's individual grant in the amount of $500 to recognize the volunteer service of Edward J. Kovac Jr. an agent with New York Life.

New York Life agent Edward J. Kovac Jr. presents a check to Janna Borelli, Pohatcong Township PTA president. (Special to lehighvalleylive.com) 

The program encourages and supports the volunteer involvement of New York Life agents with community-based nonprofit organizations.

Kovac, a Pohatcong Township resident and local New York Life agent, is an active active volunteer in the organization.

New Jersey Legislators are being asked to overturn Gov. Christie's conditional veto of the open space bill.

It's not often that New Jersey Legislators attempt to override a governor's veto ... but now should be one of those times.

Almost two years ago, New Jersey voters went to the polls and voted overwhelmingly in favor of a constitutional amendment to create a permanent, dedicated source of state funding to preserve open space, farmland and historic sites.

The dedicated revenue has been accumulating in state coffers ever since but, incredibly, not a dollar has been spent as intended. That's because Gov. Chris Christie has twice vetoed enabling legislation, effectively freezing the funds.

The most recent was a conditional veto on May 23, in which the governor substituted language granting his administration overly broad powers to divert funding elsewhere.

Christie won't spend preservation money

The conditional veto directly contradicts the will of voters - a 65 percent majority - who made the historic decision in November 2014 to permanently dedicate money for land preservation in the nation's most densely populated state.

If accepted by the Legislature, the governor's conditional veto would damage land preservation efforts by:

• Allowing the administration to delay funding for Green Acres, farmland and historic preservation projects for up to a year.
• Permitting the Governor to use Green Acres funds for routine operation and maintenance of state facilities, rather than acquiring and preserving land as the voters intended. Voters did not intend for constitutionally dedicated preservation funds to fill gaps in the state budget.
• Expanding the use of farmland preservation funds to include operation and maintenance of agricultural operations.
• Removing specific allocations for different Green Acres Program areas, meaning local governments and nonprofits would not be able to plan effectively for preservation projects going forward. Funding for programs would vary - perhaps dramatically - from year to year, depending on the administration's wishes.

Garden State residents have voted unequivocally, for themselves and future generations, to preserve lands that safeguard drinking water, produce fresh local foods, protect our native plants and animals, provide place for families to play, and honor our historic legacy. Given the clear language of the 2014 ballot question and the public's decisive vote, the Legislature should override the governor's conditional veto.

Gov. creates open space crisis in N.J.

The voters want this money to preserve land. The governor wants this money to pay bills. Gov. Christie's conditions are not what New Jerseyans voted for in November 2014.

Please contact your legislators today and ask them to override Gov. Christie's veto and uphold the will of the voters. Because a two-thirds majority of the legislature is required, every vote is critical. Your legislators need to know that you and their constituents support open space preservation and want them to override the governor's veto.

You can also find your legislators and send them emails through the Legislature's website.

Thank you speaking out for open space preservation. For more information on preserving New Jersey's land and natural resources, visit the New Jersey Conservation Foundation website or contact me at info@njconservation.org. 

Michele S. Byers is executive director of the New Jersey Conservation Foundation.

New Jersey got a D-plus from the American Society of Civil Engineers in 2016. The failing grade has many worried about the state of the Garden State's infrastructure.

A respected group of experts issued its annual report card on the condition of New Jersey's infrastructure last week, and the state came dangerously close to failing.

Scrutinizing 13 crucial areas - including dams, drinking water supplies and transportation of hazardous waste - the American Society of Civil Engineers rewarded the Garden State with an overall D-plus for 2016.

It's little consolation that this is the same grade the state received in the 2013 national edition of the report card. Running in place doesn't hack it when you're one of only four states whose scores hovered in the D's.

Winners and losers of proposed 23-cent gas tax increase

As much as it will put the squeeze on residents' wallets, it's time for a serious look at that 23-cent gasoline tax under consideration in one of the bills currently on the table, or at least some variation thereof. At this point, the price of inaction is just too steep.

Jeff Tittel, director of the Sierra Club's New Jersey chapter, estimates that the state also needs $8 billion to replace bad water pipes in urban areas, and $14 billion to upgrade wastewater and sewage treatment plants.

The American Society of Civil Engineers' study assigns grades by looking at such criteria as capacity, condition, funding, future needs, public safety and maintenance.

Most alarming of the findings were the areas that jeopardize public safety.

Nearly one in every three dams in the state carries potential risk in cases of severe weather. One in 11 of the state's 6,657 bridges is structurally deficient. Out of 10 levees that the engineers regularly inspect, half are rated minimally acceptable.

"It is grim - there is no way around it," said Luis Barragan, who chairs the association report card committee.

"Grim" doesn't come close. Try disastrous. Or terrifying.

While legislators weigh the pros and cons of at least three different approaches to refill the coffers of the rapidly depleting Transportation Trust Fund, and Gov. Chris Christie remains reticent about any compromise involving a gasoline tax hike, the deterioration continues.

In their report, the civil engineers offered three steps to start raising the grade. No. 1 was fixing the fund, which supplies the majority of funding for roads and transit systems.

Beginning next month, they warned, "it will no longer be able to fund new projects, and all remaining revenue will be used to pay off existing bills."

This is no idle threat. In this densest and most heavily traveled state, unsafe highways and bridges not only strike at the well-being of our economy, but also endanger our very lives.

What does it say about our lawmakers and our governor that this has been allowed to happen on their watch?

Follow NJ.com Opinion on Twitter@NJ_Opinion. Find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.

Washington Township police officer William McCarthy III was charged Thursday with DUI, resisting arrest and other charges in Pennsylvania.

WASHINGTON TOWNSHIP -- Before allegedly running amok last week in Pennsylvania while under the influence, Washington Township police officer William McCarthy III was involved in a domestic violence incident in New Jersey, authorities said.

Authorities say Washington Township police officer William McCarthy III was involved in a DWI crash in Hazelton, Pa. on Thursday. Pictured, McCarthy's Nissan Armada SUV.Courtesy of WNEP-TV 

The Morris County Prosecutor's Office said in a statement a sequence of events preceding McCarthy crashing into several vehicles in Hazleton, Pa., while allegedly under the influence were "considered domestic violence, therefore it must remain confidential to protect the victim."

A law enforcement official speaking on the condition of anonymity told NJ Advance Media that McCarthy had violated a restraining order and police in New Jersey were already on the hunt for him before he was involved in the incidents in Pennsylvania.

McCarthy, 45, of Great Meadows, was arrested Thursday on charges of DUI and resisting arrest in Hazleton after his Nissan Armada SUV was stopped at a police roadblock. Police say his vehicle had heavy front-end damage when it arrived at the roadblock and McCarthy had been driving the vehicle even though the airbag had deployed.

Based on witness statements, two of the vehicles struck by his SUV were occupied and on the roadway while others were parked.

Pennsylvania, unlike New Jersey, charges DUIs as misdemeanors rather than motor vehicle offenses.

The incident in Hazleton occurred nearly a year to the day after a DWI arrest in Blairstown in which he was found parked on the shoulder of Route 94 in a daze and with an open bottle of tequila between his legs, according to arrest reports obtained by NJ Advance Media.

McCarthy, who'd been kicked out of the house a day before the Blairstown DWI in June 2015, told the officer who stopped to check on his condition that he saw dead people and asked if the officer also saw dead people. McCarthy refused to submit to field sobriety tests and to provide breath samples.

His wife later told Blairstown police there were family issues at home, that he'd been drinking heavily since 2002 and that they tried to get him help before. McCarthy denied having a drinking problem, according to the arrest report.

According to the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission, McCarthy's license was suspended for 90 days this past August for a first-time DWI violation in connection with the Blairstown incident. At the time of his arrest on Thursday, his driver's license was valid.

McCarthy has been suspended without pay from the Washington Township Police Department pending the outcome of the investigation into the most recent incident, police Chief Jeffrey S. Almer said in a statement on Friday. 

Washington Township police spokesman Lt. Douglas Compton said the Blairstown DWI was subject to "an Internal Affairs investigation and handled as directed by Attorney General Guidelines."

Justin Zaremba may be reached at jzaremba@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @JustinZarembaNJ. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

The Washington Business Improvement District's annual car show was a success.

The Washington Business Improvement District's annual car show on June 18 was a success.

Posing for a photo were: DJ and emcee Doc South; John Monteverde, executive director of the Washington Business Improvement District; John Koltveit (Farthest

Bernie Peach, of Port Murray, won a trophy for showing the oldest car, a 1908 Stauer Motor Car. (Courtesy photo) 

Traveled, from Pontiac, Illinois, 1938 Dodge Brothers  D8 Coupe);  Jeff DeAngelis of Asbury (Most Unique, 1963 Volkswagon Dune Buggy); Tony Marinucci of Scranton, Pa. (People's Choice, 1947 Cadillac Sedanette);  Bernie Peach of Port Murray (Oldest Car, 1908 Stauer Motor Car - he also brought along a 1913 Stevens-Duryea Touring car); Jeff Smith, vice president of the Washington BID and owner of Smith Motor Co., one of the presenting sponsors of the Car Show along with Rossi Chevrolet Buick GMC and RJ Strunk.

Do you have community news to share? To see it posted here and possibly in The Express-Times and Warren Reporter, send me an email.

A 2014 raid found $5,000 worth of synthetic marijuana at the Phillipsburg business.

The owner of a Phillipsburg convenience store is behind bars for selling drugs out of his South Main Street business.

Harpal Singh (NJDOC photo)
 

Paul-Mart owner Harpal Singh, 58, is to serve three years in state prison after being sentenced June 9 on charges of possession and distribution of synthetic marijuana, according to the New Jersey Department of Corrections.

Signh and his adult son, Randip, were indicted in 2014 after a raid on the store that January. Both shared an address in the first block of Kyle Drive in Lopatcong Township.

The raid -- conducted by Phillipsburg and Pohatcong Township police -- was the result of a three-week investigation and found $5,000 worth of synthetic marijuana, cartons of drug paraphernalia and $6,000 in cash, authorities said at the time.

Randip Singh was released in 2014 on his own recognizance. The status of the charges against him was not immediately clear. A phone listing could not be located.

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

The proposal would put the issue before voters in a gubernatorial election year, in 2017.

TRENTON -- The sweeping overhaul of the school funding formula Gov. Chris Christie announced on Tuesday requires the New Jersey Legislature to let voters adopt it by amending the state constitution in November 2017.

But judging from the immediate reaction from the Democrats who control the Statehouse, the governor should expect a bitter fight.

"This plan is unfair, it is unjust and it is blatantly unconstitutional," according to a statement by state Senate President Stephen Sweeney (D-Gloucester) and state Sen. Theresa Ruiz (D-Essex), chairwoman of the Senate Education Committee.

The governor announced the "Fairness Formula," a plan that would provide every school district with $6,599 per student and scrap the court-ordered methodology that favors low-income urban school districts.

Christie said the proposal would give three-quarters of all districts an increase in state aid, translating into a huge dose of property tax relief. For a state with the highest property taxes in the nation, the idea is likely to gain interest, especially as he plans to campaign for it in towns across the state.

"It is time to change the failed school funding formulas and replace it with one that will force the end of these two crises -- the property tax scandal and the disgrace of failed urban education," Christie said during his announcement at Hillsborough High School.

Christie wants voters to decide the issue in the heat of a gubernatorial election -- a move that will put pressure on Sweeney and other Democrats likely to run for governor to defend the status quo.

The reaction of Sweeney and Ruiz gave the public a taste of the arguments they will raise to sideline the governor's proposal.

Christie: Give all school districts same aid

"It is a maneuver that discriminates against the most vulnerable students and would systematically deny children an equal opportunity to achieve the American Dream," according to their statement. "Children do not choose their zip codes, and this proposal decimates educational opportunity, resulting in more poverty and increased income inequality." 

State Assembly Speaker Vincent Prieto (D-Hudson) challenged the governor to take his town hall road show to municipalities with a sizable number of low-income families or people for whom English is their second language.

"He preaches to a selective audience, and there are always two sides to every argument," Prieto said. "The governor always talks about the people who are leaving the state. I see the people who are living paycheck to paycheck."

The governor "must acknowledge his responsibility by working with legislators to finally fully fund the existing -- and constitutional -- school funding formula," Prieto said.

The history behind how New Jersey pays for public education is a tortured and litigious one, dating back to 1976, when the state Supreme Court closed down the schools until the Legislature passed an income tax to fund a constitutionally mandated school aid formula. 

Assembly Minority Leader Jon Bramnick (R-Union) emphasized the fairness to tax payers. The average tax bill in New Jersey is $8,300 a year.

"Nothing is more fair than treating students equally no matter where they live," Bramnick said. "This plan will help relieve property taxpayers throughout the state and I will fight to get the governor's plan enacted.  I look forward to sponsoring it in the legislature."

Recognizing the funding formula has flaws, Sweeney announced earlier this month he would create a commission to review the "unfair and unbalanced" system that shortchanges some of the fast-growing school districts. 

Staff Writer Adam Clark contributed to this report. Susan K. Livio may be reached at slivio@njadvancemedia.com. Follow her on Twitter @SusanKLivio. Find NJ.com Politics on Facebook.

The Class of 2016 celebrated its commencement at at the school.

Hackettstown High School held its commencement Tuesday night at the school.

The valedictorian was Sydney Rickard and the salutatorian was Caroline Ulm.

The Class of 2016 is comprised of 248 seniors.

Check out the celebration by scrolling through the photos atop this post.

Hackettstown prom photos 2016

BUY THESE PHOTOS

Are you one of the people pictured at this graduation? Want to buy the photo and keep it forever? Look for a link below the photo caption to order prints in a variety of sizes or products like shirts or coffee mugs.

Be sure to check out our complete graduation coverage at lehighvalleylive.com/graduation.

Saed Hindash may be reached at shindash@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @SaedHindash. Find lehighvalleylive on Facebook.

Sierra DiMaio is the only female police officer currently serving in Warren County.

Sierra DiMaio knew from a young age that she wanted to be a police officer.

Growing up she was inspired, she said, by another woman in uniform in her hometown of Hackettstown.

Now, maybe she can inspire others as well.

"I hope ... it will open doors for females in Warren County," DiMaio said Tuesday after being sworn in as Pohatcong Township's first female police officer.

DiMaio isn't the first woman to wear a police uniform in Warren County, but she is the only one currently serving in a municipal department, officials say.

Women made up less than 10 percent of New Jersey's 19,646 full-time municipal police officers in 2014, according to statistics compiled in the New Jersey State Police annual unified crime report -- the latest figures available.

The report tallied 185 full-time municipal police officers in Warren County in 2014. None were women.

Countywide, there were eight women in law enforcement officer positions in 2014: five in the prosecutor's office, and three in the sheriff's department -- including DiMaio. The state police report does not distinguish civilian positions by gender.

"For some reason, Warren County is a little bit behind the times in regards to hiring female police officers on the local level. ... Hopefully that's something that will change," Assemblyman John DiMaio, Sierra DiMaio's father, said before Tuesday's meeting.

Predicting a "stellar career," Mayor James Kern III said DiMaio came highly recommended from the sheriff's office.

"I am incredibly proud that Pohatcong Township is the only agency with a female officer in the county," Kern said ahead of the ceremony. "Having a female police officer gives our force a tremendous advantage in dealing with the many complex issues law enforcement face today."

Sierra DiMaio and Mayor James Kern III share a laugh before she is sworn in as a Pohatcong Township police officer. (Steve Novak | For lehighvalleylive.com)
 

DiMaio started in the county sheriff's department late in 2013 and graduated from the police academy about six months later. Her goal, she said, has been to expand her horizons and face new challenges. She called it an honor to work with the Pohatcong department, where she started last week.

She also expects some extra scrutiny based on her gender.

"I'm sure they're looking at me like, what can she do?" DiMaio said, speaking generally.

The elder DiMaio, attending the meeting less as a public official and more as a proud father, said his daughter worked hard to get where she is.

"I'm just very proud of my daughter," he said. "I'm excited that she has decided to serve the public in a very honorable way."

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

NJ.com's 2016 boys lacrosse season in review.

NJ.com's 2016 boys lacrosse season in review.

HIGH HONOR ROLL Nathaniel Areizaga, Lawrence Badway, Thomas Balas, Audrey Boice, Emma Bond, Lauren Brown, Andrew Burke, Jia Chen, Matthew Cherry, Hillary Constanza Barrientos, Zachary Cook, Julia Dalrymple, Alyssa Darden, Jessica Domenic, Peter Dragun, Katherine Feenan, Abigail Fontana, Abraham Frey,...

HIGH HONOR ROLL

Nathaniel Areizaga, Lawrence Badway, Thomas Balas, Audrey Boice, Emma Bond, Lauren Brown, Andrew Burke, Jia Chen, Matthew Cherry, Hillary Constanza Barrientos, Zachary Cook, Julia Dalrymple, Alyssa Darden, Jessica Domenic, Peter Dragun, Katherine Feenan, Abigail Fontana, Abraham Frey, Caleb Frey, Ashley Gallagher, Thalia Glennon, Justin Graham, Kush Gulati, Alexander Hanisak, Kamal Harvey-Woodard, Ashleigh Hoey, Jonathan Isaacs, Marykate Juliano, Patrick Juliano, Layla Lakhlif Mendoza, Zachary Leong, Jusinda Marshall, Sophia Martinez, Ashley Mason, Alexandra Mayo, Megan McCormick, Lora Merryman, Alexis Perminter, Olivia Powers, Benjamin Price, Aditya Rao, Paige Riley, Dale Schofield, Morgan Smith, Danielle Sperry, Eric Stazzone, Julianna Sweeney, Caitlin Vielstich, Jeffrey Vitale, Ashley Warner, Emily Weiss, Kaille White, Stephen Willey, Jennifer Wintermute, Abigail Wolf, Pamela Yong and Conner Zeigman.

HONOR ROLL
Noelle Abbott, Zandra Aguilo, Ahmed Ahmed Fouad, Amr Ahmed Fouad, Syed Ahsan, William Anderson, Matthew Angara, Kevin Angeles, Sarah Argumedo, Walter Avelar, Kayla Avitabile, Michael Bai, Jocelyn Balan, Joshua Bastos, Kylie Baxter, Kendra Bayne, Nina Bermillo, August Bevacqua, Bella Beviss, Kyle Boice, Garrett Boures, Brianna Boyd, Nicole Boyer, Maxwell Braughton, Nicholas Braughton, Shamyr Brodders, Tenisha Buckmire, Sarah Buonocore, Hailey Cals, Teagan Campbell, Frank Campos, Amanda Camunas, Marco Caprio, Emily Carducci, Elijah Carrick, Amelia Casella, Alexandra Cassidy, Kayla Cavallo, Angela Chan, Mandy Chan, Michael Cherosnick, Kara Churylo, Kyle Clampitt, Ashlie Claxton, Megan Clement, Dylan Cline, Alyssa Coccio, Hailey Coffland, Justin Consentino, Andrew Contiliano, Erin Contiliano, Malachai Cox, Corrina Creekmur, David Cromin, Emily Crosby-Piszczek, Woodrow Crosby-Piszczek, Danielle Curtin, Amanda Curtis, Hannah Davis, Alec DeGerolamo, Madison DeGerolamo, Maddison DeLuca, Mikkaila DeLuca, Nicholas Derrick, Arnav Dhammi, Gabrielle Dickey, Madison Dipple, Devin Dowd, Lauren Dragun, Damian Dudek, Jack Eagleburger, Christopher Egner, Payton Elling, Gina Elsayed, Veronica Erdman, Maria Erz, Hailey Esposito, Abbigale Evans, Louis Fonseca, David Foster, Hallie France, Elizabeth Fuchs, Jessica Fuller, Anastasia Furnari, Marissa Gabriel, Athanasia Gabrilis, Kaitlyn Gallagher, Charles Garabo, Jack Gardner, Kendra Gatyas, Philip Gatz, Julia Glassmacher, Samantha Goodell, Jacklyn Graham, Ashley Griesmeyer, Santiago Guevara, Kathryn Hathaway, Ashley Handwerk, Declan Harkness, Ashley Harrison, Kaitlyn Harth, Lauren Hartzler, Casey Hawk, Sydney Hawkins, Mikayla Hayes, Kaitlyn Heintz, Caleb Hendrix, Benjamin Hixon, Bridget Hoey, Sean Hoey, Brook Hoffman, Andrew Horun, Justin Huamani, Max Inchausti, Sofia Inchausti, Rebeka Jofre, Tashell Johnson, Madeline Johnstone, Sundeep Kaur, Amelia Klochkova, Leah Kelly, Natalie Kelson, Abigail Klauz, Paul-John Kleinatland, Alexander Kollias, Ashley Korbeil, Samuel Kornse, Thomas Kosar, Tamara Laguna, Abigail Langworthy, Ryan Lattner, Jesse Leahey, Matthew Lebron, Prexnie LeGrand, Kristella Lieu, Michael Lindquist, Zachary Liptak, Haley Lovering, Argylle Lubang, Alexis Lynch, Quillan Lyons, Richard Manigault, Christopher Mann, Jessica Manners, Anastasia Marciello, Jared Marcuccilli, John Martin, Tiffany Mason, Mayra Matos-Diaz, Daniel Mattie, Norah Mayer, Grace McAnally, Daniel McDonagh, Wyonia McLaurin, Sorriet Melendez Rivera, Kevin Melillo, Tyler Merrick, Brian Meyer, Diana Meza Martinez, Aiden Miller, Joseph Miller, Kelsey Miller, Brianna Milstrey, Jessica Minardi, Cole Mitchell, Haley Mitchell, Hannah Mitchell, Laura Mora Orenday, Miranda Moreau, Michelle Morrison, Michelle Moss, Samantha Moure, Kaylah Mullen, Kyle Mullen, Tara Murphy, Nathanael Musera, Caleb Myott, Allison Nicinski, Ryan Nollstadt, Lacey O'Dowd, Elizabeth Pace, Brandon Paetzell, Trisha Pakkala, Kyle Parker, Matthew Patterson, Lindsey Paul, Christianna Pepingco, Kathryn Perino, Kiana Perst, Lily Petrillo, Christopher Petti, Priscilla Philip, Scott Piotrowsky, Victoria Pizzali, Grace Postiglione, Jacqueline Powers, Naa Quaye, Pradyumna Rao, Lauren Rapsis, Olivia Raulf, Emily Rego, Keely Rehman, Cameron Reppert, Robert Rivera, Daeja Robinson, Crystal Rodriguez, Alec Rothrock, Nicholas Rothrock, Sarah Rumps, Daniel Rupert, Dominick Russo, Bryce Rutt, John Sabo, Angela Saccaro, Jared Sander, Christopher Schultz, Daniela Schultz, Alexandra Schwartz, Katherine Semon, Evan Sharkey, Ashley Sheehan, Eyad Shehawy, Kailee Siedelhofer, Mark Sirdashney, Ashley Smith, Hunter Smith, John Socci, Joseph Socci, Kyle Sofhauser, Hannah Sorsch, Carolynn Southwick, Amira Sparks, Allison Stair, Sela Stazzone, Tia Steinhardt, Hayley Steinmetz, Sarah Stiehler, Amy Stratton, Kristian Suite, Gabriela Sulewski, Kyle Suruda, Taylor Swim, Rachel Sylverne, Shandor Szanati, Colin Taggart, Calli Taggert, Peyton Taylor, Sarah Tepper-Fazzari, Christian Thomas, Owen Thomas, Patrick Thomas, Daniel Thompson, Ronald Tourtellot, Karsten Tribus, Zachary Troxell, Francesca Varela-Seri, Ivan Velez, Brendan Vieira, Alexander Villalobos-Natividad, Mia Walden, Greta Walen, Diedra Walker, Hannah Wang, Wade Warner, Morgan Weindel, Allyson Wentworth, Teresa Wershonski, Madeline West, Meghan Whalen, Jacob Whitehead, Jessica Wikstrom, Alexandra Willey, Naazia Williams, Raymond Williams, Bryan Wood, Ashley Wrede, Emily Yodis, Julie Youpa, Maggie-Jo Zeeman, Matthew Zeeman and Mark Zgoda.

The man critically injured in the Fillmore Street blast is key to the ongoing investigation.

The person who may hold key information about the cause of a Phillipsburg house explosion is not yet able to talk, according to town officials.

Until authorities can interview the man critically injured in the June 4 Filmore Street blast, the ongoing investigation is essentially on hold.

"Our first hope that he gets better," Mayor Stephen Ellis said Wednesday. "Our second is that he can help solve the mystery."

The explosion destroyed the homes at 74-76 Filmore Street that Saturday afternoon and damaged others nearby. Police and neighbors reported smelling natural gas afterward, but it has not been officially determined to be the cause of the blast that originated in the second floor apartment at 76 Filmore.

Police identified 37-year-old Clay Metzgar as the most seriously injured of two victims. The 76 Filmore resident was taken to Lehigh Valley Hospital, Salisbury Township, with burns over half his body.

Hospital staff could not provide an update on Metzgar's condition Wednesday. It was not clear if he had been transferred to another facility.

Lucky the dog survives P'burg blast

Phillipsburg fire Chief Rich Hay agreed the victim is essential to finding out what happened. Town police Chief James Faulborn said that the investigation was ongoing but declined to elaborate.

"It comes down to the person who lives there," Hay said of the investigation. "It's a matter of time before he's able to speak."

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