The program to save the state's farmland from development continues to make progress.

The driver of the pickup truck was hospitalized.

A 51-year-old woman from Hillsborough Township, New Jersey, died in a crash Monday afternoon on Interstate 78 in Pohatcong Township, New Jersey State Police report.

Michelle Ferrante, a passenger, was thrown from a 2006 Ford F250 pickup that sustained tire failure and overturned at 2:53 p.m. off the left side of the ramp to Exit 3, police said. She died at the scene.

The pickup was hauling a 2002 travel trailer, police said.

Passenger ejected, dies in I-78 accident

Driver Anthony Ferrante, 50, of Hillsborough, suffered serious injuries and was flown to St. Luke's University Hospital in Fountain Hill, police said. A hospital supervisor on Tuesday said they have no information on Ferrante.

Hillsborough is about 40 miles southeast of Phillipsburg.

Lanes were shut in both directions for a time after the crash. A medical helicopter landed on the highway.

The accident remains under investigation, police said.

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

The scout was honored Sunday before family, friends, fellow scouts and leaders.

Boy Scout Troop No. 175 in Mansfield Township recently welcomed its newest Eagle scout.

Kyle James Henderson joined the troop this past Sunday. An "Eagle Court of Honor" was held at the Willows restaurant in Asbury.

Henderson was welcomed into the troop surrounded by family members, friends, fellow scouts, and the troop's scout leadership. 

Henderson's mother, Lori, stated in a speech, "It takes a village..."

The rank of Eagle Scout is the highest advancement in boy scouting.  Since 1912, more than 2 million scouts have earned the rank. The Eagle Scout "promise" tells Eagle scouts to "do their best each day to make their training an example, their rank and their influence count strongly for better scouting and for better citizenship in their troop, in their community, and in their contact with other people."

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

It was take between Sunday and Monday.

Hackettstown police are investigating the theft of a child's car that can be driven up to 5 mph.

A blue Power Wheels Mustang -- which is a Fisher-Price product with a "high-speed lockout for beginners and Power Lock brakes," according to the toy's website -- was reported taken from a front lawn between 10 p.m. Sunday and 9:54 a.m. Monday in the 100 block of Willow Grove Street, town police report.

The small vehicle with white racing stripes is worth $150, police said.

Anyone with information about the theft is asked to call police at 908-852-3302.

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

Thanks to lobbying by leaders from Hunterdon and Warren counties and state officials, the state Department of Environmental Protection has rejoined the cost sharing partnership with Pennsylvania's DEP to again use a non-toxic spray to suppress buffalo gnats, more commonly known as black flies, along the Delaware River.

Thanks to lobbying by leaders from Hunterdon and Warren counties and state officials, the state Department of Environmental Protection has rejoined the cost sharing partnership with Pennsylvania's DEP to again use a non-toxic spray to suppress buffalo gnats, more commonly known as black flies, along the Delaware River.

"The residents and visitors in Warren and Hunterdon counties suffer the most if black fly populations are allowed to go unchecked," Hunterdon Freeholder Deputy Director John King said at the board's meeting on Wednesday. "The renewed program comes as a great relief to the many residents who wish to enjoy their backyards or the county's parks, trails, and other outdoor recreational activities."

New Jersey stopped allocating funding to pay for its share of the cost of the program in the early 2000s. In 2015, Pennsylvania completely halted black fly treatment on the Delaware because of a lack of funding.

"Black flies are not affected by repellents and are extremely painful biters that can cause severe allergic reactions," King said. "Livestock, pets, farms, wineries, golf courses, outdoor businesses, events, parks, hiking, gardening, in short, any outdoor commercial or private enterprise is subjected to the effects of these pests."

Caterpillars, mosquitoes and flies: Valley preps for pests

The spraying by helicopter of a non-toxic pesticide takes place on both sides of the Delaware River, including Mercer, Hunterdon and Warren counties on the New Jersey side, according to a news release. New Jersey's share of the cost of the program is about $200,000. The first new spraying took place on July 5.

"We recognized this program as a priority quality of life issue," King said. "Our legislative delegation, including Senators Kip Bateman (R-16th) and Mike Doherty (R-23rd) and Assemblyman Erik Peterson (R-23rd), along with Hunterdon County's Health Director Tadhgh Rainery and the Warren County Freeholders, made this a team effort in persuading the state to reinstitute the cost sharing with Pennsylvania for black fly suppression.

"There is no cost to Hunterdon County."

According to the Pennsylvania DEP, the material used is a naturally occurring bacteria - bacillus thuringiensis israelensis - that kills the larval form of the black fly when they feed on it in the waterways. This application is not toxic to fish or other aquatic macroinvertebrates found in the treated waterways.

More information can be found at www.dep.pa.gov/blackfly.

It's the first national rankings of the year.

The two-vehicle crash happened two years ago in Monroe County, Pa.

A 43-year-old Monroe County woman had a significant amount of drugs in her system when she caused a crash that killed her 6-year-old daughter two years ago, authorities said.

Rebecca Lynn Willis, 43. (Courtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com) 

Rebecca Lynn Willis, who court records show lives in the 300 block of Kistler Plaza in East Stroudsburg but who previously lived in Oxford Township, is charged with homicide by vehicle while under the influence, involuntary manslaughter and two counts of aggravated assault by vehicle.

She was arraigned June 9 and released on $200,000 unsecured bail, records show.

Willis was driving a Nissan Versa north on Route 209 when the crash occurred on June 6, 2015, Pennsylvania State Police said.

She crossed into oncoming traffic near Polk Valley Road in Hamilton Township and hit a Pontiac Grand Prix driven by Valerie Smith, authorities said.

Both drivers were trapped in their vehicles just before 4 p.m. that day.

Willis' daughter, whom the Pocono Record identified as Sophia Willis, was in a booster seat but the shoulder strap was behind her back, police said. The child died at the scene from blunt force injuries to her neck and head, authorities said.

A witness said Rebecca Willis was swerving over the double yellow and white fog lines before the crash, police said.

Tests showed she had methadone and benzodiazepine in her urine at amounts 15 times greater than therapeutic levels, police said.

Willis' mother, Joan Mastrobuoni, confirmed Willis had been a drug user and had taken methadone, usually used in opiate withdrawal, that morning and that she was heading toward Mastrobuoni's home, according to police.

Willis, who was "awake, alert and oriented," told an EMT that she took methadone and Soma, which is a muscle relaxer, and was reaching for her phone to answer a call from her mother when the crash happened, police said.

When first interviewed by police at the scene, Willis said, "My phone, my phone" and asked if her daughter was OK, police said.

MORE: Man accused of killing baby's mother

Willis was treated at Lehigh Valley Hospital in Salisbury Township and Smith was treated at St. Luke's University Hospital in Fountain Hill.

It wasn't immediately clear why is took so long for the charges to be filed, but one county official said he believed Willis had been in long-term rehab, but wasn't sure if it was for substance abuse or injuries from the crash.

Willis' attorney and the assistant district attorney in charge of the case couldn't immediately be reached for more information.

Willis faces a preliminary hearing Sept. 25 before District Judge JoLana Krawitz. She also is charged with two counts of DUI and several related offenses, according to court records.

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

The new owners of Harker's Hollow in Warren County want to return the golf course to its former glory.

Harker's Hollow, the Warren County golf course whose history reaches back to the 1920s, has been sold at auction for $800,000.

Max Spann, president of Max Spann Real Estate and Auction Co., said the new owners intend to keep the 177-acre tract in Harmony Township as a golf course and return it to its former glory.

Spann stopped short of identifying the owners for now, but he said they have experience running golf courses in Pennsylvania. They have 45 days to close on the deal.

The auction was held Tuesday at the Harker's Hollow clubhouse at 850 Uniontown Road and eight bidders participated, Spann said.

Bidding started at $400,000 and the total contract price went for $800,000. That includes the land and all assets except for machinery such as mowers and golf carts, Spann said. A liquor license was included in the deal.

The golf course and pro shop remain open but the clubhouse and banquet facility have not been open for some time.

Spann said he wanted to get the buyers' OK before publicly releasing their identity.

"Their intent is to run it as a golf course and they know the history of Harker's Hollow," Spann said. "They remember it in its heyday and are looking to restore it and bring it back to its old glory."

The course opened in 1929 and was designed by Robert White, the first PGA of America president. Reviews on various websites describe it as moderately challenging due to rolling hills along the Lopatcong Creek, but give poor marks for maintenance.

It is run now by Harkers Hollow Associates and is near the county fairgrounds. The country club closed for a few months late in 2009 but reopened the following year after it was acquired by the owners of Apple Mountain Golf and Country Club, about eight miles away.

Besides the restaurant and pub, the new owners have plans to reopen the pool, too, Spann said.

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

Authorities identified the remains of one of the missing men and also found additional remains

Investigators searching for four missing men in Bucks County found human remains buried in a grave 12-and-a-half feet underground, the district attorney announced early Thursday.

Cosmo DiNardo (Courtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com)

District Attorney Matthew Weintraub said some of the remains were identified as those of one of the missing men, 19-year-old Dean Finocchiaro, of Middletown Township, Pa.

"We notified his family that we have recovered his body," Weintraub said in a midnight news conference near the Solebury Township property that investigators have been combing for days.

The district attorney said additional human remains also were found in the grave.

"So this painstaking process will go on. We're not done yet," he said. "This is a homicide, make no mistake about it."

Weintraub would not comment on the condition of the remains or how the people were killed.

No homicide charges have been filed in connection with the case, but the man identified as a person of interest in the disappearance of the four last week was back in custody Wednesday.

Cosmo DiNardo, 20, of Bensalem Township in Bucks County, allegedly stole the car belonging to one of the missing men, 21-year-old Tom Meo, of Plumstead Township, also in Bucks. He was being held on $5 million bail.

Authorities looking for the men have focused their search on the Solebury Township farm owned by DiNardo's family.

Dean Finocchiaro (Bucks County District Attorney's Office/The Philadelphia Inquirer via AP) 

Besides Finocchiaro and Meo, the others previously identified as missing are 19-year-old Jimi Patrick, of Newtown Township, and 22-year-old Mark Sturgis, of Pennsburg, Montgomery County.

Weintraub said cadever dogs led investigators to the burial site.

"I don't understand the science behind it but these dogs could smell these four boys 12-and-a-half feet down," Weintraub told reporters.

Weintraub said the investigation remains active. Authorities have not commented on a motive for the disappearances or any violence.

"We're going to start looking closely at the homicide charge and in fact we already have," he said.

DiNardo was released on bail Tuesday but was taken back into custody Wednesday in the theft of Meo's car. The 1996 Nissan Maxima was found on the DiNardo property along Aquetong Road in Solebury where investigators have been looking for clues linked to the men's disappearance.

Meo was reported missing Saturday, and on Sunday DiNardo tried selling the car, Weintraub said during a Wednesday afternoon news conference.

The car remained titled in Meo's name, and authorities found inside the vehicle Meo's diabetic treatment kit that Weintraub called vital to keeping Meo alive.

"We're going to see this investigation to the end and we're going to bring each and every one of these lost boys home to their families one way or another," Weintraub said. "And we will not rest until we do that."

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

From dawn to dusk, all kinds of things take place in the Garden State.

Okay, we're painting with a broad brush here, but not because we've tired of finding interesting categories to cover in our vintage New Jersey photo gallery. Instead, we've compiled a broad range of photos that we hope will allow viewers to consider New Jersey -- in days gone by -- from morning 'til night.

For this gallery, we've tried to show how a "typical" day in New Jersey might have gone. We've considered work, play, prayer, school, chores, entertainment and even traffic. Some photos will conjure up memories for many, others will be remembered by only a few.

MORE: Vintage photos around New Jersey

Whether a day in your life - or in the lives of your parents or grandparents -- included collecting eggs in the morning or boarding a crowded public bus for a commute home, we hope you find something here that "speaks to you."

Here's a gallery of our take on just some of the myriad activities in a day in New Jersey.

And here are some past galleries you might enjoy:

Vintage photos of people at play in N.J.

Vintage photos of how much things have changed in N.J.

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

A district attorney explains bail and a police chief talks about plate readers.

Cosmo Dinardo, the 20-year-old person of interest in the death of a Bucks County man and the disappearance of three others, is being held in lieu of $5 million on car theft charges.

Cosmo DiNardo (Courtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com)

He had been freed a day earlier on an old gun charge that resulted in a bail of $1 million with a 10 percent option. His father, Antonio, posted the $100,000 on Wednesday, court papers say.

Northampton County First Deputy District Attorney Terry Houck explained Thursday morning that bail amounts often relate to a person's risk of fleeing and the danger to the community if the person is free.

So it's not necessarily the seriousness of the crime -- gun and stolen car charges don't often result in bails of $1 million of more -- that dictates bail amounts, although the degree of the offense is weighed as well, he said.

"If you feel someone is a flight risk, you ask for a high bail," he said.

The car which Dinardo allegedly tried to sell to a friend on Sunday for $500 belonged to 21-year-old Tom Meo, of Plumstead Township, who has been missing since last week. The body of Meo's friend Dean Finocchiaro, 19, of Middletown Township, was recovered from a 12-foot-deep common grave covered by concrete on property Dinardo's parents own in Solebury Township, authorities said.

Human remains found in Bucks search

Jimi Patrick, 19, of Newtown Township in Bucks County, and 22-year-old Mark Sturgis, of Pennsburg, Montgomery County, are also missing. There were other human remains found in the grave, Bucks District Attorney Matthew Weintraub said during a midnight news conference.

"Bail is for the protection of the community as well," Houck said. If a gang member were likely to retaliate or continue previous violence, higher bail could keep that person in prison, he added.

While Houck said he doesn't know the specifics of the Bucks County case, a person's access to money to flee also figures into the decision.

Records show Dinardo's parents paid well in excess of $5 million for at least four properties along Lower York and Aquetong roads in Solebury, although current market value is less.

Houck said it's possible the parents would use the land and a farm house there to cover bail for their son.

"People put up real estate all the time," he said.

But if the defendant runs off and doesn't meet the terms of bail, the money or property would be forfeited to the county, Houck added.

While it's unusual for bail to be reduced, prosecutors can appealed the amount to county court if they don't believe it is enough, Houck said.

But that usually would be done right away, he added. There has to be a reason, however, and "the reason wouldn't be that he made bail."

License plate reader helped in car theft case

Court papers say one way investigators tied Meo's car to Dinardo was through a license plate reader. A Solebury Township patrol car on Friday picked up Dinardo's silver 2016 Ford pickup at 7:49 p.m. at 2541 Street Road in Solebury, authorities said. "Within a couple of seconds, the license plate reader also captured" the plate of Meo's 1996 Nissan Maxima, court papers.

License plate readers collect a huge amount of information which can then be compared to specific license plates being sought, Easton police Chief Carl Scalzo explained Thursday morning.

City police would like more readers, including stationary ones at the entrances to the city, Scalzo said, but they remain "a little pricey."

But if an investigator is looking for a specific car or if something is inputted from the auto theft task force, the data from the reader can be key, Scalzo said.

As the patrol car drives around, a camera to the rear of the vehicle "is constantly collecting license plates," he said.

Once a license plate is collected, it goes into the city's system for a specific number of days, Scalzo said. If there are any alerts on the plate, the system can flag them.

The data not only shows the registration, but a time and location it was collected, Scalzo said. Which is why investigators could put Dinardo's truck and Meo's car so near each other at a specific time.

The database is searchable so investigators can go back, as they did in Solebury, to see if something was collected in recent days, Scalzo said.

Next up

Weintraub is expected to meet with the media at 11 a.m. in Solebury, his office said in an overnight tweet.

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

The National Weather Service said as much as 3 inches of rain could fall when thunderstorms move across the region Thursday afternoon and Thursday night.

The National Weather Service has issued a severe thunderstorm watch for 17 New Jersey counties and a series of flood advisories and flash flood warnings in several parts of the Garden State as well as New York City, saying as much as 3 inches of rain could fall when strong thunderstorms move across the region Thursday afternoon and Thursday evening.

As of 2 p.m., rain showers and some thunderstorms were moving through central Pennsylvania but had not yet made their way into New Jersey. That all changed after 3 p.m., when scattered thunderstorms began popping up in northern and central sections of the state.  

Forecasters from the weather service say the storms will increase in intensity as they continue to develop Thursday evening.

Update: At about 4:45 p.m., the National Weather Service issued a severe thunderstorm warning for Middlesex and Somerset counties, as well as eastern Hunterdon, southeastern Morris, northwestern Mercer and northeastern Monmouth, effective until 5:45 p.m.

A severe thunderstorm was located near Whitehouse Station and Somerville, packing wind gusts as strong as 60 mph and moving east at about 30 mph, the weather service said. The storm was producing hail and frequent lightning.

Also, strong storms were moving through parts of Burlington, Mercer and Monmouth counties at about 5:15 p.m., packing winds up to 40 mph. 

"Additional rounds of heavy rain producing thunderstorms are again possible tonight," the weather service's Upton, N.Y., office said in its flash flood watch. "Three inches or more of rain will be possible where the heaviest and most persistent storms occur, leading to flash flooding."

Heat warnings issued amid summer scorcher

A flash flood watch has been posted for the New Jersey counties of Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Passaic and Union, as well as New York City, Long Island, the lower Hudson Valley and southern Connecticut. It is effective from Thursday afternoon through 6 a.m. Friday.

A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for Bergen, Essex, Hudson, Morris, Passaic, Sussex and Union counties, effective from 2 p.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday. The same watch also includes New York City and Long Island. 

A severe thunderstorm watch has been issued for parts of CT, MA, NJ, NY until 9 PM EDT pic.twitter.com/ftxIsXNaLO

-- NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) July 13, 2017

Storm updates:

• At about 3 p.m., the severe thunderstorm watch was expanded to include Burlington, Camden, Gloucester, Hunterdon, Mercer, Middlesex, Monmouth, Ocean, Somerset and Warren counties, effective through 9 p.m. Thursday.

• At about 3:30 p.m., a strong thunderstorm packing winds up to 40 mph was moving across parts of Mercer, Somerset, Middlesex and Monmouth counties, the National Weather Service reported. Torrential rain was falling in some of those areas, and there was a possibility of pea-sized hail.

• Another thunderstorm was moving through Sussex County and heading toward northern Passaic County at about 3:45 p.m., and a large batch of thunderstorms was moving through eastern Pennsylvania and taking aim at Warren and Hunterdon counties at about 4 p.m.

• Shortly after 4 p.m., a flood advisory was issued for Hunterdon, Morris, Somerset and Warren counties, along with south-central Sussex County and parts of eastern Pennsylvania because of heavy rain falling in those areas.

• Shortly after 5 p.m., a flood advisory was issued for Mercer and Middlesex counties, northern Burlington County, northwestern Camden County, central Monmouth and northwestern Ocean, effective through 8 p.m.

• At 5:30 p.m., a flash flood warning was issued for Middlesex and Monmouth counties, northern Burlington, central Mercer and northern Ocean, effective through 8:30 p.m., because of thunderstorm cells that were producing rainfall rates up to 2 inches per hour.

• A severe thunderstorm warning was issued, effective until 6:15 p.m., for the same areas covered in the flash flood warning.

Intense heat lingers 

New Jersey is in the midst of its hottest day of the week, with temperatures reaching as high as 97 degrees in Toms River, 97 degrees at Atlantic City International Airport (an unofficial record for July 13), and 97 degrees in Cape May Court House, Oceanport and Seaside Heights, according to climate data from the National Weather Service and the New Jersey Weather & Climate Network at Rutgers University.

Making Thursday feel even more oppressive is the high humidity.

During the early afternoon, the heat index -- how hot it feels when the air temperature is combined with the relative humidity -- soared to 106 in Cherry Hill, 105 at Atlantic City Airport in Pomona, 105 in Millville, 105 in Upper Deerfield, 105 in West Deptford, 104 in Sicklerville, 104 in Wildwood and 102 in Toms River. 

Live weather radar

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

Three New Jersey lawmakers have joined a group of more than 60 Jewish state legislators from 25 states who are pleading with President Trump not to abandon those efforts.

In 2004, acknowledging an alarming increase in activities targeting Jews worldwide, the U.S. Congress passed the Global Anti-Semitism Review Act.

U.S. Rep. Chris Smith (R-4th District) co-wrote the bill.

In addition to reviewing acts of anti-Semitism, and the response by governments, the measure also established a State Department office to monitor and combat these acts, to be headed by a special envoy.

Since the administration of George W. Bush, the position has served to put the world on notice that the United States would not countenance the type of hateful bigotry that puts Jews in danger wherever they live.

Now three lawmakers from New Jersey have joined a group of more than 60 Jewish state legislators from 25 states who are pleading with President Trump not to abandon those efforts.

Crossing party lines, Senate Majority Leader Loretta Weinberg (D-Bergen), Senate Democratic Conference Leader Bob Gordon (D-Bergen and Passaic) and Sen. Bob Singer (R-Monmouth and Ocean) signed on to a letter protesting the apparent decision by the White House not to fill the current vacancy in the envoy's post.

A similarly bipartisan appeal went out from 116 members of the House of Representatives, including Smith, Donald Norcross (D-1st District) and Leonard Lance (R-7th District).

Anti-Semitic incidents rose in N.J., nation during campaign

The July 6 letter urged Trump "to maintain staff in the Office to Monitor and Combat Anti-Semitism, which is crucial to ensuring U.S. efforts ... match the scale and severity of threats to Jewish communities on the ground."

Recent history affirms that the lawmakers' appeals are grounded in a sober reality.

Data from the Anti-Defamation League (ADL) released in April showed that anti-Semitic acts in the United States soared more than one-third in 2016, and jumped 86 percent in the first quarter of this year.

In the first three months of this year alone, the organization recorded 161 bomb threats to Jewish community centers and schools, 155 vandalism incidents and six physical assaults.

The blog Think Progress notes that "2016 was a horrible year for anti-Semitic hate crimes. 2017 is much worse."

There may come a day when the need for heightened vigilance in the face of anti-Semitism is no longer needed. This is not that day.

In their letter, the state legislators point out that over the years, the special envoy has tackled specific problems in France, Argentina, Hungary, Ukraine, Greece and Egypt that might not have otherwise been addressed.

One man, or one woman, acting alone cannot undo centuries of contempt directed against an entire people.

But the absence of such a powerful figure speaks volumes about the United States' priorities, and the vacancy Trump has allowed to happen under his watch is dismaying.

Our gratitude to the lawmakers for making their case.

Bookmark NJ.com/Opinion. Follow on Twitter @NJ_Opinion and find NJ.com Opinion on Facebook.

Aiyanna Callaway, of Bangor, was ordered to pay $1,316 and barred from possessing animals in New Jersey for 20 years.

A Northampton County woman pleaded guilty Thursday to two counts of animal cruelty in the neglect of horses, some of which were euthanized, outside Phillipsburg. 

Aiyanna Callaway, 33, of Bangor, was ordered to pay $1,316 in fines and costs and barred by court order from possessing domestic or livestock animals for 20 years in New Jersey directly, indirectly or through a third-party person or entity.

About a dozen people gathered in Pohatcong Township Municipal Court where Callaway entered her plea, and they left with grave concerns that Callaway may keep animals in Pennsylvania.

Callaway, owner of "Horses 4 Hope," is trying to regain possession of three of 13 horses taken from her care earlier this year at a 50 Warren Glen Road farm in the township, according to testimony in court. The other 10 have found homes through the New Jersey Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. The group has no jurisdiction over the other three, said municipal court Judge Louis P. Mellinger.

"Am I concerned about? I'm concerned about it," Mellinger said of Callaway continuing to possess horses in Pennsylvania. "But I don't have any jurisdiction over it. ... I'm concerned that it occurs again."

New Jersey Human Police Sgt. Phil Amato agreed to the plea agreement worked out between Callaway's attorney, Hampton-based Arthur Nevins, and Pohatcong's municipal prosecutor, Steven Siegel.

Neither Callaway nor Nevins would speak to a reporter Thursday about the case.

Neglected horses ate hay with plastic, SPCA says

The N.J. SPCA that last month brought 15 counts of animal cruelty against Callaway is pleased with the outcome, spokesman Matt Stanton said. 

"Unfortunately we don't have jurisdiction in Pennsylvania," he noted. "I share those concerns, the concerns expressed from others, about her just moving shop over across the river."

The cruelty investigation began in March after multiple complaints were filed with the state SPCA. Investigators found a dead horse, Ruby, on the property March 22 that they learned had been euthanized by a veterinarian the prior day. She had showed signs of illness and was unable to stand.

On March 24, another horse in Callaway's care, Black Beauty, was also humanely euthanized, due to clinical signs of botulism. 

"A joint investigation by the NJSPCA and the New Jersey State Department of Agriculture concluded that 13 of the 37 horses located on the property were below the minimal body score of a 2.0, as required by New Jersey Administrative Codes 2:8-3.2 for the Humane Treatment of Domestic Livestock," the SPCA said in a news release about the charges filed against Callaway.

Four pastures remain quarantined due to botulism at the farm where Callaway operated, said the owners there, Art and Chris Weeks. He said the deadly organism was introduced in hay Callaway ordered in shrink-wrap. The remainder of the 100-plus-acre property remains in use, Chris Weeks said.

The SPCA says Callaway would have the hay rolled into the field for the horses to rip open with their teeth. The group said it "also found tubs of water frozen on the property. The only access to water was from a pond that collected the run-off of feces and urine from the horses."

Jennifer Macri, of Pattenburg in Hunterdon County, had Callaway care for her horse, Jazz, and even provided feed. She took her horse back after learning he was undernourished, she said outside court.

Sophia Mirabella, 19, of Bloomsbury, was also among those at Thursday's court proceeding. She volunteered with Callaway. She doesn't believe Callaway will regain possession of the three horses she wants because of thousands of dollars in boarding charges she'd have to pay.

"It's not a good idea," Mirabella said of Callaway having horses in Pennsylvania. "It's just going to happen again. The same things is going to happen in Pennsylvania."

"It's a vicious cycle that's not going to stop," said Stephanie Donlay, of High Bridge.

Callaway will pay her fines and costs in $100 monthly installments, her attorney told the judge.

Mellinger paused following the plea in an effort to better understand the psychology of Callaway's neglect. Was it an obsession with animals that outstrips the ability to care for them, he wanted to know. 

His goal was an assurance that Callaway recognized what she'd done, and wouldn't do it again.

"I mean, there's no excuse, there's no excuse for the neglect of an animal, period," Mellinger said. "The bottom line is animals can't be neglected, animals can't be abused, animals can't be made to suffer."

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

The two people in the car got out before the flames took over.

A car and a tractor-trailer crashed head-on just after 12:30 p.m. Friday on Route 519 just north of Mellicks Woods Road in Pohatcong Township, according to the Warren County Department of Public Safety.

The car caught fire but everyone got out of it. The fire was soon put out as the Huntington and Alpha fire companies responded.

No one was badly hurt.

The gold sedan with a Pennsylvania plate had significant front-end damage. The red truck from Cowan Systems LLC in Baltimore had lesser damage to the passenger-side front. The truck was spilling oil, and a township sand truck was trying to dry it up. Oil booms were containing oil flowing toward a nearby creek.

William Penyak, of Holland Township, was driving behind the tractor-trailer when the crash occurred. Although the truck obscured his view of the accident, the driver told him what happened after.

"He said the car went off the left side of the road and up an embankment, then came off the embankment into the northbound lane. Then the truck hit it head-on," Penyak said, noting that he could see the tire marks on the nearby embankment.

Upon hearing the crash, Penyak got out of his car and saw the vehicle on fire. He quickly went to help the male passenger out of the car.

He described both the driver and passenger as being conscious but in shock. The passenger had a facial injury and seemed unable to move the upper half of his body, Penyak said.

"I just kept telling the young man to keep kicking his feet" to help get him out, Penyak said. Once his head was out the window, another person came to assist in pulling him out of the car the rest of the way.

A son of the driver was a passenger in the car and said his father had just taken a sip of water and may have passed out.

The road was reported shut between Warren Glen Road and Municipal Drive.

Township police were investigating.

Alyssa Mursch contributed to this report. 

Freelance photographer Tim Wynkoop relayed information from the scene.

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

The Mustang that was reported stolen earlier this week in N.J. has been returned.

A child's battery-powered car that was reported stolen earlier this week has been returned, but there's just one problem. It's broken. 

Hackettstown police announced in a news release that the blue Power Wheels Mustang -- it was reported taken from a front lawn earlier this week in the 100 block of Willow Grove Street -- was returned to its owner Thursday.

The woman who took the vehicle told the owner that her friends saw news stories about the stolen car and encouraged her to return it. She took the Mustang under the assumption that it was left out as garbage, police said.

The owner was just happy to have it back and wasn't interested in pressing charges, according to police.

Although the car was returned in faulty condition, the owner still walked away with a new ride.

An anonymous person and Dr. James Fedich from Village Family Clinic donated money to purchase a new Power Wheels Mustang for the child. The car is due to arrive next week.

The Mustang is a Fisher-Price product with a "high-speed lockout for beginners and Power Lock brakes" and worth $150, according to the toy's website.

The child was thankful that her Mustang was returned and is even happier now that she is getting a brand new, working car, police said. 

Alyssa Mursch may be reached at amursch@lehighvalleylive.com. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook. 

HOPE, N.J. -- One-day equine rescue course for horse owners and public safety personnel will be held at the Hope Township Fire House on Rt. 521 on Saturday Aug. 19. Whether you are a horse owner, a barn manager, or other equine professional, this course is essential to prepare you for an equine emergency. If you've had or witnessed...

HOPE, N.J. -- One-day equine rescue course for horse owners and public safety personnel will be held at the Hope Township Fire House on Rt. 521 on Saturday Aug. 19.

Whether you are a horse owner, a barn manager, or other equine professional, this course is essential to prepare you for an equine emergency. If you've had or witnessed a horse emergency such as a trailer accident, a horse down in a stall or trapped in a ditch, would you know how to respond or who to call?

This one day course will prepare participants with practical hands-on experience, conducting rescue scenarios using a training mannequin, Lucky the horse. By the end of the course, participants will be able to move large animals safely and quickly in cases of disaster or injury, while preventing potential injuries to the humans involved. The course offers classroom instruction and hands-on scenarios using our specialized equipment and equipment that may be readily available to first responder departments.

The class will be taught by Roger Lauze, Equine Rescue and Training Manager for the MSPCA Equine Ambulance Program.

Registration is $50. Breakfast and lunch will be served.

Space is limited. Register online by July 31 at: www.7hickories.com

Additional classes on basic horse safety at 7 Hickories Farm are being planned for all interested public safety personnel. Participants will work with live animals to learn how to safely approach and restrain a horse and how to safely lead a horse from a barn while wearing turnout gear. Dates will be announced soon.

Seven Hickories Farm is a unique equine rescue formed to provide temporary or permanent homes to horses left in need due to the death or incapacity of their owners.

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

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For more racing and steeplechasing news see http://connect.nj.com/user/aorrjr/posts.html

The 29-year-old is wanted on a narcotics charge, according to the Warren County Prosecutor's Office.

Kyle P. Martinho (Courtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com) 

Kyle P. Martinho, 29, is wanted on a narcotics charge under a warrant dated Jan. 25, 2017, according to the Warren County Prosecutor's Office.

Martinho, whose last-known address was in the 100 block of Philmar Drive in Kunkletown, Pa., is described as 6 feet 1 inch tall and 175 pounds with brown hair and brown eyes.

The prosecutor's office asks anyone with information about Martinho 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.

The crash was Sunday afternoon in Franklin Township, Warren County.

A minor crash led to the brief shutdown of the eastbound lane of Route 57 in Franklin Township, Warren County, on Sunday.

The crash was at 12:45 p.m. where Montana Road and Stewartsville Road intersect with Route 57, according to a witness. The witness said a Nissan Xterra struck a Dodge pickup in the rear.

Each was driven by a man. Neither had passengers. Both drivers declined emergency medical care.

Responding to the crash were the New Jersey State Police, the Franklin Township Fire Dept and the fire department's EMS division.

Colleen and Jeremy Beviss took a simple ranch house in a quiet N.J. neighborhood and transformed it.

In an unassuming Alpha neighborhood populated by ranch-style houses, a home on a particular corner stands out for its unique architecture and beautiful English gardens.

Colleen Beviss and her family live among gardens of greenery, with waterfalls, side tables, hammocks, birdhouses and a beautiful in-ground pool.

But the English Cottage-style home wasn't always this way. In fact, growing up in the very same house, Beviss recalls a ranch-style basic brick and siding home much like the ones that surround her property.

It was after she met and married husband Jeremy, who is from England, that they decided to restyle the property.

It started with the raising of the roof in 1997 and from there, took off with cosmetic changes, additions and a whole new look.

The gardens are meticulously maintained by Colleen, who says she started gardening alongside her grandfather when she was a little girl. A bit of an amateur landscaper, she can name the plants in the garden and has a knack for knowing what goes (and grows) where.

A hair stylist by trade (she works in the salon on top the garage just outside her back yard), she says that when she's not doing hair she's pulling weeds and making sure everything looks just right.

Alpha hairdresser says goodbye

Her decorating style includes a touch of primitive with a large dose of personalization. And she likes to repurpose.

The beams on the outside of her home were from a barn in Kutztown, Pa., and some of the other wood from a nearby barn. She also likes to collect treasures from family trips and turn them into works of art.

Inside the home, high ceilings add space and depth to each of the rooms and warm colors give the home an inviting touch. And again, she uses her own sense of style to personalize her decor. An English tea set brought back from her husband's native country; a sweetgrass basket from a vacation in the Charleston area; and other items collected from travels. She jokes that over the years she has become quite adept at packing treasured items.

She also has a good eye for treasures from antique shows and flea markets, all of which combine to make her home one her whole family can enjoy.

On her kitchen wall, there's a large chalkboard that she changes daily with little thoughts from family members about what makes them grateful. Her mother, who recently retired to Myrtle Beach, even calls her with a message most days.

It's just another of Colleen Beviss' personal touches that make this cool space in Alpha a home.

Do you know of any cool spaces that you'd like to share? Let us know by leaving a comment below or email me at ourtown@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow lehighvalleylive.com on Twitter at @lehighvalley. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.