Junior Dani Profita registers 3 goals and an assist.

Junior forward Dani Profita registered three goals and an assist Wednesday night to spark Warren Hills Regional High School's field hockey team to a 7-0 victory over Summit in a NJSIAA Group 3 semifinal at A.L. Johnson High School in Clark, N.J.

Megan Thompson added a goal and two assists for the Blue Streaks (22-2). Rachel Phillips, Rebecca Sigman and Katie Thompson also scored for Warren Hills. Blue Streaks goalie Jackie de Raismes made four saves to record the shutout.

Warren Hills will try for its second straight state title on Saturday against Ocean City at Bordentown High School.

Tom Hinkel may be reached at thinkel@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @TomHinkelLV. Find Lehigh Valley high school sports on Facebook

That they scorched the structure is "an absolute shame," the mayor says.

A public park pavilion was scorched by fire Sunday afternoon in what Washington's mayor said is "an absolute shame."

"We put it up there for everyone to enjoy," Mayor Scott McDonald said, "and someone comes along and makes a mistake and has to destroy it."

A 17-year-old boy has been charged with third-degree arson and criminal mischief, Washington Township police Chief James McDonald said Wednesday. A 13-year-old boy also faces a criminal mischief charge.

Two juvenile girls were with them but not charged, the chief said. All the youths are from the borough.

The fire began in a garbage can in the pavilion and spread to the rest of the structure, the police chief said.

Vic Cioni, chairman of the borough's recreation commission, said he has been trying to get cameras installed at the park off Route 31 since 2007. Funding for some wireless cameras was approved this year, he said, and the goal is to get them installed before winter.

"Ironically," Cioni said, "two of the cameras were to be installed at the pavilion."

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

Nice weather and a new splash pad are credited with keeping the pool financially afloat.

Five years after it was nearly closed, Washington's pool has turned its third straight annual profit.

The pool brought in almost $87,000 over the summer season and made a profit of about $5,000, according to recreation commission Chairman Vic Cioni. The profit includes $4,250 in anticipated reimbursements for infrastructure.

Salaries and some other expenses were also up over 2014, but boosts from the concession stand, daily admission and members fees pushed the pool over the top, according to numbers Cioni said he plans to present at an upcoming borough council meeting.

RELATED: Washington pool opens new splash pad for 2015

Total revenue was up more than $16,500 from 2014. The biggest change was from daily admission fees -- the $27,300 in 2015 was almost $8,500 more than last year.

"We did luck out with weather this summer but we did see a big uptick in daily and seasonal passes," Cioni said, also crediting a splash pad that debuted for the summer.

"Now that people have seen it and used it I think next season, because of word of mouth, could be even bigger."

The pool was nearly closed in 2010 because of concerns it could not be profitable.

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

The 20-year-old is charged with aggravated assault and arson.

A 20-year-old Phillipsburg man is accused of choking a woman to unconsciousness and setting fire to a pile of clothes inside a home.

Gavin Lepore, 20, of the 100 block of Mercer Street in Phillipsburg, is charged with aggravated assault and arson after allegedly choking a woman to unconsciousness and setting a fire inside a home. (Courtesy photo)

Gavin Lepore, of the 100 block of Mercer Street, faces a slew of charges including aggravated assault and arson, according to a criminal complaint filed in state Superior Court in Belvidere.

Town police allege Lepore argued with the woman at his home about 1:45 a.m. Monday and choked her with his hands until she passed out.

ALSO: 7 major Warren County criminal cases and where they stand

Lepore set fire to a bag of clothes, damaging the garments and the carpet, police said. He allegedly also threw a fire extinguisher through a window, ripped a closet door off its hinges, punched a hole in a kitchen cabinet and shattered a ceramic lamp.

Police allegedly found Lepore had a small amount of marijuana.

In addition to aggravated assault and arson, Lepore is charged with simple assault, harassment, criminal mischief and drug possession. He was arraigned Monday and sent to Warren County jail in lieu of $15,000 bail with a 10 percent option.

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

 

Sunday School students made a special delivery to the Trinity Church Lord's Pantry in Hackettstown recently.

After church on Nov. 8 children from the Sunday School of the First Presbyterian Church, of Hackettstown, pulled wagons filled with donated nonperishables along Main Street to the Trinity Church's Lord's Pantry. 

Washington Township police released the video and reminded residents to keep their vehicles locked. Watch video

Police in Washington Township, Warren County, are looking for the person responsible for a rash of thefts from unlocked vehicles, and a surveillance camera seems to have spotted him.

Police on Thursday released the video, which shows a hooded figured skulking about and entering a car.

There have been numerous similar burglaries reported over the last three weeks in Washington and Oxford townships, police said.

The department is advising residents to lock their vehicles and make sure not to leave any valuables in them. Police also ask that any suspicious activity be reported, and that anyone with information about the crimes or the person in the video to call 908-689-1111.

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

 

A supermarket brawl, pricey real estate and New Jersey's top predator all made this week's quiz.

Take your best shot at this week's NJ.com new quiz. The questions below are based on the top stories of the week gone by here on NJ.com, all stories you've seen if you're a regular user. Once you're done, share your score in comments to see how you stack up with other NJ.com users. And remember, absolutely no Googling allowed.

A new group is interested in restoring the movie house to a performing arts venue.

A new act is in the works for the Washington Theatre.

The building at the crossings of Routes 57 and 31 in the center of Washington has been closed almost a year, and demolition was considered in 2014.

But a new proposal combining entertainment with education has the building's owners ready to take a risk on the nearly 90-year-old building, if residents will back it.

"We feel that the benefit to the community is grand enough to justify the effort," said Dennis Shuman, one of the property owners. "It will bring the community not only together, but bring the quality of the community up."

PREVIOUSLY: Theater's operator evicted, site's future again in question

The Cultural & Performing Arts Centre at the Washington Theatre is the group taking on the project, planning to turn the theater building from a movie house into a performance venue involving the community.

The goal is for the center to host musical and theatrical performances and classes, all while reaching out to the community for input and partnerships.

"As I go through the town and meet people ... I find out this community is more eclectic than it may appear," said Jay Arrington, CPAC's president and founder.

Arrington -- an author, educator and playwright -- said he moved from Passaic, New Jersey, to the borough weeks ago so he could oversee the project. He said he learned of the theater through an area church where he regularly sings.

The entire project is anticipated to cost between $1 million and $2 million, Arrington said.

Last month, he went before the borough council to request $50,000 to help get the project off the ground, a request council said it would consider. That money would go toward repairing the roof and interior before real renovations could be done, he said.

The organization, which is applying for non-profit status, is planning its public-outreach campaign, said Chara Ann Tappin, CPAC's community engagement director. Community involvement will be an important part of the arts center not just during the fundraising but in its long-term operation, she said.

"We want this to become almost a self-sustaining entity," Tappin said.

Eventually, CPAC plans to run a contest with the state chapter of the American Institute of Architects in which students will submit renovation designs on which residents will vote.

Once it is up and running, the center could host a work-study program that gets area youths involved, ideally connecting them with residents who have interests or backgrounds in the arts.

"This is our initial vision," Tappin said. "We may wind up with something that's even better."

All involved say they are aware that previous efforts to restore the theater failed. They also say there is potential for a boost to the borough and its businesses.

Both Tappin and Arrington said CPAC is being methodical with its plans, building up support and resources. Shuman, the building owner, said there is significant risk in this kind of investment, but that CPAC's actions so far have been positive.

"The vision is in place, it's just a matter of getting there," Arrington said. "The only thing I see in my head when I think of the theater is people standing up and clapping."

FIND OUT MORE

You can find out more about the Cultural & Performing Arts Centre at the Washington Theatre by following them on Facebook or Twitter, or emailing cpacatthewashingtontheatre@gmail.com.

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

The 53-year-old Hackettstown woman is jailed in lieu of $7,500 bail, police say.

A Hackettstown woman head-butted and kicked a town police officer as a warrant was being served Thursday night, according to a news release.

Christine Aponte, 53, had a bottle filled with pills in her bra when an officer arrived just after 7:20 in the 100 block of West Plane Street to serve a warrant on a previous drug charge, police said.

Aponte tried to put pills in her month and crush them with her hands and feet, police said.

As the officer attempted to arrest her, Aponte head-butted him and kicked him in the knee, police said.

MORE: Pistol-whipping bandit robs Hackettstown gas station

Aponte was also in possession of 16 Oxycodone pills and two plastic straws, which had suspected drug residue within them, police said.

She was charged with aggravated assault on a police officer, hindering, tampering with evidence and possession of Oxycodone and drug paraphernalia, police said.

Bail was set at $7,500 and she was sent to Warren County jail on the drug warrant and the charges pertaining to her arrest, police said.

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

A town woman is facing charges for allegedly headbutting and kicking a police officer when he tried stopping her from destroying drugs in her possession.

A Hackettstown woman is facing charges for allegedly headbutting and kicking a police officer when he tried stopping her from destroying drugs in her possession.NJ Advance Media File Photo 

HACKETTSTOWN -- A town woman is facing charges for allegedly headbutting and kicking a police officer when he tried stopping her from destroying drugs in her possession.

Christine Aponte, 53, of Hackettstown, has been charged with aggravated assault on police, hindering apprehension, tampering with evidence, possession of oxycodone and possession of drug paraphernalia, Hackettstown police Sgt. Darren Tynan said in a news release.

Police responded to the 100 block of West Plane Street at 7:21 p.m. Thursday to serve Aponte with a wanted person warrant issued by the Warren County Prosecutor's Office on a drug charge, Tynan said.

While officers were with Aponte, they determined that she had a bottle filled with pills in her bra, he said. She then tried to place the pills in her mouth and attempted to crush the bills in her hand and under her feet, Tynan said.

PLUS: Chainsaw-stealing burglar broke business' window, cops say

It was while Aponte was trying to destroy evidence and the officer was attempting to place her under arrest that she headbutted the officer on the right side of his face and kicked him in the knee, he said.

After she was arrested, Aponte was found to be possession of 16 green Oxycodone pills and two plastic straws with residue of suspected controlled dangerous substance inside them, Tynan said.

Aponte was remanded to jail after she was unable to post $7,500 bail on the Hackettstown charges and the prosecutor's warrant, he said.

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

 

Phillipsburg High School club members attended Rotary UN Day in New York.

Several members of the newly formed Phillipsburg High School Interact Club attend Rotary United Nations Day at the United Nations headquarters in New York on Nov. 7. The trip was followed by a visit to the 911 museum at one World Trade Center.

MORE: Two Phillipsburg High School grads receive Rotary scholarships

Pam Peslis and Selena Smith, not pictured, also served as chaperones.

The Rev. Raymond L. Cole has been returned to full ministry after he was found not guilty of sexual abuse by a panel of church judges

Msgr. Raymond Cole, the former pastor of St. Joseph Church in Hillsborough, has been cleared of sexually abusing a minor in the 1970s. (Diocese of Metuchen) 

A Roman Catholic priest accused of sexually abusing a child in the 1970s has been found not guilty by a church tribunal, clearing the way for his return to ministry after a two-year suspension, Metuchen Bishop Paul Bootkoski announced Friday.

Msgr. Raymond L. Cole, 72, was removed as pastor of St. Joseph Church in Millstone Borough, just outside Hillsborough, in October 2013, after the Middlesex County Prosecutor's Office alerted the diocese to the sexual abuse claim.

At the time, Bootkoski said canon law required a priest's suspension when an allegation had been "deemed to have a semblance of truth." The claim dates to the late 1970s, when Cole served as an associate pastor at St. Mary Parish in South Amboy.

In a letter to parishioners of the Millstone church, Bootkoski wrote that the tribunal, composed of three priests from outside the Diocese of Metuchen, cleared Cole after conducting a church trial. The priests are expert in canon law and experienced in the church's judicial process, the bishop wrote.

RELATED: Read Bishop Bootkoski's letter about Msgr. Raymond L. Cole

"While there can be neither victory nor victor in a situation such as this, the outcome of the trial means that Msgr. Cole is again a priest in good standing in the diocese, and I hope this decision will be the first step in fully restoring his reputation," Bootkoski wrote. "True to his character, Msgr. Cole fully cooperated during the investigation of the charges against him and never displayed any animosity toward his accuser or the process."

Cole and his accuser both testified before the tribunal, said Erin Friedlander, a spokeswoman for the diocese. The nature of the charges and the gender of the accuser have not been made public. At the time of the allegation, the criminal statute of limitations had long since passed.

Cole, who has consistently maintained his innocence, expressed relief at the verdict in a brief statement Friday afternoon.

"It is a tremendous relief that this chapter of my life is over and that I am free to practice my priesthood," he said. "I thank the Lord Jesus for sustaining and strengthening me during these two years. By the grace of God, I have never been angry with this person, who has been in my prayers all through this."

Despite the tribunal's ruling, Cole said he will not return to St. Joseph, his home of three decades, calling it "the most difficult decision and sacrifice of my life."

"This truly is a most difficult decision because I love my parishioners," he said. "They have been so supportive of me and shown such patience as they awaited with me the decision of the Tribunal, and I do not want to see them stressed again."

RELATED: Hillsborough pastor removed over '70s-era sex abuse claim

The parish has been under the leadership of an administrator, the Rev. Hank Hilton, since Cole's removal.

Cole, who has previously done missionary work overseas, said he will study Spanish in Guatemala, then return to the Diocese of Metuchen to work in Hispanic ministry.

In his letter, Bootkoski thanked parishioners for their patience, describing the process as a "difficult two years."

"The wheels of justice in the church, like those in our secular society, sometimes turn more slowly than we would like," the bishop wrote. "At the same time, swift justice is not always perfect justice.

"Together," he added, "let us continue in our earnest prayers for Msgr. Cole, for all our priests, for all parishioners of St. Joseph's parish and, most especially, for all who are victims of the evil of sexual abuse."

The Diocese of Metuchen is home to more than 630,000 Roman Catholics in Hunterdon, Somerset, Warren and Middlesex counties.

Mark Mueller may be reached at mmueller@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter @MarkJMueller. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

 

Northampton, Hunterdon and Warren county authorities say they are looking for three individuals.

Northampton County authorities seek Christian Blomquist - fugitive of the week

Hunterdon County authorities seek James Hennessy - fugitive of the week

Warren County authorities seek Rashon Thomas - fugitive of the week

 

The two-lane bridge will be down to one during off-peak hours Sunday to Saturday.

Inspections to the Riverton-Belvidere bridge will have the two-lane span down to one during off-peak hours for a week, according to the Delaware River Joint Toll Bridge Commission.

The 111-year-old bridge will be checked as the commission prepares to replace steel parts and strengthen the structure.

Traffic will be reduced to one lane from Sunday through Saturday, with alternating lanes 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday to Friday to avoid peak travel times, the commission said in a news release. The restrictions are subject to change.

Drivers who use the bridge, which connects Belvidere and Lower Mount Bethel Township, should allow extra time for their travels.

In October, Ammann & Whitney Pennsylvania Inc. was awarded the $517,000 contract to conduct the repairs, the commission said.

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

 

The Blue Streaks made a first-half goal stand up for their second straight Group 3 crown.

Teen struck windshields of victims living in Easton and Phillipsburg, Pennsylvania State Police in Dublin say.

A 15-year-old boy has been charged after throwing eggs at vehicles traveling along Route 611 in Bucks County, Pennsylvania State Police say.

File photo | lehighvalleylive.com 

The teen, who lives in Kinternersville, allegedly was throwing the eggs at the windshields of cars shortly before 7:30 p.m. Friday. State Police in Dublin say the act occurred near Walnut in Riegelsville Borough, Bucks County.

Victims included Tarek Zeitoon, 46, of Easton and Kathleen Painter, 54, of Phillipsburg.

Police did not identify the teen because he is a juvenile. He was cited with criminal mischief.

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

Airbags deployed during the single-vehicle crash Friday evening on Route 519 in Lopatcong Township, police say.

A teenage driver Friday evening was injured when she looked to see if a deer was crossing the roadway, lost control and struck a concrete bridge in Lopatcong Township, police say.

Bridget A. Sember, 18, of 5th Avenue in Alpha, at 10:41 p.m. was driving a Jeep Grand Cherokee southbound on Route 519 when police say she looked to the left to make sure a deer wasn't crossing over.

She then struck the wall of the concrete bridge on the right side of the roadway, police say. Airbags on the vehicle were activated and Sember couldn't recall if she was wearing a seat-belt, police say.

Police say Sember was outside the vehicle when officers arrived at the scene and complaining of leg pain. She was transported to a local hospital for treatment. Police did not have information Sunday on Sember's medical condition.

Police said the bridge was constructed over a small creek. The crash occurred near the Warren Animal Hospital, 793 Uniontown Road.

The Lopatcong Township Fire Department also responded to the scene.

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

Hackettstown firefighters had the fire extinguished within 45 minutes Sunday afternoon, said Fire Chief James Taylor.

The cause is unknown in what led a detached garage to ignite into flames Sunday afternoon in Hackettstown.

Fire Chief James Taylor said the blaze, which began shortly before 1 p.m., had started as a brush fire and spread to a fence and the detached garage at 127 Mountain Avenue.

Firefighters worked to keep the flames from spreading to the home, which was three feet away from the detached garage. Taylor estimated it took firefighters 30 minutes to get the blaze under control and 45 minutes to completely extinguish it.

There were no reported injuries. Taylor was unsure if the homeowners were home during the time of the fire.

Taylor said the garage was mainly used as a workshop area and was used for storage -- not vehicles. Nothing was flammable inside, he said.

The cause of the blaze remains under investigation by the Hackettstown Fire Department.

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

"I'll finish out my term as best I can and I'll walk out of here with my head held high," says current Mayor Harry Wyant Jr.

There are no signs that Harry Wyant Jr. is moving out. Not yet, anyway.

His office in the Phillipsburg municipal building is still adorned with trinkets accumulated through decades of public service -- photos of him driving a hayride, a fake Newsweek cover pairing him with Sarah Palin, an image of his political idol, Ronald Reagan.

It will all be packed up in boxes soon enough. For now, Wyant says, he still has work to do.

"I'm still going to do my job," said Wyant, who was defeated in his bid for a fifth term as Phillipsburg's mayor by Stephen Ellis. "I'm not staying home because I lost. I'll finish out my term as best I can and I'll walk out of here with my head held high."

RELATED: Phillipsburg mayor upset: Stephen Ellis unseats Harry Wyant Jr.

Wyant, whose first took elected office with a six-month term on town council in 1990, has been in contact with Ellis to begin the transition. A day has been set early next month for the mayor-elect to come in, meet staff and discuss ongoing projects.

"It will be a lot for him to absorb, I'm sure," Wyant said.

Ellis said he's up to the challenge.

"I've been thinking about it every single day," said the political newcomer, a Phillipsburg-born-and-raised Democrat who has worked with the state park service for 35 years.

Ellis said a transition team has been formed to help examine different aspects of the town's operations. He will hear the mayor's thoughts -- "anyone who's served as much as he has ... deserves the respect of the town," he said -- but will ultimately make up his own mind.

"I think we'll have a smooth transition given the fact we've had a clean campaign," he said.

Election upset

Wyant admitted he was unprepared for the level of organization Democrats exhibited in the campaign. In addition to Ellis, Mark Lutz and Joshua Davis won seats on council, defeating Republicans Robert Fulper and current council President John Lynn.

Phillipsburg Mayor-elect Stephen Ellis, left, meets with New Jersey Senate President Steve Sweeney on Nov. 11, 2015. The two discussed Phillipsburg's situation as a border town, Ellis said. (Courtesy photo | For lehighvalleylive.com)

Ellis said he, too, was surprised at the level of support they got. What started out as a small campaign grew with the support of county Democrats and local volunteers.

"A lot of people just jumped on board," he said.

Wyant, who said he lost five pounds going door to door in the campaign, believes the national atmosphere may have pitted his longevity against him.

"With the whole country looking for change," he said, "I think that that might have had something to do with (it), because I've been here so long. People are looking for change for the sake of change."

To-do list

There are a number of projects that will be awaiting Ellis' attention when he takes office Jan. 1.

Three union contracts will be up for renegotiation, Wyant said. And the progress of Commerce Park redevelopment -- Wyant's stated reason for attempting a fifth term -- could determine how much else Ellis can get done, the current mayor said.

The proposal for warehouses on and around the former Ingersoll Rand tract will mean $2.5 million for the town when developers close on the land sale, expected early next year. That could lead to tax breaks or money for other projects, the mayor said.

RELATED: Financial gains, lower taxes projected in Commerce Park redevelopment

"I believe wholeheartedly in this project to be the catalyst to this town," Wyant said. "Parks and downtown could come as a result of what we do here."

Ellis said the Commerce Park proposal will be a priority for the new town leadership, which will closely examine the project.

Then comes the union contracts, then his stated goal of revitalizing the downtown, all of which will be tracked in 100- and 200-day goal lists, he said.

"Getting to know the organizational culture of any office is a challenge," Ellis said.

What's next?

Wyant offered some lessons he's learned in public service.

"Just try and take your time, learn as much as you can about what goes on, how it goes on, before you make a lot of changes," he said.

Also: "You can't please everybody. You can't give them everything."

The mayor said he's not exactly sure what he will do when he leaves office. He's still licensed to do electrical work, or maybe he will work on antique cars. He ruled out holding elected office, saying that after all this time he'd rather focus on "whatever the day brings."

But that doesn't mean he won't miss being behind the mayor's desk.

"It will be a strange feeling to leave a job," he said. "It's not the way I wanted to go out, believe me. I wanted to go out on my own terms. ... But this is life, you have to take what's given to you."

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

 

Even those who love the Garden State have to admit it has its flaws. Watch video

Let me start by saying I love New Jersey, and no one has written about or seen more of this state than I have.

That being said, this ain't exactly paradise, and the last thing New Jersey needs is the glamour treatment -- making everything about this state sound postcard-perfect. We have an image problem, sure; let's not make it worse by painting the Garden State in some fake golden glow.

Which brings us to the 10 most overrated things about this state. Call it a Jersey reality check. I'll undoubtedly catch major grief for daring to question these Garden State icons, institutions and shibboleths (always wanted to use that word in a sentence), but like every real Jerseyan, I have a thick skin.

10. The Jersey Devil. The biggest fraud in alleged-monster history, and that's including Sasquatch. There are so many versions of the Jersey Devil's origin it might as well be a comedy skit. Every so often, usually shortly after a bar somewhere closes, someone will call in a Jersey Devil sighting; a fisherman on LBI saw the Devil "serenading'' a mermaid. My big question: If this were a real-live  devil, shouldn't it have the power to zip around the state, say to the Short Hills Mall or the Somerset County 4-H fair? No self-respecting devil would hide out in the woods all its life.

9. Malls. Who shops at them, besides half the world? Yes, the Cherry Hill Mall was the first enclosed mall on the East Coast when it opened in 1961. Yes, we have more malls per square mile than any other state. Doesn't mean I have to love them, or even visit them. My most recent mall trip: a search for the state's best mall food. Five years ago, I visited all 28 of our major malls in 2 1/2 days. What did I learn? Pretty much nothing, but it was fun, despite the security guard at one mall questioning what I was doing taking notes.

8. Full-service gas stations. New Jersey is one of just two states where you can't pump your own gas. It all started in 1949, when the state legislature passed the Retail Gasoline Dispensing Safety Act amidst concerns over consumers pumping their own gas. Never mind that every other state except us and Oregon passed similar laws and have since overturned them. Proponents of full-service say it'll raise pump prices. By what, a nickel? I'll be happy to pay it! Stop this archaic annoying practice -- let me pump my own gas!

Too many of these, along with discount stores and massage parlors, on the AC boardwalk (Peter Genovese I NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)
 

7. The Atlantic City boardwalk. The World's Most Famous Boardwalk is the world's most depressing boardwalk, populated with t-shirt shops, dollar stores, psychics, massage parlors, and souvenir stands selling iguanas (hermit crabs are apparently passe). Facades have been renovated in recent years, but it's not nearly enough. The phone charging stations and tram cars are nice touches, though. If I want a true boardwalk experience, I'll head to Wildwood or Ocean City; AC makes the Seaside boardwalk look like Rodeo Drive.

6. Mobsters. Are they even around anymore? If New Jersey was proud of one thing back in the 50s and 60s, it was its mobster element; they had swagger, they broke fingers, and had their own in everything (Disclaimer: I am not now, nor have I ever been, a member of the Genovese crime family). Today, I think even Idaho has more mobsters. When the most famous recent mobster in your history is a fictional character (Tony Soprano, of course), you have a serious mobster image problem.

5. Jersey Shore summers. I love the Shore -- it's where I live. I love summer -- my favorite season. But Jersey Shore summers? Let's see: epic traffic jams on the Parkway, crowded beaches and boardwalks, block-long waits at restaurants, and don't forget all those quarters you're pumping into meters. Sounds like great fun. Best time to visit: mid-to-late September, when the Parkway's bearable, the weather's ideal and you don't need no stinkin' beach badge.

Best thing about Hoboken: The views of Manhattan (John Munson | NJ Advance Media for NJ.com)

4. Hoboken - It's from the Indian word meaning "overpriced everything and rampant pretentiousness.'' The state's most parking-challenged town does boast a boatload of bars and restaurants (one bar was a semi-finalist in our N.J.'s best bars competition, and a burger joint was a finalist in our N.J.'s best burger showdown). Great access to the big city, but so does Jersey City, which has a more diverse dining scene. And don't get me started on the lemmings lined up outside Carlo's Bake Shop. Hobokenites were outraged none of their pizzerias landed in my NJ Pizza Power Rankings. My explanation -- none of them were good enough to be in the top 25! Best thing about the Hoboken food scene: the food trucks on Pier 13. Best thing about Hoboken: the views of Manhattan.

@petegenovese Hoboken. It's all the pain in the ass of New York, but with twice the concentration of drunks and without the museums, etc.

-- Christopher Dwyer (@dwyercd) November 4, 2015

3. The Jersey tomato. Look, I love tomatoes, and Jersey farmers. But you can't tell me Jersey tomatoes are vastly superior to tomatoes grown in other states. New Jersey, one cooking site proclaims, "is blessed with the best tomatoes in the world'' -- and gives zero reason why. It's been repeated so many times over the years it's become an urban -- or, more accurately, rural -- legend. What, we have magic soil and perfect climate no other state possesses? Folks in Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia -- all of which produce more tomatoes than Jersey -- say their tomatoes are the best, too. Several years ago, gardenweb.com asked which state grows the best tomatoes. The overwhelming favorite: California. Let's get over this Jersey tomato fixation.

I'm not the only one:

@petegenovese the tomatoes...doesn't compare to Italian San Marzano

-- Steak Knives (@Josh1938) November 4, 2015

The most overrated sandwich in the history of sandwich-dom (Alex Remnick I The Star-Ledger)
 

2. Taylor ham/pork roll. Yeah, it's pretty much the state sandwich, but is any food item more overrated? Pork roll is bland and boring and one-tenth as tasty as bacon; give me a big fat bacon and egg sandwich any day. And North Jersey, do me a favor; stop calling all pork roll Taylor ham. If it's not made by Taylor Provisions, it's not Taylor ham. Not all the pork roll you get in North Jersey is made by Taylor; there's a good chance you're actually eating Case pork roll. Repeat after me: All Taylor ham is pork roll; not all pork roll is Taylor ham.

1. The Garden State slogan. New Jersey is not overrated, but our slogan sure is. It's not known who came up with this most maddening of monikers (some credit Abraham Browning back in 1876), but the slogan has been on our license plates since 1954. Despite our farms and open space and Pine Barrens, no other state lives up less to its nickname (the view from the turnpike around Exit 13A, anyone?). Speaking of gardens, I checked various lists of the top 10 or 25 public gardens in the U.S. New Jersey was not on any of them. 

If you have a better nickname for New Jersey, or any comment about my list, let me know below. I'm sure I'm going to get some heat! 

Peter Genovese may be reached at pgenovese@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter at @PeteGenovese or via The Munchmobile @NJ_Munchmobile. Find the Munchmobile on Facebook and Instagram.