Council slashed the mayor's 2016 salary from $70,000 to $40,000 ahead of the post-election transition.

A Phillipsburg councilman says slashing the salary of the mayor-elect was "a mistake" and plans a proposal to restore much of the cut.

Phillipsburg Mayor Harry Wyant Jr., left, will make $70,783 in 2015. An ordinance approved last week sets the 2016 salary for Mayor-elect Stephen "Rogie" Ellis, center, at $40,000. However, Council Vice President Todd Tersigni, right, plans to introduce an amendment under which Ellis would make $65,000. (lehighvalleylive.com file photos)

Under an ordinance approved last week that set a number of municipal salaries, council decided the 2016 pay for the full-time mayor's office will be $40,000, far below current Mayor Harry Wyant Jr.'s $70,783 for 2015.

Town officials said the measure was not in retribution over election results, but to have Mayor-elect Stephen "Rogie" Ellis begin at a starting rate akin to what Wyant made when he first took office 16 years ago.

Council Vice President Todd Tersigni on Tuesday said a $65,000 salary is more appropriate for the position, and said he plans to introduce an amending ordinance at next week's meeting.

"I made a mistake and I want to be held accountable for that," Tersigni said. "I want to rectify it."

Ellis and two other Democrats, Mark Lutz and Joshua Davis, won November's election, defeating Republicans Wyant, Council President John Lynn and Lynn's running mate Robert Fulper, meaning Democrats will take over the council majority.

Tersigni, a Democrat, said $65,000 would be "fair and equitable" compensation for the mayor's responsibilities, and will get current and new council members started on the right foot.

"We have other issues to deal with," he said.

Making the cut

Council approved the salary ordinance in a 5-0 vote Dec. 1, setting next year's pay for several non-union positions including mayor and council. The council pay will remain steady from 2015, with the council president making $3,570 and the other council members earning $3,060.

Lynn said the ordinance was proposed by Wyant, who does not vote in Phillipsburg's form of government.

The justification given by town officials was that $40,000 puts Ellis at a base-level salary. Express-Times archives show Wyant earned $38,719 as mayor in 2000, though it wasn't clear if benefits were included in that figure. He was granted raises periodically through his four terms.

"There is a learning curve when you start out," Wyant said.

Lynn said the council thought the reasoning behind the cut was sound, and noted no objections were raised by council or residents before the vote.

"I was satisfied with the explanation ... and I voted what I was feeling at that time," the council president said.

Ellis is retiring from his job as as a regional superintendent with the state park service after 35 years and will make $110,979 this year, according to a state database. He did not return a request for comment Wednesday, but has said that with his pending pension, a salary cut as mayor will not negatively impact him.

Support in question

Tersigni -- who said he approved the original ordinance because he didn't want to hold up the other salaries -- is proposing a new ordinance that amends the one approved by council.

He said he has not discussed his plan with other council members but is confident he can win support.

For Tersigni's amendment to be successful, it must be introduced at council's Dec. 15 meeting -- the last one scheduled this year -- and be formally approved at a to-be-determined special meeting.

EDITORIAL: Mayor's pay cut in Phillipsburg looks like payback

Some council members have said they would be in favor of letting the new council address the issue when they take office in January. J.P. Stettner -- a Democrat who did not seek re-election -- last week said he plans to ask council to stop the measure from taking effect until the new council can address it.

On Wednesday, the council president also said the new officials can amend the salaries as they see fit.

"I think it would be only fair to let the new council and new mayor visit it on their own terms," Lynn said.

Tersigni -- who vowed not to compromise on the $65,000 figure -- said he is determined to see the issue through this month.

"It was done now and it needs to be rectified by this council," he said.

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

 

William F. Otis Jr. suffered minor injuries in the 10 a.m. and was recovering Tuesday evening at a Trenton hospital.

PRINCETON -- A 90-year-old Princeton man riding a motor scooter struck the rear of a stopped truck on Cherry Hill Road Tuesday morning, suffering head, arm and leg injuries, Princeton police said.

File photo 

The injuries to William F. Otis Jr. were considered minor, though, and he was recovering Tuesday evening at Capital Health Regional Medical Center in Trenton, Princeton police said.

Otis was wearing a helmet, police said.

The truck driver, Richard Gares, 47, of Easton, Pa., was not injured in the 10 a.m. crash.

Princeton police said Gares was hauling gravel to a local construction site and was stopped in the road just south of the Stuart Road intersection.

Otis was souhtbound on Cherry Hill Road and collided with Gares' Mack truck, which is owned by GH Trucking, in Asbury, N.J., a town in Franklin Township, Warren County.

The crash remains under investigation by Princeton police investigators Tuesday, who closed the road for almost three hours after the crash. The Princeton First aid & Rescue Squad treated Otis.

RELATED: Cherry Hill Road closed in Princeton for crash investigation

Princeton police say Otis is known for riding a motor scooter in the Cherry Hill Road area.

In 2011, Otis wrote a letter to the Town Topics newspaper with a suggestion to alleviate traffic in Princeton.

"If every able-bodied citizen from 90 years down considered sometimes using a bike, motor scooter (one gallon of gas every two weeks), or walking, instead of a second car, it would dramatically change the whole traffic scene," the letter argues. "It can actually be (surprise!) a pleasant experience."

Kevin Shea may be reached at kshea@njadvancemedia.com. Follow him on Twitter@kevintshea. Find The Times of Trenton on Facebook.

Good weather continues on the second day of the weeklong hunting season

FREDON -- The total number of bears harvested by the second day of the state's bear hunt reached 309, already exceeding by a considerable margin the number of animals taken in all of last year, according to preliminary figures from the state Department of Environmental Protection released Tuesday night. 

Ninety-three animals -- the large majority hunted in Sussex County, which usually leads among all counties for number of bears claimed -- were weighed on Tuesday, less than half the number of animals on the first day of the hunt Monday. 

The five-year-old firearms hunt was introduced to limit populations of black bears in New Jersey, especially in the northern part of the state. The hunt is permitted in parts of eight counties. 

Timothy Kilinski, 18, of Pohatcong Township, was pronounced dead at the early Tuesday morning crash in Williams Township.

A Pohatcong Township man was killed in Tuesday morning's crash on Interstate 78 in Williams Township, Northampton County Coroner Zachary Lysek said Tuesday night.

Timothy Kilinski, 18, of the 200 block of Pershing Avenue, was pronounced dead by Lysek at the scene near mile-marker 74.6 of I-78 West.

Phillipsburg schools Superintendent George Chando said Kilinski was a senior at the Phillipsburg Alternative Secondary School.

"The Phillipsburg School District recently learned of the tragic loss of one of our students, Timothy Kilinski," Chando said in an email late Tuesday night. "On behalf of the entire school district community, I want to extend our deepest sympathy and sincere condolences to his family. 

"As part of the district's crisis intervention program, counselors will be available on Wednesday morning at PASS and at the high school to assist the students and our staff."

Kilinski died of injuries suffered in the crash, and the death was ruled accidental, Lysek said.

The teen was alone in the vehicle at the time of the crash, about 3:55 a.m.

Pennsylvania State Police said the crash occurred when the driver lost control and started to slide in the left lane.

I-78 fatal crash began when car slid in left lane, cops say

The car crossed the right lane, left the right side of the highway and hit two concrete barriers before crossing both lanes and striking the wire-cable barrier in the grassy center median of the highway, police said.

After stopping, the car burst into flames, police said.

Authorities closed the westbound highway in the area of the crash for several hours. 

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

The driver isn't badly hurt, but power appeared to be knocked out.

A Volkswagen Passat slammed into a utility pole early Wednesday morning on Route 31 South in Washington Township, Warren County.

The male driver wasn't badly hurt -- he refused medical treatment -- but power appeared to be cut to at least 101 JCP&L customers in the area of the 200 block of Route 31.

MORE: Phillipsburg student identified as I-78 crash victim

The black Volkswagen had front end damage and the power company responded to deal with the sheared pole.

By 6 a.m., fewer than five JCP&L customers were in the dark in Warren County, according to the company's outage site. Just after the crash, between 101 and 500 customers didn't have power in general area, the site said.

Township police were dispatched at 3:42 a.m. and the southbound lane of the highway was closed as a result of the crash.

In addition to police, the Washington Rescue Squad and the Washington Township Fire Department responded.

Freelance photographer Rich Maxwell contributed to this report.

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

The first-year coach led the Blue Streaks to their second straight NJSIAA Group 3 title.

Kate Rothman had a tough initiation process to go through last summer.

Rothman had just been hired to replace highly successful Laurie Kerr as the new field hockey coach at Warren Hills Regional High School. Unbeknownst to her, one of her first tasks was to meet the requirements of senior captains Rachel Phillips and Katie Thompson.

“Me and Katie had a meeting with her when she was first hired,” Phillips said. “I tried to stare her down to see if she was right for the team. It turns out she was. From the very first practice we did all the right drills and she didn’t make us do anything that was unnecessary.”

Rothman, a former coach at Lenape Valley High School, knew she was stepping into a program with a very rich tradition. In fact, the Blue Streaks were coming off their first NJSIAA Group 3 title in 2014.

However, with six outstanding seniors lost to graduation, the team certainly had some holes to fill this fall.

Rothman ultimately made all the right calls. The season started with Warren Hills winning the Skyland Conference Raritan Division championship followed by its third straight Hunterdon/Warren/Sussex Tournament title.

The Blue Streaks were just getting warmed up. They went on to win the NJSIAA North 1 Group 3 title followed by the school’s second straight overall Group 3 championship – a 1-0 triumph over Ocean City.

Warren Hills’ magical season finally ended with a respectable 4-1 loss to powerful Eastern in the Tournament of Champions.

For leading the Blue Streaks all the way back to the top in her first season, Rothman is the 2015 lehighvalleylive Field Hockey Coach of the Year.

“I wasn’t coming in trying to make me the star, I was trying to make them the stars,” said Rothman, who lives just outside of Hackettstown in Independence Township “We had so much talent. At Lenape Valley I started from the ground up. Here everything was in place.”

The Blue Streaks’ success story was a total team effort. Leading the way was talented junior forward Dani Profita, who amassed 41 goals and 25 assists.

Each player fulfilled her role, whether it was scoring, distributing or playing defense. Phillips and Thompson helped lay the foundation. The team also received big-time contributions from senior Megan Thompson, Katie’s twin-sister, junior goalie Jackie de Raismes, and a trio of sophomores – Rebecca Sigman, Tali Popinko and Mikayla Dugan.

“The hardest part about coaching is keeping the girls happy because, let me tell you, nothing can ruin a season more than girl stuff,” Rothman said. “But these kids wanted to win. They loved to practice. They loved playing. If I called a timeout, they listened and they adjusted.”

Katie Thompson had her sights set on repeating as state champion from Day One.

“From the beginning of the year, we wanted to do it back-to-back,” Thompson said. “We knew we could because we had the players. We just needed to work to get to where we were last year, and we did.”

Rothman’s staff consisted of varsity assistant Selena Agnor and junior varsity coach Gregg Wiseburn.

“I was lucky because at Lenape Valley I didn’t even have an assistant on varsity,” Rothman said. “It was only me and the JV coach, so it was a nice luxury to have Selena. We get along very well. We kind of worked together and split stuff up.”

Rothman considers herself to be a mild-mannered coach who gets her point across without doing a lot of ranting or raving.

“I specifically remember against Eastern we were down 3-0 in the first 12 minutes and I called a timeout,” Rothman said. “I simply told them what to do. Screaming and yelling doesn’t work. That isn’t going to make them any better. I just try to make adjustments and help them win the game. They listened and it was really an enjoyable season.”

Like Phillips, Katie Thompson felt an instant connection with Rothman when they first met.

“The first day I met her she was very nice,” Thompson said. “She said she wanted to keep the tradition going and she didn’t want to change our team around. She was very supportive of how we used to be.”

Rothman has nothing but praise for her two captains.

“I thought their leadership was fantastic,” Rothman said. “Rachel was kind of like a coach on the field. In fact, she wants to be a coach and I think she’ll make a fantastic coach someday. Katie is more of an emotional leader. She really provides an emotional kick, which is important.  

“When I took the job they told me I had great captains. They didn’t steer me wrong. They were absolutely right. They made my job a whole lot easier.”

Megan Thompson scored the goal three minutes into the state final against Ocean City. The Blue Streaks spent the rest of the game staving off one Raiders challenge after another.

“It was a nail-biter,” Katie Thompson said. “It was scary but we had to be strong. When they had a stroke it was nerve-wracking, but she missed.”

“I don’t think I breathed the whole state championship game,” Rothman said. “That was a wild game. That’s the way state championship games should be – exciting but very stressful.”

Phillips feels the program is in good hands going forward.

“She did a great job,” Phillips said. “She really understood who the players were and she put us in position to make plays. We had good team chemistry coming back from last year, and she was really able to build on that.”

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

Timothy Kilinski, 18, of Pohatcong Township, was pronounced dead at the early Tuesday morning crash in Williams Township.

A Pohatcong Township man was killed in Tuesday morning's crash on Interstate 78 in Williams Township, Northampton County Coroner Zachary Lysek said Tuesday night.

Timothy Kilinski, 18, of the 200 block of Pershing Avenue, was pronounced dead by Lysek at the scene near mile-marker 74.6 of I-78 West.

Phillipsburg schools Superintendent George Chando said Kilinski was a senior at the Phillipsburg Alternative Secondary School.

"The Phillipsburg School District recently learned of the tragic loss of one of our students, Timothy Kilinski," Chando said in an email late Tuesday night. "On behalf of the entire school district community, I want to extend our deepest sympathy and sincere condolences to his family. 

"As part of the district's crisis intervention program, counselors will be available on Wednesday morning at PASS and at the high school to assist the students and our staff."

Kilinski died of injuries suffered in the crash, and the death was ruled accidental, Lysek said.

The teen was alone in the vehicle at the time of the crash, about 3:55 a.m.

Pennsylvania State Police said the crash occurred when the driver lost control and started to slide in the left lane.

The car crossed the right lane, left the right side of the highway and hit two concrete barriers before crossing both lanes and striking the wire-cable barrier in the grassy center median of the highway, police said.

After stopping, the car burst into flames, police said.

Authorities closed the westbound highway in the area of the crash for several hours. 

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

The driver isn't badly hurt, but power appeared to be knocked out. A Volkswagen Passat slammed into a utility pole early Wednesday morning on Route 31 South in Washington Township, Warren County. The male driver wasn't badly hurt -- he refused medical treatment -- but power appeared to be cut to at least 101 JCP&L customers in the area of...

The driver isn't badly hurt, but power appeared to be knocked out.

A Volkswagen Passat slammed into a utility pole early Wednesday morning on Route 31 South in Washington Township, Warren County.

The male driver wasn't badly hurt -- he refused medical treatment -- but power appeared to be cut to at least 101 JCP&L customers in the area of the 200 block of Route 31.

MORE: Phillipsburg student identified as I-78 crash victim

The black Volkswagen had front end damage and the power company responded to deal with the sheared pole.

By 6 a.m., fewer than five JCP&L customers were in the dark in Warren County, according to the company's outage site. Just after the crash, between 101 and 500 customers didn't have power in general area, the site said.

Township police were dispatched at 3:42 a.m. and the southbound lane of the highway was closed as a result of the crash.

In addition to police, the Washington Rescue Squad and the Washington Township Fire Department responded.

Freelance photographer Rich Maxwell contributed to this report.

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

The accident was in the first block of Good Springs Road in Franklin Township.

UPDATE: Phillipsburg teen hurt in Franklin Twp. rollover wreck

A car rolled over a guard rail and into a culvert Wednesday morning in the first block of Good Springs Road in Franklin Township, Warren County.

The crash was reported at 7:46 a.m., according to the Warren County Department of Public Safety.

There is a slight curve just before the four-door Hyundai left the road and ended up on its roof, with its front end facing the road.

VW shears utility pole on Rt. 31 in Washington Twp.

The driver was transported by a Greenwich Township ambulance to an area hospital. The degree of the driver's injuries was not clear.

A power line came down in the crash and JCP&L was dispatched. A power outage was not immediately reported on JCP&L's website. The road was closed.

New Jersey State Police were investigating. 

Emergency crews had cleared by 9:30, but the road was expected to be closed for another three hours as the pole is repaired, a fire department official said.

Freelance photographer Rich Maxwell contributed to this report.

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

The 2015 bear hunt is underway and already bringing in substantially more bears than the past two seasons. But what do you do with the bear afterwards? Watch video

The 2015 bear hunt is underway and already bringing in substantially more bears than the past two seasons. 

But what do you do with the bear and its deep-red gamey (some might say greasy) flesh afterward? Several of the hunters NJ Advance Media spoke with this week said they planned to make the bears they killed into dinner.

To assist hunters with their preparations, the state Department of Environmental Protection released a 17-page cookbook last year that explains how to butcher bear along with recipes for cooking bear meat as a meatloaf, stew, chili, bratwurst and, even, osso bucco. Preparations for bear jerky and bear stock are also included in the cookbook.

More than 200 animals taken on first day of bear hunt

A word of warning: Black bear meat can be a carrier of Trichinella spiralis and Toxoplasma gondii, the parasites that cause the diseases trichinosis and toxoplasmosis in humans, according to the DEP.

"Proper cooking techniques can ensure that your bear meat is safe to eat," the DEP said in an advisory. "Like pork, the proper cooking time for bear meat is 375 degrees (Fahrenheit) for 20-25 minutes per pound. Internal cooking temperature should reach 160 degrees for 3 minutes or more before consumption. Cook until there is no trace of pink meat or fluid paying close attention to areas around the joints and close to the bone. Freezing meat does not always kill these parasites."

It continued: "Connoisseurs of bear meat suggest freezing, canning or eating it within a week after the kill as the flavor becomes stronger with age. Trim fat from the meat especially well and, as is the case with all meat, good wrapping and sealing is recommended."

Bear hunt 2015: Compromise unlikely between protesters and hunters

Two recipes that the DEP says are "highly recommended" are included below:

Grilled, Spiced Bear Tenderloin

Ingredients

• 1 lb bear tenderloin or back strap, trimmed of all fat and silver skin
• 1 tbsp. vegetable oil

Spice Mix

• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 1/2 tsp. black pepper
• 1 1/2 tsp. ground allspice
• 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 3/4 ground clove
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg

(Or use any combination of your favorite game spices)

Directions

1. In small bowl, mix all spices until combined
2. Add oil and stir to make a paste
3. Prepare tenderloin, making sure all fat is trimmed. Caution: When grilling bear meat, dripping fat will ignite! Trim all fat before cooking!
4. Rub all sides of the trimmed tenderloin evenly with spice paste. Set aside.
5. Prepare grill (charcoal recommended) for medium heat
6. Place tenderloin on grill and cook slowly on medium heat until fully cooked, turning occasionally
7. Allow bear meat to reach an internal temp of 160 degrees before consumption

Oven-Barbecued Bear Ribs

Ingredients

• 2 to 3 lbs bear ribs
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1/2 cup catsup
• 1/4 cup cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup finely chopped onion
• 3 Tbsp packed brown sugar
• 2 Tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1 Tbsp paprika
• 1 tsp. dry mustard
• 1 tsp. salt
• 1 tsp liquid smoke flavoring
• 1/2 tsp pepper
• 1/4 tsp chili powder

Directions

1. In a small bowl, combine all sauce ingredients, excluding ribs & water
2. In a Dutch oven, combine ribs, 2 cups of water and 3/4 cup of the sauce
3. Heat rib mixture to boiling
4. Reduce heat and cover
5. Simmer until ribs are tender, about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, rearranging ribs occasionally
6. Heat oven to 350 degrees
7. Arrange ribs on roasting pan and brush with remaining sauce
8. Bake for 10 minutes; turn over
9. Brush again with sauce
10. Bake for 10 minutes longer

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

The accident was in the first block of Good Springs Road in Franklin Township. A car rolled over a guard rail and into a culvert Wednesday morning in the first block of Good Springs Road in Franklin Township, Warren County. The crash was reported at 7:46 a.m., according to the Warren County Department of Public Safety. There is a...

The accident was in the first block of Good Springs Road in Franklin Township.

A car rolled over a guard rail and into a culvert Wednesday morning in the first block of Good Springs Road in Franklin Township, Warren County.

The crash was reported at 7:46 a.m., according to the Warren County Department of Public Safety.

There is a slight curve just before the four-door Hyundai left the road and ended up on its roof, with its front end facing the road.

VW shears utility pole on Rt. 31 in Washington Twp.

The driver was transported by a Greenwich Township ambulance to an area hospital. The degree of the driver's injuries was not clear.

A power line came down in the crash and JCP&L was dispatched. A power outage was not immediately reported on JCP&L's website. The road was closed.

New Jersey State Police were investigating. 

Emergency crews had cleared by 9:30, but the road was expected to be closed for another three hours as the pole is repaired, a fire department official said.

Freelance photographer Rich Maxwell contributed to this report.

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

The last sighting of the wounded walking bear was two weeks ago. Watch video

JEFFERSON -- Supporters of "Pedals," the injured walking bear, are concerned for his safety during this week's bear hunting season, which is in its third day.

The 2015 bear hunting season, which runs concurrently with a six-day firearm deer hunting season, is scheduled to end 30 minutes before sunset on Saturday. It may, however, be extended up to four days if poor weather or other conditions result in a reduced "harvest."

Sabrina Walsh-Pugsley, who started a GoFundMe page to have the bear relocated to a facility in Otisville, N.Y., asked supporters of Pedals on Sunday to pray for him during the hunting season. Pedals is walking on his two hind legs and would be an easy target for hunters.

Pugsley, who has raised more than $23,000 on a GoFundMe page, said the last reported sighting of Pedals was two weeks ago, but he wasn't captured. The state Division of Fish and Wildlife is still asking anyone who sights the wounded bear to immediately call 877-927-6337 to report it.

Supporters are concerned that hunters may be searching for the bear because of the media attention it has drawn.

"Please say a prayer for Pedals," Pugsley wrote on her GoFundMe page. "We have faith in his determination."

Supporters of the bear want state wildlife officials to allow the bear to be relocated to the Orphaned Wildlife Center in Otisville, but the Empire State environmental agency said it would block any move to transfer the bear there. 

Orphaned Wildlife Center officials, which have said they would build a special enclosure for the bear, maintain that the state can't block any transfer.

Supporters of the bear are also concerned that he may not survive the winter.

New Jersey wildlife officials have said their biologists believe it's best to let the bear remain in the wild and they won't allow him to be relocated to New York. They want to capture the bear, have it examined and then determine the best course of action.

Pugsley and Lisa Rose Rublack, who started a Care2 petition that has nearly 300,000 signatures seeking the relocation of the bear, went to the state Department of Environmental Protection and the state house last month to deliver the petition and other materials on the bear to officials.

Dave Hutchinson may be reached at dhutchinson@njadvancemedia.com.Follow him on Twitter @DHutch_SL. Find NJ.com on Facebook.

Elizabethtown Gas responded and determined the odor was not the result of a gas leak.

Elizabethtown Gas determined there was no gas leak at a business in Hackettstown. (lehighvalleylive.com file photo)
 

Several businesses were evacuated Wednesday morning after police responded to a report of a natural gas odor in Hackettstown. 

The report came in at 10:34 a.m. about the odor at Slingers Games, 80 Main St. Police, along with the town's fire department, ordered the evacuation after arriving there, according to a statement from town police. 

MORE: Hackettstown police hold drug take-back event

Neighboring businesses were also evacuated. 

"Elizabethtown Gas arrived on scene and determined there was no gas leak," the police statement says, adding the cause of the odor is "undetermined." 

The evacuation lasted about an hour, and no one was injured, the statement says. 

Nick Falsone may be reached at nfalsone@lehighvalleylive.com. Follow him on Twitter @nickfalsone. Find lehighvalleylive.com on Facebook.

Waiting for the next great sunset to photograph? A specialized computer model developed by three young weather buffs might help you out.

On a warm Sunday evening in late November, people all across New Jersey and other eastern states stopped what they were doing, grabbed their cameras and locked their eyes on the sky as a kaleidoscope of colors reflected off the wispy clouds.

They were witnessing a spectacular sunset, with alternating shades of orange, pink and purple glowing in the western sky.

While thousands of folks who saw the Nov. 22 sunset had no idea the sky would look so great that night until it was happening, the colorful light show had been predicted by a computer model created by three young weather enthusiasts in Pennsylvania.

The three guys who created the SunsetWx computer model: Steve Hallett, Jacob DeFlitch and Ben Reppert. (Courtesy of SunsetWx) 

In early October, Ben Reppert, Jacob DeFlitch and Steve Hallett met over pizza and started talking about whether there's a scientific way to predict a great sunset, Hallett said in a phone interview Monday.

Hallett is a sophomore studying meteorology at Penn State University, and his colleagues both graduated from the school with a meteorology degree and now hold jobs in the weather field. When DeFlitch was a student, he did photography work for Penn State and loved to capture images of sunsets and scenic landscapes. One obstacle he faced was not knowing when the sky would look its best.

Informal conversations about meteorology and photography, coupled with Hallett's computer programming skills, led to the recent creation of SunsetWx, a computer model that pulls in atmospheric data from an existing weather forecasting model (the North American Model used by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) and runs the data through a special algorithm developed by Hallett. 

The end result: Color-coded maps that show the probability of vivid sunsets each day, all across the United States.  

PLUS: Mild December set to get even warmer

"Our algorithm predicts higher clouds, and higher clouds usually result in nicer sunsets," Hallett said. "It takes a weather model's guess of what the atmospheric conditions will be... We take that data and we form our forecast from that data, using several variables," including cloud height and atmospheric moisture. 

The color-coded map they use sort of looks like a radar image you would see during an outbreak of bad thunderstorms, except on this map bright reds and oranges are good, not bad.  

In places where thin high-level clouds are expected as the sun begins to dip below the horizon, their map will show deeper shades of red and orange, indicating a high probability of a nice sunset. Where mid-level or low-level clouds are expected to hang in the sky around sunset time, or the western sky is too clear, the map shows medium and darker shades of blue, indicating the smallest chance of a memorable sunset.

@sunset_wx outstanding forecast guys. Grabbed this one just shy of Spavinaw in NE Oklahoma. pic.twitter.com/RMf11oI0rb

-- stevenk (@kevswx80) December 8, 2015

DeFlitch said a key ingredient that improves the odds of a scenic sunset is the presence of high-level clouds. 

"High clouds not only provide moisture to refract the sunlight, their wispy formation also provides texture to the sky and are high enough in the atmosphere for the sun to scatter light below," he explained on his website, comparing the process to rays of light that project on a movie screen.

GAINING STEAM

The young forecasting trio -- Reppert is from the Allentown area, DeFlitch from outside of Pittsburgh and Hallett from the Ridley area of Delaware County -- drew a good deal of attention on social media for accurately predicting the dazzling Nov. 22 sunset. 

"We really scored a coup on that one," Hallett said. "That's when people really started to take notice." 

Since then, word of their sunset model has been spreading on Twitter and Facebook, getting plugs from TV meteorologists and photography buffs, and drawing praise from weather experts familiar with their work.

"In terms of its scientific merit, what they appear to be doing is selecting relevant weather variables that are used within previously-developed weather forecast models to create a unique product that provides the user with information on the quality of a given sunrise/sunset," said Kyle Imhoff, the acting Pennsylvania State Climatologist. "This is scientifically sound, as many meteorologists produce their own maps of unique model output that provide some useful information to the user."

Just like ordinary weather forecasts, however, some of the sunset forecasts don't pan out. When that happens, Hallett gets some good-natured ribbing from his friends at school. And just as Facebook and Twitter users around the nation have verified the accuracy of the sunset model by posting photos, some have pointed out flawed predictions.

But the SunsetWx team takes it all in stride, saying they welcome feedback both good and bad, because all of the information helps them tweak their computer formula. 

"It's still in its infancy," DeFlitch said, noting the sunset forecasts launched in mid-November.

In fact, the formula has already been refined a few times since its inception, and the maps now include sunrise forecasts as well as sunsets. And the Pennsylvania weather buffs expect more revisions down the line, all to boost the model's accuracy.

While it's too early to predict what lies ahead for the SunsetWx guys, DeFlitch is hoping their nifty invention will encourage more people to appreciate cloud formations and dazzling colors in the sky.

"Maybe it'll get the public out to enjoy nature and the beauty around us," he said.

RECENT SUNSET FORECASTS

On Monday, Dec. 7, SunsetWx predicted a slightly above-average sunset in New Jersey and New York City, and the forecast turned out to be on target.

Here's what the SunsetWX map showed for 5 p.m. that day. (Areas with a brighter orange color were forecast to have a higher probability of a nicer sunset than the areas in yellow or green.)   

Courtesy of SunsetWX   

Some Twitter users posted photos and videos of a scenic sky that night in Manhattan, including this time-lapse video shot by WABC-TV's Eyewitness News.

WAIT FOR IT... This #sunset timelapse over Lower Manhattan in #NYC is the best thing you'll see all day https://t.co/uW1raDOIKo

-- Eyewitness News (@ABC7NY) December 7, 2015

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

Warren County jail workers were never charged, and their names will be redacted.

It may never publicly be revealed who from the Warren County jail took publicly-owned generators for personal use during Superstorm Sandy blackouts, but a court has ruled that the investigation into their actions is fair game.

Redacted records detailing the probe -- but omitting the names of the accused or witnesses -- should be released by the county, according to a New Jersey Appellate Division opinion released Wednesday.

A state court has upheld a ruling that Warren County should release records of the investigation into sheriff's officers who used county-owned generators after Superstorm Sandy, but the identities of the accused will be redacted. (NJ Advance Media file photo)

The Appellate decision upholds a lower court's ruling from two years ago. It gives the county 30 days to release the records or appeal.

"Who's watching the watchers, and are the watchers playing with a crooked deck? That's what this is all about," said John Paff, who filed the lawsuit against the Warren County Prosecutor's Office in 2012 after requesting the investigation records.

Paff, chairman of the New Jersey Libertarian Party's Open Government Advocacy Project, said he wanted to see if the decision not to prosecute sheriff's officers was reasonable or if they were given a pass because they were in law enforcement.

Warren County Sheriff David Gallant (lehighvalleylive.com file photo)

Prosecutor Richard Burke and Sheriff David Gallant did not immediately return calls for comment. County counsel Joseph Bell was not available to speak Wednesday.

More than one sheriff's officer allegedly used county generators during the aftermath of the 2012 storm that knocked out power around the region, in some places for weeks.

The Warren County Sheriff's Office launched an internal investigation in November 2012 and the case was turned over to the county prosecutor's office, according to lehighvalleylive.com reports and court documents. That December, the prosecutor's office determined no criminal charges were warranted.

Gallant at the time said that employees were disciplined and no one was fired.

Paff requested the investigation records in January 2013 and filed suit after receiving two redacted records and being denied the rest.

Warren County Prosecutor Richard Burke (Lehighvalleylive.com file photo)

A Warren County judge that December ruled that the prosecutor's office must release 13 documents relating to its investigation but later amended her decision and said the court would protect the identity of anyone involved.

The prosecutor's office appealed to the Appellate Division, supported by the state Attorney General's Office. They had argued that criminal investigations, even when closed, should remain confidential -- that their release could impede future investigations and infringe upon the privacy rights of individuals not charged with a crime.

County spends more than $23,000 fighting generator records request

Paff said that while the names of those accused will not be released, he is looking forward to seeing how the investigation was conducted and plans to publish the documents on his blog, NJ Open Government Notes.

He said his interest goes beyond this particular case -- that the decision will inspire "a dialogue" to spur legislators to open up investigation records for public analysis.

"People should be able to view a discretionary act by an official and if it serves the public," he said. "It is my belief that ultimately there would be more trust in law enforcement if law enforcement were candid."

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

High school senior Timothy Kilinski died early Tuesday on Interstate 78 in Williams Township.

The Phillipsburg School District mourned the loss of a student Wednesday as school officials tried to help Timothy Kilinski's peers cope with grief.

"It's a family. A P'burg family," said Bob Pierfy, the district's student assistant coordinator.

A moment of silence was held at Phillipsburg schools Wednesday for Timothy Kilinski, 18, of Pohatcong Township, who died early Tuesday in a crash on I-78. (Facebook photo)

A moment of silence was held at the start of class for Kilinski, a senior who died in an early-morning car crash Tuesday on Interstate 78 in Williams Township. Authorities said he was alone in the car when it slid across the highway, crashing into barriers about 3:55 a.m.

The 18-year-old from Pohatcong Township ran with the varsity cross country team last year. He had recently signed up to switch classes from Phillipsburg High School to the Phillipsburg Alternative Secondary School.

"He seemed like a nice young man," said Tory Bunn, director of alternative education at PASS.

Kilinski's parents said they were not yet prepared to speak about their loss.

The shock and suddenness of Kilinski's death was felt beyond their Pershing Avenue home, as district officials met with faculty and arranged for counselors to be available for students over the next few days.

"Anytime you have the tragic loss of a student, or anyone in the school community, there will always be an immediate shock," Superintendent George Chando said.

Some took to social media to express their sorrow and condolences.

Really hard to lose such a good friend. You will be missed Tim. So sad to see you go, but life goes on. Thoughts go out to the Kilinski fam.

-- Ryan O'Brien (@GroovyObrien13) December 8, 2015

Our thoughts go out to the family & friends of Tim Kilinski. Together, we can celebrate the life of this young man. #PohatPride

-- Pohatcong School (@PohatSchool) December 9, 2015

Pierfy said staff will continue to help students return to a sense of normalcy.

"No matter what position you play, no matter what part you are, you're part of the family," he said.

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

Controversial cull of animals ends Saturday

FREDON -- On the third day of the state's annual bear hunt, about a quarter as many animals were killed than on the opening day Monday but the day's tally was still higher than at an equivalent point in the 2014 hunt, according to preliminary figures released by the state Department of Environmental Protection Wednesday.

A total of 57 black bears were taken Wednesday, another day marked by warm weather favorable to hunters seeking the animals, who tend to be more active in milder conditions. Once again, Sussex County led all eight counties in number of animals taken, with 37, followed by Warren, with 13.

No bears have yet been reported killed in three counties where the firearms hunt has been permitted, Bergen, Somerset and Mercer, although preliminary figures earlier in the week indicated a few animals had been killed in Bergen.

The hunt, meant to curb populations of the animals primarily north of the I-78 corridor, ends Saturday.

Boy Scout Troop 146 from White Township attended the Nautical Nights program at Battleship Cove in Fall River, Mass., last month.  Posing on the Battleship Massachusetts are Assistant Scoutmaster Ken Durr, Vasilious Nikolopoulos, Charlie Florczak, Miles McCue, Aiden Kelleher, Josh...

Boy Scout Troop 146 from White Township attended the Nautical Nights program at Battleship Cove in Fall River, Mass., last month. 

Posing on the Battleship Massachusetts are Assistant Scoutmaster Ken Durr, Vasilious Nikolopoulos, Charlie Florczak, Miles McCue, Aiden Kelleher, Josh Cooke, Frank Bailey, Frankie Bailey, Jonathan Dow, Jesse Gardner, Erik Cooke, MaryAnn Ennis, Bill Spronz, Scoutmaster Mick Ennis, Alex Wright, Jacob Spronz, Ben Durr, Noah Cooke and Brenton Gardner.

Nautical Nights is a year-round program offering overnight adventures for Scout troops.

Troop 146 meets Monday nights at Belvidere High School and welcomes new members.   

The part-time officer was 65 when he was fired in 2014.

A former Independence Township police officer claims he was inappropriately fired in 2014 due to his age and is suing township officials for alleged discrimination.

Joseph DeWitt served as a part-time special officer with Independence Township police until 2014. He was 65 when he was inappropriately fired due to his age, according to a lawsuit. (lehighvalleylive.com file photo)

Joseph DeWitt, a township resident, was 65 when his employment was terminated in 2014 after 33 years of service in the department, according to the lawsuit filed this month in state Superior Court in Warren County.

The suit names the mayor and township committee as defendants.

DeWitt was serving as a special officer, working part time at least 20 hours a week and making about $20,000 a year, the lawsuit says. Though his exact duties are not specified in the lawsuit, the document says he was willing to work all shifts and had no physical problems that affected his job.

At some point, Mayor Bob Giordano -- identified in the suit by title but not name -- allegedly called DeWitt to arrange a meeting to discuss his age, after which DeWitt was fired. The lawsuit says the officer was not properly notified that his job status would be the subject of discussion or action.

DeWitt is in the public employee retirement system and there is no age cap, the lawsuit says. His pension is about $1,100 a month, according to a state database.

The lawsuit seeks unspecified compensation and punitive damages.

Giordano declined to comment Thursday, saying he has not seen the complaint. Township attorney Leslie Parikh and DeWitt's attorney, George Daggett, did not immediately return calls.

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

This is Chabad of Hunterdon County's 13th year celebrating the Festival of Lights at ShopRite in New Jersey.

Chabad of Hunterdon County's Hanukkah celebration continues Thursday and Saturday nights in Hunterdon County.

Wednesday night, the group celebrated with food, song and by lighting a menorah at ShopRite of Greenwich Township. This is Chabad's 13th year observing Hanukkah at the 1207 Route 22 supermarket, Rabbi Eli Kornfeld said.

About 50 people were in attendance, he said.

Chabad of Hunterdon says the Colalillo family that owns ShopRites in Hunterdon, Warren and Northampton counties is the leading sponsor of its Hanukkah celebration.

ShopRite in Bethlehem Township open for business

Hanukkah began Sunday evening and ends Monday evening. The eight-day Festival of Lights commemorates the rededication of the Temple by the Maccabees after their victory over the Syrians. Tradition holds that the Maccabees had only one small bottle of oil to be used for temple rituals but that, through a miracle, the oil lasted eight days and nights.

Celebrations, free of charge, are scheduled to continue:

6:30 p.m. Thursday at Bridge and Union streets in Lambertville. Chabad will hold a drawing for Hanukkah giveaways, including gift cards and items donated from The Sjourner, A Mano Galleries at the 5 & Dime, Bons Reves and La Chocolate Box. Hot beverages will be provided by The Coffee Bar at Lambertville Trading Company.

6:30 p.m. Saturday at the Hunterdon Art Museum terrace in Clinton by the Main Street bridge over the South Branch of the Raritan River. The celebration includes hot latkes, donuts, gelt, crafts, free menorah kits and dreidels, as well as a drawing for giveaways such as gift cards and items donated by Heartstrings, Amaryllis, Balic of Clinton, JJ Scoops, Paper Grace on Main, the Flower Basket, Made to Order and Well Bred. Hot coffee will be provided by Citispot Tea & Coffee.

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